CHAPTER THREE
Balta, Dalu, and Garan carefully trekked the great forest known as the Green Belt, the latter taking up the lead. Numerous Rahi eyes watched as they went, and Balta could swear he heard the slithering of a venomous Bog Snake trailing him. A bolt of energy from Garan's tools made short work of that particular problem.
As they continued on, Balta kept an eye out for more dangerous Rahi. Occupied with this as he was, he did not notice a metal sticking out in the grass he tripped over it and fell mask-first to the ground. While Dalu helped him back up, Garan went out and picked up the object.
"It's Piruk's mask," the Onu-Matoran said grimly.
Dalu gasped. "No... you don't think he's--"
Garan cut her off with the shake of the head. "I won't believe it until there's proof. Let's keep going."
Before the Matoran could resume their trek however, they heard the snapping of twigs. They all spun around to see a large being armored in black and dark gray. He stood frozen in place, flickering his gaze from them to the twigs he had stepped on. He then gave a lopsided smirk.
"Oops. Should have brought a Mask of Stealth with me."
"Shut up, you idiot," muttered a second being. Tall and lean in contrast to her partner's stout and bulky build, she aimed a blade at the three Matoran.
"State your business in these parts, Matoran," she hissed. "If I don't like the answer you give me, then your fellow villagers won't be hearing much from you again."
Garan slowly stepped forward. "We're searching for our friend. He's a Le-Matoran named Piruk. We found his mask just now." He held up the green Kanohi Mahiki for the two strangers to see.
The female warrior frowned. "Banteras' work, no doubt. The first thing he always does when he captures someone is remove their mask, if they have one on...."
"You mean Piruk's been captured?" Balta asked. "Why?"
"Banteras always manages to come up with a reason." She sighed as she sheathed her blade. "Come with us; we'll take you to him."
Her partner gave her a disapproving look. "Is that wise, Tansari? Letting these Matoran know about--"
"Relax, Fortaan," the female warrior replied. "We're just going to return their friend back... as long as Banteras doesn't act like a stubborn Brakas monkey."
The one called Fortaan suddenly chuckled, losing his serious demeanor. "Heh, good one, because--"
"Yes, I know, I said it on purpose." Tansari then beckoned to the Matoran. "Come."
With that, the two beings vanished into the forest. The three Matoran glanced at each other before, with great reluctance, following them.
* * *
The mountains of Voya Nui, located near the westernmost edge of the island, provided Axonn with a decent hiding place. Matoran rarely ventured to them and from the caves formed within them, he could oversee most of the island and be able to detect certain dangers.
Such as the strange movement he was seeing down below in the Green Belt.
Gripping his trusted axe, Axonn carefully climbed down the slope of the mountain, being careful to not be seen by who or whatever was moving through the forest. Quietly touching ground, he crouched down and peered through the bushes.
Walking through the forest were five beings. Three of them were Matoran, moving cautiously and looking like they did not trust the two others they were following. The tallest of the other two was a female clad in green and black armor, while the other was a male in black and dark gray.
Axonn frowned as he looked at the latter. Something about him struck him as familiar. He shifted slightly to get a better look at the being's face- or mask, rather. The burly stranger was wearing a Kanohi Sanok, the Great Mask of Accuracy.
Seeing it brought up a name from Axonn's memories; a name he never thought he would ever hear again: Fortaan.
Axonn took in a sharp intake of breath. How can this be possible? How can he still be alive?
Quickly shaking off his initial shock, Axonn quietly followed the five beings, doing well to not be seen by them. Judging their path, he figured out that they were headed towards the Cape of No Hope, the peninsula which jutted out from Voya Nui's northwest side.
Except there was nothing over there but ice and wild Rahi. Why were the Matoran being taken there, or being taken at all?
Axonn grimaced. The only way he could get the answers to any of his questions was to keep on walking....
* * *
"We're being followed."
Tansari spoke in a voice low enough that only Fortaan could hear her. The shorter being glanced at his comrade curiously.
"How can you tell?" he asked.
"Do you think all my training has been for nothing?" she said sharply. "To the left, three bios behind us."
Unsheathing a large, wicked-looking blade, Fortaan spun around and fired a bolt of energy from it. His Mask of Accuracy ensured that it hit his target dead on and a large figure came crashing down, landing flat on his face.
Fortaan chuckled as he walked over to the fallen being, who was paralyzed by the bolt. "Well, well, if it isn't my old pal, Axonn. What do you happen to be doing here?"
Axonn stared up at him coldly. "I should be asking you the same thing. I thought you were dead."
Fortaan smiled crookedly. "You seem disappointed about being proven wrong. Why the animosity, old friend?"
"We were never friends," Axonn spat. "At least not after what you did."
Fortaan let out a harsh laugh. "As if you don't have any of your own atrocities under your belt."
He fired another bolt of energy and Axonn fell unconscious. Fortaan then lifted him up and supported him by slinging his arm over his neck.
"Well?" he said to Tansari. "Shall we get a move on?"
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