Chapter Six: Bone Hunters and Skopio
[Authors note at end of chapter]

Sapphira hummed in her sleep as the sunrise hit her closed eyes making the bluette immediately hide her face from the sun with her arm with a groan in annoyance.

Unfortunately for the cave home Kiina resided in when she was in Vulcanus was meant to house one Glatorian when visiting, so Sapphira and Kiina managed to get a small cot in the main room for Sapphira to sleep in.

Which the said bluette was laying on top of all the blankets. With the heat Vulcanus had Sapphira felt even if she was butt naked, she would still be overheating. Sapphira buried her face into the pillow she had with a grumble in annoyance.

Kiina walked in as she fumbled her shirt on with her sleep still there before she looked at Sapphira.

"Didn't sleep well?" She asked the bluette who lifted her head up from her pillow. "I got like, two or three hours of sleep in me. It's way too hot for me to be even slightly comfortable." Sapphira said with a hint of exhaustion in her voice.

Kiina snorted slightly though she pitied the bluette, having a feeling her planet wasn't so uncomfortable as Bara Magna was with the heat. "Can't stand the heat huh?" She asked her while crossing her arms over her chest.

Sapphira snorted at that as she sat on the side of the makeshift cot. "Dude, I felt like I could've been butt naked and still would've been overheated." Kiina couldn't help but howl in laughter at that statement.

Sapphira rolled her eyes and stretched her back till it popped. "Eh I've dealt with a day with a lot less if not zero hours of sleep before, this should be easier." Sapphira said as she popped her neck with a side twist.

"If we're lucky we don't get ambushed on the way," Kiina said as she grabbed a fruit and tossed it to Sapphira who caught it with ease, "Every single day on this planet is a roll of the dice to see if you live with it only getting slightly better depending on your fighting and survival skills." Kiina said as she grabbed another fruit and bit into it.

Sapphira made a quiet wince noise at that. "Lordy, well I should consider myself and Mata lucky we have two great Glatorian going with us." She said as she took a bite of the fruit she had.

The bluette paused a bit at how juice filled the fruit was, it had a strong sweetness that was balanced with a bit of sour that wasn't uncomfortable, it made it delicious. Kiina snorted slightly, "Good to know." She said as she continued to eat. Sapphira continued to eat too, trying to eat at a decent pace.

Kiina then paused and raised a brow noticing something with the bluette, she was literally steaming! Sapphira had steam emitting from her person as if she was hot water encountering the chill air.

"Uhhh, you're literally steaming Sapphira." She told the bluette, concern lacing her words. Sapphira raised a brow at that before she noticed. "Ah that's just normal, it's normally from my body trying to cool itself off. Just wished it kicked sooner." Sapphira explained then admitted at the end as she took another bite of her fruit.

"So that's normal then?" Kiina asked, trying to grasp its understanding. Sapphira nodded, "Yup, if it keeps me from dying of a too high body temperature then I'm okay with it." She said, continuing to eat her fruit.

Kiina muttered a quiet okay as she continued to eat her fruit. The two ate in silence as they ate their fill of the fruit, Sapphira being the first to finish eating with how hungry she realized she was despite the decent sized meal last night.

Kiina snorted quietly at that, "Still hungry?" she asked the bluette amusedly. Sapphira rolled her eyes as she cleaned up the fruit juice from the corners of her mouth with her thumb, "Yeah don't really eat as often as you're supposed to so you can't blame me." She said as she then popped her back out again.

Kiina shrugged a bit at that as she finished her fruit, "Fair enough." She said as she cleaned her mouth up with the thumb, not having her gauntlets on as well.

Sapphira noticed the various braids in Kiina's shoulder touching ebony locks, her hair also had streaks of navy blue as well. "What's the braids for in your hair?" Sapphira asked her curious. Kiina was confused for a second before she realized. "Oh yeah, every time Tajun wins a Glatorian fight I'd always add a braid in my hair. People only notice it is because the day after I don't wear my helmet inside the village to proudly show it." Kiina explained as she took a braid in her fingers and looked it over.

"So when you loose a fight you chop one off or what?" Sapphira asked her making Kiina snort. "Heck no, I just don't touch my hair and leave my helmet on." Kiina said with a slight laugh in her voice.

Sapphira nodded, "Gotcha, honestly reminded me of a character from a show. It was something from a culture her husband was from and she carried it with her even after his death, those white locks of her's had so many braids." Sapphira explained easily reminded of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.

Kiina grinned of an idea, "Well can she do this?" Kiina held her hand up and from thin air a snake of water wrapped around her arm as it moved to the tip of her index finger to spin around. Sapphira's eyes were wide in amazement. "No but she called the mother of dragons having three dragons as her sons and could literally sit through a fire unharmed. Holy shit how'd you do that?" Sapphira asked, getting excited at the last part.

Kiina laughed a bit as she made the water disperse into mist and began to play with that. "Eh been able to do that for, what two weeks now? Like yeah, been keeping it hidden from the villages but also been messing around with it. It's so fun." Kiina admitted, having the mist cloud fly around the two of them.

Sapphira grinned of an idea and she poked the mist cloud immediately freezing it into a block of ice that fell in her lap. "Though you seem more in touch with that ice." Kiina mused as Sapphira held the ice block in her hand and pressed it against the back of her neck, relaxing as her body temperature lowered to a more comfortable level.

"Yeah, the ice has always been with me since, I think since I was a toddler honestly." Sapphira admitted, the ice disappearing as it seeped into her and giving her more energy. "And that shadow thing you did on Strakk?" Kiina asked remembering seeing Strakk's own shadow pull his legs to the ground.

Sapphira shrugged a bit with a sigh, "No, that's still new to me. Though yeah it felt familiar like its been a part of me like the ice, but I can never remember using it, like morphing into a shadow or controlling them." Sapphira admitted as she brought her hands to her lap.

Kiina gave her a sympathetic smile as she patted the bluette's back. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Until then you got an awesome new power to learn." She reassured her making Sapphira smile and roll her eyes in amusement. "Yeah, that's true." Kiina snorted a bit as she got up. "I'ma get dressed. You can use my spare bag to carry some stuff for the trip." And with that Kiina left to the bedroom to get dressed.

Sapphira muttered an alright as she got up and went to grab the spare bag.

It took a while for Sapphira and Kiina to get the two guys up, Mata Nui was easy he was already awake as Ackar was still dead asleep after yesterday night's fight, but the two managed and after the guys quick breakfast and packing up the four were on Kiina's Dune Chariot, which Ackar did make some verbal comments on certain parts on it needing to be replaced which were quickly repruned by Kiina, and were off to Tajun.

Sapphira had her hoodie back on and the hood up while her hair underneath was in a quick ballerina bun. Despite her royal blue hoodie, it was surprisingly keeping her body temperature in a reasonable level, she still felt warm, but it was enough she wasn't steaming anymore, and she still was warm enough she didn't fall asleep aka get comfortable. She wasn't complaining about it though.

The air was silent with the sounds being the scorching sun on the sand and canyon rocks and the motor of the Dune Chariot.

Until Ackar spoke, "I don't like this!" He said, gaining the three other attentions to him, "This canyon is ideal for an ambush." He voiced his concerns.

Kiina rolled her eyes at that, "Please, even Bone Hunters aren't dumb enough to take on four Glatorians." She reminded him, her fingers of her left hand going off the steering except her thumb and her palm giving her still a grip on the wheel for a moment.

"They're getting bolder! Skrall too! For the past months they seem to know our every move before we even make them!" Ackar snapped back at Kiina making Sapphira jump slightly at the edge in his voice and grip the frame of the Dune Chariot tighter.

"Don't worry, it's not like we got worth stealing anyways." Kiina told him then paused with a sudden thought, "Well maybe Mata Nui does." She then added as an afterthought.

Click seemingly chirped a bit with what he could manage a proud smile. "I meant his blade bug face." Kiina snapped at the Scarabax Beetle, "I can't believe I'm talking to an insect." She said herself in disbelief and disappointment to herself.

"When an enemy knows too much it can only mean one thing, a traitor." Mata Nui said, looking back at the three while holding his sword in his free hand.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Ackar had agreed with the great spirit at that. "But who?" He asked no one, equally worried with a traitor among the Agori and Glatorian.

Suddenly the ground began to shake like a Bio-Quake was happening making Ackar, Sapphira and Mata Nui hold onto the Dune Chariot as Kiina tightened her grip on the steering to keep the Dune Chariot steady.

"I think we got a bigger problem!" Kiina yelled, hoping and praying it was just a Bio-Quake. Unfortunately, luck and mercy from the universe was not on their side today.

Rising from the dunes ahead of the quartets path was a large beast like the Scarabax Beetles Click was but on a much larger scale that it was half the towering heights of the canyon walls and even Sapphira could see something on its back.

Ackar immediately was filled with dread as he recognized the beast on the spot. "SKOPIO!" He yelled in alarm and shock.

Kiina immediately pulled the gears to begin dodging the stomps from the Skopio's leg pinchers as everyone held onto the Dune Chariot with their lives dependent on the frail and damaged vehicle.

Ackar quickly used a hand to keep Sapphira close to the Dune Chariot noticing her grip faltering a bit before he looked up when Kiina had to turn back towards the Skopio. "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me." He muttered in both annoyance and frustration at the sight.

Apparently, luck was especially against them today as coming in a large group was a squad of Bone Hunters.

The sight only made Mata Nui tighten his grip of the pommel of his blade. "We should turn back!" Mata Nui suggested, Ackar jestered to the squad of Bone Hunters with his thumb over his shoulder. "Can't! They're even deadlier!" He told the golden bot. "The fucking hell is worse?!" Sapphira yelled at the two, "The small militia chasing us or the giant version of a Scarabax but deadly?!" Sapphira demanded the two of them with her stress skyrocketing.

The bickering stopped there as Mata Nui put his sword away on his hip. "MY VILLAGE!" Kiina said seeing the faint sight of Tajun ahead, "THERE'S ANOTHER GLATORIAN THERE! JUST GOTTA MAKE IT THROUGH!" She yelled as she tightened her grip on the controls.

Sapphira immediately gripped the Dune Chariot frame more with her arms this time as Mata Nui and Ackar held on as well, Ackar making sure both Mata and Sapphira stayed on. "HANG ON TIGHT!" Kiina yelled as she shifted controls to continuously dodge the Skopio's strikes with quick swerves.

She dodged almost all of them, until taking a turn the Skopio used another claw to graze the Dune Chariot making it flip. The four fell out of the Dune Chariot, a few feet from both the Skopio and rapidly approaching Bone Hunters on the ground.

Ackar let go of Sapphira, feeling she was probably the most vulnerable to getting hurt from all of that. He looked down at the bluette who rubbed arms as her hood was down, "You alright kid?" He asked her as he pulled himself up. Sapphira nodded, "Good as I can be." She told him as she quickly rushed to her feet while putting her hood back up.

The four immediately got back to their feet while taking their respective weapons out while facing the Bone Hunters. Mata Nui put a hand on Ackar's shoulder gaining the veteran Glatorian's attention to him, "Help Kiina and Sapphira, I'll draw the beast away from you." He said, his grip on his sword slightly tightened.

"Good luck!" Ackar nodded as he and Sapphira ran into the fight. Mata Nui looked at Click on his shoulder, "Alright Click, ready?" He asked the Scarabax Beetle who nodded eagerly and immediately the Scarabax transformed into a shield again and Mata Nui ran at the Skopio while putting his battle mask up.

Sapphira bent backwards as she dodged a swing of a Bone Hunters blade and blocked the other blade with one of her fans then grabbed their wrist and threw them over her shoulder.

The bluette blocked a swing from another with her fans before she headbutted them hard making the Bone Hunter fall off its Sand Stalker now unconscious. Sapphira grinned at that as her forehead now had a nasty bruise that bled slightly at that.

Kiina continuously blocked strikes from a Bone Hunter she was fighting with her trident before she grabbed them from under their arm with the prongs of her weapon and threw them over her shoulder off their Sand Stalker.

She looked at Sapphira who threw her fans at two Bone Hunters making them dodge but the fans came back like boomerangs and knocked the Bone Hunters from behind off their Sand Stalkers.

She then noticed the wound on Sapphira's forehead when the bluette caught her fans that came back.

"What did you do?" She asked the bluette. Sapphira just grinned, "Headbutts still work wonders." she said proudly, making Kiina sigh as the two got back into the fight.

Ackar was currently engaged with three Bone Hunters at once, until Kiina pole vaulted with her trident to knock them off their Sand Stalker while Sapphira quickly blinded the other with an icy wind that covered frost on their face and kicked them off their Sand Stalker and taking control of the steed.

Ackar grinned a bit, "Like what the kid is thinking." He grinned to himself as he blocked another strike of the Bone Hunters sword then quickly grabbed their arm and threw them over his shoulder hard. "Let's even the playing field!" With that, the veteran Glatorian immediately got on the Bone Hunter's now abandoned steed and took control of the reins.

Kiina stayed on the ground finding it difficult to fight with her weapon on a Sand Stalker's back. She gammed the spikes of her trident's head as she pushed herself off the ground to pull a handstand on her trident to avoid a swing of a Bone Hunters blade before swinging her person in a full three sixty while holding the pole of her trident still knocking away the three Bone Hunters that surrounded her as she then launched herself to land with a tuck and roll on the ground and quickly got onto a boulder for a higher ground.

Ackar went to aid her as Sapphira noticed a couple of Bone Hunters approaching Mata Nui. Sapphira's gaze hardened as she turned the Sand Stalker after them, "Oh no you don't." Putting her fans away, Sapphira formed a flurry of ice and snow around her hands and threw her hands forward sending the flurry to the Bone Hunters.

Their Sand Stalkers whinnied at the sudden sharp cold wind as they bucked their riders off their backs. Mata Nui quickly glanced at the new commotion and noticed Sapphira taking care of the Bone Hunters that were trying to get to him.

The two locked eyes for a moment and Mata Nui nodded in thanks before quickly focusing back on the Skopio in time to dodge a strike from its pinchers.

Ackar jumped off his Sand Stalker to tackle another Bone Hunter of theirs to the ground and landed next to Kiina who nodded in thanks as the two focused back on to the fight at hand.

The Sand Stalker Sapphira rode upon was trying to buck her off due to the Skopio causing Sapphira to hold on tighter. "Sapphira!" The said bluette looked as Mata Nui rushed.

The Sand Stalker gave a loud whiney as it bucked Sapphira, who lost her sweating grip off the reins, off as it fell on its back. Mata Nui quickly dove over and caught the bluette, tumbling across the ground while shielding her from any possible harm.

He quickly formed a shield around the two of them that hummed like electricity and a marigold color that shielded them from the Sand Stalker from trampling them. "Are you alright Sapphira?" He asked the bluette who rubbed her elbow a bit. "I'm fine, thanks for the catch- LOOK OUT!" Mata Nui flinched as the Skopio began to bite on the shield around them with its mandibles.

Mata Nui then realized if he was able to form a shield by tapping into something he remembered called Hau, he could do things he vaguely remembered he could do.

With a yell, the golden bot slammed his palms into the ground underneath him and then raised them up causing the ground underneath the Skopio to tremble before two tower spikes of earth and stone shot from the ground and hit the Skopio in the belly making it back up in surprise and pain.

Sapphira's eyes were wide in shock at the spectacle, it reminded her with her ice abilities.

Mata Nui quickly disabled the shield and grabbed Sapphira's arm and ran with the bluette being slightly dragged behind him.

"H-How the hell did you do that?!" Sapphira asked him as they ran. "I'm not sure but something about it was familiar to me to try." He admitted as the two heard something charging up.

Looking over her shoulder ,Sapphira noticed a large blaster coming out of the back of the Skopio at the base of its head that was charging up to fire. "THE SKOPIO HAS A FUCKING GUN ON IT?!" Sapphira yelled in panic making Mata Nui look and gasp as it fired.

The golden bot immediately pulled Sapphira behind him and formed another forcefield around the two of them that shielded them from the powerful blast of the Skopio's blaster just as it almost hit them.

Mata Nui deactivated the shield after it had hit though while panting. Sapphira then got an idea, "The blaster-" "MATA NUI! SAPPHIRA!" Sapphira was cut off by Kiina's yells as the two looked noticing that Kiina and Ackar were pinned on the rock against the canyon wall by the Bone Hunters.

"We're finished! Unless we can make it to my village!" Kiina yelled at them as she blocked a Bone Hunter's blade. "Try to get to the Chariot! Sapphira has an idea!" Mata Nui said as he put his blade on his hip and Click on his back as he and Sapphira then rushed at the Skopio.

"The blaster. We can use it to get the Bone Hunters away from Kiina and Ackar long enough to get past the Skopio." Sapphira told him as they dodged any attacks the Skopio made at them. "We'll need a way to get on its back though." Mata Nui said before he got an idea.

Mata Nui grabbed Sapphira close as he jumped to dodge a crash of the Skopio's front legs before grabbing onto the spike claws on the front of it as it pulled its leg back up.

It flung it's arm back in hopes to knock them off with Mata Nui landed on its back, letting Sapphira hold onto his back as he took the blaster in his hands and aimed it at the Bone Hunters surrounding Kiina and Ackar.

Hardening his gaze, Mata Nui kept the blaster steady as it charged up another blast before firing at the Bone Hunters which gained the Skopio's attention realizing the due were on its back manning its blaster.

Firing another shot, Mata Nui gave Kiina and Ackar a chance to quickly get to the Dune Chariot and start it back up. Hitting the gas and immediately turning to try to get past the Skopio with the Bone Hunters behind them.

'For some reason these Bone Hunters don't want us getting to Tajun.' Mata Nui thought to himself as Sapphira held the shield form of Click in her hand as she noticed the Skopio's movement.

"INCOMING!" Mata Nui held Sapphira on his back as the Skopio knocked the two of them off its back and onto an edge on the canyon wall.

Sapphira got off of Mata Nui's back as she set the shield form of Click down as the two assessed what to do next. Kiina and Ackar hadn't gotten past the Skopio even close before the bluette and golden bot got knocked off and the Bone Hunters were still on their tail.

Remembering something with his mask and own power he grabbed his sword of his hip and held it in the air, both his hands and the sword alongside his mask glowed gold. With a yell Mata Nui stabbed his sword into the cliff edge they were on making the ground shake as the edge began to crumble.

Mata Nui quickly sheathed his sword on his hip and grabbed the shield form of Click from Sapphira as the two ran and jumped on the falling stones to the other side of the canyon with Sapphira's hands and feet forming an icy cloud around them.

The Dune Chariot was starting to approach the Skopio when Kiina and Ackar immediately noticed the rock slide approaching as the Skopio did as well.

Knowing well it was their only shot Kiina slammed the gas pedal, "Gonna cut it close!" To the final luck Kiina managed to go under the Skopio that was distracted by the rock slide.

The Bone Hunters behind them joined the Skopio underneath the boulders as a large dust cloud stirred up high that it almost went past the depths of the canyon.

Quickly leaving the dust cloud was the Dune Chariot showing Kiina and Ackar had made it past safely. Registering they made it safe the two sighed in relief before looking around for Sapphira and Mata Nui.

"Where's..." Kiina asked almost afraid for the two. "There!" Ackar yelled as he pointed to the canyon wall on their left making Kiina look as she kept steering.

Sliding down the canyon wall was Sapphira and Mata Nui safe from harm of the rock slide. Mata Nui used the shield form of Click to slide down, thankful that the poor Scarabax couldn't feel anything while in that form, as Sapphira had a board made of ice that went to her ankles to keep her on it.

Kiina and Ackar couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "And who shall get to us first?" Ackar asked jokingly making Kiina snort a bit, "Get him Sapphira!" The Glatorian yelled at the bluette.

Sapphira grinned a bit as that as she lowered her stance giving her more speed to pass Mata Nui who noticed and did the same, jumping on the shield form of Click a bit to get ahead before he then landed on the Dune Chariot still on top of the shield form of Click.

Sapphira jumped after him, losing a bit of balance. "SHIT!" Mata Nui immediately held his arms out and caught Sapphira bridal style before she could fall too far. "Are you alright Sapphira?" He asked the said bluette who rubbed her head a bit. "Yeah, thanks for the catch." She thanked him as Kiina sped up the Dune Chariot again.

"Oh ho!" Ackar cheered, "Guttiest move I've ever seen!" He complemented the two of them. "YES!" Kiina yelled, "Those Bone Hunters will be eating Skopio belly for WEEKS! Not bad other worlders!" Kiina complemented the two of them.

Mata Nui lowered his battle mask and smiled at the two of them as Sapphira smiled as well while making the ice board at her feet disappear. "It was Sapphira's idea to use the Skopio's blaster to give you guys enough time." Mata Nui told them as he set Sapphira down who went to hold onto the side of the Dune Chariot like before. "Well you were the one who decided to cause that rock slide to get us past the Skopio and Bone Hunters." Sapphira told the golden bot.

Ackar just chuckled shaking his head a bit at the two. Then something ahead caught his sight. "Kiina." He jestered the said Glatorian, "What-" Immediately Kiina cut herself off at the sight as well while Sapphira and Mata Nui looked.

Smoke. Various plumes of smoke. More than just one fire especially during the daytime of Bara Magna with the sweltering daytime temperatures of the planet.

"No!" Kiina yelled, her heart dropping in her chest. "Is that?" Mata Nui asked hoping it wasn't their destination. Ackar confirmed his fear, "Tajun, it's Kiina's village."

______________________

Chapter Six: Bone Hunters and Skopio
End

Authors Note:
Almost 4k words, damn almost had a similar thing like with Ninth Grade Samurai here

Last update I did on a published chapter getting out was Ninth Grade Samurai (my Randy Cunningham fic) which was over 4k words and I made a post late last night or super early this morning that I was suspecting I was gonna have a similar situation of over 4k words upon completing the chapter bc how detailed I try to make fight scenes

I was close tho-

Also apologies for people who got a notification of this chapter coming out and met with the chapter not there

I accidentally pressed published instead of the three dots on save for mobile Wattpad and I wasn't even done with the chapter so sorry for the let down

Also for those who think I'm misspelling Sapphira's name and meaning to put an E instead of A, I'm not that's how her name is spelled (I blame a very old Game of Thrones(I think at least) video or something I saw years ago when making Sapphira that gave me her name inspo)

For pronouncing, it's similar to Sapphire but instead of er pronunciation at the end its an ah

Saph-ire-ah

Just in case anyone needed that bc I remember in the og version some people (maybe from autocorrect idk) spelled it as Sapphire so yeah]

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