CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: FATEFUL ENCOUNTER

Kopaka sat bolt upright in the cave, cursing himself for falling asleep. He could have sworn he had heard footsteps. He looked around, trying to identify who had made them. Something moved out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to face whatever it was. He took a few deep breaths, looking intently at one spot in particular.

"Hello Malak," he said, calmly.

A black Toa appeared, deactivating an organic-looking mask and seeming to shimmer out of the air like an ethereal ghost. The expression on its face was as unreadable as Kopaka's usually was. "Very perceptive…" said Malak, "If it isn't my old friend Kopaka! Nuva now, is it?"

Kopaka pushed himself away from the wall he'd been leaning on, "What are you doing here? And…" he gave his old friend a once over, "…what happened to you? Last time I saw you, you were a Matoran."

"The same could be said for you," shrugged the black Toa, "So… who's your girlfriend?" he asked, waving one of his black arms toward Gali, who slept on, unaware.

"She is not my girlfriend," said Kopaka, "She is my traveling companion, Gali."

The black Toa shrugged, "Well, it seems you've made it safely. I suppose I can tell my Master now."

He moved toward the door, but found Kopaka standing between him and the exit. "You never answered my question, Malak, what are you now? And who is your Master?"

Malak folded his arms and sighed, "I am a Toa Geni, Kopaka, and the identity of my Master is for me to know and you to find out." He pushed past Kopaka, "I'll be seeing you again, but consider this a warning. Do not interfere with my affairs or those of my Master, or you will suffer."

Without another word, the ebony Toa disappeared into the night. Kopaka slumped back against the wall, cursing. Malak, it seemed, was alive after all. He shook his head. Whatever was going to transpire between him and his old friend was not something he could change. Malak was now, obviously, more powerful than he was. He needed to think through his actions if he ever wanted to fight him.

Gali stirred in her sleep, "Kopaka?"

He looked over at her, saying nothing. She sighed, "Who was that?"

"So… you were awake?" he asked, standing up and walking over to her. "Well, I suppose I can tell you." She sat up and waited for him to continue.

"Malak and I were members of the same Defense Unit of Ko-Ara, back when we were both Matoran. He fell from a high cliff about a month before Amaka died, and we all assumed him dead. Apparently, though, we were wrong."

Gali shook her head, "So you and he were old friends?"

Kopaka nodded, "More like brothers. We never left each others side, and always seemed to meet up if we ever had to. We were two of a kind. It was his supposed death that shook me to the core, and made me almost possessive of Amaka. Of course, you saw how well that went."

Gali sighed, "I'm sorry."

Kopaka shrugged, "It's alright, Gali. It wasn't your fault, you don't need to apologize."

She looked up at him, "What, exactly, is a Toa Geni?"

"Whereas we went from Toa Mata to Toa Nuva," he explained, "A worthy Matoran bathed in golden protodermis becomes a Toa Geni – envoy of the Spirits. The last time I had ever heard of one, he was supposed to be next to invincible. He was a bounty hunter that hid on the west side of Ara-Nui, hunting for profit. I never saw him, though."

"Why would an envoy of the Spirits become a bounty hunter?" she asked, "It isn't the most honorable of occupations."

"He was a traitor," said Kopaka, "He betrayed his five brothers to the Makuta while under the influence of an Infected Mask. To punish himself, he became the 'lowest of the low' in order to repent. For a bounty hunter, he seems to have a lot of honor though."

"Why don't we look for him?" she asked, "I know you might have to fight Malak, even if he's your friend, so wouldn't it be good to have an equalizer?"

Kopaka shook his head, "I said he was supposed to be next to invincible," Kopaka said, "Truth is, the Makuta personally killed him."