Chapter 29: Broken apart
Chapter 29: Broken apart
A last time the Toa came together in Le Aro for a last goodbye. Only Tahu wasn’t showing up. He had behaved strange during the last few days and even tried to avoid Lewa more and more. It was hurting the Toa of air but he pushed it aside. Maybe Tahu was just worried about their journey and needed some time alone to think about it and make plans.
“Why do you two have to leave?” Lewa asked, “You can come with us. I’m sure we will need every help we can get.”
“Vakama mentioned just six. I don’t even know if I will be able to enter the residence of the gods. But I won’t stay here where it’s safe as long as the Matoran down on the surface are in danger. The first part of your journey I will go with you but I will leave for Metru Nui then and join the other Toa and the Matoran there”, Rui answered.
“And I will continue to travel with my colleagues”, Zaktan said, “I have forgiven them because they didn’t know what they were doing. Besides I don’t think you want to have a Piraka and former Dark Hunter with you much longer. We used to be the bad guys, remember?”
“It doesn’t depend on who you were in your past. It’s more important who you are now”, Lewa said”, But I don’t want to stop you if you want to go.”
“The Kewa are ready. We have to go”, a voice called over the place. The first time since several days Tahu showed up again. He nodded. “Turaga, Matoran, farewell. I hope Makuta will ignore this island for the next hundreds of years to come. Don’t know if I will ever be able to visit Aro Nui again. Rui, Zaktan, thanks for your help.”
The Toa left the village and headed for the edge of the island while Zaktan went off into the other direction.
Rui was just flying with them for a few minutes then he headed to Metru Nui while the others took course to their former home Mata Nui. The Kewa landed somewhere in the jungle. They couldn’t go with them any further because now the Toa had to enter the Kini Nui again. Hopefully for the last time.
It looked like someone or something had carved even more tunnels and all of them led down. Deep down under the surface.
How long have they been walking? For hours or just for a few minutes? Time had now completely lost its meaning and importance. They were entering eternity. The lair of the gods.
Since their departure Tahu hadn’t said a single word. His heart was hammering in his chest and he felt sick. Still he didn’t know how to explain why they should split up without revealing his dreams.
“It’s getting a bit brighter”, Gali finally said.
The tunnel was coming to an end. It wasn’t very much brighter. The light looked like dusk on a cloudy day. They could see that they were standing on a platform. Several hundred meters under them there was something like a swamp that ended on the left side just after a few meters where the ground harshly fell down again. The ground of this gorge disappeared in the darkness. It looked like they were standing in a kind of cave but neither could they see the other side of it nor a ceiling. Everything was so giant. Tahu nearly felt a bit relieved. He now had found a reason for a split-up.
“Okay”, he said, “we have to find something in there that looks like it could be Mata Nui but it can be in the swamp or down there so we may have to form two teams.”
“But to get down there we would have to fly”, Pohatu said. “And Lewa’s the only one.”
“If you change your masks you can at least use levitation powers and for flying I can create wind you can glide on. So I’m in the team that will go down.” Lewa looked at Tahu. “You will come with me?”
“No, I would say I will go to the swamp with Onua and … and Gali. You other take the way down.”
Lewa went a few steps closer to the edge of the platform and looked down to the swamp. A rain that smelled like rotten eggs had started there right now. “Don’t be silly. I thought you hate wetness like that. I think Kopaka would be better for that job.”
The relief was gone. Again Tahu felt this panic in his heart. It was as if something was around there and watched them. Something evil.
“No … no, it’s like I said, I’m going to the swamp and that’s it.”
He still tried to keep up his self-control while panic threatened to freeze his heart.
“Tahu what’s wrong with you? You’re evading me for days and now it seems like you don’t even want to go with me. Have I done something wrong?”
“No, it’s not … you’ve done nothing … it’s just …” It was like he was stumbling over his own words.
“Then let me go with you to the swamp. Swamps used to be my home even if they smelt better. And three of the others can glide down until they reach the bottom of the gorge. There won’t be need for flying all the time.”
“Can’t you listen?!” Tahu suddenly yelled at him. Lewa winced. “I said I don’t want you with me! Stop whining like a baby and do what I said!”
The second it was out the fiery Toa stumbled back a few steps and wished he had rather punched Lewa than shouted those words at him. He could see pain and fear in his eyes.
“Lewa … I didn’t mean … I’m …”
But the emerald one just turned around and ran over the cliff.
“Lewa, come back!” Onua wanted to run after him but Tahu held him back.
“No!” He tried to soften his voice a bit. “No, let Kopaka and Pohatu go after him. We have to stick to our plan, no matter what.”
Kopaka shortly hugged Gali and placed his forehead on hers. “Take care of you.”
“You too”, she whispered.
The ivory Toa changed his Kanohi and left together with Pohatu.
“What’s wrong with you, Tahu? You never acted so strangely”, Onua asked again.
“I can’t say it. Let’s move on.”
“You really should go after him.”
Tahu shot around. “Listen, we’re here for another mission not our love problems. He will be alright but it will be better we won’t see each other again.” With that he ran to the edge, jumped down too and used his lava board like an air board to glide down to the jungle.
“Something’s completely wrong here”, Gali said, “We should better catch him up before he runs head-on into trouble.”
They had to use levitation to get down so Tahu already was further ahead.
“Where in Makuta’s name is he?” Onua looked around but couldn’t see or even hear the ruby Toa.
“He could be anywhere between the trees, but I think he had been gliding into that direction. Let’s get going but always stick together. I have the feeling we’re not alone in this swamp.”
“But what the heck could be there?”
“Only Makuta knows.”
~~~***~~~
Tahu was stumbling through the swamp. He had hit the ground harder than he thought but neither did he care about his hurting limbs nor the rain that had already raised the swamp water a few centimetres. He didn’t want the others to find him. Not in this condition.
I’ll never let you see
The way my broken heart is hurting me
I’ve got my pride and I know how to hide
All the sorrow and pain
I’ll do my crying in the rain
He didn’t see where he was running anymore. Just away, as far away as possible. The smell was making him sick but he didn’t want to stop running. His thoughts were just spinning around Lewa. Why hadn’t he just explained his plans more calmly instead of hurting his green angel? What if Lewa would run into even greater danger? Panic was tightening its grip again.
If I wait for cloudy skies
You won’t know the rain from the tears in my eyes
You’ll never know that I still love you so
So though the heartaches remain
I’ll do my crying in the rain
His feet nearly slipped away. He was sliding down a hill. Down there the water was even higher. It now reached to the half of his shins. He couldn’t run anymore and walking was hard too because he was sticking in the mud on the ground from time to time. Even if he was exhausted he didn’t want to stop.
Raindrops falling from heaven
Will never take away my misery
But since we’re not together
I’ll wait for stormy weather
To hide these tears I hope you’ll never see
Too late he noticed that shadow in front of him that came rushing closer. He wanted to avoid it but before he could even move he was hit by it. He stumbled backwards a few steps and fell. The water closed over his head.
