Chapter 2: Meeting of the Toa
The City-Nui was a prime example of architectural perfection. Constructed at the heart of the main Spherus Magna continent, it was a large, walled city formed from the many new materials made available by the planet's reformation. Metal and stone buildings could be seen upon approaching the city walls, they overlooked everything and in some parts of the city blocked out the sun. Within the walls if the City-Nui was a gallery that ran the length of the city depicting the history of Aqua, Bota and Bara Magna up to their convergence into Spherus Magna. Many passageways led into the city and branched out into the Wahi Nuvas, there were larger paths that converged in the center of the city where the arena stood. In the arena kohlii tournaments, citizen assemblies and Turaga Council meetings were held. The city was inhabited by Matoran and Agori of all kinds, living together as one kind rather than separate, of course there were those who chose to live in their respective Nuis.
Toa Lewa was anxious to approach City-Nui, he'd never seen the inside of it before, he only gazed from afar. Ever since the technological revolution, his presence always felt unneeded, Matoran and Agori began to create more advanced security systems and weapons. It left a kind of dark cloud over him, especially as he watched the Matoran and Agori neglecting the environment around them and abusing it for their own needs, it made everything around him seem so ugly.
"Are you alright Toa Lewa?" Turaga Matau asked the apprehensive Toa.
Lewa shook his head unknowingly. "No, I feel terrible about coming here, I can only think on how my Toa brothers and sister feel." He sighed.
"All I can help-say is that they will be very cheer-happy about your return." Turaga Matau told the Toa with calm encouragement. With that the Toa and Turaga continued along the stone path to the City-Nui.
The doors to Pohatu's apartment slid open with the press of a few buttons on a keypad. His apartment was mostly filled with white furniture along with paintings and awards. It was up on the thirtieth floor of a residential building that overlooked the arena through walls of glass windows.
Pohatu and Tahu entered the apartment carrying baskets of produce and other organic materials used for meals. Pohatu courteously took the basket from Tahu, "Sit brother, as my guest you shouldn't be carrying anything in my home." Pohatu said, starting over to the kitchen area of the apartment, which lay right beside the living room.
Tahu took an awkward glance around the living room, it was much different in the City-Nui homes than those in Ta-Nui. He took a few steps into the room and looked it over closely, facing the glass wall was a long couch of white fabric, Tahu didn't know what kind it was though. He felt the head of the couch to see what it felt like, when he pulled his hand away however, there was a large, black mark left by the dust and charcoal on his hands. Oh...whoops.Tahu said to himself nervously, Maybe Pohatu won't notice.
Pohatu returned from the kitchen with two glasses of red liquid and passed one to Tahu. He looked at it curiously, he'd never seen such a liquid before. It discomforted him more than anything, the red liquid reminded him of the blood of an organic.
Pohatu looked out the window, taking only small drinks from the glass. His eyes watched the arena as Matoran and Agori shuffled through the streets around it, slipping into or out of shops, hoping onto rahi pulled carriages, and for the rich; stepping into their own automobile, a rather new concept that only the rich could only currently afford.
"So," Tahu started, setting the glass down on a wooden table beside the couch, "how is city life treating you brother?"
Pohatu turned to his brother with regard, "Very well, I may not be among my people, but I do get to do things I very much enjoy." He smiled. "And how are things in Ta-Nui?"
"We are doing very well, thank you. We've recently completed construction." Tahu answered, taking the place beside Pohatu so that he could also look out the window. "This place, I cannot find myself belonging here." Tahu said grimly.
Tahu was not the only one who felt that way, Pohatu did feel the same once. The Toa had either spent their existence in suspended animation, or on a tropical island with little technological advancement. If the City-Nui demonstrated anything to them, the Matoran were capable of finding their own way without the Toa, this was what really made them disapprove of this technological revolution; they were not needed, they were useless.
Gali walked down the long, golden hallway of the wall surrounding City-Nui, however it was not a leisurely stroll. Her hand was close to her face where she held the recently developed telecommunications device. On it she spoke with Governor Kayma, the Turaga of the Vo-Matoran who took residence on the border of the Wilds and the Beyond. "I do understand your concerns Governor, but Turaga Dume only has the safety of your people in his best interests." Gali said to the Turaga through the device.
"It seems he does, but my word is final, we want no part in your little republic." The Turaga spoke sternly to the Toa. The Vo-Matoran lived in a very hostile region of the Spherus Magna continent and Turaga Dume had offered to send caravans to help them transfer into the city. However, the location the Vo-Matoran lived in had prominent lightning storms which helped sustain their energy. They also believed that the way the Matoran were melding societies with the Agori and the formation of a democratic society among the people was disgraceful to their old ways. The Vo-Matoran even stated many times that they had continued to live their lives as if the Spherus Magna was never reformed, and representatives noted to the Turaga Council that their crime rates were lower and the threat of war waging among their villagers was never even a worry, while there have been concerns of Matoran and Agori abusing new technology with each other.
"You do understand that this is the Turaga's final offer." Gali said concerningly.
"Well his initial offer was unneeded too Toa, my people are perfectly fine." Turaga Kayma replied. "I must really be going now Toa of water."
"Of course," Gali sighed, discouraged by her inability to sway the Governor, "but please consider the Turaga's offer one more time. Our scientists have found-"
"Goodbye Toa Gali." The Turaga said with a strong and annoyed tone and shut off her telecommunication device.
Gali groaned and returned the device to her waist, where it hung there through a magnet. Gali sat herself on a bench that faced the gallery of history, frustration was something she couldn't handle, but it was one of the many stresses of being a part of this modernizing society. She glanced at the gallery, hoping to find solace in the past, she found herself looking at a painting depicting her and her brothers in their Old Mata bodies, they all stood together in the Kini-Nui shrine. Gali mourned the loss of her old life as a hero, but her destiny was fulfilled, Mata-Nui had awakened, Spherus Magna reformed and as a result, the Matoran had no need for Toa. Worst of all however, the Toa's unity had been shattered, she hadn't seen the majority of her brothers for the better part of a century, her duty was reduced to settling political disputes and writing out drafts for laws as assigned by certain Turaga. Is there a new destiny for me, or am I doomed to live like this forever? Can I even call myself a Toa?
"Toa Gali." The soft voice of Turaga Nokama said. Gali turned her head to face the Turaga, "The Turaga have requested your presence." She said.
"Of course." Gali said, disappointed, expecting another, simple political excursion.
Onua stood in the middle of a large crowd of Matoran and Agori, shuffling about in the streets of the City-Nui. The last time he had been in the city was when it was still in its infancy, he and Pohatu had been using their powers to help construct the buildings of the city. Now, however, it had changed so dramatically that he had no possible way of finding where he was supposed to go. "Excuse me." Onua said to the small beings crowded around him, however they seemed too focused on their own daily tasks to notice him. "Hello, can someone help me find my way to the arena?"
The Matoran and Agori ignored him, but to the Toa of earth's surprise, he heard something he found absolutely shocking, "Get out of the way! You're in the way you big oaf!"
Onua's eyes fell wide in absolute disgust by the words, "Hey, who dares say such horrible things?" He felt a shove from one of the citizens and couldn't help but feel angry. "Alright, who did that!?" He exclaimed.
"Get outta the way! Move it you idiot! What are ya doing just standing around!" Multiple voices shouted.
Onua tensed, his fists clenched, "That's enough!" He boomed, his voice storming over the crowd. He stomped his foot down nearly one foot into the street and rose an enormous pillar of purple crystal in the middle of the crowd, dispersing the citizens. They all fell silent and looked over to Onua in shock, "Now, can anyone tell me where the Arena is?"
Tahu and Pohatu approached the arena walls, anxiety and excitement overwhelmed them, they would soon be with their brothers and sister again. Then from the western streets of the city approached Lewa and Turaga Matau, coming in from Le-Wahi Nuva. From the east of the city approached Onua. The Toa looked at each other closely, as if trying to decipher whether they were truly who they thought they were. Some of them looked so different, especially Lewa, whose armour was stained with moss and vines hung from his body like he'd lied down and let the forest consume him.
"Brothers!" Onua exclaimed, charging at the group of Toa with outstretched arms. He lifted the Toa off of their feet and crushed them against his chest with jolly, bellowing laughs that shook the ground like a quake. "It had been much too long!"
"Onua...we can't...breathe…" Pohatu wheezed against the Toa of earth's Pakari. Onua dropped the Toa, they clammered and stumbled for balance while trying to regain their breaths.
"Indeed Onua, it has been a very long time." Lewa said, seemingly trying to hold back a smile. Lewa seemed to have changed the most, he stood tall and stiff, he no longer spoke in treespeak and his voice was firm.
"Lewa! You've lost your treespeak." Pohatu noted with surprise.
I lost and gained many things in that forest.Lewa said to himself, but he knew saying that outloud would warrant unwanted questions. So, he simply shrugged his shoulders.
"It is good-nice to see you all rejoicing, but we must quick-sped to the meeting chamber." Turaga Matau interjected, stepping between the Toa. "Now." He demanded and they all entered the arena.
Turaga Matau led the Toa across the arena floor. It was a layer of dirt over metal grating harvested from the Great Spirit Robot. The grating hung above a water chamber used to flood the arena in the case of a fire. Stands rose up from the arena's inner walls like a telescope of stairs, they rose nearly one hundred feet into the sky, however, the arena was still often eclipsed by the skyscrapers of the city. The Toa entered the wall of the arena where they were led down a hallway to a locked door where the other Turaga and Toa Gali stood.
"Lewa! Tahu!" Gali called, rushing over to her brothers and embracing them for a short moment. "It-"
"It's been too long, we know." Tahu interrupted, growing slightly frustrated by the phrase.
Gali chuckled a little bit, then her face turned confused, "Where's Kopaka?"
"He walked out on us." Pohatu said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"There will be time for catching up later." Turaga Dume interjected gravely, "We must go."
"Go, where?" Lewa asked.
The Turaga stood silent for a moment, then Turaga Whenua turned to the locked door and entered a code into its keypad. The heavy door slowly slid open and the Toa and Turaga stepped in aversely, the Toa glancing about the room nervously. The room was dark, with only enough room for seven Toa, seven Turaga and a Matoran. Steam rose up from the water pipes below the rusted grating and dim lights were hung in the corners of the room. At the far wall was a half circle of non-grated metal, in the half circle sat Takanuva.
Takanuva sat in a meditating position, in front of him drifted the mask Tahu and Kopaka had found in the chamber two days before. It drifted in a golden light as Takanuva made attempts to discover the masks previous owner. Beside Takanuva stood the Onu-Matoran that had detained the mask, Aledec.
Aledec was a rather tall Onu-Matoran who looked to be made of scrap metal. He was of the inventive sort, mentored by the late Toa Nuparu in the realm of mechanics. He wore a modified Akaku-black in color-where telescoping eyes jutted out from both sides of the face. He also carried a jetpack that he made himself and an energy launcher;which he also built.
"Toa Takanuva." Turaga Vakama spoke, alerting the Toa of Light to everyone's presence.
Takanuva lifted his head over his shoulder armour, breaking his concentration from the mask. It fell to the floor in a loud clang that shattered the eerie silence. Takanuva winced at the sound and looked at the visitors with embarrassed eyes.
Turaga Vakama sighed with a palm to the forehead of his Huna. "Have you found what I asked you to find?"
Takanuva took the mask from the ground and stood to face the group. "Yes, I have." He said, walking over to them, "After close inspection, I have discovered that this mask belonged to a Makuta." He said, dipping the mask into Turaga Nokama's hands. "I don't know if this Makuta is alive or not, most likely not though, if they don't have their kanohi."
Nokama looked over the mask with careful eyes. She gently moved the mask through her hands before she waved over Turaga Nuju. The Turaga inspected the mask with his newly added eyepiece that carried all of the data from the archives with it.
"I don't mean to interrupt you Turaga, but Kopaka already tried that, he couldn't identify the kanohi." Tahu informed.
Turaga Nuju slowly lifted his head up to Tahu with plain eyes, he held silent for a moment before returning to the mask. He spoke a few clicks and clacks and the small translation robot, hovering beside his head did as programmed. "I am not trying to figure out what the mask is, but what the symbols on it mean." The robot said in an artificial voice that unnerved everyone in the room, even Aledec, who constantly worked with robots.
"Symbols?" The Toa and Turaga seemingly whispered to each other collectively.
Clicks, squeaks and taps echoed from the Turaga's mouth and the robot quickly translated. "Any who bare the power of this mask will be cursed to carry the power to bend other's will using their deepest, and darkest fears. Any who bare the power of this mask will be cursed with feeling only hatred, fear, agony and sorrow. Only the one cursed to be unworthy to carry the power of this mask may wear it, for they are the only ones who cannot be destroyed by it, for they seek gratitude in inflicting such power."
The onlookers glanced at each other, curious. "What does that mean?" Gali asked.
Turaga Nokama took the golden mask from Nuju and faced the group. "That means that this is the long, often believed fictional, mask of fear. Named by the legendary Artakha himself." Nokama said grimly, facing the mask to the group. "It is the kanohi Phorbus."