The Lhikan Emerges

''As recorded by The Lhikan

Chapter 1
Four explorers once went hunting for me. Really, a legendary creature being hunted down... They don't even know why I am a legend. From what I can remember, one was a Skakdi employed by the Dark Hunters, one pitiful excuse for a Makuta, and two of the Dark Hunters themselves. Of course, they aren't all recognizable anymore.

"Tell me again why we're doing this..." muttered the Skakdi.

"Because," said the first Dark Hunter, a tall brown being known as Conjurer, "a captured legendary creature means more wealth for us. And more wealth means I may even succeed in taking over the rule of the Dark Hunters."

"And that's why you have me, master," said a hideous-looking black-armored Dark Hunter who I later found out was called Savage. Savage was a skilled hunter, so the Dark Hunters hired him to accompany Conjurer. But one must be careful when hunting a legend... you never know who is the hunter and who is the hunted.

* * *

Darkness fell on the land, but the group kept going. "Best to use the cover of darkness when you can," said the Makuta Tridax. "Especially when you're a Makuta. Shadow is our element."

"Yes, but it doesn't help us that my element is ice... and I can't use that power without another Skakdi."

"Stop your muttering. It looks like Savage has isolated the location of The Lycan," whispered Conjurer. "We don't want to blow our cover at this distance."

* * *

"Lhikan, the search party is nearly here. Shall I accompany you?" asked a voice of an unseen being,

"No, Jerbraz. I think I am more than capable of handling myself against them... it should give my little finger some exercise"

"As you wish. But remember that I will be here if they somehow make you exercise another finger"

"Then it shall be. But don't go ruining that great face of yours... wherever it is..."

* * *

"Over there," whispered Savage.

"Quiet, we may still take him by surprise," whispered Conjurer.

"Who wishes to seek audience with The Lhikan?" boomed a voice. The four turned to find its source to see a hooded, robed being appear before them wielding a staff with what looked like the skull of some highly-deformed creature.

The hunters become the hunted.

Chapter2
"I'll put him on ice!" said the Skakdi. But their robed adversary disappeared before the Skakdi realized that he was unable to produce ice attacks on his own. By that time it was too late: the robed figure appeared behind the Skakdi and tapped one of his spines. The spine disintegrated upon contact.

"That will be your body if you lot don't leave this place now," said the being cooly.

"We do not wish to fight you" said Tridax. "Just lead us to The Liikan and we'll let you be."

"How foolish... you wish to not attack me but your friend tries to. It's a good thing he can't use his ice powers or you four would be in big trouble now."

"Just move aside so we can speak with The Lhikan!" growled Savage.

"How ironic you want who you seek to move aside. I am The Lhikan"

* * *

Back where Jerbraz was waiting, a blue and gold being appeared from behind a group of trees.

"What do you think?" asked Jerbraz. "Do you think The Lhikan will become one of our allies, or an enemy?"

"I can't be too sure at the moment. I sure hope he does not side against us," he responded.

"Then let's test him," said Jerbraz. "I know he has been a good ally of mine for a while, but I hope we are not separated in the war that may break out against the Brotherhood before too long."

"What if I offer him a... position... with the Dark Hunters, seeking to capture his hunters? It should prove to be a good test of his character"

"Do as you see fit, Ancient," said Jerbraz.

* * *

"You!? You're The Lhikan!?" reacted Conjurer. "But you are supposed to be gigantic from what I read about you."

"Simple exaggerations," said The Lhikan. "Many of them saw my power and fled before even seeing me."

With this, The Lhikan reached toward his hood and began removing it. "But I will let you four see my face."

What was revealed was a face with rows and rows of bone-white teeth on a face that would turn even a Makuta's stomach. In fact, it did, as Tridax's face clearly showed me.

Chapter 3
"I am not a mere Rahi to be pursued as a trophy, you know" said The Lhikan.

"Graaahgr! I'll take that small thing down in one blow!" bellowed Savage, forgetting the bad luck the Skakdi had had doing the same. Savage charged toward The Lhikan with his tri-claw, charging his Rhotuka at the same time. His tri-claw missed and his a nearby portion on an ancient ruin, turning the pillar into liquid protodermis. He saw an opportunity to release his Rhotuka, and shot it at The Lhikan.

"You should have read the legends more thoroughly, or you would have known about my armor," said The Lhikan as a white glow shown from behind his robes. The Rhotuka hit the energy and was deflected toward Conjurer. Conjurer, however, had other plans and used his Telekinetic power to uproot a tree and place it in front of him. The Rhotuka hit the tree and its energy was dispersed.

Seizing the opportunity offered by Savage's distraction, Tridax threw his spear at The Lhikan. The spear pierced his robes, but failed to hurt The Lhikan. The acid spread its influence throughout his robes, disintegrating them and revealing a black and silver body with shoulder spines as armor. He appeared like the embodiment of death itself.

"How did you deflect those attacks?" questioned Conjurer, himself knowing almost every known technology.

"I was once a renown mask maker known for my experiments at making new mask powers. Once I tried merging a Kanoka of Shielding with a Kanoka of Strength, hoping to make a mask that would channel the absorb and channel attack power to the user. While I was working the Kanoka into the shape of a mask, I found that it was extremely difficult to work. I added more heat to my experiment, apparently too much, because the Kanoka disks turned into liquid and spilled onto my armor. The protodermis was hot, but I soon found that the sting went away. I discovered that the Kanoka powers I had tried to fuse had merged with my armor. After years, I learned to master its power."

Seeing a blaze of light to his left, The Lhikan turned and slashed at the energy with a claw. Energy exploded, the power of the Skakdi's vision power, but The Lhikan's claw was unaffected.

"As I was about to say, my armor can shield me and is strengthened by the power of strength. You cannot defeat me by any normal measures."

"Then I shall use abnormal measured," said Conjurer. Energy flowed from Tridax into Conjurer.

"What are you trying to do?!" questioned Tridax.

"Win this battle," replied Conjurer, still absorbing Tridax's energy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said The Lhikan grimly. "Forty-two powers suddenly at your disposal could..."

BOOM! The energy exploded from Conjurer, sending him into a coma. "...overload your systems," finished The Lhikan.

"Use your Rhotuka!" the Skakdi yelled at Savage. But savage did not respond. He seemed to be paralyzed in fear.

Tridax send his tridax pod flying toward me, still forgetting about my armor. The Shadow leeches flied in every direction, draining any hint of light and vivacity of the plants they hit. The Skakdi fired his vision again, this time hitting my face. Since the powers of shielding and strength were not present there, The Lhikan was sent backwards.

"You wish to make this interesting? I'll make this REAL interesting for you!" said The Lhikan. The Lhikan raised his staff into the air, appearing as though in slow motion to the onlooking Makuta and Dark Hunters. Then he struck the ground with it, releasing pure energy from the staff. The resulting energy hit Tridax in mid-air, sending him kios away. The Skakdi was hurtled into a tree and collapsed unconscious.

"Leave it to Artahka to create powerful weapons," The Lhikan said in awe of the staff's power. Then The Lhikan saw Savage barely moving out of the corner of his eye. The Lhikan disappeared, then appeared right in front of Savage, skull staff aimed directly at the him. Savage, in panic, tried to summon a Rhotuka. The Lhikan reacted too quickly for Savage, sending light energy through his Skull Staff. Savage now lay on the ground, twitching. I heard he was never the same after this. The Lhikan walked over to the still Conjurer and found several papers documenting his existence.

Chapter 4
The Lhikan read through the documents he found on Conjurer.

Written by Takua, Ta-Metru
... The shadowed figure walked up to a golden-armored Toa. "You are not known in the Great City yet, are you?" he asked.

"No. I'm only known for being able to mess things up," replied the Toa.

"From this day, you will be known as a Toa of courage. Come." The two walked off toward the Great Temple in Ga-Metru.

"So, why do we have to meet here?" asked the Toa. "We will surely be caught by the Vahki!" But before he had finished, he found himself standing in the middle of the Temple.

"Urgent matters," said the shadowed being. "The fate of this city rests in your hands," he continued, placing a scroll in a hidden compartment. "Your Turaga is not who he claims to be. You must take these Toa Stones to six matoran. You will know the ones that are needed. You must send them on a dangerous mission. which may end up devastating this city, in order to protect the matoran. The time is come! Go!" And with that, the being disappeared.

Written by Nokama, Ga-Metru
...His face! Rows upon rows of razor-sharp bone teeth! He must surely be the Makuta himself!!! But Toa Lhikan seemed unafraid of him from what Takua had previously told me. I even overheard the two talking:

"You mean my name has a meaning?" asked the Toa.

"All names are given based on what a Matoran, or even a being like myself, is like or will do. For example, Agni is named after fire itself, though in a language you are unfamiliar with. And your name has a special meaning, and is in fact the same name I have."

"And what is that meaning?" asked the Toa.

"Death comes to evil," he replied.

* * *

The Lhikan placed down his documents upon hearing a twig snap. "I have a proposal for you," said a blue and gold armored being. "You are no doubt annoyed at your four explorers. I know an organization that would reward you handsomely if you brought them back, dead or alive: The Dark Hunters.

"Intriguing proposal," said The Lhikan. But I'm in no need of a reward, and the four of them are scattered so far apart that I would never find them."

"Then bring them the brown one. The Dark Hunters will likely employ you on the spot to capture beings such as him," offered the gold-armored figure.

"Tell me more about this organization... who is its leader?" asked The Lhikan.

"He is known as The Shadowed One. I am one of its operatives: Ancient," he replied. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes"

"So, you join the Dark Hunters?"

"I never said that," said The Lhikan. "Come on out, Jerbraz, I know you're there. You may be invisible, buy you're not silent."

"Looks like our test failed," said Ancient.

"Not exactly," said Jerbraz. I saw his expression upon hearing The Shadowed One's name; he'd never join them, am I correct?"

"No, but it appears your friend has," said The Lhikan.

"As a spy," said Jerbraz, "for a different organization that fights for the will of Mata-Nui. Are you up for it?"

"Why are you just inviting me now?" asked The Lhikan. "You've been visiting me since before the Great Cataclysm when I was hiding in the shadows of Metru-Nui."

"The time wasn't right then," said Jerbraz.

"Correct," confirmed Ancient. "I have discovered through espionage that the Dark Hunters are being divided: some still do their evil deeds, while some have followed the now-redeemed Brutaka."

"But what does this mean?" asked The Lhikan. "I have a suspicion that my sightings of Makuta have some form of connection to this, am I right?"

"Yes. War may become inevitable if the Toa Phantoka and Mistika fail in their coming quest." said Jerbraz. "Should this happen, Artakha has already been notified, but we need all the help we can get."

"And you might want to do something about that armor," said Ancient. "You're liable to be mistaken for a Makuta."

"Then," said The Lhikan, "I shall show my true form for the first time." With this, The Lhikan began concentrating on his power over light. "I absorbed all this light in the before-time to ward off unwanted company," said The Lhikan. "If I release it all.."

* * *

At the very same moment, Toa Matoro landed in the Core wearing the Kanohi Ignika. He unleashed the energy of the Ignika, reviving Mata-Nui and sending a wave of light across the lands.

* * *

Light flashed from The Lhikan, turning the once-shadowed forests a vibrant green, and changing his armor from the colors of death to golden tones. The wave of light from The Lhikan combined with the light from the Ignika. Ancient and Jerbraz would have been blinded had not Jerbraz warned Ancient.

"Mata-Nui lives!" exclaimed Jerbraz. "Now the Toa Nuva must prevail in their quests. Lhikan, take this paper. It describes a Toa you must find. Bring him to Axonn."

"Will do."

Trivia

 * This story was used on Lhikan634's Bionicle Wiki user page