The Forgotten Shadow of Ukara

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

The Forgotten Shadow of Ukara
Story
Setting	Some unknown ruins in the South
Date Set	Somewhere within the first 300 years of the Matoran Universe.
Timeline
Concurrent	Evils Unbound
Next	An unnamed sequel.

The Forgotten Shadow was originally an entry for the Halloween 2013 contest. However, it was slated aside when the rules originally said that only up to eight paragraphs were allowed. Thus, it was instead replaced with Through the Mirror.

Story

Prologue

As I have said a thousand times, No! No, I did not kill Sumina, my mentor and master. No, there weren't any hands involved in his disappearance. No, I do not know of anyone by the name of Alxor. And most certainly no, I am not a madman! What I saw was real, what I heard was real. Even the textures I felt with my own fingertips were real! No, I know what I said before. There weren't any hands involved, but there might’ve been a finger or two. And it might’ve been that rude finger that got us in this mess in the first place.

I’ll start from the beginning, seeing as your people have no knowledge on our society. As you might know, we’ve always been interested in the world around us and its workings. We've always wanted to see what the past was like before our time. Well my brutish friend, I can tell you with absolute certainty that I have seen such sights. And I shudder at the very thought of it.

Our world is one of clockwork, and like any machine, every piece within it is essential. Remove even the tiniest gear, and the whole system will come to a grinding halt. Society as we know it would rust and corrode into nothing. I can say with absolute certainty that your “king” is walking on the road to self-destruction. The moment he claims Metru Nui, everything will come crashing down on his head. And I do mean it quite literally.

How could such a young student know this, you may ask? You can say that it comes from… personal experience. I was part of an exhibition to some ruins down in the South, prior to our (not so) delightful encounter with each other. The story you will hear might sound like something from a Matoran’s tale, but I can assure you. Every last detail is true, no matter how much you wish to think otherwise.

Chapter 1

The end began when milord and the team landed on shore. We bid farewell to the captain, and set foot on the colorless sand.  The grey sky hung above, a barrier between us and the nameless void. The land was in shambles, towers sinking into the dead soil. Whatever wasn’t above a kio was lying in ruins. Our leader, Sumina, bore a silver Matatu-shaped Rauand piercing icy-blue eyes. In his hand was the Staff of Irakih, a tool that could lead the wielder to salvation (Or so it was told). We each carried our own sack, carrying our essential tablets and tools.

We spread out into separate teams, searching whatever ruin wasn’t sunken into the ground. I was paired up with our translator. Her name was Serpretni, I believe. I don’t recall what she looked like exactly, but I do remember her having warm orange eyes and a simple staff. We searched through many of the houses, finding nothing but dust and stone. It was most peculiar, really, with the lack of… well, anything. No tools or records, nor bodies or bones. Not even any furniture at all. Not only that, but there wasn’t any evidence suggesting if anything was in these homes at all.

During our search, we did come across a smelter of some form, suggesting that there were at least blacksmiths within the island. The building beside it, though, was empty, just like the rest. Finished with our search, we rendezvoused with the rest of our group. They returned just as fruitless as us. One of our scouts, however, discovered a massive structure of some form while he was searching through a hut. Judging from the position of it, it was at the center of the island. With renewed interest, we made our way to the mysterious building.

As we drew closer to the center, we noticed an increasing number of towers. Like the rest, they were all sinking into the dead earth. What struck us was their lack of windows, or any opening for that matter. The architecture didn’t match anything our people knew of, either. It was as if it was torn from another world entirely. Who designed these, and why the lack of an opening? Were they afraid of thieves crawling in the night, or was there another reason? More importantly, how would they enter these structures? Was there a hidden entrance for each one, or was another method?

At last, we had reached our destination. We couldn’t help but stare in awe when we first laid out eyes on it. It was alien and imitating, yet beautiful and mysterious at the same time. Unlike its brethren, it bore two large doors and several stained-glass windows. The images, though, were among the strangest I have ever seen. One held what appeared to be a mesh of tendrils, mouths, and eyes. Another was an octagon, producing its own set of tendrils as well.

The statue above the entrance was that of a…. faceless abomination. I dare not speak of it, least I want to meet it again. It took the combined might of the whole team, but we finally managed to pry the doors open. A foul air slithered into the outside world and down our lungs. We coughed and gagged for a moment, only to expel the sinister presence from our bodies. I remember tasting the mist as it crawled down my throat. It had a hint of death, but there was something… strange about it. Strange, and yet also sickening. It took every ounce of my willpower not to vomit. With great reluctance, we dove into the unknown.

Much like every other building, there was an absence of furniture. However, it bore many things that the previous ones did not. For one, the biggest difference would the many statues that dotted the grand hall. I instantly recognized the shapes of Araluus, Marinuu, Gartinus, and Nysha. At first, I thought we hit the Protodermis mine. However, that soon changed when I saw the other statues. One was Zephyr, or “Vakanor” as the Matoran refer to him. Another was Ramonda, The Lady of the Wilds. Both her titanic and panther forms were standing on the same pedestal, side by side. A carving of Tren Krom loomed over Artakha and Karzahni, watching as they fought for the Mask of Creation.

There were, however, some I didn’t recognize. Six strange Toa were standing together as one, with two toweringbehemothsbehind them. Another giant was present, though this one bore a cape and a massive axe. There were carvings of various Kanohi, such as the Olmak, Vahi, Ignika, Kraahkan, and Avohkii. Above all of them, craved into the ceiling was a red star, surrounded by many strange sights. One was a headless mistress, another was a multi-headed Kraata-like entity. There was a faceless king as well, surrounded by tendrils and eyes. The list would go on were it not for my loss of words. These sights were just so… alien. It was like a deformed thumb sticking out in the cultures of our world. I asked my mentor about these cravings, but he never gave me an actual answer.

We also noticed strange runes carved into the walls as well. Serpretni suspected that this was their language, though much like everything else, didn’t match with anything we knew of. What confused us even more was the selection of legends. Very few of them were connected to each other in any way possible. Could this land have been a place where cultures interacted with one another? Or could the people here have been scholars, just like us? What were they like, I wondered. One of our Matoran, Papura, spotted another corridor. Sumina lit the way with his holy staff, and we followed suit.

The hallway held more of the alien runes, this time a larger variety of them. When we reached the end, we found yet another chamber, filled with even more of them. Seeing as that no statues or anything was around, we assumed that this was their Wall (or rather, Chamber) of History. Serpretni took an instant interest in it, planting herself at the nearest one. Milord followed suit, and activated his Kanohi. When I heard him curse under his breath, I knew something was wrong. For reasons unknown, the Rau was unable to register this new information. Our other collage fared no better, baffled by the new dialect.

Our translator volunteered to stay behind, hoping to gain some understanding of it. At first, Sumina was against the idea, worried of her safety. After a bit of an argument, we decided to leave the Matoran with her. And speaking of them, one accidently uncovered a hidden passage during the fight. I forgot what occurred exactly, though I do recall having a slab of stone shattering as it crashed on my head. Left quite the bruise, now that I think about it. Whatever it was that he did, it brought good portion of one of the walls down. To our surprise, a cavern was hidden behind it.

We all glanced at one another, startled by this new discovery. The cavern was ancient, judging by the signs of wear and corrosion around the entrance. Ahead was a flight of stairs, disappearing into the darkness. There were old torches lined up along the walls, their fires long since extinguished. Well, until Sumina light them with a few lasers from his staff. He beckoned us to follow, and follow we did. If I had known of the horrors below, I would’ve turned back. But alas, fate has a cruel sense of humor.

And so, blind as ice bats, we began our dark descent…

Chapter 2

Darkness. That was all what we saw. Nothing but black, save for the light of milord’s staff. And even then, hardly anything worth mentioning was shown. Only stones and dead torches. Why the original inhabitants of this island chose to block it off was beyond anyone’s guess. Small shapes dashed by our ankles, their furs brushing against our armor. We each got a shiver down our spines, though it faded when we realized that they were but small Rahi. I couldn’t help but wonder how they would’ve survived down here, locked behind a stone wall. And I couldn’t help but wonder what other breeds of Rahi were as well. The only reply I got was more chilling for my soul.

Oohvaz, our Forgern bodyguard, tensed as we treaded further into the blackness. I couldn’t blame him, being a soldier and all. Did you know that his people and the Zeverek are at war? Of course you have, because you toppled them both like pieces in a Matoran game. Not that any of it matters anymore, given recent events. But I’m going off track right now, so I’ll resume the tale. His icy blue eyes were darting all over the area, as if expecting a shadow to suddenly pounce on him. His massive hammer was in his hands, ready to bash any skull that leapt at him. I made a mental note to myself to increase the distance between us. I didn’t want my skull to be the one crushed.

We also took care to light any torch we came across as well. While Sumina’s staff can generate light, it requires a power source. And like sources, it requires energy. Eventually, the staff’s light went out, and we were forced to rely on the ancient torches. Soon, Oohvaz’s unease began infecting the whole group as well. We all caught a sense of dread as our journey continued, and our pace began to slow. Even our Petrosaurian, Brakop, slowed to a crawl.

Milord stopped, turning his head to the right. He beckoned us to follow, and lead us to a new sight. It was an old gate, coated in rust and webs. Sumina made a hand-sign, and Brakop devoured the obstacle. It was odd seeing a gate down here instead of on the surface. What stuck us even more was that more of the featureless huts were here as well. Once again, we split up and scattered across the area. I investigated one of the larger structures, a church I assumed at the time. Unlike the surface above, this one bore some actual fruit. Broken equipment was scattered across the floor, most of it glass. Stains of all colors were splattered across every surface. This wasn’t some church. This was a laboratory.

At that moment, I heard a scream. I heard something smashing through stone and crashing outside. I dashed out of the place and found a massive hole in one of the other houses. Out stepped our Saursapien member, Jhaamus. He bore an ash-grey on his armor, suggesting that he augmented the dead earth around him into his system. Oddly enough, he was shaking, as if he were seeing a ghost. He lifted one of his clawed fingers and pointed, still rattling like a bog snake. Everyone looked, and indeed, we were all seeing one as well.

The corpse was generally humanoid, much like us. Its breastplate was torn off, revealing the machinery and organs beneath. Whatever organic material was left was a dusty old gray. The limbs were as twisted as the roots of a tree, bending into strange shapes. Its face was all distorted, making it impossible to determine what species it once belonged to. Judging from the fact that its heart wasn’t beating, it was obvious that it was dead. Jhaamus claimed that the thing came out of nowhere, leaping onto his back. Out of fear, he grabbed the creature and flung through the wall. But it didn’t look as though the toss was the cause of it death. Rather, it appeared to have been like that before the encounter. The rope around its neck seemed to confirm our idea. What puzzled us was the pyramid-like symbol on its wrist.

Brakop alerted up to yet another discovery. He stood before a Wall of History, bearing more of the alien dialect. What stuck us were two things. First, the same symbol was on it, dead in the center. Second, there was machinery on each side, their chains running into holes above the carvings. We found a lever on the right side and slide it down. Unfortunately, it snapped like a twig.

Cursing our luck, Sumina turned his back against the devices. We heard chains rattling, and turned to see Jhaamus and Oohvaz pulling them. The gate lifted upwards, allowing the rest of us to slip through. Sadly, as fate would have it, no light could’ve revealed the trap just behind it. I was the one who fell for it, stepping onto a hollow surface. I can’t remember much, other than spiraling browns and tumbling in all directions. When I came to, I was at the bottom of a small hole. My comrades above shouted something at me before the opening was closed by some mechanism. Silence descended upon me as I felt me way around the new area. There weren’t any more openings here.

I was trapped…

Chapter 3

As you can imagine, being trapped inside of underground cavern isn’t exactly beneficial for one’s health. I kept pacing around the room, constantly searching for a way to escape this pit. My body couldn’t take anymore, and I fell Kanohi first into the hard, cold floor. Its stone surface left a small mark on my mask, but that was the least of worries. I knew that if I didn’t find an escape route, I would die here.

Something caught my eyes. I turned my head to see a faint light, leaking through a tiny creak in one of the cavern walls. An idea sparked in my head, and I drew out my Disk Launcher. I took out a Kanoka disk, its code being 437. I fired, and the projectile flew from the device, soaring like a Gukko bird. Matter became energy, and the shot made contact with the wall. A web of scars sprouted from the impact, and the obstacle crumpled into dust. A sigh of relief escaped from my worn lips, my eyes restored by a brief and holy light.

Grabbing my torch, I made my way down the new hall. I’ve kept my eyes out for more traps, not wanting to repeat history. I passed by a few more bodies, many of them having fallen for the nameless ones’ tricks as well. One corpse was pinned to the wall by at least a dozen spikes, another having most of form corroded by some form of acid. The last one…. was torn to pieces. It looked as if he were mauled to death by a Muaka. I pressed on, not waiting for the answer to come to me.

I found a massive door, this one of old, rotten wood. I gave the obstacle a slight poke, and the whole thing fell apart. For a moment, I was blinded by a blinding light. When my vision cleared, I was surrounded by Lightstones. Tossing the torch aside, I made a quick grab for one of those wondrous crystals. I turned my gaze to the center of the room, and beheld an even more wondrous sight. There was another Lightstone, though this one was far more massive. Not only that, but it was carved into a statue. As for what the statue was of, I cannot say for certain.

I couldn’t tell what species the figure was of, but I instantly realized that the being was female. She was something out of the dreams of an artist. And though the statue was that of a cloaked figure, I could feel her beauty radiating from it. And if I were to wager, her people must be just as heavenly. In her hands was a tablet, bearing a most peculiar mark. It wasn’t like any of the ones I’ve seen in the library.

Before I could admire the carver’s work any longer, something flickered within the art. The shadows began to move in unnatural movements. They were producing indiscernible shapes, things you would only see in the star charts. The darkness flooded the room, drawn to the lightstones like Sandsnipes to liquid Protodermis. It retracted its form, making its way back to the glittering sculpture. The shape became more humanoid, long and slender. It bore crimson eyes and crooked teeth, the latter forming a ghoulish grin. Copies of its face soon joined, forming a dark cloud above the gem.

“Frrreeessshhhh…….” “Meeeaaaatttttt….” They all sang, in scrapping voices.

The cloud dispersed, mists of darkness slithering into every corner of the room. The shadows began to solidify, entering the third dimension. Each had their own unique, yet equally disturbing, forms. One had tendrils bursting from his chest, and lacked a head. Another had a pair of arms for legs. One more was a hideous mesh of headless torsos stitched together, in a fashion akin to a Fikou. I would continue reading the list, but for simplicity’s (and sanity’s) sake, I’ll just skip to the struggle.

A winged, twin-headed entity swat its claw at me. I blocked the blow with my staff, before retracting and impaling the beast. For a few seconds, we just stood there, staring into each other’s eyes. Then, it twisted its necks and bated me aside, laughing in a strange and sickening tongue. It yanked my tool out of its torso, and tossed it over its heads like some toy. A crawling fish-like….. Thing, leapt at me, jaws stretching at the length of my own shoulders. Instinct took over, and I rolled to the side, drawing out my Launcher again. I drew a random Disk from my pouch, and fired. The creature screeched, bending into unnatural and alien shapes. I couldn’t bear to look at its new form. And besides, the shadow simply returned to its preferred form moments later.

I fired another disk, freezing the next target. Thankfully, it held it in pace. Another disk soared into the torso of another shadow, shrinking it down. The effect didn’t last long, as it instantly grew back to its normal size. I knew this wasn’t working, and realized that I wouldn’t last ant longer if I didn't changed my strategy. I turned my head and noticed that one of them was particularly close to one of the lightstones. Running to my staff and reclaiming it, I swung it at the nearest source. The shadow shrieked as the light died, the crystal crumbling into dust. I struck another one, and another, and another.

One by one, the shadows faded. The rest fled to the statue, basking in its radiance. They began to grow and change, taking on even more hideous forms.

“About time I got a little snack!” Laughed one.“He’s mine!” Claimed another.

The shadows turned to the one that shouted earlier.“Who died and made you king?”' Snorted one more. “That meatbag’s mine. End of story.”

“No, mine!”

“Mine!”

“MINE!”

The shadows leapt at one another at that point. They were all busy tearing each other part, oblivious to my presence. I glanced at the art once more, knowing that I would regret my next move. Aiming my launcher, I fired at the holy lady. The sculpture began to crumble, unable to hold its own weight. The lady disappeared, sinking under a glowing cloud of acid-green. I could hear the shades choke and gag, before they unleashed an unworldly screech. Without any light to feed on, they simply….. Ceased to exist.

I took a quick glance around. No one else was here. The shadows were no more. I heard stone grinding against stone, and turned to see a portion of one of the walls sinking. Behind the hidden passage was nothing but blackness. With nowhere else to go, I slowly crept into the new exit, Lightstone in my hand. After what felt like an eternity, I heard a voice holler at the end. I ran toward the source, and ran into Sumina and Brakop (quite literally, might I add).

Caught off guard and baffled, we struggled to regain our footing. By the time we did, we bombarded each other with questions. They told me that a statue of Zephyr chased them down the hall of traps. During the chase the statue accidently triggered one, in the form of an exploding rune. What shocked was that beneath the stone was… some form of machinery. The inside resembled something straight from the mind of Artahka himself. Veins of tamed lighting bled tiny jolts from the ruined construct, they said.

I told them of my encounter with the shadows after hearing their tale. They both glanced at each other, and asked me if I had felt well. I told them that I was fine, but that only seemed to full their concerns. My eyes caught something on the ground. I noticed that my mentor’s bag was open, its contents spilt. One of them, however, stuck out as odd to me. Milord soon noticed and, reluctantly, showed us the object.

The item he showed us was not of our world. It looked like a tablet, only it had more mass and wasn't made of stone. It was made from… “Leather”, was the word? What surprised us was that it could open and close, revealing thin “tablets” of a similar material. On the cover of the object was an upside-down triangle, surrounded by tendrils. Most of the dialect was unknown to us, though it appeared to be far more different than the one here.

Milord referred to it as a “book”. I asked him what a “book” was, but he didn't give me a straight answer. He told me that such a text had other names, such as “tomes”. He claimed that he discovered it within the Library at the Great Academy, surprisingly untouched and covered in webs of dust. He also revealed to us that it held the coordinates to this island. And he believed that it held the secrets to it.

I asked of its name, and he told me that he couldn't translate much of the book. He never even got to figure out its name. So for simplicity’s sake, we decided to dub it “The Nameless Tome”. After our small talk, we decided to continue our journey. Brakop and I passed glances between each other as we trailed close behind. Milord seemed rather…. protective of the text. Whatever was within it, he didn't want us to know about it.

If I had known of its true contents at the time, I would’ve BURNED the blasphemous thing!

Chapter 4

Sumina led us through the darkness, staff glowing like the heavens. Brakop did what he could to resist the light, shielding his eyes. Petrosaurians are quite sensitive to that, you know, having lived underground and all. They’re also good for eating any debris in your way.  And yes, I did say ‘eat’ the debris. But not every problem can be solved by tooth or jaws, though.

It didn’t take long for us to bump into yet another obstacle. Before us was a massive door, made out of (unsurprisingly) stone. Sumina gave word and Brakop spat a bile of Plasma at the structure. If you thought that his kind were full of surprises, then you’re wrong. The bolt has little to no effect on the thing, to our shock. If anything, I’d dare say that it absorbed the shot!

Baffled, he spat out another shot. The effect was the same as before. Startled, we scattered about, searching for a way past the impervious obstacle. Sumina went to work decoding the runes around it, while Brakop and I started pressing our hands across the other walls. We thought that there was a hidden pressure plate somewhere, some hidden switch to raise the curtains. A sharp pain rattled through my brain. I clutched my hands to my head, falling to my knees.

When I lifted my head up, my collages were gone. Before me were a few hooded beings, each holding a torch. They were both speaking in an unfamiliar dialect, none of which I have ever heard of. Then they just… vanished. They reappeared at another area, carrying carvings of alien design. From what I could make out, they were runes based on these following objects: A moon, a star, a sun, and a blank slate. The strangers each placed the artifacts in a certain manner and position. Once they were in place, the wall vanished, a blinding light blocked off whatever was inside…

I awoke from my dream to Brakop’s shouting. I turned my eyes toward his direction and noticed him waving something at us. In his hand was a sun-shaped rune, the very same from my alien dream.  Milord inquired as to where he found it, and the small one pointed toward the back. We spotted a hole in one of the walls, with fresh plasma oozing around it. Apparently, it was yet another sealed corridor.

The Petrosaurian led us down the stairs, milord lighting the way. Or at least, for a good portion of it. We were hit by a scorching wave of heat, with an orange-red glow just behind it. To our surprise, we happened upon what appeared to a lake of lava. There, in its heart, on a small slab of stone, was a shrine of someform. It was obvious this was the resting place of the relic. We noticed that a good chunk of the ceiling fell into the pool, and recently too. What intrigued us more was that it rather conveniently made a makeshift bridge toward the shrine. It didn’t take a genius to deduce the cause of this, with it grinning back at us.

Just on the other side of the room, opposite from us, was the path to yet another treasure room. About a few bio before we set foot into it, we were met with cool air. While the first room was magma and heat, this one was of fresh water and a windy breeze. There, at the end of the end of the hall, was a pedestal of ebony. And within the claw-like cage, was the moon-shaped relic. But something was wrong. The object was levitating within its container, held aloof by unseen strings. Not only that, but there were unusual stone columns scattered across the roof and at the bottom of the makeshift lake. Brakop ran toward the prize, not heading our warnings.

About halfway to his destination, I heard a strange humming sound of sort. The next thing I knew, we were flung around the chamber, flaying about as we bounced across the walls. The water was suddenly thrashing about, unshackled by whatever force dared to challenge the laws of gravity. Even the very room itself seemed to be shifting and turning. Our group’s remaining muscle collided with the shrine headfirst, though it hardly left so much as a scratch on it. He tried his plasma breath, but was met with the same results. The lasers of Sumina’s staff hadn’t fared so well either.

An idea hit me. I opened my pouch to retrieve a Kanoka disk, but a wild burst of water knocked it off of my person. The contents were split in midair, each disk going in a random direction. My comrades and I scattered, grabbing whatever disks we could. I was fortunate enough to find my desired disk: 418. Loading it into my launcher, I honed in on the spire. I held my breath, and pulled the trigger. The projectile flew like a Glider Owl, dodging one body of water and another.

The disk hit its target, engulfing it in a white energy. Changing from one form to the next, the pillar spat the relic out in the process. I grabbed the thing as it drifted toward my direction, placing it into my pouch. There was, however, an unforeseen side-effect. Twisted and bent, the device could no longer sustain itself, and exploded into a cloud of lightning and dust. Without the artificial gravity holding us, we fell to the ground like rag dolls.

We cursed in pain as we rose, our armor having a few dents here and there. Just when we finished dusting ourselves off, we heard another passage open. We were greeted with a holly light, welcoming us with its radiant rays. I cast a concerned glance at Sumina, and he in turn returned it to me. We both noticed Brakop stuck to the ground, his horn embedded into the false earth. After fishing him out (and sharing a bit of laughter), we recovered whatever disks we could. Once we were prepared, we passed through the heavenly gates.

We were expecting yet another long corridor, but we were met with an unexpected surprise. Instead of just another hallway, we blinded by an unseen source. When the lights dimmed out to where we could see, we found ourselves trapped in a chamber without any opening of sorts. It may sound crazy, but I suspect that we may have been teleported or something. Poor Brakop was as blind as an Ice Bat, stumbling around into everything.

And some of said things were more of the pillars. This time, however, they were giving off an array of colorful beams. Hovering above us was a sphere of strange design and dimensions, the outer panels occasionally moving away from it. We couldn’t see what machinery was within it, only a blinding white.

At the center of the chamber was a device of someform, barring broken mirrors. Milord spoke out, suggesting that the mirrors were used to redirect light. As to where, we presumed into the sphere above. Sumina ordered me to stay with Brakop, making sure he doesn’t bump into anything or damage something.

My mentor went to work, examining the pillars.  He noted that each of them were giving off a separate color, and seemed to be designed to point to a certain direction. He held his staff into the air, with it glowing like a lightstone. The structures gave off a distant Hummm, reacting to it. He managed to get one to point its laser toward the damaged construct, and repeated the process for the other six.

The lasers each went into the machine, but without the mirrors, they were projected out of place again. Sumina used the staff to reconnect one laser to the sphere, only for it to be rejected with a nerve-wrecking Beeuhrtp sound, almost like some Rahi insect buzzing in an unusual pitch. He tried another, and came up with the same result. When he tried it again, though, the laser stayed in place and didn’t make a sound.

Smiling, he connected another one. He got the buzzer again, and the first laser disconnected. It became apparent that he had to reconnect them in the proper order. After some trial and error, he got the first laser back, followed by the proper second one. He seemed to have noticed something, as I’ve heard him mumbling something under his breath. I think he mentioned something about rainbows, because he noted how each of the colors were ones featured on such a thing.

That seemed to be a vital clue, as he managed to solve the puzzle in less than a minute. One they all connected, the panels of the device gave way, and we could see something floating to the ground. It was the Star tune, the third key to the strange lock. I quickly scooped it up and into my pouch, praising my teacher for his work. He rubbed the back of his head, humbled by my words. Before he could reply, a strange humming drowned his words, and we were blinded once again.

And this time, none of us could tell where we were. All we could see was blackness. For a brief moment, I could see a flicking piece of light, one I instantly recognized as the Staff of Irakih. A moment later, I saw a small burst of orange flying into the sky above. I could assume that it was from Brakop’s stomach.

I tried to shout something at them, but nothing came out. I tried again, and still no sound. I realized that something was dampening all sound here. That same thing could also be responsible for the lake of light. I didn’t know what to do, being as blind as an ice bat.

Brakop seemed to have an idea, though, as I could hear his heavy footsteps. If I recall correctly, his kind possess keen night-vision. He seemed to know what he was doing, judging from the lack of any loud noises. I spoke too soon, as I soon heard him yelling at the top of his lungs. He seemed to have encounter something, ordering it to let go of him.

I heard a slash, and an unworldly screech. The darkness faded, revealing a grey room. I saw something back into the darkness, moving like a wounded Rahi. We never got to see what it was, as it left with the shadows. We turned to see our Petrosapien friend, holding the final slate. The thing glowed for a moment, then devoured all light in the chamber once again. When the curtains finally lifted, we found ourselves back at the gates.

We heard stone grinding against stone, and looked to see four slots appearing on the door. Each one was in the shape of a rune. We went to work, placing them in the holes. Once they were in, the barrier simple… vanished. Almost as if it were erased from existence. The light from my vision emerged, blinding us all. I felt something puling at me, like a hand yanking on a chain. I felt myself collide face first into the floor, and rose back on my feet. As my vision cleared, my eyes beheld a new sight.

Before us was a throne, reaching high into the air. It barely reached the ceiling, though, as it was several Kio high. From it, faint light-blue light trickled down on us like raindrops. We could make out some water around us, with vague shadows swimming in it. We approached the throne, and were presented with yet another surprise.

Sitting on the stone seat was a weathered corpse, wearing a tattered robe. It was primarily organic, evident from the gray mass exposed to us. Its rotting head had several eyeholes and a rusted crown, yet no mouth. We could make out something out from its back, an extra set of limbs perhaps. Its arms ended in claws, each bearing two fingers and two thumbs on opposite sides. Its chest was torn open, revealing the organs and ribcage beneath. Something glinted in the light, deep within the wound.

My master walked toward the body, and reached into the opening. I could him shifting the organs inside around, trying to get to the prize inside. Those were some of the most disgusting sounds I’ve ever heard. After a while, he yanked out the prize and held it in the dim light. The thing was coated in a sickening mucus-yellow substance, likely from the corpse. That was hardly the weird part, though.

What really was strange was the fact that the trinket never bore a default or set form. What do I mean by this? Well, it had a habit of constantly changing in any and all matters. It would take on strange geometric shapes, such as a cross between a pyramid and a sphere. It would change its texture, from something like granite to fresh leaves. It would replace one color scheme with another, each different from the last.

Brakop yelped something to milord, pointing at his pouch. Sumina opened and saw the Nameless Tome glowing in an acidic-green light. He muttered something in pain, dropping the book like it was hot coal. The thing slammed with an oddly metallic bang, opening its contents. And among them were a storm of tendrils, latching onto him. He dropped the relic in the struggle, landing at the feet of the muscle. A light burst from the thing and stuck Brakop. He vanished without a trace, without any sign that he even existed.

I noticed a spear near the dead king, old and bent. I made a run for it, and swung at the blasphemous thing. An unseen force deflected the blow, knocking me down the stairs. When the world stopping shaking, I cleared my head and rose to my feet. I activated my Mask of Possibilities, commanding that I’d find some opening, some weak link, in the trap. Instead, something rattled my brain, thundering a maddening echo into it.

My vision blurred, and I found myself staring into infinity. I could see everything by the molecule, I could hear every sound from across the world, I could see beyond it and into the stars. I have seen worlds not entirely like our own, I saw the peoples of the universe, and their works. I have glimpsed into their histories, both in this reality and its infinite brothers. I was staring into the universe, and it stared back at me.

I have seen a world with a missing piece, another a place of insanity and emptiness. One was drowning in its sorrow, another bearing its own shadow. But the void… the void wasn't as empty as we thought it was. There dwelt things that none could have imagined. There dwelt places indescribable. And I saw something fast approaching us.

I managed to break free from the spell, and noticed that the tendrils were gone. Instead, Sumina was levitating in place, held by cosmic strings. There, holding him like a puppet, was a hooded figure. In one hand, he held the Tome, the other holding milord. His face was masked by an unnatural darkness, blocking up against even Irakih’s radiant aurora.

The lake transformed into a cloud, engulfing the chamber around us. It was a collection of every known color, and ones yet to be discovered or described. The place for each color constantly changed, shifting from one part to the next. As it drew closer to the faceless reaper, he opened a portal to a city of alien design. He flew back through it, taking Sumina with him. The hole faded before the cosmic shadow could reach them.

The shapeless entity howled, apparently furious by their escape. The relic gleamed for some reason, taking on as many hues as the creature. The cloud condensed and spread out, this time towards me. As it slithered toward me, I could’ve sworn I’ve heard a voice. This voice though, didn’t project sound. Rather, it felt as if someone planted their thoughts inside of my head.

Put it back… the silent tongue demanded.

The mist stretched further, producing what appeared to be tentacles. They were made of some ooze, half-solid and half-liquid. I could make out vague, bipedal shapes emerging from them, mouths agape and eyeholes empty. They were moaning in some scratchy, hushed tone, like prisoners of silence.

Put… IT…. BACK…. Commanded the voiceless voice again.

One of the tendrils lashed out at me, its occupants screeching as they raised their claws. I was barely able to dodge the attack, though they did manage to strike my makeshift weapon. The mere touch of the impossible substance had an assortment of effects on it. It went through various means of destruction, ranging from fragmentation, to disintegration, to melting, and so much more. Even when it the ground, it would continue to shift between different results of varying destruction.

Acting on instinct, I grabbed the object of my master’s obsession. Sumina… I couldn’t believe it. He was gone, taken by the being from the beyond. And he left me here all alone, against a force beyond words. Without his radiance, I was lost and confused. There was only one thing for me to do...

Run…

Chapter 5

I ran. I ran across the chamber, pass where the gate once stood. I sped up the stone stairs, through the deadly halls. Even as I ran, I could see the sinister haze giving chase. It came at me like a flood, altering all it touched. I bumped into something stone, and found myself at a dead end. Wait… not a dead end…

I bashed my knuckles against the door, calling for Jhaamus and Oohvaz. I begged them to raise the gate, and raise it they did. As soon as I got through, I gave them the order to drop it. They demanded to know what became of the others, and I told them that they were gone, lost. Once they dropped the gate, I briefed them on the situation. They stared at me in disbelief, but they could sense the truth in my heavy words.

We didn’t have time to mourn our friends, however. The gate began to shift and twist in a number of unnatural positions. The cosmic abomination was trying to break through, but it seemed to be holding up so far. When we turned to skedaddle, however, we were meet with a new horror. The corpse that Jhaamus stumbled upon was raising onto its feet.

The pyramid-shaped mark on it sparked a yellow glow, spreading across its body. The thing lifted its twisted limbs, and slammed them onto the ground. Out of the glow came more undead, just as warped as their conjurer. They leapt at us, but Oohvaz batted them aside with his hammer. Jhaamus thrust his spear into one, though it hardly seemed to be fatal to the creatures. One of them dropped a simple sword during the fight.

The sight of it triggered some kind of emotion in me. It might’ve been rage, because I recall dismembering one of the monsters with it. As for the reason behind the feeling, it might’ve been a desire for revenge. Whatever the case, the torn body faded after I sliced it up. Oohvaz crushed the head of another zombie, though it seemed to have survived the blow. Dismemberment was the key to victory.

The Forgern called forth his fragmentation powers, eradicating a group of walkers. Unfortunately, it took its toll on him, and the Saursapien and I had to cover him until he could rise again. By the time he did, we had already dealt with the menace. All that left was the leader itself. It fired a bolt of energy at us, but its aim was rather off. It barely even came in our direction.

As it turned out, it wasn’t intended for us at all. We turned to stare in horror at the true target. The thing from beyond had managed to remove –no, erase- the stone gate, and fired its own power at the liche. The foolish creature was removed from our sight, and possibly this reality. Just like poor Brakop.

The two combatants just stared at the thing, jaws nearly reaching the floor. They were so enthralled by its unworldly colors and geometry that I had to practically drag them to safety, narrowly dodging one of its ethereal tendrils. I managed to shake them back into reality and led them out of the underground village and back onto the surface. The entity gave chase, enveloping anything in its grasp.

We found our way into the Chamber of History, expecting to find Serpretni translating the Walls. Instead, we found what was left of her, magnetized to the ceiling. From the looks of things, I’d say that she was torn to pieces, but we couldn’t make out any physical markings on her. She seemed to have been sliced apart by invisible blades. Just as we were pondering, the whole world seemed to turn upside down.

We landed on the ceiling, next to poor Serpretni. We noticed something glowing in the hall of the statues, possible the thing responsible for all of this. Resistance came in the form of wounds in the space-time continuum, with enteral arms stretching from the portals. The place quickly became an obstacle course, with death being the penalty.

Oohvaz tried using his hammer against them, but the limbs just yanked it from his hands. Our best option was to time our movements and dodge the claws. It proved to be a nightmare for our Forgern friend, but he managed to shake off whatever fiend got a hold of him. One however, was pulled out by accident, and we had to throw it back into its domain. I’d rather not try to remember its gruesome shape.

We crossed our way to the hall of statues (or rather, its ceiling), closing in on the carving of the crimson star. Just as we got near it, it began glowing like a forest fire. The relic began to glow in a similar manner, showing faint shapes within it. We heard something stirring, and looked up (well, down really) to see yet another surprise. The statues were moving, gazing right back at us. I could feel the warmth from their glowing eyes from where I was. And it was an unpleasant feeling.

The ones of Nysha and Ramonda (her panther form, actually) leapt before us, the former landing on Oohvaz. Jhaamus batted the stone Rahi off, knocking a piece of its shell off. Beneath the rocky surface was steel and tamed lighting. It was just as Sumina and Brakop described before. These were automatons, machines placed here by the forgotten ones. They noticed the odd gem in my hands, and it didn’t take long for us to deduce their true purpose.

Gartinus’ doppelganger flew into the fray, its wings made of tamed lighting as well. The thing let out a horrid screech, knocking us back quite a distance. Ramonda’s alter ego leapt at me, but I managed to roll just in time to dodge the slash. My blade made contact with its backside, smashing a god chunk of its makeshift shell off. The imposter spun around, knocking me back a bit.

I turned to see Oohvaz dealing with the six Toa and their titans, while Jhaamus clashed with Araluus and Marinuu. While the Toa fell to the Forgern’s explosive power, the giants weren’t so easily shaken. The Saursapien absorbed the minerals from Plumed Warrior’s club, gaining an advantage toward the false gods. He was able to resist the emerald titan’s flames, and managed to smash through its mechanical body. The thing exploded seconds later, the reptilian unfazed. He was knocked aside by the Mistika Cat, and at my feet.

I barely had the time to dodge an attack from Nysha, spinning madly as she slashed past me. I managed cut off one of its back legs, watching as it bled a blue fluid. Jhaamus regained his footing and crushed the stone Rahi’s head, tossing it back at the kinsmech. The creature exploded, blasting off Marinuu’s earth-hide. I ran toward the machine, ready to put it out of commission.

What none of us expected, however, was the alteration in gravity. All combatants were pulled toward one of the walls, each of us landing in rather painful positions.  When I managed to get my bearings, I was sent flying by one of the Toa’s brutes, the one bearing a silver Miru. The beast summoned a snowstorm, fogging everyone’s vision. Marinuu’s imposter seemed to have been slowed down by, though. Noticing a piece of debris, I telekinetically flung it into the construct’s core. Like the rest, it went down in flames.

I could make out Oohvaz bashing Ramonda’s alter ego with the Battle Mace replica, the Archosian facing off the behemoth of warm colors. I was shaken by a blast passing me, reducing some rubble to dust. I turned to see the ebony warrior, eyes burning into my soul. He charged at me, intent on cleaving my head off. I never gave it the chance, rolling to the side. Channeling the storm’s frost, I flung an icicle into its optic. It made a most unpleasant electric screech, forcing me to cover my ears. The earth shook, platforms rising from the ground. I noticed warm waves rushing toward me, and saw a blazing orange bleeding from the Hau-bearer.

It didn’t take a genius to deduce it as magma, and we scrambled onto higher ground. The ancient one lost a foot in the chaos, though the fire-breather seemed to be immune to the lava. Taking advantage of the injury, I rammed into the Kraahkan-bearer, toppling it into the fiery waters. Just as it sank, though, a plague of thorns embedded themselves into my armor. Screaming in pain, I turned to see the default Ramonda descending upon us. Karzahni and Artahka weren’t far behind. The brothers came at me.

I managed to trip the rebuilder into the lava, but that hardly seemed to affect him. His twin brew multi-barreled firearms at me, launching missiles at me. Before they made contact with me, though, Jhaamus leapt between us. He was coated in Protosteel, and was able to shield us from the blast. I took out a Freezing disk, and launched it at the master craftsman. It slammed into its feet, anchoring it to the ground. A burst of energy blew it to pieces, and I saw a weary Oohvaz being flung around by the Lady of The Winds.

The ice storm faded, in favor of thunder and lightning. I turned to see the titan in cool colors at the eye, Miru glowing like the twin suns. Streaks of electricity flew towards me, forcing me to roll and hop out of harm’s way. If I hadn’t known any better, I could’ve sworn that the thing was making me dance to its tones. Well, I had enough of its music, and scooped up the blaster into my hands. Ramonda charged at me, whipping thorny vines at me.

I rolled to the side, and fired a miniature-sized rocket at her. The automaton was blown to smithereens. I aimed for the storm’s eye, blowing off the conjurer’s sword arm. Before I could fire again, though, something yanked it from my hands. I turned to see Karzahni grappling it with his chains, and tossing it into some other part of the infernal lake. The platform under us shook, creaks emerging onto it. I leapt onto another one, noticing the one of fire and minerals as the source.

Just as it turned to gaze at me, its head went flying. Jhaamus emerged from behind, impaling the torso with his spear. He took a step back as he yanked it out, the machine fading away in fireworks. The lava vanished as well, confirming its master’s destruction. Gravity changed form yet again, this time taking us back to proper ground level.

Before I could make contact with it, though, Gartinus swooped down and caught me mid-fall. She dragged me across the room, smashing my face into the walls as the creature flew. I struck one of its wings, causing it to loss altitude. Once we were low enough, I sliced the claws off of myself and landed. I took out my disk launcher and fired, shrinking the other wing. Once it crashed into the earth, I ran up and finished it off.

I saw Jhaamus tying Karzahni up in his own chains, the flames melting through the stone and into the machinery. He leapt back just in time to dodge another explosion, and right into the cool-colored one’s shield. It exploded behind him, likely due to the works of Oohvaz. The Forgern seemed to have trouble standing, especially considering the fact that he feel to his knees. The Saursapien and I rushed to his side, helping him to his feet.

The temple shook as we made our way towards the exit. The Red Star glow even brighter with each step we took, its lights engulfing the chamber. When we got to the doors, we tried pushing them open. With our numbers greatly reduced, however, it became more difficult. Something clicked in my head: Where were the Matoran?

As if in reply, the room was devoured by an unholy rainbow of colors. The shapes around us changed, morphing into entirely different ones. When the mist cleared, we found ourselves outside the Great Temple in Metru Nui. But something was off, something sinister lurked in the air. The city seemed, well… dead. There was no Matoran, let alone any living being, out and about. Something had happened here, and your lord had nothing to do with it.

We wandered about until we came across our boat (how it got here with us is beyond me), guarded by our missing Matoran. Or rather, what was left of them. They were nothing but empty husks, soulless shadows of their former selves. Some of them bore yellow-organic teeth, others had a tar-like substance oozing out of their armor.  They were repulsive things, a mockery of Life itself.

I panicked, firing a Kanoka at them. One of them was enlarged by it, stomping on his undead collages. My remaining ones gasped, declaring what in the world I was doing. I just stared at them, shocked by what I heard from their mouths.  That gave the zombies more than enough time to pounce on us. Papura tore Oohvaz’s throat open, tearing out some of the mechanical implants on the outside. Another Matoran came at me, but I swiftly beheaded it. The giant, though, caught me in its rusted claws.

I stabbed at its wrist, but to no avail. Jhaamus charged into it, knocking me loose and it into the water. One minion latched onto me, sinking his teeth deep into my shoulder. I screamed, tearing him off and stomping him to death. Fumbling around in my sack, I found a disk with a code of 246. I slammed it onto my wound, feeling the venom fading away. I had little time to celebrate, as I heard another scream as well.

I turned to see the Saurspaien on the ground, arm before his face. Looming above him was that nameless shadow, lashing out a tendril at him. He grabbed it, absorbing its essence out of desperation. It would prove to be his last mistake. He began taking on an infinite number of colors and properties, an infinite number of shapes. He screeched at the top of his lungs, begging for the pain to end. I ran, heading into the main control room.

There, I spotted the torn body of the captain, no doubt the work of the mad Matoran. Moving his remains aside, I raised the sails and adjusted them. Mata Nui granted me mercy, and winded me out of that horrid place. Unfortunately, there was a stowaway. And not the kind that I would’ve expected either.

Before me was the statue from the temple’s entrance. How it managed to get here was beyond me. The faceless entity melted into a new shape, of that of the fallen monarch. He crossed his arms behind his back, his many eyes invading mine. When he spoke, he bore the voice of a time long since forgotten. A time that might not have even existed to begin with.

“Fool,” The dead king hissed. “You and your master were deceived. You were led to believe that you found paradise,”

He moved closer to me. “Indeed, you have found a piece of history. You have unearthed buried secrets. However, those secrets were never meant to be found.”'

The object flashed for a moment, bringing in more alien images.

“What you found instead was a gateway toward the fathomless. What you found instead was something beyond light and darkness, time and space. And you have just opened the gates for it.”

He pointed toward the relic.

“In removing that of which I guarded, you and your mentor have weakened the boundaries of the infinite. Now you gaze into the abyss, and it in turn can gaze into you. But it is only one of many entities, a dust particle in a sea of nothing…''

It was then that he turned his gaze toward the sky. “As are they…”'

I raised an eyebrow, turning to the stars as well. Oh dear Mata Nui, the stars… they weren’t there! In their place was… was… something that doesn’t belong in this reality. By the Great Beings, what were those wretched things!? Those unworldly geometries, those nameless beasts of infinite angles! Those-

The real world…

The Xevthian interrogator shook his head as the Mersion fell to the floor, babbling once more.

“Men, take this one back to his cell,” He instructed some Zarak. “We’re through with him for today.”

The soldiers nodded, dragging the deranged Ainasev out of the chamber. The commander sighed, wondering how he got aside to this job in the first place. This hospital was converted into a makeshift prison for Alxor to store prisoners of interest, though he couldn’t figure out what his lord saw in the madman. Whatever it was that he sought from him, though, it must’ve been juicy.

If memory recalled, one of their fleet ships spotted the apprentice’s own sailing from the Southern Islands. When they captured him, they managed to learn of the location of some ruins. Or so the young one claimed anyway. When they got there, they found only an empty dome. They brought him back to his homeland for interrogation, but things weren’t proceeding well.

The boy was mad, screaming at figments of his imagination. How he became such a sorry sort was a mystery though. What was even weirder was the absence of any land in that dome. To top things off, some of the prisoners (and a few soldiers too) have been disappearing. People have pointed their fingers at the Mersion, though the captain doubted it. He’s kept him locked up for the majority of the time, and he personally guarded him during the rest.

There’s also been talk of other oddities too. When the fleet found him, he had two unusual objects with him. First was a reactive jewel or something, constantly changing shape and color. The other was a tablet-like object, containing notes of an unknown tongue. Rumor also has it that he sent both artifacts to a contact in the south.

A rush of wind brushed up against him. He blinked, checking the windows. There were none in this room. He was even more surprised to see a peculiar Xevthian standing nearby. That crimson-armored figure was actually none other than the High King himself!

“Sire!?” Exclaimed the marshal. “What brings you here?”

The master chuckled. “At ease, commander,” He said. “I am only here for the report.”

“On Ainasev?” Inquired the soldier, to which Alxor nodded. “We’ve managed to convince him into spilling his guts, but I doubt that most of it is true. He’s practically a mental wreck.”

The High King frowned. “Hmm… then I suppose that we’ll have to fix that little head of his.”

Part of the marshal wanted to ask his liege “How?”, but he knew better than to question him. He couldn’t help but notice something behind him though. There, in the background was a hooded figure, his face masked by an ever-present blackness. He was leaning against the wall, carving something into a tablet. The warrior nearly called him out, wanted to know what he was doing here and how he got in.

That was when he noticed that he wasn’t holding a tablet at all. It was about as thick as one, but it was from a different material. He could also make out flat pieces of paper being shifted and turned, the stuff used to make scrolls. And there, he saw the strange mark on the cover: A simple upside-down triangle sprouting tendrils. The minion blinked for a second, and the intruder was gone.

“Are you… alright, soldier?” Alxor inquired in an uneasy (and slightly concerned) tone.

The general shook his head, clearing it. “Forgive me, milord, but I have spent days trying to pry something -anything- out of that naïve madman’s brain.” He paused, placing a clawed hand on his forehead. “And truth be told, I don’t think I ever gave myself the chance to take a break.”

“Hmm… perhaps you should retire to your chambers then? Have some rest?”

“What about the Mersion?”

Alxor leaned in close, whispering something into his troop’s ear. “Oh don’t worry, I already have something in mind for him,” He hissed with a hint of venomous pride. “You need not worry.”

A shiver went down the integrator’s spine, but he managed to put a straight face. “Thank you, milord.”

And with that, he went down the hall and toward his bed. As he did so, an Intellian approached the High King. He bore yellow-and-black armor, and piercing emerald-green eyes. He had a curious contraption attached to his back, with projectors attached to where his extra limbs’ blades should be. He bowed to the overlord.

“You called, milord?” Cigol inquired.

Alxor nodded. “Indeed.”

He guided the Nocterrian toward the prison cells. Within them were a number of beings, ranging from rebellious Zeverek to Lepidians. Alxor pointed toward a certain cell, labeled 10013. He opened for the Intellian, allowing him to enter. What he saw wasn’t exactly something he was expect.

The room was covered with strange marks and runes, drawn onto every surface available. At the center of it was the Mersion, chained to the wall. He could see tiny lights seeming from the metal links, likely draining his power. Cigol turned to the High King.

“He managed to draw all of this in seconds?” He inquired in disbelief.

Alxor shook his head. “No. In a matter of nine days. We’ve had to pin him down after he assaulted one of our guards. The chains keep his kind’s powers in check.”

Cigol approached the madman, inspecting the links. He hadn’t seen the metals for this thing before.

“And where, might I ask, did you get these chains?” The being asked, taking an interest in them.

The beggar prince smiled. “That, I’m afraid, is a trade secret.”

Cigol turned to his employer. “You want me to extract information from him. What is it that you seek from him?”

The crimson one leaned over, whispering something into the Intellian’s ear. The information he just received was rather… juicy, to say the least. Intreged by this, the Intellian nodded toward the king.

“Consider it done,”

Alxor shut the door, locking it as he did so. He knew that Cigol was very much capable of defending him. What he did not know was that he had other tricks up his sleeve. The device on his back glowed a lime-green, giving off a strange hummm…

A holographic keyboard appeared before him, levitating in place. Cigol typed a command into it, and he could hear a buzzing sound. After the static washed over, he whispered into the projection.

“This is the Archives Mole, Ash Bear, do you read me?”

He only got more static.

“Ash Bear, this is the Achieves Mole, do you read me?”

At last, a voice came up. ~This is Ash Bear, Archives Mole. I’m reading you right now.~

Cigol sighed in relief. “I am in position at the objective’s location.”

~Is the Glider Owl aware of the Dermis weather?~

“Negative,” replied the Intellian. “I’ve have had little trouble in reaching the objective. What’re my orders?”

There was a pause on the other side. ~Proceed with the integration. Leave this channel open for me. I want to hear every word that comes out of his mouth.~

Cigol nodded. “As you wish.”

The lights faded, though the mole knew that the comm-link was still online. He approached the Mersion, careful not to alarm him.

“Ainasev, that is your name, isn’t it?”

The prisoner didn’t reply. Instead, a wave of images bombarded his mind. In the chaos, he could make out an automaton and its shadow, a Turaga of Plasma with a noble Matatu, a gold-and-black Toa bearing a Kualsi, and a towering giant of lime-green and black. Cigol was forced to shield his mind before any more mental blasts could hit him. Even with the chains, he was able to use his telepathic powers. He was fortunate enough to possess his own as well.

“Alright,” He said, preparing himself for the worst. “Introductions aside, I’d like to ask you some simple questions.

This, he knew, was going to be a long day…

Epilogue

Moments ago, there was an island within this dome. Nobody knows where it came from nor what became of it. Everything on the island vanished with it. The corpses, the temple, and (hopefully) whatever secrets it had went with it.

Not far from the island’s former place was a tiny speck of land. And standing on it was a hooded figure, bearing a brown cloak. Beneath the hood was the face of a high-class Steltian, with piercing emerald eyes. This Steltian, though, was not some member of the warring clans on Stelt. Oh no, he was much older than all of them combined.

Nearly a couple of weeks ago, an expedition from Versuva came here in search of something out of a legend. They though that they’d find Artahka or Ukara, but instead, they found death and insanity. They dug up something they shouldn't have. And now he has to make sure that nobody else repeats that same mistake.

Peregrinus’ train of thoughts was interrupted by a buzzing sound. Glancing down at his wrist-mounted comm-link, a holographic console was projected before his eyes. Tapping at the rays of lights a few times, he phased through the static and managed to connect to the other side of the line.

~Ash Bear, this is the Achieves Mole, do you read me?~ Came the voice.

Peregrinus smiled. “This is Ash Bear, Archives Mole. I’m reading you right now.”

He heard a sigh of relief. ~I am in position at the objective’s location.~

“Is the Glider Owl aware of the Dermis weather?” He asked.

~Negative,~ replied the Intellian. ~I've have had little trouble in reaching the objective. What’re my orders?~

The Steltian paused. He already through a lot of trouble trying to acquire the Nameless Tome and the relic from him. He doubted that Ainasev would be able to give out any valuable data to him, but he’d rather not take the risk. That beggar-prince is already putting the world at stake with his quest for power. If he were to learn of the Taurangi…

“Proceed with the integration. Leave this channel open for me. I want to hear every word that comes out of his mouth.”

~As you wish.~

Peregrinus keep the device active. He had already watched his homeworld fall, and he wasn't about to let it happen to another. One word echoed within the back of his mind. One that still haunts him to this day.

Nehkron…

Characters

• A team of researchers and Matoran servants
  • Sumina, leader of the exhibition (abducted by The Shattered)
  • Ainasev, apprentice to the above
  • Serpretni, Mersion Translator (deceased)
  • Oohvaz, Forgern bodyguard (deceased)
  • Brakop, Petrosaurian bodyguard (Fate unknown)
  • Jhaamus, Saursapien bodyguard (deceased)
  • A number of Matoran (all deceased)
    • Papura, Ba-Matoran bodyguard. (deceased)

• Xevthian Empire
  • Alxor
  • A Xevthian Interrogator
• The Abstract (not mentioned by name)
  • The Shattered

• The dead king (deceased)
• An unnamed cosmic entity, taking on the form of a cloud
• Tuma (in a vision)
• Ahpolki(in a vision)
• Niha (Core and Apocalypse counterparts, in a vision)
• Poliaz (In a vision)
• Cigol
• Peregrinus, Cigol's contact.

Promotional Images

The current banner. Possibly a Halloween edition.

Another banner. Influenced by Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.

The Shattered appearing before Sumina, with an alternate version of Nallac losing his hand.

Trivia

• One of the main influences of the story was the Amnesia series, and inspired the following things:
  • The unnamed object Sumina retrieved in Chapter 4 is a nod to The Orbs , alien objects with similar properties to it.
  • The unnamed cosmic horror in the same chapter was inspired by The Shadow .
• These worlds are but a few of the ones Ainasev's seen in the vision implanted into him by The Nameless Tome in Chapter 4:
  • Arktus Magna, created by the last chronicler.
  • Earth
  • Bara Magna
  • Zypvera, created by Rando07.
  • Jadax Magna, created by Ids5621.
  • Gigas Magna, created by TheSlicer and ToaFairon.
  • And so many more...
• These are also some of the alternate universes he saw in said vision:
  • The Fractures Universe, created by BobTheDoctor27.
  • The Fragmented Alternate Universe, created by Invader39.
  • The Pirates Universe, created by BionicleChicken.
  • The Infernum Universe, created by ChineseLegolas.
  • And much more...
• In Chapter 5, it is hinted that Ainasev maybe have been hallucinating some of the events.
  • This is supported by the reactions of Oohvaz and Jhaamus when he attacked the Matoran.
  • In Chapter 3, Ainasev claims to have faced living shadows. The entire battle may have been another hallucination as well.
• The title is meant to rather misleading: Sumina believed that the island had some connection to Ukara or Artakha, but in reality it had nothing to do with either one.
  • Ainasev himself may be an unreliable narrator, given his mental state by the end of the story.