Chapter 1
An isolated island.
The sea raged around the island, the beasts of the ocean raged in endless battles for power over the sea, blizzards raged around the mountains of the island, the trees groaned and creaked as they were battered by high winds and Rahi huddled together in their dens, waiting out a terrible storm.
A snow buried area slowly came into view, the outline of the island appeared in the snow.
"Gathered friends, listen well and heed this tale of how even the most deep rooted bonds of love and friendship, gifted to us from our beloved Great Spirit Mata-Nui, can be used against us by the shadows of the Makuta.
On the island of Caji-Nui, a fragment of the land that is said to be ripped from the heavens by the Makuta, is continuously ravaged by the sea of Protodermis and horrid weather, such conditions have forced the Matoran to shelter in Caji-Nui's underground and were witness to Makuta's relentless attacks, one by one, their mighty Toa fell and with them, many Matoran were lost, until all the Kanohi Masks were stolen or lost...
With no Toa to protect them from the shadows of Makuta the Matoran have learned to protect themselves... But they have not lost their hope that one day, Mata-Nui will bless them with more Kanohi Masks and that they may one day, have Toa Heroes again..."
The snow white's out the area.
"Come on Lena, we're almost there..." A voice said as a brown Matoran half dragged a green Matoran through the snow towards a cave in the side of a mountain. "Stay awake you air headed bubble you hear me?"
"My... My leg-g-g-g-g-g-gs..." the other said as she was dragged through the awful snow storm that had just suddenly raged in from the sea, she was wrapped up in Warm furs but still the cold was getting to her. "Sist-t-t-t-ter Jinso... I can't feel... my leg-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-gs..."
"We're almost at the entrance... just a little further..." the brown Matoran said and they headed to a torch lit opening somehow just visible in the sudden snow storm, "you'll be ok when we get home..."
"So... so cold..." Lena said.
Jinso stumbled in the snow and growled, forcing herself back to her feet and continuing to drag her fellow Matoran through the snow until at last they reached the cave and safety from the storm.
"Help!" she called out. "Help us!"
"Jinso?!"
"What were you two doing out in this storm?"
"Get them near a fire!"
Jinso smiled as three more Matoran, one black, one white and the other pale blue rushed over and carried the two of them deeper into the cave, close to where all the island's Matoran were gathered around fires.
"Thanks you brothers. Thank you sister." Jinso said as Lena was quickly placed close to a raging fire pit and given a hot mug to sip from as she trembled.
"What were you doing outside?" Nohe the black Matoran asked. "We thought you were due in hours ago."
"We were..." Jinso sighed. "We were just getting out of the boat when the storm hit, knocking Lena into the water, we had to take the long way home because of the blown down trees."
"I'm s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-sorry," Lena stuttered from her place. "No g-g-g-good at st-t-t-t-teady balance." She added.
"Its not your fault Lena. We all slip sometimes." Jinso said.
"But I always slip-trip." Lena said. "I not-t-t good-d-d for an-n-n-n-nything..."
"Enough of that talk." Heso, the pale blue Matoran said. "You are good at tree-speak and you can talk like we can, you can also talk plants, animal and you are the best cook here."
"Here here!" Hena the white Matoran smiled.
Lena smiled a little then groaned as a cold draft raced through the cave. "Cold..."
"We'll be ok dearest." Nohe assured gently ruffling the green Matoran's helm. "We just have to stay together and keep the fires going." He said as Jahuna a dull gray Matoran tossed several large logs on to the fire with the help of Heso.
After a while Lena was warm again and happy to sit and hum while weaving vines together to make rope and fish nets with Jinso, next to them were Nohe and Jahuna.
"We are few now... fewer than we began with a fewer than normal even for an island over run by the weather and freak storms. But we are happy; we work as one family to insure the survival of all our brothers and sisters. We do what we can, and what we can't do alone we ask for help with. Though few, we all know that any Toa that comes to us will be gifted with our aid, as best we can give them. For we are a family and nothing will separate us." Jahuna said mostly to himself as he worked on his weaving.
"You speak-talk nice things, reminds me of good times in past-old." Lena smiled. "You make good words... make famous one day." She added.
"I'm not that good."
"Are too." Lena said. "Lena not say bad-lie." She added.
"She's got a point Jahuna," Nohe said. "You could be famous throughout ALL of the world one day." He added and Jahuna shrugged.
"I just say what comes to mind."
"It nice," Lena said again before yawning.
"Time to rest Lena." Jinso said.
"But... I'm not sleepy..."Lena yawned again.
"Sure you aren't." Nohe chuckled. "Go sleep, we will wake you if we need you." he assured.
"Do I have too?" The green Matoran asked.
Jinso smiled and gently nudged her sister. "Go to bed." She said again and slowly Lena went over to a deeper part of the cave to sleep. "What are we to do with her?"
"Love her, cherish her, treat her like our little sister, be there when she struggles and help her climb every mountain until she can do it by herself." Heso chuckled as he came over with more vines. "There aren't many of us left who still have hope like she does."
"Indeed... but she will one day come to know the truth..." Hena said looking around.
Pale Blue Matoran who could harness the Lightning, White Matoran of the Ice and Snow, Black Matoran of Earth, Brown Matoran of Stone, Dull Gray Matoran who could command the Thunder and control its sound...
No Red Matoran to command Fire, no Blue Matoran to control the tides of Water...
And only one, small speck of Green to control and command the Air.
"We will be there when that day comes." Jahuna stated, "Now less talk of the doom and gloom, we have work to do." he added as they all pitched in weaving the vines together.
Lena woke suddenly when a hand gently rubbed her back. "Who-what?"
"Shhhh, easy now," Nohe said and straightened Lena's mask. "Pods washed up on shore... four Toa and nine Matoran." He explained and Lena was up on her feet in seconds and heading to the front of the cave.
Jinso looked up as Lena raced towards them, easy enough to spot as she all but flew over the floor, almost falling over a stray vine before Jahuna and Heso caught her. "Careful there Lena."
"I ok... just wobbly-unsteady." She assured.
"You foot-walk swift for air-flyer." The green Toa said with a slight smile.
"I not air-fly very well..." Lena admitted.
"But you're a Le-Matoran-" the black Toa said.
"No Not." Lena said, "No groups-set here on Caji-Nui, just one big family," she explained, "I young-little member."
"And a little clumsy when first waking up," Nohe smiled and tossed her a small rounded pad. "Your shoulder pad came off again."
"Oops-bad." Lena said and replaced the pad. "Need fix."
"Or you just need to grow more." Jahuna chuckled.
"How'd you get here? Few ever make it past the stormy waters." Jinso asked as Lena sat on the log seat next to her and started to weave the vines again.
"To be honest I don't know how we got here... all I know is the battle we faced was harsh and there should be six of us." The black Toa sighed. "Our sisters have been lost."
"But why would you wind up here? The ocean currents lead away from here because of the storms..." Jahuna stated. "And the nearest mainland is over twenty five days travel from here... roughly." He added.
"The Makuta and his shadows became too strong... they destroyed our home and only we Toa and the few Matoran who have come with us have survived it seems..." the Black Toa stated. "My name is Toa Kela, Toa of Earth, These are Toa Jinana, Toa of Fire, Toa Henta, Toa of Ice and Toa Danako, Toa of Air."
"Pleasure," the red Toa said.
"Yo." The white Toa greeted.
"A please-pleasure." The green Toa smiled.
"I'm Heso. Matoran of Lightning, this is Jahuna, Matoran of Thunder." Heso introduced.
"Greetings." Jahuna nodded.
"This is Jinso, Matoran of Stone, Hena, Matoran of Ice I'm Nohe, Matoran of Earth," Nohe added and then ruffled Lena's helm. "This little one is Lena, Matoran of Air."
"And the fastest weaver in the family." Jinso chuckled as Lena continued to weave. "Since we are the eldest of each group, we are the 'heads of family' as Lena puts it."
"Well... would you accept some new family members? And allow us to help you?" Toa Kela asked.
"What say you guys?" Heso asked.
Everyone nodded, though Lena spoke up. "Does this mean I'm going to have little sisters and brothers?"
That brought a smile to everyone's faces.
A few days later the stormy weather broke away and the sun shone down on the island.
"Wow..." Lena said as she looked at the sky. "Pretty..."
"You've not seen the sun before?" Toa Danako asked.
"It is rare we see the sun at all here," Jinso stated smiling as Lena joined other younger Matoran chasing each other.
"Why is Lena the only one of her kin here?" Kela asked.
Jinso sighed. "She was one of many once... but the storms and Shadows of the Makuta ripped her people from her back when we were still living on the surface. Lena was with me hunting when the Shadows of Makuta attacked her village again... she was the only one who'd come with us since she didn't have any other jobs to do in her village..."
Henta looked at Lena. "Did she witness it?"
"No... we got back late in the evening to find the whole village had been burned to ashes and her people slaughtered... she cried for days and for a time, we thought she had lost all hope..."
"Look! a Flutter-bug." Lena suddenly said as a large winged insect flew over head and landed on her helm. "Jinso looky..."
"I see it Lena." Jinso smiled. "It must like you."
"Flutter-bugs are cute." Lena chuckled as the insect flew away.
"What made her so happy and carefree?" Jinana asked, "After the loss of her people..."
Heso sighed. "Lena's current state is her own way of coping... she's buried the memories of the loss of her village and hides from the pain in her childish ways. Its not that we want her to live this way... but since none of us know how to make the pain go away or fade... we don't want to force her to relive those horrid memories."
"Besides..." Jinso said. "She is our sister... it would be wrong of us to force her to do something she is afraid of doing."
The Toa nodded in understanding.
The day slowly crawled on, the Matoran going about their daily lives, fishing for food, searching out fruits and felling old, dead or damaged trees for fire wood, the tasks were made easier with the help of the Toa, as the sun began to slowly slip away and dark clouds began to slowly crawl over the sky Jinana spoke up with a Question his fellow Toa hadn't found a polite time to ask.
"Don't you have a temple for Mata-Nui to choose your Toa?"
"We use too..." Lena said, "But then the Piraka and the Rahkshi came and we lost it..." she explained with a sad sigh. "We liked the temple, it was a safe place to stay and the shadows stayed away... even the storms behaved..."
"Could you not try and take it back?" Henta asked.
"We've tried, but each attempt has cost us lives and dear friends." Jinso said as she and Lena placed Light Stones outside the cave. "The caves and Tunnels are now our only safe place to go during the storms."
"Hmm..." Danako said thoughtfully.
Lena yawned and snuggled close to Jinso as they all settled around the fire, "Sunny days are nice-good... but sleep-night better." She mumbled as Heso tucked her in, as Jinso gently began to rub Lena's helm as she began to slip off into dreams.
"Perhaps we could help you take the temple back?" Jinana suggested. "I doubt the Piraka and Rahkshi would expect us to be with you and that would give us an advantage," he added.
"If they don't know you are here," Heso said. "They are very clever for Shadow dwellers and that is why they are so dangerous." He added, "And they are very good at knowing many things."
"Such as?"
"They know our names and they had already targeted Lena on several occasions, trying to rid the island of the last Green Matoran we have." Jahuna explained. "And we are not willing to lose her... she is just too special." he added as Lena rolled onto her back and ended up cocooning herself in the cloak. "And adorable."
The others chuckled fondly.
All the while Danako looked thoughtful and very deep in thought.
Slowly, Lena woke the next morning to find her siblings were still sleeping and the Toa were sat around the fire, keeping them going and talking quietly. "Morning-day time." she mumbled, wiggling out of her cocoon and stretching herself out for the day.
"Good morning Lena." Danako smiled and offered her a warm drink. "Are you always first up?"
"First up first down." She smiled. "Nohe says Lena is like a timekeeper, can tell what time of day it is when Lena does something." She explained. "Why ask?"
"You've been first up since we came here... I was curious." The Toa smiled.
"Lena... where is that old temple you spoke about the other night?" Jinana asked.
Lena smiled and pulled a map from her small bag and opened it to show the whole island, "Temple in the middle of the island, right in the middle of the Six side Lake." She said pointing at the temple mark.
"Is there a tunnel leading to it?" Henta asked.
"Not anymore..." Lena sighed. "Had to close it up, Makuta shadows kept coming in... taking Matoran away. Only way to temple now is..." Lena stopped herself and looked back at her siblings.
"Lena?" Kela asked.
"Lena not meant to know what she knows..." She admitted quietly.
Danako smiled. "How about, we go for a little walk, just you and me until they wake up?" he asked. "You can show me the sights."
Lena smiled brightly and nodded. "That I can do," She said, putting her map away.
"Can you wind-fly?" the Toa asked.
"Not good..." Lena said. "Weather is fast-quick change." She added.
"Ok we quick foot-walk." Danako smiled.
Lena giggled. It was nice having someone else who spoke tree speak around.
Once outside, Danako lifted Lena on to his shoulders and set off on a quick march up a well walked path so they had a nice view to see.
Lena smiled. "See the tall-high grass?" She asked as they walked at an easy pace around the path to see what was to be seen. "There is a hidden passage there... small narrow, but good for sneaking... Lit well with Light Stones."
"How do you know that?" Danako asked.
"Lena put stones there... was meant to be safe pass for when danger came... but had to close-hide it when Shadows came..." She explained. "Whole village knew... but never could tell others... No one listen to us..."
"I'll listen." Danako stated. "Tell me all you know about this island, Lena... tell me what your home was like before the shadows came..."
Lena smiled.
"Caji-Nui was beautiful; tree bright and a spirit lift... Rain-fall and Boom-storm were safe to watch, calming to all island..." she said, unaware her siblings were now awake and listening with the other Toa. "We had Toa Heroes... but they were gone before I open eyed. Sister Jinso says they were brave and heart-swore to protect all... but then bad things happened... the weather was changed and our home was turned into this..." She sighed looking around. "I had to learn to foot-walk... but I miss wind flying... miss my home-realm." Lena sighed again. "Lena isn't very strong... but Lena still want to make sure home-realm is safe..."
Danako smiled and looked back towards the others, Nohe looked at him and nodded.
"Hold tight," the Air Toa smiled and feeling Lena clutch his shoulders he took a few quick steps before jumping up into the air.
Lena gasped as the ground got further and further away, and the clouds got closer and closer until they were practically sailing in the white fluffy formations, she heard herself laughing and giggling as Danako swooped and dived through the air.
"Wind-flying..." she smiled, feeing little tears flow from her eyes as they swooped and looped, for the first time in a long time, Lena felt happy inside.
"Toa Danako... Heart-promise Lena you will make Makuta-sons and Piraka leave..." She asked.
Danako smiled and nodded. "Toa Danako give you heart-swear he will do what his Duty." He assured as they started to swoop down. "I see the temple..."
Lena looked down and saw the great building, laying dark and silent. "Is not so pretty anymore..."
"We will change that." The Toa assured as the cave came into view and Danako dropped into a steady run while Lena giggled.
"Well, someone looks to have had fun." Nohe smiled as Danako knelt down and lowered Lena to the sand. "Are you hungry?" he asked and Lena nodded.
None of them saw the red eyes watching them from the trees.
It was late afternoon, Jahuna and Heso had just finished bringing in the fishing nets and readying a meal for everyone when a terrible hissing sound shattered the calm of the cave.
"Rahkshi!" Screamed Matoran as they fled deep into the caves, where the lights were bright and shadows couldn't go.
Heso, Jahuna, Hena, Nohe and Jinso snatched up spears and claws and swords, ready to attack as the Makuta-sons raced towards them while the Toa readied their own weapons, Kela swung a huge hammer from his back, Jinana snatched a burning staff while Henta spun his icy flail around.
Danako drew his Katana's from his sides as the Rahkshi landed on the sand and gave a battle cry before charging them.
Lena pushed her way to the front of the gathered Matoran at the back of the cave, shuddering at the sounds the Rahkshi made, they frightened her to the core and it was even more frightening when she knew her friends were out there fighting them.
And she could do nothing to help. Being the one that the Rahkshi targeted she was no use outside...
She trembled hearing a loud painful scream from Hena.
"Look out!" a Matoran screamed behind her as something lunged at them, aiming to grab Lena.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Jinso and Danako turned rapidly as a black Hordika raced out of the cave, carrying...
"LENA!"
"Catch that Hordika!" Jinso screamed as she raced after the larger creature, Lena wasn't screaming now and she wasn't moving... that thing had knocked her out, so if they did lose sight of it, they wouldn't be able to follow Lena's screaming.
"Jinso, jump on!" Kela yelled from behind her as a hammer head came into view, and Kela's feet, "Hurry!"
Jinso leaped on to the hammer head as Kela picked up speed, Danako close behind. "Hang on Lena..."