CHAPTER NINE
Kopaka woke up to a blinding sense of pain. It appears that Savage person gave me a pounding of a life time, he thought. Once his mind cleared, he realized that the large being himself was dragging him into a chamber.
The Toa Nuva of Ice was then forced up to his feet and thrown against a wall, which suddenly sprouted chains that restrained Kopaka to where he stood. To his surprise, as Kopaka observed his surroundings in the chamber, he noticed Toa Gali and Pohatu standing besides, both restrained and unconscious. Ackar and Vastus, however, were nowhere to be seen.
The door to the chamber opened again, allowing Arashi to stride in, followed by several spider-like creatures that Kopaka recognized almost immediately with horror.
Visorak...
Arashi came to a stop before the three captive Toa and grinned widely. "I will admit," he said, "I am quite surprised that you survived Savage's...treatment. However, we cannot have you awake during the transformation."
He gestured to a Visorak Roporak, which was charging up its Rhotuka spinner. Kopaka knew of its power to knock out others unconscious, having been told such during Turaga Vakama's tale of the Great Rescue. He also knew what the Visorak were going to do to him afterwards....
"Now then," Arashi continued, "before we begin, I must ask you something. Have you heard of a Toa Hordika?"
Kopaka glared at him. "Yes..."
"Have you now?" Arashi said in genuine surprise. "Well then, you must have heard of the Hordika Venom, which the Visorak naturally carry. However, they're not the only beings to carry the venom.
"According to legend, years ago, during the League of Six Kingdoms' era, our queen discovered a creature named, fittingly enough, the Hordika. Queen Scylla fought the creature and managed to defeat it. She then took a large sample of the Hordika's venom and decided to test it on a group of Toa she had captured. And thus, the Odaku were born."
"So you're a Toa Hordika," Kopaka muttered. "Same with Savage?"
"Yes," Arashi replied, grinning like a madman again. "And in a few moments, it will be the same with you."
The Toa Hordika stepped aside and Kopaka saw the Roporak fire its Rhotuka before everything went black.
* * *
Tahu sighed as he stood at the entrance of New Atero, starting out towards where Jaller and Kopaka's teams had left.
"I'm getting concerned," he said to Turaga Vakama, who was standing beside him. "I told Jaller to send Johmak back here to report on their status after a day, but no word has been sent."
"Toa Helryx did warn us about the mad Great Being," Vakama noted. "As unfortunate as it may be, they may have encountered him."
Tahu shook his head at the thought, not wanting to believe it. "And what about Kopaka's group? He said he would send Pohatu running back here to report on their status as well."
Vakama gave a sad sigh. "I understand your concern, Toa Tahu. But give them time. After all, Spherus Magna is a world which we don't know everything about. Surprises may come at every turn."
Tahu nodded, although he still remained concerned. As he turned around to head back for the Great Temple, he heard a faint call in the distance. Turning back, he was the young Toa Krakua rushing towards Atero. Tahu and Vakama hurried to meet him.
"Krakua, what are you doing here?" Tahu asked. "Aren't you supposed to be guarding the Valley of the Maze?"
The young Toa of Sonics took a few seconds to catch his breath before speaking. "Someone...got into the maze. Umbra and the Melding Teridax...are knocked out. Artakha sent me here...to get help."
"If help is needed, then help will be sent," Tahu said. "I'll get the Order of Mata Nui to send as many members as they can. Turaga, take Krakua to-"
"No," Krakua said sternly. "I need to help as well."
Tahu was about to protest but decided there was no time to argue. "Find whatever vehicles you can then. If someone has intruded the valley, then we have to get there. Fast."
* * *
The Makuta Teridax of the Melding groaned as he struggled to get to his feet. Beside him laid Umbra, whom the attacker had knocked out unconscious. As he slowly raised himself up, Teridax could see Artakha nearby, searching desperately for the intruder.
The attacker had come out of nowhere, leaping onto Umbra's shoulders and knocking him out with a stone club. Teridax did not get a good look at the stranger before they attacked him as well.
Artakha was now scanning the walls of the valley with his eyes. As far as either of them could tell, the intruder was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, a voice quietly spoke, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. "A Kikanalo's size does not match a stone rat's brain."
Artakha narrowed his eyes, searching everywhere for the mysterious being. "That may be true," he said. "But that needn't mean that all large Rahi are unintelligent."
"Which means they're too powerful to leave alive," the voice said softly. "Which also applies to you."
The attacker leaped out of the shadows, landing onto Artakha's shoulders and plunging a blade into a small gap in his armor, weakening him. Before the stranger could deliver a fatal blow, Teridax ran towards them, holding his Warhammer in a swinging position. The intruder jumped out of the way before he could swing his weapon however, but not before removing Artakha's mask from his face.
The being swiftly moved deeper into the maze, avoiding all of the prepared traps so easily, it was almost as if the being already had knowledge of them and was thus prepared. Teridax took pursuit, dodging Thornax balls and fire blasts everywhere he turned. He finally reached the fortress at the maze's center, but soon realized that he was already too late.
Standing at the very top of the fortress was the intruder, his brown armor reflecting in the sunlight, his eyes glowing menacingly from behind his mask.
And in his left hand, glistening like the sun, was the Mask of Life.
With a cruel smile, the being leaped up from his position on top of the fortress and vanished before Teridax's horrified eyes.
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