"You've gotta be kidding me."

Mihkoro frowned at the temporarily paralytic teenager lying nearby him on the roof. Did he honestly just say that? Did he really just say that he doubted what he'd been told? What was this kid's problem anyway? His tone irritable and eyes narrowed, the dark Toa replied coldly.

Am I not allowed to have a family, Tahu? Is love something I'm not permitted to show?" The dragon-like creature sighed, seeming bored.

"Mihkoro please, now isn't the time. We have to move out before more of the Visorak arrive. As it is we're running low on time, and these two being the way they are isn't going to help us. Kajuni and Helryx are counting on us to keep these kids safe." Tahu blinked, managing to turn his head, grateful that the paralysis was staring to wear off.

"Toa Helryx sent you?" He asked. "Really? Where is she?" Mihkoro sighed quietly.

"Can't tell you, Tahu, but yes, she sent us. My whole team is here, but that can wait." He looked to the mutant again. "Meet at point B. Take Tahu with you, Pohatu's in more danger and needs to get there more quickly." The creature nodded as he moved closer and picked Tahu up. "And Frigus…" The being looked at Mihkoro again.

"Yes Brother?"

"Make sure Hera isn't worrying about me, will you?"

"That's like trying to stop the tide from coming and going, Mihkoro." He responded with a faint laugh. "But I'll do what I can. Just make sure Nuju's family is still in tact, and we'll be alright." Mihkoro quirked a faint smile at that, and nodded as he carefully picked up Pohatu's twitching and shivering frame.

"See you on the battlefield." Frigus nodded slightly before turning and spreading his wings.

"May the stars give you fortune." He responded. With that said, he took off, holding Tahu close as he went. The Toa of Fire shivered a bit, a mixture of wind chill from taking off, and the sheer coldness of his transport's scales and skin.

"Hey, uh…what's your name, where are we even going?" The creature laughed.

"The name's Frigus, kiddo. And point B is another name for the place your first steps as a Toa were taken. It's a bit of a disaster area now, but it's still a decent spot to 'camp out'. Visorak tend to avoid those ruins for some reason. The only trick is getting there." Tahu swallowed quietly.

"And…is that generally hard?" Frigus laughed, as though everything was fine and casual.

"About as hard as catching smoke in a bottle. We'll make it just fine though. Besides, the Visorak rarely stick around there. I figure it's gotta do with it being a temple. That or it's the Suva. Either way, getting in there means we're safe." Tahu didn't feel overly convinced on this plan. Sure being somewhere safe was fine, but by the sounds of it getting in there was going to be brutally hard. Too uneasy to care that his limbs were starting to properly function again, the redhead asked, tone mildly uncertain.

"So what happened to you anyway? I mean, you can't have always been like this." Out of the corner of his eye, the Toa saw Frigus' expression fade into a grimace. Sighing quietly, the mutant hesitated before responding.

"I used to be a Toa actually, a long time back. A Toa without a purpose. Eventually I was approached by Mihkoro and a lady cloaked in dark blue. The lady told me that Mihkoro needed to form a team, and asked if I was up for the job. Deciding I had nothing better to do with my life, I consented and we made a team, eventually growing to be seven in number. Once we had gotten acquainted, the lady told us that an island titled 'Metru Nui' needed our help, as the team that was there already was being beaten down. After arguing about it, since Mihkoro said he didn't want anything to do with that island, we convinced him and all set sail." He hesitated, shaking his head grimly as he recalled the horrific details.

"We were met with a city trapped in turmoil. Matoran were going missing at an alarming rate, never to be found again, and incredible tension was destroying relationships, particularly the friendship between the team of Toa that were there before us." Frigus shook his head sadly as he took a moment to focus on his surroundings before continuing. "It didn't take long until my comrades and I were targeted. Kajuni was the first to go down in the struggle, and he only did it so the rest of us were safe."

"Kajuni?" Tahu asked curiously. "Who's that? And didn't you say that Kajuni was counting on you? Going by what you just said now, he's dead." Frigus grimaced.

"In a way, he did die, but he was reborn as a 'monster', just like I was. You'll get to meet him later."

"By reborn," The Toa of Fire asked. "You mean mutated, right?" The mutant sighed.

"Way to put it bluntly." He responded. "Yes, that's what I mean, and by now the effects of the Hordika venom will have settled in permanently. Now are you done asking questions, or is there more?" Tahu thought a while.

"Yeah, I got one more. What the heck is a Hordika?" Frigus groaned, rolling his eyes.

"You aren't quick on the uptake are you?" He asked, mild agitation obvious in his voice. "Hordika venom is a mutation-inducing toxin that the Visorak use on their prey, mainly anyone bipedal and graced with a brain. I'm a victim of the Hordika venom. Put two and two together, you'll figure it out." Tahu, wisely deciding to ignore the insult, thought over the mutant's words and finally got the picture.

"Oooh…" He said quietly. "You're a Hordika…is that what happened to Toa Vakama?" Frigus nodded slightly.

"Now you're getting somewhere. Nice to see you've got some hope in the learning department. Now hush up and hold on tight." The Toa Mata blinked, and was about to ask why, when his mode of transportation pulled into a vertical dive, both arms wrapped closely around the teen so he wouldn't drop. Too surprised and shocked to even scream, Tahu's eyes widened as they began to spiral, hurtling downwards like a rocket on a crash course as they plummeted towards the ground. Already the Visorak webs seemed to be closing in, and it wasn't long until the pair were weaving through them as they went. Tahu closed his eyes tightly, holding onto Frigus like a lifeline as they drew still nearer to the ground, already fearing this would be the death of them both. However, with a powerful rushing sensation, the drop seemed to end completely, and he opened his eyes, discovering they had pulled out of the dive and were now gliding over the remains of Ga-Metru. He could see the Great Temple up ahead, weather-worn and crumbling, but still in tact.

"Did…did we make it?" He asked breathlessly. Frigus laughed, sounding amused.

"Kid that was the easy part. We barely even got started." Tahu gulped, his already paling face draining of all color that was left.

"Y-you're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding." The mutant shook his head.

"Not kidding. Hang on and hold tight kiddo, we've got a ways to go yet."

"…Mata Nui save us…"