Mata Nui Comics
2001 - BIONICLE Comic 3: Triumph of the Toa
Adapted by Michael Larson. Edited by Jeff Douglas.
From deep beneath the surface of Mata Nui, in a chamber no sun had pierced nor had Matoran ever seen, a pair of baleful, omnipresent eyes watched the scenes unfold. He had watched over the island for centuries, and yet, in all that time he had not often seen something so amusing as the sight of Gali and Lewa now.
Yes, it was he who had commanded the seaweed to entrap Lewa, and who had influenced the fragmentation of Gali’s mountain. It was he who arranged the deployment of Rahi to ambush them. And it was he who now watched as they would be defeated for good.
He turned his gaze at the far wall. There rested a large mask, carved to resemble the Great Spirit Mata Nui.
“They come for us, my brother,” he rumbled. “Even now they threaten your slumber.”
He looked back to the surface, where Lewa helplessly crashed through tree branches toward the awaiting jaws of the Muaka. He looked also to where Gali was attempting to stave off the scorpions with her powers.
“Shall I introduce myself to them? I who have ruled the island for so long, and who direct their fate? Shall I tell them of my grand designs and machinations? What should I tell them?’
The dark figure laughed.
“I am the shape in the shadows. I am the darkness in the heart of Mata Nui. Yes, novice Toa. I live in the dread stories told by the Turaga around the village fires. Even the dark creatures, the Manas, the Rahi — they are my servants. Indeed, I am Makuta.”
Lewa grasped for a tree branch, but could not find purchase, and it snapped at his weight. Gali continued attempting to flush away the scorpions but was increasingly backed into a corner.
“These will be the last tales the Turaga and Matoran ever have of the Toa of Water and of Air,” Makuta cooed. “Those who dare to challenge me…as the Toa have done… will be defeated.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Blindly, Lewa snagged a vine, sensing his fortune turning. But it would not be enough—it’s elasticity was too great and he could only slow his fall, not stop it. And , as he only now had noticed, a Muaka was snapping up at him, eager for its meal.
But what Lewa could not see was a patch of earth, which crumbled beneath the giant Rahi. Onua’s powerful black claws reached out of the earth, grasped the giant feline’s treads and yanked it down with all their strength. Helpless, the Rahi was sucked into the earth, too entrenched to escape.
✴ ✴ ✴
Across the island, Gali needed a break as well. She hadn’t claimed any offensive masks as of yet, and the scorpions, while vulnerable to her water powers, were using the environment to their advantage. To make matters worse, a Tarakava had appeared in the seas behind her.
“The creatures are closing in,” she whispered under her breath, glancing all around her. “Great Beings, grant me strength…”
As if on cue, a wall of fire in front of her, keeping the scorpions at bay.
Gali whirled in the direction it had come. “You—!”
Tahu pointed. “Gali, behind you!”
The Toa of Water realized the Tarakava was closing in, so she jumped onto a rock and backflipped over it. The Rahi had anticipated this, however, and struck out hard, punching her midair and sending her flying off-course.
She hit the water hard, and with a loud CRACK she submerged, her consciousness shattered to oblivion.
And yet, strangely, she could still see. She knew she had to have been submerging, but she felt no water, nor the seabed below. Instead, darkness seeped out from the corners of her mind… and an intense vision overwhelmed her, sweeping away all of reality. Strange images danced before her eyes, and she had the vague notion of flying, but she was too dazed to see where. Then she saw what seemed to be two titans standing before her. Behind them, there were six silhouettes of what appeared to be the Toa, although their masks gleamed golden.
The titans turned to face her with their imposing breadth and height. “Welcome, Toa of Water,” the left said. He wore what appeared to be a green Miru, although he did not at all resemble Lewa. “Do not be afraid—your body is safe in the ocean’s embrace. Only your mind has journeyed here to behold your future.”
“What is this place?” Gali asked. “Who are you?”
The giant on the spoke up. “We are what you and the other Toa shall become,” it said. It wore a red Hau, although, like the other, it did not resemble anyone Gali knew. The giant towered over her like nothing she had seen. “When each of you has found all the Great Masks of Power, then shall you be ready to join together and defeat Makuta.”
The titan with the Hau drew a massive club and sword of fire, crossing the two in front of itself. “Three shall become myself, Akamai, and walk the path of the warrior.”
The titan with the Miru similarly drew its weapons, a bladed axe and a shield. “And three shall become myself, Wairuha, and walk the path of wisdom.”
The two figures then faded from view as all color went black. However, their final words rang in her ear, spoken by both in tandem. “Remember, Gali. Only by uniting will the Toa find the strength to triumph. For now, child of the waters, farewell…”
Gali’s physical eyes snapped open and she bolted upright. “Wait! I must know more!”
“It’s alright Gali,” Tahu comforted. He was kneeling over her on the beach, where she had been deposited by the tide. “The Rahi have fled,” he added. “We are safe now.”
Gali pushed herself onto her knees. “Tahu? I had the strangest vision…”
“We can talk about it later,” he interrupted, rising to his full height. “Onua has called a meeting—we are to meet the others near his landing site.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Far beneath the surface of Mata Nui, two malevolent eyes watched as Kopaka slid down an ice ramp into the clearing, where Pohatu, Gali, Onua, and Tahu awaited. Lewa was mere moments behind him, swinging in on a vine and landing skillfully.
“How convenient,” the dark inhabitant mused. “The Toa have gathered together…saving me the trouble of hunting them down.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Onua looked at each Toa in turn, drawing their attention. “I felt it was time we met again,” he said firmly. “This place holds dangers we never dreamed of…maybe even more than any of us can handle alone.”
Gali nodded wholeheartedly. “We need to learn to work together. Our destiny — our future depends on it.”
“And that of the Matoran as well,” Pohatu nodded. “Makuta’s stranglehold nearly snuffed Po-Koro out. Every day his grip grows tighter.”
Lewa shrugged, folding his arms. “I don’t know…I’m still not much for group-teaming up.”
“Would you rather I have left you to the Muaka and the Nui-Rama?” Onua retorted. “And how do you think Kopaka or Gali would have fared without your aid?”
“I would have found a way,” Kopaka shrugged.
“No,” Gali shook her head. “I don’t think either of us could have.”
“Funny,” Tahu remarked acidly. “I seem to recall being the only one recommending we work in teams. But was I also the only one who didn’t need someone else to bail me out?”
“You were right,” Gali interjected. “It was a mistake to not listen before.”
“Let’s not get fly-carried away here,” Lewa frowned. “Just because—”
Before he could finish, a nearby volcano let out an ear-splitting explosion as lava burst out the top. All the Toa turned to look, Tahu being the most surprised—he hadn’t been sensing any heat build up.
Lewa sighed. “Then again, there’s nothing like a little together-ness.”
Before their very eyes, stones and fresh magma were hurled into the air before crashing and sliding down the slope. Onua’s eyes widened. “That lava flow could destroy the entire island!” He turned to Lewa beside him. “You have the Mask of Speed—can you get me there?”
Lewa shifted masks. “Sure, Onua. But what are you think-planning to do once we’re arrived-there?”
Onua smiled. “Watch and learn.” He turned. “Pohatu, your powers would be better served down here.”
Pohatu nodded.
In the past, Lewa had been critical of Onua’s slowness to act. Yet now he couldn’t help but be impressed at the Toa of Earth’s initiative. Bracing himself against Onua, he activated his mask, propelling both toward the foot of the volcano. “I thought Tahu was the smart-expert on lava.” Lewa shouted over the rush of wind and crashing rocks.
“He is!” Onua shouted back. “But my people live underground—molten rock is nothing new to me.” With that, he lowered his massive claws and started plowing at an impressive rate—even without the aid of a Mask of Speed. “Your speed and my digging combined,” he explained, “create a trench to catch the lava flow…” More rocks flew up out of the ground as Onua immediately displaced them. “…so it doesn’t harm the island,” the Toa of Earth finished.
The two slowed to a halt, and Lewa surveyed their handiwork, thoroughly impressed. The newly-formed moat now ringed the volcano, forming deep trenches that the lava spilled into.
“Tahu couldn’t have done better,” Onua smiled.
✴ ✴ ✴
The other four would have also admired their brothers’ handiwork if they could. Unfortunately, Makuta wasn’t going to give them the opportunity.
Gali was the first to spot the danger. A twig snapped behind her and she turned to see a rather raging Muaka lunging for her from the forest. Instinctively, she rolled onto her back, summoned her Mask of Strength, and kicked the creature, even as she created a water spout under and behind the Rahi. The beast roared as its momentum was used against it.
“Here is a gift for you, Kopaka!” she called.
Kopaka channeled his powers through his sword, thoroughly encasing it in ice. “I hope you won’t mind if I keep it chilled for later.”
Pohatu was about to congratulate them, but a flash of movement behind Tahu shattered these thoughts. “Looks like Tahu is about to have some unpleasant company,” he murmured.
The Toa of Stone concentrated, creating a sphere of stone where there hadn’t been one before. Stepping back, he leaped forward and kicked it against a nearby rock wall, sending an even larger boulder ricocheting over to Tahu.
By now the Toa of Fire had seen the movement as well, as two Tarakava emerged from the ocean, one green and one blue. With a passing shadow overhead, he soon learned of Pohatu’s generous effort, too. He heated his sword until it glowed bright, spun to give it momentum, and vertically cleaved the boulder clean in two. The resulting halves flew off to his flanks, each one smashing the reptilian Rahi dead center, throwing them back into the sea.
The Toa of Fire barely registered this before the sand erupted before him, rising to five times his height. The wall of sand rushed toward him like a wave.
“Makuta turns this very island against us!” Tahu exclaimed. He raised his tool and pointed it. “But with only a fraction of my power…”
A jet of flame erupted from his sword, crystalizing the sand into a glass wall. “Sand becomes glass!” he proclaimed.
Two shapes, one orange and one green appeared in the translucent surface. The glass wall exploded as two Nui-Rama shot through, catching the Toa completely off guard.
“What—?” Tahu grunted, as each Rahi grabbed an arm and hauled him high into the air. Too bad I haven’t found the Mask of Levitation, yet… he thought. The Nui-Rama duo promptly released him. …because the ground is a long way down!
Against the screaming of his instincts, Tahu fought to clear his head. He gathered his fire energies in his sword, but rather than releasing an explosion of flame, he simply let the energies radiate out in waves. “But perhaps…if I heat the air below me,” he murmured, “it will slow my fall just enough that—OOF!”
“That I can catch you with ease, Tahu,” Onua grunted, cradling the Toa of Fire in his mighty arms. “You know, you really should seek out—”
“The Mask of Levitation,” Tahu rolled out of his grasp. “I know.”
Some distance away, Pohatu and Lewa had run into a little trouble of their own. A Kane-Ra had exploded out from behind him, ramming its head into his back and sending Pohatu tumbling hard in the dirt where he lay dazed.
“That’s it?” Lewa asked, summoning a tornado that levitated the mighty bull into the air. “These are the mighty-best of Makuta's Rahi? He should know it hard-takes more to take down the Toa!”
Summoning the full force of his powers to bear, Lewa hurled the spinning Kane-Ra toward the cliff. Even as the bull slammed head-first into the mountain, Pohatu’s powers sent boulders crashing down and burying the beast.
At the same time, Kopaka and Gali found themselves side by side, confronting a pair of Nui-Jaga scorpions, one blue and the other purple. Their claws and stingers had been fast enough and big enough to keep the Toa off-balance. Kopaka switched masks, from his Akaku to his Kanohi Hau.
“I have the power of the Mask of Shielding,” he said, activating it. “But you have no protection from their attack, Gali. Be careful.”
Gali concentrated. “As long as the underground waters obey my commands, it is Makuta and his creatures that need protection!” she shouted, thrusting both her hooks into the air. Out of nowhere, two underwater geysers erupted underneath both Rahi. As heavy as they were, their weight was not going to stop the power of water, sending both confused and scared scorpions hurtling a good distance out to sea.
During all this, Onua had been tracking the Nui-Rama that had attacked Tahu, wary of a second attack. Indeed, they circled and flew back, ready to dive-bomb the Toa and carry out more hit-and-run attacks.
“More Rahi nightmares on the wing,” he commented, creating a ball of compact earth in his hands. “I believe I have had enough of this!”
With all his strength, he hurled the ball straight at the wasps, hitting one hard and breaking their formation. Knowing they were outmatched, they spun and retreated for cover.
✴ ✴ ✴
Beneath the surface, Makuta frowned. His Rahi attack had had the effect of forcing the Toa to cooperate, rather than driving them apart. But that would be useful to his plan.
“It is over… for now,” he conceded, ordering the Rahi to retreat. “But when next the Toa challenge me, not all their power will save them.”
He turned to look at the Kanohi Hau mounted on the wall.
“And they will fail to save you, brother,” he smiled. “Even when they think they’ve won.”
✴ ✴ ✴
Onua looked around at his gathered brothers and sister. They were battered and bruised, but exhilarated by their victory. “We have won our first battle together as a team,” he said, “but there will be more.”
“We must be prepared to fight them, separately and together,” Gali nodded.
Pohatu grinned, “You know, I almost feel sorry for Makuta, trying to take us all on.”
Kopaka narrowed his eyes. “I have no use for teams,” he said softly.
The other five looked at him.
Kopaka sighed. “…but I will assist when needed.” he sighed. Unconsciously, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
“Whoo-hoo!” Lewa let out, along with a flip. “Same here. The Masks of Power are as good as ours!”
Tahu raised his sword high, and the others raised their tools in unison.
“Then let Makuta tremble this day” he declared. “We will stand together, until Mata Nui is free!”