Chapter 04: Take me to the clouds above
Chapter 4: Take me to the clouds above
Makuta walked around in circles. Rage was burning inside of him but he didn’t want his anger to burst over his sons. Not yet.
“So you had him and he escaped again?”
“If it wasn’t for his friends…”
The Dark Spirit let out a cry of rage. Friendship. He hated it. It made him feel weak. As if his brother had started to wake up again.
“Why do you want to see him dead, anyway? He’s just a Toa.”
“First, when you want to break a chain start at the weakest point”, Makuta replied, “Second, my brother must have given him some special protection. He had been caught by Rahi, controlled by me; Bohrok destroyed his village, killed half of his people, but this Toa is still alive after all. I don’t know why he’s protected that much but I’m sure it won’t do my brother any good if I wipe out his little protégé.” An evil grin flitted over his face. “Now bring him here. I’ll be back soon. And after his death I will slowly take out the rest of his kind.
~~~***~~~
When Tahu woke up he felt Lewa snuggling close to him. He repressed the need to wake him up just to ask him if everything that happened in the night before wasn’t just a dream. A very wonderful dream.
He slowly stood up. Maybe there was something suitable for breakfast around.
A bit later Lewa awoke to the smell of something cooking over a fire. He sat up and saw Tahu who held a Fikou on a stick over the fire ball.
“Oh, you’re awake?” the ruby Toa asked, “I was out and tried to get something to eat when this thing landed on my head. I hope this is eatable.” He held up the big spider. “Are you hungry?”
Lewa let out a bright laugh. “Oh Tahu … yes you can eat that.” He looked around. “We can take those leaves as plates. A bit wet but good enough.”
They both ate in silence wrapped up in their own thoughts. Just the moment they finished Lewa heard something in the trees.
“What was that?” He looked around for any sign of movement.
“What was what?”
“Shh, listen?”
Tahu listened and heard a rustling in the tree tops. He slowly stood up and was on alert. The Toa of air picked up his Katanas while Tahu activated his swords and stood ready to fight. And to protect Lewa.
A few tense moments passed then they heard a loud screech from above. Lerahk jumped from a tree and landed right on top of Lewa, slamming him onto the ground. Tahu wanted to run over but was stopped by Turahk as he jumped in front of him.
“Out of my way you damn creature!” Tahu shouted.
“Oh, but if I do you would take him away and I can’t let that happen. We need him, you see”, the red Rahkshi snickered.
“Move it!” the ruby Toa yelled and fiercely attacked Turahk.
Lewa tried desperately to get Lerahk off him but it was of no use. The green Rahkshi slammed his staff against the Toa’s head causing him to cry in pain. This made Tahu fight harder just to could beat the hell out of the Rahkshi that had hurt Lewa. He was finally able to get Turahk out of his way after a few more blasts and ran straight into Lerahk, throwing him off the emerald Toa.
“Are you alright Lewa?”
“Think so”, Lewa answered. “Look out!” he yelled and pointed behind Tahu.
Lerahk jumped against Tahu and the two forces pushed against each other. As the two clashed Lerahk smiled wickedly. His staff scratched over the Toa’s leg. It was just a little wound but big enough to let toxic acid drip in.
The fiery Toa gasped and jumped back holding his leg while he hissed in pain.
“Tahu!” Lewa cried as the ruby Toa fell to his knees. He was about to run over to his friend but was stopped as Turahk yelled out, “Get him!”
Vorahk and Kurahk jumped out of the trees, each one grabbing one of Lewa’s arms. He was trapped.
“Let … go of him!” Tahu shouted and tried his best to get back on his feet but he couldn’t. The acid had seeped inside his leg. The pain now cursing through his body was far greater than any he could have imagined.
Turahk advanced towards Tahu but just smirked at him and walked up to Lewa.
“So why would our father want this kid, huh? He’s no danger for us anyway.” He lifted Lewa’s head by his chin to look the Toa in the eye but he wouldn’t meet his gaze. “You’re ours now, whether you like it or not.”
“No … he’s not … leave him … alone!” Tahu yelled and tried to get up again but Lerahk kicked his stomach causing the fire Toa to double over in pain.
“Tahu!!” Lewa cried and tried to get free again but the Rahkshi held him even tighter.
“Don’t worry … Lewa … I won’t … let them … ugh!” The green Rahkshi’s foot connected with his head.
“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. Good night Toa of fire”, he laughed.
“No, let me go you stupid creeps!” Lewa screamed. Turahk smirked and looked into Lewa’s lime-kissed eyes while the Toa glared back.
“Don’t worry, he won’t suffer long.” He turned his head to Lerahk. “Poison the swamp around here. I don’t think he would survive for long in this acid. Vorahk, Kurahk, take the kid back to Ta Wahi.”
“Yes, sir!” Vorahk and Kurahk yelled trying to drown Lewa’s scream.
The lifted off carrying the still struggling Toa in their arms.
Tahu had never fought so desperately to stay conscious. His head was hammering, his leg burned like hell and the swamp around him was water filled with acid that could soon reach his body. He finally managed to prop himself up on his arms. The only way to keep the acid from floating over to him he could think of was to dry the water away around him. His body started burning. Another sharp pain shot through this leg but to his surprise it got weaker the longer he kept burning. This acid seemed to be susceptible against fire.
The ruby Toa could finally stand straight again. The heat was healing his body. But now he had to get to Ta Wahi as fast as possible.
~~~***~~~
Turahk was walking around in circles. “What keeps father up for so long? What’s he doing in that damn desert? Building up a fortress?”
Lewa sat coiled up in the corner that had the farthest distance. He was shivering. Tears came welling up his eyes but he pressed them down again. Tahu might be dead right now or at least in awful pain and same would happen to him soon as well.
“Can we play around a bit with our new toy?” Lerahk asked and looked into Lewa’s direction. “Just a bit for training, you know. We promise not to kill him.”
“If you like”, Turahk shrugged.
“Oh great”, Panrahk snickered when he stepped over to the Toa who tried to back away even more but couldn’t get far with a stone wall in his back, “I always wanted to have a new punching ball.”
~~~***~~~
Tahu met several Rahkshi who were wandering around and searching for their father but he managed to sneak pass them. He knew the region of Ta Wahi better than they all did together.
He headed right into the direction they came from. When he entered another part of the corridors he saw Lewa lying on the floor. Tahu gasped. The emerald one had several bruises on his body. A little trail of blood was coming from his mouth.
The fiery Toa ran up to his friend. He gently stroked his cheek and picked him up. Lewa moaned and cringed under Tahu’s touch. The ruby Toa quickly checked the halls and ran out of them into another part of the caves. Near the lava streams he felt more secure to lay down Lewa again. He couldn’t carry him too far in his condition. Tahu pulled the younger one very close to him, carefully not to hurt him more.
Lewa moaned as he awoke. He was still in a dark cave but he felt more comfortable. He looked behind him and saw Tahu holding him in his lap. “Tahu?”
“Relax. You need to heal up a bit before I can bring you out of here.”
Lewa nodded and clung to Tahu’s warm chest. Tahu tightened his hold instinctively. The emerald Toa closed his eyes and dozed off.
~~~***~~~
“Lewa! Wake up!”
The Toa of air stirred and awoke to Tahu’s voice. Something was wrong. Tahu stood in front of him, swords drawn, ready for battle.
“What’s wrong?”
“They aren’t blind. They’ve noticed you’re gone. And Makuta is about to come back. I can feel him closer.”
Lewa shivered and looked around. “Hey, can’t we use that lava stream?”
“If you feel fit enough to surf.”
“I do.”
The ruby Toa gently picked him up and jumped on his lavaboard. After a few minutes they knew into which direction they were heading.
“The lava is floating into the Lake Naho”, Tahu shouted, “It gets too hard to surf. We might have to run.” He stopped his board and jumped to the side where the ground was already so hard he could stand on it.
“Not necessary”, Lewa smiled when Tahu let him down again. “I know an easier way. He took the ruby Toa’s hands in his. A strange feeling shot through Tahu’s body. When he looked down he could see he was flying over the ground. Lewa hugged him close. “I can’t use my Katanas for flying this way but I think it’s enough when we float over the Lake Naho. They don’t know where we are and they won’t come after us that fast.”
After a few minutes they finally reached the beach of Ga Koro. Far enough away from the caves of Ta Wahi to call it safe.
“Thank you for saving me”, Lewa said. “And thank Mata Nui you’re still alive”, he added whispering.
Tahu hugged him close. “I swear I will try to protect you from now on. I love you too much to let you be hurt again.”
Lewa looked up at Tahu who smiled back at him. He gently kissed the emerald one’s lips. Another time he felt his feet leaving ground but he didn’t mind as long they were flying both.
Fly on the wings of love
Fly, baby, fly
Reaching the stars above
Touching the sky
There’s a boy, I know
He’s the one I dreamed of
Looks into my eyes
Take me to the clouds above
~~~***~~~
Crimson eyes wandered through the darkness. It couldn’t be. Another time the Toa had escaped alive. But this time Makuta’s eyes held no rage. They were looking thoughtful, maybe there was also a bit of fear in them. What was it with the red Toa? Shouldn’t he be dead by now too? It was impossible that the whole team had survived all of his attacks for so long time. Could it be possible that his brother protected them in his sleep? He would have to find it out sometime. But for now he had other plans to keep them away from fulfilling their destiny.
