Brutaka's Game Ch 11
Sarah awoke in a jolt. Keeping still, her eyes darted around as she scanned her surroundings. She then sat up and contemplated the nightmare she had. It was similar to her previous nightmares: the plane crashing, the cabin flooding with water and people screaming, trying to get out. What was different this time was that as she tried to swim out, the water Toa confronted her. It stared angrily at her and Sarah awoke as it attacked.
Mark was still asleep, but Zach was nowhere to be found. She peeked her head through the tent and found Mr. Petrik snoozing as well, leaning against his rifle. Assuming Zach had gone to the bathroom, she got out of bed and quietly got herself dressed. She packed everything she thought she'd needed and left the campsite. The touch and weight of the backpack stung her back, but she trekked on.
She followed the trail down to the river. There, she would get the water she needed and hike off in another direction. She didn't really know where she would go. Her original camp in the jungle was a likely candidate.
"Sarah?"
Sarah was so focused on her thoughts that the voice nearly made her jump. She spun around to see Zach, holding a canteen.
"What are you doing?" he asked worriedly.
Sarah was hesitant to answer. "I'm leaving," she said softly as she turned around and kept walking.
The answer surprised Lewa. "Leaving? Why?"
"It's complicated." She could feel her tongue start to tie up.
"Well then I'll go with you."
She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Zach, no," she begged.
"It's no trouble at all. A little foot-walking never hurt."
Sarah gave him an annoyed look. "Fine."
The two walked down the trail and reached the river. Sarah hissed as she took off her backpack.
As she knelt down and filled up her water filter, Lewa sat on a boulder and raced to figure out what he was going to say.
"Care to explain the sword?" he rushed. Lewa then froze, fearing that it might get Sarah suspicious.
Sarah looked at the sword strapped to her belt, and then at Lewa. "I 'won' it, after I kicked a Toa's butt in a fight."
"So you just carry it around like a trophy-prize? But you've had it hidden under your bed."
Sarah sighed. "That's not why it's hidden." She then looked to see if anyone else was around. "Watch this." She aimed the sword at the waterfall and concentrated. The sword glowed and a stream of ice burst out. It froze the water on contact. Water upriver flowed over, only to be frozen instantaneously. In a matter of seconds she had constructed a series of water slides.
Lewa's mouth gapped open, but not because he was impressed. Seeing Kopaka's power was nothing new to him.
"How are you doing that?" he gasped.
Sarah shrugged. "I honestly don't know if the power is in the sword, or if I'm using this to tap into the Toa's power. But either way I can use it."
She didn't notice a small patch of ice underneath her and as she took a step she slipped and fell into the water. Lewa jumped to his feet and ran after her. She surfaced and took a big gasp of air.
"Well that was a fail." she smiled.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah." She then looked around. "Since I'm already wet, I guess I'll try out the new ride." She got out and made her way to the top of the waterfall. She sat down on the ice. "Oh gosh that's cold!"
Lewa smiled. Sarah pushed herself down and cheered wildly before landing in the water.
She surfaced again. "You got to try it."
Lewa smiled sheepishly. "I'm not really a water person. In fact I avoid it when I can."
"Well you're no fun," joked Sarah. She splashed water at him and got him partially wet.
Lewa jumped back and cringed as the cold water touched him. He then helped Sarah out of the river and waited as she went into the woods to get on a dry pair of clothes. She emerged squeezing the last bit of water out of her hair.
"Well that was refreshing," she smiled. "Definitely felt good on my back."
Lewa then remembered the medicine. "Hey, I made some more of that ointment if you still want any."
Sarah shrugged. "Sure." She sat down with legs crossed and puled the back end of her shirt up to her neck.
The sight still wasn't pretty for Lewa. There were still blisters everywhere and a large, circular scab on her upper left shoulder.
"I don't think you ever told me how all of this happened." He then noticed Sarah being very quiet. "I'm sorry. If it's too personal I-"
"It's okay," replied Sarah. "It started just over a week ago." She pulled out her left leg. "See this puncture wound? That and the gash on my arm were from fighting a Toa of ice. The scar on my upper left shoulder was from some strange gold and white Toa. I'm not quite sure what his power is. I'm guessing lasers. As for all of the burns you see: A Toa of fire did this."
Lewa felt his heart sink a little. "You really took a beating."
"Yeah." Sarah replied flatly.
"Personally, I don't think you should be embarking on such a long journey." Lewa said with concern. "At least not with these scars."
"You're probably right. But I don't feel like I can stay around any longer."
Lewa tilted his head to the side. "Why?"
Sarah's eyes darted around as she tried to figure out the words. "It's a combination of things really. First off, there's Janet. We don't get along at all. Then there's Mr. Petrik and the adults. I know they're just trying to watch out for us, but they're a little bossy. Even before we got here Mr. Petrik was bossy." She paused. "Then there's everyone else."
"I thought they were your friends."
"Not really," she muttered. "We hardly hung out back home, they rarely came out to the adventures I invited them to, and we don't even like doing the same things. They prefer makeup and celebrity gossip, while I'm out four-wheeling. But lately, since I've gotten hurt they hardly ever visited me. It's like they don't really care."
"Maybe they didn't want to disturb you."
"I doubt it," replied Sarah.
Lewa was silent for a moment before deciding to switch the topic. "So what's it like home?"
Sarah paused. "Well, it's a lot like this place: Beautiful. A fertile valley, a few scattered mountain peaks and stunning waterfalls." She fell silent again. "I'm starting to miss Oregon already."
"I bet. I'm starting to get a little home sick too." He finished applying the ointment and scooted back as she put her shirt down.
"You said you're from Canada right?"
Lewa nodded.
"You don't sound like it."
"W-What do you mean?"
"You don't have that distinct Canadian accent."
Lewa froze stiff. "I move-settled up there not too long ago."
"And why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Move-settled, foot-walk, is that some weird Canadian slang?"
Lewa's eyes darted wildly. "Y-yeah. I picked it up faster than the accent." he smiled nervously.
"Okay." Sarah replied casually.
Lewa then decided to search through his backpack, hoping to find a snack to share. The first thing he found was the flute case. He pulled it out and stared at it.
Sarah noticed and looked over. "Hey, where did you get that?"
Lewa was surprised at her interest. "I found it along the beach." He handed it over.
"This is my flute." Sarah smiled. She quickly opened it and assembled it together.
"Could you play something?"
Sarah shrugged "Sure."
Lewa shifted himself, ready to finally hear what it actually sounds like. She then began to play. The sound was heavenly to Lewa's ears, regardless of the fact that he wasn't familiar with the style of music. When she as done he had a big grin across his face.
"That was really good."
Sarah almost blushed. "Thanks. Scabrous Fair is one of my favorite songs. We were supposed to use it a while back for the marching band competition."
Lewa's smile disappeared. "Wait, what?"
Sarah shrugged. "You know, marching band? Big annual competition in New York, where all of us were going before we wound up here?" she said sarcastically.
Lewa was almost speechless. He got close to Sarah and held her by the shoulders. "Sarah, what comes to mind when you hear the word, Makuta?"
Sarah stared at him and shrugged. "Don't know what that is."
"Makuta-son, I mean, Rahkshi?"
"Still don't know what you're talking about."
Lewa's mouth gapped as he stood up and placed his hands on the back of his head. "Mata Nui," he gasped. "I have to tell them."
"Wait a minute, what are you blabbering about? What's a Mata Nui?"
Lewa then stared at her. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."
"Why?"
"I-It's hard to explain. I'll come back, heart-promise. I just need to get to my brothers."
"Wait, they're here?!"
Lewa nodded. "Yes and they're waiting for me." He then snapped his finger. "Wait, how about you come with me? They have to meet you and know about the others," he cheered. "Of course they're a little edgy right now. But I'm sure once they get to know you they'll settle down."
Sarah wasn't quite sure what to say.
Lewa frowned. "But if you don't want to I understand. But may I at least take the sword with me? I'll return it to you when we come back."
Sarah was still almost speechless. "Well, I-."
"There you are!" said Mr. Petrik.
His call startled Sarah and Lewa.
"You two has us so worried. B.J. wants you both at camp right now." He then saw the ice-made water slide. "What on earth happened here?"
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Oh boy. Uh, I'll explain that later."
They both noticed Mr. Petrik seemed distressed at something other than their disappearance. As they speedily walked back to camp, the teacher was constantly looking behind the group.
"Is something wrong?" asked Lewa.
"Yes." stuttered Mr. Petrik. "Jesse is dead."
"What?" asked Lewa. "But how?"
"The same way Stephanie died. When we noticed you gone we thought something may have happened to you."
When they made it to camp they found several students either crying or comforting each other. The adults were scattered around camp, while B.J. and Eric stood at the entrance to Jesse's tent. When B.J. saw Sarah he was relieved.
"Thank goodness you're not hurt."
"I'm fine." shrugged Sarah.
"What were you doing?
Sarah stood hesitantly. "I-I was trying to leave."
Mr. Petrik looked at her with shock. "We're going to have a talk after this." he scowled.
"What about me?" asked Lewa "I was planning to go with her."
"You'll be dealt with, alright." replied B.J.
Mark then cried out from the other side of camp. "Hey Lewa!"
Lewa faced him. "Yes?" He then froze.
Sarah gave him an odd look. "Lewa?"
He took a step back "I, uh."
"There's no need to explain to her," said Mark as he walked up. "It's just a nickname. Right, Toa?"
Lewa's eyes widened and his mouth gaped open.
"Zach?"
Lewa stared at Sarah's concerned face.
"What's going on?"
"I-I have to go." He then made a run for it.
Ethan ran up from the side and threw a lasso that bounded Lewa's arms against his sides. With a strong pull, Lewa was thrown back and off his feet. After falling, he got on his knees and tried to pull against Ethan. And he was winning. Bryan came in with another rope and lassoed him as well.
Lewa saw B.J., Eric, Petrik and Mark all pulling out ropes. Within seconds, they all had him lassoed. No matter which direction Lewa pulled he couldn't make himself move more than an inch. All of the teens were in shock of what was happening. Then Mark got himself close to Lewa and grabbed his face. With a strong pull he yanked the mask of illusions off.
Lewa's body glowed and in seconds he changed into a Toa. Everyone around him gasped. Lewa stood still in complete shock.
"Zach?"
Lewa looked into Sarah's eyes as she stood, horrified. His only reply was a remorseful look.
"Tie him up," ordered B.J.
In a panic Lewa stretched forth his hands and blew a strong gust of wind. The teens screamed and ducked for cover. Those closest to him were nearly knocked off their feet. Nearly everyone, except B.J. and Mark, lost their grip on the rope. Lewa then activated his mask power and began to fly off. But within seconds Lewa noticed that he was getting heavier. He looked down and saw B.J. and Mark, a few inches off the ground and still holding on. He knew it shouldn't be enough to pull him down. But it felt like gravity was turning on him.
Soon he fell to the ground and everyone pilled on top of him. Unable to free himself from the growing weight, Lewa cried out.
"Brothers! Help!"
The Humans then wrapped their arms around his and dragged him to a nearby tree. Lewa squirmed along way, crying out for his brothers. Even when they stood him up and had his hands around and tied up he squirmed for freedom. It wasn't until he heard the familiar sound of a riffle being cocked that he froze and became dead silent.
Slowly he turned his head towards B.J., who pointed the gun at his mask.
"B.J. This is a big misunderstanding."
"Shut up." B.J. replied Darkly.
"But I-"
"I said shut up!" He pressed the gun up against Lewa's head.
Lewa became still as a statue.
"Now unless I talk to you, you don't say a word. Understand?"
Lewa lightly nodded. B.J. took the gun away from his head.
"You have no idea how upset I am with you," scolded B.J.
"I can understand why, but I have a very good reason to be here," defended Lewa.
"To kill us like you did Jesse and Stephanie?"
Lewa was aghast. "What? No! I never did anything to them."
"That's not what the evidence is telling," said Eric. "They both died, not by strangulation, but suffocation. Something a Toa of air should have no problem doing."
"I swear to the Great Spirit I didn't hurt-harm them! I just wanted to investigate your kind."
"We can tell." Mark replied sarcastically and replayed a set of footage.
It consisted of Lewa and Tahu's conversation earlier that morning. Lewa was in disbelief.
"I-I can explain," he stuttered.
"There's no need," said Sarah.
Lewa faced her and felt heart broken at her disapproving expression.
"You were using me."
Lewa shook his head. "No, it's not like that."
"You lied to me! I thought I had a new friend, but you were trying to trick me into a trap and giving you the sword." Her eyes widened. "And I almost did," she gasped.
"It's not what you think, I wasn't going to use it against you. I was going to return it to my brother."
Sarah only shook her head and went back to her tent. Lewa felt his heart sink.
"Wait a minute," said Mr. Petrik. "The ice at the river this morning, that was from the sword wasn't it!?"
"Yes," muttered Sarah
B.J. looked at her in shock. "But how can you use its power? I shot the Toa in the head."
"Uh…"
Everyone stared at Lewa.
"That was an illusion." The Toa of air smiled shamefacedly.
B.J. gripped the gun tightly. "I think I've seen enough here." He aimed the gun at the Toa's head. "Time to send a message to your brothers."
Lewa almost gasped and turned away as he closed his eyes shut.
"Wait!" said Mr. Petrik. "Don't do it here. Not in front of the kids."
B.J. paused and thought over it. "Very well. Mark, you and I are taking him along. Petrik, I want you and everyone else to pack everything and take the group south. The Toa obviously know we're here."
Everyone began to scramble around the campsite. Lewa in the meantime stared shamefully at Sarah's tent. He could barely see her, but could tell that she was crying. Suddenly the world around him went dark. He jerked his head around as Mark tightened the blindfold. He then took a large cloth and gagged the Toa of air. Lewa then felt a rope go around his neck. His hands were untied from the tree only to be tied again behind his back.
"Try anything and your execution will be sooner than you'd like." hissed B.J.
Lewa nodded.
Another push from the barrel end of the gun told Lewa he needed to move faster. He knew he was moving up a hill, but where to he didn't know. When he reached the top he felt the plant life around him change from shrubbery to grass. They were now in a field.
"Alright," said B.J. "Now on your knees."
Lewa complied. His heart light raced and his breathing became shallow. "Brothers, where are you?!" he thought.
As B.J. readied the gun Mark placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, I want to have a word with the Toa. In private." His tone was sincere.
B.J. shrugged and took several steps away. Lewa heard him approach and flinched when he felt Mark's hand on his shoulder.
"You really had them going there didn't you." sneered Mark. "You actually thought you could make friends with them."
"You don't understand. We thought you were our enemies."
"And I want to keep it that way."
Lewa jerked his head towards him. "Since when can Humans mind-see?!"
"They can't really. But let's just say your brothers suspicion of a 'Makuta threat' was right, just not in they way they thought."
Lewa's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, you killed them didn't you!? You're a Makuta!"
"We have a winner." Mark chuckled. "I'm glad you were around to take the blame. Now I can talk them into killing your brothers."
"You Manas! You're going to get them killed."
"Regrettably yes, but once the Toa are dead I'll give those who survive a special place in my lab, where they'll be treated as… 'Royalty'."
As Mark left, Lewa screamed at the top of his lungs, hoping B.J. would reconsider.
"You can execute him now." Mark said, acting to have a heavy heart.
B.J. cocked the gun and Lewa froze.
"No…. It can't end like this." Lewa closed his eyes and bowed his head as he awaited his death.
Before B.J. could fire the shot, a blur of brown flashed past him, followed with the gun being yanked away. He managed to pull the trigger through it all, but the bullet grazed past Lewa's neck. The Toa of air flinched and then heard a friendly voice.
"So this is what you Humans use." said Pohatu as he held up the weapon. He grabbed both ends and bent the weapon into a horseshoe.
B.J. took a step back in shock, while Mark held an angered look. Suddenly the ground beneath shook and a pillar of earth erupted underneath and launched the Humans up in the air and into the forest.
Lewa heard the heavy strides from Pohatu as he approached him. The Toa of air felt the ropes being untied, and when the cloth and blindfold were removed he looked straight into the eyes of Pohatu.
"Brother." smiled Lewa and greeted him with a hug.
Pohatu was caught off guard by the gesture, but embraced it anyway.
"What in Mata Nui's name took you so ever-long?"
Pohatu rubbed the back of his head. "We got a little sidetracked with a group of Rahkshi."
'Well don't do that to me again. I almost became Human-bones." The Toa of air then sat down.
"I noticed." Pohatu then patted his brother on the back of the shoulder. "So how did you get caught anyway?"
Mark groaned as he stood up. The landing was pretty rough and there was no sign of B.J. anywhere. He then looked up the hill. His hands molded into fist. If his plan was to work the two Toa must die. Fortunately he had a back up plan just incase B.J. got cold feet. Just then he heard the pilot and faced his left.
B.J. stumbled forward, rubbing his head. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." grumbled Mark.
B.J. then looked up at him and his jaw dropped. "Oh my goodness."
Mark raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"How can you still be alive? You're impaled!"
Mark looked down and saw two inch-wide branches piercing through his chest. He grabbed them and pulled them out, without a single hint of pain.
"Well, there goes my cover." Mark said to himself.
B.J. was still grasping it all when he heard hissing coming form behind. He spun a round and took a step back as various types of Rahkshi seemed to come from nowhere and surround him. More Rahkshi were appearing and trekked uphill.
"Mark, what's going on?" B.J. asked, panic stricken.
"Rahkshi, meet B.J. B.J., these are my sons: The Rahkshi. They'll escort you to a nice little cave where no one will find you."
A Rahkshi of hunger grabbed B.J. by the arm and drained his strength. The pilot groaned and grunted as he tried to pull himself free before collapsing.
"And don't worry about the others." said Mark "I'll tell them how the Toa killed you, and take your place as leader. And I will lead the Humans to their salvation," A devilish grin swept across his face. "And to their demise."