New Pathway To Persecution

[Bepura]

I've decided to start a new epic. I'll try to write a chapter every week.

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 1: Another dawn [/glow]

Indistinct noises outside the room caused the matoran within to wake from his tranquilizing sleep. With his eyes slightly open he surveyed the room blearily. It was still very dim, perhaps only early morning. He opened his eyes fully and drew his attention to the clock next to his bed. The time was 3:65. The matoran hoisted himself wearily out of his bed and sat down at a desk on the other side of the room. He lit a lightstone on the wall then rummaged through some papers lying on the desk – he had an important report to submit. Being a chronicler his livelihood depended on him creating engaging news bulletins for his homeland of Illeo Nui. These days, in the chronicling profession all that mattered was entertainment value. The matoran found this to be bad taste: he much preferred the truth to drivel any day. He looked down at his latest report, reading the first few lines with a grimace across his mask.

Our Toa finds a new hobby

Toa Malati, the well loved toa of our dynamic Illeo Nui has expanded his interests to include ointment. With the use of his elemental power he has been able to create ointments with effects never before observed in the products now on the market. Witnesses to his latest work have gleaned this information on the new breakthough:
“These new ointments of mine have various physically beneficial effects,” said a gleeful Toa Malati yesterday. “They can be used to improve agility, calm pain (better than other products) and even speed the healing of wounds. I can claim this because I have tested them on myself, and many of those tests were painful.”
Renowned merchants Davk and Unepu of Kalakh-Onu have expressed interest in distributing the new poroducts…

He stopped reading. A sarcastic grin formed on his face when he remembered that this article was going to be on the front page of the country’s newspaper.
“Ugh,” he muttered under his breath. “It will be a happy time when I’m able to write about the Toa’s more important exploits. That won’t be happening anytime soon with the paper’s current management.”

A noise very similar to the one that woke him caught his attention. It appeared to be that of calm footsteps. The sounds got louder as the individual outside approached the door.

The matoran turned towards the door to see a sturdy grey and silver matoran standing in the doorway. The newcomer’s Komau shaped mask had a dreamy expression on it, as though he had sleepwalked to the apartment.

“What are you doing here at this time in the morning, Apatuh?” asked the matoran at the desk. Apatuh entered the room slowly, settling on a chair near the door. He spoke, the shadow of a yawn lingering in his voice.

“Well Bepura, I don’t really remember. Whatever it was, it can’t have been that important.”

***

Review.

~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 2: Nuisances[/glow]

Bepura looked back at Apatuh with a confused expression.
“This is truly a rare occurrence.” He said with mock seriousness. “Your memory is usually sharp as a Kikanalo’s horn, but today you haven’t the slightest idea as to why you’re on my doorstep. This is more newsworthy than all the things I’ve been chronicling this past week. Seriously.”
“Yeah, bizarre, isn’t it?” Apatuh said thoughtfully as he gazed upwards in contemplation.
“And you’ve always been the more organised one!” Bepura continued, chuckling. ‘Whenever you’ve a deadline for a building plan for that architecture guild of yours you’ve had it ready right on time. Sometimes you’ve even got a flippin’ floor plan done several weeks before your boss wants it. Whenever we go abroad to see Stahonic you always have your whole load packed before I’ve even so much thought of removing my rucksack from the wardrobe!”
“Well, I do keep a very tight diary.” Apatuh said proudly.
Bepura sat still for a few moments, until an amusing thought crossed his mind. ‘Well, I think I know what’s happening here’ he thought, grinning.
“Apatuh,” he asked. “did you happen to write what you meant to tell me in this diary of yours?”
“Now there’s a thought…” Apatuh replied, sudden realisation evident on his mask. “I guess I didn’t. I didn’t have it with me when I got the message.”
“Well, I have a couple of suggestions.” Bepura said, smirking. “Either you need to carry your diary at all times, or stop being so dependant on it”.
Both matoran burst out laughing. This was a usual occurrence when Apatuh and Bepura were together. After a few minutes their raucous laughter was interrupted by noises from outside. From one of the neighbouring rooms a frustrated curse broke the otherwise silent morning. At the doorway a white mask, shaped like a great Matatu appeared peering into Bepura’s room.
“You woke me up.” The newcomer said wearily.
“Sorry about that Edausti.” Bepura said to him. “We ought to be more quiet when it’s this early”.
“Actually, you’ve done me a favour.” Edausti mumbled sleepily. “You woke me up at a very convenient time. Now I won’t be late for work again!”
“Has Amura been giving you a hard time again?” Apatuh asked, sniggering.
“Yup, she’s mad. More insane than a makuta!” Edausti ranted. She’s been having a labour shortage down at the Zamor plant lately, and she’s gone so far as to pull randoms of the street and force them into the smelting room.”
Eduasti then proceeded to do a feeble imitation of his boss.
“Zamor production is a very demanding industry these days!” he imitated in a cracked falsetto. “The quotas are though the roof and we have to meet them!”
Before anyone could laugh at Edausti Apatuh suddenly sprang to his feet, gaping as though someone had dealt a heavy stroke to his head with a hammer.
“I just remembered the message!” he blurted out. “Toa Voranxon, the Toa of Gravity, hasn’t been able to get in touch with Toa Malati lately, so he told me to give you this message so you could pass it on to him, because you two know each other so well!”
“That’s right.” Bepura said. Only yesterday I was interrogating him about his ointment business. Stirring stuff.”
“Right,” Apatuh continued. “Voranxon wanted you to tell Malati that there have been reports of shadowy individuals lurking near the borders. Apparently those guards at the entrances of our dome have no recollection of letting them in. It’s a most perplexing mystery!”
“Well, we aught to go tell him now.” Said Bepura, picking up his hammer like weapon.
“I better go to work too.” Said Edausti. “Do you mind if you walk there with me? I’m a bit edgy about going out in the open when it’s not light.”
“Sure.” Said Apatuh, walking towards the door. “Just make sure Amura doesn’t try to hire us!”

The three matoran walked onto the path outside. The cold morning air whipped around them as the walked past Edausti’s room. Bepura mentioned to the others to be quiet as they passed the next room.
“Judging by that disgruntled noise we heard earlier I’d say that Siraa doesn’t appreciate the racket we’ve been making” he whispered.
“She’s studying all night again, apparently” Edausti said in a low voice. “I’d be willing to swear that she hasn’t left that room for ten years.”
“Shut up shut up SHUT UP!” yelled Siraa, getting up from her desk and striding angrily toward her door. Bepura, Apatuh and Edausti broke into a run, heading towards the Zamor factory. Siraa stood in her doorway, watching the three boys running minically down the street.
“Idiots” she muttered, cursing under her breath as she walked back to her desk and resumed her work.

Review.

~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 3: Before the morning shift[/glow]

Two onu-matoran walked alongside each other as the sun rose, cutting through the cold morning air. They were walking down the stony road towards a large, factory like structure in the distance. One of them, a black and orange matoran wearing a mask shaped like the kanohi Miru, sat down on the edge of the path, removing the large zamor carrier that was slung over his left shoulder.
“I need to sit down for a moment, Davk” he said to the other, relaxing a bit. “This thing’s Karzahni to carry over long distances”.
He indicated towards the zamor carrier on his left, which now lay against the edge of the pavement.
“The factory’s just over there Unepu” Davk said drowsily, yawning as he pointed at the chimneys down the road. “And don’t criticise the zamor carrier. You made it, after all”.
“I know that” Unepu replied with slight agitation, “I know I made it. I know it’s quite a good piece of equipment, but it’s not as good as I would have it. Over in Scoxia Nui they’ve made some really good models. They’re so much more compact than this bulky thing.”
He prodded the zamor carrier next to him with his elbow. It was a complicated object. A cylindrical object made up most of its bulk, three zamor spheres within it. Above this was a somewhat clumsy lid mechanism. Unepu picked up the carrier, opened the lid, then shut it again, trying with a certain degree of difficulty to close it. Even when it was closed the connection between the cylinder and the lid looked rather loose.
“And they close more easily too” Unepu said, sighing as the lid popped open again with a load squeaking noise. Unepu forced the lid shut, swung the zamor carrier over his shoulder again and rose up off the ground, straining slightly under the device’s weight.
“Well, we should probably head over there now” Davk said wearily. “Amura’s expecting us sort of now-ish”.
As they turned to walk away another matoran came running up from behind them. Both Davk and Unepu turned to face this new arrival. The lens on Davk’s Akaku-shaped mask whirred as he surveyed the newcomer. Unepu’s zamor carrier threatened to spill as he turned around.
The matoran was a po-matoran, his body having hues of brown and goldenrod. His mask, shaped like a noble Rau, wore an expression of restless ecstasy.
“Hello!” he chimed ostentatiously. “Merchants, are you? Perhaps you will like to hear of my journeys!”
“Maybe later” Davk said, turning to leave again.
“We have a delivery to pick up” Unepu explained.
“Perhaps I could be of assistance!” the po-matoran suggested loudly.
“Yeah, perhaps” Davk told him. This guy is already starting to irritate me, he thought bitterly. “What is your name?”
“Nagun”, the matoran said proudly. “Great explorer and expert at almost anything!”
Nagun pulled two twin blades from his back and struck a heroic pose, his orange eyes gleaming with confidence under the rising sun.
Unepu tried but failed to cover up a sigh. Davk looked at him with an awkward expression on his mask, then turned to Nagun.
“I suppose so” he said wistfully. He began to walk towards the factory, Unepu and Nagun quickly following suit.

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~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 4: Welcome to the occupation[/glow]

Edausti opened the factory door slowly, peering into the vast space inside. In the far corner a watch tower like structure stood. This was Amura’s ‘lair’ where she looked out upon the rest of the factory to make sure business was going as planned. Dominating the centre of the factory was a large hot plate, filled with boiling protodermis. It was within this steaming soup that zamor spheres were shaped from the molten glue that made them what they were.
Edausti opened the door a bit more and proceeded to walk onto the factory floor. He immediately saw Amura to the left of the hot plate, talking to a pair of familiar Onu matoran and a rather travel-worn Po matoran.
Amura was not native to the region of Akahli. She was an Olo matoran, a matoran of ‘The Green’. She had come to Illeo nui roughly 2000 years ago to set up her manufacturing business. She was quite successful, now being a major supplier of Zamor spheres for Akahli and many other surrounding regions. She had apparently not noticed that Edausti had entered.
Next to Amura were stacked the product of a week’s labour: a large crate of finished Zamor spheres. Amura stood proudly in front of them, looking very satisfied.
Edausti moved further into the room with Bepura and Apatuh not far behind. Amura finally noticed them, the light blue noble Ruru shaped mask on her face turning to look at them.
“You’re early” she said, surprised.
“Yes” Edausti replied.
“You know Davk and Unepu, don’t you?” Amura said, indicating towards the two Onu matoran on her left. The first was black in hue, with traces of transparent orange in his limbs and shoulders. He wore a black mask like the great Akaku and had laser carver slung over his back. The other, who had black and orange colouration, wore a great Miru shaped mask and carried a curved blade and a zamor launcher. A large zamor carrier was strapped to his back. It looked quite uncomfortable. He recognised both matoran. They were prominent merchants from the enclave of Kalakh Onu, and were usual visitors to the factory, taking finished merchandise away to be sold. The identity of the Po matoran standing with them was a mystery to him.
“Who’s the stranger?” Edausti asked casually, studying the mysterious Po matoran.
“This is Nagun” Davk explained. “We met him on our way here. He says he wants to help with business”.
Nagun smiled enthusiastically, anticipating the tasks that would be thrown at him.
Amura looked past Edausti at Apatuh and Bepura, her expression blank and business like.
“Who have you brought with you?” she asked, examining Apatuh and Bepura. “I think I know who you are. The red one is that Bepura you talk about, your neighbour, right?”
“Right” Edausti said, yawning.
“And the grey guy must be Apatuh” She said as she mentioned towards him. “I’ve heard a lot about you too”.
“Lovely” Apatuh said a little sarcastically.
Amura strolled back towards the crate of zamor spheres.
“Well, our merchant friends will be taking these” she said matter-of-factly. “You need to start the next shipment today. Get to it!”
“Alright” Edausti mumbled, shuffling rather unenthusiastically towards the hot plate.
“If only he had the energy of this bloke” she said to Unepu, mentioning towards Nagun who was on the balls of his feet, poised for action.
“We had better take the zamors now” Unepu said, moving towards the crate. Nagun overtook him, readying himself to lift the crate.
“I’ll be of assistance!” he said, placing his hands under the crate and beginning to lift it.
“Mata nui!” Unepu exclaimed. “Lift with your knees!”
It was too late. Nagun could not lift the crate properly, and as a result it instead tipped on its side. Zamor spheres went everywhere, and all over Davk.
“Bloody fool!” Davk shouted angrily, extracting himself from the pile of spheres that now buried him. Aside from minor injuries for Davk, the once-fresh zamor spheres were now dented and out of shape. Amura grimaced, realising that her shipment was ruined.
“How long was it until you needed to start selling these?” She asked grimly.
“Tomorrow, ideally” said a bruised and frustrated Davk.
“I took a week to make those” Amura moaned. She turned towards Edausti, who was cautiously lowering a misshapen blob of zamor material into the boiling protodermis.
“We need to start conscripting!” she yelled. Edausti muttered indistinctly and walked towards her. Apatuh and Bepura had been quiet for most of this time, but knew what would happen next.
“I’ll start with you” Amura asserted, pointing at the two matoran who were most certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Review.

~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 5: Issues[/glow]

Bepura gingerly lifted a blob of plastic-like material into the giant hot plate. The blob entered the boiling liquid protodermis and begun to expand slightly.
“Now you need to rotate it with these” Edausti instructed, holding up a pair of instruments reminiscent of tweezers. ‘If you do this you’ll make it form into a ball thingy… yeah, that’s it!”
“How long do we have to do this for?” Apatuh asked, making sure he received every one of Edausti’s instructions.
“Five minutes” Edausti replied blankly.
Apatuh’s face fell. Bepura got a moment of amusement from this. Apatuh hated repetitive tasks. Naturally, he was a terrible cook. He never had the patience to stir anything for five minutes.
After five minutes of rotating the lump of protodermis Bepura could understand why Apatuh wore an expression of extreme boredom. Rotating the lump of protodermis was horribly tedious. He looked up at Edausti who was rotating a blob of his own in what could be considered to be a skilful manner. Nagun was also making efficient work, perhaps to make up for his earlier exploits.
“What do I do now?” Bepura asked him as he removed the now spherical piece of protodermis from the broth with a pair of tongs.
“Put it in the cooling pool, and quickly!” Edausti answered hurriedly, lifting his own ‘zamor sphere’ out of the bubbling pool. “If you hold it like that for too long it will go out of shape!”
As he said this Edausti broke into a clumsy run and placed his zamor sphere into a pool of cold protodermis on the left. Bepura and Apatuh hurried to do the same.

Amura looked down on this scene from her tower office, frowning.
“We’ll never have that shipment done in time at this rate” she muttered. She looked over at Unepu and Davk, who were sitting in chairs on the other side of the office.
“What?” Davk asked sharply, looking up and noticing a mad gleam in Amura’s eyes.
“How much do you value your jobs?” she asked them with a wry grin.
“Quite a lot” Unepu stated simply.
“Well,” Amura said, “If you really want to take this shipment, and ensure that your jobs are safe, maybe you should be down there making zamors yourselves.”
Davk had seen this coming.
“I guess we should then” he said blankly, getting up out of the chair and moving towards the door. Unepu quickly followed him.
“Also, could you tell the others to send someone out to ‘recruit’?” Amura asked plainly.
“How many?” Unepu asked, poking his head back around the doorframe.
“Oh… I think one more should do” Amura said without looking at him. She sat down at her desk to do some paperwork, but not before looking out the window again to see the progress downstairs.

Bepura was just about to start his next sphere when Davk and Unepu approached the hot plate. He turned to look at them, placing a misshapen lump of protodermis and a pair of tongs on the factory floor. Edausti strolled over towards the new arrivals.
“Do you have a message from above?” Edausti asked jokingly.
“We do” Unepu said flatly. “We’ve been sent down here to work on the assembly line… and someone apparently needs to go and do some ‘recruiting’”.
Edausti sighed loudly. Amura was always prone to picking strangers off the street when she had a labour shortage. Edausti was always the one who had to instruct the new ‘employees’ on the zamor creation process, something he found tiresome.
“I’ll go” he said with a twinge of pessimism. “I’ll need some help though. Recruits often need convincing”.
“I wonder why?” Apatuh asked sarcastically. He was, as Bepura predicted, finding the zamor making process detestable.
“I’ll come” Bepura said quickly. He would take any option that would free him from this oven-like factory.


Bepura and Edausti stood outside the front door of the factory, trying to spot any other matoran that might be nearby in the vivid morning sunlight. After about five minutes of squinting around the deserted street Edausti suddenly stood tall, as though he had been struck in the lower back by a Nui Jaga’s sting.
“I think I have a potential recruit!” he piped up hopefully.
“Where?!” Bepura exclaimed, eager to cease the boring task.
“Not here” Edausti said with a small chuckle. “They’re a little closer to home”.
The two Il matoran began to stroll back up the street that they had ran down in haste only an hour before. On the left side of the road Bepura noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A black toa stood on the kerb, glancing around at his surroundings. This toa was unfamiliar to Bepura. He appeared to be a Toa of Earth. To the best of Bepura’s knowledge, Akahli didn’t have its own Toa of Earth… unless perhaps a matoran from Kalakh Onu, Unepu and Davk’s home, became one. Bepura wasn’t surprised that he wouldn’t have known this, considering the quality of news coverage these days. The Toa wore a black and silver Huna, great mask of Invisibility, and carried a large blade. The Toa finally noticed Bepura and Edausti. He looked intently at them for a moment, and then strolled down the street and into a nearby alley. Bepura walked over to the alley to see where the toa had gone. He looked between the buildings. The alleyway was deserted, save for an upturned rubbish bin and an expired lightstone.
“Coming?” Edausti asked, poking Bepura in the shoulder.
“Yes, of course” Bepura replied, removing the brief distraction from his mind.

Edausti led Bepura into what appeared to be their own street. Bepura suddenly realised who they were disturbing.
“No” he said firmly, beginning to turn away.
“It was the only person I could think of!” Edausti remarked, disappointed that his bright idea had been rejected. Despite this, he moved towards a closed door on their left. There was a sign on the door that read “DO NOT DISTURB” in large, threatening letters.
“She’s not going to like it” Bepura said warningly.
“Amura will fire me if we don’t find someone quickly!” Edausti retorted. He looked at Bepura with a dismayed expression. Bepura sighed.
“Fine then” he muttered. “You’re doing the negotiating though”.

Edausti approached the door. He hesitated for a second, and then knocked cautiously. There was no answer.
“Well, no-one home!” Bepura said, failing to disguise the relief in his voice.
Edausti knocked again, this time more loudly. An exclamation from within the room made him jump back several bios.
“GO AWAYAAAHHHH…”
Bepura approached the door cautiously whilst Edausti lifted himself back to his feet. He pressed his head to the door and heard loud snoring.
“All studied out I think” he said with a sly smile. He opened the door slightly, revealing a dimly lit room. The floor was cluttered with mounds of papers and stone tablets. On the far side of the room was a desk where Siraa was slumped exhaustedly, deeply asleep. He eyes flickered open and she slowly stood up. She started at the sight of the two matoran silhouetted in her doorway, but then narrowed her eyes when she realised who they were.
“Why are you in my house?” she hissed angrily, moving towards the door. Her yellow eyes glinted dangerously and her blue and white armour and gold Kakama shaped masked gleamed harshly in the mid-morning light.
“Uh… we need your skills down at the zamor assembly plant” Edausti said cautiously.
“You make is sound as though I have to obey” she said acidly.
“He’ll lose his job if you don’t help us” Bepura said carefully, keeping his distance.
“Well ,that’s his problem” she said, turning to go back into her room. “I’ve got work to do. I’d appreciate it if you left me alone”.
“What is all this study leading to anyway?” Bepura asked.
“Whatever I want it to” she replied sharply. “Go away!”
“It’s as if you never face the daylight!” Bepura blurted out without considering that Siraa not appreciate what he had just said. “You’re always isolating yourself!”
Siraa faltered for a moment and then approached Bepura until they were face to face.
“Maybe that’s how I like things to be” she said with deadly seriousness, her eyes cold and forbidding.
She stepped back and began to go back into her room, irritated. Edausti slumped against a nearby wall, looking hopeless.
“Well, there goes my job” he said quietly.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find someone else” Bepura said softly in an effort to cheer him up. Bepura felt slightly shaken. Confrontations with Siraa were never pleasant.
However, before they could leave a voice spoke from behind them making them jump.
“You two have ruined my concentration!” Siraa said with frustration.
“You were asleep” Bepura rebutted, again not considering the consequences of his words.
“I was going to say that I had decided to help your friend keep his job, but perhaps I should reconsider?”
“No, please!” Edausti burst out desperately.
“Ok, ok” Siraa said, backing away slightly. “Just watch what you say”.
She looked at Bepura with an irritated expression on her mask. This comment was obviously meant for him.
“Alright then…” Bepura said after an awkward pause. “Shall we go?”.

Review.

~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 6: Of The Unpleasant[/glow]

Bepura’s arms ached as he reached a long, spoon-like implement into the molten mix to collect the liquefied Zamor material. He carefully poured the contents into a large metal container and gingerly carried it to the injection-moulding machine on the wall to the left. He emptied the steaming broth into the mechanism’s tank. Amura, who was operating the machine, reached for a lever on the side of the machine’s boxy exterior and pulled it down. The was a loud gurgling noise, followed by rumblings from within. Finally, a hissing noise from the machine’s right chamber told Bepura and Amura that the new Zamor Sphere was being cooled. A frozen Zamor then left the machine, following a series of gutters that deposited it into a large tub, filled with newly made spheres.
As she pressed down the lever again Amura looked out at the workers at the hot plate. Eduasti was going about his usual sloppy performance, as usual. Apatuh seemed to be working well enough, scooping Zamor liquid from the deep, boiling pool from atop the protosteel bridge near the pool’s centre. Davk and Unepu were working diligently enough, though not enthusiastically. Unlike them, the Po matoran named Nagun was working as though he enjoyed every moment of this job that others would deem tedious. The newcomer, Siraa, was working quite efficiently, though her expression was sullen.
“We could have used more labour than this” she said to Bepura whilst still observing the progress of the others. “Just means you will all need to work harder”.
“I guess so” Bepura said stiffly, “If it gets me out of here”.
Bepura was not enjoying his current situation at all. The sweltering heat of the factory, combined with the very dangerous task of carrying the scalding Zamor pulp across long distances in back-breakingly heavy buckets made him feel like writing an article about how often the factory violated the Illeo Nui Code of Adequate Working Conditions. Bepura drudgingly carried the heavy bucket back to the edge of the hot plate.
About to dip the long, spoon-like collector into the hot plate’s steaming contents, Bepura noticed Siraa subtly beckoning him to come over to the other side of the hot plate. She looked disgruntled.
Taking advantage of Amura’s brief lapse of attention whilst she operated the injection moulder, Bepura scuttled over to where Siraa was, carrying his utensils awkwardly.
“You forced me into this situation, so you can get me out of it” she asserted before Bepura could say anything.
“Edausti was responsible too” Bepura retorted. “Why do you need my help?”
“Because you are more competent than he is” she replied. “Though only slightly”.
Bepura did his best to not give this slander a reaction.
“To tell you the truth, I think we’ll be here until Amura has enough Zamors for her order” he said truthfully.
“Well, that’s no good at all” Siraa said coldly. “I have important work to do”.
“Sitting in the dark, looking over the works of others?”
“I call it learning” Siraa said, annoyed. “Knowledge is everything. It will prevent me from making the same mistakes that others have made”.
“And your mistakes? You need to learn from those too” Bepura said coolly.
“I don’t make mistakes!” Siraa said with frustration. “Find a way to get me out of here, and do it now!”
Before they could do anything else they heard a clattering noise and a yell from above. Bepura looked up to see Apatuh hanging by his right hand from the metal platform above the hot plate, its contents bubbling menacingly below. Apatuh looked down, fright registering in his green eyes. Davk, Unepu and Nagun looked up in shock. Edausti had dropped his bucket into the hot plate, distracted by Apatuh’s precarious situation. The bucket crumpled out of shape as the heat of the molten Zamor material melted it.
“Um… help me please?!” Apatuh said nervously, struggling to maintain his grip.
Before anyone could react, Apatuh lost his hold on the platform and fell. Bepura had ran up onto the platform to help, the hot metal burning his feet. He watched Apatuh drop, as if time had slowed for that moment. Apatuh landed hard in a circular pit in the centre of the hot plate. Bepura sighed in relief. He was safe, not one with molten glue that they had been handling for the better part of the day.
“Not quite” said Davk, as if he had read Bepura’s thoughts. Davk, who had promptly followed Bepura onto the platform, pointed down to where Apatuh stood fearfully. Surrounding him on the walls of the pit were flaming torches, glowing hot and blue. This was the hot plate’s source of heat. Apatuh was trapped in its midst.

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~Bepura.

[Bepura]

[glow=red,2,300]Chapter 7: 'And I feel fine'[/glow]

Everyone within the factory stood as though stunned for the best of 10 seconds. Bepura and Unepu exchanged anxious looks as they observed Apatuh’s predicament below.
“Well, he hasn’t much time!” Amura said fretfully from the edge of the hotplate.
Unepu nodded solemnly. “We aught to act quickly” he said frankly. “Anyone have any suggestions?”
Bepura glanced around the room to see it’s other occupants in a state of confusion. Davk scratched the back of his head, looking shaken. Edausti looked back at Bepura, his visible eye wide. Siraa was nowhere to be seen. She had apparently taken advantage of the moment of confusion and slipped away unseen.
“I’ll rescue him!” Nagun suggested brightly, running to the wall on the right and grabbing the protodermis ladder that was leaned against it. With the ladder grasped under his arm he ran towards the platforms above the boiling pit. Before he could act Davk bolted towards him and held him back.
“You’ll kill yourself!” he said, shock visible on his mask. Nagun promptly dropped the ladder, looking disappointed from his lack of opportunities for glory.
“May I suggest something?” pipped up a voice from below. Bepura and Unepu looked down from the top of the platform to see Apatuh standing still in the midst of the searing blue flames. He looked rather calm, considering his situation. He looked up at them impatiently.
“Any suggestion is a good one right now” Bepura replied grimly. Upon hearing this Nagun reached down to pick up the ladder again, only to be promptly stopped by Davk and Edausti, who looked at each other as though they’d reached an instant point of agreement.
“Most attempts to get me out of here are futile” Apatuh said breathlessly, obviously affected by the extreme heat. “There is one way that should work quite well though.”
“What is that?” Bepura asked hurriedly.
“Find Toa Voranxon” Apatuh said simply.
“Of course!” Davk exclaimed, slapping his palm on his mask. “The Toa of Gravity! He can reduce the gravity within the Fire Pit and lift Apatuh out!”
“He could be anywhere in Akahli right now” Amura said pessimistically as she climbed to where Bepura and Unepu stood. “How do you expect to find him?”
“Now that I think about it, surprisingly easily” Bepura said, looking up as though to contemplate.
“Explain” Unepu said, mildly surprised.
“Apatuh came to me this morning with a message” Bepura began. “He said it was for Toa Malati, from Toa Voranxon. Logically, Voranxon would be trying to find Malati too, rather than solely relying on Apatuh.”
“And what makes you think that Malati is close by?” Amura asked skeptically.
“I had to do some rubbish interview with him yesterday, about ointment.” Bepura said plainly. “He said he’d still be in Illeo Metru if I needed more information.”
“Well, you’d better find him, and quickly!” Apatuh yelled from below.

******

Edausti and Bepura were soon out on the street again. It was late afternoon now, and many Il matoran were making their way back to their homes after a long day of work. Bepura and Edausti hastily navigated their way through the crowds, red specks amongst a sea of blue and white. Bepura and Edausti were two of the very few male Il matoran in existence, as the vast majority of the matoran of Lightning were female. Malati himself was in fact the only male Toa of Lightning in known history. The two matoran found their way into the town centre, a massive courtyard with various shops and residences lining its confines. Its middle was dominated by a large fountain, in the shape of the heraldic symbol of the Il matoran – a four pointed star.
Bepura mentioned towards a towering house on their right. It was made of polished marble, in shades of blue, red white and gold. It’s surface was covered in years of carvings, telling of the exploits of the land’s Toa throughout known history. Bepura looked on for a moment, examining a section that showed their previous Toa, now Turaga, Anargo’s defeat of a being only known as ‘Ancient’ and his squad of hunters. Her actions had prevented what could have been an eternity of slavery to the Dark Hunters for the Il matoran.
“Bepura! We haven’t got much time!” Edausti said nervously, prodding Bepura in the back. Bepura jumped out of his trance of reminiscence and stood to attention.
“Well, this is his usual haunt” Bepura said, knocking on the house’s large door. It opened almost instantaneously, causing Bepura to jump back abruptly, landing hard on Edausti’s foot, who swore loudly. Toa Malati stood high in the doorway, tall in armour of red, white and gold, looking down at them through his shining gold kanohi Olmak.
“Hello matoran!” he greeted happily. “I see you’re back for more material” he said, mentioning towards Bepura. “And you’ve brought a friend with you, I see.”
“Yeah, this is Edausti” Bepura said simply. Malati ushered them into the hall. It was scarcely furnished, save for a few lightstones on the walls and the occasional plant.
“By the way, what was your name again?” he asked Bepura.
“Bepura.”
“Right, I’ll be remembering that” Malati said blankly. “So why are you here?”
“We need Toa Voranxon’s help” Edausti said, pushing in front of Bepura, “and urgently!”
“Well, can’t help you there” Malati said, a flicker of concern crossing his brow. “I’m Malati, but I can’t also be Voranxon.”
A grin stretched across his Olmak as the two matoran looked back at him with shocked expressions.
“We’re serious about this, you know?” Bepura said, frustrated.
“I know that” Malati replied, serious again. “What’s the problem? Why do you need Voranxon?”
“My friend Apatuh is trapped in the Fire Pit of the Zamor boiler in the factory down the road” Bepura explained quickly. “We need Voranxon to use his Gravity abilities to lift him out safely.”
Malati stood for a moment contemplating this, stroking his chin. Without warning, he activated his kanohi power and jumped through a dimensional gate. Bepura and Edausti stood in the hall, stunned for a moment.
“Why would he run away from us like that!?” Edausti blurted out anxiously. Before they could say anymore, another gate appeared, Malati poking his head through.
“He’s approaching the city apparently, so I’ll just go and get him!” Malati said quickly, disappearing again ostentatiously. After a few seconds, yet another gate formed, and Malati reappeared again, this time with another toa. Voranxon was coloured in silver and grey like Apatuh. He was built short and powerfully, and wore the kanohi Kiril, great mask of regeneration.
“Malati’s informed me of the situation, and we’ll be dealing with it immediately.” He said, as though joyful for the opportunity to do his duty. “We’ll be going directly, I assume?”
“For sure” Malati said bluntly, his mask already glowing and a portal forming behind him. “I really am good with this mask, eh?”

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~Bepura.