Yep. Similar to how Lhikan got a new mask.
Chapter 5
Six hours before the arrival of Kopaka and Pohatu…
Ihu couldn’t go down, not now.
He didn’t know why it was important. Something had happened to him, and now his thoughts were all messed up. It felt like he was under the effects of a Keerahk stun staff, losing all sense of time and place, but permanent. He could never be sure if the things he remembered had happened yesterday, or decades ago… or if they hadn’t happened yet at all. Yes, he felt pretty sure he’d seen the future, even if he couldn’t figure out how. Something to do with a red orb? Or was he thinking of that fire Toa who’d saved him recently? Was it recently?
Never mind. It didn’t matter. Only one memory mattered, knowledge that he had to pass on to a pair of Toa he had yet to meet. He kept it at the forefront of his mind at all times, so he didn’t forget it. He didn’t know why it was so important, only that it was, and until he relayed the message, he absolutely could not die.
Something was following him, one of the broken people in this place. If they caught him… Ihu wasn’t really sure what they would do, but he had to stop them. He couldn’t keep away from them forever, especially with his legs as messed up as they were. One of those ghosts had offered to fix them a few years ago, and now Ihu wished he’d accepted the offer. Why hadn’t he? He hadn’t trusted the crafter; something about having helped make the Vahki? No, the Vahki weren’t until after the crafter; or were they before?
Ihu’s eyes caught sight of a door up ahead. Near it, a body lay on the ground. Ihu decided to set aside the past for now; it was too difficult to remember anyway. Focus on the now, and the memory that was soon to happen. Ihu made his way to the body, painfully slowly. It was a Ga-Matoran, or at least it used to be. And she had some sort of weapon. Ihu picked it up, and thrust it forward experimentally; it loosed a small burst of electricity at the motion.
This would work. Holding the electro-blade, Ihu got shakily to his feet, and waited for his pursuer to arrive.
Now…
The instant Quilha had the door open, Kopaka pushed her out of the way and rushed into the hallway on the other side. Pohatu wasn’t far behind, and in a moment, he saw what Kopaka had seen.
Just on the other side of the door, there were multiple beings lying on the floor: a dead Ga-Matoran, a large creature, and a wounded Ko-Matoran. Kopaka was already at the Ko-Matoran’s side, holding him in his arms.
Ihu’s legs were badly misshapen, and part of his head was mashed in. Worse, he had a large gash, from shoulder to hip. His heartlight was flickering, slower and slower.
“Toa… Nuva…?” he muttered weakly.
“Yes, it’s us,” Kopaka said. For a moment, he wondered how Ihu knew that name, then brushed the thought aside; it didn’t matter right now. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.”
“There’s… no time,” Ihu murmured. “If you’re here… then the end is near…”
“You’re not going to die again,” Kopaka said. “Come on, let’s go.” He tried to help Ihu to his feet.
“No!” Ihu said, grabbing Kopaka’s mask with both hands. “Listen… to me. You can stop this, fix all… you can end the Star. But you need… you have to find Hydraxon. He can show you the way.”
Hydraxon? The name sparked a vague memory in Kopaka’s mind. He’d heard that name before, somewhere. “What are you talking about?” he asked.
“There’s… more,” Ihu force out. “Be wary… of the one… they call Makuta…”
“Makuta?!” Kopaka exclaimed. “What Makuta? The Makuta?”
But there was no answer coming. Ihu’s fingers slipped off of Kopaka’s mask, his hands fell limply to his sides. His heartlight went dark.
Once again, Ihu was dead.
Slowly, the horde marched through the hallway of the star, toward the source of the disturbance.
Once, they had had another purpose, a more noble one. Then, they had died, and they had come here, where they had dared to rise up against the Kestora.
But the Kestora had found a way to maintain order, as they always did. They had gotten these people under their control. Now, they only had one purpose: to maintain order for Makuta.
The Kestora hadn’t sent them out in a while, but now, the situation called for it. There were two here who intended to cause trouble. They needed to be contained, like all the rest. Only then would order be restored.
One of them caught a glimpse of movement from a side hall, and went to investigate. He took a look around, but didn’t see anything. Concluding there was nothing to find, he decided to go join the rest of the group.
As soon as he turned his back, something struck the back of his head, and he blacked out.
For several seconds after Ihu’s death, no one spoke. No one really knew what to say.
Pohatu was still shaken by the mention of Makuta. He thought they were done with that guy. But if this was a place where the dead came back… was Makuta here, too? It hadn’t occurred to him until now. Could he and Kopaka really handle the master of Shadows on their own?
“Hey, guys?” Quilha cut in. “Something’s coming.”
The Toa fell silent. Now they heard it, too: the sounds of something, or several somethings, marching through the halls. Kopaka activated his mask to see what was coming, then gasped in surprise at what he saw.
“What is it, brother?” Pohatu asked.
“They’re…” Kopaka said. “They’re Toa. And they’re being led by… a Kestora.”