ULTIMATE BIONICLE
Chapter 17: The Gathering
Vakama stood with his arms folded, watching Whenua, as Matau carried him by the arms, through the canopy and towards the ground. Vakama felt feelings of relief as well as great frustration. Onewa emerged from inside the cave. "Hey! Whenua's back!" He yelled into the cave.
The four Matoran ran out to greet him, Nuju slowly made his way out as well. Matau landed, putting Whenua on his feet. His strength had almost completely returned.
Tehutti approached Whenua excitedly. "I knew you weren't dead!" Whenua stared down at Tehutti. "Hmm," He smiled, "You don't have to worry about me."
Whenua looked at his brothers. "Nuju, Onewa." He nodded. His gaze drifted to Vakama. Vakama looked as if he had a lot going through his mind as he stared at Whenua.
"Vakama?" Whenua asked, trying to get his attention. "Whenua follow me. I need to talk to you." Vakama walked into the jungle away from the others, expecting him to follow. Whenua raised an eyebrow in confusion, but followed after him.
Whenua walked through some bushes and saw Vakama standing there, his back facing him. "What is it Vakama?" Whenua asked.
Vakama stared at the ground. "Whenua," he started, "I did not choose to be Lhikan's successor, but destiny chose it to be that way," Vakama turned and looked at Whenua. "I respect your strength, and your reluctance to give up in battle. However, it is very hard for me to lead us if you keep doing what you want, all by yourself. You can't just go off and fight whoever you want. We are not in the best of situations right now and I'm trying to direct us on the right course, so I need you to suck up your pride and listen to my orders. Are we clear on this?"
Whenua stared at Vakama sharply. "Clear as water," He responded finally. "Just as soon as you come up with an agreeable course of action." Vakama went tense from the remark. Whenua turned around and walked back to the others.
Vakama glared at Whenua as he walked back through the bushes. "I just hope his emotions won't get the better of him. It may just be the end of all of us."
Vakama walked back to the rest of the Toa Metru and four Matoran. "We should get moving." He instructed. They all started to leave the area.
"Targets sighted, prepare to engage. Remember alive if possible."
&&&&&&&&
Traveling through Le-Wahi, the seven Toa Nuva and Nuhvok search for where Whenua and Matau had gone. Onua and Kopaka were both eager and impatient to find and take care of these strange Toa, despite Gali's pleas otherwise. Tahu felt that they should first try to reason with them; Takanuva and Pohatu agreed.
There was no arguing with Kopaka, but it was strange of Onua to want to kill something so badly. Though it seemed his sights were solely set on Whenua; the one who had killed Vorahk. Vorahk had caused Onua a ton of grief, so Vorahk's burden was passed onto Whenua. Onua wouldn't normally feel this way, but as far as he knew; Whenua was an enemy.
Tahu halted the group; having noticed something move. They all readied their weapons. Nuhvok got himself ready for a fight.
The four Rahkshi; Guurahk, Lerahk, Turahk, and Kurahk landed in front of them. The Toa Nuva all exchanged confused glances. Why would they attack when they're so weak?
"Where is our brother Panrahk!" Turahk yelled.
"I killed him."
Their gaze drifted upwards to somebody sitting on top of a tree branch. Lewa gasped. He recognized it as the Rahkshi who had killed Arkam; Vorak the Shadow Rahkshi. Vorak was looking down at them with lust in his eyes; lust for blood.
"Who the hell are you?" Turahk demanded. "And if you're a Rahkshi why did you kill our brother?" Vorak ignored the other Rahkshi, "And where is his body?" Guurahk added.
Vorak's attention finally turned to the four Rahkshi. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"That's him! That's the one! That's Vorak!" Lewa pointed.
Vorak laughed. "I guess I'm already famous. That didn't take long." He grinned.
"You'll pay for what you've been doing." Tahu said angrily.
"Shhhh," Vorak silenced, "They will be here any moment. Can't you hear it?"
Vorak was right. There was a noise coming from the jungle. Noises that were not natural to Le-Wahi. Suddenly one after another The Toa Metru burst forth from the brush. They completely ignored the Toa Nuva and the Rahkshi as they tried to run through the group. The Vahki landed in front of them.
"There's no where to run now- What the?" said Rorzakh, looking at the gathering of different beings.
"Looks like we're in for an all out brawl." Keerakh said. Each side prepared to attack one another; the Toa Nuva, the Rahkshi, the Toa Metru, the Vahki and Vorak.
Suddenly a loud thump was heard. Then another, and another, in succession. Thunderous footsteps were approaching them. They all stared in the direction it was coming from. A large claw slashed through a gathering of trees with ease.
As the being emerged the Toa Nuva, Vorak and the Rahkshi all recognized him. They recognized his face anyways. It was Panrahk; but not the same that they had previously known. His right arm was monstrous; with two gigantic claws on the hand. The other arm was just as large with a big fist. His legs were much bulkier as well.
"What has happened to you brother!" Turahk said in awe at the sight of the monstrosity. Panrahk let out a bellowing roar and rushed towards the group.
The entire group began their massive fight. The Toa Metru went for the Vahki, telling the four Matoran with them to hide. Vorak took on all eight in the group of Toa Nuva. Panrahk, strangely, went after the Rahkshi.
Panrahk plunged his two enormous claws into Lerahk's gut, and lifted him off the ground. Lerahk writhed in pain as he was held up in the air. Panrahk tossed Lerahk into a tree.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Turahk yelled again, in shock at the death of his brother. Panrahk grabbed Turahk by the head with his left hand, raised him into the air and smashed him into the ground.
Both Guurahk and Kurahk jumped at Panrahk. Panrahk slashed Kurahk with his talons, and grabbed Guurahk, slammed him to the ground and stomped on his gut.
Vorak jumped and kicked Pohatu in the belly and landed, then, turning around quickly, he grabbed Tahu by the face and smashed the back of his head into a tree. Nuhvok leapt onto Vorak's back and dropped his weight, attempting to bring his foe down. Vorak grabbed Nuhvok, digging his claws into his arm; Vorak threw him to the ground with a crash.
Lewa quickly kicked Vorak in the chin, projecting him backwards. Vorak skidded backwards, slowing himself down with one of his claws. He leapt at the Toa Nuva again. Giving Kopaka and Onua each a drop-kick to the face, he charged a blast of shadow energy in his left and shot it in Lewa's face.
Gali swung one of her aqua axes at Vorak's chest. She continued to rein slash upon slash on his chest. Vorak grasped the weapons after a while, and then kicked her in the chest with both feet. She fell to the ground with a smash. Vorak stood above her and landed a barrage of punches down on her torso.
Onua and Kopaka came from behind; ready to cut Vorak in half with their weapons. Vorak paused quickly and projected them back with a Telekinetic blast. He turned around again. Gali blasted an enormous mass of water from her hands, sending Vorak high into the air.
Gali staggered to her feet, weakened from the ruthless barrage. All the Toa Nuva and Nuhvok stood looking up at Vorak through the treetops. He had not come back down. "What the heck is he doing?" said Lewa, sounding frustrated and confused.
Vorak's arms rested in mid air, about a foot away from his waist. His palms faced upwards. A fiery black aura started to form around his hands. "Let's see how you like this, Toa!" Vorak yelled. He started rapidly throwing the shadow blasts, which started to rain down upon the Toa Nuva.
"Run!" Tahu yelled in panic. The Toa Nuva and Nuhvok scattered in all directions. Each blast hit the ground with explosive power, uprooting trees and creating craters in the soft earth.
Vorak landed on the scorched ground he had created. The six Toa Nuva and Nuhvok lay motionless on the ground. His attention turned to the battle going on between the Vahki and the Toa Metru. Both sides fought fiercely; neither was willing to give up. The Panrahk monster had left, leaving only bloody Rahkshi bodies.
A blade suddenly rested on Vorak's neck. It was Takanuva! "What! Impossible!" Vorak yelled in disbelief.
"You should not turn your back on your enemy. Just because we're down, doesn't mean we're out." Takanuva said with a triumphant grin.
Vorak flipped right over Takanuva, "What…" His eyes widened in surprise. Before Takanuva could react, Vorak punched him in the back, knocking him through the air and smashing to the ground. Takanuva started to get up again slowly. Vorak stomped towards him.
"Burning Attack!" Vorak turned quickly, only to be hit with an enormous ball of fire that Tahu had shot. Vorak lay, smoking on the ground, slowly getting to his feet.
The ground cracked, and split in two halves, creating a large hole. Vorak fell in and it began to close. He strained to hold it open with his arms and legs, but if he tried to fly out it would close too quickly, and he couldn't hold it forever. Vorak's arms and legs started to shake.
Onua and the others approached the opening of the large crack. "Got yourself stuck there eh?" He said laughing. Vorak grinned. Energy was seen building in his hands.
Kopaka shot Vorak with ice, coating him in it. Pohatu rose a pile of boulders above the crack and dropped them, burying Vorak in the avalanche of stone.
Onua walked up to Nuhvok, "You alright?"
Nuhvok turned his head and staggered to his feet. He grinned. "I've been better, but I'll hold together."
"Is he dead?" Gali asked, inspecting the pile of rocks that had buried Vorak.
The ground shook underneath them, and became more distant, as if it were moving. "No, I think he just left Gali," Tahu said with exhaustion, "Good thing too because I don't think I could've gone on much longer."
Tahu looked over to where the Vahki and Toa Metru had been fighting. They were both gone now. Kopaka approached him from behind. "So we achieved nothing from this then?"
"Yeah, and it looks like we've got more on our hands than we thought." Tahu said, remembering the sight of Panrahk's mysterious transformation.
Author's Notes: Unfortunately I don't have a picture of Panrahk's new form at this time, but I will get one and inform you all as soon as I can.