Foreword
I would like to think that I, as a person, am entitled to a belief, a sound devotion to an idea or concept.  Now I imagine that everyone is entitled to such a feeling, and that this feeling, which is often different among any given group of people, should be respected and accepted for what it is.  I have seen people kill for their beliefs.  Kill.  And who is the victim?  It is a person with beliefs of his or her own..  Now, I don’t know about you, but I feel that such efforts are wasteful and stupid.  Why should we kill a person just because his or her beliefs do not reflect ours?  If we are ever to be worthy of any gifts, any promises by the divine, then we must prove ourselves devout enough to say “no” to killing another.  If they want to believe in something else, let them do so.  I say, let them do so!  It is not like they are trying to force their religion on you.  Even if some belonging to a particular belief choose to impose such beliefs on you, you don’t see everyone else of that group doing so, do you?  Not convinced?  Why don’t you just read for yourself and find out just what you really believe in…     

Let me tell you a story about how two as one become two as two…

Long ago, in the time before time, the Great Spirit Mata Nui blessed two islands of equal size and shape.  These islands, Avola-Nui and Monga-Nui, became rich with life.  Creatures of every variety lived on these twin paradises.  But the Makuta, who once served Mata Nui with glowing respect, grew jealous of the Great Spirit’s eminence and sought to usurp his reign.  A great cataclysm befell the world, and Mata Nui was cast into a deep sleep, one which was later found to be a regressive coma which, if he was not released from it, would die, causing all existence to die with him.  An artifact called the Mask of Life had the power to cure Mata Nui of his death sentence, but not his slumber.  While the legendary heroes of Mata Nui, the Toa, seek to procure the Mask of Life, other legends are being born on these aforementioned islands, legends that have been overlooked by all who investigate the epics of the Bionicle.  All, save you, my captive audience.  You shall voice these legends I speak of, so that they may know their rightful place as…

HEROES OF MATA NUI

Now, to begin, err…ah how did it go?  Ah yes!  Legends speak of two tribes of sentient beings, who encountered each other in the Great Migration.  These beings were guided to Avola-Nui and Monga-Nui in the hopes of eschewing the conflicts that were arising in their former homes.  One tribe settled on Monga-Nui, which was rich with tall forests, clean rivers, vast lakes, and snow-capped mountains.  The tribe, now referred to as the Honja, was very grateful for the hospitable environment and sought to preserve the delicate ecosystem, favoring a more natural way of life.  The Honja lived in tents made of leaves and grass, but later adopted wooden huts and cave-homes as their preferred form of lodging.  They respected the environment, replanting trees and caring for wounded rahi.  They used only natural items to fulfill their everyday needs.  But eventually, the Honja found that their weapons were obsolete.  An invasion by Visorak was only just halted by the tribe.  They needed something more.  So several Honja traveled to the mountains to see if they could find something to supplement the defense of the island.  They eventually found that the mountain caves were rich in metals and minerals that could have great potential as weapon materials.  A party was later sent up to aid in the harvest.  Six of the party members wandered off, hoping to find better deposits further in. They were in for a big surprise.  The floor collapsed beneath them and they fell into what seemed like an endless abyss.  The other members of the party found out they were missing and searched endlessly for them.  Eventually, they found where the six had fallen and, believing them dead, abandoned the search.  Several years later, these same six scavengers suddenly appeared, albeit in a much more imposing and powerful form.  They proclaimed that the pit they fell in led to a pool of energized protodermis, and were granted these new forms by Mata Nui, for he had given them a grand destiny as the elite warriors of the Honja.  The elders then proclaimed that, given this blessing, the name “Honja” would no longer represent the tribe, but a title for the tribe’s elite warriors.  Eventually, the Honja became world-renowned as fierce, wild warriors who fought with a sense of duty and honor.  They helped restore the environments of islands victimized by the Visorak and other dark armies.  They supplied Metru-Nui with natural resources so they could fend off the Dark Hunters in the Great War.  Travelers began to flock to the land of the great Honja.  But the Honja could not live forever.  4 of the original 6 were killed in a battle against unknown forces.  Knowing that the Honja were essential to the tribe’s survival, the elders looked to the stars.  Mata Nui, they proclaimed, speaks to us through the stars – we merely have to look closely at what he says.  The elders then decreed that a festival of the stars would be held every season to determine who was destined to become Honja.  Years passed, new heroes arose and the tribe flourished.  But one Honja didn’t think it enough.  “We need to cement our position in the world, liberate the people still victimized by dark forces,” he said.  This Honja was known as Urthasu.  Urthasu and his team sought to create an army that would rival that of even the Brotherhood of Makuta.  But during his campaigns, Urthasu changed.  He became intent on forming a great empire under the wise and just rule of the Honja.  Although his intentions were in the right place, his disrespect for the autonomy of other beings troubled his fellow tribesmen.  It was then that the Champions of Avola-Nui, the Salva, arrived.  Headed by the fanatical Ionasu, the Salva were eager to challenge the might of the Honja.  The battles raged on.  Neither side had any clear advantage.  After a hundred years of war, the elders of both island tribes decided to have their strongest champions fight to see who was better.  Ionasu and Urthasu fought for a whole year, neither one showing any sign of weakness.  Then, 7 days into the next year, the two collapsed at the same time.  The two champions were later roused from unconsciousness and became humbled.  They were impressed at each other’s strength and formed a pact between their island homes.  Trade strengthened the two islands, having shifted from isolation to a united republic.  A sense of unity had arisen among the tribes.  But the peace was not to last.  The island champions, now rulers of their respective islands, argued that one had attacked the other.  The tribes began to separate and war began anew.  Eventually, after a long and arduous campaign, Urthasu and Ionasu settled on a peace.  But one day, Urthasu went missing.  The Honja believed the Salva were to blame, but Ionasu said that his people, while temperamental, would never do anything as dishonorable as killing a leader in the middle of a mutual peace.  War erupted once again, but new heroes were arriving just as the tension was heating up.  

Who are the Salva, you ask?  Let me elaborate.  The Salva tribe was the second tribe that had come to the islands in search of a home.  They settled Avola-Nui, an island with vast deserts filled with a black substance called oil, although there was plenty of liquid protodermis as well.  The island had a northern rim of volcanoes, the largest being Bualavona.  Molten protodermis and other metals were existent within the lava, and still more deposits could be found in cooled lava along the northern shores.  Grand canyons and cliffs dotted the central regions.  Although desolate, Avola-Nui was far from lifeless.  Beautiful oasises and coastal jungles revealed a splendor unique to the island.  The jungles were home to many peculiar and exotic rahi and plants, both of which had potential for aiding in the development of a grand civilization.  The Salva soon learned to work with the few resources they had, and made sure that such resources had time to replenish.  They soon found a way to craft houses out of stone, mud and liquid protodermis.  They perfected a very effective method of irrigation that allowed for the lush jungles and crops to expand to their settlements.  Lava farming was established to harvest precious metals and to use in metallurgy.  But it wasn’t enough.  Even with such vast resources, the Salva barely survived an attack by the Visorak.  An age of invention followed.  New instruments of warfare were developed to help in the defense of the island.  But some inventions required rare materials.  Seeing as how it was too dangerous to leave the island, the elders requested that an excavation team should be issued to unearth hidden deposits in the canyons.  It was a moderate success.  Although new deposits were found, very few had the resources needed for inventing.  It was then that six diggers strayed into a mysterious crack in the canyon.  Several months passed, and the foreman became aware that the six were missing.  He then arranged a search party.  The foreman’s party eventually came across the crack where the six diggers had disappeared and found a great pool of energized protodermis.  Suddenly, six figures came out of the shadows, startling the foreman’s crew.  Word got out that six monsters were terrorizing the people.  One of the elders, seeking to end the chaos, investigated personally.  Days passed, and the other elders became worried.  Eventually, they decided they could not wait any longer and took an attack force to battle the beasts.  But before they stepped not one foot out of the walls of their city than the lost elder appeared, accompanied by six beings that resembled their own kind.  The long absent elder explained that the six diggers were transformed as a result of immersion in the energized protodermis, and that Mata Nui blessed them with a new destiny.  “They shall be our salvation, the true representatives of the Salva tribe, and so we shall bestow our honorable tribe’s name upon them, for they are the Salva, warriors of justice and the three virtues,” he decreed.  And so it was.  To promote their cause, the Salva were sent out to destroy evil in other lands.  They were just and righteous warriors, always tending to the injured and oppressed.  Their campaigns against evil became widely known, and people sought their might to better their own position.  But the Salva were as clever as they were dutiful.  Those who tried to exploit them were punished and imprisoned.  But they weren’t always prepared for what evil had in store for them.  One of their most daring campaigns was won at the cost of the lives of 4 of the original 6 Salva.  The elders of their tribe knew that they needed to keep the righteous quest of the Salva intact, so they arranged for a festival of light to be held on the day of the Golden Star.  Those who had proven themselves worthy of Mata Nui’s blessing were given an enchanted crest and were thrown into the pool of energized protodermis.  The management of this event was tasked to a stranger who proclaimed himself “a protector of the will of Mata Nui”.  The Salva became a force to be reckoned with.  Even the Brotherhood of Makuta had difficulty in dealing with them.  But one of the Salva, Ionasu, was not content with what his people had done.  “Even if we liberate other lands from oppression, they will be subject to the disease of chaos.  If we are to effectively silence all evil, then we must bestow our righteous guidance upon these lands,” he stated.  It was then that he heard of the Honja and their seemingly oppressive empire.  He asked the elders for permission to invade, for the good of all beings, great and small.  His plea was accepted and, with a grand army, he set out for Monga-Nui.  The Honja were not as weak as Ionasu expected, as they fought with just as much skill as the Salva did.  The battles raged on.  Neither side had any clear advantage.  After a hundred years of war, the elders of both island tribes decided to have their strongest champions fight to see who was better.  Ionasu and Urthasu fought for a whole year, neither one showing any sign of weakness.  Then, 7 days into the next year, the two collapsed at the same time.  The two champions were later roused from unconsciousness and became humbled.  They were impressed at each other’s strength and formed a pact between their island homes.  Trade strengthened the two islands, having shifted from isolation to a united republic.  A sense of unity had arisen among the tribes.  But the peace was not to last.  The island champions, now rulers of their respective islands, argued that one had attacked the other.  The tribes began to separate and war began anew.  Eventually, after a long and arduous campaign, Urthasu and Ionasu settled on a peace.  But one day, Urthasu went missing.  The Honja believed the Salva were to blame, but Ionasu said that his people, while temperamental, would never do anything as dishonorable as killing a leader in the middle of a mutual peace.  War erupted once again, but new heroes were arriving just as the tension was heating up.  

Hmm…did I already mention that last part?  Oh well, back to business.  You may be surprised to hear this, but I was a part of the team of heroes who sailed to the two islands.  I was tasked with the duty of protecting the other members of the group as per Mata Nui’s will.  I was (and still am) a dutiful templar of the Order of Mata Nui, an organization devoted to protecting the will of Mata Nui.  You see, the heroes I was to protect had a grand destiny: to bring down the guardian force that secretly protected the Brotherhood.  It was required for the Toa of light to fulfill his destiny.  To remove the force, we required two pieces of an artifact that could reveal this force.  These pieces were on the twin islands of Avola-Nui and Monga-Nui.  The leader of our team was Kethul, a four-legged Toa of “Potential”, as the Makuta so graciously dubbed him.  The other members of our team were Niknak, a Bohrok that had been tinkered with by the Brotherhood; Tezzano, an armored Matoran from the island of Matra-Nui; Otaka, a former Toa who became the Turaga of Matra-Nui; Qivi, a Kekori bird that Otaka tamed; Gizzrahk, a Rahkoran inventor who, like his brothers, was the result of a Brotherhood experiment; and myself.  They referred to me as Ducar, for my name in the divine tongue was confusing to them, so they settled on a shortened version that was easier to say.  Among our enemies was Kikbak, Niknak’s sibling Bohrok and another experiment of the Brotherhood of Makuta; Devanto, the Dark Hunter; Devanto’s brothers-in-arms Baenu and Eulther; Drakor, another experiment of the Brotherhood; Tipari, an impish servant of the Makuta; Kikbak’s Bohriki bugs; and Nemex, a former friend of Devanto who now serves as a general in the Brotherhood’s army.  We have encountered many other fiends and beasts, such as Buukanua, a living fortress of the Brotherhood.  I was not present for the first part of Kethul’s journeys.  I often asked him what went on, but he refused to talk to me about it.  Upon hearing of his exploits much, much later, I am glad that he didn’t tell me then.  Kethul felt bad about…his ability.  He felt as though he could have fallen to darkness at any time, especially after his outburst during the fight with Buukanua.  But that is a story for another time.  We had just left Voya-Nui, having achieved our goal of finding the Staff of Unity, a relic required to rejoin the pieces of the artifact I mentioned earlier.  All went smoothly, with the exception of our ship crashing, several run-ins with the Piraka, a misunderstanding with my friend Umbra and a fight with our greatest fears.  Again, that is a story for another time.  We sailed to the islands, only to have our ship ripped apart by a whirlpool.  I often find myself wondering why Mata Nui has to involve such hardship when setting our destinies in motion.  Anyway, we were separated.  Tezzano, Gizzrahk and I landed on Avola-Nui while Niknak, Kethul, Otaka and Qivi landed on Monga-Nui.  It was a real test of will not to take sides.

Year 1: Unity
    
                The leading Salva:
Veenya (blue): Her rapier can fire lightning that chains to nearby foes; can create an aura of defense enhancement that extends to nearby allies; can conjure jets of hot steam
Nyanti (red): Her razor claws can unleash a string of explosions; can create an aura of offense enhancement for her and her allies; can conjure heat waves
Gaertha (black): His power gauntlets unleash seismic force when clapped together or when striking; can create an aura of stamina enhancement; can conjure hot magma
Kamalo (brown): His twin beat sticks become denser as they hit but compensate with reduced gravitational pull; can create an aura of dexterity enhancement; can summon meteorites
Semero (gray/white): His mini shields can be thrown and guided by his mind; can create an aura of intelligence enhancement; can conjure hot metal  
Muella (green): Her spiked whip can create an air pocket that can capture the attacks of opponents; can create an aura of speed enhancement; can conjure gusts of hot air

The leading Honja:
Hueraj (red or similar color): His war sickles can heal a target of his choice; can harvest energy from nature to send him and others into a berserk fury; can conjure cold metal
Ganaj (blue or similar color): Her axes can fire a dilute acid; can harvest natural energies and release them in a blast of raw energy; can conjure frigid water
Tunaj (green or other): His mallets allow him to entangle enemies in roots when he smashes the ground; can harvest natural energies and use them to change plant matter into razor-sharp metal; can conjure gusts of frigid air
Rhejan (brown or other): Her daggers fire sticky webbing that constricts its target the more it struggles; can harvest natural energies to release stinging pollen; can conjure ice cold stone
Khojan (white or other): Her spear can fire bursts of hard seeds; can harvest natural energies to summon Rahi to help fight; can conjure a cold field
Urrjan (black or other): His ring blades can create a shrill wail in a foe’s mind; can harvest natural energies to summon Nature elementals; can conjure frigid crystals

-Ionasu: good but misguided; proud, wise, devout and fair; white, light blue and silver color scheme; titan sized; Missing in action while trying to find Urthasu, but comes back

-Urthasu: also good but misguided; proud, impatient but fair, wants what is best for all; also titan sized; orange, crimson and gold color scheme; went missing, possibly transformed into Urthak, Genaceon’s mount, though it is possible he merely picked up an ability to alter his form, to spy on Genaceon.  Urthak comes with instructions on how to build Urthasu.

The Rega and Kanaja: Elders of the Cardi (race of the Salva) and the Nomi (race of the Honja), respectively; three Rega with the Salva and three Kanaja with the Honja; mini sets for Year 1

The Kana shards: strange shards that make a person stronger the more enraged they get; connected to Kananarex; combining them can make a crystal being.

-Genaceon: mysterious figure who rides Urthak; came to “help” the Honja with his machines and strange weapons; name spawned from the word genesis, meaning creation, origin or source, among other things; name also suggests genocide, which is justified by the actions of his creations under the brotherhood; did actually work with the brotherhood, but left after he received the supplies for a ship and workshop; he is not evil, nor is he good, he is more concerned with himself; he hopes to settle in the island’s mountains for isolation and materials for his work; Iron and crimson color scheme; canister set size; does not know any connection between Urthak and Urthasu; apparently sacrifices himself to make amends for what he did, but an epilogue shows that he survived and is being “taken care of” by someone…

-Xelcer: mysterious figure who claims to be a “protector of Mata Nui’s will”; titan sized; supposedly connected to the Order of Mata Nui, according to Ducar; came to aid the tribe that the Salva belong to, by the “will” of Mata Nui; his behavior is good, he exudes purity, though something just feels out of place when one is near him; possibly the true villain lies within him; this evil may be the one that Kethul and his company must face in order to unite the pieces of the artifact; Bronze, yellow and tan color scheme