𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐒 • 𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗜 𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗬

NINETEEN

𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐒

〶

The hunt for Lo'ak unfolded with a relentless intensity, a symphony of Ilu engines cutting through the air. Despite Lo'ak's non-Metkayina descent, he surged ahead, elusive as a shadow, leaving the pursuing group trailing in his wake.

Mounted on her Ilu, Kiri had Tuk nestled behind her, and Toku remained vigilant at their side, ready for any lurking danger. Desperate calls for Lo'ak echoed, the hope that he might pause, even briefly, for the others to catch up.

Lo'ak clung to Payakan, wrestling with the mysterious object from the clan meeting. Frustration lined his face as he grappled with the unwieldy device. The group united, pulling at it as it emitted ominous beeps, their efforts hastened by the approach of a looming ship.

"Hurry!" Tsireya's urgent cry cut through the tension. "Call dad!" Neteyam directed his brother, who leaped into action.

As they strained against the object, the encroaching ship added urgency to their struggle. "It's getting closer!" Tsireya's voice trembled with worry. "Pull!" they cried in unison, but the metal clung stubbornly to Payakan.

"It's not working!" frustration laced Rotxo's shout.

Toku, his frustration palpable, gestured towards his Ilu. "Use the rope from my Ilu!" Aonung swiftly threw part of the rope to Neteyam, who tied it to his Ilu.

"Go, go, go!" Aonung urged, his expression etched with concern.

"Pull now!" Neteyam commanded, now mounted on his Ilu, leveraging its strength. The group strained, but the object held fast until, suddenly, it was wrenched free, sending them stumbling into the water.

Toku surfaced, his ears filled with Tuk's delighted cries. "It's out, Kiri, it's out!"

"Go, Tuk, go!" Kiri ushered her younger sister to her Ilu.

"Kiri!" Toku cried out, mounting his Ilu before swiftly swimming beside her.

"Just really quickly, I love you," he said, pulling her into a swift, soft kiss before hurrying off with the group.

"Kiri!" Tuk began to exclaim, but they dived underwater, the sentence cut off.

Neteyam led the sky people away from the group, his Ilu swift and nimble. As Toku followed beside Kiri, strange machines pursued them, splintering the group. Toku, Kiri, and Tuk fought to evade the clutches of these relentless devices.

Toku, slightly ahead, witnessed Kiri struggling to hold onto Tuk. A plant struck her, and she lost her grip. Signaling Kiri to continue, Toku swiftly changed directions, reaching Tuk and grabbing a plant-filled pod, allowing her to breathe.

"Thank you," she gasped, but her relief was short-lived. Lo'ak and Tsireya burst into the pod, urgency etched on their faces.

Worry resurfaced when Tsireya looked down. "It is coming!"

"We gotta go!" Lo'ak declared. The four inhaled deeply before diving back underwater, just in time as the machines' blinding lights broke through the plants.

The group struggled, another machine appeared, and they turned. Toku tried to get Tuk to catch up, but they were abruptly ensnared by a net. Toku and Lo'ak miraculously escaped, but Tuk and Tsireya were suddenly lifted by an Ikran.

Could this situation get any worse?

Toku and Lo'ak fought tenaciously, attempting to free themselves from the confounding net. Toku, mindful of Tsireya and Tuk's safety, wielded his carved knife with precision, but the unfamiliar net proved resistant, impervious to his attempts.

The peculiar surroundings of the boat were disorienting for Toku. Na'vi figures cloaked in sky people outfits added to the surreal atmosphere. Focused on protecting his family, Toku swiped at the encroaching Na'vi, his knife connecting with one assailant's arm. The cry of pain was satisfying, but his triumph was short-lived as he saw Lo'ak forcefully pushed to the ground.

"Lo'ak!" Toku's cry reverberated as he lashed out, giving a fierce kick to the Na'vi responsible. In that moment, a group of larger Na'vi closed in on him, their combined strength overpowering him.

Before Toku knew it, he was brought before a taller Na'vi wielding a gun. Unyielding, Toku defiantly spoke in Na'vi, "Oe ulte oeyä sänum ke lu Na'vi, fìtrr ulte taron!" He spat on the man, a gesture of disdain promptly wiped away with a sinister smile.

With anger flashing in his eyes, Toku resisted as they forced him onto his knees, indignantly rejecting any notion of submission. His ears pinned back, a low hiss escaping him as the three Na'vi struggled to cuff him to the rail.

As Toku faced the precarious situation, Lo'ak's words resonated, urging bravery. Yet, defiance burned in Toku's gaze. "Be brave," Lo'ak had said, but Toku, even in captivity, remained unyielding.

"Looks like we don't have to," Toku declared, nodding towards the approaching group of Na'vi, his parents at the forefront, letting out proud war cries.

The captors, growing wary, ripped the communication device from Lo'ak's throat. Holding it up, they sent a message to Jake, a veiled threat, "Jake...tell your friends to stand down, you want your kids back? You come out alone; you know better than to test my resolve." The situation hung in tense anticipation, the outcome uncertain.

〶