Secret of the Mask 2
Chapter 10
Author's Note: I got to rewriting, and the last part got longer than I expected, so I decided to add one more chapter to this story. So, the last chapter is the next one instead of this one (like I had originally said). Well, enjoy, and thanks for the reviews.
"I'm supposed to make the sacrifice!" Takua cried, watching his friend's life slipping away. He shakily held Jaller's hand in his own, fearing that his friend would not heed his protest and be all right again.
"No," Jaller replied with a feeble smile, "the duty was mine." Gathering what strength he could, he picked up the mask that he had so long carried. The mask had been entrusted into his care to deliver it to its master, whose identity Jaller now was keenly aware of.
"You know…" Jaller breathed weakly, "…who you are."
Takua's heart fell at the thought of having such a weighty responsibility without the most stable person in his life to lean on.
Jaller then repeated back the words that Takua had said in jest with so much more meaning now than Takua had ever intended them to have…
"You were always different."
The lava began to flow around them. Jaller stood, trying to reinforce the shield that was the only thing that stood between the lava and Ga-Koro. Takua's eyes turned to his friend, who had once already sacrificed his life for him.
Takua took out his golden mask, staring down at it. A thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. It's okay to be different… furrowed his brow. "I'm not going to lose you again…" he said.
He thrust the Mask of Light onto his Kanohi, and Jaller watched with amazement the transformation that he had never witnessed. Before his very eyes, Takua became Takanuva once more.
Jaller gave a smile of relief and the Toa turned to him. "Time to form…" Takanuva said, "the Matoran Nui!"
Despite Jaller's exhaustion, he still managed to raise an eyebrow. "A what…?"
"Never mind," Takanuva said. "It'll all make sense later." Clenching a fist in determination, he declared, "We must be one!"
Jaller smirked weakly, thinking of his other friend who embodied the first of the Three Virtues. "Unity…"
Takanuva set his hands on Jaller's shoulders, and a bright flash of light emitted from them. When the light faded, one being stood in their place…
It had a golden Kanohi Hau with a red and gold body in the shape of Takanuva. With renewed strength, the Toa-like being stretched forth his hands.
The shield grew wider and taller. However, lava continued to flow around it toward Ga-Koro.
In a voice that sounded like a cross between Jaller and Takanuva, the being said, "We must direct it away from the village. But where?" His eyes snapped to the beach, and they answered his own question. Carefully, the being tilted the shield so as to direct the lava flow into the ocean water.
Once the lava hit the water, large clouds of steam arose. Soon, the lava that had flown around the shield also began to cool into black volcanic rock. When the lava flow stopped, the being let the energy shield dissipate. He looked at what looked like a long black river that stretched from where he stood to the volcano.
His eyes widened as chunks of hardened lava flew up into the air several meters ahead of him. A red energy shield in the shape of a dome disappeared. A red being emerged, and then helped another to her feet.
"You know, I never asked for your help…" Gali said slowly.
Tahu crossed his arms and looked away. "Yeah, well… I couldn't just let you be lava-bones." He murmured gruffly, "You know – unity, duty and all that stuff."
Gali smirked. "Thank you," she said and Tahu gave her a surprised look.
The Toa of Water's mask paled as she remembered something. "My village!" she said and began to race toward Ga-Koro. "I hope it's still there…"
She stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed an unfamiliar being standing where the lava flow stopped.
Tahu caught up with her and glared suspiciously at the being. "Who are you?"
"Tahu," Gali chided him gently, "he saved Ga-Koro."
The being smiled as its mask glowed. "I am Toa Kaita Manawa." The Toa Kaita looked amused as the other two gave him curious looks. "You also know me by two other names…"
Tahu and Gali were dumbstruck as the being was enveloped in a blinding white light. When the light faded and their vision cleared, two beings remained in his place.
"Jaller…?" Tahu asked in surprise. "Takanuva?"
Takanuva and Jaller exchanged a glance and then smirked. "It's a long story," Takanuva said.
Tahu stood with crossed arms, and Gali touched his arm. "Tahu, they saved Ga-Koro."
Tahu and Gali's eyes met, and they shared a silent conversation. What are you looking at me for? Tahu "said" with a shrug. It's your village.
Gali narrowed her eyes. Takanuva's expecting you to say something, you big dolt!
Tahu rolled his eyes, knowing that it was better to lose this silent battle rather than to have Gali mad at him again. "Good work," he said to Takanuva.
Takanuva beamed. "Wow, thanks."
"Jaller!" a voice shouted, and the Matoran turned around at the sound of his name.
Hahli, with the other Ga-Matoran, stood at the edge of the cooling lava. Jaller, who as a Ta-Matoran was resistant to heat, walked across the black substance to his friend. The Toa likewise had little trouble walking over the substance.
Pewku whined pitifully as she poked one of her legs at the cooling lava, which was still too hot for her to scuttle across.
Takanuva smiled and to the Ussal Crab's surprise, picked her up carefully. "Now it's myturn to carry you," he said and his pet chirped happily.
Hahli and the other Ga-Matoran cheered when Jaller joined them. "You saved Ga-Koro!" Hahli said, hugging Jaller.
Jaller smiled shyly. "Well, I couldn't have done it without my partner here," he said as Takanuva joined them and set Pewku down on the ground.
Takanuva grinned sheepishly and then watched in horror as a wave of Ga-Matoran headed straight for him. Within seconds, Ga-Matoran hung from every limb of his body. "Our hero!" they all chorused dreamily.
Chuckling nervously, the Toa attempted to rub the back of his neck, but then decided against it as it would lift four Ga-Matoran up into the air.
Jaller chuckled at Takanuva's predicament and then turned back to one of the few Ga-Matoran that weren't smothering to the Toa of Light. Hahli asked, "Were you the one that made that shield?"
"Erm, uh…" Jaller glanced at Takanuva, who winked encouragingly. The Ta-Matoran turned back to his other friend and hesitantly replied, "Yesss…"
Much to Jaller's surprise, Hahli beamed. "Really? That was great!"
Once the Ta-Matoran had recovered from his shock, he puffed up his chest. Crossing his arms proudly, he said, "Nothing gets by the Captain of the Guard…" Hahli gave Jaller a quick peck on the cheek, which caused him to turn a dark shade of red. "…Unless he wishes it," he finished.
One of the Ga-Matoran said, "I think this calls for a celebration!"
"Yeah!" the other Ga-Matoran agreed, and then picked Takanuva up off of the ground. Giggling hysterically, the Ga-Matoran carried the Toa toward the beach.
Takanuva cast a look of desperation over his shoulder. "Jaller!"
"Don't worry," Jaller called back with a roll of the eyes. "I'm coming."
Hahli chuckled and linked arms with Jaller. "A party sounds good to me," she said and Jaller nodded his head automatically. Hahli smiled and led him down to the shore after the others.
Tahu shifted his weight awkwardly and Gali put a hand on her hip as she turned to him. "So," Gali said casually, "do you want to go?"
"Hmm," Tahu said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I had other plans…" He didn't bother to tell Gali that one of those plans was staring at the wall, waiting for something to do, but he decided that she didn't need to know that. He finished with a shrug, "But I guess I'll come."
"Good," Gali said and smiled to herself. She began to walk to the beach.
"Gali?" Tahu asked hesitantly.
Gali stopped and turned back with folded arms. She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Yes, Tahu?"
Clearing his throat, Tahu said, "If you ever need someone to get rid of a volcano for you, or anything…you can ask." Gali gave him a confused look, and Tahu fought to find his words. After a moment, he said, "I know that you and Takanuva have this mental link…thing." Shrugging uncomfortably, he continued, "What I guess I'm trying to say is that I'm…here."
Though Ga-Matoran didn't have facial expressions similar to other Matoran, Tahu could tell from the look in Gali's eyes that she was smirking. "Well, I hope you won't be here long," she said, turning away and heading towards the beach.
Tahu raised a shocked brow. "You…don't?" he asked.
"No," she said, "because in a few weeks, I'm going to be in Metru Nui." Casting a brief glance over her shoulder, she asked, "What about you?"
The Toa of Fire followed after her, grateful that her back was turned to him so that she couldn't see the rising color in his mask. "Oh, yes, of course," he said, feeling sheepish. "I'll be there."
"Oh, and one more thing," she said as he caught up with her and Tahu glanced at her.
"And what's that?"
Gali smirked. "No volcanoes in Ga-Metru."
It was now Tahu's turn to smirk. "Then no complaining about the landscaping."
With a soft chuckle, the Water Toa replied, "Deal."
Author's Note: "Manawa" means "courage" in Maori, just in case you're curious. Well, one more chapter to go (for real, this time). Let me know what you think. :)