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Repicheep - Toa of Irony

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Year 17

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About Repicheep - Toa of Irony

  • Birthday 09/24/1989

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    Male
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    Missouri, USA
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    Hello, one and all, thank you for visiting my profile page.

    A bit about myself: When I'm on BZP, I spend most of my time in the library. I've been writing for about four years, but have been making up stories since I was little.

    I'm currently attending college, hoping to graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering. I write primarily as a hobby, but no one knows what the future holds, perhaps I might publish something someday. I am a Christian, but I'm not a "Bible-thumper." I accept that there are other viewpoints out there; I just think they're all wrong.

    Favorites:
    Books: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Redwall Series, Bionicle novels
    Movies: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Bioncle movies, The Matrix trilogy, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar
    TV Shows: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, NCIS, Stargate SG-1, Mythbusters, House, Teen Titans, Avatar, Road Rovers and other old 90's cartoons
    Video Games: City of Heroes, Spore, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Smash Bros., Star Fox, Nintendo in general, Halo, Sly Cooper

    Pairings I like:
    Personally, I find the whole shipping thing kinda silly, I say, give the authors some respect, so all the pairings I "support" are canon (or as close as possible). That being said, I rarely let a "rival" pairing ruin a story for me.
    Bionicle - Tahu and Gali, Matau and Nokama, Hewkii and Macku, Jaller and Hahli
    Sonic - Sonic and Amy, Knuckles and Rouge, Tails and Cream, Tails and Cosmo (yeah, I like both), Blaze and Silver
    Star Fox - Fox and Krystal, Falco and Katt, Slippy and Amamda
    Road Rovers - Hunter and Colleen
    Sly Cooper - Sly and Carmelita
    Avatar - Aang and Katara, Zuko and Mai, Sokka and Suki
    Teen Titans - Robin and Starfire, Beast Boy and Terra, Kid Flash and Jinx
    Fan Pairings: Nuju and Stara (Inferna Firesword)
    My Pairings: Kopaka and Atuuh, Cedrak and Lestra, Onric and Kleria, Oruni and Kaisha

    Other Likes: I'm a brony, an adult fan of the show "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic." If you've never seen the show, you honestly don't know what you're missing. The animation is beautiful, the writing is top-notch, and the characters just jump out of the screen. Don't let past incarnations of the franchise keep you away from one of the best TV shows in recent years.
    I am also a furry, plain and simple. I like art, movies, video games that feature anthropomorphic animals such as Redwall, Sly Cooper, TMNT, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kung Fu Panda, etc. I wouldn't be caught dead in a fursuit and find the "furvert" side of the fandom very offensive. Sadly, since that is how the fandom is most commonly seen, I don't try to draw too much attention to it.
    Music: Soundtracks mostly, the few jems of Christian music that there are, some rock, techno

    Dislikes: Most child/teen actors (Olsen Twins, Miley Cyrus, etc.), fangirls (of just about anything), loud music, overtly gay people (I don't hate gays, I just think they're misguided), a lot of blood and gore (have a weak stomach and am a bit squimish), people (both Christian and non-Christian) who simply assume they're right and are unwilling to have an open discussion, most politicians

    * deviantART: Repicheep22
    * FanFiction.Net: Repicheep22
    * City of Heroes Global Chat: Repicheep22
    - Primary characters:
    - Nitrog - Lvl 50 Fire Blaster/Manipulator, Infinity server
    - Agent Borealis: Lvl 50 Martial Arts/Ninjistu Stalker, Guardian server
    - Sensai Trenjen: Lvl 50 Ninja/Storm Mastermind, Guardian server
    * Sporepedia: Repicheep

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Repicheep - Toa of Irony's Achievements

Tohunga

Tohunga (5/293)

  1. Four years...it's been four years since BIONICLE was cancelled. And after months of teasing, we get our first glimpse of this new line. I couldn't be more excited for this. BIONICLE was a huge part of my childhood and teenage years. I'm so glad that they're bringing it back! As for it being a reboot, I'm completely okay with that. The original series had a lot of backstory, and I'm much more interested in seeing where this new story goes, rather than making sure it lines up with all the minutiae of the previous series. I can't wait to see more.
  2. New chapter, woohoo!I must say, I'm very intrigued by the whole Rarin getting left behind thing. I don't think I've ever encountered another villain that's done that before.The suspense is rising, and I'm excited to see what comes next.
  3. I agree with you on shipping, I only support canon pairings. Then again I can't ship any characters.

  4. Well, there you have it, folks. The final chapter to this tale. I hope you enjoyed your time in Huna Nui.My next big project will be rewriting my stories Unnatural and An Unnatural Journey, as these stories are also in need of some serious tweaking. I'll be hanging around the library in the mean time, so, I'll see you around.
  5. Chapter 23 Conflicting Congratulations Night fell on the village of Le-Huna as scores of Toa and Matoran milled around the town square at the base of the village. A gigantic canopy made of plant fiber, the storm shelter, was rolled up around the Enetai's trunk, ready to be raised should the night sky decide to turn stormy before morning, and judging by the thunderclouds on the horizon, it was certainly looking like it would. All around sat dozens of cots, some of which were occupied by Toa in various states of health. Matoran from all over the island had congregated here, to see to the Toa's needs and to meet the brave souls who had saved their island. Tahu sat along the edge of the gathering, holding an arm around Gali's waist, watching the ebb and flow of the crowd. "This turned out rather well, didn't it?" he asked his Vhalentain. "Indeed," she replied, "though something perplexes me." "What's that?" "I've talked to several of the Toa, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the Visorak's attacks. Some of them had artifacts of power on their island; others didn't. Some had homes in strategic places; some didn't. It all seems rather…random." "Well, Sidorak was something of a maniac." "That may be true, but he was still able to command a horde of sadistic Rahi. That requires some level of mental coherence." Tahu sighed, as she leaned against his shoulder. "Well, whatever the case may be," he said, "the danger is over, and soon, we can forget all about it." Gali nodded in agreement, but anything she attempted to say was cut off by a great flash of light in the center of the town square. The crowd fell silent as the light dimmed, revealing Toa Vyenta and another being of great size. His claws were long and sharp, the wings on his back were thick and foreboding, and the mask he wore commanded respect. As he looked around the crowd, his eyes fell on Tahu, and his face lit up in a smile. "Toa Tahu!" he exclaimed. "It's good to see you, old friend!" Tahu rose from his seat, his eyes wide with surprise. "Makuta Antroz?" he asked, as he made his way through the crowd. "What brings you here?" "Did you not send a message to the Brotherhood concerning your current predicament?" asked the Makuta. "We did, but we did not expect a reply from you for several days." The Makuta chuckled. "Tahu," he said, "the Brotherhood would never sit idly and let a being like Sidorak sit on your shores for weeks on end. Besides, we have been after this mad man for a long time. For years, he has struck islands and vanished without a trace, leaving only destruction in his wake. Thanks to you and these fine Toa, you have helped us bring this madman to justice." "But how will you take him and his horde away?" asked a nearby Toa of Lightning. "They are already gone," Antroz chuckled. Many of the Toa and Matoran crowed towards the southern edge of the village, where they could all see the southern shore of the island. In the bright moonlight, the telltale glint of the Visorak's battleship was gone, leaving only a shallow lagoon behind. "The Brotherhood has a lot of resources at its disposal," said the Makuta. "Moving a single ship is a simple matter. Anyway, I just thought I'd stop by and let you all know that your island is safe once more," he turned to Vyenta, "and to give this charming young Toa a lift." He turned to the crowd. "I'm afraid I cannot stay, so I must bid you all farewell, but know this. The Brotherhood of Makuta does not forget so easily, and we will forever remember your acts of bravery this day." The Makuta then turned to Vyenta and bowed to her. "Until we meet again, my dear," he said with a smile. With that, the Makuta disappeared in another flash of light. As the light died down again, Gali caught a glimpse of Vyenta and saw her mask had turned a bright shade of purple. Chuckling, she made her way towards the Toa of Psionics. "Something tells me there's a story behind all this," she thought. * * * A bright flash of light appeared in the dimly lit room as Antroz reappeared. "Back already, 'Troz?" asked a voice from within the shadows. "I am," he replied simply. "Why?" "I just thought you'd take a little while longer to say goodbye to that nice piece of mask you had with you." "Hey!" he exclaimed. "Don't talk about Vyenta that way!" "Ooh! Trozzy likes a Toa! Trozzy likes a Toa!" the voice sang out mockingly. Antroz sighed irritably. "Shouldn't you be dealing with our 'friend' over there?" The voice stopped, and a pregnant pause came over the room. "Oh, you mean Sidorak?" "Of course, you dolt!" The sound of metallic feet withdrawing from the room, followed by a clang of a closing door, caused Antroz to sigh. Shaking his head, he turned to the room's single window and opened it, letting the moon's light into his personal chambers. As he gazed out over the metallic landscape of Destral, he spotted the Visorak's battleship sitting in the island's harbor and chuckled as he imagined what was in store for the swarm's leader. Elsewhere in the island, Sidorak sat in an empty room. The only things to grace the room were a wooden table in the center, a lightstone on the ceiling, and an odd-looking painting on the wall which depicted a Muaka mauling a Nui-Jaga. Sidorak's breath was heavy and labored; never before had he felt so much fear. "What are they going to do?" he wondered as he paced back and forth. "They won't kill; that's for sure. That'd be too easy and merciful. They'll dangle me over a furnace and let me roast for a hundred years. Then, they'll maroon me on that island where even fire freezes. Then, they'll lock me in the dungeon with the constantly screaming walls! Then, they'll kill me! Or maybe…" A thousand other fates rolled through Sidorak's mind, each more gruesome than the last. Finally, after what seemed like years, he heard something rattle the door handle from the outside. Sidorak swallowed, trying in vain to calm his nerves and slow his racing heartlight. Moments later, the door opened, and a thick fog billowed in, drowning the room's single lightstone and shrouding the Steltian in darkness. The moments ticked by, as Sidorak stood rooted in fear. "Sidorak," said a deep voice from within the fog, "do you know why you are here?" The Steltian turned this way and that, but the voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. "Um," he gulped, "I am here because I have…failed the Makuta." "You are correct," said the voice. Without warning, a hand shot from within the fog and gripped the Steltian by the arm. He screamed as he tried to pull away, but the hand held tight. A few tense moments passed as the arm pulled one way and Sidorak pulled the other. All manner of horrible fates poured through his head as he fought with all his might, but before long, the hand withdrew. Then, Sidorak began to hear someone laughing. However, it was not some malevolent, foreboding laugh of doom, but a cheerful, playful laugh, and this somehow made Sidorak even more afraid. "Oh, oh my, aha ha ha," said the voice as the fog began to clear. "Oh, you should have seen the look on your face, ha ha!" Once the fog had cleared, Sidorak saw another being standing in the room with him. The being was relatively small and weak in appearance, his armor a putrid green, but he had seen this being before. "Makuta Xenato?" he asked, simultaneously perplexed and petrified. "Oh, forgive me, Sidorak," chuckled the Makuta, "but this was too good an opportunity to pass up." The Makuta's laughter died out in a satisfied sigh as Sidorak looked on in confusion. For a moment, Xenato looked confused, before a look of recollection crossed his face. "Oh right," he exclaimed, "I was supposed to talk to you about the assignment I gave you. How did your trip to Huna Nui go?" "Um," Sidorak stammered, "the island's Toa found a way to, um, reverse the Visorak's venom and led my, um, Toa trophies against me. The swarm…failed to capture the island." Xenato seemed deep in thought for a few moments, before nodding to the Steltian. "Okay, you can go," he said, before resuming his contemplative pose. Sidorak stared at the Makuta for a moment, not believing what he was hearing. "Just…like that," he asked. "Yep." "No punishment." "Nope." "No interrogation." "Uh uh." Sidorak was growing more confused by the moment. "But…the Makuta don't accept failure, do they?" Xenato stared at Sidorak for a moment, confusion on his mask. "Well, if you really want to get punished –" "No no no!" Sidorak exclaimed. "I'm just…very puzzled by this situation." "Oh," replied the Makuta, "and here, I thought it was obvious. We wanted you to fail." Sidorak could not recall a point in his life when he was more confused. "So you came to my ship to –" "Yep." "And you had me go there, so that –" "Absolutely." "So, I won't be punished." "Well," Xenato thought for a moment, "we will have to keep the Visorak swarm on standby for a while, and we'll have to give you a new position, but other than that, no." Sidorak was not sure if he should feel relieved or afraid, but since Xenato seemed to be in a good mood today, he decided to take his chance and bolted from the room. Xenato smiled as he watched him go. "Ah, such a simple creature," he thought, "and so unsophisticated in his scheming. He makes a fine pawn to be sure, but he'll never make it big if his plans remain so one-dimensional. Still," he made his way out of the room and towards his personal chambers, "he's proven a valuable resource, and he shall be rewarded for his efforts. But wait," he stopped, "didn't he have a viceroy somewhere on that ship?" * * * Deep in the forest of Huna Nui, something stirred. Its lithe form was quick and silent, its weapons were sharp and keen, and its eyes glinted with malice and anger. Thoughts of vengeance and betrayal filled its head as it sharpened its blades, safe from the pouring rain inside its cave. "So, they think they could get rid of me?" he thought. "They left me here to rot on this backwater island. I'll show them." Twirling his blades, they shone even in the darkness that surrounded him. "I'll get that artifact, and prove to them I'm better than that pathetic Sidorak." Arcs of electric current ran down his blades as he continued to slash at imaginary enemies. "And once I've taken his place, I'll make sure he suffers. It's no more than he deserves!" Finishing his routine, he drove his blades into the soft earth, electric power lashing out in all directions. "I shall be, Lord Elkana, leader of the Visorak horde, and regent of the Brotherhood of Makuta. The world will know my name, and they will tremble before my might!" * * * Review here.
  6. Chapter 22 A Worthwhile Repose * * * The beach was quiet as nearly ninety Toa and dozens of Rahi sat at rest. Most of the Rahi had retreated into the forest, promising to stick around in case something happened. Of course, some were less enthused about it than others. A dozen fires dotted the beach as the Toa prepared to rest. Sitting near the central one, Tahu was finishing up his letter to the Brotherhood liaison in Tedra Nui. It would be possible for the letter to get there by the next day as Rhohrer had volunteered one of his fastest phase dragons as a mount, but it would be a few days before anyone could come to collect Sidorak and his swarm. As he carved his final thoughts, he heard a voice in his head. "Tahu, turn around," it said. Turning towards the forest, Tahu saw a small flash of white amongst the foliage. "Brace yourself," it continued. "Huh?" Tahu felt something slightly sharp grab his shoulders and pull him into the branches above him. As it set him down on a limb, he saw Ziran hover next to him and Torbran deactivate his chameleon armor behind him. "We just wanted to let you know," said Ziran, "that you won't have any problems with the Visorak tonight." The Arlon tapped his forehead. "I've made sure of that." "And my Rahi friends will give you no trouble either," said Torbran. "Rhohrer has sent away any who could be of any great harm to these Toa." "Well, I just want to say, thank you for all your help," said Tahu. "I honestly don't think we could have beaten the Visorak were it not for you two." Ziran nodded. "All in a day's work, Tahu," he said. "We will be nearby if you should ever have any need of us," Torbran continued. "We will be out of sight, as you may expect, but we will remain until the Visorak depart." "Thanks again, friends," said Tahu, "but let's hope we won't need your help." "Tahu?" came a voice from the ground. The Toa of Fire looked down to see Narthex looking up at him. Tahu quickly dropped to the ground. "Yes, Narthex?" "What were you doing up there?" asked the Toa of Sonics. Tahu looked up in the tree but saw nothing but branches and rustling leaves. "Just inspecting the tree bark," he said. Ignoring Narthex's confused expression, he continued. "Do you need something?" "I'm actually looking for Kopaka," he said. "Lewa wanted to talk to him." Tahu got a thoughtful expression for a few moments, then looked back at the other Toa. "I think I know where he might be," he said, "but I know for sure that he'll want to be left alone, at least for a while." "For how long, do you think?" Tahu thought for a moment. "Probably all night," he replied. Nearby, a fire glowed in a small cave. Shadows flickered and danced amongst the firelight that cast itself over the pair of prone figures in the cave. Kopaka sat with his back to a wall, as Atuuh lay against his chest, his arms encircling her protectively. The two just sat in silence for the longest time, but at last, Atuuh broke the silence. "So, it's really been five hundred years since you last saw me," she said. "Yes, yes it has," replied Kopaka. Atuuh sighed in response. "I just can't imagine how much you've gone through," she said, "and I can't help but feel like its partially my fault." "Why in Mata Nui's name would you say that?" Kopaka looked down at her with a perplexed look in his eyes. "Well, if I had just stayed here with you, like you had asked me to, we never would have been apart, and I never would have been captured. Because of my selfishness, you got five hundred years of heartbreak." Kopaka's gaze grew harder as she stared into his eyes. "Don't you ever say that again," he said, conviction in his voice. "You could have never known that a maniac with legions of Rahi would attack your island. You made the right decision, and I never regretted living apart from you. Think of it this way. If we had always been together, we might have grown to take our love for granted, but because we lived apart, the moments we did have together were that much more special." Neither said anything as the fire crackled behind them, its light dancing about the cave. Atuuh closed her eyes as she laid her head on his chest. "I suppose your right," she said, "and we're together now. What's past is past, and we can't change that." "But we can certainly change our future," she heard Kopaka say. She heard a jingling sound as Kopaka's arms lifted off her. Opening her eyes, she saw him pulling a chain from within his armor. On it was the pendant she had given him so many years ago. As he opened it, she caught a glimpse of the portraits inside it. "Have you kept those pictures around your neck all these years?" she asked. "Yes, but there is more than just these portraits in here," Kopaka replied. As he removed his hand from within the pendant, she saw something in his hand. "Atuuh," he said, "the day I found out that you had vanished, I had this with me. I had intended to visit you and give you the best day of your life, and then I would have asked you to accept this." He opened his hand to show her the object in his palm. It was a silver ring, beautifully crafted and set with a trio of blue stones. It shone in the firelight as Kopaka continued to speak. "I would have taken your hand," he said as he did just that. "I would have slipped it on your finger, and I would have asked you to be my Vhalentain. Obviously, circumstances prevented that from ever happening, and I regretted not doing it sooner for every day we were apart." Tears began to form in his eyes, as he slipped the ring on her finger. "And now that we are together again, I do not want to make the same mistake again. Atuuh, I love you, and I would give anything if you would accept my –mmph!" The Toa of Ice was cut off as Atuuh kissed him. His surprise lasted only a moment as he closed his eyes and returned her kiss. Their kiss deepened, even as Kopaka pulled her closer. At last, they pulled apart and simply sat with their foreheads pressed together, their breath mingling between them. Finally, Kopaka spoke up. "So is that a yes?" he asked. Atuuh smiled at him. "Oh course, it is," she said, sighing contentedly. The Toa of Water shut her eyes and leaned down against his chest once more, sleep starting to overtake her. "Kopaka," she said, "I love you." "I know," he replied, as he himself began to drift off. "I know." * * * The next morning, the Toa watched as a Toa of Psionics named Vyenta climbed on top of a phase dragon, straddling the creature's back just in front of its forelegs. While Torbran had assured Tahu that this dragon was well-behaved and would not be of any trouble, the Toa Mata of Fire had decided that an extra layer of security, courtesy of Vyenta's innate mental abilities, would be of no harm. Safely tucked in the Toa of Psionics' satchel was the tablet that Tahu had written the night before, detailing the Visorak's invasion and what had been done to contain them. Granted, he had stretched the truth somewhat, so as not to betray the Order of Mata Nui's help. "Are you ready, Vyenta?" asked Tahu, as the younger Toa tried to settle in comfortably. "I suppose so, sir," she replied, as she gripped the dragon's neck spines. "Good. Now, this guy pretty much knows where to go. Don't try to control him, unless he tries to go severely off course." "I'll remember that, sir," she said. "Alright." Tahu stepped back and motioned to the phase dragon. The dragon responded with a low rumble before launching into the air. With a sigh, he turned to the dozen other Toa present. "And now we play the waiting game," he said. "What do you suggest we do in the meantime, Tahu?" asked Ferrar. "Well, it could very well be a week before we hear from the Brotherhood, and longer before they get that thing out of here," he said, gesturing to the Visorak's battleship. After a moment of thought, he turned to Lewa. "Lewa, fly on to Le-Huna. Let them know they'll be having company." Lewa threw a playful salute before launching himself into the air. "Alright everyone," called Tahu. "Let's figure out how we'll go about this…" Lewa swooped down, riding his own air currents, and landed next to Narthex, as he lay by a fire. "Hey, friend-pal," he said, "want to come with me for a joy ride?" "Sure, why not?" Narthex yawned, stretching as he got up. "Where're we going?" Grasping his friend under the shoulders, Lewa rose into the air. "To my village-home, Le-Huna," he replied. "I don't know-think I ever got a chance to show it to you the last time you here." As the rode the wind north over the forest, Narthex looked down on the trees beneath them, awestruck at this sensation. He had certainly flown before, but only ever inside an airship. Being out in the open air, with the wind whistling by, made Narthex's spirit soar. "This is amazing!" he thought as he was carried on by the Toa of Air. As they soared on, Narthex saw the great Enetai tree rising from the forest floor. He was just about to ask Lewa what it was, when his friend swooped down beneath the trees. Winding back and forth between the trees at top speed, Lewa made his way to the base of the Enetai in short order. "Is this where your village is?" asked Narthex, as they came to a stop. "Sure is," replied Lewa, as he pressed the hidden button in the tree's roots. "Then, why didn't we come in from the top?" asked Narthex, as he was guided into the hidden door. "The village is on great-high alert, what with the invasion-swarm and all. We told them to sharp-shoot first, quick-ask questions later." The elevator ride to the top of the tree was short and swift, and when the doors opened, Narthex was greeted with an unnerving sight, a score of Le-Matoran, each with his own Kanoka launcher, pointing their weapons at him. Narthex panicked briefly, until he saw them lower their launchers. "Toa Lewa," said one of them, stepping towards them, "what news?" "The invader-swarm is defeated, Aneric," said Lewa, posing heroically, "but we need to make room for the ally-friends who helped us." Aneric's face gained a confused expression. "Allies?" he asked. "We'll explain later," said Lewa. He turned to his Toa friend. "Narthex, this is Aneric, leader-head of Le-Huna's defender-squad. Aneric, this is Toa Narthex, an old ally-friend of mine from the Aquaton War, who helped us defeat the Visorak." "So, you're Narthex," said Aneric, smiling. "Lewa has talked a lot about you." Narthex chuckled. "All good, I hope," he said, "but Lewa is right. We have over seventy Toa coming here, some of whom may need medical attention." The Toa watched the Matoran's expressions change to that of astonishment. "We'll explain everything once everyone's here," said Lewa. He turned to Narthex. "Let's go loud-talk to Turaga Hezalu." As the Toa, accompanied by Aneric, made their way to Hezalu's home, Narthex marveled at the village's layout. "I wouldn't mind living here," he thought. "It would be fun living in a vertical village." They arrived at Hezalu's home in short order and opened the door. Lewa, Narthex, and Aneric gaped in shock as they saw the place in shambles. Furniture had been tossed about, smashed as though a whirlwind has sprung up inside the room. Windows and wall sat caved and bent, both outward and in, and the Turaga was nowhere to be seen "Where is he?" asked Aneric, as they rushed in. The trio searched the house, frantically pulling aside overturned furniture. As Lewa approached the back corner, he shouted. "He's here!" Pulling aside the remains of a cabinet, Lewa found Turaga Hezalu curled in a corner, unconscious and his mask stained with tears. Carefully picking the smaller being up, Lewa checked his vitals. He was breathing, and his heartlight still flashed, but the expression on his face spoke of utter grief. "Is he alright?" asked Narthex. "Physically, he's fine-great," replied Lewa, as he laid the Turaga down on his bed, "but something sure-tells me he's having some bad thought-dreams. Turaga," he gently shook the elder, "it's time to wake up." A few moments later, the Turaga opened his eyes and stared up at the Toa. "Lewa?" he wheezed. "Is that you?" "It is, Turaga." "What news? Is Huna Nui doomed?" "No, Turaga," said Narthex, as he approached the bed, "the Visorak are defeated and imprisoned on their own battleship." Turaga Hezalu stared at the two Toa, looking for any sign of falsehood in their eyes. When he could find none, he laid his head back. "Good," he sighed. "Turaga," Lewa said, "when we went to battle-fight the Visorak, we found ally-friends, Narthex here being one of them. They will be here within a small-short time, and they need some shelter-place to stay." The Turaga said nothing for a few moments. "Roll out the storm shelter," he replied from behind closed eyes, "and set out the emergency cots. I'm sure there'll be enough for everyone. Also, send a message to the other villages. They will want to know that the Visorak are gone." "We'll get on that right away, Turaga," replied Aneric. As the three left the Turaga's home, Narthex stared back at the state of its interior. "What happened in there anyway?" he asked. Aneric shrugged. "This isn't the first time this has happened," he replied. "Turaga Hezalu wears a Kanohi Matatu and, on occasion, has nightmares. When that happens, his power lashes out uncontrolled. Hey fellas!" he called to his security force, "get the village together. It's time to set up the storm shelter; we've got visitors coming." * * * Review here.
  7. Chapter 21 Turning the Tide * * * Narthex stared out towards the shore as wave after wave of Visorak poured from the trees, his eyes wide with trepidation. Bracing himself, he took several deep breaths to clear the nervousness that threatened to tighten his lungs and vocal cords. Once his anxiety had gone down, he turned to Lewa. "Think we can take 'em, Lewa?" he asked, his voice tainted with fear. "You sure-bet, friend," replied Lewa, a cocky grin spread over his Miru. "Just stick near-close to me, and you'll be fine." "I sure hope so," thought Narthex, turning back towards the approaching horde. "Actually, we could use your particular shout-loud voice talents right now," said Lewa. "What do you – ack!" Narthex yelped as Lewa grabbed him by the arm and marched him towards where the Toa were beginning to gather, now that the Visorak aboard the ship were fleeing towards their brethren on the ground. "Tahu!" called the Toa of Air. Tahu and the other Toa Mata turned towards him as he approached. "Lewa! Is that Narthex I see?" Tahu called back. "Sure is, Toa-brother. I thought you could use him to loud-shout to everyone." "Great idea. Narthex would you mind?" "Amplifying your voice?" asked the Sonics Toa. Tahu nodded, and Narthex breathed a nervous breath. "I'll do my best," he said. Narthex took a deep breath and placed his hand over the Toa of Fire's mouth. Turning to Tahu, he motioned for him to speak. "Hello?" Tahu's voice boomed out from Narthex's throat over the deck of the ship. "Listen everyone!" Tahu continued. "We don't have a lot of time. I need all Toa of Ice, Water, and Lightning to the port side; all Toa of Fire, Plasma, Magnetism, and Iron to the starboard side; and all Toa of Gravity, Earth, and Stone to the bow of the ship. Air Toa, divide up between the three sides as evenly as possible. All other Toa, spread out along the railing with the other groups and focus on any Visorak who get too close. My teammates will explain what you need to do." Once they had arrived at their stations, the Toa Mata quickly explained what their plans were. Within moments, everyone was ready, and Narthex turned back to Tahu. By now, the leading Visorak were two-thirds of the way across the beach. Tahu waited a few moments before shouting into Narthex's hand. "Now!" Some of the Visorak stopped at the sound, and moments later, their excited chittering turned to panic as chaos descended on their ranks. On the port side of the ship, a gigantic thunderstorm began to grow, hail and giant lightning bolts raining down on the Visorak as gale force winds threatened to send them flying. Giant waves began crashing down on the swarm, but before they could return to the sea, the waves froze in place, freezing the Visorak to the sand beneath them. Before the ship's prow, Visorak began to rise into the air as the area's gravity began to vanish. With the combined energies of the Toa of Earth and Stone, sand began to rise from the ground, blinding the spider-like creatures, and moments later, a tremendous tornado formed in their midst, sweeping up the floating Visorak and the sand that hovered with them. On the ship's starboard side, a portion of the air seemed to warp as wind and magnetic energy began to swirl in their own tornado. Screeching Visorak tried to hold their ground as they were pulled in by the magnetic forces. Bolts of fire and plasma exploded in front of any who held their ground, causing them to lose their grip and go flying into the energy vortex. Any still remaining were picked by Toa of Iron and thrown into the whirling magnetic forces. Even as chaos descended on the swarming Visorak, more continued to pour from the trees, but now, it seemed they were being perused. Some were backing out of the forest, firing Rhotuka as they went. Some ran out as fast as they could and fell head over heels down the slope, only to be caught up by one of the elemental traps waiting for them. Over the howl of the winds, Tahu heard an unusual sound. Grunts, crows, roars, chirps, and squeals mixed together into to a cacophonic symphony. Looking out at the trees, Tahu saw something shoot out of the trees and hover above the battle field. A smile of recognition as a Rau formed on his face and he caught Narthex's attention. "Can I borrow your amplification again?" he asked. "Sure, Tahu," Narthex replied. Narthex placed his hand over the Toa of Fire's mouth, and Tahu's Rau began to glow as he spoke to the creature in the air. Once he was done, Narthex turned towards him with a questioning look on his face. "What did you just do?" he asked. "I just spoke to that phase dragon," Tahu replied. "I told him to keep his troops away from our attacks." "His troops?" Tahu pointed out to the forest, and Narthex gaped at what he saw. A giant boulder flew out of the forest, crushing a dozen Visorak as it went. Right behind it, a catapult scorpion stalked out of the forest and stood at the edge of the trees. Next to the scorpion, a herd of Kikanalo leapt out of the forest, shoving Visorak ahead of them. Kane-Ra, Muaka, ash bears, doom vipers, fader bulls, Metru mantises, rock lions, and much more emerged from the forest, driving the Visorak before them. From the treetops, protodrakes, Gukko, ice bats, smoke hawks, Nui-Rama, and fire flyers rose up, hemming in the Visorak's flying allies. As the other Toa stood gaping at the sight, Tahu called out them. "Don't stop now! Keep going! We've got them!" * * * The sun's rays shone down on the beach, heating the sand. All around the beach, Visorak lay in various states of unconsciousness and uselessness. On the starboard side, the beach was covered with patches of glass, and in the center sat a pile of Visorak, straining at their magnetic bonds. On the port side, the beach was covered with nearly a bio-thick layer of ice, Visorak sticking out of it at all angles, many still shaking from electric shock. And at the ship's prow sat a pile made of sand and Visorak. Most were unconscious, and those who were awake had no sense of sight or balance, from being thrown about in a sandy tornado. Those few Visorak that were still up and about, simply sat on their haunches, quiet and dispirited as scores of wary-eyed Rahi stared down at them. On the deck of the ship, the Toa Mata were meeting with some of the other Toa and a few of the Rahi that had arrived. "So, just what is all…that?" asked Ferrar, as he pointed to the Rahi that sat surrounding the Visorak. "To keep a long story short," said Pohatu, "Rhohrer here managed to get most of the island's Rahi to help herd the Visorak back down here." He patted the phase dragon on the neck as he spoke, and the reptile let out a peculiar purring sound. "So, what now?" asked Atuuh, as Kopaka stood with his arm around her. "We hadn't really thought of that," said Onua. "We were so intent on stopping the Visorak from invading, that we never stopped to think about getting rid of them. From Rhohrer's shoulder, a small rodent-like face appeared. Eepiseek looked over at Tahu and let out a series of squeaks. "What about Wolf-Toa's friends, Fire-Hand?" he asked. "Not a good idea," Tahu replied, by means of his Kanohi Rau. "They're supposed to be a secret." "Then what about the shape-shifter who helped you all those years ago?" asked Queen Uzzizz, who had settled on Tahu's shoulder. "That's a very good idea," Tahu replied. "Everyone?" The rest turned as they heard Tahu speaking. "Perhaps we should call in the Brotherhood of Makuta? Surely they can deal with this madman." "Good idea, brother," replied Onua, "but what to do until they arrive?" "Ahem," Narthex cleared his throat. "I have an idea…" By the time the sun had set, the Visorak's ship had been turned into an impromptu prison. Using physical and elemental means, the entire swarm was transported into the ship's hold, and every hole was welded, magnetized, or otherwise sealed shut. Sidorak was placed in the hold with them, set in a cage suspended from the ceiling. A guard of Rahi and Toa was posted, and as the Toa left, Sidorak was left a very stern warning. "The instant one of your minions fires a Rhotuka spinner," said Tahu, as he watched as the cage was raised up, "this cage will drop. Maybe you'll live through it, maybe you won't, but I wouldn't hedge any bets." As Sidorak called out the order to his minions and the Toa marched out of the ship, the Steltian's thoughts were deeply troubled. They were going to call the Brotherhood. "I am doomed," he thought, "so very, very doomed." * * * Review here.
  8. Chapter 20 Unexpected Allies * * * Before Sidorak could utter another command, Kopaka felt something grab ahold of his web cocoon and pull him through the air towards the crowd of Toa. He then saw that the others were being pulled alongside him, and as they landed amidst the crowd, he heard Lewa call for the others to attack. "This plan worked perfectly," thought the Toa of Ice, as he was set down on the deck. "I just hope we have enough fire power." Moments later, he saw a Toa of Gravity approach his cocoon and slice through its webbing. Nodding his thanks to the Toa, Kopaka picked up his sword and shield. He yelped as a sudden pain shot through his right arm, causing him to drop his sword. Flexing his hand, more pain sparked from his wrist. "I must have landed on it wrong when I was caught in that net," he muttered. Once again, he tried to lift his sword, but the pain in his wrist was too great. He set the sword down again, as his breath hissed through his teeth. "Here, let me see that," said a voice behind him. Kopaka turned as a Toa of Water grasped his hand, enveloping it in her element. He could feel the liquid's healing energies winding their way into his injured hand, and moments later, the pain was gone. "Thank you f…" Kopaka looked up to see his healer's face and stopped at the sight. Her armor had more notches than when he had last seen her, and her mask was marked with a shallow scar, but the light in her eyes and the feel of her hands told everything he needed to know. "A…Atuuh?" he asked. His voice was uncharacteristically soft, as though he was afraid it were all a dream and that if he spoke too loud, it might shatter. The din of battle seamed to fade away as their eyes met and hers lit with surprise. "Kopaka?" she gasped. "Is it you?" For a few moments, the world around them seemed to stand still. One moment, they were staring into each other's' eyes, the next, centuries of worry washed away as he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. All her fear, which had lingered in her soul during her years in stasis, vanished as she lost herself in her lover's arms. After what seemed forever, and yet was still too short a time, the pair drew apart. Had they been offered the opportunity, they would have stayed like that for a long while, but the screech of an approaching Keelerak caused them both to turn and fire upon the creature. Atuuh looked up at Kopaka smiling Akaku. "Something tells me we should save this for later," she said, a mischievous grin on her Kakama. Kopaka chuckled. "As much as I wish to say otherwise," he said, still holding her hand, "I have to agree." Firing another shard of ice from his hand, it struck a Boggarak that was charging its spinner, knocking it unconscious. "I have to say," Atuuh said, striking a Gate Guardian with a jet of water, "this is quite the welcoming party." Grabbing both her hands with his, Kopaka swung her around, so her feet collided with an incoming Venom Flyer. "Well, you know us Toa Mata," he chuckled, putting her down. "We love a good party." On the other side of the ship, Lewa was pinned in by a dozen creatures. His blustery attacks and natural agility were keeping him safe for now, but he was not sure how long he could keep it up. Suddenly, a sonic shockwave rippled through the ranks of creatures, knocking the smaller ones away and stunning the larger ones. Only a single Gate Guardian was unaffected, but before Lewa could land a blow on the creature, it was struck from behind by a resounding sonic boom. The force of the sonic blast threw the beast over the edge of the ship, and Lewa watched as it struck the beach below with a thud. "Well, that's one Rahi who'll wake up cranky in the morning." Lewa turned at the voice to see a Toa of Sonics standing where the Gate Guardian had been. "Narthex!" exclaimed the Toa of Air, as he rushed towards his friend. Wasting no time, he grabbed the younger Toa in an ash bear hug, lifting him off the ground. "How are you, Toa-hero?" he exclaimed. "I'd be much better," wheezed Narthex, "if you weren't squeezing the wind from my lungs." Lewa laughed aloud and set him down, blowing away a Vohtarak that ventured too close. "Forgive me for not speak-greeting you when I was quick-freeing everyone," Lewa laughed, "but what are you doing here?" "I could ask you much the same thing," Narthex replied. Lewa chuckled, as he faced away from his friend and fired another gust. "What I true-meant was, we never got word that your home had been attacked." "That's just it," Narthex stood back to back with Lewa and shouted into the crowd. "I was unlucky enough to land on an island that was being invaded at that time." "Oh wow," Lewa murmured. "By the way, if you're still using loud-shouts to attack, how are you talking?" "Oh, I'm attacking with my vocal cords," he reached back to show Lewa the vibrating sonic orb in his hand, "but I'm using my hands to talk. Pretty cool, huh?" Lewa grinned in amusement. "I'll say it is." Nearby, Onua spotted a whirling mass of flying boulders. Upon closer inspection, he saw a Toa of Stone standing in its center, creating more boulders and adding them to his stone tornado. After a few moments, Onua realized that he recognized this technique. "Ferrar!" he cried over the din of battle, as he rushed towards the maelstrom. The Toa of Stone's head spun to the right as he heard his name and a jovial expression spread over his Kanohi Matatu. "Onua, my friend!" he called back, shifting his boulders to allow him safe passage into the eye of his storm. Moments later, Onua wrapped the Stone Toa in an ash bear hug, and Ferrar cracked a smile. "I must admit," he said, as he sent a boulder flying out from his stone cyclone, "this is the last place I expected to awaken." "Indeed," replied Onua, as he rested, his earlier earthen-giant attack having put a strain on his energies. "How is it you came to be captured by Sidorak?" he asked. "I was living on an island near Stelt, with a small team of Toa, when the Visorak arrived," Ferrar replied, lobbing another boulder into the crowd of Rahi. "Most of the others were rookies and rather inexperienced. They put up a good fight, but it wasn't enough." "I'm very sorry to hear that, my friend," Onua replied. "'A Ruki remembers only the past day, and it is the happiest creature in the sea.' There is no point in dwelling on the past, my friend, for it cannot be changed." "Well said, Ferrar." And with that, Onua turned and summoned a wave of mud, sending it crashing down on the crowds of Rahi trying to break through Ferrar's vortex of stone. * * * At the rear of the ship, Sidorak had taken refuge in his chambers. Once the newly freed Toa had joined the fight, he had fled. As he sat on his bed, Elkana was pacing nearby. "This just became a full-fledged disaster," said the Aviena, his wings flapping nervously. "And what would you propose we do, my viceroy?" asked Sidorak, a certain unsettled look in his eyes. "Six Toa is one thing, but eighty-six is quite another." "You mean eighty-eight," Elkana said, "and I would propose calling the rest of the swarm back from the island." "You mean, call off the attack?" Sidorak asked, incredulously. "Yes, right now our biggest problem is the Toa out on the deck, and having only a third of the swarm here is not helping matters. Once the Toa are taken care of, we can send the Visorak back onto the island and secure the temple." A strange expression crossed Sidorak's face. So much of his campaign of chaos had been simply attacking until the enemy was utterly destroyed. With thousands of blood-thirsty Rahi at his beck and call, there had been little need for strategic thinking. Now it seemed, this would be the best course of action. "Very well," he said, "take a squad of venom flyers to the swarm in the jungle and tell them to return posthaste." Elkana bowed and flew out the open window to grab some of the flying creatures for his mission. While Sidorak may have preferred to command from behind the swarm, Elkana had always taken an active role in situations such as this. He would have rather gone alone, but he knew that finding all the Visorak that were inland at this time would be difficult without help. As he called out in the Visorak tongue and was joined by a dozen venom flyers, Elkana spread his wings and soared inland. "With any luck," he thought, as he directed his charges, "we can turn the tide of this battle. That temple must be secured; the Makuta demand it." * * * Tahu stood at the bow of the Visorak's ship, forming a whirlwind of fire with the help of three other Toa of Fire. Flares struck out at the swarming Rahi that, by now, were a significantly smaller mess of their former selves. The might of over eighty vengeful Toa was proving simply too much for the swarm. "It seems our time in stasis has not hurt our combat skills," said one of the other Fire Toa. "It certainly seems so, friend," replied Tahu. "This should be over –" The sound of chittering arose from the forest. The sounds of battle began to dim as Toa and Visorak alike heard the sound from their places on the ship. Moments later, the Visorak began to pour from the treeline. One of the Fire Toa turned to Tahu. "That's a lot of Visorak," he said, gulping nervously. "It sure is, friend," replied the Toa Mata. "It sure is." * * * Review here.
  9. Chapter 19 And So It Begins * * * The air rippled with light and sound as Elkana flew around his training room. All around, automated weapons fired upon him, as portions of the walls and floors moved to block his path. A gleeful grin played over his beak as bolts of lightning flew from his fingertips, decimating the weapons. The air hummed as he pumped his wings, gliding through the final obstacle, a shrinking iris in the wall. Pulling his wings in, he turned into a nose-dive, streaking through the hole instants before the gate closed. Landing on the floor beyond, wings spread to slow his speed, he pressed a button along the wall, halting the timer that sat above it. A chuckle escaped his throat. "New record," he said to himself, as he activated the room's self-repair mechanism. The Aviena sighed. "Life is good," he thought. "A little destruction, a little mayhem, and an entire army at my command. What more could I want?" Satisfied with his morning exercises, Elkana activated his anti-gravity powers. "I think I'll go for a flight." Spreading his wings, he propelled himself through his chambers and into the corridors, until he came to an exit. As he looked out over the bow of the ship, he was startled to see Huna Nui's shore not fifty bio from where he stood. "How in the…?" His thoughts were interrupted by an approaching Roporak. "Lord Sidorak wishes to speak with you," said the spider. Elkana nodded and flew out the door, up to Sidorak's balcony, and landed next to his leader. "You called?" he asked. Sidorak's face was indiscernible. "I take it you've noticed where the ship is," he said. "So this wasn't your idea?" Elkana replied. "No," Sidorak said, his voice even, though tainted with anger, "and I would like to know how it is possible that the ship moved this close to the island, and not one of the sentries noticed." Elkana cracked a smile. "Would you like me to 'interrogate' them?" he asked, holding a sparking hand. If Sidorak had an answer, it was cut short as the floor beneath their feet began to shake. Elkana instinctively activated his hovering abilities to keep from falling over, and Sidorak braced himself against the wall. Moments later, the shaking stopped, and the pair looked at each other in confusion. "What was that?" asked Elkana, setting himself back down. "Sidorak!" The two beings turned towards the voice, as it came up from the deck of the ship. Looking down, they saw a group of Toa standing in the center of the fighting arena. Sidorak sighed. "It's those Toa," he muttered. "Same as always, they never know when to give up." He motioned his viceroy to stand beside him as he activated a control panel on his balcony's railing. To the sound of activated Kanoka, the balcony, along with a portion of the floor behind it, disconnected from the tower and hovered out over the ship's deck. Moments later, it came to rest at the top of the pillar that sat above the arena. "So, Toa," said Sidorak, staring down at them, "you could not wait to be destroyed, so you come to me seeking death?" "No Sidorak," shouted the Fire Toa, "we have come to give you one last chance. Leave our island in now, or face the consequences." Sidorak laughed. "Do you know how many times I have heard those words?" he said. "By the way, where is your brother, the Toa of Air?" When no answer came from the Toa below, Sidorak chuckled. "Believe me when I say that your fate shall be worse than his. He may have lost his grip on sanity, but he yet lives. You, however, shall not be so lucky." Pressing another button on his control panel, a siren began to go off, filling the air with its noise. From beneath the deck, the chittering of thousands of Visorak could be heard. All over the deck, hatches began to open as the Ussal-sized spiders began to emerge. Along with them came dozens of other creatures, flying insectoids with enormous jaws, giant Visorak with golden hides, and tiny bipeds that seemed to shake the deck beneath them. The Toa Mata looked around, readying their weapons and summoning their energies. "Are you sure this'll work?" asked Pohatu, worry creeping into his voice. Tahu remained silent for a moment. "We can only hope," he said. "And now, Toa," Sidorak called from his perch, "before you die, you will feel the full wrath and fury of my swarm! Visorak, attack!" Squeals of delight and excited chittering filled the air, as did dozens of Rhotuka, all of them flying towards the Toa. A dome of ice appeared over them, blocking the incoming energy wheels, but within moments, the barrage of energy had disintegrated the dome. Sidorak looked on in surprise to see that there was nothing beneath it, save a hole in the metal floor. "Ha, cowards!" he laughed. "All talk and no –" He was interrupted as the ship began to shake again. Looking out, Sidorak's eye grew wide with surprise. From the right of the ship, an enormous wave was growing. On the right was a giant, growing mound of earth. Just beside them, two swirling storms of ice and stone could be seen rising, and at the bow of the ship rose a fiery tempest. Sidorak looked on in amazement as he heard a voice from within the fire. "Toa Mata, attack!" Instants later, Kopaka took off, skating around the edge of the ship, mustering all the energy he could and leaving a trail of ice-encased creatures in his wake. Opposite him, Pohatu's Mask of Speed, combined with the power of his elemental energies, sent dozens of creatures flying through the air. From atop the growing tower of silt and earth, Onua created gigantic arms and fists of earth, smashing them down on the deck before him. Opposite him, within her standing tidal wave, Gali formed liquid tentacles that swept over the deck in wave after wave. And in the midst of all this, Tahu's fire flew wild across the deck. Sidorak watched as his army tried in vain to penetrate the Toa's defenses, while attempting to ward off their attacks. "I've never seen Toa fight like this before," he said to Elkana. "So much power, so much…control. These…these are not normal Toa." "Yeah, well," Elkana said, twirling his weapons. "I'm not normal either. Shall I…dispose of them, boss?" "I don't think that would be – gah!" Sidorak ducked as a stray boulder struck his podium. A moment later, the platform began to teeter and then to fall. Elkana swooped down and grasped Sidorak by the shoulders, and the pair watched as the platform smashed onto the ship's deck. Sidorak looked up at his viceroy. "I changed my mind," he said. "Crush them." Elkana smirked. "With pleasure." Elkana set the Steltian down and drew his weapons, a Kanoka launcher and a net blaster. "Slaying at a distance is the coward's way," he thought. "If you have to kill your enemy, you need to be the last thing that they see." Slinking around the frozen, battered deck, he watched as Pohatu rapidly approached. "Just like that job in Aleris," he thought. Firing an enlarge disk at a nearby stone, the rock grew to enormous proportions, just as the Toa of Stone got there. Having no time to notice and change directions, Pohatu slammed face-first into the boulder. Elkana heard a muffled groan from the Toa as he motioned a pair of nearby Visorak to wrap him up. Sneaking into another hiding spot, he watched as Kopaka round his way towards his location. "This reminds me of that other Ice Toa we picked up at sea," he thought, aiming his net launcher. "He sure put up a good fight." Pulling the trigger, Elkana launched an energy net at Kopaka and was rewarded with a shout of surprise from the entrapped Toa. He then commanded another band of Visorak towards him, as he made his way towards Onua. Again hiding from view, he loaded a shrink disk into his launcher. Popping up, he fired at the mound of dirt, instantly reducing it to a tiny pile. As he watched the Toa of Earth fall from his perch, he motioned a pair of venom flyers to catch him and bring him back. "Just like that mission to Mount Valmai," he said. Taking to the air, Elkana circled around the ship, until he was right behind Gali and her tidal wave. Holstering both his weapons, he fired at the Water Toa with a burst of electrical energy, her screams of pain bringing a slight smile to his face. As her concentration was broken, her tower of water fell away, and he swooped down to catch her as she fell. "Gali!" came a cry from the deck of the ship. Elkana looked up just in time to dodge a fireball heading straight for him. He then noticed the Toa of Fire on the deck of the ship, staring at him with hatred in his eyes. Elkana merely smiled as he watched a pair of nearby Visorak hit him with their spinners. "Never let your guard down," thought the Aviena, as he landed on the deck and handed the Toa of Water to another Visorak, "especially when there's no one to watch your back." As the subdued Toa Mata were wrapped up in webbing, Elkana approached his master. "All enemies subdued, sir," he said, meeting his master with an over-exaggerated salute. "Very good, Elkana," Sidorak replied. "Once again you've proven that you were the perfect choice for this position." Moving past his viceroy, Sidorak approached the Toa, who were still struggling against their bonds. "I must commend you, Toa," said the Steltian. "Never before has any band of Toa made so great an effort to defend their home. You have made a…sizable dent in my horde, but as you can see, it has hardly made a difference. And now, seeing as you have failed, you must now die." Moments later, he heard laughter coming from one of the cocoons. Marching over, he stared down at Pohatu, as he continued to giggle. "And just what is so funny?" he asked, more than a little irked by this Toa's attitude. "You think we failed!" exclaimed Pohatu. "Tahu, at any point, were we actually trying to…defeat him?" "No, Pohatu," replied the Toa of Fire, "I can't say that we were." "Then…what were you…" The look of vengeance on Sidorak's face was slowly vanishing as he looked at the Toa's faces. His eyes fell on Kopaka, who smiled back at him. "It's called a distraction, you Brakas," he said. "Lewa, now!" Tahu shouted at the top of his lungs. "You got it, ever-great leader!" Sidorak turned around at the voice behind him. Looking back towards the tower, he could see Toa Lewa, fully cured of his Hordika venom, standing in front of dozens of other Toa. Realization struck him with the force of a thunderbolt. "Oh Karzahni," he muttered. * * * Review here.
  10. Chapter 18 An Undersea Ambush * * * "Toa, friends, warriors!"From the top of a grassy sand dune, Makuta Antroz's voice boomed over the beach, where scores of Toa stood and dozens of sub pods sat waiting."You have done much in this struggle against those who mean to harm the innocent, and today, your efforts will be rewarded. Many of you have lost friends and brothers in this war, and today, we honor their sacrifice as we end this senseless war. I will not bore you with some long, overdrawn speech, as I know you are all ready for battle. But know this. Never before have I fought alongside such a brave band of brothers. You are all true warriors, and I am honored to fight beside you today. Generals?"Antroz turned towards the Toa Mata, who stood next to him."Is everything ready?" he asked.Tahu saluted."We are ready to launch, Makuta," he replied."Very good. Toa," he turned back to address the crowd of warriors, "forward! To battle and to victory!""To victory!"The cry rose from the ranks as the Toa rushed for the sub pods. Within minutes, all were inside, the hatches were closed, and the pods began to pull out into the ocean. Antroz stood atop the sand dune until the final pod was floating out into the ocean. Once the last pod was out to sea, he strode down towards the ocean. As he walked, his form began to change. The bat-like wings that sprung from his back folded up and vanished. The claws that graced his hands and feet shifted into fins, even as a long finned tail grew out between his legs, and by the time he had reached the sea, his thick, angular body had become sleek and streamlined.From his pod, Pohatu watched as the Makuta leapt into the air and plunged beneath the waves."Say what you will about the Makuta and their obsession with shadow," he said, as he watched the Makuta propel himself past the submerged craft, "I've never met a better ally.""I couldn't agree more," said Ferrar, who was riding in the same pod. "A Tarakava may be ferocious, but those who befriend him have a lifelong companion.""Okay, I really must know," asked Kopaka from the back, as Pohatu piloted the craft forward, "who is this friend of yours who fed you all these riddles?"Ferrar chuckled."His name was Velika," he said. "He was a great inventor and a great friend. I knew him during my time on the Southern Continent. I was never always sure if his mind was all there, but he managed to help me through a number of scrapes.""Sounds like a fun guy," Atuuh said, as she sat next to Kopaka.Their craft continued forward, amidst nearly three score other sub pods. At the head of the formation was Makuta Antroz, followed closely by the pod carrying Lewa, Narthex, and a Toa of Fire named Vakai. Using Narthex's Kanohi Elda, the Toa of Sound was able to keep a lookout for any inbound enemies, and using Vakai's Kanohi Suletu, the Toa of Fire was able to telepathically relay the Makuta's commands to the rest of the squad."Okay, everyone!"Pohatu heard Vakai's voice in his head, and the looks on other's face told him he heard it, too."The Makuta says we will be approaching the drop-off soon. Everyone get their Kanohi ready and prepare to attack."Less than a minute later, the ocean floor disappeared as it dropped away beneath them. Following Antroz's lead, the squad of subs dove along the cliff face, heading for the sea plane. As they approached the bottom, they turned and began to follow the edge of the cliff, and within minutes, their target was in sight. A large set of crudely constructed buildings, almost three dozen in number, sat on the ocean floor, just beneath the cliff face. It was the Aquaton's base of operations. Based on the information that Amphibax had given them, they knew that King Rhestor was exceedingly confident in his security, thinking that the Toa could never find them, had posted no guard. As such, his army and all it had was sitting out in the open, a sitting Gukko of a target."All drop troops, prepare to descend," came the telepathic command.As they prepared for battle, Kopaka and Atuuh rose from their seats, switching their Kanohi for a pair of Kaukau. The Toa army had been granted nearly four score of the masks, thanks to the efforts of practically every craftsman on Huna Nui. The pair stood ready, one on each side of the bottom hatch, prepared to leap through it when the moment arrived. Within moments, the fleet of subs was above the Aquaton outpost. Ferrar readied his hand at the hatch's switch, and when the command came, he pulled it and the iris-like door on the floor opened."Go!" Ferrar exclaimed, and Kopaka and Atuuh were through the opening in an instant.A small amount of water splashed into the sub pod as Ferrar pushed the switch back and the door closed. As Ferrar nodded to him, Pohatu turned his sub and circled around the base camp. As they passed by the over the Aquaton's war machines, the two Toa of Stone reached out with the powers and triggered a rock slide that fell from the cliff face. Pohatu watched in slight amusement as the boulders fell in slow motion, the water hindering their fall, but the slower speed did nothing to stop the rocks' destructive potential as most of the war machines were caught up and destroyed.The battle was over within minutes, as the Aquaton's watery home proved to be their undoing, reducing their agility and strength, as well as their weapons' effectiveness. Toa of Water, Ice, and Lightning found their powers enhanced and laid waste to their unprepared enemies. Those placed at a disadvantage, such as the Toa of Fire and Plasma, commanded the sub pods, raining explosive pods from the vehicles."You know what I find odd?" asked Ferrar."What's that?" Pohatu replied."Why would all the Aquaton be here today? Why wouldn't their king leave some troops at their fortresses on the surface?" Ferrar wondered."Pure arrogance," Pohatu said. "Amphibax told us he was so sure of his victory, he decided to hold a ceremony today in order to crown himself king over the island.""Wow, talk about full of himself."Minutes later, the Toa gathered on the ocean floor, surrounding the Aquaton army. Makuta Antroz calmly approached them."Where is your king?" he asked.At first, no one moved."As a Makuta," said Antroz, "I have full rights to execute each and every one of you, right here and in the most horrific way I can think off, should I so choose. However, I am willing to spare all of you, if you will deliver your king to me, as I have been told he is the single person responsible for this atrocious conflict."At this, a commotion could be seen in the midst of the Aquaton crowd, with several beings pushing and shoving. Antroz thrust his way through the crowd, until he arrived at the scuffle. Looking between the now-cowering combatants, Antroz reached down and seized one by the sash he wore across his chest."You are King Rhestor," he said, repugnance in every syllable, "and you have invaded another region, without cause or reason. You have attacked defenseless beings and slayed those who have done no wrong. I could continue to read you your charges, but those crimes alone have netted you nothing short of death yourself.""P-please," stammered the ruler, trembling in the Makuta's grasp, "have mercy.""Certainly," replied Antroz, "as much mercy as you showed your troops."The Aquaton's eyes grew wide before a bloodcurdling scream erupted from his throat. Antroz's eyes and hands glowed with power as a dozen different energies coursed through the king's body. Mere moments later, his screams stopped, and his heartlight dimmed. Dropping the now-lifeless body, Antroz turned to the remaining Aquaton."Let this be a lesson to all of you," he said. "Those who show no mercy shall receive none. Now, you will all return to your home, and never return to this land. Should even one of you set foot on Huna Nui's surface, the full wrath of the Makuta will bear down on you and your entire tribe."As the Aquaton began to prepare for their journey, Pohatu smiled. Even in all this, the Makuta had shown them mercy. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned towards Ferrar."Hey Pohatu," he said."What?" Pohatu asked."It's time to get up.""Wha…? Suddenly, the mask before him changed from a brown Matatu to a red Hau as his dream faded away. Jolting upwards, Pohatu shouted in surprise. "Don't do that, Tahu!" he exclaimed. "Sorry, but it's almost daybreak," replied the Toa of Fire. "We should start getting ready." A yawn escaped Pohatu's throat as he rose from the ground and stretched. "Right," he said, "let's get this over with. * * * Review here.
  11. Chapter 17 Planning And Plotting * * * "As you are aware, we aren't native to Huna Nui," said Ziran. "I've told you about my past, but I haven't told you everything." "We would like to apologize for keeping you in the dark," continued Torbran. "Amongst our associates, there are rules regarding revealing ourselves to others." "You wouldn't happen to belong to the Order of Mata Nui, would you?" asked Onua. The others turned towards the Toa of Earth in surprise. Onua shrugged. "I'd been nursing the idea ever since I found out you two knew each other," he said, gesturing to Ziran and Torbran. "We met a pair of Order members a few millennia ago, on the island of Zedial, near the port city of Cerela." "Ha, ol' Zehntic and Junjii, eh?" Ziran chuckled. "I haven't seen them in ages." "So, you are of the Order?" asked Kopaka. "We are," said Torbran, "and we have lived on this island for the last fifteen thousand years. Before us, there were others, and others before them." "But why are you here?" asked Pohatu. "From what Zehntic told us, the Order of Mata Nui only sends its agents to important places." "I'm afraid we aren't at liberty to tell you, Toa," said Ziran. "The nature of our mission is somewhat…sensitive." The Toa nodded in understanding. They did not know an incredible amount about the Order of Mata Nui, but they knew that they were, without a doubt, allies, if a bit mysterious at times. "Thank you, friends," said Tahu. "You've been nothing but kind and helpful throughout this ordeal, and you saved our brother. I hope you will forgive me for doubting you." "The same goes for me," continued Kopaka. "We bear you no ill will," replied Torbran. "You had every reason to be suspicious of us." "And now that we have all that out of the way," said Pohatu, "maybe we can put our heads together and think of a plan to stop the Visorak." A few moments passed in silence as they all thought to themselves. Suddenly, Lewa jumped to his feet. "I've got it!" he exclaimed. "I think-know how we can bad-beat the Visorak!" "What's your idea?" asked Gali. "Okay, it's something like this…" * * * A slight breeze blew over the sand dunes on Huna Nui's southern shore, rustling the thin vegetation that sprang from the sandy soil. A thick mist sat over all, the sea, the shore, and the forest beyond, its presence reducing visibility to mere bio. With his back to a sand dune, Toa Kopaka peered out towards the sea, his Mask of Vision allowing him to see through the mist. A sharp cry on his left caused him to turn to see Pohatu holding one foot in his hands, while hopping about on the other. "Stupid rock," muttered the Toa of Stone, as he sat down beside Kopaka. The Toa of Ice chuckled at the irony of the situation. "You and Gali really outdid yourselves," said another voice. Kopaka watched as Onua and Lewa emerged into his field of vision and take his place next to the other two. "I don't think I've ever seen fog this thick," the Toa of Earth continued. "Nor I," replied Kopaka. "Thank you, Toa-brothers," replied the Toa of Air, a smile crossing his Kanohi Miru. The sound of water splashing caused them all to turn towards the sea. Activating his Mask of Vision again, Kopaka looked through the mist and spotted Sidorak's floating base sitting just offshore. On any other night, the stoic Toa would have gone white with fright, but on this particular night, Kopaka smiled. "They're arrived," he said. Moments later, he was greeted with the sight of Pohatu, Onua, and Lewa appearing before the ship, courtesy of the Toa of Stone's Mask of Speed. The three male Toa were soon joined by Gali and Ziran as she emerged from the sea and he dropped down from the ship's bow. By combining Gali's power over water and Ziran's telekinetic powers, the pair had moved the ship from its position out at sea to just off shore. Ziran had also taken over the minds of every creature aboard the vessel, holding them all in a form of mental stasis. Ziran nodded to the others, and they began to work. Stomping on the ground, Pohatu channeled his elemental energy into the bedrock of the island and called upon it to create a ring of rock surrounding the Visorak's ship. Once the rock began to protrude from the surface, Onua took his turn and dug his claws into the beach's sand, calling on the silt within it and that which coated the ocean floor to rise up around the ship. Within a few short minutes, the ship was held firmly in place within the newly formed mound. Finally, Gali and Lewa reached up with their powers and formed another cloud of mist that engulfed the boat, hiding the island from anyone aboard the ship. Satisfied with their work, the four beings turned from the scene and made their way back into the forest, picking up Kopaka along the way. Within a few minutes, they had arrived in a clearing a short way into the forest. There, Tahu sat by a fire. "Is everything ready?" asked he asked. "It is, indeed," said Ziran, as the others sat around the fire, "but where has our Naxan friend gotten to?" "Torbran left a few minutes ago to start on his part of the plan," replied Tahu. "He said he'd be back by morning." He turned to Onua. "Onua, will you take the first watch?" "Certainly," replied the Toa of Earth. "Everyone else, let's get some rest," Tahu continued. "We have a big day tomorrow." With that, everyone set about making themselves comfortable. Lewa leapt up into a tree and within moments was snoring as he sat on a branch, leaning against a tree trunk. Kopaka sat at the base of another tree, far enough that the heat of the fire did not reach him, but still close enough to be seen. Onua set up a bed of earth, before setting himself up to stand watch. Pohatu simply lay down on the ground and watched through half-lidded eyes as Tahu lay down next to Gali and wrapped his arms around her. A smile crossed the Toa of Stone's face. It was not often that those two were openly affectionate, but when they were, it was usually because there was danger about. "So, tomorrow's the big day?" Pohatu thought, as he rolled over on his back. "Reminds me of the day we ended the Aquaton War." As Pohatu drifted into the realm of slumber, his dreams were filled with that fateful day, so many years ago. They had many more allies on that day and had been fighting their enemies for much longer, but their goals were one and the same, to save their home from barbaric invaders and ruthless tyrants. As Pohatu fell asleep, his ears filled with the voice of Makuta Antroz, as he gave a speech to the gathered Toa army... * * * Review here.
  12. Chapter 16 Allies of All Sizes * * * Kopaka and Gali stood back to back as the Visorak surrounded them. "Any ideas sister?" asked the ice Toa. Before she could answer, Gali saw something shoot out of the marsh's muck and plant itself in between her and the Boggarak. She then noticed the long, powerful serpentine body of the creature and the half-dozen heads that swayed back and forth. "A doom viper?" she thought. Turning to look at Kopaka, she was astonished to see another doom viper was standing guard over Kopaka. As she looked on, the staring match between the vipers and the Visorak ended as the serpents struck. Aghast at the grisly sight, Gali suddenly saw one of the viper's heads staring back at her. It then motioned towards the shore of the marsh, before going back to feeding on the Visorak. "I don't know what's going on here," Kopaka said, "but let's get going, sister." "Yes, let's," she replied. And with that, the pair took off onto dry land, not even sparing a glance back at the gruesome sight behind them. * * * "Come on, Tahu," thought the Toa of Fire, "you've got to do something." Squeals of malicious delight emanated from the small squad of Roporak as they carried Pohatu along and echoed in Tahu's ears, mocking him as he crouched hidden behind a large rock. "I'm terrified of that ledge," he thought, "but there's got to be –" His thoughts were cut short by a loud buzzing that began to fill the air. Tahu's ears, followed shortly by his eyes, were drawn to a nearby ridge of rocks, and after a few moments, the source of the noise rose over the ridge. What at first seemed to be a cloud of reddish smoke swarmed towards Tahu, and as it got closer, he could make out just what it was comprised of. "Fireflyers!" he exclaimed. The cloud of insects swarmed around the Toa of Fire, until his vision was completely filled with the buzzing bugs. Growing more and more nervous at the sight of so many stinging insects, Tahu sat perfectly still and watched as more and more fireflyers began to land on his armor. Within moments, he was completely covered. Then suddenly, Tahu was struck with an unusual observation. "They're not on my mask or muscles," he thought. However, before he could make heads or tails of the bizarre situation, the buzzing increased exponentially, and he felt himself rising off the ground. A startled shout leapt from his throat as the thousands of insects that clung on his armor carried him out and over the ravine. His eyes squeezed shut until he felt solid ground beneath his feet again. He opened his eyes and saw that the insects had left his armor. They were now buzzing around the Roporak, the spiders swiping at the tiny insects with their feet and pincers. Tahu stood in awe for a moment, before seeing that the Roporak had dropped Pohatu was in the midst of the chaos. Not wasting a moment, the Toa of Fire rushed in and grabbed the cocoon, rushing away from the buzzing cloud of insects. Once he was a good distance away, Tahu pulled his knife from his pack and sliced through the thick webbing. "Are you alright, Pohatu?" he asked, pulling the strands apart. "Well, I can't move," said the Toa of Stone, "but besides that, I'm fine. How did you get me away from the Visorak?" Tahu gazed back at the still swarming cloud of fireflyers. "Well, I had a little help…Mind if we trade masks? I'll carry you back to Ziran's cave." Pohatu nodded, and Tahu switched their masks. As Tahu picked him up, Pohatu looked up at his brother. "Tahu," he said, in a sugary sweet voice, leaning his head on Tahu's shoulder, "you're my hero." Tahu guffawed at his brother. "Don't make me drop you," he said, a false note of hostility on his voice. And with that, Tahu took off with the speed of the Kanohi Kakama, still wondering about the day's strange events. * * * "So how did you know where Ziran's home was?" asked Onua, as Torbran pushed aside the false wall that hid the cave. "I have known Ziran for quite some time," said the Naxan as he carried the diminutive being into the cave. Onua said nothing as he followed the black and grey armored being. He emptied his pack, placing the vial of Visorak venom and the pouch of Takea scales on Ziran's stone table. Then, he sat down with a sigh, resting his tired feet and claws. A few moments passed in silence, until Torbran exited Ziran's bedroom. "Your brother Lewa has arrived," he said, as he strode out the doorway. Puzzled at how he could know this, Onua rose and followed Torbran outside, to see a phase dragon touch down just outside the cave, phasing through the trees as it did so. He gazed in wonder as he saw Lewa Hordika leap from its open claw and stood in sheer confusion as Torbran picked up a lava rat from the dragon's other claw, cuddling it like it was a pet. "You would not true-believe what –" Lewa's sentence was cut off when he saw the phase dragon give Torbran an affectionate nuzzle. "Who's Rahi-breath over there?" asked the Toa Hordika. "His name's Torbran," replied Onua. "He says he's a friend of Ziran." "At this point-time, I think I'd true-believe if you told me I'd sprouted a third arm-limb," Lewa replied. "So, where's our tiny-small friend?" "He is still resting." The two Toa turned to see Torbran standing behind them. "He will be waking up soon," he said. "So, who were those two?" asked Lewa. "The phase dragon is Rhohrer, and the lava rat is Eepiseek; both are very good friends of mine. I sent them after you just in case you needed some assistance." "Did you send anyone after the others?" asked Onua. "I did. I sent a pair of doom vipers after Kopaka and Gali." The looks on the Toa's faces made the Naxan chuckle. "Do not worry. Hizviss and Zalissic owed me a favor, and their favorite food is Visorak flesh." "Well, what about Tahu and Pohatu?" asked Lewa. "I sent Uzzizz, queen of Huna Nui's fireflyers, to help them. The last I saw of her, she was gathering a swarm of her soldiers." "You certainly have some connection-links," said Lewa. "That I do," Torbran replied. "Now, shall we prepare for your brothers' arrival?" * * * Torbran stood at the forge inside one of the rooms within Ziran's cave, concocting the mixture for the healing mask. In the next room, the Toa Mata were telling each other about the events that occurred since they had been sent out. Torbran's keen hearing picked up every word they said and smiled as he heard what his Rahi friends had done. He suddenly felt a presence in his mind, to which he replied. "So, you are finally awake?" asked the Naxan. "I am, indeed," came Ziran's mental reply. "Thanks for sending your Rahi friends after the Toa. I had a distinct feeling they would need some help." "I am glad I could put my talents to good use," replied Torbran. There was a moment of mental silence as a burst of laughter came from the main room. "So, do you think we should explain why we are really here?" asked Ziran. "You know the rules," thought Torbran. "Even revealing ourselves was stretching them." "I know, but we are going to offer our help, we shouldn't be keeping secrets from them. Who knows? Maybe they already know something about the Order." Torbran thought for a moment. "I suppose you could always change their memories if the need arises. Alright, we will tell them about the Order, but let us leave our true mission a secret for now." "Sure thing, but let's tell them after we heal Lewa. Then everyone will be in a good mood." With that, Torbran felt their mental link break, and moments later, he heard Gali exclaim from the next room. "Ziran, you're awake!" Torbran left the forge room and entered the main room, to find the Toa gathering around Ziran. "So, did we get everything?" asked Ziran. "We have gathered everything, friend," said Torbran, his voice causing some of the Toa to jump, "and I have made all the preparations. All that remains is for you to forge the mask." "Excellent," replied the Arlon. "Let's get to it." For the next hour, Ziran set in front of his forge, pouring, mixing, cooling, and hammering. When the mask was finally completed, Ziran emerged into the main room, holding the still-warm Kanohi in his hand. The room was silent with anticipation as Ziran handed the completed Mask of Hordika Healing to Lewa. The Toa Hordika cradled the mask in his hands, as though it was a fragile piece of pottery. Slowly, he placed the mask over his face and activated the Kanohi. The other Toa watched as the mask's energy began to spread, flowing out through their brother's body. Lewa spread out his arms embracing the healing energies of the mask as it continued to grow brighter and brighter. Finally, the light had grown too bright for the Toa's eyes, forcing them to turn away, and when at last, the light had faded, the Toa turned back towards their brother. There stood a restored Lewa, staring down at his hands. A gigantic smile was spread over his Kanohi Miru as he turned towards his brothers. "It worked!" he exclaimed. "I'm heal-cured!" As the Toa rushed to congratulate their brother, Torbran and Ziran exchanged glances, and Torbran nodded to his compatriot. "Hey guys?" called Ziran. "There's something we need to tell you." * * * Review here.
  13. Chapter 15 Rahi Rescue * * * "That thing's got Ziran," he thought. "I've got to save him! I've got to…" His thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected wave crashed into him. As it splashed over him and he fell backwards, a terrified cry leapt from his throat. In his panic, he clawed at the air above him and managed to breach the knee-deep water for air. As he crawled out onto the beach, shivering and gasping for air, he once again caught sight of the Takea's dorsal fin, the sight of which managed to refocus his fear-ridden mind. "I've just got to save him," he thought, "but how? I can't just swim out into open ocean." Suddenly, inspiration struck him like a thunderbolt. "What if it wasn't open ocean? Planting his claws in the silty sand of the shore, he summoned his elemental energy and willed it into the earth that sat beneath his hands and knees. Calling on the sediment that covered the ocean floor, Onua willed it to rise beneath the shark. Within moments, a new peninsula was growing from the shore and surrounding the Takea, and before long, the shark found itself stuck in a newly created lagoon. Satisfied with himself, Onua walked over to survey his handiwork. As he walked along the newly formed land bridge, he smiled. "Threat contained," he thought. "Now, how do I get Ziran away from that thing? The silt's too soft to manipulate very accurately, so…hmm." Moments later, he was again struck with inspiration. Holding out his claw, he pulled silt from the ocean floor into the water of the lagoon, until it was too muddy to see though. Then, he willed the silt to spin. Using each particle as a microscopic stirring rod, he rotated the water around the aquatic Rahi, spinning it faster and faster and faster. Within moments, a veritable whirlpool was spinning with lagoon, and it was not long before Onua spotted a white form floating to the surface. Releasing his control on the whirling silt, Onua rushed towards the now floating form of Ziran. Scooping him out of the water, he placed his ear against the diminutive being's chest. "Still breathing," he sighed. As a feeling of relief welled within him, Onua carried the Arlon back to the beach and willed his makeshift lagoon back under the water. As the Takea began to swim out to open sea, Onua laughed as he saw the zigzagged path it swam along. "I guess I made it really dizzy," he thought. Suddenly, he felt something strike him in the back, and an intense burning pain flashed through his body as his muscles locked up and he fell forward. As the pain caused him to cry out, he could see that a pair of Vohtarak had crawled from the pile of rubble that sat at the base of the cliff, and they did not appear happy. Onua watched as the spiders approached him, venom dripping from their expectant mandibles. Suddenly, a nearby sand dune exploded as something leapt from within it. It rushed at the Visorak with incredible speed, barreling into them as they screeched in surprise. Onua could not see what was happening, but from the sound of things, the Visorak were getting a severe thrashing. Before long, the shore had grown silent, and Onua felt something grip his side and roll him over. Staring down at him was a wolf-like creature, and while his muzzle and long limbs gave him a very Rahi-like look, the look in his eyes made it plain that this was no beast. "A Naxan?" thought Onua. "What's one of those doing here?" Wordlessly, the Naxan moved towards Ziran and bent down, placing its ear to the Arlon's chest. With a grunt, the Rahi-like being turned towards the cliff side and called out in a screeching, squalling voice that sounded like a bird call. Then, turning towards Onua, he came and sat next to the Toa of Earth. After a few moments of silence, Onua spoke up. "Thank you," he said, "for saving us." "You're welcome," replied the Naxan. "My name is –" the Toa began "Onua," interjected the Naxan. "I know." "Oh," Onua was taken aback, "and what's your name?" The Naxan paused for a moment before replying. "Torbran," he said, "my name is Torbran." Before Onua could voice another question, he heard a shrill cry from up above. Looking up, he watched as two Gukko descended to the sand beside him. Torbran stood and approached the birds, speaking to them in the same bird-like language he had heard before. After the three had conversed for a while, Torbran smiled, patting the birds' large beaks, and the pair took off into the sky. Torbran sat down next to Onua, once again falling silent. Onua cleared his throat. "Um, would you mind sitting me up?" he asked. "This is a bit uncomfortable." The Naxan nodded and grabbed a portion of stone from the rubble at the base of the cliff, setting it behind the Toa and pulling him to a sitting position. Once in the sitting position, Onua looked over at the Naxan. "So, I take it you can talk to Rahi?" he asked. "Yes, it is a characteristic of my species," replied Torbran. "And what did you…" "I asked Churip and Queesil to retrieve some plants for me." Onua's questioning glance caused the wolf-like being to smile slightly. "I am a healer, he said, "and know of a treatment for this kind of paralysis." A few moments passed in silence, as Onua looked back at Ziran. The Arlon was still unconscious, but his breathing was easy. "I hope he'll be alright," thought Onua. Another cry from up above alerted the pair of conscious beings to the return of the Gukko. The Rahi landed and deposited their cargo, a tree branch and a beakful of flowers, onto the sand. After thanking the birds and sending them on their way, Torbran set to work. He first pulled a bowl from the pack slung over his shoulder and dipped it into the ocean. Then, taking some of the flowers that the Gukko had brought, he crushed them and dropped the resulting powder into the water. He then stripped the branch of its bark and scrapped the bark's yellow insides into the mixture. Finally, he took a heatstone from within his pack and heated the mixture, until it turned a sickly green. "Here, drink this," said the Naxan. Lifting the bowl to the Toa of Earth's mouth, he poured the rancid-smelling mixture down Onua's throat. Onua grimaced at the taste of the liquid, but, unable to resist, he swallowed it anyway, hoping it would work. At last, the bowl was empty, and Onua's stomach felt terrible. "That is, by far, the worst thing I have ever tasted," he said. "You will probably have an upset stomach for the rest of the day," said Torbran, "but you should be able to stand up now. Try it." Slowly, Onua flexed his fingers, then his arms, and finally rose to his feet. The Toa of Earth smiled. "Thank you, Torbran," he said, "but why don't you give some to Ziran?" "As an Arlon, his body does not respond to herbal treatments," said Torbran. "But before you get too worried, he is currently in a state of healing meditation, a technique developed by the monks of Zorjic." "Interesting," said Onua. "Well, in that case," he shouldered his pack of Takea scales, "I suppose I'll carry him." "Allow me," said Torbran, scooping up the diminutive being. "We are going in the same direction." The Naxan dropped onto all fours, Ziran held in the crook of one long arm, and took off south for Ziran's cave. As Onua began tunneling in the same direction, he wondered about this new ally. "I wonder if he and Ziran are connected at all?" he thought. * * * Lewa jolted awake to a sharp pain running down the length of his body. Snapping his eyes open, he saw Sidorak and Elkana standing over him, stray sparks lingering on the Aviena's arm after the shock he had just given the Toa Hordika. Panicking at the sight of the pair, Lewa tried to struggle to his feet, but was swiftly halted by Sidorak's foot stomping on his chest. Lewa looked up and saw the Steltian elite's eyes and shivered at the malevolence that they radiated. "Thought you could spy on us, did you?" asked Sidorak. "No doubt trying to assist your Toa friends. Very noble of you, I'm sure, but before you encounter the oblivion of stasis, Toa, know this. No one, and I mean no one, has ever been able to stop my horde. Those who were not mutated were met with their deaths. Very long, gruesome, painful deaths. No one can stop my swarm's ferocity and ruthlessness, their cunning and hunger. Look around you, Hordika. Each of these Toa tried to defeat me, but they all failed miserably. Each of them watched their homes fall to my might, and in two days' time, you will, too." Lewa coughed under the heavy heel of the tyrant. "You're wrong, Sidorak," he wheezed. "Someone will sure-stop you. Even if it's not us, someone will bad-beat you someday." Both of the taller beings laughed at his words. "That's what they all say, Toa," chuckled Elkana, "and so far –" All further conversation was cut short as something leapt from atop one of the stasis tubes and latched onto Sidorak's face. Stumbling backwards, the tyrant grasped the wriggling form as it emitted a high pitched squeal and burst into flames. Moments later, as Lewa stumbled to his feet, an earsplitting roar echoed through the ship. Lewa suddenly felt something grab ahold of him and carry him straight through the wall of the chamber. He watched as the ship grew smaller and smaller as the ocean flew by underneath. Looking up, he was astonished to see the reptilian face of a phase dragon looking back at him, even as its strong claw held him aloft. Lewa chanced a glance at the dragon's other claw, only to see a lava rat hugging one of their bearer's fingers as they raced along. "Could this day get any more strange-weird?" thought Lewa, as the unusual trio entered the jungles of Le-Wahi. * * * Review here.
  14. Chapter 14 Traitors and Tears * * * "Are you sure you want to do this?" Pohatu stared at Tahu concernedly, as the Toa of Fire stared up the cliff face in front of him. "I'm sure, Pohatu," replied Tahu. "Really, because I know how you are about –" "Hey!" Tahu interjected, facing his brother. "Lewa has been mutated, and we could lose him entirely if we don't act fast. Do you think I'm going to let some little fear of mine get in the way?" Pohatu sighed. "Alright," he said, "but if you go into shock from the height, don't blame me." Grasping his brother's arm, Pohatu activated his Kanohi Kakama and rushed up the side of the cliff. Coming to a stop at the top, the pair found themselves surrounded by a patch of lush red-flowered Ghurza. Unlike most plants, Ghurza flourished in arid conditions, their thick stems serving to collect and store water for long periods of time. Their bark was notoriously hard to crack, but any creature that could manage to accomplish this feat would be rewarded with a tasty and satisfying meal from its insides. Ziran had sent Pohatu and Tahu to collect the Ghurza's spongy innards for use in creating his Hordika cure, and so, the pair had come armed with a sharp knife and large masonry jar that would hold as much of the sticky material as they would need. Brandishing the blade, Tahu sliced through one Ghurza's thick bark and pried it open enough to reach in and pull out a handful of Ghurza goop, as it was commonly called. "This stuff always looks so disgusting," said Tahu, as he dropped the green spongy goo into the jar Pohatu was holding. "It's hard to believe it tastes so good." Pohatu chuckled. "We can snack on it later," he said. "Right now, we need to get this for Lewa." Tahu nodded as he continued with his task. As the pair moved from plant to plant, extracting their green innards, Tahu could not help but wonder about the little creature that had sent them on their task. "I'm still wondering what an Arlon is doing here, of all places," he thought. "Well, he hasn't shown any signs of aggression, that's for sure. We'll just keep an eye out for anything suspicious." As they continued to work, Tahu was reminded of another time when he and his brothers had to accept help from a complete stranger. He could still remember the day the traitor had come. It was a few weeks before the end of the Aquaton War, and he and the other Toa Mata were conferring with Makuta Antroz over their next course of action in combatting the Aquaton invaders. * * * A loud bang reverberated through the room as the door flew open. The Toa Mata and Makuta Antroz turned as one to see a blue armored Aquaton thrown through the open door, skidding to a halt just short of the table they occupied. "What is the meaning of this?" asked Antroz as he rose to his feet, his wings unfurling menacingly. Toa Narthex and Ferrar appeared in the doorway, saluting to their commanders. "We found him sneaking around the fortress," said Narthex. "He said he wanted to speak with you, Makuta." Antroz eyed the prone being for a moment, before speaking. "Do you come under truce?" he asked. "Better," said the Aquaton as he coughed up a small amount of blood, "I'm here to help you end this war." After a moment, Antroz turned to Ferrar. "Release him from his bonds," he said. "I will not have a potential friend bound like some Rahi." Nodding to the Makuta, Ferrar's Kanohi Matatu glowed as he untied the Aquaton telekinetically. The Aquaton sat up and wiped the blood from his mouth, before rising to his feet. "What is your name?" asked Antroz. "Amphibax," he replied. "And you say you can help end this war?" "I did. My king, Rhestor, is nothing more than a power-hungry warmonger who rules through fear and intimidation. I know I'm not the only one who wants to turn and leave, but Rhestor has killed anyone who has voiced dissent. If he were out of the picture, I know that this war would end." "And why should we trust you?" asked Tahu. "For all we know you –" "Tahu," interjected Pohatu, "this might be the key to ending all of this." "No, he raises a valid concern," said Antroz, as he turned back to the Aquaton. "What reason have we to trust you?" "This," said Amphibax, pulling a stone tablet from his pouch. "This is a map of King Rhestor's base camp." He handed the tablet to the Makuta. "If you will grant me asylum, I will lead you there, and if you kill Rhestor, I will guarantee that we will leave you island for good." For a moment, all six Toa sat pondering the situation. I was against the Toa Code to kill another being, but before they could give it much thought, Antroz spoke up. "I am sure you Toa are concerned about keeping the Toa Code," he said. "Rest assured, should this plan succeed, I will see to King Rhestor's punishment personally. Now," he turned towards Amphibax, "tell us all you know." * * * Tahu's reminiscence came to an end as he scraped the last bit of goo from the last plant in the patch. Pohatu popped a lid on the jar and set it down on the ground. "Let me run over there," he said, pointing across the canyon, "and see if that patch is any good." Moments later, Pohatu had run down the cliff face, over, and up to the next cliff. As he began to pry one of the plant's bark apart, Tahu noticed something behind moving in the brush behind his brother. Before he could shout a warning, a Rhotuka spinner had flown from the undergrowth and struck Pohatu in the back. Fearing the worst, Tahu hid in the patch of Ghurza and watched as a Roporak emerged from the underbrush and proceeded to wrap up his brother in webbing. Once it was done, it let out a shrill cry, and moments later, Tahu saw half a dozen other Roporak appear atop a number of nearby rock shelves. "It's another scouting party," thought Tahu as he watched the giant spiders regroup around Pohatu. He continued to watch as they spun a ladder of webbing across a ravine, and the gravity of the situation stuck the Toa of Fire. "They're taking him to their master!" he thought. "I've got to save him, but…" As he walked towards the edge, his gaze transfixed on the point where ground met midair. He stood on the edge, looking down into the shadows at the bottom of the canyon. He felt his body begin to lock up, fear gripping his mind and unable to look away. Using all the willpower he could muster, he turned away from the edge. "I can't let them take Pohatu," he said. "But what can I do?" * * * "So, do you see any more around here?" asked Kopaka. He and Gali were knee-deep in the Ga-Wahi marshes, searching for Khisora. These aquatic plants produced unusual seed pods, which would heat under the twin suns and explode, sending its seeds in all directions. Ziran had sent them to collect these seed pods, claiming that they would help cure Lewa of his Hordika venom. "I think I see a few more over there," replied Gali. Calling on the water around them, Gali lifted herself and Kopaka out of the muck and moved them further into the swamp as they floated in her bubble of water. As Gali set the bubble down, letting the water flow away, the pair set to work gathering more seed pods. As they plucked the pods from their stems, Gali's thoughts were drawn to a particular memory of hers, when she had tried to rescue another pair of Toa. Not long after the beginning of the Aquaton War, Gali and members of her squadron had been sent on a mission to rescue two captured Toa, and as fate would have it, they were sent out on the day of Tahu and Gali's anniversary. The pair had been Vhalentain for millennia, but on this particular day, celebrating was the last thing on Gali's mind. * * * The sound of footsteps echoed in her ears, as she sat alone, her head bowed. The stone wall and floor of the fortress was cold on her back as she looked up to see Tahu peering around the doorframe. "Gali?" he asked, entering the small room. "Are you alright?" "I – I'm fine," she stammered, as Tahu sat down beside her. "Don't we have a meeting with the Makuta to get to?" she asked, starting to rise from her seat. Tahu caught her hand and looked up at her. "We're already through with it, Gali," he said. "We've been here for three hours." A ragged sigh left her throat as she slumped back onto the ground. She tried her best to keep her face blank, but from the look in Tahu's eyes, she could tell he was not fooled. "Gali, what's wrong?" he asked, catching her hand in his. Looking first at his hand, then at his face, she replied. "You know what today is, right?" she asked. "Of course, our anniversary, but what does that –" "This is not how I wanted to spend today!" Gali exclaimed. "Fighting a war and watching my friends get killed? Do you know why Amrit and Vhexx didn't come back with us? The Aquaton fed them to Takea sharks!" Gali watched as tears streamed down her mask, not caring how she appeared anymore. She felt Tahu place an arm around her shoulder, and she buried her head in his chest. Pulling his other arm around her, Tahu closed his eyes and sighed. "Do you think I wanted this either?" he asked. Placing a hand on her cheek, he looked her in eyes and continued. "When Mata Nui picked us for this duty, we knew there would be hardships along with it. This is one of them. And just because we miss celebrating one anniversary, do you think that's going to make me love you any less?" Gali shook her head in silence. Tahu smiled when he saw her still downcast expression. "Gali, I promise. When all this is over, we'll celebrate, but right now, the other Toa need us to be strong. I know it's hard, but, please, do it for them. Do it for me." One instant, Tahu was staring into her eyes, and the next, she had closed the gap between their masks and kissed him. At this, Tahu drew her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck. After a few moments, Gali broke the kiss and rested her head on Tahu's chest. "So, does this mean I'm forgiven for that fight the other night?" asked Tahu. Gali chuckled. "Oh no, not yet," she said. "You're going to have to do something extra special to make up for that." * * * Gali was jerked from her thoughts at the sound of hissing. Looking up, she saw half a dozen Boggarak emerge from the marsh, encircling her and Kopaka. Their eyes shone with a vicious light as they surveyed their prey. Gali readied her hooks and called on her energy, ready to strike at a moment's notice, but despite her outwards appearance, the Toa of Water was very nervous. "How are we going to get out of this one?" she wondered. * * * Review here.
  15. Chapter 13 Facing Fears and Finding Friends * * * "Remind me again why you brought me along?" asked Onua. The Toa of Earth stood alongside Ziran, as the pair of them stood on the shore of Onu-Wahi. At their back, tall stony cliffs rose towards the sky; in front of them, waves broke along the beach, small amounts of sea mist blowing in their faces. "Well, it's simple, really," replied the Arlon, looking up at his compatriot. "Tahu's not much use on a mission involving water. Pohatu knows his home terrain the best. Kopaka and Gali work best together, and Lewa is the only one who can fly. That leaves you to help me with this. Plus, your earth powers proved very useful in extracting that Visorak's venom." "But…I –" "Yes, I know," Ziran interjected. "You're deathly afraid of drowning. That's why I'm not asking you to come in the water with me. See that cove up that way?" Onua looked where the diminutive being was pointing. A few kio up the beach, there was an inlet that approached the cliffs. "I see it," said Onua. "I want you to meet me up there. Once I'm back, you can help me with the scales." With that, the Arlon levitated off the ground and flew out over the ocean. Onua watched Ziran for a few moments, before turning north and heading for the inlet. By the time he had arrived, Ziran was already there, accompanied by a rather savage-looking Takea shark. Onua paused at the water's edge. "I assure you," said Ziran, "I have everything under control. This fella's not going anywhere." "Well, if you say so," replied Onua. Hesitantly, Onua placed one foot in the shallow water, followed shortly by the other. A shudder ran through his body as he stood in place for a few moments. "You can do it, Onua," he thought. "There's no way in Karzahni that you can drown in knee-deep water." The Toa of Earth slowly moved towards the Takea, who sat in the water, seemingly unaware of his presence. It was then that he noticed the glazed look in its eyes and sighed, relieved that the creature was, indeed, under Ziran's control. Finally convinced of his own safety, he began to slide his claws along the Takea's side, when he was suddenly stopped by an unseen force. "Be gentle with it," said Ziran, as he telekinetically held Onua's claw in place. "Just brush your claw over it lightly, and I'll collect the loose scales." As he drew his claws across the sea creature, Onua sighed. "I hate having this fear," he thought to himself. "I can't count the number of times I've had to stay back from a fight, just because I'll end up quaking like a coward. I haven't been to Ga-Huna in decades, and I'm a disgrace to my team." As he stood there and scratched the shark's side, his thoughts turned to the first person outside the Toa Mata that he had ever confided in. When the Aquaton attacked Huna Nui, there had been an old Toa of Stone in Onua's squad. His armor was rusty in places and marked with the scars of numerous battles. Over his shoulder, he carried a hefty war hammer, and the eyes behind his Kanohi Matatu spoke of millennia of wisdom and experience. Three days after Makuta Antroz had brought the Toa to Huna Nui, he had assigned Onua and his squad to do reconnaissance near one of the Aquaton's strongholds that sat near the coast. * * * Onua, followed by nearly two score Toa, peered over a ridge near the coast of Onu-Wahi, gazing at the force field-encased wooden buildings that lined the beach. Motioning to one group of Toa, then another, Onua sent them off, flanking the complex. Then, nodding to one of the remaining Toa, he and the rest of his squad disappeared under a Mahiki-created illusion. Keeping low to the ground, they crept towards the complex. They had made it almost halfway through the valley that sat between the ridge and the Aquaton's buildings when one of the other Toa spoke up. "Commander?" asked the Toa of Ice. "What are those?" Onua looked where the Toa was pointing, and his eyes grew wide with dread. "Those are flood gates," he said, fearfully. A loud clank emanated from both sides of the complex, and the gates began to rise. "And they're opening right now." Before anyone had time to react, sea water flooded into the valley between the sand dunes and swept the Toa off their feet. A shriek of terror leapt from Onua's throat as the water threw him off his feet and forced its way down his throat. His world was spinning out of control as he clawed to regain his footing, but the raging water continued to toss him about like a Muaka, playing with its prey. Suddenly, Onua felt a force come over him and lift him out of the water. As he cleared the water, sputtering and shaking, Onua saw that Ferrar was lifting him by means of his Kanohi Matatu. Upon setting his commander on the solid ground, Ferrar rushed downstream to rescue any more Toa that he could. Up and down the now-rushing torrent, Onua's troops were helping each other out of the river of sea water. Onua, however, saw none of it; his mind utterly consumed by his all-too-vivid memories. Water, all around him, tugging and tossing, utterly unpredictable. Chilling him to the bone and forcing its way into his lungs. A pitiful whimper escaped his lips as he sat on the shore, shivering as much from shock as from his unexpected swim. It was a few minutes later before he heard a voice behind him. "Sir, everyone is accounted for," said Ferrar. "It would appear that this entire 'river' was made by the Aquaton. It seems that…commander?" Onua managed to gain control over his vocal cords, enough to stammer a reply. "Th-thank you, F-ferrar," he stuttered. "S-send someone t-to gather the…flanking groups. I'll…j-join you shortly." A moment of silence passed before Ferrar spoke again, an odd tone tainting his voice. "A Madu fruit may not appear to be a threat, but within it lies enough power to down a blade burrower." "Um, p-pardon me?" asked Onua. He turned towards Ferrar, but the Toa of Stone was already off to carry out his orders. In time, Onua got to his feet and followed him, meeting up with his soldiers downstream. By now, the water had stopped flowing, as the Aquaton's flood trap had filled up. By nightfall, the band of Toa had arrived back at their stronghold, a hastily constructed fortress that had been built by the Toa and their elemental abilities. After reporting the incident to Makuta Antroz, Onua made his way to the dining hall. Still shaken by the day's events, the Toa of Earth gathered his meal and moved to a vacant table in the corner. After a few moments, he heard a voice. "Commander!" Onua jumped and turned to see Ferrar approaching him. The Toa of Stone smiled as he arrived at the table. "I thought you looked a bit lonely," he said. "Thanks Ferrar," Onua replied glumly, "but I'd rather just be alone for now." "A broken disk cannot fix itself," replied Ferrar, the same tone he had used earlier filtering in. "Only another tool can heal it." Onua stared back at Ferrar, unsure of what to make of his statement. Upon seeing his commander's expression, Ferrar chuckled. "Forgive me," he said, "that's a habit I picked up from an old friend of mine. He tended to speak in riddles. Commander," he said, sitting down, "if I may be so bold. I couldn't help but notice your reaction to our unexpected swim today. I've fought in many battles and seen many wounds, both physical and mental, and it would seem that you had all the signs of a mental condition known as displaced fear." A moment of uncomfortable silence passed between the two. "Are you saying there's something wrong with me? That I am a coward?" Onua asked at last, more than a little perturbed. Ferrar shook his head. "By no means," he replied, "fear is a natural part of survival. However, it would appear that some traumatic event in your past has caused you to have a great fear of water. Someone afflicted with displaced fear will experience hallucinations, nightmares, and go into shock if exposed to a similar situation to that which triggered the disorder. Believe me when I say that I understand. I myself have suffered from a form of displaced fear for many years, and it is not a pleasant experience." By now, Onua's expression had softened, and he was deep in thought. "You are right," he said. "I have an incredible fear of drowning, ever since I was caught in a riptide and nearly drowned. Any large body of water now makes me quake, no pun intended. I've always just thought myself a coward for it. But, you say you experience something similar?" Ferrar nodded. "I was once nearly strangled by a hoard of bog snakes," he said. "Since then, I can barely bring myself to face anything serpentine." "Do you know of a cure?" "Unfortunately, there is no quick cure. I am no healer, but I have talked with many about this, and they all give the same answer. It's best to simply talk about it, especially with people you trust. I don't know how long you have had this fear, but I would suggest talking to your brothers about it. At least once things have calmed down." Onua smiled and extended his fist. "Thank you, Ferrar," he said. "Can I assume that my secret is safe with you?" Ferrar returned the gesture with a knowing grin. "Of course," he replied, "can't go around demoralizing the ranks, can I?" From them on, Onua was ever grateful for the nudge Ferrar had given him. They spent a lot of time together during the war, both wounded warriors, comrades scarred by the same affliction. Once the war was over, Onua had taken the time to talk to the other Toa Mata about his fear, which, in turn, led to Tahu talking about his fear of heights. And though neither of them was cured of their phobias, they were not nearly as severe as they had been in the past. * * * "I think that's enough, Onua," said Ziran, as he gathered the remaining scales that floated in the water around him. "Alright," replied Onua, "are you going to send this creature back into the ocean?" "I will. Just a mo – Aaaargh!" Onua whirled around to see Ziran collapse, falling into the water. He heard an energetic fizzling behind him and turned just in time to dodge a flying Rhotuka spinner. As he sprawled in the shallow inlet, he saw a half dozen red Vohtarak crawling down the cliff, chittering wildly. Leaping to his feet, Onua summoned a sphere of earth energy and fired it at the rock face. As it exploded, an earthquake began to shake the cliff apart and tumble down on top of the screeching Visorak. "Are you alright, Ziran?" asked Onua, as he turned around. He gasped as he saw that the Arlon was gone. Looking around frantically, he stopped when he saw a sharp dorsal fin slicing through the ocean, no more than twenty bio out in the water. Reality hit him like one of Gali's tidal waves. "That thing's got Ziran," he thought. "I've got to save him!" * * * Review here.
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