Moana

Chapter Thirteen: The Realm of Monsters

The boat landed on an island, causing Moana to wake up.

    "We're here?" Moana asked before growing a smile. "See, I told you we could do it!" She ran off the boat and onto the tiny island.

    It was nothing but a patch of sand with a palm tree. But the larger island in front of her caused her smile to fall.

    "Motunui?" she asked. "I'm home?"

    Just then, the palm tree crumbled to black dust, causing her to gasp in fear.

    "Moana!" Tui's voice shouted, causing her to look at her home, which began crumbling to ash as well.

    "Dad?" Moana asked. Another voice called out to her.

    "Moana!"

    "Mom?"

    Just then, Moana's parents ran out of the dying island and onto the beach.

    "Help!" Tui cried as the black dust swirled around them like a tornado. Sina sank to her knees, her husband falling as well to protect her.

    "No!" Moana shouted. She wanted to help, but her body wouldn't move. What was going on?

    "Moana!" Tui cried one last time as the darkness swallowed him and his wife whole.

——

Gasping, Moana sat bolt upright on the boat.

    That nightmare was unlike one she had ever had before. Why did she dream that now?

    Looking next to her, she saw Aukai's jacket right next to her. He must have put it over her like a blanket when she was asleep. Aukai himself was curled up on the canoe's bow. He blinked awake as he stretched.

    "Enjoy your beauty rest, you two?" Maui asked. Moana and Aukai all looked at him at the helm, up and well. The effects of the Kakamora dart wore off.

    "You know," Maui continued, "a real wayfinder never sleeps... so they get where they need to go.

    "Muscle up, buttercups. We're here."

    A shadow fell over the canoe as it neared an island of rocks. A giant mountain of at least 100 feet reached up, threatening to touch the cloudy sky.

    "You're sure this guy's gonna have your hook?" Moana asked as Aukai shrugged his jacket on.

    "Tamatoa?" Maui asked as the boat landed on the island. Moana and Aukai then got to work on tying it off so it wouldn't drift away.

    "Oh, he'll have it," Maui continued as he handed Hei-Hei some more feed. "He's a scavenger. Collects stuff. Thinks it makes him look cool."

    Pointing at the feed, Maui looked at the chicken before pointing to his mouth as he said, "Ah!"

    "And for Tamatoa, trust me..." Maui finished as he forced Hei-Hei to start pecking at the feed, "my hook is the coolest collectible."

    "And this guy lives up there?" Aukai asked as he looked up toward the mountaintop.

    "No, no, no," Maui answered. "That's just the entrance... to Lalotai."

    "Lalotai?" Moana gasped in fear.

    "Okay, I seriously need a dictionary," Aukai said. "What's the big deal about a lollipop?"

    "Lalotai," Moana corrected. "Realm of monsters." She then looked at Maui and asked, "We're going to the realm of monsters?"