Toa Kovorix: Ice-Cold Rebellion | Chapter 2: Part 1

Chapter 2

Bratik also took to the chutes and headed for the armory. He liked the feeling of the magnetized protodermis flowing around him and propelling him at high speeds. He hitched a ride on a crate and thought. He thought about Gaaku and Lekk. He wanted to find a toa stone like they had. Being a matoran would have to do for now though. After all, he had everything a warrior could possibly want. He unsheathed his sword and looked at his reflection. In the background, he saw a red glint briefly on one of the support rings.

"I have got to be daydreaming. If my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, that looked like it could be a toa stone" he thought to himself. "That had to be an illusion. I would be crazy to go back."

Still, subconscious curiosity drove him to leave the crate and fight the current, which was nearly futile. Slowly he made his way towards the spot. The magnetized protodermis was not so welcome now.

"I wonder if the others had to do something like...this to get their....toa stones. If its...unhh...even a toa stone!" the Ta-Matoran said. "If it's not...I'm..." 

Suddenly, a large crate hit him square in the face. Bratik, dazed, reached out a hand to steady himself. He found nothing. Bratik hurtled through the chutes and tried to regain control. He reached out again for balance and unexpectedly found himself grasping another matoran's hand. He looked up through hazy vision to see Gami hauling him into her chute speeder. As he recovered his composure, he motioned for Gami to stop and pull out of the chute at the next possible moment. The chute was entirely enclosed at this point, but after a few minutes, Gami slowed down and piloted the craft to the surface of the now open-roofed chute. She then steered over to the side where the chute speeder magnetically attached to the side of the chute, keeping the vehicle immobile. 

"Thanks. Who knows how long I would have been sprawled out in the chutes if it weren't for you. I can't waste another moment though, thanks again" Bratik said rapidly as he ran back the way he came.

"Bye" Gami called out after him, slightly confused.

***

Kovorix finished speaking his instructions to Gaaku and leapt into the chutes again in aqua mode. He headed for the armory where he was sure to find Bratik. As Kovorix arrived at the armory, he reflected on it's construction. The seemingly small building housed about ten sub-level stories of storage rooms, weapons crafter workshops and meeting rooms. The armory was still being constructed when he had returned from his journeys. Still, at that point it was only a hole in the ground a few stories deep. Once it had reached the desired depth, a mold was developed for each floor and molten protodermis was poured into the perfect molds. When the molds were destroyed, what was left was a perfectly geometrical floor with a hall and rows of doors on either side leading to rooms. The walls were perfectly formed because of the mold method and more importantly, was incredibly hard. When it reached the ground level, the armory were developed into a small fort with very defendable walls around the main building. 

Artakha had originally planned on having the armory as a place for the crafters to make weapons and armor for the equipment of the matoran and other Artakhan inhabitants in the case of another invasion, despite the fact that anyone who knew of the island's location had apparently been eliminated. "Apparently" wasn't good enough for Artakha. He would do everything that he could to make sure that another invasion, if ever it came again, would be stopped. Eventually, the Artakhan guard was formed and at one point in every Artakhan Matoran's time on Artakha, they would serve time in the guard. In this way, everyone on the island had become trained warriors and were ready for action if a battle ever came. The Armory was the obvious choice for the headquarters of the Artahkan guard. 

Kovorix descended to the lower levels of the Armory and entered the barracks hall. As he walked down the hall, passing each of the living quarters, he saw one of the thick metal doors open and a small rahi walked out. At first look, the rahi looked like some kind of pet but a closer look revealed that this rahi did not belong. Suddenly, the rahi attacked ferociously and knocked one of the guards down, as he ran straight for Kovorix. Kovorix didn't have time to pull out his blades so he launched a blast of ice at the creature. Without even breaking it's stride, the dog-like rahi launched two energy bolts from its chest. The first one neutralized the ice, shattering it everywhere. The second bolt came through the haze and hit Kovorix straight in the chest plate with massive force. Everything went dark and he collapsed onto the ground sensing shadows of matoran hurriedly move to counter the threat. Then there was nothing.

To be Continued...

The Chronicles of Toa Kovorix: Part 3

[Updated 11-2-09]

Kovorix's receives his adaptive armor but he quickly changes his appearance to the more heavily armored Kotrok (picture) to keep his true identity a secret

Part 3

From the Records of Artahka:

Helryx and I have made the decision to send Kovorix with Helryx into the war against the Zyglak. I have developed my Kanoka disks to perfection and have given a specific disk and instructions for reproduction to a matoran in each of the Metru of Metru Nui by means of other matoran. They have not been warned about the threat of Zyglak, but they will be making many Kanoka, I am sure of it (For my own reasons).

Kovorix will gain a lot of experience in this war, if he survives, which I am sure he is capable of doing. I have been experimenting with Kanoka disks on protosteel and most of their effects do work. I have a new project that I am calling adaptive armor. Right now, I am going to give a prototype to Kovorix that will change his form so he can keep his existence secret. I have also added several Concealment Kanoka to the constitution of the armor, giving Kovorix the option to turn invisible at will, until the disks’ power wears out after substantial use. My elemental power-amplifying frost blades are quite an invention and I will also give those to Kovorix. He will need all of the elemental power he can.

Kovorix came out next morning to be told by Bratik that Helryx was waiting for him on the shore.

“I hope she’s not leaving because I did not do well enough yesterday”

When he got to the shore, Helryx was already in a boat.

“I am leaving the Island, but so are you” Helryx said. “You must visit Artahka right now. He has a few items to give to you.”

Kovorix went to the great hall of Artahka.
”Welcome. The time has come for you to leave the island, but you will return when Helryx chooses. I have a few of my inventions to give to you”

Artahka gave Kovorix concealment adaptive armor, in its prototype form; as well as two frost blades.

“These frost blades will amplify your ice power. This adaptive armor has embedded Concealment Kanoka in your armor. You may turn invisible for a substantial period of time before the disks need to be replaced. This armor not the one you will eventually have, so this version will morph your form into that of another Toa of Ice.” Artahka explained. “I also have noticed your interest in projectile launching weapons when you secretly go out and use some of the blasters that are here. Here is an Artahkan Cordak Blaster. I have used the original design of the blaster and added fragments of Ga-metru and Ko-Metru Regeneration disks into the missiles. This causes the missiles to hone in on your target as well as regenerate inside your blaster, so that you will not easily run out of missiles unless you get trigger happy.”

“Thank you very much Great Artahka” Kovorix replied. “I will use these well”

“One more thing Kovorix” Artahka said. “Your name off this island to anyone that asks is Konvak”

Kovorix and Helryx left the island by mid-afternoon. Helryx was always watching the horizon for Zyglak ships. She hoped to catch a small band of ships on the water so that she could sink their ships with her elemental power.

“We are going into a battle with very powerful beings. The Zyglak are deadly, but is is much easier to kill them as than it is to dodge their attacks.” Helryx instructed. As the ship was drawing close to the first destination, she said “You must now change your form to Konvak”

Kovorix activated his armor and felt it morphing around him. He looked at the water to try and glimpse a reflection of himself, but it was too wavy. He picked up one of his frost blades and, using the slightest fraction of his power, froze a larger amount of water than he expected. He looked at himself and saw that he was truly nothing like what he had looked like before except for his Matatu. He also knew that he would have to get used to the amplification of his power and not use more than what was necessary. It was nearly double the elemental power that he had before.

Helryx’s ship arrived under the cover of dark. She met a dark figure on the shore. Makuta Krika talked to her in hushed tones. Kovorix listened as he exited the ship.

“The Zyglak are all around the island. The island is almost overrun with them. Our Rahkshi and about 30 toa are holding a hill on the eastern shore there are skirmishes that happen often in other places, but so far, the Zyglak have not mounted an attack on the hill. The two Toa of Stone have been building barriers and walls and by now, the hill is heavily fortified.” Krika informed

“Do you have any Toa of Earth?” Helryx asked

“Yes”

“You must have them monitor the ground for signs that the Zyglak will tunnel in.” Helryx instructed.

“Yes that is wise” Krika replied.

 As Kovorix listened, he detected movement in the trees along the shore. Further inspection with the telescopic eye in his mask revealed a horrific-looking creature and many more behind it.

“Those must be Zyglak” Kovorix thought to himself…to be continued

The Chronicles of Toa Kovorix: Part 2

part 2. Be sure to read part 1 first if you haven't
[Updated 11-2-09]
I have updated pictures of Kovorix in his form before he received his adaptive armor from Artahka.


Part 2

From the Records of Artahka:

Kovorix has continued to develop his ice power and his blade handling for a year before a toa has finally come to train him. Helryx has finally organized the Order of Mata Nui and saw it fit to give her time to train Kovorix in the way of a warrior. Kovorix feels honored to train with Helryx. As the first Toa that ever came to be, she is the most experienced, and is one of the wisest. She is also the one who gave him the chance to be a toa by creating a toa stone with her own toa power. Perhaps this was why Helryx decided to train him: she felt responsible for him. Kovorix has been ready for a while. Bratik is a skilled warrior, but in terms of attributes, there is only so much even a highly skilled matoran could teach a Toa. Helryx is far beyond Bratik in her experience as a warrior, her wisdom, and her weapons mastery, So Kovorix will have to step up his efforts to get the full amount of training he can get out of her to become the warrior he is capable of being…

Kovorix could not believe his ears. Helryx, the greatest of all toa, was going to come and train him! He was very excited, but he was still mindful of Bratik. The matoran had taught him far beyond anything he could’ve imagined a matoran could have.

“And I thought I was a great warrior as a matoran” Kovorix remembered saying to himself. Kovorix’s skills had dramatically increased, but his ice power had not increased that much. He knew that would undoubtedly change when Helryx came.

Helryx was definitely having delays getting to the island. Two armies of Zyglak were wreaking havoc on different islands, making their way towards Metru Nui in each battle. Helryx began to send some of the Order of Mata Nui members out to notify other toa and join ranks with them to intercept the Zyglak at the next Island: Stelt. Then she got into a boat and journeyed to Artahka. Kovorix was waiting for her on the shoreline.
”Hello Kovorix, how long have you been waiting?” Helryx asked.

“Not for longer than I needed too” He replied. “I feel honored that you would take your time to come and instruct me”
”Kovorix, you were made to be a warrior. I am honored to pour my time into you so that you can become a great warrior. Your time here on Artahka will end when you are fully needed to fight for Mata Nui. Your existence is secret. Everyone thinks you are dead that has ever heard your name except for the inhabitants of Artahka and me. Not even any other member of the Order of Mata Nui, the order I have founded, knows of your existence. This is one of your greatest advantages and you must keep it that way until the time is right”

Kovorix and Helryx trained for a few days. Helryx taught Kovorix the art of using his elemental powers. Artahka’s power to change the island’s elements was used to create different terrain and different environments for the training. Kovorix’s control over his element increased dramatically, but still, it was slow at the same time.
”It is nearly impossible to gain more control over your element rapidly, so don’t be discouraged” Helryx told Kovorix

“I will not be discouraged any time soon, I have not felt half this control over my element that I have now.

“After this rapid growth in your control that you have gained from the tips I have given you, the going will be slow in your growth in control”

“I understand.” Kovorix replied.

His control over his mask power increased as well. Helryx worked with him to keep concentration for long periods of time.

After a few weeks, Artahka gave Kovorix four Maxilos Robots to train with. The robots were closely watched by one of the Artahkan matoran who had a shutoff switch in case the robots were about to be damaged beyond repair or about to kill Kovorix. Helryx looked on as Kovorix began. Two maxilos robots closed in on Kovorix while the others kept cover for them. Kovorix knew that he could at least freeze two robots, but probably would not be able to use his ice over three or four. Kovorix mainly was dodging the swipes of the black fire swords. Then he parried one slash from one maxilos, and struck the head of the other, The head sparked, but the maxilos was not defeated. The other two maxilos’s came into the battle. Kovorix dodged two vertical arcs from the newcomers’ blades and then flash-froze one of them. He then used his Matatu to slam one of the Maxilos’s into another. While the two were recovering, Kovorix leaped into the air and came down, planting his blades into one of them. The Maxilos was incapacitated and Kovorix focused on the one recovering from his fall. Then Kovorix felt a crushing blow on his back. He turned around, just in time to barely evade another slash from the Maxilos that had not been attacked. Helryx called out, and both of the Maxilos’s froze.

“You must be constantly aware of all of your enemies. Keep your concentration open, and do not focus on just one enemy. You must learn this, for it will save your life many times.”
Kovorix was still in pain, but he grinned and prepared himself. The Maxilos’s were reactivated and they began to advance on the injured Toa. Kovorix was a bit hazy because of the pain, but, he used his Matatu to enhance his jump. He froze the swords of both Maxilos robots. As his ice began to melt off, He landed a devastating blow to the gap in between the armor of one Maxilos, incapacitating it, and then finished freezing the other.

“Good, but you will need more work in your actual combat.” Helryx said. “You can train your blade-handling, mask power, and elemental power, but combat experience is even more valuable. I am processing the options of how I can improve that.”

to be continued....

The Chronicles of Toa Kovorix: Part 1

Here is part 1. The whole story starts off a little slow, but will pick up in pace when the fighting starts. please note that I still need to find a form for Kovorix. The pictures I have of him are after he has been fully upgraded with adaptive armor.

[Updated 11-2-09]

I have updated pictures of Kovorix in his form before he received his adaptive armor from Artahka.

part 2 is coming soon

Part 1

From the records of Artahka:

I have been in communication with Helryx. Since the disbanding of The Hand of Artahka, an order of powerful warriors that were protecting the Matoran Universe, perhaps too harshly, and thus, the order was disbanded. She has been working to create a new, but this time secret order, to take the place of the former. Meanwhile, I have been working on some of my creations. It has come to my attention, that Kanoka disks are quite useful. I have been experimenting with combining these disks. Protodermis is truly amazing in all of its forms. Purified protodermis makes disks with different powers based on the slight changes in the properties of the protodermis. This is revolutionary and I have begun to experiment with its effects on different substances. When I have fully developed the process of making Kanoka, I will secretly release the information to the city of Metru Nui to improve the matoran’s lives.

Helryx will be sending a newly created Toa to me to train here and be a guardian for this island until he has become a great warrior. I do not yet know his name, but Helryx tells me of his diligence and his wisdom as well as his ferocity as a warrior, even as a matoran. She used some of her own toa power to create him. This Toa of ice will receive some of my latest creations: Frost Blades. They will amplify his ice power, but I will not give the weapons to him until he has disciplined his own ice power beyond one of an average toa. What a wonder these toa are. They have courage like no other being in this universe and their power over their elements is much like that of the Element Lords on Spherus Magna. I do not miss Spherus Magna at all. My home here in the Matoran Universe is quite satisfying to me. This new toa though, I will pour knowledge into if he will accept it….

Toa Kovorix stood on the beach of his new home. The Island of Artahka was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of seeing in his home, yet he missed Mazeka.

“That reckless matoran has a warrior’s destiny, I know it” Kovorix thought. It just doesn’t seem right for me to become a toa when he was not chosen to become one at the same time with me. Perhaps one day…”

Kovorix’s thoughts were interrupted when a matoran greeted him.

“Welcome, Toa, to the island of Artahka, where you will be living the rest of your life unless the great Artahka decides otherwise.” The matoran said.

“I am pleased to be here. I consider myself fortunate” Kovorix replied

“Come with me” The matoran instructed.

Kovorix found himself in a great hall. As he was looking around, he heard a fatherly voice speak.

“Welcome. No doubt my personal assistant matoran has told you that this will be your new home until I see it necessary for you to leave. You are to train here and become a great Toa. I trust you will enjoy it. Now, Helryx did not tell me your name.”

Great Artahka, My name is Kovorix and I am honored to be here. Thank you for seeing it fit that I should be here at all.” Kovorix replied

“Again, you are welcome here Kovorix. If there is anything you think is necessary, talk to Bratik, the matoran who greeted you and will be with you often.” Artahka stated. “Your training will begin tomorrow.”

Bratik greeted him as Kovorix walked from his chamber the next morning.

“Come this way Kovorix. Artahka is waiting.”

The long corridor ended at a big door. Kovorix and Bratik walked outside Artahka was waiting for them in a court.

“Here are your weapons.” Artahka gave Kovorix two magnificent onyx colored warblades. “Use them well.” He instructed and then he left.

Bratik explained that Artahka had developed a metal called protosteel, a very strong and very destructive metal when used to strike an object. These blades were cast with protosteel and another prototype metal that in color was black as night. Kovorix had never seen such a magnificent weapon, but then again, everything was magnificent here on Artahka. He liked the feel of the blade quite a bit. At this point, Kovorix had handled many weapons and started to go through different parry and strike drills. Bratik watched him closely and commented on his mistakes and what he was doing.

“Soon you will be trained by a real Toa, though I am not sure when” Bratik explained.

Kovorix kept practicing.

“What is your story?” Kovorix asked after a while

“Well, the short story is that I was once a matoran on Metru Nui and I was in the elite guard before the idea of robotic protectors was instituted. My devotion to excellence brought me to the attention of the Turaga and I was sent here. I have since continued to work on my warrior side as well as intellectual side. I participated in some battles against many rahi and also some skakdi, where I almost lost my life”

“Interesting, I fought many rahi protecting my village, but I know it would have been very dangerous to fight a Skakdi as a matoran.” 

"Bratik is a far more courageous and skilled matoran than I was” Kovorix thought. "I still wonder why I was chosen above others that were far more qualified"

to be continued....