Bionicle G2: New Legends, New Heroes

Chapter 25: Tall Tales

Though the Region of Fire's heat wanted to push Maram out, duty and discipline kept him strolling past its lava fields. The light he gathered leaked out in wisps while his search for Protector Ignar led him to the volcano on the end of the Great Divide. The Ember Guards, too busy searching through machines and cracks, hadn't stopped him. Neither did Ignar's personal guard, as Maram went up the volcano.

Ignar kept his focus on the grave before him, not the Toa who asked, "Was she special to you?"

"How do you know it's a 'she?'" Ignar's voice was as soft as the fiery pit the grave rested upon. He continued before Maram spoke again. "She was my wife. She was from the Stone Tribe, but she said she felt more at home here than with her people.."

"She must have been an amazing woman."

Ignar's bitter and nostalgic laugh surprised Maram. "If only. We were two idiots who wanted to get married. We didn't care about the consequences, even when Norii was born. It was just us and O'nah. The happiest days in my life... Then, the invasion took that away, and so did Uram." Ignar's fists balled over his memories, shaking with rage. "Uram. He gave us all false promises to further his goals. In the end, he wanted nothing to do with us!"

"And yet you all believed him. Even her," Maram said, a hand gesturing to the grave.

"She still did. Even after he was done and we told everyone of his plans, she didn't believe a word. She trusted him more than us. More than me." Ignar's tone rose closer to, then fell away from, his usual anger. "Whatever the reason, she went to find Uram. Stupid woman, she came to this cursed battlefield. Wanted to use one of the old war machines until... it exploded."

Battlefield. Maram's orange gaze fell onto the path he walked through. Looking from above, the few war machines were numerous, and the cracks were glowing fissures.

Ignar spoke again, catching Maram's attention: "I still remember that look when I found her. All crazed like she was under some spell. I buried her before Norii saw her body. I wanted to protect her... Never did I think Uram's monster would drag her here, to this once-dead volcano."

Norii. One among Uram's captives. Maram's fists glowed, releasing more energy he gathered, but he stopped as a green blur flew overhead. Ignar's guards tended to see Kaze land close to their protector and Maram.

"Hold!" Maram told guards when Ignar hadn't done so. Meeting his fellow Toa, Maram saw the concern in Kaze's usually stern glare. "Kaze, what is wrong?"

"I saw several Earth Okotans crossing the Great Divide. They're coming here," Kaze reported.

"When will they arrive?" After Maram asked did a drill-shaped spear hit the volcano's broadside.

Ignar's personal guard surrounded their protector, while the Ember Guards armed themselves. Both Toa tensed at a tiny wave of black Okotans crawling over the Great Divide from the Region of Earth. Despite Kaze's insistence, Maram opted to rush and meet them with hopes of peace.

"People of the Earth Tribe! Why have you come-" Maram caught a spear in one hand before it could pierce him. "Please, I mean you no harm! I only wish to know why you are here?!"

"You know why! We're here for Makuta's mask!" shouted one Earth Okoran.

An Ember guard shouted from below, "You have no business here! Turn back now!"

"It's our business!" another Earth Tribesman shouted. "You're here! That must mean the piece of Makuta's Mask is too!"

"It's not yours to take-!"

"ENOUGH! No one will attack one another, understand?! Now, I wish to speak with the leader of the group!" Maram shouted, throwing aside the spear. He was surprised when two familiar Earth Okotans stepped forward. "Kerac? Tira? Why-"