Water, Fire, Earth, Air.

These are the four elements, that create the world around us. Each a part of us in many ways that are taken for granted. Within this world, their are tails hidden deep within the annals of time itself.

One of these tails, is of the island of Mata Nui.

It was a island, hidden from the rest of the world, as it has been since the time before time. Found after a great catastrophe with the first avatar that had ever been born, where during the event many ships found themselves lost at sea, all of which carried the people of the four elements. With no way to return to their homes and only themselves to rely on, the people try to help each other in their struggle to survive and find land.
But no such luck was able to come to them, and with supplies dwindling and families beginning to starve, the many people abroad each ship began to lose hope.

That was till the Great spirit descend from the heavens. Upon seeing the tired and frighten humans before him, the spirit gave them kindnesses and hope, carrying them to paradise. This paradise was a lone island, brimming with life unlike any seen before for the people. With nothing to ask for in return, the spirit assist the people in making the island their home, setting up a nation for them all to live in.
Though they had helped each other during their time of crisis, the different elements of people kept themselves as independent from each other as they could. Each taking a place on the island and remaining separate from each other.

Though the spirit told them not to, he honored their request and instead gave them a quintessential gift, for them to pass on through all their lives. This gift was known as the three Virtues.
Unity...Duty...and Destiny.

The people embraced these virtues and in gradated, they had named the island Mata Nui, after the great spirit itself.

But unknown to the islanders, there was another spirit that lived on the island. A cruel and evil spirit, that calls itself Makuta.
While Mata Nui lived for the humans, Makuta wished nothing to do with them. Thinking that they were beneath him as they were too weak, unlike the creatures that he would create known as Rahi, the wildlife that lived alone on the island before the humans came.

Mata Nui plead with the other Spirit to give them a chance, that they and the Rahi could live in harmony together. But Makuta was stubborn, and refused the great Spirit's pleads. In one night as the humans slept, Makuta had spread a poison through the elements. A poison to pick out the strong of their kind, and destroy them from within. It was slow at first, with even the Great Spirit not knowing that it had happened until it was too late...the humans that were refereed to as benders, were all lost to it's effect. Becoming completely weaken till death.

Horrified by what had happened, and not at all used to anything so cruel, the Great Spirit confronted Makuta on this. The Evil spirit was overjoyed by the lost of these benders, and told the Great Spirit that the poison was still within the elements and would soon completely wipe the humans away. Enrage by such evil, the Great Spirit had struck Makuta down.

Both sadden by the lost of many humans, and of the spirit that he would even be merciful enough to call his brother, Mata Nui knew what had to be done. He asked the humans to craft mask, one for every bender that was lost, as a way to remember each and every one of them. The people obeyed without question, and to this day wear these in honor of the innocent lives that were taken by Makuta's evil.

With his last request done, Mata Nui gave his thanks to the people and bid goodbye.

In order to save the humans, the Great Spirit began had swiped the elements of the poison. Taking it all within himself so that the people could all be spared of its effect, but while what he had done was a massive great deed, it was not without consequences, as the Great Spirit fell into a deep slumber, one of which he would never wake from.

With the Great Spirit gone, the people fell into depression. All remaining separate, as they were dealing with their grief. Many untold ideas were brought up on what can be done, and what should be done. Due to many arguments, and disagreements...both the water tribe and the earth tribe had been broken apart, each to form their own tribe. One of Ice and one of stone respectively.

With many years passing, the people remained separate. Only meeting with one another during times of crisis or if the Rahi would attack their villages. Though they still would honor the Great Spirit as much as they could, keeping his three great virtues, and continuing to celebrate on the anniversary of the day when Mata Nui had saved them all, at the cost of himself.

But, their happiness was not for long. As without warning, the evil spirit of Makuta had returned. Faking his own demised and going into hiding after his battle with the Great Spirit. Angered by Mata Nui's unselfishness and even made jealous by the love and gratitude that that people would give him, Makuta decided that his poison was too kind for these creatures. Instead he would have his creations, the Rahi, attack the people without mercy and at random times.

Feeding off their fears, he would attack them only when he deem fit. Even going so far as to make corrupted masks as dark parody of the ones used to honor the benders. Cursing them, so if a human were to wear it, they would fall under Makuta's control. Those that were captured by the Rahi were met with this faith as they are to do nothing but watch as their body would attack their own family and friends. Something the evil Makuta enjoyed most of all.

Many more years past, with all the humans of all the tribes living in fear. Afraid that at any moment, be it in a day, a month, or even a year they would be mercilessly attacked once more. Either to lose their lives, or worst their free will.

But then one day, as Makuta had his Rahi attack the tribes...they were trotted by six humans. One of each tribe. Six humans, who would become legends.

Tahu, courageous bender of fire. Though rash, he was the brave leader. Always being one to head first into battle without thought.

Lewa, agile bender of air. He was fun loving and free spirited, being most comfortable in the solace of the trees.

Gali, noble bender of water. She was peaceful and preferred to work alongside her brothers, usually acting as the voice of reason.

Kopaka, powerful bender of ice. Quiet and intelligent, preferring to be alone, he would as be the first ready to protect his people.

Onua, wise bender of earth. He was reserved and the embodiment of patience, speaking only if he had something important to be said.

Pohatu, mighty bender of stone. He was the youngest of the six and was strong and joyful, with his great love to make others laugh.

Each of them, gaining the title of Toa, as in great heroes, they each protected their families and friends. Safe guarding each of their tribes. With each wearing a mask, created by the Great Spirit himself and gaining even greater power they fought together to battle the darkness of Makuta, and the terrible evil that he would unleashed upon both the toa and the people.

Through many trails, arguments, and hard fought battles the Toa became a great force to be reckoned with. They each collect their mask of past benders infusing them with their own great mask to give them more power, and free many victims and Rahi from Makuta's control.

The island became much safer, thanks to it's six heroes. But the Toa knew, that their destiny was to stop Makuta and force him to awaken the Great spirit of Mata Nui. Traveling into the deepest and darkest parts of the island, the Toa discovered Makuta's lair. Knowing that their people would be endanger at any second, they all ventured in without hesitation to finally confront the evil spirit.

They fought bravely and defeated many Rahi. More powerful then any they had previously faced. But though they travel onward still, even while exhausted and beaten, it seemed that their search for Makuta had no end. After what had felt like life times for them, they discovered a large craven where Makuta resided.

But alas, one of their ranks were missing and he seemed that he had been for awhile. The Toa of Ice, Kopaka had found a secret room along their journey, with his gut telling him to go forth he plead to his friend, Pohatu, that something was calling for him to enter the room and that the other Toa must go on. Pohatu explained these things to Tahu, after the fact because Kopaka knew Tahu would not want him to leave the ranks. Despite his anger at his brothers in arms, Tahu was well aware of Kopaka's intelligence and that the Toa of Ice was smart enough to get himself out of any danger long enough to reunite with them.

So the remaining five pressed on to the main cavern to face Makuta, once and for all.

Makuta was powerful, but coincided, and chose to toy with the Toa and cause them to destroy themselves rather then smith them down with his power. Meanwhile Kopaka came to the end of the secret pathway and found a room, and within it he had found something horrifying.

It seemed that Makuta had much more hatred for Mata Nui than thought before, as the Great Spirit's slumbering body was hidden within this room. Completely butchered and twisted in ways Kopaka couldn't begin to understand. Forcing the spirit to shape itself into the last thing he had given his beloved humans.

A mask.

Kopaka realized that Mata Nui's sleeping consciousness was stored inside the mask, as it seemed to glow still with a bright light that seemed to fight off the darkness that surround this room. Using all the power he could master, Kopaka freed the mask from it's restraints, unknowing allowing Makuta to sense that Mata Nui was free, with someone taking the mask. With his power, Makuta awaken creatures that were hiding within the secret room, with them all given the task to destroy Kopaka.

Surrounded by enemies, and outmatch by sheer number, Kopaka instinctively grabbed for the glowing mask and placed it on. In doing so, Kopaka awaken the power of Mata Nui, with it controlling the Toa's body as it easily destroyed all the creatures with ease. Realizing that he had little time to escape the power of Mata Nui's wrath, Makuta unleashed all his forces against the other five Toa to try and by some time. But he was too late as Kopaka's body came and struck him down in a single blow, as if history was repeating itself.

Makuta was forced to abandon his physical form, and return to the spirit world for fear that the power of the mask, would completely destroy him forever this time.

Though peace was restored to the island, the end of our tail is not an entirely joyful one.

When Kopaka removed the mask that is Mata Nui's prison he saw the bodies of his fellow Toa, among Maukta's annihilated forces. Though he had the mask, it had only grant the user the power of Mata Nui, not the Great Spirit himself. And while it had protected him and allow him to destroy Makuta's entire army, the other Toa did not have this fortune. They were overwhelm by the their great numbers.

Kopaka tried to hide how truly broken he was at the lost of his brothers and sister in arms, and solemnly brought each of their bodies out of Maukuta's lair, to be buried with their tribes. Though life was better then ever before, as the people and tribes were all free of Maukta's evil, The lone Toa of Ice would not move from his sorrow with only the mask of Mata Nui to remind him of what had happened.

Six months pass, and Kopaka was found dead. His own blade piercing his stomach, with each of the Toa's mask place to surround him as if some ritual. Found with him as well was the mask of the Great Spirit, with it no longer having its bright glow. But upon inspecting the back of the mask, it was found that a message was craved into it, written by Kopaka himself.

It said that he and his brothers and sister will return. Again and again, to always protect the people of Mata Nui till the end of time itself and even further then that.