Epiphany/Part 4

Rayzok unleashed another burst of fragmentation, which Horez quickly and easily evaded. This was getting frustrating. Even as Rayzok teleported to avoid a potentially deadly attack with both chain lightning and glaive by Horez, he couldn’t shake the thought that this Horez person was far more than he seemed. Rayzok had isolated the warrior’s apparent powers, at least. Horez seemed to have powers related to lightning, as well as laser and heat vision and impressive physical strength. The titan was swinging his weapon hard enough to cleave Rayzok’s head in two if the Makuta wasn’t careful. This wouldn’t be lethal, of course. Rayzok’s armor would simply crack open and allow his essence to escape, but it could be potentially deadly, since it would leave Rayzok without a body in a universe where, possibly, no spare bodies existed.

Another swing. Horez had gotten close again. He was good at that. Rayzok sidestepped and swung his wrist blades as one. Aiming to slice into Horez’s side, but the warrior turned the end of his swing into a twirl of the weapon, batting Rayzok’s blow aside. Horez electrified his weapon and swung again, but this time Rayzok faded out of tangibility. When he rematerialized, he slashed out with a stretched-out arm and grasped Horez’s mask. The warrior’s hand whipped up with shocking speed and grabbed Rayzok’s wrist, then sent a surge of electricity through it. The Makuta shouted in pain and pulled his arm back.

Then, to his shock, he heard Horez’s voice inside his head. I know who you are now, the voice announced.

Rayzok fired a blast of molecular disruption out of his blades. Do you, now?

Indeed, Horez replied as he dodged the blast of power and returned with heat blasts. You are a Makuta, same as I. And you hearken from my home realm, no less.

Rayzok stood his ground as the wide, searing beams bathed him in terrible heat. He fired his own heat beams, much narrower, at Horez. Good for you, I suppose, he flashed to Horez. ''Except you’re not a Makuta. You can’t be. You’re not made of energy.''

Horez put his glaive up to block Rayzok’s attack, but halted his own attack to do so. I was lost in this realm before you and the others evolved, as I have read this in your mind, Horez answered. ''Being here somehow insulated me from the change. I’m not sure how, but it hardly matters.''

Rayzok was hoping for Horez to halt his attack the whole time, and the biomechanical Makuta doing so gave Rayzok the opportunity he needed. With a mental urge, he erased Horez’s gravity. The other Makuta floated upward.

Clever, Horez flashed.'' You see, I am letting you win. I have…certain reasons…for masking my true heritage as a Makuta. You, on the other hand, do not, I am sure.''

You’re right, Rayzok agreed as he readied another attack. ''I don’t. But why not try to defeat me regardless?''

Horez smiled as he tumbled helplessly through the air, trying desperately to turn himself around and blast Rayzok with something. ''Because while I want to mask my racial identity, I will never defame our race by insinuating that any non-Makuta is superior to us. As a poseur to a non-Makuta, I must, therefore, be defeated.''

Rayzok was ready to attack now. With a second mental urge, he increased Horez’s gravity beyond normal and slammed the titan into the arena floor. Works for me, he flashed as he readied a massive blast of shadow. Keep in touch, brother? he asked in a friendly manner.

Horez, as the blast struck him, and in no such friendly manner, simply asked, Why would I?

The blast slammed into Horez with a thunderclap and sent him rolling across the arena into a wall. The Vendora crowds erupted in cheers for their new, shared champion. Rayzok yelled in triumph and extended his fists skyward, dark power lancing from them into space.

Horez got to his feet sluggishly. Poor, dumb brother of mine, he said to himself. He has no idea what he’s in for now.