CN1 - 10 - Tree

Onua squinted uncertainly toward the treetops. The sun was bright here in the rain forest of Le-Wahi, and his eyes ached with the effort of trying to see through its brightness.

“Is that it?” he asked Gali and Tahu, who stood beside him.

Gali nodded. “It is a Kanohi Kakama,” she confirmed. “It seems to be stuck in the knot of this tree, up near the top. Too bad brother Lewa isn’t here to play monkey for us.”

“Indeed. Sister, you hold the Mask of Levitation – do you think you can get it?”

(...)

With that, he pointed his sword at the tree.

“Tahu, no!” Gali cried.

But even as the words left her mouth, flames shot out of Tahu’s sword and enveloped the tree’s trunk. Within seconds the fire had consumed the entire tree, burning it into a black skeleton sprouting from a pile of cinders. Only the mask remained untouched by the flame, falling intact to the ground with a puff of embers.

Onua frowned as he picked up the mask. He’ll set the whole forest ablaze! he thought, as runaway flames licked at several neighboring trees.

Beside him, he saw Gali gesturing with her arms. A moment later, a drenching rain shower poured down over them, dousing all the fires.

“Thanks,” Tahu said, wiping rainwater from his mask. “I didn’t think the fire would spread.”