Epilogue
The ships began their long, slow journey to the new land Pohatu had described. Onua didn't know what he should expect. Pohatu had mentioned enormous deserts and huge swaths of sand that went as far as their eyes could see. Although Pohatu wasn't the type to exaggerate, it did sound excessive. Perhaps he had simply focused too much on the dunes that reminded him of his old home.
Kopeke was seated down next to Onua. The new Chronicler was silent as always and listened intently as Onua briefed him on the events that had occurred in the past month. If Onua expected a reaction about them working with Teridax, he didn't get one, but when he told the Chronicler about Vakama's passing, Kopeke gave him a wide-eyed expression of shock.
"Vakama is really dead?"
It was the first thing Kopeke had said since they had departed. "He rescued Takanuva, but he sustained wounds that even Gali could not heal. He fought to protect another, and he..." The words threatened to choke Onua, but he struggled on. "He died a Toa, not a Turaga." Onua looked over toward the decks, where Matoran gathered, watching as they left their home. "We've lost so much. Mata Nui is gone, and I do not know if there is any way we can restore him. The Toa Nuva have failed our mission. We've failed our destiny."
They sat in silence for a moment, while Kopeke visibly struggled to find the right words. "Turaga Nuju said that 'in creation, there is destruction. In destruction, there is rebirth. There is no such thing as void; all things are in flux.'"
Onua mulled over that for a moment. Perhaps Nuju was right. Teridax had led the Toa to destroy the Great Spirit, and that thought brought a terrible ache to Onua's chest. But this was a chance for a new beginning. Teridax had deceived the Toa, but had he done so for the right reasons? Onua couldn't agree with his decision not to inform the Toa, but he had delivered the Matoran from the wrath of Makuta. Perhaps the trade-off was worth it. Perhaps Mata Nui would still be alive somewhere, in some other form. And it would be the duty of the Toa to find him.
Together, Onua and Kopeke walked to the bow of the airship, watching as they left Metru Nui. There were plenty more beings to evacuate, but for now, they only had time to gather the Matoran in the city. All the airships used for hauling freight had been gathered and repurposed for the long journey. Now, an enormous fleet flew single-file, heading slowly over the city. The ships would be back many times to help gather the various beings still in the Universe before it became completely uninhabitable - but Onua would never see the city alive again. Never see anyone rushing about, the forges of Ta-Metru lit, the travel chutes in transit, or the assembly lines in motion again. It was funny - Metru Nui could hardly be called home to Onua. Almost as soon as they had discovered it, he was rushing off with the Toa Nuva on another mission to Voya Nui, or Odina, or Artakha. And yet, Metru Nui was where his Matoran friends always welcomed him back.
They sat together in silence for some time. Soon, the ships passed through the Mangaia, the tunnels that once led to the Island of Mata Nui, and then finally they were out in the open, the clear skies far above them - and below, he could barely make out the details of the land.
Pohatu was right, the desert did go on and on. There were other landmarks too, mountains and forests in the far distance. Onua had never seen - never even imagined - a landmass this huge. He took a look over the edge and turned back quickly. Yes, he had become used to flying, but not at these heights.
He found his way back to the safe center of the deck and allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts. Soon, more villagers from other islands and continents would leave the Great Spirit, and then... what? Would they all come together to live in one enormous city, or would they split off into groups? Would they divide themselves by their former homes, their elements, or something different altogether? Onua was about to find Whenua and ask what he thought when the airship slowed its descent. Toa and Matoran gathered around the ledges, watching as the ship landed on sandy dunes. The ship stopped suddenly, landing not-so-gently on solid ground. Around them, a dozen more of the antique airships landed, kicking up dust and dirt as they landed.
Matoran crowded around the exits, eager to pile out of the airship. Onua was one of the last to leave the ship, finally stepping out onto the never-ending sands. This would be a harsh place to spend the night without shelter. The bright, twin suns were beginning to set overhead, and the airships would be too cramped to house everyone.
Onua felt weary from the long battles and extended use of his elemental powers, but he knew he must persist. It was warm now, but the night would likely be freezing, and who knew what creatures might stalk these dunes? Onua walked away from the airships, and, at his command, the sands before him parted. There was still much to do, and it would fall upon his shoulders to build a shelter for the night.
Tahu sat outside the makeshift village, at the base of the enormous robot that had once been their home. Toa of Earth, Stone and Water had worked together to build makeshift shelters for the Matoran near the face of the giant robot. Lewa had wanted to explore the top of the robot and perhaps see if they could spot any flickering firelights that would suggest another settlement. But right now, they were tired, and the robot was too large to exhaust themselves by climbing this late at night.
Tahu had never bothered to get familiar with the stars, but they looked familiar to him. The Red Star still shone the brightest of them all.
Pohatu sat down next to him. "Think we can still read our destinies in the stars?"
"The stars here aren't so different than on Mata Nui," answered Gali. "If they had meaning there, they must have meaning here as well."
Takanuva laughed. "Well, we could go and find Nixie, and ask her."
"The astrologer from Ga-Koro, right?" asked Pohatu. "Do you think she'd tell us anything?"
"She'll probably tell us that she was far too busy looking at the stars and to bother her later!"
As the others discussed astrology, Gali shuffled over towards Tahu. "I still wonder what beings might be up there, you know."
Tahu was confused for a moment. "You mean, in the Red Star?"
"Remember when I told you about it when I looked through the great telescope? Strange, four-legged beings live up there. What could they possibly be doing?"
"We could find out," said Lewa. This was the first time Tahu could remember Lewa standing still for more than a minute - a testament to how fatigued he was. "With our adaptive armor, we could just fly ever-higher, right into space, and knock on the door."
"Sure, Lewa," said Onua. "I suppose they'll just let us in?"
"Pohatu can always make us a quick entrance," replied Tahu.
"Knowing Pohatu's luck," said Lewa, "We'd find ourselves battling an army of undead warriors."
"Finding ourselves in deadly battles is a weekly occurrence for us, isn't it?" asked Pohatu.
"Only when you're ever-following us."
The rest of the group laughed. Even Kopaka's eyes managed to hint at a smile. Tahu looked behind him, at the campfires in the makeshift village where hundreds of Matoran were working together to build a new home in the desert sands.
"You know, I think, right now, we're needed here."
