The Hidden Island

The Hidden Island is a story serial by DarthVorath and the fourth installment in the Empire of Makuta Universe.

Prologue
60,000 years ago Storms of energy raged outside the cave's maw, an indication that the universe was operating as it was supposed to. It was because of these Energy Storms that the population of Karda Nui were forced to live in caves, never getting to see daylight.

Today, a select few were about to be given that chance, even if it meant none of them were going to remember a single day without it.

As she stood at the edge of the cave, watching the Energy Storms rage on, Toa Helryx heard the approach of one of her operatives and turned to see Orkosan. The four-armed titan was accompanied by Botar, who had three Matoran of Light with him.

"These three are the last," Orkosan said. "Botar is taking them to Daxia now."

Helryx nodded. "Very well. Let us leave then."

The Toa of Water stepped forward to join Botar but Orkosan raised a hand to stop her. The look on his face indicated that he wished to have a word with her in private. Helryx gave Botar a silent nod and the Order agent vanished with the three Av-Matoran, leaving Helryx alone with Orkosan.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Johmak's returned from her mission to the Southern Islands," he said. "She said there wasn't much to report; most of them are little more than barren wastelands... save for one in the eastern chain."

"She found something there?"

"She found more than just 'something.' I'm sure she'll give you more details when we get back to Daxia; I was only given the rundown."

"Is this 'something' dangerous?" Helryx asked.

Orkosan hesitated. "Potentially."

"Then I would very much like to hear that report. Are we all set?"

Orkosan nodded even as Botar returned to teleport them away.

"Then let us go."

"Takua!" Solek ran as fast as his small legs could carry him towards his best friend's cot. "Takua, you won't believe the dream I had! I was fighting these Avohkah, like I was a... a Toa! And then I--"

The Av-Matoran stopped dead in his tracks. Something wasn't right. Maybe it was the sudden fuzzy feeling in his head, or maybe it was because he could have sworn Alvion had been just behind him.

Or maybe it was the fact that his best friend was missing.

"...Takua?"

Chapter One
Now

"Takua!"

Blue fingers tapped against Takua's mask, rousing the Ta-Matoran from the sleep he had fallen into. With a yawn, he rubbed the bleariness out of his eyes before looking at Nokama, who had an unpleasant look on her mask.

Takua smiled sheepishly. "I dozed off again, didn't I?"

Nokama huffed. "Only for the third time in as many hours. Can you tell me what subject we're on right now?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, something about the Toa Mangai? The Kanohi Dragon incident, I think."

She rolled her eyes. "Takua, that was an hour ago. We're on the Toa-Dark Hunter War now."

"Wait... I was asleep for that long? And you didn't notice?"

"You were hunched over your desk, so I thought you were writing down notes. It was only when you started snoring that I realized you weren't."

"Oh. Sorry."

The Ga-Matoran teacher sighed as she shook her head. "Takua, this stuff is important. If you want to become Chronicler, you have to learn all of Metru Nui's history. Kodan had to do the same."

"Well, I can't help it that there's so much to take in, especially in one day."

Nokama opened her mouth to retort until she glanced out the window, noticing that the twin suns were beginning to set. They had been at this all day....

"All right," she said instead. "I guess that's enough for today. I'll be sending you home with work to do though."

"Wonderful," Takua said dryly as he got up from his desk. "I look forward to learning such vital details like the names of the Civil War leaders' deputies, or the mask powers of all eleven Toa Mangai."

Nokama smirked as she hand Takua a stack of tablets for him to study. "Some day, you'll learn that the little things matter as much as everything else."

Hafu panted as he dropped his carving tool and collapsed onto the ground. He stared at the starlit sky of Po-Metru as he allowed all the tension to leave his aching body. It had taken all day, but he had finally done it; he had carved his largest creation to date... and he couldn't be more proud of himself.

"Do it again."

The Po-Matoran froze in place, his mouth hanging open. He couldn't have heard that right. His mind was playing tricks on him, a result from his lack of sleep.

"Didn't you hear me? I said do it again."

Hafu slowly sat up and tilted his head upwards to see a brown and black figure looming over him, eyes narrowed behind a Great Kanohi Rau.

"You missed a ridge," Toa Ahkmou said. "On my mask. Do it over again."

Hafu looked up at the twelve-feet tall statue of the Toa Metru of Stone and saw where he had made the mistake. Of course, only a carver with as keen eyes as his would notice. Or if one was particularly vain....

"Well," Hafu said, turning back to Ahkmou, "if you would let me climb back up the ladder, I could--"

"No," Ahkmou said firmly. "It's already tarnished. You will start over and you will do it now."

"But, Toa Ahkmou, the other Po-Matoran have already--"

The Toa of Stone took a step closer and glared down at Hafu. "You will do it now."

Hafu hastily nodded as he got to his feet and retrieved his tool. "Yes, Toa. Right away, Toa."

Ahkmou continued to watch the carver as he set back to work. Then, the Toa of Stone looked up at the sound of wind and saw his fellow Toa Metru Orkahm land on top of a large rock.

"Brother," the Toa of Air said. "You are needed at the Coliseum."

"What for?" Ahkmou asked.

"No questions. Turaga's orders."

Ahkmou rolled his eyes. "Fine." He briefly turned back to Hafu and gave the Po-Matoran a warning gesture. "Don't stop until it's perfect."

The carver said nothing as he watched the two Toa leave, though he did allow a small smile to creep onto his mask.

Well, if it's perfection you want, then I'll gladly oblige.

Dreams continued to haunt him, as they always had.

He was a Matoran again, living peacefully on his island home. Spending time with his friends Sarda and Idris, laughing at a joke Forron had shared with them, then staring in awe as a certain Vo-Matoran walked in.

Then he was a Toa, meeting with seven others to form the first ever Toa team. They didn't have a name then, and they didn't need one. The Matoran simply knew them as "the Toa."

Then the Zyglak attacked.

No. He was a Matoran again, minutes before he was transformed. He stared at the green stone in his hands, unsure if this was indeed his destiny, as he had been told. Then, someone nudged him with her arm.

"What's the matter?" she said with that bright smile of hers. "Don't you want to be a hero?"

His answer then had been yes. He should have said no.

Years later, after the Zyglak attack, he had returned to his village, hoping to find solace in the wisdom of his Turaga or the comfort of his friends.

Only there were no friends to comfort him. And the Turaga no longer had any wisdom to impart him with.

The deranged elder looked up at him, staring at him with mad eyes from behind his mask.

"All gone," he said amidst his nonsensical rambling. "All gone. Never coming back."

"Where are they? Where have you sent them?"

"Karzahni. They will find much happiness in Karzahni."

The scene changed again, this time to another one of brighter Matoran days: walking through a garden with Nikila, fishing with Idris, pulling tricks on Dekar with Sarda.

No, something wasn't right. He never dreamed about things like this, only the Zyglak and Orlan and....

And that was when he awoke.

Lesovikk opened his eyes to the blurry image of a blue and gold figure. Once his sight had adjusted, he saw that it was Orde kneeling next to him.

"I'm sorry," the Toa of Psionics murmured. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Shouldn't have done what?" Lesovikk asked as he sat up.

"I saw you thrashing in your sleep. I had a feeling it was the Zyglak incident you were dreaming of, which I know I'm... partially responsible for. So I used my powers and tried to give you more... pleasant dreams." Orde sighed as he looked away shamefully. "I shouldn't have, though. I shouldn't have messed with your mind like that."

"No, no. It's fine. You meant well, and besides... those dreams were the first good ones I've had in... quite some time." Lesovikk sighed wistfully. "Thank you."

Orde smiled. "Anytime. Now come on; we need to get a move on."

"What do you mean?" Lesovikk asked. "And where are we? Last I remember, we were on Odina."

"We were, until some huge titan teleported us here. As for where we are, your guess is as good as mine."

"I see. So why do we need to get moving?"

"Because the fate of the universe may very well be on our shoulders," Orde said as he helped Lesovikk up. "Or so I've been told."

Toa

 * Ahkmou
 * Lesovikk
 * Nikila
 * Orde
 * Orkahm

Matoran

 * Dekar
 * Forron
 * Hafu
 * Idris
 * Nokama
 * Sarda
 * Solek
 * Takua

Turaga

 * Orlan

Order of Mata Nui

 * Botar
 * Helryx
 * Orkosan