A/N: Thanks To Rusty Red Raptor, TasumiDreamer, and Kalnur for their reviews and involvement as always. I do not own Varia or Vorx or Yistran, or any original creation of Rusty Red Raptor and Kalnur Aeons Torn. Lego characters belong to Lego (including third-tier characters like Kai) and my characters belong to me. A certain character in here also doesn't belong to me but we'll cross that bridge when we get there alrighty. Trying my best to make sense of Bionicle's measurements of distance, hope you can too.

Chapter 7: Patience is a Virtue

Roughly five hundred years ago I had reached Metru Nui, the City of Legends as it was called. When I choose the type of matoran I would become I hadn't put much thought into it. It was sort of spur of the moment when I choose a Ta-matoran, the colors were a light orange for the feet, golden arms and hands, and a red chest torso. My blue eyes however remained the same; there was really no need to change them. I managed to sneak aboard a smuggler's ship on a route near Metru Nui. 2 kios offshore of Metru Nui I dove from the ship into the water. I swam slowly as keeping my energy was more important than getting there as fast as possible. However as I reached the store I found myself exhausted and barely able to swim into the shoreline. I wasn't slipping into unconsciousness however; a Ga-matoran had helped up.

"You okay, you look exhausted?" She asked.

"I'm fine just a little tired that's all." I huffed; my voice had only a bit.

"You must have swimming for like three kios…" She said.

"Two kios actually, I didn't swim that far. So where am I?" I replied.

"You're in Metru Nui, Ga-Metru to be exact. We deal with the liquid protodermis supply in Metru Nui. We also educate but we don't accept any matoran other than Ko-matoran, exchange student reasons." She smiled, by now I was feeling a little better as I rested there for some time, enough to sit up on my own. Of course it would still be tiring to walk anywhere. "So what's your name? I'm Kai."

Name…name…name….Talius? No, can't use Talius, real name might attract attention, don't really want to spread that around. Ta…Tar…Tarrik, yes that's it, Tarrik. I thought.

"My name is Tarrik."

"Where are you from Tarrik?" She questioned.

"Don't know, in fact I really don't know much other than my name."

"Well that's unfortunate. Listen maybe I can help you…." Kai said, helping me up. I nodded and started walking with her. Along the way she spoke about current events and led me in the direction of Ta-Metru. I found lodging with a few other Ta-matoran, I hidden the package holding my blade underneath the bed I was given. The Ta-matoran that gave me temporary lodging in their shared home told me I could find a job as repairmen of sorts for the foundries and possibly other areas of Metru Nui. I understood the job like this would me give me an alibi for more suspicious activities, such as investigations into areas that most matoran weren't allowed. I slept the night and though I dreamed, none of it was clear. There was a shadow blurring what I could see, whatever this shadow as it was powerful and it had to be somewhere near. However I couldn't locate it and I couldn't be sure it was a Makuta because my evolution had separated from me noticing their presence. Anyways after a night of uneasy sleep I started the day by grabbing some fruit and pay with what little money I had a nearby at a stand. On the way to meeting the matoran that was going to oversee me I studied Ta-Metru, trying my hardest to remember streets as I walked down them and writing a general map down on a piece of paper. It wasn't pretty but then again I wasn't the greatest artist in the world. The foundries stretched on for miles into the sky and into the city. The forges themselves had a sort of red rust color to them and from the sounds that echoed from them something was being created, likely a mask or vehicle parts of some sort for Le-Metru.

It wasn't easy to find the person supervising me for the job, only it wasn't a Ta-matoran as I would have thought, it was a le-matoran and he was waiting with some tools. He wasn't the usual type of Le-matoran, bubbly and bursting with energy. No, instead he seemed very gruff, more like a Po-matoran than a matoran of the air. He noticed me and his eyes began scrutinizing me as I walked up to me.

"Well you're a fresh face, I was told you name was Tarrik is that correct?" He seemed like he wanted avoid speaking in chutespeak, likely because it often made communication difficult.

"Yes why don't you talk in chutespeak like other le-matoran?" I asked. He snorted and shook his head.

"Because my fellow brothers are not as quite as smart as I. And it makes things run smoother when I don't need to repeat what I said. Now listen there's liquid protodermis leaking from that plant, it is responsible for most of the distribution within Ta-Metru. There are multiple leaks some in high places and others in low. Our job is going to be a little more dangerous than most. You look able however so it shouldn't be difficult." He answered; I paused for a second as he starting walking off. "Hey, come on! Ta-Metru, and possibly the rest of Metru Nui are not going to wait for a lazy matoran. Get a move on!"

I followed the Le-matoran into the distribution plant, currently only a skeleton crew was maintaining it. Likely because it was barely operational, the center of the distribution was a large machine with many tubes going off in many directions, way too many to count. The machine itself was a pump, to pull the liquid protodermis along. Now truth be told said I had done only minor repair work in my travels and today I had hoped the same. My le-matoran supervisor shimmed up the tubing, a tool belt attached to his waist when he reached the top he yelled down to me.

"Alright Tarrik turn on the machine and increase the pressure slowly, I need to see the where the leaks are."

"Okay, I'm turning it on now, and I'm slowly increasing the pressure." I yelled up to him as the pump started to compress and pump air into the protodermis tubes. The protodermis started to move along in the pipes and eventually I started hearing air and the liquid protodermis starting to drip." I could see some cracked tubes and looked up to my superior who was overlooking the tubes in the general vicinity. He nodded for me to turn off the machine and spoke.

"I'm counting about twenty, how about you Tarrik?"

"Yeah, I'm seeing about the same."

"Okay now grab your tool belt Tarrik and deal with the left side of the room I handle the right and we'll meet in middle okay."

So I grabbed my tool belt and shimmied up the piping it wasn't that difficult, as I was climbing the le-matoran gave me a look.

"You're surprisingly limber for a Ta-matoran you know that."

"Not really." I replied, of course I was more limber, I was a Makuta after all. I could even use those 46 something powers but then again all of them would have blown my cover. Occasionally bursts of speed and strength would seem like nothing to the rest of matoran populace. My hand wrapped around the piping and I continued to pull myself off towards the top of the room, the height however made me a little woozy. I shook it off and pulled myself along the piping until I came to the first hole, pulling out a plasma cutter and a very small piece of the same material used for the piping, I set the cutter so it would melt the rod and the rod began to fill up the hole. Quickly I reached for the other tool; this thing would freeze any liquid to the point of it becoming a solid. Unfortunately for me by the time I had finished my first leak my supervisor had already reached his fifth leak. I still fumbled for about a half hour, it was extremely difficult to do this, and I may be a great swordsman but…sometimes that grace does not always transfer to other tasks. It was a tiring but rewarding task and it kind of made me wish to be a matoran but doesn't everyone wish they could change some part of themselves. Nevertheless it took us about three hours to do a full repair of the plant. The skeleton crew of Ta-matoran looked extremely happy and thanked use heartily as we left.

"You know you haven't really told me your name, what is it?" I asked, curious.

"Zeric, and since you did such a good job I think I'll take you on as an apprentice, though you will get some pay. For today's work you're going to receive twenty widgets, that a modest amount for one day." He smiled and patted me on the back and gave the sack of widgets. "Keep the tools; you're probably going to need them. The two of us parted ways after that and I made my way back to Ta-Metru. There was some biting at the back of my mind and I knew exactly what it was. That damn sword of light was going to blow my cover and that was the last thing I needed. I snuck back into the building and grabbed the long crate that held my sword, as I walked out I slammed into someone much taller than me.

"Going somewhere, little matoran?" Above me stood Toa Lhikan and frankly if there was ever a Toa who was ever deserving of the title of hero it was him. I heard of how the team he led defeated the Kanohi Dragon and sent it away to Xia. It was a great tale I heard in many pubs and inns in and around Xia. Most recently he and about three hundred Toa had fought against the Dark Hunters and won. Lhikan was the focal point of destiny had no doubt planned out much of the attack. In appearance Toa Lhikan wore a golden chestplate; his feet and upper shoulders were of the same color. His arms and legs were a dark red. Overall he looked the part, a hero of Metru Nui, the City of Legends. He smiled and helped me off the ground.

"Sorry about that you seemed in a rush, ah…what is your name?" He asked kindly.

"Tal…I mean Tarrik." I replied, flustered.

"It's okay, do you have any problems, and you seem confused and distant at the same time. That worries me; does it have to do with work?" He questioned, concerned.

I must have been thinking about the Order and as I often thought, how things could have happened differently. When he talked to me again I had snapped out of it and replied.

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine just a little star-struck that's all." I said hastily gathering the box and making my way towards the outskirts of Ta-Metru that would be the perfect place to hide this weapon.

"Okay, matoran see you around Metru Nui." He said after me. I was here on a mission and I couldn't let these things to keep on distracting me, it was starting to become detrimental towards my focus. This unfortunately for me was building an alibi that would be five hundred years strong. This meant I was going to be in the form of a matoran for very long time which wasn't a bad thing. However in familiarizing myself with the matoran form I would not be as good as I was normally when I turned back to my original Makuta form. This was one of the many benefits and complications of being a Makuta. However this was a Makuta's job and old saying goes never send a Toa to do a Makuta's job or something along those lines. I reached the outskirts of Ta-Metru and buried my sword beneath some other boxes. I brought along a package and opened it; it was addressed by Vorx to me.

Talius,

I understood that you chose a mask of shapeshifting to make your disguises easier to transition into. However since you are a Makuta I believe it is redundant to have such a mask. That is why enclosed is a great mask of adaptation; it should at full power help you adapt to surrounds, perfect for a spy and a warrior. I understand that you may be somewhat impatient, but I hope that you can understand that there are extenuating circumstances that require me to treat you in such a way. I know your mission will go well.

Vorx.

I looked at the mask and sighed, part of me was disappointed to be separating with my mask of shapeshifting, and it made transitions much smoother. It was however very redundant as Vorx wrote to me and I agreed with him. This mask of adaptation felt cold like protosteel as it touched my face when I switched masks, it was strange, foreign, and unfamiliar to me. Sadly, I placed my previous mask beneath my feet and shattered it with one swift boot. I could see the color fade from it and I shook my head. Other than that nothing too significant happened, except the mysterious absence of the rest of the Toa Mangai. Five hundred years later Metru Nui started its descent into chaos and even a new team of heroes wouldn't be able to stop it.

Five Hundred Years Later

Today was very important, after 500 years of working up an alibi as a matoran; my disguise had everyone believing I was a normal productive matoran, even showed a few occasional quirks to make them believe I wasn't hiding anything. In that respect I guess it's impossible for Makuta to escape the necessity of deception. However things were getting difficult, the Vahki descended on all crime and people were disappearing, but just enough that people didn't care. The Morbuzakh plant was believed to be responsible but that felt just like filler, but any other information wasn't showing up. Matoran started to disappear, not many, just a few from each Metru and it wasn't completely random, it was clockwork. There were no clues: no footprints, no signs of struggle, and nothing was taken from their dwelling, it was too clean to say the least. A huge plant would probably smash its way through a Metru if it wanted to kidnap matoran. Nope this was something else but I could not put my finger on what. Still I had to investigate the Morbuzakh and its ever increasing presence. Granted the vines themselves had stolen away matoran, but for what reason did they do so? Logically they could be food but that was a big if, and it didn't seem likely.

So now I was headed towards the archive based on another letter that I had opened. It had the exact dating for this year, month, and day. It would be easier to show then describe.

Talius

I trust everything has gone well and that you have made a place for yourself in Metru Nui. Don't relax, especially today as I will need you to go to the archives. Today I will be coming to Metru Nui and no, I will not be meeting with you. A certain female Great Being has decided to show her face. After the talk I have with her, she will eventually meet you in the archives. Your mission will be to watch over her and a certain new group of Toa, called the Toa Metru. They don't exist yet as they are still matoran, but in a few hours they will become Toa. Now I know that you're thinking I can just figure out what Varia is planning or doing next. But I wouldn't even if I could. That is where you come in; your mask of adaptation will be more useful now more than ever. You can increase the intensity of your sight distance and you will be granted low-light vision. Night vision or X-ray is beyond your mask, so don't even bother with the thought. Do not compromise your matoran form unless you're in extreme danger. I trust however that you will not act rash, so all should go well. Protect the Toa Metru and Varia. Yes I know Varia may seem like she can keep herself safe, just do what you do, prevent things from getting any worse.

"I'm glorified babysitter." I fumed and then cooled down. At least it was something interesting after 500 years of waiting, I tore this letter to pieces; the last thing Varia needed to find me with was with this letter. In likelyhood she would either kill me, or go to Tall Torrent As I walked deeper and deeper into the archives I remembered that the "Rahi of Metru Nui" was deep within the South Archive I was at the North end. Unfortunately guards were stationed at my end. A Volitak would be of great aid at this moment, but I would have to resort to old stealth tactics. There was sign near the entrance, quickly I ran towards it, it casted a dark enough shadow for me lie underneath it. I tossed a small rock near the entrance and it pinged off one of the sides, luckily the two guards couldn't see it, but they could hear it and that was suspicious enough for the two of them to investigate. Pulling myself out from underneath the sign I moved quick and forced the doorway open. It would be suspicious but the Archives were a big place and easy to get lost in, they were also one of the most dangerous places to get lost in. Lighting wasn't perfect, more than a few lights flickers and quite a bit were out. My eyes automatically adjust to the low level of lighting, it would have been perfect as an Onu-matoran but it would suffice for now. As immensely interesting and almost extravagantly large the Archives were they were also slightly disturbing. It was a collection of many different types of information and things from inventions, to tablets and other various form of information. Its categorization was actually somewhat to disturbing and seemed too orderly in some respects. As I proceeded deeper into the archives everything was quiet and trust me after a very long time, quiet became unnerving. It took two hours to reach the other end and when I reached the "Rahi of Metru Nui" exhibit there was already someone there and I was still somewhat surprised though I was told she would be there. Varia.

I walked up to her, as I saw her admiring a large chute spider, quite an amazing creation by Makuta, unfortunately my species had a way of befouling the best of moments like this with their ambitious schemes. She glanced at me and looked back at the Rahi. I could tell it was already making her uncomfortable. After a minute she turned to me and spoke.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, yes, you can in fact." I said smiling to myself. "And, Toa Varia, I think you'll find I can also help you as well."

"What? Do I know you?" She asked, somewhat nervously I may add. People usually don't like you calling them by name unless they really know you. And I spoke as if I knew, to which to an extent I did.

"Yes, in fact you do." I replied still smiling at her confusion. "I have many names actually. Some call me a Makuta. Others call me the last true follower of Miserix. Yet others call me The Avenging Angel. You know me as Talius." It was very silent for a few moments to tell the truth, I guess she was digesting the information.

"Talius? She paused for a few seconds, mulling it over and then replied. "You got shorter."

"Shh! Quiet, please, Toa! I'm not Talius here. I'm Tarrik."

"Why? What does that accomplish?" Varia asked.

"It's a disguise." I said plainly.

"For what?"

"From the world."

"Yeah, thanks. I love answers that make no sense whatsoever." She glared at me flatly and crossed her arms in annoyance. "Isn't the Order missing you?"

"Yes I'd suppose they'd be missing me." I said thoughtfully, thinking on the Order and my friends in it. "But duty cannot be escaped." I then shrugged.

"Duty? What duty could you have possibly in the City of Legends?" I wandered over to the next display with Varia.

"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" Varia gave me a questioning glance, and in response I pointed to the Phase Dragon on display.

"Yes, yes. Very pretty. Did you deliberately avoid my question?" She demanded.

"What question?" I replied.

"Why are you in Metru Nui?" She said her patience thinning.

"I could ask you the same you know." I said. Trying Varia's patience was like playing Skakdian roulette with a Cordax Blaster with a round in every chamber of the gun.

"You're wasting my time." Varia turned and started to walk away, I could tell her the truth but not all of it.

"I'm her for the same reason you are, Varia." I called after her.

"You don't know why I am here." She said without stopping. Obviously I had pushed her too far, now I had to jog to catch up to her, I lower my voice as I spoke. "You're watching over the Toa Metru, I'm watching the Toa Metru. They play a crucial role in this universe. If anything were to happen to them we might as well all be dead."

"Are you stalking me?" She joked, uneasily. Understandable as I was in Metru Nui, but I wasn't explaining myself, still why did she never explain herself? Who could fathom the mind of a Great Being?

"No, I have better things to do then stalk you." I returned, straining to keep the irritation out of my voice. "But I'm also here investigating the missing matoran reports, if that makes you feel better."

"Oh that's easy. The Morbuzakh vines are behind the disappearances" Varia said, somewhat matter of factly I might add. "If you're looking for them, well, try anywhere dark, spooky, and uninhabited. And the outskirts of Ta-Metru too, especially."

"I knew about the vines. But Ta-Metru, huh?" I'll take a snoop around. Wait, where are we going I asked, I noticed the road signs, on leading to the Po-Metru chute station, another to Coliseum, and another back to archives.

"The Great Temple, from the Coliseum." Varia said.

"Well, I'm not going there. Ta-Metru is calling my name." I stopped and turned back, heading back into the archives.

""Hey! Ta-Metru is that way!" She shouted, waving in the direction of Ta-Metru.

"Oh, I know. I need to see in there is anything on these 'Morbuzakh vines' in the archives."

"Well fine, you do that and I'll see you around." She said.

"Until next time, Toa Varia." I waved as I left.

As I walked in the archives I breathed a sigh of relief. That was rougher that I thought. I forgot how that if you weren't on good terms with Varia she would make things very difficult. I knew Varia didn't trust me and it made me wonder sometimes why I trusted that my destiny would work out. I fought down those thoughts and went back to Archives. As I went deeper within the Archives I found some vines, they were wrapped around the displays, I grabbed the plasma cutter and turned it on, as the heat touched the vines, they started to moves towards, it obviously that the plant need that heat. Now for the freezing tool I used to cool metal on the jobs I worked as a repairman/renovation with Zeric. As I turned it on the smaller vines retreated away from the cold. As I searched around the Archives after my findings I couldn't find any information on the Morbuzakh vines or a plant itself. At the moment it was hopeless but at least there was another lead in the outskirts of Ta-Metru. The extent of these vines should also be chronicled in order to figure out how far it really was.

…..

Later on I reached the outskirts of Ta-Metru; this lack of information was driving me insane. I hated not being able to know what exactly I was getting into. The outskirts of Ta-Metru would house most of the plants as most buildings there were already condemned and thus the plant could easily take it over. However something caught my eye as I walked. Two shadows were walking along one of them were mine but another was much larger than mine. I turned my head only slightly and noticed that there was no being standing there. I continued to walk on, and as I walker faster it walked faster. As I walked slower, it walked slower. It was mimicking my every move. I quickly rounded a corner where I placed my longsword. I punched through the box and torn out my longsword. My body began to ripple and I returned to my Makuta form with white, light blues, silvers and golds. I assumed where the being would be and I slammed him into the hut, his mask deactivating and revealing my assailant.

"Mistake number one rookie: thinking you could sneak up on me." I pressed my blade closer; it was close enough the point of cutting my unknown assailant's throat. "Now tell me what you are doing here and why?"

"You should leave him alone Talius, I sent for him to find you, not for you to kill him. We have to talk and for Helryx's sake put that sword away." A yellowed armored hand place itself on my shoulder. In a single motion I dropped my blade and grabbed the hand as I spun around. I used my legs to trip the other being and used my weight to force him the ground. My hand around his neck, but it was gently not enough to crush his neck, enough to speak.

"How in Mata Nui's name do you know mine?" I growled.

"Wow, thousands of years old and still as sharp as ever Talius. I'm Kalnur, I was part of the Order for a while, you might remember me from there, and this here is Nidhiki, my companion." He laughed pushing the sword away, after I had picked it back up.

"I don't know you, nor have we ever met! So explain yourself." I snapped. I did not like this situation; it reeked of something very peculiar and made me worried. Not to mention both were well armored and both seemed very powerful in nature. "I don't like dealing with people that favor sneak up to me in such a way, maybe if you answers my questions I won't be so hostile."

"Calm down and let's talk this somewhere more private and less full of weeds." I got up and sheathed my sword, still uneasy. Nidhiki still seemed tense, and with reason to be such. Kalnur signaled him to stand down and spoke again. "There are eyes and ears in the city, and few of them are the kind we want to be near." He paused for a second and added. "Could you check that house for signs of the Morbuzakh, we don't want to be ambushed by that plant."

"Sure…" I said turning my back, I was still tense as the situation still felt bad, it got worse when I turned around and saw Kalnur standing right in front of me. He pressed a finger to my forehead, and I felt all of the strength leave my body. This is what happens when I start conversations off on wrong foot, I usually end up unconscious. The words I heard before I lost consciousness completely worried me.

"Hide his body; we don't want anyone to know we're here." Kalnur spoke; I couldn't hold onto my focus any longer and drifted into unconsciousness.

A/N: This is before Talius second meeting with Varia on Mertru Nui (I included his first meeting only in this chapter) and ends with his first meeting with Kalnur. If that doesn't clear things up PM me.