The Iron Toa

End of YrentaChapter Four==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe==~536 AGC~ The Matoran traveled for several more kio that day, but Mosori's injuries eventually began to cause him trouble. He had endured much strain during the day's action, and when that caught up with him, he could walk no more. Fortunately, the Matoran were in pleasant, peaceful country. For three full days they made camp and rested while Mosori recuperated. On the fourth morning, Mosori insisted he was fully healed. The other Matoran made him prove it, and when they were satisfied, they continued on. They traveled through a small forest, which Paqyar claimed had been grown by a Toa from his village. Vilam pointed out that while Toa of the Green could create plant life, they couldn't account for the water sources that sustained the forest. Merely to pass the time, she and Paqyar argued about it until they were tired. That night their camp was assailed by a Rahi, but Mosori drove it off. They left the forest without further incident early the next day.A series of low hills separated the forest from the plains that the Ce-Kini was built in. Large herds of Cows and other Rahi roamed wild here. The Matoran had seen no other people or enemies (barring wild Rahi) since the day Rodas was killed. Some of the hills were high enough for the Matoran to see for many kio over the flat lands before them. Still, their destination was too far away for even sharp-eyed Paqyar to descry. Imlen was relying on memory to guide them to the temple. Where exactly it was wasn't clear to him, but he was more sure than ever before he was supposed to find it. Such strong hunches did not come to Imlen often, but when they did, they always proved true. Or almost always, at least. Imlen wondered what this one would lead to. As Paqyar had implied, the Toa and Turaga were most likely dead. But any clue to their fates would be better than nothing, and the Ce-Kini seemed a good place to look.Maybe they would find some information about another Toa – the evil Toa of Ice that Rodas had told them about. Imlen vaguely recalled stories of Toa that would turn from the side of good, but he was curious about why this one was working for the Makuta. Where did he come from? Was he part of a team? If so, were his teammates evil too, or did he betray them? Imlen tried to reassure himself that the Makuta would not waste such a rare ally punishing Matoran. The Toa would probably be sent into battle against the Dark Hunters, and even a Toa wouldn't last long in that war. But Imlen still couldn't stop worrying about it. As Mosori had said in Rodas's hut, the wish that a Toa would come to Yrenta had been fulfilled in a horrifically twisted manner. Still, anyone who deliberately murdered Matoran was not a true Toa, not in the literal sense of the word. The Matoran could continue to hope that someday new heroes would come. Until that day came, the Matoran would suffer through the time, and ones like poor Rodas would suffer most of all. Imlen felt helpless, and not just because he was still unarmed.The fact that he was unarmed struck troubled him especially at this moment. For he heard a rumble, and Paqyar called out “Stampede!” Imlen looked to where Paqyar was pointing, down the hill to the east, and sure enough, a herd of Cows was running madly down there. The herd was far below, but coming closer quickly. And Imlen was not worried about the stampede as much as what had caused it. These Rahi Cows and their Kane-Ra allies could sometimes startle easily, but would not keep stampeding so far unless seriously threatened. It was a large herd, they should have been able to eliminate the threat. Something must have made them very afraid. Imlen was only a little relieved when the herd passed them a safe distance away. The sound of a hundred hooves was still nearly deafening when one far more frightening sound reached the Matoran's ears. It was the hum of a Rahkshi in flight.The Matoran gasped and quickened their pace. If there was anywhere to run to, they would have sprinted at full speed. But there was nothing but bare hills all around. Perhaps the local Rahi would have allied with them against the Rahkshi, but it had already frightened them all away. Dread overwhelmed Imlen as the Rahkshi swooped low. A bolt of electricity shot from its staff and bounced from one Matoran to the other, frying all four of them. Fighting pain, Imlen and the others managed to get themselves up as the mechanical abomination stopped a short distance in front of the group and landed. With that one attack, the Matoran were nearly defeated already. Vilam managed to delay the end a little longer, as this time she held her sword high when the Rahkshi attacked, and the blade absorbed the electricity. Its charging unit nearly overloaded, so Vilam released the excess electricity harmlessly into the ground. With no other way out of this situation, the Matoran ignored the electrical tingling of their muscles and charged together, except Paqyar, who took out his bow and arrows.With a kick that looked effortless, the Rahkshi knocked Mosori to the ground. Vilam was next, and Imlen grabbed her sword in time to hit the end of the Rahkshi's staff with it, absorbing its third lightning attack. Imlen managed to parry and dodge a few blows until Mosori, still on the ground, bashed the Rahkshi's ankle. This caused it to stagger for a moment while the Matoran of Stone and the Matoran of Lightning stood and reentered the fight. Imlen ran behind the Rahkshi, and as it turned to him he tossed the sword back to Vilam. That was a foolish move, for Vilam did not trust herself to catch the sword by the hilt. She dodged it, and while she was picking it up the Rahkshi turned to her and shocked her. Thinking quickly, Mosori and Imlen touched the Rahkshi, so that when its chain lightning redirected itself at them, the Rahkshi was shocked by its own power as well. Encouraged by that, the Matoran reacted faster than the Rahkshi did, and gave it a hard shove. Then they ran.“Nice moves,” said Paqyar as they fled. “You gave me time to get some decent shots off.”“Didn't you run out of arrows?” said Vilam. The Rahkshi was now flying after them.“Yeah, but I made more.”“Made more?” said Imlen. “How?”“Scrap metal and – look out, Vilam!” Paqyar warned, and Vilam absorbed another attack. “And wood I harvested. You didn't expect I – here he comes – got this far without learning that craft, did you? Not like I can just go to the store and – ”“Less talk, more running,” said Imlen as Vilam nearly dropped her sword absorbing a fifth lightning bolt. “Where's Mosori?”The Po-Matoran was the slowest of the group, and he had lagged behind. The Rahkshi zapped him, but missed. Hissing in frustration, it landed to finish him off. Mosori's friends turned and watched in horror as he took the full force of an electric attack. His body sizzled and fell to the ground. Imlen couldn't bear to watch. He looked away, and heard the buzz as the Rahkshi took flight again towards him... but something sounded odd. Imlen looked back and was surprised by what he saw. The Rahkshi was struggling to fly as Mosori, badly burned but more determined than ever, clung to its leg with all his strength. It was strong enough to carry him easily, but the awkward balance its unwelcome load gave it was greatly confounding it. Mosori kicked it, his mighty Po-Matoran legs denting its armor. In response, the Rahkshi shook and twisted violently, but still Mosori held on. It flew higher and faster, but this only gave Mosori time to climb onto its side. He grasped its ridged back tightly.Paqyar was nervous about hitting Mosori, but risked shooting the Rahkshi. His first shots were far off the mark, but Mosori seemed to take notice. He responded by kicking at the Rahkshi's hands and staff, and Paqyar realized his intent. The archer shot several more arrows, aiming for the Rahkshi's hands. The Rahkshi was twisting and turning in midair, but – more out of luck than good aim – one arrow finally hit the joint in its wrist. Mosori followed up immediately, kicking with all his might. As a result, the Rahkshi's staff fell to the ground. Again, it hissed, but this time it sounded almost afraid. Either in pursuit of its staff or simply attempting to move the battle to the ground, it dived suddenly. As he and the Rahkshi rapidly approached the ground, Mosori let go of the Rahkshi's spines and jerked its head back with both hands. The Rahkshi struggled, and his legs lost their grip on its body. He swung around in front, still gripping its head in his hands. Then the Rahkshi punched him, and he felt himself losing his grip.It was too late for that to change anything, however. At that moment the Matoran and the Rahkshi hit the ground. The Rahkshi had been flying at full speed still, and the impact nearly knocked the other three Matoran off their feet. Astounded by this strange end to the battle, they cried out and ran to the crash site. As they feared, Mosori lay dead. He had survived more than many Matoran could, but few indeed could have survived that impact. The Kraata controlling the Rahkshi was one of those few. The crumpled heap of Rahkshi armor struggled to rise, failed, and the Kraata fell out. It released one far weaker bolt of lightning at the Matoran before Vilam stepped over and cut it into pieces. Then the Matoran let themselves fall to the ground, exhausted, relieved, and saddened at once. Imlen fought the urge to let himself lose consciousness. Danger was still too close.“Better get up,” said Vilam. “We're not safe out here.”“I agree. And we're much less safe without Mosori,” said Imlen.“We'd better bury him,” said Paqyar.“True,” said Imlen. “But that's a shame. I can think of no grander monument than this scene.”“It won't be undisturbed for long,” said Paqyar. “We'll make sure people know the story.”Yet again the Matoran worked quickly to bury their companion in the wilderness. The grave was far more shallow than it should have been, but all three of them kept glancing at the horizon, expecting more danger to come any moment. When they could wait no longer, they lifted Mosori's body and lowered it in. Then they covered it with dirt, and as a last touch, Vilam engraved a simple message in the earth with her sword, its electricity melting the words into glass: “Mosori. He defeated a Rahkshi. Really.”The Matoran marched in silence for the rest of the day. There was still nowhere to hide, and the fear of the next encounter was driving them crazy. It was after midnight when they found an abandoned Rahi burrow they could fit in. Once they were confident it was truly abandoned, they went to sleep. It was around noon when they woke up. All of them had slept at the same time, instead of taking shifts, but they had been undisturbed. Now that they had left the hills where the herds roamed, there were few Rahi about. Imlen wasn't sure what had made the burrow they had slept in. The Matoran could hear no sound other than the ones they made themselves and the occasional howl of wind all that day. That night, they were unable to find shelter. They decided to sleep directly under the sky, and this time they took shifts. Nothing came to them that night. They were grateful to be away from enemies, but the solitude was unnerving.“This is pleasant enough land,” said Imlen later that day. “I wonder why no one lives here.”“Hmm,” wondered Paqyar. “I don't know. Never thought about it.”“I'm afraid to find out,” said Vilam.“Me too,” agreed the Matoran of Plasma. “Could just be social or economic reasons, though.”“True. Not much to eat, I guess,” said Vilam.“Looks like you could farm here, though,” Paqyar pointed out.Just the thought of an unknown danger lurking in those lands convinced the Matoran to travel through the night. They finally stopped the next morning, and after a short sleep with no shelter again, they went on. On the morning of the day after that, Paqyar noticed something on the horizon to the northwest. It was a building. The Matoran turned and traveled closer to it, and soon discovered they had gone too far to the southeast. They had passed the Ce-Kini hours ago. But now they had found it. Soon they came to the remains of a long-untended road. It was barely there, only marked by occasional flagstones surrounded by short grass. As they came closer, the stones gradually merged into a recognizable path. There were still a few hours until noon when the Matoran found themselves walking between small stone totems marking the approach. Chunks of stone littered the ground on either side. A quick inspection revealed these had once been statues, and they had been deliberately smashed. Someone had been here since the temple had been abandoned. Yet the statue fragments had been lying there for a long time. Whoever did this had done so many years ago.Review

End of YrentaChapter Three==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe==~536 AGC~ Before Imlen could get even a moment of full sleep, Paqyar woke him up urgently.“Huh?” he groaned sleepily. “It can't be my turn already...”“No Imlen, get up, quick!” said Paqyar. “They're coming, the Brotherhood, they found us again!”At that, Imlen snapped wide awake. Now he could hear voices of Brotherhood forces descending upon the abandoned village. The door to the hut was in plain view, there would be no escaping that way without being seen. Thinking quickly, Imlen beckoned Paqyar and Vilam to him. Together they struck a part of the wall on the side of the hut facing away from the village center. The damaged area crumbled, forming a hole wide enough for a Matoran to squeeze through. As he helped Rodas get up and through the hole, Imlen heard shouts and questions from outside. The noise of the wall breaking had been noticed, and the Brotherhood soldiers were coming closer. Rodas hobbled away as quickly as he could, and Mosori was next. Mosori's injured legs wobbled, then with great effort he ran after Rodas. Imlen sent the other two Matoran in front of him, and squeezed outside just in time to see a Visorak peer into the hut. It fired a Rhotuka spinner, too late to hit Imlen. The spinner flew through the hole behind him, past the fleeing Matoran and hit a rock outside, discharging into a splatter of acid.“Rodas – here, I'll help you,” said Imlen as he helped Rodas climb onto his back. The Po-Matoran was heavy on his shoulders, but Matoran were strong for their size, and this was an emergency. Imlen kept running.“Where's the inexplicably friendly Dark Hunter when you need him?” whispered Vilam as she did the same for Mosori.“It's time we relied on ourselves – dodge left!” said Paqyar, glancing backwards and seeing some sort of projectile zoom towards them.“Behind the rock, there,” said Imlen as the Matoran dodged. “Then we turn right and make for the shrubland.”The five Matoran paused for a moment behind the rock formation Imlen pointed out. Then they came out on the other side and headed south. Mosori insisted he would be able to run now, and though his legs wobbled at first, he was soon able to match his friends' pace. Paqyar took Rodas on his back, allowing Imlen to go unburdened for a turn. Behind them, the Makuta forces were no longer in direct pursuit, but they were spreading out to search the area. The Matoran slowed to a brisk walk, until a few kio away they came to a swath of small, dry vegetation. Exhausted, the Matoran dropped down into the bracken. Voices of soldiers and Visorak sounded behind them, far too close for comfort. The Matoran kept going on their stomachs, panting as they dragged themselves quietly through the undergrowth. Finally, they stopped to rest under a large bush.“Here... is... good...” panted Imlen. He had not slept for almost a full day, and was unable to hold it off any longer.“Just for a little while,” yawned Paqyar. “They can't see us now, but we should find a better place to hide.”“It's almost dawn,” said Rodas. “You all get some sleep, I'll wake you if they get close.”This time, Imlen felt refreshed when he was woken, though it couldn't have been more than a few hours. The sun was still only about a quarter lit. Rodas warned him that the searching Makuta forces were getting closer, and they woke the others. Soon they were on the move again. Imlen did not have a particular direction in mind, they only worried about staying out of sight and getting far away. Several times enemies came frighteningly close, but failed to spot them. After hours of crawling, the Matoran noticed the searchers start to turn back.“Finally,” said Vilam. “I can't believe they put so much effort into finding five Matoran in the first place.”“I know, don't they have a war to – ” Paqyar gasped and stared behind him. “Oh, no.”“Up!” said Imlen as turned and he saw the growing fire. “Grab the Po-Matoran and run!”Now their hunters' final plan was revealed. The Matoran were forced to reveal themselves to escape the rapidly-spreading fire, and a few remaining Visorak went after them. These were Vohtarak, the red Visorak that were naturally resistant to heat. What had been a good place to hide was turned into a deathtrap. The Matoran had been staying in the thickest areas, now they ran along the most barren path they could find. If they could make it for another kio, they would be clear of the flammable vegetation. But the fire was catching up too quickly, and so were the Visorak. Paqyar cried out in pain and fell as a Vohtarak's Rhotuka hit him. Even if they had not stopped to help their brother, the Matoran were too slow. As huge sheets of flame roared closer, one last desperate idea struck Imlen.“Get down! Dig, dig as deep as you can!” he called. The Matoran, except Paqyar, who could only moan in pain, got on their knees and plunged their fingers into the dry earth. A wave of heat nearby blasted them over. They forced themselves to keep working, until when the flames were nearly upon them, they had made depressions that might have been deep enough to save them. They lay in the shallow ditches face down, covered by a thin layer of dirt. Imlen helped Paqyar, then buried himself. He hoped he had not just dug his own grave. Then the flames came over him. He felt like his armor was going to melt. He struggled to remain conscious. Then, the fire was gone. Imlen's back ached, but was not badly burned. But he had nothing to breathe. For a moment, he thought he could not summon the strength to free himself. Then he made it. He lifted his head out and breathed deeply – only to catch his breath suddenly. He was face to face with a Vohtarak. Then he registered sounds of battle to his left. His companions were fighting off another Vohtarak.The Visorak in front of him lunged forward, snapping its mandibles. Imlen ducked back into his hole just in time. The Visorak climbed over him, clawing at the dirt. Imlen managed to reach his axe and swung upwards, cutting the Visorak's unprotected belly. It wasn't a lethal blow, but it distracted the Rahi long enough for Imlen to burst out of the ground and shove it aside. He looked over at his friends. Rodas and Paqyar were on the ground, dead or alive, he couldn't tell. Vilam parried the other Vohtarak's jaws long enough for Mosori to intervene with a crushing blow to its head. Vilam finished it off as Mosori moved to help Imlen. The Matoran of Plasma raised his axe defensively, and the Visorak's jaws closed around it. The blade shattered, and Imlen dropped the splintered hilt. Mosori jumped in just in time and grappled bare-handed with the Vohtarak's mandibles. The Vohtarak responded by launching a Rhotuka at him. He let go and dropped to the ground. The spinner flew over him harmlessly. Imlen picked up Mosori's hammer and attacked wildly while Vilam came in from behind. That Visorak was killed, but more were coming. The Matoran dropped as more Rhotuka zoomed overhead. Imlen returned the hammer to Mosori and checked on the two fallen Matoran. Paqyar was just now overcoming the effects of the spinner that had hit him, but Rodas was wounded. They did not have time to check how badly.“Take my hammer back, Imlen,” offered Mosori as three more Visorak closed in. “I can fight bare-handed better than you can.”“Alright,” said Imlen. “Paqyar? Paqyar, can you fight? Look!”“Uh... uh-huh,” grunted the Matoran of the Green as he stood and took out his bow. “The rest of you, take cover.”Paqyar released one arrow each at the advancing Visorak, and ducked to avoid the incoming spinners. The Vohtarak fired again, aiming lower this time, so the Matoran were forced to jump out of the way. The Vohtarak stopped advancing, and the Matoran realized they would surely be hit again before Paqyar could finish them off at range. The archer focused on one of them, and took it down just as a spinner flew straight towards him. Vilam leaned forward and blocked it with her sword, falling over in the attempt. She got up and Imlen called her over to help with Rodas. The Po-Matoran groaned and stirred as he was dragged behind a nearby rock. Mosori and Paqyar followed. The rock provided momentary cover, but the Visorak changed the direction of their attack and managed to hit Imlen. Overwhelming, burning pain brought the orange Matoran to his knees.“Imlen!” cried Paqyar. “Hang in there, you'll be alright. How's Rodas?”“Looks bad,” said Mosori as he took his hammer back. “Visorak mauled him badly.”“I'm almost out of arrows,” said Paqyar. “It took almost half of what I had left to kill that one.”“I see one way out of this,” said Vilam. “Paqyar, keep that one distracted. Mosori, we'll rush the other.”“Can't think of a better plan,” said the Po-Matoran, and they charged.Vilam's electric sword dispersed incoming Rhotuka. She and Mosori covered the distance to the Vohtarak and attacked. Again, she parried its attacks as Mosori brought his hammer down. This time, however, the Rahi was not stunned. Instead, it hissed and charged Paqyar, knocking the other two Matoran down. Vilam got up and attacked it from behind, but her sword bounced off its hardened shell. She shouted a warning, and Paqyar ducked to avoid its spinners. He stood long enough to release his last arrow at the other Visorak. It pierced its green eye, goading it into charging too.“Sorry I need to borrow this, Rodas,” he said as he picked up the maimed Matoran's cane and desperately used it to defend himself.“Regret not bringing another weapon now?” said Vilam as she and Mosori came to support him.“Your turn to use this, Paqyar,” said Mosori as he threw his hammer with all his strength at the Visorak opposite him.The hammer bounced off the Visorak's head, staggering it for a moment, and Paqyar picked it up, dropping Rodas's cane.“Whoa, heavy,” he commented as he brought a clumsy two-handed blow down. It missed his intended target, but hit the Visorak's jaw, damaging it. The giant bug Rahi screeched and moved two steps back. Meanwhile, Mosori grappled with the other Visorak, trying to provide Vilam with a weakness to aim for. Just as his strength was spent, Vilam found an opportunity to lunge below the Visorak and stab it hard in the stomach, shocking its innards. That one died, and the remaining Visorak recovered and leaped at Paqyar. Imlen broke out of his pain-induced incapacitation then, and grabbed the Vohtarak from behind, stopping it. Its shell warded off all attacks, but together the Matoran managed to subdue it and strike a lethal blow to its underside. They were safe for now, but too late to help Rodas. His internal systems were mortally damaged by the Visorak, he had only seconds left to live.“Don't... be too sad,” he coughed. “This was... not my time.”“What do you mean?” asked Paqyar.“A cripple... wouldn't last long... anyway... but a hero...”Rodas could speak no more. With his last strength, he offered the pouch of belongings he had brought to the Matoran. Mosori accepted it. He and the others watched Rodas die, then he looked inside the pouch.“He may have been a cripple,” said Vilam, “but he was a hero too.”“Hmm, mostly carvings. Interesting,” said Mosori as he examined the bag's contents. “I wonder what significance he meant by handing these to us.”“We'll have to decide later. We'll bury him, but we cannot stay long,” said Imlen.After a short service, the Matoran departed. Paqyar thought he saw enemy forces moving on the horizon, so the Matoran changed direction and found themselves traveling south again. They were weary now, but Imlen convinced them to keep going for a while. Their perseverance was soon rewarded, for about a kio to the south the land began to become more lush and fertile. Trees and ponds dotted the area, and a small forest was nearby. A short while later, they were resting in a grove of large trees, comfortable but hidden. Mosori opened the pouch Rodas had given him and examined the carvings contained with in. There was a small figurine of the Toa of Stone Gareki, along with a few tablets with carvings depicting adventures of the Toa, as well as landscapes, villages, and fortresses. Mosori felt a rather heavy piece at the bottom of the bag and took it out curiously. It was a stone model of a building, which looked familiar somehow, but he couldn't quite tell why.“Do you recognize this building?” he asked.“Hm, looks familiar, but I can't say,” said Vilam.“Me too,” said Paqyar.“Oh, I recognize it,” said Imlen after considering for a moment. “It's an ancient temple, used by our Toa long ago. The Ce-Kini, it was called.”“Huh. I wonder why Rodas had a model of it,” mused Mosori.“He remembered the Toa better than most,” said Imlen. “Better than he remembered his own life, sometimes.”“And what does this mean?” Mosori showed them a tablet with a detailed etching. “Looks like some Toa and some glowing stones.”“I'm not sure. He sure seemed to know a lot more about Toa than he ever told me. I wonder...” a strange thought struck Imlen. “Could it be that this is a clue for us? He mentioned heroes – maybe there's somewhere we can find out what happened to the Toa and the Turaga, somewhere like the Ce-Kini!”“Kind of a stretch, don't you think?” said Mosori, as he blinked in surprise.“He was a good artist,” observed Vilam. “But if you're suggesting he was some kind of mystic too...”“Not a mystic. He just might have remembered things the rest of us forgot.”“Like what? What do you expect to find there?” asked Paqyar.“I... I don't know. Something that can help us, I hope. Even if it's just information. I think we're on to something. Trust me.”“I think we can guess closely enough what happened to the Toa,” argued the Matoran of the Green.“He has a point, actually, Paqyar,” said Vilam. “I got this sword from an old memorial, remember. And even if we find nothing there, perhaps we could use it as a place to gather allies to us.”“Alright, I can't come up with any better ideas anyway,” admitted Paqyar. “But what memorial? I don't remember where you got that sword.”“It was for an old village leader named Kuchapi. She was killed in battle while wielding this sword. When I found it, I thought it was time for it to be put to use again.”“It should be safer there, too, at least from the Dark Hunters and the Brotherhood,” said Mosori. “If you're sure about this, Imlen...”“Sure?” Imlen glanced at him and chuckled. “Call it a hunch.”Review

Interesting start. Miraculous plant growth on Zakaz, a mysterious being made of shadow, and unnatural disasters on an island... I wonder how they could be connected.

End of YrentaChapter Two==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe==~536 AGC~ The Matoran were caught now. There was no way they could outrun Rahkshi, and Energy Hounds could track a being to anywhere in the universe. And it was clear this soldier would not take prisoners. With a gesture, he ordered the Rahkshi forward. One of the Rahkshi was surrounded by a swarm of small insects, which it sent to sting the Matoran. The other raised its staff, and clouds gathered overhead. Hail pelted the Matoran, and lightning struck frighteningly close. Paqyar managed to nock an arrow and shoot, but sudden winds blew it wildly off target. Vilam and Imlen tried to make a stand against the Rahkshi, and were quickly knocked down. Mosori yelled and charged the Energy Hound. He dodged past the Rahkshi, raised his hammer, and struck the tracking Rahi hard on the head. A clang sounded, and the creature staggered. Then it recovered and growled. The Brotherhood soldier released its leash, and it pounced on Mosori.“Mosori!” Vilam cried out as the Po-Matoran was ravaged by the hound's teeth and claws.“R... run!” Mosori struggled to say. The other three Matoran tried to get up and flee, but were pinned down by the Rahkshi. All they could do was dodge their attacks for a little longer.“I don't think so,” said the Brotherhood soldier. “Enough delaying, you little worms are d – ”He was cut short by a knife in his back. He cried out in pain and turned, just in time to see the Vortixx Dark Hunter the Matoran had encountered earlier. In the time it took for him to blink, the Vortixx had covered the distance and swept his sword over the soldier's shoulders, cleanly decapitating him. The Energy Hound was next, thrown knives caused it to release Mosori, roll over, and die. The two Rahkshi turned away from the Matoran and struck back, but did not last much longer. The Hunter's curved blade slashed through the machines' armor and killed the Kraata inside with swift, precise swings. Imlen, Paqyar, and Vilam stood up as the insects and unnatural weather dispersed.“You followed us!” said Paqyar.“Not exactly,” said the Vortixx, pointing up at the Rahkshi's fading clouds. “That could be seen for kio around. I guessed it would be worth investigating. I'm sure I'm not the only one.”“You're right,” agreed Imlen as he walked over to help Mosori. “We need to move on, quickly.”“I... can't go,” coughed Mosori. “I don't think I can... walk... leave me here.”“No, Mosori, we – ” Vilam began, but was interrupted.“He's right, he can't walk,” said the Vortixx. “He'll just slow you down.”“He's not hurt too badly,” protested Paqyar. “We can't leave him to die here.”“I won't let that happen to him. I think I can help,” said the Vortixx.“You? You want us to trust you with him?” said Vilam.“Ah, right, because I'm a Dark Hunter, and I'm supposed to kill you all, or at least abduct you or something. If that's what you want...”“No, wait!” said Imlen. “What... what do you have in mind?”“There's a village nearby you can take him to, isn't there? Don't worry, my allies in the Shadowed One's army don't know about it.”“You're right,” said Imlen, unsure whether to be worried or relieved. “We'll head there.”“Let's go, I can hear others approaching,” said the Vortixx urgently. He picked up Mosori and sprinted away.“I don't like this,” said Paqyar as the Matoran rushed to catch up.“We don't have much choice, now be quiet and let's get out of sight,” said Imlen.Moving stealthily through rock formations and foliage, the Matoran followed the Vortixx. They knew of the village he was referring to, but it was actually barely even a village. It was a recently founded collection of huts known merely as Yotvis's Home. Yotvis was the Matoran that had founded it, but he was gone now. The most popular story was that goblins got him when he was traveling. All that was certain was that he had been a Ba-Matoran who brought his friends here where they hoped to survive unnoticed by the sinister forces of the world. Their seclusion had lasted for a few years, then Teskor's minions found them and ensured they were part of the Makuta's new social system. Imlen had visited a few times before, and knew that the inhabitants were especially sympathetic to his cause. Most of them would not dare to openly rebel, but he was confident he would find shelter for Mosori here. The Vortixx stopped where the village was just out of sight, and the Matoran caught up.“Here's where we part, Matoran,” the Dark Hunter said, letting Mosori down. “I don't wish to be seen here, and I must return to my allies.”“What is up with you?” demanded Paqyar. “You're no ordinary Dark Hunter.”“We're not all so bad,” said the Vortixx. “Some of us are just trying to make a living. Some of us even have some noble personal quest.”“But...” Paqyar said, too late. The Vortixx ignored him and jumped away.“I guess we were lucky,” said Vilam. “Or else this is part of an elaborate Dark Hunter plot.”“Looks like we have something else to worry about,” Imlen called from the hill he stood on. “Come and take a look.”Mosori leaned on Paqyar's shoulder as the three Matoran came to Imlen. They could see Yotvis's Home below. There were no Matoran outside in the village, which was not unusual, but even from this distance it was clear something was wrong. Most of the huts were open, and there were no lights, although it was getting dark. It was all disturbingly still and silent. The Matoran carefully came closer, and no one came to greet them.“Looks like we missed something,” said Vilam as they walked through the village center. “The Brotherhood must have come and taken them away.”“Let's see what we can find here anyway,” said Imlen, looking around curiously. “If this was for labor, they wouldn't have brought everyone...”“I see footprints. Leading to the north, alright,” observed Mosori. “Matoran and... some bigger kinds. Rahkshi and other enforcers, I expect.”“Do any of the Matoran prints look like – ” Imlen was interrupted by a muffled cough coming from one of the huts.As a precaution, the team ran in with their weapons drawn, although the sound did not seem to come from anything threatening. Indeed, a dusty brown mask popped out from a pile of damaged tools and other junk. It was a Po-Matoran.“Imlen?” he said with relief. “Oh thank goodness, I was afraid they'd be back.”“Rodas, what's going on?” asked Imlen, recognizing the Matoran from his previous visit. “Let me help you up there, then you can explain.”The Matoran of Plasma walked across the room to the junk pile and held out his hand to Rodas the Po-Matoran. Rodas took it and accepted the support in standing up. When he stood, Imlen's companions noticed that he was missing most of his right foot. Such a condition was not as uncommon in these times as it used to be. Without letting Rodas lose his balance, Imlen stooped to retrieve the Po-Matoran's cane and handed it to him. Rodas gave a short bow of gratitude, then he shuffled over to an overturned chair. Imlen righted it for him, and he sat down. Once he was settled, he began to explain without needing to be prompted again.“They came to take us to work, as we knew they would. They used to always let the crippled Matoran stay behind if they didn't have any work for them. And they rarely do, since most of it's bricklaying or smithing. They have no time for any other sort of crafting, these newcomers. Just making walls and weapons... anyway, when they came yesterday it was different. First, it was who came. They were a few Rahkshi, but there was someone else leading them. He... he was a Toa.”“A Toa?” Imlen's companions cried out in disbelief.“Not in the traditional sense of the word of course,” explained Rodas. “He was no hero like Gareki or the others. But he had the characteristics of one, you know, tall and slender, fancy weapon, elemental powers. This one was a 'Toa' of Ice. White armor with fancy silver, and a nifty spear too.”“What did he do?” asked Imlen. He did not like the sound of this.“Well, when he was gathering up all of us to go to work, instead of letting Miruka, Vatai, and Basi – the other maimed Matoran here – instead of leaving them behind, he killed them. He called them 'broken' and had their bodies taken away for 'resources.' He would have gotten me too, but I saw it happen to the others first, and I hid. Even creepier, he attacked Toruba for no reason I could tell. He called her 'defective' something and didn't kill her, but watched her like a Kahu the rest of the time. I was as bewildered as everyone else when it happened, but now I've thought of it for a while. I've learned a bit about Kanohi, and I bet that 'Toa' had a mask that gave him mind reading ability. Makes me shudder to think about it. Anyway, after that he and the Rahkshi took everyone off north. It was all very abrupt, no time to clean up before leaving as you can see. He was very brusque, just told us to gather up and move out. He didn't answer any questions, or converse with us at all really. Just the orders and his strange insults.”“So a Toa who murders those who are no use to him and who might be able to read minds is working for the Makuta,” summed up Mosori as he sat down on the floor. “Great. My wish has been fulfilled, a Toa has been delivered to us. A Toa who happens to be a sociopathic killer. I should have been more specific in my wishing.”“Yeah, this is bad news,” said Imlen. “And we came here helping to find shelter for Mosori here. He's been hurt.”“It's not too bad,” said Mosori. “I think I can almost... ouch, no, I can't stand yet.”“I don't expect them to come back soon,” said Rodas. “Make yourselves comfortable, we'll spend the night here.”“'We'll'?” said Paqyar, noticing the pronoun.“When you go, I'm going with you,” explained Rodas. “Don't even try to argue against it.”“Of course. I was going to suggest the same thing,” said Imlen with a smile.“He's coming with us?” said Vilam skeptically. “No offense, Rodas, but we live a dangerous life.”“Consider this. Everyone else in this tiny settlement has gone away,” said Rodas. “The only ones that used to keep me company while the others went away were just killed. If their killer finds me, he'll probably kill me too. They took most of the food too – the only thing they did bother to pick up before leaving, actually. Handicapped or not, I'd rather go on an adventure, even a very dangerous one, than sit here until I starve and rust.”“I'm sorry, I hadn't thought of that. I've always judged new members of the team by how good they'd be in a fight. And seeing as you can't stand up without support, well, you know...”“I'm honored to be called a member of your team so soon,” chuckled Rodas. “But my intention is only to accompany you to the next community that I can settle in. One where I won't be killed off because I'm missing a foot, preferably.”The Matoran closed the door and made themselves comfortable. The land was rather arid, so a hot day gave way to a frigid night. Wind howled outside the windowless hut while the Matoran huddled around a pile of heatstones within. To the northeast eerie flashes of lightning illuminated Mount Tasle in the night. But few Matoran were known to live on that mountain now. Most of the Lightning folk had mingled with the others, partly because of Ukzokth attacks, and partly because Teskor's labor recruitment enforced it, bringing Matoran from all around Yrenta to work in his fortresses. Imlen debated with his companions about hiding on the mountain later while they also asked questions of Rodas to satisfy their curiosity.“No, sadly, it was a construction accident,” answered Rodas after Mosori asked him if his foot had been lost in battle. “I was a clumsy builder, and the tools we use for cutting stone on a larger scale, for buildings for example, can go right through you as easily as the rock.”“Have you ever been in a battle?” asked Vilam.“I must have, long ago... I've been around a while. But I don't remember much. The days of waiting for the Toa to return, and when the Makuta revealed himself, those take up much of my memory, so that the times before that are vague.”“I know what you mean,” said Imlen. “Some things I'm not sure if I was around for or not, but I remember the stories. You remember Toa Tanu, don't you?”“Of course I remember Toa Tanu. He was the leader of our Turaga's team when they were Toa. And... he died. How, I do not recall.”“I was told Makuta Teskor killed him. I believe it.”“I can believe that too. But... it hasn't even been three thousand years, and it feels like such a long time ago.”“It's Mata Nui's sleep,” said Paqyar. “Nothing's been the same since the Cataclysm.”“I agree, Paqyar,” said Vilam. “Now, I don't have a universe to run, so I'm going to sleep willingly. I'm exhausted.”Vilam found a comfortable corner to curl up in and went to sleep. Imlen set a schedule for keeping watch, then the others followed her example. He took the first shift, and while he did, he tended to Mosori's wounds. Had he strained himself, the injuries could have become much worse, but in this condition, he would hopefully be fully ambulatory by morning. By the time he was done, it was his turn to sleep. But that did not come easily to him. Today he had witnessed the deaths of three of his closest friends, and many other brother and sister Matoran. He had been in several narrow escapes and been rescued twice by a mysterious potential ally, or perhaps a sympathetic enemy. And now he was resting in the site of another disaster, one which a Toa was apparently behind. It had been an eventful day. After what felt like hours of reflection, he finally began to fall asleep.Review

Nice story. I like the detail you put into Xia, and the characters' personalities. It's nice to see a Vortixx that goes against the stereotype of being manipulative and greedy. I just had a friendly male Vortixx in my story (just a minor character however), funny coincidence. One thing that didn't quite work for me was Emeder's crazed reaction when Tignioni showed up. It's believable that he'd be sensitive and kind of crazy about it, but maybe the brief backstory didn't have enough of an effect. I suggest maybe going over that in more detail, to emphasize how bad he felt about it and why.

<p>This is the review topic for my third epic, <span class="bbc_underline"><a href="http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=4219">End of Yrenta</a>.</span><br /><br />It is still in progress, and currently at 55 chapters.</p>

End of YrentaChapter One==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe==~536 AGC~ “Imlen, get down!”Imlen ducked. A disk flew over his head and hit a wall, triggering a fireball that left a smoldering impression where it struck.“We're over here, run!”Imlen ran after Vilam. Around a corner, they came face to face with the rest of their team and some other Matoran. They paused there to catch their breath, but were soon interrupted. The building they were hiding behind disintegrated. Projectiles crossed the empty space where the building had stood. A Rahkshi backed away from the battle, seeking an escape. It had just knocked Najma out of the way in its retreat when it was struck by something and exploded. Najma, who had traveled with Imlen for four hundred years, was killed instantly from the resulting shrapnel. Dozens of other Matoran fell around him, killed or wounded by numerous ranged attacks. This was not collateral damage. After routing the Makuta forces, the Dark Hunters had begun to slaughter every laborer they saw. Imlen had been nearly too shocked to react. Such a massacre had never occurred during this war.But it was a war, and inevitably innocent Matoran would get caught in it. Imlen did not know what started it, but he had heard it had been raging across the universe for centuries – since soon after that terrible earthquake that was dubbed the Great Cataclysm. Whatever strife the aftermath of the Cataclysm had caused between the Makuta and the Dark Hunters, that disaster had had grave effects on the remote region of Yrenta. Buildings crumbled, the ocean swelled over the plains of De-Wahi, and the Toa were missing, presumed dead. They had been underground when it happened, gone off to put an end to some mysterious threat. Whatever the Matoran of the underground feared, it had not come back to them, but neither had the Toa. Without the Toa, the Matoran were overrun by the Ukzokth, twisted creatures often called 'goblins', in a matter of days.Makuta Teskor had saved them from that menace, revealing himself and the dominance he had attained over the Ukzokth before the Matoran were wiped out. Few remembered who he was, and those few had misgivings. Some had spoken out against him, claiming he had done horrible deeds in the past and was probably behind the Ukzokth all along. Those individuals did not last long, as Teskor, well-intentioned or not, quickly demonstrated that he had no tolerance for dissenters. The Turaga had quietly disappeared as well. In exchange for keeping the Ukzokth from getting carried away (he didn't seem to mind if they harassed the Matoran a little, killing and pillaging occasionally) he had requested that the Matoran honor him over Mata Nui. For the first few centuries, it seemed to be all about him. Statues honoring Mata Nui and the Toa were torn down and replaced with ones for him, old tombs and temples were buried, and every Matoran pitched in to pay him tribute.Then the war came to the borders of Yrenta, and he got serious. The people formerly ruled by Metaku (one of the dissidents who had disappeared) were put to work mining and crafting for the Brotherhood of Makuta army. The old fortresses that used to defend the Matoran from goblins were renovated in preparation for Dark Hunter attacks, and tribute was tripled to pay for the war. But although many of the older, wiser Matoran, as well as some of the bright and brave young ones, had spoken out and disappeared, a few others had more success at staying alive while doing nothing to help Teskor and his brothers. Among those rebels were Imlen and his companions. He had been opposed to Teskor since day one, remembering old stories about him slaying a Toa from his village, and he soon had a following. Over the years, he had lost companions and gained new ones.Today it seemed likely he would lose all his companions, and his own life too. The attempt to liberate the Matoran laboring in this fortress had gone all wrong. Imlen and his friends had joined the community of Matoran that kept the walls and weapons in order, hoping to lead the Matoran in deserting Teskor's forces when the Dark Hunters attacked. But the Rahkshi, Ukzokth, and other beings the Makuta commanded had kept the Matoran from leaving until the Dark Hunters had destroyed them. Now it was clear the Dark Hunters did not intend for them to leave alive either. It was a ruthless strategy: cripple the enemy's army by destroying the slaves that supported it. In Imlen's experience, the Dark Hunters were all corrupt and greedy beings that would do anything for money and power. But whoever was leading today's attack must have been especially heartless.Several Dark Hunter soldiers charged. A thick-armored warrior with enormous hands and feet picked up Vilam and tried to crush her. Grimacing with pain, she pressed a button on the hilt of her sword, and the blade became electrified. Neither the jolt nor the blade's sharpness were enough to hurt the Dark Hunter's hand much, but it was a nasty surprise. He cried out in shock and dropped his Matoran of Lightning prisoner, and cursed as she bolted out of reach. One of his companions threw a stack of deadly bladed disks at the fleeing Matoran, but the villagers took cover behind another building just in time. They kept running, and only after making a few random turns in an effort to evade the Hunters did they dare to stop to catch their breath.“Najma!” gasped a Matoran of the Green with a bow strapped to his back. “I saw him go down, we left him behind!”“I know,” said Imlen. “I'm sorry, Paqyar, I saw him... he's gone.”“And you're next!” said a slender, blue-armored warrior. His red eyes glowed, and the Matoran found themselves inexplicably mesmerized. Only Napruha, another Matoran of Lightning, was unaffected for some reason. She growled and skewered the hypnotic being with her rapier. He yelped, then hissed in anger. He grabbed Napruha's arm, pulled the weapon out of him, and disarmed her with a crushing grip. With his other hand he brought his sword to bear on her. Napruha blocked his initial attacks, but her Matoran-sized shield was no match. She was soon struck a mortal blow. Fortunately for them, however, this broke the other Matoran from their trance.“Go! I will hold him off!” Napruha managed to say. She stood defiantly between the Dark Hunter and her friends, who obeyed her and fled. The Hunter gave her a quick death and pursued the others, but he was too late. He had lost them.Ahead, the Matoran saw a surviving group of Brotherhood soldiers, led by a Steltian lieutenant. It seemed the soldiers had a clear escape route, but if the Matoran accepted their protection, they would lose their freedom. Then it would be back to laboring for the Brotherhood until the next opportunity to escape came, if they lived that long. Imlen considered it. Last time the Dark Hunters had captured a fortress, Teskor had sacrificed a considerable number of Ukzokth to take it back, an act which was beneficial to the Matoran. However, after that, dozens of Matoran had been worked to death improving the recaptured fortress and laboring to make up for the Brotherhood's losses. Fortunately none of the Matoran had actually been sent into battle, as they served the Makuta better as laborers, but Imlen feared Teskor might do something rash as a result of this recent defeat. Matoran were no match for the Dark Hunters' army, but if he was willing to throw away the lives of the Ukzokth, he might decide he had more than enough Matoran to waste. Yet, the Dark Hunters would certainly kill them all immediately. In a choice between death and slavery, Imlen would choose the latter, at least for a little while.But it seemed the choice would be made for him, one way or another. The lieutenant had spotted them and ordered two soldiers forward to retrieve them, while the rest retreated. They were halfway to the Matoran when another Dark Hunter emerged from an alley. This one was a male Vortixx, an unusual specimen to find away from their homeland of Xia. His quick, precise movement set him apart from the other Dark Hunters – the Matoran sensed something especially dangerous about him. They were soon proven right. As soon as they turned to him, the Brotherhood soldiers sent to escort the Matoran were dead. His sword moves were some of the fastest Imlen had ever seen. As the bodies hit the ground, the Vortixx turned to the Brotherhood lieutenant and his group. The lieutenant took another step back nervously, and ordered the rest of his company to attack. The warriors, consisting of four recruited soldiers of different species, three Visorak, and a Rahkshi, attacked together. Imlen gestured to his friends, and they took the opportunity to flee.The Matoran stopped short as a series of knives landed in the ground in front of them, thrown by the Vortixx as a warning. He had barely turned away from the Makuta forces. Intimidated, Imlen and the others paused. They wondered what it was for. The Dark Hunter could have easily killed them. He certainly was doing well in his fight. A hail of shuriken stung the recruited soldiers, distracting them while he took out the Visorak. The Rahkshi, a Turahk, attacked with its fear power. This slowed the Vortixx enough for the soldiers to score a few hits, but it was not enough. Seconds later, the Rahkshi was scrap, and the four soldiers were next. The last one standing, the terrified Steltian, held up his axe and shield as the Dark Hunter charged him, but it was no use. The Matoran were still standing in place, almost equally afraid as the lieutenant when his head was removed from his body.“Well, well,” said the Vortixx Dark Hunter as he leaped backwards and landed smoothly in front of the group. “Four Matoran trying to escape. And judging by your weapons, you are not mere laborers.”“Are you going to kill us?” the Po-Matoran known as Mosori said bitterly.“Those are my orders,” the Dark Hunter admitted. The Matoran prepared themselves, but he did not act yet.“We won't make it easy,” said Vilam, trying to sound more certain than she was.“Hmm... but you do have some spirit, don't you?” chuckled the Vortixx. “You're renegades of some sort, I can tell. Rebels, bandits, adventurers, whatever you call yourselves, whatever others call you. I think it would do the Brotherhood some harm to let you go. Don't you think?”“Certainly,” said Imlen hopefully.“Well then, I think it would be in both our best interests to let you go. Agreed?”“No doubt,” said Imlen, more confidently this time.“Better run. Sounds like my friends are coming,” warned the Vortixx. He was right, the Matoran could hear others approaching.They took his advice and fled. Fortunately, the fortress wall had been damaged nearby. A hole had been blasted in the inner wall, and the outer wall was weakened significantly. With moderate effort, Mosori kicked the damaged section down, and the four Matoran spilled outside. Nearly stumbling, they continued down a hill and stopped half a kio away. There a large rock formation provided cover, and they rested.“Kara-Naja, there it burns,” said Paqyar, referring to the fortress. “I wonder if Aki-Naja is next.”“I doubt it,” said Mosori. “We Po-Matoran put our best into the Fortress of Valor, and I know Makuta's got it full of his forces up and down the hour-chart these days. Not that it makes much difference to us.”“Don't say that,” said Imlen. “You know there are still many of our brothers and sisters trapped in there, working for the Makuta until they drop dead or die in the war. I won't stand for it. If battle ever comes to that fortress, I swear I'll be there to help them escape.”“We need to see to our own survival first,” Vilam pointed out. “Look, our group is almost half gone. Weti, Najma, and Napruha, all of them are lost.”“I know. I... I don't know how we can...” stammered Imlen.“The Matoran must save themselves,” said Paqyar, answering the unspoken question. “We must show them: if they are to be free, they must work together to achieve it. They can't rely on a small group of rogues to do it for them.”“So that's your plan, is it?” said an unfamiliar voice.“Not again!” groaned Mosori.“We were followed!” gasped Vilam as she and the others stood. “That treacherous Vortixx – wait, that's... oh, Kraata slime.”Vilam's curse was a terrified whisper. For she and the others peered around the rock and saw a Brotherhood soldier flanked by two Rahkshi and led by a leashed Energy Hound.Review

Fate of Yrenta Chapter Four ==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe== ~Circa 2,000 BGC~ The sky was darkening quickly as the Toa approached the mountain range of northern Yrenta. No Rahkshi had confronted them since they left the temple, but both the Toa and their steeds were exhausted. The dark outlines of the rocky peaks seemed utterly impassible at the time. “How will... how will we climb those?” panted Morok after his Hypaka stumbled. “There's a valley a little to the west, see?” said Tanu, pointing to a distant gap in the mountains. “We'll pass through there, it'll be easy going.” “Hmm. It looks like a good place for an ambush,” muttered Siok thoughtfully. “Are you sure about this, Tanu?” “We'd be even more vulnerable climbing the mountains,” insisted Tanu. “In fact, we'd have to stop for the night before even trying.” “If you think the valley will be a safe route, Tanu, I'm with you,” said Morok. “Now when did I say I think it's safe?” asked Tanu rhetorically. Usually, the valley was a beautiful, pleasant place. But now, in the dark, with a possible ambush lurking behind every rock and tree, it was quite spooky. The Toa rode close together and quietly. They tried to stay in the shadows without putting themselves in the dark enough to blind themselves to incoming attackers. At this time, Tanu dearly missed his Mask of Sensory Aptitude. He guessed they were about halfway through the valley when he thought he heard Morok gasp. Tanu turned his head, but everything seemed normal. He studied Morok and his surroundings for a moment more, but the only thing he noticed was his steed was unusually restless. But that was not very strange, after all, they had been traveling for hours straight, under threat of attack the whole time. Siok was a little confused when he noticed Tanu diverting their course ever so slightly, but did not think much of it. The team leader knew this valley, and he no doubt had a reason for moving towards the eastern side of the valley. Siok was more puzzled when his two companions stopped on the other side of a small hill and dismounted. Their Hypaka bolted away the first chance the beasts got, braying frightfully. Siok wondered what was happening until the images of Tanu and Morok shimmered and disappeared, revealing his 'companions' for what they really were. Tanu chided himself for letting his guard down as he blocked a strike from a Rahkshi's staff with his own staff, then called upon his elemental powers. The tan and blue Rahkshi hissed as its staff was melted by Tanu's. The Toa knocked the Kraata out of the helpless suit of armor with a swift kick, then he turned to face another Rahkshi. A cloud of murky blackness oozed from the staff of this one, which was clad in black and red armor. The darkness threatened to blind Tanu, but a flash of bright plasma banished the shadows. It also gave Tanu's presence away to any other foes that could be nearby. As he melted the second Rahkshi into a puddle, he hoped there were no more Rahkshi on the way. Morok hit the ground and rolled just in time to dodge a stab from his opponent's staff. As he looked up, he saw a bright flash not far off. As he distracted the three Rahkshi with a burst of vines, he called to Tanu. But although Morok yelled as loud as he could, the Toa of Plasma did not react. Morok realized the strike from the gray and black Rahkshi had rendered him mute as well as deaf. So, it's to be a silent fight, then, he thought as he caused the branches of a lone tree to shoot out and crush a Rahkshi and trip the other two. Then he ran towards Tanu as quickly as he could. Siok quickly pinned the two Rahkshi to the ground and brought down a nearby pile of rocks on them, but there were more waiting. He turned just in time to see an orange and black Rahkshi looming over him and feel his breath being sucked away. The air returned to his lungs when he forced that Rahkshi to drop its staff. He followed up by pinning it to the ground, and approached to finish it hand-to-hand, but another Makuta-Son jumped out of the shadows. Siok felt weakness return to his muscles as the Rahkshi struck him with its staff. Is this how it is to end? he wondered as he fell to the ground and the Rahkshi of Vacuum, having retrieved its staff, stood over him and began to asphyxiate him. But just as he thought he would pass out, vines wrapped around the Rahkshi and dragged it away as it shrieked. At the same time, the Rahkshi of Hunger collapsed into a pile of red-hot metal. The next moment, a pair of strong green hands was helping him up. Siok brushed himself off and caught his breath before speaking to Morok and Tanu. “Thank you,” he said. “I thought I was doomed then.” “I'm sorry,” said Tanu. “I never expected them to stage such a clever ambush. Morok was the first one to get abducted. Some of those Rahkshi had some sort of illusion power. That explains why the Hypaka were spooked, too – they were being ridden by Rahkshi impostors. Oh no – where are the Hypaka?” The Toa looked around, but the steeds were nowhere to be found. “Well, we couldn't have taken the poor beasts much farther anyway,” said Tanu. “We can't take ourselves much farther,” added Morok. “To travel the wastelands is a feat of great endurance, and look at us. It's hopeless.” “Well...” Tanu thought for a moment. Morok was right, but what could they do? “Very well. Before entering the wastes, we will find a cave or something to rest in. Each of us will need to take shifts guarding the other two, of course. But we mustn't rest until we reach the end of the valley.” All three Toa were reluctant and dearly wished for a long rest, but Tanu was right. Fortunately, they were unmolested during the remainder of the journey through the valley. Dawn was starting as Tanu led them among some rocky ridges in the mountain's foothills. Soon they had found a cave that seemed to be an appropriate place to get some sleep. Despite their exhaustion, all three of them argued over the job of being the sentry. Finally, Tanu got the job. He stood guard for a few hours while Morok and Siok slept safely inside the cave, then the two other Toa guarded Tanu as he recovered. Then Tanu insisted they take another round of rest, for they would need all their strength for the next part of their quest. It was nearly noon when the Toa came to the place where the grass stopped growing completely. That was the northern border of Yrenta. No sooner had Siok, Tanu, and Morok stepped onto the hard, gray earth when they felt a the land's unnatural affliction. The air was cold and dry, and their spirits felt like they were being crushed with each passing minute. But the time spent in the cave had been rejuvenating, and they did their best to shake off the oppressive atmosphere. They had made it to Makuta Teskor's lair millennia ago, when they were just novices. Now they were old and weary Toa, it was true, but they were also experienced veterans. We can do this, they all told themselves. They had to do it. The bleak, open space and the clear, waterless air made it easy to see Rahi moving far off. Even from far away, the Toa could tell some of the beasts were large and very dangerous. None of them was in any hurry to get into a fight with a Manas, a legendary crab rumored to be from the pits of Karzahni that was said to be able to take on an entire team of Toa. And even a fight with a Nui-Jaga would be a waste of precious energy, energy they needed to deal with Rahkshi, and, though they dreaded it and hoped it were not so, possibly for a fight with Teskor himself. “Careful, let's skirt around these quietly,” whispered Tanu as the Toa tried to maneuver around a herd of nasty-looking bipedal Rahi they couldn't identify. Morok took another look, and he noticed that perhaps 'herd' wasn't the right word. It looked more like... a legion. Make that a legion that's seen the enemy and is rushing to attack, he noted as the three Toa heard bellowing and the Rahi charged. The stampede would have kicked up dust had the barren ground not been so hard. “Time for plan B?” said Morok nervously as the horde approached rapidly. “Yup,” confirmed Tanu. “So much for stealth, then,” said Siok as he let go of his identity. The titan formed from the three Toa was named Ilaniuma and he had the powers of Plasma, Gravity, and the Green. He knew what these attackers were, or at least what they were similar to, because Tanu knew. They looked like Thunder Trolls, but their armor was slightly different, and while Thunder Trolls all came in stormy hues like black and blue, these came in a great variety of colors. These foes were clearly a variety of Thunder Troll, however, so Ilaniuma dubbed them “Wasteland Trolls”. Like the Thunder Trolls Tanu had fought with Ilikia many years before, these were a little taller and much stockier than Toa. They had little finesse, they merely charged and tried to pound their targets to scrap with crude, makeshift weapons. At least, that's what Ilaniuma expected until he found a few metal bolts lodged painfully into his arm. The Toa Kaita growled with pain and let out a blast of scorching plasma. A dozen crossbow-wielding trolls fell, and Ilaniuma knocked seven more aside with a sweep of his staff. Twenty trolls with various shoddy-looking melee weapons howled fearfully as they floated high into the sky, their gravity inexplicably reversed. In this barren environment, the power over plants Ilaniuma had from Morok was weakened, but he mustered enough of it to take out a large group. His weapon weaved back and forth, and scores of the Wasteland Trolls fell before him. Wild Rahi from all around could see the sight, but they were in no hurry to join the battle against the raging giant. Rather, the beasts panicked and stampeded as far as they could go. Though Ilaniuma was outnumbered a hundred and fifty to one (or three, considering he was an amalgam of three Toa), the trolls were eventually routed. As the remaining savage warriors fled, Ilaniuma raised his tired head at a familiar mechanical humming sound. Almost lazily, the Kaita held out his hand, then made a swift lowering motion. The seven approaching Rahkshi fell to the ground like rocks. Though Ilaniuma was weary from the fight, he willed himself to stay together, for more dangers surely lay ahead. The titan's confidence soared as he came to the rocky ridge where Makuta Teskor had made his lair. It was here, over thirty-six thousand years ago, the six Toa Yrenta had been defeated by Rahkshi and left at the mercy of the Makuta. But now it would be Teskor who answered to the Toa. Ilaniuma was huge and had great power. Makuta were powerful, too, but Ilaniuma was ready. If Teskor wanted a fight, he would get one. The giant amalgam was about to enter the ghastly cave when he stopped short. Something was happening. Deep, booming, sinister laughter echoed from within the cave as the Kaita dissolved and reformed into three confused Toa. From behind the nearby rocks, from the other side of the ridge, and from the cave mouth itself swarmed a small horde of Rahkshi. “You have come far, Toa,” said the voice of Teskor from within the cave. “But you will come to farther. Today, you die, and the Matoran of Yrenta will have no choice but to bow before me.” When their master was done speaking, the Rahkshi quickly moved into position. The three Toa stood back to back and held out their Toa Tools as they prepared for their final battle. Review

Fate of Yrenta Chapter Three ==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe== ~Circa 2,000 BGC~ Riding on Hypaka brought fond memories to the minds of the three Toa. The equine-lupine Rahi were used as steeds throughout most of Yrenta. The open plains of De-Wahi were a perfect environment for them, and, had the situation been less dire, the ride would have been a pleasant experience. But joy was not on the minds of the three Toa as their steeds galloped to the Ce-Kini in the region's center. All three feared they would find something grisly at the temple. Varlokka had gone there and not been heard from since, the Toa were being hunted by Rahkshi, and according to Tanu, something had happened to the temple's Suva. It didn't take them much thinking before a fear for their Turaga's life struck them. “Rahkshi! Look out!” Siok called to his two comrades. Morok and Tanu looked up, and sure enough, another group of Rahkshi was flying at them. Why do they have to be able to fly? As if they aren't difficult enough otherwise, thought Tanu as he took one hand off the reins, reached behind him, and grabbed his staff. Before he could strike, he jerked the reins with his left hand, directing his Hypaka out of the way just in time. The patch of ground he was about to run over exploded, showering him with clods of dirt and stones. The Panrahk didn't get a second chance. In a flash, the yellowish grasses below it suddenly grew until they entangled the brown Rahkshi. Morok released more of his power, and the grasses became as strong as the toughest tree. The machine shrieked as the animated plants tore its head off, its Kraata falling to the ground and slithering away. Meanwhile, Siok had ended the flight of two more Rahkshi in a more direct way – he simply made them too heavy for any power of theirs to counter. His Hypaka brayed with fright as the Rahkshi hit the ground with unnaturally great force. Tanu was being harassed by a Rahkshi of Heat Vision, but he wasn't ready to retaliate. A careless attack from him or the Rahkshi could start a fire blazing across the plain uncontrollably. Indiscriminately melting the foe would be dangerous, but he had to stop it before it ignited the vast expanse of dry grass. As he dodged a pair of searing heat vision beams, the answer came to him. With a strong but careful application of his power, he sent precise jets of plasma aimed at the Rahkshi's head. The hot, ionized gas obscured and damaged the mechanical eyes through which the Rahkshi's Kraata observed the world. One more blast of plasma tricked the blinded Rahkshi into directing itself at the ground. Tanu was well out of the way when it struck, but he could still hear the crash clearly, even as he fended off attacks from the last Rahkshi, a Guurahk. The ground under him disintegrated, and he and his mount would have fallen into the chasm had Siok not reacted quickly to save him. “Neat trick, Tanu,” said Morok as he launched a cloud of tiny spores around the blue Rahkshi. While his target was distracted, he followed up with a shower of thorns. Finally, he finished with a large blade of plant matter aimed perfectly at the flying Rahkshi of Disintegration. The three Toa rode alongside each other as the remains of their last attacker hit the ground and rolled over and over before losing momentum. “Well, they found us again,” observed Morok dryly. “Are we almost there, Tanu?” “I hope so. Wait, look there.” Tanu pointed to the building visible on the horizon. Soon, the three Toa dismounted outside the temple grounds. There was no reason to bring their poor steeds into unnecessary danger. They didn't need to get close to see the damage. Whoever had attacked had not even bothered to be discreet. A hole had been knocked into the side wall. The Toa took that entrance. The temple was mostly intact inside, but the floor had been cracked and scuffed and a few statues and diagrams had been ruined. They soon noticed the pile of rubble blocking the entrance to the main chamber. Morok attempted to kick the fallen stone away, but to no avail. He did not need to make another attempt, however. The stones burst outward, followed by an armored hand, then two Rahkshi emerged hissing from behind the rubble. That was their mistake. Tanu was in no mood for a drawn out fight. The Makuta-Sons had scarcely entered the foyer when a cloud of white-hot plasma surrounded them. When it dissipated, they had been reduced to half-melted pieces of armor sticking out of a heap of slag. Tanu strode over, squeezed what was left of one's head until he was sure the Kraata inside had been squished, then stepped over the remains with contempt. Morok and Siok followed him into the room. The damage in the rest of the temple was nothing compared to the sight that met the Toa's eyes as they surveyed the Suva chamber. The walls and decorations had been defaced in various ways, the Suva itself was visibly damaged, and to their horror, a small, hunched body lay crumpled before it. With a gasp, all three Toa dashed into the room. It was as they feared, Varlokka was dead. The corpse lying in front of the Suva was hers. On the other side of the room, a damaged Rahkshi lay lifelessly, its head and Kraata nowhere to be seen. It seemed that their Turaga had put up an impressive fight, which brought a tiny bit of comfort. But the Toa couldn't imagine how she could take down a Rahkshi. “Defacing a temple... murdering a Turaga...” Tanu growled, but his anger immediately gave way to sadness and weariness. He sat by Varlokka's body. His companions joined him, and they stayed there, grieving, for a long time. Finally Siok stood up. It was clear why Tanu had been unable to use the Suva, it had been destroyed. Siok reached into it in an attempt to retrieve any Kanohi that might have survived, but a surge of power from the Suva's malfunctioning core shocked him and forced him away. “Tanu, Morok, we must leave...” he warned, “we must go before more Rahkshi show up.” “You... you're right, Siok,” admitted Tanu, and he rose. “When – if – we return, we will give Varlokka a proper burial. There is no time now.” To the relief of the Toa, their Hypaka were well and the skies were clear as they rode away from the Ce-Kini. Once he felt they were a safe distance from the temple, Morok rode up alongside Tanu. “Now where do we go?” asked Morok. “North, past the mountains, through the wastelands, to Makuta Teskor's lair. It's time to pay him a visit, and put an end to all this.” Review

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Fate of Yrenta Chapter Two ==Yrenta Region, Northern Continent, Matoran Universe== ~Circa 2,000 BGC~ After the Toa had been drifting for what felt like hours, the waves finally deposited them on a sandy beach. They lay there for a long time. Finally, Tanu got up. Morok did the same, and offered to help Siok rise, but the Toa of Gravity waved him away and stood faster than his companions expected he would be able to. “I... can't believe... I mean, the loss of our friends is no longer new to us,” said Morok slowly, “but... so close to home. And those were no wild Rahkshi. That was a deliberate attempt on our lives. What is happening?” “I fear something terrible has happened here,” said Siok. “We must ensure the safety of our villagers.” “There's one more thing,” added Tanu. “Something happened to the Ce-Suva.” “I remember you mentioned the Ce-Suva, but what do you mean?” asked Morok. “My Suva was being renovated, so I temporarily relocated some of my masks to the Ce-Suva. But I tried to summon a mask from it just before the fight, and nothing happened. We should investigate. But Siok is right, first we should find the nearest village. That would be the Ga-Koro, correct? Wait – where are we anyway?” The three Toa looked around. The beach they stood on was made of coarse sand. Not far off, tall grass grew. That way must have been north, because they were definitely on the south end of the continent. The beach stretched a long way to the east and west. Siok looked carefully and saw that the coastline far to the west was rocky and impossible to see past. To the east, there was a bleak expanse of wet sand as far as he could see. “We aren't near the water village. I think it would be best if we head inland and look for the village of Sonics,” he said finally. “Sonics? That village is hidden somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and silent besides,” said Morok. “It might take longer to walk to the village of Water, but at least we can find it. Just walk east along the shore.” “I've never been here exactly,” said Tanu, “but I've visited the De-Wahi a few times. I think I can find it. Besides, someone seems to want us dead. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an ambush waiting in our expected destination: the water village.” “Tanu has a good point,” said Siok, nodding. “I agree,” admitted Morok, “As long as we can find the place.” At that, the three Toa began their northward trek through the grassy plains. The plains stretched on for many kio, but Siok felt good. The exercise was helping his atrophied leg muscles regrow. Soon he would be as strong as his old self. The other Toa were tired and sad, but despite the troubles and tragedies they faced, they also had a great happiness growing in them. If all went well, soon they would be amongst the villagers of their dear homeland. “I haven't seen even one Rahi,” commented Morok, after they had been walking for a few hours. “Not that I wish a Muaka would come and try to eat us, but... it's unsettling.” “Not to me,” replied Tanu. “It means we're on the right track. The De-Matoran chose where to live carefully. They built their homes far from dangerous or loud Rahi if they can help it. Around their village it's so quiet and open that there's no way for anyone to sneak up on them. Sometimes they even relocate the village, I think they had to do that about twenty-seven thousand four hundred years ago.” “That's interesting. Seriously,” said Morok honestly, “but I'm... not in the mood for history. I mean, if you know how to get there, great, lead the way.” The Toa resumed their trek silently. They were close now, and before long they could see simple dwellings on the horizon. The De-Matoran would be able to see and hear them coming for a long way off. But just to be polite, Tanu decided to announce his arrival with a shout and a flare of plasma. Just before he did it, however, he realized that would not be a wise action. It was quite possible the Toa were still being hunted. If it was rude to come into the village unannounced, it would be far worse to barge in while being chased by a horde of Rahkshi. “Greetings, Matoran of De-Koro. I, Toa Tanu, have returned, with his comrades Toa Siok and Toa Morok,” he said with a volume and tone that made his announcement seem to be directed at his two friends. The village was still a significant distance away. “The village is still...” said Morok, confused, then he remembered and lowered his voice, “oh, right, De-Matoran hearing. Sorry.” Soon the three Toa were amongst the De-Matoran huts, and sure enough, the Matoran had been expecting them. Vibrak, the village leader, was waiting for them in the village center. He had been the leader of the Matoran of Sonics since Tanu and Varlokka had founded the system. Before he became a Toa, Tanu had been leader of his village, so he and Vibrak were old acquaintances. Now the Matoran looked relieved to see the Toa, but also quite troubled. He was known for always being vigilant and wary of problems, but now he looked seriously vexed. “Hello, old friend,” whispered Tanu. “Our return has been far from joyous. I must warn you immediately: we are being hunted. Ilikia and Gareki perished at war, but it was when we sailing home when we were attacked by Rahkshi, and Vesai was killed. Tell me, Vibrak, has anything unusual happened during our absence?” “Yes,” replied the village leader quietly. “Not long after you left, disasters started happening throughout the land. First we received messages that Thunder Trolls had invaded the lightning village again. Matoran from all around gathered to drive them off. We succeeded, but not after many of us were killed. We called for an emergency council, but even before that could happen, there was a landslide that buried half the village of Magnetism. Then the river near the Ga-Koro flooded. Nobody died then, but they had to relocate until the waters receded. Then Tatakoa erupted, nearly destroying the Ta-Koro, and several other villagers, including ours, experienced sudden Rahi attacks. Several days ago, Turaga Varlokka retreated to the Ce-Kini to meditate on how to deal with these catastrophes, but she has not been heard from since. “Something has happened at the Ce-Kini. But are the villages recovering?” “Yes, and it's been quiet since Varlokka disappeared. Some of the Matoran are grumbling about your absence, but I know this is not your fault. You had to leave, and, well, these disasters...” Vibrak trailed off. “These disasters are not natural,” finished Siok. “I fear somebody has been waiting for this opportunity. Somebody with control over the Rahkshi.” “The Makuta?” said Tanu skeptically. “Makuta Teskor isn't a nice guy, I admit, but what does he have against us? He just hangs out in his cave up in the wastelands.” “We'll find out,” whispered Morok fiercely. His emerald eyes blazed. “Vibrak, will the Matoran be alright if we go solve this mystery before helping the villages recover?” “Yes,” agreed Tanu. “I wish we could help rebuilt immediately, but we will put you all in danger if we do not put an end to this... this attempt to kill us.” “Very well,” said Vibrak. “I will inform the other villages of your return, if you -” “No,” interrupted Siok. “I wish we could, but like Tanu said, we would put the Matoran in danger.” “But please try to boost their spirits,” said Morok. “Now, I suppose we should investigate the Ce-Kini now, right?” “One moment, my friends,” said Siok, picking a stone off the ground. The Toa of Gravity took out a small carving chisel and quickly etched a few symbols into it. Soon the stone was adorned with a crude engraving of the symbol of the Three Virtues and a simple representation of a Toa. Then he put the stone down, picked up a similar rock and marked that one, then did the same for another. Finally, he caused all three stones to levitate, and visible energy flowed from his fingertips, imbuing each of them. Carefully, he floated the stones down to the ground before Vibrak's feet. “If we do not return, use these,” Siok instructed. “Find the next destined Toa. If we do not return, the land of Yrenta will be counting on you and these stones.” “I will do my best, Toa Siok,” promised Vibrak, “but please, please try to return. The Matoran are worried, and panic would grip the land if I had to announce your deaths. Now... now, if you must travel, take some of our Hypaka. This way...” The De-Matoran leader showed the three Toa to the stables. The Toa said goodbye, and soon they were riding northeast to the Ce-Kini. Review

Fate of Yrenta Chapter One ==Off the Coast of the Northern Continent, Matoran Universe== ~Circa 2,000 BGC~ The silver waters of the sea rolled gently, then churned in the wake of a small boat as it passed. In the boat were four old and very tired heroes. They had been called “war heroes” but truly, none of them felt they belonged in war. They had lost two teammates, friends they had known for thousands of years, and that was good fortune compared to the fate some other teams had met. Since the very first day they had arrived, they had seen more horrible things than they had seen all through their long careers back home. But now that war was over, and home was the destination of the four survivors. Tanu, Toa of Plasma and leader of the team, looked ahead from the vessel's bow. The outline of the Northern Continent was barely visible on their starboard side. It was on that landmass that their homeland, Yrenta, was, but they had to sail around the unfamiliar territory to dock in the coastal village where their home's Ga-Matoran lived. As Tanu turned his head to stare longingly at the distant land, he gave a small smile under his orange Kanohi. Suddenly, the boat lurched and he lost his balance. Leaning backwards into the boat, to not fall overboard, he grabbed a piece of rigging with his left arm. That was the arm that had been injured, and it would never look the same again. Where a large, stylized piece of orange armor had once protected his upper arm and shoulder, now there was a small, plain piece of white armor with some exposed pistons. Tanu wasn't the vain type, so it wasn't the odd appearance that bothered him, or even the fact that his arm was slightly less protected. The replaced armor got his attention because it was a reminder of the war. It was not nearly as big a reminder as the absence of Ilikia and Gareki, but it was a reminder of the dark path Tanu had nearly gone down after Ilikia's death. He stared at his arm for a long time. At the helm, Vesai, Toa of Water, gestured apologetically at Tanu. She had moved the boat into a current more suddenly than she had meant, with no warning, causing the jolt. But the Toa of Plasma wasn't paying attention. Apparently he had spaced out again, lost in memories of the war. He wasn't the only one. Toa Vesai had made the slight miscalculation because she was deep in thought, too. Vesai had always been gentle and peaceful at heart. She had been a merchant, however, and sometimes had to travel to dangerous places. One day, she was badly injured. After recovering, she had taken to carrying a shield and a Rhotuka launcher to protect herself. But she never killed anything. Even after becoming a Toa, she still tried to act as gently as she could. She didn't have such liberties in war. If she had been soft on the Dark Hunters, she just would have been killed. So she, along with a hundred other Toa, had been force to use their powers' great destructive potentials. Many warriors drowned before her. Some had holes blasted in them by high-pressure bolts of water. It wasn't something Vesai liked to remember. But the memories wouldn't go away. Vesai had hope that comfort would come soon, however. The Matoran would rejoice at their return, and Turaga Varlokka would sooth their perturbed minds. The Toa of Water looked down from the helm upon her friends Morok and Siok and relaxed. Siok was lying on a bench in the boat's midsection, not asleep, merely resting his sore muscles, which had recently regrown after he had been terribly injured. He was very grateful to have lived, and now he had the company of his friends. Morok was sitting next to him and talking quietly of the sweet things at home they dearly missed, the things they would soon see again. There were forests and jungles and mountains, wild Rahi to watch scurrying around, and old Matoran friends to assist and protect as they labored. Siok listened and pictured such happy images. But he was serious by nature and often quite dour. The universe had nearly suffered a disaster. And though the war had been won, so many Toa had died. Toa weren't the only victims, either. Several Matoran had been killed, and their city had suffered greatly. And there were the Dark Hunters. They brought it on themselves, it was true, but they were living beings all the same. Toa should never be proud of killing, and always strive for non-violence. That was what Turaga Varlokka had taught Siok and his teammates. But it was over now, thankfully. Siok dearly hoped he would never have to leave his home again. He knew his three companions were thinking the same thing. Though to Siok, Morok seemed at peace, in truth the Toa of the Green's mind was swirling madly. He was doing his best to calm it by talking aloud of the wonders of home. For millennia, he had been worried about using his strength responsibly, even before he had become a Toa. There were plenty of times he felt he had been overzealous or careless, and he felt great shame about each time. He was sure he had been on the right side in the war. The Dark Hunters were villains, that was perfectly clear. But there had been such violence. Warriors on both sides had been maimed, crippled, dismembered, disintegrated, and worse. It was almost too much for Morok to take. Back home, he never had to fight so fiercely. Morok put his head in his hands and sighed. Soon he would be at peace in his warm, green jungle home. Indeed, within a few hours the four Toa could see the coastline of Yrenta. But their journey home was not to be as blissful as they hoped. Just as they were sure their destination was directly ahead, beyond the silver waves, another jolt rocked the boat, this one far stronger than the last one. Still standing at the bow, Tanu yet again nearly fell overboard. As his head leaned over the water, he was the first to see the creatures moving below. “There's something down there! Something hostile!” he called, just as the boat rocked again. Then the waters were gentle and quiet. Mentally reaching out, Tanu attempted to summon his Mask of Sensory Aptitude from the Ce-Suva, where he had left it before going off to war. Next to his Mask of Emulation, it was his favorite Kanohi, and its powers would quickly help him discover what was harassing them. But oddly, nothing happened. He felt no sensation on his face, saw no glow as one mask was replaced with another. Something was wrong. Even far off on Metru Nui, he had been able to summon his other masks. But now it wasn't working. Before Tanu could mention that to the other Toa, another jolt came. Morok saw a flash of black and purple armor over the side. Pushing past his weariness, he concentrated and vines burst forth from the end of his staff. The plants plunged underwater, and Morok felt them wrap around something. Before the entrapped entity could fight back, the vines dragged it up above the surface, into the view of the Toa. It was a Rahkshi, but unlike any Rahkshi the Toa had seen. It had a Rahkshi's basic shape, but it was adorned with fins. Its flipper-like feet had propellers on the heels. In the fraction of a second Morok spent deciding what move to make next, the “Makuta-Son” acted. Its armor grew blades that sliced the vines away, then, before it fell into the water, its fins had turned into sleek wings. The Rahkshi hissed as it soared forward through the air, before shrieking and falling into the sea, its white-hot armor turning water to steam. A wave of heat and faint electric tingle was emanating from the tip of Tanu's Plasma Staff. But before anyone could comment on his fast move, the faces of four more aquatic Rahkshi appeared above the water. Vesai let go of the helm and began to manipulate the ocean around her. That, however, distracted her from the next attack. Before anyone could save her, a bolt of lightning struck her. The bolt flowed through her, then redirected itself at Morok, then Siok, then Tanu. The silver Rahkshi that had attacked landed at the back of the boat, Vesai's stunned body at its feet. Before it could finish the helpless Toa of Water, it fell, hitting the deck hard. Siok was standing unsteadily, his hands gripping his Gravity Casters tightly. The other three Toa stood as quickly as they could, their muscles tingling from the electrical shock. The Rahkshi of Chain Lightning rose, too, but not before Vesai surrounded it with a sphere of seawater. The angry Rahkshi attacked again, but this time its electricity flowed harmlessly through the water. At Vesai's command, the sphere of electrified water collapsed inward, and the Rahkshi spasmed as it was shocked by its own power. Meanwhile, Morok and Tanu were holding off the swimming Rahkshi of Adaptation. Morok shouted, and Tanu looked up to see another group of Rahkshi flying towards them. If the Rahkshi made it to the boat, the Toa would be hopelessly overwhelmed. Tanu decided to not give them the chance. One blast of plasma turned an approaching Rahkshi into a molten comet of dripping metal. Another fell into pieces after Morok threw a volley of incredibly sharp and durable leaves at it. With a sweeping motion, Tanu called forth a cloud of plasma that downed another two. A few more were about to make it to the boat, though, and Tanu and Morok couldn't be fast enough to stop them. To the relief of the Toa of Plasma and the Toa of the Green, the remaining Rahkshi in the air suddenly plunged beneath the waves. His hands extended, Siok kept pushing the Rahkshi down until he was sure they would never return to the surface. Meanwhile, Vesai had destroyed the silver Rahkshi, and thrown its crackling Kraata overboard. “Wild Rahkshi have never attacked like this,” said Morok. “What's going on?” “Something is wrong here,” agreed Tanu, “I can't access masks from the Ce-Suva. We had better – look out!” Tanu shoved his comrades to the deck as a bolt of energy zoomed overhead. Somehow, another group of Rahkshi had gotten the drop on them. Siok cried out and gripped a flying brown Rahkshi in gravitational energy, but it was too late. A bolt of explosive power shot from the Rahkshi's staff, and hit the deck in front of Siok's feet. The Toa of Gravity stumbled backwards as the bottom of the boat exploded in a shower of water, metal, and wood. The Rahkshi struck again, and before the Toa could react, they were each clinging to a different piece of flotsam. Vesai raised her Water Wand and a cyclone of water shot up from the sea, trapping the Rahkshi of Fragmentation and dragging it under. Just then, another silver Rahkshi appeared overhead. Electricity flowed from its staff into the water, shocking all four Toa and causing them to lose the pieces of debris they were clinging to. Morok managed to conjure a large floating plant to support himself and Tanu, and Siok called upon just enough of his gravity powers to allow him to float easily. Under his power, the silver Rahkshi's staff became to heavy to hold, and the reptilian machine dropped it into the sea, where it was lost forever. Vesai plunged her head underwater, and saw five more black and purple aquatic Rahkshi swimming towards her. “More Rahkshi, underwater,” she cried as her head burst above the waves. “Go north, get to the surface.” “Wait, where are you...” Morok trailed off as Vesai disappeared underwater again. He was about to follow her when the water next to him exploded. He quickly stunned the other Rahkshi of Fragmentation overhead and went to follow Vesai. The Toa of Water was in combat with the five Rahkshi underwater. She spared a moment to send a strong current at Morok, a clear message for him to leave. Morok had never seen gentle, mild Vesai act so firmly to her friends, and he would never see her act such a way again. In the moment Vesai had her head turned, giving her friend a stern stare under her mask, a Rahkshi seized the opportunity and impaled her on its razor-sharp staff. Vesai gasped and sputtered as water entered her lungs. Morok began to cry out but he too spluttered and choked. Tanu and Siok poked their heads underwater to see what was happening, and they too saw the dreadful scene. Vesai fell to her knees and dropped her wand and shield, but then she raised her hands and the water surrounding her began to churn madly. Her three companions could no longer see her or the Rahkshi underwater. Siok looked up, saw more Rahkshi circling overhead, and surfaced again. He tried to drag Morok with him but the Toa of the Green struggled until Siok let go. Tanu reluctantly followed Siok. Morok heard distorted sounds of the battle overhead rippling through the water. He held his breath until the waters stilled and he could see Vesai again. What he saw forced him to exhale. He floated underwater for a moment, staring at what he saw, and finally went to the surface, faint with lack of air and grief. Vesai had been killed. Two more of the Rahkshi were still active down there. He looked up and saw five or six more Rahkshi flying overhead, raining bolts of energy down on the swimming Toa. “Tanu... Siok...” he said sadly as he swam over to his brothers. “I'm sorry, Morok,” said Tanu. From Morok's expression, he knew what had happened. “We must leave, now, or we will die too.” “Yes,” said Siok, as he sank a yellow and green Rahkshi. “Now there is one less Toa to protect Yrenta. We must escape.” Morok nodded, but then he submerged again, to take one last look at Vesai's body. A Rahkshi suddenly stuck its frightening black face in front of him, before Morok had some seaweed drag it off. Morok surfaced again, used vines to cause two flying Rahkshi to collide, then he began swimming north to Yrenta's coast. Siok quickly took down the remaining Rahkshi, then he and Tanu joined Morok. Morok slowed to allow them to catch up, then they swam as quickly as they could. Fortunately, no more Rahkshi appeared, and they relaxed. If all three had been exhausted and weary and sad before, now they were much more so. They were on their way home, it was supposed to be happy, easy times, but they had already lost another one of their friends. Before the war, none of them had died. Now half their team was gone. Siok used his gravity powers to allow the current to carry him to shore effortlessly, and Morok summoned another floating plant for himself and Tanu. As the three Toa drifted, so tired they were barely conscious, to the land, they knew that their return home would not be as joyful as they had expected. Review

This is the review topic for my third epic, Fate of Yrenta.It is finished at 24 chapters.

This is the review topic for my second epic, Wartime Journal of a Toa. It is finished and contains 21 entries from Tanu's journal.

This is the review topic for my first epic, Tale of Yrenta It is finished and it is 32 chapters long.

Yes, I've been very, very eager to learn more about the elements. But I'm not that interested in having new ones added.

Thanks for doing all you've been doing to answer our questions, Greg. Seeing as some of us are so eager about these elements (myself included) how about starting some polls?