CHAPTER TWO
--Metru Nui--
Turaga Lhikan watched as his fellow elder Dume paced back and forth in the Coliseum's main hall. He found it hard to believe that, not so long ago, he had once stood before the Turaga of Metru Nui as a Toa, a warrior who served as subordinate. Now they stood together as equals.Or, at least, he thought they did. Some days, Dume would speak to him as if he were still the same Toa of Fire who would run head-first into danger; the same Toa of Fire Dume would time and again berate for being foolhardy. The same Toa of Fire Dume himself had a hand in creating.
Lhikan could understand why. Although they were both Turaga, Dume still had the greater control over Metru Nui, and after everything that had happened in the past seven to eight months, had only tightened that control. He had even heard Dume suggest putting the Vahki back into use, despite the general consensus being against him.
He knew Dume care about the Matoran... but sometime he feared Dume cared for their safety a little too much.
After nearly twenty minutes had passed on in silence, Lhikan finally decided to speak his mind -- something he had been afraid to do since he had arrived here. "Are you sure they're the right Toa for the task?"
Dume spared him a glance, his eyes narrowed behind his crimson mask. "They're your Toa, Lhikan. And they're the only Toa we have in Metru Nui."
"Yes, but..." Lhikan paused, considering his next words. "If this task is as urgent as you say it is, and if you do not consider Tehutti and the others the right Toa for the task, then we can always send out a message for anyone else who is up to take it."
Dume stopped pacing and turned fully to face Lhikan, giving his fellow Turaga a quizzical look. "Are you admitting to having chosen the wrong Matoran to become Toa?"
"I didn't say that," Lhikan snapped. "But I can acknowledge the fact that they are not as experienced as most other Toa."
"Is that right?" Dume said. "Then perhaps now is the perfect opportunity for them to get experience. The Kanohi Dragon was your first major challenge; this is theirs."
"And Makuta wasn't?"
Dume let out a harsh laugh. "A challenge they failed, perhaps. And if it hadn't been for the assistance of Matoran, Rahi, and these Rahaga fellows, we would still be under Makuta's rule."
Lhikan opened his mouth to retort but Dume stopped him with the raise of a hand. "I'm giving them a second chance, Lhikan. With any other Toa, I would have them get as far away from Metru Nui as possible. But I trust your faith in them. If they can perform this one task, then all is forgiven."
"And if they fail?"
Dume's look was a grim one. "I think you and I both know the answer to that."
Lhikan frowned but said nothing. At that moment, the doors opened and the six Toa in question -- Tehutti, Nuhrii, Ahkmou, Vhisola, Orkahm and Ehrye -- entered the room.
"You asked to see us, Turaga?" Tehutti said.
"Indeed, Toa of Earth," Dume said gravely. "You and your team are needed for an urgent task."
"Wait, for real?" Ehrye asked. "You want us to perform something urgent? Even after--"
Tehutti raised a hand to silence the Toa of Ice. "What Ehrye means, Turaga, is that we would be honored and are ready to undertake whatever you have in mind for us."
Dume grunted. "Is that so? In that case, Lhikan here shall you brief you on your mission."
The red and gold Turaga cleared his throat as he stepped up. "We have received word that the Makuta's armies are making their way through the Great Sea, conquering lands one by one. Since there is a high chance of them returning to Metru Nui to retake what they had lost. As such, we must be ready to fend off any invasion that may come."
"Are you asking us to find other Toa?" Nuhrii asked. "Because I can't think of any other way to fight Makuta again, especially if he's going to bring an army with him."
Lhikan shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Nuhrii. However, your mission does concern a Toa -- a Toa of Light."
"A Toa of what now?" Orkahm asked.
"A Toa of Light," Dume said. "The Rahaga have recently revealed to us that they have the Kanohi Avohkii, the Great Mask of Light, in their possession, sealed within the Makoki Stone."
Ehrye looked at Ahkmou. "What's a Makoki Stone?"
"Why are you asking me?" Ahkmou snapped.
"You're our Toa of Stone. I thought knowing every type of rock in the universe was part of your trade."
Ahkmou held a fist up to the Ice Toa's mask. "One more word out of you and I'll show you what exactly is part of my trade."
Dume slammed the bottom of his staff against the floor, the loud sound resonating enough to break up the bickering Toa. "That's enough!" he bellowed. "I've seen Le-Matoran act with more maturity than you."
"That's a low blow," Orkahm muttered.
Lhikan's eyes briefly met Dume's, the latter glaring at him. The younger Turaga then looked back at the Toa and sighed. "Anyway. It is the Rahaga's belief that the Mask of Light will lead to the one who shall bear it, and only they shall have the power to fend off the Makuta."
"So that's it then?" Ahkmou asked. "We're just going to let a stupid mask lead us on some sort of Dikapi chase?"
"It's not as if you have better things to do here," Vhisola said wryly. "Unless you're that attached to Po-Metru."
"If you do not feel that you are up to the task, Toa of Stone, then perhaps you should stay behind," Dume said to Ahkmou. "You wouldn't want to be a burden to your teammates now, would you?"
Ahkmou scowled at the Turaga as he crossed his arms. "No," he muttered. "Of course not."
"Good. Then I suppose you are ready. The Rahaga are waiting at Ga-Metru."
"Be forewarned however," Lhikan interjected. "The seas are a dangerous place. The Makuta's forces are everywhere, and who knows what lands the Mask of Light will take you through."
"Don't worry, Turaga," Tehutti said assuredly. "We're Toa. We'll get things done."
With that, the Toa of Earth turned and left the hall with his teammates. As soon as they were gone, Dume looked at Lhikan grimly.
"Arrogant, that one is."
"Was I any different back then?" Lhikan asked.
"Maybe not," Dume admitted. "But you proved yourself with the Kanohi Dragon incident, so I had no reason to worry. They have yet to do the same."
Lhikan fell silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Be honest with me now," he said, already knowing what the response was going to be. "Do you think they will succeed?"
Dume stared at him. "Do you really want my answer?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked."
"Then no."
Lhikan bowed his head as Dume walked away, leaving the other Turaga alone with his guilt.
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