Takanuva woke in a pitch black space.

His head was spinning and his mind was foggy, as if waking from a deep dream.



Or a distant memory.



He struggled attempting to remember what led him to where he was.



After so many worlds, so many years, it all began to bleed together.



As he began regaining himself, he could feel a great pressure weighing on him



Oh.

Oh that's right.



He was underwater.

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Takanuva had lost count of how many planes he'd traveled between. So many dimensions, each specific and unique from the last.



Primarily, he had tried to stick to the shadows, never intervening with the affairs of the residents of any world. He'd simply observe them, and catalogue their people and events within his journal. Charts, diagrams, sketches of various Rahi Beasts, anything that would help chronicle the tales of these worlds.



He hoped to find purpose in this activity, but slowly he grew weary.



Now, chained by his hands, trapped in a black abyss of water, he desperately tried to remember where he was.



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Takanuva had traveled through the gate as he had many times by now. Atop his machine, with the Kanohi Olmak afixed to the front. Slipping between planes, he was greeted with a barren world of water.



Flying the Ussanui across this great sea, he confirmed that there was no land whatsoever on this planet.



Seeing there was no other options, Takanuva attatched his breathing apparatus, and dived the vehicle below the surface.



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With an violent scrapping, the stone slab moves aside, spilling a dim column of bluish light into the room. He could faintly hear the yelling of people past the doorway.



"he's awake" is all he could make out before two figures stepped in, took his chains, and began pulling him out through the passageway ahead.



The entire structure was dimly lit, barely illuminated by blue bioluminenscent fixtures along the walls.



It was too dark to make out many details in the room, the figures carrying him where basically shadowy forms in this light, with the only distinct detail being a single faint red light in the center of their "heads".



After touring the hallways for some time, Takanuva had been brought to a massive pair of protosteel doors. One of the figures stepped forward, and knocked against them, making a shrill ringing sound which echoed throughout the corridors.



The doors parted, and the three descended into the darkness ahead.



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"Toa..." the deep, harsh voice bellowed from all directions.



A dull light came alive above takanuva.

He could barely be seen through the thick darkness, but it was clear he had changed.

His brilliant solid white armor was now contrasted with large areas of black. His kanohi Avohkii still a dull silver. Takanuva's power had been decreased for some time now, and he fears it may be getting worse still.



Through the blue column of light, he could make out something in the darkness. The specular reflection of two eyes, considerably higher above him.



"we haven't seen your kind in quite a long time..."



As it spoke, the lumbering figure stepped into the light, and Takanuva soon found himself staring up at a monstrous face.



It was a scaly, hulking form, with two beady black eyes and a pair of massive, silver pincers on either side of it's head. It was difficult to make out a mouth, through a mass of small tendrils and tentacles.



Takanuva recognized this description. While he had never encountered one himself, Jaller had told him all about his conflict with them long ago.



This was a deep sea warlord, a Barraki.



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"I don't know how you've arrived here, or what you plan to do." The scaly beast marched around him. It was shockingly sophisticated considering its appearance.

"We have you, we have your vehicle. There is no escape from this Toa."



"This is a great misunderstanding, sir."

Takanuva tried his hardest to speak respectfully.

"I mean you no harm, nor your domain."



The eyes of the creature shone in the dim light. It was incredible how any of these things could see in the darkness of the deep ocean. They were created for this environment... By this environment.



"Toa..." the warlord continues. "be that true or not, I don't care about what harm you believe you could do."



It stepped up to him and put it's gnarled maw up to his face.



"I want to know where you come from".



Takanuva was inches from the beast's teeth, which were gnawing the air threateningly. He was face to face with it, able to see, up close, the cloudy glow of it's faint eyes.



... It's eyes.



That's it.



He knew there was no way he could take on this creature, or his hordes of underlings. There would be only one way to escape.



The room flooded with the light of a star, as Takanuva's mask irradiated its power into the abyss of water. Shrieking, the monsters in the room were stunned, not having the capacity to handle this in the deep sea. There eyes were never made for such brilliant light.



The Barraki Roared, as takanuva ripped his chains from the grasp of the minions that flanked him. They staggered and fell, trying to regain their sight, as the Toa fled as quickly as he could down the hall.



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"There is no escape for you!" He could hear, bellowing behind him, but takanuva was far from him now.



The passageways were difficult to navigate, winding and branching in a labrynthian mess off corridors. He needed to find the his staff, the Ussanui, and most importantly, the Kanohi Olmak.



It was easier to see properly with his mask illuminating the walls, but he feared he may not be able to hold the light forever. His powers haven't been at full capacity for some while now.



He occasionally faced some of the Barraki's guards, but he could easily stun them with a flash of his light. He could finally get a good look at these creatures too. Pale skin, with a single orange eye centered on their white heads between a large pair of silver toothy jaws. They each weilded lengthy black tridents. Takanuva hurried past them.



After several dead end rooms, and a fair amount of backtracking, he came upon a large room filled with tools and other equipment. In the center of the room, to his dismay, sat the Ussanui, torn apart and broken down. It appears that somone here had attempted to study its construction.



He could tell it would never fly, and Takanuva had no time to try fixing it. Echoing through the hall he could hear the banging of heavy footsteps coming this way. The Beast was almost upon him.



He darted inside, scrambling to open the compartment inside the vehicle, only to find it empty. His journal, his supplies, all taken. There was no hope of salvaging his voyage, there was only one option for him.



Frantic, Takanuva scanned the room. Hopefully they would've...



Yes!



Layed on a nearby desk, stacked with tools and scrap was the Olmak. These creatures must not have recognized it, or even known what it was, to have tossed it aside like this.



A loud shot rang out from the room's doorway. The barraki was already here, and had fired some kind of blaster in Takanuva's direction.



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Time seemed to slow to a crawl, as he watched this bolt careen toward him. Jaller's stories told of the Barraki wielding mechanisms that shot squid at a target. Things that were harmful, but largely ineffective. This was no such mechanism.



He couldn't survive a hit from this cannon, he could tell that just by looking at it.



Takanuva leaped out of the way as quickly as he could, and the impact of the missile against the wall had launched him across the room, colliding with the floor, but putting the Ussanui between him and the beast.



He wouldn't be able to blind it again, he was confident of that. The barraki was far too intelligent to fall for that a second time.



He was panicing, searching the area for anything he could use to go on the defensive.



Either he was far too lucky, or it was destined. He spotted the Staff of Light.



Takanuva's weapon was stored on the vehicle when he arrived. They must not have found much of a use for it, because it was cast aside on the floor. It wouldn't be much, but now he could fight back.



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The barraki was making its way into the room slowly. Takanuva peared his head over his cover to get a good look at it.



It looked frantic, it's head darting back and forth, trying to scan the room. It looked like it wasn't fully recovered from being blinded. It wouldn't be surprising if it's eyes were scarred permanently.



With the position it's in, the Barraki stood almost directly between him and the Olmak.



"You'll die, Toa." it's deep voice bellowed "just as all your brothers and sisters have. By my hand."



Takanuva leaps out, rolling along the floor as the Barraki fires its cannon. The blast catapulted him back across the room, just as before. This time, Takanuva used the momentum to push off the wall, and ricocheted himself straight over the beast.



It tried retaliating, reaching up to strike the Toa, but Takanuva brought the Staff of Light down and imbedded it in the creatures shoulder.



Ripping through the biomechanical flesh, the Barraki staggered forward. Takanuva landed, and swiftly picked through the pile on the desk and grabbed hold of the mask.



"You will not escape me!" the monster was furious. Whipping around to face the Toa. It was out for blood now.



Takanuva stood before it. Though foggy, the Barraki could see the Toa wearing the Olmak.



"Your tricks will not work on me anymore Toa. Your death will be slow, and torturous."



The water in the room began pouring out, as a dimensional gate opens just behind Takanuva, and sucks him out in a torrent.



Before the Barraki had an opportunity to react, it was alone, confused and bleeding.



The Toa was gone, never to encounter the 'creep from the deep' ever again.



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Takanuva needed supplies. He needed a new vehicle.



He needed to return home.



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In the dead of night, the first dimensional gate in many years opened above a calm field. A waterfall poured out, and along with it, The Toa of light.



If he had planned it correctly, he should be just outside the outskirts of Ora Nui. If he played his cards right, he could be in and out before anyone could notice. Before he had to face his responsibility once more.



Takanuva turned, and what he saw filled him with dread.



The City was complete. With massive walls surrounding its perimeter. It glowed inside with shimmering, multicolored lights across every building.



It was beautiful.



But Takanuva was distraught. It was practically unrecognizable. With it's towering, reinforced outer walls, intimidating and disuading anyone from entering.



Whatever this was.



This was no longer his city.





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