A/N Hallo people! Please scroll to bottom for a full apology.

Chapter 12

Talin moved quickly and quietly. She always did, it was part of her natural grace. Her emerald green eyes watched the paths she traveled, but they were focused elsewhere.

She knew what Roodaka wanted her to do. Kill Nokama. Send her to join all the other good Toa that Talin had destroyed. Not only that, Roodaka wanted Nokama to vanish, disappear, without a trace. And that meant only one thing.

Talin's power. The power she still did not control. The power that had taken everything from her. The power Roodaka called a gift, Galor had called a responsibility, and she had always thought of as a curse.

The Void.

Tavik had come up with the name for it, about three years after she had taken her mother's place on the team. She was the best fighter on the team, with a grace and deadliness that had neglected her before her mother's death. However, she never deliberately used her mask power; although, sometimes, she didn't have a choice. She had hated the void. It crept into her thoughts, dragged her away into the dark reaches of the mind at night. Once, she had slept for two days trying to escape it. Her team had been terrified of her abilities, even her father had been close to giving up. But not Seran, he'd stayed by her. And in the end, he had found the cure. Her music. Her music could drive the darkness away.

Talin sighed. After the deaths of her teammates, Talin had lost herself to madness. Even the Void fell back into the deep recesses of her mind to hide, haunting her no more. She had been overjoyed to let Roodaka try her staff on her, as practice for the Toa Hagah. She had mutated into her current form and become the perfect pet. Except, she never really did like the Visorak, and one day she decided to test their armor. That little stunt had earned her three months in the dungeon. Three months of remembering, dreaming, and drowning in the now-welcome Void.

Then, light! A red angel had come to her and drawn her out of the darkness. A Toa that was pretending to be a Hordika. She sighed. At first, she'd thought that she could love him. Perhaps, even pretend he was Seran. But no, she couldn't. Could she?

After all, Vakama would let her love him, and he would pretend to love her. They were both good actors. Wasn't pretend love good enough?

After all she and him had been through didn't they deserve a little happiness?

Was it happiness?

…

Talin paused. She was close now. Very close. She could sense others near, others like her. It was her Hordika instincts telling her to join the pack. She growled, but no malice laced her voice. Her growl sounded, reluctant, in her ears. She sighed.

Might as well get this over with…

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On the other side of the island, Vakama was enjoying himself. Outwardly, that is. His foolish former siblings hadn't even spotted him as he and his group of Visorak slipped easily into the temple where the Rahaga were hiding. The first three of them fell before they could even gasp.

He smirked. These foolish creatures had been the source of the Horde's headache?

"Tie them up." He ordered, glancing around. "Where's the one called Norik? I have a score to settle with him."

His glance fell on the steps leading down below, where a small green figure was emerging. As the other Visorak jumped the startled Rahaga Vakama smiled. "Aha…."

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Talin stared. It was all she could think of doing. The blue figure lying curled before her was gorgeous. She could easily see why her Vakama loved this being so much.

MY Vakama…LOVED her…

She shook herself. She couldn't back down. Could she? After all, Vakama had said that this Nokama hated him. He'd told her that she had hurt him. No one hurt Master!

Nokama stirred slightly in her sleep.

Talin had to move now, before she lost her nerve. Vakama would never forgive her. She had to end this; all the confusion and heartbreak had to end somehow, tonight.

Nokama whispered in her sleep.

Raw energy began to pulse in Talin's fingertips.

A single sentence was intelligible in Nokama's rambling.

Talin stopped dead.

"Vakama…I…love…you…"

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Norik's words were still echoing in his head.

You don't have to do this!

Yes I do. His new self, his feral self, hissed back. I have to prove to them all that I am strong. I am in charge. I am not weak!

The shrine was gone with one blast. His launcher fizzled slightly and then charged up again. He fired. Then he fired again. Every shot was deliberate, every blast was precise. He destroyed it. It destroyed it as though he were trying to destroy whatever Toa was left inside of him. That feeble voice screaming in the back of his head…

This is wrong! Stop! Stop! There has to be another way!

NO! I WILL NOT BE WEAK!

Stop! Stop!

SHUT UP! I AM A HORDIKA!

Stop…

I am in charge. I am the leader. I am Vakama Hordika.

I am not weak.

The temple as he'd always known it was gone. Vakama Hordika glared around it. A sick satisfaction crept up his spine. He peered upwards at the birds nests that often roosted in the eyes of the temple's face and fired with a sneer. He left the temple burning.

"We're leaving." He said flatly. The Hordika within him was in control now. He felt good, powerful. And the Visorak scurried to obey him. They knew he was strong. The Toa would know he was strong. They would obey.

He would make them obey.

He was Vakama Hordika.

And he was NOT weak!

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Nokama woke with a start. Nuju smiled down at her. "Asleep on duty, Nokama?"

She stood. He knew that she knew he was watching her. She was awfully tired for having slept so long.

"How long was I out?"

"About four hours. It's all quiet around here. Except Matau, he's over there grumbling."

"Oh."

"You're worried about Vakama." Nuju stated. He hadn't told them about his encounter in the woods. He couldn't, for some reason. Besides, he didn't want to tell Nokama about Talin, and the horrific change in Vakama.

"I am. I…I'm scared that something will happen to him." She replied. She was always open with him. Why was beyond him, he'd never studied girls at the Knowledge Towers. He'd heard it was a tricky field.

Nuju didn't reply. He was scared too. He was scared that something already had. And that feeling increased when they saw the smoke rising from the Great Temple.

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A/N Ahem, let the begging begin! I'M SO SORRY! And end. For even more please read Another Time, Sharli's Tale. :D:D:D Okay, so I'm starting to get into this one again. What do you guys think of Talin's power? Did I confuse anyone? Please send lots of reviews to warm up my brain!