Rubbing her eyes as she went downstairs, the childlike Turaga peered around the living room door wondering who the grey/burnt orange being was before approaching the front door to see what the noise was.
"Mas...'Nue, where are you going?" Lannair whispered from her position on the stairs as Anuenue stifled a yelp and glanced guilty up at her, "Worried 'bout Rhya, she's not upstairs. I won't go far, you come with me?"
"I-I'm not sure t-this is such a...'Nue wait!"
Before Lannair could finish speaking, the rainbow hued Turaga had slipped out the door and she hurried after her, knowing that the Toa would be anxious if she was outside alone. Softly closing the door, the peach/light gold Turaga looked around nervously, then hurried over to where Anuenue was crouched behind a bench, her eyes wide as she watched the action beyond the shield.
Rhya Nui was in the middle of a group of Rahkshi, the lizard like beings feinting as they hunted for any weaknesses before six attacked her while the others hissed their approval, snarling when the dusky Great Spirit laid the six out cold.
More Rahkshi moved closer to where Rhya Nui stood, her eyes blazing and shifted her grip on the sword she held. With a roar, a larger group attacked the dusky Great Spirit, sacrificing themselves to distract her from the Lerahk that Teridax had given special orders to. Shifting ever closer, the poison Rahkshi hissed eagerly as Rhya Nui forced its brethren back from the shield, then readied the dart before charging forward and struck.
Rhya staggered as the Lerahk sank the dart into her shoulder, then wheeled round to behead the triumphantly hissing Rahkshi before nearly falling to her knees. "Master!" Lannair cried out as the remaining Rahkshi began drawing closer. Anuenue glanced up, still trembling then also cried out as she saw the dusky Great Spirit lean on her sword, having pulled the dart out and was now trying to regain her balance.
"No Rhya!" the childlike Turaga wailed, scrambling to her feet and beating her fists against the shield. To Lannair's surprise, Anuenue's mask began glowing and a rainbow hued shield began forming between Rhya Nui and the approaching Rahkshi.
Shaking her head to clear it, the dusky Great Spirit began moving slowly back to the larger shield, the rainbow hued one moving with her while the Rahkshi hissed tauntingly as they flung stones at the shield.
Having realized that neither Turaga was inside and alerted by Anuenue's scream, Aikane, Kokua, Aili and Lerihua half stumbled down the stairs and outside, weapons at the ready. Phantom had joined them, the blanket he'd been covered with still draped over a shoulder as he fumbled for a sword that was no longer there. Switching to their Hau, the Toa cast another shield around Rhya Nui as the rainbow one brushed against the edge of the larger one and slowly moved through it until it and Rhya Nui were within the protection of it. As the rainbow shield dissipated, Rhya staggered and would have fallen had Phantom and Lerihua not caught her arms to steady her. The Dark hunter tugged the blanket from its position and draped it around the dusky Great Spirit's shoulders before stepping back as Kokua hurried forward to take his place, then silently followed as they helped Rhya back into the house. A quiet cough from Aikane made him pause and glance over his shoulder, "Give me a hand." she said, before turning to scoop up Turaga Anuenue, who buried her head in her violet hued sister's shoulder. Nodding, Phantom moved to where the peach/light gold hued Turaga stood, shivering as she watched the triumphantly hissing Rahkshi, and crouched beside her, "We need to go back inside." he murmured when she looked up at him, silently Lannair nodded then glanced upwards, her eyes widening anxiously. Following her gaze, Phantom swore under his breath as the shield gave a small flicker. Scooping the peach/light gold hued Turaga up, he hurried back inside and on entering the living room, set her on the couch beside Aikane, who was trying to comfort the childlike Turaga before picking a chair by the window.
Glancing up as Aili and Lerihua entered the room carrying hot drinks, Aikane managed to persuade Anuenue to let go and smiled briefly as she nestled closer to Lannair before accepting a drink. "I'm going to see how Kokua's coping." she muttered softly when Aili handed her a mug, "This is for her." the orange hued Toa replied, nodding when Aikane raised an eyebrow and they smiled briefly.
On reaching the guest room, Aikane peered around the door before entering and moving to sit beside Kokua, "This is for you, Aili thought you'd need it." she whispered before hugging her winged sister. Kokua nodded, watching anxiously as Lakino and Uil'-ic tended her mother, her wings unconsciously twitching with the flicker of Rhya's heartlight.
"Oh Spirits," Aikane whispered, feeling very cold as she watched the colour, very slowly, start leech from Rhya Nui's form. "R-Rhya?"
Rhya slowly opened her eyes and managed to sit up.
"I...sorry," she managed. "I don't know why I'm feeling so tired,"
She blinked, making an effort to focus on Aikane, whom looked deeply worried.
"Rhya, a-are you alright?" she asked. Rhya blinked again and nodded.
"Yes, I am fine...I just...so tired..." she mumbled drowsily leaning back, her eyes flickering shut as her head touched the pillows.
Hugging Kokua tighter as she stifled a whimper, Aikane whispered soothingly though her eyes couldn't conceal her deep concern.
xXx
"Well,"
"Well," his companion agreed. "We did not foresee this,"
"No. The question that remains, now, is do we proceed with the backup plan?"
Both glowing figures watched as the Daughter of one Great Spirit comforted the other, her own mask etched with worry.
The orange/silver Great Being sighed.
"It would be unwise to show our hand too soon," she reasoned. "Though...to act too late would be worse than not acting at all,"
Her companion nodded again.
xXx
Lannair gently covered Anuenue with a blanket then turned to look up at Aili.
"S-so what now?" she whispered, shivering fearfully as she glanced out the window, at where shadowy figures waited for the flickering shield to fail. Aili shook her head.
"I don't know," she answered, slumping on the couch beside the Turaga. "This...this is all beyond me, I don't..."
She trailed off and shrugged sadly.
"We'll hold against them for as long as possible, it's all we can do," she murmured, rubbing her eyes.
"Indeed,"
Both glanced up as Aikane entered the room, looking shattered. She was followed by Lerihua, carrying Kokua's sleeping form.
"Sleeping draught?"
"Yes," Aikane replied, watching worriedly as Lerihua lowered the Torahka onto the couch, covering her with a blanket.
"How is Rhya?" Aili questioned hesitantly, smiling faintly as her closefriend sat beside her, slipping an arm around her shoulder.
Aikane shook her head.
"Not...not good," she answered quietly, sinking into a chair. "I..."
She closed her eyes and swayed as fatigue swept over her.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, opening her eyes again and trying to smile at the worried trio before her. "I feel as though I have been trampled by the entire Kikanalo herd,"
"Don't apologize sis!" Lerihua exclaimed "You're hanging in there better than I ever could,"
Aikane shook her head and shrugged.
"I don't know where to go from here," she whispered. "With Rhya down, the protection she gave us all is gone, I..."
She trailed off, turning away as months of tightly controlled emotion threatened to overwhelm her.
"We'll try and work something out in the morning," Aili murmured, rubbing her eyes. "We are all too tired and overwhelmed right now to think straight, let alone plan anything,"
Aikane nodded slowly.
"We will need to keep a watch -," she began, than managed a smile as both Lerihua and Aili said that they would keep watch, both immediately knocking back her own offer of help.
"You're exhausted enough as it is sis, leave it to us," Lerihua said, his closefriend nodding her agreement.
Aikane slowly moved to stand up, then paused, looking uncomfortable.
"Would...would you think me foolish if I slept out here tonight?" she asked shyly. "I don't think I could face being alone upstairs..."
"Spirits no, I could not face that myself!" Aili smiled, offering to help the violet hued Toa set up a bed.
"Be safer if we all stuck together anyway," Lerihua muttered, glancing around as Lannair shuddered.
"You'll be alright, don't worry," he said quietly, scooting across to hug her reassuringly. Lannair smiled weakly, flinching as something was sent crashing to the ground outside.
"We will keep you safe," he added, speaking with far more confidence then he felt.
"Thank you master," she whispered shyly, before cringing as she felt him shift uneasily at her manner of addressing him.
"It's Lerihua...though everyone mostly calls me Leri. Please...I'd like you to call me that,"
"I...A-are y-you sure?" Lannair stammered, refusing to meet his eyes.
"Of course!"
"O-okay then..."
Watching as the peach/light gold hued Turaga trailed off, staring unhappily around the room, Lerihua sighed, wishing that she did not look so lost.
"Is there anything I could get you?" he asked. "Do you want a drink? Or...I don't know, something to read? I could get you some more paper to draw on?"
"I-I am f-fine," she whispered shakily, then tried to smile as Lerihua watched her with concern. "I..th-thank you Mas- L-Leri, I - "
She yawned deeply, leaning sleepily against the Toa of Stone, who sighed faintly, putting an arm around her shoulders. She jumped and started to stammer out an apology, before being cut off by another yawn.
"Don't apologize," he said quietly, allowing her to shyly lean against him again. "Get some rest,"
She was just starting to doze off again when Aili and Aikane reappeared, carrying an armload of blankets each. She watched sleepily as they made the blankets up into a rough bed each before she slipped from the couch and moved to hesitatingly tap Aikane on the shoulder.
"I-I sh-should..." she began, gesturing for Aikane to take the couch and for her to take the floor. Aikane looked confused for a moment before sighing as comprehension dawned.
"I am fine here," she said, trying to reassure the unhappy looking Turaga. "The couch is all yours, you need it more than I - "
"And I." Aili added, trying to untangle her blankets. Aikane smiled and turned back to where Lannair still looked unhappy.
"You know that even if I let you go to sleep on the floor, the moment you were asleep we'd switch you back onto the couch right?" Aikane said, sitting back on her heels.
Lannair looked startled for a moment, then tried to smile.
"Y-you are all too kind," she whispered, glancing around as Lerihua got to his feet and stretched before moving to crouch beside his closefriend.
"You want a sleeping draught sis?" Lerihua asked, still hugging his closefriend.
Aikane tried to smile.
"For once I would say yes...but I feel it will be safest if all of us are easily awoken and ready to go," she said tiredly. She rubbed fiercely at her suddenly over bright eyes then choked as she felt the pair move to hug her. She lent against them for a long moment, a little comforted by their actions, and took a moment to compose herself.
"Thanks," she murmured as they released her. Aili scooted over to her 'bed' while Lerihua climbed to his feet and stretched again, before sinking down in an armchair.
"Two hours per watch alright with you?" he asked Aili, who nodded.
"Yeah. Get some sleep, I'll wake you at two,"
"Alright with me," she yawned, curling up in the blankets.
It felt like two minutes later, rather than two hours when she was shaken awake by her closefriend.
"Uh, what? ... oh, right 'hang on..."
She sat up, blinking sleepily in the glow from the single lightstone lit, then stretched as Lerihua set down the book he'd been flicking through to keep himself awake.
"Anything?" she whispered, moving to join him. He shook his head.
"Been quiet mostly...they occasionally smash something to let us know they're out there waiting, but..."
He spread his hands and shrugged.
"Gonna be a long night," he muttered.
She smiled as the Toa of Stone kissed her on the cheek before moving to curl up in the blankets that she had just vacated. She watched as he settled down and fell asleep in moments, before she sighed, wandering around the room in search of something to occupy her mind for the next two hours. She smiled at the few pictures that sat atop the bookcase before running her hand along the books, idly waiting for something to catch her fancy. She pulled out a thick book from the end, and settled back in the armchair, vaguely unsettled by the silence outside.
The time crept past as Aili flicked through the book, a bewildered frown on her mask as she wondered exactly what a Toa of Ice would want with a book on mask making. Her mind ran through and rejected various possibilities before she finally shook her head, deciding that she would never be able to fathom what went on in the minds of those who shared the icy element. A sad smile crossed her own mask as she happened upon a far too familiar mask and a sigh escaped her as she brushed a finger over the drawing of what had been her brother's mask.
"I miss you," she whispered, fighting back a wave of grief. "I wish you were here,"
She shut the book firmly, setting it on the table beside her before staring out the window, firmly wiping her eyes with the palm of her hand. She was uncomfortably aware that, mixed in with her sorrow was a lurking rage, a remnant of her brief time as a Hordika.
She had thought - or rather hoped - that that would have since left her, but, considering the events of the past weeks, she was not really surprised. Something outside moved and she jumped violently, then sighed, realizing that it was just a piece of cloth, caught in the wind. She turned away with a shudder, half because she could not stand the dead silent stillness of the landscape outside, but also because despite that, despite the dark and the cold and the horde of Rahkshi roaming the area, she still wanted to be out there.
A faint noise from those sleeping caused her to jump again, the Toa of Fire sighing with relief as she realized it was just Lerihua mumbling something in his sleep. She watched as he rolled over and curled deeper into the blankets before she sighed, wrapping a blanket around her own shoulders and settling back again. It was still far too quiet for the Toa of Fire's liking and she involuntarily glanced out the window again. Nothing moved in the darkness beyond the faintly flickering shield, only serving to deepen her unease. She once again turned resolutely from the window and sat back in the armchair, pulling the blanket more closely around her shoulders. She picked up the mask-making book again, seeking to distract her mind from the eerie silence.
Almost an hour had passed without a sound, save for those made by her companions, and the Toa of Fire was now thoroughly spooked. Her half-hearted attempts to ignore the utter lack of sound had been long since abandoned and she was now back at the window, straining to make out anything in the darkness. She was convinced that the Rahkshi were still lurking out there, waiting for a chance to strike.
She wondered if they were plotting their next move, or moving, even now, into position for their attack. Surely though, she thought, surely they would have made some sound?
It was some minutes later when she remembered the existence of Rahkshi of silence, capable of casting 'blankets' of silence over a large area, and then promptly wished that she hadn't.
Something made a faint sound behind her and she whirled, drawing and heating her blades as she went, ready to spring into action. A moment later she sighed, sheathing her blades once again as she realized that it had only been Aikane knocking into the table in her sleep. Shaking her head a little Aili glanced back towards the window, only to turn back a second later as Aikane mumbled something in her sleep.
Aili drew closer, wondering at the confused expression on the sleeping Toa's mask, then frowned as she reached out as though to touch something - or someone - before her hand dropped back to her side, her mask growing worried. Aili drew closer, wondering if her friend was alright.
xXx
She was flying ever faster towards an orange world, her eyes widening as she shot past the strange landscape, before abruptly slowing as a deafening clash of metal against metal split the air. Cautiously lowering her hands from where she had clamped them against her ears, Aikane gasped as she saw the two enormous figures in the distance, engaged in a vicious fight. A cry escaped her as she realized just who was 'piloting' the shorter figure before she started to run towards them, a frustrated scream escaping her as she felt herself being dragged back to reality.
xXx
A sharp throbbing pain in her head brought the Toa of Twilight back to consciousness and she sat bolt upright before she groaned, putting a hand to her aching head.
"Here,"
She felt a canister being pushed into her hand by someone - Aili she surmised by the slight warmth in the air around her - before they touched the painful spot on her head.
"I-I-"
"It's a headache draught," Aili whispered, by way of explanation. "You hit your head on the table,"
Aikane tried to nod her thanks but winced as her head pained her, and lent her head on her knees. She felt a blanket being draped over her shoulders and she lent back, gingerly touching her head and feeling the cut there, before carefully sipping at the draught.
She sensed Aili wander over to check on the Turaga, and sighed, closing her eyes and trying to conjure up the images she had just been shown. She wished that she could merely dismiss it as a nightmare, born of her own fears but she knew better, and was now left to wonder whether what she had seen had happened, would happen sometime in the future, or whether she had been seeing it as it happened.
She shivered as she realized that the latter was probably the most likely answer, that somehow she had established, or been allowed to establish a link to wherever Mata Nui had ended up - on that desert planet she had been dreaming about for weeks? - and were it not for that table...
Aili glanced back startled as she heard Aikane curse angrily and strike the table before getting up and stalking to the window on the other side of the room. She was deathly pale and trembling violently with anger and fear combined as she stared blankly out the window. Aili wondered just what had woken her and whether she should go try to help, or whether Aikane wished to be left alone to deal with whatever had occurred herself.
She did not have to wonder long, because less than a moment later a terrified scream startled the entire room, all seeking the source. Aili took a step towards where Anuenue was struggling to free herself from her blankets, but paused as Aikane hurried from the window and swept her terrified sister into a tight hug.
"S'alright, I've got her," she muttered as Aili moved to see if either needed a hand. She nodded and moved back to where Lerihua had shot out of the covers, armed and ready to fight before consciousness had kicked in, and was now standing there looking bewildered.
They watched as Anuenue peered up at whoever was holding her, then flung her arms around Aikane's neck, nearly choking her.
"Easy sis," she whispered, rocking the terrified Turaga.
"W-what's going on?" Lannair whispered nervously, having wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and joined the pair.
"I-I don't -"
"B-b-big fight in the d-desert," Anuenue wailed, burying her face against Aikane's shoulder. Aikane looked stunned for a moment, then glanced up as movement caught her eye.
"Where are you - "
"Po-metru, where do you think!?" Lerihua answered, already half way to the door. "If there's a battle out there I should - "
"She's not talking about Po-metru brother," Aikane whispered, still cuddling Anuenue.
"I - what?"
Lerihua was staring at her in confusion, still poised to barge out the door and make for Po-metru just in case. Aili gently took his arm and pushed him towards an armchair, both still staring at Aikane.
"Where then? Can we help?" Lerihua demanded, still feeling as though he should head off to his metru.
Aikane shook her head.
"N-not this one," she said softly.
She bowed her head, trying to wipe away the tears that were forming there without anyone seeing. Silence fell, Lerihua and Aili glancing at each other, both wanting desperately to know what was going on, but neither wishing to pry into whatever had happened. Aili perched on the arm of the chair Lerihua sat in while Lannair paused, before shyly moving to join them as Aikane tried to persuade Anuenue into telling her what she had seen.
Long minutes passed before Anuenue finally raised her head and whispered what she had seen to Aikane. The Toa of Twilight paled further, nodding slowly and mechanically hugged her sister as she gazed blankly at the floor.
Lannair watched for a moment, picking anxiously at the hem of the blanket before she quietly crossed the room to sit beside Anuenue and hesitantly slipped her arm around her shoulders and gently tried to coax her into letting go of Aikane. Anuenue shook her head and snuggled deeper into Aikane's arms, but, as Lerihua and Aili moved to try and help the distraught Toa, she finally allowed Lannair to pull her into a hug, both watching as the pair tried to help Aikane as she struggled to regain her composure. She felt Anuenue lean tiredly against her and glanced at her with a faint attempt at a smile.
"Don't wanna sleep," she murmured sleepily as she fought to keep her eyes open. "Don't want bad dreams,"
"You'll be okay," Lannair whispered back, glancing up at Aili who nodded, and mouthed 'thank you' to her before she turned back to Aikane.
"Think of good things instead,"
She managed to smile for her then inwardly sighed in relief as Anuenue nodded.
"'Kay Lanna, I'll try," she mumbled before sleep claimed her. Lannair hooked a discarded blanket with her foot and tugged it up to her, before tucking it around the sleeping Turaga's shoulders.
Lerihua glanced up at his closefriend as Aikane's mask crumpled, the violet Toa burying her face in her hands. Aili grimaced and shook her head to his unspoken question, then both glanced around as soft footsteps entered the room.
…
Something startled Lannair back to consciousness and she glanced around blearily, wondering what it was that woke her.
"Sorry," somebody whispered as they moved away. "I was just checking on you both,"
"'s'okay," Lannair mumbled, rubbing her eyes and sitting up as much as Anuenue would allow her. Uil'-ic smiled wanly at her, both glancing at where Lerihua and Aili still sat with Aikane.
"Something's happened, hasn't it?" she asked, watching them. Lannair nodded.
"I-I think s-she 'saw' something," she whispered. "Wh-whatever it was I-it was b-bad,"
"Yes," Uil'-ic muttered. "I would have been surprised if it wasn't,"
Falling silent as Uil'-ic went to check on Aikane, Lannair stared nervously out the window, wondering why she suddenly felt so uneasy. There seemed to be nothing moving out there, but as she watched, a huge dark shape seemed to leap up. Lannair instinctively glanced up, waiting for the sound of it hitting the roof, but there was nothing but silence. She shook her head and blinked, thinking that her fatigue was making her see things, but as she watched, another two shapes followed.
A second later a tile from the roof fell and silently broke on the ground.
"W-what?" she mumbled, bewildered, and then with a gasp of horror she realized just what had happened.
"A-aili?" she called, trying to ease herself out from Anuenue's grip. "A-aili, on the r-roof, I - "
The last thing Lannair saw as she went flying backwards, the deafening blast still ringing in her ears were the all too familiar shapes of Rahkshi, jumping down through what was left of the ceiling.
