| Kaiwera
was once again confused. He had come to Tear’s Point as Vakama
had told him…
“Hmm… well… sure seems quiet. How will I get to
Ga-Koro? Wait… is that a boat?!”
A small green and blue boat was bobbing up and
down at the tiny jetty of Ta-Wahi beach.
“Hello?”
Kaiwera whipped round, to find himself looking
into the bright yellow eyes of a young Ga-Koronan girl.
“Gaaah!”
Seemingly ignoring introductions, the girl grabbed
Kaiwera’s arms and asked,
“You’re a Ta-Koronan right?”
“Doesn’t my redness give it away…?”
“Don’t try being funny with me mister, I don’t
have time! Can you fight?”
“Well, uh…”
Sweet smelling perfume wafted itself off the Ga-Koronan’s
body, ringing alarm bells in Kaiwera’s brain.
“…I don’t like to boast, but… *cough* I have beaten…
uh… fifteen Nui-Rama, single handed! Whilst blindfolded!”
Kaiwera was expecting a look of awe, but all he
got was grim satisfaction.
“Good, then you can help us! Come with me!”
“Hey hey! Slow down! Where are we going?”
“Ga-Koro,” called back the stranger, running down
the stone steps from the high Point, “we can take my boat, hurry
up!”
Kaiwera half fell, half ran down behind the blue
Tohunga, landing in a heap at the bottom of the steps. He picked
himself up and ran across the beach to where the Ga-Koronan was
unmooring her little boat. She motioned for him to get in, so
he did. He opened his mouth to ask if she wanted any help pushing
the boat out but he realised the boat was already floating backwards
on the clear sea. She leapt aboard, and started up the small motor
at the keel. Soon they were speeding around the small bay and
out into the bluey expanse of the world encasing sea of Mata Nui.
Once or twice he tried to speak, but she held up a hand, silently
saying she needed to concentrate. For a while they rode the waves,
then the fjord of Ga-Koro came into view. The boat moored itself
up the beach and the she-Tohunga started to run towards the gates
of the village. Kaiwera jumped from the boat, caught up with her
and grabbed her arm.
“Now what is this all about?”
Spinning round, fixing him with a stare as cold
as the depths of the ocean, she shrugged off his hand.
“I apologise… I’m Moana, a Tohunga of Ga-Koro.
Nokama has disappeared, and Maku sent me to find a warrior to
help with her plan. I was in a hurry… but please, you must help
us!”
“Alright… I’ll help. But only on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Do you know anything about a “Chosen”? Like a
“Chosen of Water” or something…?”
“”Chosen”? No, sorry, but I’m sure Nokama does.”
“Then I’ll have to find her anyway.”
“Great! Thank you! Meet me in the town centre,
I’ll be apart from the crowd. I’ll tell Maku about you. Look around
the town, feel free to buy things, you might need them.”
Leaving Kaiwera with only a faint aroma, she turned
and skipped through the gates of her village.
“How extraordinarily
odd,” he thought.
Kaiwera walked into Ga-Koro, the smell of salt,
perfume and sea weed hitting him like he had walked into a wall.
The huts were all made of giant lily pads, overturned and folded
over. So was the floor of the village, and the bridges and pathways.
Everywhere he looked Kaiwera saw relics from the sea: a shell
as a doorplate or some fish skeletons forming an xylophone in
the little collection of discarded instruments in the bandstand
of the town centre. He walked into a suppliers shop, welcoming
and missing being free of the jostle of Ga-Koronan bodies as they
made their way to a podium on the outskirts of the village, and
was met by a completely different scene. Artefacts, tools, supplies,
food and survival gear from all parts and cultures of Mata Nui
covered the walls. The greenish tinted light reflected off the
blades of swords and the guilt of shields. Kaiwera picked up a
long and thin blade, decorated with tiny reflective sea shells.
“You got the money to buy that mister?”
Kaiwera almost dropped the sword. Sitting in the
darkness was the shopkeeper, who he guessed the voice had originated
from.
“Umm… I don’t have any money…”
“Got anything to trade?”
“Well, um…”
Kaiwera thought about the contents of his satchel.
He did need a sword he guessed, the one he had picked up in the
Fire Temple he wore on his back, but it was far too heavy to use
as a weapon.
“I’m looking for a sword. I need one that’s very
light, might have to endure extreme hot and cold, submersion in
water, grit and sand, is durable, fairly short and very sharp.
Decoration is optional. Do you have any?”
“Hmm… you certainly know what you want don’t you?”
The shopkeeper climbed over the counter and revealed
herself. She was squat and butch, her Miru a dark blue hue.
“I’m Okoth, if you’ll follow me over here I’ll
show you some of my more… professional swords.”
Okoth walked over to a wall with a dusty sheet
draped over it. She tugged at one corner to reveal a dazzling
display of weaponry, from daggers to long swords. The blades reflected
the light and shined onto the dust falling to the floor, making
them look holy and powerful…Kaiwera found his mouth open. He closed
it, dust didn’t taste nice.
“Good effect isn’t it?”
“Err… yes. Wow. Which one’s for me?”
“Weell… your very picky… I think only two of them
can withstand what your talking about. Going on a long trek or
something?”
“A quest, if you will.”
“Ooo… well now. Here’s the first.”
Okoth unhooked something from the wall and handed
it handle first to Kaiwera. It was the most beautiful thing Kaiwera
had ever seen. It was about half a Bio long, with a double-sided
silver blade and a blood channel down the middle. The handle was
gold. The hilt was curved upwards slightly, and there were a few
tiny red gems set into it. The handle was wrapped in Vaku hide,
and firmly glued in place. The butt of the sword sported a cut
ruby, which sparkled like fire.
“How… how much?” Kaiwera asked bewildered.
“No no, you must see the other one first.”
Okoth took the sword from Kaiwera, and he accepted
the second. This was slightly longer, with a double blade again
and a much wider blood channel. It was lighter, and the hilt had
sapphires set into it, and a larger gem set just above the handle.
The whole sword was all silver, and sparkled.
“I must have both.”
“No, you may have one.”
“I will buy both!”
“I will only sell you one.”
“How much for one…?”
“I price them the same, what do you have to offer?”
Kaiwera’s thoughts went something like this:
“I must find swords something to rubies trade
for the sapphires swords, I don’t have much, silver but I might
be able to gold sell my… mask…”
The thought popped into his head and took him
by surprise. Sell his mask? His mask was his whole, his own…
“No,” he thought, “the Hau is my mask now. I no
longer need my old one.” That seemed to settle it.
“I have to trade a dagger, a lava surfboard and…
this mask.”
He reached for his face, and took off his old
red Hau, leaving the Hau of Tahu on his face.
“Well… that’s a bit of a raw deal for me… even
with the mask… hmm.”
“I need the sword to find Nokama!”
“Why didn’t you say so?! You’ve got yourself a
deal laddy. Hand those things over, and I’ll throw in a free sheath
for the sword, made of Tarakava hide mind, only the best for those
helping Ga-Koro! Which one do you want?”
Kaiwera was dreading this moment. He couldn’t
choose, they were both so beautiful… then the ruby of the first
sparkled at him and he pointed to it. Kaiwera gratefully accepted
the sword, put it inside the sheath and strapped it to his back.
Okoth ushered him out of the shop and closed the door, and he
walked with her to the town centre. |
