The Crash
Kraken
Kraken stood staring out from the high cliff above the northern shore, wondering, has he had many times before, what lay beyond the great darkness. He lifted his trident and let it rest on his shoulder, lost in thought he did not hear the approach of his partner, Miekka.
"There is nothing beyond the shores of Rappa-Nui worth chasing after." Miekka said coming to a halt next to Kraken.
"We have never been beyond the shores of Rappa-Nui Miekka, what if there are other islands with more hospitable terrain?" Kraken responded.
"Rappa-Nui is the only island, Mata-Nui turned a blind eye to the suffering of the Tohunga, and so the other islands were destroyed."
"So the legends say, but how long has it been since we went out beyond the darkness to check on our brothers?"
"Kraken, it is alright to dream, but out here beyond the safety of the village walls is not the place." Miekka replied turning to begin the long hike back to the village.
"Someday Miekka, someday I will travel beyond the great darkness."
"Keep dreaming, but do it while we finish our hunt."
With one last long look Kraken turned to join his partner in the hunt, their target was the ranna-kinu cow, a valuable source of food for the village. As they were making their way into the dense jungle, a massive explosion shook the ground, a large stone came crashing down through the trees.
"Is mount yi-nu raging?"
"No, the rocks came from the north, LOOK!" Kraken yelled.
A massive plume of black red smoke rose from the north, sounds of battle could be heard in the distance, then suddenly another massive explosion rocked the land.
"Kraken what should we do?"
"Isn't it obvious, we go and investigate."
Kraken burst into a run toward the north shore where he had been standing not so long ago, the cliff was gone, trees hanging roots exposed over the gaping space caused by the explosion. At the bottom of the cliff, a twisted hunk of gleaming metal, unlike anything Kraken had ever seen, it looked like a boat. Suddenly an explosion ripped through the hull of the "boat", a figure was thrown into the air, a roar echoed out of the "boat". Kraken tumbled backward as the figure who had been thrown from the "boat", crashed into the cliff just in front of him. The figure laying before Kraken, was dressed in yellow black armour, it wore helmet looking thing on its head with a breathing tube running around to his back.
A giant hand shot up into the sky, and came barrelling down on the black/yellow figure, Kraken raised his trident. The figure laying on the ground, groaned, then stood, pulling an orb out of its armour, raising it, there was a flash of light, and the hand dissolved, a roar echoed from the destroyed vessel. The figure pulled another orb out of his armour and tossed it into the wreckage of the vessel, another roar rang out from the "boat". The yellow/black clad figure collapsed, looking at the figure's armour, it was clear that it had been involved in a brutal fight. Its weapon was nothing but a hilt, pieces of its armour lay on the ground, and more fell off when Kraken began moving him.
"Miekka give me a hand with this guy!" Kraken yelled.
"But we don't know what it is." Meikka replied sternly.
"Doesn't matter, it still needs our help."
Kraken hoisted the crippled figure over his shoulder, reluctantly Miekka took the other shoulder.
"If we get in trouble for this, it was your idea." Miekka mumbled shouldering half the burden.
Their journey home was a long one, for the hunt had brought them all the way to the shore, 10 kilometers from the village gates. After a few hours they managed to get back to the village, as they entered, curious Tohunga gathered around to get a look at the beaten figure. As they reached the square, the Tohunga elder stood leaning on his staff.
"Who is this?" he asked in his raspy voice.
"A wounded warrior, we need to get the healers out here now!" Kraken yelled.
"how do you know we can trust this… thing"
"I just do, now call the healers!" Kraken responded, becoming agitated.
"But what if you are wrong?" The elder stated, standing up straighter with more authority.
"THEN I'LL DEAL WITH IT LATER." Kraken yelled back.
"Fine, but you must watch over him, Miekka call the healers."
Miekka obliged and ran off to fetch the healers, not long after he left the figure, began to regain consciousness, his voice sounded wounded.
"Wh… Where am I?" The wounded figure asked, between coughs.
"You're on Rappa-Nui, don't worry we're getting the healers for you now." Kraken replied.
"Where… where is your mask?" the figure asked slipping back into unconsciousness.
"Mask?" Kraken began to wonder where this warrior came from.
Hewkii
Hewkii wondered what he had done to deserve a day like today, it was supposed to be a simple recon mission, but then he had to act when he saw the Makuta's latest experiment. It was supposed to be quick, in and out, no more worrying about it, but then he found out it was sentient, and capable of fighting back, a short fight then ensued. Hewkii, used his mask, the Garai, the great mask of gravity, to cause the creature to crash through the floor, before making an escape and hijacking a transport ship.
He hadn't quite realized what he had been fighting until it used a shadow hand to grab onto his stolen ship, it was at that moment he realized it was a Makuta. It had used its hand to get onto the transport, so Hewkii had pushed the engines to the limit, to get as far from the Makuta laboratory as possible. But the creature was not just limited to shadow hands, as Hewkii had discovered, it could produce and use energized protodermis as a weapon. It has shot spikes through the ship in an effort to kill Hewkii, but only succeeded in destroying the controls, causing the ship to veer randomly at full speed. Hewkii, deciding it was hopeless trying to get the controls to work, decided to confront and defeat the Makuta, but it was stronger than Hewkii had expected.
Just as things were seemingly over, the ship crashed, and explosions inside the ship wounded both of them. Then the Makuta grabbed him and flung through the hull of the ship, only to have him land on a nearby cliff. He was then forced to use 2 of his light orbs to temporarily incapacitate the Makuta, it was about there that he had lost consciousness. When he awoke, he was laying in a small hut, and a Ko-Matoran without a mask was looming over him, its eyes went wide when he noticed Hewkii was awake.
"What happened to your mask?" Hewkii asked, propping himself up with one arm.
"Never had one to begin with." The Matoran answered.
"That's odd, a Matoran without a mask, for a second there I thought there was a Bohrok infestation." Hewkii said chuckling.
"I'm not a 'Matoran', outsider, I'm a Tohunga."
"Tohunga, whats a Tohunga?" Hewkii asked beginning to wonder where he was.
"A Tohunga is me, except not all Tohunga LOOK like me, we have 5 different tribes, I am an ice-Tohunga." The "Tohunga" replied. "Oh and my name is Kraken."
"My name is Hewkii, where am I, Kraken?" Hewkii asked.
"You're on Rappa-Nui, beyond the great darkness." Kraken answered.
"The great darkness, what is the great darkness?" Hewkii asked bewildered, "What are you talking about?"
"The great darkness, the light consuming wall that has created when Mata-Nui abandoned his work here, causing the other islands to sink!" Kraken half yelled in surpise, "You would have had to sail through it to get here!"
Hewkii scratched his head, he had no idea what this 'Tohunga' was talking about, he hadn't seen any wall of darkness on his way here. But then he had been rather preoccupied fighting a new Makuta, so maybe he missed it.
"I was fighting a Makuta, I was not manning the controls of my ship." Hewkii replied.
"Well that doesn't really matter, the fact that you're here means that there is a world beyond it, and that it is possible to travel through it." Kraken said enthusiastically. "Take me with you when you leave, I have always wanted to see the outside world."
"I suppose that would be fine, but first I need to find that creature I was fighting before." Hewkii attempted to rise, only to be struck by waves of pain, he fell back.
"You are in no condition to be fighting, but maybe I can help you, I am proficient with a trident, and my friend Miekka is good with a sword and shield, we can find and kill this 'Makuta' for you." Kraken said raising his trident.
"I cannot ask that of you, but maybe you can do some recon for me, locate it, surely it has moved beyond the wreckage of the ship by now."
"We will gladly, the healers will have you back on your feet in no time, they are very talented."
"And who says we will help him?" Asked a figure that had entered silently, "Kraken you have been trouble ever since you were young, be reasonable now, we have no way of knowing this creatures intentions, we barely know anything about it!"
"Elder, I do not need to know his intentions, he is good, he can help us, and if we help him he will be able to leave here." Kraken said.
"Do you even know what he is?" the elder asked.
"Well no, but it doesn't-"
"EXACTLY!" The elder yelled, "We do not know what he is, for all we know he could be the evil one in this scenario!"
"But, but…" Kraken whimpered.
"Kraken you are forbidden from helping him… And as of now you are off the hunt, you will tend to the dermis pits for the next 3 months. And as for you 'Hewkii', we will heal you, so long as you leave our island in peace." The elder finished as he turned to leave the hut.
"You're not going to listen to him, are you?" Hewkii asked, as soon as the elder was out of the hut.
"He is the elder, I must listen to him." Kraken replied.
"Kraken if there is one thing I have learned over the years, it's that sometimes the elders aren't right, and that you can do more good in defying them. But you have to know when it's the right time, this time is one of those times."
"What are you, where did you come from?" Kraken asked
"I am a Toa, a defender of the Matoran, a beacon of light in a dark world, I serve to protect all that Mata-Nui has created from the evil of the Makuta."
"Mata-Nui? Mata-Nui is still here? He still cares for us?"
"I feel that there is more to that question, but the short answer is yes." Hewkii answered.
The look on Kraken's face was a mix of joy, and relief, he sat down, and burst into tears. To Hewkii it was obvious that the Tohunga had been through a lot, and that his presence here could do a lot to change things, and make them better for the Tohunga. He laid down to ponder his next move, he had a lot to plan, first he had to find the Makuta, then he had to defeat it.
Makuta Ranux
Ranux dug his claws into the feeble rahi cow, its armour was no match for the Makuta's protodermis. He dug his teeth into the creatures side, and took a bite, disgusting, he took another bite, *crack* limbs snapped as he ripped a chuck out of the beast. He did not know where he was, he didn't know how to contact the other Makuta, and he wondered if he had enough shadow leeches to corrupt a decent size army.
There was a rustle in the bushes, Ranux shot a protodermis dart into them, there was a short scream, he lunged at the figure behind the bushes. The thing he pinned to the ground appeared similar to the images the other Makuta had shown him of Matoran, but it was different. The figure was black, and held an axe in its hand, it had no mask, and stared in fear at Ranux's gaping jaw. Ranux stood, lifting the thing off the ground, his 3 jointed legs extending slightly, the black figure struggled, then attempted to cut Ranux's arm with his axe. Ranux pulled the things arm out of its socket, the axe fell to the ground, the thing let out a stifled scream.
"What are you?" the black thing managed.
"I am Ranux, Makuta, and what are you? You look like a Matoran, but you're not, are you?"
"I am Treitax." The Tohunga gasped.
Ranux dropped the Thing, then asked again "What are you, Treitax?"
"I am a Tohunga." Treitax said rubbing his throat.
"Well Tohunga, I require an army, and where there is one creature, there is many, so you will lead me to your settlement, and I will let you serve as my general." Ranux said, spreading his claws.
"My people will not serve you, nor will I!" Treitax yelled, diving to the ground and picking up his axe.
Before Treitax knew what had bitten his back, he felt the light drain from him, his mind turned to darker things. He dropped his axe, and using his uninjured arm, popped his other arm back in, he then reached down and picked up his axe. Turning he kneeled before the Makuta, Ranux muttered stunned words under his breath, the leeches actually worked.
"You will lead me to your village, Treitax." Ranux ordered.
"Yes, lord Ranux."
Treitax rose and began moving eastward toward his village, and the location of Toa Hewkii.
Miekka
Miekka stood on the village wall looking out at the vast forest that surrounded them on all sides, Kraken was late to night patrol, as usual. Probably talking to the outsider again, he thought, as he approached the travellers log he noticed Treitax was still not back. Treitax, a sturdy Earth Tohunga, could handle himself in the forest at night, but still his absence worried Miekka, the rules set my the elders of old required all Tohunga to be back by sundown.
Kraken climbed the wall panting, 15 minutes late, Miekka stared at him, disappointed in his friends choices.
"Your late." He muttered under his breath.
"I know." Kraken replied, out of breath.
"You were talking to the outsider again, weren't you?"
"And so what if I have been? It does not matter."
"It matters more than you understand Kraken!" Miekka whispered harshly.
"Whatever, let's just get this patrol over with."
"3 hours, kraken, 3 hours."
An hour pasted uneventfully, Then as Miekka was staring out over the west gate, a Tohunga approached, followed by a strange creature. The creature was like a mix of stratex cat, and a heavily armoured Tohunga, it had claws, one for each finger, its face was half covered by a vicious spiky mask. The Tohunga leading it, was Treitax, but he looked different, shadows seemed to creep from his armour, and he carried his axe as though he was ready to strike at anything. Regardless of the abnormalities, Miekka yelled a standard nighttime greeting, and asked for the code, Treitax answered, and gave the correct code. As the creature passed under the arch, Kraken overheard it say, 'kill the weak ones…' only 3 seconds passed between hearing and taking action.
He hit the alarm, and a series of bells were released, signalling that something was attacking the village, immediately torches lit throughout the village. Treitax stopped, and then muttered something to the creature, the creature nodded its head, then lunged at the nearest Tohunga coming out of a hut. Treitax began climbing the ladder, when he was standing on top of the wall, it was clear something was amiss with him. Treitax pulled a mask out of his pack, and put it on, it gleamed silver, Miekka had never seen anything like it, it was an image of complete terror. The mask was a mess of fangs and spikes, with 2 narrow eye slits, Treitax's eyes shone red from behind it, he raised his axe.
"Miekka, surrender to lord Ranux, and you may serve a higher purpose!" he yelled at Miekka.
"Treitax I don't know what has happened to you, but you must help us defend the village!"
"From what? Salvation, lord Ranux is the answer to all our problems, he can give us power!" Treitax yelled lowering his axe slightly.
"Treitax, if you do not fight with us, then you fight against us, and I must bring you down, I do not want to fight you!"
"Well then we fight, Miekka it has been nice knowing you, hail lord Ranux, hail the brotherhood."
Treitax lunged at Miekka axe raised, using the inertia of his launch he brought the axe down upon Miekka, Miekka barely had enough time to raise his shield. The blow knocked him off his feet, the axe struck the ground, Miekka rolled and got back on his feet, then lunged with his sword, he landed a blow on Treitax's body, but his armour was too thick. Treitax rammed him with his shoulder, Miekka was sent flying, he landed on the edge of the wall, Treitax brought his axe up for another strike, Miekka rolled off the wall, and landed hard on the ground. Treitax jumped and went down axe first, landing where Miekka had been lying just a second ago, the axe half buried itself in the ground. Miekka took advantage, of this chance to strike the chinks in Treitax's armour, he dug his blade into Treitax's shoulder, and hurled his full weight into a body slam.
Treitax went flying, Miekka lost his grip on his sword, and it remained wedged in Treitax's shoulder, Treitax laid there for a moment laughing.
"What's so funny Treitax!" Miekka yelled.
"Your feeble attempts at combat!"
Treitax jumped to his feet and ripped the sword from his shoulder, and threw it at Miekka with such speed that he didn't have time to block. It dug itself into Miekka's stomach, Miekka dropped to his knees, he did not feel pain, he felt numbness, and betrayal. Somehow he found it in himself to grip the hilt of the sword and remove it from his body, standing, his expression blank, he stood, sword and shield in hand. Treitax circled around Miekka and picked up his axe, turning he stared at was clear Miekka was defeated, he was in a state of shock. Just as Treitax began walking away, Kraken dug his trident into Treitax's neck, Treitax gasped trying to breath, shocked at how much he let his guard down, he fell forward.
Treitax's last thought was his, he felt sorry, and angry for what he had done, he was sorry to his village, he was sorry to Kraken, and especially Miekka. Kraken approached Miekka, Miekka's expression was blank, he hands gripped his weapons tightly, his muslces tense. Miekka felt nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing, he thought he was dead, if only he had been so lucky as to die there.