Chapter Nine

The light of dawn illuminated the waters of Naho Bay, along with the blasted ruins of Gali’s testament, the Kaukau Falls — ruins already resounding with the sounds of panic and screaming.

The Pahrak wreaked havoc on the village of Ga-Koro. They charged along floating paths, barreling through Matoran and buildings. Amaya and Kai jumped out of the way as one destroyed a school. Kotu narrowly avoided being ripped in half along with a lily pad. Nireta and Shasa tried in vain to fight one only for their weapons to be shattered with one swipe of an armored shield. Huki grabbed Maku’s hand and pulled her out of the path of a flying boat as a Bohrok grabbed it and threw it out to sea.

Nuparu and Kaj scrambled into their Boxors, powering them up and valiantly advancing on the Bohrok atop the leafy bridge. The Pahrak nearest them noted the new arrivals. Then it flipped the seaweed causeway on which the Boxors stood, toppling the heavy machines into Lake Naho.

Nuparu instinctively slammed the ejection switch, but the water had effectively shut down the system—he and Kaj were tethered to the now-deadly the Boxor suits. He looked over, seeing Kaj’s eyes and heartlight illuminate and identify where he had landed. He, too, struggled violently to free himself from the cockpit. A sound from above caused Nuparu to look toward the surface — had the Bohrok jumped after them to finish the job?

No, Maku and Kotu had dived into the water! The two Ga-Matoran cut the restraints using Ga-Koro harvesting sickles and carried Kaj and Nuparu back to the surface.

On the lily pad, Huki ran to the edge, feeling the crushing weight of helplessness. He looked side to side, scanning the waters, but the sunlight made it hard to see anything more than a couple feet deep. The Pahrak, too, now separated once again on another lily pad, watched as if to see whether they had defeated some of the defenders.

Then, all four Matoran surfaced. Nuparu and Kaj gasped desperately for air and didn’t even have the energy to tread water. Huki hauled them onto shore. “We’re trapped again, but safe,” he explained, gesturing to the Bohrok who waited some distance away.

“Unless you’d like to swim for it, Huki?” Maku suggested.

Huki grimaced, scratching his head uncomfortably. As long as he’d known her, Maku had insisted that he take up swimming. He’d always been afraid to learn. After all, stones sank when they met water, and he wasn’t especially excited about meeting that which dwelled beneath the ocean.

Nokama spared him the burden of answering. “Look! A goatdog!” she cried, using the common nickname for the Pahrak Va. It waddled into view and stopped in front of the squad of Bohrok before turning. On its back was an organic green mask.

“Is that—krana?” Onewa asked aloud, unsure what it meant.

The Pahrak Va lifted its arms as the Pahrak around it opened their headplates. More Pahrak Va were exchanging such krana with the rest of the Bohrok.

“Not just krana…” Nokama exclaimed in sudden realization. “Krana Vu!”

Before any Matoran present could respond, all four Bohrok rose into the air, hovering as they folded into compact balls. The Bohrok rushed forward, flying violently toward the Matoran and Turaga.

Huki roughly shoved Maku out of the way. Behind them, Nokama and Onewa, along with the rest of the gathered Matoran threw themselves to the floor just as two Pahrak came careening toward them, smashing into the pit of the Great Takara. The Bohrok circled back and made a second pass before landing before the assembly.

✴        ✴        ✴

“We can’t let these monsters win, Jala!” Takua snapped. “We can’t!”

Jala hurried over and saw what was happening. The two had been separated during the fighting earlier, stranded on a remote lily pad and unable to rejoin the rest. With them out of the fight, the Bohrok had ignored them, something Jala took very personally.

“But we’re cut off from the others…” he growled, frustrated.

Takua looked around for something, anything that could help them out. His eyes fell upon the bamboo sticks that rose out of the water around them. Grabbing it, he pulled on it, testing its bendable flexibility. He pulled back again, releasing it, watching as it sprung back to its position. An idea was forming in his head.

“Come on!” he shouted to Jala.

✴        ✴        ✴

Huki, Maku, Kotu, and Hahli took positions in front of Nokama and Onewa, ready to defend their elders. Onewa and Nokama braced as well, ready to use their limited elemental and Noble Kanohi powers to fight, but knowing it may not be enough. Behind them, a large conglomeration of the populations of Ga-Matoran and Po-Matoran stood, helpless and terrified. The elders had not seen personal combat for some time, especially with the Toa here, now. But this day, they each vowed that they would stop at nothing to protect their people.

The lead Pahrak’s eyes gleamed.

All obstacles must be removed.

✴        ✴        ✴

Jala pulled harder and harder on the bamboo pole’s tip. Takua carefully straddled the bent rod, struggling to balance on its wet and narrow surface. When the Captain was sure he could pull no further, he asked, “Ready?”

There was no more time. Takua looked and yelled, “NOW!”

Jala released, tumbling backward as he did. The rod sprang forward, sending Takua rocketing and tumbling through the air. The distance, aim, and arc were perfect. Takua stuck the landing directly between the assembled Matoran and Bohrok. The Pahrak stopped short, their mechanical minds assessing the new and sudden obstacle before them.

Still crouched, Takua gritted his teeth.

“Touch one mask on their heads, beasts…”

He rose to meet Makuta’s minions.

“…and you’ll have to go through me!”