The Saga of Saril

Creative Content Literature
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Hello friends! I’ve decided to try my hand at writing some Bionicle fic, specifically to give a backstory for my oc. The whole story is already written so I’ll be releasing it in parts here. I hope you enjoy!

(I have done my best to make sure this story keeps to Bionicle canon as well as it can. But if you spot any discrepancies, shoot me a dm and I can make tweaks, so long as it doesn’t fundamentally break the narrative)

THE SAGA OF SARIL

CHAPTER ONE: NAMING DAY

Matoran Unit Ko-54411 sat at his desk, processing documents for an incoming delivery of telescope parts. Even this Ko-Metru sub-station kept him busy, with packages and couriers coming and going all day. Honestly he didn’t care much for it, and mostly kept to himself. But this was his assignment, and he was a dutiful Matoran. He supposed it could be worse, Le-2111 loved telling him about how hectic the big hubs usually were.

A commotion outside caught 54411’s attention as some of his coworkers headed out of the room. “Hey, what’s going on out there?” he inquired. “C’mon!” a courier encouraged. “The Turaga wants everyone to come to the Coliseum! Some big announcement?” Sounded a lot more interesting than this delivery. He joined the crowd as they all made their way to the center of the city.

The Coliseum was used often, typically for games of Akilini or arts festivals. But seldom was the entire city’s population gathered together all at once. Whatever this was about, it had to be important. 54411 made his way up to the section emblazoned with the seal of Ko-Metru along with his peers. It was a shame he couldn’t sit with his friends, but they were from the other districts. After everyone was assembled and situated the screens and speakers came to life, focusing on the Turaga as he began his speech.

“Gathered friends. Today marks the quincentennial of the founding of Metru Nui, and over these last few centuries I have been proud to watch our city flourish and grow. Your steadfast commitment to duty has given us strength, and your unyielding unity has given us heart. Today you shall be rewarded for your efforts by uncovering your destiny. I hereby declare this ceremony the first Naming Day!”

He paused for a minute as the crowd cheered, not sure what that meant but excited nonetheless. Once the applause died down he continued. “In the time before time, on the day we were built, the Great Beings bestowed upon each of us a name, etched into our very spirits. You likely do not remember yours, but look into your hearts and you shall find the answer you seek. Once you are ready, please proceed downstairs to the Coliseum floor where my assistants and I shall document and commemorate your true name. Oh, and one last thing. Once you are done, all non-essential personnel may take the remainder of the day off. This is, after all, a holiday!”

On ground level stood the Turaga and a pair of archivists holding tablets. From the long queue another Ko-Matoran stepped forward, looking a bit nervous. “Your designation?” one of them inquired. “Ko-54411” he answered. “And what is your name, dutiful Matoran?” the Turaga warmly asked. “I’m…Saril.” he said. The archivists recorded on their tablets. The Turaga smiled at him. “Wear your name with honor, for you have made your city proud.” “Thank you, Turaga” he said, before following the others to the exit.

“Hey! Over here!” a voice beckoned, one Saril knew well. Ga-13544 was one of his schoolmates in his classes in the water district, and the two had become close friends. “Hi! Good to see you!” Saril replied as he joined her. “So, um, what should I call you now?” “I’m Leisaa,” she said, smiling. “How about you?” “Saril. Do you like it?” Leisaa nodded. “Well Saril, we’ve got the rest of the day off. Whatcha want to do?” “Maybe a swimming lesson?” he asked. She scoffed. “I told you, you don’t need lessons anymore. You’re a natural! You’re the only Matoran I know from the other districts who’s as good as one of us.” “Let’s find out!” Saril said. “We’ll have a race. Loser has to do the winner’s healing class homework.” Leisaa gave a coy grin. “Alright, it’s a deal.”

CHAPTER TWO: AKILINI!

The score sat Po-Metru 19, Onu-Metru 17. Delro’s team was behind, but he knew they had it in them to turn this around and proceed to the semi-finals. Before the next round began, he looked to the audience on his side and held up his disk, spurring them to cheer in excitement. Onu-Matoran didn’t turn out in droves to these games under the uncomfortable sun, but he saw a few friends among the spectators. “You go Delro!!” Saril and Leisaa chanted.

Most of the denizens of the districts of earth, ice, and water were more academically inclined, and so were under-represented in the arena. Delro certainly broke that mold, he was the only Onu-Matoran to make a career of Akilini. Saril and Leisaa only played casually, but some time ago they sought out Delro. He gave them tips and better disks, and they made excellent practice partners when the archivists were preoccupied. Over the years the three became good friends.

The referee signaled the next round, and all players mounted their riding discs. Delro took a deep breath. This next move would be risky, but it was the only way to pull ahead. One way or another this game was about to end. The buzzer sounded and the Matoran took off. Immediately the Coliseum floor began to morph, shooting solid columns into the air that took the fastest of reflexes to dodge. He signaled to his teammates to start their play. Onepu charged for the Po-Metru goal hoop, while Delro soared upwards. Onepu took the shot, which got close but was deflected by their defender. “Just as I predicted,” Delro thought. “Now here goes!” He dived at high speed at the hoop, launching a flurry of disks. He had been practicing rapidly reloading his launcher, and hoped it would be too much at once to block.

One disk soared through the goal. The defender reloaded and fired, but missed. The second disk scored. Then the third. The crowd was in a frenzy. Leisaa and Saril screamed in excitement. Just as the defender reloaded, the final disk passed him by…and bounced off the ring. Delro’s gamble would not pay off today. Such an aggressive tactic focused on speed over defense, and the Po-Matoran were taking full advantage. Three launchers approached his hoop at once, and Taipu only managed to block one. With the final point scored, the game concluded and Po-Metru were declared the winners.

“You played well out there today Delro,” Leisaa said, trying to cheer him up. The rest of the Onu-Metru team were already headed home, leaving the three friends to spend some time together. “I know, I know,” he grunted. “It’s just bad luck we got put up against Po-Metru. They’re unbeatable!” “I don’t know” Saril commented “They lost to Ta-Metru a few years ago.” Saril realized he wasn’t helping when Delro shot him a look. “Hey Frosty” Delro inquired, “Couldn’t you take a look through one of those telescopes and predict the outcome of next season’s games?” “First of all” Saril answered, “Don’t call me that. And no, even if I knew how, I doubt the Great Spirit is interested enough in Akilini to enshrine it in prophecy.” “Maybe he’s just a Po-Metru fan?” Leisaa suggested, grinning. The trio laughed. As the suns set and the lights of the city skyline flickered on, they looked into the stars and wondered what their future held.

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You could post each of the individual portions as short chapters in this topic to make it easier to read. Having it all condensed into a google doc isn’t the most convenient for Boards-goers to get invested in.

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That’s fair. I guess I was hesitant since it’s 25 chapters long and thought it would be discourteous to spam the board. How about I rework this post into Ch. 1+2, and continue on in a day or two?

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That would be nice. I should absolutely read your story, it sounds good!

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WELP
I posted part 2 and it immediately got flagged as off-topic? I’m really struggling to understand how I’m supposed to go about posting this story. I’m not very experienced with this site and just want to share the cool thing I made.

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I flagged it.

When posting stories with multiple chapters, making a hundred separate topics for each chapter is heavily frowned upon as spammy and pointless when one topic with each chapter in the replies works far better and helps readers keep track of the story easier. It’s why I suggested it here:

You can check out one of my stories, The Wild Masks (starring Boards users), as an example of one that follows the formula I’ve described. I’ve posted a lot of stories (mostly pure trash ngl) on the Boards, and with this format I’ve never gotten in trouble with staff over it.

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OHHhhh I completely misread that originally :upside_down_face:
Thank you for the assistance friend! I’ll post on this thread here now that I know what I’m doing

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Okay here we go! Ch. 3+4

CHAPTER THREE: A CITY DIVIDED

“Alright you chattering Brakas!” the Po-Matoran sergeant shouted. “Those smelt-headed Ta-Metru villains attacked our supply lines last night. A convoy carrying protodermis ore to be purified into Kanoka was raided. Well it’s about time we get back at them!” Saril stood anxiously in the back of the crowd. He hated this fighting. In fact, he had tried to dodge the draft multiple times to no avail. Even if he could run away, it’s not like he could stay with Leisaa or Delro. Water and Earth were considered The Enemy now, and he would be in immediate danger if he were caught wandering about their districts. So the best Saril could do now is go through the motions and try to avoid himself or someone else getting hurt.

“We’ve tracked the ore to a Ta-Metru foundry,” the sergeant continued. “It’s near the border with Le-Metru, so plenty of access points. We’ll march on the foundary and shut down their Kanoka production. Now move out, and let’s teach those fire-spitters a lesson they’ll never forget!” Saril sighed and followed in the rear of the squad. As they marched he flipped through his disks. 375, 521, 446. Nothing that could cause any serious damage. Maybe when the fighting started, no one would notice if he left. He could return to Ko-Metru and hide out until this war ended. If it ever ended.

Within an hour they reached the foundry. A few Ta-Matoran guards charged them, but were quickly incapacitated. But they didn’t account for the one that ran inside to sound the alarm. Sirens blared as a dozen Matoran took up positions above, launching a volley of disks at Saril’s charging squad. Most managed to dodge, but one unlucky Le-Matoran was struck and teleported away. They breached the doors and the Sergeant shouted, “Aim for the forge! We have to destroy it!” He and the others fired their disks at the machinery, weakening and freezing it until it collapsed and shattered.

With the deed done they turned to escape, but their path was blocked by the Ta-Matoran. “And where do you think you’re going?” one jeered and fired a Kanoka at the Sergeant. His form scrambled and reconstituted as some sort of four-legged rahi beast. Saril grimaced, hoping that would wear off soon. The assaulting squad ran to take cover. Disks flew back and forth. Saril barely blocked a Reconstitute disk himself, his launcher was twisted into uselessness from using it as a shield. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw it, a back exit! He signaled some teammates and they made a break for the door. But right before he made it, a Ta-Matoran jumped in his way.

As soon as they made eye contact, Saril knew this one was in the same boat as him, forced to fight against his will. He looked very unsure and his hands shook holding his launcher. If Saril rushed the door, he might be able to simply push this Matoran out of the way and make a clean escape. He charged, but the guard fired. Saril felt a moment of terror as the disk struck, fearing what horrible effect he would suffer. He found himself…three inches shorter. This Ta-Matoran must be using weak disks too. Saril ran and made his escape, but gave the guard a knowing nod, acknowledging neither of them had their heart in this fight.

Three days passed. Saril hid in his home for as long as he could, until he was inevitably found out and dragged back into the war effort. He was so sick of this. He missed his friends. He was even beginning to miss his job. Who knew how long this fighting would continue. Saril just wished someone would intervene and put an end to it all at once.

CHAPTER FOUR: MASK MAKER

Finally, a day off. Saril, and most of the Matoran in the city, had been assigned double shifts to make up for the damage done and the work neglected during the recent conflict. But Saril could not rest today, he had an errand that had been put off for too long. Most Ko-Matoran avoided the district of fire, where the heat of their furnaces and foundries permeated, but it never bothered him. Besides, this was important.

Eventually Saril arrived at the workshop of Nurhii, the famous mask maker. He felt at the crack in his Kanohi, relieved he would finally be replacing it. “Hello?” he called out as he walked inside. A Ta-Matoran was in the waiting area, organizing a large display of masks. “Greetings! How can I help you?” he said warmly. “I’m looking for Nurhii the mask maker. My Kanohi is damaged and I’m in need of a replacement.” “Ah, I’m sorry, he’s not in the shop today. I’m Vakama, his student. But if you’re looking for a new mask, I can certainly help!” Vakama beckoned Saril over to the display he had been working on. “These are very impressive,” Saril noted as he inspected them. “I like the artistic flair to them. Most masks I see around town are rather plain and angular. Nurhii did well.” “Actually,” Vakama admitted bashfully, “these are my student projects.”

Saril’s eyes lit up. He had found his mask maker. “Over here,” Vakama pointed “is the Ko-Metru section. Would you be interested in this white Hau, or perhaps an Akaku in a nice sand blue, or-” “Actually,” Saril cut him off, “I’m thinking a custom job.” He set two Kanoka he’d brought with him on the table. These were his best Akilini disks, and he had faith they would make for a quality mask that would serve him well. Vakama looked surprised. “Are you sure? These are Ga-Metru disks. The color won’t match your armor.” “That’s quite alright,” Saril said. “Let’s see what you can do, mask maker.”

Vakama worked for hours. A few times Saril excitedly peeked his head in to see how it was coming along, only to be promptly shooed away. A forge was no place for a Ko-Matoran. Finally Vakama entered the waiting room, holding a bright blue mask. Saril was in awe. Unlike his old, blocky Pakari, the ornate lines of this replacement curved and flowed into one another. It was a true work of art. “It’s perfect,” Saril admired. “The Kanohi Kakama. If you were a Toa, it would allow you to move faster than the eye can see. Though if I’m being honest,” Vakama said with a chuckle, “I’d be surprised if either of us were destined for that.”

Saril handed over his old Pakari and a handful of widgets as payment. “Goodbye Vakama!” Saril said with a smile as he exited. “And thank you! I plan to spread the word about the greatest mask maker in Metru Nui!”

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I’m going to be away for a little while so here’s the next couple chapters!

CHAPTER FIVE: CHUTES AND LEADERS

The din of construction equipment banging and whirring filled the air. It was making it difficult for Saril to focus on his work, and frankly, giving him a headache. For once he felt envious of the scholars, whose silent study in the knowledge towers was undisturbed by all this commotion. For the last several months he had been working with the Le-Matoran on the big upgrade to his station, a terminal for the new Chute System.

A few years ago the new Turaga took charge of the city with a singular focus: efficiency. The way he went on about it you would think it was the fourth virtue. He insisted the city’s output needed to grow, and the first step would be improving infrastructure to make work easier. So he and the Le-Matoran devised a system of transportation tubes, filled with flowing magnetized protodermis. “The flowing veins of the city” he called them. While they were a hassle to install, once online they would allow cargo and passengers to travel across the city at unbelievable speed. It was certainly working, and very popular with the Matoran.

His second innovation, however, was far less popular. Turaga Dume wanted a fleet of police robots to “maintain order”. He insisted it was about protecting the Matoran, in particular from Rahi escaping from the Archives. In practice, the Vahki drones primarily patrolled the Metru to make sure no one was skipping out on their jobs. Everyone was being worked harder, and everyone was resentful of the Vahki for it. The rollout had been a disaster, too. The original models would stun and incapacitate rule-breaking Matoran for days, and it took a fleet of the replacement units to get rid of them.

“Alright now quick-learner,” Tuuli showed Saril, “these are the controls for the magnetic phase. If you pull this lever down-low, it’ll slow the frequency and make it easier to get on or off. Reduces the flow-current too.” Tuuli was a traffic controller from the air district, and was on assignment to teach Saril to operate the new chute station. “Or you can do like the Le-Matoran do, and jump-dive in at full speed!” he said with a proud grin. Saril chuckled, both entertained and mildly concerned by the Le-Matoran’s signature recklessness. “So if this thing is flowing with protodermis,” Saril inquired, “how are you supposed to breathe?” Tuuli laughed. “Afraid that’s not been thought-figured out yet. Best hold your breath! Still beats foot-walking, eh?” Saril didn’t know why he was expecting a more sensible answer. He supposed he would be getting a lot of use out of those swimming lessons with Leisaa.

CHAPTER SIX: UNDER SIEGE

Saril and Delro watched anxiously through the window of the Ga-Metru lighthouse, until Leisaa grabbed them and pulled them down to cover. “Do you two Akilini-heads want to get caught?” she hissed at them as quietly as she could. In the streets outside a large figure in green armor patrolled, looking for wayward Matoran. A Dark Hunter.

A few years ago, Turaga Dume had informed the population of Metru Nui about the bounty hunting organization known as the Dark Hunters. He said they were a danger to the city, and urged the Matoran to report any suspicious strangers to the Vahki. Most dismissed this as a move to make the Vahki more popular. Until the Kanohi Dragon attacked, and the danger of the Dark Hunters became very real. Now the conflict had escalated into all-out war.

For the last week Saril and his friends, like all the other Matoran, had been hiding to stay safe. He had taken a big risk leaving his Metru to come here at all, but he had to be certain Leisaa and Delro were okay. Curiosity was once again getting the best of him and he peered back out the window. A team of Bordakh met the Dark Hunter Spinner to take him down, but their Kanoka and staffs ricocheted off his armor ineffectually. He retaliated with his twin slicers, cleaving one of the robot enforcers in half and damaging the brain cases on two more. With his enemies dispatched, Spinner looked around for any other assailants. Instead, he saw a Matoran in a nearby building. Collateral.

Saril ducked and whispered to his friends. “He saw me. I’m going to make a break for it so he doesn’t come looking for you two.” Leisaa started to protest but Delro cut her off. The three fist-bumped as a goodbye and Saril charged out the door. If he could make it to the canal maybe he could swim to safety. But Spinner ran to intercept, and as he drew close Saril grew dizzy and started choking on the toxic air the Hunter emitted. “Where do you think you’re going?” Spinner said with a sickly smile as he picked the helpless Matoran up. “Unhand him!” a voice commanded from across the courtyard. The Toa heroes!

Spinner dropped his prey and turned to the challengers. One was clad in blue armor and the other in white. He hated Toa. With a roar he launched his Rhotuka at them, but one deftly dodged and the other disappeared from sight entirely. His vertigo vision was no good either, they moved too quickly to maintain eye contact. Saril watched in amazement as the two heroes called upon the elements, one soaking the Hunter in a deluge of water and the other freezing him solid. The Matoran was saved.

“Are you alright?” The Toa of Water asked. Despite her ferocity in battle she had a kind voice and protective demeanor. Saril just pointed at the lighthouse. “My friends…” “Are going to be alright” the Toa of Ice finished his sentence. “We’ll take you all to safety.” “You were very brave,” the Toa of Water reassured him. “What’s your name?” “Im Saril” he answered. She smiled. “I’m Toa Naho.”

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Ch. 7+8, back and feeling better so time for the next installment!

CHAPTER SEVEN: ON TRIAL

The Vahki forcefully ushered Saril through a pair of doors and into the hearing room. On one side stood his accusor, Toa Makari. Opposite him, Saril was surprised to see Toa Naho. Above them both sat Turaga Dume, who was the first to speak. “The defendant has arrived. Makari, as you are the one who insisted on this hearing you shall begin.” “Thank you Turaga,” he said. “This Matoran is not who he claims to be. He is lying about his identity and I believe him to be a spy.” Saril was in shock. “A spy? What are you talking about? I haven’t-” Turaga Dume frowned and held up his hand to silence him. “You will have your turn to speak. Until then, do not interrupt.” “As I was saying, Turaga,” Makari continued, “That Matoran is provably lying about his identity. I can see it for myself. The Kanohi Rode is never wrong. And every time I look at him it activates.” Dume raised an eyebrow. “And has your mask ever reacted in such an odd manor before?” “It…has not, Turaga.” Makari reluctantly answered.

“Hmm.” Dume mused. “Naho, your comment?” “Turaga, I find it strange that this Matoran is being accused of lying when he hasn’t made a single statement yet. Let us allow him to speak, and only then decide if he speaks lies.” The Turaga seemed to agree. “Very well. Makari, you may question the accused, and shall tell us how the mask reacts.” “Yes, Turaga,” he said. “Matoran, what is your name?” “I’m Saril,” he answered. Saril had no intention to lie, but was scared nonetheless. To his relief the Toa of Ice nodded. “Where are you from?” he asked again. “Uh…Ko-Metru?” Makari nodded again. “Have you had any communication with anyone from outside the city?” Saril shook his head. “Do you have any intention to undermine this city or the well-being of its citizens?” “What? No, of course not” Saril replied, rather offended.

Naho spoke up. “Turaga, is this not enough? Saril means no harm and is clearly innocent.” Makari snapped back. “The mask. Is never. Wrong. This Matoran is not who he appears to be, I am certain of it.” “Silence,” Dume said forcefully. “It is his turn to speak.” All eyes turned to Saril. “Um, thank you, Turaga,” he replied meekly. “I just want to say I don’t want to cause any trouble and I don’t know what I did to upset Toa Makari but I just want everything to go back to normal.” Naho gave a friendly smile. Makari gave a cold glare.

Turaga Dume pondered for a moment before speaking. “I find it strange that your mask is reacting in such a way to this individual, Makari. However, you have presented no tangible proof of wrongdoing. I do not find sufficient evidence to continue this investigation.” Saril sighed in relief. Dume stared at the Toa of Ice. “You will leave this one alone, lest I reassign you to a different district. Vahki, let the accused go.”

Saril sat in the Coliseum atrium. He was still somewhat shaken up over today’s events. The Vahki taking him from work, the accusations, it was all so overwhelming. Even though he knew he was innocent it was still scary, all those authorities arguing over you. “Hello, Saril” came a voice from behind him. “Toa Naho?” he asked, surprised. “May I join you?” She took a seat beside him. “I’ve seen you around Ga-Metru. More often than any other Ko-Matoran, I think.” Saril nodded. “I guess so, huh. I prefer taking classes there than with those stodgy astronomers. And my best friend Leisaa lives in Ga-Metru.” Naho smiled. “I think it’s a lovely place. I’ve felt at home there since I joined the Toa Mangai. And I get a feeling you feel more at home there too.” “Now that you say it” Saril answered, “I think I do. But…my duty is to Ko-Metru. I have a job to do.” “I understand.” she replied. “Though I always want you to feel welcome. Especially after today, if you ever need a Toa to talk to, I’ll be there.” “Thank you, Toa Naho” Saril said, “I believe I will.”

CHAPTER EIGHT: BREAKING POINT

“Saril! Hey, Saril!” a voice called out. Oh great, Ehrye. Saril didn’t have time for this, he was already behind on processing this delivery. The courier slid over to his desk. “So I’ve been working on something that’s going to get Nuju’s attention for sure. That promotion is gonna be mine! I’ll have an office in the Knowledge Towers in no time.” He seemed quite satisfied with himself. “Mmhmm” Saril grunted, completely uninterested. “Really?” Ehrye said, annoyed. “Aren’t you curious how I’m gonna do it?” “No, not really,” Saril answered flatly. “Oh come on, this is a big deal! Everyone wants to be a scholar. Don’t you?” “No, not really,” Saril repeated. Ehrye looked taken aback. “Seriously? You’re fine with being stuck in this dingy shipping office forever?”

Saril’s patience had expired, and he raised his voice. “No Ehrye, I do not like it here. I do not like it in the knowledge towers. I don’t even like the cold. But I have a duty to Ko-Metru, and so I keep working here. Now go get back to your job so I can get back to mine.” “Fine.” Ehrye turned to exit the room. “Cross-wired freak” he muttered under his breath. And he had crossed a line. Saril roared in anger and leapt at him, knocking him to the ground. “You take that back RIGHT NOW!” he shouted. The commotion drew the attention of some Ko-Matoran passer-bys. And then the Keerakh.

In mere moments three Vahki were upon them. A disruption of this degree would not be tolerated, and everyone present knew it. Ehrye scrambled to his feet. “He did it! He attacked me!” He pointed at Saril. The Keerakh had no interest in blame, only order, and they hit Ehrye with their Staffs of Confusion. “Surrender or run…” Saril thought. Who was he kidding, he wouldn’t even make it out of the room. He lay down in defeat, and before he knew it, his mind went blank.

Matoran Unit Ko-54411 sat at his desk, processing documents for an incoming delivery of computer equipment. He didn’t have much grasp on where or when it was, but that was fine. He had work to do, and he was content.

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CHAPTER NINE: FAREWELL

Carefully Saril slinked through the Ga-Metru streets. He kept a careful eye out for Bordakh patrols, if he were caught breaking curfew he’d be in huge trouble. But soon that wouldn’t matter. In time he found his way to a small dwelling on the edge of the residential zone, overlooking the bay.

Leisaa was startled awake by a knock at her door. This late at night, she had no idea who it could be. Thankfully not Vahki, they don’t extend the courtesy of knocking. Groggily she got out of bed and opened the door to find her friend Saril at the door, a dejected look on his mask. “What are you doing here?” she said as quietly as she could. He said nothing but had a troubled look in his eyes. “Never mind, just get in here before the Vahki see you.” She pulled him in and bid him sit down. “I know you, you wouldn’t come out here at night if it weren’t really important. What’s going on, Saril?” He sighed. “I’m leaving Metru Nui.”

Leisaa was in disbelief. “Are you serious? Why?” she asked urgently. “There’s something very wrong with this city, Leisaa. I can feel it, and I know you can too. The Vahki have been getting more aggressive. Matoran have been disappearing. We haven’t seen Delro in weeks, for Artakha’s sake. And all of this Turaga Dume ignores, tells us to continue working as normal.” Leisaa didn’t want to admit it, but he wasn’t wrong. “But we can’t just abandon the city!” she protested, “Toa Lhikan will protect us.” Saril frowned. “He hasn’t so far. And what about the rest of the Toa? They’ve disappeared too, one by one. Lhikan could be next.”

Leisaa was silent for some time. When she finally spoke her voice was unsteady. “So you’re leaving me all alone.” “No, I…I mean that’s not what…” Saril stammered, taken off-guard. “Why don’t you come with me?” “Because” she snapped, “I haven’t forgotten my duty to Metru Nui. I will not abandon my home.” “But this isn’t my home!” Saril pleaded. “I’ve felt out of place in Ko-Metru my entire life. It’s like I was built to be somebody I’m not, and even if the city were safe, I can’t keep this up. I just can’t.”

“Well then, I think you should get going Saril,” Leisaa said in a tone both bitter and mournful. “Be careful of the Bordakh, they do sweeps on the hour.” Saril stood to leave. “Goodbye Leisaa” he said. “You’re a good friend. I’m going to miss you.” She didn’t answer.

CHAPTER TEN: STOWAWAY

“Well look what we ‘ave here!” one of the brutish sailors growled. “An uninvited guest!” He tossed the unwelcome passenger to the deck. Saril cowered and assessed his situation. All of them were at least twice his size, even if he knew how to fight he wouldn’t stand a chance. And there was nowhere to run, it was the ship or the sea. “I say we feed this one to the Takea” the sailor said with a cruel grin. “Hold on, Melkem” another interrupted. “Not until I question him.” This one was taller, leaner, more distinguished. A Steltian noble. “Yes, Captain Kohdorak” Melkem complied.

The Captain leaned in to look Saril in the eyes. “Tell me, Matoran, where are you from?” “K…Ko-Metru” he anxiously stammered. His interrogator’s eyes lit up. “Ah, a star-reader! Perhaps you can guide us to fortune?” “I, uh, never…learned…” Saril trailed off, realizing as he spoke this was the wrong answer. The Captain frowned and snorted. “Well then, Ko-Matoran” he said condescendingly, “what good are you to me?” Saril’s mind raced. “I do know how to use the stars to navigate,” he answered frantically. “And I know shipping routes! I worked at a transport hub.” The Captain’s interest was piqued. “A navigator, hmm? Very well then, Matoran. You shall pay for your voyage in service on my ship.”

Saril sifted through the pile of tablets before him, trying to make sense of this mess. Maps, itineraries, shipping manifests, all strewn about. This wouldn’t do at all. By habit he began to sort and organize, trying to inventory their current cargo and plan the most efficient route to its destination. “First to Nynrah” he muttered, “then a stop in Xia…and from there, south to Hodea Nui.” This new route would save them at least a day. Maybe the crew wouldn’t be so hard on him if he made himself useful.

Saril’s concentration was interrupted by a knock on the cabin door. One of the other sailors let himself in. He was as brawny as the others, but seemed somewhat less gruff. “Hello there, Matoran” he greeted. “I heard from the crew about a passenger aboard. It’s not often we see your kind out on the sea. And even then, usually the blue or green ones.” Saril wasn’t quite sure how to answer. “So, do you have a name?” the crewman asked. “I’m Saril.” “Im Kesqel. Nice to have you aboard, Saril. Looks like the Captain’s put you to work, eh?” “Yeah” he answered. “I think I found a way for you to pick up and deliver your cargo quicker.” Kesqel looked impressed. “Not bad for your first day aboard. I’ll tell the Captain.”

For four days they sailed. Saril studied their star charts and steered the ship true to course. Deliveries were made, payment was exchanged. He never left the ship, the Vortixx and even the Nynrah Ghosts didn’t seem particularly friendly. Once the final port was reached, Captain Kohdorak acknowledged his good work. “You have been of service to me, and I consider your voyage paid. You are dismissed.”

Saril stood on the shore, staring out into the ocean, lost in thought. He knew he had to leave Metru Nui, but honestly didn’t have a plan as to where he’d go now. “Something on your mind?” a voice came from behind. Kesqel walked up to join him. Saril sighed. “I feel so aimless. I don’t know where to go from here.” “Well,” Kesqel suggested, “you did fine work these last few days. Maybe you’d be interested in staying with us a little while longer?” Saril contemplated the offer. Perhaps this would be a good way to see more of the world? If nothing else, it would be free passage to sail until he found an island that felt more like home. He gave Kesqel an affirming smile. “Well then, welcome to the crew!”

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CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE GREAT STORM

Days turned to weeks. Kesqel gave Saril a Matoran-sized fishing spear and taught him how to use it. Saril knew how to navigate, but Kesqel taught him how to actually steer the ship. Melkem, on the other hand, was more interested in teaching him to fight. Saril was small and quick, making him hard to hit and a good sparring partner. Weeks turned to months. The crew was becoming endeared to their Matoran member, probably in part because he worked hard and never asked for a cut of the profits. Saril seemed content enough sailing the seas and visiting new islands.

It was just shy of a year into his voyages that the Great Cataclysm struck. It began like any other day. Their ship was close to port on the Northern Continent, carrying a handful of passengers from Stelt. The sun was bright, the seas were clear. There was no warning when the bioquake hit. In an instant the whole world shook, more violently than anything any of them had seen before. Storm clouds appeared from nowhere, turning the sky black and releasing a torrent of rain. The sea churned and waves crashed into the ship. Several times they nearly capsized. Captain Kohdorak shouted commands at the crew, which Saril couldn’t hear over the deafening storm. But he knew he had to act fast, and scrambled to the wheel.

Navigating through this hurricane would be a fool’s errand. The sky was illuminated only by flashes of lightning, and fighting against these waves would destroy the ship. The only way they were making it out of this would be riding the storm. Saril closed his eyes and felt the movement of the sea. The current was pulling starboard, so Saril spun the wheel to match their heading. The vessel surfed the length of a gigantic wave, making it out unscathed. But they were picking up speed, and this game was getting more dangerous. They crested another wave, and for a moment the whole ship soared through the air. Another flash of lightning illuminated what appeared to be the coast. “Land ahoy!” Kohdorak hollered. Saril aimed straight for it. This would be a bumpy landing, but at least they’d be out of the deadly sea. The entire crew braced for impact. Saril should’ve braced harder. As they crashed into the shore he was thrown to the deck, hitting his head and blacking out.

The Matoran awoke to more cloudy skies, though the sheets of rain had thankfully been reduced to a light drizzle. “Ah, he’s awake!” Kesqel said as he walked over. “That was some good sailing out there! Good thing you learned from the best, huh?” They both grinned. “So where are we?” Saril asked. Looking around, he couldn’t even see water. “I’ll tell ya where we are,” Melkem growled, “the middle o’ nowhere! The water receded and we’re all stuck here, aground. Thanks a lot, navigator” he said with a huff before walking off. “Don’t mind him” Kesqel reassured Saril. “He’ll calm down soon enough.”

A few hours passed before Captain Kohdorak returned with supplies. Some Regenerate Kanoka, a bunch of Levitate Kanoka, and even more rope. Once the damage to the ship was patched up, they used the disks to lift it into the air. “Now what?” Saril inquired. Kohdorak tossed him a rope. “Pull” he commanded, pointing at the distant coast.

CHAPTER TWELVE: PIRATES!

“What’s that over there?” Saril asked, pointing off into the distance. Something had caught his eye, something moving in their direction. “I don’t see nothin’” Melkem squinted as he stared. “What’s this now?” the Captain had overheard and walked over to investigate. “Over there,” Saril pointed, “I think it’s another ship.” Kohdorak gestured for someone to hand him his looking Kanohi. It was a powerless mask, but the extra-large scope let him see considerable distances. He put it on and his demeanor immediately changed. “Oh Karzahni…” he muttered, then bellowed as loud as he could, “Zyglak!! To your battle stations!”

Kesqel and Melkem ran to the port-side repeating disk launchers and began loading them with Kanoka. The rest of the crew grabbed blasters they had picked up from Nynrah. Saril grabbed his fishing spear and just tried to stay out of the way. He’d heard horrible stories about the Zyglak, reptilian monsters whose corrosive touch could dissolve anything. He wanted desperately to run, but with nowhere to go, Saril braced himself to fight for his life.

The Zyglak ship was close enough to see now. It was messily cobbled together from scrap and parts of the ships of their former victims. Saril tried not to think about the bits of Matoran armor welded to its hull. “Fire at will!” Kohdorak roared, and in an instant a volley of Kanoka and Zamor and Rhotuka rained down on the Zyglak ship. It seemed to have taken heavy damage, parts were sloughing off into the sea. It slowed down, but did not stop. The Captain frowned. The Zyglak had no ranged weapons, but if even one made it aboard it would be a catastrophe. As if to punctuate that thought, a Zyglak threw a crude spear that landed on the deck and burned a hole through it.

All the crew reloaded their launchers as fast as they could. The Zyglak ship was uncomfortably close. Acting as one the crew fired another wave of ammunition. Kesqel seemed to get a lucky shot and something on their ship exploded. Several Zyglak were thrown into the sea and the oncoming boat began to sink. Saril sighed in relief. That was far too close. Suddenly he was startled by a claw reaching for him as a large reptilian form climbed over the side of the ship.

“Matoran!” the Zyglak hissed with rage. Saril was paralyzed with fear. Before he knew what was happening, the Captain struck the intruder in the back with a Rhotuka. This only had the effect of drawing its attention, and the Zyglak lunged at Kohdorak. The Captain parried with his blade, but it rapidly rusted and dissolved. With no other option he grabbed the Zyglak by the neck, and with a yell of pain and rage he threw it overboard.

The fight was over but Kohdorak was badly hurt. Saril snapped out of his panic and rushed over. “Let me look at it! I have medic training.” The Captain had no time for pride and showed Saril his hand. The armor and even organics were badly corroded, there may be no salvaging it. Kohdorak seethed from the pain. “Hey Captain,” Saril said, trying to keep him calm, “how would you feel about a hook?”

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A SACRIFICE

The seas were calm that night. Saril stared at the stars, making calculations and plotting their course. Sometimes he wished he had asked for a scope to be installed on his mask, that would have made this a lot easier. Looking back up he noticed in confusion that there was a star missing from one of the constellations. Before his eyes, one of them went out. Then another. Then another. “Captain?” Saril called out, beginning to panic. “Captain!” Several members of the crew stepped out on the deck to investigate the commotion. “This had better be important” Captain Kohdorak growled. Saril was just pointing up. The crew looked at the sky and their eyes widened in terror.

They all watched as the stars flickered out one by one. To say this was a bad omen would be the understatement of the millenia. They went out faster and faster, until none remained. The sky was gone, replaced with an empty black void. The breeze stopped blowing, and the air began growing cold. No one was willing to speak it aloud, but they all knew. The Great Spirit Mata Nui had died.

With no starlight and all their lightstones extinguished, Saril and the others fumbled around the ship in complete darkness. Their heartlights gave only the faintest of visibility, until one of the crew managed to start a fire on the deck. They all huddled around, the only source of heat and light. “What now, Captain?” Melkem asked worriedly. Saril had never seen him scared before. Kohdorak sat in silent contemplation for a minute. “We make for the nearest shore and take shelter with whomever we find. This calamity affects us all.” He looked at Saril. “I think I am beginning to understand your Matoran virtue of Unity. Now where to, Navigator?” Saril remembered their current heading, before the lights went out. “We were en route to Stelt,” he informed the crew, “but the closest island now is Oodina. Normally I would avoid that place, but we don’t have much choice now.” “You heard him!” the Captain ordered. “To your stations! We will not lay down in defeat!”

Barely had the words escaped his mouth when there came a booming noise reverberating through the sky. Then an explosion of blinding light. As Saril’s eyes adjusted he felt warmth returning to the air around him. Daylight. “The Great Spirit…” Kesqel muttered. Indeed, Mata Nui lived once more. After the crew shook off their surprise, they all yelled in excitement and joy. They had faced the end of all things and did not waver, and just as the Great Spirit was given new life, so were they. Saril’s thoughts drifted to an old Matoran word…Ignika.

The following night, Saril was relieved to be greeted by a sky full of stars. But something had changed. A new constellation had joined the rest, one in the shape of a Kanohi Akaku.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: OVERBOARD

“Ye know, one time I took on a whole team of Toa by myself. Knocked three of em out cold, I did” Melkem bragged. All the sailors knew not to believe a word of his stories, though they entertained nonetheless. “Ah, Toa aren’t so tough anyway. So self-righteous, always going on about duty and all that.” “Not all Toa are so bad, you know,‘’ Saril retorted. “I used to be pretty close with one. She gave me my most prized possession.” Melkem laughed. “Ya mean yer lucky rock? Sure thing, lad. Who could ever ask fer more?” “Hey now,” Kesqel responded, “Saril might be a little…strange, but he’s really proven himself around here and- hey, what’s going on over there?”

Saril peered over to see Captain Kohdorak on the pier talking with a strange group of travelers. Their leader was a big one in gold and blue armor, and they seemed to be escorting a Vortixx in a cloak. “Wonder what all that’s about,” Melkem grunted. After a few minutes of bartering Kohdorak seemed to be arranging to take them somewhere. “You don’t think the Captain’s gonna let them use the ship, do ya?” Kesqel wondered. “Oh, I don’t think we need his permission,” a creepy, raspy voice answered. From among the visitors a bizarre sea creature stood before them, glowing red eyes staring intensely. Saril immediately felt a wave of dizziness hit, struggling to keep his balance. His vision blurred and he was completely disoriented, outside of one perfectly clear command.

“Jump.”

The next thing Saril knew he was in the water, still dazed. The dim light of the surface was uncomfortably far away. Nearby was Melkem, floating limply. Saril swam over and tried to pull him up, but it was no use. The Matoran was only half his shipmate’s size, he just wasn’t strong enough. Desperately Saril took out his fishing spear and jabbed Melkem in the arm. That seemed to snap him out of it. The two swam up to the surface and immediately gasped for air. “Where are the others?” Saril pleaded. Their ship was rapidly departing, and Kohdorak lay unconscious on the dock. “Can’t worry about that now. To the shore, lad!” Melkem commanded.

Soon the sailors dragged themselves to safety, and Kohdorak stumbled over to join them. “Those stone-rat scum-sucking thieves” the Captain cursed. “To Karzahni with you!” He shook his hook at his ship disappearing into the horizon. Saril surveyed his crewmates. Besides being waterlogged, they were all unharmed. Except. “Wait, where’s Kesqel?” Saril worriedly asked. There was no sign of him. Kohdorak looked out into the sea in disappointment. “I think we lost more than our ship today.”

Saril was distraught. Kesqel was his friend, his mentor. He wouldn’t have survived a week beyond Metru Nui without Kesqel’s guidance. “That fish freak piraka,” Saril swore. “Someday I’m going to find him, and I’m going to make him pay.”

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN: CASTAWAY

Days ago, Saril was overjoyed at the reawakening of the Great Spirit. Then horrified when it was instead the Great Evil. It was the Makuta’s world now, they were all just living in it. Worse still, he was shipwrecked on a tiny atoll, barely a kio across. On one hand, he was probably safe from the Makuta out here. On the other, he was stranded, alone. Already he was resisting the temptation to talk to a Madu nut for company.

He couldn’t help but worry about his friends. Melkem, the Captain, Tuuli, Delro, Leisaa, Toa Naho. Especially Toa Naho, he shuddered to think what the Makuta could be doing to all the Toa now. In a way he felt guilty, that in his isolation only he would be spared from this nightmare. All he had to do was wait this out and hope somehow things would be restored to normal. All alone. For who knows how long.

Suddenly, in a flash of light, a figure materialized on the beach.

Saril rushed over to see an Onu-Matoran, dazed and disoriented. “Where am I?” the stranger asked. Saril was too excited to answer. “Hi! Hiii! It’s so good to see someone else!” The Onu-Matoran just started at him, confused. “You’re safe here. My name is Saril. How about you?” “I’m Meyala” he answered cautiously, shaking sand out of his mask. “What is this place?” “Island paradise” Saril answered sarcastically. “It’s not much, but it’s just the two of us now.”

Saril passed Meyala some energy-charged berries. “So, how’d you get here, anyway?” he asked Meyala. “I was running from some lackeys of the Makuta” he recounted. “Attacked our village for being ‘less than compliant’. I was hit by a teleport Kanoka and here I am.” “Sorry you were separated from your friends,” Saril tried to comfort him. “Thank you. We’ve been through hardships before, but the Toa have always pulled through for us. They will save my village.” He looked at Saril intently, studying him. “Hey, so this might be rather forward, but I have to say it’s nice meeting another Matoran whose heartlight doesn’t match their eyes. I always thought I was the only one.” Saril nodded. “I noticed too but didn’t want to say anything. I got weird looks occasionally but learned to ignore it.” “Maybe it was destined that we would meet,” Meyala mused. The two new companions stared out at the sea, reflecting on the uncertain future.

A week passed. Saril told tales of his time in Metru Nui, and of his years as a merchant sailor. And Meyala shared his story as well.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: MEYALA

Long ago on the shore of the Northern Continent, a group of Matoran traders banded together to build a shipping port to service the nearby islands. As it grew and flourished, they brought with them their tribes of Earth, Air, and Plasma. In time the outpost grew to the grand village of Losu-Koro, led by one Turaga from each of the three tribes.

From among the Onu-Matoran, Meyala was chosen to serve as their scribe. He was assigned the duty of keeping records of the Turaga’s meetings, and sending correspondence to the other villagers on their behalf. He learned from them negotiation and patience, and eventually became Losu-Koro’s diplomat, helping to solve trade disputes with neighboring villages.

One year he and some peers were sent to the nearby island of Zakaz to negotiate the price of exported mined lightstones. This was in the time before the Makuta’s dark influence corrupted the island, and the Skakdi lived in peace. While the Matoran and Skakdi traders discussed business, Meyala sought out their village elders. They were fabled to be psychics, able to read minds and divine the future by interpreting dreams. During his stay they welcomed his interest in learning their ways, and he returned many times to study under them.

Between his status as a protégé to the Turaga and having an uncanny ability to tell what people were thinking, the villagers started seeking Meyala out as a counselor of sorts. They would come to him asking for personal advice, or insight about their destiny. However the Turaga were none too pleased, believing him to be overstepping his bounds and undermining their authority, and so they assigned him a new duty.

Meyala hated mining lightstones. The tunnels were cold and dark and lonely. He missed the sun, he missed the village, he missed his friends. His Onu-Matoran peers didn’t understand why he was so miserable, most of them had volunteered for this job. He was underground where he belonged. Wasn’t he? And so Meyala toiled on, dreaming of a brighter day.

Years passed before the attack. The ground shook from an explosion above, and Meyala scrambled for the closest emergency exit from the mines. The scene topside was nightmarish. Huts were burning, Matoran ran screaming for protection. Their assailants looked like…Skakdi? Something was terribly wrong with them though. Their faces were twisted into a sinister sneer, enjoying the torment they inflicted upon the helpless villagers. Meyala tried slinking away but was caught by one of the assailants as he rounded a corner.

“Well look what we have here” the Skakdi hissed. “Trying to run, were you? Runners are of no use to us” he cackled as he began charging his eye beams. When Meyala felt an impact, he was surprised it was from being dropped. Both of them turned to see what looked like a tall Matoran wielding ornate tools and armor. Wait, this must be one of the legendary heroes, a Toa! Meyala scrambled away as the Toa and Skakdi engaged in battle.

The Skakdi were driven to retreat and the Matoran were saved, but Losu-Koro was nearly destroyed. The Turaga requested the Toa to stay and safeguard the village, and a celebration was held in their honor. There were six Toa naturally, two of each element, and under their watchful eye the Matoran rebuilt.

Millenia passed. The increasing industry and trade on nearby Xia and Stelt meant more travelers, more business, and more growth. Losu-Koro became a bustling port town filled with shops and shipwrights and inns. The Turaga were kept so busy they reinstated Meyala’s position as a counselor. He and his village thrived for over 75,000 years. Until the Great Cataclysm.

The bioquake hit without warning. In an instant the ground was upheaved and the seas churned angrily. The Toa used every ounce of their elemental power to fight back, but still it wasn’t enough. They were forced to retreat, abandoning the city to focus on rescuing the Matoran. For a second time Losu-Koro was destroyed. But in their makeshift refugee camp, the Turaga reassured the survivors that the heart of Losu-Koro would live on.

The next thousand years were hard, to say the least. With access to Metru Nui gone, trade and resources dwindled across the entire Matoran Universe. A free-for-all battle ensued as the Makuta, Dark Hunters, Skakdi, and other would-be barraki fought over territory and resources. The Losu-Korans became nomads traveling the Northern Continent, avoiding the conflict and trading what remained of their wares. Over the centuries, four of their Toa and one Turaga fell in battle protecting their villagers.

Despite the miserable conditions, Meyala held out hope things would get better. His own dreams told him the Great Spirit Mata Nui would live and awaken again, and after so much waiting it came to pass. Then the evil of the Makuta’s plan was revealed, plunging the Universe into a deeper darkness than ever before. The Skakdi returned under the authority of the Great Spirit Makuta to enslave the survivors of Losu-Koro. The battle raged, and when Meyala was caught in the cross-fire he found himself struck by a Kanoka and teleported away in a flash of light.

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Happy Bionicle Day’s Eve everyone! :grin:

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DESTINY

Saril and Meyala lay on the beach, staring up into the night sky. The stars were as beautiful as always, so long as they didn’t attempt to read them and interpret the will of the new Great Spirit. “You’ve got something on your mind” Meyala prodded Saril. “No I don’t” he lied. “Oh come now, you know I have an intuition for this. You can open up to me, they call me The Counselor for a reason.”

Saril sighed. “I don’t know, I guess I feel…guilty. Here we are on some atoll living peacefully and comfortably, while everyone we’ve ever known is being enslaved. I ran once before, but never again. I want to help my friends. I want to fight back. But I don’t have any way to. Even if I could leave, I’m just one Matoran.” “No, we’re two Matoran,” Meyala said with a smile. Their eyes met and Saril felt a sense of comfort. “You don’t have to do everything alone,” Meyala continued. “And it’s not just me. There are millions of Matoran, and all together we are as strong as Mata Nui himself. The Turaga taught me that is the true power of unity.” Saril nodded. “Maybe this fight can be won. But we can’t help unless we can get off this island…”

Meyala almost didn’t notice, but there was a faint light coming from his pack by the bonfire. His curiosity pulled him from their conversation, and Saril followed when he went to investigate. Meyala pulled out a glowing stone, one Saril was surprised to recognize. “Where did you get that?” “I had it on me during the attack. The Turaga told me it was an important relic and not to let it out of my sight, so I didn’t.” Saril reached into his bag and pulled out a stone of his own. “I was given this by Toa Naho, ages ago. She told me I would need it someday.” As they held the stones close their glow began to pulse in sync. The two Matoran didn’t notice their heartlights beating in rhythm as well.

Overcome by instinct, Saril and Meyala knew what to do. They stood on opposite sides of the campfire and held their stones to their heartlights. The flames burned higher as the pair were engulfed in glowing white energy and the metamorphosis began. Saril thought to unity with his friends, duty to protect his comrades, and how destiny led him to this moment. He was finally relieved of his Matoran body, stripped down to the core and rebuilt. When the light faded, there stood Saril, Toa of Water, and Meyala, Toa of Psionics.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: ORIENTATION

As daybreak scattered light across the beach, the duo looked at themselves, then each other, in amazement. Not only were they Toa, but of new elements? For the first time in her life, Saril felt right, that she had discovered who she was meant to be. By the look in Meyala’s eyes, she felt the same.

“You look taller” Saril broke the silence, and the two laughed. “This is incredible! So do we…have Toa powers?” Meyala wondered. “Only one way to find out,” Saril replied. She walked to the shore and pointed her fishing spear at the sea. After a moment to quiet her mind, she envisioned pulling a sphere of water out and towards her. The water did as it was told, until she broke her concentration. Saril gasped in excitement and turned to Meyala with a huge grin. “Your turn! Try it out!” she encouraged. “But I don’t have any tools,” Meyala frowned. “I’m not sure how to channel it.” Saril shrugged. “Maybe try focusing on that?” Meyala nodded and concentrated. To both their surprise, a glowing blade of psychic energy manifested in her hand. It gave off a faint hum as she waved it around, practicing some fight moves. “Okay, that’s really cool,” she said.

“Now how about the masks? Let’s try those out!” Saril gleefully exclaimed. “I think they’re the same as the ones we were already wearing, which means you can fly and I can run.” Meyala jumped in place a few times, trying to get off the ground. She paused for a minute and pictured her goal, until her mask faintly glowed. Gracefully she lifted off and started soaring around. “Oh wow Saril, this is so much fun! Now let’s see what yours can do!” Saril visualized herself running to the other side of the island. She intended to start into a sprint but was instead launched at full speed, the foliage a blur as she raced by. The islet was small and she quickly reached the edge. And kept going. “Wait” she thought frantically, “am I running on the water? Mata Nui, I’m running on the water!” Saril let out an excited yell as she turned to follow the coast around to meet back up with Meyala.

The two new Toa spent another hour trying out their powers. A little tired, Saril sat to take a break and Meyala joined her. “You know, we can’t just use this for fun. We have a duty now to save the Matoran. To find the other Toa and help them defeat the Makuta…somehow.” Meyala nodded. “It feels scary. Taking on an evil this big.” Saril held her hand. “Well maybe it won’t be as scary if we do it together. Unity, right?” The two stared out at the water. “I suppose we’re not stuck on this island anymore,” Saril said. “How about we get out of here and go save the universe?” And with that, Toa Saril and Toa Meyala raced across the water to join the fight for their home.

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CHAPTER NINETEEN: PROVING GROUNDS

It didn’t take long for the new heroes to be thrown into the action. They spotted a coastal Matoran village, smoke rising from the burning huts and beams of energy being fired. They needed help, now. The two Toa rushed over to find a battle raging. A squad of Rahkshi were assaulting the village, being held back by a single Toa in gray and black armor. Meyala made eye contact with the stranger, then turned to Saril. “He says you should hang back and try to put out the fires. I’ll join him to fight those monsters off.” Saril was confused. “Okay, but what do you mean he told you?” “Telepathy.” “Wait, you can read minds? Can you read my mind?” “Not now. Focus.”

Meyala soared in and landed beside the Toa and conjured a pair of psionic blades. A Rahkshi charged at her and she parried, returning the blow with a gash in its side. The other Toa struck a second Rahkshi with his sword, causing its armor to ring like a bell and immobilize it. Ah, sonics. “I don’t remember, what power do these color Rahkshi have?” she yelled to her ally. The Rahkshi screeched and fired heat beams out of its eyes, which she barely blocked with her blades. “Oh. Right.”

Saril took some distance from the fight and turned her attention to pulling water from the sea to extinguish the burning buildings. It was working, but not fast enough. Saril hadn’t mastered her element enough to move the amount of water needed. “The village is already lost” a Matoran shouted out to her. “Cover us while we evacuate!” Saril nodded and dashed into the fray. A Rahkshi fired its eye beams, which she blocked with a wall of water. The heat boiled the water to steam, providing her with a perfect cover. Moving unseen, she circled around the Rahkshi for a sneak attack.

Meyala was getting tired of this. Hand-to-hand combat with Rahkshi is never fun, they are almost unmatched in their skill with a staff. And more were coming. Time for a new tactic. She lifted up into the air and summoned her telekinetic ability, yanking the staffs from the hands of the Rahkshi below. At once she hurled them at the creatures, impaling three of them. One was punctured in the spine and went limp. “Aim for their backs!” she yelled. Saril heard this and lunged at one with her spear. With a bit of leverage she managed to pry the armor off its back, revealing the Kraata inside. “Gotcha.” She pulled out the slug and enveloped it in a ball of water, squeezing tight until the pressure crushed it.

The battle raged on. Saril knocked Rahkshi down with jets of water, Meyala tossed them around telepathically, and the Toa of Sonics shook their armor loose with piercing waves of pure sound. After some time all the Matoran were gone safely. Five Rahkshi had been defeated, and the remaining two flew off. But the village was destroyed, and Meyala was hurting from a heat beam to the shoulder. Saril turned to Meyala, worried about her injury. “Come here, let me see what I can do about that.” The two sat and Saril examined the wound. Good thing she had such high marks in her healing class in Ga-Metru. Saril let out a breath and focused. She bid the water rest on Meyala’s shoulder, harmonize with her energy, and restore the damage. Meyala winced in pain, but the Toa were both amazed to watch the injury rapidly recover before their eyes.

The third Toa walked over to join them. “Those were some pretty good moves out there” he complimented them. “How long have you been doing this?” They both laughed. “A few hours,” Saril told him. “No kidding,” he said, impressed. “I should introduce myself. I’m Krakua.” “Nice to meet you!” she answered. “I’m-” “Saril, I know.” “How?” she asked. “Telepathy” Krakua and Meyala spoke in unison in her mind.

CHAPTER TWENTY: PRISON BREAK

The Toa said their farewells and went their separate ways. Krakua would be returning to Daxia to seek what remained of the Order of Mata Nui, and Saril would follow Meyala to find and rescue the Matoran of Losu-Koro. Saril’s instincts urged her to run there at top speed and charge into battle, but Meyala wanted to take a more cautious and stealthy approach. Best to keep a low profile and avoid the attention of the ever-present Makuta.

After half a day’s journey the duo tracked down the location of the villagers, a Skakdi fortress turned prison camp. Skakdi weren’t known for taking prisoners, but they all served the Makuta now and he demanded laborers. “Looks like it’s time for a jailbreak,” Saril said with a grin. Meyala quietly lifted both of them into the air and atop the fortified walls so they could scout out the situation. The scene below was shocking. Matoran were locked in cages or shackled to workstations assembling weapons for the Skakdi army. The Turaga were tied to poles in the center square, beaten and missing their masks and robes. Towards the rear were two covered buildings, one likely the soldiers’ quarters and the other the prison cells. “The two captured Toa must be in there. You smash, I’ll grab,” Meyala instructed her partner.

Saril eagerly jumped down and landed between a pair of guards. “Greetings, friends!” she shouted before cartoonishly bashing their heads together. The name of the game was to cause a distraction, and distract she did. “Hey you!” another Skakdi yelled at her, charging up his eye beams. She dodged with ease with her Mask of Speed and dove, knocking his legs out from under him. A blast of water turned the soil below him to sinking mud. The Matoran prisoners watched on, first in curiosity, then in excitement. Soon they were laughing and cheering as the Toa of Water took down the guards in increasingly humiliating ways.

As Saril zipped about the encampment harassing the Skakdi guards, Meyala crept towards the prison. They would need the help of the other Toa to safely evacuate these Matoran. A few times she was almost spotted, but a simple mental illusion kept her presence hidden. Her next challenge was getting past the locked door. She picked up a nearby rock with her mind and flung it to smash into the door. Lock picked. Once she slipped into the room she saw only a single jailer, who had been playing with two pairs of Great and Noble Kanohi on his desk. But the commotion snapped his attention to Meyala. Thinking fast, she searched the Skakdi’s mind for his greatest fear, and projected an illusion of some creature called an Irnakk. The jailer screamed in terror as he ran out the door.

Across the room Toa Nalaidra and Toa Dygoa sat in their cells, chained to the wall. Their energy and color looked drained, perhaps due to the evil-looking Kanohi they were forced to wear. Meyala freed them and removed the Masks of Draining, and immediately their elemental energy began to return and recharge. “Thank you, Sister.” Nalaidra said gratefully as he grabbed his proper Kanohi. “What is your name?” Meyala chuckled. “I guess you wouldn’t recognize me, huh? I’m Toa Meyala.” Their eyes widened. “Meyala of Losu-Koro? You certainly look…different.” Dygoa noted. “Well, welcome to the team, Sister!”

17

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: UNITY

Saril was starting to get overwhelmed. She had done her part well, giving cover to Meyala. But Skakdi soldiers had begun pouring out of the barracks, and she couldn’t keep this up forever. As she dodged eye beams she spotted three Toa approaching from across the yard. She ran over to them. “So what now?” Saril asked impatiently. “We free the Matoran” Meyala answered with confidence. Immediately Saril raced off to unshackle the prisoners. Dygoa frowned. “But then how do we get out? The door to this fortress is too reinforced for any of us to break down. “I have a plan,” Meyala told them, “but it’s going to involve a lot of teamwork and trust.”

Saril rushed about freeing the Matoran. Meyala and the rescued Turaga shepherded them away from the fray and towards their exit. Nalaidra and Dygoa kept the Skakdi at bay. “Everyone is in position,” Meyala thought, “time to make the play.” She called over the Toa and hastily explained. “I’m going to help you open your minds to each other. You’re going to have to act as one for this to work.” Her teammates nodded and Meyala activated her psionic powers.

Saril’s mind recoiled for a moment as two others entered. They could hear each other’s every thought, but after the initial shock they all relaxed and synced up. As one they fought off Skakdi guards, effortlessly executing combination attacks. Meyala strained to maintain their mental link, but she was so close. With one final push, the three Toa’s thoughts flowed together into a single mind, and in a flash of light there appeared Toa Kaita Uira.

The Matoran stared in awe. The Skakdi stared in confusion and fear. How had these Toa summoned this colossal warrior? Uira wasted no time. They called upon hurricane-force winds to knock the guards down, then a torrent of water to keep them there. Uira reached into the sky, creating a storm in an instant. The Skakdi turned in fear to retreat. Uira seeded the storm clouds with plasma, and lightning began striking down the soldiers. Soon all had been either knocked unconscious or fled. Uira smirked in satisfaction, then turned to the fortress door. They backed up, then rushed at full speed, throwing all of their weight into it. The door was knocked off its hinges and the Losu-Korans were freed.

As soon as the deed was done, Uira dispelled back into the three Toa. Nalaidra and Dygoa immediately escorted the villagers to safety. Saril rushed over to Meyala. She had collapsed from exhaustion, having used so much psionic energy to help maintain the Toa Kaita. “We couldn’t have done this without you, Meyala. You’re the true hero of today.” Saril picked Meyala up and carried her out to safety.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: HOMECOMING

The Losu-Koran tribe marched north. Saril’s speed made her an excellent scout, and she had noticed hundreds of Rahkshi and Skakdi migrating south. Best to go where they’re not. Nalaidra suggested returning to their former home, then sailing to seek refuge in Metru Nui. The Turaga had heard rumors the sea gates to the Great City were open once again. While Saril wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of returning to her old home, she kept her opinions to herself. The safety of the Matoran had to take priority over her own personal issues.

Saril must not have been doing a good job hiding her feelings as her fellow Toa came over to talk to her. “Something on your mind?” Meyala asked. Saril sighed. “I dunno, I guess I’m just anxious about going back. It’s been a millennium.” “Me too,” Meyala concurred. “All that’s left of Losu-Koro is the ruined husk of our people’s history. I don’t want the Matoran to see it and lose hope. I don’t want to lose hope myself.” Saril stared into the distance. “I don’t know what to expect in Metru Nui. No one knows what happened to the city after the Great Cataclysm. But whatever it was, I abandoned them. I left my friends to their fate. And I don’t know if I can forgive myself for that.”

Their talk was cut short by the approach of Toa Dygoa. “Saril, we’re getting close. Could you go ahead and scout out the village area?” Saril stood and looked over to Meyala. “We’ll talk more later,‘’ Meyala reassured her.

Saril raced ahead to the remains of the village. It was a lot bigger than she expected, half the size of an entire Metru. The streets and buildings had been reduced to rubble, and then again to mud by the ceaseless rain. Time to do a quick search. She sat down and meditated, reaching out to the water falling from the sky. She felt it impacting the ground, the ruins, even the nearby bay. With a few minutes of focus, Saril was able to feel out the whole area of Losu-Koro. No movement except a few dermis turtles. The area was safe. She washed the mud off her armor and ran back to the convoy to lead the way.

Within half a day the Losu-Korans were home. The Matoran were given the evening to rest, and at daybreak they would begin preparing ships to sail north. The Turaga requested Meyala assist them with preparing some artifacts for travel, and sent Saril and Dygoa out on patrol. As they walked along the outskirts he summoned a tiny ball of plasma to use as a lantern. “So what’s it like in Metru Nui?” he inquired. “I had to stay behind during the war with the Dark Hunters, so I never got to visit. You would’ve been from Ga-Metru, right?” “Uhhh…yeah, you could say that,” Saril awkwardly answered. She wasn’t sure how much she felt like sharing right now. “I wonder what Su-Metru is like. I’d love to see-” Dygoa was cut short by an explosion that nearly hit the two Toa. From the fog a half dozen huge mechanoids marched towards them. “Exo-Toa!!” he hollered. “I’ll hold them off, you run to warn the village!”

18

Time for the big finale!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: LAST STAND

The Turaga and Meyala were preparing for the morning’s voyage when Saril appeared in a flash in the room. She was panting to catch her breath and her eyes were filled with terror. “Exo-Toa,” she barely managed to gasp out. Immediately Meyala dashed out to the village center. “Matoran! To safety! We’re under attack!” she yelled frantically. This caught Nalaidra’s attention and he raced over. “What’s wrong, sister?” he asked worriedly. “Exo-Toa coming. At least six. Dygoa is holding them off.” In the distance they saw flashes of plasma lighting up the night sky. Then the sound of exploding rockets. Then the flashes stopped.

Saril ran to join them. “Do we send the Matoran underground?” “No,” Meyala replied, “that leaves them no escape route, and makes them vulnerable to cave-ins. The Turaga will escort them to safety, and we’ll buy them time.” It was mere minutes before the giant mechanoids were upon them. Saril tried blasting their electronics with water, but their armor was heavy and airtight. Nalaidra managed to knock two to the ground with a small twister. With all her might Meyala managed to telekinetically rip one of their cockpits open and climb inside. She and another Exo-Toa started to tear at each other’s armor with their boxing claws.

The Exo-Toa turned their attention from the warriors before them to the helpless villagers hiding in the ruins. Not all of the Matoran had been evacuated. Saril knocked some of them out of the way of an electro-rocket with a blast of water. Nalaidra tossed one into the air and away from another explosion, and Meyala leapt from the armor to catch the Matoran with her powers. “Get them to safety!” she yelled to Nalaidra, who retreated with a dozen villagers in tow. But a few were left and only Saril and Meyala stood between them and three remaining Exo-Toa.

Suddenly the air was filled with a terrible sound of metal scraping against metal. The ground shook like nothing any of them had seen since the Great Cataclysm and all present were violently knocked down. The sky above tore itself apart revealing another sky beyond. The world seemed to be coming undone. Despite all this, the Exo-Toa were determined. They pulled themselves up and took aim at Meyala and the Matoran she was protecting. She wasn’t fast enough to react, but Saril was. In the split-second their electro-rockets fired, she dashed over to push Meyala and the others out of the way. The charges missed, but the flash blinded Saril. Then the force of the blast paired with the failing gravity of the damaged dome, and she was launched skyward.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: FALLING

Open air. Blistering sun. As Saril’s vision returned, she became increasingly panicked. Behind them raged a battle between two titanic robots, each hundreds of kio tall. And below them was the ground, hundreds of kio away. Looking around she spotted Meyala and five Matoran, all ejected along with her from the impact.

Meyala was the only one who could control her fall, and she raced to catch Saril. The wind whipped past so loud they had to speak in thought. “I’ve got you!” “But…the others,” Saril somberly replied. “You can’t carry us all.” The Matoran were falling fast, starting to get away. “There’s not much time. You know what you have to do.” Meyala was distraught. “No, I can’t, I can’t leave you!” “We are Toa, and our duty is to the Matoran” Saril said sternly. “Don’t worry about me.” Saril and Meyala embraced. For a moment they opened not just their thoughts but their hearts to each other. Saril smiled. “When this is all over, come find me. I’ll be waiting for you, Toa Meyala.” And Saril let go.

The Toa of Water plummeted towards the ground. She watched in satisfaction as Meyala telekinetically grabbed the Matoran and flew off towards safety. Time to focus on her own situation. “I can’t die today,” she thought. “I have a promise to keep.” Saril summoned jets of water from her feet, the strongest she could muster, to try and push back against gravity and slow her fall. Saril looked down. She was approaching the ground too quickly for comfort. No sign of a lake or river or even a pond she could use to catch herself. Only barren desert as far as the eye could see. Just her luck.

Her water jets were slowing her down, but it wasn’t going to be enough. Maybe a minute until she hit the ground, going way too fast. Saril prepared one desperate, final ploy. She enveloped herself in a sphere of water, charging it with her own life force in preparation for the inevitable. She was going to be very, very badly injured, but maybe this could heal her after the impact, just enough to keep her life support going. Only seconds to go. “I’ll be waiting for you,” she repeated. Then everything went dark.

EPILOGUE

In the aftermath of the battle, Berix was doing what he did best: scavenge. Who knew what treasures were waiting to be discovered in the shadow of the fallen colossus? He had already found several weapons in the abandoned battleground. Most were too big for him and many were broken, but he did come across a short sword he particularly liked. As he continued combing the desert, a distant glimmer caught his attention. Getting closer, it looked like armor. In blue, no less, how fortunate! Closer still, he was disappointed to see someone still wearing it.

This was one of Mata Nui’s kind, there was no mistaking it. The mask, the tall robotic body, the weapon and armor, this must be one of his Toa. She reminded him a bit of Kiina. She was in really bad shape, though. Shattered legs, broken arm, sockets cracked. The light on her chest was so dim he could barely make it out. “Good thing I found you first” he said, mostly to himself. This was beyond his skills to fix, another Toa would have to see to her. Berix called over his Rock Steed and awkwardly hauled her onto its back. "Come on, let’s get you home.”