Chapter Four

Lesovikk watched as the Visorak floated away on one of their rafts, drifting away into the horizon, until they were lost from sight. He hoped they would never come back, but suspected that they would.

A sudden movement in the sky caught Lesovikk’s attention, but it was only a lone Rahi hawk, a Nivawk by the look of it, swooping around above him. Probably looking for an easy meal, thought Lesovikk as he headed back towards the village, a battleground is always a good spot to find carrion.

The village was in terrible shape. Five huts were destroyed completely, and several more were badly damaged. The outer wall had been broken in two places, and all around lay the carcasses of Visorak.

The Matoran were just now coming back into the village. Lesovikk hadn’t needed to tell them it was safe; they could see that the battle was over.

Some of them were almost too stunned to move. Some were sad that their village had been destroyed, while others were glad it had not been destroyed even more, and some were devastated by the loss of their friend. Aside from the death of one very brave Ta-Matoran, and some minor injuries, the Matoran had escaped relatively unscathed.

When they saw Lesovikk some of them cheered and clapped, whereas others stepped back a few steps, afraid.

Lesovikk stood before the assembled crowd for a few moments and then said, “I am going to check to see if any more of the creatures are still in the hills. Are there any caves on this island?” A few Matoran shook their heads. “Good, I will be back as soon as I can. Stay here and don’t leave the village!”

With that he started walking towards one of the openings in the village wall which led to a gravel path into the hills.

After a while, he stopped to catch his breath. His journey in the hills had so far been uneventful, but tedious. He hadn’t found any more of the creatures, but there was still a lot of ground to cover. The paths in the hills zigzagged and split into many smaller side paths, like some great gravel river.

Lesovikk was just about to set off again when something brushed against his mind. It was barely perceptible, but was there, worming its way into his head. A long time ago Lesovikk might not have noticed, but Jovan had taught him how to push back and try to find the cause of any disturbance. As soon as Lesovikk tried, though, it went away. Puzzled, he looked around for its cause, but saw no living creature except for the same Nivawk circling in the sky.

Lesovikk pondered this for a minute, but stopped as he heard a sound coming from the path behind him, the sound of metal against rock. He quietly took out his Air Sword and listened. The sound came again, closer than before. He braced for an attack, ready to face whatever came.

A snow-white mask popped out from behind a rock.

Lesovikk visibly relaxed as a Ko-Matoran clambered up the path, but his expression remained stern.

“I told you all to stay in the village!” Lesovikk said harshly.

“Well, I thought you might need some help” said the Ko-Matoran as he walked up to Lesovikk.

“I don’t need any help,” said Lesovikk, already starting to walk away. “Go back.”

“But you don’t know this island as well as I do,” said the Ko-Matoran, “I could help you look.”

“You wouldn’t be helping,” Lesovikk replied, turning back to the Matoran, “You would be a liability, slowing me down. What if you got hurt?”

“I wouldn’t get hurt,” the Ko-Matoran responded, “you would be here to protect me. And if you think about it, this job would go quicker if I helped.”

“Fine,” said Lesovikk with a sigh, “you can stick with me, but stay behind me and stay safe.”

The Ko-Matoran nodded his approval, and Lesovikk continued along the path, with the Matoran walking behind him. After a few minutes the Ko-Matoran spoke up again.

“Thank you for saving us, it was quite impressive.”

“You’re welcome,” said Lesovikk.

“What’s your name?” asked the Ko-Matoran.

“Lesovikk.”

“Nice to meet you, Lesovikk, my name is Kualus.”

“Nice to meet you too,” said Lesovikk, and left it at that.

“So, I have to ask,” said Kualus after another minute, “are you a Toa?”

“No,” said Lesovikk quickly.

“Oh. Ok, but you look so much like what a Toa—”

“I’m not,” said Lesovikk, cutting him off.

Kualus felt that it was best to change the subject.

“So, where did you come from?”

“Far away.”

“Are there Matoran where you came from?”

“There once were,” said Lesovikk sadly.

Kualus could sense that this was also a touchy subject, so he shifted the conversation again.

“So, what brought you to the island? Did you know we were in danger?”

“No,” said Lesovikk, “I was just… wandering.” Kualus could tell that this entire conversation was making Lesovikk more downcast, so he stopped talking and just followed behind him. After a little while they came to a spot that overlooked the beach where Lesovikk had first arrived.

“Is that your boat?” Kualus asked, pointing to a small craft on the sand.

“Yes,” said Lesovikk, looking around.

“It’s a bit small.”

Then Lesovikk’s eyes caught sight of another boat on the shoreline of the forest. It was smaller than his boat and was certainly not one of the creatures’ rafts.

“Is that a boat from your village?”

“Oh, no that’s a Ga-Matoran’s boat,” said Kualus. “I forget her name. She came just yesterday. Said her boat had been blown off course by a storm.” Lesovikk looked at the boat while Kualus continued.

“It was actually quite exciting when she came, because she was the first Matoran not from our village we had seen in a very long time.”

“Where did she come from?”

“Some continent to the north of here.”

That’s a long way for a Matoran to row, Lesovikk thought. Kualus then gasped as he realized something.

“When everybody was leaving the village to escape the Rahi, I didn’t see her in the crowd! Do you think she’s ok?”

“What kind of Kanohi was she wearing?” said Lesovikk.

“I think she was wearing a Mahiki.”

“I might have seen her,” said Lesovikk, still looking out at the boat. “In the battle I saw a Ga-Matoran wearing a Mahiki. She had stayed behind in the village. I don’t know what happened to her.”

Then Lesovikk continued walking, with Kualus following behind.

Makuta Gorast, mistress of the Visorak hordes, watched the Toa and Matoran walk along the hill, and thought back to what had happened. The plan had gone relatively well until this Toa had interrupted it. Her disguise as a Ga-Matoran had been perfect. She had been in the best position to observe the Visorak up close. Even her boat she had used as a marker.

Gorast chuckled inside as she remembered her Kanohi mask. She could have picked anything, but a Mahiki just fit so well.

So much of the plan had fallen into place. However, it was clear that the Visorak were too restless, and she believed they would have disobeyed their orders eventually. If so, they would have had to be killed – not that she minded.

But then this Toa of Air had come into the picture. Gorast had suspected that a Toa would be no match for thirty Visorak, but in this case she had been wrong.

She had gotten so caught up in the battle that she had forgotten to leave with the other Matoran, and the Toa had seen her. As she went out of the village a Visorak saw her as well. It dared to attack and paid in full with its life.

Gorast absorbed its body, used its energy to shapeshift into a Nivawk hawk, and flew up to see the battle from the sky. This Toa had defeated the Visorak with skill and ferocity she had not suspected they were capable of.

After watching him head into the hills, she tried to scan his mind, but surprisingly he had noticed, and she had to withdraw. Gorast was not very skilled at reading minds, preferring to get information in other ways, but only the most experienced beings could tell when she did so.

She had, however, learned some information from a conversation between this Toa and the Matoran who walked behind him. They had even talked about her for a bit, but hadn’t guessed at her true form.

Now, however, Gorast thought about her next move. This Lesovikk could pose a problem. He was a very skilled fighter, though certainly not up to her standards, and now he knew about the Visorak. Logic dictated that he should never leave the island alive.

But before she did anything she needed to contact Teridax. Gorast had always respected his ability to take anything that might seem like a setback or a problem, and turn it to his advantage. While she saw Lesovikk as just another being to be killed, Teridax might have a use for him.

As she flew over the island she spotted just the location she needed. It was a small clearing that was hidden from sight behind the spire of rock.

Gorast flew down to the clearing and sat in the center. She closed her eyes and concentrated, reaching out with her mind. Gorast was not a very good telepath, but Destral was not very far away and she knew that Teridax would be there. After what felt like an eternity, she found him.

Teridax, she thought towards him, I have news for you.

Gorast, you were not supposed to contact me for another two days, he replied. Did the test fail?

The test did fail, although it started out well. The Visorak found the island and captured the village efficiently, but within two hours they had gotten quite impatient. They still need work. However, they didn’t kill the Matoran, they didn’t have the chance.

Teridax’s silence urged her to continue.

A Toa intervened. One Toa defeated the group of Visorak and sent the survivors fleeing off the island.

Did you kill the Toa or the Matoran yet?

No.

Who is he?

He is a Toa of air named Lesovikk. Very experienced. He was able to dodge or deflect all of the Rhotuka the Visorak sent at him, and he defeated them in only a few dozen minutes. I tried to scan his mind, but he noticed, and I had to withdraw. I did gain some information, however, from his conversation with a Matoran. He had not known about the Visorak until he arrived.

Gorast waited for a response. After about a minute Teridax answered. Do not kill him or the Matoran yet. Don’t let them leave the island, and keep a close watch. Whenever you feel it would be safe to do so, hunt down the Visorak that survived. I will contact you again soon.

Then he was gone. Gorast cursed as she got up. She didn’t see why they should keep this Toa or the Matoran alive any longer, but knew that Teridax must have a good reason. She would follow her orders.

She flew off to destroy all the boats on the island, and tried to look on the bright side. At least I can still hunt the Visorak.