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I posted a blog entry requesting for story prompts. The quote below inspired this epic. I plan to dedicate each chapter to two of the battles between a Toa and a member of the Skull Army; I estimate that this epic will be approximately 6 or 7 chapters long. I shall be updating this epic as I write it; as such, you can expect Chapter 2 to go up within the next three days. THE CHAPTERS Story Topic 1 So - what are your thoughts? Which member of the Skull Army will each Toa fight? Which of the Toa shall fall, according to prophecy? Theorize! Comment! Critique and rip it apart! I beg of you!
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I posted a blog entry requesting for story prompts. The quote below inspired this epic. CHAPTER ONE: CHAMBER OF AMIIBO The old, weary Protector of Fire leaned heavily upon his staff as he shuffled forward, his gaze drifting to the walls on either side where carvings depicting the legends that had been passed down from generation to generation could be seen, lit up by the torches upon the walls. “Is it true, father?” At the sound of the excited, high pitched voice, the Protector of Fire turned to see that his son had - as usual - snuck down into the catacombs with him. Giving his son a small smile, the Protector of Fire turned back to look at the carvings thoughtfully before asking, “is what true?” “The legends,” his son breathed, racing forward and pressing himself against the wall as he reached up, trying to point to a series of carvings depicting six colorful figures. “Of the Toa who will save us from the Scalpers! Are they real?” “All stories are based in fact one way or another,” the Protector said slowly, resting a hand on his son’s shoulder. “And our legends are no different. The Toa shall arrive when it is time. Until then, we can only make do.” “I hope they come soon,” his son said, shivering with excitement. “I want to meet them! They’re so cool!” At that, the Protector of Fire let out a hearty chuckle, patting his son on the back before continuing on his way, gesturing for his son to follow him. The younger figure scampered on a head, skidding to a halt at the foot of a massive stone statue of what the legends foretold to be the heroic leader of the Toa - Tahu, Master of Fire, with his magma shield and golden swords. The two gazed at the statue in silence for several minutes before the Protector of Fire turned away. “Come, my son. We must return to the village, before our tribe begins to worry.” His son nodded, still staring at the statue as they walked away before saying the same thing as he always did: “Man, you are so cool.” ---[60 Years Later]--- “Man, you are so cool.” The Toa known as Tahu shifted uncomfortably in his red and gold armor as the old Protector of Fire, his back hunched over with age, circled him while muttering to himself. All that Tahu could remember was waking up in the middle of a giant crater that was smothered in flames. He could see the last few smoldering bits of what he assumed had been some sort of structure, but had been unable to get a straight answer from the Protector, who seemed to be in some form of shock. “Er, excuse me…” Tahu said, trailing off uncertainly before clearing his throat and speaking louder. “My name is Tahu. Could you please tell me where I am at this moment?” “Oh man even your voice is cool,” the Protector of Fire said, coming to a halt right in front of the Toa and staring up at him with wide eyes. “This is so awesome!” “Yes, I realize that,” Tahu said impatiently, “but I really need some answers. All I remember is my name, and all I have gotten out of you is your… title? I do not know what a Protector of Fire is, except that it appears to be you.” “Oh yes, yes, of course!” the Protector of Fire exclaimed, nodding quickly before turning away, gesturing for Tahu to follow him. “Come, come! Let us go to the cave! I would say that we should meet inside my house, but you destroyed it with your arrival. But that’s fine, I was thinking of building a new house for myself anyway. Let’s go to the cave instead, where we can-MMPH!” “Please stop talking,” Tahu said, his hand covering the Protector of Fire’s mouth. “All I want is some answers.” The Protector of Fire nodded, leading the way after Tahu released him with a small sigh. The Toa glanced around at the various villagers that had frozen in place, staring at him - with a start, they all returned to their work. Frowning, Tahu followed the Protector of Fire into the cave with a sense of trepidation. As they travelled deeper into the tunnels, he began to notice carvings on the walls. “What are these?” he asked, examining a red-colored mask carved into the wall. “This looks like mine.” “They’re carvings of you,” the Protector of Fire replied, grabbing his elbow and pulling him away. “Come on - there’s a reason you’re here, oh Master of Fire, and I must show it to you.” They wandered further into the catacombs, passing by carvings of strange skull creatures and of what Tahu presumed were other Toa like himself. However, he was clearly the most prominent character; whether he was just that important or it was simply his relation to the Fire Tribe was uncertain. The Protector of Fire was strangely silent as they travelled; Tahu was just about to ask how much longer they would have to walk when the Protector stopped before a plain stone wall and turned to him. “Are you ready?” he asked. “I do not know what to expect,” Tahu responded, shrugging. “Perhaps I am, or perhaps I am not. You have not given me any information.” “Spoilsport,” the Protector of Fire muttered, turning back to the wall and placing both of his hands on it. “Come on in.” The Protector of Fire pushed with all of his might, grunting with effort as a portion of the stone wall swung inwards, revealing a circular chamber within. There were more torches lining the walls of the chamber than there were in the tunnels outside, allowing the entire chamber to be visible. As he followed the Protector of Fire into the room, Tahu noticed eighteen elaborate pedestals spaced around the room. Upon twelve of the pedestals, he noticed twelve different plastic figures; the other six remained empty. “Welcome,” the Protector of Fire said, opening his arms dramatically, “to the Chamber of Amiibo.” “The chamber of what?” “The Chamber of Amiibo,” the Protector of Fire repeated, sounding disappointed. “Do you not… do you not know about Amiibo?” “I don’t know much about anything,” Tahu replied, tapping his head. “Amnesia, remember? All I know is my name. I don’t even know the name of this place.” “You’re in the Chamber of Amiibo,” the Protector of Fire said, as if it was obvious. “It is located within the caves of the Fire Village, which is in the Fire Region of the island of Okoto.” Frowning, Tahu nodded, sighing. “Alright. That has cleared up nothing, and I suspect that I shall remain confused for quite some time. Let us move on - this ‘Amiibo’ - what is it?” “Amiibo is not an ‘it’,” the Protector of Fire cried out, sounding aggravated. “Amiibo is a ‘they’, or a ‘them’! Please, be respectful!” Tahu buried his face into his hands, rubbing at his mask in exasperation. “Very well then. What are they? Please, just give me a straight answer. I am begging you to give me a straight answer.” “The Amiibo are a series of legendary plastic figures,” the Protector of Fire said, his voice taking upon a dreamy quality. “We do not know where they came from, but the legends state that amassing a complete collection will grant the owners a mysterious power. Two waves of Amiibo were once released on the island; enough figures for each of the six tribes to have dominion over a complete collection.” “That certainly sounds nice,” Tahu commented, glancing at the pedestals. “But I see only twelve figures here, and eighteen pedestals.” The Protector of Fire nodded, frowning before sadly continuing: “In the first wave of Amiibo, twelve figures were produced. Six more arrived in the second wave. While most of the figures are very common - dozens of certain figures exist - six of the figures were far rarer, with only six of each being produced. Just enough for every village to own one of each to complete their collection.” “And those are the six that you are missing,” Tahu guessed. “Indeed,” the Protector of Fire replied, nodding. “It’s not just us, though. All six villages lack the six rare figures, for they were all stolen long ago, before our ancestors could ever find them.” “Who took them?” Tahu asked. “We call them the Scalpers,” the Protector of Fire said darkly, his fist clenching in anger. “But they were once known as the Skull Army. They were six skeletal creatures who served Makuta, the Master of Control, before Makuta’s brother Ekimu defeated Makuta. When the brothers fell into an endless slumber, the Scalpers acted on Makuta’s final order, stealing the rare amiibo figures before retreating to parts unknown. They have not been sighted since, but we do have knowledge of the areas in which they must be hiding - besides, we must always be on guard, in case they decide to attack in full force again.” Tahu reflected back to the carvings of the skull creatures he had seen on the way down to the chamber - their various shapes and sizes. Frowning, he asked: “what do they hope to gain?” “The legends state that one of the benefits to amassing a complete collection of amiibo is that the owner might awaken either Makuta or Ekimu,” the Protector of Fire answered. “Awakening Ekimu is the only way that we could guarantee the destruction of the Scalpers and their endless army of Skull Spiders; but likewise, awakening Makuta is the only way for the Scalpers to guarantee the destruction of us. While we have done our best to hold onto the common amiibo figures, we have undoubtedly lost track of many through the years. For you and your fellow Toa to have finally arrived now means that we must be on the brink of destruction. The Scalpers must be on the cusp of a complete collection… and if they awaken Makuta and gain the powers from completing their collection, I fear that all hope will be lost.” Taking a deep breath, Tahu slowly sank to the floor, crossing his legs as he sat down and closed his eyes. “Are you okay?” the Protector of Fire asked. “It is… a lot to take in,” Tahu said, his eyes still closed. “Just… give me a minute.” “I am afraid we might not have time for that,” the Protector of Fire said, pulling him back to his feet with surprising strength. “Come! Allow me to show you the amiibo figures that we have in our possession, before we return to the surface and I tell you about the rare ones.” --- Once they returned to the surface, Tahu waited by the entrance to the cave as the Protector of Fire rushed off to find the Fire Village’s resident archivist. The Toa went over the twelve figures that he had been shown in his mind over and over again, trying to remember them. There was Mario, the red plumber, and Luigi his green brother, Tahu mused. Then there was the pink princess they were related to… Peach? And that green dinosaur. The two monkeys, the Donkey and Diddy. The green sword guy Zelda with the yellow bar, and his purple princess, can’t remember her name. There was that yellow creature with the lightning tail, and Kirby the pink ball. That orange suit of armor he called Samus, and the Fox creature. He mentally cursed his poor recall, resolving to make sure that the other Toa remembered each one as soon as he met them - embarrassment at forgetting so many of them so easily, as well as his pride, would not allow him to ask the Protector of Fire for a reminder. A proper hero should have been able to recall the plastic figures with ease. It must just be the amnesia messing with my mind, he thought. Yes, that must be it. I’m certain that the other Toa will be going through similar issues. “Tahu! Tahu, come here!” The Toa of Fire was shaken from his thoughts as the Protector of Fire yelled at him from a large building down the street. Sighing, Tahu resolved to consider his memory issues at a later time as he stood and sprinted over. The Protector of Fire beamed as he approached, grabbing his elbow and yanking him into the building. Tahu shook him off as soon as they crossed the threshold; while the Protector of Fire shut the door behind them, Tahu examined the scrolls and books lining the shelves. “What is this place?” he asked. “These are our archives,” the Protector of Fire explained. “It’s where we keep a record of our histories and important events. We only started it when my father retired and I realized that we didn’t really have a record of everything. Carvings are fun to look at, but they aren’t exactly as accurate as a written record of events.” “I see,” Tahu said, not understanding at all. “All of the other villages started their own archives soon after us,” the Protector of Fire said. “Ours is pretty impressive - after all, we started exploring out first - but you should see the archives of the Earth Village some time. It is massive.” “Perhaps I shall,” Tahu replied. “So… why am I in here?” “Oh, right. We found some visual references of the rare amiibo figures awhile ago; I sent the Archivist to find them,” the Protector of Fire responded. “He should be here any second.” “I am here already,” a new voice said. Startled, Tahu whirled around, readying his magma shield - only to lower it awkwardly before he could slam it into the unimpressed face of the Archivist, who shuffled forward silently and beckoned for them to follow. Chuckling nervously, Tahu followed the Archivist to the nearby table, where the Archivist spread out six sheets. “These are the rare amiibo figures,” the Archivist explained, before pointing to each one. “Pit, the angel; Little Mac, the fighter; Captain Falcon, the kicker; Villager, the… villager; Wii Fit Trainer, the acrobat; and Marth, the blue swordsman.” “Think you can remember them as well?” the Protector of Fire asked. No. “Yes.” “Good,” the Protector of Fire said, sounding relieved. “So, like I said, only six of each were produced - one for each village. Each of the six Scalpers owns a certain amiibo, so you’ll have to defeat all six of them.” “Of course we will,” Tahu muttered. “Wouldn’t want it to be too easy. Is there anything else I must know, or may I leave?” “You don’t even know where you’re meeting the other Toa yet! Just relax,” the Protector of Fire cried out, pulling Tahu back as the Toa turned to leave. Sighing, Tahu nodded. “Alright,” the Protector of Fire said. “So… each region of Okoto has a temple dedicated to their respective elements - you know, like fire, earth, water, that sort of thing.” “I do now, yes.” “We think the Scalpers are hiding around the temples, since those are the places on the island most overrun with Skull Spiders,” the Protector of Fire continued, handing the Toa a small scroll. “Take this - if our sources are correct, then that list will tell you which Scalper is where, as well as the amiibo that they possess. You’ll be meeting with the other Toa in the Temple of Time - it is located in the Jungle Region, at the base of the volcano. It is the only temple that has not become overrun.” “Very well,” Tahu said, nodding and turning away. “I should be off, then.” “Just one more thing,” the Protector of Fire said, reaching into his armor and pulling out what Tahu recognized as an amiibo figure. “Take this - it is Mario, the patron amiibo of the Fire Region. Let it guide you to the Temple of Time, for it carries the hopes and prayers of our tribe.” The Toa nodded, taking the amiibo and gazing at it for a long moment in silence before shaking the Protector of Fire’s hand, tucking the Mario Amiibo into his armor. “Thank you,” he said. “I must be off, now. You can expect my return once I have achieved victory.” Thanking the Protector of Fire and the Archivist one last time, Tahu began making his way towards the edge of the village, taking the path that would lead him towards the Jungle Region. He was almost out of the village when he heard a voice calling for him to wait. Turning, he frowned as the Archivist sprinted up to him. The Archivist bent over once they reached him, gasping for breath. “What is it, Archivist?” Tahu asked. “There’s… something else… you need to know,” the Archivist said in between breaths. “I… found something… haven’t shared it yet. It would… not be good for… anyone else to know.” “What is this information? What have you found?” Tahu urged, crouching down to the Archivist’s level and looking him in the eye. “The leader of the Scalpers… he is called the Skull Grinder,” the Archivist said. “The legend I found states that only you can defeat him. He must fall to your blade; none others can defeat him. I know not what power you contain that makes you so unique in this regard, but… you cannot allow the other Toa to fight him.” “I understand,” Tahu said grimly, nodding. “Thank you.” “That’s not all, though,” the Archivist continued, straightening up as he finally caught his breath. “The same legend states that one of your number shall fall. The legend does not say how or why… just that it will happen.” Tahu was silent for several seconds, staring at the ground. “So one of the Toa shall perish on this quest, then.” The Archivist nodded solemnly, confirming his thoughts. The Toa of Fire took a deep breath before standing up and gazing down at the Archivist. “Well,” he said. “Let us hope, Archivist, that your legend is wrong. But regardless… I would keep it to yourself for the time being. I do not think it would do to kill the morale of your fellow villagers. I shall… remain silent on the matter with the other Toa as well. Perhaps that shall be enough to change it.” “We cannot hope to fight destiny,” the Archivist told him. “But I shall do as you have requested, Toa. Good luck on your quest, and may Ekimu and the amiibo guide you.” “Thank you,” Tahu said, turning and walking away. “Let them guide you as well.” And with that, the Toa of Fire set off. To Be Continued. REVIEW TOPIC
