The color drained from Sebastian's face the same way wax melts before a flame. His grip slackened and a few of the pictures slid to the ground, scattering about our feet. "You mean . . .?"

I nodded solemnly, my mouth running dry as the desert sands in Po-Wahi. " . . . Yeah . . ."

"No," the boy moaned. The rest of the images collapsed from his hands as he took a step backwards, eyes wide. "No, no, no! All these kids . . ."

The hair rose on the back of my neck, my stomach sinking all the way down to my toes. " . . . I know . . ." Glancing down, I scanned the rows upon rows of images, and with each smiling, hopeful face my spirits dwindled.

Sebastian shook his head, tears swimming at the rims, threatening to fall. His thin shoulders trembled and his lip quivered. "I'm not doing this anymore, Cheryl! If this is what Makuta does to Apprentices then I'm getting out of here before he does the same to me." The boy raced towards the exit.

"Wait, Sebastian!" I hastened after him. "What about Arc?"

He paused, a step's length from escape. His green eyes smoldered in the darkness. "I promised that I'd take you to the last place he'd been, and I have . . . This is as far as I go, Cheryl. He's not my brother." His head dipped. "I'm sorry."

He continued through the archway of the door, swallowed by complete shadow. Running to the doorway, I peered into the sea of inky black, unable to find even the slightest hint of Sebastian. I wanted to call out to him, reach him and convince him not to leave, but it wasn't my place to do so. He was right: Arc wasn't his brother. This was my journey.

Sighing heavily, I retreated back into the chamber. I picked up all of the images that had been upon the ground, forming them into a neat little stack and thumbed through them one by one as I retreated to where the collection of folders were. As I stared into every set of colored eyes I wondered what they had done to get captured. Were they like me, trying to regain a loved one or just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time? I hated to think about it.

Stooping down, I picked up an empty folder and tenderly slid the sheets into the vacant slot, making sure none of the prints wrinkled or bent at the corners as they nestled into the space. I saved the last two in the pile, a fire Apprentice and an air Apprentice, and folded them carefully in half then fourths. I had to show the Toa what was being done, and no matter how much I wanted to rescue all of the images, carting a large stone folder would have been too much of a burden.

With the evidence safely tucked away, I paused upon thinking back to the photos of Arc, Matt and me. I wanted to take them, ask if the Toa or Turaga knew why Makuta would focus his attention exclusively upon us, but decided against it. With a shake of my head, I turned to exit the chamber. I still had a search to continue.

The mist within the chamber grew thin and visibility improved. I was able to make out clearer details, but the more I saw the more I wished the vapor would return full force and hide the monstrous environment from my eyes. The walls, now bathed completely in the crystalline green glow of the lightstones, revealed strange carvings scratched into their surfaces and from the looks of it they appeared as old as the earth itself. I approached a section of the wall closest to the exit and looked closer. From where it disappeared at the top to where the tip touched at the edge of the floor, the carving of a great land mass stretched nearly all across the section of stone. It's eastern and western edges created implied a line that connected to another landmass, this one similar in shape but larger and crisscrossed with various intersecting lines that separated it into six parts. Beneath a thin veil of dirt was a crimson X similar to the ones of the photographs, but it had been roughly smeared away so that it was no more than a stain upon the wall. This chain of landmasses continued all around the chamber, all of odd shapes and sizes, some with Xs and some without. A thought tickled at the back of my mind.

"But why would Makuta need a map as large as this?" I pondered aloud.

"Cheryl!"

A startled half-scream echoed throughout the chamber and I put a hand to my chest, taking in deep breaths.

"Cheryl! Help!"

"Sebastian," I whispered. Racing out of the chamber, I dashed into the blackness of the tunnels. My eyes darted around frantically, trying to catch some glimpse of the boy while his cries ricocheted around me. "Sebastian?!"

A sudden tremor rocked the ground beneath my feet and I stumbled, collapsing to my knees. The sound of splintering rock was deafening, but not as distinct as the high-pitched squeal of ice shattering into a million fragments. My jaw dropped a fraction of an inch and I sprinted as fast as I could at the sound of the noise. In the near distance two figures emerged silhouetted in flashes of elemental energy. Joy swelled within my chest and tears smeared my vision until I was running at breakneck speed. I jumped between the pair and tackled the taller of the two. We collapsed to the ground on our knees even as I coiled my arms around his neck, fingers pushing through his short hair.

"Arc," I whispered, voice breathy and weak. Hot tears gushed down my face, breathing rapid and erratic. A large grin split my face even as harsh sobs ripped my throat. "My brother." I held him tighter, fingers digging into the muscled pads of his shoulders as if he would disappear all over again. "My brother."

Arc didn't move, simply sat on his knees in front of me, lying limply in my arms like a doll. " . . . Cheryl?"

I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, cupping both cheeks in my hands. He had lost weight since I saw him last: his eyes were sunken and ringed with circles as if sleep had become foreign to him. His cheekbones were angled and jutted out too much for my liking. A mass of salt and pepper hair sat atop his head and was just beginning to lose its clean military-style cut, odd bits sticking out here and there. Yet what frightened me most was the ashy gray pigment of his skin, like he hadn't seen the sun in ages, and the crimson orbs set deep into his face, flecked with specks of dulled sapphire. I swallowed hard.

"What has he done to you?" I whispered.

He simply stared back, searching all around my face. Slowly he reached up and brushed calloused, icy fingers against my tear-drenched cheek, clearing them away. " . . . Cheryl . . ."

I nodded, smiling anew. "Yes. Yes, it's me." I embraced him again, softer this time. I was elated when he held me back, squeezing just as tight. "It's okay," I whispered in his ear. "Everything's okay now. I'm going to get you out of here. We're going back home."

"C-Cheryl." Sebastian stumbled to his feet, cradling his injured arm. Blood dripped freely from his shoulder and at least two his fingers were broken out of place. A bruise swelled his right eye and when he walked it was with a limp. "Don't trust him. Get away from him!"

"No!" I held Arc tighter, glaring daggers at Sebastian.

"That's not your brother anymore." The hurt boy was an arm's reach away. I had the overwhelming urge to push him away. "It's even worse than before." Sebastian raised his good arm, flickers of iridescent green lancing across his dusty palm. Ever so slightly the ground the ground stirred.

"Don't!" My hand flicked out and a wall of solid black ice shot out like a net and coiled tightly around the unfortunate boy. He went tumbling into the darkness, but close enough where I could still distinguish his outline. "Sebastian, just stop. He's still my brother – I know it! I know him far better than you do."

"Yes . . . I do," Sebastian gasped. He weakly struggled against the bonds, unable to break through. "Who you knew is gone. I know who it is now, it's not something you or anyone can be around."

"Stop," I growled, eyes narrowing. The temptation to freeze his mouth shut grew like an irrepressible weed. "You're lying."

" . . . The same can be said for you."

The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and ever so slightly my eyes widened before constricting to mere slits. "How?"

"You're not the same girl I met," Sebastian continued. His eyes sparkled emerald green, glowing in the gloom. "You were nice and defended me from that other kid. You gave me water when I needed it." He frowned. "But that shadow leech has corrupted you just as it corrupted it . . . and I can see now you're not strong enough to overpower it."

"Enough!" I collapsed against Arc's chest, pressing my hands firmly against my ears. "Stop already!"

"Or you are and you just aren't for some idiotic reason," Sebastian growled. "If you are then break free of that shadow mold. Don't fall into the same trap Arc and so many others like him did. Be the Toa's Apprentice you are called to be!"

Sebastian's voice echoed strong and proud throughout the cavern like a sonic boom, drowning out all other noise. Nothing but silence followed after that, not even so much as a whisper of breath. Then there was laughter. It started out small, no more than a childish giggle in the far distance and it grew into one of the most horrific cackles I had ever come to know. Heavy armored feet scraped against the ground and no sooner had I dared to look up did the crimson slants of Makuta's eyes stare down at me. I gripped the front of Arc's shirt so tightly my knuckles turned white.

"Such passion," Makuta praised with a round of sarcastic applause. "Such fervor. If you hadn't betrayed me you would have been one of my most influential officers." His expression hardened to stone and a burning fire settled in his gaze, daring to set Sebastian ablaze. "But I think you've spoken too much. Pity those will be the last words you utter!"

Makuta extended a clawed hand and Arc sprang from my grasp, racing at top speed towards the partially frozen boy.

"No!"

Arc collided hard with a wall of sheer ice, landing with a hard smack upon the floor. I panted hard, arms outstretched and placed firmly against the barrier between me and Sebastian and Arc and Makuta.

"Cheryl," Sebastian murmured, awed.

"Even though you're a pain in the side at times," I admitted through clenched teeth. Arc began to stir and my shoulders quivered, "you don't deserve to be handed over to Makuta on a silver platter." With a small kick to Sebastian's icy bonds, they fell away in a mass of shards, melting into the cracks of the ground.

The boy slowly rose to his feet, coming to stand beside me. Our gazes met. For a moment I thought he was going to scream or yell, chide me for my foolishness, but my jaw dropped slightly as a small smile graced his lips. He raised his good arm and curled his hand into a fist, bumping it with the palm of my hand. "Thank you."

My chest swelled and I couldn't fight my own smile. "No worries."

Arc got to his feet; unfazed by the collision with the ice barrier despite a bloody nose. I chewed the inside of my lip and had to look away for one moment.

"Are you positive," I breathed, never losing sight of Arc as he stared with those hollow crimson eyes, "that he isn't my brother anymore?"

"I'm sure," Sebastian confirmed. "Though I have a feeling you'd like to prove me wrong."

Makuta paced in the background, keeping a close watch. Arc remained still, though his muscles flexed and tensed, ready to spring given the signal. Keeping the barrier in place, I licked my dry lips, wondering, analyzing.

"When I drop this I want you to turn and run," I whispered harshly. "Don't look back and don't stop until you reach the surface."

"No! That's not going to happen," the boy hissed. "Whether you like it or not, we're a team now; I'm staying here."

"You're too injured to do anything useful," I growled. The coppery smell of his blood made my nose wrinkle. The pain practically radiated off him. "There's no way you can fight like this."

Sebastian shook his head with a sigh. "Obviously you haven't learned anything. You should already know you can't take both of them on your own. You have no say in this, Cheryl, because no one can trust you to make a smart decision." Slowly, Sebastian raised his good arm, his eyes sparkling a magnificent emerald. "We finish this together, or go out trying."

Just as the checkered flag is raised before a race, we attacked as one. Arc rushed us at full-force, hollow red eyes gleaming mercilessly as he summoned a torrent of hail. The blocks of ice pelted us from above, but with a quick move, Sebastian erected an earthen shield to parry the onslaught. I came up with a frontal attack, forcing Arc back with one powerhouse fist after another. I bit my lip hard as the Ghost stumbled back, taking hit after hit without so much as a fight back.

"Arc," I called weakly. "Please, you have to snap out of it. If you're still in there then show me!"

My fist reached out for another hit, but it landed in the iron grip of Arc's hands. He latched onto my other wrist and held it firm. An icy blast washed over my skin, chilling me to the bone, and ever so slowly a sheet of pitch-black ice crept over my fingers and inched further and further up my arms. I tugged and pulled, desperately trying to escape.

Makuta grinned, leering over us like a hulking omen. "Give it up," he jeered. "Your brother is gone. He's mine now. And soon, so will both of you."

"Cheryl!"

Whipping my head around, I gasped as Sebastian became surrounded by three great beasts easily twice his size. They were reptilian in nature with slender barrel chests and well-muscled limbs. A row of spikes lined their hunched backs and in their hands were dangerous staffs studded with jagged blades. These Rahi, Rahkshi they are called, flanked Sebastian on all sides and closed in, trapping the boy between them. Sebastian pressed back, forcing a mud fist out of the ground and slamming one away, but he collapsed to his knees, exhausted. The Rahkshi, bright red in color, staggered to its feet and approached, hissing venomously.

I gasped, eyes wide. "Sebastian!" I barely stifled a grunt as the black ice made it to my elbows. Through the crystalline shells my hands turned a deep blue, all feeling lost to me.

"It's over," Makuta stated. He gave a nod and the Rahkshi formed a tight ring around Sebastian, grasping his arms and pinning them behind his back, fastening them with some odd electric binding. They dragged him towards Makuta, the crimson Rahkshi keeping close guard.

"Leave him alone!" I barked.

Makuta snorted. "After his betrayal? No." He stared hard at Sebastian, frowning. "I have plans for you."

Just as before, a crimson glow swirled in the palms of Makuta's hands. Sebastian squirmed against his binds, but to no avail. The Rahkshi held him down even as Makuta advanced towards him.

My lip trembled and my legs felt like Jell-O. The numbing in my hands had moved into my arms until they resembled nothing short of rubber. "No," I moaned. "No, you can't do this!"

I stared hard into Sebastian's wide, terrified eyes even as hot tears seared mine. "Come on, you have to fight back!" I bellowed. "You gave such a big talk about me fighting the darkness, now it's your turn. Do something!"

Sebastian gave a slight twitch of his arms, pushing against the bonds, but they promptly fell limp at his sides. Sweat glistened upon his brow and his breath came in labored bursts. He shook his head. " . . . I can't," he murmured. "I'm too weak." He gasped as the Rahkshi at his sides lifted his gaze to meet Makuta's. The master of shadows was nearly upon him.

"Wait!"

Makuta twisted his head ever so slightly.

"Wait," I repeated, softer this time. Tears streamed freely from my eyes. My knees knocked against one another and it was difficult to breathe. "D-don't do this. Please, I'll do anything. Let him go."

A deep throated hum buzzed Makuta's voice. "What could you possibly do for me that I cannot simply take from you?" he asked. "I already have your brother, and soon I will have you and this little traitor." He shook his head. "There's nothing you can offer me."

With a slight nod of Makuta's head, Arc whirled me around and grasped both elbows, pinning my arms behind my back. I barely felt his touch. With a growl, I bucked and writhed, doing all in my power to break free. I tried to move my fingers, hoping to somehow twist my icy bonds to my side, but to no avail. I wasn't able to conjure even the smallest of snowflakes.

"You've fought valiantly, little Apprentice," Makuta commended, "I'll give you that." He shook his head, disappointed. "Do not take this defeat to heart, you children were never meant to become Apprentices anyways."

Makuta was mask-to-face with Sebastian, staring the frightened boy down. He lifted one of the glowing crimson hands and slowly placed over Sebastian's head. The boy squeezed his eyes shut . . .

"Makuta!"

The villain barely stole a proper glance when a gale-force wind crashed into him, knocking Makuta away as easily as a paper airplane through the air. The sudden attack startled the Rahkshi but they had no time to react as jets of high-pressure water batted them aside to join their master in the surrounding shadows. Ferocious tongues of heat licked at my face and I cried out, skin warming to an uncomfortable temperature. Arc's grip left me and all at once the ice bonds that had been slowly inching up my arms shattered in a mist of ice crystals. As one, Sebastian and I gazed into the near distance and a wide grin split my face.

"Kopaka!" I cried. "Tahu, Lewa, all of you!"

The Ice Toa pushed through the rest of his brethren and drew to my side. I was more than obligated to meet him halfway, grinning so widely I thought my face might split. If my arms weren't like two limp fish I would have hugged him.

"I can't believe you're here!" I cried, taking a sweep at the group. "How did you find us?"

Slowly, Matt pushed out from behind Pohatu. He looked a little worse for wear with a few fresh scratches on his arms and hands and rips in his clothes. Despite what happened between us, I couldn't help but smile. He smiled back.

"We barely rescued him from an untimely departure," Tahu said grimly. He put a rough hand to the back of Matt's neck and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You two are more trouble than you're worth."

Matt shrugged sheepishly.

"But how did you find him?" I asked. "We left you back at Ta-koro and made sure to keep out of sight."

"You weren't that difficult to find," Kopaka admitted. His expression had yet to change from its frosty fury. "After your brazen speech about finding Arcangelo on your own, it was only a matter of guesswork where you would have eventually ended up. Thankfully the Matoran hold legends of places that lead to Makuta's lair, and here we are. If we hadn't come across Matthew then we would have arrived too late."

Kopaka's expression suddenly morphed into barely-controlled rage. His one blue eye glimmered brightly. "You deliberately disobeyed me!" he barked. I blanched. "Do you have any clue what sort of danger you put yourself and Matthew through? Look at where we are!" He gestured to the ominous cavern around us. "If we had come a moment too late do you know what could have happened –?!"

"I'm sorry!" I bellowed.

The Toa blinked, startled.

I shook my head. "I know what I did was wrong and stupid, but now isn't the time to chastise me."

I pointed to Sebastian, who had remained where he was upon the floor, digging at his bindings. Pohatu moved over and loosened the binding with a quick burst of his elemental power.

"We have a kid who's hurt and Makuta is still here! We have to get out of here now, then you can yell at me."

Kopaka glanced to Sebastian and for a brief instant his expression softened to confusion, but quickly masked it with cold, calculating focus. "Right." He nodded to Tahu and the Fire Toa immediately took charge.

"Pohatu, carry the boy," Tahu called. "Everyone, let's go before –"

"Before what, Toa?"

A wall of black mist enveloped us all like the coils of a doom viper, squeezing tighter and tighter until the nine of us were back to back, staring into the endless gloom. I swallowed hard and glanced up to Kopaka. His blades were at the ready, shield primed for defense. The telescopic lenses of his mask clicked and whirred as it scanned all around.

The mist parted before us to reveal Makuta, flanked on either side by his Rahkshi minions. Three more joined the group, one in muddied off-white armor, another a poisonous green, the third as black as coal, totaling their numbers to six. Arc hung close to his side, staring intently with those hollow crimson eyes.

"Finally we meet again," Makuta gestured to the Toa with a slight nod of his head. "I had assumed our meeting would come at a later date, but now is as good as any." His eyes glittered. "At least I have all of you in one place."

Tahu stepped forward, the corners of his lips curled into a triumphant smirk. The blades of his twin magma swords flickered with the barest sparks of a flame. "And just as before, you will meet your defeat."

Now it was Makuta's turn to grin. "You still believe you can defeat me?" He shook his massive head. "You cannot defeat me, for I am nothing." Makuta stretched out a mighty hand and all at once chaos broke loose.

The Rahkshi plowed ahead with their staffs held high and slanted ruby eyes blazing. Tahu was the first to meet the horde head on and deflected a burst attack from the pale Rahkshi with a shield from his Hau. Tahu came up with a flare so bright it rivaled the sun. Stunned, the Rahkshi drew back and was too late to see the tidal wave of water that swallowed it whole. Gali morphed the surge into a tight, rotating sphere, creating a whirlpool that threatened to suck the breath from the pale creature. Gali was so intent on finishing the opaque Rahkshi that she failed to see another Rahkshi, this one as blue as her, shoot a crackling lance of energy at the ground beneath of her feet. The stone disintegrated in a cloud of dust and a yawning chasm opened beneath her. With a yelp of surprise, she fell through. The whirlpool fell away in a shower of drops and the white Rahkshi collapsed to the ground, coughing up whatever water it had swallowed.

"Gali!" Tahu rushed for his fellow Toa as soon as she descended and jumped into the gaping pit.

"Fire-brother!" Lewa gaped. The Air Toa grunted as he was forced back by a pressing attack by the ebony Rahkshi.

Kopaka growled and grasped the back of my shirt along with Sebastian, hauling us towards Matt as he took cover from the onslaught. "The three of you run, and don't look back!"

"No!" I kicked back against him, fighting his grip to no avail. "We've already been through this. I'm not running!"

"Do as I say!" With a mighty heave Kopaka flung Sebastian and me away towards the mist. We landed with a hard thud, Sebastian cradling his wounded arm. Matt fell to our sides, suspiciously eyeing Sebastian before pulling the boy to his feet. The Ice Toa stared hard into my eyes, leaving no room for questions. "I already lost your brother – I won't lose you as well!"

A Rahkshi the color of the desert sands was nearly upon Kopaka, staff raised high to strike the Toa down. Kopaka reacted swiftly and without hesitation, throwing up a wall of solid ice and deflecting a sudden burst attack. A moment later the barrier exploded in a thousand splinters, pelting the four of us with bullets of hail. The Rahkshi instantly moved in, landing a solid blow to the soft part of Kopaka's stomach. The Ice Toa grunted and stumbled back, leaving him open to a blow to the mask with the blunt of the Rahkshi's staff. Downed and dazed, the Ice Toa was completely at the ferocious beast's mercy.

"Kopaka!" I sprinted forward but a was held back when Matt caught my arm.

"Don't!" Matt's eyes were wide, frightened. "Kopaka said get out of here!"

Sebastian shook his head, his face betraying the stark fear and realization of our situation.

I growled and shrugged Matt's grip off. "I don't believe either one of you. You give me so much heat over not being loyal to the Toa – and now you want to run away?!" Tension built in my shoulders, the muscles in my jaw straining. "You're the cowards!"

The Rahkshi lifted its staff high over Kopaka's mask. A sphere of pure shattering energy pooled between the prongs of the weapon, charging the air with static. The hairs rose at the back of my neck and every sense suddenly became as sharp and clear as the bite of a winter wind. Without another moment's hesitation I stroke, reaching out just as the staff fell. I caught the bar just before the burst had a chance to touch Kopaka. Immediately pulses of pure electric energy raced into my body, short-circuiting every synapse and nerve within me. I tossed my head back and screamed, all control abandoning me. The Rahkshi pushed against the staff, it's weight bending my grip to an impossible angle. I was certain I'd lose my hold when every last ounce of the destructive force seeped into my palms and shot back through the rod of the staff and into the Rahkshi in a ferocious backlash. The explosion was enough to send both the Rahkshi and me flying.

Like a rubber ball, I bounced along the hard ground before lying still upon my side. Small flickers of bronze charges danced along my form and for the longest time all senses were lost to me. I couldn't breathe, couldn't feel, and couldn't think – at least about nothing but the pain. Warm blood dripped from both nostrils and out of each ear while tender pink burns cracked upon my palms.

" . . . And what'll happen if you're gone?" I muttered. My voice sounded like a rusted metal pipe that had suddenly been made use of again. With staggering, shaky steps, I crawled to my feet. To make the simplest of moves was a chore. "There'll be no one to teach me or Matt or anyone. And the Matoran; they need you. If you're not there, then we'd all be at Makuta's mercy."

A deep sense of aggravation and ferocity swelled in my chest and I found myself snarling, the corners of my lips pulled back to reveal twin rows of teeth. Adrenaline pumped through me like a drug, and the burns to my skin evaporated in a steaming mist. Tendrils of frosty power swirled about my fingers and all saw was red.

"And I won't let you go out like this!"

Everything blended together in a blur of movement as shapes and colors ran together like watercolor on a canvas. The fragmenting Rahkshi had survived the blast but I didn't give it the chance to fully recover. Taking a firm grip upon its head, I ripped free its mask and within the shell of its "skull" lay the squealing form of a spiked eel, or Kraata. It wasn't like the shadow leeches I encountered earlier, but even I could tell it was just as dangerous. With a firm grip upon the eel, I froze it solid and tossed it away. Without a mind to control it, the Rahkshi's armored shell collapsed on itself like a house of cards.

"The eels!" I screeched to the other Toa. "Get rid of the eels!"

Armed with the Rakhshi's weakness, the Toa set right to work. With a united effort, Pohatu formed vice around the dark Rakhshi and his garnet companion, holding them in place. Lewa came up with a gale-force wind that blew the Rahkshi's masks clean off, exposing their wriggling Kraata. It took only a moment to dispose of them, rendering the suits of armor useless.

"And I thought Rakhshi were ugly before," Lewa shuddered as he stared down at the remains of the Kraata.

Tahu and Gali hauled themselves out of the depths of the pit and were just in time to meet the remaining trio of Rahkshi. Just as before, they reacted as one. Tahu formed a chain of flame and lassoed the Rahkshi together. The beasts in frustration, arms finned to their sides. Gali reacted, letting loose a jet of water to cool the flame just to the point of crystallization, strengthening the chain. Mustering all his strength, Tahu unleashed a torrent of blazing fire at the Rahkshi's feet, melting the stone to molten slag. He tossed his arms up and the pool of magma coiled around the Rahkshi until they were completely covered in it. Gali encased the broiling mound in a sphere of water. A wall of steam swept past in all directions, dousing all in a hot cloud. When it had evaporated, the Rahkshi were entirely entombed in a solid wall of volcanic rock. It took only a well-placed kick by Onua to ensure no Rahkshi would emerge from it again.

Makuta regarded the remains of his servants coolly, but even his stoic expression did nothing to conceal the fury in his eyes. "Impressive, Toa," he muttered, "but I'm afraid we're just getting started."

Arc disappeared from his spot by Makuta's side and came up beside Lewa. The unsuspecting Toa of Air didn't have time to dodged as Arc landed a solid blow to his mask with the blunt side of a black ice blade. Lewa crashed into Onua and the pair stumbled back, giving Arc just the right moment to finish them off, but a barrier of stone cut off his strike.

"Not this time," Pohatu growled. The barrier crumbled upon the Ghost, but like a wisp of smoke, Arc pulled away before so much as a pebble could touch him.

Makuta drew his attention away from the battle and smiled at me. "You too."

Just like before, nausea overpowered my stomach and the world spun. I lost my footing and dropped to my knees, trembling.

"Cheryl?" Matt released Sebastian and bent down by my side. "What's wrong?"

Sebastian bit his lip. "Not again."

The fiercest of headaches pounded the sides of my temples and I groaned, fingertips pressed to my forehead. Matt continued to question my health and with each word he said I wanted nothing more than to silence him. A snarl curled my lip and finally I could no longer take it.

"Shut up!" I swatted at the boy, knocking him down. Sebastian took a step back, shoulders trembling. Kopaka frowned tightly, eyeing me warily and reaching for his blade.

I growled and shot a blast of black ice at his hand, forcing Kopaka to drop release his weapon. I smirked. "Not so tough now, huh?" Before he had a chance to reply, I was upon the Toa, swinging wildly with a perfect replica of his blades, one in each hand. Kopaka raised his shield to parry the blows, each strike forcing him back.

Kopaka planted his feet firmly and absorbed the impact of one of my strikes, using the momentum to push me back. He took advantage of the space between us and performed a perfect handspring flip forward, flash freezing my ankles. He vaulted over me and grasped both arms, pinning them behind my back and encasing my wrists in a sheath of solid ice. I hissed, struggling to break his grip.

The Toa of Ice sighed. "Now I understand," he muttered, "you already belong to the shadow."

His grip tightened ever so slightly. The bonds at my wrists crept upwards along my arms swiftly, a little too quickly for my liking. Mustering every ounce of power within me, pushed back, willing the ice crystals to defrost, but to no avail. Kopaka's skill was precise and his focus wouldn't be shattered as the ice slipped over my shoulders and threatened to encase me.

"Kopaka!" Matt bellowed.

"What're you doing?" Sebastian questioned.

"Be silent!" the Ice Toa snapped. "I'm doing what needs to be done."

My jaw clenched so tight that my teeth strained, grinding against one another harshly. Why was this insignificant Ice Toa bothering me? He had done nothing but stolen my brother and selfishly kidnapped me to amend his conscience. An unnatural strength possessed me, every muscle rippling and flexing with power. I wouldn't allow myself to be overcome so easily! With a quick snap of my arms, the ice bonds dispersed in droplets of water. Free, I whirled and placed a perfect blow to Kopaka's mask, knocking him away. He stumbled and brought up his shield to deflect an arrow of ice.

"You just had to come after me," I hissed. "All I wanted was to get Arc back and go home, but you just couldn't let that happen, could you?"

Kopaka regarded me coolly, his expression unreadable. "You were chosen for this destiny," he replied. "There is no turning back for you."

"That's not a good enough answer!"

An ice sword materialized in my hand and I swung wildly for Kopaka. The blade ricocheted off the surface of his shield, spattering chips of ice all around. Relentlessly, I hammered at him, each stroke stronger than the last, and with each parried attack my fury intensified. Kopaka failed to allow himself to be overcome, his feet planted firmly upon the ground as if my glue, blue eye narrowed. The telescopic lens in his mask whirred softly every once in a while, analyzing. The blade of my sword was whittled away to a thin blade, barely wide enough to pass for a rapier, and not so much as a dent was made in Kopaka's armor. With a cry of frustration, I slammed the sword upon the flat of Kopaka's shield and the double-edged weapon split in two. The weathered blade clattered to the ground while I held the hilt and remaining stump of the sword. Kopaka acted without warning, coming up with a powerful swing of his blade, barely missing me by an inch. The faux attack was enough to push me backwards and the Toa eased his ankle around mine, jerking me off my feet. Surprised, I fell back but Kopaka caught me just before I hit the ground and pinned me, hands clamped tightly around my wrists just in case I tried to pull another freezing trick. He gazed at me with cool, hard eyes. Mine held nothing but malice.

"Let go of me!" I bellowed wriggling and pulling back.

"Stop struggling," Kopaka commanded, voice smooth and even.

Releasing one of my wrists, he held both in one of his while bringing up the other one to grasp my chin, forcing me to look at him. I growled.

"Fight it," he muttered. "That anger, that fury within you isn't of your making. Do not allow such influences into your mind. We Toa aren't impervious to such manipulation, and while at times all that surrounds us is darkness, we can always find the light." Ever so slightly, his expression softened and whispered, "Can you find yours?"

I scoffed. What was he blathering about, I thought? Yet the more his words sunk in, the more they resonated. Of course I had to right to be upset with him, but not enough to hurt him. No, the last thing I wanted was to harm anyone. My tensed expression softened around the corners.

Kopaka nodded. "Remember who the real enemy is."

" . . . Makuta," I whispered.

My whole body went slack, relaxing into an eased state. That venomous haze lifted from my eyes like a waning morning fog and I suddenly became very aware of my surroundings. My chest rose and fell smoothly as I stared back into Kopaka's bright eye.

"Makuta's the enemy," I murmured, so soft I had to strain to even hear myself. "I came to save Arc . . . to go home."

"Then you know what we must do," Kopaka replied. Slowly, he released my wrist and pushed one of his ice blades into my hands. "All this time we have been on opposite sides, when Toa are meant to work as a team. It's time we begin learning this lesson."

A cool sensation pulsed from the tips of my fingers all throughout the blade, the curved blade glowing a dull blue. Glancing past Kopaka, I met Matt and Sebastian's eyes. Matt nodded and I returned the gesture.

Taking a firm grip upon the blade I whirled on my heel, dashing straight towards the escalating battle. Pohatu, Lewa, Onua, Gali, and Tahu were engaged in fierce combat with Arc. Pohatu manifested a fist of solid stone and sent it hurtling straight towards Arc as he waged war with Tahu. Seconds before the hand slammed into him, Arc performed a back flip that would make a gymnast proud and evaded the blow. Too late to stop it, the fist smashed headlong into Tahu. The Fire Toa barely constructed a shield with his Hau in time to block it. Arc landed behind Pohatu and pressed his hands to the armor of the Stone Toa's back. Frozen tendrils of black ice swept up and along the Toa's body, threatening to consume him. With a cry, I crashed into Arc and forced him away. We tumbled and unwound a few feet away. Arc jumped to his feet and regarded me coldly while I rose to mine, blade clutched tightly in my hand.

I frowned, sighing deeply, before pointing the tip of the blade straight at Arc. "Come on."

The next moments were a blur, and even now I can't recall them as clearly as I would like. It was a mash of color, movement and sound that left me in an autopilot state. The battle came naturally to me, each move blending seamlessly into the next. Needless to say the same was for Arc: each of our strikes bounced off the other without so much as a consequence. We were too equally matched. The deadly dance might have gone on forever if the others hadn't decided to join in.

As Arc and I locked horns once more, Matt came out of nowhere and issued a stream of flame between us, forcing us apart. Arc retreated further into the shadows to Makuta's side, crimson eyes flicking about, as the Toa flanked me from all sides. Sebastian and Matt eased their way in front of me.

Makuta took all of us in turn, gazing from one masked face to the other. "You all seem to have grown since last we met," he remarked. "Good." He grinned. "You'll need it!"

With a quick shot of his arm, deafening roars and howls erupted from all corners of the chasm. Hulking shapes bolted from every branching chamber and formed a tight circle around us. My stomach sank in terror. Nearly every species of Rahi surrounded us, armed with an infected mask and malicious crimson eyes. They clawed at the ground and gnashed their teeth, ready to spring at the command of their master.

"Rahi again?" Gali commented. "You must be running out of minions to resort to your old tricks, Makuta."

"You'd like to think so, wouldn't you, Water Toa?" Makuta remarked.

He stepped back, drawing Arc with him. The Rahi closed in, forcing us all to squeeze tighter together. The Toa readied their weapons. Matt and Sebastian braced themselves, elemental energy crackling in their hands. The blade of Kopaka's ice sword glowed a faint blue in my hands.

"These aren't the Rahi you remember," Makuta continued. "You could say they've been 'upgraded'.

With a slight nod of Makuta's head, the front line of the Rahi horde sprang, coming from all sides. Instantly, Tahu threw up a shield, blocking out the onslaught. The creatures bounced of harmlessly, only to attack again. They latched onto the pulsating force field, clawing and biting. And it was only when they were close did we all see the meaning behind Makuta's words.

"Ghosts," Pohatu murmured. "By Mata Nui, they're Ghosts!"

"Can that occur-happen?" Lewa asked. "Last I checked-confirmed, only Toa and Apprentices can be Ghosts."

"Apparently it can," Tahu grumbled. He winced as the force of all the Rahi bore down upon the shield, dents forming where they held on. "Everyone, brace yourselves. I can't hold it much longer."

Makuta grinned. "Enjoy yourselves, Toa. It'll be the last battle you fight." The master of shadows retreated further into his lair, Arc trailing along beside him.

My eyes widened. "No . . . Arc!" I stepped forward only to be forced back by an advancing Muaka. The beast growled low, claws outstretched and primed for use. A hand placed itself upon my shoulder and an icicle buried itself an inch away from the beast, prompting it to step back. Kopaka pulled me further within the fading protective barrier. His grip tightened.

"Whatever happens, stay by my side," he murmured. "And for Mata Nui's sake, don't do anything foolish."

The last fragments of the shield dissipated in shimmering fragments. The came down upon us like a wave, slamming into all of us and forcing our party apart. Kopaka lost his grip on me and I was swept away in the claws of a Nui Rama. The buzzing creature lifted me high in the air, nearly touching the ceiling. My stomach sank as it released me, buzzing excitedly as I plummeted through the air. With a cry I threw up my arm and a shard of ice knocked it down. I glanced below me, fear returning at the sight of the approaching ground. There was no time to manage a safe landing. I squeezed my eyes closed, bracing for impact, when strong arms enfolded me and squished me against a broad armored chest.

Opening my eyes, Lewa's bright grin greeted me.

"After our vine-swing through Le-Wahi," he began, "I figured-thought you would have learned how to safe-land."

I sighed heavily, returning his grin with a grateful smile. "Not like I had much experience for one trip," I replied.

I glanced behind him and gasped. "Lewa!" My hand shot out and a blast of icy energy swept over his shoulder. The Air Toa turned to come mask-to-mask with a ravenous Kane-Ra bull, horns tucked and primed to spear him through.

He glanced to me and nodded. "We're even then."

He set me down and placed both hands on my shoulders, spinning me around so we were back to back. He stretched his katana out in a fighting stance and I readied my blade, glancing around at all the Rahi around us. Six of them, three Rahi apiece.

"I'll take left, you take right," I muttered, glancing at our opponents. The beasts easily had the power to down both of us. I took a step into Lewa, his back touching mine.

"I wouldn't have it any other way-style," Lewa replied. I could practically hear the grin split his mask. He raised one of the katana high, flecks of emerald energy dancing about the blade. "Unity!"

Lewa raced forward with his katana, summoning a gale-strength cycle spinning towards the three Rahi before him. The beasts dodged out of the way and pressed forward, an Ash Bear lunging towards the Toa and snapping its jaws around the blade of one of his weapons. Lewa grunted as the creature tore the weapon clear of his grasp and tossed it away, its sliced jaws dripping blood. Distracted, a Nui-Jaga barreled into the Toa from behind, knocking him off his feet with a grunt. Both went tumbling into the ground, Lewa fighting to get out from beneath the scorpion-like thing and the Nui-Jaga trying to bury the point of its stinger into the Toa. The Ash Bear closed in, fangs and talons ready.

"Lewa - ugh!" The powerful shove of a Kane-Ra bull pushed me back and further into the surrounding shadow. Rolling onto my side, I staggered up, wincing, to be met with a venomous hiss. Slowly, I lifted my eyes to be met with the piercing gaze of a Bog Snake and my stomach dropped. The Rahi flicked its forked tongue back and forth, slithering closer inch by inch while I shuffled back that much more. The Bog Snake reared up its head, puffing out the sides of its neck into a domed hood and bared its twin fangs. With a cry I lunged with a blast of ice, freezing the Bog Snake solid just at it lashed out to strike. I didn't have time to celebrate as the Kane-Ra bull took the Snake's place, forcing me back with its horns. Unable to mount a proper counter attack, I continued to stagger back into the surrounding darkness, pushing further away from the group. The Kane-Ra bull charged at full speed, head lowered and I reached up with my sword in time to hold it back, but the mere force of the Rahi was enough to knock me clear down the passage and further into the surrounding shadows. I could barely see the others now, save for the brief flashes of elemental energy. Before I even recovered, the Kane-Ra bull was upon me. Leaping to my feet, I dashed away just as its hooves trampled the spot I just lay.

"Cheryl!"

I whirled and gasped as an image of Arc, perfectly normal and healthy, appeared in the distance. He was panting and wounded, as if he had been in a terrible fight. Before I could race to him, Arc suddenly collapsed to the ground and was dragged away, clawing and scraping at the stone as he disappeared into the swirling gloom.

"Arc!"

The Rahi gaining, horns barely inches away from my heels. My shoes smacked the ground hard as I ran, racing further away from the group and towards Arc. My heart pounded in my ears as the breath burst from my lungs in dry, aching puffs. I had no clue where I was going, it was too dark to see, but Arc's voice called to me from up ahead. The rough hoof-falls of the Kane-Ra bull dulled until I no longer heard them. I stole a glance over my shoulder only to find the beast ceased its pursuit and was nowhere to be found.

I stopped, panting and gasping for breath, as I stared deep into the overwhelming blackness. Nothing stirred save within my breathing and my shuffled steps. I didn't even hear the sounds of battle. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach and my eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right.

"Cherry."

I whirled to find Arc standing a few feet away from me, his silhouette barely noticeable. His crimson eyes sparkled, the flecks of blue dulled and nonexistent.

I took a couple steps towards him when a blinding flash of silvery light emanated from behind him. I threw up my hands to shield my eyes and through my fingers I saw three pools, a large one flanked on either side by twin smaller ones. The liquid within them undulated and shifted about in odd movements, as if they had a life of their own. The light gave way to that familiar greenish glow and rising pillars flanked us on all sides.

Heavy clanking resounded beyond the pillars and a tight frown came to my face as Makuta emerged. He stood behind Arc, towering over him like giant, that same smirk permanently glued to his mask. I swallowed hard, hands clenched into fists.

"You're alone," Makuta stated simply.

I took a slight glance around. "I kind of noticed that," I replied gruffly. I took a step towards him only to have Arc give a warning blast of black ice at my feet. I stumbled back, searching deep into Arc's eyes. I found nothing but a void.

"Hasty," Makuta surmised. He took in a breath and stared directly at me. "I will offer again, little one: come and join my side. You will have nothing to fear and be endowed with power beyond your wildest dreams."

Arc stretched out a hand, the briefest flickers of a smile tweaking the corners of his lips. My heart froze.

"Join your brother, and me," Makuta purred.

I licked my lips, never taking my eyes off Arc. For a moment I saw the warmth and protection I had known. He was the same big brother I had followed around and mimicked. He was the same comforter when I was scared and showed me the things Mom and Dad simply couldn't teach us. The strings of my heart plucked and a lump swelled in my throat, the tip of my nose tingling. My hand stretched out to grasp Arc's, and his expression turned sour, contorting into a menacing sneer that sent a chill fright sweeping over me. I pulled back, putting a couple feet of distance between us, glaring directly into Makuta's malevolent scarlet orbs.

"No. I'm taking Arc back, and you're not going to have either of us!"