The Final Stand





 Prologue

 The Dark Planet Vampros Magna 



 A dark figure was sprinting through the shadows towards a large building, a makuta, searching the blackness of Vampros Magna for one of his fallen rulers. Drindak, Teridax’s messenger, was moving towards the capital of the once great Makuta Empire. A tall being was waiting, rather impatiently, in the stronghold’s courtyard. Drindak approached the being slowly. “So, you’ve returned,” the being said in a deep tone, “have you found it?”

             “Yes, master, anything to please you, Titanax.” Drindak said.

 He handed him a mysterious stone.

 “You have been useful to me these past few years, and I would like to reward you with a gift.” Titanax said.

 “A gift, what would this gift be?” asked Drindak.

 With that, Titanax quickly drew a blade and swiftly stabbed Drindak through his chest.

            Titanax watched as Drindak fell to the ground with a loud THUD, “How pathetic,” Titanax remarked, “My brother should not have recruited such weak fools for his work.”

            Titanax started to laugh, a dark, cold, evil laugh that turns the soul cold. “Beware, Teridax, for you may have survived Mata Nui, but you cannot prepare yourself for the SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE!”

            Titanax Headed into the stronghold, disappearing in a cloud of shadow.



 Chapter 1

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            The Journey’s Beginning

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> 6 Months Later

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            A flash of light brightened the skies of Bara Magna, a canister, no bigger than any toa canister, was falling through the air, burning in the sky as it got closer to the surface.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            BOOM!!!!!!

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> The impact literally shook the desert. In the new pit of molten sand and shattered rock, lay the red-hot canister, inside it holds an unknown being.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            From behind a sand dune, two Skrall scavenging for useful items emerged; they made their way to the canister, avoiding the shattered earth and parts that fell off the canister. Curious, one of them climbed onto the mysterious canister and began tapping it with it’s sword. The other one tried to open the container’s lid. All of the sudden, the front of the canister exploded in a cloud of darkness, killing both Skrall.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Out of the large container a young makuta stepped out, most referred to him as Blackheart, a powerful son of Teridax who was thought of as dead for at least 50 years.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart stepped out of the newly formed crater, with no memory of what has happened during the last 50 years; neither does he remember anything that has happened to him during the 500 years that he has been alive (for a makuta, 500 years is like aging 7 years for a person).

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart looked up to find a Skrall looking down at him. He started to make his way to the Skrall.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            When he got to the Skrall’s location, he looked around, but he couldn’t see any sign that there was another being there.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Strange, I thought that there was another here, where could he…Whoa!”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Blackheart found himself with an arm around his throat and a Thornax Launcher at his back.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            The dark being asked angrily “What is you’re business here?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “WHAT IS YOU’RE BUSINESS HERE!!!???”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “I don’t know!”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “ If you don’t know why you’re here, then you are a trespasser, and trespassers must be punished by death.” The being quickly swung his club, but Blackheart just as quickly dodged and threw the Skrall to the ground, his blade at the being’s throat. Surprised, the Skrall asked, “You are quick, stranger. What is you’re name?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Blackheart.” he replied.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Well then, Blackheart, do you know how you got here?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “No.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “What are you known as?” Blackheart asked.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “My name is Stronius, Secondary Leader of the Skrall Empire.” He said.

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            They began to hear a rumbling in the distance.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “We’d better go, we don’t want to wander around in the desert at night.” Stronius said.

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> *****

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Early the next day, a lone Glatorian was wandering the endless deserts in the wastelands, Gladius, defender of the once great Northern Sand Tribe. He was the only sand tribe member who hasn’t been infected by the disease of the Vorox. He had been wandering the desert for days, in search of the other tribes of the planet.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            All of the sudden, he could see a flash of blue light in the skies, followed by a powerful shockwave that knocked Gladius to the ground, causing him to black out.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Once he woke up, al he could see was a massive cloud of dust in front of him. When the dust cleared, it revealed a large silver ship, approximately 5 times the size of the Arena Magna.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            As Gladius got closer to the large craft, he could distinctly see two beings step out of the vehicle, one of them large, approximately 9 feet tall with arms that looked like they could rip through solid Protodermis. The other one was shorter, around the size of an Agori, with two pistols and a mask that seemed almost…mechanical.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Minutes later dozens of other massive vehicles started to land around the large vessel, from which emerged thousands of other beings, each one looking very similar to the other.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            The larger being began to speak up. “Start moving! We need to get base camp set up before dark!”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            All of the sudden the thousands of other beings started to scramble, rapidly moving into every vehicle and running out with supplies. Just minutes later there was a fully operational camp with advanced computers and a powerful defense system.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Curious, Gladius began to make his way to the camp.

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> *****

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Of course, if any being were floating in space at this time, or if any of the soldiers arriving from space would have paid any attention to the asteroids circling Bara Magna, they would’ve noticed an asteroid larger than any of the rest. Around one hundred miles wide, with multiple buildings sticking out of the craters. This is what remains of the planet Argokus Magna, capital of the powerful Centurian Empire, an empire long forgotten by the Matoran.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Within the planet lies a massive throne room, with chairs on a platform suspended one thousand feet in the air. In the smaller chair was a being hidden in shadow, his red eyes piercing the blackness.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “A thousand planets, a thousand suns, they can all be mine to rule. But I sit in this chamber, working with miserable fools who can’t even lead an army.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Suddenly, a deep voice started to echo in the beings mind.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Patience Barakus, you’re time will come.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Who said that?!” yelled the being. “Show yourself.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Show myself? Look around. I am everywhere; I am the darkness of this universe and many other universes, I am the evil inside everyone’s soul, I am the true shadow of the universe.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            There was a long pause.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Hello, father.” Said Barakus.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            I have been waiting a long time in this pit of fire. I believe the time has come to return.” The voice said.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “What should I do?” asked Barakus.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Head to the planet below, there is a being there, known to most as Blackheart. Find him and take the mask that he is carrying, then you must take my staff and head as far north as possible, where you will touch my staff and the mask to a stone where the power of ancients lies.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Yes, father.” Barakus said.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Do not fail me, or I will send another one of my sons, and they are not as forgiving as I am.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “SCOLARIS!!” Barakus yelled.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> A nearby door opened, “What is it?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Assemble the army and prepare to head to the desert below, the time has come!”

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Chapter Two

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Discovery

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Keep moving!” yelled out Stronius.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart was sprinting as fast as he could; he turned behind him to see a large viper. Moving toward them at a tremendous speed, the creature was rapidly gaining.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            After running from the creature for what seemed like forever, Blackheart and Stronius arrived at the base of a large black mountain. The creature stopped and retreated away from the mountain.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Why is it running away?” asked Blackheart.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Sand Vipers are extremely territorial, if they enter another’s domain, they will likely be killed.” Stronius replied.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Why are we here then?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “There is a small bunker at the base of a mountain, we should be safe there.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            They started climbing the mountain towards the bunker.

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Trouble didn’t take long to find them. As soon as they entered the bunker, Blackheart fell through the floor into an unknown cave.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Stronius Yelled out into the cave, asking if Blackheart was all right.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “I’m fine, just be careful where you step.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart was about to climb up when something caught his eye, a glow at the end of the small cave. He began to make his way to the strange object.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            When he got to the source of light, what he saw startled him. A skeleton, around the size of a Toa, was leaning against the cave wall, the bones were covered in scratches and bite marks, suggesting a rahi attack. In one hand was a deep purple stone; the source of the strange light, in the other was a rusty sword. Blackheart went and picked up the glowing stone, which glowed even brighter in his hand. As he was observing it, Stronius appeared next to him. “What happened here?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “I don’t know.” Replied Blackheart.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Did you know this being?” asked Stronius.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “No, but I feel strange, like I’ve seen him before, in a dream.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart picked up the sword, and then the strangest thing happened, the sword began to heat up and emit shadows.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “What’s going on?!” Blackheart yelled. The heat was becoming so intense that Blackheart dropped the sword; even the sand around it was beginning to melt. All of the sudden, the shadow cleared and the sword was beginning to cool. Blackheart picked it up again.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “How did this happen?” asked Blackheart.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “I don’t know. Look, what’s happening to you’re other sword?”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Blackheart felt by his waist, he could feel his sword there, but it was crumbling to dust in it’s hilt. Until all that was left was an empty hilt.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “I guess this skeleton’s weapon belongs to me now.” Said Blackheart.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Suddenly they heard a loud BANG above.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Let us head back up, we have uninvited guests.” Said Stronius.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> When they got out of the tunnel, all was silent.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Then they heard another BANG. This time the room started to shake. Another BANG, and another, and another, each time hitting more violently. Finally, the door shattered in a cloud of dust, revealing a battering ram. Out of the dust stepped another Skrall, this one larger than Stronius, with a heavy mace and a large shield. This one walked quietly over to Stronius.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Trying to escape again, are we?” said the mysterious Skrall, “This time we have company.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            The Skrall pointed towards Blackheart, and two smaller Skrall stepped out of the dust and grabbed Blackheart’s arms.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “You shouldn’t have tried to escape again, Stronius, now I’ll have the pleasure of killing you myself, along with your friend.” Said the Skrall. “But I think I’ll start with your friend.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Wait, Azaelus! You can’t…”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Before he could finish the sentence, Azaelus was bringing his club down on Blackheart, He braced himself, but his mask somehow formed a shield around him, deflecting Azaelus’ weapon, but also filling it with elemental energy.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Azaelus was thrown back a few feet.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “Told ya’.” Said Stronius. “Blackheart shouldn’t be messed with.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            Azaelus angrily struck Stronius on the head, knocking him out. Blackheart, filled with rage, threw the two Skrall restraining him away. He then kicked Azaelus in the chest. Azaelus lay on the ground, his eyes blurred from the pain. He turned to see Blackhearts sword at his throat.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “Go ahead, kill me, inferior being. I’ve got nothing else to live for.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Blackheart lowered his sword.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">             “What?” said Azaelus.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “You’re not worth the fight,” said Blackheart, “now leave.”

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> “There will be a next time, creature, you’d better watch yourself.” <span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">            The Skrall left, along with his minions, leaving Blackheart and Stronius alone.