The gift of Eywa

chapter 13: beginning of the end

But it was too late. The inside of the hometree erupt with multiple explosions of teargas. The gas rolles across the confused villagers who soon begin to cough and gag. Eytukan and the remaining hunters draw their longbow and fire at the metal beast  ut it is futile. Their arrows will not be able to penatrate their defensives.

Amid the clods of teargas, the Omaticaya run and then collapse. "Everyone outside. Go to the forest." Their leader, Eytukan yells. Hearing that the villagers pour out of the hometree. Everyone is yelling as I try to tune out the boiling screams withing the gas.

Jake and I struggle against our bonds, trying to get free. An incendiary round explodes inside the commens. Flames roaring thdought he base of the hometree.

Inside the hometree is a burning smokey hell. Flames roaring up inside like a chimney. Stragglers scramble outside, coughing and dragging the wounded with them. High up in the trunks Tsu'tey and the other hunters leap rapidly from spoke to spoke, climbing barely ahead of the fireball.

Outside the fire is driven by the rotor wash towards me Jake and Grace where we are still bound tightly to the post. Put of the smoke Mo'at appears raising a knife, to seemingly kill us, and-

Slashes downwards. Jake and I look down in surprise to see our bonds falling away. My eyes meet hers, which are filled with horror and something else. Call it faith.

"You are one of us. Help us!" She pleads. I take the knife and cut avatar Grace free. "We've got to go! He's gonna blow the columns." As soon  I said that Grace realises what I mean. Jake grabs my hand as I grab Grace's hand and run. Around us the Omaticaya flee in horror and confusion.

Missiles stream down from the dragon and other gunships and the base of the hometree vanishes ina chain of high explosive blasts. The massive pillers fragments turn into match sticks as the Omaticaya watch terrified as the hometree groans and moves.

In a cacophony of cracking, splintering roots, the mighty tree toppled with agonising slowness. I can only watch in pain and grief as my eyes reflect its downfall. I can feel the tree dieing in monstrous pain that makes me shed tear... i quickly wips them but they keep on comming. 'This is not the time to cry Nova'

At the banshee Tsu'tey and the others spur their mounts into flight. They swoop among the branches as the tree, the one fixed thing in their live, move. It crashes down throught he forest canopy,  crushing lesser trees in its path, falling ponderously. The hometree hits the ground like it's the end of the world, raising great clouds of dust and pulverised debris.

Incendiarys launch from the gunships once more, exploding into gouts of firestorm. The Omaticaya retreats as the wall of fire advances. "Grace you go help the children. Jake you help wounded. I need to look for Neytiri" I order, getting ready to head but Jake holds my arm and hugs me. "Be careful" "Ain't I always" I say in a joking manner causing Jake to chuckle. We both know that ain't true.

Grace is already rounding up children, herding them away from the fire as Jake helps thoes who need it most as I search for Neytiri. "Neytiri! Neytiri where are you!"

I reel out of the fire to see Neytiri crying over... her fathers body. 'Oh no...' I kneel down next to her. "Im sorry-" I could continue she shoves me away and stands up, screaming at me with tears I his eyes. "Get away from me Nova. Go away! Go away and never come back."

I stumble back as he slumps down by her father's body, cluching her stomach, keening like a animal.

Utterly shattered and eyes vacant of any emotions I stagger lost and alone through the burning forest. I was a warrior who thought she could bring peace. Sooner or later though, you always have to wake up.

The strings are cut, Nova flops to the ground limp in the forest. Elsewhere in the smokey hell Grace falls unconscious to which the crying children pull her body to safety. Jake, who somehow wondered into the forest looking for Nova also fell unconscious. Alone just like Nova.

The top clamshell opens as troopers yank me out and zip tying my rist before they do it to the others.

Lock up- night

Norm, Grace, Jake and I are currently in a commen holding cell. We sit, staring in silence... Too wired to sleep, too emotionally drained to move. Grace broke the defining silence, "They never wanted us to succeed."

Suddenly the doors roll open and we see Trudy deliveringknee a trooper in the gut as Max clocks one heartily with a coffee urn which knocks them out cold. "That was unexpectedly satisfying." Norm runs out to Trudy as I go to Max and give him a fist bump. "That was a wicked take out Max."

Jake wheel out, grabbing the sidebarm of the fallen trooper as Trudy binds his wrist. "Thanks" I turn to face our motley crew, chambering around. "So what do you say? Time for a revolution." What I say causes everyone to smirk. "I'm free" Trudy grins and taps my fist. "Come on"

In the utility corridor under the base, I help Jake pump his chair as the others jog. We reach the airlock and start donning exopacks. "Get your ship fired up" Trudy nods as the grabs Norms hand and enters the airlocks. Jake and I turn to Max.

"Stay here. I need somebody on the inside that I can trust." Max nods as I grip his hand tightly before letting go. What can I say, I am worried for him.

Looking around I see a trooper approach, aiming his AR at Trudy and Norm, telling them to fire down the aircraft. Jake rolles up behind him, aiming his pistol, "Take it nice and easy troop.""on the ground, face down. Hands behind your head."

The trooper hesitates which causes Grace to become impatient. "Do what he godamn says!" He does. Norm jumps down, grabs the troopers rifle and side arm, covering himself while Grace and I help Jake from his chair into the back bay of the chopper. I tell Grace and Norm to get in as I throw his wheelchair in before jumping in myself. "Go! Go! Go!"

As the Samson lift off the rotor wash I see Quadrich open firearm rounds rake the ship.'Oh no' Trudy banks hard, using the bottom to shield us. Bullets whack into the ship as she climbs put of the tree line.

Jake and I pump our fist in the air, exultantly. "Oh yeah baby!" Just the I hear Grace wince in pain, "aaahh crap, not again." I look over at Grace only to freeze in horror. She is looking down at a bloody hand. She clutches her abdomen, covering the spreading stain. Grace looks at me wide eyed.

"This is gonna ruin my whole day" "hang on Grace!" I was full blown panicking on the inside, there is nothing I can do seeing as we are over air.

Shack- night

Norms avatar, with an AR slung over his shoulder, standing on the roof of the link module. He gives a thumbs up signal. The lift cable goes taunt and the shack lifts off the ground.

Trudy's Samsung beats the grass of the mountain meadows. The shack sways as Trudy banks across forested slopes and head deeper into the hallelujah mountains.

Outside the window clouds and cliffs pass by, lit by polyphemus. Jake is jacking stuff out of the Samson's trauma kit as lies curled across layed across two black seats, hugging her blood soakes abdomen. She is pale and shocky. Trudy is flying on visual, only by the light of the polyphemus,

Although all my attention is on Grace. She looks so fragile, fare from her usuall self. 'Grace is like a mother to me and- and I don't know what I'd do if she... no don't think like that Nova, Grace will be alright be alright.     She has to be...'

"Well, at least they won't a able to track us up here. Not this deep within the vortex." "It's strongest at the well of souls, right?" Trudy nods to what I said. Opening my mouth to speak but Jake beats me too it, "Good cause that's where we're going." "Heh, did you just read my mind." I say in amusement as Jake gives me a smile before chucklinging.