Mighty Jewel | LO'AK + NETEYAM

chapter five

Neteyam quickly swam ashore with all the strength he had left. Kyalayi followed the dark blue boy and they both met Aonung on the beach. Kiri had already returned to the Sully's hut.

"Where's Tuk?" Neteyam shouted to Aonung. They bumped chests, Neteyam trying to be intimidating. If he had to fight the leader's eldest, he would. Without being scared of facing the consequences or reprimands of his father. As Lo'ak would do.

"Aonung. Where is she?" Kyalayi exclaimed. The forest boy sensed her voice shook as she yelled the words out loud. She had said it in a threatening way without actually threatening the boy. Her tone made Neteyam took a step back, something he never thought he would do. But there she was, fighting a battle that usually was his. Protecting Tuk like she was her own sister.
I want you to keep an eye on them was all Kyalayi could hear in her head. Soon, they were joined on the beach by Lo'ak and Tsireya who had caught up with the situation.

"Tell them where Tuk is or I'm going to our father." Tsireya threatened her brother as she pushed him with both of her hands.

Aonung snorted, carefully examining every parts of their face's expressions. He liked playing with people, it made him feel less powerless. Because that's what he was to his father. A powerless son. Tsireya walked out of the beach and toward her family's hut. She had no intention of snitching, but she wanted her brother to thought so. Aonung's eyes grew wider as his sister left.

"She went into the forest." He rapidly said before he ran to catch up with Tsireya.

The brothers stared at each other, their breathing heavier than a couple minutes ago. In. Out. In. Out.

"We can't tell them." Lo'ak stated referencing to the siblings' parents. "Not until we found her."

Neteyam was stuck in his head. Turning the situation in every senses as he blamed himself. Tuk was his responsibility, he shouldn't have let him be distracted. The brothers seemed clueless like they didn't know where to start first. Kyalayi figured she could help them. She knew the forest like the back of her hand.

"I'll help." Kya exclaimed causing them to move from the beach to enter the forest. Neteyam and Lo'ak stayed close behind Kya. They didn't want to get lost too. Lo'ak tried to stay put but the two of them were walking and he wanted to ran. Ran through the trees and vines to search for his sister.

"Tuk!" Lo'ak yelled, but no response. Neteyam became impatient.

"I'm going this way." The eldest said ready to walk away but Kyalayi stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Take this." She undid the lapse of her necklace before putting it in the palm of his hand. "If you're lost, the sunlight will reflect on the gem. I'll find you." Neteyam nodded to the girl before disappearing deeper into the forest. And he wouldn't stop until Tuk was safe. "Come on." The girl ordered to the youngest brother.

The duo looked everywhere, under each roots, behind each tree. Tuk was nowhere to be found. Lo'ak groaned in frustration, picking up a branch and throwing it in the air. Kyalayi felt for the boy. She would never truly understand the feeling since she was an only child. But she pictured it and felt it. In that moment, she ached for both of the Sully brothers. When Lo'ak started to run, she mindlessly followed him, thinking he had found his sister. Suddenly, the ground fell under Lo'ak's feet. He would have dropped if Kyalayi hadn't reacted so fast. Her hand gripping to his.

"I won't let go." She shouted, tightening her grip as her leather glove loosen. "I promise." She assured the boy who kept looking down the pit. A dark hole filled of dirt. Sharp wood spears pointing towards the sky. Kyalayi soon realized it was a trap. Someone had purposely made the trap to hurt somebody. Anybody who came in the forest.

"It's slipping." Lo'ak whined as he clenched his fingers around the leather straps. Lo'ak was not ready to let go. For a moment, he saw his life flashed before him and wished he had made his father prouder. He wished he had been more gentle with his mother. He wished he had been more patient with his sisters. Finally, he wished for his brother to be there, standing next to him. Helping the poor girl from having blood on her hands. His blood.

But Kya had promises to maintain. The one to her father where she swore to keep an eye on the Sully's. And the one she had just made to Lo'ak. Kya was true to her words. The girl reached for her whole strength, lifting Lo'ak up from the trap. She groaned as her body slammed on the floor, exhausted of having to pull the boy's weight with one arm. Kyalayi finally caught her breath. She lifted herself up on her elbows causing her to face Lo'ak. Fear could still be perceived in his eyes.

"You—" He gasped to Kya's disbanded hand and dropped his gaze to the leather strand he kept a grasp on. She immediately hid the scar with her other hand. "You're a hybrid?"

Kyalayi frowned, she didn't understood what the word meant. But it clearly was related to her scars, the one she had on both of her hands' extremity. Usually, where would rest a fifth finger. Kya always had those scars, she never knew a time where she didn't. Lo'ak crawled closer to the girl causing her to slide back out of fear.

"It's okay." He stretched his arms toward her like he usually did when mounting a new Ikran. "Look." The boy wiggled his fingers for her to see.
Five of them.
Her vision became blurry, her throat closing up. No one ever saw them until Lo'ak. She couldn't get the words out even if her lips were burning with them. "Who did this to you?" He slipped Kya's hand in his and softly touched the healed scar. "Sky people?" He asked but she shrugged. Kyalayi actually didn't know. She had no clue. The girl stared at the boy, feeling every inch of his fingers caressing her scar. He was the first to touch it. He wasn't disgusted by it, he find it heartbreaking. Lo'ak looked closely at Kya. Who would hurt her with this much violence? He couldn't believe it. For what he had seen the last days, she had been labeled an outcast because of it even if she had the purest soul. Gentle eyes. One eye as blue as the sky. The other eye as gold as shining stars. Lo'ak itched for the girl that sat before him.

"You can't tell anyone." Kyalayi whispered, finally being able to let the words fall out of her mouth.

"I promise." The boy responded before handing her back the leather strand that usually wrapped her wrist. This time, he wrapped it for her. Carefully. A bright and sharp light reflected on Lo'ak's face, Kyalayi's face lit up.

"Neteyam."