2007

2007 was the 7th year of Bionicle and the second year in the Bionicle Legends story arc.

Story
Soon after the events on Voya Nui, the Mask of Life, fell into the sea, and landed in a land under the waves. The Toa Inika followed down The Cord, having a long battle with Vezon and the Zyglak on the way. The Zyglak captured Vezon and carried the insane being away.

In Mahri Nui, many Matoran lived and worked like they had ever since the piece of land broke off from Voya Nui. When Reysa, an Onu-Matoran, and other residents of Mahri Nui started to disappear, Defilak, the Le-Matoran Mahri Nui Council Leader of the month, ordered a search through the Black Water to find out what was attacking them. Kyrehx, a Ga-Matoran sentry, spotted and retrieved a Kanohi mask floating down through the water (unknowingly, the Kanohi Ignika, the Legendary Mask of Life); a Sea Squid also spotted the mask and reported it to Kalmah who told the other Barraki. Their leader, Pridak, ordered a meeting to discuss this.

Somewhere at this point, the Barraki met and conversed about the Ignika and how to find it. Pridak explained what the Ignika can do, should they get their hands on it. Ehlek suggested that they split up to find the Mask of Life.

Kyrehx decided to show the mask to the Council, which however was already dismissed, so she decided to show it to her instructor, a Matoran who carved Kanohi out of stone. On her way to meet him, she was attacked by ocean plants that screamed when torn and was saved by Dekar, a Po-Matoran hunter. Kyrehx gave him the mask and left before he could protest.

Takadox began his search by questioning Nocturn and hypnotized him giving instructions whether the mask should fall in his hands. He then went to secretly watch Mantax who was searching the Pit. Kalmah caught Takadox and demanded to know what he was doing there. Takadox explained that Mantax hunted through the Pit every night and that he might have the Ignika hidden there. Kalmah and Takadox then followed Mantax into the Pit and were attacked by the Zyglak that had inhabited the Pit in their absence and closed the exit. Nocturn, provoked by Takadox, tore the entrance open and fought the Zyglak.

Defilak, his best friend Gar, an Onu-Matoran, Sarda, a Ta-Matoran, and Idris, a Ga-Matoran, traveled in Defilak's submarine down to the black water. They were attacked from all sides by an organized swarm of Takea Sharks, led by Pridak. After the sub was destroyed, Pridak interrogated them, tossing Sarda out of the cave in the process, and was then prompted by Defilak, his 'meal' to tell him a tale.

At the same time, Dekar started to ponder about the mask. Eventually, he made a start on his hunting mission. While he pondered along the way, Dekar had suddenly found himself face to face with a Venom Eel. He launched an attack on the eel and wondered why the creature was so close to the city. Then, Dekar quickly realized that it was impossible for him to wound the creature at all. Ever sooner did he notice that a huge swarm of Venom Eels were swimming towards Mahri Nui, preparing for an assault led by Ehlek. Dekar then decided to get back to the protection of the city, and quickly swam back to warn the others.

Outside of the cave where his friends and Pridak were, Sarda faced the Takea and was saved by Toa Lesovikk who arrived and sent the sharks away in a waterspout. The two conversed briefly before they were attacked by Karzahni who knocked Lesovikk down by wrapping a chain around Lesovikk. Encouraged by Sarda, Lesovikk broke the chains and confronted Karzahni. Karzahni then engulfed the Ta-Matoran in a horrific vision, knocking him unconscious. Lesovikk saved his friend who became a water-breather in the process, and told him his story while Karzahni had fled. The two then started a quest to stop the tyrant for all time.

Meanwhile, Takadox ordered Carapar through hypnosis to kidnap Kyrehx for information for the mask. Although the overall interrogation had proved to be a failure, Takadox and Carapar both learned that the Mask of Life was still in Mahri Nui. Fearful that Ehlek's attack would totally destroy Mahri Nui and the Mask of Life, Takadox ordered Carapar to stop Ehlek, while he took Kyrehx back to the city as a "gift" for peace. Carapar managed to force Ehlek to stop launching attacks on Mahri Nui in case the mask was still there.

As the commotion took place, the large army of Venom Eels had begun their assault on Mahri Nui. The Matoran tried hard to defend their homes and defeat the eels yet no damage seemed to have been made to the army. Dekar soon realized that it was the Mask of Life's fault, and then made a plan to destroy the mask in a cave far, far away. With not much delay, Dekar had hurried to a cavern far from the city, where he could safely destroy the mask, or so he thought.

While Dekar headed for a cave, Idris and Gar remained in the cave where they were "dumped" in. Gar, when he realized their situation, made a quick plan to escape out of a hole in the ceiling. The plan was to swim as quickly as they could back to the city no matter what dangers lay outside the cave. After agreeing to the plan, Gar quickly told Idris to go first. Just when they were about to start, a large tremor shook the cave. Without a second thought, the two Matoran burst out of the cave and swam as quickly as they could back to the safety of the city. Meanwhile Kalmah pulled Mantax out of the sand and the two pursued Dekar to the cave. However Dekar got there first but as he tried to destroy the mask, it started to glow brightly. Kalmah had caught up with Dekar, and started to strangle him with his tentacles. The Ignika, still believing it was in danger, enlarged a simple Eel into a 300-foot-long monster.

While this happened, Defilak lied to Pridak about the Mask of Life in order to gain time. He slowly lagged about and acted like he was searching for the mask and Pridak quickly became impatient with him. Suddenly, Pridak sensed a shift of emotions in the creatures in the water and saw that all the creatures were fleeing for safety. It was not too long before they both witnessed a giant Rahi swimming right towards them.

Back in the cave, the enormous eel charged out of the cave, and knocked both Dekar and Kalmah unconscious. After barely escaping the fate of being crashed into, Mantax quickly ducked and spotted what had just come out.

At the same time, Gar and Idris arrived on a nearby Fields of Air. There, they tried to free some bubbles to strengthen their air bubbles when they spotted the army of Carapar's Keras Crabs. Unable to do anything else, the two Matoran quickly resumed their swim with weakening air bubbles. Eventually, Gar realized that he could not make it and just before he gave up all hope, he was suddenly pulled upwards by Defilak who had escaped during Pridak's distraction over the Eel. After Idris was quickly taken along, the three Matoran returned safely back in the city and started to prepare to fight against the new danger.

Meanwhile, Mantax ran away from the cave when he suddenly crashed into Pridak who stopped him and inquired him of what was going on. Mantax quickly told the Barraki leader about what had happened and the two quickly started off to the cave. Unknown to the leader, Ehlek and Carapar journeyed down to Pridak's cave. Ehlek believed that Pridak knew who betrayed the Barraki many years ago and was about to seek out the truth when he realized that somebody was already inside. Cooperating together, the two Barraki quickly found out that the stranger was a being named Brutaka, who was slightly mutated by the mutagen in the water. After they quickly relayed the information about the Mask of Life to Brutaka, he demanded the two Barraki to take him to the Mask of Life at once.

The huge venom eel that Mantax saw had seen Mahri Nui shinning in the distance, and had decided to eat whatever was there. However, Defilak, Gar and Idris then smashed all the Lightstones in the city so the venom eel did not see it. Takadox saw the creature and swam up to it to try to hypnotize it. He failed and was knocked unconscious when the creature noticed the fighting going on inside the stone cord. The eel reached the cord, and slowly started to squeeze it.

Dekar woke up hurting all over and tried to recall how he ended up in the cave. Then he remembered and realized the mask had defended itself from his blow. He reached out and touched it. Suddenly the mask shared all its memories with Dekar. In all its existence this was the first time it had felt fear.

Kalmah, Mantax and Pridak swam over to the Cord and fought the enlarged eel, being continuously defeated, when some beings arrived. Pridak smelled Carapar and Ehlek and one other being. He decided to bite first but was hit by a bolt of energy from Brutaka's sword that gave him spasms. After Ehlek introduced Brutaka to Pridak the three Barraki and the newcomer swam to the cave. Brutaka tried to convince Dekar to hand over the mask to him but failed. He was then pulled into the Black Water by a Giant Squid. The Barraki rushed into the cave and Ehlek hurtled electric bolts at Dekar causing him to drop the mask. Dekar pleaded to Pridak not to touch it but he did.

A huge wave of light erupted from the mask and illuminated all of The Pit. The light hit all of the residents like a physical strike. All beings underwater closed their eyes to shield them from the light. Thus, there was no one to see what the light did. The light's energy transformed the Toa Inika into water-breathing Toa. The light soon faded away, and Kalmah saw Dekar swimming out of the cave, then went off to find Pridak. He soon found Pridak clutching the mask tightly. Kalmah suggested he put it down, but Pridak lashed out, and almost bit Kalmah's tentacle. Meanwhile, the mutated Venom Eel cracked the Cord and, at the same time, the Order of Mata Nui lost contact with their member who was at The Pit at the time.

Meanwhile, as Dekar swam towards Mahri Nui he was transformed by the Ignika into Hydraxon, the long-dead jailer of the Pit, as the Ignika sensed that the Po-Matoran was near death.

As this happened the new Toa fought for their lives against the 300 foot long venom eel. Kongu used his Kanohi Zatth, thinking it to be the Suletu and summoned lots of normal venom eels. Matoro reanimated a shark and froze the eel. Hewkii further discovered his mask power and made it sink to the ocean floor, which knocked it unconscious. Nuparu, after having discovered his Volitak's power of stealth, spotted Mahri Nui; but as he shut down his mask of Stealth the Matoran nearly killed him with their air launchers, and he was saved just in time by Jaller, who melted the launchers. Defilak said to the Toa that while one of them could stay in the city, the others had to chase the Keras crabs out of the fields of air if they were to be considered Toa.

Matoro stayed and immediately discovered they could no longer breathe air. As the others attempted to complete their task they met the six Barraki and pretended to be prisoners of The Pit like them. As they were led away the Keras crabs withdrew. However, the Matoran thought Matoro as a friend of the Barraki since the other Toa had seemed like partners to the Barraki. As Matoro fled he was captured by Hydraxon. The other Toa Mahri where escorted to sea caves. Nuparu used his Volitak to reach Hahli's cave. He asked her to tell him about the Barraki's history and Hahli told him also that she had heard the Barraki say something about the breaking of the mask.

As this happened Matoro was thrown in the Pit jail and guarded by a robot Maxilos. However, Maxilos freed him, revealing himself to be Teridax. Meanwhile, the Barraki planned how to use the Ignika but after a skirmish between Ehlek, Pridak, Takadox and Mantax, Ehlek and Pridak brought it to Nocturn, since they did not trust each other with it, along with a Squid Launcher.

As they did so Hahli hypnotized the squid guarding her with her Faxon, copying a fish's ability and Hewkii joined them after reducing the Gravity of the Takea Sharks guarding him. Meanwhile, Jaller scared the venom eels guarding him with his flame. While he talked from outside to Kongu, a Hahnah crab went to the cave, curious about Jaller's flame. After Kongu escaped Kalmah, who, along with Carapar, had come to check on them, they fired a sea squid at Kongu. As Jaller was about to be overwhelmed by the two Barraki, the Hahnah crab killed the sea squid and Kongu summoned with his mask an enormous creature which made the two Barraki flee.

Nuparu found some Cordak Blasters in a cave and was experimenting with them when Hewkii startled him, causing him to fire one and destroy an underwater boulder, thus showing the power of the weapons. Hahli then joined them.

As Jaller and Kongu returned to Mahri Nui they were joined by Hewkii, Hahli and Nuparu, who had brought found multiple Cordak Blasters. Each Toa took one, except for Kongu who took two, abandoning his Toa Tool. As the five Toa arrived they were greeted by the city's defenses. Hahli made Kongu use his power to shove Defilak out of the air bubble. Hahli then created a vacuum but as Defilak was about to drown Hahli brought him to safety, and stated if she wanted to kill him, he would have been dead, so Defilak decided to trust the five Toa. While that happened, Nocturn discovered a new power, the death touch (the Ignika's curse) and did not notice that a Gadunka was beginning to grow as a result of the Ignika's leaking power. At the same time, the Toa Mahri were joined by Matoro and Maxilos, and the latter prevented Matoro from revealing Maxilos' true identity. In a sign of trust, Defilak renamed the once Toa Inika, Toa Mahri.

While this was happened, the ancient creature summoned by Kongu battled the revived 300-foot-long venom eel. Carapar and Kalmah made their way to the Octo Cave, where they found the other Barraki. Pridak had wounded Ehlek for "interrogation" on where Nocturn had gone off with the mask. Takadox had first believed Kalmah, Carapar and the Toa Mahri stole the mask from Nocturn and killed him, but he said Kalmah was not smart enough. However, Kalmah reported the Toa had escaped and thought they had gotten the mask.

Toa Mahri Hahli explored the seafloor in search of the Mask of Life by using her Faxon to give herself enhanced vision. Mantax then suddenly grabbed her with his pincer but Hahli managed to wound him with her Protosteel talons and then fire her Cordak blaster to confuse the Barraki with a sand explosion. By the time he cleared his vision she was gone. Mantax made preparations and slipped in the sand. Hahli had used her Faxon to give her chameleon ability. She saw Mantax's head and fired her Cordak, but then Mantax paralyzed her with his venom and Hahli discovered too late she had hit a decoy.

Toa Mahri Kongu and Jaller explored the sea caves. Jaller complained about the fact Kongu joked too much, and was a little annoyed that Matoro seemed to wish to take the lead, and Hahli had gone off searching on her own. As they arrived to the Octo Cave, the squids began to hatch and began sucking the Toa energies, with Kalmah and Carapar watching.

Nuparu and Hewkii searched in an undersea trench. As they went along they talked about Metru Nui. When they reached an undersea tree, eels attacked them. Nuparu and Hewkii worked together to trap the eels under the sea floor but when Nuparu congratulated himself and Hewkii for the victory Hewkii disappeared. Nuparu activated his Volitak but was detected and jolted into unconsciousness and was brought beside an unconscious Hewkii in the trench.

Matoro and Maxilos were confronted by two hundred Takea. Teridax's essence disappeared from Maxilos, and after he found freezing the water around Pridak and Takadox failed, Matoro used the Tryna to resurrect the dead bodies of Takea victims.

While that happened, Mantax looked for the Mask of Life on Hahli's route. When he was about to give up, he was caught in a riptide as Hahli swam towards him. Mantax asked her how she had survived the paralysis and Hahli answered she had copied a creature's immunity to the venom. As both understood neither had or had had the Mask of Life, Mantax stated he had no friends, only enemies he had not killed yet and made Hahli the lieutenant of his army.

Hewkii woke up Nuparu. When Nuparu complained they could get out when they wanted, Hewkii showed him the eels that inhabited the trench. Nuparu summoned an earth pillar as Hewkii blasted the eels. After Hewkii used his Kanohi Garai on an eel, he used it to make sharks go and dive into a squad of electric eels, led by Ehlek, and they then left.

Jaller raised his body temperature and Kongu's, which made the squids release them. Kalmah and Carapar talked about past days and about their earned right to rule. Jaller assured that if the Toa Mahri got the mask, the Barraki would get what they had deserved. Kalmah said that to make the deal, Pridak had to be killed.

As Matoro's army fought Pridak's, Teridax/Maxilos talked about choices and was distracted. Pridak destroyed his army and Matoro did not have time to reanimate but as it happened, hundreds of eels attacked the Takea and Matoro and Maxilos managed to flee.

Led by Maxilos, Matoro swam into the deeper echelons of the Pit, to see a dead Toa of Water who Maxilos introduced and ordered him to reanimate. The Toa of Ice reanimated the Toa and the three swam away. During their journey, they met Hahli who spoke to Matoro. Telepathically forced by Maxilos, Matoro reassured her that everything was alright but gave her a secret message that he was in trouble. The three left Hahli and continued on.

Later, the Toa Mahri regrouped at Mahri Nui. Hahli was missing and the sea had gone mad. A Ga-Matoran reported that rays were heading for Mahri Nui, led by Hahli.

As that happened, Nocturn was attacked by Hydraxon. After a brief but intense battle Hydraxon won and as he took the Ignika a small part of Dekar's consciousness told him to destroy it. Hydraxon put it on a rock, aimed with his Cordak, and fired.

As the Toa Mahri headed for the rays, Maxilos revealed that once the Ignika was taken, the Stone Cord had to be destroyed so that Voya Nui could return to the Southern Continent and that the Matoran on Voya Nui and Mahri Nui would die.

Maxilos, Matoro and the reanimated Tuyet were attacked by Karzahni who shattered Tuyet and trapped Matoro in a vision while he questioned the Maxilos about the Staff of Artakha. Maxilos momentarily defeated Karzahni, freeing Matoro from the vision. However, Karzahni summoned his army of Manas crabs. As they came, Teridax/Maxilos turned half the army against the others, resulting in the destruction of all the crabs. Karzahni gave the Makuta a vision which stopped him for a moment. Enraged at this, Teridax struck Karzahni and then tore his mind into shreds, sending the tyrant into the depths of the ocean.

Lesovikk, Sarda and Idris, who had become a water-breather and joined in their task, had watched the battle and then followed Karzahni for most of a day. Outside a cave where the insane being had entered, Lesovikk came up with a plan of a crude trap but before he finished, he was trapped in a vision by Karzahni. The vision was of the day his team had fought a horde of Zyglak and died, but in his vision it was changed to a acid cloud. In the vision, Lesovikk defeated the cloud and the team went on for many more adventures, while in reality, Sarda and Idris, worried about their friend and determined to defeat Karzahni, set up the trap for him. At this point, in his vision, Lesovikk picked up on the mistake of the acid cloud and Zyglak, breaking out of the vision. Waking up, he saw Idris and Sarda luring Karzahni out of the cave with the trap set. He grabbed his friends and threw them to the side while Karzahni hit the trap and could not escape. Botar appeared and took Karzahni away, while Lesovikk took Sarda and Idris to a cave where he had seen some equipment for a breathing system. After brief discussion, Sarda told Idris to take and the three worked on the device for several hours. When it was finished, Idris returned to Mahri Nui while Sarda went off with Lesovikk.

The Toa Nuva fought with Icarax in the realm of Karzahni and when the other Toa had been defeated Gali unleashed a Nova Blast though Icarax still escaped with the Staff.

At the edge of the Pit, Icarax gave the Staff to Teridax who dismissed him and then attempted to use the Staff to recreate the Nui Stone, shards of which lay in Tuyet's armor. Matoro rushed at him, only to be frozen in a stasis field. Brutaka was there and attacked the Makuta, grabbing the Staff and giving it to Botar who briefly appeared and teleported away with the Staff. Brutaka told Matoro to go and fought Maxilos, though the battle ended with the possessed robot leaving to take control of the situation.

Hydraxon had no notice of anything around him while he fired at the Kanohi Ignika. Then, a sudden riptide pulled his first shot off course. Before he could fire others, Hahli Mahri stopped him from firing. However, then Mantax appeared and took the mask, which weakened Hahli and Hydraxon while strengthening Mantax as part of his curse. Mantax departed with the mask and was later followed by Hydraxon. The other Toa Mahri, meanwhile, discovered Hahli.

Matoro warned the other Toa Mahri that the Cord had to be destroyed for Mata Nui to be revived. However, destroying the cord would put all of the Matoran in great danger. They led the Matoran of Mahri Nui and Axonn led the Matoran of Voya Nui to underground chambers on Voya Nui so they would be safe when the island crashed down. As they led the Matoran up the Cord they were attacked by the Piraka who had been mutated into having only their faces and spines. A burst of energy hit everyone, knocking them all out. When the Toa came to, they found that Axonn had saved them. Then Axonn gave the Toa Mahri a "vehicle" so they could reach Mahri Nui once again. The vehicle, actually a modified Rahi, repaired any injuries done to the Toa as they traveled. When they reached the Pit, Jaller and Matoro sought out the mask while the others battled the Barraki. Gadunka, now an enraged sea monster, showed up and Hewkii, without success, hurled a boulder at him but then hit him with his Electrified Chains and defeated him.

Meanwhile, Jaller Mahri attacked and surprised Mantax, causing him to drop the mask. Mantax swam after it, but Jaller blasted him with fire and took the mask. Matoro saw Teridax/Maxilos head for Jaller and froze him and then prepared to freeze him for all time, thus ending the threat of Teridax lurking in the universe. However, as Jaller laid hand on the mask, Hydraxon appeared and took the mask from Jaller, then threw him away. Jaller sent a wall of fire to stop Hydraxon from getting to the mask but freed Teridax instead. Spinax attacked Hydraxon and occupied him, while Teridax tried to take the mask, however, Matoro grabbed it first and fled, to meet with the other Toa Mahri at the Cord. Curiously, Teridax did not pursue Matoro and the mask.

The Toa Mahri, now reunited and with the mask, fired their blasters at the Cord and destroyed it, sending Voya Nui plummeting to the depths. It hit Mahri Nui, smashed it to pieces, and zoomed off toward where it originally was. The Mask of Life is pulled along behind it and the Toa Mahri followed it. However, the Barraki also pursued. Matoro, with the mask, outran all of the other Toa to try to save Mata Nui. However, as Matoro swam, the mask slowly lost its light and eventually turned silver and faded. Matoro looked at it and realized that the Great Spirit was dead.

Matoro knew that it could not end that way, and swam away to try and reach Voya Nui as it descended. Jaller and the other Toa Mahri chose to stay behind to confront the Barraki and buy Matoro time.

Matoro followed Voya Nui as it continued its rapid descent, and came face to face with the holes which were punctured on the dome of the Southern Continent and Karda Nui as a result of Voya Nui's ascent out of the Southern Continent. Matoro fell down the waterfall which led into the core, slipping under Voya Nui moments before impact.

Elsewhere, the Barraki met at the Razor Whale's Teeth, where Mantax revealed that they had been betrayed by one of their own thousands of years ago. Before he could reveal the traitor through a tablet he found, explosions from a fight between Maxilos and Hydraxon, who now knew Maxilos' true identity, caused an avalanche. Takadox exposed himself as the traitor by stealing the tablet and trying to kill Mantax, but the other Barraki did not kill him, instead they chose to keep him around to help to retrieve the Ignika. However, they were confronted by Maxilos, who revealed his true identity as the one who caused their imprisonment, Teridax. After a brief battle that left five of the Barraki unconscious, Takadox presented the ancient Tablet of Transit to Teridax, hoping to be spared. However, he was instead cast into a vision where his Underwater Insects turn on him and attack him.

While he was distracted, the Barraki, who had faked their unconsciousness, gathered their armies. They ordered them to attack the Maxilos robot, and damaged it beyond repair. The Barraki departed with their armies, intent on acquiring the Ignika again. Hydraxon found Spinax and the damaged Maxilos, but noticed that it no longer held any sign of Teridax, who had possessed it.

The Barraki attacked the Toa Mahri with their armies, and tried to break past them to pursue Matoro. Jaller then realized that they would soon lose, and decided to perform a Nova Blast; a blast that would have destroyed the surrounding area from the fire heating up the water around them. Despite the arguments held by the other Mahri, Jaller stated that it was the only way they could make time to save Mata Nui. However, before he unleashed the blast, the Mahri were teleported back to Metru Nui. Jaller had to struggle to keep the level of power down so he would not destroy the city.

Matoro had donned the Ignika, and realized that it was he who was destined to use it. After he put it on, he was shown the entire history of the mask, which included what was necessary to activate its powers. Using the mask he had performed his final act as an individual and had teleported his friends back to Metru Nui, while giving them the ability to breathe air again. Content that his friends were safe, Matoro used the Ignika, and died as his energy was turned into life force that was used to revive Mata Nui.

Back on Metru Nui, Matoran celebrated the revival of Mata Nui. However, Vakama approached the Toa Mahri and told them that he had seen through a vision that Matoro had perished, to their great sadness. Later, Kopeke, the new Chronicler, had Hahli tell the story of their adventures so that he could record them. Afterwards, a ceremony honoring Matoro was held in the Coliseum.