Takua goes with the Toa Metru and their allies back to the Great Coliseum. What they find there will alter the course of their world forevermore.
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Past, Pt. 2: The Great Escape
Section 3: Cast into Slumber
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Back to the Coliseum (Past 2-11)
In days long past… The party quickly make their way back above ground.
“Do you know who’s impersonating you?” Takua asks the Turaga.
“I cannot say for certain,” Dume replies. “But I have my suspicions… and if they are true, then we are in grave danger indeed.”
––
The group reach the surface.
“Look,” says Onewa, “a Vahki transport!” Sure enough, an unused Vahki transport sits close by the cavern entrance.
“We could use that to get to the Coliseum!” Vakama says. “Matau, can you drive this?”
“Oh, you bet!”
––
Matau takes a seat in the cockpit of the vehicle, flanked by Nokama and Takua.
“Alright, let’s roll!” And with that, the transport comes to life with a hum. It’s legs scuttle across the ground as Matau drives the vehicle towards the Great Coliseum.
––
Takua walks back to stand beside Nuju, Onewa, and Whenua, standing on the side of the transport, gazing at the empty city as it passes by.
“It’s so quiet,” Whenua says.
“Peaceful,” adds Nuju.
“Eerie,” Onewa remarks. “I don’t like it, not one bit.”
––
Takua enters the interior, where Dume and Lhikan stand.
“Ah, Takua,” Lhikan says. “I wanted to thank you. For getting the Toa Stones to the Toa Metru.”
“Indeed,” Dume nods. “Your actions may very well change the fate of all Metru Nui.”
“Thank you,” Takua replies humbly.
––
Walking to the rear of the transport, Takua finds Vakama, hunched over and focused.
“Vakama?” Takua says. The Toa doesn’t hear him, so engrossed in whatever he’s doing. Quick bursts of light emit from in front of Vakama.
––
“Vakama?” Takua steps forward to see what the Toa is doing.
“Oh, Takua!” Vakama starts, clearly surprised. In his lap sits a Kanoka disk, but one unlike any Takua’s ever seen.
“What’s that?” he asks.
“I… I combined the Great Disks,” Vakama responds. “I saw it in a vision, and… this is what came of it.
“You combined all the Great Disks into one? Well does it do?”
“I… I think I might know. But I’ll need some time to work.”
“I’ll make sure no one disturbs you, then,” Takua says, smiling.
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The Imposter Revealed (Past 2-12)
In days long past… Takua stands on the side of the Vahki transport with Whenua and Nokama as the vehicle approaches the Coliseum.
“Look at all those Vahki…” Nokama points a ways away, where hundreds of the enforcers have gathered.
––
Suddenly, the three are thrown back by a sudden impact.
“What was that?” Whenua cries.
–
“Here we go!!” Matau yells from the cockpit as he drives the transport through the wall of the Great Coliseum.
“Was this really necessary?” Vakama grumbles.
––
After coming to a halt, the group disembark from the vehicle into the dim halls of the Coliseum’s serviceways. What they see leaves them stunned.
“Great Spirit…” whispers Lhikan. The walls of the serviceway halls are full of spheres like the one Dume had been in.
“The Matoran…” Nuju says.
“They’ve been imprisoned!” Vakama’s eyes sweep across the hall, spheres lining the wall as far as he can see. “We must find who is behind this!”
“Whenua and I will stay here,” Nokama states, “to see if we can get one of these open.”
––
The group quickly make their way up the stairs to the entryway of the arena. Stepping through the open gate, they walk to the center, facing Turaga Dume’s podium.
“False Turaga!” Dume calls out. “Show yourself!”
––
The other Dume steps out onto the podium, gazing down at the group.
“Who are you?” Vakama demands. “And what have you done to the Matoran?”
The false Dume chuckles. “The Matoran are safe, asleep in their pods, dear Toa. And seeing as you have cannot stop me… I suppose I can grant you an answer to your first question.”
––
The false Dume begins to strain where he stands. Before everyone’s eyes, his body begins to morph. The form of the old Turaga slowly gives way to a far more imposing and powerful presence, until…
––
“I am Makuta Teridax, Guardian of Metru Nui.” Where once stood the false Turaga, there now stands the towering form of the Makuta. “And when all is said and done… you will kneel before me.”
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The Protector (Past 2-13)
In days long past… “Makuta Teridax?!” Lhikan exclaims.
“It is as I feared,” Turaga Dume says.
The Makuta leaps down from the podium, landing gracefully before the assembled heroes.
“You are supposed to be a protector of this city!” Lhikan says.
“Toa, prepare to fight!” Vakama shouts.
––
Teridax laughs. “Oh, foolish Toa.” Raising a claw, he sends forth a blast of shadow, knocking all to the ground. “I’ve sealed away the Matoran to protect them! Protect them from the coming storm that shall befall, when Mata Nui sinks into slumber.”
––
“Mata Nui… slumber?” Vakama questions as the heroes rise to their feet.
“You wouldn’t dare…” Lhikan says, with a fire in his eyes. “Whatever you’re planning… we shall stop you! Vakama, Onewa, with me! The rest of you, go check on the others!”
––
Takua and the others race back down to the serviceways to see Nokama and Whenua, bent over a sphere.
“We can’t get it open,” Whenua says.
“They’re not safe here,” Turaga Dume says. “We must move them!”
––
“How?” Nokama asks.
“What if… we loaded spheres into the transport?” Takua suggests. “How many could we fit, Matau?”
The Toa of Air eyes the spheres. “I’d say we could sure-fit six of them.”
“What about the others?” Nokama looks around at the halls lined with spheres.
“We can come back for them,” replies Nuju. “Let’s start with getting six out of here to a safer location.”
––
Whenua begins grabbing spheres and loading them into the Vahki transport, while Nuju uses his mask to levitate others over, each sphere being loaded onto the transport.
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“That’s six!” Matau says as Nokama secures the last sphere. “We can quick-take these with us and get them out of here!”
––
“Where’s everyone else?” Whenua asks worriedly.
“Up in the arena— fighting against the Makuta!” Nuju replies.
“We’ve gotta go help them!” Takua exclaims.
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The Fall of the Great Spirit (Past 2-14)
In days long past… Nuju and Matau dash back up to the arena, followed closely by Takua. There, they find the three Toa on the defensive and clearly worn out from battle, while the Makuta seems hardly bothered.
“Take heart, Toa-friends,” Matau says, “reinforcements have arrived!”
––
Teridax laughs. “You have amused me greatly, Toa. You had no chance of stopping me; my plans have been in motion for centuries! Now, you shall witness… the fall of the Great Spirit!” He raises his arms to the sky, cackling. “Sleep, Mata Nui, sleep!”
––
A great and all-encompassing impact reverberates forth, as if the whole world itself were hitting something. The city around them begins to shake violently. Regaining their balance, the assembled heroes look to the sky, watching in horror as darkness begins to swallow the twin suns of Metru Nui.
“Gahhh…” Vakama grips his head.
“Vakama?” Lhikan asks worriedly.
“Another vision?” Takua inquires.
––
“Yes…” Vakama and the others watch as the light of the twin suns is blocked completely, leaving only the dim light of stars and the glow of the city. As the terrible quaking continues, he addresses his comrades. “We cannot stay in Metru Nui… we must leave!”
“Leave?” Onewa asks incredulously. “Where?”
“A great gate at the edge of the silver sea…”
“One of the Sea Gates!” Lhikan exclaims. “If the Makuta has control of the whole city… then perhaps our best hope is to find aid from other lands.”
“We’ve got to get away from him then,” Nuju says.
“On it!” Matau replies.
––
The Toa of Air steps forward. Gathering his strength, and sends forth a great gale from his aero slicers. The Makuta, still reveling in his moment of triumph, is taken by surprise and knocked back with a grunt.
––
“Let’s go, let’s go!” The group turn and dash back to the arena gate. As the building shakes and begins to crack around them, they race back down to the serviceways.
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The Escape (2-15)
In days long past… the group return to the serviceways, where Nokama, Whenua, and Turaga Dume wait.
“We must leave the city,” Vakama declares.
“Leave?” Dume asks incredulously. “I have no intention of leaving my city.” The quaking shakes the building around them.
––
“Turaga… the city is lost,” Vakama reasons.
“And according to the Makuta,” Takua adds, “the Great Spirit has been cast into a deep slumber!”
“Slumber…?” Dume trails off. “…where do you suggest we go, then?”
“I had a vision of one of the Sea Gates,” Vakama answers.
“The Sea Gates? How will we get to them?”
––
“Can we make that thing float?” Takua points to the Vahki transport.
“Well…” Whenua begins, “if we use those spheres… they might make it buoyant enough to float…”
“And the legs will work like paddles!” Matau adds eagerly.
“It’s probably our best chance,” Lhikan nods.
“The let’s get to it!” Onewa says.
––
The Toa set to work securing the six pods to the side of the vessel, ensuring they won’t be easily dislodged in the seas.
“I still don’t like this,” Dume says from atop the transport.
“Neither do I,” Lhikan replies, “but we must escape and ensure someone can return to save this city, when the time is right.”
“I trust Vakama’s visions,” Nokama adds.
“Then I hope your trust is well placed,” says Dume.
––
“Alright, Matau,” Vakama says with trepidation, “get us out of here!”
“Let’s roll!” Matau pilots the transport back out of the coliseum and heads for one the canals past the plaza. The vessel scuttles into the water, and indeed begins to float, the legs paddling the ship through the waters.
––
“Yes!” cheers Onewa.
“I’ll aid us!” The Toa of Water channels her powers to shape the waters and guide the vessel.
“We must go south,” Turaga Dume proclaims.
––
Suddenly, the vessel jolts.
“What was that?!” Matau cries out from the cockpit.
“Did we hit something?” Takua asks.
––
“You cannot run, Toa!” From the shores of the plaza surrounding the Coliseum, Makuta Teridax stands, a great mass of shadows seeping from his claw and ensnaring the Vahki transport. “I will have every inhabitant of this city under my rule!”
––
“Whenua!” Nuju yells. “We must stop him!”
“Agreed!” Whenua nods. The pair stand on the edge of the transport and channel their powers. Whenua causes the ground beneath Teridax to open up, while Nuju uses his Ice to freeze the Makuta’s claws to his body.
–
With a yell, Teridax sinks into the ground up to his waist, releasing his grip on the vessel. Whenua then causes the Earth to clamp together around the Makuta, pinning him in place.
“Cursed Toa,” Teridax mutters.
––
“That’s your cue!” Onewa yells.
Nokama channels all her powers to create the strongest possible currents within the roiling waters of the canal to propel the Vahki Transport southwards.
––
As the transport clears the shore of Metru Nui, Lhikan and Dume join Vakama and Takua in the cockpit as Matau continues to pilot the transport.
“If we maintain good pace,” Dume begins, “we should reach the Great Barrier within a few hours.”
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The Great Spirit Mata Nui has been cast into slumber. Metru Nui is wracked with terrible quakes. But the brave party of heroes, with their six Matoran Spheres, now make their escape from the City of Legends across the Silver Sea. But… where will they go?
Previous Part: (NLAU) Past, Pt. 2: The Great Escape (Section 2)