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Southern Frontier


Cosmic Titan

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Months ago a band of various species went on a voyage to see what was in the far south of the universe. They didn't expect to find what they did; no one expected the horrors they uncovered. The Southern Islands were not as barren and lifeless as others liked to believe.

Many of the explorers had hoped to find wealth and glory but as of yet the only thing they found was death. From the strange flora and fauna to the seemingly toxic landscape. A band once forty in number was reduced to ten. A once majestic ship was now splinters and driftwood. They were marooned on the southernmost island in Mata Nui's right leg not that they knew that.

The remaining explorers stood on the island's black sand beach and looked with curiosity and fear on the island's landscape. In the center was a great volcano that appeared to be dormant. Most the island was covered in a lush tropical forest expect for the coast that was covered in black sand. The explorers could hear the calls of various beasts that lived deeper in forest.

The leader of this expedition went by the name Gadget. Originally a Ko-Matoran from Metru Nui this Matoran was a genius. Gadget wore a heavy mech suit of his own design.

The other surviving crew members were of various species and backgrounds.

Ark was a shapeshifter. His default form looked much like a Toa. But he was much slimmer and more streamline. Most of his body was silver and he had a soft blue glow that emanated from his eyes and any other gaps in his armor. He was a wandering hero.

Astral was a Toa. He didn’t have a traditionally elemental power but he had powers that are generally associated with ghosts. He was also a product of a supersoldier program and was a brilliant warrior. He wore dark teal, grey and silver armor and a mask of night vision. At eight feet tall he was much larger than an average Toa and his body was covered in muscle from his experimental training.

Bellum was a Toa of water that had once lived in Metru Nui. She was streamline blue and silver armor with flames etched into the gauntlets. She was shorter than most at five feet eight inches tall. She had powerful, orange eyes and wore a unique mask. It allowed her control of fire and when active she was surrounded by fire. Bellum was always travelling and exploring.

Maelstrom was a strange insect-like humanoid and seemingly the last of his kind. He was amphibious and was capable of flight and had strength greater than most Toa. He was an explorer and a dangerous fighter.

 

The other crew members were shadier and didn’t stand out as much. There were three Skakdi and two Vortixx. They had survived this long for whatever reason. All the Skakdi and one Vortixx were hired mercenaries and they regretted getting hired into this and the other Vortixx was an outcast hoping to get rich off this journey.

The ten explorers argued about what to do. Should they turn back or stay? Would it be bad of them to turn back after so much death? Could this possibly be worth it? Eventually the decision fell to Gadget to decide. He declared they would continue south. Not everyone was happy but going back alone was not going to end well. They gathered what supplies they could salvage and carry and started into the forest.

After several hours they found a clearing with a beautiful, silver pool. Gadget decided they should rest for a bit. The group settled down to rest.

The mercenary Vortixx walked to the pool and sat down beside it, gazing into its silvery depths. His eyes mesmerized by silver liquid. A voice spoke to him.

“You can do so much better. These fools hold you back. Kill them and take all their wealth and this island’s riches. Do it! Just drag them into the pool. I will do the rest.”

The Vortixx rose to his feet. He casually walked over to others. Activating a device on his hip that boosted his natural strength he grabbed two of the Skakdi by the heads and with unnatural speed moved them to the pool.

Gadget yelled, “Let them go you fool. What are you doing?” The Matoran aimed his rocker launcher even though he hoped not to fight.

“NO!” He screamed the mercenary. “You are but a Matoran! I will put you back in your place!” Everyone could see the madness in his eyes as he screamed. He threw the two Skakdi at the pool as the other Skakdi and Vortixx charged him. The five beings all ended up falling into the pool. But this pool was not water and it wasn’t mercury either. It was energized protodermis. The five beings were destroyed and the next instant a new creature rose out of the pool.

The beast stood ten feet tall and was humanoid in shape. It had glistening blood red skin with black symbols tattoo on its flesh. It was very muscular and had sharp fangs and claws as well as two wicked horns. Its horrible eyes glowed a demonic red. It walked out of the pool and the island shook.

The five remaining explorers knew this new being was not going to be peaceful and they prepared to fight.

Gadget rushed the beast launching various missiles and lasers at the same time. The beast chuckled and a black mist swirled around its outstretched hands. The island rumbled and Gadget was knocked down. An obsidian spike reached out of the ground and gored Gadget and his mech suit. The Matoran howled in pain. The beast’s eyes flashed and Gadget screamed again as his mech suit exploded around him. The others looked on in horror at the pile of dust that had once been their friend and leader.

Maelstrom charged the beast and readied a punch. His fist went at the beast with all his strength but it never hit. Maelstrom was surrounded in a blood red light and launched backwards. A sickening scream of rage echoed from Maelstrom as he slammed into the ground.

Bellum activated her mask and instantly she was surrounded in fire. She put both of her arms up as a wall of flame was launched at the beast. But it just held out its hand and the fire was absorbed.

Ark had a natural Rhotuka launcher in his left hand and he charged it up and launched the Rhotuka at the beast. It made contact and exploded in a blast of electricity. But yet again the beast was not bothered by the attack.

Astral shook in rage. His yellow eyes glared at the beast. His hands clenched into fists. He breathed deeply and then screamed. From his body emanated a horrible, otherworldly sound. His three friends flinched but seemed unaffected. The beast roared in pain.

Astral’s body shimmered as he rocketed forward. Faster than the others could react, Astral stood in front of the beast. His body surrounded in a teal aura. With all his might he slammed his fists one after another into the beast.

The beast laughed and its eyes glowed. But nothing happened and the beast then looked concerned and its eyes stopped glowing. Again Astral’s fist hit the beast and this time a crack appeared in its skin and it roared in agony.

The island itself shook and the group could see smoke was now coming out of the volcano. The beast roared again and brushed Astral aside. And Maelstrom attacked. The beast didn’t seem concerned and grabbed Maelstrom by the top of the head with its own right hand. The beast bellowed and Maelstrom’s body lit up. The group looked on in terror as Maelstrom exploded in the beast’s hand.

Ark cried out in pain at the loss of his friend. Without thinking he charged the beast. The beast gutted Ark with the claws on its outstretched hand. But Ark didn’t give up. He shapeshifted away the damage and turned his two arms into four and then made the end of his arms all blades. He slashed at the beast in an uncontrolled rage.

But the beast kept its calm. And it grabbed both of Ark’s shoulders and lifted him off the ground. Ark knew it was over and closed his eyes and returned to his default form. The beast bellowed and Ark exploded in a blast of light.

Astral got back to his feet. Bellum screamed as she turned off her mask and pelted the beast with water. The Toa were both terrified. Bellum conjured a giant fist of water and grabbed the beast with it. Using all her might she forced the fist to crush the beast and lift it off the ground. She moved it over the pool of energized protodermis and allowed the giant fist of water to fall apart.

The beast fell into the pool. But it was not meant to transform and so it was destroyed.

The Toa knew that the pool of energized protodermis must be destroyed. Bellum used her mask and launched fire at the pool. The pool exploded and Astral used his power to make them both intangible so they could survive the explosion.

Almost unnoticed a portal opened nearby. A Toa in silver armor stood on the other side. He telepathically called out to Astral and Bellum.

They both knew they could not go back north and going further south was pointless. And after all that had happened they wanted to escape. So the ran through the portal and to wherever it went.

Edited by Cosmic Titan
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