Beginning Editor's Note: I do not claim to own the Bionicle characters or the majority of these plot points. The material here is simply an edited and compiled version of original Bionicle material. Comics and video games etc. have been transcribed in novel form and fully integrated into one chronological read. The poetic liberties of novelization and editing are all I can claim.
Please follow/favorite/PM in order to show your support or interest, and use the forum I made to discuss any questions and feedback on this project. These five parts constitute material from the story year of 2004, constituting what I've called "Phase 03: Provenance." Enjoy!
Sequel to "Bionicle - Phase 03: Provenance - Part III: The Darkness Below"
"Gathered friends," Vakama began. "Listen again to our legend. In the Time Before Time, in the glorious city of Metru Nui, we believed our noble Toa would protect us." Vakama moved the stone that represented the Great Spirit, Mata Nui, to the center of the circle. Now the lightstones began to flicker and darkness shrouded the sand pit. "But they fell one by one as an unrelenting shadow sought to enforce an endless sleep until the memories of past times were lost. Then a time of dark order would be created, and this shadow would awaken the world as its conqueror."
Vakama raised his eyes to the heavens, again remembering a time long ago. Now, surrounded by his fellow Turaga, the Matoran villagers, the six Toa Nuva and Takanuva, he was about to tell the most important tale of all. "Hope, it seemed, was lost. While deceit and betrayal ran disguised throughout the city, the citizens of Metru Nui believed new heroes could not be made…but we were wrong."
X X X
1,000 years ago…
After many adventures, both together and separately, the Toa Metru finally met outside the Coliseum. Each held the Great Disk from his or her own Metru, after having fully prepared to become Toa by leaving behind their Matoran lives in each respective Metru.
Nokama looked at her fellow Toa Metru. "Any troubles?"
The Toa looked at the ground, at the Coliseum, at anything but each other. "No," each mumbled in turn. Then they walked together toward the massive door of the Metru Nui Coliseum.
The largest, most imposing structure in Metru Nui, the Coliseum towered over the city. The edifice was the center of power in the city in more ways than one. It stood at the junction and meeting point of all six Metru boundaries in the center of Metru Nui, and consequently could be seen from any point in the city. The Coliseum was so tall it looked as if it touched the sky, it was believed to have been the very first building constructed in Metru Nui, and had always been a symbol to Matoran of stability and security.
The Coliseum was large enough to accommodate every Matoran in Metru Nui, and had several features. The Coliseum arena hosted citywide Akilini Tournaments, held four times a year. It was extremely fast-paced and dangerous. The winning team's disks were sent to Ta-Metru to be made into Kanohi masks. This same arena was also used for Vahki training exercises.
The Coliseum also housed the city's one power plant. Energy was generated by the flow of liquid protodermis through the plant on its way to other parts of the city. Although the plant did provide power for things like protodermis vat conveyors and chute controls, it did not provide heat to the city. That was done using pipes filled with molten protodermis that ran underground and warmed the buildings above.
Furthermore, prior to the construction of the Great Temple, the Coliseum storage room was used to hold Kanohi Masks of Power. Since then, it has continued to be used to hold items of critical importance to the city. Security was provided by rotating squads of Vahki Rorzakh and Vahki Zadakh.
Turaga Dume's chambers—his stadium box and throne room—were also to be found in this important building. Dume's throne room was connected to Dume's box in the arena. In the past, it had been used for private meetings with the Turaga on issues of importance to the city. But in recent months Dume was far too busy for such appointments and no one was allowed to visit his private chamber, other than the Vahki guards.
One side of the Coliseum arena was dominated by a massive statue of Toa Lhikan, the other by Dume's box. This special section was reserved for the Turaga and commanded a view of the entire arena. From there, Dume could control the massive telescreens that were mounted all over the city as well as in the Coliseum. The box was equipped with levitation and increase weight Kanoka disks that allowed it to be raised and lowered at the Turaga's will.
The Toa Metru entered the arena in the middle of a Kanoka Disk tournament of Akilini. All around them Matoran surfed on disks, over the undulating floor trying to launch their Kanoka into hoops mounted high on the walls. When the players saw the visitors, they immediately ceased their game and moved aside. The floor of the arena settled back into its natural bowl shape from its fluid and ever-changing form for the sports.
Great Disks held high, the Toa Metru moved into the middle of the stadium. Quietly at first, the crowd began to chant "Toa…Toa…Toa." Then the word burst from them in a cheer that rocked the Coliseum.
"HELLOOO, Metru Nui!" Matau shouted, waving. Then he turned to the other Toa, saying, "I always wanted to loud-shout that!"
From high in his box, Turaga Dume watched the arrival of the Toa with surprise. He was flanked by two Vahki Rorzakh, and his huge, powerful hawk, Nivawk, perched behind him.
Dume leaned forward and said in disbelief, "Vakama!?" Regaining control of himself with some effort, he continued, "Matoran one day, Toa the next. No wonder you have not yet completed the Mask of Time."
Vakama had nearly forgotten about his last mask-making project with all that had happened. It was hard to believe that finding the Matoran and Great Disks, battling the Morbuzakh, and struggling with the Krahka did really happen within the last day. "Forgive the delay, Turaga, but…" Vakama began.
"One moment we're Matoran, the next we're power-jolted," shouted Matau, shaking his body to simulate the shock. "And Toa-masked!"
Nokama held her Great Disk up, followed by the others, and said to Dume, "We present you the Great Kanoka Disks as proof of our Toa stature, and pledge ourselves as the new guardians of Metru Nui."
"Toa must prove themselves with deeds, not simple gifts," Dume replied, causing the Toa to look at each other in confusion…and annoyance toward Vakama. Then, addressing the crowd, Dume said, "Matoran of Metru Nui! The Great Spirit has provided six new Toa who will undoubtedly demonstrate their worthiness on this field of honor!"
The crowd cheered, but the Toa Metru just stood there, stunned. All that work to retrieve the Great Disks, stop the Morbuzakh, repair the Archives, and Turaga Dume rejected them? One by one, they handed the disks to Vakama, disappointment and scorn on their faces. This had been his idea, and it had not worked.
"Catch this, fire-spitter," Onewa snapped.
In the Coliseum's control box, Matoran busily worked a series of levers and switches. The Toa Metru could hear machinery grinding and clanking beneath their feet. Then Dume's face appeared on the giant screen overlooking the field. "Cross the Sea of Protodermis," he boomed, "and be honored as Toa!"
The field began to move, shift, undulate beneath the Toa Metru. They struggled to keep their balance as wave after wave passed through the ground. Then a series of large, silver columns topped with razor-sharp points erupted randomly out of the field, threatening to skewer the Toa.
Matau narrowly avoided the first thrust, saying, "Lucky I'm so quick-fast!" But that left Nuju in way. The Toa Metru of Ice leaped back, crashing into Whenua and sending them both to the ground.
"How will we survive?" asked Nuju. Their powers were not finished replenishing themselves due to the two taxing battles they had recently emerged from.
"We use the mask powers the Great Spirit gave us!" answered Whenua.
"And just how do we do that?!"
There was no time for a reply as more columns shot out of the ground. Back on his feet, Nuju pivoted out of the way of a pair of them, not realizing where he was swinging his crystal spike. His Toa tool swept the legs out from under Vakama, sending the Toa of Fire to the ground. The crowd began to laugh.
Vakama shook off the impact and looked up to see a tidal wave of solid protodermis heading right for the Toa. He jumped to his feet as Nokama pointed to an archway on the far side of the field.
"Follow me!" she shouted, leading the charge toward safety.
The huge swell rose behind them, but the Toa were able to maintain their balance and slide down the side of the wave. But now more swells rose up in front of them, each larger than the last. One lifted Whenua high into the air and then dropped him on the field in a heap.
More swells pounded the Toa from every side. Even as Onewa barely dodged a twenty-five-foot tidal wave of protodermis, another hurled Nuju, Vakama, and Nokama in separate directions. Then the largest wave of all rose before them, moving forward at alarming speed and breaking up into large blocks of metal.
"Time to quick-run!" Matau yelled.
"Advance!" Nuju yelled.
"No, retreat!" said Whenua, charging backward and colliding with the Toa of Ice. They both looked up in time to see the blocks of protodermis raining down. Only swift reflexes saved them from being crushed.
"Enough!" proclaimed Dume. The Matoran in the control box dutifully shut down the field. The Toa Metru were scattered all over the field, exhausted. The crowd was silent. Dume peered down at the six figures and smiled. "Let us praise these jesters," he said. "Perhaps they thought to entertain us during this difficult time…."
"No!" shouted Vakama. "We are Toa!"
"Or are they imposters responsible for Toa Lhikan's demise?" continued Dume. "They rid us of the dear, last remaining member of the Toa Mangai in an attempt to fool us! Vakama here was the last to see him!"
"Yes, but…no…not true!" Vakama stammered. Vakamas eyes widened as he saw Krekka and Nidhiki step up beside Turaga Dume. Could it be…? "No, it was them!" he yelled, pointing at the two Dark Hunters. "They did it!"
Dume's face leered down from the giant screen. He pointed emphatically. "Seize them!"
Squads of Rorzakh closed in on the Toa, their stun staffs at the ready. The Matoran in the control box flipped more switches, converting the center of the field into a vast, metallic whirlpool. Closest to the center of the vortex, Whenua, Nuju, and Onewa struggled to resist the pull.
Nuju tried to dig his crystal spike into the ground. "Nuju, hang on!" Nokama called behind her. But the force of the whirlpool tore it from his hands and it plunged into the darkness. Seconds later, Nuju joined it, flying headlong toward the vortex. On the way, he smashed into Whenua, sending the Toa of Earth plummeting into the whirlpool as well.
Matau and Nokama plunged their tools into the protodermis to try and fight the pull, but their edges held fast. Vakama came flying toward them, but Nokama seized his leg at the last moment with her free hand.
Onewa was not so fortunate. With a scream of "Help!" he vanished into the whirlpool.
Nokama looked around. The Rorzakh were closing in and the three remaining Toa were helpless. Then her eyes fixed on the statue of Toa Lhikan. "Vakama!" she shouted, nodding toward the sculpture. "The statue! Bring it down!"
The Toa of Fire nodded and went to load a disk into his disk launcher. He was half done when he realized he had one of the Great Disks in his hand. Thinking better of it, he substituted disks from his pack.
Taking as careful aim as he could under the circumstances, Vakama launched a series of disks at the base of the statue. Half of the disks contained the weakness power, half the reconstitute at random power—the combination was explosive, sending the sculpture toppling to the ground. Rorzakh scattered in its wake, some of them drawn into the vortex, others trapped beneath the weight of the statue. The statue had also landed on the whirlpool, ending the struggle against the currents of wind.
"Go! Now!" said Nokama.
The three Toa scrambled over the statue, past the stunned Rorzakh, and out of the Coliseum. As they ran, Matau stole a glance at Vakama's disk launcher. "Impressive Toa tool," he said. "Trade?"
But Vakama was not listening. His attention, and his anger, were fixed on the Turaga of his city.
X X X
Dume turned to Nidhiki and Krekka, barely controlled anger in his voice. "The new Toa must not interfere with the plan."
Nidhiki shrugged. "They are mere Matoran in Toa armor. As is our duty, we shall not fail."
Krekka pondered that for a long moment before nodding his agreement.