Don't own Bionicle, Kay? Sorayanna, Jalik, Siahta, and Soulstealer are MINE though. So I have that going for me.

Heeh, Saya, I hope ya don't mind me using (VERY BREIFLY) Natay XD (or implied that it was her...sorryz)

She sighed again as she picked up one of the children, putting them to bed. It was late, she knew, even if there was no sun or moon to tell her. "Go to sleep," She told them quietly, and her voice, though kind held no room for argument.

She hadn't slept well in Mata Nui knew how long-and the collapse of the halls weren't anything that was helping. Her father had been killed in that-he was standing almost directly under where it had been. She gnawed on her lip, and hung her head. She knew it was going to happen-it was going to happen to someone eventually. There was no point in denying that fact.

But at least Toa Nuju was okay-healed by the strange Water Toa, she had heard. That was good, at the very least.

She sat down heavily and hung her head. Who was she kidding? Her best friend was gone-sent on the recent raid. Jaller-a good friend of hers, more some insisted with a knowing smile- had gone too. And she was worried. She knew there was no point in doing so-it would mostly likely end up as it usually did. They fought, came back licking a few wounds and scratches, but over all fine.

There were mostly likely not any Hunters around where they were headed-rumors were that they were beginning to gather together for a direct siege on the Halls-bad news for them. Very bad news. Extra supplies were gathered-Matoran pretty much emptying the halls in search of vital stock.

She had been left here along with a few others to keep the halls. It was safer than going out on a raiding party, or anything else, but in a way, it was worse. She felt useless, sitting here, waiting for others to return, knowing that there was a very good chance that some of the Matoran gone wouldn't come back-or would come back maimed or wounded. That sickening thought twisted in her stomach. What if it was Makau they came back carrying-or Jaller? She tried to push the though away, closing her eyes, but the images flashed though her mind, and refused to be locked away.

"You Okahy?" A little voice asked her.

Halhi looked up from her head resting in her hands, to see a little Ga-Matoran standing before her, thumb in mouth, clutching a stuffed animal tightly to her, big eyes looking up at her.

"Yes, I'm just very, very tired, that's all." Halhi managed to lie to the Matoran, plastering a false smile on her face.

"You need nap." The Matoran declared, before placing her thumb back in her mouth.

In spite of herself, Halhi smiled at the little girl again slightly. "No, no, I'm just worried, that's all." She insisted to the little girl. "Shouldn't you be in bed little one?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

The girl just grinned back cheekily, and popped her thumb out of her mouth. "Nope. Not ti'ard. Not go sleepy." She insisted proudly, and Halhi held back a sigh.

"You miss Mista Jaller?" She asked innocently, tilting her head.

Mista Jaller was very nice. He liked Halhi a lot too-and made her very happy. He always made her happy. So where was he right now? Miss Halhi wasn't happy, and Mista Jaller could always change that.

"Yes," Halhi admitted to the child. "Very much. He's gone…away for awhile." She told the girl.

The girl frowned for a moment. That wasn't a good thing. Then who was gonna make Miss Halhi happy?

"He gone like Mama and Da?" She asked, her eyes lighting up. "Si'hita said that they was going away for the longestist time evea in the whole wide WORLD!!" The girl declared, throwing her hands up in the air to prove her point, and Halhi had to choke back a pitying sob, while swallowing the lump in her throat.

This particular child's parents had died on a past raid-not to long ago really. One, killed by a Hunter-the other murdered after trying to avenge the one who was killed. Poor girl remained blissfully ignorant of the fact-and didn't even challenge the fact that Siahta-as poor as a liar as she could be- had told her.

She envied the children at times. They could be so innocent, so blissfully ignorant of the chaos and killing that surrounded them every day- be satisfied with the lie that they were told, never challenging it, never trying to dispel the illusion that the older Matoran had set up around them. Never even realize the fact that people were dying all around them.

"Is Mista Jaller goin' away that long too?" She asked Halhi, hugging her stuffed animal.

Halhi shook her head, trying to rid herself of the fog in her eyes "I don't know…I hope not." She whispered softly

"I really hope not." She repeated, her voice almost inaudible.

The child waddled up to her, and hugged her leg tightly, resting her head ontop of her knee. "You feel betta soon. Mista Jaller come home soon." The child told her, in a soothing voice that Halhi had used on the other children before often. The tone you would use to sooth someone.

"You be betta soon." The child crooned again, hugging her tighter.

Halhi smiled down at her-picked her up and hugged her to her chest, sighing and burying her face in the top of the child's head. She wanted to believe the little girl, with all of her heart. She wanted to believe in that fantasy that the children lived in now, but she couldn't.

Some how, she couldn't bring herself to do so

It was like walking though a dream.

That was the only way she could describe what was happening to her. Sure, the circumstances were different-very much so. But there was no way to deny this was like walking though a memory or a dream of when she was a Hordika.

The ruins of the building, the webbing, the eerie stillness. The feeling of…wrongness.

She shuddered at the thought as she wandered though-following behind Vakama. She felt the all to familiar sickening thrill in her as she did too. She remembered feeling so in tune with everything-how exilerating it had been. How close she had been to nature. How far apart, how separated she had been from Vakama. How distant the other Toa had been to her-and she to them. How close she had been so many times to losing herself to the best within-losing everything about herself that made her…her.

She shuddered at the memories that collected around the ruined city. Then, she turned her attention back to her group. They had split up into two groups almost immediately afterwords. She, Vakama, Takua, and half of the Matoran-some who she vaguely recognized- in one group, while Jaller, Makau and the other Matoran when another way. At first she had wondered why, but soon, she had discovered exactly why it was very, very good idea to do so.

It was a problem to hide all of them right now-double the number and they might have all been wearing signs that read 'we're the enemy, shoot us!' for all the good it would have been. But even right now-it was hard to keep them all hidden.

There wasn't enough places for good cover-and right now quite of few of them were just standing up and walking though the rubble- Vakama not even bothering to stop them. Another reason might have been covering more ground-and doing this was the best way they had. What did still bother her though, was why she wasn't sent into the other group-if they spread out their force evenly, then the less chance of casualties.

But no, Nokama remembered Siahta's words, and she was aware of the glances that she was given. It was better to stay with Vakama. She'd rather not have something…unpleasant happen to her.

Visorak webbing lined the buildings and rubble- stringing across them, and cocoons hanging everywhere-though to her surprise-none of them were opened. She wandered though the rubble with the others in the dead, stiff silence. You could cut the tension with a knife, it was so thick.

It was as if something was going to happen-had to happen soon. You could feel it-there was no other way to explain it. She could feel it-and she was positive the others around her could feel it too.

Suddenly, time seemed to slow. There was a flash of silver to her right, that light up like a silver fire in the dusty sunlight. She heard shouting, and saw Matoran run past her, as if in is slow motion. Someone yelled out "RUN!"

Then as fast as the world had slowed down, she was flung back into the present time, and she could see the Matoran running swiftly. She could feel the cool wind whip at her. She saw clearly a Hunter draw his sword-the flash of steel reflecting against the sun's rays no longer long a brilliant, but a quick glint, before the world around her was burst into chaos.

He stared down at the mask in his hands, as if he stared long enough, something would happen, his questions would be solved. It was cold in his hands, smooth and flawless. It was of amazing craftsmanship- any Maskmaker could tell you that.

But he absolutely hated this mask. He hated it beyond all natural reason. He hated it because it had taken Nokama away-it had sent her somewhere that he could not find, nor could he reach. It had stolen her from him. And he hated the vile mask for that. She was gone, because he could not remove the mask from her face. She was gone because she hadn't listened to him when he told her to let go of that damned mask Gaaki had given her. She was gone because he hadn't suggested that he take it just incase.

It was his fault. He gripped the mask tighter in his hands, and a fresh wave of utter, pure, vile loathing-something that was so totally unfamiliar, so forgien to him, it confused and almost bothered him. He hated this mask not just because of that.

Oh, no, no, not just because of that. But because of what the mask looked like. Or, more as, WHO the mask looked like exactly. He hated the mask, because all those weeks ago, it had looked vaguely like his mask.

Now, now it looked different-completely different. It looked like her mask now-almost down to the exact detail. And he hated the mask for that. It was a cold, cheep imitation of her face.

She was soft, she was gentle, she was warm. The mask was nothing of those things. And so, it had infuriated him. His hands dug even more into the sides of the mask-before he froze when he heard a rap of the door.

Frowning, he stood up, mask still in hand, and pulled open the door to reveal the least expected being. Nuju Metru, standing in the middle of the heat, before him. "Are you going to let me in, or stand here staring at me all day?" Nuju snapped in Common-again surprising Vakama. As of recently, he had been speaking stricktly in the strange language of the flying Rahi.

Vakama glared at him, not really in the mood for his critical words, but after a moment stood aside so he could enter. Nuju swept inside-and Vakama shut the door behind him, before following him in.

"I have an idea on that mask," Nuju told him, indicating the mask that Vakama had in a death grip in his hands.

Vakama didn't glance down at it in the least, only nodded. "It was activated by strong emotions-like ours had in the first place. I think, if one of us can duplicate that emotion…we might be able to get the mask to take one of us to where ever it sent Nokama." Nuju explained quickly- correcting himself once or twice for he had slipped into the dialect of rahi that the Rahanga of ice had taught him unintentionally.

Vakama nodded at this, and looked down at his hands once again, not replying to Nuju's idea.

"Do you have any idea?" Nuju asked him, almost impatently.

"What?" Vakama asked blankly, looking up at his Ice brother confused.

"Do you have any idea what she was thinking about before?" Nuju rephrased the question.

"Why ask me?" Vakama asked him, suspicion growing for some reason.

"Please Vakama think," Nuju sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head. "You were the closest to her-it was obvious enough." He told the Fire Toa-who seemed to be caught rather off guard by this for some reason.

Vakama shrugged shortly after a bit of thinking "I didn't really see much of her after we got here." He muttered quietly, and Nuju snorted.

Again Vakama felt unreasonably short anger light in him, as his hands tightened around the mask. "Look, I don't care what you think, okay?" He snapped-surprising Nuju.

"I just want Nokama back," He growled finally, and then glowered at Nuju, who had been trying to inturupt him

"Vakama!" He finally said sharply, his eyes wide with surprise, and he pointed to something on Vakama.

Vakama looked down-and screwed his eyes shut tightly to block out the light that was now radiating from the mask.

"You did it!" Nuju told him, though his voice sounded no longer triumphiant-but worried.

"Vakama, turn the mask off," he ordered, but Vakama was heedless of Nuju at the moment.

"Vakama, let go of the mask!" Nuju shouted.

He tried to release the mask from his grasp, but like Nokama had before him, he discovered that he could not. The light grew brighter and brighter, and then the soft humming came, gentle and sweet. Then, the wind began to blow-and then it howled, screaming away in his ears.

The humming grew into the howling wind, twisting and morphing with it to form an ochrastra of screams and howling. He felt himself pick up, and the next thing he knew he was hurtling though the air, and disappeared from the island of Mata Nui.

She knew these halls all too well, and was filled with the memories they brought as she strode down them quickly, her pace sharp.

This layberth was well constructed under the Ice Sector, and she wasn't fond of it. But her mission had brought her here. She turned the corner of the winding halls, to reveal the location she was looking for-and she slid a knife out of its sheath under her wrists, feeling the cold steel lie against her skin, waiting under the folds of her cloak.

A Dark Hunter was standing across from the cells that lined the other wall-obviously the unfournaite lackie who got to play guard for prisioners that weren't going to escape. On their own at least. A twitch of a smile crept up on her face.

"Hey, you! What are you doing here?" The Hunter ordered, obviously just seeing her.

She drew in a deep breath, and recalled the best impression she could. "I, am someone more important than you-so I advise you either address me as 'Ma'am,' or by my proper name infidel, or you will find yourself in a world of hurt." She snapped, drawing herself up, her voice growing back into the professional accent, cold and harsh.

The Hunter, obviously new to the ranks backed down immediately at her display. "My name I shall not tell so someone like you, is that clear?" She told him, using her most imperious voice, and the Hunter, obviously angry with her defiance, nodded, keeping his mouth shut.

"I am here to replace you for guard duty," She went on, her tone becoming less sharp-and a look of relief filled the Hunter, along with suspicion. "Why? I was told by Tracker that-" He was cut off by her-mind racing for an answer as she replied.

"I was giving orders by Lhikan. My orders out rank you- as do I- so I advise you leave before you say something that you'll regret." She snapped again, her voice growing into a low growl-and again, the Hunter backed down, shrinking.

She smirked-victorious. She knew that they would only place some spineless idiot down here-there was nothing to do here and was personally a waste of time in mosts opinion.

"Y-yes Ma'am," The hunter stuttered, and then left-overly eager to be out of guard duty and away from her.

So eager in fact, that he fell over himself once or twice as he left, scrambling away. She smiled coldly, and straightened up, sliding the knife away again into it's sheath. She turned to the cells that lined the wall, and crossed her arms.

"Nidhiki," She called to him quietly, and a few moments later, she heard movements in she shadows.

xXx

Nidhiki shook Matau on the shoulder- fully waking the Air Toa from his drifting state of unconsciousness and consciousness. Matau grumbled slightly- but Nidhiki shook his head, and pressed a finger to his lips in the dark, eyes glimmering brightly behind his old mask.

"Shh," He told his younger Air brother. "It's time Air-Brother. She's here-arrived." The old Air Toa told Matau softly, and at that, Matau stood up quickly, though a trace of reluctance was in him.

The two of them turned to the front of the cell where the light shown almost cruelly though the bars.

"Nidhiki, I'm giving you another minute before leaving. I went as far as to dare come back here, I'm not risking my ass because you want to take another few mintues napping," A voice snapped though the darkness.

Matau recognized that voice all too well, and let out a sigh, before following Nidhiki into the light. He blinked rapidly and squinted into the light-trying to find the speaker. And there she stood, only a few rows down from their cell, arms crossed, and cloak thrown over her head and covering her body.

"Over here," Nidhiki called calmly, his eyes looking at her.

She looked up slightly-her eyes covered in shadow as she strode over to him. "So, you survived, huh?" She asked dryly, then cast a glance over at Matau.

"I thought you'd learn Matau, I'm disappointed." She sighed, and Matau glared at her.

"Can you get him escaped-out?" Nidhiki asked, ignoring her last comments pointedly, while glancing quickly at Matau, who was trying his best not to snap at her.

"yes, I can." She told him simply, and then knelt down with a small straight wire and the smallest knife on her, fitting them into the keyhole, fumbling around with it for a moment, before it opened with a small, rusty, 'click!' She stood back, and Matau stepped out of the cell, cautiously.

"I'm not doing this for you, you know," She said-but it took Matau a second to realize that she wasn't talking to him-but to Nidhiki.

"I know," Nidhiki said softly, his eyes almost sad.

"I did it for her," She continued on, heedless of what Nidhiki said-or simply she did not care.

"Yes, I was thought-sure that was why." Nidhiki said, almost amused.

"She would have wanted me to help you-I did it for her. Personally, I don't give a damn if you rot in hell." She said-again ignoring his comments, and Matau saw Nidhiki wince at this.

"You probably deserve to after what you've done-but she's convinced that Mata Nui's gonna let out have another try- that I should give you another chance. So I did this for her." She finished, not looking at the either of them.

Nidhiki smiled at her sadly, there was no denying it now as he stood there-the door to his cell wide open, yet he made no move to leave the hell that he had lived in for Mata Nui knew how long. It confused Matau-and he opened his mouth to ask.

"I can't." Nidhiki said- reading his expression bitterly.

"I have to stay Air brother." Nidhiki told him bluntly, then, sighed and looked at the female. "Go Sorayanna, go. Before they come," He insisted, his eyes filled with an emotion that Matau couldn't quite place-but he had seen is somewhere before, in a different face.

The cloaked female turned on heel, not even saying a goodbye to Nidhiki, or a greeting to Matau, simply leaving. Matau had no choice but to run to catch up to her.\

"Why are you drop-leaving him behind?" Matau demanded to her, and she turned to him, half of her face hid by the cowl on her, and an odd look crossed her face, but she didn't reply-not even with a cold or scornful glare.

There was a loud clanging behind them-of a cell door being kicked open that echoed though the halls, and she began to hurry even faster along-and Matau cursed.

What was Nidhiki doing?

Nidhiki shoved the door open, his heart heavy. Sorayanna knew what was going on, he was sure. She had given him that look before she left, of disgust and almost pity. He knew the Hunters would be coming soon-a noise like that was not left undetected for long. Someone would be coming soon to find this.

He smiled slightly. At least Matau was getting out of this place. He had to admit, he was thankful for Sorayanna doing that for him-even if she claimed she wasn't. Even if she still hated him.

He stood there, shadowed lines crossing his chest, while light made his dull, dust and grime covered armor shine a pale image of it's once brilliant emerald luster. His mask was too dented and pitted to even resemble what it use to look like-but it was still there. The one thing that had managed to stay the same though was his eyes and his spirit. Both still, even in this gloom and dark were shining brightly-even now.

Shouts and curses sounded farther down the hall- the one Sorayanna hadn't taken.

He smiled in anticipation, closing his eyes. The shouts grew louder, grumbling and footsteps followed. Shouts and cries. Anger, and rage. He still stood there, infront of the door that he could still run now out of.

That he could still escape. There was nothing holding him back.

But still, he stood there arms at his sides, eyes closed, smiling slightly, as if recalling a fond old memory. A sword was drawn, he could hear it. But he tried to ignore it-trying to drown himself in memories.

Lhikan and Him, and the rest of the team sitting around, laughing and relaxing- not on a mission, just being friends instead of people that were stuck on a team with each other.

He tried to ignore his drumlike heart beat of fear.

He remembered her smile, warm and pleasant. He remembered her face-beautiful like dawn rising.

Pain flashed across his side, but he buried himself further down in the memories.

Seeing Vakama sit there with his adopted sister, while she tottled around.

Pain flashed again, this time sharper and more burning.

He fell to the ground, but remained wrapped in his memories, wishing for his time to just end.

He remembered seeing Nuju, beaten and broken laying in that cell that he had willingly passed everyday. Willingly passed, and never tried to help.

Agony burned though him, covering his body, licking at him and tearing at his flesh.

He set his jaw, and forced to keep that smile on his face.

Her yellow eyes smiled down at him as he opened his eyes, and her orange mask shown a beautiful as before.

'Nidhiki…' She called to him. 'Time ta come home.' She told him.

He smiled, and felt himself slip away. She was with him once again. That was all that mattered to him now.

Nothing else held any revelance now that he could see her once again-dispite how pathetic it sounded.

And so, Nidhiki, Legendary Toa of Air, Starter of this War, and Prisioner of his own brother, passed from this world.

"RUN!" She heard the voice yell again and she turned to obey it, her mind not quiet in synch with her body.

Her mind had yet to process the shout of 'run!' But her body was already beginning to move. She had gotten no farther than a few steps though, when she saw a blinding flash from above her- hurting her eyes slightly, and felt something very heavy crash down on her-forcing her to the ground with a slam that knocked all the breath she had in her out with a sharp gasp of surprise.

Pain hit her back as uneven rocks pierced into her skin, shoving against her armor as something large and almost pleasantly warm lay on top of her.

Her chest hurt, as did the back of her head-both of them throbbing rather painfully. She must have whacked her head pretty sharply against the ground…

She gave a groggy groan of pain. What in Mata Nui's name had hit her? Her eyes opened slightly- suddenly quite concerned.

What if it was a Hunter? Panic filled her like a tide, the washed away quickly as she saw a sight that confirmed that it most defiantly wasn't a Hunter.

A warm, crimson red mask was not three inches from her-a mask she knew every dent, every nick in. And the eyes that peered down at her in shock and disbelief she had seen earlier, and had wished that they had been different, they had been warmer.

Those eyes that she had longed to see again.

Her heart stopped for a long moment, while she stared up at the figure above her. Suddenly, the fact that there was a battle starting around them seemed irrevelent to her. Suddenly the fact that her back and head really hurt, wasn't that bad.

All that mattered…was the fact that somehow, he was here, right above her. His eyes widened at her, while after a moment, that warm voice of his spluttered out

"N-n-Nokama?!"

Her eyes looked up at him in shock. It was him-but not the one she had been following just a few minutes ago.

"Vakama!?"

She managed to gasp out despite the fact that he was crushing a lot of the air out of her.

What was going on!?

AAANNDDD, I totally just lost a lot of people there. Right. It will become clear…..eventually. Oh god, I killed Nidhiki. 00; I can't believe I killed him. –sigh- right. Oh, the END IS IN SIGHT! Lol, no not that way. I just realized how I'm gonna end this all. But, I don't think I'm gonna end this for while-I'm just glad so now I know where I'm going, and when I can wrap it all up. Cuz, tell the truth, I just made this up with no idea where it was going, like a lot of people do, I know, but until like…three days ago, I had no idea what the ending was going to be, and how all of my pretty little plot was going to wrap up. Now I do. So I'm happy. On the other hand, I had to re-write this chapter, and part of the next chapter-which if I hadn't, I would have posted 2 chapters XD. So yeah, I'm pissed. But, I think this editedish chapter that I had to rewrite out of memory, is better than the other one I wrote (I think…?) so yeah. Whateverz.

Reviews?