M.I.A.: CH 16
In a jolt, Xipher woke up. He lifted his head up and looked around. The faint light of
dawn made its way through the tears in Xipher's cape. His ears pointed upward, listening in for
any sign of an unwelcomed visitor. When he found it was safe he faced Sam. She was laying
back facing him, wrapped tightly in her sleeping bag.
"Sam?" he whispered softly. There was no answer, let alone any movement. "Sam," He
said a little louder.
Still nothing happened. His spikes dropped down and he shook his head in disbelief. "It
was supposed to work." He thought to himself and reached over.
Right as he touched her, she let out a soft mumble and stirred around. Xipher recoiled
back in surprise before taking a big sigh of relief. He then let out a yawn and stretched himself
out like a cat. Despite wanting more rest, he knew they had stayed for too long. He leaned
over and shook Sam by her shoulder. "Hey, wake up."
Sam stirred around. He shook her harder.
"What?" she mumbled.
"It's time to go."
She was still for a moment and then slowly opened her eyes and sat up. Her hair was a
mess, weaving around in all directions. Xipher gave a good long stare. He stopped himself
from chuckling and instead let out a soft smirk.
"Why?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Can't we sleep a few more hours?"
"Your brothers must be worried sick about you. Hurry up and get ready." He walked to
the entrance and pushed the cloak aside before looking over his shoulder. "Oh, and I'd tame
that wild mane of yours if I were you," he added, and then left.
Sam weaved her hand through her hair and stopped halfway as she realized what he
meant. After pulling her hair back into a ponytail and getting dressed, she opened a few crates
and found some spare ammunition. She stepped out of the Osprey, reloading her pistol. When
done, she looked up and saw Xipher searching the remaining crates.
Without looking at her he spoke. "There's some fruit over there. Hurry and eat."
She found the fruit on a crate and took a bite. As she ate, she opened the crate. It took
a moment before the contents shocked her. "I furgot we had dis," she said with a mouth full of
fruit.
Xipher walked over and took a look. "Why didn't you take it with you before?"
Sam swallowed. "Because it's a big, heavy gun. No one can carry that thing for very
long."
Xipher picked it up and examined it. It wasn't until he tossed it in the air like it was
nothing that Sam got an idea and tilted her head to the side.
"But thinking about it, you might not have trouble with it," she said with a smile.
Xipher gave her a surprised look. "You want me to carry this?"
"And use it." she grinned.
His eyes widened and his spikes drooped downward. "I don't know."
"Oh, come on, it's easy. Let's see, there's a spare gun somewhere." She looked around
and found an AR-15. "You just put it up to your shoulder like this and then you just aim and pull
the trigger."
Cautiously he mimicked the same position and pulled the trigger. He heard a click form
inside the gun. "Nothing happened."
"That's because there's no bullets inside." She walked back over and pulled out a belt.
"This is what you'll be using."
Xipher's mouth gaped open at the size of the bullets. "I don't think it's wise to give me a
weapon this powerful. What if I go ballistic again?"
"I know it's a risk, but think about it. Our other guns couldn't penetrate Ruunaja's armor.
This gun might be able to do it."
He took a moment to think it over, then looked into her begging eyes. He let out a sigh.
"I'll do it, but if Scott objects, then you're carrying it the rest of the way."
She smiled. "Alright."
As she prepared the gun, Xipher put his cloak back on.
"Alright, it's ready," said Sam.
Xipher picked up the weapon and held it in his arms. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, just one sec." She strapped her new AR on and holstered her pistol.
Xipher then crouched down. "Get on."
She gave a surprised look.
"Do it before I change my mind."
Sam quickly jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. When he
walked she noticed he moved at a pace that she would have a hard time keeping up with.
There was a long silence between them. Eventually Sam couldn't hold in the urge to
ask. "Xipher?"
"Hmm?" was his acknowledgement.
"About last night, I'm sorry for bringing up such painful memories, I-"
Xipher cut her off. "No," he said sharply. "It's my fault for lashing out at you."
There was another long period of silence. "Back at Destral, Ruunaja told me you killed
your brothers. Is that true?"
Xipher stopped, but didn't bother to look at her. "It is," he replied flatly. "Happened
moments after Ruunaja killed Naromia." He then started walking again.
Sam didn't feel surprised or shocked. Instead, she placed her head along Xipher's neck.
"Okay, but why?"
Xipher looked over his shoulder and the two locked eyes with each other. He quickly
pulled his head back and looked down. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know."
The sound of a slow, yet constant pace of dripping water woke Xipher up. As he
moaned and stirred around, he heard someone announce his awakening. Whoever said it did
so with urgency and fear in his voice. When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. As his
vision cleared, he tried to recall what had happened. He was soon able to see Saber to his
right, sitting behind steel bars. She sat curled up in a corner and whimpered. To his left,
Vaptech was in the same predicament, though he frustratingly paced back and forth.
It then occurred to him that he was already upright. His arms and legs were sore and
tired. He tried to lay down, but found it impossible as chains clanked in protest. It caught him
by surprise and he examined himself. He stood in the center of a cell, with hands and feet
pulled away from each other by the chains. There was a chain wrapped tightly around his
torso, which linked to the floor.
He then faced Vaptech and Saber. They looked at him with fear and worry in their eyes.
"What's going on?" Xipher asked in confusion. "Where are my brothers?"
Saber and Vaptech exchanged glances.
"Don't you remember?" Terun asked harshly as he stormed in.
"Brother, why are we here?" Xipher asked.
The Toa of fire pointed a finger at him. "Don't call me Brother!"
The statement was a shock to Xipher.
Terun then took a quick breath. "They're behind bars as a precaution, in case they end
up like you," he growled.
Xipher's ears pulled back. "I-I don't understand."
"Maybe this will refresh your memory." He tossed a breastplate to the ground. Piercing
the armor were long claw marks. "Remember how they all died?!"
Xipher studied it for a moment and then looked up at his brother with wide eyes. When
he spoke his voice dropped. "They're gone? All of them?"
Terun remained silent.
"What in Mata Nui's name did this to them?!"
The question seemed to infuriate his brother.
Xipher thought over it again and this time his eyes lit up with shock. "No," He shook his
head. "If this is some kind of sick joke, it's not funny!"
"This is no laughing matter," scowled Terun.
"There is no way I killed them!"
"You did; in cold blood. You sunk your fangs in them, tore off their limbs, and shredded
them to pieces!"
Xipher pulled hard against the chains. "Lies!" he roared. His eyes changed to a red hue.
"Xipher!" whimpered Saber. He shot a menacing glare at her. She hesitantly stood up
and kept her tail between her legs. "It's true. Vaptech and I saw it happen. You looked
completely different. After we defeated you, you changed back to normal. Please, please don't
change back."
Xipher's eyes reverted back to light blue as he looked at her aghast. "No, I couldn't… I-I
wouldn't!"
"It wasn't just them," she continued. "Afterward, you went after the Matoran."
The news made his legs tremble. He would've collapsed, but the chains wouldn't permit
it. "Why?" he asked, more towards himself. "Why would I do such a thing?"
"You tell me," Terun shot back. "Or better yet, you can tell the court yourself at your
trial." He then turned around and began to leave.
Xipher was shocked. "Brother, please, there has to be some reason behind this. What if
Ruunaja was controlling me?"
Terun stopped and looked over his shoulder. "One, I doubt it. Two, you're not my
brother, monster."
Xipher nearly gasped. His ears and spikes dropped and he felt his heart sink. "I'm not a
monster." he whined.
His brother didn't seem to care and walked away.
Vaptech and Saber then faced Xipher.
"How can you not remember?!" asked Saber.
Xipher stared at the ground and focused. "I remember Naromia. Ruunaja killed her! I
held her in my arms, and then-" He paused. "Nothing."
Saber faced Vaptech. "You hit him too hard."
Vaptech shrugged. "How was I supposed to know he'd get amnesia?"
"Guys!" snapped Xipher.
The two stared at him.
"This isn't helping. Right now I need to find answers." He paused at those words and
realized what he needed to do. "I have to go back to Xia."
"Xipher," said Vaptech, "In case you haven't noticed, you're chained up. Your fate is
sealed."
Xipher's eyes narrowed and he stared at the chains around him. He focused his sight to
one area of the chain before his eyes glowed red and fired a beam of heat vision. The section
of chain glowed a bright orange before melting apart.
Vaptech and Saber were in awe while Xipher stretched out his free arm. One by one the
chains were melted off, save a few links attached to the cuffs. After stretching himself he
grabbed the iron bars and pulled them apart.
Xipher then cracked a quick and cold smile. "Jail break, anyone?"
"So what happened?" asked Sam.
"We were able to sneak away to Xia. But once again we were plagued with cold leads
and dead ends. It didn't help that the inhabitants were aware of me and placed a bounty on my
head. But then, by sheer luck I ran into a very familiar Vortixx."
The Vortixx was slammed against an alley wall and gasped as she griped the hand
around her neck.
"You," Xipher spat, keeping a blade tip on her neck. "Remember me?"
She squirmed for a moment before taking a good look at her captor and gasped.
"Xipher." She then smiled. "You've changed."
"You don't know the half of it," he growled. "Change me back, now!"
She almost broke out into a laugh. "Change you back? Impossible. The only one who
could do that is the very person who made you this."
He squinted his eyes. "Who?"
"I don't know. I didn't make the weapon."
"Well, then who did?"
"I'd tell you, but she died when the fortress collapsed."
Xipher gripped her neck tighter. "I don't believe you," he snarled.
"I don't expect you to. But just know that even if you were to change back, you would
still be a monster."
Xipher's grip began to choke the Vortixx. "How dare you call me that," he hissed.
She gasped as she tried to speak. "I… Heard what… happened… your village…"
Xipher let go and watched her fall to her knees.
She rubbed her neck and looked up. "You changed into a being more powerful than you
could imagine. You became stronger, faster, better than yourself. You became Zyphor."
Xipher didn't like what he was hearing and stepped back. "No. You're wrong. I'm no
monster!"
The Vortixx stood up. "You can't deny it. Even if you changed back into a Toa, the
serum will still flow through your veins."
Xipher looked at his hands and let the words sink in. He then snapped out of it and
clutched his fist. "Not if I can help it," he growled, and then looked at the Vortixx. "You're going
to make up for what you did. You're going to find me a cure."
"Cure?" she scoffed. "You can't find a cure. It was made to be permanent."
Xipher moved a finger along the edge of his blades. "Oh, I very much doubt that. I'm
sure that if you try hard enough, you'll find something." He then grabbed her wrist. "You're
coming with me."
Suddenly, he felt a dagger touch him on the back.
"Actually, she's coming with me," said a female voice.
Xipher was frantic as he tried to figure out how he didn't sense the stranger coming. He
then growled and slowly looked over his shoulder. "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Lariska," she spat. "And if you don't want it to be the last name you ever hear, then do
as I say."
He grumbled to himself and looked back at the Vortixx, whom, to his surprise, seemed
more afraid of Lariska than him.
"Sorry," said the Vortixx "But I'm currently having some issues with the Dark Hunters."
And with that said, she broke free and went into a full sprint.
Lariska grumbled to herself and gave chase, throwing a dagger along her way. The
dagger scrapped the Vortixx by the side. She yelped and made her way around a corner. The
Hunter then stopped. Xipher ran up, swung his arm and knocked the Lariska into the wall. She
quickly recovered and faced him, only to be snatched from the neck and raised into the air.
"I need her," Xipher growled.
She responded by kicking him the face. He hollered and released her.
The Hunter then distanced herself via several back flips. "Yeah, well I have a deadline,
which is now complete."
Xipher was confused at first. The dagger only made a small scratch. His eyes then
widened in horror and he ran after the Vortixx. When he made the corner he stopped with
mouth dropped. Fifty yards away was the Vortixx, on her hands and knees, gasping for air.
Within moments she collapsed and ceased moving. He then faced Lariska.
"You killed her!" he growled. "She was my only chance!"
"Tough luck," she snapped and retrieved her dagger.
Xipher clutched his fist and his eyes glowed red. Lariska began to walk away, but soon
stopped and turned around. She watched with astonishment as he changed into a more
monstrous version of himself. He locked eyes with her and let out an earth-shattering roar.
The Hunter readied her daggers. "I guess this will be an interesting day after all.
"You went berserk again?"
"I didn't think I could do it again," snapped Xipher. He paused. "The strange thing is that
I don't remember what happened afterward. I woke up and found a large chunk of the city
demolished. Lariska was nowhere to be seen and Vortixx law enforcement were quickly
approaching.
'So I ran to our hideout. From there Saber, Vaptech and I disguised ourselves with
cloaks and slipped off the island. I gave up, that day, trying to find a cure. All I could do now
was try to cope with what I had become." He huffed. "You can see where that got me. For over
two years I tried to make up for what I did. We traveled around, offering ourselves as
protectors. But they already knew who I was and were too afraid. I sought help, but no one
was willing to do so. Eventually, I ended up here."
He then stopped and looked around. It hadn't occurred to him that they had entered a
thick cloud of fog.
"What is it?" whispered Sam.
"The fog. It never goes this far inland." He then growled, "Hold on tight," and then ran.
Saber perched herself on top of a hut near the edge of the village. With the dense fog
obscuring everything beyond twenty feet, she relied entirely on her hearing. Her ears stayed at
attention, facing multiple directions. It was clear for the moment and she looked back to the hut
housing the Humans. She had kept them up with her story longer than she thought. Within two
hours of them finally getting rest, dawn had approached. Scott had just turned in from his
watchman shift and laid the duty on her.
Her white cloak allowed her to blend perfectly with the fog, with the exception of her
eyes. She didn't mind. Rather have all senses used than just one. She then heard something
and sat herself upright. Slowly her ears tuned in.
She heard it again. A faint screech that sent chills down her spine. She immediately
jumped off and ran to the Marines. Inside, she violently shook Scott.
"Scott!" She whispered. "They're coming!"
Scott stirred around and looked at her with squinted eyes. "What?"
"Rahkshi!" she whimpered.
It took a second for him to makes sense of it before his eyes opened wide and he
jumped out of bed. "Guys, wake up!" he whispered. "Rahkshi are coming, we have to go!"
Within minutes everyone was up and scrambling to get their gear on.
Scott ran to the Turaga's hut and looked inside. Daniel was in bed and appeared stiff
and pale. Scott cupped his hands over his mouth and whispered, "Wake up! we're going!"
Daniel didn't move.
"Daniel!" he said a little louder.
Still nothing. Concerned, he slowly walked up and placed a hand on his cheek. It was
cold to the touch. Scott's face went blank. He took a step back and hung his head low before
walking back outside.
Oscar ran up. "Everyone's ready, just need Daniel."
"He's gone," Scott replied with sorrow in his voice.
The medic was shocked at first, but then became heartbroken. Just then they froze as
they heard the cries of Rahkshi getting closer.
"We have to get to the raft," ordered Scott.
"What about Sam?"
Scott replied with regret, "We can't afford to wait here any longer."
He and the Marines approached the cliff edge and prepared to repel down.
Saber immediately stopped them. "Wait, do you hear that?"
Everyone froze and listened to what sounded like wood splintering, followed by
screeches.
"They found the raft!" Scott spat in a whisper.
"What do we do now!?" asked Josh.
"There are several caves to the north," replied Saber. "We can use them for hideouts
and, if need, a last stand."
"That's fine, so long as those things don't find us." Scott then gave a hand signal for his
men to follow, while Saber led them into the forest.
*Over 17,000 years agao*
Xipher was in prison once again. This time, they took the liberty of making the links
thicker than necessary. For five days he was locked up in a dark cell with light beaming down
from above. Today he hoped to find a way out. He wasted most of the day pulling on them and
using heat vision until he finally gave up. As he panted he noticed a new scent in the room but
quickly dismissed it as a new prisoner.
"Having trouble?" said a dark and charismatic voice.
Xipher jumped. "Who's there?" He heard the stranger approach him with long strides.
"I go by many names. While my real name has been lost to history,"- The figure stepped
partially into the light- "most know me as The Shadowed One."
Xipher's eyes widened. "You're the leader of the Dark Hunters," he spat.
The Shadowed One smiled. "Smart and ferocious. I like that."
"Why are you here? And just who let you in?"
"That's not important. What matters is your future."
Xipher growled. "I'm not interested in a job."
The Dark leader nearly chuckled. "Slow down. I haven't even said anything yet. What
I'm proposing is more than a job. I'm offering you a home, a sanctuary, a place where you can
belong and have a 'destiny'."
"Thieving and murdering? Count me out," Xipher spat.
"You surprise me. I'd figure you'd have no problem since your last outburst added nine
more lives to your growing list. What's the count now, fifty-four? Seventy-eight?"
Xipher flared his teeth.
"Oh, that's right, it's now eighty two."
Suddenly Xipher roared and lashed out at the dark Hunter, only to be cut short by the
chains.
The Shadowed One didn't flinch. "Tell me, Xipher, how many more people are you
going to kill before you realize you can never go back?"
Xipher stopped and thought over it. "You know I never killed them intentionally."
"It looked intentional to me."
Xipher didn't respond back and hung his head low. The Shadowed One tilted his head
to the side and cracked a smile before he walked away and stopped near the door.
"Xipher," he said quietly. When the mutant Toa looked up he continued, "Just
remember, I can help you. With me you can become stronger, more powerful. Better than what
you are now. Think about it. I'll return the day before your sentencing." With that said, he left.
Xipher pondered over it. He now had to choose between a slim chance at escape and
obedience to a mercenary. He looked at his chains. Both chains that held his arms up had a
section that was still very hot from him using heat vision. He decided to have one more go at it
and concentrated.
Soon the links glowed orange, and then white. Xipher groaned as his eyes began to
hurt. He kept pushing on until he heard the chain fall to the ground. He roared with relief and
rubbed his eyes. To his dismay he found his vision half gone.
He then used both hands to tug on the other chain. He felt it coming loose and pulled
harder. With a quick yell, he pulled the chain right out of the stone. It crashed to the floor,
leaving an echo to travel through the cell. He focused and used his heat vision to cut the chain
off closer to his hand.
When done, he was nearly blind and his eyes were completely sore. He slowly walked
around, using his sense of hearing and smell to guide him. To his surprise and relief, he had
some sense of echolocation, but it wasn't enough to make clear images. He felt his way to a
corner and laid down. Escape would have to come later.