Chapter Two: “An Unexpected Rescue”

“You can’t be serious,” Dalu said. “What, did all that time on Voya Nui mean nothing?”

“I’d ask him the same question,” Kazi grunted.

The Ga-Matoran grumbled profanities under her breath before calming herself down. “Fine. You can go down this road if you want. But I can’t promise we’ll follow you.”

Kazi scoffed. “Yeah, I’ll–”

BLAST!

Without warning, the earth between them burst open, sending them both collapsing to the ground from the impact.

Dalu was the first to look up, spotting the silhouette of a massive warrior emerging from the ground, hoisting a Thornax Launcher over his shoulder. She turned back, checking on Kazi as he slowly rose to his feet, before another figure dropped down in front of them.

“Get back!” yelled Kiina, gesturing to the two Matoran.

The bulky Skrall stomped forward, brazen with confidence. “I’ve been waiting for a rematch,” he hummed.

“Stronius,” she hissed. “What, did your last handful of defeats not teach you a lesson?”

The Skrall leader grinned. “Oh, I’ve learned a lesson. A very valuable one, at that.” With a roar, he slammed his club forward, just barely missing the water Glatorian as she dove out of the way.

At last recovered, Dalu moved to help Kiina, but stopped in her tracks. All throughout the camp, she watched as the ebony armored Skrall charged through like a stampede, trampling other Matoran beneath their feet as they sowed chaos. “Let’s find the others!” she said to Kazi.

“Power is everything,” Stronius continued. “As you learned at Roxtus. It has taken some time, but I’ve at last been able to even the odds.”

Thrusting her trident forward, Kiina flung a volley of water at the Skrall’s armor, more of an insult than an actual attack. “All talk,” she taunted.

Unfazed, Stronius clenched his right fist. Before Kiina could attack again, he struck the earth hard, and a pillar of rock erupted just under the Glatorian’s feet. The black rock struck her in the chin at such a speed that she was knocked off of her feet, collapsing to the ground.

Stronius released his fist, the rock seemingly retreating back into the earth at his will. Kiina pushed herself up onto her feet once more, only to immediately duck down low as the Skrall swung his club over her head. The shock of his apparent elemental power was still processing for her, but she had no time to react. Stronius swung wildly, not giving her a moment to breathe. At last, he charged his club forward, only for a bright light to suddenly form a shield in Kiina’s hand, blocking the attack.

“Thanks, Click,” she muttered, before backflipping away from the Skrall.

Enraged, Stronius lifted his right hand into the air, and clenched his fist. At his command, a nearby boulder shattered into millions of shards, and came raining down on the Glatorian. Kiina lifted the shield above her head, allowing the rocks to collide with it and scatter to the side, leaving her unharmed. With her free hand, she lifted up her trident, only to be suddenly thrown off her feet.

All around her, stone lifted up from the earth below, battering her armor and shifting the earth. The huts surrounding her, crafted from Makuta’s remains, were misshapen and torn apart by the shifting rock. As she collapsed to the ground, she watched helplessly as the Skrall’s elemental attack tore through the camps, devastating the homes the Matoran and Agori had made together. Other Skrall raiders charged forward, forcing people out of their homes and striking down anyone who got in their way.

“Can you save them all?” Stronius taunted, driving a forceful kick into Kiina’s stomach.

She tried to answer, but she couldn’t find the breath to respond. Left winded on the ground, she watched as Stronius lifted his club, preparing the killing blow…

…only to be hit with a volley of energy, sending him flying back.

Ducking between metal huts, Kazi did his best to evade the invading Skrall. Behind him, Dalu, Piruk, Garan, and Balta crouched down, weapons at the ready. The Turaga had taken most of the Matoran to the most secure building, a stronghold at the center of the camp, but the Voya Nui Resistance Team was not willing to back down and hide. Despite their recent fight, there was still an unspoken understanding among them. They would stay together.

Sneaking up behind the leg of a Skrall scout, the Ko-Matoran slammed his Echo Forks together, creating a shockwave that knocked the warrior to the ground. Beside him, the other Matoran quickly poured into the battlefield, weapons at the ready, but the element of surprise only took them so far. As soon as they were spotted, a dome of solid rock formed above them, encasing them all inside.

Dalu slammed her fist against the stone wall, enraged. “Cowards!” she shouted, followed by a string of curses.

“I guess Toa are the only targets worthy of their blades,” remarked Balta, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “How unfortunate for us.”

“Come on,” urged Kazi, “let’s find a way out of this.”

Gresh winced as his head slammed into the sand, his helmet clattering to the side. He prepared for another blow from Branar, only to look up and see Ackar keeping the elite Skrall at bay.

“Stand down,” the newly dubbed Toa of Fire growled. “This doesn’t need to end in bloodshed.”

“I agree,” Branar sneered, pressing against Ackar’s blade. “Surrender the camp, and no more lives need to be taken.”

Ackar roared, and shoved his opponent back by his blade. His muscles ached as he held back the Skrall’s attacks, a pain that had become harder to deal with as the years passed, but one that he swore would not hold him back today.

The Skrall leader did not let this go unnoticed, however. “You’re well past your prime,” he hissed, catching Ackar off guard with a stone uppercut to the chin. “Whatever advantage Mata Nui gave you, we’ve far surpassed.”

Watching Branar swing his ebony blade forward, Ackar very narrowly escaped a fatal blow, jumping back far enough to escape with only a scrape on his chestplate. As he landed, though, pain shot up through his right leg, and he dropped to the ground.

Branar grinned in satisfaction, but before he could move in, a blade caught his ankle and pulled back, sending him to the ground alongside Ackar.

“One thing you got wrong,” Gresh smirked. “We never needed our powers to beat you.” As he drew his blade, he prepared another strike on his downed foe, only for a trident to pierce the ground, locking the Skrall’s hand between its blades.

“We just needed to work together,” added Kiina, walking up to press her heel into Branar’s back.

Gresh smiled warmly. “Kiina!” he exclaimed, running up to hug his teammate. Then, remembering the situation, he quickly moved to help Ackar to his feet.

“Are you alright?” asked Kiina, as the team’s leader rose up with a groan.

“I’m… fine,” Ackar breathed, gently pushing Gresh aside. “What happened? You were supposed to be guarding the camp.”

Kiina simply gestured to the camp. “That happened.”

Ackar looked past her, and frowned in confusion. Racing through the camp, a modified dune chariot was blasting a path through the Skrall legions, with a figure clad in purple and black riding on top. While the Toa from Vulcanus did not recognize who it was, the vehicle was all too familiar, and he had no doubt who was in the driver’s seat.

“Perditus,” he muttered to himself, not sure what to make of the new arrival.

Mazruu couldn’t recall the last time he’d had this much fun since he first battled the Kanohi Dragon.

After meeting with Turaga Dume, he had made his way outside of the camp, hoping to regroup with other Matoran from his village. It was less than an hour later, however, that a stranger in a dune chariot drove up to him, requesting his help in an urgent matter. While the words this stranger said were confusing, the threat seemed to be a genuine emergency, and he was never the type to turn down an opportunity to help.

Now, he found himself riding atop the vehicle as it raced through the camp, using his powers to make the attackers simply float away. There was a kind of simple pleasure to the whole experience, one that he found absolutely exhilarating.

As the vehicle (the Thornatus, the stranger had called it) turned the corner, Mazruu spotted a familiar face in the fleeing crowd, and motioned for his new ally to pull over.

“Dume!” he called out, waving to the scarlet figure.

The Turaga turned on a heel, only for his jaw to hang agape in shock. “What are you doing here?!” he exclaimed.

“You looked like you could use some help, wise Turaga,” the Toa chuckled. “Here, I’ll catch you up once we’re done.”

With that, the chariot zoomed away once more, leaving Dume in the dust. The Turaga began to ponder what caused Mazruu to return, but as another Skrall warrior dropped to the ground by his feet, he found himself mostly just thankful for the aid.

The tides of battle had shifted as quickly as the wind. Perditus and Mazruu’ arrival greatly aided the Toa Magna's less than ideal start, but the Skrall were not going to surrender victory easily. While Branar was quickly restrained by the Toa Magna, Stronius remained headstrong and arrogant as ever, charging through the camp like a loose dune stalker.

For their part, Ackar, Kiina, and Gresh did their best to combat the Skrall grunts. The warrior tribe had dominated the arena for a year straight, and managed to overrun the city of Atero, but the Glatorian were eventually able to turn the tides thanks to Mata Nui uniting them. As they fought with the ebony warriors, Ackar tried his best to remind his team of that power of unity.

As Gresh beat back a group of Skrall cadets, he found himself getting back into his rhythm. As he soon discovered, only Branar and Stronius possessed the newfound power over rock, meaning that so long as the Toa could occupy these two leaders, the soldiers would be a far easier affair.

This was concerning, because after some time into the battle, Stronius was nowhere to be seen. The Toa Magna had spread out to find him, but returned empty handed.

Before they could speculate as to where he had gone, a loud horn call echoed throughout the camp, seemingly signalling the Skrall’s retreat. Warriors flooded out just as quickly as they had flooded in, as Stronius led them back to their chariots. Even Branar managed to escape his bindings, jumping onto Stronius’ war wagon just in time. Ackar had half a mind to pursue their vehicles, but he decided to let them flee.

The Skrall were soon gone, but a low rumbling still persisted all around. The three Toa looked around at each other, confused at where the source could be, before Gresh gasped in horror. “Guys?” he urged, and pointed to the west.

There it was. A nearby canyon wall was crumbling to pieces, sending an avalanche of rock heading straight for the camp.

“Stronius left us a parting gift,” Kiina cursed. Atop her shoulder, Click shuddered in fear.

“He really shouldn’t have,” Ackar remarked. “It'll destroy the camp if we don't stop it.”

Gresh chuckled, cracking his knuckles as he approached the oncoming avalanche. “I’ll handle this,” he said with confidence.

Drawing his twin blades, Gresh envisioned a massive tornado in his mind, something that would surely cause a large enough wind to disrupt the rocks’ progress. Focusing all of his energies into his blades, he breathed in, and thrust them forward.

But strangely, nothing happened.

Looking down in confusion, Gresh tried again, only to receive the same lack of effect.

“Gresh?” called Kiina, starting to get nervous at the oncoming avalanche. “What’s wrong?”

He grumbled, thrusting his blades forward again and again. “I don’t know! It’s not–”

The roar of the Thornatus V9’s engine interrupted his sentence, as the chariot raced over to land directly in front of where Gresh was standing.

As the vehicle drifted across, the avalanche of rock began to halt in its tracks, as hundreds of stones began floating upward into the air. Seemingly enveloped by a force of gravity, they moved upwards, obeying the command of the purple armored Toa atop the Thornatus.

Unceremoniously, the stones dropped to the ground, landing softly in the sand. The crisis was averted, and the camp was rescued. But no cheers of jubilation were heard, nor did anyone come out from hiding.

As the Toa of Gravity hopped down from the top of the vehicle, everyone in the camp watched with bated breath as the hatch of the Thornatus opened up, revealing a Glatorian in scarlet armor seated inside.

Piruk grunted as his Shredder Claws tore through the wall of the rocky dome. The stones at last crumbled away, letting the sun’s rays peek through.

“Finally!” Dalu exclaimed, and leapt up to her feet. She immediately ran over to tear the rocks away from the dome, and before long, the five Matoran at last exited to a deserted battlefield.

Balta grumbled. “Great. Looks like we missed out on the fight.”

“We’re alive,” chided Garan, “that’s the important part.”

“Easy for you to say. I was hoping to get my blades on some Skrall armor.”

“Hey, guys?” Kazi asked, looking to the rest of his team. “Who’s that?”

The Matoran turned to look in unison. At the edge of the camp, Raanu, the Turaga, and Toa Magna were all gathered around two figures, a scarlet Glatorian and a purple Toa, standing atop a vehicle. It wasn’t easy to make out the conversation from where they were, but it was clear he was being questioned.

“Let’s find out,” Garan suggested.

At once, they made their way to the edge of the camp, squeezing past the crowd of various different species reacclimating to the damaged area.

“I’m just glad I was able to help,” the Glatorian was saying. “I can speak for most everyone when I say the sooner the Skrall are driven out entirely, the better.”

“Whatever the cause, we are grateful for your help,” said Turaga Whenua. “The Skrall’s power is something to be reckoned with.”

“Perditus here found me just as I spotted the Skrall approaching,” Mazruu explained to the crowd. “It’s a good thing he did, too.”

“Yes, quite convenient that he was here,” Onewa remarked.

Turaga Dume shot the Turaga of Stone a glare. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Nuju chirped hurriedly at the elder Turaga, a string of sounds that even those closest to him struggled to translate.

“Nuju and Onewa’s suspicion is not without warrant,” offered Vakama. “You all should recall Takanuva’s report. A red armored Glatorian rode away mere moments after the prison break, in a vehicle not unlike this one.”

“It is a dune chariot!” Raanu interjected. “Modified, yes, but a very common vehicle. Besides, I know Perditus well. I would gladly vouch for his character.”

“As would I,” came Ackar’s voice, speaking for the first time in this conversation. “But we cannot ignore such evidence. If Takanuva was here, he could shed some light on the situation. Where is he, anyways?”

“The Toa of Light has been engaged with another mission, alongside the Toa Mahri,” Dume noted. “All of which is irrelevant to the fact that we now treat heroes as though they are suspects. I have fought alongside Mazruu for centuries in the past, and Perditus has long been a faithful defender of Vulcanus. Have we grown so distrustful that we can no longer put our faith in our rescuers?”

An awkward silence hung over the group, as the question posed by Dume held an obvious answer.

“I know what it is to be betrayed by someone you trust,” said Kiina, breaking the silence. “I won’t let it happen again.”

Perditus jumped down from his vehicle, entering among the group. “Please, I do not blame you for your suspicion. I will explain myself, but first, I must confess something.” He looked out to the grander crowd that had gathered. The wider population of the camp had gathered to listen in, various Matoran, Agori, and other disparate peoples. “I have not been entirely honest with you all,” he announced.

“Quick-speak, then,” chided Matau. “What secret do you hide-keep?”

The Glatorian placed a hand on his chest. “My mission on Bara Magna, ever since the Shattering, had been to monitor and watch over the population. It was in my benefactor’s best interests that Spherus Magna continue to prosper, even when broken. Now that the journey of the Great Spirit has reached its end, he has sent me to ensure that his will is fulfilled.”

“This ‘benefactor’ of yours,” Nokama asked. “Who is he?”

“He hasn’t used his real name in centuries, he refers to himself only as the Grand Forger. But you know of him, Turaga, he is the reason you walk these sands today.” Perditus smiled. “My benefactor, the last of the Great Beings.”

Silence seemed to hang in the air for an eternity after this, before finally breaking into a million questions across the entire camp. The rumors of the Great Being’s actions in Bota Magna were only further panicked by Perditus’s announcement, and everyone wanted to know the whole truth.

It was Ackar who perhaps had the most questions, crossing his arms as he stood across from the Thornatus driver. “A Great Being?” he asked, baffled.

Perditus smiled innocently. “I’m sorry that I’ve lied to you,” he admitted. “You too, Raanu.”

The Agori elder scoffed. “Ridiculous. The Great Beings fled the planet after the Shattering. How would you have kept contact with one?”

“More importantly,” added Ackar, “why are you only coming out with this now? You had thousands of years to tell us.”

“Did Vulcanus not mean anything to you?” asked the Agori Kyry, poking his head out from the crowd.

Perditus opened his mouth to speak, only for a dozen more questions to surge forward from all throughout the camp. Beside him, Dume had pulled his old friend aside, bearing his own questions for Mazruu.

“Did you know?” the Turaga demanded.

“No,” explained Mazruu, “I’ve only just met him today. But if he claims to serve a Great Being–”

“We don’t know what that means,” Dume insisted.

“Still, I have to see this through. Maybe I can find an answer.” He extended his hand to Dume. “You can come, too.”

The Turaga balked. “I’m needed here, brother.”

Mazruu nodded solemnly. “Then I hope our paths cross again.”

A sharp whistle came from Perditus’ direction, standing atop the Thornatus once more. Once everyone’s attention was on him, he spoke once more.

“I know you all have questions,” he called out to the crowd. “I don’t have answers to many of them, but the Grand Forger does. If you want to know, I will take you to him.”

From across the crowd, Gresh began to step forward, only for Ackar’s hand on his chest to halt him. The leader of the Toa Magna turned to him with a stern look, but said nothing.

Balta, meanwhile, turned to the others in his group, only to immediately be met with a dissenting opinion.

“No,” Kazi interjected. “Absolutely not.”

“We go with him, we find out if it’s Velika or not,” Dalu explained. “What’s the downside?”

Kazi balked. “The downside is when it turns out to be a trap!”

“We can handle whatever he throws at us,” Balta shot back.

“Besides, he just saved us,” added Piruk. “Why would he turn around and betray us?”

At once, all eyes turned to Garan. Often the de facto leader of the team, Garan was still burdened with being the deciding vote at most times.

“I’m not leaving anyone behind,” he said softly. “But if anyone wants to go with Perditus, I won’t stop you.” He looked with melancholy eyes at the clearly divided team that now lay before him. Dalu, Balta, and Piruk stood on one side, Kazi on the other. Anger rose between the group, but more than that, sadness. No one was happy about what was going to happen next.

“I guess this is goodbye, then,” Balta finally sighed.

“Not forever,” said Garan. “Just until you find answers.”

Kazi glared at the trio with scornful eyes, remaining in icy cold silence.

Not another word was spoken as the three Matoran left their team, walking out to the front of the crowd. Ignoring the hundreds of eyes from all throughout the camp on them, they strode confidently to the vehicle, at last looking up to the duo that had saved them.

“Will you be joining me?” the Glatorian asked.

“We want some answers,” Dalu said.

Perditus smiled. “Then I hope he can provide them.”