Battle of the Mask Makers

Battle of the Mask Makers is the second BIONICLE graphic novel for the 2015-2016 storyline, preceded by Gathering of the Toa.
==Synopsis==
Following their defeat of the Lord of Skull Spiders, the Toa make their way into the City of Mask Makers and find giant statues of its namesakes, Ekimu and Makuta, and the ancestors of their allies the Protectors. The scene then changes to events that occurred centuries ago, when the city was a thriving metropolis and home to the Festival of Masks Celebration. Ekimu and Makuta welcomed the Protectors of that time-Agarak, Uganu, Etoku, Kerato, Owaki, and Mamuk-to the city, before inviting them to their Forge. The Protectors-including Agarak, despite his desire to spend time with his wife and son-agree, and are presented with new masks forged by Ekimu and infused with energy from Elemental Crystals gathered from the shrines of the Elemental Creatures. Ekimu reveals that Makuta has also created new masks, which prompts Agarak to remark that he can't imagine finer masks than Ekimu's, unaware that Makuta is in earshot.
After a brief moment of tension, Makuta takes the Protectors and Ekimu outside to demonstrate his new masks, which can be used by any Okotan rather than just the Protectors or Mask Makers. He allows his and Ekimu's groundskeeper to try a pair on that are designed to grow trees faster and then use fire to sever limbs, only for a fire to start. The Protectors deal with the tree and save a nest of birds, while Ekimu rebukes Makuta for breaking their sacred law and using more than one element in one mask. Makuta retorts that Ekimu's masks have always been preferred and he departs, while Ekimu and the Protectors then witness the appearance of the Elemental Creatures. Fearing it as an omen, the seven of them board Ekimu's airship and travel to the Temple of Time, where Ekimu dons the Mask of Time and sees a vision of future evil and the arrival of heroes, the Toa, to combat it.
Uxar, the Creature of Jungle, then arrives at the Temple and provides Ekimu with a special crystal for use in the creation of one of the Golden Masks that will eventually be worn by the Toa. Returning to the city, Ekimu dispatches the Protectors to gather five more crystals while Agarak is urged to spend time with his family. Ekimu briefly speaks with Makuta, whose assistant informs him of Ekimu's return as he is finishing the creation of a new mask, and Makuta feigns regret for his actions. He then announces his intention to visit the Capital City for an exhibition of ancient masks and invites Ekimu to join him, but Ekimu declines without revealing his reasons. As Makuta departs, the other Protectors individually meet with Ikir, Melum, Akida, Ketar, and Terak and receive the other crystals.
Ekimu completes the Golden Masks, and then gathers them and the Protectors to travel to Capital City aboard his airship, having determined that Makuta has stolen the Elemental Crystals he used for the Protectors' masks and combined them with his prototype masks to create an even more powerful one. At Capital City, Makuta unveils his new Mask of Ultimate Power, only to be consumed by it's energies, which begin to affect the surrounding area. Ekimu and the Protectors arrive as this is occurring, and Ekimu tries to reason with his brother but is forced to knock the Mask of Ultimate Power from Makuta's face. The resulting release of energies destroys both Mask Makers' airships, levels Capital City, and scatters the Golden Masks across the island. 
Having survived, the Protectors come across Ekimu's comatose form and hear him whispering the Prophecy of Heroes; they then carry him back to the City of the Mask Makers. Finding the city intact, the Protectors are resolved that they or their descendants will find and secure the Golden Masks of the Toa. Ekimu is then laid to rest in a tomb, where he is found and awakened by the Toa centuries later, only to inform them that they are late.
===Protectors Guide to Okoto===
A set of informational pages about the series.
Category:BIONICLECategory:2016 books