BC1 - Hailstorm of Rocks

Tahu’s mysterious opponent leaped off its rock and surfed across the bubbling lava. Its smile broadened. “Come, give in to the flame,” it whispered. “Let it consume you and all you hold dear - I know you can feel it burning deep inside.”

Tahu gasped, startled out of his own anger. What sort of enemy was this? He looked around for help and saw that five more attackers had suddenly appeared, as if out of the shadows themselves, each moving in on a different Toa….


Nearby, Gali struggled against another mysterious attacker. The stranger’s form mirrored her own, but rather than the clean blue of the open sea, its body was the muted, sickly brownish-black of an oil slick.

“Who are you?” Gali gasped as she released a raging flood of water toward her attacker.

A chuckle poured out of the attacker, who seemed unaffected by the flood. “Who am I?” it said. “Is wise, all-seeing Gali really so blind? I am – you!”

[...]

Onua shook his head, willing himself to focus, to think through this problem. He had already tried overpowering his enemy with raw strength, but its might matched his own. He had attempted to trap it by tunneling through the cavern wall and then collapsing the tunnel atop it, but the creature had burrowed out easily.

We can't go on this way, he thought desperately.

Right now the Toa were at an impasse, evenly matched with their enemy. But if even one of them went down, it could mean the end of all of them.

Feeling uncharacteristically desperate, the Earth Toa struck the ground before him with all his might. The earth rumbled at the blow, shaking the entire cavern and sending a hailstorm of rocks and earth raining down on all the fighters.

Onua felt despair grip him as he saw that while the other Toa had been knocked off their feet, his own opponent merely leaped over the torn earth and moved in to press the attack.

[...]

Kopaka hit the ground hard as the quake rumbled beneath him. His enemy was on him in a flash. He managed to block the blow with his shield and then swing his ice blade upward. If he could just aim . . .

SKREEEEEEEK!

Kopaka smiled as he saw that his enemy was frozen in place. Kopaka sent the frozen enemy skittering across the ice until it smashed into the cavern wall. The creature shattered into hundreds of icy shards.

And each of the ice shards formed into a new enemy!

Nearby, Onua glanced over and gasped when he saw Kopaka’s predicament.

This is bad, Onua thought helplessly, dodging another blow from his own enemy. How can I fight one so much like myself? How can any of us?

He blinked as the answer dawned on him at last. Of course!

“Listen up!” he shouted. “We’re going about this all wrong. We can’t hope to defeat our own shadow doubles - but that’s why we’re a team!” He wanted to say more, but he didn’t have the chance - he had to dive aside to avoid another blow from his opponent’s weapon.

Pohatu heard Onua’s words, but he couldn’t respond for a moment. He was too busy fending off his own attacker. But in the back of his mind, he turned over the Earth Toa’s plan and found it made sense.

“Who are you kidding?” his opponent chortled mirthlessly, as if reading his thoughts. “They’re not going to fight for you, Toa of Stone, or even with you. They’ll use your strength to save themselves, then leave you behind.”

“No,” Pohatu said firmly, putting all his strength into one leg as he shattered another boulder with a mighty kick. His enemy fell back to avoid the shrapnel of stone, but instead of pressing the advantage, Pohatu spun away and glanced quickly around the cavern.

He saw the Fire Toa desperately trying to fend off a volley of blows with his fire sword. “Tahu!” Pohatu shouted. “Stand back!”

Gathering his energy, he leaped upward and struck the ceiling of the cave with a mighty blow of his fist. As the pieces broke off and fell, Pohatu directed them straight onto the Fire Toa’s opponent.

“Aaaaaaaah!” the smoky stranger cried, raising its arms to protect itself. Flames shot out of its sword, but it was no use. It couldn’t melt the falling stones fast enough. Within seconds it was buried beneath a mound of rocky debris.

Tahu stared at Pohatu in surprise. “What did you do that for? I was just about to-”

“Never mind,” Pohatu yelped, turning to defend himself against his opponent. “Help Gali!”

Tahu glanced over his shoulder and saw that the Water Toa was on the ground at the edge of a lava pool, her enemy advancing upon her.

“Gali!” Tahu cried. “Hold on, I’m coming!”

“Tahu!” Gali gasped. “Don’t – this thing is too strong!”

But Tahu didn’t hesitate. As the Shadow Gali whirled to face him, he pointed his fire sword. Heat and flame danced out from the end, wrapping around the enemy as it howled in surprise.

Steam hissed out in all directions, obscuring his view. When it faded, nothing remained of the Shadow Gali but a puddle on the cavern floor.

The defeat of two of the shadow enemies gave the other Toa new strength of purpose. Gali re-formed her flood and sent it gurgling towards Shadow Onua. It cried out in dismay as water pounded against it, eroding it away into nothing but a bit of sand.



- BIONICLE Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa, Chapters 15 and 16