CN3 - 12/13 - Vahi in Action

The Bahrag soon spotted the Toa Nuva as well. “You are too late!” Cahdok howled, her words slightly garbled by the mass of protodermis that was holding her hostage.

As her feet touched the stone floor, Gali glanced worriedly at Tahu. He was standing beside her, his head bowed in concentration.

“Gali, I must use this power,” he said. “I must master it – or all is lost.”

“But if you fail,” she said urgently. “Mata Nui will fall. All of reality may be undone!”

The Vahi glowed brightly. “Then I will not fail,” Tahu said grimly.

Gali held her breath as a ripple of energy radiated out from Tahu’s mask. The air seemed to quiver as the time energy moved through it.

The Vahi’s energy struck the Bohrok-Kal just as they raised their clawed arms to move the icons into place. Their movements slowed more and more, until the motion was barely perceptible.

“It’s working!” Onua cried in relief.

For a moment, Gali shared his joy. Then she glanced at Tahu. His hands were clenched into fists, and every muscle of his body quivered uncontrollably.

“I can’t... hold back time... much longer!” Tahu gasped, his voice twisted with exertion. “Go! Get our symbols back!”

The other five Toa Nuva leaped forward as one. As Gali headed toward the Nuhvok-Kal, she could see its krana-kal. Despite the time slowdown, it still appeared to be pulsing evenly.

Gali paused, staring at it as it shimmered and glowed. Was the time mutation playing tricks with her eyes, or was it – changing?

“Hold on,” she said to the others. “Something’s happening. Their krana-kal are changing – turning silver.”

Kopaka moved forward for a better look. He was stopped a short distance away, as if he’d just run into a wall. “A field of energy surrounds them,” he said grimly. “In the final moments before they complete their task, they must be protected from all harm. Even the slowing of time could not stop it.”

“Forgive me if I test your theory,” Onua said, hurling a chunk of stone at the Bohrok-Kal with all his might.

ZZZZZZZZZK!

The stone struck the force field and disintegrated. Gali shook her head worriedly as she glanced at Tahu, who was still shaking with the effort to control the Great Mask of Time.

Lewa shuddered. “It’s over,” he said. “Even when we still had our powers, we were barely able to fightsnare the Bahrag at their ordinary strength. We’ve failed. Failed our villages, our people...

(...)

“Our powers!” Gali explained, her eyes lighting with hope. “If the essence of our powers is housed in those symbols, maybe we can use that against the Bohrok-Kal!”

Tahu stared at her as the power of the Vahi began to waver and weaken. Tahu himself was weakening, also. “How?” he asked, pushing out the single word with effort.

“We need to pool our willpower,” Gali said. “Reach out to our symbols. Even if it means freeing the Bohrok-Kal from the Vahi.”

Tahu shook his head, not understanding. He was tired – so tired. Perhaps it was time to give up, to allow the Vahi to overwhelm him...

“Tahu!” Kopaka said sharply. “The mask. You have to send it away – now.”

The Ice Toa’s voice was always enough to set Tahu on edge. Now it broke through the haze in his mind. Who is he to tell me what to do?

But Kopaka was right. The Vahi had served its purpose.

“Vahi,” he croaked. “Be gone!”

He nearly collapsed as the intense time power released him and the Vahi faded. Pohatu reached forward to catch him. “Easy, brother,” the Stone Toa said. “There you go. Now come on, pull yourself together – we have work to do.”

Tahu nodded, pulling in a deep breath. “I am ready,” he said.

The Bohrok-Kal, released from the power of the Vahi, were beginning to stir. “Hurry,” Onua said urgently. “We don’t have much time.”

The Toa Nuva turned to face the cube. Tahu could already feel his strength flowing back into him. He gathered that energy, pushing it outward toward the power symbols. Around him, he could feel the other Toa Nuva doing the same.