Wow, are we starting the sequel already?! o-o; Looks like it. As stated at the end of The Road Not Taken, I left it open for a sequel if I could get off my lazy ass long enough, and...well...it looks like I have.

One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to GO!

Disclaimer: Anyone you don’t recognize as canon belongs to me. Siahta and Sayla belong to Sylla Shadowfrost. Shay Moonsilkbelongs to Shay Moonsilk. Everyone else is property of LEGO Enterprises. “Stand My Ground” belongs to Within Temptation.

Summary: Eighteen years after the Shadow Wars, Matob, Vakama’s daughter, is finally ready to accept the throne which her father denied after the death of Pridak. But no one ever said it would be easy to take the throne. A tournament for the crown is set up. The catch? Honor makes no appearance in Freezeheart’s Regent Council, and in order to make sure Matob and her friends don’t win, a series of some of the fiercest warriors the world has ever seen is pitted against them. At the same time, runaway slave Rowan battles desperately for his people’s freedom, risking all to prove that his parentage is the least of everyone’s worries about him. Despite his initial shortcomings, he offers Matob his help, and together, along with Eefera, Aki, Jing, and Nicole, they are an almost unbeatable force. I just know there’s no escape now, once it sets its eyes on you. But I won’t run; I have to stare it in the eye. “Destiny is not who you are...it is who you can become.”

A Path Well Traveled
By: Saya Moonshadow

“I can see

When you stay low nothing happens

Does it feel right...?”

X x X

Once upon a time, there was a Toa of Fire named Vakama. Vakama made a mistake once, a very serious mistake. For that mistake, he was banished from his home, the city-island Metru Nui, and forced into the dark, cold sea. While searching for a new home, Vakama was caught in a terrible storm, and lost his memory. He was taken in by the six Barraki, who called him “Pyro”, and for ten years stayed with them, learning their ways...and how to be a warrior.

After those ten years, Metru Nui came under attack by both Odina and Xia, and Turaga Dume was forced to send for help. Pridak accepted his plea, not knowing that “Pyro” was their missing Fire Toa. Once there, Toa Nokama made a deal with him: if she were able to fully restore Vakama’s memory before the war ended, he would stay with her forevermore. But if she didn’t, then Pridak would kill her.

Also helping Metru Nui was the King of Skyde-Trofast, Ryoku Binary, as well as a former teammate of Toa Lhikan’s, a Hordika called Natay. But even with the forces of Skyde-Trofast and the Toa Hordika of Power Scream, the victory was harsh.

During a fight, Toa Nuju captured a young Dark Hunter called Toa Siahta, and befriended her, learning some secrets from her. Later, Whenua would help another Dark Hunter, Toa Shay, to free the Hordika Malvado from their clutches, risking her own life to do so.

During this time, Nokama was seriously injured, and it took a huge toll on Vakama. Feelings he couldn’t remember before were reawakened, and he began to recall things about his past life. Unbeknownst to him, he was also once again falling in love with Nokama, although he would not realize it until much later.

Finally, the time of decisions came to pass, and the two sides clashed in an epic battle. Toa Matau successfully defeated the Kanohi dragon and Queen Tsuyayaka of Xia, and for the second time, Whenua defeated the Dark Hunter Mano of Xia, this time rendering his hands useless. Nuju and Siahta teamed up to kill Mano’s partner Shinoda, and Nokama put paid to several Vortixx herself.

Pridak and the Shadowed One clashed, and Pridak was mortally wounded. In a fit of rage, Vakama took over his mentor’s battle, and, after a difficult trial, managed to kill the Shadowed One. However, the Shadowed One, in his last breath, struck Vakama in the very place he was struck the night ten years ago when he lost his memory, and the Fire Toa fell.

Days later, he awoke. This time, though, he could remember! He remembered everything about his past life...and what had happened. When he next saw Pridak, the Northern King was dying. Vakama refused to become the next Northern King, but promised Pridak that there would be another heir someday soon. With a smile on his mouth, Pridak died.

Vakama and Nokama married, and later had a beautiful little girl that Matau named Mataub, although the girl herself preferred to spell it “M-A-T-O-B”, saying the real spelling was too close to her “uncle’s” for her liking. Meanwhile, Onewa and Natay married and had a daughter named Nicole. Nuju and Siahta had two children, Jingo and Sayla, and Matau had a son with a traveling Toa named Tazuna, although he would not see Eefera for another five years until Tazuna brought him back and gave him to him.

Vakama never fully explained to Matob her true destiny, saying only that he would tell her eventually. It would take fifteen years and much coaxing before he even considered telling her.

But now...now Matob’s destiny is about to unfold, and much bigger than she thought possible.

X x X

“Late at night

Things I thought I put behind me

Haunt my mind.”
--Within Temptation, “Stand My Ground”

X x X

AN: -sigh- Do you really need to ask? Yes, I AM an attention whore, thanks for noticing. I can’t help it - I love to write. And since I had such a spanking good time with The Road Not Taken, why not continue it? I already planned to anyway, but it’s a BIT ahead of schedule. Anyway, I hope this is up to standard, and that you enjoy it! -good guy pose-

Review, please!

PS: As you may have noticed, I have somewhat changed the spelling of the main character’s name. This was to avoid confusion of how it’s pronounced, and because even though I love the name, it was too much like “Matau” for my liking XD