Chapter 8
Great Mother
It is different here. It feels like walking in a dream. It is Pandora, but, different.
There seems to be a hazy shine to everything, the trees, plants, animals...
She can hear Na'vi voices, but none she recognizes. "Come to me, daughter." A voice calls.
The voice is strong and full of life, but there is also a degree of power and no nonsense in it, but friendly and welcoming none the less.
Opal follows the voice and soon comes upon a river, the wildlife glowing, and in the middle is a gigantic tree, even bigger than Hometree.
There are seeds of the Tree of Souls following her, seeming to beckon her to follow them.
The tree looks like Hometree on the inside, but does not at the same time. It is much bigger and grander. There are Na'vi roaming about, children and elderly alike.
"Come to me, daughter." She soon stands before something akin to an altar, and a beautiful Na'vi woman who is petting a small viperwolf. And at the same time grinding paint into a bowl.
She looks like a Tsahik, but she wears a lot more elaborate jewelry and ornaments in her hair, on her neck and arms and around her waist.
"Come closer, child." A motherly voice says, a warm smile appearing on the woman's face. She sits on the mat before the altar, patting the spot next to her. The animal shows his teeth but leaves as Opal sits down.
Yellow eyes, swirming with green, blue and so many other colours, look at her. "You stand before a crossroads."
Opal's answering silence is enough. "You have been through a lot, as well here as in your old life. What is your decision regarding all that?"
Mo'at and the People are singing, their tails connected to the tree of souls and it's roots, and the lights seem to beat in time with the drums.
The Tsahik calls for them to stop, eyes falling on Opal's Avatar. Her human body seems to have stopped breathing, her chest stopping it's rise and fall as her hand goes limp in Jake's hand. Her matted hair has gone limp, her forehead cold instead of the raging fever it was moments ago.
"Opal?" Jake asks, Neytiri joining him, worried look on her face. "Opal?"
The woman gives another bowl to Opal with crushed ingredients, and she starts to grind the flowers and seeds together.
"It is very peaceful here. " Opal mutters, the woman next to her smiling. "It is. You are safe here and at peace. Nothing more to worry about. But is that truly what you want?"
"What is happening?!" Peyral asks Mo'at as they are plunged into darkness. The Tree stops glowing, all it's roots as well, the queues of the People no longer giving of light as well.
"I am not sure. It seems she is still debating if she wants to come back into this body. As if she is hesitating to come back as one of the People." Mo'at answers.
"You need to, Opal. Don't you dare leave me here alone! That is not what friends do!" Jake shouts, shaking her Avatar.
Opal can hear someone shouting her name in the distance, but she is so at ease here.
"I am tired."she tells the goddess. "Tired of fighting, tired of trying to make my time here make sense."
Eywa humms, and grabs Opal's hands. "There are still difficulties ahead. If you choose to return, there will be a war that will be fought with the humans. But they rely on you. The people, Peyral, Jake Sully, your aunt Grace,... And someone you would not have thought of before." Eywa smiles.
"But as I said, the choice is yours."
Opal sighs, looking out of the tree towards the plains beyond. So many tribes of the Na'vi, doing their thing, here under Eywa's protection.
"It would be easier." Opal answers. "But as you said, I never run from a fight." Eywa smiles brightly, giving her a motherly squeeze. "I do not doubt that, my child, that is why I chose you."
She guides Opal to another opening, a bright light filling the space. "Go now. They are waiting for you. And know this, if you need help, I am always with you. You only need to ask."
Opal smiles as she steps into the light, turning to the deity. "Thank you, Great Mother."
Eywa inclines her head, a smile still on her lips. "Good luck, daughter."
She hears the sounds first, people arguing over her. She can feel her ears moving, reacting to the noise. "This is taking way too long!" She hears Jake snap at aunt Grace, who is arguing with him.
"Mo'at says she is still deciding if she wishes to live or not! She needs time to make a decision. She has been through a lot, Jake. Can you blame her ?"
"Come on, Opal. Please." It is the tone of her friend's voice that does it.
She breathes and feels her lungs expanding, air filling her lungs as she begins coughing.
"Opal!" Someone pushes her up so she is sitting up, strong arms supporting her frame. "Breathe, skydemon." She hears a voice say next to her right ear as she coughs some more. The People have started celebrating, Mo'at exclaiming that Eywa heard them.
"Why did you take so long?!" Jake says, letting out a relieved sigh as Peyral hugs her. "Well, i was busy."
Aunt Grace looks at her with an eyebrow raised. "With what?" Opal coughs a little more as Neytiri hands her a skin of water. "Making the right decision."
Jake shakes his head, grinning. "And did you? Make the right decision?"
Opal smiles, her tail swishing awkwardly. She will need to get used to that.
"Yes, I certainly did."
There is a war looming on the horizon. And as Jake gives a speech about fighting for their land and standing up to the human race, Opal stands up. She sees Jake run towards the Grand Leonopteryx with Neytiri as Mowan lands next to her, understanding something has changed.
She will fight for her new people. Even if it is the last thing she does.