Blackness. Everywhere. She tried to shift her legs, move her arms, anything. Something to give her some semblance of being in control of her body.

Voices. She could hear them getting closer, louder, clearer. What are they talking about?

"She … okay?

"Check on her …."

"She's coming round!"

Eyes opened. Light engulfed her vision for a brief moment. Heaven? Several forms became clear around her as she blinked a few times. People. The islanders, those that had survived. They were … she was …

Looking down, she saw the wooden surface of a boat deck. Around them was the ubiquitous ocean, glittering blue like diamonds in the sunlight. Several moved about on deck, some keeping the children close by in fear they would fall overboard or be taken by some kind of beast. The salty smell of the water flooded her nose as if filling her with life again.

The young chieftain glanced at those around her, recognising the faces of Tama, Atoni and Aheti. All of them stared anxiously, hoping she was alright.

"W-w-what … what happened?" She asked, struggling to find and form the words.

"You got hit in the back by Gowa," Tama explained, kneeling down next to her. "We've patched you up the best we could. Luckily, there were some flowers nearby to help heal the wounds."

Moana gave a small nod, then spoke up again suddenly. "What about Maui?"

She frantically looked around the ship, hoping to see a large form sitting somewhere on the ship, or at least in something and trailing alongside or not far behind them, joining them in their journey back to Kalea.

Nothing. They were alone. No other ships on the horizon or any closer, and no other living things besides humans on the boat. Moana looked back at the others, silently pleading for an answer, praying it would not be the worst outcome.

"We … We don't know." Aheti told her sadly. "The last we saw of him was when he fell over the side of the cliff and you were lying near it almost on the point of death. We couldn't look because we had to get off the island in case more creatures showed up."

That hit Moana like a giant coconut landing on her. Already she was thinking of the worst nightmare, the most horrific conclusion, the ending she feared the most for Maui.

She sniffed, exhaling, eyes falling to the floor, hot tears running down her face.

He had done everything he could to save the Skull Islanders, he tried to stop Gowa, and he had stopped Gowa, and others. He saved them and her.

But he did not save himself.

Part of her wanted to go, to fall with him. There's no point! Giant beast or not, I needed him. He's one of us. He can't just … Was there any point carrying on?

Of course! A voice in her head scolded her. Gone or not, he'd want you to carry on. You have to be the chieftain and carry on. Do what you both set out to do years ago, and continue his legacy.

It's what Maui would have wanted.

She looked up at the others. "How long have we been at sea?" she asked them.

"A few hours." Atoni answered, motioning to the now setting sun. "It's going to be dark soon. Where are we set to go to?"

Moana, with help from Aheti and Tama, stood up, looking out at the sea before them.

"Take us to Kalea, back to our home." she said.

The others obeyed and set about going back to Kalea, with Aheti and Tama giving out instructions on what to do and where to go. Moana walked to the bow of the boat, inhaling once again the sea air, wondering what lay ahead for them now.

These last days had been a journey into hell itself, a revelation of the multitude of ungodly and demonic creatures that lurked here on the surface world. Lalotai has some stiff competition. She wondered what they were going to tell the others when they returned, and how they would react.

What was more, there was then the question of what now about Skull Island. They had survived, but what if others were to come across it in the future? The gods and the ocean had not helped them here (part of her even wondered if they were meant to discover it all so they could relay what terrible things were there to others). What were they to do now about it?

And of course, there was then the question; were there more? Did other islands like Skull Island dot the ocean, waiting to be discovered or chanced upon? If not, then were there other creatures out there that could potentially cause havoc like those they had just escaped from?

Her mind briefly fluttered back to the visions she had in the lake within the mountains. That place too! Where was it? Or when was it? And of the creatures she saw, were they a danger? The flying beasts, the one that looked like some kind of sea creature, the three headed one, and the bipedal one? Were they out there now? What if they found someone or some place, or vice-versa?

What does the future hold?

Stop anyone and everyone if we can. It needs to be hidden. That was what they should do, what they had to do.

And they would do their best and all it took. Whatever the future held, Skull Island would remain hidden for as long as possible. As for any other potential creatures out there, they too would be stopped should they cause chaos. Gods help us.

Whatever it took.