Bionicle Legacy: Volume I, Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kopaka awoke with a start. His vision was a blur, but as far as he could tell, he was alone in the chamber, with no sign of Gali, Pohatu, Arashi, or the Visorak.

Noticing that he was free of restraints, the Toa Nuva of Ice took a step forward...and stopped. Something felt different. He slowly remembered the Visorak firing its Rhotuka spinner...and he froze.

He looked down at his arm...and he screamed.

*  *  *

Arashi could hear the screams of the three Toa Nuva throughout the chamber. Grinning to himself with satisfaction, he entered the chamber that held the two, unconscious Glatorian, who were being watched over by the Odaku general and Toa Hordika of Stone, Karios.

"Have you decided on what to do with them?" Arashi asked.

Karios grunted. "These two aren't anything special. They have elemental powers, but they're not as strong as a Toa's."

Arashi glared at the two warriors disdainfully. "Fine. Have them teleported away."

The Odaku general nodded as he seized the Glatorian and vanished in a flash of light. As Arashi turned to leave the chamber, he grinned again in anticipation for the events that were to come. After thousands of years of hiding, the Odaku were finally ready to strike.

*  *  *

Jaller had absolutely no idea on what he was going to do. He wasn't sure how long he had been here, lying atop the rock slab he had been put on, but it was long enough for him. He struggled with the chains for the hundredth time, knowing that it would be no use.

The door to his prison soon opened and Valdek walked in, followed by a dark-colored Matoran who Jaller found strikingly familiar. In the Toa of Shadows' hand was a small container, which held several strange looking creatures that Jaller had never seen before.

Valdek reached into the container and pulled one of the creatures out. He grinned widely at Jaller. "I kept my promise," he said. "You and Ahkmou here will make a great pair."

"Ahkmou?" Jaller stared wide-eyed at the black-armored Matoran, recognizing immediately by his ebony Kanohi Rau. Jaller remembered the mischievous Po-Matoran well from his life on the island of Mata Nui, as well as the tales the Turaga told everyone of him and his crimes.

Noticing Valdek stepping closer to him with the creature, Jaller struggled against his restraints again. "What about the Av-Matoran?" he said. "And my team?"

"The Matoran will receive the same treatment as Ahkmou," Valdek replied nonchalantly. "As for your friends, I have decided to capture them for now. The two Toa may be treated, but the others will simply be sent back to your little city. They'll prove no trouble."

Valdek deliberately dropped the strange creature and let it crawl onto Jaller.

"As you can see," the Toa of Shadows said quietly, "despite my Element, I can be quite the gentleman." 

Any other sounds in the room were drowned out by Jaller's screams.

*  *  *

The being who had intruded the Valley of the Maze admired the golden Mask of Life in his hands. A hundred thousand years ago, shortly after the mask had been forged, a Great Being had touched it, and was instantly cursed. 

But this being was unaffected by it, for he long ago had found a way to control the mask without having to be its destined user. And, as a bonus, the mask also contained the spirit of Mata Nui. The life of the Great Beings' greatest creation was in his hands.

He then turned to the ornately-designed Mask of Creation, which was on the same power-level as the Mask of Life. Only two other such masks existed, and he knew the location of at least one of them. The only problem was, said location was a mobile one.

The last reported sighting of the being known as Voporak, who carried the Great Mask of Time, was ten years ago, when the inhabitants of the Matoran Universe migrated to Spherus Magna. The future society never saw Voporak again, and as far as the being knew, the mutated Steltian had not been recruited into Valdek's new brotherhood.

Which could mean he was in the Odaku's army.

The being's musings were interrupted by the flapping of wings. He looked up to see the Queen of the Odaku herself, Scylla, as she came to a graceful landing before him. Ruby eyes peered at him from behind here azure Kanohi Avsa, the Mask of Hunger.

"My master," she said, bowing to the being. "I have come just as you requested."

"Very good, Scylla," the being responded. "I regret to inform that Valdek could not attend this meeting. He is a bit...preoccupied with building his army."

"Pity," Scylla said dryly. Her master smirked to himself. He knew that the Odaku queen held no respect over the Toa of Shadows.

"Now then, before we begin," the being said, "I must ask; do you know or have heard of a being called Voporak?"

Scylla nodded. "Yes, master. Over the past few years, my generals have been attempting to locate and recruit Voporak, but have come to no avail."

The master frowned. "That is unfortunate, because it just so happens that Voporak is currently carrying the Kanohi Vahi, the legendary Mask of Time, which is required for our plan."

Scylla's eyes glowed. "I shall do whatever it takes to find him, master," she said eagerly.

The master smiled. "Very good. You will be greatly rewarded. If you succeed."

The Odaku queen nodded. "Will that be all, master?"

"One more thing," he replied. "If you are to ever come across one of Valdek's minions, and if they ever speak the words 'Makuta' and 'reborn' in the same sentence...kill them."

Scylla looked at her master rather surprised. "May I ask why?"

"You may not."

"Very well." She spread out her wings. "It shall be done."

And with that, the Odaku queen took for the skies. Down below, her master quietly sat down and etched out another name on his list of would-be victims. It was just now that he realized that Voporak could lead him not just to the Mask of Time, but another being of great power, one he had not considered for having been missing for so long.

The Shadowed One.

The master smiled to himself. Everything was proceeding as planned....

TO BE CONTINUED

Note: it may be a while until the next volume. Most likely December or maybe next year.
EDIT 10/28/13 Or never at all. I've since decided to do a rewrite.