BIONICLE Legends: Invasion

Chapter 4

Written by Jeff Douglas

The Cord

The Toa Inika were surrounded.

The reptilian monsters that had been chasing Hewkii, Nuparu, and Kongu were rapidly advancing, pushing them against Jaller, Hahli, and Matoro. At the same time, more of the reptiles had appeared in Av-Koro, cutting that off as an option. Instinctively, Jaller threw up a wall of flame to cut them off on both sides. But the warriors were not slowed. In fact, they shrugged it off as they continued their advance.

“They’re immune to our elemental powers!” Hewkii shouted. “Even the Inika energies have limited effect!”

“Isn’t that nice,” Matoro grumbled, dodging a dagger, flying right for his head. When the stone wall behind him exploded, his eyes widened, and he narrowly dodged the rubble in time.

“Vengeance,” one of the warriors snarled. “Vengeance for the Zyglak!”

“Hewkii, Nuparu! Throw up walls to slow them!” Jaller shouted.

Calling upon the ground around them, the Toa reached out with their powers, and walls reached out to surround the six in a protective, airtight bubble.

But the Zyglak were not to be impeded. Small booms heralded the effects of the explosive daggers on the wall. Jaller turned to Hewkii.

“Those aren’t going to last long. Nor are we if we stay in here. If we open the ground beneath us, will we fall into a tunnel?”

“I don’t know. Probably?”

“Try it.”

Hewkii closed his eyes in concentration. An instant later, the ground welled open, and the Toa went tumbling into space. Jaller had only a moment to register a splash before he felt himself sinking beneath water. As he glanced up, he made out a silhouette, the dark underside of Voya Nui.

We’re at the edge of the Cord!

Jaller and Matoro adapted fast, slowing their downward momentum and kicking back upward as fast as they could, but Hewkii and Nuparu were sinking rapidly. Hahli summoned a waterspout that flushed them back upward, and Kongu produced air bubbles beneath the Toa that kept them aloft. As quickly as they were able, they kicked up for the air pocket held underwater where they had come from.

“No tunnel,” Jaller acknowledged grimly, looking at the large column of the Cord not far from them. “The Nui Caves are right above us, then.”

“Those guys might not be our only problem,” Matoro said, pointing downward. Five Takea sharks were swimming up for them. At the same time, an explosion above them heralded the destruction of Hewkii’s walls. As the heads of their opponents peered over the edge, the Toa could feel the water level rising as the air escaped back into the tunnels and to the surface.

Thinking fast, Hewkii concentrated again, and the stone from the Cord reached out horizontally to envelop them. Caught once again in a stone bubble, Hewkii and Nuparu used their massive strength to burrow horizontally toward the center of the Cord. To their relief, it wasn’t long before the Toa tumbled back into one of the main corridors.

“Let’s not do that again,” Kongu shivered.

“Agreed,” Jaller nodded. He looked around. “We’re probably a few levels below our prior position. It won’t take them long to figure out where we are.”

“Zyglak. Did you hear it Jaller?” Matoro asked. “Those were the Zyglak.”

“Yes. Looks like they made a life here at some point over the past millennia.”

“Zyglak?” Nuparu asked. “I’ve never heard of the term.”

“Neither did we until a few minutes ago,” Hahli replied. “They may be responsible for the disappearance of an underground Matoran tribe. They’re a biproduct of Krana production.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Kongu grumbled. “We’re underground — I should have quick-known the Bohrok would factor in somehow.”

“Shhh!” Jaller interjected. As the Toa hushed, they could hear the pitter-patter of footsteps echoing down the narrow tunnels.

“We need to go.”

✴        ✴        ✴

As the Toa ran, their progress was slowed by the thick sand that seemed to increase the further down they went. By now, the obsidian lining of the tunnels was completely hidden under the dusty tan, and the natural lightstones that had provided a light, however dim, were growing more and more sparse.

“So they’re immune to elemental powers,” Jaller said between breaths. “At least in the traditional sense. What could we throw at them that they wouldn’t be used to?”

“Has anyone tried mask powers?” asked Matoro.

“And do what?” Nuparu shot back. “Dodge them? Fly past them? Our Kanohi powers aren’t exactly offensive types, much less underground.”

“We need something no Toa would think to have tried on them. At least, not these Zyglak. That should buy us enough time to make it to the bottom,” Matoro said.

Hewkii glanced down. “Do you think—”

A dagger shot past his head and exploded, raining rubble down on them.

The Zyglak had caught up.

Matoro whirled and directed a snowstorm behind them. Pillars of ice erupted from the ground, blocking their pursuit. But the Zyglak exploded through them. Nuparu directed tendrils of earth to pin them down, but they shrugged them off. Hahli summoned the moisture in the air and directed it in a jet at the Zyglak. But they braced against it and inched forward.

“I can’t hold it,” Hahli shouted, digging her feet in to avoid being pushed backward herself. One of the Zyglak reached through the jet and grasped her arm, shoving it away. Releasing the arm, it followed up with a kick to the midsection, throwing her backwards.

Hahli groaned but snapped to attention when she noticed her organic components breaking down where the Zyglak had made contact. Summoning another powerful jet of pure water, she flushed the infection away as best she could, and nursed the wounded areas.

“They’re immune to our elements!” grunted Nuparu.

Kongu glanced down again. He had an idea, although he wasn’t certain how well it would work.

An instant later, the sand lining the tunnel was swept up in a tornado, assaulting the Zyglak in a relentless barrage. Taken by surprise, the Zyglak screamed as it stung their faces and penetrated their armor. Kongu glanced at Jaller.

“Guess that final-settles the age-old question. Sand is not an element.”

Jaller pointed. “Better tell them that.”

Already, their attackers were adapting to the attack. Drawing strength from the realization the stinging couldn’t get any worse, they began pushing through the sandstorm.

Remembering something he had seen before his death, Jaller unleashed a jet of flame, and while the Zyglak were unharmed, the sand crystalized into a wall of glass. Those Zyglak who had been pushing through were encased inside. For a split second, Jaller feared that their opponents could suffocate in there, but as their allies set about exploding the glass to shards, he realized it wouldn’t last long. As Hewkii threw up new layers of thick stone sediment, Jaller superheated them, establishing a solid wall that bound to the obsidian tunnels.

Kongu grinned. “Sand and fire.”

“That works,” Jaller grunted. “It will buy us enough time to regroup and think of something new.”