The Tables Have Turned/Prologue

Prologue
The dome shook. A shockwave blasted across the ocean floor, starting from the east and traveling west, widening as it went. Three islands were hit by it. First, the island of Dyteeli, hit the hardest, and where the shockwave had originated from. The island was devastated. Next, the island of Ayomeii, where a powerful earthquake shook the island, causing minor damage. Thirdly, the island of Rode Nui, where all that was felt was a minor tremor, but enough to close off underground passageways.

This event is the beginning of our story, the tale of the Toa-Kal. Let us begin in the aftermath of the earthquake on Ayomeii. Later, we will see Dyteeli and we will check up on Rode Nui sooner or later. But a story must solely follow the troubles of its heroes, so we begin on Ayomeii, with Toa of Earth Krakana.

***

"What was that?!" exploded Krakana to no one in particular. He had been experimenting with his Earth powers when the island had began shaking and a large chasm had opened before him. He knew it hadn't been him--his control wasn't that bad, especially considering that now having been a Toa for seven thousand years, he was something of an elite.

He considered descending into it, but decided that it might be unwise to do so without the help of his brothers and sister. Activating his Kakama, Great Kanohi Mask of Speed, he dashed away.

He thought of his teammates as he ran. There was Grunekt, who was perhaps the most calmest Toa of Fire Krakana had ever known. Roqini, a Toa of Water, was sweet and quiet and simple. Guutana was a complete enigma to Krakana. The only one he seemed to be close to was Roqini. Despite being a Toa of Ice, Guutana was quite a warm and fatherly figure to the other Toa, and even though Krakana was the official leader of the team, everyone looked to Guutana for guidance in tough situations - even Krakana. Next was Desurk. A Toa of Plasma, Desurk was trusting and loyal to his friends but a fierce fighter against his enemies. Finally Xironu was a Toa of Plantlife who was quite a joker, constantly pulling pranks at the expense of his friends. Despite it, everyone loved Xironu.

Krakana rounded up all five of his comrades and explained the situation to them. The six of them, dragged by Krakana, quickly returned to the site of the chasm.

"It's dark," muttered Xironu. "We have to go in there?"

"We don't have to," said Guutana. "But we will. Come on." He jumped in and landed after a short fall. He called up to the others. "There's light from further down this tunnel." The other Toa nodded one-by-one and jumped in more or less simultaneously. The group walked on, their path lit by a lava flow further down the tunnel. Grunekt lit ablaze his torch blade, providing a bit more light.

As the Toa walked, they did not talk. A stone rat scurried behind a rock to hide from the fire of Grunekt's blade. The tunnel went underground for miles. It was a long and quiet walk, somehow grim. The air around the Toa felt charged as the air normally does before a life-changing event occurs.

Finally they reached a small, perfectly round chamber. It was lit by lightstones. There was no sign of what had caused the earthquake in this obviously man-made chamber. No monster, no tectonic disturbance... Just a small trickle of silvery liquid flowing from one side of the chamber to the other, over six perfectly-shaped indentations in the ground.

"So some of this juice made our earthquake?" said Xironu with an indignant chuckle.

"No," noted Krakana, "but our earthquake caused this juice. It was trapped underground and must have been jarred lose in the earthquake."

"What is it?" asked Grunekt, recoiling a bit at the sight of it.

Roqini, the team's water expert, examined it carefully. "It's mostly water. But it's charged with some kind of energy I've never felt before in my life... Something so powerful that if it's an enemy, we don't have a chane." Idly Roqini channeled the substance into the six indentations in the ground, filling them.

"Then let's hope it isn't an enemy," said Guutana. Carefully and methodically, he plunged his hand into the liquid. It was cold to the touch and had a milky consistency to it. Through a small crack in his hand's armor, the liquid agressively began forcing its way in. Silver streaks appeared on the muscles that bulged out of Guutana's armor, crackling with silver electricity. His arm tensed in surprise, but he did not withdraw it.

Desurk followed suit - he knew Guutana well enough to confidently say that if the Toa of Ice did anything on impulse, he was right. The exact same phenomenon was noted with Desurk. The other four Toa did the same with the same effects.

When all of the liquid had bonded with the six Toa, they looked around at each other. Nothing externally had changed about any of them. But there was a definite change in all of them.

Suddenly Desurk smiled and told the other Toa, "Try using your elements."

Krakana attempted to create a ball of mud in his hand. Instead his hand jerked forward - at lightning speed! Further experimenting revealed that Krakana no longer controlled Earth - he controlled the concept of Speed. Similar experimenting revealed that all of the Toa had undergone such changes. Grunekt controlled Vision. Roqini now controlled Health. Xironu, Speech. Guutana, Courage. Finally Desurk revealed how he knew this: he was a Toa of Thought now, and felt the presence of new elements within the other Toa.

"Toa of Vision," Grunekt said to himself. "Toa of Vision. It doesn't really have a ring to it..."

"Toa-Kal," whispered Desurk. "We're Toa-Kal now."

"What...?" said Guutana. "What's a Toa-Kal?"

"I don't know," said Desurk honestly. "But it came to my mind. And I think it fits us."

"Toa-Kal of Vision," Grunekt said. "I could get used to it."

And thus the Toa-Kal were born. This is their story.