Chapter Thirty-Seven: Casualty

Icarax’s quarry arrived quickly at his destination, a wooded island just off the shore of the southern continent. Before long, he was joined by a native of the southern lands, from a small race known for its teleportation capacities.

“Here, Botar. The weapons are less than impressive, but they’ll get the job done,” the deliverer greeted the newcomer, removing the hefty cache of weapons from his back and laying them on the ground. “How do the Toa Nuva fair?”

“Well enough,” Botar grunts. “Come, Trinuma. Let’s make this fast.”

Realizing that at any moment Botar could teleport away with the weapons, Icarax careened out of his cover, lashing lash out with a telepathic strike and following up with confusion and sleep.

The agents were unfazed.

The Makuta grimaced. Mental barriers.

Though the attacks had little effect, they do not go unnoticed. The operatives exchange glances.

“Makuta!” Trinuma grunted.

His cover blown, Icarax reach out with plant control to seize Trinuma while he unleashed chain lightning on them. Both screamed as the electricity ripped through. Placing Botar in a stasis field, Icarax leveled a blast of plasma at Trinuma who dodged it, but the Makuta followed up with a powerful punch. Unfortunately, his opponent defended himself with one of his tools and Icarax was hurled backward by his own strength. As he recovered, the Makuta strengthen the grip of the plants on him.

Icarax whirled to strike at Botar, but he had disappeared. The Makuta whirled to see him reaching down for the cache of weapons and with a start realized what Botar is about to do. Icarax shouted, running and reaching for both him and the cache of weapons should he teleport away. He reached him in time, using magnetism to close the gap in the last minute.

✴        ✴        ✴

Icarax looked around. He was in one of the islands in the remote south. Botar looks exhausted but triumphant. Icarax look to the hand where he should have held the weapons cache only to see there is nothing there.

“Icarax,” Botar breathes. “The mighty Makuta. Beaten by teleportation.”

Incensed, Icarax called forth the magnetic energies he had just used. Botar’s eyes widened as his armor tightens. A small dent appeared in his breastplate. His hand crumpled and he shouted in pain. His leg compresses and he fell over, his legs lopsided. Desperate, he attempted to teleport away, but at that moment, Icarax’s wrath climaxed and his Kanohi imploded. The rest of his body soon followed.

The Makuta’s eyes narrowed and his mouth curled at the disgusting sight. After taking in the spectacle for a moment, he teleported back to the prior wooded island, but Trinuma had disappeared along with the weapons. Further pursuit of him proved fruitless. When he returned to Botar, Icarax found that the body was gone too, also without a trace. If this phantom organization was anything, it was thorough.

An unwelcome chill ran up his spine.