Welcome to chapter 11!
Sorry guys for the really long wait for this chapter. My computer that I usually type on died and I have to use my parent's computer to make this and this computer is rarely available for anything other than schoolwork. Hopefully this chapter will make up for the long wait…
The fences of Hell's Gate came into Jake's view. He moved quickly but carefully. If he tripped or otherwise stumbled, his wounds might open up again and Cre'zak wouldn't be there to save him this time. The airfield was still littered with dead ikrans and the rotting smell was almost too much for Jake to handle but he pushed through to the opening where he and the rest of the Omiticaya had originally re-entered through. The interior of the compound seemed even more desolate now than it did when they came. He found the trail of blood that lead back to the opening of the cave and followed it back to its destination. The slab of metal that covered the entrance was tossed aside and it had some rope tied to it. Jake did not know for what, but he decided that it wasn't an important matter to him.
The interior of the cave was still glowing a familiar green like it had when Jake first found it and it seemed just as deserted. This time he was aware of what dangers could be lurking inside if Escora had found the cave. He picked up a sharp rock. It wasn't much, but it was better than his bare hands. He made his way down slowly and poised to attack. He had to be careful though as to not strike Treolin or any other Drakeon that looked nearly identical to Escora. Nothing but silence greeted Jake. He wanted to call out for Neytiri or Treolin to see if anybody was here, but doing so would give away his position to Escora.
Jake made it further into the cave and saw exactly what he feared; dead bodies. He lowered his guard slightly, he knew that Escora had attacked, he saw the characteristic 'E' on the bodies. It was unlikely that Escora had stuck around. Jake didn't even know exactly when the attack occurred. He took a deep breath, and decided to call out a name.
"Neytiri!" Jake called out into the emptiness. He waited for a response from anybody. He received nothing. His mind went racing with thoughts on what might have happened. What if she was dead? Maybe she made it out before Escora could get to her? Jake did not know, and almost didn't want to know. He kept walking back towards where the Drakeons had let the Omiticaya stay. The small sub-cavern bathed in a constant green glow. The cavern now seemed unforgiving where it first offered shelter. Jake's world had been turned upside down. He did not know what to expect anymore. He felt helpless.
Then, he saw her. Neytiri laying on her side facing away from Jake. She looked as if in deep sleep.
"Neytiri?" Jake called out as he swiftly made his way over to her. He turned her over and his face changed from a look of hope, to a look of despair.
She had an 'E' carved into her as well.
"No! Neytiri!" Jake cradled her lifeless form in his arms. Every part of his body went numb as his mind went to disbelief. He held her as close to him as he could, weeping as he did so. He looked at her face. There was no expression. He could only close his eyes to hide the reality of what happened.
As soon as he did, something changed. He felt something surging inside him. He looked at the 'E' carved into her body. He thought of Escora. He curled his hands into a fist so tight that he cut off the circulation to his fingers. He gritted his teeth as he felt himself become stronger. He was not going to let Escora kill Neytiri and walk away with it. All the pain in his body disappeared. Every emotion he felt was replaced. Replaced by something stronger. Stronger than when he bonded with theToruk. He felt a power stronger than what Eywa had ever given him. All of it directed at Escora with nothing standing in its way. The feeling was familiar. Familiar to the time that he had fought Quadrich.
It was hate.
The lake had led the Drakeons and the rest of the Omiticaya to a small cave that led into the forest. From the outside, it was very difficult to spot, which was probably why the Drakeons had never been spotted before. They all resided there for the past day to rest and try to figure out everything that was happening. After that day, the Omiticaya began to search for somewhere to call home. They couldn't stay with the Drakeons forever, and they still needed a new Hometree. Everyone had to do their best to forget the tragedies that had occurred recently. This was harder for some than others.
Neytiri wandered by herself, trying to put everything behind her. Finding out that Jake was killed was tragic, but something else didn't seem right. Every time she felt the pain from the wound Escora had dealt her, she kept thinking back to that one moment, when he pinned her against the cave wall. Ever since then, she felt as if something had been stolen from her. A memory or a feeling. She couldn't put a name on it, but she was less of what she used to be, and she had no idea why.
She was so lost in thought , that she didn't pay close attention to where she was going. Her attention was brought back to the present when he heard cracking under her feet. She looked down, and found something unusual. There were bones on the ground, it almost looked like a complete skeleton. She did not know what animal it may have come from. She was convinced though that it couldn't have been another Na'vi. If it was a Na'vi that died, it would have been buried. What was even more startling was that this wasn't the only skeleton. As Neytiri looked farther out into the surrounding forest, she saw hundreds of skeletons. All of them were the size and shape of a Na'vi. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A sense of panic filled her and she slowly made her way out of the field of bones.
"Neytiri!" she heard a voice cry in the distance. She turned around to find Treolin rushing up to meet her. He saw the skeletons too and held her shaking form. Neytiri kneeled down to one of the bones. It was an un-broken skull. On that note, all of the bones looked un-disturbed. She touched the skull, trying to decipher some meaning from it. As soon as her fingers made contact though, she screamed and jolted backwards, falling over. Treolin caught her and turned her to face him. Her eyes were sealed shut.
"Neytiri!" Treolin shouted, trying to get her to respond. He cried her name again, but still no words escaped Neytiri's lips. She looked like she was suffocating, as if an intense pain ringed throughout her body. After a few moments of torment, she opened her eyes and exhaled.
"Neytiri, what did you see?" Treolin asked hurridly. He was almost afraid of the answer. She looked up to him with pained eyes.
"Terrible things," Neytiri whispered. Treolin looked ahead to the field of skeletons. He was shocked that they had remained undisturbed. He gently lifted Neytiri off the ground and took her back to the cave. She looked at the skeletons for as long as she could. There was something hypnotic about them, she couldn't take her eyes off them.
Jake made his way to the mouth of the cave that led to Hell's Gate. His hands were bleeding from punching into the rock walls of the cavern out of anger. Once he was out into the metal halls of Hell's Gate, he looked towards the ceiling and saw a rusted pipe that ran the length of the hallway. He grabbed it with both hands and violently ripped it from the ceiling. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have been able to do this, but now he felt stronger. With the sharp rusted pipe in hand, he left Hell's Gate with only one goal in mind.
Kill Escora.
And that's chapter 11!
Again, sorry for the really long wait everybody, hope these next few chapters make up for it. Now, I'm not sure if I already said this in one of these little notes at the beginning and end of every chapter, so I'm going to say it now as to avoid confusion.
I know that cutting off the queue of a Na'vi is lethal to them and I already have an explanation ready in the story as to why Jake is still alive.
Next chapter: Jake reunites with the Drakeons and Omiticaya only to make a shocking discovery about himself and Escora plans his next move.
