Chapter Eleven: In the Presence of Warmongers

One of the peculiar things about a Skakdi warlord’s base is the lack of any kind of a dungeon, torture chamber, or prisoner of war camp. History has shown that there’s very little point in torturing a Skakdi, as they never talk except in trade, usually for their freedom, which few captors will agree to. And keeping prisoners means listening to them whine for trivial things like food, water, and a good-sized club to use on the stone rats who keep paying midnight visits.

So when Brutaka and Axonn were marched into warlord Nektann’s camp, no one seemed quite sure what to do with them. Killing them immediately came to mind, but then it would be impossible to find out why they were on the island to start with. Unlike the famed necrofinch of the Zakaz mountains, most beings did not continue to sing after they were dead.

It was Axonn who insisted that they be brought before Nektann himself. Nektann was larger than the average Skakdi, or at least appeared so sitting on his throne made from the fused weapons of his foes. He was accompanied by his pet, which looked like a Muaka cat covered in spiked armor. Nektann, ever the gracious host, asked them if they had anything to say before he had them painfully disassembled.

“Yes,” said Axonn, “The Brotherhood of Makuta.”

Nektann spat on the ground. The Muaka growled. “What about them?” asked the warlord.

“We offer you a chance to sack their fortresses, loot their weapons, and slay their warriors,” Axonn said.

“We’d throw in ‘Make their women weep,’ but have you ever seen a female Makuta?” added Brutaka. “It’s not pretty.”

“Why should I listen to you when it would be so much quicker and easier to throw you into the Tahtorak pens?”

“Because we’ve already been to see the other warlords of Zakaz,” lied Axonn. “What, did you think we would come to this puny hole first? They have all agreed to ally with us. If you refuse, you can sit on your petty throne and watch as they grow rich and powerful.”

Nektann frowned, the only expression uglier than a Skakdi’s smile. No self-respecting warlord wanted to be left out of a chance at glorious battle and even more glorious loot. In the end, he nodded.

“Why did you tell him we had talked to the other warlords?” whispered Brutaka. “We still have to go to all their camps and talk them into an alliance.”

“That’s a lot of work,” Axonn agreed, “so I guess you better get started.”

✴        ✴        ✴

Ancient climbed a low-rise, stepping carefully to avoid tripping over the rubble that was once a Xian factory. He had been searching for the Shadowed One for the better part of an hour. They were supposed to be discussing the defense of the city, but the Dark Hunter leader was nowhere to be found.

He was concerned. Toa Helryx had asked Ancient, her spy within the Dark Hunters, for regular reports on the state of things at Xia and the Shadowed One’s actions. She fully expected a Brotherhood of Makuta attack on the island, and he was already overdue with his latest dispatch.

Ancient reached the top of the rise. The first thing he saw was the Shadowed One standing amid a pile of debris. He was holding a small chest, which was open, and staring at the contents with a nasty smile on his face. As Ancient drew closer, he noticed two other things: a dead Vortixx on the ground, his face encased in Crystalline Protodermis, and just what was in the chest: three vials.

“What have you found?” asked Ancient, “And why would a Vortixx be foolish enough to challenge you for it?”

The Shadowed One looked up, surprised. Then, seeing it was Ancient, he visibly relaxed.

“A most amazing thing,” he said, “Have you ever heard of Makuta Kojol?”

Ancient nodded. He knew the story from the Order of Mata Nui: Kojol had been visiting Xia to discuss having a virus added into a weapon the Vortixx were building for the Makuta. During his visit, he was “accidentally” killed by a different virus. Except it was no accident, but an Order operation to remove him.

“He brought a number of viruses with him when he came to Xia,” the Shadowed One continued. “Some were never found. The story was they were incinerated along with his armor. But they weren’t, and I have found them.”

Ancient tried not to look as worried as he felt. Weapons like this in the hands of the Dark Hunters was a disaster in the making. “Excellent,” he said. “We could ransom these for a good price.”

“Ransom them?” said The Shadowed One. “No, no, I intend to make use of them. I will learn what they are and what they do, and then Helryx and the Makuta will answer to me! But I will need time… a great deal of time. And privacy to work. No one must know I have them. That is why the Vortixx here had to die. And it’s why…”

Twin beams of power lanced out of the Shadowed Ones’ eyes, striking Ancient. The veteran Dark Hunter vanished, disintegrated by the force of the blast.

“Apologies, old friend,” The Shadowed One said, “but you know the old saying: ‘A secret shared is no longer a secret.’”