(Before I begin, I just want to make one thing clear: Canonically, this has no links to any previous Bionicle fiction. The canon characters are here, but individuals from different eras are all mashed together here. This would explain why, say, Turaga Matau and Nidhiki coexist, or why the 2015 redesigns of the Toa are able to use their classic Kanohi powers. Additionally a number of characters designed for Hero Factory-- some of the villains, to be specific-- were re-purposed for this, so if that offends you, then you might want to turn around. Otherwise, proceed.) Chapter 1: Awakening A powerful entity awoke in pure darkness. How long he had been asleep for he didn’t know. What he did know was that his slumber had come to an end. He felt out into the darkness before him to find that he was being held in some kind of chamber. Realizing now just how cramped his conditions were, the being pushed against the wall before him with as much force as he could muster. To his surprise the walls were actually doors, and the shove was more than sufficient to knock them open. The force he had put towards the blow wound up sending him flying forward face-first into the ground. With a grunt the being pushed itself back up. Below it was soil. Quite fertile soil at that. He picked some up and ran it through his fingers, watching it cascade over its silver hands. He realized this was the first time he had ever actually seen his own hands. Standing up, he looked down upon himself. From what he could tell, he was some sort of combination of machinery and organic tissue. Okay, so I have a vague idea of what I am, he thought. I still don’t know who I am, however. He looked up at the sky above. It was nighttime, as evidenced by the stars above and relative darkness around him. The air was cool and crisp around him-- a little too cool for this being’s liking. For some reason he felt a need for a hotter environment. He turned around to face the container that he had awoken in. Judging by the soil around it this thing had fallen from the sky. It was a miracle that it was still intact, let alone in this condition. It was a large, silver cylinder, much larger than its original host. If it’s this big, why did I feel so suffocated in there? he wondered. As if in response to his thoughts the back wall of the canister shifted out of view and the entire thing opened up to reveal armor and weapons. There were two golden swords and one massive surfboard. He lugged the large board out and examined it. It appeared to be two large swords fused together. He put it aside for now and took out a piece of armor. Judging by where it was situated in the pod, he guessed that it was to attach to his forearm. Snapping it on, he found that it was a perfect fit for him. He proceeded to don the rest of the armor pieces, stowing the smaller blades away on his back for the time being, before reaching out and grabbing the last piece: the mask. He examined the mask closely. It was somewhat square in shape, with a broad chin and two intakes on either side. The way the mask stared back at him implied fierceness and raw power. He smiled. For some reason it felt just like him. Turning it around, he slipped the mask over his face. Immediately he felt a surge of power shooting through him from his head to his toes. He snapped his fingers and projected a fireball. Grinning, he thrust his arm forward and projected it at a nearby rock. The fireball caused the rock to explode upon impact. The being thrust his arms up and hollered with triumph. I can make fireballs! I CAN COMMAND FIRE! ...But who am I?... The being frowned. He still didn’t know who or what he was. His complete inability to recall the past was maddening. He racked his brain until one word popped up. Tahu. That had to be his name, then. He could only assume it was his own name, unless he was recalling someone else… but he sincerely doubted that. Tahu. He liked that name. It sounded powerful. Imposing. “And they’ll call me Tahu, the Master of Fire,” he said to himself. Of course, he could only assume there were other beings on here that he could talk to and find answers from. He looked to the distance to see a volcano looming over all else. It was dormant as far as he could tell, but it was a source of heat, and as a being of fire he was drawn to it. He began to walk in its direction, unsure of what he would find there, but hoping that he’d find some other intelligent beings… and some answers. *** Kopaka continued his trek through the snowy wastes of the mountains. So far he was unimpeded in his journey -- he was able to dispel the snowstorm ahead of him with a single thought. Judging by his current progress, he would be able to find a village by mid-afternoon of the coming day. Kopaka didn’t know a lot about himself, but what he did know was that he was very logically-minded. He liked to know the odds before jumping into things. He was no coward by any means, but he knew it was pragmatic to stop and think before taking any course of action. He weighed the odds, and seeing as his pod was already embedded into the mountain he took that as a sign that he should continue forward from there. It was either that or go off the side of the mountain and he sincerely doubted that he would survive the fall. He attempted to tap into his mask. The three scopes on the right side had to be useful for something-- Kopaka could only assume they were magnifying lenses. Concentrating, he thought about making the mask work as best he could… and then suddenly he could see through the rock and soil of the mountain. Holding his hand up, he could see past his own armor, and past that he could see a skeleton underneath his flesh. Fascinating, he thought. This mask allows me to see through solid objects. I wonder what else it can do… Intrigued, Kopaka began to cycle through the various functions of the mask. They ranged from infrared to night vision to echolocation to the magnifying function that he had initially sought to use. He was so caught up in his own newly-discovered ability that he failed to notice something creeping up on him from behind. Instantly Kopaka felt something powerful ram into his back and send him flying into the nearest snowbank. He immediately got on his feet and whirled around to face his attacker. He found himself face to face with a giant, monstrous cat-like creature, with sharp, jagged teeth and curved claws. Kopaka braced himself for another attack. The creature shot its head forward, mouth gaping open, clearly intent on killing him. Kopaka’s response was to bash the creature across the face with his shield. The force of the blow was enough to topple the monster, but it was clear that it wouldn’t be enough to keep it down. It was getting back on its paws and shaking off the force of the attack right now. Kopaka’s mind raced. He could try creating a layer of ice around the creature, but that wouldn’t be enough to contain it for long -- it was too powerful to be held by that. Then Kopaka had an idea. Jamming his spear into the ground, he willed the ice to break apart below the beast. Sure enough, the ice began to crack. Before the monster could lunge at him again, the ground had given way and sent him toppling down the mountain. It howled before crashing into solid rock below, knocking it unconscious. Kopaka studied the creature for a moment before turning back to the path on which he chose to travel. *** Gali drifted calmly through the sea. She was utterly fascinated with the ecosystem below the water’s surface. There were so many vibrant and beautiful species of fish and plant life. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t recognize danger -- she had been attacked by some large aquatic lizard earlier but had been able to fend it off. In spite of being attacked earlier, however, she felt utterly serene right now. She hoped that her purpose in life would be to catalogue all of these amazing creatures. Yet she knew that wasn’t the case. Otherwise there would have been no armor or weapon in her canister. She had been equipped with a trident and flippers. The flippers were obviously for easier maneuvering in the water, but she didn’t want to know why she had the trident. While she didn’t know much about herself, what she did know was that she was a peace-loving being. She felt uncomfortable carrying the trident, but somehow she knew that it was necessary to bring it with her. Whatever she was destined for, there was danger ahead and she’d need to be armed for it. She was stopped by the sight of fishing hooks and lures. Tracking them to their source she was able to recognize a boat above her. Realizing she had found intelligent life at last, she surged upwards until she broke the surface of the water. Her presence startled the fishers, who jumped back in shock. “Hello!” she greeted. “My name is Gali! If you would be so kind, could you direct me to the nearest village?” The fishers looked on in stunned silence. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Gali sheepishly added. “I sincerely apologize.” The two fishers looked at her, then at each other, then back to her. “We’ve… been expecting you,” one of them said. Expecting me? Gali wondered. For what? “Hang on Toa, we’ll guide you back to our village.” The two reeled their hooks in, stowed away their equipment and catches for the day, and began rowing the boat to the south, Gali swimming close by its side. *** “Hurry, brave Onua! This way!” As his guide eagerly directed him to the chieftain of the underground village he had found himself in, Onua’s keen eyes scanned the surrounding area. All around here there were miners working at digging up glowing crystals. Lightstones, they were called. His guide, Onepu, had referred to them by that name. None of the miners had bothered to look up at the newcomer, too engrossed in their work to notice. Onua couldn’t help but admire that sort of dedication. From what he could tell it was a common attribute throughout the village. The inhabitants here were incredibly driven beings, constantly digging new tunnels or drilling up resources. He had felt a similar drive when he had been digging downwards into the earth earlier. He hadn’t known where he was going at the time other than down, but he had worked hard to keep moving downward until he burst out into the open and found Onepu. According to the short black-and-purple being it was prophesied that he was to arrive here. Obviously he was some sort of hero, but he had no idea what these people would expect of him. He secretly feared that he would not live up to whatever legends had been told of him. As they left the noise of the mines they tread into a vast cavern that would lead to the village. Onua had been quiet throughout most of the journey, confident that whatever questions he had would be answered when he arrived at his destination. Still, he was curious about the village as a whole, and Onepu seemed to be knowledgeable about this domain. Perhaps he’d be able to tell him a thing or two about this place. “Are the mines all there are to this place?” he asked. Onepu laughed. “No, of course not! On the other side of the village we have the Great Archives! There they store all sorts of important information, as well as various Rahi specimens in stasis. If there’s a new species of Rahi discovered, one specimen will be contained there one way or another. Tehutti runs the place-- runs that ship pretty tightly, too. Tetchy, but there’s no denying he’s good at what he does.” He paused. “There’s also Roxtus, but it’s dangerous to set foot in there. Turaga Whenua will fill you in on that.” They began to approach the lights of the huts in which the inhabitants of the island lived. “Well--” *** “--Here we are.” Lewa was taken aback at the vastness of the village in the trees. He hadn’t expected anything this elaborate. All structures were built onto or around the massive trees, staying stable against all odds. Surely this was a testament to the villager’s capacity for construction. Tarduk, Lewa’s ape-like guide, urged him onward towards the hut at the very center of the village. As they proceeded they found themselves swamped with awestruck and excited villagers. They had all sorts of questions and words of encouragement for the Toa. Lewa smiled and waved at all the villagers around him. For some reason he felt that he enjoyed being the center of attention. It was wonderful hearing people call out his name. He could get used to this. Tarduk snapped Lewa out of his reverie by pushing him forward by his heels. He carefully guided him into the hut despite Lewa’s evident fondness for the hero worship he was receiving. Once they were in Tarduk closed the door behind them. Lewa looked around the hut. It was actually pretty big on the inside. From what he could tell this was the village council room where the villagers would meet with the “Turaga” as he was called to discuss important issues. He noticed that there were two other beings in here, slightly taller than he, clad in armor from head to toe. They seemed to be more predominantly organic, much like Tarduk, judging from the flesh visible underneath. Their eyes were fixed on the Toa, sizing him up. Their stare made Lewa uncomfortable. They shouldn’t regard him as a threat. After all, he was here to help them, right? Their gaze turned to the small, lime-green elder entering the room from another entrance. “You may be seated,” he told them. “All of you.” The two warriors and the Toa did as they were told. Tarduk laid down on his stomach, folding his arms and resting his head against them as he watched the events unfold. The elder walked up to Lewa and leaned in close to him. Too close for Lewa’s comfort, frankly. But he didn’t flinch, just awkwardly look back at him. The Turaga chuckled. “I like you,” he told Lewa as he backed off. “You got spirit. I can tell from your eyes.” “Uh… Thanks,” Lewa replied. “Allow me to introduce myself,” he said as he took a spot at the center of the room. “I am Turaga Matau, leader of this village. To my left is Vastus. To my right is Gresh. They have served this village faithfully in your absence.” Gresh nodded and managed a soft “greetings” while Vastus remained still as a statue. “You’ve already met Tarduk”, Matau continued, gesturing to the villager with his staff. Tarduk raised a hand and waved. “We have brought you here, Toa, to speak with you about your destiny.” “Come again?” “You were summoned here for a reason, Lewa,” Matau explained. “Allow me to start from the beginning…” *** In the time before time, the Great Spirit Mata Nui gifted us with this island-- Okoto. Beings from all walks of life gathered here, from Agori and Glatorian to Matoran and Turaga. We divided ourselves up into six villages: Ta-koto, the village of Fire, Ga-koto, the village of Water, Le-koto, the village of Jungle and Air, Onu-Koto, the village of Earth, Po-Koto, the village of Stone, and Ko-Koto, the village of Ice. For a time we all lived together in harmony under the three virtues: Unity, Duty, and Destiny. But then a dark force encroached upon us. The Witch Doctor, his seven generals, and their endless hordes struck at us. We have been able to hold our own for some time now, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Glatorian, but we’ve come to realize that we might be fighting a losing battle. So through the efforts of a brave Matoran named Takua, you Toa were summoned. There are six of you in total, each with their own element: Tahu, Toa of Fire, designated leader of the team, Onua, Toa of Earth, Lewa, Toa of Air, Gali, Toa of Water, Pohatu, Toa of Stone, and Kopaka, Toa of Ice. Your mission is to take back what is rightfully ours and cleanse this evil from the land. We will provide you with whatever assistance we can, but we can only pray it is enough. Ultimately the outcome of the fight lies on your shoulders, Toa. We have no doubt you have the power to win this fight. *** Pohatu struggled to process all of this. “Whoa. This is just… whoa.” He rubbed his mask. “I’m sorry, Turaga Onewa, this is a lot to take in…” Onewa placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know the task sounds difficult, but fear not. You have a number of tools your foes don’t have: Elemental powers…” He tapped his hammer lightly against Pohatu’s mask. “...and Mask powers. Yours, specifically, is the Kanohi Kakama, mask of Speed. It enables you to move at an incredible velocity.” Pohatu beamed. “Awesome.” “Now I ask you, great Toa: Will you help us?” Pohatu shot back up to his feet. “No problem, Turaga! I’ll have these guys off the island before you know it!” “I knew we could count on you, Toa. Now go, seek the others. They’ll be in need of your attributes.” “Will do!” Pohatu exited the hut and waved to the cheering crowd of Matoran and Agori. I won’t let you down, Pohatu thought. I promise. Once he had achieved a sufficient distance away from the village, Pohatu decided to test out his mask power. Mask of speed, huh? Well, let’s see just how fast I can go… Assuming a starting position, Pohatu closed his eyes and concentrated. He began to feel his body vibrate. He vibrated faster and faster, and when he felt that it was enough, he bolted forward. The world around him became a blur as Pohatu shot off into the distance.
Chapter 2: Heroes united When Pohatu finally stopped he was on the opposite end of the island entirely. The scorching desert was gone, replaced by beach that seemed to stretch on forever. A crisp breeze blew in from sea. Looking at this endless expanse of water made him uncomfortable. He was certain that he couldn’t swim even if he tried. If he was going to find the other Toa here, he might need a boat. He turned his attention to the gate. Behind it was the central hub of the village, made almost entirely of seaweed. The ground appeared to be made out of giant lily pads, naturally grown and repurposed for this use. Pohatu had to give the denizens of Ga-koto credit where credit was due: they had ingenuity. He walked up to the gate. “Ah, excuse me, I’m looking for a… Gali. Toa of Water.” A disinterested guard looked up at the Toa. When she saw what he was she almost doubled over in shock. “Y-You’re Toa Pohatu, right?” she asked. Pohatu nodded. “That’d be me, yes.” “Gali was hoping to find the other Toa herself. Here, I’ll let you in.” She turned the crank to open the gate for the Toa of Stone. Pohatu cautiously stepped through, hoping that his weight wouldn’t cause him to sink. To his relief the pads held fast. He walked across them into the village, catching the eyes of many a curious villager. He smiled and waved. There was much excited chatter. While he wasn’t the Toa of this village, he was still a Toa all the same and worthy of their respect. He was approached by a small party. One of them was a Turaga with an egg-shaped mask and a trident. Another was a villager with the same mask as Onewa, but in blue and partially silver at the top. The third was a warrior of some sort, with a hose running from his helmet to an intake on his back. He carried two blades on his person. While he stood tall Pohatu could tell that he was an old soul, trying to hide his age in order to keep the spirits of the village up. This wasn’t Gali, but some other warrior who fought in the service of the village. “Greetings, Toa of stone,” the Turaga said with a bow. “I am Turaga Nokama. You have come here seeking Toa Gali, correct?” Pohatu nodded. Nokama gestured behind Pohatu. “She went over to Tarakava cliffs in order to seek you and the rest of your fellow Toa out. She shouldn’t have gone too far yet. You should still be able to catch her.” “Thank you, Turaga,” Pohatu replied. “But before I get going I’ll need a boat.” “Because you cannot swim, is that correct?” the warrior asked. Pohatu was about to speak up, but he was silenced as the old man raised his hand. “It’s quite alright. Those who come from the desert are often incapable of swimming. I’ll be happy to provide you with transportation.” “Thanks. What’s your name?” “Tarix.” The warrior gestured for Pohatu to follow him. The two walked over to the nearest harbor and got into a dinghy. Tarix grabbed the oars and began rowing. Before long they were well away from the village and headed towards the cliffs. Pohatu forgot about the water below him for a moment and gazed up at the rocks. They had been molded into this shape over time -- smooth and slippery, but still climbable provided someone had enough tenacity and a good enough grip to do so. The sight of the cliffs provided Pohatu with some small comfort. At least our homes have something in common, he thought. Tarix had remained silent for most of the ride, rowing the oars carefully. He was keeping a sharp eye out for any incoming Rahi that would shake up the boat. Occasionally a Tarakava or Takea shark would attack a boat separated from the rest, and he was prepared to fend it off with his blades at any moment. He felt a ripple beneath them. Tarix let go of the oars and snatched his blades. “There’s something coming in below us! Pohatu, grab your--” Before he could finish his sentence a monstrous rahi erupted from the water and snapped the dinghy in two, sending Toa and Glatorian alike plunging into the drink. Tarix started pumping his legs immediately. His helmet was being fed oxygen right now so he wouldn’t have to worry about taking a breath. Pohatu was not so lucky. He had miraculously managed to take a gulp of air before he was sent underwater but he was sinking fast. Great. I’m going to drown before I could even begin my quest. Pohatu got a good look at the creature that had destroyed the dinghy and his eyes widened in horror. It was a gigantic beast with a shelled dome and large, gaping teeth. It had arms and legs protruding from it, but by far the biggest part of its body was its head. Pohatu probably would have found its appearance mildly comedic if he wasn’t thinking about how this thing was going to eat him. The beast swam towards its helpless prey menacingly, jaws gaping wide. Fortunately Pohatu was yanked out of the way by Tarix and carried up to the water’s surface. He gasped and sputtered as he took in the air. “Are you alright?” Tarix asked, concerned. Pohatu couldn’t reply, too busy trying to catch his breath. They didn’t have long to stop and breathe, though, as the beast’s gigantic claw reached up and dragged Tarix down into the water, causing Pohatu to sink again. The monster swam down and began bashing Tarix against the nearest reef, sending sea life scattering and crushing a number of plants in the process. Pohatu realized he had to do something, but he didn’t know what. He couldn’t swim, so there was no way he’d be able to save Tarix in time… unless… Activating his Kakama, Pohatu kicked as hard as he could and shot at the beast like a rocket. He slammed into it with all the force of a Kane-ra stampede, toppling the monster and forcing it to let go of the unconscious Tarix. Taking advantage of the small frame of time he’d have before the rahi regained its bearings, Pohatu scooped Tarix up and made for the surface using his mask power. The creature shook itself in an effort to recover from the blow. It looked up at the retreating Toa. This wouldn’t do. If he failed here, his master would be most displeased, and he didn’t want that. Bellowing with rage, he began swimming towards the Toa. He scooped up the biggest rock he could find and hurled it at him, hoping to knock him out. Its hopes were dashed when the boulder was sliced apart by an unknown force. Toa Gali had arrived in the nick of time to cover her fellow Toa’s escape towards land. Having converted her trident into a powerful staff, she was more than ready to fight the attacking creature. It bellowed in rage, but Gali didn’t flinch. This was more her element than it was the rahi’s, and she would provide a demonstration the instant it moved to attack her. To her surprise, however, it didn’t do anything to fight her. The creature began to swim away, apparently somehow aware that it was outclassed.Gali was puzzled by this, but put those thoughts aside for now. She swam up towards the other Toa and Tarix in order to give them a hand. She carefully assisted Pohatu in dragging Tarix onto the beach. Soon enough the aged Glatorian began to stir. “Tarix? You alright, buddy?” Pohatu asked. “How many fingers am I holding up?” Tarix coughed. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a fully-loaded Ussal cart, but other than that I’m fine,” Tarix replied. “Thanks, both of you.” He got up and gestured to Pohatu. “Gali, this is Pohatu, the Toa of Stone. He came here looking for you.” Gali extended her hand to Pohatu. “It’s an honor.” Pohatu grabbed her hand and squeezed it with almost enough force to crush it. Gali tried not to yelp in pain. “The honor’s all mine, ma’am!” he replied, shaking her hand forcefully enough to move Gali’s entire arm. Once he was finished Gali hid her throbbing hand behind her back. “Yes, well… I must admit, you performed quite well out there for someone who comes from the desert.” “Eh, I would’ve been rahi bones if you hadn’t jumped in to save me,” Pohatu replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “One thing I’m wondering about,” Gali asked, “is how you got here so fast. Po-koto is on the other side of the island. How could you have--?” Pohatu grinned and tapped against his mask. “Mask power lets me run really fast.” “So that’s your mask power,” Gali replied. “Remarkable.” “I hate to interrupt”, Tarix interjected, “but you best be on your way. You have a quest to fulfill, after all.” “You could join us if you want,” Pohatu offered. Tarix shook his head. “I’d be honored to, but my place is with the village. I need to keep them safe while you’re away.” Gali approached Tarix and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Take care.” Tarix nodded and waded into the water. Soon enough he ducked under its surface and began swimming back to where he had come. Gali and Pohatu watched him go, Pohatu waving farewell, before they began to move towards the jungle. “Fishes around here aren’t the friendliest, are they?” Pohatu asked, half-joking. “I’ve faced one wild beast already, but this was nothing like that,” Gali replied. “The Tarakava attacked me because I had intruded on its territory. This one… I think this one actively sought you out. It fled when I showed up.” “What are you saying?” Pohatu asked, now evidently concerned. “I’m saying that thing was directed by something else. Commanded to attack you and Tarix before you could get to me. What sent it, I don’t know, but I fear that what we just faced was only a test.” The two strode through the jungle in nervous silence. *** “Why are you following me?” “To make sure you go where you’re supposed to.” Kopaka huffed in frustration. The Glatorian known as Gelu had been trailing him ever since he left the village. He hadn’t made any attempt to be subtle about it, either -- he had just been following about twelve paces behind him, speeding up whenever Kopaka sped up, slowing down whenever Kopaka slowed down. Any attempt to shake him resulted in him showing up again and some smug remark from him later. He hadn’t actively tried to hurt Kopaka, no, but his presence irritated the Toa of ice. “I work alone”, Kopaka growled. “The last thing I need is a group weighing me down.” “I used to think like that, a long time ago,” Gelu replied. “And do you know what happened?” Kopaka didn’t bother to reply. “I was beaten to a pulp,” Gelu answered. “Numerous times, in fact. After that I grew a brain and realized there’s strength in numbers.” “I’m already plenty intelligent,” Kopaka replied, glaring at Gelu. “I reiterate: I don’t need a team. All I need is logic, my tools, and my elemental power.” Gelu shook his head. “Ice by itself isn’t gonna do you any good. In order to save the island you’re going to need the assistance of the other Toa. One of the Three Virtues is Unity, after all. And who knows? Maybe they’ll rub off on you.” Kopaka was growing more and more irritated with the Glatorian by the moment. He was tempted to just freeze him solid if he didn’t think that he had a trick up his sleeve to deal with that. So he went down the mountain as Gelu wanted him to, but he wasn’t happy about it. For all he knew the other Toa could just be hopelessly incompetent. He had little doubt that he and the Toa of Fire would instantly be at odds. It seemed illogical to him that they should follow the orders of someone he just knew was going to be arrogant and temperamental. The sooner this is all over, the better, he thought to himself. *** A frustrated Tahu swatted another bug. The jungle had not proved to be a hospitable environment for the Toa of fire. He had been chased by an Ash bear, nearly sunk in a pit of mud, temporarily lost his weapons to a bunch of Brakas monkeys and found himself swarmed by tiny parasitic bugs near constantly. He was tempted to burn the whole forest down with one spark, but restrained himself with the knowledge that there were villagers here and they would be hurt if he did so. “Why would anyone want to live here?” he muttered as he hacked down another vine. He heard the sound of rustling leaves above. Tahu pulled out his swords and prepared for whatever would come out to attack. Nothing yet. He gripped his swords and gritted his teeth. “Hello there!” The sudden voice behind him startled Tahu and caused him to jerk around, swords at the ready. What he saw was another Toa -- a green one -- hanging upside-down from the vines. He was smiling, obviously amused with this turn of events. Tahu scowled. “Don’t scare me like that.” “No promises,” replied Lewa, still grinning from ear to ear. “Could you at least get on your feet?” Tahu demanded. “Having to talk to you while you’re upside down isn’t… dignified.” Neither was your first reaction to hearing my beautiful voice, Lewa thought. He performed a flip from the vines that were suspending him off the ground and landed on his feet. He stretched his arms above his head as if showing off to an imaginary audience. Tahu acknowledged the other Toa’s acrobatic prowess but felt that at the moment it was utterly superfluous. “I’m Tahu”, he said. “Toa of Fire. You must be Lewa, then.” “That’s me!” the green Toa enthusiastically replied. This one has a lot of energy in him, Tahu thought. “Have you encountered any other Toa yet?” “As a matter of fact…” Both of them felt a mild rumble in the ground as something approached. Tahu prepared himself for a fight but Lewa encouraged him to put his weapons down. Another Toa emerged from the trees, this one in armor as black as night. He absolutely towered over the other Toa. “Really, Lewa, you could stand to slow down a bit,” the other Toa grumbled. Tahu gazed up at the large Toa, positively awestruck by his size. “Are you, uh, Pohatu?” Onua blinked. “No. I am Onua. Toa of Earth.” He paused. “I assume you are Tahu, Toa of Fire?” Tahu nodded. “Well, we got ourselves a big ‘ol happy family here,” Lewa interjected. “Two down, three to go, I guess.” Tahu nodded. “So that leaves Gali, Pohatu, and Kopaka, then.” “I can guide you guys out,” Lewa offered. Onua was about to object, but Tahu nodded. “Lead the way.” Lewa began to scramble up the nearest tree. Tahu cast a glance at Onua. The gaze he received back was that of someone who had played this game earlier and was quite tired of it. “Just follow along from the ground!” Lewa called out from a branch high off the ground. He began bounding from tree branch to tree branch like some sort of crazed monkey. Tahu sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration. Onua simply patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll learn,” the Toa of Earth told him, managing to crack a smile. Tahu smiled back. He liked Onua already. The two of them followed the Toa of air as best they could, carefully watching him pinball from tree to tree.
Chapter 3: The looming darkness There was a golden city established at the very center of the island of Okoto a long time ago. Once, it was a bustling metropolis, a testament to the creative abilities of the Matoran and Agori. Now it lies in neglect, slowly falling to pieces… but that’s not to say it’s been abandoned. As a matter of fact, something still lives there… something most sinister. Deep within the tallest tower of them all the enigmatic entity known only as the Witch Doctor watched the events unfold. He had known about the Toa for a good long time and had observed their arrival on the island. He had tracked all of them wherever they went. Nothing went unnoticed to him -- through his legion of Skull Spiders, he saw all. He had been sure to inform his generals of their arrival on the island. One of them had attempted to eliminate one of the Toa through one of his many pets, but that plan had failed. This did not upset the Witch Doctor in the slightest. If the Toa were going to come for him, let them come. If the generals wanted to get their hands on them first, then by all means they would have them. Either way the Toa would still lose. Already the Witch doctor plotted countless horrible ways to eliminate his newly-arrived foes. Should he place them under the control of the Skull Spiders and make them kill one another? Or should he restrain them and suck their elemental powers dry? He could worry about that later. Right now all he needed to worry about was the plan. Once it succeeded, Okoto would be shrouded in darkness for all eternity. The reign of the Witch Doctor and his forces would begin in earnest. The Toa and Glatorian would be disposed of immediately and the Matoran and Agori subjected to slavery. The thought made him smile. If anyone were there to witness the sight it would have been most chilling. He sat back into his chair and, through his skull spider hordes, watched his generals begin to plot. *** A number of Visorak Keelerak dragged one of the Toa canisters up from the bog. They were supervised by a yellow insect-like humanoid named Jetbug. “Come on, now!” Jetbug ordered, whipping at the spiders because he knew he could get away with it. “Put your backs into it! Mush, mush!” *KRAK* *KRAK* Under the watch of their monstrous, four-legged leader, and pushed to work faster by the incessant whipping of Jetbug, the Visorak subspecies dragged the canister up to a small clearing. “Leave it there,” their general ordered, in a raspy voice. The Keelerak did as they were told, depositing the canister on the ground. They scurried out of the way, knowing full well what was about to come next. A low hum rose in the air, growing louder and louder as Nidhiki charged up his mouth beam. He had many frustrations to vent, and there was nothing quite like an immobile target. He watched as Jetbug rocketed out of the way. Obviously his sub-commander was afraid of death. That was a flaw he’d have to do something about. Nidhiki unleashed the beam at its fullest power on the canister below, completely obliterating it. What was once a nigh-indestructible Toa canister was now a pile of debris. Jetbug whistled. “Nice one, boss.” Nidhiki laughed -- a hoarse, hollow sound. “You think that’s impressive? Wait until I try that same move on an actual Toa…” *** “AND NO MEAL FOR YOU TONIGHT!” Nocturn slammed the cage door on his pet Gadunka. His failure to kill the Toa of Stone had left the Ocean general extremely angry. He had come too far to be kicked off the island by a bunch of elementals. He thought back to how he had wound up here in the first place. Once he was a feared warrior, considered one of the most dangerous beings on the entire planet. He had razed entire islands, killed Glatorian for sport, and claimed unimaginable riches for himself. That is, until the Order of Mata Nui came after him. One of their members had been enough to beat him and drag him into the Pit, an underwater prison reserved for only the worst of the worst. The water there was unclean. Some sort of mutagen had affected him, transforming him into a monstrous sea creature. This, combined with his horrifying inmates, was almost enough to drive him mad. Then he was broken out of the cell by the Witch Doctor. He was approached with the option to serve him and be a feared warlord once more, maybe get his revenge on the people who threw him into the Pit in the first place. Who was he to deny an opportunity like that? Made amphibious through the Witch Doctor’s magic and given the ability to command creatures of the sea, Nocturn was directed at the island of Okoto and told to do whatever he wanted so long as it didn’t impede the plans of the other generals. Those conditions had been just fine for him. While he didn’t really care for any of the others, he did appreciate that he had a region all his own to ravage virtually unopposed. The only threats he faced were two Glatorian, and one of them was aged well past his prime while the other was raw and untrained. They didn’t pose much of a threat to him or his sea beasts. The arrival of the Toa had changed all of that. What was once easy pickings had turned into an impossible challenge. His domain could easily be turned against him if the Toa of Water willed it. The one comfort he had was that the Toa were still learning how to use their powers, and as such had no idea how to use them effectively. If he was going to eliminate them, he had to do it before it was too late. *** The sound of statues being smashed apart echoed through the mountain fortress. Roodaka knew this only meant one thing: Sidorak was in a bad mood. Of course he would be. Up until now there had been no unforeseen variables in Sidorak’s plans to bring down the Crystal city in which the Matoran and Agori of Ice dwelled. He had planned it down to the last detail and now some Toa had jumped in and ruined it all. “I do not like this, Roodaka!” he yelled out as he smashed another statue. “Not at all!” Roodaka watched this display of rage with disinterest. Where Sidorak saw a speed bump in their plan, Roodaka saw an opportunity. What if there was a way to corrupt these Toa and turn them against the people they were sent to protect? It would be a most exquisite irony. “Sidorak, dear, don’t strain yourself,” she said to the King of the hordes. “Leave that anger for the Toa and Glatorian.” Sidorak seemed to relax slightly. “You’re right, Roodaka. I should reserve my strength for a place where it is needed.” He flexed his claw hand in anticipation. “If I may be so humble,” Roodaka began, “would it not be best to draw them here? Forcing them to fight on our turf would ensure their defeat.” Sidorak paused and considered it. A smile formed under his faceplate. “A most ingenious plan, my queen,” he replied. “But how will we trick them into coming here?” Roodaka smirked. “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it myself…” *** Nitroblast oversaw the overhaul of the desert outpost. With the Toa now present on the island, they would need to reinforce their fortress with as many weapons and booby traps as they could. The best offense is a good defense, he thought to himself. They were doing much of this without commander Krekka’s knowledge, not that he would care. Krekka had always been exceedingly stupid, but lately he had become incredibly lethargic as well. While he was instrumental in claiming their territory in the desert by single-handedly driving Matoran and Agori out through the tried and true method of throwing a bunch of big rocks at them, he hadn’t done much after that. With nothing to do Krekka had grown lazy and decadent, relying on others to do the work for him. So when he received word that the Toa were on the island, Krekka didn’t so much as flinch. He was so indifferent about his own impending doom that the other inhabitants of the fortress-- a team of skilled engineers and the various other parts of the hordes-- were forced to pick up the slack for him. Nitroblast still served Krekka, but he had no illusions of him becoming active again anytime soon. He briefly thought about overthrowing him and assuming command of the fortress, but he realized that he was pretty much in charge right now as it was. The Skopio mechs rolled into position in the hangar, waiting for when they were to be unleashed upon their foes. The looming walls of the fortress were heavily reinforced to the point where it would take nothing short of a bomb to dent it. Booby traps and mines were hidden in the sand to catch any unwary interlopers. Everything was almost in place. We haven’t much time now, do we? Nitroblast thought to himself. It won’t be long now before the Toa come crashing through our walls. Right now, preparations are of utmost necessity. It was around then that he realized he needed to prepare a meal for Krekka. There was only one thing that could get him riled up these days, and that was not having a meal waiting for him. And Krekka didn’t just eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, he ate entire feasts three times a day. If he didn’t have one waiting for him, who knows what sort of havoc would be wrought? Nitroblast raced to the kitchen to prepare supper for the lethargic commanding officer. I hate my life. *** Tuma sat at the grindstone, meticulously sharpening his sword. It hadn’t been long since he had been made aware of the Toa’s presence and he had made sure to mobilize his Skrall forces. Roxtus was on the move now and the inhabitants of Onu-Koto had best prepare themselves for an onslaught. The Skrall were conquerors, you see. They lived for laying claim to land and riches. And the Agori and Matoran would make for excellent slaves. The Skrall’s drilling equipment was being put into place even now. In a few short days they would come crashing through the walls of the village and ransack it. Not that he didn’t expect resistance -- the villagers would inevitably try to fight back. Try and fail, of course. That would leave only the Toa to fight in their stead. Fighting a Toa… the prospect fascinated Tuma. Most others feared having to face a Toa, but he relished the opportunity. It would be just he, the Toa, and the ring. He would ensure that he used no elemental powers by ensuring the demise of his precious villagers if he did so. It would be a one-on-one match. That’s all he’d need. Just him and the Toa. And of course the Toa would lose. When it came to gladiatorial combat Tuma was unmatched. He would break the Toa’s body, then his spirit, and then finally, when he couldn’t bear any more pain, he would kill him. The thought made Tuma smile. Getting up from the stone, he examined the sword. It had been finely sharpened now, able to cut through most anything. As a test he walked up to the nearest solid protosteel beam. This was the standard construction material for most of their own technology. Solid and dependable. He swung his sword and it cleaved through the beam in one swipe. Satisfied, he sheathed the massive blade away on his back before proceeding out of his training room to face his troops. This was most encouraging. For if he had a blade that could cleave through protosteel, what chance did the village of Onu-Koto have? *** The Fire Lord stood by as two of his personal robots, the Maxilos units, activated for a training match. He had set them to difficulty level 12. He would need it for the battle ahead. One of them lunged at him. He was able to dodge the attack. The second one kept its distance and waited for an opening in which it could fire its cordak missiles while the first slashed at him with it’s bladed staff. Fire Lord blocked the blows with his shield, heating the sharp blades attached to it up all the while. The second unit fired on him from behind. He countered with a magma blast, creating an explosion. Unable to detect its target in the smoke, the unit looked around and amplified its own audio receptors. It heard something like footsteps and thrust its staff. All it heard was the staff colliding with the wall. Fire Lord rammed his heated blades through the robot’s chest, forcefully deactivating it. The first one was charging at him again. He used the deactivated shell of its brother unit as a shield, watching as the Maxilos hacked its kin to pieces. This amused Fire Lord. He grabbed the hose running from its back to its head module and yanked it loose. Staggered by this blow, it was easy prey for Fire Lord to deliver the killing blow to. A clean slice through the neck and it was all over. Fire Lord deactivated his swords and examined the remains of his training robots. He swept them aside for the time being. After all, he could always repair them later. No one could repair the corpse of a Toa.
