Deep in the jungle of Le-Wahi, the trio of figures wandered slowly, dwarfed by the ancient trees. Takua glanced around from his vantage point on Pewku's back. "l hate the jungle," he said. "It's all sticky and"—he paused to slap at something that had landed on his neck—"full of bugs."

"How can you say that?" Jaller exclaimed. "It's incredible! Geez, is there any place on Mata Nui where you do feel at home?"

"l don't complain about Ta-Koro."

"But you wander off every chance you get, looking for stories," Jaller reminded his friend. "What about your story?"

"I don't have a story," Takua insisted with a shrug.

"Only 'cause you won't stand still long enough to make one," Jaller said. "We all have a destiny, you know."

"You know me," Takua said lightly. "Always different."

Suddenly a fierce roar blasted through the jungle. Pewku stopped short, trembling.

Takua gulped. "Yet another reason to hate the jungle," he whispered. "Go that way, Pewku!"

Pewku changed direction. The Mask of Light, which Jaller was still holding, began to fade. "No," Jaller said. "The mask says this way. Back on track, Pewku." He waited, but the Ussal continued in the new direction. "Pewku!"

Pewku whined nervously. Slowly, she turned back to the original track. The Ussal stepped forward. She blinked as something—a large shape, blurred with speed—passed in front of them.

Takua didn't notice. "Will you stop with the duty thing and use your head?" he said to Jaller. "Or do you want to be jungle snacks?"

"Guess I should listen to the real Herald," Jaller retorted sarcastically. He smacked himself in the forehead. "No, wait! You weaseled out. So I'm in charge."

Pewku stopped short as a fierce-looking creature stepped out in front of them. It was an ash bear, all teeth and claws.

Takua noticed it. "Fine," he told Jaller, his voice shaking slightly as he pointed to the ash bear. "You're doing great so far."

The ash bear let out a mighty roar. Takua, Jaller, and Pewku shrieked in response. Takua and Jaller ducked as the ash bear's claws swatted at them. Pewku turned and fled, scampering behind a large tree.

The ash bear lunged around the tree in pursuit. Pewku changed direction, heading back the other way around the tree's trunk. But the ash bear was too quick, blocking their way once more. It swiped at them again, missing by the merest fraction. Its claws met the tree trunk instead, leaving deep gashes in the bark.

"Keep him busy!" Jaller said, grabbing the trunk and starting to climb. "I'm…"

"Running away and leaving me!" Takua finished for him. The ash bear made another lunge, backing Takua and Pewku against the tree.

JalIer swung up onto a branch directly overhead. "Just watch!" he called down to his friends. "Toa Tahu does this! YAAA!"

He jumped out of the tree—right onto the ash bear's broad back. But he'd misjudged his leap and wound up facing the creature's hindquarters. The ash bear turned away from Takua and Pewku. It grunted and roared angrily as it leaped and twisted, trying to dislodge Jaller.

Takua and Pewku raced out of range. "Toa Tahu does that?" Takua muttered, turning to watch as Jaller hung on for dear life.

"Whoa!" Jaller cried, feeling his grasp slip. He had to hold on! If he fell off now…

Before he could finish the thought, a sudden gust of wind swirled through the leaves. At the same time, a vine snaked out of the brush, coiling around the ash bear's front foot. The ash bear growled in surprise as another vine followed the first, wrapping around the creature's back feet and looping them together. The vines tightened, and the ash bear was hoisted off the jungle floor. Jaller finally lost his grip and crashed to the ground, landing face-first.

"Oof!" he grunted.

A tall green figure dropped down out of the foliage above.

"Toa Lewa!" Takua cried. "The spirit of the air!"

He bowed to the Toa, while Jaller rolled painfully to a sitting position. Lewa grinned. "Mata Nui!" he exclaimed to Jaller. "Where'd you learn to bear-fight like that, little one?"

Jaller rubbed his sore back. "Right here," he said with a groan, "just now."

Lewa playfully grabbed Jaller, setting him gently on his feet. "Well, I'd say you're a natural, brave firespitter," the Toa said.

Jaller sighed, thankful for the compliment, but embarrassed a Toa had to see that display. He turned back to the hanging, captive animal and drew his guard sword. "Guess I'd better finish what I started."

Toa Lewa held up a hand, though. "Now, now. What's that for? You and ash bear got no wrong-quarrel? She was just doing her duty." He patted the upside-down bear on the head. "If this was your home realm, you'd do the same." He released the vines, lowering the ash bear to the ground. The ash bear immediately leaped up and growled. Takua and Jaller stepped back, leaving Lewa alone to face the ash bear. The Toa spoke soothingly to the creature. "Go on now, sister-bear, Graalok."

The ash bear hesitated. Then she turned and lumbered off into the jungle.

Jaller and Takua were amazed. But now that the ash bear was gone, Lewa had other things on his mind. "Word is deep-wood that you seek the Seventh Toa," he said.

Takua gestured toward Jaller, eager to make corrections. "He seeks, I follow. He's the herald; I'm just his biographer."

Jaller scowled at Takua, but Lewa didn't notice.

"lf Toa Lewa helped on your search, might he be a spirit-lift?" Lewa offered.

Takua and Jaller glanced at each other in amazement. The mighty Toa wanted to travel with them? "You?" Takua said.

Lewa nodded.

"With us?"

Lewa nodded again.

"We'd be honored to have you walk with us!" Jaller added eagerly.

Lewa glanced upward. "Walk?" he said. "Ha ha! Not never! If you ride with me, there'll be no foot-walkin'…just airflyn'!" With that, the Toa whistled a distinct jingle. There was a whoosh from overhead. A giant, hawk-like Gukko bird swooped out of the trees and hovered above them. Lewa grinned at the two Matoran. "Ever wind-fly a Gukko bird?"

Jaller shook his head, his eyes wide. But Takua shrugged. "I've been a second," he said, earning a surprised look from Jaller. "But I've never flown one myself."

Lewa grabbed Takua and Jaller and tossed them up onto the Gukko. They landed sitting right behind the bird's head, with Takua in the front.

"Then today's for quick-learnin'," Lewa declared as the Matoran yelped in surprise. "Stay sharp, and follow-well!" He spread his arms, the air katana blades he carried locking into his shoulders. Then he leaped into the air.

As the Gukko wheeled to follow the Toa, Takua glanced down and noticed Pewku watching anxiously from the ground. "Sorry, Pewku," he called to her gently. "No room. Go on home, to Ta-Koro."

Pewku's head drooped sadly. She let out a soft whine as the Gukko bird flapped through the treetops and disappeared.

Takua and Jaller soon got the hang of following the Gukko's movements as it swooped and glided through the air after Lewa. "Hey, I'm good at this!" Takua cried out as the bird dove through a grove of trees. Takua ducked just in time, but Jaller ended up with a mouthful of leaves.

He spat them out. "As compared to what?" he asked Takua.

The Gukko veered again. Nearby, Lewa did an amazing loop-the-loop in mid-air, then swooped over to glide along beside the bird and its passengers. "Ha!" the Toa exclaimed. "l was so eager to join your search, I forgot I'm not the way-finder. Herald, do the honors!"

Jaller raised the mask. It glowed brightly, leading them up through the jungle canopy and over the treetops toward the steep, snow-covered peaks of the Ko-Wahi region, where Kopaka's people made their home.

Soon they reached a snowy plateau. In the background, sheer cliffs rose into ice-covered peaks. The Gukko glided to a landing, stopping abruptly as its feet touched down. Taken by surprise, Takua and Jaller flipped forward over its head, landing face-first in the snow. Takua reached around blindly for something to help himself up. His hand found a rock and used that to push against.

Surprisingly, the rock sank and spoke when he did. "Mmmmpff! Gt ff mh!"

That rock had been Jaller's head, which meant Takua had just shoved him deeper into the snow face-first.

Jaller sat up and glared at Takua, who started brushing the snow off him before being slapped away. Takua shrugged. "What?" he said. "We're here."

Jaller raised the Mask of Light and spun slowly in place. The mask brightened as he faced a ravine between two snow-capped peaks. "Hey!" Jaller said to Takua in surprise as the Gukko flew off. "You even kept us on the right path. Not bad for a Kolhii-head."

He glanced around, looking for Lewa. The Toa was standing at the cliff's edge, looking out over the jungle with an expression of concentration. As Takua and Jaller stepped toward him, they heard the faint sound of tribal drums in the distance.

Lewa turned toward them, looking unusually solemn. "The drums of Le-Koro bring a sorry-bad story," he told them. "Your village has fallen to…Rahkshi, the Makuta's sons."

Jaller could hardly believe his ears. "My village, in trouble?" he cried, stricken. "I'm the Captain of the Guard…l should have been there! I must return!"

"Sorry, brave fire-spitter," Lewa said gently. "Past-late to help now. The mask most needs you."

Jaller turned, shoving the mask into Takua's hands. "Takua will continue in my place."

"Uh-uh, no way!" Takua said quickly, "You accepted this duty."

"I accepted your duty!" Jaller shot back.

"Stop!" Lewa ordered sternly. He stepped between them. "What's this duty-quarrel? We all have a duty to Mata Nui. No time to in-fight." Takua and Jaller exchanged a guilty glance. "l must go be with the Toa," Lewa said. "But then I'll go to your village, Jaller. Heart-promise."

Jaller bowed to the Air Toa. "I…can't thank you enough, Toa."

Lewa leaped into the air and glided out of sight. Jaller grabbed the mask back from Takua and headed for the ravine, then Takua turned and followed.

X X X

Dark storm clouds gathered over the mountain peaks as the two Matoran struggled through the snowdrifts. On a ridge overlooking the valley, a dark shape watched their progress. Jaller and Takua never noticed it as they clambered through the icy drifts.

Takua paused as the whirling snow cleared just long enough to offer him a glimpse of an odd-looking stone with writing carved on it. "Stop!" he called breathlessly to Jaller. "Does something look familiar here?"

"You mean besides everything?" Jaller panted, gazing around at the whiteout conditions.

"l mean this!" Takua pointed at the stone. "We've passed this at least a million times. And look…" He pointed again, this time to footprints in the snow leading off ahead of them. "Those are either our footprints or the steps to a Le-Matoran dance."

"Well, don't blame me!" Jaller said. "I'm following the mask."

"Fine! Let's all freeze to death because the mask says to," Takua retorted.

Jaller turned and kept walking. Neither he nor Takua noticed as the mask gradually dimmed.

"Well, maybe our path would be straighter if the real Herald had the mask," Jaller snapped.

"The 'real' Herald has the mask," Takua returned. "I couldn't find water if I fell out of a canoe."

"Well, what do you think I can find?" Jaller said. "I—oof!" His words cut off as he slammed into a tall white figure, almost hidden in the blowing snow.

Takua's eyes widened as the ominous shapes of six white creatures towered over them. "Uh, so far you're good at big scary…Bohrok!" Kohrok to be exact.

Jaller's heart was pounding with fright. The Bohrok were among the most terrifying creatures ever to threaten Mata Nui. But these…why did they just stand there, as still as the mountain itself? "Frozen…?" he murmured as he realized the truth. "What could do this to them?"

Suddenly one of the Bohrok lurched forward. Jaller and Takua jumped in fright. The Bohrok crashed to the ground…revealing a very different figure standing behind it.

"Kopaka Nuva!" Jaller exclaimed, as Kopaka halted the icy storm that had been active due only to his will. "Toa of Ice! H-how did you find us?"

"It was you who were following me," Kopaka replied, his icy voice full of suspicion.

Jaller kept a nervous eye on the Toa's ice blade. "We were?" Jaller said.

Kopaka finally put his blade away. He turned and walked off without another word.

Takua and Jaller exchanged a glance. Both were thinking the same thing—the Toa of Ice would make a very useful guide in this frozen wasteland. They hurried after him. "We didn't mean to!" Takua called after Kopaka, struggling to keep up with him in the deep snow. "We were lost."

"We're on a mission!" Jaller added, holding up the Mask of Light. "We've been sent to find the Seventh Toa!" he said, the words tumbling out of him eagerly. "I assume you've heard of it?"

"No."

Kopaka hadn't even looked back, just kept walking. Jaller was at first surprised that Kopaka didn't even ask about a 'Seventh Toa', then realized he shouldn't have been; of all people, Kopaka would be the one to see yet another Toa on the island as less than a good thing. Jaller tried to keep up. "Oh…well you see, Takua was in the Ta-Wahi lava break, where he's not supposed to be, by the way, and I told him—"

Kopaka halted, silencing him with an upraised hand.

"Ulp," Jaller blurted. "Sorry."

Kopaka turned around. "You are the Chronicler," he said, pointing to Takua.

Takua was a bit unnerved by the Toa's icy gaze, almost feeling threatened by the tone of an innocent observation. "Uh, yes," he stammered.

Kopaka looked thoughtful. "Your stories have aided the Toa in the past," he said. "l will take you to my village of Ko-Koro. State your purpose to the Turaga." He strode off, not bothering to look and see if they were following.

X X X

Lewa glided to a landing behind Tahu and Gali. He walked the last few paces to where Tahu was kneeling, staring into the Lake of Fire. Of the fire village, Lewa could see nothing. Tahu stood up and turned to Lewa, who offered his fist. Tahu clanked it with his own greeting. Then, Lewa waited for Tahu to speak.

"Ta-Koro is gone, Lewa," Tahu said heavily. "Buried by the very lava that sustained it."

Gali's gaze rested on Tahu. She reached out to touch the scratch on his mask, which appeared to be spreading. "Tahu…" she began.

Tahu brushed away her hand. "You worry about scratches?" he said angrily to Gali. "My village is gone! Your power was nothing! My power was…" He sighed in defeat. "Nothing."

Lewa put a hand on Tahu's shoulder. "We are same-hearted, brother. And that heart will quicken us to stop the evil-spread."

"But first we must be united," Gali said, putting her arms around both of them. "Together we are strong."

Without answering either of them, Tahu shoved Gali's arm off with a grunt. Then he turned and stalked away.

X X X

Takua, Jaller, and Kopaka Nuva rounded a hill of ice. Before them spread a snowy valley. Steep cliffs rose on the far side. Set into one of the cliffs was a village, accessible only by a bridge of ice. "Ko-Koro," Kopaka sighed. They had arrived at its location. He zoomed in with his Kanohi Nuva's telescope to observe it from afar.

But something was wrong. The village wall had fallen. Huts were in shambles, and smoke rose from the ruins. There was no one in sight. "No…" Kopaka breathed.

Jaller and Takua looked harder, squinting in response to Kopaka's reaction. Their eyes widened as well when they saw the rising smoke. They raced toward the ice bridge, wanting to help.

Kopaka glanced up as a dark shadow fell over the valley. "Stop!" he shouted.

Takua and Jaller skidded to a halt. The bridge was just ahead, stretching over a deep chasm. From below the lip of the gorge, three terrifying figures hovered into view.

The trio of Rahkshi landed in front of the awestruck Matoran, unfolding their legs to stand at full height. Takua and Jaller gawked up at the hideous creatures, frozen with fear. The Fragmenter-Rahkshi, Panrahk planted its staff in the snow. A zigzagging bolt arced into the air, then down toward the helpless pair.

Kopaka slid toward them, his shield up. The ice shield deflected the bolt, its energy knocking the Toa backward. The bolt blasted back toward the Rahkshi, shooting a plume of snow into the air as the creatures dove for safety.

Panrahk let out an angry roar. Kopaka climbed to his feet and raced away with Takua and Jaller close behind him. The Rahkshi chased them, launching bolt after bolt of energy, which rained down all around the fleeing trio.

Suddenly Kopaka stopped short, flinging out his blade to block the Matoran's path. Takua and Jaller slid to a stop, realizing that they were about to race right off of a steep cliff that dropped away into a treacherous ravine.

"Prepare," Kopaka ordered, turning to face their pursuers.

Jaller and Takua blinked, confused, as the Toa tossed his shield facedown onto the snow beside them. Suddenly realizing what Kopaka meant for them to do, Jaller shook his head. "The Captain of the Guard never runs awaaaaaaay!"

His last word was lost in a cry of terror as Takua pushed him onto the shield and jumped aboard himself. The momentum carried the shield skidding toward the cliff. It toppled on the edge, then tipped down, sliding faster and faster along the impossibly steep decline.

Kopaka hardly heard their fading screams. He faced the Rahkshi as they closed in on him. The Fragmenter-Rahkshi sent yet another bolt of energy arcing toward him. Kopaka somersaulted away, dodging the bolt. As he came down, he tossed his twin blades onto the snow. He landed on them, turning them into power ice skates, on which he glided down the cliff face.

The Rahkshi watched him go, their burning eyes sparking with anger.

Jaller clutched the edge of the shield-sled, now too terrified to scream. The shield sped down the cliff at an awesome speed. He was relieved to see Kopaka appear beside them. As they neared the bottom of the slope, Takua pointed ahead. "Dead end!" he cried. The base of the cliff sloped into a sheer rock face. Only a narrow ravine leading to a small lake offered a path through.

Kopaka zoomed ahead of the shield. Bending his knees, he reached back and grabbed the front edge, pulling it behind him as he veered into the ravine.

"Whoaaaaa!" Takua and Jaller yelled as they felt themselves skid up the ravine wall. But Kopaka yanked the shield back onto the icy path. They sped down the ravine's crevice.

BOOM! An arc of dark energy smashed into the snow right in Kopaka's path. The shock waves knocked him off his feet, sending him rolling into the snow. The shield flipped over, dumping Takua and Jaller as well. They tumbled head over heels, landing on the very edge of a lake.

The Fragmenter-Rahkshi hissed triumphantly as it hovered down toward him. The other two Rahkshi were right behind the first.

Takua sat up. "Jaller?" he said. Jaller looked at him, his eyes widening as he spotted the Rahkshi. The creatures hovered right past Kopaka, who appeared to be unconscious, heading straight for the two Matoran.

"Why us?" Jaller said. "What did we do?"

Takua spotted the Mask of Light in his friend's hand. "The mask!" he cried. He grabbed the mask, which started glowing brighter than ever. Pushing Kopaka's shield onto the cold water of the lake, he jumped on, using the mask as a paddle.

Left behind, Jaller watched nervously as the Rahkshi approached. He dove out of the way as they hovered toward him. But they didn't even glance his way. Their glowing eyes were focused on Takua. They hovered out over the water, following him.

Takua paddled as hard as he could. But with every glance back, he saw the Rahkshi gaining on him. Finally they were close enough to reach out for him with their clawed arms. Takua held the mask close to his chest as the creatures hissed threateningly, grabbing at him. I guess this is it, he thought hopelessly as a clawed hand snapped only a whisper away from his face.

Just then his gaze caught motion back on the lakeshore. Kopaka was awake—he was swinging his ice blade overhead. A second later a blast of elemental ice spun through the air, heading straight for the Rahkshi!

The icy blast hit the Panrahk and knocked it off balance. It crashed into the other two creatures, and all three of them toppled and landed in the lake with a splash.

"Ha!" Takua cried excitedly, leaning over the edge of the shield to look at the spot where the Rahkshi had disappeared. A clawed hand shot up, only inches from his face. "Yaaaa!" Takua yelped, pulling his head back.

"Rahkshi," Kopaka said with amusement. "Washed…and…chilled." He twirled his blade, then stabbed the point into the edge of the lake. The water crystallized instantly into ice, the deep freeze spreading rapidly until the entire lake was frozen solid.

The Rahkshi, who were just reaching the surface, were trapped in place, save for one hand that had broken the surface. Even that, though, was frozen in encasing ice by the Toa's will.

Kopaka pulled his blade out of the ice and walked toward Takua. For a moment Jaller, too, was frozen in place by the sheer amazement of the Toa Nuva's power, then he came to his senses and joined Kopaka out on the ice.

"Good moves," Kopaka said when they reached Takua.

Takua shrugged. "Even I get lucky sometimes," he said, a little awed by the words of praise from the Ice Toa.

"Not luck," Kopaka corrected, as he straightened Takua's mask for him. He hadn't even noticed it was askew from the action. "It is what you do that makes a hero."

There was a sound from behind them. All three whirled around to look. "Nooo, stop—" Jaller said nervously, backing up.

"—Pewku!" Takua cried in amazement as he saw the familiar form of the Ussal crab trotting across the ice. He, opposite Jaller, stepped forward to meet her.

Pewku ran toward him. Her feet skidded on the slippery ice, and she wound up crashing into Takua, knocking him over. Takua laughed and hugged her. "Wow!" he said. "She must have come all the way through the jungle."

"Not bad," Jaller said with a smile. "Maybe Pewku should be the herald, eh, Toa Kopa—?"

He turned to glance at the Toa. But the spot where Kopaka had been standing just a moment before was empty. The Toa was back on the shore, leaping up the sheer face of the icy cliff.

Jaller blinked. "He just left us here!"

Takua nodded, remembering the distressing view of Ko-Koro. "He needs to see to his village." He held the Mask of Light toward his friend.

Jaller started to reach for it, then hesitated. "You were looking pretty Herald-like back there. Sure you don't want to hang on to it?"

Takua slapped the mask against Jaller's chest. "Tempting," he said as the mask's glow slowly faded. "But no."