ULTIMATE BIONICLE
Chapter 21: Face to Face with Dume
It was several hours after Whenua had been thrown back in the cell. His bleeding had stopped, and he was now sitting against a wall. He had not said anything since he was thrown in. Nuju still sat with Gali, and the others were now awake. Whenua's silence was contagious; no one felt like talking, but they all stared at his dark green eyes in the dark, which were staring off into nothing.
Whenua's face was that of suffering and hate. But what was unknown to them was the self realization that was going on through Whenua's mind. It was no one else's fault but his that he just went through all that pain. There is a fine line between enjoying a battle and being cocky. A battle is something to enjoy, but also to be taken very seriously. For the first time in his life, Whenua was analyzing his past.
He wondered to himself; what victories did he have? He had lost to Onua when they encountered. Had it not been for Vakama he may have died. And that fight also led to the Toa Nuva fighting against them, when they could have been a valuable ally. When he fought Vorak, it was a completely one-sided fight. There was no hope that Whenua would have ever won and yet he didn't try to run at all. There was nothing at stake. It wasn't like he was fighting to protect someone else, or with the intent of vanquishing a foe he believed in his heart he was able to defeat. It was a case of blind arrogance; and Whenua now realized that he hated himself for it.
The others continued to stare at Whenua as his expression slowly became angrier, and yet he still was lost in his own mind; paying no attention to the world around him. "I wonder what he's thinking about…" Matau said softly. He then looked over to Nokama, but she shook her head.
Whenua started speaking softly; at a tone they could barely hear. "A battle is to be taken seriously… They are fun but they are not a game… Don't look for a meaningless fight just to boast, only one for a worthwhile cause…"
"What's he saying?" Onewa wondered out loud.
Whenua continued speaking to himself, only a little louder, "If something or someone important is at stake then you fight until only one of you is left standing or the enemy retreats…" Whenua's voice elevated to a point where the others could hear him quite loudly, "And if the only life at stake is your own and you know in your heart you are unable to win then try to retreat and LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY!" Whenua screamed at the top of his lungs in psychological rage.
Whenua's eyes returned to the realization of the world around him. He looked back and forth at the other Toa. They all had faces of shock from his sudden outburst. Whenua didn't say anything; he just closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep; exhausted from the last few hours of misery.
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Nidhiki walked down a corridor; dragging Vorak's broken but living body behind him. He opened a pair of large doors, which led into a large room. Nidhiki had traveled through the catacombs that made up the Vahki prison up into the halls of the Coliseum, until he made it into Turaga Dume's throne room.
Three robotic Nuurakh stood on either side of the throne, motionless but ready to defend. The throne was empty however. Nidhiki stepped forward and looked around. Dume stood on a balcony to the right, talking to his bird Nivawk, which was perched on the balcony edge. Dume quickly notice Nidhiki and entered the throne. Nivawk flew off.
"How did he do?" Turaga Dume asked. Nidhiki threw Vorak before him. Vorak had his arms and legs tied, and he was bleeding a little. "He withstood all the tests." Nidhiki said informatively.
"Hmm," Turaga Dume pondered, stroking his chin, "Even without his Kraata he withstood all of it? That is impressive, especially since it holds all of his mask powers. Isn't it?" Turaga Dume said to Vorak contemptuously. "How do you know so much about me?" Vorak managed to ask. "Let's just say a little bird told me." Dume said with a grin. Turaga Dume then looked up and Nidhiki and made a nodding gesture with his head. Nidhiki smashed a claw down, knocking Vorak out.
"What about the Toa Metru? How have their tests gone?" Dume then asked. "As you know, Nokama has more than passed them. Bordakh's just been having fun. Whenua was tested for about five hours. He appears to have survived as well." Nidhiki told him.
"Good," Dume replied, "While Vorak goes through the procedure the Toa will continue to be tested. If the full procedure is a success with Vorak then they will be submitted to it as well."
"Vakama is being tested as we speak," Nidhiki said, "But what of the second Toa of Water? The one that Krekka picked up."
"Hopefully her being here will draw the others in her squad of Toa to us. If so, then they will be submitted to the procedure as well, and our plan with be evermore re-enforced." Dume said with a smile. "Remember though, if they start to pose too great of a threat, then kill them. Now take Vorak to the room where phase one of the procedure will be initiated. Once it is completed remember to monitor him incase his body starts to reject it."
Nidhiki left the room, dragging Vorak behind him. Dume walked out to his balcony and stood surveying the glorious city that was Metru Nui. "The revolution is soon at hand." He said.
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Nuurakh, followed by four other robotic ones approached the cell and threw Vakama inside. They activated the field again and marched off.
Vakama rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, not saying anything. "The result is always the same," Nokama said sadly, "the painful silence."
"What is with those Vahki?" Gali asked. "Why are six of them alive, while all the others are robotic?"
Onewa explained, "We're not sure where they came from, but Turaga Dume introduced them as the new leaders of law enforcement about 100 years ago. Shortly afterwards, robotic copies were ordered to be manufactured, and the original six led them all."
Suddenly the electric field went down and Nidhiki walked in front of the opening. He threw Vorak inside; who was twitching. He worked the terminal and left.
Even though he was an enemy, the Toa looked at Vorak with pity, horrified at what he might have gone through. Though Whenua and Vakama looked bad when they came back; Vorak looked butchered. Vorak made a final twitch, and then opened his eyes.
He slowly wriggled his way to a sitting position and leaned against the wall. He then noticed all the Toa were staring at him. "What?" He said scornfully.
"What did they do to you?" Nokama asked. She had looked past the wounds on his body; which were very bad, and into his mind. Something was not right about it. It was different from when it was when he was taken. She could not pinpoint what it was though.
Vorak was staring right back at Nokama, as if he was looking past her as well. They both stared into each others orange eyes for a long time, as if trying to figure each other out.
"What are they doing?" Matau asked in a low voice.
"I don't know." Whenua responded lowly.
"Stay out of my head." Vorak said, in a snarling tone. Nokama stopped, and looked as though she was very tired. "They've done something to your head, Vorak." She told him, panting. Vorak returned an expression that seemed to ask; are you sure?
Suddenly the six elite Vahki appeared in front of the cell. "Turaga Dume wants to see you." Keerakh said with a sneer.
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The Toa Metru all found themselves standing in front of Turaga Dume's throne. Gali and Vorak were left behind. The six Vahki were standing behind them. "If you don't want to die I suggest you get on your knees before your ruler!" Rorzakh said, as all the Vahki kicked the Toa Metru to their knees.
"If living means obeying your rule," Whenua started, "Then I'd rather die on my feet with my head held high!"
"Well said." Vakama replied with a smirk.
Dume ignored the comment. He was holding a glass full of liquid Protodermis in his hand. He took a sip, and then said, "I'm going to give you a choice. You can either join me now, or continue the hell you are currently going through. And trust me; it is going to get much, much worse." Dume said sincerely. The Toa all stared at him with resentful eyes. He knew their choice. Turaga Dume grinned.
"Hmm, your silence speaks louder than words," Dume said. "I'm a fair Turaga. I gave you a choice. But I'm going to be one hundred percent honest with you. I was relying on you all saying no." He said fiendishly. "Get them out of here." He ordered the Vahki.
"What do you mean by that!" Onewa yelled angrily. "You can't do this to us!"
"I've already done it you foolish sculptor. And you can forget about any hope of rescue. We've ensured that your friends; those four Matoran and the other Toa will never come for you."
"You bastard!" Whenua yelled, struggling to get free of Rorzakh's grasp. "What have you done to them?"
"That is no longer a concern of yours. But be assured you'll never see them alive or dead again." Dume said, starting to laugh maniacally.
"You'll pay Dume! I swear to Mata Nui you'll pay!" Whenua yelled, his voice becoming more distant as he was dragged down the halls with the other Toa Metru.