Return of the Sky People

The duo watched in horror as the descending ships were brought upon the land, turning green forest acres into flames and ash. A surge of inferno began to spread across the land, destroying everything in its path. And it was ending right towards the twins and the tree ruins.

"Run!" screamed Lo'ak.

With no time to waste, they climbed off the roots and started running as fast as their legs could carry them through the jungle. They climbed into the trees, leaping across branches, and swinging on vines but they could feel specks of flames raining upon their heads. The inferno was closing in on them.

Sylwa looked back and saw a force of unstoppable destruction destroying everything behind them. She saw the remains of the great tree turning to ash. Her heart dropped. "It's getting closer!" she screamed.

"Faster!" Her twin urged. "Faster!"

They kept on running, hearing screeches of the forest's animals charging underneath them, trying to escape the wrath of the Sky people. They were petrified. If only humanity understood the extent to which their cruelty and callousness were taken upon innocent creatures.

"We can make it to the river!" Lo'ak said. "The fire will slow down and give us a chance to make it back to the others,"

"I just hope mum and dad are okay!"

Little did they know that Jake and Neytiri were flying as fast as they could to the village. They descended to the trees on their Ikran and once low enough leapt from their steeds into the village below. Their people were rushing out of their houses. The rumbles of the Sky People's powerful spacecraft echoed across the forest.

"Evacuate the village!" Jake ordered. "Get everything you need! We need to get to higher ground!"

Instantly everyone started rushing to get whatever they could afford. They called their banshees and they ascended towards the forest floor, picking up mothers and children.

"I'll get the children," said Neytiri to her husband. She started dashing through the village to reach their home which would become ash and ruins within several minutes if the inferno reached their home. They couldn't afford to lose anyone.

Mo'at saw her daughter and the three children with her standing up when they saw their mother.

"Mum! What has happened?" Tuk was scared. She rushed into her arms, the frantic mother lifting her.

"It's the sky people," she answered frantically. "We're evacuating the village to get to higher ground. Grab your things,"

Instantly Kiri and Neteyam got to work grabbing everything they could. But she suddenly realised two certain twins weren't there. She looked at her mother who was all right pale with worry. "Where are Lo'ak and Sylwa?"

Lo'ak and Sylwa finally managed to make it to the river. They had to cross a log over its fast-flowing currents which led to a waterfall to reach the village and their family. They both took a step forward but heard loud creaking. The rumbling ground shocks from the spacecraft's landing had shaken the tree.

"You go first," Sylwa pushed him forward and he started walking cautiously over the water to the other side. She looked back and saw fire everywhere. Trees burning. Grass singing. Animals on fire. It was a sight that would scar her mentally.

Lo'ak finally made it across. He turned back. "Come on Sylwa!" He saw how frozen she was by the sight of the destruction drawing upon them. "Sylwa!"

Regaining focus, she saw him holding out his hand to her. She started to cross the log. She was almost there when suddenly a tall tree behind them which had caught fire fell upon her and before it could crush, she jumped and she fell into the river.

"No!" Lo'ak started running along the river, trying to find a spot where he could grab her hand and pull her out but she was heading for a waterfall. He kneeled on the bank and reached out to her. "Sylwa! Take my hand!"

Struggling to swim and feel the hot air above them as the forest fire was spreading, Sylwa saw her brother's outreached hand and tried to grab it but suddenly a lit-up tree was about to fall on Lo'ak. "Above you!"

Lo'ak looked up and saw the tree on fire about to fall on him. Quickly he jumped out of the way and it crashed with a splash. Sparks of fire floated about, one of them burning his neck. "Ahh!" he screamed. He got back and went back to the stream but he saw the rough waters carrying Sylwanin right to the edge of a waterfall. "Sylwa!" But it was too late. Sylwa went over the ledge and he could do nothing but watch in horror as she plunged into the plunge pall hundreds of feet below. His breath fell short. He leaned over, trying to find her. "Sylwa!" He saw the water, steam rising. "Please," he prayed. "Please be all right,"

Just then he saw a head pop out from the water. It was her. She swam to the shore. "Are you okay?!" he called down.

She heard his voice and looked up cupping her hands over her mouth. "I'm fine!" Her heart jumped when she saw the flaming trees engulfing him. "You gotta get out of here! I'll find you! Run!"

Lo'ak looked back and saw the flames had managed to reach the other see of the river through the air and he realised they had to run. With no choice, they both dashed off into the jungle, hoping they'd bump into each other again.

Nearly every village had managed to evacuate from the village with all they could afford to carry on their ikrans, Jake lifted a child to her parent who thanked him before compelling her steed to fly upwards. "My Jake!" It was Neytiri. He turned around and saw her, their children and Mo'at. But the twins weren't with them. "Lo'ak and Sylwa are in the forest,"

"What?"

"It was my fault," Mo'at lamented in guilt. "I told them they could go exploring,"

"It's not your fault," Jake consoled. "All of you get to safety. I'm gonna find them,"

"Let me go with you," Neteyam begged.

"No," his dad refused. "Just get to safety, everyone,"

Neytiri cupped his face. "Come back,"

"I will. I won't stop until I find them. Now go,"

Neytiri, Neteyam and Kiri called their Ikrans and they mounted their steeds with Mo'at and Tuk. Jake called his one and they ascended into the air. The first three flew off to higher lands whilst Jake headed towards the burning forest, searching for the twins of the family.

Lo'ak struggled to make it through the burning trees. He cried out for his twin multiple times but there was no reply.

Sylwa struggled to breathe. From where she was, the smoke was burning her eyes and she felt her lungs burning up like a fire was burning inside her. She coughed and coughed but she refused to give up; she had to find her twin. She mastered whatever vocal strength she could. "Lo'ak!" she called out again, her tone was weak. "Lo'ak!"

Lo'ak heard her over the flames. "Sylwa!" he kept on running, avoiding falling sparks of flames. Suddenly a giant tree fell in front of him, blocking his way. He tried to find another way to follow her voice but the flames were everywhere blocking his way. "Sylwa!"

Above the burning trees, Jake tried to search for them but the burning trees made it more difficult to find them. Just then he heard Lo'ak's voice calling for his twin. "Lo'ak!"

His Ikran screeched.

Lo'ak tried again and again to follow the source of the voice. He tried to find a way through the flames but they were getting higher. He tried searching for some vines that he could swing over but with his age, he would surely perish if he tried. Just then he heard a loud Ikran screech above his head, he turned to see an Ikran, his father's ascending upon him through an opening in the trees. "Dad!"

Jake dismounted his steed and ran to his son hugging him. "Are you hurt?" "I'm fine,"

"Where's Sylwa?"

"She's out there!" Lo'ak pointed to the flame of burning trees. "We got separated by the river. She's past those flames. I tried to find her..."

"Get to your mother and the others in the hills near the tree of souls. I'll find her,"

"But dad.."

"Just go!" He heaved him onto his banshee. His steed growled and took off taking his youngest son to safety. He then saw the flames and with valiant endeavour managed to find an unburnt vine and swing right over them, without burning himself. He set off to find his daughter.

Neytiri, the rest of the family and the entire tribe had managed to make it to higher ground to the valleys near the tree of souls. She turned back and saw hectares and hectares of once flourishing land burnt to a crisp. She then looked at all of her people, frightened. They had once again lost another home.

"Mum, why is this happening?" Tuk whimpered.

"It's okay Tuk," Neytiri soothed her, hugging her close.

Neteyam looked out for his father and the twins. "Look!" he pointed up and they saw Jake's Ikran with Lo'ak on it. He landed and Lo'ak dismounted before being suddenly engulfed in his mother's arms.

"Are you hurt?" she checked him for injuries. It was only a few scrapes and bruises and a slight burn on his neck.

"I'm fine mum," he didn't want her to worry.

"Where's dad and Sylwa?" Kiri asked, petrified that they weren't with him.

"I got separated from Sylwa. Dad sent me back alone while he went to find her,"

"How're they gonna get to us?" Neteyam asked.

"Your father always knows a way to get out of trouble," said Neytiri. "He's gonna make it out with your sister," she stared out of the burning forest plains in the distance. "He has to," Behind that strong tone, they sensed fear.

Jake sprinted through the forest, getting hotter and hotter by the minute. Sylwa had stumbled into the hottest part of the forest; he had to find her soon before it was too late. He only hoped it wasn't too late. "Sylwa!" he cried out, hoping she called back. "Sylwa!"

He started his head around seeing only flames. The grass beneath him was burning and he had to keep moving. Just then he heard violent coughing. It could only be one thing. He leapt over some rocks and straight ahead of him just past a heap of scorched earth was his daughter, leaning against a tree; she was very weak, suffocating from the smoke. "Sylwa!" he called out.

Sylwa raised her head and saw him. "Dad…" he coughed.

"Just hang on I'm coming!"

Suddenly a huge fiery branch fell from the tree and landed on top of Sylwa pinning her to the ground.

"Sylwa!" Jake cried in horror. He grabbed a thick branch and jammed it under the burning piece of water that burnt his daughter's back. She screeched in pain as she felt her body scorching. With a final effort, her father heaved the burning branch off of her, scooped her into her arms, and made a final dash for it as the forest burned behind them in a wave of flames that seemed to draw upon them like a moving ocean of fire.

The Sully family huddled together, frightened by the constant booms of the giant spaceships in the distance. The Sky people had returned more powerful than ever. It was horrifying. They prayed that Jake and Sylwa were alive, that he had found her and that he was bringing her back to them alive. Lo'ak felt tremendous guilt crushing on his shoulders. "It's all my fault," he cursed himself for not being able to pull his twin from the river. If they were together, both of them with dad would be here safe from harm.

"Lo'ak it is not your fault. You had no idea what was going to happen," Kiri sympathised.

"The fault is mine," said Mo'at.

"No granny," It's not your fault," Neteyam comforted.

The children were scared. "It's okay," Neytiri soothed. "It's gonna be okay. They're gonna be back with us,"

They waited a long while. Still nothing. Still, they wouldn't give up hope. Jake Sully was Toruk Makto. If he was strong enough to tame the most powerful creature in the skies, then he was strong enough to rescue the twin Sully girl from that fire.

Tuk stared out, then he saw a tall figure emerge from the slope top. "They're back! They're back!" cried Tuk for joy.

The Sullys turned around. So did all their people. They saw Jake and Sylwanin Sully emerging. They cheered but their joy died down when they saw the latter was lying, seemingly lifeless in her father's arms. Her eyes were closed and she had burn marks all over her body from her shoulders. Kiri covered Tuk's eyes so she didn't have to see.

"Sylwa!" Neytiri stumbled forward to Jake, tear-struck at seeing her daughter, so wounded. As Jake hoisted her up a bit, she saw the right side of her back was severely burnt. "Bring her to my mother," she urged. The parents brought her to Mo'at. The boys were shaken to see her like this.

Lo'ak cringed seeing his sister like this; he was so horrified. "Is she gonna be okay?"

The worried Mo'at, still feeling guilt-stricken for letting the twins go exploring in the first place, examined her. "She has so much smoke in her lungs. Her wounds may be beyond my healing,"

"There's gotta be something you can do," Neteyam begged.

The Navi shaman refused to give up. "I will need the great mother's help," she said. The Sully family walked hastily through the crowds of horrified villagers. It took a short distance to reach the valley of the great tree. Everyone behind them followed. They reached the tree. Jake envisioned his old friend, Kiri's biological mother, Grace Augustine's human and avatar body being placed there. They approached the roots and he placed Sylwa down on the platform. As she did, faunal roots emerged from the soil and wrapped around her body.

"Neytiri, I need to compress her chest when the ritual begins. Blow into her mouth. The energy the great mother provides may not be enough to save her," said Mo'at. Neytiri placed her hands on his chest.

Jake held the children back but Lo'ak wanted to be beside her. "Let him with her," his wife said.

Lo'ak knelt on the platform and held his twin's hand. "You're going to be okay, Sylwa. Do you hear me?"

She didn't respond; her heartbeat was very slow.

The tribe had their tendrils in the ground. The tree glowed and Mo'at began to enchant ancient prayers of healing. As she did, Neytiri compressed her chest and breathed oxygen into her lungs. The children worried worriedly. Tuk began crying a bit; Jake lifted her so she could hug him.

"Come on," Lo'ak begged his twin / best friend forever. Don't you dare die.

After a fifth round of compressions and CPR, Mo'at stopped the healing ritual. She prayed that Eywa had given her granddaughter some energy to help her daughter's CPR heal her. Nothing seemed to happen. Was it too late? The family began to cry. Suddenly Sylwa's eyes burst awake. She coughed and coughed all the smoke in her chest, inhaling as much oxygen as she could. She was frantically panicking.

"Sylwa! It's okay! It's okay!" Lo'ak soothed. He held her head. "You're safe,"

Her eyes were burning so much from the flames that her eyes blinked, leaking tears. She cried in horror, scared of the awful terror she had been through.

"It's okay," her mother ushered. "It's okay," she held her hand. "You're safe now, my child. We're together again. That's what matters,"

Jake sighed in relief, releasing tears. Kiri and Neteyam hugged each other tightly. The people cheered for joy. Not a single child of Toruk Makto had been lost today; every single member of the Omaticaya tribe had survived this horrific invasion of the sky people. Sylwa's eyes closed but her breathing remained strong as ever; she was alive.

Mo'at was overjoyed with tears. "She'll be okay," Whilst relieved, she still felt her heart reeking with pain from the wounds she had received. "Turn her over slightly,"

Neytiri gently turned her over slightly. Her mother glanced worriedly at the huge burn mark on the right side of her back that stretched from her right shoulder to the lower half. "But that mark will never heal," The family were despondent but remained relieved that Sylwa would live; that was all that mattered.

"I swear the Sky people will suffer for what they did to her," Neytiri seethed her teeth. "What they did to all of us,"

She shared a glance with her husband who nodded in response; he turned to address their people. "We must make camp. Tomorrow we must head for the Halleluiah mountains," Some people were uncertain. "This war is going to be more brutal than what we have faced before. We need to be at a safer fortress! Do you all understand?" They nodded their heads and battled-cried. They would follow Toruk Makto anywhere.

With the ritual completed, they returned to their camps to make room for the night. Sylwa still weak was carried by her father into their big tent. He settled her done. "Come on. Try and sit up," Jake gently held her up and she lay against some pillows.

"We're glad you're alive," Tuk tightly hugged her; Sylwa raised a weak hand to embrace her back.

"Easy Tuk. Give her some space," Mo'at ushered gently.

The youngest Sully let go and Mo'at offered Sylwa a canteen of water. "Drink. It'll help,"

Sylwa drank a whole gallon of water but then cringed from the large burn mark on her right back side. "Is it bad?" she didn't want to look at it.

"No. It's not bad at all," Lo'ak lied. Neteyam smacked his head. "What was that for?"

"You don't lie like that,"

"It's okay to lie when you don't wanna hurt someone,"

Sylwa sighed. The large singe on her back would be a burden to carry for the rest of her life; she sniffled.

"I'm so sorry," said Lo'ak. "I'm sorry I lost you,"

"It's no one's fault," said Neytiri. "None of us knew this was going to happen. The important thing is you're both alive," she cupped her twin children's cheeks. If she had lost them, she would never forgive herself.

Kiri pulled out Sylwa's pink wrap and tied it around her; sitting beside her to comfort her. "Why are the Sky people doing this, dad?"

Jake scrounged his fist. "Because they're monsters. They don't care who gets hurt," he looked remorsefully at Sylwa, whom Kiri and Lo'ak continued to comfort. He wished he had been there sooner then she wouldn't have been so scared by their cruelty. "Only that they get what we want," he stepped out of the tent and stared into the distance seeing the miles and miles of scorched forest which had been brought down by the raging fires of the sky. He frowned. "But they will not win,"

And that's this chapter done. What did you all think? Please send reviews and let me know what you thought. Just wanted to say that there are (spoiler alert) going to be a few changes to the story, there will be a new creature who will play an important role like Payakan in the film, and there will be a few gender switches. See you all next time