Bionicle the Next Chapter: The Beginning

Disclaimer: Yeah, I know it sucks but it gets better later :,(

Kaeren walked down one of the corridors of the Temple of Light. The seven Turaga had called for a meeting with the Toa Council. As leader of the Toa Coucil it meant that the Ta-Toa would be have to attend. He stepped into a large marble chamber with many seats and a massive table in the center with the image of the Mask of Life on it.

Many Toa sat around the chamber, including a Toa of air named Lathon who was Kaeren's friend. He looked at Lathon and nodded. The dark armored Toa of air nodded back. Kaeren then took a seat next to the Toa of air.

Another Toa of air, Kahoro, silently took a seat at the Toa Council meeting. Many other Toa were also in attendance, he recognized the well-known Toa of Fire Kaeren, and his friend Lathon. Lathon greeted him once he saw him,

"Kahoro, old friend! Come sit by your fellow wind-rider." he smiled at Kahoro.

"The Turaga will be coming soon, I hope?" Kaeren asked Lathon.

"I'm assuming. We haven't had a meeting in a while, and Turaga Takanuva would only call us here if he had good reason to..."

In a Tavern in Le-Magna, a Skakdi of Iron took a seat. His name was Zarkov, a bounty hunter, a mercenary, any number of names for someone who took people out for money. The Skakdi of Iron sat at the Tavern in Le-Magna, mulling over his thoughts. Widgets were getting scarce and his trigger finger was starting to itch. His eyes darted towards the door as a Toa of Air walks in,

"Strange to see a Skakdi around these parts," she says quietly, carefully ensuring that only Zarkov hears. The Fe-Skakdi took another solitary sip of his drink. He studied the emerald armor Toa with his crimson and took note of her Hau.

"You wouldn't exactly see a Toa of air around here either," He says with his white-toothed grin. He continues,

"Not all Skakdi have chosen to serve the Empire. Besides, there's a lot of work to do around here. Matoran are scared of Velika, and would pay generous amounts for me to be their bodyguard. You know how it is, Velika can frighten a whole city by doing absolutely nothing. What's your name sweetheart?"

"My name does not concern you... yet." She pauses and takes another sip, "So, you work as mercenary? Independent of the empire?"

"Weren't you listening?" he scoffed. "Independent; all the way." he took another sip of his drink.

"Now let me ask you something, why aren't you at the Toa Council meeting? It's obviously one is going on since all the Toa seem to be there, except you."

"Change happens out here, not in committee." She lets a bit of her scorn come through in her voice. "Anything that you're not willing to do for a job?"

"Hmm..." He nodded. "Seems you're different from all those high and mighty Toa types." he grins and sips his drink.

"Naw I do it all."

The Toa sighs, "I was a Glatorian. I was rejected again and again because I was too small, too weak. I lived in a world that everyone else had given up on. And yet somehow, I never gave up. I guess that I'm a bit different." she finishes her drink. "Well, farewell for now. I'll try coming back in contact with you in the future. You'll know when it's me" She gets up and leaves the bar. Once outside, she opens her wings and takes off. Her destination is, despite all of her scorn, the Toa Council.

At the Temple of Light, most of the seats were filled with the Toa. The Turaga had not yet arrived. The door bursts open and yet another Toa walks in. Clad in deep blue armor, the Toa of Water, Tritus, had arrived.

"Hello Brothers! It's been a while since we've done one of these, right? Oh, but the Turaga are not yet here" His eyes scan the room, and he takes a seat.

Kaeren stands up to greet Tritus, "At last you have arrived brother. We've just been discussing anything that could be of importance to New Atero's safety."

"Well I've got something, some Vortixx and his own gang of thieves have been active around New Atero. I don't know if you've seen it, news is getting scarce these days." He scratches his head, "But yes, he's probably loyal to Velika. Nobody else would dare attack New Atero"

Kaeren ponders for a moment, "If he works for Velika then he could be possibly a good source of information on Velika and his empire," He says thoughtfully.

The Toa's head snap towards the door as it opens once again... But it wasn't the Turaga. Instead, a small Toa of Air with wings entered the chamber. She wasn't part of the Toa coucil, but she looked like she flew all the way to the Temple of Light. The rest of the Toa looked confused.

"Lync?" Kaeren recognizes the Toa, "Didn't you refuse to join the Toa council.

Behind Lync, the seven Turaga entered the chamber. The Toa of air looked surprised, but the Turaga said nothing as they took a seat around the table, Turaga Takanuva seated in the center. Tritus, annoyed that he was cut off by the entrance of the Toa and the Turaga, speaks once more,

"So what's the latest news on Velika's Empire? If you can use a little extra manpower I'd be willing to help with something." The others seem a little put-back by his speech and informal manner.

Takanuva smiled, "Velika is on edge. We expect him to attack soon, so guarding the perimeter and fortifying the walls is the suggested plan"

The Toa are silent for a moment as they wait for him to continue. Realizing that the Turaga was done speaking, Kaeren pipes up,

"Is this your only plan of action?" He leaned forward. "We're going to need more than a wall and more guards. Velika gets stronger and stronger as the days go by, and we have no idea what he possibly has up his sleeve"

"Actually," Lync suddenly bursts out, "I had an idea about going on the offensive. And it wouldn't take any Toa. Well, maybe a few. But not enough to affect the defensive planning. If I may?"

"Are you on the council?" Vakama asked. "I don't recognize you."

"She's technically not on the council, but I trust her." Kaeren said. "Go ahead Lync"

"Thank you, Kaeren." Lync clears her throat and raises her voice so all can hear. "Despite whatever we think, not all Skakdi are loyal to Velika. I had just left from Le-Magna after conversing with a Skakdi. There are many Skakdi out there who don't affiliate themselves with Velika. If we can buy the services of these bounty hunters, we can infiltrate Velika's fortress and end him before his threat becomes too big."

"So now you're going to sacrifice other races for our struggle? What a noble, Toa-like, way to do things. I'm beginning to see why you're not on the council." Tritus makes no attempt to disguise his scorn.

Turaga Nokama raises his hand to silence Tritus, "We've already lost enough Toa for this cause, Tritus. If we don't act quickly, there will be no way to stop Velika from overpowering us. I approve."

Kaeren thinks for a moment. "It's a good plan... But Skakdi are unpredictable. It is important that we can keep them in check."

A Po-Toa speaks out, "None of the Skakdi would be sacrificed if we can protect them. If we can do that much, then the Skakdi will do their job fast and efficiently."

Vakama nodded and starts discussing with the Turaga.

"Yes," Lync says, "Nobody is getting sacrificed. I know a Skakdi who could aid us, and possibly contact other Skakdi as well."

"Of course," the Po-Toa says, "I'm Jarrud. Pleased to meet you."

They were abrubtly cut off by a burst of freezing wind and one of the Council Toa, arm outstretched, had just frozen a Toa of gravity who was hiding behind one of the pillars, using her Huna to disguise herself. "An empire spy," the Ko-Toa, Jaron, examines her, "Velika has spies everywhere. We have to be more careful." Lync rushes forward to grab the the intruder's Mask off her face.

The Toa and the Turaga looked shaken. Jarrud recognized the Toa, "She's not just some spy sent by the empire to retrieve information... This is an assassin. A Toa of gravity. One of the more dangerous empire Toa. Good thing you acted quickly, Jaron."

"Take her mask and then escort her to one of our cells. She won't be able to use her elemental powers inside the cell." Vakama said. "This meeting is dismissed."

All at once, the Turaga left. Kaeren watched them leave before saying, "I'll help you take her down to the cells. They are deep under this temple."

"I got her mask" Lync said, "Where should I bring it?" Lync follows Kaeren.

Tritus finally dismisses his attitude. The surprise of the spy had shaken him, and the willingness of the others to listen to his ideas changed his mind of how he should act towards them.

"OK Lync, let me help." he says, trying to be helpful. He goes with the Toa of Air.

A Toa of lightning in one of the seats sighed, "When did everything get so complicated? I remember when it was only Toa protecting Matoran from Makuta or Rahi. Since when did Toa fight other Toa or fight alongside Skakdi? Our world has been turned on it's head..."

"Believe me Lawk, things are only going to get worse from here on forward" A Toa of fire, Trin, said.

Down at the cell, Kaeren deposited Crystalia in one of them and waited for her to thaw out.

Many miles away, far from the city walls, Velika shifty impatiently in his throne.

"Where is Crystalia? We sent her to gather information quite a while ago"

Insidian, a shadow Toa loyal to Velika, bowed down and looked the Great Being in the eyes,

"Crystalia has not failed me yet, I have full confidence that she'll return."

A Skrall suddenly approaches the throne and then bows,

"It seems that one of our agents has left the fortress"

"That fool must be trying to go in and get Crystalia alone." Insidian narrowed his crimson eyes.

"Then you'd better stop him. Collect a small team and head to New Atero right away." Velika said, "And make sure Crystalia doesn't talk."

"Of course, Lord Velika. You coming along?" Insidian asks a Toa of Lightning who he had forgotten the name of.

The Toa of Lightning looked at Insidian. "Oh, me? No no, I'm just..." said Arilam. [I]I can't tell him the truth. I'll be silenced for sure.[/I]

'I have never done a mission with other people before." Arilam continued. "I'm not used to this, that's all. Well, it's um, getting dark. We should get going."

"Get used to it." Insidian said to Arilam, "The darkness is our friend. It will cloak us."

"...Well Alright...?"

At New Atero, the agent had quickly arrived and saw the Toa of Lightning Lawk. As he was disguised as a Matoran, nobody would notice him. Recognizing the council member, he walks up to the Toa,

"Um, Hello, I was wondering where the Toa council would be? I'm a representative from Onu-Magna."

Lawk didn't recognize him, but something seemed a bit off about him.

"Uh... The meeting ended a few minutes ago."

"Oh." The agent seemed a bit put down. "Well, do you at least know the directions to the Temple of Light?"

"Oh sure, it's this way."

At the Temple of Light, Kaeren waited for Crystalia to wake up. Another Toa, Psionics, comes down and joins him.

"Who's this? And what happened?"

"Uh... We captured a Toa? You're Ishappa, right?"

"Yes. Just curious."

"Well, you could help us interrogate he when she wakes up. Telepathy is very useful."

"Don't worry, I'll keep that in mind."

The Vortixx Asterak burst into the chamber at that moment. Pulling out his gun, he was quicker to fire than the Toa standing around Crystalia's cell. They stood back as Lync activated her Hau,

"Get behind me!"

Asterak then threw his smoke bomb, making it impossible for the Toa to see what was going on. Kaeren and Lync had funneled their power to clear the haze, but the smoke already disappeared.

"Shoot... That didn't last long..." Kaeren said. "We need to pursue them"

The Toa left the Temple of Light but Asterak and Crystalia were already gone.

"And they have all the information we discussed at the meeting! Lync's plan can't work then.."

Things were already not looking right.