Through My Own Eyes

"What is the point of war?"

- Terin, Through My Own Eyes

Through My Own Eyes is an Epic written by BZPower and C.I.R.C.L.E. member Koji detailing the Metru Nui Civil War from the perspective of a Chronicler's apprentice.

Chapter 1: The Strider

 * What is the point of war? What is the point of this senseless loss of life, this terrible tragedy that has occurred from something so simple as trade arguments? Why must we go to such extremes in life such as this war?


 * In the first weeks, our Turaga, Aldeå, fled from the Coliseum and the island, unable to halt such violence, such conflict, so many deaths. His successor, Turaga Kailen, has been trying to manage, but it is difficult.


 * How could one so peaceful as a Turaga of Water expect to understand what is going on? I may be a Ta-Matoran, but I’m not involved in the actual conflict, unlike my brethren. Yet I still know the hardships and I know that Kailen does as well. I know she’s traveled, met the people affected. I’ve heard others tell me this. But yet she doesn’t know what she can do.


 * Who can blame her? How many would know what to do when the entire government is collapsing? When all of the villages are fighting each other? If only the Ga-Matoran and Ko-Matoran had remained neutral, then some hope would spring forth. But not anymore. Not with them being forced to take sides.


 * I fear that none of us can remain neutral, but I shall as long as I can, as apprentice Chronicler under Kodan. I feel that only the neutral among us can hope to hold out, hold onto the sanctity of life and peace.


 * War spawns no heroes, only casualties. That is what I believe. It seems the Matoran City Council may also believe this, as they are trying to do something with Kailen’s help, but what good can it do? For whatever reason, the fighting continues. People want to fight for their own, senseless reasons. How can those in power hope to stop it all?’
 * ~Terin, Chronicler’s apprentice under Kodan.

Terin looked up from his work to see the frantic Le-Matoran urging him along. By the dying light of the sun, he could barely read his work anymore. He decided it was time to quit, time to move on through Ga-Metru.

“What’s so important, Lesh?” Terin questioned.

“Quick-trouble!” Lesh exclaimed quickly. “Follow haste-quickly!”

Terin shoved his slabs and chisel into his pack and rushed after Lesh through the streets of Ga-Metru as it became dark. The Lightstones came on, but couldn’t provide enough light to understand everything that was happening.

“What’s going on?” Terin questioned more sternly, gripping his companion’s arm.

“There’s a rumor-news going around that a ship called the Strider is returning with weapons from Xia!” Lesh exclaimed quietly, lest anyone hear their conversation nearby.

“Weapons?” Terin questioned.

Lesh nodded. “I saw-spied Po-Matoran earlier! They’re here to destroy the boat and take-steal the weapons!”

“Is it confirmed that they went for weapons?” Terin questioned, “You said it was just a rumor.”

“They want them, if they are weapons,” Lesh guessed.

“Better safe than being slaughtered,” Terin muttered. “Well, let’s go. We have a story to report on this terrible war.”

Lesh grabbed Terin’s shoulder. “You aren’t going to try-attempt to stop it?”

“How can I?” Terin questioned. “I’m a future Chronicler, not a soldier,” he said, moving towards the shore.

The two went silently for the rest of their walk until they reached some boat houses. They crouched behind crates, watching a group of Po-Matoran assemble, armed with basic clubs and crude knives. They were waiting for the boat to return.

Terin moved closer, trying to hear.

“...Usik!” they cheered.

Usik... Terin thought. The member of the Council?

Usik was a Po-Matoran member of the Matoran City Council. Why were they cheering for his name? He was advocating against the war, trying to make his people stop fighting.

Then Terin heard a familiar voice.

“My people, tonight we strike a crippling blow against the enemy forces!” It was Usik’s voice. “We will take their secret cache of weapons and use it against them!”

They all cheered, even though they all knew it. Hearing their leader say it made it all the better for them.

“Why is Usik involved?” Terin muttered softly. “He’s much too smart to go after a rumor like this. Or does he believe it?”

“I don’t know,” Lesh whispered, surprising Terin by how close he was. When Lesh could get the idea of Terin’s look, he replied with, “I wanted to listen-hear.”

They waited silently, watching from behind their crates. They could hear a boat coming into the harbor. They could see a Lightstone or two activating on it, so the Matoran could see what they were doing.

Then the Po-Matoran acted. They rushed the boat as soon as the plank was lowered. They rushed on top, beating Ga-Matoran sailors with their clubs and knifing some of them, tossing them overboard to die.

Terin looked to his side, but couldn’t see Lesh. “Lesh?” he hissed.

Then he saw Lesh running for the boat. Terin cursed and ran after him. He tackled Lesh behind another crate, holding him down. “What do you think you’re doing? Do you want to die?”

“The Le- and Po- are allies!” he hissed. “I can pretend to help-assist, then help-assist the Ga-!”

“It’s too dangerous!” Terin hissed.

“Don’t you want to do something?”

“I do, but...”

“Forget about whatever problems you have, whatever fear you have!” Lesh hissed. “Help me help them!”

Terin knew that Lesh was right. Neither were soldiers or fighters in any capacity, but neither could stand by and watch this happen.

Terin pushed Lesh down. “Stay here,” he whispered, running at the boat. He ran up the plank of it, pushing a Po-Matoran over the side. He wrestled with another one who tried to use his club, striking him in the face, and throwing him over the side as well.

By this point Usik and his men realized that someone was opposing them. They rushed with three men at him. Terin ducked and rolled, using the darkness to hide by the sloped up wall on the deck.

“Forget him!” Usik shouted. “Find the weapons!” He grabbed a Ga-Matoran by the throat, holding his knife out. “Where are the Xian weapons?” he shouted.

“We don’t know what you’re talking about!” she shouted back. “We were never at Xia! We don’t have any weapons! Please, spare us!”

“Give us them!” he shouted, holding the knife, ready to strike., “Last chance!”

She was struggling to break free. She was as good as dead if Terin didn’t do something. Already he could tell that her spirit was broken by him, she wasn’t able to speak anymore, do anything other than meagerly struggle.

Terin picked himself up and jumped. He tackled Usik, knocking all three of them towards the wall. Usik drove his knife up, but wasn’t able to stab Terin in the dark.

Terin had written sometimes at night. It wasn’t good for his eyes, so he didn’t do it often. But his time at night, watching and observing details for his reports and chronicles, gave him superior night vision. He was able to dodge the knife with ease.

Usik kicked Terin off and leapt at him again with the knife. Terin kicked him in the chest, knocking him back. He was no fighter, but he had to try to fight for his life.

He rushed to the Ga-Matoran. “Are you okay?” he questioned.

“Watch out!” she shouted.

He saw a club rising as he glanced back. Then the Matoran went down as Lesh tackled him. Lesh joined Terin saying, “I couldn’t’ let you die, could I?”

“Thanks for the save,” Terin told Lesh. He looked at Usik, but he wasn’t getting up. Terin crouched by him, finding the knife lodged into his chest. He must have bent awkwardly after the kick and stabbed himself.

“You killed Usik!” someone shouted, rushing at Terin.

The Ga-Matoran grabbed Terin and Lesh’s arms and pulled them towards the edge of the boat., “Jump!” she pleaded.

The enemy Po-Matoran were nearing. Ga-Matoran were already escaping, sometimes by the plank, sometimes by jumping and swimming. Terin knew their only chance to escape was the water.

He nodded. “Terin,” he said.

“Lesh,” Lesh said.

“Hallah,” the Ga-Matoran said.

The three leapt into the dark, tumultuous waters. Terin couldn’t tell what was up and what was down. He never did like to swim, but could. Though he never had such heavy items on him when he went in.

He started to slap around in the water, struggling to find which way to go to survive. If he chose wrong, he was going to drown. The pack wasn’t helping.

He decided to just sink, then go the opposite way, but in the darkness, he was too disoriented to know what to do.

Then Hallah grabbed him and pulled him up. Lesh was treading water right next to them. “This way,” Hallah said softly, swimming off ahead.

Lesh and Terin looked to each other, knowing they had a story to report about the corruption of Usik, if they got out alive, that was.

Terin had control of himself now and swam with Lesh, following Hallah south, away from the Strider and the chaos that had ensued that night.

Chapter 2: Battle of Ta-Metru
The trio of Lesh, Hallah, and Terin had made their way south from Ga-Metru, heading towards the safety of Ta-Metru. Terin knew that people there knew him and would give him and his companions safety, despite Lesh being an "enemy", and Hallah being only an "ally", not one of them.

Even allies weren’t treated as much within an area comprised entirely of one type of Matoran.

As they crossed the border into the industrial and hotter Ta-Metru, still in the darkness of the night, they stopped.

“Who are you?” a voice hissed. “Move and die. State your business.”

A sentry.

Sentries were masters of their job. They were cloaked in the darkness of the encircling area. They were positioned strategically, almost always perfectly concealed. The darkness made their jobs easier for them, not that it really mattered. They could always appear and disappear as they pleased in their surroundings.

“My name is Terin,” Terin said softly. “Apprentice Chronicler. These are my companions and friends. We simply seek refuge, and to report an incident with the Po-Matoran forces...”

“Po-Matoran forces?” the sentry questioned. “Tell me, quickly!”

“Are we meant to tell you? Not a superior?” Terin questioned.

“Tell me so I can tell you where to go. Or decide it’s a lie and kill you.”

Terin knew it was no bluff. Even with his night vision being superior to a normal person’s, he couldn’t see anyone. But yet he knew that it would only take him a second to die with a sentry on him.

“The Strider, have you heard of it?” Hallah asked.

“Yes. A supply ship, right?”

“It is,” Hallah replied. “Some Po-Matoran got the idea that we were at Xia with it. I was a sailor on it, and a negotiator for deals, sometimes. They thought we went to Xia for weapons for the war, so they ambushed us when we returned a few hours ago.

“They killed most of the crew, but found nothing, because we weren’t at Xia. They tried to kill me, but these two saved me, and we came here to report the activity, and find safety for some time.”

“Is this true?” the sentry demanded, specifically at Terin.

“Yes. The man in charge is of interest too,” Terin said. “It was Councilor Usik.”

“The Councilor?” the sentry questioned, shocked. “Are you certain?”

“We all heard them chanting his name,” Terin said. “And after, he died...”

“He died?”

“I fought him off to save her life,” Terin said. “When I kicked him, I think he lost his grip on his knife and stabbed himself.”

“He was an enemy all along,” the sentry muttered. “General Teles was right.”

“You guys knew?” Lesh questioned.

“We suspected,” the sentry said, despite Lesh being an "enemy" himself. “You’re no combatant, are you? None of you are. You don’t carry yourselves like soldiers.”

“I’m an apprentice Chronicler, like I already said,” Terin replied. “Lesh here is just my companion. We’re friends. Neither of us are fighters. And we saved Hallah, you know her story.”

The sentry was silent for a moment, then spoke, “I shouldn’t say this... but we suspected that Usik had been an enemy for a while. General Teles can tell you more. He’s in the northernmost closed refinery.”

“Thank you,” Terin said.

“Go,” the sentry said, moving away. They still couldn’t see him, but could hear his departure.

As they moved past, he called to them, “Some Le-Matoran have been in the area fighting! Watch yourselves!”

“Le-Matoran don’t go out of their way to fight...” Lesh muttered.

“That is odd,” Terin said. “Any ideas? Hallah?”

“I haven’t been around enough to know,” she replied. “But...”

“What?”

“We heard rumors of something while we were away. The Le-Matoran purchased some materials for a vehicle, it sounded like. While we were away, we were told we were the second group requesting supplies, but these supplies were different. All we know is that the Le-Matoran purchased things like Protodermis for building.”

“For building what?” Terin questioned.

“Maybe they’re here for some other supplies?” Lesh guessed.

As they moved through, they found the abandoned areas of Ta-Metru. They found the place Teles was to be, and walked in, finding armed guards waiting.

“We were allowed in by the sentry to report on Councilor Usik being an enemy!” Terin called.

A Ta-Matoran with a cloak stood on a balcony, watching them. “Let them up,” he told his guards.

The three Matoran walked up, joining him in his office. He sat on the other side of an old desk, motioning for them to take their seats.

“I just want to get to business. I’m a General, after all, so I’m busy. I don’t have time to remark on a Le-Matoran being here. I can see he’s no problem, though,” Teles said, giving away his personality with those simple words. He hated Lesh, obviously, and wanted to make it known without stating it obviously. Either that, or he just wasn’t comfortable. “Now, the information?”

“Councilor Usik was involved in the Strider incident last night,” Terin said.

“I heard of it,” Teles said, nodding.

“He’s dead, but he was an enemy leader, it looks like,” Terin said.

“Thank you. We figured as much,” Teles replied. “We figured he was a Lieutenant. Now, that’s all I needed to know. Dismissed.”

“Wait!” Lesh snapped. “What about the Le-Matoran attacks? Tell me!”

“You’re a quick one,” Teles said, referring to how fast Lesh spoke. “Fine. I’ll tell you, since they’re your people.”

“I’m neutral,” Lesh hissed.

“Of course you are,” Teles said condescendingly. “Now, the Le-Matoran have launched occasional attacks into our district, the outskirts, mostly. We’ve evacuated civilians and sent some extra sentries out to deal with them. There aren’t many, but they are doing something other than damage.”

“What?” Lesh questioned.

“They stole some molten Protodermis from us,” he said. “A refinery was robbed by them.”

“What could they want that for?” Lesh questioned.

“We don’t know,” Teles replied. “We have to hope it’s not a weapon. We have the material, but no weapon to use it. We have to hope they don’t, either.”


 * War spawns no heroes, only corpses. I believe that these chronicles that I make can help us from repeating these sins in the future. I only hope they can. I’ve seen corrupted leaders fighting already, I’ve seen the levels that some will take to see to it that they can win.


 * By the time you read this, my readers, I’m sure that you’ll know about Councilor Usik. He was a man of rank, supposedly a Lieutenant in the Po-Matoran army. He rallied his men like thugs and attacked harmless Ga-Matoran under the guise of ‘searching for Xian weapons’. He’s dead now.


 * War cannot spawn heroes. Only murderers. Yes, killing for what is right, in some occasions, but not here, not this time. All that happens this time is that people die.
 * ~Terin, Chronicler’s apprentice under Kodan.

Terin looked up from his work when he heard shouts of combat. He rushed away from the small camp that some other Ta-Matoran had made, that he and his companions were using for the time, and rushed to the scene. There he saw three Ta-Matoran soldiers, armed with spears and swords, clashing with five Le-Matoran soldiers, wielding swords.

The Ta-Matoran managed to overcome their counterparts, and then, to Terin’s surprise, robbed the bodies. They stole the weapons and anything of value from the corpses.

“Why do you think they came?” one soldier asked another.

“More failed raid attempts?” the second replied in question.

“Most likely,” the last one said, claiming two of the swords as his own "trophies".

Terin watched them go, and then heard something. He shouted, so the soldiers raced back, expecting more men to be coming to attack them.

There weren’t.

It was a vehicle. Thick, blocky, with levitation Kanoka applied to the bottom to give it a boost. It had a long cannon mounted at the end of it, with a clear space next to it for pilots to see through. The cannon charged with electricity, or something similar. In reality it was a magnetic cannon, using magnetism inside to fire projectiles.

One soldier rushed at it, but a rock fired from the cannon. He hit the ground, a hole punched through his chest.

“We need support!” the one with the two stolen swords screamed back. “Kanoka, now! Anything heavy!”

Another charge, and another rock, punching through a building, bringing it down with a single shot.

Matoran with Kanoka Launchers came, firing whatever they had at it, but nothing could do damage enough to even slow the thing. They had no other heavy weaponry to utilize against such a machine.

“I guess we know what the supplies were for,” Hallah said, joining Terin with Lesh.

“Protodermis for the body, molten for a power source,” Terin said softly.

The tank came closer, charging and getting ready for another attack. Terin looked back, watching Teles walk into the area with a few more soldiers.

Does Teles think they can win with so few?

“Do it,” he said.

One soldier raced forward with a gauntlet on. Each knuckle had spikes. He rolled under the tank and started to slash the disks, trying to disable them, while another threw a bucket of molten Protodermis at the cannon.

Everything was silent for a moment, then it crashed down, and the cannon barrel melted. The tank was stopped, but that didn’t stop the small invasion force that had come with it.

Chapter 3: The Earth crumbles to none!
Western Ta-Metru was occupied by the enemy Le-Matoran forces. When their tank had failed, they had lost about three men, but the tank had killed at least two and caused damage. The Ta-Matoran knew that it was only a matter of time until such a vehicle was built again, but they had no way of knowing where it was manufactured.

Teles met with Terin and his two partners again. He had given them an order. They weren’t soldiers, but he threatened them with execution nonetheless.

“Go to Onu-Metru,” he had said. “I hear that one of my Lieutenants is doing damage to both the Po- and Ko-Matoran at the same time. I want support.”

“You want us to find this leader and get his help in Ta-Metru?” Terin questioned.

“I want him to have his men find out where they manufactured that thing, and destroy the plant,” Teles said. “Now, go!”

They had been walking for one day, avoiding any enemies that they could. They stuck to the lesser traveled paths in the city, taking a long route to Onu-Metru to the west. They could have cut past the Coliseum, but the Le-Matoran occupation stopped that idea. They didn’t want to be anywhere nearby.

“Why do you think they've occupied?” Hallah asked.

“Molten Protodermis,” Terin guessed.

“The people I know in my home-district wouldn’t do something like this!” Lesh shouted. “They aren’t warrior-fighters like this! They may be pilots, but they would never pilot a war vehicle like that!”

“People change,” Terin said. “The voices of their leaders can really get to them, Lesh. They changed because of the people in power.”

“We allied with the Po-Matoran,” Lesh said. “But that doesn’t mean we had to fight! We could not fight!”

“I wish there was no fighting,” Hallah said. “I’m glad the Ga-Matoran aren’t fighting.”

“The Ko-Matoran are, it sounds like from Teles,” Terin said. “He implied that they fought with the Po- against the Onu-Matoran.”

“I hadn’t known them as the fighting type,” Hallah said.

“Can we please stop talking about this?” Lesh asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Terin responded, knowing that Lesh didn’t like to see what was happening to his people. That was another reason they were friends, and after the war began, companions. Neither liked seeing what was happening. But Lesh was really supportive of his people. He hated seeing them have to fight like this. He never knew them as combatants. It was so much different for him to think of them as such. It just tore him up inside.

By the time they had finally reached Onu-Metru, Terin began to ask around for where the man that Teles referred to as the "Lieutenant" was located. Nobody seemed to know what he was talking about.

After searching for many hours, until nightfall, the three finally stopped and rested at a home where the owner was kind enough to let them relax, knowing what their job was. He supported them, wishing to help them.

“I can ask around,” he said. “Sometimes my people won’t tell anyone anything if the person isn’t an Onu-Matoran.”

“Thank you,” Terin said. “We would appreciate it.”

As the three rested in his front room, Hallah finally turned to them. “Do you two plan on traveling together continually through this war?” she questioned.

“We’re friends. We do,” Terin said simply.

“Can... can I join you two?” Hallah said. “Indefinitely?”

“Why?” Terin asked. “I thought you had your own life to get on with.”

“You two are doing better things than I ever did,” she told them. “I was a sailor, and that was about it. You’re reporting the events of the war, trying to prevent more conflict from happening in the future. I respect that. And you saved my life...”

“You saved ours,” Terin said. “Repaid.”

“I know, yet... you two just are doing so much more than I ever was, like I said. I don’t want to leave you two.”

Terin smiled. “Then we won’t stop you from staying. Stay with us as long as you’d like.”

Lesh nodded. “Its good having another person to talk with.”

Terin looked at him. “Do I get boring after a while?” he demanded.

“Yes,” Lesh said simply.

Hallah smiled as she watched the two of them argue. They really were friends. She may have known them for only a few days, but she felt almost as close to them as they felt to each other.

As morning came, the three began their search again. They knew time was going to be of the essence, and were in a hurry to find the Lieutenant they sought.

“We can crush the Po-Matoran devils! The poisonous Le-Matoran! The frozen souls of the Ko-Matoran! My people, rise up with me! We shall rise out from under the thumb of our oppressors! Already we are bordered by two hostile lands, but shall we give up? Shall we surrender? No, we shall not! Why? Because we are strong! We are the foundation for all!”

There was cheering.

The three looked to each other and then ran over, watching an Onu-Matoran standing on a public square giving praise to the other Onu-Matoran, declaring such things as victory, and overcoming the "evil" opposition.

The terms he used would drive the Onu-Matoran on, make them hate their oppressors.

“We may have Surfacers as our companions, as our allies, but we are still beyond them! We are what they stand upon, what they rely on. We reside below, giving our unseen strength. That allows us to win over our enemies on both sides. We may live on the surface, but are we Surfacers?”

The crowd shouted with a unanimous "No!".

“Of course we are not! Because we are beings of the earth! Beings of the land itself! We shall win!” He thrust his fist upward. “Whenever you see a Po-Matoran, remind them that they play with what we give them. They are not masters of our materials. Whenever you see a Le-Matoran, remind them that they are of the Air because they cannot be of the Earth, that they cannot handle it! And whenever you see a Ko-Matoran, remind them that their solitude in the cold is a failed mockery of our solitude within the strength of the Earth, that the Ice is brittle, but the Earth is not!”

Cheers.

“Who is this guy?” Hallah questioned.

“Whoever he is...” Lesh muttered, clenching his fists.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Terin said, grabbing Lesh’s shoulder. “He’s trying to rally his people against the enemy Le-Matoran, not a neutral like you.”

“Will they believe me?” Lesh questioned. “No! I doubt that!”

The Onu-Matoran walked down from his spot. “Oh, three Surfacers. And one of them is a sky coward.”

“Say that again!” Lesh shouted, trying to break free of Terin’s grip, but he couldn’t.

“We were sent by General Teles,” Terin said quickly. “Do you know who the Lieutenant here is and where we could find him?”

“Kohaku,” he said, introducing himself. “No. I don’t know of the man you seek. But if General Teles is interested, he should come here and find him himself, instead of sending two non-soldiers and an enemy...”

“I’m no enemy! I’m neutral!” Lesh shouted, trying to break free again.

“We’re neutrals, noncombatants,” Terin explained. “All of us.”

“I can be of no help,” Kohaku said. “I’m simply here to rally my people. I’m just a citizen too. I know that we have repelled two enemies before, so I want to keep it going. We are the Earth! We shall not fall! We are strong!” he shouted the last three sentences to his people, rather than to the trio before him. Cheers rose behind.

“How long have you been doing this?” Terin questioned.

“Long enough.” Kohaku answered, walking back up. “Soon, this war shall be at its' end! Our assembly shall rally the souls of our comrades in arms, making them as strong as we are! When they see our challenges, how we fight, they shall rise to our levels in the end, and we shall reign as the victors over the enemy sides! Because no matter what, we are the strongest! We believe not in war for the sake of war, but we believe in honor! We believe in integrity! We believe in justice! And justice will only be dealt when General Toru of the Po-Matoran army is defeated! Then the injustice of starting this war shall be dealt with properly!”

Cheers.

Terin stood and watched, listening. He was starting to identify with Kohaku’s ideals, especially in this last piece that he spoke. He looked to his friends, but Hallah was indifferent while Lesh was still angry, wanting to attack Kohaku.

“He’s advocating that we all rise up and fight,” Hallah said.

“I know that,” Terin said, the neutralist that he was. “But still... I have to agree with what he’s saying. If we all rose up... look at Ta-Metru. Teles hasn’t gotten his men prepared for anything. They were really just sitting there, repelling attacks, doing similar work. They weren’t fighting. Usik may have attacked, may have killed innocents, but he had the right idea... in a way, if they had been combatants he had attacked.”

“Look, what needs to happen, as much as it hurts me to say this, is that we need to fight. Fighting to end fighting. At this stage in the war, even though it’s still early, I don’t think that peace can happen without fighting. We need to continue to fight, to show that we are strong and determined. Only then, instead of sitting back and looking like we are weak, can we hope to get into any negotiations to end this war!” Terin finished.

“Write that and see who agrees with you,” Hallah said. “Lesh, let’s go and keep searching,” She continued, leaving with the Le-Matoran.

Terin stood where he was, half listening to Kohaku, half wanting to go with them. He didn’t know what to do.

He pulled out his slab and began to write what he had just said, his thoughts on the entire thing, and most of all, praise to Kohaku for what he was saying, what he was doing overall. Terin rose and followed, listening to the rest of what Kohaku had to say.

“We shall continue on, we shall not fall! For our allies, the Ta-Matoran, they use their fiery hearts to fight, but are their hearts full of fire? No. They are the district of Fire, but they aren’t of fiery hearts, yet they fight as such. I still say they aren’t of the hearts of fire, but they do come close. But not as close as we, who fight with a passion.”

“The Ga-Matoran try to remain at peace, yet they cannot in these times of war and strife. They try to flow like their Water, trying to keep up with current events and continue on without problem. But as we saw with the Strider, there are problems to be found. Does that mean the Ga-Matoran are powerful allies who have weapons for us? No. It means that the enemy believes them dangerous, when they are of peace, something they have always been.”

“Finally, we are the Earth. The Earth crumbles to none! We are the ones with the hearts of fire, the ones to use the flow to help us fight with diversions! We rely on our allies, yes, but we are the superior people! Even unto the end, the Earth shall not fall!”

Chapter 4: The Submerged
Traveling south from Onu-Metru, the group arrived near the border with Ko-Metru. It was obvious that things were tense, with the barriers erected and the Onu-Matoran guards watching, waiting, while Ko-Matoran no doubt watched from their towers.

“This is ridiculous.” Hallah said.

“That they go to such lengths to keep each other out?” Terin asked.

She shook her head, “No, that it’s just a standstill like this. Either side could arguably attack, but neither are, yet Kohaku back there talked so much about combat…”

“It is odd.” Terin agreed, deciding to cut her off instead of letting her finish. They wanted to remain silent around the guards, in case something happened, something wrong was said, or something of the like.

The three moved along the border, asking the guards as they went, looking for the Lieutenant in their ranks. They replied that they didn’t know what the trio was talking about.

“I think-believe they’re hiding something.” Lesh said.

“I have to agree.” Hallah said.

“We need to find out what it is.” Terin said, “It obviously has to do with the Lieutenant.”

As they continued to move, it soon became darker and darker. They asked the guards more questions, even using Teles’s name, but got nowhere.

Finally they were forced to stop for the night. They stayed together under an abandoned structure that probably wasn’t the safest. It was the only thing they could find, though, and nobody was offering to take them in again.

In the middle of the night it happened. Terin awoke to find himself surrounded. He saw the others waking, but they couldn’t do anything with their night vision being normal. Terin knew that they had no hope. As soon as one of the figures saw that he was awake, and could see that Terin was moving, looking, implying sight, he leveled a blade at Terin.

“Stay still if you want to live.” A voice hissed harshly.

Terin remained still as the others were ordered to do the same as they rose. They sat, looking around, but not being able to tell anything about what was happening.

“Who are you three?” The figure who had Terin by his blade demanded, “We heard that you were looking for the Lieutenant. Why?”

“We were sent by General Teles.” Terin said simply, “He told us to find the Lieutenant and get an update, and learn what he was doing so successfully. Ta-Metru has been attacked and partially invaded by the Le-Matoran. He wants information about how best to fight them off with the tactics being used here.”

“Are you sure we can trust that?” The guard asked another man.

That man nodded, “I’ll believe them. What is your name?”

“Terin, apprentice Chronicler under Kodan.” Terin said.

“A Chronicler, eh? That’s great!”

“Apprentice.” Terin corrected, but the man didn’t seem to notice nor care.

“I’m the Lieutenant that Teles seeks.” The man said, not using Teles’s rank for some reason, “Lieutenant Allun.”

“Lieutenant, we’ve been searching for some time now. Why don’t your men know where you are? Or why don’t they tell us?” Terin asked.

“Because I don’t have the actual rank of Lieutenant.” Allun replied, “You see, Teles gave me the title as honorary only. Just so I could have men under my command.”

“Why would he do that?” Terin asked.

“Because I’m effective at what I do.” Allun replied.

“What is it that you do?” Hallah asked, getting in on the conversation.

He smiled, but only the Onu-Matoran and Terin could see it.

“Killing enemies.”

“You were made Lieutenant just because you’re good at killing?” Hallah questioned, “Then any soldier with a high body count should be in control!”

“Quick-watch your mouth!” Lesh breathed, not liking the blade point in his face.

“You don’t understand.” Allun replied, “But I guess that’s a Surfacer for you.”

“What did you call me?” She demanded.

“You listen to Kohaku?” Terin asked.

“He helps to motivate the guards and soldiers, as well as my group.” Allun replied, “Every one of my men are to listen to him when they can.”

“What does that mean? Who are your men?” Terin asked.

“We’re the Submerged.” Allun replied, “That’s what we call ourselves. What we do is not direct warfare, but rather, stealth warfare and tactics, guerrilla.”

“So, is that how you’re surviving with two enemies at your borders?” Terin asked.

He nodded, “My men are the best. We find out about plans based on spying into the enemy territory, move our men up there, and wait. We attack first, cause havoc, they think twice about attacking.”

“I don’t see how that works.” Hallah said.

“Come and watch, then.” Allun offered, “The Ko-Matoran are going to attack in the morning. They may have been the last neutrals with the Ga-Matoran, but they still do fight. We’re going to stop them.”

“Are you going now?” Terin asked.

Allun nodded, “The attack is about to begin. That’s why we’re at the border.”

“How many of you are there?” Terin asked.

“Enough.” Allun replied, “Now, are you going to watch and report on the terror that the Onu-Matoran inflict on their enemies?”

“I’ll omit the details of this night, about your Submerged group.”

“I’d be happy if you would. But do give the details of what you see here tonight to Teles. Sounds like he could use them.”

The group moved closer to the border. There were guards on duty, but they passed them easily by using newly constructed tunnels underneath. Allun explained that he had his group work underground, hence their name. They would dig a tunnel in so they could bypass the guards, attack, retreat, fill the tunnel.

The trio moved through the tunnel with Allun and his men. Hallah and Lesh began to develop their night vision along the way, and with Terin, got the number of fifteen. Allun and fourteen other Onu-Matoran.

“Hardly seems enough to me.” Hallah commented.

“It’s enough.” Allun replied back.

As they climbed out, they found themselves coming through into the middle of an alley, out of the way. They climbed up and out, into the dark streets.

Allun was pointing at one of the Knowledge Towers nearby. It was thick, tall, more so than normal on both accounts. It had a few extra points coming off of it, connected to other Knowledge Towers.

“That’s where they’re preparing the attack.” Allun said.

“Are you sure about that?” Hallah asked, skeptical.

“We are sure.” Allun replied, moving towards it with his men. He motioned to them with hand signs, and then moved into the large tower, armed with only a small sword, like most of his men. Some also carried daggers, but that was it. Though one did wear a pack.

He and three other men went into the tower while two men went into each connecting tower. Three men remained outside, one at each extra tower, except for the thick one and one other normal tower.

One motioned for the trio to go inside, if they wanted. Terin wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity, so he moved inside.

Immediately he saw downed guards. They had been facing the door, and were on their faces in that direction. No doubt the Onu-Matoran slipped in, unseen in the darkness, even with the guards watching doors. Based on the wounds, they slit the guards throats from behind.

Terin kept running up, finding similar deaths. No Onu-Matoran, though. Along the way he saw weapon caches, open and exposed. Tablets and anything else that could help in the long run for anything, even knowledge, was being destroyed.

Using a scope, he checked the tower across from him. The same thing was going on there. He looked back through the darkness, watching Allun and his men descend.

“We’re out of here.” He said, rushing out.

“What happened up there?” Terin asked, running with him.

“We snuck in, killed every guard. They had some soldiers in here, waiting, sleeping in shifts. Of all three villages. We killed them in their sleep, destroyed everything we could, and exposed their weapon caches, using explosives over the top.”

“For what purpose?” Terin asked.

As they all got out, the men waiting outside began to get to work. They were setting up rounded objects around the bases. After everyone escaped, the pack was emptied, putting explosives everywhere.

“We’re detonating it.” Allun said, “We normally attack, defeat a sleeping or standing army waiting to attack by using the darkness to hide and kill, as you saw inside, and do some damage with explosives and fire. As they try to control the destruction, we slip out and escape back to Onu-Metru.

“They are too disorganized to attack again. They need to control their losses, their damages, and get their men fighting ready again. Their morale is low. If they ever get another chance to attack, we repeat, using explosives and fire again and again.

“They never see us. We kill in the darkness of night. That is who we are. We use our surroundings to our advantage. We don’t stay, try to press any advantages. If we get into direct combat, we use short weapons, usually two. One to parry, one to stab. We don’t worry about killing, but wounding. A wounded soldier heals and is discouraged, most likely. A dead one can’t bring down his company with his own loss of morale.

“Tell that to Teles. Tell him about how we use guerrilla tactics, about wounding, rather than killing. Tell him everything I’ve just said. Then start to spread the fear of the Onu-Matoran forces as you travel, Chronicler.”

“Allun, is there anything more to say?” Terin asked, carving down the details on his slab.

“No, that’s it.” He replied, “Now we have to go. We’re blowing the fortress.”

The fifteen men and Terin, Hallah and Lesh ran from the fortress that had been made out of Knowledge Towers. They fled back into their tunnel as one of the Onu-Matoran lit a torch. He threw the torch towards the towers and ran.

The flames began to spread on a vine-rope he had left behind, coiled into the explosive. The vine burned, sending the flames closer and closer to the final goal of the explosives.

When the flames reached them, they detonated, bringing the towers crumbling down now that the foundations were destroyed. They crashed into each other, shattering, and falling into the streets, crushing other buildings, doing collateral damage, trying to do the same to the morale of the Ko-Matoran populace in general.

Defeating one’s morale was what the Submerged did best. They weren’t out to simply kill. While they did, and were good at it, that wasn’t the ultimate goal. No, rather destruction of morale, something absolutely needed in combat, was what was attacked and destroyed instead.

This idea, with the idea of guerrilla tactics, was what Teles sought for use in driving the Le-Matoran forces out of Ta-Metru. Maybe it would work and the village would be freed now from the moderate enemy occupation.

Chapter 5: Battle of the Coliseum
After learning what they could from Allun and his Submerged group, the trio moved east towards Ta-Metru. They were going to cut through the Coliseum, trying to save time before it was too late to report.

It had been one month since the war began. Their time in Onu-Metru had been longer than expected. They had difficulties leaving. The Onu-Matoran forces were adamant on keeping them there, expecting such an odd trio to be an enemy. Without Lieutenant Allun there to help them out, they were stuck for some time, before the Onu forces allowed them to leave, deciding the weren’t enemies.

They received news while inside, but not much had changed. The Le-Matoran still occupied western Ta-Metru, no new battles had happened, and Allun had attacked Po-Metru this time, destroying some of the spires in the Sculpture Fields, destroying morale and halting a convoy moving towards Onu-Metru. Of course, nobody knew what had happened, other than the Onu-Matoran were responsible for the attack.

The Ko-Matoran hadn’t yet retaliated or readied themselves for another attack after the loss of so many men and weapons. They were still rebuilding, not a threat at the moment. It was expected they were getting Le-Matoran support from the east, though, so weapons and men might have been smuggled in at the same time. But only time would tell.

As the trio reached the area that the Coliseum encompassed, something was immediately wrong with their surroundings.

“Come out slowly!” A voice shouted.

They could see a Matoran, clad in brown armor, aiming a bowgun at them. The arrow was sharp, ready to kill them in a single shot, no doubt. Why was a Po-Matoran soldier here in the Coliseum, though?

“We’re neutrals!” Terin shouted, “We’re just traveling! Trying to find someplace peaceful to reside while I write about the war for the populace to read! My name is Terin, Chronicler’s apprentice under Kodan!”

“I don’t care who you are!” He shouted. Even at the distance, which required shouting to hear from, his aim would kill any of them instantly. He was a professional killer and soldier, “Surrender and come as prisoners to Po-Metru, now!”

“We can’t afford to lose more time.” Lesh breathed.

“I know.” Terin breathed back.

“Any ideas?” Hallah asked quietly.

“Five seconds!” The Po-Matoran shouted.

“We have to go.” Terin said, putting his hands up and walking towards the Po-Matoran. The other two followed a moment later, surprised by Terin’s surrender.

“That’s right. Come slowly and keep your hands up.” He said.

Terin noticed a small glint. He saw the Po-Matoran fall, and a Ta-Matoran replace him, wielding the bowgun. He had three daggers on his belt. A sentry, that identified him as.

He motioned for them to keep coming for some reason. A rouse? Were there others around, maybe others who couldn’t see the archer, but could see the three?

They continued to move, getting closer to the stadium section of the Coliseum. The borders of the Coliseum were defined as one kio in every direction, then the stadium section of the Coliseum, housing seating and everything needed inside of it for any events that would go on, and then the tower itself.

The archer was standing atop the stadium section, only his upperbody visible. No doubt there were watchers from inside, and this Ta-Matoran soldier had snuck inside to do some damage.

When they reached the entrance to the Coliseum, three Po-Matoran appeared and drew them inside, holding them at the points of their swords. They were moved through a bustling collection of soldiers from Po, Ko and Le-Metru, all of them setting up tents and the like, getting weapons ready, food, and more. It was a siege, it seemed.

“How long until they run out of supplies in there?” A Po-Matoran at a large desk in a large tent questioned as the trio were brought in, apparently with a man of rank leading them.

“By our estimates, the siege should end tomorrow with Turaga Kailen’s surrender.” The man reported.

“Excellent.” He said, “Then we shall have the greatest of all hostages, as well as the Council under our blade. Then my counterpart, Teles, shall lose!”

His counterpart. This had to be Toru, the Po-Matoran General.

The man of rank directed to the three, “These three came from Onu-Metru, we captured them.”

“Excellent. Spies, no doubt.” Toru said.

“Neutrals.” Terin answered, “I’m apprentice Chronicler under Kodan. I’m reporting on the war.”

“I don’t believe that.” Toru said, “Keep them under lock.” He told his man of rank, “Just keep them imprisoned for some time.”

The Po-Matoran nodded and started to lead them away. Terin cast a glance up at the bowman, who was aiming the weapon now at Toru, or trying to, but the tent obscured his vision. If he moved, he would be seen as an enemy. He was using the position of the sun overhead to hide his features. Moving would move him out, the movement in general would be looked to, and he would be discovered.

He had one shot, and he couldn’t use it on Toru, who wasn’t going to leave his tent, where he held his command.

He may have had the quiver from the downed man, but one shot, and he would be seen.

He wrapped something around an arrow and fired it straight up. Some men saw this, and realized something was wrong. He hastily loaded another arrow and fired, killing the man of rank.

“Run!” He screamed at them, loading another arrow and firing at the closest bowman nearby. The body fell down the rows of seating, smashing into an oncoming soldier, taking them both over the side and into the ground of the Coliseum arena.

The man didn’t last long as another arrow was fired, finding its mark in his chest. He slumped down, falling down the seats. Soldiers were moving in on Terin and his group, when cries came from the northern side of the Coliseum, from Ga-Metru’s border.

A force of Ta and Onu-Matoran marched inside, firing whatever Kanoka and other projectile weapons they had. Arrows and disks killed men all over as they struggled to get ready to fight an oncoming force. The Ga-Matoran soon came, but presumably not to fight, but rather to act as medics, based on their lack of weaponry.

The man in charge was General Teles. He was leading his own men into battle. He lowered a sword and shouted, sending men storming into the enemy camp.

Terin grabbed his companions by the arms and pulled them, rushing towards a small room built into the arena. They rushed inside, finding three men sitting there, sharpening weapons. Before they could attack, Terin and Lesh tackled them, getting the third between them.

“Hallah, do something!” Terin shouted as one went for a blade.

She grabbed the stones they were sharpening with and smashed the fist sized rocks into the three heads, taking them down. They were unconscious, but down.

“Good, thanks.” Terin said.

“Faster-haste next time, thanks.” Lesh said, dragging the bodies out. The three ducked down inside the small, dark room, watching outside. Terin took down everything.

Teles and his men stormed straight through the ranks of Toru’s army. They cut down at their sides, just creating a wedge. Soon it became apparent that the Ta-Matoran sentries were more numerous than thought, as more appeared up in the higher rows, taking bowguns from the watchers up there. They turned the weapons on the Po, Le and Ko-Matoran, picking off first the ranged fighters they saw, then the men of rank.

Teles remained well back, watching. He had two swords on him, but didn’t attack yet. Nobody got close enough to him, despite their best tries. He had a royal guard of Ta and Onu-Matoran around him. They cut down anyone nearby.

From the wedge came offshoots. Men flooded out from the bulk of the wedge, rushing into the flanks of the enemy army. The Le-Matoran tried to bring small vehicles in, but the archers were quick to shoot the small, fast vehicles, disabling them with their arrows piercing vital systems.

The Onu-Matoran and Ta-Matoran began to throw small rounded objects into the area. When they landed, smoke rose up. The smoke was usually directed into the areas with more Onu-Matoran, who could fight better than their comrades in the hazy environment.

Flames were produced everywhere from torches being thrown. Men burned alive, the supplies began to burn. Tents, crates of supplies, everything burned.

Toru stood with his own royal guard protecting him. He shouted some last orders and fled, allowing his men to cut him a path to the south, to Le-Metru.

“Should we try to stop him?” Terin questioned, more to himself than anyone else.

“We aren’t soldiers.” Hallah said.

“You’ve said it before.” Lesh agreed, “It isn’t our place-job to do that.”

“But things could be ended if we could stop him.” Terin said.

“But we aren’t killers.” Hallah said, “We aren’t fighters. We report what we see.”

“You’re right.” Terin said, looking back to the combat. It was chaos. Corpses were everywhere. Rows of men with spears plunged into rows of men with swords. About half on both sides died. Some swords cut through spears, some spears found their marks.

Throwing spears and javelins were stuck into the ground all over the place. Arrows littered everywhere. Axes were being thrown, some taking soldiers down with blows to the head or chest, cleaving them.

The battle was terrible to watch, but important. The most important even of the war as of yet. The battle for the leader of the island. If Toru’s forces won, then Kailen and the Council would be lost. It was just as Allun had taught Terin, morale was everything.

Without the Turaga and the Council, the morale of the Ta, Onu and Ga-Matoran would be crushed. After all, she was a Turaga of Water, of the Ga-Matoran people. The morale of that village, as well as the entire alliance, would go down.

If Teles and his army won, then Toru would have lost many men, but what else? Nothing, really. That was a slight problem.

As it continued, flames soon came to the stands. The room began to grow hotter as the flames reached their hiding place. The three abandoned the room, rushing away from it as it lit ablaze.

Most of the arena of the Coliseum was ablaze. They were controlled flames, but regardless, many flames were abound.

It was looking like no army would win in the end. The Po, Le and Ko-Matoran began to retreat, just to save numbers. Teles ordered the same, retreating back the way they had come in, from the north.

Then he retreated back into the Coliseum with his men. An explosion rocked the area, sending them flying.

Terin and the others rushed out, watching as another tank moved into position. The Le-Matoran had made another one, no doubt with the supplies in Ta-Metru that they controlled.

It was leveled at the bulk of the army, ready to fire.

Chapter 6: Valley of Despair
“Was this the entire plan of capturing the piece of Ta-Metru?” Terin wondered aloud.

“It looks like it.” Lesh replied, “How could my people do this?”

“They’re not acting like they should be.” Hallah agreed, “The Le-Matoran are some of the best on this island, I have to admit. There’s no way they would make a war vehicle like that. The Po-Matoran influence is strong.”

“This entire island is flawed.” Terin muttered to himself, “One small argument spawns a war. How? How does that ember spark the entire blaze that has overcome this island?”

The cannon fired, sending a rock flying. With the magnetism launcher that the tank used, it would be explosive on impact from the immense force being used.

The army scattered as the rock was fired. They were alive and safe, for the most part. Teles began to shout orders, fleeing west instead, towards Onu-Metru, perhaps looking for safety there.

As soon as they reached the gates, the tank was in position. It aimed, and fired.

A Kanoka Disk was fired, hitting the rock. The rock vanished, then appeared right behind the tank, tearing through it as it continued on.

“A teleportation disk!” Terin laughed, “Low level!”

“It was short range, so it got behind the tank!” Lesh laughed, “Great-genius plan!”

Teles was rallying the rest of his men. They gathered around him, listening as word was passed through the ranks. Terin, Lesh and Hallah got close enough to hear just as Teles was moving out.

“Where are we going?” Terin asked a soldier.

“What are you doing here? You’re a neutral and a Chronicler, aren’t you?” The Onu-Matoran questioned.

“Yeah, well, apprentice, but…I’m here to report what happens. And I was sent on an errand by General Teles a while ago. I need to report in to him.”

“Well, come along, then.” The Onu-Matoran said, “We’re going to hide out for a bit, and hopefully, eliminate Toru.”

“How?” Terin asked.

“Based on information from my people, there’s been a lot of damage in Po-Metru recently, keeping some attacking forces back, leaving some unoccupied borders. If we all went to Onu-Metru, it would be bad. We’re going to hide in Po-Metru for a while.”

“Po-Metru? Really?” Terin asked.

He nodded, “There are enough valleys and the like there for us to hide in. We just move in through the unwatched entrances and hide out for a bit.”

Terin fell back a bit as they left the arena. He looked to his friends, “Sounds like Allun is doing his job well.”

They nodded in agreement. Lesh spoke, “How long are we going to remain-stay with the army?”

“Until we can get Teles the information from Allun.” Terin replied, “Then we can go back to traveling around the war.”

It took a few hours, but they weren’t seen. A large valley was their destination, one that was never used. If all went as planned, the enemy would think they had retreated to their respective villages, not gone and hidden in Po-Metru.

No doubt the enemy army was currently in Le-Metru, and would be returning through the Coliseum to get back to Po-Metru, for the Po-Matoran. But by the time the army was dispersed, not enough men would remain to attack. And besides, a handful of sentries were left behind to ensure the safety of the Coliseum.

The valley was long and tall, wide enough for anything they needed. They started to unpack their supplies, setting up tents and shelters all around. Teles made his command tent close to a small cave in the rock, hoping to use it to store important objects for the time, such as the tablet that Terin was presenting.

“You met with the Lieutenant?” Teles asked.

Terin nodded, “It’s odd, he doesn’t refer to you by rank, you don’t refer to him by name.” Terin told him.

“There’s a reason for that.” Teles replied, “I don’t know who he is.”

“What?”

“I heard about a man there who was holding off attacks on both sides with incredible ease, not even using soldiers. Just men who followed him. No Matoran were ever reported as missing or dead from Onu-Metru, so I figured he never lost anyone.

“He had my greatest respect, and the damage did wonders to the enemy. I sent word down there, and it was announced to all that this unknown man had the honorary rank of ‘Lieutenant’.

“Now, you found him. You have the details. Show me, tell me.”

“Do you want his name?” Terin asked, handing the tablet over.

“Fine.”

“Allun. His group is called the ‘Submerged’. They use guerrilla tactics and fight against their enemy’s morale, not their lives.”

“Explain it.”

“They sneak in in the darkness, then start to kill anyone opposing them. If it’s a fortress or something, they slit their foe’s throats in the dark, destroy anything of use inside, and then leave explosives behind, detonating the place, then escape.

“If a standing army is waiting to attack, or something, they sneak in and cause havoc among the ranks. Fire, explosives, anything like that. They level the area, kill men, destroy buildings. They use two weapons, a short sword or two, or a dagger with the sword. Parry and stab.

“They don’t go for outright combat, you see. They go to wound, not kill, if possible in large situations. They would rather stab and flee so they don’t die by being surrounded, or something. They figure that a healed man will be cautious, but in a bad way for the enemy. They figure that the morale of that one soldier will be down, and bring down more morale, and so on.”

“Good plans.” Teles said, “I’ll begin using such plans to attack the invaders and the Le-Metru border, then.”

“General, how long do you plan on staying here?” Hallah asked.

“The Valley of Despair. That’s what they call this place.” He said, “No one comes here because it’s out of the way, because of the intense heat. I know my Ta-Matoran men can handle the heat, but I fear for the others.

“I fear that they will begin to despair, that they will begin to have other plans. They may desert me and my other men. They may die from heat. I’m hoping the Ga-Matoran can help with things like that.

“We plan to stay here until we find out that General Toru has returned here. Then we plan on attacking in the night and killing him, then we would flee and disperse. That is our only real chance at this point. To cause damage into the chain of command from this valley. If we don’t, we’ve wasted our time and lost lives, no doubt.

“We need to wait, maybe lose some lives, but we have to do it. We have to be patient, be sure of the plans that my men and I have made for the soldiers. The soldiers have to listen, they have to believe in us.”

“How will you do that?” Hallah questioned, “You’ve led them into a deathtrap, essentially.”

“I understand that.” He hissed, “It was a hard choice for me to make. I had no other options, really.”

“You did.” Hallah challenged, “You could have returned to your homes.”

“We’d have lost our morale. We had it going, we had saved the Turaga and Council. We needed to use the morale and carry on.”

“By leading them here?”

“By leading them to the best place we could go to eliminate the enemy, and hoping the morale carries them through.”

“Are you sure that can work?” Terin asked.

Teles glanced to him, “I have a feeling. A feeling is all you need, sometimes.”

“I need to write that down.” Terin mumbled.

“It doesn’t make much sense to me.” Hallah said.

“You’re not a soldier.” Teles said.

“That’s no argument.” She retorted.

He rose and walked out of his tent, looking at his assembled soldiers getting camp ready in the Valley of Despair. The place lived up to the name as a result of all the heat around. It was just depressing standing there, watching these soldiers, fighters, killers in some cases, working hard in the hot valley, making themselves hotter, falling, sometimes not rising.

“How can you put your men through this for the chance, yes, only a chance, at getting the enemy hierarchy?” Hallah demanded.

“They know the risks.” Teles said, “As leader I have to make hard decisions. This is one I chose to make. This is something that needs to be done. If we can strike this blow properly, then the war is over.”

“But these men!” Hallah shouted.

“Yes, but how many will be saved as a result of the fighting being over?” Teles questioned back, “It all adds up. This is the best way, regardless.”

“You can’t decide that.” She said.

“I’m the General. I do decide that. It’s my job.” Teles said, “Now, you can leave whenever you want, just be sure you aren’t seen leaving. Actually, no. Its better that you stay. We can’t risk you three blowing our cover here.”

The three watched the soldiers going about their duties as Teles stood, watching. He saw one man throw his things down and start for one of the ends of the valley, trying to depart.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Teles demanded.

“I’m leaving.” He hissed, “This blasted heat. I may be a Ta-Matoran, I may work in the forges, but this heat, these conditions, this is torture! I don’t care if we have a shot at Toru, I’m leaving!”

“That’s desertion.” Teles threatened.

“Then stop me.” The soldier said, walking away.

One soldier grabbed his shoulder, “No. Reconsider this. Think of what will happen if you leave like this.”

The man was his friend. He looked to his friend, not to Teles, “I’ll stay, for some time. If we don’t get our shot at Toru in one week, then I’m leaving, and I’m taking as many men with me as possible!”

He walked back to set up his tent. His friend went with him.

“We can’t afford to let things get out of hand here.” Teles muttered, returning to his tent with the three in tow, “We need to stop this threat of desertion.”

“You caused it.” Hallah said.

He glared at her, “Silence.” He said. He beckoned a sentry, “I need you to run an errand to Onu-Metru. Bring that great speaker…Kohaku here.” He said, recalling the name, “Get him here to raise the morale of the men. Be quick about it, we haven’t long.”

The sentry bowed and ran out to do the bidding of his General.

Chapter 7: Honor in combat
After the passing of four full days, the sentry finally returned. Terin was never far from Teles, desiring to report on the details later, after the attack was over. Where else could he get such information? This was his best chance to get to see the inner workings of the army.

“I have brought the man, Kohaku, as requested.” The sentry bowed.

“Very good. Has he begun working on a speech to motivate the men?” Teles questioned.

“He wouldn’t say.” The sentry replied.

“Where is he now?” Terin questioned.

“Out among the men.” The sentry said.

“You have a personal interest, Chronicler?” Teles questioned.

“Apprentice.” Terin corrected, hating it when people gave him credit he didn’t have yet, “I met him in Onu-Metru, I loved his speeches. I want to go and talk to him.”

“Get him to work on his speech, if it isn’t done yet.” Teles said, “Or else I’ll need force to keep the men in line. You’ll be on the front lines of my loyalists, where you’re likely to die in the mutiny.”

“You’re threatening me?” Terin questioned.

“You can possibly get through to Kohaku to work, so as far as I see it, I need you for something. If you fail, then you weren’t up to the standards I thought.” Teles said.

“Fine.” Terin said, running out of the tent. The night was cooler, at least, but too much. It was at one extreme or the other. Incredible heat in the day, freezing cold in the night.

There were no fires. Fires would alert the enemy. The men had to put up with the cold.

Terin walked through the crowds, asking around for Kohaku. He saw a larger tent up ahead with lightstones illuminating the inside. He could hear Kohaku’s familiar voice, and then saw Kohaku get thrown out. He saw a Ta-Matoran come after him, sword drawn.

“What did you say about us?” The Ta-Matoran demanded, “What did you call us?”

“Surfacers.” Kohaku replied, rising, “Those who aren’t Onu-Matoran.”

“Are you a supremacist?” The Matoran demanded.

“You could say that.” Kohaku answered.

Why couldn’t he have kept his mouth shut? Terin wanted to know why. But then again, it wasn’t likely that Kohaku knew of the tense situations that were currently filling the camp. He didn’t know much better than to hold his tongue.

Terin ran over, getting between the two, “Kohaku, please, be quiet.”

“What are you doing here?” Kohaku questioned.

“You remember me?” Terin asked.

“Get out of my way!” The soldier shouted, pushing at Terin. Terin managed to hold him back and keep the sword well away from his body.

“If you kill him, you’re dooming this entire operation!” Terin snapped.

“I don’t care at this point! He needs to pay for the things he said.”

“What did you say?” Terin questioned, holding the soldier back.

“I simply said that the Onu-Matoran were the greatest of the fighters in this war, and that the Ta-Matoran were cowards here, hiding away. An Onu-Matoran leader would have kept going and would have made his move by now. Po-Metru would have fallen by this point if an Onu-Matoran was in charge.”

“You had to insult the Ta-Matoran with all these soldiers around?” Terin demanded, pushing the soldier back. As he came forward again, another soldier grabbed him, holding him back for Terin.

“Calm down!” The new soldier snapped, pushing the attacker away, “Go back to your tent! If you kill Kohaku, if you even touch him again, then you’ll have me to deal with!”

The soldier sheathed his weapon and walked away in disgust.

“Thanks for the save.” Terin told the sentry.

“No problem, Terin.”

Terin looked at the man, and then he realized it. This was an old friend.

“Wel!” Terin exclaimed, clasping his old friend’s hand, “I didn’t know you were a soldier, let alone a sentry!”

The sentries were some of the most prestigious men, in terms of civilian eyes. They were the watchers of the Metru, they were the ones who hid in the darkness, making sure enemies couldn’t invade. They were arguably the most skilled, but had the least numbers. The soldiers in the eyes of the army itself were the most prestigious due to the men of rank, while the sentries were looked upon as guards, but the civilians knew better.

After having met Allun, Terin was reminded of the bonds between the Submerged and the sentries. They operated nearly the same way, but the Submerged attacked, instead of watching and defending.

“I never expected to see you in a place like this.” Wel admitted, “How have you been?”

“Still an apprentice.” Terin said, “We’ll have to talk later, though. I need to talk to Kohaku right now.”

Wel nodded, “I’ll let you get to work, then.” He said, walking away.

“Kohaku, General Teles wants to know the progress of your speech.” Terin said, turning to the Onu-Matoran.

“I haven’t started.” Kohaku said.

“What? You had to know about this! You’ve had time! We don’t have long until some men start to desert!”

“An ultimatum, have we?” Kohaku asked, shrugging, “It’s done when it gets done. I can’t meet your deadline. And besides, I’m better at spurring the Onu-Matoran than anything else.”

“Change it for everyone.” Terin said.

“I can’t.” Kohaku said, “But I can try. I was summoned by the General, after all. I’d better try before I lose my head.”

“We can see that some already want to take it.” Terin said, “You had better make it good, or you might be lost in the desertion.”

“I’m sure of it.” Kohaku said, “So I’d better get to work. I need someplace to go and work in silence and peace.”

Terin led him to Teles’s tent. Teles rose, “Kohaku, correct?”

“I am, General.” Kohaku replied, shaking the man’s hand, “I need a quiet place to work for the time being.”

Teles gestured to the small inlet in the rock wall behind him, “By all means.”

Kohaku walked into it, taking a lightstone from the tent. He hung it up, along with two from his own pack. He pulled some things from the tent to make himself comfortable and sat there, pulling a tent flap down to cut himself off from the tent.

“He needs silence.” Terin told Teles, “I’m going.”

Teles nodded to him, saying nothing. Terin walked out among the soldiers, looking around, searching for Hallah and Lesh.

“Terin!”

Lesh was running towards him. He stopped in front of the Ta-Matoran, looking tired and hot.

“Are you ok Lesh?” Terin asked.

“Fine, forget about it.” Lesh said quickly, “Is it true that Kohaku was brought-summoned?”

“He’s here now.” Terin said, “In Teles’s tent.”

“What has he said?”

“He already almost got himself killed.” Terin said, “If that’s what you mean.”

“Do you think it’ll work?” Lesh asked.

“Bringing him here to rally the men’s spirits?” Terin asked.

Lesh nodded, “Do you think he’ll just mad-enrage them, or get them to fight again?”

“I don’t know.” Terin admitted, “It could really go either way. I agree with a lot of what Kohaku says, despite the shots he takes at everyone but the Onu-Matoran, but I’m sure he can change things to make people follow.”

“What if he doesn’t quick-finish in time?” Lesh asked.

“Then I fear he’ll be killed in the desertion by angered Matoran.” Terin said.

As midday on the fated day arrived, the soldiers were getting ready to desert. They had a few hours left before they would go, but they were already expecting it to happen. Word had spread. There weren’t enough loyalists to hold off all of the deserters.

Even with Kohaku present, the Onu-Matoran weren’t fully unified behind his words. A lot of them would still desert, even if it meant being called cowards or something worse by Kohaku in one of his public speeches.

Hallah, Lesh and Terin stood among the soldiers, looking around as they walked towards Teles’s tent. They opened the flap, finding Teles conversing with one of his men of rank. Terin walked right past them, opening the flap, finding Kohaku missing.

“I was hoping you would know where he was.” Teles said.

“I don’t.” Terin said, worried.

“If he left, then I’ll have some of my loyal men track him down and kill him for this.” Teles hissed, “It’ll mean we’ve lost the war!”

“You think that this operation will decide the war?” Hallah questioned.

“If my men leave en masse from enemy territory, they’ll be killed by the enemy forces here. No doubt the borders have their soldiers posted again. They won’t get out easily. And my loyal men might try to stop the desertion, being killed. The entire commotion could bring unwanted attention. We’d lose too many men.”

“You were a fool to come here to begin with.” Hallah muttered.

Teles was about to say something back, and then saw Kohaku walking into the tent, holding a tablet in hand.

“Are you ready?” Teles questioned.

He nodded, “One tablet. It won’t be long, but it should work.”

Teles and Kohaku walked outside, getting the men together. They stood in rank while Teles and Kohaku stood on a small outcropping to rise above everyone else.

“The forces of the Po-Matoran are strong, they are the people of Stone. The Stone is powerful, but the Earth is unbeatable. It is the foundation for all, it cannot be shattered, it cannot be defeated. It quakes and cracks down all opposition.

“The heat of the people of Fire are capable of melting through the forces of the Stone, while the forces of Water can swamp the Stone, causing it to sink.

“I may have a firm belief in the people of Earth, I am one of them. I am no fighter, however, I am a speaker. I am a public figure for those who choose to listen to me. For those who choose to take my words to heart. I am despised by some, loved by others. You are all the same.

“Some love our cause, some hate your cause and want to oppose you. The forces of Stone, Air and Ice want to defeat you, want to shatter your constitution and will. But from where I come from, from Onu-Metru, we are holding off attacks on both sides. Do not fear, gathered soldiers, gathered army, take to heart the lessons that are laid out by your allies.

“I make no claims that I am trying to push the Onu-Matoran forces to the forefront, making them seem the best, but take their lessons to mind. Remember that we are all fighting, not just the Onu-Matoran. Not just the Ta-Matoran. Not just the Ga-Matoran. Alone we can do nothing, we must be allied! We must stand tall if we wish to win.

“Honor in combat! Take it to heart, take the honor of the alliances to heart, and stand tall, stand together, and stand over the field of battle against the enemy forces!”

Characters

 * Aldeå (Mentioned Only)
 * Kailen (Mentioned Only)
 * Kodan (Mentioned Only)
 * Terin
 * Lesh
 * Usik
 * Hallah
 * Teles
 * Kohaku
 * Toru
 * Allun
 * Wel