Bionicle: The Return - Chapter 12: Enemy on the Move

Jonn: Guanka, think you could provide us with water?

Guanka: I’m afraid I will only be able to provide water a few more times. I’m beginning to feel thirsty myself.

The Toa of the Golden Armor have been travelling for some time, now. They are now in the only desert on Spherus Magna, at five hundred miles long, two hundred miles wide.

Bolder: But you’re a Toa of Water. Can’t you create water?

Guanka: Because of the lack in plant life, there isn’t enough oxygen.

Clarrik: I told you, we should’ve gone around.

Jonn: I know what you said. But if you would make your reasons a little clearer, than maybe we would’ve listened to you.

Tayr: Well, I have one good reason.

Jonn: And what’s that?

Tayr: What time is it?

Shycle looked up at the sun, which was to their back.

Shycle: I’d say about nine in the morning.

Tayr: Really? Why do you think that?

Jonn: Just get to the point!

Tayr: My point is, we’re going backwards. It’s actually about five in the afternoon. I know, because the sun passed right over our heads a while ago.

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The Rahkshi of Voices walked into Teridax’s chambers.

Voyeyahk: Sir, the Vahki have detected a large mass moving towards us.

Akingi: I sense Tyrant.

Teridax got up out of his throne and began exiting the room.

Teridax: About time! What has that idiot been up too?

Akingi: I think you’ll be intrigued.

They began following the Voyeyahk out of the ruins. On their way, the Unknown walked out of a connecting hall and joins them.

Unknown: Akingi woke me up from a dream. He tells me that Tyrant has returned.

Teridax: He speaks the truth.

Teridax notices that the Unknown looked a bit shaken.

Teridax: Everything alright?

Unknown: Yes, it’s okay.

Akingi (telepathically to Teridax): I suggest you leave it. She’s on the edge of a break down.

Teridax (mentally): Must’ve been some night mare.

Akingi: You have no idea.

The Unknown stared at the floor, thinking of the dream she had. All around her was ruin. The canister that contained her was shattered, and the remains of a laboratory surrounded her.

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Tyrant was sitting on a throne, carried by four Skrall, one at each corner. As he looked on, he looked at his right hand man, Branar, walked ahead of him.

Branar: I’m still impressed at how fast you beat me. You sure you didn’t use your powers?

Tyraht: I promise. If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to stand.

Skrall (the one holding the left front): Sir, may we switch?

Tyrant: Actually, I think it’s time I got off.

The Skrall placed the chair down, and Tyrant stepped off. He then beckoned to a water bearer that was nearby.

Tyrant: Hey, you! Get these four some water!

Skrall (Water bearer): Yes, sir!

Branar looked at Tyrant, intrigued.

Branar: You treat them like they’re your own.

Tyrant: Because they are. They’re mine to command before you. But be wary, for my masters aren’t as generous.

After a few more minutes, Tyrant and the Skrall stepped over the final hill to see the ruins, with two tall figures standing at the entrance. When he reached them, he and all of his followers kneeled before them.

Tyrant: I have done as you requested.

Teridax: You sure took your time.

Tyrant: We wanted to show you how strong they are.

He beckoned to the Skrall. Immediately, ten Skrall come forward dragging five scorpion-like Rahi.

Teridax: Five Nui-Jaga is all you got?

Tyrant: Oh, no. These are only a portion of those we’ve caught. The rest are being held in cages at the rear of the army.

Teridax: How many?

Tyrant: Five hundred-thousand.

Unknown: So many. To what purpose do these… Nui-Jaga hold, Teridax?

Teridax: These creatures were created by the Makuta so that they might… protect the Matoran. Of course, I had other plans for them. Though alone they don’t pose much of a threat, an army increases the threat level greatly.

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Tahu: Hah. Berix… next time you find a Rahi you’ve never seen before, please let me know.

Berix: Sorry. It just looked so cute.

Tahu: That cutie happens to be a wild Burnak, a dog-like Rahi that attacks only when provoked.

Berix: I wasn’t provoking it.

Tahu: That’s obviously not what it thought. Remember, even though you have become a Glatorian, you can’t do everything. Take everything with more caution.

Berix: You sound like Kopaka.

Tahu: That’s what happens when you’re a team for so long.

Tahu and Berix got back up. Twenty years ago, Berix had finally been given the option to become a Glatorian. Vakama touched Berix’s right hand on the Ignika, and Berix transformed. However, he looked exactly like the Glatorian Leader Ackar. People began whispering about him, asking why he had to look exactly like Ackar. What does it mean? Some even teased that Berix could be Ackar’s spiritual son, despite their elemental opposites. Probably the only things that separated them was their color, their character, and their elemental weapons.

Female: Hey, Tahu, Berix, you okay?

Tahu and Berix looked up to see a few of the New Guardians.

Tahu: We’re fine, Alizuo. Think you could send us a rope?

Alizuo: How ‘bout this?

The female Toa of Air lifted her hands. Suddenly, Tahu and Berix were lifted up into the air by a gust of wind. But when they leveled with the cliff’s ledge, the wind stopped. Fortunately, Thesto Toa of Earth was there to place two convenient platforms underneath them.

Thesto: I told you, you need more practice before you do that.

Alizuo: Oh, come on, honey, can’t you soften your heart for me?

Thesto: Oh, um, well…

Tahu: Less flattering, more travelling. It’s enough that Berix almost got severely hurt. We need to get to the council.

Alizuo: But what does this coin have to do with the riddle?

Tahu: It reads of the ten thousand stars. That’s all it says on the face. But on the other side we’ve got these strange markings. We need to find out what it means.

Thesto: Then let’s go. We need more distance till sun down.

Tahu: We’ll be reaching the dessert soon. Once we do, we’ll need to travel at night to keep humid. Where’s everyone else?

Alizuo: They’re scouting ahead. They should be back soon.

Tahu: Then let’s follow after them.

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Teridax: Well, what do you think?

Akingi: I think it’s going well. Though I’m still not sure about the Unknown.

Teridax: She could be a serious threat if she turns on us.

Akingi: But I can cut her life source. She can’t beat us.

Teridax: I wouldn’t be too sure about that.

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The Unknown was back in her bed. Once again, she was having a dream of another world, a world now torn apart by fire and smoke.

Trisa: Dad? *cough* Dad! DAD!

Father: Here! AAGH!

Trisa moved carefully, remembering her father’s training.

Father (memory): Remember, you will be of much greater size. You will be able to move faster, but it will take some time to get used to. So when you come out, you must first crawl.

Trisa crawled over to where her father was calling. She carefully lifted a wooden platform that covered her father, but when she saw him she saw his heart crystal dying.

Trisa: Your heart crystal!

Father: Don’t touch it. It’s no good.

Trisa: But there must be something! The lab…

But she looked around. The entire lab was destroyed. Nothing was left of it.

Father: Trisa.

Trisa looked back at her father.

Father: Don’t for…*cough* Don’t forget what Orbala was like. Remember the fields, the cities. Remember the moon, the people. Remember your purpose.

Together: To restore the world to its original beauty.

Then her father’s heart died.

As Trisa looked at her father’s corpse, she looked at her hands. They were of great size, and filled with strength.

Unknown: Those look familiar.

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Unknown suddenly woke up and looked at her hands. They were the same.

Unknown: Trisa?

She stared at them for a long time.