Dungeon Raider System

Chapter 323 Manu, the hermit Part 2

"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 me take you somewhere 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, something 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 time. Eventually they reached a stone platform that Uriel was able to recognize.

"This is Ahu Akivi, a sacred place. Why did you bring me 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 names." 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' came to happen, strange creatures that came 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, some of our people acquired their traits and we were able to resume communications with the continent.

"Then we learned that the same 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 some of them in and this place became 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."

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"Stop calling me Conti! My name is..."

"You don't have a name until you become one of us, now you're just someone who comes from the continent. Tell me, 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 become the 'ariki'. They needed to build as many moai as they could and the tribe that made the most will become 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, some of them became ill and they started fighting each other in a bloody battle. Some 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 emerged 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 came back, then he kept eating the eggs until he became 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 time for speaking is coming to an end. Now you must decide, because as soon as the night falls the Aku Aku will come 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.