It was the middle of the night when Rionna woke again and glanced around at the lab, to her surprise a small glowing green stone had been placed just inside the bars of her cage. Curious, she quickly moved to pick it up and returned to where she'd slept, whispering Kūri's name as she knelt back down.
"I'm not asleep." came the whispered reply as he shifted closer to the bars. Rionna showed him the pebble-sized stone and told him where she'd found it, "Looks like you've made a friend. It took him years to pluck up the courage to occasionally help me." Kūri whispered before telling her how to brighten and dim the lightstone.
"I'll hide it, I don't want him to get into trouble." she replied, slipping the lightstone deep into a pocket, "Any idea what time it is?" she asked, absently tugging straw out of her hair.
"Roughly half past two." Kūri yawned, blinking sleepily. On seeing just how tired he was, Rionna shifted closer to the bars, "If you want to sleep, I'll keep watch." she said as the Toa fought to keep his eyes open.
"Thanks Rio..." came the reply as Kūri fell asleep mid sentence. Resting her chin on her knees, the human peered round at the dimly lit lab pondering again on what had occurred.
...
A soft noise reached Rionna a while later, and on peering around anxiously realized that it was Kūri. The pale chestnut Toa lay on his side, his hand reaching out as if to try and touch someone while tears ran down his face.
Reaching through the bars, Rionna managed to reach his hand and gently squeezed it, slowly Kūri's hand closed round hers and he began to wake up.
"Namis, I..." Kūri mumbled, still not fully awake while his gaze slowly focused on Rionna's puzzled expression, then he flushed and muttered an apology while letting her hand go. "It's alright, you looked so unhappy." Rionna said, sitting up and stretching the kink out of her shoulder.
"Who's Namis?" she asked a few minutes later, watching curiously at Kūri as he gazed into space lost in his memories. Several minutes passed then the pale chestnut Toa sighed, "She is my closefriend." he murmured, a wistful look in his eyes. Uncertain just what he meant, the human looked puzzled then murmured, after several moments of awkward silence, "I'm sorry I didn't know."
Glancing over to where she sat, Kūri saw that her face was red with embarrassment and chuckled softly, "It's alright, honestly. Look at what she gave me one midwinter festival."
Still highly embarrassed, Rionna peered curiously at her friend, then slipped her hand through the bars when he held his closed fist out. "It's beautiful." She whispered, holding the small blue glass ring up to catch the faint light, Kūri smiled, "Try it on." he replied when she went to pass it back to him.
"You sure?" she asked, then when he nodded, tried the ring on several fingers, "It fits…but how?" the startled human glanced at her fellow captive in surprise.
Kūri smiled, "Namis found it on a beach, she always insisted that there was something special about it." he replied.
Rionna was about to returned the ring to Kūri when the door creaked open and the servant who'd passed Rionna the damp cloth entered and glanced anxiously over to the cages before holding two fingers up in a silent warning before going over to the work area and began placing items out.
"Hide the ring and feign sleep." Kūri whispered as he shifted back from the bars. Rionna had just enough time to slip it into the same pocket as the lightstone and curl up in the straw before the door slammed open and the lightstones brightened.
Watching from under her arm, Rionna glared at the Shadowed One as he and the dingy grey Dark hunter went over to the work area and began mixing things together.
"Crion, get our little test subject." The leader of the Dark hunters growled roughly half an hour later as he passed a canister to him minion. Chuckling wickedly, the dingy grey hunter sauntered over to the cage where Rionna was now sitting up.
"Time for your medicine." he growled, entering the cage and approaching Rionna as she stood up. "Take it yourself!" she retorted, ducking his first attempt to grab her and tried to get to the door, as she did, he whirled round and caught her by the waist.
After several minutes of struggling and cursing, the dingy grey hunter, now sporting a black eye, dumped Rionna's limp but conscious form onto the table.
"Little muaka." He growled, tightening the straps around the captive with unnecessary force, the Shadowed One just smiled grimly, "With what Lariska said about that conniving Air Toa and the plans made, this will speed up the virus in our little 'test subject'."
"So the test will happen later today." He added, glancing briefly over to the cage where the maimed Toa had propped himself against the bars and was watching silently.
As the sinister green liquid was injected into the same place as the virus, Rionna twitched, screamed and lost consciousness. "It's much more fun when they do that." The Shadowed One laughed coldly before stalking over to where Kūri sat, "No doubt you're wondering what I have planned." He taunted the maimed Toa.
Kūri didn't reply, just stared at the one who'd taken his arm and legs until he snarled with annoyance at not getting a response and stalked back to the table.
"You're a walking pile of Maha droppings." came a whisper from Rionna as she regained consciousness and glared angrily at the Shadowed One. He snorted with amusement at her anger, and then glanced at his dingy grey minion, "Give it roughly two hours then we'll see what happens."
Nodding, the Dark hunter removed the straps then dragged Rionna back to the cage, "Have a nap." he growled pinching a nerve until her eyes flickered and closed.
Chuckling ominously, the Dark hunter locked the cage, "This is going to be interesting." he said, the Shadowed One glared at his minion, "It had better be. Remember what happened to the last one who claimed that." before he left the lab.
Kūri hid a bitter smile as the Dark hunter blanched and swallowed hard before hurrying to catch up with his boss. The pale chestnut hued Toa shifted to the edge of his cage as the door closed and watched Rionna for a while. Though she was unconscious, her body twitched as the recently injected liquid merged with the virus and spread through her body.
…
Dawn was breaking when Kūri heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer and the door was opened by a servant, the dingy grey Dark hunter close behind him and he immediately went to examine Rionna. "Hmm, still breathing. Good." Crion muttered then snapped to attention as the Shadowed One walked in.
"Wake her." he ordered, his tail twitching in anticipation, the dingy grey Dark Hunter looked apprehensive as he bent over Rionna, pinching the nerve he'd pinched last time, then swiftly straightened up and stepped back.
Several minutes passed, then Rionna's eyes opened and she focused on the leering Dark hunter before slowly sitting up. Her side where the injections had gone in now glowed sinisterly through her t-shirt "Now that looks promising." the Shadowed One chuckled ominously as the human glanced down in horror.
At the Dark hunters leader's nod, the dingy grey hunter picked up the stunned captive and lifted her out of the cage. "Well little Rionna, seeing as you like your 'room-mate' here's your chance to make friends." the Shadowed One hissed malevolently as Crion dropped her in the straw close to where the maimed Toa sat. Still feeling dazed, Rionna lay where she'd been dropped, blinking and wondering why she felt so strange.
Kūri silently watched as the dingy grey hunter left, slamming the door then shifted closer to his friend as she managed to sit up and smile at him. Solemnly the maimed Toa then held his hand out in the time-honoured salute, for a moment Rionna looked startled then shyly touched her fist to his.
When Kūri lowered his hand, the Shadowed One smiled in grim satisfaction on seeing a fading red mark across the Toa's knuckles. "And so it begins." he thought while Rionna glanced puzzled at her knuckles where a similar red mark was fading.
Several minutes passed, then suddenly the door opened and a murky blue figure entered, hurried over to the Shadowed One and began his report. The leader of the Dark hunters listened, his eyes glowing with annoyance, "Let's go. You! Watch and record what happens." the Shadowed One snapped at the servant while Crion chucked a notebook on the table.
When the door slammed closed, the servant sighed and picked the notebook up then paused, glanced anxiously at the door and came to a decision. While he dashed off, Kūri felt rather dizzy and swayed slightly, seeing her friend's face rapidly turn paler, Rionna shook off her own disorientation and moved to support him.
"What's happening?" she whispered, letting Kūri lean against her, he didn't say anything as he struggled against the growing dizziness. "Would water help?" the servant whispered, surprising Rionna. Glancing she saw that he'd pushed bowls of food and water as far as he could reach, "That's a great help, thank you." she replied, watching as he then wrote down what was happening to Kūri, "I'm sorry but if I don't..." he murmured as he finished writing.
The human nodded, then glanced anxiously at her friend as he managed to sit up, thankful that the dizziness had passed. Before he could move further, Rionna went to pick up the dishes and carried them back. A shudder went through her as she glanced at the food, then at Kūri, whom also looked sick at the sight of it as a shudder ran through his thin frame.
"I don't feel hungry." Kūri admitted after looking at the food for several minutes, Rionna nodded, "I know what you mean. Ever since the first injection, I've had no appetite." she muttered then offered her friend the water bowl. Reaching out to accept it, Kūri was startled to see his hand trembling uncontrollably, as Rionna hurriedly set the bowl down and tried to help somehow while the servant sighed and noted down what was happening.
"I don't feel too good." the pale chestnut Toa whispered as Rionna helped him to settle back on the straw, her eyes betraying the concern she tried to hide as she anxiously watched him.
"Hhhssst, here." the whisper from outside the cage startled Rionna and as she glanced up a dry cloth sailed into the cage, landing not far from the straw. "Thanks." She replied, damping it and placing it over Kūri's forehead, by now the Toa was shaking uncontrollably and his forehead was hot and feverish.
Half an hour later, the strange shaking began to ease and Kūri let Rionna help him to sit up again. As the servant hastily scribbled what he'd seen Kūri had a drink of the remaining water then glanced dazedly around at his surroundings.
The human was watching her friend anxiously while she wrung the cloth out removing the excess water then gently wiped his forehead. "What is happening?" Rionna asked, a yawn escaping her as Kūri insisted that she lent against his side and he rested his arm round her shoulders.
"I've been infected by the virus that he injected you with." the Toa of Stone replied his tone filled with bitterness at the Shadowed One's ages old plan.
…
"It's killing me." Kūri added softly when he thought his young friend had fallen asleep, the servant, at those words blanched and dropped the notebook, rubbing his face to try and dry his eyes.
Leaning against Kūri, eyes closed Rionna was horrified by the Toa's calm acceptance and slowly tears began running down her cheeks as he gently hugged her.
Kūri gradually became aware that his chest was growing damp and glanced at Rionna, the human was silently watching him, her face soaked with tears.
"Hey, come on. I was told years ago that my destiny would be revealed when I met someone unique to this world." Kūri said trying to reassure his friend, as she dashed tears from her eyes a shudder ran through her body.
"But it's not right. Yo-you shouldn't go like this." she cried as Kūri hugged her tightly and was about to reply when he began coughing.
"I think you should keep the ring." he managed to say as the coughing grew in intensity then was unable to speak as he clung to Rionna while she supported him.
The servant clutched the bars, powerless to help his friend and watched as the human dabbed blood from the edges of Kūri's mouth as he continued coughing, the sound now ragged and tearing.
...
The coughing began growing weaker as Kūri clung to Rionna; exhausted by the strength of the spasms his head drooped onto her shoulder as he drifted into fitful sleep.
"What is your name?" Rionna whispered so as not to wake their dying friend when the servant miserably picked up the notebook and wrote in it.
He glanced up at the weary human, briefly envious that she could do more to aid his friend then ashamed of his feeling whispered, "It's Onair."
A quiet murmur tickled Rionna's ear, "That's a good name." Kūri said as he roused and tried to straighten up, then with Rionna's help settled back in the straw.
By now the Toa's' heartlight was beginning to flicker and Onair was hard pressed not to cry, while Rionna clutched Kūri's hand, willing him to beat the virus she'd unwillingly infected him with.
"Be strong, both of you. And may the Great..." Kūri whispered, his strength growing fainter with each breath, unable to finish the sentence Kūri's fingers slowly closed around Rionna's hands and he smiled weakly trying to reassure her, "Don't go, please." the human whispered, her red rimmed eyes filling with fresh tears.
A soft sigh came from the dying Toa and as his eyes closed Kūri found a final burst of strength and managed to whisper the rest of his sentence, "Spirit watch over and guide you." then Kūri's heartlight gave a final flicker and went out.
Rionna slumped back, tears streaming down her face, her hands still tight around Kūri's as his fingers loosened.
While she sat there stunned, a movement flickered at the corner of her eye, puzzled the human turned towards it and gasped in stunned amazement, Onair also watched in surprise.
Watching them with a smile on his mask was a ghostly Toa; he bowed to the stunned watchers then faded from sight.
Several minutes passed then the servant noted down the final bit of what had happened to Kūri before he'd died then placed the notebook back on the table.
Rionna gently rested Kūri's hand on his chest then attempted to clean the blood from his face, her tears helping as they fell unchecked, when she'd done the best she could Rionna went and sat as close to Onair as she could.
"Was that Toa Kūri we saw?" she whispered after several minutes, glancing at him, the servant nodded. "As he was when I first saw several Dark Hunters dragging him into this cage." he softly replied glancing around before resting a hand on Rionna's shoulder, no longer caring what would happen to him.
...
Rionna had just slipped into a grief induced slumber when the Shadowed One and Crion returned startling her awake as the dingy grey Hunter grabbed Onair by his throat.
"Blast we missed the fun." he snarled, while the Shadowed One read the notes taken, he then began laughing as he showed it to Crion, the cold sound echoing around the laboratory. "If the virus does this to a weakened Toa, just think what it'll do to healthy ones. Pity we don't have a Turaga captive to see what would happen."
Rionna looked at the laughing pair in shock, while her small friend fought for breath then grabbed the empty bowl and hurled it at Crion in an attempt to make him drop her friend.
"Ah!" the dingy grey Hunter yelled as the bowl shattered on his arm, forcing him to drop Onair hard on the ground. The servant crawled to where Rionna stood at the bars and wrapped his arms around one, coughing and wheezing.
Crouching to check her friend Rionna glared at their tormentors, the Shadowed One was watching her closely while Crion picked shards from his arm swearing venomously. "Open the door and quit winging." the leader of the Dark Hunters growled menacingly as the servant finally regained his breath and cautiously watched them.
When Crion opened the cage door the Shadowed One ducked his head as he entered the cage and briefly glanced at Kūri's body before turning to where Rionna was still crouched beside Onair. A horrified gasp came from the servant, when the Shadowed One's eyes began glowing, and he gripped Rionna's arm tightly.
Then as she looked up the shadowed One glanced over to the straw and she watched horrified as two beams of light shot from his eyes and hit Kūri's body reducing it to atoms.
"No!" Rionna gasped as the beams faded and he turned back to where she was crouched, her arms now around the servant's shoulders.
Even with the bars between them, the pair clung to each other seeking comfort while Crion tried to pull them apart. Steely hands dragged Rionna away from Onair and the bars then as she struggled the Shadowed One's eyes glowed intently and the beams struck her friend.
An ear splitting scream of enraged grief echoed around the lab as Onair disintegrated, then the Shadowed One roared in pain as Rionna managed to twist around and sunk her teeth into his hand.
Letting go of the human's garment, the Shadowed One struck her, and as she collapsed to the floor examined his bleeding hand. "Just as well the virus doesn't affect Dark Hunters." his cold voice growled as Rionna slowly regained consciousness and she cautiously opened her eyes.
Crion finished tightening the bandage around his leader's hand then glanced at the crumpled figure as she glared at the Dark hunters.
Unseen by those in the lab, Onair scrambled up then looked around as he realized he wasn't alone. "Toa Kūri!" he exclaimed in surprise before bowing to his friend as he had wanted to do for so long.
The Toa Spirit smiled quietly, then both watched as the dingy grey Hunter picked up their human friend before the Shadowed One forced her to drink from a canister.
As she fell unconscious, Kūri rested his hand on Onair's shoulder, "We have to go my friend." he explained when Onair glanced up at him. "But what about Rionna?" the former servant exclaimed as mist began swirling around them, hiding the lab from sight.
Toa Kūri sighed, "Only the Great Beings know." he replied as they began walking deeper into the spirit realm.
Holding the limp form of Rionna in his arms, Crion nodded as he was given instructions on where he and Garbh should leave the 'trap' for the patrolling Toa to find.
The Shadowed One smiled darkly at the anger in Crion's eyes on finding out who he was partnered with, then hid a wince as his bitten hand pained him.
While the Dark Hunter left the lab the Shadowed One began laughing, thinking of the devastation that the red virus would cause then followed the pissed off Dark hunter who was making his way to the jetty.
On the way a servant was ordered to inform Garbh that there was a mission for him, much to Crion's annoyance.
Biting his tongue, the dingy grey Hunter carried the human onto a small boat and placed her in the bows before catching the canister the Shadowed One threw at him.
"Make sure she remains unconscious. We don't want the surprise spoilt." he growled, smiling grimly as cold laughter rang around the jetty as those not on missions nudged each other in amusement.
Then as the boat departed they wandered off, leaving the Shadowed One watching the boat until it vanished from sight.
Crion = withered
Onair = honour