After making it out of the compound, Antroz led Zaekura north until she believed they were out of the drones' range, and then headed east before eventually turning to the south once more. Antroz used her powers of Weather Control to make the conditions of the Great Desert easier for Zaekura, but she could only go so far without creating a suspicious event someone would surely take notice of. They managed to circumvent the enemy forces and make it safely to the outpost that lay between Nynrah and Xia, but as they approached it, Zaekura's steps began to slow, so Antroz stopped and turned to her.
"We have no other options," the Makuta said.
"Yeah, you said that," Zaekura said. "Still, my survival instinct can't quite understand why I'm letting one Makuta lead me to another, and it just got a whole lot louder." She paused to look over her shoulder.
"You sense it too, then? We are being watched."
Zaekura groaned. "I really should've spoken up sooner, huh."
Antroz turned sharply, making Zaekura jump. The Glatorian looked where she was facing to see a lone Rahkshi coming across the sand. That didn't surprise her all that much, but she did find it a bit curious that the creature wasn't carrying a staff. She heard Antroz make a guttural sound just before it came into earshot. The Rahkshi strolled up to where they stood and stopped a few paces away, looking them up and down in a way Zaekura had never seen a Rahkshi do before.
"Greetings, Makuta Antroz. I must admit, it's quite a surprise to see you…and your guest."
Zaekura blinked. She could hear the voice clearly, but she wasn't sure who was speaking—it wasn't Antroz, but no one else was around.
"I apologize for arriving unannounced," Antroz said, bowing slightly in the Rahkshi's direction after a momentary pause. "Circumstances are rather extreme, and I am afraid Bitil is the only one I can ask for help. It is most urgent that I speak with him."
Squinting, Zaekura thought, Is she talking to…the Rahkshi?
The Rahkshi nodded, turning slightly towards Zaekura and giving her another once-over. "I see. May I ask who this is? I will need to tell Lord Bitil something before he agrees to an audience."
"This is a Glatorian named Zaekura," Antroz said, gesturing in her direction. "I am afraid anything I could say about why she is here is very sensitive information, and I must insist on sharing it with Bitil alone."
The Rahkshi inclined their head. "Hm…and that is why you're interfering with my telepathy?"
"Yes. As I said, the matter is highly sensitive."
She began to feel a dull pain in her head, but Zaekura did her best to ignore that for the time being. Finally, she was starting to realize what was going on, and desperate situation or not, she had to know.
"I'm sorry," she said, pointing to the Rahkshi. "Is that you talking?"
The Rahkshi stared at her for a moment in silence. Then, they gave a peculiar noise, and the voice took on a tone of amusement. "Of course, you came here without receiving a proper explanation. Perhaps I should have given you a more formal greeting—my apologies. My name is Charla, and I am a Rahkshi of Telepathy."
Zaekura stepped forward, eyes wide with awe. "You have a name? I didn't know Rahkshi had names, or that even telepathic ones could, well…talk."
Charla waved her hand. "Well no, most don't, and most can't. But Makuta Bitil has refined the Rahkshi spawning process to a degree no other Makuta has, granting us all…'specialties', as he typically calls them. And as an added effect of the process, we tend to possess higher sapience than your average, run-of-the-mill Rahkshi."
"That's incredible!" Zaekura said. "And you don't need a staff?"
"I possess an internal focal point for my power, so there was no need for me to possess a weapon."
"Really? Is that the case with all Bitil's Rahkshi, or—"
"Zaekura," Antroz interrupted. Her tone was a bit blunt, making the Glatorian recoil a bit.
"What? I'm just curious, or is that…" She trailed off, putting a hand to her head.
"Oh, are you in pain?" Charla asked.
"Likely from travelling through the desert," Antroz said.
The Rahkshi glanced at her. "In that case, we'd best get her inside, I suppose. Please follow me."
She turned and headed towards the wall of the outpost, Antroz and Zaekura right on her heels. As the pain faded, Zaekura looked up at the imposing barrier, forming a perfect square around a patch of desert that looked large enough to house a small town. She craned her neck as they approached a gate: two Rahkshi stood guard there, both head and shoulders above Antroz and bearing heavy armor, a massive sword strapped to the back of one while the other leaned against a great hammer.
"Charla," she asked, "I'm guessing those weapons replace their staffs?"
"That's correct," Charla said. "Most Rahkshi here do still use weapons to focus their energy, but Lord Bitil thought it would be repetitive if they all carried simple staffs."
The sword-wielding Rahkshi eyed Zaekura as they closed in. She said, "Have to agree. Though, isn't it tough to use such a huge weapon?"
The Rahkshi blinked, and then turned to Charla and made a series of garbled, hissing grunts. She made one such noise herself before saying, "Regrettably, most types of Rahkshi still have not found ways to communicate with other species; as a telepath I spend a good deal of time playing translator. Virban here says no weapon is too great to handle if you're determined enough."
Virban beat his fist against his chest.
"Courage Rahkshi, they're of simpler stock," Charla added.
As Virban hissed furiously in protest, Zaekura turned to the Rahkshi with the hammer, who had an odd look—like he would be smiling if he could. He stepped back and lifted his hammer off the ground. The weapon floated up like a feather, rotating up to balance gingerly on his fingertip.
"Oh, you're a Rahkshi of Gravity!" she said. "Right, so you can manipulate the weight of that hammer to make it easier to swing." She smirked. "But I bet it gets a lot heavier right before it hits them, eh?"
The Rahkshi nodded, setting his weapon back down.
"That's enough showing off, Neton," Charla said. "If you two will please allow us inside, Makuta Antroz wishes to speak with Lord Bitil."
Virban and Neton each knocked on the wall behind them, and soon the massive gate swung inward. Charla brought the visitors inside, and as the door closed behind them, Zaekura let out a low whistle. Dozens of Rahkshi were going about inside the perimeter, and each one looked even more unique than the last. She saw one that carried eight small firearms on a belt worn across their chest, another that had two heads that seemed to be arguing with each other, and one that looked more like a special breed of ussal than a Rahkshi.
"Wow," she said. "How many Rahkshi live here?"
"Over 200, and I wouldn't be surprised if more are on the way," Charla answered. "Lord Bitil is always thinking of new specialties to try out. This also allows the outpost to run far more efficiently: Rahkshi need very little, so even the standard fare of other Makuta can be more useful workers than Matoran and Agori at times. And, given our loyalty to our creator, the risk of a security breech is non-existent."
Zaekura stopped to examine a Rahkshi with four arms. Antroz called back, "Zaekura! Keep moving."
Groaning, Zaekura caught up and said, "Fine, fine. You're so on edge."
"As were you, a minute ago."
"…Yeah, well…"
At the dead center of the outpost was a stout tower with several spotlights fixed to its balcony. A figure could be seen moving about behind them, but it was impossible to get a good look at them from this distance.
"Lord Bitil!" Charla called. "You have visitors!"
The figure leaned over the railing. Bitil's armor was completely gold from head to foot, sporting massive shoulder spikes, numerous decorative chains and gems, and banners of white cloth (with gold embroidery), topped by a glimmering Kanohi Faxon. He gave a smug grin when he recognized Antroz.
"Well well, look who it is!" he shouted down. "I didn't expect you'd cross our way again so soon, Antroz. Needed to stop for something on your way back to Xia?"
"I have something I must discuss with you, Bitil," Antroz replied. "Privately."
Bitil glanced at Zaekura. "Privately, you say? I get the feeling you want your companion present as well."
"Yes, but just the three of us. No need to trouble any of your Rahkshi."
"What trouble?" Bitil replied. "Anything you have to say to me, you can say before them."
Antroz said nothing.
"…Well, far be it from me to order around the Great Antroz. Charla, please show them in."
Bitil vanished, and Charla opened the doors to the tower. Zaekura thanked her. Once they were inside, the Rahkshi closed the doors behind them, and Bitil soon emerged from the central stairwell.
"Why don't you introduce us, Antroz?" Bitil said.
"Bitil, this is Zaekura," Antroz said shortly. "Zaekura, Makuta Bitil. Now then—"
"That was awfully brief! Where are the manners you're renowned far and wide for? Or is your business here really just that pressing?"
"I'm afraid it is."
Bitil rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure."
Zaekura waved. "Hey, nice to meet you. Love what you've done with your Rahkshi."
This surprised Bitil. After gawking at the girl for a moment, he said, "Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, I didn't get a good look at too many of them, but I think it's a really neat concept that you're messing around with. Hopefully I'll get to meet a few more while I'm here."
Bitil beamed. "Why thank you! Oh, that is such a nice change of pace—the only ones who normally come by here are other Makuta, and they're always repulsed by my offspring."
Zaekura turned to Antroz and raised an eyebrow. "What? Is that why you're being so uptight? What do you have against these Rahkshi, is it just that they're not yours?"
Antroz adjusted her mask. "No, it is the enhanced sapience that we find disagreeable. Rahkshi are like an extension of the Makuta who made them, so to see one with its own identity…well, imagine if your hand developed a mind of its own."
Zaekura stared at her palm.
"But we have far more pressing matters to attend to," Antroz said. "Bitil…we have come to request temporary asylum."
Bitil crossed his arms, giving one slow nod. "I see. What a very unusual thing to ask, especially considering you came in from the west. Was Ga-Koro booked full?"
"Our route to Ga-Koro was cut off. You are the only one who can help us now."
"Hm. You come here and insult my Rahkshi, yet you expect me to help you?"
"…I…apologize."
"That sounds convincing. Am I supposed to accept it?"
"Surely, someone as intelligent as you would not let a simple, regrettable insult affect his judgment?"
Bitil smirked. "Well when you put it like that…combined with the refreshing enthusiasm of Lady Zaekura, I suppose I can forgive and forget."
"Lady Zaekura?" the Glatorian repeated, the words bursting out like laughter. "Pal, do you have me pegged wrong!"
Antroz bowed and said, "Thank you, my friend. Your compassion serves as inspiration even to me."
Bitil leaned to the side. "Never turn down a title, Zaekura, even if it is given to you by mistake. You never know how many people will believe that you deserve it."
"Uh…thanks for the tip," Zaekura said.
"So Antroz," Bitil said, "you said you need asylum, but from what, exactly?"
"You may recall that Lord Velika has begun work on a new breed of drone," Antroz said. "A battalion of them has malfunctioned and gone rogue, and attacked us as we were leaving Nynrah. We managed to give them the slip, but thought it best to wait here a day or so, just to be safe. Afterwards we will return to Xia, where I can contact the Great Beings about the incident."
"You don't say? Shame my outpost is not equipped with a direct line to our lords, not like the grand cities you Guardians watch over."
"Indeed, it is quite unfortunate. I will be sure to mention this in my report—I may be able to convince them to grant you one."
"Oh I don't think that will be necessary. I am still sent messages when something is required of me. Why, just today, an automated courier flew here to deliver a message to me…word that one or two Makuta were staging a coup, alongside a certain fugitive."
Zaekura tensed. Antroz hoped it wasn't obvious on her face.
"Let's see, who was it again? I know they gave me names, but I've been so busy since then, I just can't seem to recall." Bitil shrugged. "Anyway, they said to detain them by any means necessary, and to either take them to the Maze myself or send for someone to pick them up. I do hope I get the chance. Such a thing would surely curry the Great Beings' favor."
Antroz inclined her head. "…You should play the fool more often, Bitil. It suits you."
"Ordinarily I'd be upset, but I'm just so glad you're here, Antroz, that I'm willing to let it slide. Now, you understand that I have you vastly outnumbered, yes? It would be much easier on us all if you just cooperated."
"Wonderful," Zaekura grumbled. "Absolutely downright wonderful. I'm so glad I followed the Makuta's plan, it's working out tremendously."
"Bitil," Antroz said, "you do not understand the situation. There is no coup, and this girl is not dangerous."
Bitil turned around and took a few slow steps. "Sure, Antroz, sure. Whatever you say."
"She possesses a special talent, and that is all."
"A talent for crime? Odd to hear you put it that way, but—"
"They wish to execute her simply to protect their own authority, Bitil!"
Bitil looked over his shoulder.
"Zaekura has done nothing wrong. But the Great Beings have deemed that because of something she was born with, she is to be killed. Krika and I agree that such a thing must not be allowed to happen. So, we refused to turn her over…and Lord Velika sent his drones to attack Nynrah." Antroz hung her head. "Two of its citizens…two innocent people died, trying to defend their home, while their neighbors fled to the safety of Ga-Koro. Krika flew into a rage…I know not what has become of him. These drones are equipped with weapons capable of killing even us."
Bitil stared at her for a long time. Then, he closed his eyes, smiled, and turned away, giving a forced laugh. "An excellent try, Antroz. But it will take more than that to turn me against the Great Beings. My loyalty will earn me a place in history, remembered forever as our lords' most trusted servant and confident, standing by them when even the noble paragon Antroz turned to dark deeds. Your lies have no merit here. Now, surrender."
Antroz gritted her teeth. "…That's all you care about, isn't it? Yourself, your own glory. Haven't you yet realized that's precisely why the Great Beings stuck you out in the middle of nowhere without a city to call your own?"
Bitil faced her and said, "I am trusted with a very important outpost, and am grateful that the Great Beings have deemed me worthy of its ownership! The trade route between Nynrah and Xia is the backbone of Spherus Magna's economy, and it is I who have the privilege of keeping it safe."
"Krika and I could easily keep a small stretch of desert safe, and you know that! But no, you've spent so many years lying to yourself, deluding yourself into thinking you're the most essential of us all, trying to console yourself in this earned loneliness, that you've actually begun to believe it! Open your eyes, Bitil: you are so insufferably arrogant that the Great Beings dare not sentence anyone to tolerate you, and so you have been left with nothing but your precious Rahkshi, offshoots of your own being! At the end of it all, you still have only yourself for company!"
Bitil glared at her for a long moment. "…And what, exactly, is the point of this slander?"
Antroz stepped forward. "The Great Beings have gone too far this time. They have endangered and ended innocent lives out of nothing but frightened vanity. If you truly cared for the people of this world, as we Makuta are meant to do, you would take a stand against this injustice, and not seek to profit from it!"
Bitil looked at Zaekura, then back to Antroz. "I still have no reason to believe you. It's unthinkable, what you claim—the Great Beings are benevolent by nature! Even you have always said as much."
"And doesn't the fact that I'm not saying so now mean anything to you?"
He had no answer for that.
"Bitil…I do not ask you for much. All I want is for Zaekura's safety to be guaranteed until she can be moved somewhere else."
The glittering Makuta crossed his arms and paced across the room, appearing to think the matter over quite thoroughly. Zaekura sweated as she watched, and when the door opened behind her, she nearly leapt out of her armor.
"Lord Bitil," Charla said, taking a hesitant step inside. "Forgive the intrusion, but…Makuta Antroz is not lying."
Bitil's eyes widened. Antroz muttered, "I should have expected."
Zaekura retorted, "Hey, if it helps, don't complain."
Bitil walked forward swiftly, saying, "Charla, what are you saying? Tell me exactly."
Charla gave a wary glance in Antroz's direction. "I was monitoring the conversation, and when she explained what happened at Nynrah…the emotions she's feeling are very powerful, and memories came up with them. Reading them without drawing her attention was easy."
Bitil took a step back. "…Then…"
"I'm afraid so, my lord."
He stood perfectly still for a moment, and then put a hand over his mask. "…Thank you, Charla. Please, if you could step back outside, I would appreciate it."
The Rahkshi nodded and ducked out. A thick silence filled the chamber in her wake.
"It really is unthinkable," Bitil mused. "I need to know more, Antroz."
Antroz nodded. "Of course."
As Bitil turned, he caught sight of Zaekura. "You will not be harmed here. You have my word, and Charla will personally see that it is carried out."
Zaekura let out a long breath. "Thanks, that's, uh…that's really nice to finally hear. Is there someplace I can lie down?"
Bitil opened the door, ushering her out. Facing Antroz once again, he said, "Alright, Antroz, I want all of it. Down to the last detail. I need to know just what you've dragged me into."
The wind blew through Antroz's wings. She stood with Bitil at the top of his watchtower, and while it wasn't exactly the same, it did remind her of her own tower in Xia. The nostalgic feeling eased her, if only a little. Across the balcony, Bitil was gripping the railing tightly, leaning forward like he was about to be sick; he knew everything now, and it didn't sit well with him at all.
"This is…terrible," he said. "How could the Great Beings do such a thing? And to think, that we may have been…complicit in this, this…"
Antroz said nothing. She too lacked the words they both needed.
"What are you going to do?" Bitil asked, turning around. "There's no way you can keep her safe from the Great Beings! They'll find her eventually!"
"Krika has shown me it may be possible, but I am still hoping for a more ideal resolution. Once I am certain none of the drones have picked up our trail, I will return to Xia, and I will arrange to meet with the Great Beings to negotiate with them."
Bitil shook his head. "It doesn't sound like that approach has been working."
Antroz shifted. "…The Great Beings have fallen into an irrational, reprehensible course of action—that I cannot deny. But I also cannot deny that they are more intelligent than anyone else on this planet. It may take time, but I am sure I can help them to look beyond their fear, to see the error of their ways and resolve to make amends. When that happens, Zaekura can return safely to Nynrah."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose I can keep her here for a while, as long as the Great Beings don't know that she's here. It may be nice to have a house guest."
"Yes, especially one that's taken an interest in your…hobby."
Bitil threw up one arm as he turned back around. "Why must you be like that? The point is, she will be cared for, so you can focus on your negotiations. I dearly hope they go well."
"Thank you."
"But, what about Krika? Assuming he survived fighting these drones, will he know that you've brought Zaekura here?"
"I burned an image of a Faxon into the rock around our tunnel's exit. He'll understand my meaning."
Bitil smirked. "So, you really felt you could trust me?"
"I felt we could trick you, Bitil."
He scowled.
"But I will admit, I do now find myself feeling a modicum of trust."
"How touching. Though perhaps I should simply take what I can get…"
The two Makuta moved towards the stairwell. Antroz stopped suddenly, sensing a new source of movement above them. She told Bitil, "Something's coming."
He went back to the railing while she ducked inside. It was another courier, a small, flimsy-looking sheet of metal with two propellers and a clamp that held a wrapped tablet. It flew away as soon as Bitil took the message from it; he quickly removed the covering and read over the message, while Antroz cautiously poked her head up from the stairs.
"Seems we've hit a bit of a snag," Bitil said. He held the tablet out in Antroz's direction so she could read it too. When he eventually remembered she couldn't, he pulled it back and said, "It's an update from the Great Beings on your situation. They want to make it easier for us to turn you in, so Lord Angonce is heading back to Xia to wait for you there. Returning home no longer seems advisable."
Antroz stepped back onto the balcony. "No, this is good. It means I can negotiate with Lord Angonce directly."
"You can't be serious," Bitil said. "He'll reduce you to dust the moment he sees you—Zaekura too. And if not him…" He looked back at the tablet. "It may not specify, but it's hard to imagine he left without any of the Guards…"
"I will still go. I trust that the Great Beings will listen to me."
Bitil sighed. "If you want to walk right into your death, then fine, but I insist you leave Zaekura here. She has no means of protecting herself in a worst-case scenario."
Antroz reached out with her mind. She could sense Zaekura down at one of the outpost's storehouses, conversing excitedly with a group of Rahkshi thanks to Charla's assistance. The fear that had constantly exuded from the girl was still there, but it was now much harder to sense, buried in the back of her mind to allow her a moment of relaxation.
"…Very well, Bitil. I can agree to that."
ADDENDUM:
-Since Bitil's best known for surrounding himself with his time duplicates, I thought giving him a large horde of Rahkshi would be a reasonable equivalent since, as Antroz says, Rahkshi are also extensions of the Makuta who made them. But having them all just be plain old Rahkshi would be boring! I've got a handful of ideas for Rahkshi variants that I'm really looking forward to testing out.
-I worry that the names of Bitil's Rahkshi might grow a bit silly, but I'll do my best to keep them respectable. "Charla" was originally "Charlotte", but I thought that would be too mundane—I wanted a name similar to "Charles" in reference to Professor X. "Virban" was derived from "viking" and "barbarian". And of course, "Neton" is based on "Newton."
-In the Prime Universe, Bitil controlled a group of Southern Islands, so he was free to be anywhere in this world. I don't want all the Makuta to use the exact same color scheme, and with Bitil being so utterly obnoxious and self-important, I felt the only thing he would accept was armor that was pure gold. The ornamental design and spiked shoulders were loosely inspired by Exdeath from Final Fantasy V. The Kanohi Faxon is meant to be a bit ironic, a being who repulses everyone possessing the Mask of Kindred. I was also considering giving him a Sanok, but I couldn't think of a particularly good reason why, so the Faxon won in the end.
-A bit of quiet chapter, admittedly, but this seemed the best place to stop for now. Section V is shaping up to be quite the turning point.
