CHAPTER EIGHT
--Odina--
Lesovikk kept his gaze to the floor as he and the other Toa were forced onto their knees before the seated Shadowed One, leader of the Dark Hunters. Off to the left sat a twisted creature holding a tablet, while to the right was a hideous being that looked to be in a state between life and death.
Leaning forward slightly in his seat, the Shadowed One rested his chin on his hand. "How interesting. I sent Triglax out to capture one Toa and here I am with five extra. What to do, what to do...."
He shifted his gaze to Triglax, who stood behind the captured Toa with Lurker and Savage. "You know I don't appreciate it when others make my life complicated."
Lesovikk heard Triglax clear his throat, followed by the shifting of feet. "My apologies, master. I just thought you would like a few more... trophies."
"Trophies?" the Shadowed One repeated, his red eyes flaring. "What use have I anymore for trophies when I was denied my greatest prize? And, more to the point, what use have I for you anymore, Triglax?"
The shape-shifting Dark Hunter backed away. "M-master?"
"You were one of my greatest operatives, Triglax. Truly. But after quite the number of failed operations-- between the incident with the Nynrah Ghosts and now this-- I'm afraid to say that you've lost your touch."
"Master, please--"
"I'm sorry, Triglax, but we can't all have what we want in life."
Over the shape-shifter's protests, the Shadowed One fired a pair of energy beams from his eyes. Upon contact, Triglax exploded in a flash of light, leaving behind nothing but dust. Lurker and Savage stared in shock at where their comrade had once been until the Shadowed One spoke.
"Let this be a lesson to you. Now, leave us."
As the two Dark Hunters eagerly followed this dismissal, the Shadowed One returned his attention to the Toa.
"As I said before, I am left with a dilemma. Here I am with six Toa whom I have no use for. Now, I could just kill you all and be done with it, but you do not deserve that honor. No, no... I think we shall play a game."
"What kind of game?" Chiara spat.
The Shadowed One ignored her as he flicked a hand to the hulking monstrosity that stood nearby.
"Sentrakh, take our guests to the training arena."
"Training?" Seldaan said. "Why would we want any training from you?"
"I never said you were going to receive training there," the Shadowed One said with a sadistic grin. "The six of you shall instead face my Dark Hunters to the death. The surviving Toa-- if there are any-- will be free to leave Odina with their lives."
Lesovikk glared at him as he and the others were escorted away by Sentrakh. "You're nothing but a bunch of savages."
The Shadowed One shrugged nonchalantly at the remark. "What can I say? It's a living."
--Destral--
Icarax released a primal roar as he lunged at Mallake again, swinging his rotating blades at the Tirivon's head, only for his opponent to use that infuriating mask power of his and transport himself through shadows.
"It's sad, really, when you think about it," Mallake said as he emerged behind Icarax. "You Makuta see the shadows as your ally, and yet I'm still able to use them against you."
Icarax snarled as he swung his twin blade at Mallake. The Tirivon easily blocked it with his own.
"I still do not see why the Great Spirit would create such an easily corruptible species and expect Helryx and her followers to keep watch over them. The more I think about it, the more I think that Mata Nui deliberately set up for his own fall."
The two continued to parry blades. Mallake traveled between shadows again and dropped from the ceiling, his sword pointed downwards. Icarax quickly dodged the attack before striking Mallake's back with his rotating blades. The Tirivon snarled as he whirled on him and slashed the Makuta across the mask, nearly dislodging the serpentine Kanohi Kraahkan.
"I'm sure he had his reasons," Mallake went on. "Perhaps he thought the Matoran would be able to thrive without him. Or perhaps they had wronged him in some way that had led him to spite us all."
Icarax attacked again and tried to stab Mallake with his Twin Blade. The Makuta narrowly missed his opponent's abdomen by inches as the Tirivon twisted his body aside and seized Icarax's arm. Before the Makuta could react, Mallake forced his blade into Icarax's shoulder, causing him to scream out in pain and fall to his knees.
"Either way," Mallake said coldly as he stood over the beaten Makuta of Karzahni, "I intend to make sure the universe is run the way it was meant to be. And if that means eradicating an entire species...."
He raised his blade, its tip sparking with energy.
"Then so be it."
Weakened by the wound dealt to him, Icarax did not have time to react as Mallake brought his blade down.
He was soon given plenty of time when a beam of energy struck Mallake's arm, breaking off his attack. The Tirivon snarled as he spun on his heel, coming face-to-face with Makuta Antroz.
"Well," Mallake said, "that's something new: a Makuta coming to the rescue of his brother. How... strangely compassionate of you."
Antroz said nothing as he stepped into the room, claws bared, and began circling Mallake.
The Tirivon scoffed at this. "Do you expect me to be intimidated? Your pathetic Fear powers have no effect on me."
The silence continued. Icarax stared at Antroz in utter bewilderment. He attempted to read his brother's mind but could not gather anything of the other Makuta's intentions. He could, however, sense that something was off about him....
After a long moment without action, Mallake broke the silence. "Well? Are we not going to have this pointless battle?"
"Oh, we are. Trust me." While the voice was Antroz's own, there was something about it that set Icarax at unease. "It shall be over with before you know it."
"In that case...." Mallake readied his blade again and assumed a battle stance. "Let us begin."
Antroz was true to his word. Moving faster than Icarax could comprehend, the Makuta of Xia spun like a bat out of chaos and bashed Mallake with his claws. Disoriented from this attack, the Tirivon had barely enough time to block Antroz's next strike before losing his blade from a fierce slash. The Makuta then grabbed each side of Mallake's mask and wrenched it off. This caused the Tirivon to stumble back and fall to one knee. He then watched with fearful eyes as Antroz dropped the mask to the floor and shattered it with his foot.
As the Makuta of Xia approached him, Mallake found himself at a loss for words, sputtering as he fumbled for a response. Never before had he been so easily beaten.
"Im-impossible," he finally managed to spit out. "You're... you're just a Makuta."
"Correction, old fool," Antroz hissed-- and this time, the voice was definitely not his. "I am the Makuta."
He raised a clawed hand and Mallake braced himself for the killing blow. He was not granted such a fate however, instead being cast into a coma by the mere flick of a wrist.
Turning away from the slumbering Tirivon's body, Antroz's eyes fell on Icarax, who felt his leaking essence churn.
"Now then... I believe you have something which belongs to me."
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