The Protar Chronicles

[TahuForever!]

Welcome, one and all! Please, please, have a seat. Allow me to introduce you to my very first BZPower-posted epic, The Protar Chronicles. I actually wrote this years ago, although as I post the chapters I'll be doing some editing. Who is this Protar person? Believe it or not, he's actually a real Bionicle character, although I named him myself. What's his connection to Roodaka? Read on if you wish to experience the riveting tale...

 

 

 

 

 

The Protar Chronicles

Part 1: Vinak Stumbles

 

　

　

　

　

"Well, Vinak, aren't you excited? Today's the big day!"

 

Vinak's eyes flew open and were flooded with light. It was morning, and he was laying on his bed. His good friend, Kondur, was standing in the doorway.

 

He sat up and glanced around his one-room home with undecorated gray walls and dull furnishing.

 

"Yes, but if I don't get enough rest, then I'll never make it, you know that..."

 

"Oh, come on. You've had plenty of time for resting, Vinak."

 

Vinak sighed. He knew his friend was right. It wasn't so much that he was still tired, but... He wasn't sure he could trust his partner. But then, around here, you often can't, he thought with distaste. Still, excitement at what the day would hold coursed through him.

 

Today was the day he would go through the Xian rite of passage. He was a Vortixx, and every Vortixx had to go through a rite of passage at some point in their lives. He was a very young Vortixx, but he did have a job at a factory on the island, which was dirty and unpleasant, and if he succeeded in conquering the mountain he would have a chance for better working conditions.

 

Although most likely it would be of little improvement, as he lived in a society where females harshly dominated. Nevertheless, the rite of passage was an important moment in the life of all Vortixx, and he couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect. Kondur had completed his rite of passage weeks ago, and now it was Vinak's turn.

 

- - * - -

 

Later that day, the two of them, Vinak and his partner, were standing side by side at the foot of the mountain located in the center of their island. Around them, other Vortixx were giving them final words of encouragement and wishing them luck. It was rather a small crowd, actually.

 

Kondur put his hand on Vinak's shoulder. "Good luck," he said. "I'm sure you'll be fine." His awkward smile betrayed his worry, however.

Vinak found it impossible to smile. The muscles under his green armor were twisting with apprehension. Climbing a mountain should have been a simple matter, and on any other island, it would've been. But the mountain on Xia was no ordinary mountain. No, this mountain had a taste for bio-mechanical beings, and an unfortunate habit of moving on it's own. Any plants that grew on it were full of acid, and even the sky was said to rain fire over it. Forcing down his mounting fear, he put on a resolute expression and turned to his black-armored partner.

 

"Ready, Roodaka?"

 

His partner turned from another female Vortixx she had been speaking to.

 

"Why, yes. I'm so very much looking forward to it." She smiled in what seemed to be sweetness, but somehow her smile always made his spine crawl.

 

"Well, we may as well start, then," was his reply.

 

- - * - -

 

That climb was the most difficult and frightening thing Vinak had ever done up to that point in his life. He was scared out of his wits of getting eaten, and more than once the rock making up the mountain took a snap at him. His partner, Roodaka, didn't help, as she kept looking at him as if he was a well-cooked meal, or so he kept imagining it. He tried to shake this feeling off, but he knew too well about the tradition of Vortixx betraying each other on the mountain.

 

The other Vortixx actually seemed to congragulate members of their species who came back down the mountain alone due to treachery. Vinak had considered using such tactics himself, but even the sight of a dying rodent rahi on the seashore made his armor twitch. The thought of seeing one of his own put in that state by his own hand and without due cause, well, he didn't think he could bear it.

 

In fact, at one point during the climb he found such an oppurtunity to betray Roodaka into the mountain's stony jaws, but he chose not to take it. He wasn't even sure if Roodaka had noticed it.

 

However, halfway up the mountain, that fateful moment came. Vinak's foot got stuck in a crevice, and the mountain began pulling him in. He pulled with all his might, but the stone held him fast.

 

"Roodaka! Help me!" he cried desperately.

 

Roodaka smiled and said, in her most poisonously sweet voice, "No, I don't think so." She continued her climb, leaving him to die.

 

An icy dread shot down his spine. He struggled with the rock, gripping his leg and pulling with even greater might than before, driven by sheer desperation and fear. His leg slipped an inch or so out of the stone.

 

Elated, he continued the struggle, his own desire to live vs. the mountain's unquenchable hunger. Several times he was sure it had him, but then, with a yank that nearly tore his leg in two, he managed to get free. Trouble was, he was on a sheer cliff, and since his hands were on his leg, he had no grip on the rock. The only way from there was straight down.

 

Have I escaped the mountain's jaws just to die on it's jagged teeth below? As he whipped through the air, there was nothing he could do, nothing to grab on to.

Then he landed. Hard. Dazed, he spent several agonized moments on the verge of blacking out, before gaining enough awareness to realize that, though winded and bruised, he was neither dead nor quite dying. He had, he soon realized, landed on a ledge. He laughed and struggled to catch his breath. Thou donst hast me just yet, O thou wicked mountain!

 

Just then, a gaping hole opened in the rock beneath him. Uttering a startled cry, he fell into darkness...

But he didn't die then, either. Instead of closing in around him, the opening widened into a cave. The hole shut and he was left in the dark, and suddenly he found himself landing in a pool of strange liquid. He sank into it, struggling to swim, but he was still breathless and his lungs were on fire. His mind began to fade... Fade... Into blackness...

 

But then, something very strange happened. He could have sworn he heard a voice, very faint, but just audible... Be at ease, O favored one. You have a grand destiny awaiting you...

 

And then, as if it couldn't get any stranger, came the next part of one of the most bizarre experiences of his life. The liquid, which certainly was not water, seemed to electrocute him, ripping a part and rearranging the particles of his body. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

He could never recall exactly how long he'd been in the pool, but the next thing he could remember was when he managed to drag himself out and lay on the edge. The only thing he could think of was to reach daylight. As he desperately searched the wall for a way out, suddenly, miraculously, a crack opened up before him, leading out into the light, as if obeying his will.

 

He slowly stepped through the crack and found himself rather close to the bottom of the mountain. His mind was still in a daze, and he made his down the foothills with the vague intent of complaining to the other Vortixx about Roodaka's cheating.

 

But before he reached the city, he passed a puddle of water on the ground. As he walked past he saw a flash of something unexpected in it, and he stopped to get a better look. What he saw made him gasp. It was his reflection, but instead of his normal, green-armored self, a strange silver-armored Vortixx was staring back at him. The silver being, which couldn't have been him, had armor that was very smooth, not rough like a typical Vortixx's.

 

As he stared at this being and came to terms with the fact that it was indeed he himself, something tugged at his mind, as if some part of him was trying to tell him something. The buzz got so bad that he waved his hand as if to shoo a small bug.

 

Suddenly, his hand burst into flame. He gasped and outstretched his arm, but then he realized the fire did not hurt. Then it went out. After a few moments of thought, he tried to find whatever had tugged on his mind. He found it and reached into it. He willed the fire to return and it did. Then, acting on instinct, he waved his arm. Suddenly a wall of fire sprang up before him. He smiled and elatedly launched a roaring fireball into the sky. He grinned from ear to ear. Somehow, some way, he'd changed.

 

He was physically stronger, and he'd gained innate elemental power. This was unheard of among Vortixx! With a yell he whirled in a circle. To his further surprise, a small cyclone sprang to life, twirling away into the wilderness. Not just fire...? he marveled.

 

At this, an incredible idea occurred to him. He spread his hand over the puddle, and it froze over. Whoa. Standing up straight, he stretched his palms to the ground and a hole opened up in the dirt. Holy Muaka... He scratched his head for a moment, then waved his hand over the hole, and solid rock filled in the hole. He thrust his hand into the sky and a thin stream of water shot from his hand. He grinned again. Somehow he now posessed the six regular elemental powers of Toa! But how?

 

At the time it puzzled him, but later he learned that the pool of liquid he'd fallen in must have been energized protodermis. It had transformed him forever. No longer was he just a Vortixx, now he was something more. Much more. Words echoed in his mind: You have a grand destiny before you...

 

His first thought was to return to the Vortixx and try to explain what had happened to him, but something held him back. A grand destiny... He suddenly realized that he hated life on Xia. But still, this was the only world he knew. It was his home, his world... And yet... He couldn't help but feel he belonged elsewhere.

 

By the time he reached his decision, he had become quite well-acquainted with his new physique, as portrayed in the puddle. In the end, he snuck aboard a ship leaving Xia and never looked back.

 

Well, there's chapter one. Chapters will be posted weekly, so the next one should be posted on Thursday, January 3rd. I hope you're enjoying it so far.Comments, constructive criticism, Grammar Hammering, nitpicks, complaints, praise, encouragement, nobel prizes, and the like are of course more than welcome in the review topic, which is here: The Protar Chronicles: Review.

 

1/2/13 EDIT: Made some formatting changes. Looks cleaner now, I think. Added a few minor wording edits as well.

Edited January 5, 2013 by TahuNuvaFan

[TahuForever!]

A little late, but here is chapter 2. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

The Protar Chronicles

 

 

 

Part 2: Protok Falls

 

 

 

 

After leaving Xia, Vinak spent his time over the next few years exploring different lands and familiarizing himself with his powers. Over this time he also became acquainted with the Matoran. He soon developed a fondness for them and their simple, hard-working, yet easygoing way of life. His kind and gentle attitude with them soon overcame their fear of him, and they accepted the large silver being as a friend.

 

He exercised his powers often, and soon his various feats, such as accidentally blowing up a giant dam or freezing solid a lake in the middle of a desert, attracted the attention of certain organized groups...

 

　

In particular, the Dark Hunters thought he would make a nice addition to their ranks. One day Vinak ran across a strange, amphibious being who introduced himself and told him about an organization where Vinak would fit in. He made the Dark Hunters, whom Vinak knew practically nothing about at the time, sound like a group of beings who did simple jobs or tasks for the benefit of others in exchange for fair payment. The idea appealed to Vinak.

The Dark Hunter led to a secret place where he met up with a couple of other Dark Hunters, and agreed to join them. They then took him to an island fortress.

 

Vinak found the look of the fortress to be highly formidable, which was understandable considering the wars that went on in the universe, but the harsh edges and bleak overall design reminded him uncomfortably of Xian architecture...

 

He soon became acquainted with the Dark Hunter way of doing things. Violence and cruelty. A night in a cell and a session in the training arena was enough to teach him that. After that he just wanted to escape from the Dark Hunters, but he soon realized that would be impossible.

 

He heard stories about Hunters who tried to escape... Not good stories, either. If he wanted out, he'd have to fight his way out, or be ready to fight the Hunters who tracked him down. But powerful as he was, many of the other Hunters were powerful as well. Some far more powerful.

 

Especially powerful was their leader, known only as The Shadowed One. Vinak didn't particularly like him, what with his arrogant and sadistic, though charismatic, disposition. What Vinak found rather strange, though, was that the leader seemed to take particular interest in Vinak and his powers.

 

Vinak was forced to learn fighting techniques and to hone his skills with those powers. After his battle skills were trained, he underwent mission training, being taught how to steal or destroy in secret and quickly return to base. After a long while, when he got over his initial fear and gained confidence in his abilities, he found he was actually enjoying himself, and wondered if being a Dark Hunter might not be so bad after all.

 

 

　

Imagine what a shock it was when a few months later Vinak should meet, on the Dark Hunters' island of Odina and yet walking freely, Roodaka. She had survived her climb of the mountain and gained high status on Xia. Now she'd come to Odina in pursuit of training. At first she didn't recognize him, but he soon proved to her who he was. Their conversation then was, well, less than friendly.

 

In later years Vinak would discover that he did not resent his mutation, which Roodaka partially but accidentally caused, for he had enoyed life outside of Xia far more than inside. But he did resent Roodaka's other evil deeds, and so the two conflicted more than once. But at the time when they met on Odina the memory of her traitorous act was still very fresh and painful in his mind, and he looked forward to meeting her in the training arena.

 

Soon he did, and the two fought for the first time. Vinak hurled his elemental powers at her in great anger, but he underestimated her. She was quicker than he'd thought, and also stronger and more agile. He also let his guard down in his anger, and she overwhelmingly defeated him. There was no deathblow, however.

 

The Shadowed one himself oversaw their fight, and would not allow it, even though Roodaka would have liked to finish him then and there. Vinak soon recovered from his loss, and was determined to do better the next time.

 

 

But the next time did not come for a long time. She soon completed her training, and left. This was very strange, as Hunters allowing non-Hunters to recieve their training was unheard of, but Roodaka, through complex means, managed to strike a deal with the Shadowed One. But that's another story.

　

It was sometime after this that Vinak learned of the last of his powers. Through experimentation with combining elements, he discovered his ability, by combining all six, to create and control Protodermis.

 

It was incredible! Never in his life had he heard of any being with such an ability, short of, perhaps, the Great Spirit himself. And in truth, The Shadowed One's staff allowed him to create crystalline protodermis, but that was different.

 

Through experimentation, Vinak found he could create multiple kinds of it, including crystalline. Although to create the crystalline form was incredibly difficult, and indeed he never managed it until a great many years later.

 

Later he found that using any more than a small amount of protodermis energy taxed him too much to be worth using often in battle, though. Even a simple energy beam left him gasping for breath. But even so, it amazed him that any being could do such a thing.

 

　

The Shadowed One would surely have had some special use for a being of such power, and Vinak never could quite figure out why he was allowed to live like a normal Dark Hunter for so long afterwards. Perhaps the Shadowed One wanted to see him prove his loyalty before assigning him to a special purpose. Or perhaps it had taken him quite a long time to think of what the best use for a protodermis creator would be.

 

Unfortunately, Vinak never got the chance to use his new power on Roodaka during this time.

 

 

After months of training, Vinak was finally made an active Dark Hunter. During the ceremony, The Shadowed One gave him a new name, and no longer was he Vinak the Vortixx... He was Protok the Dark Hunter.

 

As a full Dark Hunter, he was sent on missions. At first he had to go along with a senior Hunter, but later he went on missions of his own. He was somehow lucky enough to get the less destructive missions for a while, but soon something happened that changed things drastically for him.

 

Before joining the Dark Hunters, Protok had grown very fond of the Matoran race. A good many had been friendly to him, and showed him more kindness than he'd ever seen on Xia and infinitely more than he'd seen on Odina.

 

He hated stealing from them, and avoided harming them when he could, but he had little choice in the matter. He never killed a Matoran, at least not directly, and was lucky to never be in a situation where he was forced to.

 

But now he went on a mission to steal something from a Matoran village, and it should have been a simple go in and get out, and the Matoran would have had no clue as to who had stolen the item. But his partner thought otherwise, and the Dark Hunters had no rules against causing destruction, so long as it left no evidence.

 

His partner set fire to the village on their way out. After fleeing the village, Protok watched in disgust, from a distance, as the Matoran fled for their lives and struggled to put out the fire. They failed. The entire village burned to the ground and many Matoran were killed.

 

It was after this that Protok became certain: These Dark Hunters were beings to be fought against, not just resisted, as he had been doing. Yet by then he knew that the Shadowed One watched the beings in his charge very closely, and could easily sniff out the least bit of rebellion.

 

Until an oppurtunity to escape came, Protok was careful to watch his step and his thoughts and prove his loyalty to the Dark Hunters. Years would go by before that oppurtunity came.

 

Enduring the atrocites of the Dark Hunters was a terribly difficult time in his life. Destruction and deceit became a habit, but somewhere in his being he knew he wasn't one of them.

 

During these difficult years, Protok would occasionally remember what he had thought he heard just before his transformation... Be at ease, favored one, the voice had said. You have a grand destiny awaiting you... But had he really heard anything, or had he imagined it? And if he had heard them, where had they come from? Who had spoken them?

Even besides that, how could it possibly be true? He was a Dark Hunter now, a vile monster, and had no choice in the matter.

One day as he stood before a burning village, which he himself had set ablaze, the memory of the voice returned. A grand destiny, he thought with disgust. Yeah, right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As before, any reviews, comments, or criticisms are welcome in the review topic Here. I hope you're enjoying the story so far.

 

1/19/13 EDIT: Added a few paragraphs to the end.

Edited January 22, 2013 by Takuaka: Toa of Time

[TahuForever!]

Once again late, here's chapter 3.

 

 

 

 

The Protar Chronicles

Part 3: Protok Hits the Dirt

One day, fate smiled again upon Protok, though he didn't realize it until he looked back years later.

 

He was on an important mission for the Hunters when he came across a Toa, a red one wearing a Hau. Toa normally posed little threat to Protok, but one could never tell for sure.

 

Protok hated fighting Toa, as they stood for everything he liked and admired in the Matoran, and then some. He always tried to avoid it when he could, but this time he had no choice in the matter.

 

The little guy had Protok trapped in a square in the middle of a village. No moon was shining brightly this night, and all was dark. But Dark Hunters were used to the dark. Toa typically weren't.

 

"Who are you, anyway?" Protok snarled as the Toa once again blocked his escape. "Why don't you just leave me alone? I don't feel like squashing any bugs today." To his own disgust the Dark Hunters' bad attitudes were rubbing off on him.

 

"You've just stolen something very important, my tall silver friend," the wearer of the Hau replied with a determined glare. "You may never know how important. And I'm afraid I can't let you escape with it."

 

Protok hesitated. What could possibly be so important about an unassuming little tablet? Sure, the language on it was one he didn't recognize, and there weren't very many of those languages, and it did look rather old, but why then had it been in a tiny little village like this?

 

Then Protok laughed. "You think you can stop me, small fry? Well then, take your best shot!"

 

The Toa smiled at him and whipped out a large silver sword. Taking aim, he unleashed its power. Protok dodged aside, and the building behind him burst into rubble. But not fire... The sword had unleashed a beam of some blue energy.

 

Hoping to finish this quickly, Protok caused walls of stone to rise from the ground around his red-clad adversary, intending to encase him in stone.

 

To his surprise, the Toa instantly lashed his sword in a circle, slicing the stone walls in half, then leaped clear. Great, Protok thought. This one has reflexes.

 

Protok tried many other tricks, but was dismayed when his foe cleverly dodged or undid every single one. He's no novice... Protok had to admit that.

 

The little guy could aim, too. Protok was forced to dodge well to avoid getting blasted or smoldered from the Toa's sword or flames.

 

Finally resorting to brute strength, Protok unleashed burst after burst of raw elemental energy in a variety of forms. He grew continually frustrated as the pipsqueak refused to be beaten. He did have to admire his skill and determination, though.

 

Finally, as both combatants were worn and weary, the determined and skillful Hau-bearer surged forward in a terrific offensive. Tremendous beams of energy were blown aside with his own, and finally, with a loud cry, the Toa delivered a terrible blow with his sword, smiting Protok's head.

 

Protok's world went black...

 

　

　

When he awoke, he was surprised to find himself in a cell. His head hurt, so he allowed himself a few minutes' respite. The tablet was gone, and he'd been beaten by a Toa. That had never happened to him before. He'd be in trouble when he returned to the Hunters, that was for sure...

 

Why the Toa had locked him in a cell, though, he could not fathom, when he could simply melt the lock and - get electrocuted, he discovered. In fact, any use of any power at all resulted in a painful jolt. This is no normal prison. But they don't know who they're dealing with...

 

Even without his power, he still had plenty of tricks up his armor. He tried to pick the lock, only to get shocked again. Even an ever-so-light touch of the bars resulted in a very painful electrocution. But he had to get out of there. He tried smashing through the wall, only to find more bars embedded there as well. In desperation he even tried the other walls and the floors, but guess what he found? He was completely trapped.

 

He strained his mind, trying every trick he could think of. But finally, he realized he would just have to sit and wait, unless his captors intended to let him rot. But the other Hunters will realize what's happened before long...

 

He wondered, though, if he were still in that little village. There were no windors in his cell, he couldn't tell. And he didn't feel like smashing a hole in the wall and getting shocked at that moment. Outside the bars, all he could see were more cells. But they were empty.

 

Finally, he heard the footsteps of a single visitor, and the Toa who had defeated him walked into his view.

 

"Comfortable?" his captor queried.

 

Protok only grunted.

 

"What a waste..." The Toa looked thoughtful, as if he were going to say more, then evidently changed his mind. Instead he said, "You've caused a lot of trouble to the Order, Protok. And you nearly caused ten times as much."

 

Protok raised a matallic eyebrow. Order? Who was this Toa, anyway?

 

He voiced his query. "You got a name, then?"

 

The Hau-bearing red-clad warrior chuckled. "Oh, I've got one. But not one that you need to know. Yet."

 

Now what did he mean by that...? Protok rose angrily to his feet. "I suppose you intend to let me rot in here, do you? Well, you just wait until my fellows here of this. They'll be swarming in here, you can be sure."

 

"Oh, the other Dark Hunters?" The Toa chuckled again. "I assure you, we are quite safe from your 'friends' here."

 

Protok glared, but made no reply. His captor sounded quite confident.

 

"Well, I'm afraid I must be leaving now, but here, you must be starving." The crimson warrior passed some food through the bars and left.

 

Protok was left alone with his thoughts. What was this "Order"? Was it another organization, like the Dark Hunters? If it was, were they any better than the Dark Hunters, or just as bad? In this prison he felt safe that there were no Hunters nearby to intrude on his thoughts, a freedom he'd not felt in a long time, save on long, lone missions.

 

The next day his "friend" visited him again.

 

"Well, hello there," the Hau-bearer greeted cheerfully.

 

Protok eyed him suspiciously. What elicited such a friendly greeting to a prisoner? Protok wanted more information this time: Where was he, who was this "Order", or at least the Toa's name!

 

"Fine day," he said, as sincerely as he could, wondering where his captor was going with this, while simultaneously trying to work out how to steer the conversation in the direction he wanted it to go, and to trick this guy into telling him what he wanted to know.

 

"Congratulations," the red-clad warrior went on. "My superiors have informed me to tell you that you are on the island of Daxia, and to welcome you to the prison of the Order of Mata-Nui."

 

Well, that went well.

 

 

 

　

　

Protok had never heard of the Order of Mata Nui before. The only major organizations he knew of were the Dark Hunters and the Brotherhood of Makuta. He guessed the Order was a smaller group.

 

The Toa had explained how the Order was supposedly devoted to serving the will of the Great Spirit. After previous experience with organized groups, Protok was naturally suspicious. Besides that, his time as Dark Hunter had ingrained near-constant suspicion in his character.

 

He also explained that the Order's purpose was to keep the Universe at large intact and at peace. Given the actions of the traitorous Brotherhood, and the existence of the Dark Hunters, this was much easier said than done. Yet the Order had to undergo their war in absolute secrecy, for they weren't ready for all-out war with both the Brotherhood and the Hunters.

 

Now Protok was alone in his cell, thinking over everything he'd learned and wondering about his future. He couldn't help but wonder if what the Toa had said was true. He found it hard to believe that there was an organization with any real power that the Hunters weren't aware of. And the island of Daxia? He'd never heard of it.

 

He wanted to believe, of course, that there was an organization more noble than the Brotherhood or Hunters, but it all sounded rather far-fetched.

If the Toa had been lying, then where was this prison? And the bars... He'd never seen the like before. It was very advanced technology. And on the other hand, if his captor was going to lie to him, why tell such a far-fetched tale?

 

So what if it were true? In that case, given their need for absolute secrecy, now that he knew about them there could be only two options regarding his future: Join the Order or be executed. Or else rot in prison. Or he could try to escape, and probably be killed in the attempt.

 

Naturally he'd leap at the chance to leave the Hunters, and if the Order was as noble as the Toa claimed it was, then what better way to leave! The Hunters would want try to hunt him down if he left. The Shadowed One wouldn't rest until Protok was dead if he betrayed them. But here he'd have allies...

 

The trouble was, how could he hope to convince this "Order" of his intentions? He was a Hunter, after all. And for that matter, how could he be sure of the Order's nobility? He certainly wasn't interested in another group of thugs.

 

For several days he was left imprisoned. A Matoran who wasn't allowed to speak with him, who merely came a few times a day to deliver food, was his only visitor in that time. Protok was given some time of peace that he hadn't had in a long time.

 

 

 

But on the fifth day of his imprisonment, his captor visited him again.

 

"Boy, you're a lucky prisoner," was the first thing he said, instantly provoking Protok's suspicion. "The Order's sure taken an interest in you. We've been debating what to do with you, and guess what? I'm taking you to see Helryx herself."

 

 

 

 

 

As per the usual, any reviews, comments, or criticisms are welcome in the review topic Here. Next chapter should be up by Jan. 19th.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Takuaka: Toa of Time

[TahuForever!]

The Protar Chronicles

Chapter 4: Protok Crawls Along

 

 

So there he stood, before Helryx, head honcho of the Order of Mata Nui. They were in a grand hall, although it wasn't so much the bright and grand atmosphere one would expect from nobility, but more the semi-shadowy seclusion one would expect from a top-secret agency. Nevertheless it struck Protok as a place of imperial grandeur.

 

Helryx sat on a small throne of sorts, a pair of hulking figures by her side and two dozen guards lining the hall. What a reception, Protok thought. Is this per the usual, or are they afraid of me?

 

Protok had recieved no little surprise to find that Helryx was, in fact, a Toa, and a Toa of Water at that. This was rather in contrast to the hulking, imperial figure he'd been expecting. How many Toa are in this organization? Toa were normally very front-and-center, broad daylight type of heroes, not the type you expect to be involved with secrecy and deception.

 

Toa Helryx did, however, make for a very imposing figure in her own right. She held herself with the dignity and poise of a strong but just ruler. Yet even at a glance he could tell: She was ancient. Her armor was the most pitted and scratched Protok had ever seen on a Toa, evincing the thousands of battles in which he imagined she must have taken part. Her mask bespoke a wise and powerful presence, while her eyes revealed the experience of untold ages.

 

After being released from his cell, Protok had immediately been fitted with a small device that served the same purpose as the cell bars. Any effort to command elemental energy at all, or even the slightest touch to the device from his hands, and he'd regret it.

 

The walk from the cell to Helryx's hall had been rather uneventful, as Protok had been blind-folded. He'd been taken through several hallways, some larger chambers, and at one point passed through an area exposed to the elements. There he gained a clue as to the climate of the island: It was blisteringly hot.

Now Helryx looked him over carefully. He felt as if the ancient eyes were scanning his inner being. Finally she spoke.

 

"I've heard a lot about you, Protok. Once a denizen of Xia, later mutated, then traveller of the world. Friend to the Toa and Matoran no less, I've heard. And yet... You went rogue. Joined the Dark Hunters, caused a lot of pain and suffering, and even foiled a few of our own well-laid ploys. Nevertheless... You're known to avoid harming Matoran when at all possible. This I find curious. Now, you may speak, Hunter."

 

Protok thought the matter over, wondering what stratagem he should use before this benevolent leader. In the end, he chose a very simple strategy, although one he deemed to be the wisest.

 

He told her his story.

 

He began with a short overview his life on Xia, unpleasant as it was, then moved on through his mutation, without mentioning certain specifics, such as the voice he'd thought he'd heard, an over-view of his travels through the Matoran Universe, and then reached his time with the Hunters.

 

"I hated it there," he ejaculated ruefully. "I regret that I'd been so ignorant of the world that I hadn't already known of them. It sounded all well and good at first, but I soon realized what monsters they were. Stealing, maiming, and murdering, just for money..." He shook his head in disgust. He realized this may look like it could be an act, but what form of honesty didn't?

 

It is to my shame that I didn't leave them sooner, he realized. Although the Shadowed One forbade it, and they would have hunted me down and killed me. Not likely that I could have eluded his agents for long... All the same, to go along with them for so long, and do so much harm... Was cowardly of me.

 

Helryx gave her verdict. "You've done a lot of harm, Protok. You've hurt many Toa and Matoran, if mostly indirectly. Despite what appears to be your inner love of Matoran, you still chose to remain with the Hunters." It was as if she'd read his mind. "It was very selfish of you, despite the harsh threats with which you were faced." She tapped the edge of her throne with her fingers for a moment, lost in thought. Then she straightened up.

 

"Nevertheless, it is needless perhaps even to ask, you are willing to divulge what you know of the Hunters?"

 

"Most certainly."

 

"Very well. Then we shall see what comes of this information, and what shall become of you yourself. You are dismissed."

 

After that he was returned to his cell. She hadn't said what exactly was to become of him. Well, naturally they want the information first, and to know whether it's legitimate... But what then? He didn't like to think they would simply kill him. But then, if here was yet another powerful organization like the Brotherhood and the Hunters, with just as little morality, what hope was there for anyone in this Universe, anyway?

 

　

　

He was soon interrogated, and he told them all he knew of the Hunters' fortress, members, and The Shadowed One and his plans. Truth be told, though, he didn't know much. Naturally the Shadowed One didn't really trust him. He was able to offer descriptions of different members, though, as well as information about the fortress itself, and forthcoming missions he'd been aware of. It wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, nearly enough to cripple the Hunters, but it helped. Or he hoped it would.

 

After this he spent most of his time during the next few weeks in his cell. He was adamant to remain on his best behavior, and to glean as much information as he could about the Order. The Toa who had originally captured him visited often, and during this time Protok finally discovered his name. He was Toa Torinn, Toa of Fire.

 

To Protok's surprise he found that the two of them would have long conversations together, about the world, about the Great Spirit and the Three Virtues, and especially about the Order.

 

Torinn was surprisingly willing to tell him many things about the doings of the Order, about its members, and about their island fortress. When asked why, he replied with a laugh. "Well, it's quite possible this 'goody two shoes' thing of yours is an act, and that you might betray us, but there's no hope of rescue for you, and if we find you're not one of us, which we will if you aren't, then you won't be alive much longer."

 

It was a funny statement. On the one hand, it wasn't very reassuring, but on the other hand, it opened up the possibility that the Order was actually considering letting him join them. The more he heard about the Order and its doings, the more he became certain that he wanted to join them. Unless, somehow, the Order wasn't what it appeared to be, a suspicion he still couldn't disregard...

 

After a couple weeks, his friend returned with good news. "Congratulations, pal. Your information has proved quite helpful. Several thefts and murders have been prevented, and a couple dozen Dark Hunters have been captured by the Order, thanks to you." Protok felt a flash of satisfaction. The Order had some reason to trust him, and the Shadowed One would be seething.

 

Over the ensuing weeks and months he underwent further examination and scrutiny, and before long he was allowed out of his prison, although still inhibited by the electrical device and escorted by his short red friend. He discovered that the island of Daxia was oblong in shape, that the climate was stiflingly hot and harsh, that it harbored an immense fortress, as well as other fortifications, and was easily defended.

 

Regarding the members themselves he found that they weren't always amicable, but were generally, as he saw it, noble and devoted to virtue, if somewhat irascible and hardened by their trying lifestyle. Protok couldn't help but notice that he himself retained something of a sour and ignoble attitude from his time among the Hunters.

 

He managed to make a few friends among the members. Some of them seemed to trust him, like Torinn did. Others more or less half-trusted him, while most were outright suspicious. He engaged in many conversations and learned more and more about the Order, but some of the more suspicious members seemed to think he was a little too eager to gather information.

 

Over time, though, their relation with him eased more and more. His own attitude eased as time went by, and one by one the Order members became convinced of his sincerity.

 

In fact, he was eventually allowed out of his cell and given more amiable living-quarters, albeit with 24/7 guard, as well as being required to wear the disabling device all day and night.

 

Nevertheless, the day finally came, a year and-a-half after his capture, when his Hau-bearing friend came to visit him with a long-awaited message.

"My friend, I have some very exciting news for you. After much debate, Helryx has decreed that an offer be extended to you. An offer that, should you accept, shall give you right to become a junior member of the Order of Mata Nui."

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 22, 2013 by Takuaka: Toa of Time