Chapter 4 – Chambers and Questions

It had been several days since the Toa battled the massive swarm of Bohrok alongside Muaka. Despite their efforts, Tahu and Lewa had become only more untrusting of one another. Kopaka's somewhat warm side had receded, disappointing Gali a great deal. In turn, Pohatu's positive attitude had returned, comforting the other Toa, especially Onua. The Toa were becoming restless, as there had been no confrontations with any Bohrok or Rahi since their engagement days ago. They had decided to remain away from the villages, as the Toa were beginning to suspect that there was a strategy involved when they kept encountering the Bohrok. Mata Nui being such a massive island, it was hard to imagine that the Bohrok simply happened to be in the vicinity of the Toa so often. The Turaga of the six villages had managed to coordinate their villagers into creating a very organized system of defense. With the aid of several tamed Rahi, the villages were quite well protected without any need of help from the Toa. This left the Toa to find out where these Bohrok were coming from, and hopefully, how to stop them.

As the sun rose on another glorious day for Mata Nui, the Toa were pleased to see a Matoran approaching their cave. Three other Matoran accompanied him; they all appeared to be Ga-Matoran. Gali walked to them and said, "How can we help you gentlemen?"

Lewa interrupted, "Gentlemen? Gali, I was under the impression that all Ga-Koronans were inherently female. Like you and Nokama."

"Lewa, your tiny mind is clouded with adventure and the lust for battle. Think logically and you will realize that is not so, and if you cannot comprehend the meaning there, simply look here. There are three male Ga-Matoran standing before you."

Kopaka watched and smiled gently. The Matoran began to speak to Gali, "Brave Toa, the Matoran of Onu-Koro have found something that Whenua wishes you to see. We were the closest to your position and volunteered to deliver the message."

"What did they find?" Tahu asked.

"A system of tunnels they were unaware of. A wall was broken into one of the tunnels a few days ago. However, when some of the Onu-Matoran scouts went in, only two of the five returned. The surviving two rambled on about 'how fast they were' and 'they came out of nowhere'. At that point, they passed out and have not awakened yet. Whenua said they will live, but he is very worried about what was in those tunnels. He has respectfully asked that you accompany a team of Onu-Matoran scouts and find out where those tunnels lead."

Onua spoke swiftly, "He wishes to continue exploration after such an event? That is a foolhardy mission."

"Sounds like fun!" Pohatu exclaimed.

"I would expect such talk from Lewa," Tahu said, "not you."

Lewa did not move any part of his structure, he simply looked at the Matoran, who were now looking at him as if waiting for his usual sarcastic response. Lewa stated, "If none of you will go, I will."

With those words, Lewa launched himself from the ground and began to glide in the direction of Onu-Koro. Kopaka switched his mask to the Miru. He also glided away from the cave and followed the Toa of Air.

Pohatu looked at the other three Toa and said quietly, "I wonder if they knew there was a nice path through all of this jungle right to Onu-Koro..."

He used his Kakama and bolted off into the jungle, using the path he spoke of. Tahu and Onua also switched to their Kakamas and followed Pohatu. Gali looked back to the Matoran and asked, "Will you be safe on the return journey?"

"We will be fine, Toa of Water. Please go with your comrades and do not concern yourself with us. The Onu-Matoran need your help now."

Gali nodded in regard to their noble attitude and switched to her Kakama. She darted off into the jungle, following the Toa to their ultimate destination.

Caves have the well deserved reputation of being cold, damp, and often frightening. The caves of Mata Nyui were no exception.

"These walls have probably not been lit for ages," Gali said.

"I shall have to frequent this place more often then," Tahu responded, his large sword lighting the tunnels for several bios.

"Keep quiet, your masks may protect you in danger, but with all their power, they still cannot tell you when to silence yourselves." The voice of the Toa if Ice was raspy as he whispered loudly.

The Toa remained silent as they continued down the path. They walked several paces before arriving at a junction. "Left," Onua said, "Go left."

They went down the left tunnel, which seemed far darker than the right did. After walking several minutes they arrived in a vast opening filled with lights and huts. Several Matoran ran about, fulfilling pointless tasks to cease their own boredom if anything. The mines had been shut down temporarily since the incident in the tunnel and many of the Matoran found a casual life style to be boring and uneventful. Many rode on Ussel crabs, grasping for some sense of entertainment. Many others simply slept in their huts, waiting for the mines to open again. Onua pointed to a hut far larger than the others and the Toa walked to it. They walked beyond the small trade bazaar, virtually empty since the Bohrok had made their presence known. Even in the presence of Makuta's evil, the trades still flowed uninhibited. Now there was little point in keeping a free economy running. Any Matoran, save the children and the elderly, worked in the mines or joined the Onu-Koronan guard. It had been this way for many of the villages. Young Matoran went off to fight battles when they had barely seen the light of day beyond their villages. Most came back, but occasionally, the sad report of casualties would flow in. The reality would strike the villagers many days later that their loved ones were not coming back.

Le-Koro had been hit the hardest. The Bohrok quickly learned to scale trees or find other means of getting onto the treetop village. The village was safe for now, as many defenses had been installed to stop any Bohrok from gaining height above the midline of the trees. But the village had never faced a full swarm yet. They faced only twenty or so Bohrok at a time. Matau worried constantly, trying to figure out if a large mass attack on his village would end in only death and destruction. They had heard of the Bohrok attempting to launch their Krana at the Toa, but never at a Matoran. The Bohrok saw little point in obtaining any Matoran for their great army. All the unfortunate Matoran who met with the Bohrok undefended usually met a quick demise. Their lives stripped away in mere seconds by a creature twice their size with many times their strength. The villagers of Le-Koro had lost many comrades, partners, and family due to the Bohrok already. They knew that eventually their defenses would fall and the village would be ravaged. Matau had already begun planning for evacuation. He had asked Onua to come and dig them a great tunnel to escape with. Onua came with thirty Onu-Koronan diggers. They quickly tunneled out a great escape path through the fertile Earth. The tunnel led to a safe spot where the Bohrok would never be able to reach. It was accessible only from the treetops and one undisclosed location on the ground. Only Matau and a select few of the Le-Matoran knew of this entrance on the ground. The next step was to let all the animals that the Le-Matoran had tamed go free. Matau refused to put the innocent creatures in any harm's way. He knew the attack would come soon, it was only a question of when.

Onu-Koro had not felt such damages. Their network of complicated tunnels confused the Bohrok. In fact, only three Bohrok had ever penetrated the village. They were quickly dispatched by the defenses set up by the Matoran. However, recently, the ground below their village had begun to hum with all kinds of noise. Small tremors would ripple through the village floor every now and again. That is why Whenua had sent some scouts into some tunnels. He needed to find out what exactly was going on down there. He now regretted sending only a few Matoran and wished he had sent a hundred. No innocent lives would have been lost that day if he had sent the proper protective force for the scouts. He looked up as the six Toa entered his hut, none of them speaking to him, just looking at him, sensing his frustrations.

"Turaga Whenua," Onua finally spoke, "We come to aid you in whatever way you desire."

Whenua smiled blankly through his mask and said, "Thank you for accepting my plea, my friends. Onu-Koro is troubled greatly by this loss, I am afraid to send any more scouts, I don't know what is down there."

"Don't worry, the Toa can handle some measly Bohrok," Pohatu said in a mocking tone.

Lewa nudged him with his arm and shook his head gently to imply a very serious 'no' to the Toa of Stone. Tahu looked at this act and felt a sense of respect for Lewa, but it did not last long. Lewa made slight eye contact with Tahu before the Toa of Fire turned his head back to Whenua. Lewa felt angry again, but forced his emotions into submission for the time. He had become increasingly more irritated by Tahu's attitude towards him. He longed for the day when Tahu would accept his skill as a fighter. His mind ached thinking about what he would say when Tahu was forced to accept that Lewa was an integral part of the team.

"Whenua, we will not brave those tunnels, however, we will remain here until the danger has subsided," Tahu said.

The Turaga of Onu-Koro stared blankly at him until Lewa interrupted, "What did you say, Tahu?"

"We remain here, we do not venture in tunnels of such danger."

The other Toa looked at Tahu, surprised by his decision. Kopaka stood perfectly still, he began to speak when Lewa said sternly, "Are you a coward?"

"A coward, Lewa? You dare to call me a coward?"

"There could be something down there that must be stopped. Those Matoran could be down there right now! How dare you turn your back on them like this!"

"There is no chance of their survival, they are dead, Lewa. Accept it before you suffer the same fate."

"I accept nothing! They could be down there, but you wish to remain here!"

Tahu looked to Kopaka, who would normally stop an argument of this nature, but he did nothing. The Toa of Ice stood still, his eyes glazed over, but never switching his gaze from Tahu. Tahu turned back to Lewa and said, "It is too late, Lewa. Open your mind and stop acting like an idiotic fool. You must eventually learn to grip a sense of reality."

Lewa stood still, unmoving. Tahu's eyes glanced away to the other Toa only for a moment, but it was all Lewa needed. The Toa of Air lunged straight at the Toa of Fire and pulled his ax high above his shoulder. His unmeasureable strength brought the ax down quickly and with great power. The tip of the blade stopped only nanobios from Tahu's surprised face.

Kopaka looked at the approaching Matoran and yelled, "No! They finish this, now."

Whenua protested, but Kopaka insisted, drawing his blade in case it became necessary. The two Toa now stood glaring at each other, neither moving at all. After some time, Lewa retracted his ax and said coldly to Tahu, "I listen to you no more."

A deep rumbled began to sound throughout thecavern. Walls began to shake and small structures on the floor of the village began to crumble from the vibrations.

Every other being in the giant cavern began to scatter as the rumble got louder. It was the precise moment that Lewa took his eyes from Tahu that he felt a great voice boom inside his head. He couldn't make out the words, they were jumbled and hurried. He yelled to Kopaka expecting a response, but the rumble was too loud to hear anything else already. The voice came again, clearer this time, allowing the Toa of Air to comprehend it, "Intruders..."

Tahu stood still alongside the Toa. He glanced to his sides and saw the same confusion he was feeling at the time. Every other Toa had heard it too. The voice came again, "Trespassers..."

The rumbling suddenly stopped. The Toa all looked straight at the South wall, not moving at all from their defensive stance. The Matoran had all gathered weapons, some with strange looking mechanical suits that allowed them to stand slightly taller. Onua looked to Whenua, who responded quickly, "We use the suits for digging in hard rock. Lately a few of our engineers have been trying to adapt them to give us a tactical weapon. So far we've had very poor luck, but one of our engineers is very hopeful and expects some results soon."

Onua looked back to the suits as a Matoran smiled at him. Onua smiled back and asked, "You maintain your cheer even in the eye of danger?"

The Matoran chuckled and said, "If I cannot maintain my cheer in times of great darkness, what good is it to any of us?"

Onua nodded, astounded with the tiny villager's wonderful sense of life. He looked back to the wall and smiled himself. A smile that made him feel better, but was interrupted quickly by the voice in his head that said, "You do not belong..."

The noise began again as the entire wall burst open. Rock crumbled to the ground, shattered by the feet of hundreds of Nuhvok forcing themselves into the great cavern. Before the reality of the situation could set itself in the heads of the villagers and even the Toa, the Matoran were already rushing against the Nuhvok. Blasts of red and blue beams rippled through the approaching swarm as the Toa began using their finely tuned elemental skills. Rocks rose up from the floor like birds as Onua watched intently as the Nuhvok stormed his village. Pohatu kicked every rock in sight, crushing any Nuhvok unfortunate enough to be in the path of one. Lewa swung his ax at every creature that came near him, spilling Krana everywhere.

The battle lasted for several minutes before the voice returned in the Toa's heads, "Intruders... intruders..."

The Nuhvok all began to fall back. They retreated a few paces before turning completely around and barreling back into the tunnels from which they came. When the last Nuhvok had vanished, Onua summoned all his strength and smashed his great hands into the ground below. A giant wall of thick, sharp rock forced itself from the ground and wedged itself into the ceiling, effectively plugging the hole made by the Nuhvok.

The Toa looked around with the Matoran, noting the damage taken. All appeared to be well until a Matoran near what was the front line called out, "Help! Help, he's hurt very badly!"

Whenua and Onua rushed to the little warrior and knew he would not survive the moment they saw him. The Matoran's arm had been savagely ripped off as a thick stream of black ooze flowed from his shoulder. He began to go limp as Onua picked him up and was horrified by what he realized. The little Matoran took off his mask and smiled at the Toa of Earth. Onua asked, "Still you smile, little Matoran?"

"Onua... if I can't be happy in times of danger," he coughed and smiled again, "I am no good to anyone, not even myself."

Onua took his mask off and stared with the eyes of a father down at the little Matoran. He carefully nestled the comparatively tiny creature in his strong arms and carried him to the hut Whenua informed him was his. The little Matoran was laid on his bed and looked back to Onua and shut his eyes. Onua sat in the hut and just stared at the little villager.

It was about thirty minutes later before Onua emerged from the hut. The Matoran had already picked up the majority of the remains of the Bohrok and were throwing them in a great pile. Others were gathering dropped weapons and masks and collecting them for the villagers that had lost them. Pohatu was watching a Matoran who stared intently at the pile of Bohrok remains. His body was all black with gray legs, and a bright orange Pakari he wore made him stand out from the others. His hands were busy scribbling notes into a pad.

Pohatu quickly turned as he saw Onua emerge. The activity in the room completely ceased. Every creature stared at Onua as he spoke softly in a deep, angry voice, "I'm leaving."

Onua walked quickly to the tunnels Whenua had shown him to be the one where the villagers were lost. He stopped before entering the tunnel and looked at the wall next to the entrance. He held up Ruka's mask and slammed it into the wall. He removed his hand and looked at the mask that now hung in the carved out impression as a tribute to the little Matoran. He began to walk into the tunnel again, his mask changing to the Akaku to ease his vision. He turned around as a voice called out to him, "Onua, I cannot go with you. I have received report that my village is under a great attack. I must go."

Onua heard Pohatu as the Toa of Stone used his Kakama to dash out of the cavern and head towards his village. The other Toa nodded to Onua, letting him know they would follow. The four remaining Toa all wore their Akakus and began to enter the dark tunnel. A voice called out, "Wait!"

The Toa turned around as Tahu barked out sternly, "What?"

"I wish to accompany you."

"You?" Kopaka asked, "Go home, little one."

"I fight to defend Mata Nui! I seek no glory or pride. Ruka was my friend. Onua has hung his mask as a memorial to him, I will go to the next level with you!"

"Come from the shadows, villager."

A Ga-Matoran emerged from the mass of villagers and took a stance a few paces from the great heroes. "I want to go with you."

"This is not a mission of vengeance," Tahu said, intentionally looking away from Onua.

"We go to help the Onu-Matoran," Kopaka added.

"I seek no vengeance, I seek no profit or glory. I merely wish to help. My friend was taken away by this creatures, I wish it to end."

"No," Kopaka said, "There will be no more deaths of Matoran if it can be helped."

"I am coming whether you wish it or not. I will not be silenced."

"State your name, villager. Why do you insist so much?"

"My name is Gakali. Ruka was my dear friend, and his death will not go empty. If I am taken myself in my attempt, so be it. The memory of Ruka will fuel my spirit."

Kopaka stared at the Matoran, her words seemed elegant and practiced. His thoughts reverted to the previous battles with the Bohrok. He looked at Onua, who was staring blankly at the cold ground. Kopaka could see the great sense of grief in Onua's eyes, the turmoil that raged through him would demand that the Bohrok be removed from the island. His thoughts reverted to Pohatu's love for his village and how the Toa of Stone had rushed to help them as it was. He looked to the ground for a moment, thinking. His head snapped upright, his eyes staring directly into the Matoran from Ga-Koro. "She comes."

Tahu protested, "Kopaka, we can not bring any Matoran with us after an attack like..."

"Do not argue with me. I shall strike you down more quickly than any Bohrok. It is this Matoran's fate. She decides her life herself."

"Her presence will add a factor of worry for all of us, especially Gali. It is enough trouble looking out for ourselves, much less a Matoran!"

Kopaka's eyes flashed as he became angry and said, "You will understand the day Ta-Koro is ravaged. You will understand as you look into the eyes of a villager as he or she dies in your helpless hands. You will understand when you feel the rage course through your structure at the thought of the Bohrok existing a day longer. If you wish to disagree, challenge me now. I will not cower."

Tahu fell silent and dropped his head, admitting defeat. He spoke, "Very well Gakali. Do not become a burden to our mission or I will ease the burden myself."

Gakali smiled and said, "Thank you, Tahu. I do not fight for Ruka, I fight for all of Mata Nui.

An Onu-Matoran approached Gakali and handed her a soaking cloth, saying, "This was what we used to bandage Ruka's wound. It will give you his strength."

Gakali held the cloth in her hands and stared at it for a few moments. She then walked over to a small cart and pulled out an ax designed by a very gifted engineer. She walked back to the Toa and said, "Nokama suggested I come and help the Onu-Matoran design a light stream to run through one of the tunnels on their village. This was to be used as my tool for digging, but it now serves a greater purpose."

She tied the cloth around the upper end of the ax and looked at it, handling it gracefully and delicately. Onua lifted his head and stormed down the tunnel. Tahu followed second, using his great sword to light the dark underground. Gali and Kopaka walked with Gakali between them. Kopaka knew that Gali would watch the Matoran very carefully to ensure her safety. Kopaka felt the same responsibility for allowing her to come. Kopaka turned, noticing the lack of their comrade in the tunnels. He saw Lewa standing outside the entrance to the tunnel and said, "Lewa, we must go this way."

"Kopaka, I can not go. Much like poor Pohatu, I fear my village is under siege. The Bohrok have invaded two villages already, I must go to help. They have not been heard from for some time now."

"Very well, my friend. Do you desire a companion?"

"No, he doesn't," Tahu said, "He already has one."

Lewa watched as Tahu took a place behind him to his side. He said, "Lewa, I go with you, for your village!"

Lewa nodded and walked away with Tahu. Kopaka felt a strong sense of worry. Something told him that this journey to Le-Koro would bring great disaster. Yet, his current mission demanded his attention for the time. The remaining three Toa went deeper into the tunnel, with Gali keeping a close eye on Gakali.

Pohatu dashed through the tunnels and broke into the shine of daylight's piercing rays. He squinted and kept moving as fast as his great mask would allow. Even with the mask, it would take some time to arrive at Po-Koro and he was worried about the village's well-being. A strong defense system was never set up at Po-Koro because the villagers had felt they would have more time. They didn't suspect any kind of Bohrok swarm would move upon the village in the middle of the desert. Nevertheless, a great wall would help them. Many Matoran practiced for hours sitting atop the well placed ledge, aiming at set up targets below. If the Bohrok were to attack, they would fall victim to a great rainfall of hard rocks and lethally shaped Koli balls. The great carver Hafu had carved out a wonderful Koli ball with which no Matoran could miss his or her mark. He had given it to his great friend, Huki, as a gift of their friendship. Huki kept the ball in his hut, he was only going to use it for a special occasion. He vowed to use it only in Hafu's honor. So he asked the great carver for another ball, one with which to fight against the Bohrok. Huki said he could never take the great ball Hafu had already made into battle, it was meant for Koli, it would be used for Koli. Huki smiled at the thought of scoring the game's winning goal with Hafu's ball. So Hafu carved him another ball, one with very sharp points, almost forming a kickable mace to dispatch the Bohrok swarms with. When Onewa saw this ball, he asked for Hafu to teach the young carvers to make more. They were going to make weapons unique to Po-Koro's own style of fighting. Hafu did teach the others to make his dangerous ball, which he named 'Asteroid'. He thought of the great Comet balls that were used in Koli and realized his balls were far better and far more deadly. The astronomers of Ga-Koro had often seen asteroids float by millions of mios away. These great rocks were capable of destroying an entire world according to the scholars and scientists of Ko-Koro. So Hafu named the ball Asteroid and announced its use as a weapon against the swarms to his entire village. Huki approached Hafu and said to him, "Now, Hafu, I will not have to use your great Koli ball to defeat Bohrok. I will use it for you and only for you!"

Pohatu raced on, concerned further about his village. He knew of the Asteroid balls, but worried that there were not enough to hold off a mass attack. His fear made him move faster, his motivation was strong. He began to see a large dust cloud on the horizon. Specs of ash and embers rose up from the cloud. Pohatu made the frightening realization of what was occurring. The Tahnok were invading Po-Koro. He switched his mask to the Hau and prepared for battle as he slowly moved in to investigate what damage had been done already.

Tahu and Lewa moved through the now thick jungle foliage. Lewa led the way, being the most knowledgeable on the path to Le-Koro. Neither of them had spoken a word since leaving the caves. Their journey and their mission were far more important than making small talk. Their problems were put aside for now, but their hospitable manners were also set aside. Neither would admit the respect they truly had for one another, which backfired and led to the disastrous attitude each displayed toward the other. Their thoughts echoed back to the cave and how Lewa's fury had overcome Tahu. Their logical thought was interrupted as instinct came over when a pack of Lehvak Va crossed their path and stopped in front of them. Tahu said crudely, "Looks like we're going to have some fun after all."

Lewa had already jumped at them. The pack split apart, half dashing one way, half going another way. Lewa yelled, "Tahu, you follow one, I will follow the other! Perhaps they will lead us to any captured prisoners of Le-Koro."

"Very well, Toa. Be careful, we will need you for the future battles!"

With those words, Tahu had changed his mask to the Kakama and was chasing the Va. Lewa listened to Tahu's words echo back and forth in his head as he chased the Lehvak Va. Tahu had finally admitted that Lewa was a vital part of the team. He smiled at the thought of Tahu finally warming to him. Then he said out loud to himself, "No, there is a problem at hand, there will be time for reconciliation (and puns) later."

He dashed off into the jungle chasing the creatures, giving them ample room to believe they were outrunning him. When in fact, he knew that it would not be a problem to catch up with them at all, it was simply a question of when he wished to. Lewa wondered where the Lehvak Va would lead Tahu.

"Tell me about Ruka, Gakali. What was he like?"

The little Matoran glanced to Onua, startled by his sudden decision to start a conversation. She said, "Ruka was the greatest friend I had. We spent an immeasurable amount of time together."

Gali looked to the villager and smiled. She said, "It sounds as though Ruka was something more than a friend to you."

Gakali looked to the ground and didn't speak. Onua looked to Gali and shook his head in a dismissive gesture. Kopaka let out a small laugh. Gakali said, "Perhaps some day he may have been. We were truly friends during this time. I miss him very much already."

Onua responded, "Do not worry, brave villager. Ruka's death will never be forgotten. When it is time, I will remove his mask from the wall for you, you may have it as a memory of him. What else can you tell us about your friend?"

Kopaka was surprised by Onua's sudden curiosity about this Matoran. He realized it was a tragic event that had occurred, but Onua seemed to be taking this death very personally. Something wasn't as it should be.

What Kopaka didn't know about was the light conversation that had taken place between Onua and Ruka before his untimely death. Onua had listened to the fatally crippled Matoran tell him of a great love he had. Ruka described another villager of great beauty and wisdom. He described her as being the shining accomplishment of Mata Nui's great creations. Ruka had told him that this Matoran was unlike any other, her heart and her mind worked as one to ensure the greatest life possible. He told Onua that while he feared becoming so close to another villager, he couldn't help it. His feelings had taken him beyond the point of no return. Ruka had smiled at that point, and then looked to Onua and asked him to take care of her. It was that moment that Ruka had fallen asleep. Onua gently tried to awake him to get the name of the Matoran, but Ruka's sleep was never going to end. Within a few moments, Ruka's light sleep turned to a permanent slumber. Onua held the villager as the life faded out of his body. He held Ruka for some time, then laid him in his bed. He removed his mask and prayed to the Great Beings to show him the Matoran that Ruka had asked him to protect. He had no idea that his prayer was to be answered so quickly.

"Ruka was wonderful, he always cared more for others than himself. He would gladly take another shift in the mines to allow another digger to go see friends who were visiting from another village. His heart was truly as good as Mata Nui's."

Gakali described her deceased friend a bit more, but Onua didn't really register the words in his head. He simply heard the sound of the giant crack as the wall fell and the Nuhvok stormed. He heard the voice in his head over and over that called the Toa intruders. His emotions flowed through him like the fish in a river. Gakali finished a lighthearted story of Ruka and Onua heard Kopaka say, "Worry not, little one. We will make sure your friend's death is remembered."

"Huki, the swarm approaches! Where is Onewa?" a Po-Matoran called out.

"He is talking to the young warriors, building their spirits. We must prepare to battle. Gather up the new Asteroid balls Hafu has designed..." Huki paused, startled, "Where are the new defensive kickballs?"

The Po-Matoran found the balls, scattered around the sand outside the main gate to Po-Koro. Huki yelled, "What has happened?"

Onewa, hearing the urgency in Huki's voice ran up and said, "The balls have been scattered outside. We cannot reach them in enough time."

Huki ran to his hut and looked for any remaining balls they could use. He had none. He searched every other hut, looking for any weapons with which to use against the approaching Tahnok. He ran back to his hut and picked up the ball Hafu had given him, muttering to himself in a cold voice, "I'm sorry, Hafu, but this ball must be used to defend our lives. I cannot use it in your honor."

Huki climbed up to the high ledge and looked upon the approaching swarm. He could slightly make out the profiles of several Bohrok. There appeared to be hundreds approaching. He set the ball off to the side and vowed to make sure Hafu's ball would defend Po-Koro. If he could not save it for the winning goal of a Koli match, it would best be used as part of Po-Koro's line of defense. Huki climbed down and met with Onewa and Hafu. Onewa climbed up to the ledge first. Huki and Hafu gave each other a handshake for good luck as they climbed up. Onewa reached the ledge first and looked over the burning desert. Hafu and Huki quickly came to his sides. They both looked to their Turaga for guidance as he looked straightforward and said, "We cannot resist them."

"Kopaka, approach silently! Come near the ledge and keep yourself low."

The Toa of Ice heeded Onua's words and gently crawled next to him. They both looked over a rocky ledge. Down the ledge, approximately four bios, was the Nuhvok swarm. Only a small number were moving at all. Their legs or arms would occasionally twitch. Kopaka thought better and lowered himself again, using his Akaku to simply see through the rock ledge in front of them. He whispered to Onua tactfully, "This small ledge will provide excellent cover for our Matoran guest. She will not become injured if she remains here."

"But Kopaka, she wishes to avenge the death of..."

"This is not a mission of revenge. Ruka's death is going to last in our memories, but we will not jeopardize our mission over it."

"You are right, Toa of Ice, forgive me. I do not think logically at the moment."

"Your troubles are our troubles for the moment," Kopaka smirked.

Onua smiled and said, "Very well, Kopaka. What do we do?"

Kopaka looked through the rock again and noticed something odd. He lifted himself slightly to see a clear image without his mask. He used the mask's power to gently focus in on what he saw. His eyes became wide as he realized what he saw. He lowered himself again and whispered to Onua, "Perhaps Gakali will have the revenge she seeks."

Onua looked at the Toa of ice curiously as Kopaka said, "The Nuhvok there has a weapon bured in its back."

Onua looked to Kopaka and asked, "What does it matter?"

"Use your Akaku and look at the inscription on the weapon. It is very small, you'll have to look carefully."

Onua did so, and upon seeing the writing began to move nervously. He looked down to Kopaka with furious eyes. He looked again and read the simple message again:

To the best digger of them all, Ruka

With love, Gakali

Onua looked to Gakali and gestured for her to approach. Gali, who had been listening carefully, already understood and allowed the Matoran to join the two Toa. She looked to Onua with nervous eyes as Onua gently said, "We have found the Nuhvok that took Ruka's life."

Gakali looked to Kopaka and then Onua again, with fear and sadness building in her heart. "It's his pick, isn't it? The one I made him with the inscription?"

Onua looked down and nodded. He stood straight up with Kopaka as they looked upon the swarm. None of the Nuhvok were aware of their presence. Gakali lifted her ax and gave it to Onua, saying, "Please Onua, he was your villager, honor his sacrifice."

Onua took the ax and prepared to throw it, letting all his anger and frustration flow through the ax in his hands. He then lowered the ax and looked to Gakali and said, "I have a better idea."

Onua gave the ax to Gakali and picked up a tiny stone. He said, "Throw with all your might, Gakali. I will awake the creature first. It is up to you then."

Gakali shook nervously as she stuttered, "Onua I cannot! You must! I cannot do this..."

Her statement was interrupted by a gentle touch to her shoulder. Kopaka's left hand rested on her shoulder as Gali's hook came to rest on her left shoulder. Gali looked to the Matoran and said, "You can."

Kopaka nodded and added, "Our strength is yours."

Gakali looked to Onua, who smiled. She then turned to the Nuhvok swarm and drew her arm back. Kopaka gave a stern look to Onua. Onua nodded, understanding the situation. He took aim and threw the small stone at the Nuhvok. The stone landed directly on the Nuhvok's head shield. It stirred and rose itself up, immediately seeing the intruders. Gakali threw her arm forward, releasing the ax. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the Nuhvok let out a gentle squeak, warning the rest of the swarm. Its tinny noise was cut short as it watched the small ax fly at it, dangling in the air, spinning and twisting at a perfect rate. The ax fell straight into its head shield. The Nuhvok flew back, its Krana destroyed. The entire body lay lifeless as the ax remained forcibly stuck in the Bohrok's hard body. The rest of the swarm awakened to the disturbing noise.

Gakali looked at the Nuhvok with total shock. Her face was frozen, her emotions silent. She simply kept staring.

Kopaka made a slight grunting noise as he watched the Toa of Earth change his mask from the Matatu, the noble mask of Telekinesis, to his usual Pakari. Onua smiled before looking down to Gakali. Her eyes met his, he could see the satisfaction in her smile. Onua knew, as well as Gali and Kopaka, that his aid in allowing the ax to reach the Nuhvok was to forever remain a close secret, never to be revealed to anyone else. Onua then stopped smiling and jumped on top of the small rocky wall in front of him. The Nuhvok below began to run around, chirping and cawing at the intruders. Kopaka took a place next to Onua, as Gali fell in line with them.

Onua watched as Kopaka and Gali jumped down from the ledge and began to fight the Nuhvok. He looked to Gakali and said, "Good job, little villager. You remain here, I will return your ax. Defend this ledge! We will watch for your safety, do not let the Bohrok escape out that tunnel!"

With that, he turned again towards the swarm and lowered his head. Onua felt the tension grows in him as he yelled out, "Your slumber has left you unaware, Bohrok! I will leave you far worse than that!"

The jungle provided excellent cover for the fleeing Bohrok Va as Lewa charged after them. His eyes became as hot as Tahu's fire as he glazed his logical thought over and allowed instinct to take over. Leaping and dodging trees was one thing at the speed he was moving, but due to Lewa's natural abilities, running on foot was not his specialty. He looked up at the somewhat low tree branches and began to call upon the power of wind. He created great bursts of wind to carry him forward as he used his Miru. The Miru kept him afloat in the air, his winds allowed him to push forward, and his great footwork allowed him to dodge the trees. He bounced and ricocheted off of every tree until he was above the Va and watching them intently as they fled. He saw the reflection of his bright gold mask in the structures of the Va. Silently, Lewa swung down and struck with his ax. He watched as pieces of one of the Va broke off from its structure and flew in random directions. The Va itself collapsed and stopped moving. The remaining creatures looked back momentarily but kept running forward to avoid a similar fate. Lewa counted six of them that he still followed. He kept gliding on the air after them until the Va all huddled in a small circle and stopped. Lewa swung around a few branches to slow himself down and looked at the Va. He looked around and realized he was close to Le-Koro already. The landscape was unmistakable; Le-Koro was no more than half a kio away. The Va all watched the Toa and then split apart, all running in random directions. Lewa quickly stepped forward in a vain effort to chase them, but rather decided it would be best to simply head straight to Le-Koro. That was the original purpose of the mission anyway.

The first glimpse of Le-Koro Lewa saw was one of the large decks built high in the trees. He could see the outline of a hut and what appeared to be some Matoran, but they were all just standing still, not moving at all. Using a strong gust of wind, Lewa propelled himself up into the trees and onto the deck. He saw the Matoran, but let out a loud gasp as he saw the problem.

Three Matoran stared at him, their eyes filled with anger and death. Lewa found it difficult to see their eyes through the Kranas on their faces. The three Matoran picked up weapons as several other villagers began to emerge from the foliage, weapons drawn. Every Matoran had a Krana attached to it. The villagers stopped a few bios from him and did not go further. Lewa looked at the possessed villagers in a puzzled manner. He turned and raised his ax. Unfortuantely, Lewa's intent to actually use the ax was purely for show, as he knew he would be unable to turn his weapon on the defenseless villagers. The problem that made the situation worse was the fact that the Krana all knew this too. The Matoran began to advance on him. A raspy voice found its way to Lewa's ears, "We've been waiting for you."

Tahu emerged from the jungle and found himself alone, he had lost the Va. "They squirm from my reach again," he muttered to himself.

Night was going to fall soon and Tahu was tired. He had worn himself out chasing the Va for so long. He could see the great Mangai volcano ahead, but it would be a day's walk at least to reach Ta-Koro. Tahu scanned the surrounding environment for threats to his upcoming slumber. Nearby was a large pond that looked as though it would contain life. He walked to it and used his Akaku to peer into the dense water. He could see several fish, a very large number of fish actually. He wondered if the Le-Matoran had stocked this particular pond for their food needs. Nevertheless, food was food, and it was exactly what Tahu needed. He searched for a simple device with which to withdraw the fish, but found nothing. He longed for Gali's presence, for she had become quite talented with diving for fish. Tahu needed the food though, and it would be quite a challenge to contact Gali now.

He finally realized what was necessary and used the power of his Kaukau. He dove into the water and shuddered at the feeling of the cold liquid all over his structure. The fish all swam away from him upon seeing the large splash. He looked in total surprise as he realized these were full-grown Ruki fish. Only one would be necessary to satisfy him for a long time. The Ruki were not coming near him and Tahu knew he would be unable to swim fast enough to catch them. He worried of their defensive capabilities, it was known that these creatures would ward off a Tarakava and water was not Tahu's favorite terrain feature. He thought of a plan and lifted his hand gently. He created a very bright flame and kept fueling it with his elemental power. The water caused the flame to be dulled to a bright glow, which lured the Ruki closer. A few swam close, but Tahu remained patient. A few of the Ruki circled the bright glow, Tahu watched as one fish made a bolt for it. As the fish opened its mouth to try and gobble up the flame, Tahu ignited his great sword and put it right into the giant fish. He swam upwards quickly and threw his prize on the shore. He put his sword aside and gathered several sticks together in a small circle. A wave of his hand was all it took to light the magnificent fire.

After placing the Ruki in a position so it would cook slowly, Tahu sat back and gazed at the stars. Night had now completely fallen, and the land grew dark and cold. He got up and walked around, looking for potential shelter. To his surprise, he found a nearby tree station. He laughed as he realized the Le-Matoran used this station to spy on the Ta-Matoran scouts who patrolled near the area long ago. Using his Miru, Tahu gently floated up to the platform and looked down at his fire. It was farther up than he had estimated. He slowly lowered himself down to the ground and prepared to eat.

The Ruki tasted better than he thought it would. The taste was very rich and it made Tahu feel a bit more comfortable in the cold air. He was forced to cut his meal short when he heard loud rustling in the jungle behind him. A quick guess pointed the noise at twenty bios away. Tahu quickly used his Miru and floated up into the platform to see what was behind him. His aggressive attitude became calm and humored as he realized what was making all the noise. He called down, "Hey down there! Can I interest you in some Ruki?"

The tunnels of the Nuhvok had led them to a surprising area. A low sizzling sound filled the air as the heroes ventured higher and higher into the clouds. Their journey took them to Mata Nui's greatest natural feature, the Mangai volcano. Kopaka led the way, being very familiar with these high altitudes, whether it was a snowy mountain or not. Gakali was behind him, carrying the Krana from the Bohrok that had slain Ruka. Behind her were Gali and then Onua, who would be capable of catching any of them if they were to fall on the steep surface. For the whole trip up the mountain, Onua had been looking at nothing but the Krana. Hate filled his eyes as he stared at the helpless life form. The preceding battle had done little to calm his spirits, as violent as it was.

They reached the top of the giant rise and found themselves looking at a large group of Matoran. At a quick glance, they all appeared to be from Ta-Koro, but several Ko-Matoran had joined them. They explained that they had seen several Bohrok traveling up the volcano and decided to investigate. The Matoran explained toe the Toa that they had been there for some time without any sign of the Bohrok. The reports must have been false, they concluded. Gali began to suggest that the party depart to their respective villages and await the morning when Kopaka interrupted her, "Prepare yourselves."

Gali peered up gently and saw glowing eyes staring back at her from the other side of the volcano. A light fog began to clear as more eyes appeared. Not one pair of the eyes was moving. There was little time to call out orders.

Several Bohrok with the Vu Krana inside had launched in from the sides and were now attacking. Many Matoran stumbled about, trying to take whatever cover they could. The Bohrok appeared to jump a long distance and easily overtake the Matoran. The three Toa wasted no time in preparing to battle. Kopaka called upon his Miru and began to quickly dispatch the gliding Bohrok one by one as they flew into the crowd of Matoran. Onua was throwing rocks in every direction he saw the glowing eyes. Gali's eyes flared as her hooks began to glow light blue. A great stream of water shot out from each hook, pounding into the Bohrok.

The swarm on the other side of the volcano had begun to move towards the villagers. Gali looked to her comrade and yelled to him, "Kopaka, I do not believe I have ever seen so many Bohrok, I see every species present! There must be thousands of them!"

"They followed us, the Nuhvok in the tunnel must have notified the rest of the swarm!"

Onua shouted, "But we left no Nuhvok alive. We destroyed them all!"

"They obviously have the means to contact the rest of the swarm," Gali shouted in return, "for these Bohrok attack quite heartily."

Onua charged into several oncoming Tahnok. He watched as one lost its footing and stumbled into a small crack, its foot became stuck. Onua noticed how close the Tahnok was to the edge of the volcano. With a mighty blow he struck the rock below and sent the Tahnok flying into the steaming crater. He smiled and muttered, "Hot enough for 'ya?"

The charge was merciless. Some Matoran were already wounded, luckily none were slain. The battle had been going for several minutes now. Gali looked over to see Gakali thrashing about with her pick. She had taken out three Pahrak by herself already, she now struggled with a Lehvak. The Lehvak's eyes began to glow brighter. Gali realized it was about to shoot its dangerous acid at Gakali. Gali turned to help the Matoran, but was surprised to see Kopaka's sword fly into its structure. The battle raged on.

Muaka had silently been moving through the jungle. Its sharp sense of smell had picked up the cooking Ruki that Tahu was preparing and had lured it to him. He recognized the beast instantly as the female Muaka who had aided the Toa in their battle against the Bohrok. Tahu had silently lowered himself down to the jungle floor and darted his eyes back and forth to look for any other creatures present. His Akaku saw nothing and Tahu felt he was not one to argue against the mask's power.

Upon reaching a place a few bios from the Muaka, Tahu lifted a piece of the Ruki and held it out with his hand. Muaka had been staring at the Toa of Fire, not moving at all. Her eyes were as still as Kopaka's mountains, but her heart was racing as fast as Gali's rivers. Tahu knew that any false move would send the giant predator into a frenzy that would ultimately end his or her life. He desired neither of the outcomes and remained as still as possible. He gently flipped a piece of the fish at the beast. She looked down at it, then slowly craned her extended neck towards it, sniffing giant breaths. Eventually she moved forward enough to take the meat. She then looked right at the remaining food in Tahu's hand. She slowly moved to take the meat. Her giant mouth gently accepted the food as Tahu brought his arm to the top of her head. He gently stroked her nose as she ate carefully. The short puffs coming from her nose informed Tahu that she was enjoying his touch. He smiled and quietly whispered, "I do not fight only for the Matoran, I fight for all of Mata Nui. That includes you, Old Girl."

Muaka slowly rested on the ground and allowed the Toa to continue stroking her. He slowly moved his hand back and began to scratch behind her ears. She purred loudly at the feeling and cocked her head slightly to give him a better angle. Tahu began to laugh. Muaka, startled, sat up and glared at Tahu. He began to ease her tension with calm humming noises. A taste for excellent music and a beautiful harmony had always been one of Tahu's guilty pleasures, though he allowed none of his comrades to know.

Muaka rested again on the jungle floor and continued purring. Her movements became less rigid as Tahu watched her eyes slowly begin to close. Within a few minutes, the giant predator had become a great friend of the Toa. Her eyes completely closed and she drifted off into a gentle sleep. Tahu continued scratching her ears for some time before feeling very tired. He quietly climbed into a nearby tree and allowed himself one last look at the sleeping giant. He eventually gave into the fatigue and fell asleep. Muaka let out a mighty sigh as she eased her body into total relaxation. Tahu's final thought before falling asleep had only been a slight regret for not having eaten any of the Ruki himself.

Tahu awoke to a loud crashing sound. His eyes darted back and forth through the dark jungle. His mask took the form of an Akaku as he scanned the thick night. The sound had been distant, but it was loud. He saw nothing, the jungle was clear. Muaka had left him as he saw a large trail that led off into the direction of the mountain ahead. Another sound startled him as he lost his grip in the tree. He fell through the branches, hitting his head many times and landing on the sharp ground. He sat up, unhurt, and laughed, "Lewa enjoys hanging in these for fun. He truly is a fool."

His eyes quickly saw the bright light coming from the top of the volcano. He thought to himself, "The Mangai isn't due to erupt anytime soon. This is strange."

With his Akaku he was able to see the large swarm of Bohrok crawling up the massive side of the volcano. He yelled, "Oh no! Not today!"

His legs carried him forward as he dashed off to the volcano. It would take awhile to climb all the way up, but his motivation was strong and fierce. An instinct told him, although he had no proof to go on, that his friends were in trouble.