Inevitable Destruction

The third installment of The Redemption Saga

Inevitable Destruction
Aru rose from the protodermis. Despite what Ardros and Jaaryn thought, she was not dead. She hadn’t even mutated, like that freak Ardros. Because she was a Toa of Water, she had held her breath and hidden until her foes had left. Now, she was ready.

But first, she had to alert her partner to what she had found. Switching to a Kanohi Suletu, she tapped Inuju’s mind. “Inuju? You’ll never guess who I found.”



Jaaryn couldn’t believe the island that Matoro had found to house the Matoran. It was lush and spacious, with jungles guarding the perimeter and a large village nestled within. He saw a boat resting on the shore, and knew that the preliminary supply boat he and Ardros had sent out had arrived. Ardros’s note was gone, as were the provisions, so he was sure someone had gotten the boat.

He wished that Ardros was here, but the youth had gone in search of Metru Nui, in hopes of defeating Makuta. Jaaryn had no illusions that Ardros would return, and he already mourned his friend. However, he hoped that he would see his friend again.

Either that, he thought, or one of us will be sent to the grave early.


 * After a few minutes of searching, he managed to get to the Matoran village. It was large, on scale with Metru Nui, and a sign gave the name as Ratag Nui.

A lone guard stood sleeping at the entrance, a Matoran of Water that Jaaryn didn’t recognize. As he walked up, the guard began to stir, and though Jaaryn’s armor was cracked and broken and his mask was deformed, she recognized the Toa immediately.

“Jaaryn? Is it really you?” she asked. When Jaaryn nodded, she raised a megaphone that guards were given and yelled into it, “Jaaryn’s back!!!” As curious villagers exited their huts, she turned back to him. “I’m Bedura,” she said. “Hey, do you know what happened to Ardros? He’s my brother.”

Jaaryn nodded. “He’s fine.” He didn’t want to go into the details of the young Toa’s fate. “I’m sure you’ll see him soon.” Then he reached into his bag and pulled out a mask he had found on the shore. “Take this. I have no need for it.” He walked into the village then, leaving Bedura alone.

That was when she started to grow.



Ardros was not dead.

He stared into the darkened building that was once the Coliseum. Somewhere under there, he knew, his foe waited.

“Makuta!” he ventured bravely. “Show yourself!” Muffled footsteps sounded behind him.

Suddenly, a jarring pain caused him to collapse. The Exo-Toa looked at its partner, then lifted the unconscious Toa. Soon, he would worry Makuta no longer.



“Usually, when you sacrifice yourself for the good of your people, you stay sacrificed.”

The words came from Matoro, who was speaking to Jaaryn for the first time since the fire Toa’s arrival. Now, they were together, though the meeting wasn’t proceeding as Jaaryn had planned.

“This coming from Mr. Toa of Life,” Jaaryn shot back with a smirk.

They stared warily at each other for about a minute. Then, they both broke into a laugh and hugged.

“Good to see you again,” Matoro laughed. Jaaryn just smiled.

Then, a noise distracted them. They looked around, but it was coming from outside. They lifted their weapons.

“Time to head out,” Jaaryn said with a grin.



A large Skakdi was the cause of the sounds. He was causing destruction in the village square and being fought by two female Toa. Jaaryn couldn’t identify either of them from the distance, but he knew the Skakdi.

He turned to Matoro. “Hiolin,” he said grimly.

“You…know him?” Matoro asked in disbelief.

“My first threat on Agra Nui,” replied Jaaryn quickly. The tale of his history with Hiolin was not one he was eager to repeat, especially because parts of it were lost to him. “I thought I killed him.”

“You should know by now—no one on Agra Nui stays dead.”

Jaaryn turned in disbelief to Matoro, only to find a smirk-Matoro was joking.

They ran into the town, after Jaaryn’s mortal foe.



Foes, it turned out, as one of the Toa was none other than Aru. He didn’t waste time thinking about how she had survived. The other looked like Bedura. But he didn’t care about her.

“Aru!” he yelled.

She turned. “Jaaryn, your fight isn’t with me, it’s with-“ That was when she fell to Hiolin’s foot.

Not very amazing, as last words go.



Bedura was the one to tell Matoro what had happened.

She fought Hiolin with Jaaryn until Matoro arrived. But slightly before, Hiolin had touched their minds. He knew what would cause them pain. Then he crushed Jaaryn.

As he listened to Bedura’s tale, he grew sad, as he knew that there was no escape this time for his friend.



They burned the bodies. Hiolin’s, of course. Bedura had gotten him, stabbed him in the ribs several times. Aru’s too.

Jaaryn’s, they saved. They would hold a funeral for later.

And Matoro would be able to figure out how to say his final goodbye to his friend.

Characters
Jaaryn

Ardros

Bedura

Hiolin

Aru

Matoro

Exo-Toa (2)

Inuju (mentioned)