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Disclaimer: Blah, Blah, Blah. I don't own Avatar; James Cameron does. All the Avatar stuff belongs to him. However, my Na'vi character, myself, the Dragon Weyr and its technologies, and the Pandoran animals of my menagerie are all mine. The Protoss - apart from my characters - all belong to Blizzard Entertainment.

Pandora's Templar

A Work-In-Progress Story by Coranth Dehanae

Chapter 19

(Continued from Chapter 18...)

As I waited for him to collect himself, I softly intoned, "Lu Mawey, ma tsmukan, lu mawey! Whatever is the matter?" Once Nìwin managed to calm and collect himself, he swiftly answered, "Aymakto, Olo'eyktan! Ikran and Pa'li Aymakto approach from the North, East, and South!" At this a surge of happiness from the Dragon Weyr filled my thoughts, bringing a smile to my face. 'All right,' I thought, happily, 'it's the Warriors and Hunters from the Pa'li, Ikran, and Kilvan Clans, I'll bet; they're finally here!' The great construct's confirmation of my guess was all I needed to know that it was accurate and true. My voice laced with excitement, I spoke swiftly to Nìwin. "Nìwin, ma Tsmukan" I said, "you need not fear for the safety of the Clan; in fact, tell our people that the riders are to be welcomed with open arms!

It is the Warriors and Hunters of the Pa'li, Ikran, and Kilvan Clans, come to lend us their aid against 'They who cannot see!'" At this, Nìwin's eyes widened with excitement. "You--you mean...?" he stuttered. Grinning, I clapped a hand upon his shoulder, a chuckle escaping me as I replied, "Srane, the time when we launch an attack against the Enemy is nearly at hand. Now rutxe, go and let our people know that our guests are to be made welcome!" An almost savage glee suffusing him, with a nod of his head, Nìwin grinned and replied, "Srane, Olo'eyktan," before racing away to do as I had instructed. As always, my Clan was happy to see their brethren, but the happiness shared by the four united Clans was tempered by the loss of Tawkami's females, the looming threat of war, and the terrifying sight of the huge _fngap kelku thing _ being built upon the land outside.

After the traditional welcoming feast - during which news and gossip were shared and much food was heartily consumed - all fell silent as I swiftly brought our guests up to speed with the Plan. Needless to say, all were anxious to view and learn to use the new armor and weapons with which I would gift them to vanquish the foe. Upon seeing the incredible suits of animal-shaped armor for the first time, needless to say, the united Clans were stunned and amazed at what they beheld! "These fngapä ta'leng are incredible , Olo'eyktan Txa'vit!" gushed Kìng, son of Täftxu - a Craftsman of the Pa'li Clan - as he inspected one of the powerful suits, which had been shaped to resemble a massive grizzly bear.

"Our own Craftsmen could never conceive of building something like this! Such strength it has... And the detail; it looks so lifelike! How did you make it in such a short time?"_Feelings of _embarrassment and flattery filled my thoughts from the Dragon Weyr at the praise, and with a bashful smile, I softly answered, "Well, I... I had a lot of help from Txra'kon We'er..." Kìng let out a jovial, hearty laugh as he replied, "I am sure you did!" During the following days - as the Dragon Weyr raced to complete the Tunnel Boring Machine in record time - I instructed the Warriors and Hunters of the United Clans in the wearing and use of their armors, and also passed out to them weapons the likes of which they had never before conceived.

For the Warriors whom specialized in Melee Combat, to their armor I attached special Forearm Units capable of channeling psionic energy and manifesting it as deadly blades. Since the Na'vi were not psychic - and thus did not possess the energies to manifest the blades themselves - said blades were created via special, psychically charged Khaydarin Crystal Cores situated within the Forearm Units, and the Units themselves were operable by a simple wrist movement. To manifest the deadly psionic blades, all a Warrior needed to do was flick his wrist and they could be used for years if necessary, without needing to be recharged. As backup, they still possessed their ancient or 'modern' traditional weapons.

The Hunters whom specialized in the use of bows, slings, and other methods of ranged combat, were given shoulder mounted Photon Cannons; deadly weapons that 'tracked' with the movement of a hunter's head, and launched devastating bolts of anti-particles sheathed in a psychically charged field. Additionally, I also equipped them with backup weapons; handheld Photon Guns - similar to the larger variants fitted to Protoss Scout vessels - which manifested and fired psionic energy as bullets of 'hard' light. I even gifted Tsa'hik San'eya with a powerful and deadly, yet elegant weapon; a powerful Protoss Sýs'scál'tár - or Double-Bladed Psi-Staff - a long, golden Psi-Steel pole able to manifest deadly psionic blades at each end!

With the weapons given - as the time of battle drew closer - to prepare them for anything we might encounter down there, via the Dragon Weyr's Psiodeck, I ran the united Clans through a gamut of training simulations. These included weapon use and maintenance, mock skirmishes and battles against 'They who could not see,' fighting in the dark, and combat in small, cramped spaces. You must understand dear readers that though I did not abuse the Clans with these missions - and always took care to look after their health and safety - the training I put them through was hard, and brutal; many of the younger Warriors and Hunters washed out.

The Elders and veterans of the united Clans, however, seemed to relish each new challenge I put them through, none more so than Lompor - whom roared with savage glee, bathing in the blood of his foes as he hacked and chopped them apart with his new fngap atan aytstal - and Master Hunter Oo'ano whom became little more than shadow before he appeared from the darkness with shark-like grin to annihilate his prey with devastating bolts from his new handheld and shoulder mounted atan aytsko! All in all, roughly sixty percent of the Warriors and Hunters passed the brutal training regimen - they would be included in the mission we would undertake - but the remaining forty percent could still be of great use.

I would assign twenty percent to guard the village of Tawkami whilst the other twenty percent watched over the entrance made by the TBM, to strike against any horror that might break through it when we departed for the depths beneath Pandora. Finally, the day came when, at last, the TBM was complete. Warriors and Hunters donned their armor, checked their weapons and packed miscellany - such as medical supplies, spare arrows and nikt'chey packs - into storage compartments before spending some time to bid their beloved Lifemates goodbye. Then, all whom would be travelling with me on this journey into the dark began to board the enormous Tunnel Boring Machine. Tsa'hik San'eya, Lompor, and I were the last to board.

As the two Na'vi swiftly strode to the Command Center of the TBM - situated in a thickly armored bunker-like room behind the machine's enormous cutting head - I stood at the top of the ramp, at the door leading inwards, and gazed solemnly back at those Na'vi whom had not passed the training. Ten had already moved to their assigned positions at the Village, and the rest would soon follow suit and move to guard the entrance left by our departure. Standing there resplendent in my golden armor - minus the helm, which was folded away - I looked down at the remaining people of my Clan and their kin, as they all gazed back at me, their faces set with expressions of solemnity.

Then, for a moment there was silence - not a sound, save for the world that continued to live around us - until finally, I began to speak. "Ma Olo'," I intoned softly. "We go now to rescue our sisters whom have been taken by 'They who cannot see.' I do not know how long we will be gone, at all, or even if we will return. I also do not know, now, whether our females are even still alive; they may or they may not be. I can promise you all, however, that - no matter their condition, whether living or dead, we will bring them home! We will bring them home, and when they are safe, we will utterly destroy they who cannot see, forever!" As my speech ended, for a moment I manifested my power into my eyes - making them glow with the nawm'atan of Txra'kon We'er - as I shouted "EYWA NGAHU!"

At this, the Clan burst into a rousing cheer, whooping and hollering, before as one they responded "WE'ER NGAHU!" Allowing a brief smile to cross my face, I dispelled my power, and then - like a Train Conductor of old, made the final call for boarding. "All aboard!" When no last stragglers came, I bowed deeply to the Na'vi assembled outside... and then - as the ramp leading into the TBM began to rise - I swiftly turned and made my way to the great machine's Command Center. Upon arriving there, I made my way over to the reinforced leather couch at the center of the room and slumped down into it, between Lompor and San'eya, with a pensive sigh.

Upon hearing the sound, my Clan's Tsa'hik of Eywa placed a hand upon my shoulder. "What troubles you, Txa'vit?" she asked softly in her native tongue. I did not answer her question at first; instead, I rested my head in my hands for a moment, content to listen to the silence, a silence only broken by the near-inaudible hum of the TBM's electrical and psionic circuitry. Then, finally, raising my head and turning to look at her, I answered, "I hate this! I know how far we have to go down, and everything has gone according to plan so far... but, I hate having to wound the Great Mother this way!

Damn it... if Tsa'hik Mo'at of the Omatikaya was here right now, she'd kill us for what we're about to do! And what about those we've left behind? What if they should be attacked whilst we are gone? What if...?" Tsa'hik Sen'aya raised a hand for silence, and when I complied, she responded, "Ma Olo'eyktan, lu mawey, lu mawey. Allow me to ease your burdens." When I nodded in assent, she continued,"As you said to the Clan at the War Council, the Great Mother is already wounded, and we go to purge the infection. Tsa'hik Mo'at... is not here, and is not your Tsa'hik; I am, and so is Txe'lan.

Thus, you should think of us and our opinions on this matter, not hers. I believe that what you have planned is a good thing, Txa'vit, and Txe'lan - if she were here - would agree with me, I am sure. As for those left behind..." Sen'aya heaved a weary sigh, then, as she gave me a solemn look. "... You have prepared them as best you are able; you have equipped them with the best weapons, and trained them as they have never been trained before! Even though they failed the training for this mission, they still learned well how to use the new weapons and armor you gave them, and they will put what they have learned to good use when guarding our homes, women, and children. If they are attacked, then they are attacked... but," she grinned ferally, "they will not fall easily!"

At this, Lompor and I matched her feral expression with our own wicked grins, before he pumped his fist in the air, whilst I replied, "Aye, you got that right! Well... what are we waiting for; let's get this show on the road!" Then, turning to the enormous, triple Holoscreen which allowed us a view outside, I softly spoke a question in Khalani. "My friend, are you with us?" Unlike the majority of the machines built by the Dragon Weyr - which were truly alive and sentient - the Tunnel Boring Machine was in fact a true robotic construct. It was merely an extension of the Dragon Weyr, a drone into which the Nexus had shifted part of its vast consciousness.

Thus, at my question - as the machine's many systems came out of standby to a state of half power - a mixture of the Weyr's affirmation, affection, and alertness filled my thoughts, making me smile briefly. Seconds later, however, the smile vanished from my face, as I loudly barked in Khalani, "Begin... dig!" Outside, the Tunnel Boring Machine, at their newly assigned posts within the Tawkami thípi village, those Na'vi whom were to guard it against threats watched, unmoving, and with stone-like expressions as the titanic ketuwong machine came to life. Even as the nawm machine's fngap tstal re'o began to spin, even as the hiyìk ioang reared up on its segmented body like an eltungawng about to strike its victim and even when its fngap re'o struck the atxkxe of nawm Sa'nok Eywa as it began to burrow swiftly inside her, the newly trained Elite Guard of the United Clans showed no fear.

Awe and wonder carefully schooled and controlled, yes, but no fear. The training bestowed on them by the Tawtute Olo'eyktan of Clan Tawkami, Txa'vit, had burned away that weakness from them long ago. Now, through new aynari, they saw everything with a preternatural calm that would unnerve most 'traditional' Na'vi. Although they had failed the training for the harrowing mission within Sa'nok Eywa, Olo'eyktan Txa'vit had not been angry with them, at all; he had gazed not at them but at somewhere very, very far away, his face filled with a soul-deep sadness. After the ngäzìk training in the hì'i tìvawm proved to be too much for them, when they broke down, weeping and begging and pleading to be let outside from the swotu oe unil, the hyik Olo'eyktan had embraced each failed male and female as if they were all his Clan!

He had understood why they had failed, and he had said that they could still serve. Although they had failed the ngäzìk tìvawm training, they had still learned how to use their new ketuwong fngap aytstal and aytsko with devastating skill, and they would not fail him in this! Failure was to suffer another attack at the savage, vrrtep teeth and claws of 'they who could not see.' The Elite Guard knew duty, they knew honor, and they knew loyalty! Therefore, they would protect the Village and Kelku of the odd Tawtute and his Clan... and if they could not do so then they would gladly die in the attempt! Meanwhile, back inside the Tunnel Boring Machine - as it began to descend, and the triple Holoscreen changed to a view from its external cameras of the material its cutting head was boring through - Lompor turned to me. "What now, ma Olo'eyktan?" he asked.

"Now ma Tsmukan comes the hard part: we wait." I answered. "According to the pxay tìsrung aytsyokx of Txra'kon We'er, one of their tunnels rests some 420 kilometers below us. I am not sure of what will happen when we hit it, but, I have a feeling we'll know when we do..." My reply did not please Lompor in the slightest. He threw up his hands - a pensive sigh escaping him - before he gazed at the view outside, a scowl crossing his face as he replied, "Wait? That is all we can do? Wait?" Sensing his agitation, I softly patted his shoulder. 'I know how you feel. This is the part that really sucks...' I thought. Aloud I said, "This great machine has all of the luxuries of Txra'kon We'er, ma Tsmukan. Additionally, since it is a machine, it will never tire; thus, our journey to where we are going will not take long. Feel free to spar with one of the other Warriors, or exercise in the swotu oe unil. We will not need to wait long..."