"Listen, we started on the wrong foot and even though it was all your fault, I must admit my social skills are lacking. I'm a hermit by choice and I don't speak much to people, but your objective and mine are aligned and I think we can help each other. Let take you sowhere and then we'll speak." Manu said as he ushered Uriel outside his cave.
The sun was on his zenith and the island was a peaceful place encompassed by the sound of the ocean. They walked in silence, sothing they both enjoyed, and because Manu knew the island like the palm of his hand they had no need to use the roads which saved them a lot of ti. Eventually they reached a stone platform that Uriel was able to recognize.
"This is Ahu Akivi, a sacred place. Why did you bring here?"
"This is where your journey must begin, that is, if you accept to take on the challenge of Te Pito Te Nua."
"Let's not speak Rapanui please, my head is spinning with all these nas." Uriel let out a sigh after realizing that not even Water warlock's blessing was able to protect him from the headache caused by fatigue.
"When 'the arrival' ca to happen, strange creatures that ca from the sea attacked this place and our people ran inland crying to our ancestors for help. They cried and begged, until our ancestors heard them and the statues woke up to protect our people.
They were strong and mighty and nothing could defeat them because they are made of stone, but also because the souls of our greatest warriors live within them. Thanks to that, so of our people acquired their traits and we were able to resu communications with the continent.
"Then we learned that the sa happened to them, only they didn't have any guardians with them and most of their cities were wiped out of existence. That is why we decided to take so of them in and this place beca like a safe haven for those who couldn't fight for themselves and things were great.
We lived in peace and no one could raise trouble here since we counted with the help of our guardians."
"I see where you're going with this. If I kill your guardians, even if I rescue the people, they will be left without any ans to defend themselves."
"Ah, you're not as dumb as I thought you were, Conti," The odd man nodded approvingly at Uriel and then continued. "The problem began when they showed up, the birdn."
"Birdn!?" Uriel shouted, already guessing who he ant.
"Yes, they ca in a giant flock that clouded the skies. The statues tried to kill them, but they were able to fly away without problem and before we knew it, they disappeared into the cave."
"It doesn't sound so bad."
"If that was everything, maybe not. But the birdn released the Aku Aku and they started taking people to turn them into more Aku Aku," The man's expression turned pale as he gazed at the horizon. "you see, they can't kill people. But they can put them in a place where they can't escape and without food, people will die."
"Why didn't the moai kill the Aku Aku? Aren't they the guardians?"
"The statues are strong, but they can't touch what can't be touched. Just like the Aku Aku can't kill people directly. If you want to save your people, you need to beco a man and challenge the belly button of the world and steal an egg. Only then will the cave of the cannibals open."
"No! Not that cave!" Uriel shivered at the thought of friends being trapped in such a place. Because of his vast knowledge in archaeology, he knew many of the stories about Easter Island but among all of them, the cave of the cannibals was by far the worst.
"Do you know about that too? That's impressive for a Conti, like you."
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"Stop calling Conti! My na is..."
"You don't have a na until you beco one of us, now you're just soone who cos from the continent. Tell , what do you know about that cave?"
"I know that two opposing tribes, the short eared and the long eared, got into a friendly competition to see who will beco the 'ariki'. They needed to build as many moai as they could and the tribe that made the most will beco the leaders, but their greed went too far and they chopped every single tree in the island until there were none left.
Without wood they couldn't make fire, without fire they couldn't cook and since they couldn't cook, so of them beca ill and they started fighting each other in a bloody battle. So of the short eared people hid in a cave for over a hundred days without any food and they only survived because they ate each other."
"Yes, but that's not all. A hero erged within them, a man who braved the waters in his weakened condition to seek the eggs of the swallows that nested in the rocks. He fed on them until his strength ca back, then he kept eating the eggs until he beca the birdman to fight the long eared people that took control over the island in order to free his people."
"I wasn't familiar with that part of the story, is that why they perform the egg stealing ceremony?" Uriel's curiosity prompted him to ask.
"Yes, but the ti for speaking is coming to an end. Now you must decide, because as soon as the night falls the Aku Aku will co looking for you. But that's the only chance you'll get to enter the cave." When Manu finished speaking, they both waited for the sunset to pass.
Uriel didn't know what to expect from the Aku Aku, but he remained confident in his ability to survive pretty much anything and his only worry was rescuing his friends before it was too late.
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