Quickly the terrain grew from intolerable to downright unbearable. The small, smooth path winding its way through the mountain transformed into a narrow ledge barely wide enough to plant one foot beside the other. Small, sharp rocks jutted up along the edge of the road and scattered themselves along the path. They were very easy to slip on and I came close to rolling my ankle at least twice. Up ahead, Sebastian led the way, picking his way carefully among the spiky stones as easily as a Billy goat.

"I'm surprised you agreed to take me," I said, keeping a close watch where I placed my feet. "I didn't think you'd want to go back to a place like that."

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder. "I didn't like being down there," he answered honestly, "and I don't think Arcangelo does either. I want to help him get out as much as you do."

I nodded. "And get back at Makuta." The briefest sense of numbing cold crossed my fingertips, but even if I had the power of the arctic there was a chance Makuta's shadows might be colder.

Sebastian paused in his trek and looked at me. "You don't have to do that," he pleaded. "Just get Arc and run. You don't have to fight Makuta. You don't know what you're going up against."

"I know he kidnapped Arc, you, and Onua, and tried to kidnap me," I listed, anger heating my words like a furnace. "That's enough for anyone to want to defeat him. It's not a matter of why I want to fight him; it's a matter of why I shouldn't. A bad tree only bears bad fruit and a good tree only bears good fruit. A bad tree can't bear good fruit anymore than a good tree can bear bad." I locked gazes with Sebastian. "I have to stop Makuta before he hurts anybody else."

A frown creased Sebastian's skinny face and his brows knit on his forehead. Sighing deeply, he nodded. "Alright . . . just as long as you know what you're getting into . . . but if you want my advice . . . you should have listened to the other kid. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have reinforcements."

My jaw clenched. "Matt doesn't know anything," I hissed. "He doesn't know what it feels like to have his brother held captive by a madman. And in any case when he alerts to Toa of what's happening they'll come running. Not that I need their help."

"No they won't," Sebastian murmured. "No one knows about where Makuta is hidden. That's why they haven't made any bold attacks on him. I and soon to be you are the only people who know about it."

A smirk crossed my face. "Then at least I'll get a medal for weeding Makuta out." Easing around Sebastian, I placed my hand on my forehead, blocking out the sun as I scanned further down the path. "How much further is this place?"

Hanging his head, Sebastian drew up to my side, gripping the edge of the road with his toes. He didn't seem to mind the sharp stones. "You don't have to put on that bravado anymore. I'm not Matt or any of the Toa . . . I know you're scared. I'm still scared."

I snorted, shaking my head. "I'm scared," I growled, turning away. "I'm just worried about getting my brother back and returning Onua to the other Toa."

"Wrong," Sebastian challenged. "You're scared, I can see it in your eyes. You're scared something will go wrong, you're scared Makuta will catch you and turn you into a Ghost. You're scared you'll never make it back home . . . and you're scared Matt might be right."

Swift as lightning I reached out and grasped Sebastian's holey shirt, fingers curling into the fragile material. Sebastian gasped in surprise and I leaned closer, holding him over the lip of the edge. The drop ended in a small sliver of a gushing river eagerly awaiting the boy.

"You don't know anything!" I howled. "I'm not scared, alright? I can handle myself. Nothing will happen and I'll make sure of it, you got that?!"

Sebastian whimpered, trembling like a leaf in a stiff wind, clutching my tensed hand in both of his. His thin chest rose hard and fast with his panting breath and in his eyes swam a most real fear.

Ever so slightly I eased my grip, bringing the frightened boy to join me back on the edge. I released him, my hand throbbing from clenching so hard. The flesh of my face flushed the color of cherries and I swallowed, embarrassed.

"Sorry," I said quietly. "I just . . . I'm not scared, okay? I know what I'm doing." Taking a step back, I allowed Sebastian to pass me. "Go ahead, lead on."

Sebastian eyed me warily, taking a tentative step down the path. "It's . . . okay." He glanced around the bend where the road curved and met my eyes, pointing. "It's over there."

Quickly, I joined him at the corner. The path widened and sloped downwards along the mountainside where a gaping cave stared back at us. The cave was pitch black and bathed in such a shadow that even the morning sun couldn't penetrate it. An icy wind blew gently from the cave's yawning maw, sweeping out into the world and retreating back into the hole. If I didn't know better, I would have said the cave was breathing.

I drew the collar of my shirt tighter around my neck, stepping out from behind the bend. "I can see Makuta living in a place like this."

Sebastian drew further back, away from the cave. Goose flesh prickled his skin, the hair rising at the back of his neck. " . . . Yeah, this is it . . ." He licked his dry lips nervously.

Creeping closer, I eased myself down the slope towards the opening of the cave. The path was all gravel, slipping freely from beneath my feet. One wrong step and I would go sliding into the cave and perpetual black. Planting my feet firmly, I stood just outside, trying to pierce the darkness, but to no avail. Glancing over my shoulder, I met Sebastian's eyes.

"You don't have to accompany me," I said. "I only asked that you take me here. If you want to leave now, I'll understand."

Daring to peek around the bend, Sebastian swallowed. "It's not too late. You can turn back now . . . don't go down there."

I shook my head, offering a rueful smile. "I can't. I'll come back, don't worry." Reaching into the loop at my belt, I brandished my knife in front of me and slowly started forward into the freezing darkness until I was completely swallowed by shadow.

The inside of the cave was nothing short of terrifying. I couldn't see half an inch in front of my face. It was so eerily quiet that my breath sounded like a roar, echoing off the walls like some sort of sonic boom. My heart hammered wildly against my chest and clutched the handle of the knife tighter until my knuckles turned white. There was no way to tell what was hidden in that darkness and that was what scared me the most.

"Arc?" I whispered, eyes darting around. It did no good; I was blind. "Arc, it's me Cherry. Arc."

I listened closely, hoping to hear some shuffle or some sign Arc was around. There was nothing and my fear grew stronger. My mind screamed for me to turn back, every fiber in my body urging me to head back to the light of the outside while I remained undiscovered. The more I though on it, the more appealing the notions began to be. Slowly, I took a step backwards . . . and two forward. I couldn't go back, I've had my chance and I hadn't defied so many people and principles to chicken out now. Taking in a deep breath, I ventured further into the cave.

It was odd, the deeper I ventured in, the lighter it seemed to become, but it was an insidious light, an eerie greenish-black glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere like a fog. It had the stink of rotting eggs and chilled me colder than any ice blast I could conjure. At certain points, monstrous shadows darted in and out of the haze, paralyzing me to the spot, but I played it off as tricks of my eyes and pressed forward.

I found it strange that somehow Makuta hadn't been alerted of my presence. Usually evil lairs were riddled with bodyguards and sentries from the front door all the way through the inner chamber. I was grateful I hadn't encountered anything, but I didn't want to count my eggs just yet. There was no telling how much further this cave went and there were certainly plenty of chances for something to happen.

Suddenly, there was a gradual lightening of the fog as the sickening greenish-black sheen gave way to vibrant yellow. It was difficult to look at, even through the shroud of the fog, and I held my hand over my eyes, blocking out the glare. I imagined this was what it must have been to be in the same room with the sun. The yellow glow radiated from within a crystalline sphere, swirling and coiling around itself like an angry sea. Curiously, I drew in closer until I was nearly face to face with the sphere and my eyes narrowed. Inside the sphere twisted tens of long sinewy leeches.

"Ew," I moaned. I tapped the glass and the leeches erupted into a string of angry hisses. "Why would Makuta have things like these?"

The leeches swelled in front of me like a writhing black mass, pressing up against the glass with their tiny, razor-filled maws bared. They climbed over each other, battling one another for a position right in front of me, their fiendish red eyes glittering.

"They can sense it," a numbing deep voice whispered, "the light within you. They crave it."

Jerking my head around, I glanced towards the voice, but saw no one. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. "Who are you?" I hissed, glaring into the darkness. My knife flashed in the bright glare of the tank.

There was no initial response and for a moment I believed whoever had spoke was gone. A bone-chilling laugh echoed throughout the cavern and I swallowed hard; it was no longer a question who was with me.

"Where's Arc?" I barked, eyes flicking wildly. "Tell me, Makuta!"

"Why?" he purred.

"You stole him, turned him into something he shouldn't be," I growled. "you're going to turn him back, set him free, and watch us leave out your front door."

Heavy metal steps clanked against the stone floor. Through the poisonous fog I barely made out Makuta's hulking outline. His crimson eyes shone maliciously, daring me to demand any more of him. His mask split into a wicked grin and all courage drained from my body.

"I'll make you a deal," the master of darkness proposed. He circled me, keeping me well within his stare. "I believe you might be a very . . . unique Apprentice. You have already proven you could care less about what the Toa or Matoran or even Mata Nui" – he spat out the name like it was poison – "want or need from you. You are an Apprentice that knows what is best for her and has the determination to strive for her goals. You don't need to bother with meager Toa power."

Makuta stopped in front of me, staring me down. I glared back. "I would be more than willing to accept you as my Apprentice, and I will teach you things Kopaka or any of the Toa never can. You won't have to bend to anyone's rules, you'll have free reign to do whatever you please whenever you please. You won't be bound to the rules of being a Toa's Apprentice." He stretched out a hand and grinned. "Join me and be free of your destiny."

Slowly the knife made its way to rest at my side. I stared down at my shoes, pondering what I should do. It sounded appealing, I wouldn't have to worry about what others thought of me, whether or not I fit their standard of being a Toa. Most of all I wouldn't have to conform to whatever destiny or fate had in store for me; I would be free to choose. With my head downcast I took lethargic steps towards Makuta and his smile widened. We were merely feet apart when I acted. Rushing him at top speed, I spread my arms and allowed my fingers to brush against the swirling mass of mist. The mist began a chain reaction and began to freeze its way towards Makuta the same way a spark of fire might eat its way up the fuse of a stick of dynamite.

"Thanks, but no thanks," I replied.

The mist solidified into a chunk of solid ice, entrapping Makuta and pinning his arms to his sides. I came up with my knife, the blade freezing into a wickedly curved dagger. My eyes narrowed to slits.

"I don't want any part of this!"

I raised the knife, ready to deliver the final blow.

Then everything went wrong.

Makuta's arm broke through the ice as easily as a hot knife through butter, shattering it into a million fragments. He swiped out and knocked me away. I landed hard upon the ground, bones crunching from impact, knife loosed from my hand and spun away into the darkness.

Makuta strode through his icy prison, dashing it to bits. He loomed over me, nudging me in the side. I cringed.

"A very bold move," Makuta praised. His expression soured into a snarl. "But it will be your last."

Fade to black.