Chapter 4

"I didn't tell you to put it on."

The words continued to play over and over in Beisbeis' mind. Hapori Tohu sat opposite of him, watching him intently. The Matoran continued watching the pictures drift by while thinking of what to say to the Spirit. He was not eager to discover if he had ruined anything else along the way.

Hapori Tohu could apparently sense Beisbeis' discomfort, because he suddenly stood up out of his chair. The captain noticed the Spirit's height was much more imposing when he, Beisbeis, was sitting down.

"I want to show you something to begin with," Hapori Tohu said, holding out his hand. Beisbeis looked at the offer for a few seconds, puzzled, before accepting it.

A bright flash, and -

He was suddenly not in the void, with Hapori Tohu in front of him. He was in the midst of a mass exodus of Matoran. At the front was his Koro's Spirit, leading these people on. Smoke from smoldering buildings watched them leave in the distance. A single word penetrated Beisbeis' mind:

Departing.

Tears were streaming down almost every Matoran's face. Some were being bore on crude stretchers; most were convulsing violently, and streaks of black covered their bodies. Another word found its way into Beisbeis' mind:

Kratta.

Beisbeis' heart rose into his throat as he realized the devastation Makuta had wrought among his people. His tears fell to the ground with the rest as the company trudged on –

He was now standing among Matoran that were constructing a massive creation. Hammers and chisels carved enormous building blocks partially made of protodermis; each were lifted into the air and on top of each other by Matoran on temporary scaffolding. As Beisbeis watched an arch begin to form, a familiar name came to his mind:

BZ-Koro.

While the Matoran watched the formation of his home, he –

Was in the Suva room, watching Hapori Tohu who was standing in front of the center dome. He looked similar to what Beisbeis had when he first entered the world where he was; that same upright posture, that same deliberating face. One last word entered Beisbeis' mind:

Protection.

But whether it was for Hapori Tohu or someone else, he could not tell.

After a few more seconds, Hapori Tohu grimly walked for ward and touched the center dome. As the Spirit began to dissolve in a bright light, Beisbeis, too, felt similarly; and after an instant, he was pulled –

Back to his seat, facing Hapori Tohu.

Beisbeis breathed in and out for a couple seconds, trying to take in what he had just witnessed.

"So – So that was…" he started quietly. Hapori Tohu nodded and answered his question.

"This is the beginning of our people," he said, "We originally were a Koro of Mata Nui, although our home was known only to one person: the Turaga of Ko-Koro, Nuju." Beisbeis nodded; he was aware of all of what had been said, though beyond that his understanding was limited. "We lived on the southern side of Mount Ihu, content with our lives, making due with what we had. Unfortunately, we were discovered: Makuta, ever seeking to conquer the Matoran, stumbled upon our village. Soon after, kratta had invaded, infecting many of our people." Beisbeis could feel the mixture of grief and hatred in Hapori Tohu's voice as the Spirit paused for a moment, trying to control his emotions before continuing.

"Faced with utter destruction, we abandoned what used to be our home in search of a new one. Soon, to the southwest, near Le-Wahi, we found an area filled with protodermis that we could mine and use. A city to the east of that became our new home, stronger than before." Beisbeis smiled; he had never been more proud of his people and the way they could recover in the midst of disaster. Hapori Tohu's face, however, tightened slightly, as he resumed.

"Yet again, however, we were to be tried. Mata Nui's shifting plates caused Mr. Rûn to rise, while the grassland began to separate. We soon became our own island; and the for off shores of Mata Nui concealed us from the rest of the world." Beisbeis blinked confusingly, struggling to figure out what his Spirit had just told him.

"So… How is that a bad thing?" He asked bewilderingly. Hapori Tohu sighed grimly.

"One of the benefits – and at the same time, the largest disadvantage – of being endowed with elemental powers is just that – having them. Everyone with the ability to control any element can sense other elemental powers – their brothers and sisters – when they are nearby. Unfortunately, Makuta is also one of those few gifted beings. Despite the fact that we wee steadily moving away from Mata Nui, I felt the absence of light along the coast, although faintly: my powers are not over any specific element. Nevertheless, my fears were developing again." Beisbeis sat upright, leaning forward slightly.

"So you came to here?" He questioned, almost accusingly, although he hated to admit it. "What did our people think of that?" Hapori Tohu's red eyes gave off a weary glow.

"I told them of my intentions. I believe they understood the danger of me remaining. If I stayed with them, I would have condemned them all to death. As long as I waited, to save them, they would be harmed in the end." Hapori Tohu gazed at Beisbeis with a sad smile. "I hate irony sometimes."

Beisbeis sat in his chair, pondering. "So –sir," he added, reminding himself of Také's humility, "Not to be rude, but why did you show me that?"

"It is necessary for me to make my intentions clear to you," Hapori Tohu explained. "I want you to know that I will help in saving BZ-Koro as much as I can. What is important now is for you to decide whose side you are on - because soon that choice will be made for you if you are not careful. Whose side you are on will determine the fate of our people. Choose wisely."

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The five squadrons of 150 men uneasily made their way out of BZ-Koro as the bright sun rose in the morning sky, evaporating the cool dew. Sori watched two birds flutter from off of the wet ground and into the sky. He wished he had the freedom the possessed right then; at the moment, handcuffs anchored him firmly with Niwan.

As he continued down the well-trodden path with large forest trees and small bushes surrounding it, he suddenly found his arms being tugged to stop him where he was. Everyone else gradually descended to a halt.

"We'll take a fifteen-minute break," Niwan called, "So you can rest for a moment and fix your pack better for the trip ahead." The Matoran spread out in the nearby area, grouped in three or four to be ready for any Bohrok.

Sori was pulled far away from Niwan, near the base of a large expansive tree. Karon glanced around nervously as the two soldiers guarding Sori sat him down on a particularly large root. Curious to what was going on, Sori watched the captain one last time before he sat down, too.

"Can you see Niwan?" he asked one of the guards anxiously. The Matoran shook his head.

"He disappeared into the forest by himself – no one went with him."

"Karon, what's – " Sori began, but Karon cut him off.

"Am I right in assuming you are allied with Beisbeis?" Karon whispered curtly as Sori opened his mouth.

"Yes," he answered fiercely. Karon nodded and leaned forward.

"Good, good – I'll let you in on what we're doing. Most of those loyal to Beisbeis are returning to BZ-Koro – without Niwan's permission." Karon paused, watching Sori closely. "Whatever Niwan says, we are not going to abandon BZ-Koro to let the Bohrok ravage it again."

"Are you going then, too?" Sori asked. Karon nodded hesitantly.

"Yes – the soldiers will need someone to lead them." Sori was fine with this; he had had enough of leadership already. "Speaking of soldiers," Karon looked around again, and saw everyone distracted with other business, "We could use you as one. A fighter, I mean. Once we leave, it'll be safe to assume Niwan will not be happy, and we have no idea where he's planning to go. You'd be safer with us."

The prisoner sat still for a moment, contemplating the options he now had. Karon waited impatiently, until – astonishingly – Sori shook his head, rather vigorously.

"Are you… sure?" He whispered timidly. He received the same answer.

"For most of the fighting here, I have been against someone who only wanted to save his people," he said quietly, "He wanted to protect his people, their land, their cultures, their lives. All I wanted was the power," he added bitterly. "Well, now I know what I should be fighting for. And I'm going to make sure I fix what I've messed up, or at least make up for it. I've chosen what side I'm on, and I'm going to stay there."

Karon sat quietly for a few seconds, chewing his tongue while contemplating what he had heard. He nodded soon, as if agreeing to what Sori had said, and looked at the Matoran with a respectful smile on his face.

"Well, then, may Mata Nui be with you."

Ten minutes later, the same two Matoran escorted Sori as before – he supposed they were staying with him, too. Soon after, Niwan returned from the forest, a triumphant look in his eyes. He quickly gave the call to move. Sori smirked; hadn't even bothered to check who was there and who was not.

As they started their trek again, Sori noticed several Matoran lying amongst the shrubs, waiting for the company to pass. The prisoner smiled inside as they continued past the men waiting to abandon: regardless of the predicament he was still in, he finally felt, for the first time, that he had made the right decision.

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The pictures still floated through the endless space, seeming to go somewhere. But, try as he might, those images had none of the answers to Beisbeis' new questions.

"Sir… um – " He sighed, "I though I have already chosen which side I am on. Why do I have to choose again?"

Hapori Tohu rested on his seat, eyeing Beisbeis, scrutinizing. "Are you sure you have decided? It seems with what happened at Lake Lamén, it was otherwise…"

Beisbeis' heart sank and looked down; he wished he could disappear anywhere into the expanse. It was one thing to be rebuked by a Matoran; it was quite another to be chastised by a Spirit. After a few awkward seconds, Beisbeis looked back up to ask the question – the one that was why he had really traveled to come here.

"S-Sir… Is there a way to heal me?"

He said these words almost hopefully, as if the Spirit was the one who could do it. Hapori Tohu sighed deeply, and Beisbeis' heart sank again.

"Unfortunately, Beisbeis, I have no experience in that. If I did, many more of our people would have survived Makuta's attack." He folded his arms matter-of-factly at Beisbeis. "This is something we will have to deal with later, a least until the Bohrok are stopped."

Beisbeis sat rigid in his chair, stunned at what he had heard. Hapori Tohu sighed, as if sensing the Matoran's distress.

"Believe me, Beisbeis, when I say that if I was able to heal you, I would. There are ways to cure you, but none are accessible at this moment."

Beisbeis, who began to slump after a few seconds, began to sit straight once again after hearing there was still a chance to redeem himself. Hapori Tohu eyed him intently for a moment before continuing.

"However, since we are focused on this subject, I must remind you that nothing purely Evil will tell you to do good. It can only persuade you to do evil. This is most important for you, Beisbeis – if you have truly chosen to fight for Good, you must listen for these promptings that tell you to do exactly that."

Beisbeis pondered quietly what he had been told for a few seconds. After watching the images float by their discussion area – he could hardly call that empty expanse a "room" – he turned back to the Spirit.

"Sir… would it be all right if I asked – one more – question?" He said tentatively.

"You are welcome to." Hapori Tohu smiled lightly.

"Do you know what will happen… in the end?"

From what he could see in Hapori Tohu's eyes, Beisbeis was not sure he wanted to know the answer.

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The Matoran were coming.

The creature stared at the approaching group for a few seconds before backing away slightly. Attached to its hand was a small but wickedly curved claw; its usual sheen was somewhat dulled by the mud plastered onto it to detract attention to itself.

Sori continued walking with his two guards behind his back as the plain brush rolled along. He was grateful that he told the Matoran that he was on Beisbeis' side; once they were back on the road, he felt the bands that bound his hands were slightly looser than before. He wriggled his hands a bit inside the hole as he walked.

The creature watched the group slowly pass by. It restricted the instinct to jump out of its hiding place; it assignment was to spy, not to attack. Patience was the key here – patience and good eyes.

Suddenly, Sori's arms were pulled back against the knot and everyone slowed down to a halt once again. The prisoner noticed Niwan in the front, his expression unreadable. The rest of the troops, however, were whispering in a very recognizable tone: fear.

Curious of what was happening, Sori tried to make his way to the front. His guards obliged, feeling the same way he did. As he squeezed past people to the side, a flash of blue stood out amongst the tan plants. Sori blinked, and the strange color was gone. The Matoran watched suspiciously for a few seconds, then slowly resumed moving towards the front.

The beast stood still after running to the front of the group. They were looking at something they destroyed quite a while back; they were not going to cross the river where they were.

As he watched the Matoran, the creature crawled down the slimy riverbank and slipped into the water, leaving small ripples behind.

When Sori finally reached the front, he understood why everyone had stopped. The bridge that connected the east and west sides of The Island was nowhere to be seen; there was only scraps of evidence that any crossing had been there, with half-submerged wooded posts jutting from the surface.

What was stranger to Sori was not the absence of the bridge, although that frightened him; it was the lack of everything else. The plant life around the river that was usually so full of green and life was now dead and charred. There were no usual sounds of creatures and birds, filling the air with their calls. Even the water flowing through felt rather feeble compared to past times he had heard it. Sori hoped they would leave soon. There was no obvious way to cross the river – hopefully Niwan would give up and return to BZ-Koro.

"…Wait…" Sori whispered, straining his ears. There was an unnatural sound coming from the stream. It sounded like wood was scraping against wood…

Others seemed to notice this strange clatter, also. The soldiers continued to inch closer to the river, finally finding the source: two medium-sized boats that had seen better days, banging on the posts from the force of the river.

Sori watched Niwan intently, hoping that even with this new solution across the Main Matoran would decide to retreat. To Sori's disappointment, Niwan nodded, a fierce gleam in his eye.

"Beisbeis must have used them when he came over. We'll make sure it will be his last time. All right, into the boats, eight at a time, let's do this quickly!"

The squadrons shuffled quietly into the boats, beginning the journey across.

The beast watched the Matoran float on those strange wooded devices to the other side. It couldn't see what was wrong with getting wet. Whatever way they took, he was stuck where he was, for the moment, which he decided to wait out. Patience was the key.

Sori scanned the surface of the water warily as the boats paddled their way to the west side of The Island. He was almost certain that someone – or something – was spying on them – he just had no proof.

'Like Niwan would listen to me anyways,' he thought cynically. Almost instinctively he glanced over at the Main Matoran, who was sitting three seats away. It was difficult for him to believe that hardly a day ago he was a General…

As Sori mused over his previous rank, something in the water caught his attention. Two long, orange eyes were staring –

Right at –

Him.

Sori gasped, his heart beginning to race, and the eyes vanished, leaving a pile of sediment floating, disturbed by… something. The prisoner struggled to keep himself calm, but with little effect; he was still too interested in what he had seen.

'Only Gahlok have orange eyes,' he reasoned, 'And probably only Bohrok Va could fit in those shallows…'

But whatever it was, Sori still did not know what it was doing there. Feeling an ill sense of foreboding, Sori watched the Matoran paddle onward, unaware of the unknown danger that would be lurking.

They were right where they were supposed to be. The Gahlok Va slinked away out of the bank and darted away to inform the ones waiting.

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Hapori Tohu watched Beisbeis carefully, his eyes appearing as if they were looking right through him.

"You wish to know your future, Beisbeis?" He asked quietly. Beisbeis nodded. "Well, this is one of those things I do not believe I want to offer to you. Besides, one who is aware of what might happen to them will always be looking over their shoulders or waiting for riches, when they do not realize they must make those choices that may lead them to good or ill."

"…Is there anything you can warn me about – y'know, so I'm more… prepared?" Beisbeis hesitantly replied, "I mean, you wouldn't have to tell me anything you think I shouldn't know, but…" He trailed off hopefully.

Hapori Tohu reluctantly looked at a willing Beisbeis. After a few seconds, he sighed and raised himself from his seat. Beisbeis instantly straightened himself in his seat, but Hapori Tohu appeared to not notice. He stood a couple bio away, raising his arms, while the gears on his back began to glow. From out of nowhere that the Matoran could see, a picture appeared in front of Hapori Tohu – a picture of him, Beisbeis.

Before the Matoran could ask what this meant, the picture began to glow, just like Hapori Tohu. After a few minutes, the Spirit furrowed his eyebrows, although Beisbeis could not see any change to the picture besides the light. Soon after, the light faded, and Beisbeis was anxiously watching Hapori Tohu's face.

"S-So… Was there… anything?" he asked with anticipation. Hapori Tohu stared back at Beisbeis, seemingly choosing what to say and what to withhold.

"…Beisbeis… You have faced many challenges, and temptations thus far. There is one not far from now… It will test you more than ever. You must heed the three virtues – Unity, Duty, and Destiny. Seek my help when you need it – and even when you don't. Only then will you triumph over your adversaries."

Beisbeis sank back into his seat. Everything he had said he had been told his entire life. It was difficult to hide his disappointment. Hapori Tohu seemed to notice, however.

"I believe you have a friend whose name is Také?" Beisbeis blinked surprisingly and nodded. "Listen to what he says. Learn from your friends – they will also aid you."

Beisbeis sat quietly, watching Hapori Tohu's face as he had for this whole discussion. When it was clear no other information would be revealed, he stood from his seat, stooped down on one knee, and whispered meekly, "Thank you, sir…"

Hapori Tohu smiled but said nothing. Beisbeis suddenly stood up once again as he looked at his hands in shock; they were growing brighter every second. The Sprit's face was disappearing into the light. Beisbeis didn't want this to end. He tried running to Hapori Tohu – but with every step he took, the Spirit was farther and father away.

"Wait! Wait!" He cried. The light was so bright he could not see anything. Beisbeis heard one faint word before the light turned pure white.

"…Remember…"

Beisbeis could not remember what happened as he returned to The Island, but soon the light subsided, and he was staring at the Suva, tears streaming down his face. Mumbling, he sank to his knees and fell forward. He tried to break his fall, but his elbows gave way and he dropped to the floor.

"I guess talking with a Spirit takes its toll on you," he said weakly. He raised himself off the ground. He straggled to the door and pushed it open weakly. It was still daylight out. Matoran were placing down their packs, stretching their bodies. Také came to his captain's aid.

"Are you all right, sir? Are you done already? You were in there for only about five minutes…"

Beisbeis grinned at Také, as if he was seeing him in a whole new light. "I guess time isn't an issue when you're talking to a Spirit." Také returned the smile, faintly. Beisbeis patted him on the shoulder, drifted to where he had laid his pack, and immediately fell asleep.

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Sori trudged along the dusty path, growing more tired and testy as the squadrons follow their determined leader. They had been on foot all day long; even when passing the river, Niwan only called for a five-minute rest, and that was in the morning. Unsurprisingly, the soldiers seemed to have the same feelings Sori had; they had crossed half of The Island in two days, taking about half the amount of time it normally would.

Yet, even with these grumblings, Niwan pressed forward, seemingly impervious to the talk around him. Sori was sure he would notice the complaining, but no matter what they tried, they were still continuing on.

The sun was setting as the company finally stopped for the second time that day.

"What's going on?" Sori whispered to the Matoran holding him prisoner. They merely shrugged and pushed themselves to the front of the line, just as they did when they crossed the river. What Sori saw this time was not frightening, but amazing.

They were standing at the beginning of a path that led lower into a steep canyon. It was shaped in a large upside-down "T", with them standing on the east side. The walls of the gorge shone clear and bright; the ground was carved smooth and flat like enormous stairs leading to the junction at the bottom, although Sori noticed the other side was much more sloping and flat. Occasionally a large chunk of this material was partially embedded into the soil beneath, covered in dust and grime. Large pieces of scaffolding connected from one side to the other, making it another world of its own. Around the edges was a well-worn path covered in dying foliage.

"This was the quarry that the Matoran excavated the protodermis for BZ-Koro," Sori heard a veteran whisper to a younger soldier, awed by the sight, "But it has only been used for the army since then for traveling on the west side of The Island. It connected the bridge, Mount Rûn, and Hapori Tohu's Suva, which made it the main road on this side. The scaffolding was used to carry the bricks to the top where they could be moved to where they needed to be – but they haven't used them in ages."

Niwan appeared to once again ignore his men, apparently focused on the excavation. After a few moments, he called to the still-chattering crowd, "All right, let's move on. We're heading to Mount Rûn; that's where Beisbeis probably is right now."

Sori watched the Main Matoran suspiciously. There was no proof that Beisbeis had gone there; and as far as he knew, Niwan had never been to Mount Rûn, and therefore he would not know what could be up there. What was Niwan doing?

Before Sori could answer these questions, however, Niwan confidently started climbing down the first ladder onto the first lower level, gesturing for the rest of the soldiers to come. The initial excitement disappeared as the soldiers reluctantly followed their leader, and Sori could understand why as he came down: the place held an ill sense of foreboding, just as the river did.

The eerie silence was more so once they descended lower, where the wind was nonexistent. The stars and moon were beginning to emerge from the blanket of the dark, and the shadows from the poles and beams of wood gave birth to spindly monsters, lurking in the shadows.

They had slowly descended for about twenty minutes before the line was halted once more. Sori glanced around and found, with great surprise, that they had reached the lowest level of the excavation – and they faced a junction, covered in large boulders that had collected over the years, Sori supposed. One path led west, to Mt. Rûn; the other went trailing north, towards the Suva of Hapori Tohu. The prisoner wished Niwan would choose which way they were going; his mind was breeding nightmares concealed everywhere, and he wanted to escape them as soon as possible. Hoping Niwan had decided, Sori focused his attention on his leader – and was startled to find Niwan standing a few bio away rigidly staring at the ground.

"Come on out!"

Suddenly, the rocks grew green eyes and began to walk towards the group. The Matoran immediately pulled out their weapons as Nuhvok came forward to confront them.

"Stop – Stop!" Niwan cried, as one Bohrok fell, screaming, with an arrow embedded in its head. Dead silence followed, so much that Sori could hear his pulsing heartbeat. Everyone stared at Niwan; the Matoran confused and terrified, the Bohrok as mechanical as ever.

"Which one of you is speaking for the Bahrag?" Niwan asked, looking around expectantly at the Bohrok. One Nuhvok stepped forward, away from the group and in front of Niwan. A green light pulsated from the Krana, hovering above the creature. It lowered down, immersing the Bohrok and illuminating the area with an unearthly glow. It drifted to Niwan, and soon absorbed him, also.

"Here they are, just as I promised. I hope they will be of some use to you."

The Bohrok opened its mouth; however, unlike the typical 'chikt', a clear, but sinister voice was heard.

'Yes… They will be most useful.'

Something was wrong here. Something was very wrong. Sori stared at Niwan disbelievingly. The shock was still with him. One Matoran shouted out from the midst, "So we were wrong all along? That's why you gone so many times into the forest on your own. It's not Beisbeis who sided with the Bohrok. It was you." Others murmured "Traitor" bitterly, but the Main Matoran turned to face the group, a bitter face covering his features.

"Oh, I'm a traitor? Who supported my ascension as Main Matoran? Who stopped me from achieving my goal?"

An empty silence followed before he continued.

"You see, Unity can never last forever. The world is full of worthless people made to follow those with merit, with power. They unite around those who can lead, who know how to rule – not around some unseen principle that is soon corrupted. The only way to truly gain supremacy is to control another's decisions, make them follow you - using the Krana on them. With that, you can do everything. You are everything!"

Sori watched, frightened by Niwan. The Main Matoran was smiling – but it was not a cheerful one. His eyes were filled with a fiery fervor; his face was overtaken by greed and craze. The Nuhvok interrupted the moment by stepping in front of Niwan.

'I trust you understand that we must include you with these Matoran, Niwan.' The traitor's head snapped back at the one that had spoken, and gave a false, high laugh.

"Cahdok, that was not part of our agreement when we met in the forest, as you are well aware," he responded coldly, "You agreed to allow me to run BZ-Koro with these Matoran." Sori, however, could hear the alarm in his voice, and the Matoran's suddenly fearful eyes. Then again, even if he was pleased that things weren't going Niwan's way, he didn't feel like talking, either. He tried loosening his arms from his chains; strangely enough, they felt movable now. The Bohrok shook its long head on command, however, only focused on Niwan.

'The circumstances have changed,' it said; Sori doubted whether that was true. 'You are aware of your choices. Decide.'

"I'd hardly call those choices!" Niwan shouted, the panic rising, taking a step backwards. The Bohrok moved closer to him, its black claws rising.

'Your opinion does not matter. Only the Mission does.'

Niwan looked around frantically at the Matoran. The Bohrok continued to grow closer.

"Help me!" He pleaded desperately.

No one answered.

Sori watched, in a mix of horror, dread, and satisfaction as Niwan was cornered to the edge of a wall, tears pouring down his face. He tripped over a rock and fell onto his back. The Bohrok raised one of its claws, its eyes lifeless and unforgiving.

'Kill him.'

"Wait – please! No – N – "

The claw sank into the skin. Niwan stared in horror at this weapon, lodged into his body. The Bohrok jerked its claw out of the mass, and the Main Matoran shook convulsively at the blood pouring out of his front. Still trembling uncontrollably, Niwan stared at the glowing Bohrok, his face filled with betrayal. The body shuddered for a few moments more, and was still.

"…Now!"

Sori was caught by surprise – Niwan's death had drawn him away from where he was. A Bohrok rushing at him brought him back. He felt the bonds fall to the ground, and one of his guards hastily went out to meet it. Sori watched in horror as the two exchanged blows for a few seconds, before the monster slashed the Matoran through the stomach. His protector fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

Rage filled the former prisoner. In an instant, he sprinted to his fallen defender, grabbed his sword, and severed the Bohrok's outstretched neck. The Krana ejected and the Bohrok fell, squealing; Sori severed it in half as it flew towards him. His hatred for his enemy was intensified from the possibility that he would join their ranks and become a slave to the Krana. Adrenaline coursed through his system; any harm done to him did not slow his course.

It appeared his fellow Matoran felt the same way as he did about the prospects of what they could become. Try as he might, however, more Nuhvok continued to appear and steadily whittle their numbers down. Sori fought and fought, but it made no noticeable difference; all that he had done was make the pile of dead grow larger.

Suddenly, he noticed flames rise from Mt. Rûn, and screeches from the west: Tahnok were coming.

"C'mon!" Someone shouted. Sori quickly ran to join a small group climbing the slope. The Bohrok gained speed, but Sori did not care as he ran towards them. If he died… it was better than enslavement.

They were closer. Sori raised his sword.

Closer. Sori bellowed as loud as he knew.

Closer –

Bohrok and Matoran collided. Sori was shoved violently backward, tangled in a snarl of bodies. There was a terrible pain in his head. The battle was becoming harder to see, to hear…

The former prisoner slowly passed out – but not before he heard more cries of battle….

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'So. Niwan is dead. He survived longer than I expected to.'

The cavern was once again empty, save for the Queens. They had been tapping into the minds of the Krana periodically for the past half-hour, checking on the outcome of the battle. Gahdok shook her head at her sister, half-exasperatedly.

'Niwan was a pawn. He no longer matters.' One of the Sisters focused her attention on the chaotic scene. 'The battle appears to be turning in our favor. Reinforcements from the north have come; this could endanger our prospects. I will send more Tahnok from Mt. Rûn.'

'But, Gahdok,' Cahdok interrupted, as her Twin began to glow brightly, 'shouldn't we be more focused on finding the item? If we can get it, it will sprout terror on Mata Nui – it may even assist us in bringing it back to the Before-Time.'

'If we could pass that cursed wall in the way, we might be able to pass through, but… wait…'

'What?'

'What about Beisbeis?'

'…Yes… He could come to us… We could persuade him…' Gahdok narrowed her eyes.

'Patience… Mistakes are made from hastiness. We must take our own advice we give the Swarm. We must wait until the time is ripe… Patience…'

The Twins sat in the enormous cavern, plotting their efforts until that time.