Chapter Ten

In the bubbling protodermis of the Silver Sea, Nokama swam in long strokes, smoothly gliding through the waters much like a sea creature would. She stopped to check the map one more time, and saw that she was close. She made one more stroke with both arms, then kept her right at her side and her left outstretched to steer her direction while her legs propelled her to the spot.

The Toa Hordika of Water had arrived at the wreckage of a sunken Ga-Matoran cargo vessel. From the looks of it, it had been here for ages. An ideal place for Gaaki to hide the Makoki Stone, she thought, looking through what remained. After several minutes of searching, she did indeed find the Makoki Stone hidden in one of the storage compartments of the vessel. Based on the state of the hinges, Nokama guessed the water Rahaga had opened them to store the object long after the ship went down.

With her prize in hand, Nokama kicked back up to the surface, a long way away. Half-Rahi and half-Toa of Water I might be, she reminded herself, but breathe underwater I still cannot. Her head broke through the surface in a Ga-Metru protodermis canal to an unpleasant sight: six Visorak around the canal, one of each elemental breed. Three of them—the Keelerak, Suukorak, and Boggarak—were already charging their spinners, waiting for her. Nokama’s Hordika eyes flashed as she readied her fin barbs.

The projectiles launched, but Nokama jumped high to avoid their spinners, which all flashed and sparked in the liquid before their energies dissipated. The Vohtarak responded to her evasion by jumping after her. Still in the middle of dodging the spinners, Nokama smacked it back down to the ground with her Hordika tools.

Then the Keelerak jumped and managed to pinch its mandibles around her torso, getting ready to inject her with venom. Nokama bashed it a few times, to no effect; it held strong. When brute force isn’t working, it’s because there’s not enough of it! she raged, her eyes flashing with anger again. Using her animalistic Hordika strength, Nokama bashed heavily on the skull and main body of the Visorak several times more in rapid succession. The blows didn’t loosen it, but they kept it from doing more harm.

The Toa Hordika and latched-on Visorak began to fall back down to the ground just as the Roporak and Vohtarak eagerly jumped up into the fight. Nokama finally managed to put some space between her and the green Visorak biting her. With that extra clearance, she managed to fit her knees between. Then she kicked her legs back out, kneeing the Visorak in the face and sending it below in the process. Her timing couldn’t have been better. Just as it was sent flying, it collided with the other two Visorak on the way as backup. The resulting impact sent the Keelerak, Vohtarak, and Roporak into the protodermis.

Spinning to land properly, Nokama landed hard on the pavement next to the canal. She didn’t have time to rest though, she jumped again to avoid the Rhotuka from the Oohnorak and broke into a run to escape from the Boggarak. Still running, the two Visorak followed her into a Ga-Metru hallway and then down a street.

Glancing behind her to check their progress, Nokama saw that they were gaining on her. With a gasp at that, she quickly rounded a corner into a Ga-Metru building to escape, but instead found herself tangled in a Visorak web. Were they leading me here? Nokama couldn’t help but wonder as she heard the sound of a charging Rhotuka. Followed by that was the sound of it firing.

But it didn’t come from either of the Visorak. From further down the path, another Rhotuka whirled into view, cloaked in elemental ice energy. It curved and cut through the webbing, releasing Nokama. At the same time, Toa Hordika Nuju could be seen falling into view and landing a solid jump kick on the Oohnorak. The blow carried such an impulse it sent it into the neighboring Boggarak.

Nuju ran back to Nokama, but before he could get a word out, saw the Suukorak from earlier running after them, with the other three not far behind. Charging another ice Rhotuka, Nuju let it fly, then shot a second one. The first struck the Suukorak dead-on, freezing it in a thick block of ice. The second one curved and hit the ground in front of the entrance of the building. In a flash, ice grew and exploded out of that spot to create a barrier.

“They can melt through, go around or over, or find some other way to get to us,” the Toa Hordika of Ice said. “We should move.”

“Let’s go,” Nokama said, prompting the two to flee and jump away to safety. “I have some important information for you.”