The Legacy Poll: In Memoriam

[Velox]

Vote here for your favorite Legacy story; entries have been randomized. Please MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL ENTRIES BEFORE VOTING.Voting begins now and will end on June 10th at 4:59 AM EST. Entries that do well will move on to the Legacy Final Poll, which will be posted at the conclusion of the 12th round preliminary poll.

• [*]Updates “Great Spirit” Planetary Evaluation and Reconstruction Program Excerpted Changelog (17/15/3332 – 19/16/3332 [Most Recent Change]) 17/15/3332: “Tohunga” AI System Updated (User #15A7, improved recognition of internal environmental failures) 17/15/3332: “Toa” AI System Updated (User #15A7, improved recognition of internal environmental failures) 17/15/3332: “Rahi” AI System Updated (User #15A7, improved recognition of internal environmental failures) 17/20/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, increased oceanic environmental evaluation efficiency) 17/20/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, improved trans-planetary path mapping and obstacle avoidance) 17/33/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, added “Makuta” self-protection subroutine) 17/33/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, improved recognition of internal damage) 17/41/3332: “Tohunga” AI System Updated (User #15A7, adjusted core priorities to increase importance of protecting core AI modules) 17/41/3332: “Toa” AI System Updated (User #15A7, adjusted core priorities to increase importance of protecting core AI modules) 17/41/3332: “Tohunga” AI System Updated (User #15A7, adjusted core priorities to increase ability to co-operate with Toa units) 17/41/3332: “Toa” AI System Updated (User #15A7, adjusted core priorities to increase importance of protecting Tohunga units) 18/3/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, adjusted core priorities to improve internal homeostasis by making small changes to protect Tohunga and Toa units from damage) 18/7/3332: “Tohunga” AI System Updated (User #15A7, decreased limitations on self-learning) 18/7/3332: “Toa” AI System Updated (User #15A7, decreased limitations on self-learning) 18/7/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #15A7, decreased limitations on self-learning) 18/18/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #15A7, “Three Virtues” priority adjustment subroutine implemented) 18/18/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #15A7, decreased limitations on AI actions during periods where no specific task is being undertaken) 18/18/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #15A7, relaxed assumptions on operating environment) 18/23/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #15A7, increased ability for AI systems to identify other units and adjust behavior depending on past interactions with specific units) 18/33/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #1B99, changes by user #15A7 reverted) 18/40/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #1B99, adjusted core priorities to focus on gathering material for final reconstruction) 18/40/3332: Core AI System Updated (User #1B99, added additional methods of termination) 18/40/3332: “Tohunga” AI System Updated (User #1B99, adjusted core priorities to reduce downtime between finishing one task and starting another) 18/40/3332: “Toa” AI System Updated (User #1B99, adjusted core priorities to prioritize structural preservation over Tohunga unit preservation) 19/2/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #1B99, increased reliability of post-reconstruction standby mode) 19/15/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #1B99, final reliability adjustments in preparation for launch) 19/16/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #1B99, reverted changes by user #1B99, note: secondary user verification not provided) 19/16/3332: All AI Systems Updated (User #1B99, restored changes by user #15A7, note: secondary user verification not provided) 19/16/3332: “Tohunga” Subunit #0001 Updated (User #1B99, updated subunit ID to “Takua”, note: secondary user verification not provided) 19/16/3332: System locked in preparation for launch (User #1B99, note: secondary user verification not provided) ------ [*]The Forgotten Legacy At the beginning of time, Toa were created as the guardians of the Matoran. With new powers to conquer their foes and the powerful Toa Code to guide them, they faced the darkness and came back to the light victorious. Eventually, a new darkness rose up against their might, the Brotherhood of Makuta, now led by the fierce Lieutenant Teridax, set on destroying all the Matoran hold dear and exchanging it for enslavement. New Toa would rise against this new threat, bringing with them power that no other being had known before, meeting every move of the Makuta with a swift counterstrike, their efforts seemingly in vain at the end as evil triumphs. Now, all of that is void. The cities they had fought to protect lie in ruins, the Matoran they had sworn to defend gone. With their destiny fulfilled, the Toa stand among the cold ashes of a once great civilization, now being left to fall apart in the darkness to new life. The great City Of Legends now boasts its shattered glory to frost and vacuum, the fear of Karzahni now left behind like a nightmare you woke up from, and the magnificent myth of Artakha has died out. The Great Spirit has awoken, been betrayed, and now has finished the last remains of evil in this universe, letting the inhabitants fight their own battles in a new planet. Kopeke looks back on the last of the great migration outside of his previous home. His eyes have seen and his hands recorded every new discovery for the future Matoran. Now, the endless exodus of Biomechanical beings nears a hatch by the side of one of the Southern islands, and as they pass from a dying universe into the sunlight, new creatures greet them called “Agori” and “Glatorian,” all of this hastily written down on the Chronicler’s tablet. In awe, the small Ko-Matoran looks up at what he had just exited: a giant robotic foot connected to the body that at one time housed the Great Spirit, and at another, the evil Makuta. It seemed impossible that something so huge could exist, let alone stand and fly. With a quick sketch on his tablet, Kopeke continues onwards through the welcoming crowd up to the seemingly insignificant mask that now is the home of Mata Nui, and paid his respects with the rest of the Matoran. Another lost legacy of the hundreds of beings who fought and died to obtain it, and those who are now cursed with the powers of life and death. Their trophy now lies in the dust of Bara Magna, its destiny fulfilled, now won by the Great Spirit and his chosen people. Millennia of history have gone to waste, myriads of heroic needs now are meaningless, but that is history. One accepted idea believed by thousands as worthy to protect suddenly becomes old fashioned as another rises in its place. The universe has changed, and now begins the true challenge of the great integration, which will eventually be overshadowed by yet another event, but that is the way of the Bionicle… ------[*]Legacy of Evil It’s only fitting, don’t you see? A bright future that was not to be, A bitter, forgotten legacy, Only tattered masks at the bottom of the sea. A being created, strong to be, A Makuta, strong and honorable was he, Many changes to his life witnessed we, That gave him a tarnished legacy. Much hard work did he, Unrecognized by thee, Bitter became he, Choosing ill paths by thee. Neglect led to whiles primeval, This Makuta chose the paths of evil, Scheming against his unwelcome master, Causing all sorts of disaster. He took over Mata Nui and sent him away, Away to learn lessons in a bright new day, What he meant in his heart of wormwood, Valiant heroes turned around and used for good. The memories of him with forever be tinged with pain, But remember that even the most devious, the most inane, Play into true heroes’ gain. Remember our gain! * * * The two Ga-Matoran stood up, surveying the seaworthy craft that they had scavenged from Metru Nui. Loaded with supplies, it stood ready to carry the two on a voyage into unknown lands. Or rather, unknown waters. “You believe that the ocean is truly endless?” Kotu asked. Kai shook her head. “There’s something out there.” The two took off, Kotu at the oars. Solis Magna was dipping down over the horizon, bathing the sea in hazy orange light. Kai sat in the back, trying to depress her feelings of guilt at wandering off. Every hand was needed for the salvage effort of the giant robot that had brought them here. But her curiosity had overcome her guilt. There was Mata Nui and Voya Nui out there, she thought. There could be more. The sun dipped out of view, and the ship was surrounded by stars. Kai slumbered. Kotu woke her up, too soon, so she could take his place at the oars. She rowed. Rosebeams shot across the horizon, after what felt like an eternity of rowing in the dark. She looked behind her – the ground no longer visible, as water met sky. That’s when she noticed the object, floating in the rose-tinted water. A black mask. An infected Kanohi. Kai shivered. This is my reward for wandering away from work. “Kotu?” “What is it?” She looked over the side of the boat, only to see the dismal mask, floating in the grim water of blood. “A final legacy from the Dark Lord, it seems. He never seems to fail to leave his mark on the world.” The two Matoran looked to see Turaga Nokama ride up, Macku rowing. “You two can explore later.” chided the old Turaga, poking Kai with her trident. “We have a robot to salvage.” “Yes, Turaga.” chorused the two Matoran nervously, looking down at their find with trepidation. "Let's go home." ------[*]Prelude to Society “We’re all going to die Ackar.” “...point?” “You and I have been around longer than any Agori or warrior in this desert. We’ll be the first to die. Then Tarix, and Vastus, and Malum. We think not of them as old, but they will age as we will, and soon after us they too will be dead, decaying in the ground.” “I hear you, friend. But I still don’t see your point.” “Is this all we leave to them? This, of all things?” “Them?” “The Agori, the future warriors, and all else who will live on after us. Is this truly all we can leave behind for them? A set of moons, a million casualties, and a barren wasteland to live on in?” “We were followers, Certavus. We followed the lords of fire, sand, and ice, and we did only as we were told?” “Where are they now, Ackar? Where are the great leaders, to carry us on through such perilous times and lead us to glory? Where are they now? It is in our hands now, Ackar, to bring our people to safety. I ask you again, is this all we leave to them?” “If I could, I would lay down my life to reform the lands. But I cannot. You cannot. None of us can. We live now on Bara Magna, not Spherus Magna. There is no return from here.” “But we can do our best, Ackar, to give the Agori a life worth having in this waste. The warriors too.” “We will guard them, Certavus. We will reform as one people, and we will fight back the desert.” “No, Ackar. Mere survival is not good enough. What we need is civilization.” “Certavus, the sandy ground moves beneath our feet. We no longer have allies in the Tribe of the Sand, and none of the rest of us know how to survive out here, save as a battalion. You would have us build a city?” “No, Ackar. I would have us build four villages. Fire, Water, Ice and Air.” “Divide ourselves? Where lies the sense in that? All we have is our comrades, Ackar. The only way to survive is to roam these lands like we did in the war. To remain ever-moving, and to defend ourselves from the Vorox and the Skrall.” “I would not have us living like a herd of beasts. Think Ackar! Would you become known as he who postponed his people’s inevitable demise? Or would you prefer he who helped set in stone the civilization that would survive him for eternity? Who would lead his people to great prosper then they had been even before the war?” “I seek not glory for myself Certavus. I mean only to help my people survive.” “Then make that your legacy, Ackar. Die well knowing that it was you and I who claimed that survival, and ensured that the survivors of the Core War would forever endure the Bara Magna sands. Because of you.” “I will not see my people die out like this bonfire does before us.” “Then come with me, my friend. See the unity that can be found in dividing once again.” “...very well, Certavus, speak what comes to your mind. I will listen, and upon this dying bonfire, we will forge these raw survivors into a people, fit to persevere this wretched world for a million years to come.” -------[*]Tahu “...To Leah Fern, I leave my antique furniture collection, preserved perfectly from the day it was made, to do whatever she wishes with it...to Jason Fern I leave my estate, and every unclaimed item that lies within it...for Alexandre Fern I leave...Tahu...” The attorney continues, but my mind lingers on that two syllable name. Tahu... “Kids, we’re visiting Grandma today, make sure you’re ready!” My mom would tell us. “Yeah.” My brother would reply, preoccupied with his games. “I’m ready whenever,” my sister would say, reading one of her old books. “I get to see Tahu again!” I would exclaim, rushing to get ready, putting my shoes on the wrong feet in my hurry. On the long drive down, I always had trouble sitting still. Sometimes I would try to imagine which amazing story Grandma would tell me that day as I sat at her feet, playing with the red Toa. I would always be the first to the door, ringing the bell incessently, peeking through the window as she opened the door. I would always head straight to the family room, where he stood alone above the fireplace, his exuberant colour scheme setting the mantle aflame. Tahu... I would turn the gears on his back, making him attack imaginary villains, parry invisible blows, as she would begin another story about how Tahu and his team of Toa saved the day. Sometimes I would retrieve other Bionicle figures from the drawer, making them act out Grandma’s story; sometimes I would take them apart, using the pieces to create new characters for Grandma’s stories, using Gali’s mask for an astronaut, fashioning cookie minions out of the Pahrak torso, salvaging parts from Jaller, Axonn, Matoro, but never the radiant Toa of Fire. Tahu... His Kanohi Hau shielded me from horrors of the world, from the sadness of losing my father. His fire warmed my heart. He was the symbol of my childhood, of who I am. As he grew in character, so did I. I learned of honor, courage, trust, and loyalty through the adventures of Tahu. I learned of the danger of rash decisions, to always keep my cool, to think before I act, something the Toa could never quite accomplish. Tahu... It makes perfect sense for me to have the Toa of Fire; he was and forevermore is a symbol of my grandmother’s love. Though she is gone, her legacy lives within this Toa, just as mine will, years from now. My brother may have gotten a house, my sister may have gotten furniture worth thousands of dollars, but she gave me him. Tahu. -------

[Excelsior]

I voted for 5. It was certainly different, but I liked it. Pohatu is my favorite of the Toa, but I can see Tahu's appeal, especially in his heroic looks.May the best story win!-Excelsior

Edited June 7, 2012 by Excelsior

[Ballom Nom Nom]

Difficult choice between one and four, although I went with the latter, as it seems to fit the theme a lot more. Still, number one is one of the most original entries I've seen.~B~

[Velox]

Went with #4 here.

[Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa]

#1 was very carefully planned, but it wasn't much of a story. #2, #3 and #4 were great, and I would have had trouble discriminating between them if #5 hadn't blown them all out of the water. It was magical, and in my opinion the most creative interpretation of the theme, and I wish the best of luck to it and its author in this competition.

From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith

Edited June 9, 2012 by Nuile: The Daft Wordbender

[fishers64]

I voted for myself, but 5 is still a bit touchy. Hats off to that writer.Edit: And # 1! That one stood out to me for its unique storytelling method, which I throughly enjoyed.

Edited June 10, 2012 by fishers64

[Velox]

Polling period over; poll closed.