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The Chosen came out
of the Onu-Koro highway and into the dense
vegetation of Le-Wahi and Kauea Bay. A little
signpost in the ground by a large rock read ‘Le-Koro
this way, follow the signs.”
“Can’t get much nearer than that ‘eh team?” said
Kikia.
“It’s good to be able to breath again,” said
Moana, as she leant against a tree.
“I know what you mean,” agreed Pirihi. He looked
up at the sky, and then spoke.
“Kaiwera… I have something to ask…”
Kaiwera looked up from the grassy ground.
“What…?” he said cautiously, fearing what the
question might be about his vision.
“Well, there are five of us now, and we only
have the Air Chosen to find before we can summon
the Toa, right?”
“Yes…”
“So far all we’ve come up against have been Rahi.
But what if guarding the Miru there is something
worse? Surely Makuta must know of us and our
quest by now – what if he sends something more
powerful and terrible to guard it? Would we be
able to defeat it? We’ve won mainly because of
luck and skill against the previous Rahi.
Perhaps we implement something else too.”
“What are you getting at Pirihi?” asked Moana
“I think I know what he means. You are speaking
of our elements, yes Pirihi?” said Kohuke.
“Yes. We are linked to the Toa – we are even a
part of them. We, in a way, are the Toa.
So surly we can learn to use our respective
elements. I have mastered a little over mine,
and I think I’ve worked out my Kanohi. But
Kaiwera… what you did to the Nui Rama was quite
surprising. Where did you learn that skill?”
“Pirihi…I don’t know. I was just angry to see
those two again and it kinda welled up inside me
and found it’s way to the sword.”
This was true, but Kaiwera knew the real reason.
He knew from his vision what the Firesword was
capable of… Some of Tahu’s spirit was within
him, as Vakama had said. Seeing Tahu again had
unlocked the power.
“Anyway,” Pirihi continued, “I for one would
like to take some time out to learn how to
control over my element, and also brush up on my
sword skills with the rest of you.”
The other Chosen agreed. “I for one would like a
rest,” said Moana. “The trip wore me out, and I
don’t know how to use a sword,” said Kikia.
Kohuke said he’d had a little training from
friends but nothing serious.
Kaiwera agreed they should try to train.
“We will spend today doing so. I feel perhaps it
is necessary to prepare for the on-coming
battles. I can teach you how to use your
element… perhaps Pirihi can teach you how to
sword fight. Let us eat, then we will begin.”
Kikia surveyed the battle from a high branch in
a tree. When he saw an opening he jumped out,
rolled, and stood up with his sword, bringing
the tip into near contact with Kohuke’s face.
“Gotcha! What would happen if I weren’t a friend
‘eh, my ol’ chum? Haha-“
“Got you, Kikia,” said Pirihi coolly, touching
Kikia’s neck with his sword, “Be more vigilant
next time, just because you’ve surprised someone
doesn’t mean the rest of the battle stops.
“This is very good work everyone, you’ve all
improved greatly in the time we’ve been
training. But now we’ve all learnt the basics of
swordsmanship, it’s time to move onto our
elemental attacks. Kaiwera? Over to you.”
“Thank you, Pirihi. Moana, come forward.”
Moana got up and came towards Kaiwera, bringing
her hooks with her, her sword on her back in its
sheath.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed yet, but the
weapons we carry are the same as the ones the
Toa bare in the ancient drawings. Moana has
Gali’s Hooks, I have Tahu’s Firesword, Pirihi
has Kopaka’s Ice blade, Kikia has Pohatu’s
Kicking Toes, Kohuke has Onua’s Claws and the
Le-Koronan Chosen will carry Lewa’s Hatchet.
Through these we can channel our elemental
powers. We’ve always had our elemental powers,
though they are not strong. That is how the
Turaga identified you as Chosen, like Moana
being able to boil water and Kohuke winning all
the digging contests.
“But, we needed the Toa weapons in order channel
them, and the Kanohi to fully unlock them. You
saw the kind of power that can exploit – like
what happened at the Onu-Koro entrance. The
trick is being able to tap into your elements.
That is the skill I hope to pass onto you now.
“Moana here will be the first. I want you to
pretend I am an emeny. Fight me, for a while.”
Kaiwera drew his Firesword and brought it up in
front of his face. Moana brought up her hooks in
a defensive position. Kaiwera lunged with the
heavy sword, and Moana easily ducked. Kaiwera
brought the sword back round and ran forward
with it pointing at Moana. At the last moment
she threw it out of the way with her hooks and
then brought one up to Kaiwera’s mask.
“Well done. But remember what Pirihi said!”
Kaiwera kicked Moana in the stomach, sending her
sprawling. She picked herself up and glared at
Kaiwera, who had resumed his fighting stance.
Moana ran towards Kaiwera, and took a running
jump, hooks outstretched. Kaiwera’s eyes became
slits, and suddenly a pearly pink ball appeared
around him, his Hau faintly glowing. Moana
connected with this, and was again sent flying,
the way she had come.
“Come on! Moana, I thought you could do better.
Look around you, are there any resources you can
use?”
Moana spat out some moss and looked around.
There were trees… some shrubs… and vines. She
leapt up and grabbed onto one, which sagged
under her weight, but held. She kicked off and
sailed round the clearing, pushing off from
trees. Kaiwera stood in the middle of the
clearing, following her. Without a sound she let
go and flew into the shrubbery. Kikia giggled,
but Pirihi silenced him.
For a moment there was silence, with Kaiwera
looking around frantically for the Ga-Koronan.
From behind him she erupted out of the bushes,
cannoning into him. They rolled, and when the
stood up they had their weapons at each others
throats.
“Nice moves,” he said.
“Thanks,” she drawled.
“Feeling nice and angry?”
“Oh yeah, you Jaga.”
“Good.”
And Kaiwera smacked her in the face. Moana spun
round, and then landed against a tree.
“Moana! Use your hooks! Feel the power in your
chest, bring it out, feel for it, and then focus
through the hooks!” Kaiwera shouted.
Moana seemed to quiver with rage, and brought
her hooks up in a flash. There was a brief swirl
of power and then a torrent of water issued from
the hooks, blasting Kaiwera out of the clearing
and into the bushes.
Moana brought down her hooks.
“The power… I could feel it! It has been there
all this time, but I didn’t know what it was!”
Kaiwera emerged dripping from the edge of the
clearing, covered in leaves.
“Yes. It has been. But now, try accessing it
again. At something else! Not me.”
Moana turned and sighted the sign next to the
Onu-Koro highway. With a thin jet of water she
cut it into chunks.
“Yeah! An applause for Moana, she’s tapped into
her element! With that same power you’ll be able
to activate your Kaukau better too.”
And so it was that Kaiwera repeated this for the
other Chosen, and last of all Pirihi.
“C’mon Icy… hit me with what you’ve got.
Pirihi looked up into the dense vegetation above
them, lenses in his Akaku whirring. The large
lens went in and out once, and then Kopaka
leapt, and shinnied up a hidden vine.
“Can’t bare to face me Pirihi? Aww… well, I was
hoping for some action from you. Let’s
turn up the HEAT shall we?!” said Kaiwera, who
pointed his Firesword into the canopy and
activated it.
For a while nothing happened, other than the
leaves shrivelling up. Then Pirihi dropped out
of the canopy, crying with rage. His Akaku was
glowing a brilliant white and sweat beaded on
it. He unsheathed his sword with a “zting” and
sent a torrent of huge ice crystals at Kaiwera,
who was frozen and crushed into the ground.
After a few seconds the ice crystals burst from
ice to water, washing over Kaiwera and hissing
on the Firesword, which was burning with a tall
flame. With a jolt Kaiwera extinguished the
blade, and Pirihi melted the ice off his.
“Well… done Pirihi. Right… time for another
rest… I think?”
The Chosen looked around. The very tranquil
clearing they had come into a few hours ago was
now… different. The grass was scorched and so
was the canopy, the ground had been turned to
mud and there were deep cracks in it, as well as
some random boulders sticking out here and
there.
“Urm… perhaps a little way away from here… I
can’t see the Le-Koronans liking that very
much…”
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