Sorry for the long wait, but I had major writer’s block for absolutely EVERYTHING

Now that I’ve finally got the requests that I needed to do out of the way, I’m free to work on this again! This chapter seems more filler-ish than anything, but it DOES have some important stuff in it, so there. Read it anyway, you bums!

Disclaimer: Anyone you don’t recognize as canon most likely belongs to me. Siahta and Sayla belong to Sylla Shadowfrost. Shay Moonsilk belongs to Shay Moonsilk. Nicole belongs to Arya-Metru. Everyone else is property of LEGO Enterprises. “Stand My Ground” belongs to Within Temptation.

Summary: Eighteen years after the Shadow Wars, Matob, Vakama’s daughter, is finally ready to accept the throne which her father denied after the death of Pridak. But no one ever said it would be easy to take the throne. A tournament for the crown is set up. The catch? Honor makes no appearance in Freezeheart’s Regent Council, and in order to make sure Matob and her friends don’t win, a series of some of the fiercest warriors the world has ever seen is pitted against them. At the same time, runaway slave Rowan battles desperately for his people’s freedom, risking all to prove that his parentage is the least of everyone’s worries about him. Despite his initial shortcomings, he offers Matob his help, and together, along with Eefera, Aki, Jing, and Nicole, they are an almost unbeatable force. I just know there’s no escape now, once it sets its eyes on you. But I won’t run; I have to stare it in the eye. “Destiny is not who you are...it is who you can become.”

A Path Well Traveled
By: Saya Moonshadow

“Stand my ground

I won’t give in

No more denying,

I’ve got to face it...”

X x X

Far away...

Across the sea...

In a land where summer never comes...

In a land where winter is eternal...

Where finding dead frozen bodies in the snow is a normal thing...

Where children are sold into slavery by their own parents...

Hope makes almost no appearances.

X x X

“Keorin. -kssshhhh- Keorin!”

“What is it? I’m working.”

“Hurry up -kkksssshhh- finish! They’ll be back any minute now.”

“You worry too much. I’m fine, OK? Almost done...”

“Frag-- -kksshhhhh- Keorin, get the heck outta there! They’re -ksshhh- back!”

“Already?! Agh! OK, I’m coming. Hup two, hup two!”

The one on the other end of the line breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his friend running through the halls of the castle he was hiding outside of. If she had been caught...

He brushed the thought away and continued crouching behind the snow drift, pulling his tattered cape tighter around himself to keep warm. The communicator in his hand was staticky, but he was just grateful it even worked at all. His younger friend was quite smart when it came to inventing and building things, after all.

He didn’t have to wait long for her, because the shabby door he was crouched outside opened, and Keorin slunk out, carrying a huge sheaf of papers, careful not to let the falling snow get on them and ruin the information they carried. Her companion grabbed her by the hand and together, they hurried away as fast as they could without being seen.

X x X

“Did you get it all?” he panted as they ran, pulling his hood up. She shook her head. “Not all of it, but nearly - you startled me just as the thing was finishing printing all this. I had to cancel the action on the last few pages - stupid thing nearly exploded on me. Huh, my homemade things work better than their ‘state-of-the-art’ gadgets do!”

He grinned. “So modest. But you know what those last pages said?”

“Yup. I read through everything while it was printing. They’re still going through with their plans, looks like.” She looked uncertain now. “Rowan, what do we do now?”

Rowan squared his jaw. “We stop ‘em, that’s what! I swear, as long as I’m living, Koriseva isn’t gonna rule Freezeheart!”

Keorin clucked her tongue, but said no more. She knew better than to try to stop him when got like this. It just didn’t work.

He continued speaking. “And someday, King Pridak’s gonna come back an’ kick Koriseva outta office! Till then, we gotta make sure Koriseva isn’t crowned king just yet.”

Keorin shook her head. It was just a gut feeling, but she was fairly certain that the king that was so idolized among her people wasn’t going to come back.

X x X

When they got back to their home, they breathed a sigh of relief. They were back home safely, and no one from the castle had followed!

Rowan uncovered the hidden entrance and gestured to Keorin to hurry through, which she did, still clutching the papers in her arms. He yanked his hood back as he entered himself and re-hid the entrance.

Once inside, though, they found that they weren’t QUITE as home free as they’d thought. From one end of the dark front room, a pair of violet eyes snapped open, and a voice, chillingly cold, spoke.

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

Keorin giggled nervously. “Ahaha, Lady Rave, we were just, uh--”

“Silence!” the speaker barked, and Keorin gave a tiny squeak and shut her mouth. The speaker finally stepped into the dim light, her arms crossed over her chest, and eyes narrowed dangerously. “Shame on both of you!” she snarled at them, and both cowered. “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times - DON’T LEAVE THE LAIR WITHOUT ME OR ZAYU WITH YOU!”

“But--” Rowan tried to say, but she cut him off. “Keorin I can’t blame because she’s so young, but you, Rowan! You’re almost an adult now! I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I am--” Rowan tried again, but no use. She was in quite the temper, and he would just have to wait it out. “And what’s worse about it is that you’re not just setting a bad example, you’re ENCOURAGING Keorin and Tazer to help you! I assume Keorin was the one who did the infiltrating?” Keorin nodded helplessly.

The scolder sighed. “Look, guys, do you have any idea how devastated your parents would be if I allowed you to come to any harm? I understand that you want to be free - so do the rest of us. But you CAN’T just--”

“Well, it doesn’t matter what my parents think, because they’re both dead!” Rowan snapped. “My mother wasn’t even strong enough to live through giving birth to me--”

“Your mother was very sick, and don’t you dare speak ill of her!” Reha snapped at him. “It’s a miracle she lived as long as she did--”

“Look, will you stop treating me like a kid?!” he shouted at her. “You said it yourself, I’m almost an adult! I can take care of myself! And at least I’m actually doing something, instead of just sitting here and waiting around! When King Pridak comes back, he’ll see that SOMEONE’S tried to do something and that we’re still faithful--”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Reha bellowed, and he fell silent. She glared at him. “Go to your rooms - both of you. NOW.” she snapped. “Keorin, give me those papers. At least you didn’t risk your lives for nothing, I suppose--”

Rowan skulked out of the room, giving her a very ugly look as he went. Keorin chuckled nervously as Reha looked over the papers, one brow raised. “I see...” she muttered. “Well, not wasting any resources, are they?” She looked at Keorin. “My order still stands - go to your room. I put Zayu in there to wait for you. Feed him while you’re at it, I didn’t have time to.”

“K.” Keorin gave her a smile and left. But then she poked her head back through the doorway. “Ah...Lady Rave?”

“What?” Reha was now going back over the papers.

“Um...me and Rowan...we’re not in trouble, are we?”

Reha laughed. “No, you’re not, Keorin. I’m still annoyed with you, though, so don’t push your luck.”

Keorin laughed. “Thanks, Lady Rave!” She was about to leave again, but stopped. Reha had turned around to keep going over the papers, and her back was thrown into the light. The flickering lightstone made it seem worse than it really was, and Keorin gulped and left the room.

X x X

It was often said of Zyvus Koriseva that he was mad. No one ever dared to tell him this to his face, knowing what the consequences would be, but just because they never said it didn’t mean they didn’t think it. What had possessed him to decide to capture a wild Hordika on the island of Fere Nui was anybody’s guess, but the first mate of the ship did as he was told, always.

It gave Zyvus immense pleasure to give a false name for trackers to follow. There really was no such being as “Ninian”, and he always enjoyed watching his pursuers get frustrated when they could not find him. Stupid fools. It was amazing no one had realized that by now...

This was his second conquest of the day. His first conquest had come in the form of a red reptilian creature one of his crew had identified as a Rahkshi. The creature could not talk, only hissed, but it put up quite the fight when they cornered it, even more than the troublesome Hordika had. Its power also seemed to be fear; an exciting prospect. Zyvus could think of so many beings he could use that power on...once the Rahkshi had been broken in and tamed, of course. That was the purpose of his mission. New minions.

The famed “youngest Toa ever”, now older and wiser, but even stronger than before, and one of the creations of Makuta Teridax himself. Surely no more dread pair could be imagined.

Admittedly, Malvado had quite the facial wound, but he hadn’t been able to help himself at the time. No one insulted Zyvus Koriseva and got away with it...especially not a slave.

As their boat sailed through the frigid waters, Zyvus reflected on his current position. There was really nothing that could challenge him in Freezeheart, nothing. Yes, there were some renegades that were still loyal to the old king, Pridak, but they were weak and few and far between. They should get a move on with their lives; anyone with half a brain knew Pridak wasn’t coming back.

He wondered if the Makuta on watch at Destral had noticed him or not. If she had, then he knew at least one of them would be coming after him, but he doubted she had. She had been standing guard around the area where the Rahkshi was taken, eyes searching. One swift hit to the back of her head with his weapon, and then another, had taken care of her, and she went out like a light. He snorted. What a weak example of the species. Probably one of the few Makuta who slept on a regular basis. And her weakness had cost them one of their precious Rahkshi. Not like they’d miss it though, he understood there were about forty-two types of Rahkshi, and as every Makuta had the ability to make them, they probably wouldn’t notice the fact that one Turahk was missing any time soon.

A thin smile crossed his face as he leaned into the wind, listening to the agonized moaning of the prisoners underneath the deck. It served them right for disobeying him.

X x X

Sometimes Icarax wished he had not been created as a Makuta. He often wondered what it would be like to be a Toa (nasty little vermin they were), or perhaps a Rahi. Or even one of the Rahkshi he himself could create.

ANYTHING but a Makuta right now. He hated not being in charge. His position as second-in-command just wasn’t good enough. Mostly, it was the fact that he had to listen to all the reports from all the others of his species, and dish out punishments (which he had to be FAIR about, another grievance).

It was this enforced fairness that stopped him from tearing apart the young female Makuta shuffling her feet in front of him, blushing hard and stuttering over her words. He heaved a great sigh and rubbed the back of his head, knowing one heck of a headache was on its way.

“Listen, Silarial,” he snapped, “Don’t think that just because you’re Teridax’s daughter that I can’t punish you, hmm. I can, and I WILL. There is a Rahkshi missing, an’ your dad wants to know where it is. The sooner you tell me, the sooner I’ll let you go.” For emphasis, he tugged on the shackle around her right wrist. “These’re made of solid energy - MY energy, so don’t think you’re getting away till I SAY you can.”

Silarial gave him her worst glare. “I TOLD you, Icarax, I don’t know what happened! I was standing guard, and then BAM! Something hit me, and I blacked out!”

“And you’re the only Makuta alive who’d get knocked out like that,” he said coldly, dark eyes narrowed. He was satisfied to see that she was genuinely afraid right now - he knew that she knew what he could do to her, and none of it was pretty.

Silarial blushed again - she hated being scolded, and it didn’t help that he was superior to her - and looked at her feet. She really WAS weak, wasn’t she? Icarax was right, no OTHER Makuta would have been knocked out like that. “What’ll my punishment be?” she asked in a small voice.

Icarax blinked; he hadn’t been expecting THIS. He had been expecting her usual arguments and for her to call him names and perhaps stomp her feet a bit. Anything but submission. For a moment he was at a total loss as what to say, but he quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat.

“Ahem, right, punishment. Hmm...your punishment will be to...clean the main hall, this room, Mutran’s lab, and my room WITHOUT your powers.” He smirked, watching the shocked look on her face. For a moment, it looked as though she would protest and start a fight, but then her shoulders sagged, and she sighed.

“Alright...I’ll start now if you don’t mind.”

Again with the submission! What was WRONG with her?! Frowning and with his mind whirling, Icarax deactivated the energy shackles and watched Silarial shuffle meekly out of the room, then sat down in front of the large screen and control panel, massaging his forehead.

Yes, sometimes it really SUCKED being him. Oh well, it would be funny to watch Mutran throw her out of his lab when she came in to try to clean it...

He stood up and walked to the door, deciding to hide himself and see how things turned out. He was not expecting to see Silarial standing at the end of the hall, engrossed in the serious business of mending a crack in the stone of the wall. He snorted. Obviously the little klutz had walked right into it and put the crack there.

That was normal; Silarial was very clumsy and often tripped over absolutely everything, up to and including herself. What was not normal was the amount of sweat pouring off of her as she attempted to fix the rock, eyes screwed up, tears beading at their edges. Her palm, pressed against the crack, glowed feebly with the elemental power of Stone, but nothing was happening.

After a moment, Silarial gave up and, panting hard, spun back around. Her green eyes met his red ones, and widened in horror. Then, with a sob, she bolted and ran, tripping over her own feet and falling down hard. Before Icarax could say so much as a word, however, she was up again and tearing off, not even bothering to try to use teleportation to get further away.

He walked over to the crack and frowned at it. It LOOKED normal...felt normal too, he thought as he ran his own hand over it and applied his Stone power. Within seconds, the crack had sealed up completely, and the wall was smooth, as if nothing had ever happened. Icarax frowned again, gazing at where it had been, and then in the direction where Silarial had run off to.

Was she having trouble with her powers, or was she really just tired? He slightly regretted shouting at her now, that and chaining her up, but what was he supposed to do? Let one of their Rahkshi go missing and do nothing about it, not even question the sentry who was on duty when said Rahkshi went missing?

Icarax shook his head and walked off. She said she would start her punishment tasks right now, but after that little display, he seriously doubted she would. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check and see if she really WAS keeping her word.

X x X

Eight years. It had been eight years since Eefera had left, and now he was back. When Aki had heard the news, she had begged her father to allow her to go see him straight off. But Whenua was one of those beings who didn’t allow shirking off; he’d told her to finish her work and THEN she could go see her friend. Unfortunately, the work she’d been doing was cataloguing. While she enjoyed doing it and learning things from it, it was a very long job that could take hours to do. By the time she finished, the suns had already set, and most of the other archivists had gone home.

Carefully, Aki slid the last tablet into place, and then walked over to her father and tapped him on the shoulder. Whenua looked at her tiredly, and then gave her a smile. “Finished?” he asked. She nodded. “Very well then. Go see Eefera, but be home soon. And make sure to be careful in the chute system, it’s--”

“--a little rusty.” Aki finished for him. “I KNOW, Dad.” He told her this at LEAST once a day. “I’ll be back.”

“Aki,” her father called after her, and she turned to look at him. He smiled. “Be careful.”

With a slight smile of her own, she turned and practically ran out of the Archives. She knew why he always warned her to be careful - he was afraid of losing her. Not like she was in any danger though - she had complete confidence that she could take care of herself no matter what.

The walk to Matau and Eefera’s house from the Chute port took her all of ten minutes. Trust the Toa of Air to live near the Chutes just in case he got bored and decided he needed some adventure...Aki had heard several times of his encounter with the force sphere, and she could easily imagine him diving headfirst into the thing.

Eefera was the same way. She swallowed hard as she prepared to knock on the door. Eight years WAS a long time, after all. It was a long time to harbor a liking for someone as well, but it had never gone away. Not that she wanted it to, of course.

She knocked, and a second later it was opened by Matau, covered from head to toe in food. She raised a brow, and he chuckled nervously.

“Um...hi?” Aki said, and Matau greeted her back. “Is Eefera in?” she asked once he was done.

Matau glanced over his shoulder nervously, but after a moment’s hesitation, let her in. She felt her heart pick up speed as she carefully walked past him, taking care not to get anything on herself. Not only was Matau covered in food, but so were the walls and floor. Just what in Mata Nui’s name had happened here?

A loud laugh and some yells greeted her as she opened the kitchen door, and Aki stopped dead in the doorway. Eight years WAS a long time, and it seemed she wasn’t the only one who had never given up on an old crush.

She was fine with Matob, really she was. Sure, sometimes the younger girl’s perky attitude got on her nerves, but otherwise, they were friends. It wasn’t fair to hate someone just for being happy. But right now, more than anything, she desperately wished Matob had never been born.

Wrestling she could put up with. That wasn’t wrestling, though. At least, not in the traditional sense. It was way more intimate. Nothing dirty, but definitely something more than “just friends”.

Neither Eefera nor Matob, wrestling animatedly in a sea of thrown food, noticed her standing there, and if Aki had it her way, they wouldn’t at all. She turned back to Matau, hating the sympathy on his face, whispered, “I’ll come back tomorrow,” and bolted out the front door. As she ran, she heard Eefera asking his father who it was, but didn’t stay to hear Matau’s reply.

When she got back to the Archives, she dashed past her father, still working. Whenua looked up, a frown on his face, but before he could say a word, she was already gone, running towards their small home built near the side entrance of the immense library of Onu-Metru. And once there, she threw herself down on her bed and cried.

A few minutes later, Whenua came in and sat down on her bed next to her. For a moment, he merely watched her, and then carefully lifted his daughter up onto his lap, rocking her back and forth. After a bit, she was able to talk.

“It hurts,” she mumbled. “I hate how it hurts.”

“The hurt’ll go away,” he assured her, wiping at her face gently. When she didn’t answer, he reached into the pouch hanging from the belt at his waist and pulled out a crumpled picture. It WAS crumpled, and one of the edges was torn, but the subject was still viewable. He handed it to Aki, and she took it, staring at it silently.

“When they told me your mother had died, I thought I’d never smile again,” he told her. “I even contemplated killing myself. That’s how sad and upset I was. But then they told me that even though she was gone, our little girl had survived. Any thoughts of sadness I had went away immediately when they placed you in my arms, Aki. I was happy, happier than I’d ever been in my life, just to see you. You still make me that happy, but I hate it when you’re sad like this. It’s something no parent ever wants to go through.”

“Why’d she have to die?” Aki mumbled. “Everyone else has a mom. Why’d mine have to die?”

“Eefera has a mother, but he hasn’t seen her in eleven years,” Whenua reminded her. “Remember, she brought him here and told Matau she would never be coming back. So he’s sort of in the same boat that you’re in.” He smiled. “He may not be the one who’s going to love you more than anyone else, Aki, but someday you WILL meet the one who will.”

“How will I know when I’ve met him?” she asked skeptically.

Her father smiled. “You’ll just know. Trust me on that.”

She still looked skeptical, but nodded. Her dad was right. There was no point in crying over Eefera if he wasn’t the one for her. It still hurt worse than anything she’d ever experienced, but from then on she was going to put all her energy into getting over it.

Yes...not being in love with someone who would never return her feelings would be a nice change.

X x X

“Won’t close my eyes

And hide the truth inside

If I don’t make it

Someone else will

Stand my ground.”
--Within Temptation, “Stand My Ground”

X x X

AN: I can kinda sympathize with Aki: my stepmom and I have butted heads since I was about six, and since my real mom is no longer among the living, I don’t really have anywhere to run to. Kinda sucks, I can tell you. And perhaps “butting heads” is putting it lightly. Ah well. I graduate in two months, and then I’m off to college in August, so I’m almost outta here.

Unfortunately, finals are coming up. Nearly all my teachers are giving them about a month before school actually ends (ftw!), so I’m going to have to start studying again soon. I’ll try to get as much as I can done till then, though.

Review, please!