Chapter Two

Jagged fissures ripped through the once-pristine, undisturbed, snowy courtyard of Ko-Koro. Nuhvok poured in, their black armor and green eyes distinct against the white landscape.

Two Ko-Matoran, Jaatikko and Kylma, ran from their homes before collapsing into the weakened ground. The Ta-Matoran guards were attempting to distract two more Bohrok with mediocre success. Matoro saw what was happening and knew this was wrong—they would run out of homes long before the swarms ran out of Bohrok.

“We must flee,” Matoro told the Matoran of Fire. “Their numbers are too great, and they are arriving too fast.”

Jala said nothing. Every fiber in the Captain wanted to argue, but this was Matoro’s home and he knew the cost. Matoro was no warrior, but rather a translator and trapper, but that meant he held a very different perspective to Jala’s.

“My guard shall keep the creatures at bay while the village is evacuated,” Jala conceded.

Matoro nodded, hefted his spiked hunting tool on his shoulder, and went off to rally and move the Ko-Matoran. Behind him, Jala turned and nodded his orders to his guardsmen. Maglya nodded, readied his staff, and turned to another Nuhvok.

Maglya had scarcely taken a step when the black creature lunged towards him, slamming the ground with its earth shield. The explosion blew Maglya into the air, slamming him hard against a Ko-Matoran home, leaving him dazed.

Nuri grabbed his spear with both hands and positioned himself between the closest Nuhvok and Ko-Matoran. Again, the Nuhvok stabbed its earth shield into the ground, sending a tremor visibly and audibly tearing open ground toward where Nuri stood. He stepped to the side to avoid the earth energy, but too late realized it hadn’t been aimed for him. Instead, the fissure knocked over two-bio tall ice stalagmite beside him. Before he could escape, it toppled onto him, pinning and trapping him beneath it.

Jala hurried to his aid while Matoro helped usher two Ko-Matoran, Ehrye and Jaa, out of the clearing. The Ko-Matoran looked to see Jala trying with all his strength to lift the heavy chunk of ice, only to fail and drop it on Nuri again.

Jala’s heart sank as he felt the rumble of footsteps.

He looked up.

The jet-black Bohrok towered over them.

Jala reached for his disk, but he knew it was already too late. Right as he was bracing for the worst…ice crawled up from the ground between the Bohrok’s feet, freezing its arms to its sides. Before his eyes, the Nuhvok was caked in layers of ice.

Kopaka stood to the side, taking the scene in coolly. He walked slowly over to where Nuri and Jala were. Almost casually, he stuck the tip of his sword under the stalagmite that had trapped Nuri and raised it off of him. The Ta-Matoran pulled himself to his feet and retrieved his guard spear. He and Jala exchanged glances before jogging off to join Matoro and the other two guards.

The Toa of Ice turned to face the Bohrok.

So, the Tahnok onslaughts on the slopes have been a distraction, Kopaka thought. A ploy meant to lure me away while this swarm broke through.

Kopaka raised his sword. The Nuhvok stared back, awaiting him.

But I am not so easily deceived.

Kopaka acted first, his mask flashed from his mighty golden Akaku to a lowly Noble Kanohi Komau, extending telepathic energies to seize hold of the minds of one of the Bohrok.

His thoughts brushed against the mind of the krana inside the Nuhvok, but it was too alien. Before it could succumb, Bohrok shrugged it off and shook free of the control. It dug its shields into the ground. Kopaka braced for a tremor, but the Bohrok tore a chunk of earth free, and hurled it at Kopaka.

The Toa successfully dodged, but the rock landed hard, shaking the ground and splitting open the hollow earth beneath. Before Kopaka could try another mask, the ground caved beneath him, swallowing rock, dirt, snow, and the surprised Toa of Ice.

Kopaka landed hard in an underground room—down, but not out. Without hesitating, he changed from his Komau to his Ruru. The enhanced Night Vision allowed him to see even to the darkest reaches of the cave. His eyes narrowed at the sight of three Bohrok, one of which had lowered its faceplate and was about to launch a krana. He narrowly blocked it with his shield in time, batting it away. He wasn’t sure exactly what would happen if it did, but he knew he never wanted to find out.

Sheathing his sword, and grabbing the krana, he changed back to his golden Akaku, calling upon its powers of speed. Before the Bohrok could attempt to launch more krana or earth waves, he exploded from the rim of the hole to the surface, and using powers of levitation, he landed just outside the Ko-Koro gate.

He could see more of the black Nuhvok, pouring through their tunnels into the village only now they were accompanied by more Tahnok. He knew the village was now deserted, but an icy cold bitterness swept over the Toa.

He let his blade’s tip fall to the ground, touching the snow. As it did, the ice surrounding the gate caved in on the oncoming Bohrok, trapping them in the village. They wouldn’t be pent up for long, he knew, and there would be more. But at least it would secure the Matoran escape.

We need a plan, he thought, starting after the Matoran. We need those krana, and we need to figure out what to do with them while we still have an island. Perhaps it’s time to pay Po-Koro a visit and see if Pohatu has discovered anything.

✴        ✴        ✴

Once they were far enough away, the Ko-Matoran procession came to a halt amid the blowing winds of The Drifts. Jala counted his guardsmen, relieved to see that none had been lost. As he looked around, he noticed Nuju and Matoro standing on a cliffside and looking with somber expressions at the ruined remains of the ice village. He started toward them.

In their long time together, Matoro and Nuju had developed a very personal understanding of each other. The two thrived in silence together, bound by a deeper connection than any language tethering the two. As they looked out over the drifts, only the whistle of wind penetrated their silence.

At least, until Jala crunched over and stood beside them.

“I am sorry that we were not able to do more to defend the village,” he said solemnly.

Nuju looked at him a moment. Then he began speaking in his own language.

When the Turaga was finished, Matoro turned to Jala. “Nuju says that only the village was lost. The Matoran are safe. That is what is most important. He says… he says you have saved the heart of Mata Nui.”

The ice elder continued speaking. “Were it not for your aid, escape may have proved impossible.” Matoro elaborated. “Thank you.”

Jala shook his head. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have his own village taken. “Where will you go?”

“We will seek refuge amidst Ihu’s slopes,” Matoro replied, apart from Nuju. “Kopaka shall ensure our safe journey.”

Jala looked to see Kopaka standing some distance away from the Matoran. With his back to the group, he stood alone with his thoughts, staring into the blizzard. Only his sheathed sword and string of collected krana swayed in the wind.

The Ta-Matoran turned back and nodded. “Then my guard and I will take our leave. May Tahu protect you.”

Behind him, the assembled Ta-Matoran guardsmen saluted Nuju and Matoro. Behind them, among the snowdrifts, Jala could see Kylma, Kokkan, and Ehrye wandering about, now outcasts from their very home.

May Mata Nui protect us all, he thought grimly.