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The Order Preliminary Poll - Helryx


Order Poll - Helryx  

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Vote here for your favorite The Order story; entries have been randomized. Please MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL ENTRIES BEFORE VOTING.Voting begins now and will end on July 6th at 11:59 PM EST. Entries that do well will move on to the The Order Final Poll, which will be posted at the conclusion of the 10th round preliminary poll.

 

Entry #1:

 

"Execution"

“We have our orders, Krika. Teridax specifically asked us to execute Miserix. And you know how much Teridax hates being disobeyed.”

For the first time, Krika didn't see holes in Spiriah's logic. Teridax, newly elected leader of the Brotherhood, wasted no time in executing his Plan. Of course, he was bound to assign a few Makuta to perform The Order. The Order, as any organization knows, is the execution of a deposed leader.

And so Krika found himself with Spiriah, a Makuta who would better have served as a Matoran, weak and cowering. Their escort was Makuta Miserix, former leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta, currently a shackled denizen of the Fortress's dungeon.

“Look, Spiriah. I agree, Teridax would vaporize us on sight if we let Miserix go. But if you have any sense in yourself, you'll know that Miserix was right: Teridax's plan could destroy the universe. I don't want to kill our former, and in my opinion better, leader.”

“Could, not will. It's a mere word, but it makes all the difference, Krika. His Plan aside, we've already established he will kill us if we let Miserix off. And not just kill, he'll...well, you know.” As if to punctuate the point, Spiriah mock-slit his throat. “I'd rather not let that happen.”

“Spiriah, I...” Krika paused, reorganizing his thoughts. “I was thinking we'd 'dispose' of him, but not actually kill him. Say we hid him somewhere far away. I mean, it would technically dispose of him.”

Spiriah huffed. Arrogant as ever. Shame he didn't have anything to back it. “Krika, I think you're too attached to Miserix. Say Teridax found that out, what would he do? Maybe you're a detriment to the Plan? He wouldn't like that...”

Krika figured out this was going nowhere. “Don't dare doubt my loyalty to Teridax. While his Plan may be suicidal, his intellect is not. We'll discuss this tomorrow.”

The meeting of two adjourned.

--------

In the dark of night, as every Makuta either slumbered in their quarters or concocted in their labs, Krika stole to the dungeon. Once inside, he moved straight to Miserix's cell.

The sight that met him wasn't pretty. Draining cuffs sap the wearer of their powers, and Miserix was no exception. He was bound with a pair around his wrists. The former leader was sitting with his head down, no doubt aware of Krika's presence.

“Miserix, it's time to go.”

“Well, if it isn't my personal executioner. Weren't there two of you? Or did Spiriah's incompetence get him kicked from this most important of honors?”

“Miserix, it's time to go.” Krika repeated himself.

The former leader, under the impression that this was truly the end, went into a passive state. He let Krika guide him out of the dungeon and to the execution site.

Then Krika did something no one would have expected: he shattered Miserix's shackles. Miserix, taken aback by this sudden action, said the word most appropriate for the situation.

“Why?”

“Hurry up and turn into a dragon. Fly us to this island.” Krika pointed to a map, lit only by a small flashlight he'd brought along. Miserix complied, and in less than a minute they were on their way.

“I repeat, why? I understand you're the most reasonable of those fools that dare call themselves Makuta of the Brotherhood, but the answer still escapes me.”

“It's simple, Miserix: you're a leader I would follow, not Teridax. We're going to a volcanic island, where you will be chained with draining cuffs. Rahi will stand guard, and you will be a prisoner yet again.”

“So you're simply moving me from one prison to another?”

“Miserix, this isn't a prison, it's a test. Someday, when you're powerful, you'll break out of your chains to take back the Brotherhood. And besides, we both know your rage requires culling. This isn't the right time for a rebellion.”

Miserix sighed, then nodded. “Krika, sometimes I wonder why I didn't make you my lieutenant.”

--------

“Well? Where's Miserix?” Spiriah was furious. This was the execution deadline, and a missing Miserix meant absolute death.

“I killed him, Spiriah. He's dead. I didn't want to waste my day setting up the equipment and all. Our work is over. Report that to Teridax.”

Spiriah, still grumbling, walked away to deliver the news.

Krika smiled. The Order had been averted.

Teridax wasn't the only one who could formulate masterful plans.

------------------------------------

Entry #2:

"Thirty Minutes"

 

“This is definitely the worst misappropriation of our abilities imaginable.”

 

“Putting aside the irreparable falseness of that statement, I’d say you’re right.”

 

“We’re Toa, for Mata Nui’s sake!”

 

“Indeed. This really is work best suited for Matoran couriers.”

 

“But no.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“They send Toa to deliver the Turaga’s food order.”

 

 

“A crueler joke hasn’t ever been told.”

 

Rimoto decided to stop talking to catch his breath, an act that his partner, Forr, also thought appropriate.

 

“Holy Mata Nui. This Turaga must be a glutton…what kind of food order requires two crates, and ones of this size? What even is in these?”

 

“Well, my dear Forr, you’re better off not peeking. You know how Greva is, always peeking around and sticking her eyes in other’s business with her creepy mask. I don’t want to have to be reprimanded because you were ogling the Turaga’s berries.”

 

“Hey now, these are way too heavy to be berries.”

 

“Anyway, you know it’s an order to not look into the order. It’s a secret. A secret secret.”

 

“That is the best kind of secret, I think. Also preferably the only one…”

 

“What kind of stupid rules are these, though? Deliver the food in thirty minutes or the negotiations are off? I get that we’re in a tense situation with that village, but this just seems excessively inane.”

 

“And why did we have to be the ones to go?”

 

“It might be because we’re so annoying.”

 

“Maybe. But that seems really risky. We waste so much time, we may not get it done at all!”

 

“That’s…unlikely. It’s a very safe road and we aren’t that terrible. There really isn’t any way to mess this up.”

 

“Yeah, but really…why us?”

 

”Greva is too busy to waste her time like this…though I worry about sending two thirds of the village’s defenses away on such a random mission.”

 

“What two thirds? That would be Greva.”

 

“Ha ha. I suppose…”

 

They reached their destination soon afterwards. Looming before them was a massive, ornate fortress carved of pitch-black rock.

 

“That…that is a really big house for a Turaga.”

 

“No joke. Not to mention dark and ominous.”

 

“Maybe he’s in a bad mood (because of the hunger) and redecorated to match.”

 

“…Yeah. That is definitely the most likely explanation.”

 

“I’m glad you agree.”

 

“Either way, how do we get in here?”

 

“Try knocking.”

 

“…yeah, okay.”

 

A shaken-looking Turaga answered the door, though, at seeing the two Toa, his expression brightened.

 

“Oh! The order has finally arrived. I was lucky. A few more minutes and I would have been in trouble. But by all means, come in, come in.”

 

“Uh, greetings, wise elder. We don’t mean to intrude. We’re just here to deliver the order. We’ll be leaving, if that’s all.”

 

The Turaga, deaf to their protests, ushered them in. “Oh, don’t say such silly things, come in!”

 

“But…”

 

The Turaga led them through a dark corridor, and at the end, they faced a grand door.

 

“This is where you go.”

 

“Sorry. I thought you ordered this?”

 

“Huh? Oh, goodness, no. The order was for food for the Master. I’m just the aide.”

 

“Hmm? So there’s another Turaga in here?”

 

“Oh…sure. But do hurry, he’s been grumpy lately.”

 

As the two entered the chamber, they noticed it was shrouded in total darkness.

 

“Hey, what’s with the dark? We might bump into a chair or something.”

 

Shutting the door, the Turaga apologized.

 

“Oh do forgive my Master, great Toa. He’s been out of it for a bit now. It's the hunger. You see…

 

…it’s been a while since we got a pair of fresh Toa around these parts.”

 

Then there was the sound door being locked, and silence.

------------------------------------

Entry #3:

"Artahka's Hand"

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
That had always been the order.
Fire. Water. Earth. Air. Stone. Ice.
Tahu. Gali. Onua. Lewa. Pohatu. Kopaka.
But before them was a different order, and before them was an even older order.
Artahka's Hand. This is the story of an Order before all others...
-------
Helryx rose her shield, blocking a strike from the sword of a Dark Hunter. She quickly struck back with her mace, sending the opponent over the edge and into the water. It was raining wickedly. His head went under and never came back up. But that wasn't Helryx's problem- she spun around and kicked out a Hunter's legs, sending him skidding across the wooden deck of the Hand's ship. As Hydraxon finished off a Hunter of his own, she slid down to her prey and grabbed ahold of his head. At first, he thought she was going to kill him. But no, he was too useful for that. She activated her mask, and instantly saw the inside of the ship he had come on. She looked up, nodded to Hydraxon, and saw him- The Shadowed One -standing there on the deck of the opposing ship.
"Helmsman! Ram that ship!"
The Matoran at the controls turned their vessel, ramming the entire thing into the starboard side of the Hunter's ship, creating cracks all through. Helryx, using the connection, leaped across, followed by Hydraxon.
The two pointed their weapons at The Shadowed One, securing themselves against the railing.
"You are under arrest by the authority of Artahka," Helryx called out.
The large being laughed, and this laugh was the last thing Hydraxon saw. He was tossed into the water, sinking quicker and quicker. Helryx never saw him again after that. The Toa of water and the leader of the Dark Hunters clashed weapons, each formidable and strong. She blocked strikes with her shield, but he simply redirected the mace blows with his staff. Even then, Hand members were streaming over and fighting off Hunters as their leaders fought. But Helryx was downed in a few seconds, not by her opponent's blade, but by a Hunter from behind, slashing at her back. She fell, head hitting the ground with a loud noise. The Shadowed One stood over her, ready to kill.
"You are declared dead, by the authority of-"
PSSHHHHHHH
A nova blast destroyed both boats instantly. Everyone was dead, it seemed, save for Helryx, who had forced the water away from herself, and the Shadowed One, whose method of survival was never clear.
She awoke later to see Artahka and an incarnation of Mata Nui.
"Helryx, we're going to need a new Order..."
------------------------------------
Entry #4:

"The Shadow’s Orders"

 

It was another sunny day in the Po-Koro market, and Ahkmou stood at his stand, where he sold Comet Kohlii balls. They were currently the biggest hit in the village, because they were the best boulders to use in the stadium.

 

But the good news about his sales was countered by the epidemic, which was spreading across the village. Matoran were falling ill, and nobody knew the cause.

 

Nobody except for Ahkmou, and the news pleased him.

 

“Weaken Po-Koro’s defenses,” the Shadows had said to him. “Make it so I can take the village. That is an order.”

 

Ahkmou had allied with the Shadows long ago, due to his dislike of the Turaga and Matoran on Mata Nui. He had joined their civilization, but secretly plotted against them. He had waited years to finally take Turaga Onewa and the other Po-Matoran down a notch. And he had finally received his order.

 

But while the Shadows desired a particular outcome, they were willing to let Ahkmou select the method. He had chosen to infect his fellow villagers with the Madness. With help from the Shadows, he had crafted the perfect Kohlii ball, which was balanced and lightweight. But the boulders were also tainted, due to them having been recovered from a Nui-Jaga’s nest. After using them for a period of time, a Matoran would fall ill, and then the Madness would set in.

 

Already, members of the Po-Matoran guard were dropping like flies. Kohlii was such a popular sport that all the Po-Matoran played it, and now almost all of them had a Comet. Soon, they would all be too sick to properly defend the village.

 

Ahkmou daydreamed of the near future, when his plans would come to completion. The affected Matoran would fall into Madness, one by one, and be no better than the infected Rahi who wandered the deserts. Some, like Turaga Onewa, would persist. He couldn’t sell a Comet to everybody, after all. He had even tried to pass one off to a Ta-Matoran wanderer, but the traveler had passed it up.

 

But those who stayed sane wouldn’t be safe from Ahkmou’s vengeance. When the time was right, the Shadows would send the infected Rahi to attack the desert village, and with so few defenders left, Po-Koro would fall. Ahkmou had been told that the Rahi would spare him, and he relished the thought of watching a Nui-Jaga take down the tyrannical Turaga Onewa.

 

And then he would be the last of the Po-Matoran. And he could begin plotting against the other villages in earnest. He already had ideas for how to destroy them, from flooding the tunnels of Onu-Koro to burning down the trees of Le-Koro. But before he could begin to get his revenge on all the Matoran on Mata-Nui, he would need to deliver Po-Koro to his master’s hands. That is what he had been ordered to do.

 

The merchants around him started talking excitedly, shaking Ahkmou out of his daydreams. He overheard their discussion, and doubt quickly began to gnaw at him. The Ta-Matoran traveler, known as the Chronicler, had been seen heading for the Quarry, with a key in hand. Furthermore, Toa Pohatu had raced off after him, and rumor was that they had discovered the source of the epidemic.

 

The Nui-Jaga nest where Ahkmou had collected the Kohlii balls was located in the Quarry, so that news was enough to make him nervous. But he had locked away the nest, so it was unlikely to be discovered. Yet as Ahkmou searched for his key, he realized that it was missing.

 

Ahkmou retreated from his stand and searched his hut, but the key was not among his possessions. He was returning to the market when he happened to spot Turaga Onewa and two Ta-Matoran guards at his stand. That was the last straw; he now knew that his plan had been discovered. He didn’t know what had given it away, but now he had more important things to worry about. He needed to flee before the Turaga could apprehend him.

 

His thoughts lingered on the Shadows, who had given him a direct order. But he had followed that, Ahkmou thought as he raced for the village’s gate. He had weakened the village’s defenses. He had followed his orders. Things had not gone exactly as planned, but he had tried his best.

 

Hopefully the Shadows would be merciful to him as he retreated out into the desert.

 

------------------------------------

 

"As a writer you ask yourself to dream while awake." ~ Aimee Bender

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