Bionicle Destiny: Volume I, Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

   "Can you make a tablet for me?"

   Toa Pohatu was startled from his dreading thoughts when Kodan had asked him this. The two of them, along with Toa Kopaka and Mavrah, had been going through a maze of corridors for a while now, deliberately in search of the Kestora. Turning to the Po-Matoran, the Toa Nuva of Stone gave him an inquisitive look.

   "Pardon?" he asked.

   "I need to finish my chronicle and I left my tablet back at the hideout," Kodan said. "Could you make me a new one?"

   "Uh, sure." Channeling his elemental powers, Pohatu conjured a flat slab of stone, handing it to the Po-Matoran Chronicler. "Still have your carving tool, I hope?"

   "Yeah," Kodan murmured as he brought out a chisel and began scribbling.

   Kopaka suddenly brought the group to a stop. Signaling for them to stay put, the Toa Nuva of Ice looked around the corner they had reached.

   "What do you see?" Pohatu asked quietly.

   "Kestora," Kopaka replied. "At least five of them. They seem to be standing at a table or something."

   Pohatu edged closer to Kopaka to look around the corner as well. Five Kestora stood around a round table, no doubt in a meeting of some sort.

   "The time to act is now, my friends," one of them said. "It is clear that our home is no longer functional, and thus we can not send our 'guest' back."

   "We are quite aware of that, Sertav," another Kestora growled. "So, what do you suppose we do?"

   "We eliminate them," Sertav said. "They have caused us nothing but mishap, and it was because of that... thing that all of this started. And now that he has returned...."

   "I agree," a third Kestora said. "Let us lighten ourselves of this burden."

   "But what if it does nothing for us?" a fourth asked. "What if we get rid of them and it causes us even more problems?"

   "I highly doubt their presence makes a difference, Damas," the second one said. "Besides, you are outvoted. I concur with this plan."

   "Excellent," the one called Sertav said. "So, shall we begin?"

   Before any of the Kestora could respond, a large mass dropped down from the ceiling, landing onto the table. As it rose to its full height, it unfurled its great wings and raised a flaming sword. 

   Peeking at the scene from behind the two Toa Nuva, Mavrah let out a gasp. "What... is that thing?"

   Pohatu glanced at Kopaka, who had allowed himself a rare smile. "Gaardus."

   The five Kestora scrambled for cover as the mutant Matoran swung its blade of fire. The Kestora brought out their weapons and began firing spheres of energy. Gaardus shielded himself with his scalloped wings and then lunged at Sertav. After disarming the leader Kestora, the former Matoran leaned over and leered at him.

   "This is for everything you've done," Gaardus hissed. Then, ignoring his victim's pleas, he raised his blade and plunged it into the Kestora's chest.

   Pohatu's eyes went wide. "Oh, my...."

   "You've got that right," Kopaka muttered, bringing out his Midak Skyblaster. Pohatu followed suit and the two Toa Nuva leaped into action, aiming their Toa Tools at both Gaardus and the Kestora.

   "All of you, drop your weapons and put you hands up," Kopaka commanded coolly.

   As if just realizing what he had done, Gaardus quickly dropped his sword and complied. The Kestora, however, took this as an opportunity to survive the mutant Matoran and aim their weapons at the two Toa.

   "You have no right to command us," growled the second Kestora. "This is our territory!"

   "Consider this a case of self-defense," Pohatu said. "How about you tell us what you mean about 'sending us back' and why there's a bunch of should-be-dead people and-"

   "You have no need to know!" the Kestora said. "It will not benefit you in anyway."

   "But you were going to kill us anyway," the Toa of Stone noted. "So, there really is no reason not to tell us."

   "I'll tell them," the one called Damas said. "I think they deserve to know."

   "Are you out of your mind?" the other snapped.

   "Are you?" Damas retorted. Turning to the two Toa, he said, "You hail from the Great Spirit, do you not?"

   Pohatu and Kopaka nodded.

   "Then you are aware of the Matoran's purpose as nanotechnology?"

   The latter blinked, taken aback by the question. "Can't say we have."

   Damas waved a dismissive hand. "No matter. Anyway, each being placed within the robot serves a purpose. However, accidents were prone to happen; thus, if anyone were to be killed, they would be sent here, repaired, and then sent back."

   "But then everything broke down," Kopaka said. "So then you couldn't."

   "An understatement, but yes," Damas said. He gestured at Gaardus. "The... mutant did not take kindly to us tinkering with him and he escaped. We suppose that, in the midst of his rampage, he accidentally destroyed the device which would send our subjects back. After that, although we continued to receive damaged Matoran and other beings, we had not the means to send them back."

   "I see," Kopaka said. "Well, at least some of you made an ounce of sense."

   "Indeed," the second Kestora said, raising his weapon. "Shall we carry on with your executions then?"

   Damas moved to lower his companion's blaster. "Wait, Saddon! They do not mean us any harm!"

   "What do you call that then?" Saddon snapped, gesturing at the Toa Nuva's Skyblasters. 

   "That's simply their response to overhearing Sertav's plan. Anyone else would have reacted the same way."

   "What about him?" one of the other Kestora asked, pointing at Gaardus. "He murdered Sertav!"

   "Then we shall deal with him accordingly." Damas eyed the Toa carefully. "As long as you do not object, of course."

   "Actually, we do," Kopaka said. "If you don't mind, we shall handle him, since he is of our universe."

   "But you have no means of returning," Saddon grunted. "What difference does it make?"

   "Gaardus teleported us here. He could teleport us back." Pohatu eyed the former Matoran. "Right?"

   "I could," Gaardus muttered. "But what if I don't want to?"

   "You killed Sertav saying that it was in honor of those they've tampered with. I thought that-"

   Gaardus shook his head. "That was... more personal."

   The Toa Nuva of Stone stared at him bemusedly. "You sure are a character. So, will you take us back?"

   Gaardus' eyes shifted from the Kestora to the two Toa and their Matoran companions. "All of you?"

   "Just the good guys," Kopaka said. "It's up to the Kestora if they wish to stay."

   "Are you seriously going to let them go?" Saddon snarled at Damas. "They have no right to disobey-"

   "They have every right," Damas snapped. "It's what they were supposed to do." He nodded at Gaardus and the Toa Nuva to proceed.

   "Right," the mutant Matoran said. "I'm going to have to take trips."

   "Take as many as you need to," Kopaka said. "As long as you-"

   The Toa of Ice was abruptly cut off by a loud screech. The two Toa, the four Kestora, Gaardus, Kodan, and Mavrah all stared down the hall where the noise had come from, eyes wide with horror.

   "What... was that?" Pohatu asked.

   "It's escaped," Damas murmured. "Our experiment."

   "Experiment?" Kopaka said. "What are you-?"

   Before he could finish, a large shadow began to round the corner ahead of them. To Pohatu, it sounded as if it had several feet....

   "Looks like this is our last stand," he said, spinning his Twin Propellers. "Anyone want to make it worthwhile?"

   Instead of a reply, a giant portal appeared beneath their feet. The Toa of Stone sighed as they began to plummet into it. What an interesting day this is becoming....