*Waves arms in circles*

You saw nothing, go on and read.

The Metkayina village found themselves in a day that would mark their history and memories forever. Perhaps the strangest day of all.

The day their Olo'eyktan escorted a stranger, a human, coming from the sea into their home. A human with winged feet. A human who breathed their air freely. A human who took any notion they thought they had about their kind and threw it in the air, with a simple shell he carried in hand.

The very same human, joined by all of them in sitting in the soft and warm sand cross legged, that was now silently enjoying a simple meal.

With the language barriers all but broken down at this point, certain formalities could put to use at last.

A still bewildered Tonowari, trying to keep those emotions in check, had exchanged a few words with the human before offering the food and drink. The human accepted gracefully, and waited just the same as it was being prepared for him. Tonowari's early doubt about his capability of eating the same food as his people were put to rest in the first bite the man took from the fish.

It wasn't the best they had. Taken straight from their reserves. Salted for the migrations times when fishing for fresh catches was few and far between. However, its flavor by itself was satisfying, nothing a few herbs couldn't enhance. The flesh was tender and the skin had fair amount of crunchiness and texture.

Even as the countless eyes were locked in his figure, the human ate neatly, taking his time to appreciate and savor each piece he took from the bow, and enjoy every sip from the sweet drink in the cup. Both were much larger than it would be fit for someone of his size. The bow completely obscured his legs, and he had to use both hands to lif the cup. But he didn't seem to mind those issues at all.

When the meal was finished, his chest rose in a deep breath, a low hum escaping his throat, eyes closing momentarily in satisfaction of a full stomach. There was silence, as the human calmly placed the bow and the cup close to the fire.

The Olo'ektan can feel the sense of urgency of his people around him, like a volcano ready to unleash it's wrath upon any land near it. He felt it even more from Ronal. His mate's palms were pressed firmly against her knees. The desire of bluntly ask a thousand and more questions was almost taking a physical sign in her being.

But those urges were hold by the strong will she had, her expression one of calm and patience. Like Tonowari, her curiosity was balanced by knowing to not rush things. Both were treating this situation with upmost care, as if it could deteriorate by the smallest mistake. Thankfully, their children and clan were in a unspoken agreement with that mentality.

It was not long before the human broke the silence.

"It was very good. I thank you for offer," He says respectfully to Tonowari, who nodded in the same nature, speaking next.

"Feangs are common in these reefs. Shoals of them pass by every day."

The human hummed, repeating the fish's name many times under his breath. "Feangs…Huh. And this place, what it is called ?"

"Awa'atlu."

Unexpectedly, he started laughing quietly, his shoulders shaking along with each chuckle. Many of the Metkayina tilted their heads, raised brows or looked at those next to them, wondering just what could've cause such reaction.

It didn't go unnoticed.

"Forgive me." He said to them in an assuring manner. "Is just, in my age, seeing new things is a rare occasion,"

Age ?

Now, the Metkayina didn't know much about the humans besides the basic, but even then, they knew the human's comment about himself didn't make sense. If anything, he looked to be in his prime in terms age. Strong in body and with traces of youth sprinkled still in his appearance.

"And for the last days, is been quite frequent," He added with a revering tone, mildly opening his arms."I mean, how could it not ? This place is amazing. The air is pristine. And the water…" A sigh of longing left him. "My mother would've made a thousand songs about this land, and told stories of it until the sun's end if she could."

There was that wonder in his eyes again.

Addressing Tonowari, he continued. "Anyways, this aside. Again, I apologize for…" The human gestures casually to the crowd in the cook fire. "The inconvenience,"

Inconvenience was putting it lightly, Ronal stated privately.

"I can't deny it was a unexpected change for our night," Tonowari first put it to him, acknowledging the apology, before testing a notion. "All the same, I believe you didn't come here without a reason ?"

The human agreed. "A necessity, if you will." He said seriously.

"Much to talk about ?" Tonowari repeated his words from before.

"More than you can think," The human stated. "For my actions and from the way your people are almost drowning in anxiety, please, ask your questions, and I'll gladly answer them," Head leaning back, he made a simple exigency. "If you answer just one of my own after."

Tonowari's ears flicked as he met the human's stare.

"Fair," Was his calm reply.

"Then by all means," The human gestured with his arm as go on.

The floodgates opened, and Tonowari went straight to the point.

"Who are ?"

The human huffed, as if already expecting that to be the first of the questions.

"I have many names," He started. "My people call me "Ah'Ku'kul'kan". And others call me Namor,"

Namor.

Tonowari inwardly considered the name. While his early deduction of the now identified human was true, it made him wonder a new aspect. The way his people call him. Just that phrase draw a few comparisons. From the tone it was said, it was more akin to a title, one perhaps of high regard. Like him as Olo'ektan or Jake Sully as Toruk Makto.

Wanting to shine light on the matter, he asked in a more indirect approach. While at the same time seeing if what he said to Ronal wasn't trickery.

"When you say your people, it's as in the sky-people ? The humans ?"

The look on Namor's face was one of complete and utter surprise, his forehead raising.

"There are humans here ?" He voiced in disbelief, looking to the ground with a forming frown as a thousand thoughts went through his mind.

"They came from the stars, twice now," Tonowari revealed.

"Aren't you one of them ? You should know of it" Ronal bluntly asked/Stated.

Namor lifted his gaze towards her, long gone was the shock of the information. Replacing it was a unblinking look of cold fury, intensified by the flames, like his very existence had been offended by her words.

Tonowari had to hide his wince, but at the same time he subtly readied himself. Him, along with many in the area, even Ronal when seeing it. It wasn't the first time they had seen someone, let alone a warrior as Namor appeared to be, with that stare act harshly soon after.

All thanked Eywa when it didn't came to be the case with him.

They watched as he turned away, jaw in motion, before puffing into the air.

"I admit, in appearance there's almost no difference." Namor speaks as calmly as he could. "But do not mistake me or my people with them! And we are not from the stars." Venom practically spills from his voice at the reference of the invaders as he now hissed. "Whatever humanity we ever had as been left behind with our ancestors"

The intensity, which he spoke, was too strong to be of a pretender and a liar. Right as Tonowari was about his thoughts on the being in front of him, they now seemed small compared to what he truly was.

Ronal's mouth opened expression showed she was also going through the same, on top being wrong in her assumptions. Their children stared at each other, not knowing what to make of or how to process the information. The clan followed behind.

Just what had come to their village ?

One who were the skin of the demons. That spoke having a old and long dead connection. That was close to snapping when being compared to them. That breathed the same air as them.

Tonowari took the opening.

"Then…who are your people? Where did you come from ?" He asked stiffily, with a new sense of wariness of the truth that would unravel.

As late into the night as it was, if one would come to the cook-fire now without any knowledge of what had happened before, they would think it was a normal gathering for the clan, and a session of story-telling.

Each of the Metkayina listened in with great attention, hanging to every word as Namor speaks to all. He speaks of his civilization. Of a kingdom hidden from the world in the depths of the ocean, Talokan. How his people could breathe underwater. That he was their king, a title which they soon learned was the equivalent of a Olo'ektan. And the one fact that raised more questions. They lived in the human world, the one called earth.

"But, how ?" It's Tsireya who asks, making all heads turn to her. The young girl's face quickly becomes a shade of purple, embarrassed for speaking out of turn and for the sudden attention she had drawn to herself. Ronal touches her shoulder in comfort while she muttered many apologies under her breath to Tonowari.

He doesn't take it in negative way, however.

"My daughter is right," He then says to Namor. "It makes little sense how your people could live in the human homeland and now be here without the use of their sky ships,"

Normally it would look like one had been caught up in their lie, but Namor didn't even blink.

"Yours is a good question," He first stated to Tsireya kindly, making her hide her face even more, before adding to Tonowari. "And it's part of the reason I've come here,"

Avoiding them as much as he could, even more with Talokan's own ways to watch over the world, there were still many a time where Namor ventured to the surface world, disguised. In his journeys, he entered cities, villages and towns. Had met humans from all walks of life, from humble villagers to public figures as they were called. But the ones that stuck if him the most were the scholars and teachers.

In those exchanges he learned every bits of new information about everything. Politics and global events were some Namor paid more attention, to see if his home would be affected by it. It always amused him how the latter was mostly cause by the same group of special individuals.

Other than that, he also focused on the humans knowledge of the worlds beyond of their own. And how many would like nothing more to find a way to create a path to them as easy as it would to open a door and walk to the other side.

Ironic how they were looking in the wrong direction.

"Deep into our territory, where the waters become dark and shrouded in shadows, is one of our guarded secrets." Namor said, as Tonowari, Ronal and some others crouched closer to him now. With his spear in hand, the king of Talokan used it as a pencil, marking the sands to draw. "We found it years after establishing ourselves at last, and it was there way longer than any, even me, were born."

The lines started to form a clear vision. The ground with sharp rocks, split in two by a large crack.

"In the Atlantic, the name of our ocean, at the foundations of the world, there is the rift."

"Rift?" Tonowari was not fond of the somber tone in Namor's voice.

"A ring of swirling fire not even the seas can extinguish. A creation from an ancient time." Namor looks at him dead in the eye. "A path to another worlds."

Many flinch at his declaration, while the Olo'ektan remains firm, although the emotions are evident on his eyes.

"What ?" Tonowari fought a tremble in his voice.

Out of all of Talokan's secrets, this was the only one that they also had to protect themselves from it.

"Yes." Namor said firmly. "You may find it difficult to believe. But it's the truth, and has haunted my people for generations now."

For a while he explained in crucial details everything he knew and gathered over the years about the rift, trying to trace it all the way back to its origins. Unfortunately, in his search for who could have made such a thing, there were only vague and subtle mentions in ancient texts, and nothing more.

He recalled when first seeing up close what could come through it. And how that led to him putting and arming a endless watch around the portal.

All cumulated in Tsireya's original question.

It started as a rather simple and regular day for him and his kingdom. But as the night neared, one of the sentries on rift barged into the throne palace, calling for Namor's presence in a desperate voice and terrified eyes.

He acted on the spot, taking up the lance and swinging quickly to the location.

Never before has the rift been so…erratic and violent as it was when he laid eyes upon it at his arrival. Fires raging and lighting bursting out, almost all of them from a distance. If only it ended at that.

For a few moments the rift seemed to close in on itself, pulling the fires and water into it like a swirl. Then it happened. A bursting wave of blinding energy, sending Namor and those with him away through the water. Naturally, he was the first to recover from the effect, to see the same wave go on and on past his sight.

Desperate, he swung back to Talokan, where the wave no doubt had pass through. To the joy of his heart, he only found the citizens scared over the happening, but alive and well nonetheless. And the city still held on strong and mighty as it has since he built it.

"We held a council soon after," Namor explained. "To tell all what had transpired in the rift. To try to alleviate the fear and confusion caused by it. Even if just a little."

Tonowari's face held a new sense of respect and empathy as he listens on. Even with the minor sense of skepticism about the talk of the rift, one thing he could say for sure of Namor during this short time of their interaction, is that he was a protector. Few could mask the care or love for something or someone when speaking about them.

And it oozed from him when it came to his people.

That spoke more to Tonowari about his person than anything else.

"As calm came, my people thought that we had nothing more to worry about," Namor continues. "Me, on the hand, had doubts. It was a…felling, in the back in my mind. Like the water itself was different for some reason. So I went to the surface." He hung his head. "Easy to say, being right never felt more wrong."

"The sky and stars that stood above me all my life were gone. Replaced by a new, more stunning constellation. The oceans I grew swimming, exploring each of their corners, were no longer a familiar passage. Creatures, bigger, more fierce, and different from all I have ever encountered before roaming freely." There was a moment of hesitancy. "For the first time, I was truly and completely lost, even with my home not very far."

The implications set in as Tonowari leaned forward, hands grabbing onto his knees.

"You're saying this rift brought you and your people here ?" He asked to be sure.

Namor nodded."I didn't think it could do something like it."

Many could only imagine how being in that situation would feel like themselves. To go beyond their reef, and find themselves in a literal different domain. Away from all they knew and from the great mother's eye and embrace.

"For how long you've been here ?"

"A two weeks sun," Namor revealed. "Relaying my discovery was a new task all together. Much time was taken for my people to make sense out of…everything. While none others ventured outside of Talokan's borders, by my orders, I had to. And then, I found you," He gestured to the gathering.

The Metkayna paused at that information. One of their young ones did not take it so well.

"You've been watching us ?" Aonung demanded in accusatory tone.

"Son." Tonowari warned firmly, ordering him to hush and not antagonize the man.

Namor merely shrugged at the boy's snarl. "I make no apology for that." He admitted shamelessly. "Besides yours wasn't the only one." Both father and son turned back to him fast. "From the distance, I watched the people from every single village in this archipelago, getting a first impression if you will."

When the initial phase of being out of his element came to pass, Namor, the longer he kept observing those new beings, felt a sense of familiarity growing.

He had witnessed many cultures rise and fall over his century long life. Two that still stand, although changed over time, the Maoris and the Bajaus, he was particularly fond off, and was reminded of them in his voyages on this new world. More so the former with their tattoos.

Sure, the Na'vi were taller, had strong tails and arms made for swimming, their eyes were big, ears pointy, teeth as that of cats, and somehow they could connect with the sea creatures with the end their long hairs.

However, their way of life, from how much he saw, was simple and sincere. It was a comfort to see that at least they were not a different type of conquistadores and colonizers he despised so much.

"For as revealing as it was, I still had no real idea of what to do next. Trying to control the rift to take us back to our home world was out of question." Crouching and taking the shell, Namor stared at it in reverence. "So, just two days ago, I went to our temple, and hoped that Chaac would come to us again."

At the mention of a temple and the shell, Ronal hoped to solve a mystery.

"And who is this Chaac you speak of ?" She inquired in a more civilized manner this time.

"Lord of rain. One of the gods of my people." Namor replied.

Ronal tilted her head, lips pressing together in thought. A god of his people, he said. Normally, she would have scoffed at the notion of another high power other than the great mother. But that storm in her ears and presence she felt while Namor spoke in the shell. Could it be possible?

"In the end, my prayers were listened. But not only from him."

Ears flicking, Ronal frowned, her expression voicing "What do you mean ?"

"As I spoke with Chaac, there was a whisper, so low you could almost no hear it. A voice I had never heard before. It was a woman's. Powerful, but kind and gentle." Since his youth, Namor had keen connection to higher planes, to the ancestors and the divine. Sometimes he would meditate, with the help of the shell's music, only to open his eyes to an intense light, others he would surround by clouds. And he would feel and hear them. The shamans and common folk saw as a logical gift. Only gods could easily speak to others of their own. "Next, I traveled, away from Talokan, to a place close to this island. I trusted in Chaac's advice to go to it, saying I should take this with me." He raised the shell. "And I came upon a majestic tree, beneath the waters, in a haven of floating stone,"

There was a collective breath intake from the Metkayina. None bigger than Ronal's as she almost lost her balance, her mouth opened in unspoken disbelief. Soon the clan started to exchange loud whispers between themselves. Tones of astonishment, confusion and even anger flowing through their words.

Namor became tense by their reaction. Before he could speak, Tsireya's voice cut through the murmurs.

"You went the Coven ?" This time gathering attention did not faze her at all. "You…You spo-,"

"You talked with Eywa ?!" Ronal had to call upon every restrain she had to not lunge forward like a beast and clutch Namor by his shoulders. And she had eyebrows, they would be at the top of her forehead now.

The same answered with a question of his own, unflinching. "That's her name ?" In the short period he established a connection with this new entity, Namor's senses became overwhelmed like never before. Had he asked for her name even ? Possibly, but that detail must have been lost to him during it. Thankfully, it was the only one.

"The great mother, yes." Namor looked over to Tonowari. Despite also showing signs of shock, the leader held firm to a composed look. Admirable, the king privately thought.

"I take it she is your goddess." His words came out as a statement more than a question.

It was an over simplification of what Eywa truly meant to all Na'vi, but Tonowari nodded in yes. With a more pressing voice, he added, continuing of where the topic was left of. "Since the first songs, but a few of the people had the privilege of hearing her voice." He never thought he would present long enough to hear of such a special event from the living. Much less with Eywa accepting one not of Pandora.

"None human or any other kind." Ronal said his thoughts out loud, voice holding a prior edge, expression very taut. "Until now, it seems." Leaning in, standing over Namor, the look in her had made many experienced warriors cower. It didn't had much effect on him, however. "What did you do?" She could be willing to accept his story and that he was not a human. However, if he profaned their sacred grounds and committed the smallest of crimes against Eywa with this 'god' of his, then he would not be seeing the sun rise again.

Namor sensed the unspoken threat. Funnily, he could understand her feelings on the matter. Ancestors know what he would do if he found an outsider trespassing upon Talokan's temples or shrines.

With his hands open at his sides, he assured. "You have my word that no evil was caused by me or any other at your coven. I dared only enter when answering Eywa's call."

Ronal seemed lesssuspicious. As she started backing away from him, Namor told them of the first contact with Eywa.

"Admittedly, I attempted to use my traditional ways at first at the Coven." He first remarked. "Soon I learned it was unnecessary. The tree started pulsating, strong like a heart's beat, it's roots glowing blue just as the water at night. And then…How do you call those long necked creatures ?" He gestured to the docks in the village.

"Ilus."

"Curious ones, if I might say. But, yes. Two of them appeared and started circling around me. One snatched the shell from my hands, and swung towards the base of the tree. The other pushed me forward to follow." Seeing the now identified methods of which Eywa communicated, was a dreamlike experience. "Right there, as roots wrapped around the shell, the branches shifted, it's purple leaves lowered when I neared, like an inviting hand."

"And you touched them ?" That was what Ronal wanted to know the most. Without Tsaheylu, it was impossible to connect with the tree.

Or so she thought.

"With some caution, but yes. Then I felt her," Again Namor threw all she, and her people, knew upside down. "It was….there's no easy way to describe. A dash of emotions. A moment stretched to eternity. I almost lost myself in it."

Ronal's thoughts trailed off, as she was unable to even begin to take the reality of it. Eywa had accepted Namor. She called him personally to her. And the other so called god, aided in the process.

It was too much process in so little time.

"It may be my ignorance, but is Eywa always so quiet ?" Just like that, Namor's question brought her back.

"Quiet ?"

"I remember asking her questions. If she could give answers, tell me where my people and I were, as I did before with Chaac. But instead, she gave me flashes, of places and people, and then I was sent back to the tree." Being used to booming voices that seemed to rip reality a apart sure gave Namor a minor whiplash in the experience. "And the shell was given back to me."

The Tsahik almost coughed a loud laugh, reducing it to just a quirk in her lips. Oh, he went to Eywa all right.

Putting amusement in check, Ronal briefly educated him.

"The Great Mother does not tell us anything, Namor." She explained sagely, calling him by name for the first time. "She merely led us to what she wants us to see. Or, what we need to see. What you saw, be it where or who, is a path you should follow." She didn't need to tell him about the shell's role. By now, it was very much fulfilled, if it was as Eywa intended. She had given a key to bring down the barriers of language for both peoples.

Namor contemplated this new knowledge, nodding slowly in understanding, and being glad that his deductions about the visions were close to being right.

At the same time, Tonowari had some assumptions of his own.

"That's what brought you here, isn't it ?" He asked plainly. "Eywa's visions."

"Along with hope between uncertainties." Namor admitted.

Tonowari shot a quick glance at Ronal before his attention shifted as Namor stood straighter, fully turned in his direction.

"For that, Tonowari of Awa'atlu, I now call upon the one question I have for you." He declared firmly and imperatively as a leader could. With a small gestured of agreement, he went on. "My story has been told. The motive of Talokan's presence in your world revealed. I would die for my people for the smallest chance of keeping their peace and safety. However, my death is not meant for this moment. As our times of hiding comes to end. Therefore, here I stand, revealing myself, with all of you as witness, and the blessings of your goddess."

"To ask for your help."

Tonowari felt a sense of relief and pressure at the same time when it was all said and done.

One because the end of the night proved to be more positive then he could've expected. The other for incoming changes that awaited him and his people days ahead.

Accepting to aid Namor and his people was certainly one of the most important decisions he would take in his time as Olo'ektan. There was no precedent for it. He saw many others probably taking the path of denying such a request outright, just by his look alone, considering him as the enemy.

But Tonowari never was one see things in a simplistic way before knowing more. And, as Ronal said to him countless times, his compassion often spoke louder than reason. Granted, it was a true statement. Not one he blindly acted upon, however. Had he not sensed honesty in Namor's words and eyes, he wouldn't even bat an eye at the task placed on his shoulders.

From the Omatikaya experience, teaching a different culture about their ways came to a high price. If would've it so, history wasn't going not be repeating itself.

Besides, her involvement all but erased most doubts one could have. One aspect he was sure Ronal already had her mind set in uncovering until the end.

After making official his answer to Namor and the entire clan, Tonowari now had to prepare.

As a first step to form a partnership between both worlds, the two agreed to introduce the Talokanil to the Metkayina in week's time, right at the sands of their village. Amongst the clan, there were tone of eagerness and fear at the idea. An expected reaction, but Tonowari hoped it would end there.

Namor, on his end, took the acceptance with visible satisfaction and gratitude. Not wanting to take of more their sleep and time, he quickly gathering his weapon and head-ware to leave.

Not before giving one last demonstration of the truth of what he was.

With a promise that they would see meet again soon, as walked freely towards the sea, he raised a single arm over his shoulder, hand open, and the water opened itself like a flower at his will.

Eyes wide, all watched as he passed through the newly formed path, closing his hand at one point. The water swallowed his form.

And he was gone.

Alright, man, I had to look up many articles and youtube videos to fill in some parts of the chapter.

When it came to Namor's connection to the gods, it was something that Ku'kul'kan represented in old Mayan. It was visions, communication with the ancestors and with other worlds of existence.

That tied in also with what the MCU lore established with Black Panther. The erb gave those who drink it the ability to talk to their deceased relatives and Bast herself. Since Namor's people went through a similar process in their new lives on the sea, it would make sense for him to reach a higher level of this process. Especially when they see him as their god too.

As for the last bit, that was straight from the comics. It was a more recent development in his power set. Strange that it wasn't established decades ago. I mean, the guy is a under water king, shouldn't he be able to control the sea at will ?

Anyway, I'll leave things here for now.

Should a new idea come in mind, I'll get to writing it.

Take care of yourselves people.

Peace.

PS: I'm so fucking stupid, the chapters were in the docs and I forgot to post them.

FML!