Chapter Thirty: A Secret Order

Icarax stormed into the shop of the arms dealer, the force of his wake sweeping up blueprints and greasy cloths. “We are past the appointed time, are we not?” he snarled. “And I have received no summons. Why is this?”

“Get down!” the dealer urged. “He is due any minute now!”

Icarax studied the trader’s face. Then, with a huff, his armor shifted and reformed, taking on the appearance of a pet Kavinika. As they waited, he began to prowl.

It took half an hour—though it felt like an eternity—but the shop was soon treated to its second visitor. True to the dealer’s description, the individual was tall, red, clad in elaborate armor, and equipped with a sleek Mask of Charisma. But, perhaps most distinct was what was not seen.

For when Icarax reached out to probe the visitor’s mind, he was met by an invisible wall.

Ce-Matoran were known for their mental barriers that blocked telepathic entry, but this was no Ce-Matoran. And Icarax would have been alarmed, perhaps even fearful if it were his first time encountering of this.

It was not.

Inexplicable mental barriers were as distinctive as any calling card, and the Brotherhood had been wary of this strange, unexplainable trend for some time. Over the millennia, its agents had reported a dozen unrelated instances linked only by this oddity. And now that the mysterious organization tied to the weapons order was confirmed to bear these—

“One blade. One broadsword. One spear. One Rhotuka launcher. One P28 Nynrah blaster,” the visitor reviewed. “Not exactly the firepower you promised.”

“Supplies are limited,” the trader hissed. “Demand is high and the supply chain is down. Nynrah’s been overrun in case you didn’t hear.”

“I gave you more than enough time and far more money than it was worth.”

“You asked for weapons that can subdue a dragon Makuta. Where is anyone going to get that?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the visitor frowned, grabbing the weapons. His Kanohi glowed faintly. “Keep your head down and stick to the shadows. Even Xia won’t be safe. Trust those that prey within the dark but are not of it.”

The weapon dealer nodded fervently. Icarax reached out and touched the mind of the dealer to ensure she would not give him away. Then, as the enigmatic figure left with his haul, Icarax began his pursuit.