Turaga Lhikan's spirit and the spirit Toa were watching as Aikane and the others headed up Mount Valmai when they were joined by Anuenue's as she sat between Phira and Atinu, hugging her they asked how she was doing.
"Getting stronger." Anuenue murmured as the others shifted closer to her, after quietly talking for a while, Anuenue went with Turaga Lhikan to where Mata Nui's sleeping spirit rested.
While they stood there, Anuenue heard Lhikan yawn, then he sat down and fell asleep, glancing around surprised, she realized that the spirit Toa had also fallen asleep.
Confused the Turaga of Colour looked back at the great Spirit, then around at everyone again, as she did, an orb of light of an undefinable colour appeared over Mata Nui's head.
Watching the orb as it hovered there, Anuenue wondered what was happening, it then floated over to where she stood.
As the orb came closer, Anuenue found she couldn't take her eyes from it, then realized she'd sat down and was feeling drowsy, laying back as her eyes closed, Anuenue thought she could hear soft chiming.
When Anuenue's spirit fell asleep, the orb moved back to hover over Mata Nui and the chiming grew slightly louder, the sound then paused as though waiting for a reply.
Slowly the Great Spirit's eyes opened and He gazed wearily at the orb as it hovered above him, after Mata Nui replied, the orb pulsated and chimed again, the Great Spirit nodded as he slipped back into unconsciousness.
The orb hovered there for a while longer, before moving to hover over the other sleeping spirits, it then roused Anuenue, and as she gazed enthralled at it, gently erased what she'd seen before returning her spirit to sleep, it then vanished in a burst of light.
xXx
Malie watched Anuenue curiously, as she murmured inaudibly, then stirred and woke up. As she smiled at him, the shadow twins suddenly moved into a group, to Anuenue and Malie it looked like they were discussing something.
Then Lari and Kokua's shadow twin rejoined Anuenue and Malie, while the others bowed to them and hurried into the shadow, Analu came in just as Haki's vanished.
"What's going on?" she asked puzzled as Kokua's shadow twin hugged Malie, while Anuenue sat up and shifted to the side of the bed.
"I'm not sure, it must be important if they all went." she commented as Malie sat beside her and passed her the feather Kokua had given him.
Watching how tiny sparks of colour danced over its surface, Anuenue smiled and handed it back to Malie, before getting off the bed. Kokua's shadow twin watched as Lari helped Anuenue walk a short distance before returning to where she'd slept.
"Thank you Lari, I needed that." Anuenue smiled as she sat back down, Lari grinned, then she and Analu went to tell the others that Turaga Anuenue was alright.
When they left, Malie shifted closer to me, as Kokua's shadow twin glanced towards the patch of shade on the wall, placing her arm around Malie's shoulders, Anuenue watched her actions.
"Are you needed?" Anuenue murmured gently, Kokua's shadow twin nodded, then swiftly wrote 'Very soon, may I go?' glancing up from the note, Anuenue smiled.
"Take care, all of you." Anuenue said quietly, she nodded, then hugged them before walking into the shadow.
"Welcome back, Turaga." Toma grinned as he and Kewe came into the room, then joined Malie and Anuenue, as they sat on the bed, a few minutes later, she was listening intently as they told me about the Piraka.
xXx
Everyone looked around surprised as Shenu's and the rest of the shadow twins suddenly turned up and gathered around Hahli's, she nodded, then swiftly wrote something down before passing it to Garan, after reading the note, he passed it to Dalu and went over to Shenu.
"It seems that your shadow twins wish to take you to join up with Aikane and the others." Garan explained, Resha and the others glanced at each other surprised, as the shadow twins nodded.
"How do the other shadow twins fare?" Lehua asked quietly, everyone glanced at Hahli's, who looked towards where the others were, then started rapidly writing, handing the first sheet to Garan, she continued writing, "They are holding their own, very slowly moving back. The Piraka haven't used their Zamor Sphere Launchers or their innate abilities yet." he read out.
Suddenly a ripple went through all the shadow twins, then Hahli's added more to what she'd written and handed it back to Garan.
"Thok just launched a Zamor Sphere at Tahu's shadow twin." He read to the others as Hahli's shadow twin started a fresh sheet, when she passed it to Garan, he realized all of the shadow twins were laughing about something.
"The Piraka are arguing about the contents of the Zamor Spheres, as though the Sphere hit Tahu's shadow twin, he wasn't effected."
"How can that be?" Balta asked, while Hahli's shadow twin passed Garan a third sheet, which he read aloud. 'We're not too sure why either, it might have something to do with what we are.'
Garan glanced up with a chuckle, "Takanuva's shadow twin returned the empty Zamor Sphere to Thok, right between his eyes." He told the others, as Shenu's and the other shadow twins joined them.
On noticing this, Dalu grinned, as Garan nodded. "Alright, you'd better go."
Then Dalu asked if their shadow twins would be returning, Kazi's nodded, then glanced at Hahli's, who silently laughed as she wrote down his reply.
"Too right!" Piruk read out, as Shenu and the others linked hands with their shadow twins and disappeared, several minutes later, the shadow twins returned and told Hahli's how the Toa, Kokua and matoran were doing.
As Garan read out what she'd written, Velika and Balta saw movement in the far distance, as slowly the shadow twins began to come into sight, Garan nodded at the others and shadow twins, who moved into position and watched intently, as the sun reached its zenith.
xXx
Slowing as she reached the steeper part of the path, Aikane silently watched as those guarding the rear caught up with everyone else.
"Sister, how are you feeling?" Amaya softly asked, as she, Gali and Kokua joined her, Aikane gave them a sad smile and shrugged, then glanced around surprised as first Kokua's then Shenu's and the others shadow twins led Shenu and his friends out from the shadow of a near by outcrop.
Everyone had a short rest as Shenu explained what their shadow twins had told Garan and how the Zamor Spheres didn't seem to effect the shadow twins, as he talked, Aikane glanced at Kokua's' shadow twin, who smiled and moved to sit beside her.
Kazi quietly joined Tane, as he chatted with Matoro, then glanced over to Aikane, she was watching him and as their eyes met, she shook her head slightly, Kazi nodded and listened to what Kokua's shadow twin had written about Anuenue.
xXx
Sitting thinking about what Toma and Kewe had told her, Anuenue glanced at Malie, as they went to help on the ramparts.
"I'm afraid I need to ask you some difficult questions." Anuenue murmured softly, as she shifted to lean against the headboard.
Malie glanced at Anuenue, as she looked at him, waiting to see how he'd respond, seeing the concern in her eyes, Malie sat on the bed and shifted to sit beside her.
As I watched, Malie wrote on one of the sheets the shadow twins had left behind, then passed it to me. 'Sometimes we all have to do hard-difficult things. Ask away, I will reply-answer the best I can.'
After reading the note, Anuenue hugged Malie gently and as he shifted closer, she asked if he would map out the Piraka's Stronghold for her, Malie nodded and gestured as to whether he should start on it.
"Not yet, thank you. My second question is did you ever see the area where the digging and making of Zamor Spheres goes on?"
Anuenue watched Malie as he paled slightly, but firmly shook his head, taking hold of his hands she gently squeezed them.
"How did they stop you from trying to escape, without using the Zamor Spheres?" she whispered, as Malie looked up at her.
A shudder ran through him, then Malie picked up a sheet and began writing at a furious pace, before ripping up the sheet and bursting into tears, his body shaking uncontrollably.
Stifling her own tears, Turaga Anuenue hugged and rocked Malie as he cried, his mask soaked with tears.
"Let it all out, it'll help you heal." she whispered softly as Malie buried himself in her arms.
Sitting there as the early afternoon sunlight began to inch into the sleeping quarters, Anuenue began to hum soothingly to Malie as he hugged her tightly.
Lari glanced in at one point, but the rainbow hued Turaga indicated that this was something Malie and she had to face alone, she nodded quietly and left.
Slowly Malie's shaking lessened and his breathing slowed to normal, Anuenue kept hugging him and as he drifted into sleep, she found that she also felt drowsy, and not long after her eyes closed.
xXx
Malie jumped and opened his eyes as someone gently shook his arm, glancing around, he could see Turaga Anuenue laying beside him, her arm over his shoulders, and the one who'd shook him awake was watching them with interest.
"Hello little one." Phira smiled gently, as Malie carefully sat up and patted Anuenue's arm, when she didn't wake, he glanced, puzzled up at the spirit Toa.
"Anuenue is still recovering, so her spirit won't wake this time." Phira explained as she stood up and held a hand out to him, "Come with me, someone wants to see you."
Curious, Malie gently disentangled himself from Anuenue's arms, before standing up and shyly took Phira's hand, glancing back at Anuenue, Malie saw that she'd been joined by a flame coloured spirit Toa.
As they walked through the mist, Phira told Malie her name and asked his, when he wrote it in the mist, Phira murmured surprised "You can't speak?"
Malie shook his head and shrugged, as they entered a clear space, where he saw two more Toa and another Turaga, after Phira had introduced him, Turaga Lhikan encouraged Malie to sit between him and Nahele.
"I'm happy-glad you helped our colour-bright sister." Nahele grinned, as Malie looked up at him, fascinated by his colour, then as Malie blushed, Nahele hugged him and glanced at Lhikan, who nodded smiling. "I want you to protect-hold something."
When Malie nodded awed, Nahele cupped his hands together and a small sphere of green light appeared, gently Malie accepted it from him and after looking at the sphere curiously, carefully placed it away, he then listened to Turaga Lhikan and the Toa as they quietly talked, until he drifted back to sleep.
When Malie's spirit fell asleep, Lhikan smiled, watching as Malie lent against Nahele.
"Could you take Malie back?" Turaga Lhikan asked Phira, as Atinu and she stood up, she nodded, while Nahele also stood up, carefully lifting Malie's sleeping spirit.
"I'll come too." he said as Phira moved to take Malie from his arms, Turaga Lhikan smiled, "Alright, Atinu and I will rejoin the other spirit Toa.
Phira and Nahele nodded, solemnly, their thoughts focusing on where the Great Spirit lay, bowing to Turaga Lhikan, they watched as he and Atinu left, then walked back to where Anuenue slept.
Alani glanced up, smiling as they reached him and Anuenue.
"I think Anuenue's been dreaming." Alani said, then explained what he'd seen, while Nahele rested Malie beside Anuenue and Phira placed Anuenue's arms back around him.
"As Anuenue slept, the mist around her kept turning rainbow coloured, yet she doesn't have the mask of colour control at the moment. She was also talking, but all I could catch was a soft murmur." He commented.
Sitting beside Alani, Phira and Nahele watched as Malie's and Anuenue's spirits returned to their forms, then Nahele cleared the mist and they watched Anuenue and Malie until they awoke.
As they then walked to where the others were, Alani listened to what Phira had learnt about Malie, Nahele glanced around surprised, when she finished.
"I thought he was awe-stunned." he murmured, on finding out Malie was mute, "I know what you mean brother, a silent Le-matoran is most unusual." Phira smiled as they reached the clearing in the mist where the other spirit Toa and Turaga Lhikan watched over Mata Nui's spirit form.
xXx
Anuenue was first to awaken and smiled at Kewe and Lari as they sat nearby, she wasn't too surprised at how long she'd slept for.
The sunlight which had just started moving across the room, was now four fifths of the way across it, then Anuenue glanced down at Malie as he slowly stirred then opened his eyes, after a few seconds passed, he smiled and hugged her.
When the pair sat up, Kewe passed them bowls of fruit and after Malie finished eating, he gathered up the unused sheets and started writing, pausing to smile reassuringly at Kewe, Lari and Anuenue.
Malie smiled as he watched Turaga Anuenue's shoulders slowly lose the tension he could see there and she quietly began eating, then turned his attention back to filling the sheets with all the information he could give.
"Would you like some water?" Lari asked, after sometime had passed, Malie not realizing she was talking to him, carried on writing and only stopped when Kewe tapped his arm.
After having a drink, Malie went to pass the canister to Anuenue, and was surprised to find she'd fallen asleep again, the bowl resting on her lap.
Gently Lari eased it from Anuenue's hand and placed it on the table, then as she placed a blanket over Anuenue, Malie went to move.
"I think-guess that you'd better stay-wait with Turaga Anuenue." Kewe commented, smiling as he brought some more blank sheets over.
"I agree," Lari added, "I don't know what she asked you, but Turaga Anuenue looked really unhappy when I glanced in earlier"
Malie nodded and quickly wrote something down before handing it to Kewe. 'The questions weren't easy-nice for Turaga Anuenue to ask or me to answer. But I told her I'd do my best.' Kewe read to Lari, they then tapped fists with Malie and went to let Analu and Toma know what had occurred, glancing back, Kewe smiled as Malie finished one sheet and started another.
xXx
Slowly Anuenue's eyes opened and she gazed, astounded at the myriad of colours that swirled and danced around where she lay.
Carefully the rainbow hued Turaga eased herself up on her elbows and was about to sit up, when a faint chiming reached her. Glancing around, she watched stunned as colours she'd never seen before emerged from the rest.
After a few minutes, Anuenue gasped softly, as she realized that the chiming was coming from these ever shifting colours as they moved around.
How long Anuenue watched she wasn't sure, then one of them drifted over to where she lay.
When this colour surrounded her, the chiming subtly changed, and Anuenue realized she'd been hearing a language, a gentle chuckle emanated from around her.
"You will not remember any of this, Turaga of Colour," a voice softly chimed, as her eyes began to grow heavy, "All you will know when you awaken, is you've had a dreamless, restful sleep and that you are to watch over Malie."
xXx
Having finished writing, Malie glanced around at Turaga Anuenue, as she shifted position and whispered softly, "Watch over Malie." before settling down again.
On hearing that, Malie wondered if Anuenue knew about his dream, then he tidied up the finished sheets and placed them on the table for when Anuenue awoke.
Taking the unused sheets, Malie placed them on the bed Hahli and her shadow twin had used, before wandering over to the window, which faced Mount Valmai and watched the sunlight fading from it's slopes.
As he stood there, listening for the sounds of Anuenue waking, Malie wondered why he'd been asked to protect-hold the green light sphere, then hoped that everyone out there were alright and they would cheat the Piraka by getting to the Mask of Life first.
xXx
Zaktan growled frustrated, as he noted how low the sun was, while the others kept trying to break past their opponents.
"Fall back!" He hollered at the others, most of whom cautiously did, Vezok was too intent on trying to defeat Onua's shadow twin and didn't pay any attention, until Hakann gave him a splitting headache.
The shadow twins watched as the Piraka moved back roughly a kio, then Piruk's and Matoro's vanished into the lengthening shadows to spy on them.
When they'd gone, Aikane's glanced at Macku's, who nodded and went to where the Resistance were, the remaining shadow twins kept their positions and silently discussed the way the Piraka fought and what they would do next.
Macku's shadow twin returned carrying a small bag, from which she took out several lightstones and a heatstone.
When the Piraka regrouped, Zaktan turned to where Vezok was glaring at Hakann, who smirked, as Thok watched them, just waiting to add his piece.
Tapping Thok's shoulder, Zaktan hissed, "Freeze Vezok, I gave an order which he ignored, then move back."
Reidak and Avak slowly moved several paces away, as they'd been eavesdropping, after Thok had frozen Vezok, he and Hakann joined them.
All four inadvertently shuddered as they watched Zaktan take a Zamor Sphere out, crack it open then place the exposed virus close beside Vezok, his bellow of agony lasted several minutes, and as Zaktan re-sealed and put the Zamor Sphere away, he commented, "When I give an order, listen!"
Still immobilize, Vezok just glared at Zaktan as he turned his back and ordered the others to make camp, Piruk's and Matoro's shadow twins nodded at each other, then Piruk's returned to the others.