The Second Swing
Makuta lifted the mask, looking at it with fierce determination. It was made of solid gold, and crafted in the same shape as the body of a Skull Spider. Behind him stood the Protector, wearing a black Mask of Power that was flat at the chin but rose into an oval shape around the head, with two long, slanted eyeholes that connected with a bridge at their lowest points. She shook her head.
"I still think this is a terrible idea."
"I have to try," Makuta said, walking away from his workbench. "It's been a week now. We don't even know if he's…"
His eyes wandered over to the wall. There sat Ekimu's mask—the one forged by their mother, worn by their father, and then passed on to him. It had been found abandoned in the wastelands.
The Protector stepped forward, putting a hand on the spider-shaped mask. "We also cannot be certain that a Skull Spider is what's behind this."
"No other creature would knock off his mask. It has to be a Skull Spider, and with this, I should be able to find and free him."
The Protector cringed at the word "should."
"Makuta…you possess great power, but this is something even you have never tried before. Do you truly believe this mask will allow you to see into the minds of the Skull Spiders?"
Makuta nodded. "I do. Instilling abilities rather than just power was challenging to figure out, but I have the hang of it now. The gold is a much better receptacle for that kind of energy."
"Even if it does work, what do you think will happen to you? Can you handle opening your mind in such a way?"
"I will do whatever I must."
The Protector sighed. "…So stubborn. Very well, I don't imagine I can stop you. But, should I see you struggling, I'm tearing that mask from your face."
Makuta grinned wearily. "Thank you, Protector."
He lifted the mask once more and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he slowly brought it to his face, and then reached out to the power sealed within it.
The world changed in an instant. A million minds brushed against his own—similar, yet somehow so very different in form. Images filled his mind: deserted wastelands, calm seas, vibrating jungles, and so, so much more. Feelings, smells, sounds, they assaulted him from every direction, threatening to overwhelm him. He very easily could have become lost in the chaos, but he managed to hold on, focusing on one single thought.
Where is Ekimu?
The chaos gradually quieted down. Makuta could feel himself being drawn to a particular point in the noise, one mind in the sea of many that would hold the answer he sought. He saw the wastelands, black and blue limbs waving in and out from just below his field of vision. A feeling of contentedness, of victory…and, just behind that, another feeling. The feeling of yet another mind crying out for help.
Ekimu!
He focused all his might upon the mind in his grasp, steadily taking control of it and coaxing it towards the idea of letting its hostage go. It seemed to be working—
Burning. Every thought seared away in the face of a pillar of black flame. Two red eyes leered out at him, watching without a shred of pity as he melted away into the pain.
And then he was back in his forge, kneeling, with the Protector holding the spider mask in her hands.
"Makuta?" she shouted. "Makuta!"
Makuta's head jerked. "I…I'm fine…"
He took a moment to process what had just happened. As he recovered, a grin spread across his face.
"Ekimu is alive. He's in the canyon used to get to the Temple of Time."
The Protector's eyes widened. "…Were you able to…?"
"…No. Something about the Skull Spider controlling him is different. I'm not sure exactly, but it felt like there was a force within it that was able to block out my telepathic link."
Gazing at the mask, the Protector mumbled, "What could that mean…?"
Makuta staggered to his feet. "I don't know. But…I know that there is still time to save Ekimu. And if I am to succeed, I am going to need an even stronger mask."
Makuta walked quickly through the canyon, carrying his hammer on his back. On his face he wore another Mask of Power made of gold, this one with a narrow face and a broad brow. Fanning out to either side of his face was a segmented sheet of gold, giving the mask a menacing, snake-like appearance.
He stopped in the middle of the canyon and drew his hammer. "Ekimu!"
Near one of the high walls of black stone was a line of smaller rocks, and from behind them could be heard a low groaning. Out stepped Ekimu, a blue Skull Spider clamped onto his face, his hammer dragging behind him as he stalked towards Makuta.
Ekimu's body spasmed. "M…Makuta…"
Lurching again, he said, "You…you have to…stop me…!"
Makuta nodded. "Don't worry, brother! I'm going to save you!"
Ekimu suddenly grabbed his hammer in both hands and rushed forward. He swung, but Makuta blocked, locking their weapons together and holding his ground.
"No…if you don't kill me…I might…"
"I'm not going to kill you, Ekimu!"
"You have to! I…urgh…"
Ekimu jumped back, and then advanced again, rapidly thrusting his hammer towards Makuta. Makuta carefully sidestepped each attack, moving a small distance back each time. He took one step forward with no warning, sending his hammer directly into Ekimu's midsection and sending him flying. Ekimu landed hard.
Makuta held one hand forward, palm open. "Now, Skull Spider! I command you to release your host!"
Power flowed from the mask into Makuta, and then out towards the spider. It wriggled, feeling a strange compulsion begin to overtake it. The feeling grew and grew, and, hoping to put the urge to rest, it began to unfold its legs.
Then it shrieked. Its legs clamped back on, and Ekimu slowly got to his feet.
"What?" Makuta said. "No, it shouldn't be able to resist my Mask of Control…unless…"
He remembered his first attempt. If that mysterious force could interfere with the Mask of Skull Spiders, then perhaps it had the power to interfere with the Mask of Control as well.
"…I'll just have to keep trying," Makuta determined. "I refuse to abandon you, brother!"
Ekimu was moving forward again. Makuta called upon his knowledge of the mystic and reached out with his mind, feeling the energy that filled the world around him, and then drew it in. New strength filled his body, and his eyes flared with bright light.
"Forgive me, Ekimu!"
In a blur, Makuta bounded forward and swung his hammer, smashing Ekimu into the canyon wall. He made a quick grab for the Skull Spider and tried to pry it off. It was stuck fast.
"Ekimu! If you can hear me, you need to break its legs!"
Ekimu's hand flinched. He reached up slowly, fingers trembling, and then slowly took hold of one of the Skull Spider's legs. He crushed it, and the spider shrieked.
Good!
Ekimu then elbowed Makuta in the chest, knocking him to the ground. The possessed villager lunged on him, punching with all his strength. Makuta grunted. Throwing his hands up, he caught the next punch, and then called upon his mask again.
"No! This is going to work! Spider, let him go!"
The power flowed through him again.
"Ekimu, you have to fight it!"
The power flowed yet again. Makuta felt strained, as if he were being pulled in two directions at once, but he ignored it.
"And you, whatever you are…don't get in my way!"
A third stream of power left him, and Makuta felt as if his mind was going to be ripped apart. Unwilling to relent, he threw his entire will into the power of the mask, while his body fought to hold Ekimu back. The spider twitched, and Ekimu grabbed hold of it. Both of them shouted. Makuta thought he saw a jet of black flame fly from the spider's mouth—a hallucination, no doubt. Just as he felt himself about to pass out, the third stream of power was cut off. Ekimu tore the Skull Spider from his face, gasped, and threw it against the rocks. He flopped onto the ground beside Makuta, his body limp.
Makuta reeled as reality became clear again. He reached out frantically, finally grabbing Ekimu's arm.
"Brother?! Are you okay?"
Ekimu groaned. "Pipe down…"
Makuta smiled. "Thank goodness. If anything was wrong with you, you wouldn't be so obnoxious."
Ekimu just laughed. They lay there for a while before Ekimu turned and looked at the Skull Spider. It was not moving.
"What happened, Ekimu?" Makuta asked.
"I was just hunting," Ekimu said. "I saw that spider…it looked like it was wounded. When I moved closer, it suddenly attacked me, knocking off my mask and…"
He trailed off. As he shot into a sitting position, Makuta said, "Don't worry, we recovered the mask. It's back in the village."
Ekimu sighed and laid back down. "I guess this wouldn't have happened if I had just worn one of your masks?"
"Well, Skull Spiders are quick to adapt. Even a Mask of Power would've been pried off if it had had enough time."
He paused.
"Why were you out here alone, brother?"
"Because…my friends had all decided to start wearing your masks. I forbade them from accompanying me."
"You're the only person in the village who still refuses to wear them. Please just tell me, brother: why do you hate the Masks of Power so much?"
"…It's not the masks themselves. Even I can see how revolutionary they are. It's just…"
His fingers contracted, digging small trenches in the dirt.
"…I was…concerned. That you would become more important to the village than me."
Makuta looked over to Ekimu. After a moment, he said, "That is truly stupid, brother."
The two of them laughed. Makuta got to his feet and helped Ekimu up, and then both retrieved their hammers and hefted them with pained grunts. As they walked back towards the village, Makuta said, "You are important, brother. It would take a lot more than a few pieces of metal to replace you."
"…Thank you, brother."
