Chapter Three - Time and Its Memories
"Do you know the fate of those Matoran?" asked Turaga Nuju. "Indeed, I do. How long has it been
since you last saw them?" Turataga looked at each of the Turaga in turn. Whenua answered, "We
last saw them when we found the Great Disks and defeated the Morbuzakh."
Turataga laughed. "You've seen them since then. You see them nearly every day." Matau looked
skeptical. "We would recognize them, wouldn't we?" Turataga laughed again. "Not necessarily.
They were transformed, just as you were." He waved his arm in the direction of the Toa Nuva, and
a wave of energy hit them. The Turaga stared in wonder as they watched the Toa shrink and change
form. Within seconds, they were the Matoran that had helped rescue Metru Nui.
Onewa looked at them, remembering them as they were a millenia ago. "But, why did you not tell
us who you really are?" Turataga stepped between them. "They did not remember. Now that their
true identity has been revealed, they will now remember their lives as Matoran." Takanuva looked at
his fellow Toa, now Matoran half his size. "How did you do that?" he asked Turataga. "Simple. I
reversed time's effects on them. I can now safely return them to either Toa or Toa Nuva form."
"They are most powerful in Toa Nuva form." Takanuva said, and Turataga transformed them to their
previous form. Nuju, who was thinking hard when they were transformed, asked, "So, the Toa Nuva
are again the key to safety." Vakama nodded. "So it would seem." Kopaka said, "So, if we were the
Matoran, how did we end up on Mata Nui?" Turataga turned to him. "I sent you there, and transformed
your bodies, and erased your memories. You were to start fresh, as the new island's defenders."
Tahu, thinking hard, asked the question, "Just what or who is the shadow over this city?" Turataga
looked at him briefly. "He is Makura, the Toa of Shadow. Makuta was his minion." "What!" shouted
Gali. Lewa's jaw dropped, and he said, "And we thought the Makuta-foe was bad enough! You're
saying our new enemy is bad-worse?" "Afraid so," Turataga replied.
Suddenly, the roof exploded as a strange Rahi fell to the ground. It was one of the Rahi Turataga had
been fighting. Its red body gave off enough heat that Gali and Kopaka backed away. Immediately, Tahu
leaped forward, brandishing his magma swords. "What do you want, Rahi?" The Rahi hissed, and
knocked Tahu aside before pouncing on the next nearest Toa, Takanuva. The Toa of Light pulled out
his lightstaff, and blocked the Rahi's attack, throwing it to the ground. With the Rahi distracted, Gali
and Lewa joined forces to herd the Rahi away from the Turaga. Tahu formed a magma barrier around
it, and Kopaka created a ice ring outside of that. Right away, the Rahi leapt through the magma barrier,
and it suddenly stopped in mid-air. Turataga was focusing temporal energy at it, slowing it down.
Takanuva saw his chance. He rushed forward, landed backfirst underneath the Rahi, aiming his staff
at its exposed body. He channeled light through the staff, and unleashed a burst that sent the Rahi
flying back through the hole it came in through. Takanuva got up, and brushed himself off. The other
Toa congratulated him. Pohatu then voiced a concern. "That Rahi was pretty strong, even by itself.
If it is able to withstand so many attacks, what will happen when they're all together?" Tahu was the
one who answered. "We will find out when they join together against us."
That night, the floor of the Great Temple was covered with Matoran, exhausted from their day's work.
No house were inhabitable yet, but some were close. Some Matoran would be sleeping in houses
the next day. Since the Rahi attack, the Toa thought it best to keep a watchful guard, and at midnight,
it was Kopaka's turn. It was just as well, as the Toa of Ice couldn't sleep, anyway. He was thinking
about the battle, and how many of the Rahi existed. There were probably six types, as seemed to be
standard for all creatures. Following type, the red Rahi used fire. It was concievable that the other
types' powers could be predicted: water for the blue, poison for the green, and so on. But was it like
the Rahkshi, with only one member of each type, or were there hundreds, like the insect-like Bohrok?
He seriously hoped the latter wasn't true. That one earlier was powerful enough.
Even in his deep thoughts, Kopaka still heard a soft crunching sound, right outside the temple. No
Toa or Matoran were out there, so it was either his imagination or it was the sound of the Rahi. He
voted for the former. He really didn't want to fight one on his own, not even long enought to call the
other Toa to his aid. As a precaution, though, he woke up Pohatu, whose shift was next anyway.
Kopaka led him to the entrance of the temple, and gestured for him to listen. Pohatu nodded,
confirming Kopaka's fear: it wasn't his imagination. Immediately, a blue Rahi jumped into view.
Kopaka saw the faint glow of the red one behind him. He also saw a white glow beside it. So,
there's our welcoming party, the Ice Spirit thought. Immediately, Pohatu summoned a stone barrier
in the entrance, temporarily blocking the Rahi. Kopaka took the hint, and reinforced it with ice.
They then woke the other Toa, and soon all eight Toa stood behind the breaking wall, tools ready.
This was going to be tough, and the Toa knew it.