This tale has been moderately modified from its original storyline. You'll find that the Episode breaks are the same, but I have added some Titles. There may be a little bit of additional information here and there, and possibly additional pictures as well.
Please enjoy the updated version.

The Legend of Lakia and the Great Sea Monster

Episode One: The Great Beginning

"Gather around children! I, Shuka, daughter of the Great Mountain-Climber, will tell you a great tale! Gather around, and I will tell you the tale of a Great Leader and a Great Sea Monster!" Shuka was holding a fish in her hands. She was the most dramatic of all the storytellers.

Many of the children went running to listen, but little Lakia Waterfaller stayed at the beach and danced. She didn't like any kind of activity where she had to sit still for very long. (She also tired of hearing stories, since her grandparents were always telling her stories about the "Old-Tribe" and how life here is so much different from where they came from before the waterfall incident.) However, her best friend Dodo Firestarter (short for Doctor, since his genius parents had high hopes for him), was fascinated at the idea of beast of the ocean, so he went running over and sat down next to Lakia's older sister Jem.

"Long, long ago, long before the people came over the waterfall, Totem Poles of the great Leaders of the past lined the northern beach." She pointed to north end of the beach and moved her hand slowly to the south side as she spoke. "Near the water at the south end was the Great Library, where all the Scrolls of Knowledge were once stored."

"During one successful harvest season, the great Leader Hong, who wore a beautiful medallion around his neck," Shuka stood pointing to her chest, "would walk along the beach every evening to praise the Guiding Hand for all the blessings of his land. All was well until one day he received news that he would be the father of his 15th daughter. Since he and his wife were too old to try again for a son, he realized there would be no heir to take his place as Leader. In grief and anger, he flung his medallion into the sea!" Shuka continued in a deep voice, "The great Leader cried out, 'May Isola herself chose a new Leader, and may the Great Ocean bring the medallion to him!'"

"Suddenly, a storm beat down hard on the beach." She bent down low and pounded the earth by her feet, "It's fierce waves smashed up all the Totem Poles, and washed all the huts out to sea. As great wave after great wave pounded the surf, Hong simply stood in awe." She stood again. "While everyone else fled to higher ground, he watched as the storm carried in a great sea creature right up to the shore in front of him..."

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Episode Two: Hong's Family Builds the Great Southern Palace

Shuka stretched her arms out wide and rolled them over like a wave crashing to the shore. "The Great Sea Monster splashed as he landed on the beach. The great Leader Hong stood eye to eye with the tremendous fish. Some say that it was the wave going back out that picked up the great Leader Hong and took him away. Others say the Great Sea Monster himself stole him right off the sand and took him out to sea. No one has ever seen or heard from him since. Later on that year his wife bore not another daughter, but his first son."

"While the rest of the tribe worked at building new shelters, Hong's family built The Great Southern Palace. They painted the story of the Great Sea Monster right on the floor. It stood tall at the southeastern end so that whoever would become the tribe's Leader could always watch the sunset over the water and be reminded of what took place that day."

Some of the childrens eyes started looking around trying to decide if the story was true. One thought, "What if the sea monster comes back?" and got up and ran off to the beach to look there.

Shuka continued. "Once the Palace was built, and while the Leader's son wasn't yet two years old, the tribe was undecided over whether someone so young should be named Leader. Those who wanted him to be leader arranged a great party. On the day before the ceremony, the medallion washed ashore on the beach at the baby boy's feet. Many saw and took it as a sign that the Great Ocean had chosen the Leader's son. The little boy reached down to grab it, but the great sea monster came in the next wave..."

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Episode Three: The Leader's Son

"A little bit of water splashed the toddler and made him move back, while the Great Sea Monster snatched the medallion necklace between its teeth and took it back into the water with him. As the creature swam away, the water pulled back from the beach. The boy's mother quickly took him in her arms and everyone once again ran for the far side of the land. Believing now that they were mistaken, Hong's wife made the Elders promise not to make her son Leader."

"The next wave flooded the entire southern end, destroying the Great Southern Palace, and leaving bits and pieces of wood in piles at the shore. It broke apart the Great Library, leaving only a handful of scrolls behind." Shuka sadly shook her head. "The only scrolls that remain are on relationships, families, and spiritual guidance."

"That is why to this day, mothers carry their children until they are old enough to run, and couples go to the old Library to find guidance when they have their families. We have to work hard to relearn all the old skills and find new ones."

"And to this day, the tribe has not decided upon a single Leader. None of Hong's daughter's were chosen and the Leader's son's family also has had only daughters. The Tribe is now ruled by our Esteemed Elders. And the beautiful Leader's medallion is lost forever to the sea."

Shuka bent down low and whispered the next part to the children who were still there. "But every once in a while a storm beats down hard on the beach, and villagers who look closely enough can see the eyes of the Great Sea Monster peering onto the shore. Some say he brings a blessing of many fish, while others say that he is looking for the next great Leader." Then Shuka dusted herself off and said out loud, "That is all for today children." and then walked away.

Jem puckered up her face and waved her hands at her cheeks like fins and turned to Dodo, "Me sea monster! Me watching you!" The two of them laughed really hard and then ran off to tell Lakia of the story. Along with them came Ima, City, and Piku.

Piku told them all that his uncle was a man from the Leaderson clan. "His name is Samar Leaderson. I never thought of him as being a Leader's son. And my uncle has seven daughters and no sons! Hmmm." He pondered. "Uncle Samar is always saying the tribe needs a way to protect the shore. I now wonder if he believes that the sea monster would steal away the next Leader?" Although Piku was serious, the others all laughed at the idea. Lakia wasn't listening at all. She just wanted to dance. "Maybe if the shore could be protected, then we could have another Leader!" he continued. "Oh, yes," Lakia muttered, but was actually just laughing at the sea waves.

Lakia Waterfaller, who was almost old enough to work, was the grandchild of the people who came down the waterfall. She liked to run and dance, but she didn't see very well so she was often caught doing strange things. For instance, sometimes she would play hide and seek with the giant butterflies. She might be found from time to time studying the rocks as if they were flowers. Other times she just couldn't stand still very long.

And so, she often would skip her lessons, including one very important one on the day they learned about the Totem Poles...

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Episode Four: Samar's Totem Pole

"Today we are going to learn about totem Poles." Said the teacher. "Our newest Esteemed Elder is being honored next week by the tribe's people with a Totem of his own. And so we are going to learn how to cut, carve and paint wood. We want it to look realistic, but not too realistic. Let's get started." As the teacher went on, Samar Leaderson came by to visit and tell about all the hard work that goes into becoming an Elder. Now that he was an Elder, he hoped that the tribe's people would go ahead and make him Leader.

Weeks had gone by when Samar and the team of tribe's people working with him, finally finished his Totem Pole. Although he had earned the Totem through hard work and skill, he chose a particular design that he felt would honor his father who was washed away in the horrible storm many years ago. He placed it at the seashore and asked the Guiding Hand to bless his family, and then he left.

Lakia, lost in thought, went looking for fish with her best friend Dodo, her sister Jem, and a few of their friends. "The waves are splashing wonderfully today. Wouldn't it be neat if we found something on the seashore?" one of them said.

Just then one of them noticed that the waves were splashing around something sitting on the beach. Suddenly one of them realized that eyes were staring out at them from the waves. The others ran off, even Dodo, though he soon after came back for her. But as the waves died down, Lakia got as good a look at the creature as she could and she stood in awe as her heart started pounding...

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Episode Five: The Pet

Dodo thought that Lakia was right behind him. When he realized that she wasn't there Dodo turned around to get Lakia, just in time to see the big eyes staring at her. He suddenly felt something for her that he never felt before, and he was scared that he would lose her forever. As he rushed back to the shore the waves gave up the beast.

Lakia thought her heart would pound right out of her chest. The eyes waffled back and forth until the waves sat their owner down on the beach. With the waves splashing against the blue-ish thing, it looked quite awesome and fierce. The children kept running until they realized that it wasn't going anywhere. It was Samar Leaderson's Totem Pole, which was shaped like a large snarling fish. But with her poor eyesight, Lakia didn't know what it was. She saw big eyes and a smile. She found something in the grand fish-looking statue that stole away her heart and so she just stood and stared at it. She decided that she would name it and make it hers, because she was in-love. And Lakia was sure that the blue creature was in love with her as well.

For the next few years, Lakia would run to the seashore every morning to see her wooden sea monster. Even when she became old enough to work, she became a farmer so that she could spend time at the shore. Sometimes she would drag the pole to her favorite spot to keep her company when she was lonely. Whenever a seashell would wash up on the shore she was certain that it was from the wondrous blue statue.

Early one hot summer morning, Samar's wife announced that she was again with-child. The whole family had a little celebration by the waterfall. Later that afternoon, Samar's mother passed away. The entire village held a grave-site funeral for her as the sun was setting. Afterward, Samar, his wife and his seven daughters went to the beach to pay honor to Samar's father at the Totem Pole.

When he arrived at the beach, he found Lakia playing make-over with the Totem. She had made a wig of flowers and covered the top of the totem with it. She had made a paste of crushed red flowers and clay and applied it to the Totems lips. She was in the process of weaving a grass skirt for it as well when Samar approached. In grief and anger, he yelled at Lakia. Startled and scared she fled toward the sea. Then Samar Leaderson cried out, "May Isola herself choose a fate for this disrespectful child!" As he walked off, he added, "I don't want to see her again until she learns respect!"

Suddenly, a storm beat down hard on the beach and the waves pulled frightened Lakia further out to sea. She could hardly swim in the raging water. The rain poured down more than anyone standing there had ever remembered. Its fierce wind knocked over Samar's Totem Pole and the next tide took it out toward Lakia. She clung onto it as tightly as her wet hands could. As another large wave smashed down on the beach, Samar simply looked on in awe. His family fled to higher ground, while he watched the waves carry in a huge fish right up to the shallow water just off the shore.

To everyone's surprise, the sea creature looked right at Samar, eye to eye. Then, with the next wave, the large fish turned around and swam over to where Lakia was. Just as Lakia lost her grip on the Totem Pole the large fish grabbed Lakia's clothing and the two of them disappeared out of sight...

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Episode Six: Gone

As the sun was setting, Dodo dove into the water and tried to get to Lakia. But the large fish had swam under Lakia and pushed her up onto its back, and then swam quickly away into the night. Dodo could barely hear her cries for him and her parents as she hung on for her life.

In great love and sorrow, Dodo walked out of the water to the edge of the shore and sat down alone. By this time everyone else had gone to the village center to decide what to do. Dodo hid his face in his hands and cried. When he finally could form words, he gently whispered "Guiding Hand do with me as you will, but please protect Lakia from the great sea monster." A wave came up and tickled his toes. In it was a shiny broken necklace. It resembled the emblem on the gong. Dodo put it in his pocket and carried it to his family's hut. He decided he should ask Shuka, the story-teller, about it. However, after he put it away, he forgot about it.

In the months that followed Dodo began to routinely study medicine. He spent so much time going from herb to herb, this that his family and friends starting calling him Doc instead of Dodo. Eventually, he would spend all his free time researching. Before long Dodo mastered both medicine and science. He missed Lakia terribly, and believed that she would have wanted him to be the best doctor he could be.


The evening that the fish carried Lakia away, she started off scared, but then suddenly realized that things were different. She could see! For the first time in her life she could see everything! As the sun was setting the fish swam close to a beach just off the coast of Isola, and he spoke to her. "You will be safe here for the night. I will be back for you in the morning." The great fish dropped her off on the beach, grinned at her, waved his fin, and swam into the night. She was so tired that she crawled under a nearby bush and went to sleep.

It was morning when she was suddenly awaken by an old man. "Hello there little darling," the long bearded fellow said. He reached out his hand to help her up. "My name is Hong..."

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Episode Seven: Why Are You Here?

When Hong awoke young Lakia, he had startled her. As she lay there, she wasn't really listening to what he said since he sounded just like Samar. He bent down to give her a hand up off the ground.

Lakia pulled back, "Please don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to mess up your Totem Pole, Elder Samar! I'm sorry!" she pulled back further and started to cry.

"Little one, I assure you that I intend you no harm." He paused for a moment, took a step back, and sat on the ground. In a soft and gentle tone he asked her, "You don't look like any of my tribe. Are you maybe from the Tribe of the South Ocean Wind? What is your name darling?"

Lakia wiped her tears but was still a little puzzled. He looked a bit like Samar (although she wasn't truly sure what Samar looked like since she couldn't see him well before) and he sounded just like him, but he spoke much sweeter and softer. This man was much older than Samar could be, so she decided to answer him.

"No, but my grandparents were from the Tribe of the South Ocean Wind. They were exploring one day and fell down the waterfall into the Tribe of the Setting Sun. That is where I am from. My name is Lakia Waterfaller, after my grandmother. Well, sort of, her name was Leia. Anyway, my father says I look just like my grandmother. My grandparents are always telling me stories about the old tribe."

Hong's face lit up, "How very fascinating! I would love to hear about them. But first, why are you here?"

Feeling a sense of comfort now, Lakia stood to her feet, and began to tell the story of finding the beautiful sea monster totem pole. "And then, yesterday evening, while I was weaving a grass skirt for it, along came Samar Leaderson..."

"Wait!" Hong halted her. "Leader's son? Who is your leader?"

"Oh, no. We don't have a leader. I think Samar was the old leader's son, or something like that. He has 14 older sisters! I have one and she is always telling me what to do! No wonder he left me in the ocean!" Lakia looked around the little stretch of grass where she could sit more comfortably. She almost didn't see that Hong had tears rolling down his cheeks. She noticed them as she sat back down. Then he stood up. He felt that he needed to interrupt her story.

"I am Hong. I was once the great Leader of the Tribe of the Setting Sun. My tribe was full of success and honor. I was the father of 14 beautiful daughters but alas no sons. On the day I was told that I would have my 15th daughter, I was angry and full of pride. I terribly regret it now, but I threw my magic medallion necklace into the sea. A horrible storm started to tear apart the island and pulled me out to sea. I was saved by..." Hong wanted to continue but checked to see if Lakia was listening.

For the first time in Lakia's life, she was listening...

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Episode Eight: The Decision

A cool breeze swept eerily through the village as the Council of Elders decided Samar's fate. Lakia's parents were blaming Samar for their daughter's disappearance. They had waited by the shore every day hoping for her return, and finally decided that it had been long enough. The Elders questioned Samar over why he didn't go after Lakia himself. Embarrassed but honest, he admitted that he had been too frightened by the sea creature to move. The more he was questioned, the more Samar withdrew from the others, and the Elders were undecided over whether he was guilty or not.

Shuka shook her head as she listened to the dispute there in the research hut. Only a generation ago the elders were discussing whether baby Samar should be made leader. Today they were discussing whether not to give him the Burning Stew.

Dodo, who was working late at the research table couldn't take anymore of the debate inside. He walked over to the stream to cool his feet. While he was there the idea hit him! A way to find Lakia! Dodo paced back and forth in the village center. How would he build a floating hut to take him on his voyage. He was not a trained builder.

So Dodo approached the village builders one by one and requested help to build his floating hut. They were all too busy making repairs to their own huts. Most of them believed that the sea monster ate Lakia or that she drowned. But Dodo felt in his heart that she could still be out there somewhere. And he would find a way to find her.

Finally, he decided to go to the council to ask for help. On his way to the door, Shuka was leaving. "Elder Shuka! I've been meaning to talk to you. I want to show you something!" Dodo took the story-teller to his family's hut, all the while telling her of his plans to learn to build a floating hut so he can search for Lakia. When they arrived at his hut he took out the broken necklace and showed her.

"Wow! When? How? Where did you get this?!" she asked in surprise.
"On the night that Lakia was taken away by the... I mean out to sea, it washed up the beach and landed on my toes."

Shuka fell to Dodo's feet. "You are the chosen one! This is the medallion of the Great Leader Hong! See the Gong? The gong was made in the necklace's image! It possesses the same powers. We must tell the other Elders immediately, Great Leader Dodo..."

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Episode Nine: Sacks!

Dodo shook his head. "No! I don't want to be leader right now." Although Dodo had mastered two skills in a short time, he was still young. In fact, he was only a couple years older than Lakia. On the beach he could hear villagers rejoicing, "Sacks! Several of them!" Dodo shook his head again. "I don't have time, Elder Shuka. I need to find Lakia. Besides I only have part of the necklace. If I were the chosen one wouldn't I have received the whole necklace?" Dodo paced in and out of his doorway.

"But the Elders need a wise man to lead them. They can't even make a decision on Samar's fate!" Shuka reminded Dodo. Shuka, the most widely respected woman in the village, was now on her knees, pleading with Dodo.

"Please get up. Can't we talk about this later? I can't be concerned about the things of the village just yet. Right now I need a floating hut. Right now, I need to find Lakia. Right now, I'm, ah, I think I'm in love w..."

Jem came running toward them and nearly knocked Dodo over. "Doc! Doc! The beach! All the villagers!" Jem had to catch her breath from running, "Come quick! Sacks and sacks! Rats and ants! It's horrible!" Jem grabbed his arm and started pulling. "The other doctors were called there also, but most of them have been bitten too. We need you to hurry!" Dodo slipped the necklace into his pocket.

As he started off toward the beach Dodo turned to Shuka, "Tell the council about the idea of the floating hut and rescuing Lakia. Do not tell them about the necklace! Not yet, please!" He started off again, but remembered something else, "Elder Shuka," he called out, "Stop the Burning Stew!!"

When he arrived at the beach, he was amazed how many villagers were sick or wounded. He went to work. But then he saw his old friend Piku laying very still on the ground. Ima and City were at his side weeping. Dodo's heart broke. It was almost more than he could bear...

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Episode Ten: The Fallen Coconut

Hong's words were interrupted by a coconut falling on his head.
He was completely knocked unconscious. Lakia didn't know what to do. First she yelled out for help. No one answered. Then she ran through the coconut grove, and over to the other side of the tiny island. No one was there either. She hurried back over, checked on Hong, and then dove into the ocean to see if the large mysterious fish were nearby. Still no one. She came back to the shore and kneeled beside the old man. "Hong! Hong!" She started to cry.

Then something shiny caught her attention on the shore. She didn't want to leave Hong so she tried her hardest to ignore it. Another wave came and washed the shiny piece right on top of her foot. It reminded her of the village gong, only on a leather strap, and a piece was missing.


Shuka had hurried off to see the Council of Elders, just as Dodo requested. Dodo realized that his heart was filled with compassion for Piku, Ima, City, and the villagers he had helped. Many of the other doctors had recovered and were preparing the Healing Stew and bandaging up the wounds of the remaining villagers. By the time Dodo arrived at Piku's side, Piku didn't appear to be breathing at all.

Shuka entered the research hut again. By now some of the Council of Elders were arguing, some complaining, some telling jokes, while others were telling stories. Shuka stood on the table in the center. Shuka's mother was Hong's eldest daughter and her father was the great mountain climber from the northern shore. So when Shuka spoke, everyone listened, and now the entire building hushed.

Back on the beach, Dodo knew he might be too late. He wept a little at the thought of himself being so selfish just a little while earlier. He prepared himself to give the bad news to City and Ima, as he checked over Piku's bite wounds.

As dramatic as she was, Shuka never interrupted council meetings without just cause. She announced, "Samar Leaderson should not be given the Burning Stew. Strip him of his Elder status if you must, and send him on his way. There are more important things at hand right now. I need a team of builders to assist Dr. Dodo Firestarter on his mission to find Lakia. She is alive..."

Dodo bent down to put his head on Piku's heart and listened for beating. While Dodo still had one hand on Piku's chest, the medallion necklace slipped out of his pocket. Dodo caught it in the other hand and it immediately started to glow. Dodo insightfully held it over Piku's heart. Piku was completely restored.

Then the gong sounded.

Shuka and the elders quickly got up and looked to see who rang the gong, but no one was over there. They heard noise at the beach, so they hurried there. Everyone was watching in amazement. Dodo was glowing...

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Episode Eleven: The Dream!

Lakia reached over and clutched the medallion piece in her hand. As it started to glow, she held it up against Hong's head. Hong began to shake and without opening his eyes, he began to mumble, "There are many useful spots to which you can drag gamers."

"Huh?" Lakia wondered.
Hong continued, "Your gaming community can grow to a large population. Final exams can be hazardous to your gamers' health."

"Hong? What are you talking about?!" Lakia was getting scared. She began to shake him.
"If your hand gets tired, give it a rest. Gently selecting gamers doesn't disrupt what their doing. Sick gamers tend to hang around the forums." Hong opened his eyes and smiled. "And, sometimes gamers stubbornly do what they want."

Hong sat up and rubbed his head. "I'm fine. I just had a VERY interesting dream. Can I tell you about it?"
Lakia was still looking at him puzzled. "Um, sure."

"I was sitting in my hut with a moving painting in front of me. I could pick up the people in the picture and move them around. Their village was made up of a hut next to a hut next to another hut, with no room between them. And their school is a bunch of huts too. And their homes are huts with walls between where they sleep. And where they work... it's ALSO A HUT! Everything was inside!"

"It was strange. The people were called 'Gamers.'. I put the man gamer next to his son, and instead of telling him a story he put him into a cart with wheels and rolled down the village to the school. I picked up the boy and put him in the school, and he said, 'No.' What child doesn't want to go to school?!"

"Um..." Lakia blushed.

"Anyway, then the man rolled to work, but had trouble getting inside. So I had to purchase "Education" through Exam Points. Then I picked him up and put him in the work hut. A box on his work table made light and he waved his arms at it. It was funny.

There was a woman too. I picked her up and put her in her hut next to the laundry. She kept shaking her head at me. I really thought she would enjoy the laundry. However, instead she walked off over to a similar box in her hut and waved her arms at it. The painting beneath her read, 'Reading Fan Fiction in the Games Forum.' ...What's a forum?! ...What a strange dream!" ...

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Episode Twelve: At The Gong

As Dodo glowed, he felt an urgency to move toward the gong. The entire village followed him. He picked up the mallet and struck the gong. Immediately, they all could see a cloudy image of Lakia and Hong talking. Samar saw the man who looked just like him and fainted.

"Are they alive or dead?!" shouted one villager as they continued to watch.

"Alive!" Dodo replied. "See that there, in her hand? That's the rest of the medallion that I'm holding right now!" Dodo held up the broken necklace for all to see.

When he held it up, a creaking sound began slowly behind the gong. Then suddenly, there was this loud slamming sound. Dodo was so startled that he stopped glowing. He ran behind the gong to see what it could have been.

As Dodo ran for the back of the gong, the villagers continued to watch the cloudy image of Lakia and Hong as it started to fade. They watched as the large fish came right up to the shore. The last wisps of the cloud showed the creature getting incredibly close to Lakia and some of the villagers started screaming.

Dodo had almost reached what appeared to be a doorway into the back of the gong's statue. Dodo called out to Shuka to find out why the people screamed and to return quickly because he found a doorway. As he reached for the door's handle, Shuka ran in behind him, "NO!! Don't go in there!" ...

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Episode Thirteen: Called

When Hong finished his story, Lakia showed him the medallion piece with it's broken strap. "So that's why you are here!" Hong began a little dance. "Wait here. I have something for you." Hong ran into the bushes and brought back a carefully woven cord and attached it to the medallion piece. Hong carefully placed the little broken necklace around Lakia's neck. Lakia started glowing. Hong let out a victory cry and jumped up and down on the beach. But Lakia felt strange.

She suddenly felt the urge to walk into the ocean. "Lakia? Where are you going?" Hong started after her.
"I feel at peace with the ocean." Lakia replied, and she walked into the waves. She swam out a few steps and then then stood up. Lakia was completely under the water by the time that Hong caught up with her. Although she was breathing under the water, Hong caught her by the arm and guided her back up onto the dry land.

"I saw him." Lakia told him. "I saw the great fish. He stared at me. We were face to face. It was as if, um, as if I knew him already." Lakia still felt strange as she talked to Hong, though her glow was fading. Hong began to try to explain to her the legends of the island.

As they talked a large wave washed upon the shore, and covered their feet. Lakia was sure she heard someone calling out her name from the ocean.

She looked out across the water, but didn't see anyone. The voice grew increasingly closer to her each time she heard her name. When it finally got to the point that it was like a whisper in her ear, she understood that it was saying, "It's time to go, Lakia." And then the voice disappeared...

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Episode Fourteen: The Mirror

Shuka ran into the statue as quick as she could to catch Dodo before he went through the doorway, but she was too late. Dodo barely heard her as he strapped the partial medallion around his neck, pushed the ancient door open, and stepped into the darkness. As Shuka approached the doorway, Dodo let go of the door to turn around, and it slammed shut!

It was completely dark beyond the door. He could hear the howling of wind blowing. He had no idea what was around him, and didn't know if it was safe to move. For a while Dodo just stood still and listened.

Shuka turned around and in tears, she walked back out of the statue. The Elders surrounded her and comforted her. "He has to go through this," said Tarik, the chief Elder, "it is the only way for him to pass through. Was he wearing the medallion?" Shuka nodded.

"But he doesn't have the entire medallion!" worried Amaca. "He can't make it through without the entire medallion... can he?" The Elders knew that once the owner of the medallion put it on, he, or she, would have to face himself in order to become leader. The opening behind the Gong was carved out by the people of the Northern City. They didn't know why, but each leader eventually ends up there. Some never come out. They decided that the only help they could offer would be to occasionally ring the Gong.

Dodo held out his hands and tried to feel his way through the dark enclosure. After a few steps he found a wall. Inches away he came upon a flat smooth surface. He pressed his hand against it and the medallion began to glow. It was a mirror and Dodo saw himself. The image faded away and he saw Lakia. He saw that she had a piece of the medallion around her neck and was heading straight into the ocean. Dodo suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. Dodo felt his legs grow cold. He was standing in water and it was quickly rising. A vial floated over to him, just within the light of the medallion. He looked closely at the contents trying to determine what color was the fluid inside. But the light was too dim.

The water reached his chest and the howling turned to a whistle. He knew he didn't have much time before the air would run out. Dodo faced the mirror and closed his eyes, "Guiding Hand, have mercy on me. I didn't choose this for myself. Please guide me out of this cavern, and help me lead your villagers." he opened up the vial and drank it. The last of the water came flooding in and filled in the room. Dodo was able to breathe under the water. He opened his eyes and looked into the mirror. Dodo saw Lakia under water also. She was staring at right at him! Then he heard that someone rang the Gong ...

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Episode Fifteen: Amazed

As the gong sounded a light flashed brightly in the inner chamber. The gong granted sight and wisdom. Before the light went out, Dodo could see a long narrow corridor leading away from one corner of the inner chamber. He wondered where it led, so he tried to swim out to that end of the chamber.

The next sounding of the gong shook open the door leading into the statue. The flood of water washed the young doctor out of the inner chamber and washed him right up against the gong facing that door. The water washed out onto the grass outside the gong's statue, and all the flowers there suddenly bloomed.

Dodo looked up as the door slammed shut again. He saw writing on the inside of the gong wall. They were directions. There was a little poem written about a capital city and the roadways to get there. There were instructions on how to build something called a boat, and where to sail in order to get to certain places in the Isolan area.

When Dodo came out from behind the gong, he found the villagers staring at him, again. They jumped up and down when he came out. With all the water, they were almost certain that the esteemed doctor and scientist had drown, so they were very happy to find that their new leader had survived. Dodo looked back inside and the words were gone.

The Elders pulled Dodo back out and wanted to talk to him about a ceremony to introduce him as Leader. But Dodo suddenly remembered that he never found out who had been in the inner room before him. All he could think about was whether he should hurry back in...

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"In great love and sorrow, Dodo walked out of the water to the edge of the shore and sat down alone. "


"For the first time in Lakia's life, she was listening..."

Episode Sixteen: Not Ready To Celebrate

As the daylight slipped off to an afternoon dim, Lakia began to feel cold. "Hong, do you have a fire going? It's kind of cool for Summer, don't you think? Perhaps it's the ocean breeze here."

Hong patted Lakia's hand. "You better sit down. Let me get you a blanket." Hong gave Lakia a blanket, the same one she woke up on that morning, but hadn't really noticed. "You have been sleeping for months. It's almost winter time and the rains will be upon us soon."

The young woman stared at him as if she were waiting for the rest of the joke to be told. "Go on." she replied, but soon realized that that he wasn't joking.

"When you arrived here you fell fast asleep in the coconut grove. The Great Sea Spirit comes here every few days to see if you're awake. He will be back again soon."

"Great Sea Spirit!" Lakia was a little scared. "What does he want with me?"

Before Hong could continue, the large sea creature slid softly up the shore and touched Lakia's foot. In fear Lakia lifted her hand to her heart and ended up touching the medallion piece around her neck. A cloud of sparkles filled the air as the great fish began to transform. Hong stepped between her and the monster and moved Lakia backward...


"I'm not ready to celebrate." Dodo told the Elders. "There will be time for that later. Right now, I need to find out who is in that statue! There is a winding passageway inside and I'm certain that he either is still in there or we can find him if we go after him." Dodo looked through the crowd. He felt alone. No one stepped up to go with him. "Go home everyone and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day." Dodo hugged Shuka and thanked her for the warning. After she went on her way to start plans for the floating hut, that they are now calling a large boat, Piku and Jem approached Dodo.

"I'm going with you." Piku declared. "I owe you my life."

"And I'm going too." said Jem. "I believe that Lakia's life is at risk, and that inner room has something to do with it."

Both Dodo and Piku stood in awe of Jem's statement. "Well, then we should pack up some things and prepare to leave right away." Dodo looked over to the clearing and saw Samar awakening from his earlier fainting. "We should take Samar too." Dodo decided.

"What?!" asked Jem. "You saw how Samar froze in the face of uncertainty. What if something happens to one of us? Are you sure that you want to invite him on your dangerous journey?" Piku agreed that that didn't sound like a good idea.

However Dodo had a different thought. "Samar is a direct decendant of this shore's greatest leader. Perhaps he will come in handy..."

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Episode Seventeen: Isola History

Shuka knew what she needed to do. She quickly gathered up all the herbs and food she needed for a Revitalizing Stew, as was customary when visiting the elderly. She placed a large amount into a carrier and took it to the hut of the Waterfaller Family. She was invited in by Lakia's grandparents, Leia and Weeko, and sat down with them and their son and daughter-in-law, Akio and Kali, Lakia's parents.

"I need your help. But first, my grandmother had always wanted to share with you her story," Shuka began, "and I think it's time that you know the truth anyway."

The Waterfallers all looked surprised. They respected Shuka and her family very much. When they had discovered her and her family hidden in the wilderness, the village was barely thriving. There were a lot of questions about their disappearance, but no answers aside from the occasional story telling by Shuka of the olden days. Some believed that she was indeed the granddaughter of a great leader. Others simply admired her for her leadership skills.

"Go on, dear, please." said the grandmother, Leia.

"The medallion was given to our first Leader by the Great King, and the gong to the whole village by the Great Queen. But we haven't seen the King and Queen since then. After my grandfather Hong died and Samar was not choosen to be Leader, the people rang the gong over and over to try to get help. Without the medallion the gong was unpredictable and the villagers became weary. They started packing up their things to seek out the King and Queen for help. Many of my married aunts and uncles went with them with their families. Some fashioned rafts to go by sea and others made hiking gear to go over the mountain.

"As you know, this western shore is only one part of Isola. However, the various shores of the island and inner villages were connected to one another, and had a purpose. For instance, where you two lived on the south side, was where we used to hold our yearly religious ceremonies. Villagers from all over the island would come there. When the volcano errupted on your ancestor's island, Isola was greatly shaken. A huge boulder fell over our passageway and we couldn't get back to our Ceremonial Site.

"Anyway, a few families stayed in the village to take down and break apart the gong, and hide it's pieces. They purposely planted thorny briars to keep anyone from returning the gong to it's proper place until the King and Queen could be found."

Shuka had a far away look on her face. Then she looked as if she were about to cry. Kali handed Shuka a cloth to wipe her tears.
"One day we heard the gong sound. But this wasn't possible so we all went running to look. A cloud of sparkles and smoke filled the air just outside the statue. In it we could see a large group of people and a little boy, who looked just like the King, wearing golden clothes, walking across the water of the Ceremonial Lagoon!"

"The Golden Child!" whispered Leia to Weeko.

"My family and the other families wanted to see what was going on at the Ceremonial Site, so they packed up a week's worth of supplies and left through the passage in the statue. Because some of the little ones didn't need to make the short trip, the Elders put their youngest adult, Tofo, in charge of them..."

Weeko jumped up, unable to take the suspense, "So what happened to Tofo?!"

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Episode Eighteen: The Great Sea Spirit

A sudden wind blew across the tiny island. It blew in dark clouds. Before they knew it the heavens poured down heavy rain on them. The sky was filled with thunder and lightning. In moments they were completely drenched. Even yet, they could not help but be still.

The great beast of the ocean transformed into a majestic young man. Hong and Lakia stared on in awe. His tail became a long white robe of colorfully woven kelp and flowers. On his head sparkled a crown of shells and coral. The air became electrified as he raised his scepter to them and a lightning bolt flashed down toward it.

His dark hair and bright eyes reminded Lakia of Dodo, though only for a moment. "I am Blanne, the Great Sea Spirit. I have come a long way to find you, Lakia of the Mountain People; Lakia, descendant of the South Ocean Tribe." he said, in a voice that boomed like thunder.

Lakia pulled the yellow and red patterned blanket tight around her shoulders and stepped out from behind Hong. With all the courage she could find inside her, she managed to speak, "What do you want with me?"

A tiny shaft of light broke through the clouds and streamed across the majestic one's face. As it reflected off his shiny crown, a rainbow could be seen in the rain over his head. Hong fell to his knees, and Lakia soon followed. The sparkling spirit continued, "We are going on an mission. We leave first thing in the morning."

Lakia's heart was filled with compassion and so she cried out, "And what about Hong, Your Highness? Must Hong be left here to perish all alone?"

Blanne softened his voice somewhat and replied: "No, my dear Lakia, Hong is going with us. For it was his cry to Isola many years ago that brought me here for you today." The Great Sea Spirit walked over to Hong and gently touched his shoulder. "You have done well, Great Leader Hong. We did not want to replace you." He turned to Lakia. "The King and Queen desire to see you both!"

And with that, the majestic young man turned around and opened his arms and carried fruit and honey to the island's little inhabitants. "Let us eat and sleep, for tomorrow will be a day to remember!" ...

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