Ignition Comics
2008 - Ignition Comic 12: Realm of Fear
Adapted by Michael Larson. Edited by Jeff Douglas.
Not far away, Kopaka had caught up to Pohatu, and the two were flying in close formation. Pohatu was marveling at the changes he and the others had undergone thanks to their adaptive armor. He in particular had undergone some significant changes, not the least of which being a shift in the hue of his armor which had brightened from brown to orange.
Kopaka was thinking about the same thing. “Our armor has adapted to this new environment. So have our weapons, I see.”
“Yeah,” Pohatu said, reaching toward a strange-looking blaster that was mounted on his shoulder. “I wonder what this thing does—”
His finger brushed the trigger, and a round sphere of light exploded from the chamber, throwing him backwards. The orb hurtled toward one of the Makuta and struck him painfully in the neck.
“Oh,” Pohatu gasped. “That’s what it does!”
“The others have found a good strategy, it seems,” Kopaka said, pointing. “Those things, whatever they are, are pulling back. That gives us time to talk to the villagers about what’s going on here.”
Veering in the direction of the other Toa, the Toa of Ice threw a glance at Pohatu. “I want some answers, and I want them now.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Pohatu watched as Photok tended to the barbed strands of a glowing green plant. The Matoran of Light called these Lightvines, and they surrounded the Stalactite Villages.
“These plants used to be native to our original home before the Fall,” the Matoran remarked, pruning the vine. “We used to grow them in the village garden where they illuminated the caves we lived in. Now we grow them to protect our last village from the shadow.”
“Don’t worry,” Pohatu said brightly. “We’ve faced worse things than a few Makuta…” He cocked his head. “…though I don’t remember when.”
Photok inhaled sharply. “Look!”
Pohatu looked up to see something flying toward them. It was another Matoran, one that looked the worse for wear. He looked like one of the Matoran the Toa had faced before — Radiak.
“Photok… I’ve stolen the Brotherhood’s battle plans and escaped,” he wheezed. “But I’m hurt… help me…”
Pohatu frowned. He knew a trap when he saw one, and this one couldn’t have been more obvious. But could he take the chance? His duty was to protect the Matoran, even those under the influence of shadow. And if there was any chance it was real…
The Toa of Stone sighed and flew off toward Radiak. “Could be a trick. It probably is—but if he really needs help…”
“Then I’m going along!” Photok spoke up, igniting his jetpack and flying behind the Stone Toa and latching on.
Pohatu slowed as he approached Radiak and warily began circling him. “Just stay there while we look you over—and no tricks.”
Radiak’s smiled. “Oh—it’s much too late for that, you fools.”
Shadow bolts and blasts of electricity abruptly exploded around the Toa and Matoran.
“We just needed to get you away from that lightvine that rings your village. Its glow is… annoying,” came Antroz’s voice behind him.
“Vamprah, my silent friend,” added Chirox, “You take the Toa. I will claim the Matoran. I have an experiment in mind he would be perfect for!”
Pohatu didn’t waste time turning to face his attackers. Instead, he fired his jets and racing as fast as he could toward the cavern ceiling. But his heart sank as an explosion rocked his back and Photok shouted in pain. “Photok!” Pohatu exclaimed.
“I’m… alright. Don’t worry,” Photok replied weakly. Mercifully, the destructive bolts only hit his jetpack, destroying it instead of him. Even so, he clutched Pohatu tighter.
The Toa scowled. He couldn’t afford to stay on the defensive. Not anymore.
He spun and flew up toward the cavern ceiling before pulling a barrel roll, twisting, and soaring toward the Makuta. “You know, I’ve found things under rocks that had more guts than you Makuta do… and smell better, too,” he growled, firing his blaster. He shot through the Makuta formation, sending them scattering.
“And I’m a Toa of Stone… I know rocks.”
A giant shadow hand erupted from Chirox’s hook blades, grabbing the startled Pohatu and the still-weakened Photok.
“One blow is not a fight, Pohatu,” the black-armored Makuta chuckled. Swiping his tools downward, the shadow hand hurled the pair to the village below. “Think about that on your way down!”
Unable to right himself, Pohatu landed with a large crash on the head of the stalactite among the shambled huts of the Matoran. Chirox was about to fly after him when shoulder suddenly exploded. He cried out in and pain and spun mid-air to face Kopaka and Lewa, backed by Solek and Tanma.
Kopaka’s blaster was still pointed at Makuta Chirox. “And one battle isn’t the war, Makuta.”
Lewa leaned forward. “If you’ve hurt Pohatu, we’ll—”
Antroz slammed into Lewa from above, sending him plunging. “You’ll what, Toa? Fire your little balls of light? Make more empty threats?” Even as Lewa and Antroz grappled, Radiak and Tanma’s blades clashed on their backs, trying to land a blow on the other while each protecting their companion.
“Makuta, why don’t you dry up and wind-blow away!?” Lewa grunted, unleashing a cyclone that threw Antroz and his Matoran in the opposite direction.
Not far away, Kopaka had found himself face to face with Vamprah. To Kopaka’s surprise, the Makuta made no threats or taunts as Antroz and Chirox did.
“Are you silent out of fear, monster, or do you simply have nothing worthwhile to say?” asked the Toa of Ice, aiming the bayonet on his launcher at the Makuta. “Go ahead, make a move—and best of luck flying with ice on your wings. It looks like a long way down.”
Vamprah’s fangs formed a smile. Gavla sneered, “Stupid Toa… Vamprah wears the Mask of Hunger. He doesn’t have to come near you to destroy you.” The blue Makuta’s eyes and mask flashed, causing energy to siphon remotely from Kopaka to the shadowy pair.
The Ice Toa froze. Then he began to tremble, and his strength gave out, causing the two to drop from the sky. “Weak… I’m fading,” Kopaka gasped. “Save yourself, Solek…”
“No! I won’t abandon you!” the Av-Matoran shouted, although he himself was weakening.
“Then you’re both doomed,” said Gavla. She watched coldly as Kopaka and Solek landed beside the former’s weapons in the village where Pohatu and Photok lay still. As it was one of the villages the Makuta had captured, the shadow Matoran were already scurrying to bind them.
Vamprah wheeled away and glided over to where Chirox, Antroz, and their Matoran were circling Lewa and Tanma. “Surrender, Lewa—and tell us where Tahu and your other friends have gone, and why,” Antroz was saying.
“Come with us,” Chirox crooned, offering a claw, “you will be well treated—the rumors of what we do to Toa are… exaggerated.”
“Right. I can tell from the bat wings and leeches that you three are just all happy-smiles and rainbows,” Lewa replied.
Focusing on the sky around himself, he summoned his powers about him. “But do you true-know the problem with wings?”
Lewa swung his saber, unleashing a massive cyclone all around and blowing the Makuta off-balance.
“They don’t work well in a big-wind!”
The Makuta shouted, but were powerless to stop Lewa’s power as they were scattered like leaves. As they fought to right themselves, the Toa jetted away. Tanma glanced behind them. They were making good distance, but… “What are you doing? We have to go back and save my friends, and yours!”
“And we will,” Lewa assured him. “But six of them, two of us, is not how to do it. We need to seek-find Tahu and the other Toa-heroes, and hope we’re in time!”
✴ ✴ ✴
At their back, Antroz, righted himself, but upon hearing this made no effort to pursue. The other Makuta looked ready to fly after them, but he stopped them with a signal.
“Let them go,” he said. “There’s nowhere they can run to. We have their friend. If they return with Tahu and the others, it will save us the trouble of hunting them ourselves. If not… you two will have your prizes. Besides, Icarax will be here soon—if they do hide, we’ll let him find and destroy them. It is, after all, what he does best.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Vican had left. In silence, Icarax brooded atop his throne. He had already arrived at a decision. Now it was a matter of taking his time. He knew better than to rush too quickly to the aid of another.
“So, Antroz has a problem he cannot solve, and he turns to me,” he muttered.
How typical.
“Trickery, plots, and schemes will not defeat Toa Nuva… only power will do that. And I am power.”
Icarax rose and retrieved his weapons from their mount.
“I will go to Karda Nui and save my brothers from dirtying their claws in battle. Then we will see who leads the Brotherhood of Makuta.”
He ran his finger along the blade, testing its sharpness.
“Oh yes… then we will see indeed.”