Now...
Some believed the world of Bara Magna was only a vast, unending desert, for that was all they knew. But for those who ventured farther to the north, they would learn that notion was wrong.
The Black Spike Mountains loomed over the northern region of the planet, and today, Mata Nui walked among the peaks. Behind him was a valley whose trough hosted a small collection of dense trees. Beyond that, farther south, the mountains began to morph into the desert plains of sand from which he had come.
Bara Magna had been a revelation to Mata Nui in many ways. He had found friends among the Glatorian and Agori who lived here. He had been drawn into their struggle against the marauding Skrall and Bone Hunters. He had even found proof that the Great Beings, his creators, had once walked these sands.
The other robot body revealed that, once the villages were physically united after the Battle of Roxtus. It was intact, and Mata Nui could only guess that it was a prototype for his own lost form, perhaps something that failed its initial test in the desert of Bara Magna. He could will his mind into it, but that wouldn't have helped anything yet, for the body had no power source. Without energy, it was just a metal shell.
It was then that events took an unexpected turn. Another piece of evidence for the Great Beings' presence here was found by an Agori scavenger named Berix. Following the robot's reveal, he produced a coin he had found in the cavern of the Great Beings which had a maze pattern on it. Made of a metal said to have been mined to the north, Mata Nui and his friends found that the pattern on the Skrall shields matched the design of the one on the coin's face.
At first, it looked like just a bunch of interconnected lines. But as Mata Nui learned more about this planet, particularly about the Great Beings and their works, he realized the design was far more than decorative. It was not just artwork or a symbol of some abstract concept. It was a map.
But, he had wondered, a map of what?
Mata Nui had to search for its meaning, found also on the Skrall tribal shields and designs. Why it would be on their weaponry and on the coin found by Berix in the sanctuary of the Great Beings, he didn't know. Ackar reminded him that the Skrall tribe was not native to Bara Magna—they hailed from the far northern reaches until little over a year ago. It was part of the culture and mythos of the region…but why?
Finally, Vastus told Mata Nui of one of his tribe's Agori, Tarduk, who was telling wild tales about a "Valley of the Maze" to the north. An adventurous and brave Agori from Tesara, Tarduk was known as a treasure-hunter and historian. He had a passion for knowledge and would go almost anywhere to learn something new, particularly if it was about Bara Magna's past. This resulted in some amazing discoveries, but it had also put Tarduk's life at risk more than once.
Immediately, Mata Nui wanted to seek out this Tarduk and question him. While looking for Tarduk, he had encountered Crotesius, a Fire Agori who had made the first excursion to the north with him. More answers came courtesy of that conversation. Crotesius told Mata Nui of his failed journey to search for the Valley of the Maze with Tarduk, and that the Jungle Agori hoped to make another journey north. According to Crotesius, he was convinced there was some vital clue to a mystery that could change things on Bara Magna forever. They had returned without finding it, but Tarduk had left again to resume the search for a second time.
Armed with knowledge that pointed north and concern for Tarduk's safety, Mata Nui resolved to seek the valley and find out what might lie at the heart of the maze. Mata Nui and his new friends—Ackar, Kiina, Gresh, and Berix—had followed, in search of the Jungle Agori and the maze. Their company had been welcome, and their skills valuable. But due to unfortunate circumstances where one was almost killed, Mata Nui ordered them back, and continued alone.
Now, in his right hand, he held his unique sword transformed by the Mask of Life; on his shoulder was his trusty companion, Click the Scarabax beetle; and in his left hand he spun an ancient coin idly in thought. On one side, it bore the symbol of his purpose—three dots in a diagonal line with a double-curve on either side—and on the other it bore the important map. Still, he searched for the meaning behind it.
Mata Nui stood on a high cliff, overlooking a vast and rocky plain far below. It couldn't have been natural: save for one feature in the center and natural faults, the entire stone ground was flat. In the center laid an odd feature. It looked like an enormous Skrall shield made of stone, laying on its back. Its convex curve protruded upward.
Its signature tribal design was present, just like on the shield and coin, but the stone object in front of him was so large, the design's walls actually did make up a large maze. From this vantage point, he could see over some of the walls, but not all. At the center, a large pillar rose out of the curvature of the stone maze's face.
It looks like I've found the answer to the symbol, Mata Nui thought in amazement. But the solution to this puzzle is another puzzle, mystery piled upon mystery. At times like this, I wonder if the Great Beings were truly brilliant beyond imagining…or hopelessly mad. As he began his long trek to his next destination, he added, Or if there's even any difference between the two…
X X X
"Out of my way, fools!" a multi-colored Agori shouted from the back of an old-fashioned chariot in the Bara Magna desert. The vehicle rested on a set of wheels and was pulled forward by the chained Spikit in front of it. The animal's two heads were enough to convince normal being to move out of the trajectory of the vehicle.
But the Agori's foes were not normal beings, they were elementally imbued Glatorian. "Not likely, Sahmad," Ackar replied, launching a blast of fire from his flame sword. At the same time, he jumped to the side to avoid being run over or eaten by the charging Spikit. The fire ball he had left behind exploded in front of Sahmad, erupting into a wall of flame preventing him from passing. "Not unless you've become fireproof," the Fire Glatorian said.
Sahmad tried not to look as stunned as he was. So far as he knew, these abilities were only possessed by the Element Lords of olden times, and for the most part they hadn't been seen for millennia. Any other technology like this would have belonged to the Great Beings, but any chance of finding such equipment seemed impossible.
Sahmad is an Agori spoken of with dread in every village of Bara Magna. A member of the same tribe as Telluris, he belonged to the "lost tribe" afflicted by a terrible plague before the Shattering. Ostracized in the same way as Telluris so as to keep them from spreading the plague, the entire tribe hated other Agori and most became thieves and tried to make a living as solitary individuals.
In the case of Sahmad, he salvaged a Baranus battle wagon left over from the Core War and became a desert bandit. He did this for many millennia, until the coming of the Skrall. Since Sahmad operated mainly in the northern regions now claimed as Skrall territory, he needed to move or find a new line of work. He chose to give up being a thief and became a slaver, capturing Agori in the desert and selling them to the Skrall. Now and then, for fun, he would ride into a village and challenge a Glatorian in the arena—if the Glatorian won, the village would get his latest captives back. Sahmad was armed with a whip and a Thornax launcher. He prefered to fight up close, using his whip to entangle opponents and the threat of his launcher to make them surrender.
The Baranus wagon was built during the Core War by Rock Agori and used to transport weapons and supplies to the front lines of battle. Being unarmed, many of the wagons did not make it back in one piece. Most of the ones that survived in the Bara Magna region were destroyed by the Baterra during their battles with the Skrall legions. Sahmad's modified version, dubbed the Baranus V7, was one of the few still in use in the desert.
These wagons were originally not intended to be pulled by the unpredictable Spikit. They were built to be used with Sand Stalkers, which were much faster than Spikit. But as time passed, the more powerful creatures were chosen to replace the Sand Stalkers, as the Spikit's fierce nature made it an excellent means of defense. Sahmad's Spikit was experienced at battling Rock Steeds, making it of great use during his battles with the Bone Hunters.
The Baranus was large enough to carry only a driver. In the past, cargo sleds were attached to the back to carry supplies. Sahmad occasionally used these to haul captured Agori back to his hidden base in the desert.
Although heavily armored, the Baranus V7 had the distinction of being virtually weaponless, a unique situation on Bara Magna. It did have mounted blades, but did not carry a Thornax launcher. Sahmad's Spikit helped provide defense, in addition to his weapons. The two-headed Spikit were used as work animals in many villages, due to their size and strength. As long as they were kept well-fed, Spikit were reliable, but when hungry, they became extremely dangerous.
Sahmad was normally found between the Black Spike Mountains and the Vulcanus region. Exactly where in the desert he lived remains unknown, although some believed he found shelter in Roxtus. One of Sahmad's most bitter enemies was Fero. Since both he and the Bone Hunters capture Agori in the desert, Sahmad has had a number of clashes with the roving bandits.
For a time, the village of Iconox had a reward for 100 pounds of exsidian for the capture of Sahmad. Strakk (of course) made an attempt to earn it, but was not able to track the Agori down.
The rogue Agori tugged on the reins, causing his Spikit to turn the chariot in Ackar's direction. "I don't know where you got those powers, Ackar, but they won't help you…or the Agori!" he shouted. With a crack of his whip, the Spikit was spurred on into another charge.
"Oh, shut up, you loser," Kiina said, off to the side. "Here, have a drink on me." Twirling her trident, she launched a blast of water from its head, knocking the villager out of his cart.
Sahmad landed in front of Ackar, who grabbed him by the back and lifted him into the air. "Now listen carefully, slaver. You're out of business, as of today. If you so much as look at one of our Agori in the wrong way, you'll regret it."
"Or maybe you'd like to be the first person ever to drown in a desert, Sahmad?" Kiina offered, wisps of vapor still rising from the prongs of her weapon.
X X X
Later, Ackar and Kiina met Gresh on their way back to the city. The three of them climbed a steep hill on their way to the mega-city. Sahmad's attack on the city had drawn them away in the conflict, and it was time to get back. "Hopefully, we've seen the last of Sahmad," Ackar said. "We've done well since the villages united."
Kiina chuckled. "Just had to get the message out—anyone who messes with the Agori is in for a pounding."
"The Bone Hunters did not stay long at the Battle of Roxtus, seeing that the tide had turned against the Skrall and preferring to keep out of the conflict," Ackar pointed out. "Fero and the others returned to the wastelands, where they've remained, living much as they had before. It's why I'm planning an organized Glatorian expedition to drive them from the desert."
Gresh shrugged, still cautious. "I doubt that would scare the Skrall," he said.
Kiina simply chuckled—the Skrall weren't their problem anymore. For once, she wished Gresh would lighten up. "The Skrall? They're scattered all over the desert like sand fleas after a storm. If the Bone Hunters don't get them, the Vorox will." Her tone lessened as she admitted, "My worry is Mata Nui."
Ackar looked at her as he paused for breath. "You still think we should have stayed with him?" he asked. "Well, so do I. But when Berix got hurt—"
"I know," said Kiina. "After we ran into those Skrall stragglers in the mountains and Berix got Thornaxed, Mata Nui thought it was better if he went on alone."
Gresh had helped Berix limp to a piece of rocky cover, protecting the Water Agori with his shield. Meanwhile, Kiina and Mata Nui had fought off Skrall warriors. Kiina had gotten caught in a battle with a Skrall on a rock overhead, deflecting with her trident while Mata Nui engaged in fierce swordplay with another. Together, they and Ackar had managed to keep the warriors from finishing off the Berix and drove them away. Mata Nui then requested that the others return to the Mega-Village and tend to the injured Chronicler, while he and Click ventured northward without their companions.
However, Berix's receiving of medical attention had led to another happy discovery: Gelu was alive. Unable to defeat the Skrall warrior called Stronius after their last battle, he had managed to turn back, amazed to find the united Mega-Village where once there were five settlements separated by desert wastelands. With the proper attention, he was set to join the new Glatorian defense force under Ackar's leadership.
The trio of Glatorian crested the hill. Ackar kept moving, but took small steps. The city was in sight now. "Are you sure you didn't want to go with him just to make sure he didn't go back on his word, and leave the planet without you?"
Kiina looked a little hurt, but a sustained look from Gresh meant he was asking the same question. Finally, Kiina admitted, "Well…maybe a little. But he's a friend, too, and I worry about him. He should be back by now."
Ackar stopped walking on a rise overlooking the desert of Bara Magna. "Don't worry. He'll return. He has a good reason…" He turned to take in the view of a massive, dormant, robot body that was unknowingly constructed from the combining of the villages. The giant laid sprawled across the sands, with one leg straight and one bent at the knee, and both arms outstretched. The sight looked as if the machine had taken a blow and come to rest there. "Maybe a better reason than we even know," Ackar finished.
X X X
Mata Nui made his way carefully through the Maze Valley. He had successfully made it down from his high precipice and into the maze itself. Now, he knew he was somewhere on the massive likeness of a Skrall shield, the maze's walls stretched to easily three times his height. He constantly had to reference the maze design on the coin's surface to navigate the complex area.
Now, he referred to it again to take a path. Before he walked onward, he paused to examine the surroundings of the maze, though he had already done so many times before. "Interesting," he murmured. "I wonder what was so important the Great beings needed this maze to protect it? And who they were protecting it from?"
The path he took only stretched for twenty feet before bringing him the next surprise. He stood at the edge of a small pool of water, where the path descended and rose again. At its deepest point, it appeared it would only go up to his chest. On the other side was dry ground again, and another 90-degree turn to the right.
A repetitive clicking sound came from his trusty friend perched on his shoulder.
"A trap?" Mata Nui asked. "Almost certainly. But our only choice is to go through it or turn back." He checked his map again—yes, this seemed to be the way forward, moving him ever so slowly toward the maze's center.
Mata Nui confidently walked forward. Despite the mysteries and intimidation of this place, countless lives were relying on him, still. Undesired images came to his mind, picturing the struggles he knew must be going on…if Makuta hadn't killed them all yet.
No, he wouldn't, Mata Nui told himself. He couldn't. He wanted to rule…and they have to be alive for that. Plus, he needs the Matoran for my body to work. That means that I can—and will—return. I made a vow. I will keep it.
Still less than halfway across the pool, Mata Nui looked at the surrounding maze walls as he waded forward. There didn't seem to be anything threatening about them, despite his reduced speed. Still, the most interesting thing was the water.
"Cold," Mata Nui commented to himself. He was now up to his mid-chest in frigid waters, lifting his arms to keep them and his sword above the surface. "Maybe the Great Beings meant for intruders to freeze to death."
On his shoulder, Click began chirping and clicking furiously.
Mata Nui quickened his pace for his companion's sake. "Calm down, little friend. We'll make it to the other side of the pool soon."
The next second, Mata Nui found he could not move as painful cold chilled his muscles from the legs up—the water had inexplicably turned to… "Ice?!" Mata Nui cried in both physical and emotional shock. The entire pool of water was completely frozen solid, as surely as if a Toa of Ice from his universe had willed it to do so.
Mata Nui had a quick flashback to when he first arrived on Bara Magna and the Mask of Life created his body. During one of his earliest attempts at walking, he had stumbled and found himself in a very similar position to his awkward, frozen stance now. He was helpless, and with the hindsight of all he had learned from Ackar, Kiina, and Gresh, he smiled. The Mask of Life had given him a new body and a new weapon—both of which he had learned to use.
"Once, this might have been a problem…" he said, raising his weapon. "But my sword can easily break me free."
But before he could shatter the ice, it suddenly changed and became fire. Mata Nui now stood in a raging blaze reaching as tall as he was, the scorching heat stinging his muscles beneath the armor.
"This is madness!" he cried. Running through the flames, he thought, The Great Beings really didn't want uninvited guests. How will I—? "What?"
The tongues of fire suddenly changed again, this time to plant roots and vines that tripped him by surprise. Falling forward, they snaked toward him, ready to pull, strangle, and bind.
Mata Nui quickly pushed himself back up and jumped away. "I've had enough of this!" As he landed, he began furiously slashing through the plants, forcing his way through as if he were in the middle of a jungle. "I will be free!"
After three swipes, his sword met its target with a clang, failing to cut through. The plants had just become pillars of rock, encroaching around the golden warrior and threatening to crush him from all sides. Climbing over and around the thick pikes, he saw the other side of this catastrophe—the Maze's path wasn't far ahead!
His right hand slipped and the temperature dropped. The rocks had turned back into ice. Sparing a comment and taking advantage of the situation while he could, he shattered the ice in front of him and threw himself forward.
"Free!" he said, falling to his hands and knees from exhaustion. He shivered from the cold while the burn marks on his armor remained fresh; water dripped from his form and his muscles ached from where the plants and rocks had battered them. "Not just a mystery, then, Click…a deathtrap."
The little beetle clicked several times in response, still riding along on his shoulder.
Mata Nui got up and forced himself forward. "But we have to keep moving."