LostHead

That's fair. I encourage you not to give up! You'd be surprised how quickly you can improve.

I can see some potential here! For a first attempt, it shows a lot of promise. Mapping out a plot thread and cleaning up a bit will help you quite a bit. Excited to see where you go from here!

This was sweet! I quite liked it. The Toa Metru are woefully under developed, this was a nice glimpse at giving them some depth.

Part 5: Gali struggled as Krika’s blade drew close. The Makuta had pinned her to a tree with one spindly arm, and placed his other hand at her neck. “You should’ve taken my offer,” the Makuta said with a hint of regret in his voice, “there’s no hope for you now.” The Toa of Water simply smiled. “That’s what you don’t understand about Toa,” she shot back, “we tend to thrive when things seem hopeless.” Before Krika could respond, Gali aimed her blaster at his chest and fired a stream of water. In an instant, the Makuta was flung across, slamming into another tree. Gali kicked off of the tree and charged at him, only for her opponent to vanish just before she struck him. Once he was gone, she made a sharp turn, and sailed through the air towards her fellow Toa. * * * Lewa plunged his blade forward, but where his target had been moments ago, there was now nothing but empty air. “You’ll have to be quicker than that,” Antroz taunted as he reappeared behind the Toa of Air. * * * At last, six Toa Nuva and six Makuta clashed once more at the core of the universe. Blasts of light, shadow, and elemental energy fired all throughout the swamp. Suddenly, a bright light shone throughout the swamp, enveloping everything. Both Toa and Makuta alike ceased fire. Even the three blinded Makuta could feel a shift in energy, and hissed as the light singed their very armor. As soon as it appeared, the light was gone. The Toa’s vision restored, they looked to the east, and saw a newcomer approach. Antroz growled. “It’s him,” he muttered. He flew to his fellow brothers, anticipating the coming storm. Over the waters of Karda Nui, the newcomer, armored in gray and white, soared past at blistering speeds, firing bolts of light from his hands. The Makuta screeched, scattering to the wind and preparing to return fire. “Who is he?” Radiak asked from upon Antroz’s back. But the Makuta was silent, simmering in dread. The gray and white figure drew a staff and a blaster, firing one last ball of light before coming to a stop in midair. A faint glow surrounded him, betraying to those present the light energy that dwelled within him. The Brotherhood had all heard stories of this Toa, but only one had faced him before. The Toa Nuva flew past in formation, united once more, and looked to the new arrival. Tahu laughed. “Took him long enough.” At last, Takanuva had arrived. The Toa of Twilight hovered in midair, and locked eyes with his opponents. Hovering side by side with his fellow Toa, he finally entered the battle. “So,” he said, a slight grin spreading across his face, “anyone up for Kolhii?”

Part 4: In the distance, far from the conflict that had consumed Karda Nui, Toa Ignika watched the Toa Nuva do battle with the Makuta. The Ignika’s relatively new mind was racing with thoughts. It had only been an hour ago that Icarax had told the Toa about the mask’s true nature. Staring down at the water, the Toa examined his Kanohi mask, and confirmed his suspicions. The mask had changed from gold, into a dark silver, a sign he had just learned to be an omen of the Great Spirit’s death. His first instinct had been to rush to the Toa’s aid. But as he approached the battle, another thought came to mind, and he had darted out of the way of the chaos. Could he control it? The mask would dictate Mata Nui’s doom, after all, but the mask wasn’t simply a mask he wore. He and the mask were one in the same. If he truly was the Ignika, could he not simply halt the process? The Toa hovered above the swamp water in deep concentration, shutting its eyes tight as it tried to reach into the depths of its subconscious. Surely, he reasoned, if he tried hard enough, he could find what needed to be done in order to awaken the Great Spirit. And yet, nothing changed. For all the power Toa Ignika was bestowed with, he couldn’t find a way to awaken the Great Spirit on his own. Then what power? The thought plagued him. What must be done to awaken Mata Nui? In his solitude, the Toa stared down at his own two hands, and felt frustration. What he had not considered when creating a mind and body for himself, was how aggravating it would be to listen to one’s own thoughts. Doubt and fear clouded the once innocent Toa. He grunted, searching for what to do next. All he could hear in his mind was one question, over and over. Who am I? Ignika thrashed around in midair, using the limbs he had created to violently attack the air. His hands curled into fists, he attacked as though he was fighting for his life, but there was no enemy there to battle. Who am I? Clutching the mask in his hands, he let out a guttural yell. The sound had startled Toa Ignika. He had never heard himself, or anyone for that matter, make such a noise. He glanced down at his hands once again, perplexed at the existence he found himself with. He searched desperately for the words, and he at last vocalized the question that plagued his young mind. “Who… who am I?” * * * Icarax groaned as he dodged out of the way of a ball of light. Despite his renewed confidence, every action still pained him greatly. He moved gracefully, but not quietly, as he ignored the pain in favor of his opponent. After all, he reasoned, getting hit with the light energy would hurt a lot more. Opposite of him, the white and gray armored Takanuva flung his power lance forward, forming a new ball of light on the blade and twisting his body around to chuck it once more at the Makuta. The two had gotten into a rhythm; anything Takanuva threw, Icarax would dodge out of the way, allowing the ball to dissipate into the air before Takanuva began the cycle anew. It had gotten old after the third go around. The Toa of Light was on his eighth. “Come now,” Icarax goaded as he ducked below another ball of light, “surely if you were going to kill me, you could find a more straightforward method than this.” Takanuva scoffed as he created another orb of light. “I’m not going to kill you. Just defeat you.” Icarax laughed, and felt a stabbing pain shoot through his torso as he did. “Your precious Toa Code…” He cackled, and began sauntering towards Takanuva. The Toa of Light lowered his lance for only a moment, taken aback by Icarax’s actions. “Look what your code has done for me!” He gestured to his own body, placing his hands on his abdomen. Takanuva looked for just a moment, and saw what he had not noticed before. The Makuta’s armor was damaged, piercing his own organic material and scraping against itself. The gruesome sight gave him pause. “What… What happened to you?” “The Ignika happened to me,” the Makuta growled as he put all of his weight into another step forward, “the Toa saw more fit to torture me than end my life.” He grinned, locking eyes with the Toa of Light. “If you were merciful, you would kill me.” The Toa of Light was confused, almost frozen in shock. He hadn’t expected this. But despite his lack of action, the Makuta had made no attempt to attack. “Make the tough choice,” Icarax sneered. Takanuva grimaced, shutting his eyes as he pulled back his power lance. In an instant, he opened them once more and jumped back through the air. Floating above Icarax, he flung another ball of light at the injured Makuta, only for him to catch it on the blade of his weapon. Icarax laughed heartily, admiring the ball of light as it balanced on the tip of his blade. “Oh, now we’re talking…” With a ferocious roar, he flung the ball back to Takanuva, and shot up into the air. Takanuva simply reached out a hand, and caught the ball. The two opponents hovered in midair opposite each other, preparing to strike. He flung forward the ball once more, only for Icarax to strike it back with his weapon. Takanuva hit the ball in midair with his power lance, exerting more force this time, only for it to land in Icarax’s clutches. “Come now,” the Makuta goaded, “you can do better.” Growling in frustration, Takanuva made a new ball of light and darted forward towards his enemy. Spinning through the air, he flipped forward and flung the ball off of his lance, aiming square at Icarax’s chest. Months before, a similar attack had managed to defeat Makuta Teridax. But as he would remember, this was not Teridax he was facing. Icarax seemed unfazed, save for a light grunt as he caught the ball and tossed it upwards, only to fly up and strike it back down with his weapon. The ball was now directly above Takanuva, and heading downwards fast. Before the Toa of Light could react, it struck him in the head. The impact was only a minor annoyance, but it only angered Takanuva further. Icarax returned to the stone ledge, clenching his jaw as he felt his body ache from the landing. It pained him to do so, but he took the opportunity to laugh at the Toa. “A Toa of Light, hit by a Kolhii ball of his own element. Is this truly the best I could take on?” With a roar, Takanuva dove straight towards Icarax, pulling back his lance. In an instant, he landed his right foot on the Makuta’s chest, and kicked him to the ground as he landed on top of him. Icarax should have had fear, but only smirked, wincing as the Toa of Light pressed his foot into his chest. “Now we’re talking,” he managed to grunt before Takanuva placed the bladed tip of his spear at the Makuta’s neck. “Shut up,” Takanuva said, “or I’ll pry your master’s mask off of your corpse.” “Oh? Such promise of power. You wouldn’t dare.” “Try me.” Eyes blazing with fury, Takanuva let the power lance drop to the ground. Clenching his fists, his right hand began to spark, as wisps of shadow energy traveled through his body. Raising his arm, he began forming a ball of shadow in his hand, but stopped at the sound of Icarax’s laughter. “YES!” The Makuta coughed between cheers, his metal armor groaning as he brought his hands together to clap. “This is the result of my efforts! My prize!” The Toa of Light leaned down and wrapped his shadowy fingers around the Makuta’s neck. Raising him up to eye level, he let the energy pulse into Icarax’s body. “What are you talking about?” Icarax choked. “The shadow leech, of course. Who do you think deployed it?” Through interrupted breaths, he managed a cackle. “I created you, Takanuva. You are what I made you, Toa of Twilight. Embrace it! This is who you are!” Takanuva loosened his grip ever so slightly, as Icarax’s words sank in. “You will help me,” the Makuta continued, “we can destroy Teridax together! I will rule… and you will be my top enforcer. My agent of death, my right hand… my Toa of Shadows.” With a great struggle, he raised a hand towards Takanuva. “For so long, you have sought belonging. This is it. This is your destiny.” No longer able to face Icarax, the Toa of Light allowed his opponent to drop to the stone floor. Staring at his own right hand, still crackling with dark energy, a question once again tolled in Takanuva’s mind. What have I become? “I know it, Takanuva,” Icarax said as he slowly rose to his feet, “you yearn for more. You want power, to destroy your enemies once and for all. I can give you that.” The Toa of Light fell to his knees, staring down at the swamp below him. He said nothing, his mind racing with possibilities. “We share an enemy in Teridax.” Icarax seemed almost disgusted as he said the name. “He is powerful, yes. But with our forces combined, we can end him.” Takanuva didn’t look at Icarax, but scoffed. “Yeah… and place you on his throne.” Slowly, he turned his gaze to the Makuta. “You’re all the same. Spineless traitors.” “Yes, I desire power, Takanuva. That is natural. Achieving power is the destiny of all beings. Let me help you find yours.” The Makuta seemed oddly sympathetic as he outstretched his hand. Silently, Takanuva rose to his feet, locking eyes with Makuta Icarax. "I…" he searched for the right words. "I don't know who I am." Icarax smiled wickedly, but was interrupted before he could speak. "But," Takanuva continued, "I don't need you to tell me that." He picked up his power lance once more, and pointed the blade at the Makuta. "My destiny is my own." Icarax at last let his hand drop. With a snarl, he prepared his own weapon. "Without me, your destiny is nothing." The Toa of Light did not respond, only flying up into the air. Lining the Makuta in his sight, he aimed his skyblaster, and fired a blast of light energy at the rocky ledge. In an instant, the blast collided with the stone, and the cavern groaned as it began to collapse. Icarax darted to the side to avoid the collision, but his escape was just as quickly halted as the rocky debris struck him in the back. Fallen to the surface, the Makuta screamed as he attempted to scamper back into the air, but his efforts were worthless, as the cavern, with him on the ledge, collapsed into the swamp below. In the sky above, Takanuva watched as his opponent disappeared into the collapsing rock. It wasn't the first time he had watched a Makuta seemingly die by his hand, and he suspected that, like last time, this wasn't the end. He began to descend to search the wreckage, but stopped himself. His mind thought of Gali and Pohatu, and the other Toa Nuva still fighting the Makuta. The swamp was still loud, the sound of battle echoing throughout. My friends, Takanuva thought to himself, I’ve left them alone for too long. Against himself, he departed the fallen cavern, and the possible grave of Makuta Icarax, to aid his friends in battle. But even as he flew through the air once more, he thought back to the many worlds he had traveled through. Any decision, he knew, could create an alternate outcome. Had Matoro failed to save the universe, had Nidhiki sided with Tuyet against Lhikan, he had seen a world for both of these alternate paths. It occurred to him that, somewhere in the multiverse, there was a world where he had accepted Icarax's offer. His mind couldn’t help but wonder, what would have happened if he did? What scared him the most, was how close he came to finding out. * * * Icarax screamed in pain as he dragged himself up onto the top of the newly created pile of rocks at the floor of the swamp. His weakened and cramped armor scraped against stone as he clawed his way upwards. At last, he reached the top of the small mound, collapsing on his back to lay down. Once he had caught his breath, the Makuta screamed out into the air again. Not out of pain this time, but rage. He had taken a gamble on his second visit to Metru Nui. When he had traveled there only weeks before, he quickly retrieved the Kraahkan and departed, only briefly seeing the Toa of Light. He had wanted to fight Takanuva, but Teridax had given him strict instructions. That time, he obeyed. On his second trip, he was tasked with deploying a shadow leech onto a Matoran who was loyal to Teridax, a Po-Matoran by the name of Ahkmou. The Matoran had worked as a double agent for the Makuta for years, first working to bring the Great Disks to Nidhiki and Krekka, then delivering Teridax’s poison unto the people of Po-Koro through infected Kolhii balls. Simple acts of treachery, but more than enough to prove his loyalty. The leader of the Brotherhood had decided he was long overdue an appointment to the legion of Shadow Matoran. Icarax, though he didn’t voice his thoughts, disagreed. The Shadow Matoran were useful, yes, but the thought of a Toa of Shadow to call his own was tantalizing. One of his fellow Makuta had once spoken of summoning corrupted Toa of Light from other dimensions to use as soldiers. But with Takanuva, Icarax had thought, I could achieve that goal within my own dimension. So the Makuta instead deployed a shadow leech into the Archives, where he knew that the creature would surely be able to find Takanuva. Once his job was done, Icarax returned to Destral, and waited patiently. But when he had finally met Takanuva in Karda Nui, the Makuta was severely disappointed. The Toa had changed, yes, but something must have interrupted the transformation. He still had far too much light in him. Icarax’s efforts to complete his corruption had been in vain, leading the Makuta to a rocky grave at the bottom of the swamp where he now lay. He screamed once more, thrusting a clawed fist into the air. His gamble had failed, and now all he had accomplished was creating a Toa of Light with slightly less reservation about killing. But he left me alive, thought Icarax, and a smile spread across his face. I still have time to make him regret it. His hope renewed, Icarax turned his gaze toward the Codrex. As he at last rose to his feet, he considered the Plan Teridax had laid out, and reminded himself of what needed to be done. Make the future begin, he echoed within his own mind.

I know I'm quite late coming to this, but I really love this story. Krahka is a fascinating character that goes quite underutilized in the story, and you've done a lot with her. The usage of terms from her language is a unique approach I don't see often, and it does a good job of conveying how she yearns to fit in with the top dwellers. And Takua was a fun appearance to have. The Cataclysm scene was well done, as well. I love seeing different perspectives on major canon events. Overall, a really well done vignette into Krahka's downtime between books.

Thanks you so much! I'm glad you liked it, I really wanted to capture the vibes of the Legends books. In Hahli's chapter, that is actually meant to be Ta-Wahi. She and Macku have returned to the island above, as we learn she suggested at one point in the books. I realize looking back that having them get all the way back to Mata Nui may have been a bit much of a stretch, so I may revise that at some point. You also make a good point about Onepu. Given that he's more or less Jaller's equivalent in Onu-Koro, it would have made a lot of sense to acknowledge him. I'm so glad you enjoyed!

Review thread for A Simple Game of Kolhii, a canon compliant storyline taking place during Bionicle Legends 11: The Final Battle. Please leave any constructive criticism or reactions! Story is found here: https://www.bzpower.com/topic/35593-a-simple-game-of-kolhii/

Part 3: As Takanuva skimmed the surface of the water, he found himself contemplating the events of the past hour. Since arriving in Karda Nui, he had mistaken Gali for a murderous warlord, fought against a swarm of angry insects, and had his friends question if he was their sworn enemy. Overall, he had experienced better days. Now, he found himself traveling with Gali and Pohatu, heading straight into the final battle. With the Makuta’s defeat, the Toa would finally be able to awaken Mata Nui, and the struggle of one thousand years would finally be over. With so much pressure on the upcoming battle, Takanuva couldn’t help but be nervous. For a moment, the Toa of Light turned his gaze to the sky, and skidded to a halt once he did. Up above, in one of the towering caverns that adorned the sky of Karda Nui, he saw a figure he recognized all too well. A crimson armored warrior, wearing the Mask of Shadows that once belonged to the Makuta of Metru Nui. It had been mere days ago that he had seen this figure flying above the Silver Sea, and it was a sighting that had changed Takanuva’s life. He had spent months believing that he had successfully defeated the Makuta, and that his destiny was fulfilled. Now, eight Makuta swarmed the swamps, the Great Spirit was dying, and he was no closer to knowing his destiny than before. But maybe, he wondered to himself, it lies with him. The other Toa hovered nearby Takanuva, having come to a stop when they realized he was not with them. Gali slowly approached him. “Takanuva, what’s wrong?” The Toa of Light didn’t respond for a moment. His attention was solely devoted to the black and red warrior up above. Why is he just standing there? Whoever this mysterious figure was, he knew that he couldn’t leave this alone. Pohatu glanced upwards, and saw the figure Takanuva was looking at. “Him?” he asked, trying to get his attention. “I had a run in with him earlier. Hadn’t seen him in a while, I thought maybe he was dead.” “He’s not,” Takanuva replied plainly, “I’m ready to fix that.” He began to fly upwards, but a hand gripped his arm, and stopped him. Turning back, he locked eyes with Toa Gali. “What do you plan to do?” she asked him with a vague sense of innocence. “I plan to finish what I started back in Mangaia,” the Toa of Light replied, “I’m going to end this.” “Him?” Pohatu asked again. “Takanuva, that’s not our Makuta.” “He’s a Makuta,” he snapped back, “that’s enough.” “Please,” Gali said, “I’m not going to stop you from doing this. I only ask that you think this through.” This gave Takanuva pause, but only for a moment. He gave an understanding look to both of his fellow Toa. “I know I’ve changed,” he said, “I know my darker side may come through. But I’ve thought this through. This is what I need to do.” Gali and Pohatu looked at each other, and communicated through just a single glance. There was unease, but the two came to an acceptance. “Okay,” Gali said, “then go up there.” Takanuva nodded, closing his eyes for just a moment. “Thank you, Gali. Pohatu. Go help the others, I’ll come help as soon as I can.” “Be careful, brother,” Pohatu said, “but give him a good fight for me. I… was interrupted when I tried.” The Toa of Light let himself laugh quietly. “I will. Promise.” He turned to Gali, who nodded to him softly. “Best wishes, Chronicler. I hope that when this is done, we will stand together again.” “We will, sister. I’m sure of it.” With one last look to one another, the two Toa Nuva watched as the Toa of Twilight rose through the air, and soared in the direction of the crimson armored Makuta. * * * Under the Mask of Shadows, Icarax's crimson eyes surveyed the battle below. He hadn't expected any to die, not yet, but he would count any casualty as a benefit to him. After all, he needed to be prepared to make an enemy out of any who were present. For a moment, he weighed his options. The Toa Nuva undoubtedly would oppose him should he come to rule, but they didn't concern him. After all, it wasn't that long ago that he had nearly wiped them out on the island of Karzahni. If they fell so easily when united, then he had no doubt he could divide them, and pick them off one by one. His fellow Makuta were an issue, mainly because without any of them, he would have no Brotherhood to rule. Teridax had been able to sway the others to his plan with little opposition. If he wasn't able to do the same, he would need to prepare for war. He chuckled. "I'll admit, though, I had never prepared to face a Toa of Light." Takanuva stood just across from him, waiting at the mouth of the cavern. When he had landed moments ago, he hadn't expected to have been detected by the Makuta, but it was clear that he knew of his presence. As Icarax at last turned to face Takanuva, he spoke once more. "I must say, it's almost surreal to meet you in person. Well, up close, that is." The Toa of Light didn't show any reaction in his expression. "I've seen you before," he said pensively, "back in Mangaia. I saw you." "And I you," Icarax smiled, "did I leave an impression?" The hint of a smile appeared on Takanuva’s face. "I mistook you for someone else." The Makuta stifled a laugh. "You thought I was Teridax?" "Is that his name? Teridax, the Makuta of Metru Nui…." His smile faded. "When I defeated Teridax, I had thought he was the only Makuta. You proved me wrong." "And proved that your greatest accomplishment was a lie," Icarax said back, seemingly enjoying himself. "I am Makuta Icarax, living proof of your failure." "Yes," Takanuva replied, "a failure I intend to correct." He held out his left hand, and formed a ball of pure light. At once, he caught it on the bladed tip of his Power Lance, and balanced it in place. "Care for a game of kolhii?" Icarax chuckled. "So that rumor was true. Very well." He drew his own weapon, and assumed a battle stance. "But first, I must ask. I've noticed your transformation, what you have become. Caught between two worlds, a Toa of Light and a Toa of Shadow. So I ask, which will you fight me as? Light, or Shadow?" Takanuva gritted as he bent his knees, preparing for action. "I'll fight you as me, Icarax. And I'll finish what I started back in Mangaia." With that, he flung forward his powerlance, sending the ball of light traveling through the air. The game had begun. * * * “Focus up!” Antroz shouted to his companions as he fired his Nynrah Ghost blaster in the direction Radiak had indicated. To his left and right, Vamprah and Chirox stood beside him, following the guidance of their own Shadow Matoran riders. “This ends today!” Chirox roared. Vamprah said nothing, only leaping from the tree branch the three were perched upon and sailing forward, following Gavla’s guidance. “Three Toa, down below,” the Shadow Matoran warned. “Fire, Ice, and Air.” The Makuta nodded, and flung forward a blast of shadow. When he heard the blast make an impact, he dove down at once. Vamprah landed on a tree branch on all fours, piercing his bladed wings into the tree on either side of Toa Tahu’s head. The Toa of Fire struggled, but his efforts soon dwindled as Vamprah activated his mask. Within moments, the Toa was drained, lying limp on the tree branch. “Now,” said Gavla, “we finish him.” The Makuta growled. He said nothing, but rose up into a standing position above the Toa. Once he was directly above the Toa, he deployed a Tridax pod from his chest, and waited as the pod fell towards Tahu. And just as quickly, it was incinerated by a ball of light. “What?!” Gavla cried. Vamprah would have noticed the light energy nearby, but Gavla’s exclamation confirmed the truth. Hissing, the Makuta beat his wings and took off into the sky. “Hey!” A voice the Maktua recognized shouted through the swamp. “I’m not done with you yet!” Gavla turned her head in an instant, and watched as Toa Pohatu and Toa Gali charged through the air at the Makuta and Matoran duo. “The other two,” Gavla said to Vamprah, “they’ve-” Vamprah said nothing, but struck a blade into the tree, interrupting his rider’s thought. At once, he flew in the direction of the two Toa, and drew back his claws. He flung them forward, only to find them blocked by metal. “I’ll take care of this one!” Pohatu’s voice called to Gali, “You go check on Tahu!” As the Makuta and Toa’s weapons clashed, neither were able to use their ability of flight, and the two plummeted as they fought. Pohatu managed to land a foot square on Vamprah’s chest, and kicked off, using his now free rotors to rise into the air once more. Vamprah quickly circled back once he was free, and gave chase to the Toa of Stone. * * * Tahu Nuva had seen better days. As he lay on the tree branch, drained of his energy, he thought back to one of his last days on the island Mata Nui, being struck down by the Rahkshi Lerahk. Its attack had poisoned him, and he had been too proud to seek help, leading to his eventual corruption. He had grown since that day, and now would’ve gladly asked for help if he was able. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find the strength to do so. As he watched Pohatu clash with Vamprah in midair, he briefly wondered how long his fate would last. Would his energy continue draining, until he had no more left to live? Or would he recover, and shoot back into the fight? His answer came in the form of a hand on his chest. It took all of his effort to look up, and meet the eyes of his fellow Toa, Gali. “Take it easy, brother,” she said softly, “you’ve been drained pretty badly.” As she spoke, water coalesced around her hand, and soothed Tahu’s singed tissue. “Gali…” the Toa of Fire coughed, “you’re… okay…” “It’s you I’m worried about. Hold still…” As she spoke, the water she manipulated moved through Tahu’s body. As it soaked through his armor, he felt his energy return to him, and his strength returned. Before long, he rose to his feet once more. “Thank you, sister,” he said as he placed a hand on his chest.

Part 2: Pohatu had taken quite a liking to his new Adaptive Armor. Courtesy of Artahka, the new tool had been used to grant the Toa appropriate equipment for whatever environment they had found themselves in. For the swamps of Karda Nui, the Toa of Stone had been granted a specialized visor, and a propellor blade on each hand. It had taken him some time to learn how to fly, but now that he was an expert at the craft, he couldn’t get enough of it. As he bobbed back and forth through the air, he glanced at his two fellow Toa. Gali was also equipped with flying equipment, a pair of rocket boosters on her ankles that allowed her to fly. Takanuva had been through a number of changes since the last time Pohatu had seen him, but as far as the Toa of Stone could tell, none of these changes seemed to involve any flying equipment. Despite this, the Toa of Light flew anyway, propelled by seemingly nothing. Pohatu reminded himself to ask about it when he had the chance. The trio had only been flying a few minutes when Gali spotted something down below. From behind a massive tree, a swarm of flying creatures swerved towards them, buzzing angrily. Half a dozen insectoids, each about one and a half bio high, flying close to the surface of the swamp. Each of them possessed four arms with a stinger on the end of each, as well as a ferocious tail, and massive wings. “What are they?” Takanuva asked. “I heard they’re called Niazesk,” answered Pohatu. “Some little pets of the Makuta who got transformed somehow into the big pests you see. Better off staying away from them, they’re –” An angry buzz interrupted him. The swarm of Niazesk had noticed the three Toa, and were heading towards them. None of them had encountered one of these creatures before, but it was easy to tell that they were angry. “We don’t have time for this,” growled Pohatu. He used his power to create massive blocks of stone, and chucked them down at the approaching Niazesk, but the insects were too swift for his attacks to land. Gali took down one with a water burst, but they were closing fast. Watching his friends struggle, Takanuva drew his breath, and started to lower his staff to use a light blast against them. As he charged light energy through his staff, he paused for just a moment. He wasn’t sure what kind of power these beasts had, and if his light power would be effective on them. Watching as the insects swarmed his fellow Toa, he made up his mind. Raising his right hand, Takanuva felt the energy crackle as pure shadow moved through him. Letting go, there was almost no feeling at all as a ball of shadow released from his palm. Rocketing through the air, it split into several different blasts, each one striking a Niazesk instantly. Within moments, each of the insects reeled in pain, and plummeted down to the waters below. Takanuva flew over to his friends, hoping to celebrate his victory. Instead, all he saw was fear in their eyes. “What… what was that?” asked Pohatu, slowly raising his blaster. Takanuva took note, somewhat shocked that Pohatu would aim at him. “There have been some… changes,” he answered. “So I see,” said Pohatu. “I wondered whether the Makuta of Metru Nui was still alive, and if so, where he had got to – I guess I know now, don’t I?” Takanuva’s jaw dropped. He had expected to have to explain his new state, but he hadn’t expected this. “Are you crazy?” His eyes widened as he stared at him. “You think I’m a Makuta?” “Well, you don’t look much like a Toa of Light,” the Toa of Stone replied, his weapon still aimed at Takanuva. “And we’ve all been fooled by Makuta before.” Gali looked from Pohatu to Takanuva pensively. Even she was showing some doubt, much to Takanuva’s dismay. And considering my appearance, who can blame her? he thought, desperately wracking his mind for a way to prove himself. “If you’re really Takanuva, then I’m sorry,” said Pohatu. “But if you’re not, all of our lives aren’t worth a widget. So I’m giving you to the count of ten to tell me why I shouldn’t skyblast you out of existence. One… Two…” Takanuva searched his mind for some way to convince the Toa of Stone of who he was. His Kanohi was an option, of course. It not only held the power over physical light, but it could also influence the light of one’s spirit. If he desired, he could use this to change Pohatu and Gali’s tune. But something seemed wrong about manipulating his friends in such a way. “Three… Four…” He continued to sift through his memories. On the island of Mata Nui, he had aided Pohatu in fighting a Nui Jaga that had infected Po-Koro’s Kohlii balls. Perhaps he would remember? Then again, Takanuva reconsidered, we were knee deep in one of Makuta’s caverns at that time. Doesn’t prove much. “Five… Six…” Pohatu looked almost sympathetic, but didn’t lower his weapon. Takanuva found himself wishing he had spent more time with the Toa Nuva before they left for Voya Nui. What memories could he recall? What was something that only Pohatu would know about, that a Makuta wouldn’t?” “Seven… Eight…” Of course! The answer was so obvious, the Toa of Light felt stupid for not thinking of it earlier. He had no memories to give to Pohatu, but thanks to help from Toa Helryx, Takanuva had seen some of Pohatu’s own memories. “Nine-” “What’s a Toa?” Takanuva suddenly shouted. Pohatu paused in his countdown and looked at him. His face was puzzled, but Takanuva noted the slightest hint of relief. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “The first time you woke up on Daxia,” he said, the words tumbling out of his mouth in haste. “You were told you were a Toa, and your response was, ‘What’s a Toa?’ There were no Makuta there, so how could one know about that?” “That’s true, but there’s only one problem,” said Pohatu. “You weren’t there either.” “But I saw it,” he insisted. “I saw your creation, your training, I saw the team fighting avohkah here, and I saw the storm… that’s why I’m here.” An idea struck him. He turned to Gali. “Remember, last year, when I was still Takua the Chronicler? You forged a mental link with me so I could see what you saw when you fought Makuta. Do you think you can do it again?” Gali remembered. During the Toa’s first fight with the Makuta, she had linked her mind with Takua’s in order for him to chronicle the events of their battle, as he and his company defended the Kini Nui from Makuta’s Rahi. The link had been severed, of course, but could it be restored? “Don’t do it,” said Pohatu. “Makuta would just love to get inside your head.” “She has to, it’s the only way.” Takanuva took a deep breath. This was his last resort. “She has to look inside my mind. If she doesn’t like what she sees… you can kill me dead, right here.” Toa Gali shut her eyes. After a few moments, Takanuva felt the unique sensation of her mind reaching into his. For an instant, he could see himself through her eyes, a feeling that was oddly nostalgic for him. It was as though he was watching his own memories from an outsider’s perspective. He stood side by side with the Toa of Water as they witnessed Takanuva’s attack from a shadow leech, his meeting with Toa Helryx, and his journeys throughout the various parallel worlds. All at once, he felt the link snap as she pulled away. Lunging, Pohatu reached out and grabbed her to keep her from falling. “Amazing,” she said softly as she recovered from the vision. “A place where Mata Nui died… another where the Toa rule as dictators… your journey here was… eventful, Takanuva.” “Then he is –?” asked Pohatu. “He is,” confirmed Gali. “Darker, perhaps, and not quite the innocent Takua or the eager hero we remember… but he is our friend.” Takanuva sighed with relief. Pohatu at last lowered his weapon, and placed a hand on the Toa of Light’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about that, brother. You’ve definitely changed, that’s for sure. But you’re still our fellow Toa.” Takanuva smiled, and the two clanked fists. “All is well, brother. Now, what’s the situation?” The Toa of Stone pointed towards the east. “The Makuta are putting up a good fight, but our friends are holding their own. With our help, we’ll have Mata Nui awake again before you know it!” That’s what I’m afraid of, Takanuva thought, as the three took off once more. * * * Throughout a dark cavern overlooking the skies of Karda Nui, a loud groan echoed, accompanied by the scraping of metal against stone. Leaning against the wall of the cave, Icarax limped over on his side, doing his best to ignore his pain as he slowly progressed to the mouth of the great cavern. His armor plates scraped against each other, no longer properly fitted to his body. Since the Ignika had reverted him to a biomechanical being, the Makuta now found himself with a body that wasn’t meant to be held in such tight armor. Every moment was agony as he found himself trapped within an unusual and painful body. But Icarax wasn’t going to let such a minor inconvenience stop him. As he at last exited the cave, he collapsed onto the stone platform overlooking Karda Nui. Back in the warmth of the suns once more, he took what small comfort he could get as he dragged himself closer towards the edge, his claws digging into the stone. At last, he found himself peering down at the swamp below, and watched the battle unfold. Four Toa Nuva up against six Makuta. Elemental energy shot back and forth, blasts of shadow and balls of light traveled through the air. If one Toa fell, another quickly went to help him, while the others covered in their stead. If one Makuta fell, a Shadow Matoran would be quick to their aid. The battle ran like clockwork, with neither side truly making any progress. Fools, Icarax thought to himself, don’t they know they’re doomed? His armor clattering as his limbs trembled, Icarax at last rose to his feet. They’re going to win, he realized as he watched the Toa do battle. When they reach their goal, it will all be over. His gaze traveled away from the Toa, and landed on the large metal dome at the center of the swamp. The Codrex, the centerpiece of Teridax’s grand Plan, and the source of power unimaginable. Icarax knew, of course, how instrumental the Codrex was in Teridax’s machinations. So of course, he knew how much it would anger Teridax should anything happen to it. Icarax’s wings shook and cracked as he prepared to take off into the air. He would force Mutran to turn him back to his previous state eventually, he reasoned, but that would come in due time. Right now, he had one goal in mind: the throne on Destral. He had vied for control of the Makuta for as long as anyone could remember, but now, the time had come. The Makuta are mine, he resolved, I will be their ruler. I only hope they stay alive long enough to know their place. He was aware that the others knew of his ambition, but he didn’t care. His strength would place him as the one true lord of the Makuta, and the others would bow before him, or perish. For centuries, he had contemplated the perfect time to take the throne for himself. Now, knowing how close he was to his goal, his excitement was difficult to ignore. Holding one foot over the ledge, he prepared to dive down to the swamp below, but pulled back. Let them finish this battle, he told himself, let them have their last moment of glory. When it's over, they'll make the tough choice. He grinned in anticipation. Make the future begin. * * * The battle between the Toa and the Makuta raged on. Pinned down, The other Toa provided cover as Onua summoned a platform made from the earth. Kneeling down, he kept his hands on the surface and allowed the platform to float above the water’s surface. Tahu, Kopaka, and Lewa returned to the Toa of Earth’s side, forming a circle around him as they fired upon the Makuta. “Any ideas?” Tahu asked the group as the blades on his shield spun rapidly, the enemy’s fire bouncing off of it. “Tahu Nuva, asking for help?” Onua chuckled. “What a sight. You truly have grown, brother.” “Thank you, Onua, but this isn’t really-” “Once, Turaga Whenua and I were deep underground in Onu-Wahi, searching for one of my Kanohi Nuva masks.” “Great,” Solek groaned from atop Kopaka’s back, “now he’s telling stories.” “Hold on,” Kopaka warned, summoning a wall of ice to protect the Toa, “he’ll have a point.” “I appreciate your patience, Kopaka.” Onua hummed pleasantly to himself. “I remember a time you would have left by now.” “Get on-quick with it!” Lewa snapped. “Oh yes, I’ll speed through it. Whenua and I encountered many fire scorpions, a Kofo-Jaga, and even some Manas crabs. He had to jump over a river of lava in order to escape. The point of the story is, Whenua had to trust me that I would catch him when he fell, and I didn’t let him drown in an underground river.” “And this is relevant how?” Tanma asked, impatient. “It’s much like our situation now. I need you all to trust-” “YES!” a shout came from the three Toa, as well as the two Av-Matoran. “Very well,” Onua said, “on my signal, you all come to me.” With that, he thrust his arms upwards. In an instant, the platform crumbled into dirt, forcing the Toa to leap forward, and fly off. The group split off into many different directions, forcing the Makuta to split up in order to follow them. As the remnants of the platform fell into the waters below, Onua began hovering once more, and made a fist with his right hand. As he did so, the earth beneath the water began to shake, causing the mutagenic waters to ripple threateningly. Tanma couldn’t believe it. “An earthquake?!” He groaned, using his power sword to reflect a blast from Makuta Krika. “We all can fly! What is that going to do?” Toa Lewa laughed as he turned around and fired a blast of light at Krika. The ghostly white figure disappeared for just a moment as it passed, only to reform once it was gone. “You don’t close-know Onua like I do, Tanma,” he said as he charged the Makuta. Raising his claw, Krika blocked Lewa’s blade with one of his bone-like talons, and pulled back to try and pierce the Toa of Air’s armor. Lewa was evasive, dodging backwards for each strike before jetting off into the air. * * * “Onua is wise,” Kopaka said to Solek as he fired a blast of ice at Bitil. The yellow Makuta’s foot was frozen to a tree, but he quickly broke himself free once more. Kopaka dodged a blast of shadow heading his way, and returned to fleeing through the air. “He doesn’t talk much, not unless he sees a reason to.” The Toa of Ice looped back around, firing a blast of light at the Makuta, but to no avail. “I can respect it.” “I don’t know,” Solek replied, “I’d rather just know the plan, personally.” “And that’s fine.” Kopaka sympathized with Solek. He knew how frustrating a team could be. “But your teammates don’t act the way you want them to. You can’t make them.” Suddenly, Onua’s voice rang through the swamp, calling “Now!” Kopaka rocketed around tree branches and over the water, heading towards his teammates. * * * Because as much as they may frustrate you, Tahu reminded himself, Sometimes you’ll find- “Haven’t you had enough?” Chirox’s voice distracted Tahu as the Makuta gave chase. The Toa of Fire dodged through the air as the Makuta swung his blade downwards. The Makuta swerved up and down with each attack, putting his whole energy into each swing. He’s getting desperate, thought Tahu, that’s good. At last, the Toa of Fire approached Onua at a blistering speed. Glancing down, he saw the water bubbling and rippling just below the Toa of Earth, and as each of his teammates closed in on the same spot, Tahu finally understood the plan. “Up!” Onua cried, and the four Toa shot up into the air at once. The Makuta were quick to follow, as always, but just below them, a geyser suddenly erupted from below the water. Mutagenic water sprayed through the air in a powerful stream, pressured by the earthquake Onua had made. The Makuta, fearful of mutating even further, were quick to scatter, flying off in all directions as the Toa charged upward into the sky. Tahu flew next to Onua and smiled wordlessly. Sometimes you’ll find, they can even teach you. As one, the four Toa changed direction. The geyser settled, the six Makuta united as one force once again, prepared to strike back at their opponents. The two sides charged at one another, preparing for a clash in midair.

If it interests you, a bit of digging lead me to this link, which has a bunch of fangames on it. I honestly had no idea there were so many on BZP, so this is gonna be a fun rabbit hole lol https://www.bzpower.com/topic/24661-can-someone-post-a-working-link-of-flow-of-the-river-and-3/

Ah cool! I got that one working, thanks so much! Excited to check it out.

Thanks! My hope is that it can slot in relatively seamlessly with the rest of the book. Making some revisions, should have the next part up soon.

No problem! It isn't really relevant, but I am super excited to see that! That's really cool, I really enjoyed the Voyage of Fear novel. I'd be excited to try out the game! Sadly, the dropbox link doesn't seem to be working. Probably expired. Do you know of another place?

Hello all! I recently finished reading the book Maze of Shadows, from the Bionicle Adventures line. As I was reading it, I was surprised to find that I had played the video game adaptation before, for the GBA. I’ve looked into it a bit, and from what I can tell, the game seems to expand upon the book’s story, adding in more enemies for the Toa to fight. My main question is, is there a major storyline difference between the two? Are there any plot beats that differ, or is it just standard stuff to pad out the video game?