Thanks for your reviews! There is a new character in this chapter...if the name sounds familiar, it was the first name that came to mind, just to let you know.
Chapter 6: The Heart on a Girl's Head
"In the land where the winter wind blows, anger and hatred will surely show," Tahu read.
"Even to me this makes no sense," Onua said with a frown. "Well, I know what it means, but not what it really means...understand?" The other Toa nodded.
"In Ko-Koro anger and hatred will surely show. There has always been anger and hatred between Kopaka and I," Tahu spat. "Then one amongst them all...That must be Gali, but she has never helped to do anything to improve," Tahu said. Gali just glared. The look in her eyes did the talking. "This meeting was a waste of our time. Come on Jaller, we have more important buissness to see to."
"We do?" Jaller asked.
"Just come one." Jaller shrugged and and Tahu and Jaller walked away.
"Strange. None of us, not even Onua knew what this riddle meant. This meeting was a waste of time, just like Tahu said," Gali sighed.
"No, it wasn't," Ko-Kohilii reassured.
"It wasn't? What have we found out?" Matoro asked.
"We found out that the three stones worded out 'the eighth Toa' and that the riddle..." Ko-Kohilii picked up the stone. "...tells us that someone is going to help someone to find similarities between themselves and someone else," she finished.
"She is right," Onua thought out loud. "Why didn't I think of that?" he mumbled.
"The hour is late..." Lewa said looking at the sun. "I must go." Lewa nodded and shot into the sky, flying south-west into the setting sun, that was in the direction of Le-Koro.
"Yes, I will be wanted," Onua said as he climbed into the hole that he came through.
"Hey! Kolhii head," Takanuva turned towards the sound. It was Jaller. " Toa Tahu wants you to come also," Jaller called. Takanuva sighed and shrugged and followed Jaller. Pohatu laughed and activated his Konohi Kakama Nuva and sped off into the horizon.
Kopaka, Ko-Kohilii, Matoro and Gali bid their goodbyes and headed off towards their Koro.
Kopaka hung back and thought to himself while Matoro and Ko-Kohilii ran ahead and threw balls of snow at each other. They both were giggling and laughing loudly. And least somebody was carefree.
Many questions ran through Kopaka's mind. What did the riddle mean? Yes, Ko-Kohilii was correct about some of the riddle. But Kopaka felt that something about the riddle was missing. And what did the arrow mean? That was the thing that puzzled him the most.
The sky had grown dark and the stars shone brightly in the black Ko-Wahi sky. Like pin points of light poked through a black sheet of seaweed canvas from Ga-Koro. The moon was shining brightly also, reflecting on the sparkling snow of Ko-Wahi.
Matoro and Ko-Kohilii had run far ahead. Their footsteps left a trail leading off in the direction of Ko-Koro. And leading off to the right was another set of footstep, spaced close together and leading off towards a small range of hills. Kopaka, who was curious, headed off in the direction the footsteps were leading him in. He followed the the trail for about one mile until he found a matoran...a purple and pink matoran with a blue Konohi Hau.
"Toa Kopaka," the matoran said. "My name is Enai. I am one of the..." Enai stopped when she saw that he was not paying attention. He was staring at an object beyond her. Kopaka started walking towards it. Enai mumbled something under her breath and dissapeared.
When Kopaka got to the object, he gasped. There was a slim, tall, purple and hot pink figure sprawled on the ground. Kopaka turned around to ask Enai about it but she had gone, dissapeared, vanished like all the others. Kopaka turned back to the figure and took a good look at the figure. Judging by the color, he assumed it was a female. Next to her was a...Konohi mask? The eighth Toa? Kopaka thought. No, she isn't. She couldn't be. Kopaka picked up the "Konohi mask" and ran his fingers over the hard gray, cold, metal surface of the mask. It had the shape and style of a mask of a mask of strength...well, the one Onua wore as a young Toa. There were only a few differences: Instead of the four slits on the left and right side of the mask, there were three. And instead of the three slits at the top of the mask there was a heart.
On her back there was an arrow. One that matched the one on the back of the stone. The arrow was most likely her weapon. A strong piece of leather strapped the arrow to her back. Her breathing was slow and relaxed. Kopaka carefully her up and let her relax in his arms, making sure she didn't wake. One hand under her legs near the knees and the other hand under her arms. Holding her in his arms he carefully walked to his hut in the silent Ko-Koro.
When Kopaka got to his hut, he laid her down on his bed, face up. He decided he should put the Konohi mask on it. He drew his blade, just in case. The laid the Konohi mask on her face. When it was on, her face face glowed and the metal mask turned purple. She stirred in Kopaka's bed. Awakening from a peaceful sleep. She opened her eyes and looked startled to see some stranger with a weapon drawn, looking at herself.
"Uh, hello. I'm Toa Eli...I think" She said. "I am the Toa of Love," She introduced. Why didn't he think of it before...well, he did. But the pink and purple body, the riddle, the arrow, the heart on the girl's head...It all fit.
Eli stood up. She had a slim purple and pink body with a puple mask. Her mask went beautifully with her dark blue eyes. Kopaka stood there with nothing to say. He was awestruck by her beauty.
"I'm ..." Eli held up a hand to silence him. She looked at him carefully, taking in every detail.
"You are Toa Kopaka, the spirit of ice." Kopaka nodded. "And the others are Tahu, element fire. Gali, water. Onua, earth. Pohatu, stone. Lewa, air and Takanuva, light," she took a breath. "The Turaga are Vakama, fire. Nokama, water. Whenua, earth. Onewa, the referee, stone. Matau, air and Nuju, ice." Kopaka looked at her stunned, and virtually impressed.
"For a new Toa, you know a lot," Kopaka laughed. She smiled in appreciation.
"The villages are Ta-Koro, Ga-Koro, Onu-Koro, Po-Koro, Le-Koro, Ko-Koro and El-Koro. The..."
"El-Koro?" Kopaka asked confused yet curious. He was eyeing her and memorizing every line and curve.
"El-Koro, the village of love. Located in Ko-Wahi...due three miles south of Ko-Koro. The village itself is in a very large cave." Kopaka gaped at her. Another Koro in Ko-Wahi. That's why he had seen all those matoran wandering about Ko-Wahi.
"I have two questions, if you don't mind." Eli nodded her approval. "The matoran are called El-Matoran, and how do you know all about Mata Nui when you did not exist until about just now?" Kopaka asked.
"Accually, to answer your first question," she said softly. Kopaka had a surprised look on his face. "The matoran are called Eli-Matoran. And to answer your second question...I know all of this because of a dream I had. It told me who everyone one was, the traditions, the games, the legends and such," she smiled. Kopaka noticed that she was starting to not be in focus with the world around her.
"Do you want to sleep some more?" Kopaka asked sypathetically, feeling sorry for waking her up.
"Yeah. Do you mind if I stay here for the night?" she asked. Kopaka shook his head.
"You can stay," he said as she relaxed on his bed. Kopaka had to go see if Matoro and Ko-Kohilii had gotten to their huts. He was walking ou the door when he turned and took another look at the girl with a heart on her head.