|
This article was written by Dregran. Please do not add to it without the writer's permission.
|
| The Unveiling | |
|---|---|
| |
| Story | |
| Series |
Ignika Universe Saga, Rising Arc
|
| Setting | |
| Date Set |
15 AGCW (Prelude)
20 AGCW |
| Media Information | |
| Released |
April 2021 (Parts 1&2)
June 2021 (Part 3) |
| Writer | |
| Timeline | |
| Next | |
The Unveiling is a short story taking place in the Ignika Universe Saga. It follows Suram and the Order of Mata Nui as they discover the Infernal Legion. It is the first published story in the Ignika Universe Saga. It is followed by The Seeking.
The Prelude features Wira and his experience when he wore the Ignika. The rest of the story takes place five years later, written from the perspective of Suram. The Epilogue explores Artakha's relationship with his former mentor on Xia.
Story[]
Prelude[]
Wira woke in a cold sweat. He remembered the night the Makuta attacked and killed his friends, the Av-Matoran. It wasn’t easy being the last Av-Matoran alive.
The Matoran got out of his hammock. It was this morning, no birds chirping, no villagers chattering. Unusual for Kehidupan to be this quiet.
Wira walked outside. It was dark, still night. Shadowy wisps of smoke blurred around him, murmuring words he could not comprehend. Was this still a dream?
No!
What if this was another attack by the Brotherhood of Makuta? He had to hurry. His best friend, Suram, transformed into a Toa to protect him and the Av-Matoran before. It was now Wira’s turn to do the protecting.
He raced to the Core Processor room, whispers crawling at the heels. Wira found the Ignika on the ground near the Core Processor. A golden mask, usually shining like the sun. Wira picked up the Ignika and placed it back into the column that was the Core Processor.
Wear the mask, save your friends…
A thought rattled through his head. That was it! Mata Nui had fallen, the Mask of Life was not glowing. Wira had to protect his friends and the universe.
Without hesitation, Wira replaced his mask with the Ignika, passing out from the surge of energy that coursed through his body.
Part One[]
Suram lead the party of five Toa into the darkness of the Lost Continents. The legs of the Great Spirit Robot were damaged when the Brotherhood of Makuta took over control, creating a dreary place where Skakdi warlords and Makuta hid.
There was a faint musty smell the further they marched. Luminous fungi gave the islands a dull glow, but not enough for the Toa to see clearly. Suram was holding his sword forward like a torch, his Light touching rocks and critters that had not seen daytime in over two decades.
Suram did not mind being a torch. He felt useless otherwise. What was his duty? To protect the Ignika? Twice already, he had failed that task. He couldn’t even protect his best friend, Wira.
“Stop,” ordered Helryx, the leader of the party and the Order of Mata Nui. She had natural authority about her and wisdom from both wars against the Brotherhood of Makua. She was respected and revered. Suram lamented Helryx, though he would always keep this to himself.
“Battle position, now,” said Helryx. Her directions were clear. The group of Toa formed a small circle, Suram next to Helryx and Eclipse. Even Eclipse, a Toa created during the second war, was admired more than Suram.
“Yunak, how many?” Helryx asked.
“I can’t tell. Too many?” Yunak joked, offering a small shrug.
“Damn it!” Helryx cursed. “This is an ambush.” She readied her mace and shield. The group followed, Suram dulling his sword and summoning his shield. Both his weapons were made out of pure light.
“Appears to be a small army of Skakdi, nothing too difficult,” Eclipse said, now donning an orange Nui-Vision, enabling him to see in the dark.
Indra had a scope attached to her mask, making it possible for her to see the surrounding army. Yunak had the Great Arthron, the Mask of Sonar. He could detect the position of each Skakdi using sound. Helryx was experienced enough to fight in dim light.
All of the Toa except Suram, he felt, were better suited to combat than he was. He was only here as a torch.
Kill, kill, kill…!
Sinister thoughts swarmed Suram’s head.
“Above!” he shouted, just as darkness swooped downwards. Suram dodged out of the way, rolling forward.
He spun around to see a red and black Makuta standing in the circle of Toa, their blade buried in the ground where Suram was just standing.
“Missed,” the Makuta hissed, parrying a blow from Helryx’s mace. Suram could not keep up with her speed, but the Makuta could.
The Skakdi army then closed in, screeching as they ran at the Toa.
“Suram! Behind me!” shouted Eclipse, raising his Gravity Axe. He stood next to Indra, the formation now broken.
Suram moved behind Eclipse in an instant, utilising his Mask of Quick Travel. Indra fired an energy blast into oncoming Skakdi, Eclipse launching them away if they got too close.
Helryx and Yunak fought the Makuta, keeping up with its speed and power. The Makuta were a species of darkness, something Suram should be good at fighting. He wanted to prove his worth.
Suram disintegrated his shield and held his sword up high. He shouted and released a burst of light, which he knew would blind the Makuta.
But nothing happened.
“Suram!” Eclipse called his name.
“Too slow,” whispered a hoarse voice. A large spear tangled with his sword. At the end of the spear was a lime and black Makuta.
Suram’s light faded, his will not match for the Darkness of the Makuta. That was pretty pathetic.
He could feel his mind drifting away, his sword disappearing, plunging the battle into almost complete darkness. Suram collapsed, eyes heavy.
His mind took him back to his life as a Matoran. He was with Wira and Karza, his two oldest friends.
“Suram, what have you done?” said Karza, a blade now in his chest. Suram followed the blade back to his own hand. He had killed his best friend.
“Suram, why didn’t you stop me?” Wira is wearing the Ignika, his body bruised and bloody.
“Suram, why? Why did you abandon us?” The voices echoed. Over and over. Suram couldn’t respond. He couldn’t look his friends in the eye and apologise. He was a failure. A let down.
…
“Suram! Can you hear me? SURAM!”
Suram awoke, pitch black surrounding.
“Suram, get up. Get up!” Helryx was ordering him to stand. Wasn’t he already standing?
Sharp pain flowed through Suram’s head. He was not standing. His body was heavy. He felt he was being crushed by intense gravity.
“I… can’t…” he managed to murmur. It was difficult to speak while you’re being crushed.
“Eclipse!” Helryx barked orders. If she said anything after a name, Suram didn’t know. He could no longer see or hear, his world plunging into darkness.
Someone lifted Suram up, placing him on his feet. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t see.
“Who is it?” he asked, unsure if he was actually saying anything. Not that it mattered, as any reply went unnoticed.
Then, a screech of pain.
Suram could see again, the dim battlefield covered in Skakdi corpses. He fell to his knees, the screech piercing his mind.
He glanced up to see the other Toa, expect Helryx, all on their knees. She was holding a spear, the same one that Suram saw before, impaled through the chest of the lime and black Makuta.
The Makuta then vanished, and the screech stopped.
The group made it to their feet, gathering around their leader. The Toa were silent as they gathered their weapons.
Suram was exhausted. He looked around at the group of Toa – Yunak had a slash in his chest armour, Indra had damage to her mask, Helryx was holding a broken mace.
“It can’t have been him… It can’t have been…” Helryx muttered to herself, wide-eyed, staring at the mace in her hands.
None of the group dared speak to their leader. The trip back to Kehidupan was long and silent.
Part Two[]
When the group got back to Kehidupan there was no welcome. The Matoran kept their heads down. A yellow armoured Turaga, Emauel, approached the group. His usually serious expression drooped.
“I am sorry, Master Helryx,” he began. His tone was more serious than Suram had ever heard. “They took the Toa of Life.”
Suram’s heart stopped. They took Wira. They took him.
“Where?” Suram demanded, stepping between Helryx and Emanuel. “Where did they take him? Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Suram…” Helryx put her hand on his shoulder, which Suram shrugged off.
“You were supposed to protect him! All of you! How could you fail him like that?” Sadness turned into anger, fuelled by self-hatred.
“We did all we could, youngster,” a chirpy voice said from behind Emanuel – another member of the Council, Turaga Tomoe.
“It was over so fast,” he recalled. “Come, discuss with us, Toa of Light.” He beckoned for Suram to join the Council’s meeting.
Suram cooled down and felt the piercing looks from the Matoran. He was the failure.
“Yes,” was all he could muster to say. Tomoe grabbed his hand and lead him into the chambers ahead.
This was only one of a few times when someone outside of the Council was allowed in their meetings. The Council was formed by the surviving Turaga and Order of Mata Nui members, from before the Great Cataclysm War.
Suram had never seen inside the Council Chambers. They were not what he expected. Instead of grand pillars and thrones, five cushioned seats and a vat of dark green liquid surrounded a wooden table.
The members of the Council sat in their seats, Suram standing behind Tomoe. The green vat spoke first.
“What did you discover, Master Helryx?” Its voice was familiar and mysterious, Suram wanted to know less about the vat the longer he heard it speak.
Helryx placed a spear on the table, the one from the battle in the Lost Continents. The spear had a hook at the end, but the most gruesome thing was the lime and black claw still attached to the shaft.
“The Makuta servant of Abaddon attacked us,” she said. Some of the Council members winced at the name, from a painful memory, Suram assumed. “It was with company, and an army of Skakdi.”
“That’s not possible,” said a Toa, Kisa, leader of the Toa Neirae. She was one of the protectors of Kehidupan and the Core Processor. She was here when Wira was taken.
Suram clenched a fist.
“We destroyed the Makuta before the war,” Kisa continued. “There’s no way it’s still alive. I refuse to believe it.”
“There was another Makuta with him, red armour, uses blades,” Helryx said, ignoring the look from Kisa.
“The evidence is clear,” Emanuel said, raising his hands to signal Kisa to hear him out. “We do not know what happened to Abaddon’s dimension. We cannot rule out his involvement in the current incident.”
Wira’s kidnapping was a ‘current incident’? Suram’s fist tightened.
“We have to assume the worst: Abaddon’s Legion is back. The Toa Neirae will return to the Core Processor room. We will station the Order here and inform Mata Nui. State your votes.”
“Aye,” four members chanted, Kisa staying quiet, arms folded.
“Do you have any additions, Master Kisa?” Emanuel asked.
She didn’t respond for what felt like too long to Suram – he would never keep the Council waiting on a decision.
“We should be offensive. Look at where defensive play got us,” she said, unfolding her arms and standing. “At least let me lead an assault team into the Lost Continents. They would have taken him there.”
“We were ambushed,” Helryx interrupted. “The Lost Continents are too dangerous.”
“We won’t be,” Kisa replied. Suram’s fist loosened.
“I agree with Kisa,” he said. The Council all faced him. “If… if that’s okay to mention,” he added.
“I suppose,” said Emanuel. “All in favour of the postings and Kisa making an assault team, state your vote.”
The Council agreed, so that was it. After some parting words and detail of the red and black Makuta, the Council meeting ended. Suram wanted to talk to Kisa, following her as she stormed out of the Chambers.
“Kisa,” he called, watching the leader of the Toa Neirae walk away. She didn’t take him seriously.
Suram felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Helryx speak. “Thank you, Suram, for your help in the mission.” He didn’t think he did much. “We will find Wira, and we will track down the Makuta and bounty hunters.”
Suram nodded and Helryx told him to join the mission debrief.
Wira, wherever you are, I will find you. I will not fail you again!
Part Three[]
Yet again, Suram found himself marching through the Lost Continents. This time he had purpose. He would find Wira, no matter the cost. He couldn’t bear to betray his only friend twice.
“Stay alert,” warned Kisa, leading the group.
“Hold your head up, comrade,” Uragan said, walking beside Suram. He never spoke to the Toa Neirae before. There wre a fearless group of Toa. Legend said each of them were as strong as ten Makuta. Suram idolised them when he was a Matoran. He felt he was nothing but an embarrassment to them as a Toa.
Suram could only nod. He wasn’t sure that was the right response in dim light anyway.
It wasn’t long until the group reached an old fortress. During the Great Cataclysm War, the Order of Mata Nui used this building as a base. Moss covers the walls, vines holding bricks and doors together.
“On guard,” Kisa said, drawing her broadsword. Suram followed her lead, his Lightsword appearing in his hand with a flash. Mecava, another member of the Toa Neirae, held his spear and walked past Suram, without saying a word. Agni cocked her flamethrower, nodding at Suram when he looked at her and stepping into formation.
The gate was open, and a pungent smell crept through the air. The group marched through in formation. Kisa was at the front, Agni and Mecava behind her, then Suram followed by Uragan.
The smell grew heavier as the group went further into the castle. Dampness from the moss clung to Suram’s armour. He hoped humidity be an advantage for Kisa if they got into combat.
Eventually they reached a room with nothing but a throne. A green Skakdi tilted his head to look at the group from the throne.
“Don’t bother,” he mumbled. Vines were sprouting from his hands, connected to all the greenery around the castle.
Kisa signalled the spread out. Agni and Uragan moved to flank the Skakdi. Mecava stepped up next to Kisa and Suram kept behind. He held his Lightsword with two hands, tightening his grip around the handle.
Behind!
Suram spun around and his Lightsword clanged against a black-armoured Toa. Crescent, the Toa who left the Order of Mata Nui.
He looked surprised as Suram’s parry, then delivered a kick to the Toa of Light’s chest, sending him into Kisa and Mecava.
Uragan appeared in front of Suram, clashing swords with Crescent.
Above!
Suram didn’t know who was speaking to him, but he looked upwards to see a red and black Makuta swoop down.
Kisa reacted by pushing Suram to the side and ended up getting her arm injured.
“Move, focus on the Toa,” she said, swinging her sword at the Makuta.
Suram turned his attention to Crescent and Uragan. Like he did, Crescent had the Kualsi, the Mask of Quick Travel. He was keeping up with Uragan’s incredible speed but was unable to hit the Toa of Air. Uragan used the Kanohi Jaatuh, the Mask of Evasion. He could evade any attack he sees coming.
Shadows erupted from Crescent’s blade and Uragan hesitated. Suram watched as Crescent teleported behind Uragan. No… Not this time! Suram wanted to be the one who protected this time.
Suram used his Kualsi to teleport between Uragan and Crescent, generating his Lightshield as he appeared.
A boom, like a lightning strike, echoed through the building, light and shadow exploding from the impact.
“Thanks,” Uragan managed to say, attacking Crescent from the side.
Suram had to keep focussed as they took turns swinging at the Toa. Crescent deflected or parried each of their blows, stepping backwards with each hit.
He kept looking at Uragan, seeming to block Suram’s attacks by instinct.
Then Suram realised his mistake. Crescent teleported again, and again, and again around Uragan, eventually stabbing the Toa Neirae in the chest. Without hesitation, Crescent teleported behind Suram.
He could feel the Toa’s presence, just like he could feel the Makuta.
Suram spun in time to avoid severe damage, able to collide the hilt of his Lightsword against Crescent’s blade.
The two Toa exchanged a glance. Crescent, are you in there? Suram knew that Solstice and Eclipse were friends with the Toa before his disappearance.
Breaking his gaze, Crescent diverted his attention to Kisa and the others. The Toa then disappeared.
Suram exhaled. His wrist ached from the continuous barrage.
He looked over to see that Uragan was joining Kisa, Mecava and Agni fight the Makuta. Each of the three Toa bloodied and beaten.
Shadow surrounded Kisa, her shouting filling the battlefield. The Makuta tossed Uragan aside.
The shadows disappeared and Kisa buried her blade into its chest, the Makuta screeching. She removed her blade and cut off one arm, the Makuta blocking the blade to prevent the other arm from having the same fate.
Kisa’s mask was the Vhisnok, Mask of Vampirism. She gained incredible power when she used her mask, able to overpower the Brotherhood of Makuta on her own, or so the legend said.
The Makuta staggered backwards, Kisa’s swings becoming more ruthless. Eventually the Makuta faded into the shadows, Kisa turning her head to where the green Skakdi was before.
There was nothing but an empty throne and the pungent smell.
Kisa screamed as she deactivated her mask power. In her transformed state, she could probably sense Makuta just like Suram could. He should talk to her about the voices. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who heard it.
“Sorry about this, pal,” someone whispered in Suram’s ear.
Sharp pain ran from the back of Suram’s head. He collapsed to his hands and knees.
When he stood up, the others were gone. He spun. No one was behind him.
It took him a moment to realise, but the smell had gone.
Suram was in another room of the castle.
“Suram…”
Wira!
The Toa of Light looked around, not seeing much but moss-covered walls.
“Hey,” nodded a red figure, who appeared without a sound. He was a tall red Vortixx, wearing a Kanohi Huna.
“That way,” he gestured to a door on the right with his head, arms folded. Then he disappeared, turning invisible.
Suram didn’t have time to trust anyone when Wira was so close. With a burst of light, Suram was off, Lightsword and Lightshield in hand.
When he got through the door, he saw Wira chained to the ground in the middle of a chamber.
“Suram, I’m sorry. It’s a trap,” Wira said too late.
The lime green Makuta disarmed Suram by stabbing through his hands. The light-weapons dissipated, Suram falling to his knees.
No, I’m sorry Wira. I came to rescue you and now look at me. You deserve better.
Crescent stepped forward from the darkness, the tip of his sword dragging on the ground. He stood next to the lime Makuta and the red Vortixx, who appeared in silence again.
“We have a message for you, Toa of Light,” the Makuta said. “In exchange for your friend, deliver something to the Council.”
Suram couldn’t make sense of what was going on.
“Abaddon will rise again. We are the Infernal Legion. Fear us.”
Suram felt a hand on his shoulder, and without warning he was back with the assault team. They hadn’t noticed he was gone.
“Suram,” Wira said, free from his chains, standing above Suram with his right hand outstretched.
The Toa of Light looked up to his friend, taking the offer and standing. He was speechless.
“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble,” Wira continued, a sheepish smile on his face. Suram was happy his friend was back.
Wira turned to Kisa and the other Toa, greeting them as he approached. Even when kidnapped, Wira kept his positive attitude. That was something Suram could never do.
“Let’s go then,” Kisa said, brushing past Wira. She held a pained expression.
The Toa walked out of the fortress the way they came in. They had rescued Wira, but they were far from smiling. Melancholy followed them from the mossy bricks, heavier than the mouldy smell.
Abaddon was back.
Epilogue[]
Artakha worked hard for as long as he could remember. When he was a crafter for the Brotherhood of Makuta, he did his best to keep his secret organisation, the Order of Mata Nui, from discovery.
Some said he was a natural leader. He didn’t agree with that now, hidden away from society. Although he was asked to build for the Great Spirit Mata Nui, he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.
The Matoran pushed through the door to his hut. No one would find him here, this far away from Kehidupan and other sapient species. His only company now were Rahi.
Still, no matter how isolated or safe he was, Artakha felt like something was wrong. A dark shadow was creeping forwards and he didn’t know how to stop it. A feeling of dread filled his stomach every time he thought of it.
Every day tempted him to use some of his creations to quell his nerves. Each time he pushed those desires away. If he used the masks he had created, the Mask of Time and the Mask of Creation, someone would find him. He was sure of it.
“Hey.”
Artakha froze. The day was here, much sooner than he wanted. He knew that voice.
“Obmana?”
“Not so much these days, I’m afraid.”
Huffing a sigh of relief, Artakha sat on the grass. His old mentor, from before he worked for the Makuta, was Obmana.
Whatever brought this reunion to Artakha, he was sure it wasn’t something good.
Events[]
- Helryx leads a team of Toa into the Lost Continents, tracking a Bounty Hunter
- The Order of Mata Nui discover Vicoran is still alive, and the Infernal Legion has returned
- Wira gets kidnapped by the Infernal Legion
- Kisa forms an assault team to track down the Infernal Legion
- Wira is rescued
- The Infernal Legion defeats the assault team and threatens the Council of Kehidupan
Characters[]
| Ignika Universe Saga v:e | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matoran Universe | History | Rise and Fall — The Malia Chronicles — Sworn to Duty | |||
| Rising Arc | The Unveiling — The Seeking — The Rising | ||||
| Downfall Arc | Darkest Reign — Order's End — The Downfall | ||||
| Side stories | Memoirs of the Wicked — Skakdi Days — Builder's Duty — Guard Duty — Somewhere I Belong | ||||
| Spherus Magna | |||||
| Discovery Arc | The Aftermath — The Matoran Hunter — Journey to the Edge | ||||
| Side stories | The Nightwatcher | ||||
| Related | Stuck in Time | ||||