Prologue

Echoes rang out over the city of Anxeria, capital of Kora-Nui. Only recently had Turaga Hano announced the defeat of the Hollow, a plague that had been troubling Kora-Nui ever since the discovery of the Empyreal Kanohi. The Shadowclan had claimed too many innocents, and the island was closer to being safe. Of course, the war over the Kanohi still waged between the Resistance, the Dark Hunters, the Brotherhood, and those who sought the masks for themselves. But for one day, they could celebrate their victory. And as the sun faded into the night, the Dusk took hold. 

In the late hours of the night, Arkhaan was not visible as he stood at the peak of the gargantuan Tower of Honor. The air was brisk, and the moon was oddly beautiful. It glowed nearly as orange as the sun, set against a pure black sky. It was cloudless, enhancing the view. Glinting in the moonlight was his staff, a serrated edge of blue at the end. He looked out at the now sleeping city of Anxeria. They had celebrated a small, empty victory, and most were now in bed or at one of the local pubs with nowhere to go. The arcing frown on his mask didn’t betray his attitude toward them. “Foolish, irresponsible, and yet Mata-Nui entrusts me to protect them.” A daunting task haunted Arkhaan. The Dawn had entrusted him with the removal of the Empyreal Kanohi from the island. And they had informed him that the Hollow had taken root as well. He was used to dealing with the Shadowclan, but he would have to retrieve the masks from their owners. “I wonder if Mata-Nui had any faith in the Empyreal Guardians.” He leapt from the Tower top, focused only on the rooftops below. Stealth was his top priority for now. The ground came rushing towards him, but fear did not. A quick reflex in his arm, and ice spewed from his staff. He had created a small slide, allowing him to land safely on a Matoran’s home below. The Tower was too well-guarded at night to attempt a robbery at this time, so he made his way to the Temple of the Dark Hunters. Once a sacred shrine to Mata-Nui, Arkhaan was furious at the Hunters’ use of the building. But he wouldn’t be able to exact revenge, not now anyway. And so he pressed on, into the city’s bordering forest, into the night.

Shadows were cast all over the city by the moon and streetlamps that adorned the countless pathways. But most were stationary. The one within the Tower was not. A small creature, aptly named Shadow, had made his way with ease into the mammoth building. If the Guards here were paid, then Hano seriously needed to downsize his staff. The Shadow made its way upstairs, keeping its hauntingly orange eyes open. Stopping upon an unmarked door, it made several quick motions with its claws, and entered the room. Several safes decorated the room, set upon pedestals in ritualistic fashion. Rather than attempt any combinations, the Shadow strung the precious containers together, and cut a hole in the sole window at the far wall of the room. Despite the allure of the Virtues and Sins within, the creature made his way to the temporary home of the Shadowclan. It was all but too easy, but the creature knew full well that he would still be congratulated. As it made its way through the endless, disorienting corridors of Hee-Xio, it couldn’t help but keep its gaze on the string of safes. The nectar within beckoned it, the Sins and Virtues that the Great Spirits themselves had made. And then, the Shadow saw nothing. The Shadowlord stood over him, a smear of blood on his arm. “A surprise it didn’t succumb to the temptation sooner.” A swift kick to the safes revealed several Empyreal Kanohi, the greatest treasures one of the Shadowclan could ever hope to see. He held them in his hand, tempted himself to put them on. Controlling his desire, the Shadowlord bound the Kanohi together with a chain of shadows, carrying them back to his throne room. If Arkhaan was already on his way to the Temple, he would have to strike the Zi-Kaeves. And then there was the Toa Obsidian, who was in possession of the Zirii. Tapping his baton on the ground, a wave of shadows emerged. “Go. Then return.” He knew there was no need to spell things out for them. His army knew what he wanted. What they wanted. What the Dusk wanted. 

Acanthitii could not sleep. Several Hunters had reported sightings of the Shadowclan, despite the fact the Hollow had been supposedly vanquished. She had let the Toa take care of that detail for her, but it seemed that they had failed, as most Toa do. Her thoughts were interrupted as the small, grotesque form of Spot came in through her open door. “Lady Acanthitii, horrible news!” “What?” “An intruder has been sighted on the beachfront. Should I dispatch some Hunters?” “No. We’ll see if he’s just a wanderer. If he comes too close to the Temple, keep the sentries alerted.” Spot nodded, and ran off to carry out his master’s orders. Acanthitii sat down, tapping on her desk in frustration. “What to do with the Kanohi? I can’t risk their presence here much longer. There had been too many traitors, break-ins, screw-ups, and cool dudes.” Acanthitii looked at the mask vault embedded into the wall of her office. “The Shadowed One…does he trust me? I could just take off with these, couldn’t I?” Spot came running back in. “He’s gone!” “Then why are you upset about it? It’s less trouble to deal with, isn’t it?” “No, we had him in sight, and then he vanished! He could be anywhere on the island for all we know!” Acanthitii muttered something obscene in her native tongue. “Alert the Hunters. Have everyone on patrol in here. Seal off my office on the way out, and the weapons vault as well.” Spot ran out, frantic as could be. Acanthitii remained in her seat, sharpening her katana while she waited.

Zeidek rubbed his eyes until he could see clearly. “What’s going on, Spot? Why can’t I sleep?” Spot muttered something that Zeidek didn’t catch, and then ran off to another lodging to rudely awaken the Hunters there. In an instant, Zeidek had his chain blade pulled out. The metallic protodermis was quite visible in the darkness, but it’d be too late for the unlucky intruder when he saw it. As Zeidek made his way opposite the path Spot had taken, he bumped into the newest recruit, Zerav. It was hard enough to see in the darkness, but the Toa’s black and gray body made it all the harder to detect him. “Why’s Spot gone crazy? I need some rest.” “Not sure.” Zeidek looked around. “But I think there might be an intruder in the Temple.” Once the words left the Hunter’s mouth, Zerav triggered his cloaking device. “Good idea.” Zeidek’s natural cloaking took effect. The duo made their way through the building, looking around frantically at each corner. As they came to the main Temple entrance, they saw a streak of white going past. “Suspicious enough to me.” Zerav began sprinting after the blur, as did Zeidek. His thin, nimble frame allowed him to pass Zerav, and he let his chain blade drag behind him so Zerav could follow. The white flash led him to Acanthitii’s quarters, which took up a good deal of space. For some reason, she insisted they were necessary, but her greed was quite easy to see. Her office door wasn’t visible, and Zeidek could not figure out why. The white streak had to stop to deal with the obstacle. Zerav came up behind Zeidek, and they both saw the true form of the intruder. Only small areas of white could be seen in the darkness, but they could discern a humanoid frame. Translucent blue decorations were littered throughout his body, and a V-like arc of blue could be seen at the tip of a long, thin weapon. The stranger wasn’t facing them, but they could tell he was wearing a Kanohi. The cloaking device on Zerav deactivated. The stranger knew they were there. Zeidek followed suit. “So, Rahi-bones, why are you here? What do you want?” The stranger turned around slowly, and they could now see the scar-like features of his mask, as well as his hauntingly blue eyes. “I am here because Mata-Nui wishes it. I seek that which you should not possess.” Zeidek laughed a little, pulling his chain-blade off the ground. “Hunters have plenty of things they ‘should not possess’. That’s our job.” Zerav had fixed his rifle on the stranger, who didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. “It is my duty to reclaim those things.” Pironge, the massive, idiotic beast approached from behind Zeidek and Zerav. “My job is kill intruders.”