Bionicle: Rise of the Antagona

[Specter Knight]

Some Legends aren’t what they should’ve been.

 

You know the drill, you have your dashing heroes who gain mysterious powers, use it to combat evil, restore hope, and strive to save the land from peril. Things that have been apparent ever since the Toa first arrived on Mata Nui.

 

But what if things didn’t go the way they were supposed to?

 

What if the dashing heroes used their newfound powers for evil? What if they used them to side with evil and crush hope? What if they were determined to drive the land into even more peril?

This is what would happen if fate didn’t take the path it intended to… prepare to take a look into an alternate world, where heroes are not always destined to be heroes…

 

Gathered friends, listen again to the legend of the Bionicle… But not like you’ve ever heard it before.

 

BIONICLE: RISE OF THE ANTAGONA

 

PROLOGUE

 

In a distant silver sea, a barren realm lay.

 

This realm was home to the maddest of rulers, the great Karzahni. In turn, the realm was as mad as he was, with burning ice, cold fire, and vicious creatures. It would be suicide for anyone to purposely go into such a place.

 

But someone did. In fact, six fearless Matoran ventured into the chaotic realm. They might’ve just never come there in the first place if they knew what would happen to them…

 

They were soon captured by Karzhani’s elite guards, and set to work. If any of them stopped working and lay down to rest, they would instantly freeze into rock. The fact that their new master was a remorseless slave driver didn’t help.

 

However, Karzahni had a soft spot for one of his workers, a Ga-Matoran named Hahli. She told him all about the outside world he knew nothing about, of the great metropolis that was Metru Nui, and the fabled oceans surrounding Mata Nui.

 

After a full day of work, a brave Ko-Matoran tried to taunt him, but the overlord protested, saying that he wasn’t worth his time. However, the Matoran grew persistent, and eventually pushed Karzahni over the edge, demanding that he show him the worst thing possible.

 

He Did. With his mask of alternate futures, he materialized a vision in each of the opposing Matoran’s minds.

 

Karzahni showed the Matoran what would happen if their fabled leader, the Great Spirit Mata Nui, failed to wake up and was cast into oblivion. Chaos and darkness gripped the land. Shadows reigned unchallenged. The bravest heroes were turned into hopeless wrecks. And above all, the entire universe would fall into eternal madness.

 

All the Matoran broke down in wake of this terrifying vision, yet Karzahni was distracted by the thoughts of this “Mata Nui”, this “Great Spirit”, unwittingly giving time for the Matoran to escape.

 

In another universe, the Matoran would carry on to their destination, Voya Nui, to finish their mission. But this is not that universe.

 

As they made their way to the Toa Canisters, they were stopped by Hahli. She told them that Karzahni had other plans for them, that what they were doing was wrong, and if they carried on, their vision would come true.

 

They hesitated for a second, and that cost them their freedom as Karzahni stopped pondering and started after the Matoran. He heard what Hahli had said, and knew that everything was going to plan.

In the conversation that followed, Karzahni told them that what they had been told was all lies, and that they were only on a suicide mission to Voya Nui. Protesting, a brave-sounding Ta-Matoran told him that none of what he said was true, and that they had to escape to save Mata Nui.

 

So Karzahni did one more thing to convince them to stay.

 

His mask glowed once again, and showed all the Matoran what would happen if they carried on to Voya Nui. He showed them vicious monsters, cataclysmic volcanic eruptions, death of their most beloved friends, and above all, the entire island of Mata Nui, which had once been their home, desolate and destroyed before their very eyes.

 

The Matoran despaired upon seeing the vison, and the horrors that they witnessed were enough to drive their minds directly away from ever heading towards VoyaNui. Upon seeing the horrors Karzahni directed at them, they vowed never to let what they saw ever happen.

 

What happened to them next remains a mystery, but despite their vision, they left the realm of Karzahni a few days later, on route to Voya Nui. What fate had in store for them, as well as Karzahni’s full intentions were, still remained a mystery.

 

But they carried on regardless of what they saw, after all, visions were visions, just projected paranoia of a madman. They had already learned what they needed to do when they arrived.

 

Soon they left the silver sea, and into realms unknown. A storm raged around them, pitching and rolling the canisters in all directions, sometimes in the space of a minute. Despite this, the Matoran stuck together, connected by a seemingly invisible rope.

 

Then the lightning struck.

 

Red lightning, beaming down from the heavens, hit all six of the canisters floating on the ocean. At first, nothing apparent happened, but when the canisters reached the shores of Voya Nui and opened, the Matoran inside… were changed.

 

Crawling out from their ocean-battered canisters, the six figures stood up to their full height, much taller than any of them originally were, now bearing weapons glowing with immense power and armour made from precious materials. They had become Toa.

 

But inside, they were anything but.

 

It was at this point they remembered Karzahni’s orders. The six Toa turned towards the jungles, the lakes, even the volcano of the island, with one thing in mind: storm the island, enslave the inhabitants, Find the fabled Mask of Life, and raze the whole place to the ground.

 

They were no longer Toa, as that name was only for stuck-up, righteous heroes. They were the Antagona, Destructive emissaries of Karzahni.

 

Six corrupt monsters, one destiny.

 

This is their story.

 

 

This story was initially inspired by a Prompt from the alternate universe game by Dr. Johnathan Crane. Thanks, Crane!

[post=http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/13875-the-alternate-universe-game/?p=794399]The Prompt in question.[/post]

 

This is my first attempt at writing a Bionicle-based story. This one focuses around the idea that the Toa Inika became villains instead of heroes. Yes, I'm well aware that "Antagona" Is directly inspired by "Antagonist", but then again, most '06-onwards Bionicle words are sometimes based on english.

 

Comments, Criticism and feedbacks are welcome. I hope you enjoy this tale, and look forward to future chapters!

Edited December 9, 2014 by Daronus

[Specter Knight]

PART 1: The Coming of the Antagona

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

Dalu ran through the night.

 

Her nerves were on edge, her heart pounding. They could be mere steps behind. The sound of footprints filled her ears, she wasn’t sure if they were hers or her pursuers.

 

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The seas surrounding Voya nui had been stormy for the past couple of days, possibly due to the winter months fast approaching. However, the weather was the least of her worries at the moment.

 

She didn’t dare look back, as for all she knew, her pursuer would be right behind her. She was gasping for breath, but she didn’t dare stop, as one hesitation could mean her capture.

 

Something caught on her foot. All time seemed to slow down as she hurtled through the air, until she landed face first on the dry earth.

 

That’s it, Dalu thought. Game over. They’re going to capture me.

 

She waited for the inevitable to happen, but nothing came, surprisingly. Hesitating, she stood up, waiting for something to grab her from behind.

 

Nothing. Maybe her pursuer was hiding in the trees, waiting to strike. Shaking, she slowly started down the path, making every step count as not to attract her pursuer.

 

Suddenly, there was a sound and movement from nearby. Dalu jumped, raising her arms in defence, ready to defend. But it was only a couple of birds taking off. She breathed a sigh of relief…

 

…Which was promptly replaced with a horrified gasp when she turned around and found herself staring into a ghastly, nightmarish white face, illuminated by a flash of lightning.

 

She tried to run, but her muscles locked in position as the monstrous creature grabbed her heels and hung her upside down in the air. Even in the dim light, all of her pursuer’s facial features were outlined. His red eyes glowed like the very lava of mount Valmai, and his off-white teeth were like daggers, capable of ripping his prey to shreds.

 

Dalu knew that face all too well… It belonged to one of the murderous rogues running the island, The Piraka.

 

“So…” The creature boomed. “You thought you could escape the Mighty Thok, could you?”

 

Dalu didn’t say a word, as Thok’s intimidation froze her vocal cords solid. She didn’t dare move.

 

The beastly being holding her captive bored into her mind with his piercing eyes. “Not talkin’, eh?” He sneered. “Maybe our so-called leader will get something outta you. You’ll make a good prisoner, Matoran, just so long as we don’t let you escape again!”

 

This is it. Dalu thought. I’ll never get out of this one. I’ll never see my friends again. Thok was right in her face again, his grotesque features visible even in the dim light. Possibly the last thing she would see before she became a slave of the Piraka’s will…

 

“Unhand her, beast.”

 

A ray of hope sprang up in Dalu’s head. Thok turned his ugly face in the direction of the voice, whilst Dalu was only able to look out the corner of her eye.

 

The being that had interrupted Thok’s plight was tall, clad in Crimson and Gunmetal armour, and was wielding a Powerful-looking broadsword. His green eyes exerted a powerful, stern glare at the Piraka, and his Mask was unlike anything she’d ever seen.

 

The figure in front of them was undoubtedly Voya Nui’s last hope, A Toa! Dalu breathed a sigh of relief, and sent a quick thank you to the Great Spirit.

 

Thok turned to the stranger. “And who are you supposed to be, Toa? Another punching bag for the Piraka?”

 

The stranger seemed unfazed by the Piraka’s hash words. “Don’t intimidate me, pathetic Hoto. My name is Jaller, and if you do not release her, I swear I will incinerate you on the spot.”

 

Dalu started to show concern. What Jaller was saying was unusually vicious, and very unlike what a hero would say. He was dubious to begin with, but now he was looking more like an Anti-hero than a full borderline hero.

 

Thok wasn’t impressed by this. “What you’re going to do with her when I release her is what I’d like to know!” he growled. “Are you going to recruit her into your ‘Elite band of Heroes’ to fight against us? Pah! I’d like to see you try!”

 

“Oh, I’m not going to save her,” Jaller said. “I’m going to enslave her, and use her to destroy you!”

 

In that bleak moment, All of Dalu’s hopes were brutally crushed. This Toa wasn’t a hero, but a pure, cold-hearted monster. Left unchecked, he could burn the whole island to cinders and murder anyone who got in his way. She had to find help, but how could she, when being surrounded by a Thug and a Rogue Toa?

 

On the other hand, Thok was enraged by this. “But that’s what we’re doing! We have dominion over the island, and we did it smartly, unlike you! We came in here pretending to be Toa to gain the Matoran’s Trust, but you just run on in here yelling I’m a villain!”

 

Jaller didn’t even flinch. “Oh, who are you lecturing me on subtlety, you great white brute? Who would fall for that evil glare and red eyes? Other than everyone, that is…”

 

The two kept arguing, leaving Dalu out of the conversation. This was her chance! Using her chargers, she heightened Thok’s hearing to near impossible levels. From this level, he could hear leaves fall on the ground, and even Dalu moving her muscles to make her next move.

 

Before he could do anything to stop, Dalu clanged her tools together, almost deafening Thok with its loud noise, his heightened hearing making him recoil from the noise. As Thok was recovering from the shock, Dalu took her chance to retreat into the trees.

 

As soon as Thok’s hearing returned to normal, he looked around, enraged. “She got away… Blast! Well she can’t run forever!”

 

Peering out from the trees, Dalu saw Thok standing up, and Jaller starting towards her. Fearing for her life, she hid behind a pretty large tree. But as she waited for the Inevitable, Thok’s voice rang out again.

 

“Hey! Don’t make another move! That Matoran is mine!” he growled. Taking this chance, Dalu ran further, occasionally looking behind her to assess the situation.

 

“It was yours,” Jaller said, “Until you let it slip away, you foolish brute.”

 

Even from this far away, Dalu could hear Thok grind his teeth in a horrible scraping sound. “Hahaha… You’re arrogant, Toa. Such a pity I have to dispose of you right here and now. Zaktan would admire your cockiness.”

 

“Oh, you have no Idea what else I’ve got…”

 

Dalu looked back to see the Two beings begin to fight. Jaller swung his sword, which left sparks in its wake. Thok blocked it unprofessionally, pushing him back with the side of his Ice Gun, and then lashing out with the bladed end of his weapon.

 

This didn’t work, as Jaller effortlessly backflipped over the weapon mid-swing, before pointing the end of the sword at the ground beneath Thok. A stream of flames sprang out, but instead of regular flames, which were mostly bright orange, these ones glowed a sinister dark red.

 

Thok recoiled in pain, but as Jaller approached to deliver the final blow, he was struck in the stomach with the Piraka’s heel, before being knocked further back with a great blast of Ice, sending him careening through the forest, knocking over dozens of trees.

 

As the Toa of Fire started to get up, his hands and feet were grabbed by roots, controlled by Thok’s will. As the villainous Rogue approached the downed Toa, he pointed his Ice gun at him.

 

“Nice fireworks show you put on there, hero.” He sneered. “Too bad it’s a little cold for this type of festivities.”

 

“Then allow me to turn up the heat.” Jaller hissed, before using his powers to Burn away the roots holding him in place, and striking Thok with a perfectly-timed uppercut. After the two traded blows once more, the battle was on again.

 

Dalu wasted no time sticking around to see who would win this fight. She ran through the trees as a constant clash of Ice and Fire went on behind her. Whoever won would surely go to claim their prize.

 

There was no time to waste. She had to get back to the Matoran Enclave, and tell them about this dark Toa who had arrived on the island. At first, she thought that salvation had arrived on Voya Nui. Oh, how wrong she was.

 

Voya Nui was in even more peril than before.

 

 

Man, I suck at being consistent. The next chapter will probably be not as long a wait as this one.

Oh, and I'll be putting up a Review topic soon. Keep an eye out for that.