Chapter Three

“We’re lost-wandering,” said Orkahm. The Le-Matoran looked fearfully around at the unfamiliar sights of Ga-Metru. “We’re never going to find that Great Disk!”

Vhisola gave him a hard look. “We’re not lost,” the Ga-Matoran snapped. “Just a little… turned around.”

“You said you knew where we were ground-walking.”

“I do!” Vhisola insisted. “It’s around here, somewhere.”

“Enough,” Nokama, Toa Metru of Water, said sternly. “Arguing won’t get us to the Great Disk any faster. It might even make things worse, Vhisola,” she added, pointing down the avenue.

The Ga-Matoran turned to look. Then she gasped and took a step backwards. Standing beside one of the canals up ahead were three other Ga-Matoran, all of them watching the approaching group with suspicion. One of them whispered to another, who then ran off toward the Great Temple.

Matau, Toa Metru of Air, watched the Ga-Matoran disappear and said, “So? They are curious-watching. What is the worry?”

Nokama dropped her voice to a whisper. “It’s more than that. Those Matoran have been claimed by the Bordakh, the Ga-Metru Vahki squad. One touch of a Bordakh staff and a Matoran becomes so dedicated to order that he will turn in his best friend to preserve it.”

“Spies,” Matau replied. “Then I have a thought-plan. If it works, then we meet at the spillway quick-soon. Understand?”

“Yes, but what —?”

“Ha! What do you know about Great Disks?” Matau boomed loud enough for the whole street to hear. “I will track-find the disk before you three can even check one proto-dam.” Then the Toa of Air swung up into a chute and was gone.

The two Matoran down the road seemed to think about it for a moment, then they dashed off in the direction Matau had gone. Once Nokama was sure they were well away, she started running, dragging Vhisola and Orkahm behind her.

“Hey! Stop it!” Vhisola cried.

“They will not be able find him, and once they realize that, they will come back here. We must be elsewhere.”

The Toa Metru of Water led them on a winding path through alleys, behind schools, over walls, and finally to the site of one of Ga-Metru’s mini-dams. Here tides of protodermis were held back so as not to overflow the metru’s canal system. Nokama scanned the area but saw no sign of any Vahki or watchful Matoran. But she did see Matau standing in the middle of the spillway, arms folded across his chest and smiling.

“What took you so long?” he laughed.

“You stay here,” Nokama said to Vhisola and Orkahm. “Keep an eye out for Bordakh.”

Before either could argue, she ran, jumped, flipped in mid-air, and landed beside Matau. They were standing in a wide stone channel through which liquid protodermis flowed into the canals as needed. Right now, it was bone dry and would stay that way as long as the main valve was closed.

“You lost them?” she asked.

“No one catches a Toa-hero,” Matau answered, leaning in close. “Unless, of course, he wants to be caught.”

“Provided anyone wants to catch him,” Nokama replied. “If we let a little protodermis out, we can swim through some of the lesser canals right to the Great Temple. Vhisola says we will find the disk there.”

“Swim?” Matau said, with obvious disgust. “A Toa of Air doesn’t swim — he high-flies.”

“If he wants to get spotted by the Vahki, he does, yes. Turn the valve, just a little, and get some protodermis running through here. I will get the Matoran.”

Shrugging, Matau walked over to the large wheel that controlled the valve. Then he stopped. “Nokama? This is already open-wide.” He grabbed the wheel and tried to turn it, but it would not move. “And locked!”

“What?” Nokama shouted, rushing toward him. She could already hear the roar of a protodermis wave heading for the spillway. “Matau, get out of here! Get —”

The wave smashed into the Toa of Water, sending her tumbling end over end. An instant later, Matau, too, was swept up in the flood. Not having Nokama’s experience as a swimmer, he had not thought to grab a breath. Now he floundered, hand to his throat as the liquid protodermis filled his mouth and lungs.

Nokama extended her hydro blades in front of her and knifed through the protodermis. She slammed into Matau, her momentum carrying them both up toward the lip of the spillway. Then they were out of the liquid, landing hard on the stone ledge.

She rolled the Toa of Air over. “Matau? Matau!” she cried.

Matau choked and gasped. Then his eyes snapped open and he looked at Nokama, a smile spreading across his face. “I knew you cared.”

Nokama, Matau, Vhisola, and Orkahm walked hurriedly toward the Great Temple. There was no way to reach it without being seen, but they did their best to stay inconspicuous. For two Toa Metru, it wasn’t easy. Matoran looked at them with wonder and awe, sometimes even fear, but none seemed hostile.

“‘In Ga-Metru, go beyond the depths of any Toa before,’” said Nokama. “That’s what the carving said.”

“And what does that scratch-writing mean?” asked Matau.

“In the sea, below the Great Temple,” answered Vhisola. “Far below.”

“Oh. Happy-cheer,” said Matau, not sounding happy at all.

They circled around behind the Great Temple. Only a narrow stone walkway separated the building from the sea. Nokama had already announced that she would be going down alone to retrieve the disk.

“You and Orkahm are not swimmers,” she told Matau. “But if something goes wrong, if I don’t return, you will need Vhisola to show you the way out. So she stays here.”

Matau was going to argue that Toa-heroes should work together. But the memory of almost drowning in protodermis was enough to keep him quiet. “Go quick-fast then, Toa Nokama. We will be waiting.”

Nokama nodded, then dove into the turbulent sea of protodermis and vanished beneath the waves. Toa and Matoran stared after her, wondering what she might be encountering far below.

So caught up were they that they never heard the approach of others until it was too late. Matau glanced to the left and saw to his surprise three Bordakh, staffs at the ready, closing in. Three more moved toward them from the right, leaving their only escape the cold sea.

“I hate Ga-Metru,” he muttered.

Nokama was unaware of what was going on up above. She had reached the very foundation of the Great Temple and spotted her prize. Wedged between two jagged outcroppings up ahead was a Great Disk!

The sight gave her renewed energy. She dove deeper and used all her new Toa strength to pry the disk loose. She checked the three-digit code and confirmed that, yes, this disk had been made in Ga-Metru and had a power level of 9. Only Great Disks possessed so much raw energy.

Smiling, she tucked it under her arm and started for the surface. She never noticed that those two jagged outcroppings had been massive teeth, or that their owner objected to her intrusion. She kicked her legs and swam, even as a pair of massive jaws prepared to snap shut upon her.