Chapter 1:

Krakua stood on Metru-Nui, gazing out into the sea.

“Helryx should have returned by now.” He muttered to himself and turned back to the staircase next to him, leading down into a series of secret tunnels and rooms, the base of the resistance.

Brutaka approached him, since his exile in the Pit he had mutated, but over the thousand years since then, he had managed to partially rebuild himself along with evolve to a point where he had a few sets of small lungs, working together as his normal lungs once had, as well as losing his spiked armor and dorsal fin along with the gills, “Any word yet?” He asked.

Krakua shook his head as he walked past, “No, and she went to see Gali two days ago. Do you think she’s dead?”

Brutaka was a bit surprised by how Krakua had ended the question, “No, she’s skilled enough; I don’t think she’s dead, though if she did die, it was most likely against Gali.”

Krakua turned to him, “You think she got past the Gate of Macku?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she did.” Brutaka sat down, “If only the Nuva hadn’t struck at Teridax in the end this wouldn’t have happened…” He muttered.

“They didn’t know! None of us did!” Krakua snapped.

“If we had known we’d have them all.” Brutaka cursed. “If Artahka would have stayed out of it!”

“Artahka didn’t know either!” Krakua yelled at Brutaka, “He thought he was doing the right thing, teleporting the Nuva to Teridax’s location after the Makuta invasion was wiped out, sending Takanuva away to be helped by a Klakk; he thought he was doing everything right.”

“Yeah, and then Teridax tore their minds apart like the monster he is, and out of spite restored their minds with darkness, just out of spite! Why couldn’t he just die like his precious Brotherhood?” Brutaka yelled.

A bat winged Rahi flew into the chamber and dropped off a small tablet to Krakua before flying off again.

He took it and Brutaka tore it from his hand and looked over it, “No.” He muttered.

Krakua took it and read it, “It’s from Helryx, I recognize how it was written, water beat the symbols in.” He said, but clearly Brutaka knew already as Krakua read, ““They are too strong in their realms, our powers are below theirs if we fight them in their kingdoms”. What does that mean?”

“It means you Toa are underpowered because of the Nuva’s armor!” Another voice snapped.

Krakua turned as the Dark Hunter leader emerged from the shadows, “It means that since the Nuva forged their kingdoms in their elements their armor makes them stronger, through adaptation.”

Brutaka swiftly drew one of his daggers and pointed it at The Shadowed One, “This is private.”

“I know, our so called leader is dead. How long could you keep that from the rest of us?” He asked.

Brutaka sheathed his dagger and brought up his double bladed sword, “Look, I don’t know why Helryx let you join us after blindsiding us once the Makuta were slaughtered, but she’s dead now which puts me in charge, so be obedient and quiet or die.” Brutaka growled.

“Fine. I don’t see why you should lead though, I led the Dark Hunters, I should lead.”

“Because Helryx and I were the only remaining members of the Order of Mata Nui, and with her dead, the leader of the Order and us, I take command.” Brutaka replied, tightening his grip on his blade.

Krakua walked between the two, “But Brutaka, you’re forgetting the servants of the Order, like myself and Umbra who survived.”

“All you are is as you said, servants, not members.” Brutaka replied.

Krakua took up the tablet again and looked it over carefully before, for some reason, triggering his Kanohi on the stone.

“Brutaka, this stone is sentient.”

Brutaka turned, “What?”

“It has a mind, not much of one, but one none the less. Do you think Helryx had something to do with it?”

A being with sleek black armor walked out, “Here’s her Kanohi, she left it behind.”

Brutaka took it, “Lariska, where did you find this?”

“Hidden behind some stones, she took another Kanohi though, I’m sure that brought the stone a mind with it.” Lariska replied before going back farther inside.

“Why would she do that?” Brutaka muttered to himself.

“Maybe as a message to me.” Krakua replied.

“What sort of message would she give you by just giving that a mind do you think?” Brutaka asked.

“Well, I think it means I should have more importance here, maybe she wants me to lead us now.” Krakua replied, tightening his grip on his sword in case Brutaka was furious at that statement.

“You lead?” Brutaka asked, “You’re a Toa, a servant of the Order. It should be myself, or even The Shadowed One who should lead.”

“At least give me a chance.” Krakua pleaded, “What if that’s what she wanted by giving this message?”

“Fine, try it for a few days.” Brutaka shrugged, “I’ll be here to take control again when you can’t handle it.”

“Helryx was a Toa, so am I, so you don’t think I can lead?” Krakua demanded.

“No, I don’t, but try.” Brutaka finished and walked inside.

Krakua sat where he was and thought about what to do first, “What would Helryx do?” He asked himself. He knew the Nuva were each in their own kingdoms and they wouldn’t dare attack Metru-Nui, even to destroy the resistance since it might kill Mata-Nui who was still asleep.

“Helryx apparently fought Gali and died, so they might get suspicious if someone else attacks Gali, so let’s attack another…Lewa.” He stood up, “That’s it!” He ran inside the rest of the base, knowing their first move.

Soon Krakua, Brutaka, Lariska and Lurker, all wearing cloaks of weed and fiber walked through the streets. They were full of Skakdi of many elements, all escaped Zakaz when the Nuva wiped them out shortly after taking their empires. Visorak, Matoran, Toa and Turaga of other elemental types such as gravity and sonics who tried to escape the Nuva’s attacks and ended up in the relative safety of Metru-Nui.

“Where are we going?” Brutaka demanded.

Krakua didn’t answer.

“Answer.” Lurker hissed, his stinger laden tails moving around, wanting to strike.

Lariska also remained silent and he wrapped one around her body, “You know where we’re going, now tell me!”

She relaxed and slipped out before hitting Lurker’s feet with a sweeping kick which put him to the ground, “Krakua trusted me with this information for a reason and I’m not telling either of you.”

“Why would he trust you?” Lurker hissed, standing and poising his tails to strike.

It had piqued Brutaka’s interest and he turned to listen to them better.

“Because,” Lariska said with a shrug, “I’m the only one here he can trust.”

Krakua stopped on the other side of Metru-Nui. They had waded through Visorak, many other species of Rahi, Skakdi, Vortixx, members of Sidorak’s and Krekka’s species, Toa, Turaga and Matoran of Gravity, Sonics, Lightning, Plasma, Iron and very few of the main six elements.

Krakua led his group into a small alleyway and crouched down.

The others joined him and Brutaka looked around, “Nothing, so why are we here?”

“Well, Gali should be suspicious if someone made it to her, so most likely she alerted her brothers so they’re all on alert. So, striking now would be expected, moronic and a complete suicide mission, exactly what they wouldn’t expect. So we’re recruiting.” Krakua explained.

He felt a blade to his back, “Krakua, I’m taking leadership. Your plan will have us all killed.” Brutaka told him.

Krakua stayed down, he knew he had allies, and as such Lariska leapt up, landed on Brutaka’s shoulders, and placed her daggers at his neck.

Brutaka knew he couldn’t strike Lariska down without Lurker and Krakua attacking him, and attacking Krakua would mean Lariska would kill him.

“Fine.” Brutaka dropped his blade and Lariska flipped off of him, “But what are we doing here? Who is there to recruit?”

“Helryx once spoke of a group made by an aquatic agent in case of emergency, to handle the everyday dangers the Matoran face. We’re recruiting them, I’m sure their leader will be happy to help, and here, hidden, their minds shouldn’t have been warped by the Nuva, they had no one to try to convert here, or so they thought,” Krakua gestured to the hatch he uncovered, “and as such, they didn’t convert this team to their side, or kill them either.” He opened the hatch, “Let’s go.” He dropped down into the darkness.