This story is old, but only now did I realize I never posted this here. It's a side story focusing on my character Niihlus. This stems from my epic Glitch in the System...you should be able to read this without much trouble if you're not familiar with that novel, but it is encouraged if you are interested in the characters. Enjoy.
Forgotten Letter
On this particularly good weathered day in the brilliant city of Jiahk, the chief of security decided to take on quite the dangerous and menacing task: actually managing his files.
So far, the task seemed to be not going so well.
A slim, young vortixx stood in the center of the office suit, her smooth black armor reflecting against the warm lights that came in from the large window. Her arms were holding quite delicately onto a large box. She looked onward to what lay about her, her expression dismayed at what she saw. The usual clean and modern office in this particular skyscraper was now regretfully littered with boxes and old files spread across the floor.
In the center of the room a Toa sat on the couch going impatiently through them, all the while grumbling every issue he could think of. He finally turned to the vortixx and tiredly shrugged.
"This organizing is going to be the death of me, Miss Zimriah; I'm getting too old for this," he stated with a grimace. "You wouldn't believe all the useless reports and nonsense…I've just been security chief of this city for a few years and it's already spilling over!"
Zimriah tenderly grinned. "Well, chief, nothing beats a good day of spring cleaning."
"Humph."
Though a veteran and wise Toa, Zimriah noted Toa Niihlus was never the tolerant one…or apparently, the most tidy.
The Toa of air slowly stood up and stretched, his hand rubbing over his aged tattooed Kanohi, and then he dusted some dust off his unique brown waistcoat that he commonly wore. His eyes finally studied the box his secretary was carrying and expressed puzzlement.
"It was in the closet with all the others sir," Zimriah quickly stated. "I nearly missed it…I don't think its part of the Jiahk reports, though."
Niihlus rubbed his chin and continued to look at it a moment, appearing rather perplexed. He finally motioned her to bring it over to his desk at the end of the room. She placed the old, tattered brown container on his glass desk and took a step back, watching his vague expression. He finally sat down at the desk and pulled it over, beginning to dig through this.
"Hmm…a bunch of useless old reports and…" He stopped as he slowly stood up and stooped over the box, his eyebrows slightly raised.
She rarely saw the older Toa truly convey much surprise, possibly because he had seen just about everything in his lifetime. But this time, he stood there somewhat agape in his messy office, becoming oblivious to his surroundings.
"Sir?"
He didn't respond. His hands dug in it for a moment and he finally pulled out a handful of very old and tattered papers. He finally looked up at her and allowed a grin to escape his commonly serious manner.
"Most of this in the box…it all used to belong to me, long ago."
Zimriah leaned a bit closer to examine the mess. "How long ago?"
"When I was a rookie…and that's pretty old if you think about it. Some of this I don't even remember…" he pulled out a scroll. "This was my enlistment papers when I joined one of the wars I was part of…this is another stating what Toa fortress I was stationed to. And I thought I had thrown this all away..."
Zimriah secretly found it entertaining and somewhat cute that the usually stern veteran was now enjoying himself with his forgotten past. But as he dug down to the bottom of the box, his smile faded, and was replaced by an uneasy stare. Carefully, he pulled something out of the box.
An old tattered letter bleached and distorted by years of neglect. But he didn't care much for its appearance, Niihlus silently read over it. He wasn't even frowning anymore; his expression simply seemed lost.
Before Zimriah could question what he had found, the aged Toa sat back down in his seat and continued to look over his, his eyes dancing about the page. His head suddenly shot up to look at her, realizing then that he was not alone.
"Zimriah, you're excused now. We can finish this tomorrow."
"Is there something wrong, chief?" She asked gently.
Niihlus frowned, but nodded his head. "I'm fine."
Standing there in the sudden dreary atmosphere, Zimriah felt like he was purposely making her go away. But instead of risk any argument, she merely bowed and started to back out of the room. She opened the large doors, but paused and turned around to study him one last time, worried about his troubled mood. Reluctantly, she closed the door, leaving the air Toa alone.
Niihlus continued to stoop in his seat, unconscious to what was around him now. He didn't hear the airships outside, or the common noises of the agency's building. Finally, he took a deep breath and leaned back to place his feet over his desk, trying to relax.
But he couldn't stop thinking about it. He felt his hands shaking as he held the old letter. Gradually, he unwillingly looked back at it. His eyes focused at it, and his mind began to drift away, back to his forgotten past.
::::
::::
War was a terrible thing, no matter its purpose or reason. It was menacing like death, it smelt like death, and death enjoyed itself on the wretched battlefields, lusting to add both the brave and evil to its list.
They knew what they were fighting for. If they didn't defend, then death would come and haunt the innocent, devour the beautiful lands, and give it to the wicked and malice. The great Toa would never allow that. They fought with the virtues; they protected the ones they loved. They would do anything to stop the darkness.
But to Toa Niihlus, it was still terrible.
He knew he had been out for days, but it didn't feel like he had been that long. It felt as if a second had gone by, as if he blinked and he had been ushered to another time. There was no more of the grey sky and dreaded explosions. There were no screaming or the clatter of weapons. Now, he just faced a dirty roof tent and nothing more.
He let out a raspy breath of air. He realized he was now back at the camp, around the territory they still firmly secured. Days before, he was in the heart of the battle along with his new team that he had been assigned to. Everything happened so quickly after that. It was such a mature land for a Toa that was still so young.
He was trying to piece together what was going on, and how injured he was. As he was still so confused in his own haze, Niihlus looked over to his right, where he saw something pass by him.
A water Toa stood there, holding an armful of medical supplies. She seemed to stare off distantly, looking somewhat perturbed about matters. Keenly, she swung and looked straight into Niihlus' light green eyes.
"Oh, you're awake!"
Her pensive, sweet voice was like water flowing out. So smooth and welcoming to a dry throat. It had been so long since Niihlus had seen a smiling face—or a lady for that matter.
She calmly set aside her items and knelt by him, her blue mask continued to look over him. Niihlus reminded himself to close his mouth.
"You're a lucky Toa," she said. "Not many can escape an explosion and still be in one piece."
"Oh, that…" Niihlus hoarse voice stuttered up some words, not rightfully thinking about what he wanted to say. "Sorry about the trouble."
She shook her head. "Ah, don't apologize, this happens, you know? But—"
There was a loud noise outside the tent and it sounded like someone was yelling. Niihlus slowly dragged himself to a sitting position on the mat and looked to the flap of the tent. In a matter of seconds, a Toa came striding in. Niihlus felt like there was a knot in his throat.
Niihlus suddenly wished that he could just jump up and run to the heart of the enemies' base to fight, rather than stare at his commanding officer.
His leader stooped over him, his arms crossed and a foul glare directed at him.
"Kid, if new Toa end up being as stupid as you, then Mata Nui knows how this universe is going to end up surviving." He stated in a blunt, gruff voice. "I swear…what were you thinking?"
Niihlus was wholly stunned. He was still trying to get used to the team he had been assigned to, and it didn't help that they were veterans. True veterans! How could he compete with them?
The fire Toa continued to give him death glares, awaiting a response.
"Sir, I'm sorry, I—"
"Sorry?" He snapped. "You ran right in enemy lines and nearly got yourself killed! How in the pit can I keep you rookies in one piece longer than a day?"
The Toa of water suddenly got between the two, her eyes looking into the commander's eyes fearlessly.
"Please, he didn't mean it I'm sure! He's trying his best, all the new Toa are."
"Who are you, a new recruit?" the fire Toa asked, skipping to a clearly new matter.
"Yes sir, I am," she responded. "My home island is supporting you with supplies, and I was sent here to assist. I was supposed to be assigned to a team."
A smirk cracked on the commander's face, apparently a notion struck him.
"Ah! You're Toa Kiana then?"
The water Toa nodded her head.
"I was given orders for another draftee to be working under me, and you were on the list. Lucky, mmh?" He gave out his hand to shake the females. "I'm Toa Soto, commander of this territory. The buffoon behind you is Niihlus."
Kiana accepted the hand, her eyes looking back at the sour face of Niihlus for a moment.
"Well, it's a wonderful time to meet my team, I suppose."
"We can fill you on details once airhead over there recovers, then we'll start working on those missions assigned to us." He let go of her hand and started to head back out. "You kids get acquainted; we got a karzahni of work to do tomorrow."
Niihlus cringed as he listened to his commanders loud voice fade off once outside, and lastly he directed his attention to Toa Kiana. Her eyes were still looking toward the exit of the tent, seeming somewhat distant.
"So…uh, you're with us now?" Niihlus finally asked. She turned around and looked over his pitiful shape.
"Yes, I am. Is our commander going to be always like that?"
"Only to me," Niihlus answered. "He gets along with ladies just fine."
"Maybe you should have been a female then," Kiana giggled. She stopped when she found that Niihlus was not laughing along.
"I was kidding. Your name is Niihlus?"
He nodded submissively. "Uh, yeah, Niihlus. Toa Niihlus, of course…I'm an air Toa."
She smiled, looking over his green armor. "Yeah, I kind of guessed that."
Inside, Niihlus had mentally slapped himself.
"Well, maybe you should try to get as much rest as possible before the commander comes back." She changed subjects and finally stood to her full height, looking back down at Niihlus. "We'll have plenty of time to talk later, right?"
"Oh, yes, yes of course." Niihlus continued to trip over his words. "…Miss Kiana, right? I mean, well ma'am, you…"
She started to walk out of the infirmary tent, but turned around and shook her head with a smirk.
"Ah, don't be so modest, Sir Niihlus." She mocked back. "You can call me Kia, that's what everyone did at my home island."
With a wave of her hand, she was gone and Niihlus was left alone. He immediately slapped a hand over his Kanohi and cursed. Toa Niihlus was a rookie at the moment, but ever since he was a Matoran, he had promised himself he was going to be the best Toa out there. He was going to take things firmly serious, he was going to succeed.
But with a sad thought, he knew one great weakness of his. That he would never really have any understanding on how to properly speak to a girl.
::::
::::
The land was dried up and desolate. A hot and humid wasteland, and to the Toa of air there felt like there was no air whatsoever in the region. To not even feel your element was a strange sensation, even though he knew it had to be around. It wasn't like the battlefields he had grown used to, where there was so much noise and fighting. Here was nothingness, silence and the growing suspense.
Niihlus grudgingly walked down the lifeless desert, his eyes boring down and watching his feet stride on the cracking and dry earth, mesmerized by the unaffected in the pattern. He thought this would never end.
Niihlus was a very firm Toa, but even so, his Toa of air attributes butted in one way or another. He was particularly impatient, that was one possible reason why he had done such a stupid thing those few weeks ago during battle.
But now, the Toa wasn't even sure if it was possible to do anything stupid here. There was nothing here. No enemies, no wild rahi, nothing. It felt like a waste of his abilities to be out here.
He jerked his head upward, swiftly remembering that there was another with him. Toa Kiana had been requested to come too. She followed behind at a steady pace, and instead of expressing annoyance about the mission, she walked on, containing a steady smile throughout the trip.
They had been assigned to scout this land for possible enemy sighting in the area. It could have been a test to see if the two rookies really had it in them to be true Toa.
But Niihlus knew better; his commander probably just wanted to get rid of them.
Kiana swiftly jogged by Niihlus to catch up, and his gaze followed her.
"Uh, Miss Kiana? I'm not moving too fast am I?"
She grinned and shook her head. "No you're not; I'm taking my time."
The Toa shrugged, not responding. He returned his attention back at the barren landscape, but only for a minute. He edged his eyes back toward Kiana, who was looking at him with her charming eyes. He uncomfortably rubbed his hands together.
"Uh…Yes?"
"Oh, nothing," she said. "Well, you okay? I don't think I've ever seen…well, an air Toa so solemn."
"I'm not some lazy air Toa," he almost retorted. "It's a dense stereotype."
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that. You seem…"
"I'm fine, ma'am, really." He focused his attention back to the ground. "I have to prove my worth, being naïve won't get me anywhere."
Kiana appeared to have opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly closed it, looking somewhat down. Niiihlus edged his eyes over to her quiet face, suddenly worried how harsh he had sounded. He didn't mean to be like that, he really didn't, especially to a lady.
A sudden rumble disturbed the two pair and they froze. They fell silent quickly and looked around warily about the barren landscape.
"What was that?" Kiana asked.
Niihlus took a few steps forward. The rumbling continued, and he watched for a fretful moment as the dry earth under him shook ominously. Then, it stopped.
And then, there was a scream.
He spun around, wide-eyed as he saw a large crack in the earth beginning to open. Kiana wasn't behind him anymore.
Panicking, his mind raced desperately. He rushed over to the gaping cliff and peered down. Kiana was grasping with all her might on a crooked rock that was jutting out. Her feet dangled above the blackness.
"Kiana!"
She struggled for a moment as she dangled there; her mask was of no use she was left to climb up with her own physical vigor, she was caught completely off guard. There was suddenly a crack, and the rock she was holding onto crumbled apart. Screaming, she started to fall into the abyss.
Niihlus fell to the ground and stretched his arm out, grabbing her by the hand, and nearly dragging him down too. Fighting against the pain in his arm, he grimaced and started to pull her back.
He controlled the air around so he could haul her up safely, and when she flew up, Niihlus immediately grabbed onto the water Toa, pulling her away from the void.
Niihlus fell on his back with a thud, with Kiana toppling over him. For a moment he was clutching onto her, the both of them breathing out raggedly.
When the Toa had noticed the dilemma he was in, he clumsily stumbled up, pulling the shocked water Toa with him. She clutched tightly onto his arms, still breathing unsteadily.
"Maybe…we should get out of here, miss." Niihlus whispered, as he heard another fissure from the angry terrain. "I think we can confirm what happened to the enemies here."
She barely nodded her head. Another piercing cracking noise was heard behind them and Niihlus jumped aside, pulling Kiana with him. He watched the area fracture around them, and he quickly moved onto his plan to leave.
"Pardon me, but this will be the quickest way." He picked her up, and with his amble air attributes sped back the way they came, his feet barely touching the ground of the environmental trap, and never did he look back as he securely clutched onto Kiana.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"That's the third time you've asked me in under an hour, yes I'm fine. Can't your mask tell I'm telling the truth?"
Niihlus sighed as he sat on the cool ground. He rubbed his face, and appeared shaken more than Kiana was about the events earlier in the day. Now the sky was blanketed with black, and the stars shimmered so vibrant that there was no need for any other source of light.
Kiana stretched out her legs and sat quite composedly upon a rock and looked out on the large cliff they were sitting at. Beyond that was the darkness of the night, and the land they had once tried to pass. Niihlus simply hunkered down, staring out at the various shapes and position of the stars, and his thoughts would always return to the near death experience.
He finally looked over to Toa Kiana, who was hugging her knees and looking out with a passive, beautiful look. Her simplistic enchantment roused some unease in Niihlus, and his insecurity around her made him wish he had a huna in situations like these.
Her vivid eyes suddenly turned to him, and she smiled.
"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me!"
"I uh," Niihlus rubbed over his mask. "I didn't say anything…did I?"
Kiana chuckled. "No, but your eyes did."
She looked back at the blackness of the cool night, and felt the sudden brush of wind against her armor. She closed her eyes and let herself unwind.
"Yeah, I'm okay…but it was scary," her sweet voice suddenly spoke up. "To nearly be that close to death...and not even by an enemy. It was terrifying."
Niihlus only found it in himself to meekly nod. Kiana rested her chin against her kneecaps, still in a daze.
"It's funny to think about it. How one moment you're alive, the next you could be dead? It's always a risk for us Toa, I suppose," She suddenly exhaled. "Ah, but it's a good risk, right? We do this to protect the innocent, and to stop evil, hmm?"
"Oh…yes ma'am, of course."
Kiana was still smiling as she cocked her head, her stunning eyes piercing him.
"You make me feel like I'm old or something when you say that, what's up with all the chivalry?"
Niihlus head perked up from his hunching position, his mouth agape for a moment.
"Oh, no! You're not old at all," he stuttered. "You're quite young…I mean you still are very fine-looking…no, I mean, you always…"
A blue hand came out and slapped it over his mouth. Kiana was squatting in front of him with a hint of amusement. Niihlus' eyes widened as he looked at her, taken aback. She waved an index finger in front of his face.
"Sir Niihlus, please! I want to be your friend, not some queen." She laughed, and finally removed her hand from his face. "Now, then, I appreciate the gentleman gestures, but since we're working together I believe it'll tire your poor soul out if you keep fretting what to say to me. Right?"
Niihlus bobbed his head, and then quickly shook it. "Yes…no, it's not like that…never mind."
"You know," she started, now sitting back on the ground in front of him. "You're a lot different from other young Toa, what got you so uptight?"
Niihlus looked over his dirty green armor for a moment. "…I don't know. One moment you're a nobody Matoran, trying to make the best of it…the next you're a Toa in a war, feeling like a moron." He sighed. "I don't mean to be rude, I really don't…all of this is so much for me to handle. I got to impress the higher ups and act like I know what I'm doing, even when I really don't."
He allowed himself to stop with his doubtful ramble, looking uncomfortably away from her eyes. With an uneasy sigh, he finally forced himself to look back to her, allowing his pride to weaken for a moment.
"…How do you do it?"
"How do I do what?"
"You know…" the air Toa said. "Actually smile through this all?"
A sympathetic manner escaped her. Slowly, Kiana stood up and sat beside Niihlus. Very closely beside him. So close that her shoulder was touching his, but she seemed not to take notice.
"Well, I know it's important to take stuff like this seriously, but…" she started in a whisper. "You gotta' smile, just once and awhile. It gives you hope. If you end up stiff lipped and so bent on just becoming a great Toa…what's that worth? You're doing it for yourself; you're trying to be someone you're not and in the end you'll end up miserable. You know?"
She studied him, but Niihlus was trying to avoid her gaze.
"The purpose of being a Toa is to do things selflessly. Even if that means you get the most dreadful mission, or something you think is useless, it's always our duty to Mata Nui…like this task, I suppose." She smirked. "Anyway, I don't see a rookie in you. I see a Toa beside me, a very brave and honorable one."
She suddenly grinned and leaned closer. "And also, a rather cute one whose green mask is turning a shade of bright red."
Niihlus felt he was going to choke on just the air around him. He didn't believe a thing she was saying. His head spun to look at her, and found her mask was closer than he thought it was. She slipped closer, and her small lips kissed against the side of his mask, right on the cheek.
Slowly, she pulled away and smiled warmly. "I think you deserved that…thanks for saving me."
::::
::::
A large, airship suddenly roared passed, its lights flashed in from the large window behind him. Niihlus eyes suddenly shot open, escaping his reminiscing. His office was completely dark now, aside from the flicker of the vibrant lights of the city from outside.
He was still leaning in his chair, looking out to the far wall where he watched the glimmer of reflecting lights hit against it abstractedly. It was evident that it was now late in the night. His head looked down at his desk, and the clock on it indicated it that it was past midnight. He sighed and straightened himself up slowly, feeling sore from the uncomfortable position he had been in for so long.
His overall appearance was cold and solemn, he almost seemed somewhat shaken. All those years with her when he was a young and ignorant Toa, always trying to play it professionally and distant, when his heart was wishing desperately for the other. He hadn't thought about it so long, and now that the feelings came back in him, he was reminded why he had tried to build a wall of emotions against it.
Niihlus rubbed over his face and slowly stood up from his seat, allowing himself to straighten his brown vest. He was going to place the letter back, but he paused again, looking at it one more time.
Sir Niihlus,
How are you doing? Ever since I left back to my island when the war was over, it hasn't been the same. I know we had to depart because of unexpected changes, but hopefully things can get back to normal soon. Over the years, I've really learned so much from the team. All those great adventures…and being with you, I wouldn't trade that for the universe.
I hope commander Soto is doing well, and don't let him bully you! Sooner or later you're going to get such a high position that you'll be able to laugh at him and get away with it.
I miss you very much, please be careful. We can keep in touch with letters until you can visit. I love you.
Yours,
Miss Kiana
P.S. keep smiling, please!
He let the letter flutter silently down into the box, his eyes following it until it fell back to where it was found. Under it was a pile of other letters they had sent back and forth. So many old war letters that he had intentionally forget.
He wasn't rightfully sure what to do at the moment, his mind wasn't properly thinking. He had deliberately made himself stop distressing about it years ago, he wouldn't allow it.
But his heart always remembered. Everyday the feeling of loneliness and regret would creep around the veteran. Niihlus was an experienced Toa, now a prominent being in Jiahk where he would work to protect the innocent. He had seen so many things, and knew how to handle everything coolly and smartly.
But he never was able to handle this.
Niihlus had spent too long in the forlorn mood; he had to move on, like he always did. He quietly walked around his desk and started to the door. His hand grasped the doorknob a moment, but paused and looked back at the old box, his mind still mentally envisioning the letter, and her smiling face.
He swallowed hard; his usually classic matured voice was barely a whisper.
"I miss you too."
Carefully, he walked out and shut the door noiselessly, leaving behind his office and the old letter on that lonely night.