Sacrifice in the Shafts

This article was written by Jaggedthorn. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.

Sacrifice in the Shafts is a story serial detailing the events of Sydemus's own arrival on Ores Nui and how he appeared there. It is a direct sequel to Foreboding Excavations. The Toa/Dark Hunter War has been raging on, and with it, many betrayals and victories along with it. Amidst the chaos, Sydemus has growing suspicions on Mutran's whereabouts. For once in his life, he sets aside his project on creating intelligible Rahi as he ventures to find out what exactly his old rival has been up to all this time.

Sacrifice in the Shafts
Story
Series	The Toa Escavo
Setting	Toa/Dark Hunter War
Date Set	Prior to the Fall of Mata Nui
Timeline
Previous	Foreboding Excavations
Next	TBD

Story

Prologue

Sydemus looked over the information he was carefully constructing. Stones with scriptures were tossed around his office. Some were cracked and eroded with age, more so from the poor treatment Sydemus gave them. But he didn’t truly care, they were only needed to act as a way to keep track of the numerous combinations that wouldn’t have worked. Sydemus had been searching every anatomical and physiological structure of the viruses and the materials needed to make a Rahi. The majority of Makuta hardly ever made Rahi anymore, but being a warden was too much of a hassle for Sydemus. Besides, he still hadn’t met his goal. An intelligent Rahi. One that would even surpass Vereyn’s Artakha Bull. Shame its creation was completely accidental, it was an even greater shame Miserix wouldn’t allow him to have tests on it or other intelligent Rahi. Sydemus wouldn’t even dare mention any experimentation on the Matoran.

The Makuta sighed. Hundreds of years have passed, it should really be plenty of time for anyone to be able to figure anything out. To be proud of what they’ve made thus far. But it was never enough for Sydemus. Twenty-seven years prior Sydemus made scouting Rahi, designed for him to learn about everything that was going on around Aqua Magna. All the in-fighting seemed so… fruitless. There was that issue with the League of Six Kingdoms couple of years back, that troublesome Matoran Civil War, and now these incursions with the Dark Brotherhood. Sydemus never knew what could make the Matoran so divine that everyone wanted a piece of them. It disappointed the Makuta more than disgusted him. He was disappointed their efforts were wasted on these Matoran instead of on Rahi. Weren’t the Makuta designed to create Rahi? Not to be these foolish protectors of the Aqua Magna.

What Troubled the Makuta the most was that retched Mutran. Recently, the morsel had become much more solitary than usual. Sydemus had always had his suspicions of the lime armored Makuta. And now his suspicions were seemingly correct. Sydemus didn’t have any proof, but the strange behavior of the Makuta along with the lack of his own research on Rahi was telling Sydemus something. The prospect of his assumptions wasn’t very appealing towards the Makuta.

Perhaps it would be best to call on that Dark Hunters member known as Dhakonz. It perplexed him why he even had the nickname Below Zero. What was wrong with his original named? Seemed so much practical instead of calling themselves a figurative of a number. Sydemus sighed, he would never understand those Dark Hunters. Why they follow such a destructive leader? The Shadowed One was wise, but Sydemus had spoken to him before. Certainly not someone you could trust or would probably trust you. With a sigh, Sydemus rose from his station. He was a considered a neutral during this war. Neither helping the Makuta and Matoran, or the Dark Hunters. He had his own agenda and ambitions to look after. Miserix understood and allowed it so. Ossulan, however, had been less on it. Ever since the war with the League of Six Kingdoms he had dubbed himself protector of Miserix and Teridax. Then went with a job change. Miserix didn’t see much harm and Sydemus thought he saw relief in his eye that Ossulan would no longer be watching him.

The fool also mistrusted Sydemus out of all the Makuta. Even more when Sydemus tried to convince him how suspicious Mutran was being. He honestly had no allies within the Makuta. Which was, of course, to be expected. Makuta never worked well together. Sure, leading an army of Toa and Matoran was not a small issue for people like Teridax. But those were other species. It was one of the main reasons why Sydemus had to rely on Dhakonz. He was crafty, and practically handled the majority of the dirty work Sydemus needed whenever it came to his projects. Besides, he was much more willing to cooperate than the other Makuta.

As Sydemus went to exit his chambers, he was greeted by Ossulan, seemingly acting as if they didn’t see anything. The pretentious prick always had looked over where Sydemus worked. The Makuta wasn’t fond of it. At. All. He valued privacy, something Ossulan seemed to never understand. It was a shame infighting between Makutas wasn’t allowed. He would’ve shut the fool in his place. Only known to Miserix and Teridax, Sydemus was quite a powerful Makuta, one of the strongest even. It was only the fact that the blue and black armored being only cared for his projects that many of the other Makuta saw Sydemus as something laughable.

“Sydemus,” They said in their ever-so friendly voice. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Suspicion. What a surprise. Sydemus wasn’t much of a liar, even if people like this might believe otherwise. His goals were simple and didn’t clash with the other Makuta. He was the only Makuta, besides Mutran, that even focused on Rahi. Although it seemed Mutran was expanding on other things. No doubt bored with just doing Rahi. Sydemus couldn’t understand why he didn’t see the joy, the wonder of making things come to life and interact with other creations. Making a sort of environment out of the land. “I’m heading towards the Dark Hunters base,” Sydemus stated coolly. Even during this war, he was sure he could come to some consensus with The Shadowed One. He had a lot of things that were useless to him now. Things the Dark Hunters could utilize.

“What exactly are you trying to pull venturing towards the enemies?” Ossulan’s suspicious tone was such an irritant to Sydemus’s ears. He wished he just paralyze the fool, here and now. Make sure he could no longer say a single word. Not even shift his eyes to spy on others. Instead, Sydemus simply answered the question.

“I request the aid of Dhakonz for a little investigation of mine.” He’d rather keep things short and to the point. No use telling the details that he was going to investigate what Mutran was exactly doing. Ossulan already distrusted him enough.

The gray and black Makuta eyed Sydemus from head to toe. What use was there to scan him? What exactly did Ossulan expect Sydemus might do? It was a fruitless task and a waste of Sydemus’s precious time.

“Fine,” The shorter Makuta finally said. “But I’m coming with.” Distrust showed ever-so brightly upon his eyes. Sydemus sighed a breath of annoyance.

“Whatever, just don’t speak to any of the Dark Hunters. At. All,” Sydemus need an air of negotiation if he was going to talk to The Shadowed One. Ossulan wasn’t one for social conversation. He had a straight forward and simple agenda. The simplicity irritated Sydemus. How could one ever prove their capabilities if they were always so restricted within their mind? Sydemus didn’t know. And would rather not sit on the subject.

As Sydemus left the base, he heard the footsteps of Ossulan shortly behind. What use was it to spy on Sydemus from a distance? The Makuta truly felt this was going to be a long journey.

s might do? It was a fruitless task and a waste of Sydemus’s precious time.

“Fine,” The shorter Makuta finally said. “But I’m coming with.” Distrust showed ever-so brightly upon his eyes. Sydemus sighed a breath of annoyance.

“Whatever, just don’t speak to any of the Dark Hunters. At. All,” Sydemus need an air of negotiation if he was going to talk to The Shadowed One. Ossulan wasn’t one for social conversation. He had a straight forward and simple agenda. The simplicity irritated Sydemus. How could one ever prove their capabilities if they were always so restricted within their mind? Sydemus didn’t know. And would rather not sit on the subject.

As Sydemus left the base, he heard the footsteps of Ossulan shortly behind. What use was it to spy on Sydemus from a distance? The Makuta truly felt this was going to be a long journey. 

Chapter 1

Liroau’s fingers tightened around his staff as two chains lashed at him from the dark shadows of the cavern. The techno-organic tendrils pulled around the weapon, yanking it with great force from his grasp.

“And here I thought you’d be smarter than to try and defend against me, Toa,” The voice of which the chains belonged too growled with a dulled reverb to it. The figure was a hunched beast armored in biomechanics that glistened like bronze and mud. Its eyes flashed a fiery red as it boasted its triumph.

Liroau snorted at the creature’s demeanor, mocking him. “And here I thought you’d be smarter than to think I wouldn’t have something else prepared in the moment.” His hands became deathly cold as the moisture around him formed like needles. The crystalline masses quickly grew as he projected a volley ice at the figure.

The red eyes grew wide as it flung the staff from its grip with haste, twisting itself to whip its chains to destroy the ice before they came too close to itself. Rage plastered on its face as the figure realized this Toa of Ice had once again, tricked him.

Liroau proceeded to retrieve his staff. He swiftly moved his body to land a blow on the creature. The creature itself turned to rudder the back of its tail smashing towards the staff. The impact forced Liroau to freeze the ground below him, riding his staff like a sled in order to not stumble from the blow.

Before he had time to recover, chains approached him, gripping his arms as they pulled him into the creature. Liroau took the chance to jab his foot towards the figure. Sending the both of them into the earthen walls behind. With the creature’s grip loosening, Liroau projected a beam of ice from his staff into it. Further distancing themselves once again as the beast now lay stuck in the ice. The Toa of Ice breathed silently for a moment before solely approaching the figure. He had forgotten how many times he had encountered him. Whether trying to take him or kill him, he was not sure which is was or why. But finally, after so many times of either running away or it itself escaping from him more recently, he had him in his grasp.

The creature’s face seemed to have sunken, it was muttering to itself. Catiously, Liroau approached. The muttering stopped. Liroau was ready to find some answers with what was happening to him in this stupid rock. “Alright—”

“Do it,” The creature softly said, its teeth bared.

Liroau’s face contorted in confusion, he was about to open his mouth as cavern around him began to rumble. His adversary was still there, but he wasn’t sure what to do. Suddenly, he felt a huge force press into his side as rocks finally began to tumble. He stared back as the muddy bronze figure before him faded from sight. He was stunned from the sudden rescue and stared back at the rubble which separated him from his adversary. Some sort of creature had been trying to take down for who knows how long. It never dawned upon the Toa of Ice that the terrain had even started to crumble until this blue armored Toa swooped him down into this pocket. Was there fight really enough for the cavern to do that? Something wasn’t adding up.

“Who are you?” Liroau said.

The Toa of Water gaze pierced Liroau at the mention of his question. She studied him to a silent degree with only a brief answer. “Mehnera,” Her voice was flat, lacking any sustenance to it.

The Toa of Ice was caught off guard by the cold nature she gave. It contradicted her action, that was for sure. Or perhaps it did not? He had some suspicions of this Toa. Liroau thought to himself that maybe the entire act of saving him was too convenient with its timing for starters. He could not simply say that directly, though.

“So… Mehnera… I wonder if the sounds of battle led you to around the time those walls began to crumble,” Liroau pointed a finger to the stacked rubbled.

Mehnera curtly nodded. “Yes, I followed the sound, but I didn’t arrive then. I just… watched.”

The Toa of Ice’s eyes narrowed. “Watched?”

“Yes,” Mehnera voice carried uncertainty which only perplexed Liroau further. “One moment I was tracking the sound and all of a sudden I was able to see… everything. How you and that creature moved, the tiny faults that began to appear surrounding cavern, and the even the timing and placement. It was like a trance and once I realized the danger you were in so I... rushed in I guess.”

The further she explained the smaller her voice became. Liroau tried to process her words as best he could.

“Do you think you could do it again? Recapture that feeling?”

Mehnera was silent. She gazed around the space before eyeing a tiny insect-like rahi. All of a sudden, her mask began to glow a bright silver. Liroau’s eyes widened as he came to understand the reason behind it all.

“You’re using your kanohi, Mehnera. You didn’t know?” The Toa of Ice said.

“With how dark these caverns are, maybe not. But... I guess that does make sense, hmm…” Her gaze seemed to move elsewhere, quickly eying back towards the Toa of Ice.

Liroau’s face beneath his mask contorted to confusion. “Is something the matter?”

Mehnera moved over to him, whispering. Her words chilled Liroau to a temperature not even his ice powers could create. “The rahi… I think it’s watching us.”

Characters

• Below Zero - Mentioned

• Miserix - Mentioned
• Mutran - Mentioned

• Ossulan
• Sydemus
• Vereyn - Mentioned
• Teridax - Mentioned
• The Shadowed One - Mentioned