The cold hit him first.
A deep, bone-chilling cold seeped into the Matoran like icy needles, constricting his breath and numbing his fingers. He felt dampness beneath him, the stone floor slick with something unpleasantly warm in contrast to the frigid air. He didn’t want to think about what it was.
Then came the smell.
A putrid, suffocating stench filled his nostrils: rotting flesh, stagnant water, rusted metal, and something sickly sweet that made him nauseous. He gagged, instinctively covering his nose with his arm, only to remember he didn’t truly have a nose on his mask.
At first, he saw nothing. Just an endless, oppressive void, broken only by faint pulses of red light emanating from something deep within the shadows. Like a dying heartbeat, rhythmic and slow, casting brief glimpses of his surroundings before fading into black once more.
Then he heard it.
A deep, guttural breathing, thick and wet, as something massive and slimy was sucking air through a throat clogged with mucus. The sound reverberated through the chamber, rattling the damp walls and making the chains hanging from the ceiling tremble. The rusty iron links clinked together with the thing’s labored breaths, sending a chill down Marcus’s spine.
His instincts screamed at him to stay still. To not make a sound. But his foot shifted just slightly, just enough to make the wet ground squelch beneath his boot.
The breathing shuttered.
The pulsing glow in the darkness flickered, the thing’s unseen body shifting slightly. Something long and slick dragged across the floor, a wet, slithering noise that made his skin crawl. The chains rattled again, but this time, they weren’t just moving from the creature’s breath.
They were being pulled.
Marcus swallowed hard, his throat dry despite the damp air. His every muscle tensed as he slowly, carefully, began to back away. But no matter where he moved, that unseen, festering presence loomed before him, watching, waiting.
Then, just as another pulse of red light flickered through the chamber, he finally saw it.
A massive, hulking shape, writhing in the darkness. The surface of its bloated body glistened as it shifted, slick with filth and viscous fluids. A tangled mass of appendages, a hybrid of arms and tentacles, twitched with unnatural spasms. Its form was constantly shifting and twisting, barely able to contain itself within this physical realm. The creature’s body was a massive, amorphous heap of raw meat—red, inflamed, and glistening with pus and blood that dripped down in thick globs onto the cold metal floor. The air itself reeked of infection, decay… and suffering. White, jagged spikes jutted out from its writhing form, protruding at unnatural angles like broken bones forcing their way through skin.
Dozens of grotesque, bloodshot orbs blinked out of sync across its tumor-like mass, their sickly yellow sclera swirling with eerie motion. Each one moved independently, rolling in their sockets, darting to take in Marcus from every angle. Some were small, probably no larger than his hand, while others were grotesquely swollen, pulsating as though filled with some thick, viscous fluid that Marcus didn’t want to think about.
And then there was its mouth.
A gaping, circular maw filled with rows upon rows of jagged, unnaturally white teeth, spiraling inward like the maw of some abyssal horror. The lips, if they could be called that, peeled back in something resembling a grin as thick ropes of dark saliva dripped between the fangs. Each exhale from its cavernous throat sent a wave of putrid heat through the chamber, carrying with it a sickening scent of rotting meat.
But despite this creature’s monstrous form, it was trapped. Whoever could contain such a horrific being… Marcus shuddered at the thought.
Just then, massive, rusted chains coiled around its bulk, biting deep into its flesh. Marcus clutched his head as whispers crawled through his thoughts, his vision darkening and distorting. He could feel something immense pressing against his mind, a consciousness beyond mortal comprehension. A deep, wet gurgle reverberated through the chamber, followed by a sound like bubbling tar forcing its way through a clogged pipe.
"You are… intriguing…"
Marcus staggered backward, too afraid to address the dark god.
"I have watched you… little wanderer… I have, felt you… I have, known you… looong before you everrr… knew… yourselllf."
Marcus clenched his fists, trying to drown out the voice in his mind. But there was no escaping it. It was inside him, burrowing into his thoughts like a parasite.
"You wonderrr, what I aaam… why I am heeere… what duty, I serve… yesss…"
A pounding headache throbbed in Marcus’s head as the being flexed its will, imprinting knowledge onto his mind. He saw brief flashes of life on Spherus Magna as it was over 100,000 years ago, long before Mata Nui’s creation.
"I am… TREN KROM."
The name itself pressed down on Marcus’s mind like forbidden knowledge.
"I was beforrre… him. Beforrre… the Great Spirit. Beforrre your kind had ever drawn its first… breath. The Great Beings forged me, in their endlesss AMBITION… their thirst for… CONTROL over what should never be theirs to command."
Tren Krom’s voice thickened with contempt at his mention of the Great Beings, every syllable dripping with pure hatred.
"I was their first… attempt. Their… prototype, they called me. Mad scientists, they were. Mad… gods. They crafted me, not of cold steel, but… of living flesshh. I was the Great Spirit. But I was… imperfect. And so… they abandoned me… cast me aside… like a flawed, WRRRETCHED THING!”
The chains tightened as he pulled, biting deeper into his quivering mass. Blood—dark, viscous, almost alive—dripped onto the stone floor, hissing as it touched the air.
"And so, they built… another."
Tren Krom’s many eyes narrowed, his grotesque grin spreading wider.
"You call it… Mata Nui."
Marcus's heart hammered against his chest, his breath shallow as he stumbled back, trying to make sense of the creature’s words. The air in the cavern felt thick, like every breath was harder to take, as if the very space around him had grown dense with dread. Tren Krom’s many eyes—slithering, unblinking—focused entirely on him, like a spider watching its prey from the center of its web.
"W-what do you want with me?" His voice cracked, betraying his fear. He tried to steady himself, but the creature’s gaze seemed to pierce through him, digging into the deepest corners of his soul.
Tren Krom's mouth opened slowly, revealing rows of glistening, jagged teeth. A dark, wet chuckle echoed in the cavern, vibrating the walls.
"You are not of this world," Tren Krom continued, his voice laced with an eerie knowing. "You... and the one you call Delta... share a body, do you not? A vessel. But… it is no mistake that you are here, little one."
Marcus froze, the hairs on his neck standing on end. Delta... how did this thing—this Tren Krom—know?
"I can see the link," Tren Krom rumbled, his voice somehow deeper, resonating within Marcus’s chest. "I know what you are... who you are. You are… unique. We are quite similar. I remain trapped in this shell, locked inside the dark recesses of the Great Spirit Robot’s core, just as Delta does with you. And because of this, I wish to ask… a favor of you."
The words sank into Marcus's bones like an infection, unsettling and foreign. His mouth went dry, and his pulse raced with the weight of the creature’s knowledge.
"A “favor”? Let me guess, you want me to release you?" Marcus said, his voice shaking. It wasn’t a question, but a statement of defiance, even if he didn’t fully understand what was happening.
Tren Krom seemed to regard him with something akin to amusement, its mouth twisting into a slow chuckle.
"Ha… ha… ha. No. You need not release me… little wanderer." The creature’s voice grew quiet, almost soothing in its tone. "What I ask of you… is much more important."
There was a pause, thick with tension, as the creature shifted, its massive body squirming against the chains that held it captive.
"I appear before you. Tell you… who I am. My… birrrth. My… LEGACY of rust. I come to you because… the Great Beings... they must all be… ANNIHILATED."
The words were a slow, poisonous hiss, drawing Marcus in with their undeniable weight.
"They are the architects of this world. The ones who created this… Matoran Universe." Tren Krom’s many eyes narrowed, each one seeming to burn with ancient fury. "But, they are also the architects… of death. Their intellect... unmatched. Their ambition... limitless. They are dangerous, little wanderer. Far too dangerous… to let… live."
Marcus stood frozen, unable to fully comprehend what Tren Krom was saying. The Great Beings—they were responsible for everything. This entire war had been crafted by their hands. And yet, this creature, this prototype of Mata Nui, spoke of them as a threat. A danger to existence itself.
"I ask only this… of you," Tren Krom continued, "You must… find them. You must seek them out… and kill them.”
The creature’s tone turned grave, and Marcus felt a shiver run through him. The weight of the request—the demand—was too much to process.
"For the sake of your world," Tren Krom’s voice rumbled, "for the sake of worlds beyond... they must die."
Marcus felt a wave of confusion crash over him, his mind racing, trying to understand. Why? How could he—just a Matoran—possibly be expected to kill beings of unimaginable power? Why him?
“Why you, indeed…” Tren Krom replied, reading Marcus’s mind. “It is because you are the cosmic catalyst. Your arrival is the herald of the end… of all things.”
He looked up at Tren Krom’s monstrous form, its many eyes locking onto his with a gaze that felt like it could see into the very core of his soul.
"Do you understand, little wanderer?" Tren Krom’s voice echoed once more, thick with venom and power. "Their evil empire must… fall. Starting with… myself."
Marcus’s jaw clenched.
“So you don’t want me to free you.. You want me to kill you?”
The corners of Tren Krom’s many mouths twisted into something resembling a smile, though it was anything but kind.
“You need not kill me, little wanderer. I know I am not long for this world. Soon, I will be murdered by the Great Being known as… Velika. But, I fear… you will not have seen the last of TREN KROM. Be wary, little one. Do not delve into darkness so… hastily. Many great horrors lie in wait. Beware of the terrible power of… TREN KROM. And of all the Great Beings, beware… the black wasp...”
Marcus’s heart pounded in his chest, the weight of everything pressing in on him, suffocating him. He stood there, frozen in the vast, dark cavern, as the eldritch creature’s many eyes glowed with an otherworldly malice. The words Tren Krom had spoken hung in the air, curling into his thoughts, whispering doubts, fear, and a thousand unanswered questions.
His hands clenched, fists trembling with frustration and desperation.
"Who am I?" Marcus asked. "Tell me the truth. You know... don't you?"
The creature's many eyes narrowed, the overwhelming pressure of its gaze filling the cavern. Tren Krom’s voice rumbled like thunder, deep and unsettling.
"Marcus... is… huuumannn."
Suddenly, the darkness around Marcus began to shift and twist as the air vibrated with a strange, oppressive energy. The walls seemed to close in, the sound of his heartbeat growing louder in his ears.
“So how can I get my body back? My memories?!”
Tren Krom’s deep, guttural voice echoed in his mind one last time, the word human still hanging in the air like a final, damning truth.
“You will see… in time…”
Marcus’s vision immediately slipped back into the void, his mind no longer able to hold onto the reality around him. As his body fell into the abyss, the questions—who he was, what he had been, and what his future truly held—remained unanswered, a riddle with no solution. But at that moment, the only thing he knew for certain was that his journey had just begun, and the answers, whatever they might be, were waiting on the other side.
* * *
As Marcus’s senses slowly returned, the chaos of the battlefield still echoed faintly in his ears. The smell of smoke and scorched earth hung in the air, and the sharp sound of metal against metal faded into distant echoes. He blinked, his vision adjusting to the world around him, but something felt different.
His body, once battered and bruised, was now enveloped in the radiant golden armor. It was as if the armor itself had become part of him, covering nearly every inch of his metal skin, glowing with a powerful energy that thrummed through his veins. He marveled at the gleaming golden surface, the jagged edges of his broadsword pulsing with an inner fire. He could feel the power coursing through him—the full weight of the armor, the knowledge, the responsibility.
A sudden weight lifted from his chest as his surroundings came into focus. His eyes scanned the battlefield, and he noticed Latias and the others in the distance, their figures drawing closer.
Latias’s eyes widened when she saw him, and before Marcus could even fully comprehend what was happening, she shot into the air. With an unrestrained cry of joy, she soared toward him.
“Marcus!” she cried, her voice filled with relief and elation.
Without thinking, Marcus opened his arms, and with a joyful cry, she wrapped her arms around him, lifting him off the ground as her wings flared wide.
“Latias…” Marcus whispered, his voice trembling with unspoken affection.
Latias held him tighter, her wings keeping them suspended in the air as she nuzzled his cheek with a soft, relieved sigh. “I knew you could do it,” she said, her voice a soothing balm to his weary soul. “You’re incredible. The armor… you've done it.”
“We’ve done it.”
Cobalt, Jaclyn, and the Toa watched in awe as they witnessed the transformation. There was no more doubt in anyone’s mind. Marcus had become something greater, now something more than just a Matoran.
The cheers from their side of the battlefield grew louder as the final moments of the battle began to fade into memory. Latias slowly lowered him back to the ground, her arms still wrapped around him in a tight embrace. She pulled back slightly, her wings folding in as she gazed down at him with eyes full of pride.
The others gathered around them, each of them giving Marcus a look of awe and respect. Even the Toa each gave Marcus a fist-bump of congratulations, now regarding him with newfound respect.
“Marcus,” Takanuva spoke, his voice steady but filled with deep admiration. “You’ve more than earned your place among us. You’re more than just a Matoran now. You’ve become a true hero. You, and your friends should be commended.”
Cobalt and Jaclyn exchanged a glance, their expressions equally full of pride.
“Thank you, but we wouldn’t have survived without you,” Cobalt added.
“A lesson in the strength of unity,” Gali chimed in. “But even so, your efforts against the Skrall were no small feat. And Marcus…”
Gali paused as she looked to the dazed Toa of Fire on the ground with a hint of sorrow in her eyes.
“...Thank you for putting my brother in his place.”
Marcus’s heart swelled with pride, but he couldn’t help but glance up at the sky, where the golden armor gleamed under the fading light of the battle. His victory, though hard-earned, was just the beginning. There was still so much to discover, so much to understand about who he was and what his destiny would be.
But for now, surrounded by friends, allies, and the promise of a brighter future, Marcus allowed himself a rare moment of peace. He was… “human”. It was only a small step, but it was a step closer to the truth, and that was a truth he would carry with him, no matter where the roads ahead would take him.
Latias blushed as she leaned in, her soft voice brushing against his ear.
“Marcus… I-I…”
Suddenly, a wave of heat swept through the air, causing everyone to freeze in place. The temperature shot up, intense and unbearable, like the heat of a sun pressing down on them all at once.
Marcus, Latias, and the others looked toward Tahu, who had risen slowly from the ground, his body shimmering with an unnatural blinding light. His armor flickered with a fiery red light, the very air around him warping from the blinding heat emanating from his form. His eyes blazed with fury, burning with hatred that had been stoked by every word and every blow exchanged in their battle.
"No... it can't be..." Takanuva murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.
“Takanuva?” Latias asked warily.
“He… he’s going to use… a Nova Blast…” The Toa of Light stammered. "TAHU, STOP!"
But Tahu was beyond reason. His anger, his delusion, and his jealousy had driven him past the point of no return. The once noble Toa, the warrior who had fought to protect his people, now stood on the edge of destruction, consumed by rage and pride.
Tahu's body began to glow with the intensity of a star, preparing to unleash the Nova Blast that could obliterate everything in its path. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the temperature soared to unbearable levels. Marcus, Latias, and the others watched in dread, knowing that if Tahu succeeded, they would all be consumed in nuclear hellfire.
Tahu’s eyes burned with rage, and his voice crackled with spite. “You think you’ve won? You think you can stop me? I’ll show you what a Toa is capable of!”
With one final, deafening roar, Tahu began to channel his power, his body becoming a furnace of molten fury. The Nova Blast gathered in his chest, crackling and sizzling with destructive energy. It was almost ready to unleash.
But before Tahu could release the devastating attack, a blinding flash of light pierced through the chaos.
Takanuva, the Toa of Light, stepped forward. His eyes glowed brightly, his form radiating the same blinding brilliance as the sun. He raised his hands, and in an instant, the light from his body surged forward, striking Tahu directly in the chest.
Tahu staggered back, his body flinching as the beam seared through his defenses with a light was sharp and pure. His body trembled, the intense heat from his Nova Blast flickering and struggling against the overwhelming light energy that poured into him.
"You’re not the only one with power, Tahu!" Takanuva shouted, his voice unwavering. The light intensified, creating a dazzling aura that illuminated the land.
Tahu roared in pain and frustration as his sister Gali followed suit. She raised her arms high, and a torrent of water surged forward, crashing into Tahu and quenching the fiery heat surrounding him. The water twisted and swirled around him, pushing him back further as the combined powers of the Toa Mahri then came into play.
The combined might of the Toa pushed Tahu to his absolute limits. The combined force was too much. His energy began to waver, his control slipping as the power of the Nova Blast was scattered by the Toa’s overwhelming elemental harmony.
“Stand down, Tahu!” Takanuva shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "This isn't the way of a Toa! It’s over!"
Tahu’s body was battered by the combined forces of the Toa Mahri. The heat and the fire that had once surrounded him began to dissipate, the power fading. The Nova Blast’s energy was still in his chest, but now it was unstable, flickering erratically in the face of the combined elemental fury.
With one final surge of power, Gali and the others pushed forward, overwhelming Tahu with their elemental might. Tahu's body jerked, and the force of the attack sent him flying backward, crashing to the ground in a heap. The red mask on his face flickered before cracking in several places, and with one last, defeated gasp, Tahu fell unconscious, his body still glowing faintly with the remnants of the power he had almost unleashed.
The battlefield fell silent.
Marcus, Latias, Cobalt, and Jaclyn watched in stunned silence as the once-mighty Toa of Fire lay motionless on the ground. The unity of the Toa had stopped him just in time.
Takanuva finally lowered his hands, his light slowly fading as he stood tall, breathing heavily.
“It’s… over,” he said softly, his voice filled with both relief and sadness.
Gali nodded, looking down at the fallen Tahu. “He won’t be a problem anymore.”
The others gathered around, their faces a mix of exhaustion and relief. Marcus approached Takanuva, his golden sword still in hand.
“You saved us,” he said quietly, gratitude in his voice. “Several times, now.”
Takanuva gave a tired smile, giving Marcus a fist-bump. “We saved each other. Together.”
Marcus smiled weakly, but his mind was already racing, thinking about the larger threat ahead. Tahu might have been defeated, but the shadow of something far more sinister still loomed over them all.
“What was happening to Tahu? What is a “Nova Blast”?”
Takanuva, still catching his breath, glanced at Tahu’s fallen form before answering. “It’s a devastating move, one that any Toa can use as a last resort when they have no other options. Powerful enough to completely level an entire city. It’s a desperate act, one only used… when all hope seems lost.”
“When all hope seems lost...” Marcus repeated as the words sank in. He had felt the immense power emanating from Tahu, but he hadn't understood the full extent of it. His mind flashed back to Delta’s words:
"You might actually match up to a Toa at this rate."
Then, Matoro’s words echoed in his mind: "I sense the heart of a Toa… in you."
And for the first time, Marcus believed it.
He turned his eyes to the sky, watching as the moons continued to fall toward the planet. They were officially out of time. If he didn’t act now, everything would be lost. All of this would be for nothing.
Everyone, including his new friends… would die.
Marcus swallowed hard, his decision becoming clear in his mind. He could feel the weight of destiny pressing down on him. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he understood now: this was the only choice. The Toa had failed to prevent this, and he knew the moment had come where he needed to do what no one else could.
He turned to Takanuva, eyes set with resolve.
"The moons… if we don’t stop them now…” He clenched his fists. “...It’ll all be over. For everyone."
Takanuva looked at him, confusion momentarily crossing his features. "Yes, but… what are you saying, Marcus?"
Marcus didn’t answer right away, his gaze returning to the sky. The moons were getting closer, and the end was upon them.
“I know what I need to do. Since we don’t have time to wait for anyone else to make a move… I will.”
Takanuva’s eyes widened in disbelief. “But how? You’re—"
"I’m not a Toa," Marcus cut him off, "but I can stop this. I have to believe I can do… what needs to be done."
Latias, hovering near Marcus, saw the look in his eyes. She fluttered close to him, a worried frown on her face. “But how? You can’t just fight the moons, Marcus...”
Marcus turned to her finally, his expression softening for a moment. “I know, but I have a plan. We’re out of options.”
He could feel Delta’s presence inside him, quiet but understanding of his resolve. The entity’s voice echoed in his mind, offering him guidance.
“Trust in yourself. It’s like Tren Krom said. You are the catalyst. The pieces… are all falling into place.”
Marcus closed his eyes, taking in a steadying breath as the weight of his decision settled in. He turned to face Latias, Cobalt, and Jaclyn. The weight of this duty pressed down on him, but he knew one thing for certain.
“I can’t do this without you,” he said, his voice steady but carrying the weight of something deeper. “I never could’ve done any of this without you.”
Latias, still hovering close, looked at him with concern. “Marcus…”
He met her gaze, seeing the fear in her golden eyes. He knew she could feel it—that terrible pit forming in her stomach, the dread of whatever he was about to ask. He hated putting her through this, but there was no other way.
“Trust me,” he said. “Please.”
Cobalt and Jaclyn exchanged wary glances before nodding.
“Of course,” Cobalt finally said before Jaclyn added, “We’re with you to the very end. ”
Latias, though, hesitated. Not because she didn’t trust him, but because she did. And that terrified her.
“Marcus… what are you planning?”
He swallowed hard, knowing she deserved an answer.
“Stopping the moons before they destroy everything.”
She lowered her head slightly, exhaling a shaky breath.
“If this is the only way…” She met his eyes again, filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite put into words. “Then I’ll be by your side… always and forever.”
Marcus’s chest tightened. He gave her a small, almost regretful smile. “Thank you.”
He turned back toward the sky, the moons growing ever closer. It was time.
Together, they would face whatever came next.
He raised his golden sword high, its jagged edges reflecting the eerie light of the falling moons. He looked back at Takanuva, his voice unwavering. “If this is my destiny… I’m happy to have met you, Takanuva.”
Takanuva hesitated, then nodded grimly.
“And I you, Marcus.”
For the first time, he felt the weight of his purpose as clear as the air he breathed. He wasn’t just some outsider. He was the key. The four of them united together—Latias, Cobalt, and Jaclyn— they all were, united as one.
As the moons’ descent intensified, the very ground beneath them trembled, chunks of earth and debris lifting into the air. The unnatural force tugged at their bodies, their feet slowly leaving the surface as gravity itself turned against them.
Marcus felt the pull deep in his gut. It was the same sensation he had experienced when he first discovered his control over gravity, but this time, it wasn’t his doing.
“We need to go. Now.” His voice cut through the rising winds as he turned to Latias.
Without hesitation, Latias lowered herself, allowing Marcus, Cobalt, and Jaclyn to all climb onto her back. She flexed her wings, adjusting to their combined weight, and let out a small grunt. “You guys are a bit heavier than I expected.”
“Don’t worry, I can help.” Marcus tightened his grip around her neck. Closing his eyes, he focused, his gravity power surging outward and making them feel virtually weightless. He then pointed his finger up to the sky, towards the towering titans above. “Now… head for the taller one’s head.”
Latias blinked in surprise before giving a determined nod. “Alright… hold on tight.”
With a powerful beat of her wings, she launched them upward. The intense gravitational pull of the falling moons, combined with Marcus’s control, sent them soaring faster than ever before. Winds whipped past them as they climbed higher and higher, the desert of Bara Magna shrinking below.
Their destination loomed ahead—the larger of the two colossal machines, the massive mechanical shell of a god.
Makuta.
As they ascended toward its towering form, the weight of what they were about to do settled in. There was no turning back.
The sky churned with streaks of fire and darkness, the two moons now massive in the heavens, their descent unstoppable. The very air trembled with their pull, distorting gravity itself. Latias pushed her wings harder, fighting against the unnatural forces, her breath growing labored.
Higher and higher they soared, but Marcus could feel her energy quickly fading.
"Latias, are you feeling okay?!" he shouted over the roaring winds.
"I'm—hff—I'm trying!" she panted, her wings trembling from exhaustion. The battle against the Skrall had drained her, and now, carrying all three of them, she was reaching her limit.
Marcus clenched his fists. They couldn’t stop now. They were almost there.
Jaclyn, gripping tightly onto Latias’s back, took a deep breath.
“I got this.”
She looked to Marcus and Cobalt. Without waiting for a response, her eyes gleamed with psychic energy. In an instant, Marcus and Cobalt felt their bodies ensnared by an invisible force. Latias gasped in slight relief as her burden lessened.
Jaclyn held on tightly with one hand, the other outstretched toward them, her fingers splayed as she focused. With a surge of Telekinesis, she threw them both higher into the sky. The sheer force sent them rocketing upward, cutting through the thinning atmosphere.
Marcus barely had time to process before he felt his lungs strain; the higher they went, the thinner the air became. The stars stretched out above them, and below, the world burned as destruction loomed.
They were almost there.
The colossal form of the Great Spirit Robot loomed ahead, its vast, godlike structure awaiting them.
This was it.
Jaclyn gritted her teeth, her entire body trembling as she poured every last ounce of energy into her Telekinesis. The psychic aura around Marcus and Cobalt flickered, their ascent slowing as her reserves finally ran dry.
"Damn…" Jaclyn hissed under her breath, gripping Latias tightly as she watched them drift into freefall.
Marcus felt it, too—the moment gravity reclaimed them. His breath came in shallow, ragged gasps. The air was too thin. His body was heavy and sluggish as his vision blurred.
‘C’mon… just a little further…’
Cobalt reached out, his ice-cold fingers barely managing to grasp Marcus’s ankle. With a strained voice, he growled, "Brace yourself!"
Before Marcus could react, a bright blue energy erupted from Cobalt’s palm—a Force Palm unlike any he'd ever unleashed before. The sheer power detonated like a cannon blast against Marcus’s feet, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
Marcus felt the violent impact surge through him as his body rocketed upward, breaking free from the pull of the planet below. The force of the attack made his legs ache, but it didn’t matter. He had to go higher.
Latias’s voice was already distant as the gap between them widened.
"YOU CAN DO IT, MARCUS!"
Marcus clenched his fists as the last echoes of her beautiful voice reverberated through the vastness of the space itself just to reach him.
Marcus clenched his fists, his entire body trembling as he poured everything he had into his Gravity power. The force around him shifted as gravity bent to his will, turning the weight of the planet into his own personal slingshot. He pulled himself higher, faster, defying the very force that sought to drag him back down.
He ignited bursts of plasma from his feet, each pulse giving him an extra jolt of momentum, propelling him faster, higher. His vision blurred—whether from the lack of oxygen or the sheer force of acceleration, he wasn’t sure—but he couldn’t stop.
He wouldn’t stop.
The colossal face of the Great Spirit Robot possessed by Makuta Teridax loomed before him, larger than life, the embodiment of all that sought to crush this world beneath its heel. Marcus could feel the raw, malevolent energy radiating from the red eyes of this dark titan.
He grit his teeth, pulling the golden armor’s power inward, drawing every ounce of energy into his core. The light shimmered through his body, surging like a raging storm, vibrating with an intensity beyond anything he had ever felt before.
A Nova Blast.
Something only a true Toa was capable of.
The golden energy within him burned like a newborn star, growing brighter, hotter, ready to consume everything in its path. As he closed in on Makuta’s massive red eyes, he knew there was no turning back.
As Marcus hurtled toward the face of Makuta, the golden energy within him building to its peak, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Looks like this is it, then," Delta said, his usual sharp tone softened.
"Yeah," Marcus murmured, the sound of wind fading away, as there was no longer any wind to hear.
For a brief moment, everything felt still. It was just the two of them now, sharing a moment at the edge of existence.
"You’ve come a long way," Delta mused. "From some lost soul to… whatever it is you are now."
Marcus let out a dry chuckle. "I don’t even know what I am."
"Does it matter?" Delta asked. "You made your own path, despite everything. Despite me."
Marcus closed his eyes for just a second, feeling the power inside him surging, waiting to be set free. "I wouldn’t have made it without you."
"Heh. You sure about that?"
"Yeah." Marcus's grip on his sword tightened. "You were there when no one else was. When I had nothing, not even my own body. You fought beside me. You kept me going."
A pause. Then, for the first time, Delta sounded almost… at peace.
"You kept me going too, Marcus."
They both knew what this meant. There was no coming back from what Marcus was about to do. And yet, there was no fear. No regret.
Only gratitude.
"Thank you," Delta said.
"Right back at you."
Marcus opened his eyes.
* * *
Makuta’s laughter boomed across the collapsing world, his voice thick with triumph.
"Look at you, brother," he sneered. "Your grand return, your desperate struggle, all for NOTHING. The moons will fall, your people will perish. And you will watch, helpless, as I reshape this universe in my image!"
Mata Nui remained silent as he held shut a fatal wound in his abdomen, his life systems steadily failing. His energy was nearly spent, and his heart was heavy with the weight of utter failure.
Then, just as Makuta raised his arm to deliver the finishing blow, something flickered in his vision. A speck, tiny and insignificant, yet impossibly fast.
Makuta’s eyes widened. It was a mere Matoran of all things, blazing like a meteor right before stopping in front of his pupil.
“WHAT!?” Makuta roared.
And with one final breath, Marcus let it all go.
"...Surprise."
And then, the world became blinding, searing, all-consuming light.
The energy of the golden armor erupted like a supernova, engulfing Makuta’s vision in an unbearable brilliance, burning hotter than the heart of a star.
“AAAGGHHH!”
Makuta howled in agony, his body recoiling as the golden inferno seared his sight. It was as if the very essence of the sun had been detonated at point-blank range, a flash brighter than anything his shadowed soul had ever known.
Staggering back, blinded and disoriented, the self-proclaimed god of the universe reeled. Makuta barely had time to process what was happening before Mata Nui surged forward, using every ounce of his remaining strength.
With a titanic bodyslam, Mata Nui forced Makuta backward, his massive metal frame crashing through the crumbling landscape. The ground quaked beneath the sheer force, fissures splitting open as the dark titan stumbled—right into the path of the oncoming larger moon.
Makuta's vision was still seared white from Marcus’s Nova Blast, but even in his blindness, he felt the overwhelming presence of the celestial body above him. His rage turned to desperation.
"NOOO—!"
A deafening, cosmic CRACK echoed across the world as the moon struck. Makuta's colossal skull crumpled like foil beneath its weight, his true gaseous essence screaming as the pressure of an entire world crushed his existence into oblivion.
And just like that, the great shadow of Makuta Teridax’s reign was no more.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The second moon was still falling.
Mata Nui, his own strength fading fast, turned toward the descending celestial mass. He knew he could not stop it completely—but he could slow it. He reached up with both hands, his metallic fingers pressing into the moon’s crust as it slammed into him with earth-shattering force.
The impact sent shockwaves across the planet, but Mata Nui did not falter. His vast mechanical form groaned under the strain, servos locking, pistons grinding. The weight of an entire world pressed down upon him—but he endured.
For his people.
For the planet.
He became the buffer between the falling moon and the world below, the lone shield preventing absolute annihilation. Dust and debris filled the air, the sky alight with fire. But Mata Nui held firm, refusing to let the last bit of hope slip through his fingers.
And then he, too, fell.
The earth trembled violently as shockwaves rippled across the land, the sky still ablaze with streaks of fire from the descending debris. The sheer force of the collision sent dust clouds billowing into the heavens, blotting out the sun in a haze of golden light and falling embers.
Latias, wings trembling with exhaustion, caught sight of Cobalt’s free-falling form amidst the chaos. With the last of her strength, she surged forward, her body a blur of red and white as she snatched him from the grasp of gravity. Jaclyn, barely conscious from overexerting her psychic abilities, held on tight to Cobalt as Latias fought to keep them aloft.
Cobalt stirred in Jaclyn’s arms, groggy but alive. His heart pounded in his chest as he twisted his head upward, searching desperately for any sign of Marcus.
But there was nothing.
No streak of gold. No fiery aura. Just the empty sky, stretching endlessly beyond the towering remnants of Mata Nui and Makuta’s fallen forms.
Jaclyn looked up as well, her breath shallow, her expression unreadable. Her grip tightened around Latias’s feathers, the wind whistling in her ears as the grim silence of realization sank in.
Latias, her keen eyes scanning every inch of the heavens, felt a deep pit form in her stomach. She knew.
Cobalt swallowed hard, his fists clenching. “Master…”’
Latias said nothing.
There was nothing to say.
Somberly, silently, Latias turned her gaze back to the devastation below. With a heavy heart, she descended, carrying them back to the earth, where the weight of their loss felt even heavier than the fallen titans.
The dust was still settling when Latias gently touched down on the scorched earth. Cobalt and Jaclyn slid off her back, their limbs heavy with exhaustion as gravity returned to normal, but their hearts even heavier with grief.
Before them stood Takanuva, Gali, and the Toa Mahri, all battered and shaken, but alive. The battlefield was now a graveyard of wreckage, the remains of the two fallen robots looming in the distance.
Takanuva took a shaky step forward, his silver armor dulled by soot and sweat as his voice wavered.
“Marcus, did he…”
Latias lowered her head, her little arms folding inwards as she trembled. Cobalt looked away, his jaw clenched, eyes filled with quiet rage at the unfairness of it all. Jaclyn simply closed her eyes and exhaled, long and slow.
Takanuva’s face fell, his hands balling into fists. Gali pressed a hand to her heartlight, her gaze drifting skyward as if searching for some sign, some miracle.
The Toa Mahri exchanged solemn glances.
The little hero who had stood among them, who had fought and bled beside them, was gone.
And although the world had survived, all they could do was mourn.
