Shells | Lo'ak Sully

Part 21 - Borrowed Energy

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( As an extra something, if you're up for it, play Funeral by Phoebe Bridgers (the slowed version for those of you who like to read slower) as you read this)

(POV: Ni'teya)

My face was stained completely. The sky was dark and the eclipse had ended, torches lit with fire were dotted around the village, allowing sight.

It had been decided that a funeral would be held that same evening.

The Metkayina clan had begun making their preparations whilst Jake and Neytiri had gone with their son to prepare him for his send-off. They wouldn't let any of us watch that, taking him away from the docks where he lay before I could even see him at all.

As I sat on the edge of the platform outside of my hut, I thought to myself.

I thought about Neteyam. Though we hadn't known each other long, I couldn't help but feel like a connection was there, right there. I could feel it leaving with him, a connection that resided in trust and understanding. I remember how he'd managed to tell me exactly what I needed to hear that day on the reef's edge, and how he trusted my judgement when I'd accused Aonung of abandoning Lo'ak. He was always right, somehow, I couldn't figure out how his knowledge was so vast if he was only a year older than me. He didn't argue, he didn't get angry when I'd act stubborn around him, he'd let me do what I needed to do. Because of him, I bettered by judgement of things, listening to his advice. He told me that I'd done the 'right thing' and that he was 'proud' of me.

He'd told me that I was brave.

And I would be eternally grateful to him for that.

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The funeral was perfect. The Metkayina clan had prepared it beautifully. All of them stood side by side, torches in hand in the shallow waters.

I helped the Sully's pull Neteyam on his magnificently crafted boat, which had been filled with small flower petals. Because of his injury, Lo'ak had to stay on his ilu, following us as we swam and pushed his big brother out into deeper waters. He lay on his side, his arms crossed together on his chest, his legs curled up too. I couldn't bare to look at his face. Even though it looked like he was asleep, I knew the reality.

We ended up above an underwater field of glowing yellow plants, each with a round tip on the top of their roots which acted as the light-source. The Metkayina clan explained that this was the spot where they'd lay bodies to rest once they'd passed over to their ancestors, letting the plants hold onto them safely without being disturbed.

Jake and Neytiri began to pull Neteyam's body out from the boat, Tuk helping them sweetly besides her mother. They brought him further out, leaving me and the rest of their children to watch.

They then dove. They used their own weight to push Neteyam down to the ocean's floor, letting him go once he was close enough to the field. He sunk deeper, being engulfed by the light and being brought closer to Eywa therefore.

Having finished the burial half of the funeral, we each took our ilu's and swam out towards the Spirit Tree, where we'd be able to see Neteyam one final time.

.

I swam down, inhaling deeply before I did, reaching the Spirit Tree and attaching myself to it using my braid. Where I ended up confused me at first, before I realized where I was.

I was on the reef's edge, sitting with my legs tied on the same flat rock I'd perched myself on the day I'd taken the blame for Aonung.

"I think you did the right thing."

That voice boomed in my ears, repeated as though echoed in my head, knowing who it was.

I continued to stare forwards, my eyes filling up already, not wanting Neteyam to notice what was going on.

I could remember this scene as if it were a script.

"Really? Why? Everyone else seems to think I screwed up." I ask him just as I did before, only this time the sorrow was clear in my breaking voice.

His next words were a blur to me, I knew what he was saying simply because I'd heard it before.

His voice was nice to listen to. I wanted to stay there longer, replay this scene again and again. It was as if he were alive.

I continued my lines, "Thank you so- much Neteyam. Really, I mean it." I say through a few small voice cracks, to which Neteyam didn't notice although I was properly crying in that moment, knowing what was coming up next.

He was supposed to stand up after I'd said that, readying himself to leave, however he stayed where he was next to me, seemingly waiting for something.

I turned my head to check he was still there, and he was.

Neteyam was sat smiling over at me, looking as if he'd gotten what he wanted before saying the words that meant so much to me.

"You were very brave, Teya."

He told me, directly looking at me, placing his closest arm on my shoulder as if I were fragile, sending me a soft smile.

This hadn't happened that day. It was different, he'd changed it. It made me wonder if he knew what was happening, where he was. If he knew he was dead in my world.

I just cried and smiled at him, laughing my pain away, not being able to do anything else due to my overwhelmed state of mind.

"Thank you, Neteyam." I told him with enough strength to allow myself to speak without breaking further. His smile grew, his hand still placed on my shoulder, squeezing it.

I couldn't handle it any longer, I had to hug him. I reached over, pulling him into a tough and tight but moreover warm grip, hugging him in his entirety. He patted my head, gently, not saying a word but allowing me to do what I had to. I listened to his breathing, holding onto him.

"For everything."

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