Tired, Takanuva approached the walls of the city. Thick and reinforced, as if to defend from some kind of massive threat on the outside. Was there a war? Some rivaling factions? What reason could they possibly have built them for?



Takanuva spotted a gate. Relative to the size of the barrier, it was miniscule, barely noticable.



Getting closer he could make out a tall figure, clad in white armor, standing as guard at the doorway. Were they... a Toa?



"Hello there." takanuva said as he walked closer. He could see them clearly now. They certainly had the look of a Toa, but He had never encountered anyone quite like him before.



His mask was unknown to him, something resembling a helmet, with four separate holes for eyes. It made it challenging to tell what direction he was looking.



The figure made no response.



"I request entrance into the city." he continued.



Takanuva was certain this was a Toa. But why would they ever need more Toa? Ora Nui should have all the protection it needs with The Nuva and Inika. What could be happening?



The Toa was stoic, unmoving.



Great.



Clearly he wasn't much of a conversationalist.



--------------------------------------------------------------------



"Do you have a visual?"



The voice was hushed, emitting from some kind of communicator.



High in the skyline of Ora Nui was the observatory tower. Atop it, crouched, was a dark figure, silhouetted by the nearly set sun.



He closed his eyes, and his mask glowed a shimmering green. From here, the highest point in the city, he could see it all.



His head jerked back and forth, scanning the surroundings.



"I see him" he said into his comms.

"east side. "



"Is it him? Can you confirm?."



He focused his view on the figure approaching the wall.



"The Kanohi Avohkii." the figure spoke, and opened his eyes. "That's him."



"We have more important things to deal with right now, tell Kreia to let him through."



"can do." he spoke, affirmatively.



"and keep an eye one him, brother."



The comms cut off, and the figure opened a hatch on the observatory roof, and slipped inside.



--------------------------------------------------------------------



"If you don't recognize me,"



he was growing impatient.



"I am Takanuva Toa o-" but he was cut off



Without saying saying a word, without making as much as a single sound, The white figure stepped aside, and the gateway slid open.



Takanuva walked inside, anxious and frightened by what he might find within.



--------------------------------------------------------------------



The streets were colored with brilliant shades and hues. The sun had already set, but the entire city glowed as bright as if it were mid-day.



Takanuva walked slowly, trying his hardest to find his bearings, but it was nearly unrecognizable as what it once was. He resorted to striding aimlessly around.



The construction was astounding, with towering buildings with domed roofs dotting the cityscape. Suspended between them were roads and bridges, with intricate support structures and mechanics. It was a sight to behold.



Most of the buildings he passed were closed. It was late, and most citizens were returned to their living spaces for the night. There was no one out. The city was still and silent, like a ghost town.



After wandering the labyrinth of streets and alleys, Takanuva came across the first open building he found all night. He decided to take a look inside.



The place was dim, with an ambient orange glow illuminating the chars and tables scattered across the room. In the center was an open space, with a stage of some sort in the middle of it.



He quickly recognized what this was. One of the businesses proposed a long time ago. A group of le-matoran musicians had dreams of opening a lounge, a place where anyone can come, listen or play music, and dance to their hearts content.



Looks like they finished it.



There were no musicians though, no equipment set up. The room was empty.



For the most part, at least.



Hunched at a table, solemn, alone in the corner, was the last person takanuva had expected to see.



It was Lesovikk, Toa of air.





--------------------------------------------------------------------



Takanuva never knew him personally, but he was incredibly relieved to finally see a familiar face. Hopefully he could get some answers.



Lesovikk was looking down, bent over the table as though he was asleep. He didn't notice Takanuva approaching.



"You can't imagine how happy I am to see you, brother!" Takanuva said relieved, taking a seat across from him.



Lesovikk was startled. He jumped for a moment, as though he were just in a haze.



"T-Takanuva!, what brings you my way this late at night?"



He spoke with a joyful tone, but Takanuva could sense an insencerity in his voice.



"I've been looking for someone to tell me what's been going on in this city." He quickly pivoted to a serious demeanor, leaning farther forward on the table.

"Let's just say I've been out of town for a while. A long while."



--------------------------------------------------------------------



it had been four years.



Only four years.



"It felt like a millenia since it came. Since it came and stole everything from us."



"Four years..."

Takanuva sat intently.



"Jaller and the Inika were charting the land" Lesovikk continued

"they explored the furthest edges of the planet, seeing what they could find.



But.



One of these missions they didn't return home."



He sat up straighter.



"Some believe they uncovered something out there. Accidentally awakened something horrible. But no one knows for sure."





Takanuva could tell he was getting uncomfortable telling this story.



"After they didn't return for some time, The Toa Nuva set out to find them, but no luck.



They scoured every town, every village. A year of searching the world and nothing came of it."



Takanuva didn't know how to feel. What happened to them? Where's Jaller?



"After that, they showed up."

He gestured to the city outside.

"You have to have seen them by now. A new team of Toa."



The one at the gate. There's more of them then.



"The call themselves the Toa Katal. They have no memory of how they got here, but they know one thing. They were sent to stop an evil force, like the Toa before them."



"Wait, that's impossible, no Toa can just be created out of nothing like that. Not after the red star went out."



He shrugged.

"no one knows where they came from, not even them. But they proved themselves to the Toa Nuva as heros, and gained the people's trust."



Lesovikk was becoming more anxious.



"They searched for longer, all of them... but then."

He paused.

" then everything fell apart when It came to the city."



"When what came?" takanuva was growing angry and more confused.



"I saw it myself. With my own eyes. The pitch black, smokey silhouette. The Twisted bone white mask. Like a phantom, a ghost from the past.



It appeared out of nowhere, like it had materialized out of thin air, and stood in the open square of the city.



It called for Toa. It called to fight, and so they came.

"



He looked Takanuva in the face, with eyes filled with regret and dread.



"It was the Makuta."



--------------------------------------------------------------------



He had a hard time processing what he was feeling. His serious gaze turned to full confusion. He could almost feel himself about to laugh.



"Brother that's ridiculous. Impossible."



Lesovikk's anger rose.

"I saw it myself. I watched as it attacked the Toa Nuva. It took them, it dragged them outside and they vanished."



"What do you mean you watched!"

Takanuva stood up.

"Did you not stand with them did you not fight it?"



"What was I supposed to do!" Lesovikk slammed a fist on the tabletop.



They paused for a moment, and lesovikk returned to the position takanuva found him in.



"I'm a failure. I've always been a failure brother. Years ago I was out for revenge. Bloodthirsty, ready to kill. Now look at where I am."

His head sank lower

"Nowhere."



Takanuva was stunned. He had never known how he had felt. Clearly he was hurting.



"Our destinies are over, Takanuva."

He looked up at him.

"The world needs new heros. There's no room for us here anymore. They have it under control."



He turned back and returned to silence.



--------------------------------------------------------------------



Lesovikk had a deep regret within him. A sadness that couldn't let go of him. Could what he said really be true? He was unstable.



Takanuva had a hard time processing everything he had said, going over it again and again in his mind as he continued down the city streets.



Whatever he saw, it couldn't possibly be the Makuta. It was purely impossible.



His words hit him deeply, however. Takanuva had lost his purpose long ago, ever since his battle on Mata nui he's felt like a bystander to everything that occurred. Standing idly by as real heros saved the universe.



Maybe Lesovikk was right, in a way.



He hadn't expected to find his building, wandering these desolate streets, yet here it was.



This area of Ora Nui was dim, very little light picked out the shapes in the darkness. It appears to be prepared for demolition, for the fresh cityscape to spread through it like a disease.



Him and jaller had spent a lot of time here, debating, talking, enjoying each other's company. He feared he might never get that chance again.



Inside, unsurprisingly, it was empty. The memory of its previous resident seemingly forgotten by the city.



Somber, he trotted outside. Unsure what he would do, where he would go.



Then he saw him approach. The figure from the gate. One of the new heros, sworn to protect the city.



Then he saw another.



And another.



And quickly he was being surrounded. Ten, no, twenty Toa circled Takanuva, all in the same white armor, all wearing the same white mask.



Before he could muster the will to retaliate, he felt a sharp pain.



And his vision went black.