ShadowBionics

Chapter 10 By the time the boat carrying Zhrika and Zetherus arrived to its destination, dusk had already fallen. The azure armored Vortixx wasted no time instructing the young mage where he was to report upon stepping foot on the island, even giving him a cold glare upon ordering him to not deviate from her instructions at the risk of facing Roodaka's wrath should he become too “curious” in exploring his new surroundings. The young mage agreed, frivolously nodding his head and assuring her he would do no such thing. Gathering his things, he rushed out of the boat and set foot on the docking bay, looking over to his left at the large, imposing fortress standing before him. The island itself was flocked with greenery, with the white fortress being the sole structure standing out midst the trees and plant life. Zetherus nervously began to walk towards the fortress, anxious about what awaited him inside. He eventually made his way to a draw bridge that had been drawn to prevent undesired entry. He looked around to find he was completely alone, and as he was about to call out, the draw bridge suddenly began to lower itself, creaking loudly as it descended before landing with a loud thud. Zetherus looked around, seeing no one. He gave a nod and thanked whoever had lowered the bridge audibly before continuing forward. He found himself in a courtyard full of more greenery and a large fountain with surrounding walkways. The young mage passed the fountain and found himself facing a large double door. Pushing through with all his might, the doors gave way, creaking loudly as they moved. He found himself in a narrow hallway, which he was instructed to follow to the end until he found a stairway. There, he would proceed to the second floor and locate the fourth door on the right upon exiting the stairs. Steeling himself, Zetherus began traversing the stairs, which looked as though they could go on forever as he briefly stopped to look above. Soon enough, he found his way to his destination and began scanning the floor for anything out of the ordinary before proceeding to the fourth door on the right. She said they were putting a team together... hopefully my teammates are nice people... Zetherus approached the door, his hand trembling as he reached for the doorknob. Giving it a turn, he pushed the door forward in one swift motion. “Hello? Is there anyone else here?” The young mage looked ahead and was met with the sight of a large ebony-clad warrior wearing a large, black mask sculpted in the likeness of a skull. It had large, red, bulbous eyes and a triangular vent where the mouth would be. The being looked over his way, apparently studying him closely. Zetherus felt a chill run down his spine seeing those crimson eyes glaring at him. “I'm so sorry!” he shouted. “Wrong room!” He quickly closed the door behind him and fell to his knees, overcome with a sense of dread and shock. Panting loudly, he failed to hear the clacking footsteps heading towards him. He was then met with the sight of a pair of sharp, white iron boots stopping right before him. “My, you seem as though you've seen a ghost,” said a female voice above him. Zetherus gasped as he looked up and found himself staring into the eyes of another Vortixx, this one standing taller and slightly more imposing than Zhirika. She giggled to herself. “You must be the Zetherus I've heard so much about.” She extended her hand as a gesture to help him to his feet. “I'm Roodaka, but you may simply refer to me as 'Commander Roodaka,' or simply 'Commander' for short.” Roodaka?! Zetherus immediately bolted to his feet, saluting Roodaka, who simply stared at him in confusion. “I-I-I-I'm sorry for disrespecting you, ma'am!” Roodaka gave a devious smile as she giggled to herself. “You have nothing to apologize for... not yet, anyway,” she added. Zetherus could do nothing but stare at the ivory-clad Vortixx in stupor. “Now then,” Roodaka continued, “why don't you step inside and meet the rest of your comrades?” Comrades?! That harbinger of death is my comrade?! Roodaka opened the door, swinging it open and signaling the young mage to step inside. “Um...? L-L-Ladies first?” Roodaka gave a playful giggle. “My, so chivalrous. Please, I insist.” Zetherus steeled himself once more, passing by and entering the room once more. He felt his face flush upon looking at the rest of his teammates, including the one clad in ebony armor who he had acquainted himself with earlier. As if on cue, the “harbinger of death” looked his way, standing from his seat and proceeding towards the young mage. “Hello there, young one. I beg your pardon for our short interaction earlier on.” He spoke with such a friendly tone, completely unexpected from the appearance and aura he exuded. Aside from the mask that covered his entire face, he carried a large drill-like weapon with a saw on the other end. He had clawed hands and feet, as well as a protruding spine. “My name is Reidak,” he said as he extended his hand. Nervous, Zetherus shook his hand, hoping to not anger Reidak at the risk of ending up on his bad side. “Now then,” he continued, “why don't you sit down with the rest of us? Please, there is plenty of room and everyone is very chatty.” Still confused, Zetherus nodded as he looked at the rest of the assembled group sitting at the table. As Reidak took his seat, Zetherus noticed there were a few other beings who resembled Reidak, aside from the fact the did not wear masks, in contrast. Some of them had clawed feet while other had large, webbed feet. They all had large, protruding spines as well, but in different styles and hues. What caught him off guard, however, was how each had piercing orange eyes and large, sharp toothy grins that suggested they had other things in mind. Zetherus slowly walked by, scanning the room further. Including Reidak, there were six of these beings here. From his studies, he deduced they were all Skakdi who hailed from Zakaz. The Skakdi were able to harness elemental powers as the Agorian race that he hailed from could, but in a more limited capacity. His eyes then fell on a lone female who appeared to be of the Agorian race as well, sitting at the furthest corner of the table. She was clutching a bag full of nuts and berries with the label “Athura” on the front. Finally, someone I can get along with! Upon catching Zetherus looking at her, the female held the bag closer to her and gave him an annoyed expression. “Mine.” Maybe not... Zetherus simply took the vacant seat to the right of her and said nothing, not even looking back at her as she relaxed and began eating once more. It wasn't long before Zhirika walked into the room, bowing before Roodaka before proceeding further and taking a seat on the furthest end of the table closest to him and “Athura,” if that was her name. “Thank you all for coming and accepting my most generous offer,” Roodaka finally said, closing the door behind her as she took her place on the opposite end of the table with the Skakdi. “Generous? Nektann practically shoved all of us on your little boat when you made your grand entry!” scoffed the Skakdi in crimson armor. “Forgive him,” rang a Skakdi in azure armor, “Hakann tends to get worked up very easily if he's kept in a tight space for too long.” Roodaka giggled to herself. “No need to apologize, Vezok. I admire that sense of drive and energy. Assuming, of course, he does not step out of line and doesn't force me to make the same threat I made to Nektann when I made my 'grand entry.'” The one called Hakann gave another scoff before crossing his arms and laying back in his chair. “Now then, onto business,” Roodaka continued. “I have gathered you here for a crucial mission to serve as my personal task force. I am not sure if you have heard of a rebellion taking place against our great empire?” Zetherus nervously gulped as he recalled reports of a rogue Agorian warrior wielding two swords causing havoc throughout territory belonging to the League of Six Kingdoms. “Yes, Zetherus, would you care to explain? I'm sure you've heard all about it.” What?! Zetherus looked back at Roodaka, who smiled back at him invitingly with apparently no bad intentions. Zetherus got ahold of himself once more and began to explain. “Th-Th-There've been reports of a rogue Agorian female wielding two swords who calls herself the 'Blazing Wind' that has been causing havoc throughout the territories, whose crimes range from simply disturbing the peace to stealing and even abductions.” “I couldn't have said it better myself,” Roodaka replied. Hakann gave a loud, hearty laugh. “So some lass has been going around giving the League a headache? Is that it?” “In a nutshell, less, and sadly Warlord Pridak is too much of a brainless oaf to comprehend when he needs help dealing with an issue he shouldn't have put off as he did.” The other Skakdi aside from Reidak got a got chuckle upon hearing Roodaka's views of Pridak and the League, seeing as doing it so brazenly would end up with incarceration. Reidak said nothing as Zetherus could only look on nervously with the sounds of Athura chewing behind him intensified. Roodaka gave a devilish smirk as she stood up. “And it is because Pridak is such an arrogant fool, I am taking all responsibilities to see that this flame of rebellion is crushed beneath my heel. To do so, I need the assistance of talented individuals with exceptional skills and abilities.” “And what makes us so special?” asked the emerald-clad Skakdi. “Word has it the Blazing Wind is not alone, as she has been recruiting similar individuals for her cause, including Agorian who are proficient in elemental magic. They need to be put in their place. To do this, I need to fight them on more even terrain.. or at least, on an advantageous field.” The Skakdi all looked at each other before looking back to Roodaka. “I believe the Skakdi are the perfect beings for putting these fools in their place. Meanwhile, I have a talented shadow mage and the perfect killing machine on my side as well to personally deal a crushing blow to her.” Roodaka signaled over to Zetherus and Athura, the former trying to hide his anxiety while the latter stared back blankly as she continued to eat. “Zetherus and Athura, while not as physically strong or dominant as the Skakdi, are more than capable of holding their own against this foolish girl who is nothing more than a thorn at my side. Combined with my superior power and intellect, it stands to reason their little rebellion shall end here. In return for your help, I will ensure any crimes you have been accused of will be overlooked and you will be granted amnesty for your service to out great empire. The Skakdi murmured amongst themselves as Zetherus looked back to Athura, who stared back at him with an equally curious look on her face. “Um...” Zetherus nervously began. “I see,” Athura said with an almost monotone expression. “So you aren't as useless as I thought you were.” “What?” “You don't appear very remarkable in person, but if the Commander sees promise in you, I assume you will be valuable. The Commander is never wrong.” “Um... thanks?” “Just don't think you can get too close with me,” Athura quickly quirped. “Um... sure,” Zetherus replied. “Now then,” Roodaka said as she slammed her hands on the table. “Our first order of business will be to lure the rebels out of hiding, and according to the intel I have gathered, I believe I know just where to start.” “Excuse me, Commander?” Everyone looked over to see a tan-armored Skakdi raise his hand. “I beg your pardon,” he began, “but may I ask just what do we call ourselves?” “Interesting idea, Avak,” Roodaka mused. “I actually hadn't thought of that, to be honest. Well then, in that case, I have an idea. From here on out, we will be known as the Dragoons, enforcers of peace and justice in the empire.” There was a general murmur of agreement between the Skakdi. “Excellent. With that, our meeting is adjourned. Zhirika will show you all to your living quarters now. Eat up and rest well, because tomorrow we have a great mission ahead of ourselves. I will give you all a mission briefing first thing in the morning. Now then, take care, my lovelies, because I'm going to need each of you for this noble task bestowed upon us.” Roodaka gave the group a most unsettling, sinister grin as she got up and made her way out of the room. Zhirika didn't waste time in making her way over to the door. “Is... she always like that?” Zetherus asked as he turned to Athura. “Mostly,” she replied. “I don't pay much attention to her, honestly, if she's not telling me what are my targets.” “I... I see,” Zetherus replied. “Hey, lovebirds!” called Hakann. Both Zetherus and Athura blushed as the looked over to the rest of the group. “Get a move on, you two,” replied the tan-armored Skakdi. “It would be best not to dawdle for now. You can talk later during our personal time.” Zetherus nodded as he got up, with Athura following behind, eyeing the young mage with a somewhat annoyed and flustered look on her face. http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

Chapter 9 The young fire mage eventually made his way back upstairs, finding himself back on the ground level. He could still hear sounds of the heated “debate” between Kualus and Bomonga looming overhead. Not wanting to get dragged back into the fray, he began walking away from the stairs until he found himself in a room that looked as though it contained many trophies and spoils from battle. The walls around him were decorated with various weapons and tools, each varying in style and material. Spaces not covered by weaponry were instead covered by shelves that held various masks, tools, and books. Norik was immediately drawn towards the various volumes of books lined up neatly in rows, seemingly sorted into various categories. Looking over the titles, Norik concluded these books contained information about the various sapient races found throughout Spherus Magna and their cultures. His attention was then drawn to a lone metallic chest sitting in the corner, as if it were meant to be kept out of sight. As he began to approach it, the chest suddenly began to shake violently and thrash about. Norik quickly jolted back, nearly tripping over himself. “I won’t even bother telling you what’s in there,” came a familiar voice. Norik turned to see Algorox standing in the doorway. He began to slowly approach the young mage, hobbling with each step. “You probably wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” he added. “Still, though,” he continued, “I don’t blame you for your curiosity and all, boy. I just have to warn you that it’s probably not a good idea to get near that chest. Even I get unsettled by it, and it’s sitting in the corner of my room here.” “This is your room?” Norik asked. Algorox nodded. “My entire legacy rests here in this room. Most of these are my handiwork.” “You made most of these??” The “crazy old wizard” laughed. “Well, yeah. What, did you think I claimed them all in the name of victory like in a gladiator battle?” He laughed even harder. “No, not even in my youth, would I have survived going more than two rounds in the arena. Yes, though, a number of these weapons and tools you see here are made by yours truly. A few of them I came across on my travels. Being a lost misfit myself, I decided to take them with me and give them a home.” Algorox walked over to one of the walls and picked up a double-bladed staff. “This jewel, for example, is perfect for piercing heavy armor. I bet it could give those clunky guardians a real lesson they’d never forget.” “How did you…?” “I didn’t always stay on Xia with the other Vortixx. As I mentioned, I did a lot of traveling. In my youth, I found myself on Sergas where there’s nothing but sand as far as the eye can see and heat beating down on you from every direction. You’d think nobody lived there, but it was there I met the Stallor.” “Stallor?” “Really proud weapon smiths and creative geniuses, they are. They’ve all got very tall, lean builds and large horns like a stag. My mentor there passed on what he knew, feeling I was worthy of his time and because he had no children of his own to pass on his teachings to.” Algorox became silent before hobbling over to a chair residing in the corner adjacent from the forbidden chest. “I guess I’m kind of in the same boat, when you think of it. An aging master with knowledge but no children or apparent heirs to pass it onto. That is, at least until I met Pouks, who was more than eager to learn the art of crafting weapons considering he already had the spark of an inventor in his heart. Who knows, maybe he could’ve really gotten along with the Stallor if he met them.” Norik took a seat on a stool as he listened to Algorox’s ramblings. “Tell me, boy, what do you think of that book you and your father were guarding?” Caught off guard, the young mage stumbled with his words. “Well, um… Until I met Miyaka, I almost thought it was nothing but nonsense and fairy tales. Now, though… it feels as though there is some meaning to those words.” “Destiny,” Algorox suddenly said in a gruff voice. “Pardon?” “Unity. Duty. Destiny. These are the three virtues bestowed upon us by the Great Spirit. I’m a bit concerned you didn’t seem to know that. I am a firm believer in destiny, personally, so I believe that book to be a key to a vast amount of possibilities.” “Are you sure? Have you read through it?” “I’ve gone through some parts at the beginning and a little at the end. The beginning describes a number of things about the beginnings of our universe. A lot of it confirms a lot of the theories I’ve hypothesized over the years, including the purpose and destinies of Karzahni and Artakha…” “What do you mean?” “It might sound a bit crazy, but in the beginning, there was no Artakha or Karzahni. There was only a single entity that governed the forces in our universe. He was known by a few names, but the two most common are Maxilos and The One.” Norik’s eyes widened. “Now, I had my theories based on some evidence I’ve found through some of the other cultures in our world. A lot of them talk about an event known as The Shattering, as well as how The One was split into two beings born from the internal conflict within him.” “How do you know so much about all of this?” Algorox gave a soft laugh. “My mentor exposed me to a vast amount of knowledge in my time. Most of it not being something the younger crowd is interested in these days. Did you ever hear The Tragedy of Dume the Wise?” The young mage started at him dumbfoundedly. “You shared a little bit of that story earlier, I think.” “Oh, I see. Sorry, you’ll have to forgive me and my bad memory.” Algorox gave a hearty laugh as he sat up. “Don’t ever get old, son. I can already tell you it isn’t any fun.” *** The sea was calm, and a strong tempest was blowing. It was the perfect time for going out for some fishing. A youth by the name of Zetherus wasted no time in casting his net to bring in a large haul of fish for the shop he ran alongside his father and sister. In no time, the young fisherman made his way back to shore. To his surprise, there was someone by the docks waiting for him. She was very lean and elegant with a stern look on her face. She was clad in blue and silver, setting her piercing yellow eyes over his way. Zetherus took a nervous gulp as his eyes met hers. I don’t need to have any more trouble than I need to… Maybe this is all a misunderstanding? The youth continued to sail back into the docking bay. As if on cue, his mysterious visitor strode over to him, wasting no time to call out to him. “Zetherus, I presume?” The youth, shocked, slowly turned his head towards her. “Um… who wants to know?” “If you value your life, I suggest you do not play around with me,” she replied. Zetherus nodded nervously. “O-O-Okay…” “I have been sent here by General Roodaka to recruit you.” “Wh-Wh-What? Me? What are you talking about?” She continued to give him an ice-cold glare as she spoke. Her every word felt like an icicle plunging into his heart. “It is no secret that on this island, a prodigy dark mage lives here. My intel says that prodigy is in fact you.” “Shh!!” Zetherus was quick to try and silence her, which he felt could have been a deadly mistake. Although, he felt he would rather die at this mysterious woman’s hands than to have his darkest secret revealed out in the open. It was true that he was incredibly gifted with matters of the dark arts. His father, however, made him promise to never display his abilities or reveal them to anyone. As he understood, the League of Six Kingdoms outlawed such abilities. Should anyone find out, it was most likely he would be captured, imprisoned, or meet a grisly end. Unphased, the stern female continued. “I understand your reluctance in talking about your abilities, but consider my proposition first.” “What would that be?” “What if I told you we were assembling a team of extraordinary individuals? That is to say, a team with the purpose of serving the empire. Specifically speaking, you and several others will serve under General Roodaka to quell a rebellion taking place against the empire. In exchange for your service, you will be exempt from any cruel and unusual punishments that befall other such individuals who stand against us. Tell me, how does that sound?” “I’m listening,” Zetherus replied without thinking. “Excellent. You may call me Zhirika. We will depart immediately.” “Wait, what about my family? My father is gonna kill me if I leave! Who’s going to help him and my sister run the shop?” “Oh, that? I’ve already taken care of that. Follow me.” Zhirika turned around and began to walk in the direction of the shop. Nervously, Zetherus followed close behind her, carrying the large net of fish over his shoulder. “I already took the liberty of talking things over with your father. He was most cooperative once I told him I was here on the orders of General Roodaka,” Zhirika began. “So… he knows?” “Precisely. He promptly agreed with my request, although he made a request of his own to see you before we depart.” Soon enough, the pair had reached the shop. Zetherus caught a glimpse of his father peering nervously from the doorway. Zhirika suddenly snapped her fingers as soon as she caught a glimpse of him as well. There was a loud thudding noise coming from within the shop, followed by another and another until it stopped. Out from the same doorway came what Zetherus could only describe as a large, hulking brute clad in blue and silver armor. “This is Krekka,” Zhirika replied. “He will serve as your replace while you are on duty. While he is a simpleton, he has spent his life working manual labor on Stelt, and I have ordered him to follow your father’s orders exactly.” Zetherus looked at the hulkingly massive being called Krekka. He seemed to be very muscular indeed, to a point where the youth began to feel a little envious. “Should he act out of line in any way, your father is free to contact me immediately. I will personally see to it that I slaughter him myself should he mess up royally.” “I’ll be a good… working… guy,” Krekka said, giving a salute. “So he’s going to work for my father? He’s not going to go crazy and cause chaos or just kill my family once we leave?” “Absolutely not,” Zhrika replied, somewhat surprised by his sharp wit. “Uh… If I make a lot of trouble for everyone, I’m gonna get punished really bad!” Krekka replied, his voice trembling as he finished his sentence. “You have my word as an honorable member of the Vortixx race, young Zetherus.” Zetherus looked over at his nervous father and sister, who had just joined them outside. His father, frozen in place from anxiety, nodded his head furiously. “Okay,” Zetherus replied reluctantly. “Then I really will go with you.” “Excellent,” Zhirika replied. “Gather what necessary items you need and we will depart post haste.” http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

Chapter 8 Roodaka Norik felt a chill run down his spine at the sound of that name for some reason. “Out of curiosity,” he began, “do any of the other Barraki warlords have such fearsome generals under their rule like this Roodaka?” “I’m sure they do, but I don’t really know too much about them,” Kualus explained. “Let me guess, anyone who’s ever seen them doesn’t come back alive?” The researcher shrugged his shoulders. “It’s very likely, given the way Roodaka operates. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to assume the same goes for them. There are only two that I know of, really.” Kualus began to walk out of the room, seemingly as if he were in a trance. Confused, Norik opted to follow close behind. “Obvious now you know about the Queen of Ice, currently under the employment of Barraki Pridak. Then you have a being known as the Red Dragon, who is under the employment of Barraki Kalmah.” “What do you know about him?” the young mage asked. “From what I have gathered, about all I can tell you is he can be quite a fearsome opponent. He is clad in crimson and he wears some kind of special mask, somewhat like the ones you and I wear. I’m not quite sure what power it has, however. He’s also said to be quite a master of his element as well. Where Roodaka rules with an icy frost, the Red Dragon rules with blazing inferno.” Norik couldn’t help but stop in his tracks upon hearing this. Realizing what he just said, the researcher stopped and faced the young mage. “He is likely very gifted with the elemental power of fire, although I doubt you’ll really have to worry about him unless you actively seek him yourself. Either that, or you give him a reason to seek you out, first.” “So that’s all you know?” Kualus gave a nod. “Pretty much, although I might have heard something about there being a White Dragon as well who is said to share a rivalry with this Red Dragon. I don’t know anything about his abilities, appearance, or even his name, so your guess about him is as good as mine.” “You better believe he’s real, though!” came a commanding voice from behind. Startled, Norik nearly stumbled to the ground before catching himself against the wall. He looked over his shoulder to see a burly male clad in black with a determined look on his face. “Oh, no, not this again,” Kualus said with a sense of dread. “I’ve managed to catch a glimpse of him, myself once!” said the ebony clad newcomer. “This again, Bomonga?” The researcher said, as if he was ready to tune him out. “What do you mean ‘again’ Kualus?” Bomonga demanded. “What, you think I made him up or something?” “No, I believe you, but rather, what I don’t believe is the fact you apparently saw him when almost no one else has,” Kualus concluded. “That’s ‘cause no one else got lucky like I did!” Bomonga retorted. “It’s the dead of night, right? I was just minding my own business, you see, and then as I’m walking along the path with nothing but the moonlight guiding me along when out of nowhere, there’s this streak of white just passing by over my head!” Bomonga moved his hand in a swiping motion in front of Norik’s face. “At first I thought it was a dragon, but then I thought ‘Nah, that’s too small.’ I look up and I see what looks like some kind of warrior in white and blue armor. More importantly, he’s got these glowing wings like a real dragon and he’s soaring through the sky. I was caught off guard, but I stood my ground!” “You hid in the bushes because you got so scared. Pouks already told me the rest of the story of when he found you asleep afterwards,” the researcher said in a matter of fact tone. “Okay, so maybe I exaggerated a little bit, but I’m telling you I saw him!” Bomonga turned and faced Norik. “You believe me, don’t you, new guy?” “Um…” “Maybe you should at least introduce yourself before you go forcing your tall tales onto him, Bomonga,” Kualus said, somewhat annoyed. As the pair began to enter a seemingly heated debate, Norik found a window of opportunity to quietly slip away. He figured if he wanted to learn more about Roodaka or the Red Dragon, he could ask him at a later time. Without really thinking, the mage found himself going down two sets of stairs, passing the ground floor where he and Varian initially entered. His mind snapped to reality as he heard the sound of a hammer clanging against metal. He looked over to his right to find a glimmer of orange light with a shadow of a being wielding a hammer. Curious, he quietly walked towards the orange light until he found himself to be in what appeared to be some sort of workshop. He looked around briefly until his eyes fell on the being clanging the hammer against a piece of metal resting on an anvil. Clad in armor as brown as sand, he stood tall and proud as he put all his might into each swing of the hammer. Judging from his physique and the way he swung the hammer, Norik imagined it weighed a lot to the point he would possibly need the help of someone else to lift it. Behind him was a large steel framework of what appeared to be some sort of vehicle. The hammer wielder stopped the moment he caught a glimpse of Norik. He looked up and gave a satisfied smile. “What do you think?” he asked. “Sure, it’s not much now, but it’s gonna be something great! It’s going to have an equipped blaster that can convert light into ammunition and travel at incredible speed! I’m thinking of calling it the Daybreaker.” “Uh… I think it sounds like it’s gonna be great!” Norik replied after some hesitation. “Good to hear it!” the craftsman said. “I know it sounds a bit crazy, but I have a good feeling about this. Say, I haven’t seen you around here before. You’re not some kind of spy here to steal my plans for the Daybreaker, are you?” Norik shook his head. “No, not at all! I just came here with Iruini and Miyaka.” “Ah, so you’ve met the old grizzly captain himself,” the craftsman said in an amused tone. “Guess if Miyaka trusts you, then you’re good in my books. The name is Pouks.” “I’m Norik. Wait, Pouks? Aren’t you the one who made this entire--?” “Our base of operations? You bet I did!” Pouks replied with high enthusiasm. As he rested the hammer besides the anvil, he turned and faced the steel framework of the Daybreaker. “It wasn’t easy, let me tell you, but after working out the plans and testing the structural integrity of the rock, it was a synch, especially with me and Bomonga doing most of the heavy work. Have you already met him by any chance?” The mage nodded. “He was talking to Kualus kind of seriously.” “Ah, those two are always at it. I bet he was talking about how he saw that White Dragon character again.” “So I take it he does that often?” Pouks nodded as he faced Norik. “You win that bet. He always tells that story to whoever he meets like some kind of old legend to make himself sound like a bit of a hero. We came from the same place, so I know him a little better than that. I’m a craftsman and he’s just a regular stock boy literally digging up pieces of old and forgotten history.” “Where are you both from anyway? I came from Kradus.” “Ah, I see, that’s one of the places full of Agorian like us. No, though, him and I came from some small place Nuhkor located smack in the middle of Carapar and Mantax territory. Miyaka apparently got word about some good craftsman and weapon smiths in the area, so she chose me out of all of them. Bomonga, thinking I was going off on some whirlwind adventure, practically begged to come along, so she agreed after I told her about how smart and strong he is.” Norik looked around the workshop some more and took note of some of the various swords he saw lying around. “That’s right, I can do weapons as well. I’m just as good, if not better, than any weapon smith you might find in Sergas. Since Miyaka is always going through swords, I’ve done my best to keep a few in stock just for her.” “So you’re an inventor and a weapon smith?” “Yup. I carry only the finest materials for high quality products.” “You almost sound like a salesman,” Norik mused. “I’ve thought about it, let me tell you,” Pouks joked. “Who knows, maybe after this nonsense with the Barraki is over and done, I might just go ahead and open up my own official workshop.” “I’ll be looking forward to it.” “You use any of this stuff, by any chance?” “Actually I’ve just gotten acquainted with using a shield and spear.” “Shields, I’ve got. Spears, I’ll probably have to get back to you on that, especially if you need them to be strong enough to handle magic power.” Norik looked at his hands, causing some small embers to crackle. “In that case, yeah, I’m definitely going to need them that strong.” *** Deep within the island of Ihu, right at the base of Mount Ihu, was a village that was once full of crafters and fisherman. That was, until, the Queen of Ice made her presence known and decided to lay waste to the village. Not enough to completely annihilate it, however, in the event she wished to return for whatever reason. One of these craftsman desperately dragged himself out of his damaged hut, pulling himself until he found himself facing a white and silver heeled boot. Looking up, he saw an imposing female clad in white and silver, with only a few hints of black to break up her otherwise monotonous style of apparel. Weakly, he reached out and grabbed the female by the leg. “N-N-No…” he weakly moaned. The Vortixx female looked down with a look of disgust on her face. Her eyes were colder than the blistering winds that blew through the mountain, literally piercing his very soul with just one stare. “Such heroic nonsense,” she muttered before shoving him aside with her leg. As he writhed in pain, she walked over to look down upon him one last time. “Pathetic.” Behind her came the sounds of running footsteps. She turned to see a Vortixx female somewhat shorter than her clad in blue and silver panting heavily as she approached her. “General Roodaka!” she said, giving a salute as she caught her breath and regained her composure. “Ah, yes, what is it, Zhrika?” General Roodaka replied nonchalantly. “A messenger from Lord Pridak has arrived. He was too slow to come to the mountain, so I will deliver his message myself.” Roodaka gave a sarcastic laugh. “Leave it to that fool to have such weak underlings at his disposal. Good help is so hard to find these days, don’t you think?” “Um… yeah, I suppose so,” Zhirika replied somewhat nervously. She cleared her throat before speaking. “According to him, Lord Pridak wants you specifically to try and stop the one they call the ‘Blazing Wind,’ as she has attacked one of his valuable mining facilities and made off with two new recruits to her cause.” “Hmph,” Roodaka said to herself. “It’s his fault that little nobody is still even running around with her toy swords. If he acted sooner, then perhaps that fool wouldn’t have to come crawling to me for helps, especially long after I initially offered to do away with her myself.” Roodaka slowly walked over to Zhirika, towering over her. “Very well. I imagine that spineless messenger is going to take my response with him to that blathering idiot. In that case, tell him I will take care of his little pest problem, but if he agrees to meet my conditions. First, I am going to assemble a team of my own, seeing how well it has worked for Marlyx and her merry band of fools.” Zhirika nodded. “I take it you will not await his reply, right?” “Not at all,” Roodaka replied coldly. “He takes too long to make any decisions. He probably couldn’t even eat breakfast without any help. Even if he doesn’t accept, however, I will proceed with my plans anyway. Second, I am going to finally tell him about my little… request.” Zhirika blushed. “Oh! You mean…?” Roodaka nodded. “Yes. Given how boring this busy work has become, I think it will be time to think about finding someone worthy of my presence. What better time than when I’m looking to assemble a team of warriors? Since we’ve already spoken about my list of requirements, I feel there is no need to go into further detail.” “Very well, General Roodaka,” Zhirika said as she nodded. “After you speak with that messenger, go ahead and travel to the island of Zakaz… Actually, no, I will go to Zakaz myself. You will instead go to a remote village located to a forgotten island south of Nynrah. You’re going to look for a young mage who specializes with Shadow magic. His name is Zetherus, and he is to report to my headquarters in Xia.” “Yes, ma’am! If it is in my right to ask, may I assume you will be making use of the secret weapon for this plan?” “Why, yes, very astute of you, Zhirika. Before you head to find this mage, I’d like for you to check on her for me and make sure she has been taken care of as I have requested.” “Yes, ma’am! Right away, ma’am!” Zhirika gave one last salute before breaking into a dash down the mountain trail and vanishing behind a veil of snow. As she looked over at her handiwork one last time, she began to descend the mountain until she spotted a small spider walking towards her. Without warning, she began to repeatedly stomp on the spider until she was satisfied. “I hate spiders,” she muttered to herself. http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

Chapter 7 Norik stood bewildered as he tried to take in all this new information, but his thoughts were cut short when Marlyx spoke, breaking the silence. “Well, then, I think it’s about time we show our new recruits where they will be spending the night, wouldn’t you say?” Marlyx glanced between Miyaka and Iruini before looking back at Varian and Norik. “Miyaka, go ahead and take miss Childhood Friend to her room,” she said, “As for you, Iruini, you do the same for Norik.” “Your wish is my command,” Iruini said as if in a daze. Before Varian could speak, Miyaka grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her up the stairs. “Is this how you treat everyone you meet?” she asked as her feet dragged against the floor. “Well, then, hot shot, you’re coming with me. Follow me to the left over here.” Iruini took the lead as the young mage stood there, as if he were out of place. He complied as Iruini began heading up the stairs. Soon they were walking down a narrow corridor. “So, then, what’d you think of her? A real piece work, isn’t she?” Norik looked behind him before looking over at Iruini. The sailor merely laughed. “Relax, it’s not like she can hear me all the way up here anyway.” “Well… she’s definitely something,” Norik admitted. “Apparently she knew my father.” “Yeah, I’m as surprised as you are,” Iruini admitted. “You can probably go and ask her about it if you’d like.” “Would that be okay?” “Sure… so long as you take it from me and follow some words of wisdom. If you’re talking about the past, never ask her about how old she was or currently is. Otherwise you’re in for a world of hurt. Looking at you, though, I’m sure you’re smarter than that, but better safe than sorry.” Norik gave a nod as gulped to himself. Iruini shrugged his shoulders. “Plus, I mean, it’s a bit nosey, wouldn’t you say? Me, I don’t care, but I guess for her, it’s more of a touchy subject. I wouldn’t ask why if I were you, either.” It wasn’t long before they made it to the very end of the hallway and Iruini pointed to a door on the right. “I think this one’s open to use. Go ahead and have a look.” The ship captain opened the door and swung it forward. Taking a look inside, Norik saw a homely bed and table with a window overlooking the misty rain forest. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s open to use. Go ahead and make yourself comfy. Feel free to have a look around and maybe chat with the boys if you see them around. I’d say be sure to get acquainted with them since we’re gonna be in it for the long haul. They might be a bit weird in their own ways, but they’re all right.” Iruini began walking back the way they came as Norik walked into the room. Setting down his spear and shield, he sat on the bed before laying down for a while. This has been some interesting day, I’ll say that much. As he began to drift away to a restful sleep, he was suddenly awoken by the loud screeching of a small flock of birds outside. To his surprise, he was face to face with one when he opened his eyes. Norik let out a surprised yell as he fell back and onto the floor. The side of his head was pressed up against the floor, leaving him in a very uncomfortable position. He heard some frantic footsteps approaching. As he tried to get up, he merely fell back over again, this time landing face first to the floor. “Oh, no, not this again!” came an unfamiliar male voice. As Norik managed to pick himself back up, he found himself staring at an ivory-clad youth with an interesting mask. The telescopic lens he wore adjusted as he looked between the bird and Norik. “I’m terribly sorry about this, whoever you are! I know she didn’t mean it!” he shouted as he ran over to the bird. As Norik got to his feet, he saw this newcomer speaking to the bird… at least, he presumed he was speaking to the bird, as he was making a series of clicks and whistles. Once he was finished, the bird gave a nod, turned around, and flew right out. The ivory-clad youth gave a relieved sigh and he turned around to face Norik. “According to her, she saw something shiny and felt like she needed to see what was going on.” The both of them looked over at the shield and spear laying against the wall next to the window. Norik gave a nervous laugh. “I guess it must have been those.” He was suddenly taken aback as the newcomer approached him, looking him over as if he were a new species of animal. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before,” he muttered to himself. “I just got here today,” Norik explained. Suddenly, the bird fanatic snapped back and looked up at him. “Pardon my manners, I’m sorry!” he said. “Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my work, I don’t even know what I’m doing sometimes! My name is Kualus. Pleasure to meet you.” Kualus gave a nervous laugh as he extended his hand to Norik, who happily shook it. “I’m Norik. I think Iruini mentioned you to me when we met.” “Ah, so you came here with Iruini and Miyaka,” Kualus mused to himself. He gave a jittery laugh before stopping himself. “Wait, you came here with them, which must mean they were successful in obtaining the Book of Ages!” Norik nodded. “I’m from Kradus, the same place where the book was.” “From the main continent?” “No, the peninsula.” “You must be an important individual if Miyaka was okay with you coming along with us,” Kualus said. “Well, actually, she insisted I come here with her.” Kualus gave a soft laugh. “Yes, I think that sounds a lot more her style. Let me guess, did she grab you by the arm and drag you all the way here?” “Sort of.” “She means well, let me assure you, but her manners can be a bit… strange. I suppose neither her parents nor Algorox figured they needed to show her anything.” “Why do you ask?” “I actually came from an island just north of there by the name of Ihu,” Kualus explained. “Ironically, that was apparently where Miyaka’s parents were born, but I suppose they left once Warlord Pridak had his way with his new territory.” “Oh… I see…” “When we first met, Miyaka actually did the same with me once she found out I could communicate and even tame certain species of fauna.” “Tame?” Kualus tapped on the mask he wore. “This is called the Tamer’s Mask, or so I’ve been told,” he began. “This helps me to understand the thoughts and feelings of animals I might run across so that I know how to treat respond to them.” “What about that click-y language you were doing just now? Is that also part of the mask’s power?” “Oh, no, that’s something I studied for a few years.” Kualus gave a soft laugh. “I’ve always been fascinated by birds, you see. They’re so intelligent and majestic. I’ve always wondered what we could learn from them if we could ever take the time to listen to them. First though, we must understand them before we can listen.” Initially stunned, Norik could see the passion in his eyes as he spoke. He could feel that same passion whenever he thought about studying mage craft, so he shrugged and gave him a warm smile. “I imagine they think and feel a lot differently than we do.” “Exactly! That’s what I’ve told everyone, but they always look at me like I belong in an asylum! I’m so glad you can at least understand where I’m coming from.” “Not so much animals, but I’ve studies magic and mage craft for a few years.” “So you must be an incredibly gifted mage!” Kualus exclaimed. Without warning, Kualus took one of Norik’s arms out, as if to measure it. “Are you naturally gifted with an innate amount of Mana?” he asked. “I… might be. I know my father dabbled in this stuff in the past. He told me he had an affinity to fire, as do I.” “I have an affinity to ice, myself,” Kualus explained. “Although I’m probably not as good as you or any other gifted mages.” The ivory-clad youth snapped his fingers and created a small snow flurry that wrapped around Norik’s head. As it encased him for a few seconds, he snapped his fingers again to dispel it. “A lot of us from Ihu could do that…” At that moment, Kualus’ tone became somber. “Especially the Queen of Ice.” The fire mage’s eyes widened. “Queen of Ice?” Kualus nodded. “She is one of Barraki Pridak’s most fearsome generals. Her cold, relentless personality is only matched by her raw power. She’s known to torment and destroy whoever and whatever is in her way just for the fun of it. She especially finds joy in tormenting men, as she views most of them as being weak and spineless fools.” “I’ve never heard of her before.” “She is not one to be trifled with, that is for sure. Barely anyone who has ever encountered her has ever lived to tell the tale, which is why not much is known about her, so I can make sense of why this is relatively new information to you. However, according to some of my friends in the sky, the Queen of Ice is known by one other name: Roodaka.”

Full Gallery So after years of wanting to do this, I was able to create my own interpretation of the full Toa Hagah team back in July. The masks were made by 00dude00, who was kind of like the one who inspired me to finally do this now that the masks were made. That was probably the main thing that always stopped me. I tried to make them look as official as possible, but some paint like the gold are not an exact match no matter how I tried. I'm still getting used to this new format, so let's see how the pictures in the post come out. Full gallery link above for individual shots. Gaaki Bomonga Kualus Pouks Group Shot Defending Roodaka, but not liking it.

Chapter 6 To the north of Kradus was the island of Destral. At least, this was the island’s current location, as it had the ability to transcend and teleport at random between locations. On the island of Destral, there was no sign of life, and its only notable feature was the grand fortress with six spires that nearly touched the sky itself. The fortress encompassed most of the island, although from a distance it would be difficult to tell just where it began or ended as it was the same color as the charcoal black rock of the island. In the middle and tallest spire resided someone who was often described by most as a king of evil. He sat in his throne, looking out at the dreary scene before him, filled with nothing but dark clouds being tossed around by the tempests accompanied by lightning. He was clad in armor of ebony and ivory, accented by the red tribal markings decorated throughout his body. His deep, blue eyes narrowed as he took a sip from the goblet he held in his hands. His name was Pridak, and as one of the six emperors of the League of Six Kingdoms, he ruled with a cruel, unforgiving, and sadistic nature as he saw fit. He cared nothing about the inhabitants of the lands under his rule or the rule of his fellow warlords. He only wanted results. He only wanted control. Above all else, he wanted to make use of the great power awakened within him all those years ago. His train of thought was interrupted by the double doors in his chamber abruptly slamming open, followed by the panting and frenzied footsteps of one of his messengers. “Sire!” he shouted as he neared Pridak’s throne. The sadistic warlord narrowed his eyes as he threw the empty goblet he held behind him. “You have better have a good enough reason for intruding on me… unannounced!” he snarled as he leaned forward in his throne. The messenger trembled as he kneeled before Pridak, too afraid to even look upon him. “M-M-My lord, yes, I have come with an urgent message.” The warlord relaxed his eyes and sat back in his throne. “You may proceed,” he replied in a chilling tone. The messenger stumbled with his words, as he was so stricken with fear and anxiety. “Well?” Pridak said after a few moments. “What are you waiting for? I thought you said you had an urgent message for me? Or did you only say that because you had a death wish?” “Th-Th-There’s been a rebellion!” blurted the nervous messenger. Pridak brought his hands together, interlacing his fingers together. “Go on,” he said. “It was in a small village in the Kradus region, right off the peninsula,” continued the messenger. Pridak let out a small groan of discomfort. “Ah, yes, where I picked up that fool, Kinroc,” he mused to himself. “The guardians were slain by a female clad in green wielding two swords. Witnesses say she moved with a fierce quickness and precision. I fear that… it’s her again.” “So it would seem,” Pridak said as he sat up. The messenger winced as the warlord began to walk towards him. “You did well letting me know about this,” Pridak began. “At first, I thought nothing of it and simply thought it was merely a mistake on Carapar’s part. That was where it started. Right near a small island off the coast of Sergas meant to be his territory.” Pridak lay a hand on his messenger, trying to hold his composure but visibly doing a horrible job at it. Pridak gave a sinister smile as he took back his hand and began to pace back and forth around the chamber. “Then it hit the mainland of Kradus, my own territory. Honestly, how could this have happened? Then another in Mantax’s territory on the island of Stelt. This was all too coincidental, I thought to myself. Then all of us met and we began discussing what we had learned. There was a certain individual involved with every instance. We came to the reasonable conclusion she was the one at the heart of all these little rebellions.” Pridak looked over at his messenger, still looking down to avoid any sort of direct eye contact. “The sword-wielding maiden from the scorching desert,” the warlord continued. “The one who moves with such precisions and grace. The one some locals refer to as ‘the Blazing Wind…’” Pridak began walking towards his throne again. “At first, I saw this as a mere annoyance, but now I see this is more serious than I initially thought. Call it misjudgment on my part, but one of the few I can be held accountable for. I suppose the Blazing Wind thinks she can undermine our authority, or perhaps even dismantle our rule?” The warlord gave a sickening laugh that rumbled throughout the chamber. “If that is the case, perhaps it is time we issued a little challenge to her.” “Wh-Wh-What will you have me do?” the messenger said at last. “Ah, yes, I nearly forgot you were there,” Pridak said with a hint of annoyance. “Most of the matters will be conducted by my fellow Barraki and myself. You, my messenger, will have the honor of contacting… her.” The messenger finally looked up at Pridak, his eyes widened. “You can’t possibly mean…?” The Barraki warlord gave a solemn nod. “That’s right. She is one of the best generals beneath my rule and now I see I cannot take the Blazing Wind so lightly. So I figure why not combat the Blazing Wind with the Queen of Ice?” The warlord once again approached the messenger, this time stopping right in front of him. “Do be careful, however. I hear she has not been in the greatest of moods lately. In fact, I’m not even sure if my last messenger made it back to me in one piece.” The messenger started to let out a series of soft whimpers upon hearing this. “Yes,” Pridak mused. “Apparently she has grown so tired of no one out there able to oppose her that she has taken to taking out whatever and whoever gets on her nerves. Me, being the kind and forgiving individual that I am, I simply choose to overlook these circumstances because she is such a valuable asset to my rule. If I tell her there’s someone out there strong enough to give kill even the guardians, I’m sure it will at the very least pique her interest.” The messenger, still trembling, nodded. “B-Before I go, there is one last piece of information,” he stuttered. “What would that be?” “It was said she was accompanied by an individual clad in red who also managed to take down some of the guardians single-handedly.” Pridak raised an eyebrow and looked at the messenger with genuine interest. “It was also said she was carrying around an ancient-looking book while also kidnapping an innocent maiden.” “My, my,” Pridak said. “This certainly is an interesting turn of events. So my suspicions were correct. She really is recruiting such pitiful fools for her little rebellion, it seems. How strange indeed. A surprise, to be sure, but nothing that cannot be handled. So long as these flames of rebellion are extinguished, the Blazing Wind and her merry band of fools will be nothing more but a hilarious fairy tale to be told to the young.” The messenger nodded and looked down once again as Pridak turned his back on him. “Well… What are you waiting for?!” roared the Barraki warlord. With that, the messenger scrambled to his feet and ran with all his might out of the chamber while also ensuring to close the doors behind him, lest he angered the warlord any further. Once the messenger was gone, Pridak gave a small laugh to himself. “Perhaps if I am lucky, those fools could even find it for me… Let’s see how you and the Blazing Wind fare against my iron first… son of Kinroc.”

Chapter 5 Some time had passed since Varian’s “outburst” upon meeting Miyaka and Iruini. Norik remained in the cabin alongside the ship’s captain, staring out at the sea. For so long, he lived a mostly solitary life in his village, but he always remembered the tales his father, Kinroc, would tell him about the world beyond their village. This fascinated Norik and made him yearn for the day he could get out and see this world for himself. This day was that very day, albeit in a way he was not expecting at all, but never the less, still a great opportunity. “So, um, where are we heading exactly?” the young mage asked, breaking the silence. “The tropical jungle island of Sarabia,” replied the ship’s captain. “Kind of a ways off from Kradus and not all that far from Sergas. For me, it’s almost a lot like home… I mean, if home was filled with a lot more humid air, more lush greenery than your eyes can handle, and bugs and birds bigger than you or me.” “Wait, you’re not making this up, are you?” “Well, maybe the part with the huge amount of greenery, but not the bugs and birds. I tell you, they just thrive here. Kualus pretty much as the time of his life studying all these crazy creatures. Of course, between you and me, I’ve always found him to be a bit odd himself.” “Kualus?” asked Norik. “Oh, right, sorry, you haven’t met the whole group,” Iruini apologized. “Well, you’re gonna meet them pretty soon once we make it to Sarabia. We’ve got Kualus, the local wildlife expert and genius. We’ve got Bomonga, the guy who’s got more courage and brawn you can imagine. There’s Pouks who’s…” Iruini seemed to be struggling with his choice of words. “Artsy? You know, he’s got an eye for details and designing stuff. Then there’s yours truly, the debonair and handsome ship captain of the entire the operation. I already mentioned Alogorx the crazy old wizard. Of course, you’ve already met our cute but deadly assassin Miyaka. Then finally, the boss lady herself.” “You seem to really admire this ‘boss lady,’ don’t you?” Iruini gave a small sigh. “Yeah, I guess you can say that. Since you’re pretty much already part of the group, guess I can tell you. From the day we first met, I’ve always felt a closeness to her. Fierce, strong and beautiful, it’s like there’s almost nothing she can’t do. I’ve followed her since day one and I haven’t left her side since.” “Does she know about how you feel?” “Of course not!” Iruini blurted out. “You think I’m going to tell her that? She’s gonna think I’m crazy! But… someday, I am gonna do that. Maybe once all this craziness is over, I can go ahead and tell her how I feel.” Norik gave him a warm smile. “I’ve got your back.” Iruini gave a nod. “Just make sure you don’t tell anyone, especially not Marlyx. Miyaka is pretty much the only one who’s caught onto me, so she’s an exception.” “Your secret’s safe with me.” “Oh, look, we’re almost there.” Iruini point out into the distance at an island coming up into view. Sure enough, it looked very green and almost massive. Norik got closer to the window, trying to look more intently at the tropical island. Iruini gave a laugh. “Don’t worry, hot shot, you’ll be seen a lot of green for three lifetimes. And I’m not just talking about my armor.” It wasn’t long before Iruini pulled into a docking station located underneath some large trees and greenery overtaking the area. He looked over to see Norik’s confused expression. “Seeing as how we’re meant to be a ‘secret organization,’ we can’t afford to let anyone recognize my ship, you know?” Iruini pushed the lever to lower the anchor. “This shack was already here before I got familiar with this island. Lucky me, I guess. Whoever made it was nice enough to leave it in decent enough shape for me to use it as a small docking bay.” “Hey, Norik, did we get to… wherever we were supposed to get to?” Norik turned around to see Varian, half asleep and standing in the doorway. “Yeah, we’re here, Varian,” Norik replied. “We’ve made it to Sarabia.” *** As the group of four exited the ship, Norik looked back at the side of the hull. Upon further inspect, he noticed a name inscribed in somewhat faded lettering. Lhii. He then face forward and continued to walk with everyone, treading right next to Varian. He looked over to see Miyaka carrying the book in her arms, clutching it as if it would shatter if it fell to the ground. Iruini was leading the way, cutting through the vines and plants in the way with a dagger he had concealed on his person. The group proceeded to scale a large hill with a river running down its left side, pressing forward as Iruini continued to lead the way. “We’re here,” Iruini said after some time had passed. Norik looked to see a large stone structure that was seemingly built into the side of a mountain. At first glance, it seemed the structure was part of the mountain, although he was not too sure. Varian looked on with a similar expression of curiosity on her face, slowly treading behind Miyaka and Iruini. As they drew closer, Norik caught a glimpse of a somewhat tall, lean figure awaiting them in the distance. He recognized this to be a Vortixx male wearing a golden mask that was unfamiliar in design. He began to slowly approach them with his arms out. “Hello, Uncle,” Miyaka said. So this is the “Uncle” she was talking about? Algorox? The young fire mage thought to himself. “I’m pleased to see you back so soon, my dear Miyaka,” Algorox said, his voice so strong and commanding. As Algorox grew closer, his eyes immediately landed on the book Miyaka was carrying. “Ah, you’ve succeeded in procuring the Book of Ages!” he exclaimed. “Tell me, were you able to recruit this Kinroc fellow to our cause?” “No,” Miyaka said dryly. “However, his son Norik is here in his stead. Rough around the edges, but he has potential. He also burned down about ten guardians by himself.” “Wait, that was an—“ Norik was cut off by the booming laughter of Algorox. “Potential? I think the boy has more than just potential, my dear, if he can pull that off!” “Well, at least we agree on something,” Iruini said under his breath. “What was that, sea monkey?” Algorox quipped. “Oh, nothing,” Iruini replied. “Anyways, come on in and introduce yourselves,” Algorox replied as he ushered Miyaka and company inside. “Mind picking up your jaw from the floor?” Iruini joking whispered to Norik. “What??” Iruini gave a soft laugh. “I take it you’re fascinated by our base of operations. You can thank Pouks for that since he pretty much designed the place.” “Wait, so someone actually made this?!” “Well, yeah. What, did you think it was just here magically when we arrived? Like I said, Pouks has a knack for this sort of thing. Bomonga did a lot of the heavy work alongside him and before you knew it, our home away from home was born.” Norik nodded as he followed right behind. “So two guys made this with nothing but their brute strength and brains?” Varian chimed. “I suppose so,” the crimson mage replied. Soon enough, they made it into a large chamber located in the center of the structure. There, waiting for them was a very imposing female looming from a large stairway. She was clad in mostly black and silver with a large metallic gauntlet extending to her shoulder. Like Algorox, she also wore a mask Norik was not very familiar with. “Good to see you’ve made it back in one piece,” she said, overlooking Norik and his companions. Her eyes narrowed once they fell on Norik. Without warning, she jumped from the stone stairway and landed right before the young mage. Taken aback, Norik stumbled back a few steps as she rose to her feet. He shrunk back as her eyes fell on him, piercing him with her gaze. Then, as suddenly as she asserted herself, her eyes became gentle. “You aren’t Kinroc, but you do remind me a lot of him,” she replied. “You knew my father?” “Ah, so you’re his son. That explains things. Yes, but we met a long time ago, before he settled in a village in Kradus. I see you inherited his mask and his copy of the Book of Ages.” Norik touched the mask he wore, somewhat bewildered by her words. “The Mask of Diminishment is what you’re wearing,” she replied. “Tell me, have you tapped into its power at all?” “Yeah…” Norik replied hesitantly. “It was entirely on accident, though.” “Good. If you’re going to be joining our company, we’re gonna need individuals with incredible skills like that.” She turned around before facing Norik once again. “Sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Marlyx, the leader of this operation.” “I am Norik.” “Hey, childhood friend here. The name’s Varian.” Marlyx gave a light chuckle. “Welcome aboard,” she replied. Marlyx turned her attention to Miyaka, who then held the book out in front of her. “That’s the one,” Marlyx said under her breath. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s so important about this book?” Norik asked. “This book goes by a lot of different names,” Marlyx began. “The Book of Ages. The Book of Prophecy. The more accurate name would be the Book of Artakha.” Norik’s eyes widened upon hearing that name. “Artakha? The ancient incarnation of order?” Marlyx nodded. “The one and the same. Of course, he didn’t take the time to sit down and write this book. However, because of how valuable it is, its author gave it that name.” “Its original author was somewhat of a prophet who experienced visions of the future through the legendary Mask of Clairvoyance,” Algorox added. “He experienced a number of visions and he recorded as much of them as he could in this very book,” Marlyx replied. “What we have here is a copy of the original, as that was lost to the ravages of time.” “And what of the prophet? Who was he?” Norik asked. “He was a wise, noble sage by the name of Dume,” Algorox replied. “He was the one chosen to be Artakha’s voice and bore the Mask of Clairvoyance… That is, until he was eventually driven mad by its power and the constant visions filling his mind.” Algorox walked over to Miyaka and stared at the book with a stern expression. “One moment he was a well-respected sage of his position, and then the next he’s running around, jumping from rooftop to rooftop proclaiming ‘I am the Wizard King!’ as loud as he could. At some point, he and his children were chased out of the city they lived in, taking the book with them. Eventually the stress was too much for him and he passed away peacefully in his sleep. As for his children, what became of them is unknown, but they hold the heritage of the group of ancients Dume came from.” Algorox looked back up at Norik. “The Gria, or ‘the Ancients,’ are one of the oldest people of our world, but they have become all but a memory in this day and age. They are said to hold great wisdom and power in their lineage, and it is sad to say they could very well be extinct now. That book is all that remains.” Algorox then passed Norik and Varian to take a seat in a chair at the back of the room. Review topic here: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

Unsure if I am too late, but then if anything, I may just go with Whenua from my initial post. If Toa Iruini is still available, I may also consider him as well. My apologies, it seems I am a bit too late. Oh well. In any case, what about the masks you have up for sale? Are most of them still available? I am interested in some of the Kanohi Nuva from that bunch.

Chapter 4 As the group made their way into the lower hull of the boat, Norik caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a band of guardians in pursuit. He wasn’t able to confirm this as Iruini was quick to shut the door behind them. “We best get a move on,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. As the emerald clad shipman passed Norik to go above deck, the crimson clad mage treaded right behind him. “So, hot shot, what’s your story?” Iruini asked. “My story’s not that interesting,” Norik replied. “Miyaka comes here with some girl unconscious on her back and a book in her hands while you’re along with a spear and shield. I don’t know about you, but seeing that raises several questions for me.” “Mind telling me what you’re all doing here, first?” “To be honest, I don’t know the full details, but what I do know is Miyaka was sent here for that book and I was graciously selected by our boss to be the captain of our getaway ship.” “That’s how I met her,” Norik began. “She said she wanted that book and mistook me for my father at first until I explained things. Once I gave her the book, she demanded I come along.” “And the unconscious little maiden resting on her shoulders?” “Her name is Varian. She’s just a childhood friend of mine.” Iruini gave a light chuckle as they neared the cabin of the ship. “Only a childhood friend?” “What?” Iruini gave a hearty laugh. “Relax, I’m only teasing. Let me guess: Wherever you go, Varian goes, too.” “Yeah, that actually about right.” “So she put up a fight and Miyaka knocked her out to get you to come along.” “Except she didn’t. She actually agreed before Miyaka hit her with the book.” “Whoops,” Iruini said with slight alarm. “I’m sure Varian will be fine once I explain things to her. Although she’s already mad at Miyaka for trying to ‘steal me.’” “You sure she’s only a childhood friend of yours?” “What difference does it make?” Norik retorted, somewhat flustered. Iruini simply shrugged his shoulders and continued onward until he made it into the ship’s wheel. “Okay, now it’s your turn,” Norik said after a short silence. “Fine, fair is fair I suppose,” Iruini replied. “You live on the peninsula your whole life?” “Yeah.” “Lucky you. I’ve spent nearly my whole life on the mainland.” “You came from the mainland?” Iruini gave a nod. “Yup. Almost as far away from the ocean you can get. My village located in the jungle, which is fine and all, but I just had other interests.” “Judging from the fact you apparently own a boat, I take it you wanted to—“ “That’s right. The sea was calling my name and I couldn’t ignore her for long. Eventually I was able to get ahold of this beauty.” Iruini patted the ship’s wheel just before he pulled back the anchor with a lever. “I won her in a game. Of course, the previous owner thinks I cheated, but I say he’s just a sore loser. Fair is fair, after all.” With that, the ship began to set sail. As they went out to sea, Norik looked out the window to see the guardians gathered by the shore, angrily waving their spears and swords. “Don’t get me wrong, the jungle will always be my home and where my roots lie, but I’ve always been interested in sailing and the ocean. I’m surprised I wasn’t born with an affinity to water.” “You mean you can use magic?” “Yeah, but only a little bit.” Taking one hand off the wheel, Iruini produces a small puff of air. “Wow…” “That’s not all.” With the same hand, Iruini closed his fist, opening it again to send a flurry of leaves at Norik. “At home, a lot of folks in town found it annoying and a bit weird. My dad actually showed me that one himself, and I taught Miyaka a little bit myself.” “Wait, you mean the way she covers her legs and swords with wind…?” “Yup. A bit flashy for my tastes, but I started by showing her how to make a veil of air around your hands.” Instantly, Iruini enveloped his free hand with a thin veil of wind, just as Miyaka did with her swords. “Judging from all the smoke I saw what I was waiting, I take it that ruckus was your doing?” Norik gave a hesitant nod. “I have an affinity to fire, myself. That one was kind of an accident—“ “I like your style,” Iruini said with a laugh. “I never liked those lousy guardian things myself. If I could burn them all away, I would’ve gone and done that ages ago.” After giving a nervous laugh, the mage in training remember what he wanted to ask. “How did you meet her to begin with? Miyaka, I mean.” “Well, before I met her, I met the boss. She needed someone with my expertise and I’ve been with her ever since.” Norik, unsure how to respond, simply looked over at him in curiosity. “She said she was bringing a team together and she needed someone like me. At that time, I was the only other member there aside from Miyaka. Miyaka was originally with some crazy old wizard who had the idea and the boss was the one who actually put the plan into action.” “So you’ve been with her for a while?” “A few years. A few very great years.” Before Norik could say anything, he felt a chill run down his spine and a voice come from behind. “The chatty girl is resting below deck.” Norik turned to see it was Miyaka holding the book in her hands. “Yeah, supposedly part of his plan was to get that book from someone in your village.” “Yeah. My father. He’s… I haven’t seen him in a long time.” “Oh. Sorry to hear that.” “You’ll see him again,” Miyaka said nonchalantly. “We’re going to put a stop to the Barraki for good.” “But how?” Norik asked. Iruini briefly looked over his shoulder. “I don’t know the full details, but apparently what we need is a full team and whatever is in that book. I personally think it all sounds like a load of nonsense.” “I thought so too,” Norik began, “Until today happened.” “How so?” questioned the ship captain. “I don’t remember the exact verse, but it said something about a warrior with the wind as her ally,” answered the crimson mage. Iruini was silent for a moment before looking over his shoulder again, this time with a look of bewilderment. “Are you serious?” Norik gave a nod. Iruini turned back around. “Okay, so it got one thing right. I’m still having a hard time believing there’s supposed to be six legendary beings born of the elements meant to save the world and all.” “You know about that one?” Norik asked. “Yeah, the crazy old wizard I mentioned earlier said something about it when he was talking about that book,” Iruini said, partially joking. “I’d appreciate it if you did not talk about Uncle that way,” Miyaka said, as if her words were like daggers. “He’s your uncle?” Norik inquired. “Technically not,” Miyaka began. “He was the one who took me in once my parents vanished. He just tells me to call him ‘Uncle’ since he doesn’t want to take the place of my parents, but he wants me to feel like he’s family to me.” Miyaka proceeded to stand and look out one of the port side windows. “His real name is Algorox, but like I mentioned, I just call him ‘Uncle’ instead. It’s thanks to him I got to meet Marlyx and Iruini.” “Is Marlyx the boss you mentioned, Iruini?” Iruini gave a nod. “Yup. Quite a wonderful name to hear.” Miyaka turned around and broke a small smile upon her face. “You don’t mean that you still--?” At that moment, Iruini rushed over to her and clapped his hand over her mouth. “Not in front of the new guy,” he whispered. “Um, Iruini?” “What?” At that moment, the captain realized he left the ship unmanned. He jumped at an angle and broke into a brief run until he made it back to the wheel. Just what have I gotten myself into with these guys? Norik asked himself. His thoughts were interrupted when the door swung open abruptly. Startled, he looked over to see Varian, now fully awake, carrying a pillow in her hand. “Okay, you… you… whoever you are!” she stuttered. “The name’s Iruini, you know.” “I don’t care. If you’re trying to kidnap me, well think again!” Yelling, she rushed over to Iruini, holding the pillow over her head. Before she could to anything, Miyaka calmly walked over, extended her hand, and kept her at bay. “I’m not done with you either, sword princess! Let go of me! I’m angry, I’m armed, and I’ll hurt you!” “Varian!” Norik called out. Upon hearing his voice, Varian stopped struggling and turned to see her childhood friend standing before her. Dropping the pillow, she quickly rushed over to him. “Thank the Great Spirit, Norik, when I couldn’t find you, I thought this group of uncivilized bandits were off torturing you or even that you might’ve been…” “Who’s uncivilized?” Iruini questioned in an annoyed tone. “Varian, this is Iruini. Clearly you’ve already met Miyaka.” Norik briefly explained the key details of the information divulged by Iruini in an attempt to calm her down and convince them they were in no real danger. “Okay… if Norik trusts you, then I guess it’s good enough for me,” Varian replied. She then looked over at Miyaka. “You’re still not off the hook yet, sword princess!” “Why does she keep calling me that?” “Just because you’re pretty and you’re good with swords doesn’t mean you can just run in wherever you want and make demands like it’s nothing!” “I’m… I’m pretty?” Miyaka couldn’t help but stare blankly at her. Varian started back, returning her blank expression. “So then you aren’t some self-absorbed snob acting like you’re all beneath us?” Miyaka shook her head. “Not at all.” Varian nervously looked back at Norik, then at Miyaka. “I’m sorry,” she said at last in a defeated tone. “Don’t worry. I’d say this makes us even for earlier,” Miyaka said in a gentle voice. “Wait, earlier? What do you mean ‘earlier?’” Review topic here: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

Ironically I'm trying a similar project, but in literature form. Still trying to work on it. Anyways, I liked the way the original 3 movies came out and through they had so much potential if they could've been expanded on a little. Like, given how they were around 75 minutes each, I don't know if the run time could've been expanded to 90 minutes or even a full 2 hours if possible. I'm not sure if they'd still be able to put one out every year, let alone two kind of like how Marvel does sometimes, but then they have multiple crews. Aside from that, depending on the content of the story that year, I'd say would be a good call for how many movies to put out that year, if multiple ones are possible. If not, then one per story year covering some of the key details of that year. The movies should also make sure to focus on the main protagonists of that year as much as possible, which'll bring me to another point later on. In other words, no need to overload on characters unless necessary. Unless like in 2006 when everybody was there. So to that end, in addition to the movies, I think some additional media like TV series should go in hand with it. Also kind of like how Marvel does with Agents of Shield, and it could cover like the serial or any related side stories that could coincide with the movies or be their own stand alone thing. Kind of like how some anime does it. Although I'm still confused about when/how A Certain Magical Index and Scientific Railgun take place. They take place at the same time but I don't know when. They still work, either way. A tricky part would be whether or not the series will play into the movies. Like with how some of the Marvel series didn't exactly play into the movies heavily, aside from when they featured Jarvis in Endgame when he was exclusive to the Agent Carter series. The serials didn't play too much into the main storyline with some exceptions like the killing of Botar that was kinda thrown around the books but actually a main event in the serials. Even then, it still felt like they glossed over it. Depending on how that goes, that would determine how to tailor each series. At the same time, though, you might not want to try and put too much on the viewers as well. Because imagine like: "Oh wow, that Bionicle Karda Nui movie looks cool! I wanna go see that!" "Yeah, but did you see the Federation of Fear series?" "Oh, no, I haven't. Is that good?" "Yeah, but you might wanna catch up on it since there's some stuff you might not get unless you see it." That's just a random example I had, but it's kinda true. That's both a pro and con to the MCU, since you have all these interwoven stories that connect almost seamlessly in an over arcing plot. But then if you miss one movie, you might not get what's going on in some parts. Like when I saw Age of Ultron before Winter Soldier and I was kind of lost at the start. I'd been watching Agents of Shield so I had a general idea of what happened, but I was confused with some stuff like how they got the staff and who these two young people with extraordinary powers are that I hadn't seen before. With that out of the way, I think G1 had the most notable story content that can easily work for multiple movies. You can have 2001 be its own thing with the Toa Mata, then 2002 with the Bohrok, etc. until maybe around 2003/4 when we have a few things going on and different villain arcs or just a ton of content. That's the point where I don't know if you could have multiple movies that year, like say in 2003 have the Bohrok Kal arc in early 2003 followed by the Rahkshi arc in late 2003? Well, anyways, we go all that up until we make it to 2010 or 2011 (the original planned story?). At that point, it's all a blank slate waiting to be filled and a lot of territory to cover story-wise. So if Lego really wanted to, they could use the IP the same way an anime that exists mostly to be a televised adaptation of a manga/light novel/visual novel/etc that isn't directly meant to sell toys, but then at the end of the day, Lego is a toy company, so they essentially have to find a way to sell the toys the IP is based around. More or less the way Hasbro has the Transformers movies to make money and sell toys. But if we ignored that, I imagine it could be a very interesting and extensive idea. We will just need to find a way to sell merchandise as well to help it along.

Okay, let's see if I can remember this. My memory might be a little hazy, but I can more or less remember when and where I got the sets I've obtained. 2001: Onua, first ever set at K Mart (now closed). Followed by Gali and Lewa, then Tahu, then Pohatu, and then Kopaka because he was always sold out. Got the 6 Turaga later. 2002: I think it was Lehvak or Korahk. Maybe Lerak. K Mart for both. Then Tahnok. Nuhvok, Gahlok, and Pahrak I got together. Got the Bohrok Va off ebay. Got the Nuva as a birthday gift off ebay. Built Lewa first. Got the Boxor from K Mart. Got the Bahrag on clearance from Wal Mart, but closer to 2003. 2003: I bought all the Bohrok Kal at once, but I don't remember who I built first since at that point I was burned out from building the same model twelve times. Wal-Mart for them. Panrahk, Guurahk, and Kurahk from K Mart, Vorahk, Turahk, and Lerahk from Wal Mart...? Got Takanuva, then Jaller/Gukko, Takua/Pewku. All from K Mart. Got Makuta December 26 at K Mart. And he was literally the only toy on the shelf on that day, not joking. Then the 2004 Matoran (see below). Eventually got Takutanuva, but in 2005 off ebay. 2004: Toa Vakama or Ahkmou. Got him Christmas 2003, so don't know if I should count him, but he's for sure meant to be a 2004 set. Wal Mart for both. Following Ahkmou, Vhisola, Nuhrii. Then Orkahm, Tehutti, and Ehrye. Don't remember where. Then Whenua (K Mart), then Nokama, Matau, Onewa, and Nuju (Wal Mart). Zadakh was my first Vahki, K Mart. Followed by Rorzakh, Bordakh, Nuurakh... "green Vahki" because I can't remember right now. K Mart and Wal Mart. Nidhiki from K Mart, Dume/Nivawk and Krekka from Wal Mart. Then Keerakh at K Mart. Got Ultimate Dume off ebay in 2005. 2005: Vakama Hordika or Rahaga Gaaki. I got her December 2004, don't know if she counts like with Ahkmou. Ebay for Vakama, Wal Mart for Gaaki. The Rahaga I got from Wal Mart at different times. Then the rest of the Hordika at Wal Mart after. Now here's where my memory gets real bad. I think I Got Boggarak, Keelerak, and Vohtarak off Lego Shop. Got the last 3 Visorak from K Mart. Got Roodaka, Sidorak, and Keetongu at TRU. Got Voporak at Target. Got Iruini at K Mart. Then got the Hagah 2-Pack at Wal Mart (I was fine with 2 Iruini's). 2006: Reidak or 5/6 the Matoran since I got them all for Christmas the previous year like with Gaaki. Got Dalu later. No idea who I built first from them. K Mart for Reidak, TRU for the Matoran, K Mart for Dalu. With Reidak, Vezok and Avak from K Mart. Hakann at K Mart. Thok from K Mart. Zaktann from Wal Mart. Irnakk at Wal Mart. Jaller, Hahli, Kongu, Matoro, Vezon/Fenrakk, and Brutaka at TRU. Axonn off Lego Shop. Hewkii and Nuparu at K Mart. Vezon/Kardas at Target. 2007: All 4 small sets (Defilak first) from Lego Shop. And I forget which Barakki I got first. Nocturn at Wal Mart. And then literally all the main summer sets at Wal Mart at once. Built Hahli first. Then Karzahni at TRU, then Lesovikk from Wal Mart. 2008: Pohatu from K Mart. Antroz and Radiak from Wal Mart. Vamprah and Chirox at K Mart. Kopaka at Wal Mart (eventually) I forget when I got the other Matoran. Mutran/Vican from Wal Mart. Icarax from TRU. Onua, Gorast, and Takanuva off Lego Shop. Everyone else at Wal Mart, including Mazeka. Rockoh K Mart, Axalara TRU, Jetrax (Blue) Target. 2009: Gresh from K Mart. Most everyone from K Mart. In fact, I think all the winter wave except Strakk, got him from Wal Mart. Kiina, Vastus, Ackar from TRU. Gelu K Mart. Stronius K Mart. Mata Nui K Mart. The Vehicles came from K Mart and TRU, don't remember too well. Mata Nui titan from TRU. 2010: Takanuva or Gresh, can't remember. I might've got them from Wal Mart. The rest of the Stars from TRU. Tahu was the last one 2015: I got Tahu and Kopaka together, but I built Tahu first, I think. From Lego Shop 2016: I got Gali, Pohatu, and Akida the same time. I think I built Akida first. All from Wal Mart. And that's all I wrote because I don't remember too well anymore.

I'm leaning mostly on Nuju and Whenua. Possibly Onewa, but more likely those two. My only question would be on how much the shipping will be

Lord Almatas Lord Almatas the Conqueror Mask: Conqueror’s Mask (Mask of Shadows) Arms: Extending blades Once the son of a revered weapon smith hailing from the desert island of Sergas, now he is forced into exile by the Helryx and her Crusaders, losing everything he once knew and held dear. The anointed “Lord Almatas” by Terankos dedicated himself to his master, seeking to restore him to power and escape the shadow realm to for him rule with an iron fist. Almatas created the Knights of Terankos as a ploy to create a false haven for those who dabble in the shadows when in reality the sole purpose was to be a sacrificial ritual to strengthen his lord and master. “You talk about peace, Helryx, but in the end, you and I aren’t so different. Aside from the masks and armor we were, we are very much alike. All this talk of peace is just to make yourself feel better. You love the thrill of battle. You love to feel in control. You live for war, as do I. With your so-called logic, there’s no place in this world for either of us!” --Almatas, to Helryx Front View Side View Back View For those who follow my literature work (which you might not, but that's okay), this is Almatas as he appears unveiled in The Knights of Terankos as the organization's leader, which is probably the equivalent to the Brotherhood of Makuta in this universe. He spends most of the story hiding in a hooded cloak, but then he is revealed to be the same species as Umarak the Hunter near the end. He is also mentally unstable and easy to make angry. Almatas isn't his true name, but he goes by it when he is "knighted" this title by the god of shadows Terankos. But as a bonus, here's something else. Hand of Karzahni + The Nui Stone The Hand of Karzahni, an ancient artifact said to contain destructive powers limited only by the user's imagination. Initially crafted by a blacksmith named Viralus, later stolen and used by Lord Almatas. By adding the Nui Stone to the gauntlet, this only increased its destructive capabilities, as Almatas could bring destruction by merely having the thought form in his head. The Nui Stone, a rare artifact of unknown origin. The stone is said to increase a user's supernatural powers tenfold, whether it be psychic, elemental, magical, etc., but can drive the user to madness. There have been forgeries of the stone made over time, but the only way to confirm which is the true stone is to shine a flame next to it and see if it reveals the symbol of Mata Nui. Example usage: Almatas used the gauntlet in conjunction with the Nui Stone to completely erase Tuyet's mind despite being located on opposite ends of the world. As a result, she ended up in a vegetative state, unable to mentally function. "Fine. I'll do it myself." --Almatas, expressing disappointment over his knights' failure Okay, yeah, let's get this out of the way. Yeah, it might as well be a knock-off Infinity Gauntlet, but I don't really care, I've wanted to put this into the Terankos-verse forever so here it is. I always wanted to create a parallel to the Staff of Artakha in this story, being a tool used to create or fix anything, as well as do somewhat of a silly nod to the "Hand of Artakha," except instead of an organization, it's a a dangerous weapon. He's nothing really special, I know, but it's a little something for anyone who might've been a fan of my work to show that he does actually have a true form, and a MOC at that, so he's more than just a generic crazy guy wearing a cloak.

Chapter 3 “Can you at least explain to me a little about what’s going on??” Norik frantically ran after the warrior who called herself Miyaka, who was now making off with the book he was told to guard with his life. She had only been here a short while, yet she was calmly making her way through the village as though she was in a place of authority. “There is not enough time for that just yet,” Miyaka calmly stated. “Do you trust me?” Miyaka turned and faced Norik, who just barely managed to catch up with her. “What?” “Do you trust me?” she asked again. Norik took a moment to look over the fallen guardians, whose bodies were dissipating into black smoke with the exception of their armor and weapons. He then looked back at Miyaka, who sheathed her swords and extended her free arm out to him. Despite his reservations, he knew there was really only one right answer in his heart. “I trust you,” he said firmly. Miyaka gave a nod before she turned back around and resumed walking. “Then you really must come with me. We need to get off this island before this book falls into the wrong hands.” “And how are we going to do that?” Norik asked, following right behind. “My ride is waiting for me, just out by the coast.” Norik looked at her dumfounded. “You have a ride?” “Yes, I came here by boat? How did you think I got here?” Before Norik could say anything, two guardians rushed over at them. Wasting no time, Miyaka brandished one of her swords and made quick work of them. As their bodies fell to the ground, she quickly sheathed her sword once again. “Can you fight?” “Wait, what?” Before Norik could object, Miyaka tossed one of the spears wielded by the guardians his way. As Norik caught it, she then tossed the accompanying shield to him as well. “I’m barely learning to use magic! How do you expect me to fight?” “Never too late to learn,” Miyaka quipped. “Just make your way to the eastern coast and that’s where we’ll meet!” As Miyaka continued to fight off the guardians literally single-handedly, Norik found himself being the focus of a small group of them. Norik held up the shield in an attempt to protect himself while holding the spear out timidly. Who am I kidding? I can’t do this? I bet this mask won’t be of any help either! What was the point of my father keeping it?? As if the reluctant fighter triggered something, he found his surroundings to be growing all around him at an increasingly alarming rate. Norik couldn’t help but scream as he found himself surrounded by blades of grass the size of great palm trees or pebbles that now looked as though they were boulders. The worst part of the experience was the enlarged guardians who were actively stepping around where he once stood. The ground shook with each step they took, nearly knocking the fledgling fire mage off his feet every time. “Okay,” he said to himself, “you’re really small and they’re really big. That doesn’t mean you’re entirely helpless. Right?” His thoughts were interrupted as he saw a large iron boot right above him, ready to step onto him. As he tried to run, he quickly thought to himself about why this happened. The only thing that really changed between before and now was the fact he wielded discarded guardian equipment and a new mask said to contain some sort of power. That’s it! Focusing his thoughts as he previously had, he found himself beginning to grow. In no time, he was back to his regular size. As he grew, he wasted no time in catching the wearer of the iron boot about to crush him and threw him backward. The other guardians noticed this and looked over at Norik, who held out his spear in an attempt to intimidate them. This feigning of dominance did not work, as the guardians proceeded to rush at him once again. Thinking quickly, Norik attempted to produce a small amount of fire magic at his fingertips. To his surprise, he saw the tip of the spear glowing along with the tips of his fingers. Focusing his power at the end of the spear, he aimed and unleashed his flames at them, proceeding to sweep the area and set it ablaze until he could no longer see his pursuers. Norik stopped his spell and then looked at the spear he held in his hand. Did I manage to do that? “There you are!” rang a familiar voice. The crimson-clad mage in-training turned to see his childhood friend striding over to him. “You’ve got some kind of nerve just running off with a woman you’ve only known for ten seconds while I’m talking!” “Now isn’t the best time, Varian.” “Where is that sword princess, anyway? Did she run off--?” Varian stopped once she saw the flames behind Norik, as well as taking the time to notice the mask he now wore. “Norik? Um… what did you do?” “I, uh… I actually have no idea. I just tried to cast some fire spell against them, and then this happened.” “I knew you had it in you!” Varian cheered. “I always knew you were talented, but now you’ve just gone ahead and reaffirmed my faith in you.” “It’s not that big of a deal, you know—“ “Not that big of a deal? You just burned down a grassy field and what I’m assuming were things that used to be guardians.” Before she could continue, a streak of color passed right between them. Sure enough, it was Miyaka with the book still in her hands. “I thought you said you didn’t know how to fight?” she asked. Before Norik could respond, Varian marched right over and pointed a finger right in her face. “I’m still not done with you yet, sword princess! You still haven’t even told me what you’re doing here!” “I need this book,” Miyaka said plainly. She then pointed over to Norik. “And he’s coming with me.” “And what gives you the right to steal him away??” “I need his help,” Miyaka replied. “Well, if that’s how it’s going to be, then you’re just going to have to take me with you! Wherever he goes, I go with him! So if you think you can split us apart, you have another thing—“ Before Varian could finish her sentence, Miyaka quickly hit her on the back of the head with the book, knocking her unconscious and down to the ground. Norik looked down at the unconscious Varian. “What did you do that for?” “She talks too much,” Miyaka replied. “And if she refuses to let you come with me, then I guess I have to bring her along.” “But she said she was willing to go with us.” Miyaka looked down at Varian and then back at Norik. “Oh…” Miyaka then rushed up to Norik and proceeded to bow her head. “I’m terribly sorry, please forgive me!” she shouted. Norik could only look at her, confused and wide-eyed. He shook his head and proceeded to sling the spear behind his back. He then put a hand on her shoulder. “Calm down,” he said. “Let’s just get moving before we’re caught again.” Miyaka gave a firm nod as she walked back over to Varian, picking her up and laying her over her shoulder. Norik followed as they made their way over to the coast. What seemed like a few hours had past, but soon enough they saw the coastline and a small boat with a lantern hanging out from the bow. There was someone already in the boat, it seemed, as the group made their way over. “What took you so long?” he asked. The green-clad sailor looked over the group. His eyes finally fell on the unconscious Varian thrown over Miyaka’s shoulder. “I thought you said this was a search and rescue mission, not an abduction!” “Now isn’t the time, Iruini, we need to get going,” Miyaka replied as she walked past him. Norik followed behind before being stopped by the sailor called Iruini. “Kind of an interesting ensemble you have going on there,” he said, looking Norik over from head to toe. Before Norik could say anything, Iruini extended his hand out to him. “Well, whatever. Looks like we’re going to be working closely for a while. The name’s Iruini.” “Thanks. I’m Norik.” Norik reached out for his hand and the two shook before climbing aboard and setting sail. Review topic here: http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/27624-review-miyaka-the-blazing-wind/

If possible, I'm leaning on some of the Toa Metru. I'll have to think it over a bit. I'd be interested in a lot more, but I'm a bit limited at the moment.