Bionicle G2: New Legends, New Heroes

Chapter 3: Raging Fire's Light

Dawn eventually came to the Region of Fire. The sun washed over the various lava beds and rivers of the volcanic valley, and a lone white figure waiting atop a crimson mountain shone in its light.

Facing away from the horizon, the Toa leaned two golden arms on his war blade. The horizontal slits in his white slab for a mask glowed from his orange eyes beneath. They looked, past the golden starburst insignia on his broad and bleached chest, to the molten red spire in the center of the valley. Strange crafts entered and left it, and he swore there were shouts of alarm. Only his discipline, and the heavy pauldrons on his shoulders, kept him in place.

The hours of waiting gave the Toa time to think. He heard the call from far away and knew he had been summoned. To where and for what, he knew not, and he did not want to scare anyone by rushing in for answers. So the Toa waited for anyone to notice his shining self.

Apparently, someone did. The Toa saw a group of tiny figures, all wearing the same red mask. They all looked the same, with their spears and shields at the ready.

His patience paid off, the Toa stood straight. One hand kept his broad and flat sword pointed to the ground, so not to scare off his newfound friends. Among them, the caped one at the lead held his arms wide open and spoke.

"Welcome to Okoto's Region of Fire! We greet you as our hero, Toa of..."

The words died down. Eyes were wide with shock. Not just for the caped one, but everyone around him. It was strange. Surely, they recognized him as a Toa. Would that not be enough? Sadly, no one said anything, so the Toa beamed his voice from behind his mask.

"I am Maram of the Light," he introduced himself proudly. "I greet you as your Toa and pledge to defend your people from whatever afflicts them."

There were only silence and long gazes from his spectators. At long last, the caped one gave a response from the bottom of his very being:

"Makuta's black heart!"

Maram's eyes grew large. Out of all the things he expected, that was not one of them.

"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! That idiot! He... he..." the caped one, presumably the leader, ranted and raved with raised fists. "He made me walk all the way, put up with them, go through the whole ritual, and I don't even get the right Toa?!"

Maram was not sure what to say. Any words he wanted to give, which was enough for a speech, evaporated in this one's fiery heat. Everyone else was just as speechless, save for one guard who whispered, "Protector Ignar..."

"WHAT?!"

The lines on Maram's mask winced seeing the fiery gaze fall on its victim. "... w-what do you want us to do?" said the poor shrinking guard.

The seething leader simmered down a little. "Head back. Tell everyone we have a Toa," he said, and Maram found blue eyes on him. "And bring him to Captain O'nah. He'll know what to do."

When the leader turned around, the guard called out, "Um, protector, where are you going?"

"To the arena! I need to let off some heat!"

And so, the leader went back the way he came, in heavy stomps and taking his men. Maram was left alone staring at the same guard who spoke up. That guard hesitantly turned to face the white giant. "Uh, this way Toa..."

Confused as much as everyone else, Maram placed his sword on his backand went with the guard, following the fiery path left by his 'protector.'

-----

"W-welcome to the Fort of Narmoto, Toa," Maram's guide stuttered. He jumped when the massive outer gate closed with a BOOM. "Uh, we'll just wait here for the captain to arrive."