| Two
Fikou jumped out of a tree, and landed heavily in front of Kaiwera,
sending a spray of mud and grit into his eyes. Flattening himself
to the ground, Kaiwera whipped his disk off his back, and tried
to focus through watery eyes on his adversaries. So,
he thought, that’s how they catch so many people off guard
‘eh? We’ll see about that…
In a flash, the right Fikou leapt towards him. Instead of throwing
the disk, he waited until the Fikou was in range and hit it’s
head with the blunt edge. The other Fikou, now looking wary after
such an easy defeat of it’s comrade, was defensive. It began to
scratch it’s abdomen with it’s back legs, sending little torpedoes
of poisoned hair towards Kaiwera. He dodged the first attack and
rolled, bringing his disk up again to deflect the second barrage.
Ah! A hole in the shrubbery presented itself, and Kaiwera started
towards it, but was again fended back by the enraged Rahi. His
hand stinging with the pain of a thousand needles, he concentrated
on the Fikou’s head with his disk…
The barrage stopped, the Fikou slumped. Kaiwera dusted himself
off and tried to wipe some of the muck from his eyes. He began
to inspect the Fikou, checking them over for salvage… Ah-ha.
A small bottle of Cure Potion rolled out from underneath the Fikou’s
thick shell, which Kaiwera stuck in the small sack around his
waist. Time to set off again.
For a few minutes he walked in silence, reflecting on how the
battle went, thinking of ways to improve his techniques. After
a while the familiar warmth of Ta-Koro flowed up through his feet,
driving away the aches of the long walk.
“Evenin’ Mr Kaiwera, sir. You’ll be wanting to go inyes?” called
out Rellka the gate-guard.
“Yes thank you Mr Rellka.” No one knew why Rellka put a “Mr” in
front of everyone’s names, it was just something he did. It was
like his very odd speech impediment.
“Gettinnippy out there is it not?”
“Yes it is a bit colder than usual. Perhaps it’s because of the
trees…” said Kaiwera. The trees outside Ta-Koro had all been burnt
to their trunks by a fierce fire that began during an attack by
Rahi. Many were lost in that battle, though most Tohunga commented
that they never liked green anyway.
“Cup of cocoa Mrkaiwerasir?”
“No thanks Rellka, got to go and see Vakama about something.”
“Ohhh yes, Vakama was – umpfh. I shouldn’ta told you that. Ididn’t
sayanything!”
“Sorry?”
“It was just the Vakama was goin on about the Cho- umpfffh! You
didn’t hearme say that. Ididn’t say that!”
“Right Mr Rellka. Goodbye, Mr, Rellka.”
“Evenin, sir.”
Kaiwera fumed as he stomped over the rock bridge to his village.
What was everyone not telling him? Rellka never ever offered him
cocoa! Why would he do that?
As Kaiwera walked into the village, more Tohunga smiled and waved
at him. They never did this before! What is going ON?!
He slammed open the door of Vakama’s hut and sat down heavily
in an armchair.
“Yes?!”
“I’m sorry, did you hear someone very rudely come in and demand
something of me? I did.”
“I’m not in the mood, Vakama.”
“You are troubled Kaiwera. Tell me, what is wrong?”
“It’s all the Tohu- wait, why should I tell you?!”
“You know you feel better when you talk to someone Kaiwera. Especially
about your problems.”
“I don’t have a problem!”
“See? Now what is it?”
“Mumble mumble people sayin’ thin’s mumble.”
“What have they been saying?”
“Mumble mumble dunno. Something about Chos mumble.”
“Ah. Rellka been talking to you has he? There’s something I need
you to do Kaiwera. Jala!”
Jala walked in. He looked ill at ease.
“Is this really necessary Priest?”
“It is if I say so. Now fight!”
“Sorry?” said Kaiwera, again bewildered.
“It is a test, I need to know something. You two must fight each
other.”
“I still don’t understand!”
Kaiwera didn’t have any time to complain any more, as Jala jumped
at him with a side attack. Rolling to the left to avoid the first
blow, Kaiwera picked himself up and settled into a loose stance,
ready to leap out of the way of Jala’s next move. Jala turned
back towards him, and made to go left. Kaiwera suspected a feint
and moved left too, only to find Jala was one step ahead of him
and had continued left, catching him off-guard with a backhand
blow. It was nothing serious, but Kaiwera was starting to get
angry, and from that anger the spot where Jala hit him burned
with pain. He narrowed his eyes and brought out his disk. Jala
did the same, and threw it just over Kaiwera’s head.
“Ha! Missed!” he cried.
Something in the way Jala looked at him made him quickly drop
to the floor, as the disk whished on it’s boomerang arc through
the air his head had been occupying. Kaiwera lept forward and
tackled Jala to the floor, banging the Captain’s head against
a earthen wear pot, making him temporarily dazed. Kaiwera took
the chance and aimed a punch at Jala’s face, but felt strong arms
suddenly hooked around his waist, pulling him back, away from
the confused Jala. Kaiwera twisted round and looked into Vakama’s
face.
“Lemme at him! Lemme finish him! Gerroff!”
“It’s against the Code to hit a man when he’s down Kaiwera, surely
you know that.”
“Rahi don’t know that!”
“Jala isn’t a Rahi. Do you even remember why you were fighting
him?”
“Yeah! He-” Kaiwera stopped mid sentence. He didn’t remember why.
“Why?”
“I see. Well, that proves it. Kaiwera help Jala up. No hard feelings
‘eh?”
“Maybe not for you Priest, but my head is killing me,” said Jala,
who was pulled up by Kaiwera. “Thanks a bunch Kaiwera.”
“You always taught me to win anyway I can Captain.”
Jala and Kaiwera stared at each other for a moment, Jala massaging
the back of his head.
“There’s something I need to tell you Kaiwera. I believe you are
a Chosen.”
Something stirred in Kaiwera’s memory.
“Tahu?” he said.
“Pardon?” asked Vakama
“Oh, doesn’t matter. What’s a Chosen?”
“More will be revealed on your travels. I have reason to believe
it is just a myth anyway.”
“Travels? Vakama I’m very confused. I’ve had a really bad day,
you’ve called me in here to see me, got me to fight the Captain
of my squad, told me I’m a Chosen and then said I’m travelling?”
“Sounds about right, yep.”
“Where am I to go to…?” said Kaiwera, too tired to argue.
“Sleep now, but in the morning you must go to the Sacred Temple.”
“The- the Temple? But Priest only the Toa can make a passage through
the temples! Death awaits all that try and are not worthy, only
Toa Tahu has the courage! cried Jala. Toning down his voice under
Vakama’s stare he said, “That’s what goes round the squad anyway…”
“We shall see. You must go there Kaiwera, and seek out the treasure
there. Bring it back to me, and we shall see if you are indeed
a Chosen.”
“Yes Priest, I’ll try,” said Kaiwera, feeling exhausted, confused
and with a nagging feeling he had forgotten something important.
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