A/N: Phew! Had a lot of fun writing this chapter! All of you Final Fantasy fans reading, there are quite a few references and quite a bit of fanservice in here, so be on the lookout for everything!
Chapter 70: The Trials of the Gods
Beneath the ocean's surface was Lalotai, the realm of monsters. Within that realm was Tamatoa, the monstrous crab who was beyond furious for being outwitted by Kairi, Moana, and Naminé as well as having his latest collectible, Maui's hook, being rightfully stolen back by its rightful master. Despite his furious state, Tamatoa couldn't do anything for the group had already escaped the realm of monsters safely, all thanks to the power of one of many of the realm's geysers. If the monsters wanted a better handle on whoever entered, they'd work on blocking those geysers.
However, nobody was about to complain. The geyser shot everybody out of the realm, through the sea, and back onto the island where Moana's boat had docked. Kairi double checked and made sure her lucky charm as well as the new piece were still accounted for, which they were, and Naminé took a moment to breathe, feeling much relief that she managed to escape being eaten by giant sea monsters twice now. Technically, all the girls made it out of Lalotai without a scratch, but not everybody was necessarily the way they were supposed to be.
"We made it!" Xion laughed. "We didn't die!"
"We're alive! We're alive! We're-eagh…" Moana scrunched her face.
Somehow, Maui accidentally activated his hook on the way out and it caused him to transform. Or rather, it caused half of him to transform. In place of his normal bulky torso and long dark curly hair, his entire upper body was replaced by that belonging to a great white shark. His arms were now fins, his tattoos were missing, he had a dorsal fin instead of hair, and he had a mouthful of sharp teeth. While the shark itself didn't freak the girls out, it was the mere fact that Maui was now half shark. It wasn't exactly the most appealing thing to look at.
"Uh...Maui?" Kairi asked.
"Girls, come here. There's something that I have to say." Maui said sincerely.
"Okay…" All the girls said in unison, completely distracted by Maui's shark head.
Maui exhaled deeply. "For a couple of little girls who had no business being down there and putting themselves in danger, I gotta admit, you did me a solid." He humbly said, all while the girls were still distracted by the shark head. "But, you almost died, and in a way...it got me thinking about how I doubted you. I guess what I'm trying to say is…" He finally realized that the girls seemed completely lost in a train of thought. "Okay, I'm trying to be genuine here, and you ladies look like you've seen a-" He paused as he looked down and saw a shark fin in place of his arm. "What the-oh no!" He groaned as he realized his current state.
"Sorry, I tried to tell you." Kairi chuckled.
"Ugh...I couldn't even get my hook to work right against that stupid crab, and we're supposed to go after Te Ka? This mission is cursed…" Maui stated.
Xion sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's only cursed if you allow yourself to think that way."
"She's right. Now, come on!" Moana grunted as she handed Maui his heavy hook. "Maybe you were under pressure down there. Go ahead and try it again."
Maui sighed as he took his hook. He had nothing else to lose at this point. He flicked the hook and managed to scroll through another few animal and creature transformations including a zebra, a bat, a strangely blue-green colored fox that had a red jewel on its head, and a chicken that looked identical to Heihei. After one more attempt, Maui appeared to at least transform himself back to a human...sort of. Now, he had the reverse problem. His upper body was human, but now his lower body was a shark tail and the lack of legs caused him to fall right over.
"I told you...cursed." Maui grumbled.
"Well, the important thing is we got your hook. I got my lucky charm. Now, we can get going." Kairi said as she brushed her hands clean.
"After Sharkboy here gets changed back." Xion said with a smirk.
With Maui obtaining his hook and Kairi obtaining the next piece of her charm, the next logical step would have been for Moana to start sailing for Te Fiti. What held her back was not knowing which direction to sail for next, but also Maui's mood. Before getting his hook back, he did have an attitude with the girls, but at least it could be argued that he was full of life and was excited by the idea of getting his hook back. For the entire voyage, Maui was quiet except for the few occasions he'd sing about his distress.
Kairi sighed as she watched Maui just lie on his back gazing up at the late night sky. It was a beautiful night and the stars were twinkling brightly, but she could tell he wasn't stargazing. He was just staring off into space. She had never seen someone so charismatic have such an emotional drop. Even Axel was never like this despite him having a breakdown every once in a while because past memories haunted him.
"Gosh, he's really down on his luck." Naminé whispered, also noticing.
Kairi nodded. "I know. I actually feel sorry for him."
Moana overheard Kairi and Naminé and even started to share the same concerns they felt. Of course, what had him down on his luck was something that couldn't really be helped by her or any of the other girls. Maybe taking his mind off of the hook for a bit might cheer him up a bit? Sure, but now begged the question of how? Moana inwardly groaned as she thought for a moment. She was the daughter of the chief, so she should've been an expert at small talk, right? Although Moana usually had the support of her parents when she was assisting the villagers since she was still learning about how to lead her people. This time, she was on her own. She'd have to think this one through by herself.
After her eyes scanned around the boat, Moana noticed tattoos and how complex they were. There was one on Maui's back that attracted her attention. She could have sworn that the tattoo was of a woman throwing a baby into the ocean. Why would Maui have a tattoo like that? Maybe Moana could ask Maui about his tattoos? He did seem to like them, especially the one that was alive, and she was genuinely curious about how he got them.
"So...how'd you get your tattoos?" Moana asked.
"I earn them." Maui answered quietly. "Each of them tell a story."
"What's the one on your back?" Xion asked.
"It's man's discovery of Nunya." He answered bluntly.
Naminé furrowed her eyebrows. "What's Nunya?"
"Nunya business!" Maui huffed as he turned his back.
"Come on, just tell us!" Moana tapped him with her oar and continued to press him.
"No, you need to back off." He said under his breath while grabbing her oar.
"What is your problem, Maui? Is that why your hook isn't working?" She asked loudly.
With one fierce yank, Maui tossed Maui into the ocean. Kairi, Naminé, and Xion gasped not from Moana being tossed into the ocean, but from Maui's sudden outburst. There was obviously an emotional burden that was on his shoulders, and looking back on her journey, Kairi knew better than anyone that carrying such a burden really hurts, both physically and emotionally. When the ocean popped Moana back onto the boat, she was ready to give Maui an earful, but Kairi set her hand on her shoulder, wishing to take a go at it.
"Maui, the only reason we ask is because we-well, I know what it's like to have a heavy burden like that." Kairi said as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "If you really don't want to talk, then don't talk. All I'm saying is...it wasn't until I finally forgave myself and all those people that hurt me that I am finally uncovering my true potential, and I've learned that I'm more than whatever lies in the past." She took out her lucky charm and attached the newest piece, nearly completing it.
Maui turned around and saw her fiddling with the charm. "That's the charm you mentioned."
"Yes, you see this?" She held it up for him. "This is what I've been working towards. Because I finally accepted the past and now look toward a bright future, I am one piece away from saving the person I cherish the most. Whatever burden you have, please share it with us, so we can help you cast away that darkness that's lingering in your heart and weakening you!"
Maui shook his head, turning his face away from the girls. The looming possibility that Kairi was right haunted him. For many years, it was easy to ignore the past and focus on the present, but after being alone for a thousand years, it gave him a lot of time to reflect and dive deep into his thoughts and memories. The further he dove, the weaker he felt and the more desperate he became to get his hook back, all so he'd feel like himself again. Without his hook, Maui felt powerless. If he couldn't even work his hook properly, then what was he anymore?
"I wasn't born a demigod." Maui said softly. "I had human parents. They took one look and decided...they did not want me. They threw me into the sea like I was nothing." He breathed heavily. "Somehow, I was found by the gods. They gave me the hook. They made me...Maui." He paused, taking a moment to reflect on the painful memories.
Naminé moved closer, her hands laced. "That's why that hook means so much to you."
"It connects you to your family." Xion nodded.
"Well, after the gods gave me the hook, I went back to the humans. I gave them islands, fire, coconuts, anything they could ever want." He continued his story.
"You took the heart for them. You did everything for them." Moana said softly. "So they'd love you."
Maui sighed, holding his head low. "It was never enough."
Kairi's heart skipped a beat. It had been a while since the insecure feeling of never being enough lingered in her mind. Yet, with how recently she finally accepted her past mistakes and moved on, the pain of feeling that way was still fresh. At least she could say that her insecurity was all her own feelings and not because she had expectations to live up to. With Maui being a demigod, Kairi could only imagine what he had to live up to.
"Maui, for the longest time, I felt like I was never enough for anyone." Kairi sat beside him. "I was adopted by my parents, and there were so many times where I wondered if I was a good enough daughter for them. Or when it came to my friends, I'd question if I was a good enough friend. Or even in the last couple years, I always felt like I wasn't strong enough to help my friends." She paused, resting her hand over her pendant. "But I've started to realize that even though the world is a big and scary place, and you may not be enough for a lot of people, you are still more than enough for a lot of people, the ones who truly love you."
Moana nodded and sat on Maui's other side. "Kairi's right. Maybe the gods found you for a reason. Maybe the ocean brought you to them because it saw someone who was worthy of being saved. But the gods aren't the ones who make you Maui. You are."
Maui gasped softly, watching as Moana stood and walked toward the edge of her boat. The evening was coming to an end and the sun was beginning to rise. He had two options. He could dwell in the past and never use his hook again, or he could listen to his friends and realize that he's more than just a shapeshifter. The demigod looked down at his chest where his tattoo was petting him in an encouraging manner. Maui couldn't help but smile and pat his chest back. If a tattoo could believe in him, then there was no reason why he shouldn't believe in himself.
"Moana," Maui spoke softly.
"Yeah?" She turned back.
"I hope you and the girls weren't planning on trying to do this voyage yourselves." He said as he stood up and grabbed his hook. "Because you're gonna need a demigod named Maui, and there's only one of those here." He said with a smirk.
Kairi, Naminé, and Moana smiled, proud of what he was doing. Xion smiled weakly and waved from her fetal position. Sure, it would take some time for him to fully have the confidence that he needed, but they were there to help him. There was still some distance before they'd reach the island of Te Fiti, but now Kairi knew they were in this together, Moana too.
"So, off to Te Fiti?" Kairi asked.
"Eh...not quite." Maui explained. "See, every great ruler has her subjects that protect her, and Te Fiti is no different. After I stole the heart, three gods rose and shrouded Te Fiti in a mist so that no harm could be done to her or anyone who wasn't worthy of facing Te Ka."
Moana furrowed her eyebrows. "But...we are worthy. The ocean chose me."
"See, the ocean may have its own sense of judgment, but at the end of the day, the gods have the final call." He said while folding his arms.
"Okay, what do we have to do then?" Xion asked.
"It's...relatively simple, but it'll take some sailing." Maui said as he turned his back, giving his tattoo a chance to demonstrate. "On the way to Te Fiti, there are three islands that are each home to a god of wind, earth, and water. I know, cliche. We will visit each island and complete a trial to that god's satisfaction. If we pass the trial, they give us the blessing, and if they don't, then we'll perish to eternal damnation."
"What?" The girls asked in unison.
Maui scoffed, laughing afterward. "Kidding! It's too easy. Anyway, after passing all three trials, the mist will fade and we'll be able to face Te Ka and get to Te Fiti."
"Well, it sounds simple enough." Moana shrugged her shoulders. "And hey, while we're sailing between islands, we'll work with Maui to get his hook working again."
"Let's do this ladies! Cheeeeeeehooooooo!" Maui hollered before he accidentally transformed himself into a cactus-like creature. "Now what the heck is this thing?"
"We got a long way to go." Moana sighed.
A long way to sail, they had. What normally would have been a monotonous voyage turned out rather eventful as the girls all helped Maui with learning how to use his hook properly once again. It took a few attempts, but Maui finally managed to get his first transformation just right, the beetle. It was small and it was simple, but it worked and he jumped up and down hollering with satisfaction. He wouldn't last long as the beetle though as Heihei came up and attempted to eat him, but was able to transform back to his human form and avoid being ingested.
The longer they sailed, the more Maui practiced and tightly nailed his transformations. He became proficient to the point where he could leap off the boat and cycle between a rabbit, hawk, and whale transformation, all at his own will. The impact of Maui crashing into the sea as a whale created a strong wave that proved to be quite a thrill for Kairi, Naminé, and Moana. As for Xion...she officially lost whatever little food she ate earlier that day.
Luckily for everyone, the first island was coming into view. The wind started to pick up and carry the boat closer to the island. With the wind getting stronger the closer they sailed to the island, it was apparent this was the island that belonged to the wind goddess. Compared to the other islands they visited, this one was rather flat and didn't contain many mountains or vertical terrain like cliffsides. However, there were many types of trees and the island almost served as a sanctuary to various species of birds. The wind blew the trees around and was perfect for helping young birds with their first flights.
"This is the island of Makani." Maui said as they disembarked the canoe. "We gotta hike our way up the hill to the shrine of Garuda, the wind goddess."
"Would that explain why it's so windy?" Naminé asked as her ponytail kept slapping her in the face.
"I would say so." Moana nodded as her hair blew all over the place.
Kairi attempted to part her hair from her face."This is even windier than Destiny Islands!"
"Well, good thing I've got this!" Xion said as she pulled out an umbrella. "All I gotta do is open this bad boy and we can use it to walk against the wind!" As good of an idea as it was, as soon as she opened the umbrella, the force of the wind suddenly yanked it out of her hands and went flying all the way back to the ocean. "Hey Ocean! Can you bring that back?" She called out to it.
Ocean simply shook its head, implying that using the umbrella was cheating and swallowed the umbrella down to the bottom.
"You know, I'm okay without it." Xion said, laughing sheepishly.
Although the winds were powerful, Xion was proven that she did not need the umbrella as they hiked up the grassy hill. It was a matter of just fighting the whipping sensation of hair blowing against her face. There was a bird that did accidentally crash into her, but managed to not leave a mark like Naminé was worried it did. Kairi could only laugh, making sure to write about this in her journal later. After all, Sora was going to want to hear about everything when they returned home.
It seemed that many of the island's birds were expecting Moana to arrive, for as they hiked up the hill, many of them perked their heads up to watch. Some of the birds, even the little yellow kiwikiu birds, started to follow Maui and the girls, almost as if they were being guided by the birds. If that's what the birds meant to do, it worked because at the top of the hill was a flower patch with the shrine belonging to the wind goddess. At the front of the shrine was a statue that resembled a creature that was half human, half bird. Kairi compared it to a valkyrie she had read about, but wasn't sure if it was the same thing.
Maui stepped forward, knowing how to awaken the gods and summon them. There was an inscription on the statue's pedestal that was written in a foreign language that none of the girls seemed to understand. They watched as Maui knelt and urged them to the same. With everyone kneeling, he recited the prayer on the pedestal and waited. At first, nothing happened and Xion wondered if they did it wrong.
Just as the other girls were about to doubt Maui, the wind picked up with great force, almost blowing them away. Maui chuckled, knowing what was happening. From the statue, a feminine figure ascended to the skies, twirling in the air. Just like the statue, she was a human but had birdlike features such as wings, talons for both her hands and her feet, and she was covered in green and cream colored feathers. As she gazed down at the visitors who summoned her, the goddess descended and held a gaze with Moana.
"Moana, chosen one by the ocean, you have journeyed far. However, none shall pass until you are tested with the trials of Te Fiti's three protectors. I am Garuda, the goddess of the wind. Success in my trial will rely on your trust in the wind that guides you."
Moana nodded and stepped forward. "I am ready."
Garuda looked over at Kairi, who gasped as her eyes met the beaming ones of the wind goddess. "Child of light...I sense a connection to the chosen one. Your heart will be tested."
"W-what?" Kairi gasped.
"Should Moana fail in her quest, you will be the one to restore the heart of Te Fiti." Garuda explained.
"Oh yeah, no pressure or anything." Maui said sarcastically.
"But…" Kairi was about to say, but was cut off by Moana placing a hand on her shoulder. "Moana?"
"We can do this. I trust her, and you." Moana assured her.
Kairi stared at her for a moment. She wasn't sure if she could handle this much pressure, but she also knew she didn't have much of a choice. "Alright, then I'm with you." She nodded.
"Very well." Garuda nodded.
Suddenly, the concrete beneath Kairi and Moana shook and began to levitate into the air. Naminé, Xion, and Maui watched as they rose what had to be at least ten stories up. Kairi's heart skipped beats as the shrine continued to shrink until it was about the size of a popcorn kernel. What exactly was Garuda's trial? Judging by how little space she and Moana had on the floating platform, she already suspected they'd have to do something crazy and dangerous.
Moana gasped as small tornadoes began forming beneath her and Kairi. Some were stronger than others. Some were smaller, and some were aiming horizontal as opposed to vertical. Whatever this trial was, she knew they'd have to either work with these wind tornadoes or they'd have to work against them.
"As I've stated, this trial will test your trust. You must free fall from this platform and land on the pedestal in front of my shrine." Garuda explained. "Fall, do not fret. Do not fight. The wind currents will carry you and guide you. Should you succeed, the wind will land you on your feet."
Kairi looked down and saw how high she was, feeling a pit grow in her stomach. "R-right…" She was already shaking in her boots.
"Y-Yeah, no problem." Moana laughed sheepishly.
"Fight the wind currents, and you will fail." Garuda cautioned them. "Trust in the wind." She reminded them before descending back down to the island.
"Well...I guess we're just supposed to fall." Kairi said as she carefully stepped to the edge. "You ready?"
Moana breathed deeply, thinking about her island and her family and how much they needed her. She had to set aside any fears she had. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Kairi joined hands with Moana as each of them took a deep breath, calming any nerves that were erupting in their stomachs. They remembered Garuda saying they had to free fall. Deciding it was easier, the two girls turned around and allowed their bodies to calmly fall backwards. It wasn't going to matter whether they fell forwards or not. If Garuda meant what she said and if the girls did this trial right, they'd land on their feet, no matter which direction they were facing. Xion, Naminé, and Maui gasped as they fell back, instantly worried for their safety.
Garuda calmly watched as her magical wind worked with Kairi and Moana. The fell at a steady rate, but shifted and floated depending on their placement in the wind current. There was a sense of fear of not knowing there they were, but Kairi and Moana knew that keeping their eyes closed would keep them at peace and force them to trust in the wind to guide them down. Yet, there was a sense of peace as a wind tornado slowed their descent before another one shifted them toward the left to continue their windy path down.
As the trial came to an end, the final descent had one wind tornado slowing them down before finishing off with a blast of wind that would turn Kairi and Moana upright, allowing them to safely land on their feet. Upon feeling the solid ground beneath them, each of the girls opened their eyes and sighed with relief as they saw Xion, Naminé, and Maui cheering for them. They had accomplished the first of three trials.
"Hey, we did it! We landed on our feet!" Moana cheered.
Kairi laughed and nodded. "Yeah! That wasn't so bad! The wind carried us down like she said it would!"
Garuda descended down in front of them, smiling warmly. "Princesses of pure light, you have succeeded in the trial of the wind goddess. From this island, you must travel east to the volcanic island of Honua. There, you will find the shrine of Hashmal, the earth god, where he will assign you your next trial."
"Going out east...got it!" Moana nodded.
"Beware of Mt. Keahilani." Garuda warned the girls. "The volcano awakens when visitors step foot on the island. It is how the island protects its god."
Xion sighed and looked to the ocean. "Would've been nice to keep that umbrella now, hm?"
"I bid you farewell, and a safe voyage, o chosen one." Garuda said before she faded away into her statue.
Kairi nodded as she and Moana looked to Maui and the other girls. "That's one down. We'd better get sailing if we're gonna get to the other two islands quickly."
"It's too bad the wind can't carry us back down." Maui chuckled.
Garuda reappeared partially and sighed before waving around one of her claws. Suddenly a couple powerful gusts of wind started carrying the girls back down the hill. They landed safely on the beach where Moana's boat awaited them. While the girls landed safely, Maui was simply tossed back into the ocean. It was apparent that Garuda had some reservations toward Maui from him stealing Te Fiti's heart.
"Well, you asked the wind to carry us down." Naminé laughed.
"You weren't specific about where it was supposed to leave you." Xion shook her head.
Maui popped back up with the help of the ocean. "Ha, very funny." He chuckled.
"Okay Maui," Moana said as she untied the boat from where they had docked. "Lead us to the island of Honua!"
"You know, I was gonna suggest we practice yours and Kairi's sailing skills, but...for the sake of speeding things up so we can get to Te Fiti faster, I've got a better idea." Maui said with a smirk.
Maui gripped his hook and cannonballed back into the ocean. Kairi and Moana exchanged confused looks before they something splashing in front of them. Suddenly, a long dark blue fish leapt out and back into the water. He was huge, about three meters long, and his face resembled that of a swordfish. When Kairi saw the size, she knew exactly what fish it was. Maui had transformed himself into a blue marlin, one of the fastest species of fish to ever exist. Upon seeing him swim close to the boat, she knew exactly where he was going with this plan.
Moana tied a rope around Maui and made sure to tie it snugly to the boat. He warned all of the girls to hang on tightly and gave him a few seconds countdown before taking off jetting through the sea. It was almost like riding a jetski, only the girls had to rely on holding onto the different parts of the boat to prevent falling overboard. Moana was thrown off, but Kairi, Naminé, and Xion all three loved it, having been used to travelling at high speeds in their gummi ship. It almost felt like riding a rollercoaster, but on the water instead of a wooden or steel track.
Because of the species of fish that Maui transformed into, he had the speed to get everyone where they needed to quickly, but that didn't mean he was working any less. By the time they reached the next island, he was worn out and ready for a break. On the other hand, the girls were still energized from the thrilling high-speed boat ride they just experienced. Maui came to a stop at the beach of Konua and gave Kairi a chance to disembark with the others following suit. She was a little disoriented from the trip, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
"Wow, that was the best boat ride ever!" Kairi laughed as they disembarked.
"Yeah! I wasn't even seasick! Let's do that again!" Xion said with a sigh.
Maui chuckled as he changed back to his human form. "Well, I'll give you ladies the 'princess in a carriage' treatment until the trials are done, but then you're sailing the rest of the way to Te Fiti."
"Deal." Moana said with a nod.
Once Maui had a chance to catch his breath, he tapped on Kairi and Moana and showed them what awaited them on the island of Konua. It was definitely earthy with the island lacking a lot of greenery that would be normally present on a thriving island. To further add and emphasize who this island belonged to, a volcano towered over everything. Moana knew it was Mt. Keahilani and instantly remembered Garuda cautioning them to watch out for it. It wasn't the biggest volcano in existence, but was still surrounded by pools of magma and just as dangerous.
"Well...at least it'll prepare us for the lava monster?" Naminé asked.
Kairi nodded. "Yeah. These trials are meant to prepare us. Maui, do you know where the shrine is?"
Maui ran a hand through his hair. "Uh...last time I remember, it was in the crater of Mt. Keahilani."
"I should've known. It's always like that in video games." Xion folded her arms.
"I should've asked Master Yen Sid for fire-retardant clothes." Kairi sighed
"You'll be fine." Maui assured them. "It'll get hot, but as long as you don't fall into any of the magma, you'll be fine."
Famous last words, Xion thought. As paranoid as the girls were about them taking the wrong step or missing something that may have dropped on top of them, Kairi knew they had no choice but to go up. It was too late to turn around now since they still didn't even have their ship in commission. As they began their hike, everyone's instincts were to grab the rocky ledges for support, but upon watching a mosquito burn up after landing on the same ledge, they changed their minds instantly.
Maui sighed, wishing there was an easier way to help the girls up the mountain. Unfortunately, he couldn't carry all of them, but knew they could support each other. He held out his hook and instructed for Moana to grab onto it and for each of the girls to grab each other's hands. Maui knew the safest way was for him to lead a train up the mountain and it would avoid any of them from falling or accidentally burning themselves.
Kairi stopped and took a breath as they reached a very steep climb of the mountain. Naminé and Xion both shook their heads, thinking there was no way they could climb any further without getting hurt. Maui pondered with how to possibly get up until the island itself had an answer for him. The ground beneath them began to shake. Their first thoughts were that Mt. Keahilani was getting ready to erupt and wasn't a fan of these complete strangers stepping foot on Konua.
"Whoa! I see what the wind goddess was saying when she warned us!" Naminé yelped.
Moana gasped and pointed ahead. "Guys! Look!"
Instead of Mt. Keahilani erupting like everyone feared, the earth started to terraform. The steep climb had not only begun flattening, but little bumps were popping up along the path that led directly to a newly formed entrance to Mt. Keahilani's crater. These bumps in the ground weren't formed to create imbalance in the earth, but rather were steps! Kairi, Naminé, and Xion gazed in wonder as they saw what appeared to be Mt. Keahilani purposefully creating a path that led them inside.
No longer having to trek the mountain, Kairi immediately began jogging up the steps with Xion and Naminé right behind her. Maui and Moana kept up as all five of them reached the top and could just feel the intense heat coming from inside. Kairi took a deep breath and wiped her brow. She was used to island heat, but this was a whole new level of heat that was a result of the volcano's lava floor at the bottom. The inside of the crater was exactly how it sounded. It was a massive cave with magma and pools of lava all around, just waiting for someone to make the wrong step and fall right in.
"Mt. Keahilani created a path for us into the crater." Kairi gasped as she peeked inside.
"Huh, I guess they were expecting us." Xion chuckled.
"Now, if we can just find the shrine…" Moana muttered softly.
Maui rested his hand on her head and turned it up. "There it is."
Just across a bridge that connected two ledges together, there awaited the shrine of Hashmal. The bipedal statue whose look resembled a lion rested on a pedestal that had a similar foreign inscription. After crossing the bridge, Maui knelt down with the girls following suit. He recited the prayer on the pedestal and awaited the awakening of the earth god.
As Maui finished reciting, the ground beneath them began to shake. Almost similar to how the wind picked up with Garuda's arrival, so was the earth when Hashmal arrived. From the statue arose a deity that resembled that of a bipedal lion, but with a white mane and large horns. Although he had a feline appearance, the iron cuffs around his wrists and the armor that guarded the lower half of his body, gave off the impression that he could pick a fight if someone wanted to. Getting a good look at his visitors, Hashmal descended and held a gaze with Moana and Kairi. He had been expecting them.
"Moana, child of the ocean. Kairi, child of light. The spirits of Mt. Keahilani present you to me. I am the earth god, Hashmal. You travel to my domain in search of a trial, yes?"
Moana nodded. "Yes, Kairi and I are on a quest to restore the heart of Te Fiti and need to face our next trial. We have already succeeded in the wind trial of Garuda."
"Indeed, it would seem so." Hashmal nodded. "You are the sole visitors that have yet to anger Mt. Keahilani."
"That explains why the volcano was so calm." Kairi stated with a nod.
"Quite the observation, child of light." Hashmal said before holding out a metallic paw. "Very well. If you perceive yourself as ready for this trial, please stand on that pedestal."
Up a flight of steps was a pedestal that matched the one in front of Hashmal's shrine. Kairi and Moana had no problem climbing up to get to it. The problem that arose was what was in front of the pedestal, which was nothing. There was a dropoff right into a pool of lava. If Kairi and Moana thought Garuda's trial was crazy, the potential that Hashmal's trial had made the last one look like just a simple skydiving lesson.
Suddenly, Hashmal launched himself into the air and slammed his entire body on the ground. Kairi and Moana furrowed their eyebrows as they looked up and watched a boulder collapse from above. They yelped, thinking at first it would land on them, but landed in the lava pool in front of them. Kairi somewhat started to gather an idea of what they would have to do and wasn't sure if she wanted to ask or not.
"Uh...what's the trial?" Kairi asked, gazing down into the lava pool.
Hashmal stood even straighter and projected his voice. "This trial will test your balance. The balance of your mind, body, and soul. Lack of balance will result in failure."
"That's it?" Moana asked softly.
"Listen to your body, listen to your mind, and your soul. Giving one more power will shift your balance." Hashmal advised. "Ride the boulder through that course of pillars and to this pedestal. That is your trial."
Kairi swallowed a lump that formed in her throat. "Somehow, this one is scarier than the last."
"I know, I feel the same." Moana shuddered.
Naminé sighed, grabbing both Maui and Xion's hands. "I don't know if I can watch this…"
"They'll be okay. I can feel it." Maui assured her.
First, Kairi slowly stepped onto the boulder. With her being a lightweight, it didn't move yet, but the idea of being on top of a perfectly round boulder stirred up her anxiety a little. She crouched down and took a moment to gather her balance before slowly standing up. There was no time limit to this trial, so she took her time getting used to it. When Kairi was comfortable, she nodded for Moana to step on. Little did the girls know that this time, she wouldn't have as much of an easy time getting used to it.
Just as Moana and her added weight stepped on the boulder, it began to roll forward. She and Kairi yelped and began instinctively shuffling their feet, trying to control the speed the boulder was rolling while also trying to keep from falling over. Kairi finally had the two of them hop around and start rolling the ball in the opposite direction to slow it down.
Once the boulder slowed to a stop, the girls took a second to study the obstacle course they'd have to drive the boulder through. It wasn't a big course, just a few pillars they had to navigate, but after realizing how hard it was to control it, Kairi knew there was a reason why it was a small course. Anything more would just be too much. Together two girls worked in sync to slowly roll the boulder forward. It went well until Moana accidentally went too fast and caused them to bump against one of the pillars.
"Whoa!" Moana nearly lost her balance. "Kairi, I can't do this. I can't do this."
"Yes we can." Kairi encouraged her. "We're in the middle of this lava pool and we can't go anywhere else, so we have to finish this, and we're going to."
Moana caught her breath and looked at her surroundings. Kairi was right. There was nothing they could do at this point except for finish the course. Determined, she nodded and gripped her feet on the boulder, ready to change direction if she needed to. This time, the girls took it even slower, shifting the boulder's direction if they had to and not getting worked up if they accidentally moved too fast. They finally understood what Hashmal meant by balance of one's self.
Despite the slip up toward the beginning of the course, Kairi and Moana were able to navigate past all the pillars and avoided crashing into any of them this time. However, there was one last obstacle. It was a very tight turn from the last pillar to the pedestal. The way they were rolling the boulder before wasn't going to work. This time, Kairi suggested a new idea. Moana would move it forward and she'd move it at an angle really fast to get just the right turn. It was a risk, and the boulder just barely scraped the pillar, but Kairi's idea proved to be useful and the girls made it to the end.
"Got it!" Kairi yelled as her feet landed on the pedestal. "Moana! You can open your eyes now! We made it!"
"We did?" Moana gasped as she saw the solid ground beneath her feet. "We did it! Two trials down!"
Naminé heaved a sigh with relief. "They're safe!"
"I'm so glad!" Xion smiled and nodded. "Now Nami, would you mind not digging your nails into my arm now?"
"Oh...sorry…" She laughed sheepishly and released Xion's arm.
Hashmal met Moana and Kairi at his shrine, a grin of approval across his face. "Well done, young princesses of light. You have completed two of the three trials. For your final trial, you must travel north, to the island of Kaimana, a sanctuary for the creatures of the sea."
Moana nodded. "I recognize that name. That's where many creatures go when they feel endangered by humans."
"Within the island of Kaimana, you will happen upon a great fountain where the shrine of Leviathan awaits you."
"Leviathan, also referred to as the King of the Sea." Moana cited softly.
"The trial of the sea king will be your most difficult yet. Approach with caution." Hashmal cautioned them. "Until we meet next, I bid farewell and wish you a safe voyage."
Kairi and Moana nodded as Hashmal faded back into his statue. With two trials completed, they were more eager than ever to start on their journey toward the island of Kaimana. Moana had heard of Kaimana through the people in her village, but wasn't sure if it was just a legend or if it really was a sanctuary for the creatures of the sea. She was glad that Hashmal confirmed that it did indeed exist and she'd get to see it for the first time.
Unfortunately, they wouldn't have help getting back down to the beach this time, but Maui did offer to use his blue marlin transformation to make the voyage to Kaimana a quick one. While it was faster than it would have been if they just sailed normally, it did give Kairi and Moana a moment to prepare for what Leviathan had planned for the final trial. Considering how much this world was surrounded by water, Kairi expected nothing less than raw power from this god, but was grateful that she herself grew up on an island and knew a thing or two about water. If it had to do with swimming, she was set.
"So, what do you think he meant when he said Leviathan's trial will be the hardest?" Kairi asked.
"I'm not sure." Moana shrugged her shoulders. "The last one was pretty difficult."
Kairi laughed and nodded. "Yeah, probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. But we pulled it off."
"Yeah, we did!" She nodded in agreement. "You know, maybe this next trial may not be so bad. Maybe Hashmal was over exaggerating."
"You might be right. I feel like a water based trial won't be as dangerous as one that takes place in a volcano where we could've burned and shriveled up after one mistake."
"Uh...about that trial…" Maui called from the water. "Did he mention anything about Heartless being involved?"
Kairi gasped upon looking out at the island of Kaimana. Unlike the previous islands where they were peaceful and were almost expecting her and Moana, Kaimana was in a state of disarray. The clear blue sky was suddenly darkened by storm clouds and an intense rain shower poured on top of them. Even from a distance, Kairi could tell that Heartless were invading the island and the strikes of lightning only further added to the chaos that Kaimana had sunk into.
As Moana docked the boat, she yelped as a Water Core sped by them and chased after a young dolphin. This island was meant to be a safe place for the creatures of the sea and the supposed beauty of the island reflected it. Even with Heartless causing trouble on the island, the coral and rocks sparkled as the wind force from the storm blew the ocean's tides on top of them as well as blowing some mist from the island's numerous waterfalls. If this island was under attack, who knew whether the other ones were next or not.
"Well, looks like we've got a little more work to do!" Xion said as she summoned her Keyblade.
Naminé hopped off the boat and summoned her weapon. "I'm ready to go!"
"Moana, you up for a warmup?" Kairi asked as she summoned Destiny's Embrace.
"Yep!" Moana grabbed her oar. "Why not?"
"Don't forget!" Maui hollered as he stood by the rest of the group. "It's Maui time! Cheeeeehoooooo!"
Kairi dove into the water as she saw some Sea Sprites tormenting a sea turtle. Now was the time to take advantage of her being a good swimmer and save the creatures that were native to her home as well. From a distance Kairi shot some Pearlga orbs at the Sea Sprites, taking their attention away from the sea turtle and causing them to come after her. She swam away, driving the Sea Sprites as far away from the sea turtles as she could.
When they were at a safe enough distance, Kairi cast Thundaga, hoping it would be enough to get them off the animals' case. Although most of them were stunned and severely damaged, one of them wrapped its body around and constricted her while another one clamped its jaw on her arm. Although she was trapped, Kairi would soon be rescued by Moana, who dove in after her. Using her oar, Moana had 'the chomper' bite down on it as a diversion while Ocean gripped 'the trapper' and sent it downstream and freeing Kairi.
Together, Kairi and Moana jetted through the sea and struck the Sea Sprites. They did it in a way that was acrobatic, twirling and flipping as if Ocean were supporting them and giving them the extra speed. To finish off the Sea Sprites, Kairi and Moana joined hands and held each of their necklaces as Ocean created an undersea typhoon that diminished the Heartless, but left the two girls virtually unharmed. Kairi smiled and nodded as the ocean carried her and Moana back up to the surface. It was amazing what kind of power it had.
On the island, Xion had attempted a Thunder Surge on a Water Core, only for another one to hit her and interrupt her technique. Although she was interrupted, Naminé was there right on cue to strike them down with Thundaga before the two of them went on to fight off the Wild Palms with Kairi. While the girls handled them, Maui had transformed into a rhinoceros and was taking full advantage of his size and the large horn on his snout. He pounded the ground to knock the Large Body Heartless off their feet before impaling them right into the ocean.
Maui laughed heartily and twirled his hook as the last of the Heartless were finished off. "Now that's what I'd like to call, 'Maui's Finest Moment'!"
"I don't know, something feels funny." Naminé cautioned him.
"Yeah, I think you're right, Naminé." Moana nodded in agreement.
Although the Heartless had been defeated, the island was still in a state of chaos. Unbeknownst to anyone, there was an even bigger threat to the island. The shrine of Leviathan was where it was supposed to be, in its grotto surrounded by waterfalls, but it wasn't in the state it was supposed to be in. There was dark matter surrounding it and the haunting sounds of a painful moan echoed in the air.
"Moana! Look!" Kairi gasped, pointing at the shrine.
Moana yelped as a spirit rose from the shrine. It was a dark spirit that had the form of a sea serpent. He didn't say anything and instead let out an ear-screeching cry. The serpent's eyes glowed yellow and the dark matter loomed over him.
"It's Leviathan!" Moana cried out. "What's wrong with him?"
"I think the darkness engulfed Kaimana and it happened before we could get here!" Kairi suspected. "And the darkness possessed Leviathan because of his connection to the island."
"No way...I didn't think that was possible." Maui breathed out.
"So...we're basically gonna have to fight a god?" Xion asked, her eyes widening. "Had I known we'd be doing that, I would've told Roxas and Axel about my secret ice cream stash!"
"No, we can't fight him!" Moana said firmly.
Maui nodded and stood by her. "Moana's right. Just trying to fight him off will make him angrier and he'll kill you."
"Well," Kairi thought for a moment. "Then there's only one thing left to do! I'll have to cast the darkness out of him! But I'll have to get closer to him. Maui, I'll need your help. Xion, Naminé, Moana, you three keep Leviathan busy like Naminé did with Tamatoa!"
"Right!" Naminé nodded. "Come on, ladies!"
As the girls ran off to distract Leviathan, Maui looked down at Kairi. "Alright Kairi, what are we feeling?"
"How about that giant hawk you showed us earlier?" Kairi asked.
"You got it! Cheeeehoooo!" Maui hollered as he transformed into a giant hawk.
Kairi climbed onto Maui's back and gripped tightly as he took off for the skies while also keeping Moana, Naminé, and Xion under his watchful eye. The idea to use them as a distraction was working well enough that it was keeping Leviathan's attention, but there was that fear of him causing some serious harm to them. Moana gasped as the serpent god lunged forward with a bite. Ocean managed to swoop all three of them out of the way in just the right time, but it didn't make it easier to avoid Leviathan's deadly attacks.
As soon as Maui felt like he could get close enough, he flapped toward Leviathan, thinking there was no way he would notice them. Unfortunately, Ocean was swooping Moana, Naminé, and Xion out of the way of another attack and accidentally set them in the same general direction Kairi and Maui were flying from. Leviathan, trying to follow his trespassers, caught sight of Kairi and Maui. He cast a hostile glare and let out a cry before circling both his head and his tail.
Maui cocked his head to the side and flapped in place, confused by what Leviathan was doing. It wasn't until suddenly he nearly lost control of his flying that he realized that Leviathan had created typhoons around the island to trap everyone. Moana, Xion, and Naminé were trapped in one typhoon with Ocean trying to keep them grounded closer to the ocean. In the other one, Maui was trying to regain his footing and get them out of the twister. Even for a demigod, the sea god's power was proving to be too much and Kairi had to fight to stay on Maui's back.
"Can you flap harder?" Kairi yelled.
"If I could, we wouldn't be in this vortex!" Maui yelled back.
"What about changing into an animal that can swim in a vortex?" She tightened her grip.
"There are no such things!" He gasped upon realizing that even if there weren't any animals who could swim in a vortex, there was an animal that was way too massive to be carried away by a vortex. "Hang on! For the next few minutes, I need you to trust me!"
"Wait, what?"
Maui launched Kairi off his body and sent her flying up. In a flash of a second, he transformed into a blue whale, one of the largest animals that ever existed. With his massive size, Maui could now execute his idea of getting himself and Kairi out. He stretched his body out with his mouth open wide completely and clamped it around Kairi's body in one gobble, almost as if he were trying to eat her.
With her now inside of his mouth, Maui's massive whale body splashed down into the sea and gave him a chance to swim away. Once out of the vortex, Maui spit Kairi out immediately before he transformed into an orca. Kairi grabbed onto his dorsal fin as he swam up to her and helped her swim back up to the surface. Although the plan did work, Kairi was still disgusted by the fact that she was in a whale's mouth.
"I told you I needed you to trust me…" Maui reminded her.
"That was disgusting!" Kairi scrunched up her face. "Well, at least we're out of the vortex…" She looked up at Leviathan, who had his attention on Xion, Naminé, and Moana. "Okay, I think I know how we should approach this."
"We just swim for Te Fiti and pretend we never saw this?" Maui asked.
Kairi shook her head. "Nope. The flight approach distracts him too much. I think I have an idea. You're gonna launch me up there."
"Come again?" He looked up, arching an eyebrow.
"Orcas are more than strong enough to launch humans into the air!" Kairi explained. "I'm gonna get in front of you, using your nose, get behind my feet and push me under water before you start swimming up to the surface. When you leap out of the water, it'll be towards Leviathan, and then I'll jump off and relinquish the darkness from him!"
"Sounds absolutely crazy, but that's what being a demigod's about! Let's do this!" Maui hollered.
Kairi dove back underwater and began swimming further down. Maui wasn't that far behind and pressed his nose against the balls of her feet. There was a pit in her stomach on account that she had never attempted this with an animal before, but knew it was very possible. Using the force in his tail fin, Maui picked up speed and pushed Kairi even farther toward Leviathan. She could see they were getting closer and readied her Keyblade. This was going to take exact precision and timing if she was going to nail this.
At just the right distance, Maui swam up and launched himself into the air, giving Kairi a chance to launch herself off his nose. With her Keyblade aimed at Leviathan's chest, Kairi flew in the air and drew closer to the possessed serpent. He finally took his attention off of Naminé, Xion, and Moana and focused on her, but by the time he did so, it was too late. A beam fired from Destiny's Embrace and nailed Leviathan in the chest. The serpent cried out as the dark spirit that possessed him was forced out and dematerialized. Leviathan's spirit fell unconscious and faded back to the statue where he rightfully belonged.
In the meantime, the storm had blown away from Kaimana. The sky was once again blue with a bright sun, the tides of the ocean were calm, the waterfalls were blissful, and the sea creatures returned to their rightful nesting areas around the island and its water bodies. The island was saved, as was their god, who most likely only needed a moment to recoup.
"Hey, the storm is gone!" Moana gasped.
"So are the Heartless!" Xion sighed with relief.
Maui popped Kairi out of the water before hopping out and transforming back to a human. "That was a rush!"
"Yeah! Thanks Maui!" Kairi said as she fist bumped him.
"What about Leviathan? Is he okay?" Naminé asked.
Kairi gasped before looking back at the shrine. "I don't know! Come on!"
Moana and Kairi eagerly ran to the shrine, hoping they could still speak to Leviathan and that it wasn't too late. Maui was about to perform his usual ritual to summon the sea god, but this time around, it wasn't necessary. As soon as everyone was in front of the statue, the water's currents grew stronger and splashed around the statue. Kairi and Moana gasped as they watched the true King of the Sea rise up from his statue. The blue sea-serpent was still the beautiful sea king he was before his possession and he didn't need an introduction to know who had saved him and his island from falling to the darkness.
"The darkness has been relinquished. The island of Kaimana has been restored. Peace remains among this island. I, Leviathan, the god of the sea, commend you, Kairi, princess of light, for your courage."
"Thank you, Leviathan. I appreciate your kind words, but...the only reason we could save this island was because all five of us worked together." Kairi said as she looked back at her friends.
Leviathan nodded in an approval manner. "Yes, a bond that is shared with our brothers and sisters is a great strength that is unmatched, even by our great ocean."
Moana stepped closer and stood by Kairi. "Leviathan, the ocean chose me to restore the heart of Te Fiti and we have to complete three trials before the mist surrounding Te Fiti will open a path for us. We've completed the trials of Garuda and Hashmal, and we only need one more."
"The trial of Leviathan, my trial." He recited. "The purpose of the trials is to test the chosen one and prepare them for their encounter with Te Ka. Because of your courage and will to defeat the darkness that nearly succumbed this island, I will not require you or Kairi to complete the trial."
"Really?" Moana gasped. "Oh! Thank you!"
"So, I guess that's it then?" Kairi asked.
"Yes. I will grant you the blessing of the King of the Sea. With my blessing, that grants you all three required blessings from the gods of wind, earth, and sea. To reach Te Fiti, you must sail north toward the cloud of fog. Once you reach it, a path will be open within the mists surrounding Te Fiti, and the island will be revealed to you." Leviathan explained.
"Perfect! We're gonna do this!" Moana bounced up and down.
Maui chuckled and leaned on his hook. "I knew she could do it."
"Then we better get going!" Kairi said cheerfully.
Maui nodded in agreement, offering to race the girls back to the boat and that last one was a rotten sea scallop. Moana instantly ran past him with Xion and Naminé right behind her, practically leaving him and Kairi behind in the dust. Kairi laughed as Maui ran after them, his larger size not helping the matter this time. She was about to catch up with them when Leviathan spoke her name, stopping her in her tracks.
"Kairi, I sense a special light within your heart." Leviathan said as he leaned closer to her. "You are on a perilous quest to save someone who fills your heart with that light."
Kairi nodded. "Yeah, two of them. It's been quite a journey, but I know I'm close to the end and it'll be any day now when everything will be as it should!"
"That is good tidings." He nodded his head. "However, the end of your journey is and always will be the greatest storm you will ever have to brace."
"I'm sure it will be." She nodded in agreement. "I'll try to prepare for that as much as I can."
"That is important, but you will not have to face it alone." Leviathan suddenly started to glow a bluish-green hue and shut his eyes.
Kairi gasped and ran forward. "Leviathan? Where are you going?"
"I will always be here, attending to my duties of caring for the creatures of his world." He answered in a warm tone. "However, I will also loan you my strength for the final leg of your journey. If you are ever in any need of assistance, I shall keep to my promise and grant you that strength. Keep it close and never lose sight of it."
Leviathan darted his eyes down toward Kairi's wrist where her watch was starting to glow. She held it up and gasped as a new icon started to form next to the others that belonged to her friends. The icon was a sea serpent and would be an easy reminder that there was great strength that awaited her if she ever needed it.
"Thank you, Leviathan." Kairi said softly.
With the spirit of Leviathan resting once again within his statue, Kairi bid him farewell and was the rotten sea scallop that finally caught up with her friends on the boat. All three gods: Garuda, Hashmal, and Leviathan gave Kairi and Moana the blessings they needed to move on their journey and encounter their final threat, Te Ka.
A/N: In case you missed the references, here are what they were: Maui turns into Carbuncle at the beginning of the chapter, and then turns into a Cactuar before they start the trials. Also, Garuda, Hashmal, and Leviathan are bosses/summons found in various Final Fantasy games. And yes, I gave Leviathan as a summon to Kairi because darn it! We need a FF summon and I can see her fighting alongside Leviathan! (Or Carbuncle)