So, new chapter today. Hope this isn't too lame.

Thank you to AllSpark Princess and koryandrs for reviewing earlier chapters.


For a heartbeat, nothing happened, and Shadalaine thought that nothing would. Then, the mask burst to life.

Silver light flared out in ever-increasing spirals, wrapping the matoran in a light impossible to see through. One touched Naho's side, easing the pain immediately, then slipped past, twining around Diamond. A pause, then the tendrils split, half remaining around their original location and the others leaping to Diamond who yowled in shock.

The light grew taller, wider, and brighter, whipping around in an ever-hastening spiral until it flashed once so brightly that Naho was forced to close her eyes.

Shadalaine collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. She wasn't entirely sure what had just happened; there were just sensations of power licking along the seams of her armor and light flaring constantly around her, then one bright flash and nothing. Her strength seemed to have failed her as well, which was why she was on her knees.

"I knew it," Naho said softly.

"Knew what?" Her hearing was off; her voice was deeper, smoother.

Naho snorted. "Take a look at yourself."

Shadalaine glanced down at her arms and all but screamed in shock.

Only moments before they had been short and stocky. Now they were long and slender, far longer in comparison to her torso-which, now that she looked down, had grown as well. Her legs had changed the most; now they made up a little more than half of her height. Silvery armor covered almost her entire body, and seemed to shine with its own internal light.

"I'm a toa," she whispered, stunned.

"That you are," Naho confirmed. "As I thought."

"You knew this would happen?"

"I hoped," the toa of water corrected, sitting up carefully. "You had the traits of becoming a truly great toa. I simply wished to see if Mata Nui agreed."

"You're not bleeding anymore!" Shadalaine exclaimed.

Naho choked out a laugh.

"It's far too late, little sister," she said. "I've lost far too much."

"But-"

"Listen to me, I don't have much time left. When you leave, you can't go to the other toa."

"What? Why?"

"Because," Naho snapped. "That mission I went on was top secret. Only my team and Turaga Dume knew of it. However, I walked straight into an ambush on the island. They knew I was there and were waiting. There's a leak somewhere, and I refuse to allow whoever it is to kill you."

"But why would they kill me?"

Naho smiled. "Still so trusting. You're wearing the Mask of Virtues. That's a legendary mask, Shadalaine. The moment you step out into the sunlight, you're going to be a target for every single being who knows about it."

"Oh." Shadalaine sat back. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"How well do you know the Ga-metru shoreline?"

"Very well. Why?"

Naho nodded, closing her eyes. "Do you know the rock formation right against the cliffs opposite this Temple? It looks like a closed fist sticking up out of the ground."

Shadalaine nodded.

"Go there. The rocks ring around a small clearing and it's accessible if you can climb over the rocks. There's a shallow cave in the back. In the back of the cave there's a small dimple in the wall, round and about as big as my hand. If you place your hand in there, a door will slide back. There's a stairway that leads straight into my house. You can remain together until you are ready."

"But-but-"

"NO arguing. It'll be left empty after my death anyway."

"Why?"

"Toa tradition. Unless I specifically leave the house to someone it's bad luck to live in it. I'm leaving it to you but the others won't know that so they won't go in."

Naho gasped, shuddering. Shadalaine scrambled up and hurried over, nearly tripping on Naho in the process. The older toa chuckled.

"A little strange trying to get the hang of all that height, isn't it?"

Shadalaine smiled in spite of her fear.

"A little."

"Now." Naho gave her a dry look. "I'm very sorry, but your name is extremely recognizable. I don't think I've ever heard of another name even remotely like it. I would suggest changing it."

"But won't I be in hiding anyway?"

"What, forever?" Naho shook her head. "You don't have to change it drastically. I-"

She paused, glancing up and down.

"Were you aware that you're glowing?"

Startled, Shadalaine looked down. It was now fully dark in the temple, but not by them; her armor was glowing a soft silver.

"Like a star in the middle of the shadows," Naho remarked drily. "In fact, now that I think of it, 'laine' means 'star' in an old matoran dialect. You could call yourself Star."

"How about Shadowstar instead? It sounds a little more familiar."

"Shadowstar it is, then," Naho murmured. "You need to go. The other toa are probably looking for me by now, I was due to return two days ago."

The newly named Shadowstar nodded and got to her feet, then yelped in pain.

"What's wrong?" Naho asked, glancing up.

"Something poked me in the leg!"

"Did you sit on your sword, maybe?" Naho asked drily.

"No, it was on top, when I was pressing my fists on my thighs to get up-holy slag!"

"What?" Naho demanded. Shadowstar held up her hand in mute reply. She appeared to now have eight fingers. Naho frowned.

"How on earth did you manage to shapeshift? You don't have the mask for it, and only Makuta are natural shapeshifters."

"I didn't," Shadowstar replied. "Those are claws. And I pressed them out from my hand, I didn't shapeshift them or anything. I think they're supposed to be there."

"Part of your toa form, you mean? I've never heard of anything like that."

Shadowstar bit her lip for a minute before her eyes lit up.

"I know! I made myself a kind of claws out of some ones that Diamond shed when I started running messages. When I, um, changed, the mask must have made them-well-permanent."

Naho blinked in surprise.

"Not something I've ever heard of before, but then again, I've never had any experience with legendary masks transforming Matoran. Just Toa Stones."

"How come I didn't need a Toa Stone, anyway?" Shadowstar asked. "I didn't think masks could just make you become a toa."

"Only legendary ones can, at least according to Toa myth. This is the first Legendary mask I've actually ever seen, so I suppose that it at least works like the myths."

"Wonder if it did anything else weird," Shadowstar mused, then gasped. "Oh no! Diamond!"

"Your little rahi?" Naho frowned. "I don't think you can keep her. There's no way you can ride her now, and Toa transformations affect matoran, not..."

Her words trailed off as she spotted the very large shape that lay where Diamond had previously. On cue, the shape shifted, and as Shadowstar approached resolved itself into the form of a rather large rahi lying on its side with its stomach towards Naho. It was long, with close sleek fur, and massive paws. Its head was at the end of a long neck, and was roughly wedge-shaped. The tail started thin but ended in a nasty-looking barb. At Shadowstar's approach the head rose, and a tall crest that had been lying flat against its neck rose.

"Diamond," Shadalaine called softly. "Diamond."

"The crest slowly came down and the rahi gave an achingly familiar whuff.

"You're a lot bigger than I am now," Shadowstar told her pet, kneeling down to take Diamond's head onto her lap.

"Go," Naho said suddenly. "Hurry! I hear voices!"

She was right. From below floated the very distinctive voices of Nidhiki and Lhikan.

"But-" Shadowstar was clearly torn. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine, they'll be here in a few minutes," Naho told her. "There's a back entrance and a path that leads down to the shoreline that way. Take Diamond and go."

Shadowstar nodded and was about to leave when Naho's laughter stopped her.

"Are you really going to forget your weapons, little sister?"

Shadowstar turned, surprised. Naho nodded to the suva where, unnoticed, there was the bright gleam of metal.

"All toa recieve some form of armament from Mata Nui when they are changed."

Shadowstar ran over to the suva, noticing that her legs were already steadier, and grabbed up the objects from the floor, only glancing down long enough to avoid cutting her hand open on the blade of a sword, then turned and ran. Diamond scrambled to her feet and managed to follow without tripping. They darted out of the temple just in time; behind them Lhikan's voice was clear and worried.

"C'mon, c'mon," Shadowstar muttered, scrambling down the steep incline to the shore. Diamond slithered down behind, falling in a heap.

They hurried around the temple and across the great arch of beach. There was no moon, and the night was cloudy, but Shadowstar's armor was still glowing brightly enough to be spotted, and she knew quite well that at any moment there might be a pursuit.

Finally the clump of rocks loomed up, looking very much like five fingers curled into a fist.

"C'mon, Diamond," Shadowstar whispered. "Just a little longer. We just need to get into there."

The rahi whined, but reared, placing forepaws on the rocks and leaping over. Shadowstar swallowed hard and followed, scrambling up over the rocks and dropping onto a clear patch of sand. Diamond took up most of the room in the little opening, but there was still enough room for Shadowstar to flop down onto her stomach and put down the bundle of weapons that she had been carrying.

"Good night, Diamond," she managed, closing her eyes as sudden exhaustion caught hold. Diamond snorted, curling up around the matoran turned toa and following her into the realm of sleep.


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