Outside the Coliseum, the three Toa Metru paused to catch their breath. Vakama's mind was still spinning from the revelation that Dume, Nidhiki, and Krekka were allies. "We've been betrayed. The Dark Hunters took Toa Lhikan—for Turaga Dume! He's responsible!" he said.

Nokama nodded. "And now he'll send them after us."

"All because the fire-spitter panic-failed," grumbled Matau. He remembered all too well what Vakama had said about standing by while Toa Lhikan was kidnapped.

Vakama made no reply. There was nothing he could say.

The group paused to rest for a moment. "And now we'll have the Vahki at our rear-tails everywhere in the city," Matau continued. He added more seriously, "Or worse."

"Dark Hunters?" Nokama asked.

Matau shrugged in agreement. "Well, yes…"

"He's talking about the elite Vahki," Vakama explained for Nokama.

The Toa of Water's eyes widened as she remembered. She hadn't even thought… "Would he…?"

"For us—something he is perceiving as a threat to the city—Dume would," Vakama affirmed.

In addition to the six models of Vahki active in the city, the Po-Matoran constructed two special types of elite order enforcers: the Kraahu and the Kranua.

The Kraahu had one long torso, the head of a Vahki, and six legs making it stand a good two bios off the ground. The Kraahu had one major advantage over the standard Vahki model. Unlike the Vahki, which had a centralized intelligence mechanism, a Kraahu's clockwork knowledge centers were scattered through its body. This allowed the Kraahu to split apart, and its pieces to function independently. When intact, the Kraahu could emit clouds of stun gas, fire stun blasts from its pointed legs, and fire Kanoka disks. Split apart, each Kraahu piece carried an electrical charge that was triggered on contact. Kraahu were normally dispatched to deal with large numbers of Rahi on the loose.

Kranua, on the other hand, were powerful and bulky bipedal mechanisms, capable of transforming their bodies into animated grains of protodermis. In this form, they could flow through narrow cracks or vanish into the pavement before reforming someplace else. This talent made the Kranua particularly difficult to escape or trap.

"To stand against Vahki we need to be fast; to outwit the Dark Hunters we need to be smart; and if we are going to have to stand against either elite Vahki, we will need to stand together," Vakama said.

"Then we've got to save the others!" Nokama called as they resumed their flight.

"And to do that, we need to find our Mask Powers," Vakama suggested.

Nokama stopped running at the edge of an overlook. "I agree…but we have to get out of here." She looked down to see a transport chute far below. Jumping into one was risky. If the speed and timing of the leap were not just right, she would bounce off the outer layer rather than passing through into the magnetized protodermis flow.

"Come on!" Taking a deep breath, she jumped off the ledge. An experienced diver, she kept her body as straight as could be and her eyes focused on her destination. She struck the chute perfectly, passing through the outer layer and immediately swimming smoothly in the chute.

High above, Vakama watched her dive with awe and not a little fear. Ta-Matoran didn't go leaping around like Le-Metru cable climbers or swimming in the sea like Ruki fish. Vakama had never gotten into a chute except through a chute station. Besides being dangerous, it was a sure way to attract the attention of Vahki.

Behind him, Matau grew impatient. "What are you waiting for?" he asked, giving Vakama a shove and sending the Toa of Fire flying. Fortunately, he hit the chute at just the right moment and made it into the protodermis flow safely. It took him a moment to adjust to the new environment. He grabbed a passing piece of cargo and let it pull him along behind Nokama.

Matau turned at a noise behind him. Krekka and Nidhiki had emerged from the Coliseum. At the sight of the Toa, they shapeshifted into a more aerodynamic mode and shot forward. Panicked, Matau leaped.

Under ordinary circumstances, the Le-Metru native was one of the best at chute-jumping. But he had never tried to do it with two Dark Hunters right behind him before. His arms and legs were going every which way as he fell. He landed with a hard splat on the top of the chute, then slowly oozed into the protodermis. Part of him was happy for the temporary safety, while part hoped no one he knew had seen him.

X X X

Turaga Dume walked silently through his private chamber. Despite the numerous lightstone Ianterns, the vast room still felt shadowy and cold. Ignoring the great throne that rested on the polished floor, Dume triggered a secret door in the rear wall and passed through.

Beyond the door was a room no eyes other than his own had ever seen. Sunlight poured into the room from either side to strike a pair of huge sundials. The instruments were made of great circular plates inscribed with a language that was ancient when Metru Nui was new, and posts of a dark stone that cast eerie shadows. The plates rotated with a rhythmic clicking, bringing the shadows from the sundial posts closer and closer with each second.

Turaga Dume walked toward the darkest recesses of the room. A pair of sinister red eyes loomed in the shadows before him. A voice like thunder growled from the pit, "The Mask of Time will not be completed."

"No," said Turaga Dume. "But when the Great Shadow falls, the Vahki will ensure every Matoran's fate."

The eyes receded into the darkness. The room was silent as the grave once more.

X X X

His name was Vakama—he was a Toa Metru, with all the strength, speed, and power that title carried with it.

He was also plunging to his doom.

Toa were known for being very wise and always had good advice to give. If Vakama could give any of that to another being that this point, it would be this: if someone walks up to you, hands you a Toa Stone, and tells you the city is depending on you…

Don't walk. Run, Vakama thought to himself, as he fell. He thought back to how this situation had come about. In doing so, he found another piece of wisdom. You can always find a Vahki when you don't want one.

Their chute had taken them only a short distance from the Coliseum before they arrived in Le-Metru. To avoid being seen by the Matoran, Vakama, Nokama, and Matau exited the chute at the first chute station they came to. Fortunately, being close to the Coliseum, it wasn't as busy as other stations farther away. However, there were some Matoran that were alarmed to see three Toa Metru arrive. Those who had seen the display on screens from the Coliseum were those that ran to retrieve the Vahki. Matau quickly led the three out of the building, going up to the top floor and then the roof of the tower to get a better vantage point and plan. But their detection below meant they weren't safe there, either.

"Vahki Bordakh!" Matau called from the Toa's tower, spotting the flying order enforcers hovering overhead. "They must have been here-called by the Matoran!" Stun blasts rained down on their small area of safety. Matau moved his arms and legs rapidly to avoid being hit while Nokama jumped widely. Vakama fitted his Kanoka Disk Launcher onto his back for greater mobility as well.

The Vahki had been informed that the Toa were a threat to Metru Nui's security, so they set out to restore peace, harmony and safety for all…even if they had to destroy the Toa to do it. Despite Nokama's agility, one stun blast managed to make it through, hitting her in the back. Her knees buckled and her arms raised in a struggle to resist the mental effects, but it didn't last long. "Unnnghhh!" she struggled, before succumbing.

The Toa of Water suddenly stopped dodging and walked over to the Toa of Fire, roughly shoving him off the edge. "There!" she called to the blue Vahki overhead. "Grab him! He's a threat to Turaga Dume and the city!"

"No!" Vakama yelled, trying to get through to Nokama. He waved his arms frantically, trying to regain balance. All he succeeded in doing was losing it, though; he tumbled helplessly off the roof of the chute control tower.

Matau recovered from his surprise, but wasn't able to go after him. More stun blasts shot at the roof, and as much as he was willing to take risks to save a fellow Toa-hero's life, he would do no good to Vakama if he wound up like Nokama.

"Nokamaaaaa!" Vakama cried, his voice quickly becoming fainter to the two remaining Toa as he fell.

Which brings me back to where I started—about to be an ex-Toa of Fire, Vakama thought. He tried to think as fast as he fell. If I hadn't exhausted my flame powers fighting the Morbuzakh and Krahka, I could gain a few seconds by melting through the street. Looking "up" in the direction he was falling (so down, at the ground) he noticed some new faces. More Bordakh. And I doubt they brought a net.

Vakama became fearful, frustrated, and angry. Mata Nui, I must have become a Toa for a reason…I must have a destiny to fulfill. It cannot end like this! There must be some way to save myself—some way—

There was a loud FOOOSH behind him as what sounded like a jet powered up. He looked over his shoulders, trying to see just what it was. "What—?" Doing so was beneficial for two reasons: first, it allowed him to see his Toa Kanoka Disk launcher, still fitted in place on his back from the fight up above. It had adopted its role as more than just a disk launching tool and truly become the Toa's elemental channel. From its opening on his back, constant fire spewed out, turning the weapon into a rocket pack. The second benefit of looking for the source of the sound was that it caused his body to turn in such a way that he swooped and flew back up. "Yes!" he cried, unable to contain his feeling of achievement.

Now in control of his motion and confidence, Vakama aimed back to the tower and increased the power, speeding back up to the top. It's my disk launcher! I must have triggered its power with my thoughts, he realized. Wait until I show the others!

Two stun blasts flew by, reminding Vakama that he wasn't alone down here. But first… The Toa of Fire pulled out two Kanoka in his hands and aimed at the ground forces below. He hurled them toward the targets, not as effectively as a launcher would have done, but enough to hit the Vahki—that was all he needed. As soon as both Kanoka hit, the Vahki shrank down to an inconsequential size. …I will make my problems smaller ones, he thought as he flew back up.

X X X

That was something Matau wished he could do, too.

He and Nokama had engaged in combat after Vakama's shove, but where he was holding back to avoid hurting his friend, she seemed to have no regrets punching him straight in the mask. As a matter of fact, she was so intent…it seemed like she almost enjoyed it. That was even worse than being hit, until Matau realized that she was still under the influence of the staffs and the real Nokama would never do such a thing.

Still, the altered Toa of Water had succeeded in pinning Matau to the ground by his arms, keeping his hands from pushing her off. "Traitor!" she shouted at him. "The Vahki will know how to deal with you!"

Under her, Matau still struggled, then saw an opening. He gave a thrust with his body's center, forcing her up long enough to bring his legs between them. "I know I said I wanted to be near-close to you, Nokama, but not this near-close! Get off!" He yelled, pushing with his legs and forcefully throwing the Toa of Water off.

Then he realized his mistake: the kick sent her flipping over the edge of the tower. Scrambling over to the edge, Matau grabbed her foot and heaved, keeping her from falling off the skyscraper as Vakama had. With his other hand, he drew one of his aero slicers to parry and defend against the still-coming barrage of Vahki stun blasts overhead.

Nokama still wasn't grateful. "Let me go!" she persisted from below, fighting and shaking against his one-handed grip.

But Matau held fast. "Not until you are Nokama, Toa of Water, again," he said resolutely. Inside, though, he wasn't so sure he could keep that promise. That better be soon…because I can't…hang on…much longer… A final Vahki stun blast came in that could not be blocked. In an effort to dodge it, he lost his grip on Nokama. Rolling to look over the edge to see her plunge, Matau called after her, "Nokama!"

Matau turned back to create cyclones and wind blasts to retaliate at the Vahki, but it was hard to focus when he heard Nokama's long scream behind him. Not only that, but they were much smaller than he'd hoped, seeing as his powers were still low, too.

Nokama's scream ended a lot sooner than he expected, though. Curious, Matau took the next chance he got to look over the edge. Vakama…flying? he thought, astounded. …Why?

Down below, the Toa of Fire had indeed been able to intercept the falling Toa of Water as the two continued to fly. "Hold on tight, Nokama," he said, giving more power to his disk launcher to carry them higher again.

Nokama, cradled and carried by Vakama, rubbed her head. She murmured, "Vakama, what…what happened? The last thing I remember—"

"The shock of your fall must have broken the Bordakh's hold on you," Vakama reasoned. He looked back up, still seeing the Toa of Air holding his own against the attack. "We have to get Matau and get away from here." Vakama paused their ascent long enough to hurl a firebolt skyward. It wasn't powerful enough for an attack, just a signal.

Matau saw it pass by and looked down. Meeting eyes with Vakama, the two Toa nodded. Time to quick-leave! Matau encouraged himself. Just as another trio of stun blasts came down, the energetic Toa of Air leapt off the tower, aiming for the nearest chute that ran through it. The Vahki still pursued, flying lower to chase him. Great. Now I can add-write chute jumping to my list of bad-crimes…

As a Le-Matoran expert, Matau made the jump just right. As a mechanical order enforcement member, the Bordakh didn't have to. Three followed him through the magnetic sheath and zoomed down the tube.

Matau looked over his shoulder. Maybe I can lead these Vahki away from the others. As he turned back forward, his travel had brought something else to sight. But what is that in the far-distance? Something was disturbing the tube not far in front of him. The closer he got, the better he saw why. Vahki Vorzakh! They've shatter-wrecked the tube!

The Le-Metru Vorzakh, by nature, were always the most destructive pursuers. It came as only little surprise that they were perfectly willing to destroy a chute segment in order to capture the law-breaking Toa.

Matau's features tightened in determination. It will take more than that to stop a Toa-hero. He leaned into the chute's current, increasing his speed. The Vahki behind him did so, too, adopting their aerial form once again to move unobstructed through the magnetic current. Matau brandished his swords and sliced them through the top of the chute. Then he jumped and put his feet first, completely flattening his body in the direction of travel. These Vahki are good at the fast-chase…but how good are they at stopping?

At the last chute support ring before reaching the destroyed segment, Matau's swords caught on the bracket. The force of his swords striking the support, combined with his large forward momentum swung his legs upward. His feet kicked out of the chute, the rest of his body following. The Toa completed an acrobatic backwards flip, exiting the chute and landing on the top of the outside protodermic support ring. Looking below his perch into the chute, Matau watched the Vahki continue onward toward the broken portion.

Hmmmm. Not nearly so ever-quick at that, he thought, watching the three squad members zoom out of the device like launched Kanoka. They flew a long distance before "landing" with a lack of grace and a surplus of noise. Smiling at that, Matau turned to regroup with Nokama and Vakama once again.