(A/N): And here's the final third of the last-minute collect-a-thon! Will Ruby and Gali survive their deep-sea danger? Can the other Toa get their Makoki stones? And will the Chronicler's Company make it to Kini-Nui before the final battle with Makuta? Read on to find out!
Ruby's scream manifested itself in a long line of bubbles as she tumbled end-over-end within the mighty current, unable to fight the water's forceful flow as it pushed her upwards. She clung to Crescent Rose like a lifeline, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried desperately not to panic while Gali's elemental display tossed her around. By the time the current finally petered out, she was back at the top of Gaaki's Ravine - and far, far away from the battle below.
No. No. No no no no no no no no no!
Her silver eyes peered back down into the chasm, desperately hoping to catch some kind of glimpse of the Toa of Water having a sudden change of heart. But she couldn't see her armored ally in the depths of the trench. In fact, she couldn't see anything in the inky blackness below. Tears spilled from her eyes as she shook her head. How could she push her away when she needed her most? She understood that Gali was trying to save her - but who was gonna save Gali? There was no way a single Toa could take on the Tarakava Nui -
A warning ping sounded from her Scroll, alerting her once again that her Aura was running low. She looked down at the screen, watching the red-tinged meter slowly tick down with each breath she took. Then she looked up towards the distant surface far above her, which she knew she might be able to reach reach if she started swimming immediately. Finally, she looked back down at the abyss below her boots, her mind plagued by the image of a shattered and broken Toa of Water drifting in the depths.
I can't leave her…I won't leave her.
Her mind was doing its best to convince her to leave with logic and facts. She had almost no Aura. Her air supply was measured in minutes at this point. The Makoki stone was more important than the life of a single Toa. If she went back and helped, what would she do? What even could she do? Channeling any power besides Water-Breathing through her Scroll risked draining her even further, plus she'd have to hold her breath just to use a different Kanohi. Crescent Rose couldn't shoot underwater, and in scythe mode it flowed like a sack of bricks. Her Semblance couldn't do much more than make her go really, really fast. Even her shiny new throwing disk couldn't cut through water with enough force to do anything but flop around and sink, reducing it to a glorified diving knife.
The odds were stacked against her in every possible way. Every part of her brain screamed at her to swim, to flee, to get back to the surface before she started drowning hundreds of feet below sea level.
And yet, her heart only grew harder with resolve.
I'm a Huntress, she thought to herself with a furrowed brow. I'm sworn to help people in need. And right now, despite saying otherwise and despite her noble intentions, Gali needs me. And I need her.
Of course, the first thing she needed was a plan. After all, it'd just make things worse if she just charged in with no idea what to do. That was what had gotten her and her team in trouble so often - they'd always rush into the fire with emotions running high and hot, without thinking of what they'd do once they were in the inferno. And that often meant getting burned for their heroism.
What did Nokama say when she told us to find the Makoki Stone? Ruby wondered. Valor is worthless unless Wisdom walks with it? I think it means I've gotta be smart about this - and that starts with looking for possible weak points in the Tarakava Nui. Those hydraulics on the big guy's arms seem like a pretty tempting target…probably lots of flammable, easily-ignitable oils inside even underwater…maybe I can blow it up, somehow?
Ruby searched her satchel and fished out every sliver of Dust within, rummaging for every bit of explosive elemental mineral she still had. Her search eventually yielded three blood-red fire shards, two chunks of golden-yellow lightning, a bit of white ice, and a finger-sized piece of green wind. On Remnant, setting off an elemental chain reaction with crystals of this size and grade could put an unprepared Huntress in the hospital for a week. On Mata Nui, which boosted the power of even small pieces of Dust, the explosion would be even larger. The scattered shards, when detonated, would almost certainly deal at least some damage to the Tarakava Nui…at least, that was what Ruby hoped would happen.
That was assuming she could get a chance to set the Dust in place without getting pummeled by fists as big and heavy as speeding trucks. She highly doubted that the massive eel would just let her swim up and plant the seeds of its own destruction without a fight; she'd need some kind of distraction, something to keep its attention long enough for her to do her work. Silver eyes frantically searched the dark and empty sea, looking for something - anything - she could use to her advantage, if only for a moment.
Come on…come on… she thought desperately. This is the ocean - there's always something alive, no matter where you look. There's gotta be…
That was when she noticed about a dozen shadows cutting through the waters over her head. She looked up, saw the undersides of the sharks circling above her, and at first she raised her weapon in defense. But when they didn't move to attack her, she lowered her guard and watched them swim in pack formation, perfectly in sync…and suddenly all the pieces of a plan just crazy enough to work fell into place.
Gali said on the way down that these little guys are the Tarakava's natural predators, especially when they swim together like this. She also said that if you're fast enough to catch a Takea shark, it'll be your friend for life.
A bubbly grin of determination spread across Ruby's face as she pooled what little Aura she had into her Semblance.
Let's see if there's any truth to that legend.
So far, the self-proclaimed "queen of the ocean" wasn't living up to her boast.
Despite every watery construct she threw at the Tarakava Nui, despite using every mask power at her disposal, the titanic sea serpent refused to relent to Gali's tireless assault. Its thick armor allowed it to shrug off even her most powerful blasts, its mighty forearms proved just as strong as a Toa of Water empowered by the Kanohi Pakari, and it even managed to match her speed when she attempted to outmaneuver it using the Kakama. The king of lizards, she learned, held its crown for a very good reason - and when it suddenly loomed over her with a two-handed slam already prepared, Gali realized just how foolish she'd been to challenge royalty on its throne.
And she doubted she would live long enough to properly apply that lesson.
WHAMMMM!
Unable to switch masks in time, Gali raised her arms in an attempt to call a wall of water to soften the blow. It blunted the force of the twin fists driving downwards just enough that she wasn't shattered on impact, but the titanic slam still had enough power and momentum to send her crashing against the seafloor, leaving a Toa-shaped cloud of sand and silt as she found herself flattened along the ground. Stars spun in her vision as she struggled to get her bearings; the Tarakava Nui clearly wasn't interested in fighting fair, because it slammed its twin-tracked tail against the prone Toa of Water and powered up its motors.
VRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIII!
A scream escaped her mouth as the rough surface of the treads tore through armor and flesh, kicking up sand and silt along with flecks of sapphire protodermic plating. With her arms and legs pinned under the weight of the massive Rahi, there was nothing Gali could do to free herself. None of her mask powers could save her. None of her allies would save her. The battle was over, and the Tarakava Nui chose to celebrate its victory by tenderizing its latest meal.
The only solace she felt about her coming demise was that she knew that by now, Ruby was on her way back to the surface.
"Gali! Hang on! I'm comiiiiiiing!"
Pushing the pain of being torn apart out of her mind, she focused her gaze beyond the looming frame of the Tarakava Nui and squinted to peer through the dark waters. Sure enough, a figure with a big red cloak was swiftly surging towards the fight, silver eyes blazing with righteous fury that she could see even from far away. But what the Toa of Water couldn't have expected was that Ruby would return while hanging from the dorsal fin of a Takea shark as big as her scythe, with a dozen more gray-scaled oceanic hunters swimming alongside her in attack formation.
"R-Ruby?!" Gali wasn't sure which was more surprising: the fact that her little friend had come back, or that she'd apparently managed to catch and tame several of the ocean's dominant predators in so short a time.
Then again, considering how brave and nimble Ruby was, perhaps neither fact was very surprising.
The Huntress grinned as she and her new friends dove towards the titanic eel, human and shark alike guided by predatory instinct. The Tarakava Nui turned to face the new arrivals with a challenging roar, but Ruby didn't hesitate. She used the scarred snout of the lead Takea as a springboard and leapt with Crescent Rose fully extended, spinning downwards like a scarlet saw blade that slashed through one of the soft tubes along the Rahi's crown. Though it left only the smallest of open wounds, she knew she didn't need to cut very deep; it only took a few drops of blood and coolant in the water to send the pack of sharks into a feeding frenzy.
And as the source of the life fluid they'd scented, the Tarakava Nui presented a very appetizing target.
Over a dozen Takea sharks suddenly surged with natural speed and skill, opening their jaws and clamping down on hardened metal plates with rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth. The Tarakava Nui roared and did its best to shake off the attacking swarm, but that only gave the predators more leverage to tear off huge chunks of flesh, muscle, and servos in a frenzied yet coordinated display. It lashed out with forceful punches, but the apex hunters were quick and nimble enough to avoid them - and even a direct hit did little more than knock their flexible bodies back, often taking a piece of the leviathan with them. One lucky Takea ripped out an entire mechanical eyeball. Another gorged itself on a tube along the crest. The fearsome fish were relentless in their assault; they'd smelled blood in the water, and they wanted more.
Unseen amidst the feeding frenzy, Ruby plunged deeper in a burst of rose petals and reappeared behind the giant Rahi's shoulder, hooking her scythe into the joint and pulling…something…out of her pockets. Gali watched as the Huntress furrowed her brow in concentration, anchored herself with one hand on her weapon, and used her other hand to stick an array of colorful crystals into any opening she could find. At first the Toa of Water wondered what her smaller ally was doing, and what she hoped to accomplish…before she recognized what she was slotting into the giant Tarakava's armor.
Dust.
Explosive Dust.
And as soon as the little rose kicked off and raised her weapon above her head, Gali figured out the plan with a sickening knot in her chest.
"Ruby! NO!"
Her frantic plea came a second too late, as Ruby shattered the crystals with a bubbly scream.
KZZZZZZZAKKKKK! KRA-KOOOOOOOOMMMMM!
Explosions of every color echoed through the waters of the ravine, as fire and ice and other elements erupted in sequence. Ancient protodermic armor and muscles split apart, clouds of dark liquid pooled into the sea, and the chain reaction culminated in a blast strong enough to shear off the leviathan's left arm entirely. The Tarakava Nui howled in pain as its limb sank to the sandy seafloor…along with a half-conscious Huntress whose body was coated in a faint crimson glow, one that flickered several times before dissolving and scattering alongside the bubbles of her last breath.
Despite lacking Aura, air, and energy, Ruby had a smile that lingered even in her perilous state.
"Mmmm…hrmmgh…nnngh…gluh."
And then her head tilted back, her silver eyes dulled, and she surrendered herself to the depths.
"RUBY!"
The Tarakava Nui whirled around to finish off the vulnerable little rose, only for the Takea pack to redouble their attack. They swarmed the exposed shoulder and tore into the weak point afforded by Ruby's sacrifice, spurred on by the scent of fresh rich blood and tasty inner meat. More pained bellows erupted from the titanic Rahi as the hunters ripped out ribbons of flesh, and though it swung its remaining fist at the attackers it could not disrupt the feeding frenzy. Faced with the prospect of having to fight off many angry predators with only one arm, the king lizard chose to cut its losses and sulk away in search of easier prey. It pushed off the seafloor and swam off clumsily, taking its weight off the Toa of Water as it fled with the sharks still in pursuit.
Freed from the treads bearing down on her, Gali pulled herself out of the silt and swam over to cradle Ruby's unconscious form. Her brave little friend floated limply in her grasp, a thin trail of bubbles spilling out of her mouth and nose as the sea wormed its way into her lungs. Even in her deathlike sleep the girl still spasmed and shuddered, fighting in vain to push back against the weight of the abyss bearing down on her. Perhaps blacking out was a blessing in disguise for the Huntress - the pain of breathing the ocean likely would have been agonizing to feel in full.
"Oh…Ruby…" She shook her head and shifted her hooks back into hands, using one to cover her flooded face and the other to stroke her hair softly. An ancient-looking Takea drifted over from the chase, gently prodding the girl's unmoving frame with its snout. The Toa of Water recognized that this was the one Ruby had arrived on, based on the scar along its crest - perhaps this was the leader of the hunting pack, and the first one that the Huntress had caught and befriended.
The ocean has tried to claim her many times since her arrival, she thought to herself as glowing yellow eyes narrowed. I will not allow it to succeed - not now, and not ever.
"She cannot breathe water as you or I can," intoned Gali as resolve overpowered her own fatigue. "We must get her to the surface as quickly as possible. Should I falter on the ascent, it will fall to you to finish the journey. Can I count on your support?"
The big bulbous eyes of the Takea held many emotions, and it was her hope that understanding was one of them. With a nod of her own Gali reached into her nearly-depleted reserves of elemental energy, forming a protective sphere around Ruby's still frame to ensure she was not torn out of her grip by the rushing force of water. Then she breathed as deeply as possible, switched to her Kanohi Kakama, and kicked off the sandy floor while triggering the power of the Mask of Speed.
FWOOOOOOSH.
Instantly she felt a difference. The waters rocketed past her as she swam faster than she ever had before, as she traveled at speeds greater than she could manage even using her own elemental powers. She didn't have time to enjoy the sensation however - the air in her lungs wouldn't last forever, and however much time she had, she was certain Ruby had even less. To her surprise and amazement, the old Takea kept pace with her for every stroke of the ascent, practically gliding through the water without seeming strained or exhausted. The blue blur around her grew lighter and lighter with each passing second, the golden light shining down grew brighter and brighter, until finally -
Splaaaaash!
A world full of air greeted them at long last.
Gali's momentum carried her high above the surface as she greedily gulped down fresh air, landing back in the water with none of her usual gracefulness and agility. She scrambled back up with aching limbs and heavy breaths, trying to muster the willpower to tread water as she switched back to her preferred Kaukau. Thankfully, the Takea slipped under her arm and swam back to the shore on her behalf, carrying the tired Toa and the unconscious Huntress in tow.
"Thank you," she gasped, coughing up seawater for what felt like the first time in her life. "I, and the people of Mata Nui, are in your debt."
Though it lacked the facial muscles to do so, Gali could feel the shark smiling as it brought her and her friend back to dry land. Once she could stand in the shallows, the ancient Takea slipped back underwater, and the Toa of Water could only guess that it intended to join its brothers in the hunt once again. But that wasn't what was on her mind - even the Makoki stone and its significance paled in comparison to her biggest concern.
Ruby.
Panting and breathless, Gali pushed herself out of the water and laid the human girl gently down on the sandy shore. Her little Huntress, worryingly, hadn't woken up upon reaching the surface this time; silver eyes stared into space with none of their usual luster, water dribbled out of an open mouth, and only the occasional muffled gurgle and twitch of her limbs revealed signs of life. The Toa of Water reached out with a hand to sense her element within the human's body…and found an alarming amount of fluid resting in Ruby's lungs and throat, keeping the breath of life from entering and flowing to where it needed.
"Oh no…" Gali whispered. "Ruby, please hold on. I will fix this, I promise."
Concentrating carefully, the Toa of Water gripped the unwelcome fluid with her power and started pulling it out of the girl's shuddering chest. It took several passes of condensing and shifting the remains of the sea into a single volume, but eventually she was able to draw it out through the Huntress's throat and mouth in one long winding coil. To her relief, Ruby immediately gasped and rolled over as soon as her lungs were drained, sputtering and wheezing with widened eyes as she coughed up whatever water Gali had missed.
"Easy, little one," she intoned with a thankful sigh, tossing the gathered water over her shoulder. "Deep breaths. Clear your throat. You are safe now."
"Urgggghhh…" gurgled the Huntress as she flopped onto her back once again. "My nose is burning…my throat feels like it's full of cotton…if this is what safe feels like, I don't even wanna know what you consider 'dangerous.'" Her sentences were once again punctuated by sharp coughs, though she had a relieved smile all the same.
Gali laughed softly as she ran metallic fingers through sea-soaked hair, hoping to give the recovering Huntress some small comfort. "I…I am sorry for sending you away. It was selfish of me to do so, after spending so many days preaching about the importance of Unity…"
"I get it," sputtered Ruby. "You were worried about me. But I was worried about you too, you know - even you're not invincible, Gali." Her smile brightened slightly. "Heh. Well, at least I finally got to save you for once, huh? Instead of you bailing me out all the time…I got a chance to return the favor."
"You did, and I am quite grateful for your bravery and resourcefulness," she answered with a smile behind her mask. "Although, you do realize that in the process of saving me, you also needed to be saved in turn?"
"Don't remind me," groaned Ruby. "Look, if I had any other way of detonating the Dust underwater, I would've done that instead of blowing it up in my face. But I didn't exactly have much choice beyond hitting it up close and letting my Aura eat the explosion. First thing I'm doing when I get back is waterproofing my sweetheart…maybe I'll add a harpoon mode, if I can squeeze in another barrel and -"
A sharp cough and whimper escaped her lips. "Right…" she rasped. "Breathing first. Shop talk second."
Gali laughed softly as Ruby recovered from yet another near-drowning experience, letting the silence linger between them for a moment longer. The young Huntress was thankful for a chance to just breathe, and soon enough each rise and fall of her chest wasn't accompanied by pained moans and whimpers. After recovering she sat up and examined her pack to confirm that the Makoki stone piece was still there - thankfully, it was - and she was just about to try standing when a series of splashes suddenly rang out from the sea.
The Toa of Water tensed up. Has the Tarakava Nui returned to finish what it started?
Ruby seemed far less worried and far more delighted. "It's the sharks! They came back!"
Sure enough, Gali turned to see over a dozen gray-scaled Takea leap from the open ocean and twirl in mid-air, dancing in the afternoon sun before diving and swimming towards the shore. Despite how tired and waterlogged she'd been moments earlier, Ruby wasted no time in casting off her gear (and most of her already-soaked clothes) before scrambling back into the water to meet her new friends. The Toa of Water just sat and watched with a smile as her little rose swam through the shallows, venturing out until she was chest-deep in the sea and neck-deep in sharks swimming over for cuddles and praise.
"Ahahaha!" Her giggles rang out like bells across the rolling surf. "Hey guys! Aw, were you all worried about me? Don't worry, it'll take more than a mean old Leviathan-wannabe and a little water to keep me down! Speaking of which, you all were great! You sure showed that big meanie who the real apex predator around here is! Who's a good sharkie? Who's a good sharkie? You are! Yes you are! And so are you! And you! And you and you and you and you and you and augh wait no don't push me aaabbllggghhll!"
The Toa of Water laughed as she watched the Takea bump their Huntress in unison with their snouts and overwhelm her with nuzzles, which had the unfortunate side effect of knocking her underwater yet again. Ruby seemed to take it in stride, though, as she surfaced with a sharp gasp and a breathless giggle as she showered her new friends with praise, returning the gesture with her own forehead and giving them big hugs with both bare arms. One by one the steel-finned sharks returned to the sea after saying goodbye in their own silent language; when only the scarred pack leader remained for a more personalized farewell, a word sprang to Gali's mind.
"…Naho-Gahi."
Ruby looked up from her cuddle session with the lead Takea, staring back at Gali with a confused expression. "Hmm?"
"I believe I have found a fitting name for your new weapon," said the Toa of Water with a gentle smile, scooping up the discarded metal disk and rising to her feet. "It is what the Ga-Matoran call the white flowers that blossom on the surface of Lake Naho, often blooming after violent storms ravage the waters. Their name translates roughly to 'droplets of protection,' and to the people of Ga-Koro they symbolize rebirth and prosperity after disaster. They are a reminder that, no matter how dark the night may grow, dawn will always follow…and that when even wisdom and valor fail, faith can overcome all."
She waded into the shallow water and reached down to brush a sopping wet lock of hair out of Ruby's eyes, passing the throwing disk to her with the other. "You, like the Naho-Gahi flowers, are a symbol of growth and renewal. You feared the ocean upon your arrival, yet today you followed me into its darkest depths. You came to this island as a shadow of yourself, yet you have only become stronger in every sense of the word. And you have suffered greatly in your own world, yet you still seek to return and make things right. Your presence alone has made life on Mata Nui better for so many…and I have little doubt that you will continue to do even greater things when you finally return to Remnant."
The little Huntress took the disk and stared at the crimson flower painted in its center for one silent moment, water pooling down her face that Gali knew didn't come from the ocean. Then, after one choked sob and a tight nod, she hugged Naho-Gahi to her chest with one hand and squeezed the Toa's wrist with the other, holding both with equal love and affection in her heart.
"I…" she whispered, "I…it's a perfect name. And…thank you. I wouldn't have gotten this far if I hadn't found you…"
Gali brought Ruby in close for a much-needed hug, letting the waves lap at them both. "Nor would I have succeeded without you, little one."
After another moment of quiet comfort Ruby finally pulled away, dried her eyes, then turned to give one more kiss to the ancient Takea's crest.
"And thank you for the help today too," she whispered. "Let's meet up in the ocean some other time, alright?"
The final shark took its leave with a silent bow, and after swimming back to shore to retrieve her clothes and gear, Ruby climbed onto Gali's back as the pair sped towards Kini-Nui.
For the sake of her companion, the Toa of Water chose to use the Kakama to race across solid ground this time.
Takua heaved a sigh as he leaned against Pewku's shell, watching the scenery roll by as the Ussal crab glided smoothly over the old path. Three pairs of legs moving in perfect rhythm let the enormous crustacean scuttle with surprising speed, and hidden gearboxes and pulleys within her carapace allowed her to maintain her speed for hours on end without tiring. Even when burdened with the weight of a cart holding six other Matoran and a single human, Pewku gave no complaints or showed any signs of exhaustion - which was good, because apart from the Makuta himself, time was their greatest enemy.
"Good girl, Pewku," he praised reassuringly, giving her complementary scratches behind her eyestalk. "You're the real hero of Mata Nui today."
The massive crab chittered and cooed, the boost in confidence translating into a burst of speed. Satisfied, the Chronicler went back to watching the world pass around him and his Company, the grasslands and forests of Ga-Wahi eventually fading into well-worn stone and sand. But when the path dipped into a deep canyon, they could go no further.
A new roadblock presented itself at the deepest part of the valley path - a very large pile of very large boulders.
Takua groaned as Pewku skidded to a halt, hopping off his beloved crab as the rest of his party was pulled from their own thoughts. Penny sat up and hummed pensively when she saw the current situation, while the other Matoran narrowed their eyes as they hopped out of their cart. The pile of rocks and stone seemed to tower over them, taunting them with its presence and what it represented. To the Company's credit, nobody panicked or despaired. This was just another obstacle to be overcome, just like the missing bridge.
"I came this way once before," said Macku, "when Nokama requested my presence as an aid to make sure I wouldn't just sneak off to Po-Koro. This rock slide was definitely not here. It's like something's called forth the very earth itself to block our path…not a good sign."
"Makuta has been known to manipulate the terrain and the elements to enforce his will." Kapura nodded. "This is his handiwork to slow us down. I am sure of it."
"But it will not stop us," Penny said resolutely. "We will find a way past. We must. But how best to do it…?"
The Chronicler's company all hummed thoughtfully.
"I might be able to jump-climb to the other side," offered Tamaru. "But that won't do much-good for the rest of you."
"Yeah, we'd still be stuck here," said Takua. "Maybe Pewku can try to scale the pile itself? Or climb out of the canyon and go around?"
"The rubble's too loose for an Ussal crab to get traction," noted Taipu. " If those stones shift even a little bit, it could all come crashing back down again. And I can hear Rahi scuttling around in the canyon walls, lying in wait to ambush us if we leave the path…Makuta doesn't want us going around, or forward. He wants us to go back."
Hafu huffed. "To think that now my own element means to impede our path…Kopeke, don't suppose you've got any ideas behind those eyes, do you?"
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Ko-Matoran said absolutely nothing.
Takua furrowed his brow behind his mask as he took stock of everyone and their equipment. As he did so, his eyes fell on the pickaxes carried by the two nearly-identical Matoran. Though their villages and masks were different - one wore a jet-black Ruru and hailed from Onu-Koro, while the other had a Pakari and resided in Po-Koro - if they worked together, maybe they could do what one Matoran couldn't do alone.
"Hafu, I remember you being one of the best carvers on the island," he said with as much authority in his voice as he could muster. "And Taipu, you pretty much dug the highway to Le-Wahi all on your own - by torchlight, no less! What's a pile of dumb rocks to a pair of Matoran with your skills?"
The villagers of earth and stone looked at each other, then at their tools, then nodded in approval as they stepped forward.
"You remembered wrong, Chronicler - I'm the best carver on this island!" declared Hafu as he puffed his chest and pulled out his chisel. "Cutting through this roadblock shouldn't be a problem for someone of my skill. Long as Taipu does his part well enough, I'll do mine even better."
"I'll do my part very well, brother!" Taipu piped up as he unslung his pickaxe. "Digging in rock is what we Onu-Matoran do best, and even among them I'm really good at what I do! Start cutting where you feel appropriate - I'll follow your lead."
And with that, the pair of Matoran got to work. Rocks split as soon as the sharpened tools made contact with their surface, whether they were crushed to pebbles by Taipu's mighty blows or sheared away by Hafu's steady hand. Stone chips flew, dust settled over the canyon, and in what felt like mere minutes, the way was clear - and the pile of rubble had been replaced with…
"Another Hafu original!"
The carver slung his pick over his shoulder and beamed proudly at his newest creation. The main body consisted of a large statue of the Po-Matoran himself, hands on his hips in a proud pose that mirrored the artist's own. Six smaller rocks were sitting on his shoulders, with little masks carved onto their bodies in remarkable detail - though far less than the rest of the sculpture, as though they were an afterthought. Takua didn't know how to feel looking at it, and wasn't sure whether to be insulted at the lack of Penny and Pewku on their behalf…but the path forward was clear all the same, so he wasn't about to complain.
Hafu, vain as he was, clearly expected at least some kind of praise before leaving. He tore his gaze away from his larger-than-life counterpart and looked back at the rest of the Company. "Well? Whaddaya think?"
Seven heads - six Matoran, one human - tilted to one side as they took in the sight before them, struggling to find tasteful words.
"It's, um…nice," said Macku politely.
"Oh yes, very firm-hard," added Tamaru hesitantly.
"Interesting detail," noted Kapura. "Good…construction techniques."
Kopeke, as usual, remained silent.
"Oh, I think I get it!" exclaimed Taipu. "It's us! It's a marker to comememor…to comememe…to celebrate our journey! Although…I'm not sure why your statue is so much bigger than everyone else's. Or why it's carrying the rest of us on its shoulders. On your shoulders? …actually, I don't think I get it at all."
The carver groaned. "Ugh…do you even have art in the other villages? I swear, nobody on this island understands my vision…"
"I rather like it!" chirped Penny after a long pause. "The contrasting textures add a great deal of subtlety to the sculpture - the rough, unpolished quality of the arms and torso represent the strength and endurance of the subject, while the smooth and polished stonework on the mask speaks volumes about the importance of beauty even in the most difficult circumstances! It speaks of the artist's struggle, to take the cold and unfeeling destruction of Makuta and turn it into something aesthetically pleasing, and how the artist finds meaning in such a task! Furthermore, the symbolism of the miniatures riding on the shoulders of the carver represents how the subject views himself as one who carries the weight of the world…a burden that clearly takes its toll on him yet he carries it willingly for the sake of his friends! It is a remarkable representation of the steadfast nature of the Matoran spirit, and it shall serve as a fitting tribute to our journey!"
Everyone - even Hafu - looked at the freckled human in shock.
"As the Protector of Mantle, I had to attend many, many charity events held by wealthy Atlesian nobles," she explained hastily. "Eighty-three percent of them were held in museums. I ended up reading a lot of art critique magazines."
Takua chuckled and shook his head. "Well, we can stand around and stare at art all we want, or we can keep moving now that the path has been cleared. I know which one I'll be doing. Hafu, Taipu, good job."
As the Chronicler and his Company took their places on the Ussal-pulled cart once more, Hafu looked up at Penny with awe in his gaze.
"Never thought I'd meet a human who'd actually appreciate my carvings," intoned the Po-Matoran softly.
Penny giggled and leaned back, letting her hair fall around her as Pewku resumed her tireless march. "You have clearly not met many humans, then. We are quite full of surprises."
Weiss skated along the frozen floor of Ko-Kini, narrowly dodging the ice-blue horn that intended to gore her. She slid to a stop and whirled to face her opponent, an armored rhinoceros as big as an Ursa Major and just as aggressive to boot. While the regular Vako found in Po-Wahi were already territorial and easily provoked, the ones that lived exclusively in the cold peaks of Mount Ihu took all the worst traits and amplified them to a murderous degree. The locals even took to calling them "Ice Demons," and it wasn't hard to see why. A single one could slaughter an entire hunting party, and even the other Rahi under Makuta's control seemed to shy away from crossing paths with the arctic battering rams.
And right now, she and Kopaka were squaring off against a dozen of them.
She grit her teeth and raised Myrtenaster once again, creating a series of glyphs in mid-air and forming a dome of platforms around her current target. The frost-laden Vako stared at the strange spinning white circles in confusion for just a moment, which was all the distraction that Weiss needed; her other hand drew Hakoki (or "peaceful snowflake," as Nuju explained when he presented the weapon to her on Vakama's behalf) and flung it with all her might into one of her glyphs. The metal throwing disk emblazoned with the Schnee family crest picked up speed and force with each ricochet off the Aura-infused sigils, bouncing like a laser trapped in a hall of mirrors and slashing at the armored rhino with each pass. When the Rahi finally fell to its knees she surged forward with her sword above her head, plunging the rapier into its neck with a mighty yell and twisting the blade.
That's one finally down, she thought with a strained sigh as Hakoki returned to her hand. That just leaves…
Weiss cast her icy-blue gaze over the central chamber of Ko-Kini, which was frozen over and had plenty of wide-open space for the eleven remaining icy Vako to build up ramming speed.
…way too many to go.
A frown overtook her lips as she watched Kopaka dash around the makeshift arena, switching mask powers with practiced ease as he flowed between opponents. The Toa of Ice rushed out of a charging Vako's path using the speed-boosting Kakama, then leapt high into the air with the levitation-granting Miru to allow another beast to pass under him. When he touched down he triggered the protective power of the Hau to stop a third Rahi in its tracks, then swapped to the strength-enhancing Pakari to throw the offending rhino into another of its brethren coming in to ram him. But no matter how many times he beat them down, no matter how many walls of ice he erected or frozen daggers he launched, the armored tanks refused to stay down. They just got right back onto their treaded hooves, snorted in defiance, and resumed their charge.
We have the Makoki stone piece already, Weiss thought to herself as she felt for the keystone in her coat pocket. We just need to get out of here…but as long as even one of these things keeps fighting, we can't afford to look for an escape. We can't even use the way we came in - they buried the door under a ton of snow and rubble, meaning we need another way out…
Rrrrrrrrrrrr …
A pit formed in the heiress's stomach as she realized that the Vako beneath her blade wasn't quite as dead as she would have liked.
And it was very angry.
GRRRRAAAAAAAAA!
Weiss yelped as the Ice Demon suddenly sprang back to its tank-like hooves, cold steam pouring out its nostrils and fury in its eyes. Myrtenaster was torn from her grip as the horn drove itself into her gut; if having a sword sticking out of its neck bothered the Vako, it wasn't enough to keep the rhino from charging at top speed towards the distant wall of Ko-Kini. It was all she could do but fumble with her Scroll to quickly channel her own Mask of Shielding, forming a pale white sphere of energy around herself that reinforced her full Aura seconds before she got crushed between cold sheets of ice and an angry Rahi.
CRUNCH!
Even with an extra layer of protection, the blow still hurt like hell.
Her breath exploded from her lungs as she doubled over, and a sharp pain from her ribs alerted her that at least a few of them had probablybroken. The Vako retreated slightly and allowed the stunned heiress to fall to her knees with a bloody cough, but it wasn't done with her yet - it just wanted to back up for another charge to finish off the intruder. It never got a chance, however, as Kopaka saw the danger and immediately rushed over to assist. He crashed his shield against the rhino's blind side, drove his blade into its neck to mirror the stuck Myrtenaster, then grabbed the hilt of both swords with the Mask of Strength and pulled them together like he was snapping shut a giant pair of scissors.
SKISH!
The newly-headless rhino finally fell to the ground, and mercifully, it did not get back up.
"Th-thanks," she gasped as she forced herself back onto her feet.
Kopaka nodded and tossed her sword back to her waiting hands. "You okay?"
"I will be." Weiss whimpered slightly as she felt her ribs, confirming that yep, they were definitely broken. "Give me a minute."
"A second, Weiss." The Toa of Ice turned back to face the angry rhinos. "These things will give us a second, if we're lucky."
She grit her teeth and reached into a special pouch in her coat pocket, fishing for a sliver of dried Vuata Maca berry and popping it into her mouth. Weiss had to admit, Ruby's suggestion of dicing up the energized fruit into bite-sized slices was actually pretty inspired - not only did it make Matoro's supply of the valuable food last a little longer, it was also easier to consume in the heat of battle for a smaller and more precise burst of power. It still tasted like acid, of course, and her throat still burned like she was trying to swallow molten copper, but a bitter aftertaste was a small price to pay for a near-instant boost in healing and Aura regeneration.
Sure enough, the heiress felt her ribs quickly mend themselves back together, the process quickened by the sudden influx of soul energy. Once she could take deep breaths without hurting anymore, she stood back up, snapped her unfocused gaze back to the battle ahead of her -
And rolled out of the way as Kopaka's limp body came flying towards her at dangerous speeds.
WHAMMM!
When she dared to look back, she found the Toa of Ice in a sorry state. His silver-white armor was scored with dents and puncture wounds, his shield-bearing arm was bent at an unnatural angle, and sparks were flying from just about every joint imaginable. The lenses in the Mask of Vision were knocked out of alignment, the gearbox in his shoulders ground against one another, and to top it all off the Kanohi itself was knocked askew. It was only the elemental warrior's sheer force of will that kept him from completely falling to pieces - in every sense of the word.
"Kopaka!"
"I'm fine, Weiss," he said tersely, doing his best not to scream out as he pushed his arm back into place with a sickening crunch. "Go. Get the Makoki stone piece to Kini-Nui. I'll buy you some time."
The heiress bit her lip and narrowed her gaze, stepping in front of the wounded and damaged Toa of Ice. "No. Like I said earlier…you're not getting rid of me that easily. Nobody is."
Weiss grit her teeth as she stared down the collection of icy Vako, spearing each one with a glare that made even them fear for their bio-mechanical souls. She fished out another handful of Vuata Maca slices and stuffed them into her mouth, doing her best not to choke on the bitter, acrid taste as the food burned her throat. Aura flooded into her system, pushed beyond its maximum limits for the briefest of moments - but that was all the time she needed to unleash a power that would have drained her in an instant.
For three generations the Schnee family - our family - has had the ability to call upon the essence of enemies felled by our hands, to take the servants of darkness and bend them to the will of the light. However, we must remember that each creature we call in battle drains our Aura for as long as it exists; how much depends on its strength and size, and this cost scales exponentially for each additional summon. Over-reliance on this technique or sloppy execution can leave you vulnerable and exhausted…however, by mastering this power within, you will never find yourself outnumbered even as you stand alone against the world.
The words of her sister, of the new Winter Maiden, rang in Weiss's head as she widened her stance and raised her sword.
"You think you can bring me down, you stupid beasts?" she growled as she felt blood trickle down her lips. "I am the granddaughter of Nicholas Aurelius Schnee; his power flows through my veins just as it did for my sister before me, and my mother before her. My entire life has been spent fighting to survive, taking the worst and using it to become the best. I endured the fall of Beacon. I lived through my father's reign of terror. I watched my own home Kingdom crumble to ruin beyond my ability to save. Yet even after all that, I've kept going. I've kept living for myself and my friends. And I'm not about to lay down and die just because your master don't know how to take a hint."
Kopaka stared with unfocused eyes at his Huntress making her last stand. "Weiss…?"
The heiress brandished Myrtenaster like a magic wand, creating a half-dozen glyphs in front of her with a single wave of her weapon. "If you're listening right now, Makuta, then listen well! I am not your plaything! I am not afraid of you! I am Weiss Aurelia Schnee, the last daughter of Atlas, and I have had enough!"
With that she plunged her sword into the ice and channeled the full power of her Semblance into the circles with, and after a sudden flash of light Weiss was no longer facing the herd alone.
Spectral copies of a Muaka and a Kane-Ra stood on either side of her, the mighty bull digging its hooves into the ice while the armored tiger crouched low with a growl. A pair of eel-like Tarakava took the left and rightmost positions with pneumatic forearms primed for punching, while a regal avian Kahu unfolded its icy wings and glared at the frosty Vako. And finally, towering over all the summoned Rahi, the familiar armored form of a massive knight rose from its knees while hefting an equally-enormous sword; the Arma Gigas stood with its allies from another world, ready to rain down hell at the command of its mistress.
A command that came a moment later.
"Attack!"
The Arma Gigas ran at full tilt against the herd of Ice Vako, flanked by the Muaka and Kane-Ra as they charged on armored forelegs and treaded back legs. The Tarakava nearly spun out as they too rushed forward, though their tank-like treads eventually found traction against the icy floor. The Kahu cawed and took flight on massive wings, soaring alongside the war party and screeching at the enemy herd who met the charge with one of their own.
It wasn't even a fair fight.
At least, not for the Vako.
With an otherworldly groan the Arma Gigas dug in its heels and swung its mighty sword, splitting one charging rhino in half and knocking down the rest with a single sweeping slash. The Muaka and Kane-Ra seized the opportunity as the Vako struggled to right themselves, extending their necks to gore and bite down on the vulnerable underbellies. Whenever one icy war machine was almost back on its feet, a sucker punch from a Tarakava sent it back to the floor. And whenever one Rahi managed to get back up and start charging, a swooping peck from the Kahu halted its building momentum - and gave the Arma Gigas a chance to deliver a fatal blow.
Rather than watch the ensuing battle, Weiss opted to pop another bitter fruit slice into her mouth and rush back over to Kopaka.
"They'll buy us some time, but even they won't last forever," she said as she helped the Toa of Ice secure his mask back into place. "We've got the Makoki stone - it's time we left."
Kopaka looked between Weiss and her summons, eyes slightly widening behind his mask, then nodded. He sprang back to his feet just as one of the Tarakava shattered into snowflakes under a surprise blow from the Vako, who had all of four seconds to celebrate its victory before being beheaded by the Arma Gigas.
Weiss whistled twice, calling the Kahu over to give them a ride out of Ko-Kini. The mechanical hawk obliged, pushing its beak underneath the Toa and Huntress and lifting them onto its back. Then it flapped its wings and took flight yet again, smashing through the icy walls of the temple and back into the cold gray skies of Ko-Wahi.
"Impressive," said Kopaka once the battle was far behind them. "I didn't know you could make multiple summons like that."
"Neither did I," panted Weiss with a sharp gasp. "I knew it was possible…I'd seen Winter do it before, but I never managed to make it happen with my own Semblance. Then again, I guess I never really needed to, either…until now, that is."
The Toa of Ice nodded, though his head tilted in fascination. "I didn't recognize the one with the sword. What kind of Rahi was that?"
"Not a Rahi. A Grimm." She smiled slightly. "It's…a bit of a long story, but to give you the short version: that Arma Gigas was the first live monster I ever fought, and defeating it proved to be a very important stepping stone in my journey to become a Huntress."
The Kahu's flight was cut short as its master's Aura flagged and faltered, the surge of energy fading. Weiss yelped as her mount crashed into a snowbank, shattering into shards of ice on impact as her energy finally gave out completely. She grunted and groaned as she tumbled down the mountain, only to be scooped up by a pair of cold, strong arms. Weiss glanced over her shoulder to see Kopaka holding her close to his chest as he sled downhill on his shield, looking down at his ally with a rare smile behind his mask.
"Then I'm glad I was present to see you take another step towards your Destiny," he said simply. "Come. Let's get you and your friends back home."
After checking to make sure that Myrtenaster, Hakoki, the Makoki stone piece, and - most importantly - the strip of Ruby's cape were all in their proper places, Weiss snuggled against the Toa of Ice and settled in for the ride.
And I'm glad that I could witness yours, Kopaka.
The journey to Kini-Nui was coming near to its end, and for that Penny was grateful.
Not that it was an unenjoyable experience, riding with one Matoran from each village. The conversations, the stories, the many different perspectives…it was all fascinating, and it gave her yet another layer of insight into each place she and Takua had visited. But no amount of learning could have stopped the sun in its tracks, nor would it have delayed the Toa (and her friends) from walking into a dangerous trap. They needed to hurry.
Luckily, there were no further obstacles in their path to slow them down. No broken bridges, no collapsed canyons, not even the Rahi tried to stop them as the path took them into and through a range of mountains. The only obstruction within the last hour had been a thin layer of snow that formed underfoot, which crunched underneath the legs of the Ussal crab easily enough. Penny chose to believe that this was a good omen, that the final leg of their journey - one that took them through a ring of small mountains around the Great Temple itself - would encounter no such delays.
Sadly…she was proven wrong when the group came to a stop yet again.
An ancient stone gateway, nestled between two enormous mountains, stood in their path. The barrier took on the form of an enormous angular face, carved in such a way that the road to the temple beyond seemed to feed into its sealed mouth. Sharp, rectangular eyes stared down at the Chronicler's Company as they approached, and despite knowing that it was only a statue, Penny could not help but feel a shiver go down her spine at its gaze met her own.
Or perhaps that is merely the unpleasant memories of being cold, she thought as she blew air into her hands to keep warm in the cart, unwilling to brave the snow barefoot again. The other Matoran were braver than her in that they went to investigate the doorway, and she could hear their conversation above the whistling wind.
"These carvings are ancient," intoned Hafu in awe. "This wasn't made by Matoran hands - someone else, or something else, left their mark here."
"This isn't right," said Macku as she shook her head. "When Nokama and I came here, this gateway wasn't locked. She said that the key had been lost for hundreds of years - why would it be closed now?"
"The Makuta seeks to deny us entrance in the eleventh hour." Kapura narrowed his eyes. "There must be a way through."
"Even a leaf-runner who didn't have a height-fear couldn't climb this," lamented Tamaru.
"No way Pewku would be able to climb this, either," sighed Taipu. "The angle of the mountains are just too steep."
"Any chance you and Hafu could plow through this?" asked Takua. "Like you did with the rock slide?"
"And desecrate a landmark that's older than even the Turaga?!" Hafu balked. "Even if we could do anything to stone like this - which, for the record, we can't - I thought you were supposed to be preserving history, Chronicler, not destroying it!"
"Well, excuse me if I'm a little on edge right now!" snapped the Chronicler. "If we don't get through this, there may not be a future to tell stories to!"
"Which is why art like this is important! It's what we leave behind for those that come after!"
"But what about the ones who are here now? Who need us?! I'm pretty sure they matter more than a bunch of some dumb sculptures!'
"Why, you -!"
As the Chronicler's Company moved to break up a fight between Takua and Hafu, Penny curled up a little tighter and laid one hand on an anxious Pewku. "Do not worry," she said softly, stroking the crest of Aki with her finger. "I am certain we will think of something…"
But what? A cursory pulse of her Semblance revealed that the gate contained a labyrinthine mechanism for opening, one that not even she could figure out how to manipulate. And with tensions rising among the group, the odds of anyone coming up with a reasonable, level-headed solution was -
Wait. Where was Kopeke?
She looked around and searched the banks of white and gray, her eyes almost missing the shape of the Ko-Matoran who nearly blended in with his surroundings. The blue-masked sentry approached a collection of icicles hanging from an overhang, staring at them thoughtfully before selecting one and snapping it off its base. Kopeke then proceeded to dig his armored thumb into the surface and run it roughly down the length, shaving away a little bit of the frozen material with each pass he made. After doing it several more times - and coming away with a long pole with a gear-like array of teeth on the end - he wordlessly slipped past his argumentative allies, slotted his creation into an auspicious opening, then stepped back.
BRRRRRRRRRRRR.
The sound of ancient gears grinding and old mechanisms awakening filled the air, putting an end to any and all conflicts. Takua and Hafu tore their gaze - and their fists - from each other and watched as the once-impassable doorway slowly rose, and everyone else blinked slowly as the path opened once again. Penny smiled inwardly, then turned to Kopeke…who, though he did his best to hide it, was smiling.
"…well, guess that solves that, then," said Takua with a sigh, feeling Tamaru and Macku's hands leave his arms. "Thanks, Kopeke. And…I'm sorry, Hafu. I didn't mean to get angry at you, I just…want this to go right…"
The carver shook his head as he pulled out of Taipu's embrace. "Bah. You've got nothing to be sorry about, Chronicler. I was the one who couldn't look past my own obsessions, unable to see the quarry past the stones. Plus, I'm the one who threw the first punch."
"You've got a mean punch, though. Can't wait to see what it does to a Rahi."
"Heh. I'll try not to disappoint you, storyteller."
Kapura laid a hand on the shoulders of his Pakari-clad allies. "We are all worried about the fight ahead. That is okay. But we should focus our sights and anger on Makuta. We should not spend them on each other."
Both villagers nodded, then clanked fists together as a show of reconciliation.
"Come on, everyone," said the Chronicler to his Company. "Let's get moving. Kini-Nui shouldn't be too far off now."
With the way cleared and the tensions diffused, the gathered Matoran piled back into their transport and set off once more.
"Good eye-skill there, friend," said Tamaru as Aki perched on his mask once more. "Although…you never told us you knew the ancient art of Ko-Matoran ice-craft."
"You did not ask," intoned Kopeke, speaking for the first time in the journey thus far.
"Would you have told us even if we had?" countered Takua as he looked over his shoulder. "We all know just how much you love talking about yourself."
As Pewku pulled the cart through the newly-opened tunnel, the silent Ko-Matoran did something nobody expected.
He laughed.
The afternoon sun shone down on Onua as he stood at Kini-Nui's outskirts, watching as the other Toa and their Huntresses talked and worked among themselves. A drenched Ruby Rose was carefully inspecting the armor and mechanisms of a battered and damaged Kopaka, poking and prodding with tools in her hands as an exhausted Weiss Schnee slumped against her back. A scorched Yang Xiao Long sat next to the river with her overalls pulled down, wincing and blushing as a frazzled Blake Belladonna applied cold bandages to burns along her arms and back. A sandy Neopolitan seemed to hide behind Pohatu's dusty frame, who himself was eagerly retelling his own adventures to a tired Gali, a burnt-out Tahu, and a fatigued Emerald.
Lewa stood next to him with a pensive hum, his emerald armor barely scuffed. "Seems the other Toa had their fair-share of dark-luck. I almost feel sorry-bad that my key was easy to retrieve."
"Given what you have endured, perhaps an easy victory was precisely what you needed," rumbled the Toa of Earth. "What was waiting for you in Le-Kini, brother?"
"A quick swim through water-yuck and an ash-bear trapped by Makuta," he answered. "I set the latter free on the way out."
Onua nodded. "I am glad to hear that you are embracing your role as a protector of your Wahi's wildlife. The Rahi are just as much victims of the enemy's machinations as the Matoran - their salvation should not be overlooked."
Lewa beamed behind his mask. "I see now why sister-Gali cares so deeply about them. All life is precious, and must be protected." He cast a curious look to Onua. "What did you and shadow-leaf face, by the way?"
"We were nearly devoured by a shapeshifting Rahi that disguised itself as the temple."
The Toa of Air hummed with a frown. "…hmm. I take it back. Most life is precious."
A rare laugh escaped Onua as he clasped his brother's shoulder. "Ah…on that, we may agree."
Silence settled between the pair as they watched their allies converse with each other and mend their wounds. The Toa of Earth kept his gaze away from Blake and Yang - after so many adventures apart, he felt a little privacy was warranted. Instead he watched Kopaka rise to his feet while testing out newly-repaired joints, swinging his shield-bearing arm experimentally before nodding in approval to both Ruby and Weiss. Then he listened as Pohatu neared the end of his tale, at which point a silence fell over the clearing that only Emerald was brave enough to break.
"So…what now?" The green-haired human looked around uncertainly. "We've got the Makoki stone pieces, and we've got all the masks. Anyone know what we need to do next?"
Tahu sighed. "I do not know, Emerald. Turaga Vakama promised that a great power would be awaiting us when we gathered here with the keystones in hand, but he did not say what it was or how to access it. It may be best to seek that out before assembling the stone itself."
"No argument there, brother," said Pohatu as he held up the piece he and Neo had found. "There is a strange energy within these pieces, one that puzzles even me. And if there's one thing I know, it's stone. As for the great power, my Turaga gave a similar promise. Something about…a mask of gold?"
Ruby's eyes widened. "Oh! Nokama said something like that too! She didn't say how to get it though…just that when the time came, we'd know what to do."
"'A power that encompasses all will be revealed by the Toa,'" intoned Kopaka. "That was what Nuju had told me before we all met at Kini-Nui, when he asked to see me about a Vision he'd had. Apparently we need to find a place to set the Kanohi we'd gathered, where their energies will merge into a new form. No word on where those statues are or how to reveal them, though."
Blake, who had been listening while applying the final bandages to Yang's burns, turned to face the others with a smile. "I think I might have an idea on where to start looking. Follow me."
Six Toa and five humans followed the feline Faunus as she led them to the Great Temple itself, guiding them to one of the walls of sandstone that formed the base of the structure. Onua blinked as he recognized the life-sized carvings of himself and the other Toa within the walls, and judging by their reactions he could only guess it was their first time noticing this detail.
"Fascinating…" mused Tahu. "However, I fear I do not understand how this helps. Please explain, Blake."
"When Onua and I first came here, the summons went out once he slotted his claw into the hole on his mural." She pointed to the opening. "Take a look, there's a similar place for your weapons on your murals as well. At first I thought it was just a way for any one Toa to activate Kini-Nui and send out the signal…but now I'm wondering what might happen if all six of you do it at the same time."
"Like a combination lock," mused Emerald.
"Something like that, yeah."
The Toa looked at each other, and unable to find any reason not to at least try, did just that. Gali and Onua slotted their hooks and claws into their proper recesses, while Lewa and his sword-wielding brothers found that the stone served admirably as sheaths for their blades. When Pohatu balanced on one foot to ram his armored boot into the last mural, all six of them pushed down until they felt resistance against their tools of choice…
CLICK. CLUNK. GRRRRRRR…
And then the real magic happened.
If the rumbling of stone was loud to Onua when he initiated the summons, it was almost deafening now. His sensitive hearing picked out long-dormant gears and mechanisms growling as they were woken from centuries of slumber, working to do something within the Great Temple itself. The Toa pulled away from their murals and stepped back wisely, and they were right to do so - the minute their weapons left the slots, the wall itself began to sink into the earth as six life-sized statues slid forward on hidden grooves to take its place.
The newly-revealed statues were a marvel all on their own. Carved in the Toa's likeness, the detailing was so precise that every weathered groove, every clicking gear, every pressurized piston of the warriors was mirrored in their stone counterparts. Even the faded paints that clung to the sandstone after centuries of collecting dust was reminiscent of the bright, vibrant colors of their armor, as were the glass eyes that seemed to shimmer with inner light. Onua could have sworn he was looking at his own reflection, just by staring at his statue.
Strangely enough, the statues lacked masks of any kind. Their stony doppelgangers were completely bare-faced, revealing six identical sharp, angular heads that lay concealed behind every Toa's Kanohi.
The statues slid and locked into place just as the wall fully retracted, and then everything was silent once again.
"Mata Nui," whispered Gali softly as she tilted her head, peering at her maskless counterpart.
"Secret doors with secret statues!" Ruby whispered excitedly. "That's so cool!"
Neo was similarly enthusiastic, dancing around Pohatu's sculpture to get a better look at the back.
"So this is what being a treasure hunter feels like," said Yang with a soft laugh, looking up at Tahu's speechless expression. "It's just like one of those old Indigo June movies…all we need now are giant boulders to outrun and thugs to punch in the face."
"Remarkable craftsmanship," breathed Pohatu as he ran his hands over his stone doppelganger, oblivious to the banter between the Huntresses. "An uncanny resemblance to us, and with such fine attention to detail at that. Whoever carved these must have been aware of us ages before our arrival, to capture our likeness on such a minute scale."
"All except the power-masks, clearly," quipped Lewa as he measured the height difference between himself and his own statue. "Or lack thereof, rather. Hard to believe whoever made these with such a keen-eye would make a mistake like leaving us bare-faced."
Tahu furrowed his brow as he reached towards his Kanohi, pulling the Kaukau out of his collective mask stock and holding it over the bare angular face of his own statue. "Or perhaps it is no mistake at all, brother. Perhaps we are meant to complete them…with the masks that we have found."
Onua watched as the Toa of Fire pressed the red-tinted Mask of Water-Breathing against the statue's face, leaving it hanging magnetically as though it belonged there. After a moment of watching, the Kanohi seemingly melted into the stone and vanished, leaving only red lines of energy coursing through the grooves and cracks in Tahu's likeness.
"Well, that's ominous," remarked Emerald with a frown. "Hope you weren't too attached to that one, cause it might just be gone forever now."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," said Yang as she pulled out her Scroll. "According to that mask app thingy, Tahu's still got his Kaukau. I'd activate it to test it, but I'd rather not suffocate this far from water. So I don't think it's gone, exactly. Just transformed, somehow. Like wherever his masks go when he's not wearing them."
"That lines up with what Nuju told me," confirmed Kopaka as he drew forth his Miru. "These must be the statues he was talking about…it seems we'll have to give them all the masks to get our Golden Kanohi."
"And how can we be certain that this isn't some Makuta-trick?" Lewa asked. "As someone who's been made a fool in the past, I'd rather not fall to his dark-clutches again."
"I understand your hesitation, brother," intoned Gali softly. "However, I believe that the Turaga themselves would not steer us wrong, nor would they push us into weakening ourselves before the final battle. This may feel strange or unnatural…but then, if faith were easy, there would be no need for it."
That seemed to convince the reticent Toa of Air, who after an encouraging pat from Emerald stepped up to his statue and followed Tahu's example. Kopaka was the next to give up his collected Kanohi, followed by Gali and Pohatu surrendering their own. Finally, Onua approached his carved doppelganger and placed his masks one after another against its bare face, pausing only for a moment before relinquishing the Pakari that he arrived with.
As soon as his last mask melted into the stone, Onua felt a great wave of fatigue wash over him. He staggered and wavered unsteadily, clinging to the wall with his claws to keep from falling completely. One turn of his maskless face to the other Toa revealed they were similarly weakened; Pohatu locked the joints in his legs to keep himself from toppling over, Gali dropped to her knees with a sharp gasp, and Tahu, Kopaka, and Lewa all leaned against their weapons for support. The Huntresses were quick to rush to the side of their respective allies, helping hold them steady despite being half as tall.
Before any of them could wonder if this truly was a trick, or if they'd willingly given away all the power they'd worked to find, the statues activated to remove all doubts.
Six blinding lights shone from the slots, accompanied by the sound of bells mixed with peals of laughter. Onua gasped as tendrils of energy poured over the face of his statue, forming into a golden Pakari that seemed to radiate light and life. He took the new mask and carefully placed it over his own face, and felt a newfound sense of vigor and strength flow through his being. Every power he had gathered seemed to hover at the edges of his mind; just as Nuju had said to Kopaka, this strange Kanohi seemed to channel the power of every mask he'd collected all at once.
The other Toa took the offered masks as well - which matched their preferred shapes - until all of them stood wearing a matching set of Golden Kanohi.
Yang let out a low whistle. "Now that's a glow-up."
Neo's grin was almost as bright as the new masks.
"Whoa…" breathed Ruby, silver eyes reflecting golden light. "Amazing! Awesome! Aaaaaaagh it's so cool!"
"Maybe just a little ostentatious…" murmured Weiss, though her own awe was on full display.
Blake tilted her head as she stared. "Well? How does it feel?"
"It feels…incredible," answered Gali, reverence in her voice. "The shape is the same as my old Kaukau, and yet…every gathered power resides within this one mask."
"I feel it too, sister," agreed Tahu. "So this is the great power that our Turaga spoke of…a worthy reward indeed."
"Now we no longer need to quick-switch our masks to use other powers!" chirped Lewa. Then he looked at the Huntresses. "Oh, wait! Sprout-leaf, can you and your friends still channel-use them for yourselves?"
Emerald checked her Scroll and nodded. "Just like Blondie said earlier, all the icons on our end are still lit up. So it looks like we can still channel them - but just to check…"
She tapped one icon, disappeared in a green blur, and reappeared with some kind of brown leather object in her hand.
"Yep, I'd say it still works," she said with a laugh. "Looks like the Aura cost for channeling has been reduced too…that'll come in handy."
Weiss instinctively patted the pockets of her coat. "Wait, where's my…Emerald!"
"Too slow, Ice Queen. It's my wallet now!"
The heiress was not amused. "Ruby, please use your authority as the leader of Team RWBY and order Emerald to stop stealing my stuff."
"I will in just a sec, Weiss. Everyone, check out the disks!"
Everyone turned to Ruby, who had drawn Naho-Gahi off her back and watched it come alive in a silver flash of light. She wound up for a throw and launched it…and the throwing disk disappeared in a burst of rose petals. A low-hanging branch fifty bios away fell from its tree a moment later, followed by the weapon reappearing in the hand of the little Huntress.
"Whoa." Yang blinked. "Did…did your disk just use your Semblance?!"
"Sure looks like it!" exclaimed Ruby with a grin as she showed off her Scroll. "And look! It didn't reduce my Aura at all! They must have their own Auras now - one that acts as an extension of ours! Isn't that like the best thing ever?!"
Blake drew and threw Krahkava in one smooth motion, watching as it seemed to leave multiple shadowy copies of itself as it flew before bouncing back to her waiting hand. Toa and Huntress alike ducked as the extra disks seemed to ricochet off the rocks and trees, only to pass harmlessly through the warriors and evaporate into smoke.
"The Turaga did say that binding our Aura to these things would empower them," she said with a smirk. "Guess this means our Semblances got transferred over too. And yeah, Ruby, I will admit - this is pretty cool."
The other Huntresses quickly followed suit, eager to see what their own disks could do. Weiss hummed thoughtfully as Hakoki created a glyph on impact, which detonated in a burst of force as soon as she caught it again. Yang cackled in glee when Akuavo exploded into a fireball once it hit the intended target, while Neo nodded as Shusano left a mirror image of herself near whatever it struck. At first, Emerald seemed disappointed when Madumehi didn't seem to have any special effect…but she was proven wrong when the disk clipped Lewa's leg on the rebound, at which point he whipped his head back and forth and whirled around wildly.
"Hey!" protested the Toa of Air, "who turned out the bright-lights? Why can't I see -" He blinked several times before calming down. "…oh, never mind, we're all-good now. That was…odd."
Emerald chuckled as she caught her disk. "So it looks like mine just blinds people, like one of the first tricks I learned with my Hallucinations. That…could be extremely useful."
"It seems that Mata Nui smiles on the warriors of both our worlds today," noted Gali with a nod, "and bestows gifts equally among them. Surely these boons will be necessary for the coming task."
"Indeed, sister," intoned Tahu with a proud smile. Then he turned to address the gathered warriors, embers crackling in his voice. "We have the Makoki stones. We have our Golden Kanohi. And perhaps most importantly, we have the Huntresses by our side. This, then, is where we begin our final task. If any of you question our choice, or doubt our chances if we work together, speak now before we enter the heart of darkness."
Surprisingly, Kopaka was the first to step forward and speak. "You and I may have our differences, Tahu, and while we don't always agree on everything, I see nothing but wisdom in the current plan. I can also see plainly that your time with the humans has changed you, and tempered the worst of your wrath and pride to fan the flame of valor within." He lowered a frost-covered sword towards his brother. "So for the sake of our peoples, and our friends, I cast my sword with yours…if you will have it."
The Toa of Fire nodded, smiling under his mask. "I would have it gladly, Kopaka." Then he looked to the other Toa. "You are all in assent? Toa and Huntress alike?"
One by one the warriors of two worlds nodded silently in agreement…all except Lewa, who suddenly looked down at the ground.
This did not go unnoticed by Tahu. "Speak freely, Lewa. What is on your mind?"
Onua's sensitive hearing caught an excited whisper from Ruby. "He's learniiiing!"
The Toa of Air sighed as he looked up and met everyone else's gaze. "I don't wish to take the wind-cheer out of anyone's wings, but…what about our return?"
Silence settled over the courtyard. Lewa paused, gathered his courage, then spoke again.
"I have spent…far too long in the mind of Makuta," he intoned uncertainly, "and so I feel I understand his thought-plans even slightly. All of us entering his lair together, with none to guard our rear…it presents a tempting chance to destroy the Kini-Nui and seal us in his endless shadows, and Makuta would be a fool not to take it." His voice grew sullen for a moment. "And trust me when I say this, dear brothers and sisters - Makuta is no fool."
Everyone's spirits seemed to falter in response to Lewa's words. Emerald reached out and hugged him around the arm, while Onua rested a claw on his shoulder. Despite saying nothing else, the gratitude in the Toa of Air's eyes spoke volumes on their own.
"Our brother makes a salient point, Tahu," rumbled the Toa of Earth. "Kini-Nui may serve as our way into Mangaia, but in all likelihood it may also be our only way out. Every Onu-Matoran knows that you do not venture deeper into your tunnel without being certain that you have a way to escape…and though this is a sacred place to the Matoran, I fear Makuta may not hold such reverence."
Emerald nodded tightly. "Yeah, there's no way he'd miss out on a chance to either slap you all with Infected masks, or just wipe you out completely. Hopefully we'd have a way to go home down there, so that won't be a concern for us…but what about you guys?"
Tahu looked down, the spark of fervor dying in his eyes. "…I do not know the answer to that. So grim is the task ahead of us, I did not think of anything beyond our meeting with Makuta. Forgive me for my shortsightedness."
Gali stepped forward to lay a hand on his arm, even as Yang did the same on his other side. "Take heart, brother," she intoned gently. "We shall think of something."
Ruby nodded, then hummed thoughtfully. "What if we…no. Or maybe we could…mmm, nuh-uh. Oh! How about we -"
Onua's head tilted to one side as he felt his elementally-enhanced senses perk up once more. "Wait. I hear something, approaching from the north-eastern edge of the forest. I cannot tell what it is exactly, but…it moves quickly towards us."
Blake furrowed her brow as her topmost ears twitched. "I hear it too. Get ready, everyone - it might be trouble."
A dozen warriors drew their weapons and faced the forest beyond the temple, mentally and physically preparing themselves for whatever approached. Whether it was another Rahi or shadow of Makuta, they resolved that nothing could stop them from doing their Duty and accomplishing their Destiny. Yet the last thing anyone expected to emerge was another human girl, one with long orange hair, a big smile on her face, and a lightstone in her hands.
Which, of course, was exactly what ran at full tilt to greet them.
"Salutations!"