Bionicle G2: New Legends, New Heroes

Chapter 23: What Lies Beneath

Keela's hammer echoed across Ferra's workshop. For the past four days, the Toa of Iron intermittently welded, folded, heated and cooled several metal pieces over and over again. At times, they had been the only sounds throughout Nilkuu Village... aside from the constant debates between Ferra and her villagers.

"What was it this time?" Keela asked Ferra without looking away from the anvil.

"The same thing. Going on about increasing security on the Divide and making sure to look for Norii. Haven't been anything, but trouble," Ferra grumbled as she entered, and Keela said nothing. Norii, though half of the Stone Tribe, shook the village with her disappearance to some degree. "Speaking of trouble, where are your 'helpers?'"

The answers entered from the shop's backdoor. "C'mon Waya, hold up your end!" said Mizu, carrying a long metal slab with his brother.

"I am-oof!" Waya had said before knocking against the door frame at the sight of the Stone Protector. "Uh, hello Protector..."

"Well, they have been helpful," Keela told Ferra, gesturing for Torren's son to bring the metal to the pile next to her. The Toa of Iron found it strange when Torren's sons asked to join her. Perhaps, it was another plan of theirs, if Keela heard correctly from Voriki and Ferra. She would have to keep an eye on them.

For now, Mizu put the metal aside and said, "Whew! That's a large one!"

"I'll say. Hopefully, this gets us what we need," Waya agreed, but the Stone Protector cut them off.

"Don't get comfortable. As soon as she's done with you, it's back to your father. Got it?" Ferra hissed before heading out of the back door.

"Mizu, stop it!" Waya whispered, and Keela amusingly saw the older brother give a rather rude gesture to the departing Ferra.

"You should take it easy on her," Keela told the brothers in between hammers, catching their attention. "Things have been... tense, as you've seen."

"Doesn't mean a protector should act like the rest of her people," Mizu said, and Keela guessed the irritation was from all the looks he and his brother had received. "They are supposed to be leading them by example after all, or some urdak dung like that."

"I don't know much about politics, but I understand there's a history with your protectors... particularly after this invasion," Keela said. Mizu shifted like the flat blade Keela held, falling silent while Waya perked a little with interest. "I guess you lived through it?"

"Well, we were little, then. Mizu remembers more than I do," Waya spoke up and went on like a good student in a class. "I've heard stories of the protectors leading the defense against the invaders. Protector Hanu used to be known as the Great Cleaver. He could cut sink an invader's ship with just one cut from his scythe."

"Well, that's what the stories say," Mizu droned with skepticism, "and that was before he got injured."

"Stories can have some truth to them. In a way, your protectors now almost remind me of us Toa," Keela remarked, sparing her first glance to the brothers' surprised looks. "Yes, we weren't too different from you. We had powers, but some of us didn't know what to do with them."

"And what about those who knew?" Mizu asked, curious.

Keela's voice fell a few decibels. "Well, some used it to protect the innocent. Others did the same but for fame or glory, more in service to themselves. And others... well, they could be more forceful than the rest."

"What about you?" Waya asked.

Keela folded a metal rod she pulled from an iron stove. "I was a little different than others. I wanted to learn more. Understand how things worked. It turned out to be the best for these people here."