Nightwish

[Wind-rider of Le-Koro]

Hey guys! Boy, it's been a while since I've done anything Bionicle related or been on this site. O.O *coughs* Anyway, this is actually a revamped version of a previous epic I had attemped to write years ago. If you guys do remember my old story "Summer Star", then you know what I'm talking about. I lost all the original files I had on my last computer of the old story, but luckily, I still have the written version. But here's the thing: IT SUCKED! The original plot was a complete disaster, the characters were underdeveloped (more like flat-characters than round characters, and what's worse was that it was self-insert), the scenes were choppy between dialogue and actions, and the only other thing that could possibly be worse than the self-insert I mentioned earlier? The way I had things written were so out of whack, I didn't even believe that it would be possible in real life if any of this DID happen! But, luckily, I've finally been working my way through what I should have done when I first started writing. I'm developing the characters more (and the main character is no longer a self-insert, so HOORAY! My first OC!), I'm actually considering the settings a little more and how things will develop (much better than I did before, TRUST ME on this), and a whole bunch of other stuff. And compared to the original prologue, this chapter isn't even half as long, and the original was just nothing but boring details in the beginning that I could have scattered amonst the chapters! O.o So anyway, I hope you enjoy this~ X3 And no, I do not own Bionicle! I only own the characters you don't recognize. _________________________________ Drip… Drop… Drip… The silence was shattered by the sounds of water falling into a pool, the air nearly vibrating with each sound as it reverberated through the colossal chamber. Darkness concealed all but the glowing water source, the dim lightstones barely illuminating the solitary figure seated in a throne made from the bones of a large beast. His armor was as dark as the shadows themselves, leaving his form nearly invisible in the gloom. Even in the darkness his eyes were hard to see, dimmed in deep thought. A sudden creaking noise, akin to that of a rusted door opening, echoed through the chamber. Even as a smaller figure hesitantly crept in, the larger being never stirred from his thoughts or even moved to acknowledge the new presence. Then, in a voice worn by time, the being hissed, "What is it this time?" The visitor, a messenger with reptilian-like features, fidgeted a little at being addressed, but recovered as he knelt respectfully on one knee before the great being. "Pardon the intrusion, my lord," the messenger said humbly, his words chosen carefully. "But there is a message from General Koto in the western hemisphere. He believes that he has discovered the clue we've been looking for." Silence filled the room once more as the lord pondered over these words, the only sound being the resonating echo of the dripping water. Then, in a tone that held a hint of a warning, he said, "That bumbling oaf of a general couldn't find a Tahtorak even if it was standing in front of him. If all my other elite trackers and warriors were unable to find such a thing for seven long years, how could he find it?" Barely able to suppress the urge to twitch, the messenger pulled out a broken tablet along with a scroll from his bag. "General Koto stumbled across a small rahi that was carrying a coded message. He managed to get it translated, and a part of the message, though partly broken, contained valuable information." This time, the shadowy being opened a single eye, leering down at the messenger with an icy blue gaze. "Show me the message," he ordered while stretching out a clawed hand. "I will be the judge of its worth…or it will be both your heads."With the threat clear as day hanging over his head, the messenger stood and moved closer, placing both items into the dark one's waiting hand and taking a respectful step back. He kept his head low in submission, willing to accept his master's wrath yet dreading the moment as time slowly ticked by. With each line he read, the dark lord's expression grew more and more intrigued. Then, with a grin fit for a skakdi, he gave a low, rattling chuckle. "So that is their game," he grinned in amusement. "Very clever, hiding her in such a place. It's no wonder my men couldn't find a trail." Blinking in confusion, the messenger asked slowly, "My lord, if I may ask: who is this you are talking about?"Giving the messenger a shockingly kind smile, the lord said, "We are speaking of the very person we have been searching so long for: my daughter." Standing from his throne, the towering figure seemed to glide across the floor towards the water, leaving the hopelessly confused messenger to shuffle after him. The pool suddenly began to bubble on the surface, a large object slowly beginning to emerge from the glowing blue-green waters. When it was hovering mere inches above the surface, the messenger could see that it was a huge round mirror, its surface surprisingly dark despite the fact that they were standing directly in front of it. He even noticed that there was a dragon-like mantle on the mirror, its head and neck bent over the top of the mirror to snarl at them while its limbs clung to the rims and its tail spiraled down into the pool. Lightly running a talon over the black surface of the mirror, the lord said, "Years ago, a child was born. Even then, I could sense the potential she possessed, and she was very special indeed. You could even say that she was a rose amongst a field of weeds. And that rose would become my heir. I raised her, shielded her from the outside world so as to protect her from the taint of the unworthy…until a traitor took her from me." "A traitor?" the messenger gasped in disbelief. Who would betray their lord and master? "Yes, a traitor," came the hissed response, the lord's fist clenching tightly as his claws dug into his metal skin. "A traitor went into the child's room while her caretaker was away and took her from my kingdom. The traitor himself has yet to be found, but he will be punished severely…but for now, let us see where they have hidden her." He waved his hand across the surface and a white image began to form, slowly taking shape as other colors began to join the mixture. Then, a distinct image of a forest of evergreen trees dominated the mirror, snow covering most of the leaves as more lazily drifted towards the ground. "Ah, so that is where we will find her," came the dark chuckle as ice-blue eyes gazed at the surface. "Now we just have to retrieve her, and hope that the infidels have not done anything…permanent. And to ensure that nothing else goes wrong…I'm sending my best agent." At this the messenger froze, his mask growing horrified as he stuttered fearfully, "M-my lord! Surely y-you don't mean…him?" A soft, clicking growl suddenly filled the room, causing the messenger to stiffen in shock. Then, before he could react, something wrapped around his ankle and yanked him back, knocking him onto his stomach before he was dragged into the shadows with a cry of shock. No sooner did he disappear did his cries cut off, leaving nothing but silence in the room as the lord continued to observe the mirror. From the darkness, a black form emerged from the shadows, his poisonous green eyes narrowed as he lumbered up to the other. Clenched in his talons, he held the messenger's mask. In an instant, it was crushed into dust. Then, kneeling down on one knee, he bowed his head in respect. "I have come, my liege," he rumbled in a gravelly voice that seemed to have a dual-undertone. "What is it you wish of me?" The dark lord glanced over his shoulder at the new arrival, the smile on his face eerie in the gloom as he said, "A retrieval mission. And the 'package' is vitally important." "Ask and I shall obey, my liege," came the response as a blade-tipped tail swished eagerly behind him. "I will retrieve this 'package' and deliver it to you." "Ah, but it's not just any package," the lord tisked in amusement as he started to walk around him, his agent looking up at him in confusion as he stopped behind him. "This one you cannot harm in any way, shape, or form. You will be retrieving that which has been lost to me." Understanding danced in those poisonous orbs as the hunter nodded his head. "The child," he rumbled softly.The dark lord nodded his approval as he stepped over a still form, moving back to his throne as he sat down. "Yes, the child," he whispered as the hunter stood, facing towards him while still keeping his head and eyes low in submission. "You will go and retrieve her from this realm that she has been kept in. Find the ones that hold her captive and bring me their heads. I want to see who dared attempted to corrupt the little one's mind with lies. Go now, and bring her home." Bowing low at the waist, the hunter turned to leave. "Oh, and one last thing," the lord added, halting him before he could disappear. "If she has been corrupted to believe their lies, try to act friendly towards her. Make her believe that you are not a threat, and simply guide her judgment against her guardians. There's simply no need to traumatize the poor dear." "And if she resists?" A dark scowl appeared on the lord's mask, his eyes seeming to intensify their glare as he said, "Then use whatever means necessary to bring her back." The hunter gave a nod of acknowledgement, a small smirk on his feline-like face as he stepped into the shadows. "As you wish, my liege," his voice echoed, his body fading into nothing. ____________________________________ I'm SOOOOOO sorry that this sucked! I'm terrible with writing dark scenes of evilly awesomeness! DX Hopefully my pitiful attempt was at least decent, but if you guys have any advice (or other words that I could use in place of others) PLEASE tell me! It would be much appreciated! Oh, and just to warn you guys, there ARE humans in this story, but it's definitely NOT what you think. ;3 It's not going to be your typical 'human gets thrown into the Bionicle world' thing, because there's more to the main character than I'm willing to give out. And no, they're not an angel, they're not a demon, they're not a superhero in training, and they're not whatever else you guys are thinking of. You'll find out more when I get to it. XP Anyway, please R & R with any tips and let me know what you think! And even if you don't review, I'll still continue this because it's about slagging time that I got this idea out of my head! XP Edit: Here is the review topic~! X3 http://www.bzpower.c...p?showtopic=532

Edited October 16, 2011 by Wind-rider of Le-Koro

[Wind-rider of Le-Koro]

Well, here we are! The next chapter to set the stage a little! Like I said in the last chapter, there are going to be humans in this, but like I said before: it's not what you're thinking. XP I'm not going to say anything else about it There's also a cameo mention of a certain someone~! Can you spot them? Okay, now that I've got that out of the way: Tahu, could you do the disclaimer for me? Tahu: The kid doesn't own us, alright? (Me: Hey!) She just owns the characters you don't recognize. Deal with it. Me: I'm 21 years old! I'm not a kid! Pohatu: Then you shouldn't whine like one! ;P Me: *silently fumes and grumbles about genetics making me look younger than I am* Kopaka: *rolls his eyes and looks at you* Enjoy the story. _____________________ "Bonzai!" Shoof! "Yay!" I cheered as I popped out of the snow, creating a shower of white flakes to join their current airborne cousins. "Snow day!" The cold seeped in through my gloves as the wind nipped at my face, but I didn't care one bit. When Dad woke me up this morning to watch the snow fall, he told me that I could have a free day from lessons just so I could play in the snow! Mom wasn't too happy about that, but she let me play anyway. Giggling excitedly, I started packing some snow into a ball before rolling it along the ground to make it bigger. 'I wonder how big I can make it?' I wondered to myself as I continued to roll it around. Dad always did say that if I wanted to know something, I had to 'try it out and see for myself.' As I rolled the now waist high snowball, I stopped and stood still. Looking left and looking right, I saw nothing but the trees of the forest surrounding me. My family lives in the woods, but there aren't any other people nearby. Dad said that the nearest town was eight miles away…however far that was. But still, something was wrong. Something…big… "Gangway!" "Aaiiieee!" I squealed as I felt myself get scooped up from behind, laughing at the incredible height distance between me and the ground. "Daddy! Put me down!" "Whatever you say, kiddo," Dad said as he slung me over his shoulder, my hands clinging to his winter jacket as he started walking. When he stopped, he held me up over a deep pile of snow he had shoveled earlier and smiled. "Uh oh, I think my grip's slipping!" "Ack! Daddy, no! Not the snow pi-le!" I tried to yell out, only to yelp in surprise when he suddenly let go. Shoof! At the last second, instead of landing feet-first into the snow, I landed on my back and made an impression of my body over two feet deep. A few seconds later I saw dad peek into the hole I made with a smug grin on his face. "That was mean, Dad," I pouted, but a grin crept onto my face. Sticking my arm up at him, to which only my hand was visible over the surface, I pointed at his face and declared, "I'll get you back for that! Just you wait!" "I'm sure you will, little one," he replied as he reached in and pulled me up by the back of my jacket with one hand, holding me in front of him with another smug grin. "When kikanalo fly, of course." Before I could swat at him for being a meanie, he pulled me into a warm hug that I couldn't refuse as I hugged him back. "You're so warm, Dad," I sighed in content as I buried my face against his neck, hiding from the cold air. "Like a fuzzy bunny rabbit!" "You mean like a fat rabbit, kid?" Almost immediately I felt dad stiffen, his grip on me tightening while I turned my head around to look at the speaker. "He's not fat, Uncle Tak!" I called out in annoyance before I said cutely, "He's fluffy!" While Dad gave a pained groan at the 'fluffy' comment, Uncle Tak cackled loudly as he bent forward, his arms wrapped around his stomach. "Sweetie, please don't encourage him, he's already got enough to torment me with," Dad muttered quietly as he watched his brother collapse to the ground. "And I'm not fluffy…I've just gained a few pounds more than normal." "That's too rich!" Uncle Tak gasped before he burst into another set of cackles. "This is better than 'Sir Cherrington!'"…now how did Dad get that nickname again? Oh wait! Now I remember! Dad had been playing 'Knights and Toa' with me one day, with him being a human knight and me a Toa of Sonics (since I didn't want to be a Water Toa that day). We were taking a break after 'defeating' a 'vicious' rahi (which was really our pet robot dog my uncle had made for me as a birthday gift), and Dad decided to make my favorite treat: ice cream sundae supreme!...unfortunately, Dad had an accident that involved ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, sprinkles, and a lot of cherries…now let's just say that, nowadays, he always makes sure that there are no more rugs on the wooden floor.Dad sighed in annoyance as Uncle Tak's laughter died down to strained giggles, like he was having trouble breathing. "Are you quite done yet, brother?" he asked as he set me back on the ground, his hand resting on my shoulder as I stood next to him. "I would like to know the reason for your visit." "Aw, can't I just visit my youngest brother and my adorable little niece?" Uncle Tak asked innocently as he walked over to punch Dad in the arm and pet my head affectionately. I could almost see the steam coming off of Dad's head, and for a moment I was afraid that he would explode like a madu fruit. Uncle Tak deflated somewhat when Dad gave him a hard look and sighed in defeat. "Actually, Mak, there's something I need to discuss with you and Taie…and it can't wait." Seeing Dad give me the look, I knew I had to scram and gave him a quick hug before running back to the house. I just barely heard him say 'Good girl' before I went inside. With a warm smile, Mom stood there with a mug of warm berry juice and my favorite Bionicle toy I made when I was younger. "There you are," she chided playfully as I took off my jacket and cat-eared hat, placing them on the rack that was closest to my height. "Where's your father? I thought he was with you." "He and Uncle Tak are talking again," I replied as Tiko, my robot dog the size of a large pony, trotted over to me and nuzzled me happily. As I rubbed his smooth metal head, I remembered that Dad had called him an 'energy hound' when he yelled at my uncle for giving him to me for my fourth birthday. "Uncle Tak said he had to talk to you both and Dad gave me the look, so I left." She gave a hum of concern as she looked at the front door. "Well, I suppose we were due for a visit from your uncle," she sighed as we moved over to the couch, Tiko nudging his head into my arms for hugs and kisses. "It's been almost two months since his last visit." I only nodded in response as I finished giving Tiko some attention before I accepted the drink and toy from mom. From previous experiences like this I've learned not to ask what my parents talk about, since they always tell me that it was just 'boring grown-up stuff'. After a while I just gave up and stopped asking. But that didn't mean I had to like it. "Grown-ups are no fun," I commented aloud as Tiko rested his head on my lap, giving a groan of content when I scratched the soft tissue on his neck (I'm the only one he allows to do that). "You guys are always so stiff, even when you play with me." This got a light chuckle out of her as she reached over and tilted my head so I was looking at her. "Maybe it's because every time we let our guard down, you somehow manage to get in trouble," she explained gently. "If we weren't as 'stiff' as you say we are, you could get hurt or even lost in the woods…which is why we have Tiko here in the first place thanks to your uncle." "I'm old enough!" I protested. "I can take care of myself even without Tiko!" Tiko snorted at that and almost rolled his eyes, as if to say, "Yeah right…" "Sweetie, you're only six years old," she sighed. "So…?" I grumbled. This wasn't the first time we've talked about this, and she would always find a way to prove that I still had a lot to learn. But instead of making her points, Mom just smirked and shook her head in amusement. "You're just like Tahu," she said as she leaned against the cushions and gazed up at the ceiling. "He always thought that he was so strong and independent…but he still needed his brother and sister Toa to conquer his greatest foes." Looking back at me, she said, "I want you to remember something, little one: don't ever think that you have to do everything on your own. If there is something that you can't achieve on your own, don't be afraid to ask for help." I blinked up at her in confusion before glancing at Tiko, who had an almost similar look on his muzzle. Where did that come from? With another smile, she reached over and ruffled my hair as she said, "Well, I hope you enjoyed your free snow-day, Kira. Tomorrow your instructors will be continuing your lessons indoors. There's a nasty blizzard coming in tomorrow morning that will last a good part of the day." "Does that mean star-reading is cancelled?" I asked in disappointment, completely forgetting mom's sudden behavior change. Star-reading was my favorite class in the world! My teacher even said that I looked like a Ko-Matoran in a Knowledge Tower because it was the only time I ever took a class seriously, let alone sat still long enough to pay attention to a single lesson. It annoyed all my other teachers to no end when I got distracted in their lessons, that's for sure. "If the weather permits it, he will continue with his lessons," she replied with a warm smile. "For now, rest easy. I'll be working down in the basement if you need me." "Okay," I nodded as she got up and left the room. I waited for a few minutes as Tiko grew bored and curled up at the foot of the couch, making sure that mom was indeed far from the room. Then, looking at the toy in my arms, I said, "Okay, Mahruk, she's gone." At first, nothing happened. Then, the head lifted up and dual-colored eyes turned to peer up at me from behind a gold colored mask with silver markings. "Finally!" the toy sighed in relief, stretching his body out like a cat on its back. "I thought she'd never leave! Do you know how hard it is to stay perfectly still like that with an unbearable itch on your back? It's not easy, I can tell you that." Giggling at the sight of him scratching wildly at his back, I took a sip of my drink and said, "Well, I wouldn't mind if you moved around more often. But as for Mom and Dad? I have a feeling that they wouldn't be too happy seeing a 'toy' come to life. You know how easily they panic." Mahruk chuckled as he lounged back in my lap, lazily putting his arms behind his head like a pillow. "Yeah, that's true," he agreed as he gave me a pointed look. "Then again, it didn't really help that you had gotten lost in the woods two years ago and nearly drowned when the river flooded that day." "And yet I still like to swim in the lakes and rivers around here," I smiled as I set the now cooling drink down and lounged back. Deciding to change the subject, I asked, "So, how was your day so far?" "Fine…but I'd rather have been playing out in the snow with you. There's really nothing for me to do other than sleep, read or stare at the ceiling…have you ever noticed that there's a pattern shaped like a Kanohi Hau on the ceiling above the bed?" Heh heh…I can always count on Mahruk to do or say something that will cheer me up. "Well, next time I'll sneak you out and we can play when Mom and Dad aren't looking," I smile at him before a yawn shattered anything else I was going to add. "Wow, I'm tired," I sighed as Mahruk got the message and stood up, making room for me to lay down and curl up on the couch before he snuggled against my neck. "Building giant snowballs takes a lot out of you, huh?" "Yeah, I'm tired too," he yawned back, nuzzling his mask against my face before we managed to settle down under the light blanket that usually hung over the back of the couch. "Have a nice nap, sister." "You too, brother," I mumbled as exhaustion finally took its toll. As I rested there, a strange image appeared in my mind. It was a strange silver-white cloud, and beyond it, there seemed to be a giant mass of land floating in the air. On the strange landmass, there were extravagantly built towers that sparkled like gems in the sunlight, thunderous waterfalls crashing down into a raging pool, a vast desert, a fiery landscape with pillars of fire bursting forth from geysers, a city built out of the side of a mountain, and a freezing landscape that seemed to extend for miles. In the towers, which seemed to be part of a large shrine or city, winged figures dove in and out of the windows that led inside the buildings. Some of the beings even seemed to be dancing right in midair! It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, but…I've don't remember mom or dad telling me about anything like that nor have I ever imagined anything similar to it. 'Where did that…come…?' I drifted off before I could finish the thought, the image still burning fresh in my mind… _____________________________________ "How could this have happened? Why now?" Tahk was silent as he watched his brother storm into the house, both of them taking off their winter garb and heading for the living room. "Look, I don't like it either, but let's face it: it was bound to happen sooner or later," he told him, only to lower his voice when Tiko let out a growl and moved to hover over the slumbering figure on the couch, ready to protect his little charge. "The fact is, he's loose now, and he's heading this way. If we're going to do something about it, we need to act now…it's time to go back to the island, Mahkva." In response Mak gave him a dark glare, his lips drawn back in a snarl as he hissed, "Don't call me that here! Not while she's in the same room!" Then, his gaze focused solely on his daughter. "She's not ready to leave this place," he whispered softly, reaching out to gently stroke her head. "She's never been outside of this forest and if we move her somewhere else…she might not know how to handle the new environment." For a long time Tak stared at his brother, his eyes wide in surprise as he tried to process what he was hearing. "You…you're getting attached to her…aren't you?" he asked slowly, his voice full of disbelief. "Brother, you know that we're not supposed to get emotionally attached to her. That will only make things even more complicated than they should be when it's time to-" "Do you think that I don't know that?" Mak hissed angrily, shooting his brother a venomous glare that caused him to flinch away. In a much quieter voice, he said, "I know what the stakes are here…but you…none of you…have spent the time that I have in raising her…none of you have known the joy of seeing her personality bloom like a rare flower…learned just how rewarding it is to raise something more precious than jewels…and wanting to protect someone so irreplaceable…not just because I was ordered to protect her." Turning away from him, Mak picked up the toy before scooping the child into his arms, carrying her up the stairs while closely followed by his brother and Tiko. Setting her on her bed, he pulled the covers over her and tucked the toy next to her head, where she sighed and curled up with a soft smile. "I would protect her with my life, Tak," he said lowly, his eyes never leaving the peacefully sleeping face as Tiko whined and rested his head next to his tiny master's arm. "We may not be her real family…but she's a blessing from the Great Spirit himself…" "…I know," his brother replies softly, bowing his head in respect. "But…you know what Helryx will do once she finds out about this…" A silent nod was the only response as the two left the room, unaware of the gold and green eyes watching them intently.

/Elsewhere/

Night had fallen across the forest, the nocturnal creatures stirring from their hidden dens to search for food. A lone wolf sniffed the air, its eyes giving off an eerie glow as it observed its surroundings under the light of the moon. Suddenly, it stiffened before raising its hackles and bristled threateningly, giving a low warning growl as it stared at an unseen opponent.Through the darkness, a hulking form stalked through the brush, poisonous green orbs of light staring at the wolf like a cat cornering a mouse. The wolf, sensing something terribly wrong, immediately tucked its tail between its legs and whined as it cowered submissively before the looming figure. GRAOOO! A sharp yelp of pain ripped through the air before it cut off, startling the other creatures of the night to run away in panic. The lumbering figure lifted its head from the wolf's corpse, blood dripping from its muzzle as it stared in a direction due west. A cruel smile crept across its metallic cat-like face, its muscles rippling under its armor as it loped forward, its gait determined as it followed some invisible trail that only it could sense. It skid to a halt a few seconds later on top of a cliff face, gazing upon the vast forest below as it scanned the area. Then, its sharp eyes picked out a shape barely sticking above the trees and it grinned. With a quiet rush of wind, dark energy starts to form on its back until it takes on the form of bat-like wings. Nearly transparent, they still cast an ominous shadow across the land, reaching towards the hidden house until it was surrounded on all sides. A low rumble escaped as it stood on its hind legs, swishing its blade-tipped tail excitedly as it leered at the home that held his prey. "Rest easy while you can, little one," it hissed in a dual-toned voice. "Tomorrow, before the day is over, you will be mine…"And just like that, he vanished without a trace, leaving only a set of clawed footprints in the snow. A minute later, the wind and snow kicked up, quickly covering the footprints and leaving no trace of its existence. ...###### cliff-hanger. XD So, you guys got to meet the main character! Yay for Kira, my first/second OC~! Oh, and yes, if you're not too familiar with the Bionicle books (or the rahi for that matter), the Energy Hound in this story is indeed from the books. This one just isn't mutated. XD Anyway, there's just one more chapter that I've already finished before I have to start finishing the other chapters. No idea how long this will last, but rest assured that there will be much cuteness abound with this story! XD Of course, there will be harsh times as well, but other than those, it's mostly adorable cuteness~ X3 Review Topic here:

http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=532

Edited October 16, 2011 by Wind-rider of Le-Koro