User:Echo 1/In the Affairs of Dragons

In the Affairs of Dragons is a novel by Echo 1 and is part of his canon main storyline.

Chapter I
Malachi, a Matoran of Fire picked up his knight, and moved it in an "L"-shaped path in front of Whera's pawn, blocking it from advancing the board. Whera smiled, and moved her queen across the playing field.

"Check," the Lightning Matoran grinned.

Three days ago, Malachi had been locked up in this "prison" with Whera. Not to say it was that bad. The cell was fully furnished, always had food, company, and warmth. If he could get passed the screaming coming from the halls, he could learn to like it.

Malachi moved his king out of the way. He had to admit, he did miss Metru Nui, but at least he could stay occupied.

Whera moved her bishop into place. "Check mate!" she announced.

Malachi looked at the board and sighed. "That's the forth game you've won today."

"It helps when you don't pay attention entirely to the board," she said. "You're homesick, aren't you."

"I should be back in Ta-Metru making masks. Remind me again why I'm here."

Whera's eyes drifted to the ground. "A Makuta--his name was Geth, I think--found an artifact. A Kanohi. Some being named Jevson found out, and is seeking to use the power in the mask. They're testing it on rahi and... Matoran."

Malachi remembered the day that hulking, metallic Makuta jumped him in an old Ta-Metru alleyway. He woke up in this cell, with Whera cooking something. The two Matoran had spent the last three days playing chess and checkers, relating stories, and reading from a collection of myths in the cell.

Another scream echoed from the hall. It was a screech from a rahi. Most likely the Tarakava that Geth had brought into the lab a few hours earlier. A moment later, the Matoran could see two of Geth's drones carrying a charred and mangled corpse past the window in their prison door.

"Another victim," Whera stated.

"What kind of mask is this?" Malachi inquired.

"I overheard the drone guardsmen call it the 'Ultima', or Mask of Power. I guess it burns people."

Another scream could be heard coming from the lab. But this time, it was a Matoran. Minutes later, another pair of drones was escorting a babbling, tentacled humanoid down the hall.

"And... transforms them."

So this was Malachi's destiny.

"How long have you been in here?" Malachi asked Whera. "You were in the cell when I quote unquote 'arrived.'"

"About a week," Whera responded. "I've yet to get used to the screams."

Armored footsteps could be heard in the hallway. It wasn't drones this time. It was Geth, the Makuta operating the facility.

The footfalls stopped at Malachi and Whera's cell door, and a massive form blocked the window.

"YOU TWO," a robotic voice stated. "YOUR TIME HAS COME."

Whera and Malachi looked at each other, horrified. They were going to the lab.

"NOW," Geth ordered.

Whera solemnly lifted herself from her chair and walked to the door. Malachi followed suit. The metal portal opened, revealing the massive, one-eyed, technoorganic Makuta.

"YOU WILL FOLLOW."

Malachi looked at Whera. She returned his gaze with resignation-filled eyes. The Makuta was right. Their time had come.

Geth lead the two Matoran down the winding halls of the facility. After about a minute of walking, the two entered the "testing room."

Malachi surveyed the room. Inside was a chair with restraints. Pointed at the chair was a massive apparatus made of cables, wires, metal, and other technologies he couldn't describe. The apparatus was connected to a golden, Hau shaped Kanohi mask. Circling the rig were some of Geth's drones and a Rahkshi of hunger. Across the room was a window.

The being behind the window sent a chill down Malachi's spine. It was Jevson, the massive, dragon-like mutant Rahkshi that ran the facility. Jevson had a reputation for destruction, and had eradicated the Ga-Metru lab that he was created in. The Rahkshi had a particular hatred for Matoran, which was exactly why he was testing the Kanohi on them.

Jevson leaned towards a microphone. "The Ta-Matoran first!" he ordered, with a hint of madness behind his voice.

Malachi glanced at Whera, who gasped as a drone pushed the Ta-Matoran forward.

If the drone could have smiled it would as it forced Malachi into the chair and strapped him into it. He tried to fight the restraints, but could not.

"YES. STRUGGLE PUNY ONE. THERE IS NO ESCAPE," Geth "laughed" as he pointed the massive rig's gunlike end at Malachi's mask.

This was it.

"THE APPARATUS IS READY. YOU MAY FIRE WHEN READY!"

Jevson smiled as he reached for the controls...

"No!"

Malachi turned his head left to see Whera muscle her way out of the drones.

"I've had enough of this madness!" she screamed as she ran for the Kanohi.

"ERROR!" Geth yelled, marching to the Lightning Matoran. "ERROR!"

Whera grabbed the Kanohi on the apparatus and yanked it from the cables.

"What in Karzahni!" Jevson yelled through the microphone. "Someone, kill her!"

The Drones readied their Zamor sphere launchers.

Malachi watched as Whera put the mask over her own Kanohi Kakama. She said something, but he couldn't hear it over the ensuing explosion.

The facility was obliterated in the wink of an eye, leaving no trace of the lab, Matoran, Makuta, or Jevson.

Characters
Note: This is not a complete list. Some characters may be added or removed.
 * Whera
 * Malachi
 * Shadrach
 * Plaaz (name pending)
 * Saphyyr
 * Lydia
 * Ash (name pending)
 * Crafter
 * Jevson
 * Xaldeus
 * Lycath
 * Ridlex

Trivia

 * The story opens with Malachi and Whera playing chess.
 * Geth's speech is changed to emphasize his vocal pattern, which sounds like a Dalek from Doctor Who.