Within minutes, both sides were already fighting each other. Glatorian shouted battlecries, Skrall roared, and weapons clashed.
"Here, you may need this," Mata Nui said to Berix, offering him the Skrall shield.
"Really?" Berix asked, eyes lighting up in surprise. "Wow, nobody's ever given me anything before. Can I keep it?"
"Only if you survive," Kiina eyed him. The Agori gasped in shock, but Kiina laughed. "Don't worry. Just stay close to me. Hold up, aren't we missing part of the team?"
As if in answer, Click appeared onto the wall. Kiina lowered her trident, allowing him to hop on, and lifted the bug up to his master's hand, where he transformed into his shield form. Kit, on her end, summoned her armor suit and nodded affirmatively. "Now we are ready," said Mata Nui. With a shout, he, Kit, and Kiina leaped off the ridge, landing on top of some Skrall warriors, and separated to seek their own challenges—which, given the circumstances, didn't take very long.
A Bone Hunter chuckled as he raised his sword up over his head, his eyes practically glowing with evil anticipation as they locked onto the dazed Iconox Glatorian at his feet. Before he could strike down the final blow, he found himself under attack, backing away, and groaning in pain as he attempted to shield himself from a barrage of small yellowish-gold crescents that seemed to have come from nowhere. The Glatorian, seeing his opportunity, struck out at the Bone Hunter, sending him to dreamland. He turned and smiled as he saluted his rescuer, Kit, who saluted back with a wink and departed to another area of the battlefield.
The girl was about to do the same when something caught her peripheral vision—something that looked suspiciously like a faint wisp of smoke or a dark cloud. She forced her way through the masses, trying to catch up to it. This proved to be easier said than done when just about Skrall or Bone Hunter that got in her way wanted to take her head off.
While dealing with said problem, she felt her heart jump into her throat when she saw what she saw next. Amongst some nearby rocks, she saw Mata Nui struggling against some living smoke. His hands were clutching the Kanohi Ignika, as if he was trying to keep it on while it was being yanked off. She knew immediately what was going on; Mata Nui mentioned that the mask was the reason why he even had a body at all. However, despite her best efforts, she wasn't getting anywhere. There were just too many Bone Hunters and Skrall in the way; she'd never reach him in time and he needed help. "Kiina!" she called, spotting the Glatorian. "Help Mata Nui!" Hearing her cry, Kiina saw Mata Nui's predicament, but was confused.
"It's just smoke."
"Hit it!"
Still having no idea what the big deal was, Kiina complied and launched a jet of water from her trident. To the Glatorian's surprise, the water not only blasted the smoke off of Mata Nui, but it also coalesced into a humanoid form. Mirna, dripping wet, tried to shake herself as dry as possible. When she looked up, she gasped and moved quickly away. There was an explosion of rocks and sand at the very spot where she stood just a moment ago. When the dust cleared, there was Kit, hand still glowing with power. Mirna could tell from the girl's stance and the way her visor was looking right at her that there was no getting past her as long as she was alive.
Deciding to make the first move, Mirna launched her dark energy bolts. Kit easily dodged them and unleashed a pair of energy balls. Mirna switched to smoke form to make herself more nimble in order to avoid them and then she fired again, except Kit dodged once more. For the next several minutes, the two female fighters exchanged attacks in this manner. Mirna charged in half-smoke form at Kit, at one point, intending to try and do what she attempted back at the Piraka fortress. Kit almost didn't get her shield up in time and the force behind Mirna's momentum sent her back into a wall, pinning her.
The two locked narrowed eyes with each other; they were both determined not to back down. Bracing herself against the rock, Kit gave a mighty shove with her arms and legs, effectively pushing Mirna off, and fired single sureshots from both hands, Western style. Mirna had to really twist and turn to keep away from the projectiles. However, despite her best efforts, her arm still got clipped just enough by a shot to make her freeze and hiss in pain. Seeing her chance, Kit dispatched a DragonBall sphere. Mirna saw it coming, but too late to react, thus taking the direct hit and skidding a few feet through the sand. Kit stepped up to her, panting a little. Mirna wasn't moving, she appeared to be out—until she reached up an arm and phased her hand into Kit's stomach. In an instant, Kit found it harder and harder to get a breath of air, but not from freezing cold. It felt more like she had the wind knocked out of her and no matter how hard she tried, she could barely breathe.
Mirna, meanwhile, got on her knees, wishing to remain at eye level with the girl. "I'll admit, kid, you've really given me a run for my money, as I believe you First One's say," she confessed. "But, what less should've I expected from the one who defeated Darcius, whose power dwarfed mine?" At this point, Kit's legs were beginning to fail, shaking from her near-dead weight, and a hint of blue was starting to appear on her lips; with no air, she was fading fast.
"Once I'm sure you're done, I'm going after your Great Spirit friend to claim that mask. With it out of the picture, this realm and everyone and everything in it will crumble and fall apart, and then I can remake it however I wish . . . with me as its queen."
Mirna waited for the girl to collapse, lifeless, to the ground; victory was finally almost hers. However, to her surprise, she sensed something change within Kit. Whereas a moment ago she felt like she was very near death's door, she could now sense her trying to use whatever strength she could just to move her arms. "I . . . won't . . . let you," Kit croaked in a weak voice, Mirna could barely hear her. The girl fought with everything she still had left and beyond that to clasp her hands together, which slightly glowed, reach her arms back, and swing her double-handed fist as hard as she could at Mirna's face.
Mirna was sent flying back several feet and hit the ground hard enough to get winded herself. When she managed to catch her breath, she was in for another unpleasant surprise. Not only was Kit somehow already back on her feet, but the girl flipped her hands over each other several times until they formed a good-sized ball. Mirna could scarcely believe it; Kit had never used that technique before. 'It must be new!' she thought with alarm. Then, Kit threw the sphere and it shot off like a comet, including a bit of a tail.
Mirna tried to assume smoke form in hope that she could fashion a hole to let it pass harmlessly through, but it came in too fast. She received the full blast of the sphere and was struck down once more. Weak, battered, and as sore as heck, Mirna could barely lift her head up to steal a gaze at the young Protector who just didn't seem to know when to quit. Now overwhelmingly exhausted, she dropped her head, surrendering to unconsciousness. With her work finally done, Kit snorted and rubbed the back of her hand against her jaw when a cry for help caught her attention; she'd completely forgotten there was another battle going on.
A few yards away, a Skrall was harassing some Agori. "Hey you!" she called, catching its attention. She got a running start and jumped into a spinning sidekick, knocking the Skrall away and granting the Agori a chance to get away. Anger boiling in its eyes, the Skrall charged at Kit with his club. Quickly, she dodged and kept stepping back with each swing of the weapon. 'If that thing hits me, either way, I'm as good as dead,' Kit thought to herself nervously. She ducked and weaved her body, only managing to avoid a nasty blow from the club that whooshed by, in front and above her by mere inches.
Spotting an opening in his defense, she unleashed a powered up punch. Unfortunately, the Skrall moved at the last minute and she missed her target, grazing his side. But it made him back off long enough for her to summon her shield before he came back with a vengeance. Lucky for Kit, her shield held true; however, the power behind the strike was greater than she anticipated. She could've sworn she felt the very bones in her arms vibrate from the force. She then tried to use it to deflect the blows and redirect their force. Already weakened from holding off his club, Kit found herself on the ground after her opponent rammed his shoulder into the shield. In spite of how numb and sore her arms were now, she sat up on her elbows in time to find herself in the same predicament as the Galtorian from earlier.
The next thing she knew, a green blur grabbed hold of her, she was lifted off her feet and she was surfing on the sand via a familiar green shield. Looking back, she saw the Skrall, who looked bewildered, and fired an energy ball as a parting gift.
"Timing ok?" Gresh asked with a grin.
"Perfect," Kit smiled.
The young Glatorian rode up the lip of a large dune, depositing Kit in the process. The girl tucked into a roll and fired a double-sureshot at a Bone Hunter. After dropping off his human friend, Gresh helped out Mata Nui, who helped Kiina fend off their enemies.
However, with the Skrall being disciplined warriors despite their brutality, the heroes no longer had the element of surprise. They soon found themselves surrounded and facing the regrouped army that pressed in on them.
"They have us outnumbered ten to one," shouted Ackar.
"More like twenty," Kiina corrected.
"Yeah," Gresh agreed, "but who's counting?"
"Let it be a hundred," Mata Nui spoke as he fended off multiple opponents. "We have the true power. We fight with honor and purpose!"
Nearby, Kit just struck down a Skrall when she spotted something at the edge of the battlefield and called to Mata Nui. He looked where she was pointing. It was Metus making a run for it. "So, the coward flees," he muttered. He turned to the others and said, "Hold them here, the traitor is mine!"
"Save some of him for me!" Kit said as she ran after him.
Metus had just reached his dune chariot when he saw a very mad looking Mata Nui and Kit coming right at him. "What are you waiting for? Destroy them," he commanded his Skrall guards. The warriors charged, but they were not even close to being a match for either Mata Nui or Kit. Both struck them down with one hit. Now knowing he'd really be in for it if he didn't get moving that moment, Metus climbed into the seat and fired up the vehicle. Kit tried to stop him, but was just one second too late. She narrowed her eyes and groaned in frustration. Metus, meanwhile, smiled; he was home free—or so he thought.
Before he make it out of the city, he saw that the two Vorox from earlier were blocking the road. He quickly slammed on the brakes. "Out of my way, you filthy Vorox!" The Vorox, however, were not in a listening mood; they remembered how the Agori wanted to sacrifice them to the 'monster'. They grabbed hold of the chariot and flipped it over, dumping out Metus. The Agori just cleared his dizzy head with a shake when he realized with a start that he was right at a glaring Mata Nui and Kit's feet. He gulped nervously when Mata Nui grabbed him and yanked him into the air. "W-Wait, we can make a deal," he pleaded. "I'll give you whatever you want."
"Hmm, tempting," Kit replied with a hand to her chin and eyes looking up in a thoughtful manner. "Very tempting, except for one problem."
Mata Nui brought him in closer so that they were practically eye-to-eye. "We already have what we want. You."
With that declaration, the Mask of Life on his face glowed, and he touched Metus' brow to his own. As he focused the mask's energies, he thought of what passed through his mind throughout the battle with every strike of his sword. He not only thought of his lost universe and people, but also of the evil force that was now holding them captive and making them serve it against their will. Metus possessed the same thoughtless cruelty and arrogance because he desired power more than anything else. And worst of all, he didn't care who had to suffer in order to make it happen. That's what made the traitorous Agori, in his own way, just as bad as the darkness that took over and enslaved Mata Nui's universe. All of this ran through his mind in less than a minute.
"Stop! What are you doing?" cried Metus. "No!"
A flash of light occurred and vanished as fast as it appeared, and in Metus' place in Mata Nui's hand was a snake with the Agori's face.
"Cliché, I admit, but fitting," said Kit, admiring the Ignika's handiwork.
"Now everyone will see you for what you truly are," Mata Nui said, and he tossed away the Metus serpent like he was trash.
Metus rattled his tail and said in a hissing voice as he slithered off, "You may have defeated me, but you'll never defeat my united army." He yelped upon being shot at and disappeared amongst the rocks. Kit quirked a lop-sided smile and blew off imaginary steam from her pointer finger; she enjoyed that.
"Of course," said Mata Nui.
"What?" Kit asked.
But, instead of answering, Mata Nui ran back to the battlefield with her right behind him, curious as to what he meant.
"There are too many," said Kiina. She, Ackar, and Gresh were now pinned against a ledge, trying to fend off hundreds of Skrall and Bone Hunters. For every one they knocked down, about ten more would replace him; they just kept coming like a living flood.
Just when things were starting to look really bad, Mata Nui jumped in. "We can win this! Together!" he encouraged, his voice overflowing with hope. Holding up his sword, he declared, "For unity!"
"For unity!" the others repeated, touching their weapons with his.
"Now, as one!" Mata Nui instructed, pointing his blade before him.
Ackar, Kiina, and Gresh again touched their weapons to his. A bright light began to form and rapidly grew in size to the point where it exploded just as they were about to be crushed by the advancing forces. When the light dissipated, at first nothing could be seen but a big dust cloud. Once the cloud cleared, Skrall and Bone Hunters alike were retreating, having no intention of facing such raw power. "Ha, ha we did it!" Gresh yelled excitedly. Kiina and Kit joined him by embracing him and each other in a hug, which he returned. They'd done it, they'd won.
Mata Nui held his shield before him and said, "Thank you." In a brief flash, the shield was replaced with Click, who now sat on his master's shoulder and rapidly clicked his mandibles, apparently just as ecstatic as everybody else about their victory.
"And I used to think scarabax were just annoying little pests," said Ackar. The beetle responded by clicking and chirping at him, not acting too pleased. Ackar laughed, "My apologies, Click. I will never doubt you again." This seemed to placate the insect, who lowered his pincers.
Just then, Vastus and Tarix came running to the group, looking none the worse for wear.
"I can't believe it's over," Vastus said, true disbelief in his voice, like he dared not believe what he was seeing.
"And that all of us are still in piece," Tarix added.
True, many of their fighters were injured, but not too badly and no one was killed; it wasn't anything from which they couldn't recover. However, Kiina's face fell, realizing something.
"Wait, where's Berix? Berix? Berix!"
"I haven't seen the little guy since . . ." said Gresh.
"I told him to stick close to me."
"Kiina-" Ackar said gently, trying to get her to calm down.
"No! He was my responsibility!"
She called to the Agori again, but only the whistling wind answered and there was nothing to see but a rocky, barren landscape. Kiina lowered her head, fearing the worst. "Down here," a muffled voice said somewhere nearby, making her perk her head up again. Off to the side, a blue hand poked its way out of a pile of rocks. Berix could be heard coming from within it, "A little help. Help, please?" Kiina rushed to do so, grabbed hold, and with a hard tug, yanked him out. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be hurt, just a little disoriented.
Kiina grasped him by the arms, "You jerk! I thought . . ." Then, just like that, she pulled him into a tight hug, smiling relievingly. "Don't ever do that again."
"You know I think I liked it better when you hated me," Berix said, a little short of breath—and a little embarrassed. "You can let go now." Kiina, however, squeezed a little tighter, like she had no intention of letting go. Mata Nui, Ackar, Kit, and Gresh laughed at the sight.
The weeks went by and life on Bara Magna continued, though quite a lot of changes were now happening. Though the Bone Hunters still prowled the wastelands of the desert, the Skrall had pretty much disappeared all together with no clear hint about where they could be or had gone. All everyone cared about right now was that the worst threat was over.
And Mirna? Mirna was never found in or near the battlefield at Roxtus, leading to the assumption that she faded away and escaped while no one was watching. Mata Nui and Kit observed from atop one of the trees at Tesara, watching the Agori down below continue with the massive project of joining all of the villages into one big mega-city. Kit could hardly believe that, using nothing but chains, chariots, and hardy two-headed creatures called Spikits, the villagers of Iconox, Vulcanus, and Tajun somehow managed to actually drag their shelters all the way to Tesara, and in as little time as they did. Soon, with it now deserted, the structure from Roxtus would join it, for word had it that some Agori were sent to retrieve it.
Amongst the commotion of the Agori working hard, the sounds of a celebration could be heard, too, from inside the village. "Don't like parties?" Ackar's familiar voice asked. The veteran Glatorian had been hard at work himself the past few days helping with the mega-city link-up. "Agori from all over Bara Magna are pulling together—literally—uniting all of the villages. And we have you two to thank for that."
"No, we were only two pieces," Mata Nui corrected. "It took each of us to complete the whole. This celebration belongs to the Agori and you, Ackar—the first leader of the new united villages."
Then, with one final, mighty tug and resonant boom, the latest shelter was connected into place, causing a tremor that shook the earth and cliffs loose.
"Look, they've done it," said Kiina.
"Whoa, you seeing what I'm seeing?" asked Berix.
When the dust cleared away, everyone saw a sight that was too incredible for words and confirmed what Kit noticed earlier. Before them, the combined villages had formed a giant robot. There were arms, legs, a head, and a torso. It was almost too awesome to believe; all of this time the Agori had been living in pieces of a giant robot?
"Mata Nui, do you think that you and that giant might be connected somehow?" asked Ackar.
"Perhaps," Mata Nui answered. "But you're looking at an empty shell, the remains of what might have been a great ruler, the guardian of his people."
"Wait, I've got something. Hold on," Berix said, digging through his bag. Finally locating what he was searching for, he held it out. "I, uh, collected it from the secret chamber a long time ago. Forgot all about it until I saw that thing down here."
Gresh peered at the coin that he held in his hand. There was a design that looked similar to the giant. "They match!" said Ackar.
Berix nodded, "And wait till you see the other side."
Gresh flipped the coin over. The design was a lined maze-like pattern—the same pattern that adorned the Skrall shield Berix held up.
"Hey, it's the same symbol," Kiina realized.
"No, not a symbol," said Mata Nui, taking the coin from Gresh's hand. "A map!"
"To where?" the rookie Glatorian asked.
"That is what Kit and I have to find out."
"And me, too," Kiina added. "Remember your promise."
Mata Nui chuckled, "You are welcome to join us. But I have no idea how long it might take or the dangers that await."
"So, don't come whining to us if things get tough," Kit warned jokingly.
Gently smiling, Mata Nui continued, "Thanks to all of you, I'm closer to becoming the warrior I must be if I am to reclaim my empire and free my people."
"This time, though, you won't need to face it alone," said Ackar.
"Yeah," Berix agreed.
Mata Nui looked around him. These people, his friends, were beyond ready and willing to accompany him on this expedition. They were not fazed in the least about the fact that they would be traversing into the unknown. The feeling was almost overwhelming. Even Click gave him his say by nuzzling his mandibles against his mask. "Then my friends, our quest begins," Mata Nui announced. As one, the crew looked to the horizon in the distance with anticipation and wondering what they might find at the end of the road. Of all of them, Mata Nui and Kit were the most thoughtful of what might lay ahead and the girl had the feeling that things were about to get very interesting. Their adventures on Bara Magna were just beginning.