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Warpath I: Cold Justice


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I've had this idea in my head for a long time, ever since I started thinking about alternate universes. I finally found the will to write it down with the latest Flash Fiction Contest: "A Canister Ashore." In this universe, the rough relationship the Toa Mata had in the beginning takes an early turn for the worse, ending up in an island-wide war. I'm thinking about expanding it into a series equivolent to Bonesiii's Paracosmos, if I have the time to write. In the meantime, enjoy the first installement, coming in at 873 words:

Warpath I:Cold Justice

Ko-Koro was the only village left. All of the others had moved on or been destroyed by those whom they thought would protect them. Turaga Nuju gazed over the dejected village, with Matoran stomping around with heads down attempting to rebuild what little was left. He looked up at Kopaka next to him, knowing the Toa was thinking the same thing he was.

The Toa of Ice finally put those thoughts into words. "How had this all gone so wrong, Turaga? The prophesies declared we would save this people, not destroy it. The Makuta still lives, and he laughs at our separation. What can we do?"

Being through a war had changed the quiet Toa. When he had arrived, Kopaka was rash and silent to all, but now, he spoke his mind and joined in with the Matoran, his people, in their daily studies of the Wall of Prophesy. He had meditated alongside Nuju, who felt there was something heavy on Kopaka's conscience, and knew that he knew the answer to his question. So, Nuju waited patiently for the Toa to begin, and so he did...

------

The night before had been stormy, and the waves had brought in much more than destruction. A metallic canister rests on the shore, seabirds pecking at the hard shell. Suddenly, a hiss of pressure escaping scares them off, and the canister blows open, scattering mechanical components everywhere. As lights begin to glow, the parts magnetically are pushed towards each other, a mind becoming active that hasn't been for centuries.

...I have slept for so long...

Pieces begin to click together, forming a basic skeleton.

...My dreams have been dark ones...

The body pushes itself up weakly, pieces running up its arms like tiny metal insects.

...But now I am awakened...

The last pieces find their way into place, and joints begin clicking as they flex.

...Now the scattered elements of my being are rejoined...

Muscle tissue spreads from the core outward, binding the new being together.

...Now I am whole...

A rounded object not far from the body catches its eye, and it crawls towards it, picking up a circular mask. Placing it on its face, color spreads from the face, encasing the being in snowy armor, bringing to its mind one word: Kopaka.

"...And the darkness cannot stand before me!"

Kopaka takes a tentative step, then another as he regains use of his limbs. All he could remember before the canister are dreams that tormented his fragmented mind about some kind of...evil on this island. Either way, he thought as his eye caught a sword buried in the snow, it is about to find out justice can be...cold.

-----

After counseling with the strange inhabitants of this island, short beings called "Tohunga" and their leaders, the "Turaga," Kopaka learned that this island was plagued by a being called "The Makuta" who sent raids of Rahi at the villages constantly, and he needed to be defeated. Even with his power of ice, however, Kopaka was not up to the task. He needed to find Kanohi Masks of Power, said the Turaga of Ice, Nuju.

"You will find the first at the Place of Far-Seeing." The elder communicated through clicks, whistles, and hand gestures, which were translated through a Matoran, Matoro.

Kopaka quickly figured out the hint, knowing that from the top of that mountain the Matoran called "Mount Ihu," he could probably see all over the island. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thunder, although there wasn't a cloud in the sky. While looking up, though, Kopaka saw an avalanche bearing down on him, with a sole brown figure riding it, who was calling out "watch out!"

Kopaka whirled out of the way, and then sent his ice power to encase the brown being's body in a pillar of ice. "I've already been attacked more that I would like today," he said coldly, "so state your business, and do it quickly."

"I was just...practicing," sighed the frozen being. "Could you please let me out of here, and we can talk like civilized people? Let's start with introductions. I'm Toa Pohatu, and you are?"

"Practicing what, exactly?"

"This." With that, Pohatu willed a rock to come out of the cliff, scraping Kopaka's mask and then shattering the pillar. "So, you are?"

This being's name and powers gave Kopaka a spark of recognition, but he still advanced with sword drawn, and said "None of your business outsider. What are you really doing here?"

"You know, I'm not too keen on being attacked either..." Pohatu's sentence was cut off as he kicked the sword far away. Kopaka responded with another blast of ice, but before he could finish Pohatu off, a shrill whistle split the air. Turaga Nuju and Matoro rounded the corner as fast as they could, the Turaga already making aggravated whistles and gestures.

"The Turaga says you are brothers and you should not be fighting," Matoro quickly translated. "He is here to help you, not harm, and you should do the same. Work together to find the masks and defeat the Makuta."

"Fine," sneered Kopaka. He would give this Toa his cooperation for now, but at the first slip, Kopaka would give him some cold justice.

 

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Edited by Click
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