Avatar: The Way of Water : Leila's Journey

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Lo'ak's frustration erupts as I arrive, the scene already charged with tension. "No, you mean why can't I be the perfect son like you?" he yells at Neteyam. His voice is raw with pain and anger. "I'm going," he declares, grabbing saddles with determined ferocity.

"No, you are not," Neteyam responds, grabbing Lo'ak's arm firmly. The tension between them is palpable, each word a clash of unspoken grievances. Lo'ak shoves him off, eyes blazing with desperation. "I am the only one who can warn him. He is alone. He is my brother," he shouts. His gaze then shifts to me, filled with burning anger.

"Oh, he's your brother?" Neteyam questions, his voice rising. "No, I'm your brother!" he finishes, spinning Lo'ak around, his voice thick with hurt.

Lo'ak shakes his head in disbelief, turning away from Neteyam's outstretched hand. His eyes lock onto mine, and the fury in them sends a chill down my spine. "You," he spits, stepping closer. Neteyam tries to intervene, but Lo'ak's rage is uncontainable.

In a swift, aggressive move, Lo'ak shoves me to the ground. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT!" he yells, his voice cracking with emotion as I hit the ground. I scramble to my feet, trying to regain my composure. "No, it is not," I respond, my voice calm but trembling with contained emotion.

"Damn right it is!" Lo'ak continues, shoving me again with renewed intensity. "You tried to kill us! You and your father want us all dead!" Each shove lands like a blow to my heart, the weight of his accusation almost unbearable. Neteyam's pleas for Lo'ak to stop are drowned out by the force of Lo'ak's anger.

At this point, my patience snaps. I shove Lo'ak to the ground with equal force. "YOU THINK I FUCKING WANTED TO KILL YOU?" I scream, my voice hoarse. "I WAS FORCED TO GO ON THAT DAMN MISSION! I WOULD'VE NEVER HURT ANYONE FOR THE LIFE OF ME!" My words are raw, each one a reflection of the torment I've been through. Lo'ak scrambles to his feet, and I shove him again, my anger spilling over. "I was forced, Lo'ak. I tried to get out of the mission, but I couldn't. And then your fucking family kidnapped me and took me away from my father!" My voice breaks with the intensity of my emotions. "You know I tried really hard to be your friend, Lo'ak," I add, pushing him once more.

"That's enough," Neteyam says, grabbing me with a firmness that brooks no argument. Lo'ak stands, his face a mask of determination. "I am going to Payakan," he says, his resolve unshaken as he mounts his ilu.

I push Neteyam off me and call for my ilu. Tsireya, Ao'nung, and Rotxo join us, and Neteyam follows with reluctant agreement. Kiri and Tuk, who have been watching from a distance, quickly chase after us, their faces a mixture of concern and determination.

We arrive at the shore where Payakan waits, his massive form imposing against the backdrop of the setting sun. Lo'ak is trying to pry a tracker out of Payakan, his hands moving urgently. We jump onto the massive creature, working together to remove the tracker as quickly as we can.

As we struggle with the tracker, the ship appears on the horizon, dark and ominous. "Bloody hell," I mutter, my eyes wide with realization. The others look up, panic setting in as they see the ship drawing closer. "We need to get this tracker off now!" I shout, urgency seeping into my voice. I hand a rope to Neteyam, who quickly mounts his ilu. Lo'ak ties the rope to the tracker, his hands steady despite his earlier fury.

I connect my ilu's queue to mine, preparing to set off. "Where are you going?" I hear them yell, their voices tinged with fear and disbelief. I take a deep breath, my resolve hardening. "I promised Tonowari I would do everything in my power to stop him," I say, my voice resolute. "And that is exactly what I am going to do."

With that, I head off towards the approaching ship, the weight of my promise and the urgency of the situation driving me forward. The others' voices trail off behind me, their concern and calls fading into the distance. My mind is set on one goal: to protect those I care about, to make things right, no matter the cost.