Chapter 1

A small herd of Kikanalo paused to graze on the sparse vegetation of a canyon in Po-Metru. The region had changed a fair amount in recent times. Rockslides blocked some canyons and passes, while other previously hidden tunnels had been unearthed.

The Rahi, though, had found a way to adapt and go with the flow of change. Now they paused, as they so often did, to graze on the sparse vegetation of the canyon.

It was a peaceful moment. One that couldn’t last.

Along one of the canyon faces, Visorak faded into view, canceling their camouflage ability. Their Rhotuka powers roared to life, and they launched the energy projectiles at the peaceful herd. The disrupter powers of their Rhotuka weakened the Rahi, bringing the heavy beasts crashing down with a loud wail. With the efficiency of born hunters, the Visorak Roporak moved in to finish their task, webbing the Kikanalo up. Some would be imprisoned in cocoons, others mutated, without even so much as a chance to ask…

“Why!?” cried Vakama, looking on helplessly from above. “Why harm Rahi that are no threat to them?” He, Onewa, and Norik had arrived only in time to see the spiders finish their work. They were crouching low behind a rock formation.

“It is the Visorak’s way,” Norik answered. “Anything that moves, anything that lives must be made silent and still. I have seen this repeated dozens of times. The Visorak hordes come, conquer, and leave a dead land behind.”

Vakama stood up. “Not this time,” he snarled, charging his own Rhotuka on his back. “Not in my city.”

Norik inhaled. “Vakama! This was just meant to be a scouting mission!”

“He’s not listening, Rahaga,” Onewa snorted. “Then again, when does he ever?”

Vakama released the spinner but caught it between his tools. “You are the one who showed me how to charge this Rhotuka spinner with my new tools, Norik,” Vakama spat. “Now shut up and let me do my job!”

With that, the Toa Hordika of Fire let loose the supercharged Rhotuka. It struck the ground between the Visorak and the Kikanalo, creating a blazing firestorm around the spiders, even in the dry desert. The Roporak reared back, looking up at who would dare to purposefully attack a group of Visorak.

Vakama turned back. “See, Norik? I may look monstrous now, but I am still a Toa… a hero.”

“A Toa, it’s true…” Norik answered dryly. “Also a fool. Look!”

He gestured to the canyon where the Roporak using their spinners on the surrounding blaze. “Roporak spinners disrupt all forms of energy, even fire,” Norik continued. “They will be free in moments. You would have known that if you had been listening on the way.”

“That’s the advantage of being a Toa,” Vakama replied, jumping off the cliff and igniting his tools. “You have the raw power to correct your mistakes!”

Norik and Onewa looked on helplessly as the Toa Hordika of Fire stampeded down the cliffside, into the valley and the awaiting spiders.

“The fire-spitter seems to have gotten used to being a Hordika—half-Toa, half-Rahi,” Onewa commented, readying his claw clubs.

“It’s worse than that,” Norik grumbled. “I think he’s starting to like it.”

✴        ✴        ✴

Leaping from his position, the Toa Hordika of Stone slammed forward with his weapons, striking the ground and sending rocks flying towards the Visorak. The spiders scattered about, eager to escape from their attackers, but they were no match for Vakama’s fury, as the Toa Hordika of Fire let another Rhotuka spinner fly, blazing flames through the air.

With a scoff, Onewa looked over his shoulder and glared at Pouks. “When are you going to teach me that trick?”

As the Visorak fled the scene, Vakama at last sighed, catching his breath as he rested his weapons on the ground. He was tempted to chase down the swarm of spiders, but he reminded himself that they were likely too much to handle alone. “Another battle won,” he said, “but still no closer to saving the Matoran.”

“It seems like the more we defeat, the more there are to challenge us,” Onewa bemoaned.

Norik chose that moment to speak up, hobbling towards the pair. “It is as I said, you must find Keetongu. Only he can help us to defeat the Visorak once and for all.”

Vakama growled. “He’s a myth. We have no clue where he could be fighting.” He cast a frustrated glare at the Rahaga. “You’ve had no wisdom to offer. We need… outside help.”

A low scoff came from Onewa’s direction. “Sure,” the Toa of Stone said, “let’s just ask someone in the city. Oh wait, that’s right. Makuta put all the Matoran in pods.”

“He did,” Vakama replied, not humoring Onewa’s sarcasm. “But if we’re going to find Keetongu, we need someone who knows Metru Nui well. Someone with experience in legends.” His eyes lit up, and he looked over to his fellow Toa.

“We need Turaga Dume.”

“Be careful, Vakama, not to rush into this,” said Norik. “You said that Dume was trapped in a sphere by Makuta, and cast into an endless sleep. Even assuming you can find him, how do you hope to get him out?”

“I don’t know,” Vakama said, “but I’m going to find a way.”

“You’d better send for the other Toa,” Onewa commented. “I think Vakama wants us to drag the Turaga out of bed.”

✴        ✴        ✴

It took the rest of the day to gather the remaining Toa Hordika from their respective missions. Most shared the same sentiment, that finding Dume again was an overly hopeful goal, given the damage that had been done to the city. Still, with all that had occurred, none of them were going to turn down a chance to see a familiar face. Even if that face had been worn by Makuta for some time.

Once they were assembled, the six made their way to Po-Metru, entering the tunnels below once more. The entrance Vakama, Nokama, and Matau had once taken was buried by Kikinalo, so they were forced to take an alternate route. Vakama insisted he knew the way forward, but it didn’t take long for doubts to once again rise to the surface. The underground system was dilapidated and unstable, and even if they managed to find the lost Turaga, the threat of looming danger was ever present.

“You’re sure this is the right way-path?” asked Matau, doing little to hide his uncertainty.

“Yes,” said Vakama, without hesitation. “We’re close to where Turaga Lhikan and I saw the sphere.” As he stepped up to the doorway to the next tunnel, he sighed. “Hopefully,” he mumbled as he pried open the door, “we can get there without running into any unpleasant-”

As he looked inside, he balked as he saw the floor ahead had caved in entirely, leaving only a narrow bridge to the other end of the tunnel. Far below the bridge, a pit of molten lava waited, boiling and bubbling with heat.

“-surprises,” Vakama finished.

“You mean like this?” Onewa asked, swiftly receiving a sharp jab from Nokama. Then, the Toa Hordika of Water turned around, and gasped.

“No,” she said, pointing back at the way they had come. Behind them, a large swarm of green Visorak Keelerak charged forward, evidently having pursued them into the tunnels. “I think he meant like that!”

Matau balked at the oncoming Visorak, and quickly turned to run. “Last one across is an unwashed lava eel!” he cried, darting onto the narrow stone bridge. The remaining Toa Hordika quickly followed him, their fear of the Visorak outweighing their fear of the lava below.

At last, at the center of the bridge, the six stopped. Matau took the longest as he skidded to a halt, baffled by the team’s apparent decision to stop running. All five remaining Toa Hordika faced their charging opponents, drawing their weapons. Matau sighed, and drew his own as well.

“We make our stand here!” Whenua shouted, even as Nuju gazed up at the ceiling in horror.

“You know, on second thought,” the Toa of Ice stammered, pointing upwards. “I think Vakama meant something like this!”

Above them, countless more Visorak, this squad of the Vohtarak variety, came deploying down from their webs, chattering their fangs in excitement as they approached. Onewa quickly realized how outnumbered his team was, and charged for the other end of the bridge. “This way!” he shouted, only to skid to a halt once more, as yet another group of Visorak spiders began pouring in from the entrance.

“Or, maybe not,” Onewa said aloud. “Only one choice, then.” Leaning downwards, he charged a Rhotuka spinner atop his back, and fired it at the base of the bridge.

“What are you doing?!” Nokama cried. As the spinner made impact with the bridge, cracks began to form in its foundation, and pebbles began to shake loose from the structure. Even the Visorak seemed to draw back for a second, confused by Onewa’s move. “His spinner!” she shouted, “It’s destroying the bridge!”

With a loud crack, the bridge suddenly crumbled into pieces, dislodging from its position. The six Toa Hordika were swept off of their feet, with nowhere left to run. Nokama reached out to catch onto the tunnel wall with her weapon, only to just barely miss. Her screams, as well as those of her team, echoed through the tunnel as they plummeted to the lava below.