BL11 - Storm

“Eight of us, six of them,” said Pohatu. “I like those odds.”

The Toa, Takanuva, and Toa Ignika were assembled about half a mile from the Codrex. Of the Makuta guarding the structure, only Icarax and Mutran seemed to be missing. The rest were waiting impatiently for the Toa attack they knew would be coming.

“Surprise is out,” said Tahu. “We hit them and hope some of us make it inside. Don’t get tied down by individual fights. And if one of our own falls, keep moving. Don’t stop. This may be our only shot at this.”

“Hold on,” said Kopaka. “They know we’re coming, but not when, so maybe we should announce it. Consider this…”

When Kopaka was finished speaking, the Toa took their positions. Gali had to guide Ignika to his spot and remind him what it was he had to do and when. As the Mask of Life, Ignika had never had to worry about complicated battle plans in the past. That was left to the guardians the mask created for itself.

“All right,” said Tahu. “Let’s soften them up.”

Lewa, Gali, and Takanuva struck first. Combining their powers, the Toa of Air and Water conjured a storm with deafening claps of thunder. At the same time, Takanuva used his light power to create a brilliant, blinding flash.

While the Makuta were still dealing with the assault of sound and light, Tahu used his power to turn one of the massive stalactites red-hot. As soon as it glowed crimson, Pohatu brought it down in a rain of rubble on the assembled Makuta. Those who tried to fly out of the way were grabbed by hands of earth created by Onua and pulled down.

Now it was Kopaka’s turn. He knew well the resistance to cold each Makuta had. But now he combined subzero chill with Toa Ignika’s weakening of the Makuta’s life force. The enemy was slowed, but not yet out.

“Go!” yelled Kopaka. All eight Toa shot forward, protected by Tahu’s Mask of Shielding, elemental powers blasting in every direction. From the ground, Gorast fired a bolt of molecular disruption, shattering the Toa’s shield.

“Separate!” ordered Tahu. The Toa immediately peeled off from their formation, each coming toward the Codrex from a different direction and peppering the Makuta with elemental energy. The Makuta fought back with chain lightning, heat vision, and sonic attack. Onua was the first to go down, hit by Bitil’s power scream.

Seeing the Toa of Earth fall from the sky, Gali swerved toward him. She caught him just before he hit the swamp, then struggled to regain altitude while dodging cyclones created by Antroz. “Save yourself!” Onua shouted over the wind. “Those were Tahu’s orders!”

“Sorry, brother,” Gali said, smiling. “I can’t hear you over this big breeze.”

The way ahead was littered with molten rock, tornadoes, lightning bolts, Matoran of Light locked in combat with Matoran of Shadow, and Makuta pursuing Toa. Gali dodged the cyclones much as she had once dodged waterspouts beneath the endless sea, her eyes locked on the Codrex.

Up ahead, Gorast had caught up to Toa Ignika and slashed deep into his armor. Ignika turned in midair and regarded her as if she were some interesting new form of creature he had found under a rock. Then he casually waved a hand in her direction. In response, the molten rock assembled itself into a giant, its flaming eyes fixed on Gorast. Even as the Makuta used her shattering power to reduce it to fragments, the giant caught her with a backhanded blow that sent the Makuta flying.

With the immediate threat dealt with, Ignika glanced down at his damaged armor. Employing only a minor surge of power, he repaired the armor. Then he glanced at the fallen Gorast, with an almost childlike rage. She had tried to harm him. If she so much as moved, he would do far worse to her.

“Toa-brother!” Lewa yelled, grabbing Ignika’s arm.

Ignika turned to look at him. Was this another attack? No, this was the green one. Ignika liked green; it was the color of plant life. “What do you want?” he said, haltingly.

“We have to go!” Lewa replied, pulling Ignika along. “Now, while they’re scattered!”

Tahu slammed the keystone into place, dropping the field around the Codrex. “Come on!” he yelled as loud as he could. The other Toa rocketed toward his voice. A door opened in the spherical structure, and the heroes stormed inside. When they were safely in, Tahu retrieved the keystone and darted in himself, even as the field re-established itself.

“Seal the door!” the Toa of Fire shouted. But the door had already sealed itself. Through a small window that formed in the door, they could see the Makuta circling the Codrex like hungry kavinika after a kill.

“What now?” asked Takanuva.


- BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle, Chapter 4