Bitil closed the door of Ga-Koro's cathedral behind him. The first floor was a single room centered around a Suva; at two of the six indentations in the domed shrine, Matoran knelt on one knee, their heads bowed, each firmly keeping one hand on the Kanohi they had placed on it. One finished their prayer and returned the mask to their face. They stood, saw Bitil, and nodded once before leaving. Bitil didn't respond at all.
"Now this is a surprise," said a quiet voice.
Bitil looked over his shoulder to see Kojol coming across the room. Turning back to the shrine, he said, "According to Krika, you said we'd be welcome here. You didn't change your mind, did you?"
"Of course not. My dedication to the sanctity of Ga-Koro is unflinching. What I mean, Bitil, is that I never expected you to visit a Suva in your life. You are aware you can't offer prayers to yourself, correct?"
Bitil said nothing. Kojol raised an eyebrow, but stayed silent until the other Matoran left the cathedral.
"I do wonder, have you come seeking asylum? Krika's schemes becoming too much for you? I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear your war has gone wrong already."
"Velika attacked the outpost," Bitil said. "We managed to win."
Kojol blinked. "Truly? My, perhaps I underestimated you."
"It came at a cost. If we don't bolster our forces, I don't know that we can win again."
"Well, you are uniquely qualified to accomplish that task. I'm sure you're already crafting concepts for the most outlandish Rahkshi we've ever seen."
Bitil took a few slow steps forward. "…I have been considering some new ideas. Powerful, devastating ideas that I'm sure would throw our enemies off-balance."
Kojol sighed, her disinterest thinly veiled.
"Something I discovered…with certain Rahkshi, if you create an 'absence' where their power should be, their abilities are inverted and a completely new power is born. A Rahkshi of Slow becomes a Rahkshi of Speed, a Rahkshi of Regeneration becomes a Rahkshi of Molecular Disruption." He paused. "And now I have a hypothesis. One that I am all too eager to test."
Bitil looked around. Banners were hung above the chapel's windows, lined with symbols represented Virtues and Principles and all manner of devout ideals.
"Must I really ask?" Kojol said. "You've been hanging around Krika too long, judging by this dramatic lead-in."
Fixing his eyes on the banners, Bitil slowly, quietly, said, "A Rahkshi of Courage…to a Rahkshi of Fear…"
His words didn't register at first.
"The Rahkshi representing the Six Principles…if I created one of each with an 'absence', that would surely invert their powers. Purity becomes Poison, Peace becomes Anger, Creation becomes Disintegration…"
When it finally sank in, Kojol went stiff. But only for a moment. Striding forward, she shouted, "Wretch! You would blaspheme here of all places? I should cast you out for speaking so!"
"We can't defeat the Great Beings as we are," Bitil said, finally turning to look at Kojol. "Inverted Principle Rahkshi—those are powers that could tear asunder anything they throw our way."
"And you would sacrifice your morals to obtain that power? You do not deserve to call yourself a Makuta. The path you speak of will do nothing but taint your soul!"
A harsh laugh came in reply. "Do we even have souls?"
"What?!"
"I've never been spiritual, but I know that some of the Glatorian and Agori think that we don't have souls. They think that since the Great Beings created us, since we're not natural, we can't have souls—that we just blink out when we die. If that's the case, then what good do these 'morals' and 'Principles' do us? If it's all futile, then why not do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals before my fleeting life is snuffed out of existence?"
Kojol glared at him silently. Eventually, she said, "So that was the cost. Who died in Velika's attack, Bitil?"
Bitil held her gaze for a moment, but turned away before answering. "One of my Rahkshi. Virban. He was…one of the first specialized Rahkshi I ever created—nothing especially fancy, just larger, increased physical strength, something other than a staff to swing around."
Kojol sighed. "And that's what this is about."
Bitil's eyes wandered across the banners again, settling on the symbol for Courage. He began to shake. "...He was taken from me…and I know not where he's gone…"
"Bitil," Kojol said, "you must face your grief."
"How? How do you face your grief when you don't even know how to fathom it?" He turned back to her; his eyes were scared, and beyond them were a thousand other violent emotions just barely held together. "What becomes of a Rahkshi when they die? Have I merely been separated from Virban, or has he stopped to exist entirely? They're considered artificial even by us artificial life. They're pieces of us, and were never meant to be anything more than mindless servants. If even we blink out…then did I…what was the point of creating more life just to see it get snuffed out? Was what I did…was Virban's existence…futile? I can't…"
Bitil sat down on the floor, putting his head in his hands and sobbing. Kojol stared at him for a moment. Then, she came forward, crouched next to him, and said, "It was most certainly not futile."
She received no response.
"I will admit, I've never given any thought to this subject: there is no one else who thinks of Rahkshi the way you do. You loved Virban. You love all your Rahkshi, as if they were your children. Anyone can see how happy and proud you are when you speak of them—and, true, we may not react well to that, but those reactions are our own."
"Just get to the point," Bitil grumbled.
"That is the point!" Kojol said, grabbing his shoulder. "Your Rahkshi make you proud. They bring joy to your life. Don't you see?"
She stood, looking up at the banners.
"Even I don't know for sure what happens when we die. When any species dies. Some say our souls will wander this world forever, others say we pass into a new plane of existence…and yes, some think we cease to exist entirely. It is something that is impossible to know with objectivity. But I say that is irrelevant. We are subjective beings: our emotions guide us whether we want them to or not, driving our actions and shaping our very perception of reality. And so I say, in the absence of objectivity, one must trust what they feel to be true."
Bitil looked up at her. She locked eyes with him.
"I refuse to believe that any life is futile. I do not believe that Virban has been snuffed out. Bringing joy to others is perhaps the most profound thing a life can accomplish—the universe, whatever forces govern it, would most certainly not let something so wondrous go to waste. That is what I feel is true. That is what I believe. So remember the joy, Bitil, and embrace it. You will prove that Virban's existence was beautiful, that it had meaning." She used her scepter to point to the symbol of Duty. "That is your Duty now. And once you accept that, I believe it is one you shall never fail to uphold."
For a time Bitil remained sitting there. Eventually, he got back on his feet, and gave Kojol a small nod.
"You should return to your children, Bitil," she said as she walked towards the Suva. "Should it help you to know, I will offer up a prayer of Peace for Virban's soul, and for those who grieve him."
Bitil looked over his shoulder at the shrine. He came to join her, starting, "…Can I…?"
"By all means. Ordinarily I'd tell you to place your mask on the altar, but as that would be a bit dangerous for us—"
She stopped abruptly as Bitil pulled off his Kanohi Faxon. As antidermis slowly poured out of the opening atop his armor, Bitil knelt and placed his mask in the nearest indentation; Kojol nearly objected, but she thought better of it. When Bitil had finished his prayer, he stood and reattached his Kanohi, leaving his hand open as he pulled in the antidermis now floating about the room.
"…Thank you," Bitil said.
Kojol nodded. "You are most welcome."
His essence retrieved, Bitil headed for the door. It felt a bit easier to open than when he had come in.
Zaekura trudged across the perimeter wall, using a murderous glare to scan ahead for where her next step would land. As she rounded a corner and glanced farther down, however, she spotted Charla sitting inside the guardhouse, and she froze immediately. She took a moment to turn aside and wipe her face. Her expression was a bit softer as she proceeded, but she was positive she still didn't look anywhere near friendly.
Charla looked up as she came closer. They nodded to each other awkwardly, and Zaekura went to move on.
"Wait."
Reluctantly, she stopped.
"You're so angry…and sad…what happened?"
Zaekura shrugged. "It's not…you've got enough to think about, I don't want to bother you."
Charla stood up, coming just a little closer. "It feels like…you're grieving as well." She took a very long pause. "May I ask what happened?"
Zaekura looked down the wall again.
"…I'm sorry."
Looking back, she said, "For what?"
"For bothering you. For not being able to help. It's part of my job to help everyone work through their emotions, but I have no experience with grief. I don't know how to…" She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I won't bother you any further."
Charla turned and sat down on the edge of the wall. After a moment, Zaekura sighed, walked over, and sat down next to her.
"I guess," Zaekura grumbled, "sometimes it can help just to have someone to commiserate with."
Quietly, Charla said, "Thank you. I'm so—"
"You need to stop apologizing, though."
"I'm…er, well…I just don't want to make anything worse."
"Things are already terrible for everyone. Not much you can do to make it worse."
"…I suppose so. Um, should I—"
"Charla…take a break. I didn't come here to get a professional opinion or anything, and it's not like I'll be able to help with your stuff. Treating this like your job isn't going to do either of us any favors."
Charla stared at her a moment, and then looked forward and sighed. "Maybe you're right."
Zaekura glanced at the watchtower, but quickly looked away. After taking a moment to prepare herself, she said, "I just found out that my dad died trying to escape Nynrah. Nobody told me until now."
Charla turned to her. "Oh. No wonder you're angry."
"Hah, thanks. I'm glad someone gets it." She scratched her head. "…I can almost understand why they waited. But, I just…I would have liked to know! Thinking that I've just been screwing around without even knowing and this whole time he's been dead, I…" She threw her hands up.
"You feel almost…guilty," Charla said. "But it isn't your fault. The Makuta should have told you."
Zaekura clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them. "…Yeah. But, the whole reason the drones attacked Nynrah…" She closed her eyes, running her hands up over her face. "Here I was thinking I should face the fact that people are dying for me. I must be terrible…because it was so much easier to think that before I knew one of them was my dad."
Charla placed a hand over her chest. "Then I must be terrible too. It's upsetting to hear about death, but for some reason thinking about Virban's hurts far more."
They were both silent for a moment.
"What are you going to do?" Charla asked.
Zaekura lifted her head. "I don't know. I'm still processing it. But I don't know how much time we have, and it took me forever to get over losing my grandpa…"
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you cope with it then?"
She thought, and then shook her head. "Really, I don't know if I ever did. Mom used her painting to deal with it. I just kind of stayed angry. Angry at the Makuta...so now that's all being dug up again. Maybe I'll stay angry this time too." After a pause, she added, "Not that I would recommend that."
"Yes, it…doesn't sound…" Charla fidgeted. "But then, I don't know what else to suggest."
"Is that why you sent Bitil to Ga-Koro? Because Kojol has more experience helping people through grief?"
"That's part of it," Charla said, her gaze dropping. "But more than grief…I could sense Lord Bitil dealing with far greater, darker issues that I knew even less about. Even if I could ease his mind, I could never ease his spirit. And…" She trailed off.
"And what?"
Charla looked out over the outpost. "Lord Bitil…was only making matters worse for all of us."
Zaekura shifted, but said nothing.
"He was affected deeply by Virban's death, yet refused to show it. He worried that the other Makuta would chide him for caring so much about one Rahkshi, and that their derision would only make him feel worse than he already did. So, he acted the way they would if they lost a Rahkshi…he acted like he didn't care."
Charla shut her eyes tight.
"…I understand why he's acting that way. But he does not understand what that does to us. He is the only one who has ever cared for us. Perhaps he is ridiculed for bringing us into being, but we are ridiculed simply for being. And now, the first time one of our number is killed, he chooses to behave as if nothing is wrong…as if, in the end, our lives held no meaning even to him. I know that's not true…but that's the way it feels to all of us. Even to me. I know better, but I still…"
She pulled her arms around herself. Zaekura inclined her head, feeling her grip on her emotions starting to loosen.
"Lord Bitil needed to leave, just for a time. We all needed a moment without him, to process not just our grief, but that deeper fear his reaction has uncovered. I only hope that Makuta Kojol can truly aid him. If not, then…" She shuddered. "I honestly don't know what I'll do."
Zaekura stared at her for a moment, the emotion swelling enough that it began to spill over. She reached out and hugged Charla.
"Huh?!"
"I care," Zaekura said. "Just, for whatever it's worth, I care about all of you. Okay? And if Bitil's still being a jerk when he gets back, I'll snap him out of it myself. Just…don't feel like nobody cares. Please. Don't ever feel that way. It sucks, and you shouldn't have to feel it, because it isn't true. I care."
It took a few more seconds, but Charla returned the embrace. And when she did, Zaekura felt her last grip on her emotions give way, and she began to cry into Charla's shoulder. Charla started to sob as well. The feeling that came next was a curious one: with her emotions running high, Charla was transmitting them unintentionally, allowing Zaekura to feel the mix of sadness and confusion and anger and relief she was experiencing. It was uncannily close to what she was already feeling. Their emotions resonated in a way, linking them together for that brief moment, and a new feeling arose in both at the same instant, something that felt all-important yet long-absent.
They both felt understood.
Krika, his disguise still holding, glanced casually at the display on the elevator as it counted up the floors passing by. To one side stood Onepu, somehow managing to look greatly annoyed and pleasantly smug at the same time, and behind them was Carna, who was finding it extremely difficult to stand still. Soon the lift came to a halt. Onepu strode through the doors the moment they slid open, the other passengers following a second later; the room beyond was a void of silver, the floor and walls bare save for the reflections of those who walked past them, all except for one large window behind a massive desk at the side opposite the elevator. There sat a tall Makuta wearing silver and white armor, their eyes focused on a stack of paper they were quickly flipping through while their other hand absent-mindedly twirled a quill. The trio of visitors stopped a few paces from the desk and waited quietly.
Eventually, the Makuta looked up. They examined Carna for a moment, then glanced at Krika, before setting down their quill, standing, and folding their hands behind their back as they faced Onepu. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I apologize if this created any conflicts in your duties, Turaga Onepu."
"Think nothing of it, Great Makuta Yarion," Onepu said, bowing low. "It is an honor to know you have taken such a strong, personal interest in my humble district."
Yarion slowly rounded their desk, spotting their reflection on the wall as they did. They paused to produce a small cloth, rubbing away a smudge from their silver Kanohi Kakama, and then returned their attention to their guests. "Well, this case relates to quite a serious matter. I thought it prudent to deal with immediately."
Krika bowed. "Thank you for hearing our appeal, Great Makuta."
Yarion grabbed a paper off their desk. "Your name is Arik, correct? I don't have any official records of your transfer to this city."
Krika looked confused for a moment before sighing. "Oh, I see. Forgive me, Makuta Yarion: some of the higher-ups in Mahri-Nui are infamous for their trouble with simple paperwork. I should have known better than to leave it to those…" He cleared his throat. "Well, it was my mistake, and I do apologize. I shall contact my former superior as soon as I leave here today."
"Hm. I suppose there's little to be done about that right this second." Yarion put the paper down and faced them, folding their hands once again. "Why don't we start from the beginning? Turaga?"
"Yes, Great Makuta," Onepu said. "Yesterday I received word that a known citizen of Nynrah was selling paintings at a chute station in my district. Recalling the order that Nynrah's citizens were to be detained, I dispatched a unit to bring her in immediately, and left to oversee things myself. When I arrived, however, I came upon this unfamiliar Toa interfering with my officers."
Yarion turned to Krika, who said, "I merely saw an innocent vendor being harassed, and felt duty-bound to step in."
"Yes, so you say," Onepu said. "I thus informed him of the situation, but he still refused to back down."
"Miss Carna clearly objected to her detainment," Krika said. "As she does have the right to appeal her case, I thought it was only fair she pursue that avenue, especially since the officers did not appear ready to inform her of it."
Yarion inclined their head. "Interesting. You are claiming that the arresting officers did not properly inform Miss Carna of her rights? Is this true?"
Carna nodded. "They hardly said a word."
"If I may, Great Makuta," Onepu broke in, "the arrest was interrupted. I am positive my officers would have gone through the proper procedures if simply given enough time."
"I would think it vital they lead with that," Krika said, "especially when dealing with an individual who they knew was not native to Civitas Magna and thus likely knew little about its legal system."
"A valid argument," Yarion said. "Turaga, I would advise your officers to be a bit more mindful of such things in the future."
Onepu hung his head. "Y-Yes…Great Makuta…"
"However. Seeing as the arrest was indeed interrupted, and considering other relevant events, I do not feel this is enough for the case to simply be thrown out."
Onepu brightened instantly. Carna gritted her teeth.
"I understand completely," Krika said. "I merely wished to be thorough, Makuta Yarion."
"And I appreciate it," Yarion said. "Moving on, then. Toa Arik, are you aware of what has recently transpired in Nynrah?"
"I have been informed that Makuta Krika has gone rogue, yes."
"As a result, the Great Beings themselves have asked us to detain any citizens of Nynrah, so that it can be determined how many of them are sympathetic to their Guardian's cause."
"Oh, the Great Beings? I had no idea."
"Then it seems the issue was not communicated to you properly—I apologize."
Onepu shuffled his feet.
"Well, regardless," Krika said, "I believe that matter can be solved immediately. Miss Carna, do you—"
"I'm not spying for Krika or anything stupid like that," Carna interrupted, her frustration starting to get the better of her. "I was just selling paintings!"
Yarion fixed their eyes on her. "I ask that you please have patience, Miss Carna. Your anger is understandable, but given the circumstances we must be sure."
"I would say that we already are," Krika said. "What more would you do, Makuta Yarion?"
"Once the appeal is settled, I plan to contact the Great Beings," Yarion answered. "I imagine they will want to take her to the Maze."
Carna tried to look more angry than nervous, something that thankfully came very easily to her. Krika said, "With respect, Makuta Yarion, I must say that seems a bit extreme. We've little if any reason to think this individual knows anything of use in the hunt for Krika—it would be a waste of the Great Beings' time to bring this before them."
"I think it best to allow them to decide that."
Krika sighed. "I see. I'm sorry, Makuta, but this whole thing just feels…rather troubling."
Yarion cocked their head. "Hm? How so?"
"An innocent artist, arrested solely for hailing from a certain town? Word will undoubtedly spread, and I must say, that would be a very frightful thing to hear. I daresay it would make people rather cautious of the law here…perhaps even distrustful."
Onepu's jaw dropped. "Watch your tongue! How could you even imply such a thing—we are to uphold the orders of the Great Beings, no matter what they are! Any who would distrust us for adhering to that duty are nothing short of traitors!"
Krika looked taken aback. "That's quite an accusation." Turning to Yarion, he added, "Do you see the potential for escalation this issue possesses?"
Yarion rubbed their chin. "…I think, perhaps, you are making some assumptions."
"Great Makuta, put yourself in this woman's shoes. You have been forced from your home, fearful that a raving Makuta may be at your heels, and when you finally reach safety you realize you must then rebuild your life. So you throw yourself into your craft, set out to make some money to begin your daunting task…and then you are imprisoned, accused, and interrogated for things beyond your control, which you have no knowledge of. Can you imagine that agony? Don't you think other Glatorian who hear this story will also imagine it? And that they might then worry, 'what if I am next'?"
"Your arguments are based on fear," Onepu said.
"This incident will spark fear whether I point it out to you or not. And fear is almost impossible to stop, once it begins to spread. The people will fear for their safety and well-being, fear the law, fear the Makuta…with this, they could even come to fear the Great Beings. And should that happen, our whole planet could become frozen in fear." Krika looked Yarion in the eye. "I beg of you, Great Makuta. Think very carefully before you set this precedent. So very much weighs upon it."
Yarion stared hard at him. They walked over to the side of the room, gazing thoughtfully at their reflection, and then ended up back at the window. Slowly, they said, "What is the alternative? To defy the Great Beings?"
"You would not be defying them," Krika said. "You detained Miss Carna. You questioned her, and were able to ascertain that she does not sympathize with Krika. The matter is thus settled."
Yarion turned around, saying, "I am unsure they would see it that way. And given Krika's stunt, I doubt they have much patience for disobedient Makuta at the moment. I would rather not test the waters."
Krika backed up a half-step. "Wh…Makuta Yarion! Do you care more for how the Great Beings see you than about the people's rights?!"
Yarion scowled. "Beg pardon?"
"You are so afraid that the Great Beings may punish you, that you would allow further misfortune to befall this poor woman? To ensure your own safety, you would let the people see you condemn someone doing everything she could to start anew? Let them see the law strike down an artist only for selling her art? Do you know how people remember those who silence artists, Makuta? Those who silence those whose only crime is speaking their mind?" Krika walked forward, setting his hands on Yarion's desk. "They are remembered as cowards. As the most spineless of all villains. If the people see you silence this woman, then I promise, that is how they will start to look at you."
Onepu was too stunned to even speak. Yarion stepped forward, glaring down at Krika, but Krika did not flinch.
"You are a Makuta," Krika said. "You are meant to care for the people. Do not worry so much about how the Great Beings may view you—worry about how the people view you! They are terrified to hear that Makuta are going rogue, and any action you take will be put against that context. This is your chance to restore their faith. You can show that there are still Makuta who stand for the people, who defend the helpless against forces beyond their control. You have the chance to save Miss Carna from being a casualty of Krika's mistakes. You are the only one who can do that now. Please, Makuta Yarion…help her."
Yarion looked at Carna. The Glatorian watched the floor at first, but eventually met their gaze, her eyes now beginning to show the desperation she truly felt. Yarion breathed deeply.
"Great Makuta," Onepu said, "you cannot seriously consider doing as this deranged Toa says! The Great Beings—"
"You are dismissed, Turaga," Yarion interrupted. "Please return to your usual duties."
Onepu stared at them for a moment, but then bowed and made his way back to the elevator. Once he was gone, Yarion sat down at their desk, sifted through some paper, and picked up their quill.
"You have an interesting perspective on things, Toa Arik," they said. "I think you are right, at least in that I have underestimated the gravity of this situation. I do not wholly agree with you…however…" They looked down to sign the paper. "It is true that I have no reason to believe Miss Carna has anything further to add to the investigation of Makuta Krika. Therefore, her charges will be dropped, and she will be released from custody."
Krika smiled. "Thank you, Great Makuta. Thank you."
"I shall see to the rest," Yarion said. "You are both free to go."
Krika turned and led Carna back to the elevator, neither of them saying anything until they were back on the street. As soon as they came to a bench, they stopped, and Carna let out an incredibly deep sigh.
"My gosh," she groaned. "What was all that fancy garbage about? Did we really need to stay here just for that?"
"I assure you, Miss Carna, it was all very essential," Krika said. "Makuta Yarion has been swayed, and I believe this gesture on their part will serve to embolden the people of Civitas Magna in, shall we say…taking a less strict approach to following the Great Beings' orders. Knowing that the closest Makuta cares more about them than their overlords' wrath will make them far more comfortable with openly discussing Zaekura's cause."
Carna grumbled something, turning to look down the street.
"Which reminds me, I still need to plant that idea around the city. Though, I suppose I could come back and do it another time, however."
After a small delay, Carna said, "Just get on it. It'd probably look bad if I fled first chance I got anyway."
Krika walked around to look Carna in the eye. "You will see Zaekura, and very soon. Thank you for being patient for her sake."
Carna immediately looked away. "Hurry up already."
ADDENDUM:
-Though I chose to repurpose the Suva and focus on the shrine aspect, I still wanted to leave the association with Kanohi intact somehow. Removing one's mask and placing it on the altar to pray seemed like a good way to do so, and I liked the idea of intentionally making oneself vulnerable to offer up prayer.
-The idea of inverting Rahkshi powers initially came about from wondering if there was a way to turn the Principle Rahkshi back into their Prime Universe counterparts. While I don't think I can properly justify having Bitil actually do so, I still wanted to bring up the subject, and thought this was a good opportunity to do so. I also thought Molecular Disruption might be one to avoid (since it was one I specifically changed in the first place), but upon further reflection a Rahkshi with that power could very easily disarm opponents, making them ideal for non-lethally dealing with foes. Perhaps I was a bit hasty in replacing the power in the first place…
-When planning Virban's death, I began to wonder what happened to Rahkshi when they die. In the end, rather than come up with an answer, I thought it would be more interesting to see Bitil grapple with that question himself. It ended up feeling a bit personal: I thought of times when my pets had died, and how some people say animals have no souls, and Kojol's assertion that lives that bring joy are too wonderful to go to waste is something I arrived at to cope with those feelings. Not to say that Bitil considers his Rahkshi pets, of course, it's just a similar question.
-Originally I thought it best to hold off on the appeal scene until the next chapter for pacing's sake, but I overestimated how long the other scenes would run and didn't really like the other ideas I was considering. In case it isn't clear: when Krika went to meet with Onepu the day after the arrest, they were told to immediately depart for Makuta Yarion's office, as opposed to being scheduled weeks or months out as would usually be the case. Krika was expecting this, however.
-I'm a bit unsure what exactly is going to happen in Section XII, so I wouldn't expect a quick update. Sorry, I'll do my best, but I want to be honest.
