The camp was a hive of flickering orange. The light was weak and hesitant, as if the fire itself was afraid of the dark. Near a Bure tent, three men stood with Chief Maluma. The shadows of the palms above them looked like "Stuttering" black claws.
Villager 1, a man with a deeply lined forehead and eyes that darted like trapped birds, spoke first.
"We checked the whole perimeter. The land is clear. We found no one, Chief." His voice was low, anxious. "We even searched the bays and shallow groves. Nothing."
Maluma's shoulders were tense and coiled, his frame like a piece of Ironwood under pressure. "Did you prospect the bays? The water line?"
Villager 2, whose face was broad and sweat-slicked, shook his head. His heavy brow was bunched in a permanent scowl of confusion.
"Everywhere. The tide is normal. We saw nothing else out there. I think they know about our plans. Maybe they are actively hiding from us."
Maluma lifted a hand to his chin. His lips were pressed into a thin, white line—a "Clinical" sign of a mind pushed to the edge. He stood in silence for a long moment, processing the terrible implications. Finally, he exhaled a heavy sigh and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Alright. We will keep looking. They can't hide forever. If we don't catch them now, our whole future might be at stake full of cold-blooded villagers smiling in our Manaeba and playing with our children, and i'll be damned i will let that happen."
He turned on his heel, giving one more sharp side-glance that cut like a blade. "No one takes a break until every one of them gets dealt with."
The trio bowed their heads. "Will do, Chief."
As they departed, their shadows stretched out like long, black fingers across the sand and then collapsed into nothing. From the village, a low hum of voices rose—a "Low-Resonance" vibration of people waiting for a blow to fall.
Then, the world Closed. It folded together like a person closing their eyes in prayer. For a beat, there was only the sound of a Thrumming Pulse in the black.
Then, the world Opened.
The Mossy Grove
The orange was replaced by a Dull, Mossy Green. A man moved through the heart of the grove. His polished mahogany frame was dense and supple, his muscles like Slabs that rippled under his skin, reflecting the torchlight like burnished metal.
His profile was a flat, unreadable stone expression that could suddenly Glitch into something predatory. In his right hand, he gripped a Te Powi—a heavy, dark club. It was a simple, oily piece of wood, thicker at the head and scarred from use.
Huff... huff... huff...
His breath was a Wet Saw in the silence. He stepped forward. —Crinch—. A damp leaf flattened under his heel, a slow, cold sound that felt like it echoed for miles.
Snap.
The man spun on his heel, the weapon leveled like a stiff, wooden finger. "Who's there?"
Nothing. Only the shadows of the breadfruit trees. He looked up, eyes darting through the canopy as the fronds scraped together with a Sibilant Hiss. Then, a movement—a dark figure cut past his vision in a muffled blur.
Patter-patter-patter.
The footsteps were frantic and soft, like a ghost running on sand. The man jolted. "Huh."
He swung his torch, the light catching a woman. She was hunched over, hands clutching her shoulders as she tried to melt into the trees. The man's fear snapped, replaced by a Cold, Predatory Spike.
"Hey! Come back here!"
He lunged. His hand closed on her shoulder with a Rough, Skin-on-Skin Grab. He yanked her back. Flump. The woman hit the dirt.
He stuck his torch into the earth and dropped his weapon. He climbed over her, pulling her shoulder to lie straight. "Don't fight it. You're done. You're finished. Just... give up."
They fought in the dirt. Scuffle. Grunt. "Let me go. Don't touch me."
The guy was nervous. "Please, just stop!"
Smack. Smack. "The hell I will! Get off me!"
"I said Stop!!"
The woman froze. Her chest moved—Heave. Heave. She looked into his eyes.
Slap-Thud.
The guy hit her in the stomach. He had an angry grin. The woman curled into a ball. "Uugh," she groaned. "Why did you do that?"
The guy looked horrified, his face "Glitching" back to a mask of kindness. "Sorry, sorry! I was a little bit angry." He stood up and reached out a hand. "Come on. Let's get you up."
The woman slapped his hand away. Whack. "Don't touch me."
"Please," he said. "Just trust me. It's okay."
Slowly, she reached out. He pulled her up.
"There," he smiled. "All good."
Her skin had a warm, Golden-Undercurrent. Her chin was small and pointed, making her face a perfect Heart-Shape. She held her stomach, tracing him with her eyes. "I… i don't understand. Why are you not killing me?"
The guy smiled like a child. "Why should i?"
"But what about the Chief? Wouldn't he be angry?"
"Well, he's not here right now is he? Afterall, I'm not a killer. My whole life turned upside down after he send us on a killing spree. I think non of us should kill, whatever our actions may be. I guess he forgot about what it means to have mercy."
The woman's face shifted. "So.. i'm free to leave? Just like that."
"yeah, just like that. I wouldn't be crazy enough to actually kill. And why should i? Who cares what he says? I think you're a wonderful person that deserves better,… and i also think you're beautiful."
The young woman froze. "Uhh…that's… nice of you to say."
"Well, uhm.. i think you're good looking yourself."
The guy chuckled. "Thank you for the compliment. Oh, uhh. And i really think we gotta leave. The others might find us."
He took his torch and club, tracing after her.
"I'm still confused how you just.. dumped out on the Chief's orders just to help me. Thank you."
"It's not a big deal. It's the most i could do."
"No, honestly. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Well, let's get you to a good hiding spot, till this mess is over."
The girl tapped her stomach. "Well you shouldn't have hit me at the side. That was so uncalled for."
"Oh, i'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I can be such a crazy sometimes. Does it still hurt that badly?"
"It's fine, i'm okay. Well, it's getting better though… maybe. Why does the Chief do this anyway? It's soo unlike him. You can't just send people to kill?"
The guy watched the shadows. "He has lost his mind. Since the fijian men stepped foot on the island, he seemed to slowly lose it. He seemed… uncomfortable, i don't really know, but it could likely be one thing. The Tattooed Men, yeah."
She didn't speak, observing his mouth.
"That very night was traumatic for everyone, even him. That might be one of the possible reasons he seems conflicted Since he realized he couldn't blame the fijians for Tenia's dad, and.. came to know about the others, he finally found a reason to justify his anger. Maybe that's why the rest are out to find you, to prevent a second sabotage. Let's go over here. We might lose them, atleast for now."
The Bark and the Bone
They took a turn. The woman walked, but the space felt empty for a moment. She turned her head and gasped.
The guy pressed her against a palm tree. The bark was rough and sharp against her spine. He grinned. "Hey there."
"Wha—wha—what are you doing? Why are you smiling? You said you wanted to help me."
"Hey, hey, no need to panic. I do want to help you. You're just too beautiful."
The woman looked at him with horror. "Please. Please. I don't know what got into you, but we could talk this out. There's no need for this inappropriate stuff."
He traced her cheek with the back of his hand.
"I'm scared. I'm only twenty-two. I hate unwanted intimacy. I actually hate to be in the dark alone. I just want to go h—"
The guy touched her lips with his palm, his eyes narrowing into thin, "Opaque" slits. "Shhh, shhhh. So many words, so much fear. Tell you what— I will make a deal with you. You can spent some time with me. And i will bring you to safety. No tricks, no lies, just bussiness."
The girl's eyes rolled in tears. "Why are you doing this? You said you wanted to help me. I believed you."
"Tell me, which one's worse: You either let me borrow you for a few hours and i'm outta your hair, or your fate will be completely left in the Chief's hands, earning a potential punishment as Bako. Your choice."
He touched her cheek again, exhaling her scent. "you even smell amazing. Come on. Let me borrow you, just for a few hours. You might be scared now, but when we're done, you would beg for more."
"Please, please."
He pulled away, his face turning neutral and cold. "Come on! I don't have all night."
The girl slowly shook her head, her head pressed hard against the bark. "No… no. I won't."
The guy's hands connected instantly to her neck. He leaned in, teeth pulled back in a frustrated snarl. "I don't think i like being refused. You think You're clever? You're nothing, but a Kairama, a taboo in the grove. You think i'm stupid not to know what you're up to? Were you the one who Killed Bako? Answer me. What were you doing out here? Setting up your next plan to strike? No no. You're not getting away with anything this time. Not anymore."
"Ugh… stop."
"It's over.'
He pinned her tighter, gripping her throat until her eyes wavered and the world began to Stutter.
The Thwack
FWOSH.
The wind changed. A heavy, dark club struck the guy's face—Thwack!—the sound of bone splintering like dry taro roots. He fell to the side with a loud, dull Thud.
Mere's heart went rapid as her gaze fell on the motionless body. He lay on his back, half his face bashed open and pooling in "Tacky" blood.
A woman with braided obsidian hair stood there, holding the club guardedly. Her face was a map of fear and defiance.
"Mom? Mom!"
"Mere!" They embraced—huh-plump—in the dirt.
"Mom. Mom, i'm so happy you're here."
"What was going on here? What did he do to you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, i'm fine."
"I got scared mom. He was gonna… I'm just so glad you came."
"Oh, honey. You shouldn't have gone through this. How did you even get in trouble in the middle of the grove? Wait. Why are you in trouble in the middle of the grove?"
Mere's face froze. The blood drained from her cheeks.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure broke through the dark. "Dad?"
Akau was doubled over, his lanky frame clutching his knees. His breath was a high-pitched, whistling rasp—like wind through a stone crevice. "Guys… Whoo. I'm really relieved to see you guys alive. Did you see those men back there? They almost got to me."
A single, thick bead of sweat hung from his nose before shattering against the white coral dust.
"Akau. What are you doing here? What's she doing here?"
"Don't blame me. I came to look for you two."
Akau's head pivoted to the corpse. He took a sharp breath—a clicking sound against his teeth. "E riri te aba!"
He took a step back. "What did you do?"
The two heads—mother and daughter—snapped to the side in a singular, fluid motion, then back to him. The air between them turned silence.