View source for Maze of Shadows (Location)

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The '''Maze of Shadows''' was the complex and extensive system of tunnels and caves extending from [[Mata Nui (Location)|Mata Nui]] to [[Metru Nui]]. After the former's destruction, the cave system remained in place.

== History ==
The Maze of Shadows was created by the [[Great Beings]] over 100,000 years ago inside {{p|Mata Nui|Being}}'s head. Conduits of [[Energized Protodermis]] were placed inside the walls of the tunnels that activated when he landed, creating an island that acted as a camouflage system. When time came for Mata Nui's departure, the [[Bohrok]] housed inside the [[Bohrok Nests|nests]] in the Maze would awake and ascend to the island above through the same tunnels to cleanse it of life.

When [[Teridax]] was assigned by [[Miserix]] to supervise Metru Nui, he used this area to house many of his lairs and a number of vaults, inside which he stored items of various kinds, from flawed [[Kanohi|masks]] to the [[Spear of Fusion]]. He also placed a pool of Energized Protodermis in [[Mangaia|his main lair]] which he often experimented with to create new creatures. When the creatures did not satisfy him, he usually banished them in the tunnels; others he placed to guard his lairs.

Sometime before the [[Great Cataclysm]], Teridax created the {{p|Karzahni|Plant}} to drive the [[Matoran]] of Metru Nui towards the [[Coliseum]]. However, it proved too willful and ambitious for his plans and so he abandoned it, replacing it with the [[Morbuzakh]]. The Karzahni settled itself into a chamber that was part of the network, interlacing itself very deeply with the rock walls of the cavern and manifesting itself as moss growing on the walls of the tunnels around it. Eventually it gained dominance over many of the mutant Rahi Teridax had exiled. Soon after, a member of the [[Order of Mata Nui]] wandered inside these tunnels and was captured by the plant, who forced him to reveal the existence of the organization before killing him.

When Mata Nui crashed on [[Aqua Magna]], some of the conduits in the tunnel walls broke. The Energized Protodermis that they held leaked into the tunnels, reached the surface, and transformed the island above.{{BookCitation|MGttU|18}}

Shortly after, in response to the {{p|Visorak|Rahi}} invasion of Metru Nui, many of the [[Rahi]] there fled throughout these tunnels, often dying along the way. The surviving ones made up the Rahi fauna of the island of Mata Nui. It was one of these fleeing Rahi, a [[Nui-Jaga]], which made [[Toa Metru]] [[Onewa]] realize that the tunnels might extend to Metru Nui.

During their journey through the tunnels, the Toa Metru battled a [[Kranua]], the [[Red Serpent]], [[Bohrok]] controlled by worm-like Rahi and the [[Rahi Nui]]. This last enemy wounded [[Nokama]] fatally, forcing her teammates to make a deal with Karzahni, that offered to heal Nokama in exchange for a sample of Energized Protodermis. To accomplish this task, the Toa (along with Nokama, who had been temporarily healed) journeyed along the tunnels, retrieving along the way a vial to contain the dangerous substance and a number of [[Kanoka]] Disks, and battling many former guardians of Teridax, which were also fleeing to Mata Nui. Eventually they reached one of Teridax's lairs, and confronted the Energized Protodermis, which refused to give away a part of its substance, choosing instead to fight the Toa. After a short battle, the Toa destroyed the pool and escaped with the substance. Forced by [[Vakama]] to keep its word, the Karzahni cured Nokama but when it exposed itself to the substance, it was destroyed.

After reaching the [[Silver Sea]], the Toa Metru searched the tunnels for a way to cross it. It was Vakama who found in an abandoned lair of Teridax the parts of a Vahki transport the Toa used to build their boat, which they made seaworthy using logs coming from the dead Karzahni.

Later, after rescuing the Matoran, the Toa Metru used the tunnels to reach Mata Nui on their [[Airship]]s. The same tunnels were used by Vakama to reach the island after having retrieved the [[Kanohi]] [[Vahi]].

When the [[Toa Mata]] descended in the tunnels to reach [[Mangaia]], they faced and defeated the Manas Teridax was using as guardians. The crabs fled along the tunnel network, eventually settling in [[Onu-Wahi]]. [[Takanuva|Takua]] the Chronicler also used these tunnels to reach Mangaia and subsequently the Bohrok Nests.

When Teridax awoke the Bohrok, the machines used these tunnels to ascend to the island of Mata Nui. The same tunnels were then used by the Toa Mata to make the reverse trip. After battling some Bohrok and escaping traps created by the [[Bahrag]], the Toa defeated these two entities. In the process, they fell inside the Energized Protodermis conduits, becoming [[Toa Nuva]]. After the fight, the nests and the tunnels leading to them collapsed. Some of the rubble was later melted by [[Pahrak-Kal]] to reach the Bahrag.

When Toa Takanuva descended into Mangaia, he used the [[Ussanui]] to make this journey. [[Hahli]] later summoned the [[Turaga]], the Toa Nuva and the Matoran to Mangaia, where they witnessed the creation of [[Takutanuva]] and the opening of the gate which led to Metru Nui. Following this re-discovery, the Matoran used the tunnels to descend to the shores of the Silver Sea with the boats to sail across it.

Some time later, a [[Piraka|band]] of [[Skakdi]] entered Mangaia to loot it. Pursued by the [[Mana Ko]] residing in Mangaia, they fled to the island of Mata Nui through the tunnel leading to Kini-Nui.

The tunnels were used once more by the Bohrok, as well as by the Toa Nuva, to reach Mata Nui. The Bohrok caused the Rahi living on the island, along with the [[Kardas Dragon]], to flee along the maze back to Metru Nui.

When Mata Nui was destroyed, the tunnels survived. They were used by a band of [[Ta-Matoran]] to try to reach the island.

After Teridax's death and mass evacuation of the [[Matoran Universe]], the tunnels, along with all other locations, were dismantled.{{GregCitation|OGQ|page=4|post=130|lines=7,18}}{{GregCitation|CwGF|page=426|post=10878435}}

== Landscape ==
The tunnels making up the Maze of Shadows were very different in shape and size. Some were as large and high as half the Coliseum, others much smaller. Occasionally they were straight, but they often twist, turn and fork. Sometimes they were interrupted by caverns or chasms, often spanned by stone bridges.

The walls of the tunnels werre carved with images and writings related to the Bohrok.

On the island of Mata Nui the entrances to the Maze of Shadows were located all around the island, though mostly in [[Po-Wahi]] and [[Onu-Wahi]]. The [[Kini-Nui]] also housed an entrance which led to Mangaia. On Metru Nui, the entrances to the tunnels were located in the [[Great Barrier]].

=== [[Mangaia]] ===
The largest lair of Teridax located in this region, Mangaia spanned an area under the Kini-Nui and the [[Mangai Volcano]]. It was made of a large cavern of which the roof was once supported by pillars, which were destroyed during the fight between Takanuva and Teridax. In the center there was once a pool of Energized Protodermis, which was destroyed by the [[Order of Mata Nui]].

A long tunnel with many ramifications connected Mangaia to the Kini-Nui . From Mangaia departed also another tunnel which was closed by an enormous and very heavy gate and that led to the shore of the Silver Sea.

=== [[Bohrok Nests]] ===
The Maze of Shadows encompassed many Bohrok Nests, which housed the sleeping Bohrok. They were large caverns filled with cylinders, each containing a sleeping Bohrok. The tunnels were distributed over the entirety of the tunnel network. Some of them, which had been discovered by the Archivists, were located under Metru Nui. 

The nests could be reached from every part of the Maze of Shadows. The nest which housed the Bahrag was made of a large cavern with carvings which could house the forty-eight varieties of [[Krana]]. Placing the Krana in the carvings causes six tunnels to open, where the Bahrag resided and where there were once located six suits of [[Exo-Toa]]. This particular nest collapsed, but the rubble was melted by Pahrak-Kal.

A nest can also be accessed by Mangaia, and could be exited through a [[Bohrok Nest Portal|portal]] which led to [[Ta-Wahi Beach]].

== References ==
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