The Toa were on guard when the Glacier startled them. All their weapons were drawn, and they entered fighting stances. Gawae asked the group where Cas was, and when she was nowhere to be seen they began a search for her.
Lopek found her crouched over near the edge of the Glacier. He called out to her but no response was given. Cas continued to focus on the Glacier, moving it further and further away from the ocean. After a few more calls Lopek ran over and stood over Cas. He looked closely and saw her fingers tense against the ice, digging into it. He bent down and saw her face of determination and squinting eyes. It was her! She was moving the Glacier by herself!
Lopek ran back to the Toa and brought them over to Cas, but a few yards away as to not interrupt her.
He looked to the other Toa and whispered, "She's moving the glacier by herself! How wicked-cool is that!"
"Heh. Now I don't have to melt this thing all by myself!" Takan whispered back and chuckled a bit.
"So uh… do we just watch her?" Gawae asked
Hoei butted in, "We should tell the Matoran."
So the Toa left Cas, except for Lopek, who wanted to keep watch of Cas. If she fell off no one could save her but him. The Toa agreed and left Lopek and Cas on top of the Glacier. Once the Toa left, Lopek walked over to the edge and sat down on the edge, looking down at the ground and the Glacier moving. He focused on one tent and slowly watched it leave his focused point of vision.
When the matoran on the ground heard that Toa Cas was the one moving the Glacier away they rejoiced. Lopek used the wind to move faster and sped up the wind so the laughter and party sounds could be heard. Lopek kicked his legs around in the air and smiled with laughter.
After the celebrations, specifically the morning after, all the matoran woke up and gathered around the Glacier to see its progress. Cas had worked throughout the night and the Glacier was a few miles away. Cas wasn't just moving it, she was sliding it and picking up momentum. The matoran also realized something. They remembered nothing about the mainland. So they all went over to Turaga Stohn, the walking encyclopedia, and asked him about Barordak.
So Turaga Stohn explained the general geography of Barordak Nui. The continent itself is surrounded by fine sand beaches. The southern beach is the largest, and that's where the biggest Ga-Matoran village was. Villages for them were not Koros or Metrus but Kylas.
The biggest Ga-Kyla was on the south beach, but it had been destroyed to rubble by the Glacier. Before that though, the buildings were made of palm trees that dotted the coast. The wood built the walls and the large leaves made the roofs. A large port was built which was the main connection to the other Kylas. The main export was cloth and fiber items, which were made from palm leaves.
Going more north from the beach, the fine sand became rockier and became the Desert where a canyon ran horizontally. Built on the side of the canyon was a hidden village, Po-Kyla. The deserts above the canyon held the Kolhii games, but those were usually canceled due to the constant dust storms. Wind from the east and west blows in from the ocean and kicks up the dust. In the village, most matoran held carving jobs and expanded the village into the walls of the canyon. Before the Glacier came, a Kolhii arena was being built inside the canyon.
Forming a crescent above the desert was a gradual transition into forests and then the swamp. The thick jungle canopy shrouded the ground in darkness, where a wild ecosystem of Rahi lived. The jungle around the swamp had Le-Kyla, which was built on and in the trees. Le-Matorans kept the Gukko population stable, stayed away from the deadly ground, and protected the boats that sailed through the West River.
The swamp held the biggest village, Baror-Kyla. It was mainly a mix of Ga-Matorans and Le-Matorans, but other matorans were welcome. The entire village was built on stilts, poking out of the deep water and mud. Each side of the platforms housed a boat, and the entire place was a massive port where traders from every village could, well, trade.
Going more north of the jungle and swamp was a wall of hills and mountains. The first hills came from a plain, much like where the matorans are now. These plains, called the Middling Zone, were mostly empty. A few houses were built on trails where matoran going through could stop and rest. Nothing lived here, not even Rahi, but that isn't to say it was inhospitable. It was just boring.
Coming from the Middling Zone were the small and easily hikeable hills, but the northern mountains grew more jagged and dangerous.
The first mountain range was home to Onu-Kyla and the Great Mine. These mountains were small, and plenty of trails and signs were built to direct travelers. The water for the rivers and swamps came from the higher mountains and through these mountains, but Onu-Kyla was not built on the river. It was a few miles west of it. Onu-Matorans mined away and directed their minerals to Ta-Kyla and the lightstones to Baror-Kyla.
The middle range had the Great Volcano where Ta-Kyla was formed at the base, around a constant stream of lava slowly flowing out. Here, keeping order with the lava stream was important. If it veered too east, it would meet the river and boil it. Ta-Matorans built large walls of stone and earth to direct the lava stream into a lake. Here smithies were in full heat, producing any sort of metallic items needed.
The final, northernmost mountains were constantly in a blizzard that made travel without a guide impossible. Even the most experienced guides couldn't always navigate clearly. Deep within the mountains was Ko-Kyla, recessed and camouflaged on the side of a mountain. The inside of said mountain was carved out ages ago by the Onu-Matorans and became the Great Archive, a library, and museum. Ko-Matorans spent most of their days philosophically debating with each other, researching everything about wildlife, and creating all sorts of contingency plans.
Some matoran started to remember their own experiences as Turaga Stohn talked. Solurae remembered he was a guide when he got lost and found Witchdoctor. Others remembered jobs like Kolhii carvers, Librarians, Fishers, Boat Drivers, and many more.
The Toa were listening to all of this as well. Nekora remembered the long elevators, passageways, and insane amounts of lightstones in the Great Mine. Tadan remembered the steamy heat of the forges and the constant ringing of metal. Hoei remembered his house, on the third floor of a tower structure called The Canyon's Toothpick. The toothpick part came from its tipped point.
Gawae remembered the busy streets and thick air of the swamp. She had lived there for most of her life but when she moved to a smaller Ga-Kyla, she realized how much she enjoyed the tranquility and silence. Now her stick and leaf village was reduced to nothing. Rebuilding would take time, and with Lord Takan out there, who knew when he would attack, or where he had set up? Maybe he enjoyed the Great Volcano and turned it into a fortress so no Ta-Matoran could return home. The Great Library could be his shelter and his knowledge limitless. Even the ruins of Ga-Kyla could be where he was.
Back on the Glacier, Cas was still moving the heap of ice. Lopek was spinning around above trying to see how long it would take before he got so dizzy he would fall. Once he did, he landed with a thud and looked over at Cas.
"That's a good role model. Doing the hard work. The work that needs to be done… man I wish I could help."
After laying around and getting his head settled down he slow-crawled over to Cas and looked at her. Fingers still dug into the ground and face squinting, it seemed like she had frozen herself in time, focusing every ounce of will she had to move this Glacier.
"Y'know Cas, do you think it would be possible to teleport the Glacier?"
Cas didn't respond.
"What about Hoei? Do you think he could throw this Glacier into his pocket realm? Hmm… I don't think so. It only carries over the mind, not the body."
Still no response.
"We combine everything we have into one mega-blast? Nah, four Toa took a bit to kill Witchdoctor. I guess the extra two wouldn't shatter this beast."
…
"What do you think the other Toa Nebula's names were? Everyone just calls them the Toa Nebula of Insert Element Here, not their actual names like Stohn, Koey, or Takan. And what's the deal with Takan anyways, Lord Takan? Lame name if you ask me."
"Lopek." It was Cas. Upon hearing this Lopek shot up.
"Cas! You spoke!"
"I can't move this Glacier forever but I'll try my best and before I knock myself out from exhaustion I need to say this. I think Nekora's mask is more powerful than we think. It shouldn't take that much willpower for telepathy. It's something else."
After that Cas collapsed and Lopek caught her. "CAS!"
As Turaga Stohn explained the general geography of Barordak, where the six Turaga would usually be found, and what jobs and skills matoran would need to relearn, Lopek came walking up with a limp Cas in his arms. The matoran were shocked and the Toa ran over to Lopek.
"She pushed herself too hard," Lopek said, gently placing her on the ground.
Stohn kneeled and looked for any injuries, "She pushed herself without sleep after a long day. Plus the Glacier still has momentum. She's done more than we have. She deserves it."
Nekora stood up and looked at the Glacier. It had gone past the dirt and sand on the beach and into the rockier, desert Turaga Stohn had explained. Past this great, hot desert would be a wall of forests and jungles leading to a swamp. Then more land and more land and more land.
"Barordak is HUGE!" Nekora realized this and with his eyes bulging turned and stared at Turaga Stohn. "How are six Toa supposed to protect this entire continent!"
"Hmm." Stohn looked at Nekora and thought for a moment. After a minute or two he looked up, "Travel wasn't that bad. It should be good for you six, getting out and knowing the land like the back of your hand."
Gawae sat down by Cas and placed her hands on her. Gawae's mask started glowing and Cas shuffled around a bit, grunting. A little later her eyes slowly opened. "This isn't the Glacier. Get me back."
Gawae kept healing Cas, "You fainted and Lopek brought you here."
"Get me back. I have a job to finish."
"Once I'm done healing you." Gawae planted her hands on Cas and forced her to the ground, "And please stop squirming around."
"Fine." Cas agreed and laid down motionless, "Nekora I have a question for you."
Nekora knelt down by Cas, "What is it?"
"What do you think your mask power is?"
"Telepathy. Why do you ask?"
"I don't buy it."
Nekora was stunned and quizzically looked at Cas, hoping for clarification.
"What I mean by that is there's more to it. Thinking back, you put a lot of mental energy on that telepathy, and I don't think you have so little willpower you can't control your mask."
"You think my mask is more powerful than we think because it was harder to use it?"
"Yes."
"Let's find out." Nekora stood up and walked over to Stohn, who stopped him.
"The Toa Nebula of Stone's mask power was up to him. Giving it a name was difficult, as we needed it to thoroughly explain a vague power. We called it the Mask of Need."
"Mask of Need?" Nekora reached up and felt his jet-black mask. Rubbing his fingers over the grooves and bumps got him to realize what Need meant, "The mask can be whatever I want!"
"Do with that as you will," Stohn answered
Lopek spoke up, "So Nekora is off-the-charts-powerful, is all I'm hearing."
Nekora looked back at Lopek and patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, I can't even use it most of the time."
Gawae lifted her hands off Cas and told her she was done healing. Cas instantly stood up, winced from the fading pain, and grabbed Nekora. She pointed towards the Glacier and told him, "Move it."
"Move it!?" Nekora was confused, "How am I supposed to move it? What power would work best?"
"Move it. Break it. Shatter it. I don't care, just try your best."
"You're being vague Cas, I don't think I could."
"TRY! That's what I'm getting at."
Nekora reluctantly agreed, thinking there wasn't much motivation behind Cas, other than trying to test how powerful Nekora was. Probably just jealous about his cool power. She wishes she could… no. That's wrong. Shouldn't think like that, that's bad.
Nekora was confused at himself for thinking that. Cas wouldn't be jealous, she just wants the Glacier gone.
After a long walk to the Glacier than usual, Nekora and co. reached the beginning of the desert, where plain grass fades away into dirt and dust. The tan sand emanating cold from the Glacier. Hoei used his power over it to make a chair which he got Lopek to sit in. Once Lopek was seated Hoei whisked away the dirt and made Lopek fall. Hoei chuckled as Lopek tried to bash his skull in.
Tadan didn't like the cold dust, it made him feel uneasy claiming it was unnatural. Once at the Glacier the Toa stood still and looked at where ice met sand and saw the Glacier was still moving. Nekora dug his claws into the ice and slid with the Glacier.
"Alright Nekora, just think about what you're going to do to the Glacier," Cas said
Nekora butted back, "Stop coaching me!" Nekora stopped after he noticed he shouted, "Sorry. Something hasn't been right with me. Just… let me think about how I'll do this."
Cas stepped back obviously worried, but silent.
Nekora felt the ice on his claws and focused his mind. The feeling of the cold sand against his feet faded as he closed his eyes. The silent Toa was a good help in reducing the sounds he heard. Far off he could barely hear the Matoran on the outskirts of the camp. Once all the senses were gone but touch, Nekora focused everything he could on feeling the ice wrap itself around Nekora's claws.
Now, what should he do? Melt the Glacier? No that could cause unnecessary flooding. Lift it? Where would he put it? Shatter it. The way Cas said that one, it was the last hope, something she didn't expect to happen. Then, would Takan not expect it? Could there be more Bohrok in that Glacier? Would shattering the Glacier into millions of tiny shards wake the Bohrok or would it throw them off guard? It all boiled down to 'What is in there?". Nekora wanted to find out.
Shatter the Glacier. It's all Nekora thought as he felt the ice. Nothing was happening other than his hands getting cold.
"Focus Nekora. Think about how the other Toa do it." Nekora thought to himself. He remembers Lopek spinning around, not much there. Then he remembered Gawae's healing. Her mask and hands glowed blue. Hoei's mask flashed whenever he went to his realm. Hoei and Gawae's masks made a light! Nekora thought he should focus on his Mask of Need, he shouldn't think about the Glacier, he should think about his mask!
So Nekora shifted his focus onto his mask. Mask of Need. He remembered the feel of the mask, a strange, smooth metal with bumps, cuts, and etches on it. It seemed old and beaten, but brand new.
"Mask of Need, give me what I need. GIVE IT!" Nekora thought again and again, almost shouting in his mind at the end. For his last try when he reached the give it, he opened his eyes and verbally yelled it, focusing everything he had on his head. One bright, stunning flash of black later, Nekora dropped to the ground. The Toa rushed up to him and lifted him.
"Look Nekora! Look!" It was Tadan, obviously shocked about something. Nekora slowly opened his eyes.
It was a glittering ocean in the sky. The Toa got his eyes open quick enough to see what he had done. Smash the Glacier into tiny shards of ice. Nekora watched the individual crystals break apart from each other and come crashing down. As the tiny chunks rained down and glistened in the sunlight, Nekora laughed.
The rain lasted a while, and the Toa got a good look at the previously hidden Barordak. Past the glistening carpet of ice could be seen the dirt that made up the desert. Lone rocks stood up and broke the horizon line. At the very end of their vision, a line of sparse trees could be seen leading into a thick jungle.
Hoei remembered what Stohn had said about Po-Kyla and quickly scanned the ocean of ice shards for a gap. Where that gap was, would be the canyon.
When Hoei found the gap, he got Cas' attention and pointed toward the gap.
"See that little break in the ice, Cas?"
Cas scanned the horizon where Hoei was pointing, "Uh… Yeah! I see it now."
"Teleport us there."
So Cas held Hoei's arm and focused her mind on her mask and the gap. A blink of an eye later they were standing on uneven ice, crushing it beneath their feet. About a yard away from them was the wide canyon, stretching out ten or fewer miles past them. Hoei slowly walked over to the edge, swept the ice away to sturdy himself on real ground, and peered over the edge.
The rocky, orange sides of the canyon jutted out at places, and at the bottom was a river. It wasn't moving and was probably frozen from the Glacier. Hoei judged the distance to be around a mile to three-quarters deep.
"One long fall," Hoei said, backing up from the edge.
Cas followed, "Where do you think Po-Kyla is?"
Hoei thought for a moment, "If it's built into the side of the canyon, it would be naturally camouflaged. We probably wouldn't see it from here."
Cas grabbed onto Hoei again, "Then let's get a different view."
Cas teleported down the bottom of the Canyon and looked up, stunned by the sheer height of the canyon walls she fell backward. "Yikes."
Hoei was impressed too and helped Cas up. "Let's walk inland, it might be there."
Walking along the frozen river, Hoei and Cas noticed leaves and uprooted trees scattered about the floor. Could the Glacier have pushed these trees into the canyon?
"Lopek, spin yourself over there." Tadan jokingly said, pointing over to the canyon.
"I'm good."
Nekora started walking back to the matoran camp and beckoned the Toa to follow. "We should see what our first steps of reclamation are."
The Toa followed Nekora back to Stohn, who was in shock. He also wondered where Hoei and Cas were, the Toa didn't know exactly but guessed they went over to find Po-Kyla.
"Lopek, spin yourself over to them. Call them back. We don't know what danger lurks in those ruins." Stohn said, obviously thinking.
"What evil could be there?" Lopek asked
"If the canyon wasn't full to the brim of ice shards, then it wasn't filled by the Glacier. That means it was empty, and someone or thing could have made that canyon their home."
Lopek nodded and quickly jumped into the air and spun through like a dart.
"Turaga Stohn," Nekora said, looking over the beaches, "Should we rebuild Ga-Kyla first?"
"Good question. I was thinking that too. We should keep this encampment though, as a fallback if Ga-Kyla fails. We shouldn't send everything over there."
"Ga-Kyla fails? You think there's evil there too?"
"No, but Ga-Kyla huts were made from leaves and logs, something I don't know the quantity of. We might be strapped for resources."
Nekora was puzzled by the answer to their potential dilemma: if there weren't trees, where could they find leaves and logs for Ga-Kyla? Tadan snapped his fingers, "We rebuild Ga-Kyla here! That way we don't need to move the matoran."
Stohn, Nekora, and Gawae who just walked up stared at Tadan.
"Oh come on! It's a great idea!"
"It is. From this point on, this encampment will be named Ga-Kyla." Stohn lifted his staff and ceremoniously stomped it against the ground.
And so the encampment was called Ga-Kyla, Gawae and Nekora followed Stohn to the old Ga-Kyla, to see if anything was salvageable. Tadan was to stay behind and wait for Lopek, Hoei, and Cas.
