Weapons of Power

Weapons of Power is the first part of Prophesied Rivals, concerning Niha and her first mission.

Chapter One
The cold, metallic voice of an Order informer intruded Niha’s mind as she awoke with a stretch, groggily yawning.

“You are wanted in missions briefing room number sixty-four,” the monotonous robot repeated. Niha sleepily took in what the informant had said, and paused to register what that meant, not believing her audio receptors. “You are wanted in missions briefing room number sixty-four,” it droned again as Niha’s breathing quickened, her eyes widening in shock. Was she dreaming? She pinched herself with all of her strength, and the pain was real! She had just finished her training a week ago. How could she be given an assignment so soon?

“You are wante—“, the machine tried to get out, but Niha interrupted.

“I acknowledge my duty!” Niha said, barely keeping the excited edge from her voice. The robot ceased its droning, having been acknowledged, and shut off, sitting like a rock on Niha’s small desk. Niha got out of her bed hurriedly and sloppily strapped on her armor. What would her job be? She heard from other members that first missions were normally simple things, like moving an artifact from one location to the other, or silencing small mobs of rogue Matoran. Niha didn’t care, she thought, as she secured a strap on her shoulder armor. She just wanted to be of some use. She left the room and strode down the dormitory hall, seeing other Order members leaving to do the many jobs that the Order of Mata Nui needed done. Niha exited the dormitory hall and entered the hub.

The hub was a large, dome-shaped room with several halls branching from it. It was where one could find the weather for the next fortnight, it was where the armory was, the entrance to the archives opposite it. The dormitory branch was the one Niha just came from, where the members slept and kept their personal belongings. There was the training branch, where newly recruited members would learn their skill. There was the weapons research, rahi research, and artifact research branches, where the Order scientists would examine the powers and qualities of recently invented or discovered weapons, rahi, and artifacts. There was the combat branch, where any member could practice their fighting skills with another member, or with a mechanical substitute. The branch Niha was looking for was the mission branch, where Helryx, the organization’s leader, would brief Order mission teams on their assignments. It was across from the dormitory hall, so she darted over to it, passing several others, some of whom she knew, some of whom she didn’t.

Niha remembered as she walked down the hall it was room sixty-four, and she saw it was not far now. Fifty-seven…fifty-nine…sixty-two….

Niha turned towards the door and rested her hand on the doorknob. She calmed herself down, and entered the room.

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