CHAPTER 4 - Into The Mountain
"Into The Mountain of Whispers? Are you crazy?!"
Five Toa knights sat in a circle, discussing their next course of action. They had moved away from the canyon near Po-Wahi where Xin first spotted them the previous morning, but now the path branched off in several directions: One led to Po-Metru, one led to an underground highway that would end at Onu-Metru, one went to Ko-Metru, another wound it's way toward Le-Metru, and the last would take them as far as Ga-Metru near the beach. If they turned back, they would find themselves headed for Ta-Metru... There were also several Koros they would unavoidably pass through, no matter which direction they went. Trader's Pass after all, was just that, and as such it was the only road that led everywhere!
It could take them to anywhere they wanted to go, only with all these directions and destinations to consider, the Toa felt need to pause and consider where they were actually headed.
Crystal stood nearby with another Matoran named Nori, watching as the latter tinkered away inside the chest of a mechanical marvel. Crystal did not want to be involved in the conversation the Toa were having. She didn't have any ideas to offer, nor any feedback to give.. They were always arguing like this anyway..
"Think about it, Magma. It's the one place Makute Doom will never think to look for her, and even if he did, it's impossible for anyone to navigate the storm. Crystal would be safe there." The air Toa responded.
"But Leachan, it's too cold for any Matoran. What kind of a life could she have in that forsaken place?" Argued River, the water Toa.
"A lot better than the one she has down here!" Leachan responded.
"Where would she live? In an igloo?" River snapped.
"Oh for goodness sake! Why don't you just draw straws?" Nori shouted suddenly, glancing briefly at Crystal as she returned to her work. "See Crystal, this is why I built Steel. Toa are completely useless."
Nori was a Ta-Matoran with an orange mask-- And indeed, Ta was the proper word. None of the members of the crew, not even Magma himself, were quite as fiery and outspoken as Nori was. In her native Metru, Nori had been a very gifted engineer, capable of building a perfectly functional machine out of any scrap of metal she could find. The Toa weren't sure of her at first, but that was okay because the feeling was mutual. Crystal appreciated having another Matoran around however, especially since Nori had the nerve to say things Crystal just couldn't. In fact, ever since joining them on their travels, neither Nori's smarts nor her unfiltered honesty had ever failed.
The "Steel" she had so proudly referred to, and on who she was now tinkering, was a warrior of her own invention that could fight as good as any Glatorian... It seemed a little to Crystal that he needed constant maintenance though.
"Hey!" Leachan said, clearly offended by Nori's off-handed comment.
"Given the circumstances, she's absolutely right." Comet gently put in. Crystal smiled lightly at the sound of his voice. She was relieved to hear him speak because she was so worried that he wouldn't. Comet was older, wiser, gentler, and calmer than the others. A word from him was usually the most convincing one that helped sway Magma one way or the other, and his advice had never steered them wrong. Crystal really admired him. She didn't know what kind of Toa he was though; his mask was shimmering gold while his body was a mixture of green and red. He never displayed any elemental powers, even in combat. Come to think of it he was rather mysterious to her, even though she had known him since forever.
"I said no. End of discussion." Magma snapped, folding his arms in a stubborn way.
They were stressed, concerned for her safety and probably their own as well. Inside her heart, Crystal felt as though she were a burden to them, but she was too frightened to go it alone.
"Then what's our next move? Where are we going to go?" Glacier, the ice Toa, asked.
"I don't know. We'll figure something out." Magma responded.
"Well, we can't stay here! This is a popular trade route. Makute Doom's spies will find us, if they haven't already." Leachan argued.
At this point, Crystal was feeling more like a burden than ever. She chanced to turn her gaze from Nori's work to look at the Toa behind her, more specifically at Comet. He must have felt her gaze, because just at that moment he turned to look at her and smiled a warm, friendly smile. "Why don't we let Crystal decide?" He suggested suddenly, not taking his eyes from her. Crystal felt a rush of panic fill her heart at the mere suggestion. Now everyone's attention was on her.
"I-- I don't know." She moaned, looking down at the ground and fidgeting. She hoped the matter would just go back to the Toa, but it didn't.. Everyone's attention remained on her.
"Good idea." Nori huffed, finally closing the lid to Steel's chest. A moment later, the warrior roared to life and stood silently beside his maker. The Matoran dusted her hands together in a pleased manner before placing them on her hips. "This decision effects Crystal. So let Crystal make it."
'Comet. Nori. You traitors.' Crystal thought bitterly, her eyes glued to the ground.
She could feel her face growing hot under the pressure. Crystal knew the matter wasn't going to go away, so she began to go over the details in her head: If she stayed down here, Makute Doom would definitely find her... But The Mountain of Whispers was rumored to be such a strange, scary, and harsh place.. Was it even inhabitable? Personally, she would rather face the unknown than have a Bohrok or a Rahkshi in her face-- Or worse, Makute Doom himself. Even if she found herself freezing to death on some haunted mountain peak, she would be glad in the knowledge that she'd never have to see his mask or those wicked red eyes of his ever again.
"Let's just go." She blurted, "To the mountain.. Let's just go."
...And so they did.
The group took the path toward Ko-Metru, but broke off midway and crossed the Wahi beneath it, heading toward the largest mountain that loomed in the distance. Several days passed in their journey, the elevation of the land increased, grass fell away into snow spotted stone, temperatures dropped, and before they knew it they were ascending the treacherous slopes of The Mountain Of Whispers. As foretold them by the stories they had heard; a great wall of snow and wind met them as they entered. Soon enough, they were lost in a blinding blizzard with fog so heavy that they could barely see one another through it. The whispers were present almost immediately, whispering just as intently and persistently as the Toa knights had always heard.
Magma made several attempts to melt snow mounting at their legs, but to little avail. Even Glacier could not seem to control the violence of the storm! Whereas ice usually gave the strictest heed to his command, the Mountain seemed to mock his every attempt.
Five Toa knights sat in a circle, discussing their next course of action. They had moved away from the canyon near Po-Wahi where Xin first spotted them the previous morning, but now the path branched off in several directions: One led to Po-Metru, one led to an underground highway that would end at Onu-Metru, one went to Ko-Metru, another wound it's way toward Le-Metru, and the last would take them as far as Ga-Metru near the beach. If they turned back, they would find themselves headed for Ta-Metru... There were also several Koros they would unavoidably pass through, no matter which direction they went. Trader's Pass after all, was just that, and as such it was the only road that led everywhere!
It could take them to anywhere they wanted to go, only with all these directions and destinations to consider, the Toa felt need to pause and consider where they were actually headed.
Crystal stood nearby with another Matoran named Nori, watching as the latter tinkered away inside the chest of a mechanical marvel. Crystal did not want to be involved in the conversation the Toa were having. She didn't have any ideas to offer, nor any feedback to give.. They were always arguing like this anyway..
"Think about it, Magma. It's the one place Makute Doom will never think to look for her, and even if he did, it's impossible for anyone to navigate the storm. Crystal would be safe there." The air Toa responded.
"But Leachan, it's too cold for any Matoran. What kind of a life could she have in that forsaken place?" Argued River, the water Toa.
"A lot better than the one she has down here!" Leachan responded.
"Where would she live? In an igloo?" River snapped.
"Oh for goodness sake! Why don't you just draw straws?" Nori shouted suddenly, glancing briefly at Crystal as she returned to her work. "See Crystal, this is why I built Steel. Toa are completely useless."
Nori was a Ta-Matoran with an orange mask-- And indeed, Ta was the proper word. None of the members of the crew, not even Magma himself, were quite as fiery and outspoken as Nori was. In her native Metru, Nori had been a very gifted engineer, capable of building a perfectly functional machine out of any scrap of metal she could find. The Toa weren't sure of her at first, but that was okay because the feeling was mutual. Crystal appreciated having another Matoran around however, especially since Nori had the nerve to say things Crystal just couldn't. In fact, ever since joining them on their travels, neither Nori's smarts nor her unfiltered honesty had ever failed.
The "Steel" she had so proudly referred to, and on who she was now tinkering, was a warrior of her own invention that could fight as good as any Glatorian... It seemed a little to Crystal that he needed constant maintenance though.
"Hey!" Leachan said, clearly offended by Nori's off-handed comment.
"Given the circumstances, she's absolutely right." Comet gently put in. Crystal smiled lightly at the sound of his voice. She was relieved to hear him speak because she was so worried that he wouldn't. Comet was older, wiser, gentler, and calmer than the others. A word from him was usually the most convincing one that helped sway Magma one way or the other, and his advice had never steered them wrong. Crystal really admired him. She didn't know what kind of Toa he was though; his mask was shimmering gold while his body was a mixture of green and red. He never displayed any elemental powers, even in combat. Come to think of it he was rather mysterious to her, even though she had known him since forever.
"I said no. End of discussion." Magma snapped, folding his arms in a stubborn way.
They were stressed, concerned for her safety and probably their own as well. Inside her heart, Crystal felt as though she were a burden to them, but she was too frightened to go it alone.
"Then what's our next move? Where are we going to go?" Glacier, the ice Toa, asked.
"I don't know. We'll figure something out." Magma responded.
"Well, we can't stay here! This is a popular trade route. Makute Doom's spies will find us, if they haven't already." Leachan argued.
At this point, Crystal was feeling more like a burden than ever. She chanced to turn her gaze from Nori's work to look at the Toa behind her, more specifically at Comet. He must have felt her gaze, because just at that moment he turned to look at her and smiled a warm, friendly smile. "Why don't we let Crystal decide?" He suggested suddenly, not taking his eyes from her. Crystal felt a rush of panic fill her heart at the mere suggestion. Now everyone's attention was on her.
"I-- I don't know." She moaned, looking down at the ground and fidgeting. She hoped the matter would just go back to the Toa, but it didn't.. Everyone's attention remained on her.
"Good idea." Nori huffed, finally closing the lid to Steel's chest. A moment later, the warrior roared to life and stood silently beside his maker. The Matoran dusted her hands together in a pleased manner before placing them on her hips. "This decision effects Crystal. So let Crystal make it."
'Comet. Nori. You traitors.' Crystal thought bitterly, her eyes glued to the ground.
She could feel her face growing hot under the pressure. Crystal knew the matter wasn't going to go away, so she began to go over the details in her head: If she stayed down here, Makute Doom would definitely find her... But The Mountain of Whispers was rumored to be such a strange, scary, and harsh place.. Was it even inhabitable? Personally, she would rather face the unknown than have a Bohrok or a Rahkshi in her face-- Or worse, Makute Doom himself. Even if she found herself freezing to death on some haunted mountain peak, she would be glad in the knowledge that she'd never have to see his mask or those wicked red eyes of his ever again.
"Let's just go." She blurted, "To the mountain.. Let's just go."
...And so they did.
The group took the path toward Ko-Metru, but broke off midway and crossed the Wahi beneath it, heading toward the largest mountain that loomed in the distance. Several days passed in their journey, the elevation of the land increased, grass fell away into snow spotted stone, temperatures dropped, and before they knew it they were ascending the treacherous slopes of The Mountain Of Whispers. As foretold them by the stories they had heard; a great wall of snow and wind met them as they entered. Soon enough, they were lost in a blinding blizzard with fog so heavy that they could barely see one another through it. The whispers were present almost immediately, whispering just as intently and persistently as the Toa knights had always heard.
Magma made several attempts to melt snow mounting at their legs, but to little avail. Even Glacier could not seem to control the violence of the storm! Whereas ice usually gave the strictest heed to his command, the Mountain seemed to mock his every attempt.
Crystal did not know how long they had been in the midst of the Mountain's turbulent welcome, when she suddenly became aware of a certain whisper that seemed to stand out from the rest:
"Fi-- Ai-- Sto-- Ear-- Wa-- Li--" It seemed to say.
Crystal paused and looked around. The voice of this whisper seemed neither old nor young, male nor female, and yet it was unmistakable voice amid it's fellow whispers and the wind.
"Fi-- Ai-- Sto-- Ear-- Wa-- Li--"
There it was again!
"Do you hear that?" Crystal shouted, looking first to River who stood closest to her, then to Nori who was nearby on Steel's back.
"Hear what?" River asked.
"The whisper!" Crystal called.
"There are a lot of whispers, Crystal!" Leachan shouted back at them. He and Comet were ahead of them, yet behind Magma and Glacier who were trying desperately to make some sort of path through the snow.
"No! It's not like the other whispers! It's--"
"Fir- Ic-- Ai-- Ston-- Eart-- Wate-- Li--"
"--There! That one! Did you hear it?" Crystal asked. The other stood still for a moment, looking to the mountain and listening closely. She could tell from the looks on their faces that they did not hear the whisper, even though it was louder now.
"I don't hear anything that stands out, Crystal!" River replied, confirming her suspicions.
Crystal did not continue walking. Instead, she turned to face the mountain side, searching the walls for anything unusual and listening extra carefully:
"Fire- Ice-- Air-- Stone-- Earth-- Water-- Li--"
The whisper seemed clearer now. "It-- It's naming the elements!" Crystal gasped, looking to her comrades to see their reactions. As she did, her heart froze within her chest: The others were gone...
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