Takanuva squatted down, grabbing a hold of a large boulder. Pushing up from the ground with his legs, he hurled it above his head and held it in position for a moment. Then he lowered the boulder down, careful to maintain his balance and posture. He took a deep breath and repeated the movement. He'd repeated this workout every day for the last fortnight. The muscles beneath his armor ached from the intense pressure, but it was a pleasant ache. One that instilled pride in the Toa, and showed how much stronger he had become.
During the first week of living in this underground cave, Takanuva had shied away from physical activity. The Toa Nuva and Mahri were being sent out almost every other day, seeking new Toa to recruit or keeping an eye on shipping lanes in the area. Both Toa teams were comprised of members that could breathe underwater, whether due to transformations or special armor.
Takanuva had no such ability. Teridax had warned the Toa that walking upon the surface meant that Makuta would be able to track them. But by remaining in the underground chamber Nuparu and Onua had carved out, and leaving via a passageway that connected to the ocean, their base of operations remained hidden.
As the days passed, Takanuva felt increasingly trapped. The former Chronicler had developed a habit of wandering long ago, and earned a reputation for being hungry for adventure. His core muscles ached from the pressure of holding a boulder above his head, but his true ache was one for exploration. They were in a new land, the Northern Continent. When they first arrived here, Takanuva had seen a wondrous village built upon a mountain top. His teammates told him of patrolling deep forests, of near-silent villages, of gems glowing a thousand colors.
And he was stuck here lifting boulders.
He dropped the rock one last time, leaving it beside a carved stone that served as his bed. Another training session complete, and he'd barely had breakfast an hour ago. He mulled over what he might do for the rest of the day. Perhaps he could find Jaller. It felt like they had barely spoken since they arrived here. Since the memorial.
Takanuva left his quarters, striding through the cool caves with purpose. Shortly after the Toa met Teridax, they destroyed the cavern he had created and tunneled into a new one by the sea. If Makuta had tracked them to their new base of operations, he hadn't shown it. Onua and Nuparu had worked together to create a network of tunnels and caves. It was not nearly as large as Onu-Koro had been, and it lacked any large open plaza. But each Toa had a small chamber of their own, and Gali had helped to create a tunnel that led into the sea, allowing the Toa Mahri and Toa Nuva to travel underwater - and even to other islands - undetected by Makuta.
He turned left abruptly at an intersection, and could already hear Jaller and Hahli murmuring to each other.
"Hewkii's Mask of Gravity could come in useful in a close-quarters fight," came Hahli's voice.
"Yes, but he'd give away Nuparu's position too quickly," replied Jaller. "I can keep an ear out with my Mask of Sonar to make sure Nuparu is safe, and the four of us can rush in to rescue him if he gets into serious trouble."
A few more paces, and Takanuva was standing in the archway to Jaller's quarters. "Jaller!" exclaimed Takanuva. "Hi, Hahli! What are you talking about?"
"Oh, hi Takanuva," answered Jaller, sounding irritable and mopping his mask. "Hahli and I are working on improving our mission tactics."
"That sounds great! Can I help at all?"
"I don't really see how," said Jaller. "It's more about coordinating our masks and powers together and fighting underwater. It's not really something you could help with unless you had fought alongside us."
"Oh. Okay. Well, maybe I could just stay and watch?" Takanuva asked. It felt like ages since he had been able to spend time with his friends.
Hahli looked at him, frustration apparent in her eyes. "Takanuva, we've got to prepare for our next mission. I know you mean well, but can you come back later?"
"Alright," he answered. "Good luck with planning your tactics. Maybe come find me when you have a moment." Takanuva walked away, doubting they would have the time. Their rejection stung, and he felt awkward at their dismissal of his offer to help. Even as he left, he heard Jaller and Hahli debating whether one Toa was enough to infiltrate a ship.
He wandered through the caves, hoping to find something to do. Someone to talk to. Anything. When he was left alone, his mind wandered to dark places. Metru Nui, and his Matoran friends. Were they being tortured, or forced to toil to build for Makuta? And what of the Turaga - perhaps they were being held hostage in the Coliseum, or being publicly executed for daring to defy Makuta's will.
At times like this, his thoughts inevitably turned to Vakama. Perhaps if he had moved quicker, or been more alert, he would have been able to save him. Takanuva imagined a thousand ways he could have vaporized the Rahkshi, a thousand ways for Vakama to express his gratitude for saving his life, punctuated by images of Vakama gasping for air, or his lifeless body being put to rest.
He shook the thoughts from his head. He'd seen enough death in the past weeks to last a lifetime. Torturing himself like this wasn't going to change anything.
Kopaka watched as the Skakdi shipping vessel crossed the ocean waters above them. Makuta had recently convinced numerous Skakdi warlords to join him. Consequently, their shipping lanes were now full of newly built vessels traveling to Xia, the Northern Continent, and recently - Metru Nui. It wasn't possible for a group of a few dozen Toa to permanently disrupt the shipping lanes, but the Toa's hidden coastal base allowed them to keep watch of movements. And none were as well suited for this task as Kopaka, his Nuva Mask of Vision a crucial asset in their plans.
Onua and Gali kept close to him. Gali seemed glad to have company as she ventured underwater, all too keen to describe the various forms of life that lived in the ocean. And Onua rarely complained about anything, often keeping his thoughts to himself. Initially, Kopaka was glad to finally be paired with two of the more level-headed members of his team, especially since Pohatu had been getting on his nerves with his unending and unhelpful warnings about Teridax. Unfortunately, Gali and Onua managed to keep themselves amused with long, philosophical debates.
"Prosperity is not simply owning material goods," Onua explained to Gali. "Although it is beneficial to have many weapons and supplies! But prosperity also applies to teammates, to wisdom, to inner attributes. It does not simply mean who has collected the most trinkets."
"But does that prosperity not blind you from purity?" asked Gali. "With so much happening in Onu-Koro, with so much metalworking and crafting, how did anyone find any peace?"
Kopaka would almost have preferred to come alone, so he might get a little peace.
"True peace can be found anywhere," answered Onua. "How does a focus on purity assist the Ga-Koronans as prosperity does?"
Gali allowed her arms to flow freely in the water, clearly appreciating the near-weightlessness it provided. "Purity is derived from unity. When we can truly know ourselves and be free of inner poison, we can be united like no other."
The conversation suddenly ended as they noticed something heading towards them. A ship - a freight ship, by the looks of things - approached from the North, heading to the South. Making its way towards Stelt? Or perhaps the Southern shores of the Northern Continent, or even the Southern Continent? It didn't matter. Kopaka activated his Mask of Vision, sharing it with his teammates, as he glanced at the contents of the ship.
"I only see a pile of mechanical parts," said Gali. "Do either of you see anything worth noting?"
"More of the same," replied Kopaka. "They look like the broken-down Vahki Nuju showed me."
Was that Makuta's plan? Creating new Vahki to enforce his laws? Kopaka took note of the dozen Skakdi in the ship. If it came to a fight, it would be a tough one. They could try and sink the ship and fly away without being noticed. It would likely be too difficult to bother trying to recover the load.
"Look to the rear," Onua said, pointing towards the ship. "Do you see the prisoner in the back?"
Kopaka glanced in the aft hold. A being was chained up against the wall a maskless head slumped over to one side. A Skakdi kept watch over the captive, but he looked distracted and bored.
"Is that a Toa?" Kopaka asked.
"It looks like one," said Gali. "If it's not, then Skakdi sadism has grown harsher than I remember."
Kopaka considered the options. He was reluctant to allow another Toa to be held captive and tortured by the Skakdi. On the other hand, the Toa Nuva had been bested by six Skakdi before, and this ship was crawling with them. The odds weren't in their favor.
If only Pohatu were here, he could use his Mask of Speed to break into the hold, grab the captive Toa, and get out with ease. Instead, Kopaka would have to carefully use his Mask of Vision to sneak in, take out the guard, and sneak back out with the captive in tow. He would be relying on Gali and Onua to cover their escape, and if he were to be captured himself, Gali and Onua would have trouble locating him. They'd have to fight the whole ship to get him out.
Kopaka sighed. "Right, I'll head in, grab the prisoner, and head out."
"It sounds risky, but I don't see an alternative," said Gali. "Onua and I can attack from under the water and create a diversion."
"We can break the water and fly out to draw their attention as well," added Onua. "And once you're out, I can force the ship aground."
"I'm going in," said Kopaka. Without another word, he kicked out toward the ship, jets on his armor speeding him through the water. The body of the ship cast an enormous shadow as he passed under it, and when the light began to shine through on the other side he quickly rose up, breaking the water's surface. His adaptive armor transformed into flight mode, and he hovered just beneath the main deck.
A quick check with his mask confirmed that the coast was clear. The Skakdi remained in their cabins, unprepared for an attack coming from under the waves. Kopaka climbed up, vaulted over the railing, and landed aboard the ship. He checked his surroundings again, before heading down the stairs into the lower deck.
A moment later, Kopaka was at the doorway to the aft hold. Through the walls, he could clearly see the Toa shackled up. Her armor was scuffed, her mask long gone. She hung from the wall, barely able to stay awake, as a Skakdi gleefully threatened her with his blade.
Kopaka didn't need to burst open the door and engage in any sword of swordplay. He focused on the Skakdi, summoning a prison of ice to encase him. The Skakdi panicked as his legs became trapped, firing a laser blast from his eyes throughout the room, setting the wall ablaze as he turned to face the doorway. He was too slow, and before he could finish the turn he was completely frozen.
Kopaka casually opened the door, stepping into the room. The ship trembled as if an earthquake had struck it. Gali and Onua had obviously decided Kopaka had taken enough time and begun their assault.
As Kopaka approached the chained Toa, he grabbed his blade, shattering her chains with one strike each. He soon caught her in his arms.
"A rescue…?" the Toa faintly asked, nearly collapsing to the floor.
Kopaka had to hold her under the arms to keep her upright. "You were lucky we caught sight of you. Any idea where your mask is?"
She shook her head.
"Can you walk?" Kopaka asked.
"I think so. Are you alone?"
An ear-splitting sound echoed through the room. Kopaka dropped his swords, but he barely heard them clang against the deck. His hands went up to cover his ears, trying to block the took every ounce of willpower to remain standing. The Toa he had freed fell to the ground, covering her ears and moaning in pain. A few moments of agony passed before the assault on his senses finally faded.
"Good job wriggling your way down here and grabbing our prisoner," came a voice, but Kopaka could barely hear it over the ringing of his ears. A Skakdi, her armor gunmetal grey, stood in the doorway. She bared her enormous teeth into the creepy grin that characterized the Skakdi. "But I won't let you escape."
Kopaka unbuckled his shield, drawing it into a protective stance, and knelt down to grab his blades. "How did you know I was here?"
"We have vision powers too, Frosty. Care to guess what mine is?" Her grin widened, further exposing viciously sharp teeth. "You Toa aren't as subtle as you think. I'm the Captain of this ship, and it's time for you to disembark!"
Kopaka summoned a wall of ice in front of him to buy himself some time.
"Do you think a few snowflakes will protect you?" shouted the Skakdi Captain. She sent another sonic shockwave throughout the room. Kopaka could barely hear the sound of chains rattling over the deafening tone. The ice wall rattled before shattering into a thousand tiny particles.
Kopaka sprinted towards the Captain, his shield ready to block her first strike. The Captain drew her own weapon. Kopaka was momentarily taken aback by the emergence of a giant spike, ridged edges cascading towards the pointed end. She spun it in her hand a few times, and he could see the sheen of the curved spirals surrounding it, looking just as sharp as the point. Focus. He looked back up at her eyes as she moved. She didn't strike, and instead slipped to the left past Kopaka's charge. The Captain slashed, and Kopaka barely managed to duck underneath the attack, twisting on his foot to thrust with his own sword. The Captain parried it harmlessly away, the tapered ridge of the spike catching the blade as she prepared to batter down Kopaka's defenses.
They began a dance, the three weapons whirling against each other. The Skakdi favored sweeping counters and slashes, Kopaka preferred to shield and thrust. The sounds of clanging metal reverberated off each other, and the Captain's eyes shone with sadistic glee. She rushed in, swinging her weapon wildly.
Kopaka kept his mask activated, half an eye focused on watching through the walls. If he wanted, he could freeze the Skakdi in place; if she wanted, she could knock him back with another sonic blast. An unspoken mutual understanding meant that neither resorted to elemental attacks.
As he slashed out with a backhanded strike from his second blade, Kopaka caught sight of Onua preparing another elemental attack to fire at the ship. Kopaka surged into the air, allowing his adaptive armor to switch to flight mode. He fainted his blade toward the Captain. As she moved to counter, Onua unleashed his attack. The room shook violently, knocking the Captain off her feet. A quick blast of ice trapped her to the floor, even as a growing iceblock carried the freed Toa to lift her towards Kopaka. Grabbing her by the waist, Kopaka hoisted the Toa over his shoulder and flew toward the doorway.
Moments later he was back in open air. Banking around, Kopaka got a better glimpse of the battle ahead. The main deck was covered in a thick mud, no doubt created by Gali and Onua combining their elemental powers. Onua hovered nearby, rolling and twisting to evade any attacks. A dozen Skakdi waded through the sludge, trying to get a firing position on Onua. One created a blast of flame from his fingertips, and another fired his blaster at the Toa of Earth. Onua barrel rolled and dived beneath the waters, both attacks missing him.
An enormous wave towered over the ship, no doubt Gali's doing. As it approached, Skakdi grabbed onto whatever they could find, bracing themselves for the attack. The wave rocked the vessel, even as Gali rose from the sea, firing streams of water at whatever Skakdi she could target.
Kopaka decided to finish the job. As he pointed his sword at the ship, he sent a cooling wave over the mud. The sludge quickly froze, trapping Skakdi within.
Still holding the rescued Toa, he flew back towards Gali. "Time to go. The Skakdi were kind enough to give us this gift."
Gali smiled. "They won't be going anywhere any time soon." Her mask began to glow as she shared the power of water breathing with the maskless Toa, before diving beneath the waves. Kopaka followed her under and Onua soon caught up.
"We will need to get a new mask for this one," said Onua as he gestured toward the Toa they had rescued. "We should stop by De-Koro and see if they have one they can spare."
"De-Koro," said Kopaka, thinking about the village. "It's nice and quiet there. I could go a while without having to worry about another sonic scream blasting my ears."
"Is that what happened below deck?" asked Gali. "I heard the sound from out here."
"A Skakdi with sonic powers decided to try and sing me a lullaby," answered Kopaka. "Unfortunately for her, I wasn't in the mood for a nap."
Gali snorted. "Didn't Hewkii just recruit a Toa of Sonics? You'd be best to avoid getting on his bad side," she teased.
Takanuva had taken a seat in the central chamber. A half dozen stone tables, each with seats, had been arranged - all created by Pohatu. After a while, Mazeka and Lewa joined him. While Takanuva was glad for the company at first, the discussion had soon turned to debating the merits of following Teridax.
"Teridax has done well to recruit so many Toa under one roof," Mazeka argued. "Without him, none of this would be possible!"
"Teridax quick-convinced Tahu to join him, and he soon had a dozen Toa under his command," countered Lewa. "We defeated eight Makuta in Karda Nui, and the Toa Mahri saved Mata Nui's life. Those Toa aren't blind-following Teridax, they're following us. They're following Tahu."
"Lewa, I trust Teridax," Takanuva butted in, getting more frustrated by this chain of conversation. "Is it so hard to understand why? If you set off on your own, what do you hope to achieve?"
"I don't know, maybe we could actually fight-take Metru Nui," answered Lewa. "You and Tahu are too close-trusting of Teridax. How much difference is there really between him and Makuta?"
"He's from another Universe," said Takanuva. "It could be completely different to ours. I've been to another reality where Tahu and Kopaka helped Toa to rule over Matoran. I fought alongside that Universe's Makuta. You can't judge Teridax based on what our Makuta did."
Mazeka adjusted himself, looking up at Lewa. "Teridax is an honorable being. I personally chose him to come to our world. He's fearless and brave, and the only reason he keeps secrets is because he knows how cunning our Makuta is. You really should learn to trust him, Lewa. I did."
"An infected Manu bird hides in the Kewa's nest. The Kewa takes the Manu in, treating it as her own. The peaceful Kewa gives in to the Manu's demands, ever-foraging for more and more food for the Manu. Soon the Manu's appetite starves the Kewa, and the Manu feasts on its remains before seeking out new prey."
"Teridax isn't deceiving us, Lewa," said Takanuva. "He opposes Makuta, just as we all do. He is helping us grow our forces, not depriving us of resources."
Lewa stood up suddenly and stretched his legs. "If Teridax is so ever-wise, why does he not understand how much his secrets are hurting his cause?"
Mazeka climbed onto the table to be face-to-face with Lewa. "You don't know how much it hurts him to see you Toa mistrust him. If we were plotting to take down any other being, he would tell you. But he values the success of the mission over your opinion of him." Mazeka looked down and sighed. "Just, try to believe in our cause. Look at the Toa we're gathering. I've never seen so many Toa in one place. Just have faith."
"Faith," Lewa practically spat. "I will not place my faith in another Makuta."
Takanuva sighed. Instead of finding a pleasant conversation, he had just found himself in another argument. He stood up from his seat and left. Behind him, he could still hear Mazeka and Lewa bickering. He thought that perhaps he should just appeal to Teridax himself.
Moments later, he walked into one of the larger chambers, where Teridax could often be seen pouring over maps or meditating in silence.
Teridax had a dozen stone carvings - courtesy of Hewkii - littered around a table. The table itself was carved with a detailed map of the dome the Northern Continent and surrounding islands lay in. Teridax moved a carving of a Toa with bulky armor - like a Toa Nuva - into the ocean, before moving another slim Toa - a Toa Mahri - to the island Xia. Then he turned his head to look at Takanuva. "Greetings. What brings you to my chamber?"
"Looking for conversation, mostly."
Teridax nodded, then looked back to his carvings. "You wish you were going out there with them."
Takanuva fumbled with his thumbs for a moment. "I wish I weren't stuck in this damp cave, I guess."
"You know why you must remain here, of course."
"I could go out there with Gali, you know."
"And slow her down. Or do you think you could keep up with her in the water?"
Takanuva felt frustration rising in him, but tried not to let it show. Teridax was an exemplar of patience and gave off a radiance of calmness. Takanuva felt like he had to prove something to Teridax, as if to say a Toa of Light could project every ounce of wisdom the Makuta of Light could. "I could go out on recruiting missions. I could help communicate with other villages. I can be helpful, like the other Toa. I'm one of them."
"Does being a Toa make you a Toa Nuva, or a Toa Mahri?" asked Teridax. "You've supported them for so long, but your destiny lies elsewhere. Already they have recruited many more to our cause. Do you see Krakua and Zaria begging to go on missions? They understand their place is here, for now. At this point in time, I need the Toa Nuva. I need the Toa Mahri. I do not need a Toa of Light who cannot breathe underwater any more than I need a Toa of Sonics who cannot tunnel underground."
Takanuva felt dejected. How had he failed Teridax already?
Teridax continued. "Soon, you will have a vital role to play, just as all the other Toa do. Your patience will be rewarded, and our victory will bring hope to all. And then, Takanuva, you will stand alongside your Toa brothers, proud and tall, knowing that you have saved the lives of countless beings."
"But, if you could just tell us what those plans are -"
"No." Teridax's voice was firm and harsh. "It is far too dangerous. We must maintain our secrecy."
"Who am I going to tell?"
"Jaller. Hahli. Tahu. Gali. Need I go on? A single glimmer of information - even revealed by accident - puts your friends at risk. What if you try to reassure Pohatu, or let something slip to Hewkii? The next time they go out, they might be captured by Skakdi. Those Skakdi would torture them for sport, before taking them to Ahkmou. And Ahkmou will have ways of making them reveal their plans, even if they don't mean to. One tiny leak puts our plans, your friends, everything we have worked for in jeopardy."
Takanuva looked at Teridax. "Kopaka and Pohatu could use some reassurance. They're beginning to doubt you have a plan at all."
"I know. But it is far too risky. If I lied to them, and they found out, they would be even less likely to trust me again. I must remain steadfast, refusing to break from this path. It is not easy to be of the Light, Takanuva. We must remain strong, even in the face of adversity. We must sustain ourselves, even when we want to rely on our comrades for support. And we must hold our teams together, even when they voice dissent." He picked up a carving of a Toa in his hand. "This path I now walk is a lonely one. But I must walk it. And when the time comes, the glory will be ever so sweet."
