Power of the Cordakah, Chapter 9

Five hours ago…

Karaz had managed to arrive to the wastelands of the island. His jetpack was about to give out due to lack of fuel, a common occurence when one was flying down from the plateaus about 5,000 feet high, but he only just was able to make it to a patch of dry ground beneath the green mist. When he landed, he took off the jetpack, plugged it into a tube, and placed that tube inside a swampy murk next to the dry patch. The jetpack began to absorb the muck, which it used as fuel, quickly and hungrily. Karaz wasted no time. Using his swift reptilian feet, he managed to run over the mutagenic muck that made up the soil of the wasteland.

At least 90,000 years ago, his ancestors once lived above in the plateau-lands, back when this one island was many islands, and there was no wasteland filled with muck, but instead there was the ocean, and the dark waters of the Pit below. However, their paradise was ruled by a monster; a creature of ancient origins with power unlike anything the world had ever seen. This monster terrorized his people, the Saurions, and enslaved them so that it could achieve its goals, which were a mystery.

This changed when 12 outsiders arrived on the islands. With aid from the Saurions, the outsiders, calling themselves Toa, managed to defeat the massive serpent, and cast its body deep within the monster's fortress. It was then that the islands were raised to their current position, the waters of the pit receding and revealing a wasteland below, where only tough vegetation and wild rahi could survive.

However, an evil force called the Brotherhood of the Makuta managed to take control of this new super-island. As a result, the Saurions were evicted from their paradise, sent to the far reaches of the wastelands like the wild Rahi they were assumed to be. Since then, the Saurions had been in hiding, salvaging whatever fell from below, and preparing themselves for the day that they could return to the lands above.

Karaz ran speedily on his hind legs, his hands holding tightly to the simple staff that he carried. He was careful not to fall into any of the bogs nearby; many a creature did so, and the few that ever came out alive were mutated beyond recognition into some horrible monster or another, mostly bug-like for adaptation of the swamp-lands. The Saurions had kept track of each new and old bog that showed up in the swampy wastelands below.

Karaz was privately pleased with the Saurions' current lifestyle. The reason why the Brotherhood didn't know of their existence and decided to wipe them out of the history books was because of a massive green mist that hung about 25 feet above the ground. This mist, formed by some unknown force from the ground and the plateaus, was so thick that the sun could barely make it through, casting their world in an eerie green glow. The mist kept anyone above from noticing their existence, and it served its purpose well.

Due to the recent happenings of Makuta Nui, the Saurions' leaders had been sending scouts up to the plateaus to keep an eye out on events that went on above. Normatively, for creatures of their size, going up to the surface would be next to impossible without getting caught...that is if it weren't for the Saurions' special abilities. Saurions, at one point in time in their lives, had absorbed the powers of the mask of invisibility, allowing them to become completely invisible at will. This, combined with their natural instincts of silence while on the prowl, made them completely undetectable.

Each Saurion scout is given a special staff, a Krakahann staff, which has special abilities welded into it. These abilities are chosen at random, but eventually play out according to each Saurion's needs. Karaz's staff, for example, allows him to speed the growth of plants to an almost light-year scale. It also gives him minor capabilities of how the plants grow depending on the environment and time of need.

Karaz kept speeding through the swamp. Soon he came to the true wastelands of his home. A gigantic plain of dust and sand, completely hardened and glassed over the years in contact with the sun, surrounded the entire region known as the swamplands. This land, called the Forbidden Zone, was avoided even by his kind. No one, Saurion or outsider alike, had ever explored that region, even though there were rumors of ancient artifacts dotting the surface of the glassed sea.

Karaz ignored the wastes and kept running, keeping to the small line of grass and plants that made up the borderlands. As he ran, he would occasionally point his staff at a withered plant or a simple weed, allowing them to grow a little bit bigger to absorb the unforgiving sunlight. Karaz was happy with his work; one day, the village elders, called the Durana, would promote him to become an Elemental, the highest class of villagers in the Saurion clans. It was an Elemental's job to help shape the environment according to the villages' needs. The Durana had prophesized that one day there would be many Saurion Elementals needed in the time to come, when the Makuta would be overthrown and peace would once again become restored to the lands of the Saurions.

Karaz came up to a single tree whose branches were forlorn. He stopped a few feet from its trunk. The tree was long dead, its branches stripped of leaves and bark and all signs of life. Nothing could allow it to grow any longer. Even its core was lifeless; Karaz knew this was true, because he looked himself.

Karaz stopped and bent low. He rapped his staff three times on the ground, each rap louder than the first. He felt a stirring in the breeze. He looked up to see a fellow Saurion, his body just materializing from its invisible state. Karaz knew that this Saurion was of the Wind caste, known for their green and grey bodies; unlike Karaz, who was of the Plant caste, his body being different shades of green and yellow.

Karaz came up from his bow, which was a formal greeting to an elder. The fellow Saurion raped the end of his staff thrice in return, the general reply to a younger. Suddenly, the two of them embraced each other in a brotherly hug.

"Brother Karaz," the Wind Saurion said in happiness after they parted from their hug, "You have arrived quick-brother. What good-news comes from high-above?"

"Much good news, brother Lera," said Karaz as he returned his staff to the sheath on his back, "But the news must wait. We have to get to the Durana! They must here this first!"

"On our way, speed-brother," said Lera, placing his own staff in its sheath, "Be quick-fast we must go!"

Without another word, the two brothers sped off to the village. Along the way, Lera occasionally whistled or growled in the surrounding undergrowth. As he did so, a Saurion, and occasionally a Matoran villager would peek out and run after them. The two brothers quickly became more than 200 villagers who rushed to the central village of the Saurions. Even Rahi began to join their group, mostly Kikanalo and Viso-Jaga, but many others soon followed.


In a little while the army of Saurions, Matoran, and Rahi quickly arrived to the village. Village was quite an understatement for the village of Saur-Koro. The place was massive, at least a hundred or more simple dwellings, each being able to hold anywhere between 2 to 23 villagers, made up most of the large compound, all of them surrounding a single large, two story structure, the highest structure allowed in the wastelands. This structure was the Temple to the Great Spirit, and was shared by Saurion and matoran alike.

The fact that 200 or more Saurions, Matoran, and Rahi were arriving at the city gates didn't surprise many of the inhabitants of the village, although admittedly they were curious as to what was going on. Soon, at least a thousand strong villagers of all nationalities, including Skakdi, Vortixx, Dark Hunters, and even a Turaga or two, could be seen gathered around the temple. Lera and Karaz were quickly brought inside by two big and burly Exo-Vahki, a robot built and programmed out of a modified Vahki chassis.

The Vahki led the two Saurions inside the hallway of the temple. Carvings of the Great Spirit, stone artifacts, and the occasional mask of power adorned the walls of the wooden hallway of the temple, each kept polished and well cared for by matoran villagers. When they spotted the two Saurions, they immediately stopped what they were doing and either bowed, saluted, or waved at the two reptilian scouts.

Soon, they arrived in a great chamber, the centerpiece of the temple. Ten other Saurions, each of them a scout like Lera and Karaz, were standing to attention when they arrived. In the center of the structure was a single stone sundail, at least 12 feet high and having a 20 foot radius. Standing in front of it were three large, bird-like reptiles, each with a staff of different color or design. The reptiles didn't have tails; instead they sported feathers, and brilliant colors on their bodies. Each of them had serious looking eyes, ones that could pierce and perceive any forms of kindness or bad deeds. The one in the center sported an adorned Kanohi Hau on his shoulder, which glowed with golden light.

The two Saurions bowed low, rapped their staffs three times on the ground, and closed their eyes in reverence to the three reptiles standing before them. The three each held out their staffs over the two Saurions, bellowed, and then rapped the ends of their staves once on the ground, letting the sound echo through the wooden halls of the temple.

Karaz, his head still low, began to speak. "Oh great Durana," he said in sincere tones, "May the light and blessings of Mata Nui grace you always as you grace them on us. We are your humble messengers to your service."

The Durana with the golden Hau stepped forward and placed his hands on the two Saurions. "Karaz, Lera, my two sons," he said, "May my grace as leader of this village reflect on you both in your lives, and may your every doing be guided by the Great Spirit, whether in sickness or in health, for as long as the universe lives."

The Durana beside him both trilled their birdlike voices in agreement. The great Durana raised a hand in silence, and then looked down at Karaz. He spoke in quiet and earnest tones. "You have returned from your journey, young one," he said, "What news goes on in the upper world? What have the outsiders been doing?"

Karaz stood straight, returning his staff to the sheath on his back. "Lord Dian of the Durana," he said, "I bring news of both good and bad. The outsiders are truly against the Makuta. They are with the Matoran Resistance above. I have seen and confirmed this with my own eyes."

The ten Saurion scouts began whispering to each other in earnest tones, keeping their voices low as they spoke of the matter. Durana Dian silenced them with a look in his eyes, and then looked back at Karaz, motioning to him to continue.

"My bad news is this," Karaz continued, his voice grave, "the Matoran Resistance has planned an all out attack; something that we knew for years. They plan on attacking the Makuta Fortress tonight in full scale, but their numbers are too few to even scratch the surface. According to what I found out, they were intent on attacking tonight, yet their numbers barely reach more than two thousand strong. I fear they may not last the night."

There was a hush amongst the Saurions. Durana Dian looked grave, and then spoke with his fellow Durana in hushed tones, their birdlike trills gently echoing in the air. They spoke this language because no one but the Durana could understand it, and even those who attempted to learn it couldn't speak it as well, unless they were birds.

Durana Dian turned back to Karaz, his head bent low. "Thank you Karaz," he said, his voice grave, "You and your brother may return with the others. For now, I feel that the best we can do in this fight is to activate the Dia-Setters, and hope for the best that if many fall that they fall back to us. Other than this, there is nothing we can do."

"Were it so easy..."

A voice from above caused the Saurions to look around in shock. Only the Durana didn't look quite as surprised, as if expecting the voice to call out eventually.

"Arbiter," Dian called out, his eyes glancing up at the ceiling, "Come down and join our congregation. You are Saurion as well; why not join your kind?"

A strange shadow seemed to move from its spot in the ceiling. It jumped down and landed on the sundial. There was a noise like something heavy had landed on stone as the shadow landed gently on the artifact. Suddenly, the shadows shifted and departed, revealing a Toa-sized creature in silver and black armor. It walked gently down from the artifact and stood with the Durana.

"Were it so easy to just simply stand aside and let the Resistance above become martyrs," began the Arbiter, his four-fingered hands clenched into fists, "Or should we not go to the surface and join them? For ages, I watched our people live off of whatever they could in the dirt, and toil under the green mists of this world, while our oppressors who don't even know of our existence torture and murder thousands of innocents just 5,000 feet above our heads. For ages, we felt that the best peace would be down here where the sun beats down and where the nights freeze us in our sleep. Well, if this be peace, then I do not wish to live in it any longer. I say that we join the allies who have no clue of our existence, and we fight against the Makuta, and liberate us from their hands!"

The twelve Saurions bellowed and cheered their approval. The Durana though, merely shook their heads in disappointment.

"Arbiter," Durana Dian said, "I know of your hatred to the Makuta. I know how you wish to make peace and allow the matoran villagers who we have brought to our homes back to their friends above. I know that you wish to allow our people to once again live above as we did before when this one island was many, but you know we do not have any means of attacking the Makuta, nor the firepower or transportation. We might as well have the Makuta enroll us as a slave force now, for that is all that we will receive if we attack the above-lands."

The two other Durana nodded their heads in agreement. The twelve Saurions began discussing in low tones, debating about what course of action they should take. The Arbiter, as if hearing enough, turned and walked out the door.

One of the Durana made as if to call him back, but Dian stopped him. He knew for a fact that the Arbiter should have some time to reflect. He would let him be, and hopefully the Arbiter would think differently about this conversation.


Little did Dian know that the Arbiter had other plans. As soon as he was out the door, the Arbiter quickly sped through the village streets. As fast as he could, he sped out of Saur-Koro's gates and through the green mist. As he sped, he couldn't help but hear the noises of three pairs of feet behind him.

The Arbiter stopped in his tracks. Although invisibility affects all forms of sight, he could tell for a fact that three Saurion scouts had followed him out of the village. He slowed his pace until he came to the lip of the forbidden lands, then stopped in his tracks. Without turning, he acknowledged the three Saurions behind him.

"You may reveal yourselves now," he said, his eyes still gazing ahead, "I know you are around."

Karaz and two other Saurions, one of ice and one of fire, appeared behind the Arbiter. The three of them were about to use traditional greeting, but the Arbiter held out a hand to stop them.

"Is there a need of tradition among friends?" the Arbiter asked.

Karaz approached the Arbiter, his face set with determination. "We want to go with you," Karaz said, "We know you are going to join the resistance, so we wish to fight at your side."

Dialgo, the Saurion of ice, nodded his head in agreement. Firenze, the Saurion of Fire, voiced his own agreement, "We believe that there shall be no true peace unless this island is be rid of its tyrants from above!"

"Well spoken," said the Arbiter. He looked back at the three of them. "If you wish to follow me," he said, "then you had best stick to my side and stay at my feet like Kavinika hounds. If we get separated in the forbidden lands, then you will be lost in there forever. Do me a favor and don't make me have to explain your disappearance to the Duranas. I would rather keep the armor on my body if you don't mind."

"Where are we going, master Arbiter?" asked Dialgo, his staff of gravity poised in his hands.

"We go to visit a friend," the Arbiter replied. And with that, the four of them set out.


It was an hour until the four of them arrived to their destination. The forbidden lands were considered the Gulag of the wastes. The ground was hot wherever you touched, and the air smelt of burning sulfur. The sun shone its brightest through the green mist here, but it also shone its most unmercifully. For thousands of years, the mutagen that was a part of most of the wastelands had dried up, taking any suitable soil with it, causing the entire area to become dry and as hard as glass. For ages, the land had hardened itself and re-hardened until the area became such a wasteland that not even a Zyglak would find it comfortable here. At times, there would even be mirages in the heat that could lure a passing traveler to his doom.

The Arbiter had trained himself for years to identify what was a mirage, and what wasn't, in the forbidden lands. He knew perfectly well where a mirage would occur, how to perceive if it was real, and, when it was a mirage, to cast it away. He made sure to have the Saurions keep their eyes on his back at all times, and to never stray from the path no matter what happens.

Finally, after an hour had passed, they had arrived at their destination. The three Saurions could not believe their eyes in the desert heat. A huge monolith of stone stood before them, its corners surrounded by four stone obelisks. The monolith, although tall, seemingly was covered completely by the mist, as if it were completely blocked away from the rest of the island's view. Only one entrance inside could be seen; a single open doorway, a simple design, which led into a metallic hallway. Stairs made of stone led up to the door, their edges long smoothed away from the beating sun.

As the Arbiter approached, he stopped, and listened to the air. A humming sound could be heard coming closer, as if it was being shot at high speeds towards their location. The Arbiter acted quickly. He grabbed the tails of the three Saurions and quickly dragged them a few steps backwards from where they were standing. The Saurions yelped in surprise, screaming in pain as they were dragged by their sensitive extremities.

"Hey!" Karaz shouted when the Arbiter put him back down, "What was that for?!?"

Suddenly, a Rohtuka spinner answered his question. The spinner, which was launched from a ways from the monolith, crashed directly where they had stood earlier. The Saurions watched in fascinated horror as the ground where the spinner collided began to crush itself inwardly, being pulled into the earth as if gravity was choosing to embrace it a little more than the rest of the earth.

The Arbiter looked up as the sound of jets went off in the sky. A skyboard of black and grey metal came down from the mist above, its stabilizers helping to guide the board down from the sky. Riding it was a Toa, his armor a collection of silvers, grays, and blacks. In his right hand he had a Vahki Zahdak staff, while in his left he held a large Rhotuka spinner. Hidden on his back was a Zamor Gravity-class rifle, and hidden on the skyboard was a Shock-class Saber. He bore a Kanohi mask of repair on his face, the silver outlining shining in what sunlight that bore through the mists.

The Toa smoothly came close to the Saurions and the Arbiter, gliding the skyboard gently down to the glassed ground. As the skyboard landed, the Toa hopped off, almost hovering before he landed. The Arbiter looked at the Toa and smiled.

"Greetings Teros, Toa Cordakah!" the Arbiter said.

To be continued…

Kerian: Wow! The "third players" in the story are revealed, and so has a new, or perhaps old, face from the Toa Cordakah! Wait...did the Arbiter just say that his name was Teros? Didn't Teros die earlier? Interesting...

Teros is probably my favorite of the Cordakah. He was also the only one I succeeded in building a model for. Wearing a mask of repair (Turaga Dume, also the mask worn by Toa Norik, though Norik's was a different type altogether), and carrying a Shock-Saber (Toa Inika Nuparu's weapon), as well as a Zamor Rifle, Teros is a force to be reckoned with. (By the Rhotuka Spinner you had just seen, you can guess that this guy's a Toa of Gravity.)

The Arbiter, as well as the Saurions, are semi-based off of the Elites from the Halo games. I originally made an Arbiter model, but, seeing as it looked almost nothing like the real Arbiter, I decided to use it as a character for Power of the Cordakah. Saurions are about the size of Matoran, easily built using Metru-Nui Matoran arms and legs, a Toa Mata leg as a tail, and a Rakshi's head. Their appearance are based off of raptors (the models, in fact, have Bohrok teeth for the infamous retractable claws of raptors), though they also carry staffs (based off of Rahaga appearance) in battle. There are twelve sub-species of Saurions in all. Arbiters act as the "Toa" of Saurions, similarly to how Durana act as Turaga (though Durana are a seperate species altogether).

To help you guys visualize these creatures, I will be posting avatars of these models on my profile. Until next time, me out!

-Kerian