Nuparu was unable to meet me and the device was destroyed in battle. It is just one more setback of defeat to add to the long list of them. I pray that he and the Toa Mahri are faring well in their missions, wherever they may be…being a team of five, the loss of Matoro is still lingering over them, rivalling Makuta's shadow now.
Gali elected to stay behind in Metru Nui. The latest word from her is that a troop of Ta-Matoran staged a break-out, evaded capture by the Rahkshi, and fled through the Bohrok tunnels toward the island of Mata Nui. They were supposed to send word back if they made it beyond the domes…but no word has been heard. At Tahu's request, she is engaged in research in the Great Temple, hoping to learn the secrets of the Great Beings who created Mata Nui. He hopes she will find some weakness in Teridax's form, but I do not think she will find anything.
Things have never looked worse…but I swear by all I believe in, this battle is not over. And we WILL win, even if we must tear our universe apart to do it!
Takanuva, Toa of Light
X X X
How long is a fraction of an instant?
Long enough for Lewa Nuva to see the others in the chamber—Artakha, Helryx, Miserix, Tuyet, Axonn, Brutaka, Hafu and Kapura—starting to shimmer and fade…and long enough to realize he was not teleporting as they were. Teridax was leaving the Toa of Air behind, no doubt for some sinister reason.
Lewa wasn't having it. Before that fraction of an instant was through, he had grabbed onto Brutaka. It was a risk—a big one—to try to latch onto a teleport in progress. But Lewa was determined that wherever the others went, he would go.
In the next split second, he found himself floating in the void of space alongside the others. Of them all, only Miserix wasn't succumbing to suffocation, since antidermis didn't need to breathe. But the cold of outer space would claim him eventually. Makuta Teridax had thrown some of the most powerful beings in his universe out like trash, and it looked like they wouldn't survive the experience.
Lewa summoned his elemental power, an effort in this environment, and created a thin bubble of air linked around the heads of all the castaways except Miserix. "Join hands!" yelled the Toa of Air, seeing the group members already beginning to drift away from each other.
Helryx turned to see the Mata Nui robot sailing away from them toward a planet in the distance. The world of the endless ocean was far beneath them. "Artakha, can you teleport us back inside?" she asked.
Artakha closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, shaking his head. "Teridax is blocking our return. I can try to get us to his evident destination, but I cannot guarantee any of us will survive the journey."
"More likely we will all find ourselves materialized inside trees and rocks," muttered Tuyet. "We'll be just as dead."
"This is no way for a warrior to die," growled Axonn.
"Teridax must be stopped," said Brutaka. "We must do whatever we can, regardless of the danger."
Artakha nodded. But before he could use his great power, a hole appeared in space before him. An armored hand reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him, and the others along with him, into the portal.
The nine found themselves sprawled on a damp stone floor. Kapura was the first to realize that the stone was moving, not to mention breathing. He cried out and got to his feet, backing against a wall. The bricks in the wall reached out to embrace him, holding him fast.
An armored figure, his face set in a hideous grin, stepped into the light cast by the one window in the room. "Kind of rattles you until you get used to it, doesn't it?"
Miserix's eyes narrowed. "I know you. You were among my rescuers from Artidax. You were the one who never shut up. Where have you brought us?"
Helryx stood as best as she could on the moving floor, with her spiked mace and shield at the ready. "Vezon," she said. "Explain yourself."
"Not even a 'thank you'?" said the mad Skakdi. "See if I save you from the darkness of outer space again, even if I only did it because he told me to."
"'He'?" said Axonn. "Who?"
"Oh, didn't I introduce you? How rude of me," said Vezon. "Over there, in the shadows."
The occupants of the chamber turned as one to look in the direction Vezon was pointing. They could barely make out a figure seated on the floor, chains affixed to arms and legs. The chains were writhing like serpents.
"Be careful," Vezon added, in a loud whisper. "He's quite insane, you know."
"Matoran," said a voice from inside the darkness, "amazing…and the rest of you…how proud I am. If I could, I would embrace you all."
Helryx took two steps forward, saying, "Is this another of your tricks, Vezon? Who is this?"
Vezon put out a hand to stop her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"You're not me," Helryx snapped, pushing him aside.
She had advanced as far as the edge of the shadow when her armor suddenly began to strangle her. The Toa of Water fell back, gasping for air.
"Would have been better if I were you," said Vezon. "Less painful."
Axonn slammed Vezon against a wall, pressing his arm against the lunatic's throat. "Answers, Vezon. Now."
"If you want answers," choked Vezon, "you need to ask him. He's the Great Being, after all, not me."
A dry chuckle came from the darkness. "A Great Being, yes…that is what they called me…and my brothers and sisters. Angonce once said that name was the worst thing that ever happened to us, because we started to believe it was accurate. Perhaps he was right…perhaps that is why I am imprisoned here. But now you are here to free me."
Lewa Nuva glanced out the window of the cell. He was stunned to see a forest that stretched as far as the eye could see, far larger than the jungle he had called home on the island of Mata Nui. "Where is here?" he asked.
"Where is…? Oh, that's right. You wouldn't know, of course," realized the Great Being. He cleared his throat cordially, then announced, "Welcome, my friends, to Bota Magna."
X X X
Pridak picked himself up off the ground, seething with rage.
His deal with the Shadowed One had been struck in the neutral battleground of Karzahni, as planned. He, Kalmah and Mantax had rebuilt their legions, while Ehlek had returned to the sea to gather his own troops. Of Carapar, there had been no sign for some time. They were poised to strike as soon as the Shadowed One unleashed the viruses on Makuta Teridax. The universe would be theirs to rule once more.
Then…nothing. The appointed time had come and gone, with only a violent earth tremor to mark it. At first, Pridak thought that quake was a sign that the Shadowed One had succeeded, that the viruses had been used appropriately. But it rapidly became obvious that nothing had changed. Teridax was still in control.
Now Pridak had a choice. March on the city of Metru Nui, and risk destruction at the hands of the Makuta, or stay put and risk rebellion by his legions. He had been a fool to rely on anyone else, he decided. The Shadowed One was, to use an old saying of his people, "either dead or fled."
Pridak looked around. His legion was armed and ready. He was a warrior, a conqueror. There was no other choice.
"We march!" he yelled, to the cheers of his troops.
X X X
In a chamber on the island of Xia, the stone floor was littered with the shattered remains of precious vials. Of their contents—and of the Shadowed One—there was no trace. No one would look very hard for him. They were too busy trying to determine why every Vortixx in a kio radius had met a horrible death…and just what on their island could possibly have pulverized living beings into fragments, without leaving any sign of its presence.
X X X
The Toa Mahri watched in shock as the new lifeform emerged from the tank of energized protodermis. A mixture of a Zyglak, a Vortixx, a Steltian laborer, and the five surviving Piraka, it had been created by the barbaric Skakdi in an elaborate ritual. And now it was free.
It was terrible.
It was beautiful.
Towering 12 feet high, with gleaming golden skin, powerful muscles, and piercing green eyes, it regarded the assembled Skakdi with the benevolent gaze of a creator. Only the vaguely reptilian cast of its face took away from its stunning appearance.
"We live," it said. "And we hunger."
"I don't like the sound of that," murmured Jaller.
"I haven't liked the sound of anything in at least a year," replied Kongu.
"Do you think…they're going to be a meal?" asked Hahli.
"I wish it was that simple," answered Hewkii. "But somehow, I think it's going to be worse."
"You will feed me," said the new creation. "And in return, you will be granted a wondrous gift."
The Skakdi moved a little closer. They were not a cautious people as a rule, and the concept of someone wanting to give them something—as opposed to them just taking it—was a new and appealing one. As they drew near, their creation closed its eyes, an expression of rapture on its face.
"Is it…feeding?" asked Nuparu. "On what?"
"I don't know, but let's make sure we're not the next course," said Jaller. "The Skakdi are distracted, and so is that…whatever it is. Get ready."
"Yes," said the golden-skinned being. "So much to savor. And so much to give in return."
"This is it," said Jaller. "Whatever it's going to do, it's going to do now. So let's…let's…"
Jaller paused, confused. There was something the Toa Mahri needed to do, urgently. What was it? He knew it was important.
Suddenly, it became crystal clear. Why hadn't he seen it before? It was so obvious, after all. "The Skakdi are the superior race," he said to his teammates. "Stronger, smarter…we shouldn't be opposing them. We should be following them."
"Do you…do you think they would allow us to serve them?" asked Hahli.
"Even if they don't…even if they kill us," said Hewkii, "what better way to die?"
Throwing down their weapons, the five Toa Mahri rose and walked forward, ready and eager to obey the commands of their new masters.
X X X
It was time.
After saying his goodbyes to his friends, Mata Nui fitted the box into a slot designed for it within the skull casing. There was a massive burst of light as the energy coursed through the robot body, fusing the pieces together and powering up systems. A low hum filled the air.
He waited, holding his breath. This body was unstable, Mata Nui already knew that. The innovations the Great Beings had used to build his original body had not yet been developed when this early effort was created. If the spark of energy proved to be too much, Mata Nui knew he would never survive the explosion.
None came. Unfortunately, there was no guarantee there wouldn't be one later—the Great Beings' records had been vague on just how long this prototype had been in operation before it catastrophically failed. Still, he had no choice about what to do next.
Slowly, he reached up and put his hands on the Mask of Life he wore. The power of the mask had created the body he now had from the sands of Bara Magna. As soon as he removed it, his body crumbled away, going back to the scattered atoms it had been originally. As his hands vanished, and his body became dust, the mask fell to the ground.
So far, Mata Nui's theory had been right. Although his body was gone, his mind survived inside the Mask of Life. Now he had to do something he had never tried before: project that mind into another shell.
It was hard, almost unbelievably so. It went against every instinct to hurl his consciousness into a void. There was no way to be sure he could inhabit the robot, or that he could find his way back into the mask if he failed. His mind and spirit might just float forever, bodiless and helpless to prevent what was soon to come.
No, he thought. That won't happen. I owe too much to too many to allow it.
Mata Nui concentrated on the robot, picturing every bit of it, imagining himself in control of the huge construct. Throwing every bit of his formidable mind into the struggle, he willed himself out of the mask.
There was a terrible feeling of confusion. The world began to spin. He felt like he was flying, but with no control over his speed or direction. At one point, he passed through the robot's skull and saw Bara Magna from the air. Then his unfettered mind plunged down through one of the great eyes and ricocheted throughout the body.
I'm not used to this, he admitted. The Makuta are masters at leaping from body to body, but it's not something I was ever meant to do. But I'd better learn fast.
Mata Nui forced himself to turn back toward the head of the robot. It was like trying to turn a huge ship into the wind. He could feel the environment resisting him, but he would not give in and lose control. Without a body to inhabit, he knew he would soon go mad.
There was what felt like a violent lurch. Suddenly, he was looking up at the sky. Had he overshot his target? Was he outside of the robot again? Would he even be able to find his way back? Maybe, he wondered, I should try to get back into the mask. Maybe there is some other way to stop Makuta than with this ancient machine.
Mata Nui tried to make his mind move, but this time, nothing happened. Then it dawned on him that the world was no longer spinning crazily. His gaze was fixed on the sky. He was seeing through the robot's eyes!
I did it, he said to himself, hardly believing it. His spirit filled the main control room. I did it! This body is mine now. I have another chance to do what I was created to do. And this time, I won't fail. I swear it.
Something moved inside Mata Nui's core, a part of him…elsewhere.
Makuta feels my attention, and I know he is bringing the fight to me. I must prepare quickly. First, I must send the tiny forms at my feet to safety. Then I must do the job I was built for: reuniting three worlds back into one. I can only hope this robot form and its power supply are up to the task.
X X X
Far across the desert, Ackar, Kiina and Gresh stood with the rest of the Agori and Glatorian. They had seen the bright flash of energy that had come from the robot. Kiina wanted to go back, convinced Mata Nui was in trouble, but Gresh restrained her. "We can't help him now," he told her. "This is something he has to do on his own."
"What in the name of—?" whispered Ackar. "Look! It's moving!"
It was true. The robot was slowly rising, sand raining down as it did so. As the Glatorian watched, it got to its knees, then rose to its full height. They looked up in awe as the mechanical being towered above their world.
No, thought Kiina, not 'it'—not a robot. That's…Mata Nui.
And for the first time in over 150,000 years this prototype robot walked Bara Magna, under the control of Mata Nui.
"He made it," said Ackar. "I can't believe it."
"Now what?" asked Gresh. "Can we still talk to him? Will he hear us, from way up there?" Gresh, along with the other Glatorian and Agori, watched in disbelief, craning their necks and shielding their eyes against the blinding sun to see the top of the robot.
"Maybe we can get his attention," answered Ackar. Raising his sword and calling on the new powers Mata Nui had given him, he hurled a fireball high into the air.
The robot's head turned slightly toward the flaming signal. Then Mata Nui looked down toward where his companions waited. He activated the speech centers of his new body, taking care to make sure his voice would not be too loud. At full volume, the robot's voice could shatter skulls all over the planet.
"Well done, Ackar," he said. Even spoken "softly," his words were like sonic booms down below. "Tahu himself could not have done better."
Kiina glanced at Gresh. "Who's Tahu?"
Gresh shrugged. "Maybe some Glatorian we don't know."
"Mata Nui, can you hear me!?" Ackar shouted up at the robot with hands cupped.
"No need to shout," answered Mata Nui. "My sensors can pick up a beetle's breathing, if I want them to. Are you alright?"
"Yes," Kiina replied. "But how about you?"
"I had almost forgotten…" Mata Nui began. "This body is…different from my old one in many ways. But hopefully it has the power to do what must be done." Even as he said it, Mata Nui knew there was really little hope at all. To carry out his mission, he needed a second robot, equally as powerful. And the only other one he knew to be in existence was under the control of a maniac. I have to try, he said to himself. Otherwise, what was all this for? I can't have come all this way, gone through so much, just to fail.
"Get to shelter," he said to the assembled crowd below. "I don't know if what I am going to attempt will work, or what will happen if it does. I need to know you're safe before I begin."
"Shelter?" repeated Gelu, an ex-Glatorian from the ice village. "What shelter? Isn't he wearing our shelter?"
"There are caves nearby," said Ackar. "We'll get everyone into them."
X X X
Mata Nui's Diary - 8
It was good that I followed Tarduk to the north in search of the Valley of the Maze. Had I not, well…I doubt Tarduk would have lived to tell us what he had found.
The maze was a last riddle left behind by the Great Beings. Designed to keep intruders out, it concealed a source of great power. Once unleashed, that power fused the parts of the huge robot body together and powered it. Then I had only to send my spirit from the Mask of Life into the body to once more have the strength to challenge my foe.
The final battle approaches even now. I have no doubt my enemy knows what has happened and will seek me out. I may destroy him, or he may destroy me, but I fear that our fight will inevitably rain destruction down on those below. I have warned Ackar and the others to get themselves and the Agori to a place of safety. They have helped me, saved me, and shown me a world I did not know existed—but this was not their fight. It was mine…and it was one I should have fought many centuries before.
Mata Nui
X X X
Mata Nui watched as the Glatorian and Agori moved off to safety. Kiina had been right about one thing—they did look like insects from up here. But if she ever believed he would think of them that way, she was very wrong. Every one of those moving dots so far below was an intelligent being with hopes and dreams. If Mata Nui had anything to do with it, those hopes would be realized and those dreams would come true.
His newfound power supply had let him take control, but he had to constantly monitor and adjust the ancient systems, since he had no Matoran to regulate this body. The Mask of Life helped him master it, but it was still desperately hard to control. Nevertheless, it felt good to once again control a powerful robotic body.
He swept his sensors across the face of Bara Magna. Vorox, Bone Hunters, and Skrall were still active in the desert. Though he doubted they would listen, he had to try to warn them. "Attention," he said, his voice carrying all over the world. "After 100,000 years, it's time for the damage to Bara Magna to be undone. Your original world, Spherus Magna, can live again. But the dangers are unknown—seek shelter now, for your own safety."
He waited a few moments to see what effect his warning might have had. Frightened by the voice that came at them from every direction, most Vorox had retreated underground. The Bone Hunters and Skrall had stirred, but that was about it. That was about all that could be expected. Those two groups were sure to think the whole thing was some trick, even with the sight of Mata Nui looming over them to back up his words.
There was no point in delaying any further. Mata Nui raised his eyes to space. Bara Magna and its two moons, Aqua Magna and Bota Magna, had once all been part of one planet, Spherus Magna. Recreating that world meant bringing all three planets together again and fusing them together.
Mata Nui raised both arms into the sky and unleashed streams of concentrated energy from his hands into space. Power surged through his body and out through his metal fingertips as he began the process of reuniting both moons with Bara Magna. The energy was artificial gravity of enormous power. It was a tricky process, one that required close attention. But on its own, did it have the strength to move two moons?
Time was growing short. Mata Nui's sensor web showed that the beams had sliced through space to impact their two targets, but it also showed something else: a foreign, massive object approaching Bara Magna at ultrahigh speed. In a matter of moments, the object had blotted out the sun of Solis Magna, plunging the planet into an eclipsed darkness.
What better way to announce his arrival? thought Mata Nui grimly. Shadows were always his herald.
Even his descent to Bara Magna was a figure poised of power and authority. He flew into view, curved his flight upward to right his legs, then used the boosters to land on the planet. From its flight, a roar of wind swept across the surface of the world, stirring up lethal sandstorms. Then, a bolt of power slammed into the western desert, blasting a huge crater as the object touched down. Lastly, a mighty impact struck Bara Magna, triggering planet-wide earth tremors and doing indescribable damage to the landing site.
The Glatorian and Agori below couldn't know that Mata Nui was reaching out to the two moons of Bara Magna, drawing them back to where they once had been, so that once more the shattered planet could be whole. Nor could they know that something else had been drawn to Bara Magna, in search of Mata Nui—his ancient enemy, Makuta, in a bigger, stronger robot body. But they couldn't miss what happened next, as two armored giants faced each other over the sand of Bara Magna.
Mata Nui looked across the desert at a figure that dwarfed even him. Mata Nui's original body was 40 million feet tall; his current one was just under 27 million. The blazing red eyes of the newcomer bored into Mata Nui, chilling him to his core. "Hello, brother," said the visitor's booming, ominous voice. "I thought it was time for a family reunion."
With those words, there could no longer be even the slightest doubt.
Makuta had arrived.
To be continued in "BIONICLE - Phase 08: Revolution - Part V: Journey's End"...
(The Valley of the Maze was compiled from the online short story Decadence by Dorek; Graphic Novel 9: The Fall of Atero, containing Glatorian series comic 5: Valley of Fear; the online blogs Takanuva's Blog, and the Mata Nui Saga; the online story serial Reign of Shadows; the novel Journey's End; Graphic Novel 8: Legends of Bara Magna, containing the exclusive comic All Our Sins Remembered; and the guide book Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna)