Mazeka: Chapter Six

“And next time I have an opportunity to cut down evil in its tracks, I will.”

“It’s stopping people like Vultraz – there are more of them than you might think – and protecting their would-be victims.”

“We are not Toa. Not by a long shot.”

“Now is your opportunity to test everything you have learned to this point. Exercise the hand of justice once and for all upon these individuals.”

“Jerbraz says you have come far. But do you have what it takes to kill?”

…

“No,” Mazeka realized. “No it can’t be.”

Makuta Teridax frowned.

“What are you saying? You’ve killed before, haven’t you?”

Mazeka dropped his dagger. “I… I can’t.”

“And what about that Shadow Matoran four years ago? You told me you killed him, didn’t you? This is no different. The Shadow Toa has been corrupted and co-opted by our enemies. Justice must be delegated.”

The Matoran shook his head.

“Or was it all a lie? Did you lose your nerves then as you did now? Tell me, Mazeka, do you have what it takes to kill?”

“I can’t… if I had killed Vican…”

Teridax gripped his hammer tighter. “Are you going to do it or not?”

Mazeka said nothing. Seeing no other choice, Teridax hefted his hammer and proceeded over to the Takanuva that had led the rest. Reeling back, he lifted the hammer above his head.

“He is beyond redemption.”

“A turn to the left instead of the right, a wound received or avoided, rising from slumber an hour too early or too late… these are the little things lifetimes hinge on, Mazeka. If circumstances had been different, who knows? I might be just as wicked.”

If circumstances had been different, who knows? I might be just as righteous.

“He is beyond redemption.”

“What’s your name, Matoran?”

“V-Vican.”

“See? He has a name! An identity! And you would see that ended!”

“The consequences of Vican’s survival will fall on your head, Krakua. Not mine.”

“Vican… he saved us… he’d kept the Av-Matoran in Karda Nui, the Toa of Light, and the Toa Nuva from dying, and helped them reawaken Mata Nui… Imagine if he hadn’t been there to save us.”

“You would see that ended!”

“You would see that ended!”

“Wait!” Mazeka shouted, flinging himself between Makuta and Takanuva. “Don’t do this, Teridax!”

Makuta could barely stop the fall of the hammer before it crushed the Ko-Matoran.

“Get out of my way, Mazeka!” he snarled.

“I get it now!” Mazeka shouted. “He’s not beyond redemption!”

“Oh?” Teridax stepped back. “And who are you to make that call? Will you take responsibility when he refuses to be redeemed?”

“There are other ways!” Mazeka insisted. “Helryx, Jerbraz, Davwhi, Johmak, Tobduk — you! You are all wrong. I… I was wrong. Who are we to play judge and take the lives of others? Krakua was right. The Toa are right.”

Makuta rested his warhammer on the ground as he grimly contemplated the Matoran.

“It’s like you say, a turn to the right or left,” the Ko-Matoran added. “Lifetimes hinge — if I had killed Vican four years ago, the entire battle in the universe core would have been completely different. Maybe the Toa Nuva wouldn’t have survived! Maybe Mata Nui wouldn’t have awakened. Maybe… maybe more lives would have been lost because I killed him. Not saved.”

“And what of the universe where you killed him anyway, and more people lived?” asked Teridax.

“Well… well, perhaps there is one out there like that,” Mazeka responded. “But either way, it’s not my decision to make. I am not wise enough. I cannot look into the heart. I cannot be the one to determine who lives and dies. And neither can you.”

The two stood completely still, each staring hard at the other.

“Neither can you.”