| Moana
was dreaming. She was sitting in a little boat, in a wide, glassy
topped lake, slowly paddling along. She knew she had to be somewhere,
she was meeting someone. Around the edge of the lake, beach trees
lazily swung their leafy branches, sometimes dipping them into
the calm water. Moana almost felt things were too good to be true.
Makuta always spoilt things on Mata Nui. There was never a time
when you could think there wouldn’t be any pain, or fear, or destruction,
today. No time when you could think that something pure and calm
and beautiful could stay that way. Makuta had taken that… that
basic reassurance, away from the Tohunga.
She paddled on.
There were figures on the bank, in couples. Tohunga
from the island often came here, she remembered, to be with their
loved ones. Girlfriends and comrades met here, and played in the
rocky shores of the lake. She was looking for someone, he stood
out from the crowd. He was the only white figure there, standing
proud, looking out towards her. She climbed out of the boat, and
jumped into his arms. He took her wordlessly, and wrapped his
arms around her. She felt she might burst with happiness. Here
she was, with all the time in the world, and the one she loved
so dearly. He was one in a million, there was no-one else in the
world like him. She knew he felt the same, and that was the best
thing.
No… something was wrong now. He was becoming weak,
cold, so cold. She looked at him more closely, and she saw deep
wounds appear on his chest, saw his mask dent inwards and finally
collapse into his skull…
“No!” Moana said quietly, weakly. She sat up,
and found herself in Pirihi’s hut. Why did she dream of him? Why
now? And what was that smell…?
An aroma so rich to as make her mouth water was
wafting from somewhere. She looked around, and saw Pirihi and
Kaiwera stirring something in the pot over the fire. Faintly,
she heard them talking.
“Cool, so, now we add the Gifuo roots?”
“Yes, and why now?”
“Oh… um… I know this!” Kaiwera laughed, “Oh I
know! To absorb the hot fat so that the Ruana flesh doesn’t scald!”
“Right! Well done. You now know how to make a
delicious multi vegetable stew. It’s easy to make isn’t it?”
“Yeah! How’d you learn all this stuff Pirihi?”
“Well, when you’re a Ranger you’ve got to keep
yourself alive, so I thought to myself, “Why not make it taste
good too?”, and experimented with things until I sorta became
an expert! It taste nice?”
“Mmuh-huh!” said Kaiwera, forcing spoonful after
spoonful of the stew into his mouth.
“Moahnana! You’reb awabke!”
“Oh Kaiwera, don’t eat with your mouth full!”
“Sorry.”
The atmosphere had changed. As soon as Pirihi
and Kaiwera had realised Moana was awake, they went back to how
they were the night before, both regarding themselves as better
than the other.
“Uh… Pirihi, do you know why Kaiwera went all
weak and brown when we first came to Ko-Wahi?”
Kaiwera scowled at her, “You had to mention that
didn’t you,” he muttered under his breath.
“It is natural for a Tohunga of fire element to
feel uncomfortable in that of ice. They are opposites. But I have
never known sickness of it. Perhaps Kaiwera has a weak mind-“
“-Or maybe it’s because it’s so frelling cold
up here!” Kaiwera shouted.
Kaiwera and Pirihi glared at each other. Then
they both picked up a bowl, filled it with stew and offered it
simultaneously to Moana. They looked up in shock, put down the
bowls and then made out they had just been getting a refill.
It seemed that the usual relationships had returned.
“Well, on with the day. Do you have any dried
food you’d like to donate to the party inventory Pirihi?”
“Well, not really no. I eat what I find, fresh.
I do have some seasonings, and in special cases… these.”
Pirihi held up a little box. It had a clover design
running around the top, the dark wood was dusty and the hinges
squeaked as Pirihi opened the lid. Inside were layers and layers
of exquisitely dried, folded and compressed flowers of some kind.
“Ice lilies. They only grow up the very top of
Mount Ihu, the coldest place on Mata Nui. There’s enough in here
to keep us going for years… seriously, they have the highest energy
content I’ve ever seen, and taste good too. Would you like to
try some? Don’t eat too much at once, you’ll become addicted and
then die of muscle deterioration.”
“Oh… well. Wow, strange stuff. Will a leaf hurt?”
asked Moana cautiously.
“No, that should be fine.”
Kaiwera, Moana and Pirihi all took a leaf. Pirihi
ate it in one go, Moana nibbled it cautiously and Kaiwera settled
for taking a big bite out of it. Kaiwera’s eyes began to water,
and then he spat the contents of his mouth into his hand.
“Strong,” he said hoarsely.
“Yeah it is. Nice though. Here, take them.”
“Right, great, thanks. So, whatcha got in the
way of equipment?”
“My sword, canteen and that box.”
“Yep. And?”
“And I travel light, that’s it.”
“No blankets or torches or anything?!”
“No, I don’t feel the cold and I have very good
eye sight.”
“Well, OK, but you ain’t sharing mine!” said Kaiwera
hotly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Ta-Koronan.”
“Boys boys, please. Can we go and find Nuju now?”
“If you insist,” said Kaiwera.
The tri stepped out of the hut, and breathed in
the cool, crisp air, Kaiwera dressed in his furs again. They set
out towards Ko-Koro, and as they walked their spirits lifted.
The scenery was… amazing, astonishing. Icicles and solid blocks
of ice refracted and dispersed the morning sunlight into strange
places and beautiful colours of the entire spectrum. A slight
snow began to fall, making the air hazy.
A shadow appeared on the ground in front of Pirihi,
and he instantly brought his sword off his back and into the path
of a Taku. It screeched and took a steep dive to the left to avoid
the blade. The little bird, it seemed, was very manuverable.
“Taku,” explained Pirihi, “they hang around in
the trees waiting for Tohunga to walk by. Infected by Makuta,
they have a vicious bite and will take your eye out just for looking
at them. Oh great, here come more.”
Two more Taku swept into the fray, as Kaiwera
and Moana drew their swords. A Taku came in at Kaiwera, squawking
at him. He ducked, and the Taku flew on over him. He turned to
see Moana looking at him in alarm, and saw the Taku behind her.
“Drop!” he shouted.
Moana didn’t turn round, and just fell into the
icy grass. The Taku flew over her, but couldn’t fly around Kaiwera’s
sword.
“Well,” he said, looking at the prone body, “guess
who has dinner?”
“Me,” said Pirihi, bringing up his sword with
the other two Taku impaled on it.
“You know,” Kaiwera growled-
“-I think we should be moving on don’t you?” said
Moana hastily. “Leave two of the birds, one is enough for all
of us.”
Kaiwera dumped the corpse, and Pirihi left one
on his blade, putting it over his shoulder like a pig on a spear.
Kaiwera just narrowed his eyes.
They arrived in Ko-Koro silent. The guards had
resumed their post guarding the entrance to the village, and Pirihi
just ducked under their lances into the town.
Kaiwera looked at Moana, and did the same. Moana
looked cautiously at them, then quickly ducked under herself.
It would appear that Ko-Koronan didn’t carry grudges.
They entered Nuju’s hut, and found him still reading
the walls of the giant building.
“Revising a prophesy, Turaga?” asked Pirihi.
Nuju spun round, and threw his arms up in surprise.
Matoro appeared out of nowhere and began to translate.
“<Pirihi! Thank Mata Nui, I thought you had
been killed.>”
“Turaga, I am fine- but Wakatu is not. He is no
longer of this world.”
“<...I see. This is a tragedy for Ko-Koro,
but it brings warmth to my heart to know that you are safe. You
must rest here.>
“No, Turaga! I cannot, I have dishonoured him!
I let him die!”
<Pirihi... You have not dishonoured him. His
loss is great, but remember that there are forces greater than
we can comprehend at work all the time. I see that you are with
Vakama's 'Chosen’...>”
“Yes, Turaga. I have decided to travel with them.”
“<Perhaps Wakatu's passing was... meant to
happen. To get you to join the 'Chosen'. Or, it is just simple
chance? Ta-Koran, I expect you wish to know where the Ice Temple
is, correct?>”
“Yes, Turaga Nuju. That is our intended destination.”
“<Climb Mount Ihu, you will find it towards
the summit. Pirihi, you may go with them, but please... Be careful.>”
“Thank you priest.”
“We shall find the Kanohi Akaku, and will come
back alive, have no fear. By your leave, Turaga Nuju, and thank
you for your assistance,” Kaiwera said.
“<I see your colour has returned Ta-Koronan,
you followed my advice?>”
“Yes Turaga, thank you. Very warm, cosy.”
Nuju gave Kaiwera a nod, and then turned back
to his reading.
“Pirihi… does he always do that?” Moana asked.
“Do what?”
“Finish speaking to you but leave you thinking he has only turned
round, and has more to say?”
“I don’t know what you mean, of course he’s finished.
Right then, looks like we’re climbing Mount Ihu.”
“Yes… you said it was cold up there. Will Kaiwera
be alright?”
Pirihi and Moana looked at Kaiwera, who was standing
a few feet away glaring at a small Ko-Koronan, who dropped the
book he was carrying and ran away.
“I hope so Moana,” Pirihi concluded. |
