This article is being written by NujuRocks. Please do not add to this fiction without asking for permission.
| The Gladiator | |
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Prologue Part One[]
The crimson and silver-armored figure was running for his life. His former best friend chased behind him, firing pulses of Shadow energy. The red warrior jumped, twisted in the air, and fired a blast of energy from his Giant Axe. The energy struck his pursuer on the right leg, tearing a hole in Brutaka's gold armor. Axonn redoubled his speed, taking advantage of Brutaka's temporary defeat.
"You won't get far, my old friend!" Brutaka shouted. "They'll find you! Surrender, it'll be much easier than fighting my... friends."
"I'll take my chances," Axonn replied, ignoring his friend's agony.
A quartet of dark-colored figures appeared several hundred yards in front of Axonn. Shadow Toa.
"Halt!" one of them commanded in a gravelly voice. "In the name of the Great Spirit, Mata Nui, I demand you halt!"
Axonn slowed, but did not stop. He recognised these Toa, and he felt a shiver of fear run down his spine.
Helryx. Whenua. Drantus. And, the worst of them all, Takanuva.
How did Brutaka find them? Axonn thought. All four of them have been in hiding for at least twenty years!
"Surrender, and your death will be quick and painless," the Shadow Helryx said.
"Unlikely," Axonn hefted his Giant Axe, preparing to attack his old friends.
Whenua's attack came first, a whirling inferno of Shadow blasting from his twin Earthshock Drills. Axonn dodged the energies with ease, and returned with a blast of light so powerful that it turned both Whenua and Drantus to ash. The remaining two Shadow Toa were only a hundred yards away. Now ninety. Seventy-five. Fifty. Twenty. Ten.
Collision.
Axonn fired a bolt of lightening at Helryx, ripping a hole through her chest. She died instantly. The Shadow Takanuva fired his Midak Skyblaster. A concentrated ball of Shadow struck Axonn's hand, forcing him to release his Giant Axe. In return, Axonn unleashed a blast of energy on the warrior of Shadow's Skyblaster, incinerating it. The Shadow Takanuva growled, swinging his Staff of Light. Axonn backflipped away...
Strait into Brutaka's Rotating Blades.
Axonn groaned.
"Take him to Arena dungeon," he heard Brutaka say.
Then he passed out.
Prologue Part Two[]
Brinoa, Toa Hagah of Plasma, was fighting for her life. Directly after being transported here, she had been captured by a traitorous Toa of Stone known as Cordel. She managed to escape, regain her weapons, and knock Cordel unconscious. Now she had been found in her hiding place, a large cave in a huge desert. Unfortunately, Brinoa was outclassed by her opponent: a Makuta known as Antidax.
"You will do well in the Arena. You may be surprised who you meet there," the Makuta said.
"What do you mean?" the Toa of Plasma gasped, breathing hard.
"I can read your mind. Your friend, Drevac, died in your world. He is alive here, in the dungeons of Roma Nui."
Brinoa paused. Antidax took advantage of Brinoa's distraction, slashing her in the side with his claws. Brinoa flew into the wall of the cave, and fell unconscious.
Chapter 1[]
Axonn glared at the dark grey chains that bound him to the wall. They were getting under his skin... literally. The bindings were latching onto his body and burrowing their way into his flesh. He knew that, given enough time, this would become irreversable. He attempted to break them for what seemed like the millionth time.
These should have given way hours ago! Axonn thought. Brutaka must have done something to them. No normal chain is this strong.
His Skakdi guard jeered at his feeble attempt to escape.
"You'll never get out! Those chains are forged out of raw Protosteel, the same batch that created the Great Kraahkan!'
So that's their secret, Axonn thought. But still, I should still be able to destroy them. Maybe...
"Get out of here, Skakdi trash," Axonn ordered.
"I don't answer to prisoners," the Skakdi laughed.
Axonn summoned his will and shot energy out of his hands, sending the Skakdi flying through the wall out of the cell.
And now I wait.
Brinoa disliked Skakdi. No, she hated Skakdi, and none moreso than her current captor, Hakann. Every time he thought she was making a run for it, the red Dark Hunter shot her with his Cordak Blaster, sending her flying down the hall. If she was lucky. If not, he would attack her with his mental energies, resulting in an immediate blackout.
If I ever get out of here, Brinoa thought, I will hunt Hakann down and knock that smug grin off of his face.
She glanced at the Skakdi. The hideous Dark Hunter was constantly grinning, the one expression uglier than a Skakdi frown.
"Ah, here we are," the Skakdi's grin widened. "Home sw-
...well, not really sweet, but home. Anyway, you should-"
A resounding crash interrupted the mercenary. Hakann's jaw dropped. One of his fellow Skakdi had just been knocked through a prison cell by a lazer of light energies.
"Get into your cell," Hakann ordered, shoving Brinoa into the medium-sized room.
Hakann ran towards the the caved in wall. Brinoa strained her ears, hoping to catch some of the following conversation. But then:
"DON'T EVEN TRY IT, OR ELSE I'LL SHOVE THIS BLADE DOWN YOUR THR-"
Brinoa flinched as she heard a loud crack: the sound of Hakann's arm breaking. Several screams followed.
"ENOUGH!"
This was a new voice.
Wait, Brinoa thought. I've heard him before...
"Ah," another previously unheard voice said. "Brutaka. I was wondering what it would take to get your attention."
"Brutaka!" Brinoa gasped.
But he's on our side! she thought.
Brutaka sounded annoyed.
"So that's all it was, eh old friend?"
Brinoa seriously doubted these two were friends.
"Oh, well," Brutaka continued. "I know how much you hate Skakdi, Axonn, so I'll let it slide... just this once. If you try anything like this again..."
Brinoa flinched again as Axonn screamed.
"Don't doubt that I'll kill you. I would very much enjoy killing you. Don't give me an excuse to do just that."
Brinoa backed away from the door of her cell as th blue and gold figure strode by. Then, sighing, she lowered herself to the ground, relaxing her bruised muscles.
"Harsh, isn't he?"
Brinoa jumped as someone spoke from the corner of her cell.
Wait, Brinoa thought. I know that voice...
"I'm Drevac. Who're you?"
"So they weren't lying," Brinoa grinned behind her mask. "By Mata Nui, I have a long story to tell you..."
Axonn's entire body was in agony. He felt like his every nerve had been twisted into a knot.
And yet he smiled.
Brutaka acted exactly like I knew he would, Axonn thought. So... predictable. A shame, he used to be such a powerful ally.
Axonn glanced at the new wall on his cell. It had no door, no barred window, no entrance of any kind. Perfect. Axonn concentrated like he never had before, focusing all of his energy into one huge blast of light. His chains shattered.
Just as I suspected, Axonn grinned. If these chains were made out of the same dark Protosteel as the Mask of Shadows, their greatest weakness must be light. So I waited until no was watching, or at least until no one could watch.
Axonn gasped as a spasm of pain ran through his leg. The warrior glanced down, startled. The part of the chain that wasn't destroyed by his blast had rapped itself around his leg, digging into it. Axonn quickly extinguished the remaining energy in the chain with another concentrated beam of light, but the chain remained attatched to him.
I thought destoring the chain would end it's "life", but if it didn't...
Axonn glanced at his chest, where another living chain was digging deeper into his body. He quickly crushed it.
"And that's that," he muttered.
The warrior stood, a whirling aura of power surrounding his fists. Ignoring his pain, Axonn sprang forward and smashed through the wall. He took off down the hall, taking down the Skakdi guard on patrol with a flash of lightening.
"Where is the guardroom?" Axonn demanded, activating his Kanohi Rode.
"Th-th-three doors... Ah! ...Three doors down to the l-left," the injured Skakdi gasped.
The Skakdi yelped as Axonn's fist drove into his gut.
"Try again," Axonn smiled harshly. "And try telling the truth this time!"
"Alright!" the Skakdi coughed. "U-up the s-st-stairs, take y-your sec-second left, f-fourth d-d-door on the ri-right. Just... just don't kill me!"
Axonn nodded, his Mask confirming that what the Skakdi said was true. He kicked the wounded Skakdi on the side of his head and rand towards the guardroom. He entered the large hall, searching for his Giant Axe. He found it in the far left-hand corner and took off up a set of stairs, towards freedom.
Glancing back towards the dungeons, Axonn thought of all of the prisoners, mostly Toa and Matoran, and made a silent oath, echoing the words of the ruler of another world, another dimension:
I will return.
Drevac shook his head in wonder at Brinoa's tale.
"It's hard to believe what you've just told me, but I think you're telling the truth," he said. "You act exactly like, well, yourself. You aren't twitching like you do when you tell a lie."
"I do't twitch!" Brinoa exclaimed.
"You're doing it right now," Drevac pointed out, earning himself an exasperated sigh.
Just like old times, Brinoa thought. He's lying himself, just to distract me from our current situation.
"Why're you smiling?" Drevac demanded.
"It's just this," Brinoa grinned. Seeing Drevac's curious expression, she decided to elaborate. "It's just that our conversation is exactly like the one's we had in the Junction."
Drevac nodded, remembering those days well.
"Do you ever think..." Drevac began, then stopped himself.
"What?"
"Do you ever wish you'd never become Toa?"
"Sometimes," Brinoa said quietly. "It has its moments, but all in all you lose more than you gain."
The two lapsed into silence. It didn't last long.
"Do you hear that?" Drevac asked.
Brinoa, frowning, nodded. A quiet rumbling noise grew in the distance.
"What is that?" she muttered.
"Only one way to find out," Drevac replied, summoning his control over the ground under their feet.
Focusing his will, Drevac caused the dirt to shape itself into a condensed ball, and hurled the black sphere at the Protosteel door. He grunted as his ball of earth bounced off of the door and slammed into his gut. Brinoa flinched as the Toa of Earth collapsed, coughing.
"That hurt," he gasped breathlessly.
"It didn't even dent the door," Brinoa muttered incredulously.
"Well, then," Drevac said. "That didn't work."
Chapter 2[]
With a groan, Axonn found himself was surrounded for the second time in as many days. It would have been a fair fight with just himself and Brutaka, but, sadly, his old enemy was reinforced by the Shadow Takanuva and two oversized Bohrok. And now, standing in the middle of a huge coliseum, he was preparing for the fight of his life.
If I die here, and I probably will, then I'm taking Brutaka with me, he thought grimly.
"Yet again, Axonn, I give you the option of surrender," Brutaka smiled.
He's actually enjoying this! Axonn realised.
Axonn didn't give Brutaka an answer. Instead, he hurled his axe at the Shadow Takanuva. The Shadow Toa evaded the blade easily. A smile tugged at the corner of Axonn's mouth as he summoned his weapon back to his hand. The axe lept into the air, soaring strait towards its owner. Unfortunately for him, the Shadow Takanuva was directly in its line of flight. His head fell to the ground with a thud. Axonn whirled, facing his remaining three enemies. One of the giant Bohrok, similar in color to a Lehvak, sprayed a thick stream of acid in Axonn's direction. He rolled out of the way, the acid missing him by inches. The other Bohrok, a Kohrak, fired a blast of cold in Axonn's general direction.
Odd, Axonn thought, jumping high into the air. Bohrok usually have better aim than that.
Then he looked down. The ground where he had just been standing was covered in a thick sheet of ice.
Oh. Great.
Axonn flipped over so that he was falling towards the ice head first. He shattered the frozen patch with a shot of energy from his axe, flipping again to land on his feet.
"Nice try," Axonn taunted, "but you'll have to try harder than that."
Brutaka simply smiled.
"If you insist."
Axonn ducked Brutaka's first swing and parried the second. The third, however, struck him on his left shoulder, leaving a deep wound. Gritting his teeth, Axonn grabbed the Lehvak and hurled it at his former friend. Brutaka was pinned underneath the Bohrok long enough for Axonn to make a run for it.
"You're running?" Brutaka laughed, heaving the green Bohrok off of himself.
Axonn looked back just in time to see and dodge Brutaka's energy blast. He retaliated with a bolt of lightening which sent Brutaka flying backwards into the stands of the Arena. Then he sprinted off into the desert, heading towards a huge mountain twenty miles away.
Rahi, on a whole, were peaceful creatures. Oh, most of them were able to defend themselves in a time of danger, but most never harmed a Matoran, let alone a Toa.
The Muaka was an exception. Ten feet long, with jagged teeth and an ability to eat almost anything, the vicious cat was a danger to all who crossed it. Unfortunately, the Muaka that Drevac and Brinoa were about to fight was mutated into an unstoppable killiing machine.
"Any ideas?" Brinoa asked hopefully.
"How about we try not to die," Drevac muttered.
"I didn't think so."
Brinoa glanced around the circular Roma Nui Arena. The stands were filled with around twenty thousand spectators: Skakdi, Vortixx, maybe three thousand Matoran, and a couple Makuta. Most were cheering for the Muaka to devour the Toa. The Matoran and a few Vortixx were rooting for Brinoa and Drevac.
"Duck!" Drevac shouted, barreling into Brinoa.
The Toa of Plasma flinched as searing heat scorched her back.
The Muaka breathes fire? she thought. This is ridiculous.
"Has this thing ever been beaten?" Brinoa inquired, avoiding another breath of fire.
"Yes."
"How?"
Drevac frowned thoughtfully, trying to remember the details. "I think it's vunerable to bright flashes of light. Some Makuta blinded it, then went in and knocked it unconscious."
"So," Brinoa said, "do you think lightning would work?"
Drevac grinned.
"Go for it."
Brinoa summoned her will and sent a bolt of lightning towards the Muaka, not actually hitting it, but coming within five feet of its eyes. With a yowl, the wild cat backpedaled, blinking rapidly.
"That was easy," Brinoa noted.
"Now, let's get it before it recovers!" Drevac yelled, sprinting towards the Muaka.
Brinoa nodded, following the Toa of Earth. She focused, creating two spheres of molten plasma, and sent them carreening towards the blind cat. The spheres struck the cat on the side, knocking it over. Drevac, seeing his chance, decreased the amount of dirt under the Muaka, turning formerly solid ground into quicksand. The Muaka sank into the pit, growling in protest. Just before the Muaka's head went under, Drevac re-hardened the earth, incasing the beast in a rock-hard prison.
The crowd groaned.
"Good work," Brinoa said, punching Drevac on the arm.
"Thanks," Drevac nodded appreciatively. "Oh, great. What now?"
Brinoa frowned. The audience was chanting something.
"More! More! More! MORE!"
"Oh, Karzahni," Drevac curse. "They want another fight."
"SILENCE!"
Brinoa recognised Brutaka's voice from the night before.
"Of course you will have another fight!" Brutaka's voice boomed across the stadium. "May I introduce you to our new contestants, the Bohrok Nuva!"
Two figures, one green and the other white, walked through a gate into the Arena. They were Bohrok, obviously, but unlike any Bohrok Brinoa had ever seen before. They were nearly twice as tall, with huge limbs and sharp claws. Both radiated an aura of power, litterally glowing with energy.
"What in Mata Nui-" Drevac gasped. "They shouldn't- can't- be awake! Mersery proved that the Bohrok can only be awakened by a sonic signal sent from Mata Nui!"
"Do those look like regular Bohrok to you?" Brinoa demanded. "Obviously this Brutaka found a way to wake them up... and mutate them into these Bohrok Nuva."
"Then we're in trouble. And lots of it."
Chapter 3[]
Keep going, Axonn ordered himself. Only a few more lengths to go.
The crimson warrior glanced around. He was easily nine hundred feet in the air, and the lack of oxygen was making him lightheaded. Soon, if he didn't fall, he knew he would reach the top of the Mt. Aornian, where the Great Kanoihi Dragon resided. His muscles were aching from the huge effort it took to hold his giant frame onto the steep sides of the mountain. This was the hardest feat Axonn had ever attempted.
I'm so close, he thought. Don't give up now!
Then he dropped.
In the Arena, spectators were going wild. The intense fight had only been in action for a few moments, but Drevac had already been injured. To avoid his own death, the Toa of Earth had created a small underground chamber where he was safe from the two Bohrok Nuva, sealing himself from the fight above him. In a rage, the two mutated Bohrok had teamed up against Brinoa, pushing her to the eastern corner of the Arena.
Wait, Brinoa thought. Why haven't I...
Smiling, Brinoa activated her supercharged Kanohi Kakama, and dodged both Bohrok, escaping to the center of the Arena.
"Drevac!" she shouted.
The Toa of Earth opened up his chamber.
"Come on in!" he called.
Brinoa jumped into the cavern, breathing hard.
"I'm going to kill these 'Bohrok Nuva'. Dive deep, I'm going Nova."
Drevac gaped at her.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yeah. Let me out, I'm going to crush these things."
Drevac nodded. "Got it."
Brinoa climbed out of the cave, preparing to summon the fullest extent of her power. She gave Drevac a few seconds to submerge himself, so that her blast wouldn't kill him. Then, approaching the two Bohrok Nuva, she concentrated on her power.
"I'll give you one chance to run," Brinoa muttered. "No takers? I didn't think so.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Axonn was falling.
I'm about to die, he realised.
A shadow seemed to fall over him. Then it hit him: it was a real shadow. Axonn flipped over, looking up. A huge, winged Kanohi Dragon was flying strait towards him! The Dragon swooped down, catching Axonn in its claws, then pulled up, flying back towards the top of the mountain.
Do not struggle.
Axonn flinched as the deep, masculine voice echoed in his mind. As a former member of the Order of Mata Nui, his mind was usually shielded from mental intrusion.
"Can you hear me?" Axonn shouted.
I can. Quiet down! Why have you come to my home?
"I need shelter," Axonn explained, still loud, but not undually so. "I heard a rumor that you give shelter to Toa and Matoran in need."
You are neither Toa nor Matoran. Why should I grant you my hospitality?
"I have long been an ally of the Toa, and I would give my life to save a Matorans'."
The tales you heard are true. I do, indeed, give shelter to Toa and Tohunga who escape the prisons of Roma Nui.
"Tohunga?" Axonn asked.
The original name of the Matoran.
"I see. So, will you protect me?"
I shall. I know you speak the truth, as I have access to the powers of the Kanohi you now wear.
With that, the Great Kanohi Dragon landed at the peak of the mountain, releasing Axonn. Oddly, Axonn found himself able to breath regularly. When he asked the Dragon about this, the powerful being replied,
I have a large cohort of Air Toa in my establishment. They control the air, concentrating it around the city to keep the Tohunga alive.
Axonn turned around, taking in his surroundings. The mountaintop was home to a immense city, carved out of solid marble. It was large enough to hold hundreds of thousands of Matoran, with plenty of room to spare. The city, while a thousand feet in the air, was warm, dry, and covered in vegetation, unlike Mt. Aornian's sister peaks, which were covered in snow.
Do you approve of my home?
"Definately."
Thank you. I know you wish to rest, but we have more important matters to discuss.
"We do?"
Yes. We must destroy the Arena of Roma Nui, and I need your help to do it.
That got Axonn's attention.
"I'm listening, Great Dragon."
Good. And by the way, my friends call me Antrilax.
"Axonn!"
Axonn turned, recognising that voice. He hadn't expected to hear it again.
"Helryx! What- How are you alive?" Axonn gasped, amazed.
"What do you mean? I've lived here for over thirty years."
Understanding came suddenly.
Brutaka has been kidnapping some alternate dimension's Toa and giving them to the Makuta to become Shadow Toa! Axonn realised. That sick, twisted freak!
After explaining his earlier encounter with the Shadow Toa, Axonn turned to Antrilax.
"I assume you have a plan to catpture the Arena?" he asked.
I do. And- What in Mata Nui's name is that?
Axonn whirled around.
"Where's what?" Axonn asked.
"Mata Nui," Helryx gasped.
The Roma Nui Arena looked like it was a giant lightening rod, with hundreds of bolts of electricity dropping from the sky and striking the ground. Axonn realised he could feel the static, even from over twenty miles away.
A Toa of Plasma's Nova Blast.
Axonn watched in awe for as long as he could, but eventually the light became to much for his eyes to bear.
"How can you tell?" Axonn asked. "That it's a Toa of Plasma, I mean."
I can see her.
"Her?" Helryx cocked her head to the side. "Toa of Plasma are male."
Not this one. She could kill everyone in the Arena, if this doesn't end soon.
Fortunately, the light quickly faded, leaving the Arena on the whole uneffected.
"That was impressive," Helryx muttered.
"You're not joking," Axonn replied.
I believe we should put my plan into effect sooner than I anticipated. This is what we must do...
Chapter 4[]
In the city of Roma Nui, eight miles north of the Arena...
"Hurry, Ardrin!" Hurran gasped.
The small Po-Matoran didn't reply, but he redoubled his speed.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"The Tunnel Systems!" Hurran replied. "There's an entrance... an entrance under my home. The Vorahk won't look there."
Ardrin nodded at the Ki-Matoran. The two hurried through Ta-Roma, praying that the Rahkshi enforcers wouldn't catch up to them. He knew that in the event that the Rahkshi caught up, he would only be a distraction in a fight. So he ran like his life depended on it- and it probably did. If Hurran was alone, Ardrin knew he could escape easily, but he was holding back to avoid loosing the Po-Matoran.
Right now, Ardrin thought, I wish I was a Matoran of Kinetics.
"Don't look back, but about seven Vorahk are about twenty yards behind us," Hurran said quietly. "Keep running. I'll hold them off."
Ardrin started to protest, but Hurran interruppted.
"Go!" the Ki-Matoran ordered. "Remember, I've got the Hau, I'll be able to block their blasts."
Ardrin began to say that that was ridiculous, but then he remembered that this Ki-Matoran was one of the Great Kanohi Dragon's servants. He had access to his Mask Power.
"Run if it looks like you're loosing," Ardrin pleaded. "I'll take the mask!"
Hurran nodded, handing the Po-Matoran the Great Komau.
"Now get going."
Hurran turned, preparing to face the Rahkshi. Vorahk were the perfect enforcers: Their power could drain the energy out of a Matoran or Toa before the victim had time to react. Luckily, Hurran wore the Kanohi Hau, and so could block all of the attacks. Pairing that with his speed abilities and his power to fire light blasts from his Matoran Broadsword, he was a formidable foe.
"Run, Ardrin!" he shouted. "Go to my home! The entrance is in the tool closet!"
Then he drew his gold and blue broadsword, and erected a force shield around himself. The Vorahk paused, realising that their prey had separated. Hissing, two of them broke off from the main force, following Ardrin.
"No you don't," Hurran muttered, sending a bolt of Light at the two Rahkshi. "You Makuta scum are here to fight me, not my friends."
The two Rahkshi dodged the bolt, cold rage emanating from them.
"That's right, bring it on, you piraka."
Ardrin looked back in time to see his friend surrounded by Vorahk. Fortunately, all of their attacks were diverted by Hurran's shield. He considered turning back, but then glanced at the Great Komau in his hand. He knew what Hurran would say if he lost it: "You lost the Mask just to save me? You stupid- You should have gone strait to the Dragon!" For a few moments, he just stood there, torn between his friend and his mission.
Unity or Duty? he thought. If I fufill my Duty, I'll go back for him. It's what he'd want.
Full of guilt, Ardrin ran west, towards Hurran's house. He could escape into the tunnels and go to Mt. Aornian. He glanced back one more time, and cried out as he saw Hurran struck by a blast of weakness.
"No!" Ardrin gasped.
He could barely hear Hurran's voice:
"Run, Ardrin. Find Antrilax and come back for me."
Nodding, Ardrin took off towards his friend's house. Twenty minutes later, he entered the tunnels and headed towards Mt. Aornian. He would be back.
Axonn grinned as he considered Antrilax's plan. It was brilliant. Genius. Impeccable. Perfect.
It actually has a chance of working, he thought. Although I suppose I could have thought it up. The idea is simple, but the execution is... fantastic.
Leaning his axe against the wall of his small hut, Axonn walked out into the open air. The mountain was literally teaming with Air Toa. Dozens of them were constantly working shifts to keep the mountain livable, cycling in warm, breathable air.
"They're good workers," he muttered.
"Yes,sir," a passing Ta-Matoran said, hearing his voice. "Their workload has doubled ever since Toa Lewa was lost."
"Lost?"
The Matoran shuddered. "Brutaka caught him, handed him over to those new Bohrok he mutated. He's under the influence of a Krana."
Axonn winced. Lewa was one of the most powerful Air Toa. His loss was a large blow to the Anti-Teridax Movement.
"Hey! I need to speak to the Great Kanohi Dragon!"
Axonn looked ahead as the Ta-Matoran passed on. A Po-Matoran ran up to him.
"Excuse me, Toa, I need to speak to the Dragon!"
"Slow down, my friend. First of all, I'm not a Toa, secondly, I don't know where he is," Axonn said.
"I know where he is, but I don't want to go in there alone. The Dragon is... intimidating."
"Alright, I'll take you. I'm Axonn."
"Adrin."
A few minutes later, Axonn and Ardrin entered a huge stone dome. The two immediately found themselves surrounded by Kanohi Dragons.
"Oh, my," Ardrin whispered.
Axonn glanced worriedly at the Po-Matoran. He looked ready to faint.
"If it comes to a fight, I can beat these guys," Axonn honestly assured him.
The Po-Matoran looked up at him, his eyes trusting. He nodded. The two continued on into the central chamber of the plain dome.
"Antrilax!" Axonn called.
I am here, the Dragon replied.
"This Matoran has- Well, what do you have for him?" Axonn asked.
"I have the Mask," Ardrin said.
Axonn didn't miss the added emphasis.
Good. Where is it?
"Are you sure you want me to bring it out in front of-"
Yes. Axonn is to be trusted.
Ardrin pulled out a light brown mask from his pack. It had a large empty visor and two slashes on each cheek.
"That's not-"
The last Kanohi Komau in existance. Brutaka fears it more than any Kanohi in the world.
"Where did you get it?" Axonn demanded. "The owner of that mask, Toa Onewa, died years ago. I, and everyone else in the world, thought it was destroyed!"
It was hidden in Roma Nui's weapons storeroom. Where is Hurran?
"The Rahkshi caught him," Ardrin whispered. He seemed to be barely holding himself together. "He told me to leave him. I had the mask, and I thought it was more important than- than a friend."
You did the right thing. I'm very sorry for Hurran's loss. He was- and is, if he persists in this world- a great friend of mine. I even granted him his Mask Power.
"You did what?" Axonn asked incredulously.
It is within my ability to grant Matoran access to their Kanohi powers. I rarely do so, except in the case of close friends. It takes an enormous amount of energy.
"Do you think we could rescue Hurran?" Ardrin asked.
Without that Kanohi? No. With the Komau, maybe. Don the mask, Ardrin, and I will grant you its power.
Ardrin gaped.
"Me? But surely Axonn would be better suited to wear it!"
Axonn already wears a rare and powerful Kanohi. No, you should wear this Mask. You sought it out, and you should be the one to use it.
Ardrin grinned, taking off his powerless Kanohi Huna. He rose the Komau to his face, and Antrilax touched the Kanohi with his nose. Ardrin gasped as the Kanohi's power entered into him.
"Oh, my," the Po-Matoran said wonderingly. "I always hoped to become a Toa, but I guess this is close enough!"
Yes. And now, you have a rudimentary control over Stone. It was this same power that enabled Hurran to fly.
"But I thought he wore a jetpack so he could fly!" Ardrin protested.
He did indeed wear a pack, but only for when you and your friends were around. As a power-enabled Tohunga of Kinetics, he was able to fly and run with incredible speed.
"That's- That's amazing!"
"He's not kidding," Axonn murmured. "And I would like to rescue this- Hurrin, right?"
Hurran. I give you my permission to take this Tonhunga and rescue my friend before he is connected to a Krana.
"Why do you think he isn't infected already?" Axonn inquired.
Hurran wears a Kanohi Hau. He can keep a shield indefinately, depending on what they throw at him. Most likely, they'll wait until he needs rest and lets his guard down. Then, when he sleeps, they will infect him.
"Then we need to go. Now."
In the Arena Dungeons...
"Wake up!"
Brinoa blearily opened her eyes. She was exhausted. Surprised, she looked at Drevac, who was kneeling at her side.
"I'm alive, right?" she asked, her voice rough.
"Barely," Drevac sounded relieved. "You almost killed yourself with that blast. And the Bohrok Nuva... Well, let's just say they won't be bothering us again."
"They're dead."
"Extremely."
The Toa of Plasma nodded.
"I broke the Toa Code," she realised. "I'm a killer."
"You knew you would kill them when you used your Nova Blast," Drevac frowned. "And the Toa Code is defunct anyways. Most Toa have broken it since Mata Nui- how do I put this- I suppose you could say he moved on."
"Explain."
"About six hundred years ago, the Great Spirit left the universe, to commune with the Great Beings. This was about ten years after the restoration of Spherus Magna. During his absence, Makuta Teridax took over, and he isn't nearly as benevolent as Mata Nui. He encourages war games, forces the Matoran into slave labor, and drove us Toa into near extinction... or so he thinks," Drevac looked pleased.
"What do you mean?" Brinoa asked. "'Or so he thinks'?"
"Have you heard of the Great Kanohi Dragon?" Drevac inquired.
"I've heard of Kanohi Dragons, but never a 'Great' Kanohi Dragon."
"Well, Antrilax is the Great Kanohi Dragon. he's powerful enough to short out Teridax's powers on his home, Mt. Aornian. He cloaks the entire mountain in a mental shield, and the Makuta has no idea what goes on in there. Thousands of Toa live there, along with huge amounts of Matoran," Drevac explained. "Teridax probably could pierce the shield, but it would take so much energy that he would have to focus all of his energy on one chink in the armor."
"But why doesn't he just do that?" Brinoa asked.
"He would have to completely ignore everything else in the universe, giving Toa like you and me a chance to rebel. And that's the situation."
Drevac. Brinoa. We have much to discuss, now that this here Toa of Plasma knows of me.
Brinoa flinched as the voice spoke into her head.
"Great Dragon," Drevac grinned behind his yellow Kanohi Kiril. "It's time?"
It is time. Fill Brinoa in on the plan.
It's time for a breakout.