Wildfire

[SPIRIT]

Chapter 40

"I’m not here to join you, Vakama," said Tahu quickly, pointing his twin Magma Swords at the small, orange Turaga. "So don’t get any bright ideas. I’m here because I need your help."

A broad smile crossed Vakama’s face, as though it were his Naming Day, causing Tahu to scowl at him. "Very well, Toa of Fire," he said. "What seems to be the problem?"

Tahu told him about Nokama’s coup and how she intended to create an army of Toa to overrun Vakama’s forces. "I’m not strong enough alone," said Tahu. "I need some of your Bohrok to stop Nokama and restore Onewa’s rule."

Vakama walked over to the hole Tahu had melted in his hut and examined it with slight annoyance, while saying, "aren’t there other Toa or powerful beings you could whine to? I’m rather busy at the moment."

A strong, red hand grabbed Vakama by the back of the neck and hoisted him into the air, where he met Tahu’s blazing eyes.

"You know full well they hate me over at Kini-Nui. I’d be lucky to make it out of there alive," said Tahu.

"You’ll be lucky to make it out of here alive if you don’t put me down," warned Vakama, as a patrolling Gahlok marched by the hut. Tahu dropped him unceremoniously and crossed his arms expectantly. "I will give you one swarm of Tahnok to lead as you see fit," said Vakama, "but only if you will kill Nokama."

"So that’s it, then? No catch?" asked Tahu.

"Don’t Toa have something against killing?" asked Vakama with a roguish grin.

"This is war," sighed Tahu. "Things are different."

Vakama’s smile merely broadened. Tahu glared at him suspiciously, but followed him out to where the Bohrok were being held. At Tahu’s request, two hundred Tahnok were selected and given orders to obey him. Drawing his Magma Swords and looking to the north, Tahu gave the order to march. As they travelled, the fire Bohrok burned everything in their path; trees, stones, mountains: all was destroyed.

"Forward, Tahnok, and the day will be ours!" cried Tahu as they reached the Po-Wahi wall.

"Halt, traitor!" cried a guard from atop the wall. "Come no further or we will attack you!"

Tahu ignored him and gave the order to attack. The guard had just enough time to leap down onto his Husi when the impact of two hundred blasts of fire hit the giant, stone wall, shaking the ground for several kio around. The Tahnok continued their march through the desert until they reached Nokama’s amphitheatre, where the Turaga of Water, along with Onua, Pohatu, and a nervous looking Onu-Matoran slave, stood before a crowd of nearly six hundred Matoran. Nokama had stopped mid way in giving Onua a would-be Toa Stone as she stared dumbfounded at Tahu’s army.

"Drop the Toa Stone, Nokama!" ordered Tahu.

"Get him!" cried Nokama, and she was instantly flanked by guards as Onua and Pohatu charged at Tahu.

"Stop them!" Tahu told the Tahnok, who started to shoot bursts of flames at the two Toa.

Pohatu activated his Kakama and sped out of sight, while Onua sent his power into the ground, creating a wave of earth that knocked a few dozen Bohrok high in the air. Tahu barged his way over to Nokama, who was making her way for a Husi rider. As flames flew overhead and Matoran ran in every direction, Tahu knew he might only get one chance. Aiming his Magma Swords at her, he loosed a white-hot fireball at her. The guards all dove out of the way, but Nokama was not so lucky, taking the fireball head on and instantly turning into ashes.

Taking one last look at Nokama’s remains, Tahu turned his attention to the other two Toa. Onua was still fending off Bohrok, but Pohatu was back at the front of the amphitheatre, handing the Onu-Matoran slave a Toa Stone. Tahu’s eyes opened wide in shock as he knew there was no way he could get there in time. He shot another super-heated fireball at the Onu-Matoran, turning his black body and orange Pakari into nothing but slag and ashes. Pohatu began hurling boulders at Tahu in rage, but Tahu’s improved Mask of Shielding was more than enough to stop them.

"Murderer!" cried Pohatu.

"I’m– trying– to save– us!" retorted Tahu, between the intervals of the boulders being fragmented against his shield. Pohatu ignored him and merely increased his barrage. "Attack the Toa of Stone!" Tahu called to the Tahnok. The Bohrok all stopped and turned to face them, but instead of firing on Pohatu, they went after Tahu instead.

"What’s going on?" asked Tahu as the Bohrok’s attacks vaporized on impact with his mask’s forcefield.

"You made a deal with Vakama," said Pohatu, turning his attacks towards the Tahnok now. "You didn’t expect it to end well, did you?"

Tahu suddenly felt very foolish and then very sick as he thought of the two deaths Vakama had made him cause.

"But you were going to turn Matoran into Toa, regardless of their destiny!" said Tahu.

"Look, we all did some stupid things," said Onua, pushing his way into the safety of Tahu’s shield and pulling Pohatu in too. "If we want to come out of this alive, we’ll have to fight about it later."

The three Toa arranged themselves in a triangle, firing at Bohrok in every direction, but the swarm kept regrouping and coming closer. Suddenly, a beam of green energy shot down from the sky, creating a small whirlwind that sucked up three of the attacking Tahnok. Toa Lewa flew into view, along with Kopaka, Gali, and the Matoran pacifists not far behind on the backs of four stolen Gukko birds.

"When I spy-saw you battle-leading those Bohrok I knew there would be worry-trouble," Lewa told Tahu as he landed beside him. With the six Toa now working together, it was not long until all the Bohrok were defeated. All the Matoran were regathered back into the amphitheatre and Makani addressed the crowd.

"Fellow Matoran, we have been slave-ordered for too long!" he said, his voice echoing through the desert. "I now ask you to battle-join us as we defeat Vakama, the last power-reigning Turaga, and rescue the island from their dark-rule."

"You’re insane! He’s too powerful!" called a Ga-Matoran from the crowd.

"Not if we divide his forces," said Gali, taking Makani’s place at the conch. "While we attack from the north, we have agents working to turn the Ko-Matoran on him, giving us an army in the west. The fighting will draw out Vakama’s forces and his attention, giving our other agents the chance to go after Vakama himself."

"And what about Onewa? What’ll happen to him?" asked a Po-Matoran.

"He will die-rot in his own prison!" said Makani darkly. "Now can we rely-count on your battle-help?"

A resounding cheer issued from the crowd.

1 000 years earlier...

Breathing hard, Vakama stared down his attacker. Matau raised his razor-sharp Fang Blades in defence as he waited for Vakama to charge at him again.

"Stop this, firespitter!" urged the Toa Hordika of Air. "Forget-think the lies Roodaka has told you and help-join us to rescue the Matoran. That’s why we’re here."

"But she has taught me so much," snarled Vakama. "How to rule, how to conquer, and how to win!" He lunged for Matau, who leaped out of the way, sending Vakama crashing into a Visorak web.

"We search-found Keetongu, Vakama! We can be restore-healed!" said Matau, but Vakama ignored him and climbed higher up the Coliseum until he reached the top balcony. Sighing in frustration, Matau went after him.

As soon as he had climbed up over the edge, Vakama grabbed him, and threw him across the floor. Matau did not even bother getting up and instead fired a Rhotuka wheel of energy at him– a new ability they had obtained as Toa Hordika. Vakama dodged the attack and drew in towards Matau, who delivered him a powerful kick to the chest. Vakama bent over double and Matau made an acrobatic leap over his head. Quickly thinking, Vakama shot a Rhotuka of his own up at the Toa of Air and sent him sliding over the edge. Matau managed to grab on to the ledge just before falling several kio down into the Akilini arena below, where the other Toa Hordika were fighting for their lives against the hordes of Visorak.

"It’s over for you, Matau," laughed Vakama. "I win!"

"Do you?" asked Matau, holding on helplessly. "If I am smash-killed do you really win?"

"Of course I do. You’ll be dead! How could I lose?"

"What about the Matoran?" asked Matau desperately. "Smash-killing me won’t rescue them!"

The Matoran, of course! thought Vakama. I thought I could rescue them by leading the Visorak, but he’s right. There’s another way!

"Come on!" he cried, grabbing Matau’s arm and pulling him up over the edge. "I’ve got a plan." Bewildered at Vakama’s sudden change of heart, Matau followed him down into the arena below, where Roodaka had managed to capture the other four Toa Hordika and the six Rahaga.

"Well done, Vakama!" said Roodaka brightly, seeing Vakama throw the seemingly defeated Matau down at her feet. "Sidorak was tragically lost in battle so now you and I are free to lead the Visorak as we see fit!"

Vakama would have bet his own mask that Roodaka had had a hand in the king’s demise, but he played along regardless. "I’ve helped you capture all the Toa. What do we do now, my queen?"

"We must now free the Makuta," she said. "But for that, we will need your friends’ elemental powers."

"Then take them!" cried Matau, firing a Rhotuka at Roodaka. The other Toa Hordika, with the exception of Vakama, followed suit, each hitting Roodaka with wheels of energy, causing her to stagger backwards. Although energy crackled all over her armour, she did not fall over defeated, but instead she merely laughed.

"I never thought Toa would underestimate the power of unity," she said. "Without Vakama on your side, you are nothing. You can’t defeat me!"

"Who said I wasn’t on their side?" asked Vakama, turning on the dark queen.

"Go ahead!" screamed Roodaka. "Kill me, and the Visorak will destroy you all!"

"Not unless I order them not to," said Vakama. "And since Sidorak placed them under my control..." He turn to the hordes of Visorak and said in a loud voice, "you’re free! Leave this island! That’s an order!"

The Visorak looked at each other in slight confusion for a moment, but they quickly obliged and scuttled away through the city.

"You could’ve been king, Vakama!" spat Roodaka. "You could have achieved so much greatness."

"I will, Roodaka," Vakama reassured her. "Not through ruling spiders, though. I’ll do it through rescuing the Matoran– through being a hero!" He began to charge his Rhotuka, but hesitated slightly as he did so.

Am I doing the right thing? he wondered. Will defeating Roodaka lead me to greatness? As the Rhotuka gained power he knew he would have to make a choice quickly. Yes, this is what I must do. Besides, I don’t want anyone around who thinks they deserve a share in my power, he thought, as his eyes narrowed and blazed bright green.

"Stop, Vakama!" cried Norik, just before he could release the spinner. "Look at her heartlight!" Vakama peered closely and saw that it was no light at all, but actually a familiar looking piece of stone.

"That’s a piece of Makuta’s prison!" he exclaimed.

"Precisely," said Norik. "If your six elemental powers were to combine on that stone, it would release the Makuta!"

"Thanks for the warning," said Vakama, walking over to the weakening Roodaka. He grabbed her by the throat and threw her to the ground. She gasped and writhed, but Vakama just pressed her head against the stone floor even harder. She choked and spluttered for a few minutes, but slowly the light faded from her eyes and she was dead.

"Now then," said Vakama, getting up and panting slightly. "Where’s Keetongu?"

 

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[SPIRIT]

Chapter 41

Matoro sat several hundred bio above Ko-Koro, just on the edge of his frigid tower’s observatory. He looked down at the Ko-Matoran and Bohrok walking around in the moonlit village below, wishing for perhaps the first time in his life that he could be among them as an equal. As he wrapped his white cloak more tightly around his body, he thought back to when he had been in Le-Wahi after disposing of Nuju’s body. Starting to shiver as he had then, Matoro had not felt less like a Ko-Matoran until that moment. Firstly he was cold, and secondly he was lonely.

"Ko-Matoran aren’t supposed to feel lonely," he said to himself in a croaking voice. "We’re stronger than that. Then again, we usually have each other..."

Matoro had no one. Ever since Turaga Nuju had chosen him as his personal aide and translator, Matoro had forever been singled out from the other Ko-Matoran. No matter how cold and aloof they made themselves out to be, all the Ko-Matoran had at least one friend– all the Ko-Matoran but him. While Turaga Nuju been alive, Matoro had spent quite a lot of time with him, but his general savage behaviour and all-out insanity in the last four centuries did not make for a very meaningful friendship. Even so, Matoro had recently decided to stop carrying around Nuju’s Ice Pick as it brought about too many painful memories.

With Nuju dead now, all Matoro had were Vakama and Whenua; Whenua whose thirst for revenge had consumed him and Vakama who megalomania knew no bounds. Though he would never admit it, Matoro knew that Vakama did not see him as an equal. Unlike a true ally, Vakama never asked for Matoro’s approval or opinion on his decisions. Just the other day he had even given Toa Tahu command of an army of Tahnok without so much as a messenger Rahi to announce that he had done so (Matoro had seen for himself from the observatory tower’s telescope). Matoro fell onto his back, rolled over, and buried his sand blue Akaku into the snow in despair.

And then there’s that last announcement Vakama made, thought Matoro. With the collapse of Po-Koro, he decided to name the whole island Ta-Nui! I’m just his stupid puppet! Just like Matau...

Vivid images shot through his mind as he recalled torturing Matau. How the Turaga’s features looked when the burning metal seared him, how Matoro was forced to block out his own sympathy, and how he had even felt Matau’s mind finally snap in the end.

Was it worth it? Just to go that far for power? he wondered. But I don’t have any power! He pounded his fists into the snow angrily.

Vakama’s Bohrok nearly outnumbered the Ko-Matoran, who were all enjoying the presence of their new beetle-like servants. While they seemed docile enough, Matoro found that some of them would not obey his commands, especially the ones that had stationed themselves around his tower. Everyday Vakama gained more influence in Ko-Koro as new Bohrok arrived, and Matoro greatly feared that there would come a day when the Turaga of Fire would no longer have need of him.

"One wrong move and I’m dead!" he moaned. "I– I’m in too far, and it’s just as hard to keep going as it is to turn back. What will Vakama have me do next? Kill one of my own people?!"

Matoro then realized with slight embarrassment that he had once again been talking to his only friend: himself.  He decided to continue his struggle internally.

It can only get worse, he thought. No matter what happens, I’ve lost Ko-Koro. What’s the point any more?

The Ko-Matoran rolled over on to his back, looking up at the black starry sky and exhaling a thick cloud breath. He watched the Red Star in particular as it made its mysterious journey through the heavens to help illuminate another part of the future.

I always thought I could make a difference in the world, maybe to save it from the Turaga’s madness or some greater terror. It’s no use. Even if I do survive the end of this war, I’ll only end up as Vakama’s servant. There is no point any more.

So why bother? asked a voice in his head. Why spend a lifetime of misery when you can end it now?

Matoro sat up in alarm as he realized what his thoughts were telling him. However, they did present a rather compelling argument. He got up and walked to the very edge of the observatory tower.

Is this it? Is this my escape from the failure and loneliness? he wondered. A tiny snowflake fluttered though his vision and continued spiralling down into the swallowing abyss.

Yes, this is the answer. Matoro stood at the edge of the tower, took once last breath, and jumped.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed him, jerking him to an abrupt halt. Matoro looked up to see a Ko-Matoran wearing a Noble Komau that was the same colour as his own mask. He was hauled back up over the edge with the help of another Ko-Matoran who wore a light blue Rau. For a few moments they stood looking at each other, Matoro’s chest rising and falling heavily in shock.

"That’s twice," said the Matoran in the Komau, "and you clearly weren’t very grateful for the first time."

"W-what?" stammered Matoro. "Who are you?"

"I am Kopeke and this is Toudu," he said, pointing to the other. "In case you forgot, I saved your life back at Po-Wahi."

Matoro suddenly remembered the Matoran that had pushed him through the wall as Pohatu had tried to crush him with a boulder back during his escape from Po-Wahi.

"That was you?"

"Yes, but I see I was wasting my time," snapped Kopeke. "I nearly died that night and I only survived that attack by a miracle. Battered and beaten, I was taken to the Leva Bay prison, where they would’ve starved me to death if it wasn’t for half of the Toa switching sides and coming to break the prisoners free. I then fought my way through the battle for Kini-Nui, more treachery in Po-Wahi, and finally struggled across the whole island just to get back home, only to find that you had decided to kill yourself!"

"Like you care," muttered Matoro.

"Of course I care!" said Kopeke. "Not only are you a living being and a fellow Ko-Matoran, but you’re also the leader of our village. Maybe if you didn’t always shut everyone out of your life then you wouldn’t be so alone!"

"So you’re saying this is my fault?" asked Matoro, feeling only worse.

"No," sighed Kopeke. "It’s everyone’s fault. Ko-Matoran aren’t really predisposed to going out of our ways to care for others, even when we sense their impending downfall."

"What should I do now?" whimpered Matoro.

"Come with us," said Kopeke. "We can stop Vakama and heal this island from the war."

Kopeke held out his hand to Matoro, reminding him forcibly of Vakama when he had asked Matoro to pledge complete loyalty to his cause. Matoro gave one last look over the edge of the tower and then grasped the hand of a new friend.

1 000 years earlier...

 

The giant, yellow, cyclops Rahi Keetongu groaned and moaned in his species’ strange language and Norik nodded in comprehension. The Toa Hordika and Rahaga all gathered around the injured creature in great apprehension.

During the battle in the Coliseum, Roodaka had blasted Keetongu with her shadow energy as he tried to climb the tower to get to her and Sidorak. The king and viceroy descended to examine the fallen beast, only to find that he had not died. As the wounded creature rose to exact revenge on the beings who were responsible for so much destruction in the world, Roodaka had left the helpless Sidorak to Keetongu’s mercy. Sidorak, however, had expected some sort of treachery from her, as she had been spending increasingly more time with Vakama. Though he was killed by Keetongu, Sidorak did not go down without dealing the Rahi a devastating blast of energy from his Herding Blade.

"Keetongu says that you are too late," said Norik. "The Hordika venom in your bodies has already started to take root. Even in his injured state, Keetongu believes that he can still cure most of it. While you will return to your original forms, your minds will be forever changed. As long as you live, the beasts within you will forever be particularly strong."

"Is there nothing he can do?" growled Vakama. "Is there no hope for us?"

"No," groaned Keetongu, using the little bit of Matoran language he knew.

"The poison will spread no further," said Norik, "so you will be able to lead fairly normal lives, but you will always bear the scar of your time as Hordika."

"So be it," said Vakama grimly.

Keetongu held out his arms and began to glow with a golden light that spread to the six Toa Hordika, making them Toa Metru once more.

Returned to normal, they set about building airships that could help carry the Matoran to the island above, which Vakama had decided to name Mata Nui, after the now sleeping Great Spirit who had guided them on their legendary quest. Some of the Toa wanted to bring some Kanohi masks along with them to the new island as well as go after Turaga Dume’s lost stasis pod, but Vakama insisted that there was no time. Instead, Vakama ordered the group to help him seal all the sea gates into Metru Nui the same way they had captured the Makuta. Norik failed to see the reasoning behind it, but Vakama assured him that he had a instinctive feeling about doing so.

Just before the last sea gate was sealed, the Rahaga and Keetongu left to rescue the other lands that had fallen to the Visorak. They waved their goodbyes as all of the Toa but Vakama sent their elemental energies into the gate and then proceeded to the airships. Vakama told them to go on to Mata Nui without him, that he would finish sealing the gate and join them after he had retrieved the Vahi from the depths of the Silver Sea and taken one last look at the Makuta’s prison.

 

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Edited March 22, 2015 by SPIRIT

[SPIRIT]

Chapter 42

Three brown Pahrak burst into tiny bits of metallic Protodermis; shrouded in the smoke rising from their remains stood Toa Tahu. A rumbling sound nearby signalled that more Bohrok were on their way. Tahu advanced over the crest of the gravel covered southern Po-Wahi hill to find a colourful swarm of nearly one hundred Bohrok rolling up toward him. Cracking his neck and taking a deep breath, he heated up his Magma Swords and charged.

A fireball here, a blast of heat there, and when he felt like it, an explosion in the centre of a large cluster. Despite the number of Bohrok he had destroyed so far, there were still scores more advancing up the hill. As the day went on, Tahu started becoming less able to dodge their attacks or block them with his Hau. His armour was pitted in many places from when an unseen Lehvak had managed to spray acid at him and some of his organic parts had received severe frostbite from a squad of Kohrak that had attacked him from behind. Regardless of the injuries he incurred as well as overwhelming odds, he pressed on his attack.

While he was fending off twelve Gahlok by turning their water blasts directly into steam, Tahu felt the ground start to shake all around him. As the tiny bits of grey gravel started to dance, Tahu threw up a shield with his mask and spun around in preparation for a Nuhvok attack, only to see Onua running toward him with his Quake Breakers attached to his feat. He drew up beside Tahu and shot two streams of elemental energy. The first created a giant pit underneath the Gahlok, dropping them nearly twenty bio; the second caused a thick wall of earth to spring up from the ground to block off the remaining Bohrok.

"Thanks, Onua," panted Tahu, "but I’ve got these ones under control."

"Tahu," replied the Toa of Earth bluntly, "you’ve been out here for nearly sixteen hours– these Bohrok are not under control."

"I can do it!" insisted Tahu, pushing Onua out of the way and aiming his Magma Swords at the Gahlok down in the pit. As swift as a striking Muaka, Onua slapped the blades out of his hands, causing Tahu to nearly fall over.

"No, Tahu, you need to rest," he said. "Look at your armour! Come with me back to base camp. We’ll get you a nice piece of Vuata Maca fruit."

"Not yet, not yet," muttered Tahu, reaching for his swords. "I’ve gotta do this!"

"Stop this," said Onua, taking a firm grip on Tahu’s silver armoured shoulders. "What are you trying to prove by practically killing yourself out here?"

"I have to make up for it– I have to make up for the deaths I caused! I need to be forgiven."

"Tahu," said Onua, shaking his head. "The fact that you’re fighting against Vakama proves that you are more than worthy of forgiveness."

"It’s not enough though," said Tahu. "I have to make it right!"

"You could kill six billion Bohrok and it still wouldn’t change anything!" cried Onua in exasperation. "Everyone here has already forgiven you– all except one person: yourself. So you killed Turaga Nokama and Nuparu the Onu-Matoran; beating yourself up about it won’t solve that. Now stop this foolishness and come with me back to camp."

"You don’t understand!" insisted Tahu. "I need to fix this!"

"I don’t understand?" said Onua, in an oddly quiet voice. "You forget that we were both working for Nokama and Onewa. I nearly went against destiny itself! You were the only one wise enough to see the truth."

"I’m not wise, Onua," said Tahu dejectedly. "If I were, I wouldn’t have these deaths on my hands."

"You are wise," Onua persisted. "They say I’m the wisest of the Toa, but you, Tahu, have a different sort of wisdom that I do not have: the wisdom to act. In fact, if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be leading this assault. Now come back to camp with me."

Tahu nodded weakly, but his knees gave an ungainly wriggle and he passed out onto the ground. He awoke under the green canopy of a small tent made from leaves. He sat up, feeling much better, and made his way outside. Makani, Hewkii, and Vohon were all listening to another Le-Matoran, who stood beside a large Gukko bird. As Tahu approached, the Le-Matoran had finished speaking and started to lead his mount down to a nearby stream.

"That was our scout, Vira," said Vohon, noticing Tahu. "He doesn’t have very good news though, I’m afraid."

"Vakama is battle-using many clever-dark strategies," explained Makani. "He air-sends Gukko pilots with Bohrok vine-tied to their bellies, which are then quick-dropped on us before we can defend ourselves!"

"Not only that," said Hewkii, "but he’s done this to both Kini-Nui and Leva Bay, killing Whenua, Onewa, Ahkmou, and the rest of the Matoran who were still loyal to the Turaga that we had imprisoned there."

"Making Vakama the last Turaga," muttered Tahu to no one in particular. "What about the Ko-Matoran, has there been any success with them?"

"Vira spoke-told us that Kopeke and Toudu managed to good-turn Matoro two days ago. He battle-led the Ko-Matoran against the Bohrok in their village and retook it. Then, at leafdawn today, they invaded the Ta-Matoran’s unfinished village in Le-Wahi."

"But Vakama still has more than enough Bohrok to fight both us and them at the same time," said Hewkii angrily.

"Not to mention our navy," sighed Vohon. "Practically the entire Ga-Matoran armada has been wiped out by Vakama’s Gahlok. We’re fighting a losing war here."

"What about the Toa?" asked Tahu.

"They’re all up at the front except us two," said Kopaka, startling everyone as no one had heard his approach. "Onua sent me to check on you," he explained.

"You had better quick-hurry back, then," said Makani. "If we ever wish to battle-storm the Mangai we must hard-fight now!"

Tahu’s eyes sudden snapped open wide with realization. "The volcano!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, Tahu, the Mangai is a volcano," said Kopaka, rolling his eyes.

"No, that’s the key! If we can get the volcano to erupt, it’ll be the end of Vakama, Ta-Koro, and his Bohrok," explained Tahu excitedly.

"I suppose it’s possible..." said Kopaka thoughtfully.

"And there are no villagers there now," piped in Vohon. "Well, except Vakama’s elite officers."

"What about Jaller and Takua?" asked Hewkii. "What if they already made it into the village?"

"We will give them until sundown," said Makani. "Then we will burn-raze the village."

"I’ll lead a charge to raid Vakama’s supply of Madu Cabolo," said Tahu. "The war ends tonight!"

1 000 years earlier...

Sitting on the black shore of the Great Barrier, Toa Vakama took inventory of the many masks he was carrying. He had five Matoran level masks, should any villagers lose theirs; Turaga Lhikan’s Noble Hau; the Great Vahi, Mask of Time, which he had just recovered from the sea; and a special golden mask the Rahaga had left him called the Avohkii, the Mask of Light. When he had gotten this last mask, it gave off so much light that Onewa had been forced to encase it in stone to prevent the Visorak from finding it. Giving his collection one final count, he placed the masks into a cloth sack he had taken from an abandoned merchant’s shop in Ga-Metru.

Hoisting the bag onto his back, he set off along the Great Barrier to make the long journey to the island above. It was not long, though, until he came upon the crystalline prison of the Makuta. He looked at the former master of shadows and could not help but smirk as he saw him trapped in eternal anguish. It was then, though, that Vakama heard a voice inside his head.

It’s not too late, it whispered. All I need is Fire and then I am free.

"I don’t think so," said Vakama out loud, turning from the Makuta with a slight shudder.

I would make you a king– no, an emperor. You would be second only to me in the universe.

"I’ll pass, thanks for the offer," said Vakama, giving Makuta a mock wave and walking away.

Don’t defy me, Vakama! said Makuta angrily. You will not stop the plan!

"Won’t I?" asked Vakama, turning back. "The way I see it, you’re trapped in there until the end of time. Why don’t you try to stop me?"

A low chuckle filled Vakama’s mind and he heard loud shrieks off in the distance. Looking toward the mainland, Vakama saw several hundred colourful Rahkshi flying right at him. Checking that his bag was secure, he set out on a mad dash for the only remaining tunnel out of the city. A red and orange Rahkshi landed behind him and shot two beams of intense light right at his head. Tucking into a roll, Vakama barely managed to dodge them. A blue and yellow one came and hit him with a beam of energy that completely sapped all his speed. As more Rahkshi began to close in, Vakama activated his Huna, temporarily disorienting them and allowing him to dive through the glowing tunnel.

Already charged with the powers of the other five Toa Metru, all it took was one stream of elemental energy from Vakama to seal the Rahkshi inside the city forever. Some of the Rahkshi tried to break the seal with their staffs, but they soon gave up and flew off. Allowing himself a small smile, Vakama made his way up the tunnel to what would be his new home.

 

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[SPIRIT]

Chapter 43

Takua and Jaller pressed their backs right up against the rock. Pewku was wisely hiding in her shell, but on the whole, it looked like they were going to be there for a while. Jaller chanced a peek around the other side and nearly had his blue Kaukau blown clean off his face by a jet of water.

"You can’t hide behind there forever!" called a voice from the other side of the rock.

"Maybe not, Kapura," Jaller called back, "but we’ll probably last longer than your little squad of Gahlok there."

"That’s Sergeant Kapura to you, traitor!"

"Well sorry," whispered Jaller to Takua mockingly, who chuckled in response. "How are you holding up?"

"Not bad," said Takua, rubbing the cracked armour of his damaged legs. "The warning totem’s still here."

"Any idea why Vakama hid it in this lava cave?"

"No," said Takua, turning the cylindrical stone in his hands. "But if he didn’t want anyone to find it, it’s probably a good thing that we did, even if we ended up alerting Kapura in the process."

"Besides, if worst comes to worst, we can just throw it at Vakama," grinned Jaller.

"I’m giving you ten seconds to come out or I’m getting Captain Keahi!" yelled Kapura.

"Oh, please don’t do a countdown," muttered Jaller.

"Ten... nine..."

Jaller clapped a hand to his head in frustration.

"Three... two... one..." It then became quiet as Kapura had presumably left to get reinforcements.

"Finally," sighed Jaller. "Now then, I think there’s an entrance to the village just up this tunnel."

The Ta-Matoran and Av-Matoran got onto Pewku’s back and hurried off though the warm, orange lava caves. As they rounded the corner, they nearly ran right into Keahi and Kapura, who had amassed a large battalion of Lehvak.

"Well if it isn’t ex-Captain Jaller," said Keahi smugly. "I was so upset when I thought that Kalama had killed you, but now I have a chance to do it."

"Good to see you too," replied Jaller.

"What do we do?" asked Takua, turning back to Jaller.

Jaller said nothing for a few moments as he assessed the environment. With a bracing sigh he then said, "charge straight at them– it’ll be the last thing they’ll expect. Ta-Koro’s just behind them, it’s our only shot."

Takua clenched the warning totem tightly and then slapped Pewku’s shell, yelling, "CHARGE!" The Ussal crab ran right at the two Ta-Matoran and their army of green Bohrok. Shocked by the sheer stupidity of such a move, it took them a few seconds to rally the Lehvak to attack, and by then, many of them had already been bowled over. Streams of acid flew in every direction and Takua and Jaller ducked, hoping against hope that they would not be hit.

A stray drop of acid hit Takua’s warning totem, revealing that there was actually something golden hidden inside it. As he sat up a bit to examine this closer, he failed to notice the Bohrok standing right in front of him, who had already fired a stream of acid from its shields. Time appeared to slow down as Jaller caught sight of this and pushed Takua out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack himself. He flew off Pewku’s back and lay on the ground moaning, his armour terribly corroded. Turning Pewku around, Takua hurried over to him and slid off her back to kneel beside him.

"Jaller! Jaller!" said Takua frantically, shaking the fallen body. With a pair of sickening smiles, Kapura and Keahi strolled over to them.

"And so ends the illustrious career of Jaller, the first Captain of Ta-Koro," said Keahi, hardly able to contain his glee. "Take the Chronicler’s Ussal," he said to Kapura. "They can die here together." Helplessly, Takua watched them lead Pewku away as Jaller gave a feeble moan.

"It’s up to you now," said Jaller. "You have to stop Vakama."

"No, you have to help me," said Takua, trying to lift him up.

"I’ve helped you all I can. Good luck, Takua." Jaller’s eyes then slid out of focus and he seemed to be looking at something beyond Takua’s blue Pakari. "I can see her again," he whispered.

"See who?" asked Takua in a cracked voice.

"It’s Hahli... she wants me to follow her..." He then closed his eyes for the last time as his heartlight faded out.

Takua sat for a few minutes in complete silence, listening only to the bubbling and crackling of the lava in the tunnel. His gaze then strayed to the golden light issuing from the warning totem. A huge crack now ran along it, stemming from where the acid had hit it. Grabbing the stone by the crack, Takua managed to pry it open, revealing an oddly shaped golden Kanohi that shone as bright as the sun.

There’s so much light coming from this mask! he thought. Wait... a Mask of Light? Matoran of Light...

Deciding there was nothing else for it, Takua removed his Pakari and placed this new mask onto his face. Energy poured from the Kanohi, filling his whole body with power. His damaged armour was not only repaired, but grew thicker and longer as his limbs and torso grew as well. When the whole transformation was over, Takua stood 1.6 bio tall, clad in white and gold armour; he was a Toa now.

As he took one last look at Jaller’s body he felt a sudden piercing sadness, but he somehow knew it was not due to the loss of his friend. He was not sure how he knew, but something instinctively told him that the attack made by the Makuta centuries ago on Mata Nui had finally caused him to die. With the Great Spirit gone, it would not be long until the rest of the world soon collapsed in his wake.

"This ends now," said Takua with clenched fists.

With that, he ran down the tunnel in the direction Kapura and Keahi had gone. A few seconds later, he caught up to them and fired beams of light haphazardly from his hands as he kept on running right past him. The beams knocked the two Ta-Matoran right off their feet, but they seemed to have little effect on the Bohrok, who merely froze as soon as there was no one left to command them.

So I guess that means I’m a Toa of Light now, he reflected. Maybe I’m just what this island needs to dispel the last bit of darkness.

As he kept running, Takua was surprised that he was starting to pick up speed– as a Matoran he had never really been that athletic. He reasoned that it must be due to his powers as a Toa.

The ground began to slope upwards and Takua could see a thick stone door ahead of him. Screwing up his concentration, he shot a searing burst of light at the door, turning it instantly into dust. When he emerged outside, he saw that the sky was a brilliant shade of orange due to an impending sunset. Getting his bearings, he saw that he was on the opposite side of the village from Vakama’s hut. After checking that the coast was clear, he tore off with his enhanced speed once more.

The new Toa of Light was forced to come to a skidding halt not much later, though, as he spotted a tall figure surrounded by what looked to be Bohrok coming toward him. As they got closer, he could see that the tall one was none other than Toa Tahu.

"Stay where you are, Tahu!" cried Takua warningly, aiming an arm at him shakily. "If you’re on Vakama’s side, this won’t end well for you!"

"Who are you?" demanded the Toa of Fire in response.

"I am Takua, Toa of Light."

"Or rather an illusion cast by Vakama’s Mahiki!" said Tahu, his Magma Swords beginning to glow red.

"Wait!" said one of the Bohrok. "He might be telling the truth."

Takua gazed at the speaker in temporary shock, only to realise that Tahu’s companions were actually Matoran carrying Bohrok shells. The speaker threw down his shield and revealed himself to be Hewkii.

"If you are Takua, then tell me: what happened during our fight in Onewa’s hut," he said, stepping forward.

Wracking his brains, Takua thought back to that time so many weeks ago. He related how Hewkii had thrown him off balance and how he, Takua, had then managed to trip him in time to escape on the back of a Gukko.

"It’s him," Hewkii concluded.

"Well, Takua," said Tahu, lowering his weapons. "You have until sunset to complete your mission and get out of here. These Matoran and I are going to make the Mangai erupt, whether you’re in the village or not. Good luck."

"May Mata– I mean the Great Beings protect us both," said Takua grimly, speeding away.

Moments later, he found himself standing in front of Vakama’s door. He stooped down to open it only to find that it was locked. Taking a deep breath, he kicked down the door and fired a beam of light at the figure he saw sitting inside.

He would not miss.

1 000 years earlier...

The sack of Kanohi jingled loudly in the silent caves leading away from Metru Nui. With a flame held in his hand, Vakama made his way quite easily through the darkness. As he turned a corner, though, something seemed to snuff the flame out and Vakama found that he was no longer underground.

He was now standing on top of the tallest mountain he had ever seen. Below him appeared to be every being in the universe. They were bowing to him and chanting his name. Vakama could see Matoran, Toa, Turaga, Makuta, Rahi, and countless other species he could not even begin to name.

As he turned around, he saw a large statue carved in honour of Mata Nui. Beside it, though, there was a giant statue of himself that was just as big as Mata Nui’s, as though they were equals. Turning around to observe the crowd once more, Vakama saw the symbol of the three virtues floating before him. In sequence, the parts representing each virtue lit up and Matoran lettering appeared below them.

UNITY
DUTY
MANIFEST DESTINY

Just as suddenly as the vision had appeared, it vanished, leaving Vakama all alone in the cave, the flame glowing brightly in his hand.

"A vision from Mata Nui!" he said in amazement. "Manifest destiny... the Great Spirit must have charged me with conquering the universe in his glory. As my reward, he will make me his equal."

Grinning broadly, Vakama kept on his way, planning his conquest. Not too far away, another being was smiling. Though the Makuta of Metru Nui was trapped in his prison, it did not stop him from using his ability to cast illusions.

What a malleable fool Vakama is, he scoffed. While my plan may lie in ruins, I will still get my revenge!

 

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[SPIRIT]

Chapter 44

The beam of light bounced right off.

Breathing heavily and still standing in the doorway, Takua kept his white armoured hand pointing at Vakama’s head.

There’s no way he could’ve survived that, he thought quickly, a strong sense of panic growing in his chest. He should be dead now. Why isn’t he dead?

Takua stepped into the room slowly and approached the seated Turaga of Fire. As he got closer, he saw that Vakama was not wearing his customary Huna, but rather what appeared to be a yellow Noble Hau.

"A brave attempt indeed," said Vakama, giving Takua a slow sarcastic clap. "This mask protected Lhikan, then Jaller, and now it protects me. So whom do I have the pleasure of welcoming into my hut today?" he asked, lacing his fingers. "Are you working with Botar or are you just another delusional fool who thinks he can rob me of my right."

"I am Takua, Toa of Light. Surrender, Vakama, your time as ruler is over."

"A Toa now, are you?" said Vakama, mildly impressed. "And here was me thinking you’d perished in the assault on Onu-Koro. As for your request, I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. It is such a shame that you should decide to turn on me after all I did for you."

"All you did for me?" repeated Takua in disgust. "You made me record your corrupted history for centuries before you turned me into no more than a thief and then a murder– a Piraka! What’s worse, you hid all this from me and sent me away so I wouldn’t find out because you knew that I, unlike you, had enough decency to distinguish right from wrong!"

"Did you learn nothing in the past thousand years?" asked Vakama. "The will of Mata Nui is what is right; how it is fulfilled, therefore, cannot be wrong."

"You still don’t get it, do you?" said Takua quietly. "This war is not what Mata Nui wanted. In fact, he is dead now because of you! Don’t deny that you felt him leave this world only moments ago. It’s not too late, remember what Botar said, we can still rescue him."

"Who says I want him to be rescued?" growled Vakama, narrowing his eyes. "When Mata Nui showed me the future I could achieve, he showed us as equals. With him gone, now I alone will be the conqueror of all."

"So you’re just going to let every living on the countless islands below us die?!"

"That is the price they pay for disloyalty," said Vakama simply.

"No," said Takua with resolve. "There’s still time. Once I kill you, the other Toa and I can-"

"I thought you said you didn’t like to kill," said Vakama, a small smile forming.

"This is different."

"Is it really?" asked Vakama in an oily voice. Takua said nothing. "Besides, Takua, once you kill me, what’s to stop another Ta-Matoran from taking my place. Are you going to kill all of them too? What about the other villagers or even the Toa? What’s to say that one of the isn’t ready to start up this fight all over again?"

"That’s not the point," snapped Takua. "Unless we get rid of you right now the whole universe is doomed. Now surrender or I will kill you. Even if you want to keep on your stupid little Hau, you won’t survive when Tahu and the others cause the Mangai to erupt, destroying you, your village, and all your precious Bohrok."

Vakama closed his green eyes and sat very still in thought for a moment. Then the yellow Hau on his face disappeared and was replaced by his orange Huna. Relieved, Takua lowered his arm, which was starting to hurt, and was about to walk over to Vakama to apprehend him, when Vakama held up a hand to signal him to stop. Reaching a hand under his chair, he pulled out the Vahi he had shown to Botar.

"I trust you remember the fear in Botar’s eyes when he saw this," said Vakama, stroking the rusted Kanohi. "Attempt to kill me and reality will be warped out of existence."

"You’re bluffing," said Takua, after a slight pause. "Doing that would take away everything you’ve worked to achieve."

Vakama said nothing and merely stared at Takua with an infuriating sense of superiority.

"So there’s no hope then, is there?" said Takua. "Mata Nui’s dead and that’s the end of it."

"Not for your kind, perhaps," said Vakama, not taking his eyes off of the Vahi, "but there is very much hope indeed for those who surrender to my manifest destiny."

Upon hearing ‘destiny’, the words of Turaga Whenua suddenly drifted into Takua. Couldn’t one choose a different destiny for oneself and change all of history accordingly?

"You’re wrong, Vakama," said Takua. "There is still hope. Things were not meant to turn out the way they did; Mata Nui should be alive and we should all be living peacefully in Metru Nui. But they did happen this way, and if Whenua was right, there’s another world, maybe millions of other worlds where things didn’t happen like this."

A violent tremor shook the hut, knocking loose a few of the fieldstones in the wall.

Vakama shook his head, tutting. "It appears that Tahu and his friends have gone and set off the Mangai. What a shame that I planned for this by having a swarm of Pahrak nearby to seal them in. Not only that, but there is a Gukko waiting for me just outside and almost all of the Bohrok have been moved from the village. Such a shame that all those lives were wasted for nothing."

"You’re not getting on that Gukko, Vakama!" yelled Takua, pointing his arm at the Turaga again.

"Do you really think you can escape to one of Whenua’s better worlds in the time it takes me to melt this mask?" asked Vakama, conjuring a tiny flame on his index finger.

"I don’t need to," said Takua confidently, charging up his elemental energy. "For even apart from all those other worlds, there’s a better one still. When Jaller died, he gained a rare glimpse at paradise, a place where there is no war or suffering– an afterlife. That, Vakama, is where we will all escape."

A golden beam of light shot from Takua’s hand, heading straight for the Mask of Time. As the mask exploded into thousands of metal fragments, an orange field of energy started to emanate from it, engulfing everything. Time began folding in on itself and reality started to be erased.

The last thing Takua saw before being wiped from existence was Vakama’s twisted smile of victory.

1 001 years earlier...

Tuuli rummaged through his dank pile of old junk and contraptions until he came upon the disk launcher he was looking for. Some Onu-Matoran named Whenua was still waiting in the main room ready to waste away all his money on a stupid game of chance.

"His problem-loss, not mine," muttered the Le-Matoran, checking the launcher was in working order.

He sometimes wondered what life would be like if he did not run this illegal gambling ring. Sure, he could get by on his job as a chute station attendant, but the amount of money the gambling brought in was too good to refuse.

Not having met Whenua before, Tuuli really hoped that he would be able to pay up if he lost since there were a few outstanding debts that Tuuli himself needed to pay back rather desperately. If not, Tuuli might have to resort to certain violent methods of persuasion.

He’s probably trust-good for it, though.  Still... it couldn’t luck-hurt to get a little cheat-help, he reasoned, reaching for a weighted disk nearby. For a brief couple of seconds, he wondered whether or not he was making the right decision.

It was at that moment that reality split in two.

In one timeline, he chose the weighted disk and Whenua lost. In another, Tuuli chose a more honourable path, and Whenua won.

Not having been knocked out, Whenua hurried home in time to give Nokama and her class a tour of the Archives. Without Nokama to knock over his sculptures, Onewa remained on top of his work and Matau was not smashed out of the sky by a falling sculpture, nor did he crash into Nuju’s Knowledge Tower. Without all this destruction, combined with Whenua not having time to fully examine the Bohrok, Vakama had no need to help Brander with his work.

Because all these Matoran were where they were supposed to be, Toa Lhikan was able to give them their Toa Stones earlier, giving them more time to find the Great Disks and stop the Morbuzakh. They were also not delayed by the Dark Hunters on their triumphant return to the Coliseum with the disks, but the Makuta, disguised as Dume, betrayed them nonetheless. However, in this timeline, he imprisoned Onewa, rather than Matau, which helped Whenua’s relationship with Matau as well as Vakama’s with Onewa.

The Toa Metru still managed to imprison the Makuta, but during their escape, they lost the Matoran capsule containing Ahkmou. Upon returning to Metru Nui, they turned into Toa Hordika as well, but they managed to find Keetongu in time to turn them back to normal. Roodaka’s plan, however, succeeded, and Vakama hit her with his elemental energies before Norik could warn him not to. The Makuta escaped from his prison, but the Toa Metru were still able to return to the island of Mata Nui.

Turaga Dume was rescued from stasis and he, the Rahaga, and Keetongu stayed to protect Metru Nui while the Makuta took up residence in his lair beneath the island of Mata Nui.  The Makuta also rescued Ahkmou and used him as a pawn in his mission to run down the newly settled villagers of Mata Nui. He sent infected Rahi against them, but the villages united against him. Eventually Takua summoned the Toa to stop the Makuta, and they managed to beat him back until Takua himself became a Toa as well and was able to defeat the Makuta for good, allowing everyone to return to Metru Nui and begin their lives once more in peace.

Tuuli’s decision to cheat rather than play fair was but a spark that grew into a flame that soon became an all-consuming wildfire.

 

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