The Crystal Serpents of Artakha

The Crystal Serpents were four enormous crystalline RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. made by ArtakhaArtakhaArtakha is the master craftsman of the Matoran Universe, ruler of a hidden island where the Toa Mata came into being and the Avohkii was forged., his first and only attempt at creating living creatures. Unable to tame them and unwilling to destroy them, he set them free on the island that bore his name, and they spread to its four corners. They are best remembered for the day MakutaThe Brotherhood of MakutaAn organization of Makuta created by Mata Nui to build Rahi and keep order in his universe, later seized by Teridax and turned into the instrument of the Plan that overthrew the Great Spirit. KojolKojolKojol was the Makuta assigned to oversee the region of Artakha, leader of the raid that stole the Avohkii, and the unwitting source of the virus that weakened Mata Nui. invaded the island in pursuit of the Mask of LightKanohi Mask of Light and ShadowA single fused Kanohi formed in Energized Protodermis when Takanuva and Teridax merged into Takutanuva, holding both light and shadow at once., when two of them focused the rays of the sun through their bodies and burned up his first wave of VisorakVisorakSpider-like Rahi created by Makuta Chirox, conquered for the Brotherhood by Gorast, broken at Metru Nui, and ultimately destroyed in a volcanic eruption on Artidax.. (BIONICLE: World; The Mutran Chronicles)

Creation and the judgment of failure#

ArtakhaArtakhaArtakha is the master craftsman of the Matoran Universe, ruler of a hidden island where the Toa Mata came into being and the Avohkii was forged., the great maker of the Matoran UniverseMatoran UniverseA civilization of biomechanical beings living inside a colossal robot, destroyed when Teridax seized control., is said to have believed he could create creatures as easily as he made tools. The result was the four Crystal Serpents, enormous Rahi that looked as if they were carved from crystal. (BIONICLE: World)

They could not be tamed. Artakha, unwilling to destroy what he had made, set them free instead. After that failure, he never attempted to create Rahi again. (BIONICLE: World)

The decision fits what's known of Artakha: a maker who would rather live with a mistake than unmake it. (BIONICLE: World)

The four cardinal beasts#

Once freed, the serpents made their way to the four corners of the island of Artakha. (BIONICLE: World)

They spend most of their time dormant, coming out to feed only about once every two centuries. Matoran aren't a crystal serpent's favourite meal, but Artakha's Matoran know to stay clear of them all the same. (BIONICLE: World; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Their great weapon is light. A crystal serpent can absorb light and magnify it into a lethal heat ray. (The Mutran Chronicles)

The defence of ArtakhaArtakhaArtakha is the master craftsman of the Matoran Universe, ruler of a hidden island where the Toa Mata came into being and the Avohkii was forged. against KojolKojolKojol was the Makuta assigned to oversee the region of Artakha, leader of the raid that stole the Avohkii, and the unwitting source of the virus that weakened Mata Nui.#

When rumours reached Destral that the KanohiKanohiMasks that grant powers and sustain life, they're the most vital artifact in the Matoran Universe. AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. had been made on Artakha, Makuta KojolKojolKojol was the Makuta assigned to oversee the region of Artakha, leader of the raid that stole the Avohkii, and the unwitting source of the virus that weakened Mata Nui., who oversaw that region, set out to seize it. Teridax wanted a quiet raid with a few Rahkshi. Kojol ignored him and assembled a strike force of VisorakVisorakSpider-like Rahi created by Makuta Chirox, conquered for the Brotherhood by Gorast, broken at Metru Nui, and ultimately destroyed in a volcanic eruption on Artidax., RahkshiBionicle Rahkshi: the Sons of Makuta from Mask of LightRahkshi are armoured hunters made from kraata, the slug-like creatures of the Makuta. Six of them chased the Mask of Light across Mata Nui in 2003. Here's what they are, the different kinds and where they turn up in the films, books and comics. and even a few Exo-ToaExo-ToaToa-sized powered armor built for the Brotherhood of Makuta, worn briefly by the Toa Mata against the Bahrag and later used as enforcers under Teridax., meaning to crush the island's defences in one blow. (The Mutran Chronicles)

It didn't go to plan. The first thing the Visorak met when they hit the beach was a pair of huge serpents that looked as if they were made of crystal. The spiders, confident as ever, expected to make short work of them. Instead, sunlight concentrated through the serpents' crystal bodies burned up every spider in Kojol's first wave. (The Mutran Chronicles)

Kojol pulled his ships back and tried another approach. The Rahkshi climbed in over more treacherous ground, Artakha's devices took a heavy toll on them, and once the Exo-Toa were deployed, the island fell and Kojol carried off the Avohkii. (The Mutran Chronicles)

Long aftermath on the island#

The Crystal Serpents play no part in any later story. The raid on Artakha is the only battle they are known to have fought. (The Mutran Chronicles; BIONICLE: World)

The raid didn't end well for the Brotherhood, either. The Rahkshi who had taken part were later found destroyed, the Exo-Toa vanished from their posts, and Kojol himself died in a suspicious accident on Xia, leaving Mutran wondering whether Artakha, or someone close to him, was taking revenge. (The Mutran Chronicles)

The serpents, meanwhile, went back to sleeping in their corners of the island, waking every couple of centuries to feed. Judged a failure by the maker who made them, they still did more to defend his island that day than anything else on its beaches. (BIONICLE: World; The Mutran Chronicles)