MoL - Race to Ta-Koro

Gali was still meditating in the Amaja Circle, gazing outward toward the surface of the temple pond.

Suddenly the bright sunlight was cut by a dark shadow. Thick gray clouds were rolling across the sky, turning ordinary day to eerie twilight.

Gali stood and made her way to a plateau overlooking the entire temple. What was happening? As she gazed down at the suva dome, there was a sizzle of energy. An instant later, the suva exploded into a million shards.

A claw reached out of the smoky hole where the suva dome had stood. A moment later three horrifying figures climbed out of the hole and stood surveying the destruction.

Gali gasped. One of the figures swiveled his head in her direction. It banged its staff on the ground, sending sparks of dark energy arcing up. A zigzag lightning bolt shot into the air.

Gali somersaulted backward off the plateau. A split second later, the energy bolt struck the spot where she had stood.

The three Rahkshi climbed higher, seeking their target. But Gali was nowhere to be seen. Hissing with frustration, the trio gave up. The Rahkshi floated upward on the force of their dark energy, hovering over the ground. They flew away, disappearing from the temple area.

A moment later the still surface of the temple pond rippled, and Gali emerged. She had no idea what sort of creatures they were, but one thing was obvious — they did not come in peace.

She glanced down the mountain. Her eyes widened as she spotted the Rahkshi in the distance, hovering purposefully along.

“Ta-Koro!” Gali murmured in alarm.

Diving back beneath the water, she swam in the direction of Tahu’s village, determined to warn him in time.

As the river she was following flowed around the base of the Mangai volcano, she took to the land, her wet feet leaving steaming footprints in her wake.

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“Why have I been summoned?” Tahu said impatiently as he leaped onto the village wall. He glanced down and spotted Gali.

Before she could answer his question, thunder rumbled in the distance. A huge dark cloud rolled over the village, obscuring the sun.

On the far side of the lake, the three Rahkshi appeared, seeming to shimmer through the heat rising off the lava. They hovered over the ground, moving smoothly toward the Lake of Fire.

Turaga Vakama had been summoned by the guards as well. He had brought along Turaga Nokama, who had lingered in the village after the kolhii tournament. The two of them squinted into the hazy heat.

“Rahkshi,” Nokama pronounced grimly. “The sons of Makuta!”

Vakama nodded. “Shadows that cower in the depths. Exactly as foretold.”

Tahu leaped off of the wall. “None have breached Ta-Koro’s gates before,” he proclaimed. “And none shall this day!”

The Rahkshi didn’t even pause at the edge of the lava lake — but merely floated on, moving as easily over the fiery surface as they had over the solid ground.

Tahu blinked in surprise. Then he pulled out his magma swords, holding them at the ready.



- BIONICLE: Mask of Light, Chapter 7