War of Benevus

War of Benevus is current epic and first part of the Benevus Chronicles.

Prologue
The world Benevus is a million kio away from Spherus Magna. Skrall, Makuta, Toa, Matoran, Agori, Rahi and Vorox are found on Benevus as well as Spherus Magna. It had begun as an experiment twenty billion years ago, to see if they could live together. When they could, the Great Being called "the Shadow" had grown bored with her experiment. She started collating her forces on Benevus, including the entire Skrall and Makuta species and forcing her dominance. But many beings started rebelling and eventually, attacked the Shadow. The massive battle nearly tore apart Benevus, and it took a army to destroy the Shadow and end her reign of horror.

However, her right hand, Xakan, started forming his own organisation in the next five hundred milena. The Axis became a deadly, dark and dangerous force that committed thousands of atrocious acts. No one fought them, in fear of another war. A secret organisation called the Valiance began to investigate these acts, and discovered the true plot of the Axis.

Construction began on a weapon called the Cordak Engine, Cordak being the matoran word for desolation. It was capable of destroying entire islands, wiping out whole species, and even destroy a Great Being powerful as the Shadow. However, an Axis agent found out about the weapon. He was killed for finding out, but had already told Xakan.

A battle was waged. A single battle that lasted almost a year raged between the Axis and the Valiance. By this time, the Valiance was common knowledge. The battle was almost as brutal as the war against the Shadow. Millions died not just from conflict, but disease as well. The leader of the Valiance, Likllen, was not happy with the loss of so many warriors, but she knew if they retreated that the Axis would initiate their final plan, and utterly devastate Benevus and the universe.

On the final day, Xakan came into battle. It was devastating. His unimaginable power felled the some of the greatest Toa, even managing to destroy whole battalions. In a surprising turn of events, the Skrall and Makuta came to the aid of the Valiance, distracting Xakan and giving Likllen the edge to kill the mighty warlord. Legend has it that his body was shattered into a billion pieces, and scattered throughout Benevus.

That was not the end of the battle. The Axis came in stronger and more furious then they had being before, tipping the tables in their favour. The Valiance were forced to use their last resort, the devastating Cordak Engine. Both sides were destroyed, the island of Kattan was annihilated and only a handful survived from the Valiance and the Axis.

The death toll was high up in the millions. A race of warriors, the Terrekins, were wiped out when their island was destroyed, alongside several rare and endangered species of Rahi. There was a great mourning across Benevus and the battle came to be known as the Final Battle of Kattan. Despite their help in the battle, the Skrall and Makuta were still disliked by most.

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In the present day...

The one mistake most seemed to make in front of Makuta Zortan was to assume him to be a brute. His bulky armour seemed to throw people off from his true cunning. Zortan was a planner, a manipulator. It suited him to have a form that tricks his enemies, it only makes them easier to kill. He doesn't believe in challenges, or killing for thrill. A cunning manipulator such as himself needed others to bend to his will. Besides, torturing was much more fun.

Zortans armour was crimson and black, and he wore a Kanohi Jutlin, one he carved himself and was quite proud of. His massive blade was attached to his waist, and swayed as the bulky Makuta walked through corriders, adorned with countless trophies. He came to a massive door with a large lock in the centre. He closed his hand over the lock and infused it with some of his shadow power. The lock clicked, and the doors opened and Zortan coninued through.

The only feature in the room was a large, round table in the centre of the room. Decorated with intricite markings, the centre of the table held a large black stone. It swirled with shadow energy and a image was projecting itself in the stone. It was a Vikkor stone, allowing users to watch events elsewhere and even allows telepathic communication, if need be. It was the last one, all came from a mine in Kattan and they were lost when the island was destroyed.

Several figures stood around the table, and the turned to face Zortan as soon as he walked in. There was the gold and black hunchback known as Mythos, the white and green ex-Toa Zetal, the grey and gunmetal Makuta Vohmaz and the infamous Makuta Zaantak, a black and silver armoured Makuta and conquerer of the Xacov Isles, one of the most dangerous locations in Benevus.

"Ah, my old friends!" hissed Zortan with a half-smile "How good to see you haven't perished at the hands of Toa!"

Mythos, Zetal, Vohmaz and Zaantak were, along with Zortan, the only Axis survivers from the Final Battle of Kattan. Zortan wasn't surprised to see Mythos or Zaantak alive, with Mythos mysterious ghost powers and Zaantak for simply being evil and stubborn. Mythos was a legend among the matoran, a being so powerful to manipulate death and posses people, dead or alive. Zaantak killed for fun, as much as he could. He could be walking with you down a corridor, and the next thing you know, you're on the ground bleeding to death. He was feared among some of the Makuta, as a killer of his own kind. Zortan, Vohmaz and Zaantak were disliked by the other Makuta, so they slaughtered their own kind at Kattan.

"We are ready," hissed Zaantak "To conquer once again, to destroy and annihilate."

"Really?"

"Yes," growled Vohmaz "We can ressurect Xakan, and he can lead us to victory!"

"We don't need him," growled Zortan, starting to boil "I am all we need."

"No," said Zetal, shaking his head "You are nothing compared to Xakan. He was mighty, his power was beyond anything of any Makuta."

"I don't want him back," growled Zaantak, clenching his teeth "But we can take over any time we choose..."

"How do you suggest we ressurect someone who has been dead for hundreds of thousands of years?" asked Zortan.

Vohmaz smiled as he pulled something from behind him. He placed it on the table and Zortan stiffened slightly in suprise. He moved his hand forward and stroked the Kanohi. The Kanohi Dezaleus, Mask of Chaos. The mask of Xakan.

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Spirit City was amazing. What was once an island had been converted into a city, save the beaches. Matoran lived in peace and worked undisturbed. A large portion had been seperated from the rest, which was the factories. Generating lots of smoke and whatnot, the factories had been moved to help the lives of most matoran. Javel was glad.

The Ba-Matoran worked in architecture, drawing up plans for new buildings. He enjoyed this job, and was glad to be away from the industry side of things. He was a great artist, all his friends said so.

He frowned as he was going through his work. He found a carving and brought it close to his face. He dropped it and it shattered. He ran over to his trunk and pulled it open. Grabbing a small dagger, he sheathed it and ran out the door.

The shattered message reads:

XA.. KAN... RE... TURNS.. JAVEL... HELP... AXIS.... R...TURN..G... TOA... COME... FOREST.... O... TORLEM

Javel knows his history. He read about the Axis and Xakan. If they return not just Benevus, but the universe itself could be in jeopardy. According to the message, he had to go to the forest on Torlem. Torlem was usually a peaceful place, a forest, beautiful and tranquil. Jovel had been there on vaction once. Judging from the message, there could be considerable danger.

Javel walked quickly down the street, towards the harbour. He owned his own boat, and Torlem wasn't very far from Spirit City.

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The lime armoured warrior watched as Javel rushed towards the harbour. He finished the first part of his job, to deliever the message. Now for the second part, to protect him. Benevus was in danger, and the warriors superiors wanted only safety for the planet.

He looked up at the sky. One could say he was a hero of justice, like a Toa. But he wasn't. His past ruined that now. The crimes he committed would forever stain his name, his reputation, his life. His former service to the Axis had brought out the monster within him, the rage and the hate.

But now was his chance to redeem himself. After being released from the prison island of Traznalac, a terrible place for some of the greatest criminals, he had been hired by by some beings who claimed they knew Likllen.

Schaavek swallowed, and vanished from the rooftops.