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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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| Sworn to Duty | |
|---|---|
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| Story | |
| Series | |
| Setting |
Matoran Universe
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| Date Set |
50 BGCW
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| Media Information | |
| Released |
January 2022 (Part 1)
March 2023 (Part 2) |
| Written by | |
| Timeline | |
| Previous |
The Malia Chronicles
|
Sworn to Duty is a short story taking place in the Ignika Universe Saga. It is set 50 years before the Great Cataclysm War, detailing the Brotherhood of Makuta's takeover of the Great Spirit Robot. It is the third published story in the Ignika Universe Saga.
The story is written from the perspective of Kranu as he interacts with the Toa Neirae.
Story[]
Part 1[]
Kranu was a Ta-Matoran, created to maintain a regular air temperature inside the Great Spirit Robot. He worked hard and worked well but dreamt of more responsibilities. He thought about life as a Toa – more control over the element of fire, a powerful mask, strong weapons, and endless respect from all the Matoran.
“Kranu!” someone interrupted his fantasy, Marthu. “Work time is over! Come watch the game!”
Marthu was his best friend. Stationed to work together since their creation, the two Ta-Matoran became close friends. Every time Kranu shared his dreams to be Toa with Marthu, he told his friend not to miss out on the life he had now.
It was simple, day in and day out, the Ta-Matoran checked the air temperature throughout the Great Spirit Robot and adjusted it. As Kranu climbed down from his post and joined his eager friend, he sighed.
“Too much icy air for you,” Marthu said. “You’ll turn into one of those over-thinking Ko-Matoran!”
“I doubt it,” Kranu mumbled.
The two Matoran walked for few minutes, tossing their gear into a basket before continuing out of their work chamber. It was a large boiler room with more valves than one could care to count and a maze of pipes, leading to parts of the Great Spirit Robot.
They closed the door behind them, labelled “Room 10”, and Marthu pulled Kranu through hallways until they reached their destination: the Great Stadium.
The hum of a cheering crowd echoed through Kranu’s head. The Ta-Matoran joined their colleagues at the back row of the stadium. Often, he and Marthu were the last here.
“Aaaand here to challenge today we have Tema and Siri!” the announcer’s voice boomed through the stadium, the cheering getting louder.
Two Ga-Matoran wielding Kolhii sticks waved to the crowd as they entered the stadium. Their sticks had a hammer on one end and a scoop on the other. Hundreds of years ago they were part of a group with Kranu and Marthu that fought off swarms of Rahkshi, vile armoured worms. Kranu still remembered their screeches and savagery.
Now Tema and Siri play Kolhii, using their combat skills to attack and defend during a ball game.
“They battle the defending chaaaampions, the Po-Matoran, Chirto and Fraisar!” the announcer continued, two more Matoran joining Siri and Tema in the middle of the stadium.
Roko and Ronuo, introduced before Kranu arrived, were the new challengers. They had always been good friends, even during the battle for Mata Nui. Kranu had never spoken to them – he didn’t know they were interested in Kolhii.
Siri, Chirto and Roko tapped Kolhii sticks together, signalling the game was about to start. The other three Matoran moved to defend their goal.
“Aaaand we begin!” the announcer called out.
A round stone shot from the ground beneath the three Matoran, Siri jumping first to catch the stone in her scoop. She used a mallet when she fought against the Rahkshi, that experience no doubt helping her Kolhii skills.
Siri ducked and dived and passed Chirto and Roko, making her way towards the Onu-Matoran’s goal, guarded by Ronuo. She rolled the stone along the ground with her Kolhii stick, grunting as she launched the stone towards the goal.
Ronuo blocked with little effort, throwing the stone to his teammate. He protected his allies with a shield during the war.
As the Onu-Matoran attempted to run past Chirto, he lost the stone to the defending champion, who made for the Ga-Matoran goal.
“Are you really into it this time, Kranu?” Marthu broke his focus.
“No,” Kranu lied. He was reminiscing their time in combat when they had more purpose than fixing the Great Spirit Robot and playing Kolhii. Thinking about their roles in the war did make the grand finals more interesting.
Marthu chuckled and patted him on the back. The crowd roared as Chirto scored a goal.
“This game is great!” Marthu cheered. Kranu couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Maybe the war being over is a good thing. Maybe Kolhii was a way Kranu could enjoy life. Maybe they were in peace.
Time seemed to slow down as the stadium erupted into cheer, then screaming, as the ground itself exploded. A large crevice opened between the Kolhii players.
Shadow tendrils zipped out of the large crevice, snatching Matoran and pulling them into the abyss. The Matoran fled the field and the stands, running back to the maintenance tunnels that led here.
“Marthu, let’s move,” Kranu said, grabbing his friend on the shoulder, not wanting to lose him in the crowd.
The Ta-Matoran was motionless, even as Kranu tugged and other Matoran brushed past.
When Kranu realised that Marthu was frozen in fear from the giant gold-armoured Makuta in front of him, he went into action. He pushed Marthu over and put himself in front of his friend.
The Makuta grinned. Kranu didn’t hear what they said before swiping at him.
Then everything went black.
Part 2[]
Kranu awoke to find his head throbbing and his body aching. A single thought ran through his mind:
Is Marthu alive?
When he realised that their lives could end at any moment, Kranu found himself worried about his best friend. Everything they achieved, they did together.
“Ah! Kranu! You’re awake!” said a loud, boastful voice.
Kranu sat up to see Pozar mid-battle with a Makuta, the same gold Makuta that struck the Ta-Matoran down.
Pozar deflected the Makuta’s blade and delivered a kick to his chest that made the Makuta grunt and fall back.
“I was worried you weren’t going to make it,” Pozar said as he offered Kranu a hand to his feet.
Kranu got up unassisted.
“Worry about the Makuta in front of you,” Kranu snapped. The Toa Neirae existed to protect the Great Spirit Robot and the Matoran.
“Not very grateful, are you?” boomed a voice, the Makuta.
“Quiet down, Teridax,” replied Pozar, who spun and parried the Makuta’s attempted sneak attack.
With three swift swings, Pozar disarmed the Makuta and slashed across his chest, flames bursting from the wound.
“I don’t have time for this,” Kranu mumbled as he rubbed his head. “I need to find Marthu.”
“You’re right!” said Pozar, still able to engage in conversation while he fought a Makuta.
Teridax lunged once more but was cut down and enveloped in flames.
“The Matoran run the Great Spirit Robot,” Pozar said as he delivered another slash across Teridax’s chest.
“Any attack on the Matoran,” he said between blows. “Is an attack on Mata Nui!”
With his last word, Pozar cut through the Makuta’s armour and severed Teridax’s right-half of his body from the rest.
The Makuta howled in pain and backed out of sight.
Pozar turned to face the Ta-Matoran, a smile across his mask.
“Let’s go find your friend, Marthu,” he said.
“I don’t need help from you,” Kranu scowled.
“Never pass up the offer of help, young Matoran,” Pozar replied. He seemed unphased by Kranu’s attitude, which worsened the Ta-Matoran’s mood.
“Fine…” Kranu grumbled.
If he won’t leave me alone, at least he can be some protection.
Kranu surveyed the stadium. The field was empty except for the massive hole in the centre, with cracks running through the ground to the sides.
“He won’t be down there,” said Pozar.
Kranu turned and walked back to the tunnel they entered from, the Toa Neirae of Fire close behind. Kranu avoided making conversation as much as he could.
“I’m sorry this happened during a Kolhii game,” apologised Pozar. “We should have seen this coming and disabled the Makuta before this.”
“Apologise all you want,” Kranu said as he tried to distance himself from the Toa. “This is still your fault.”
“Right…” said Pozar, whose voice trailed off before changing the subject. “I don’t think we should venture too far into the tunnels, Kranu.”
“And why’s that? Are you scared?” Kranu did not respect the Toa, not when they let him and Marthu down and were just tall Matoran with special masks.
“There’s less room for me to swing my sword, so I guess you could say I’m anxious about that,” said Pozar.
“Whatever,” Kranu dismissed the Toa’s advice as he ducked through fallen debris and into the tunnel.
A hand grabbed Kranu’s shoulder and pulled back out of the tunnel.
“Don’t go in there,” said Pozar, his tone far more serious.
Kranu brushed the hand off.
“Don’t tell me how to find my friends,” he snapped.
“I have a bad feeling about something lurking in there,” Pozar explained to Kranu’s deaf ears.
“I’ll just go around the stadium to the other entrance,” the Ta-Matoran said as he walked to the left, quickening his pace.
Pozar followed, to Kranu’s annoyance. He almost walked ahead of the Matoran.
Kranu stopped. There was something he needed to know.
“Why are you devoted to protecting me now?” he questioned the Toa. “There’s plenty of Makuta running around for you kill. I don’t see why you are bothering to keep following me.”
Pozar was silent for a moment. He took a few steps in from of the Matoran before he turned.
“I have failed you…” he said. “The Toa Neirae let you down. It is our duty to protect the Great Spirit Robot, and that means all its inhabitants as well.”
“You got that right,” Kranu mumbled again.
“I understand your bitterness,” Pozar said as he tilted his head down. “I hope that Mata Nui and the Matoran can forgive us.”
Kranu almost felt bad for the Toa, but then again this was their fault. He marched on.
As the Toa and the Matoran circled the stadium, a scream broke the awkward silence between them.
“Get back!” shouted a scared Matoran. Kranu recognised the voice as Tema’s.
“Now, now, my dear,” said a Makuta. “Don’t pass up the offer of a swift, painless death and put down the Kolhii stick.
It took Kranu a moment to notice that Pozar had leapt ahead, aiming his sword at the head of a red and black Makuta who was hunched over Tema.
“Too bad our little chat is cut short,” the Makuta said as she spun and knocked Pozar back.
“Gematria,” Pozar huffed.
“Pleasure,” she said. She swung her scythe down and Pozar managed to block it right before it buried itself into his neck.
“It seems we have chosen the painful way,” Gematria said.
Gematria lifted her scythe and struck down again and again, so fast that her moment was a blur to Kranu.
I don’t think he is going to be much protection…
The Makuta laughed as she overpowered the Toa Neirae of Fire, each blow seemed to get closer to a fatal wound.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Pozar parried a strike and fire burst upwards and the Toa stood tall, Gematria on the ground.
“Don’t worry, Tema,” he said. “Get behind me.”
“Well, this is interesting,” she said, her scythe in hand as shadows crawled around the handle.
Events[]
- Kranu and Marthu attend a Kolhii match.
- The Brotherhood of Makuta attack the Matoran at the Kolhii match.
- Pozar saves Kranu from Teridax while Marthu goes missing
- Kranu and Pozar find Tema cornered by Gematria
Characters[]
| Ignika Universe Saga v:e | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| History | The Malia Chronicles — Rise and Fall of a Tyrant — Sworn to Duty | ||
| The Rising Arc | The Unveiling — The Seeking — The Rising | ||
| The Downfall Arc | Darkest Reign — Order's End — The Downfall | ||
| The Aftermath Arc | The Aftermath — The Matoran Hunter — Journey to the Edge | ||
| Other fiction | Stuck in Time — Memoirs of the Wicked — Skakdi Days — Guard Duty — The Nightwatcher | ||