XVII

Makuta collapsed instantly, landing with a loud clatter. Groaning, he blinked his eyes open and gingerly touched his throbbing cheek, which stung to the touch. The metallic skin was actually dented. "Why did you—?"

"I LOVED HER!" Ekimu cried, making Makuta jump. "Why would you take her away from me?"

Makuta didn't answer. His eyes were wide as he stared up, dazed.

"Makuta… Why?" Within an eyeblink, Ekimu's rage-filled expression evaporated, with a look of sadness and betrayal taking over. "There could have been a better way, brother. Why would you do such a thing? Did you… Did you want Lelaka for yourself? Were you jealous?"

Snapping out of his trance, Makuta scoffed. "Of course not. What do you take me for—some sort of lovesick cabbage?"

Ekimu didn't look amused. "Then, Makuta, tell me why you did this."

"Or?"

The expression on Ekimu's face changed into cold anger. "Or so help me," he said coolly, "I will misuse my hammer to an inexcusable degree."

Makuta accidentally let his worried face come through for a second, but he quickly reverted it to indifference. "How would you 'misuse' it?" he dared. "Would you whack me in the face with it? You'd never do that, even if I weren't your brother—you're too 'good' for that."

Ekimu's eyes narrowed. Leaning toward his brother, he said in a cold, stern voice, "Watch me."

That made Makuta shudder. "It—it won't come to that. I'll tell you—tell you why!" he stammered, completely losing his impassive facade.

"You'd better," Ekimu shot back.

Makuta took a few long, quivering breaths before speaking. "It's just… It was a shock when you revealed you and Lelaka had been together. For four months. And the way you were pushing me away, how you were showing your finished masks to everyone and rubbing it in my face… all that, put together, was just…"

"Just?"

"It was…" Makuta's eyes flickered. "Couldn't take it. Too much, all… all piled up." His breathing became shallow against his will. "And you… when you took me to… t' that cave… when I din'… didn' do any…" At that point, Makuta became very tired. The floor became warm and soft. It was a good idea to sleep there. Yes, sleep was what he wanted.

Sleep was what he wanted…

"Stay with me, Makuta!" Ekimu's voice called, and Makuta found himself back in reality. "Tell me more," Ekimu continued, "and I'll give your mask back. What were you dreaming about yesterday?"

Right, he was still maskless. That explained the exhaustion. All the same, Makuta frowned at the interruption. "What makes you think I'd remember something as trivial as a dream? And supposing I do remember, why does it…?" His voice drifted off as he remembered conversing with Ekimu the day before. "You want to know why I hurt you. Or rather, how a piece of metal slipped from your hands and hit you in the face, as you put it."

Ekimu sighed. "Yes. Tell me about your dream."

"Well… I was walking. Walking on some sort of path—I think it was to a jungle. Then everything became bright and loud. Next thing I knew, I was in… in a really dark place." Makuta could feel the weakness starting to seep in. he had to keep this short. "I saw this giant monster—dark and frightening. I don't know why, but it… had my face. My mask, that is. Then I… I woke up in a dark cave."

"I see," Ekimu said slowly. "Alright, that was all I needed to know. Here's your mask back—I'm deeply sorry about the way I acted earlier. My emotions took complete control."

"Thank you." Makuta took his mask from Ekimu and returned it to his face. He stood up after a few seconds, the mask's energy quickly rejuvenating him. "That's better. How's your injury, by the way? May I see it?"

Ekimu stiffened, but didn't say anything.

With a long sigh, Makuta said, "Your request to have my mask off was more an order than anything else, so I'm technically being nicer than you right now."

"True…" Ekimu still hesitated. "Well, I suppose hiding it won't do any good. Alright." And he removed his mask.