Soldiers shouted and guns began to fire as the massive body crashed down into their ship.
The Metkayina took this as their signal to attack, charging forward with fierce battle cries, howling as they launched their spears at the smaller boats, dragging the humans underwater with them.
Tonowari sprang from the water and impaled a ship rider in one swoop, reattaching with his tsurak midair. With his son out of immediate danger, Jake grabbed his weapon and set his mount into the air, firing at any Avatar he could see as he joined the battle.
Neteyam could still see Lo'ak struggling with his restraints while Payakan slammed his fin into the oncoming human soldiers before heaving himself off the side of the boat. His impact created a large splash that drenched the remaining sky people on board. The Omaticaya took that as his cue and dove forward, dodging ships and tsuraks as he made his way to his little brother. With a defiant leap, the Na'vi and ilu pair sprung out of the waves, giving him the opportunity to disconnect tsaheylu and grab onto the ship, quickly scaling its side.
Violence was all around him. Blood coated the hull's metal deck and bullets rang out on all sides as the battle raged on. His eyes locked on the three trapped Na'vi and he rushed towards them. Before he could reach them a human man stepped forward, gun in hand. Lo'ak gave him a warning shout and Neteyam swiftly plunged the blade into his side. The man made a gasping sound before Neteyam pushed him over the ledge into the water below, not stopping his steps as reached for Tsireya and his siblings.
Lo'ak was kicking at the beam in frustration as he tugged at his restraints to no effect.
"Neteyam!" Tuk exclaimed, her little eyes shining when she recognized him. He quickly wiped the blood off of his knife before she could see and bent down by her side.
"Hey baby brother, need some help?" he questioned, grinning when Lo'ak rolled his eyes.
"Shut up, come on."
Neteyam interrupted his words by slicing Tsireya's restraints, immediately moving on to his sisters. "Get us loose, hurry!" Lo'ak called, glancing around them worriedly.
The second Tuk was free he pushed her into Tsireya's arms. "Get Tuk out of here," he said firmly, placing a hand on his sister's back.
"Bro, hurry up," Lo'ak exclaimed, tugging impatiently on his wrists.
Neteyam brought his knife forward and began to saw at the restraints. He couldn't help but smirk as he glanced up at his brother with teasing eyes. "Who's the mighty warrior? Come on, say it."
"Bro!" Lo'ak shouted in frustration but his brother was smiling.
Finally, his knife worked through the material and it fell away with a clatter. Neteyam set a relieved hand on his brother's head. "Come on, let's go," he urged, tugging his brother towards the water.
But Lo'ak sidestepped him and grabbed the gun off a fall army man. Neteyam groaned in frustration and turned back, glancing over the side of the ship to make sure his sister was safe with Tsireya.
"We gotta get Spider," Lo'ak insisted, setting his feet firmly on the deck. "Dad needs help ok?"
Why did his brother always make more trouble for himself? Neteyam let out a heavy sigh before agreeing and following him further into the wreckage of the ship. He held his knife at the ready as they approached, his eyes constantly surveying their surroundings, intensely aware of the screaming and gunfire that surrounded them.
As they turned a corner, a flash of pale skin caught his eye. He lunged forward, blade at the ready only to come face to face with Spider. His mask slightly obscured his face in the dim light. He seemed unharmed.
"It's me!" the boy yelled, holding his hands up. "It's just me."
With relief, Neteyam tucked his blade down and surveyed the boy. Lo'ak immediately rushed forward, placing his hands on Spider's body, to reassure him.
"We gotta get out of here!" his brother exclaimed, watching the ship.
Just as the words left his mouth, a barrage of bullets flew past him, ricocheting off the metal. "Get down!" Neteyam yelled, forcing his brother to the ground as they were shot at.
Lo'ak let out a yelp and ducked quickly, avoiding the projectiles.
Neteyam inched his head forward and saw a RECOM officer aiming a machine gun at the three of them. The second he saw Neteyam peek out, his finger tighten on the trigger, sending another spray of bullets at them.
Before he could stop him, his brother was already setting the gun and popped up. He shot back before ducking down to Neteyam's side.
"Lo'ak!" Neteyam shouted furiously, grabbing the gun from his hands. "You will get yourself killed. Take Spider and get ready for my command. I'll cover you."
"Bro, no!" Lo'ak protested, trying to keep his older brother back, but Neteyam shook him off.
"It's fine. You see that exit?"
Lo'ak glanced over where Neteyam was looking. He nodded.
"Good. On my count, you run. You and Spider get off the ship. I'll be right behind you."
Lo'ak looked like he was about to protest but Neteyam didn't give him the chance. "NOW," he commanded, giving him the signal.
His brother jumped forward, grabbing Spider and running towards the opening in the hull, towards the water. Ready to protect, Neteyam popped up from their hiding place and began to shoot.
The attention was immediately drawn towards the eldest and he had to quickly shift back to avoid getting shot. With a quick reflex, he stepped out once more and fired, aiming for the blue Avatar. Whether or not the bullets hit, he couldn't tell. All that mattered was getting his brother to safety.
He watched as Lo'ak's legs disappeared over the side of the ship, Spider immediately behind him. Relief flooded through his chest as they left, knowing they were safe. He shot a few more times before running over to the same exit.
Just as he was about to jump overboard, he caught movement in the corner of his eyes seconds before more gunfire followed him. Neteyam spun around and fired again but he wasn't sure where to aim. Before it was too late, he jumped overboard as fast as he could but by the time he hit the water he could feel a deep stinging in his side.
Air flooded his lungs as he surfaced, trying to inhale as deeply as he could without gasping.
"That was insane cuz," Lo'ak hollered, slapping Spider's hand excitedly. The human boy returned the gesture, grinning in agreement.
Neteyam's hand flew to his side, unable to help the hiss that came out of his mouth as saltwater flooded the wound.
Lo'ak laughter immediately stopped and he frantically made his way over to his eldest brother. "What? What is it Neteyam?"
An ilu reappeared and Lo'ak helped to push him onto it.
Neteyam took his hand away from his side seeing minimal blood come away on his palm. It was just a graze.
His brother exhaled in relief and jostled his brother with a laugh. "You get all the luck, how come I don't get a battle scar bro?"
Neteyam bared his teeth at Lo'ak's childish thought process but there was no real malice behind his glare. His side still hurt like hell though.
Taking a moment, Neteyam surveyed the situation. The three of them were fine with minimal injury. He let out a low call and clapped his hands, signaling for another ilu.
"Take Spider back to the Three Brother Rocks until I come to find you," he commanded, saddling his own ilu.
Lo'ak hoisted himself on easily and gave Spider a hand. "Where are you going?" his brother questioned, eyeing the way Neteyam still held the machine gun.
The eldest Sully grimaced. "To help dad."
Despite Lo'ak's protests, Neteyam all but commanded him back to shore. "I wasn't asking," he ground out when his brother tried to argue. "Take Spider. Now."
The Na'vi let out a sound of true frustration before grabbing his ilu and swimming away in anger. Neteyam watched him go and from the corner of his eye saw Aonung pulling Kiri out of the water, helping her up to a rock. Relief flooded through him as he realized all his siblings were uninjured and accounted for. Now he just had to keep them safe.
Eclipse was nearly upon them but there was still more than enough light. Metkayina shouted out, constantly springing from the water with their spears aimed. From above Neteyam watched as a large ikran dived down, firing at the tsuraks. Quaritch.
How the hell he managed to get a banshee, Neteyam had no idea but he steadied his gun and began to fire. A loud splash came from beyond and his ilu spun at the sound. Before his very eyes, Payakan joined the fight once more. The massive tulkun used his size to his advantage, wrapping his fins around one of the hunting boats, slamming it down into the waves. From behind him he could hear Lo'ak let out a few proud whoops in support of his spirit brother.
With a grin, Neteyam surged forward and joined the fight.
If the Metkayina had been outnumbered, it didn't show. While Payakan barged into the larger ships, sinking them, Na'vi warriors fired their spears into the cockpits of the smaller hand-driven boats, impaling their riders with such force it pierced the metal behind them.
Neteyam watched in amazement as Ronal twisted her pregnant body in an impossible manner, launching herself out of the water with a scream before slashing a human through the chest. It effectively threw him into the water, lungs severed completely.
Grabbing the gun, Neteyam steered forward, urging the ilu below the waves just as Aonung had taught him. Then, at the last second, he tilted it forward, using the strong tail fins to jump into the air. From the crouching position on its back, he managed to fire swiftly at one of the boats mid-air, satisfied when he heard a pained shout and the sound of a body crashing into the water.
He repeated this action, making his way further and further into the battle. Another ikran descended on the scene also carrying an Avatar. Neteyam watched as his mother darted to the side before firing her arrow, narrowly missing its target. Quaritch was on her now, a spray of bullets following her ikran as she darted around madly trying to avoid being shot down. Her voice called out in panic desperation and before Neteyam could even move, Jake surged up from the depth. The jaw of his tsurak grabbed Quaritch's ikran by the neck viciously. The two plummeted to the water below as sharp teeth dug into the banshee's sensitive skin. It let out a pained cry, flapping maddeningly in the waves, dislodging its rider.
Satisfied that his mate was safe, Jake reloaded his gun and began an independent spare with the Coronel. Leaving Neteyam to continue in the battle.
A flash of familiar teal caught his eye. Aonung had grabbed a spare ilu and was leaping out of the waves, helping Payakan where he could. The chief's son pushed sky people of the waves every chance he got, not hesitating to draw his knife. Their eyes met for a moment before Neteyam ripped himself away.
As he drew towards the rapidly sinking ship, he caught sight of the RECOM officer that he had tried to shoot on the deck.
Recognition lit up in the Avatar's irate yellow stare. A cruel smirk took over his face. "I thought I shot you," he jeered in disdain, reloading his gun as Neteyam approached.
"Maybe you should work on your aim," Neteyam called back, English rolling off his tongue easily.
Taking the brief opportunity, he ducked behind a stack of crates, pulling away from his ilu's kuru. It dove back beneath the surface quickly.
"Oh I don't plan on missing this time."
The man's voice dripped with hatred as he neared Neteyam, causing an involuntary shudder to race up the boy's spine. Steeling his nerves, the Omaticaya cocked the gun and darted out, aiming at the RECOM before pressing the trigger.
The Avatar let out a curse and dodged to the side, barely avoiding the spray of bullets. A snide comment about his heritage was thrown his way before more shots rang out. Neteyam jerked to the side, ducking back down. It felt ironic that someone made in a lab had the nerve to call him a half-breed.
An explosion echoed in the distance as fire ignited the spilled oil in the water. One of the ships must have blown up, Neteyam realized.
With the fast-setting sun, the blazing water set a hazy glow around the dying battlefield. Neteyam could hear the RECOM's breathing, echoing through the empty metal and he willed his heart to slow down.
Using the stealth his mother had taught him, he crept forward, keeping the gun to his chest and his body low to the ground as he approached.
Water started to seep into the sinking cargo hold.
"Come on out kid, you can't hide forever."
Neteyam ground his teeth together in an effort to stay still. Once he was sure he knew the other's location, he popped up and started to fire. He caught sight of dark blue skin and immediately swiveled his aim. He began to pull the trigger once more when the entirety of the ship jolted. The metal groaned as half the boat dipped into the waves.
Both of them lost their footing and began a slide toward the water. Neteyam grabbed desperately for his gun, but it was too late. Just before he was dunked below the waves, the Avatar aimed at him and fired.
A piercing pain shot through his chest.
Neteyam's whole body jerked in response and he felt his lungs cave in as the bullet exited out his back. He tried to pull himself back up but a dark wave of pain overwhelmed him and he was pushed under the water.
An echoing shout came from above and through the hazy water Neteyam watched his mother's arrow fly through the RECOM member's head before he collapsed to the ground.
He frantically placed a hand to his chest to try and stop the bleeding as he clawed his way to the surface. The second his head broke the waves he attempted to take in a breath of air but his entire chest collapsed in response. Pain burned its way through his lungs as he desperately gasped over and over.
Grabbing onto a floating piece of debris, Neteyam clutched his torso, watching as blood began to seep out, coating his fingers and staining the water around him. Oh fuck. This time he really was shot.
"NETEYAM"
He knew that voice. Someone else was shouting far off in the distance but he couldn't turn his head enough to see what was going on. Only the boy his heart beat so heavily for was in his view.
Aonung shoved himself off his ilu and swam frantically over to the fallen Na'vi, eyes wide with terror as he observed the scene before him.
"No, no, no,'' the Metkayina's voice cracked, as teal hands fluttered across his chest taking in the damage. Neteyam felt himself being tucked against Aonung's strong body as he struggled to inhale. Aonung was cursing now, taking Neteyam's hand and pressing it harder against the wound. Pain shot through him causing him to let out a gut-wrenching groan.
Dread clouded Aonung's face as he looked down helplessly. "I know, I know," he said, holding him a little tighter as shudders began to rock through Neteyam's body.
"You cannot leave me, ok?" Aonung said, his spare hand desperately cradling Neteyam's face, eyes pooled with regret. "Ok, Neteyam? I cannot lose you."
He wanted to lean back, to touch the other boy. But the second he tried to reach up, his body was wracked with heavy coughs. He could taste blood in the back of his throat as it seeped out faster from the wound on his chest.
Aonung let out a panicked cry. "Ok, it's ok," he soothed anxiously, the thumb on his cheek moved back and forth in a hesitant pattern.
"Ewya, I am so sorry for what I said,'' the teal boy whimpered, hunching over Neteyam protectively. His voice was full of anguish. "I swear I didn't mean it, Neteyam. I swear."
His heart ached, wanting to believe him. He didn't want to die thinking Aonung still hated him.
Aonung was shouting now, trying to get somebody's attention. But it was no use. Neteyam's body was already starting to sink below the waves and the pain in his chest had begun to dull. He just wanted to go home.
Aonung pulled away. "HELP! Somebody help me."
There was a commotion to his left and suddenly strong arms were pulling him out of the water, heaving him onto the nearest flat surface. "Son?"
His dad's face came into view above him and something heavy was being held against the bleeding. "Son, stay with me."
He was quickly rolled to his side for a moment before being laid flat again. His hands were limp and cold as his chest ached. He just wanted Aonung to hold him again.
"Fucking Christ," his dad spat out as he took in the enormity of the wound. "Get the Tsahìk. NOW boy, go!"
The water dipped to his side and spots began to cloud his vision as Neteyam went limp in his father's arm. "I want to go home," he whispered, filled with fear.
A broken sob tore out of his father. "I know son, we will. We're going home."
Even in his state, Neteyam knew that was a lie. But there was nothing he could do about it as he faded into darkness.