“Kini-Nui”

Jaller breathed out, awed by the sight that lay before his eyes. “Kini-Nui!” he whispered. “The Great Temple!”

The temple and the surrounding mountains were bathed in the colorful rays of the setting sun. The Mask of Light glowed as they crossed the Amaja Circle. As they approached a giant head carved into the stone at the edge of the plateau, the mask’s light faded.

“No way,” Takua said. “We’ve been all over the island, just to wind up here?”

“Why not? It’s a sacred place,” Jaller pointed out.

Takua grabbed the mask, which immediately glowed brightly again. “You sure you’re working this right?”

At that moment a beam of brilliant light shot out of the mask. It landed on the giant stone head. The ground quaked, shaking loose countless years’ worth of dirt and grime from the carving. As the outlines of a mask began to be visible underneath, the sun dipped beneath the horizon, plunging the temple into dusky dimness.

“Wow, this is it,” Jaller said. “The Seventh Toa must be here.”

An ominous hiss rose nearby. Takua and Jaller turned toward the sound in fear. Three Rahkshi stepped out from behind a rock — Fragmenter, Disintegrator, and Poison.

Jaller gasped. “Give me the mask, Takua,” he said grimly, grabbing it from his friend’s hands.

“Jaller, no!” Takua cried. “We both know the mask chose me. I am the true Herald.”

“Are you still sure, even now?”

Takua held out his hand. “Yes!” he said firmly. “I’m the Herald.”

Jaller hesitated briefly, then handed over the mask. Takua nodded. “And I say… run!” he cried.

Takua, Jaller, and Pewku raced down toward the lower plateau. The ground quaked again at the base of the steps. A fissure erupted in a shower of rocks and earth, and three more Rahkshi burst out of the ground!

Takua and Jaller turned to race back up the steps. But the first trio of Rahkshi were already descending from the top. They were trapped!

Suddenly a flare of brilliant fire rocketed overhead, illuminating the entire temple.

The Rahkshi shielded their faces against the glare. An urn atop the enormous stone head ignited, illuminating Lewa and Gali, who stood on either side. Tahu stepped in from the shadows, the fire reflecting off of his bright red armor.

Takua let out a breath of relief. “Great!” he called to the three Toa as they leaped into the air. “You can get us out of here!”

Tahu pulled out his swords. “We are done running.”

The Fragmenter-Rahkshi hissed, unleashing an arc of dark energy from its staff. Tahu lifted his shield, enveloping all of the Toa and Matoran in a protective force field. He staggered backward as the Rahkshi’s bolt hit, but recovered quickly.

“We will not be broken!” the Fire Toa shouted defiantly.

He and Lewa stood side by side as the Fragmenter-, Poison-, and Disintegrator-Rahkshi approached. Behind them, Gali led Takua and Jaller down the steps toward the lower temple.

“This way!” she cried.

Lewa summoned a whirlwind, sending it spinning down to grab the sand from the Amaja Circle. The sand cycloned feverishly, enveloping the advancing Rahkshi. Tahu crossed his swords, sending a blast of fire into the swirling sandstorm. The sand particles glowed red, then white-hot. When Tahu and Lewa both lowered their arms, their creation remained — the Rahkshi were trapped from the neck down in a prison of glass!

In the lower temple, the other three Rahkshi moved toward Gali and her charges, cutting of their escape. The ground between them suddenly rumbled and exploded. Three figures erupted, landing beside Gali and the others.

Gali cried out in amazement as she recognized the Ice, Earth, and Stone Toa. “Brothers!” she shouted to Pohatu and Onua. “We thought we lost you.”

“You might have, but for our frosty friend,” Onua replied, gesturing toward Kopaka.

Kopaka shrugged. “It was… on the way.”

Gali raised an eyebrow. “Kopaka had to dig out the chief miner?”

Onua looked sheepish. “Well, he needs to get his hands dirty from time to time.”

The Hunger-, Anger-, and Fear-Rahkshi had recovered from the surprise of the Toa’s arrival. They advanced again, hissing menacingly.

The Anger-Rahkshi banged its staff on the ground, sending a ring of dark anger energy toward the Toa. But the energy passed right through them, leaving them untouched. The Rahkshi hissed in surprise.

“Our anger is no more, Rahkshi,” Tahu said. “We are united!”

Lewa and Pohatu leaped into action, somersaulting around the three Rahkshi faster than the eye could follow. The creatures swung their staffs wildly at their tumbling foes — but wound up striking one another instead!

The Fear-Rahkshi squealed in dismay as the Hunger-Rahkshi’s staff hit it. Its fear energy drained from its body, sending it tumbling helplessly to the ground.

The Hunger-Rahkshi hissed. Turning away from the circling Toa, it leaped toward Takua and Jaller. In the blink of an eye, Tahu and Gali joined together and summoned their elemental powers. A blast of steam burst from their tools, catching the Hunger-Rahkshi in its mighty stream and lifting it into the air.

The Toa moved in on the Anger-Rahkshi. The creature backed away, hissing in frustration.

Behind the Toa, the Fear-Rahkshi stirred. Its eyes began to glow as energy flowed back into its body. The creature climbed to its feet and started up the steps toward Takua and Jaller.

The Toa didn’t notice. All of their attention was focused on the Anger-Rahkshi in front of them. “Now,” Tahu shouted. “As one!”

The others knew what to do.

Onua slammed the ground, sending a wave of earth toward the Anger-Rahkshi.

Pohatu transformed the rolling wave of earth into a wave of boulders.

Tahu transformed the boulders into a wave of lava, which broke over the Rahkshi, enveloping it.

The Anger-Rahkshi tried to escape the lava. But suddenly the jet of steam dissipated, sending the Hunger-Rahkshi plunging back to earth — right on top of the Anger-Rahkshi!

Kopaka jumped forward, striking the lava with his sword and instantly freezing it solid. Both the Hunger- and Anger-Rahkshi were frozen along with it.

Tahu stepped toward them, examining the Toa’s handiwork. “They’ve been trapped before and were still able to escape,” he reminded them.

Kopaka leaned in, yanking the kraata out of the Rahkshi’s armored bodies. “Not this time.”

A frightened squeal erupted from somewhere above. Glancing up, the Toa were just in time to see Pewku tumble down the steps, tossed aside by the Fear-Rahkshi. The creature turned with a hiss, backing Takua and Jaller up the steps.