The Hiatus Chronicles

Chapter Two

Lesovikk's Return

The Pit.

Several months before the Toa Nuva reach Karda Nui.

"It is not your fault, you know. Even if you had warned them, they still would have fallen." Said Sarda.

"I know that now Sarda, bur for the next thousand years I was unable to tell myself that. I would have horrible nightmares about it. Or dream so wonderful, they would make me want to kill myself. It was horrific for those first thousand years. But Nikila's last words kept me going. I don't know if I would still be here if not for those few words." Said Lesovikk.

"So where did you go next?" Sarda asked.

"Back home. And there I found even more sorrow and grief."

Lesovikk's homeland.

Almost 100,000 years ago.

Lesovikk's canister grounded ashore and the Toa of Air stumbled out.

"Hello!" he called to the Matoran town. No answer followed. Expecting the worst, he withdrew his sword and proceeded into the town square with caution.

"Hello Toa Lesovikk." Came a familiar voice. Lesovikk turned to see the island's Turaga standing next to a empty building, looking at the at his feet.

"Turaga, where is everyone?" he asked again. The Turaga smirked.

"Can you not see for yourself? They are gone."

"Where have they gone? What happened?"

"They were in need of some…restoration."

"Where did you send them, Turaga?" asked Lesovikk in an hardened voice.

"The only place were Matoran like them belong!" The Turaga roared.

"You didn't…"

"Yes I did, Lesovikk. They are all failures! They have no respect for my rule! THEY MUST BE REPAIRED!"

Lesovikk leaped at the Turaga and pinned him to the ground; Holding his blade to the Turaga's neck

"You're a monster, and I should rid you of this world." The Turaga was now aware of his situation. His eyes filled with panic as he saw the blade hovering over his neck. "But I have a better idea. I am going to go to Karzanhi; I am going to rescue my friend and take them somewhere safe. Somewhere far from you. That will be far worst than death for you. An entire island to yourself, and no one to follow your rule. It will give you something to think about beside your tyranny." Lesovikk gave the Turaga a shove and walked to the canister. He could hear the Turaga's cries from the village. He turned to see a large creature grab the protesting Turaga and disappear with him.

Serves him right. Thought Lesovikk as he boarded the canister. Let him rot in the Pit. Maybe he can make a few friends down there. The canister reacted to his presents and took off into the ocean, leaving behind Lesovikk's once proud island, now no more than a speck of land among a vast sea.

After several days at sea, the canister beached on a strange looking island. It was rocky and barren, with little vegetation. A daunting cloud hung over the island's center. Although it was filled with lighting, Lesovikk could not hear any thunder coming from it. Ignoring this slight irregularity, he proceeded inland. His feet scraped against the stone ground as he made his towards to the center of Karzanhi. He had heard terrible stories about this place. It was said that Karzanhi was created to repair the Matoran of the universe so they could work better. Instead, Karzanhi was not able to perform this task, so he now held the Matoran prisoner, fearing what might happen if he sent them back with out repairing them. The land quickly funneled into a narrow strip as Lesovikk made his way inland. He traveled for what seemed liked days as he made his way. Up ahead, he could see what looked like a small tunnel. He entered it and took a lightstone down from the wall. The tunnel was dry and hot, like a sauna. It was hard to breath the low-pressured air, but he soon got used to it. About mid way through the tunnel, his lightstone began to fade. He went back and plucked a new one he continued forward. Again, the lightstone began to fade. Casting them both aside, picked up a third stone and moved forward. It too began to fade as he neared the same spot. The thought hit him like a blow to the gut. The tunnel absorbed all light. It was impenetrable. He would have to walk through it without the aid of his stones. Taking a deep breath of hot, stale air, he continued forward. He watched as the stones light faded away completely. Darkness was now all around him, pressing on him like a thousand pound boulder. After several agonizing minutes, the lightstones recovered their glow and Lesovikk hurried out of the tunnel as fast as he could. He reached the mouth of the tunnel and leaned over to catch his breath.

He jumped as he saw a crumpled Toa body lying on the ground. The Toa was a Toa of Plasma and wore a Kanohi Suletu. Remembering how he could not burry his own teammates, he found a patch of soft clay and dug a grave for the Toa. Taking the Plasma-Toa's mask off, he lowered the body into the hole and pressed the mask into the clay. He then blasted the clay with his air power until it became hard. The mask was now securely locked in the rock grave. With a final look at the Suletu, he turned and continued down the isthmus.

Night soon fell and Lesovikk made himself a small shelter between two large boulders. He slept through the night without instance and awoke the next morning at dawn and continued on his way to the realm of Karzanhi. After more several hours of walking, he came across an immense arch that stretched all the way across the isthmus. Not wanting to take any chances, he picked up a rock and threw it through the archway. The rock sailed through it without instance. He picked up slightly bigger rock and placed it halfway in and halfway out of the arch. Again, nothing happened. He then pushed the rock to the other side of the arch and tired to pull it back. The space between the archway became black and filled with little specks of gold. Lesovikk pulled his hand back. This was a one-way arch. That would force him to find a new way off the island after he went through it. He shook the thought aside. He could figure that out after he saved the Matoran. Walking through the arch, he looked around for a sign of an entrance to Karzanhi. Finding none, he turned left, and began to walk that way.

The surroundings were just as blank as the mainland he had landed on. Huge mountains surrounded the realm of Karzanhi, while huge cliff faces surrounded the path on which Lesovikk walked. It was like a set of consecutive bowls, from which few could enter, and even fewer could escape.

Ahead on the horizon, Lesovikk could see a figure. As he approached it, the figured turned out to be a Matoran, standing with its back turned to him. However, the Matoran was not a Matoran anymore.

By ways unknown to him, the Matoran had become solid stone. He took a step closer. Yes, the Matoran had become just like the surrounding rock around him. It looked like a Po-Matoran sculpture, it was so detailed. As he took another step closer, a scream emitted from all around him. At first he thought it was the solidified Matoran, but he soon realized the horrific truth. Just as the Matoran had become dead like the rock, the rock had become alive like the Matoran had once been. The scream filled the air, echoing at a deafening level all around the Toa of Air. Covering his ears, he ran away from the statue.

As he rounded a corner, he met a Manas Crab. "Manas" was the Matoran word for "monster", and these creatures were named rightfully so. About a bio and a half wide and immensely powerful, some beings considered them more than just Rahi. It was also a known fact that no Toa could ever defeat one alone. Pulling his sword out, he fired a blast of air at the Manas. The blast did little more than cool the beast off. The Manas then charged at Lesovikk. He fired a more concentrated blast of air, but the Manas continued his charge. Lesovikk sheathed his sword and began to run at the Manas. As it swung out with one of its massive claws, he leaped into the air, and fired another blast of air. The blast propelled him over the Manas and onto a nearby cliff top. More Manas were now arriving and crowding around the base of where Lesovikk now stood. With one last look at the petrified Matoran, he turned and walked to find shelter for the night.

The next day Manas Crabs surround the path between Karzanhi's Mountains and the cliff on which Lesovikk now stood. As he looked into the realm its self, it sent a cold shiver down his back. The land its self was just as twisted as its ruler. It was littered with factories and warehouses, no doubt were his friends were right now. Fires raged in most of the building, spewing tons of black smoke into the sky. There were several waterfall-like cascades, as well as the constant sounds of Matoran screaming and the clanging of tools. As he gazed into the twisted land, he recalled Nikila's last words to him.

"Protect…the Matoran, Lesovikk. Always protect the Matoran…"

"I will Nikila." He said aloud. "And my Mata Nui have mercy on all of those who will stand in my way."

Several more days passed, and still Lesovikk had been unable to reach the realm of Karzanhi. He had just awoken from a terrible set of dreams. He had spent most of the night before planning an attack strategy for today, but every time he fell asleep, the had been awakened by a nightmare featuring the Manas crushing yet another attempt by him. This had lead Lesovikk to come up with increasingly elaborate plans to ensure they could not fail. Finally he just decided he would charge head long into the mountains and hold nothing back. He waited for the Manas to leave him with a gap and charged. The Manas saw him and began to stampede towards him. He stopped and began to focus his power. At first, nothing happened. Then the Manas began to slow. Some were making gargling noises, others made cough like noises.

Yes, Thought Lesovikk. It's working! There isn't enough air to support them all.

One by one, the Manas stopped their charge. He continued to hold the vacuum as more and more of the Manas were choking ahead him.

Wait…Wait…Wait…NOW!

Lesovikk released the vacuum. Thousands of square of bios of air came rushing back to the area. With a sound like a thunderclap, the blast of air sent the swarm of Manas Crabs flying. Running towards the mountains, he used his focus his powers to create jets of air lift himself off the ground. As he neared the mountains, he began to lose height. He looked down to see several new Manas Crabs clustered below him. He only needed a few more bios…

WHACK!

A Manas claw stuck him square in the chest. He was sent flying backwards and hit the opposite face cliff hard. He then landed hard onto the ground below. Lesovikk rolled over to see all of the Manas now closing in on him. Focusing his mask power, he duplicated the Manas' incredible speed and ran up the rock face as fast as he could. Leaping at the last second, he grabbed the cliff face and pulled himself up onto the top of the face.

The Manas once again grouped at the bottom of the rock face and began to claw up at the Toa of Air. The power of the Manas was almost too much for his mask to focus. He collapsed as what little energy he had left began to fade. As his breathing settled, he looked into the realm of Karzanhi. The fires were still burning, the cascades were still falling and the Matoran were still screaming. Nothing he had done was good enough to save his friends.

"Protect…the Matoran, Lesovikk. Always protect the Matoran…"

Nikila's words echoed in Lesovikk's head. He could not save his friends, but he could go and protect those who needed his help now. As staggered to his feet, he made a vow. A vow to protect the Matoran of the universe at all costs, and some day return to Karzanhi to rescue his friends. He would keep true to Nikila's dying wish, and protect all Matoran until his death. And with that, he turned his back onto Karzanhi, and faced his new destiny. A destiny of choice. A destiny of deliverance. A destiny…of redemption.