Secret of the Mask
Part II (of III)
Author's Note: I made up the first scene in this chapter. This chapter is the longest of the three, so sit back and enjoy the ride!
Takanuva never knew before what a dangerous sport kolhii could be. He had once thought that playing kolhii with Tahu after the Fire Toa had had a fight with Gali was living dangerously, but that didn't hold a light stone to this.
Energy balls of light and darkness whirled through the air, demolishing pillars almost as fast as Takanuva could jump from them.
The newest ball – now a ball of darkness – sat in Makuta's scoop. The owner of the Mask of Shadows threw his head back and laughed as Takanuva hardened his gaze.
"What do you think, Toa of Light," Makuta began with a dark chuckle, "that I hang your mask over there?" He pointed to a portion of the hideous black wall. "It will make a lovely wall decoration."
"Come on!" Takanuva shouted, knowing all too well that Makuta was trying to make the Toa fearful. Fear had persuaded the Toa to leave his friend and had kept him from escaping the Rahkshi, which had cost him his dear friend's life.
Knowing that many more lives depended on the outcome of this deadly kolhii match, the Toa of Light rose his staff in a defensive stance physically against Makuta and mentally against the fear.
"Never again," Takanuva promised himself.
He jumped away just as the pillar he had been standing on fragmented and exploded.
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"Toa…Lhikan…!" Jaller breathed in wonder. Then, his brow furrowed. "Wait just a minute – Toa don't die in surfing accidents!"
Lhikan laughed heartily, much to Jaller's chagrin. Quickly, the Toa realized this and continued gravely, "You're right, Jaller. I didn't die in a surfing accident..."
"Then," Jaller spoke sadly as he lowered his head, "Turaga Vakama…lied to me…" Jaller had always respected his village's Turaga and looked to him for wisdom, guidance and protection. He had never thought ill of Vakama before, and at this shocking revelation, he could feel his heart begin to sink with the realization that perhaps he had been wrong to have had so much faith in the Turaga...
Lhikan frowned. "No, Jaller. Vakama was not trying to be dishonest with you... He was just trying to protect you and the other Matoran."
"Yeah?" Jaller's voice hinted at skepticism. "From what?"
Lhikan could have easily answered this question, for he had watched all of the events following his death unfold from above, but thought it would be wiser not to. It was his friend, Vakama, who would have to be the one to decide if that secret should be shared or not.
Since arriving on Mata Nui, Vakama and the other village elders had kept the Matoran's past a secret to protect them from the pain of losing their true home as well as their memory of it.
Keeping that secret meant even not telling the Matoran about Lhikan.
Of course, Vakama found a way around this through the invention of a story about a Matoran named Lhii.
"It is not for me to say," Lhikan said as he set his hand on Jaller's shoulder, "but I will tell you this – Vakama would not do anything to hurt you. I know that for a fact."
"Really?" Jaller asked, gazing up into the Toa's eyes. Already, the Toa had earned his trust, as well as restored his trust in his village elder.
"Really," Lhikan assured him.
There was a brief pause. "Are you of my clan?" Jaller asked curiously.
The Toa grinned. "No, not exactly…but Vakama wanted you to know that you and I have something very special in common."
"Really?" Jaller asked hesitantly, wondering what he could possibly have in common with a Toa. "What is it?"
Lhikan touched his mask with both of his hands. "Did you ever realize that our masks look alike?"
"Yes," Jaller said, "I noticed that when I first got here. Are they…?" he began to ask, pointing at Lhikan's mask. Then his hand went limp as he began to realize the truth.
"…The same?" Lhikan finished for him. "Yes," he said with a fervent nod, "they are both one and the same." After a moment, he continued, "You wear my Kanohi Hau, the Great Mask of Shielding." Smiling grimly, he added, "That's why you were able to withstand that Rahkshi's attack for so long, and still have enough strength afterwards to bid your friend farewell."
After a pause, Lhikan added with a wink, "It probably doesn't do you harm in kolhii either."
Jaller was at a loss for words. His mouth hung open as he tried to organize his thoughts. I…have a mask of a…a Toa? Impossi–
He backed away from the Toa, shocked. He began to put all of the pieces together – the likeness of the two masks, his prowess at being a goalie in kolhii, his ability to withstand the Rahkshi attack…
It was true…
Jaller touched his mask as belief slowly dawned on him, casting away the shadow of mystery. This mask had belonged to a Toa.
Jaller looked up at Lhikan. "Then…" he began slowly, touching two fingers together thoughtfully, "does that mean that…"
"Yes?" Lhikan asked.
"…I have the same mask powers as you do?" With questioning eyes, the Matoran gazed up at the Toa that did not seem so different from himself anymore.
Lhikan smiled. "I believe so."
Lhikan looked up, and then returned his gaze to the stunned Matoran. Then, more solemnly, he continued, "We don't have much time left. But before you go, can you do me a favor?"
Confused, yet attentive, Jaller asked, "Yes, what is it?"
"Tell Vakama that I'm proud of him. Will you do that?"
"Yes," Jaller said, though he did not understand. With a thankful nod of his head, Lhikan began leading Jaller away.
"Where are we going?" Jaller asked, looking ahead at a bright light.
"You're going back."
"Back?" Jaller asked, dumbfounded. "Really?" All at once, he was excited to return to his friends, but yet sad because of the new friend and the peace that he was leaving behind.
Knowing his thoughts, Lhikan said, "Someday, you and I and all those who you love will dwell here. But for now, your work is not yet finished. You must go," he said, gesturing ahead.
"Thank you, Toa Lhikan," Jaller said with a bow. "I look forward to that day," he added with a smile.
Lhikan smiled after the Matoran as he made his way back into the realm of the living.
Jaller now knew first-hand that death was not the end, that it was only another step in life. With that great assurance, he walked towards the light.
With great speed, he flew back through the tunnel that would return him to his beloved island home. He wondered what would await him when he returned.
Then, with an eerie feeing, he remembered the words of his friend just before he had departed the mortal realm:
"I'm supposed to make the sacrifice…"
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Jaller opened his eyes to find a large golden hand hovering over him that then recoiled as he began to stir. It had seemed as though a bright light had emitted from the hand and then faded. He groaned, feeling energy course through his body again as though he had awakened from a night's sleep.
Almost immediately, he felt a gentle hand pull him up to his feet. A sweet familiar voice said his name, and recognizing the voice's owner, embraced her. He felt so happy to be reunited with Hahli and…
Where's Takua? Jaller thought. He whirled around, searching for his friend, and saw…
Jaller wasn't sure what he saw. It looked like what he had heard that Makuta looked like, but there was something that seemed very familiar about it…
Hahli pulled him by his hand, and he felt his feet running away as the creature shuddered under the weight of a gate.
"My duty…" it said, its voice shaky, "…is done."
The gate came down.
Suddenly, Jaller realized what had seemed so familiar about the creature…
Its mask!
Jaller stopped and whirled around, feeling as though time was slowing as he did so. "Get out of there!" he called back.
There was a flash of light, and then a mask flew across the floor.
Jaller gasped, grasping what had just happened. His friend, for whom he had died, had just sacrificed himself for…
Jaller could not finish the thought. He gazed up at the Turaga of his village, hoping that the leader could say or do something…
Turaga Vakama picked up the Mask of Light, and gently guided the heartbroken Captain of the Guard deeper into the tunnel.
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Takanuva felt like he was riding his Ussanui motorcycle again. However, he noticed that the vehicle that he had named after his pet Ussal crab was nowhere in sight. Instead, he found himself flying vehicle-less through a tunnel that didn't seem to lead to Makuta's lair...
Images passed by him on all sides, all of which were familiar to the Toa.
"Even I get lucky sometimes," he heard himself say.
"Not luck. It's what you do that makes you a hero..."
"What about your story?"
"I don't have a story..."
"He seeks, I follow. He's the Herald. I'm just his biographer…"
"Huh?" the very confused Toa said. "What's going on?"
Almost as though in answer, a bright light ahead of him grew even brighter.
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Takanuva stood in a white place, shaking his head. Gazing at a tall figure with a golden mask, he asked, "Where am I?"
As Takanuva approached, the being said, "Hello."
When Takanuva stood before the stranger, he turned the Toa around and nudged him forward with a chuckle.
"Goodbye," he said.
Utterly confused, Takanuva returned again to the realm of the living.