The Void

The Void is the next instalment in the V Osade Alternate Universe, primarily following Vulf and her new allies Elisis and Raskuyu. It reveals the turmoil within the Unity in the face of the Lykos threat, the battle on Topo, and the invasion of the Lykos warden known as the Void.

Summary
The political situation of the Unity had become unstable, as a result of the death of the feared Predavis. Machitis managed to use the idea that he killed the Verkhov to supplement his campaign to force other Lykos to abandon their factions and join the Red Flags. This was done mainly because until Machitis could seize absolute power over all Lykos factions, he would be forbidden to become a Councillor in the Unity Council.

This conflict led to a series of bloody street wars fought between the Red Flags and several other Lykos factions. This however was eventually ended when an attempted coalition of the factions attempted to unite against the Red Flags, but were assassinated when one of the guards managed to sneak in a bomb. With all opposition dead, the Unity had no choice but to admit Machitis as a Councillor of the Unity. Because of this, the grounds shifted towards the Lykos' favour as they managed to pass legislation by which all official operations must be approved by the Red Flags.

Despite this, Vulf and Elisis are approached by the scavenger of Raskuyu—who claims she had found a cache of materials that would help to serve the Unity in their struggle against the Republic. Agreeing to help the Av-Matoran, Vulf sees difficulty in managing to get their operation approved due to Machitis' rule that all Councillors must approve of an operation, and that a Lykos must be present in the task force. Though the rule must be enforced, the Turaga Dume manages to get the operation approved without official agreement from Machitis or most other parties.

With the assistance of the Lykos' Kvar and Yarvok, the group head to the destroyed island of Topo aboard the smuggling ship: A Clean Getaway. Raskuyu refuses to disclose anything official about the plan other than there is vital material on the island. Approaching the island, Raskuyu is surprised to find that a defensive line had been set by the Republic to restrict access to the shores. Attacked by a patrol route, the group barely manages to get to the shore as they find themselves trapped on the island.

During this time, Machitis had been running rounds of activities to further cement his power as a councillor and Warmaster of the Red Flags of Soyedmevos. Approached by the traitor Zilotis, and the Makuta Teridax—Machitis is offered the idea of better supplies and equipment being run through Exusia to him through the smuggler: Daud. This however comes in conjunction of Zilotis being admitted as a Warmaster within the Red Flags as well. Agreeing to this, Machitis immediately begins being supplied by Daud.

However, the Warmaster was extremely manipulative. Threatening Daud with being extradited for his gross violation, Machitis manages to gain control over the smuggler. Producing a large amount of evidence against both Zilotis and Teridax, the Warmaster approaches the Unity Council with a case to immediately discharge and execute the traitors. Agreeing with the charge, the Council authorises the warrant against both Zilotis and Teridax. Forced to flee again, the two would never be seen again as Machitis begins to run supplies to the island of Mishria.

Heading further inland, the team avoids engaging any Lykos as they know that it would be likely that they would be overcome should the Republic detect their presence. By this time, pressure is set on Raskuyu to reveal what this vital material is—as the group grows impatient from being kept in the dark about what exactly is going on. Raskuyu reveals to them that she made a promise to her dying friend that she would return to the island to find what he said would turn the tides of the war.

But what the group discovered was that the Lykos had managed to create Kanohi to be forged within their armour, allowing them access to the strange abilities that once only their enemies could use. Deciding that it would be in their interest to destroy the facility, they encounter the Commander: Ukronis who heads to destroy them using his infused Kanohi Hau. Incapable of challenging the Ukronis, the team flees further into the facility.

Finding a collection of Kanohi, Raskuyu goes through the masks as she manages to find what she had promised to bring back: the Avohkii, the Mask of Light. Wanting to leave the facility, Yarvok argues that the facility needs to be destroyed—stating that it was likely the testing ground for this Lykos technology. Agreeing with this, they head into the reactor of the facility and attempt to find a way to destroy the facility.

Challenged again by Ukronis, the group finds themselves incapable of defending themselves or even attacking the Commander due to his invincibility. Finding no other choice, Raskuyu puts on the Avohkii—as the power of the mask surges through her and transforms her into the legendary Toa of Light. Finding her hands around the Lightblades she forged from her transformation, Raskuyu finds a way to blind Ukronis with her light ability as the rest of the team move in for the kill.

Destroying the projection port for the Hau, they were finally able to challenge Ukronis as Yarvok landed the kill with his heavy plasma rifle. Setting a charge on the reactors, the team moves through the facility as they find their way onto a small Lykos ship. Leaving the docks, the team watches from the distance as the island is destroyed, Raskuyu watching as her island is burned a second time.

Heading back to the Line, the team manages to head through and back to Metru Nui—where an infuriated Machitis demands to know an operation happened without his consent. However with the news delivered that the Lykos had successfully operated technology they could use to use Kanohi for power. After the meeting, the Warmaster informs Vulf that he would excuse the violation of their trust, as long as she accepts to one day owe him a favour. Vulf agrees half-heartedly, hoping that this occasion would never come around.

Back at Exusia, an official inquiry was sent to examine the loyalty of the Lykos government. Selecting a Juror for the inquiry, the Lykos heads around the rest of Yermo as he launches an investigation to examine whether Councillors had been loyal to the Republic. This lead to his discovery of a rather gruesome murder against a councillor, the Juror authorises himself to the investigation of the murder. However over the course of this inquiry, the Juror finds damning evidence to suggest that some party in Exusia had been eliminating political opponents of the Ultra Director.

Told several times to drop the case after this discovery is made, the Juror presses on as he attempts to find a connection between the deaths of the political opponents and the Ultra Director. Eventually, the Juror is stripped of his title and honour for conspiracy against the the Ultra Director. Exiled to his estate, the Juror is eventually targeted and killed by Agianis. Because of his supposed disloyalty and heresy, the Juror's death isn't examined or even entertained.

During this process, the Ultra Director is approached with two brand new technologies which would increase their likelihood of winning the war against the Unity. The first was the Kanohi-infused armour, and the second was the introduction of a technology by which prisoners of the Void could have their essences melted down which could then be used to power a war machine known only as: the Forged, which would help to reduce Lykos casualties. Accepting the use of both technologies, Polemistis authorises the conversion of the super prison into a production facility for the Forged.

After returning back to the safety of the Line, Raskuyu begins to be trained by Vulf and Yarvok in the use of her elemental and physical abilities. As with a decree authorised by Machitis and the Unity Council, warriors must learn to read and speak Lykos. As Kvar and Yarvok teach Raskuyu and Vulf, Elisis spends her time chronicling the teams journeys and triumphs against the Republic. Raskuyu and Vulf begin to form a tight bond, as Raskuyu is taught to learn and appreciate her abilities—and master the idea of meditation and thinking.

During the few weeks the team have off from running operations, Vulf is eventually approached by Machitis as he reminds her of the promise she made to owe him a favour. Questioning what Machitis wants, the Warmaster informs her he is going to have her and her team smuggled aboard a Lykos prison ship and head to the Void to instigate a prison riot and escape with as many prisoners as possible. Hesitant, the Warmaster reminds Vulf he could easily find a way to have her disappear if he really needed to.

Grudgingly agreeing to it, Vulf and her team meet with the smuggler Daud who has them stowed aboard a smuggling ship which is secretly sent through the Line and out to the sea. Questioning how Daud would manage to get them into the Void, the smuggler says he plans to meet a Lykos supplies ship and have them sent into rigged cells by trusted individuals. They would then be sent aboard a prison ship, and sent to the Void.

Meeting with the Republic supply ship, Daud manages to bargain the cells prepared for the team as they are locked inside. For the rest of the journey, the team waits quietly as they are eventually traded onto a Republic prison ship. Taken to the Void, the team is sent to a lower-level cell block and as promised—the cells are successfully opened by the team which allow them access inside the prison. Moving quietly through the facility, Yarvok suggests that they move to the command centre of the Void and release all prisoners through there.

Moving to the centre of the facility, the team are greeted by a large statue of a four-armed machine. Lingering in the area too long in an attempt to figure out where in the facility they are, the team is spotted by one of the prison guards who attempted to announce their presence to everyone. Silencing him, the team believed they would be safe for a little while longer. However, the massive statue begins to move and take shape—sensing the death of the guard as the machine known only as: 'the Void Walker' moves to destroy the intruders.

Running through the subsystems in an attempt to avoid the massive machine, they would find that they would be engaged by the Lykos Guards. Narrowly setting down in a medical facility by all appearance, the team tried to figure out a way that they could disable the Void Walker or find a safe way to the command centre. Having Kvar approach a console to access this information, the Lykos activates the machine and finds that something begins to happen within the 'medical facility.'

Assorted prisoners: Lykos, Toa and others are brought in by machines as their essences are melted down and their minds cores extracted. Attempting to stop the process, the team is hopeless as they watch the burnt essence be contained within machines and the mind cores inserted in the head of them. Activating these machines, the team is suddenly attacked by them as they quickly realise that the essences of the once free beings are converted into souls.

Motivated to head to the command centre even more, the team discovers that the Void is being filled by these Forged machines. Lead by the Void Walker, the Forged pursue the team throughout the facility as a few members of the team refuse to destroy the machines due to the fact that people they wanted to free were now trapped inside. Encountering the Warden Director: Ukarika, the team in engage the Lykos as they successfully injure the Director as Yarvok moves to kill him.

However, this was not to be as the Void Walker is led into the chamber—offering the opportunity for Ukarika to escape. Forced now to face the massive machine, the team manages to sufficiently damage the machine so that it could no longer move against them. Surprisingly capable of speaking to the team, the Void Walker reveals itself to be the ancient Toa: Likor.

Recognising the name, Elisis explains to Vulf that Likor had abandoned the Toa Code and betrayed his Toa team to be a part of the Lykos Republic. Treating the Lykos with technological breakthroughs, Likor managed to catapult the Republic well beyond everyone else. Likor confirms this, announcing that only now did he realise the mistake he made to betray the code he swore to protect.

Making Vulf and the rest of her team promise that they shall bring liberation and freedom back to Unity away from the Republic, Likor announces that there is no prisoner left that hadn't become part of the Forged army. Stating that he shall destroy the facility along with the rest of the Forged, the disgraced Toa of Plasma contacts Daud and lets the smuggler know the team is prepared to be retrieved. Escaping from the facility, the team watches as a ball of plasma fire consumes the Void and destroys the prison, the smuggler ship making its way back to the Line.

Trivia

 * This summary was originally released by the author here. It has been reprinted here for your convenience.