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Showing results for tags 'toa'.
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Well, I suppose its that time again, time for another BZPRPG character. And here, I give you Benluke's (Or Javert's seeing as he changed his name) character, Tryna wearing Toa of Ice, Kethrye. (linkylinkyclickyclicky) One of my favorites so far, I tried to get a bit more movement into this piece. Over all, I'm quite glad how it came out, although, I don't quite remember how long I spent on it.- Sketched in pencil, inked, and then colored using Photoshop.
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^ click to go to gallery ^Locnor is a young Onu-Toa, who specializes in controlling Ore in the ground. His weapon is the aptly-namedOre Fist, a large gauntlet powered up by Locnor's elemental powers. His armor is similarly augmented withembedded luminescent crystals. Locnor has a very unorthodox fighting style, due to his unique Toa Tool.MOCpage > >Brickshelf Gallery > >Feedback is appreciated.
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I want to know what other people think about the best Toa. Personally, between 2005 and 2008, I really liked Takanuva. He's actually a bit like Matoro. Starts out as an ordinary Matoran (even though he is the chronicler), becomes a Toa, risks his life to stop Makuta taking over, saves the universe. Except he doesn't die like Matoro did. Then you have to consider their weapons.Takanuva (2008 version): Giant 3 pronged staff, Midak Skyblaster, Mask of Light, power over light and shadowMatoro (Mahri version): Twin cutter, Cordak revolving blaster, Mask of Reanimation, power over ice, guards the Mask of Life.So if I had 2 choose a favorite, it would probably be Matoro and Takanuva. I love BOTH OF THEM so much I can't decide!!! I'll just bow before both of them. So, what do you guys think? Who is the BEST Toa from 2005-2008?
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This was a request from Toa Kaithas to draw his BZPRPG character, er, Kaithas The mask is a Great Huna. I took some inspiration from the movie version of the Metru Toa and also the piston arms and joints from my previous drawings. Still having trouble on how to design the legs though. The color I have originally for Kaithas was a blue-green, turns out the forest green that was requested wasn't blue-green but more yellow-green, Ouch. So I fixed that with the yellow marker. Color mixing on the paper! Medium: Copic Markers, White Gel Pen, Photoshop WIP Pictures: http://www.majhost.c...ithasbzprpg.png http://www.majhost.c...rt/kaithas2.png http://www.majhost.c...aithascolor.png http://www.majhost.c...aithasfinal.png Thanks for looking!
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Hey, BZPower! I'm back with another MOC from my epic (link). This time, we've got Kolvat, the Toa Hagah of Stone who works alongside Korahn and Geiad. The next couple chapters will reveal more about his past and personality, so be sure to check out When The Month Ends over the next week or so.Now, on to the pictures.(Click for gallery)FrontBackPoseCompared to KorahnPose 2Well, that's Kolvat. Also, be sure to check out Geiad. I'll have a topic for him up very shortly.
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An Idea of mine that I've had for over a month, I finally managed to put my idea onto paper. Taking the suggestions and ideas given to me from my last piece of artwork, I tried to compound them all into this one piece. And so, I give you Snelly's BZPRPG character, Skyra, who is, quite possibly, my favorite in the RPG. (After some of my own, of course.) :3 (clickyclickylinkclick) While I wasn't exactly sure what a laser-tipped Katana was supposed to look like, I did my best. I'm actually quite pleased with how it came out, beside the few little things that get me... Colored using Photoshop, around 3 hours.Sketching about 2 hours.
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The current version of my Self-MOC. I uploaded the video yesterday. On that one site that you can't say the name of here and can't link and also has cats with poptart bodies and have rainbows coming out of them.I'm pleased with him, I like the skinny body, the 'back' that replaced the 'waist' and his lower body. And weapons. And Rapture.http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/343640This time I made sure all language doesn't exist windrider, I swear! =O
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My Self-MOC. I said I was going to post it over the summer, but then I got lazy and didn't post him on BZP. Then I built V9. And Just recently V10.So yes, he's old, and his model looks much different (and shorter) than he used to be. This is also what the current BZPRPG Auron looks like.http://images.mocpag...07m_DISPLAY.jpgI find it ironic that the title on MOCpages says: "Final Auron", even though I have made two newer version! XDAnd yes, I know he's overpowered, aren't all Self-MOCs OP?Edit: While MOCpages is not a forbidden site, the page you linked to did contain at least one filtered word and was marked as PG. I've taken out the link to the page and have replaced it with a deeplink to an image of the MOC itself. Please do keep it this way, but feel free to add more deeplinks (i.e., links to images themselves) or embedded images if you wish.-Wind-
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I was just thinking... As you probably know, light that we can see is just one small part of a large spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. My question is this: how much of that spectrum can Toa of Light, or any being with light powers, control? Just the visible part? Or ultraviolet and infrared, too? Microwaves and gamma radiation?
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Book 1 - Reawakening Chapter 1 - Tahu [Rude Awakening] 2,000 years after The Sealing...Everything shook violently.This wasn't the first time that the Toa had awoken from a long, dreamless sleep and found himself somewhere he didn’t recognise. And somehow, he doubted it would be the last. But this time, this time it was different. As Tahu slowly regained feeling in his body he realised that he was standing upright. However, any attempts to move were in vain. He was trapped in some kind of crystallised substance. The material encompassed his body like a cocoon and held him firmly in place. The Toa strained every muscle in his bio-mechanical body in an attempt to break free of his prison, but to no avail. As he did so, though, his body begun to rise drastically in temperature, heating up the crystal that surrounded him until it glowed a brilliant orange. After a few seconds cracks started to spread and the entire structure crumbled around Tahu. That's right. Tahu thought, I'm a Toa of Fire, How had he not remembered that? That was when it hit him, he couldn't remember anything past his own name. Dazed, he paced around the small, rocky cave he found himself in. He felt different too, but different to what? He didn’t even remember what his body had felt like before, he just knew in his gut that it felt different now. Tahu started looking for a way out when something caught his eye, a large red gem sat upon a small pillar in one corner of the cave. It glowed brightly, bright enough to illuminate the entire cave, casting an eerie crimson hue over the stone walls; the Toa couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed it right away. Slowly and apprehensively, the bewildered Tahu began moving towards the gem, he reached out a metal hand and touched it. As soon he made contact hundreds of images flashed before his eyes, filling his mind with memories. Yes! He remembered everything! How he and five others had washed ashore on the island of Mata Nui, how they had fought the evil that plagued it and protected its inhabitants. Then he remembered how the evil Makuta had managed to take over the entire universe, how the great spirit Mata Nui, the previous ruler had fought to regain his rightful place. Until Mata Nui found a way to win the losing battle against his enemy and fulfil their duty to fuse the planets Aqua Magna, Bara Magna and Bota Magna and recreate Spherus Magna. He managed to combine the two robots they possessed into one ultimate robot which still housed the Matoran Universe, but at a sacrifice, the fusion destroyed the spirits of Makuta and Mata Nui. Tren Krom took up what he felt was a chance for him to fix the universe that was corrupt in his eyes. However, he found it wasn’t as easy as it looked, and after using the robot to create Spherus Magna he shut off most of the body. But he kept the head and Metru Nui alive, thinking it was the only pure place in the universe. He went into a deep slumber, putting Tahu and the other Toa Nuva in cages created from a mix of Energized Protodermis, Hordika Venom and other substances including what created the Bohrok-Kal. The prisons were specifically engineered by micing the chemicals to create a new one that would maintain the Toa in suspended animation as well as boost their strength over time. He told the Matoran to awaken them if evil was to ever creep back into their isolated city. The time has come, thought Tahu. The Matoran have somehow awakened me, I am needed once again! Excitedly, the Toa struggled to remember where the hidden exit was. He pushed hard against one of the walls of the cave, the false wall slid back, and then to the left causing dusky sunlight to flood the cave. The light burnt Tahu’s eyes, blinding him momentarily. He listened out for the cheering Matoran, welcoming him back and asking for his help. But he heard only silence. He was standing on a small ledge on the side of a giant volcano, a few miles from Ta-Metru. The land around was red and scorched and the sky was thick with smoke.In the sunlight he could see himself better, he looked down and what he saw shocked him, he looked nothing like he used to thanks to spending so long in that cage consisting of so many mutating substances. He was taller than he once was and darker in colour, his hands and feet were clawed and when he felt his mask he realised it had been completely fused to his face. His Fire Sword had grown and now needed two hands to use, it had become a Fire Greatsword. Tahu wondered for a second how he would get down - there were no steps of any kind and it was a long fall."Fall." Came a hushed voice that Tahu didn't recognise. It was carried on a huge gust of wind that seemed to come from nowhere. The gust knocked the Toa hard in the back and he tumbled off the ledge and into empty space. Tahu panicked as he fell helpless. “Who was that? Help!” He cried, the ground coming ever closer “I need help! Somebody, anybody!” Review Topic
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Ok. 4 months ago "Click" posted this MOC of a Matoran he built. I just so happened to have been working on a similar MOC of my own, only mine was at least 3 times taller! So I asked him if we could collaborate on a piece of work and include this character in it. So far little progress has been made in the ways of developing a storyline, but we imagined it would be related to the Multiverse instead of the Canon Universe. All we have agreed upon so far is that his power is "Rebuff". For those who don't know what it is, it allows the being to amplify the powers of other beings in his presence.So in the realization that I have very little time left with my Lego, I decided to finally post this MOC. Meet Toa Isirh, everyone!The rest of the pics are on my set on a famous image-hosting website...Here they are.Your thoughts are very much appreciated. Feel free to also post any story-related suggestions.
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Hey there, Stuff for sale, prices are a guide only, feel free to make an offer. Buy more sets and I'll try to do a deal Rules:I live in Bedfordshire, England so all money must be sent in £GBP.Buyer pays for postage and packaging (not included in prices listed below).I will only send the item(s) when I have recieved payment (Buyer sends first).What I Want:I am after Hau masks (Tahu Mata's ones...) - Green, Blue, Brown, White, Infected, other?Money (via cash, cheque or paypal).A Piano (I am the King of optimism)Alan Shearer Testimonial DVD What I Have:I have set prices for each item however if you feel that the price is too high I encourage offers.If buying a Bohrok, Bohrok-Va or Bohrok-Kal I will offer a choice from the Krana I have available. Otherwise one shall be selected at random.(Black = Available, Red = On Hold, Green = Sold)Masks (No set price - make an offer) The Hau (Tahu masks) are no longer for sale. Krana (No set price - make an offer)Spinners (No set price - make an offer)Toa("Toa Mata"), all with instructions and canisters, £5 each: 8531 Pohatu8532 Onua8533 Gali8534 Tahu x28535 Lewa8536 Kopaka x2Turaga, all without instructions or boxes, £3 each: 8540 Vakama8541 Matau8542 Onewa8543 Nokama8544 Nuju8545 WhenuaBohrok-Va, all without instructions but with boxes, £3 each: 8550 Gahlok Va8552 Lehvak VaBohrok, all with instructions and canisters unless stated, £4 each (unless stated): 8560 Pahrak - with canister, without instructions - £38561 Nuhvok - with canister, without instructions - £38562 Gahlok - with canister, without instructions - £38563 Tahnok8564 Lehvak8565 KohrakToa Nuva, all with instructions and canisters, £5 each: 8566 Onua Nuva8567 Lewa Nuva8568 Pohatu Nuva8570 Gali Nuva8571 Kopaka Nuva8572 Tahu NuvaBohrok-Kal, all with instructions and canisters, £4 each: 8573 Nuhvok-Kal8574 Tahnok-Kal8575 Kohrak-Kal8576 Lehvak-Kal8577 Pahrak-Kal8578 Gahlok-KalMata Nui Matoran with Kolhii sticks, all with boxes and instructions, £3 each: 8581 Kopeke8583 Hahli8585 Hafu8586 MackuRahkshi, all with instructions and canisters, £4 each: 8587 Panrahk8588 Kurahk x28589 Lerahk8590 Guurahk x2 (One has been opened but is otherwise untouched)8591 Vorahk8592 TurahkTitans, all with instructions and boxes, £10 each: 8593 Makuta (now known as "Teridax")Toa Metru, all with instructions and canisters, £4 each: 8601 Toa Vakama8602 Toa Nokama8603 Toa Whenua8605 Toa Matau8606 Toa NujuMetru Nui Matoran, all with instructions and boxes, £3 each: 8607 Nuhrii8608 Vhisola8609 Tehutti8611 Orkahm8612 EhryeVahki, all with instructions and canisters, £4 each: 8614 Nuurakh8615 BordakhTitans, all with instructions and boxes, £8 each: 8621 Turaga Dume and Nivawk8622 Nidhiki8623 KrekkaRahaga, all with instructions and boxes, £3 each: 4868 Gaaki4869 Pouks4870 Kualus4879 IruiniVoya Nui Matoran, all with instructions and boxes, £3 each: 8723 Piruk8725 BaltaVisorak, all with instructions and canisters, £4 each: 8742 Vohtarak8743 Boggarak x2 (One is brand new and sealed - £5)8744 Oohnorak8745 Roporak8747 SuukorakTitans, all with instructions and boxes, £8 each: 8755 Keetongu8761 RoodakaLimited Edition: Toa Hagah, all with instructions and canisters, £5 each: 8762 Toa Iruini8763 Toa Norik x2Films, £3 VHS, £4 DVD: The Mask of Light VHS x2Legends of Metru Nui DVDWeb of Shadows DVDBooks, all in good condition, £1.50 each: Chronicles - 1, 2, 3, 4Adventures - 1, 2, 3 (x2), 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9Collectors Sticker Book (Current location: Unknown... I will find it if anyone is interested)DC Bionicle Comics, all in excellent condition, £1.50 each: No. 1 (April 2001)No. 2 Part 2 (September 2001)No. 3 (April 2002)No. 10/11 (March/April 2003)No. 12 (June 2003)No. 13/14 (September 2003)No. 16 (March 2004)No. 19 (September 2004) x3No. 22 (March 2005)No. 24 (September 2005)Bionicle Activity BookletClothing Bionicle T-Shirt featuring the Toa Metru, in a canister (Size: Age 9-10) £3As for references I did have some when I was last on this 'site a few years back. They may or may not be members anymore... and might not even remember but hey, i'll list a couple:Old:- Ids5621- Toa Matoro Man- Toatapio NuvaNew:- Toatapio Nuva- ClickThanks for looking!Anthony
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Okay, I haven't really posted anything for a while here, so I thought I'd quickly finish up an idea I've had for a while. As soon as I saw Tribal Art, I just really loved the style of it, and a while ago, I made the connection between the Mata Nui Island villagers and the Tribal Art, since they are at least partially derived from the same places that Tribal art originates from. So, I just make a quick version (as in the Pakari took me half an hour!) of what I think Tribal Mata Kanohi could look like. Maybe later, I'll make the Turaga's Kanohi, but for now, enjoy:I'd say my favorites are the Kakama and the Kaukau, and even though the Pakari took me forever, I still don't like it much.And, if you have any comments, I would love to hear them, and so I can work on my tribal skills. Obviously, this is my first time drawing that particular style, but I think it turned out good for a first. So, what do you think?Oh, and if anyone would like Avatar versions, I would be glad to throw those together. Just a thought.
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Thanks to Hubert's genius idea to remind me every few hours to finish this, I finally got it done. So, I give you, Naona, Po-Koro Guard member and archenemy of paperwork.Linky 'cause of big size.Used Illustrator to color, free-hand sketch.
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This is Blight, a character from my Knights of the Green Storyline. For more information, please read my Knights of the Green storyline, it makes this MOC a lot cooler. Link in my signature.Front: http://www.brickshel...light_front.jpgBack: http://www.brickshel...blight_back.jpgBack Closeup: http://www.brickshel...ack_closeup.jpgFlamegun Closeup: http://www.brickshel...gun_closeup.jpgLightning Whip Closeup: http://www.brickshel...hip_closeup.jpgFoot Closeup: http://www.brickshel...oot_closeup.jpg
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This is Scion, a Toa of Ice that has several prosthetic limbs/exo suit. He's a character in my Knights of the Green storyline, Please read my book, it makes this MOC all the more cool. Link in my signature. Also take a look at Blight, Scion's teammate.Front: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Scion/scion_front.jpgBack: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Scion/scion_back.jpgIce Gun Close Up: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Scion/scion_ice_cannon.jpg
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This is Kyrah, she's a Toa of Acid that will hopefully be appearing in my Knights of the Green storyline along with Neurox and Cirek. (Sorry about the low quality pictures, my battery was starting to die while I took them. I'll probably get some better ones soon).Name: KyrahElement: AcidMask and Weapons: Kanohi Zatth, Mask of Summoning, Acidic SpearSummary: The only surviving member of the Su-Matoran, Matoran of Acid. Kirah is very quick to threaten anyone who seems strange or dangerous, since she's afraid that she will die, thus ending her elemental tribe.Front: http://www.brickshel...kyrah_front.jpg New Front: http://www.brickshel...h_front_new.jpgBack: http://www.brickshel.../kyrah_back.jpg New Back: http://www.brickshel...ah_back_new.jpgMid Rubberband Closeup: http://www.brickshel...and_closeup.jpgSide Closeup: http://www.brickshel...ide_closeup.jpg
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This is Neurox, another character that will hopefully be appearing in my Knights of the Green storyline. He's a Toa of Magnetism.Name: NeuroxElement: MagnetismMask and Weapons: Kanohi Pakari, Mask of Strength, Protosteel BoomerangSummary: Neurox originates from one of the southern islands. He is very skilled with his boomerang, and often uses magnetic blasts to control its path, and to pull it back after it's struck its target.Front: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Neurox/neurox_front.jpgBack: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Neurox/neurox_back.jpg
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Alrightsy, this is Cirek. He's a Toa of Plasma that I built that will be appearing in my Knights of the Green Storyline pretty soon hopefully. The main focus was on the sword, I spent about an hour alone messing around with it until I felt like it looked good.Here's the little bio I made for him also...Name: CirekElement: PlasmaMask and Weapons: Kanohi Akaku, Mask of X-Ray Vision (Non-Functional), Plasmasteel Sword, 5 Plasmasteel DaggersInformation: Cirek's origins are unknown. He has a strange obsession with sharp weapons. His sword is hand made from an alloy that combines protosteel and solidified Plasma, allowing him to channel his powers through it and into foes if he makes contact with their body.Front: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Cirek/cirek_front.jpgBack: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Cirek/cirek_back.jpgFront Sword Drawn Pose: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Cirek/cirek_front_sword_drawn.jpgSword Close Up: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Joev14/MOCS/Cirek/cirek_sword.jpg
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Well the title says it all! Worst lego theme ideas.Here are my ones:LEGO LEGOLEGO Twilight ( NOOOOOOOOOO! )LEGO Kitchen ( YAWN)LEGO MEGABLOKSLEGO Poop (LOL)LEGO BoxesLEGO Monster HighLEGO BarbieI WOULD hate lego twilight.And monster high. And barbie
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The Last Guardian Written by, Grant-Sud Walking on the barren desert sands, the three Matoran trekked onward in complete darkness. There wasn’t a light to be found in the land and the sky held no stars or moon. The sun hadn’t set on the world in the last five hundred years, and the rivers had long ago dried up. Despite that, the air was damp and warm.Toreck stopped, and glanced over his shoulder with a worried expression on his face as he casted his gaze upon the far sands behind him. His two friends came to a halt, their backpacks clanging with equipment. The Onu-Matoran, Retra, spoke first after a short moment of stillness.“Do you see them?” she asked. In these surroundings her black armor made her appear almost invisible to the naked eye. Only her green eyes were noticeable.“No.”Toreck continued to watch in silence, his Ruru activated to reveal what was in the darkness around him.“Do you think they are still following us?”“Yes.”They watched the lifeless sands below, riding the wind in waves, fluid in motion and colorless, as their Ruru’s didn’t allow color while in use of its power. They could see no other movement. But that didn’t mean they were alone, and that’s why the light feature of their masks were being unused.Retra slipped the pack from her shoulders and placed it on to the ground. Toreck intensified his own mask of night vision’s power to full, trying to get a better view of things. Shifting through her gear, she checked the rations they had left. About a week’s worth, more than enough time to reach their destination and head home. Inside she also found three lightstones covered in cloth and a Hau. Sighing, she zipped up the pack.“You didn’t bring weapons either, did you Moru?” she asked the quiet Le-Matoran who carried the lightest bags.“Besides a few disks, no,” he replied simply. “I felt that if we encountered Rahkshi threats out here, no weapon at our disposal would be efficient enough.”He sounded cold, but was only naturally so in speech. His face was also filled with slight disappointment at what Toreck had told them.“I … I think we should just continue on,” Toreck decided. He was a Ta-Matoran, the leader of this small group. And though Retra and Moru could always detect a small amount of nervousness in his voice, which was his nature, they knew the Ta-Matoran’s loyalty and determination always overcame his frightfulness. “If we find what we’re looking for, we’ll make it through no problem.” He finished that last statement with a reassuring smile.“If we find him,” Moru added quietly.Then Toreck shouted in sudden surprise as his sight was filled with a harsh light. He yanked his mask off and threw it to the ground. His vision blurred as he took in the brightness surrounding him. Moru and Retra, who had their masks set on a lower level, squinted and deactivated their masks entirely.On normal vision, the three Matoran looked upward to the sky above where one large square of light shined on the land. Toreck rubbed his eyes and looked out over the expanse. He could see everything, and his heart sank at the sight of the endless wasteland. Only sand and rocks.The light above flickered.“I don’t know why …” Retra started, but hesitated as she sought the right choice of words. “I wish I could have seen this place when it was worth fighting over. I can’t understand why no one minded living and fighting for a cage.”“It was a place meant for us, they used to say. It was a home.” Toreck explained to her, though he himself couldn’t truly understand the sentimentality of this world.“We should keep moving,” Moru interrupted, unsympathetic to what he saw. “Our home means much more to me and I want to see it again. I don’t ever want to come back to this empty shell of Mata Nui.”With that the Le-Matoran turned and continued down the lit way, not bothering see if his friends were following. He knew they were. It was only a good minute later that the giant lantern in the sky short-circuited, a sharp pop echoing across the land. Glowing sparks rained from the once again darkened sky, falling as mixture of ash and sand around them. And though they couldn’t fully understand why, their equipment and hearts, felt much heavier.***The tent flapped as the wind blew against it, shuddering and threatening to blow away at a given moment. Retra was confident though that the spikes she had placed into the tent would hold despite the softer surface.A small heatstone was placed in the center of the three Matoran. Moru was wide awake and staring into it, as was Toreck who took in the warmth like a long lost friend. Retra rested in her sleeping bag, eyes half closed. There hadn’t been much discussion, which was rare for them, but not necessarily unexpected. It had been a long journey into the old Matoran Universe. The three of them had been close at their Koro and knew each other well. And talking about their falling conditions and predicament was just… something they didn’t want to spend their last conversation on, if it happened to be so.Not only that, but the Matoran Universe was such a quiet world, so unlike Spherus Magna.Moru however, was not a Matoran to let difficult subjects get in the way of his questions and answers.“What do you think they are doing here?” Moru asked Toreck. The Le-Matoran then winced at his question but couldn’t help but slightly smile. Why was it that people, including him, were so drawn to his Ta-Matoran friend? They looked to him for confidence even though he seemed to have no real sustenance for his faith.“I’m not sure. Rahkshi are rare… and to be honest I wasn’t expecting any to be around here.”“They were sent after us,” Moru explained, already knowing the answer, just wondering what Toreck thought of it.Toreck raised his hands up to the heatstone, and rubbed them together after a minute. He struggled with his words for a second, but only muttered one.“Yeah.”“Maybe they know about it,” Retra said quietly. She was a strong Onu-Matoran, an excellent miner and construction expert. But though she had these skills, she was the youngest out of the three of them and often expressed either high confidence or worry. “We just need to find him before they do, that’s all,” she added with a smile, shutting her eyes again.“I agree,” Toreck told her as he fell on to his back, ready for sleep himself.Moru stayed in his sitting position.“And once we find the Toa, all our problems will be over.”The Le-Matoran glanced over at his friend, who spoke too joyfully.“What makes you so sure? Why do you think that this Toa will solve everything? That he’ll even be here, all the way out in the middle of nowhere?”Frowning in response, Toreck didn’t meet his gaze and shifted against his makeshift bed.“I don’t know for sure if the Toa will be here. But I hope he is. And if he is, I know he’ll start something, he’ll prove that we stand a chance.” Toreck shifted upward then, somewhat excited as he finally met his friend’s eyes. “Haven’t you ever thought about that? It’s what we all dream to be one day, a guardian. And this person might make that dream come true. It’s worth this journey, because it’s the only way our people are going to make it. And we will.”Moru didn’t say anything in response, but considered. Retra’s eyes were wide open once again, and she took in Toreck’s words like a revelation she hadn’t acknowledged before. “And tomorrow, we’re going to find him,” she finished, a smile on her face.Snuggling back into her covers, she tried falling asleep again, as did Toreck who felt safer and didn’t worry about the Rahkshi for now.Moru was the only one who couldn’t sleep so easily.***“Are we close?” Toreck asked, turning to Moru. The Le-Matoran’s vision was limited to what he saw ahead, but his own Ruru could make out the lines and notes in his stone map. He placed a finger to the tablet and scrolled it slowly upward, murmuring to himself before looking upward and giving a definite nod.“Very. Just a few more miles and we’ll reach the fortress.”Step after the step the group took in the darkness, occasionally glancing over their shoulder for the Rahkshi they could only assume weren’t around. Perhaps they had given up days ago, which would explain their absence for so long. Retra had commented that from the stories she had been told, Rahkshi rarely gave up a hunt, which worried the three even more. If they were still looking, wouldn’t they have caught up by now?The sheer cliff appeared abruptly in their path, a giant wall of rock upward miles high. They had had plenty of time to notice it through their masks, but still the magnitude of such an obstacle surprised them. They hadn’t seen much of anything besides desert since they had begun their journey into the robot’s shell.“It’s somewhere along this wall,” Moru said disappointingly. “I’m not sure which direction for sure.”“Just estimate the best you can, my friend,” Toreck encouraged. “And what are we looking for exactly?”Moru smiled and laughed halfheartedly. “You know what we’re looking for, the entrance into this Dark Hunter Fortress. It should be marked by a large black stone...” Scratching the back of his head in thought, he pointed to the left. “I’m going to say it’s in this direction, if my calculations are correct. But there’s no way of knowing which part of the wall we’re at, and it goes on for miles.”“I’ll try to pick up anything that’s hallow in the rock,” Retra added, walking close to the cliff-face and pressing a hand against the stone, a natural ability granted to Onu-Matoran.Making their way along the wall, Toreck and Moru kept a sharp eye for any color difference in the stone, which was difficult while seeing through night vision. Retra kept her eyes closed, feeling out for any abnormalities.“I feel it!” Retra opened her eyes and pressed both hands to the rock. It had only been a good ten minutes, much better time in locating the entrance than they had expected. “It’s nearby, there’s an opening inside, no doubt.”Toreck quickly ran ahead searching for any kind of col-And then a large boulder in the cliff, volcanic black in color was before him.It took a few minutes for Retra to locate the secret hatch buried in the sand underneath it. With a sharp pull, she removed the latch and the bolder slowly slid out from the cliff, revealing a square opening that reached far into the mountain’s side. The entire opening was built of steel with sand spreading across the floor. Toreck took a quick look inside, and slowly entered, followed by his friends.The stone closed shut behind them, leaving them in perpetual darkness. Assured of being alone now, the three Matoran removed their masks and retrieved their lightstones. Toreck placed on his Mask of Flight, Moru his Mask of Accuracy and Retra her Mask of Strength.Now immersed in regular light, they made their way through the long and abandon corridor.***“If Lariska was right about everything…” Moru started.“It’s here?” Toreck asked, awed by what could be beyond the steel hatch. The door was hexagon shaped and glowing at the edges was a white light. His excitement was evident by the way his fingers twitched at his sides. This was it.“Yes. Trapped in the Shadowed One’s Throne Room, is where we’ll find the Toa. This should be the chamber. Now when the Toa wakes up, we’ll need to be easy with him. He’s not going to understand a lot right away.”“Retra,” Toreck turned to her. “Do your stuff.”“On it,” she said, grinning from the edge of her mask to the other. Quickly, she slid down to her knees on the right side of the steel hatch. There, she began to study the code construct, riddled with an old Matoran Language and other odd symbols.“Set up the lightstones around me?” she requested, and the two did as they were told. Placing one right beside her, she quickly located another stone tablet from her own pack. Notes and sketches were written across it. Lariska had theorized at the code word when she had told the legend years back, so they had a good idea of what it was. But the translation from the Spherus Magna Language to the Matoran Language was a difficult one. If anyone could do it, Retra could, having studied up on the history of the Matoran Universe as much as Moru.“Okay…” she pressed a button and then another on the panel. “Yes! This is it!”With a sudden lurch, the door’s hinges unhooked and a dust cloud formed around them. The door slowly rose upward, descending-And then it stopped.“Hold on,” Retra said, activating her mask. “I think it’s just caught.”She moved to the hatch and held on to the underside of it. She started to lift with a heavy grunt.“Toreck,” Moru tapped on his friend’s shoulder. He had a distant look in his eye, the Ta-Matoran. It was as though he was in a dream and wanting to live it. “Toreck… listen.”Blinking, his friend concentrated on Moru.“I know what you think, that this Toa will be the start of something great, and yes I think it will change everything too…” he looked a little saddened. “But don’t ever think that we’re not worth-”“Got it!”Another roar of the steel grinding against stone, and the door automatically lifted, with Retra standing in its opening. She didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything at the sight before her.Inside was a large dark room of polished stone, to the far left a massive throne and around the room along the walls were shelves and shelves of masks and weapons. The weapons looked personal, not powerful but having significant value to them. All the masks were scarred, as though their owners had all perished at the marks long ago. But it was how she was seeing these things, from the light source at the far end of the room right across from the doorway that had stopped her in her tracks. There was a large container, cylinder shaped, transparent with a tall figure standing upward and frozen inside. The cylinder emitted a light like one from the heavens, light blue and pure, which revealed the features of the being. There was no room for doubt in the Matoran’s heart. And though she had never seen one before, she still knew what she saw.It was a Toa.And then abruptly, the placed lightstone beside her shattered into pieces. Retra, half dazed and half surprised by the sudden disruption, slowly turned to look over her shoulder.The heat from the laser as it made its way across the ground before them seemed to come in slow motion to her. She could only watch it frame by frame, unable to move in a sudden fear that had taken hold of her. Only one word came to mind as the beam swiftly moved upward and cut into her armor, body and mask.‘Rahkshi.’Struck down without mercy, Retra fell to her knees, her body smoking from the new scar that was etched into her. Her eyes seemed dead and she collapsed on her side.“Retra!” Toreck cried out in devastation, not fully taken in by what had happened. The next beam cut across the wall and toward the two Matoran left standing.“Move!” Moru grabbed a hold of Toreck’s arm and pulled him into the chamber the laser slicing above their heads.Moru glanced upward, seeing the attack barely miss striking the Statis Tube where the Toa was held.Quickly, he reached behind his back, activating his mask on full power and swung out with his acquired disk. A level three teleport disk, which soared directly at the body of the orange colored Rahkshi. The creature fired another stream of heat which missed the disk and instead struck the right arm of Moru. The Le-Matoran cried out in pain as the Rahkshi immediately disappeared by the disk’s effects.“They’re…” Moru sucked in his air. “Trying to kill the Toa.”Toreck’s eyes widened as he turned to find two more Rahkshi right outside the hatch. A red and brown one, evil looks to their eyes which were said to be that of a dreaded Makuta’s. He lost track of his breathing as the events unfolded far too quickly for him. Moru rushed forward, shoving Toreck out of the way and outstretched his arms as a wave of power erupted from the brown Rahkshi’s staff. Uplifting dirt in its wake, the Le-Matoran took the energy in full, stopping it from reaching the Toa.A saddened look to his face, the Le-Matoran fell backward, armor scarred and marked and ripped apart. His mask had been half disintegrated from the attack. Toreck shouted out his name but Moru couldn’t even hear it and only witnessed his friend by fading vision as he took him in his arms and leaned over him.“I… I… I protected … for you… make sure, they… they can’t be allowed … the last…” he didn’t have any more control of his lungs after that, but he strangely felt no pain, and just watched his friend as he screamed deafly. He gave a prayer that’d Toreck could make it through this. That he wouldn’t see his friend on the other side so soon.And then he passed away.Toreck cried, unable to fight back and unprepared for the sudden loss of his companions. He was supposed to be stronger than this. He was supposed to fight, like Tahu had taught the Matoran long ago. A reason to exist was what they needed to live, as the Great Toa had said. But Toreck couldn’t remember why he was living right then, not when everything had been taken from him.On the outside, as the Rahkshi of Fear began to move into the chamber with its brother, Retra slowly reached upward with her arm, and retyped in the code she had punched in. She didn’t think about what was next, only the present. After she was done, the Onu-Matoran fell back into the ground, eyes dimming as the hatch began to seal shut. The Rahkshi hissed in anger and turned to her, seeing the smirk on her face.“Tell the Toa, I said hi … okay Toreck?”Then she died before the sons of Makuta could kill her.***Erratic breaths were pitifully drawn from Toreck as he watched the hatch close and seal. Tears in his eyes, he realized he had been given a chance. There was still an opportunity to finish the mission and retrieve the prize. And he was wasting it.Moving slowly past the corpse of Moru, not barring to watch his friend any longer, Toreck approached the Statis Tube. He placed a hand against the glass, and slowly slid it across the container until it reached the smooth stone wall. There, a single lever waited.He pulled on it, and the prison’s glow faded away. The glass opened, steam filling out across the room. When it cleared, there the Toa of Psionics stood leaning slightly against the wall with unlit eyes.***…Norik…She inhaled, gasping as though life had always been across the street, waving and smiling but never rushing to meet her. Her eyes started to glow and her legs unbuckled from beneath her as she fell.Then she felt hands desperately catch her torso and hold her up for a moment before being laid to the cold ground. She couldn’t make out anyone before her, though she knew someone was there and she only couldn’t hear.Dizziness struck, her vision blurred and as her body received the air it needed she immediately felt as though she needed to sleep again.But she refused that call. Somehow, she knew she had been asleep for a long time.Movement against her side for too long, she slowly started to make out the muddled noise reaching her ears. Opening her eyes again, she noticed the small red being beside her. It looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall its name, though it was in the back of her mind, somewhere. He shook her body, pressed his mask down toward hers and started to speak.“You…” she could make out.Grudgingly, she moved her arms up and pressed her palms to the floor slowly lifting herself up. She fell, and tried again as the ringing in her ears stopped.“Who…where am I?” she asked, her voice not her own. Though she couldn’t remember exactly what she sounded like before. The room was very dark, and besides a noticeable throne at the end of the room which looked all too familiar, she couldn’t recall where she was.“You’re female!” the red being responded in surprise. “I- I’m sorry, we had just assumed, because of the legend.”For some reason that answer confused her all the more and before she could think about what she was saying, she spoke.“Of course I’m female, I’m a Toa of Psionics.”And then with that word, Toa, memories started to burst free from the dam of her mind. Too many memories; fighting … for something, living in unnamed lands, working with unnamed teammates.Except for the name, Norik. She could remember that one.“What was I thinking… you were around before the time of Spherus Magna,” the little one started to ramble on. “But that’s fine! You just said it! You’re a Toa! I … Toa I …” and then he started to tear up a little and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad …” he half finished, too emotional to end his statement correctly.“Where am I? Why can’t I remember …” she moved his hand away and pressed both her palms to her forehead as she sat up. Immediately her attention was drawn to the other side of the room. There a large door with smoke spewing out the sides, started to rumble.The red one looked frightened as he looked over as well.Matoran! He’s a Matoran! Her mind screamed.“Listen to me! I don’t have much time to explain… Toa of Psionics, you’ve been imprisoned for years, hundreds of years. You’re still suffering from the effects of Statis, but it should wear off soon. My name is Toreck, and, uh and I’ve, I mean we, have been looking for you, for a long time.”His words were jumbled together, as though he was unsure what he himself was doing there.Some of it made sense, she was a Toa, and she could remember sleeping. She didn’t remember having dreams though.“Varian…” she finally responded. “That’s my name.”“Toa Varian,” he said, firmly in a tone of kindness that made her meet his eyes. “There’s a prophecy that says you are our salvation, you’re a Toa who’s supposed to be able to defend us, and save what we lost. This is going to be hard for you to understand, and I promise I’ll explain everything soon…” he was interrupted by another rumble that struck the hatch. “You are the only Toa left, Varian. For four hundred years, they’ve been missing. That means,” he continued slowly. “You are the Toa in the prophecy. And I need your help. The Makuta’s sons are right outside.”Toa from a prophecy… she couldn’t remember ever being associated with things like that. She only remembered bits and pieces of her life before. Like how she and Norik had been betrayed by a Dark Hunter, how she had been able to negotiate her imprisonment for his life. She remembered roaming the universe, wanting to be able to grow into an accomplished Toa who lead the team, instead of the scout her powers allowed her to be. Day after day, running around in the large universe taking down the bad guys with her friends by her side had become tiring and she grew exhausted. She hadn’t been strong enough to handle the constant blows, and that had gotten her captured.She couldn’t break the hope of this Matoran, but how could she lie to him? If there were no Toa left, then experience was telling her that the world had changed for the worst.With a slight cough in her sigh, still not having fully recovered from the Statis effects, Varian answered.“And if, that prophecy was wrong and I’m not who you say I am? What if I’m not this Toa you need me to be?”Varian watched Toreck’s expression lower and his eyes dim. He looked as though he didn’t have an answer for that question.But when she looked down the floor and started to stand upright fully, he spoke.“Legends say that a Toa is someone who protects and strengthens others. They’re loyal, as strong as they need to be and put others needs ahead of their own. They choose a path,” a rumble from the door and it started to glow bright orange as the metal melted. “And stick with it, no matter what obstacles fall their way. Is that true Varian?”She laughed a little at and shook her head.“Yes. It’s never that easy, but for the most part it’s true.”Toreck smiled.“Then you’re everything I’ve been searching for. For me, you can’t be anyone else.”With a hiss and the bending of metal, the hatch door blew off the wall, clanging unto the ground before the Toa and Matoran. Three Rahkshi made their way into the chamber, watching for movement and the thirst for death on their minds. Their armor reeked of it. The red one, a Turahk, roared ferociously as it caught sight of the Matoran they were searching for. With a moment of hesitation it noticed a new creature standing beside it. Taller, lean and gold and blue in color. It had never seen anything like it before, and it felt no sense of fear from the being. That was fine though, because a Rahkshi of Fear was also never afraid. What could match its power, what could terrify fear itself?At least, that’s what it had believed, until the being before them opened its glowing, furious, light blue eyes.***The first blast of energy that struck the Rahkshi was so abrupt and forceful, that the dark creatures were pushed off their feet and into the stone behind them. The attack was transparent, but the air was noticeably pulsing as it flowed forward, tinted with blue. Dust leaped off the walls in a cloud, moving in an upward formation like a spiraling wave from the ocean.The orange colored Rahkshi pushed itself up, anger screeching from the Kraata. Its eyes started to burn like fire, a charge of heat building up.The Toa raised her hand and the head of the Rahkshi was pulled toward the left directly at its brother, Panrahk. With no way to expel its power, it fired the laser at its brother’s armor melting and cutting through to the Kraata inside.The Toa released its grip on the Rahkshi of Heat Vision, as the Turahk charged forward. Immediately it halted, seeing three of the same Toa standing before it. Growling, the creature released its negative power of fear to the Toa, watching as its essence spread to each one.“You think you can scare me? A Toa of Psionics always has her mind on the defensive,” it heard a voice say.All three Toa vanished as two strong arms reached around the body of the red Rahkshi, filling its thoughts with tiredness. The Rahkshi slowly stopped struggling and fell into sleep. But she made it start to fall deeper, until the Kraata itself wouldn’t awake for years. The Turahk fell to the floor with its armor clanging against the ground. She took a momentary look at her enemy, before turning to the last one.The Rahkshi of Heat Vision faltered in its stance as it watched the Toa, meeting her eyes. Charging its energy once more, it took a desperate shot.The beam passed through the Toa, striking her like a mirage.Two small holes were seared into the smooth wall, and a silence followed. The Rahkshi turned, and now couldn’t find the Matoran, who had been backing away since the fight began. It was alone.It could only find the dead like Turahk and sliced open Panrahk.With a whistling sound ringing in the creature’s ears, the last Rahkshi spun around at the noise. But it never caught sight of the Kanoka disk which froze it on the spot.***Varian held Retra upright in her arms while Toreck carried Moru. She had tried to take both Matoran, since she knew such a task was probably difficult for him, but he had remained stubborn. He felt partly responsible, he had said.The rest of the blame, Varian knew, was hers.Their loads included the two Matoran, three bags containing supplies such as food and masks, and one newly acquired Rahkshi staff picked up by Varian. They reached the outside of the fortress, greeted by a gust of sand which surprised the Toa. She took in her barren world, which was covered by night and dust. A lowly feeling came over her. What in Mata Nui’s name had happened to the Universe? Reaching out with telepathy, she found no source of life for miles. Everything was gone. She couldn’t even locate a Rahi.With a small push of her power, she created a proper grave large enough for both Matoran. Sand rushed around them as they moved into it, placing their friends gently down. Toreck had been the only one who knew them, and he spoke a few words. The Ta-Matoran spoke about how faithful they had been, and that their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. He said they were greatest friends he had ever had, and he’d take care of Moru’s pet ussal crab, Puki, when they returned home, and find a good place to keep Retra’s journals in the library.Varian gave a heartfelt thank you, and wished she had gotten to know the Matoran.With a wave of her hand, sand began to fill the hole and cover the bodies slowly.“Here,” Toreck said, passing her a Ruru. “You’ll need this to traverse the desert. It’s more efficient than a lightstone and less noticeable.”She took it and replaced it for her Mask of Fate. “Not that anyone is out here to watch us,” she replied.Toreck laughed a little. “Yeah, there isn’t really much here. But I guess to you, this place was home.”“What happened?” she asked suddenly, eyes stern and concern abundant. “You need to start telling me everything.”“I agree,” he replied, nodding. “Um… where to start? Well, let’s head out. Once we leave this Universe, things will get clearer.”“L-leave the Universe?” ***When she found herself outside the robot of Mata Nui, disbelief struck her.She was supposed to be prepared for it. Toreck had explained everything, starting from the Brotherhood rebellion which a lot of she had no idea about. He had explained Spherus Magna, Mata Nui’s purpose, the war between the Great Spirit and Teridax.Varian shaded her eyes with her hand, taking in the abundant plant life, the jungle that awaited them. She looked behind her, seeing the giant … which wasn’t the right word. Taking in the enormous metal shell they had walked out of and finding the sharp contrast between the two worlds. They continued their journey three days into the desert only to abruptly find life, and too much of it for her telepathic abilities to take. She reduced her elemental powers, lowering the mental radar she had activated.Walking through the jungle, she couldn’t help but be amazed at how large their Universe was. That after five hundred years, many parts of the robot hadn’t been used for supplies. That miles and miles of the complex universe remained untouched, rotting away. Karzahni, that it fit, barely took up any space on the planet of Spherus Magna at all!With the migration of Matoran, following Teridax’s fall, came a new dark age. The evil that had begun through the Matoran Universe spread to the same on Spherus Magna. Skakdi, Dark Hunters, the Brotherhood, Skrall … they all had a common enemy. Their enemy was still a new born, unsure of who to trust and how to function.In time, the Order of Mata Nui was reduced to nothing, and the Agori and Glatorian were forced to join into the society of the powers that be. Matoran and Toa were refugees, hidden and smuggled throughout the planet. With constant rebellions, power struggles, the Matoran race began to dwindle into a hand full and Toa, less than that. Years after when beings finally saw the corruption for what it was, and fought for a new peaceful world, Matoran had been long left alone.The lush bushes around them, dew dripping from the palm branches above their heads, looked too peaceful for a planet of war. But then again, there weren’t many to fight against one another any longer.The Toa had lost.Toreck had explained how a Great Toa, Tahu, had led an army against the most corrupt part of the new society. Toa had been being killed for over a hundred years since arrival, planned and assassinated by a new being who had appeared from nowhere it seemed, Marendar. The Toa had led a battle to kill this … machine, a final fight to the death.Varian still had a hard time believing that the Toa would sacrifice themselves in a fight they couldn’t win.“It wasn’t so much that the Toa wanted things the way they used to be,” Toreck explained while they walked. “Things were too far gone for that. Tahu put it best, and his words are in writing still, which we’ll see when we get home. He said that, “We all have a reason to live. We just need to find it ourselves. And though Spherus Magna has no place for us, I refuse to be treated so unjustly. If Spherus Magna won’t remove the evil of Marendar and the Kings who now rule with darkness over the planet, then we Toa should stand against it. Because that’s what Toa do, believe and put faith in what’s right, even to the point of surrendering our own lives.”Toreck stopped at the end of a steep cliff where the tree line ended and an open expanse was revealed to them. Varian looked out to the world and gasped at its sight. There were tall mountains that were covered by light fog and jungles, reaching far into the clouds. Rivers poured out from its cliffs and throughout the land. She saw giant bird Rahi, soaring above them in clear skies. It was nothing like she had ever seen before; the world fascinated and terrified her.Her Ta-Matoran companion didn’t even give it a second glance, and leaped off the slope, gliding down with his mask power. She stared at him, still slightly dumbfounded by the Matoran ability to use masks, and followed.Marendar was killed in Tahu’s final assault. They said that a Legendary Toa, one of no name, but with a destiny that was meant for no other, struck the final blow to the monster. The battle field was said to have been lit by a bright light, so intense that some said the stars in the sky now burned twice as brightly in admiration.However, from then after, no Toa had ever returned and none had ever been found again.That battle held great significance. Beings began to view Toa as a lost race, and held respect for them. The long disbanded members of the Order of Mata Nui, was reorganized with beings of all kinds. The few Matoran populations that were in hiding and slowly reducing in number were contacted and joined together by the New Order of Light. It was run by a former Dark Hunter known as Lariska. Her organization was sponsored from her old ties to the Shadowed One’s disbanded crime syndicate. Lariska and her people found the Matoran; smuggled supplies from their universe so that construction of new Matoran could be made. It was a rough process, and the calculations that were made by the Great Spirit no longer were placed into the formula. It resulted with new born Matoran having no connection with the old universe. Genders were random for every element type. Mental inhibitors were unlocked which allowed mask use. And destinies were no longer obtained.While the Matoran population grew, Toa were extinct. There wasn’t a source of Toa power left to be found.“That is, until she remembered you,” Toreck continued. Varian swiftly cut through a thick vine with her staff, allowing them to pass through the foliage.“Are we almost there?” Varian asked. She wasn’t sure how to ask, ‘Why am I so important?’ It sounded pompous. Though it was important she got an answer.“We’re almost there. We’re living inside a mountain based fortress. No one suspects that we’re so close to the body of the Great Spirit and no one has found us yet. Only a few of the Order members know where we are. But that’s all about to change.”“How?” she asked.“Lariska prophesied before her death, that it would take a Toa to lead the people back into civilization. She died about two hundred years ago, and at the time not all of Spherus Magna was ready for Matoran to reappear. Our existence is well known, now. They don’t know where we are, we have numerous hidden cities. But they do know we are still alive. Some don’t want us to return, as you could see by the Rahkshi. But many do want us around. That’s why I’ve been searching for you. I believe a Toa is the final piece that truly will bring the Matoran back to what we once were.”“You placed a lot of faith in me.”“Lariska believed in it. It’s taken time to find your location, and there have been so many pressing matters to attend to… but I was able to get a small team and approval for a search. Once you meet everyone, I’m sure it’ll be the final push we need for our return.”Toreck looked excited as he turned around.“And won’t it be amazing! Finally, being able to work with the people on the planet and not living in a cage! I’ve never been anywhere else but these mountains. I hear the cities are amazing now, skyscrapers that reach up into space! Transport vehicles that fly at the speed of light!”Varian smiled, thinking of how similar this world might be to Metru Nui. But inside, her thoughts started to plague her. Matoran were exiled now, shunned from society. Did Toreck really believe that a return of Toa would change everything? She hadn’t lived here long, and didn’t understand all of what was going on… but things were rarely so simple.And being the last Toa… Was that a sign from Mata Nui? What if that meant, they shouldn’t return or that they were unneeded now? If the entire world seemed at peace, but only Matoran weren’t fitting into the mold, should they force themselves into it?She didn’t have an answer. And not only that, there was too much responsibility on her shoulders. Varian was the last of her kind. How could she protect them all or lead them, if she had no idea who they truly were or what they had gone through? What encouragement could she give?She couldn’t.“Would I make a good Toa, Varian?” Toreck suddenly asked, stopping. Dirt picked up from under his feet and the sun lit down on his body, slightly covered by the shade of the lush trees above. “They say only Toa can choose the next Toa. Do you think I can be one? Maybe someday?”Varian smiled, she could answer this one easy.“Well, let take a look at you,” she walked around him, studying his body, though that didn’t mean anything. “You have the right posture … I know you’re loyal, a friend. I think you can be, one day. You have the potential.”Toreck laughed, beside himself. “Don’t tease me now, you give me the chance and I’ll take being a Toa in a heartflash.”“It’ll probably have to happen,” Varian replied, a little more seriously. “We’ll need more Toa around to unsure they don’t disappear again.” Toreck nodded at that. “But it’s not the greatest thing, to be one of the last…”The Ta-Matoran looked her square in the eye, no longer cheerful.“Varian, you aren’t one of the last. You’re the…”And then with a sudden snap-hiss a projectile soared in their direction. Varian immediately leaped forward and shoved Toreck to the ground. The small green sphere hit a near tree, exploding an acid substance across it which burned through the wood in seconds. The tree sizzled and started to crack before tumbling down. Leaves and branches fell around them as Varian covered herself and Toreck in a telekinetic shield.Slowly picking herself up, Varian focused her eyes toward the direction of the projectile, finding a tall brutish and black Skakdi standing before them in plain sight. His grin was full of malice and tinted with insanity, as most Skakdi were portrayed. He reloaded the Zamor Launcher and with a smile aimed it to her chest. His head gear was distinctly unique but Varian felt like there was a hint of familiarity to it.“I haven’t seen a Toa in a long time,” the Skakdi stated, a look of excitement in his eyes. “And I honestly didn’t believe the rumors. Who knew we had missed one?”“He sent the Rakhshi after us,” Toreck whispered to her. “It makes sense, considering he knew you were out here.”Varian nodded. She had dealt with this type of monster before. Skakdi had a greater mindset and harshness to them than most villains. But they all had weaknesses with a personality like animals.“So you were around during my time?” Varian called out.The Skakdi’s grin deepened.“Oh, I was there. You remember it all, right? The constant wars, struggles, all that death; I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”“Again?” Varian asked, raising her staff to the level his gun.“That Toa don’t return, of course. They were the cause of all of all our troubles.”She hesitated, just as he charged forward, firing a shot from his Zamor launcher. Varian acted on instinct, reaching out with her powers and redirecting the sphere back at the Skakdi. But he was already on the move to the right, firing a laser beam from his eyes. Varian shouted in surprise and felt the beam cut into her left arm.Varian grasped her arm which throbbed in pain, the metal of her armor having melted against her flesh. Quickly she gave a sharp look to Toreck and sent him a message.‘I need you to get going. I’ll catch up with you, and take your pack. We’ll need it for later.’Toreck looked conflicted, as if unwilling to leave her.She fired a blast of telekinesis at him, shoving him to near foliage. Scrambling upward, he ran into the jungle.Varian smiled and then turned to the Skakdi with a frown. She concentrated fully, confident that Toreck was gone. Suddenly there were four of her on the battle field, all with a healed arm and staff’s raised.The black Skakdi snarled.“You think I’m wrong, do you?” he asked, as he stepped right into the center of Toa illusions. “Well, I can’t be wrong. You see this mask on my face?” he directed a sharp talon like finger toward his headgear. “Years ago, a Skakdi had found a way to fuse masks to our faces. We implemented the same idea. I wear the Mask of Truth.”All the Toa suddenly showed surprise in their eyes.“You’ve been asleep for too long!” He thundered in a confident voice as he lashed out to the right, grabbing the real Varian by the throat. “And your people are long dead. Did you know that’s what we discovered? Not the dead part, but the peacefulness?”The Toa struggled against her bounds, losing air as his grip tightened and he lifted her up from the ground, feet dangling.“Years and years after the absence of Toa, things started to get better. There was no one to fight against, no one to rebel against our rulers. Everyone just obeyed, and you know what? Now, there are no struggles. We make it work.”With a swift toss, the Toa was thrown to the ground with force. Varian cried out as she gasped for air.“Why would I lie? It’s not in me.” That grin, that grin he had on his face, filled Varian with discontentment. She tried to push herself up from the soft grass and dirt. It was too beautiful of a day for violence.It’s not true. I know it’s not true. She reasoned with herself.But was it? Toa had been a part of every battle in her day. There weren’t fights they could stop, only ones they could end. If the people were truly happy, why should she interfere?Mata Nui, you aren’t around anymore are you? She asked the heavens, though she had recently learned that he wasn’t up there somewhere, just living behind a curtain. She had never asked Toreck what had happened to the Great Spirit. Was that something you understood, that Toa weren’t needed anymore? That there shouldn’t be protectors, because there’s no need to protect?Unable to push herself up with her bad arm, she huffed in agitation as she blasted the ground with a telekinetic force, launching herself in the air. She back flipped and landed on a high branch reaching out for another to stable herself. Breathing quickly, she leaped from one tree to the next. A beam of energy shot from under her, cleaving the large branch in two.“Agh!” she shouted, leaping upward to the next tree, missing the laser.It started to follow her, and she leapt down into multiple palms which covered her for a moment. She hit the ground, rolled, and moved behind a large tree which reached upward in a vine like shape, erratic. She took a deep breath, trying to get a mental lock on the Skakdi’s location, while figuring out a course of action. As long as the Skakdi had that mask on, all of her mental illusions wouldn’t work. And Skakdi won’t go down with simple energy blasts. She needed something powerful.A vision of alarm struck her mind, and she instantly dropped to the ground as a laser cut horizontally through the tree’s trunk. She didn’t hesitate this time. Activating her mask of Fate, she leaped high into the air spinning around with her staff in hand. She landed far behind the Skakdi and rushed forward, attempting a strike on the right side. He had armored spikes along his arms and caught the staff’s bladed edge with them, grinning. He pushed forward and kept pushing, driving Varian back with his strength until she pushed him back with a mental blast.He shook his head at the attack, the effects weakened by his Mask’s power. Varian backed up into another tree.“You keep fighting, but you have nothing to live for. Do you see my point?”Varian hesitated, but not at his words. Of others, spoken long ago.“We all have a reason to live. We just need to find it ourselves… I refuse to be treated so unjustly … we should stand against it… putting faith in what’s right, even surrendering our own lives for it.”Norik had been there, listening, when Tahu had said those words. He had placed his trust in the Toa, and agreed with it.“You’re scared of us,” she answered back. The Skakdi didn’t say anything, but narrowed his eyes slightly. “Terrified, that if the Toa ever return, we’ll start the fighting again.” Varian took a step forward, staring the mask of truth square in the eyes.“But we fought and struggled because of the evil we lived in. No one would make the change, and so we would be the ones to take the first steps. And you’re afraid that once the Toa return, that’ll we’ll start speaking for the ones who can’t.” Her voice grew in confidence and assurance as she spoke. “That I’ll come into your Empire, look at your messy and dirt ridden hands right before all your people and say…”She paused, before giving a small smirk.“’Clean them.’ ”The grin turned into a frown, a deep one that was filled with hatred at the one before him.“It’s why you don’t want me back, right?” Varian grinned, finally, starting to feel like her old self. “Come on, you have the mask of truth. What’s the point of pretending to lie to you?”He lunged forward in fury, firing another laser in her direction. This time Varian jumped to the left and hurled her staff at the Skakdi, slipping right passed the beam. Repulsing it with a wave of kinetic energy, the blade cut against her enemy’s mask leaving a large mark.Varian suddenly tripped in surprise and just before hitting the ground, the Skakdi caught her. He lifted her up under the arms and slammed her into a thick tree, his arms outstretched.“You’ll die and rot in death forever! Just like all the ones before you…” he seemed conflicted, as though he wasn’t sure of his own reasoning. And the Toa’s smile just made it all the worse. There was something she knew and wasn’t pretending to hide… what was it!?“Mata Nui says it’s time to return. I’m already here, you failed to stop my awakening and my power is going to spread.” Her grin just grew. “You’ll see. It’s all started, and it’ll start with that Matoran you let loose.”He ignored all of it. “You’re nothing! Just an ancient piece of metal that’s been unburied from a tomb. You hear me Toa!” His eyes started to glow, dangerously. They aimed for her mask. “You’re just a memory. A defender of the dead. The last guardian!”“No…” And the Toa closed her eyes, her voice dropping like she was ready to sleep. “I’m the first of many.”And then a light flickered around her form, and her body vanished from the grasp of the Skakdi, leaving that smile of hers implanted on his mind to haunt him for a while.He looked around, searching… searching… it wasn’t possible. How did she…The Skakdi reached up and felt the mark on his mask. It was cut… and that would dampen its power. Maybe even cause it to dysfunction entirely. Was that true for fused masks?When he finally realized he didn’t know the answer, he received it. His mask was broken. He had been fighting an illusion since the strike.Despite it all, the Skakdi smiled. That little spawn of Mata Nui had done it, she’d come back from the dead. The Toa were on their way.It was all starting now, the beginning of their end. The people were going to see things differently, and would have to choose all over again. Resistance to their way of things, just what the Makuta had tried to stop for so long.He could try to catch up with her… but somehow he realized this was a rockslide he couldn’t stop right now. The mountain was too large for just one person.***Toreck sat at the entrance of BZ-Koro, waiting. The one of many fortresses had been his home for as long as he could remember. Out of them all, it was the most prominent and important. It held the largest remnant of lost Matoran. He stared out over the long expanse in silence. He just took in the world. All the promises it seemed to make and the future it could have, but just hadn’t arrived yet.He shouldn’t have left her.Even after finding what he assumed was a Toa Stone in his pack, and making his way through the jungle until he reached one of the many passages in the mountain side, he had had no urgency to walk through the opening and meet his people.What was he supposed to say? That his friends were murdered on his quest? That he found their hope, and let her die out there? That he came back with a source of her power, and they could all start from that?That last one was technically true. But … Toreck wasn’t feeling grateful for it. He felt cheated.He had relied so heavily on a dream, and it had been torn to pieces. Varian was dead, and he couldn’t show the last generation that they were strong too. But he supposed that was the problem. He never believed Matoran alone they were good enough, without a Toa around. He needed something to prove it, he needed Varian.And even after this Toa Power was used, it wouldn’t be the same. He’d feel like a Matoran in a Toa’s body.He thought about how much importance Varian had found in him, that even though he was just a Matoran, that he existed too. Why couldn’t he lead his people into the world? Why did they have to have a Toa? She seemed to think they could have done it themselves.Was he that afraid to stand up and say, “No, this is wrong.”?Those last words that Moru was going to say, he’d never hear them. But he could guess, and it was what Varian showed him. She fought for their freedom. He had too as well.Standing he made his way into the cave. All the while he silently gathered the courage he didn’t completely feel, to face the others and tell them the truth. For Varian, Retra and Moru. For himself.“And you’re going to tell them all that, alone?”Toreck stopped. He couldn’t move at first, disbelief overcoming any hope he had.But his relief and excitement overcame that disbelief.He turned. He saw her at a distance, walking out the jungle. She was injured, but he could tell she was happy.“I - I can do it,” he called back. “You can come along if you’d like, but I … I don’t need you.”“I know,” she replied. Her smile remained, and her eyes were filled with pride in her friend.“You don’t have to join us. But, I,” he paused, not letting his determination slip. “Regardless, I do want you to be there.”They stared at each other for a long a moment, both unsure of what was going to happen next. What events would occur in their future? Could they repair what they had lost in this world and how long would it take?In the end, as Varian started to step toward him, Toreck decided he didn’t care.They would start to rebuild their pieces, regardless if they could only for a thousand years or a hundred, or even just a day. For now, at the very least for right now, the Toa had returned. His friend was here to watch him.Varian had come home._____This is my longest short story to date. I do hope you enjoyed it, but I feel like the story lasted for a little too long and the ending was rushed. =/ My idea was that BZ-Koro, or the Matoran population represented what we are since Bionicle ended. Likewise, Toa Varian making her reappearance represented having it return. Hopefully this fits within the borders of the contest rules and I had a blast writing it! =DFor all those who don't make it through this story, I understand. For all those who did, wow you guy are great. Please leave any comments you'd like below!
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The day when I will return to my comedies is on the horizon, but I believe that I shall take this time to sit down and pen this small tale...The Golden Age- A Short Story fan fiction by BZPower member X-RayThe room was small, but not cramped. There was a window built into the opposing wall, with no glass over it, only a rough sheet with two holes drilled into the corners, one of which hung on the right of a counterpart pair of rough iron spikes. There was a crude desk and stool on the left side of the room, as well as a bucket, and a more elaborate version of the sleep pallet on the right. The mat propped up off the floor -What was it called? A bed?- looked shabby and used. But then again, everything about the room, the whole building even, was like that.Turaga Dume knew, however, that the shabbiness was perfectly understandable.Where he came from, everything was shiny and new, constantly being repaired and cleaned, improved upon and polished, by expert craftsmen. There was no such attention to unnecessary maintenance in this city -No, it is more like a Koro, I believe, thought the Turaga- even if resources could be expended for that. Fortunately, a handful of Matoran hailing from Artakha had arrived last week, and were already working wonders in the village, much to the amazement, even bewilderment, of the main inhabitants, the Agori.Where Dume came from, the weather was always at its best, and the nearest desert sands were in Po-Metru, where he did not often go... not that there was much desert sand around this place anymore either. Until several months ago, and only for a few months before that even, he had been able to survey the whole of Metru Nui from the window of his comfortable chambers, high in the Coliseum.Of course, he reflected as he went over to the window, the tallest building in this town, Vulcanus, was only three stories tall, not counting the basement. And he was currently in that structure, the Vulcanus Officiary Building, known informally as “the hall.” Specifically, this room was reserved for visiting leaders and other important personages. Just what is that bucket for, I wonder?As the de facto leader of the Matoran people, Turaga Dume had traveled from the crash site of the colossal Mata Nui robot, in whose head he had once resided, to the village of Vulcanus, or what of it was being re-established after the... ah, sudden break up, of the briefly established Bara Magna mega-city. Dume meant to meet with Raanu, his effective counterpart in the young Spherus Magna government, which was at present little more than a loose and informal confederation of varied societies, who did not always get along. The fire Agori assigned to Dume had informed him that he and Raanu were very much alike, at least to this orderly's knowledge. They were to speak after a small banquet in the evening -Whatever a banquet is- for Raanu had been traveling as well, arbitrating a dispute between the Jungle Tribe a group of Le-Matoran. Apparently, the incident arose when some particularly impetuous air tribesmen from the island of Mata Nui had tried to do some vine swinging at Tesara. The locals were not amused.Dume lurched over to his new... bed, and sat down. It was not as comfortable as his sleep pallet in the Coliseum, but it was far better than the prison cell in which he had been residing for the last few months with his fellow Turaga. He knew that he had a lot of work in store for him, but he wasn't sure that he had what it took to lead the Matoran anymore. They needed a leader who could know what they knew, and who they were familiar with. Someone like Turaga Vakama, or Turaga Onewa, or Turaga Matau, even. Dume now knew that his detached, aloof ways may not have been for the best.He also wasn’t sure whether he had the strength. The journey from the Great Spirit robot had been very hard on his ancient form, even on a good mount, in pleasing weather. The trip had to be made by caravan through the new lush landscape, and had taken him, his entourage, and their Glatorian escorts a week to reach Vulcanus. At least they and the Toa in their group had refrained from any bickering, until they arrived in the town anyway. Dume yawned and set down his staff, stretched his arms, and leaned back. He had not traveled so far in a long time. A long... time... * * * "Are you quite ready, great leader?" called Toa Hain from outside in the courtyard."Be patient brother," called back Toa Dume, slightly annoyed at the Toa of air’s flippant tone of voice. "I'm almost ready." He shuffled through the weapons rack, vowing to give Zima a stern lecture when she came back from patrol. The Toa of Lightning simply did not know how to clean up after herself, no doubt trying to escape the chore of tidying the armory by feigning incompetence.Today was weapons practice day for the Toa Sudak who weren't on patrol at the moment, and that meant, after a brief widget flip, that Dume had their resident Toa of air as a sparring partner. The being was a noble and valiant warrior, skilled in many types of weapons. But Hain was also, as many of the tribe of Le were, a jester by nature, and thus was found by some serious types such as Dume to be annoying.But, thought the Toa of Fire, and recently elected leader of the Sudak, I shall be able to learn to better myself in the art of swordsmanship from my practice with him. With that thought, Dume finally found his favorite sword and shield, and ran to the courtyard.In the courtyard, Hain and Dume were standing with their weapons on one side, with some posts and fence pieces mounted in the ground should they need them. On the other side were Naiphak, the Toa of iron, and Apher, the Toa of water, who were practicing with staves among similar equipment.“There you are!” Hain said to Dume cheerfully. He did a forward flip in the Toa of fire’s direction, drawing his sword and landing in a fighting stance as he finished. “What took you so long?” Hain said. “You were in the armory for almost ten minutes.”“Remember how Zima ‘cleaned’ the armory last night?” said Dume.“Oh, right,” Hain replied, knowing that nothing more needed to be said. “Zimmy really needs to, heh heh, clean up her act.” Hain then burst into a fit of cackling at his own joke, but soon realized that Dume was only looking at him strangely. “Um, very well then,” said Hain, quickly adding “great leader. We’ll start by reviewing Gukko Form, before moving on to Muaka.”“Alright,” said Dume, trying to keep his patience. Even after two weeks, his election as team leader was still a source of mockery for Hain, as well as Tolek, the Toa of Stone. “Let’s start then.”For the rest of the morning, Dume and Hain practiced various methods and forms, and sparred a few times. Dume was stronger and tougher than his opponent, but Hain had the advantage of speed, agility, and experience. There was no danger of either of them harming each other. The weapons being used at the moment had been crafted by Naiphak to be blunted, and therefore of little practical use than as bludgeons, and not very good bludgeons at that. But they were just fine for practice.After Dume had been slammed into the ground for the third time, Hain glanced at the sundial and noted that it was now a half hour past noon. “Break time, Dume,” he said, helping his partner off the ground. Dume, for his part, thanked the Toa of air for his patience, stretched out his joints, and then stumbled over to the fountain for drink of water. Naiphak and Apher were there as well.Hain took his marked cup form a shelf engraved into the side of the fountain. He took a deep, refreshing drink. Nothing like cold water on a hot day after training, he thought. Noting that Apher was standing next to him, he said to her, “Everything good on your end of the court?”The sapphire armored Toa glanced up from her cup, and gave a smile. Apher, like most of the other Toa on the eight member team, was a stranger to the Fe-Koro area. She wore a Kanohi Pakari, the mask of Strength. “Fine enough for Naiphak,” she said, “bad for my sides. I’m still having trouble getting my head around staff fighting.”“You could try something else then,” said Hain good-naturedly. “Some weapons just come easier to certain beings than others. Like say, oh, I don’t know… sword?”“No, no,” said Apher, holding up a flattened palm. “I chose this weapon to work on, and I’m going to stick with it-”“Ha! Stick!” exclaimed Hain, snickering behind his Kanohi Kakama. “Get it? Staff? Stick?”“And- and I’m going to practice with it for more than four days before trying something new,” finished Apher, before letting a “heh heh” escape her mouth. No matter how dumb Hain’s jokes got, there was still cause for laughter; Hain’s determination to not stop telling them. And some of them were actually pretty funny.Dume and Naiphak, meanwhile, had wandered over to the gates leading to the outside of the courtyard. This courtyard, when not being used as a training area for the Sudak, was actually a weathered sports arena, as evidenced by the several seats built around it. The Sudak each had individual homes throughout the town, and the fountain could be lowered into the ground when not needed. The rest of the practice equipment was portable.Naiphak climbed up into the bleachers, and peered over the upper guard rails. He saw the Matoran going about their work, trading, crafting, repairing, moving, guarding in the case of the local patrol, resting, healing, talking, arguing, and, in general, living.“How is it in the town?” called Dume from below the seats.Naiphak looked over his shoulder and called back, “Everything seems to be normal.” Naiphak looked again. He spotted Tyothis, the team’s other Toa of fire, standing watch at the west gate, making sure that incoming and outgoing carts had everything in order, chosen for that task because he wore the Kanohi Akaku, the mask of x-ray vision. He saw Zima, the Toa of Lightning, lazily strolling along the top of the town wall, before disappearing behind a building which obscured the Toa of Iron’s vision. He witnessed Tolek, the Toa of Stone, accidently bump over a fruit stand in the market place, and then hastily apologize to the infuriated owner while trying to help fix the stand. And he observed Juin, the Toa of Ice, talking with Turaga Settu, the village leader and former Toa of Iron, as well as Naiphak’s mentor.By this time, Dume had climbed up into the bleachers and was now standing next to Naiphak, looking over his adopted home. Upon seeing Tolek’s predicament, he was prompted to wonder aloud, “The Matoran have yet to get used to our presence, I see.”“How did it take you to get used to having a Toa around your village?” said Naiphak, narrowing his eyes at the Toa of fire.“We had no Toa in my village,” replied Dume icily, now regretting starting a conversation with Naiphak. The two had been opponents for the position of leader of the Toa Sudak, and there was still some sore wounds over the election. “We only had a worn out Turaga of Water, a handful of hot-headed Ta-Matoran, and the late Barraki Mantax who occasionally visited our village to hunt in our forest.”“You actually saw Mantax?” said Naiphak incredulously. Only Tyothis had been at the battle where Brotherhood of Makuta forces had soundly defeated the armies of the League of Six Kingdoms, and even he only got quick look at the Barraki, before they vanished out of the plane of existence. Rumors quickly flared up that Mata Nui had exacted punishment on them, but the Brotherhood of Makuta had recently rejected that possibility in a public announcement.“Once,” said Dume. “On that particular day, he took two of our villagers and used them as bait for the Muaka he was hunting in the forest. They both survived, but neither of them ever went into the forest again after that, and one of them has only one arm.”There was silence for a moment. Naiphak shook his head, still confounded after all these years on how Mata Nui could have appointed such depraved beings as rulers. Tolek had opined in past discussions that the Barraki were once good and just beings, but had become corrupted by power and greed, while Tyothis vehemently argued that the Barraki had always had souls of rot, and that they just became more inept at concealing that rot.After a few minutes, Dume said, “I’m going to send out Apher to check in with the others.” He went from his spot in the bleachers and hopped over the bottom wall into the courtyard. “Apher!” he called to his teammate, “Go check in on the others! Report any suspicious activity.”“Yes sir!” came her reply. The Toa of water took her staff, running over to the side entrance, before disappearing into the darkness of the indoors section of the arena.Naiphak came from behind Dume to stand beside him. “It looks like we have a quiet afternoon ahead of us, Dume.”“As a wise being once said,” said the Toa of fire, “’never assume.’” * * * Apher had a pretty clear view in marketplace. After all, she, like the majority of Toa, stood about the same size as one Matoran standing on another’s shoulders. Thus, even though the crowd swarmed around her like ocean waves, she had no trouble wading about in it. At least I could swim in the ocean, thought Apher. She missed her hometown, a little fishing village about thirty kio southwest of Fe-Koro. But when the call came for local Toa to band together in order to protect the Southern Continent from rouge Barraki soldiers, she knew that she had to go.In her three months as a member of the Toa Sudak, she had wrestled ash bears, vanquished bandits, and mediated every argument among the team from who should be leader to who had to clean the armory. Apher understood the need for a peacemaker, but often tired of her unofficial role. At least things have been mostly peaceful this month.Out of the corner of her eye, Apher spotted Tolek stacking some crates. “There,” he said, rubbing his hands together, “good as new.”“Thank you, Toa Tolek,” said a Fe-Matoran standing next to a pile of smashed bula berries. “Now, go to Karzahni.”Tolek sighed, rumbling along in a different direction, but brightened when he saw Apher. “Sister!” he said, moving quickly toward her. Tolek stood about a head taller than Apher, and wore a bronze Kanohi Hau, the mask of shielding. “What’s the word?”“Dume just told me to check in on all of you,” replied Apher. “Any suspicious activity?”“None,” said Tolek, patting the horn he carried around his neck. “We all know what to do in case of an emergency, though.” He noted a dented portion of her torso armor. “How’s stave practice going?”“Better than wrestling last week,” said Apher, glancing down at her own horn. “Thanks for asking.”Apher continued over to Juin, the Toa of Ice, currently in deep conversation with Turaga Settu.“…and furthermore, Turaga, it would be irresponsible to leave the surrounding villages perpetually unattended," said Juin.“But,” said the Turaga from behind his Kanohi Miru, “this village’s mines are more important to the larger economy than any other in the region.”“Yes, I understand that,” came Juin’s reply, “but if the other municipalities fall prey to bandits and the like, there won’t be any ‘larger economy’ to worry about!”Perfect, thought Apher, another quarrel for me to squelch. Taking a deep breath, she approached the two debaters and addressed them both, saying, “Turaga, Juin, what in Mata Nui’s name are you two arguing about?”“We, dear sister,” said Juin in his dulcet tones, “have been discussing the merits of having all the Toa bottled up in Fe-Koro, or else spreading out to patrol our own sections of the countryside.”“Which is my decision, Toa,” interjected Turaga Seetu. A grizzled veteran with a pitted gray Miru, he and the Toa, including Dume, were often at odds on how to best run the southwestern region of the Southern Continent.“There hasn’t been an attack on the village in over a month!” cried Juin. The Toa of ice was so agitated that his Great Komau began to shake. “And besides, the cost alone to house all of us-”“Juin,” said Apher, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but aren’t you supposed to be on patrol at the mines?”“The mi-?” said Juin, completely forgetting the argument. “Er, truly, I have neglected my duty. I shall go at once.” The Toa of ice turned towards the gate, but not before leaving a final word for the Turaga. “We aren’t yet finished, Turaga. Dume agrees with me, and he said you both would discuss this matter in detail at another ti-”“Get to your post!” yelled the aged Turaga. “Remember the three virtues! Unity, duty, destiny! In the interest of unity, do you duty, or your destiny will be to polish my staff with your tongue!”Apher eyed Seetu’s worn walking staff as Juin went on his way out. It was made out of the finest iron, with a large green gem embedded in the top.“Thank you, by the way,” said Seetu to Apher. “I thought I’d never get rid of him. Rookies, think they know everything because they went to some fancy school.”“You’re welcome sir,” said Apher, “but I didn’t do it for you. I’m interested in the unity of this team, but I’ll leave the management to our leaders.”“Yeah, yeah, sure,” said Seetu, walking away to his shelter. "Turaga Jovan, he'd like you." He glanced over his shoulder before going in out of the bright sunlight.Apher continued over to the bottom of the wall near Zima, the Toa of electricity. “Anything to report?” she called.Zima looked down and made chopping motion with her hand, and then walked along.“Alright then,” shouted Apher. “Thanks, I guess.”Apher’s last stop to make to was at Tyothis’ post. The old fellow sat in the shade, allowing two Fe-Koro guardsmen to do most of the work. His spear was stuck in the ground next to him, but his shield remained strapped to his front arm.“Toa Tyothis!” she called, walking up to the aged Toa. “How are things at the front gate?”“Just fine and dandy,” said Tyothis. He got up, stretched his muscles, and adjusted the shield mounted to his arm. He then took his spear and walked over to Apher. The gate was empty now, but was generally busier in the morning and evening.“How’s staff practice going?” said the Toa of fire.“Good, good,” said Apher. “Any suspicious activity to report?”“Well,” said Tyothis, “we had one wagon with a load of something metal in a box, but it turned out to just be a bunch of iron nails. We had another feller’ with a small herd of Mahi, but they were all right, though one of them-”“Caravan!” shouted the lookout in the tower next to the gate. An ussel cart pulling a cage on wheels, containing a snorting Kane-Ra bull, came towards the gate. A Le-Matoran drove the cart, a Ga-Matoran and a Po-Matoran sitting alongside him.“Well, what have we got here?” said Tyothis. He went over to the cart as the two Fe-Matoran guards ordered it to come to a stop. “You got a license for this here Kane-Ra bull?” said the Toa of fire to the Le-Matoran.“I beg your pardon,” said the Le-Matoran from behind a teal Noble Komau, “but the great Janbar does not have a license! He is wild, untamed, the greatest of his kind, and I, Boroval, am the only one who can tame-”“Do you or do you not have a license?” interrupted Tyothis. Tyothis had little patience for pomp of any kind, and was at this moment not liking this Boroval one bit.“We have a license,” said one the Po-Matoran, pulling a stone tablet from his pack. “Here, sir Toa.”Tyothis examined the license. It was worn and a little crumbled, but it was valid. “See about renewing the thing soon,” he said, handing the tablet back to the Po-Matoran.Meanwhile, Apher noticed that the bull was becoming more and more agitated. It moved crazily about in the cage, eyeing its surroundings with venom.“Rahi like the Kane-Ra bull need open fields and pasture land,” opined Apher. “It’s going mad in that cage.”“Fear not, fair water maiden,” said Boroval majestically. “In the arena, before me, this beast is a gentle as our ussel crab. Come, see our show tomorrow night and-”“Move along,” said Tyothis, waving his spear. The cart moved along, but the bull continued to stare at Tyothis. It snorted, and charged against the bars, the impact shaking the cart and nearly sending the Ga-Matoran over the side.“Sirs!” shouted Apher. “Your bull seems to be extremely agitated. I would advise that you leave the village and-”It was too late. The Kane-Ra bull slammed its head against the bars of its cage a second and final time before they were broken loose from the wooden frame. The bars clattered onto the ground as the bull jumped from the cart, moving around, looking for something to charge at. It spotted Tyothis, standing in his dusty red armor, shield and spear at the ready. The Kane-Ra bull let out a bellow, and began to summon its strength for a charge.Apher was glued to her spot in abject horror at the situation. But training took over, and she reached for her horn, put it to her lips, and blew. * * * Dume looked up from his sparring match with Hain, the distinct sound of the alarm horn echoing throughout the village. “Go!” he shouted. “It’s the alarm!”The three Toa, Dume, Naiphak, and Hain, raced to the armory to retrieve their Toa tools. Dume took his Ember Blade from its spot, Naiphak his mace, and Hain his sword and shield.“Hain!” said Dume. “Scout the situation!”Hain nodded, knowing that now was not the time for wisecracks. In a blur of green, he rushed from the armory with the power of his mask of speed, and was back again in an instant.“Kane-Ra bull in the market place,” he said, catching his breath as he did. “Tolek, Apher, and Tyothis are trying to keep it in one place, but their efforts aren’t going to hold up for long.”“We’ll settle that!” declared Dume. “Here’s the plan. I and Naiphak will distract the Rahi. Kane-Ra bulls are agitated by the color red, so it will naturally charge at me. Hain, you get Zima, she has the mask of Rahi control. Now go!”“Yes sir!” said Hain, before departing once more.“We’ll distract the beast?” said Naiphak to Dume, trying to keep pace with his leader’s stride.“Yes,” said Dume, igniting his sword. “Your Kanohi Calix might just come in handy.”The two came out of the stadium, finding a largely deserted market place. Most of the Matoran had bolted themselves into their homes, only a few cowering in the shadows while a despairing opera played out before them.Apher was attempting to use her mask of strength to wrestle the Kane-Ra bull to the ground. Tolek was apparently trying to wall the bull in, his lack of success betrayed by several broken stone slabs jutting out of the ground. Tyothis was standing his ground across from Tolek, with Apher and the Kane-Ra between them, but limping. He had his spear couched beneath his arm, his shield over his torso. An overturned cart lay off to the side, on Tyothis’ right.Dume waved his sword at the bull, prancing about on his toes. “Rahi, come forth!” he yelled, swishing his blazing sword back and forth. Naiphak for his part slammed his mace into the ground.Apher looked at Dume, her eyes screaming, Are you insane?“Let go, Apher! I have a plan!” shouted Dume. “Trust me!”Apher nodded, and then let go.The charging Kane-Ra bull galloped in Dume’s direction, snorting, growling even, its eyes full of hate and rage. Dume looked it right in the eye, fully intending to leap out of the way at the last possible second, to play a game of cat and mouse with the bull- when it suddenly stopped.Naiphak looked to the right, and saw Zima coming forward with her hand outstretched, her mask glowing from use. The Kane-Ra bull stopped as though on a leash, digging its hooves into the ground to stop its charge. It then proceeded to turn around, slowly rumbling towards Zima, before collapsing into a sitting position.“Sleep,” commanded Zima. The bull lowered its head and closed its eyes.Dume hadn’t been happier to see his fellow Toa any day before now. “Perfect, Zima!” he called. “Tolek! Make a pit for the beast.”As Tolek did as he was ordered, Dume spotted Juin arriving from the direction of the gate. Tyothis, meanwhile, had dropped his spear, and was leaning on Apher. “Juin!” called Dume, “Help Apher move Tyothis to his shelter! He is injured!”“Yes sir!” came the reply from the Toa of ice. Discarding his blade-staffs, Juin took Tyothis’ shield arm, and walked off with him towards Tyothis’ hut, not far from their current location.While all of this was going on, Matoran began to stream out of their homes, slowly filling up the area. Naiphak quickly created an iron fence to surround the bull pit, while Tolek and Zima directed curious Matoran away from it.Turaga Seetu came through the crowd, led by Hain, and approached Dume and Naiphak. The four beings stood, starring at each other in an awkward silence. Then, Seetu shouted, “Three cheers for the Toa Sudak, who have saved our village on this day!”The crowd of Matoran burst into applause, cheering and clapping in an excited manner which Dume had never before seen in the village’s populace.“Sudak! Sudak! Sudak!” they cried with all of their might. Dume could only stand and wave approvingly, Naiphak and Hain doing the same.“Turaga!” said a voice next to Dume. “Turaga Dume! Turaga Dume!” * * * Suddenly, Turaga Dume woke up.He looked around, seeing a red face against the dark ceiling. He looked up towards his window. It was night out.“Turaga, sir,” said the Agori attendant. “The banquet is in one hour, and I was told to come and let you know.”“Eh… yes, of course,” said Dume, righting himself into a sitting position on the bed. How long was I asleep? he thought. “I’m sorry, what is your name?” he said to the Agori.“Kyry, sir,” said the fire Agori.Dume adjusted his mask. It had gone crooked as he lay asleep. “Kyry,” he said, “please send for my aide, Aft.”“Yes sir,” said Kyry. He gave a slight nod, and then turned and left the room.Perhaps there is more for me to do yet, thought Dume. What else are old duffers like me for anyway?About ten minutes later, Aft came into Dume’s room. “You sent for me, Turaga?”“Yes, Aft. I want you to prepare a message for Kopeke the chronicler while I go to Raanu’s banquet.” Dume stood up to stretch his legs. He took his cane from its position leaning next to the wall.“In this message,” said Dume, looking Aft in the eye, which was hard because Aft wore a Kanohi Akaku, “tell the chronicler that I wish to share with him my years as a Matoran and Toa, for the sake of posterity. I wish to begin as soon as possible.”“Yes sir,” said Aft, nodding. The fire Matoran bowed, and then left the room.Dume then sat back down on the bed, ready for Kyry to come back to escort him to the banquet. Yes, perhaps there is still a duty for me yet. The End
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For those of you that have read my epic, When The Month Ends, here's my MOC of the main antagonist of the story, Korahn. Long ago, he served Makuta Chirox as one of his guardians. Korahn was the designated leader of the team. At some point during their service, Chirox gifted the team with black armour and weaponry of his own design. Korahn wears a Great Kanohi Faxon, the Mask of Kindred. His weapon has two capabilities. One, when coupled with his power, can summon gusts of wind that can enable him to fly for a limited distance. Two, it can copy any attack used against Korahn and he can use it for up to ten minutes against an opponent (similar to Keetongu's shields/rhotuka power, only with a longer effect).Korahn is a dark-spirited Toa with a dark view of things. In other words, he does what is right, but usually not in the way it should be done. He likes to bend the rules as much as he can, and while he stands for justice, he clearly does not follow the Toa Code, evidenced by his willingness to kill. He also tends to rely on the power of his mask, using it more often than his tool or his natural elemental Air power. Why this is, not even his closest friend and teammate, Kolvat, can tell. Unlike most Toa of Air, he is not as clumsy on flat ground, and nor is he as light-hearted and easy-going, due to his time as Chirox's servant.And now, onto the pictures!PoseFront (sorry for the blurriness)BackWeaponWith DemrusComments and criticism appreciated!Edit: Image thumbnailed - please keep posted images in BBC to 100 kB or less! Click on the thumbnail to load up the full image.-Wind-
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Well bionicle lovers, I'm new to this, so please forgive me upfront if I'm not doing this in correct method.I made a post elsewhere regarding the fact I'd like to sell my old Bionicles and was directed here. Mostly to people who would appreciate them for what their worth. Most of my stuff is older. Here it is, and based on looking at a few selling forums, I think I have this laid out alright. But please, let me know if I need to correct anything. I'm looking to either sell the whole collection together or individual. Collection together would be about $250 to include for shipping, otherwise, I'll make individual prices down below.Few things though, you must live in the United States of America. (I will cover shipping that way.) And with living or shipping in America, this is all in USD for currency. Until I figure out how to color text and stuff, Green mean hold and Blue mean pending sales.(Plus two dollars for shipping to everything, Sorry I didn't add this from the start, again, new at this.)Here's the complete collection: Toa Nuva: Tahu Nuva, Lewa Nuva, Gali Nuva, Kopaka Nuva, Pohatu Nuva, Onua Nuva. ($8 each)I have this Tahnok-Va (Free with Toa Nuva Tahu)And a green disc throw-guy that came from McDonald's? (Free with Toa Nuva Lewa) Bohrok: Tahnok, Gaholok, Lehvak, Pahrak, Nuhvok, Kohrak. ($5 each, as I ripped off some of the container plastic that wasn't supposed to. You know how one side was peel-able off and the other was supposed to stay on?)Bohrok-Kal: Tahnok-Kal, Gaholok-Kal, Lehvak-Kal, Pahrak-Kal (missing one silver connecting piece), Nuhvok-Kal, Kohrak-Kal. ($7 each)Rahkshi: Guurahk, Kurahk, Lerahk, Panrahk, Turahk, Vorahk. ($7 each)Vahki: Bordakh ($6)And last but not least, I have this Takanuva with his bike. ($50)All of these have their containers as well the booklets with them (except Takanuva, he just has a booklet).I have a bunch of spare parts/masks here and there which based on shape of the mask will go accordingly for free with the different Bionicles. If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to contact me.I'll throw in the movie too if anyone want's it. (The first movie that is.)Thank you!SirFrancisBacon2ndBy the way, all the Krana of my Borhok are right here.
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Hello again!For my second MOC post, I have Tabimir, a dark Toa of Iodine. After experimenting with his elemental abilities and his knack for robotics, Tabimir has created a series of robots- the Iodine Arsenal- running on iodine-based fuel cells. There is a unique twist to this, however; the Arsenal is not only autonomous robots- they possess the ability to transform, split, and combine as powerful weaponized armor for Tabimir.Tabimir Gallery:http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=509841Iodine Arsenal Gallery:http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=509844Full Armor Form Gallery:http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=509843MOCpage: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/328783( Please note, any parts that appear to be pink are actually bright red. )
