As the light faded, the Toa found themselves in a world unlike any they had ever seen. A sky of pale blue stretched above their heads as a crisp wind blew across their faces. Great mountains soared above them, each one tipped with an icy peak. Creatures unlike any they had ever seen scampered across the rocks, while birds and insects that were majestic to behold hovered and soared through the air.
"Where are we?" asked Lhikan.
"It's so beautiful," Hahli breathed.
"This is my home world," replied Truth, "but as it was in ages past. Come." He beckoned for them to follow as he strode down the path that lay before them.
As they progressed down the mountainside, the landscape changed from a barren, rocky beauty to a lush, wooded landscape. The path stretched on as far as the eye could see, but soon they came upon a side path. It seemed old and unused, but Hewkii's keen eyes told him that it was merely camouflaged. He could tell by the patterns and markings of the paving stones that this path was still used, but had been disguised.
"Why was this path made to look old and unused?" he asked.
"What lies at the end is very precious and secret," replied Truth. "Its makers don't want it to be found."
Jaller moved to push away the undergrowth, but his hand passed right through the branches. He jerked back in shock.
"How did " began Matoro.
Truth continued walking through the underbrush as he explained, "You're not dead, Jaller. It's just an effect of visiting the past. No one can see or hear you, nor can you manipulate anything. The past has already happened, so it cannot be changed."
As the group continued on, Matoro chuckled a bit as he watched his living teammates' reaction to walking through solid objects. He had felt much the same when he had found himself in Metru Nui after he died.
He remembered that day so vividly; it was almost like he had just experienced it.
Matoro sat up in bed and gasped for breath.
"Mata Nui, what a dream!" he exclaimed as he put his head in his hands. As he did so, he noticed something. He could see through his hands.
He jumped out of bed, but the linens he had been lying on did not move, nor was there any indication he had been lying there. He turned and tried opening his door, but his hand passed right through the handle.
He gasped, "What's happened to me?"
He tried once more, with the same results. Steeling himself, he slowly walked through the door, a sickly feeling creeping over him as he did so. He rushed down the street and shouted at the first Matoran he saw.
"Hey, Kopeke!" he cried. The Ko-Matoran made no indication that he had heard him. Matoro ran up to Kopeke and frantically tried to get his attention, but no matter what he tried, Kopeke never looked up from his tablet he was reading.
Hoping that this was all some enormous joke, he headed towards Turaga Nuju's home. Surely he could help him.
Upon reaching the Turaga's home, he ran through the open door and up the stairs to Nuju's observatory. The Turaga was sitting at his desk, writing in his journal, but did not respond when Matoro shouted his name.
In abject defeat, he collapsed on a bench outside of the Turaga's home and began to sob. No tears came though.
"I suppose I'd need tear ducts for that," he thought, as he continued to retch.
"It seems you and I are in the same boat, my friend," said a voice.
Matoro looked up and saw another spirit standing before him.
"Are you Toa Lhikan?" asked Matoro.
"I am," said the Toa of Fire, "and I think I know who you are. Matoro?"
"Yes," Matoro stood up. "But how did you know?"
"I've saw your teammates with Vakama just a short while ago. I heard them say something about you saving the universe."
A surge of relief flowed through Matoro. "So they did make it back, good."
"I wish I knew what this all meant," said Lhikan, "us being here and all. Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough.
The sound of Truth's voice snapped Matoro back to the present, or rather, the past.
"We're here," he said.
"And where is here?" asked Takanuva.
"The Fires Beyond Imagination, the birthplace of the Kanohi Ignika."