BIONICLE: Raid on Vulcanus

"There are walls on this map that didn't even exist two weeks ago. With something like this, the Bone Hunters could go around or through any of our defenses. We wouldn't stand a chance."

- Raanu, Raid on Vulcanus

BIONICLE: Raid on Vulcanus is the first of two BIONICLE novels detailing the 2009 Bara Magna saga, and the first novel not to belong to a series.

Synopsis
The book begins with Fero and Skirmix searching for prey out in the desert. Fero is about to leave when Skirmix indicates there is prey around. Fero spots a caravan, protected by Gelu, heading toward Tajun, and decides to pursue. Gelu reflects how the Skrall have slowly become more and more aggresive, finally attacking Atero. Gelu's Sand Stalker rears at the sight of a destroyed caravan, the site of a Bone Hunter raid. Gelu tells the Agori he is escorting that it is nothing to worry about. He then spots a Bone Hunter riding towards him and orders the Agori to flee and hide in a sandstorm. Gelu rides up to meet Fero, and the two engage in battle. The Ice Tribe Glatorian is able to knock Fero off of his steed, but the Bone Hunter quickly recovers and aims his Thornax Launcher at Gelu, ordering him to get off his Sand Stalker and toss his Thornax Launcher away. The Glatorian does so, and, after a brief sword fight, Gelu gains the upper hand and defeats Fero, discovering a map of modern Vulcanus in the Bone Hunter's possession. Gelu asks what it is, but Fero refuses to talk, even when the Glatorian threatens to kill Skirmix. Gelu leaves and catches up with the caravan, which had been raided by Zesk. Once the group resumes it's journey, Gelu studies the map and realizes that it details the defenses of Vulcanus, even ones that were not there even a week ago, and that the map is not written in the Bone Hunter's language, but instead Agori. When Gelu and the Agori reach Tajun, the Glatorian meets up with Metus, who talks about Tajun and its Glatorian, and asks Gelu if he would be interested in fighting for the village. When Gelu declines, Metus says that he is on his way to Vulcanus with Gresh to fight against Ackar, and Gelu decides to travel to Vulcanus with them.

Along the way, the group runs into a caravan with a broken wheel. The Agori in the caravan are somewhat biased against Gelu, as a Glatorian of the Ice Tribe offered to help them earlier in exchange for half of their goods, due to the path ahead being filled with Vorox. Gresh offers to repair their wheel and escort them for free, much to objections of Metus. After the caravan is fixed, Gresh says that they should keep traveling dispite it being nightime, reasoning that they have a better chance of surviving a Vorox attack if they are moving rather than if they make camp. As they travel through the desert, they notice a Vorox about to attack them, and Gelu defeats it with a Thornax. A multitude of Vorox then begin to attack the two Glatorian, who are able to fend most of them off. When the Vorox become too much to handle, Gelu and Gresh decide to toss two pieces of new armor from the caravan in opposite directions, resulting in the Vorox fighting each other for the cargo, and the group is able to make it out of the pass safely. As they near Vulcanus, Gelu compliments Gresh on his fighting.

After they reach their destination, the Agori apologize for judging the Glatorian so harshly, but Metus sends Gresh and Gelu off, stating that they are supposed to accept pay for helping. The two Glatorian eventually make it to the village inn of Vulcanus, where they talk about being a Glatorian and about the Core War. Gelu then spots Raanu, and excuses himself. The Ice Glatorian tells Raanu about the map, and they discuss the chances of survival against a Bone Hunter attack. Raanu suggests fleeing, but Gelu instead suggests assembling a group of Glatorian to defend the village. Raanu asks Gelu if he is going to lead the Glatorian, but Ackar, having overheard the conversation, says he will do it instead. The Fire Glatorian looks over the map and questions Gelu's idea, saying that Bone Hunters can cause great destruction. When Raanu asks if Ackar is saying they should flee, the Glatorian responds by saying that Gelu's plan is most likely the best choice. Gresh declares that he supports it, and Ackar orders him to go to Tesara and recruit some Glatorian. He also sends out two Glatorian trainees to Tajun to seek help there, and Gelu stays with Ackar.

Ackar instructs Raanu what to do if the Bone Hunters attack the village while the Glatorian are gone, then leaves with Gelu. The two Glatorian ride into the north, where Ackar explains he has to pick up a "friend" to aid in an attack on the Bone Hunter camp. Meanwhile, Gresh rides to Tesara, and on his way, he ponders the Skrall and Bone Hunters, and what they could do if they allied with each other. Elsewhere, Fero and four other Bone Hunters hear the two rookie Glatorian from Vulcanus. Fero orders the group to split up into two groups, planning to ambush and kill the Glatorian.

Ackar and Gelu cut to the west across the bed of the Skrall River, where Gelu notices telltale marks of Vorox in the sand. Ackar tells Gelu that they are heading for a cave inside a small mountain range when they are suddenly ambushed by Zesk and Vorox. Gelu reaches for his Thornax Launcher, but the Fire Glatorian stops him. Ackar calls for Malum, who is hiding in the cave. At hearing this, the Vorox begin murmuring among themselves. Ackar calls again, and Malum comes out of his cave. He asks the two Glatorian why they have come, and Ackar tells Malum that Vulcanus is in trouble. Malum refuses to help until Ackar reveals that the Bone Hunters are involved. Ackar then explains the situation, and Malum agrees to help.

In Tesara, Gresh goes to the arena, where Vastus is in a practice session. Vastus asks if Gresh's match was canceled, and Gresh tells Vastus the situation. Vastus refuses to help, saying that it could be a trick by the Bone Hunters, and states that he will not leave Tesara. Angered, Gresh leaves.

Elsewhere, Kiina and Tarix scan the Wastelands to investigate rumors of a herd of wild Rock Steeds. They instead find the bodies of the two rookie Glatorian sent from Vulcanus and a Bone Hunter sword buried in the sand nearby. Kiina offers to go to Vulcanus to tell them about the deaths of the Glatorian trainees, and Tarix says he will bury the two at Tajun.

Meanwhile, Ackar, Gelu, and Malum go to the Bone Hunter camp, and at Malum's order, the Vorox attack and ambush the Bone Hunters. At first, the Vorox and Glatorian are able to defeat many Bone Hunters, but in the middle of the battle, one of them throws something on the fire and causes it to explode into a much larger blaze. The Bone Hunters gain the upper hand and manage to take down many Vorox, and the remaining Vorox, along with the Glatorian, retreat. They return to the cave, and Ackar asks if Malum could defend Vulcanus. He refuses, but wishes the two luck in the battle to come.

In Vulcanus, Raanu watches the Agori villagers work on the village defenses when Kiina arrives, telling Raanu about the deaths of the Glatorian trainees. Raanu then explains the situation to Kiina, and she tells Raanu to flee. Raanu objects to this, and the two argue. As they argue, they are interrupted by Gelu and Ackar. Gelu tells Raanu about the attack on the Bone Hunter camp while Ackar greets Kiina. Kiina asks Ackar why he is encouraging the village to fight the Bone Hunters, and Ackar responds by asking what the village would do when the Skrall come. Gelu then suggests adding on to the village's defenses.

Hours pass as the villagers add on to the defenses of the village, and eventually Kiina joins in. A few Glatorian, including Gresh, Strakk, and a few apprentices from Tesara arrive at Vulcanus. Gelu asks how Gresh got Strakk to join, and Gresh tells Gelu that he lied, and told Strakk that there was a large Exsidian payment. Gresh then explains to the other Glatorian that he met up with an Agori on the way back to Vulcanus, and the Agori told him that the Skrall informed him that the Bone Hunters would be attacking from the east, from the treacherous Iron Canyon. Raanu tells Ackar that they must build walls along the canyon rim, but Ackar refuses, and Kiina agrees, saying that they should trick the Hunters.

Meanwhile, Fero and his comrades ride through the Wastelands to Vulcanus. One young Bone Hunter objects to the raid, and in response, Fero kills him. He asks if any other Bone Hunters have anything to say, and when no one answers, unwilling to be killed, the Hunters ride on. Elsewhere, in Roxtus, Tuma thinks about the past few weeks, such as an Agori betraying his kind, and supplying information to the Skrall. Stronius then comes in and asks why Tuma supplied information to Vulcanus. Tuma tells Stronius that it is a "test" for the Bone Hunters, and he wished to make the "test" harder for them.

At Vulcanus, Kiina teaches an Agori how to use a Thornax Launcher with a rock in place of the Thornax, with no success. Kiina tells the Agori to go to Gresh, who is teaching the Agori how to cut Fireroot vines for a trap. Metus, one of Gresh's Agori, tries to cut it, but gets his knife stuck in the vine. Raanu cuts the vine easily, and Metus says he would rather go to Gelu or Strakk, when he realizes Strakk is gone.

Later Gelu makes a trap to be used on the Bone Hunters. When the alert is set off that the Bone Hunters have arrived, Gelu sets off the trap, killing and wounding several Bone Hunters. After losing some of his group, Fero decides to turn back and return to the desert. Upon hearing of the Bone Hunters retreat, Raanu dismisses the Glatorian, despite Kiina's warnings.

Kyry spots something in the desert, and upon realizing that it's Bone Hunters, attempts to warn Raanu, but is knocked unconscious. The Bone Hunters attack Vulcanus, and despite the assistance of Ackar, is badly outmatched. The other Glatorian return, this time with Tarix, Vastus, and several trainees. The Glatorian are able to defend the village from the Bone Hunters, and drive Fero, the last remaining Hunter, away.

Characters

 * Ackar
 * Several Bone Hunters


 * Fero


 * Gelu
 * Gresh
 * Kiina
 * Kyry
 * Malum
 * Metus
 * Raanu
 * Strakk
 * Tarix
 * Vastus
 * Several Vorox
 * Several Zesk
 * Stronius
 * Tuma

Trivia

 * The first chapter of The Legend Reborn novelization was included at the end of the book.
 * An excerpt of Raid on Vulcanus was included in Mata Nui's Guide to Bara Magna.