With a cry I raced forward, bringing up the ice blade and swinging. Arc evaded the blow and responded with a strike to my face. The hit tossed me backwards, jarring my head. He didn't give me time to recover as he caught my arm and swung me around with impossible strength to the other side of the chamber. I landed hard and slid until I stopped merely inches away from the larger of the silvery pools. Groaning, I sat up only to be pushed back down again by Arc. He kicked away the ice blade form my hand and pinned me by the shoulders, staring into my face with deep, hollow eyes. I pushed back on his shoulders, trying to force him off but he simply pressed down harder until I winced.

"You talk a big game," Makuta said softly, "but when push comes to shove you're like all of the others." He strode forward and loomed over Arc, his shadow swallowing us. "If I wanted to I would give you the same fate as the rest of those Apprentices . . . but I have a better use for you."

He gave a nod to Arc and slowly I he dragged me further and further towards the bubbling pool. I dug my nails into the stone, pushing back with my heels to halt my trek.

"What're you doing?" I bellowed, taking nervous glances to the approaching pit.

"I've never had much experience with energized protodermis," Makuta admitted, "but as I understand it performs miraculous changes. Some are good; some are bad. It all depends what Destiny has in store for you." He grinned a chilling, blood-curdling grin. "Let's see what yours is."

"No!" I struggled harder against Arc, but his strength surpassed mine. My limbs felt like jelly, every second I spent fighting only draining them more and more until they were not unlike rubber. I peered back into Arc's face to find that same stoic expression etched into his face.

A sinking feeling weighed down on my stomach as I continued to stare at him. Tears seared at the edges of my eyes and I squeezed them shut. We were nearly at the pool's edge, I heard the protodermis bubbling, anticipating my coming. I bit my lip hard as tears cascaded down my face. My fingers tangled themselves in the material of his thin shirt, using what was left of my strength to pull curl forward and pressed my forehead into his chest as I waited for the end.

Arc's hold shifted and took a firm grasp around my torso. With a mighty shove he tossed me up . . . and a force pushed me away from the pool. The collision with whatever hit me knocked away my breath and I landed with a heavy thud on the other side of the chamber, coughing. Powerful quakes erupted from the earth and Makuta yelped in surprise, rocks pelting off the metal of his armor.

"Cheryl!" Sebastian stared me straight in the eye. "Go! Run!"

Panting, I lifted up onto my hands and knees, staring just as hard at the small boy. "But . . ."

"No!" Sebastian barked. "I'm sick of hearing all of your excuses! For once in your life listen to someone beside yourself! Just get out of here!"

With a ferocious cry, he leaped forward and slammed a powerhouse fist of earth and soil into Arc, shattering his wall of ice. He forced Arc back step by step, bombarding him with multiple strikes. Leaping up into the air, Sebastian stomped his foot down hard and the fabric of the ground fell away into dust, leaving nothing but a yawning chasm. Arc dropped like a stone, collapsing into the pit. I yelped and stepped to grab him, but collapsed to the ground. My arms trembled and it was a struggle to even rise to my hands and knees. The ground beneath me shifted ever so slightly in gently rolling waves to ease me along the chamber.

"You need to get out of here," Sebastian muttered softly. "I know Toa aren't supposed to abandon each other . . . but I guess there are times where there is an exception."

Being eased away so carefully on a bed of earth was like being carried on a cloud. Drained of energy, my body became numb to what was around me; noise sounded distant and I could barely keep my eyes open. With as much strength as I could muster, I lifted my head and looked through bleary eyes at the receding form of Sebastian. He took one step back after another. The air around him crackled with flickers of emerald elemental energy, his tattered clothes and disheveled hair rustling in an invisible wind. Before him, Makuta towered, hissing and flexing his powerful armored hands. Beside the titan, Arc appeared as suddenly as a fleeting shadow.

My heart leaped into my throat. " . . . No," I moaned.

Sebastian let out another roaring cry and raised his hands, a tidal wave of earth and rubble racing towards the villainous pair. Makuta was unfazed as he raised a hand and shattered the attacks in one fell swoop. Rock and rubble rained down and Makuta clenched his fist before Sebastian had a chance to mount another strike. Sebastian gasped, suddenly going rigid. Arc seized the boy and restrained his hands behind his back, holding him steady.

Makuta took a couple of steps forward, approaching the boys. "You've been a nuisance for far too long," he confessed. "We had a simple deal: do as I asked and you could be free to return to your world and your ordinary life. However, given your performance, it seems you didn't want to leave badly enough."

From his other hand, Makuta revealed a wriggling shadow leech. It squirmed between his fingers, thirsting for fresh light. Sebastian resisted ever so slightly and Arc's grip only tightened. A wide grin split Makuta's mask. "You wish to stay here, then so you shall."

A breath caught in my chest and I couldn't breathe. Tears seared my eyes and I reached out a trembling hand towards Sebastian. "Stop . . ."

The shadow leech writhed in excitement, hissing and squealing as it drew closer. Sebastian tried to fight back against Arc, twisting every which way but his movements were restricted. His small frame trembled. His chest rose and fell swiftly and heavily. I thought I heard his frenzied heartbeat. The leech was inches from him. Sebastian squeezed his eyes shut.

My eyes widened. " . . . No . . . You can't . . ." My brain roared for my body to push aside all fatigue and help the Sebastian. Throw a rock, scream, beg do something to prolong this madness. My breathing hastened and the icy numbness within my body spread all over; I couldn't feel anything as the tips of my fingers buzzed with pins and needles. My vision grew even unstable, each shape melting into the next to form one giant blur. Each sound became stifled to a dull roar.

The leech attacked and Sebastian failed to muffle his scream.

"NO!" The last of my senses failed me and everything went black.

Releasing a soft sigh, I rolled my head to the left and winced as a stream of bright sunlight greeted me. Retreating to the shade, I blinked to clear my eyes and found myself in a decently spacious hut. It was constructed solely of giant lily pads bound together with twine. Thick, wooden beams bent with the domed curve of the hut, their ends meeting in the middle of the ceiling to hold the building together. The room was sparsely furnished, save for a crude chair, the odd window or two, a roughly hewn table, and a large circular cutout with a flap over it that served as a door.

I lied upon a cot that was three sizes too big for me, a light blanket of woven plant fibers draped over me. The scent of saltwater hung heavy in the air and a cool breeze floated through the gaps between the door flap.

I lifted a hand to my head and winced as my fingers brushed over a bruised spot on my forehead and pushed away a cool rag. Glancing at my hand, I noticed the fingers of both hands were wrapped all the way down to the joint and some type of sticky salve was smeared all the way up to my shoulders. The more I became aware of my injuries, the more every part of me began to throb.

"What happened?" I whispered, mesmerized by my injuries.

The flap peeled back suddenly, startling me. Gali stepped through, Kopaka at her heels. Excitement jumped in my chest and I sat up only to be forced back down by overwhelming soreness.

"Easy," Gali hushed. "Don't make any sudden movements, you've only begun to recover." She peeled away the moist wrapping on my forehead and replaced it with her hand. "Your fever has receded, but it'll take more time for your body to completely heal."

She formed a small sphere of pure water in the palm of her hand and held it up to my lips. Sitting up ever so carefully, I took small sips, feeling the cool liquid rush down my dry throat. Gali eased me back down and proceeded to check my hands.

Kopaka leaned against the back wall by the door. His expression was unreadable, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His shield and complete weapon were strapped across his back. He said nothing; blue eye fixed upon me.

"How'd I get here?" I asked softly. I glanced from him to Gali. "The last thing I remembered was chasing after Arc and –"

"You don't need to think on those things now," Gali interjected. Her warm amber eyes met mine. "You'll know everything soon, but you're not strong enough now. The most important thing for you is rest."

Carefully she peeled away the last of the bandages. Before I was able to get a proper look of my injuries, Gali took them in her hands and engulfed them in another sphere of water. It was cool and soothing, like diving into a pool on a summer's day. In amatter of minutes, the sphere dissipated into a fine mist and my fingers were good as new. Slowly I flexed them and Gali nodded in satisfaction.

"That's as muchas I can do for now," the Water Toa admitted. "As of now, try to rest. We'll come back and check on your progress later."

She moved towards the door, motioning for Kopaka to follow. The Ice Toa shook his head once. "You go on, I'd like to check her progress if it's all the same with you."

Gali hesitated a moment before letting a small sigh and nodded. "Very well. She's your apprentice after all." With a quick glance to me, she left.

"What happened?" I barked as soon as Gali was out of earshot. "Makuta and Arc had Sebastian. They were going to turn him and –" The words dried on my tongue as Kopaka held up a hand. He approached and stood beside the cot. His blue gaze pierced me through and I sank further into the cot.

Reaching for the only chair in the room, Kopaka dragged it over to my side and sat down heavily. He massaged the space between his eye and telescopic lense. "I'm not quite certain how it happened," he confessed in a soft tone. "Do you remember anything?"

My brow creased, a frown upon my lips. "A Rahi pushed me away from you all and into another branching chamber. Arc and Makuta ambushed me, and Arc dragged me to this pool of bubbling liquid . . . Proto-something? I don't know."

"Energized Protodermis," Kopaka confirmed. "A strange substance. All of us were exposed to it and became Toa Nuva. It granted us powers far greater than what they were. Sometimes, however, it can work in reverse and instead of creating it destroys."

"Makuta wanted to see which side of the coin I would end up on," I replied. "Arc was close to dropping me in when all of a sudden Sebastian came. He used his power to force me away from the pool and get me to safety. I watched him fight with Makuta and Arc, but . . . he didn't win. They captured him and Makuta retrieved a shadow leech."

"Shadow leech?" Kopaka asked suddenly.

"They're these weird slimy things," I explained. "Maybe about this big" – I held my hands about six inches apart – "and squirmed when someone came near them. Makuta had a tank of them. They latch on and drain the goodness out of you. He said they're what he uses to turn people into Ghosts."

"I can only assume he used one on you as well." Kopaka brushed his fingers over a strand of my hair. "Thank Mata Nui he didn't have a chance to complete the transformation . . . but it did take its toll. I have never seen you display such aggression and reckless display of power. It only proves there is no sense in chaos."

I thought back to Arc and how I pleaded with him, tried to get him to see reason. "You're not kidding. Anyway, Makuta nearly had the shadow leech on Sebastian . . . and then I blacked out. I don't know what happened after that."

"Are you certain?" Kopaka pressed. "Do you remember feeling anything during that time? Did you try to rescue Sebastian?"

"I wanted to," I confessed, "but I could hardly move. All of that fighting, the shadow leech . . . I guess it drained me. That's why I couldn't fight back when Arc almost put me in the protodermis. If Sebastian hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened." I met Kopaka's eyes. "Is he okay? Did Makuta turn him?"

The Ice Toa released a small sigh and glanced away a moment. " . . . Honestly, I do not know. After we had beaten back the Rahi, you and Sebastian were already gone. We searched everywhere we could, but found nothing until the entire chasm shook, but it wasn't from any bioquake. The air pulsed with so much energy. We thought we heard you screaming. It only lasted for a brief moment before it was gone. We followed where it came from and found you severely wounded and unconscious. There were major signs of destruction; the chamber was nearly desolated. However, of Arcangelo, Makuta and Sebastian . . . there was no sign. I can only assume the worst."

"But maybe he's still alive! Just because they weren't there doesn't mean something happened to them," I reasoned. I struggled to sit up, wincing. "Come on, if we hurry we can still catch them."

Kopaka placed a hand upon my shoulder, easing me back down. "I doubt we'd catch them now."

"Why? They can't have gone far. I've gotten some sleep and Gali took care of my injuries, well most of them. They already have a few hours' head start as it is. We need to go now."

Kopaka blinked. "A few hours? Cheryl, it's been two days. They could be anywhere by now."

My brows shot to my hairline. "What?"

"Yes, you've been out cold for two days. Gali has been monitoring your health carefully; you suffered great damage. We were beginning to worry you wouldn't wake up."

It was a struggle for me to fully grasp what he was saying. It didn't feel like I was asleep for two days, maybe a few hours at most. I didn't think something like this was possible. Sighing, I placed a hand over my eyes. "So what do we do now?" I asked in a small voice.

Kopaka shrugged, relieving himself of the weight his weapons put on his back. "I'm not certain," he admitted. "We can't pursue them; it's probably too late for Sebastian. All we can do now is keep you and Matthew safe from Makuta . . . He will come back for you both."

"Where is Matt? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Kopaka assured. "He's with Tahu in Ta-Wahi, though we could hardly keep him away from here. He wanted nothing more than to make sure you were alright. Be sure that when he finds out you're awake, he'll be here."

I smirked and shook my head. "I'm sure he'll want nothing more than to give me a good lecture about how stupid I am." My face fell. "I nearly got us killed after all." My eyes met Kopaka's. " . . . I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen but . . . I just had to go after Arc . . . I needed to get him back, I couldn't leave him!" A lump the size of a baseball swelled in my throat and tears stung my eyes. "I shouldn't have done it! I shouldn't have been so selfish and as to put everyone in jeopardy and now Sebastian may be paying for it!"

"Enough!" Kopaka placed both hands upon my shoulders, turning me towards him. " . . . There's nothing I can do to ease your conscience. You're right. If you hadn't been so bull-headed none of this would have happened."

My stomach dropped as tears poured endlessly down my face. It was difficult to listen to what I already knew and made me feel even worse. I lowered my head. There was no way I could hold Kopaka's gaze after what I did. I held my breath as he forced us to meet gazes.

"However, if you hadn't then Sebastian may have never been recovered," The Ice Toa mentioned. "There's no telling what horrors Makuta exposed him to. Meeting you and Matthew, something changed in that boy to make him abandon Makuta's side . . . and that change was so great he sacrificed himself to save you."

"He said Makuta was going to take him home, if Sebastian did what he asked," I muttered. "He couldn't do it. Sebastian wasn't going to be blackmailed into doing something that was wrong."

"Yes . . . a true Toa. I only regret we hadn't got to him sooner." Kopaka sat back heavily in his seat, eye fixed upon the ground.

Silence fell between us with nothing but the soft lull of breaking waves and the gentle bob of the hut as it rode the tide.

Finally, Kopaka asked, "Was it worth it?" Our eyes met. "Was going after your brother worth everything that has happened?"

A pit weighed down upon my stomach and I had to turn away. There was only one answer and I wasn't sure if I had the nerve to say it, even though it ran laps in my mind. Gathering myself, I swallowed hard and murmured, " . . . I was so happy I was able to see him again. There was a small chance I thought I had gotten through to him, but . . . he still ended up treating me as an enemy instead of his family. That . . . thing I fought, it wasn't Arc. Makuta already claimed him, claimed Sebastian . . ." I reached down into my back pocket and fished out the slips of parchment. Taking a brief glance at them, I haded them to Kopaka and watched as his mask twisted to shock as he stared at the images. "He's claimed countless others, and nearly claimed me. Who knows if he has others on his agenda."

"Where did you find these?" Kopaka asked, holding them up for me to see. It was difficult to look at the kids' faces.

"We found them, Sebastian and me, while trying to find Arc. They were in a side chamber, along with dozens more pictures just like that. Makuta's been keeping tabs on Apprentices for years. He's especially paid close attention to me, Arc and Matt. I found files on all of us from when we were little to now. Sebastian suggested that maybe someone was spying on us . . ." I shook my head. "I don't know what's going on or why this is happening . . ."

"Nor do I," Kopaka replied, "but obviously Makuta has taken a special interest in the three of you, for what purpose I don't know." He turned the images over and gazed at them long and hard, the mechanism of his telescopic lens whirring every once in a while. It was a few beats before either of us spoke again.

"There were maps," I muttered. "In the same chamber that had these files, Makuta had carved other islands intot he walls. Mata Nui was one of them, and others I don't know the names of. Some of them had red Xs on them, like the ones marking the corners of those." I pointed to the pictures in Kopaka's hands. "Maybe he's conquered other places and turned more Toa and Apprentices into Ghosts, and he's just going through the list until everywhere is under his control!"

"I'd like to think it not possible," Kopaka admitted. His voice was grim, his expression even more so. "Alone, someone as powerful as him can do many things, but to conquer multiple islands . . ."

"But he's not alone. Sebastian said there many more just like him. They manufacture the Shadow Leeches. I don't know where they are, but I'm sure they're out there and that Sebastian wasn't making it up."

Kopaka started, eye widening a fraction of an inch before narrowing. "Excuse me for a moment." He stood, gathering his weapons and tucking the pictures away for later. "Remain here and rest. When you're healthy enough, I'll take you back with me to Ko-Wahi."

"What? What's wrong?" I asked. Shifting a little on the cot, I tried to swing my legs onto the floor but to no avail. I was simply too sore and opted for remaining on the cot.

"I simply need to look some things over," Kopaka replied. "Gali hasn't given you the status of full recovery. Do not worry; I'll come back for you when you're well enough. I promise."

"Kopaka." The Ice Toa ignored me as he disappeared beyond the flaps of the doorway. Frowning, I tried again to bring myself off the cot and follow him. Something I said clearly upset him and I had half a mind to find out what it was.

Taking a firm hold upon the edges of the cot, I braced my arms and forced them to push me up. An intense soreness overpowered my muscles and it became nearly impossible to hold myself up without whimpering. When my arms failed me, I plopped back down upon the cot and sighed, staring up at the ceiling. It would be another two times before I completely relinquished chasing after him.

Lying there, staring at the sunlight filtering through gaps in the leafy walls, I thought about all that had happened these past few days. I remembered the night Makuta chased me, bent on capturing me for himself before Kopaka had the chance to save me. I remembered how I so easily slipped in and out of my house, not bothering to leave some kind of message or note for my parents.

A feeling shot through my heart and I reached up towards my neck. Yes, the locket was still there. I fumbled with the oval ornament, working it a couple times before it finally opened. Through all this madness the picture remained intact inside. The smiling faces of both my parents gleamed back at me. Dad an arm around Mom's shoulder while he hoisted Arc up with the other. Arc was only five at the time, and smaller than most kids his age. Mom cradled me in her arms while I beamed a toothy grin at whoever took the photo. It was weird to think I was ever that small.

A lump swelled in my throat the more I stared and never before had the need to go back home become so great. Tears swelled in my eyes and slipped silently down my face. I closed the locket shut and held it close, placing a hand over my eyes as I bawled like a little kid. I wouldn't have cried if Kopaka was still here, but since I was alone it was okay.

"I'm sorry," I moaned.

I took in a raspy breath and pulled the thin blanket over me. Lying there alone, I cried for all of the things that had happened since arriving here. I cried for so readily turning my back on the world I had known, on my parents. I cried for Arc, knowing what had befallen him and I couldn't do anything to save him. I cried for my stubbornness, and not listening to Kopaka's and Matt's words that I couldn't change my destiny. I cried for Sebastian and how he had fallen into this wicked trap and how much he had risked to save me. I cried for all of the Apprentices that I hadn't known, for all their lives that Makuta and countless others like him had stolen. Then I cried for me. There was no telling how long I cried, but by the time I was through, I was already fast asleep.