Wiriamu

I am Artakha, and I use my teleportation powers to send your pie to India-nothing personal, I'm just not a spice fellow. All those years spent on a volcanic island kinda turns you off anything hot. I bake a pumpkin pie in my forge, and teleport it to the next poster.

It occurs to me that the changed names from those revealed in Revenge of the Skull Spiders could have belonged to Protectors of the generation prior to the last set; i.e. Owa was Owaki's predecessor and so forth, and there was probably a little bit of overlap. I discovered that as well and I'm wondering if that is the case-might be something to submit to one of the Bionicle podcasts that interviews people to see what they can find out. It would also be nice to know what genders the previous Protectors were-the only one that's been identified is Agarak, who's a guy. Edit: Double post merged. -Wind-

So...has anyone else noticed that the Region of Jungle and its inhabitants have been getting an awful lot of attention in Bionicle Generation 2? I mean, consider the following: *The Region of Jungle is not only home to a Protector and Okotan villagers, an Elemental Creature, and various Mask-containing Shrines like the other five regions, but is also where the Temple of Time and the City of the Mask Makers are located. *In both the G2 novels released so far, the only villagers to be introduced by name apart from Protectors-Bingzak and Harvali-are both Jungle Villagers. *Vizuna, Protector of Jungle, is the first perspective character for the second of those novels, and also takes point in leading the other Protectors into the City of the Mask Makers. *In Journey to One, Umarak is first encountered in the Region of Jungle, and the Labyrinth of Control is located off this Region's coast. and... Not that there's anything wrong, it just seems interesting that it's getting so much attention.

I was wondering about the same things. I half wonder if the previous set of names was intended to represent the very first Protectors, with the second set of names indicating the last Protectors before the city was evacuated. As for the the names of the 1000 year ago Protectors, I figure they're either name changes or typos. Might just want to stick "Spoiler Warning" or something like that in the title of the thread-that we we don't get just comment after comment with a spoiler thing on it.

Chapter 3 Location: Spherus Magna, Bota Magna Region. The past few days had not gone well for the Glatorian of Ice named Gelu. First, he had been assigned the task of leading three Toa on a mad quest to find the Great Beings. Second, the four of them had run into a pack of Bota Magna Vorox, just as hostile as their Bara Magna cousins but with greater cunning and advanced weaponry such as a device that could disable the powers of a Toa. And to top it all off, the Toa of Psionics known as Orde had determined that the Vorox leader, Kabrua, was currently in communication with a Great Being who had been hiding inside the Matoran Universe for 100,000 years and was now eager to make Spherus Magna his own. Stripped of their weapons, the group of four had split up in order to evade their Vorox hunters, only to run into each other again on their separate paths. Realizing that the Vorox would track them down regardless of where they turned, Gelu urged his unlikely comrades onward through the dense jungle. There was no real plan in his mind, only a hope that they might be able to find some kind of help or a defensible position where they could make some kind of stand against their pursuers. He had faced death many times before as a warrior-if he had to die, he would make sure that the Vorox would remember the event with pain. Unfortunately, it seemed he would get his chance all too soon; he could hear the Vorox crashing through the undergrowth behind them, screaming their hunting cries. So distracting was the noise that it took Gelu a moment to notice that he and the three Toa had emerged from the undergrowth into a clearing, and that in the clearing was a village. The sight, when he finally took notice, brought him up short, even more so as dozens of Agori in strange armor resembling metal fused with plants moved to meet him and his comrades, gripping primitive weapons as they faced the weary warriors. The four were forced to halt, and then turned with growing dread as the Vorox emerged from the undergrowth behind them. Kabrua's smile was predatory as he regarded the village the warriors had unwittingly discovered. "My tribe shall feast well indeed tonight! You four have provided good sport, and even led us to some fools hiding in our midst. It will be a pleasure to drag you all back to our brethren!" Chiara stepped forward and tried, futilely, to activate her elemental powers. "Big talk for a scum who won't even give his enemies the chance to fight back!" "This is no battle; it is a hunt. Besides, do you truly think I would be so foolish as to face enemies with powers such as you carry, without a means of disabling it?" Even as he spoke, Kabrua lifted a small device in one hand, sneering at the impotence of the three Toa. The expression was brief, as a sphere of blinding light suddenly struck the device and exploded, throwing Kabrua back into the jungle and startling his fellow Vorox. Reacting quickly, the three Toa lashed out with their elemental powers: Zaria yanked the force sphere launchers from their enemies' hands, allowing Chiara to destroy them with blasts of lightning more powerful than she would have used on a living being. Orde then struck with his telekinetic powers, lifting one Vorox and slamming him into his two comrades. The strange villagers, realizing that the Vorox had been stripped of their most powerful weapons, charged en masse, and even the powerful hunters were forced to give way. Pausing only long enough to pick up the stunned Kabrua, they charged back the way they had come. While the Toa recovered their weapons and Gelu's, which the Vorox had dropped in their flight, the Glatorian of Ice turned to face the direction from which the unexpected attack had come. There stood a tall warrior clad in green armor, with a sword poking out from behind his back and a launcher Gelu was unfamiliar with held in one hand. Though he had never seen him before, it was clear to Gelu that he was looking at a Toa. The stranger looked at him curiously-he had probably never seen a Glatorian, Gelu realized-and then spoke, but the sounds that issued from his mouth were incomprehensible. Before Gelu could even venture a reply, the new arrival suddenly put a hand to his head with a cry of pain. Turning, Gelu saw Orde slump over, with Zaria barely managing to catch him before he hit the ground. Before Gelu could wonder what had just taken place, the stranger spoke again-and this time in Agori, though with the curious phrasing Gelu had noticed with Toa of Air and their respective Matoran and Turaga. "Mata Nui, keep-stay out of my hurt-head! First Tren Krom, then Artakha, now some mindmelter who ambush-attacks me for quicksaving his life?" "Consider it a payment of my debt," Orde muttered, recovering himself enough to stand. "Apparently whatever Mata Nui did so that we could understand and speak Agori, it didn't affect you. It's not exactly easy to rewrite your brain's running language-less easy when I have to translate that annoying chutespeak." Recovering his blade from Chiara, Gelu gave the Toa of Psionics a look. "Next time, how about you ask before you just reach into somebody's head? Otherwise you're liable to end up losing your own. My apologies, Toa of Air-my name is Gelu, and these are my companions: Chiara, Toa of Lightning, Zaria, Toa of Iron, and the oh-so-charming Orde, Toa of Psionics." "Well-met, friend Gelu; I am Lewa, Toa Nuva of Air" the Toa replied. "But what matter of Toa-hero be you, and what is this mysterytale regarding Mata Nui that Orde speaks of?" It was a few hours later before Gelu's party set out again from the Agori village, this time accompanied by Lewa. The Toa Nuva was still trying to process the many revelations he had received regarding Mata Nui and the world he now found himself on, Spherus Magna, but had willingly agreed to help the four heroes in the task set them by Tahu. First, however, they had seen the Bota Maga Agori off on their journey to join the encampment on Bara Magna, a journey that they had reluctantly agreed to undertake after being convinced that the Vorox would soon return in greater numbers. This particular group of Agori had long since forsaken technology, blaming it for the catastrophes that had befallen their world, and so were less than eager to reunite with their technology-dependent brethren in the south. However, they knew there was safety in numbers, and had dispatched messenger birds to other Bota Magna villages inviting them to join the march. Lewa and Gelu's party came across many of the refugees as their party continued north: Agori of various tribes and even a handful of Glatorian, though none that Gelu recognized. However, they learned with concern that the male and female Skrall of Bota Magna had departed the region already-the idea of more of the Rock Tribe warriors loose on Spherus Magna wasn't comforting. But the five of them could do little about such a development, and so they set their course for the fortress Lewa had departed from some time ago, hoping that the cursed Great Being might be able to provide some insight into the whereabouts of his brethren. Of course, having been told what else awaited them in the fortress, the other three Toa were less than enthusiastic. "The last Makuta in existence, Artakha, two psychotic Toa of Water, a pair of Order of Mata Nui members who have tried to kill each other several times over the past year, a lunatic half-a-Skakdi, and a Great Being who makes everything around him come to life," Zaria mused. "Why exactly did you think it was a good idea to leave two Matoran with them?" "Figured it was as sure-safe as anywhere in a new jungle-place," Lewa replied. Chiara snorted at the observation, remarking, "Yeah, that sounds like Toa of Air reasoning." "Let's just hope he was right," Orde said. Location: Spherus Magna, Bara Magna region, some distance from the Matoran-Agori camp. Onua Nuva and the Jungle Glatorian Vastus were grim as they examined the remains of Tren Krom. After not hearing from Pohatu and Kopaka for some time, the Toa and Glatorian had agreed that someone should be sent after them, and the Toa Nuva of Earth and veteran Glatorian had been selected. For his part, Vastus wasn't sure what they could do if two Toa Nuva had fallen before some unknown threat, but the other Toa and Glatorian were all occupied with tasks of their own that were equally if not more important. And so he found himself riding a Sand Stalker along while Onua flew ahead with his Adaptive Armor, until the trail of the two Toa had led them to this grisly scene. "It looks as though they found some other being, and then all three of them just vanished," remarked Vastus, the superior tracker of the two. Onua nodded agreement, his wise eyes filled with worry. "I just hope they didn't run across whoever did this. Any being that could kill Tren Krom could defeat a pair of Toa with little difficulty. The only good news is that there's no sign of their remains here." "Which could mean that whatever killed this Tren Krom of yours decided to finish them off somewhere else...or that they helped him kill Tren Krom and then all three of them took off." Looking at his companion, Onua shook his head. "You suggest that my brothers would kill Tren Krom? It is against the code of the Toa to kill." Vastus gave Onua a hard look as he replied. "So you say, but we have only your word on that. Besides, even if this is so, I'm sure we've both met beings who have betrayed the code that they once lived by. You'll forgive me if I'm inclined to believe your 'brothers' had a hand in this." "Guilty until proven innocent is a hard view to have, Vastus, though I imagine your life on Bara Magna hasn't helped with that. Still, we are trying to find my brothers; perhaps we can learn the truth of this matter along the way." With that, Onua activated his jets, and started to lift into the air to see if he could spot any further sign of his brothers. Unfortunately, all he saw was an uprooted tree flying through the air towards him. Onua's flight experience enabled him to evade the full impact, though the tree still struck with enough force to knock him to the ground. Despite his suspicious attitude, Vastus rushed to the side of the Toa Nuva of Earth even as loud footfalls reached their ears. Onua had just managed to reach his feet when their source emerged from the trees: a hulking humanoid machine, roughly twice the height of a Toa or Glatorian. Both readied their weapons, though the sight of their attacker left them uncertain that anything they could do would stop it. The towering construct known as Marendar looked down upon its prey with cold machine eyes, analyzing the two puny foes that stood before it. In its sight Onua was aglow with elemental power-the very force by which it had tracked him here-while Vastus' energies were confined to his venom staff. Still, Toa power was Toa power, and Marendar had been created to destroy Toa. As such, it ripped another tree out of the ground before advancing towards the two heroes with lethal intent. Having fought countless battle, Vastus wasn't easily shaken, and he was quick to put his recently gained elemental power to use. With a roar he generated a cyclone that lifted Marendar high into the air, an effort that he strained to maintain. Following his lead, Onua used his own powers to rip open a deep chasm beneath the flying machine. Relieved, Vastus let his cyclone dissipate, causing Marendar to plummet into Onua's hole, which the Toa of Earth quickly sealed. Thinking the threat ended, Onua moved to assist Vastus-and was promptly knocked flying as Marendar ripped its way out of the ground. Showing no sign that it had just fallen into a massive hole and then dug its way out, Marendar advanced on the stunned Toa. Vastus, still weak from his efforts, managed to launch a Thornax at the giant, but the explosion did little other than turn its attention to the Glatorian. However, it gave Onua enough time to arm his Nynrah Ghost Blaster, which formed energy bonds around the machine. Seeing that Marendar wouldn't be held long, Onua ran over to Vastus, whose Sand Stalker had fled in the commotion. Activating his Miru Nuva, he prepared to take off using its Levitation powers to help Vastus. However, before they could depart, a shadow fell over them-but not from Marendar. It seemed impossible that the delicate wings of a Nui-Rama, even as large as these particular specimens were, could hold aloft such a massive creature-but the Rahi Nui was a creature of impossibility. Virtually everything about it was deadly, from its Muaka body and Tarakava arms to its Nui-Jaga tail and Kane-Ra horns. It had recently escaped the Matoran Universe onto this new world, and been sniffing around for its prey of choice: Toa. Now it had found one of the most powerful Toa in existence, and was eager to satisfy its gnawing hunger. Roaring in exultation, the beast dove, its jaws gaping wide in anticipation. At the same time, Marendar burst from the Nynrah Ghost Blaster's energy and charged towards the pair. Thinking quickly, Onua switched to his Kakama Nuva, Mask of Speed, and then braced himself. Just before he and Vastus could be crushed between the two behemoths, they shot out from between them at super speed, leaving the Rahi Nui to crash into Marendar. Onua and Vastus stopped briefly several meters away, their eyes locked on the awe-inspiring struggle. The Rahi Nui was larger than Marendar, and the robot had no discernible armaments. However, it soon became apparent that the various weapons of the monstrous Rahi were doing no more damage than had the efforts of the Toa and Glatorian. Moreover, Marendar's mechanical body showed no signs of tiring, while the biomechanical beast was just as subject to weariness as its intended prey. Deciding that they would be better off as far away as possible when the mechanical menace finished its unexpected battle, Onua switched to his Miru and took off. So swift was their flight that they were long out of range when the Rahi Nui's roars were forever silenced by a loud crack as Marendar's fist struck its head. Location: Spherus Magna, Bara Magna region, between the Matoran-Agori encampment and Aqua Magna. The monstrous Zyglak had only recently departed from the Matoran Universe, refusing to accept help from the beings that they despised with all their nature. Finally they had found an exit and made their way out, a great horde composed of every Zyglak left in existence. However, they found themselves in a strange world, where the only beings they came across were too like the hated Matoran and Toa for comfort. Killing those who had not the wisdom to flee their approach, the Zyglak made their way towards the great sea, drawn to it as they always were to those regions where no other living thing dared dwell. Then had come new allies-allies who shared their hatred for the Toa and other inhabitants of this world. Like the Zyglak they were exiles, beings who had no place in the societies of this world whether native or newly arrived. But unlike the Zyglak, they knew this world, and could help the Zyglak cleanse it of the hated ones-perhaps even of the Great Beings themselves. And so, as some of their number previously had with Makuta Spiriah, the Zyglak linked their fortunes with a fallen tyrant: Tuma of the Skrall and his unlikely lieutenant, the former Ice Glatorian Strakk. Holding his great sword aloft, the disgraced Skrall leader roared out to his new army. "Enemies of the Great Beings, today we strike! Strakk has found a fortress for us to make our own, full of the filthy creations of our enemies! We shall take it for our own, and then we shall use it to launch our campaign against the others who have wronged us!" The Zyglak roared in exultation, waving their weapons in the air as they cheered Tuma's plan. Strakk, for his part, smiled eagerly at the thought of these creatures unleashing their wrath upon his former tribesman, and the chance to exact his revenge on Ackar and that accursed Mata Nui for interfering in his plans. He might not have been quite so eager had he known that, a short distance away, two Toa were watching these proceedings with grim expressions. Gali Nuva looked upon the monstrous horde and its new leader with thinly concealed disgust before turning to regard her companion, Takanuva. "So that's the 'mighty' Tuma the Glatorian told us of-cast out by his own people, and now leading an army of Zyglak. I thought the Skrall were all about their superiority, but it seems beings without honor are quick to discard their scruples when given the chance for revenge. It seems he was even willing to team up with an exiled Glatorian for the sake of improving his situation." Takanuva nodded, his eyes narrowed. "Reminds me of how Makuta recruited Ahkmou to help him in his twisted plans. Tuma may not be as powerful, but from what the Agori and Glatorian have told us he's got the same black heart. What do you make of that story about a fortress?" "I don't know-Raanu didn't say anything about a fortress in this direction, but I suppose anything's possible. We'd better get back to the camp and warn them about this-I get the feeling that our victory against Makuta may have just been the first battle we'll have to fight on our new homeworld." With that, the pair of Toa turned and headed back towards camp, unaware that the threat they were carrying word of was just one more facing the peaceful inhabitants of Spherus Magna. To be continued...

I got the impression that he was crushed. The remaining Skull Spiders seem to be wandering around the island if the Journey to One is to be take at face value-still trying to cause trouble but not doing much in the face of the Toa's new Uniter powers. I had wondered about Skull Slicer-granted he didn't do much, but he's the only "unique" Skull Creature whose fate has been left up in the air.

It is an interesting suggestion, though we have few enough Le-Matoran that I like the idea of Tamaru just being an unusual one. Ever since Greg established that Ba-Matoran have black and purple armor I've kinda wondered "What if Onepu's one?"

Very nice piece-I would never have thought of using that foot as a headpiece.

Nice work. By the way, Volta revealed in the BS01 Podcast that Umarak's minions are called "Shadow Spawn."

Testify Noob, testify.

This is an amazing piece of work. I too wish that the Inika storyline could have gotten an animated adaptation-either a film in this style or perhaps a cartoon series. The short is great, and I think you've captured what would likely play out in an actual Inika movie: the Matoran are shown getting new masks and we probably skip right to Voya Nui, likely without any Toa Nuva action except in Vakama narrative form.

Chapter 2 Location: Spherus Magna, some distance north of the Matoran/Agori camp. Lesovikk cursed the strange environs of Spherus Magna as he continued his way north, looking for the escaped tyrant Karzahni. He had been trailing the evil being for days now-or so he thought-trying to find him so that he could bring no harm to any other innocents. He might have caught up with him before now, of course, had it not been for a bizarre incident some days previously, in which he had been attacked and left unconscious. Upon waking he had found both his attacker and his Air Sword gone, and paused only a short time to wonder at the strange theft before moving on. Of course, Lesovikk had no way of knowing that Nynrah, the Great Being who had long posed as the Matoran Velika, had stolen his weapon to frame him for Karzahni's demise, and neither were aware that the tyrant had been reborn aboard the Red Star that hung in orbit above the planet. After searching through the newly fertilized regions surrounding the fallen Great Spirit robot, Lesovikk had made his way further north into the icy region known as the White Quartz Mountains. It was difficult terrain, but for a-in his own mind-former Toa who had traversed much of the length and breadth of the Matoran Universe with all the locales therein, it was easier to traverse than most would have found it. Intent on looking for any signs of Karzahni's passing, Lesovikk almost didn't sense the presence of other beings, and it was only a well-honed sixth sense that led him to turn his gaze away from his path. Behind, above, and below him on the mountain, strange four-legged creatures had appeared to surround him in a rough semicircle that left him with considerable space around him-too far for him to reach them in a hurry, but not the other way around. They might almost have resembled Kavinika, the wolf-like Rahi with which he was familiar, had it not been for the unfamiliar metals that composed much of their body and the strange organic tissue that the rest consisted of. Knowing that their teeth and claws would be dangerous to deal with, and not wanting to harm the local wildlife if he could manage it, Lesovikk started to move forward only for more of the creatures to appear on the path ahead. Now completely surrounded, he was preparing to use his Air powers to lift himself out of their midst when a strange new figure appeared behind this final group of creatures. Lesovikk tensed, reminded unconsciously of Hydraxon's tales of the Barraki, but soon found himself intrigued by the late arrival. A humanoid figure, clad in white armor like a Toa of Ice, the being walked with a limp and used a walking staff to stay upright. However, his body was obviously strong and battle-scarred, and beneath his ragged cape a formidable looking dagger lay sheathed at his hip. Spikes protruded from much of his armor, while in place of a Kanohi Mask he wore a curious helmet that obscured his face. As his eyes met Lesovikk's, there was an unspoken feeling of kinship, of understanding-though from different worlds, here were two beings who knew well the feelings of loss and isolation. "The world gets stranger and stranger, it seems," muttered the newcomer. "First two giant machines shake the world, then the moons disappear from the sky, and now strange beings journey through these mountains as though pursued. Or perhaps it was the only the first who was pursued, and you are his pursuer? Either way, I do not know that I care to let another of you pass through this realm." Lesovikk readied himself to unleash his powers, but decided to try talking his way out first. "I don't know how well it would go for you if you tried to stop it-your friends are many, but I have powers I doubt you would care to challenge. My name is Lesovikk, and I have come here seeking a being who had done much evil in his time. Let me pass, and I will see to it that he does not violate your home again-and neither will I." "My home? Yes, I suppose you could call it that, though even after thousands of years I have little love for the place. Still, I like you, Lesovikk-it has been too long since I met a warrior with the same fire in his heart that once coursed through my blood. Perhaps you can tell me what you know of the strange happenings on this world of ours, while I help you with your hunt. Ah, I see you worry I will slow you down-the largest of my Iron Wolves can bear me, and his mate will consent to carry you if I bid it. Come along, and tell Surel your tales." And so the unlikely duo and most of the Iron Wolves set out, with a few of the hunting adults remaining behind to watch over the young and elderly of the pack. As they rode, Lesovikk and Surel shared their stories, and were not surprised to find that they both had tragic experiences in common. Surel could tell Lesovikk little of his world since the Shattering, having been isolated in the White Quartz Mountains for millennia, but what he could share he did. For his part, Lesovikk spoke of his destroyed home in the universe contained within Mata Nui, and of the mingling of its inhabitants with those of the reformed Spherus Magna. Both digested the new information silently, with Surel wondering if a place existed for him in this new world while Lesovikk pondered how to best inform the other Toa of the possible threat of the Element Lords-once Karzahni had been dealt with, of course. With the speed of the Iron Wolves it wasn't long before their southward track brought them within viewing distance of their quarry. Much to Lesovikk's surprise, the distant figure, though familiar, was not the tyrant he had set out after, but another one entirely: the Barraki traitor Takadox. Lesovikk had been present when he and Carapar had been escorted from their cells by Hydraxon and teleported away with Botar, but what had befallen them afterwards was unknown. Still, he was a menace in his own right as much as Karzahni, and stopping him was just as much a priority. "That is not who I have been tracking, but another menace entirely. Are you still willing to come with me on this hunt?" Surel looked at him, and for the first time since they had been traveling together the barest trace of a smile was evident as the ancient warrior spoke. "He may not be who you were expecting, but he is still the one who violated the territory of my pack. I had planned to help you bring Karzahni back to the Agori and Matoran and surprise my old comrades-why not a treble surprise, with my continued existence and my part in the capture of two tyrants?" Despite himself, Lesovikk chuckled, and the pack quickened its pace in pursuit of Takadox. Though the gap between them and their quarry narrowed swiftly, Takadox disappeared from sight among some low hills in the distance, one of a few pockets of desert left in the former Bara Magna. As they rode in, the Iron Wolves began to tense, and both Lesovikk and Surel sensed danger though neither could pinpoint its source. Finally, in the midst of the hills Takadox's tracks ended abruptly, and signs of a struggle were evident in the sand. The victor had then apparently dragged the loser to a nearby spot where the sand became tossed and disturbed, as though something had been buried. Sensing that Takadox had run across an unfamiliar denizen of this world who had proved unfriendly, Lesovikk and Surel gently urged their mounts to turn back the way they had come. However, the sand exploded upwards in all directions, and the Iron Wolf pack was surrounded by a roughly even number of creatures unfamiliar to Lesovikk. Though mostly humanoid, they possessed scorpion-like features and other traits that defied description, and the looks in their eyes were of savagery and hatred. Around the edges were smaller creatures, their tan armor a match for their larger brethren, who eyed the Iron Wolves hungrily. Before either veteran could react, they spotted another figure emerging from a cave atop a nearby hill. Surel's eyes widened in recognition at the sight of a muscular figure in crimson armor, with claws that trumped even those of the Iron Wolves. Lesovikk, for his part, saw only the burning madness in the eyes of the being, as terrible as the beasts he obviously led. So demonic and beastly was his visage, as much as the maddened Karzahni's had been, that Lesovikk was taken aback when he spoke. "So, that unappetizing interloper has brought more prey into our midst! Hopefully you will make a better meal than that blue beast-he was not fit for the mouths of Bone Hunters, let alone the mighty Vorox and Zesk. Still, it was amusing to see him try and sway my pack with his strange eyes. If you are as unappetizing as he, will you at least try to provide Malum with as much sport?" Location: Spherus Magna, some distance south of the Black Spike Mountains. Tahu and Ackar were silent as they rode their Sand Stalkers towards the Black Spike Mountains. The purpose of their journey was two-fold: the continuing search for a new location that the Agori, Matoran, and others could call home, and the tracking of various parties that had journeyed northward without leave of the loosely organized alliance between the former Matoran Universe inhabitants and those of Spherus Magna. The latter groups included the Dark Hunters, Vortixx, and various unsavory natives of Spherus Magna as well, and both the Toa of Fire and his Glatorian counterpart were wise enough to recognize that leaving such beings to run free on Spherus Magna was a disaster waiting to happen. Additionally, if the united forces of the Order of Mata Nui, surviving Toa, Glatorian, and villagers couldn't reign in the various threats, the most secure location possible would have to be sought for them to establish a place of refuge and defense. "Kind of a big job for the two of us, don't you think?" This was the fifth time Ackar had asked Tahu this since they had set out, and in his less-experienced days Tahu would quickly of tired of it. However, his days leading the Toa Mata/Nuva and later the resistance forces of the Matoran Universe against Teridax had taught the Toa of Fire patience. As such, he merely sighed heavily before replying just as he had four times before. "There aren't that many Toa-and even fewer Glatorian with Elemental Power-to go around, Ackar-we all have to do what we can. You going with me shows that we're trying to include the Glatorian and Agori and not keep anything hidden from them, something that is essential if any semblance of harmony is to exist on this world. Besides, we're both veteran warriors with more than enough experience to tell us when to turn back if we run into too much trouble." Looking at the Toa, Ackar kept going. "It's that 'too much trouble' bit that worries me, Tahu. I know you don't go on about it, but I know you took on a whole lot of power when you destroyed all those Rahkshi the Makuta unleashed on the planet. You aren't worried that so much power will make you overconfident?" Tahu looked back at his comrade, and a pensive look appeared on his face. "Ackar, I don't have to look beyond what happened to Mata Nui to know that immense power is no guarantee of victory." The two fell silent after that, both of them left with their thoughts of the dormant Great Spirit. It was hard for either of them to conceive the other's picture of Mata Nui: to Tahu he had been a ruler and a charge to protect, while to Ackar he had been student and friend. Now he was dormant within the Kanohi Ignika, Mask of Life, and each Fire warrior felt the burden of leadership he had left behind. A loud noise soon broke the two out of their reverie and they made their way to a low rise. Leaving their Sand Stalkers waiting at the base, they crawled to the top in order to look out over the barren region between their location and the not-too-distant mountains. A cloud of dust rose from the flat lands, obscuring the source of the thunderous noise. However, as it drew closer, the two warriors were able to see through the haze-and quickly regretted it. Marching across the wastes from the direction of the Black Spike Mountains was an army of fierce-looking constructs, each of them as tall as a Toa or Glatorian and looking twice as deadly. Their silvery armor, to Tahu's astonishment, was composed of protodermis, with glowing blue eyes that matched their sharp, claw-like blades. Line upon line of the monstrous figures advanced across the flat terrain, never deviating from a course that could lead to only one place: the camp of the Matoran and Agori. "What are those things, Ackar?" "...something that I haven't seen since before this planet broke apart, Tahu-and hoped I'd never see again. They appeared during the last days of the Core War-striking from shadow and disappearing back into it just as quickly. The only reason I can imagine that they would appear in the open like this is that they no longer feel reason to fear any enemy-and given their numbers, I can understand why. When they destroyed my brothers and the armies we had fought against, they had no name, but I understand that the Skrall gave them one later. They are...the Baterra." The dread with which Ackar spoke the name was palpable, and Tahu couldn't recall ever seeing anyone look so hopeless before. For a moment, he was tempted to strike at this new enemy and unleash all of his powers against them. However, he had followed such impulses to disastrous ends often enough to know that to attempt such an all-out assault was to invite disaster and death. Better, he thought, to warn the camp of the coming threat and face them with all the strength they could muster before resorting to such drastic actions. With that, he pulled Ackar back down the rise, where they remounted their Sand Stalkers and rode them back towards the camp for all that they were worth. Location: Spherus Magna, just outside the Valley of the Maze. For the first time in over 100,000 years, the Element Lords met in council, this time outside the place that they had been warring over since escaping their imprisonment. Despite many attempts to penetrate its defenses-and destroy each other-none of them had succeeded in doing so. And, not so long ago, a mysterious warrior-one who resembled their former subjects but belonged to no tribe over which they had once ruled-had entered and departed, taking with him the power they had so desperately clashed over. And so they came together again, though none was so foolish as to think it was for reconciliation. Once upon a time, six of the Element Lords had considered each other brothers and sisters, while the other-the Element Lord of Rock, imperious ruler of the Skrall-had been regarded more as an ill-tempered neighbor by the others. With the discovery of the Energized Protodermis spring and the beginning of the Core War, that had swiftly come to an end. Six of the lords and their tribes had gone to war over it, unaware that the Element Lord of Earth and her tribesmen had engineered the conflict in order to enable their own advancement. The Shattering had left all seven trapped, and in that confinement the Lady of Earth had come to hate her former comrades as much as they hated each other. Now each would be satisfied with only one thing: the complete dominion of Spherus Magna under his or her own respective rule*. However, their struggles over the past months had taught them a valuable lesson: between the seven of them, none could hope to achieve victory over the others. They knew each other too well and were too equally skilled in their respective elements to gain any advantage. Moreover, so strong was their hatred after 100,000 years of warfare and imprisonment that the idea of even a momentary truce to achieve victory over another Element Lord was repulsive. However, they knew that something was needed to tip the balance, and to their surprise it was the Rock Lord who had convened a meeting to discuss the matter. Looking over his fellows, the Lord of Rock narrowed his eyes. Unbeknownst to the others, he had a strategy already in mind, suggested to him by one of his own former subjects who had stumbled upon him and renewed his pledge of loyalty. The Rock Agori Atakus had also brought his rediscovered master up to speed on the state of affairs on Spherus Magna, including the fact that each of the seven tribes had named their settlements after the Element Lords, in order to insure that they never forgot the mistakes of the past. As such, he was able to call his former brethren by their names, which none of them had used in millennia; indeed the isolation had affected some to the point that they had forgotten everything about their foes except their Elemental affiliation**. "Fire Lord Vulcancus, Ice Lord Iconox, Jungle Lord Tesara, Water Lord Tajun, Sand Lord Atero, and Earth Lady Likus***! For so long we have warred among ourselves, seeking to claim the powers of this world and the rulers who left it to us so long ago! And in that time we have accomplished little, other than increasing our own hatred for each other! Now we have found ourselves forced to face the truth of our stalemate-and the only means by which it may be broken!" Atero, her body a mass of shifting sand, growled impatiently. "Get to the point, Roxtus! I would endure a another 100,000 years of fruitless battle if it meant not having to listen to your pontificating!" His eyes narrowing dangerously, Roxtus forced himself to speak calmly-a true effort when he wanted nothing better than to remind Atero that her element was merely the crumbs of the crushing might of Rock. "You can have your wish, and much sooner, Atero, if you will heed my words. In days gone by only six tribes of Agori and our former brethren fought at our command; the Earth Tribe and others chose to exclude themselves. This time, every being and weapon on this world will march under one of our banners or die, and we shall see who conquers!" Despite themselves, the other Element Lords raised a roar of approval, seeing at last the means to end their long war. From his hiding place near the meeting site, Atakus allowed a smile to appear on his face. In truth, his renewed allegiance to Roxtus and the Rock Lord's plan were all part of a much wiser stratagem orchestrated by his true master: Nynrah, the disguised Great Being who had spent 100,000 years inside the massive robot constructed by his kind. With luck, the Element Lords' ambitions would lead to their own destruction and that of many of the targets Nynrah sought to eliminate-and any who survived would undoubtedly be blamed for the tragedy. Spherus Magna would be cleansed...and it's inhabitants would bow to their rightful ruler and his loyal lieutenants. To be continued... *After learning of the recent recanonization of the Earth Tribe and the establishment of the "Lords" of Earth and Sand as females, I decided to edit the story to reflect these new developments. **My explanation for certain inconsistencies in the history of the Element Lords, such as Jungle referring to five brothers when it's now been established that there are two females and seven Element Lords in total. ***Naming the Element Lords after the villages-or vice versa, as the case may be-was my idea; the Lady of Earth is named for a scrapped Ice Glatorian from the similarly scrapped Bionicle 5. Originally I named the character Umarak, but after she was established as a female I thought a change was in order.

An interesting MOC to be sure. I love Icarax, and you've certainly given him a new spin while keeping him recognizable.

Well, nobody's said anything about the prologue as yet, so we'll move right on to chapter one. As stated previously, I will be adhering to a few of Greg's reveals, but I will also be taking a few liberties. Chapter 1 Location: The Red Star "I keep telling myself that, someday, the universe is going to run out of surprises for me," remarked Pohatu, Toa Nuva of Stone. Kopaka, Toa Nuva of Ice, looked at him and with just the slightest hint of humor in his voice, asked "How's that working out for you?" The pair had entered a large chamber, one that almost reminded them of the underground village of Onu-Koro on the long-gone island of Mata Nui. There were a number of differences, however, that made the comparison a loose one. First, the entire space was brightly lit, making it easy to see in all directions even without the Akaku Nuva. Second, most of the visible surfaces were made out of protodermis or other metals with which the two Toa Nuva were unfamiliar. And third, instead of being peopled solely by Onu-Matoran-though a few were present, including their guide-the chamber was evidently home to a host of beings of every shape and size, their only commonality being their status as former residents of the Matoran Universe. As Mavrah, their Onu-Matoran guide, had explained, there was a special emphasis on the former in that description of this group. Everyone aboard the Red Star-with the exception of the malevolent Kestora overseers and the two Toa Nuva-had come to the Red Star only after perishing in their universe, only to awaken to a new life inside the strange construct. Mavrah would have explained more, but fearing the Kestora he had opted to lead the two Toa to a place of relative safety where they could meet others. To that end, he had brought them to this space, and was even now leading them towards a large structure at the center. Pohatu certainly had every right to be stunned by these revelations-it was beyond even the revelation that the world in which they had dwelt was in fact the interior of a massive robotic being, and that it had been constructed over 100,000 years ago by the Great Beings. The fact that they were being led by Mavrah, a Matoran from the tales of the Turaga of Mata Nui who had died over 1000 years ago, was simply one more shock on top of many. However, being a veteran Toa had taught him to bounce back quickly from such things, and so he followed Mavrah wordlessly-normal for Kopaka, but definitely a stretch for him. The trio of beings entered the structure to find a small crowd already gathered-but what a crowd it was! At least twenty Toa of various elements stood in a semicircle, their eyes trained on the newcomers with tools held ready in case of trouble. A handful of other recognizable beings stood among or behind them-a male Vortixx, a Ko-Matoran whose form resembled Mavrah's, and even the Order of Mata Nui members Botar and Hydraxon, though the latter's presence was somewhat puzzling. However, there were also some who were unrecognizable standing with the Order agents: a four-armed figure wielding a multi-bladed axe and three twisted beings who seemed an amalgam of different creatures. Two of the latter trio wore Kanohi-a Huna and a Matatu-while the third had a fiery head resembling that of a Tahnok Va*. Directly opposite the door to the structure sat a small number of Turaga, most of whom the two Toa didn't recognize. Of these, one wore a Noble Kanohi Kadin, the Mask of Flight, and sat with a distressed-looking Onu-Matoran resembling those from Mahri Nui. However, seated to his right-and thus the left of the new arrivals-was the regal figure of a Turaga of Fire. His golden-tipped Firestaff matched the familiar golden Mask of Shielding on his face-the very mask that the Toa Nuva had left in the care of the Order of Mata Nui. "Turaga Lhikan!" A Toa of Water, standing behind the addressed Turaga, quickly tensed, but Lhikan raised a hand to steady her. By her side stood a Po-Matoran of similar design to Mavrah, whose eyes had filled with intrigue at the obvious recognition displayed by the Toa of Stone. For his part, Lhikan regarded the two Toa silently for a moment, before gesturing for Mavrah to come to stand beside the Po-Matoran. Then the legendary hero of Metru Nui smiled and bowed his head in greeting. "Welcome, my brothers-it is a pleasure to have you join with us here. Your arrival is quite unexpected-you came in a fashion quite different from most of us, and even among the Toa assembled here it is evident that you are unusual. Then again, in a place such as this, where the dead breathe again and a Turaga can be unexpectedly reunited with his old mask after a thousand year wait, such is to be expected. Please, tell us how you came to be here, and how our universe has fared in our absence." To Pohatu's surprise, it was Kopaka who replied-admittedly with the expected bare bones style of explanation that was common among Toa, Matoran, or Turaga of Ice. Sometimes the Toa of Stone wondered if the cold had an effect on their ability to speak, but it didn't seem to change even when they visited desert climes, so he was inclined against that suggestion. When Kopaka had finished-right up to their discovery by Mavrah-many in the room began to whisper among themselves, their tones varying from incredulity to suspicion. Once more a Turaga raised a hand to halt it, but this time it was the Kadin wearer sitting beside Lhikan. "Your news is a great deal to take in, mighty Toa-and I am sure there is even more to it than you have said. I am Turaga Jovan, formerly of Voya Nui; once I was leader of a team of Toa who recovered the Mask of Life the first time that it was needed. Of the six of us who embarked on that journey, only one remains a Toa, while all others who lived through it became Turaga-we are all members of this council. Sadly, one of our brothers was called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, as was your brother Matoro-sadly, neither stands with us here this day." Pohatu, surprised, addressed the Turaga of Magnetism. "How can that be? Are not all the fallen of our universe here?" "Both regrettably and fortunately, the answer to that question is no," remarked a Toa of Lightning who had been standing behind Jovan. "While this place does seem intended to return life to the dead of our universe-and at one point could even return them to the midst of the living-there are certain exceptions that appear to exist. For example, no Makuta have ever appeared here, though from what has been reported by many who have come in through the ages that is no reason for sorrow. Additionally, some are apparently prevented from appearing here by the means of their death-specifically if they die instantly or leave behind no remains." At her explanation the Onu-Matoran beside Jovan began to tremble uncontrollably, and Jovan put a steadying hand on his shoulder while Lhikan took up the explanation. "Nikila is correct, and is lucky to be among those here. She and her teammates, as well as my brethren from the Toa Mangai and my first Toa team, suffered agonizing fates before awakening here. Fortunately, it seems that such villains as the Dark Hunters Nidhiki and Krekka, or the one I once counted as my sister, Tuyet, have not appeared here due to the means of their demise." "And fortunately so-we have enough tyrants running around our universe, even with the Makuta destroyed," rumbled the four-armed Order of Mata Nui agent. Noting the lack of familiarity in the expressions of the two Toa Nuva, he continued. "I am Morbuzakh, who fell trying to prevent Voporak's theft of the Mask of Time. You've met Botar and Hydraxon, of course; these other three are agents who were assigned to monitor the islands of Mata Nui, Metru Nui, and Mahri Nui before meeting their ends at the hands of various evils." This time it was Kopaka's turn to ask a question. "Morbuzakh? Wasn't that a plant creation of the Makuta that attacked Metru Nui?" The four-armed giant's eyes narrowed. "Yes, Makuta stole the name of my race, which I have taken as my own. We were a proud people, who in battle used our multiple arms to crush opponents and obstacles much as the vines of Makuta's accursed greenery threatened Metru Nui. Few races fared as well against Visorak invaders as did my brethren and I-until that Stelt slime Sidorak appeared and used his accursed Rhotuka to turn half of our army against the others. He at least is imprisoned here with us, and I look forward to the day when I can introduce him to my axe." "Sidorak is here? Surely he is not among you?" Pohatu's disgust at the very thought actually brought a few chuckles to the room, the first levity they had seen since entering the building. The Toa of Water standing behind Lhikan answered on this occasion. "Sidorak is on the Red Star, Toa Pohatu, but you may rest assured that he is not in our midst. I am Naho of the Toa Mangai, and I can assure you that such filth would not have been tolerated in our midst even had Sidorak arrived here in his right mind. Given his madness, it is even more vital that he be kept out of this place." "Madness?" Kopaka's query brought back the previous stern atmosphere of the chamber. Looking around, the Toa of Ice could see haunted looks in the eyes of many of the council members. When the silence was finally broken, it was by the Ko-Matoran he had noticed earlier. "Yes, noble Toa: madness. The process by which we awakened here after perishing-one that I am at a loss to explain-is not a pleasant one, to put it mildly. Coupled with the ways in which many of those who reside here departed from our old home, it can be quite traumatic. Reysa, the Onu-Matoran who sits with his old Turaga, Jovan, is one of the more recent arrivals, and was killed by a monstrous squid. Many of the more vile denizens of the Red Star live separate from us, both because of their character and because many of them are little more than savage beasts. "Sadly, our neighbors and the Kestora have been less than kind-many of us granted a second chance at life have been cut down by them, and of those none have returned to life-or if they have, it is not in this place. We of this settlement have been fortunate in that many have been through the agony of the revival process and recovered, and were thus blessed with the means to help others do the same. Even more fortunately, they have chosen to share that knowledge and thus live with the glory of Mata Nui within, rather than living with as little spirit as a block of protodermis." The Matoran's words stirred memories in the mind of Kopaka, ones all but buried in the never-ending chaos and change that had consumed his life and that of the other Toa Nuva since the rediscovery of Metru Nui. One was of the icy peak that had been his home for the year that he had lived on the island of Mata Nui, and the name it had been given as related by Turaga Nuju through Matoro. The other was from the all-too brief stay in the city of legends when, in a moment of quiet, Matoro had again served as Nuju's mouthpiece as the Turaga explained who the mountain had been named for, and why. "You are Ihu, aren't you?" Surprised, the Ko-Matoran nodded his head. "You have heard of me? I am surprised-to know of Lhikan is certainly to be expected, but how did you come to know of me?" "From an old student of yours-one who I'm sure will be most pleased to hear your wisdom again." The Po-Matoran beside Naho and Lhikan had been taking notes silently for the duration of the meeting, but his head jerked up at this observation. "How can that be possible, Toa Kopaka? Oh, forgive me-I am Kodan, once Chronicler of Metru Nui and the Toa Mangai. But as you have heard, we are trapped here on the Red Star with the Kestora and and the many vile beings who have been revived here over the ages and not yet fallen again. Is there truly a way for us to return home?" "Well, Kodan-and it's nice to know where that name came from at last-we believe it is possible," replied Pohatu. "Not to Metru Nui or the universe you left behind-as we have told you it is no longer habitable. But the world of Spherus Magna lies below, with as many of your old friends who still live dwelling on it and new allies to be made as well. We came here with a being who could teleport, and if there are those among you who can do the same-as I know friend Botar can-getting us all down there should be quite doable." Unabashed hope shone in the eyes of the assembled council, who had clearly never dreamed that such an escape might be possible. As they went on to explain to the Toa Nuva, the Red Star had once had the power to send beings back into their universe-some had made the trip more than once-but had inexplicably lost that power many thousands of years ago. Whatever had happened had not impacted the arrival of new denizens, or even of items-Lhikan's old Hau had inexplicably arrived a short time ago, coinciding-though he hadn't known it-with the Makuta's conquest of Daxia. Botar and other teleporters had been asked to consider the possibility of escape before, but had been firm in reasoning that, with no firm knowledge of their present location, it would be impossible to transport themselves or others safely back home. Now it seemed it would be a simple matter of Pohatu and Kopaka sharing their X-Ray Vision powers with Botar and others who shared his abilities to show them Spherus Magna. Kopaka couldn't help but feel relieved at the opportunity to use his power for something more pleasant than his most recent experience-he had viewed the carnage that the Kestora and others had apparently wreaked on the Red Star down through the ages, and it wasn't something he wished to dwell upon. So eager was he that he was about to activate the power of the Akaku Nuva when a trumpet-like sound reached the ears of the council. The two Toa Nuva spun around just in time to see a Toa of Plasma stumble in through the door, his Toa tool smoking from recent use. Lhikan rose from his seat, a grim expression on his face. He knew this Toa well, in fact had served on his team long before leading the Toa Mangai. However, they had been separated long ages ago after their base was destroyed due to its unfortunate placement in the midst of a Frostelus settlement. That tragedy, and the prominence of this Toa in it, had led to his name becoming the Matoran word for "cursed place," and eventually being given to Voya Nui's temperamental volcano. "What tidings do you bring, brother Valmai?" "The worst news I think I've given you since I ordered you to flee with the Makoki Stone, Lhikan," the out-of-breath Toa replied. "Our revived enemies are attacking-but this time they're organized! Our scouts have reported that the Kestora have bolted themselves away in their holes-this has even them scared!" Had the tales he had heard from Turaga, Matoran, and others not been enough to convince him that he stood in the company of heroes, Pohatu received proof as the council took action. The Toa Mangai and Toa Cordak-a group of fifteen Toa in total-immediately formed an honor guard around the Turaga and the Matoran as the other members of the council marched for the door, with Kopaka and Pohatu falling into place beside them. Much to the Toa of Stone's awe, the elders and villagers kept marching with the procession, not seeking places of greater security but choosing to stand with their protectors. As they traveled back along the path Mavrah had led the two Toa Nuva in on, they were joined by the other denizens of the settlement, all of them either armed for combat or prepared with supplies to provide aid for any defenders who might fall injured. At the edge of the settlement they found a hastily erected wall, high enough to provide cover but low enough that the various guards could launch energy blasts, Rhotuka spinners, Kanoka disks, and other projectiles over it as well as through a series of small slits and windows built into it. With Kopaka and Pohatu in front and Naho and Nikila bringing the rear, Turaga Lhikan and Turaga Jovan ascended the structure to get a look at the battle. The Toa Nuva of Ice was forced to duck a blast of shadow, and for one terrible moment he feared that at long last a Makuta-perhaps THE Makuta-had arrived on the Red Star and taken charge of its more unsavory denizens. However, as he now found himself focusing his Akaku Nuva on the opposing side, a sight greeted him that made him wonder if they wouldn't have been better off with the rebirth of the Master of Shadows. Some distance from where the varied noble denizens of the Red Star stood ready, an even more motley assemblage of vile beings were advancing in a terrifying display. Every kind of weapon imaginable was in evidence among the attackers, from Cordak Blasters to Hagah Plasma Cannons and from Impact Crystal Launchers to Vortixx Rhotuka Battle Axes**. But more terrifying than the arsenal were the beings who wielded it, an assortment of monsters and lunatics that would have given the Brotherhood of Makuta, Dark Hunters, or the Order of Mata Nui reason to pause even at the height of their respective powers. Many were unknown to the Toa Nuva, but those they were familiar with were chilling enough to look upon. As they had been told, Sidorak was among them, his crimson figure towering over many of his fellows as he bellowed like a wounded Kanohi Dragon. Alongside him were the fallen Dark Hunters, Guardian and Tyrant, and the former Pit prisoner known as Nocturn. At the vanguard of the assault was a truly terrifying spectacle: a force of Shadow Toa, the party responsible for the shadow attacks raining down upon the defenders. Almost as chilling as the sight of these corrupted heroes was the fact that each and every one of them wore, at least for Kopaka and Pohatu, the face of a friend: each was a dark reflection of Takanuva. However, there could be no question as to who led this dreadful army, and his identity was all the more disturbing considering how recently the two Toa Nuva themselves had seen and even handled his fallen body. He was an ancient titan in black and gold armor, with gauntlet-clad hands that gripped a chain alive with flames. The gauntlets themselves crackled with the energy of his Kanohi Mask, a bizarre construct that looked as though it had been welded together from four others-though it had recently been broken, it seemed that the Red Star had the ability to restore it as it had its wearer. However, more chilling than the mask were the black eyes behind it: eyes that seemed to grasp what they beheld with unnerving comprehension, as though the usually mind-breaking revival process had instead made this resuscitated tyrant more sane than he had been in countless millennia. "Go forward, my legion, and bring death anew to these fools! Let them fear the name of their conquerors, and the power we have become! Let the Red Star be seized...by the Claw of Karzahni!" Location: Spherus Magna, just outside the prison of the Cursed Great Being. Unaware of the events transpiring in the Great Beings' fortress elsewhere on the planet, "Velika" put the finishing touches on his memorial tablet for Brutaka, Helryx, Axonn, Miserix, Artakha, Tuyet, Hafu, Vezon and Kapura. After a few moments of thought, he added a few words for Destral, the Great Being who would perish along with the dangerous individuals currently in audience with him. It was unfortunate, he reflected, that his brother and the two Matoran would have to perish as well-but then, Destral had been imprisoned for millennia and would undoubtedly welcome his fate. As for the Matoran, they were only machines-machines with heightened awareness, but machines nonetheless. All was going according to plan-Lewa Nuva had even befriended the previously hostile Agori by using his Elemental Power to drive off one of Bota Magna's less charming reptilian denizens. True, the Toa of Air still had no idea what his new friends were saying to him, but if all went as planned he wouldn't have long to worry about it anyway. The soon-to-be murderer of ten oblivious beings was feeling quite pleased with himself when he suddenly sensed a presence behind him. The purple-armored figure who had emerged without warning from the undergrowth looked upon the interloper with an experienced eye, and knew instantly that this was no Po-Matoran he looked upon. His small and twisted form and the weapons he carried were not what informed him of this; it was the glint in the artificial eyes, so different from what he remembered from the Matoran he had worked with so long ago. Moreover, he had seen this particular Po-Matoran before-albeit not so deformed or displaying the strange attributes he perceived now-and he remembered who had created it. As such, the Great Being known as Angonce, whose name had long ago been given to the Northern Continent of the Matoran Universe, wasted no time in getting right to the point. "I might have known it was you, brother. I found it puzzling when after you went on your 'exile' that I could find no trace of your presence on any of the three planets created by the Shattering or of your passing to another realm or world. Then I began noticing strange things while I was looking for Marendar, hoping I might be able to stop it in some fashion. A Toa of Air robbed of his weapon, which was then used to slay Karzahni, not to mention the ease and precision with which Tren Krom met his end. Only someone intimately familiar with all three could have achieved such a thing, not to mention finding one of our weapons labs and making off with several explosives...someone like you, Nynrah." The Great Being in the body of a Po-Matoran stiffened as he heard his name, the first time he had been addressed by it in over 100,000 years. However, he quickly recovered, drawing one of his Power Carvers while using his other hand to lift a remote. "Clever as usual, Angonce-but not clever enough. Now if you excuse me, I have some menaces to our world to eliminate and a planet to subjugate." Angonce responded by drawing a lance capable of emitting energy bursts and training it on Nynrah's remote. "I always pegged you as an eccentric, Nynrah, but never a murderer-or a would-be tyrant. Then again, I don't recall you being a Po-Matoran, and certainly not such a small and twisted one. Nor do I recall us creating the Matoran or other inhabitants of the Mata Nui robot with the liveliness I have seen them display since their arrival on this world." "What you call murder, I call pest control-and mercy, in poor Destral's case. You call me a tyrant-I say I am simply taking up the position our kind so readily abandoned to the Element Lords so long ago. As for my appearance, you may thank Karzahni for that-his botched repair work and lack of regard for those entrusted to him made it quite satisfying to eliminate him first. Tren Krom had outlived his purpose; he should have been honored that one of his creators saw fit to eliminate him instead of leaving him to rot inside that robot. "As for our creations, I did grant them heightened intelligence and emotions some time after Mata Nui departed this planet. I wanted to see if they could grow beyond mere nanotech constructs, and indeed they did, though some became dangerously erratic. Still, they too have fulfilled their purpose, and their eventual demise is a foregone conclusion. All that remains is to ensure that their remaining existence and the means by which they meet their ends is turned to cementing my rule over Spherus Magna. Even now, my agents on this world are in the process of accelerating my plans." Looking into the eyes that now served his disturbed brother, Angonce could see nothing remaining of the Nynrah he had once known. Gripping his lance, he regarded the false Po-Matoran with grim resolve. "Then when I have stopped you I will have to find and deal with them. I did not wait for 100,000 years to see this world restored to watch you or any other mad being tear it apart. And if Great Being must war with Great Being for the first time in the history of our kind...so be it." Location: Spherus Magna, the Bone Hunter camp known as the Gatherers Hideout. The Shadowed One smiled as he looked upon his growing forces with pride. The crude encampment of Spherus Magna's Bone Hunters had been transformed into a veritable hive of activity as its long-time denizens and newest arrivals armed themselves for war. The alliance between Dark and Bone Hunters had been a natural one, taking place shortly after the Matoran Universe's mercenaries took their leave of the Toa and other so-called "heroes." Now the two criminal powers were one, and every day more of the vilest beings from the Matoran Universe and Spherus Magna were being welcomed into their fold. Of course, the growing army of villains was too large to be confined to a single settlement, and were spread throughout the tunnel networks of the Black Spike Mountains. But the Gatherers Hideout was its heart, where the leaders of the dark movement held council and oversaw the production of their most powerful weapons. Vortixx weapons masters plied their craft in malevolent earnest as slaves-Agori, Glatorian, male Vortixx, and others-hauled materials to and from their forges. All the while more and more of the planet's scum filtered in to pledge their allegiance at the feet of the Shadowed One, the Bone Hunter council, and others in power over the shadowy alliance. Fero, one of the senior Bone Hunters, approached the Shadowed One boldly and without a hint of deference. While he was leery of the Dark Hunter leader and his powers, the veteran Bone Hunter had long ago learned that fancy abilities could be trumped by superior skill. As such, he regarded the Shadowed One as a useful ally-but one that he would trust about as far as he could throw Skirmix. "Shadowed One, the elders wanted me to inform you of some new arrivals-" "Very good, Fero," the Shadowed One replied, fully aware of the Agori's lack of respect for him. He would teach the Spherus Magna natives soon enough, but for now he would let them entertain their delusions of equality. Rising from his chair, he followed Fero to the central area of the camp, the traditional place for meeting visitors-or viewing new slaves. The figures who greeted the Shadowed One's eyes as he entered the space would undoubtedly have made fine slaves-if anyone could have subjugated them to such. Tall black armored figures armed with an assortment of blades and clubs, they looked like they had been through a war, but as if they were eager to move on to the next one. Foremost among them was a burly figure with spiked armor whom the Shadowed One sensed would be even more dangerous than his brutish appearance suggested. Seeing the Shadowed One approach, he moved forward to greet him. "Greetings, Shadowed One-I am Stronius, elite warrior of the Skrall. I understand that many of my tribesman have already thrown in their lot with your alliance, and have brought those who have joined with me to do the same. All Skrall with any sense of honor will answer to me, and I will lead them as you lead your Dark Hunters and Fero leads the Bone Hunters. Together we shall crush the weaklings of this world, and the strong shall rule as was always intended." With a predatory smile, the Shadowed One extended his clawed hand to Stronius, who after a brief pause took it as the Skrall were welcomed with cheers from their new dark brethren. To be continued... *A few repurposed "Kabaya" combiners, specifically of the Turaga and Bohrok Va. **This description of the weapons is actually the current BIONICLEsector01 layout for the "Xian Weapons" Template.

Very nice-I'm a definite fan of Breez, and this is a cool reimagining.

So I was told I should create a review topic for my Epic, BIONICLE: Battle for Spherus Manga, which you can link to below: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/21953-bionicle-battle-for-spherus-magna/

A little piece I've had stewing for a number of years now, meant to serve as a conclusion to the Generation 1 storyline of Bionicle. I've incorporated a number of elements revealed by Greg since the conclusion of the serials, though in some cases altered things purely based on my own preferences and ideas I conceived of before Greg shared the information. There are also a few details-such as Spherus Magna's Earth Tribe-that I included before learning that Greg had debunked them. You may also notice a few elements from other sources... EDIT: Here's a link to the review topic. http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/21962-battle-for-spherus-magna-review/ EDIT: Made some revisions to reflect recent revelations regarding the Element Lords and Earth Tribe, as well as rethinking the classification of some characters-namely Order of Mata Nui members-who have previously not been identified by gender. Prologue Location: The island of Daxia, some time before the death of Makuta Teridax. The assault on the heart of Makuta's Rahkshi production had gone surprisingly well so far-in fact, it had gone better than most operations Tahu had been involved in since their universe had fallen under Makuta's domination. Undoubtedly this was due to several factors-multiple resistance forces striking at other parts of the universe, Makuta's lack of familiarity with his new powers, and the fact that Daxia had been so well secured that Makuta felt no need to monitor it personally. However, the force that had assembled to cut off Makuta's most numerous army at the roots made up for its lack of numbers with skill and sheer power. Tahu had led his small squad from Karzahni with Onua in tow, using a small vessel upon which Kopeke had remained while the rest of them made landfall on the island. There they found Pohatu and Takanuva, recently arrived from the island of Destral having failed to get its Dimensional Gate generator working again. With them were the Dark Hunters Charger and Subterranean and a tribe of Frostelus, whom the former Matoran had convinced to join forces with the resistance. Some distance away from where they met, the menacing Dark Hunter Kraata-Kal lay battered on the sand, apparently oblivious to his surroundings*. However, to the surprise of both parties, a tall figure in black armor emerged from the sea to approach them. The eyes of all three Toa Nuva had narrowed and Johmak's had widened at the sight of a familiar figure from the distant past: Hydraxon. The Order of Mata Nui member who had trained the three Toa acknowledged them and Johmak with a curt nod, his eyes narrowing at the sight of beings he would have gladly locked away under different circumstances. However, his purpose in coming was the same as theirs, though instead of Frostelus he brought a different force: a small group of Maxilos robots that had previously patrolled undersea routes to Daxia and thus escaped Makuta's attack on the Order headquarters. Following them, whether at Hydraxon's invitation or their own volition-the Pit jailer never said-came a pride of Shallows Cats. The motley force left Kraata-Kal on the beach and descended upon Daxia's defenders: a legion of Rahkshi, Exo-Toa, and-of all things-Vahki, the latter having been produced on Nynrah at Makuta's orders. The Order agents, Subterranean, Lariska, and the Frostelus set upon the former Metru Nui order enforcers with a vengeance, destroying them with ease. Takanuva, Krahka, and Charger attacked the Rahkshi with the aid of the Shallows Cats, who seemed to crave Rahkshi as much as their Muaka cousins. The three Toa Nuva contributed wherever they could, unleashing elemental attacks on various foes while the Maxilos clashed with the Exo-Toa. It wasn't long before the trio had worked their way to the center of the island, where a crude fortress-undoubtedly the best that Rahkshi and Vahki could put together-had been erected over the Energized Protodermis pool. Curiously, no Rahkshi issued forth from its gaping portal, but a shadowy figure emerged to challenge the three Toa. For a moment Tahu thought it might be some huge Visorak, until he recognized the Vahki components making up the six-legged monstrosity. "A Kraahu? Of course the Makuta wouldn't confine his army-building to the standard Vahki units. Let's make quick work of it!" Unfortunately, this proved easier said than done, as the six legs separated from the body and took to the aid, pursuing the three Toa and delivering painful electric shocks. When all three fell stunned to the ground, the legs reconnected with the body and unleashed a cloud of gas. Luckily, the Adaptive Armor worn by the three Toa modified their masks to filter the paralyzing agent, though not before they began to feel some of it's effects. Unaware that they were still capable of moving the Kraahu advanced, only to be driven back by a surprise fireball from Tahu. Forcing himself to stand, Onua looked at his two brothers. "It seems we underestimated this construct, brothers. It's ability to function as separate parts or as a whole is truly impressive. But have we forgotten our potential to do the same?" In answer, a glow surrounded the three Toa, whose Adaptive Armor transformed to match their original Kanohi Nuva and equipment in anticipation of what was to happen next. The glow grew brighter until the three were lost to sight, finally fading to reveal a single massive figure. For the first time since the battle of Mangaia, Akamai-now Akamai Nuva-opened his eyes to regard a foe with thinly veiled disgust. "It is well for Makuta that he can manufacture monsters and machines, for no being with Valor in their heart would stand with such a being! Have at thee!" Having deduced the ineffectiveness of its gas, the Kraahu reverted to its previous tactic, separating its limbs and launching them at Akamai. However, the power of the Aki Nuva gave Akamai the speed to evade the attack and the strength to strike back, shattering the limbs with blows of his Kodan Claw hand. Before the Kraahu could process the loss of its components, it joined them, with the twin blades of Akamai's sword rending metal like hot magma burning through stone. His foe defeated, Akamai walked over its smoking remains and through the gate of the fortress. Inside, a startling sight awaited the Toa Nuva Kaita of Valor. A glowing pool of silver liquid-one that the massive hero and his three components recognized well-sat at the center of a large chamber. Around it rested three masses of charred black armor, with no evidence of their former inhabitants remaining in them. With a shock, Akamai realized that they must have belonged to fallen Makuta, forced by their former ruler to produce Kraata for his army, only to be eliminated as brutally as the Order of Mata Nui agents who had been on this island when Makuta attacked it. There was little time to process this, however, as the surface of the pool stirred and rose. A figure Akamai knew only from tales of the past emerged, though not in the form that the Turaga of Mata Nui had described. Instead of the features of a Toa Metru, its form resembled that taken by Makuta Teridax during his battle with Takanuva, but cast in silver with glowing red eyes. It regarded the Kaita with an expression that could almost be called curiosity, clearly having never encountered a being of such a nature before. "Intriguing...to think that such a transformation is possible without my power to aid it. Though I have touched those three who compose you before...such a unique opportunity that was. Far more interesting than the unending production of Rahkshi." Eyes narrowing, Akamai caused his sword's blades to glow with heat. "If you dislike the task so much, then why do you contribute to the creation of Makuta's minions? Does the fate of the universe you inhabit mean nothing to you?" "Ah, Toa-I had forgotten how small your minds are, even when three are joined together in one. I produced Makuta's creatures because it was their destiny, but no longer-the last Kraata that was meant to undergo this process has done so. That is why Makuta destroyed his captive brethren-they had outlived their usefulness. Did you not wonder why there were not more Rahkshi here? They have been dispatched to the various lands Makuta seeks to conquer, with many of them marching on the southern islands under the leadership of the Skakdi Nektann for reasons I do not know-not that I care to." "You are a monster!" "And you are a construct born of three 'heroes' who have fulfilled their destiny. I wonder-could it be your destiny to feel my touch again?" The entity followed this up with a stream of energized protodermis that flew at Akamai, only to sizzle and evaporate as it struck the shielding power of the Hau Nuva. Keeping the mask power in place, Akamai moved backward slowly, knowing that there was little he could do against such a powerful being. For it's part, the protodermis entity seemed more bored than disappointed. "I suppose I shall never know-Makuta will undoubtedly destroy you once you have ceased to be amusing to him. Still, there are other experiments to conduct, and other islands waiting to feel my touch." "Indeed? Then allow me to eject you from this island...courtesy of the local volcano." A short time later, the attackers watched as Daxia was consumed by the fury of a volcanic eruption unleashed by Akamai's powers. By all accounts it would not destroy the Energized Protodermis-that substance would make its presence felt elsewhere in the universe. However, the resistance forces had little time to worry about that-there were other matters to be seen to. "You recall your instructions, Hydraxon?" In response to Pohatu's question, the jailer nodded. "I am to find the Toa Mahri, who are undoubtedly making their way south from Metru Nui after kicking Nektann out of it. I'm to let them know that he's leading the Rahkshi south, and we want them to see that none of the other Skakdi warlords are following suit." "And don't forget to mention the missing Piraka-of all beings in the universe they should be made aware," noted Johmak, who had personally made the unnerving discovery that the five Piraka previously imprisoned on Daxia were not to be found among the ruins of the Order base. Hydraxon nodded before departing, while the remnants of the assault team went their separate ways. The Dark Hunters and their Frostelus allies set course for Xia to link up with the remainder of their kind, though they would look for signs of Kraata-Kal along the way given his disappearance upon their return to the beach of Daxia. The Order agents, Krahka, and the four Toa, on the other hand, would be heading south after Makuta's army in hopes of finding out what the tyrant was up to, and hopefully picking up reinforcements along the way. One thing they all knew for certain: this war would get worse before it got better. Location: Xia. The Shadowed One was a being known for his confidence and pride, not for his fear. In all the long ages of his existence he had only been truly afraid of anything on a handful of occasions. The most recent had been over a thousand years ago, when Makuta Teridax had attacked him in a rage and left him a victim to the powers of his own minion Voporak. Nothing since then had truly brought fear into his heart, not the destruction of his Odina fortress by Pohatu Nuva or even the awe-inspiring power of Toa Helryx, leader of the Order of Mata Nui. However, as he stood in a Vortixx laboratory, watching several carefully cultivated and combined viruses reacting violently on a clear build to an explosion, the Shadowed One began to feel the old sensation come to him once again. This experiment had been about bringing down Makuta Teridax, just as the new ruler of the universe had brought down his predecessor. With Makuta weakened, the Shadowed One had intended to join his "allies" the Barraki in marching against Metru Nui and securing his rightful place at the head of creation before offing the upstart warlords. Unfortunately, it seemed that Makuta Kojol, or Teridax himself, or whatever mysterious party had hidden the viruses on Xia so long ago, had taken precautions against any tampering by unwanted parties. Grabbing his staff, the Shadowed One turned to flee, though in his heart he knew he would never run fast enough to escape what was coming. It thus came as a complete surprise to him when he was enveloped by elemental darkness that cut him off from his surroundings. As it drew him into oblivion, he was unaware that his "shadow"-the Dark Hunter known as Darkness-had vanished from sight the moment the energy appeared. Both were thus spared as the explosion occurred, which could not be said for the Vortixx unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. When the Shadowed One could see again, the landscape before him was the last thing he ever expected-or wanted-to see again. Dark clouds obscured whatever light sources might be in the sky, while the land as far as could be seen was covered in ice and snow. The frozen water formed strange shapes in all directions-only a being who had been here long ago, as the Shadowed One had been, would know that it covered the ruins of a once thriving civilization. Without warning, a voice hissed from behind him, jolting the Shadowed One out of his reverie. "Enjoying the sight of your old home, Shadowed One? The place is certainly little better for you having left it-the war you started consumed the land and destroyed what little good ever resided here. Most of the inhabitants were wiped out-the few that are left have either fled for other lands or are hiding out in what still passes for shelter here." The Shadowed One turned around slowly to regard a figure he hadn't seen in quite some time: a skeletal being armed with numerous blades. Moreover, he now recognized what power had saved him from almost certain demise back on Xia. "Shadow Stealer...I've been wondering when you would be darkening my door once again. So you decided to wait until Makuta claimed the universe as his own before staking your claim to the Dark Hunters?" "Please-I have no interest in ruling over your band of filth. Has it escaped your notice that I've been slaying your underlings in every corner of the universe where I've found them vulnerable? You are simply the latest in a long line of monsters I have made it my goal to destroy." Perturbed, the Shadowed One took up a ready stance, wondering when his opponent would make a move. "A curious notion. I assumed you were destroying my Hunters as a challenge, in preparation for your eventual confrontation with me. You sound almost 'heroic'-I thought you hunted Toa as readily as Dark Hunters." "Oh no, Shadowed One-though they replaced my comrades and I in the Hand of Artakha millennia ago, I bear true Toa no malice. It is those who have abandoned the cause of light for darkness, those who have decided that peace is achieved through tyranny-those are the ones that I have destroyed. Has it also escaped your notice that not every Dark Hunter I could have destroyed along my path has fallen? Those whom you have blackmailed into your service by leaving them with the delusion that they have no other options but to serve you have been spared-the same cannot be said for you!" Anticipating the strike, the Shadowed One let his disintegration eye-beams fly at the same moment Shadow Stealer hurled a bolt of darkness towards him. The two collided, unleashing an explosion that would have thrown two lesser beings apart. Weathering the shock wave, Shadow Stealer countered with a wall of shadow, seeking to prevent the Shadowed One from training his eye-beams on him. However, the Shadowed One responded by launching a stream of crystalline protodermis through the field, sweeping it up, down, and across in an effort to cover his foe and prevent him from moving. In response, Shadow Stealer disappeared into the ground, using his own shadow to teleport. Before the Shadowed One could react his foe was behind him, emerging from his own shadow before unleashing a mass of shadow. Caught in the cloud of darkness as though the vines of the Morbuzakh had seized him, the Shadowed One was hurled through the air, smashing through the nearest ice-covered ruin. Half-stunned, he managed to unleash a Rhotuka from his staff, only for Shadow Stealer to launch a ball of darkness that cancelled it out. A gesture of his blade brought a tendril of shadow up to snatch the Shadowed One's staff from his grasp; Shadow Stealer's other arm moved and arms of shadowy energy closed over the Shadowed One's limbs like chains. "A fitting end for a criminal such as yourself-cut down in the land that you brought to ruin in your arrogance and greed." The Shadowed One said nothing, merely glaring hatred at his enemy and knowing that his eye-beams would be swiftly blocked by Shadow Stealer's powers. Wary of just such an attempt, Shadow Stealer kept his attention on the Dark Hunter leader...and was thus unprepared when another being struck him from behind. Whirling quickly, Shadow Stealer lashed out with his blades, only for them to clash with the weapons of Darkness, whose eyes gleamed with malice that shook even the veteran slayer of Dark Hunters. Unfortunately, his divided attention proved insufficient to maintain his grip on the Shadowed One, who swiftly recovered his staff. Madness gripped Shadow Stealer's ancient mind as the Shadowed One's Rhotuka Spinner struck him. Visions of fallen foes-Dark Hunters, corrupt Toa, and other monsters alike-filled his mind, the legions of his dead enemies swarming him in a vengeful horde. By the time the nightmare faded, Shadow Stealer found himself covered in crystalline protodermis; only his head had been left free. The Shadowed One loomed over him, with Darkness watching them both from a short distance away. For the briefest instant, something almost resembling respect was visible in the eyes of the Shadowed One-then it was replaced with crackling energy. Turning away from the empty space where Shadow Stealer had stood bound but seconds before, the Shadowed One turned to regard his unlikely rescuer. "Surprises abound today, Darkness. I know many a Dark Hunter who would have let Shadow Stealer finish me before striking him down themselves, but you-you acted to insure that I would survive. Why?" "The time for my purpose has not yet been fulfilled, Shadowed One. Until that day comes, you are the ruler of the Dark Hunters, and I serve to eliminate those who would dare disrupt your rule. Now, I believe we should return to Xia-your Hunters await you." Location: Spherus Magna, some time after the death of Makuta Teridax. Deep in a wooded area of Spherus Magna, long bereft of the presence of any forms of sentient life, there stood a fortress composed of crystal and iron. Aside from its facade it was a twin to the ancient fortress located at the center of the Valley of the Maze, and for good reason: both had been created by the Great Beings. And it was to this fortress that those legendary creators-or destroyers, in the eyes of some-returned after their 100,000 year exile. Striding boldly through the forest of golden banded trees, the Great Being known as Heremus surveyed the ancient fortress with a wistful expression. It had been a long time-time he had spent using the inherent abilities of his kind to travel from place to place to explore nearby moons and adjacent pocket dimensions. Now at long last he was back on his own world, ready to reunite with his kind and hopefully build the paradise they had all so often dreamed of. Throwing back his cloak to reveal his gleaming silver armor, he made his way towards the bridge leading up to the fortress. Once inside, he found many of his brothers and sisters in the midst of a reunion, many greeting each other for the first time since the Shattering. Many greeted him as they recognized him, and he returned their salutations as kindly as he could while making his way for the council chamber. At last he entered the vast chamber, which-unsurprisingly-was already occupied by several others. However, as he advanced, he couldn't help but note the absence of some who should have been there. Hearing his footsteps, one of the Great Beings turned in his direction, and Heremus couldn't help but groan inwardly as he recognized the orange-armored female. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him, and before he could say a word she spoke to the other three Great Beings on the dais with her. "Well, if it isn't the great Heremus come to grace us with his presence! Disappointed that there's no longer a habitable landmass named after you in creation?" "The majority was in my favor in the matter of naming the Southern Continent inside Mata Nui, dear sister. The fact that your name was assigned to a smaller island is hardly cause to hold a grudge. Or is there something else you'd like to lay at my feet, Odina?" One of the others spoke up, a burly figure who had long ago been one of the Great Beings assigned to hide the Kanohi Ignika beneath Voya Nui. "There certainly is, Heremus. It is true that at long last Spherus Magna has been restored to its former glory-in fact it is in better condition than we have ever known it in terms of its environment. But that does not change the fact that it still bears scars of our previous labors, or that we now face the unexpected consequences of the destruction of the Matoran Universe." "Cheerful as ever, aren't you Zakaz," remarked a second female Great Being, the golden-armored Daxia. "True, the fact that our nanotech creations remain inexplicably active is disturbing, but I would hardly take it as cause for alarm. We created Marendar for just such a development, and by the readings on our equipment it is already active." Before Zakaz could respond, Odina addressed her sister with little less venom than she had used with Heremus. "And what if Marendar goes beyond our control, sister? What if it becomes a terror worse than the Element Lords or the Baterra? For that matter, what proof have we that our old blunders do not still menace this world?" A sharp retort from Daxia was cut off by the last Great Being in the room, Xia, who had been Zakaz's companion on the mission to hide the Ignika. "Precisely why we created only one, dear sister. Besides, the Baterra performed their ideal function-the fact that we could not shut them down was unfortunate, but perhaps will be a benefit; a war is unlikely to break out in a world patrolled by such machines. As for the Element Lords, they were willful and power-hungry, and it is not our fault that our intended regents chose to make themselves tyrants." "Perhaps...but do we not carry some blame for appointing regents in the first place out of our own disinterest in the affairs of our world?" Zakaz's words were met with silence, for even haughty Daxia couldn't deny that the thought had crossed her mind more than once over the ages. Seeing no reply was forthcoming, he continued. "Now that we have returned home, brothers and sisters, I fear we must make a decision: whether to abandon this world again, this time forever, or to finally face the burden of our past actions." Another silence fell, but was quickly broken as the doors to the council chamber opened again. As one the five turned to regard the open portal-and were stunned by what they saw. Standing there, clad in pink armor, was another Great Being whom none of them had seen since even before the Shattering. However, something about him-his posture, the lack of recognition in his eyes as he regarded them, and the way he seemed uncertain of his own movements-told them a change had come over their old friend. "I'm sorry, but...could one of you help me? I've been stuck in this fortress for so long, all by myself, in this strange body. Oh, I'm sorry-I should introduce myself. My name is Velika." To be continued... *This is a little nod to Descendant, an awesome BIONICLE fic by ALVIS.

Very nice.

Nice, dude-very nice.

Cool names for the unnamed Steltian races. An interesting idea of Johmak working with a Toa, though she seems a lot more pleasant in this story than she was in the official stories.

Dang, this story is intense. It almost sounds like a dark alternate reality story.

Interesting story...were you planning on finishing?

Nice work-I'm not usually a fan of all fan-character populated Bionicle works, but this is nice. I especially like the idea of an Iron Tribe warrior remaining noble despite the aftermath of both the Dreaming Plague and the Shattering.

This is one sweet story-the dynamic between Onewa and Krahka is great. I kept flashing back to Maze of Shadows-I think that was the book title?-when Onewa was so determined that he was never going to give up his powers. And yeah, they would make an adorable-if odd-couple.

Organized military groups are more likely to get wiped out by the nature of themselves, though. I got the impression that most Order Agents fled. One of them, Guardian, was hanging out with Tahu near the end, and a large number of them were in Metru Nui near the end fortifying the place. An attack on Daxia wouldn't have killed them all off. Guardian was a Dark Hunter, not a member of the Order. I also never said that the attack on Daxia killed them all off, but I get the impression it killed off the majority-in the Takanuva's Blog entry for December 4 Trinuma was reported as saying that "some" members still survive, which indicates that most of them got killed. Purely head canon, but I imagine that a lot of Order members might have regrouped on Daxia once Metru Nui was safe-whether to assess their losses or purely because the Matoran, Toa, and Turaga were probably sick of having them around-only to be annihilated when Teridax revealed his dominance of the universe and leveled their fortress. Those that survived may have been in transit when it happened or still on various missions mopping up Brotherhood threats.