13844 replies to this topic

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

Korero lay in the snow, battered and bruised, not even realising he'd stopped rolling.  When he eventually opened his eyes, and remembered where he was, he scrambled clumsily to his feet.  The Matoran staggered a little; he felt like his stomach was still rolling, dizziness sending the world spinning around him.

 

Dropping to one knee to steady himself, he tried to look around to see what had become of his companions and their pursuers.  Oreius was nearby, and black splodge against the snowy slope was probably Stannis.  Korero's vision was still fuzzy.

 

Talking of splodges, a large black-and-yellow one with a green one on top was rapidly approaching.  As it swam into focus, Korero started backwards in fear.  It was the last of the three Muaka, bearing a nightmarish rider - a blend of Toa and Rahkshi.  Fumbling in his satchel, Korero pulled out his knife.  It was a Ta-Koro Guard standard issue blade, a considerable weapon in the right hands - but those hands weren't Korero's.  The Matoran was untrained and unskilled, and knew he was unlikely to even scratch his attackers before they were on him, let alone put up a reasonable fight.

 

He could only hope that Stannis and Oreius would somehow fight them off, or he was as good as dead.

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

"You'd be surprised.  Honestly, some of these people watch me like a Kahu, just waiting for to mess up, just once."

 

I sighed, but didn't say anything else, not wanting to ruin the moment.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

 

"Aw. Well, if you mess up, I'll try not to laugh." :3

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

I smiled, and pulled Kyra a bit closer.  "You wouldn't dare," I said with a almost painfully obvious mock tone, poking her with my free hand.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)
 
I can't believe he's pulled me in this close and still hasn't made his move...
Kyra put one of her arms around Terop, before poking his chest with her free hand. "Or what?"

Edited by Simply Vorex, Dec 13 2012 - 01:57 PM.

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

"Haven't figured that out yet..." I replied, leaning closer to Kyra.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

Finally...
Kyra leaned in herself, and, at long last, kissed Terop.

[LoTR_Nui]

IC: Kaldrus

 

Kaldrus continued up the rocky slope, keeping his mask power activated. Brother better be careful. I sense danger around here...

 

EDIT.

OOC: Whoops. Meant to post this in Ta Wahi.

Edited by LoTR_Nui, Dec 14 2012 - 12:28 PM.

[Varren Rehn]

IC: Aurel:

 

"Iegasa, where are we going?"

[ZHX]

IC: [Iegasa]

 

"To the shrine, of course," replied the Toa of Plasma, as they closed in on the aforementioned building.

[Constructman: Black Knight]

OOC: Hubert, Ningjing is interacting with Akrak.

 

IC: Ningjing

When the toa didn't respond, Ningjing poked Akrak with his staff.

[ZHX]

OOC: I'm already interacting with Incommodo in a far away place. Didn't I explain that?

 

And who's Akrak.

 

IC: [Arkrak]

 

"Inc, bandages ... now."

[Constructman: Black Knight]

OOC: Oh, never mind

 

IC: Ningjing

THe toa didn't move. "Never mind then," Ningjing said and walked away.

[HahliNuva]

IC: Riversong (in a Ko-Koro inn, talking to Marrak)

 

"Well, I moved here from Ga-Koro a few months ago," Riversong began, "unfortunately, I arrived just before the terrorists attacked.  Shortly afterwards, I and some others were attacked by a group of beings with slugs attached to their necks."

 

She paused for a moment, deciding to omit the fact that she and the aforementioned others had formed a group dedicated to hunting down the slugs - the group was disbanded now, but that didn't make talking about it, especially to some stranger, any safer.

 

"That was the day that I also found my cousin wandering around here.  I decided to stay here (for a while, at least), while he continued to explore the Wahi.  One day he went out and just...never came back."

 

Another pause, this time to force down the lump that seemed to be threatening to rise in her throat.

 

"I've lived here ever since, trying to find some sort of stable job." she concluded.  It was the most that she had said to anyone in a very, very long time; even when Janas had been around, Riversong had never said much to him - something that she was only now beginning to regret. 

[Varren Rehn]

IC: Aurel:

 

"I knew that," She said rather hastily, her face under her masked turning red.

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

Under Reordin's guidance with the occasional break for reorientation, the escaped members of the wanderers company made their way through the rock and snow-covered area that awaited them outside the tunnel. Ahead of them, to the left and right, giant columns of natural rock rose into the sky, growing naturally out of the mountain like enormous teeth throwing long shadows. looking behind them, the Matoran saw that the exit they had come through was at the base of another such natural column. Together these spires formed an almost perfect triangle, the point of which was behind them. Before them, between the spires the rock formations created a valley, relatively protected from the snow carried by the wind and easier to traverse than the open snoe-fields, which were much deeper.

 

They valley itself turned out to be much longer than it originally seemed, for as the company passed the spires, they found that it wasn't a very deep chasm and enough daylight found it's way inside, but the walls were almost exclusively made from ice and angled inward. Despite their relatively small height, only two dozen feet perhaps it would be too much of an effort to climb them. Besides, the walls almost formed a natural path for them. The snow on the ground before them was undisturbed.

 

"A hidden path?" Lepidran asked. Reordin compared what he saw against the map. "Well, for all without this piece of parchment it would seem."

 

"I guess there is only one way to go then." Leah said, taking a look at the map from over Reordin's shoulder. "Follow the valley."

 

The Ko-Matoran nodded. For several hours, they continued along their path, the walls changing around them, from ice, to rock, to snow and to ice again periodically, but they continued to follow the valley. Leah, walking behind and a little to the side from the others, noticed that the slope of the ground beneath them was increasing. They were moving up. A shiver ran down her spine as a sharp wind began to blow just so that the moving air was caught between the walls of the ravine. She crossed her arms over her chest and buried her hands in her armpits to keep warmer. She much preferred the lush and warm jungles. Or Ga-Koro's waters. But this high into the mountains, the cold started to get to her. Of course it didn't bother Reordin and Sulov was probably to stoic to even feel the cold. Only Lepidran seemed to share her discomfort right now.

 

They moved on, each step moving them further up the mountains side. At first Leah just thought it was herself not being used to the thin air, but then she realized that the visibility was beginning to lessen. "Brace yourselves." Reordin adviced. "Snows coming."

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

"How much further?" Leah asked, two, maybe three hours later. She hadn't counted. It might well have been a day or two considering how she felt. Her feet were rather numb and smally icicles were hanging from the edge of her mask. Even makeshift scarf she had fashioned from some gauze in her backpack and a heatstone did little to keep the cold out. granted, she was moving, but this was simply not the place for her. Snow had continuously fallen for the past hour, which slowed their progress down, but also covered up their tracks behind them. Even if the ones out hunting them were using heat or some similar way to track their prey, they would not find them now.

 

Reordin stepped closer and walked beside her, looking at the map as he did. "We should get out of this valley soon." he said, pointing at a point on the map. Leah saw where he indicated and felt reliefed. At least they would be out of this wind-canal. The valley began to decrease in steepness and Leah thought she could make out a curve coming up ahead, the led to the left and west, if her instinct was right.

Fifteen minutes later she had her answer. "Just around this bend." Reordin said. They continued on, until they left said bend behind. The valley ended there as well, the wall lowering and eventually being replaced by drifts of snow.

 

They continued for another five minutes, then Reordin stopped. "What is it?" Lepidran asked. The Ko-Matoran shook his head. "It's useless. The map just shows me the path, but it doesn't indicate any landscape right around it. That could mean there's just snow, or the area was left blank on purpose." Leah looked around. Behind them she saw the opening of the valley, but in front of them...nothing. The snowy drifts stretched out until their colour merged with the grey curtain the falling snow, obscuring their view of the path ahead.

 

"So, what do we do?" Leah asked. Reordin shrugged. "The only thing we can...make camp here for now, try to keep warm and gather our strength. We still have a lot of ground to cover."

Leah sighed, then nodded and slipped out of her backpack, dropping it on the ground. Once again her assortment of canned heatstones proved useful as the wanderers company huddled together to weather the storm.

Edited by Vezok's Friend, Dec 13 2012 - 08:23 PM.

[ZHX]

IC: [Iegasa]

 

The priest smiled. "Of course."

[Varren Rehn]

IC: Aurel:

 

"Is there anything that we have to do when we get back?"

[ZHX]

IC: [Iegasa]

 

"Not really, although I have the sneaking suspicion some people may require my assistance soon."

[Kopekemaster]

OOC:

 

LoTR_Nui, remember we are in Ta-Wahi currently.  So just copy your post and put it there, I guess.

[Syvar]

IC:

 

"Oh. That's... Rather sad..." Marrak trailed off. He gazed down at his book, trying to think of how to reply. My life isn't nearly as exciting, nice and dull, he thought. I should say.. something. "Uh, I don't know about any jobs. If you find some place hiring, let me know would you? Hehe" he laughed, a very false and awkward sounding laugh. "I could use a job too, I guess." Come on, she talked about more important things than unimployment! "Any idea where your cousin would have gone?"

[HahliNuva]

IC: Riversong (in a Ko-Koro inn, talking to Merrak)

 

"Well, he always has liked to wander off, but he would usually come back in a few hours...he wouldn't have left the Koro.  At least, not by choice..."  Riversong trailed off there.  Taking a slow breath, the Toa of Water forced her emotions down.  She didn't have much experience with losing people that she cared about, which was a large part of why the disbanding of the group had affected her so.  Feeling more distraught than ever, the Toa of Water allowed the silence to continue.

[Syvar]

IC:

Marrak fidgeted under the table, heartlight racing in the silence. Say something, cool dude. "So, uh, how are you holding up with him gone?" He continued fidgeting. "Is everything okay or like..." he trailed off again. How might she react if I keep asking questions? Am I prying too much? He clasped his hands together solidly to keep them still.

[Half a Cup of EW]

IC (Oreius)

 

At last, Oreius rolled to a stop, still clutching the Stone, and covered in snow. Fighting off nausea, he struggled to his feet. Every second counted: he couldn't afford to rest for even a moment. His vision spun as he fought to stand straight, the cold not helping, but gradually everything swam back into view, and the first thing the Ta-Matoran noticed was the enormous Muaka swiftly bearing down on him, carrying one of the three pursuing Toa.

 

This, however, was no ordinary Toa. He was lanky and spiny, almost appearing to be more Rahkshi than Toa. His face was contorted into a leering snarl as he urged his mount downward, faster and faster, bearing down on the Matoran he pursued.

 

Oreius, his satchel gone, had no place to put the Stone he held close; not if he wanted to use both his swords, and it seemed he would need them. The Toa had every advantage over him: strength, speed, height, and sheer power. One blade would not be enough.

 

The Stone was still cooling in his hand; Oreius was not afraid, but his courage seemed to have no effect this time. What had happened on the beach appeared to be a one-shot deal; the Matoran would have to handle this without supernatural help.

 

And without physical help either, it seemed. A quick glance around revealed their new companion, Koreru, standing nearby holding a knife, but from his stance and his grip, it was obvious that he had no idea what he was doing. Stannis was far above them, fighting his own Muaka. It was up to the the Ta-Matoran to get himself out of this, and Koreru too.

 

The former Guard looked around, trying to find some sort of advantage he could use. The avalanche they had ridden had piled itself at the bottom of the steep hill, and much of it had continued on, laying out a vast layer of powdery snow.

 

The two Matoran were standing on the snow; they weren't heavy enough to sink any farther than a few inches. But the Muaka...

 

“Koreru!” Oreius shouted, catching the Ko-Matoan's attention. “Run! Follow me!”

 

Without wasting another moment, the Ta-Matoran turned around and sprinted away from the foot of the cliff where he had landed. A quick glance over his shoulder showed that Koreru had obeyed and was following behind him, albeit fearfully.

 

Of course he was afraid: he wasn't protected by destiny. He was subject to the winds and storm-tossed seas of life that threw him every which way and drowned him at leisure. But the fear that Oreius usually had to force down was not there. Even as he ran, he was calm, his heart hammering not in fear but in excitement. Destiny, he knew, was on his side, and if by some fluke it wasn't, then there was nothing he could do. Either way, he would give nothing but his best, and thus make himself a hero to remember, whether he was truly Chosen or not.

 

The two Matoran couldn't hope to outrun the feline Rahi and its rider; within seconds, the pair had reached the foot of the cliff. Vidar urged his mount on, coaxing it to jump from ledge to ledge until finally it leaped off an outcropping about ten feet above the ground.

 

The Muaka landed, but it did not land on solid ground.

 

The mountain had released its burden of snow in an avalanche that had briefly carried the three Matoran away from their pursuers. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, it had simply spread out, and covered the ground for a hundred yards in a thick sea of snow. The Matoran were able to run without sinking, but the monstrous Rahi sank like a stone, submerging itself in the snow.

 

Vidar refused to let this minor hindrance halt his chase, and he spurred the beast on. But the Rahi was too heavy to run on the snow; it took a step only for its entire limb to plunge deep into the powder. Running was impossible; the brute could forge its way forward but slowly, and already the Matoran were widening the gap, fleeing the scene as fast as their limbs could carry them.

 

Looking back, Oreius held back a whoop of victory upon seeing his pursuers halt their chase. But his elation was short-lived: Stannis was still back there, and he was beyond their reach. There was nothing they could do but keep moving, and trust that the Wanderer would devise his own escape.

[Nuju Metru]

IC:

The snow soon passed, and so the troupe of Matoran continued on their way. The canyon they had voyaged along was being, with infinite slowness, consumed by a glacier, and it was at the almost-unmoving foot of this glacier where Reordin, Sulov, Leah, and Lepidran had set their camp. Seeing as the map indicated they follow this particular canyon and up one of the peaks in the distance, they resolved to climb the glacier as soon as the white flakes abated.

 

Reordin, an expert on the ice, had few doubts and fewer errors as he navigated at the front of the group. Leah and Lepidran, denizens of the jungle, found the footing more slippery than they would have liked, but manageable. Sulov, largest of the group, walked very carefully, wary of any creaks in the ice his footsteps elicited. The slope of the glacier was slight at first, a gentle icy incline peppered with white dust, but as the company continued on, up the side of the mountain, the glacier became steeper and steeper, and less snow clung to it, leaving them with no purchase save the smooth ice. Reordin started to jab hand and foot holds into the ice with his daggers, and the company behind him used these to give their less-experienced fingers somewhere to clutch. Lepidran almost slipped once, but his flailing foot was caught by a sure hand of Sulov from beneath him. They all let loose their bated breath.

 

It was slow progress, and the sun was high by the time the four Matoran reached a rocky ledge out of reach of the eternally gluttonous glacier. Reordin sat, indicating to the others that this was a good place to rest. They all gratefully obliged, and Sulov started a small fire near which the company warmed themselves. Reordin and Leah sat with their legs dangling over the rocky lip of the mountainous hollow, looking out at the majesty of the grey-white mountain expanse. Leah admired the view, one which was probably familiar to Reordin. He certainly floated more easily into pensiveness than she at this cold altitude.

 

After enough time, Reordin consulted the map again and, assured that they were on the right course, rallied the others to keep following him up the treacherous mountainside. The near-death slips here were more dangerous and more common, Reordin knew; before they left the hollow, he made sure that everyone was tied together by Takua's strong rope. He led the way again, this time choosing to take Sulov's pickaxe to dig into the rock and give his comrades purchase. But he didn't need it; such handholds were already chipped into the stone by another hand.

 

At long last, and not without some dangerous rock-tumbles, slips, and faulty footing, the group reached the summit of the mountain. Up here was flatter; a layer of snow graced their insecure feet, and chunks of frozen rainwater littered the ground. The view was spectacular to those unaccustomed to it. Reordin checked the map. "This is it," he said. "It should be here..." Leah's stone, which had been glowing as they ascended - and slipping around inside her knapsack - was now brilliant blue, and she set it down on the ground to be sure it would not fall from her grasp. They had to be close.

 

But there was nothing to be seen, it seemed. Reordin and the others sifted through the snow a little, but uncovered no stones. Leah tried shifting her stone a little, but whatever change may have occurred in it was too small for her to discern. Where could the stone be? The sun glinted off the ice, making it glow white in the eyes of the company.

 

Glow white. The unclouded sun, reflecting brilliantly off the ice, masked the glowing of something else nestled among, and covered by, the chunks. It was a clear stone that looked just like the ice it was frozen underneath, covered a little with snow and well-disguised. Reordin approached it, broke the ice above it; its bright white light almost blinded even his snow-baptized eyes. He extended his hands to it, felt it to be so cold that frost instantly formed on his fingers. He picked up and carried the angular ice-stone over to Leah, who held Gali's stone, and when the two touched, they both stopped exhibiting their signatures, and seemed ordinary again.

 

Kopaka's Essence Stone had been recovered.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Snow scattered with each of Stannis' strides like dust flung from a stomp. His run almost turned to flight at several points and indeed he could barely keep him with his feet. Behind him, he knew from the sounds, was the other two toa, chasing him however they wanted. Vidar on his steed bolted over him at one point, but he felt the need to continue his descent. Unarmed and feeling the weight of the island on his shoulders, he could only think to run faster and faster down the sleek slope. But his haste outpaced him.

 

Stannis lost his footing despite his sense of balance and collapsed, flipping head over heels down the incline and landing in a heap near the bottom. He shook his head to clear his face of snow and coughed as he gasped for air, but when he looked about it seemed he had been had. Utu and Ronkshou were already upon him.

 

No... no! It can't be-- it can't end this way! Stannis yelled in his head in despair. Fate had thrown their tracks off before, fate had shown Utu what's what, fate had given him a spear to defeat an enemy sure to kill him... How could things suddenly come to a crashing end? Oreius and Korero were already freed from the third rahi and it's mount, but they wouldn't get very far if this Ice Toa and his ally got by Stannis.

 

Got by Stannis...

 

No, hey wouldn't pass Stannis. The Wanderer would stop them, he would prevent them from reaching Oreius and Korero. He could stop the toa... he had to be able to. But how? "Feel, don't think," he was reminded again, words from a lord he had left for his own devices. Wisdom he always had to heed. Without thinking about the predicament, Stannis got up and spun, unsheathing his utility knife and the last broken shaft from his original pikes. He held them as weapons of great power and sprung into action just as the platform carrying the toa was a mere several bio away.

 

He jumped at the platform, intending to fight the toa hand-to-hand. He had the strength to do it... right? He had faith in himself.... Right?

 

He gave a war shout as he jumped at the toa, weapons bared and ready to do damage. His face, usually sanguine and philosophical, was consumed with righteous determination to take he fight to the enemy. And that moment would live on as one of Stannis' crowning moments of glory. He felt his body touch the icy platform carrying the toa, he felt the air whoosh past his arms as he prepared to bring his knife into the big toa's thigh artery and knick it so that none could ever un-knick it...

 

 

 

The next thing Stannis knew, he was tumbling head over heels again, this time in the air. He braced himself to impact the soft snow but instead felt a huge arm collect him and drop him gently instead. He felt betrayed, his attack dissipated as soon as it began, caught by the toa he tried to kill.

 

"Stay back," a familiar voice said sternly as he was dropped into the snow. It sounded fatherly and caring, not the terrible and hypnotic tone of the hulk of a toa who arrested Oreius before.

 

Stannis cleared his eyes from dizziness and looked up. His face immediately was one of shock but, at the same time, delight. "Toa Antrim!??" But the toa-protector wasn't looking at Stannis anymore.

 

Ronkshou and Utu were in the snow, though, their toboggan smashed to pieces and scattered below them, shredded by a lump of quartz it had somehow been intercepted by. Before them stood a toa as large as Utu, a huge sword held in a vertical guard. The mountain winds blew his green cloak back so it flapped in the gusts, adding to the element of splendid in his visage. "I am Antrim," he said with disdain in his eyes at the two toa, "Toa-Protector of The Massif. And I do not look kindly on those who seek harm to my wards."

 

Stannis affectionately looked up at his lord with admiration as he smartly retreated backwards, unwilling to tear his eyes from the battle he wanted to happen so direly but never expected to truly occur. His heart was alight in exuberance. His god really did want him to live to see another day.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

Korero and Oreius had the same idea at almost exactly the same time.  Even as Oreius shouted, Korero was already turning to run across the deep and soft snowdrift that the avalanche had spread across the the bottom of the slope.  The Ko-Matoran was light, so the loosely-packed snow barely gave beneath his feet as he ran.

 

Suddenly he ran over a patch that was looser than the rest, and his foot sank in.  He stumbled, the Ta-Matoran knife slipping from his grasp, but he didn't stop running.  He knew the knife was useless to him anyway.

 

But as he got back into his stride, he heard Oreius give a whoop of joy.  Looking round, he saw the Muaka and its monstrous rider sink deep into the snow.  It was clear that the Rahi would not be going any further.  Korero smiled in spite of the danger of the situation - the brawn of Makuta's powerful servants, beaten by the brains of a couple of Matoran.  But wait -

 

Korero looked up the slope.  What about Stannis?

 

Just in time, he saw the Wanderer leap at two more pursuing Toa - one of them the Mark Bearer, the other wearing an Infected Mask - and his heart leapt into his throat.  Destiny or not, that attack was suicide.  Korero covered his mask with his hands, but peeked between his fingers, unable to look and unable not to.

 

Destiny, however, was clearly out in full force today.  For just before Stannis' attack struck, he was whisked away by a tall figure.  Toa Antrim stood between the Dark Toa and their quarry, sword in hand, emerald cloak billowing behind him in the frosted wind.

 

Korero beamed in joy.  He would have a lot to write about...

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

I stayed like that for a while.  Looooong while.  But eventually, I pulled away, grinning at Kyra.

 

"So, how'd I do?"

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

 

"You're pretty good, but I think you should practice with me again sometime," Kyra grinned, winking at Terop.

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

"You know what?  I was just going to mention that.  Figures," I replied, my grin growing.

[Indigo Individual]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

"Do you want to have another go, or do you need to catch your breath?" Kyra was still grinning, but I can't say 'Kyra grinned' again, because I'm weird about repeating adverbs.
 

[Floridian Citrus]

IC: Terop

 

"Eh," I said intelligently, before kissing Kyra again.  I winked at her, pulling away.  "So Miss Kyra..." I began.

[Varren Rehn]

IC: Aurel:

 

"Who are you expecting?"

[Emzee]

IC: Ronkshou & Vidar – Ko-Wahi – Bottom of the Slopes

 

Karzahni. Another Toa.

 

“This a worthy sacrifice,” Ronkshou said, a knowing and devilish smile on his face behind his mask and apparatus, “You must not know who we are”

 

Throughout Ronkshou’s short but slowed dialogue, he had been sizing up Toa Antrim. The size of the Toa’s greatsword (and the arms that held it) suggested great strength, possibly equal to Ronkshou’s own. Antrim had a look of certainty, confidence, and most of all, anger. It looked as if Antrim found Ronkshou and Utu’s presence here more of an annoyance than a dire threat to his life. Behind Antrim were more mounds of snow, facing Ronkshou and Utu, who had their backs to the slopes. Around them was enough ice and snow for Utu to quickly smother this Toa alone, but what about Ronkshou? What could he do here?

 

The sword, Ronkshou thought. It was Antrim’s primary offensive tool, but it could also be a handicap. Ronkshou’s fighting style meant that the giant sword-wielder would have difficulty getting a hit as long as Ronkshou stayed very close to him. Ronkshou already pictured his dense Proto-Knuckles going under Atrim

 

Ronkshou smiled darkly as he undid his billowing overcoat to free his body. Utu similarly prepared to take on the first enemy who matched his own size. While he was left to fight the Toa of Fire on his own, Ronkshou did remember that it was Utu who was primarily responsible for the completion of this mission. Ronkshou and Vidar were backups.

 

The Toa of Ice’s earlier performance failed to give Ronkshou too high of hopes again.

 

Ronkshou looked ahead and watched Vidar and his Muaka steed sink into the mound of snow. Vidar, unused to moving in such an unfamiliar environment, appeared to struggle moving within the snow.

 

It did not take long before the long-frustrated Parakuka to take hold. When it activated, Vidar felt his body become even more hunched, and more brutish. His hands became sharp claws, and his face had now matched that of a Rahkshi exactly. Even for Vidar, however, the transformation was disorienting and someone painful, and Vidar let out a cry that crossed between a scream and a reptilian screech. Within seconds, what was once just a Toa who looked like a Rahkshi was now, for all intents and purposes, a talking and hissing Rahkshi. Consumed by primal rage, Vidar thrashed the snow around him. However attempting to climb out of the snow simply resulted in the loose mounds collapsing and forcing Vidar back into the indentation created by him and the Muaka. While he would still escape in under a minute, the Ta-Matoran and Ko-Matoran continued to bolt across the snow field, and it would take but a minute for them to be out of view.

 

“Utu, the other Matoran are escaping!” Ronkshou growled to Utu. Like the battle with the Toa of Fire, these Matoran are the priority, and one Toa cannot hope to hold back two experienced warrior-hunters. With that settled and decided, Ronkshou decided that he would make the first move against this lone ranger.

 

And what was Ronkshou’s first move? It’s the same move he does to all that apparently have not encountered him before. His odd color scheme had left many to guess what his element was. Some believed it was Fire, others that it was plasma, and so on and so forth.

 

In a deft swipe, Ronkshou slipped his hands into his Proto-Knuckles that hung on his sides. As they fastened around his fingers, the Infected Toa circulated his electrical energy inside the metal spheres, creating a magnetic field. The motion was fluid, Ronkshou’s hands curving upward and back to him. The result was a magnetic field that formed around Antrim’s feet, and would surprise the Toa by lifting them off the already-slick, white snow. Once Antrim was no longer steady on his feet, things would start to get a lot easier for the Infected Toa. 

Edited by Emzee, Dec 14 2012 - 08:44 PM.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Antrim stood with solid strength and gave the toa an curious look. While a calculating warrior would give Ronkshou a discerning and meditative analysis, Antrim did not ponder the whats and whys of the dark toa. He didn't bother thinking about what his intentions were or what he was capable of. Antrim lived for the moment and by the moment. By perceiving what was happening around him that instant he could respond without distraction of what would come next.

 

Most enemies did not share this philosophy, thinking themselves too smart for the instinctive and the reflexive and deeming such strategies primal and untamed. But it was not a weakness in the minds of those who understood the value of the moment and the connection reality shared with it. Reality wasn't in the future, reality was in the now. When Ronkshou raised his orb-encased fists up like weights, Antrim did not think about what would happen next, he waited until it happened. An untrained sage would be caught off guard by the surge of magnetism underfoot that threatened to topple him without mercy, but Antrim felt the initial tickle of energy and understood the risks without spending thoughts about the next moment.

 

The Cy-Toa flexed his body and brought his sword down in a diagonal swipe as if Ronkshou was within his blade's reach and allowed his imbalance to channel his weight for a more powerful downswing. The natural power of his mass was exerted on his heavy weapon.

 

And then Antrim blinked from view.

 

He reappeared directly behind Ronkshou even as his weapon continued its unbroken descent, threatening to cut through the toa of lightning's armor with its keen blade and sever his spine posthaste.

[ZHX]

IC: [Iegasa]

 

"I do not actually know."

[Emzee]

IC: Ronkshou – Ko-Wahi – Bottom of the Slopes

 

Ronkshou remained stoic as the ruse shattered before his eyes. Ronkshou’s mind was a very complex, constantly calculating, machine – a computer (if computers existed). As Ronkshou watched the scene unfold, he ran several alternate futures through his mind. Doing so allowed him to decide what was most likely to happen and what to do if so. Ronkshou’s first move had a relatively simple list of outcomes: either the trick worked, or it didn’t.

 

As soon as the ruse appeared to fail, in that instance in time where Antrim was supposed to fall backwards but didn’t, Ronkshou’s mind went into high gear: what would the caped Toa do now?

 

Well, Ronkshou noticed that this Toa wore a Kualsi, so he would likely use it. He also saw Antrim appearing to bring down his great sword, despite being too far to reach the 2^nd Lieutenant of Makuta. The Infected Toa knew that Antrim was not genuinely trying to balance himself – a pitifully novice Toa like the many who wandered the island would do this, but Antrim was no novice. Ronkshou knew before this fight began that this Toa would make every move go directly for the jugular.

 

Ronkshou was pretty sure Makuta invented the concept of going for the jugular. That’s why he’s alive and all-powerful and his brother continues to sleep.

 

So, that meant that Antrim would teleport behind him, continually bringing the sword down. It would’ve worked had Ronkshou not trained himself to deflect that.

 

Antrim found himself suddenly flying away from his opponent, and crashing into the white slopes behind him. A light sheet of ice and snow fell upon the Toa, though Ronkshou hardly called that a victory. Before Antrim eyes was a glowing, transparent-green sphere of energy that spun around. The shield was only up for a fleeting moment before it dissipated.

 

Ronkshou did not gloat as his evasion like his superior would have, nor did he even smile; he was extremely task and results oriented and he didn’t like how the first pair of moves resulted in no injuries so far. More importantly, he didn’t want to give his opponent time to recover.

 

Ronkshou’s feet remained shoulder-width apart, arms bent and raised in a typical boxing fashion. After advancing towards his opponent and attempting a jab to Antrim’s torso, where Ronkshou planned to follow up with two more jabs up the body and land a solid punch to the face.

 

If Antrim teleported again, Ronkshou would throw up his shield once more. If Antrim brought his sword back up, Ronkshou would retract his fists and do a forceful kick to the shin.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Rebuffed! Antrim thought. Such a forceful repulsion was unexpected, but it gave him a feel for the caliber of his cold and dark foe. The vanishing light of the force field filled his glossed vision with green before the haze of snow powder was left unilluminated. Antrim blinked to clear his eyes only to bear witness his foe charging like a boxer, armored fists at the ready to pummel him even as the noble toa lay on his back in the drift.

 

No problem.

 

Doubtless his enemy expected the broadsword to be used for pure offense, but the wide blade of the big weapon was just as useful for deflecting as the edge was for cutting. Still on the ground, Antrim raised the sword up just enough to block Ronkshou's armored fists. The steel sang with kinetic energy as the two weapons clashed in quick succession twice.

 

Ronkshou seemed pragmatic, at least as practical as Antrim, and changed his tactic, withdrawing his knuckles and raising his foot to deliver a kick. Antrim seized the instant, rolling to evade the blow and giving a kick of his own to Ronkshou's standing leg. If it worked, Ronkshou would topple and give Antrim a chance to get back up and fight on equal footing for once. Though he preferred equality in combat, he understood that to beat a sneaky opponent one would have to fight just as dirty, and as he found to be true, Ronkshou would give no quarter.

 

 

 

In a distance, Stannis still backed away from the struggle with rapt fascination, cheering his champion. Unfortunately there was little for him to do but flee, and while he witnessed Utu go for Korero and Oreius his heart was conflicted between trying to help them or letting Destiny have it's way. His mind flickered between the options but when he felt the moment, he saw no pull to wander to his brothers.

 

Destiny was already looking out for the two matoran.

[snoip lion]

IC: Utu - Ko-Wahi

Utu soared across the landscape, his "sled" propelling him over the snow. He was quickly nearing the two feeling Matoran. He knew better than to go for the first one he had. That did not end well. He wasn't exactly sure what happened, but he wasn't going to let it happen again.

He pushed one foot down, the ice below his feet cracking, the front end of the sled lifting up, slowing Utu down. He stomped down with his other foot, smashing the ice to pieces, Utu sliding along the snow, flurries of snow tearing past him in his wake, his cloak flapping furiously in the wind. Utu lifted up one hand, a wall of ice came into being from the snowy ground below. As he came to a full stop, the ice came around behind him as well.

If he couldn't keep one within the ice, he would entrap them in it's wall.

There was no escape here. Utu rose up, his Mark active once more. He smiled before gripping the newcomer Matoran in ice, leaving the original Ta-Matoran to watch. They were only a couple yards from each other, "You carry a heavy burden Matoran," he hissed as another shard of ice flipped up, hovering over the Ko-Matoran's eye, "Put the bag down. Or he dies."

[Half a Cup of EW]

OOC: He actually doesn't have a bag; it got burnt away in the explosion, and he's just holding the Stone in his hands now. I edited Utu's quote to reflect that; hope you don't mind. =)

 

 

IC (Oreius)

 

The Ta-Matoran halted his flight, turning around to see Korero frozen in mid-run, as he had been. The Toa of Ice stood over his captive, light shining from the weird mark on his arm and from his eyes. A sneer twisted his face as he delicately poised an icicle scarcely an inch from Korero's eye. The former Guard slowly walked back, cautiously approaching the captor and the captive.

 

"You carry a heavy burden, Matoran,” the Toa said. "Put the Stone down. Or he dies."

 

Oreius stood there, ankle-deep in the snow, his right hand empty, his left clutching the softly sizzling Stone, which glowed faintly red. He frowned, taking in the situation, his mind working overtime to assimilate all the available information and, somehow, make an escape out of it.

 

First of all, he was not frozen. This was plainly enough explained: the earlier incident seemed to have convinced the Ko-Toa that trapping the Ta-Matoran in ice was useless. Oreius didn't know how he had activated the Stone, and he didn't know if it was even possible to do it again, but the Toa didn't know that. That was one advantage.

 

Second: how much energy had the Toa of Ice used? Oreius guessed he was the cause of the avalanche; he had duelled Joske; he had attempted to freeze the Matoran in their tracks multiple times. He must have been nearing his limit, and even if he wasn't, he was probably going to operate under the belief that the Ta-Matoran could thwart his icy attacks.

 

Third: why hadn't he just killed them already? He could have skewered Oreius through the heart and taken the Stone, but, instead, he tried to use him as leverage against Stannis. Now he was attempting to do the same with Korero; why not just stab him and have done with it?

 

A slight smirk hinted at the corners of Oreius's lips: he saw the way out. The Toa had must have been given orders to capture the Matoran alive; there was no other explanation. The Makuta, though blind, was not stupid: he must have known that killing the Matoran would accomplish nothing: another Chosen would simply rise up to take the place of the fallen. No, he wanted them alive, so that he could bind them deep in his lair so that he could watch them forever, smugly secure in the knowledge that he had defeated the second Prophecy just like he had defeated the first.

 

The smirk turned into a smile, which turned into chuckle. Standing before the towering servant of Makuta, his companion in mortal danger, trapped within a circle of ice, Oreius simply laughed.

 

He was not afraid.

 

“You're nothing more than a schoolyard bully,” he said at last. “Throwing your weight around, trying to intimidate anyone smaller than you.”

 

He still held the Stone in his left hand; putting it down to draw both swords wasn't an option. So he drew only one, reaching over his right shoulder and grasping the hilt of of his weapon. The steel rang as he pulled it free from its sheath, like a cold, clear bell sounding over the icy mountains.

 

The Ta-Matoran's blazing eyes met the glacial irises of the Toa of Ice. 

 

“It won't work this time, Toa. Drop the charade; we both know you won't kill him. You won't kill me, either. But...”

 

He raised his sword, pointing it at the Ko-Toa's heartlight, his voice as cold as the softly falling snow.

 

“But I will kill you, if I must.”