Summary :

Lo'ak's prayer is answered. Someone from nowhere heals Tsireya. The expedition can resume where it left off.

The Way of Lo'ak

Chapter 22, The Salty River

a) An answered prayer:

Lo'ak had prayed to Eywa to save Tsireya. One had been told that she had little chance of getting out of it. He didn't want to believe it, or rather admit it.

He was there at her bedside with Spider.

But his prayer had been answered, Providence had brought this Noble Tsahik. She had made her take a remedy and quickly Tsireya felt better.

Lo'ak was so reassured:

- So, Little Fish, are you feeling better?

- Yes Lo'ak. Thank you noble Tsahik.

- Thank you too, noble Tashik. What should I call you?

- My name is Nevez my child.

- How can i thank you?

- You do not owe me anything. And I will even help you in your quest. We're going to see this Varang together. And we're gonna bring your brother's body back.

Lo'ak felt less alone. Finally someone who believed in him and was even willing to help him. She continued:

"My friend Lo'ak Toruk Makto, I would like to introduce you to my companions. They will remind you of sad memories yet they are not the same people. I snatched them from the Sky People and made them see the light of Eywa."

And Nevez brought in three Na'vis, two males and a female who looked a little embarrassed.

Though Lo'ak was slow to realize, Spider immediately recognized Quaritch, Ja and Z-Dog whom he had been around for months.

Nevez saw his surprise:

- Son of the Sky People, you are surprised, aren't you?

- But these are my father's Recoms!

- Not quite. You see they have neither their tattoos, nor their clothes, nor their weapons. The Tawtutes have made several incarnations of them. But they may have their memories, they are bodies without souls. And it was Eywa who gave them one through me.

They have a memory of Tawtute but think like Na'vis.

Obviously Spider and Lo'ak were very surprised to find themselves against their worst enemies who had been turned. Yet Nevez, a true Na'vi, could only tell the truth.

It was Spider who got up and went to meet Quaritch:

- I don't know if I can say daddy… what do you remember?

- Of all. Including wrestling on the boat. Believe me, I'm sorry for causing so much pain.

What surprised Spider the most, who had learned to read Na'vis emotions, was that Quaritch seemed sincere. When the other two, Ja and Z-Dog, they also showed signs of affection, perhaps even more marked.

b) Project for the future:

In the evening, it was time for dinner. It was taken around the clan's home to which Nevez and her three companions were invited, as well as Spider and Lo'ak. Tsireya, who was better, however, remained in the guest house with Narva who looked after her.

Spider stood next to Quaritch.

- Can I call you Dad then?

- If you want son.

- So there are several identical Quaritch?

- They can do as much as they want. A whole army if necessary. The problem is, I'm not sure if I could bear myself.

- That could actually be difficult! All Quaritch would like to be the leader said laughingly Spider!

So what are you doing with Nevez?

- We're looking for secrets.

- Secrets how?

- Very secret secrets. So secret that Nevez keeps them to herself. In fact, we only help her with small spots.

- And what are you going to do next?

- Z-Dog is expecting a child from me…

The latter, who was not far away and who must have heard, gave a friendly wave to Spider.

- Ah good! That's awesome exclaimed Spider!

Already in the squad, your other clones were together. It must be a matter of genes.

After that?

- We'll have to find a clan. But I don't know if we will be accepted.

- You can join the Mountain clan to participate in the resistance.

- I'm a bit fed up with the war, you know, son.

And what are you going to do?

- I met a girl on an island. A very cute Na'vi named Lawr. We are in love and we will get together. If I manage to find the island because it seems that it is moving.

- But you're human. It's going to be complicated. And if your mask breaks you can die instantly!

- I have an emergency mask. But that's why we're going to see Varang, to ask her to make me a real Na'vi.

c) A cumbersome passenger:

The next day Nevez was preparing to leave with her three teammates and was waiting for the children.

Finally they arrived a little late. Lo'ak and Spider were there but Tsireya also helped by Narva.

Tsireya walked with a weak step but still walked.

Lo'ak said:

- Tsireya wants to go with us. She is doing much better this morning.

- But she's still recovering. It is better that you stay here Tsireya answered Nevez a little annoyed.

- No it will be fine and then Narva can help me explained Tsireya. Narva also wants to come so that Varang can restore her normal skin.

- You're taking a risk. She can relapse up there. Really she must stay here, insisted Nevez.

- No I just did you, I swear it's going much better.

Nevez did not insist more and they all left, at eight with 12 Palis. Lo'ak led the troop to the path he had already taken.

At the end of the following day they arrived in front of the sinister cross where the corpse of Na'vi was exposed.

Narva explained:

"We, the Scarlet Cave Clan, did not do this horrible thing. It is surely the mysterious clan that haunts this region. They are Na'vis of the forests a priori. They hide but are very aggressive when they are discovered. It is said that several hunters have disappeared without a trace. This clan would also be cannibalistic!

Strangely they appeared not very long ago, around the same time as the first arrival of the Tawtutes.

It is unknown if they are related to the Ash People."

Nevez was reassuring:

"Maybe they keep something. If they attack, I could protect you."

d) The wreckage:

Night had fallen, it was getting cold, but Lo'ak wanted to get to the ruins to spend the night there.

It was the remains of the mysterious iron structure that looked like an earth craft but much older.

When they got there, Spider led Quaritch to the sheet metal with the mysterious markings.

- Look at Dad. It is a curious writing.

- It's Russian. A people of the Earth.

- What is this thing then?

- I do not know. But it does not come from the RDA.

- Were there humans here before us?

- Who knows… It even seems to predate the Doomsday War.

- What is this war, dad?

- It took place in the last century. Intelligent machines were meant to bring us a life without effort and pain. It was exactly the opposite. Some people have been stupid enough to try to use these machines to establish their power. This produced an apocalyptic war of humans against machines. It was off to a bad start for the humans, yet we won by a miraculous combination of circumstances. Since then, certain types of Artificial Intelligence have been banned.

But the Earth was ravaged and billions of people died. Our planet still hasn't fully recovered.

- Is it because the Earth is ruined that humans want to colonize Pandora?

- No son, it's propaganda. The people in power use this pretext to obtain the immense means necessary to colonize this world.

The group spent the night under the huge iron disc tilted at 45° and which rested on twisted and rusty columns.

It was a very practical shelter for the night but it was still necessary to pitch two tents. The tents lent by the Scarlet Cave clan were larger and more comfortable than those DIYed by Lo'ak.

One of the tents was for Nevez and her three attendants, the other for Lo'ak, Spider, Tsireya and Narva.

During evening meals, at the beginning of the night in fact, Lo'ak asked the group about the remains:

"Does anyone know what this thing actually is?"

And it was Narva who replied:

- This is the treehouse from which the Blessed White Demon of Eywa came. Toruk Makto's companion during the Great Sorrow. That was 6 generations ago.

- And what happened?

- It was burned by a cataclysm. And it is from it that the terrible Singing Stones would come.

- Then the White Demon came from the Earth exclaimed Spider! To say that you Lo'ak are descended from her!

- She had many descendants, answered Lo'ak. Many Na'vi descend from this couple. After my father I now know that a second of my ancestors comes from Earth! Mom will be surprised when she finds out!

But was this White Demon a Recom like Spider's father or an Avatar like my father?

- Lo'ak, I don't think she came from the world of Tawtutes Narva continued. Rather, she came from the heart of the volcano. She was a real Na'vi but from the People of the Mountains, also called the old Ash People.

- But if we imagine that this White Demon came from the world of the Tawtutes, then the white Na'vi could go to the stars?

- I don't know. But they had great powers. They could possess the souls of other Na'vis concluded Narva.

The night was short but full of dreams:

Spider was happy that his father had joined the good side. He also hoped to see Varang to fulfill his wish to become a Na'vi. It would then remain to find Lawr. The beautiful Lawr...

Lo'ak was also happy that Tsireya was restored. The good Tashik Nevez was also going to help him in his recognition because she believed in his history and his exploits. Now we had to find Netayam but Nevez was going to help him.

Tsireya already saw herself dying but now she was saved. Nevez had also given him another potion. Her father would be proud of Lo'ak and would accept him mating with her.

e) The Stone Village:

The next day Lo'ak led the team to the Stone Village carved into the rock of a cliff.

Then he led them into the great sculpture hall. Only Narva refused to enter the village. For her clan the remnants of the Ash People were cursed.

It was especially Ja and Z-Dog who were the most surprised by this rich and evocative carved decoration.

Ja even made a statement that surprised Lo'ak:

"It's still incredible that we don't know anything about these people. Eywa tells us nothing about them!"

So Ja had been in contact with Eywa! But after all, is that what Nevez said? Besides, she added:

"Eywa does everything to hide them, make it forget and even erase it from her own memory. It is a great trauma for her and for all Na'vis. Sometimes it is better to live in the carelessness of oblivion than in the anguish of memory."

And they came out of the stone village to continue their journey.

f) The end of the miracle:

The group soon reached the most extreme point that Lo'ak and his two companions had reached. The same one where Tsireya had fallen ill.

So they went on further and more closely examining the landscape and dripping water from each stream.

And at one time they fell on a salt water river. That was it, they had found the Salty River! You just had to go up it to get to Varang. What they did.

The river flowed in a slightly steep valley and the troops had to walk in single file, each on their Pali. The noise of the wind and the distance between each mount made it difficult to speak and Nevez had told everyone to make as little noise as possible.

Lo'ak was behind Tsireya. For a while he had seen her undulating on her mount. Then all of a sudden, she tipped over and fell heavily to the ground.

"Tsireya has fallen! Stop shouted Lo'ak!"

And he rushed to pick her up. But she was coughing up a lot of blood and struggling to speak.

- Lo'ak… I… I… have… no more… s… strength…"

- Quick Nevez do some things, prepare a potion shouted Lo'ak!

Nevez complied but the potion took a while to prepare. Tsireya's condition was rapidly deteriorating.

"I…w…will…die…tell…my…dad that…"

These were Tsireya's last words. Nevez examined her and said:

- She is dead. It's over Lo'ak, I can't do anything more.

- But why !? She was still in GOOD CONDITION just now!

- The altitude, no doubt. She should have stayed at the Scarlet Cove. I warned you.

This somewhat curt remark from Nevez plunged Lo'ak into a fit of despair. All but Nevez and Quaritch stood around the lifeless body of the sea maiden.

If Quaritch looked a little sad, Nevez looked mostly annoyed.

After a while Nevez said:

"Let's bury Tsireya here. The ground was cold and this will better preserve her body that we can bring back when we return. We can't wait any longer. The nights are cold here."

And painfully a hole was dug. A prayer to Eywa was returned for the salvation of the soul of the deceased. And the hole was plugged.

The troop set off again, still with Nevez in front.

Lo'ak was still at the grave and Ja stayed with him. The troop moved away and began to be far away. Finally Ja spoke to Lo'ak:

- Lo'ak we have to go, we risk losing the others. The country can be dangerous.

- Go yourself ! I'm going to die with her! I lost my brother not long ago you know. Because of my bullshit. I only cause death. I am a loser.

- No Lo'ak. It's not all your fault. For the cursed stone you could not know. So far your journey in this adventure has been flawless. I know Neteyam wouldn't want to see you end up here when we're so close. You wouldn't want dad… uh Jakesully to lose his second son!

- He despises me. And he's right.

- Look, I can tell you one thing. Miracles do exist, I am in a good position to know that. If you stay here, you will have no chance of seeing Tsireya again. But if you keep going, you'll have a chance Varang will fix it.

- How can you be so sure!

- Don't forget I was dead too.

So Lo'ak finally got up and got back on his mount. Ja was right behind watching him. They followed the group that we could barely see in front without really trying to catch up. Lo'ak didn't want to talk.

g) Prisoners:

The ascent of the Salty River continued. There was no path but Nevez seemed to anticipate all the difficulties and progress was made without having to go back.

They arrived in an increasingly mineral landscape. The peerage was flatter and many rocks dotted it.

Nevez was in the lead followed by Quaritch, Spider who was on his father's Pali, Z-Dog and Narva. Lo'ak and Ja were far behind, barely in sight.

Suddenly Nevez stopped and raised an arm:

"There is something strange here…"

No sooner had she pronounced these words than several arrows flew from all sides. They hit Nevez, who fell off her mount hit by no less than 5 arrows.

Immediately a whole troop of Na'vis warriors equipped with war paint and terrifying finery came out of their hiding place.

"We got your witch! Surrender foreigners, otherwise you will suffer the same fate!"

The ambush was well prepared, the group was completely surrounded by at least 40 warriors all ready to shoot.

However Quaritch ventured:

- We came to see Varang, we come in peace!

- In the name of Eywa added Z-Dog!

To which the chief of the warriors replied:

"Lay down your arms and surrender. This is our final warning."

And Quaritch gave the order to obey.

Lo'ak and Ja who were behind did not immediately understand what was happening. But eventually Ja realized and he ordered Lo'ak to hide.

- Lo'ak, it must be the Ash People. I don't know if they saw us!

- What are we doing ?!

- For the moment nothing. They're too many. And without Nevez it will be complicated. They guessed that she was powerful and they took her down first. We will hide and try to follow them discreetly.

- Ja, we have to free them!

- Yes, but for that, we have to stay alive!

Lo'ak and Ja watched as the warriors led the rest of the troop, including Nevez's body, to the right bank of the Salty River. They then abandoned their mount to follow them discreetly.