Chapter 3: Arrival at Kini Nui

The rising yellow sun in the horizon gave a somewhat holy aura to the ancient temple where the turaga had gathered together over the years and discussed matters that addressed the entire island. This was the first time in fifty years that they had gathered together again. The six turaga had come with their assistants, known among the tribes as tuhunga for "small turaga", and a single matoran.

The turaga, tuhunga and matoran gathered around the great circle. Each turaga stood on the symbol of their element. The circle looked complete, until one looked at the gap between the crest of fire, where Vakama stood with his small company, and the crest of air where the green robed turaga, Matua, stood. It was a small yellow crest with the shape of a lightning bolt in the center of it.

Each turaga stood on their respective crest and introduced their tuhunga and the matoran they had brought with them on their journey. Vakama had brought Tuhunga Jala and his captain of the guard, Tahu. From Ga-Koro, Turaga Nokama had brought Tuhunga Maku and a young woman known for her insight and great weaving skills named Gali. Turaga Whenua had brought Tuhunga Onepu and the young miner Onua. From the desert village of Po-Koro, Turaga Onewa had brought Tuhunga Huki and one of the best koli players in all of the island named Pohatu. From the village of ice and mountains called Ko-Koro, came Turaga Nuju with Tuhunga Matoro and a great hunter in the village named Kopaka. Turaga Matau, from Le-Koro, had brought Tuhunga Kongu and a young boy named Lewa.

The twelve matoran stood in awe of the great temple as the turaga stood and spoke not a word. Instead they chose to speak thru telepathy. A skill they had perfected over the years, but seldom had used.

'Fifty years since we have gathered together in this sacred place. It is good to see your faces again,' Vakama welcomed his fellow turaga.

'Yes. It has been a long time', Nokama answered to the Fire Turaga, 'But we are incomplete.'

'She chose to leave us, we didn't ask her', Matua responded with a sour face.

'Perhaps if a certain someone hadn't brought up her past mistakes, we would not have a hole in our circle', Whenua told his Air Brother.

'That's true', The brown robed Onewa turned to the Earth Turaga, 'But she was the one who chose to put up that ridiculous wall.'

'Makuta hath no fury like a woman scorned,' Nuju shook his head, his white robes gently following his body's movements.

'I tried to get a message to her, but the trees have grown so high and the storms so bad in that area. I sent three messengers and none could make it through and find her village', Vakama told the turaga.

'But we need her. Without her toa and her ability, Mata Nui has no future', Nokama informed her Brother Turaga.

'We've gotten just fine without her up until now,' Matua told his Water Sister.

Vakama turned to his brother, 'But that was before the Makuta awoke.'

'The day I left, Onu-Koro was attacked by a pair of Nui-Jaga', Whenua told them all.

'Without her elemental power, we have no hope', Nokama lowered her head with a sad look on her face. Her faded blue braid sliding over her blue clad shoulder.

'Oh come on! We don't need that self-absorbed woman showing her face here in this sacred place', Matua told his brethren.

"Why not. We let you here and you've always been twice as bad as her', Onewa raised a white eyebrow at the old leader of Le-Koro.

Matua crossed his arms and put a sour look on his face, 'Whatever'.

'You sound like a child Matua. You know the toa must be unified if they are to defeat the Makuta' Nokama said, 'Without the power of Thunder, we might as well throw sticks.'

'If it means not seeing her, point me to the nearest pile' Matua sneered to his sister turaga.

'Really now! Stop this!' Vakama boomed to the others, 'We must venture to her village.'

'How Vakama?' Onewa inquired, 'As long as that wall she had made is up, no one gets in. I believe that was made abundantly clear.'

'There is one way,' Vakama told his fellows, 'Her village is connected to the temple. She has a way in. All we have to do is use her path.'

'Knowing her she's made sure to cover her tracks well' Nokama told Vakama.

'Why do you think we brought them?' Vakama pointed towards the matoran who were still admiring the temple and talking amongst themselves, 'We have them look for one of her paths.'

Vakama turned to the Matoran, the other turaga followed suit.

"Matoran and Tuhunga! We need you to search this area for a hidden path. It may be protected by mana so be careful."

"But Turaga Vakama, what if it's a cloaking spell?" Gali asked the wise Fire Turaga.

"The one who is hiding the path has no such spell in her power."

It was then the young boy from Le-Koro was walking around the walls of the temple. He was around fourteen and very lean in body shape. He was much smaller than any of the others there, even the usually diminutive Nokama towered over him by several inches. His long green hair was tied into a low slung ponytail and his bright green eyes shown with a great innocence and wonder. His long green tunic with short sleeves was tied loosely below his waist to give him some sort of holster for his short green axe. His knee length green shorts were ripped at the edges from well worn use. His worn tan sandals were tied by loose leather strings and looked as if they would need to be replaced fairly soon. He wore a light brown leather vest to conceal his axe from plain view, but secretly hoped he would never have to use it…or fight at all. The boy named Lewa walked around the walls of the circular room. He ran a hand over the wall feeling the different cracks in the ancient writings and stories. He looked forward and saw a small yellow flower.

He walked over to it a studied it. Living in a treetop jungle village he had seen many different exotic flowers in his young life, but never one like this. It was yellow with thin white veins in the petals that pointed upwards towards the sky and gently swooped down. It was one of the most beautiful flowers he had ever seen. He followed its stem and saw it went into a small tunnel that had been covered in vines like other patches of the walls. He glided his hands down the stem hoping to find the roots and hopefully a few more of these beautiful flowers. He felt that a small bouquet of these strange, yet lovely flowers would look beautiful on his parents' graves.

He glided his hands further down the thin but strong stem to the base. He was about to pick the flower when he heard a strange sound. It sounded like a lightning crackling during a storm, but it was right next to him. He looked up to see a sort of barrier. Being a naïve boy, he touched it and was sent flying several feet across the room by a burst of lighting. Kongu rushed to the boy who was like his brother and checked if the young Le-Matoran was uninjured. The others looked at the sight where Lewa had been before being sent straight into an opposite wall. The turaga went up to the place where the single yellow flower bloomed.

"A Lighting Rose. She marked so she could find it quickly," Nokama spoke to the other turaga.

"Perhaps because her ego's so large she has trouble seeing over it," Matua mused to himself.

"Well, we must dismantle her barrier if we wish to get to Ri-Koro," Vakama told the other turaga.

Together the turaga took their staffs, which were their badges of office in the Koros, and pointed them at the barrier crossed over one another. The combined staffs glowed and shot a burst of light at the barrier. The barrier took the light and broke into a golden snow of mana power.

"Well, then. Let us be off to Ri-Koro." Vakama announced to the large company.

"What's Ri-Koro?" Kopaka asked the wise turaga.

None of them answered him as they descended down the dark tunnel.

AN: Well there's chapter 3. I have chapter 4 almost done but I'm holding it for ransom. 4 reviews or the chapter gets it. I mean it! I'll gut it like a fish! MU HAHAHAHAHAHA! I've had enough pixie sticks for today I think.
-L.L.B.