Jaller breathed out, awed by the sight that lay before his eyes. "Kini-Nui!" he whispered. "The Great Temple!"

The temple and the surrounding mountains were bathed in the colorful rays of the setting sun. The Mask of Light glowed as they crossed the Amaja Circle. As they approached a giant head carved into the stone at the edge of the plateau, the mask's light faded.

"No way," Takua said. "We've been all over the island…just to wind up here?"

"Why not? It's a sacred place," Jaller pointed out.

Takua thought the words 'I've already been here' would not only discredit Jaller's statement and the significance of the temple, but probably sound snobby…especially since, well, Jaller had too. Takua snatched the mask out of Jaller's hands, which immediately glowed brightly again. "Are you sure this thing is working right?" He shook it twice up and down, then shook it again harder. At that moment a beam of brilliant light shot out of the mask and raced toward the temple statue.

"Woah!" Jaller said.

"Oops…" Takua muttered. It landed on the giant stone head. The ground quaked, shaking loose countless years' worth of dirt and grime from the carving.

"What did you do!?" Jaller exclaimed. As the outlines of a mask began to be visible underneath, the sun dipped beneath the horizon, plunging the temple into dusky dimness.

"Wow, this is it," Jaller said. "The Seventh Toa must be here."

An ominous hiss rose nearby. Takua and Jaller turned toward the sound in fear. Three Rahkshi stepped out from behind a rock—Turahk, Kurahk, and Vorahk.

Jaller gasped. "Give me the mask, Takua," he said grimly, grabbing it from his friend's hands.

"Jaller, no!" Takua cried. "We both know the mask chose me. I am the true Herald."

"Are you sure, even now?" Jaller asked, confused by the sudden change of interest.

Takua held out his hand. "Yes!" he said firmly. "I am the Herald." Jaller hesitated briefly, then handed over the mask. Takua nodded. "And I say…run!" he cried.

Takua, Jaller, and Pewku raced down toward the lower plateau. The ground quaked again at the base of the steps. A fissure erupted in a shower of rocks and earth, and the three other Rahkshi burst out of the ground—Panrahk, Guurahk, and Lerahk.

Takua and Jaller turned to race back up the steps. But the first trio of Rahkshi were already descending from the top. "We're trapped!" Takua said.

"But not helpless," Jaller said defiantly, brandishing his guard sword and Kolhii shield.

Suddenly a flare of brilliant fire rocketed overhead, illuminating the entire temple. The Rahkshi shielded their faces against the glare. An urn atop the enormous stone head ignited, its light showing Lewa and Gali, who stood on either side. Tahu stepped in from the shadows, the fire reflecting off of his bright red armor.

Takua let out a breath of relief. "Toa? Great!" he called to the three Toa as they leaped into the air to surround the Matoran, cutting them off from the Rahkshi. "You can get us out of here!"

Tahu pulled out his swords as Gali and Lewa pulled out their axes and katana. "We are done running," he announced.

In the lower temple, the other three Rahkshi moved toward Gali, cutting off their escape. The ground between them suddenly rumbled and exploded. "Woah! What's that?" both Matoran asked at the same time. Three figures erupted out of the quake, landing beside Gali and the others, still protecting the two Matoran.

Gali cried out in amazement as she recognized the Ice, Earth, and Stone Toa. "Brothers!" she shouted to Pohatu and Onua. "It's been a while—we thought we lost you."

"Well thanks to our frosty friend, we're right on time," Onua replied, gesturing toward Kopaka.

Kopaka smiled and shrugged. "lt was…time. We can't spend all our hours playing in the sandbox, Onua."

The chief miner sheepishly answered, "It wouldn't hurt to get your hands dirty from time to time."

"Now, as one!" Tahu shouted. The ring of Toa extended their arms to their sides so that each one's Toa tool was touching the other. The Panrahk hissed, unleashing an arc of dark energy from its staff. Simultaneously, Guurahk and Lerahk let loose their disintegration and poison powers. Tahu used his Hau Nuva to generate a shield, as did each of the other Toa with their Hau Nuva, enveloping all of the Toa and Matoran in a protective force field. The combined efforts of all six Toa Nuva made the shield stand firm, without so much as moving any one of them. Their struggles with the Rahkshi had occurred all over Mata Nui, from the tunnels of Onu-Koro to the ice peaks of Mount Ihu. Here, in the shadow of Kini-Nui, things had to end.

"We will not be broken!" the Fire Toa announced. "The threat of the Rahkshi must end here!" He and Lewa stood side by side as the Panrahk, Lerahk, and Guurahk approached. Behind them, Gali led Takua and Jaller down the steps toward the lower temple.

"This way!" she cried.

Lewa summoned a whirlwind, sending it spinning down to grab the sand from the Amaja Circle. "Wind-fly! Sand-twister!" he cried. The sand cycloned feverishly, enveloping the advancing Rahkshi and lifting them uncontrollably off the ground. "Sand…"

Tahu crossed his swords, sending a blast of fire into the swirling sandstorm. "…and fire!" The sand particles glowed red, then white-hot. When Tahu and Lewa both lowered their arms, their creation remained—the Rahkshi were trapped, suspended in a prison of glass!

Lewa laughed. "Ha ha! Makes glass," he finished.

The Vorahk, Kurahk, and Turahk had recovered from the surprise of the Toa's arrival. They advanced again, hissing menacingly. The white Anger-Rahkshi banged its staff on the ground, sending a ring of dark anger energy toward the Toa. Gali soared through the air on a stream made of water, circling behind the Rahkshi. Lewa used his Kanohi Kakama Nuva to race out of the way, and Kopaka used his Pakari Nuva to tear a chunk of rock from the floor, blocking him from the Kurahk—it couldn't enrage what it couldn't find.

Lewa and Pohatu leaped into action, somersaulting around the three Rahkshi faster than the eye could follow. The creatures swung their staffs wildly at their tumbling foes—but wound up striking one another instead. The Turahk squealed in dismay as the black Hunger-Rahkshi's staff hit it. Its fear energy drained from its body, sending it tumbling helplessly to the ground.

The Vorahk hissed in fury. Turning away from the circling Toa, it leaped toward Takua and Jaller. In the blink of an eye, Tahu and Gali joined together and summoned their elemental powers. A blast of steam burst from their tools, catching the hunger-Rahkshi in its mighty stream and lifting it into the air, allowing it to crash-land next to the Kurahk once again.

The Toa moved in on the two once more. The creatures backed away, hissing in frustration. Behind the Toa, though, the Fear-Rahkshi stirred. Its eyes began to glow as energy flowed back into its body. The creature climbed to its feet and started up the steps toward Takua and Jaller. The Toa didn't notice; all of their attention was focused on the black and white foes in front of them.

Gali flipped directly in front of them. "Back off," she said.

The Rahkshi started toward her but stopped when Kopaka's voice came from behind them. "Surprise."

"Rahkshi." The white and black Rahkshi both turned to look now at Pohatu off to the side, just in time to see his climbing claws flying toward them. They hit their mark, the Rahkshi's wrists, binding them together.

Onua slammed the ground, sending a wave of earth into the air. He willed it to hover for just a moment over his enemies, giving the Rahkshi just an intimidating clue about what might come next. "Leave the heavy lifting to me!" he shouted, just before beginning its drop.

"Lava!" Tahu lept high and flipped near the assortment of earth, transforming the mass into a wave of magma, which broke over the Rahkshi, enveloping them.

"Water!" Gali sent a pulse of water toward the two, soaking them.

Then Kopaka jumped forward, striking the ground with his sword and instantly freezing it solid. "And ice," he completed. Both the Kurahk and Vorahk were frozen along with it, the extra moisture from Gali creating a thick coating.

Tahu stepped toward them, examining the handiwork. "They've been trapped before and were still able to escape," he reminded the others.

Kopaka leaned in, willing the ice to create an opening for him. He yanked the Kraata out of the Rahkshi's armored bodies. "Not this time," he said in a low tone, squeezing the creature and earning a screech.

A frightened squeal erupted from somewhere above. Glancing up, the Toa were just in time to see Pewku tumble down the steps, tossed aside by the Fear-Rahkshi. The creature turned with a hiss, backing Takua and Jaller up the steps.

"Hang on!" Gali shouted.

X X X

"I…I don't like this place," Aodhan said, looking around at the statues that had been much more welcoming from a distance away. "It's dark and cold. It doesn't look like a refuge to me!"

"Um, this is probably just the outside edge," Tiribomba reasoned. "I'm sure it gets lots nicer inside."

"Right," Aodhan drew out, "and Rahi just want a nice bowl of water and a pat on the head."

"So you have seen fit to ignore my warnings," the voice of Makuta rang out around them, for the two knew it well, now. "Then welcome, Matoran—welcome to the lair of Makuta!"

"Makuta's lair?" Tiribomba repeated. "Oh no! This isn't exactly what we were looking for."

"I think you mean exactly what we weren't looking for," Aodhan corrected.

"We have to get out of here!" Tiribomba exclaimed. "This way!"

Aodhan grabbed his counterpart's arm and stopped him. "No, the other way! To the right!"

The two ran away blindly, finding themselves in a separate room, where quiet dwelled. "This doesn't look like the right way," Tiribomba muttered.

The two were looking at a tall, translucent-green pillar, covered in supporting minerals and rocks. Aodhan was the first to comment. "I don't like the looks of these big tubes."

"Your every attempt at fleeing condemns you to me," Makuta's voice pursued them. "The shadows serve my will."

"You're just angry because we're going to find the Refuge and you won't be able to scare us anymore!" Tiribomba said confidently.

Makuta laughed a hollow echo. "You are in my 'refuge' now," he said. "Here you will stay, while my Rahkshi find the Mask of Light."

Aodhan turned to Tiribomba. "Did you hear that? We have to get home!"

"No, we need to find the Refuge!" Tiribomba was sure. "Come on!" He ran off, leading Aodhan. The journey was as unsuccessful as the last, however, confusing them even more as they found a new room with more crystalline pillars.

"Oh, this doesn't look right at all!" Aodhan said helplessly.

A chill of darkness ran through this section. "You can run, but there is nowhere you can hide from the power of Makuta. The island of Mata Nui only resembles what you feel here, in my domain."

"We're not trying to hide," Aodhan defended. "We're…we're…"

"Well, yes, we are…aren't we?" Tiribomba realized. "The Great Artakha Refuge is a place to hide from everything, instead of facing our problems."

"I…I don't know…" Aodhan conceded. He hadn't thought of it like that.

Tiribomba suddenly pointed to a glow from around one of the many tubes in Mangaia. "What's that?"

"It looks like liquid protodermis," Aodhan replied, as they approached the glow. It turned out to be a silvery substance near the center of the room. "That's the same stuff that turned the Toa into the Toa Nuva."

Tiribomba nodded, but wasn't paying much attention any more. "Listen," he began, "I've been thinking… Maybe there is a Great Refuge, and maybe there isn't."

"Finally come to terms, have you?" Aodhan asked slyly, despite their current habitat.

Tiribomba was in too serious of a mood to retort. Still staring into the pool, he continued, "But are the duty and destiny of the Matoran really to run away and hide?"

"But everyone would be safe, right?" Aodhan reminded him.

"Maybe we aren't supposed to be 'safe,'" Tiribomba suggested. "Maybe we're supposed to stand up for ourselves against creeps like Makuta." He let his words sink in. "I think it's time we returned to our friends."

"I guess you're right," Aodhan said. He looked around grimly, feeling Makuta's presence grow ever stronger, keeping them captive in his own dwelling. "That's where we belong…if we ever get out."

X X X

Hahli let out an exasperated sigh as she climbed over another rocky peak, rolling onto her back and taking deep breaths to rest. Climbing was for Po-Matoran, not a Ga-Matoran like herself. The Rahkshi had quickly outdistanced her with their power of flight since she had seen them fly above her, but she was determined to follow them, to whatever end…she just couldn't keep going on like this forever.

As she was laying there, she suddenly realized that there were even louder sounds than her panting, coming from nearby. She picked herself up and cupped both her hands over her ears, closed her eyes, and listened.

Metal clanking. The sounds of elemental bursts. The screeches of Kraata.

The sounds of battle, and it was close.

Hahli's eyes widened and she suddenly found the strength to keep moving. The skills of speed, stamina, and willpower were at work in her now, and she found that using everything she had learned in her travels across the island was making her duty clearer.

She only hoped she would make it there in time to help.

X X X

Takua looked down, trying to see the Toa. Instead, his gaze caught the beam of dark fear energy emanating from the Rahkshi's staff. As soon as it blasted him, he fell to his knees, instantly transfixed. Turahk rose up on its long legs, towering over Takua. It swung its staff toward the helpless Matoran.

But Jaller had seen what was happening. He leaped forward, swinging the Kolhii stick he was holding. Takua snapped out of his fear trance as Jaller intercepted the Rahkshi's blow. "Jaller!" He screamed as dark energy sizzled through his friend's body.

Just then, Hahli came running in on another temple path from a higher vantage point. Her hands covered her speechless mouth as she continued to watch the quick scene unfold.

Turahk turned toward Takua, its eyes glittering wickedly. But before it could strike again, Jaller had pushed himself back up off the ground and jumped onto the staff, taking the full force of its attack. The Turahk, annoyed at this obstruction, increased its output of fear power, overloading Jaller's capabilities to withstand it. He screamed in terror, but he clung tight to the weapon out of courage, strength, and protection of his friend. Turahk screeched again and jerked its hand, this time sending Jaller's feeble body falling next to Takua. Before it could pursue him again, Gali and Pohatu leaped in and grabbed it by the arms, restraining it. Meanwhile, Hahli found out how to make herself move again, and ran down the ledge into the temple.

Takua hardly noticed. He dropped the mask, raced over and cradled his fallen friend. "What have you done?" he cried as Jaller's eyes dimmed. "I'm supposed to make the sacrifice! I'm the Herald!"

"No," Jaller said weakly. "The duty was mine. You know…" He paused, gathering the last scraps of his fading strength. He took in a ragged breath. "…who you are," he whispered faintly. Stretching out his hand, he picked up the Mask of Light and put it back in Takua's. "You were always different."

Jaller's hand dropped limply onto the stone.

His life was gone.

Hahli, still several bios away, had to stop there. Once again, she couldn't bring herself any closer. "No…" she breathed. A part of herself was gone—a very special friend. She could do nothing but slump to the ground on her knees, her eyes downcast. "Jaller…"

Gently lowering his friend's head to the ground, Takua stood, lifting the mask. It glowed more brightly than ever. Takua stood still for a moment, his eyes distant. Nearby, the Turahk struggled free of Gali's and Pohatu's grip. The two Toa lost their footing and tumbled down the steps, crashing into the other Toa, who were on their way to help.

Takua turned the mask over in his hands again. His eyes narrowed purposefully. As he lifted it to his face, the mask's glow brightened again. As it made contact with his own mask, it burst forth with brilliant beams of white light.

He was the Seventh Toa!

He could feel his body transforming as the mask's power flooded through him. He became taller, stronger, brighter. Light emanated from him, freezing the Turahk in its tracks, bringing the armor uselessly to the ground.

Takua stared at his own hand, which glowed white-hot with light energy. He picked up Jaller's Kolhii stick, and a small spark jumped from his hand to the stick, transforming it into the longer and much more potent Staff of Light.

Down below, the Toa recovered, but didn't even need to raise a weapon. Suddenly a light shown, easily hundreds of times brighter than Tahu's. "What—?" he cried in surprise. Even the Toa of Fire had to shield his eyes from the sun that had decided to show up in the dead of night.

"That light…so bright I cannot see!" Onua cried, shutting his eyes tight and then covering the lids with his hands.

"It this some new Rahkshi trick?" Pohatu asked.

As the glare was starting to fade, Gali was the first to see. "No, brothers…no…it is what we have waited for, at last. Look!"

Turning to face the peak from where the brilliant light had come, the Toa Nuva saw one that looked like them in shape, but was new in color. His frame was white—a cleaner white than even Kopaka's. He held a staff overhead from which light emanated, reflecting off of his gold Nuva-shaped armor in all directions. On his face he wore—

"The Mask of Light!" Lewa cried.

The six Toa gazed up at him in awe. They fell to their knees. "Hail, brother Toa!" they said in one voice.

Takua glanced down to face the other Toa, his eyes filled with awe and power. But I am no longer just Takua…I have found myself. And now… "l am Takanuva," he declared. "Toa of Light!"

Pointing his weapon at the red Rahkshi, he fired a narrow beam of light at the creature. Hitting his target in the chest, a wave of light spread through it, gripping the being of shadow in golden-yellow hues. The armor then collapsed to the ground with the Kraata screeching and worming away from the suit of armor as quickly as possible.

As the white light bursting from the Seventh Toa illuminated the entire temple, it hit the stone face, carving the shape of Takua's Kanohi into the stone as a memorial of who he once was. Takanuva focused the beam through his Staff of Light, accurately depicting his former self to all who would come here. When he had finished carving age-old stone with the power of light, he powered down his elemental abilities. The cancelling of his aura allowed the other Toa to look at him without the need to shield their eyes.

Takanuva bent and solemnly picked up Jaller's body, carrying it down the steps past the other Toa. Each of them raised his or her weapon in salute, then followed the Toa of Light with their heads bowed in respect.

As Takanuva passed the place where Hahli kneeled, crumpled, he shifted Jaller's weight such that he had a free hand, just for a moment. He lowered his long, powerful arm to place a knowing and empathetic hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his eyes, trying to see the old Matoran she knew in the new orbs of this warrior.

She found him.

The two exchanged just those few silent seconds of mutual understanding—a best friend lost, and by his own accord at that. Then Hahli took the Seventh Toa's hand, helped herself to a standing position, and followed him down the temple path.