Prologue
Gamorr took the steps down the rugged cliff face as fast as his dying torch could illuminate them in the dark storm. The wind threw twisted shapes on the cliff wall in the torch's light, making his shadow look like some distorted elongated creature. In another time it might have unnerved him, but he had seen things tonight that had shown him he had more to fear than shadows. That was why he, Sarcen, Zenair, Rye and two others were running for their lives, navigating their way through the thunderstorm down a long forgotten path cut out of the jagged cliff side. Bar the diminishing torchlight that feebly lit their way, they were consumed by the rain and darkness.
The winding path was narrow and slippery under foot. On the right were the remains of a safety rail now rusted and in disrepair. None of them clung to it for support for fear of it coming loose from the rock and sending them down into the cold angry sea below, instead they hugged the mossy cliff side as they descended down to the beach. One of the matoran, whose name Gamorr did not know, lost his footing and cried out as he landed awkwardly on his leg. Gamorr helped him to his feet and they hurried on. He did not ask the matoran his name for it was easier that way. If they got out of this alive he would ask him.
They reached the beach and almost to the boathouse when they heard them. Gamorr's blood ran cold and as soon as his first foot hit the sand he sprinted in the direction of the boat house. The others tried desperately to keep up for fear the second they left the torches illuminating bubble the creatures would snatch them away like the others. Filled with a spark of hope the boathouse appeared at the corner of the torch light and grew into a tall wooden building covered in vines and twisted plant life. Behind them the sounds grew louder and closer, the sound of heavy claws and paws bounding on wet sand. Gamorr opened the door and the others piled in. the matoran who had slipped on the rocks came in last panting heavily, as he turned to shut the door a hooked tail wrapped around his waist and wrenched him back through the doorway, His hand still firmly on the door latch he pulled it shut behind him as he tried in vain to hold on before he disappeared into the dark. They didn't even hear him scream.