Bionicle Alternatives: Empire of Makuta III, Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

--Odina--

    "Anyone got any bright ideas?"

    No one answered Arctur as the six Toa Tenebrae faced a dozen Dark Hunters, all itching for new practice targets.

    "Didn't think so."

    "Come on, guys, we're Toa," Zaria said, gripping his Toa Tool. "Not just any Toa, but daring Toa. We've faced Visorak, Makuta, Zyglak--"

    "That's more than I can say," Arctur muttered.

    "--So are we just going to let a bunch of mercenaries scare us?"

    "Some of those guys have teeth a size I didn't know teeth were allowed to be," Seldaan said. "That guy over there could gorge a Tahtorak in one go."

    Zaria sighed. "Are you guys with me or not?"

    "Oh, we're with you," Arctur said. "But I think you should take the lead."

    The Toa of Iron shook his head. "I should have stayed solo."

    "That makes two of us," Chiara muttered.

    From a cliff edge which oversaw the training grounds, an ancient being in blue and gold armor stepped forward and gestured with his hand. As one, the twelve Dark Hunters which the Toa faced brandished their weapons. Lesovikk and the others had barely enough time to prepare themselves when Ancient gave the order.

    "Begin."

    The Dark Hunters came charging and the Toa did the first thing that crossed their minds, prompted by a mental message sent from Orde.

    Divide and conquer.

    As soon as the mercenaries came within five feet of them, the Toa Tenebrae split up, with only Zaria remaining in place. Using his elemental power, the Toa of Iron caused a row of steel bars to sprout out of the ground, surrounding the Hunters in an unfinished cage. Before any of them could react, Seldaan came running at them at full speed, shooting beams of plasma from his hands.

    One of the Dark Hunters let out a raged cry as he smashed the bars with his axe before charging at the Toa of Plasma. Seldaan quickly activated his Kanohi Kakama and sped away, with Charger in close pursuit. 

    Realizing the Toa's strategy, the Dark Hunters split up as well, with two going after each Toa. While a heavily armored being followed Charger and the other eight went after the rest of the Toa, Lurker and his four-legged companion stayed to take on Zaria.

    "Say, Seeker," Lurker said, sharpening a simple blade he held in his claws. "What kind of scream you reckon he'll make when we snap him in two?"

    "Are you saying there's more than one kind of scream?" Seeker asked.

    "Well, yeah, especially when it comes to Toa. Fire types tend to be louder, Air ones are a bit more shrill...."

    "I never really noticed."

    "Yeah, it's kind of funny once you notice--" Lurker was cut off as Zaria hurled a metal disk he had made while the two Hunters were speaking. Lurker easily caught it in his hand and tossed it aside.

    "You know," he said to the Toa of Iron, "I was honestly hoping you'd cook up something better than that in that span of time."

    Zaria smirked. "Oh, don't worry. I have."

    The two Dark Hunters stared at him for a moment, expecting him to throw something else at them. When he didn't, Lurker moved to attack first... only to immediately stop as his began suddenly seized up.

    "What the...?" he muttered. "What's happening?"

    Zaria narrowed his eyes as he concentrated on the Dark Hunter's crimson armor, tightening it around Lurker's form to keep him rooted in place. It was the same trick he had used on the Makuta whom he had killed not long ago, and it was because of such powers that he was among the last of his kind.

    Distracted by these dark thoughts, Zaria had nearly forgotten about Lurker's partner until Seeker thrust his staff into the ground, creating a seismic shock that sent the Toa of Iron flying....

*  *  *

    Ancient watched with little interest as the six Toa fought their Dark Hunter opponents. He supposed it was somewhat amusing watching the Toa try to use their elemental and mask powers, only to be outmatched by brute strength and crude weapons. And to think, these were the Matoran's protectors.

    Movement in the hazy sky above directed Ancient's attention towards a group of bat-like Rahi flying over Odina. They flew in a pattern that no one on the island but him recognized and he could instantly tell from their formation what message they were conveying.

    It was an order he had been awaiting for months, ever since word spread of the Makuta having conquered Metru Nui. It was only a matter of time before the Dark Hunters would have to become involved in the greater conflict.

    Without hesitation, Ancient turned his back to the arena and headed back for the Shadowed One's fortress. Had he stayed for another minute or two, he would have soon discovered that he wasn't the only double agent on Odina.

*  *  *

    "I'm calling dibs on his mask," the shrill-voiced Dark Hunter known as Screamer said as she pinned Lesovikk down with her dual blades. "You can have the sword, if you like, but I get the mask. That sound fair to you?"

    Her partner said nothing, having since lost interest in the fight. Instead, his eyes were focused on a wolf-like Rahi perched on a nearby cliff side. Kavinika were a rare sight on Odina; as such, when it let out a loud howl, it caught the notice of everyone out on the training grounds, Dark Hunter and Toa alike.

    "What in the blazes is that doing here?" exclaimed one of the hunters.

    With the Rahi distracting them, no one noticed as Shadow Stealer slipped into the darkness and made his way towards his objective.

--Destral--

    As he cursed to himself in a dozen languages as he tried to maneuver his Exo-Toa body, it took Makuta Tridax a minute or so to realize that something was off.

    The fighting had stopped.

    Or, rather, the fighting on Destral had stopped. The battle at Artakha was still very much underway, but those who called themselves the Hand of Artakha had suddenly dropped their weapons and were now on their knees, facing towards the Great Refuge in a dazed wonder.

    Tridax followed their gaze... and cursed to himself again.

    Indeed, the battle for the Great Refuge was still being waged, but the tide had turned dramatically. Hordes of Rahkshi, Visorak, and duplicates of Makuta Bitil were now in full retreat. Behind them was a titan who stood ten feet tall, clad in gray-green armor that was rusted with age and decorated in archaic symbols, swinging a massive hammer at the invaders.

    Artakha himself had arrived. And he was not the least bit amused.

    As the ancient being came closer and closer towards the boarder between Destral and the Great Refuge, Tridax let out a very loud string of curses that would silence a Skakdi. Not waiting for Bitil and his forces to return, he moved as fast as his Exo-Toa form would allow towards the facility which housed the island's teleportation device. 

    Right now, he told himself, anywhere in the universe was better than here.

*  *  *

    "No! Tridax, wait!"

    Makuta Bitil flew at full speed towards the island of Destral, his army of Rahkshi and Visorak behind him and facing the wrath of Artakha. Had it not been for damage done to his wings that one of his time duplicates had sustained, he would have already been back at the Makuta Fortress.

    "TRIDAX! WAIT! I'M NOT--" The yellow-armored Makuta then screamed as one of the Matoran's energy launchers struck his right wing, felling him. As he landed hard on his back, Bitil looked up to see that Artakha was fast approaching him, smashing any Rahkshi that got in his way.

    His mind racing, Bitil activated his mask power, not thinking of which incarnation of himself-- past or future-- he summoned.

    It was just his luck that he summoned one from a minute ago. He never got the chance to correct this mistake.

    The last thing he saw before blinking out of existence was Artakha's hammer coming down on his replica.