Tahu glared angrily at the lava-filled crater that had once housed Ta-Koro, his body exhausted and his mind far from willing to let him rest. He could remember the day he'd first seen this place, back when Toa Lhikan had brought him here to train. It had been little more than a lava-filled crater, and at the time Tahu hadn't thought it to be of any real value. It wasn't until Lhikan showed him the potential in its location that he had been even remotely curious. This lake had become Tahu's favorite place, and over the years spent in training he had been able to mold it into a place that could be built on and protected. A hole in the ground had become a paradise.

And in the blink of an eye, years of hard work had been completely erased.

Fire danced over his hands as he glared at the lava pool. He hated how swiftly it was gone, how useless he and his team had been. He hated how little Vakama had seemed to care that it was all gone. How dare he not understand how bad this made Tahu look!

The Toa of Fire went rigid as he realized where his thoughts had been going. That wasn't right at all! Sure he was proud, but never had he let it get the better of him that terribly. Where had this new train of thought and sheer arrogance come from? What was wrong with him?

'The darkness in your heart is taking over you, Tahu; if you can't stop it you're as good as dead.'

Vakama's biting words came back from the corners of Tahu's memory, stabbing at the Toa's conscience and clawing at his thoughts like an out-of-control rahi. Was he right? Had Tahu really let himself slide this badly? How did that happen?

"Have you cooled off yet?"

Gali had joined him at the edge of the crater, and even as she did Tahu could feel his temper trying to boil and explode, far faster than he could remember it ever doing before.

'You don't know what that thing did when it struck. One thing I've learned is to never underestimate the servants of the Makuta, especially the rahkshi.'

"I don't know, Gali." He answered after a moment, clenching his hands so hard that he could feel his fingernails biting into his palms. "Something is wrong, something more than just my usual temper problems."

Gali blinked at him, studying his face as well as the rather infected looking gash on his face. "I'm seeing that. Vakama told me what happened between you two."

Tahu's temper tried to rise again, smoke escaping his nostrils as he fought to push it back. "It's the injury." He answered through gritted teeth. "Whatever that… rahkshi thing hit me with is messing with my head. Did Vakama say anything about this, or how we can stop it from getting worse?"

His hope for good news was dashed by the alarmed and worried look on Gali's face. "I… don't think he mentioned anything about it, no. He looked concerned though, and a bit angry."

"I don't exactly blame him, given what I said." The Toa of Fire could have kicked himself, honestly. He knew he'd gone too far, and while he was aware of what influenced his outburst he was still disgusted that he'd actually said it at all. "Do you think you can clean it out?"

His companion grimaced. "I can try. But if it's as bad as it seems I might not be able to do anything."

Immediately Tahu had to force himself from railing off at her about inadequacy, something he knew full well was not his own opinion. Quite on the contrary, he was quite certain that, were they to come to blows, Gali could likely best him. AS such, he choked back the anger and closed his eyes. "All I ask is that you try, Sister. The less time I have to spend with these toxic thoughts, the safer everyone will be."

Gali regarded him with high concern as she concentrated on summoning forth the healing water. "Safer?"

"My temper is already bordering out of control." Tahu explained grimly. "And my pride is not far behind it. I fear what I may become if this can't be removed, or at the very least contained. Like it or not, I will inevitably turn on everyone if this isn't stopped." He cut his companion off before she could scold him. "Don't tell me I am getting paranoid; it's true and no amount of denial can change it."

Gali frowned at him. "I was going to tell you to stand still and keep your mouth closed, actually." She held up a small orb of glowing water. "I don't want you to wind up accidentally choking because you're too busy telling me about the obvious to realize that I'm trying to fix it."

His cheeks flushed slightly, a mix of embarrassment and undesired anger. "Oh." He closed his mouth and braced for the – to him – uncomfortable sensation of water clinging to his skin. Instead, it burned like nothing he'd felt before. A scream wrenched from him as Tahu reflexively dodged away from her, clutching at his cheek and doubling over as pain rippled through him. His eyes began to water as his temperature surged, evaporating his tears as well as the healing liquid that had remained on his face.

"Tahu?!"

He barely even heard Gali's startled outcry, waves of heat billowing off of him and scorching the stones around his feet. He had been sure he could have gained some form of relief, not been punished for trying to get cured! "Wh-what… what did you do?" He gasped, half-way between sounding shocked and accusative.

"Nothing different than the usual. " Gali replied, now highly worried as well as unable to safely approach him. "Tahu what happened?"

"It hurt!" He snapped, gritting his teeth as he struggled with both the pain and his anger. "Whatever that was supposed to do clearly does not work!"

The Water Toa looked fit to rebuke him, though she held her scathing words at bay. Instead, she opted to take a deep breath and try again from a more controlled angle. "Then we will have to find another way to heal you. Worst comes to worst, you just grit your teeth and bear it. But!" She eyed him as he opened his mouth to argue. "We will try to find a better way first. Contrary to whatever that poison may tell you, I take no delight in seeing you suffer."

Her statement was well timed. As it was Tahu had already been fighting with that very concept. The toxin running through him was trying to destroy ties and sever the already somewhat fragile Unity. It wanted him to turn on Gali and the others, to burn with rage and tear them down by any means possible. As he pushed his aching frame to stand upright, he took in and let out a breath. "Then let us hope we find a means quickly; I don't like how volatile I've become." He let out a disgruntled huff. "This is even worse than I was as a child."

"Some might wonder if you ever grew up." Gali teased. "The kolhii game brought out the worst in both of us."

Tahu snorted, unable to hide the small laugh despite the anger her comment stirred. "Let us hope that was the worst; I would hate to see you angrier."

The Water Toa laughed a little. "As would I. One bout is more than enough for me."

It took everything Tahu had to not get angry the moment he and Gali approached the turaga, even more so when he saw the defensive stance Onewa had taken. Toxic thoughts raced through his mind with more fervor, demanding that he 'put Onewa in his place' for acting in a way that Tahu could not blame him for." I need to speak with Vakama." He said as calmly as he could manage. "Alone, with Gali."

Onewa opened his mouth to no doubt say something harsh and angry, but thankfully Vakama cut him off. "You've had some time to think then?" He inquired, and while he sounded mostly calm Tahu could tell that the former Toa was still unimpressed.

"I have."

"Very well then." Vakama answered, moving back toward the edge of the lava lake. "Let's hear what you have to say."

Tahu waited until he, Gali, and the turaga, were out of earshot from the others before speaking. "Vakama I am so sorry. What I said was-"

The older man cut him off, his voice calm and firm. "Uncalled for? Yes. But it was the words of the Makuta, not your own. I will not hold it against you. However, that is not the only thing you wished to discuss. If it was I imagine you would have said your piece with the other turaga present."

The Fire Toa sighed heavily as he hung his head. "It… isn't the only thing, no. Gali tried to heal the wound and it burned worse than anything I can remember. Why didn't Gali's healing water work?"

The turaga grimaced and shook his head. "I do not have a solid answer to that." He confessed. "But I imagine corruption is to blame. Gali's gift cleanses and restores, while anything of the Makuta's will poison and destroy. Those two elements are, clearly, opposites, and as such the reaction caused by their meeting would be far from pleasant."

"Is there any other way to remove the poison?" Gali asked worriedly. "One that won't harm Tahu in the process?"

Vakama sighed quietly, his weariness from life clearly showing in his eyes and expression. "I am not certain." He replied. "All I know is that, as of now, Tahu is operating on borrowed time. If we cannot find a means of healing him fast… we may not have him with us for long."

None of this was good news in Tahu's eyes. First the village, then the failed healing, and now this? He couldn't afford something like a death sentence, people still needed him! Panic flooded his mind, overpowering any anger he'd felt as he searched his memories for ideas that might yield benefit. "Wh-what about the hordika thing? You were able to fight that off, this can't be much different than that right?"

"Unfortunately it won't be as simple as fending off the hordika mentality." The turaga replied, snorting to himself faintly at the irony in saying a battle with an inner hordika was 'simple'. "The hordika was a feral version of myself, one that was determined to be the 'pack leader' in my relationship with it. I was fighting myself. But this?" He grimaced further as his worry for Tahu became almost painfully clear. "You are not fighting yourself; you are fighting the very will and essence of the Makuta himself. If there is anything I could liken it to, it would be more akin to Mihkoro's state and even that is not the same."

"If Mihkoro could push the darkness off after it took over him, "Tahu said as strongly as his desperation would allow. "then surely I can defeat this."

The sad look on Vakama's face told him a different story. "If you fall to this corruption, there would not be an escape. As strong as you are, I fear the poison would not allow you the room for a second chance."

Tahu's gaze studied the turaga closely for any sign of doubt in that claim even as he felt Gali catch hold of his hand. He only had one shot at this, judging by the signs, and the worry and conviction on the turaga's face told him that it almost assuredly a fact. Was there a point in trying if a dead end road was before him?

He held onto Gali's hand tightly as conviction flooded his own features, defiant and unwilling to back down. "So be it. The Makuta can try as he pleases, but if it really is my Destiny to fall, then by Mata Nui I will fight it the whole way down." Fiery eyes turned to Gali. "I will fend this off for as long as I can, but I will need you and the others to help me stay in control. We are going to need to buy time so a way to purge this is found, no matter how much it hurts in the process. When the time comes, will you be able to do whatever it takes to bring me back?"

Gali hesitated, likely due to the prospect of hurting Tahu. After a moment, however, she gave him a small nod. "I… I will. We all will. Just promise me that you will make it long enough that we can."

Tahu mustered up a grim smile as he nodded and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I will. I don't care what it takes or how much it hurts. I am not leaving without a fight."

Gali couldn't help but smile back. "You never have."

"And I never will."