Epilogue

Takanuva shook his head, trying to make sense of all the images that had flashed so rapidly through his mind. One image in particular had seared itself into his consciousness — the energy storm that had torn through Karda Nui when Mata Nui awoke for the very first time.

He opened his eyes to see Helryx and Krakua standing nearby. Krakua held the krana-kraata hybrid in his hand. “Now you know,” said Helryx. “We were aware the Toa Nuva would lose part of their memory in the time they spent in the Toa canisters, the better to keep our existence a secret. But we could not foresee how complete the loss would be. They are in Karda Nui now, with no idea that if they succeed in their mission, they and the Av-Matoran there will all die.”

“So there’s no hope? I can’t believe that!” said Takanuva.

“Of course there’s hope,” snapped Helryx. “Why do you think we brought you here? You are a Toa of Light, try not to be quite so dim. The key to the Toa Nuva’s survival can be found inside the Codrex, but they must have the knowledge you hold to be able to use it wisely. You must get to Karda Nui and warn them.”

“If your organization is so powerful, why can’t one of your members carry this message?”

Helryx nodded. “We have members of great power, true. But none with your ability, the mastery of Light itself. Only you can battle the Makuta on even terms… while we launch an attack of our own on the Makuta base at Destral.”

Takanuva could guess what that meant. If the Order of Mata Nui attacked the Brotherhood, the resulting war might do what Mata Nui’s death had not: wreck the universe. But he sensed there was something more to the situation and his silence showed it.

Helryx looked away and spoke again. “Recent events have led the Makuta to suspect our existence. Already one of our members, Botar, has been killed. If his mental shield was somehow breached, the enemy may be tracking our other agents even now. But one Toa, alone, might be able to make it to Karda Nui.”

There was no choice, of course. If this was all some kind of trick, Takanuva had no doubt he had the power to make this Helryx pay. And if it wasn’t… the lives of the six beings he admired most were in grave danger.

“I’ll go,” said the Toa of Light. “But what about the Toa Mahri? Will someone be here to help them defend the city in my absence?”

“Oh,” said Helryx, smiling, “I don’t think that will be a problem.”

Takanuva turned to see an armored titan enter the room, dragging another along behind him. He was tall and strong, but looked as if he had been through a war. Both his armor and mask were damaged. But that wasn’t what struck Takanuva as most strange. Rather, it was the complex breathing apparatus he wore — could this being not breathe air?

“Meet Brutaka,” Helryx continued, “an Order of Mata Nui member with a somewhat less than sterling record… still, desperate times. The Mahri may need a little convincing to work with him… but I can be very persuasive.”

“And this is Dweller,” Brutaka said, kicking his white-armored captive across the floor. “A Dark Hunter planted here long ago to keep an eye on the city — and to kill you, Toa. He has a way of getting into your head… but I decided to be nice and let him keep his own.”

“Wait a minute, I’ve heard of you from the Mahri,” said Takanuva. “You betrayed your oath and almost killed two teams of Toa. It took your own partner to put you down.” He turned to Helryx. “This is your idea of help for Metru Nui?”

Helryx’s expression turned dark. “Understand something, Takanuva. We are in a war. Maybe we have been since the day the Brotherhood struck down Mata Nui. And in a war, you don’t always get to choose your allies or test them first to make sure they are good and pure enough. I would recruit Dark Hunters and Pit prisoners if I thought it would bring the Makuta down.”

“And what kind of universe would that leave you with?” asked Takanuva.

“One full of beings still free to make their own mistakes,” answered Brutaka.

Takanuva said nothing, simply looked from Brutaka to Helryx, unsure of which one he disliked more in that moment.

Krakua finally spoke up, trying to break the tension. “Brutaka will be your means of transport to Karda Nui, using the dimensional travel power of his mask. It’s faster than going by Toa canister, if a little more dangerous.”

Takanuva looked again at Brutaka’s mask. There were hairline cracks in a number of places. It was amazing it was still functioning at all. But there was no turning back now.

“I’d have to be insane to trust him,” said the Toa of Light.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” said Helryx, offering her hand. “You have to be insane to be a Toa at all. It’s the first requirement for the job.”

After a long moment, Takanuva reached out and shook her hand. Maybe she was right, he conceded. Maybe in a time of crisis, the old rules don’t apply — and maybe being a hero was a lot more complicated than he thought.

“Take this,” said Krakua. The object he offered Takanuva was, of all things, a sundial. “You may need it.”

Takanuva took it even as Brutaka triggered the power of his mask. A hole opened in space, its edges ragged and distorted, and its size fluctuating wildly. Taking a deep breath, Takanuva plunged into it, to begin the strangest journey of his life.

“Do you think he’ll make it?” asked Krakua as the hole disappeared with an audible pop.

“He has to,” answered Helryx. “If I am right, the Makuta have much bigger plans than just controlling Karda Nui — and we may need the Toa Nuva, if we hope to stop them. He has to get them out of the core before the energy storm consumes them all.”

“Should we have told him the rest?” Krakua said, obviously a little uncomfortable with what had and had not been shared.

“About what is going to happen to him? And what his true destiny may be?” Helryx gave a bitter laugh. “No, Krakua. If we are wrong, then it would all be for nothing. And if we are right… the truth might well drive him mad.”

Helryx, Brutaka and Krakua left the chamber then, to begin the long walk from the Archives to the surface of Metru Nui. Each knew what was about to happen: an all-out conflict between the forces of the Order of Mata Nui and the Brotherhood of Makuta.

They walked slowly towards the light high above, sure in the knowledge that what they were about to do would change the universe forever… or destroy it.