Legends of Fatum: Oaths and Honor, a bionicle fanfic

Legends of Fatum

AN:

And here is my two-now-one-shot from Legends of Fatum, which is now focused wholly on the Rahkshi. The story occurs after Dark Tides chapter four

Think of Legends of Fatum kind of like bioniclestory, different stories, same universe, and different focuses in each one.

This story is actually based off a stop animation I did awhile ago, there are some differences but it was quiet fun to write and get back to. This is also a long read, around 13 pages on word.

Anyways, so I leave for camp on the 3rd, and won't be back for ten days or so.

Read on!

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Do you thing that to be a Toa is to defeat all those who oppose you? Is this what you believe a Toa to be? A mighty arm to strike down your enemies? Your power is nothing. A Toa's true strength lies within. Your Toa Power can move the dirt … Your mind and heart can move mountains."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Oaths and Honor

Sand was felt against his skin while the roar of the wind was heard by his ears and the sun bore down upon his back; the furies of a desert.

A mighty figure stood, sand rolling down his sides and blowing off into the wind. He looked about in shock. What had once been lush, cool forest was now blistering desert. The mighty mountains that before had proudly stood now bowed before the blowing gales.

The figure wept for his land. Why, he asked. Why had the Toa let this happen? Only the howling wind gave him reply, it blustered about in a flurry of sand. What had happened this past decade?

He shuddered as dark words flowed into his mind. 'Thirty years ago the Toa as a collective were destroyed. Those who survived either went rogue or fled. You and your task are no longer sanctioned.'

He clenched his hand in anger. Why had the Rahkshi come? Why had it taken the staff - his only charge? Why had this all been allowed to happen? Perhaps, he thought, perhaps so I could see this.

The Great Beings worked in mysterious ways; one could not help but wonder why. If those Rahkshi had and taken the staff and awoken him, he would have stayed in the cave. Perhaps forever if the Toa were gone, as he had said. But he couldn't believe that, the Toa would never let the land fall.

Would they?

He strode into the wind-torn desert. Grains of sand beat upon him and slowed him down, but he trudged onward. Before him he saw an eternal desert; he saw no green and little else but the far distant mountains.

There was no path; his feet left prints only to be blown away much like his current state of mind. Thoughts of forest and fields gave way to the reality before him. His strong mind began to bend to the words of the Rahkshi. The complete ruin of the Toa way, his way.

Each step was another step into the darkness of his mind. Words spoken in oath had been forgotten, deeds done with valor were ruined. Oaths. He had taken one to keep the staff hidden, and failed. The bitter sorrow of this struck him to the core and challenged all he lived for. Could the Toa really be gone?

"Your feelings betray you. The Toa have fallen and you have realized it."

He could not, would not, believe the words of a mere Rahkshi; the Toa were not gone. Even if he was the only one left, he still carried the oaths and responsibilities that came with being one. It was not the physical state that mattered to him, but the mental.

That thought gave the Toa a bright spot in his life, if he thought about it he could remember back when he was cocky, a Toa only just beginning…

A young Toa collapsed to the ground panting, another, older one, stood beside him shaking his head.

"Remember your oaths, and your honor. If Toa were to forsake their oaths they would lose the very reason for which they existed. Without honor a Toa can become vicious, greedy, and irresponsible. Remember my words; they will guide you through your life."

Back then he had no idea what the older Toa had been rambling about, but he remembered the words, and they were true to him.

The wind began to die down and he took that as a sign that things would change. Once more he would commit himself fully to the sacred charge of a Toa, as the protector of Matoran and others.

The sun had risen and its harsh light struck the land, beams of light came down in fiery arrays of heat. The once cool sand turned hot against him and the wind left allowing the heat to sink straight into him.

Despite the harsh glare of the sun before his eyes, he spotted a figure. It too struggled against the blistering heat. As he walked forward, he judged it to be Matoran-sized, but as he got closer he found it to be taller than he had first judged.

Then right before his eyes it fell, seemingly gasping. The Toa ran forward and shortly closed the distance between them. As he got closer he made out more details, he saw that it was a Rahaga; a young one, but a Rahaga all the same. His armor was brown and tan, his eyes shut closed, and his chest heaving as he struggled to pull in more air.

The Toa reached the Rahaga and dropped to his knees. He did a quick survey and found the smaller being to be sick from heat exposure, meaning he would need some shelter to cool off. Using his elemental powers, the Toa created an alcove in the side of a dune. Under the top layer of blistering sand lay the cooler, but still warm, parts.

The Toa watched over the Rahaga as he lay in the shaded cool sand and waited for him to come around. Rahaga were an interesting race, they had the body of a well built Matoran but the face not unlike a Rahkshi's. An adult Rahaga at full height stood as tall as a Skadaki, while the children could be as short as Matoran. Their exact origins were unknown; the original Rahaga were said to have been freaks of nature, mutants that later regained their forms.

But fate had a funny way of doing things.

The Rahaga that existed today came in around ten thousand years ago. They dominantly worked side by side with the Matoran, but while the Matoran were more prone to building and such, the Rahaga were prone to the art of war. Rahaga were trained at a young age to become fighters, many had found jobs watching over caravans while they made dangerous treks when Toa could not. In times of peace, they could be found tilling fields - they had taken strongly to agriculture after having wandered for millennia.

The Rahaga's eyes fluttered open, then widened when he saw where he was. He quickly sat up and hit his head on the sand directly above him, which rained down in a small trickle. He scooted over and then noticed the Toa. The Toa expected surprise and then relief to come forth but was surprised when the Rahaga's eyes opened in fear.

The Rahaga got down on his hands and knees. "Oh please mighty warrior, spare me! My family could not bear to lose another!"

Cold shock spread up the Toa; the Rahaga thought he was going to kill him! Just what had happened here?

"Tell me, what is your name?"

The Rahaga quivered, still fearing that death was fast upon him. "Ph-Phirok, mighty warrior sir."

"Please sit up; I have no wish to harm you, Phirok."

Phirok slowly sat up, wonder and caution showed in every move.

"There, that wasn't so bad was it?"

Phirok gulped, "N-no mighty war—"

The Toa waved his hand, "Please, call me Coroth."

Phirok nodded several times. "Yes might— uh, Coroth."

Coroth grinned. "Good, now tell me, what brought you out into the desert?"

Phirok blinked at him. "Many have to live in the desert now, only the privileged may live in the forests and fields. My father is an important figure among the Rahaga and was asked to help out with some trouble between two clans."

Coroth nodded but the words had him deeply troubled. Clans he understood, but to be privileged? "What did you mean by 'my family could not bear to lose another'?"

"I was getting to that. Anyways we set off at once, the traveling was quick but then he came, a Toa."

Coroth felt like the air had dropped ten degrees.

Phirok began to stutter here. "He, he took my younger brother for ransom, and told my father to pay him an unbelievable price. My father despairs because we have not enough to pay him; I set off in hopes that I might find help. Then you found me."

Coroth had sat in silence while Phirok told his tale, now he was disturbed. A Toa taking children for ransom? Unheard of!

"Those that survived either turned rogue or fled…"

Coroth knew then what he must do. Oaths told him his duty, honor bound him to it. Phirok and his family were in need of help and it was a Toa's, it was Coroth's, solemn duty to help them.

"Phirok, how far away is your family?"

Phirok looked up at him hopefully. "You will help?"

"Yes, it is my sacred duty to do so."

Phirok stood up and hit his head again. "Great! Let's go!"

Before he could be stopped, Phirok dashed out. Coroth quickly arose and followed.

Phirok led the way across the desert skillfully, just as if he knew exactly where he had been.

Memory like that would serve him well if he ever became a soldier, Coroth mused.

They traveled in silence for hours with nothing but each other for company. After about a quarter of a day's journey, they saw a camp. Judging by the number of tents, Coroth guessed the population to be around nine at the most.

Coroth watched as two young Rahaga detached themselves from their mother and ran to Phirok. Phirok grabbed one and put her on his back while the other hung at his leg.

The mother looked on warily, carefully regarding the mysterious stranger her son had brought with him.

Coroth kept back while Phirok talked to his mother. She looked from him to Coroth and dropped her shoulders from there tense position. Phirok turned around and waved for Coroth to come forward.

"Mother, this is Toa Coroth. Toa Coroth, this is my mother, Juhai."

"A pleasure to meet you madam."

"The pleasure is mine, Toa; you saved my son's life."

"It was a little thing, madam, just doing my duty to all."

"If only all Toa did as such." Dark shadows grew under Juhai's eyes.

"Please, could you tell me what happened? I've been away, out of sorts, for a long time."

Juhai looked up at Coroth sadly, "Thirty years ago the Toa forgot their duties. They left us to die and in turn were killed. The few that escaped became twisted and harsh. Now they've taken one of my children for ransom." Juhai looked pleadingly at Coroth. "Please Toa, save my son."

Coroth knelt down, "Madam, I will do all I can to fix this wrong. On my honor, I vow to you that things will be set right."

"Honor means little now, but I feel that you mean what you say. Thank you."

Coroth stood. "Now tell me, where was this oath breaker last seen?"

"My husband has been tracking him but please, wait here until he returns."

Coroth nodded. "I will. Thank you."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Now then, regarding our payment, you said we would get it after we helped you kidnap the Rahaga."

The Toa glared at the lead Vorox and his two cronies; the mentioned Rahaga was currently tied up and asleep. "Yeah, I did, but complications have arisen and the ransom hasn't come in yet."

"We do not care about the ransom; we want what we are owed. Mark my words, Toa, we will haves our pay, the only question standing is whether we'll get happily, or, in an otherwise."

"Look, I don't have the funds to pay you off now, but when I get the ransom you'll get your pay. Until then, you better stick to your end of the deal and keep away any probing eyes."

The Vorox chattered amongst themselves before making a reply. "We will wait, but only till dawn. After that you can count us out, and then..." The lead Vorox left the threat in the open.

The Toa waved them off and turned back toward the Rahaga. The Vorox stalked off into the desert night.

"Crayden, do you really think the Toa can be trusted?" One of the Vorox asked the leader speaking in their native tongue.

Crayden looked down at the sand. "No, I do not."

The other Vorox looked up sharply. "Then why don't we just slit his throat?"

"Because, Finor, he is a Toa of Stone. Even though we are nearly one with the sand, a Toa of Stone could easily turn that advantage against us. That is why we wait."

"Then why the threat?" Finor asked.

"Beings like him respond in like with themselves." Crayden stopped and looked at the other two. "Have you not felt the ground? It aches; it aches with the curse of betrayals. But I felt a change; the ground has changed; only the return of honor, the true honor of a Toa, could bring this about."

As Crayden looked up at the open sky the other two looked at each other in open scoff. What did Crayden mean? Had their leader become sun-strocked?

Crayden continued. "That is truly why I wait, a clash of momentous occasion is about to unfold that may change the fate if this land."

"It may be true then, what they say," Finor said in undertone to the other. "That Crayden know of the stars and the signs."

Crayden snapped around. "Signs in stars? No brothers, I am no seer, if you would simply look at the ground you would know what I know." Crayden turned back to the path. "I fear for our race, thirty long years have passed since the Toa way was ruined, and we helped bring it around."

"We had no choice! The Toa had forgotten their way and had abandoned all!" Finor retorted.

"True, but we did not help them when we should have, we know what it is like to lose ones core, and we know the tales of our desert wanderings. Yet we didn't show them the signs and help them."

"This mind banter tires me, let us be on our way." Finor said, trying to end the conversation.

Crayden began walking. "Very well, but remember my words. The Makuta reign must end before the land does."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Dawn had come, nothing.

Coroth had waited with Phirok and his family at their camp, and dawn had come but no Rahaga father had appeared. Fearing the worst, Coroth had set off in the last known direction of the missing Rahaga.

He had traveled all morning, following the signs in the sand. Sand was different from his own element of Earth, but there were several similarities that allowed him to keep track of the near-invisible signs. Several times he had to turn around and go back a few paces before he found the trail again. He hoped he would reach the Rahaga before something else did.

Coroth's thoughts were constantly plagued by the words of the Rahkshi and Juhai, Toa going against all they had stood for. Oath breaker, rogue, traitor, destroyer, feared, Toa. Coroth desperately hoped things were not as lost as he feared.

His eyes caught a glint in the far off distance - something metallic, armor or a sword. He quickly made his way over the dune and found what he was looking for. The Rahaga lay on his side; he wore slightly rusted armor and had a sword in his hand. Dried blood was scattered around him. The Rahaga looked up at Coroth and tried to speak.

"Careful now," Coroth said. "You're hurt; I'm here to take you back to camp."

The Rahaga nodded and let Coroth carry him. Coroth carried him back to the camp. Juhai saw them coming and rushed forward, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the wounds. Wordlessly, she waved Coroth over to a tent where she began to treat the male Rahaga.

Hours passed before the Rahaga's condition began to improve. Once able, he told Coroth what had happened.

"Vorox, three of them, they attacked me. I tried to fight back but got stabbed from behind. I fear I may never see my son again." Tears came to the Rahaga's eyes while Juhai fed him more soup.

"Don't worry about your son. I will take care of that. You need to get better so you can help support your family." Coroth told him.

The Rahaga looked up at him. "Thank you, Toa; too few follow the old codes of honor. I thank you for keeping it."

Juhai stroked his head soothingly. "Your brother is on his way. He just got the news of our plight and is coming to help. Now sleep."

The Rahaga closed his eyes and Juhai looked on worriedly. She turned to the Toa. "Thank you."

Coroth nodded and left. He began to leave camp but stumbled into Phirok, he was carrying a heavy-looking backpack.

Coroth understood right away. "Oh, no you don't; your family needs you now with your father unwell."

"But I want to help!" Phirok said, looking at the ground.

"You can help," Coroth said kneeling and putting his hand on Phirok's shoulder. "Protecting the weak is the best thing anyone can do."

Phirok shuffled the sand with his feet. "I guess…"

Coroth smiled. Oh to be young and innocent again! "Phirok, the right choice may not always seem to be the right one at first, remember that."

Phirok looked up at him curiously then nodded and returned to the tents.

Coroth stood and left camp. He retraced his trail and found himself back where he was earlier, tracking across the desert. He traveled for another hour or so uneventfully, than he noticed a change in the ground.

A tremor directly below him.

He jumped back and readied himself. The ground burst open, a shadow leaped out, and it stood before him: a Vorox.

Coroth sprang forward with his saws, and the Vorox jumped back out of the way.

"Stop," it hissed in the basic language of the Matoran.

Coroth lowered his weapon but kept his distance.

"Good, I hear that you seek the missing Rahaga."

"What does it matter to you?"

"I can tell you where he may be found."

"Sounds like a trap." The Toa frowned.

The Vorox chuckled unpleasantly. "My race is known for deceptions; you'll just have to trust me."

Coroth didn't want to, but he also didn't want to wander the desert for days. "Very well, but you first must swear to me that you will not lead me astray."

The Vorox chuckled again. "I swear on the tails of my ancestors."

Coroth nodded, still wary. "Very well, I accept your offer to guide me."

The Vorox turned around and waved back to the Toa. "This way."

Coroth followed. Uncertainty stretched out before him.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Where are those blasted Vorox?

Wherever they were, it was better than them asking him over and over again for their pay. But that didn't mean he didn't need them - he could use their desert sensitivities right now. He had the unshakable feeling that he was being tracked. If it was another Rahaga, he would take it down in a heartbeat, but things much worse than Rahaga traversed the desert.

He wondered when the Rahaga would give up and pay the ransom already. He certainly didn't want to spend a whole week out here! The sand had sunk deep into his armor and he had no idea how much damage it had done yet.

A sharp hissing noise like laughter came behind him, "You look frightened, Toa."

He turned around sharply to face the Vorox. I was being followed! "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

More laughter, "As you say."

"Why are you here anyways? Have the Rahaga at last decided to pay the ransom?"

"No, I just wanted to tell you that there has been a change of plans."

The Toa's anger flared. "What now? A higher payment?"

The Vorox laughed in their horrible hissing. "No, but that would be nice. I would simply like to direct your attention to behind you."

"What, is this some kind of—"

Wham! Coroth's strike was true; a fist to the face sent the rogue Toa to the ground.

The Toa sprang up, spitting sand. "Who in the blazes are you?"

Coroth started him straight in the eye. "The question is, who are you."

The Toa spat on the ground. "Bah, it doesn't matter who you are; you attacked me first and that's good enough for me!"

He charged, swinging his fist forward. Coroth grabbed his arm and swung him away. The Rogue skidded on the sand then lunged again. This time, Coroth met him head on with an uppercut. The Stone Toa landed with a thud. He leaped back and pulled out his sword, grinning wickedly. Coroth frowned and reached back; readying is saw staff.

The Rogue came at him swinging his sword like a maelstrom, forcing Coroth to use his saw to deflect them, and swing wide. The Rogue ducked under the blow and rose to find a foot planted firmly in his chest. He landed hard on the sand

"I curse you, blasted Makuta spawn!" The Rogue spat and stood.

The Rogue raised his hand and channeled his Kanohi - a Great Ruru. The mask began to glow and Coroth averted his gaze to avoid being blinded. He suddenly felt himself slashed from behind. He stumbled forward and got slammed in the stomach. He lurched forward and looked up into the blazing white of the Ruru.

A white glaze froze upon his eyes. He stumbled to the ground.

A mindless laugh came before him. "Come on! Use fight back! It's been so long since I fought a half-way decent opponent!"

More laughter shortly followed. Coroth leaped forward swinging his staff. He didn't see it, but he felt the Rogue dodge it, his vibrations, though shaky, carried across the ground to him. He felt the change and adjusted accordingly. He swung forth his foot around and kicked the Rogue across the face; the Rogue flew backward onto his back. The power of Coroth's Pakari, the Mask of Strength, had come at last.

The Rogue snarled and Coroth felt him dash around behind him. Coroth swung wide behind him and felt the other Toa jump back. Instead of letting the saw continue its arc, he let go. The saw slammed into the Rogue, and he gasped in pain.

Coroth took advantage of the other Toa's lost attention and brought his power of Earth to bear. He raised his hands into the air and then down to the ground. A cascade of energy flew through the sand, sending a burst of energy up at the Rogue. The Rogue only barley avoided it and recovered enough to keep going. He charged forward intending to end it. Coroth's strength had been momentarily weakened from his last attack and could do little but look up at the sword coming down at him. He lowered his head and hoped for a quick end.

But it was not to be.

The Rogue let out a load grunt as he looked down to see a sword blocking his own. A Rahaga. The Rahaga spun his sword around nearly making the Rogue lose his grip; he then lunged forward and stabbed it into the Rogue's armor, making him bellow and stagger back. He pulled out the sword and gasped, looking at himself. Fortunately for him, the wound was not too serious.

He staggered forward; hand on his wound, and raised the Rahaga's sword. The Rahaga resolutely stood his ground in front of the wrath that faced him. The Rogue paused for a second, wondering why this Rahaga refused to move, but after a split second, decided to ponder that later and charged forward again - only to find himself stepping back with an arrow in his shoulder.

He turned his gaze to the side and found another arrow sinking into his leg. Soon a flurry of arrows whistled around him, and he stumbled backward and found himself at the side of a sharp cliff that hadn't been there earlier.

Too late, he realized that it had been created by the power of Earth.

Another arrow found its mark and he began to fall over. Time froze and he reached forward for something, anything, to stop his fall. A hand reached forward and grabbed his own, pulling him up to safety.

The Rogue shuddered at the close call and looked up at his savior. It was Coroth. A look of recognition came over the Rogue, he remembered a Toa being sent off, a Toa of Earth. This Toa.

The Rogue fell to his knees quaking in fear. "End it. Please end it." he begged.

Coroth shook his head. "It is not the Toa way, nor is it my way."

"Blast the way, just end it! There are some fates worse than death!"

Coroth sadly looked down at the figure before him. "Whatever fate you have left you have brought it upon yourself. I bid you farewell, may the Light return to you in your Darkness."

The Toa of Earth turned and left. Alone, the solitary figure wailed, no one would come to his aid for he was an oath breaker. Silently, another figure looked on. He came forward before the Rogue Toa.

"What do you want of me? I am ruined."

A hiss came over the raising sand. "Yes, you are ruined. My brothers do not care for pay; they believe the Toa did that for them by coming back. But I, I require something else."

The rogue Stone Toa shuddered. "You wish for your pay? Well, I don't have it."

"I thought as much."

The Toa saw a flash and then felt a sharp pain. He sank to the ground, and knew that at last it was done. The Vorox looked on and turned away.

Alone he came, alone he left.