Beginning Editor's Note: I do not claim to own the Bionicle characters or the majority of these plot points. The material here is simply an edited and compiled version of original Bionicle material. Comics and video games etc. have been transcribed in novel form and fully integrated into one chronological read. The poetic liberties of novelization and editing are all I can claim.

Please follow/favorite/PM in order to show your support or interest, and use the forum I made to discuss any questions and feedback on this project. These five parts constitute material from the story year of 2004, constituting what I've called "Phase 03: Provenance." Enjoy!

Sequel to "Bionicle - Phase 02: Illumination - Part IV: Mask of Light"

Turaga Vakama, elder of the Mata Nui village of fire known as Ta-Koro, stood on a high cliff overlooking the beach. Far below, Matoran from all over the island were hard at work constructing boats for the long journey back home.

Vakama shook his head. Home. It had been so long since any of them had seen it, and the Matoran did not even remember living anywhere but Mata Nui. Only the six village elders recalled when and why they first came to the island, and for hundreds of years, they had locked that secret away inside themselves.

The Turaga turned at the sound of another's approach. It was Tahu Nuva, Toa of Fire and leader of the heroes of Mata Nui. "How go the labors, Turaga?" he asked.

"Quite well, Toa Tahu. We will soon have enough boats to carry us all back to the island city of Metru Nui. The Po-Matoran are at work widening the tunnels so we can carry the boats to the subterranean sea."

Tahu nodded as his mind flashed back to the events of the past months. After the final confrontation with Makuta, the Master of Shadows, the Toa had discovered a new island far beneath the surface of Mata Nui. It sat in the center of a silver sea of protodermis, and they could see few details of it from the shore. But Vakama insisted that this place was Metru Nui, the original home of the Matoran, to which they must return.

Even more startling, the Turaga revealed a shocking secret to the seven assembled Toa: that Metru Nui had once been home to six other Toa, heroes who existed long before Tahu and the others ever appeared. It was not the best news the Toa had heard all day.

"You are not the first Toa."

"What?" Tahu had exclaimed.

"Turaga, explain yourself!" Pohatu had implored.

Some of the Toa, however, had been forming their own suspicions, though; Gali and Onua simply focused thoughtful expressions at their respective elders.

"Then hear this…" Vakama had begun, seemingly relieved to be having the conversation despite the tension it had wrought. The elderly Fire Turaga continued his personal reflections, envisioning each part as he described it. In his mind's conjuring, he was flying over a large building in the sea with only one bridge connecting it back to the mainland. "Six Matoran left their lives, traveling in answer to a mysterious summons. They went as Matoran…they came out as far, far more. They emerged as Toa Metru."

But Vakama had said nothing about the fate of those early "Toa Metru," or whether they might still be waiting on Metru Nui—the tale and revelation had ended there.

"I have been in council with the other Toa," Tahu said to Vakama. "l have come to ask you to tell us all about this new land, Metru Nui. If we are going to journey there and protect the Matoran from any threats that might lurk in that place, we must know everything."

Vakama turned and walked away from the cliff. "Indeed you must. But I will warn you, Tahu: the tales of Metru Nui are tales of sacrifice, betrayal, great danger, and yes, heroes as well. Their telling may change much of what you think you know about myself, the other Turaga, and the Matoran you have served all this time."

"I—we—are prepared for that, Turaga," replied Tahu. "The Toa have gathered at the Great Temple of Kini-Nui. They wait only for you."

"Then let them wait no longer, Tahu."

X X X

The seven Toa—Tahu, Kopaka, Gali, Pohatu, Onua, Lewa, and Takanuva—stood silently around the Amaja Circle. The Turaga had used that sandpit and the stones within it many times to tell tales of the past and future.

The Turaga of Fire placed the stone representing Mata Nui in the center of the circle and began. "In the Time Before Time, long before any Matoran set foot on the island of Mata Nui, there existed a vast, beautiful city called Metru Nui—the City of Legends. Yes, my friends…that same island the Toa of Light re-discovered after Makuta's defeat and end. Here, thousands of Matoran worked, played, and lived their lives, under the watchful eye of their leader, Turaga Dume.

"The Matoran believed they would always be safe and secure in their home. But a time of darkness, betrayal, and danger was fast approaching. A time of a conspiracy in the heart of Metru Nui—one that would threaten the very existence of Metru Nui and its citizens. To combat it, six Toa Metru would risk their lives against powerful enemies and forces far beyond anything they could imagine to protect their friends, their home, and their very existence as Toa. Before all would be finished, they would have to challenge the greatest powers of their city, survive shocking betrayal, and see a Toa fall, never to rise again."

The Turaga of Fire looked at his assembled audience of friends, brothers, and sisters, painting vivid images in their minds. "My stories shall tell what happened, and guide you all through this amazing city, from the towering Coliseum to the protodermis canals to the depths of the Ta-Metru fire pits. From my narratives, you will tour the six districts, or Metru, and meet the heroic Toa, cold and efficient Vahki enforcers, strange and powerful Dark Hunters, and bizarre Rahi who lived there."

Now, Vakama had drawn forth a picture-perfect memory for his mind, too. He mentally traveled back to this land as he continued to lead the others there. "The mysteries of the City of Legends are waiting for you; hear now the first tale of Metru Nui…."

X X X

1,000 years ago…

Kapura walked slowly along the outskirts of the district of Ta-Metru, his eyes scanning the ground. Most of the homes and factories in this part of the Metru had been abandoned lately, with the residents moving closer to the heart of the district. It was Kapura's job to make sure nothing of importance had been left behind.

He paused in front of a massive, blackened building that had once housed a forge. Here, construction tools and other equipment had been cast from molten protodermis before being sent on to Po-Metru for finishing. Now, in the interest of safety, that work had been transferred away from the outskirts by order of the city's elder, Turaga Dume. Kapura spotted a padded glove used in the sport of Akilini on the ground and bent down to pick it up, only to discover the seams were torn.

Kapura walked on. This was an important task, his fellow workers had told him, and important tasks were best done slowly and carefully.

The original version of Akilini featured a ball and later evolved into a popular sport played with Kanoka disks; matches drew hundreds of spectators. When there were no official games being played, Matoran all over the city would play on their own, often causing chaos in their efforts to dodge obstacles, even playing in the Archives. Street Akilini became so popular and such a menace to pedestrians that the Vahki eventually had to crack down on it.

Had he looked up, Kapura would have seen the skyline of Ta-Metru, "home of the makers." Cone-shaped factories, scorched by ages of use, stood next to the homes of smiths and crafters. These were the Matoran who molded protodermis, the substance of which everything on Metru Nui was made, into thousands of shapes and forms. A molten river of raw protodermis ran through the center of the district, drawn from below the city and fed into the Great Furnace. From there, it traveled to each factory to be turned into masks, tools, and anything else that might be needed.

Dominating the skyline was the Coliseum, home to Turaga Dume and the tallest building in all of Metru Nui. For as long as anyone could remember, the sight of the Coliseum had brought a feeling of safety and security to Matoran. But now….

Kapura counted slowly as he walked. Six, seven, eight—at least eight of the workers at his factory had vanished lately. Where they disappeared to, and why, no one knew. But there were plenty of rumors.

The Matoran stopped. Something had moved off to the right. It didn't sound like another Matoran, or even a wild Rahi beast. It was a soft, slithering sound, as if something was dragging itself across the ground. The sound grew louder and seemed to multiply. Kapura felt the urge to run, but his feet would not move.

He forced himself to turn around and look. Four thick, blackened, twisted vines were snaking their way out of cracks in the ground, weaving in the air as if momentarily unsure of what to do. Then they wrapped themselves around the empty factory and began to climb, winding around again and again until they covered the building from top to bottom.

The Ta-Matoran knew well that the vines belonged to a collective, blackened, twisted plant that threatened to turn all of Metru Nui into rubble. Matoran did their best to defend their homes and workplaces against this menace that seemed to strike from everywhere at once. The lucky Matoran were able to run to safety…others had vanished completely. The vines had first appeared on the outskirts of Ta-Metru, and quickly drove Matoran away from the shore.

Kapura's eyes widened as the vines started to squeeze around the small factory. Solid protodermis crumbled before their strength. The building groaned and cracked, collapsing in on itself in a matter of seconds. As if satisfied, the vines pulled away and began to move toward another structure.

It was then that Kapura found his voice. But he could speak only one word, and that in a horrified whisper:

"Morbuzakh."

X X X

Toa Lhikan, guardian of the city of Metru Nui, stood in the semi-darkness of the Great Temple. He had come here many times in the past to remember what had gone before and reflect on the future. This had always been a place that had soothed his spirit. But not today.

The errand that had brought him to one of the most revered sites in Metru Nui was one that filled him with sadness and doubt. Many a night he had wondered if there might be some other way, but no other answer presented itself. The city had survived much over the millennia, but never had it seen so dark an hour. Danger and double-cross lurked around every corner in the City of Legends. Finally, he admitted that he had no choice. It had to be done, and done now, before it was too late.

Grimly, Lhikan pried open the Suva. Then he reached in and took the sixth and last Toa Stone off its pedestal. As he had five times before, Toa Lhikan placed the stone on a thin sheet of metallic protodermis in his open palm. Then he clenched his fist, wrapping the sheet tightly around the stone.

Behind his yellow Great Mask of Shielding, Lhikan's eyes narrowed. He knew that he was doing far more than taking valuable objects of power. He was taking a step that would change his life, the lives of six others, and the very future of Metru Nui.

He held his other hand over his closed fist and concentrated. Six streams of energy came from his hand, then merged into a single white lance of power. It flowed over the wrapped Toa stone, then abruptly came to a stop. When Lhikan opened his fist, he saw that the metallic sheet was now sealed around the stone. Imprinted upon it was the symbol of the three virtues of the Matoran: Unity, Duty, and Destiny.

Among the Matoran, little was known about Toa Lhikan's past. It was said he came to Metru Nui from some other place, for reasons that he declined to discuss. He served as the solitary protector of the city for many, many years, and Matoran in every Metru looked up to him. With few threats to Metru Nui, Lhikan was largely kept busy helping the Vahki to capture particularly dangerous Rahi.

However, after the Morbuzakh began attacking the city, Lhikan had become suspicious that there was more going on than might at first appear. His doubts increased when he discovered that two Dark Hunters were searching for him. Knowing he could not elude them for long, he had contrived and enacted his current plan.

Lhikan heard a soft sound behind him and turned quickly. He saw a huge statue head flying right toward him and only somersaulted out of the way in time. He looked at where he had just been standing, noting the statue head that was easily five times as tall as him. He looked back in the direction from which it had come and listened. Instead, his hearing picked up movement from elsewhere in the shadows, where three energy blasts flew out to him. He flipped twice to avoid two, then reflected the third with his Kanohi Hau.

Their surprise now gone, his attackers emerged. Approaching from out of the darkness were two figures, one a four-legged insectoid being with two humanoid arms, the other a hulking brute with a shoulder-mounted cannon. Lhikan knew all too well who they were and why they were here—the Dark Hunters. He was already moving as the insectoid began hurling more energy blasts.

Fleeing was against Lhikan's nature, but he had been a Toa long enough to know it did not pay to challenge impossible odds. He ran, dodging as the two attempted to snare him in energy webs. As they closed in, the Toa of Fire leapt through a window and plunged into space.

The insectoid foe rushed to the window to watch his enemy fall. Instead, he saw Lhikan combine his tools—two fire greatswords—to form a glider board and fly away. Seconds later, the Toa was lost from view.