ULTIMATE BIONICLE
Chapter 5: An Unlikely Ally
The brisk air slowly blew against Kopaka's face as he stood panting on the icy cliffs of Mount Ihu with about fifteen Ko-Matoran. There were splashes of blood across his mask and his sword was drenched in blood as well. There were hundreds of dead Kohraks throughout the icy battleground. There was originally about forty Matoran when they started. If it had not been for the avalanche Kopaka had made, they would not have survived. "Will there be anymore attacks?" Kopice asked. Kopice wore a silver mask of x-ray vision and was holding an ice sword. He stood next to Kopaka, looking up at him.
Kopaka looked down at Kopice and gave him a faint smile. He had been impressed with Kopice's bravery and fighting ability. "No. I think we can go back for now." Kopaka said. He was exhausted. He wouldn't have been able to fight anyways. Matoro had been fighting as well, and he traveled back to Ko-Koro alongside Kopaka and Kopice.
A question had been buzzing through Kopaka's head for a while now, that they might be able to answer. It had been bothering him ever since he left Mangaia. He might as well ask, he thought to himself. "Kopice, Matoro." He said breaking the silence. They both looked at him in response, too tired to be bothered to say anything. "Did you ever know of a Matoran named Xaldin?" Kopaka asked. Matoro and Kopice both looked at each other and shrugged. "We have no idea, sorry." Matoro said. "Perhaps this is a question that you should ask Turaga Nuju." Kopice added. They continued to head towards Ko-Koro, along with the twelve other Ko-Matoran. "Maybe I will." Kopaka said.
"Get another support pillar or the ceiling might continue to cave!" Onua ordered some Onu-Matoran. There was just an attack on Onu-Koro. They had succeeded in stopping the swarm without any casualties. The Nuhvoks were not all too smart. The whole mass of the swarm got crushed by a cave-in. "Onua! I have finally finished!" Nuparu shouted running towards him. Nuparu wore an orange Pakari. "I've finally completed my Boxer-vehicle!" Nuparu continued with great enthusiasm. "If we can produce one for each Matoran we will be unstoppable!" "Hmm. I'll trust you on this Nuparu since you've proven trustworthy in the past, but make sure they work properly because I want there to be no faults or problems or glitches or whatever might go wrong with them because I don't want a Matoran life to be lost because of the faults of a machine!" Onua said sternly. Nuparu bowed his head. "Understood sir." He then headed back to his workshop.
"Onua! You've got to come see this!" Onepu said running up to him. "What now?" Onua said lowly. "We've captured a live Nuhvok!" Onepu said. "So? Kill the damn thing!" Onua said. Feeling his time slowly being wasted, Onua started to walk away. "But Onua, it's talking!" Onepu yelled. Onua stopped and slowly turned around. "You're serious?" Onua questioned with doubt. "Yes! Come and see for yourself!" Onepu told him starting to show him the way.
As they made their way closer the containment they could hear loud shouting. "Release me from these chains NOW or I'll slaughter each one of you!" The voice yelled. "Wow, you weren't kidding huh?" Onua said. "Yeah…" Onepu said, starting to feel scared. They could see the containment now. The outside of it was made of solid stone, with no way to look in. All there was was a doorway. Two guards stood outside the door, their spears crossed across the entrance. They saw that it was Onua and moved their spears out of the way for him, but Onepu was not allowed in.
The inside was dimly lit with torches. Behind bars was a Nuhvok chained in several places to the walls and floor. It never once took its eyes off of Onua since he had entered the room. Onua stared right back. Neither of them feared the other. "So I suppose you're here to kill me? Are you not?" The Nuhvok said, its light green eyes starting to glow. "No I will not kill you. Not yet anyways." Onua said. "You Bohrok are very fascinating creatures." Onua started. "You all appear to be no stronger than a Nui-Rama, and yet a swarm of your kind can cause ten times the destruction a swarm of those flying pests could." "What's your point?" the Nuhvok said. "Shut up I'm not finished." Onua told him. "Your kind also appears to have no more intelligence then that of a nest of Nui-Jaga. And yet here I am talking to one, and he is answering me back." Onua finished.
"Then there is more to us than meets the eye, isn't there?" The Nuhvok said laughing faintly. "Though we appear, and most of us are, relatively stupid, we do have our own…individuality. Some Bohrok I know would tremble at the site of you, and pathetically beg for mercy in fear of inevitable death. While I stand and face you despite that fact." The Nuhvok explained.
"Interesting, Bohrok. Very interesting." Onua said sarcastically, pacing in front of his cell. "Please…call me Nuhvok." He said grinning. "Very well. Not that it would matter soon anyways." Onua said. "I want to ask you some questions about your swarms." Onua said, no longer pacing. "Very well then. Ask me anything." Nuhvok said simply. "Hmm? Am I gonna get my answers that easily?" Onua questioned. "I do not care for Makuta's goals. It does not matter to me at all." Nuhvok said simply. He had still never taken his eyes off of Onua
"So Makuta is alive?" Onua's interest suddenly sparked. "Obviously, but you had already figured it out anyway, hadn't you?" Nuhvok said. "You are a smart one aren't you?" Onua said grinning. "Where is the hive of your swarms?" "That I will not tell you." Nuhvok said. "Oh yeah? Why not?" Onua asked getting annoyed. "That endangers my race, which I do care about. Therefore I will not tell." "For a Bohrok, you have some qualities I could like Nuhvok. What will you tell me then?" Onua asked.
"Anything you want to know about Makuta's plans that I know of. But really think about it. What would I know? After all, I am just a grunt." he told Onua. "Fine. When will the next attacks be and where will they take place?" Onua asked. "Release one of my arms and I will show you." Nuhvok said grinning. "How stupid do you think I am?" Onua protested. "I am not a fool Onua. Even if I managed to break free, I would be killed rather quickly." "Fine." Onua said, entering the cell and unchaining one of his arms. Nuhvok then preceded draw in the dirt and show Onua where each attack would be initiated from.
"When will they happen?" Onua asked. "In about a week's time, on each village, all at once." Nuhvok said. "Crap…" Onua said, starting to worry. "How many Bohrok?" "Far more than all the swarms that have attacked so far. Those were all just tests." Nuhvok told him in a surprisingly serious tone. "Not good, not good." Onua said quickly pacing again. "Well at least we have time to plan." He continued.
"Kill me now." He said suddenly. "If I go back, Makuta will have my head, for treachery. Besides, you were planning to anyways, were you not?" Nuhvok continued, starting to lower his head. Onua readied his fist, to smash into the transparent shell on his face. But, surprisingly to himself, he was feeling great hesitation. "Is this right?" He thought to himself. Onua slammed his fist downward. A loud crunching noise could be heard from outside.
Nuhvok opened his eyes. Onua's fist was smashed into the floor before him. "I don't understand." Nuhvok said with great confusion. Onua then broke all the other chains. "If you were to be killed by Makuta anyways, then I see no sense in killing you. Instead I will grant you your life. In exchange I expect your full trust and assistance in defeating the Bohrok swarms. Also you are never to leave my site! You have no other business than helping us, so you have no reason to leave my side anyways." Onua explained, crossing his arms. "I pledge my life, from this moment on, only to serve the Toa." Nuhvok said bowing. "Thank you." he continued.
"Whatever. Now lets meet with the other Toa, because you're gonna tell them everything you told me, and you're gonna help us plan against them." He told Nuhvok. "Understood." Nuhvok replied. They then left the containment area.
Kopaka could start to see parts of Ko-Koro at the top of the slope. "Thank the spirit…finally." He said with relief. He could see Nuju standing there waving to them. "Where is everyone else?" Nuju asked them when they reached him. "They're dead." Kopaka said. Nuju lowered his head, closing his eyes. "They were good warriors Nuju." Kopaka said. "They died for what they believe in."
"Nuju I need to ask you something." He requested. "What is it?" he asked Kopaka, looking back up. "Did you ever know a Matoran named Xaldin?" Kopaka suddenly saw Nuju's eyes widen. The sound of the name had an effect on him. "About…fifteen years ago there was a Matoran named Xaldin. His father was a Ko-Matoran and his mother was a Le-Matoran. He wore a green Hau." Nuju had a hint of sorrow in his voice. "His mix of elements made him a hybrid, making him very strong for a Matoran. He even once killed a mid-sized Muaka. Sadly, one day on a trip up the mountain he fell to his death. His body was never recovered." A tear rolled out of Nuju's eye as he said this. "But Kopaka how do you know of him if it was so long ago that this occured? Most of the villagers don't even know of him." Nuju suddenly asked. "Never mind, it was just a name I heard." Kopaka didn't have the heart to tell Nuju what Xaldin had become.
"Oh I almost forgot! You have received a message from Onua." Nuju told him. "Really? Why?" Kopaka asked. "I don't know. All he said was to meet up in the Turaga meeting place. It also said that the other Toa would be there as well." Nuju continued. "But what about the village? Doesn't it need protection?" Kopaka protested. "He also said that you shouldn't worry about that, and that he would explain why when you all get there." Nuju explained.
"Then I guess I have no choice. Kopice! Come with me we're going somewhere!" Kopaka ordered. As they started to head down the mountain Kopice asked, "Where are we going?" "To meet up with the other Toa. You're going to help us." Kopaka said giving him a smile.
Onua stood alone on the stairs of the temple where they would all meet. Nuhvok was inside, which was surprising because that meant that Onua actually trusted him enough to stay inside without escaping through one of the windows.
One after another all the other Toa slowly started to show up. Pohatu, Tahu and Gali came alone, but Lewa was accompanied by Arkam and Kopice was with Kopaka. "I'm glad that you've all finally made it." Onua said. "Please follow me."
They all entered the temple. Tahu was the first to notice Nuhvok sitting on one of the Turagas chairs, with his feet up on the table. Thinking it was an enemy, he immediately reacted firing a blast of fire towards him. "No wait!" Onua yelled. "Wha? Oh god!" Nuhvok yelled in panic, rolling out of the way. Onua grabbed Tahu by the arm. "What!" Tahu protested. "Calm the hell down! He's the reason you're all here!" Onua told them. "What do you mean Onua?" Gali asked. "Yeah, what the hell do you mean? He's a freaking Bohrok!" Pohatu added.
"His name is Nuhvok. He's our new 'friend' from now on, and he's going to help us." Onua explained. "Okay and how's he going to do that?" Kopaka asked with a smug tone. "I'm going to help you by telling you all information on the next attacks. Unless of coarse you don't wanna know, then by all means leave." Nuhvok said to Kopaka. "You've got guts for someone in your position." Kopaka scoffed.
"Stop arguing and listen to what he has to say! Nuhvok, when are the swarms going to strike?" Gali asked politely. "Like I told Onua they will occur in about a week, and each attack will be launched at the same time. Each swarm will contain around a thousand Bohrok each." "You can't be serious." Tahu said.
"For Onu-Koro, they will strike from tunnels they have dug themselves. The openings will appear in various parts throughout the village. They would be able to attack from right under your feet. Luckily I know where the entry points are.
On Po-Koro they will surround the entire perimeter, and literally swarm the whole village.
Against Ga-Koro they will be coming up under your village with an underground/underwater trench. Using compressed air pockets they plan to fire themselves up and at the village, completely taking it by surprise.
Ta-Koro was going to have Tahnok launched at it from catapults, having them hit your village like balls of fire, and while they kept you busy, a troop of them would be sinking your village into the very mote of lava that keeps you safe from harm.
On Ko-Koro they plan to distract you while an avalanche of seismic proportions crushes everything and everyone from top to bottom on that side of the mountain.
Now Le-Koro is the tricky one. They technically don't have a full frontal assault planned. Your village has six supporting trees that hold it up fully. They plan use six and only six Lehvak to burn the trees down with their acidic claws. Thus Lewa, your entire village would crumble before anyone knew something was even remotely wrong."
"How do you know all this?" Tahu suspiciously asked. "Though I am officially the level of a mere grunt, I almost got promoted to Kal. That is, before these events transpired I was." "And what are we supposed to do against such coordinated attacks?" Pohatu asked. "That is where I come in." Nuhvok said with a gleam in his eyes. "If you follow my instructions carefully, you will surly succeed."
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