Regrem Erutaerc: Yes, it is a romance between Kopaka and Eli but a question to think about: How could Tahu and Gali be in love if they are brother and sister?

Chapter 11: Lost and Lost

"No!" Vakama shouted.

"Yes…I must."

"No! Makuta you can't!"

"I can…I will lead them to you."

"Why do you have to keep us here?" Vakama demanded.

"I have the power…to lead them to me…to get rid of the eighth Toa…And you are the bait."

"Vakama, it is no use trying to get him to free us. You are just wasting your air-breath."

"Right you are Matau," Makuta laughed. "For now, keep your silence. And sleep, for when I have the Toa, all of you will be killed. I will keep my brother trapped. Lerahk! Kurahk! Keep them trapped in the chamber…" The two Rahkshi hissed and stood outside the chamber door. "Sleep tight Turaga."

Eli awoke with a start. She knew where the Turaga were hidden! She leaped out of bed and left her hut and raced towards the hidden entrance of El-Koro. She was at Ko-Koro in five minutes. The Ko-Koran guards watching her with interest. When she found Kopaka's hut, he was sleeping peacefully in his bed.

"Kopaka!" She whispered and shook him slightly. He stirred slightly in his bed. "Kopaka!" She said a little harder, shaking him harder.

"Don't make me go…I…I…" Kopaka muttered.

"KOPAKA!" Eli shouted. Kopaka jumped and fell of his bed.

"Ow…what?" Kopaka moaned, rubbing the back of his head.

"I know where the Turaga are!" Eli said excitedly.

"Interesting…" Kopaka said without enthusiasm. "You do?" he asked, perking up when he realized what she said.

"Yeah! I do!" she said.

"You know where they are. We should tell the others!" Kopaka said.

"Nah, we will wait until morning. The others need their rest…and so do you. Did you see the way Pohatu was trying hard not to fall asleep?"

"Yes, but…"

"Sleep!" Eli said firmly. Kopaka obediently got onto his bed. She shook her head and laughed. "So obedient…I like it," she said to herself.

The next morning, Kopaka was up in a moment. Except not out of bed right away. Eli had not gone back to El-Koro the night before; she remained in Kopaka's hut and was sleeping peacefully next to him. Kopaka smiled to himself.

"Can't beat that can you, Tahu?" he said quietly. Eli stirred next to him and her eyes slowly opened.

"Morning Kopaka," she mumbled.

"Morning Kolhii head," he laughed, looking into her deep blue eyes. She smiled.

"Ready to find the Turaga?" she asked. Kopaka nodded with a smile on his face and his fiery ice blue eyes dancing wildly. She stood up and looked up at Kopaka. "Get Pohatu and Onua and check in with Gali, see how she is doing. I will get Tahu, Takanuva and Lewa."

"Where will we all meet?"

"The Onu-Koro Suva," she said. Kopaka nodded and headed towards the door.

"Kopaka!" Eli said putting her hand on the side of his Konohi Akaku. "Be careful…"

"I will," he replied and hurried to Po-Koro. Eli watched him go. She could not help but wonder why Tahu was against him. She was sure his silence was one factor, but the other reasons..?

She walked out of the hut and was walking toward Ta-Koro, when the Ko-Koro Kolhii stadium caught her eye. She hurried into the massive stadium, letting the cold air of Mount Ihu sink in. She stared at the empty, gray seats in the stands.

"I win again Matoro! Up for another rematch?" Eli turned and saw the two matoran for the first time. One matoran was bluish-silver and the other had that of Kopaka but was…a girl?

"The only female Ko-Matoran," Eli told herself. She stepped out from the shadows of the stadium and into their field of view. She leaned on the wall closest to her. Matoro had the ball and turned. He saw her leaning on the wall and dropped the Kolhii ball in shock.

"Ko-Kohilii…do you see that?" Matoro asked. Ko-Kohilii nodded.

"Yes…I see her," Ko-Kohilii said.

"Who are you?" questioned Matoro.

"Matoro, the eighth Toa. You should know that. You were there the day they connected the stones."

"Young Ko-Kohilii is correct. I am Toa Eli, the Toa of Love," Eli said. Ko-Kohilii beamed. Matoro had a look of pure amazement on his face. "Matoro, besides, we've met before. Remember that day in the square when Lewa said that Turaga Matau was missing? How easily we forget sometimes."

"How do you know my name?" Matoro asked amazed once again. Ko-Kohilii rolled her eyes.

"I just said you name," Ko-Kohilii stated. Eli laughed and turned towards the exit to the stadium. "I'm gonna kick your butt again!" Ko-Kohilii said spinning the Kolhii stick like a baton.

"Oh, yeah?!" Matoro said playfully.

"Hey, Ko-Kohilii…you should try out for the Ta-Koro Kolhii team. They need a player," Eli said turning to face them again and encouraging her.

"Told you," Matoro told her. Eli said goodbye and turned and left the stadium.

"Open the gates!" Jaller called. When opened, Toa Eli stepped through them and Jaller raced to meet Eli.

"Uh, hi. Where is Tahu's hut…and Takanuva's hut?" Eli asked

"Hi, I'm Jaller, the Captain of the Guard."

"Hi," she said shortly.

"Tahu and Takanuva are in the Village Square. You know…when Takanuva was Takua, he was my best friend? We were Kolhii partners."

"Thanks, Jaller," Eli said and hurried to find the two Toa.

"She said my name!" Jaller said amazed.

"Snap out of it, Jaller," said one of the other guards. "Go back to your duty." And I'm the one who is normally told snap out of it, the guard thought cheerfully.

Tahu and Takanuva were deep in conversation when Eli appeared. They didn't notice her arrival.

"I don't understand why there have been a lot of cave-ins in Onu-Koro," Takanuva said.

"The Onu-Matorans are well trained miners, as you well know. I don't see what they could do that would cause the cave to collapse," Tahu told him.

"Maybe they forgot the support beams," Takanuva suggested.

"I highly doubt that. Honestly, would they do that?" Tahu said making a point.

"Well, we'll find out when we get there," Eli cut in. Takanuva and Tahu jumped when they heard her.

"We're going to Onu-Koro?" Takanuva said.

"Why?" Tahu asked.

"You will soon know," Eli said. "Go to Onu-Koro. I need to get Lewa." Eli gave a nod and hurried away.

"She is such a babe," Takanuva sighed. Tahu elbowed him.

"Come on, Gukko bird of love," Tahu said, dragging Takanuva with him.

Lewa stood atop a high tree gazing upon Le-Koro. Gazing, he saw a hot pink figure flying through the swamp below.

"Eli!" Lewa called. Eli looked up and saw Lewa. She flew up to the branch nearest him.

"Hiya Lewa," Eli said cheerfully, sitting down on the branch next to him. She looked out over the trees of Le-Koro and breathed a sigh of amazement. "Wow," she sighed, "it's so beautiful. I understand why you love it here." Lewa smiled.

"That's not why you came to Le-Koro, though," Lewa said with a small chuckle.

"I'm afraid not," Eli shook her head apologetically.

"I'm going…" Lewa sighed.

"Going where?" Eli asked confused.

"To the Kini, of course!" Lewa said.

"We are meeting at Onu-Koro," Eli told him.

"Then to Onu-Koro I go!" Lewa laughed as he hopped onto another branch, singing a strangely familiar song.

"Lewa? Can you sing that louder?" Eli said.

"As you wish…" Lewa said.

"Thanks…"

"Some way,

Some how,

I will find my way,

Sun shines brightly,

My path is clear,

Yet wayfind I must,

Though my path is clear,

My destiny is still unfound,

The truth I seek only lies within,

The purest of their heart.

So…

Some way,

Some how,

I will find my way,

To seek the true destiny,

Of mine."

"I recognize it's melody, yet I don't know where I have heard it before…" Eli said thoughtfully. Lewa shrugged and disappeared beneath the Le-Koro canopy. Eli looked out upon Le-Koro once again, admiring its beauty. In some ways, it made her think of Le-Koro. She then dived beneath the leaves and followed in Lewa's path.

"Gali!?" Eli cried with excitement. Gali returned a weak smile. "How have you been?" Eli asked.

"I've been good but I've felt better," Gali said. "The Ga-Matoran did a good job of taking care of me," she said proudly.

"That's great! When did you wake up?"

"I woke up just before Kopaka came," Gali replied.

"I'm grateful that you are awake but are you sure that you have enough strength to help us find the Turaga? I mean it's okay if you feel like sitting this one out," Tahu said. Gali turned to him with a glare.

"We female Toa are just as strong as any of you male Toa. I'd gladly prove my strength to you, Tahu. I'd beat you easily in a duel. Just pick the time and place and you're on," Gali said defensively. Eli smiled. "Anyone else have anything to say?" The other Toa shook their heads. "And besides…Turaga Nokama is also missing."

"So be it," Tahu muttered, glancing nervously into the Onu-Koro mining tunnels.

"Is something wrong Tahu?" Eli asked noticing his restlessness.

"Is wittle itty bitty Tahu scared of the dark?" Kopaka sneered in a cooing tone.

"No," Tahu said quickly, turning his fiery red eyes upon Kopaka. Tahu drew his magma swords and they began to glow. Kopaka stared back into Tahu's red eyes without blinking. Eli held her breath and waited for either Toa's reaction.

"What is it then?" Kopaka asked.

"Something in those tunnels is not right. It is making me nervous. Shadows are changing, their figures morph every second," Tahu whispered.

"How poetic," Kopaka said sarcastically.

"You dare sass me?!" Tahu snapped furiously. "Something is going to happen in there…I can feel it."

"Nothing is going to happen, Tahu," Kopaka said.

"We are all going to stay together. And if someone does get lost, no one knows these tunnels better than Onua, right?" commented Eli. Onua grunted yes in reply.

"Wait! Every time we go into dark, spooky tunnels, something always happens…right?" Tahu pointed out. Everyone shifted uneasily.

"What is it? Don't tell me he's right," Eli whined.

"Well, sometimes he's right," Pohatu said.

"I can't believe you guys, you're afraid of the dark!"

"We are not afraid, Eli. We just run into many problems," Tahu said quietly. Eli rolled her eyes.

"Whatever…"

"I guess you're right," Tahu said.

"And if it makes you feel better, why don't you choose the tunnel we search first. Out of these two," Eli said pointing to two tunnels in front of her. "It's one of these, I can feel it."

"This one," Tahu said leading the group into one of the tunnels. Kopaka hurried to catch up with them.

"What is it with you?" Eli asked Tahu.

"What is what with me?" Tahu said.

"You're always so cautious…"

"He is?" Kopaka cut in. "No, he's not. He's always jumping to conclusions and into danger and other stuff like that," Kopaka said with a snort.

"No! No, I'm not! That is normally Lewa," said Tahu in defense.

"Shush!" Eli hushed them. "Tahu, it would be best if you don't say anything rude the rest of the journey."

"Or anything at all," Kopaka retorted. Eli sighed next to him.

The distant clanks and clunks of shovels could faintly be heard. They got fainter and fainter as the group waded through the caves. Then, they could be heard no more. No one talked, a whisper seemed like a shout in the tunnels. There were very few of the lightstones that normally lit a blackened pathway.

"Takanuva," Eli said after a while. "We could use some light."

"About time," Tahu muttered. Eli ignored him.

"Takanuva?" Eli said again. When there was no answer, she turned around. There was no one there.

"Uh, oh," Tahu said. "I told you this wasn't a good idea, Slushy."

"It was you who told us to come this way in the first place, fire-spitter," Kopaka sneered.

"I don't spit fire…"

"You eat it!" Kopaka finished for him.

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

"Do not!"

"Do to!"

Eli listened to them argue. Why couldn't she just use her arrow and zap them and make them get along? Yes, that question stumped her. And, yet there is always an answer: They will have to do it themselves.

Then she heard Tahu say something incredibly rude. She spun around; arrow drawn and the ends of it were glowing. She had Tahu pinned to the wall instantly. The arrow placed just under his throat.

"What did I say about rude comments?" she flared.

"Not to say any of them," he replied glancing at the arrow under his throat.

"Exactly. And if you don't stop saying them I'll throw you into an endless abyss…" A noise behind Eli stopped her. She turned her gaze toward the sound. Tahu and Kopaka followed. A pair of dark blue eyes floated into the darkness and out of sight. She turned back to Tahu. "And if that doesn't work, I'll…"

"Do what?" Tahu interrupted. "Hit me with your, what do you call it, 'love ray'? Eli, that'll make me love you more, not him." Eli glanced at Kopaka. His Konohi Akaku was shrouded in shadow so his expression was unreadable. Only his ice blue eyes were visible in the dim light.

Tahu's leg came from nowhere, pulling her closer to him. Caught by surprise, she dropped her arrow and it clambered to the floor, the light vanishing instantly as it fell from her hand. Eli threw her arms around Tahu's neck to keep from falling.

"I like a girl with fire and spice…and you are one," Tahu whispered in her ear, enjoying her closeness and her touch. She pulled away from him and picked up her arrow. It began to glow once more. Kopaka drew his ice blade and its ice blue color, lighted the cavern as well.

"So immature," Eli said flatly. Tahu's red eyes flashed playfully.

"You think that do you?" Tahu grinned, putting his hand on her arm. Kopaka's ice blade suddenly appeared in front of his face. Giving it but a glance, his eyes remained locked on Eli's. His eyes still flashing playfully, testing her. Tahu let go of her arm.

"Yes, some," she said, still looking into Tahu's dancing eyes. She finally took them away from his. "Be careful and be on your guard. We don't want anymore trouble." Eli remembered the eyes. She didn't want to see them again.