User blog:The Inceptionist/Hope and Survive Part 2

'''Chapter Two of my non-canon story. Feel free to comment. Make sure you read part one of this story first!'''

I felt the weight of the air transport jolt beneath me as the engines surged to life. As I glanced out the window, I looked at the rapidly receding landscape, growing smaller and smaller by the second as the vehicle climbed higher into the sky.

I turned around and saw a group of familiar faces. Sitting in the vehicle were some of my comrades I’d met in training. I could name each of them: Aversan, Dakarix, Kodewa, Ukarin, Tivik, and Ketana, along with Sanurak, Akus, and Kroson.

Kroson glanced at me, his rock-hard stare melting through me. “You ready, Toa?” he asked, his eyes fixed firmly on my face.

“Yeah,” I said somewhat unconvincingly. Deep inside me, though, I could feel that what I was doing wasn’t going to turn out quite right.

“Don’t scare him, Kroson,” Ketana said. “Unlike you, we are fresh, new to the battlefield.” She motioned at me and her, as well as the other Toa sitting next to me. Sanurak, Akus, and Kroson were veterans in the field of combat, and they were disappointed that novice Toa like me were part of their squad.

Kroson stopped talking and leaned back, resting his back against his chair. But his menacing glance was still pointed at me. Then, I swear to Mata Nui that I saw him mouth “Death.”

I tried forgetting about what I had just seen him say. How bad could Karda Nui be? We were a Toa military squad being transported there to keep watch and guard things. Most Matoran and Toa would be amazed. After all, who wouldn’t want a duty guarding the heart of the universe? * * * After a while, the airship became slower and slower, until finally it began to lower towards the ground. The engines whined softly as the ship made contact with the surface of the planet. The vehicle shut off, and a hatch on the opposite end of the ship rose open. Kroson was out of his seat first, followed by all the other Toa. I unbuckled after everyone else, staying behind the large group. I didn’t want to rush myself into the mission. I was somewhat excited, but not necessarily eager.

Ketana glanced back from the front part of the ship. Her eyes met mine, and she made a gesture at the door, as if she wanted me to leave the ship quicker. I looked at her, puzzled, but I figured it would be best to go along with what she said.

As I stepped foot out of the airship, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A massive collection of fallen stalactites covered in towering spikes and thick, gray vines. The structures towered high, breaking through one of the many walls of fog swirling in the misty air. Underneath my feet, I could feel grainy dirt and rocks covering every part of the ground.

“Is this Karda Nui?” I thought out loud.

Dakarix, Toa of Fire, glanced at the scenery surrounding him and responded, “Yep. Karda Nui is an amazing place. It’s a giant cave, full of stalactites, swamp, and strange creatures. Take a look around. Matoran live on those stalactites, you know. We’re on one now.” I had noticed after I got out of the airship that there was only a small patch of ground below me, greeted by a sheer drop to the sure arrival of death.

Dakarix looked at me and spoke as I was staring off into space. “Well? What are we waiting for? Karda Nui can’t wait. This is, after all, the world that feeds the world.”