"You're guess is as good as mine, Jaller," replied Onua. "We've talked with the Turaga, but even they are at a loss."
"Do we even know if this is a threat?" asked Hahli. When the others looked at her like she had grown a third arm, she continued, "Yes, it looks threatening, but for all we know, this could just be some weird storm cloud. I mean, should we really act like it's a threat if we don't know for sure that it is one?"
"Oh, it's a threat," said a voice behind them, "and a pretty big one at that."
The Toa turned as one and saw the being who spoke, the Shadowed One.
"You!" cried Tahu, "What are you doing here?"
"Just finishing up some business that I started about over 3,000 years ago, conquering Metru Nui."
"Ha," laughed Kongu, "you and what army-crowd?"
"That one."
The Toa looked where the Shadowed One was pointing, the center of the shadow vortex. In the center, a bright light glowed with a sickly red radiance. Suddenly, a voice, or rather hundreds of voices, boomed over the city.
"The hour is here. The time is now. Let the gates of the Inferno open and release its inhabitants upon the world!"
As the Toa looked on, the light inside the vortex grew brighter and brighter, until it became too painful to look at. With a sound like rending metal, the light flashed and grew dim again, and when the Toa looked up, the sight at once inspired both awe and fright within them.
Pouring from the vortex came hundreds, thousands, of beings. Even from the grounds of the Coliseum, the Toa could hear their maniacal laughter as they swooped in on Metru Nui. The Toa readied for battle, and just as they were about to engage the Shadowed One, another being landed beside him. His pitch black cloak billowed in the wind as he pulled back his hood. His face looked like one who had been through the depths of madness, and yet somehow, it was obvious that this was no lunatic. Rather, the knowledge of countless ages radiated from his eyes, even as his smile showed a mind that was broken.
"Hello Toa," he said, in a thousand voices.
"Who are you? And what's going on?" demanded Tahu.
"My name is Vain Glory, and I am conquering your city."
"Then withdraw your troops, and leave," replied Tahu, "or else things will get nasty."
"Oh, I don't think you're in any position to make threats, Toa of Smoke. You see, I can't have you fighting me. I need your help, and you will assist me, whether you like it or not."
"In your dreams!" cried Pohatu, as he summoned a stone prison around Vain Glory and began to squeeze.
The Shadowed One smiled. "Your efforts are futile," he said, "after all, how can you possibly match the power of a Great Being?"
With that, the stone prison burst to pieces. Even as the pieces flew apart, they joined back together into a six-armed creature that towered over the Toa.
"The power of life," said Vain Glory, as his minion advanced on the Toa, "what a wonderful gift. I can give life to whatever I wish - a stone, a tree, even a ray of light. And now, I shall take away yours."
The stone creature grabbed the Toa Nuva and hoisted them into the air. At the same time, the Shadowed One fired his staff, encasing the other Toa in a solid block of protodermis.
Vain Glory threw back his head and shouted, "Come my generals, follow my voice. Your vessels await you. Come and claim them."
No sooner had he finished speaking, when six beings came up through the ground and hovered in center of the arena. As the Toa Nuva looked at the newcomers, shock and fear filled their hearts. As the spirits advanced on the Toa, their intent became abundantly clear.
Though they did not recognize them by their faces, the moment the spirits entered their minds, the Nuva knew exactly who they were dealing with. Tahu suddenly found himself in a mental grapple with the long dead Makuta, Antroz. Gali tried with all her might to keep her mind from being torn to pieces by the deceased Roodaka. Lewa put up a strong fight, but soon succumbed to the power of the mind of Nidhiki. Kopaka, though he put all the power he could muster behind it, could not shield himself from the cruel intellect of Sidorak. Onua fought hard and strong, but beneath the attacks of Makuta Icarax, he was no match. And Pohatu grappled for what seemed an eternity with the spirit of the Barraki, Carapar.
When the spirits had finished their work, the stone creature set down the Toa's bodies. Moments later, the Toa rose, but now they were far from the heroes they had been but a moment before. Now, the Nuva were possessed by some of the most evil beings ever to walk the universe, and as they walked away with Vain Glory and the Shadowed One, they smiled at the conquest before them.