Kokua shifted slightly and whimpered as she knocked her arm, then sang briefly in her sleep. The cascade of notes swirled around all who slept in that room, but never attracted the attention of the Piraka.
Most of them were sleeping, but Hakann sat with Zaktan, who was examining Anuenue's mask closely.
"Oh come on, losing sleep over some stupid Turaga's mask isn't going to find out what they were up to." Hakann muttered, yawning loudly and stretching, making his spine crack.
"Yeah, you're right," Zaktan conceded, picking up Anuenue's mask, he then shoved it into a chest, locked it and stowed the key away.
"Come on, lets have a look at our 'guests'." he snickered, staring into the now silent room, Zaktan smiled darkly, "You'd better talk soon freak, or your Turaga will never awaken." he thought as he went to rest.
xXx
Blinking sleepily, Anuenue looked up at Phira as she and Atinu smiled, then as she set the rainbow hued Turaga down, she noticed Aikane's sleeping spirit was laying beside them.
"I finally get to see you again, sister." Anuenue murmured softly as she placed her hand on her shoulder, then glanced up as Phira and Atinu sat beside them.
"Turaga, we'd be honoured if you would tell us your story." Atinu said a few moments later, "I-I...The honour is mine." Anuenue managed to say after several seconds passed, blushing deeply.
Getting comfortable beside Phira, Anuenue began to speak, while the mist swirled around them and Aikane, when she reached the end of the first part, Anuenue realized Aikane's spirit had been returned to her body, "What happened next?" Phira softly asked, as she looked at where Aikane's spirit had rested.
Anuenue turned her attention back to telling them her story, part way through it, she found she was starting to feel tired and by the end of the second part, was yawning every few minutes. Resting her head in her hands, Anuenue swayed slightly.
"Sister I know you want to rest, but Mata Nui asked us to keep you talking." Phira explained, as she and Atinu hugged the rainbow hued spirit, "I'll try." Anuenue yawned and began to pick her way through the third part, she'd managed to reach the part where she'd just healed Gali when she was too exhausted to carry on talking and blinked drowsily at them.
"I'm sorry." Anuenue murmured as she sank into sleep, and the last thing she sensed was one of them had placed their arm around her and held her tightly, "We'll watch over you." Phira whispered as Anuenue's eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Gently Phira rested Anuenue against her side and placed her arm around Anuenue's shoulders while she and Atinu glanced at each other, they sat there quietly talking about what Anuenue had managed to tell them before sleep overcame her.
Atinu then tried to rouse Anuenue, her eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't wake up, as he tried again the mist began to glow brilliant white as Mata Nui rejoined them.
Carefully he took Anuenue back from Phira and smiled reassuringly at her and Atinu, who stood up and bowed to him.
As they watched the Great Spirit, Atinu glanced around, as he heard a distance song, which seemed to be drifting closer, as it reached them, the cascade of notes swirled around Anuenue, glowing in a myriad of colours.
Mata Nui nodded as the glowing colours then wrapped round Anuenue's face, shaping themselves into a mask, which gently began glowing as it touched her face.
Then the Great Spirit whispered softly to Anuenue and watched as she began to stir and wake up, slowly she brushed her hand over the mask, opening her eyes, Anuenue gazed up at Mata Nui, then smiled as he placed her on the ground.
"Did I hear Kokua singing?" she asked, while Phira and Atinu knelt to hug her, the Great Spirit nodded, "Yes," the others heard him murmur, as the mist slowly swirled around us, "This song will protect your spirit, while your Ruaorea is missing."
As the group bowed to him, the mist briefly glowed white and when they glanced up, the Great Spirit had departed.
"How do you feel now?" Phira asked as they made themselves comfortable again, "Wide awake." Anuenue grinned, "I can finish the third part of the story if you like." Atinu and Phira smiled as they glanced at each other, then nodded.
xXx
Haki partially awoke, sat up and glanced around drowsily, watching as Lehua turned over, muttering, while Jaller and Ahonui snored softly near by, as he settled down and drifted back to sleep, Haki wondered who'd been singing.
When the guards walked back past the main room, they glanced in and saw that Aikane was now resting against the wall beside Kazi with her arm around his shoulder.
"Curious, I don't remember them sleeping over there." Analu muttered as she and Toma finished their rounds and went to rouse Kewe and Lehua for their shift, after they were out of sight of the room, Kazi shifted in his sleep and began to dream, as a glow surrounded him and Aikane.
xXx
Kazi slowly became aware of a quiet voice speaking. "What the future held for me in both worlds." Puzzled he rubbed his eyes and opened them, just as the speaker laughed delightedly. "Sister, I saw you here earlier. But your spirit was sleeping."
Kazi blinked surprised as a rainbow coloured figure hugged Aikane, who smiled hugging her back, before they turned to where Kazi sat.
"This is my sister Anuenue, Turaga of Colour." Aikane explained, as Kazi stood up and bowed to her, Anuenue smiled, "Tane mentioned you." she chuckled softly, as she sat beside Aikane, Kazi watched curiously as they gazed silently at each other for several minutes.
So he glanced around, intrigued as to where they were, all he could see was mist swirling around slowly, two more Toa sat a short distance away, partially hidden by the mist, as he watched they seemed to vanish.
Then Kazi realized part of the mist was changing colour, from palest grey to brilliant white, shot through with blue sparks.
Aikane and Anuenue stood up and joined him, then bowed and they watched as the mist and sparks grew even brighter, Kazi watched speechless as the mist and sparks coalesced into a being of brilliant white with intense blue eyes.
After He'd quietly looked at Anuenue and gently hugged Aikane, they then turned to Kazi and smiled as Mata Nui bent to speak with him, "When the time is right, ask Haki what he saw on his watch." still speechless, Kazi bowed deeply, then as he straightened up, he realized the Great Spirit had vanished while Aikane and Anuenue sat back beside him.
Kazi looked at them bewildered as he also sat down, "How will I know?" he asked sleepily after a few minutes, Aikane smiled gently as she placed her arm around his shoulders, "You will know." she murmured as they both drifted back to sleep.
Watching Aikane's and Kazi's sleeping spirits as they returned to their bodies, Anuenue quietly sighed, wishing she could do more to help, then glanced up as Phira and Atinu rejoined, and sat either side of her.
"Will you be alright, Anuenue?" Phira asked softly after several moments passed and they'd hugged her, "I wish I knew how Kokua and the matoran are, I'm worried about them." Anuenue murmured, Phira and Atinu glanced at each other, then Atinu patted her shoulder.
"There could be a way, wait here." he commented standing up and heading into the mist, as he disappeared from sight Anuenue glanced at Phira, who smiled and began to tell her about their fellow spirit Toa.
How much time passed Anuenue didn't know, but a while later Atinu came back with Turaga Lhikan and a malachite coloured spirit Toa, when she stood up to bow to him after he'd bowed to her, Lhikan introduced him, "This is Nahele, his mask has the ability to project distance images onto a flat surface for those around him to see."
xXx
Aikane and Kazi awoke to the sound of the others quietly talking as they had breakfast, while Kazi rubbed his eyes, Aikane picked up the bowls sitting beside her and passed one to him.
When they'd finished eating, Aikane and Kazi joined Garan, Tahu, Balta and Velika, who were deep in discussion on the rescue plan, while the others made the occasional suggestion, glancing up as Aikane sat beside him, Garan smiled.
"Gali mentioned your ability with shadows. Could you show us please?" he asked after they had told her and Kazi what they'd worked out so far.
"Of course, just mine or everyone's?" Aikane enquired as Dalu and the others watched intrigued, "Everyone's sounds interesting." Balta murmured, drawing a nod from Garan and grins from Jaller, Hahli and the others.
Aikane smiled and went to stand back in the middle of the room, "Things might get a little crowded." she quietly laughed, then glanced at her shadow.
Slowly it rose up and solidified, then as they hugged, everyone else's shadow awoke and while their hosts looked amazed at their shadow twins, the Toa's glanced around curiously while Jaller's and Hewkii's hugged Hahli's and Macku's.
A few minutes later, Amaya's frowned puzzled and glanced over at Aikane's, she nodded, tapped Aikane's arm then mimed writing something down, when she was handed the writing materials, quickly wrote down what was troubling Amaya's shadow twin.
Aikane read what had been written and glanced around at the others, "Amaya's shadow twin is wondering where Kokua is." she murmured softly, as the shadow twin Toa came to stand close to Aikane and her shadow twin.
Before she could answer the question, there was movement in the corner beside Hahli, Macku and their shadow twins, Kokua's shadow twin appeared and hurried over to Aikane and the shadow twin Toa.
They gathered around her, then Gali's, Amaya's and Takanuva's moved to hug Kokua's before they glanced at Aikane's, when she nodded, they followed Kokua's and disappeared.
The remaining shadow twins hugged Aikane, then her shadow twin added another bit to what she'd written, Aikane nodded quietly and smiled at her, "They've gone to help Kokua's shadow twin." she read out as the remaining shadow twin Toa rejoined the Toa, while Aikane sat back beside Garan and Balta.
"What's happening?" Dalu asked looking over from where she'd been sparring with her shadow twin.
xXx
Ferus and Shenu were first to awaken and checked on Kokua, she was shivering, her eyes slightly glazed and when Ferus placed his hand on her forehead, he found she was feverish, "So cold." Kokua murmured as she tried sitting up, but stopped when she jarred her arm.
"You just rest Kokua, we'll look after you." Resha said rubbing her eyes, as she and Tane joined them, Kokua nodded and lay back down, while she settled, her hand brushed against Anuenue's staff.
Shenu and the others were keeping busy helping Kokua and checking Anuenue, and they didn't see Kokua's shadow twin appear, she watched them intently, before going to find the other shadow twins whom she could sense were awake.
Returning several minutes later with Gali's, Amaya's and Takanuva's, they were about to make themselves visible to the matoran, when everyone heard footsteps approaching and the matoran shifted so that they were between Kokua and Anuenue and the door, the shadow twins moved further back and watched.
Shoving the door roughly open Avak and Reidak entered and approached the area where Resha, Shenu, Tane and Ferus stood. Silently they shoved the matoran out the way and Avak picked Kokua up, she moaned softly before losing consciousness.
Shenu and Ferus shouted "Leave her alone!" and tried to stop them taking Kokua, but Reidak just brushed them aside, the door slammed closed as Resha and Tane helped their friends.
"What are they going to do now?" Resha murmured worriedly, as she helped Ferus back to the blankets, Tane shook his head, as he helped Shenu to sit down, "I dread to think." Tane whispered under his breath, glancing over to the door, concerned.
Several minutes passed as they watched both the door and Anuenue, when Ferus nudged Resha and pointed towards the nearest wall, as everyone watched, four shapes came into focus and nodded quietly to them.
"Mata Nui. Who are you?" Resha murmured stunned as they were joined by the shadow twins, "I didn't know Kokua had a twin." Tane added, looking up at Kokua'', she smiled, knelt to brush her hand gently over Anuenue's brow, then after glancing at the other shadow twins, who nodded, walked over to the shadow on the nearest wall and disappeared into it.
"Has she gone to seek-find where they've taken Kokua?" Shenu asked, while Ferus watched Gali's and Amaya's shadow twins as they carefully looked at Anuenue, Takanuva's nodded, sitting beside Shenu and Tane.
A few minutes later Resha joined Gali's shadow twin, while Amaya's tapped Takanuva's and gestured to Resha's shadow, he nodded and she then placed her hand onto the shadow.
"Whoa!" Ferus exclaimed as Resha's shadow twin awoke and glanced around. "Hey Resha, you've got a twin."
Kokua's shadow twin quickly located Avak as he carried Kokua; she listened as he muttered under his breath about how he'd eventually defeat the other Piraka, claim the mask and rule Voya Nui.
Pushing a door open, he went in, shoving it shut behind him, Kokua's shadow twin slipped in through the shadow cast by the window arch.
Hidden in the shadow, she glanced around surprised; this room was lavishly furnished with brightly coloured draperies, several comfy seats, a large table and a ornately carved bed, which Avak placed Kokua on.
After placing a coverlet over her, Avak grinned as Kokua's eyes flickered open, but his grin quickly faded as she gazed around unseeing, softly calling out, "Sister, where are you?" while reaching out with her good arm.
Swearing angrily, Avak left the room, locking it and went to have a word with Vezok.
When he was out of earshot, Kokua's shadow twin hurried to her side and gently caught Kokua's still questing hand, at her touch, Kokua sighed quietly and calmed down.
Her shadow twin then lightly brushed her free hand over Kokua's broken arm, before placing it against her forehead, concerned by the heat, she hurriedly lifted her hand away.
Glancing in the direction, where the other shadow twins had remained, she called out then waited, gently rubbing Kokua's hand.
Several seconds later Gali's joined her, as she gently examined Kokua, they heard a loud crash in the distance, followed by shouts of rage.
Carefully Gali's shadow twin helped Kokua's to coax Kokua into letting go of her hand and they hurried into the shadow cast by the window arch to find out what was happening and to make sure the matoran and Anuenue were safe.
Several moments after the shadow twins had left, Kokua partially awoke and feverishly gazed around, disorientated.
"Sister, where are you?" she murmured as she got off the bed and staggered over to one of the seats, nearly falling as she reached it, Kokua tried to comprehend why she felt so strange.
Leaning against the arm of the seat, shivering in the sunlight, Kokua's head drooped weakly as she struggled to stay conscious. Shortly after there was a thump as her unconscious form slid from the seat to the floor.
A couple of hours had passed before the lock clicked and Avak, now covered in bruises, entered carrying some fruit and water, he frowned on seeing the empty bed and shoved the food and water onto the nearby table.
Moving over to the bed, Avak found Kokua laying near the seat she'd reached, as he went to lift her up, Avak swore that next time he'd rip Vezok apart.
xXx
Nahele smiled and carefully began to brush his hands over part of the ground as his mask glowed softly, the Turaga of Colour watched fascinated as the area turned transparent and everyone was able to see the room where Kokua, the matoran and herself were being held.
"Who's that?" Phira murmured curiously, as Anuenue realized that Kokua was missing and two Toa were there now, "It's Takanuva's and Amaya's shadow twins, but where's Kokua?" she replied as we watched Gali's and Kokua's shadow twins return.
"I'll just look-see." Nahele commented as Atinu leaned closer for a better look at Amaya's shadow twin, then glanced at Phira and Anuenue as they giggled.
"Here." Nahele murmured, brushing his hand over the transparent mist, the image blurred and changed while all watched, silence falling over them as they saw Avak lifting Kokua up from the floor of an overly decorated room and placed her on the bed.
While watching the image, Nahele and Turaga Lhikan glanced over to Anuenue, she sat there silent, while tears slid down her mask. Then she buried her mask in her hands, fighting to regain control, Nahele swiftly dismissed the image, while Phira and Atinu comforted Anuenue.
"I'm sorry." she murmured, several minutes later, stemming the tears with the edge of her robe, as Phira hugged her, then Anuenue looked over to Nahele, "Could I see Kokua again, please?" He glanced at her, concerned.
"Are you sure?" Atinu asked, voicing everyone' concern, "I have to." Anuenue whispered softly, at Lhikan's nod, Nahele cleared the mist and called the image back into view, steeling herself, Anuenue shifted closer to look, while Lhikan rested his hand on my shoulder.
The room only had one occupant now, Kokua, she lay motionless on the bed covered by several layers and there was now a compress on her forehead.
Then there was a movement in the shadow cast by the window arch and three shadow twins appeared.
"Gali's, Amaya's and Kokua's." Anuenue murmured, as everyone watched intently, the shadow twins joined hands and held them over Kokua's forehead.
Several minutes later they glanced towards the door, then departed the room via the window arch shadow.
The door opened just as Kokua's vanished from sight and Avak entered, carrying a small vial, the contents of it shone silver, as he placed it on the table.
"That's a powerful healing draught, dangerously powerful!" Turaga Lhikan exclaimed anxiously, as they watched Avak carefully lift Kokua up, position her against his shoulder, then coaxed her into slowly drinking the healing draught.