Onua is right, of course—we can't stay here. We can't hide in the darkness while the entire universe is at the mercy of that vile lunatic. Onua was helping us underground with his very useful control of the earth, but has since left; firstly to seek another suitable spot to hide or defend, and secondly to hopefully regroup with others. I hope he made it.

Takanuva, Toa of Light

X X X

Kapura moved swiftly (for him) through the shadows of Metru Nui. His destination was the outskirts of Ga-Metru, specifically a portion of the Archives underneath that spot. The sign carved into the wall outside his shelter had told him where to go, and even who was to meet him there, but not the most important answer: why.

Cautiously, he peered around the corner of a building. The way seemed clear. Rahkshi stood guard over most entrances to the Archives, but not this one. It led to a section of the vast museum that had been deemed unsafe decades ago and abandoned. Even when Matoran and Toa retreated below in the days right after Makuta's takeover of the universe, they had avoided this region.

He slipped across the street and, with great effort, raised the hatch. It let out a shrill creak he was sure every Rahkshi in the city could hear. Kapura froze. Was that the whistling sound of Rahkshi flying through the air toward him? No, it was just steam escaping in Ta-Metru. He waited a moment more, and when no hostile force appeared, he ducked into the tunnel and closed the hatch behind him.

It was dark and dank inside. The faint stench of Muaka lingered in the air. Kapura found himself remembering another recent visit to the Archives, when he had gotten lost in the maze of passageways. That time, he had almost wound up a meal for an escaped exhibit and it was only the timely arrival of Toa Takanuva that saved him. He wished that his friend had picked a different place for their meeting…but then remembered that only this sort of a spot would do.

"You're late."

Macku stepped out from a recess in the wall. Her blue armor was stained with mud and she moved with a slight limp, a souvenir of an escape from some Exo-Toa a few days before.

"Sorry," said Kapura. "I had to make sure I wasn't followed."

"We'll wait a few more minutes for Hafu," Macku said. She sounded tired…no, beyond tired, Kapura thought. More like she was barely holding herself together.

"Is he working today?"

Macku nodded.

Kapura frowned. All of the Po-Matoran carvers had been put to work carving statues of Makuta for placement all around the city. The order hadn't come from their new "Great Spirit," but rather from the new "Turaga" of Metru Nui—Ahkmou. No, he wasn't a true Turaga—he had never been a Toa, after all, which was the prerequisite—but his past association with Makuta had put him in a position of power in the city.

"We should have killed that lousy traitor long ago," Macku muttered.

Every Matoran remembered Ahkmou's crimes on the island of Mata Nui, involving the sale of Kolhii balls called Comets tainted with Makuta's darkness. Many had heard the tales of his sins on Metru Nui as well, in the weeks before the Great Cataclysm. Although he had largely kept to himself for the past year, no one really trusted him. But Turaga Vakama insisted he not be exiled. "Better to keep a Doom Viper beside your bed than to let it wander free. At least then, you will know from which direction its strike will come."

The hatch opened again with a screech. A shaft of dirty light pierced the gloom of the Archives. Macku and Kapura instinctively hid until the light was gone. Then they heard the reassuring sound of Hafu's voice, saying, "Anyone remember why we wanted to come back to this city?"

Macku laughed, though there really was nothing to laugh at. But it felt good to be around these two Matoran again—they were among her best friends. So many of the others up above had given up. Rahkshi and Exo-Toa were everywhere, and the only Toa visible were the Toa Hagah, who seemed oblivious to everything going on around them. When questioned, they insisted that Makuta Teridax had been defeated and all was well on Metru Nui. Worse, one could tell they really believed this delusion.

"What's the situation?" asked Hafu. "You know that symbol is only supposed to be used in an emergency."

"This is an emergency," Macku assured him. She had taken a great risk drawing the "help" symbol—a crude sketch of a Rahkshi—near the homes of her friends. Ahkmou had forbidden the creation of any unauthorized art.

The Ga-Matoran turned and headed deeper into the Archives. Hafu and Kapura followed. She led them all the way down into the sub-levels, moving as if she knew the place as well as Ga-Metru. Kapura was completely lost and he suspected Hafu was, too.

"In here," Macku said quietly. She beckoned them to follow her into a large chamber that had once housed a particularly nasty specimen of Rahi primate. There was someone else in there now—a Toa of Water, wounded, stretched out on the stone floor. But it wasn't Gali or Gaaki or any other Toa Kapura recognized.

"Who is she? Where did she come from?" asked Hafu. Suspicion colored his voice. He had seen too many Makuta tricks to believe anything at first glance anymore.

"She says her name is Tuyet," said Macku. "And that she's here to help."

Hafu had heard the name once…something to do with Toa Lhikan, if he recalled correctly, but he didn't know the tale well enough to be sure. "She doesn't look like she can help herself, let alone us."

"You might…be…surprised," the female Toa said, lifting her head to look at Hafu. "So might a lot of people. Tell me, where is Toa Lhikan?"

"Dead," said Kapura. "Killed by Makuta."

Hafu shot him a look. It wasn't smart to share information with strangers like that.

"And Toa Nidhiki?"

Kapura glanced at Hafu and shrugged. Then he turned back to Tuyet. "'Toa' Nidhiki? Um…dead, too. Makuta…ate him, I guess."

"Look, we're happy to see you and all," said Hafu. "But one Toa more or less isn't going to make a difference here. Not unless you have a super-weapon hidden away that can cleanse Metru Nui of Makuta's forces."

Tuyet sat up. She reached into her pouch and pulled out a piece of crystal about the size of her fist. "As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I do have."

"And do you think Makuta will give you the chance to use it?" asked Macku, half hopeful, half skeptical.

"Makuta is the Great Spirit, correct?" asked Tuyet. "And the Great Spirit knows all about everyone who lives in his universe…where they are, what they're doing…all he has to do is think about them?"

Kapura nodded.

Tuyet smiled. "Then I am the perfect ally, little ones. I am dead…and have been for some 2,000 years."

X X X

Mata Nui's Diary - 5

My first view of the "work" of the Skrall was when Ackar, Kiina and I arrived in Tajun. I have seen entire worlds devastated by war before, but this was something different. The Agori did not choose this fight. It was forced upon them by the greed and ambition of Skrall and Bone Hunters. And…perhaps it makes a difference to see a battle from the midst of it, rather than from the great distances I have known before. I saw the young Glatorian, Gresh, badly wounded; saw the shelters burning; and realized that the Water Tribe had just had their lives shattered as surely as their planet once had been.

I have experienced many new emotions since coming to Bara Magna. Oh, the Great Beings gave me the capacity to feel when they created me, but I was always so far removed from everything around me that I had no reason to experience emotion. Now I have known fear, facing the Vorox…friendship, with Ackar and Kiina…and now, anger and hatred at the senseless violence I see all about me.

The Skrall do not realize it, but in a strange way, they have done me a favor. I have wrestled with the choice before me—whether to leave Bara Magna as quickly as possible to go and save my universe, or to stay and help these people. Now I know what I must do. What the Skrall did today must be avenged.

Kina pointed out Tuma, leader of the Skrall, as he walked amid the carnage. He was tall, strong, and obviously filled with enormous confidence. He showed no sign of regret for what his soldiers had done there, only pride and satisfaction. He reminded me of someone else I have known, an enemy I still must bring down. I think I will enjoy bringing this Tuma to face Agori justice one day.

In the meantime, there was work to be done—we had to escape. Kiina said there was a place we could go to where Gresh will be safe. It was the same cavern she spoke of, filled with ancient technology and strange inscriptions. In that moment, I had a hunch that I was about to discover I was not so very far from home as I thought.

As it turns out, I was right.

Mata Nui

X X X

Tuma, leader of the Skrall, was feeling quite satisfied. He had returned to the city of Roxtus following the sack of Tajun, confident that his plans were proceeding. With that village and its oasis in his hands, the Agori of Bara Magna had lost their primary water source. No doubt they would turn on each other now in a fight over what water remained in the wastelands, making them easy pickings for his Skrall warriors. In one swift stroke, he would control the desert.

To an outsider, it might have seemed a strange prize to covet. After all, what was there to Bara Magna? Nothing but scattered metallic shelters that towered hundreds of feet high, with Agori huddled inside them for protection against the wind and sand; deposits of Exsidian metal and other semi-valuable minerals here and there; precious little food or water…on the face of it, nothing a conqueror like Tuma would want.

But the desert of Bara Magna offered one thing the Skrall desperately needed: space. No one other than the Skrall knew why they had first moved down from the north into the Black Spike Mountains. Their cities had been raided and destroyed by a race of warriors they had never encountered before, shape-shifters who struck from the shadows and then disappeared. All of the Skrall's weapons and skill had proven of no use against this enemy. Finally, the Skrall were forced south, taking up residence in the long-abandoned city that became Roxtus.

Here, they were easily the most powerful tribe. But Tuma could not help looking behind. Would their enemies from the north follow them here? He had learned the secret to defeating this enemy due to an Agori informant, but he had already put so much effort into taking the desert, it seemed insane to stop, now. The Skrall still needed room to maneuver anyway, vast tracts of open land they could force any foe to cross. Then would they have a fighting chance to survive against any enemy.

Tuma could have simply warned the Agori of Bara Magna of what the Skrall had encountered and made some mutual defense agreement with the other villages. But that was not the Skrall way of doing things. No, instead he plotted, manipulated, and steadily weakened the villages until he was sure they could not stand against his army. Then the Skrall struck at the village of Atero, destroying it, and now Tajun had fallen as well. Complete surrender by the Agori would follow any day now. Then Tuma would rule not just a city, but an empire…and it would be an empire he would keep, no matter who might dare to attack it.

X X X

A pair of Bone Hunters stood guard amid the ruins of Tajun. They were not happy. Their role in life was to ride, hunt, rob, and kill. It was the nature of their people to take from those who were weaker. Bone Hunters saw themselves as akin to the cruel wind that blew out of the Black Spike Mountains, raising sandstorms that blinded and killed those foolish enough to be caught out in the desert. Through their hunts, they eliminated those Glatorian and Agori who were not fit to survive.

That had changed since the alliance with the Skrall. Now they had to take orders from Tuma and his lieutenants, even if doing so meant standing around and watching over a pile of ashes.

As it turned out, the Bone Hunters were right: they were not made for guard duty. If they had been, they might have heard Ackar before he sprang up behind them and knocked their heads together. Instead, both slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Kiina appeared behind Ackar. "You have all the fun," she chided him. "l get the next two."

Ackar didn't smile. "Agreed. Let's move. We need to warn the villages about the Skrall and Bone Hunters uniting."

Kiina nodded. "And that we have a traitor on the inside."

Mata Nui and Berix emerged from the cave, supporting Gresh between them. The young Glatorian had his arm in a makeshift sling of vine. "How are you holding up?" Mata Nui asked Gresh.

"I'm fine," said the wounded Glatorian. "You don't need to baby me. But I could use a new weapon." He held up his damaged double-edged shield. "The Skrall shredded my blade."

Ackar and Kiina both looked at their own weapons, each heavily damaged by the recent battle with the Bone Hunters. "Get in line," said Kiina.

Berix reached for Kiina's trident. "I might be able to—"

Kiina yanked it away. "Don't even think about it."

"Wait," said Ackar. He turned to Mata Nui. "What you did with the Vorox stinger, and…Click. Could it work with my sword and her trident?"

Mata Nui reached up and touched the metal surface of his mask. "l don't know. This mask…gave me new life, but I still don't completely understand its power. I am certain it works best only on things that are, or were, alive…like the stinger."

"No problem," said Berix. "Most Glatorian weapons have bone or claw cores."

'"Collected' a few, have you?" said Kiina.

Mata Nui took Ackar's sword in hand. "It's worth a try, anyway." The others watched as he raised the sword to his brow. "Together…as one mind," Mata Nui said to the mask, so softly they could barely hear him. Then the sword began to glow, its substance shifting into a larger, more formidable version of its old shape.

When the process was done, Mata Nui handed the sword back to the amazed Ackar. The Glatorian hefted it, testing the balance of the weapon and admiring the quality of the blade. Suddenly, the sword glowed red-hot in his hand. Flames leapt to life along the blade and shot from the tip, scorching a sand dune nearby. "What in—!?" Ackar said.

Mata Nui, however, was not surprised. "Of course!" he said, gesturing excitedly with his hands to Ackar, smiling. "Fire is your elemental power…it is the heart of your tribe. The Mask of Life has simply ignited it." Mata Nui smiled again. "You have become a true Toa."

Although Ackar had heard the term before, he still had no idea what it meant…but from the way Mata Nui had spoken it, it was obviously meant as a compliment—one that carried great respect. He put his hand on Mata Nui's shoulder and said simply. "Thank you, friend."

Mata Nui looked down at the sand, and then back up at Ackar. "Strange. I have worn many titles, been called many things…but never 'friend.'"

Kiina stepped forward, holding her trident out to Mata Nui. "Me next!"

Mata Nui took the weapon from her. "l will do what can for you, but then I must continue my journey. I must find a way to free my people."

"You're not going to help us?" asked Gresh.

"No," said Mata Nui. "l have my own battles to fight."

"Mata Nui, trust me," said Ackar. "I've seen you fight. You're quick, you have some style, but…you're not ready. Stay with us a while and I'll teach you everything I know."

Mata Nui considered the proposal. He did not know where his destiny would lead him, and still suspected it was a path he was meant to walk on his own. But this was a world of unknown dangers, and here he had already found a rare treasure: friends who would fight beside him. Having done that, could he really go back to being alone again?

He looked at Ackar, his answer written in his eyes. The veteran Glatorian smiled and clasped Mata Nui's hand.

"Welcome to the team, other-worlder," Kiina said. "Now let's go to work."