Vakama, Onewa, Nuhrii and Ahkmou were the first to make it back to the Great Temple. It was Onewa who spotted the squad of Ga-Metru Vahki circling the place.

"What do you think? Could Nokama and Matau be in trouble?" asked Vakama.

Onewa shook his head. "If they had taken two Toa Metru in, the Vahki wouldn't still be here. I'm guessing our friends slipped away and the Vahki are searching the area for them."

"And the other Toa Metru could walk right into their claws. We have to lure them away from here. But what would make Vahki pass up the chance to capture two powerful strangers who appeared in their Metru?"

"How about six?" said Onewa, smiling.

X X X

"Did I mention this was a bad idea?" asked Nuhrii, trying not to tremble.

"At least eight times," answered Onewa. "It's simple. Just run up to the Vahki and say what we told you."

"Why would they listen to a Ta-Matoran? This is Ga-Metru!"

"Nuhrii, if a Rahi with a slime trail came up to them and told them where to find us, they would listen," said Onewa. "Don't worry. We'd send Ahkmou, but bad things tend to happen whenever he's out of my sight."

"Remember, this isn't just about us," said Vakama. "It's for the sake of the whole city."

The Ta-Matoran shrugged. "Yeah. So you keep saying."

Nuhrii dashed out into the avenue and ran straight for the Great Temple. The Vahki immediately flew down and surrounded him. The Toa could not hear what the Matoran was saying, but if he stuck to the script, he was claiming to have seen six strangers on the other end of the Metru. They were keeping Matoran from doing their work and generally causing trouble.

As Onewa had expected, that was all the Vahki needed to hear. The Bordakh transformed from bipeds to four-legged creatures, their tools now serving as their front legs. Then they dashed off in the direction Nuhrii had pointed. As soon as they were gone, the Ta-Matoran sank to his knees.

Vakama ran over to him. "Good job, Nuhrii."

"You owe me one," said Nuhrii. "You all owe me one."

"Let's hope the city survives long enough for you to collect." Vakama turned at the familiar voice. Nokama was standing behind him with Whenua, Matau, and Nuju, and all were carrying Great Disks. A feeling of relief washed over him—in their first great test, the Toa Metru had succeeded.

Finally, all six Toa were back together. Forming a ring, they brought the six Great Disks to form a circle, signifying their triumph before taking their own disks back.

"We did as you asked," said Nuju.

"We sought-found the Great Disks," added Matau. "Now what?"

"Tell us how to save the city," said Whenua.

"Ummmm…well…." Vakama began. His visions had only shown that the Great Disks were needed to stop the destruction of Metru Nui. The "how" of it had never been revealed.

"Come on, fire-spitter, this was all your idea," snapped Onewa. "We chased all over the city for these things. What are we supposed to do with them?"

"We are supposed to act like Toa," said Nokama. "Vakama put us on the right path. Now we must all decide on the next step. Let us share what we know. Vhisola's research confirmed what Vakama said—the six Great Disks, used together, can defeat the Morbuzakh. More, it seems there is a single root that is the center of this menace."

"Ehrye showed me records in the Knowledge Tower that refer to a 'king root,"' agreed Nuju. "It can be recognized by the brown stripe that runs up and down its length. Defeat that, and the whole plant should die."

"But where can it be?" asked Whenua. "It must be huge, to support so many vines over so much distance. Where could such a thing conceal itself?"

"The Archives?" suggested Onewa. "You could hide a Bohrok swarm or three in that place, and still have room for a disk tournament."

Whenua shook his head. "I'll admit there are a lot of unexplored places down there, but I think we would have noticed evil greenery. What do we know about this thing that might suggest a hiding place?"

"It's strong. It's persistent," Vakama began. "It doesn't seem to like the cold, but thrives in heat. I've never seen anything else survive in a fire pit, besides Morbuzakh vines."

"The Great Furnace," muttered Nuhrii. When the Toa all turned to look at him, he said, "Don't you see? If it loves the heat, what better place to hide? And remember, Vakama—that was where Matoran went missing, first."

"He's right," said the Toa of Fire. "Outside of the fire pits, which are too heavily guarded to provide sanctuary, the Great Furnace is the most significant source of heat in Ta-Metru. If it's driven Matoran away from the area, the Morbuzakh king root could easily conceal itself there."

In a Metru full of factories and furnaces, one stood out above them all. The Great Furnace towered well over a thousand feet in the air, second in height only to the Coliseum itself. Its heat was so intense that even Ta-Matoran could not work there for more than a few minutes at a time.

"Then our course of action—our duty—is clear," said Nokama. "We have to find and stop this thing, once and for all. If there's a chance the root of this menace is in the Great Furnace, then it is to the Great Furnace we shall go. And Vakama will lead us."

"Is that so knowing-wise?" asked Matau. "What makes him any better than the rest?"

Nokama started to answer, but Vakama cut her off. "I'm not interested in being a leader. All I care about is saving the city. Ta-Metru is my home, and I know it better than any of you, so maybe Nokama's right in saying I should be in charge. After we defeat the Morbuzakh, you can all do as you like."

"Too much talking," said Nuju. "Not enough doing. Let's get this over with."

"Any special reason for your hurry?" asked Onewa.

"I hate plants," answered Nuju, as he walked away.

X X X

Over their strong objections, the Matoran were going along on the journey to Ta-Metru. Matau had joked that their job would be to keep the king root busy while the Toa waited for the right moment. He assured them that the moment would surely come while at least a few of them were still on their feet. It took Nokama some time to calm them down after that, and she firmly asked Matau to please keep his jokes to himself.

They were traveling along back paths through the city. By now, the Vahki in all six Metru had been stirred up and would be watching the chutes. Whenua commented that it was too bad they couldn't change back to Matoran at will, if only to be able to sneak around more effectively.

"You can go back to being a Matoran if you want," Matau had replied. "l like being a Toa-hero!"

By the time they reached the borders of Ga-Metru, Vhisola was looking over her shoulder every few seconds. While the Toa were scanning the air for signs of Vahki, her eyes were fixed on the ground, the shadowy alleys, and anywhere else from which danger might spring. With time she began to lag behind.

"What's the matter, Vhisola?" asked Nokama. "There is nothing for you to fear. You are with six Toa Metru. You will be safe."

"No, I won't," she said softly, shaking her head. "Neither will you, any of you—none of us will be. Don't you know what they say about Morbuzakh vines?"

"Tell me."

"When the Morbuzakh knows you are looking for it—" Vhisola paused and looked around again. Then, in a whisper so soft Nokama could barely hear, she said: "It comes looking for you."

X X X

During their travel, Ahkmou's frequent attempts to flee resulted in his being kept in front, where he could be watched by the others. Little did they know that they, too, were being watched.

Mechanical eyes watched the group of Matoran and Toa proceed into Ta-Metru with unenthusiastic lights.

Scanning: six, unknowns, six Matoran Identify.

Processing. Presence of unknowns and those Matoran in this Metru—unauthorized. Action required.

Prime directive initiated. Pacify. Pacify.

X X X

Just across the northern border of Ta-Metru lay a nearly deserted neighborhood. It had been the site of the first appearances by the Morbuzakh vines, which then proceeded to strangle Metru Nui. Countless Matoran had disappeared from there, many more had fled for their lives deeper into the Metru. Since they entered the area, Vakama had not spoken a word.

"I do not like this place," said Matau, looking around. "It feels cold-dead."

"Where are all the Matoran?" asked Nokama.

"If Ta-Metru is anything like Po-Metru, they are living now with friends or coworkers," answered Onewa. "Some insist on staying near the Vahki hives, believing it to be safer there. If they work near the outskirts, they're careful not to travel alone. Every few moments, they stop working to listen for the approach of a vine."

Whenua frowned. "There was nothing in the past history of Metru Nui to hint such a crisis might occur."

"But something like it was bound to happen," said Nuju. "We relied too much on others to protect us—Toa, Vahki, even Turaga Dume. When something happened they could not handle, all the Matoran could do was run. I could have predicted this."

"Then why didn't you?" asked Vakama, gesturing at the abandoned buildings all around. "Why didn't anyone?"

"I predict we better run," broke in Onewa, his keen eyes spotting danger. "Vahki!"

With their surprise gone, the squad leapt off the walls and pipes to pursue on the ground.

There was no time to try to explain themselves to the Vahki—not that they would have listened anyway—so they sought a hiding place. Onewa ran, shoving Ahkmou in front of him and then following, himself. The two of them were at the rear of the group, affording Onewa a chance to block off the Vahki Nuurakh. As soon as he and Ahkmou followed the other Toa around a corner, Onewa jumped and struck a building with his proto piton, causing it to crumble in the way of the Vahki. Swift as ever, the Vahki jumped through the dust, but did not see the Toa.

The heroes took refuge by jumping into a protodermis slide, usually reserved for the smelting material. This workplace was not populated, though, its workings dry and quiet. When the twelve figures reached the bottom, the noise echoed, alerting a different set of Vahki.

"We need to find a better place to hide," Onewa told Vakama. "There's another Vahki squad up ahead."

"This way," Vakama led his fellow Toa Metru and the six Matoran out of the building through a side door, into a narrow alleyway. Using his flame power, he melted the lock on an old door down the street and shepherded them inside the building.

The heat struck the Toa like a fist. Although no Matoran seemed to be present in the forge, fires still leaped high and smoke made it hard to breathe. Tools were scattered about at the workstations and strewn about the floor, and some items had even been left to melt in the flames and others dangerously close. C-clamps, a hatchet, a cable and more littered the area.

"Looks like the workers left in a hurry," said Whenua. "Maybe we should do the same."

The Toa of Ice felt something strike his armor and bounce off, causing him to glance at his armor. It made a sharp sound when it hit, as if it were a pebble: TOK. When it happened a second time, Nuju said, "What is that?"

Nokama's keen eyes spotted where the second object landed. Kneeling to examine the object, she said, "This is what struck you, Nuju." She bent down and scooped it up. It was a round object, roughly a quarter of the diameter of a Kanoka disk. Its outer shell was pitted, extremely hard, and the colors of fire. "It looks like some kind of…seed."

Behind her, another fell, and then another. She turned around to look at them. That's when the full impact of what she had just said became clear to her. She looked up at the ceiling in fear. It was covered in seeds, which were beginning to fall at a rapid pace. "Oh, Mata Nui protect us," she whispered. The Toa of Water pointed overhead, where the ceiling's bumpy texture flickered in the light of the furnaces. "Morbuzakh seeds! It must be!"

Now the Toa Metru were caught in a downpouring storm of seeds. When the seeds struck, tiny vines sprang forth from the shell and wrapped around whatever was closest, hanging on with an unnatural strength…including new Toa.

Nuhrii, Whenua, and the rest covered their heads as the shower of seeds fell as hard as rocks. Onewa almost used his Great Disk as an umbrella, then had second thoughts when he realized that might activate its Kanoka power on the projectiles.

TOK! TOK! TOK! the seeds continued pelting the Matoran and Toa. Landing on the ground, vines sprouted and reached for parts of the building or one of the beings there. Vines were binding them more tightly than any chain ever could, and they fell, one by one.

"We have to get out of here!" Vakama shouted. He took two steps before black-brown tendrils wrapped around his legs, bringing him down hard. More seeds struck him, their vines binding him as effectively as chains. Even as they landed on his armor, the effect snowballed, bringing about an even faster defeat. He could see the other Toa struggling, their arms pinned to their sides, their tools out of reach, as more seeds rained down.

The clatter of the shells striking the ground was deafening. Already, the stone floor was covered with a layer of rapidly germinating seeds. The little vines writhed like a nest of baby serpents, striking out to entangle the Toa. Vakama looked over to see Matau trapped and struggling to breathe as he was. But Nokama was in the worst shape, with vines covering her from neck to toe and reaching for her Kanohi Mask of Power causing her to gasp. If those were lost, then surely so would the Toa be.

None of the six Matoran had made it back out the door. They were pinned to the walls by tendrils, like insects caught in a blackened web. Orkahm, Nuurhi, Vhisola, Ehrye, Tehutti, and Ahkmou all punched or kicked against the plant to no good.

Vakama rolled across the floor, trying to find a sharp-edged fragment of protodermis he could use to saw through the vines. Whenua was on his feet, slamming his body against the wall, evidently trying to stun the plants into letting go.

But one of them found the strength to overcome: it was Nuju who first managed to escape. Nokama's eyes widened as she saw him slice through the vines binding him with an icicle. The snipped bonds fell to the hot floor. Once he had one hand free, he launched a broad wave of ice from his open palm, weakening the rest of the vines. In mere moments he was free and rushing over to help her. "We have to get the others out of here. Help me!" The Toa of Ice slit Nokama's bonds as well, allowing her to use her hydro blades to cut the thralls of Vakama.

While Nuju hurried to untie the other Toa, Nokama used her hydro blades to free the Matoran. Then they all rushed out the door before the vines could grab hold again. They clawed their way back outside, but they knew no mere door could stop the vines. Vakama slammed the it shut behind them, stamping on the vines as they tried to slip underneath. "Nuju! Onewa! Bring the building down!" he ordered. He had been selected as the temporary leader for this mission, but that wasn't even the main reason the two complied.

"Gladly," Nuju answered, raising a thick pillar of ice next to the building.

"About time we had some action around here," Onewa added, making a column of stone.

Nodding to each other, both Toa released their control and sent the twin pillars crashing into the roof, decimating the building. Under the weight of rock and ice, the forge collapsed in on itself, burying the plants.

Nokama felt a shudder run through her form. "Do you think that will stop them?"

Vakama shook his head. "Maybe for a little while, but not for long. You know what this means, don't you?"

"It's reproducing," said Whenua, "and we have no idea how many other seeds might be waiting to sprout. Their roots will link up with the king root and the Morbuzakh will be everywhere."

"It could overrun our city-home," Matau said quietly. "Too many vines to stop, too little time."

Vakama checked to make sure his disk launcher was loaded. Then he turned to the group and said, "Let's go. We have a weed to pull. Everyone ready?" He did a head count, then he realized one was missing. "Hey, where's Ahkmou?"

At the Toa of Fire's question, the other Toa began looking around frantically. Had the Matoran been lost in the conflict? How did they lose him?

"I see him," Onewa muttered, annoyed. Luckily, he hadn't gotten far—just a few dashing paces away. "He's mine!" He activated his elemental powers and waved one of his weapons upward, causing a wall of stone twice Ahkmou's height to block his path. "Not so fast, carver!"

"Yiii!" Ahkmou cried, turning on his heels in an effort to stop. When he turned to look at the source, Onewa was already there.

The Toa of Stone backed the Po-Matoran toward the stone barrier. "You know, Ahkmou, we all had a feeling one of you six Matoran wasn't what you seemed. You were planning to take all the Great Disks, weren't you?"

Ahkmou shrugged and turned to one side, pouting. He was getting tired of having these conversations with Onewa. "Prove it, Onewa. I'm just an innocent Matoran, like these others."

Vakama and Matau wordlessly came behind Onewa, their mask's visors reflecting the fires of Ta-Metru. "You made a lot of mistakes—too many, in fact," Onewa continued. "But the biggest was my finding you 'trapped' on top of a sculpture in Po-Metru." Onewa took a step forward, forcing Ahkmou to back up to the stone rise more. "All the other Matoran were in real danger when they were rescued. But you and I both know you used to scramble up and down statues for fun. You didn't need me to get you down."

Ahkmou said nothing, his head apparently frozen. His eyes, though, darted back and forth between Onewa's as if he was taking a long time to figure out what he wanted to say.

Onewa wasn't patient enough to wait. He took one more step, causing Ahkmou to flatten himself against the stone barrier. Still, Onewa's mask was mere inches from the carver's when he said, "I don't know why you planned to betray Metru Nui, or who you are working for. But listen good—pull anything else…and you're plant food. Got it?"

Ahkmou would have sworn that the heat in Ta-Metru was making his mask condensate a bit more than usual as a few drips ran down it. He smiled nervously. "Who am I to argue with a mighty Toa?" he asked with a shrug.

X X X

The Toa were on the move again not much later. As they walked, Nokama turned to Nuju. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for the rescue earlier, against the seeds. Your actions saved all of us. But how did you get free? I appreciate your rescue, but I tried everything I could think of. How did you escape the vines?"

"I saw what the seeds were doing to the others," he said, his eyes looking straight ahead. "So when they began to strike me, I took a deep breath and expanded my chest. Then when I let the breath out, I had just enough slack to move a little. I didn't need my spikes to make something as simple as an icicle—that's easy."

"That's amazing!"

Nuju shrugged. "I'm from Ko-Metru. We think ahead."