in this lifetime -- Neteyam.

Beginning.

This chapter is a small look into what happened in her past. There were some details that I didn't write since they'll be coming in later chapters. You can skip this to get straight into the story but you can also read this to understand her position better.

-llvrqt

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Life was amazing for Mulä (pronounced MOO-LEH) , she had the comfort and love from her parents, the many friends she'd play with everyday, enjoying everything that she had. Every night she'd lay down in bed full of happiness, the brightest colours filling her head as she thought of what to play with her friends the next day. She was a normal child, one that had great creativity.

"Mulä? Where are you going?" The mother asked, walking to the young girl with a soft smile planted against her lips, looking at her child with love. "I want to find more things from the ocean, I have an idea for the perfect present for you and dad!" The mother only smiled more.
"Oh and I wanted to ask something." The woman sat down and raised her hand, signaling for her to come beside her.

Mulä held no protest and walked to to her, sitting next to her. "We are apart of the Metkayina clan right?" She asked, wanting to make sure her question lined up properly. Her head tilted up, watching her mum nod her answer.

"How come people say we're not apart of it then? I heard some of the elders talk about it when i was coming home yesterday."
A sigh left the adult's lips. "Well, we're just a little different that's all. But we are still reef people. Look at where are homes are, it's alongside the ocean, is it not? We have the same skin as them don't we? We're the same Mulä, we just do a few things differently and... well they don't like it." She explained.

"That's not fair... everyone here is so nice and kind, why don't they see that?"
"Everyone sees something different, we all have different eyes and opinions after all." She paused for a moment before continuing.
"Let them say we are crazy, or we're not apart of the Metkayina clan but we don't care. We live in a world that we design and this is it. Let it stay this way, my daughter. This is who we are and we must not let them change that. It only matters that here in your heart.." she placed her hand above Mulä's heart and continued. "You are who you truely are. Let nothing change that, okay Mulä?" The little girl nodded, a wide smile on her face. She was still young so she didn't understand all that too well but it was embedded in her head. The way her mother phrased everything, it sounded so pretty in her ears.

"I'll be back soon!" She stood up and began running out of their home, running to the water with excitement.

Her hands ran through the rippling water while she was at the surface of the water, her eyes hunting for something to take back home, a souvenir. She liked doing this quite often, her village were known for their crafts, the many things they'd make. Mulä was still young so the only things she'd make were things like bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry that were either traditional or just was there for its appearance. It wasn't all that nice to have different traditions considering they were barely considered apart of the Metkayina clan. The other villages never paid attention to them as their own people, it was odd but their different ways angered the others. 'Not real Metkayina people' they always said.

The young child dived into the water, maybe she would find something at the bottom of the sea? While she swam, she admired the beauty of the setting around her. The female was never going to get over how magical and magnificent this place was, it was the beauty of pandora. All the animals, flora and even the people were beautiful and she adored it.

Not long after, she was swimming back to the surface with the many things she found in her arms holding it close. As soon as air filled her nostrils, she opened her eyes and was immediately met with horror. It looked like a scene straight from hell, there was fire and smoke filling up her home and she just froze. Her body still in the water as her vision began getting blurry from the tears escaping her.

She could visibly see sky people killing and destroying the place and she would do anything to not watch this anymore. She dived straight into the water, dropping everything in her arms and using her hand to cover her mouth in shock. She was too scared to go up and do anything, she didn't want to die, there was still so much she wanted to do.

Mulä went down to the floor, hiding amongst the plants. She hoped with everything in her heart that whatever she had just saw was all a lie, a joke or something. Her heart continued to ache in pain, her throat feeling weird as she fought back tears.

It felt like she had been down there for a while so she reluctantly began swimming up, back to  land. Her head reached up the surface as she began walking out, seeing the sky people had left but it was too late, they had taken everything. She walked on the land, her eyes watching the fire, the countless bodies of her people. What did they do?

Her blue eyes, flooded with guilt and sadness but all of a sudden she had a realisation. Her parents. She began sprinting, examining the faces of all the bodies that were laying there, panic beginning to rise and finally, there they were.

Lying there hopelessly, nothing in their eyes.

"No, no, no, no." she muttered her voice barely coming out.

"Mulä..?" The mother whispered. It looked like opening her eyes was a strain and it hurt. It hurt seeing her own mother like this, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"It's okay my child. I'll be okay. I'll be with Eywa, i'll be safe and happy okay?" she forced a smile to do anything she could to stop the tears leaving her daughter's eyes. "But you won't be with me. Please stay! I'll go to the other villages and beg for their help. They'll help mum, they will!" Mulä cried out.

"Mulä. This is my fate, my destiny and it's okay. Let nothing change that. I have you by my side, before I go, and that's.." She swolled, struggling to let out another word. "All.. All I could ask for." Her hand reached out to the little girl, holding her small hand in hers, and gave a smile. Only this one held sadness, acceptance with the terms of the death she was going to face any second now. "You know i love you Mulä, fate has its reasons, remember that..."

Her eyes closed shut, and her hand fell against the sand. Mulä began shaking her, trying to get her to wake up in any way she could but she realised there was no hope. She stood up and turned her head to look at her home, it was turning into nothing.

She let out a loud scream, one that held anger and sadness at the same time. If only it was up to her what happened with fate, none of this would have happened. Those sky people would have been the ones suffering instead.

Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees, her hands gripping the sand in frustration. "Why." She sobbed helplessly.