Chapter 42: Forever
Chapter 42: Forever
They had fought side by side for so long. It was a strange feeling that it had ended now. Sure that they still were friends and could meet each other whenever they wanted to but there was no need to stick together all the time anymore. And that bothered Gali the most. As far as she could think back she had always tried to keep the team together and now … she had never felt more alone. Matoro wanted to see the Mountains again after such a long time in a god’s body, Rui returned to Aro Nui, Pohatu and Hewkii wanted to see after the village in the desert, how many damage there still was to repair, Nuparu and Onua had to find a way to de-flood the tunnels. Where the others were she had no clue but they all have said goodbye as well. Well, all beside Kopaka. He still stayed in Ta Metru as well as Gali. The Toa of water didn’t feel like getting back to her new village but she also didn’t want to stay in the red city. After getting tired from wandering around through the streets for hours she decided to give her icy friend a visit.
It seemed like Kopaka was preparing for his departure as well.
“You have decided to leave too?” Gali asked him.
“Well, I want to head back to Aro Nui. With no snowstorms or Ikuta the mountains might be a nice place to visit. I want to know if there are still people living. I want to find out something about my past.”
“I wanted to do that as well, but now … I’m not sure if I still want to know. But I’m sure I won’t have to look for clues very long. I just could ask Tupua after we spent our whole childhood together.”
“Oh yes, him”, Kopaka smiled a bit, “Seemed like he had the hardest time to say goodbye to you.”
“I know it was his dream to explore the lands of Metru Nui. Sure, I didn’t want him to leave as well but we can meet again whenever we want. Being friends is not all about staying together all the time.” She sat down on the bed. “So then … I think I should wish you all the best as well.”
Kopaka left alone his bags for a moment and looked at her.
I gotta tell you what I’m feeling inside
I could lie to myself but it’s true
There’s no denying when I look in your eyes
Girl, I’m out of my head over you
“Actually … I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come with me”, he said.
Gali blinked at him for a few seconds. “You’re sure you want someone with you? That would be the first time then.”
“I’m serious about that. If you aren’t coming with me then I won’t go as well. I know what you would say. That I should follow my dream. But I don’t want to do it without your accompany. And besides … I would need someone to look after me.” He smiled again.
I hear the echo of the promise I made
When you’re strong you can stand on your own
But those words grow distant as I look in your face
No I don’t want to go it alone
Kopaka not wanting to go alone, that was like an “I love you” from anyone else. No, it was more than that. It was rather an “I will give you my whole heart and soul”.
“And I would be glad to come with you. Who knows which trouble you could get into when I let you out of my sight for a moment”, she chuckled. “Besides Ga Metru won’t need me that badly. They still have Hahli if they need a Toa.”
“And my people won’t need a Toa for helping them to build up a city. As far as I know them a hole in the snow would be good enough to be called home.”
“Alright”, Gali jumped off the bed, “Give me a few minutes to pack my bags. I’ll be back soon and then we can leave.”
When she ran through the streets she couldn’t understand anymore why she had felt bad just a few minutes ago. Now she had a new destiny. She would walk on the path of history but what was more important she would do it together with Kopaka.
~~~***~~~
Lewa was standing on the beach, watching the waves. Everything was so peaceful now. After the last bit of snow was gone new plants had started growing. They were even growing on the ruins of destroyed villages.
“There you are. I have looked for you like forever.” Tahu walked up to him.
“It’s really hard to get used to this feeling”, Lewa sighed. “Not to be in danger or have to fight anymore. I have seen so many deaths and finally I can see life again.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way for a very long time. I’m grateful for peaceful times but I also feel a bit of emptiness inside of me.”
“This war has cut many wounds.” Lewa carefully stroke over a scar in Tahu’s face. “Some can be seen, some are invisible. And even if not all of them can fully heal, they will get better through time.”
For some time they just stood and watched the waves.
“What have you planned to do now?” Tahu then asked.
“Don’t have a clue. All I thought about so far was that I might want to stay a Toa.”
“Me as well. And I also have thought about getting back to Aro Nui for some time together with you. I still want to show you the fields of gold. We still have our whole lives before us and never seen much of the beauty of the lands.”
“Fields of gold? That sounds beautiful. And I’m also thinking of that bamboo wood I was running through while trying to escape from the Piraka. I’ve never seen a whole wood made of bamboo it would be interesting to visit. Oh, and I also would want to know if Zaktan is still on the island.”
Amused Tahu watched Lewa’s growing excitement. He was glad that Lewa’s depression now started fading away. He also might finally be able to keep the promise he made. Never let anything harm his green angel anymore. Maybe the carefree Toa he once was would never return but at least he should be able to laugh again.
I see my future when I look in your eyes
It took your love to make my heart come alive
I lived my life believing all love is blind
But everything about you is telling me this time
It’s forever
This time I know it, there’s now doubt in my mind
Forever
Until my life is through
I’ll be loving you forever
Tahu now knew it. The Toa were created to fulfil a destiny. This was the explanation to the now gone emptiness in his heart. Unity. Duty. Destiny. The team didn’t split up because of stupid fights. They still were friends so the unity point was fulfilled. They also still had their duties: protect and help the people in the villages. And with his promise towards Lewa Tahu now had also found his new destiny.
~~~***~~~
The Ta Metru library had been fully rebuilt; only the window glasses were still missing. Takua stood at one of the windows and watched the streets. In this city there wasn’t much to do after there had never been an attack and the only damaged building was the library.
“You seem to love this place.” Jaller had entered the room and now wandered through the shelves as if he was looking for something. “Shouldn’t the Book of Chronicles be there now that the wars are over?”
“I still have it. Needed to correct a few things and I’m still thinking about a good ending.”
Jaller laughed. “A good ending? This is a history book, not a novel. Isn’t the end of a war good enough?”
“Not for me. It might be a history book but I also want people to read it. When will children remember historical things better? When it’s all about dates and important people and field tactics they don’t understand or when the teacher can talk about it as if he had been through it? When our history will ever been taught I also want to make sure it will be remembered.”
Jaller sighed but still grinned. “Alright. Make an action hero book out of it. By the way, do you have any plans what you will do now? All other Toa have hit the road. I’m not someone who wants to wander around that much so I thought about getting back to my old place as captain of the Ta Metru watch. Maybe I also want to be Matoran again. Toa isn’t the best form you could have.”
“I think I want to do the same as usual”, Takua replied, “Wander through the lands, get myself into a lot of trouble and this time I have my own personal Toa with me to safe my ass again. I asked Tupua if I could come with him. I don’t know much about him but he didn’t seem to be a too bad guy and he also reminds me a lot of myself: he never fitted in somewhere and had to become a Toa before he finally knew who he really was.”
“So I wish you good luck then. I have to go now. Duty is calling. And remember to pay the Ta Metru watch a visit from time to time. You’re still an honorary member there.”
“I’ll keep that in mind … especially when I need a whole army to get myself out of trouble.”
After Jaller had left Takua sat down and wrote in the Book of Chronicles for the very last time.
We’ve faced the darkest night and somehow found our way through it. And now we head into a wide open future and we will face that too, together. Out onto the open road. Riding in the shadows between dark and light, between magic and memory. The quick flickering light that dances along the razor’s edge. That is my destiny, our destiny. And it feels good to be home.
