Chapter 4
The massive canyon lay between two mountains, hundreds of torches from the two mountains above shed light down into the gorge, where the Ix commander known as the Fury stood, following his subordinates toward the cliffs above. The baleful light illuminated his ebon armor, and his gleaming red eyes. He stepped forward, toward the cliffs, ready to make his report to his superior.
Suddenly, another being materialized beside the Fury, his armor also black as night. He was far taller than the Ix commander, and his eyes were cold and orange, all at once brighter and colder than the fires themselves. Despite the darkness, the Fury recognized him immediately: Skorpix, one of the most powerful Elementals in the Empire's hierarchy.
"You will follow me." he ordered, his voice deep and commanding. "There has been a change in plans. The Hooded One has heard of your report, and wishes to speak with you immediately."
The Fury nodded, but inwardly he was reeling in shock. The ruler of the Empire wished to speak with him? Then, he realized, he shouldn't be surprised, his mission had been one of utmost importance.
Following Skorpix, his face impassive but his mind in turmoil, the Fury ascended the natural stairs built into the cliff, passing by the large legions of Ix warriors. While there were many other places that the Empire ruled that were far more splendid and regal then the twin Obsidian Cliffs, these were the base of the Empire's power, where the massive armies of the Ix hatched their most secret plans.
The Fury's thoughts were cut short as he approached the top of the cliff, where an elite vanguard of the most powerful members of the Ix Order stood, weapons at the ready. Two other beings stood guard as well, two green armored beings, one heavily armored, the other tall and crooked, as though her body had been shattered and then remade.
But the Fury only had eyes for the being standing before the seat atop the raised dais. The seat was almost like a throne, from which two large scythelike blades, bent outward, stood on either side. The being was tall and thin, and wore a hooded cloak and carried a long, curved scythe. Lying on the throne was an ornate trident that gleamed with a cold red light all at once darker and brighter then the flames.
"Approach me." the Hooded One's voice was a horrible, scratchy rasp, that sounded like nails scraping across a stone. Head lowered, the Fury walked silently toward the throne, bowing as he reached the dais. "What news do you bring to us?"
"We have eliminated Arcturas, and recovered our spy." reported the Fury. "The fires began to spread, but were soon put out. No one else will realize he has been killed."
"This I know." said the Hooded One. "What of the yellow-armored Toa with him? Did you kill him as well?"
"No, he lives. His friend managed to escape while I killed the traitor Arcturas."
"Did you think he was insignificant? Why did you not bring him before me?"
"We tried...but in the chaos, he managed to escape. I wished to dispatch a group of warriors to recover him, but the majority of my Copies were eliminated."
"Then the time for subtlety has passed." rasped the Hooded One. "Windeus, bring your command to scour the countryside of Intax...and bring this Toa to me...alive. He is key to our plans, and must not be killed."
"It shall be done." Windeus said, bowing once.
"Continue your mission to eliminate the rebellion outside of the Circle." said the Hooded One. "Though soon, it will no longer matter. With the Spirit Toa in the hands of our Empire, the rebels shall fall...and soon, we will rise above the lower races of the world and take our place as the rightful masters of the multiverse."
Instantly flooded with a surge of energy, Shardak lept away from the being's talons just as they were about to drag him over the cliff. For a moment, the massive being looked confused, then it turned its milky eyes on the Glatorian and readied to strike again.
Shardak stared at the creature in shock. The being's entire body was covered in overlapping, armorlike scales which glowed with a faint blue light, and its claws ended in massive, curved talons. Its eyes seemed to be blind, white with no irises or pupils, and its mouth opened to reveal jagged rows of teeth.
It was a being from a nightmare.
The second being was wrestling with Blast near the edge of the cliff. Shardak could see blood, black in the shadowy illumination of Blast's Ruru and the beings' scales, but he couldn't tell whether it was the creature's blood or Blast's.
As he was watching his friend, he realized in a sudden instant that he'd turned his back on the first being. The flying creature slammed into him, trying to grab hold on his helmet but failing. As it reached out again, Shardak raised the Blade of Arcturas, cutting into the being's armor. Before he could deal any significant damage, however, the being slipped away and over the edge of the cliff, screeching once and then dive bombing him again.
This time Shardak was ready. As the being bore down on him, he thrust outward with his weapon. The being, to his surprise, twisted itself around midair and slammed into the blade's side, knocking it out of its grasp and sending it spiraling to the floor. The being's talons grabbed at his head again, trying to rake it off. Shardak fell to his knees, reaching out to grab the Blade.
The being, confused by Shardak's narrow escape, reoriented itself and struck Shardak again just as he grabbed and lifted the Blade of Arcturas. Shardak felt the weapon cut through the being's leg, then through bone. With a screech, the being tore itself away from Shardak, but the wounded talon impeded its escape. As it flew backward, Shardak lunged forward and stabbed it in the side. Startled, he noticed the being's blood was a dark blue-green color. He noticed the being spiral away from him, and struck it two more times with the weapon before it retreated beyond the edge of the overhang.
Turning toward Blast, he saw the ebony Glatorian was still alive, but bleeding and fighting a losing battle as the being wrestled him to the ground once again.
Screaming his friend's name, Shardak charged toward them, only to be flung backwards. Completely disoriented, he saw a flash of talons and was flung to the ground while all the while stabbing blindly at his assailant. The creature's blood spattered against his chest plate and he watched as the being, wounded badly, collapsed over the edge of the cliff and into darkness.
Shardak raced toward Blast, and saw the Glatorian struggling desperately against the second being's onslaughts. Shardak saw Blast's scythe slash over and over again into the being's body, but his attacks were beginning to weaken. As Shardak was about to charge the being in a final attempt to save his friend, the being's talons descended for the final blow.
Shardak saw Blast's scythe stab upward twice, snapping one wing. The being collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain, as Blast struck the being a blow to the chest, then to the other wing. As the creature tried to reorient itself, Blast lunged forward and slashed open the being's throat. Wings snapped, the dying creature collapsed over the edge of the cliff.
Shardak could hear the surviving being's screech from below, and he rushed over to Blast, who was covered in both the being's blood and his own.
"Quick! Climb down the rope!" said Shardak urgently. Blast, his eyes unfocused, watched as Shardak began his descent, and then followed.
"One of them is still alive!" yelled Shardak, and Blast's head turned just as the creature was about to strike. Instantly galvanized into action, the Glatorian began his descent. The glowing creature turned disinterestedly from Blast and, seeing Shardak, flew at the Glatorian.
Shardak knew that if the being struck him, the rope would snap and Blast would be killed. He had only a moment to think, Mata Nui, this is insane, before leaping off the rope and into the darkness. As he'd gambled, the second overhang was directly below him,. As the being rushed to grab him in his talons, Shardak slashed out wildly above him, and felt the Blade tear through armor, then bone. He saw one of the being's claws disappear into the void just as the second claw wrapped around his leg.
Half falling now, Shardak twisted around midair, grabbing the being's armored neck with one hand. The being was too strong for him, however, and its wings were too weak to support them both. Shardak could see his death rushing up to meet him and felt mounting dread as the being nearly wrestled out of his grasp.
Then time seemed to slow. Shardak could suddenly feel the being, its predatory instinct, its bloodthirsty nature. He could see a glowing field of energy surrounding the being, and felt its basic, Rahi-like emotions. He suddenly knew where the being would strike next.
As the creature attempted to tear itself free from Shardak's grasp, Shardak, having known somehow exactly what the being would attempt, wrestled the being to the ground. As they slammed into the ground, Shardak now on top of the being, he could feel the creature's wings snap.
With a screech of sheer rage and pain seemed to be torn from the depths of the abyss itself, the massive creature writhed out of Shardak's grasp, trying to raise its shattered body into the air. It began to rise for a moment, and then collapsed over the edge of the cliff with a final screech.
What- Shardak thought, wondering what had happened.
"Is it dead?" Blast asked shakily.
"No." said Shardak. "But it won't be back here in a hurry."
Looking down, Shardak noticed that the cliff was beginning to level out, beginning a downward slope that snaked deeper into the darkness. "It may level out soon." Shardak pointed out. He could see the fight with the winged creatures had weakened Blast, he was injured in the shoulder and the leg, where the being's talons had struck him.
Blast winced as he saw Shardak's concern. "I'll be fine." he said. "Hopefully they're hidden around here somewhere."
Shardak hadn't had time to remember their goal during the deadly struggle, but now he realized just how much danger they were in. Both of them were wounded, and they were many, many bio below Intax. He was about to reply when he heard a screech from somewhere within the void.
"Shardak!" yelled Blast. "The-" He was abruptly cut off as a third winged creature grabbed Blast by the arm and dragged him down the slope. Shardak slashed downward at the creature, and felt the Blade of Arcturas tear through the creature's wing. Momentarily distracted, the creature released his grip on Blast, and Shardak lept over the ledge and raced down the gradually descending slope, worried Blast would fall over the edge and continue falling through the void.
Shardak heard Blast fall against the slope, and raced over to his friend. Before he could speak, Blast rose to his feet slowly.
"I'm alright." he said, looking around. Shardak saw they were standing on a massive overhang that nearly spanned the entire chasm. Behind them, a tunnel snaked off into the darkness. All around them, patches of the silvery moss grew from several columns identical to the one they'd traveled down.
"I can't find any of their tracks." Shardak reported. "But I think the obsidian beings came this way."
"They've-" Blast said, then broke off. Shardak saw the winged beast he'd injured was, amazingly, trying to drag itself upright. As it began to rise into the air awkwardly, its blood still seeping from its injured wing, Shardak tensed, prepared to fight.
With a screech, the being flung itself at the two Glatorian, and Shardak readied the Blade of Arcturas, Blast drew his scythe.
Then, suddenly, there was a flash of dark metal, and the being fell backward, collapsing limply on the ground. Shardak and Blast raced over, wondering what had happened. He knelt down next to the being, and saw a thin, curved dagger had imbedded itself in his neck. The being's milky eyes glazed over, blood still trickling from its torn throat.
It took Shardak one moment to make the obvious conclusion. "Who-"
A cold voice silenced him abruptly. Shardak turned, and gasped.
Standing in the mouth of the tunnel were two of the obsidian beings. They both carried spears, pointed at Shardak and Blast. The being who had thrown the spear was a four-legged, two-armed being with armor of shadowy sapphire. His eyes were a horrible, hungry orange that stared out from a slotted black mask. He was carrying two more daggers, aimed directly at the two Glatorian.
The sapphire-armored being gave a thin, cold laugh. "You are now prisoners of the Circle. Surrender immediately or we will kill both of you."