Happy New Year everyone! I know it’s actually been more than a week since my update, but given that was 8 days ago I hope there isn’t any revolution coming for me or something like that… Anyway, here’s the newest and somewhat shorter chapter as promised!
… At least it didn’t take a full year this time…
Chapter 14
When Orxon arrived back at the ship, Veerah could immediately tell that something about him was different. For the last few days, she had noticed that he seemed conflicted about something. But now it was almost like he was a different person, or perhaps an inkling of what he was like before the Makuta had attacked his island.
He walked in a stride that gave the impression of someone that was confident. She was instantly curious of what had caused this, and wondered if maybe it was something Vilah, the so-called “Seer”, had said.
“So, did you win a bet against an ash bear?” she asked as Orxon approached her, and as the words left her mouth she realized that Rurak’s way of speech had started to rub off on her. She cringed slightly at this realization, and Orxon did seem a bit confused for a second.
“I guess you could say that,” he said with a grin on his mask. Rurak joined them as well, and he almost looked astonished.
“Mata Nui… Who are you and what have you done to Orxon? You look way too happy to be him!”
“I can assure you that I am the one and the same, but I also have something important to tell you both.” He then told them about what he and Vilah had talked about, and how he may have a found a different way to exact vengeance on Narzhul.
Rurak looked thoughtfully, as he mulled over what had been said. Veerah felt a lot of different things, and a lot of questions were bubbling within her mind. Since she had met Orxon, he had practically made it clear that he was ready to die just to get his vengeance on Narzhul. Now it seemed the situation was direr than any of them had thought. She was not sure how to feel about it.
She also had the feeling that she had missed something. She knew the power that a Makuta possessed, and going hand-to-hand with one was, at least in her mind, a fool’s errand. She had also seen how these mechanical beings fought, and while manageable, how was it less suicidal than going against the Makuta himself?
She decided to voice her concern.
“Don’t get me wrong, I… I think it’s great to see your newfound optimism, but… I don’t really see how this is an improvement. If anything, I feel that it’s more… dire.”
“I have to agree with Veerah on this one,” Rurak said. “I do see that things may be more important to the rest of the world, but isn’t fighting a single Makuta like fighting a whole army?”
“I understand your concern, but I have a plan,” Orxon said.
“Is it a cunning one?” Rurak asked.
“Well, it’s not… finished,” Orxon admitted. “I know how it sounds, but I don’t want to jump to a definitive plan until we know more about this place. I just… I just need you to trust me on this one.”
Both Veerah and Rurak considered his words. Veerah was still not quite on the clear for the change of plans, but as she started to reason with herself she did remember two vital things. First, that Orxon had talked about there being no way out from his path of vengeance and death, which she had promised to help him with. Secondly, this army was seemingly not a living one, as the beings that made it up were completely mechanical. And if Orxon and the “Seer” was right, there was too much at stake to ignore it all.
Deep down, she knew it was her duty as a Toa to stop this army of mechanical beings. But the fact that her first reaction was hesitation, made her question herself. Am I really fit for a Toa, when I think about… myself first? Am I really that selfish? she wondered. Her doubt was starting to eat her up, when she finally realized where that doubt and hesitation came from.
It’s because… I’m not a real Toa. I’m not a real Toa, because… my brothers didn’t see me as an equal. I was just… there. But there must have been a reason why I was chosen as a Toa… Maybe, I just… need to learn that for myself.
Was it suicidal? Perhaps, but if they were the only one that stood a chance to stop the Makuta’s army, then it was her duty to do that. She may not have an island to call home and to protect anymore, but did that give her the right to back down from her duty as a Toa, to possibly save the world?
She made her decision.
“I’m in,” she said. “No matter the odds, we can’t ignore even the slightest possibility that Narzhul is planning something much bigger than we could have imagined. I can’t deny that it’s a dangerous path, but… so is chasing a Makuta.”
Orxon looked relieved on hearing her words, while Rurak sighed.
“This just seems like a suicidal plan if you ask me, but… then again so is practically every plan I come up with myself. Call me foolish as a Sand Snipe, I’m in!”
As they prepared to finally leave the island, Veerah couldn’t help but glance over at Orxon occasionally. While she truly felt for him, as it really was great to see him being this hopeful, and yet something felt off to her. She couldn’t quite put the finger on what it was though, but she felt like he had withheld something from them. Withheld from her.
Her heart suddenly beat a lot faster.
Wait, did I just think like that? she thought. Where did that come from? She shook her head, trying to get that thought out of her head.
I can’t do it like this anymore. I need to say something, but what should I say? And when? Do I even want to say something? Or is this not love? Or… is it? Her thoughts were literally eating her up.
I need to figure this out for sure. If I… if I wait until we’ve stopped this army, maybe then… Yes, that’s good! I need to focus now, focus on this plan… wait, there’s no plan yet. Then… I need to… focus on something else, like… like… She stopped in her thread of thoughts and sighed.
“I could really use the help of another Toa of Psionics…” she mumbled to herself. She realized the irony of it, and chuckled. She looked up again, and saw Orxon looking at her smiling. She smiled back, and with that every thought she had held vanished in an instant.
There was only here and now. The future could wait just a little bit longer.
While both Veerah and Rurak had voiced some concern over the change of plans, Orxon knew they would come to agree on it. Well, rather the idea of it. He hadn’t come up with an exact plan right now, and he had been slightly worried that it would have made his friends hesitant to join him. Veerah he knew wouldn’t have disagreed with him, since despite her past he had a feeling that she truly wanted to uphold the Toa code. Rurak was a different story, but his heart was in the right place.
He knew of course that this change of plan wasn’t guaranteed to have a different outcome, he knew very well that it could still end with his own death. But now he truly felt like there was a bit of hope, even if it was just a small chance of it he had clung fast to it.
He looked over at Veerah, who seemed to be deep into her mind. While a part of him wondered what moved within the mind of the Toa of Psionics, he had a feeling it was related to the change of events. He couldn’t help but smile while looking at her, and when she noticed him looking at her, she smiled back.
His heart skipped a beat, like it had done so many times while he had looking over at his friend. Even though he knew by now that he held stronger feelings for her, he still couldn’t refer to her as anything other than a friend. Just a day ago, this realization would have only worsened his mood. But now with a renewed feeling of hope, he now looked at things somewhat differently.
He really wanted to tell Veerah about his feelings for her, despite the fact he had absolutely no idea if she shared similar feelings for him. But now wasn’t the time regardless, as much as he wanted to. No, he felt it would be better to wait until this entire ordeal was done. He had tried to ignore his feelings, as he didn’t want to promise a future he couldn’t give. But now, maybe that future was a possible one.
But that would have to wait, as regardless of this new felt hope he couldn’t say for certain what the future held for him. But right now, there was only here and now. The future could wait just a little bit longer.
As their ship departed from the island, they sailed past the Turaga’s hut. On the cliff overlooking the sea, Vilah the Seer looked at the ship sailing towards its destiny. When Orxon saw her, he waved at the Turaga. The Turaga waved back, and while they were too far away to see her smiling at them, they could still sense it.
As the ship sailed further and further towards the horizon, the Turaga’s smile disappeared slowly as her waving slowed down as well. There was a look of sadness even in her blind eyes. She had seen the path the Toa would walk, and she had seen the end of their path and Orxon’s destiny.
She had neglected to tell him, as it wasn’t her place to tell the plans of the Great Spirit. But if she had, he would not have left this island with such hope.