BIONICLE Legends 11: The Final Battle

The Final Battle is the eleventh Bionicle Legends book and came out October 25, 2008.

Story
The book begins with a prologue that explains the history of Karda Nui, how it would provide power for the Great Spirit Mata Nui, and how the Av-Matoran were sent there to prepare it, reliving events from then to the present.

With the battle in the skies ended for now, the fight between the Toa Nuva and the blind and mutated Makuta rages on in the swamp. Both groups are separated in various points in the swamps in individual battles. In one of those, Tahu scouts for Vamprah, who disappeared into the swamps. Suddenly, he hears a click, as a batch of Shadow Leeches falls toward him. He uses his Kanohi Hau Nuva to shield him from them and then drop them into the swamp. While he does so, he sees Lewa, Kopaka, and Onua pinned down by attacking Makuta, firing their elements and weapons alternately.

In their battle, Lewa tells Onua and Kopaka that this reminds him of a story. There were three Matoran who went out to gather bula berries, but were attacked by Nui-Rama. The Matoran were trapped, until one of them thought they just wanted the berries. They left the berries and back away, which the Nui-Rama fought over, and left the Matoran able to escape. After Lewa finishes, he tells them the key to defeating the Nui-Rama was figuring out what they wanted- and they need to do the same with the Makuta. Kopaka initially believes it is the Keystones that open the Codrex, but they had plenty of time before the Toa Nuva arrived to gather them. This leaves Onua to conclude they want something else- and he can prove it, because they aren't dead yet.

In the skies above the swamps, Krika surveys the battle, Makuta forcing the Toa, who retreat and counterattack. He wonders not of the winner of the battle, but what will happen, and if sparing the Toa's lives would be a mercy, or their worst crime. But he is interrupted, as Gali arrives and fires a jet of water at him. It passes through his intangible form, but she traps him in a energy cage from her Nynrah Ghost Blaster. Then he shoots forward, grabs Gali, and takes her from the battle to tell her a tale. Only Pohatu and Photok witnesses Krika's and Gali's skirmish. However, he is unable to assist, locked in a duel with Gorast, who had proven difficult to fight. The female Makuta throws the duo into the Codrex's energy field and lands another blow. Gorast finishes by activating her Kanohi Felnas, making Pohatu's stone elemental energy run wild and bury him in a tomb of tons of rock.

Meanwhile, Krika has weakened Gali and begins his tale- a true tale- that the Makuta where not always evil. He tells her about Miserix, how he led the Brotherhood to stand for something. But after the Matoran Civil War, he declared they must become more active outside of Destral's laboratories. When they were assigned to regions across the universe, the Makuta saw the love for the Great Spirit Mata Nui, how the Matoran venerated and respected him, despite the many things the Brotherhood had done for them. He explains this was the reason when Teridax proposed the Plan, Krika and his fellow brethren turned from Miserix. Krika also admits he did not kill Miserix mercifully imprisoning him on Artidax. He says he gave Miserix a chance to survive, and gives Gali a Tablet of Transit, intending to do the same with her, to leave Karda Nui. When Gali questions his motives, Krika only claims that if the Toa Nuva awaken Mata Nui, a mission that requires the unity of all six of them, a horrible future will come to pass, so Gali must leave to prevent that.

Not far away, Tahu has found Vamprah, who proved, just like Gorast with Pohatu, difficult to fight. He realizes he will require more than fire bolts, and briefly considers a Nova Blast, before finding an isle of rotting vegetation that he once saw in Le-Wahi. He remembers Turaga Matau discussing the plants, how they were not native to Mata Nui, and how he warned him not to use his powers around them when they rotted. Formulating a plan, he waits until Vamprah flies over the vegetation, fires a fireball at the vegetation, and it explodes, leaving Vamprah clinging to a tree dangling over the Swamps.

In the tons of rock that buried Pohatu, Photok becomes conscious. He attempts to blast his way free through his light powers, but realizes he would be crushed. He awakens Pohatu using an ever-increasing light blast. After concentrating for a moment, Pohatu uses his stone elemental powers to fuse and levitate the rock prison. Then he slices through the it and flies out with Photok to the Codrex, where he finds Tahu, finally winning against Vamprah. Pohatu explains he saw Gali taken away by Krika, and asks him if he saw her, but hasn't, so Tahu orders him to find her.

No sooner than when those words left the Makuta's mouth, a powerful blast of light flew across Krika's face. He looked skyward to find the worst fear of the Brotherhood of Makuta: Takanuva, the legendary Toa of Light, with his power lance still aimed at the Makuta, ready to destroy his armor. Krika retreated into the swamp. Gali, confused at the Toa's transformation, wanted answers, only to be told to wait until the Toa were assembled. On their way to return to the Codrex, the object of the massive battle, Takanuva and Gali encountered Pohatu, whom Takanuva was ready to attack because he did not recognize him. Gali eased him, saying it was only Pohatu. The trio were on their way to the Codrex when they were attacked by a swarm of Niazesk, a insect-like rahi whose sting was deadly. Takanuva prepared to fire a blast of light from his Power Lance, but, worried the insects might still make it through, instead called upon the devastating power of shadow the leech had given him. The blast was more than enough to convince the Niazesk to flee, but it also convinced Pohatu that Takanuva was Teridax in disguise. Takanuva came incredibly close to being annihilated before he convinced Gali to reopen the telepathic link she had used to communicate with him when he was Takua. Gali did so, against the wishes of Pohatu. Gali slumped to the ground, overwhelmed by the information in the Toa of Light's head. While they were joined, Takanuva saw himself for the first time after his transformation, a sight that caused him to shudder. Gali told Pohatu that, even thought he was not the innocent, eager hero they once knew, this was the Toa of Light. The trio finally returned to the Codrex, the battle between the Toa and the Makuta still raging. Takanuva raised his Power Lance and opened fire on the Makuta, causing a hasty retreat. With all of the Toa reassembled, Ignika (now able to speak) arrived. Ignika quickly reported that he was on a countdown to the elimination of everything in the Universe. He told of how he was forged, and that the Great Beings intended him as a failsafe if the universe ever went wrong. Takanuva then reported that when the Toa reawaken Mata Nui, a massive energy storm will erupt in Karda Nui, and destroy everyone and everything in the cavern. No sooner than when he finished the report, the Makuta returned, and a massive battle erupted once more. The Toa rushed to fit the keystones they retrieved into the Codrex. With the energy field down, they entered the complex, never knowing Antroz was on their heels. Before more Makuta could make it in, Tahu retrieved the keystones to raise the energy field once more. Inside the Codrex, the Toa Nuva discovered niches in the floor, similar in size and shape to the canisters that they used to make their way to the island of Mata Nui. Onua hit a button on a nearby console, and the floor slid down to a cavern far below. The niches were then replaced by large light stones, and three metal cocoons erupted from the floor. The cocoons then disappeared, leaving behind three vehicles. Then Antroz sprang from the shadows into the cockpit of one of the ships, the Jetrax T6. His mind merged with the ship, allowing him to see through the ship's sensors. Lewa and Pohatu both jumped aboard the Axalara T9 and Rockoh T3, and pursued Antroz out of the Codrex. Outside the Codrex, Takanuva meets up with Tanma and Photok, and they dragged Radiak into the swamp, unaware of the fact that Chirox, Kirop, Bitil and 6 past Bitils are following them. Vamprah, Gavla and Gorast had gone to track down Icarax, as had Tahu, Solek and Ignika, and Krika and Mutran had vanished. Mutran's assistant, the Shadow Matoran Vican, meets Takanuva, Photok, Radiak and Tanma. He reports that the scream of a Klakk shattered the hold shadow had over him, and he no longer served the Makuta. Takanuva, seeing the truth in his eyes, began search for the klakk. Ironically, Radiak was the one to find the creature. He attacked the rahi, intent on destroying it, but the ceature's cry broke the shadow spell. Although Radiak's mental state was restored, his armor, mask, and elemental ability remained as when he was fully in shadow. Radiak then reported the Makuta actually wanted Mata Nui to awaken for reasons he did not know. Takanuva ordered the four Matoran to leave Karda Nui before the energy storm erupted, but as they left, Takanuva was attacked by Chirox, Kirop, and seven incarnations of Bitil. Under the sway of shadow, he lost control to rage and started attacking them all, taunting them that their greatest wish, a Toa of Shadow, was now in existence and they could choke on the knowledge he was not theirs, and declaring that this battle would not be a Kolhii masquerade; that any Makuta that got near him would die. He blasted a hole in Chirox's armor and charged into the midst of the Makuta, never noticing one of the Bitils was about to strike him down. Meanwhile Antroz fought Pohatu, Lewa and Kopaka in this battle:

 In full control of the Jetrax T6, Antroz had darted around, over and through every obstacle Pohatu or Lewa had thrown in his way, and outpaced Kopaka with ease. Hitting and running, he had already done significant damage to the Rockoh. Now Lewa was on Antroz’s tail in the Axalara T9. The Toa of Air was buffeting Antroz’s ship with gale-force winds in an effort to crash it into the forest of stone pillars created by Pohatu. Earlier, Antroz had used his magnetic power to send the Axalara into a spin, and only quick action by Pohatu had kept it from crashing into the swamp. Antroz spotted the Rockoh and fired. The Jetrax’s Skyblasters hit their target, sending the Rockoh into a spin. Pohatu fought to right the ship, but it was headed for one of the stone pillars he had created. Quickly, he used his elemental power to shatter the rock before the ship collided with it. Lewa banked to the left, trying to flank Antroz. The Axalara was a more powerful ship, but the Jetrax was faster. He needed to box Antroz in somehow. Further behind, Kopaka had been working at the same thing. But every ice wall he threw up got blown to pieces by the Jetrax’s weapons or smashed by the vehicle itself. Every rain hail stones had been shrugged off by Antroz and bounced harmlessly off the Jetrax’s armored hull. Pohatu was back in the fight now, and he was angry. Timing it just right, he made a hand of stone erupt out of the swamp and grab the Jetrax. Before Antroz could power it free, Pohatu hit the controls and pulled the Rockoh’s wings in for a dive. Firing as he flew, he raked the side of the Jetrax with bolts of energy. Antroz jolted the craft free of the stone hand and wheeled in mid-air, firing at the Rockoh. When Pohatu dodged, Antroz used his gravity power to send the Toa’s ship plunging toward the swamp. Lewa closed in, rocking the Jetrax with fire from the Axalara’s Skyblasters and shattering the Makuta’s concentration. Free of the increased pull of gravity, Pohatu managed to right his ship just as it skimmed the surface of the water. Then it was Kopaka’s turn. He used his power to drop the temperature around the Jetrax hundreds of degrees in an instant, slowing down the vehicle’s engines and cutting its speed. Lewa and Pohatu closed in from both sides, ready to destroy the wounded craft. Only Kopaka was close enough to see what happened next. Just as the two Toa vessels came in range, Antroz disappeared from the cockpit using his power to teleport. Acting quickly, Kopaka threw up ice barriers in front of the Axalara and the Rockoh, shouting, "Stop!" Neither craft could turn in time, smashing into and through the ice. But the barriers had delayed them just long enough for Kopaka to climb behind the controls of the Jetrax. "All right," said the Toa of Ice. "If this is the final battle, let’s make it one to remember."'' ''

A bolt of light fired by Kopaka aboard the Jetrax stunned Bitil, causing him to lose focus on his mask and the time clones created by his mask to disappear. Before Takanuva could destroy Chirox though, Kopaka brought him to his senses, allowing the Makuta to flee. Takanuva reported to Kopaka what he had learned from Radiak, and Kopaka left aboard the Jetrax to warn the other Toa Nuva. Takanuva resumed his search for Matoran and came across Gavla. He managed to put himself and the Matoran in the path of the Klakk's scream, and the mental shadow dissolved in both of them. Takanuva told Gavla to leave, for her to join the other Matoran.

Icarax and Krika try to sabotage the plan, by destroying the Codrex. Because of this, Gorast and Vamprah convinced Icarax to teleport, by telling him the the plan is working. Fueled by his desires for the plan to fail so he can take over the world, he falls for the trick. Then Gorast disrupts his teleportation power making parts of him scatter all over the universe. Krika escapes for now.

The Toa Nuva reveal that the Lightstones that come up from the canisters resting spot are the key to awaking Mata Nui, They figure out that Ignika could awaken the Great Spirit by removing his mask and placing it in the center of the Codrex. However in doing so Ignika would have to sacrifice his life as a Toa, something he has vowed never to do, and he tries to destroy them when he hears the news. However, when Matoro and how he gave his life to save the entire universe is mentioned, Ignika finally decides to sacrifice himself.

Outside the Codrex, Tahu and Gorast are fighting. Krika comes to warn Gorast that an energy storm will kill them all, but she is so bent on killing him for trying to ruin the plan, she didn't listen. She disrupts his power to turn intangible, and he became nothing.

And then the storm came.

It was a massive, brilliant entanglement of light and energy that grew with each passing second. As Takanuva flew to the western portal, he noticed Mutran attempting to control the storm. His life was ended as the energy incinerated his armor and his essence. Takanuva, without regret for not trying to save the Makuta, flew away to join the Toa Nuva.

Gorast was shocked. She just stared at the storm, horrified by the betrayal of her idol. Antroz tried to convince all the Makuta that they must try to escape, but Bitil tried to abandon his fellow Makuta. He fails, and all of the remaining Makuta are killed.

The Toa Nuva and Takanuva all jump on the vehicles, and quickly escape Karda Nui. The Toa Nuva then combine their powers to create a barrier of protodermis, preventing the storm from escaping Karda Nui and destroying the universe. Takanuva then uses the Olmak worn by a deceased parallel universe Brutaka to transport the seven Toa, Vican, the Av-Matoran, the Rockoh T3, Jetrax T6, and Axalara T9 to Metru Nui.

In Metru Nui, a happy ending plays out. The Matoran cheer, and everyone is happy. Turaga Dume gives a victory speech. But, then a shadow falls across the land, and the stars align into the Kanohi Kraahkan, Great Mask of Shadows. Teridax announces that when Mata Nui awakened, Teridax slipped into the Great Spirit's mind, possessing his body and banishing Mata Nui's mind into the Mask of Life (the only thing to escape the storm, teleported away to safety). Teridax tells the Toa that he has also banished the mask from the universe. He now is the universe, and the Toa have no hope of defeating him.

Darkness has prevailed.

The book ends with the Mask of Life turing back to gold, and hurtling through the Ultimate Void, the space between the universes. The voice of the Great Spirit then echoes all around the void. "I will return."

Characters

 * Toa Nuva - Kopaka, Lewa, Pohatu, Tahu, Gali, Onua, Takanuva, Toa Ignika


 * Makuta - Teridax, Antroz, Vamprah, Chirox, Mutran, Icarax, Krika, Gorast, Bitil


 * Av-Matoran - Tanma, Solek, Photok


 * Shadow Matoran - Radiak, Gavla, Kirop, Vican

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