CHAPTER FIVE
"Is there some unwritten rule somewhere that we must always end up in a bad situation?" Toa Pohatu asked as he, Kopaka, Gali, Vastus, and Ackar were led through the beach of Aqua Magna by the twelve beings that had captured them.
Kopaka glanced at him from the front of the line they had been organized in. "If there is," the Toa Nuva of Ice said, "then the Great Beings must like playing cruel tricks on us."
"Quiet!" snarled one of the emerald beings.
The captive Toa and Glatorian trudged on through the sands with their captors. After nearly twenty minutes, the leader of the beings stopped, and the others followed suit. From behind his back, the leader brought out a long, simple-designed staff and stuck it into the ground. A blue wave of light shone over them, and Kopaka suddenly felt as if the world was spinning.
The sensation only lasted a few seconds, but when it stopped, the Toa of Ice was still left dizzy and nauseated. He barely felt a strong hand seize him by the shoulder as the leader's voice rang in his ear.
"Welcome, my friends, to Ryousan."
* * *
"So what do you think of our new Toa?"
The voice caused Axonn to jump as he walked through a corridor in the Order of Mata Nui's base. He raised his axe up in a defensive position, but soon lowered it when his mask allowed him to see who it was.
"My, I certainly have a habit of doing that," the invisible being said.
Axonn sighed. "Hello, Jerbraz. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
The invisible being chuckled. "Certainly has. But you still haven't answered my question."
A slight frown crossed Axonn's mask. "Well, they're certainly better than a stupid Skakdi," he said, part jokingly. "But they're also reckless, and have no control over their abilities."
The giant warrior let out another, exasperated sigh. "You should have picked someone else to train them. I'm not the type to train Toa."
"Actually," Jerbraz said, "according to the Turaga who made them Toa, you were the first choice he had in mind."
Axonn gave an inquisitive look at the empty space before him. "Their Turaga? How does he know me?"
"I wouldn't know," Jerbraz said. "But he's an elder from Tesara, and he goes by the name of Virun."
The name rung a familiar bell in Axonn's head. The warrior turned around to head back the way he came.
"Well then," he said. "I suppose I'll pay him a visit."
* * *
Ever since Taron was a Ta-Matoran living on the Northern Continent, he had always dreamed of being a Toa warrior, despite being constantly ridiculed for it by his friends.
Every week, Turaga Siddari, the elder of the Matoran in the continent's western region, would tell the villagers tales of the many adventures of the Toa Dragar. Taron was greatly inspired by these tales, and became one of the few who regularly attended the Turaga's story sessions.
These tales all came to an end sadly, when the Odaku attacked. To this day, no one knows of who or what they were, but they invaded the Northern Continent riding a strange, winged, reptilian Rahi creature of sorts. In their wake, the Odaku brought chaos and destruction. Villages were demolished, and hundreds were killed, including Turaga Siddari.
News finally reached the region's overseer, Makuta Sakron, who sent his Toa Hagah team to scare the Odaku off. Afterwards, Taron and the other surviving villagers were relocated to the Tren Krom Peninsula, located on the continent's southeastern coast. There they remained for the next two thousand years.
For a time, Taron would forget about his dreams of becoming a Toa, until one day, a week before Makuta Teridax took over the Matoran Universe, a Toa of Air came to the Peninsula and gave Taron and his friend Nira Toa Stones.
The Toa then left the continent without saying a word to the two.
* * *
Taron, Nira, and Leran immediately stopped as they walked into New Atero and heard a scream echo throughout the city.
The three rookie Toa followed the source of the cry and soon found a group of Matoran, Agori, and Glatorian surrounding a red-armored, female Glatorian of the Fire Tribe crying over the deceased body of an Ice Tribe Glatorian.
A Glatorian armored in blue and gold crouched down beside the woman. "How did this happen?" he asked softly.
"I don't know, Tarix," the red Glatorian sobbed. "I turned my back on him to speak with Perditus, and then I saw him here dead!"
Tarix frowned and looked at the gathered crowd. "Did any of you see this man get murdered?"
All of the villagers and warriors shook their heads. Tarix sighed and got to his feet. "I'll inform the Order of Mata Nui and the Toa Hagah," he said. Turning to a nearby Glatorian, he added, "Gelu, organize an investigation team and find out who this murderer is."
He looked back down at the dead Glatorian sadly. "And Perditus, help me carry his body away."
The crowd soon disperse, and Taron and the other Toa were left in shock and confusion.
"Well...this is bad," Leran muttered after a moment of silence.
Nira glared at him. "You think? Someone just got murdered right here in New Atero! Without anyone noticing!"
"Which means anyone could die at any time," Taron added. He stared at the spot where the dead Glatorian once laid.
"Yeah," the Toa of Fire murmured. "This is bad."
* * *
When Kopaka's head finally cleared, the Toa Nuva of Ice found himself sitting in a cold, stone cell, with only a single ray of light coming from a narrow window. As far as he could see, he was alone, with no sight of Gali and the others.
Suddenly, a large door swung open, letting out a thunderous boom as it crashed against the wall. Standing in the doorway was a large, black armored being, with scarlet eyes blazing behind his dark face. From behind the giant came the same green-armored being who had captured Kopaka and his team. A cruel smile crept onto the being's emerald face.
"Ah good, you're awake." He gestured to the large being. "This here is Savage. He used to be a Dark Hunter, until we though he belonged with us instead."
Kopaka scowled. "Should I care?"
"I suppose not," the green being said, chuckling. "Now then, my name is Arashi, general of the Odaku. And you must be the great Toa Kopaka, am I correct?"
An icy glare was the only response.
Arashi laughed without mirth. "Good. Now that we are all accomplices, I will leave Savage here with you. Have fun!"
With a mocking wave, Arashi slipped out of the room. Taking a deep inhale of breath, Kopaka braced himself as the burly giant Savage approached him, his large fists raised high....
END OF CHAPTER
TRIVIA/NOTE: The word/name Odaku is derived from a discontinued theme from Mega Bloks. I own a dragon toy from that line, so I put in the Odaku and names like Siddari as an homage.
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