I closed my eyes as Keetongu's robotic fist plunged down towards me, waiting for the inevitable.

Suddenly, I heard a growl, and Roodaka jumped in front of me. She fired a mutation spinner at the arm, but it was deflected and hit Vakama instead.

He began to twitch a little bit, and then he was covered in an explosion of fire. His blazer claws morphed into his hands, which became wreathed in flame, and his eyes glowed yellow with an insatiable hatred. Last to transform were his arms and legs, which grew at such an alarming pace that their armour flew off and his arm and leg muscles bulged with power; but it was not a controlled power, it was a power fuelled by the animalistic rage of the full-fledged Hordika.

The other Toa Hordika stared in horror at their leader's transformation.

Vakama had become a full Hordika.

While Onewa, Matau and Whenua tried to soothe their leader, there was one Hordika who was strangely absent.

Nuju.

While the others had gone down to rescue Hikan, he had chosen to stay behind and hide on Turaga Dume's platform. Suddenly, he heard a soft sob that he immediately recognized as being Nokama's, and quickly climbed down so he could help her.

Nokama, having finally awoken from the slight stupor Sidorak's weapon had inflicted upon her, raised her head up to look at Nuju.

"Nuju…" she whispered in a voice that seemed cracked and heavy. "What… what happened?"

He smiled. "I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to help the other Hordika. Can you walk alright?"

She nodded. "I think so."

And so, Nuju helped Nokama up to her feet, and the two Toa Hordika made their way through the door.

They ran through a maze of confusing tunnels, their faces illuminated by the eerie blue light given off by the Lightstones affixed to the tunnel walls and their feet making little sounds against the worn-down passageways. Eventually, the tunnel ended at a rather large chamber.

"Are you sure this is the one?" Nokama asked, nervous and out of breath. "We could have gotten lost."

Suddenly, they felt the ground move, and there was Keetongu, smiling down at them, with Sidorak in the cockpit.

"Yeah, Nokama," replied Nuju sarcastically. "I'm pretty sure this is the right room."

-

I saw that Keetongu had turned his back to us, and leapt at my chance to defeat him and Sidorak once and for all.

Motioning to Roodaka with my head, we stood at Keetongu's legs and waited to strike.

However, there was one little problem neither of us had anticipated.

Vakama.

He rushed forward in his Hordika state towards Roodaka. She transformed into Reka in an attempt to hide, but she was unsuccessful.

And with a single swipe of Vakama Hordika's flaming hand, Reka died.

I sobbed in pain as the flames consumed my lover. For me, there was no reason to live now, now that the only thing that mattered was gone.

Keetongu took a few more steps, and as the ground shook, a part of the wall fell right towards me.

I felt the wall fall on me. I felt the life being squeezed out of my lungs. And I felt the one thing that I had been dreading.

I felt death.