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Redemption SSC9: In the Darkness Bind Them 3,000 years ago.......“Takai, look out!”.......I could hear the fear in Lhikan’s voice, so I didn’t question his command like I usually would. Instead, I leaped towards his voice, hoping that this random direction would provide an escape from whatever danger he saw........An enormous block of stone crashed to the ground where I had been standing just moments before, punching a huge crater into the earth. Executing a neat tuck and roll, I landed and got to my feet in one fluid motion. I looked up to see a gaping hole in the side of one building, torn open by the monster we were fighting........Well, technically the word monster wasn’t correct. The accurate term was Kanohi Dragon, an immense Rahi possessing vast strength. Its body was decorated with glittering scales shaped like Kanohi, which was where it got its name. Highly susceptible to cold temperatures, with low enough temperatures potentially rendering it comatose. Possessed the ability to fly, as well as the capacity to breathe fire........I shook my head free of the facts and information, angry with myself for letting my focus shift. Once an archivist, always an archivist. Get your head in the game!.......Drawing my sword, I watched as Nidhiki, my fellow Toa Mangai, attempted to extinguish the flames swiftly consuming a tall apartment by creating a vacuum around the blaze. An ingenious move, as fire cannot last for any length of time without a steady source of oxygen. Though, I wondered if a Toa of Fire, say, Lhikan, would be able to sustain a flame in a vacuum by providing a source of the energy necessary for combustion instead of the-.......“Takai! A little help?.......My musings were interrupted by Naho’s shout. I looked over to see my sister desperately trying to avoid getting crushed beneath the Kanohi Dragon’s claws while blasting it in the face with high-pressure jets of water. The huge creature was obviously irritated, but it hadn’t managed to touch her yet, though it had demolished several smaller buildings in the attempt........Calling upon my elemental power, I summoned a pillar of earth from the bowels of the island. The pillar burst out of the street and struck the Dragon in the belly, knocking it off-balance. The creature bellowed in indignation as Naho used this opportunity to blind it with water........In an instant, the stream of water froze. Omari and Laar, two of the four Toa of Ice with us, had used their powers to attack the gargantuan Rahi in the most effective of ways. The creature was now blind, and should my hypothesis hold true, the cold would quickly cause it to weaken. Nevertheless, preparing for the worst, I reached deep into the earth, feeling the power and stability in the roots of the island. The earth calmed me, like always; I felt like nothing could harm me as long as I could count on the strength of the land........The Kanohi Dragon roared, a blast of sound louder than any before, and the mask of ice shattered in an eruption of fire and smoke. With a sweep of its tail, it demolished an entire block of buildings, shaking the very ground as countless tons of stone and metal crumbled into piles of ruined debris. Then, seemingly in a fit of rage, it unleashed a torrent of white-hot flames, setting a small park ablaze and melting a web of chutes into a puddle of slag........I gasped as the wave of heat hit me like a fist, squeezing the breath from my lungs. Instinctively, I pulled a shield from the earth, scant protection from the worst of the attack. There was nothing else I could do except pray that my brothers and sisters had found cover as well........As I lay against the cool earth, my heart hammering against my chest, I wondered how we could defeat this Rahi. We had already fought the Dragon for thirteen days, and had done little to impede its rampage across Metru Nui. The combined efforts of the Toa Mangai were practically useless, even with the power of four Toa of Ice. I desperately wanted to believe we could win, but I could feel the cold jaws of despair gnawing at my heart. What if, despite all our strength, Metru Nui was reduced to a wasteland of burnt skies and lifeless desert?.......Abruptly, the oppressive heat dropped away, signaling the end of the furious attack. I let my shield crumble, and leaped up, sword in hand, hoping against hope that this time, this time we would find a way to subdue the Dragon........The Rahi was busy trying to crush Laar, who was using her Kualsi to warp from building to building and fire darts of ice at the creature’s face. But even as I prepared to rejoin the battle, my eyes were drawn to a scene just a little ways away........Omari was lying in Nidhiki’s arms, her once-white form now blackened and burned. She was alive, but barely. Being a Toa of Ice, heat affected her more than Nidhiki or I, and she must not have been able to find cover from the Dragon’s flames. I ran towards them, leaping over piles of stone and molten metal, feeling as though my chest was slowly freezing with the chill of fear. But as I approached my brother and sister, Nidhiki’s head snapped up, his green eyes stopping me in my tracks with a poisonous glare........“You coward.”His voice was quiet, but burned with anger and despair, his words tearing at me with claws of steel. “You could have protected her, but all you care about is saving yourself.”.......The Toa of Air stood up, cradling Omari as though she were made of glass. With a last venomous glance at me, he turned and ran away from the battle, carrying our sister away. For a long moment, I stood still, oblivious the conflict around me, trying desperately and failing to hold back the tears that streaked my mask as Nidhiki’s last words echoed through my mind........You coward. * * * 2,000 years ago.......“This is outrageous! How can we have been driven back so far and so fast?”.......Lhikan tried to calm Nidhiki down. “Brother, they attacked swiftly and in greater numbers than any of us could have expected. It’s unreasonable-“.......“What’s unreasonable is me being stuck here,” the Toa of Air snarled. “Stuck here while the rest of you do nothing!”.......“You go too far, Nidhiki! That’s-”.......“Stop telling me what to do! I want-“.......“Brothers!”.......Lhikan and Nidhiki quieted at Omari’s words. The Toa of Ice stood at the far end of the table, hands on her hips, shooting that trademark Omari glare that could stop a Kikanalo in its tracks. Her annoyed expression was aggravated by the scars that marked her face, giving her a perpetual frown that belied her usually cheerful personality........Usually. She’s not so cheerful now........“It’s enough that we’re besieged at all sides without finding fault with each other. Squabbling like Brakas will accomplish nothing.”.......Calling Nidhiki a Brakas would have started a fight had anyone else said it, but Omari could get away with things like that. Ever since… well, I tried not to think about it, but ever since that day fighting the Kanohi Dragon, the two had shared a special bond, a relationship that was completely the opposite of Nidhiki’s and mine. I still called him brother, but it was just a name. The icy silence that had formed between us hadn’t thawed in a thousand years, and I doubted it ever would........“Omari is right.” Turaga Dume’s voice brought me back to reality. “The blame for this situation lies on no one, least of all anyone here, and trying to find fault where none exists will not improve anything. We must continue to seek unity, even in these difficult times.”.......Unity. That was a bit of a joke. Sure, we might have been close a thousand years ago, but ever since Tuyet’s betrayal, the Toa Mangai had been distant with one another. Omari, Naho and Lhikan were our common links, but otherwise everyone kept to their own groups. Laar and the rest of the Ice Toa had their own thing, and Nidhiki antagonized just about everyone. It hurt to see my brothers and sisters drifting apart, but you could see the question burning in every eye: who would be the next to betray us?.......Tuyet had done a lot of damage, but the worst of it was keeping her team from ever trusting each other again. I wasn’t sure if I could ever forgive her for that........Lhikan cleared his throat. “You’re right, Omari; and Turaga, you speak wisdom as always. The fate of our city stands upon the edge of a knife, and we can’t afford to make the situation any worse.” He glanced pointedly at Nidhiki, who rolled his eyes........“In any case, we need to figure out our next strategy. Brute force is pointless, as we’ve already found: the Dark Hunters are too many and too strong. If we had known this a few days ago, we might have taken to the Archives and used guerilla tactics to wear them down, or made our base in Le-Metru and used the chutes against them. However, as the situation stands, here we are in the Coliseum, outnumbered and surrounded.”.......Nidhiki raised a hand. “Perhaps all we need is a simple shift in our thinking. They’ve used the city against us, knowing we want to cause as little destruction as possible. A well-placed Nova Blast-“.......Lhikan shook his head. “You know the Toa Code forbids us to kill, Nidhiki. And even if we were prepared to take the life of a Dark Hunter, large-scale attacks like Nova Blasts would endanger the Matoran. We must protect the citizens of Metru Nui at all costs.”.......The debate continued around the table, every suggestion quickly discarded as too dangerous or too unlikely to succeed. I stayed quiet, listening, which is what I usually did. That’s what the earth is good at: listening, and remembering........Gradually, the deliberation died down, replaced by an uneasy silence. I looked around the table, noting that every face was downcast, even Nidhiki’s, as we all contemplated the idea that maybe, this time, we couldn’t win. The Dark Hunters were too powerful, and had come upon us so quickly that we hadn’t had time to set up any worthwhile defense. It was up to us, the Toa Mangai, once again, only this time our opponent wasn’t a rampaging Rahi, but a sinister intelligence intent on conquering our island home........I sat up with a start as I realized one crucial fact: it didn’t have to be up to us. The world was a different place than it was five hundred years ago- it seemed every other island had its own Toa team. With the Dark Hunters focusing all their might on Metru Nui, it was a given that more Toa would be free to leave their islands and join our cause........“Guys, I think… I think I’ve got it.”.......My team looked at me with interest. I didn’t usually get excited, so this was something out of the ordinary. Only Nidhiki glanced at me with contempt........“What is it?” he asked sarcastically. “Hiding beneath the Coliseum until the Hunters get bored and sail away?”.......Lhikan looked sharply at Nidhiki, but I didn’t care. I could stand up for myself. So I did: I stood up and faced Nidhiki, both hands planted on the table........“This doesn’t have to be up to us,” I explained. “We’re not strong enough to win this alone -regardless of whether or not you’re fighting with us, brother. We need reinforcements, and the only way we’re going to get them is if we can sneak a message through the enemy lines and send out a call for aid.”.......Nidhiki laughed. “That’s suicide! No one could make it through the Hunter lines unchallenged. We’d win nothing but a martyr.”.......I stared the Toa of Air levelly in the eye. “We’ll all be martyrs pretty soon, if this keeps up.” I looked around the table, taking a moment to meet the eyes of each of my brothers and sisters. “No matter what plan we choose, we’re going to be in danger. The stakes are too high to pretend that we’re still the best Toa in the universe. There are islands out there with Toa ready and willing to answer our call, especially with the Hunters distracted here, and they could be our salvation. As far as I can tell, that’s our best option.”.......A long silence followed. Nidhiki sat back in his char and glared at me, his green eyes shooting fire. I looked away, hoping that someone would agree........At long last, Lhikan nodded, his jaw set. "I second Takai's plan. Alone against the power of the Hunters there can be no victory. But if even one messenger can slip through the lines, that could be all it takes to win the city back.".......Around the table, each Toa gave their assent, except Nidhiki, who remained seated, muttering to himself. He'd made it clear to everyone that he was annoyed at being Turaga Dume's bodyguard, and wished he could be out fighting. I had a feeling he didn't really want this battle to end before he got his licks in, and I could sympathize. To be stuck inside while the rest of us risked our lives... to be honest, I envied his position a little bit. The Dark Hunters were out for blood, and there were a hundred of them for every one of us........"Then it's settled." Lhikan's voice rang out, more confident than I'd heard him in days. "Swords are no more use here, so while the rest of us create a diversion, someone will try to slip through the chaos and get off the island. All that remains is... who?".......The table was silent. We all knew Lhikan would volunteer, but he was our leader, and losing him would be analogous to losing the war. So it fell to one of us, Toa in a team divided, to risk everything for their teammates........Nidhiki leaned back, a false smile playing about his lips. "Well, seeing as it was his idea, why not Takai?".......All eyes turned to me........"Well, I... I would, I mean...." My thoughts chased each other in circles as I struggled to find a reason why I couldn't -that is, a reason other than the fact that I was afraid........"I... the water... I couldn't... I'd need a ship...".......That was it........"The- the Hunters have control of the ports, and I'd need a ship, otherwise I'd never get anywhere.".......The tension broke as everyone nodded. I sank back in my chair, relieved but unhappy. What kind of Toa was I? I couldn't even muster up the courage to risk my life for the lives of my brothers, sisters, and thousands of Matoran........Nidhiki had been right. I was a coward........Next to Lhikan, Naho, Toa of Water, rose gracefully to her feet, her serene blue eyes as calm as the sea under a summer sky........"Takai's right," she said calmly. "This is clearly a job for a Toa of Water, which means it is my duty. No one else could make it across the sea without a ship.".......Naho looked at me, her eyes warm. "And even if we could find one, entrusting our lives to the seaworthiness of a Toa of Earth or Air would be foolish at best.".......Even Turaga Dume smiled at that. But though I was outwardly laughing, inside I felt sick. Had I just abandoned another of my sisters to a danger I was too terrified to face? Again, Nidhiki's words came back to me, reminding me of who I was, who, time after time, I had chosen to be........You coward. * * * Today.......Sand crunched beneath my feet as I walked along the beach, leaving a trail of footprints that led back to my boat. The early morning was cold and dark, but I didn't particularly mind. Being a Toa of Earth, I could see easily enough, and the cold was more of an irritation than a discomfort. So I kept walking........I was here, on this desolated stretch of beach, under orders from Turaga Dume to close the southern sea gates. Toa Omari and the Chronicler Kodan had arrived scarce hours before me, as I knew from the boat I had docked next to. We had meant to arrive together, but an emergency in the Archives had kept me in Metru Nui till last night. So the two of them had gone on before me, and once I met up with them, we could seal the gates and return home........The sky was mostly dark, with only a faint glow on the eastern horizon marking the approaching dawn. Still, with my night vision, I could just make out the tower that controlled the gates, a metal lighthouse nestled against the Great Barrier. That's where I'd find Omari and the Chronicler........As I often did, I realized that I'd gotten lost in my own thoughts when I tripped over a metallic object that lay in my path. I stumbled forward before catching my balance, then shook my head at my own clumsiness, smiling sheepishly. It was a running joke among my team how I would concentrate on something so exclusively that I'd miss the most obvious things. Just like an archivist, they'd say, and I'd laugh too, because it was really amazing how little things changed over millennia, even trivial things like that........I turned around to see what I'd stumbled on. The piece of metal was half-buried in the sand, so I picked it up and brushed it off, wondering how anything Matoran-made could possibly find its way to this barren shore........My wonder quickly turned to horror as I realized what I was holding: a white Kakama, old scars and burns running along its left side........Omari's mask.I looked around wildly, hoping desperately that I would find my sister standing somewhere nearby, laughing with Kodan at silly Takai, getting all worked up over an abandoned mask. But they were nowhere to be seen. I looked up the lighthouse, cursing myself for my tendency to miss the most obvious things: the light was out. There was no one inside........The darkness, which had seemed so harmless a moment ago, now pressed in around me, menacing and evil. I looked to the horizon, wishing for the first time that the sun would hurry up and rise; that light would sweep away this mystery and reveal Omari and Kodan, safe and unharmed........There was only one thing to do. My only clue was this mask, and using my mask of Psychometry, there was a chance, however small, that I could figure out what had happened here........"Mata Nui," I whispered. "Please, guide my sight; show me what happened here.".......I activated my mask, and in an instant my surroundings dissolved in a whirlwind of colour, only to reassemble into a familiar scene: the same beach I had found the mask on, windswept and raining. I quickly recognized Omari and Kodan struggling against the wind, making their slow way across the wet sand towards the lighthouse........Suddenly, with a bestial roar, a massive figure descended upon the two, wicked talons glinting on his hands. He struck at Omari- and abruptly I was back on the beach, alone, gripping my sister's mask........"No!" I screamed. "No! No! No!".......I stumbled to my knees, clutching the mask to my chest. Weeping, tears running freely down my cheeks, I realized once again that I had left my sister when she needed me, and now... I couldn't bear to think of the word dead........"How touching.".......My head snapped up at the familiar voice, but I didn't recognize the being that stood before me. The brightening sky revealed an insect-like monster with four legs and poison green armour, and a face like a Vahki's- impassive and cruel.I slowly stood up, still holding Omari's mask........"Who are you?".......The monster laughed, an eerie chitter reminiscent of a Visorak. Its green eyes focused on mine, burning with familiar venom and hate........"You know who I am, Takai. Or are you too much of a coward to admit it?".......Nidhiki........The last time I had seen the Toa of Air, he had tried to betray Metru Nui to the Dark Hunters in exchange for being named its ruler once the war was over. His scheme had failed thanks to Lhikan, and he had left the island in disgrace........Now, it seemed as though his poisonous personality had finally taken over completely, revealing the monster he really was........"Roodaka did this to me," Nidhiki spat, as if reading my thoughts. "I hope you're happy, brother. Then again, you were probably happiest when Lhikan exiled me from Metru Nui. You always were a self-serving, cowardly-"......."What have you done with Omari?" I interrupted, for once not caring about Nidhiki's taunts. "Where is she, and where's the Chronicler?".......Nidhiki's face contorted into a malicious sneer. "The Dark Hunters are the best at what they do, and what they do is kill. I'm a Hunter now, Takai, or did you forget?".......Slowly, silently, I knelt down and lay Omari's Kakama gently on the sand. Then I stood straight and stared into the eyes of the being I had once called brother, and spoke, my voice as low and hard as the foundations of the world........"You will pay for her life, Nidhiki. Hers and Kodan's. I swear this on the name of the Great Spirit.".......Nidhiki chittered, his insectoid laughter full of bravado, but I had known him long enough to see that he was afraid. He knew that one of was would never leave this beach........"Don't pretend to be something you're not, Takai," he snickered. "We both know you never could stand up for anything, and you won't get in my way this time either. Run while you can, Toa, just like you always have.".......His words stabbed like a thousand knives, but I refused to acknowledge them. There were no words that could stop me now........Without diverting my gaze from Nidhiki's cold eyes, I reached for my sword. The wire-wrapped hilt fit my hand like an old friend, and the metal rang as I drew the blade from its sheath, as though my weapon were shouting forth its defiance of the murderer before me. I lifted my sword high, and the sun broke the horizon in the east, blazing red and gold and lighting up the silver blade in a blazing fire of colour. I drew a deep breath, knowing that it might be my last, but also knowing, this time, that I would not back down. Today, I would stand against evil as the Toa I was destined to be, and give my reply at long last to him who had said I was not worthy of the name........"You shall not pass." * * * Citations"...your Quest stands upon the edge of a knife." Galadriel to the Fellowship in Lothlorien; The Fellowship of the Ring (book)"Against the power of Mordor there can be no victory." Saruman to Gandalf in Orthanc; Fellowship of the Ring (film)"Swords are no more use here!" Gandalf to Aragorn at the Bridge of Khazad-Dum; Fellowship of the Ring (film)"You shall not pass!" Gandalf to the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-Dum; Fellowship of the Ring (film) * * * Before ending this entry, I'd just like to say that I had a ton of fun writing this story. It was more difficult to write than anything else I've written, but I think the end product is more than worth it. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! EDIT: Using Kagha's advice, and with Velox's permission, I edited my story to fix the issue with the indents at the beginning of each paragraph.
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.....Several kio south of the Black Spike Mountains, there ran a river wide across and deep down the middle that flowed inland. The waters were scummy but weighed with impetus, crashing noisily into rocky deltas and glimmering with all the iridescence of oil beneath the burning suns. Over the river, in the distance, the mountains made a great dark smear on the horizon. To one side of the riverbanks a vast forest splayed, on the other, the land was fractured, split into sharp vestiges of what once might have been considered foothills, defiantly slicing their sun-scorched earthen claws up to the sky. The ground cradling the river was sifted fine by erosion and painted golden under the suns. Pressed into its yielding surface lay the tracks of animals come to drink: the fine padded prints of dune wolves, to the tiny-clawed tracks of rats, to the wedged footmarks of thick armoured sand stalkers. However, morning this day brought a break from the normal scene of spoors in the ground. No longer were mere animals indexed in the sand, but a set of serrated boot marks leading down to the river......There was a dark cavern from whence the wanderer came. It bore its way through the landscape in sinuous curls of black stone, burrowing deep underground until its corridors fell into pitch darkness. The being that emerged was limber and erect of stature, draped in tattered rags to conceal his visage. He wore a dark belt round his waist, tied to it an ornate hilt lacking a blade in its crown. He moved with a soft tread. Every step was measured and deliberate, and he seemed to be keenly aware of his surroundings, as though a hot breeze might caress his armour and concurrently inform him of the status of the area as a whole......On the sand bank, a serpent noticed his presence and prodded its scaly head into the air. Fixing the intruder in one eye, it frantically skittered off, leaving behind a shedding of bony armour in the sand. Somewhere in the distance, a bird began to chirp. A fish broke the surface of the water, and the river stirred to life......The wanderer knelt down to the rushing water and lowered a decanter into it. He held the filled flask into the air and beheld it intently, until a wisp of steam curled out the throat and hovered in a fist-sized cloud. At once his grimace slackened and the cloud instantly condensed in a stream of distilled water that poured back into the decanter. Satisfied, he took a swig, affixed it to his belt. His humours buzzed of contentment. For a moment, the clearing was peaceful......Once more, the wanderer leaned down to the river, this time to splash his face. Rather than lukewarm water, his hands met a solid slab that might have been ice had there been any chill. He screwed up his eyes to make sure they were working properly. To his astonishment, the entire river had glaciated; the bends and curls lay trapped in motion as though time had frozen around them. This world may yet be young, he thought, but this was certainly not natural......An awful scream tore the silence, and the wanderer's head snapped up. Across the river, glimpses of a colourful figure flailed about in the hardened water. There was no dithering in his stance – he bolted upright and forward, the water resounding with every footfall as though it were hard earth. The figure resolved in his vision to be a Matoran, lodged up to its knees in the solid water......"Help me!".....He came to the Matoran's side, which was gasping and sobbing hysterically. The little one's face was a blank slate of grey, unmolded by the shape of a Kanohi mask......The wall of trees on the far side of the river became alive with the sound of running. A spiny creature – uncannily close to the wanderer's height and stature – smashed through the foliage, a sharpened bone shaft gripped in its clawed hands......"Food," the creature hissed as it approached, a guttural sound that drew up from its throat and resembled bones scraping together. It threw its head forward, a spiked helmet melded grotesquely to its skull. A barbed tail skimmed the air behind it. This was a half sapient, half scorpion predator forged from the hardship of life in the desert to outlive even the breaking of the world itself. This was a Vorox......"Halt where you stand, beast.".....The wanderer straightened and took the hilt from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, a lance of flame coursed up from its bladeless crown. The startled creature cowered back a few steps and hunched its monstrous body even tighter......With an angry snarl, it hefted the bone spear over its shoulder and threw it at the sole being standing between it and its meal. A swipe of his newly formed firesword melted the spear in half and caused it to fall harmlessly onto the bank. Deterred, the Vorox gave a baleful shriek and turned tail, hobbling back into the woods. The wanderer stood there a moment. When he could no longer hear the snapping of branches that trailed the beast's flight, he willed the blade of flame away and hooked the hilt back to his belt. A Kanohi mask glinted on the ground. He nabbed it and fixed it back upon the babbling Matoran's face......A moment passed and the Matoran continued to sob unintelligibly. Then its eyes flickered and it choked back its tears. A voice, decidedly male, groaned, "Am I... am I dead? Is this Karzahni?"....."You're not dead, and you ought to thank the Spirit for that," the wanderer provided. "If I hadn't shown up, you would've been Vorox bones.".....Tentatively, a frown formed on the mask of the Matoran, who began yanking at his legs. They refused to budge, held securely by the solid water. Immediately he began moaning again......"Shh," the wanderer soothed, kneeling down by his side. "It's going to be all right.".....Just then, the surface gave and the torrent revived, slamming into them and pulling them downstream. Ruddy water filled the wanderer's lungs and the screams of the Matoran assaulted his ears in and out of submergence. His vision came and went in streaks of blue-brown. The current might have held him in its grasp for shear moments or long hours – time was impossible to tell in the chaotic bobbing and thrashing – until the hem of his cloak caught on a rock and held fast against the flow. Just then, the Matoran crashed into him and their bodies tangled together. Thrown off course, they veered sideways and washed ashore a sandy bank. Rubbing the oily liquid from his eyes, the wanderer looked around and did not recognise the scenery. The river must have taken them a long ways away......"I'm dead!" the Matoran shrieked. "I'm dead this time for sure!".....A hard frown settled beneath the wanderer's hood. "Silence," he commanded vehemently. Impulse drew his hand to his waist to ensure the firesword hilt was still here. He clambered to his feet......The Matoran's wails gradually fell down to whimpers. Tears welled at the corners of his eyes......"You need to tell me everything you know," the wanderer's voice was now past consolation. An aura of businesslike detachment materialised around him like a shield. "I may not be from around here, but to my knowledge, canals don't cease up like that every day. Why was that Vorox after you in the first place?".....Fright glinted in the Matoran's eyes, and he scuttled backward on his hands, curdled by this callous interrogation. "Who are you anyway?" he yelled. "Were you sent to kill me too?"....."So it was sent then?".....Silence. The Matoran looked away, abashed. "Don't you have any idea what's happening in the world? Haven't you noticed how sometimes it rains though no clouds fill the sky? Or how the trees seem to stride and sway with a life of their own? Or when the winds conspire against the fortifications of the koros?"....."Not in the slightest." His patience was wearing thin. "Enlighten me.".....Indignation fueled the gaze of the Matoran. "The Great Beings are at war.".....For some reason, this drew the wanderer to sniggering. "And why, then, are they so interested in you?".....The Matoran hesitated at first, but eventually he drew his hand into the air. He held it there, unmoving, for over a minute. Dubiety began to blossom in the wanderer's breast, but suddenly a blinding light like a bursting star erupted from the outstretched palm and caused everything to flicker indistinctly. The wanderer had to shield his eyes from the brilliance. It lasted a moment and it lasted forever, and then it was gone; the Matoran had closed his hand......"The light..." he murmured. "It's a part of me.".....For a while neither of them spoke. Then the timidity in the Matoran's eyes returned and he drew even further away......"Your name. What did you say it was?"....."Takua," the Matoran murmured. "Why?"....."You're travelling with me from here on. We're going to go see a friend of mine. Do you know the one named Vakama?".....Pallor gripped the mask of the meek figure named Takua, and he shook his head feverishly. "I can't go back there. They'll stick me! They're the reason I'm out here in the first place ..." sobs choked his voice now, "... said I put them all in danger. An' they— they exiled me. I'm not welcome anymore.".....The wanderer grunted. "Well you are now.".....Takua was not convinced. "Under whose conditions?".....With a swift motion, the wanderer reached up and pulled the hood from his head. The rigid fabric fell easily and bundled around his neck, revealing an unnaturally smooth, rounded mask that glimmered crimson in the sunlight. Slits in the cheeks showcased the grey musculature in his face beneath, and the flexible eye slots of the moulded smart metal shone with fuchsia irises. At the base of his handsome, knight-like visage, the wanderer grinned haughtily......"Mine." One Thousand Years Prior .....The sky was weeping. In the distant layers of the heavens, top-heavy clouds broiled with moisture and emptied pales upon pales of water to batter the streets of the Great City. The horizon was but a receding memory now, the entire sky gripped in the vice of a single, homogeneous grey mass that bore over Metru Nui like a ghost. The streets were vacant because Matoran were afraid to go out in the wild humidity or the fusillade of raindrops angrily pelting the protocrete. Not even those Ko-Matoran used to mists or Ga-Matoran accustomed to rain dared to creep out of their dwellings......Inside the Coliseum, the situation was no less dull. The Toa Nuva rested in their quarters, each of their normally flagrant personalities worn down into states of apathy with the depressing scene playing outside the window. The only one whose spirits didn't seem to be affected was Kopaka, but that was perhaps due to the fact that the coldness they all felt right now was something he'd long adopted as a lifestyle......"This is dismal," Onua finally said, nervously tapping a crystal fossil in his hands......"Your analytical finesse never ceases to astound me, brother," Kopaka shot. He stood at the edge of the room, distancing himself from the rest of the group. "Do tell me, is the colour of the sky still blue? Such trivial facts elude my grasp without your constant relaying of them.".....Onua glared at his icy brother, but before he could speak, Pohatu cut him off. "I'd say it's grey right now," the Toa of Stone intervened, ignoring the sarcasm in the voice of the Toa of Ice. "Bordering on black.".....In the corner of the room, crunching on a madu fruit, Lewa shook his head. "I don't heartlike the moodfeel of this. Makuta is defeated, so why do sorrowbad darkclouds continue to covershroud us?"....."It's just the weather," Gali stipulated. "It's allowed to rain, you know. Just because the Dark Spirit no longer commands the skies, that doesn't necessarily amount to immediate sunshine and brilliant blue afternoons. The world still has to follow its seasons.".....Onua set the fossil down, treating it with care as though he might disturb the stone-encased stasis the rahi inside was experiencing......"Still, it's hard to celebrate the rejuvenation of the earth when it doesn't give us anything that we could ascribe to such," he said. "After everything we've been through to save this world, the least it can do in return is give us a little sunshine.".....Lewa stammered his agreement around a mouthful of fruit, while Kopaka said nothing and Pohatu offered a small "amen." Gali remained silent, and she cautiously glanced to where their Fire brother was sitting. A grim look gripped the Toa's mask, and he stared pensively out the rain-spattered window. The Toa of Air quickly noticed where Gali's gaze had strayed to and he too cast a look at Tahu. "Firespitter, what's your quicktake on the sky getting all emotional on us?".....Tahu looked up, a light returning to his eyes as if he had woken from a daydream. It did not take long for reality to set in and solemnity retook his expression, whereupon he lifted himself from his chair and growled, "Scores of Matoran have died, battles fought and after a history of violence stretching into the youth of the world itself, you five are going to sit around and argue about the weather?".....He glared at every one of them before stamping out of the room......A soft whistle. "What crawled up his mask?" asked Lewa......"The hothead has a point," Onua said. Across the room, Kopaka scoffed. "Why am I not surprised to find you agreeing with him, Onua? After all, together the two of you comprise the bulk of the intellect in our little assemblage here, don't you?".....The Toa of Earth rose stiffly to his feet, as if issuing a challenge to his brother. The two locked eyes for a long moment, before Onua exhaled heavily and followed Tahu's suit, storming out of the room. Gali sighed in the corner, not even bothering to get angry at this point......"Have I ever told you how much of a charmer you are, Kopaka?" Lewa chided, before standing up to leave too. "You must be a hoot at parties."....."I'm with airhead here," Pohatu agreed, hauling himself upright and coming up alongside the Toa of Air. There was no air of animosity about the two Toa, only a conceded disenchantment with their brother. They walked out. The only Toa now remnant in the room were those of Water and Ice, on opposite sides of the chamber, equally silent. The silence was not natural this time, but tense. Diffidently, Kopaka looked over to the Toa of Water. "Gali, you know I didn't mean it like that..."....."Save it," she said before leaving......Toa Tahu paced, and he mused. He would be a liar to claim that the melancholic state of the weather outside was not affecting him as much as it was the other Toa. He would not admit it though, lest he be faced with the same shame he'd lashed them with earlier. But it wasn't just that. There were other things apart from the rain that occupied his mind. Dark images that crept in the fringes of his thoughts and caused him to freeze, stricken by fear. He told himself that he dreaded that the mission would not end, that the Makuta would continue to elude their efforts until the world fell into dissolution and they hunted him until the end of their days. But somewhere inside he knew that wasn't his greatest fear. His greatest fear was that the mission would end, that the world would be restored to peace, and there would be nowhere for him to go. No ends to strive for, no duty to exact, and no destiny to fulfil. No purpose. He feared succeeding over the evil that plagued these lands......He feared Paradise......In a very frightening and perverse way, Tahu felt keenly certain that without the Makuta to challenge, he was incomplete. And he hated that. It pervaded him with revulsion for himself, guilt that he felt more at ease handling the darkest soul existent than in the company of his brothers. Maybe Kopaka was right. Maybe the flame inside had melted away all traces of reason within him......He came to a door. One sharp rap on its sturdy frame. He stood there, treading from side to side, twiddling his fingers. Another rap. Seconds after his knock the knob slid sideward and the door came open. Through the gap, he could see naught but darkness, broken by the inconstant light of a fire. He smelled no smoke, and knew this must be the work of a firestone. Orange luminescence cast Vakama's frame in stark relief......"Turaga. May I come in?"....."Always," Vakama said. He stepped out of the threshold and held the door open wide. Tahu had to kneel down to enter; these halls were not designed for beings the size of Toa. The room inside was cosy, the fire crackling from a welcoming hearth and copper masks and amulets gleaming on the walls. The windows were shuttered to the storm so that he could barely hear the rainfall or the thunderclaps. This truly was a sanctuary in and of itself......"Please, sit," the Turaga said. As ever, his voice was patient and paternal. It coaxed forth confidence without insisting upon it. "What is troubling you, my son?".....Tahu lowered himself stiffly into one of the seats, revelling at the comfort of the rahi hides. Even so, he could not bring himself to relax fully......"It's the Makuta," he divulged. His voice was low and embarrassed. "We have not received a threat for nigh a drift now and the elements no longer act against their masters. The Matoran have every reason to rejoice, as do we, the Toa."....."But?"....."But I can't bring myself to feel jubilant. Mata Nui has yet to emerge. I fear for His absence and for the fate of us all if circumstances return to what they were.".....Something flickered in the eyes of the Turaga, a brief recall of those trying times on the island above the sky when the Matoran anguished under Makuta's torment......"There is a blight in my heart that I cannot seem to rid myself of. Heal me, Turaga. Purge my doubt. It is the seedling of the Makuta, surely.".....A long sigh escaped the lips of the Turaga. He strode over to the side of the chamber, ran a keratin spoon through a brewing pot of tea. The herbal fragrance perfused the room. Over the hypnotic sound of the spoon clattering against pottery, Vakama spoke softly, "To my regret, Tahu, that is one thing I cannot do. The shadow of doubt lingers in the hearts of all beings, no matter how noble, and it evades even my ability.".....He withdrew the spoon from the pot and tapped it on the rim. Pouring two cups of the steaming beverage, he handed one to the Toa. "However, I can tell you this. Your sorrow is not without reason.".....A frown creased Tahu's ordinarily handsome features as he sipped the tea. The hot drink soothed some of the anxiety that bubbled within him. "Tell me honest, Turaga. Does the Makuta still live?".....Vakama sat. Oddly, he did not turn to meet to eyes of his protégé. Rather, he peered into the flame. Flickering firelight concealed the paleness that was seeping into his mask......"The Makuta will always live, Tahu. Mayhap not here, mayhap not now, and lo not a thousand years from now. But it is the resilience of darkness from which he sprung, and through the resilience of darkness through which he will timelessly persist. However, do not fret. It is through your actions and those of your brothers that none will ever have to face his wrath manifest again......"From this day, the Makuta will no longer be in the stars, or in the waves, or in the beasts or the hideouts. His only resting place," he tapped his heartlight, "is here. And some may say that it is there where he is more dangerous than any elsewhere.".....Tahu sniffed. He sipped his tea, confounded by the impossibility of his Turaga. "You speak in riddles, Wise One. If the Makuta no longer reigns, why then is my sorrow justified?".....It was at length that he received no reply. Pink eyes darted through the fire and suspicion curled the Hau brandished upon the Toa's face. "What aren't you telling me, Turaga?".....His question hung in the air. The crackling of the fire became the dominant sound in the room, but its flames were nothing to fill the hollow chill that reflected off these walls. Vakama expelled a deep sigh and his tense posture slackened, indicating that he would forfeit his nagging thoughts to Tahu. He drank before he spoke, groping for the right words to say. "Dume, myself, and the others have been discussing ever since Makuta vanished. We pondered the Great Thoughts, and what we found was ... unpleasant."....."Do share," the Toa of Fire leaned in to his advantage. The discs had turned......"I fear what I tell you in this chamber, you may wish you never learned.".....Choler rose in his voice now. "I am the leader of the Toa Nuva. This world's totality is indebted to our quests. I have a right to know whatever it is that can disturb the likes of one such as you.".....Vakama realised that he was defeated at this point. The look on his mask was sullen. He hesitated to meet the warrior's eye, leaning decrepitly on his firestaff and examining the runes scattered about his chamber. "Things are not well in Paradise.".....Tahu frowned. "But that is the place of the Great Spirit's slumber. What could be wrong?".....Vakama tapped his firestaff on the ground and faced the fire pit, a tic he had adopted before performing a tale. But there was no vigour in his motions now, stiff and perfunctory they were, and he went through the routine in hopes it would set his nerves at ease. "The Wall of Stars is fraying. Mata Nui is awake, but His spirit no longer runs through this world."....."Where then?" Tahu demanded. "I shall rally the Toa Nuva and we shall go and bring Him back ourselves."....."A place much like this one," was the answer, cryptic as expected. "It is not the place of the Toa to transcend this world. Your strength will too fail if His absence is prolonged.".....Tahu muttered under his breath. "Those places Takanuva spoke of, perhaps?".....The Turaga shook his head. "No. The Great Spirit is still within this realm, but not this world. Above the sky, where our island home once was, He is driving a harbinger land to deliver us to the haven we were once promised.".....Such words caused Tahu's breath to catch, and the Toa recoiled, before chuckling elatedly. "That's terrific! He's coming back to save us! After the carnage this world has endured, we are finally reaching what we always dreamed of ... why, then, are your humours damped?".....The eyes of all the races under Mata Nui were meant to glow with natural brightness, a feature innately inspired by the hope that the Great Spirit embodied. But there was nothing natural or bright about Vakama's eyes when they met those of Tahu. When the Turaga spoke, it sounded as though his lungs had shrivelled and his vocal conduits had fried, his words seemingly emanating from a thousand mio away and a hundred years in the past......"For Mata Nui to save us," he intoned, "this world must end.".....Tahu retired to his quarters with a heavy heartlight and a sour frame of mind. He collapsed onto his bed, rubbing at his eyes and breathing hoarsely. From his disposition, one might assume that he had just run the length of Le-Metru and back again, but it was not physical strain that fatigued him, but something deeper than that. The implications of his discussion with the Turaga rang inside his cranium like kolhii balls in a magnetic dome. After all they had achieved in order to resurrect this world, now it was fated to end – and at the hands of their very own Great Spirit, no less? It was too much to fathom......"Trust in Him.".....Echoes of those words played in his mind, seeding through his thoughts from a place where the very foundations of his psyche arose. They came in the soft, ancient voice of Turaga Vakama, from a time when he and his brothers were first roused on the island of Mata Nui. "Invest your faith in the Great Spirit, and all things will be granted. In time.".....In time. Yes. But just how much time was left?.....With this notion burdening him, Tahu fell uneasily into slumber. Even in his sleep, his mind was plagued with nightmarish creatures, the embodiments of his fear and his doubt. In his mind's eye, he stood on the peak of a mountain. Behind him was the throat of the torrid Mangai volcano, and before him were the rolling hills of Ko-Wahi. Only these hills were no longer resplendent with dainty tops of snow and ice, but rugged and bare hunks of brown rock that seemed to crawl with insects. Upon further scrutiny, Tahu realised that those were not insects. They were Bohrok......A steady incantation rose up from the crawling mountains. It was not the usual chant of the Bohrok, nor was it even delivered in their hollow, mechanical voices. Rather, it was the voice of the Makuta, amplified and distributed among a thousand vessels, rising up in a steady vibrato to pierce the skies. It said:....."Your time has come, little Toa."....."My brother will avenge me."....."And you?"....."You shall perish.".....Tahu's throes rocked the reality of the dream state, but nothing he did would prevent the Bohrok from enclosing on him. He let out a funnel of fire to ward off the insectlike mechanoids, but after blasting a few of them to burnt piles of skittering metal, his power tapered out and the incendiary potential would no longer respond to him. One by one, the Bohrok piled closer until they were everywhere, swarming, buzzing, swallowing him in an enormous mound, just as hoto bugs devour a cadaver......"Your time has come—"....."Brother will avenge—"....."Will perish—".....He screamed and shut his eyes. For what felt like eternity, everything went still. Hapless in the confines of his own mind, he was certain he must now be dead. Slowly, experimentally, he removed his hands from in front of his face, awing that there was room for his arms without clattering against a Bohrok shell. One eye pried open. White light seared his retinas, and Tahu recoiled at the intensity of it. Little by little, he opened both eyes fully, allowing them to adjust to the unyielding brilliance. All around him was an amorphous realm of white. It lacked the definition of a ground, a sky, a horizon. He could not tell which way was up and which was down, or if gravity were even working as it should. The vast, shapeless void caused him to cringe......"Hello, Tahu.".....Unlike the serpentine pitch of the Makuta, this was a deep and regal tone, as though it were drawn from the mouth of one of those noble heroes of old that Vakama would often speak about. Tahu turned, his steps clumsy, as he had no visual reference of where to move his feet. Finally orientating himself to face the speaker, he saw what was almost a mirror image standing before him. Only it was not a reflection – it was an entirely separate being, in a refined and casual stance converse to Tahu's own jittery demeanour, a being who only happened to resemble the Toa of Fire in physical build and facial chisel......This being's armour was the exact same make and model of Tahu's, but shaded brown and awhirl with the mottled patterns of organic sediment. It speckled too. Not like the rhinestone speckles Tahu had seen embedded in some rahi shells, but with an intrinsic shimmer that made it appear as though the strata of this figure's armour housed stardust. A smile rose on the mask of this curious figure. He had noticed Tahu's gawking......"Who?" the Toa of Fire breathed incredulously......"Now, Tahu. Have you learned nothing in all your years, the folly of asking needless questions?".....The booming voice came less from the movements of the being's mouth and more from the whiteness all around. Tahu faltered for breath. He stumbled away, in fearful wonder of the majesty embodied before him. "It can't be."....."Search your heart, Tahu. You know it to be true."....."No..." the Toa of Fire was on the verge of hyperventilation. "This isn't real. You're just a figment of my imagination. Nothing more.".....A saddened frown settled on the figure's face. He rose up one brown, sparkling arm, and snapped his fingers. The snap echoed as a thunderclap, and beneath their feet, the whiteness dispersed into an aerial view of Metru Nui. The buzz of the streets far below cascaded into their vantage point in the heavens, and frigid winds blew through the high atmosphere. As a Toa of Fire, he was unaffected by the nip of the sharp air. The enormous height still made him dizzy though, despite the invisible floor that separated him and a plummet to certain death......"Is that not real?" the figure demanded, pointing down to the city. Again his arms opened and the whiteness above them evaporated in an explosion of stars and nebulae, like those Tahu had once seen over Mata Nui but a thousand times more vivid, nursed among fractal clouds of colour and distance. "Are those not real?".....No longer could he support himself. Knees buckling, Tahu collapsed to the floor, perilously close to becoming a whimpering wreck. When he spoke, his voice was low and wistful. "Mata Nui... is that you?".....The figure smiled. "You were created in my image, Tahu. I can't imagine why it would be so hard to recognise your own reflection."....."Forgive me," he pleaded......Mata Nui dismissively waved His hand. "Grovel not. That is what the Makuta would have you do. To your feet, my son.".....Obediently, Tahu scrambled to his feet. He surveyed the vastness around him. Below, Metru Nui seemed a hairbreadth away in comparison to the inconceivable expanse separating him and the cosmic bodies overhead. Both images, above and beneath him, were so incredibly departed from each other that it caused his mind to pain. He focused his gaze back to Mata Nui, a central point he could stare at without having his head invert itself struggling to accommodate the impossible dimensions around him......"What Vakama said ... is it true?".....The Great Spirit nodded, solemnity weighing down on His regal countenance. "The world you know was never meant to last, Tahu. You must understand this."....."But," his voice became akin to the whine of a petulant child, "we are your people! Everything we have ever strived for in life, we have done so in your name. You can't abandon us! What about the virtues? Unity? Duty? Destiny?".....Tahu's agony was audible. Even the Great Spirit could not conceal His empathy for the yowling Toa, but even still, His stance did not waver. "You have fulfilled your duty well, and all under your mantle have made me proud. Unity is still being worked toward, but on a scale you cannot yet comprehend. As for destiny ... it was never your destiny to live forever."....."Not me, you clod!" Tahu roared. In his anger, he forgot that he was throwing names at the Great Spirit Himself. In this moment, he did not care. "Them! The Matoran! You can't just kill them!"....."It is the way of things," Mata Nui said, like a teacher instructing a youngling the basic tidings of night and day. "It must be.".....Hot tears streamed down Tahu's face. His anger swiftly burned out and was replaced with aching defeat. "Then what's the point anyway?" his voice was teetering on losing its coherence. "Why tell me?"....."You were made in my image, Tahu. It is you who are the keeper of this world. Not the Makuta, nor Tren Krom, nor Artakha and Karzahni. You alone must provide your assent before I return this world to the dust it was before even my inception.".....Tahu bit back his tears but the sniffles were wracking his body with continual convulsions. He glared at his Great Spirit. "And if I refuse?"....."You will not," Mata Nui said it as though it were a fact. Coming from His mouth, it might as well have been. "It is destiny.".....At his side, the Toa of Fire's hands clenched into fists. His eyes had all but dried out, his cheeks damp with only the memory of tears. Slowly, his breathing regulated to what it had been. Choosing his next words carefully, he looked at his feet and regarded the oblivious Matoran, way down below, smaller than grains of sand from where he stood......"Then this day, I defy destiny.".....Mata Nui nodded. If He were surprised, He did not show it. "Very well," He said grimly. "You have chosen your fate, Tahu. Now you must exact it, and pray that you made the right decision."....."Pray?" Tahu echoed, his voice taut. "To who?".....The Great Spirit did not respond. Rather, He took a step back and His body erupted in a cloud of ashes that swirled out of existence. Overhead, the nebulae hurtled back into sparkles in the space of a second and Metru Nui rushed up to meet Tahu like a field of spikes. He did not have time to fret, for the vertigo was too much. When it hit him, it was so great that as soon as things began to spiral out around him, his body shuddered and imploded into a defiant comatose state. Rather than ridding him of consciousness, however, it suddenly woke him, and he found himself standing in a chamber in the sublevels of the Coliseum. It was the dark of night. He knew this because rather than a domed wall and ceiling around him, there was an endless slope of debris that careened out toward the horizon in shattered bits of metal, compiled beams and shredded wood furnishings among other expanses of rubbish. Above him, where an enormous tower ought to soar hundreds of bio above him, there was only empty sky, navy blue and shot with glinting white stars. The Coliseum has fallen, he realised......Then Tahu looked before him... -- Click here for the second half of the story.
