Herl'Be'Zaatch

Serpentine dweller of the sand wastes around Po-Koro, master of Rahi in the region, and a member of the Apex Dozen.

History
Herl'Be'Zaatch, similarly to the other Apex Dozen, possesses a sketchy origin story; supposedly, he was a member of the extinct Hyralise species when Teridax happened upon them. He easily conquered and destroyed most of them, but Herl'Be'Zaatch was a fierce fighter and managed to scratch a portion of Teridax's armour. Impressed by his fighting capabilities, Teridax abducted him before he destroyed the Hyralise homeworld. Transforming him into a powerful Makuta, Herl'Be'Zaatch's loyalty was assured, as his people had always been power mongers, and he came to be one of Teridax's most trusted lieutenants. When Teridax was defeated, he burrowed deep underground the Po-Wahi sand wastes, going into slumber to await his master's call.

Teridax awoke the last Hyralise and told him to help Kortarex in forming the Apex Dozen. Heeding the call, he introduced Kortarex to the achievements of the Makuta, and to the goal he was likely to have to perform. Much of Kortarex's early actions were influenced and advise by Herl'Be'Zaatch, whose experience and closeness to Teridax were, eventually, a cause for envy from the other Apex Dozen. In a confrontation with Visstass, Herl'Be'Zaatch lost an arm (which eventually grew back).

Following this confrontation, Herl'Be'Zaatch began relying more on working alone; he single-handedly terrorised the sand wastes and preyed on many Toa, resulting in Po-Toa becoming exceedingly rare. He almost killed Saturn, Kratindikur, and Vacticitus, but a frost nova by Kratindikur drove the Makuta off into the dunes of the wastes. In his time there, gathering his strength, he practised his powers of Rahi control on other Rahi, finding his abilities extended to any Rahi that made a habit of living underground or by sand. This gave him limited control over some wildlife near Ga-Koro, and he used this to his advantage to harass villagers and Toa there, too, although these attempts were mostly unsuccessful.

He is currently on his way to the ruins of Onu-Koro, on a mission to provide as much of an obstacle as possible in their attempts to rebuild the village. If he succeeds, it is highly likely that Onua (Spherus Imperus) and other Onu-Matoran and Toa will be forced to migrate elsewhere, resulting in that element becoming sparse on the planet.

Tools and Abilities
Herl'Be'Zaatch possessed control over the elements of sand, shadow, and stone, with limited ties to earth, as well. He was able to burrow deep underground very quickly and travel for long periods of time before having to surface for air. He had many tunnels underneath Po-Wahi which allowed him to elude predators and Toa who sought him out. He was not particularly strong in of himself (although he could easily overpower a small group of ordinary Toa alone) but his tactics allowed him to take on much larger groups of enemies and emerge victorious.

As a Hyralise, he possesses sharp claws and a stinger tail, as well as huge jaws with multiple rows of teeth. As a Makuta, he gained heavier armour, forged from Magnum Steel.

Personality
Herl'Be'Zaatch, like much of his species, was fiercely competitive and hungry for power. He would leap at any chance to grow in power, and would remain loyal towards those who granted it to him. He was also more of a solo worker, preferring to get things done on his own terms in his own time. He found few were able to match his cunning and surprising intellect, hence why he despised teamwork. Visstass, envious of Herl'Be'Zaatch's power, presented the greatest annoyance to him; Skarthion, being driven by a want to conquer, had some synergy with the former Hyralise due to their similar goals and mindset.