Bzprpg - Ko-Wahi

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

"Gentlemen, I sense that this is part of the great danger I felt would come. Oreius, we'll have to leave. Now. Go wake the others."

 

"Agreed." I said quietly, my hammer sliding down the palm. Small wonder I hadn't heard the boats; whoever was on board had control over the elemental power of Ice. I could feel it. Not to mention as soon as those boats appeared a storm began brewing. The weather above us had instantly changed as new snow fell, thick flakes littering the waters below as the air became colder, the air shriller. Stronger winds and wisps of snow grew, brewing a small storm in the tiny fjord. I could feel the heat get sucked from my body. This... this was not good.

 

"And not just leave; run. I'll buy you the time you need, but don't expect much. It's at least one verses four, and that's not counting the ones I know I can't see."

 

I took a deep breath. I was about to engage in the time honored tradition of the Toa: protect the matoran. No matter what. I could hear the two of them scamper off as I approached the boat, keeping my body language neutral, fighting through the now howling wind.On the inside however I was preparing, coiling my energies like a spring. They may have seen me, but I still had the element of surprise, seeing as neither of us had made any aggressive moves. As I walked I saw my options evaporate like water in a boiling pot.

 

Through the snow I watched the first boat dock, its crew tying it up despite the conditions. This would either be my grand introduction into the world of heroes, or a very quick final stand. Whatever the outcome, I had to buy time.

 

Uh-huh.

 

OOC: double-ninja'd. Had to completely re-write a post. Sucks.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Friar Tuck

[Emzee]

IC: Ronkshou ‘s eye narrowed as the Matoran in the pier scampered off. He caught a glimpse of a second Matoran run off as well.

 

“That has to be them,” Ronkshou whispered to Vidar, “But who is the Toa?”

 

Vidar shrugged. This was certainly unexpected, and the Dark Toa did not like surprises.

 

At least he didn’t have to worry about bringing the Toa back alive.

 

“Get ready,” Ronkshou whispered. He fought to stifle a sense of unease within him. He paced calmly across the bobbing boat, glancing back and forth between the Toa and Utu. All the while, he was charging his elemental energy.

 

"Utu, take out that Toa first. We'll back you up," Ronkshou said softly.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Emzee

[Eyru]

IC (Oreius)

 

Oreius nodded; he knew better by now than to question Stannis. In his mind, there was no doubt as to the presence of a very real danger, and now was the time for his Guard experience to kick in.

 

Turning around, the Ta-Matoran skirted the building in which the other members of the Company slept, keeping out of sight of the docks. As soon as he saw Joske move out, he slipped inside, counting on anyone to notice the Toa first and not him.

 

He approached Sulov first; the Onu-Matoran was closest to the door, but Oreius also wanted him up first: the former Ussalryman would be invaluable if things quickly spiralled out of control.

 

He shook Sulov's shoulder gently; the Matoran was instantly awake.

 

“Stay quiet,” he said softly. “Unknown number of hostiles at the docks. Joske's engaging them. We need to leave immediately.”

 

The amount of information relayed in these few short sentences was amazing, but that was how things went in the military: you said what needed to be said, and you said it promptly.

 

Oreius continued on to Reordin's bed, and was surprised to see two forms lying there, fast asleep: Reordin and Leah lay back-to-back in the nest of hay. The Ta-Matoran didn't hesitate though; there would be time for awkward questions later. He shook Reordin's shoulder, and the Ko-Matoran awoke. Leah wasn't far behind; as Reordin sat up, she, too, opened her eyes.

 

The former Guard repeated what he had told Sulov, who was now up and gathering their things. Leah and Reordin both got up quickly, perhaps a bit abashed, but not showing it a bit. There was no time for emotion now, not with their Quest in jeopardy.

 

Lepidran was last. Oreius shook him gently; the Le-Matoran was a bit harder to wake than the others, but he quickly came to, looking up at Oreius blearily.

 

“My turn at watch?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

 

“No,” Oreius replied. “Stay quiet; there's someone at the docks. Stannis says we're in danger; we need to leave immediately. ”

 

The Le-Matoran leapt up and quickly joined the others in packing up their meagre possessions. In no time, the old fishing hut looked as it had yesterday, with the exception of a gaping hole in the roof and a pile of splintered wood on the ground.

 

The Company moved out, carefully keeping out of view of the docks as much as they could. Before long, they had joined Stannis next to the icy river, their breath visible in the cold morning air.

 

The sun had not risen; the world was cold and dark and unwelcoming. But even more discomforting than the barren landscape and the darkness and the cold was the knowledge that, behind them, their enemies were at hand; the fate of their Quest stood upon the edge of a knife.

[Palm]

IC: Utu - Ko-WahiUtu stepped off his boat, stepping onto the hard docks as his companions started to dock their own boat.He strode down the docks, already noting the great size difference between the Toa and himself. He noted a hammer, slipping into place. He smiled with his deep blue eyes. His Mark pulsed heavily briefly. The Matoran must have alerted the others.Utu stopped in front of the Toa of fire, closing his eyes briefly, letting the blue orbs roll back softly. Breathing out, his eyes twitched open revealing the dark purple eyes as the Mark of Fear activated once more, feeding off what little fear he had at his disposal. He smiled a toothy smile, the edges of his lips twitching a little at the sensation of his active Rune. The snow started to fall more rapidly, a thickening sensation of fear came from the Toa before him, although, it was a different kind of fear. A determined kind of fear. Utu spoke, his deep baritone voice filling the frigid air, making it seem even colder, "Hello friend," Utu tilted his head very slightly, as though trying to get another angle on the Toa of fire, "Long way from home aren't you?"Utu twitched his finger, sending his energies into the Toa's weapon, hoping to ice-burn his opponent.

Edited December 3, 2012 by We Are Legion

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: While Oreius woke the others in the building they called home for the night, Stannis busied himself with waking the villagers up. He scampered to their huts and quietly entered. They all awoke with the same sort of calmness Stannis expected: They all knew him. "Be prepared," he warned them one by one. "There may well be need for you to take up arms very soon."They nodded with some irritation as they collected their scarce weapons they had, spears and harpoons in launchers, nets and hooks. Each of them listened to Stannis in recognition. For them, Stannis was a returning fellow who would come to the village for fishing trips when sent by Antrim. Their little hole in the wall of Mata Nui was always on friendly terms with the Massif. But even though they were all willing to help Stannis and cover his tail, Stannis still apologized to them. "I'm sorry for bringing this down upon you and your home. I pray to be able to repay you in the future." They didn't reply to him; they were the silent Matoran."There is a secret way into the mountains," one said, pointing at a stone door that guarded a secret passageway into the mountain. "A chapel alcove. Do you remember it?""I do," Stannis said, nodding. It would deposit them in one of the glacial valleys in the mountains, safe and away from the danger in the village below."Take it. We will open it for you. If your toa friend does not succeed, we will seal it.""Thank you eternally," Stannis humbly said. His relationship with that tiny village was a gift destiny provided for him long ago without his knowledge. His gratitude was as great for the matoran as it was for Mata Nui. He turned and went to tell the others where to go while his friends clandestinely opened the tunnel's entrance.

Edited December 3, 2012 by EmperorWhenua

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

It was at that exact moment my mask glowed, a cheeky smile on my face.

 

It would look like Agni's training would pay off after all.

 

The breathed out as the world around me began to blur, my view of time and space distorting all about me, my functions speeding up exponentially as my Kakama allowed my body to move at the speed of thought... and faster. Which gave me time to observe.

 

And think.

 

Clearly Toa of Ice. Massive Toa of Ice, practically twice my size in all dimensions. Very strong, but therefore slower than normal. Mask, a Miru. Levitation, fantastic. As if he wasn't tall enough already. Weapon of choice: broadsword, almost as tall as me and pointed in my direction. Great. Points of interest... huh. There was a rune on his off arm. And it was glowing. Purple. No idea what that means... and now no time. Twist.

 

From his sword moving in slow motion was a massive stream of frozen air, an attempt to neutralize me no doubt. A good try. Emphasis in the word "try". With practiced dexterity I turned my body, rolling myself over the moving edge of this every-growing icicle. Left arm, shoulder, back, right shoulder, arm, chest, left arm, push up with the legs...

 

One spin and a jump later I was flying through the air, hammer raised high in preparation from my strike. I didn't enjoy leaving the ground, but considering the size of this toa I didn't have a choice if I wanted to whap him upside the head. His face hadn't twitched, the brain not yet realizing I have moved from my previous spot, a toothy grin still spread across his face.

 

It was about to get less toothy.

 

With a grunt I swung at his mask with all my might, and I was rewarded with the initial sound of the strike. It was disorienting in this state, moving faster than sound, but one gets used to it after a while. I landed, whipping my hand around and aiming it right at his ship's engine block... and fired.

 

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

 

What everyone else saw was something out of a surreal storybook. The exact second Utu twitched and activated his power I vanished, there was a dull dong sound, the Toa of Ice falling to his knees, and his boat exploding in an immense fireball as engine and fuel detonated, and myself suddenly standing over this massive toa, his head at my waist. To them this all happened simultaneously; there was no distinction of events.

 

Considering legend states that Toa Pohatu ran from Po-Koro to Ko-Wahi in less than a minute using this type of mask, moving a few feet with hand motions faster than the mind could comprehend wasn't difficult.

 

Leaning back I began to twirl my hammer, a hum rising from the deadly motion. Utu looked up at me dazed, a nice, large indentation in his otherwise pristine mask. I was about to make another. Right under the chin.

 

"Not really, friend. By the way, I've met Tarakava scarier than you. And it couldn't control the weather."

 

I swung for a second strike.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Friar Tuck

[Palm]

IC: Utu - Ko-WahiThat was fast.Utu kicked his mind into high-gear. He had to think very quick if he was going to keep up with this Toa. There was no way he would be able to adequately react to a move already in motion, and as a result, Utu would have to move before Joske did. This was going to be very tricky to pull off. But it wasn't the first time he fought a speedster.They had a nasty habit of thinking Utu was too slow. Sure, he was slower than some, but this gave him an advantage when it came to thinking. He had to learn how to make instant decisions, before they happened. Utu had experience. Thinking like this wasn't second nature though, it took concentration, and 100% focus.He planted his hands on the ground, his vision a little dazed. A twitch. Utu threw up his one hand, using the other to stabilize his shifting weight. He closed his hand, gripping the wrist of the Toa of fire.Touch and go.He didn't have time to think. Utu pulled down hard, and pushed off with powerful legs, the fear increasing his strength. Joske sort of landing into the rising hulk Toa, who continued with his forward and upward momentum. The result was Joske, being lifted off the ground with Utu's height, before Utu brought his arms down with full strength while sort of stumbling, still holding to the speedster.Utu slammed the Toa's hammer wrist into the ground while he too fell, his own body hitting the ground just before Joske's frame followed the wrist which let go of the hammer. He didn't waste any time saying anything more. He tried to bring ice up from the ground to get any sort of grip on Joske.

Edited December 3, 2012 by We Are Legion

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

Leah felt movement against her back. She opened her eyes. That was Reordin, shifting...and talking to Oreius. And from the sound of their voices things were happening. She listened to waht the Ta-Matoran said. Then suddenly, her brain went into high gear then. Leah sat up and her hand reached for her Bo-staff and backpack. In one fluid motion she tightened the strap holding her staff in place while she slipped on the rucksack with her free hand. The next moment both were safely strapped to her back. Within ten seconds, she was up and moving. She could feel her body protesting against the sudden cancellation of the well-earned rest, but she willed it into action.

The others packed up quickly as well, while Leah took a position by the door. She opened the door just a little so she could peek outside. She could see Joske standing near the docks, more figures approaching from a boat that had just landed. Leah glanced to Oreius. "How many?" she asked. Oreius shook his head. "Four, I think. There was no time for a good look."

She continued to watch, as Joske faced the darn big Toa stepping up to him. And then suddenly, Joske was behind the Toa of ice, his opponent whacked across the head and their boat on fire.

 

"Whoa..:" Leah said under her breath. She felt a hand on her shoulder then. it was Reordin, nodding towards a back-door. She understood. No time for watching. Leah sent a quiet prayer to the spirits to keep the Toa of fire buying them time alive and then followed the others out of the shack. They moved behind the first snow-drifts, out of sight of the docks and Oreius led them up the river flowing into the ocean here, until Stannis joined them. Despite feeling tense, fear was not very high on her list of emotions right now. At least not yet. She was a little surprised, but it was true. Maybe it was her training...or just the sleepiness that wouldn't go away as fast as she'd liked. But right now, all she felt was tense. She waited for Stannis to give them the directions and then they needed to move. And quick.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC: Reordin (Company Safehouse, Ko-Wahi)

 

"This can't be the place."

 

"It is."

 

"No, no, no, I can tell you right now, this canNOT be the--"

 

"The stone is here, Reordin. I promise you. I can feel it."

 

Reordin and Stannis examined the tiny niche in the ice cave, looking around: archaic Matoran, the likes of which Reordin couldn't read, coupled with Birdspeak, scattered the walls, but there was no groove in the surface of the outcropping, nowhere where it looked like you could hide a stone or even a directional marker to where you could find one. While Reordin busied himself with looking for some clue as to where the stone could be - truthfully, he had been kind of hoping the stone was here, too - Stannis moved forward and began scanning the prophecies, murmuring to himself and sparing glances at Reordin every now and then. The somber look on his face was one the lieutenant was unaccustomed to seeing on Stannis' face, and finally, he had to ask.

 

"Alright, I'll bite. What's it say?"

 

"It's telling me that to truly fulfill the Prophecy, the Wanderer will be forced to sever his right hand."

 

Reordin raised an eyebrow at this, about to ask if maybe Stannis would be interested in taking how to sever your hand lessons from Sulov, and that it really wasn't that much to get worked up about, but then he remembered Aurax, the coldest, deadest item of interest in a forest full of cold and dead things, and the witticism died on his tongue.

 

"Stan, I'm sorry about Aur--"

 

"The Prophecy doesn't say Aurax. It says my right hand."

 

Reordin was unprepared for the speed in which Stannis pivoted and stabbed his pike through his chest: gasping silently, blood bubbling in his throat, Reordin collapsed against the wall, trying in vain to stand up, as Stannis patiently waited and another Matoran walked in. Reordin's eyes widened, and if he could have smiled, he would have.

 

"Takua, listen, Stannis has gone psychotic and you need to get out of here, warn the others--"

 

Like a big brother, Takua laid a gentle finger on Reordin's lips and smiled. Instantly, the relief died, replaced by anxiousness, a bubbling feeling of adrenaline, an urge to rip this pike out of his chest and impale both of them, because something had gone very, very dreadfully wrong at this point and Sulov and Oreius and Leah were next.

 

"Sorry, Reordin. It's just not destined."

 

The finger turned into a hand, and Takua's grip covered Reordin's mouth and nose, preventing any sort of breath--

 

Reordin sat up suddenly, gasping, eyes wide, hand over his chest where Stannis' pike had driven through him like he was no more than a piece of paper against a thumbtack: Leah was sitting next to him, still sleeping happily. Oreius explained the situation as he woke her up, too, and Reordin stood up shakily, regaining his balance after a second and drew his weapons just in case. The team made their way towards a back door - Joske was giving them time, bless his narcissistic soul - and Reordin, suddenly, had only one thought on his mind, despite - or in spite of - the nightmare he'd just experienced that would cripple most men.

 

Where to from here?

 

-Tyler

Edited December 3, 2012 by Tyler Durden

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

What the karz-

 

My mind was still reeling from the impact, trying to piece together a logical explanation as to why this ugly behemoth was faster, when I felt it. Cold.

 

Ice-cold.

 

My breath was taken away as frozen hands wrapped around me, covering my hands and legs in a clear, frosty covering. I watched in slow motion as this liquid crystal grew around me... then instantly solidified.

 

I... I was trapped.

 

I watched as Utu staggered upwards, gazing satisfactory at his work. I was on my knees, hands at my sides, in a kneeling, submissive position, frozen in place. Ice covered my thighs, and my arms up to elbows, firmly attached to the ground, making it quite impossible to move my lower body. I could wiggle my waist, rotate my chest slightly, move my head-

 

THWACK

 

My head exploded, spittle freezing mid-air as it was launched sideways from my lips. When I returned upright I saw Utu smiling cruelly, rubbing his fist. I snorted, spitting a mixture of blood and spit at his feet.

 

"Ouch."

 

I could see his eyes narrow. "You should have more fear, brother."

 

The night sky appeared before me, stars exploding into my field of vision as a second blow landed, this one more powerful than the first. I swayed back to position, blinking rapidly and trying to restore my vision. I could feel his massive hand cover my face, followed by a crushing pressure as he got a grip. An icicle of fear began to stab into my soul, and I tried in vain to pull myself free. He must have found the sight funny, a Ta-Toa trying to wriggle free of his icy bounds, for I heard him grunt.

 

TONG

 

This time a slight scream escaped my lips at the impact, the strike so painful. Why I didn't black out from it I didn't know, that hit by far the most powerful I had felt yet. It was as if he was getting stronger as I knelt here, feeding of something. My world spun, dazed and disoriented, trying to pull myself together.

 

No... I would not give in. I was Joske; narcissistic, egotistical, and I never lost. Ever.

 

"You... you hit like a girl."

 

I heard him take a step back, clearly taken aback by my lack of self-preservation and now fear. "Your valor and endurance is to be admired, Toa, but you are trapped, wounded, and powerless. It is not wise to insult your betters. Any last words?"

 

Through my blurred vision I saw him stand before me, his massive sword in hand. I blinked. "Executioner" was the only word screaming through my head, but I fought the panic down. See, I had a plan. One that required time to come to fruition. Not to mention I needed as much of it as possible put as much space between us as the matoran.

 

"Yeah... "

 

It was more of the sound that escaped when air is pressed of one's lungs rather than a word, but it did get his attention. Slowly I raised my battered head and gave him a cocky smile.

 

"I was waiting for the fire on your boat to reach critical mass."

 

This time it was Utu who froze, that little detail finally coming to the forefront of his brain... a detail I was hoping he'd forget. His boat at this point was a blazing inferno, waves of heat rolling off the docks, illuminating the entire fjord in the dim morning light. He turned just in time to see that all that vanish. Well, not really vanish, more like get sucked into an invisible hole that was attached to the bottom of the boat, flames racing over each other, scrambling to get inside. The fire expanded, then imploded, leaving behind a charred hull and one tiny wisp of grey smoke that simply went poof.

 

The fjord was eerily quiet and dark again, and Utu looked back at me, just in time to see me slowly raise myself from my icy chains, my body cutting through it like a not knife through freshly-churned butter. Heat radiated from me, all frozen water melting within a two-bio radius. Tongues of flame danced off my now red-hot skin, sparks igniting in my eyes. His own widened slightly as I raised my hammer to his face.

 

"MY TURN."

 

To say the space in front of me exploded would be an understatement. All that heat, all that flame, the raging inferno that was that boat was not concentrated in a space of a bio, shaped in a cone, and aimed right at his chest. Basically I taken all of that energy and condensed it into a single point-blank shot. As the fire engulfed the space before me, I smiled. This attack, this shot, was on my favorite setting.

 

Baconator.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Friar Tuck

[Wotz]

IC: Desuka

 

"Me? What about you? You haven't exactly shrunk in the wash." the Toa of sonics forced a smile, allowing Tirra to help him inside. "Sorry about the blood, by the way."

 

A Ko-Matoran entered and made a remark which hinted to Desuka that this was Tirra's boyfriend. "Uh, hi," the Toa greeted nervously.

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi"I shall give you a cut of my pay,because I am generous."

[Wotz]

IC: Zongu

 

"Who's paying you?"

[sunflower]

IC: Tirra

 

"Keuirce, this is Desuka, Desuka, Keuirce," the Le-Toa stated, rolling her eyes as she ignored both their comments. "He's a friend," she explained, glancing at Keuirce momentarily as she set the Toa of Sonics down on the conviently placed couch.

[a goose]

IC: Keuirce (Keuirce's House, Ko-Koro)

 

"I didn't mean to suggest that he was anything else," Keuirce smiled, although he eyed Desuka suspiciously.

[Wotz]

IC: Desuka

 

"Chill out. Do I look like I'm in any fit state to steal your girlfriend?" Desuka sighed and looked to TIrra, "Tirra, I needed a place to stay. with someone I can trust. I know I can trust you, and we've got a lot of catching up to do. I'm sorry if I was interrupting, I'll leave if you want, it's just... I've done something very bad. And I'm not sure what it was."

[sunflower]

IC: Tirra

 

"No, no, no, its okay, you can stay" Tirra replied, shaking her head. There was no way she was going to send the De-Toa away, especially in this state. He was right, there was a lot of catching up to do, and probably the best place to start was how he got in that state.

 

"What do you mean you've done something?" the Le-Toa asked, "What happened to you?"

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: Unlike the others in the Company, Lepidran was not a warrior. While he was sure warriors did feel fear, he was aware that they had different means of dealing with it. They attacked fear, confronted it head on, wrestled it to some dark crevice of their mind and left it bruised and bound up so it wouldn't bother them. Lepidran, on the other hand, was a scientist. When he felt fear he walked round it, shined a light on it, stuck labels on it. Only once he had properly analysed it could he stick it in a glass box for further inspection. Or indeed introspection.

In his opinion, this did not make him a coward.

After all, he had wandered the island gathering a lifetime's worth of knowledge about insect life had he not? He had joined both Stannis' old company and the new incarnation and was even now travelling the island braving his life to pick up what had become two sets of crystals. So he did not think he was a coward for feeling fear in such situation. Bravery, after all, wasn't the absence of fear, but the overcoming of it. He just had his own way of overcoming it. Which was in this case reciting the technical names of various insect species to himself as he stood shivering (just from the cold, he told himself, just from the cold), waiting for Stannis to return with their way out

 

"Dipteleka Akidopis. Krahrudinea Fenlandia. Scorpolos Catapol..."

 

Not. A. Coward.

[Wotz]

IC: Desuka

 

Desuka shook his head. There was so much fog in his mind, clouding his memory for... How long...? "I can hardly tell. It's like when you wake up after a dream and the memory of it is just out of reach, and no matter how much you claw at it, it just slips further and further away until-" he sighed. "Sorry. Stressful business." he began rubbing his temples. "Last I remember before the, uh, incident, I was lying on my back, there was a bright light, blood everywhere..." the image of the laboratory flashed in his head. "Kuhrin..." Kuhrin's cackling face echoed through his mind, taunting him. "That creature..." the Parakuka screeched.

 

Desuka's eyes widened. He ran to the mirror and turned his back to it, fearing what he might see. Then something else reverberated into his thoughts. A simple idea.

 

"There is something on your back."

 

He shut his eyes, feeling it flex and wriggle between his shoulder blades as he acknowledged it. "What is it? What have I got on my back?" he asked. It took Tirra and Keuirce a moment to realise he was talking to them.

[Palm]

IC: Utu - Ko-WahiUtu tried to block the attack, but it was a possibility he had not anticipated, this left him open. He tried to cover his chest armor with ice, only half succeeding, causing the burn to be much more centralized. It did however, prevent it from reaching the rest of his torso. Covering his head with his arms didn't do much either, only preventing the fire from entering his eyes and blinding him.Especially considering the blast of fire had knocked him away, sending him spinning. His chest roared with pain, and if Utu wasn't worried about filling his lungs with the water he just landed in, he would've screamed too. But the boat exploding in the first place wasn't something that was entirely to Joske's advantage. Utu had waited to time the result of the explosion properly; and his manipulation of it.The fact he fell into the ice cold water was only a plus. He drew in the power of the frigid temperature, allowing it to refill his strength, and suck away the pain of the burn.Utu searched out into the cold with his powers, sensing his opponent. He crushed his fists together, feeling the powerful thick ice gripping Joske's legs and arms. Utu stepped up on the hard black rocks of the beach, his right fist still clenched, the ice starting to envelope Joske's torso. A second step on dry land. Utu's large frame was dripping, an angry determined look on his face. Without looking, Utu lifted up his left hand, flipping the boat with ice, putting it's flames out.A third step. Utu grimaced at the dulled pain of the burn, his breath seemingly colder than the air itself, which once more, dropped in temperature again, frost quickly building on Utu's body from the water still clinging to him. He reached to Joske with both hands again, starting to tighten on his appendages. A shard of ice was lifted, eye level with Joske.Utu stopped on his forth step, the shard of ice dancing playfully but threateningly away from Joske.That was when the rumbling started, the initial movement caused by the loud explosion of the boat Utu took to get here.

 

* * *

 

Utu stepped into his hut, Harrow not currently at home. Out trading in Ko-Koro with Utu’s older brother, Hakam. At this time, it was only Utu and his mother Hakoa here.She sat at the kitchen table, staring off into space, her blank gaze falling flat against the cold walls. Utu put his head down and started walking past the corridor, secretly hoping Hakoa wouldn't simply ignore him. She didn't ignore him, "Where have you been?"Utu responded bleakly, stopping to look at his mother in the hallways, "Out," Hakoa looked up from the table, meeting Utu's eyes before they turned away and looked down, avoiding contact again. He realized he should answer straighter, "I was practicing my powers," at the breaking of the dam, Utu started to blurt out his words, excited to tell her about his progresses made, "I'm able to not only move and manipulate ice, I can now create it! I'm not yet-"Hakoa interjected, her voice striking his like a boulder strikes a rock, "Where have you been?"Utu faltered, biting his tongue for the outburst of information he knew Hakoa didn't care about, he replied. Confused, "I told you I-" Hakoa interrupted him once more, cutting him off like a taut string."Where, Utu Kotore, have you been?" Hakoa's voice was not like most. When she became stern or stressed, it would shrill and screech slightly, making for an uncomfortable and frightening situation. This was one of those times. Utu watched as her eyes seemed to swell, the pupils in her light blue eyes enlarging as though they would envelope the whole room and suck him inside. This particularly frightened him. The essence and emotion that woman's eyes could hold were simply terrifying.Utu looked down and away again, avoiding her penetrating gaze. He mumbled, afraid to raise his voice over speaking level, "I was on the outskirts, past Harrow's shop."Hakoa stood up, her tall frail frame seemed to fill the room; just like her cold eyes, "You know your father doesn't like you being out there," she shrilled 'father', making a point about how Utu referred to him, "What where you doing out there Utu?"Utu furrowed his brow. Did he not just explain to her what he was doing? Was he invisible? Of course he was. He was nobody. Utu could hardly use his new-found powers since becoming a Toa. At least, not as extensively as others could. He was given little time to refine them, even get the basics down. He was always too busy working for his 'father', or helping Hakam with his own chores. His brother would always coerce him into doing work with, if not for him. The large Toa of ice stood, arms spread slightly, his chin held down towards his shoulder as though flinching from a potential strike. He was physically much larger and stronger than Hakoa, but her presence made any sort of retaliation or dominance impossible. She was a brick wall of power and anger.Utu's voice reflected his father's texture, but in this case it started to bend like Hakoa's, "I was practicing my powers, m-other!" he faltered, pausing before addressing Hakoa as she stepped towards him, anger burning in the coldness of her eyes. She looked as though in the aberration filled expression she might explode in a frenzy of anger for her disappointing son. Instead, she chuckled beneath her breath."And what good would that do for you?" She didn't smile, nor did her expression change, but it was clear; at least to Utu, that she was mocking him. Challenging him. She, among every other being Utu had ever met, having never left this Koro, considered him nothing more than mediocre, and even worse. He was hauntingly boring, and hopelessly powerless. As though speaking what Utu was thinking, Hakoa stepped closer, leaned in with a burning intensity, and spoke after chuckling. Like there was some sick joke she understood but her son did not, "You don't seem to understand Utu, you won't amount to anything."Utu shook his head, still looking away from Hakoa's evil eyes.She grasped his face, her hands feeling cold, even for a Toa of ice, the bony joints shot fear into him as they forcefully turned his gaze to hers. How that terrified him. The sheer overwhelming fear, like in the eyes of the old man in the street. Only, his felt fear, and didn't send it out like an army is sent to pillage and destroy. And that's what it felt like. An overpowering army of fear crushing his spirits, crushing his hopes, crushing his dreams. He couldn't say anything to Hakoa.He couldn't say anything to his mother.He couldn't say anything.Utu stood there useless, in every sense of the word. Feeling fear and hatred for her in any way he could. He finally looked up, into the overwhelming army, realizing something terrible.She was right.She was so, so, right.Utu just stood there, the fear in his eyes slowly changed to anger. He could not let her be right. He had to be the one to come out on top. He was different than the rest. Special. Breathing heavily, he lifted his hands up, took hold of Hakoa's wrists, and pried them away from him.She smiled sadly, still a hint of crazy on her face as Utu pushed her away, stepping back. He stumbled as though an energy had held him where he stood before; completely at his mother's mercy. He shook his head again as Hakoa stood threateningly before him in the kitchen, watching him.Utu turned and slammed open the door, walking off into yet another blizzard, into the streets.

 

* * *

The rumbling became louder.

 

Utu, breathing heavily bore holes in Joske's gaze, trying to see the fear he was always so fond of. He closed his mouth, his chin rising again. The glowing dark of his eyes seeming to flash before the Toa of fire. He spoke with a calm intensity, softly breathing the words, hardly loud enough for Joske himself to hear."You won't amount to anything."He blinked a couple times, suddenly reminding him of only one piece of his spiteful home. This made Utu feel suddenly uncomfortable He once more, shoved that away, focusing on what needed to be done.Utu lulled with a couple fingers, willing the rumbling to change course. He was going to let Joske watch. He was going to make Joske watch. The avalanche from the mountain peak tumbled even faster than before, more intense. Utu directing it's flow, and increasing it's velocity. It would miss the village, running against the base of the mountains, sweeping everything in it's path out and away. He didn't know exactly where the six had gone.But it didn't matter.The avalanche passed the village with destructive intensity, the earth shaking as the raging fields of ice and snow ripped along the ground, cascading over itself. It looped a little, fitting not-so-snugly into the basin that the surrounding mountains had made for the village.OOC:Of course, I can't decide whether or not the WC were struck by the avalanche. It was loud and heavy, so it is very likely they all heard/seen/felt it coming. But since it's been through the base of the mountains and behind the village, I assume this will put a bit of a kink in their plans.The time it took for Utu to take control over the avalanche should have given Joske time to either plan something or put it into action, and I'm excited to see what comes of that.And yes, the avalanche was pre-planned after the boat was blown up.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Stannis' heart was pounding with urgency. Behind him, the silent matoran friends activated the little machine to open the tunnel's door for the expedient escape. The Wanderer clutched a pike in his hand, ready to expunge the life of whoever threatened him first. He had to tell the others where to go before they left on their own accord up into the mountains, a foolish proposition. Even with Reordin's lead they wouldn't get far enough. He panted as he bounded to the hut they called home for the night and was welcomed by the sight of Reordin packing his and Takua's things and Oreius standing alert, weapons ready with Sulov standing by him. Leah was sitting but looked prepared and Lepidran, the blessed scientist, shivered as he stood and mumbled to himself like a chanting monk. Reordin's gaze shot from Stannis to his pike and back to his eyes with a strange sort of fright Stannis had never seen before.

 

Stannis was not known to be verbose, and when giving orders was as short-winded as Sulov. "Come with me," he said and exited the way he came. The others followed to keep sight of their prophet. Their scamper was quickened to stay close with Stannis, though they arranged themselves in a single file line, with Sulov predictably in the back though Stannis pointed at the abscess in the side of the mountain and stood the the side, letting everyone pass by as he ensured everything was as well as it could be. No words were uttered and their weapons were bared. They were ready for anything... they thought.

 

A rumble in the hills alerted them of another avalanche but they didn't think anything of it; the last one missed the village anyway. But as the murmur grew louder and louder they were hastened by the Ko-Matoran who cheered them on from the tunnel entrance, waving them on frantically. Suddenly, the rumble was upon them and the white fall glistened in the moonlight glaze. Stannis spared a glance: The avalanche was aimed right for them. "GO!" he shouted though his voice was muffled by the avalanche's roar.

 

The other five bolted the rest of the way. The Ko-Matoran left the hole and went for the apparatus to close the door in the remaining moments afforded, expecting a very close call but intending to make sure there was no mistake in the success of the evacuation. Stannis suddenly found himself at the rear of the team, willing them onward before the snow buried them and prevented their escape.

 

Reordin entered the tunnel. Leah followed. Lepidran entered quickly afterwards. But Oreius stopped for a second, turned and looked back at Joske with eyes of longing and admiration for his fellow Toa of Fire. Sulov passed him, shouting at him to go with them, but it was too late. Stannis tackled Oreius to throw them both into the tunnel before the entrance was sealed in both stone and snow, but it was too late. A terrifying thump sealed not only their exit but their fate.

 

The snow buried them as it did the stone door and The Wanderer and Oreius were enveloped in white and then all faded to black.

 

The company was separated.

 

Ooc: To recap, Reordin is with Leah, Sulov and Lepidran in the tunnel. Stannis and Oreius are forever outside.

Edited December 4, 2012 by EmperorWhenua

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC: Reordin (Ko-Wahi)

 

No.

 

Reordin instantly began trying to punch and kick his way through the stone, tried battering it open, but the rock was immobile and steadfast, much like the Wanderer buried just outside it. Stannis, Oreius, buried, freezing, dying, for all he knew, just yards away, just outside his grasp, and here he was, his deputy, unable to get past a single level of stone to reach him. Punches. Kicks. The first layers of skin and blood began scraping off his fists and giving a macabre decoration to the door of the cave.

 

"Sulov, you have a freaking shovel for a hand! Help me dig!" Reordin barked, even as Leah pulled him away from the door before he broke a bone, holding him tightly to prevent him from charging forward again. The Ko-Matoran's mouth was open, ready to scream another order, or a question at Stannis, trying to see if he and Oreius were okay, had been captured, were really gone...

 

Intelligent blue eyes brimmed red with unshed tears as Reordin collapsed against the wall of the cave, staring blankly at the stone which barred the final third of the Company from entry. Buried in that stare was a single thought, pushing to the surface like a lifeguard, lungs desperately seeking an oxygen reprieve from the crushing depths of ocean.

 

I'm in charge now.

 

-Tyler

Edited December 4, 2012 by Tyler Durden

[Franco]

IC: Reordin's breaking. He's mad and he's sad all at once. Not thinking. Just despairing...Kicking and screaming because he feels lost. He's keeping his mind on the pain in what's behind him, not on the journey ahead. He needs to stop worrying and start leading.

 

I've seen this before. Something needs to be done. And I think I can handle it.

 

So I slap him.

 

He looks up at me. His eyes are wet, but focused. Good. Middling strength of blow caused no permanent damage and shocked him out of it.

 

"Reordin," I say, a little quiet and a little firm. His eyes hit mine with all their hurt and rage and sadness before locking on.

 

"Do your duty."

Edited December 4, 2012 by Norman Efiks

[Emzee]

IC: (Vidar and Ronkshou, Ko-Wahi, engaging Joske)

 

A scrawny, famished man lay in a brick chamber. The walls and floor were the grimy gray, sometimes making it difficult to discern where the floor ends and the walls begin. The man had grown used to the aroma by now, a noxious mix of waste and hunger. Near the far wall, the man laid still on his belly, his left arm limp, but his right arm moving like a painter’s with the same type of concentrated precision. In his hand was a metal fork, still as sharp as it was when the Jailer – the one who invaded his house and has since imprisoned the Toa in the darkest depths of that house – gave it to him along with his first meal. It was his only utensil ever given, and in this realm, utensils never dulled. With it, he scratched against the stone wall, picking off specks and dust with each stroke.

 

The man had been in this position for decades now, making the same motions over and over. His right arm ached, but not more than the rest of his body, which was decorated with purple and black rounded shapes. That, the chained shackles around his ankles, and the many lacerations on his back were all that he wore; the Jailer had taken his clothes.

 

The man’s skeletal hand was a good four inches into the wall. The monotonous task had eased the man’s mind for some time, but now the man was a bit more optimistic than before. He couldn’t really explain why either, as he knew how futile this task was in the grand scheme.

 

However futile it was, carving a millimeter-sized hole in the wall was an achievement. It was something that differed from lying on his belly, staring at the featureless brick before him, feeling nothing.

 

He had not felt anything in over a century, and as he continued carving over these past decades, he began to feel the other side of this stone wall more and more.

 

But it wasn’t enough. He had to see; he had to know that there was still a world outside these walls, and not just more darkness.

 

Ronkshou and Vidar quickly moved themselves from their boat to the docks, Ronkshou carrying his apparatus. This apparatus, when worn, wrapped around the lower section of the infected Hau, covering the large mouth-hole with a terrifying, ravenous design. Ronkshou quickly raised the apparatus to his face and pushed the two sharp prongs into his head. The feeling of taking two metal pikes and ramming them into the back of one’s skull caused a great deal of anguish for the Infected Toa, but it was necessary. With this apparatus, made out of a durable, organic material, Ronkshou infected mask would remain on his face and not even the power of telekinesis could hope to remove it.

 

Ronkshou and Vidar watched as Utu and the Toa of Fire engaged each other. Ronkshou retained a look of indifference throughout the first part of the engagement. Kakama-users were relatively easy to kill, if you learned their pattern. Ronkshou had trained extensively with Vidar over the past one hundred years, and he had been giving the experience to learn several common practices that “speedsters” like to use. The fact that the last fight Ronkshou was in was against a Kakama-user also kept Ronkshou from feeling any doubt about the outcome of this fight.

 

When all was said and done, all Ronkshou would have to do is get it his hands on the Toa and the fight would be over, just like the fight with Wokapu.

 

Ronkshou then glanced down with contempt when the Toa landed the first blow on the newest servant.

 

Not the best look, newcomer, Ronkshou thought. He then leaned to his left towards Vidar. The Dark Toa leaned towards Ronkshou in turn.

 

“I see no reason why we can’t divide and conquer,” Ronkshou said, his tone oddly containing some optimistic pep considering Utu’s current performance, “Circle left and bypass the Toa. Climb the slopes and get into the village”

 

“I’m on it,” said Vidar. He took off in a jog, but then skid to stop and whirled around to Ronkshou.

 

“Ronkshou, this boat-fire is spreading!” hissed Vidar. Ronkshou glanced back at the Toa of Fire and then to the flaming boat again. Ronkshou and Vidar were both trained to watch out for such tricks like this. He presumed that Utu didn’t think enough about to flaming boat to consider what a Toa of Fire could do with such a phenomenon. Understanding the circumstances, he nodded to Vidar and signaled him to keep going. In a flash, the Rahkshi-Toa bolted north running past the slopes and temporarily obscuring himself from the views of Utu and his fiery opponent.

 

Ronkshou had to put this fire out before it could give the Ta-Toa an advantage. He made his way back to his boat and began quickly rummaging through his back pack. Maps, scrolls, and food rations were thrown towards the deck in the process, but Ronkshou soon found a stone drinking cup.

 

Ronkshou cursed. There wasn’t anything better that he had.

 

The Infected Toa swiftly ran to the bow of his boat and scooped a hearty cup of ice-water, splashing it against the flaming boat.

 

The one cup appeared to have put out the entire fire.

 

Naturally, the optical illusion threw Ronkshou for a loop, but it was less than a second before he whirled around, just in time to see a blast of light and heat from the Toa.

 

That’s when Ronkshou felt a twitch deep within his head, a place that he had not sense a disturbance from in decades…

 

Tears that the bearded, atrophic man didn’t know he had begun to stream down his face. A welcome chill began to greet his face and a narrow pillar of light excited his eyes. Through the hole he could see nothing but white, a backdrop for smaller white specs that seemed to be attracted to his right eye.

 

The Toa slowly moved away from the wall, and watched as a large snowflake drifted inside his cell. His right arm, used to doing the same movements for so long, were at first apprehensive about responding to the Toa’s new commands, but with all the effort that he could muster, his arm yielded. The Toa moved his hand to the small hole, and rested his hand, palm facing up. Another tear fell as the snowflake landed gracefully in the Toa’s palm.

 

The light from outside exposed the snowflakes intricate design to the Toa, and he felt something for the first time in almost one hundred years.

 

The Toa had thought the Jailer took away his ability to feel emotion, but it seemed that this Toa’s achievement had granted him this ability once again. He looked down at his palm to see the snowflake soon turn into a drop of musty water, and the Toa’s mood darkened.

 

Footsteps were then heard a distance away, a heartless clomp-clomp against the stone. A lump then grew in the weak Toa’s throat.

 

Gathering specs of rock, the Toa tried to fill the illegal hole that he had, his anxiety skyrocketing and thought processes mimicking that of a dog who knows he’s done something bad and fears his punishment so much that logic is thrown to the wind. However, it was no use, the prisoner couldn't hide this. The Toa now hated the light as much as he loved it just before – as it still protruded through the clumps of dirt, and exposed the Jailer of his deed.

 

Soon, even that light was shadowed by a monstrous shape. The weary, scrawny Toa began to shake, and he was cruelly reminded that yes, emotions had returned to him.

 

Emotions that included raw fear.

 

The prisoner could not say anything to his keeper; the Jailer had taken away his ability to form words. However, the Toa’s eyes said everything, pupils dilated, face still wet and shaking.

 

The returning expression on the Jailer’s face was not that of remorse or grace, though. His mouth had a slight curve to it, a curve that implied a sense of pleasure for what was to follow.

 

It was almost as if he was glad that the prisoner reminded him that he still existed.

 

With his round Proto-Knuckles wrapped around his burly fists, the Jailer proceeded to punish the prisoner.

 

Noises not of anguish, but of a pleading grown man who has been reduced to a child echoed off the walls of the dark chamber. The man, who was more bone now than flesh, jolted upon the ground with each strike that came from the dense metal of the Jailer’s fists. His shrieks and cries only served to fuel the Jailer’s satisfaction. Eventually, the prisoner’s cries turned to whimpers, and the Jailer knew no more sport was to be had with this one.

 

The prisoner was curled up in a ball now, lying in a pool of his own blood, and unable to feel any portion of his body. Once again, the Toa felt nothing. The only objective he had now was to let his body shiver. After a minute, the Jailer’s pounding footsteps softened, until the threat of the brawn was gone.

 

If the Toa had felt the wall again, he would have noticed that it was filled in – as if no scratches had been made at all. If the Toa had felt the floor again, he would have also felt the absence of his only utensil. But alas, the Toa couldn’t feel anything anymore.

 

A quickly as a fleeting pillar of light came, darkness enveloped it once more.

 

Ronkshou crossed his arms and stood comfortably on his bobbing boat. He felt stronger now, and surer of himself. No doubts clouded his soul; no false wishes came from his psyche.

 

Ronkshou was glad he was able to put down the other consciousness while he still could. He looked to see Utu still able to fight, and threatening to take the upper hand once again. Now he could focus on Vidar as continued to scale the slopes and Utu as continued to engage the Toa of Fire.

 

Still, while he hoped for the the Ta-Toa’s sake that he wouldn’t notice Vidar, Ronkshou knew at this point that this Toa of Fire was unlike any Toa he had seen thus far. He had gotten his attention.

 

And it is never wise to get Ronkshou attention.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Emzee

[25K Now!]

IC: Elysi"A rival. Well, a coalition of the man's rivals."

[Friar Tuck]

OOC: WELL PLAYED

 

IC

 

No.

 

NO.

 

NOOOOOOO!!!!

 

There was nothing I could do... nothing I could do...

 

All I could do was watch, watch as those matoran I had just taken a beating for swept away in a river of snow and ice. All he had to do was wave a few fingers and re-arrange the landscape.

 

And kill six people.

 

"You won't amount to anything."

 

I strained against my bonds, those words rattling in my head like a Kohli ball inside a goal hole.

 

"You won't amount to anything."

 

He stood there, his fingers wiggling like he was playing an instrument, letting me know just how powerless I was. Taunting me.

 

"You won't amount to anything."

 

You... you are enjoying this...

 

"You won't amount to anything."

 

You... MONSTER!

 

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

 

I couldn't contain myself any longer; this maniac's tactics pushed me well over my threshold. My self-imposed restraints, those carefully-crafted fences and fail-safes that I had built to contain my overcharged emotions were swept away with that avalanche, smashed and destroyed like clay pots against a hammer. It felt like that first day I obtained my powers, when I went on a fireball rampage, nearly killing several people and destroying property. It was one thing to fight dirty-

 

It was another to simply kill many on a whim.

 

It wasn't just anger though. Not just terrified panic and sadness. No, it was more. Somewhere deep within there was another emotion, one that fed off my anger but did not cave to it. It was fueled by my indignation at this disinterested gesture of mass murder, not consumed by it. It gave me power, power that should have put me over the edge. I should have crossed that line in that moment, but somehow through the frenzy it held me in check. I had no idea what it was. I didn't know how it was controlling me. But all I did know was that I was the conduit for this new emotion.

 

It would not be until later that I learned its true name: righteous anger.

 

I could feel my elemental power reach out across the fjord, absorbing any heat it could find. To the servants of the Makuta that stood there, they noticed a sudden, significant, and uncomfortably cold drop in temperature, so much so that the river itself began to freeze around the boat and the very water vapor in the air sublimed to ice. I could see them looking accusingly at my captor, who shot a look right back at them back with a face that showed he was as confused as they were; he wasn't doing it.

 

It was at this point I screamed at the top of my lungs.

 

My icy prison exploded into a million tiny shards, waves of heat rolling off my body. My opponent was push back once again, struggling against sudden fluctuations of heat and cold, trying to make sense of where I obtained this energy. I got it from the ground. From the air. From the liquid water that was now solidifying around me. Anything that had any sort of miniscule mark of heat my body greedily gobbled up, trying to keep this fire within me burning. Still, it wasn't nearly enough, for my attacker had done a good job removing what little there was. Which meant that in my vicinity there was only one other source.

 

Him.

 

All living creatures produced heat. Plants even. Maybe not a lot, but they did. Even those whose powers resided in the realm of frost and ice still required heat to function, to move, to think, to act... just less of it. But yet a significant source nonetheless.

 

With a quickness that no eye could follow I reached out and snagged his chest piece, preventing his fall back into the water. His eyes widened in surprise as to why I would do this... then shock as he felt his body begin to freeze from the inside out.

 

"No, it is you who will amount to nothing. You who call yourself a Toa yet take up the Makuta's cause. You who stands regally and tries to mimic that of honor yet move with underhanded practice. You who are so COLD and HEARTLESS who kills without thought, without mercy, without the shedding of tears. YOU WHO HAVE HANDED THEIR ICY SOUL OVER TO THE BRINGER OF DARKNESS AND HATE, TO THE VERY INCARNATE HARBINGER OF DESTRUCTION, YOU KILLER OF THE INNOCENT! MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THEY VERY FATE YOU HAVE YOURSELF BROUGHT UPON THEM!"

 

As I spoke to him The very ice that had protected him now was becoming his undoing. As I drained from his body the very essence of his warmth, his heat, adding that power to my own, his body, his liquids, his very tissues began to freeze solid, preventing any form of movement. As I spoke my last sentence his head was encased, and before me stood nothing more than a gigantic iced toa. There was a cracking sound as I pulled my hand away, it having froze to his armor in the process. The Toa of Ice was not dead, nor would he die; he was simply in suspended animation. Due to his immense control over his own element I did not expect it to hold him long, probably only a few minutes, but it would be enough for me to do what I needed. I leaned in close, knowing that somewhere in his subconscious he could hear me.

 

"We're not done yet."

 

The clouds of vapor streaming from my lips punctuated that statement, and without a look back I activated my mask, booking it to where the avalanche took place. When I arrived a split second later it was more horrid than I imagined: nothing but a jagged landscape of white.

 

No no no... !

 

I began a rapid grid of the area, looking for something, ANYTHING, that might point to matoran buried under the snow.

 

"STANNIS! OREIUS! REORDIN! SULOV!"

 

It was no use, I could scream all day and they would not hear me, buried under all that snow. With my options running thin I activated my quickly-diminishing powers, in hopes that they were still sensitive enough to pick up heat signatures in this frozen wasteland. It had been a full minute... now two... oh Mata-Nui, please, don't let them-

 

There!

 

Ok, honestly I had no idea if it was them, a clump of trees, or some wild Rahi that got mixed up in all this, but I sensed something near the base of the mountain. It was the only lead I had so through the wind and snow I bolted to the spot, swinging away with my hammer and heat strikes in an attempt to dig my way down.

 

"Oreius! SULOV! Hold on guys I'm coming... "

 

I couldn't come this far just to fail now.

 

I just... couldn't.

 

OOC: up to you, EW and Company

[Palm]

IC: Utu - Ko-Wahi

 

He was beaten. By a Toa of fire. With Utu's element. Utu slowly drifted deeper and deeper into the icy depths, unable to move. What was he trying to prove? That he was special? Somebody that deserved more? Recognition? If he was to reclaim his reputation, it was going to be something big for this one.As he sank, Utu tried to move, but to no avail. He was just going to fall further and further into the ocean.Utu could do nothing but watch as his body slowly sunk deeper and deeper, realizing how he couldn't hold his breath very long. He realized how cold he felt. He realized he had failed to capture the six he was sent for. He realized just how useless he really was. Once again, Utu was reminded that Hakoa was right. Even in her death, even in his rise to power, that witch was always right. Deeper and deeper, darker and darker, Utu's vision started to wane. The fear started to creep into the cold. He couldn't stay under much longer, and with no sign of Ronkshou or Vidar, Utu was alone again, they weren't there when he needed them. Just like Dorian.Suddenly, a feeling overcame Utu. One he had never really felt before. It wasn't anger, he had plenty of that for Dorian already. But this time, there was something different. It wasn't that he really liked the guy much, in fact, if he had to place him on a spectrum at all, it would be on the red tones. Dorian had left him behind too many times to still be respected by Utu. But despite this, Utu still found himself wanting to care.Dorian fell for Heuani's charismatic presence. No Dorian was chosen to fall for it. Karz, if Utu made it alright with Heuani, Dorian would.And maybe that was the problem. Maybe that's why he hated Dorian.Dorian was chosen.Utu wasn't picked. He walked into the scene himself, quite literally. Heuani didn't see Utu as anything more than an over-glorified soldier; a misguided cannon, and not particularly different than any other of Makuta's servants. Utu was the leader. Utu was the one who commanded Dorian; on the few occasions he was around. Utu brought Tank to his knees during more than one fight. He could've killed him if he had wanted to. He was the one to liberate the Mark Bearers from their boring paradigms and useless lives. He was the one who somehow won over his allies, and his enemies. He was the one who watched Yuru's heart torn from his chest. He was the one who opened the temple doors. He was the one who destroyed the men and women of his village, with little effort; for mistreating him. He was the one who predicted Tank's death. He was the one who captured Kearrstrun; forced him to work for them.But he was the one who was killed.He was the one that was stopped.He was the one that was shunned.He was the one who was treated like dirt for hundreds of years.Utu was the one who failed when it really counted. Even with some of Makuta's most powerful agents he couldn't defeat a rookie Toa of fire, and capture six measly Matoran. Utu couldn't do anything right.The massive Toa of ice suddenly felt compelled not to break free from his ice prison, sink further. Hit, 'rock bottom'. Dorian would've found that one funny. He didn't have anything left here. He never had anything to begin with. All he had ever known was pain and anguish. Fear and hatred. His family, his village, his allies, his enemies. Not once was Utu ever treated with any sort of mutual respect. Not even that, but with genuine interest. Who would miss him? Nobody would miss Utu Kotore."We're not done yet."

 

Alright, maybe that guy, but not for the reasons Utu wanted- no; needed. Utu continued to sink lower, realizing the poetic justice of it all. Other than the lame puns, he was in this situation the first time...He was in this situation the first time he died. Yuru had cut him up, poisoned him, smashed his mask, broke his bones, beaten him, stabbed him. And yet, he came back. He came back to enact justice on the Toa that foolishly attempted to kill him; over leadership of the most uncontrollable, unpredictable people on Mata-Nui. Utu, came, back, to, life.Utu's eyes started to glow. Not like they had when his Mark was active. The bright blue iris' had started to erupt through the deep purple, yet, his Mark remained active. He could feel the high, feel it feed off his own fear. What was happening?He crushed his hand together, freeing it, granting it the ability to move again."We're nothing special Utu."Wrong.Tank died. He watched that stupid waste of a Toa be dragged into the temple. He watched that Toa die. No, roke him. He can burn in karz.Utu crushed his other hand together, watching the ice drift away from both arms.Everybody can burn in karz. They weren't worth his time, his patience, or his attention. He was a god.Utu turned his torso, tearing it from the ice again. He wasn't going to die in this place. Not when Yuru beat him, and not today. Not by some little Toa of fire, a hot-head. Salamander was a better adversary. And he's dead. Yeah, he can burn in karz too. Or, freeze. Whatever would be worse for him.Utu pulled himself upwards, whatever light there was left in the night sky starting to glow brighter, much like his eyes, which were now flashing between a deep purple and a light blue. His legs broke free of the ice, and he kicked them, burning from the strain to reach the surface.Gods don't die.

[Eyru]

IC (Oreius)

 

Oreius opened his eyes, but this did nothing to improve his vision. Everything was dark and cold and wet; he felt an immense pressure pushing at him from all sides.

 

What had happened?

 

The Ta-Matoran's last memory was running for the tunnel into the mountain... the hills were rumbling... he had turned for one second to look back, saw Joske fighting the Toa at the docks... flashes of fire and blasts of ice filled the tiny harbour... then Stannis's shout, someone tackling him, and... darkness.

 

The conclusion suddenly filled Oreius' mind, loud and glaring and inspiring him with a fear greater than any he had ever known before.

 

Avalanche.

 

He was buried beneath unknown tonnes of snow and ice: that explained the cold and the weight. It was difficult, tough not impossible to move; Oreius, after a short struggle, managed to bring his arm in close to his body and feel around for his satchel. After a brief moment of panic, he found it, and his relieved fingers traced the outline of the Essence Stone inside.

 

That was one anxiety calmed, but many more remained. Had the others made it inside safely? He was sure that some of them had, but someone had tackled him from behind... that meant one of the Company was here, buried with him.

 

Pushing his hand into his pack, the Matoran managed to pull out one of the Company's lightstone lanterns. In their haste, he had grabbed whatever he could see and thrown it in his pack. The lantern cast a bright yellow light into the small space Oreius occupied, revealing nothing but cold, white snow in all directions.

 

That satisfied the need for visiblity, but another concern that demanded attention was Oreius's need for oxygen. Sooner or later, he would run out of air; that was guaranteed. He needed to get out before that happened.

 

He took a shallow breath: there was some air, at least. The snow wasn't packed tight. Again, Oreius found himself wordlessly thanking Takua for those offhand words he had given that first day in Ga. In learning how to swim, the Ta-Matoran had learned how to hold his breath longer than many Matoran, and knew how to use efficiently what air he had.

 

But which way was up?

 

Oreius could tell that he was not upright: he felt slightly dizzy and off-balance, though he'd spent enough time swimming to be able to dismiss these feelings without much effort. One got used to being upside-down under the water; being buried in snow was a remarkably similar sensation.

 

That wasn't a problem; what was an issue was that, if he couldn't find out which way was up, he might dig down, and suffocate before he ever reached the ground and found he'd been digging the wrong way.

 

Another brief moment of panic hit him, but he forced it down. He would make it out; he had to. And if he didn't? Well... then that's how destiny went. That's how it was meant to be.

 

The Ta-Matoran ground his teeth at the thought that his death, like Aurax's might be predetermined, and that there was nothing he could do about it. He hated the thought, and that burst of anger gave him strength. He would survive. Prophecy or not, he was getting out of this -alive. If it wasn't meant to be, he would make it meant to be.

 

Pushing out with his arms in a swimming motion, Oreius managed to compact some of the snow around him, clearing a larger space. With some effort, he managed to free another space above his shoulders, enough to allow him to draw one of his swords halfway; his weapons, at least, had stayed with him. That was good. He'd need them if he got out only to find Joske's oppponents victorious and looking for him.

 

He shut out that thought. Joske would win, and he would escape. They needed him to collect the Crystals; he had an important part to play in the destiny of the island. He wasn't meant to die.

 

Reaching for the naked blade of his sword, Oreius deliberately made a small cut on one finger. Bringing his hand around, he squeezed a drop of blood out of the wound, and let it fall. Gravity still worked. It would always fall to the ground.

 

It fell to to the side, leaving a scarlet mark on the snow. That meant the opposite way was up.

 

Tying the lantern to his belt so that it would cast some sort of light for him to see by, Oreius moved to begin pushing his way up, anxious to begin his journey out of the snow, when the red snow below him caught his eye. The crimson mark slowly melted away, sinking into the snow.

 

The Ta-Matoran frowned. If the snow was melting, that meant there had to be a heat source below him. Quickly, he changed course and began digging down, pushing the snow to each side, compacting it to give himself more room. He had shovelled through barely six inches of wet snow when his hand, expecting snow, struck empty space, and then something hard and warm.

 

He kept digging, trying to regulate his breathing as he did so. He uncovered an arm, then a hand, then a shoulder. A few more armfuls of snow, and he uncovered a mask: it was Stannis!

 

The Wanderer was unconscious, but his body still naturally radiated heat, as did all Pa-Matoran. The warmth had melted the snow around him, letting him slowly sink as gravity pulled him down, the snow above him following course.

 

Oreius cleared away as much snow as he could, then pulled Stannis into the best carry he could manage in the snow before beginning to try and climb back up. The Pa-Matoran's warmth alleviated Oreius's shivers, which had begun to grow almost violent: he was a Ta-Matoran, and Ta-Matoran didn't like the cold. Still, there was nothing to do but brave the unknown expanse of snow above him.

 

Taking a step in a general upwards direction, Oreius felt his foot sink down into the snow at least a foot before stopping, the snow compacting until it was hard enough to stand on. He shifted his weight, stepping up, and repeated the process. The each step took hm another half an inch up, but it was better than nothing.

 

The Ta-Matoran was breathing hard after a few minutes. This wasn't working. Every step he took only took him up another fragment of an inch, and he had a feeling that the warmth Stannis was exuding was eliminating much of his already meagre progress. He sat back, exhausted, and let his companion's body slump to the snow.

 

How was he going to get out of this one? He couldn't go up, and going any other way was a recipe for disaster; there was no way of knowing how far the snow extended to either side, and going straight down was suicide. They were well and truly trapped, with no way out.

 

So... was this it, then? Oreius ran through his options in his mind, but they were pitifully few. Every action he could possibly take was useless.

 

So don't act.

 

The rogue thought brushed his mind and was gone, leaving a stunned Matoran in its wake. If he didn't act, then what was he supposed to do? Sit back and wait for his air to run out? Wait for hypothermia to set in? Wait for his body to freeze, entombed forever in this icy grave?

 

No... the answer wasn't inaction, but neither was it action. It was not action that had taken them this far, through so many toils and snares already. It was not action that had led them from Stone to Stone, and then to Joske. It was not action that had protected them and guided them all along; it was faith.

 

Prophecy.

 

Wandering.

 

It was only by following the Wanderer that the Company had made it this far; it was only by trusting in the will of Mata Nui that they collected the Stones they had. Unbidden, the words of the Prophecy rose to Oreius's mind:

 

The Wanderer’s tread

Leads to what lies ahead

 

Willingly or not, they had followed the Prophecy; by trusting in Stannis, they had committed themselves to destiny. His footsteps marked the path they were to walk; it was only by treading where he trod that they would make it to what lay ahead.

 

The Ta-Matoran looked despairingly at the unconscious Pa-Matoran who lay next to him. Stannis was out cold! How could he lead them to safety, beyond this danger, when Oreius was in charge of their fates?

 

Stannis was beginning to slowly sink again, his natural body heat melting the snow beneath him, turning it to water and further melting the snow below. Oreius reached out to grab his companion again, then stopped, his hand frozen in midair.

 

The Wanderer was not active, but neither was he inactive. Even unconscious, he wandered.

 

The way out was down.

 

A month ago, Oreius would have thrust aside this possibility as ludicrous, insane. But a lot had transpired in these past weeks, and he understood now that, whether you liked it or not, destiny was always playing her game. If you were to live, you would live. If you were to die, you would die. She would always provide a way out to those who listened.

 

The Wanderer listened, even in his dreams, and now Oreius would follow. He would follow even though that meant going against his instincts and tunnelling down, as though he were making for Karzahni itself.

 

This phrase stirred a memory to the forefront of Oreius's mind; in truth it was not that many days ago that he had said these words, but he felt as though it happened a lifetime ago, as though he were looking back through years and years:

 

“...all I want to do is to make a difference on this island. I want to strike some small blow against the Makuta. If you can help me do that, I will follow you to Karzahni and back."

 

Now was time to make good on that promise.

 

Stannis was already sinking more quickly: as his body heat melted the snow, it turned to water and, in turn, began melting the snow beneath it. Oreius joined his strength to this effort, shovelling snow from beneath the Wanderer in an attempt to aid their progress downwards.

 

They advanced much more quickly going down than they had going up. Within minutes, they were at the bottom of a long, tube-shaped hole that led up to where Oreius had first gained consciousness. There was no telling how far down they were, though, or how far they were from the ground. Oreius had no idea what they would do when they actually hit the ground; he had no illusions about tunnelling through the tundra. Once they hit the ground, that would be it.

 

No, it wouldn't, he reminded himself.

 

The Wanderer’s tread

Leads to what lies ahead

 

Destiny called, and this time it was Oreius who answered. This time, it was the Ta-Matoran who allowed the prophecy to guide his steps, and wander to where he was meant to go.

 

At last, Oreius saw the truth. Stannis wasn't the only wanderer. Sure, he was the Wanderer, but the entire Company was actually meant to be wanderers. They were not meant to take action, and neither were they meant to sit back and do nothing. No, they were meant to wander, allowing destiny to guide their paths. For so long, the Ta-Matoran had been blind to this reality, and it had caused him no small amount of grief. For him, following destiny had been a constant struggle between what logically seemed right, and what Stannis said was right. But that wasn't it at all.

 

As the two Matoran tunnelled down through the snow, Oreius realized that the struggle had never been between his logic and Stannis's faith. No, it had been between his logic and his faith. The destiny that guided Stannis was the same destiny that guided him. By choosing to follow the Wanderer's path, he had chosen to answer the call that had been sounding in his own heart ever since that first day he had tried to turn his back on destiny.

 

Stannis guided them, but now Oreius could see that he was less of a guide than a translator, helping the the Company understand the Prophecy that had been written about all of them. The stars hadn't spelled out one destiny that Stannis chose to share with them. No, Mata Nui had given them all a destiny to share in, and with that came the ability to hear and to follow. Stannis had a head start, but he was by no means the only Wanderer. They were all wanderers; they just hadn't seen it yet.

 

For now, they only saw through a darkling glass, but a time would come when they would see and understand as though face to face with Mata Nui himself.

 

Abruptly, Oreius found himself falling; the snow beneath him had given way, and he and Stannis fell a few feet before hitting... water.

 

Water.

 

The fjord.

 

The avalanche had carried them out of the hills and suspended them between the sky and the water, between the cliffs of the fjord. Though fjords were at sea level, meaning there was little to no current, they were still subject to the tides. And if the tide was going out, then the water would carry some of the snow with it, creating a tunnel over the water. That explained the empty space they had fallen through before hitting the water.

 

Oreius kicked with all his might, and broke the surface, taking a deep breath of cold, sweet air. He wasted no time in enjoying his freedom, though, but immediately dove back under and grabbed Stannis's unconscious form. The ice-cold water stabbed at him like a thousand knives, but he refused to let go, instead pulling Stannis to the surface.

 

As he broke the surface for the second time, the Ta-Matoran quickly shifted his grip on Stannis and pulled him into a cross-chest hold, a hold he'd learned in Ga-Koro. By wrapping his arm under the Pa-Matoran's arms and across his chest, he could keep his head above water while keeping his legs and other arm free to do a sidestroke.

 

The unconscious Pa-Pa-Matoran involuntarily coughed up some water. Hopefully Stannis hadn't inhaled too much water in the brief time he'd been under, but the shock of the icy water had probably been just as bad for him as for Oreius, and he needed to get out of the water as soon as possible. Joske might have been able to go for a dip in the morning and show off his powers, but Oreius and Stannis were just two Matoran: they didn't have special abilities or mask powers, and half of the duo was unconscious while the other half was nearing the limit of his strength.

 

The tide was already carrying them out gradually, but Oreius sped up the trip by kicking with his legs and paddling with his one free arm. This sidestroke was hampered by the satchel that floated alongside the Matoran, but Oreius didn't dare let it go. If he lost the Essence Stone, they were as good as dead anyway.

 

At last, Oreius saw light. Using the last of his strength, he swam out of the mouth of the tunnel of snow, and into the bay. The sun was just rising, lighting up the sky in brilliant streaks of peach and yellow and purple, and revealing heaps of snow floating in the water.

 

The Ta-Matoran struggled to shore, and managed to pull himself and Stannis out of the freezing water. He was too exhausted to care whether anyone could see them; if they had finished off Joske fast enough to be on the lookout for them already, then there no point in hiding anyway. Instead, he turned his attention to the unconscious Pa-Matoran. Placing an ear next to the Wanderer's mouth, he listened for any sort of breathing, and was relieved to feel Stannis's warm breath against his cheek. His pulse was strong and healthy, which was no doubt partly thanks to his natural body heat, which helped to ward off hypothermia.

 

Oreius pulled his companion a little farther up the beach, managing to get behind a clump of rocks, but couldn't get any farther. He would have to rest here before moving on; he couldn't carry Stannis all day, and even if Stannis did wake up, he wouldn't be able to move right away...

 

The Ta-Matoran struggled to keep himself awake; the cold wasn't helping him at all right now. Keeping his hand on his satchel (the Stone was still there), he remained next to Stannis, holding the Pa-Matoran close: the prospect of freezing to death was less inviting than the idea of Stannis waking to find them snuggling.

 

Oreius had never been much of a religious man, but there was no other explanation: he had been guided out of the avalanche by following the Prophecy, which had been given to them by Mata Nui, through Takua. Not through his own action or inaction, but by his decision to follow the Great Spirit.

 

Okay, he was asleep. But, even slumbering, he had led Takua from Makuta's lair, and given him the Prophecy and the secrets to awakening new heroes. Even slumbering, he had somehow guided the Company from Stone to Stone, clue to clue, and worked in subtle ways to ensure that new heroes would rise.

 

The Ta-Matoran looked to the sky, lit up in a fire of colours as the sun rose. The Great Spirit had always been associated with the sun in the Matoran culture; this seemed as good a time as any to talk to him, if he was there.

 

“Mata Nui,” he said quietly. “If you're there... I mean, if you're listening...”

 

“Thank you.”

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok

 

You're going about this all wrong, Tarnok.

 

The Matoran allowed the saperka to be pulled from his grasp, releasing it, and grabbing the sword from his back. He'd picked it up during the Hive battle, though he had yet to use it in a combat scenario, simulated or real. It wasn't his preferred weapon, though he had the skills necessary to use it effectively.

 

He immediately went into a defensive posture, waiting for Iulius to make the next move.

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

IC: Lepidran was smart enough to realise that, even if they could tunnel through the avalanche, they probably shouldn't. They'd been taking this tunnel as a means to escape whatever was out there, they shouldn't walk back into its clutches. Especially since the avalanche would have given it the terrain advantage, knocking every defender aside like leaves in the wind no doubt. Not a happy-thought. Still, Stannis and Oreius were both skilled survivors, and this was Stannis' home turf so they had a few odds in the favour and no doubt tricks up their sleeves as well.

While he waited for Sulov to calm down the frantic Reordin he took stock of their surroundings. It didn't take long. They were in a tunnel, dim and damp. Their body heat melted patterns of frost on the wall only for it to freeze again in brand new styles. Hmm, that could be a problem. Whoever was following them had been able to trace them over land and sea, so were phenomenally skilled at hunting. It would not take them long to think of looking for heat signatures in this cold place. And then the four of them would stand out like sore thumbs. Some Skakdi could see such things as a natural talent, it wouldn't surprise him to learn that the Makuta's creatures could pick such a skill up as well.

Lepidran swung his pack of his back, and began rummaging through it, looking for the glass jars he'd had specially reinforced. He'd expected them to come in useful for holding food or water without breaking, but he had a few empty ones after eating the rations in them. If he could find one he knew how to block their heat trail

[Kopekemaster]

IC Ka'tru:

Ka'tru simultaneously swung his body and let go of the handles on the cable car, landing on the soft yet chilling snow. He then walked forward and through some snow dunes. He opened a door, then walked through towards the Ko-Koro temple.

 

OOC:

I actually had to re-play a part of MNOG to figure out the general map of Ko-Koro!

Edit: I have recently been notified that the cable car was destroyed. So here is my new and improved version of the above post:

 

IC Ka'tru:

 

Black, then white. A glaring white that nearly blinded Ka'tru. He had suddenly awoke in the snow outside Ko-Koro. Struggling to wake up fully, he sat up, put his hands on the ground, and tried to stand up, but failed. Again he tried, this time successful. He then walked forward and through some snow dunes. He opened a door, then walked through towards the Ko-Koro temple.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Kopekemaster

[Madu Cabolo]

IC: Toa Kaldrus

 

As Ka'tru makes his way toward toward the temple of ice, a mysterious figure emerges from the shadows of the tunnel. "Not so fast, stranger." With a snap of his finger, an ice block emerged in front of the Vo-Toa. "I am in search of news. It has been a long age since I walked this path. None have found me yet, thanks to this-" He pointed at his Kanohi Volitak. "There is much to be done and I have waited too long. The Koro is in need of help. Will you join me?" The Toa of Ice removed the block of ice in front of the Toa of Lightning.

[Kopekemaster]

IC: Ka'tru

Ka'tru was shocked by the sudden intrusion to his schedule, but, primarily because of the mysterious pretenses of this stranger's request, he answered.

"Indeed I will help you. But I must know more of what this is about."

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

Leah gently pushed Sulov out of the way after his rather unorthodoy means to get Reordin back into the present again and helped the Ko-Matoran back to his feet. She thought about commenting on the slap, but decided that was just Sulov being Sulov and let it go. They had more important things to worry about right now. Pulling Reordin off of the ground caused a sharp pain to shoot through her, originating from her shoulder. She took a moment to examine it. She placed her hand over her deltois and rotated the joint. The jolt of pain came again.

 

Must have happened during the shoving to get in here, she thought. It hurt, but she would be able to use it. Besides, in this environment, the cold was going to numb her anyway. She took a closer look at the rest of herself as well, making sure nothing else was damaged, but aside from a few bruises and scratches there was nothing wrong.

She then turned back to the wall of ice and snow covering the entrance behind them. Red spots were visible in the snow where Reordin hat hurt himself while punching the ice. Leah could relate to the feeling. She would have wished to get back out there as well, the help Stannis and Oreius, but they couldn't get through. One good look at the obstruction was all that was needed for that to sink in.

 

While Reordin collected his thoughts, Leah mentall went through their options. They could stay here and hope that the rest of their company would find a way in, or that Joske could melt a way through the avalanche. But with the Makuta's servants battling the Toa and their friends buried and hurt or worse, neither trying to dig a way out or wait for the others to get in was a good plan. No, there was only one way they could go; which was forward, down the dark tunnel. She slipped her backpack off her shoulders and reached inside, retreaving a lightstone which she fastened to her hip, so she would have light while having her hands free. When she looked up, she noticed Lepidran was doing something similar. "What are you doing?" she asked, curious, but with a hint of urgency in her voice. It was no good staying and chatting for too long.

[Madu Cabolo]

IC: Toa Kaldrus

 

"All will be revealed in time. There is much that even I do not know..." The Toa of Ice shuddered. "And much is dark. But there is a light in the darkness. We are the light. As I said, our destinies are bound. There is much that you have forgotten.... Brother." The Toa of Ice laid his hand on Ka'tru's shoulder. "You must trust me."

 

OOC: BTW, me and kopekemaster are doing this together. We are just writing the precursor storyline right now.

Edited December 4, 2012 by LoTR_Nui

[Friar Tuck]

IC

 

I beat on the snow with waning strength, my hammer falling less and less regularly, the strokes I made growing weaker and weaker... just like the signatures I detected. I threw my heart and soul into digging, but I just had no strength left. Falling to my knees I tried to claw my way down with my bare fingers, the dense, packed snow tearing at my frozen fingers. My hoped faded as did the heat below me did...

 

No, no, Mata-Nui please...

 

Gone.

 

I knelt there in the icy silence, nothing but the howling wind and my own thoughts to keep me company. I was... I was too late. Whoever or whatever was down there was there no more, nothing but a frozen corpse, forever buried in the spirit-forsaken region.

 

I... failed.

 

I collapsed in the snow, feeling the silent, dry sobs overtake my body; I had no energy let alone water to spare for my emotion. I may have won the battle, but I lost the war, my first mission already a catastrophic failure. I could not protect a few matoran from a single toa. A single toa. I felt more crushed than whatever vile things that madman could ever inflict on me. I couldn't handle it. I just... I just...

 

I grabbed my hammer and smashed the snow, well aware I was wasting what precious energy I had left, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered at this point. The matoran were lost, their mission lost, the island-

 

I began to fall.

 

In a moment of desperation I reached out, spreading-eagle myself in an attempt to stop my sudden decent. I clawed at the ice, jamming my feet into the snow-

 

And as quickly as it started, I lurched to a stop.

 

Below me was a chasm... no, a hole; a hole that went straight down. A hole that was perfectly symmetrical, ice-crusted as if heated, and perfectly straight down... down so far that I couldn't see the bottom. In fact, it was so far that in my attempt to halt my decent I lost my hammer, and it when crashing and clamoring down this chasm until out if sight... then I heard it. A splash.

 

Splash?

 

No, no hole... tunnel. A perfectly matoran-sized tunnel leading down to the stream below... an escape tunnel. As I hung there suspended, I could feel my chest moving again, but this time it wasn't sobs; it was laughter. A hoarse, dry, heaving laughter.

 

You , smart, clever matoran! You didn't need me; you got away yourself.

 

Only two months into my transformation I had already forgotten how resourceful the little ones were. I didn't know how they pulled it off, and I didn't care; they were safe, and probably miles away from here. That's all I needed to know. With great effort I heaved myself back into the snow and cold, crawling a little ways before my arms giving out.

 

I sighed, laying there. So I had succeeded. Bruised, broken, cold, and tired, but I did what I needed to do. I won. I was also tired, and so very cold; I began to curl up slightly, the lulling call of sleep caressing my mind and I began to fall into darkness' awaiting arms, blessed, sleep-

 

Wake up you nitwit.

 

My eyes snapped open. Had someone said something? I labored a breath but didn't notice anything, closing my eyes once agai-

 

Don't you dare fall asleep. I mean, seriously, after all this you're thirty seconds away from survival and you give up now? Come ON!

 

I grunted, trying to make sense of what was going on. "Who... what-"

 

I heard a series of crunching noises, followed by several clunks on the head. Dude, you fall asleep you now, that's it. You're done. Don't you want to get home? I mean, what's the point of being the hero if there's no one left to proclaim the victory? And here I thought you were the best.

 

"I am the best, . Leave me alone." I mumbled, struggling to look up. Through the cold and snow I saw... me? Was I... hallucinating? "Who... ?"

 

There was an arrogant laugh followed by a snort. I'm your Ego, cha! Seriously. Boy are you a wimp.

 

I tried to move, blinking in absolute confusion. I... I was seeing things. Clearly delusional. I tried to close my eyes-

 

I was shaken awake. HEY! I said no sleeping. What part of that don't you understand, you idiot? Don't you want to survive? Don't you want to see Cael again?

 

Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa.

 

"That's... wait... no... what?" I struggled to move, trying to get my arms under my chest in order to pull myself up and get a better look at this maniac. "What are you talking about? She's not- "

 

Just a friend, I know. Sister maybe, that's what you called it. But we both know otherwise.

 

No. You're wrong, and crossing that line.

 

No I'm not.

 

Yes you are.

 

Nope.

 

Yes.

 

No.

 

Yes.

 

No.

 

YES!

 

Hey! Would you look at that! Is that a spark of emotion down there? I think you're getting warmed up! I could feel him lean on my back, his very none nonchalant. Look, gotta give yourself some credit here bro. You are the winner of four Cooper Masks. Count them: four. You've got a stunning physique, not to mention an amazing, if not capturing, smile.Your actions, for the most part, are known across all four corners of the island, and once you get back to Agni and the others your fame will increase tenfold. You are the greatest sportsman who have ever lived, and probably WILL live, never once losing a match that mattered, and record that still holds even after today. You have an excellent, if not tyrannical and bull-headed teacher, and a Ga-Toa doctor who is, well, in short, very easy on the eyes.

 

After listening to this guy ramble on I had struggled to my knees, but that was as far as I could go. He knelt down close and began whispering in my ear. Not only does she have a body to die for, but she has a brain to match; just look at her skill with it. There isn't a better healing on the whole island, which means she has spent her life mastering this craft, and only those gifted could do what she does. Now, don't you find it just a weeeee bit interesting that after she saved your sorry butt she decided to stay. Stay despite the need of her skills. Stay with you despite no real reason to stick around. Despite, well, even ME. There was a pause. Look, once is Chance; Twice is Coincidence; thrice is a Conspiracy. Have you noticed the way she looks at y-

 

SHUT UP.

 

There was a moment of blessed silence. Look... Ego, if that's what you really are... why are you making my life miserable right before I'm about to die?

 

There was another arrogant laugh. You deranged fool. I'm trying to save your life.

 

What?

 

His voice lowered. Yes, Joske, I am trying to save your life. That mask of yours, all you have to do is stand and walk, and in a few moments you'll be back to safety. Back to where you need to be. Back to your friends. Back to her. There was another pause. Face it, I'm just being honest. You are one-of-a-kind, the best; that's a fact. You deserve only but the best. She IS the best, and you know it. Just not willing to admit it.

 

No, that's not true.

 

What, that you're the best?

 

No-

 

That she's the best?

 

NO-

 

That you want h-

 

"Spiritdammit shut up already!" I said out loud, realizing that I had been having a mental conversation for a while. I took a staggered breath. "Look, you're wrong. I respect Cael for who she is and what she represents. Yes, she is the best, and I would be dead if it wasn't for her. And for that alone is reason enough you're wrong." I took a few breaths to calm my racing heartlight. "There are hundreds of others on the island, and if out of respect and care I eliminate one, it's my prerogative. So will you just shut up and leave her out of it?"

 

Maybe.

 

How?

 

Get yourself moving.

 

What?

 

Simple. I know this is a very touchy subject for you, and possibly the only thing that could get you riled up enough to literally stand. Yeah, I'm just that good, knowing where you're buttons are... hehe...

 

So... if I stand up... you'll stop.

 

Yup.

 

Sure?

 

Absolutely. I have keen interest in your survival you know... they're two of us in here.

 

Great.

 

So... you gonna stand?

 

Working on it.

 

Riiiiight...

 

You try getting up when you're practically frozen solid!

 

That sounds like and excuse. And only wimps make excuses. WIMP.

 

Hey.

 

PANSY.

 

Shut up!

 

Won't-admit-that-Cael's-his-girlfriend.

 

GAAAAAH!

 

I blinked. There I was, standing in the snow, panting heavily. After a moment though I felt that annoying presence.

 

All right! Now run.

 

Run?

 

Yup. To a place where its always warm-

 

Warm? I took a step.

 

Atta champ! When the going get's touch the tough get going! It'll be sunny.

 

Sunny? I staggered a few more.

 

That's right, this is how the best beat death, and you're the best, right?

 

Right. The best. I might not have been a straight line, but I was now jogging.

 

No-one can defeat you. You're freaking invincible! You are Joske, the greatest toa on the island!

 

Yeah... invincible!

 

My legs were churning under the snow, running like a drunkard over the endless white patch. I could feel my Kakama begin to glow, it's powers finally coming to life.

 

And only the best deserve Cael!

 

You said you'd shut up, you arrogant !@#$%^&

 

Oops, my bad.

 

There was a sonic boom as I left the wastes behind me.

 

OOC: Joske to Ga-Koro

Edited December 4, 2012 by Friar Tuck

[Kopekemaster]

IC Ka'tru:

If Ka'tru was shocked before, it was nothing compared to the overwelming flood of surprise he experienced now. But along with that flood of suprise came an equally powerful flood of memories. Only a flash of a memory, a still image, a sound, a voice. A voice similar to that of the stranger's.

"You call me brother, but I get the feeling you know my name. What is your name, stranger?"

[Mef Man]

IC(Jade)

(Ko-Koro; heading toward Ga-Koro)

Jade's search for a ride to Ga-Koro had proved fruitless. The Toa of Electricity was going to hike Mount Ihu and make her way to Ga-Koro. It would take a while, but if it meant being that much closer to answers, then it was worth it.

 

After gathering enough supplies, Jade heads toward Ga-Koro.

 

OOC: Jade to Ga-Koro.

 

 

-Mef Man

[Madu Cabolo]

IC: Kaldrus

 

"I am Toa Kaldrus. You are Ka'tru. You were my brother, in the time before. But now we are the only ones left." the Toa of Ice turned away. His voice betrayed sorrow. "The only ones except... him." Kaldrus spoke the last word with a note of utter hatred. "The one who sent the others to there deaths. You wouldn't remember..... Lesovikk now, would you brother?" Kaldrus spat out the word Lesovikk as if it burned him. "Now we are the only ones left. We were the first Toa to band together. We accomplished great deeds, and saved many. But the foolishness of one destroyed many. We were away when the rest were destroyed. We had been ordered to guard the Turaga. Another great fool if there ever was one. The madness took you, and you forgot much. I was able to cure you, but you could not remember anything, and you ran away. Then, it took the Turaga who betrayed his matoran. I was away again at the time. When I returned, the land was deserted. I searched long and far. But I despaired and came to this place. It has offered me solitude and peace to think and Seek." Kaldrus closed his fists. "But I have been inactive for too long. I have neglected my duty. But I am returning to my destiny. And together, we will be unified. Follow me." Kaldrus began to lead back through the entrance and out onto the snowy wastes.

[Kopekemaster]

IC Ka'tru:

Ka'tru, still stunned, followed him.

Yes, these things he was saying made sense. The pieces fit together like a puzzle. But most of the pieces were still missing. He had half- or a third of an image now in his mind. But more flashes of memory came back to him. Lesovikk. That name. It brought about in his head a hatred, yet of a different kind than Kaldrus had for him. It was more like a kind of shame, really.

 

The madness.

 

Now that was a clear memory. The coughing fits, the eternal darkness while still the days went on. In that time, he had his full memory. Yes, the madness. That must have been what the Turaga had gotten to betray the Matoran. That would be the only way.

 

The running. This brought another deluge of thoughts. The blinding days, the everlasting nights. Yes, Kaldrus had healed him, but not fully. He still could only remember parts, and the days, weeks, months spent running were all mashed together, as in a dream.

"Yes, yes I will help you. But where do we go now?"

Edited December 5, 2012 by Kopekemaster