Laki shivered as his bare arms brushed the merchant's top, though the evening air remained warm and even the shaded alley was comfortable. For just a second, he turned his head and caught the man from the corner of his eye and thought he saw-

Hey!

He started, turning all the way around to stare across the small crossroads to where a short young woman was standing staring right back at him. She was dressed rather unusually and had goggles adorning her temples, which Laki assumed was an engineering thing. He couldn't claim to understand all the new technology. None of it really reached out to the smaller islands in the west, islands like his home, Inao.

Uh, hi! he began, feeling even more confused than ever, not even noticing the strange tingle as he brushed past the merchant once more on his way back out of the alley. Can I help you?

He saw the Tengu was still where he had left it, shifting it's gaze slowly back and forth between Au Tahuna's abode and himself. Suddenly he felt the dizziness washing over him again, only this time it was so much stronger. He wavered on the spot for a moment, felt his muscles weaken. The bird idol slipped from its grip and came free of its leather wrappings to roll across the ground, but Laki didn't care, because he was already following it as the world narrowed to a point, then winked out completely.


The first thing he noticed when he came to was the raging headache roiling like a storm in the back of his head. It took a moment of groggy thought to realise that his meant he must've banged his head. The next thing he noticed, however, was that he was lying on the floor of Au Tahuna's home, the air filled with incense and the dim shadows of someone staring down at him.

Ah, good. You're awake.

Laki tried to lift his head and found it seemed to have gained considerable weight since he had last held it aloft.

No. Don't. It'll be a while before you can move, but you can have some more tea, which will help and you can talk. Au Tahuna gestured across the room too where the Tengu and the engineer were sitting in nervous silence, each with their own bowl of tea resting, untouched, on their laps.

Au Tahuna ladled another bowl of tea quickly and brought it over to Laki, who was able to prop himself up just enough to to be able to drink it and meet the gazes of his fellow... visitors. The mysterious wise woman girl, however, returned to her place amongst the rags at the far side of the room and watched them all closely for a moment.

I have to say, things have happened both more quickly and more slowly than I had expected, but then the future is rarely completely fixed and destiny has a way of... toying with us all.

Destiny? The engineer seemed less surprised by the word than... uncomfortable perhaps and Laki began to wonder what her story was - what any of them had going on in their lives that would lead them to this peculiar crossroads.

I just came to learn about religion, the Tengu said and seemed to want to say more, but stopped.

But you were hoping to find something more, were you not?

It sat still a moment, then nodded.

And that's exactly what you have have found. Destiny has brought you all to me. She paused dramatically, before pulling one of the rags aside to reveal the ancient little bird idol. Destiny and this.

You told me it was made by the Takele - the Ancients, he added for the Tengu's benefit [/color]and that it was part of the worship of the Tangata long before humans came to Henua... but what does it have to do with us, other than that I found it?[/color]

It seems you've all been chosen for a purpose.

Perhaps it was the headache, although the tea did seem to be soothing that, but Laki was getting frustrated. Stop talking in riddles and just tell us what you mean! I don't understand anything like this - I'm a shellfish farmer for Atua's sakes!

Perhaps it was a trick of the dim lighting, but Au Tahuna's eyes seemed to flash for a moment as her gaze fell fully upon him. I speak only what has been revealed to me and even I do not see the full picture - plus many things are better revealed slowly, lest the shock drive you mad, but, very well. There are some things I can still tell you about the Tangata, about how they came to dominate the great temple here and rule over the lives of all Nefunuku, whether they cared to notice or not.

She leaned forward, suddenly the consummate storyteller.

The Tangata Cult first arrived in Nefunuku fifteen years ago. I know this, because at that time I was one of them - a young neophyte of the cult, raised to it from birth. Laki wasn't sure how this young girl could even have been alive fifteen years ago, but then he was already pretty sure that her appearance was some kind of lie. We had travelled a very long way, from isles in the far west, beyond Midgard and Tír na hÓige - forgotten islands where the secrets of the Ancients lie hidden and we had come here with one purpose - to overthrow the worship of the Atua and direct all to worship the Tangata, for only in a place like this could we hope to make the Tangata return to us.

What do you mean, return?

It is hard to explain. The Tangata were banished during the war which destroyed the Ancients, but the Cult, which lived on, has always been sure that it was only banishment, not destruction and that there would be a way to bring them back to this world. That has been the Cult's purpose for thousands of years across many islands and it is what they are here for, now, in Nefunuku.

Does that mean they've failed everywhere else?

If only that were so. No. The Cult has grown across all lands and cultures, often in secret, but never diminishing.

So, why be more open now?

Because Nefunuku, though it has not always been a great city, has always been their final goal. The ancient ruins upon which the city is built hold great power. The centre of the Tangata Cult of old lay on these very islands and it is here that they believe the Tangata will return.

But no one in Nefunuku takes the Tangata Cult seriously! the engineer interrupted.

Yes. I was told no one prays to the Tangata.

That might be true in the lower reaches of the city, but not at the top of the hill. There the rich and the powerful are all under their sway.

But, how?

They made it so... fashionable.

There was a brief silence and then,

You keep saying 'they', but you said you were one of them. What happened?

Ah, well that was why I was reluctant to speak of this in detail. My past is... my own affair... for now.

So, what do we do now? What has "Destiny" got planned for us? How do we.... do whatever it is we've been gathered here to do?

Au Tahuna shrugged. I don't know! The gesture was so uncharacteristic that Laki had to stifle a laugh, but it was followed quickly by anger.

I'm sorry, but none of this makes sense. I think you're just preying on the vulnerable, spinning a tale to make yourself seem more mystical than you really are and I've had enough of it. I need to go back to Inoa and bury my-

The green glow around Au Tahuna appeared in a flash, even as she seemed to rise up off the floor and hover a few feet above the ground. Black, raven wings clacked behind her, translucent like smoke and as she opened her mouth for a moment - just a moment - Laki saw the long black blade of a beak. Silence! It was more shriek than voice and it seemed to rip deep inside and draw up any number of deep, unbidden fears, such that Laki found himself trembling, tears running down his cheeks. You know nothing of the world and the powers at work in it, but you will learn. Now go, find the others, learn about the cult and grasp your destiny!

The light blinked out and in the sudden darkness Laki was aware of a shape falling with a thud into the soft pile of rags. He was too stunned to move, though his headache had vanished, so it was the engineer who stood up and investigated.

She's gone, the young woman said, lifting something up from the pile. There's only this...

It was the Tangata idol and as she held it up for the others to see, it crumbled into dust in her hands.

Oh, Atua, Laki prayed as he stared at the pile of dust where Au Tahuna had once sat, What evils have I entangled myself with now?