Chapter 2: Danger Underground

AN:Well, here's the second chapter. I hope your all enjoying it so far. Enjoy and please review!

Whenua looked on from the window of his underground hut at the village of Onu-Koro, where he was turaga. The village was completely abuzz with Onu-Matoran men mining ore and precious stones while most of the younger women with no children helped move buckets and baskets of ore onto the Ussal crabs who then took the cargo to the refinery where other matoran made it all usable. He saw small children pet the Ussal crabs in the stalls while the young tohunga Onepu fed some of the Ussual crabs. He watched one matoran in particular.

His name was Onua and he was one of the strongest miners on the entire village. His dark skin was beaded with sweat as he mined deeper into the rock to bring up precious ore. His long black hair hung matted from the hours of work he had been doing. The grey scarf he wore around his neck was wet with all his sweat. His black leather vest stuck to his muscular chest. The small black gem hanging from the black cord around his neck flew with every swing of the pickaxe he used to underneath the ore.

"Well, it's clear now that he is the one. I must tell the other turaga at once", the old man mused to himself. He went to his table to look at a piece of ancient parchment when a knock came from his door.

The elderly man pulled his black robes around himself and went towards the door. Standing at the door was a messenger from Ta-Koro.

"Turaga Whenua?" asked the young man.

"Yes." "A message from Turaga Vakama. He asks that you read it immediately."

"Of course. Thank you boy." The messenger bowed and began his way back to Ta-Koro while the Turaga of Earth closed his door. He unrolled the piece of paper and read the message from Vakama.

"Mata Nui protect us." He looked out the window of his hut and shouted toward the Ussalery. "Onepu! You and Onua come up to my hut immediately!"

Onepu quickley finished feeding the Ussals and shooed the children from the stables. Hequickly shut up the entrance to the stables and ran as fast as he could to the hut of the turaga. Onua also dropped his pickaxe where it was and ran to Whenua's call.

The two men arrived at virtually the same time, sweating and out of breath. Onepu's small black leather hat was falling halfway off his head and showing some of the black hair that was usually hidden by it. Onua's green eyes looked over at the turaga who just watched the two of them as if he was extremely bored by it.

"Are you two done?" Whenua asked with a very annoyed tone.

"Yes (huff) Turaga (huff) Whenua (pant)?" Onepu responded.

The elder of the underground village walked over to the table where he had left the message from Vakama. Carefully, with his back turned towards the young matoran men so they could not see what he was doing, he rolled it up and tucked it into the sleeve of his black robe. He then turned around to the two men.

"Gather your things boys, we head for Kini Nui in two hours," the old Turaga of Onu-Koro said joyfully to the two boys.

The two boys could only stare blankly at the village elder. Onua could only think of all the work he still had to get done. He still had to mine at least three more bucketfuls of ore. He was sweaty and dirty, surely two hours was not enough. Onepu would have to search for his inventor cousin Nuparu to take care of the Ussals. And he wasn't truly garenteed that his absent minded cousin would even remember where the Ussalry was. This was all too much too fast for either young man.

"But turaga, surely we don't have to leave so soon!" Onepu pleaded in some effort to buy him some time in finding a much better replacement for the time being.

"If we want to get an early start we must make haste." Whenua began to pack a small sack with various parchments and ancient rune stones neither boy had ever seen before, "We leave in less then two hours and I suggest you both start packing immediately, it's going to be a long trip."

Both boys sighed and headed towards their respective huts to pack whatever they though they would need. Onua looked at his shelf filled with various digging and mining tools he had made himself, a small hobby he had gotten into when he was still a small boy. One in particular caught his eye, a pair of black digging claws he had made just a few days ago. Their were made of a strong black metal he had mined and forged himself. He glided his hand over one of the black claws. It was the finest craftsmanship he had done in his young life. He gently placed the handmade claws beside his bag, as well as they were made for digging they would make an excellent weapon if the need be.

"RAHI! RAHI IN ONU-KORO!"

Onua quickly put the claws on his hands and ran to the gates of Onu-Koro. He could see two large scorpion like creatures. Onepu was quickly at his side with a large black pickaxe in his hands.

"Nui-Jaga? How did they get down here?" Onepu said to his good friend and now fighting partner, "There native to Po-Wahi aren't they?"

"I don't know where they came from, but I know how there getting out!"

With that said, Onua quickly charged at the smaller black and blue Nui-Jaga. He cut deeply into it's side causing it a great deal of pain. It tried to strike back at him with a sharp claw, but missed as Onua went for it's other side. Again it tried to strike, and again it missed. He cut it's other side and quickly cut off it's large poisonous tail, thus killing the ferocious creature.

Onepu was, unfortunately, not having the same luck as his childhood friend. He had barely dodged having his legs cut off by the black and purple Rahi creature, but had suffered a deep cut in his shoulder making it harder to hold his weapon steady. He took a powerful, yet painful, swing at the creature and struck it on the head. The pickaxe became stuck in the creatures head, but still it continued to attack relentlessly. With no weapon in hand, Onepu felt he would not be living much longer. Knocked to the ground all the young tohunga could do was try and shield himself with his injured arm. He had expected to feel the poisonous sting of the Nui-Jaga, but instead felt nothing. He lifted his arm to see Onua quickly dispose of the creature in much the same way he did it's brother.

Onua went to his old friend and helped him up. He patted his back as one does to a respected friend and helped to a healing woman that quickly treated his injured arm.

"Are you in need of treatment too young man? The way you fought…surely you must be injured? I wouldn't mind treating a good looking boy like you." the old healer said to the young miner.

Onua chuckled a bit and looked a bit embarrassed of the old woman's comment. "I'm as hard as rock. Nothing but a few scratches that I think I can take care of."

He looked at his friend in both fighting and times of peace, "Are you feeling well again old friend?"

"Much better, thanks to you and the healer," Onepu rubbed his now wrapped arm. He looked to see the Onu-Matoran that had all gathered, part a walkway for Turaga Whenua. The elder walked towards the two brave warriors.

"Onua. Onepu," he nodded to the respective matoran. "Today we have all watched as you protected our underground village. We all thank you for your bravery."

The old man bowed to the young men as they bowed to their village elder.

"Well, now that that's all taken care of," the old man grabbed his sack of ancient scrolls, runes and such and shoved a larger sack full of provisions to Onua, "Let us be off to Kini-Nui. The ancient temple!"

AN: Well, there's the end of chapter two. I'm going to try and have the next chapter up by Monday. I hope your all likening the story so far! Please review. Please:) :)

-L.L.B.