Chapter Twenty-Five: The Siege of Metru Nui

Note: Journey's End Chapter 6 section 3, Chapter 7, 8 can be read here.

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Pridak stood at the bow of his flagship, staring ahead as the Silver Sea rushed below. Flanking him were Kalmah and Mantax’s flagships. Behind him, he knew, their combined fleet sailed in formation, nearly filling the narrow strait through which they sailed. Each warship was packed with armed and ready soldiers, all tense, eager to put their combat training to use.

Slowly, dimly, the skyline of Metru Nui appeared through the fog. Pridak’s army gave a cheer, a furious and terrifying noise that echoed through the dome of the Silver Sea. Behind him, he could hear the thunderous sound of a battle cry a dozen ships strong.

The city lay ahead, virtually undefended. No ships floated around its perimeter, and no weaponry was visible on the armaments. The only visible defense was a large wall of earth, metal, and stone. Yet Makuta would never leave his prize city defenseless, said Pridak. There must be some trick to all of this.

As if summoned by his thoughts, the voice of Makuta echoed across the ocean like a peal of thunder. “This is what you bring to face me, Barraki? A smattering of savages, petty criminals, and failed Dark Hunters… pathetic. Turn back now, submit to my authority, and I will spare your lives. If you impress me, I may reward you with a ruling title in my empire. If you continue…”

Makuta’s voice shuddered through the bones of every being in the fleet. “You will die.”

Pridak’s lieutenants staggered, dazed by the booming voice. Pridak himself remained where he was, staring covetously at the city on the sea.

“Barraki Pridak,” said the lieutenant to the left, trembling, “is it really wise to con-”

In a single movement, Pridak drew his blade and sliced the lieutenant’s head from her body. His other lieutenants quickly stepped back, stumbling over one another in their haste.

“Imbeciles,” Pridak said, his voice deathly soft. “We continue.”

The fleet sailed on, in deathly silence. No battle cries echoed from behind. As Metru Nui drew near, Makuta spoke again. “Very well, Barraki. Every being in your fleet will perish.”

The Silver Sea erupted. Waves the height of Metru Nui exploded from beneath, scattering the ships like leaves in a hurricane. Pridak watched as entire ships vanished beneath the waves, and others were dashed against the Great Barrier itself. Yet the flagships survived the deluge, and carried on, trailing a scattered few ships behind them. The waves settled, and the fleet continued. From several of the ships came cries of relief, and cheers… which died out when the voice came once more.

“I wasn’t finished.”

The Silver Sea rippled and shook, tossing the ships up and down on massive swells and waves. In the waters around Metru Nui, dozens of Makuta’s warships appeared from thin air, transported from every corner of the universe. The sky darkened as a swarm of Rakhshi soared over the city’s wall, heading directly for the fleet. As Pridak watched, crystalline pillars rose from beneath the sea, crushing unsuspecting ships against their might.

“Evasive maneuvers!” Pridak shouted, and the ships ducked and weaved around the rising pillars. Several fired their cannons, blowing the vast columns to pieces.

“Sir! Those columns, where did they come from?” asked one of his lieutenants.

“This is the Sea of Protodermis,” said Pridak. “Makuta’s hidden ace. Get back to your post, and prepare the soldiers for combat.”

The lieutenant scurried away, struggling to keep his balance on the wildly tilting ship. Pridak watched as a nearby pillar shattered to pieces, and quickly sidestepped the shower of debris. Makuta thinks he has outsmarted us, he mused. But we Barraki have our tricks, too.

He raised his arm and shot a flare directly into the waters ahead. He watched as its scarlet glow sank into the water and disappeared.

“Barraki Pridak! The Makuta’s ships have come within range!” cried a lieutenant. “Shall I give the order to fire?”

“Hold,” said Pridak.

“But sir, the enemy is already-”

“I said hold,” said Pridak. “Have patience.”

He and the lieutenant watched as the dark ships drew near. On the decks, Skakdi and Exo-Toa armed the plasma cannons, training them on the Barraki’s flagships. “Sir…!”

A spray of water erupted from beneath the sea. As the water fell away, it revealed a tremendous, scaled creature, clutching one of Makuta’s warships in its jaws. The Barraki fleet watched as the gigantic Rahi chomped the ship to splinters, then turned and crushed two more against its side.

All around, the Silver Sea exploded with prehistoric Rahi, great and terrifying in their size and strength. A tentacled creature slithered out on the port side, snatching three enemy ships in its coils. A humongous whale arose and charged another ship, gouging a hole in its hull. An enormous jellyfish floated out of the waters and wracked four ships with chain lightning. In the midst of the chaos, a long, green sea serpent reared its head above the battle, and knocked countless Rahkshi from the sky with its roar. Atop its spined back, a familiar clawed figure rode the serpent, directing the giant Rahi from behind a Kanohi Zatth.

“Barraki Ehlek has come through,” Pridak informed his lieutenants. “Makuta’s warships are no longer a concern. Direct the fleet to steer through the pillars, and tell the soldiers to prepare for ground combat. We are winning this war today.”

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Mazeka stood on a ridge. Down below, he could see the remains of a dead village. He recognized it as having once been home to a small group of Ba-Matoran, those whose element was gravity. It looked like it had been overrun some time ago, but there were no signs of any Matoran corpses. Perhaps the villagers escaped into the hills, he thought, or maybe they were just captured.

“Your universe is very… turbulent,” said Makuta Teridax. The white-armored warrior stood beside Mazeka. He came from an alternate universe in which the Makuta had never rebelled, but had instead stayed loyal to the Great Beings and helped save a world. He had come to this universe with Mazeka to try and free it from the control of his evil counterpart.

“That’s one word for it,” replied Mazeka. “It’s hard to remember a time in my life when I wasn’t fighting. I’ve been lucky. I’m still alive. Not sure that can be said about the Matoran who lived down there.”

“If they died, maybe it was a mercy,” said Teridax. “Maybe they are better off not seeing what their universe has come to.”

“Now you sound like our Teridax,” said Mazeka. “I guess you two aren’t as far apart as I’d like to think.”

Teridax shook his head. “A turn to the left instead of the right, a wound received or avoided, rising from slumber an hour too early or too late… these are the little things lifetimes hinge on, Mazeka. Your Teridax took a step on a path that circumstances allowed me to avoid. If circumstances had been different, who knows?”

“Meaning that if you took control of this universe instead of him…?”

“I might be just as wicked,” Teridax answered. “It is always a possibility.”

Around them, the winds rose. In a moment, they had gone from gentle breeze to a screaming maelstrom, so powerful it knocked Mazeka off his feet and sent him tumbling toward the edge of the ridge. Teridax fought to stay focused, ignoring the storm as he used his power to keep Mazeka from falling. But the ground erupted beneath his feet, shattering his concentration. Mazeka fell down the slope, followed swiftly by Teridax.

They landed among the ruins. Mazeka’s impact shattered the long dead corpse of a Visorak into fine black powder. Teridax hit hard, but rolled with the fall and was back on his feet in an instant. Now that he looked around, he could see other bodies of Visorak spiders scattered here and there. The villagers who had lived here had gone down fighting.

Then a voice came from the dead mouths of the Visorak all around. Teridax recognized it as his own voice, but touched with madness and evil. “I see you have brought company, Mazeka… and such company.”

“It’s Makuta,” Mazeka said. “He’s found us.”

“Yes, I never noticed your entry, I must admit,” Makuta said through the dead spiders. “But did you really think a pale and weak version of myself could stop me now?”

“Weak?” said the white-armored Teridax. “Stronger, I say, for I resisted the temptations you could not.”

“Indeed. Then let us see just what you are capable of resisting.”

The air crackled with ozone, and then before Mazeka and Teridax’s eyes, three figures appeared. Each resembled Takanuva, the legendary Toa of Light, but their armor was jet black and shadow energy swirled about their hands.

“I have been a poor host, brother,” said the voice of Makuta. “Allow my new friends to welcome you properly to my universe.”

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Bara Magna was a planet-wide battleground. Legions of Rahkshi, Skakdi, Toa, and Glatorian stretched from the mountains in the north to the canyons in the east. In the midst of the southern front, Chiara glanced up at the enormous shapes of Mata Nui and Makuta, and wondered what the battle looked like from their eyes.

She couldn’t wonder for much longer. A light purple Rahkshi leapt over the pile of armored bodies nearby and charged, eagerly snarling at her.

Chiara ducked to the left and fired to the right – but the Rahkshi moved with her, striking her with the end of its staff and sending her sprawling. Too late, she realized: It can read my thoughts. When I think about my next attack, I’m just giving it a heads-up.

The Rahkshi raised its staff, preparing to spear her. Chiara prepared to roll to the side, but if the Rahkshi knew where she was going to be, did it even matter?

Suddenly, the decision was made for her: a blade erupted from the Rahkshi’s torso, smeared with the innards of its kraata. The Rahkshi let out a dying squeal, then collapsed to the ground, revealing a blue and gold Toa behind it.

“My thanks,” said Chiara. Within the past few weeks, she’d met more Toa than she ever knew existed, but this one didn’t look familiar. “Who-”

“The name’s Orde,” said the Toa, already turning to face the oncoming horde. “And you’re Chiara. Charmed.”

A Toa of Psionics, then. That explained how this Toa was able to fend off a telepathic Rahkshi. But there were already more enemies crawling over the corpses of their brethren. Chiara picked off foes with bolts of lightning, but Orde gave no help whatsoever. “Hey!” she called, elbowing the Toa. “They’re nearly on top of us!”

Orde blinked, then glared at Chiara. “I was concentrating. There’s another mind-”

A wave of energy ripped across the sand, sending both Toa to their knees. Too late, Orde saw a blue and yellow Rahkshi circling above, pointing its staff at them. Both Toa found their movements slowed, like they were passing through thick mud, while Makuta’s troops were drawing ever closer, still at full speed. Desperately, Orde began to prepare a mental blast, hoping it would be ready before their enemies cut them down, and knowing it would not.

Suddenly, the Rahkshi hit the ground with a crash. Both Toa felt their speed return to them. Chiara wasted no time in electrifying half the enemy squadron, while Orde pulverized the rest with a mental blast. The Rahkshi struggled to get to its feet - yet its body didn’t obey it. As both Toa watched, its limbs twisted inwards, and dents appeared in the Rahkshi’s armor as its armor began to buckle. There was a glint of fear in its eyes - just before its armor imploded, showering Chiara and Orde with kraata juices.

Chiara saw a lone figure standing atop a nearby ridge, wearing the colors of a Toa of Iron - Zaria.

“Glad you’re on our side!” Chiara called up to him. “A shame you can’t do that to Makuta up there, huh?”

Zaria scowled and turned away. A few mio off, there was a massive plume of mud, followed by an explosion that shook the sand dunes apart. That must have been Gali and Pohatu’s Tiro maneuver, Chiara thought. We need to press the advantage.

She turned to inform Orde, but the Toa of Psionics was already running in that direction. Zaria, too, had abandoned her. Apparently, not all Toa were as polite as the Toa Nuva.

Not that it matters, Chiara reminded herself. We just have to get through this war, and then I never have to speak to either of them ever again.

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Makuta sidestepped a swing of Mata Nui’s fist, crushing an entire canyon beneath his heel. Although he had dodged Mata Nui’s attack, he staggered, and felt weakness rippling through him. Mata Nui seized his chance, and smashed into Makuta’s torso.

“Two thousand Matoran just died,” Makuta growled, as he felt tsunamis wash across the northern continent. “They died watching the sky fall and the oceans rise, cursing their Great Spirit’s name.”

“Then they have given their lives for the good of the universe,” said Mata Nui, and attacked again. Makuta saw the attack coming, and prepared to dodge, only to feel another stab of weakness. The Barraki are gaining ground, he realized. It was tempting to unleash another earthquake, to rain fire and destruction on their armies - but doing so would devastate Metru Nui and weaken his own body. Sparing only a thought, he teleported more troops to Metru Nui, then pulled away from Mata Nui’s assault.

I must finish this quickly. Steeling himself, Makuta went on the offensive, blasting Mata Nui with a torrent of flames. He struck again, knocking Mata Nui back, and again. But Mata Nui would not fall, and pressed back, pushing him towards the north. Makuta blocked out the noises from within his body, blocked out the sight of planets moving above, and concentrated on Mata Nui. He will die. He has to die - now!