CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: NO GOING BACK
Vilak lunged forward, slashing his claws at Malak as he did. The dark Toa stepped to the side, suffering a scratch to his ribcage that would have torn his arm from his body. He winced in pain, falling into the snow. Even though one of the four claws on Vilak's hand had struck him, it still had enough power to overbalance him.
Vilak, however, was not finished. His talon-bearing foot swung around, gouging at Malak's face. The dark Toa threw himself flat, barely keeping up with the demon's assault.
"You can't keep this up forever," he panted, diving to retrieve his scimitar. "Your energy will run out before long!"
Vilak laughed. It wasn't the same laugh Gali had heard earlier; sounding like two laughs. This was one laugh – haunting and hollow. She unconsciously took a step backward. "You think I'll stop this?" asked Vilak, "You pushed me too far – it's your own fault!"
Malak's sword hand trembled slightly, but he brought the blade up to face Vilak anyway, "I don't know or care what you're talking about, demon! You'll help feed my Master!"
Vilak seemed to disappear, and then reappeared in front of Malak. He plucked the sword from his opponent's grasp and hurled it with enough force to embed it up to its hilt in a rock wall. "Never." Malak whimpered in fear, falling backwards from Vilak. He scuttled backward, trying to avoid the demon.
"Let's see your master protect you now," sneered Vilak. His claw came up, and descended on Malak. The first strike clove his head apart, rendering the follow-up slash useless as his lifeless body slumped to the ground.
Vilak turned to Gali, his eyes looking painfully at her. "I'm sorry."
Gali was confused, and took a step backward as Vilak took one forward. The demon paused, and then shook his head in sad amusement.
"I should have known it would come to this," he said, "I apologize again. Gali…" he looked back up at her; his orange eyes filled with regret, "It's time to take you home."
He lunged forward, seizing Gali around the waist with his claws. He beat his four wings mercilessly, lifting them both into the air as if they weighed nothing. He pointed himself south, taking off like a colorless bullet. The island of Ara-Nui faded from sight; and Gali marveled at how fast Vilak was flying.
No sooner had she recognized this fact, Mata-Nui came into view ahead of them. Vilak swooped in, depositing Gali on the shoreline. Before she could say anything else, the demon was in the air again.
"I can no longer go back, Gali," he said, "I will finish my task on Ara-Nui."
He flew off, leaving a streak of snowflakes in his wake. They settled softly down, melting as they hit the warm beach sand or the ocean's surface. Gali collapsed to her knees on the shore, sobbing into her hands.
"You made a promise!" she shrieked, sounding as though she had lost her mind. "You said you'd be careful!"
To her surprise, Lewa burst through the trees. He stared in shock at her for a moment before rushing to her side. "Blue-sister?"
She looked up at her friend, tears running from the eye-slits of her Kaukau. "He's gone…"
Lewa looked at her in surprise, "Who? White-brother? Nay, he'll be fine!"
Gali sobbed into his shoulder, "He… he became something else… oh Lewa… I tried to stop him…"
Lewa looked helplessly at Gali. He had absolutely no clue how to deal with this sort of thing. Swallowing his pride, he patted her back. "Let's go see wise-Turaga about this, sister."
As Lewa comforted Gali, Vilak was busy circling Ara-Nui like some great bird of prey. Within the newly-freed demon mind, Kopaka was fighting to regain control. However, unfortunately for him, the demon was stronger than the Toa.