Keora woke up when the sun rose. Po Koro's desert landscape made the sun's light a harsh glare, making Keora squint. He looked at Hahli, who was lying asleep on the floor. He smiled, then quietly got up and left the hut, pausing in his exit to lift Hahli up and onto the bed.
As he left, he noticed the Po-Matoran staring at him. He quickly left the village and looked out over the desolate landscape of Po-Wahi. He sighed. When will I get back home?
There was a cold voice behind him. "Who are you?"
Keora turned. "I should be asking you the same question."
The Toa of Ice crossed his arms. "Kopaka. Toa of Ice."
"I'm Keora. I'm not from here."
"I can see that."
Keora narrowed his eyes. "I'm also someone you wouldn't want to cross."
Kopaka frowned. "Really?" he asked, sounding disinterested.
Keora stuck his hand out and blew Kopaka back ten feet with a wave of sound. "Really."
Kopaka, in response, took out his sword and sent a needle of ice towards Keora, who conjured a shield around himself, shattering the needle before raising the shards and hurling them back at him.
Kopaka blocked them on his shield and was about to attack again when a voice boomed through the air.
"Kopaka!"
Tahu ran up and pushed Kopaka's sword down, then looked at Keora. "This ends now. Understand?"
Keora nodded and said "Implicitly." He started to walk back to the village, but as he passed Kopaka whispered "We're not finished here. Brother."
Later, as Keora sat on the edge of a cliff looking over the island, he heard footsteps. Turning his head, he saw Jaller walking up to him to sit on the ledge beside him.
The Matoran spoke. "So…do you like it here?"
"It's…different," Keora said. "Not like my island."
Jaller looked at him. "So…what are you doing out here?"
"I was about to rebuild the ship I arrived in."
Jaller looked at the pillar of smoke that was rising from Le-Wahi. "Uh…it seemed beyond repair when Nuparu looked at it."
"But he didn't have my mask." Keora stretched out his hand. "Watch."
The Heya started to glow. Jaller turned as a whistling filled the air.
Pieces of warped and melted metal began to fly over them, repairing and reassembling themselves in the desert below.
As the ship began to take shape, Matoran and Toa alike came to the edge of the cliff, staring in awe.
Jaller looked at Keora, whose eyes were closed in effort. Finally, he looked at the silver airship gleaming in the sun. He smiled, then got up and looked at Tahu. "You should gather the others."
Tahu nodded. "I understand." He turned and ran back to the village.
Keora made his way through the crowd of Matoran down to the airship, smiling. "I'm coming back. I'll be there soon."
***
Turaga Vakama sat inside Po-Koro's suva, Keora across from him. "You realize, Keora, that if you take our Toa, you will be robbing us of our protection."
"I understand, Turaga, but my island cannot be helped by my group alone. Our enemies are too numerous."
Vakama sighed. "In the name of Mata Nui, be careful with them."
Keora nodded. "I will. I will do my best to be sure they get back safely."
There was a knock on the outside of the suva. Jaller's voice filtered in through the wall. "Turaga Vakama? May we talk to you?"
Vakama stuck his head outside of the suva. "Of course, Jaller. Come in."
Jaller, followed by Hahli, entered the suva. "We want to go along, Turaga."
Vakama stood up. "Absolutely not!"
Both Matoran immediately protested.
"I'm Captain of the Guard!" Jaller shouted.
"I'm Chronicler!" Hahli shouted at the same time.
Keora looked at Vakama. "I'm sure they wouldn't be any bother, Turaga."
Turaga sighed. "If you can keep them both out of trouble, then they may go."
Jaller and Hahli looked at one another excitedly.
"However," Vakama continued, "You must do everything Toa Keora says. And please, for the sake of the Great Spirits, stay out of trouble."
Jaller and Hahli bowed. "We'll do our best, Turaga."
Keora stood as much as he could in the cramped Suva. "If you don't mind, wise one, I think I'll ready the ship."
"As you wish, Toa Keora."
A few minutes later, the eight Toa and two Matoran stood in front of the airship. Lewa looked at Keora. "Hopefully, brother, this ship won't fall-crash to the ground."
Keora smiled. "Don't worry. I have no idea how it happened when I got here, but I don't think it'll happen again."
The other Toa looked at one another nervously, but got aboard nonetheless.
The crowd of Matoran cheering them off, the airship rose into the sky, turned east, and accelerated.
Keora stood at the control panel of the ship, looking over his shoulder at the Toa and Matoran that were sitting in the middle compartment. "Everybody alright back there?"
Nobody except Lewa answered. "We're all sure-fine brother. How long it take us to get-arrive there?"
"About a day if we continue at this speed. We should be there by nightfall."
The flight was smooth and the weather calm. The ship made good progress.
As the sun was sinking over the horizon, a small blot came into view. Kopaka walked up to the window and peered at it, the panel over his eye dilating to get a closer look. "It's an island," he observed. "There are ships above it, but I can't make out much more than that."
Keora suddenly accelerated, catching Kopaka off guard and making the Toa of Ice stumble.
Tahu looked at him. "What was that for?"
Keora didn't look back. "No ships on Jora Nui are supposed to be in the air unless it's an emergency. We have to hurry. That's a battle above the island, and they'll probably need help."
