| “Kaiwera!
Slow down, what has got into you?!”
“I… don’t… know… I just feel… alive!”
Kaiwera was still holding onto Moana, pulling
her round villagers and shrines to the entrance to Ko-Koro at
top speed, sometimes doing little flips or slides on the icy ground.
“Kaiwera, watch out!”
Moana’s call came too late. Kaiwera landed on
a particularly slippery patch of ice, and he fell over onto the
frozen ground, taking Moana with him. Together they slid right
out of Ko-Koro, and then into the snow of the icy tundra outside.
They didn’t stop rolling until they hit a tree, of which Kaiwera
absorbed most of the shock into his thick cold-protective clothing.
“Haha! Lets do that again! Hey… Ga-Koronan lady…
this remind you of when we first met?” he asked Moana, who was
lying on his lap.
“Yes… it does…” she looked up, and was very angry,
“you… being the hot-headed moron that has more energy than sense,
and me being the one who has to follow you around. WAKE UP! We
could have been killed!”
“No we couldn’t… I was steering.”
“You were NOT steering, either of us could have
been speared alive on any of those rocks back there, and then
you wouldn’t have that smirk on your face would you?! You’ve been
acting so oddly recently… what is with you?!”
“Nothing babes, I just feel so… good!”
“Well don’t drag me into your little stunts, and
don’t call me ‘babes’!”
“OK. Hey, have you noticed this snow is getting
thicker? And… colder.”
“Oh great, we’ve rolled right into the middle
of a snow storm!”
“Quickly! Get into these clothes with me!”
“Ewww no way!”
“C’mon, you’ll freeze!”
“No!” and Moana began to stumble back towards
Ko-Koro.
“Moana! You’ll… freeze… too cold…”
Kaiwera fell over into the snow.
There were the figures again. They were more clear now. He could
make out that the big one, had a sword. It was long and straight,
with a double blade and a hilt. The other figures were clearer
too. They were gathered round him and the towering figure in front
of him again. One of them began to run very slowly towards him.
“Can anyone here me?”
Then he noticed that the figure in front of him
was raising the sword, bringing it back, preparing to swing it…
Kaiwera could feel his consciousness leaving the dream, been drawn
up and into the warmth with a smell of… soup.
“Soup?”
“Yes. There is soup if you want some.”
“Moana?”
“Yes?”
“Have I asked where I am yet?”
“No.”
“Where am I?”
“You’re in a hut, in the middle of the snow plains
as I can tell. Someone has been here recently, they left us a
pot of soup. It’s hot, careful.”
Kaiwera gratefully took the soup, and took a little
sip. It was hot, and bursting with flavour and semi-chewy vegetables,
cut up into little chunks.
“Mmm… who made this? It’s very good,” said Kaiwera
with his mouth full.
“I don’t know. The person who lives in this hut
apparently.”
“Hey… I remember snow, cold, then… what happened?”
“You both passed out.”
Kaiwera dropped his bowl of soup in shock.
“Who said that?!” he asked.
There was no reply.
“Show yourself!”
“I’m right here, Ta-Koronan.”
A brilliant white Ko-Koronan suddenly became visible,
sitting in a chair by the tiny fire, the only light in the small
cabin. Kaiwera found it hard to explain, he was sort of… always
there, he just hadn’t seen him.
“Ah, you're a Ko-Koronan, thank Mata Nui,” said
Kaiwera with relief.
“Yes, I am a Ko-Koronan Ranger. What were you
doing on the plains?”
“We're looking for a Tohunga named Pirihi, have
you seen him?”
“Yes, I know where he is.”
“Great! Is he close?”
“Yes he is close.”
“…so where is he?”
“He’s sitting right here. He’s me,” Pirihi gave
a little chuckle.
Kaiwera’s eyes narrowed. He hated riddles or jokes
or anything similar.
“You're Pirihi? Ah, thank Mata Nui for that!”
said Moana.
“Why we’re you looking for me?”
“We heard that you have weird abilities... do
you?”
“No.”
“Nothing at all?”
“I sometimes... see things before they happen.
It isn't much, but that's all I can think of.”
“We are looking for a special Ko-Koronan, one
who has been chosen by the Toa and Mata Nui to save the island.
We think that you might be him.”
“I doubt that possibility. If I was a... 'Chosen'
warrior, then- then Wakatu would be okay...”
“Wakatu? Who was that?” asked Kaiwera
“He was my friend, but was killed by a Rahi. I
couldn't save him... I don't want to go back to Ko-Koro, knowing
that I failed him.”
“Pirihi, we cannot bring your friend back, but
if you want redemption... Perhaps you should travel with us?”
said Moana, carefully.
“Yes! Any Ta-Koronan would bring honour to the
name of his comrades, were he in your position!” cried Kaiwera.
There was a long silence in the hut. Pirihi looked
at the floor, not moving.
“Yes... I think you have a point,” he said eventually.
“Very well then. I travel with you. I am Pirihi,
Ko-Koran Ranger. My skills are at your service.”
“Great! Let's go and see Nuju, perhaps he will
tell us where the Ice Temple is.”
“Not now. Wait until morning. Look at the sky.”
Moana and Kaiwera craned their necks to look out
of the tiny window in the wall. The sky was a sheet of black velvet,
deep and rich, with stars picked out like sequins. Below was the
vivid white of the snow, Ko-Wahi, illuminated by the full moon.
“OK. Do you have a sword, Ko-Koronan?” asked Kaiwera.
“Your sitting on it.”
Kaiwera looked down. His foot was leaning against
what he thought was a wall support. He pulled it away from the
wall, it was stuck loosely with the ice that had formed.
The sword was longer than his own, and cold to
the touch. He took it out of it’s sheath. It seemed to take all
heat away from his hands, and it sparkled like the frost outside.
It had no hilt, and an undented double blade. Everything about
it said that if it cut you, all you would feel is a slight sting…
and a cold chill. |
