Chapter Ten

Roodaka bent down low, grinning with anticipation. Atop the fearsome Kardas, she looked down as the Dark Hunter fleet traveled beneath her, led by the Shadowed One’s airship. Tailing the back end of the fleet, she watched as a squadron of vehicles zipped forward across the sands, leaving a trail behind it.

Her gambit had paid off. Lariska and the others were left for dead, and with this much power at her command, none of the Dark Hunters could threaten her. She was finally back in control. Tenderly petting the dragon’s head, Roodaka braced herself as an energy blast bellowed up within the beast’s jaws. With a smile, she pulled back on the chain around its neck, and launched her first attack.

Down below, Gatherer just barely caught his breath as his bike swerved around a fiery rain of energy from the sky. Staring upwards, he saw the creature flying high above, casting a shadow over the entire fleet, and watched as its mouth glowed red with another attack charging.

“Evasive maneuvers!” He cried out, signaling to the other Dark Hunters nearby. “Fan out!”

Slowly but surely, the fleet began to spread out across the desert. They wouldn’t be afforded much protection from the dragon, but more than one target would improve each and every one of their odds. And if there was one thing a Dark Hunter knew how to do, it was how to ensure their own survival.

Up ahead, in the Shadowed One’s airship, the dark ruler was watching the chaotic scene unfold.

“What’s happening?” The Shadowed One bellowed, slamming his staff into the floor.

“Someone is trailing us,” reported Airwatcher, frantically flapping his wings as he came in for a landing. “The dragon Rahi is loose once more. Worse, it seems to have a rider.”

From within her bonds, Lariska silently snickered to herself. Just as she had predicted, Roodaka was on her way to destroy the Shadowed One’s plans once and for all. The chaos she had long anticipated was almost here.

“Take a vehicle and shoot it down,” growled the master of the Dark Hunters. “I will not accept any attackers.”

“There’s more,” reported Lurker, stepping in from the watchtower. “Something just dropped in from out of nowhere,” he continued. “Or… someone.”

✴        ✴        ✴

Ahkmou was having a bad couple of days.

He was flung very quickly from Hydraxon’s employ, to Malum’s captivity, up until his raid on the Dark Hunter fortress. Now, he found himself flung once more, falling through the sky as he rapidly approached the ground.

Above him flew the Krahka, straight out of the Turaga’s stories, changing shape from a teleporting Ta-Matoran to a flying Rahi. Beside him was Gavla, scrambling for safety as she plummeted. The Ice Agori fell as well, but seemed much less capable of survival in this situation. Then, down below, were Malum and Hydraxon, already preparing to land.

Right below his feet, a large metal vehicle traveled onwards, arriving just in time for him to crash onto its surface, landing flat on his mask. One by one, the rest of the party landed, some collapsing unceremoniously, while the others made their way down with more dignity.

“Great plan,” Ahkmou groaned, picking up his weapon as he slowly rose to his feet. Beside him, the Krahka landed, slowly fluttering down to the moving surface.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Metus asked, rubbing his right leg. “Just a bit hard on the knees.”

Before Ahkmou could voice any more complaints, a hatch on the roof of the vehicle opened, and a lone Dark Hunter emerged, drawing his weapon. Hydraxon was quick to act, grabbing the hunter by the back of the neck and flinging him from the side of the vehicle. “No time to rest yet,” he grumbled. “Anyone have a read on the Shadowed One’s location?”

Before anyone could answer, an explosion of energy passed overhead, narrowly missing the group. Beside the main vehicle, Amphibax fired off another blast of plasma from his mobile turret. Ducking down low, Gavla scrambled through the open hatch of the vehicle. A startled cry echoed from within, before the vehicle abruptly swerved to the side, ramming into the rider and sending him careening off of his bike.

Just beside where Amphibax had just been, a blast of energy suddenly struck the ground, shaking the hull of the vehicle the team was riding. Looking up, Hydraxon watched as the Kardas Dragon, with Roodaka riding atop it, soared through the air, raining fire on the caravan down below. From behind the billowing smoke, two Muaka raced forward, some of the last remnants of the Shadowed One’s Rahi horde, doing their best to escape the chaos.

“It’s a warzone out here,” Metus cursed, ducking down low.

“And if we don’t stop them soon, they’re going to bring it to our homes,” Hydraxon growled.

“That includes the wasteland,” Ahkmou noted, looking pointedly at Malum. “These hunters will not spare the Vorox from their conquest.”

Malum frowned. “Yes, their leader made that abundantly clear. We must put an end to his aspirations now.”

Beside them, the winged Krahka shifted shape into the Toa of Water once more. “We need to free that dragon,” she said. “The Shadowed One and Roodaka have terrorized Rahi for long enough.”

From within the cockpit, Gavla grunted as she heaved up the unconscious body of Dweller, the vehicle’s former pilot. With a forceful shove, she cast him out, throwing him over the side of the vehicle, before returning to take over the controls.

“Not just that, taking it out of the picture will give us more time to focus on the Dark Hunters,” Hydraxon noted, ignoring Dweller’s cries as the vehicle slowly sped away.

A volley of acid rained down from above as the birdlike Airwatcher soared past. The group ducked down low, suddenly reminded of their awkward position. Swooping back around, Airwatcher prepared to strike again, only to be struck in midair by a loose Lava Hawk freed from the Rahi pens. Frustrated, the Dark Hunter shifted focus to battling the Rahi, quickly forgetting about the threat Hydraxon posed.

“Alright, we need to act fast,” Hydraxon decided. “Ahkmou, Gavla, Metus, you three will take command of this vehicle, and take out any others you can along the way. Krahka, fly up to the Kardas Dragon, see if you can take out Roodaka. Malum, help me to clear a path forward to the main airship.”

As he pointed towards the flagship of the caravan, he noted with brief surprise that the team had been listening intently the whole time, awaiting his orders.

And to think, you wanted to throw them in another cell, Dekar remarked. Goes to show what a second chance can get you.

Hydraxon ruminated on this for a moment, before turning his attention back to his team. “That’s bound to be where the Shadowed One is,” he finished. “We take control of it, and we stop the Dark Hunters once and for all,” he finished.

“We get them out of my desert,” Malum growled.

“You’re all insane, you know that?” sighed Metus, as he slowly climbed into the vehicle’s hatch.

A pair of wings sprouted from Krahka’s back, as she slowly changed shape. “What are we waiting for?” With that, she took off into the air, rocketing towards the mighty dragon.

Hydraxon looked to the airship with grim resolve. “Let’s go.”

✴        ✴        ✴

Roodaka cackled with glee as an eruption of energy from the Kardas’ mouth blasted another dozen Dark Hunters into a crisp. For her part, she couldn’t recall having this much fun since Sidorak’s death.

Looking up, she watched as a flying vehicle zoomed beside her, piloted by a Dark Hunter in gray armor.

“I’ve waited a long time for this,” the pilot growled. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done!”

Her eyes narrowed. “‘Tracker’, was it? Have I done something to wrong you? Sorry, I can never keep track of my victims.”

Tracker’s eyes blazed with fury. From within the cockpit, a bone white bull creature leapt through the air to attack Roodaka. She ducked low just in time for it to travel over her head and swung her mace up to strike its underside. With a whimper, it collapsed to her feet, before she kicked it off of the side of the dragon’s back.

This only enraged Tracker further, but before he could react, a blast of concussive force from the Kardas’ mouth struck the side of his vehicle, sending him plummeting to his doom.

Roodaka took a moment to enjoy the sound of his screams, before her attention was suddenly grabbed by a Niazesk, buzzing just beside her head.

“I must give you credit,” the Vortixx grumbled. “I thought you would have perished back there.”

Within an instant, the small insect transformed into a large Nui-Kopen, its jaws dripping with venom as it growled at the Vortixx.

Roodaka scoffed. “Nothing to say? Just pure, animal rage?”

The Nui-Kopen paused for just a moment, before one of the masks adorning her insectoid form began to speak. “I owe you no words, witch. But I want you to hear my voice, speaking your tongue, before you meet your end.”

A guffaw escaped Roodaka’s mouth, before she dropped the reins of the Kardas around the dragon’s neck. “Perhaps I should have taken advantage of your abilities sooner, creature.”

She ducked low to avoid a swipe from Krahka’s claw, before striking the insect’s underbelly with her mace. “Then again,” she snarked, “all that power, and you can hardly use it.”

Krahka quickly changed shape to a Chute Lurker as she fell, landing gracefully atop the Kardas’ head with her spindly legs. Snarling, she lunged forward, reaching out to grab Roodaka with her claws, only for a large Fader Bull to appear out of nowhere, knocking the shapeshifter back on top of the Kardas’ head once more.

“Well,” Roodaka mused, stepping back as she looked down upon the newcomer that had suddenly appeared. “Things just got interesting.”

A mischievous chuckle came from the Rahi, as it quickly changed shape into a crimson armored Steltian that the Vortixx recognized all too well. This new shapeshifter had taken Sidorak’s face, surely as a means to taunt her.

“Triglax,” the Sidorak lookalike introduced himself. “Here to put a stop to this nonsense, my queen.”

Roodaka raised an eyebrow, only mildly amused by his antics. “Behind you.”

The new shapeshifter squatted low, taking the form of a froglike Ghekula as Krahka struck forward with the fists of a Fusa. Triglax spun around, swerving around the Kardas’ neck as he morphed into the serpentine Lohrak.

“You two need to stop,” Triglax hissed, preparing to strike at Roodaka. “Let the Shadowed One finish his business.”

Roodaka smirked, preparing to strike the shapeshifter with her mace, only for Krahka to interrupt the clash, swarming around the two of them in a buzz of Protodites. The millions of microscopic creatures that made up Krahka’s new form gnawed at her two opponent’s armors, slowly picking away at each of them.

“I will not be interrupted,” Krahka shot back, the swarm slowly dissolving as she took the form of an entity made of pure fire, hovering in the air above the Kardas. “Roodaka, the Shadowed One, they all must–”

A blast of water interrupted her, fired off by Triglax in the form of a Water Toa. With a smirk, he watched as Krahka reeled from the attack, only for his expression to drop as she zipped towards him with the speed of a Phase Dragon.

As she watched the two parry each others’ attacks for some time, Roodaka quickly grew impatient. Each of these shapeshifters had a form to perfectly counter the others’, and neither had time to fight her. Things were always much more exciting when the attention was on her.

“Okay you two, that’s enough,” she snapped, and pulled up on the reins of the Kardas Dragon. Obeying her command, the Rahi suddenly swooped to the side, causing the two shapeshifters to slide off, plummeting to the ground beneath them.

As the Kardas steadied itself once more, it fired off another blast in the area where the two had landed. Roodaka peered over the side, excited to see the corpses of whatever forms they had taken last.

Instead, she watched with horror as a massive creature slowly took shape, growing in size and covered in green scales.

✴        ✴        ✴

Looking back over his shoulder, Gatherer did his best to ignore the Tahtorak that had suddenly landed on the battlefield, crushing many Dark Hunters beneath its feet. The beast roared with fury, marching forward and swiping at the vehicles that scurried about underneath it.

Come on, he grumbled to himself, doing his best to focus on the road ahead of him. Where’s Triglax? He should’ve handled this by now.

Soon enough, he got his answer, as the ground suddenly erupted beneath him. He swerved to the side, sticking close to a larger vehicle just as the gargantuan Troller emerged, snaking above the surface and clicking its fangs together. Lunging forward, it moved to attack the Tahtorak, biting down on its leg and pulling back.

The Troller burrowed low into the ground once again as the Tahtorak swiped at it in retaliation, before it reemerged in the shape of a massive mutated Ussal Crab, scuttling forward and striking at the dragon with its claws.

Gatherer didn’t know which of these massive Rahi was Triglax, and which was the Krahka, but it didn’t seem to matter. The destruction sewn in the wake of this battle was catastrophic, and many of the Dark Hunters were already turning tail and leaving. Gatherer had half a mind to do the same, but as he looked up, he realized he didn’t have much choice in the matter.

Standing atop the adjacent vehicle was the crimson armored Malum, holding up Firedracax by the neck. With a grunt, he tossed the Dark Hunter off the side of the vehicle and lunged forward at Gatherer’s bike.

There was no time to react. Before Gatherer could do anything, a flame claw gripped his right shoulder and pulled him back off of the bike, sending him stumbling to the sands below.

“There we go,” Malum muttered to himself, as he got situated on the seat of the bike. Grabbing onto the handlebars, he revved the engine, quickly familiarizing himself with the controls. He sped up, keeping up with the rest of the caravan.

Hydraxon, meanwhile, was fighting off two Dark Hunters atop the adjacent vehicle, a modified Visorak battle ram. Teleporting back and forth, Vanisher kept Hydraxon on his toes, while Devastator dissipated into sand, only to reform behind him whenever possible. It was a tricky situation, combatting two warriors who wouldn’t stay still, but it was one Hydraxon was capable of handling.

He swiped at Vanisher with one arm, while using his other to turn the vehicle’s turret around. Sure enough, the teleporter appeared between him and Devastator instantaneously, only for the pair to immediately be struck by an explosive blast from the turret. Looking over his shoulder, Hydraxon watched as the duo stumbled into the sand, the caravan leaving them far behind.

“Hydraxon!” Malum called. “Hop on!”

Looking to his right, the jailer looked to see the scarlet Glatorian racing beside the vehicle. Opening the hatch of the cockpit, he turned the turret towards the pilot and fired, leaping off of the vehicle just before it burst into flames. With a thud, he landed on the back of Malum’s bike, just barely able to get his bearings.

“I believe this mask belongs to you,” Malum grumbled, handing a silver helmet to Hydraxon as he sped forward.

Hydraxon took it in one hand, and examined it. “It’s a helmet,” he shouted. “Besides, I think I’ve gotten used to this one.” Turning back, he watched as Vanisher appeared behind him once more, and flung his discarded helmet at the Dark Hunter. The teleporter was struck, and fell right in the path of another vehicle’s massive treads. Hydraxon didn’t care to check if he had teleported away in time.

Malum shrugged. “Suit yourself. Here, we’ve almost made it.”

Looking forward, the jailer wasn’t sure what to make of the vehicle in front of them. The crimson machine had four titanic legs, each equipped with treads that it used to travel, as well as something resembling a head. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought it to be a creature, not a vehicle. More important, however, was the Shadowed One’s airship, hanging in the air just above it.

“That’s the Skopio,” Malum explained. “The vehicle, not the creature. I saw it get trashed by some Glatorian not too long ago. Your friends must have fixed it up.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Hydraxon shook his head. “It’ll end up as scrap all the same.”

With a deep breath, the jailer prepared to fling himself from the back of the bike, only for a blast of energy to strike the ground beside him, rocking the bike. At first, he wondered if it had come from the Kardas Dragon flying above, but the Rahi was still too many paces behind to launch such an attack. Looking up, he spotted the Skopio’s cannon pointing straight at him, manned by a white armored ex-Glatorian.

“Look who’s decided to come play!” Strakk exclaimed, pulling back on the handlebars of the vehicle.

Malum growled, forcing the bike forward as he weaved between the Skopio’s legs. “Look who’s shown his face,” he called up to his opponent. “So, these criminals are the only ones who would take you in?”

“Fighting at Roxtus didn’t do me any favors!” he called back. “I might as well throw my lot in with the Dark Hunters.” His expression slowly contorted into a grin. “Besides, if it means I can get even with you, it’s just as well.”

Beneath the Skopio’s hull, Hydraxon leapt off of the bike as it passed under, and grabbed onto the machine’s underside. Slowly, he began to scale it, reaching the side of the mount.

But as soon as he went to pull himself up, a crescent-shaped scythe swiped at his fingers, daring him to come any closer.

“If it isn’t the warden,” Nektann growled, standing atop the edge of the vehicle.

Hydraxon let out a groan. “You must be joking. How many of you do I have to defeat until you stop fighting?”

“I don’t stop fighting,” the Skakdi retorted, swiping near the jailer’s hand once more to taunt him. “It’s against my nature.”

“A pity,” Hydraxon said. “Giving up is against mine.”

With a heave, Hydraxon flipped into the air, landing atop the Skopio’s platform. He drew back his twin claws, staring down the Skakdi warlord.

Nektann flashed his gritted teeth. “Let’s go.”

✴        ✴        ✴

Ahkmou screamed in terror as another blast from the Kardas Dragon up above narrowly missed the caravan he was riding on top of. The sudden appearance of two more titanic Rahi had turned the battle into complete chaos, with fire and dirt flying everywhere.

Holding tight to the handles of the mounted cordak blaster, Ahkmou aimed at the Troller as it emerged from the ground once more. Pulling back, he fired off a volley of missiles, striking the worm Rahi’s carapace.

“Nice shot!” Metus called from down below, riding within the safety of the caravan. “I think you tickled it a bit!”

“Shut up, Metus!” Gavla growled, steering the caravan to the side to avoid a crashed vehicle in front of them.

But unfortunately, Metus was right. For all the attacks Ahkmou had managed to land on the two Rahi, they each seemed only mildly annoyed by them. He felt powerless, barely making a difference in the battle. For that matter, he wasn’t even sure which of the Rahi he was supposed to shoot.

“This is hopeless!” he cried, dismounting from the turret and descending back into the caravan’s cabin. “We’re barely changing anything out there!”

As another blast from the Kardas rocked the cabin, Gavla turned back to face the Matoran. “Well, what else do we do? It’s not like we’ve got many other options.”

Metus’ eyes lit up. In his hands, he held a zamor launcher, loaded with spheres of a substance he knew was quite powerful. If they could get closer, maybe he would be able to use it on the Rahi.

But before he could suggest it, Ahkmou made his own proposition, one that baffled the other two passengers.

“You know… we could leave,” he said.

Gavla snapped her head back at him. “What?!”

“Think about it. They’ll take out the Shadowed One, the day will be saved. We have no need to stay with them. Let’s just drive off, and let them have their victory.”

She paused for a moment. “I don’t know… Hydraxon doesn’t seem to be against us.”

“He’s using us,” Ahkmou said, a bit more sternly. “Just like the Turaga and Makuta did before. Come on.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’re all each other’s got, remember?”

Wistfully, she sighed, and began to turn the vehicle away from the battle. “You’re right.”

“Hold on a minute,” came Metus’ voice from behind them. “Are you seriously about to ditch the team? After everything you did for them?”

“Why are you so appalled?” asked Ahkmou. “You’ve cowered away from every fight in your life.”

The Agori frowned, and hoisted up a zamor sphere launcher. “I can’t believe you two. You complain so much that no one else is there for you, but as soon as someone gives you a chance, you run. Personally, well…”

Ahkmou raised his brow. “Well, what?”

Metus gulped. “Well… I’m tired of being a coward.”

“Fine,” Gavla spat, flipping a switch on the console. “Then go throw your life away for them. We’re going to survive.”

Before Metus could protest, the door in front of him opened, and he was forced out, tumbling onto the sand below. By the time he raised his head once more, the vehicle was long gone, and the clawed foot of a titanic dragon was passing overhead.

For just a moment, he froze, unsure of what to do. Unwittingly, the words Sahmad had spoken to him came rushing back in his mind.

You're only in the middle of nowhere, with no idea how to get home, and no home to go to.

His mind hurt from indecision. Should he run?

After all, you've got so much to live for.

With that, his mind was made up. He grabbed his zamor launcher, and rose up to his feet.

“If I'm going to die, I may as well die trying to do some good,” he scoffed, chasing after the emerald dragon.

✴        ✴        ✴

Atop the Skopio XV-1, the battle between Nektann and Hydraxon continued, while the vehicle kept unleashing a barrage of fire upon Malum down below.

It was an interesting matchup of abilities. Nektann was a hardened warrior, one who had led armies into battle for centuries on the island of Zakaz. He was ruthless, and with each swing of his scythe, he was determined to keep Hydraxon on his toes, never giving him a moment to recover.

Hydraxon, on the other hand, had two sets of training. One from the Order of Mata Nui, who taught him to be swift, tactical, and emotionless. The other was from Mahri Nui, a place which taught him to survive at all costs. These two lifetimes were at war with one another for some time, but now, they had become one. He fought with an intertwined fighting style, creating as much distance between him and Nektann as possible, and only striking at critical areas.

That said, the Skopio was a poor arena for both of them. It was plenty large, but not designed with two fighters in mind, especially with Strakk in the cockpit. The ex-Glatorian had made a few attempts to join the fight, only for both of the combatants to stomp him back down into his position. Both of them implicitly agreed that, with how little room they had to move, a third fighter was not welcome.

“Stand still,” Nektann growled, firing off a vision blast in Hydraxon’s direction, and just barely missing him. “You leap around like an immature Gadunka.”

“I’ve seen Gadunka fight,” Hydraxon replied, taking the opportunity to land a strike at Nektann’s abdomen. “You’d be surprised.”

Groaning in pain at his wound, Nektann lunged forward, getting more and more impatient. While he loved the thrill of battle, this opponent was beginning to get on his nerves, and his fighting style reflected that. His swipes grew heavier and slower, each one taking more strength out of him.

“Give it up,” Hydraxon said. “You’re in no shape–”

“Shut up!” the Skakdi shouted, swinging his scythe upwards to scrape Hydraxon’s armor. “I’m going to–”

His next attack was interrupted, as Malum’s claw suddenly emerged from behind him, shoving him to the floor. The Skakdi crashed onto the cockpit, nearly crushing Strakk.

“I was getting tired of the battle down there,” the exile groaned. “Strakk’s incompetence could have taken out the fleet singlehandedly, but I prefer to handle things more personally.”

“Hey!” Strakk grunted, getting up from under Nektann.

Quickly rising to his feet, Nektann growled, staring down his two opponents. He moved to attack, but paused for just a moment as Hydraxon held up his hand.

“Think it through,” the jailer said.

Nektann scoffed. “I’ve thought it through plenty. You’re going to die.”

“My priority is with the Shadowed One,” Hydraxon continued. “Is he really worth dying for?”

A scoff escaped Strakk. “What a joke!” he cried, turning to Nektann. “Surely, we would never…”

He trailed off, as he realized the Skakdi warlord had yet to refuse Hydraxon’s offer. Was he actually considering it?

Nektann’s eyes narrowed, sizing up the jailer. This was quite an insult, offering him a chance to surrender. A proud warrior like himself would never take up such a deal. In fact, he ought to have Hydraxon’s head for such a thing.

Then again, there was little honor in fighting alongside the Dark Hunters. He had already fallen from grace to get here. There was no honor in leaving, but it would give him his only chance at regaining it.

As much as he hated to admit it, the prospect of being free once more far outweighed the downside of surrendering to Hydraxon. Begrudgingly, he let go of his pride and hung his head low, slowly nodding. “Fine,” he grumbled, earning a baffled glare from Strakk. “Scale the cannon, climb into the airship. He’s on the observation deck.”

“What?!” Strakk asked, baffled. “You’re deserting?!”

“I’m tired of being used as a weapon,” Nektann replied as he turned away. “So many of these hunters are nothing more than blunt instruments. I am the blade of Zakaz, and the Shadowed One would have me cut grass.” He shook his head. “I’ve fought too many battles for too many masters. It’s time I fight for myself once more.”

Hydraxon furrowed his brow. “Good. Now, if you turn yourself in, you should–”

“No,” Nektann chuckled, “that’s not what we’re doing. I’m going to leave, and you’re going to chase the Shadowed One instead of me. Now go. Face your destiny, and I’ll face mine.”

With that, the warlord leapt off of the top platform of the Skopio, vanishing from sight. Hydraxon reached out for just a moment, unsure of whether to pursue the criminal, but stopped himself.

We’ll catch him later, Dekar’s voice echoed. Let’s focus on the bigger problem.

Frustrated, Strakk pulled out his ice axe. “Maybe he’s going to be a coward, but I’m not.” He pointed his axe straight at the pair, earning a guffaw from the Glatorian who had nearly killed him years ago.

“What could the Shadowed One be offering you?” Malum asked.

“A home. Just like the one you found with the Vorox.”

“What a joke,” shot back Malum. “I adopted the way of the Vorox to better the both of us. You’re only in this for yourself.” He turned to Hydraxon. “Get up there. I’ll deal with… this.”

With that, he growled, and swung forth his flame claws into Strakk’s axe. “Let me finish what I started back in the arena.”