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This article was written by Dregran. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.
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| Order's End | |
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| Story | |
| Series |
Ignika Universe Saga, Downfall Arc
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| Setting | |
| Date Set |
100 AGCW
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| Media Information | |
| Released |
April 2023
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| Written by | |
| Timeline | |
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Order's End is a short story taking place in the Ignika Universe Saga. It takes place 80 years after Darkest Reign, following Helryx and Mata Nui as they regroup to fight the Infernal Legion. It is the sixth published story in the Ignika Universe saga and the second in the Downfall Arc. It is followed by The Downfall.
It is written from the perspective of Helryx as she ventures into the Lost Continents with Mata Nui to recruit allies for the Order of Mata Nui.
Story[]
Part One[]
Helryx carved yet another line on the stone wall before her the end of her spear.
“Almost 80 years now,” said Mata Nui from behind. “We have gained many allies, but I fear we still need more strength before we can defeat the Infernal Legion.”
Helryx rolled her eyes, careful to turn around with a faint smile.
“Some are less trustworthy than others,” she added.
“Ah my dear Toa Helryx,” Mata Nui put a hand on her shoulder. “We must have a united mindset if we are going to be successful.”
Helryx tried to smile wider but ended up making a grimace.
Mata Nui removed his hand and turned away. He created a body using the Ignika, to allow Suram control of his own body. The Mask of Life was silver – signifying great ‘imbalance’ as Mata Nui informed them – and his body armour was matching with black highlights.
Helryx did not like the appearance of her creator, but he insisted it was the choice of the Ignika, which he respected.
“I am afraid I have more to ask of you,” Mata Nui said, his voice much quieter.
“Of course,” Helryx replied as she placed her spear on her back holster.
“There are others, in the Lost Continents, that we need on our side,” he said. “Former enemies will have to become allies of the Order.”
Helryx was silent for a moment. “Go on,” she finally said.
Mata Nui faced her again. “I want your word,” he demanded, usual for her passive creator.
The Toa was stunned. “My word?”
“These new allies will join us if we go against Abaddon,” he continued. “However, they all have reasons to betray us; reasons to resent me.”
“I think I understand,” Helryx said. “You have my word. I will ally with them.”
“No, no,” Mata Nui shook his head. “You must give them fear. Fear that betrayal of the Order of Mata Nui is worse than death.”
Helryx, in truth, did not understand much of her creator’s choices.
“Why ally with them if they are going to betray the Order?” she asked.
“Toa Helryx, my life has no value,” Mata Nui held up a hand and continued to speak. “I am a Great Being with powers beyond this Universe. The inhabitants, however, my children, I cannot sacrifice. No more lives will be taken for the false guise of ‘destiny’ or for the ‘will of Mata Nui’.
“But we are in dire need of their strength. A Selavian and another Skakdi. Their process in combat and their powers are what we need for victory. I know it is a lot to ask, but trust me they will benefit us, only if they believe you will kill them if they betray the Order of Mata Nui.”
Helryx had no words in response. She nodded once.
“I know this is a lot to ask of you,” he said. “I trusted you to defeat the Brotherhood of Makuta and I trust you now. Please bring along someone you trust.”
With a few moments of silence, Mata Nui smiled and walked away.
Helryx gathered her thoughts and marched towards the settlement. Huts littered the forest clearing, space for a large bonfire in the middle. Over time they rescued Matoran from the Legion. Some even made it out into the Lost Continents themselves.
Stories of how the darkest reign in history were always told around the fire. A Ta-Matoran chronicler, Kranu, was often the most descriptive in his retellings, though Helryx and the other Toa doubted his accuracy – most of his descriptions were exaggerated.
Kolhii was played from time to time at the edge of the clearing. Helryx was never interested in the sport, but she was glad to see the Matoran settling in. Seeing them happy lifted the spirits of the Order as well.
“Yunak,” Helryx said, walking over to an orange Toa of Plasma who sat next to a Ko-Matoran chronicler, Fronn.
“…and then the frozen Rahi moved! Its hide was made of ice and its teeth were as sharp as a Makuta’s claws.”
Yunak looked on in shock. “How did you escape?” he asked.
The Toa of Plasma always seemed to make time to listen to the Matoran’s tales. Helryx herself did not have such patience.
“Yunak!” she said, loud enough that the Ko-Matoran stopped speaking and addressed her.
“Toa Helryx! What a surprise!”
“Toa-Sister, to what do we owe the pleasure?” asked Yunak. He had adopted some ‘tree-speak’ from the Le- and Bo-Matoran who joined their settlement, to Helryx’s irritation.
“I must speak with you,” she said as she nodded at the Matoran.
“Fronn, we will have to continue another time,” said Yunak. He smiled as he stood.
“I look forward to it, Toa Yunak!” said Fronn, his grin reaching ear to ear. He hurried off to the main settlement as Helryx gestured for Yunak to follow her out of the clearing.
“Mata Nui wants to venture into the Lost Continents to recruit some… new allies,” Helryx almost winced at the thought of teaming up with a Selavian and another Skakdi.
“That is a good thing,” said Yunak. “We need as much firepower as possible.”
“I want you to lead the Order in my absence,” Helrx said.
“Ah, I’m sorry Toa-Sister, but I am not a good fit for that,” Yunak’s usual jovial expression was gone. “The Matoran need to admire their leader; they need someone who has saved them in recent memory.”
Helryx frowned. “Who are you suggesting?”
“Eclipse,” he said as he pointed to the direction Fronn had gone in.
The Toa of Water shuffled so she could see through the trees and saw Eclipse talking to several Matoran, who gathered around him like Nui-Jawa to a flame.
“See?”
“I suppose you are right,” Helryx nodded. “The Matoran will accept that decision.”
Yunak smiled. “I have another suggestion, Toa-Sister. We should hold a ceremony tonight, a passing of the torch.”
“I suppose,” Helryx turned and entered the clearing before she stopped. “I have a suggestion as well: Drop the tree-speak, you hot head.”
Yunak laughed as Helryx made for Eclipse. She welcomed the feeling of passing on responsibility.
Part Two[]
Late at night, after the ceremony and celebrations of Eclipse’s promotion to leader of the Order of Mata Nui, Helryx marched into the darkness of the Lost Continents with a torch in hand.
Mata Nui was in front, Yunak and Suram close behind with Helryx at the rear.
“Seems like not long ago we were here looking for Bounty Hunters,” said Yunak.
“We are still looking for them,” Helryx appreciated his humility.
“I suppose it’s fortunate we didn’t run into any and make a bad first impression,” Yunak added.
“Whoever we find, they can’t be worse than the Skakdi and the Shadow Matoran we already have at the base,” Helryx sneered.
“Our allies come in many different shapes and sizes, Toa Helryx,” interrupted Mata Nui. “We do not have the luxury of choice.”
“I’m sorry…” Helryx trailed off. She felt that now she was no longer the leader of the Order of Mata Nui, she did not deserve respect. She had the same feeling towards her new allies.
“Someone is ahead,” said Mata Nui. He stopped in front of a few rocks.
“Well, well, well,” sneered a deep voice from behind the rocks. “You’re not telling that I, the great Selavian Lord Pridak, are to be one of your allies?”
Pridak emerged from behind the formation of rocks, toppling loose stones as he stood tall.
“We ask you,” said Mata Nui as he kneeled. “To join our forces against the Varim Abaddon.”
Helryx and Yunak looked on in shock as the Great Spirit Mata Nui begged a traitor for help.
“Ah, that is a name I have not heard in a long, long time,” said Pridak as he raised a spear.
Helryx drew her own spear and eyed the Selavian. He was covered in weapons, all of which he was proficient at using. At a moment’s notice, he could incapacitate all of them.
Mata Nui rose. “I will not force you–”
“Force me?” Pridak roared with laughter. “You cannot lay a finger on me, Toa!”
Pridak threw his spear and Helryx leapt forward and deflected it. He must not have realised that it was Mata Nui he was talking to.
“Now here is a Toa I can respect,” he said. Pridak jumped backwards and threw three daggers before he landed. Helryx managed to deflect all of them, which left her open to his spear.
Yunak’s hand grabbed the spear before it impaled Helryx in the stomach and it began to melt away into glowing liquid.
“A Toa has no right to touch my weapons!”
Pridak attacked the Toa of Plasma. He threw a sword and sliced down with a cleaver at the same time.
Helryx swiped the end of spear upwards in response to the cleaver and Yunak manoeuvred to avoid the sword.
When they came to a standstill, Pridak sighed.
“I’ll join your allied forces, Toa, on one condition,” he said. The weight he was pushing down on the cleaver made it difficult for Helryx to respond.
“State your terms,” she managed to say.
“I get to kill Mata Nui,” he grinned. He pushed the cleaver down further and Helryx changed her stance to counter the Selavian’s superior strength.
“We will kill here and now,” Yunak threatened. He held a blade to Pridak;s throat which made the Selavian’s eyes widen.
“You cannot,” he said as he pushed his cleaver with all his force. It clattered on the ground as Helryx let go of her spear and Toa both moved away.
Helryx grabbed a sword from the ground.
--
“We will conquer! We will rise above! We will end the reign of the Great Spirit!”
Pridak held his sword high in the air to a roar of support from the army in front of him. He looked to his left and Mantax and Carapar nodded. He looked to his right and saw Takadox focussed on something in the crowd. Pridak turned his attention back to his army.
“Attack!” ordered Pridak.
The army turned around and marched at the line of the Makuta before them. Screams and shouts filled Pridak’s ears as the Brotherhood of Makuta slaughtered his fighters.
“What a waste,” mumbled Takadox.
“Something to add?” said Pridak.
“Oh, nothing of note, my Lord,” she said.
“We must make haste, this army won’t last another few minutes,” said Carapar, already away from the group.
--
“The Brotherhood of Makuta have fallen,” said Helryx. Pridak ignored her and she parried his onslaught. “Abaddon manipulated them from the start to orchestrate his takeover,” she continued. “He is our common enemy. He used all of us.”
Pridak paused, a blade in each hand.
“I am sure he used you as well,” Helryx said. “Your attack on the Brotherhood of Makuta to overthrow Mata Nui was his plan to gather intel.”
The Selavian eyed both Toa, each blade pressed against their weapons. “Why should I believe you? Why should I even join you?”
“Because if you don’t,” Helryx mustered all of her strength and flicked Pridak’s blade to the side. “I’ll kill you.”
Pridak dropped his blades and retreated a few bio away from the group.
“Do you know why the other two haven’t attacked you?” asked Helryx. Her tone caused Yunak to look at her with concern.
“Humour me,” Pridak responded.
“They know that I’ll kill them too if they get in my way,” she glared at the Selavian.
Rage brewed inside of her. If she did have to kill Pridak to stop Abaddon, she would not hesitate. If he was an ally, then that meant she would kill her allies. Helryx no longer had the responsibility of leading the Order of Mata Nui. She was a rouge Toa.
Pridak was silent.
“Fine,” he said. He lowered his weapons and held out a hand. “Return me my blade and do not dare to use your Mask of Psychometry on me again.”
Helryx placed the blade in his hand with force and kept her gaze fixed on him.
“I promise I will kill you the moment you betray us,” she threatened.
“Just as I’d expect from a great leader,” Pridak retorted.
“The Order no longer weighs me down,” Helryx said. “I can kill you without a shred of regret.”
“You have my word,” said Pridak as he bowed. “I will join your cause to defeat Abaddon.”
Yunak lowered his blade and stepped back to Mata Nui.
“But the moment the deed is done and the vile Varim is dead,” Pridak added. “I’m coming for you.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” lied Helryx. She wasn’t sure this new murderous self was someone she liked.
Mata Nui clapped his hands together. “Thank you, Pridak,” he said. “We have one detour before we return to base.”
With that, the group marched in silence, Mata Nui followed by Pridak. Helryx and Yunak kept a close eye on the Selavian. Suram was silent behind them.
Part Three[]
“Helryx,” said Suram. The Toa of Water slowed her pace to walk next to Suram. “Do you think Wira is gone?”
Helryx shook her head. “He will return to us, I’m sure.”
Suram nodded and pressed on. He took the loss to Abaddon harder than most. He felt responsible for letting down his friend.
“Can you smell that?” snapped Pridak. He stopped and turned to the Toa. “Skakdi were here recently.”
“I can sense we are being watched,” added Suram as he walked past the Selavian and pointed his blade into the distance.
A dark figure approached, both of his hands in the air, palms facing forwards.
“I am Idrih, Skakdi of Magnetism. I come in peace,” the Skakdi said. He had a gun strapped to his left arm and a claw blade to the other. “I wish to help you overthrow Abaddon.”
“He’s trustworthy,” said another voice from behind Idrih. Helryx recognised it as Agni, a Toa of Fire sent to the Lost Continents to find the base of the Infernal Legion.
“Agni! Indra!” shouted Yunak. His positive tone broke through the tense situation with Idrih.
“I understand if you mistrust me,” the Skakdi continued. “I will do anything necessary to prove my worth.”
“There is no need,” said Mata Nui as he gestured for Idrih to lower his hands. “This saves us travelling further into the Lost Continents.”
Helryx sighed and followed the Great Spirit back to the base camp. Five Toa, a Skakdi, a Selavian and their creator; they must have made an interesting bunch to watch.
Indra and Agni described their battle against Mantax on the walk. They spared no detail, with Pridak interrupting to insult the other Selavian for his betrayal.
Helryx remembered Carapar joined their forces when the Order of Mata Nui fought the League of Kings. If Pridak was as ruthless as he was back then, Helryx knew she could not trust him.
“Does something bother you, Toa Helryx?” asked Idrih.
“No, nothing at all,” replied Helryx. She did not trust the Skakdi Warlord either.
“Being a leader isn’t as great as it’s said to be,” he said.
“I suppose,” Helryx replied, unsure of what she had in common with a Skakdi. “Though I am no longer the leader of the Order of Mata Nui,” she added.
“Is that so?” said Idrih, his tone was calm and respectful, not something Helryx expected from Skakdi.
“My duty is to protect the Matoran,” she said. “I cannot lead an army into battle and keep my promise to them. Not after we lost to Abaddon.”
“Keep your spirits up, either way,” Idrih instructed. “Whether you are the leader or not, the Matoran will look up to you.”
Helryx was silent. Idrih was much wiser than any Skakdi she had ever known. Helryx chuckled to herself. She could not imagine that she would be taking advice from a Skakdi.
“He’s not spouting nonsense, is he?” asked Agni, after she had finished her recount of events with Indra.
“Toa Agni, you flatter me,” Idrih rolled his eyes and quickened his pace to catch up with the others.
“He can be a bit much,” the Toa of Fire continued.
“I don’t trust him,” Helryx grumbled. “I don’t trust either of them. This could be a very bad idea.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” said Agni. “He saved Indra and I from Mantax and tended to our wounds. He’s different from the other Skakdi, that’s for sure.”
Helryx admired her positive nature despite the darkness that lied ahead.
“Promise me that you will follow my orders if…” Helryx trailed off. She was no longer the leader of the Order of Mata Nui, so she should not be giving out orders.
“I’ll always follow you, Toa Helryx,” said Agni. “Even if Eclipse is the leader, you have an… authority about you.”
She smiled as Helryx looked at her with a furrowed brow.
“Thank you, Agni,” Helryx managed to say.
It wasn’t long before the group returned to the base camp. There were no Matoran walking about, only Eclipse and the others surrounding someone in the middle of the camp.
“Javyz, stand down, final warning,” said Eclipse. His voice was stern and clear.
“Idrih?” the Skakdi in the middle of the group shouted. “What in Mata Nui are you doing with them?”
Idrih marched up to Eclipse, who had his gaze fixed on the Skakdi of Lightning.
“Times have changed, dear Javyz,” he said. Helryx noted how Eclipse shifted his sword as he was wary of both Skakdi.
“Don’t give me that Muaka dung!” she shouted. In a flash she was at Idrih’s front, her blade pressed against his neck.
“Please, Javyz, you’re causing a scene,” Idrih said, calm despite the angered Skakdi in front of him.
Eclipse reacted out of instinct. He darted out of the way and pointed his sword at the two Skakdi.
“Why are you here?” he asked Idrih, who pointed at Mata Nui.
“Toa Eclipse, please listen to what I have to say,” said the Great Spirit as he approached the Toa.
“We have gathered allies from the Lost Continents to help us overthrow the Varim Abaddon. Pridak, a Selavian leader, will be able to train us and enhance our combat abilities. Idrih, the Intelligent, will assist us in creating a plan. These unlikely allies will prove vital to us in the coming battle, I am sure of it.”
Eclipse was silent. He looked to Helryx who nodded. She felt uneasy giving wisdom.
“Alright,” he said and lowered his sword. “We will deal with Decronox before we proceed with any more introductions.”
“Decronox? That Shadow Matoran?” asked Helryx.
Eclipse walked towards the Toa of Water. “He sold us out,” he said as he looked down. “We shouldn’t have trusted him.”
Helryx put her hand on his shoulder. She looked at the group she travelled from the Lost Continents with.
“Sometimes we have to put our faith in the unknown, Eclipse,” she said. “It is a risk we have to take in this dark reign.”
Events[]
- Mata Nui asks Helryx to accompany him to the Lost Continents to recruit some Bounty Hunters
- Helryx asks Yunak to lead the Order of Mata Nui but he declines, suggesting Eclipse instead
- Mata Nui, Helryx, Yunak and Suram head into the Lost Continents and encounter Pridak
- Pridak initially fights Helryx and Yunak but agrees to join them after Helryx threatens him
- The group encounter Idrih and he joins them along with Agni and Indra
- Javyz attacks the base camp and fights with Eclipse and the Order of Mata Nui, but the conflict stops when Helryx and the group return
Characters[]
| Ignika Universe Saga v:e | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matoran Universe | History | Rise and Fall — The Malia Chronicles — Sworn to Duty | |||
| Rising Arc | The Unveiling — The Seeking — The Rising | ||||
| Downfall Arc | Darkest Reign — Order's End — The Downfall | ||||
| Side stories | Memoirs of the Wicked — Skakdi Days — Builder's Duty — Guard Duty | ||||
| Spherus Magna | |||||
| Discovery Arc | The Aftermath — The Matoran Hunter — Journey to the Edge | ||||
| Side stories | The Nightwatcher | ||||
| Related | Stuck in Time | ||||