Wednesday, July 23, 2008
BZPower's 7th Anniversary!!!
Seven years ago Jon, (known as Dimensioneer on the BZP forums) started a little website called BZCommunity(BZ stands for BIONICLE ZONE). A year later that site merged with another Bionicle fansite (Kanohi Power) and became the BZPower we all know and love. It's been seven years of fun for the forty-thousand members that have made over five-million posts, and this is the week we celebrate that.From the beginning of this week till next weekend, every member will receive the perks of Premier Membership, and there should be more announcements as the week progresses!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Takanuva Blog
10 July
A burst of light made the creature menacing my fellow Toa stop and take notice. I expected it to attack, or scream out its rage, or do something else I wouldn't enjoy at all. Instead, the look on its face was almost one of ... sadness and resignation. Almost as if it knew that I, or someone like me, was coming, but had hoped against hope I wouldn't show up. Then it drifted down through the mud like a spirit and vanished. Wherever I am ... this is a very strange place.
14 July
Using my newfound ability to fly (the result of a Makuta virus I was exposed to in an alternate universe), I traveled to where the Toa was just getting to her feet. As I got closer, I realized that despite the differences in her appearance, it was Gali. And despite how I looked, she recognized me. "What are you doing here?" she asked, even as I said "Are you all right?" I told her it was a long, long story, and there wasn't time to tell it. We had to find the others - they had to know how much danger they were in!
17 July
Gali looked at me as if she were just seeing me for the first time. "What happened to you?" she asked. "Your armor ... your mask ... and is it me, or have you grown bigger?" The darkening of my armor and mask I already knew about. It was a side-effect of the shadow leech attack on Metru Nui. But I had grown in size? Yes, I guess I had, though I had no idea why. What did it mean? Would it stop, or would I keep growing larger? A Turaga might know the answers, but there were none around. Like far too many situations I had been in lately, I would have to learn as I went.
A burst of light made the creature menacing my fellow Toa stop and take notice. I expected it to attack, or scream out its rage, or do something else I wouldn't enjoy at all. Instead, the look on its face was almost one of ... sadness and resignation. Almost as if it knew that I, or someone like me, was coming, but had hoped against hope I wouldn't show up. Then it drifted down through the mud like a spirit and vanished. Wherever I am ... this is a very strange place.
14 July
Using my newfound ability to fly (the result of a Makuta virus I was exposed to in an alternate universe), I traveled to where the Toa was just getting to her feet. As I got closer, I realized that despite the differences in her appearance, it was Gali. And despite how I looked, she recognized me. "What are you doing here?" she asked, even as I said "Are you all right?" I told her it was a long, long story, and there wasn't time to tell it. We had to find the others - they had to know how much danger they were in!
17 July
Gali looked at me as if she were just seeing me for the first time. "What happened to you?" she asked. "Your armor ... your mask ... and is it me, or have you grown bigger?" The darkening of my armor and mask I already knew about. It was a side-effect of the shadow leech attack on Metru Nui. But I had grown in size? Yes, I guess I had, though I had no idea why. What did it mean? Would it stop, or would I keep growing larger? A Turaga might know the answers, but there were none around. Like far too many situations I had been in lately, I would have to learn as I went.
Insane BIO quiz
You're a true Bionicle Fan!!!
Congrats! You got most right!
Well done, just for that, you get a cookie with kanohi shaped chocolate chips!
Go here to try it out.
I scored 48 out of 50 on this test! Can you beat that? If so send your results to atomicramon@hotmail.com for your reward!
Congrats! You got most right!
Well done, just for that, you get a cookie with kanohi shaped chocolate chips!
Go here to try it out.
I scored 48 out of 50 on this test! Can you beat that? If so send your results to atomicramon@hotmail.com for your reward!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Takanuva's Blog
July 1
My name is Takanuva, Toa of Light. For the past - day? month? year? - I have been traveling through other dimensions trying to find my way to Karda Nui. I was sent on my journey by the Order of Mata Nui, who gave me vital information I must share with the Toa Nuva. Unfortunately, the mask whose power hurled me into the space between dimensions was damaged, so trip has been a rough one. Hopefully, my next stop will be my own universe.
July 3
I see a point of light in the distance. After three wrong destinations, I can only wish that this is Karda Nui. Fighting the currents of interdimensional space, I make for the spot. It is a portal opening to another reality. Desperately, I dive for it. On the other side, I land hard on a small island of mud. All around me is murky water and weird plant life. Have I found Karda Nui, the core of the universe, or simply another strange world not my own?
7 July
I am in a swamp, surrounded by mist. Now and then, I spot a fin or a tentacle break the surface of the muddy water, but I don't see many other Rahi around. Am I where I am supposed to be? Using my new power of flight, I rise into the air. That's when I spot her - a Toa of Water, being menaced by a pale-white, skeletal monstrosity. I don't know if that's Gali or not, but I know a Toa in danger when I see one. Let's see if I can shed a little light on this with my power lance!
More entries coming soon!
My name is Takanuva, Toa of Light. For the past - day? month? year? - I have been traveling through other dimensions trying to find my way to Karda Nui. I was sent on my journey by the Order of Mata Nui, who gave me vital information I must share with the Toa Nuva. Unfortunately, the mask whose power hurled me into the space between dimensions was damaged, so trip has been a rough one. Hopefully, my next stop will be my own universe.
July 3
I see a point of light in the distance. After three wrong destinations, I can only wish that this is Karda Nui. Fighting the currents of interdimensional space, I make for the spot. It is a portal opening to another reality. Desperately, I dive for it. On the other side, I land hard on a small island of mud. All around me is murky water and weird plant life. Have I found Karda Nui, the core of the universe, or simply another strange world not my own?
7 July
I am in a swamp, surrounded by mist. Now and then, I spot a fin or a tentacle break the surface of the muddy water, but I don't see many other Rahi around. Am I where I am supposed to be? Using my new power of flight, I rise into the air. That's when I spot her - a Toa of Water, being menaced by a pale-white, skeletal monstrosity. I don't know if that's Gali or not, but I know a Toa in danger when I see one. Let's see if I can shed a little light on this with my power lance!
More entries coming soon!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Ask Bitil and Gorast
II
Bitil: Hi and welcome to Ask Me and Gorast!
Gorast: How come you always get to say something first?
Bitil: 'Cause he likes me better. Right?
Me: No.
Bitil: Aw, shucks.
Gorast: Anyways, first question!
Bitil: Wait, aren't we being invaded by the Toa Nuva?
Gorast: Why yes, we are!
Tahu: Good news, guys.
Other Toa: What?
Tahu: They noticed us.
Other Toa: Yay.
Bitil: Anyways, charge!!
Gorast: Yah.
Toa: Charge!
*Battle ensues*
Bitil: We're winning!
Toa: We're losing!
Gorast: We know that!
Toa: We're winning!
B and G: We're losing!
Me: I really don't care!
B and G: You should, because we're the stars!
Toa: Not any more!
*Battle continues*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Me: Ahhhhhhh!!
B and G: *snoring*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
Me: *snoring*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
Tahu: I think we're being too dramatic.
Gali: Yeah.
B and G and Me: 'Bout time you found out.
Toa: Anyways......
Tahu: Charge!
Gali: Charge!
Onua: Charge!
Kopaka: Charge!
Av-Matoran: Charge!
Kopaka: Wait, where are Lewa and Pohatu?
*Vision*
*Lewa and Pohatu are sitting on the couch watching Kohlii*
Lewa: Ahhh.... gimme more beer!!!
Pohatu: Gimme more chips!
Lewa: You gimme da beer!!!
Pohatu: Ya gimme da chippies!!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Chips!
Pohatu: Beer!
Me: Coca Cola!
L and P: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Beer: Lewa!
Chips: Pohatu!
L and P: ???????????????
*End of vision*
Kopaka: So that's what their doing.
Tahu: Right.
Kopaka: Anyways, back to the.....
Tahu: Battle!!!!!!
Toa: Charge!
B and G: Charge!!!
Me: And so the battle raged on until only two Toa were left standing.
Bitil: You're going down!
Tahu: Bitil........ I am your daddy!!!!
Bitil: You're ment to say: I am your father!
Tahu: You are?
Gorast: Prepare to die, Gali.
Gali: No, you prepare to die! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHA-
Gali: Wait, I'm a good guy! So, why am I laughing like a maniac?
Gorast: Figures.
Me: And so....
Bitil: Enough with the "and so" already!!!
Me: I thought this was an Ask Comedy?
Gali: You mean it was.
Gorast: This battle will never end!
Bitil: Yes it will! I have a secret weapon!
Gorast: What?
Bitil: *Pulls out massive laser cannon* "The Burrito Cannon!!" Given to me by the Burrito God!
Gorast: Whatever.
Me: And so.....
Bitil: No "and so"!!!!!
Me: Ok, ok! And thus........
Bitil: None of that either!
Me: Fine. So, the Toa Nuva were defeated by Bitil's Burrito Cannon.
*The Burrito Cannon shot thousands of burritos into the Gali and Tahu's mouths until they couldn't eat anymore*
Bitil: Well that's finished!
Me: So is the Ask Comedy.
Gorast: Some Ask Comedy that was.
Me and Bitil: Uh huh.
END
Next Chapter Coming Soon! (Where they have questions)
Bitil: Hi and welcome to Ask Me and Gorast!
Gorast: How come you always get to say something first?
Bitil: 'Cause he likes me better. Right?
Me: No.
Bitil: Aw, shucks.
Gorast: Anyways, first question!
Bitil: Wait, aren't we being invaded by the Toa Nuva?
Gorast: Why yes, we are!
Tahu: Good news, guys.
Other Toa: What?
Tahu: They noticed us.
Other Toa: Yay.
Bitil: Anyways, charge!!
Gorast: Yah.
Toa: Charge!
*Battle ensues*
Bitil: We're winning!
Toa: We're losing!
Gorast: We know that!
Toa: We're winning!
B and G: We're losing!
Me: I really don't care!
B and G: You should, because we're the stars!
Toa: Not any more!
*Battle continues*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Toa: Ahhhh!!
B and G: Ahhhhh!!
Me: Ahhhhhhh!!
B and G: *snoring*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
Me: *snoring*
Toa: Ahhhh!!
Tahu: I think we're being too dramatic.
Gali: Yeah.
B and G and Me: 'Bout time you found out.
Toa: Anyways......
Tahu: Charge!
Gali: Charge!
Onua: Charge!
Kopaka: Charge!
Av-Matoran: Charge!
Kopaka: Wait, where are Lewa and Pohatu?
*Vision*
*Lewa and Pohatu are sitting on the couch watching Kohlii*
Lewa: Ahhh.... gimme more beer!!!
Pohatu: Gimme more chips!
Lewa: You gimme da beer!!!
Pohatu: Ya gimme da chippies!!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Lewa: Chips!
Pohatu: Beer!
Me: Coca Cola!
L and P: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lewa: Beer!
Pohatu: Chips!
Beer: Lewa!
Chips: Pohatu!
L and P: ???????????????
*End of vision*
Kopaka: So that's what their doing.
Tahu: Right.
Kopaka: Anyways, back to the.....
Tahu: Battle!!!!!!
Toa: Charge!
B and G: Charge!!!
Me: And so the battle raged on until only two Toa were left standing.
Bitil: You're going down!
Tahu: Bitil........ I am your daddy!!!!
Bitil: You're ment to say: I am your father!
Tahu: You are?
Gorast: Prepare to die, Gali.
Gali: No, you prepare to die! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHA-
Gali: Wait, I'm a good guy! So, why am I laughing like a maniac?
Gorast: Figures.
Me: And so....
Bitil: Enough with the "and so" already!!!
Me: I thought this was an Ask Comedy?
Gali: You mean it was.
Gorast: This battle will never end!
Bitil: Yes it will! I have a secret weapon!
Gorast: What?
Bitil: *Pulls out massive laser cannon* "The Burrito Cannon!!" Given to me by the Burrito God!
Gorast: Whatever.
Me: And so.....
Bitil: No "and so"!!!!!
Me: Ok, ok! And thus........
Bitil: None of that either!
Me: Fine. So, the Toa Nuva were defeated by Bitil's Burrito Cannon.
*The Burrito Cannon shot thousands of burritos into the Gali and Tahu's mouths until they couldn't eat anymore*
Bitil: Well that's finished!
Me: So is the Ask Comedy.
Gorast: Some Ask Comedy that was.
Me and Bitil: Uh huh.
END
Next Chapter Coming Soon! (Where they have questions)
The Mata-Nui Daily News
Chapter 3
Chaos in the studio
Part 1
MN: And welcome to the Mata-Nui News!! Over to you Hahli.
Hahli: Thank you. It appears that the yellow Kraata won this years Grand Leader Turaga election. Unfortunately he ate the other Turaga,
so he has no Turaga to lead. Although he still has the Matoran, The Grand Leader Turaga's job is to lead the other Turaga. Over to you
Matoro.
Matoro: Well the Turaga elections are over, the excitement has died down and I have finally taken a bath.
Hahli: ?????????????
Matoro: Anyway, after consuming a few hundred meat pies, the new GLT has issued his second order.
Hahli: What?
Matoro: He needed to go to the bathroom.
Hahli: ........................................................
Matoro: And he also issued an order for FREE CHEESE CHILLI NACHOS EVERY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!
*Matoro starts dancing and yells incomprehensible words*
Hahli: Yay! Over to you Takua.
Takua: I thought I got eaten by the Kraata?
Hahli: We extracted you.
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: It wasn't pretty.
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: ................................................................
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: Uhhhhhh....... WAKE UP!!!!
Takua: Ah. Well anyway the Bohrok have been defeated by the Toa Nuva and they now help us to rebuild are villages. If you ask me
that's exactly what they should be doing, those reckless, scummy...................
*Takua is trampled by a crowd of Bohrok who are going to repair a bridge*
Hahli: Ah. Well over to you Macku.
Macku: Thank you Hahli. Now there have been several disappearances. Matoran have gone missing during the voting time for the Turaga elections.
The missing Matoran were last seen going into voting booths. Over to our new reporter.
Makuta disguised as a Matoran: Thank you. Lately Matoran have been vanishing. They were last seen walking into completely safe voting booths.
But they never emerged. We think it could be anything BUT another plot devised by the Makuta.
Macku: Yes. Now back to Hahli.
Hahli: And now............
MN: KAPURA'S WEATH....................
Director: (panicked) CUT! Rahkshi are invading the studio!!!
FIN
for now...............
Will the reporters save the studio? Will they finish the news? Will Takua survive?
Will I stop putting dumb spoilers? All (almost all) is revealed in the next
action packed chapter.............................
Chaos in the studio
Part 1
MN: And welcome to the Mata-Nui News!! Over to you Hahli.
Hahli: Thank you. It appears that the yellow Kraata won this years Grand Leader Turaga election. Unfortunately he ate the other Turaga,
so he has no Turaga to lead. Although he still has the Matoran, The Grand Leader Turaga's job is to lead the other Turaga. Over to you
Matoro.
Matoro: Well the Turaga elections are over, the excitement has died down and I have finally taken a bath.
Hahli: ?????????????
Matoro: Anyway, after consuming a few hundred meat pies, the new GLT has issued his second order.
Hahli: What?
Matoro: He needed to go to the bathroom.
Hahli: ........................................................
Matoro: And he also issued an order for FREE CHEESE CHILLI NACHOS EVERY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!
*Matoro starts dancing and yells incomprehensible words*
Hahli: Yay! Over to you Takua.
Takua: I thought I got eaten by the Kraata?
Hahli: We extracted you.
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: It wasn't pretty.
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: ................................................................
Takua: Ah.
Hahli: Uhhhhhh....... WAKE UP!!!!
Takua: Ah. Well anyway the Bohrok have been defeated by the Toa Nuva and they now help us to rebuild are villages. If you ask me
that's exactly what they should be doing, those reckless, scummy...................
*Takua is trampled by a crowd of Bohrok who are going to repair a bridge*
Hahli: Ah. Well over to you Macku.
Macku: Thank you Hahli. Now there have been several disappearances. Matoran have gone missing during the voting time for the Turaga elections.
The missing Matoran were last seen going into voting booths. Over to our new reporter.
Makuta disguised as a Matoran: Thank you. Lately Matoran have been vanishing. They were last seen walking into completely safe voting booths.
But they never emerged. We think it could be anything BUT another plot devised by the Makuta.
Macku: Yes. Now back to Hahli.
Hahli: And now............
MN: KAPURA'S WEATH....................
Director: (panicked) CUT! Rahkshi are invading the studio!!!
FIN
for now...............
Will the reporters save the studio? Will they finish the news? Will Takua survive?
Will I stop putting dumb spoilers? All (almost all) is revealed in the next
action packed chapter.............................
The Mata-Nui Daily News
Chapter 2
Tastes Like Chicken!!!
MN: And now for the Mata Nui Daily, uh, uh, something! Oh right! NEWS!!! MNDN!!!(Mata-Nui Daily News!)
*Director slaps forehead*
MN: Over to you Kapura!
Radio: Di, di, di, di, di, diiiiiiii!!!!
*Director commits suicide*
MN: Uhhhh...I think we need a new director.............
Random Matoran: OK!
*Jumps into director suit*
RM: (In Superman voice) Somebody say they need a director?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MN: KAPURA'S WEATHER REPORT!
Kapura: Good morning viewers and welcome! The forecasts read that there will be continous showers in Ga-Koro.
*Shows showers falling from the sky*
Kapura: There will also be earthquakes in Onu-Koro, Flying birthday cakes in Ta-Koro, Tornandos in Le-Koro, Bohrok in Po-Koro,
*Shows Bohrok falling from the sky*
Kapura: .....And Ice storms in Ko-Koro.
MN: Thank you for that Kapura. Now over to you Takua.
Takua: (In wheelchair) the Bohrok threat seems to be progressing in Po-Koro. Many Po-Koro inhabitants have taken into habit
to carry around steel umbrellas. I for one...............
*Bohrok lands on Takua*
Takua: ....................Hate Bohrok.....................
MN: Over to you Hahli.
Hahli: Thank you. Now the Turaga elections are over and the winner shall be revealed! Over to you Matoro.
Matoro: The Turaga elections have stopped. Votes are being tallied and.....
Voice in the backround: .....And the winner is: .................KRAATA!!!!
*Cheering from Matoran*
Kraata: And now as my first act to save us all......
*Gobbles up other Turaga*
Kraata: .........................Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm..................Tastes like chicken.........................
*Matoran start to cheer*
Matoro: .................And there you have it! The Kraata wins! Back to you Hahli!
Hahli: (Looks sick) Ahhhhhhhhh, yes and now over to you Jaller.
Jaller: The latest topic for today on Jallers Tuesday exclusive news, is.............THE OOMN(Order of Mata Nui)
Hahli: Really?
Jaller: Yes, Hahli! It has been revealed that Botar isn't as serious as he seems!
Hahli: *Gasps*
Jaller: We conducted a test. We made him watch TV. As soon as he saw Makuta Teridax fall into a slime pit he cracked up.
*Botar appears behind Jaller*
Botar: To the Pit you shall go!
Jaller: (scared) What for?
Botar: For insulting a OOMN member in public on TV!
*Grabs Jaller, both disappear*
Hahli: Well that's all for tonight folks! Catch us tomorrow!!!
*Pahrak charges on stage*
Pahrak: Ah ha! I'm back!
*Everyone stares at Pahrak*
Hahli: Uhhhhhhh.... the news just finished.
Pahrak: Darn!
*Takua rides in on his wheelchair*
Takua: Hey guys!
Pahrak: Well I'll just come tomorrow.
*Exits, crushing Takua with his foot as he walks off-stage*
Takua: Owwwww............Uh, a little help here?
*Kraata comes in eats Takua*
Kraata: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......Tastes like chicken....................
FIN
More chappies coming soon!!!!
Tastes Like Chicken!!!
MN: And now for the Mata Nui Daily, uh, uh, something! Oh right! NEWS!!! MNDN!!!(Mata-Nui Daily News!)
*Director slaps forehead*
MN: Over to you Kapura!
Radio: Di, di, di, di, di, diiiiiiii!!!!
*Director commits suicide*
MN: Uhhhh...I think we need a new director.............
Random Matoran: OK!
*Jumps into director suit*
RM: (In Superman voice) Somebody say they need a director?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MN: KAPURA'S WEATHER REPORT!
Kapura: Good morning viewers and welcome! The forecasts read that there will be continous showers in Ga-Koro.
*Shows showers falling from the sky*
Kapura: There will also be earthquakes in Onu-Koro, Flying birthday cakes in Ta-Koro, Tornandos in Le-Koro, Bohrok in Po-Koro,
*Shows Bohrok falling from the sky*
Kapura: .....And Ice storms in Ko-Koro.
MN: Thank you for that Kapura. Now over to you Takua.
Takua: (In wheelchair) the Bohrok threat seems to be progressing in Po-Koro. Many Po-Koro inhabitants have taken into habit
to carry around steel umbrellas. I for one...............
*Bohrok lands on Takua*
Takua: ....................Hate Bohrok.....................
MN: Over to you Hahli.
Hahli: Thank you. Now the Turaga elections are over and the winner shall be revealed! Over to you Matoro.
Matoro: The Turaga elections have stopped. Votes are being tallied and.....
Voice in the backround: .....And the winner is: .................KRAATA!!!!
*Cheering from Matoran*
Kraata: And now as my first act to save us all......
*Gobbles up other Turaga*
Kraata: .........................Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm..................Tastes like chicken.........................
*Matoran start to cheer*
Matoro: .................And there you have it! The Kraata wins! Back to you Hahli!
Hahli: (Looks sick) Ahhhhhhhhh, yes and now over to you Jaller.
Jaller: The latest topic for today on Jallers Tuesday exclusive news, is.............THE OOMN(Order of Mata Nui)
Hahli: Really?
Jaller: Yes, Hahli! It has been revealed that Botar isn't as serious as he seems!
Hahli: *Gasps*
Jaller: We conducted a test. We made him watch TV. As soon as he saw Makuta Teridax fall into a slime pit he cracked up.
*Botar appears behind Jaller*
Botar: To the Pit you shall go!
Jaller: (scared) What for?
Botar: For insulting a OOMN member in public on TV!
*Grabs Jaller, both disappear*
Hahli: Well that's all for tonight folks! Catch us tomorrow!!!
*Pahrak charges on stage*
Pahrak: Ah ha! I'm back!
*Everyone stares at Pahrak*
Hahli: Uhhhhhhh.... the news just finished.
Pahrak: Darn!
*Takua rides in on his wheelchair*
Takua: Hey guys!
Pahrak: Well I'll just come tomorrow.
*Exits, crushing Takua with his foot as he walks off-stage*
Takua: Owwwww............Uh, a little help here?
*Kraata comes in eats Takua*
Kraata: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......Tastes like chicken....................
FIN
More chappies coming soon!!!!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
The Mutran Chronicles!!!!!! Chapter 10!!!!!
How quickly 1000 years can go by when you are busy outdoing Chirox in Rahi creation. While Teridax busied himself tormenting the Matoran of Mata Nui like a Muaka with a stone rat, I was bringing fabulous creatures into being. True, some of them did not live very long... and yes, one died quite an explosive death... but I had my successes as well. The shadow leech, for example – a mutated kraata that could drain the light out of any living being. Who couldn’t love that?
Naturally, I needed a test subject for it. I traveled to a village in my area of control in search of a Matoran brave/desperate/stupid enough to volunteer (I could have taken one by force, but after 100,000 years, all that screaming and begging grows tiresome to listen to). I was fortunate enough to run across a villager named Vican, eager to find a more adventurous life for himself. What he got for the loss of his light instead was a life of shadow and the honor of being my assistant... a more than fair trade, in my estimation.
It was shortly after I introduced him to the wonder that is Destral that a most fascinating incident took place: a Matoran went flying through my laboratory, to be dashed against the far wall. His armor was crimson, but it was obvious he was one of mine – meaning another beneficiary of the gift of a shadow leech. He was followed by Gorast, in her usual state of rage/psychosis.
The crumpled heap on the floor turned out to be Vultraz, a Matoran who had been in the service of Gorast for some time before becoming one with the shadows. On a far-flung scouting mission, he had discovered a way into the legendary Karda Nui, the core of the universe. That was the good news. The bad news was that he had decided to keep this knowledge to himself, apparently thinking he could benefit from it somehow. That he did, if you consider being beaten by Gorast to be a “benefit.”
Once she had the information in hand, Gorast informed Teridax (who was busy taking a long overdue bath beneath Voya Nui at the time). His reaction was predictable: we were to go to Karda Nui immediately, seize it, and see to it any Av-Matoran there would pose no threat. Eventually, he had no doubt the Toa Nuva would make an appearance there... if they did, his wishes were clear. Icarax, of course, thought his demands bordered on insanity if not treason to the Brotherhood, and he refused to go. Eventually, Antroz gave up trying to persuade him.
“We’ll call him when there is someone for him to break,” our team leader said. “Otherwise, I can do without his company.”
Karda Nui – how to describe its glory, its wonder, its sheer beauty? How to capture the feeling one gets at the first sight of it? It isn’t easy, but let me try.
It’s a big cave. With a swamp in it.
At least, there has been the sport of hunting Matoran, which has kept Vamprah happy. Gorast, Bitil and Krika went down below to ready themselves in case the Toa appear in the swamp first, and I have not seen them since. I am sure they are fine – certainly, they would not be foolish enough to go into water so obviously foul.
As for me, I am back to creating shadow leeches in my new hive. I have my doubts the Toa Nuva will ever arrive – what sane being would challenge seven Makuta? If they do, things will be most … interesting. Teridax tells us we must show restraint – asking Makuta to show restraint around Toa is like asking a Rahkshi to show table manners.
Hmmmm... what’s that? I could have sworn there was a flash of light outside. It must have been pretty powerful for me to see it all the way in here. Well, I suppose if it was anything important, I will find out about it in time...
Naturally, I needed a test subject for it. I traveled to a village in my area of control in search of a Matoran brave/desperate/stupid enough to volunteer (I could have taken one by force, but after 100,000 years, all that screaming and begging grows tiresome to listen to). I was fortunate enough to run across a villager named Vican, eager to find a more adventurous life for himself. What he got for the loss of his light instead was a life of shadow and the honor of being my assistant... a more than fair trade, in my estimation.
It was shortly after I introduced him to the wonder that is Destral that a most fascinating incident took place: a Matoran went flying through my laboratory, to be dashed against the far wall. His armor was crimson, but it was obvious he was one of mine – meaning another beneficiary of the gift of a shadow leech. He was followed by Gorast, in her usual state of rage/psychosis.
The crumpled heap on the floor turned out to be Vultraz, a Matoran who had been in the service of Gorast for some time before becoming one with the shadows. On a far-flung scouting mission, he had discovered a way into the legendary Karda Nui, the core of the universe. That was the good news. The bad news was that he had decided to keep this knowledge to himself, apparently thinking he could benefit from it somehow. That he did, if you consider being beaten by Gorast to be a “benefit.”
Once she had the information in hand, Gorast informed Teridax (who was busy taking a long overdue bath beneath Voya Nui at the time). His reaction was predictable: we were to go to Karda Nui immediately, seize it, and see to it any Av-Matoran there would pose no threat. Eventually, he had no doubt the Toa Nuva would make an appearance there... if they did, his wishes were clear. Icarax, of course, thought his demands bordered on insanity if not treason to the Brotherhood, and he refused to go. Eventually, Antroz gave up trying to persuade him.
“We’ll call him when there is someone for him to break,” our team leader said. “Otherwise, I can do without his company.”
Karda Nui – how to describe its glory, its wonder, its sheer beauty? How to capture the feeling one gets at the first sight of it? It isn’t easy, but let me try.
It’s a big cave. With a swamp in it.
At least, there has been the sport of hunting Matoran, which has kept Vamprah happy. Gorast, Bitil and Krika went down below to ready themselves in case the Toa appear in the swamp first, and I have not seen them since. I am sure they are fine – certainly, they would not be foolish enough to go into water so obviously foul.
As for me, I am back to creating shadow leeches in my new hive. I have my doubts the Toa Nuva will ever arrive – what sane being would challenge seven Makuta? If they do, things will be most … interesting. Teridax tells us we must show restraint – asking Makuta to show restraint around Toa is like asking a Rahkshi to show table manners.
Hmmmm... what’s that? I could have sworn there was a flash of light outside. It must have been pretty powerful for me to see it all the way in here. Well, I suppose if it was anything important, I will find out about it in time...
Ask Bitil and Gorast!
Ask Bitil and Gorast!
Bitil: Hi! Welcome to the first episode of ask Bitil and Gorast! I am your host, Bitil!
Gorast: And I'm your other host, Gorast! First question!!
Dear Gorast,
Do you like Krika?-Krika
Gorast: No, he's annoying and has no sense of humor.
Second question!!
Dear Gorast,
Krika does have a good sense of humor-Krika
Gorast: If he does, I have never seen him use it, and I really don't care.
Third question!!
How long is this episode going to be?-Bitil
Gorast: Bitil!! You're not supposed to send YOUR questions!!!
Bitil: I like bannana bread.
Gorast: ??????????????
Bitil: Third question!!
Gorast: You mean fourth.
Bitil: Oh, right.
Dear Bitil,
Have you defeated the Toa Nuva yet?-Teridax
Bitil: *munching a burrito* Uh....... not yet. We're having some minor problems.
What sort of minor problems?-Teridax
Bitil: The sort that involve a burrito eating monster, a Toa with a bad case of gas, and a....
Gorast: Hey, Bitil, we're ment to answer questions, not chat with Teridax.
Bitil: Sorry.
Gorast: Is this 300 words yet? This is getting boring.
Bitil: No, it's only 156 words.
Gorast: Darn! I had a date with Krika!
Bitil: I thought you hated him?
Gorast: Well you thought wrong, buster.
Bitil: Now I've seen everything!
Gorast: No, you haven't! You haven't seen Mata Nui, Metru Nui, Voya Nui, Mahri Nui, *says every single creature and island in BIONICLE*
Bitil: Uh, Gorast? It was an expression.
Gorast: .....and Balta, and the Piraka, and.......... Wait!! Aren't we running an Ask comedy here???
Bitil: About time you found out.
Gorast: Next Q.U.E.S.T.I.O.N.
Bitil: What's with you today?
Dear Bitil,
WE HATE YOU!!!!-The Toa
Bitil: Well that was nice.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE STUDIO!!!-The Toa
Gorast: Well they can't beat us, unless they side with the Av-Matoran.
WE HAVE SIDED WITH THE AV-MATORAN!! YOUR BASE IS OURS!!!-The Toa
Bitil: You and your big mouth, Gorast.
Gorast: Is this 300 words yet?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Is it 300 now?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: No.
*Later*
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: Yes!!
Gorast: Really?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: How about now?
Bitil: Actually, yes!!!
Gorast: Are you sure?
Bitil: No.
*Meanwhile, the Toa and the Matoran are trying to break into the studio*
Gali: In moments, their base will be ours!!
All: MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
*2 Hours Later*
All: MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHA-*cough* *cough* *wheeze* *choke* *cough*
Tahu: Need.... my..... asthma...... puffer........
*Meanwhile, back in the studio.........*
Bitil: My burrito!
Gorast: No, my burrito!!!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: We are beginning to sound like the seagulls from Finding Nemo.
Me: What happened to the Ask comedy?
Bitil: Hmmm... screw that.
*Outside*
Gali: Have you managed to bust down the door yet?
Onua: No.
Tahu: I know!!
*Blasts a huge hole in studio door*
Kopaka: Uh... I just discovered something.
Everyone else: What?
Kopaka: The door was unlocked.
Tahu: Whatever, let's go.
*Inside*
Bitil: Gorast, I don't think we have any more questions.
Gorast: Or do we?
Bitil: We don't. But, I'll tell you what we do have!!
*Sounds of blasting can be heard outside the recording district*
Gorast: What?
*Door is blasted open*
Bitil: *Gulp* Visitors!!
Tahu: We have come to posses your studio!
Bitil: Is that some dumb line from a movie?
Tahu: I don't think so.
Gali: Never mind that, charge!!
Gorast: Bitil, charge!!
Bitil: Peanut butter!!!
Will Gorast and Bitil win the battle?
Will the Toa capture the studio?
Is this comedy even funny?
No!
Find out in the next episode of ask Bitil and Gorast!!
Bitil: Hi! Welcome to the first episode of ask Bitil and Gorast! I am your host, Bitil!
Gorast: And I'm your other host, Gorast! First question!!
Dear Gorast,
Do you like Krika?-Krika
Gorast: No, he's annoying and has no sense of humor.
Second question!!
Dear Gorast,
Krika does have a good sense of humor-Krika
Gorast: If he does, I have never seen him use it, and I really don't care.
Third question!!
How long is this episode going to be?-Bitil
Gorast: Bitil!! You're not supposed to send YOUR questions!!!
Bitil: I like bannana bread.
Gorast: ??????????????
Bitil: Third question!!
Gorast: You mean fourth.
Bitil: Oh, right.
Dear Bitil,
Have you defeated the Toa Nuva yet?-Teridax
Bitil: *munching a burrito* Uh....... not yet. We're having some minor problems.
What sort of minor problems?-Teridax
Bitil: The sort that involve a burrito eating monster, a Toa with a bad case of gas, and a....
Gorast: Hey, Bitil, we're ment to answer questions, not chat with Teridax.
Bitil: Sorry.
Gorast: Is this 300 words yet? This is getting boring.
Bitil: No, it's only 156 words.
Gorast: Darn! I had a date with Krika!
Bitil: I thought you hated him?
Gorast: Well you thought wrong, buster.
Bitil: Now I've seen everything!
Gorast: No, you haven't! You haven't seen Mata Nui, Metru Nui, Voya Nui, Mahri Nui, *says every single creature and island in BIONICLE*
Bitil: Uh, Gorast? It was an expression.
Gorast: .....and Balta, and the Piraka, and.......... Wait!! Aren't we running an Ask comedy here???
Bitil: About time you found out.
Gorast: Next Q.U.E.S.T.I.O.N.
Bitil: What's with you today?
Dear Bitil,
WE HATE YOU!!!!-The Toa
Bitil: Well that was nice.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE STUDIO!!!-The Toa
Gorast: Well they can't beat us, unless they side with the Av-Matoran.
WE HAVE SIDED WITH THE AV-MATORAN!! YOUR BASE IS OURS!!!-The Toa
Bitil: You and your big mouth, Gorast.
Gorast: Is this 300 words yet?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Is it 300 now?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: No.
*Later*
Gorast: Now?
Bitil: Yes!!
Gorast: Really?
Bitil: No.
Gorast: How about now?
Bitil: Actually, yes!!!
Gorast: Are you sure?
Bitil: No.
*Meanwhile, the Toa and the Matoran are trying to break into the studio*
Gali: In moments, their base will be ours!!
All: MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
*2 Hours Later*
All: MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHA-*cough* *cough* *wheeze* *choke* *cough*
Tahu: Need.... my..... asthma...... puffer........
*Meanwhile, back in the studio.........*
Bitil: My burrito!
Gorast: No, my burrito!!!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: Mine!
Gorast: Mine!
Bitil: We are beginning to sound like the seagulls from Finding Nemo.
Me: What happened to the Ask comedy?
Bitil: Hmmm... screw that.
*Outside*
Gali: Have you managed to bust down the door yet?
Onua: No.
Tahu: I know!!
*Blasts a huge hole in studio door*
Kopaka: Uh... I just discovered something.
Everyone else: What?
Kopaka: The door was unlocked.
Tahu: Whatever, let's go.
*Inside*
Bitil: Gorast, I don't think we have any more questions.
Gorast: Or do we?
Bitil: We don't. But, I'll tell you what we do have!!
*Sounds of blasting can be heard outside the recording district*
Gorast: What?
*Door is blasted open*
Bitil: *Gulp* Visitors!!
Tahu: We have come to posses your studio!
Bitil: Is that some dumb line from a movie?
Tahu: I don't think so.
Gali: Never mind that, charge!!
Gorast: Bitil, charge!!
Bitil: Peanut butter!!!
Will Gorast and Bitil win the battle?
Will the Toa capture the studio?
Is this comedy even funny?
No!
Find out in the next episode of ask Bitil and Gorast!!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The Kingdom
Part 2
Turaga Takanuva led Toa Takanuva out of the Coliseum and into the eastern portion of the vast city. Toa Tanma trailed along behind, not saying much. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful another Toa of Light had arrived to help him, or upset that the Turaga didn't think he could handle the job on his own.
They arrived at a small, narrow building in an alleyway, not far from the shore. There was no knob or handle on the outside of the front door, nor any carving to indicate who lived there. Turaga Takanuva rapped twice with his staff.
A small panel opened about halfway up the door. No eyes were visible through it, but a Matoran voice said, "What's the password?"
Turaga Takanuva looked at the two Toa. "They've lived among us for ages, and still like to play at secrecy." Turning back to the door, he said, "This is Turaga Takanuva. Open up."
"Wrong password. Not even close."
"Try this one," said the annoyed Turaga. "I have a troop of Bohrok with nothing to do. If you'd like, I can have them tear down this building and turn it into a park."
There was a pause. Then the voice said, "Close enough," and the door swung open.
The three visitors entered a dark hallway, which twisted and turned far more than one would expect, given the size of the building. A door at the end led to a small workshop, cluttered with all sorts of armor, weapons, and other gadgets. A lone Fe-Matoran was tinkering with a nasty looking projectile launcher when they walked in. He looked up at Turaga Takanuva, surprised and annoyed.
"You know the routine," he said. "Leave your request in the slot outside, and we'll get to it."
"Yes, I know that's how you Nynrah crafters prefer to work," Turaga Takanuva replied, making an effort to keep his temper. "But this is a crisis. I have a Toa who needs weaponry."
The Matoran looked Toa Takanuva up and down. "Looks like his color scheme could use some work too. But ... I might just have something here that could be of use."
After a few minutes of rummaging through claw catchers, Rhotuka launchers, and parts of a Visorak battle wagon, the Matoran emerged with a twin-bladed lance. He handed it to Toa Takanuva and said, "Now, aim at that far wall. Just use a little bit of power, not even enough to singe the stone."
The Toa took the lance, aimed it, and focused on releasing just the tiniest sample of his elemental light. The next instant, a blast of energy blew a hole the size of a Kanoka disk in the wall. "How ...?" said Takanuva, looking down at the lance.
"Most Toa tools just channel power," the Matoran said, smiling. "This one amplifies it. And if that's not enough --"
The Matoran searched some more, this time emerging with a launcher. "We don't have a name for this one yet, too new. Draws light from the environment and fires it as a sphere. It hasn't been tested yet, though."
"Fine," said Turaga Takanuva. He turned to the two Toa. "I suggest you start right away. There's no telling how much time we have."
Once they were back on the street, Tanma wanted to head right for the nearest light barrier, but Toa Takanuva held him up. "There's something I want to do first," said Takanuva. "I want to see Matoro."
"That coward?" spat Tanma. "If not for him, we would still have our homes, our universe. You can go see him if you like – I want nothing to do with him."
Takanuva expected that Matoro would be living in the region inhabited by the Ko-Matoran and Frostelus. But he evidently hadn't been welcome there. Tanma directed his new comrade to an area of what was once Po-Wahi, now home mostly to Skakdi. There, in a small hut made of stone, sat Toa Matoro.
"What do you want?" the Toa of Ice said, not even looking up at his visitor. "Go away."
"Matoro, I ..." Takanuva began. "You're needed. You have to come with me."
Toa Matoro laughed. It was a bitter sound. "I was needed 10,000 years ago. My destiny was before me, and I hesitated ... and a universe died. So don't try to tell me I'm needed now. Just leave me alone."
"I heard what happened," Takanuva said. "But I also know that, in your heart, you're a hero. I know how hard you fought on Voya Nui, on Mahri Nui. And I know if you could have saved the universe, you would have ... you would have done anything to do that."
Takanuva, overcome with emotion, had to stop talking. Here was Matoro, who was dead in his universe, having sacrificed himself to save Mata Nui and every other living thing. Here he was, alive, but dead inside, knowing he had failed his people when it mattered most.
Matoro looked up at him. "Who are you? No one in the Kingdom talks about me that way."
"I'm from ... another kingdom," Takanuva answered. "One where people think of you as a hero."
"I see," said Matoro. "Escaped from an asylum, did you?"
"Okay," said the Toa of Light. "You want to sit here and feel sorry for yourself. You blew your chance to be a hero – well, here's another one. Here's a chance to show everyone you aren't a failure or a coward. Here's an opportunity to bring some honor to your name ... do you have the courage to take it?"
"Why do you care?" asked Matoro. "I don't even know you."
"Maybe I know you," said Takanuva. "Or someone very close to you. Now, come on – we have a kingdom to save."
Tanma was not at all happy to see Matoro along, but there wasn't time for a prolonged argument. Fortunately, the most likely problem spot was in the same area as Matoro's hut. The area around Kini-Nui was too well traveled for Rahkshi to have emerged from there unnoticed, but the old Bohrok tunnels in Po-Wahi were out of the way and largely ignored. If the light barrier in the main tunnel had come down, it would be easy for Makuta to send legions up through those passageways.
"Why not just block the tunnels? Bring them down?" asked Takanuva.
"Pohatu and Hewkii tried that during the evacuation," said Tanma. "The Rahkshi smashed their way through and killed them both before Tahu, Jaller and Kopaka drove them back. No, light was the only effective means of stopping them – intense light, more than their kraata could stand."
"And they couldn't just, I don't know, dig their way around the barrier? Or use density control and float up through the rock?"
"They could," Tanma agreed. "But Onua made sure the ground is warded. Any attempt to dig through it or pass through it, and we'd know."
Matoro had said nothing. Takanuva turned and said, "What do you think?"
"I think ... never mind," said the Toa of Ice.
"What he thinks doesn't matter," snarled Tanma.
"It does to me," Takanuva replied. "Tell us, Matoro."
"Well ... what if the barrier didn't go down? What if they've found some way to shield themselves against the light?"
"Then we have a problem." said Takanuva.
Cautiously, they started down the tunnel. Even this close to the surface, Takanuva could feel the chill in the air. The only light came from Tanma, who kept up a low level illumination using his Toa power. "We can't go down too far," he said. "There's no heat down there and what air there might still be is foul. Most of the universe is flooded and a lot of the water has mutagen in it. So whatever did survive the end probably isn't still recognizable ..."
Takanuva glanced at Matoro. Every word that Toa Tanma said was like a dagger in his heart.
They had walked perhaps a kio when the tunnel brightened. Tanma pointed ahead to a wall of light in their path. "That's the barrier. It's still intact. So the problem isn't here. Mangaia, maybe? Or some other access point we don't know about?"
"Perhaps," said Takanuva. "But what if Matoro's right? What if the barrier simply isn't stopping them anymore?"
"I don't have time for Matoran myth," said Tanma. "We have to check other possibilities. Are you coming or not?"
Takanuva glanced at the barrier, at Matoro, and then back at Tanma. "All right."
The two Toa of Light started back up the tunnel. Neither noticed Matoro wasn't following until they heard the sound of ice blasts coming from behind them. Takanuva turned and ran back down, followed closely by Tanma.
There was Matoro, battling four Rahkshi on his own. Behind them, more were breaching the barrier, each clad in armor made of deep shadow. The armor couldn't survive the passage through the barrier, dissolving not long after making contact with the light. But it lasted just long enough to get the Rahkshi through to the other side.
Takanuva and Tanma both dropped to one knee and opened fire with their light powers. Takanuva's power lance took out two Rahkshi, while Tanma drove a third back into the barrier, where its kraata burned to ashes. Matoro froze the fourth in a block of ice up to its head, just long enough to reach in and yank out its kraata. He threw the squirming creature on the ground and stepped on it.
"Excellent," said a soft, sinister voice, which seemed to come from every shadow. Takanuva knew it well – it belonged to the Makuta of Metru Nui, leader of the Brotherhood. "I see that at least one of you has an imagination. Matoro, my old friend ... it seems like yesterday we were teamed against the Barraki and their hordes."
"You," said Matoro, his voice shaking. "Why aren't you dead? So many others died ... why not you?"
"What is there left when the light dies, Toa? Darkness. Only darkness," Makuta replied. "And I thrive in the dark. Oh, my brothers perished, one by one ... Icarax was the first, driven from his body by my attack so I could possess it, his essence left to die in the cold of the void ... but my hatred will not let me die. Hatred of Mata Nui; hatred of all who escaped the end of this universe; most of all, Matoro, hatred of you ... you turned away from your destiny. Mata Nui was meant to cheat death ... instead, I was cheated of my revenge.”
Now the Toa heard a clanking of armor, as if a colossus were coming toward them. The next moment, a 20-foot giant clad in shadow armor erupted from the barrier. As the shroud of shadow fell away, they could see their foe. He was a bizarre amalgam of the Makuta who had attacked Karda Nui and others who were unfamiliar. He was a monstrosity, now truly as ugly on the outside as his spirit was within.
"As my brothers were about to die, I absorbed them into my body," said Teridax. "I used their mass to grow. I used their knowledge to create armor to pierce this barrier. And now your Kingdom will surrender, or it will suffocate in a sea of shadow."
Tanma, Matoro, and Takanuva attacked. Bolts of ice and spears of light rained on Teridax's armor, but the damage was negligible. "I have had 10,000 years to prepare for this battle," the Makuta hissed. "You cannot win."
"Excuse us if we try," said Takanuva, blasting with his power lance directly at the Mask of Shadow. The blow knocked the mask off. Makuta bent to retrieve it, but Tanma was too fast, hitting it with full power and melting it to slag.
"Tanma, get back!" Takanuva shouted. It was too late. Makuta had scooped up the Toa of Light like a toy and triggered the shattering power of a Panrahk. Takanuva had to look away – it was simply too horrible to watch.
"Now do you see?" said Makuta. "You must --"
Makuta stopped dead. Then he smiled at Takanuva. "Oh, I see ... oh, how intriguing. You are from ... somewhere else ... somewhere ... where Matoro died, and Mata Nui lived. The Plan proceeds there to its inevitable conclusion. Did you flee, then, Takanuva? Did you have the wisdom to escape before my reign begins?"
"I ... died?" said Matoro quietly.
"Yes," Takanuva replied. "You did. You gave your life so billions could live. In my universe, you are considered the greatest hero ever to bear the title of Toa."
"And here you are just one more insect to be crushed," said Makuta, advancing. "Or perhaps ... there is some other use for you. The Mask of Life still exists, and you were connected to it ... you have knowledge I can use, Toa of Ice."
A hand made of shadow emerged from Makuta's chest, heading right for Matoro. Takanuva made a move to get between them, but the Toa of Ice hit him with a barrage of ice shards, driving him back.
"Matoro, what are you doing?" Takanuva cried out. "He's going to kill you!"
"I should have died 10,000 years ago," Matoro said. He stood erect, hands at his sides, waiting for the hand to seize him. "I should have saved everyone, but I didn't. If you think about it, Takanuva, neither of us is meant to be here."
The shadow hand took Matoro in its grasp and drew him, unprotesting, into the substance of Makuta. Takanuva got to his feet, blasting light from his power lance and shadow from his other hand, screaming, "Murderer!"
Strangely enough, Makuta did not counterattack. In fact, the colossus actually looked a bit unsteady on his feet. He took a step back, reached out an armored hand to support himself, then dropped to his knees. Both hands went to the side of his head, as he shouted, "No! My will must prevail! I am the stronger! I am --"
Then another voice came from Makuta's mouth. It was Matoro's! "No, Makuta. You once told the Toa Mata that you could not be destroyed, because you were nothing. You were wrong – it is because you are nothing that I can destroy you. You have no heart, you have no spirit, you have no reason to exist – even your hate is a pale reflection of what once burned in you. You survive out of habit, monster, and habits ... and minds ... can be broken."
The scream that came from Makuta then was a long, loud, and strangely hollow. An instant later, the giant collapsed to the ground and lay unmoving. Takanuva edged closer, and confirmed what he already knew: Makuta was dead. Just to be sure, he used his power to send searing light to every corner of the tunnel, but there was no sign of the master of shadows' antidermis. He had not escaped this final confrontation.
Takanuva pondered for a long time as he walked back up to the surface. Turaga Vakama had once told him that when a Makuta absorbs a body, he must crush the will of his victim immediately. Otherwise, he risks other minds intruding upon his own. Matoro had heard the same tales. He had known if Makuta absorbed him, he could fight back from within.
At one time, such an effort would have been impossible – Makuta's will would have been too strong. But Matoro had been right. Makuta truly had nothing to live for. He survived and plotted his vengeance, but it was a hollow pursuit. He had lusted for a control of a universe, only to see that universe destroyed ... and there was no place for him in the Kingdom.
Takanuva would tell the ruling council what had happened down below, and warn them to beware of any other Rahkshi who might still lurk below, clad in shadow armor. He would stay long enough to see a statue erected of Matoro, the Toa who had been granted that rarest of commodities: a second chance to make things right.
Turaga Takanuva would ask his Toa counterpart to stay, even knowing what the answer would be. In the end, the Brutaka of this universe would use his Kanohi Olmak to send Takanuva back into the space between dimensions, on his journey to Karda Nui. There was much to be done, and still a very long way to go.
And that's the end of Part 2!!
Turaga Takanuva led Toa Takanuva out of the Coliseum and into the eastern portion of the vast city. Toa Tanma trailed along behind, not saying much. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful another Toa of Light had arrived to help him, or upset that the Turaga didn't think he could handle the job on his own.
They arrived at a small, narrow building in an alleyway, not far from the shore. There was no knob or handle on the outside of the front door, nor any carving to indicate who lived there. Turaga Takanuva rapped twice with his staff.
A small panel opened about halfway up the door. No eyes were visible through it, but a Matoran voice said, "What's the password?"
Turaga Takanuva looked at the two Toa. "They've lived among us for ages, and still like to play at secrecy." Turning back to the door, he said, "This is Turaga Takanuva. Open up."
"Wrong password. Not even close."
"Try this one," said the annoyed Turaga. "I have a troop of Bohrok with nothing to do. If you'd like, I can have them tear down this building and turn it into a park."
There was a pause. Then the voice said, "Close enough," and the door swung open.
The three visitors entered a dark hallway, which twisted and turned far more than one would expect, given the size of the building. A door at the end led to a small workshop, cluttered with all sorts of armor, weapons, and other gadgets. A lone Fe-Matoran was tinkering with a nasty looking projectile launcher when they walked in. He looked up at Turaga Takanuva, surprised and annoyed.
"You know the routine," he said. "Leave your request in the slot outside, and we'll get to it."
"Yes, I know that's how you Nynrah crafters prefer to work," Turaga Takanuva replied, making an effort to keep his temper. "But this is a crisis. I have a Toa who needs weaponry."
The Matoran looked Toa Takanuva up and down. "Looks like his color scheme could use some work too. But ... I might just have something here that could be of use."
After a few minutes of rummaging through claw catchers, Rhotuka launchers, and parts of a Visorak battle wagon, the Matoran emerged with a twin-bladed lance. He handed it to Toa Takanuva and said, "Now, aim at that far wall. Just use a little bit of power, not even enough to singe the stone."
The Toa took the lance, aimed it, and focused on releasing just the tiniest sample of his elemental light. The next instant, a blast of energy blew a hole the size of a Kanoka disk in the wall. "How ...?" said Takanuva, looking down at the lance.
"Most Toa tools just channel power," the Matoran said, smiling. "This one amplifies it. And if that's not enough --"
The Matoran searched some more, this time emerging with a launcher. "We don't have a name for this one yet, too new. Draws light from the environment and fires it as a sphere. It hasn't been tested yet, though."
"Fine," said Turaga Takanuva. He turned to the two Toa. "I suggest you start right away. There's no telling how much time we have."
Once they were back on the street, Tanma wanted to head right for the nearest light barrier, but Toa Takanuva held him up. "There's something I want to do first," said Takanuva. "I want to see Matoro."
"That coward?" spat Tanma. "If not for him, we would still have our homes, our universe. You can go see him if you like – I want nothing to do with him."
Takanuva expected that Matoro would be living in the region inhabited by the Ko-Matoran and Frostelus. But he evidently hadn't been welcome there. Tanma directed his new comrade to an area of what was once Po-Wahi, now home mostly to Skakdi. There, in a small hut made of stone, sat Toa Matoro.
"What do you want?" the Toa of Ice said, not even looking up at his visitor. "Go away."
"Matoro, I ..." Takanuva began. "You're needed. You have to come with me."
Toa Matoro laughed. It was a bitter sound. "I was needed 10,000 years ago. My destiny was before me, and I hesitated ... and a universe died. So don't try to tell me I'm needed now. Just leave me alone."
"I heard what happened," Takanuva said. "But I also know that, in your heart, you're a hero. I know how hard you fought on Voya Nui, on Mahri Nui. And I know if you could have saved the universe, you would have ... you would have done anything to do that."
Takanuva, overcome with emotion, had to stop talking. Here was Matoro, who was dead in his universe, having sacrificed himself to save Mata Nui and every other living thing. Here he was, alive, but dead inside, knowing he had failed his people when it mattered most.
Matoro looked up at him. "Who are you? No one in the Kingdom talks about me that way."
"I'm from ... another kingdom," Takanuva answered. "One where people think of you as a hero."
"I see," said Matoro. "Escaped from an asylum, did you?"
"Okay," said the Toa of Light. "You want to sit here and feel sorry for yourself. You blew your chance to be a hero – well, here's another one. Here's a chance to show everyone you aren't a failure or a coward. Here's an opportunity to bring some honor to your name ... do you have the courage to take it?"
"Why do you care?" asked Matoro. "I don't even know you."
"Maybe I know you," said Takanuva. "Or someone very close to you. Now, come on – we have a kingdom to save."
Tanma was not at all happy to see Matoro along, but there wasn't time for a prolonged argument. Fortunately, the most likely problem spot was in the same area as Matoro's hut. The area around Kini-Nui was too well traveled for Rahkshi to have emerged from there unnoticed, but the old Bohrok tunnels in Po-Wahi were out of the way and largely ignored. If the light barrier in the main tunnel had come down, it would be easy for Makuta to send legions up through those passageways.
"Why not just block the tunnels? Bring them down?" asked Takanuva.
"Pohatu and Hewkii tried that during the evacuation," said Tanma. "The Rahkshi smashed their way through and killed them both before Tahu, Jaller and Kopaka drove them back. No, light was the only effective means of stopping them – intense light, more than their kraata could stand."
"And they couldn't just, I don't know, dig their way around the barrier? Or use density control and float up through the rock?"
"They could," Tanma agreed. "But Onua made sure the ground is warded. Any attempt to dig through it or pass through it, and we'd know."
Matoro had said nothing. Takanuva turned and said, "What do you think?"
"I think ... never mind," said the Toa of Ice.
"What he thinks doesn't matter," snarled Tanma.
"It does to me," Takanuva replied. "Tell us, Matoro."
"Well ... what if the barrier didn't go down? What if they've found some way to shield themselves against the light?"
"Then we have a problem." said Takanuva.
Cautiously, they started down the tunnel. Even this close to the surface, Takanuva could feel the chill in the air. The only light came from Tanma, who kept up a low level illumination using his Toa power. "We can't go down too far," he said. "There's no heat down there and what air there might still be is foul. Most of the universe is flooded and a lot of the water has mutagen in it. So whatever did survive the end probably isn't still recognizable ..."
Takanuva glanced at Matoro. Every word that Toa Tanma said was like a dagger in his heart.
They had walked perhaps a kio when the tunnel brightened. Tanma pointed ahead to a wall of light in their path. "That's the barrier. It's still intact. So the problem isn't here. Mangaia, maybe? Or some other access point we don't know about?"
"Perhaps," said Takanuva. "But what if Matoro's right? What if the barrier simply isn't stopping them anymore?"
"I don't have time for Matoran myth," said Tanma. "We have to check other possibilities. Are you coming or not?"
Takanuva glanced at the barrier, at Matoro, and then back at Tanma. "All right."
The two Toa of Light started back up the tunnel. Neither noticed Matoro wasn't following until they heard the sound of ice blasts coming from behind them. Takanuva turned and ran back down, followed closely by Tanma.
There was Matoro, battling four Rahkshi on his own. Behind them, more were breaching the barrier, each clad in armor made of deep shadow. The armor couldn't survive the passage through the barrier, dissolving not long after making contact with the light. But it lasted just long enough to get the Rahkshi through to the other side.
Takanuva and Tanma both dropped to one knee and opened fire with their light powers. Takanuva's power lance took out two Rahkshi, while Tanma drove a third back into the barrier, where its kraata burned to ashes. Matoro froze the fourth in a block of ice up to its head, just long enough to reach in and yank out its kraata. He threw the squirming creature on the ground and stepped on it.
"Excellent," said a soft, sinister voice, which seemed to come from every shadow. Takanuva knew it well – it belonged to the Makuta of Metru Nui, leader of the Brotherhood. "I see that at least one of you has an imagination. Matoro, my old friend ... it seems like yesterday we were teamed against the Barraki and their hordes."
"You," said Matoro, his voice shaking. "Why aren't you dead? So many others died ... why not you?"
"What is there left when the light dies, Toa? Darkness. Only darkness," Makuta replied. "And I thrive in the dark. Oh, my brothers perished, one by one ... Icarax was the first, driven from his body by my attack so I could possess it, his essence left to die in the cold of the void ... but my hatred will not let me die. Hatred of Mata Nui; hatred of all who escaped the end of this universe; most of all, Matoro, hatred of you ... you turned away from your destiny. Mata Nui was meant to cheat death ... instead, I was cheated of my revenge.”
Now the Toa heard a clanking of armor, as if a colossus were coming toward them. The next moment, a 20-foot giant clad in shadow armor erupted from the barrier. As the shroud of shadow fell away, they could see their foe. He was a bizarre amalgam of the Makuta who had attacked Karda Nui and others who were unfamiliar. He was a monstrosity, now truly as ugly on the outside as his spirit was within.
"As my brothers were about to die, I absorbed them into my body," said Teridax. "I used their mass to grow. I used their knowledge to create armor to pierce this barrier. And now your Kingdom will surrender, or it will suffocate in a sea of shadow."
Tanma, Matoro, and Takanuva attacked. Bolts of ice and spears of light rained on Teridax's armor, but the damage was negligible. "I have had 10,000 years to prepare for this battle," the Makuta hissed. "You cannot win."
"Excuse us if we try," said Takanuva, blasting with his power lance directly at the Mask of Shadow. The blow knocked the mask off. Makuta bent to retrieve it, but Tanma was too fast, hitting it with full power and melting it to slag.
"Tanma, get back!" Takanuva shouted. It was too late. Makuta had scooped up the Toa of Light like a toy and triggered the shattering power of a Panrahk. Takanuva had to look away – it was simply too horrible to watch.
"Now do you see?" said Makuta. "You must --"
Makuta stopped dead. Then he smiled at Takanuva. "Oh, I see ... oh, how intriguing. You are from ... somewhere else ... somewhere ... where Matoro died, and Mata Nui lived. The Plan proceeds there to its inevitable conclusion. Did you flee, then, Takanuva? Did you have the wisdom to escape before my reign begins?"
"I ... died?" said Matoro quietly.
"Yes," Takanuva replied. "You did. You gave your life so billions could live. In my universe, you are considered the greatest hero ever to bear the title of Toa."
"And here you are just one more insect to be crushed," said Makuta, advancing. "Or perhaps ... there is some other use for you. The Mask of Life still exists, and you were connected to it ... you have knowledge I can use, Toa of Ice."
A hand made of shadow emerged from Makuta's chest, heading right for Matoro. Takanuva made a move to get between them, but the Toa of Ice hit him with a barrage of ice shards, driving him back.
"Matoro, what are you doing?" Takanuva cried out. "He's going to kill you!"
"I should have died 10,000 years ago," Matoro said. He stood erect, hands at his sides, waiting for the hand to seize him. "I should have saved everyone, but I didn't. If you think about it, Takanuva, neither of us is meant to be here."
The shadow hand took Matoro in its grasp and drew him, unprotesting, into the substance of Makuta. Takanuva got to his feet, blasting light from his power lance and shadow from his other hand, screaming, "Murderer!"
Strangely enough, Makuta did not counterattack. In fact, the colossus actually looked a bit unsteady on his feet. He took a step back, reached out an armored hand to support himself, then dropped to his knees. Both hands went to the side of his head, as he shouted, "No! My will must prevail! I am the stronger! I am --"
Then another voice came from Makuta's mouth. It was Matoro's! "No, Makuta. You once told the Toa Mata that you could not be destroyed, because you were nothing. You were wrong – it is because you are nothing that I can destroy you. You have no heart, you have no spirit, you have no reason to exist – even your hate is a pale reflection of what once burned in you. You survive out of habit, monster, and habits ... and minds ... can be broken."
The scream that came from Makuta then was a long, loud, and strangely hollow. An instant later, the giant collapsed to the ground and lay unmoving. Takanuva edged closer, and confirmed what he already knew: Makuta was dead. Just to be sure, he used his power to send searing light to every corner of the tunnel, but there was no sign of the master of shadows' antidermis. He had not escaped this final confrontation.
Takanuva pondered for a long time as he walked back up to the surface. Turaga Vakama had once told him that when a Makuta absorbs a body, he must crush the will of his victim immediately. Otherwise, he risks other minds intruding upon his own. Matoro had heard the same tales. He had known if Makuta absorbed him, he could fight back from within.
At one time, such an effort would have been impossible – Makuta's will would have been too strong. But Matoro had been right. Makuta truly had nothing to live for. He survived and plotted his vengeance, but it was a hollow pursuit. He had lusted for a control of a universe, only to see that universe destroyed ... and there was no place for him in the Kingdom.
Takanuva would tell the ruling council what had happened down below, and warn them to beware of any other Rahkshi who might still lurk below, clad in shadow armor. He would stay long enough to see a statue erected of Matoro, the Toa who had been granted that rarest of commodities: a second chance to make things right.
Turaga Takanuva would ask his Toa counterpart to stay, even knowing what the answer would be. In the end, the Brutaka of this universe would use his Kanohi Olmak to send Takanuva back into the space between dimensions, on his journey to Karda Nui. There was much to be done, and still a very long way to go.
And that's the end of Part 2!!
The Kingdom
WARNING!!! Contains Spoilers!!!
"The Kingdom" was a 2 part story
released on BIONICLE.com It could only
be accessed by a BIO Code found in
Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets.
Note: The following was copied from
BioSector01
Part 1
Takanuva, Toa of Light, fell through inter-dimensional space, trying hard not to scream. A moment before, he had stepped through a dimensional portal created by Brutaka. His mission: travel to Karda Nui and warn the six Toa Nuva there of a disaster about to occur.
Somehow, though, this trip was not going as planned. Takanuva was being buffeted about, catching glimpses now and then of weird other worlds filled with beings both familiar and unfamiliar. He could guess that if he somehow wound up in one of those places, he might never find his way back to his own universe.
Suddenly, there was a jolt worse than any before. He was spinning wildly, out of control. There was an instant of complete darkness, followed by a very bright light, and then Takanuva slammed onto a rocky shore. He lay there, stunned, for a long time. When he finally lifted his head, it was to view a sight he could never have imagined.
The city before him was vast. It made Metru Nui look like a collection of stone-cutter shacks. Multiple design styles had combined to create a megalopolis that stretched for as far as the eye could see. Some of the buildings looked like ones in Metru Nui – he recognized the Coliseum, for example – others were totally strange and some almost primitive.
Takanuva glanced up at the sky. No, it didn't look like the one over Metru Nui. It looked – oh, no, that couldn't be, he thought. It was the same shade of blue as the one over the island of Mata Nui.
That's impossible, he said to himself. Everyone left Mata Nui to move back to Metru Nui months ago. And Mata Nui was never this size, or filled with so many beings and buildings!
He stood up and looked around. Everywhere, he could see Matoran of all kinds hard at work. That certainly wasn't unusual. Of course, the fact that they were working side by side with Bohrok, Skakdi, and Visorak was downright shocking.
"Hey," said a voice from behind him. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"
Takanuva turned. A Ga-Matoran, Macku, was there. She gave no sign of recognizing him.
"I'm Toa Takanuva," he answered. "Can you tell me where I am?"
"You're not Takanuva," said Macku, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Try again ... or would you rather we call the Hunters?"
"But I am Takanuva. I know I look different, but -- "
"That's for sure," laughed Macku. "You're a lot taller. Or have you never seen Turaga Takanuva, stranger?"
"Turaga -?" sputtered Takanuva. He recovered quickly. "Um, maybe I was a little confused. Tell me, do you know where I could find Jaller?"
"At the Great Furnace, naturally," said Macku, suspicion in her voice. "What do you want him for?"
"I have, um, a message for him from an old friend," Takanuva replied.
It took some doing, but he finally convinced Macku to escort him into the city, which she called "the kingdom of the Great Spirit." The first person she brought him to was a tall, strong warrior carrying a massive axe. He looked Takanuva over for a minute, then nodded. "He's not a shapeshifter. And he really does think he's Takanuva."
"Thanks, Axonn," said Macku. "So he's crazy then?"
"Not sure," said Axonn. He reached out and snatched away Takanuva's Staff of Light. "Might be better not to let him walk around the city with this. You know how the Turaga feels about citizens carrying weapons."
They walked through the streets of the city, as shock followed shock for Takanuva. Over there were Matoran buying wares from street stands run by Vortixx; further on, a Skakdi was hawking a show, boasting of the amazing Visorak pyramid that could be seen inside for just five widgets. And on every street corner, there was the presence of law enforcers – not Toa, not even Vahki, but Dark Hunters!
Macku left Takanuva with Toa Jaller. The Toa of Fire looked the same as he always had, but he viewed Takanuva without the wariness the Ga-Matoran had. "Well, you're obviously not Takanuva," he said. "But as long as you're not a Makuta in disguise, you're welcome in the kingdom. What can I do for you?"
"Just talk to me," Takanuva said. "Tell me about this place. Are we ... is this really the island of Mata Nui?”
Jaller laughed. "Wow. I haven't heard it called that in close to 10,000 years. Anyway, yes, this was the island of Mata Nui, but it's a lot more than that now."
"I see that. What ... I mean, how ...?"
Jaller pointed to a massive stone wall. "That's what you want. There's a Wall of History in every district – Kopeke made sure of that. You'll find answers there." Jaller paused, and then added, "You know, it's funny. I know I never met you, but somehow you seem familiar. Why did you ask to see me, anyway?"
Takanuva thought about telling Jaller the truth. He could share all sorts of things only the real Takanuva would know. But then he decided that, at best, he would scare his old friend ... and at worst, he would wind up arrested by the Hunters.
"Right. Well, I met Turaga Takanuva once, and he ... um ... told me what a great friend you were. He said if I was ever in trouble, to come see you."
"Well, that's a pleasant surprise," said Jaller. "None of the Toa Mahri are very popular around here, even after all this time ... even after how things turned out. I don't think anyone's even seen Matoro in five or six thousand years."
The name startled Takanuva. Matoro was dead, killed when he sacrificed his life to save the Great Spirit Mata Nui and the universe. A theory was starting to form in the mind of the Toa of Light, and the Wall of History was where it could be proven or disproven. He thanked Jaller and hurried on.
Yes, it was all there all right. The first thing he noticed was the date – it was 10,000 years after he had left Metru Nui! But that wasn't half as surprising as the story the carvings told.
The Toa Mahri had journeyed to the underwater city of Mahri Nui in search of the Mask of Life, just as he recalled. But after that, the story had changed. Toa Matoro - referred to in the carvings as the "Disgraced One" – had hesitated a few moments too long in his pursuit of the mask. The core of the universe had been sealed off, making it impossible for him to revive the Great Spirit Mata Nui with the mask. And Mata Nui, ruler and protector of the entire Matoran universe, had died.
But the tale didn't end there. The Turaga of Metru Nui had been planning for just such an eventuality. Mobilizing the Toa, the Vortixx, the Skakdi, and many of the universe's other species, they led a mass migration to the surface over the course of a few days. The Order of Mata Nui revealed its existence and helped as well. Even as more and more beings poured from Metru Nui up to the Mata Nui, those who were already there worked to construct floating platforms to hold them all. Naturally, not everyone made it – it just wasn't physically possible to evacuate a universe in that short an amount of time – but many did. It was obvious that only by working together could they survive on the surface, and so the concept of the Kingdom was born.
Only two species from the original universe were not represented here. The Zyglak had refused to evacuate, choosing death over accepting assistance from Matoran. The Makuta attempted to migrate, only to find their way barred by Toa Takanuva and the Order. Together, they drove the Makuta back underground, and no sign had been seen of them since. His destiny achieved, Takanuva had sacrificed his power to bring a new generation of Toa into being. These included Toa Kapura, Toa Balta, Toa Dalu, Toa Velika, Toa Defilak, and a new Toa of Light, Tanma. Takanuva had then become a Turaga and was named leader of the Kingdom in recognition of his heroism.
Things got stranger from there. Turaga Takanuva had formed a new ruling council, consisting of Turaga Dume, a prime Skakdi warlord, Roodaka, the Shadowed One, Helryx, and a Nynrah Matoran. Dark Hunters had become the primary law enforcers, while Toa were put to work using their powers to help the city in other ways. First, they prevented the collapse of the original island in the wake of Mata Nui's death. Then they created new and more stable land masses to support the city's expansion. After 10 millennia, the Kingdom was now a mega-city and home to all the survivors of the original universe.
Turaga Takanuva and his Council ruled from the Coliseum. Toa Takanuva not only couldn't resist paying a visit to his other self, but he needed to find some way out of here. The Wall had shown him he had not simply traveled into his future somehow. This was not his universe at all.
As he walked, he had to admit that part of his wished he didn't have to leave. Who would have imagined that Matoro's failure would have resulted in a paradise like this? Everywhere he looked, he saw beings of different species working side by side. Only Toa and Hunters carried weapons, but they looked like they hadn't been used in ages.
He expected to find the Coliseum heavily guarded, but the opposite was the case. The seat of government was open to all in the Kingdom. Instead of asking to see Turaga Takanuva, though, he sent a message to Helryx. It was short, reminding her of what her original plan had been to warn the Toa Nuva about conditions in Karda Nui and asking if she could get him in to see the Turaga.
That produced results. Takanuva was escorted by Trinuma into the Turaga's chamber at the top of the Coliseum. Turaga Takanuva was in conference with Toa Tanma and Roodaka. Resting in the center of a large table was a Rahkshi head.
"You say this Rahkshi appeared in the center of the city, near the Piraka fountain?" the Turaga said.
Roodaka nodded. "A bunch of Fe-Matoran were there feeding Avak and Thok, making plans to add iron supports to the western land mass. They spotted a Panrahk and called the Hunters, who took care of it. This is all that was left."
"It shouldn't have been able to get through," said Tanma, grimly.
"Maybe it was an accident," Turaga Takanuva offered, sounding as if he didn't believe it himself. "Maybe one slipped through before the light barriers went up and has been hiding here all this time."
"I wish," said Toa Tanma.
"The light barriers are going down," said Toa Takanuva. All three turned to look at him, startled. "I ... know a little about light."
Turaga Takanuva started to say something, then stopped. He turned to Roodaka and Tanma and asked them to leave the chamber. Once they were gone, he said, "How is this possible?"
"You know, then?" said the Toa.
"How could I not?" said the Turaga. "And Helryx has told me what she planned to do, if things had gone differently. You're from ... someplace else, I take it?"
The Toa nodded. "Someplace else, it's true, but not someplace as peaceful. You have done an amazing job." He smiled. "I'm proud of me."
The Turaga shook his head. "It can't last. Onua and the others have done all they can, but the original island cannot survive much longer. We will have to move on again, perhaps to the stars if Nuju and Nuparu's project works. But until then, the Makuta – if they still live -- must not be allowed into the Kingdom!"
Turaga Takanuva looked at his Toa counterpart from another universe, not his own. "I know this isn't your world, and I know the message you carry is vital. But Tanma ... and the entire Kingdom ... could use your aid. When you're done, we can find a way to send you back. Will you help?"
Toa Takanuva nodded. "Of course. But ... I could use my Staff of Light back."
Turaga Takanuva smiled. "Oh, that weapon went out of style 10,000 years ago. I think we can find you something better than that, old friend."
Part 2 coming soon!!
"The Kingdom" was a 2 part story
released on BIONICLE.com It could only
be accessed by a BIO Code found in
Legends 10: Swamp of Secrets.
Note: The following was copied from
BioSector01
Part 1
Takanuva, Toa of Light, fell through inter-dimensional space, trying hard not to scream. A moment before, he had stepped through a dimensional portal created by Brutaka. His mission: travel to Karda Nui and warn the six Toa Nuva there of a disaster about to occur.
Somehow, though, this trip was not going as planned. Takanuva was being buffeted about, catching glimpses now and then of weird other worlds filled with beings both familiar and unfamiliar. He could guess that if he somehow wound up in one of those places, he might never find his way back to his own universe.
Suddenly, there was a jolt worse than any before. He was spinning wildly, out of control. There was an instant of complete darkness, followed by a very bright light, and then Takanuva slammed onto a rocky shore. He lay there, stunned, for a long time. When he finally lifted his head, it was to view a sight he could never have imagined.
The city before him was vast. It made Metru Nui look like a collection of stone-cutter shacks. Multiple design styles had combined to create a megalopolis that stretched for as far as the eye could see. Some of the buildings looked like ones in Metru Nui – he recognized the Coliseum, for example – others were totally strange and some almost primitive.
Takanuva glanced up at the sky. No, it didn't look like the one over Metru Nui. It looked – oh, no, that couldn't be, he thought. It was the same shade of blue as the one over the island of Mata Nui.
That's impossible, he said to himself. Everyone left Mata Nui to move back to Metru Nui months ago. And Mata Nui was never this size, or filled with so many beings and buildings!
He stood up and looked around. Everywhere, he could see Matoran of all kinds hard at work. That certainly wasn't unusual. Of course, the fact that they were working side by side with Bohrok, Skakdi, and Visorak was downright shocking.
"Hey," said a voice from behind him. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"
Takanuva turned. A Ga-Matoran, Macku, was there. She gave no sign of recognizing him.
"I'm Toa Takanuva," he answered. "Can you tell me where I am?"
"You're not Takanuva," said Macku, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Try again ... or would you rather we call the Hunters?"
"But I am Takanuva. I know I look different, but -- "
"That's for sure," laughed Macku. "You're a lot taller. Or have you never seen Turaga Takanuva, stranger?"
"Turaga -?" sputtered Takanuva. He recovered quickly. "Um, maybe I was a little confused. Tell me, do you know where I could find Jaller?"
"At the Great Furnace, naturally," said Macku, suspicion in her voice. "What do you want him for?"
"I have, um, a message for him from an old friend," Takanuva replied.
It took some doing, but he finally convinced Macku to escort him into the city, which she called "the kingdom of the Great Spirit." The first person she brought him to was a tall, strong warrior carrying a massive axe. He looked Takanuva over for a minute, then nodded. "He's not a shapeshifter. And he really does think he's Takanuva."
"Thanks, Axonn," said Macku. "So he's crazy then?"
"Not sure," said Axonn. He reached out and snatched away Takanuva's Staff of Light. "Might be better not to let him walk around the city with this. You know how the Turaga feels about citizens carrying weapons."
They walked through the streets of the city, as shock followed shock for Takanuva. Over there were Matoran buying wares from street stands run by Vortixx; further on, a Skakdi was hawking a show, boasting of the amazing Visorak pyramid that could be seen inside for just five widgets. And on every street corner, there was the presence of law enforcers – not Toa, not even Vahki, but Dark Hunters!
Macku left Takanuva with Toa Jaller. The Toa of Fire looked the same as he always had, but he viewed Takanuva without the wariness the Ga-Matoran had. "Well, you're obviously not Takanuva," he said. "But as long as you're not a Makuta in disguise, you're welcome in the kingdom. What can I do for you?"
"Just talk to me," Takanuva said. "Tell me about this place. Are we ... is this really the island of Mata Nui?”
Jaller laughed. "Wow. I haven't heard it called that in close to 10,000 years. Anyway, yes, this was the island of Mata Nui, but it's a lot more than that now."
"I see that. What ... I mean, how ...?"
Jaller pointed to a massive stone wall. "That's what you want. There's a Wall of History in every district – Kopeke made sure of that. You'll find answers there." Jaller paused, and then added, "You know, it's funny. I know I never met you, but somehow you seem familiar. Why did you ask to see me, anyway?"
Takanuva thought about telling Jaller the truth. He could share all sorts of things only the real Takanuva would know. But then he decided that, at best, he would scare his old friend ... and at worst, he would wind up arrested by the Hunters.
"Right. Well, I met Turaga Takanuva once, and he ... um ... told me what a great friend you were. He said if I was ever in trouble, to come see you."
"Well, that's a pleasant surprise," said Jaller. "None of the Toa Mahri are very popular around here, even after all this time ... even after how things turned out. I don't think anyone's even seen Matoro in five or six thousand years."
The name startled Takanuva. Matoro was dead, killed when he sacrificed his life to save the Great Spirit Mata Nui and the universe. A theory was starting to form in the mind of the Toa of Light, and the Wall of History was where it could be proven or disproven. He thanked Jaller and hurried on.
Yes, it was all there all right. The first thing he noticed was the date – it was 10,000 years after he had left Metru Nui! But that wasn't half as surprising as the story the carvings told.
The Toa Mahri had journeyed to the underwater city of Mahri Nui in search of the Mask of Life, just as he recalled. But after that, the story had changed. Toa Matoro - referred to in the carvings as the "Disgraced One" – had hesitated a few moments too long in his pursuit of the mask. The core of the universe had been sealed off, making it impossible for him to revive the Great Spirit Mata Nui with the mask. And Mata Nui, ruler and protector of the entire Matoran universe, had died.
But the tale didn't end there. The Turaga of Metru Nui had been planning for just such an eventuality. Mobilizing the Toa, the Vortixx, the Skakdi, and many of the universe's other species, they led a mass migration to the surface over the course of a few days. The Order of Mata Nui revealed its existence and helped as well. Even as more and more beings poured from Metru Nui up to the Mata Nui, those who were already there worked to construct floating platforms to hold them all. Naturally, not everyone made it – it just wasn't physically possible to evacuate a universe in that short an amount of time – but many did. It was obvious that only by working together could they survive on the surface, and so the concept of the Kingdom was born.
Only two species from the original universe were not represented here. The Zyglak had refused to evacuate, choosing death over accepting assistance from Matoran. The Makuta attempted to migrate, only to find their way barred by Toa Takanuva and the Order. Together, they drove the Makuta back underground, and no sign had been seen of them since. His destiny achieved, Takanuva had sacrificed his power to bring a new generation of Toa into being. These included Toa Kapura, Toa Balta, Toa Dalu, Toa Velika, Toa Defilak, and a new Toa of Light, Tanma. Takanuva had then become a Turaga and was named leader of the Kingdom in recognition of his heroism.
Things got stranger from there. Turaga Takanuva had formed a new ruling council, consisting of Turaga Dume, a prime Skakdi warlord, Roodaka, the Shadowed One, Helryx, and a Nynrah Matoran. Dark Hunters had become the primary law enforcers, while Toa were put to work using their powers to help the city in other ways. First, they prevented the collapse of the original island in the wake of Mata Nui's death. Then they created new and more stable land masses to support the city's expansion. After 10 millennia, the Kingdom was now a mega-city and home to all the survivors of the original universe.
Turaga Takanuva and his Council ruled from the Coliseum. Toa Takanuva not only couldn't resist paying a visit to his other self, but he needed to find some way out of here. The Wall had shown him he had not simply traveled into his future somehow. This was not his universe at all.
As he walked, he had to admit that part of his wished he didn't have to leave. Who would have imagined that Matoro's failure would have resulted in a paradise like this? Everywhere he looked, he saw beings of different species working side by side. Only Toa and Hunters carried weapons, but they looked like they hadn't been used in ages.
He expected to find the Coliseum heavily guarded, but the opposite was the case. The seat of government was open to all in the Kingdom. Instead of asking to see Turaga Takanuva, though, he sent a message to Helryx. It was short, reminding her of what her original plan had been to warn the Toa Nuva about conditions in Karda Nui and asking if she could get him in to see the Turaga.
That produced results. Takanuva was escorted by Trinuma into the Turaga's chamber at the top of the Coliseum. Turaga Takanuva was in conference with Toa Tanma and Roodaka. Resting in the center of a large table was a Rahkshi head.
"You say this Rahkshi appeared in the center of the city, near the Piraka fountain?" the Turaga said.
Roodaka nodded. "A bunch of Fe-Matoran were there feeding Avak and Thok, making plans to add iron supports to the western land mass. They spotted a Panrahk and called the Hunters, who took care of it. This is all that was left."
"It shouldn't have been able to get through," said Tanma, grimly.
"Maybe it was an accident," Turaga Takanuva offered, sounding as if he didn't believe it himself. "Maybe one slipped through before the light barriers went up and has been hiding here all this time."
"I wish," said Toa Tanma.
"The light barriers are going down," said Toa Takanuva. All three turned to look at him, startled. "I ... know a little about light."
Turaga Takanuva started to say something, then stopped. He turned to Roodaka and Tanma and asked them to leave the chamber. Once they were gone, he said, "How is this possible?"
"You know, then?" said the Toa.
"How could I not?" said the Turaga. "And Helryx has told me what she planned to do, if things had gone differently. You're from ... someplace else, I take it?"
The Toa nodded. "Someplace else, it's true, but not someplace as peaceful. You have done an amazing job." He smiled. "I'm proud of me."
The Turaga shook his head. "It can't last. Onua and the others have done all they can, but the original island cannot survive much longer. We will have to move on again, perhaps to the stars if Nuju and Nuparu's project works. But until then, the Makuta – if they still live -- must not be allowed into the Kingdom!"
Turaga Takanuva looked at his Toa counterpart from another universe, not his own. "I know this isn't your world, and I know the message you carry is vital. But Tanma ... and the entire Kingdom ... could use your aid. When you're done, we can find a way to send you back. Will you help?"
Toa Takanuva nodded. "Of course. But ... I could use my Staff of Light back."
Turaga Takanuva smiled. "Oh, that weapon went out of style 10,000 years ago. I think we can find you something better than that, old friend."
Part 2 coming soon!!
BIO Codes
Enter these codes in the Battle for Power or
Kanoka Club and it will unlock rewards.
BIO527
opo612
oau867
Kanoka Club and it will unlock rewards.
BIO527
opo612
oau867
The Mutran Chronicles
This is the last story serial during Winter 2008.
(Note: the following is copied from BioSector01, the BIONICLE
wikipedia!)
Chapter 1
As I, Makuta Mutran, recline in my hive in Karda Nui, carving this record, I am gratified by the sight of Shadow Leeches taking form in their bubbling vats. The invasion of the universe core is proceeding well, my newest creations are spreading darkness and corruption, and in general, it is good to be alive.
My assistant, Vican, is busily stuffing a failed experiment back into its crate. Normally, I dispose of any "accidents" as soon as possible... but in this case, this hissing, biting, and incredibly toxic creation would make a fine gift for Chirox.
Ah, Chirox... it was only 100 millennia or so ago that we were the best of friends, working together to create new and better Rahi to aid the Matoran.
It was during the reign of Makuta Miserix, first leader of the Brotherhood. The fortress of Destral had only recently been constructed and all Makuta were based there. Our sole job at the time was Rahi creation. I recall one particular day when Chirox and I were bent over our slab, trying to make something useful out of one of Spiriah's experiments.
"Too many legs," muttered Chirox. "And those teeth..."
"Do we break it down and start over?" I asked. "Or simply lock it in a room with Spiriah?"
Miserix chose this moment to enter. He took one look at the squirming thing on the table and snorted in disgust. Then he glanced up at us. "We have a... situation," he said. "The inhabitants of Xia are demanding higher payments for their goods than most Matoran cities can afford. I want one of you to go with Makuta Icarax and his aide, Pridak, to explain the necessity of cooperation to them."
After he left, we flipped the Rahi to see who would have to go. Unfortunately, it had two heads and no tail, so it took quite some time to arrive at a decision.
The mission was successful, of course. After days of negotiations, Icarax lost his temper. Later, after the rubble had been cleared away, the Xians were more than willing to be reasonable. We practically had to drag Pridak off the island, so taken was he with the place's potential.
It was only when we were close to Destral that I realized I had forgotten my pet project, my favorite sentient rock. "I must have left it in the center of the island when we were inspecting the factories," I said. "Most disturbing... I never travel without it, but it can be... difficult."
"What's the problem?" growled Icarax. "It's a rock."
"Well, true," I answered. "That is, unless it starts eating Xians and grows into a Mountain. Still, what are the odds of that ever happening?"
We sailed on then, leaving behind an island full of factories, a hard-working population of Xians... and a very, very hungry rock.
Chapter 2
Ah, Pridak ... it was not so very long after our excursion to Xia that he left the service of the Brotherhood of Makuta for "greater things." I gather that Makuta Miserix kept an eye on him, through an easily corruptible character named Takadox. And so the formation of the League of Six Kingdoms came of little surprise to us.
That's not to say we were happy about it. Oh, my, no. It was one thing to know you were always below the Great Spirit on the ladder of power – quite another to be receiving strongly worded "requests" from six jumped-up warlords who didn't know their proper place in things.
Well do I remember sitting in a cold, damp chamber in some Barraki tower, listening to Pridak and Kalmah discuss how they intended to carve up the known universe into territories. We Makuta would continue to provide Rahi beasts and anything else they might need that was within our power to give them. Miserix listened to all this with growing impatience until he could take no more.
"Insolent gnats," he spat. "The Makuta serve only Mata Nui. We do not put our secret knowledge to work for every being with a strong arm and legions of rabble behind him."
Pridak leaned forward, smiling. "That 'rabble' is prepared to march on Destral on my orders. Before your Toa and Rahkshi can even marshal their forces, we will have taken your fortress ... and claimed your precious secrets. You would do well to remember that, while you serve Mata Nui, we are his chosen rulers in this universe."
"Then perhaps the Great Spirit is not as smart as we have been led to believe," said Icarax.
I glanced at Takadox then. A member of the League and a seller of information to the Brotherhood, he truly belonged with neither side. Perhaps that is why he looked like he wished he could sink into the floor.
Pridak rose, followed by Kalmah and the others. "You have a choice, Makuta – cooperation, or conquest. I trust you will choose wisely."
"What about the places not on your map?" asked Makuta Chirox. "Artakha ... Metru Nui ... the unknown lands to the south ..."
"We are in ... discussions with Metru Nui," said Kalmah. "As for Artakha, let the old fool putter among his creations. And the southern lands are fit only for stone rats and lohrak."
"Then this lot should fit right in," I muttered, earning a glare from Kalmah.
"This meeting is over," said Pridak coldly. "We will expect fresh war beasts as requested. If you choose to obstruct the designs of the Great Spirit, then your fate will be on your own heads."
One by one, the League members filed out, Takadox shooting a worried glance at Miserix as he departed. After they were gone, Miserix turned to his most trusted lieutenant and spoke the words that (though we did not know it then) sealed the Barraki's fate:
"Swords so easily drawn beg to be used ... and are rarely so easy to put away again. These Barraki may prove troublesome. Watch them."
Chapter 3
The war was over.
Not that I got to witness the final, grand battle between the forces of the Brotherhood of Makuta and the upstart League of Six Kingdoms. Oh, no – Miserix's lieutenant claimed the honor of leading the attack and getting all the glory. I and another Makuta, Gorast, were sent on what amounted to clean-up duty in the fortress of Kalmah.
Needless to say, I was not excited about this task. If you have ever been to the northwestern regions of the League's territory, you know that it stinks like the breath of a Kanohi Dragon and is littered with the carcasses of dead Rahi. Of course, that last is my fault – Kalmah never showed the proper respect due a Makuta, so I never sent him Rahi with a lifespan of more than three days.
Add to that the company of Gorast, as warm and friendly as cuddling up with a spiked lava eel. She said nothing on the trip north, other than to urge me to move faster, which was fine with me. Gorast is a fierce warrior, but once you have finished discussing dismemberment, slaughter, carnage, and decapitation, she has nothing much left to say.
Kalmah's "fortress" was hardly that. Word of the League's surrender had spread and that remnant of his army that had been left behind had sacked the place. They had fled before we arrived, so that all we found was a pile of rock and debris. A brief search revealed no signs of any weapons, charts, equipment, or anything else that would be of use.
After a while, Gorast spotted a few stragglers and hunted them down. I tried to clear some of the rubble to make a space to sit down. That was when I spotted the carving. Looking it over, I realized that some of my creations – the Rahi beasts I named "Blade Burrowers" – had defied the odds and survived. What's more, Kalmah had discovered something most interesting about them. When enough blade burrowers are present, they start to tunnel every which way. At first glance, the tunnels look random – two long, curved ones running north and south, with smaller ones in between them – with the same pattern of construction, repeated over and over again. But Kalmah had realized they were not random at all, as any fool could see. No – the blade burrowers were constructing a map.
But... a map of what?
That question plagues me to this day. The shape of the tunnels looks like no land mass I know of. I even once tried having an imprisoned Toa wearing a Mask of Translation communicate with the burrowers, but to no avail. It seems the burrowers don't know why they are building the tunnels in this pattern either, only that they must.
I felt certain then, and still do now, that this means something ... perhaps something devastating. But it is a mystery beyond even the Brotherhood's capacity to solve ... and although a Makuta should never admit to feeling fear, I confess the memory of that carving haunts my dreams.
Chapter 4
There is nothing quite so... amusing... as Matoran at war with each other. There they are, with their powerless masks and their little weapons, trying to look formidable as they march into battle. One has to laugh.
Of course, Makuta Miserix did not find the situation at all amusing. A mere 500 years after the defeat of the League of Six Kingdoms, the Matoran of Metru Nui had gone to war with each other. It had begun as a simple dispute over boundaries and trade between Ta-Metru and Po-Metru. It escalated when Po-Matoran sank some of the transport barges and Ta-Matoran destroyed a Po-Matoran warehouse with molten protodermis. Onu-Metru sided with the fire Matoran, Le-Metru with the stone. The Ko-Matoran attempted to intervene and were rebuffed, which pushed them into the Po-Matoran camp. Ga-Matoran efforts to remain neutral failed miserably and they eventually sided with fire and earth as well.
Work ground to a halt as arguments evolved into pitched battles. Entire blocks of streets were badly damaged or destroyed. With no Toa stationed there, and the Turaga ineffective, it seemed as if nothing could halt the destruction. This suited me just fine, since I was using the chaos as an opening to slip new Rahi into the city to test their destructive potential.
Miserix ordered his lieutenant to step in and stop the fighting. By this time, that particular Makuta was already contemplating the overthrow of the Great Spirit Mata Nui, so no doubt he saw this as an opportunity to show how well the Makuta could impose order. Unfortunately, his solution was to seal large numbers of the opposing armies in the Archives and unleash the exhibits on them. It was, needless to say, quite a mess to clean up later. And it did nothing to inspire great love for the Brotherhood in the hearts of the Matoran, though they certainly behaved themselves afterwards.
What happened to the war leaders, we do not know. Possibly they were spirited off as the Barraki had been, to parts unknown. But from that time on, Miserix decided that each of us would be assigned a particular region to watch over. His lieutenant was assigned the prize of Metru Nui, while I was given the center section of the Matoran mainland. (Not that I ever paid much attention to what was going on there, being too busy with my experiments. Really, who cared what happened to a few Matoran here or there? There were always more where they came from.)
Of course, much of what I have related here, I did not witness personally. No, after the war was well underway, I was given another job by Miserix. By the time the Archives Massacre took place, I was well to the south, heading for a meeting with a legend... a legend named Tren Krom.
Chapter 5
Wherever you may travel in this vast universe of ours, it is likely you will run across someone who will tell you that Tren Krom is no more than a myth... just a legend of antiquity, no more real than Irnakk or any other figment of the imagination. Setting foot upon his island will not bring terrible consequences, they insist, just a pleasant walk on a rocky beach. To those beings, of course, I say, "What would you like for your memorial upon your death? So I can start planning it now."
For it is a well known fact to those who know it well that Tren Krom is no myth. He is older than the stars themselves, born in a time when there was no Mata Nui, no Makuta, only never-ending darkness that encompassed all. He walked through a universe in the throes of its birth, and even the shadows feared him. To meet Tren Krom was to court madness, or worse... so naturally, the Brotherhood chose me to seek him out.
The reason for the meeting was obvious: the Brotherhood could not allow a being of such power to dwell unchecked in our universe. We had to know his intent and whether he posed a threat to the lands we watched over. Thus I followed a trail of half-remembered stories told by the mad until I reached the shore of an island whose shores had not welcomed a visitor in millennia.
In the interests of writing a complete record, I should include every detail of my time there. In the interests of the sanity anyone reading this, I will not. Even when I look back now, I remember only a scarlet mass, a face that was not a face, tentacles lined with tiny, sharpened hooks, eyes that were little more than holes in a gelatinous skull, and that voice... oh, that voice made Makuta Teridax sound lilting and sweet.
I expected to die. When Tren Krom's mind touched mine, and I saw the reality of what he was, I almost wanted to perish in that moment... better that than to live with the memory. But he saw something in my thoughts that must have intrigued him... hard to imagine what it might have been, given how alien he was to any form of life. Rather than crush me in his grasp, Tren Krom explored my consciousness, like an Archives mole rooting about for a meal. It was amazing... it was horrifying... it was a view into a mind as far beyond mine as mine is beyond a fireflyer's... and it was feeling my mind turn into a nest of serpents, hissing and slithering and trailing slime.
Then everything went black.
When I awoke again, I lay on the deserted beach. There was no sign of Tren Krom, or even the cavern in which I had encountered him. I thought perhaps the whole thing had been a nightmare, some trick of my fellow Makuta... and then I knew it could not be. For I understood now... I knew how the universe worked, and as much as my mind could stand, why the universe worked.
And I knew one thing more – that Makuta Teridax's mad dreams of overthrowing the Great Spirit Mata Nui were not just fantasies. It was possible. It could work. The knowledge I held was the ammunition for the weapon Teridax would one day wield, a weapon that would win us a universe.
Chapter 6
Well do I remember the day Makuta Teridax first revealed his Plan. I had only recently returned with the information I learned on the island of Tren Krom, knowledge he listened to without comment. Then he did something no Makuta other than Miserix had ever done – he demanded a Convocation.
Technically, any Makuta could demand that all members assemble on Destral. But normally, only the leader of the Brotherhood would ever do it. Worse, Teridax had not bothered to get Miserix's permission to do this. The two were on a collision course from the start.
Teridax stated his idea briefly and clearly: we were to strike at the Great Spirit Mata Nui and seize power in the universe. Some of our number, like Gorast and Bitil, were immediately on board. Vamprah and Krika kept silent, for reasons of their own. A handful of others raised objections. Teridax seemed to listen carefully to them, but I could tell he was really memorizing a list of who they were for later.
Miserix, of course, saw this for what it was – a naked bid to take over leadership of the Brotherhood. His response was to rise from the head of the table, hurl a bolt of shadow energy from his gauntlet and blast Teridax halfway through the wall. I started to rise, intending to help him back to his feet. But a look from Miserix froze me where I stood.
"Treason," said Miserix. "Worse than treason – stupidity. Succeed in your grand design and you risk the death of the universe itself."
"A risk," said Teridax, brushing rock dust off his armor, "I am willing to take."
"And what will you use to attack the Great Spirit?" sneered Miserix. "Your shadow hand? A troop of Rahkshi? You are an insect in the eyes of Mata Nui... and in mine."
If I could have ducked under the table and maintained my dignity as a Makuta, I would have. Teridax vaulted the length of the room and caught Miserix by the throat. He slammed the leader of the Brotherhood against one wall, then another, before flinging him down to the ground. Before Miserix could react, Teridax had his staff at our leader's throat.
"You are a relic," Teridax snarled. "This universe belongs to the strong, and your position of power has made you weak."
Miserix grabbed the staff, sending a surge of lightning up it that sent Teridax hurtling backwards. "Insolent worm," Miserix shouted, rising. "You would lead the Brotherhood to destruction and disgrace!"
"I would lead it... to supremacy," Teridax said. "Supremacy that is ours by right." He turned to the rest of the assembled Makuta. "I leave it to you... to choose who you will follow."
Gorast and Bitil moved immediately to his side. Vamprah, Antroz, Chirox and Spiriah followed. I hesitated for a moment, but could not escape the fact that of all present, I knew his Plan could work. So I too joined Teridax. Others did as well, with Krika and Icarax being the last to come stand beside us. Only a small number of Makuta sided with Miserix. Seeing that they were outnumbered, they moved – somewhat reluctantly – to our side. Miserix was left alone.
"I claim leadership of the Brotherhood, through the will of the Convocation," Teridax said. "The Plan will go forward. As my first act... I sentence you, Miserix, to death. Krika, Spiriah, you will carry out my will."
Miserix, stunned and enraged, looked at the assembled Makuta with contempt. "You are suicidal fools, tampering with the very order of the universe. And this... this maniac will lead you nowhere but to your deaths!"
The former leader of the Brotherhood stared hard into the crimson eyes of the new one. "This is not over, Teridax. Kill me, scatter my remains from here to Metru Nui, but someday... I will be avenged."
Teridax had already lost interest. He was huddled with Chirox and myself, discussing how best to strike at the Great Spirit. Krika and Spiriah moved in quickly, knowing Miserix's penchant for shapeshifting into exceedingly nasty reptilian creatures. They hauled him out of the chamber. I would never see him again.
This is not the end of the tale, of course. Over the next year, Gorast and Icarax tracked down and killed all the Makuta who had stood by Miserix's side. Teridax would order their masks nailed to the wall in the Convocation Chamber as a warning to others who might consider rebellion.
The only thing that puzzled me was that one mask was missing from that group... the one worn by Miserix. What, I wondered, had Krika done with it?
Chapter 7
Bitil was the first one to notice. We were both visiting Destral at the time, laying plans to support Teridax's planned coup against Mata Nui. As I recall we were discussing how unfortunate it was so much of the plan might hinge on the actions of Makuta Kojol, who oversaw the region of Artakha. Kojol was a secretive sort, never sharing what he knew with anyone, not even the location of Artakha itself. His specialties were flying Rahi and sea Rahi, both of whom protected his region from any intrusion, even by us.
But I must stay on the subject. Bitil was making a point in his usual way, by throwing a weapon at the wall. He went to pick up an axe and found he couldn't make his armor move. It was like all his muscles had turned to water. My amusement at his panic faded when I realized the same thing was happening to me.
Chirox pulled away some of Kojol's armor, only to see a greenish-black mist rising from inside the shell. Worried, Chirox caught a sample, then did a crude patch of the armor. After extensive tests, he returned to inform us of his results.
"This," he began, holding up a tube with the mist inside, "is what is left of our bodies. We have evolved from muscle and tissue to pure energy. No longer do we need to eat, or breathe, nor do we need fear the pains that come with advanced age.
"But there is more," he continued. "If a Makuta's energy disperses, his consciousness will disappear and he will die. So it is critical to guard against damage to our armor that might allow our essence to escape."
How did I feel about this, you might wonder. Intrigued... resentful that Chirox figured out what was happening before I did... and unsure what this meant for the future of we Makuta. Would we be more powerful now that we did not have to worry about organs and muscles being harmed? Would the fear of our armor being pierced and our energy dispersed make us too cautious?
Teridax wasted no time worrying. He ordered the "Nynrah ghosts" brought to Destral so that they could modify our armor to take advantage of our new "bodies." They added additional layers of protosteel, possible now that we had no physical forms that required space.
An unexpected benefit of our new existence was discovered in quite a painful way (for me, at least). Wandering through the fortress, I encountered a lone Exo-Toa. When I tried to pass it, the robot picked me up and threw me the length of the hallway, all the while laughing a most familiar laugh.
"Chirox?" I asked, getting back to my feet – for that was whose laugh I heard.
"Our new forms," came the reply. 'With them, we can take over robot bodies – perhaps living ones, too, I do not know. Think of it – the ultimate disguise!"
"Ah, yes," I answered. "Once again, you find a better way to hide."
He fired a missile from the armor in response, but not fast enough. I stalked over and tore an arm off the robot, then smiled as I saw his energies begin to drift out of the gap. My smile grew broader as I heard him cursing in my mind, while he directed his energies back toward his empty Makuta armor in another chamber.
The idea of destroying the armor before he could reach it did, I admit, cross my mind. Did I refrain out of mercy, or kindness, or some sense of fellowship with my brother Makuta?
No, no, quite the opposite. I simply knew how long Chirox had been struggling to develop a flying serpent with just the right amount of exterior slime to allow it to slither through small crevices, while not so much that it left a trail wherever it went. And as soon as he was back in his body, I was going to take a great deal of joy in introducing him to my Lohrak, wings, slime, and all...
Chapter 8
Well do I remember the first time I saw the Kanohi Avohkii, or Mask of Light. Truly no more vile or disgusting thing has ever been created in this universe. There it was in the hands of Teridax, not even having the courtesy to be the color of a lump of clay when not being worn – oh, no, the Avohkii gleamed golden. Locked within it was the one power we Makuta dreaded, and the unspoken promise of something far worse – the existence, someday, of an actual Toa of Light.
Whispered rumors had reached Destral that such a mask had come into existence on Artakha. Natually, Makuta Kojol, being the idiot he was, had not learned this directly. But he was more than ready to lead an armada against the island and seize the thing.
Teridax wanted a subtle operation, a few Rahkshi, that's all. Kojol, at his peril, chose to ignore this. He assembled a strike force of Visorak, Rahkshi, and even a few Exo-Toa, intending to overwhelm any defenses on the island with one crushing blow.
It didn't quite work out that way. The first things the Visorak ran into when they hit the beach were two massive serpents that seemed to be made of crystal. The Visorak, supremely confident as always, thought they would make short work of such large Rahi. Instead, the rays of the sun focused through the bodies of the snakes promptly incinerated Kojol's entire first wave.
Kojol pulled his ships back and tried another approach. Fortunately, Rahkshi are good climbers and were able to get a clawhold on more treacherous terrain. While the Matoran on the island posed little threat, the devices of the island's ruler – also named Artakha – took a heavy toll on the Rahkshi. They bought enough time for the Exo-Toa to deploy, however, and with their power added to the battle, the island fell.
Kojol could have - should have – taken everything in sight from the fortress. But it took him so long to come ashore, and so long to find the Avohkii (since the interior of the fortress was booby-trapped), and then he claims there was this intense blizzard as he tried to depart. Worse, he was never supposed to have set foot on the island at all – the point was for this to be a secret raid, not one that could be tied to the Brotherhood. (True, Visorak and Rahkshi are associated with us, but without the actual presence of a Makuta there, we could still deny knowledge of what happened.)
Kojol returned to Destral in "triumph", and despite disobeying orders, Teridax praised him for claiming the mask. The Toa Hagah who served us showed no indication they knew anything about the raid, meaning somehow our plans were still safe from view. The story, it seemed, was over.
Then something strange began to happen. Two squads of Rahkshi dispatched to a remote part of the southern continent were never seen alive again. When I found them, their armor was reduced to scraps and their kraata to dark smears on the ground. It seemed an interesting coincidence that they were the same Rahkshi who were on the Artakha raid.
The Exo-Toa were next. In the middle of the night, they vanished from their guard posts. To this day, we have no idea what became of them. By then, I was beginning to suspect that Artakha, or someone close to him, was taking revenge for our raid. That would mean Kojol would be next. Teridax needed to be informed immediately...
So, naturally, I did nothing.
Why? Because Kojol was a posturing, arrogant, obnoxious buffoon. If someone else wanted to spare me the trouble of killing him one day, so be it.
Oh, it looked like an accident, of course. He was visiting Xia, presenting them with a new armor-eating virus he wanted them to incorporate into a weapon. Either he made the virus better than he knew or else someone substituted a different one – for when it escaped, it turned out to have a taste for protosteel. His armor was devoured in seconds. Well, accidents happen. Of course, that didn't explain how his energy form wound up in a high-temperature Vortixx furnace where it was completely destroyed.
The virus had died almost immediately upon finishing its work, and we have never seen its like again. The Vortixx claimed innocence, but Teridax ordered part of the island razed anyway, as a reminder to them to be more careful in future.
It was only later that I realized what a fool I had been. Kojol was the only one who knew where the island of Artakha was, and I should have forced the knowledge from him before he died. When the Brotherhood tried to seek out others likely to know where the island might be located, we found that all had mysteriously died. Artakha – if it was him – was being very thorough.
In the end, we did not keep the Mask of Light for long. Teridax's squad of Toa Hagah actually dared invade the Destral fortress and steal the mask! They paid for it in the end – remind me to write sometime of Roodaka's nasty sense of humor – but they did escape with the mask.
Once that happened – once we knew there were Toa who had divined our new purpose in life – the Plan had to go forward swiftly. The time had come to bring down the Great Spirit and begin our march to power.
Chapter 9
Perhaps readers of this chronicle will have heard the old saying, "When Teridax is away, the Rahi will play." Our leader spent most of his time off of Destral, particularly after the Toa Hagah's rebellion. This left the rest of us to our own devices, particularly when we were visiting that island.
For example, shortly after Teridax left for Metru Nui to initiate the next stage of the Plan, I had a visit from Chirox. He was holding a dead specimen of my new Rahi, the Lohrak. He did not look at all happy, which was nothing new.
"Lohrak! Lohrak?" Chirox raged. "I created the Lohrak, millennia ago, and it wasn't this... this... winged waste of protodermis! How dare you use the same name and try to replace my creation!"
"Your creation is best forgotten," I replied. "As usual, you design Rahi that are a bludgeon rather than a dagger. I, on the other hand, put some subtlety into my work. It's as if I signed my name to them."
"Signed your name?" spat Chirox. "You can't even spell your name!"
I was about to crush him with the perfect insult in response when the world shook. We were both thrown off our feet as a violent earthquake struck Destral. Masonry cracked, ceilings collapsed, and it was all I could to do to shapeshift a pair of claws to dig into the stone floor and hold on. The shaking lasted perhaps a few seconds, or perhaps forever, depending on your viewpoint.
When it was over, I struggled to my feet. The fortress of Destral was in ruins. Some of our prisoners were dead, some wounded. At least one of my fellow Makuta had seen his armor damaged to the point where his energy was floating freely in the air (fortunately, we were able to get him into an Exo-Toa body until his armor could be repaired). Most beings would have reacted to this event with despair, even panic, and I have no doubt many of those mewling Matoran out in the larger universe were doing just that.
But not Chirox and I, for we knew what the tremors meant. They were a sign that the Plan had worked – Mata Nui had fallen before the Brotherhood's attack! Now, if all went right, Teridax would seize complete control of the city of Metru Nui and we would be close to the power we all longed for.
Alas, the best laid plans of Makuta and Matoran... the days following the fall of the Great Spirit proved to be a complete fiasco. Consider:
• Our glorious leader was defeated in battle by six novice Toa and a Turaga.
• The Metru Nui Matoran we so prized were spirited out of the universe by those same Toa, leaving the city of legends abandoned.
• Sidorak was killed and our Visorak legions scattered to the winds.
• Teridax's rash actions led to the deaths of two Dark Hunters and ended up sparking a war with that organization that rages to this day.
• The Mask of Time – a treasure beyond price – wound up in the hands of a Toa, along with a pledge by Teridax not to menace the Matoran for a full year!
It was around this time that Icarax began to grumble in earnest about Teridax's leadership. He proposed his own plan: seize Metru Nui, Matoran or no Matoran, and from there launch a wave of conquest that would make the Barraki look like a bunch of irritable sand frogs. Crush entire continents beneath our heels, loot the halls of the Nynrah and Artakha (if we could ever find that island again), and dare Toa to try to dislodge us from power.
Icarax actually had the insane courage to try to implement his ideas without approval from the rest of the Brotherhood. He left his assigned realm of Karzahni and journeyed south with a small army of Manas crabs. A number of small settlements on the northern continent had fallen to him before Teridax confronted him.
The battle that followed was epic. Icarax was the better fighter, but Teridax was more cunning. He allowed Icarax to pound him for hours on end, until the rebel's energies were almost exhausted. Then Teridax exerted the smallest amount of his will and turned the Manas against Icarax. Once he was surrounded, Teridax used every power at his command to defeat... no, demolish... no, perhaps humiliate would be a better word... Icarax.
Surprisingly, after all that, Teridax let him live. "Your talents are still of some use to me, and so I will not kill you... today," the leader of the Brotherhood said. "But one day – perhaps in a year, or 1000 years, or 100,000 years – I may grow tired of you, Icarax. You may cease to be amusing, with your posturing and your boasting and your lust for battle. And on that day, your armor will be a meal for metal-eating scavengers, and your essence a wisp on the wind."
Although Icarax made light of it later – claiming Teridax had been "too afraid" to try to kill him – I know he never forgot that battle. He remains to this day a danger to the Plan and a threat to Teridax – expecting him to be anything else would be like expecting a Zivon to place its head in your lap and purr.
Teridax did not linger on Destral to oversee repairs to the fortress. He returned to his lair at Mangaia, readying himself for the prophesied arrival of the Toa Mata, the keys to all our planning, all our hopes, and all our dreams of conquest.
And that concludes the all the Winter 2008 story serials.
Stay tuned for the Summer ones!!!
(Note: the following is copied from BioSector01, the BIONICLE
wikipedia!)
Chapter 1
As I, Makuta Mutran, recline in my hive in Karda Nui, carving this record, I am gratified by the sight of Shadow Leeches taking form in their bubbling vats. The invasion of the universe core is proceeding well, my newest creations are spreading darkness and corruption, and in general, it is good to be alive.
My assistant, Vican, is busily stuffing a failed experiment back into its crate. Normally, I dispose of any "accidents" as soon as possible... but in this case, this hissing, biting, and incredibly toxic creation would make a fine gift for Chirox.
Ah, Chirox... it was only 100 millennia or so ago that we were the best of friends, working together to create new and better Rahi to aid the Matoran.
It was during the reign of Makuta Miserix, first leader of the Brotherhood. The fortress of Destral had only recently been constructed and all Makuta were based there. Our sole job at the time was Rahi creation. I recall one particular day when Chirox and I were bent over our slab, trying to make something useful out of one of Spiriah's experiments.
"Too many legs," muttered Chirox. "And those teeth..."
"Do we break it down and start over?" I asked. "Or simply lock it in a room with Spiriah?"
Miserix chose this moment to enter. He took one look at the squirming thing on the table and snorted in disgust. Then he glanced up at us. "We have a... situation," he said. "The inhabitants of Xia are demanding higher payments for their goods than most Matoran cities can afford. I want one of you to go with Makuta Icarax and his aide, Pridak, to explain the necessity of cooperation to them."
After he left, we flipped the Rahi to see who would have to go. Unfortunately, it had two heads and no tail, so it took quite some time to arrive at a decision.
The mission was successful, of course. After days of negotiations, Icarax lost his temper. Later, after the rubble had been cleared away, the Xians were more than willing to be reasonable. We practically had to drag Pridak off the island, so taken was he with the place's potential.
It was only when we were close to Destral that I realized I had forgotten my pet project, my favorite sentient rock. "I must have left it in the center of the island when we were inspecting the factories," I said. "Most disturbing... I never travel without it, but it can be... difficult."
"What's the problem?" growled Icarax. "It's a rock."
"Well, true," I answered. "That is, unless it starts eating Xians and grows into a Mountain. Still, what are the odds of that ever happening?"
We sailed on then, leaving behind an island full of factories, a hard-working population of Xians... and a very, very hungry rock.
Chapter 2
Ah, Pridak ... it was not so very long after our excursion to Xia that he left the service of the Brotherhood of Makuta for "greater things." I gather that Makuta Miserix kept an eye on him, through an easily corruptible character named Takadox. And so the formation of the League of Six Kingdoms came of little surprise to us.
That's not to say we were happy about it. Oh, my, no. It was one thing to know you were always below the Great Spirit on the ladder of power – quite another to be receiving strongly worded "requests" from six jumped-up warlords who didn't know their proper place in things.
Well do I remember sitting in a cold, damp chamber in some Barraki tower, listening to Pridak and Kalmah discuss how they intended to carve up the known universe into territories. We Makuta would continue to provide Rahi beasts and anything else they might need that was within our power to give them. Miserix listened to all this with growing impatience until he could take no more.
"Insolent gnats," he spat. "The Makuta serve only Mata Nui. We do not put our secret knowledge to work for every being with a strong arm and legions of rabble behind him."
Pridak leaned forward, smiling. "That 'rabble' is prepared to march on Destral on my orders. Before your Toa and Rahkshi can even marshal their forces, we will have taken your fortress ... and claimed your precious secrets. You would do well to remember that, while you serve Mata Nui, we are his chosen rulers in this universe."
"Then perhaps the Great Spirit is not as smart as we have been led to believe," said Icarax.
I glanced at Takadox then. A member of the League and a seller of information to the Brotherhood, he truly belonged with neither side. Perhaps that is why he looked like he wished he could sink into the floor.
Pridak rose, followed by Kalmah and the others. "You have a choice, Makuta – cooperation, or conquest. I trust you will choose wisely."
"What about the places not on your map?" asked Makuta Chirox. "Artakha ... Metru Nui ... the unknown lands to the south ..."
"We are in ... discussions with Metru Nui," said Kalmah. "As for Artakha, let the old fool putter among his creations. And the southern lands are fit only for stone rats and lohrak."
"Then this lot should fit right in," I muttered, earning a glare from Kalmah.
"This meeting is over," said Pridak coldly. "We will expect fresh war beasts as requested. If you choose to obstruct the designs of the Great Spirit, then your fate will be on your own heads."
One by one, the League members filed out, Takadox shooting a worried glance at Miserix as he departed. After they were gone, Miserix turned to his most trusted lieutenant and spoke the words that (though we did not know it then) sealed the Barraki's fate:
"Swords so easily drawn beg to be used ... and are rarely so easy to put away again. These Barraki may prove troublesome. Watch them."
Chapter 3
The war was over.
Not that I got to witness the final, grand battle between the forces of the Brotherhood of Makuta and the upstart League of Six Kingdoms. Oh, no – Miserix's lieutenant claimed the honor of leading the attack and getting all the glory. I and another Makuta, Gorast, were sent on what amounted to clean-up duty in the fortress of Kalmah.
Needless to say, I was not excited about this task. If you have ever been to the northwestern regions of the League's territory, you know that it stinks like the breath of a Kanohi Dragon and is littered with the carcasses of dead Rahi. Of course, that last is my fault – Kalmah never showed the proper respect due a Makuta, so I never sent him Rahi with a lifespan of more than three days.
Add to that the company of Gorast, as warm and friendly as cuddling up with a spiked lava eel. She said nothing on the trip north, other than to urge me to move faster, which was fine with me. Gorast is a fierce warrior, but once you have finished discussing dismemberment, slaughter, carnage, and decapitation, she has nothing much left to say.
Kalmah's "fortress" was hardly that. Word of the League's surrender had spread and that remnant of his army that had been left behind had sacked the place. They had fled before we arrived, so that all we found was a pile of rock and debris. A brief search revealed no signs of any weapons, charts, equipment, or anything else that would be of use.
After a while, Gorast spotted a few stragglers and hunted them down. I tried to clear some of the rubble to make a space to sit down. That was when I spotted the carving. Looking it over, I realized that some of my creations – the Rahi beasts I named "Blade Burrowers" – had defied the odds and survived. What's more, Kalmah had discovered something most interesting about them. When enough blade burrowers are present, they start to tunnel every which way. At first glance, the tunnels look random – two long, curved ones running north and south, with smaller ones in between them – with the same pattern of construction, repeated over and over again. But Kalmah had realized they were not random at all, as any fool could see. No – the blade burrowers were constructing a map.
But... a map of what?
That question plagues me to this day. The shape of the tunnels looks like no land mass I know of. I even once tried having an imprisoned Toa wearing a Mask of Translation communicate with the burrowers, but to no avail. It seems the burrowers don't know why they are building the tunnels in this pattern either, only that they must.
I felt certain then, and still do now, that this means something ... perhaps something devastating. But it is a mystery beyond even the Brotherhood's capacity to solve ... and although a Makuta should never admit to feeling fear, I confess the memory of that carving haunts my dreams.
Chapter 4
There is nothing quite so... amusing... as Matoran at war with each other. There they are, with their powerless masks and their little weapons, trying to look formidable as they march into battle. One has to laugh.
Of course, Makuta Miserix did not find the situation at all amusing. A mere 500 years after the defeat of the League of Six Kingdoms, the Matoran of Metru Nui had gone to war with each other. It had begun as a simple dispute over boundaries and trade between Ta-Metru and Po-Metru. It escalated when Po-Matoran sank some of the transport barges and Ta-Matoran destroyed a Po-Matoran warehouse with molten protodermis. Onu-Metru sided with the fire Matoran, Le-Metru with the stone. The Ko-Matoran attempted to intervene and were rebuffed, which pushed them into the Po-Matoran camp. Ga-Matoran efforts to remain neutral failed miserably and they eventually sided with fire and earth as well.
Work ground to a halt as arguments evolved into pitched battles. Entire blocks of streets were badly damaged or destroyed. With no Toa stationed there, and the Turaga ineffective, it seemed as if nothing could halt the destruction. This suited me just fine, since I was using the chaos as an opening to slip new Rahi into the city to test their destructive potential.
Miserix ordered his lieutenant to step in and stop the fighting. By this time, that particular Makuta was already contemplating the overthrow of the Great Spirit Mata Nui, so no doubt he saw this as an opportunity to show how well the Makuta could impose order. Unfortunately, his solution was to seal large numbers of the opposing armies in the Archives and unleash the exhibits on them. It was, needless to say, quite a mess to clean up later. And it did nothing to inspire great love for the Brotherhood in the hearts of the Matoran, though they certainly behaved themselves afterwards.
What happened to the war leaders, we do not know. Possibly they were spirited off as the Barraki had been, to parts unknown. But from that time on, Miserix decided that each of us would be assigned a particular region to watch over. His lieutenant was assigned the prize of Metru Nui, while I was given the center section of the Matoran mainland. (Not that I ever paid much attention to what was going on there, being too busy with my experiments. Really, who cared what happened to a few Matoran here or there? There were always more where they came from.)
Of course, much of what I have related here, I did not witness personally. No, after the war was well underway, I was given another job by Miserix. By the time the Archives Massacre took place, I was well to the south, heading for a meeting with a legend... a legend named Tren Krom.
Chapter 5
Wherever you may travel in this vast universe of ours, it is likely you will run across someone who will tell you that Tren Krom is no more than a myth... just a legend of antiquity, no more real than Irnakk or any other figment of the imagination. Setting foot upon his island will not bring terrible consequences, they insist, just a pleasant walk on a rocky beach. To those beings, of course, I say, "What would you like for your memorial upon your death? So I can start planning it now."
For it is a well known fact to those who know it well that Tren Krom is no myth. He is older than the stars themselves, born in a time when there was no Mata Nui, no Makuta, only never-ending darkness that encompassed all. He walked through a universe in the throes of its birth, and even the shadows feared him. To meet Tren Krom was to court madness, or worse... so naturally, the Brotherhood chose me to seek him out.
The reason for the meeting was obvious: the Brotherhood could not allow a being of such power to dwell unchecked in our universe. We had to know his intent and whether he posed a threat to the lands we watched over. Thus I followed a trail of half-remembered stories told by the mad until I reached the shore of an island whose shores had not welcomed a visitor in millennia.
In the interests of writing a complete record, I should include every detail of my time there. In the interests of the sanity anyone reading this, I will not. Even when I look back now, I remember only a scarlet mass, a face that was not a face, tentacles lined with tiny, sharpened hooks, eyes that were little more than holes in a gelatinous skull, and that voice... oh, that voice made Makuta Teridax sound lilting and sweet.
I expected to die. When Tren Krom's mind touched mine, and I saw the reality of what he was, I almost wanted to perish in that moment... better that than to live with the memory. But he saw something in my thoughts that must have intrigued him... hard to imagine what it might have been, given how alien he was to any form of life. Rather than crush me in his grasp, Tren Krom explored my consciousness, like an Archives mole rooting about for a meal. It was amazing... it was horrifying... it was a view into a mind as far beyond mine as mine is beyond a fireflyer's... and it was feeling my mind turn into a nest of serpents, hissing and slithering and trailing slime.
Then everything went black.
When I awoke again, I lay on the deserted beach. There was no sign of Tren Krom, or even the cavern in which I had encountered him. I thought perhaps the whole thing had been a nightmare, some trick of my fellow Makuta... and then I knew it could not be. For I understood now... I knew how the universe worked, and as much as my mind could stand, why the universe worked.
And I knew one thing more – that Makuta Teridax's mad dreams of overthrowing the Great Spirit Mata Nui were not just fantasies. It was possible. It could work. The knowledge I held was the ammunition for the weapon Teridax would one day wield, a weapon that would win us a universe.
Chapter 6
Well do I remember the day Makuta Teridax first revealed his Plan. I had only recently returned with the information I learned on the island of Tren Krom, knowledge he listened to without comment. Then he did something no Makuta other than Miserix had ever done – he demanded a Convocation.
Technically, any Makuta could demand that all members assemble on Destral. But normally, only the leader of the Brotherhood would ever do it. Worse, Teridax had not bothered to get Miserix's permission to do this. The two were on a collision course from the start.
Teridax stated his idea briefly and clearly: we were to strike at the Great Spirit Mata Nui and seize power in the universe. Some of our number, like Gorast and Bitil, were immediately on board. Vamprah and Krika kept silent, for reasons of their own. A handful of others raised objections. Teridax seemed to listen carefully to them, but I could tell he was really memorizing a list of who they were for later.
Miserix, of course, saw this for what it was – a naked bid to take over leadership of the Brotherhood. His response was to rise from the head of the table, hurl a bolt of shadow energy from his gauntlet and blast Teridax halfway through the wall. I started to rise, intending to help him back to his feet. But a look from Miserix froze me where I stood.
"Treason," said Miserix. "Worse than treason – stupidity. Succeed in your grand design and you risk the death of the universe itself."
"A risk," said Teridax, brushing rock dust off his armor, "I am willing to take."
"And what will you use to attack the Great Spirit?" sneered Miserix. "Your shadow hand? A troop of Rahkshi? You are an insect in the eyes of Mata Nui... and in mine."
If I could have ducked under the table and maintained my dignity as a Makuta, I would have. Teridax vaulted the length of the room and caught Miserix by the throat. He slammed the leader of the Brotherhood against one wall, then another, before flinging him down to the ground. Before Miserix could react, Teridax had his staff at our leader's throat.
"You are a relic," Teridax snarled. "This universe belongs to the strong, and your position of power has made you weak."
Miserix grabbed the staff, sending a surge of lightning up it that sent Teridax hurtling backwards. "Insolent worm," Miserix shouted, rising. "You would lead the Brotherhood to destruction and disgrace!"
"I would lead it... to supremacy," Teridax said. "Supremacy that is ours by right." He turned to the rest of the assembled Makuta. "I leave it to you... to choose who you will follow."
Gorast and Bitil moved immediately to his side. Vamprah, Antroz, Chirox and Spiriah followed. I hesitated for a moment, but could not escape the fact that of all present, I knew his Plan could work. So I too joined Teridax. Others did as well, with Krika and Icarax being the last to come stand beside us. Only a small number of Makuta sided with Miserix. Seeing that they were outnumbered, they moved – somewhat reluctantly – to our side. Miserix was left alone.
"I claim leadership of the Brotherhood, through the will of the Convocation," Teridax said. "The Plan will go forward. As my first act... I sentence you, Miserix, to death. Krika, Spiriah, you will carry out my will."
Miserix, stunned and enraged, looked at the assembled Makuta with contempt. "You are suicidal fools, tampering with the very order of the universe. And this... this maniac will lead you nowhere but to your deaths!"
The former leader of the Brotherhood stared hard into the crimson eyes of the new one. "This is not over, Teridax. Kill me, scatter my remains from here to Metru Nui, but someday... I will be avenged."
Teridax had already lost interest. He was huddled with Chirox and myself, discussing how best to strike at the Great Spirit. Krika and Spiriah moved in quickly, knowing Miserix's penchant for shapeshifting into exceedingly nasty reptilian creatures. They hauled him out of the chamber. I would never see him again.
This is not the end of the tale, of course. Over the next year, Gorast and Icarax tracked down and killed all the Makuta who had stood by Miserix's side. Teridax would order their masks nailed to the wall in the Convocation Chamber as a warning to others who might consider rebellion.
The only thing that puzzled me was that one mask was missing from that group... the one worn by Miserix. What, I wondered, had Krika done with it?
Chapter 7
Bitil was the first one to notice. We were both visiting Destral at the time, laying plans to support Teridax's planned coup against Mata Nui. As I recall we were discussing how unfortunate it was so much of the plan might hinge on the actions of Makuta Kojol, who oversaw the region of Artakha. Kojol was a secretive sort, never sharing what he knew with anyone, not even the location of Artakha itself. His specialties were flying Rahi and sea Rahi, both of whom protected his region from any intrusion, even by us.
But I must stay on the subject. Bitil was making a point in his usual way, by throwing a weapon at the wall. He went to pick up an axe and found he couldn't make his armor move. It was like all his muscles had turned to water. My amusement at his panic faded when I realized the same thing was happening to me.
Chirox pulled away some of Kojol's armor, only to see a greenish-black mist rising from inside the shell. Worried, Chirox caught a sample, then did a crude patch of the armor. After extensive tests, he returned to inform us of his results.
"This," he began, holding up a tube with the mist inside, "is what is left of our bodies. We have evolved from muscle and tissue to pure energy. No longer do we need to eat, or breathe, nor do we need fear the pains that come with advanced age.
"But there is more," he continued. "If a Makuta's energy disperses, his consciousness will disappear and he will die. So it is critical to guard against damage to our armor that might allow our essence to escape."
How did I feel about this, you might wonder. Intrigued... resentful that Chirox figured out what was happening before I did... and unsure what this meant for the future of we Makuta. Would we be more powerful now that we did not have to worry about organs and muscles being harmed? Would the fear of our armor being pierced and our energy dispersed make us too cautious?
Teridax wasted no time worrying. He ordered the "Nynrah ghosts" brought to Destral so that they could modify our armor to take advantage of our new "bodies." They added additional layers of protosteel, possible now that we had no physical forms that required space.
An unexpected benefit of our new existence was discovered in quite a painful way (for me, at least). Wandering through the fortress, I encountered a lone Exo-Toa. When I tried to pass it, the robot picked me up and threw me the length of the hallway, all the while laughing a most familiar laugh.
"Chirox?" I asked, getting back to my feet – for that was whose laugh I heard.
"Our new forms," came the reply. 'With them, we can take over robot bodies – perhaps living ones, too, I do not know. Think of it – the ultimate disguise!"
"Ah, yes," I answered. "Once again, you find a better way to hide."
He fired a missile from the armor in response, but not fast enough. I stalked over and tore an arm off the robot, then smiled as I saw his energies begin to drift out of the gap. My smile grew broader as I heard him cursing in my mind, while he directed his energies back toward his empty Makuta armor in another chamber.
The idea of destroying the armor before he could reach it did, I admit, cross my mind. Did I refrain out of mercy, or kindness, or some sense of fellowship with my brother Makuta?
No, no, quite the opposite. I simply knew how long Chirox had been struggling to develop a flying serpent with just the right amount of exterior slime to allow it to slither through small crevices, while not so much that it left a trail wherever it went. And as soon as he was back in his body, I was going to take a great deal of joy in introducing him to my Lohrak, wings, slime, and all...
Chapter 8
Well do I remember the first time I saw the Kanohi Avohkii, or Mask of Light. Truly no more vile or disgusting thing has ever been created in this universe. There it was in the hands of Teridax, not even having the courtesy to be the color of a lump of clay when not being worn – oh, no, the Avohkii gleamed golden. Locked within it was the one power we Makuta dreaded, and the unspoken promise of something far worse – the existence, someday, of an actual Toa of Light.
Whispered rumors had reached Destral that such a mask had come into existence on Artakha. Natually, Makuta Kojol, being the idiot he was, had not learned this directly. But he was more than ready to lead an armada against the island and seize the thing.
Teridax wanted a subtle operation, a few Rahkshi, that's all. Kojol, at his peril, chose to ignore this. He assembled a strike force of Visorak, Rahkshi, and even a few Exo-Toa, intending to overwhelm any defenses on the island with one crushing blow.
It didn't quite work out that way. The first things the Visorak ran into when they hit the beach were two massive serpents that seemed to be made of crystal. The Visorak, supremely confident as always, thought they would make short work of such large Rahi. Instead, the rays of the sun focused through the bodies of the snakes promptly incinerated Kojol's entire first wave.
Kojol pulled his ships back and tried another approach. Fortunately, Rahkshi are good climbers and were able to get a clawhold on more treacherous terrain. While the Matoran on the island posed little threat, the devices of the island's ruler – also named Artakha – took a heavy toll on the Rahkshi. They bought enough time for the Exo-Toa to deploy, however, and with their power added to the battle, the island fell.
Kojol could have - should have – taken everything in sight from the fortress. But it took him so long to come ashore, and so long to find the Avohkii (since the interior of the fortress was booby-trapped), and then he claims there was this intense blizzard as he tried to depart. Worse, he was never supposed to have set foot on the island at all – the point was for this to be a secret raid, not one that could be tied to the Brotherhood. (True, Visorak and Rahkshi are associated with us, but without the actual presence of a Makuta there, we could still deny knowledge of what happened.)
Kojol returned to Destral in "triumph", and despite disobeying orders, Teridax praised him for claiming the mask. The Toa Hagah who served us showed no indication they knew anything about the raid, meaning somehow our plans were still safe from view. The story, it seemed, was over.
Then something strange began to happen. Two squads of Rahkshi dispatched to a remote part of the southern continent were never seen alive again. When I found them, their armor was reduced to scraps and their kraata to dark smears on the ground. It seemed an interesting coincidence that they were the same Rahkshi who were on the Artakha raid.
The Exo-Toa were next. In the middle of the night, they vanished from their guard posts. To this day, we have no idea what became of them. By then, I was beginning to suspect that Artakha, or someone close to him, was taking revenge for our raid. That would mean Kojol would be next. Teridax needed to be informed immediately...
So, naturally, I did nothing.
Why? Because Kojol was a posturing, arrogant, obnoxious buffoon. If someone else wanted to spare me the trouble of killing him one day, so be it.
Oh, it looked like an accident, of course. He was visiting Xia, presenting them with a new armor-eating virus he wanted them to incorporate into a weapon. Either he made the virus better than he knew or else someone substituted a different one – for when it escaped, it turned out to have a taste for protosteel. His armor was devoured in seconds. Well, accidents happen. Of course, that didn't explain how his energy form wound up in a high-temperature Vortixx furnace where it was completely destroyed.
The virus had died almost immediately upon finishing its work, and we have never seen its like again. The Vortixx claimed innocence, but Teridax ordered part of the island razed anyway, as a reminder to them to be more careful in future.
It was only later that I realized what a fool I had been. Kojol was the only one who knew where the island of Artakha was, and I should have forced the knowledge from him before he died. When the Brotherhood tried to seek out others likely to know where the island might be located, we found that all had mysteriously died. Artakha – if it was him – was being very thorough.
In the end, we did not keep the Mask of Light for long. Teridax's squad of Toa Hagah actually dared invade the Destral fortress and steal the mask! They paid for it in the end – remind me to write sometime of Roodaka's nasty sense of humor – but they did escape with the mask.
Once that happened – once we knew there were Toa who had divined our new purpose in life – the Plan had to go forward swiftly. The time had come to bring down the Great Spirit and begin our march to power.
Chapter 9
Perhaps readers of this chronicle will have heard the old saying, "When Teridax is away, the Rahi will play." Our leader spent most of his time off of Destral, particularly after the Toa Hagah's rebellion. This left the rest of us to our own devices, particularly when we were visiting that island.
For example, shortly after Teridax left for Metru Nui to initiate the next stage of the Plan, I had a visit from Chirox. He was holding a dead specimen of my new Rahi, the Lohrak. He did not look at all happy, which was nothing new.
"Lohrak! Lohrak?" Chirox raged. "I created the Lohrak, millennia ago, and it wasn't this... this... winged waste of protodermis! How dare you use the same name and try to replace my creation!"
"Your creation is best forgotten," I replied. "As usual, you design Rahi that are a bludgeon rather than a dagger. I, on the other hand, put some subtlety into my work. It's as if I signed my name to them."
"Signed your name?" spat Chirox. "You can't even spell your name!"
I was about to crush him with the perfect insult in response when the world shook. We were both thrown off our feet as a violent earthquake struck Destral. Masonry cracked, ceilings collapsed, and it was all I could to do to shapeshift a pair of claws to dig into the stone floor and hold on. The shaking lasted perhaps a few seconds, or perhaps forever, depending on your viewpoint.
When it was over, I struggled to my feet. The fortress of Destral was in ruins. Some of our prisoners were dead, some wounded. At least one of my fellow Makuta had seen his armor damaged to the point where his energy was floating freely in the air (fortunately, we were able to get him into an Exo-Toa body until his armor could be repaired). Most beings would have reacted to this event with despair, even panic, and I have no doubt many of those mewling Matoran out in the larger universe were doing just that.
But not Chirox and I, for we knew what the tremors meant. They were a sign that the Plan had worked – Mata Nui had fallen before the Brotherhood's attack! Now, if all went right, Teridax would seize complete control of the city of Metru Nui and we would be close to the power we all longed for.
Alas, the best laid plans of Makuta and Matoran... the days following the fall of the Great Spirit proved to be a complete fiasco. Consider:
• Our glorious leader was defeated in battle by six novice Toa and a Turaga.
• The Metru Nui Matoran we so prized were spirited out of the universe by those same Toa, leaving the city of legends abandoned.
• Sidorak was killed and our Visorak legions scattered to the winds.
• Teridax's rash actions led to the deaths of two Dark Hunters and ended up sparking a war with that organization that rages to this day.
• The Mask of Time – a treasure beyond price – wound up in the hands of a Toa, along with a pledge by Teridax not to menace the Matoran for a full year!
It was around this time that Icarax began to grumble in earnest about Teridax's leadership. He proposed his own plan: seize Metru Nui, Matoran or no Matoran, and from there launch a wave of conquest that would make the Barraki look like a bunch of irritable sand frogs. Crush entire continents beneath our heels, loot the halls of the Nynrah and Artakha (if we could ever find that island again), and dare Toa to try to dislodge us from power.
Icarax actually had the insane courage to try to implement his ideas without approval from the rest of the Brotherhood. He left his assigned realm of Karzahni and journeyed south with a small army of Manas crabs. A number of small settlements on the northern continent had fallen to him before Teridax confronted him.
The battle that followed was epic. Icarax was the better fighter, but Teridax was more cunning. He allowed Icarax to pound him for hours on end, until the rebel's energies were almost exhausted. Then Teridax exerted the smallest amount of his will and turned the Manas against Icarax. Once he was surrounded, Teridax used every power at his command to defeat... no, demolish... no, perhaps humiliate would be a better word... Icarax.
Surprisingly, after all that, Teridax let him live. "Your talents are still of some use to me, and so I will not kill you... today," the leader of the Brotherhood said. "But one day – perhaps in a year, or 1000 years, or 100,000 years – I may grow tired of you, Icarax. You may cease to be amusing, with your posturing and your boasting and your lust for battle. And on that day, your armor will be a meal for metal-eating scavengers, and your essence a wisp on the wind."
Although Icarax made light of it later – claiming Teridax had been "too afraid" to try to kill him – I know he never forgot that battle. He remains to this day a danger to the Plan and a threat to Teridax – expecting him to be anything else would be like expecting a Zivon to place its head in your lap and purr.
Teridax did not linger on Destral to oversee repairs to the fortress. He returned to his lair at Mangaia, readying himself for the prophesied arrival of the Toa Mata, the keys to all our planning, all our hopes, and all our dreams of conquest.
And that concludes the all the Winter 2008 story serials.
Stay tuned for the Summer ones!!!
Finales
Finally Dark Mirror and Federation of Fear has come to an end.
Here are the final chapters. (The following was copied and pasted from
www.biosector01.com)
Federation of Fear
Chapter 9
Brutaka scanned the cavern with narrowed eyes. The glowing eyes of the insects all around made it feel as if he were trapped in some lunatic starfield. Behind him, he could hear Vezon humming softly to himself, as if out for an afternoon stroll.
“Do we fight our way out of here?” asked Lariska, hand on the hilt of her dagger.
Brutaka’s answer was to turn to Spiriah. “Okay. You control Rahi. Make them clear a path.”
“On one condition,” said Spiriah. “Once I do, I go free. I turn right around and march out, take the boat – if Takadox hasn’t already – and leave. And I never see or hear from any of you, or anyone associated with you, again.”
“I wasn’t asking you,” replied Brutaka. “I was telling you.”
“I am a Makuta,” said Spiriah. “Disgraced, perhaps; a victim of jealousy and prejudice, most definitely. But I will not be dictated to by some obnoxious, insane --”
Brutaka hit Spiriah a solid blow in the mask, knocking the Makuta over the side of the narrow bridge. Spiriah caught on to the span, just barely, and hung in space.
“I think this is what they call ‘in no position to deal,’” said Brutaka. He triggered his mask power, opening a dimensional portal in space just below Spiriah’s feet. “If I move that opening just a little bit further toward you, you’ll find yourself in a dimension full of beings made of solid light. Know what they eat there? Shadow. You’ll be a food bank for them, Spiriah, but I have to warn you – they’re always hungry. And they don’t close their mouths when they chew.”
Spiriah said nothing. Instead, he reduced his density and floated up and away from Brutaka’s portal. Then he drifted back down to the bridge and turned solid once more. “I’ll do it,” he said. “Then I leave. I advise you not to try and stop me.”
The Makuta concentrated, triggering his power to control Rahi beasts. Nothing happened, other than restless stirring among the insects. After a few moments, Spiriah gave up in frustration. “They’re already under the control of a more powerful will. It must be Miserix.”
Brutaka gestured toward the wall of insect life that blocked the way they had come. “Then I guess you’re not leaving.” He turned to Lariska. “And we’re fighting. You stay back with Vezon. Roodaka, Spiriah and I will lead the way.”
On Brutaka’s signal, he and his two powerful allies unleashed their powers at the insects who blocked the passage way up ahead. As quickly as the crimson creatures fell, more came to replace them. Worse, the ones behind were now skittering across the bridge, closing in on Vezon and Lariska.
“I have an idea,” said Roodaka, summoning a Rhotuka disk into her launcher. She fired at the insects up ahead, the power of her disk mutating them into unrecognizable creatures. An instant later, the other insects fell upon the unfortunate victims of her attack. The mutated insects were dead in seconds, killed for being different than the rest of the species.
Seeing that her ploy had worked, Roodaka repeated the process, this time focusing on the insects blocking the end of the bridge. As the mutations took hold and their former allies turned on them, an opening appeared in the wall of living creatures. With a roar of triumph, she led a charge across the bridge and into the tunnel beyond. The team didn’t stop running until they were well away from the cavern.
“Are they following?” asked Brutaka.
“They don’t seem to be,” Lariska answered. “Maybe they don’t like to leave their nest.”
“”Or maybe they just know we have to go back out that way, so they can eat us then,” Vezon offered, cheerfully.
“Maybe there’s another way out up ahead,” said Brutaka.
“Or maybe we’ll get to like it here,” said Vezon. “A few grass mats, some cave drawings, the heads of my enemies mounted on the wall … it could be quite pleasant.”
“Brutaka!” Roodaka called from up ahead. “I think you had best see this.”
The team rushed through the tunnel to join Roodaka. She was standing at the tunnel’s end, looking out at another vast chamber. More specifically, she was looking at the largest occupant of the chamber, a massive dragon-like beast chained to the stone floor. All around it flew much smaller Rahi, darting and dodging the shadow hand that occasionally shot out from the creature’s chest.
“What … is that?” asked Lariska.
Brutaka shook his head in amazement. “Well, it’s about 40 feet tall, red and silver, with four legs, a tail, and a nasty disposition – and it’s who we’re here to rescue.”
“Miserix,” whispered Spiriah.
“All right, we can take him home,” said Vezon, “but don’t expect me to clean up after him.”
Chapter 10
Vezon looked from the massive, chained form of the dragon-like beast to his partners, then back at the dragon, then over to Brutaka. He opened his mouth to speak, but Brutaka cut him off.
"Don't say it," said Brutaka.
"We're going to need --" Vezon began.
"A bigger boat. I know," Brutaka said. "Anybody know what those... things... are flying all around?"
Small, winged creatures were indeed flitting all around the dragon. Now and then, one would let out a scream that shattered rock. "They're called klakk," said Makuta Spiriah. "Something Mutran created a long time back – their sonic scream is formidable. They must be meant as guardians."
Brutaka frowned. Guardians, all right, but against whom? He knew the dragon was in fact Makuta Miserix, ex-leader of the Brotherhood. He had been ordered executed, but Makuta Krika had instead chained him up here on the island of Artidax. It was Brutaka's job to rescue him so the Order of Mata Nui could use him against his former organization.
At that moment, Miserix suddenly took notice of them. His great eyes narrowed as he spoke and his voice rumbled like a distant avalanche. "Who... are... you?"
Brutaka started to say, "Friends," then decided he didn't really want to be considered a friend of that thing. "We're here to free you," he said instead. "Can you shapeshift to a smaller form?"
"Why would I wish to do that?" asked Miserix. "Do you know how many of these creatures I had to absorb to reach a size where their screams no longer pain me?"
"See, the size is a problem, your immenseness," Vezon cut in. "We only have a small boat, hardly more than a raft, really, and if it sinks we have to swim. Personally, I am not big on swimming – some friends of mine went for a swim, I heard, and now they look like sea snakes, just a head and a spine. And I have no spine, so I would be just a head, and --"
Miserix's eyes glowed red. A burst of laser vision struck Vezon, sending him tumbling backwards. "Gnat," muttered the Makuta.
Turning to check on Vezon, Brutaka saw that Spiriah had backed way up into the shadows. Miserix noticed too and bellowed, "Tell that one to come forth."
Spiriah took a reluctant step forward. At the sight of another Makuta, the dragon smiled. "Spiriah. I do remember you. When Teridax rose against me, you were one of the first to be by his side. I have so looked forward to meeting you again."
Brutaka tightened his grip on his weapon. He did not like Miserix's tone at all.
"Do you know I have not seen one of my species since Krika left me here?" Miserix continued.
"We all meant to come," Spiriah said hurriedly. "Teridax wouldn't let us. We all knew we would benefit by your experience, your power, your very presence."
"But you did not come," rumbled Miserix. "So now I shall benefit from yours."
A hand made of living shadow erupted from the dragon's chest, grabbed Spiriah, and pulled him into Miserix's body. There wasn't even time for a scream.
Vezon, back on his feet, stopped dead when he saw the Makuta consumed. "I thought we were here to rescue him from captivity," he whispered. "Not from that mid-day empty feeling."
"You know, we could just leave you here to rot," Brutaka said to Miserix. "Or wait for the next volcanic eruption to rain lava down on your oversized head. Or... you could have your chance to take revenge on your brothers. What's it going to be?"
Miserix considered. Then he leaned forward as far as his chains would allow him and said, "Make your attempt, for what good it will do."
"I have seen those kind of chains before," said Lariska. "They grow and shrink with him. They feed on his own power and use it to hold him."
Brutaka hefted his weapon. "Can they be broken?"
"Not without causing him great pain."
Brutaka gave a grim smile. "I'll cry tomorrow. Find me a weak link. Roodaka, we are going to need your help."
The Vortixx had been silent since they had entered Miserix's presence. Brutaka had no doubt she was planning something. But she dutifully stepped forward and stood beside him, her eyes never leaving the chained Makuta.
"There," said Lariska, pointing to a segment of the chain that held Miserix's right arm. "We concentrate our fire there."
Brutaka and Roodaka took aim, he with his blade, she with her outstretched hand. Energy and shadow bolts struck the weak segment of chain, bathing it in a continuous stream of power. After several minutes, the substance of the chain began to flake off. After a few more, it began to crack. Then the link shattered to pieces. Miserix screamed, loud enough to crack the mountain itself.
The klakk reacted instantly, flying toward the rescue team and unleashing their sonic screams. Vezon and Lariska fought them off, while Brutaka used his blade to parry the streams of sound. Meanwhile, Miserix raised his arm tentatively. Seeing that it was indeed free of its bonds, he reached over with it and tore the other chain from the ground. This time, he did not scream, but only smiled.
The klakk were gaining ground now, driving the team back toward where the insects were still lurking. Miserix watched the battle for a moment in silence. Then he opened his mouth and unleashed a power scream that felled the klakk, along with Vezon and Lariska. Brutaka and Roodaka barely remained conscious. Crawling over, Brutaka checked on his two team members – both were still living.
"Now, then," said Miserix. "Where is Teridax?"
Brutaka laughed. "And if I tell you, you have no reason to keep us alive. Gratitude is not high on the list of Makuta emotions. I'll show you. But you are going to need to shrink down to make it out the way we came."
"Your lack of imagination is disappointing," said Miserix, in as close to good spirits as a Makuta ever got. He reared back and struck the side of the mountain with all his might, once, twice, again. The rock cracked and began to crumble. Miserix followed up with his fragmentation power, reducing the entire side of the volcano to shards of stone. Beyond it, Brutaka could see the sky and the sea.
"At last!" said Miserix. "After so many millennia – I am free!"
Before Brutaka's startled eyes, the dragon grew wings. Then Miserix turned his crimson-scaled head to Brutaka and said, "Come. Show me where my enemy hides, so I may grind his armor to dust and feed on his energies."
"No!" shouted Roodaka. "They want to lead you into a trap! Listen to me, I too am an enemy of the Brotherhood. Brutaka wants to use you, to sacrifice you as a pawn in a war against the Makuta. I want you for an ally!"
Miserix lowered his lead and leaned in so that his massive face was up against Roodaka's. When he spoke, it was in a whisper. "Little one, I am Makuta Miserix. I am no one's pawn. I am no one's ally." His next words came in a roar that drove Roodaka back into the rock wall. "And I am no one's fool!!"
Brutaka watched, looking unimpressed. "Are you done?"
Miserix nodded slowly. "Let us go. I have a universe to rediscover."
Brutaka loaded the stunned Roodaka and the now semi-conscious Lariska and Vezon onto the dragon's back. Then he climbed on himself. Miserix unfurled his wings and stepped out into the open air. They soared high above the island, pausing only long enough for Miserix to make a muttered vow to come back and destroy the place one day. Brutaka noted that the team's boat was gone – Takadox had gotten away after all, then.
Let him run. It doesn't matter, thought Brutaka. A storm is coming to this universe, and when it hits, there will be nowhere for anyone to hide.
Miserix spread his wings and turned toward the north, carrying his passengers into the unknown.
Dark Mirror
Chapter Eight
Takanuva crouched behind a wall, a wounded Lesovikk beside him. All around, Elemental Power bursts were flying, warriors were screaming and a disaster beyond his imagination was taking place. It had all started out so well: Lesovikk's van had made it close to the Coliseum before being spotted. As planned, Takanuva had used his new found Shadow powers to blind the guards. Pohatu followed with a massive fist of stone that cracked the walls of the huge structure. To the east, Makuta Teridax led Krika, Kojol, Turaga Dume and Takua into battle.
At first, they made short work of the Matoran and Toa who guarded Tuyet's fortress. Then it all went wrong: a Toa of Iron appeared on the walls and a hail of spikes spelt the end of Takua. Takanuva watched in sheer horror as his other self collapsed and died. Kojol fell next, his armor crushed by the Toa's power, and his essence incinerated by a Toa of Plasma. Teridax was forced to pull back.
Things were going no better for Lesovikk's squad. Primal had run into Tahu in the eastern entrance, and killed the Toa of Fire. But the sudden appearance of Gali, and a sphere of Water around the Dark Hunter's head left him to drown on dry land. Toa Krakua hit Gali with a wave of solid sound, blasting apart her mask and armor. Pohatu cried out too late: Ahkmou had already dashed ahead and slain the fallen Toa of Water. He didn't get to enjoy his triumph long. Kopaka flash-froze Ahkmou, and a swipe from Onua's claws shattered the Matoran into little pieces of crystal and Protodermis.
Now it was no longer one battle, but a dozen seperate ones being fought at once, the lines moving back and forth. Pohatu fought his way into the Coliseum, but found himself too evenly matched with Onua to make much progress. Lesovikk fell with an Ice dagger in his shoulder, but rallied to blow Kopaka off his post high atop the Coliseum. Takanuva winced as the Toa of Ice hit the ground and lay still.
"Now," said Lesovikk to Takanuva, "Darkness will lead the way. Get in there and do what you have to."
"What about you?" asked Takanuva.
"We'll give them something to remember," said Lesovikk.
Takanuva took one last look around. Nuju was side-by-side with Guardian, keeping a Toa of Magnetism too off-balance to use his powers. Teridax's forces had charged again. Krika used his Vacuum power to absorb Lewa's attacks until Teridax had summoned a bolt of Lightning, powerful enough to turn a Toa into ashes.
Darkness was already on the move, slipping through the cracks in the Coliseum walls. Takanuva used his Shadow power to enlarge them and followed. Inside, the Coliseum was strangely silent. One would never know a battle raged outside its walls. A team of Toa rushed by on their way to join the fight. Steeling himself, Takanuva fired laser blasts at the ceiling, bringing the rubble down on top of them. He still found himself hoping he had only stunned them, not killed them. Together, Toa and Dark Hunter fought their way to their goal: the Hall of Masks. They had made it to the chamber door when Darkness paused. He heard something. The next instance, the door exploded outward as a wall of water erupted from within, sweeping Darkness away. Takanuva managed to grab hold of the doorway, holding on with all his might and holding his breath. Outside, Teridax's attack had met with success as Toa fell before him and Krika. Turaga Dume had rallied Lesovikk's group, although not before Nuju had been pulled into the Archives by plantlife gone wild. Guardian, too, fell, but took half a dozen Toa with him. Back in the Coliseum, the deluge had finally stopped. There, framed in the chamber doors was Toa Tuyet; Nui Stone in one hand, Mask of Dimensional Gates in the other.
"I know who you are," she said. "Or rather, I had guessed. You don't belong here."
"Neither do you," said Takanuva. "You don't exist in my world. True Toa must have stood up and stopped you before you went too far."
"In my world, I am much more... competent," she replied. "How unfortunate for you."
"Alright then," said Takanuva. "For Takua, for Lesovikk, and for all the Toa and Matoran whose lives you have ruined, I strike."
Chapter 9
Toa Tuyet stood over the battered, semi-conscious body of Takanuva, Toa of Light. He did not stir. Being blown through half-a-dozen walls by a focused tidal wave would do that to you. Tuyet smiled.
"Pathetic, truly pathetic. If you are an example of what Toa are like in your Universe, it's a wonder you haven't all been hunted to extinction by now."
The ruler of the Toa Empire slipped off her Mask of Intangibility, and replaced it with a Kanohi Olmak: the mask Takanuva had come seeking. This mask alone had the power to open gateways to inter-dimensional space, and it was Takanuva's only hope of escaping this twisted world.
"Your friends outside are dead, or soon will be. I admit I was surprised to find they still had some fight left in them after 3500 years. But, they can't be allowed to rob the Matoran of the peace I have brought them."
Takanuva managed to get to his hands and knees, rubble sliding off his back as he did so. He looked at Tuyet with eyes that held equal parts of contempt and pity.
"Peace?" he said in disbelief, "Is that what you call perverting the Toa into secret police, terrorizing the villagers, killing anyone who opposes your rule?"
"I did what had to be done. I made the world right. And who are you to judge me? You are nothing but an alien from some other dimension."
Takanuva hurled a blast of Shadow at Tuyet, temporarily cloaking her in darkness. By the time she could see again, he was gone. But his voice came from high above her, saying:
"That's true, my world is messier than yours, more dangerous in some ways, but it is a world that's better, because you're not in it, Tuyet."
The Toa of Water unleashed her power, bringing the ceiling down, but Takanuva was not there. Instead, he sprang from the opening at the far end of the hall, hurling blinding light at Tuyet as he made a grab for her mask. She spun, caught him by the arm and threw him hard to the floor.
"I have hundreds of times your power. You are nothing but a Lightstone to be ground to dust beneath my heel."
Takanuva attacked again, hurling bolts of Shadow and Light. To his amazement, Tuyet parried them with ease. Seeing his surprise, she laughed.
"You know, we had no Toa of Light in this Universe. We didn't need one. And in a few moments, we will be back to being without one."
Takanuva charged. The next few seconds were a blaze of battle. Lasers turning water to steam, waves crashing against walls, a race to see what would happen first: Takanuva drowning in the tide, or Tuyet drowning in darkness. When the fight was through, Tuyet stood once more triumphant.
"Enough! I have wasted enough time on you. Your rebellion is finished, and now, so are you."
Tuyet was about to strike when a strange sound penetrated the damaged Coliseum. Takanuva raised his head and glanced at a hole in the wall. He saw hundreds - no, thousands - of Matoran marching toward the building, all of them armed. In the distance he could see Airships and sea-going vessels carrying other Matoran, Dark Hunters, Vortixx and others. All of them were descending on the city, their eyes fixed on the Coliseum.
"Still think the rebellion is over?" Takanuva asked, "Or maybe it's just beginning."
"The fools. With my power, I can sweep them all away in a flood like no one has seen before."
Takanuva looked right into Tuyet's eyes.
"Then who would there be left to protect? Who would you have made your perfect Universe for?"
Tuyet smiled.
"Very clever, Toa. True, a Universe with only drowned Matoran would not be of much use to anyone. But they must be taught respect."
"Why? If they're so ungrateful, why not use your mask to travel somewhere else? Some place that needs you. Start over again, in another Metru Nui, one where they might welcome a ruler like you."
Tuyet glanced down at the street. The mob was coming closer, and though she could easily kill them all, it would leave her as the ruler of an empire of corpses. Perhaps Takanuva was right. At the least, she could leave and return with an army of Toa from another dimension, enough to stamp out every last visage of rebellion in her own world. She turned away and activated her mask. A portal into inter-dimensional space opened before her and she prepared to step in. That was when Takanuva made his move. He somehow managed to hurl himself at Tuyet, snatching the mask from her face. For the second it lost contact with her, its power shut off and the portal began to close. Takanuva, mask in hand, dove through, but Tuyet was not about to let him escape so easily. Even as he cleared the portal, she grabbed on to his leg, trying to follow him. She blasted him with hard bolts of water, catching his hand and tearing the mask from his grasp. It floated away into the space between dimensions.
Takanuva turned back. What he saw horrified him, but his shout of warning came too late. Tuyet was halfway through the portal, trying to drag Takanuva back in. She was so consumed by rage that she never noticed the portal closing until it was much too late. She screamed as reality slammed shut on her body, leaving her upper half in the void and the lower half in the Coliseum on her world. Mercifully, death came instantly.
Takanuva hovered in space for a long moment. He wondered what would happen in Tuyet's universe with her gone. Would the Toa become protectors again? Would the Matoran take control? Or would some group of the Dark Hunters and Makuta become new dictators? Perhaps someday, if he was able, he would return to find out the answer. He turned his head away from the remains of Tuyet, wondering how a Toa could go so wrong, and realizing with a shudder what a fine line it could be between justice and tyranny. Tuyet's life had been wasted, but the lives of no more Toa would be lost if he could prevent it. With grim resolve, he resumed his journey to Karda Nui.
END OF BOTH FEDERATION OF FEAR AND DARK MIRROR
Here are the final chapters. (The following was copied and pasted from
www.biosector01.com)
Federation of Fear
Chapter 9
Brutaka scanned the cavern with narrowed eyes. The glowing eyes of the insects all around made it feel as if he were trapped in some lunatic starfield. Behind him, he could hear Vezon humming softly to himself, as if out for an afternoon stroll.
“Do we fight our way out of here?” asked Lariska, hand on the hilt of her dagger.
Brutaka’s answer was to turn to Spiriah. “Okay. You control Rahi. Make them clear a path.”
“On one condition,” said Spiriah. “Once I do, I go free. I turn right around and march out, take the boat – if Takadox hasn’t already – and leave. And I never see or hear from any of you, or anyone associated with you, again.”
“I wasn’t asking you,” replied Brutaka. “I was telling you.”
“I am a Makuta,” said Spiriah. “Disgraced, perhaps; a victim of jealousy and prejudice, most definitely. But I will not be dictated to by some obnoxious, insane --”
Brutaka hit Spiriah a solid blow in the mask, knocking the Makuta over the side of the narrow bridge. Spiriah caught on to the span, just barely, and hung in space.
“I think this is what they call ‘in no position to deal,’” said Brutaka. He triggered his mask power, opening a dimensional portal in space just below Spiriah’s feet. “If I move that opening just a little bit further toward you, you’ll find yourself in a dimension full of beings made of solid light. Know what they eat there? Shadow. You’ll be a food bank for them, Spiriah, but I have to warn you – they’re always hungry. And they don’t close their mouths when they chew.”
Spiriah said nothing. Instead, he reduced his density and floated up and away from Brutaka’s portal. Then he drifted back down to the bridge and turned solid once more. “I’ll do it,” he said. “Then I leave. I advise you not to try and stop me.”
The Makuta concentrated, triggering his power to control Rahi beasts. Nothing happened, other than restless stirring among the insects. After a few moments, Spiriah gave up in frustration. “They’re already under the control of a more powerful will. It must be Miserix.”
Brutaka gestured toward the wall of insect life that blocked the way they had come. “Then I guess you’re not leaving.” He turned to Lariska. “And we’re fighting. You stay back with Vezon. Roodaka, Spiriah and I will lead the way.”
On Brutaka’s signal, he and his two powerful allies unleashed their powers at the insects who blocked the passage way up ahead. As quickly as the crimson creatures fell, more came to replace them. Worse, the ones behind were now skittering across the bridge, closing in on Vezon and Lariska.
“I have an idea,” said Roodaka, summoning a Rhotuka disk into her launcher. She fired at the insects up ahead, the power of her disk mutating them into unrecognizable creatures. An instant later, the other insects fell upon the unfortunate victims of her attack. The mutated insects were dead in seconds, killed for being different than the rest of the species.
Seeing that her ploy had worked, Roodaka repeated the process, this time focusing on the insects blocking the end of the bridge. As the mutations took hold and their former allies turned on them, an opening appeared in the wall of living creatures. With a roar of triumph, she led a charge across the bridge and into the tunnel beyond. The team didn’t stop running until they were well away from the cavern.
“Are they following?” asked Brutaka.
“They don’t seem to be,” Lariska answered. “Maybe they don’t like to leave their nest.”
“”Or maybe they just know we have to go back out that way, so they can eat us then,” Vezon offered, cheerfully.
“Maybe there’s another way out up ahead,” said Brutaka.
“Or maybe we’ll get to like it here,” said Vezon. “A few grass mats, some cave drawings, the heads of my enemies mounted on the wall … it could be quite pleasant.”
“Brutaka!” Roodaka called from up ahead. “I think you had best see this.”
The team rushed through the tunnel to join Roodaka. She was standing at the tunnel’s end, looking out at another vast chamber. More specifically, she was looking at the largest occupant of the chamber, a massive dragon-like beast chained to the stone floor. All around it flew much smaller Rahi, darting and dodging the shadow hand that occasionally shot out from the creature’s chest.
“What … is that?” asked Lariska.
Brutaka shook his head in amazement. “Well, it’s about 40 feet tall, red and silver, with four legs, a tail, and a nasty disposition – and it’s who we’re here to rescue.”
“Miserix,” whispered Spiriah.
“All right, we can take him home,” said Vezon, “but don’t expect me to clean up after him.”
Chapter 10
Vezon looked from the massive, chained form of the dragon-like beast to his partners, then back at the dragon, then over to Brutaka. He opened his mouth to speak, but Brutaka cut him off.
"Don't say it," said Brutaka.
"We're going to need --" Vezon began.
"A bigger boat. I know," Brutaka said. "Anybody know what those... things... are flying all around?"
Small, winged creatures were indeed flitting all around the dragon. Now and then, one would let out a scream that shattered rock. "They're called klakk," said Makuta Spiriah. "Something Mutran created a long time back – their sonic scream is formidable. They must be meant as guardians."
Brutaka frowned. Guardians, all right, but against whom? He knew the dragon was in fact Makuta Miserix, ex-leader of the Brotherhood. He had been ordered executed, but Makuta Krika had instead chained him up here on the island of Artidax. It was Brutaka's job to rescue him so the Order of Mata Nui could use him against his former organization.
At that moment, Miserix suddenly took notice of them. His great eyes narrowed as he spoke and his voice rumbled like a distant avalanche. "Who... are... you?"
Brutaka started to say, "Friends," then decided he didn't really want to be considered a friend of that thing. "We're here to free you," he said instead. "Can you shapeshift to a smaller form?"
"Why would I wish to do that?" asked Miserix. "Do you know how many of these creatures I had to absorb to reach a size where their screams no longer pain me?"
"See, the size is a problem, your immenseness," Vezon cut in. "We only have a small boat, hardly more than a raft, really, and if it sinks we have to swim. Personally, I am not big on swimming – some friends of mine went for a swim, I heard, and now they look like sea snakes, just a head and a spine. And I have no spine, so I would be just a head, and --"
Miserix's eyes glowed red. A burst of laser vision struck Vezon, sending him tumbling backwards. "Gnat," muttered the Makuta.
Turning to check on Vezon, Brutaka saw that Spiriah had backed way up into the shadows. Miserix noticed too and bellowed, "Tell that one to come forth."
Spiriah took a reluctant step forward. At the sight of another Makuta, the dragon smiled. "Spiriah. I do remember you. When Teridax rose against me, you were one of the first to be by his side. I have so looked forward to meeting you again."
Brutaka tightened his grip on his weapon. He did not like Miserix's tone at all.
"Do you know I have not seen one of my species since Krika left me here?" Miserix continued.
"We all meant to come," Spiriah said hurriedly. "Teridax wouldn't let us. We all knew we would benefit by your experience, your power, your very presence."
"But you did not come," rumbled Miserix. "So now I shall benefit from yours."
A hand made of living shadow erupted from the dragon's chest, grabbed Spiriah, and pulled him into Miserix's body. There wasn't even time for a scream.
Vezon, back on his feet, stopped dead when he saw the Makuta consumed. "I thought we were here to rescue him from captivity," he whispered. "Not from that mid-day empty feeling."
"You know, we could just leave you here to rot," Brutaka said to Miserix. "Or wait for the next volcanic eruption to rain lava down on your oversized head. Or... you could have your chance to take revenge on your brothers. What's it going to be?"
Miserix considered. Then he leaned forward as far as his chains would allow him and said, "Make your attempt, for what good it will do."
"I have seen those kind of chains before," said Lariska. "They grow and shrink with him. They feed on his own power and use it to hold him."
Brutaka hefted his weapon. "Can they be broken?"
"Not without causing him great pain."
Brutaka gave a grim smile. "I'll cry tomorrow. Find me a weak link. Roodaka, we are going to need your help."
The Vortixx had been silent since they had entered Miserix's presence. Brutaka had no doubt she was planning something. But she dutifully stepped forward and stood beside him, her eyes never leaving the chained Makuta.
"There," said Lariska, pointing to a segment of the chain that held Miserix's right arm. "We concentrate our fire there."
Brutaka and Roodaka took aim, he with his blade, she with her outstretched hand. Energy and shadow bolts struck the weak segment of chain, bathing it in a continuous stream of power. After several minutes, the substance of the chain began to flake off. After a few more, it began to crack. Then the link shattered to pieces. Miserix screamed, loud enough to crack the mountain itself.
The klakk reacted instantly, flying toward the rescue team and unleashing their sonic screams. Vezon and Lariska fought them off, while Brutaka used his blade to parry the streams of sound. Meanwhile, Miserix raised his arm tentatively. Seeing that it was indeed free of its bonds, he reached over with it and tore the other chain from the ground. This time, he did not scream, but only smiled.
The klakk were gaining ground now, driving the team back toward where the insects were still lurking. Miserix watched the battle for a moment in silence. Then he opened his mouth and unleashed a power scream that felled the klakk, along with Vezon and Lariska. Brutaka and Roodaka barely remained conscious. Crawling over, Brutaka checked on his two team members – both were still living.
"Now, then," said Miserix. "Where is Teridax?"
Brutaka laughed. "And if I tell you, you have no reason to keep us alive. Gratitude is not high on the list of Makuta emotions. I'll show you. But you are going to need to shrink down to make it out the way we came."
"Your lack of imagination is disappointing," said Miserix, in as close to good spirits as a Makuta ever got. He reared back and struck the side of the mountain with all his might, once, twice, again. The rock cracked and began to crumble. Miserix followed up with his fragmentation power, reducing the entire side of the volcano to shards of stone. Beyond it, Brutaka could see the sky and the sea.
"At last!" said Miserix. "After so many millennia – I am free!"
Before Brutaka's startled eyes, the dragon grew wings. Then Miserix turned his crimson-scaled head to Brutaka and said, "Come. Show me where my enemy hides, so I may grind his armor to dust and feed on his energies."
"No!" shouted Roodaka. "They want to lead you into a trap! Listen to me, I too am an enemy of the Brotherhood. Brutaka wants to use you, to sacrifice you as a pawn in a war against the Makuta. I want you for an ally!"
Miserix lowered his lead and leaned in so that his massive face was up against Roodaka's. When he spoke, it was in a whisper. "Little one, I am Makuta Miserix. I am no one's pawn. I am no one's ally." His next words came in a roar that drove Roodaka back into the rock wall. "And I am no one's fool!!"
Brutaka watched, looking unimpressed. "Are you done?"
Miserix nodded slowly. "Let us go. I have a universe to rediscover."
Brutaka loaded the stunned Roodaka and the now semi-conscious Lariska and Vezon onto the dragon's back. Then he climbed on himself. Miserix unfurled his wings and stepped out into the open air. They soared high above the island, pausing only long enough for Miserix to make a muttered vow to come back and destroy the place one day. Brutaka noted that the team's boat was gone – Takadox had gotten away after all, then.
Let him run. It doesn't matter, thought Brutaka. A storm is coming to this universe, and when it hits, there will be nowhere for anyone to hide.
Miserix spread his wings and turned toward the north, carrying his passengers into the unknown.
Dark Mirror
Chapter Eight
Takanuva crouched behind a wall, a wounded Lesovikk beside him. All around, Elemental Power bursts were flying, warriors were screaming and a disaster beyond his imagination was taking place. It had all started out so well: Lesovikk's van had made it close to the Coliseum before being spotted. As planned, Takanuva had used his new found Shadow powers to blind the guards. Pohatu followed with a massive fist of stone that cracked the walls of the huge structure. To the east, Makuta Teridax led Krika, Kojol, Turaga Dume and Takua into battle.
At first, they made short work of the Matoran and Toa who guarded Tuyet's fortress. Then it all went wrong: a Toa of Iron appeared on the walls and a hail of spikes spelt the end of Takua. Takanuva watched in sheer horror as his other self collapsed and died. Kojol fell next, his armor crushed by the Toa's power, and his essence incinerated by a Toa of Plasma. Teridax was forced to pull back.
Things were going no better for Lesovikk's squad. Primal had run into Tahu in the eastern entrance, and killed the Toa of Fire. But the sudden appearance of Gali, and a sphere of Water around the Dark Hunter's head left him to drown on dry land. Toa Krakua hit Gali with a wave of solid sound, blasting apart her mask and armor. Pohatu cried out too late: Ahkmou had already dashed ahead and slain the fallen Toa of Water. He didn't get to enjoy his triumph long. Kopaka flash-froze Ahkmou, and a swipe from Onua's claws shattered the Matoran into little pieces of crystal and Protodermis.
Now it was no longer one battle, but a dozen seperate ones being fought at once, the lines moving back and forth. Pohatu fought his way into the Coliseum, but found himself too evenly matched with Onua to make much progress. Lesovikk fell with an Ice dagger in his shoulder, but rallied to blow Kopaka off his post high atop the Coliseum. Takanuva winced as the Toa of Ice hit the ground and lay still.
"Now," said Lesovikk to Takanuva, "Darkness will lead the way. Get in there and do what you have to."
"What about you?" asked Takanuva.
"We'll give them something to remember," said Lesovikk.
Takanuva took one last look around. Nuju was side-by-side with Guardian, keeping a Toa of Magnetism too off-balance to use his powers. Teridax's forces had charged again. Krika used his Vacuum power to absorb Lewa's attacks until Teridax had summoned a bolt of Lightning, powerful enough to turn a Toa into ashes.
Darkness was already on the move, slipping through the cracks in the Coliseum walls. Takanuva used his Shadow power to enlarge them and followed. Inside, the Coliseum was strangely silent. One would never know a battle raged outside its walls. A team of Toa rushed by on their way to join the fight. Steeling himself, Takanuva fired laser blasts at the ceiling, bringing the rubble down on top of them. He still found himself hoping he had only stunned them, not killed them. Together, Toa and Dark Hunter fought their way to their goal: the Hall of Masks. They had made it to the chamber door when Darkness paused. He heard something. The next instance, the door exploded outward as a wall of water erupted from within, sweeping Darkness away. Takanuva managed to grab hold of the doorway, holding on with all his might and holding his breath. Outside, Teridax's attack had met with success as Toa fell before him and Krika. Turaga Dume had rallied Lesovikk's group, although not before Nuju had been pulled into the Archives by plantlife gone wild. Guardian, too, fell, but took half a dozen Toa with him. Back in the Coliseum, the deluge had finally stopped. There, framed in the chamber doors was Toa Tuyet; Nui Stone in one hand, Mask of Dimensional Gates in the other.
"I know who you are," she said. "Or rather, I had guessed. You don't belong here."
"Neither do you," said Takanuva. "You don't exist in my world. True Toa must have stood up and stopped you before you went too far."
"In my world, I am much more... competent," she replied. "How unfortunate for you."
"Alright then," said Takanuva. "For Takua, for Lesovikk, and for all the Toa and Matoran whose lives you have ruined, I strike."
Chapter 9
Toa Tuyet stood over the battered, semi-conscious body of Takanuva, Toa of Light. He did not stir. Being blown through half-a-dozen walls by a focused tidal wave would do that to you. Tuyet smiled.
"Pathetic, truly pathetic. If you are an example of what Toa are like in your Universe, it's a wonder you haven't all been hunted to extinction by now."
The ruler of the Toa Empire slipped off her Mask of Intangibility, and replaced it with a Kanohi Olmak: the mask Takanuva had come seeking. This mask alone had the power to open gateways to inter-dimensional space, and it was Takanuva's only hope of escaping this twisted world.
"Your friends outside are dead, or soon will be. I admit I was surprised to find they still had some fight left in them after 3500 years. But, they can't be allowed to rob the Matoran of the peace I have brought them."
Takanuva managed to get to his hands and knees, rubble sliding off his back as he did so. He looked at Tuyet with eyes that held equal parts of contempt and pity.
"Peace?" he said in disbelief, "Is that what you call perverting the Toa into secret police, terrorizing the villagers, killing anyone who opposes your rule?"
"I did what had to be done. I made the world right. And who are you to judge me? You are nothing but an alien from some other dimension."
Takanuva hurled a blast of Shadow at Tuyet, temporarily cloaking her in darkness. By the time she could see again, he was gone. But his voice came from high above her, saying:
"That's true, my world is messier than yours, more dangerous in some ways, but it is a world that's better, because you're not in it, Tuyet."
The Toa of Water unleashed her power, bringing the ceiling down, but Takanuva was not there. Instead, he sprang from the opening at the far end of the hall, hurling blinding light at Tuyet as he made a grab for her mask. She spun, caught him by the arm and threw him hard to the floor.
"I have hundreds of times your power. You are nothing but a Lightstone to be ground to dust beneath my heel."
Takanuva attacked again, hurling bolts of Shadow and Light. To his amazement, Tuyet parried them with ease. Seeing his surprise, she laughed.
"You know, we had no Toa of Light in this Universe. We didn't need one. And in a few moments, we will be back to being without one."
Takanuva charged. The next few seconds were a blaze of battle. Lasers turning water to steam, waves crashing against walls, a race to see what would happen first: Takanuva drowning in the tide, or Tuyet drowning in darkness. When the fight was through, Tuyet stood once more triumphant.
"Enough! I have wasted enough time on you. Your rebellion is finished, and now, so are you."
Tuyet was about to strike when a strange sound penetrated the damaged Coliseum. Takanuva raised his head and glanced at a hole in the wall. He saw hundreds - no, thousands - of Matoran marching toward the building, all of them armed. In the distance he could see Airships and sea-going vessels carrying other Matoran, Dark Hunters, Vortixx and others. All of them were descending on the city, their eyes fixed on the Coliseum.
"Still think the rebellion is over?" Takanuva asked, "Or maybe it's just beginning."
"The fools. With my power, I can sweep them all away in a flood like no one has seen before."
Takanuva looked right into Tuyet's eyes.
"Then who would there be left to protect? Who would you have made your perfect Universe for?"
Tuyet smiled.
"Very clever, Toa. True, a Universe with only drowned Matoran would not be of much use to anyone. But they must be taught respect."
"Why? If they're so ungrateful, why not use your mask to travel somewhere else? Some place that needs you. Start over again, in another Metru Nui, one where they might welcome a ruler like you."
Tuyet glanced down at the street. The mob was coming closer, and though she could easily kill them all, it would leave her as the ruler of an empire of corpses. Perhaps Takanuva was right. At the least, she could leave and return with an army of Toa from another dimension, enough to stamp out every last visage of rebellion in her own world. She turned away and activated her mask. A portal into inter-dimensional space opened before her and she prepared to step in. That was when Takanuva made his move. He somehow managed to hurl himself at Tuyet, snatching the mask from her face. For the second it lost contact with her, its power shut off and the portal began to close. Takanuva, mask in hand, dove through, but Tuyet was not about to let him escape so easily. Even as he cleared the portal, she grabbed on to his leg, trying to follow him. She blasted him with hard bolts of water, catching his hand and tearing the mask from his grasp. It floated away into the space between dimensions.
Takanuva turned back. What he saw horrified him, but his shout of warning came too late. Tuyet was halfway through the portal, trying to drag Takanuva back in. She was so consumed by rage that she never noticed the portal closing until it was much too late. She screamed as reality slammed shut on her body, leaving her upper half in the void and the lower half in the Coliseum on her world. Mercifully, death came instantly.
Takanuva hovered in space for a long moment. He wondered what would happen in Tuyet's universe with her gone. Would the Toa become protectors again? Would the Matoran take control? Or would some group of the Dark Hunters and Makuta become new dictators? Perhaps someday, if he was able, he would return to find out the answer. He turned his head away from the remains of Tuyet, wondering how a Toa could go so wrong, and realizing with a shudder what a fine line it could be between justice and tyranny. Tuyet's life had been wasted, but the lives of no more Toa would be lost if he could prevent it. With grim resolve, he resumed his journey to Karda Nui.
END OF BOTH FEDERATION OF FEAR AND DARK MIRROR
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
