Shadows clung to Bitil, weighing him down as he narrowly threw himself clear of Eliminator's next bolt. Swinging his arm up, he lobbed a ball of Light at his foe, but the Odinan moved under it to kick Bitil into the pavement.
"I can't stand it," Eliminator said. "You Makuta and Toa command the Elements like soldiers, draw them through your body and bend them to your will. With the Keeper's help, I've learned a better way."
Bitil phased half-way into the ground and backed up a few feet before surfacing. "Please, by all means, continue."
The darkness of the alleyway twisted as Eliminator slowly moved his arm. "The shadows always liked me. In my...past life, I took their assistance for granted-used the advantage they offered to kill as I pleased. The Great Beings quit tolerating that after I killed General Certavus. But then the Keeper took me to Odina, taught me to listen to the shadows and become true allies with them. Now, we fight together to repay that lesson."
Essentially, Bitil thought, he's able to control Shadow without actually channeling it through himself. That's why my Light attacks don't bother him all that much. So, now I know why he has such an advantage against me...but I'm not sure I see a way to overcome it.
"And the shadows hate you much more than I do," Eliminator said, the darkness around him deepening. "You've totally rejected them for your precious Light. Thousands and thousands of years might've passed...but the shadows will always remember."
The darkness surged towards Bitil. He turned invulnerable, hoping he could hold on until he spotted an opening. Mid-way through the assault, however, Eliminator struck him with another bolt, and Bitil could feel his strength drop sharply. He couldn't hold his invulnerability, and the tide of shadows slammed him into the wall. Dazed, Bitil tried to call upon any of his powers to defend himself, but none came.
"Your arrogance ends here," Eliminator said. "There's no one left for you to command."
His talons sparked as he took aim. Bitil pulled on his errant focus, preparing to dodge as best he could, when Eliminator turned his head sharply. A second later, he leaned to one side, and Azin lashed out from the darkness, swiping a dagger through Eliminator's aura of shadow.
"Azin?!" Bitil exclaimed, now finding the strength to drive himself to his feet. "What are you doing here?"
Azin gave a short hiss as he leapt back, avoiding Eliminator's talons. Eliminator launched a bolt at him, but it swerved before reaching him, instead striking the street about a yard away. While Azin moved back in, Bitil realized that the alleyway was beginning to brighten-the process was slow, but he could soon see three more Rahkshi on the battlefield.
"What-I said I would handle this! He's a dangerous foe!"
Azin's daggers locked against Eliminator's talons. The Odinan's whole body could be seen now, a towering, ebon-armored giant with four appendages on his back holding Kanoka disks. Straining, Azin shouted to Bitil.
"Well…" The Makuta paused a moment. Then, remembering he was still in a fight, he sent Eliminator sprawling with a burst of electricity. "...Thank you."
Eliminator was up immediately, only a few faint shadows wisping around him now. "Hmph...more soldiers at your disposal? Are you going to leave them to fight your battle while you retreat?"
Bitil took a few steps forward, using one of the strips of fabric hanging from his armor to polish his sword. "Odinan, you gravely misunderstand who you are dealing with. Firstly, my children came to aid me of their own free will, not because I ordered them here. And second...I'm offended you would so much as imply that I would ever abandon them."
Eliminator fired a bolt. Again, it flew wide.
"Oh, you needn't bother with that." Bitil motioned to a blue and purple Rahkshi. "Meet Imis. They are a Rahkshi of Accuracy with inverted powers, meaning that they can force all of their target's attacks to miss."
Imis twirled their staff with a chuckle.
"You're already acquainted with Azin. He's a Rahkshi of Chameleon, so skilled in stealth that it seems even your friends the shadows couldn't detect him until he was right upon you."
Azin stayed low, his eyes fixed on Eliminator. The Odinan rushed forward, but Bitil parried him and held him in place as Azin darted to the side to strike at his back.
"Tsk, tsk, I haven't finished introductions yet. If you're wondering about the abrupt change in lighting, that would be the handiwork of Daleer."
Standing at the edge of the alleyway was a black and red Rahkshi. He trembled subtly, but kept a firm grip on his staff as he held it upright.
"He's a Rahkshi of Darkness...but that's never been the most accurate term for the power. Put more precisely, he can control how much light is in a given area, usually by reducing it...but also by increasing it."
Eliminator backed off, projecting another force field to block Bitil's follow-up attack. Shifting his weight, one of the appendages on his back moved, throwing the disk it carried right at Daleer. The final Rahkshi intercepted the projectile. White-hot sparks crackled over xyr light blue armor as xe reached out, and the disk broke into hundreds of tiny pieces on contact with xyr hand.
"And xe," Bitil said, "is Kerba. One of the first power inversions I attempted: a Rahkshi of Regeneration turned to a Rahkshi of Molecular Disruption. There's nothing in this world xe can't break."
"I almost pity them all," Eliminator said. "Mutant freaks, because you had to force your will on them before they were even born."
Bitil stabbed Eliminator's shield. His blade may not have pierced it, but his glare easily did. "Gross misinterpretation is one thing. But insulting my children is another altogether. Accuse me of subjugating them if you wish-I know for a fact I have not. Ones such as yourself, leveling baseless disdain at them, are the ones seeking to bind them by your selfish will! Yet you say you 'pity' them, you repugnant worm? What makes you think you are worth enough to bestow pity upon them?!"
Eliminator dared not break eye contact, his instincts convinced that it was the only thing stopping that glare from smiting him where he stood. The shadows whispered something, but he couldn't make out what. He realized Azin was behind him only as the Rahkshi tackled him to the ground. Bitil used his Slow powers to give Kerba enough time to get close, destroying Eliminator's remaining disks, and Azin locked his limbs around the Odinan in a tight hold. The shadows tried to push him off, but they were far too weak.
"Rrrgh...impossible!" Eliminator said as he struggled. "I've never failed the Keeper before, and I won't start now!"
Bitil crouched down in front of his prone foe. "No one likes a sore loser, Odinan. Accept your failure."
"No...the Keeper doesn't accept failure…"
Bitil scoffed. "Listen to you, going on and on about how much you hate us for 'commanding' the elements, when you're a slave to the will of your beloved Keeper."
Eliminator said nothing.
"I've always been curious: what is it about this mysterious Keeper that drives you all to follow him so fervently? What sort of being commands such sheer devotion from those who previously couldn't devote themselves to anything?"
Still, Eliminator said nothing. Bitil began wondering what to do with him when he noticed the shadows swirling.
"Azin, get-"
The shadows swelled into a fountain of darkness, flinging Azin across the alleyway as they enveloped Eliminator's body. Bitil thought he could hear a faint shout, but if it was truly there, it didn't last for long. Daleer grunted. The fountain grew just a bit larger before steadily fading away, leaving not a single trace-neither of it, nor Eliminator.
Bitil tapped a finger against the hilt of his sword. "Azin, are you alright?"
The Rahkshi hissed as he climbed to his feet.
"Good." Bitil turned to look over him and the others. "Thank you all again-I'm in your debt. While I'm not...entirely sure what's become of our foe...suffice to say this particular skirmish is over, and we'd best be moving on. Has anyone received word from Zaekura?"
The Rahkshi shook their heads.
"Then we must assume she's still headed for the stadium-I'll head there. If any of you need to rest, you should withdraw."
Bitil made for the end of the alley, the four Rahkshi hissing as they followed him. He sheathed his sword, allowed himself a brief chuckle, and then turned all his focus on his goal.
Brutaka kicked Ehlek aside, barely feeling his electric counterattack, and then locked swords with Nocturn and pushed against him. Pridak stood behind them, shaking slightly as he mended a wound in his armor.
"So now you realize you cannot win," Brutaka said, sending Nocturn sprawling with a jab. "I possess the ability to absorb antidermis to increase my own power. It isn't permanent, but it lasts long enough for a single fight, at least."
Pridak growled, clutching his wound.
"It is hopeless. With every injury you sustain, I grow even stronger. Heheh...I see it's enough to make even a Makuta tremble in fear!"
"You think this is fear?" Pridak mumbled. "You are mistaken, Odinan…"
Pridak looked up. His eyes were ablaze, face twisted into a scowl so hideous his Kanohi became unrecognizable.
"I am simply unable to contain my fury."
Pridak made a reckless dash towards the object of his ire. Brutaka stabbed his sword out-an easy move to dodge, but one that would allow him to guide Pridak into a deadlier follow-up. But Pridak did not dodge. Allowing himself to be run through, Pridak pressed forward without flinching, leaving Brutaka too shocked to avoid the Makuta's own swords and earning him a tremendous gash running from his shoulder down over his chest. He could still see Pridak's hideous scowl burning through the rising plume of antidermis, the blood from his wound painting one side of his mask.
"You…'born to defeat Makuta'. Your existence alone is defiance of our holy will. How dare you? How dare you exist?"
Brutaka stumbled back. After making it only a few steps, Nocturn grabbed hold of his ankle, making him trip over backward. Ehlek pounced instantly, gouging Brutaka with his talons. Despite the sharp and sudden pain, Brutaka refused to cry out.
"Taking my essence for your own…" Pridak ripped Ehlek off of Brutaka. "What makes you think you could ever be worthy?!"
Brutaka made a gateway just in time, escaping as Pridak plunged one sword into the sand he had laid upon. He re-emerged behind the Makuta, taking in the cloud of antidermis there, and then moved a considerable distance away. "Haven't you put it together? The Great Beings gave me this ability. They knew a day might come when you Makuta would become a threat, so they set about crafting a countermeasure. If you Makuta are 'holy' for the gifts they've given you, then am I not as well?"
He retreated into a gateway as a huge stream of plasma came his way. Opening another above Pridak, he fired a beam of his own, only for Pridak to turn invulnerable, spring up through it, and grab Brutaka by the neck. "When did I say the Great Beings bestowed our holiness upon us?"
Brutaka pulled back in an attempt to escape Pridak's grip. Pridak yanked him out just the same, pressing his mask against Brutaka's and activating a Power Scream.
"IT IS OURS, AND OURS ALONE!"
The shriek left Brutaka's ears ringing. He took in more of Pridak's antidermis, hoping to use its power to break free. This time, however, something else came with the rush of strength. It was a voice. A voice he could hear all too clearly despite his damaged eardrums.
Retribution...retribution...retribution...
He quickly realized it was Pridak's voice. And it was growing louder.
Retribution...retribution!
Pridak punched Brutaka in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. "You have committed a grave offense against me, Odinan. There will be no mercy for you."
Brutaka managed to push free, falling into a gateway and trying to clear his thoughts. "What is this...it's like he's inside my head!"
Retribution! Retribution! Retribution! Retribution!
It was then Brutaka remembered something he had forgotten a long time ago. Visions of his earliest days came to him, days when the Great Beings watched him experiment with his powers, absorbing vast quantities of antidermis.
"That's right...if I take in too much at once…"
RETRIBUTION! RETRIBUTION!
He clutched his head. It was too late to do anything about it now, and his wounds needed serious attention to boot. Much as he hated the idea, he knew retreat was his best option, and so he opened up a gateway.
"I'll come back. This isn't over…"
As he crawled out of the gateway, something grabbed him. Looking up, he realized with horror that it was Pridak, still burning with rage.
"What?! But I should be-gaah!"
RETRIBUTION!
Pridak hoisted him up. He realized his mistake: forming gateways required a great deal of focus, and that was something he had virtually none of at this point.
RETRIBUTION!
His thoughts were no longer his own, with Pridak's essence within him now taking reign of them. Given that was where his thoughts lay, it was no wonder he had only been able to deposit himself directly at the Makuta's feet.
RETRIBUTION!
Pridak stabbed Brutaka once more for good measure before dropping him in a crumpled heap. "You cannot possibly suffer enough for trying to consume me, Odinan."
RETRIBUTION!
"However...I think I know a punishment that at least seems fitting."
RETRIBUTION!
Brutaka couldn't move. He couldn't think. All he could do was watch as Pridak stepped back and threw his arms apart. Light erupted from his chest, molding into a long, tentacle-like arm that wrapped its fingers around Brutaka and immediately began to pull. In what fraction of his mind was still his own, Brutaka realized what was happening.
RETRIBUTION!
As his last act, he finally screamed.
RETRIBUTION!
Energy filled Pridak as he finished absorbing Brutaka, immediately using it to restore his armor and replenish his lost antidermis. He flexed his claws, then his arms, and then reared back to shout into the sky.
"Are you watching, O Great Beings? This is the fate of any who would try to deny me! I don't care if the foe was made to kill me, or even if they made me! Stand against me...and perish!"
He exhaled loudly. Holding out his arms, he waited as servants came to take his swords. Then, he gestured to Nocturn and Ehlek, turned towards the city, and marched.
Brandishing a fragment of a railing she had found on the side of the road, Zaekura beat her way into what remained of the stadium, fighting with more than she realized she had against the current of Skull Spiders in relentless pursuit of its source. A group of Toa controlled by the creatures came into view. Even as they raised their weapons, Zaekura was too furious to slow down.
"Move!"
She acted without thinking. Elemental powers came flying towards her, but the compromised faculties of their wielders slowed them considerably. Zaekura tumbled through an opening, stayed low as she knocked the Toa's feet out from under them, and then sprang forward without a second thought, knowing the Rahkshi were already incapacitating them. Soon she reached the room where the spiders' pen was kept, and finally she stopped. Up ahead, back to her as he surveyed the ruined arena, stood Ekimu.
"You."
Zaekura stalked forward. Ahkmou, still under the thrall of a Skull Spider, stepped towards her, but she batted him aside without missing a beat. Halfway across the room, she collided with something-an invisible wall keeping Ekimu safe. She began to bash her makeshift weapon against it.
"C'mere you coward! I'm gonna make you pay for this mess!"
Ekimu slowly turned to face her. "You aren't getting through."
Zaekura swung harder.
"Look at you. You think emotions are going to win this? Pathetic. Here we thought you were evolving, and you're still nowhere near us."
"Shut up! You call giving up your sense of decency 'evolution'? What idiot would actually think that's an improvement?!"
With her next swing, the metal rod she was carrying snapped in two. The broken piece smacked into her head, opening a small wound. Adjusting her grip, she continued with the part she still had, jamming the broken end into the barrier.
"You're bleeding," Ekimu said.
"I know!"
He shook his head. "See? You're getting carried away, raging against me instead of trying to solve the problem. How stupid."
Must as she hated to admit it, he had a point. Reluctantly, Zaekura tore herself away from the barrier, examining the pen as thoroughly as her rage would allow. "...Well? Great Beings love talking about their work, right?"
Ekimu took a few steps closer. "What's there to tell? You've seen what they can do."
Zaekura crouched next to the pen. "Right, hyper-aggressive mind control bugs. But like, why? Why specifically that?"
"I like masks. Always trying to do something new with them. Heard about masks that could be used to control others, so I wanted to put a spin on it."
"...Okay, not sure what I expected. The heck kind of stasis field is this-how did they all fit? Does it distort space?"
Ekimu didn't say anything.
"...There's got to be a failsafe. A recall signal. How do I trigger it…"
Hearing Ekimu's tools jangling, she looked over her shoulder to see him drawing a switch from his apron pocket.
"...Right. That makes sense. Cool." Zaekura ran her hands over her face. "Ugh, so that's no good. Rahkshi already tried Rahi Control and that didn't work. How am I gonna do this…"
She flinched as a sudden headache came on. After watching her a moment more, Ekimu said, "How about this. I'll make a deal with you."
Zaekura rose to her feet. "What?"
"Do what I tell you, and I'll recall the Skull Spiders. It's one thing, something easy."
"...And that would be?"
Ekimu gestured. Zaekura followed to see Ahkmou, the Toa of Stone still laying where she had sent him flying.
"...I don't-"
"Kill him."
Zaekura's eyes widened. "W...what?"
"Kill the Toa, and I'll recall the spiders."
"No way! I'm not a killer, you sicko!"
"It's the only way to save the people of Civitas Magna. You have to pick one."
Zaekura clenched her teeth. "Why? What do you get out of this?"
Ekimu shrugged. "Curious, I guess. Want to see if you can make this kind of decision. That should tell me exactly where you are in your evolution."
Zaekura walked up to the barrier, jamming the broken railing into it once more. She then turned to Ahkmou. After a long, long pause, she walked over to him. Stopping just over the Toa, Zaekura glared down at him and tightened her grip on her weapon. Ekimu craned his neck as she stooped, her back blocking his view.
"...There," she said after a moment.
Ekimu came closer. Zaekura stood, leaving his view unobstructed-as far as he could tell, Ahkmou was unchanged. He turned back to Zaekura, seeing she held a tablet in her hand. It was the same tablet Ahkmou had used to release the spiders in the first place.
"This has loads of information on the spiders," Zaekura said as she began typing. "And it's connected to the pen! There must be a way to…" She shut her eyes tight, putting one hand to her forehead. "Not now...not now…"
Ekimu crossed his arms and watched in silence.
Trying to ignore the pain, Zaekura dug through the tablet's files in search of something she could use. She could only skim over the vast quantities of information-Skull Spider physiology, dimensional calculations for the holding pen, records of behavioral patterns-but there was no time to waste. She paused once more as her headache grew, but pressed on until she had seen every bit of data stored. Lowering the tablet, she stared ahead blankly, and Ekimu waited to hear her say it.
"...There's nothing," she murmured. "Nothing here for recalling them. There's nothing I can use to stop them…"
Ekimu held up his switch. Zaekura turned and stepped away, dropping the piece of railing so she could clutch her head.
"No, I'm not...that isn't...I...can't…"
"Those headaches are terrible, aren't they?" Ekimu said. "That's the price of accelerating evolution, though. I'd say it's worth it."
Zaekura faced him. The rage was all but gone from her eyes, replaced with a curiosity. "...That's really what they are? We thought so, but…"
Ekimu nodded. "Mm-hm. Surprised to see it's happening to you, though. I thought it was just that ugly creature that made it happen. Guess it's something a little different after all."
"Creature? What are you-" She grunted as the pain grew even worse. Looking at the tablet in her hand, she remembered what she was here to do-how had she forgotten? She lamented again the fact that the device was useless to her, full of nothing but page after page of raw data. Zaekura looked up. "...Huh. I only took a glance, but...I..."
Skull Spiders were omnivorous. They could adapt to any climate, though they thrived in temperate conditions. A handful of specimens possessed enhanced senses-the remnants of an abandoned feature Ekimu planned to reimplement in the next generation. They were aggressive even towards their own kind, hence why they had to be stored in stasis, though in the presence of other creatures they would put all in-fighting on hold. And for some reason, despite how quickly she had skimmed over all of this, Zaekura could recall it all perfectly.
"Their mind control ability...it's a targeted link psionic function, with the framework doubling as a way to coordinate the swarm. Interesting…"
Ekimu raised an eyebrow.
"Hang on. Doesn't that mean-" The next flash of pain brought her to her knees. Zaekura shouted through her teeth, "No, no! I've got it! I just...just need...haah!"
She turned the tablet over. Using the broken end of the railing, she was able to pry off the outer casing, and took a moment to note the placement of all its components. To Ekimu's horror, she then ripped them out.
"This'll work...this will work!"
The pain in her head was constant now, but she worked anyway. Leaving only a few wires directly connected to the tablet, she began to arrange the components on the ground and made her way over to the pen, feeling down one of the metal posts at its corners until she found a removable panel.
"Yes, perfect!"
She yanked a small gadget out of the post. The field sparked, wavered, and blinked out, leaving only the skeleton of a box behind. Zaekura tossed the gadget alongside the rest, and then jumped up and grabbed the top of the post with both hands. It bent as gravity pulled her back to the ground, and with the help of a kick at its center, she snapped it in two. She felt like her skull was being ground into dust. Dropping down on all fours, Zaekura disassembled a few of the components she had laid out in a flash before reassembling them in a new configuration. Arranging it alongside the remaining components, she grabbed the wiring and linked them all together, finally picking up the broken post and taking it back to where the tablet lay.
"Almost there...almost there…"
The pain intensified. Zaekura curled up, digging her fingers into her head, and whimpered. Her brain was a boiling puddle, and the fire that had melted it was starting to spread down her spinal cord. She extended one shaking hand, clawing at the floor, dragging herself over to the tablet.
"Al...most...there…!"
Zaekura pushed herself onto her knees, then onto her feet. She thrust the piece of post into the ceiling, waiting a moment to be sure it would stay, and then breathed deeply and reactivated the tablet.
"I see," Ekimu said. "Those parts will do what you're aiming for, but you'd need to-"
"Shut up!" Zaekura yelled. "Just...shut up...already!"
The screen lit up. Zaekura adjusted one of the wires. Static briefly covered the screen, and once it stabilized, she opened a window and began typing.
"This...needs to do that...and then...this...to that...and...uh…"
She shuddered violently as the pain continued to spread.
"Th-this...uh...do...that…and..."
She could barely see the screen right in front of her eyes, but she was sure of what she had typed. Zaekura took another deep breath as she fought to stay on her feet. Keeping her finger as steady as possible, she reached for the button to execute her new program.
"Done!"
Power surged through the web of components, ultimately erupting in a bolt that shot from the tablet casing up to the post in the ceiling. With a high-pitched whine, the energy shot outward in a quick-moving pulse, passing through the walls and spreading out over the city. Then, for a moment, all was silent. Ahkmou stirred. The legs of the Skull Spider controlling him snapped open, and the creature peeled itself off of the Toa's face.
Zaekura grinned. "Yes…"
The spider then scuttled off, leaving the room and heading down the arena wall. Ekimu asked, "Where is it going?"
"The Maze," Zaekura said. "I changed the...recall coordinates...they're all headed...for the Maze…"
Ekimu blinked. Turning to look out the balcony, he saw hundreds more Skull Spiders rushing in the same direction, leaving behind any Toa or Matoran they might have held. "...Huh."
Zaekura fell back to her knees. "Ha...haha...I did it…"
Looking at her, Ekimu said, "That...shouldn't have been possible. You can't be that evolved."
Zaekura said nothing-she was panting too hard to form a single word.
"...Well, you've made a more pressing issue for me. Heremus won't be happy if those things show up at the Maze in force."
She glared at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her collapse.
"Too many disloyal Makuta here, and the Odinans are down...alright. You win." He paused to snap his fingers. "I'm leaving. But on my way, I'm razing Artidax to the ground for sheltering you."
His words were distant, muffled. Zaekura watched as a winged figure materialized next to Ekimu, and in the next instant, they were both gone. She waited a few more seconds to be sure of it. Then, her consciousness finally succumbed to the pain.
"Zaekura!"
She started awake. A dull throbbing still filled her head, but compared to what she had felt earlier it was nothing. Blinking a few times, she started to process what she was seeing: Bitil and a handful of his Rahkshi were standing over her.
"Lady Zaekura," Bitil said, "are you alright?"
"Y...yeah," Zaekura mumbled, gradually sitting up. "Sorry to worry you. I'm alive."
The group collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Gently grabbing her shoulder, Bitil said, "Are you sure you should move? It may be better if you rest until we can get a doctor here."
"It's okay, really. Uh, how long was I out?"
"Can't have been more than ten minutes."
"Really? I wouldn't expect to feel so well-rested after just that." She let Bitil help her up. "I got rid of the Skull Spiders. What's our status otherwise?"
Bitil nodded towards the wall. A cracked viewscreen was hung there, the damage minor enough that it still functioned. Displayed on it was Gaaki, the Ga-Matoran standing behind a short desk as she spoke to the camera, doing her best to keep her voice clear despite her audible fatigue.
"I repeat," she said. "Lord Ekimu unleashed a swarm of some strange creature upon the city, one capable of taking control of the minds of beings who wear Kanohi! At this moment, they seem to be retreating, but exercise caution! From what we've seen, control is absolute: you will be unable to protect yourself from danger if one claims you! We will provide updates as they become available. Until then, I implore Lord Ekimu to take control of this situation he has caused! This-"
As she continued, Zaekura turned back to Bitil. "That seems good. Assuming people believe her, I guess…"
"Many already do," Bitil said. "All resistance has stopped. If the spiders are truly taken care of, then we should be able to leave here unimpeded."
"Oh. Great! Let's go, then, we…"
She faced the exit and stopped. Krika and Yarion both stood waiting for her.
"Uh...hi."
"No need to worry," Krika said. "Yarion, this is Zaekura. Zaekura, this is Makuta Yarion, Guardian of Civitas Magna."
Yarion bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Zaekura. I'm afraid I have much to apologize for."
Krika glanced about. "May I ask what happened to Ekimu?"
Zaekura grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Kicked him out. He's running home to the Maze right now."
"Ah, that must be why Vamprah left in such a hurry."
"Probably. Anyway, Yarion...we don't want any trouble."
They shook their head. "Nor do I. I've had quite enough of carrying out the Great Beings' dreadful orders. If at all possible...I was actually hoping to negotiate terms of surrender."
Zaekura inclined her head. "...Huh? Really?"
"Yes. It's quite clear to me-and perhaps most of Civitas Magna now-that the Great Beings do not have our best interests at heart. You, on the other hand, have given us every reason to trust you. As Guardian of this city, I declare Civitas Magna to be yours, if you will have it."
Zaekura stared at them. After a gentle nudge from Bitil, she said, "Oh, uh...yeah. Sure. Or, um, I accept. We'll, uh, discuss terms shortly-I want to round everyone up first, if that's okay."
"Of course. I think I could also use some time to…" Their eyes fell to the blasters attached to their arms. "...ah, compose myself…shall I await you at my office?"
"Sounds great."
Yarion excused themself then. Zaekura said, "Hey can someone get in touch with Pridak? Immediately?"
"I took the liberty of dispatching a messenger while you were still unconscious," Bitil said.
"Thanks." She let out a breath as she sat down on the ground. "I'm gonna take, like...five minutes, if that's alright?"
"Worry not, Lady Zaekura. I'll gather everyone together while you recuperate."
"I appreciate it."
As Bitil departed, Krika said, "Well. Things took quite a turn, but you indisputably came out on top."
Zaekura chuckled. "It's still processing...but, yeah. We control Civitas Magna now. Huh."
"And we're allied with those controlling most of Bota Magna, as well as Aqua Magna. Not to mention the powerful claim we've staked on Bara Magna."
Zaekura nodded, then rested her head in one hand. I can't believe we've come this far. I mean, there's still a lot more to do, but...man. We actually came this far.
ADDENDUM:
-Honestly I worry I might be over-using "ally comes to the rescue" as a solution? I may just be worrying too much, but I really hesitated to put it here. After giving it a lot of thought, though...showing that Bitil and his Rahkshi truly care for each other is a core thread of their story, and Eliminator's view of Elemental Powers questions Bitil's capacity to do so. The best way to prove him wrong is by the Rahkshi displaying the legitimacy of that bond, showing up without needing to be asked because they want to save Bitil. I think it was the right decision here...but I want to see if I can use it more sparingly going forward.
-Kerba's name is derived from "break", "Imis" is from "miss", and "Daleer" is from "chandelier".
-I didn't get a chance to specify which Kanoka Eliminator used here; I was thinking a Weaken Kanoka, a Kanoka of Repulsion, a Kanoka of Shielding, and probably a Teleportation Kanoka that he wasn't able to actually use thanks to Ekimu's teleportation jammer.
-Those aren't natural markings, it's blood.
-Not 100% sure if a "Light Hand" is really a thing, but I need Pridak to be as terrifying as possible so I'm going with it.
-Kind of snuck up on me, but we're at a point where I do need to make a final decision on when exactly I lay out all the details on how Zaekura "evolves". Should probably be sooner rather than later, I guess? Well, in terms of the number of chapters, at least, eheh…
-This ended up being a sizable diversion, but a lot of things are moving now! We're coming up on some stuff I've been really looking forward to writing! I still can't really believe it's taken me this long...and my current outline says I'm only halfway...yaaaaaaaay...
