Chapter 12

When the last Rahkshi was defeated Kopaka rushed to Jaden's side. He had seen her fall but had not seen why and wondered why she had not gotten up. As he came across her body he saw her eyes staring up void of life, a gaping hole in her chest, red staining her front. He knew little of humans, but it was not hard to guess that she was indeed dead. Her body was motionless, and there were no signs that she would ever move again. He knelt down beside her body and shut her eyes, unable to stand the lifeless stare she gave. The others gathered around, paying respect.

"There is nothing more that can be done here," Kopaka said.

"We will bury her next to Dan," Gali suggested, "She would have wanted that."

"This is all my fault," Yori finally said, "I never should have encouraged her. She seemed so adamant about not going. I never thought…"

"You were not the only one, Yori," Tahu said remorsefully, "I goaded her as well."

All was quiet for a moment before Frost perked up.

"There may still be a chance for her."

"What are you talking about? We watched Dan die from the same injury. She's gone," Tahu said.

"This isn't something that can be done for just anyone. There are special circumstances involved, but it's not anything we can do. It must be Yori's decision," he explained as he looked to Yori Yoi.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing I can do," Yori said, confused by what Frost was proposing. Frost looked to him with a knowing glare. That was when it dawned on Yori Yoi.

"No, Frost. I can't do that. You don't even know if it will work," he said.

"What are you two talking about?" Kopaka questioned.

"There is a legend that a dragon can revive a dead human by sharing half of his heart. It can only be done when there is a bond between that dragon and human, but it's just a legend, Frost," Yori explained, "There is no proof that it actually works, and even if it did, there is no bond between us."

"Yori Yoi," Frost said firmly as he stared at him, "it can work. My father was only six years old when his father shared his heart with a human. It will work, Yori. I know it."

"And how long did either of them live, Frost?" Yori countered. "That is not a life. That's prolonging the inevitable. The heart will not last. I cannot do that to her."

"Would you rather live with the regret that you did not save her when you had the opportunity?" Frost challenged.

"I can't do it," Yori muttered as he looked away.

Kopaka looked to Frost who looked angrier than Kopaka had ever seen him. Frost just wasn't the type who lost his temper. So when he struck out at Yori, slapping him across the face with his massive paw, Kopaka couldn't help but wince. Yori went down the ground with a thud as he looked up at Frost, shock rather than anger on his features.

"I've tolerated as much of your attitude as anyone could ever bear," Frost snapped. "That girl has done more for you than I ever could have done, and now when she needs you most, you're just going to abandon her? How dare you," he accused.

"Frost, I-"

"Don't make excuses to me. You called her a coward for refusing to come. Look at her, Yori. She gave her life trying to save them. Who is the coward now, Yori Yoi?"

"What if it doesn't work? What then?"

"It will work," Frost said gently, lowering his gaze. "But it must be your choice. You have to want it, too."

Yori looked past Frost to Jaden's body. Getting back on his feet he approached her, tears welling up in his eyes. Kopaka could tell that the dragon was terrified of what he was about to do. Kopaka wasn't sure if the apparent dangers of what they were about to do were worth bringing Jaden back. But Frost was sure that it would work. Was it possible?

Yori sat down beside Jaden's body and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever he was about to do. With one paw he lifted one of the larger scales that covered his chest revealing the leathery skin beneath. With his other, he swiped one claw across the layer skin, wincing as he did so. Dark blue began to drip from the wound as he reached into his chest, his face contorting at the effort. As he pulled his paw from his chest, he held something small that beat with a steady pulse. Kopaka could only assume that it was the half heart they had spoken of.

Tears began to flow from the dragon's eyes, whether from pain or sorrow, Kopaka could not be entirely certain. Yori took the small beating heart and placed it in the cavity of Jaden's chest. When nothing happened, Yori Yoi seemed to double over nearly falling to the ground if Frost had not let him lean against his shoulder. His tears flowed more freely as despair overcame him, several of his tears falling on her body.

"I told you, Frost," he murmured. "It didn't work."

Kopaka looked from Yori to Jaden's still lifeless body and could not help but feel sympathy for the creature. He had given what little left he could, and still it was not enough to save her.

Kopaka stood, ready to leave with the others when he noticed something that had begun to glow on her. There was a medallion around her neck with the emblem of a dragon head on it that had begun to glow. Kopaka looked to Yori Yoi and Frost for an explanation, but the looks on their faces gave him no answer. He looked back to the glowing medallion as the glow began to intensify before it seemed to envelop her and explode with a white light, causing them all to look away. When Kopaka finally looked back, the wound in her chest was gone. He knelt back down and looked her over, expecting her to get up.

"Jaden?"

I reached out to my parents, a feeling of joy I had never felt before

washing over me. For the first time since I could remember, I felt like I had finally come home. I wrapped both arms around them and held them close. Yes, I knew that this meant that they were dead, but that didn't matter to me. We were finally together again, and that was more than I could have ever asked for. I pulled away and looked at them, still in shock of what was happening.

"Mom, Dad, I can't believe this," I breathed. "I have so many questions, so many things I need to know."

"I know," my father said, "but you are here too soon. It is not yet time for you."

I looked at him in confusion. What did he mean? It wasn't like I could go back.

"Jaden, he's right," Dan affirmed. "You have to go back."

"Go back?" I questioned. "What do you mean? I can't just go back. I finally found my family, Dan. How can you all say I have to go back? There's no way for me to go back."

"Jaden," Dan said gently, taking hold of my shoulders, "you don't have much time left here. You will go back, Jaden. You have a long road ahead of you still."

"No, Dan," I said firmly, "I can't go back. I died. End of story. I'm stuck here."

As I said that, I could feel something pulling on me. I couldn't feel anything tangible grab me, but whatever it was kept pulling. I grabbed on to Dan, refusing to leave them behind. I had just found them again. I wasn't about to lose my family.

"Dan, please, help me," I pleaded, holding on to his arm as tight as I could.

"We're never too far away, Jaden," Dan said with that soft smile.

I stared at my parents one last time knowing that my grip would not hold. They smiled at me and my mother said, "We love you," as the invisible force gave a harder yank and pulled me away.

I could feel myself falling. How pulling had led to falling I had no clue. My breathing became ragged as I saw memories flash in front of me. I saw the battle with the Rahkshi, Ilsa dying at my hand, Dan's death, everything that had happened. They went by in flashes working backwards until I saw her again, the ghostly figure that seemed to haunt me. She stared at me, a knowing look in her eye before I could feel myself stop with a thud. Oxygen, if it could still be called that in the state I was in, rushed from my lungs. I felt pain in my chest and shut my eyes against it as I gasped for air, but none would come. I felt like a fish on land gaping for any air I could find. I could feel the pain intensify in my chest as I gave one last effort to suck in air.

My eyes shot open as I gasped for air, oxygen finally filling my lungs as I bolted forward. My hands shot out, grabbing at anything possible until I felt someone grabbing me to steady me. I looked over to see a white hand gripping my arm, keeping me from falling over. It took several more seconds for me to realize that the other toa were staring at me and that the hole that had been in my chest was gone.

Grabbing the remains of my shirt, I covered myself up, realizing that I was half exposed, not that they probably cared at the moment.

"Jaden, are you all right?" I heard Kopaka ask.

I wasn't exactly sure how to answer him. Yes, I was all right considering that I was alive again. No, I wasn't all right, because now I knew what had happened to my parents, and I was never going to see them again in the foreseeable future. But a more important question remained.

"How did this happen? I was dead," I finally said as the shock began to wear off.

Kopaka looked over his shoulder at Yori Yoi who looked pale, at least what could be considered pale for him which really wasn't much of a difference from his normal self. I saw something thick and blue dripping down his chest and the same thick blue covered one of his scaly paws. I could only assume it was blood since I didn't see any other source of the fluid. Frost was next to Yori Yoi, letting the younger dragon lean against him, a seemingly proud smile on his face. Putting two and two together, I could only assume what he had done.

"Yori," I said, my breath still half caught in my throat, "you…you cut out your heart? Why? I thought it was just a legend."

He looked at me, a small smile forming on his lips.

"You saved my life once. I figured it was time to return the favor," he answered.

I thought over what he was saying and what he had told me before. The last time I had heard of a dragon sharing his heart with a human, neither of them lasted beyond a month. Whether that was because of the time or something else entirely, I wasn't sure. The only thing I was sure of at the time was that I was alive, the Rahkshi were apparently gone, and everything was back to a certain state of normal. If that was so, then who was the tall gold toa looking person standing several feet away from me?

It was several hours later that everything started making some sense again. Takua was now Toa Takanuva because of the mask of light that he now wore. Jaller was still dead, which didn't lighten the mood at all, and to add to it, Takanuva had the other toa constructing some vehicle to ride through some dark tunnels to face Makuta, the one who had sent the Rahkshi after him in the first place. And I thought I was crazy for doing what I had done. When was enough going to be enough?

For awhile Takanuva had disappeared, but it wasn't hard to guess where he had gone. Jaller's mask had been removed and was now floating-how, I didn't know-as a memorial to the brave matoran. As I approached him I could hear him say, "All of this just to discover who I am?"

"I know how you feel," I said. He turned and looked to me, a bit startled by my presence. "I asked myself the same question several times."

"And?" he questioned.

"I have yet to find a good answer to that question," I replied. "But I did learn one thing from it all." He looked at me expectantly. "Shit happens in life. There's nothing any of us can do to change it. But, we can choose to look it in the eye for what it is and face it head on. Hiding in a hole won't show you who you are or help you get out of a mess. You should know that from experience."

"Rushing in blindly never helped anyone either. You of all people should know that," he replied.

I had to admit he had a point there, but that wasn't exactly what I was going for.

"Listen, all I'm saying is you're not going to find what you're looking for by asking the dead. You and I both know the answer to your question. The real question is what are you going to do about it?"

He turned from me to look at Jaller's mask. Several moments of silence passed as he thought it over. I was about to speak when he turned back to me.

"My duty is clear. Jaller's sacrifice will not be in vain," he said.

I smirked at him and touched his shoulder. "Let's go," I said and walked back with him to the now finished vehicle. I wasn't quite sure what he planning to do since the vehicle reminded me of a motorcycle and could fit only one person. The question of how to actually find Makuta was answered by Takanuva taking some worm looking creature that had been inside one of the Rahkshi and letting it lead the way back. Personally, I still hated the damn thing and would have rather killed it, but if it was going to be of some use, I guess I was going to have to let it live awhile longer.

One of the blue matoran that had addressed herself as Hahli stepped forward carrying Jaller's mask, placing it on the front of the vehicle.

"Jaller was your herald. Let him continue to lead you to victory," she said.

There was a moment of silence before Takanuva acknowledged her. Now that it was time for them to finally leave, the question was raised on how they were all going to get there on such a small transport.

"You shall not join me," Takanuva answered.

"But united, our power defeated the Rahkshi," Pohatu pointed out.

"Certainly it will take nothing less to defeat the Makuta," Tahu said.

"Takanuva," I said, "they're right. You can't do this alone." I thought I had done some pretty crazy things over the past several days, but this was worse. This was pure insanity.

"I have but one destiny. Yours lie with the matoran and the turaga. Gather them and wait for my return," Takanuva said and mounted the vehicle, descending into the darkness below. We all stood there for a moment staring down into the hole before going about doing what was asked of them. I suppose it wasn't too difficult. Many of the matoran had already come with the turaga anyways since their villages had been destroyed. It wasn't long before the rest were gathered.

"What do you think his plan is?" I asked Yori after we had gotten away from the others.

"Your guess is as good as mine. If he does manage to find the Makuta, he won't be able to defeat him alone. Toa of light or not, he's no stronger than the other toa."

"He did manage to take out one Rahkshi all by himself. None of the others were able to do that," I noted.

"He had the element of surprise. The Rahkshi didn't know what it was up against until the last second. It was a lucky shot."

"I don't know. Supposedly he was made to be able to take on Makuta and even win in a fight. There's always a chance that it wasn't just luck."

"Might I remind you that you didn't see that part of the fight. You were a bit preoccupied at that particular moment in time," he pointed out.

I looked away, no fond of remember that part. Despite the fact that I was dead, it was probably one of the happiest moments I'd had in so long. I finally felt like I was home for the first time in nearly a month, and then it was just ripped away, just like that. I couldn't be angry at Yori Yoi for that. I had to admit, what he did had to have taken quite a bit of courage, but part of me wished he hadn't.

"I'm sorry, Jaden. I didn't mean to bring it up. I'm sure it was…well, awful," he apologized.

"No," I said, turning back to him. "It was actually…almost pleasant. I didn't know what to expect. Darkness, I suppose, but I found something…something wonderful but…sad at the same time."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I saw Dan there, waiting for me I guess. And there were two people with him," I explained. "He told me they were my parents. I couldn't believe it at first, but…I could just…it felt right, you know?"

"I can understand. I never really knew my parents. Frost told me they had died trying to fight off other dragons, trying to protect me. He was like a father to me for the longest time. Even so, it still didn't feel the same. But, every now and then, when I dream, I dream they're here again, watching me, and in those moments, everything feels right again." He stopped and looked at me. "They're never really gone, Jaden. You just have to be on the lookout for them. Who knows? Maybe you'll see them again in your dreams."

I smiled up at him and wrapped my arms around one of his legs, doing my best to give him a hug. He gently placed his other paw on back as an attempt to return the hug.

"I think your parents would be proud of you for what you've done here, despite how reckless it was," he said with a smile.

I released him so I could really look at him again.

"You were pretty reckless yourself, flying in on those Rahkshi like that," I teased.

He smiled back, several pearl white teeth showing. Several days ago, if I had seen him smile like that, I would probably have cowered away. Now, I didn't really mind. It made me wonder just how much I had really changed in such a short amount of time. If my friends saw me again, I wondered what they would think of me.

As these thoughts ran through my mind, I noticed something was happening around the hole that Takanuva had gone down. Me and Yori made our way back over to see Hahli standing on a rock, Jaller's mask in her hands. I briefly wondered how she had gotten her hands on it since she had attached it to Takanuva's transport, but I figured that now was not the best time to ask that question.

Everyone seemed to be talking at once, arguing over whether or not to go down the hole, from what I could make out, and Hahli being unsuccessful at quieting them until one of turaga Vakama called the to silence.

"This island is a great and wondrous place. Never have any been as blessed as we are to live in such a paradise," she said. Everyone there nodded in agreement and waited for her to continue. "I love my home, and Jaller loved it, too. But above all, Jaller respected his duty. Let us repay him by doing out duty. Let us remember him by fulfilling our destiny. Let us go forward together. Let us awaken the great spirit."

Everyone cheered their agreement and decided that the toa and turaga would journey down into the tunnels to join Takanuva.

"Yori, I'm going with them," I said as I made my way to the hole.

"Not so fast," he said, putting his tail in front of me. "I just now got you back from the clutches of death, and you want to go traipsing about in some dark tunnel after the thing that sent the Rahkshi in the first place. Correct me if I've been wrong so far."

"I'll be careful, Yori. I'm going to see this through to the end."

He looked at me skeptically before lowering his tail. "I can't protect you down there. If ut looks like serious trouble, get out of there as fast as you can. There will be little for you to do except get hurt or worse."

"Have a bit of faith, Yori. I'm starting to think you don't trust me very much."

"Can you blame me? You and trouble seem to be attracted to each other," he commented.

I smirked at him as I lowered myself down the hole and followed the others through dark tunnels. It was hard to say how far or how long we travelled before coming across the entrance to what I assumed was Makuta's lair. The area was dimly lit, a sickly green providing what illumination there was. As we crossed the threshold, the first thing that came in to sight were several tall, green pillars that seemed to provide the light, while several others were shattered, their remnants scattered about the cavern. After that was what could only be described huge.

Whatever it was towered over even the toa, maroon covering its body as it held a menacing staff with what looked more like a claw at one end holding a large, metallic looking orb.

"An audience gathers for your final failure," it said with a dark, raspy voice that made my skin crawl. This thing must be Makuta.

Once again I could hear the voice in the back of my head, the headache returning stronger than the last time. It had finally made sense. Makuta must have been behind the flash in the tunnels of Onu Koro. Takua-or Takanuva, I wasn't sure which to call him now-had said he saw Makuta. Now I was starting to regret my decision to come along. If I lost control of it now, there was only going to be more trouble for them to deal with.

I hardly paid attention as Takanuva said something that was supposed to be motivating while the pain was becoming worse. I was nearly doubled over when I heard what sounded like a dull explosion from above me. I looked up just in time to see several tons of rock plummeting down and jumped out of the way.

With the minor diversion from the pain, I looked up to see Takanuva flying through the air towards Makuta. Makuta reacted, hurling the sphere towards the airborne toa. The rest seemed to move in slow motion as Takanuva curled into a ball, catching the sphere with a larger version of the hammer and scoop weapon I had seen him use earlier, and hurled the ball back Makuta, sending him flying several feet into a wall.

I tried to stand up, thinking that Makuta had finally been defeated. The twinge of pain that ran across my skull informed me otherwise. I clutched my head, trying with all my might to force the evil voice back to the depths of wherever it had come from. It wasn't going well.

I looked up again to see how the fight was going. Takanuva was on Makuta's chest, grabbing his face and yanking as hard as he could. Everyone stared on as sparks flew from Makuta's face as his mask was removed. Before anyone could tell if the mask had been completely removed, they both fell into a water like substance in the middle of the room.

As they disappeared into its depths, the pain in my head subsided, I only hoped signaling that Makuta was defeated. But what of Takanuva? We all crowded around the pool, each one trying to locate the fallen hero and villain.

Moments later, something bright and gold began to shine on top of the pool, taking the shape of the insignia that was on the floor. I hoped that this was a good sign and not more trouble.

I heard Vakama say, "Mata Nui," as he seemed to almost smile, not that I could really tell since he had no definitive mouth.

The symbol began to grow, and everyone rushed away from the pool moments before a pulse of light swept across the room. When I looked back, something began to rise from the pool. At first it looked like Takanuva, but as the form continued to rise, it was clear that it was not just Takanuva. Whatever it was had the body and Half the face of Makuta, but had the arms and other half of Takanuva's face.

From the looks on everyone else's face no one was sure if this new figure vould be trusted. After all, he did look more like Makuta than Takanuva. After what seemed like minutes of silence, the figure spoke, his voice a combination of the two.

"Light has revealed the will of Mata Nui. Our brother must be awakened."

With that he walked over to a stone door in the shape of a matoran face and began to lift it. The strain was obvious as he slowly lifted the door on to his shoulders and held it there as he urged everyone to go through quickly. Wasting no time, I ran through the doorway with the others, not quite sure of where it was going to lead us to.

We all looked back to see if the Takanuva-Makuta hybrid would come through with us to see Hahli standing beside him, jaller's mask on the floor with his massive hand hovering over it. A light came from his hands, and we all watched in amazement as a body formed beneath the mask and Jaller stood up. I could hardly believe it. Was such a thing possible? Even as I tried to convince myself that it was impossible, there was the proof in front of me.

Hahli helped him up and as they began to get away from the door it collapsed on its holder, a bright light flashing as the mask of light came sliding forward. It had all happened so fast no one seemed to know quite what to say or think of it.

Turaga Vakama stepped forward and picked up the mask and proceeded down the short corridor. Behind us was a large cavern, the same symbol of three dots inside two swirls on the floor.

"Let us awaken the Great Spirit," he said as he guided Jaller and Hahli over to the symbol.

As he put them over the two outside dots and recited several words, the dots began to glow, the toa stood in a line, fist to fist, and looked on. I stepped to the side, trying to be out of the way as much as possible.

As Turaga Vakama said, "Destiny," he placed the mask of light on the middle dot and it began to spin around and rose up on a pillar of light, a vague form of the old Takua showing as the body of Takanuva appeared before us. He looked down at Jaller and stepped beside him.

"You're alive!" Jaller exclaimed. "Kohli head, you could have been Makuta bones."

"Could have been, but I'm not," Takanuva said with a smirk.

The next several days passed rather quietly. The matoran were going around trying to rebuild their homes and villages with the toa providing whatever assistance they could. Turaga Vakama spent most of his time educating Takanuva, Hahli and Jaller on the history of the matoran and where they had originally come from and such. I, unfortunately, was of little help during reconstruction due to the fact that I could not safely work in a volcano or up in the frigid mountains, and Onukoro was buried underneath several tons of rock which I was ill qualified to help move, not that I didn't attempt to help.

As I sat down on one of the several beaches that surrounded the island, I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. The smell of the salt air brought back memories of camping trips on the coast of Alaska with my friends, the happier days of my life. I buried my toes in the sand, enjoying the tingly feeling as it ran through my toes. While my thoughts wandered off I barely noticed Yori Yoi lay down beside me.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked when I didn't say anything.

"Better times in my life," I answered, turning to look at him.

"Do you regret leaving your home?" he asked.

"I didn't have much choice on that, but no, not anymore. This," I said as I ran my hands through the sand, "is my home now, even if it is only for a few months more."

"I wish there was something else that could be done," he lamented, sorrow crossing his features.

"Who knows, Yori, maybe someday in the next month or so, we might just find a way to beat it. I'm beginning to believe that just about anything is possible," I said as I leaned against him.

"You sound so sure," he said.

"Not really," I said. "But whatever does happen, I know I'll have you and Frost and the others there by my side, if I need you."

"I promise I'll be there when you need me," he said, lowering his head to my level.

I stroked his muzzle as I looked out over the sun set.

"Even if these are my last months, at least I'll enjoy them with you."

We sat there watching the sun go down slowly, the future a hazy vision, but whatever it had in store for us, I knew Yori Yoi would be there for me as I would be there for him.

AN: So here's the final chapter. Normally I'd wait to get this back from my beta reader, but I have been unable to get a hold of her, and I know you guys are ready for the end of the story. So here it is. And originally there was going to be a sequal, but there's obviously not enough interest in the story for a sequal. For those of you who may have wanted more, sorry. And for those who are just happy for the end, here you go. Hope you enjoyed the story! :)