Jump to content

Garreg Mach

  • entries
    1,066
  • comments
    5,317
  • views
    728,516

Remembering Old Times


Voltex

877 views

Back in 2015, I started - and then, due to other commitments, cancelled - an epic titled Decimation. It would have taken place on Okoto, and... well, it wasn't going to be the happiest tale around.

 

While looking back through some of my older files, I stumbled upon what I had completed for Decimation which admittedly wasn't much - but I thought that I would share some of it with you. Under the first tag is the prologue to the epic, and under the second is the finalized outline.

 

Something that I have not ever revealed (but would have soon become obvious) is that, while definitely a standalone story, Decimation was also going to be a sequel to Extermination, serving as the true final installment for the Uprising series. It would have proven an ultimately bitter end for the characters that had managed to survive Extermination against all odds; of the 30 survivors, only 11 would have still been alive by the time Decimation began, and only 5 would have still been standing at the end.

 

And, despite what you might think, Voltex wasn't one of them. :P

 

Indeed, the prologue says it best, and so here you are:

decimation_small.jpg

 

The Prologue

A message to those who survive.

 

To those who have not heard the story before, these will sound like the words of a madman. And perhaps they are - but they are also my words, and they are what you have come here to read.

 

I have murdered thousands.

 

All in the name of survival… all in the name of salvation… all so that others could have hope. I have played both traitor and fool, both gamemaster and game player, both hero and villain. I have travelled through dimensions, hopping from world to world, saving those I deem worth it and destroying those I deem not. I lay waste to those that challenge me, and in return, they lay waste to me. But in the end, I win.

 

I always win.

 

Sometimes I hate myself for it. Sometimes... I hate everyone else instead. Sometimes I appreciate what I have been given, the life that I have. Happiness can be a hard thing to come by when one lives forever, surrounded by death. Satisfaction is something that I know no longer. I have not felt it for countless years, and I shall not feel it ever again.

 

From world to world, island to island, I wander, with others following behind. And so we would have continued for countless years, until the end of time.

 

But then we found Okoto.

 

It was a mystical island long before we ever arrived, until the Skull Army decided to take control. Their plan was to eliminate the locals of the island - a race of beings called the Protectors - until they were extinct, hunting them down mercilessly. Instilling fear in the hearts of all as they were picked off from the shadows, one by one.

 

Six so-called ‘Toa’ arrived to save the day… and were subsequently slain.

 

That was when we arrived upon this bright and colorful island. My team - my friends - and I dove into battle once more, and together we defeated the Skull Army, pushing them back into the shadows. We believed that with our victory, we had finally found a place to call home. A place to stay forever.

 

We were mistaken.

 

For the first time in years, I dared to look inside myself. To view the memories that I had cowered from for so long, locked away within the depths of my mind. So I watched my lifetimes over again, and I learned.

 

I learned terrible things.

 

I heard whispers.

 

We had crushed the White Council a thousand times over, demolished the sinister Control whenever given the chance, had eliminated the Dark Hunters and forced the Brotherhood to cower with fear. But there was one organization that we never met, that we never saw; one that I, in my fear, had both forgotten and ignored.

 

One backed by the Great Spirit Mata-Nui himself.

 

Our time on Okoto was coming to an end.

 

Despite my best attempts to the contrary, I bonded with our new companions, the so-called ‘Protectors’. I tried to prepare them for the war that was coming, tried to train them for the battles that would be fought. I came to see them as I saw my closest friends. But friendship does not win a war that has already been lost.

 

These are the files of my time after Okoto - files I have titled “Decimation”. It is not a tale of happiness or of hope… it is not even a tale of war.

 

Decimation is something else.

 

It dictates the actions of those who stood free against the overpowering might of the Great Spirit, battling an organization so powerful that it could orchestrate the destruction of entire worlds without ever stepping into the light, without ever being discovered. Those who refused to submit to the demands of tyrants even in the face of their extermination.

 

It shares their brave, final stand to defend their homes and stay alive, swarmed from all sides by friend and foe alike as the everything burned and the ground shook. Fighting an already lost battle, from which the only escape was certain death. It tells of their refusal to bow down and give in to fate, how they fought with a ferociousness that cannot be described. It remembers how they fought their final stand in the name of freedom, in the name of peace, in the name of friendship, and in the name of hope.

 

Decimation is the story of how everything begins.

 

Decimation is the story of how everything ends.

 

My companions - whether they were Matoran or Protector - were all unique, determined, talented, fearsome, courageous… and perhaps above all else... hopeful individuals. It was truly an honor to have fought alongside them, in both this battle and all the ones that came before it. They were my friends, and I shall miss them dearly.

 

My name is Voltex.

 

And this… is the story of how I died.

 

And the outline:

 

The Outline

POV: Kar (Okoto), Chro (Okoto), Shadowhawk (Okoto + Uprising), Portalfig (Uprising), Voltex (Uprising)

 

PROLOGUE

VOLTEX>>Journal Entry 102 from Voltex, giving a brief overview of the events of Isolation, Extraction, and Extermination, as well as the events since then. He ends the message with the statement that Decimation is the story of how he dies.

 

CHAPTER ONE

KAR>>Kar and his team (JiMing, Ehksidian, Nato, Pahrak, and Aerixx) are travelling through the jungle in a jeep when they skid out unexpectedly. They quickly discover that it was a trap laid by Skull Spiders, and although they take care of them with ease, Kar falls into a hidden cave. Within the cave he discovers a large broken robot that is almost beyond repair; it is surrounded by dead Skull Spiders.

 

CHRO>>The leader of the Fire Tribe meets with his two assistants, Hubert and Vorzhuk. They go over the notes for the upcoming meeting of the Okoto Council, where they hope to pass new Pro-Matoran regulations with the help of Master J and Hisuti; but they need to convert one of the other three leaders to their cause as well.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>The Shadow Matoran enters the village of the Water Tribe at night, entering the home of their leader, Master J. The two briefly chat before Shadowhawk orders Master J to reveal the location of the Matoran that he is hiding, threatening to kill him if he does not comply. The bait succeeds and JMJ attacks; Shadowhawk easily - and brutally - beats the Ga-Matoran, revealing his identity to JMJ before finishing him off (although he is still only referred to as the Darkened One). He then orders Master J to follow him.

 

CHAPTER TWO

KAR>>Delta Team returns to Hunter Headquarters, which are located where the old Temple of Time used to be located. They are met by the Commander (who remains un-named for now), who privately informs Kar that Gamma Team recently vanished while following a lead in the Earth Region. The Commander remarks that Voltex would have been useful to have for fixing the robot, but declares that he shall send Burnmad to help them in the meantime. He orders Kar to find out what happened to Gamma Team once the robot is fixed.

 

CHRO>>Chro and his assistants pass through the Jungle Region while en route to the Water Region, where the council meeting shall be held. They travel together with Unit and his assistant Tekulo, who shares worrying news: Master J has gone missing, with signs of a struggle having occurred in his home. Makuta and his assistants Seaborgium and Kal Grochi are supposedly going to be joining the Okoto Council for the meeting as well.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>The Shadow Matoran observes several members of Alpha Team (Blade, Xaeraz, RG and ToaD) squabbling within the stone region about various issues, before hearing them mention that Delta Team brought a damaged robot back to headquarters.

 

CHAPTER THREE

SHADOWHAWK (O)>>The Commander of the Hunters relaxes in his office, mulling over the various goals and plans he has, until he is alerted to a new arrival. He lets the visitor in - it is the Shadow Matoran Shadowhawk. The Commander demands access to the restricted files on Shadowhawk but is denied it; Shadowhawk informs the Commander of his role in events, and says that he must see the robot that Delta Team retrieved. The Commander reluctantly agrees.

 

CHRO>>Arriving in the Water Tribe village, Chro and his assistants meet with Hisuti, Underscore, and Zakaro (a fan of the Hunters who often tags along). The two leaders discuss what they should do, before deciding that they cannot afford to wait - Makuta has too much control over the island already.

 

KAR>>Delta Team and Burnmad finish fixing the robot, who awakens and calls itself ‘Maxilos’, nearly executing Kar before the Protector of Ice gets it to calm down and explain what’s going on. Maxilos gives its side of the story (its eyes are currently purple) before realizing that something is wrong. Before Maxilos can escape, Shadowhawk enters the hangar where they have been working, and a battle ensues, with Alpha Team working alongside Shadowhawk. Delta Team is forced to flee with Maxilos in tow, while Burnmad escapes to warn Omega Team.

 

SHADOWHAWK (O)>>The Commander observes Shadowhawk’s frustration, and the two return to his office. There they briefly chat again before Shadowhawk leaves, saying goodbye to… Commander Shadowhawk.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

KAR>>Delta Team flees into the Earth Region with Maxilos (where Gamma Team was lost), where they enter the crystal mines. They are chased by Skull Spiders onto a ring platform around in a large chamber that extends miles lower and higher, where they meet the Lord of Skull Spiders, Skull Slicer, Skull Warrior and Skull Basher. The team and Maxilos are fighting them off with ease until a Skull Spider attaches itself to JiMing, taking him over. The scales tip in the Skull Army’s favor, but the team finds themselves rescued when a mysterious energy blast strikes Skull Slicer from above, causing it to rapidly rust and crumble away. The forces of the Skull Army flee (taking JiMing with them), and a figure drops down with their rust cannon armed and aimed at Kar. The figure reveals himself to be… Portalfig.

 

CHRO>>In the village of the Water Tribe, the meeting of the Okoto Council begins; Chro, Hisuti, Unit, Voxumo, and Kaleva are gathered. Makuta and his two assistants Kal Grochi and Seaborgium are also present; Kal Grochi is sitting in for Master J, who is still missing. Hubert, Vrozhuk, Underscore and Tekulo are also present; the assistants for Voxumo and Kaleva are not named. They begin the meeting discussing the disappearance of Master J.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>Shadowhawk is elsewhere with Master J and another (Letagi, although he remains unnamed), where he goes over their obedience to his will. Master J manages to continue denying him, prompting him to execute the Water Tribe leader.

 

CHAPTER FIVE

SHADOWHAWK (O)>>The Commander meets with Omega Team, ordering them to travel to the Water Tribe as fast as possible and retrieve the leaders who are Pro-Matoran, and bring them back to base.

 

CHRO>>The meeting goes poorly, but eventually comes to a vote over whether Makuta should be granted additional power over the island. Voxumo, Kaleva and Kal all vote yes; Chro and Hisuti vote no. Tekulo tries to get Unit to vote no as well, forcing a stalemate that will at least delay the decision; however, the Jungle Leader refuses to commit, and instead abstains. His abstention allows Makuta to win the vote, granting Makuta additional powers.

 

KAR>>Portalfig leads them into another chamber where they stop; Kar demands answers, but Portalfig ignores him, ordering Maxilos to send out the signal. When Kar asks what the signal is, Portalfig explains that the signal will broadcast their position to the other surviving Matoran, calling them to gather together for the first time in fifty years. Knowing that underground is not safe, Portalfig orders them to keep moving; they will soon be able to emerge up into the barren badland desert of the Stone Region, where the others shall find them.

 

CHAPTER SIX

SHADOWHAWK (O)>>The Commander meets with Blade in private to discuss how Alpha Team helped the other Shadowhawk; she agrees to not communicate or cooperate with the other Shadowhawk any further.

 

CHRO>>They leave the meeting, with Hubert urging Chro to flee; with his new powers, Makuta will call for their arrest within the hour. Chro sends Vorzhuk to ready their vehicle as Hubert’s wristband begins to glow; ignoring Hubert’s protests, Chro goes to Hisuti’s room to warn her. There, he and Hubert find a dying Underscore; Underscore informs them that Hisuti and Zakaro have fled; he also warns them of the Darkened One, who is searching for them. They manage to reach the vehicle compound, but find a dead Vorzhuk slumped in the driver’s seat of their vehicle. They are found by Kal Grochi and Seaborgium, and surrounded.

 

KAR>>The entire group reaches a secluded area within the badlands of the Stone Region, and soon several figures arrive. They are Taka Nuvia, Pulse, Shadow Ignited, Letagi, Smoke Monster, and Tiragath. Portalfig introduces Delta Team as their comrades, noting that they saved Maxilos and are now being hunted down by Shadowhawk. He asks if any others are still alive; Smoke Monster states that JMJ was recently found and killed, while Tiragath reminds Portalfig of TBK’s recent demise. Taka Nuvia reminds them that Hubert had not yet been found, although his location is unknown.

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHRO>>Hubert and Chro exchange banter with Grochi briefly, and Hubert is told to retrieve the body of Vorzhuk. He does so, but also takes the opportunity to activate two flamethrowers attached to his forearms, providing him and Chro a chance to escape. They drive off towards the Jungle Region, where Hubert hopes to lose them. He reveals to Chro that he is actually a Matoran, and has been working alongside JMJ for the past several years to get the Protectors to realize the truth.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>Shadowhawk observes Alpha Team training for several minutes until he is summoned into the office of the Commander. The two enter into a verbal duel, as it becomes clear that the Commander refuses to work with Shadowhawk; they enter into a game of gambit roulette, which the Commander narrowly wins before dismissing Shadowhawk.

 

KAR>>The meeting is going smoothly until Kar notices a small blinking red light on the back of Letagi’s neck as the Matoran slowly approaches Smoke Monster. Kar realizes something is wrong too late to stop Letagi from killing Smoke Monster, and as the others become aware of what has happened, they are ambushed by the forces of the Skull Army - all of the Skull Villains appear, in addition to a mind controlled JiMing. The Matoran and Hunters band together and flee, killing several Skull Villains, JiMing, and Letagi along the way.

 

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHRO>>As he and Hubert reach the Jungle Region, Chro recognizes half of Omega Team (Wade, Burnmad, Kuan); he and Hubert attempt to flee, but crash in the process when they drive straight into a Skull Army ambush. Omega Team catches up and their leader, Wade, arrests them on the spot; he takes them into custody and begins taking them to Hunter HQ. While en route, Burnmad and Kuan explain that Commander Shadowhawk has ordered them to cease contact with Makuta, and that the Hunters plan to ally with the Matoran.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>He reports in to Makuta, informing him of the betrayal of Commander Shadowhawk. Before they can finish their report, Seaborgium and Kal Grochi arrive; Seaborgium breaks the news that Chro, Hubert, Hisuti, Zakaro and Tekulo have all escaped. At a wordless command from Makuta, Shadowhawk executes Seaborgium, warning Grochi not to fail them again. Makuta orders them to release the Skull Army in force on the tribes of Fire, Water, Jungle and Earth; both Voxumo and Kaleva have already started installing the mind control devices on their own citizens.

 

PORTALFIG>>As they travel back towards Hunter HQ (Kar having received a transmission from the Commander declaring it safe to return), Portalfig berates himself for having failed to notice what was wrong with Letagi - as well as the fact that they killed Letagi instead of keeping him alive. Taka Nuvia reassures him that they could not afford to spend time trying to fix Letagi like they might have in the past.

 

CHAPTER NINE

CHRO>>They arrive at Hunter HQ to find the Commander waiting for them, along with the other half of Omega Team, who have retrieved Hisuti, Zakaro and Tekulo. The Commander orders Chro, Hisuti, Tekulo and Wade to wait in the conference room; Hubert remains with the Commander to wait for the others to arrive. Blade is waiting in the conference room when they arrive.

 

SHADOWHAWK (U)>>Shadowhawk interrogates Unit, lecturing him on his inability to decisively choose where he stands. He explains that Unit is a liability, before he executes him.

 

PORTALFIG>>They reach Hunter HQ, and find the Commander and a familiar Ta-Matoran - Hubert - waiting for them. Hubert explains what is happening, and Portalfig, Maxilos and Kar leave the others to join the meeting in the conference room.

 

CHAPTER TEN

KAR>>At the meeting, the Commander reveals that dark energy signatures have been detected within the volcano - he suspects that the Skull Army is working from there, and suggests that they split into two groups; one to storm the stronghold within the volcano, and one to hold off the forces that are en route to Hunter HQ. The others agree, deciding to leave Alpha Team, Pulse, Hubert, the Commander, and the non-Hunters to hold off the horde while the rest go into the volcano.

 

SHADOWHAWK (O)>>The Commander returns to his office, where he finds the Darkened One seated at the desk. He is not surprised, and the two have a conversation until two other Toa enter the room; the Darkened One calls one ‘Control’ and the other ‘One’, saying that they will lead the horde on the assault on the volcano; the energy signatures were a ruse that the Commander fell for. He then executes the Commander, after admitting that he has been using the mind control devices to control Makuta all along.

 

CHRO>>After the meeting, as the volcano crew prepares to leave, Chro receives a call from Kal Grochi, who tells him to prepare himself for the end of all things.

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN

PORTALFIG>>Portalfig drives with Taka Nuvia, Tiragath and Shadow Ignited towards the volcano; the four reflect upon some of their adventures, primarily from the Uprising trilogy. When they reach the volcano, they meet up with Omega Team and half of Delta Team, but realize that the vehicle carrying Kar, Maxilos, and Ehksidian is absent.

 

CHRO>>Back at Hunter HQ Chro, Hubert, Pulse and the rest are all gathered within the hangar; after Zakaro discovered the corpse of Commander Shadowhawk, Pulse assumed command. The Matoran starts positioning the various members of Alpha Team, but as he does so, he is shot in the stomach. Blade steps forward, gun in hand, explaining that the Hunters have a job to do, and that Alpha Team will survive if they do it… as the Darkened One steps into view.

 

KAR>>Kar, Ehksidian and Maxilos are making good progress until their car is upended and rolls for several meters, having been flipped by the Skull Warrior; Kar and Maxilos make it out of the crash unscathed, but Ehksidian is heavily injured. The three hold off the horde of Skull Spiders for several minutes, with Kar killing a brainwashed Kaleva Serge; however, when it becomes obvious that they are going to be overwhelmed as the Skull Grinder appears, Ehksidian orders Maxilos to take Kar and flee. The robot complies, and as they fly away, Kar sees a massive explosion tear through the forces of the Skull Army.

 

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHRO>>With Pulse dead, Hubert holds off the Darkened One with his flamethrowers, while Chro, Tekulo, and Zakaro escape. The three of them end up battling against Alpha Team, although RG and AZBlue help them. They are quickly being overwhelmed by new Skull Army forces as the Darkened One summons an army from another dimension when the Commander arrives, dying of his previous wounds; he activates the facility’s self-destruct system, and with the dying Pulse, he gives Chro, Tekulo, Zakaro, Hisuti, RG, AZBlue and Hubert enough time to escape the building before it blows up. Their car flips, and they exit out into the rubble as Blade and Xaeraz, who survived the explosion, attack. Chro manages to get his hands on one of Xaeraz’s special gauntlets and uses it to tear out the Hunter’s spine. Blade injures Hubert, but is slain by Zakaro and Tekulo. The group flips their car back over and speeds towards the volcano.

 

KAR>>Delta Team, Omega Team, and Maxilos welcome the newly arrived Chro, Tekulo, Zakaro, Hisuti, RG and AZBlue into their ranks, as Hubert descends into the volcano to help the other Matoran. Soon, Shadowhawk and the Skull Grinder appear, summoning additional forces from other universes. Voxumo tries to kill Chro, but is instead slain by Aerixx, while Fishers and Nato kill Kal Grochi. Unfortunately, they start to suffer losses; the Skull Grinder kills Wade, and Kuan turns on them, killing Ghidora in the process. Burnmad kills Kuan as vengeance, but the battle has already taken a turn for the worse. AZBlue, RG, and Tekulo are all injured, and the rest are rapidly running out of both energy and ammo. Cwog is slain by Shadowhawk. Delta Team manages to take down Skull Grinder, but then Kar sees Shadowhawk shooting Maxilos down, about to destroy the robot. As Shadowhawk pauses to taunt Maxilos - who is actually Voltex - Kar jumps him from behind, stabbing him in the neck. Shadowhawk dies as Maxilos manages to recover, and the two leap back into battle.

 

PORTALFIG>>Portalfig and the Matoran leave the Protectors to fight the army as they descend into the volcano, battling the Toa who used to be Control and White One. Soon, Makuta also arrives, rapidly growing in size; he reveals himself to be from the same universe that the Shadow came from, and he now wields the Staff of Unlimited Power. The Matoran renew their attack, even though it is hopeless; Portalfig, Taka Nuvia, Hubert, Shadow Ignited, and Tiragath are all that stands in Makuta’s way. Dimensional rifts start to spew enemy forces down onto them, but the Matoran continue to fight; with less of them fighting the same number of enemies, the Matoran run out of ammunition quickly. Hubert takes down White One while Portalfig and Taka Nuvia take down Control; however, this leaves Hubert exhausted and unable to fight, forcing Tiragath and Shadow Ignited to focus on defending him while the others try to get to Makuta.

 

VOLTEX>>Voltex realizes that the only way they’ll win is if Makuta dies; and he also knows that the damage Shadowhawk has done to the Maxilos body will soon render it inoperable, possibly killing him. Not wanting to desert the Protectors, he turns to Kar, who tells him to do what he has to do. Voltex gives him a computer chip and tells Kar that he’ll know what to do; then he furiously leaps into the volcano, spearing Makuta through the back with his staff. As Makuta chokes and collapses, Voltex yanks it out; Portalfig and Taka Nuvia renew their attacks as Makuta taunts Voltex, saying that a mere robot cannot defeat him. Voltex informs him that he has defeated Makuta time and time again, confronting his greatest fear; Makuta realizes that he is Voltex just as Voltex declares that he is nothing - and he slams Makuta into the lava. As the Makuta perishes, Voltex uses the Staff of Unlimited Power to kill all of the enemy forces, cracking the Staff from the sheer power used in the process. He then turns to Portalfig, who asks “Voltex?”, says “Goodbye”, and is then swallowed by a shadow hand from Makuta, and perishes.

 

EPILOGUE

KAR>>Kar meets with Portalfig and Taka Nuvia, insisting that he does want to travel with them. The two tell him that they might be able to find somewhere to convert Kar into a Matoran, so that he will live as long as them; Kar agrees. Once he is alone, Kar inserts the computer chip Voltex gave him into a computer, and begins to speak: “Journal Entry One-Zero-Three…”

 

CHRO>>Chro meets with Hubert privately to say goodbye, thanking the Ta-Matoran for his faith and hard work. Hubert promises to visit if he ever returns to Okoto, and Chro promises him that there will always be room for him within the Fire Tribe. After Hubert leaves, Chro enters a room where Hisuti, Tekulo, Fishers, Nato, and a Protector known as Ultimo (Water) are waiting - the new leaders of each tribe on Okoto. Fishers explains that RG, AZBlue, Zakaro, Pahrak, Burnmad and Aerixx are reforming the Hunters under the new title of ‘Guardians’, and Chro officially begins the meeting.

 

PORTALFIG>>The five Matoran (Portalfig, Taka Nuvia, Shadow Ignited, Hubert and Tiragath) gather together as they wait for Kar, discussing what has happened. Kar soon arrives, apologizing for the wait, and Taka Nuvia asks where they are going. Portalfig explains that Voltex left a set of coordinates with Kar, and as the dimensional portal opens, he says that it is time that they returned home.

 

KAR>>Journal Entry 103 from Kar, giving a brief overview of the events of Isolation, Extraction, and Extermination, as well as Decimation. He explains that Voltex left him files on life after life spent in various universes, dating all the way back to his days in the Mafia universe; Kar then notes that the listener should pay attention to the four most recent files in particular. He says that Voltex had named them all individually, but that Kar, believing that they are more important when put together, has given them the unified title of “Uprising”.

  • Upvote 7

3 Comments


Recommended Comments

I like the fate AZBlue was going to have. I love the direction this was to go, and am sad we won't see it in it's finished form. Thanks for sharing the outline!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

That outline is amazing, and I feel the whole thing would have been too, even more so. :) I admire the fact that you had this all planned in such a detailed way!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...