Ok, now that I left the "big, high-speed, Le-matoran-confusing, run down" chapter behind, I can get down to write something decent and enjoyable, right?
Anyway, this chapter will focus into what some of us have called "Light Nidhiki", so, it's in his P.O.V. mostly.
Also, to the one who pointed it out; the underlined and other effects for quoted parts are used to emphasize that they're different beings in level.
" " is for Toa
" " is for Great Being
" " is for Makuta
" " is for "normal" or matoran
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bionicle, Talius or Nidhiki (DH)
"More adventure"
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(Abandoned districts, Ta-Metru)
Nidhiki was staring into Talius' eyes; the makuta in white armor had just pretty much pinpointed his location and turned him into a hostage… all that while his Volitak had been active; what was it with this guy?
"Mistake number one rookie; thinking you could sneak up on me" Talius said as he inched his longsword so close that Nidhiki felt the armor in his neck get scrapped; this guy was playing to kill. "Now tell me what are you doing here and why?"
Nidhiki remained silent, but his mind raced a hundred miles an hour, remembering his training…
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(Flashback, L. Nidhiki's POV)
I stood in the middle of a green colored room; it has already been a whole month since that "Great Being" called Kalnur started training me "in case it was needed", or at least that's the excuse he gave for it.
He had given me new toa tools and new armor, but as good as those were, the training demanded every bit of concentration and elemental power I had: I was forced to survive explosions at point blank range, fight fist-to-claw against an ash bear, find ways to get a block the weight of a wing of the Onu-Metru archives to the top of a mountain the size of a knowledge tower –something I accomplished by simply destroying the base until the top was the bottom- and other things like that… somehow I was still pretty much intact, with just the occasional injury here and there.
Then there were also the long nights of studying, from the physiology of a skakdi and its vital points –and how to disable them- to the favored methods of hunting used by rahkshi; by now I was weary in mind and body, but much more competent and sturdy at fighting.
Today's exercise was to fight an android simulated with makuta powers, attitude and attributes; Kalnur had dared to call it a "first term exam", so I'm not all-too pleased at what the training to come will be like…
Suddenly, I got hit full-power by a Shadow blast and slammed into te ground y magnetic forces; I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't seen the android come out; quickly, I created a vacuum around its head, only to be blasted again as a reminder that it didn't need to breath air… this would be more difficult than I thought.
I took out my halberd –a replacement for my lost scythe- and charged a tornado in the very spot I stood, waiting until it was at full force, I released it before charging straight; the android used its own control of vacuum to counter it, but by the time it lifted its weapon again, I was already at its throat; I knew it wouldn't do much harm now, but plunging the halberd deep into the neck would allow the antidermis to leak out eventually.
I was proven right by a kick to my mid-section that sent me flying far; the robot had gone into a berseker mode of sorts: his time had a definite number now, so it would try to take me down with it; I had to block, dodge and blast myself away from him for a good 20 minutes before it finally collapsed on the floor and stopped
moving.
(End Flashback)
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Nidhiki started charging an air blade; if he managed to pierce this guy's armor then he'd have the upper hand, providing he didn't end up losing his head somewhere between the charging and the releasing. But suddenly, a yellow gauntlet took firm hold of Talius' shoulder and pulled him –and his sword- back.
"You should leave him alone Talius, I sent for him to find you, not for you to
kill him. We have to talk… and for Helryx's sake put that sword away!" Was the simple command that Nidhiki's superior gave to Talius, which seemed to catch him completely off guard and distract him; regardless, Talius dropped his blade and in a moment of agility worthy of a brakas monkey, tripped the other toa-like figure into the ground.
Needless to say, Nidhiki took this chance to wrench himself free and pick up his scythe.
"How in Mata Nui's name do you know my name?" Talius snapped as he pointed his sword at the newly-revealed threat. Nidhiki just watched, scythe ready with a whirlwind at its end.
"Wow, thousands of years old and still as sharp as ever Talius. I'm Kalnur, I was part of the Order for a while, you might remember me from there; this here is my companion, Nidhiki" He laughed as he pushed Talius' hand away.
"I don't know you, nor have we ever met! So explain yourself!" Talius growled as he pushed his hand back on Kalnur's chest. "I don't like talking or dealing with people I haven't seen before; but if you give me some answers, I might give you some…"
"Calm down and let's talk this somewhere more private and less full of weeds" Kalnur said as he pushed Talius away and got up. "There are eyes and ears in the city, and few of them are the kind we want to be near" He added as he signaled Nidhiki to stand down. "Now, could you check that warehouse for signs of the morbuhzak?"
"Sure" Talius replied as he walked in. Suddenly turning around, he found Kalnur in front of his mask; pressing a finger at his forehead, he watched Talius black out and collapse on the floor.
Nidhiki got near the body and poked it with his foot, you know, just to make sure. "Hide his body, we don't want anyone to know we're here" Kalnur said as he locked down the door to the warehouse and planted small cameras around the perimeter. "Did he manage to hurt you or something?"
"Nah, not really… he did make me worry about my neck though" Nidhiki replied as he dragged the body deeper into the house. "What surprises me is how he managed to catch me despite the volitak, I'm pretty sure I made no noise whatsoever!"
"Well, that's Talius to you, Nidhiki; the guy who somehow managed to return from the dead, know Artakha and win Helryx's heart all in one week" Kalnur replied, remembering the good old times at the Order's headquarters and the old man's island.
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Well, that's chapter two; I'm pretty sure people will consider it better than the last one, but once again, the last one was a quick run-down and not a chapter per se…
Thanks go to loyal fans Rusty Red Raptor (she's been there since the beginning and given me some great advice, plus lending me Varia, Yistran, Vorx and other great ideas she's had); Scar 211 (who has also been a loyal reviewer and lent me Scar for a while); Dan the Wireman (for lending me Talius and being overall awesome) and everybody else; keep on writing =)
