DiabloCat: I'm really sorry about the late update, but I've always been pretty pathetic at this. Anyway, we get action in this chapter. Yay!
Chessrook44: Hello again. Thanks for the tip. I did know that they lived in the trees, but the elevators were something new. So, I've added a last minute explanation in this chapter.
Nightbug08: I'm pleased you are pleased. And here it is.
Kira, Toa of Blade: I live to obey…
Jade: Ah. I suppose that semi-clears it up. Say hi to Feline Freak for me then.
CHAPTER 4: FIRST BATTLE
I gritted my teeth and tried not to look down. I've been up high before. On top of masts, on top of buildings – even clinging desperately to the outside of a plane. You'd think I'd be used to it by now.
Nope.
It didn't help that an evilly cheery breeze had sprung up and was causing the ladder to sway backwards and forwards. I just narrowed my eyes, gripped harder and kept on a-climbing.
A small crowd had gathered down below, no doubt eager to watch the strangeweird creature make a complete idiot of herself. Well, they should be happy – I was doing a pretty good job of that.
I slipped slightly on one rung, and dangled there for a moment before managing to haul myself back up. It could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn a swift gust of wind helped give me a push back into position.
Tamaru and Kulani peered down at me with anxious eyes as I struggled up the ladder. I glared at them for getting me into this, and they giggled nervously.
Finally I hauled myself onto the branch next to them, puffing from my climb. I clung to it tightly, and tried to obey that stupid mantra – don't look down, don't look down…
"Aren't there supposed to be elevators or something here?" I managed to pant out.
Tamaru shrugged. "They were damaged during the darktime. We are repairing them everquick, but they are still not ready."
"Darktime? Which darktime?" Aha! Maybe I'd finally find out what time period I was in.
Kulani shuddered. "The Bohrok-kal."
The Bohrok-kal…that meant the next bunch of evil things to attack them would be – the Rahkshi. I swallowed. Great. Just brilliant.
"Are you wishing to go topleaf now?"
I gazed up at the many branches that led to the top. "Yeah, why not?" I stood up, rather unsteadily, and transferred my grip on the branch to the trunk. From my new vantage point, a strange sound reached me. I cocked my head.
"Uh…what's that noise?"
Tamaru and Kulani looked at me in bemusement.
"Stand up," I urged.
Once upright, Kulani gasped and Tamaru blanched. They could obviously hear the same noise I was hearing, and it meant more to them than it did to me.
"What is it?"
"Rama!" whispered Tamaru, then turned and shouted. "RAMA!"
Le-Koro exploded in a frenzy of Matoran. Boy, could these guys move fast. The young ones were hustled up the trees into the huts, the warriors grabbed their weapons and readied for battle.
I just stood on the branch, gaping like an idiot.
I couldn't for the life of me remember what a Rama was. I figured it wasn't friendly, but what it was and how it was dangerous was beyond me.
"Come!" said Kulani, tugging at my sleeve and indicating the ground.
I sighed. "You mean I climbed all the way up here, only to have to go back down?"
"You cannot fight here. The Rama's are everquick, and you are not good in the trees."
"Geez, don't spare my feeling," I said wryly. "Besides, how am I supposed to get back down in time?" The noise was getting louder, indicating the Ramas were closer.
Lewa zoomed up alongside my branch, making me jump backwards in fright – and lose my balance. For a second I teetered there, arms pin-wheeling madly, then I toppled over the edge.
For the second time in less than an hour, I was falling through the air. And, again for the second time, Lewa saved my butt.
A gust of wind pulled me up sharply, so that I was hovering a few metres from the ground. I wriggled around in mid-air, so that I was facing upwards. "Thanks!" Then, muttered to myself. "I guess that solves the problem of how to get down…"
Once I had both feet firmly on the ground, I drew my sword, and squinted to where the noise was coming from. It was so loud now, it almost hurt my ears. Either that was one enormous Rama, or there were a tonne of little ones. And, either way, it didn't look too good.
There was a warning shout from a Matoran – mounted on this huge hummingbird thing – just as the first Ramas burst through the treetops.
First hummingbirds, now dragonflies. I was stuck in a maniacal garden.
Lewa leaped into action immediately, knocking two of the bugs spinning away with a blast of wind. Several Matorans ganged up on one, taking it down with a very cool move. They nudged their birdies in close, leaped off onto the Rama and sent it falling downwards under their weight. When it was about three metres off the ground, they leaped back onto the birds, leaving the Rama to crash alone.
Unfortunately, the Rama was far from completely finished. It hauled itself unsteadily onto its multiple feet, and shook its wings out, readying itself to go back into the air.
It didn't get a chance to, because I decided to interfere.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not an amazingly brilliant fighter, nor very courageous. My fighting skills are given to me by Demon, and as for courage – it helps a lot knowing you won't be permanently dead. And I've done a lot of battles in the past. You start to get used to it after a while.
I slashed at the Rama, and then had to spring backwards as it lashed at me with a pair of nasty pincer-claw things. It lunged for me again, I jumped backwards again – and tripped, landing flat on my back.
Oh, way to go, Carleigh! Great way to make yourself look like a hero.
Luckily, I had a few tricks up my sleeve. Or, to be more precise, in my sword. Demon had mentioned it being able to fire lightning bolts. And, knowing him, all you had to do was grip and concentrate.
There was a flash of light and the Rama reared upwards, screeching in pain, clawing at its face. I scrambled back onto my feet.
"Lightning bolts? Huh, more like static electricity," I said indignantly.
Demon's voice murmured in my ear, "What were you expecting?"
"Oh, I dunno. Something a little more effective. Y'know, something that'd fry the bug, not just make it back away." I eyed said bug warily, but it seemed to be fairly occupied for now.
"But that would make it too easy," was the smug reply, and he was gone. Not that he was physically there in the first place, but our brief conversation was over.
The Rama pulled its claws away from its face, and shook its head. There was a large, painful looking welt along the side of its face, I noted in satisfaction.
The satisfaction faded somewhat, when the Rama turned its head to face me. There was an awful lot of anger in those eyes. I gulped, and gripped my sword tighter.
It lunged at me, and I dodged to the side. The Rama was about the size of a car, and determined to eat me. It lunged again, and I dodged again, parrying a blow from its claws.
We continued like this for some time. Lunge, dodge, block. Lunge, dodge, block. I was starting to get a touch weary, and also confused. Why was it doing the same thing over and over? It was almost as if it were herding me…
My back struck a tree trunk. I cursed, and looked up in time to see a claw heading for my face. So I ducked.
The claw thunked into the tree solidly, and lodged there. Unfortunately, it also trapped me. It blocked off my left, and the other claw blocked off my right by flailing around. There was only one place to go.
I jumped onto the trapped claw, and onto the back of the Rama. Just as it pulled part of its claw free.
I staggered and fell to my knees on the back of the Rama. I didn't have much time. I had to move fast.
I raised my sword – but was jolted sideways as the Rama heaved on its trapped claw again. Grinding my teeth in irritation, I hauled myself back into a suitable position. I raised my sword again, and this time brought it down sharply.
The Rama screeched, and jolted so violently I was thrown off, to land on my back. Ugh, I was going to be so stiff tomorrow. The giant dragonfly gave one last shudder and collapsed.
I'd done my first battle on Mata Nui. And I hadn't died, or been seriously wounded. A couple of scratches, a hell of a lot of bruises, but no missing limbs or anything. Hey, it's happened before!
Overall, I was fairly pleased. And I was starting to like this place.
DiabloCat: Again, thanks for being so patient, and bearing with me. Hope you liked it. I'll write more as soon as my inspiration comes back and whacks me on the head.