Whispers Through the Water (Neteyam x Aonung)

4

"Drop the knife," the Colonel said. "Now."

Neteyam hissed at the man before him, refusing to lower his blade. He felt Aonung wake up behind him. He took a quick look around, heart dropping as he realized they were surrounded by seven recombinants. There was no way they wouldn't escape without a few bullets.

"I won't tell you again kid," Quaritch warned.

"Neteyam," Aonung said quietly but Neteyam would not hear it. His mind scrambled to find a way out. His worst nightmare finally caught up to him and he refused to give in.

"Lower your weapon," Aonung whispered with calm. Neteyam shot him a look over his shoulder, slightly contemplating the idea. Was Aonung mad? Every nerve in Neteyam's body was telling him no but he had to do it. There was no safer option.

Neteyam grunted in defeat before tossing his knife to the ground. He looked to Aonung for comfort but found it only intensified his fear for what was going to happen next. Was everyone dead? No, they had to be alive. It's possible the Colonel had just arrived. His ship? Nowhere in sight. They weren't too far from the village. Surely, someone's heard them.

"Tie this one up," Quaritch ordered, pointing to Aonung. Neteyam tried not to panic but it was clear on his face.

"No," Neteyam said, low as a whisper. Before he knew it, two soldiers were holding him back, forcing him to kneel.

Aonung showed no emotion as two of Quaritch's men approached him. One soldier unsheathed Aonung's knife from his loincloth and tossed it from him before tying his hands together.

"Not gonna lie kid," Quaritch started, eyeing the bullet scars on Neteyam's chest and lower abdomen. "I thought I killed you years ago. It seems you and I have something in common."

"Demon," Neteyam uttered before spitting at the Colonel's feet. Unfazed, Quaritch turned to one of his men who opened a silver briefcase, revealing a large vial and gun? Neteyam couldn't quite see what it was.

Aonung watched the Colonel before looking past him, toward the trees. He met Neteyam's stricken face, blocking out everything the Colonel was saying. May Eywa save them both, he thought.

"This is gonna hurt like hell," Quaritch said as he loaded the vial into the gun. "But don't worry. You'll live."

"Neteyam—!" Aonung shouted, his calm demeanor dissolving.

"What are you doing?" Neteyam demanded. He studied the weapon before him, its shining tip now pointed at his forehead. Neteyam struggled against the men that held him prisoner but it was no use. Their Na'vi form gave them twice his strength.

Trying his best to control his breathing, Neteyam kept his eyes on Quaritch.

"Neteyam—!"

Quaritch aimed right at Neteyam's chest, just above the perfectly healed bullet scar. Neteyam did his best to remain calm but the rise and fall of his chest was getting harder and harder to control. He braced himself for what was to come and quickly glanced in Aonung's direction.

When the Colonel pulled the trigger, Neteyam let out a loud cry of pain, his knees giving out. Blood trickled from his fresh wound onto the sand. He looked at it now, realizing its odd shape. It burned into his flesh, like a thousand needles crawling beneath his skin, slicing him open from within.

Neteyam could barely hear Aonung shouting his name from the high pitched ringing in his ears. The pain was excruciating and remained at the heart of chest but he felt it throughout his body.

"Try to remove it and you may just die from bleeding out," Quaritch said a little too casually. "If you don't die, you'll experience worse than death."

"What did you do to him?!" Aonung shouted as he struggled against the two recombinant soldiers.