When the Lucario named Cobalt regained consciousness, his vision was filled with shifting sand. He was floating weightlessly, held aloft by an unseen force.
Several feet ahead, the one responsible glided effortlessly through the desert, her pointed feet daintily hovering inches above the ground. Beside him, the unconscious green Glatorian drifted as well, suspended by the same telekinetic grip.
Cobalt tensed, baring his fangs. “Put me down,” he growled, twisting in the air and swinging his paws at his captor. “Release me this instant!”
“Oh, you’re finally awake,” the pale figure said, unbothered. “I’ll release you, but only once you allow me to explain myself.”
Cobalt narrowed his eyes. “...Fine, start talking. Who are you, and why have you taken me hostage?”
She inclined her head slightly. “My name is Jaclyn. I’m a Gardevoir, a Pokémon—like yourself.”
Cobalt huffed. “And let me guess… that’s all you can remember?”
Jaclyn blinked, taken aback. “Why, yes. How did you-?”
“Join the club,” he muttered. “You’re the fourth today, including me. I’m Cobalt.”
Jaclyn hummed in pensive thought. “I apologize for knocking you out earlier, but it was the only way to ensure we’d all survive.”
She glanced over her shoulder, and Cobalt followed her gaze. In the distance, a mass of Skrall marched across the dunes, weapons glinting in the harsh sunlight.
Cobalt scoffed. “I could’ve outrun them easily.”
“I know.” Jaclyn met his gaze. “I’ve seen it.”
Cobalt raised a brow.
“I can glimpse the most likely futures,” she continued. “Most versions of our encounter ended with us battling over… this.” She lifted a gleaming piece of golden armor. “We’d be so caught up that we wouldn’t notice them closing in—until it was too late. So, the easiest way for us all to make it out alive was for me to temporarily incapacitate you both and carry you to safety.”
Cobalt glanced at the armor, then back at Jaclyn. Her reasoning was sound, and if she wanted to harm him, she’d’ve had plenty of opportunities. Slowly, his tense posture eased.
“…Alright,” he admitted. “I’ll trust you. But next time, just explain from the beginning. Can you please let me down now?”
Jaclyn paused, her red eyes flickering as she scanned the threads of possible outcomes. After a moment’s consideration, she took Cobalt at his word and gently lowered him and the Glatorian to the ground. His paws sank into the warm sand, solid beneath him once more.
So they resumed their trek, the desert stretching endlessly before them.
“So, Jaclyn,” Cobalt began, breaking the silence, “why do you want it in the first place? What do you plan to do with it?”
The Gardevoir kept her gaze forward, her voice calm. “I sensed an immense energy radiating from it. I wanted to study its properties and, if possible, use it to enhance my own psychic abilities.”
The Lucario’s ears twitched, his stance shifting. “Well, I’m sorry, but it’s not meant for you.” His tone hardened, a low growl edging into his voice. “I must bring it back to my master. Ah, I mean—Marcus.”
Before Jaclyn could respond, a groggy voice cut through the air.
“That armor… doesn’t belong to either of you.”
The green Glatorian stirred, his eyes still hazy with exhaustion as he pushed himself up. “It belongs… to Toa Tahu.”
Cobalt and Jaclyn exchanged a glance, then turned back to him.
“Who?” they asked in unison.
The Glatorian rubbed his temples, clearly still recovering. “Tahu, Toa of Fire,” he murmured. “You’re both making a big mistake.”
“Says who?” Cobalt asked defensively.
“I’m Gresh, of the Jungle Tribe,” the Glatorian replied. “I’ve been through a lot today just to keep that piece safe, to bring it back to him. He’s the one who can use it to save us.” His gaze darkened, as if the weight of the truth was sinking in. “If you give it to someone else… someone unworthy… you will ruin everything.”
Jaclyn’s red eyes shimmered intensely.
“What do you see?” Cobalt leaned in slightly, his voice hushed.
“There are too many variables.” She exhaled, shaking her head. “Too many ways this could go right… or horribly wrong. I can’t yet say for certain.”
Cobalt crossed his arms, turning back to Gresh. “Well, I don’t know who this ‘Tahu’ is, but he’s not my master.”
The Glatorian groaned as he sat up fully, gripping his head as if trying to steady the thoughts swirling inside. His eyes locked onto the golden armor piece in Jaclyn’s hands.
“You don’t understand,” he muttered in frustration. “That armor isn’t just powerful—it’s part of something greater. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could—”
“I know what it could do,” Cobalt interrupted. “I’ve already seen it firsthand.” His paw clenched at his side as he recalled the battles they had fought to secure just one piece. “But what makes you so sure this “Tahu” is the rightful wielder?”
The Glatorian narrowed his eyes. “Because he’s a Toa.”
“And?”
“A Toa is chosen by destiny,” the warrior continued, his voice growing stronger. “They don’t just claim power—they are meant to have it. Tahu has fought harder than anyone to protect the Great Spirit. That armor was made exclusively for him to wield.”
Jaclyn studied him closely, her expression unreadable. “And what happens if the armor doesn’t choose him? What if there’s another, better candidate?”
The Glatorian hesitated. “...That’s not how it works.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, tilting her head. “Because, if you were, I believe my vision wouldn’t be so unclear.”
Cobalt’s furry tail flicked, and he sighed, rubbing his temples. “Look, none of us know how this works for sure. But I do know one thing—Marcus is the one I trust above all.”
The Glatorian opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, a distant rumble shook the ground beneath them.
“What now?” Gresh groaned.
Jaclyn’s eyes flickered once again as she peered into the immediate future. Cobalt closed his eyes, sensing nearby life.
“We need to move. Now,” they said together.
“Why? What do you see?” the Glatorian asked warily.
Jaclyn turned sharply toward the horizon. “Something’s caught up to us.”
“Skrall?” Gresh asked, looking around before spotting them. A swarm of sand-colored beasts was emerging over the desert hills that served as their camouflage, their sword-like stingers glinting in the sunlight.
“No. And they’re not alone,” Jaclyn added. “Something else is with them… something worse.”
“Oh no… those are… V-Vorox,” Gresh explained as he pushed himself to his feet, shaking off his exhaustion. “Over 100,000 years ago, they were the proud Sand Tribe. But now, they’re nothing more than savage beasts, mutated by… the Great Beings.”
Cobalt cracked his knuckles, a smirk creeping across his face. “Then we fight.”
As the monstrous creatures closed in, the three of them stood ready, the golden armor gleaming in Jaclyn’s grasp. Until they united every piece, the battle was still far from over.
And destiny had yet to decide who was truly worthy.
* * *
Takanuva crouched behind a jagged rock formation, his chrome armor naturally reflecting the sun amidst the scorching desert heat. His heartlight pulsed with a quiet, steady rhythm as he observed the unsettling scene before him; his five friends—the Toa Mahri—stood in rigid formation, their eyes devoid of their spirit, their bodies tense like puppets held on invisible strings. And at the center of it all, commanding them like a twisted king, was a towering golden-skinned being.
The creature was unlike anything Takanuva had ever seen – a fusion of unnatural perfection and terrifying majesty. Its sleek golden scales shimmered with an almost hypnotic radiance, its elongated limbs exuding an air of effortless dominance. But it was the eyes that unsettled Takanuva most – deep, gleaming pools of shifting color that radiated an unnatural allure, the kind that seeped into the mind and drowned it in silent obedience.
‘Mind control.’ The Toa of Light clenched his fists. ‘It must have them completely under its influence.’
He watched as the creature spoke to his slaves in a deep, velvety voice, its words a song of control laced with an undeniable authority.
"You are mine now," it whispered to the Mahri, its voice carrying across the air despite the distance. "You have no purpose but to serve me. No will… but mine."
They all stood like statues and nodded stiffly, their weapons at rest as they awaited a command.
Takanuva gritted his teeth. He was alone, outnumbered, and against an enemy he knew nothing about. Charging in blindly could get him captured, or worse, enslaved just like them. He needed a plan.
His mind raced. ‘If I attack the golden creature directly, it might use them as living shields… or turn them against me. No, I need to be smarter than that.’
Takanuva took a deep breath. He had one advantage: his control over light. If this creature’s influence worked through sight, then perhaps he could disrupt it.
‘Blinding light. If they can’t see, then maybe they can’t be controlled.’
But even that might not be enough. He needed a way to reach the Mahri, to snap them out of this trance before the golden being could regain its hold.
Then, as he watched herds of Rahi animals fleeing from the opening in the foot of the Great Spirit Robot, an idea struck him. A risk, but the best one he had.
He reached toward his mask, the Kanohi Avohkii, and focused his energy—not into an attack, but into something deeper.
‘Light is more than just illumination. It’s warmth. It’s hope. It’s… freedom.’
Takanuva closed his eyes and let his power flow. He projected thoughts, memories, the very essence of what it meant to be Toa. The moments of triumph they had shared, the battles they had won together, the unity that had always bound them.
He opened his eyes. It was time to act.
In a flash, he stepped from his hiding place and raised his staff high. A brilliant burst of white-gold light exploded from him on all sides, turning the whole area into a blinding white void. The golden being let out a sharp, guttural hiss, shielding its face. The Mahri staggered, their bodies wavering as the radiant energy washed over them.
“Mahri! Remember who you are!” Takanuva shouted, his voice cutting through the light. "You are Toa! You are free to follow your own destinies!"
The golden-skinned being snarled, extending a clawed hand toward the Mahri. Its hypnotic influence lashed out like invisible tendrils, trying to reel them back in.
Takanuva’s heart pounded. ‘Come on, fight it!’
Nuparu was the first to move. He clutched his head, his expression contorting in pain as he fell to his knees. Then Hewkii. Then Hahli, and Kongu. And finally...
Takanuva held his breath. It was working.
But the golden being was recovering fast, its eyes locking onto Takanuva with a fury that sent a chill down his spine.
‘I have to break its control completely, before it regains its grip!’
Bracing himself, Takanuva charged forward—the rescue had only just begun.
* * *
Latias soared low over the desert, her silky red and white feathers shimmering in the daylight. The dry winds rushed past her as she glided just above Gali, who strode through the sand with determination. Despite the vastness of the wasteland, they moved with purpose, following their instincts.
The Toa of Water calmly watched Latias with quiet interest. “You fly with grace,” she observed, shielding her eyes against the sun. “But I sense when you battle, you hesitate.”
Latias slowed, turning her head toward the Toa of Water. “I—” She faltered, her telepathic voice tinged with uncertainty. “I vaguely remember battling before… but never like this. Not for my life, and never against things so… unnatural.”
Gali nodded. “I see much of myself in you, Latias. For I also once awoke in a strange land with no memory.” She paused, then added, “Fear of the unknown is natural, but you cannot let it control you, or hold you back when you must give your all.”
The dragon frowned, her golden eyes flickering with thought. She had the faintest glimmers of her past, like trying to recall a forgotten dream—blurry silhouettes of rival Pokémon as well as their human trainers—but the Rahkshi were different. They radiated an evil that seeped into the air like poison. Even the desert seemed a bit colder in their presence.
They continued in silence for a while, until the sand ahead of them shifted.
Gali stopped, her fingers tightening around her weapon. “They’ve found us.”
With a screech that sent shivers down Latias’ spine, three Rahkshi emerged from the other side of the dunes – one yellow, another sickly green, and the last a crimson red. Their staffs cut through the air as they advanced, their eyes burning with malevolence.
Latias felt her heart pounding. The last time she fought against these creatures… it nearly killed her.
Gali stepped forward, lowering into a battle stance. “Watch and learn,” she said simply as the Rahkshi lunged.
The yellow one, a Rahkshi of Heat Vision, fired twin beams of searing energy from its eyes. Gali sidestepped, twirling her axes with fluid precision as the beams melted the sand where she once stood. In the same motion, she spun and launched a blast of water from her tools, striking the creature’s legs and sending it stumbling.
The green Rahkshi, a master of Poison, hissed and swung its staff at Latias. She darted upward just in time, but the movement was clumsy and rushed.
“Don’t just dodge—control the battlefield,” Gali called. “Use your strengths!”
Latias narrowed her eyes. Right.
She vanished in an instant, turning invisible and getting some distance away. The Lerahk hissed in confusion, whipping its head around. Before it could react, Latias reappeared behind it, ramming her forehead into its back at top-speed with a forceful Zen Headbutt. The creature shrieked as it crashed face-first into the dunes, sand filling its maw.
The bright red Rahkshi of Fear, Turahk, focused its power on Latias, striking her dead-on. Her heart was suddenly overexerting itself as a wave of terror washed over her, making her wings lock up and tremble. So many fears hit her all at once - she would die, Marcus would die, they would fail, she’d never see him again…
She hit the ground hard, crash-landing through the hot sand. The Rahkshi loomed over her, its staff raised to strike.
But then, a potent geyser of pressurized water blasted the creature off its feet, puncturing a hole clean through it and sending it tumbling across the sand. Gali landed beside Latias, offering a hand.
“Breathe,” she instructed. “Fear is only as strong as you allow it to be.”
Latias exhaled shakily, pushing herself up. The green Lerahk snarled as it weakly staggered back to its feet, but Latias steadied herself.
She wasn’t helpless. She wasn’t afraid.
With a fierce cry, she shot forward, spinning like a drill in a blur of white and red. Her Aerial Ace struck against the Rahkshi’s chest, sending it careening across the desert before it lay still.
Gali gave an approving nod as the remaining yellow Rahkshi hissed and fled into the hills.
“Better,” she said, brushing some sand off Latias’s shoulder.
Latias floated beside her, catching her breath. “You’re… really strong,” she admitted. “Shouldn’t we go after that one?”
“Strength is not just about power,” she said calmly. “It’s about knowing when to fight… and when to show mercy.”
Latias watched her thoughtfully as they continued forward. She had only just met Gali, but she could already tell the Toa of Water carried wisdom beyond mere battle tactics.
And for the first time since she arrived in this strange world, Latias felt like she had a true guide.
* * *
Marcus hurtled across the desert, the landscape stretching into a blur of grey. The wind screamed in his ears, his body trembling from the sheer force of his own momentum. He had no control—only raw, unfiltered speed propelling him forward.
‘Too fast—way too fast!’
He tried to slow down, to dig his heels into the sand, but every step only sent him lurching forward faster.
“Marcus, listen to me.” Delta’s voice echoed in his mind, steady despite the chaos. “You need to stabilize yourself.”
Marcus clenched his teeth, barely able to focus. His eyes couldn’t make sense of the world anymore; everything had lost its color, reduced to faded smears of light and shadow. It felt like he was about to tear through existence itself.
“How—” His voice came out strained, barely audible over the roaring wind. “How do I stop?!”
“By not fighting the speed.” Delta’s tone remained firm, instructive. “Right now, you’re trying to resist the motion. Instead, lean into it. Feel it. Own it. ”
Marcus took a sharp breath, forcing himself to think. He could barely tell where the ground ended and the sky began, but he had to try. He adjusted his posture, leaning forward slightly, shifting his weight with each footfall. The wild, chaotic sprint began to smooth out, his body no longer thrashing against the movement.
A fraction of control returned, but it wasn’t enough.
Ahead, the desert suddenly dipped into a ravine – a massive, jagged canyon that cut through the land – and he was rushing toward it at impossible speed.
“Jump,” Delta ordered.
“What?! That’s your plan?! I’ll die!”
“Trust me.”
Marcus had no other options. He bent his knees, focusing everything into one motion—then, at the very edge of the precipice, he launched himself forward in an arch.
For a split second, he felt weightless. Then, the world snapped back into color. The sky was blue. The sand was gold.
And Marcus was practically flying.
‘This is insane!’
The other side of the canyon was getting closer, but gravity was already pulling him down.
“Use a burst of speed mid-air,” Delta urged. “Try to summon your plasma power from the soles of your feet. Our life depends on it.”
Marcus gritted his teeth and willed himself forward. Power surged through him, and a quick boost of plasma briefly emitted from his feet, his speed igniting once more. His body shot forward just enough, and his feet landed safely on the opposite ledge, sending him rolling into the sand.
The momentum dragged him a few feet before he finally—finally—came to a stop.
For a long moment, he lay there, chest heaving, hands trembling. He could feel the ache in the organic muscles between his metal parts. But at least he was alive.
“Better.” Delta’s voice carried a hint of satisfaction. “Still clumsy, but… better.”
Marcus let out a shaky laugh, staring up at the sky. “Yeah? I’ll take that.”
But then the laughter faded as he pushed himself up, and his expression hardened.
“Alright… time to find the others.”
* * *
The ground shuddered beneath Cobalt and Jaclyn as the Vorox’s advance took a new, terrifying turn. Out of the swirling dunes, a colossal figure emerged: the fabled Element Lord of Sand. His towering form was a compressed mass of swirling sand and stone that towered above the Vorox, an ancient legend with eyes that burned like embers in the dusty air. He was over fifty feet in height, nothing comparable to the two gods fighting above them—but that didn’t make the titan any less terrifying. The earth itself seemed to bend beneath his will, sand and stone coalescing into a force of primordial power.
Gresh backed away in sheer terror at the sight of the living legend. Without a word, he immediately fled into the vast desert as fast as his feet would carry him, leaving Cobalt and Jaclyn to bear the brunt of the Vorox’s fury alone.
Cobalt’s ears flattened against the roar of the approaching enemy as he exchanged a determined glance with Jaclyn. “Looks like it’s just you and me now,” he said, his voice low and resolute.
“It appears so,” Jaclyn replied.
“That thing’s hardly different from a… a Regi… something. I can’t remember.” Cobalt continued, “I do know I’m resistant to sandstorms though, so I can get up close to it and do some real damage.”
Jaclyn’s large red eyes narrowed as she gauged the threat. The scorpion-like Vorox swarmed around the Element Lord, their crude weapons raised in a salute to their ancient leader. Then, with a slow, deliberate gesture, the Element Lord of Sand raised one arm and unleashed a furious sandstorm that battered the landscape.
Cobalt’s black paws dug into the scorching desert as he sprang into action, his senses alert to every shift in the battlefield. Even with his eyes tightly shut, he could see almost perfectly with his sense of aura. The Vorox swarmed around him like a tide of savage fury, their stinger-like tails glinting in the harsh light. With a fierce cry, he lunged at the nearest foe to clear himself a path.
Meanwhile, Jaclyn stayed back and extended her psychic energy in a shimmering Reflect barrier that shielded them both from the brunt of any damage. “I’ve got your back, Cobalt! Just… be careful!”
As if on cue, the Element Lord of Sand advanced. With a deep, resonant rumble, he raised his other enormous arm. More sand exploded outward like a tidal wave, sending the disposable Vorox tumbling while threatening to bury Cobalt and Jaclyn.
Cobalt dodged nimbly, leaping up to higher ground, and growled, “We can’t let him control the field!”
“I’ll disrupt his focus!” the Gardevoir called out. Concentrating, she sent a Psyshock toward the Element Lord. The ancient sand swirled as if momentarily confused, his form quivering under the unexpected force.
Nice shot!” the Lucario shouted, using the distraction to unleash a series of precise strikes on the closest Vorox using Extremespeed with his aura-enhanced limbs. Each blow landed with a resounding thud, wounding any who dared close in. Yet the Element Lord roared, regaining his composure as he summoned yet another even more violent burst of sand that threatened to tear apart everything in its path.
In the chaos, a Vorox lunged at Jaclyn, slashing with the jagged blade of its tail. She sidestepped gracefully, her Imprison wrapping around the attacker like a silken snare.
“Too slow!” she declared, her voice both soft and commanding as the mutated Glatorian was hurled into several others by her telekinetic grip. “Cobalt, now!”
Cobalt’s focus returned to the looming threat, seizing the moment. Gathering his inner energy, he charged directly at the Element Lord’s shifting mass. His clenched paws, radiating with determination, connected with bursts of his aura energy. Each hit of Close Combat was met with the grinding resistance of millennia-old sand, but slowly, cracks began to form in the Element Lord’s seemingly invincible exterior.
“Keep pushing!” Jaclyn urged as she used Psyshock on the Vorox that were nearing her, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.
Cobalt’s agile strikes and Jaclyn’s precise psychic assaults merged into a relentless offensive as they fought in perfect sync - almost like they’d been battling together their whole lives. In the heart of the sandstorm, they knew that overcoming this formidable foe was just another step toward winning this war—and ensuring that the golden armor would never fall into enemy hands.
* * *
The desert stretched endlessly before Latias and Gali, waves of heat rippling off the golden dunes. Latias hovered just above the sand, her wings beating lightly to keep her aloft. Gali trudged beside her, unbothered by the terrain, her blue armor standing out against the arid wasteland. Every now and then, she would lift her hand, calling forth small bursts of valuable moisture from the air to keep Latias and herself hydrated.
Marcus was still lost out there somewhere, Latias thought. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach. She had wasted so much valuable time searching for him already… but at least with Gali’s help, she had a real chance of finding him. But was he safe? Was he hurt? What if he was overwhelmed by more Rahkshi like she was, with no one around to protect him? What if—
“Your heart is restless,” Gali said gently, noticing her unease.
Latias hesitated before answering. “I just… I still don’t think I’m strong enough yet to protect Marcus like I need to. I feel like I can barely protect myself. I almost died today… and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Gali raised an eyebrow. “And yet, you’ve made it this far.”
“Only because I had help,” Latias sighed. “I don’t want to need help. I want to be the help.”
Gali stopped walking, turning to face her. “Your desire to protect is noble, but there’s no shame in relying on others, Latias. Even Toa like I do not – and should not – stand alone.”
Latias frowned. “But you’re so strong. I’ve seen you fight, you don’t need anyone’s help.”
Gali smiled wistfully. “I also used to think that way, a long time ago. But I’ve learned the hard way that no one, no matter how powerful, can do everything alone. You don’t have to prove your worth by standing apart, because we are at our strongest when–”
But before she could continue, a blinding light caught their vision from afar.
“Something’s wrong,” Gali murmured, her eyes scanning the horizon.
Latias glanced down at Gali, alarmed. “What is it?”
Gali did not answer immediately, her eyes closing as though she were listening to something only she could hear. Then, in a low voice, she said, “I’ve received... a vision. From the Great Spirit.”
Latias felt a pang of unease, sensing that Gali’s mind was elsewhere. “A vision?”
Gali hesitated, then looked at Latias. “It’s... difficult to explain. But an old ally needs my help… and I must go alone.”
Latias blinked in confusion. “Alone? But you were just saying how–!”
“I know, but this is something I cannot ignore,” Gali replied, her tone regretful. “It is not that I wish to leave, Latias. But I’ve been shown a path that demands my presence elsewhere.”
“I don’t understand,” Latias said, “I thought we were in this together!”
“We are,” Gali said, soft but final. “And you are never alone. But some roads must be walked in solitude, and this is one of those times. You are strong enough to finish this task, of that I am certain. Your destiny lies in reuniting with Marcus.”
Latias remained silent for a moment, looking at Gali, who had already begun to prepare for departure.
“Will I ever see you again?” she asked.
“If fortune favors us, I should think so,” Gali said finally, her voice unwavering. “Many destinies have been irreversibly changed today, and I sense you are now one of the most crucial keys to ending this great battle. Marcus is the one you must find—right now, that is your duty.”
Latias swallowed, nodding slowly, though her heart still ached. “I’ll find him. I won’t let you down, Toa Gali.”
“I know you won’t.” Gali smiled through her mask, but it was tinged with sorrow. “You have more strength than you know. Trust in yourself, Latias. And may we meet again soon. I am glad to call you… friend.”
With one final, lingering glance, Gali stepped forward, the small jets on her feet quickly carrying her into the distance as she flew off into the desert.
Latias hovered there while watching her go, a mix of confusion and determination rising within her. The time had come for her to truly stand on her own.
She looked toward the horizon, her heart resolute.
“Marcus, wherever you are,” she whispered, her wings spreading wide. “I’ll find you. I promise.”
* * *
Marcus had come a long way—literally—since the moment he first felt his speed spiraling out of control. Now, his movements felt more natural; the world no longer blurred in front of him, the chaos of streaks and flashes fading as he focused, honing his control. He could still feel the rush of wind in his face and the sting of the desert dust in his eyes, but now he was learning to cooperate with it, keeping his feet steady beneath him and adjusting to each shift of the terrain.
His mind wasn’t as foggy, and this body felt more like his own. But as he ran, his thoughts remained on a single goal: finding his friends.
Suddenly, he felt a presence ahead—a trio of blue Rahkshi, each with differing limb colors of purple, white, and silver—and clearly, not here to greet him with pleasantries.
The Rahkshi of Electricity, a Voirahk, was the first to notice. Without warning, it raised its staff and shot a single bolt of jagged lightning straight at the Matoran.
But Marcus already had the advantage of momentum. He darted to the side with unmatched agility, his feet making barely a whisper on the sand. He had control now, and could anticipate their moves. Not only were his legs faster, but his reflexes had become heightened as well.
Quick as it was, the bolt of lightning missed him by a fraction of an inch, but Marcus didn't stop. He dashed forward and closed the gap between them in a split-second, his focus absolute. In one smooth motion, Marcus snatched the Rahkshi's staff from its grasp and wrenched it out of the creature's hands. The Rahkshi hissed in anger, but before it could react, Marcus sent a powerful pulse of electricity back at it from its own staff, sending the creature stumbling back and collapsing into the sand in a daze. Not wasting any time, he kicked Voirahk squarely in the head, knocking open the hatch on its back and exposing the wriggling Kraata within.
"That's one down," he muttered as he stabbed it with his golden blade, immediately feeling a refreshing jolt coursing through his body.
"Nice, you're adapting well." Delta's voice echoed in his mind, impressed.
Marcus didn't respond, already focusing on the remaining two—Sanorahk, the Rahkshi of Accuracy, and Barahk, the Rahkshi of Gravity. In what was in slow-motion to Marcus, the Sanorahk raised its own staff to its eye like a rifle with the deadly focus of a sniper. He felt the air shift around him, a heavy invisible weight pressing down as the Rahkshi of Gravity also pointed its staff toward him.
Marcus’s heart raced, but his mind was calm—he could sense what they were planning. He adjusted his footing, preparing for their next move.
The Rahkshi of Gravity unleashed its attack, and the air around Marcus thickened as gravity itself seemed to shift. He felt a pull, a tug at his body, but he held firm. This wasn’t the same sensation as before. Now, he knew how to fight it.
The moment the Sanorahk fired its marksman shot, Marcus bent his knees and shot forward with a sudden burst of speed. The pull of gravity was negated as his momentum built, and he leaped high into the air, flipping over the Rahkshi with a clean arc before landing behind it.
The Sanorahk, seemingly offended that it’d somehow missed its mark, swung its staff to aim a precise melee strike at Marcus’s back—but he had already anticipated it. He hit the sand in a roll, and he sprang back to his feet, now behind both Rahkshi.
Marcus didn’t waste a second. He dashed forward, closing the distance between himself and the Rahkshi of Accuracy. The Rahkshi tried to turn, but Marcus’s speed was too much for it. With a single bolt of green lightning from his finger, he delivered a devastating blow to its headplate, shattering it with a force that sent the creature tumbling to the ground, defeated.
The slimy Kraata made a break for it as it tried to slither away, but Marcus threw his sword, pinning it to the ground and draining the power of accuracy from its corpse.
Now only the Rahkshi of Gravity remained, its face contorted with rage. It lifted its staff again, preparing to crush Marcus beneath its weight once more—but Marcus wasn’t giving it that chance.
He dodged to the side before ducking under the Rahkshi's swing, and in the same motion, he grabbed the staff from its hands. Using the creature’s own momentum against it, Marcus pulled the weapon upwards hard into its groin and used it to flip the Rahkshi over into the sand, sending it sprawling on its spiny back like a stuck porcupine.
The Rahkshi of Gravity struggled, but Marcus wasted no time in retrieving the golden sword. With his newfound power of accuracy, he pierced it clean through the shell to the Kraata inside without even seeing it, like a magician’s sword-box trick.
And with that, the fight was quickly over.
Marcus stood tall, chest heaving as the three newly absorbed Kraata abilities surged through him. He felt the electricity crackling faintly in his veins, the pull of gravity lessening around him. He had become more than just lucky—he was becoming a true fighter, and it was finally paying off.
"Not bad," Delta commented. "You might actually match up to a Toa at this rate."
Marcus smirked, wiping some Kraata guts from his mask. "We, Delta. I definitely wouldn’t’ve gotten this far without you. So… thank you."
“Hey, if you say so,” Delta scoffed modestly. “Thank you for keeping my body alive. Let’s just hope we’re not stuck in the same brain for all eternity, I have my own life to live too, y’know.”
“Right,” Marcus agreed. “First we end this war, then we figure out how to split ourselves up. I haven’t forgotten that.”
The perilous desert stretched endlessly before him, but now, with five Kraata powers at his disposal, Marcus had no doubts that he had the power to fend for himself.
Latias. Takanuva. Cobalt. They were all still out there.
And now, nothing was going to stop him from finding them.
* * *
Tahu stood alone atop a jagged cliff, his armor now battered and scarred by the battles he’d fought. The winds of the desolate desert howled around him, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
Once, he had been the Toa of Fire, a leader who had fought for the good of the world. But now... the fire inside him had grown, turning into something far more destructive. The Kraata of Anger and Darkness had taken root in his heart, eating away any remnants of his former self. His once unshakable belief in his destiny had been shattered, and with it, the hero he had been.
Now, as hatred coursed through his mind, all he cared about was power. The power to make the world kneel before him, to give him the praise he was due.
As he brooded on the edge of the cliff, something strange began to stir. A shadow moved across the ground, slithering unnaturally.
Then, he saw it: a Mahirahk, the Rahkshi of Illusion.
Tahu’s grip tightened around his blade as the tan and blue creature appeared, its spiked body twisting and warping in the air like an otherworldly presence as it used its power on him. It spoke in a voice that seemed to come from all directions, yet from nowhere at all.
"Toaaa Tahuuu," it hissed slowly, its voice like a thousand whispers that gnawed at his ears. "Do you know who you have become?"
Tahu’s heart began to race. The creature’s presence was unsettling, but he refused to show weakness.
"I know who I am," Tahu growled. "I am the Toa of Fire, and you will regret crossing me, filthy Rahkshi."
The Rahkshi of Illusion smiled – at least, as well as a Rahkshi could – though its face was a blur of shifting shapes.
"You think you know yourself? I will show you the truth, Toa. The fire you’ve started has already consumed you whole."
Tahu’s vision suddenly flickered, and everything around him began to distort. The world shifted and bent as the Mahirahk’s power fully immersed him.
In the blink of an eye, Tahu found himself surrounded by swirling blackness. The desert beneath his feet crumbled away, replaced by a familiar but nightmarish landscape.
He was back in his homeland on the island of Mata Nui, at the sacred Kini-Nui temple… but it was no longer the place he had fought to protect. The whole area lay in charred and smoldering ruins, burned to the ground by fire he could no longer control. The sky above was a sickly red, casting an ominous glow over the wreckage.
Tahu’s heart sank as he saw the faces of his teammates – Gali, Pohatu, Lewa, Onua, Kopaka – twisted by agony and fear. They were surrounded by an army of rogue Matoran, their eyes glowing with malice. And standing at the forefront was a version of himself, piloting the Exo-Toa power mech.
A version full of rage and hatred.
The dark Tahu raised his blade, fire crackling along the edges, and with one swift motion, he cleaved through his former friends. Their screams of pain were cut short, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground, yet Tahu couldn’t move to protect them from himself. He couldn’t stop the slaughter.
"Is this what you’ve become, Tahu?" The Rahkshi’s voice echoed through the nightmare. "You can’t escape your own darkness."
Tahu screamed in anguish, but the visceral image of his fallen friends remained. He could still hear the haunting sound of their cries as their bodies crumbled into ashes among the flames.
Suddenly, the scene shifted. Tahu was back on the battlefield, his body now covered with silver blood that was not his own. His body felt heavy, his movements sluggish as if he were drowning in his own guilt.
A blast of heat slammed into him, knocking him to the ground, and his mind reeled. The ground beneath him cracked, breaking apart as if the world itself was rejecting him. He looked up to see a figure standing over him – the dark version of Tahu wearing the full set of golden armor, eyes burning with fury.
"You’re nothing," it spat. "A relic of the past that’s better off forgotten."
Tahu tried to rise, but the weight of the illusion held him down. The anger inside him surged, but so did the guilt—the overwhelming feeling that he had lost something, a part of himself, that he might never get back.
"I was a hero," Tahu whispered, his voice breaking. "I was... I was trying to save them."
The dark Tahu raised his staff, flames erupting from the tip. "Save them? We killed them. We burned them all to the ground. And now, we will be the only Toa. The only protector that the Matoran will ever need!"
Tahu's heart clenched. He wanted to fight, to rage against the illusion, but the guilt clawed at him. Was it true? Had he failed so completely that there was no redemption left for him?
"You’re no longer fit to be called ‘Toa’, but," the Rahkshi whispered, "You could become a great Makuta…"
The word burned through his mind, a dagger aimed straight at his heart.
"Stop," Tahu growled through gritted teeth, his hands clenched into fists. "I am not what you say I am!"
The illusion faltered for a moment, but the Mahirahk only laughed, its voice echoing with mocking tones. "You can't escape yourself."
"I don't need to!" Tahu hissed. His eyes ignited with intensity, his flames raging brighter than they ever had before. "I will control this. I will!"
With a roar, he ignited his sword at maximum power and forced the illusion back, fighting through the nightmare with every ounce of strength he had left. The desert returned, the world solidifying as his flames burned away the shadows. The Rahkshi screeched in pain, but it was too late. Tahu had broken free from the web of illusions it had spun, the Kraata’s life instantly extinguished by the flames and absorbed into his sword’s golden pommel.
As the Mahirahk’s form disintegrated into the sand, Tahu stood still, breathing heavily, his flames simmering as his mind slowly cleared. But even as the shadows of the nightmare receded, they left a lingering presence in his thoughts. The images of his fallen friends, his lost purpose, and his corrupted self were still vivid in his mind. The fire inside him was hotter than ever, but now it burned with a fury he could not easily extinguish.
He turned away from the smoldering remains of the dead Rahkshi and stared out at the endless desert stretching before him. The heat of the sun pressed down, but it felt like nothing compared to this weight in his chest. His heart raced, but it wasn’t from fear. It was the determination that surged within him, a single thought crystallizing in his mind like a shard of molten metal.
The golden armor.
The Toa of Fire’s eyes narrowed, burning with intensity. He had been hunting the armor for what felt like an eternity. He knew it was more than just a symbol of power—it was his path to salvation. He could feel its strength pulling at him, calling to him like a flame that could cleanse all the darkness that had taken root in his soul.
And yet, it was not in his grasp, all because of…
Marcus. The name burned in his mind, carrying with it a cold, bitter taste.
Marcus had a piece of his golden armor—stolen from Tahu’s rightful possession. And without it, Tahu could never achieve his destiny and save everyone from the tyranny of Makuta. The Toa of Fire clenched his fists, his flames flickering with agitation. His destiny, his power—the armor was meant for him. And yet, Marcus dared to stand in his way.
Tahu’s mind churned once more with dark thoughts. ‘That Matoran doesn’t understand. He doesn’t realize that the world needs saving. He thinks himself a hero, but he’s nothing but a fool standing in the way of what must be done.’
Tahu’s grip on his blade tightened, the heat around him rising as his fury swelled. ‘Marcus is no Toa. Perhaps he wants to prove that he can challenge destiny itself. But he’s wrong. Only I can wield the armor. Only I am worthy of this destiny.’
The truth was clear in Tahu’s mind now. He was the one who would save the world—not Marcus. And Marcus’s interference wasn’t just a minor inconvenience. No. It was a betrayal of the highest order. He had to take the armor by force if necessary.
"I will take what is mine," Tahu murmured to himself with resolve. "No one—no one will stop me from my duty."
His eyes burned brighter with each passing second. He wasn’t just fighting for power anymore. He was fighting for redemption—for the world’s salvation, even if no one else understood it. And if Marcus wouldn’t see that, then he would have no choice but to destroy him.
The desert stretched out before him, barren and unyielding. But with a single, fierce step, Tahu resumed his march, his mind focused entirely on his goal: to confront Marcus, to claim the armor, and to prove once and for all that he was the true hero.
The world didn’t need more distractions. It needed someone who would make the hard choices. It needed him..
“I.. am… a hero.”
And with that thought, the Toa of Fire set his sights on the horizon, a raging inferno burning inside him, ready to claim what was rightfully his.
And if one foolish Matoran had to die to save billions… then so be it.
* * *
Cobalt panted, his aura flickering wildly around him as he and Jaclyn stood back-to-back, surrounded by the advancing Vorox. The Element Lord of Sand loomed behind them, the ground trembling as its voice echoed through the air.
"You resist the inevitable. Sand buries all… in time."
Jaclyn’s eyes flashed as she scanned possible futures, searching for a way out. Defeating it outright wasn’t an option—not against something as vast and intangible as an elemental force itself.
“Cobalt, brute force won’t work. We need to outthink it,” she murmured.
Cobalt snarled as a Vorox lunged at him. He dodged with a blur of motion, countering with a powerful Force Palm that sent the beast flying. But for every one he struck down, more took their place. Jaclyn’s psychic blasts knocked away several others, yet she could feel her stamina waning.
The Element Lord of Sand raised an arm, and the desert itself rose with it, forming massive swirling funnels of dust meant to trap them.
"You will be eroded into the earth, as is the cycle of nature. Submit."
Jaclyn’s mind raced. The sand… the sand itself was the Element Lord. They couldn't fight the battlefield itself.
Then, an idea struck her.
“Cobalt! The sand is an extension of him! What do you think is holding it all together?”
The Lucario’s ears twitched as he realized what she was getting at. He focused his aura—not into an attack, but into perception. His vision shifted, and suddenly, he saw it—an intricate web of aura, threads binding the Element Lord’s consciousness to the sands around them. It was finely stretched out, its control over the entire field dividing its focus.
Cobalt grinned.
"You’re spread too thin, aren’t you?!" he taunted. "So let’s see what happens if I break that connection!"
Before the Element Lord could react, Cobalt lunged forward—not at its body, but at the sands swirling at its feet. With a burst of his energy, he disrupted the aura of the Element Lord’s soul holding every tiny grain together.
The result was immediate, and the towering sandstorms collapsed in on themselves. The massive dunes that had risen at the Element Lord’s command lost cohesion, sinking back into ordinary, lifeless earth. For just a moment, the presence of the Element Lord faltered.
Jaclyn seized the moment. With a pulse of psychic power, she grabbed hold of the loose sand and flung it outward in all directions to create an artificial sandstorm, directly blinding the Vorox and further severing the Element Lord’s awareness.
"Time to go!" she shouted as she turned, gesturing for Cobalt to follow.
The two bolted, weaving through the enraged and confused Vorox as they blindly swung their tails, unable to see through the chaos. Behind them, the Element Lord of Sand roared in frustration, trying to reassert its control, but Jaclyn and Cobalt’s interference had thrown its concentration into utter disarray.
As they escaped, Cobalt glanced over at Jaclyn, his tail subtly wagging behind him. “That was quick thinking, Jaci. You were… great.”
“Already on a nickname basis, are we?” She smiled, a faded shade of pink coloring her white cheeks. “You were pretty good yourself, Cobe. We make a pretty good tag team.”
The two ventured onward, knowing that even greater challenges lay ahead—but for now, they had survived.
* * *
The vast desert stretched endlessly, shimmering beneath the relentless sun. Marcus’s golden armor gleamed against the dull landscape, his every step dragging him closer to his destiny. It had been over an hour since he had last seen any sign of them, and the weight of uncertainty had begun to press heavily on his chest.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it: a flicker of movement.
Latias.
Her wings cut through the air, catching the sunlight in a brilliant burst of ruby red. She was real. He hadn’t imagined her. He was breathless as he made out her silhouette against the sunlit horizon. For a brief moment, everything around him seemed to disappear. The weight of the desert, the danger, the endless search—all of it faded away, leaving only the feeling of hope. His heart skipped, and he immediately picked up his pace, the sand beneath him shifting as he rushed forward.
Latias turned, her face lighting up as she caught sight of him. A wide smile broke across her face, and she didn’t hesitate for a second, her wings sending her gliding toward him.
“Marcus!” she called out, her voice carrying on the wind.
“Latias!” Marcus couldn’t help but shout in return, his legs carrying him forward faster than he realized, his heart pounding in his chest.
The distance between them shrank quickly, and the instant they reached each other, Marcus stopped just short, breathless but grinning. He could hardly believe it. She was here. She was safe.
Latias hovered gracefully before him, her arms folding against her sides as she nuzzled her cheek against the side of his mask.
“I knew you’d make it,” she fibbed, her golden eyes shining much like the armor Marcus wore – perhaps even more so.
“Like I was gonna let anything kill me,” Marcus chuckled dismissively, though he couldn’t help but want to hold Latias and never let go. But excited as he was to see her, he didn’t want to lose his composure. Not in front of her.
Latias’s smile faltered for a moment, as if she too was struggling with the weight of her emotions, but then it returned, even brighter. She secretly whispered to him with telepathy.
“I… I really missed you, Marcus.”
Marcus opened his mouth to reply, but a voice interrupted him from behind.
“Well, look who’s finally reunited.”
Marcus turned, the sound of padded footsteps making his heart beat even faster. He saw a familiar blue canine emerging from the distance and accompanied by someone unknown, their figures a welcome sight in the desert wasteland.
Cobalt waved, a grin on his face as he stepped forward, his eyes glancing briefly at Latias before focusing on Marcus. “About time we found you. We were starting to wonder if you’d make it on your own out here.”
Jaclyn stepped up beside Cobalt, offering a warm smile. “Good to see you made it, Marcus,” she said, her voice calm but sincere. “I’m Jaclyn, a Gardevoir. Cobalt told me there's some connection between us. You both have no memories either?”
Marcus and Latias both shook their heads.
“I didn’t know you were traveling with others,” Marcus said as he looked from Cobalt to Jaclyn. “I’m glad to see you both. It’s nice to meet you, Jaclyn.”
“Oh, by the way,” Jaclyn’s eyes widened as she pulled something out of thin-air. “Cobalt also told me you have some use for this?”
The light caught on the golden piece’s edges, reflecting the very same glow that pulsed from Marcus’s own armor.
"You—" He hesitated, glancing between her and the golden piece in her hand. "You found one?"
"Well, I kinda had to snatch it from some green guy, he wasn’t too happy about it," Jaclyn admitted, stepping forward. "At first I wanted to use it to make myself stronger, but now that I’m meeting you… I know it’ll be in good hands." She extended the piece toward him, her expression unreadable. “The future looks a little brighter now.”
Marcus hesitated only a moment before reaching out, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. The moment he touched it, a spark of divine energy surged through him, the armor reacting instantly. The fragment lifted from Jaclyn’s palm, hovering for a brief second before locking seamlessly into place on his left shoulder with a burst of light. A wave of warmth coursed through his body, the piece settling into him like it had always belonged.
Marcus flexed his arm, feeling the power hum beneath the surface. "Thank you," he said with gratitude, smiling through his mask as he met her eyes with quiet sincerity.
Jaclyn gave a small nod, smiling back.
“Well,” Cobalt shrugged, “Now we just have to find Takanuva.”
“Right.” Latias nodded, glancing briefly at Marcus. “We still need to find him to complete the set.”
“And… Tahu,” Marcus reminded her coldly.
“Oh, yeah…” Latias mumbled as she looked down. There would undoubtedly be trouble running into him again.
“I’m just glad the four of us are here,” Marcus said. The weight of their journey felt a little lighter now that they were united. “Something about us together just feels… right.”
Latias’s wings fluttered, but she didn’t take her eyes off Marcus. He could feel the depth of her gaze, and for a moment, he thought he could almost hear her unspoken thoughts. He wanted to say something to her—anything—but the silence hung heavy between them, as though both of them were waiting for something more.
Cobalt stood with his arms crossed, a smug grin on his face as he took in the long-awaited reunion. For a brief moment, everything almost felt… peaceful. Then his ear twitched. A distant, rhythmic pounding, like rolling thunder, rumbled across the desert. His smile stiffened. The sound grew louder. Closer.
“…What is that?” he finally asked, his grin still plastered on his face, though his eyes gave away his dread.
“Something’s coming,” Jaclyn replied, looking around for the source—but the sound was coming from all directions. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and a chill ran down Marcus’s spine.
And then, they saw them.
A horde—no, a legion of Skrall emerged from the shifting horizon, their obsidian armor gleaming in the sun and their razor-sharp swords raised high. They were everywhere—hundreds, maybe thousands of murderous Skrall barbarians, each one fierce and relentless.
They halted when their commander, Stronius, raised his arm, forming a wide circle around the group. The thunderous rhythm of their feet against the earth faded into a deathly silence that was thick with menace.
Marcus turned to face the other three.. “You need to get out of here, save yourselves,” he said firmly. “They’re after this armor. After… me.”
“No,” Cobalt said, shaking his head. “I just found you again, I’m not leaving you.”
Latias flew closer to Marcus, her eyes steady. “We face this as a team. We’ll see tomorrow together… or not at all.”
Marcus could feel the weight of her words, her resolve matching his own. He couldn’t leave them behind, and neither would they leave him. In that moment, they were all in this together to the very end.
The Skrall army raised their shields once more, and the air tensed with the promise of death. There was no turning back now.
The final battle was about to begin.
