Bzprpg - Ko-Wahi

[Palm]

OOC:Whoops, thanks for fixing that.IC: Utu - Ko-WahiUtu also smiled, "You think I won't kill him?" the smile twitched larger, the shard of ice coming closer to the Matoran's eye, nearly touching it, "I don't need to capture all six of you my friend."The Toa of fear looked down at the heated Matoran with an amused intensity, "I met a Toa like you once. He thought that he could get away with crossing moral lines, and still be what our society considers to be "good"," Utu shook his head, "He was willing to contract my death to "protect" others. And you know what?" Utu asked, his voice rising slightly, "It worked," he reached for his own blade on his back, pulling it from its sheath. He didn't plan to use it quite yet. Only if things got heated, "He killed me."Utu spread his arms a little, an amused look on his face, the smile oddly large for one describing one's death, "And all those people he tried to protect? They all died. Every last one of them."Utu ground his fist, crushing the ice around his captive Ko-Matoran. A cry of pain sounded shrilly from behind the screeching cracking ice, halting the Ta-Matoran's advance, "Now. Put the stone and your weapons on the ground."

[Vezok's Friend]

IC:

 

Leah felt relieved at the thought that they had gotten what the came here for. But now that they held Kopaka's essence-stone, one other question took priority for her: "Can we get out of this cold now?"

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

A cry of fear and pain escaped Korero's mouth, the cold of the ice not numbing but sharpening the pain of its contraction as it squeezed inwards, compressing his diminutive body.

 

"Oreius...help..." he managed to croak weakly.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC: Reordin (Ko-Wahi)

 

The Ko-Matoran didn't answer Leah right away, still engrossed in plotting out a path with the map. With Stannis and Oreius gone, and their company almost completely bifurcated, it would be safe to assume that the others would be trying to come up with an entirely new travel plan, and as such, it would be up to the guards of the group, who had made a career off changing their situation and adapting tactics based on real-time info, to try and come up with one as well. Such was Reordin's favorite strategy, constantly proven feasible by multiple battlefield successes and Sanctum defenses.

 

"Yeah, we can get out of here now, Leah," he said, giving the guard the benefit of a small smile as he folded up the map. "We're headed south, back to the Fau Swamp. I'll take point, Sulov, you take the rear, yadda yadda, you guys know the drill."

 

"But what about..."

 

"Stannis and Oreius knew that the next place we were going was to get Pohatu's stone. If they head there, while we get the final stone at Le-Wahi, we can save time and then meet up together at the keeping place," Reordin advised. "They'll be fine, Leah, they're warm weather Matoran and they're both tough as nails. You all, on the other hand, despite your many, many admirable qualities, aren't impervious to, you know...freezing to death. So we should get out of here."

 

OOC: Reordin, Leah, Sulov and Lepidran back to Le.

 

-Tyler

[Eyru]

IC (Oreius)

 

Oreius’s sword wavered in the air, his arm trembling. It was not fear that made him shake, however, but anger. Red-hot fury burned in his eyes as he listened to Korero beg for help. When at last he spoke, his voice was no longer as cold and hard as steel: it shivered with passion and barely-restrained rage.

 

“You… are a coward,” he managed, not noticing the Stone in his hand glowing brighter as he spoke, casting a faint nimbus of scarlet light on the fresh snow. “You will regret that, son of filth, and your master.”

 

Then he was moving, no longer able to restrain the passion that burned within him. His sword held high in his right hand and the burning Stone clutched tightly in his left, he advanced upon Utu as quick as a thought.

 

His only advantage was his size and his speed. He would need to use those to his full advantage in this fight, as he had been trained to do. The former Guard had spent many years fighting large, menacing Rahi, and it was the same in those situations: a Matoran’s greatest ally was his stature and his speed. This Toa of Ice… he may have been strong and capable of freezing the very breath in the Ta-Matoran’s lungs, but his size only made him a bigger target. There was more of him to defend.

 

Feinting to the left, Oreius faked a jab at the Toa’s right knee, before darting to the right and aiming a slash at the back of the Toa’s left knee. All it would take was one hit to send the Toa crashing to the ground, his tendons severed and his leg no longer able to hold any weight. Typically, the back of the joint was rarely a well-armoured spot; Oreius was hoping this would hold true for the Ko-Toa, who looked more like a walking suit of armour than anything.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Eyru Bieber

[25K Now!]

IC: [Elysi]

 

"Oi, Zongu. Have you found their house yet?"

[Palm]

IC: Utu - Ko-WahiThe Matoran moved for Utu. He was expecting such stubbornness from a Matoran of fire. Utu might've been fooled by the feign for his one leg had he not thrown up a pillar of ice from under the Matoran at such an angle he was tossed backwards through the air. Utu had stepped back in case the attack had not worked. He wasn't going to take any chances."You don't seem to understand me Matoran," The Matoran landed, Utu calling out with his voice raised and full of impatience, "Every time you don't put down that stone, I hurt your friend," the ice crackled again, this time with a little stronger a sound. A much louder cry for pain was sounded, this time the pain much more obvious in the sound. He suddenly called out, "Once more and I carve out his eye."

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

Korero's mask was screwed up in pain, his eyes tight shut, trying in vain to shut out the crushing agony of the ice. The Ko-Matoran could no longer muster the strength for words; all he could do was cry out and hope against hope that soon Oreius would make it stop.

[Wotz]

IC: Zongu

 

"Give me a minute."

 

He continued to knock on random doors.

 

OOC: Now to devour Vorex for not posting as Keuirce for about a million years.

[Constructelf]

IC: Thliveros

It was a typical day in Ko-Koro. It was snowing lightly light flurries that did nothing to deter the Ko-Matoran about their business. However, something did: the news about the destruction of Kumu and of the attempted invasion of Le-Koro. Everybody was on edge as they went about their daily lives. The marketplace was more jittery than usual, with rumors about the attack spreading like the plague. Every matoran in the bazaar was at least a little bit nervous.

 

As the village buzzed about, there was a place where the peace was preserved. In the famous sanctum of Ko-Koro, scholars remained silent as they went about their duties, like nothing had ever happened. There was one being who seemed out of place however. What appeared to be a toa, wearing an insectoid shaped mask, was meditating in the center of the Sanctum, pondering the recent events. An Anzaros warrior, Thliveros was not known for his letters. Today, however, he seemed to find a certain peace within the Sanctum like he never had before. After all, it was the only quiet place in town. He sat, still as a stone, his mind seemingly having left his body, wandering in a distant world...

[Emzee]

IC: Ronkshou – Ko-Wahi, near the Massif – Afternoon

 

A Toa whose determination and skill matches mine! Ronkshou thought, Had it been any other time, I would be grateful. Ronkshou seethed as his right leg succumbed to the blow of one of Antrim’s powerful legs.

 

However, this would not be the first time that Fate has tried to thwart me and the will of my Master, thought Ronkshou. As he felt himself falling forward towards the sparkling white sheet of snow, the Infected Toa extended both of his arms and planted them in the soft snow patch. Wasting no time at all, the infected Toa rolled to the left, and then pulled his lower body upwards to jump onto his feet again. By the time all of this happened (it took but a single instance of time, but for Ronkshou, it was an instance forever lost) Ronkshou found his opponent back on equal footing with him.

 

Nothing was lost, but nothing was gained either.

 

Now that Ronkshou knew that Antrim would surely use his sword for defense as well as offense, the Infected Toa realized that he would need to change his strategy. Antrim likely anticipated the kick after the failed jabs – Ronkshou would surely have done the same thing if the roles were switched.

Since nothing seemed to have changed throughout these bouts of moves, Ronkshou decided to change things up. Last time Ronkshou made the first move; now he wanted to see what this Toa would do. He retained his fighting stance as he bore upwards to Antrim’s large frame, Ronkshou’s murky-red eyes glaring at his opponent.

 

IC: Vidar – Ko-Wahi, near the Massif – Afternoon

 

The vicious monster growled and clawed like a ravenous animal hungry for its prey. It took all but a minute for Vidar to pound and compact the snow enough to get a decent handle on the icy mounds. Soon, the Parakuka-activated Toa began to rise out of the indentation, sharp talons gripping the white edges while his staff remained strapped to his back.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Ko-Koro Prison~

 

The Vortixx sat against the wall, eyes wide open, not moving an inch. He had been like that for three days, still and silent, not sleeping nor eating. He didn't blink, he just stared at the bars imprisoning him. If a guard were to simply check in on his terrorist prisoner, it would appear that Kai had died. And while Kai had died, it wasn't in the conventional way. Kai had mentally died. He had spent the last month or two of his life gathering as much information about The Peers that he could in an attempt to save the islands. He had murdered a little girl to create himself a gun that he could point at the Peers when he finally found them. He had blown up Ko-Koro so that they had an incentive to build up their defenses so that if the Peers attempted to infiltrate Ko-Koro they would be ready. But murdering Lara had not been part of the plan.

 

Kai was the kind of guy who learned things through hands on experience. When making his elemental armor, he had haphazardly put the suit together as soon as he could to see if it would work, not bothering with blueprints, and ignoring anything that his co-workers said, which led to many expensive failures. This attitude put him at odds with his co-workers, but he couldn't help it, because for some reason, Kai's brain was special. Whether it was a virus, a deformity, or a curse from the Great Spirit Mata Nui, Kai's brain didn't process information gleaned from audio or visual inputs as well as it did from his sense of touch. He would've forgotten what he had saw on the blueprints, or what he had heard from his co-workers before the knowledge had been used. The same went for killing people. When he had ordered Xare and Kun to kill Odhrán and the others, his messed up audio input kept him from realizing what a horrible thing it was to send someone to kill another. When he had bombed Ko-Koro, while he did see and hear about the horrible things that had happened, a million was just a statistic. He didn't know any of those people, and to be perfectly honest, even that horrible act didn't register to him as disgustingly unnecessary evil, only as a necessary evil. However, when he killed Pearl and Lara, it was a different story. His brain understood perfectly what he had done to those girls, and had never let him live it down. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Pearl's terrified eyes as she protected the closest thing she had to a family with her life. Every time he grabbed something with his hand, he could feel his sword cutting through her body, or his finger pulling the trigger that sent the bullet through Lara's mask.

 

While Veros had Atonal to help him cope with his failure, Kai had nobody. He was in confined in a cell, and visited once a day by a guard that brought him food that he didn't eat. He had no reason to live, and was fine with simply dying in his cell, until one day when he heard two of the guards on duty talking.

"Hey, you heard about the Islets?""Yeah, it's a real shame."

 

"I dunno, I never liked those islands. They always made my skin crawl...""Still, people lived there. Nobody deserves to have their home blown to smithereens."

 

"Oh, so you think what they did to Le-Koro was justified?"

 

"Nah man, I just think their misunderstood."

"They attempted to burn down Le-stinking-Koro!"

 

"Whatever man, my shift just ended, I'm outta here."

 

The islets were blown up? Le-Koro was attacked? Is it those guys that Retsel told me about? 'The Peers' I think they were called... Kai's brain began running at a hundred mio a second. If it is, I can't just stay here like a sniveling coward. I killed those two girls for a good cause, and I won't let their deaths be for nothing. I will accomplish my goal, even i die doing so. especially if I die doing so. After a bit, a second train of thoughts popped into his brain. Wait a second, that second guard sounded a lot like... Jest! As soon as Kai came to this conclusion, the bars of his cell began bending open, stopping when there was a hole just wide enough for him to walk through. It seemed that the Toa of Iron had decided that he would help Kai out one last time.

 

OOC:Please note that Kai does not know the name of the Peer's group. It was used for convenience.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Strong Arm BioBeast

[Constructelf]

IC: Thliveros

The Anzaros opened his eyes. Enough meditation for one day one week one month. Pulling his hood back over his face, he began to walk back to the guard station, the snow crunching beneath his feet with every step.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Ko-Koro Prison~

 

The Vortixx crept out of his cell, keeping as quiet as possible. Sneaking up behind Den, the Skakdi guard who was watching him,(and also happens to be retiring in ten days so he can live with his wife and kid) Kai slammed the Skakdi's head up against a wall in an attempt to knock him out. The result was less that satisfactory. Den, who only had a bump on the head, whirled around and shot his heat vision at Kai. Kai dodged to the left, and the beam burst through the wall behind Kai, sending a signal to anyone walking past that something had gone wrong. Kai scampered out of the room as fast as he could, and began searching for his equipment.

[Constructelf]

IC: Thliveros (Walking to Ko-Koro prison)

Thliveros walked towards the Ko-Koro prison. It was part of his routine; every three days he would give the inmates a "visit". Practically ignored by the beings around him, he walked up to the building that served as Ko-Koro's jail. Flashing hsi badge at the guards, he opened the doors and walked in.

[Emzee]

OOC: Moving from Le-Wahi region…

 

IC: Gaira – Ko-Koro

 

The Gukko transport continued to soar in the brisk atmosphere for over an hour before it began its final descent. The pilot was one of the Gentry’s finest – he was hired to direct only private Gukko owned by the richest of the club members. Gaira had known him for almost one thousand years, and she had full confidence in him – confidence that cascaded down to Kokkrihan and put him at serene ease.

 

The sky was still an inky but beautiful mine of sparkling gems. The moon provided clear light to see as the Gukko continued to cruise downward.

 

“We’ve made excellent time,” Gaira said to the pilot, “The night has not even died yet”

 

Soon, the landing pad appeared in view, placed in the middle of an open and peaceful snow field. Ko-Matoran with lightstones on sticks waved in the Gukko rider, and within minutes, the Gukko bird was galloping across the ground. The pilot reigned in the large avian Rahi and until is skid to a stop.

 

“Please accept my humble thanks,” Gaira said, handing him a glossy container that held the payment for the trip. Stairs then scooted up towards the resting bird, allowing the elderly Ga-Matoran to trot downwards and to the path leading inside the building.

 

“Always a pleasure,” Kokkrihan said, following Gaira down the steps. A serviceman already had an Ussal crab pulling a large crate that held the massive luggage of Gaira and Kokkrihan. The field was mostly clear, and any potential passer-bys were comfortably asleep in their homes. Once Kokkrihan and Gaira’s luggage were obtained, the two approached each other in the lobby.

 

“I will send word to start a conference with Matoro in two days,” Gaira said, “Hopefully you will be ready to give you all by then”

 

Kokkrihan gave a stiff nod, “Of course, Madam Gaira. Good night”

 

The two nodded and went their separate ways, both content with the massive revenue they gained and the publicity and adulation they earned. Even despite the attacks on the village that may help to further serve Niici’s goals, the two were satisfied with their program, and with Niici as their leader.

 

The Toa of Ice had done it. Positive relations with the Makuta would continue well into the future now.

[Eyru]

OOC: Ladies and gentlemen: a jam between Snipe and myself.

 

 

IC (Oreius)

 

Oreius landed hard, falling awkwardly to one knee before pushing himself back to his feet. Korero's cry tore at his ears, drawing a gasp of pain from his own mouth. The impact hadn't hurt him, but the knowledge that it was either the Stone or Korero was tearing him apart.

 

If he didn't give up the Stone, Korero would die. The Ko-Toa would kill him slowly and painfully, and then he would come for the Ta-Matoran. If he gave up the Stone, the same would probably happen, except then all would be lost for certain. Makuta would control one of the six Stones, and Takua's sacrifice would have been for nothing.

 

He couldn't. This was a choice between the death of one Matoran and the death of the island, and he couldn't put one man's fate before the fate of thousands. It would be wrong to choose one over the many... no, he had to leave him...

 

Korero screamed in pain as the ice crackled, drawing in closer around his body, squeezing the very breath from his lungs. Oreius clenched his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white, as he forced himself to endure the sound of the Ko-Matoran's agony. He gripped the glowing Stone so tightly it hurt, but the pain anchored him, kept him sane as he listened to Korero's torment.

 

Once again, the Ta-Matoran looked the Toa of Ice straight in the eye, only this time his vision was blurred with angry tears. He blinked them away; now was not the time to let emotion take over. He had to be strong; he had to recall his life's training of strength under pressure and quick thinking under strain; he had to use what skills he had to get Korero out of here, and the Stone too. Leaving either of them behind wasn't an option.

 

Oreius began to walk to the right, staying the same distance away from the Toa of Ice and his captive, slowly circling the pair in the centre of the circle of ice. The Ko-Toa watched him impatiently.

 

“Last time, Matoran,” he growled. “Stop this game or he-”

 

“Fine,” Oreius interrupted. Swinging his left arm in a half-circle, he let go of the Stone and let it roll towards the centre of the circle until it lay scarcely a metre between the two. The Stone still glowed brightly, emanating a steady heat and sinking quickly into the snow.

 

The Ko-Toa moved instinctively to grab at the Stone before it was lost in the aftermath of the avalanche, but, as he moved, a blur of steel flashed through the air like lightning. A small knife, hurled by Oreius, flew at his face, followed by an angry Ta-Matoran, still wielding one sword, the other strapped across his back, as he scooped up the burning Stone and attempted to close in on his opponent again.

 

IC (Utu)

 

Utu had to adjust his trajectory to avoid getting a blade through his skull, pushing off with powerful legs to the side, rolling.

 

As the Toa of Ice rolled to the side, Oreius followed, his sword gleaming in one hand while the Stone shone in the other, like a comet come to earth. The Toa was most likely gonig to attempt rolling to a standing position so he could gain the height advantage again, so the Ta-Matoran slashed at where he guessed the Ko-Toa's head would be in half a second.

 

Utu finished his landing, bringing himself up to see a fiery figure drop down towards him, spinning as he went. Utu attempted to bring his blade up to protect him, leaning back slightly. The blade ran across his face, starting at the top of his right eye and flowing diagonally downwards.

 

The Matoran hit the ground before Utu had fallen over to the side.

 

The Toa of fear pushed himself off the ground, the blood dripping onto the cold white snow. He stood up, the streak of hot red on his face glowing almost as much as his eyes.

 

He breathed out hard, his breath steaming as vibrant as the blood. Utu lifted one arm, outstreching his blade larger than his enemy.

 

Utu took one step forwards, swiping his blade upwards.

 

Oreius spun around as he landed on the soft snow, already preparing for another attack. But The Toa of Ice, despite his size, was almost as fast he was; he had already turned and was bringing his enormous blade up in a vertical swipe.

 

Were the monstrous sword to strike, there was little doubt that it would leave its target in two. Oreius dropped his attack in favour of a dodge; he jumped to the side to avoid the Toa's upwards slice, then jumped in close, swinging out with another downwards slash aimed at his opponent's face.

 

Utu, instead of dodging or blocking the strike, bringing his free arm up, smashing his powerful fist fueled with fear into the Matoran's center, the sound of loud cracking filling the silence of the snow.

 

Utu halted his step in the process, the Ta-Matoran falling into the snow before the massive Toa.

 

The Toa's fist smashed into his chest. Oreius let out a gasp of pain as his lungs emptied, and he fell to the snow, his attack thwarted. He managed to wrap his arm around the Toa's, however, pulling his towering opponent down over him until the two were face to face, the Toa crouching over the Matoran.

 

The Toa's eyes burned with a feverish intensity, matching the glow coming from the strange mark on his arm. Oreius' right arm was wrapped around the Toa's, having dropped his sword, but his left arm was free, and he still clutched the Stone, which was burning in his hand.

 

It was his only weapon. It was hot, hotter almost than even Oreius could bear, burning with the heat of a thousand suns as though fuelled by the Ta-Matoran's desperate courage. For, even as he gazed into the depths of the Toa's eyes, he felt no fear, only a grasping, passionate plea that sounded deep within his soul to do something, to not let it end like this.

 

Do something. Do something!

 

It was his only weapon. As the Toa raised his sword-arm, preparing either to knock Oreius off his arm or strike him dead, the Ta-Matoran reached up and pressed the glowing Stone against the Toa's Mark.

 

At the sensation of something burning on his most prized possesion, Utu slammed his full body weight down on the Matoran below him, once again knocking the breath of the Matoran out.

 

Utu could feel it, like leaping into magma, the burning only growing in intensity. And it wouldn't stop.

 

Utu pulled back, trying to tear off the Matoran, but he could not remove the arms wrapped around him. He reared back with his arm, slamming the Matoran down onto the icy ground.

 

On hand and knees Utu was over this Matoran. And despite the now even more broken ribs, he looked into Utu's eyes with a confusing look. He couldn't see it.

 

It wasn't there.

 

This Matoran, was not afraid. Not afraid of death. Not afraid of his companion dying. That wasn't to say this Matoran was fearless. Everybody feared something. And one day, he was going to find out.

 

Utu slammed the Matoran down again, this time with more intensity, matching the burning on his Mark of fear. Again, the Matoran clung to him.

 

Blood dripping onto the Matoran's face, he just continued to stare at Utu. His Mark flared, his eyes flashing.

 

The Mark of Fear was now in control, at the threat of being destroyed. It wasn't the first time Utu had this happen to him. And the last time it did, there wasn't much left of the Vortixx that caused him. All there was left was a dead body, a hole about the size of Utu's fist clean through her stomach.

 

Utu did something he hadn't seen before.

 

The Toa of fear roared. Not in his own voice, but a dark, rough, piercing voice. The sound slammed into Oreius' face, Utu's coming closer to his.

 

He pulled back again, slamming the Matoran down. This time with more of his body involved. He knew the Mark's control was much more feral, a ferocity unmatched with his own.

 

The eyes shone brightly now, the blood and saliva peppering the flying Matoran's body.

 

Utu suddenly started to feel a panicking overwhelm him.

 

Losing the Mark was not an option. As if on cue, the Mark slammed the Matoran down once more.

 

Oreius choked on his own blood as the Toa slammed his body, over and over, into the snow. The powder had compacted into a hard, icy layer, and as he hit it over and over again, the Ta-Matoran could feel his ribs snap like brittle twigs.

 

He cried out involuntarily, but nothing could stop the Toa now. His eyes blazed with an intensity unmatched by anything Oreius had ever seen. His teeth were clenched in an ugly grimace full of hatred and bloodlust. His earlier poise had been suddenly and unexpectedly replaced by a brutal ferocity, which now seemed entirely absorbed on savage destruction of the Ta-Matoran's body.

 

Again, he smashed Oreius into the ground; again, the Matoran cried out in pain, tears streaming down his cheeks as he felt his own ribs enter his lungs. Every fragile breath he took felt like a thousand knives ripping through his chest before the next impact with the ground blasted the air from his lungs.

 

In situations like these, the body tends to find one or two things to focus on, to anchor itself to. Under incredible stress, the subconscious mind locates some small ritual to hold fast to, in the hopes of using this tiny raft of normalcy, of something expected, to survive the vast, terrible ocean of uncertainty and pain.

 

The first thing Oreius found himself concentrating on was the Toa's eyes. They burned brighter than the sun, seeming to stare into his very soul. They were narrowed in anger and filled with violent rage. and Oreius wanted to look anywhere else but he couldn't tear his gaze away.

 

The Toa smashed his body into the ground again, drawing another scream of agony from the Matoran's broken body.

 

Some small part of him, standing alone on an island of lucidity in the midst of an ocean of pain, forced to him to hold his gaze. Don't give in, he told himself. Don't be afraid.

 

He wasn't afraid. He was in pain; he was quite possibly dying, spilling out his life's blood on the cold snow, but he wasn't afraid. Destiny, after all, was always right.

 

His battered frame was crushed against the snow again. Every time, Oreius thought the pain couldn't get any worse; every time, he was wrong.

 

The second thing the Ta-Matoran found himself focusing on was the scorching heat in his hand. He still held the Stone, even as it seared his flesh, and he still presed it against the Toa's arm, hoping with all that was left within him to hope that this small rebellion, this last flame holding out against the cruel ice, would be enough to save him.

 

If he had been lucid, he would have wondered how the Toa of Ice was possibly enduring the brand that was turning his own heat-resistant hand to ash. But he wasn't. He was floating, sinking, drowning in an excruciating sea of agony. He could feel the heat beginning to drip down his hand, a trickle of liquid fire searing his skin.

 

His body hit the ground again, with all the finality of a judge's gavel, as if Mata Nui had at last made a decision on the worthiness of his champion. Was Oreius worthy, or unworthy? What was the judgement?

 

Utu felt a slow rolling bead slide past the blazing heat.

 

It was colder in comparison to the source of the heat, yet the anger and despair that burned with it was hotter than the sun. It was an example of everything Utu loved and hated. That lulling soft ball was everything.

 

The krillactum of the Mark of Fear had started to melt. A piercing screech sounded in the air; a tearing sound of anger, pain, and fear. A hiss accompanied it, the evaporation of the snow below the pair after making contact with melting metal.

 

All he ever was and ever wanted to be was literally melting away from the lost Toa of ice.

 

And there below him, were eyes, void of the only constant in his life.

 

* * *

 

A tear streamed down his face, rolling lightly over the grooves of his mask before freezing in the winter weather, hiding it from the terrible men and women that stalked the village grounds. He knew how much these people hated him. Those that knew him at least. He could see the disdain in their eyes when they looked at him. Having never set foot outside this Karz-hole, Utu knew nothing of kindness or compassion. Only hatred and fear.

 

And in the moment, it was overwhelming.

Utu gazed at the old man. He was shivering, clearly uncomfortable. Frightened. He lay against a building, shakily trying to keep himself comfortable under a blanket. Utu was positioned across the street, leaning against the crook of another building. The snow fall was thick and fast, and masked Utu from across the way.

 

What was Utu even doing here? He wasn’t even sure. There was something to be said about the non-specific misguidedness Utu currently held. It was confusing, and almost unsettling.

 

He was drawn here, to the same spot he watched this man be beaten and robbed a couple days prior. Utu wanted, to know something? Understand something? Karz, the discomfiting was starting to pull at him. He had to do something. He had to see it again. He had to feel the fear in his eyes again.

 

But he had to be the one in control.

 

Utu stepped out, onto the street with humility and purpose, looking directly at the old man with interest. The old man caught this. But there was something else about the large Toa of ice that approached him. There was something unsettling about the Toa he recognized.

 

The old man could see anger.

 

Utu shoved his way through the crowd, strong-arming his way around the villagers that bustled the cold streets. His stare was cold, and focused entirely on the old man.

 

The old man pushed himself against the wall and to the left a little, preparing to get up in case his result matched the expectation of this encounter.

 

It did.

 

The old man’s hands went up, but Utu pulled them away before smashing his foot into the defenceless Toa’s face. The man’s head was struck back against the wall, a dazed expression held behind the now running blood on his face. Utu took the opportunity to grab hold of the Toa, lifting him up by his collar. This was harder than it had looked. Utu was not the strongest Toa around. A fist to the stomach, another, another. After Utu turned the man, tossing him to the ground, striking his ribs with his feet.

 

A sickening crack was heard over the man’s cry in pain, but Utu struck again.

 

He kicked fast and hard, turning over the man until he was against the wall. Crying and groaning, the old man held out his hands, a plea for the pain to stop.

 

Utu didn’t.

 

He grasped the man’s hands, pulling him up higher again before kneeing him the face, breaking his nose and teeth, sending a trail of blood after the man’s face. The man landed hard on his back and head. He rolled a little and coughed.

 

Utu advanced once more, only for the man to bring his hand up, spitting through the blood “Please!”

 

It was at this point Utu knelt down breathing heavily and looked in the Toa’s eyes. He scrutinized the iris’ with intense concentration, trying to see it again. Trying to see the fear. Trying to feel in control. But there was no fear. The only thing in this man’s face was pain. Utu scowled, the young Toa confused. He saw fear the first time he saw this man. He spoke, his voice tired and worn, on its last ‘legs’ so to speak.

 

“What do you want?”

 

Utu didn’t say anything at first. He only stared into the eyes with undivided interest. After a moment the young Toa scowled, lifting the dead-weight Toa off the icy ground who gripped Utu’s forearms who’s nostrils flared, his breath hard and visible.

 

“You don’t fear death,” The old man looked confused at first, a mixture of apprehension and cluelessness, he didn’t say anything back to his assailant. Only awaited a second part to the odd statement, “What is it that I saw then?” Another confused look.

 

“Wha-“ Utu pulled back and slammed the old man against the wall once more, hissing through grated teeth.

 

“When I saw you a couple days ago, a group of Toa were beating you,” Utu did a very quick scan up-and-down the old man, as though the way he looked would help get his point across, “You looked at me and I saw fear in your eyes,” he applied more pressure to the man, lifting him slightly higher now, his toes no longer on the ground. Utu’s arms were not very big, and they shook a little with the new weight, “What did you fear?”

 

The man contemplated this for a moment, his head turned a little away, and down, avoiding Utu’s gaze as well as he could, “What do you want from me?”

 

Utu was done. He simply dropped the Toa before turning on his heel and briskly stepping away, letting the frail frame behind him crumple to the icy floor; even more broken than the last time Utu left him.

 

* * *

 

Another hiss.

 

There still was no fear in the Matoran's eyes, yet all Utu could feel was fear.

 

There was no longer any pain. There was no longer any anger. No spite or hatred for the Matoran before him. No disdain for his enemies, not Tank, not Yuru, not even Salamander.

 

He couldn't feel anything but the abhorrence that enveloped in entire being. Utu reached forwards with his other hand, gripping the Matoran's neck, trying to crush his windpipe.

 

Oreius felt the cold hands close around his throat, stripping him of one more thing: the ability to breathe. The Toa had already taken his companion, his weapon, and even stolen his destiny to be a Toa. There was no way Oreius was Chosen. Not now. Not with his blood turning the virgin snow a deep crimson; not with his bones shattered inside his own body; not with his lungs struggling to draw breath but only inhaling blood.

 

What was breathing, really, but just one more thing?

 

Utu's body jerked.

 

Deep blue eyes erupted past the dark deep purple his Mark of Fear forced upon him. And what replaced that was terrifying. Not to the Matoran below him, but to the one that held him down. His body jerked again, the eyes flashing momentarily.

 

"NO!"

 

Utu screamed through the blood and tears. His Mark continued to melt under the heat. Utu screamed once more, this time it was horrified and shrill. A roar of terror erupted alongside the hissing and yelling coming from his arm.

 

Utu felt another jolt, this one much more violent, his lower body shifting with the sudden change of weight. He reached for his blade, grasping it with shaking hands. He struggled to pull it up, his strength momentarily disappearing from him, the Matoran getting a chance to take a deep gasp of air.

 

Oreius coughed, splattering the Toa with blood and bile as he cleared his throat and finally allowed himself to take a breath of fresh, sweet, icy air. It whistled down his windpipe and into his pitiful lungs, giving him one more heartbeat, one more second of life.

 

One more breath. He was still alive.

 

He dragged the large blade towards the pair, bringing it up. At this point, there were more tears than blood falling, Utu could not contain his fear.

 

One more heartbeat. He was still alive.

 

He lifted up the blade, preparing to run it through his worst nightmare.

 

One more drop of pain in a tsunami of agony, but he was still alive.

 

Utu's body gave another jolt, a convulsion that caused him to both drop the blade, and release the Matoran. He took a step back, falling onto his back in the snow.

 

Oreius felt the Toa finally let go, and the Matoran could no longer find the strength to hold on. He flopped back down onto the scarlet snow.

 

He tried to speak, but his shaking jaw could not produce words.

 

He was not afraid. He was still alive.

 

Utu felt one last convulsion before his terrified eyes collapsed shut.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

If Orieus was still conscious, he would hear a soft crunching nearby as of small feet on snow. A shadow fell over the Ta-Matoran's face. Dazed with pain and fatigue, he could just make out a white mask above him.

 

Korero kneeled next to Oreius, pieces of ice still falling off him, their melted droplets settling into the snow around. The Ko-Matoran's face was full of concern for his fallen companion as he looked over his battered body. He bit his lip in worry. It looked bad. Korero pulled open his satchel and began to rummage through the objects within.

 

"Come on..." he muttered urgently to himself as he fumbled past rocks, trinkets and other assorted items. "Where are you...?"

 

His hand grasped something round and smooth.

 

"There you are!"

 

He pulled the object out of his bag, and a cyan light shone through his fingers. Clutched in his hand was a glassy orb, beautifully spherical, which glowed from within with a soothing brightness: an Amana Volo sphere.

 

"Turaga Nuju gave me this the day I left for Ta-Koro," Korero said, smiling wistfully. "He said I might need it some day..."

 

Placing the sphere above Oreius' heartlight, Korero gently took Oreius' cut hands and placed them on top of the orb. Even as Oreius' eyes began to droop shut, the light flared and the healing powers of the Amana Volo began to do their work in a beautiful lightshow, wisps of blue energy drifting around Oreius as his wounds began to close.

 

Korero's attention was distracted from the display as he noticed something lying in the snow nearby. It was a stone, now ordinary-looking, its brand-like glow and searing heat all but gone - but Korero had seen what the Stone could do. He'd felt the blazing heat of it, even as it began to melt the ice around him. He'd heard the Toa of Ice's screams as his very flesh began to melt. He'd seen the inferno-like halo that surrounded it, its fire echoing that in Oreius' eyes.

 

The Ko-Matoran turned over the black rock in his hands, his golden eyes wondering at the incredible object he held. His mouth hung open a little as he gazed at the Stone. But what was this thing, this small stone that could summon such power? And why hadn't Stannis told him about it?

 

Stannis.

 

Korero looked up at the snowy slope to hear the clash of metal on metal as the two Toa duelled. Stannis was standing well back from the fight, and he seemed to be unhurt. Everything seemed to be going well.

 

And then a horrible realisation hit Korero. One Dark Toa was down; another was locked in combat. But what about the third?

 

Korero forced himself to look behind him, where he saw, to his horror, Vidar's clawed hand rise from the pit the Muaka had dug itself and clench onto the snow. The Rahkshi-Toa dragged his torso above the lip, and his slanted eyes locked with Korero's. Remembering the Stone in his hand, Korero scurried in front of Oreius and raised his arms, pointing the small black rock at the advancing Servant of Makuta.

 

"Don't come any closer!" Korero shouted, trying to make his voice sound brave and defiant, even though in his heart he felt so very small and scared. "I'll use this! I...I will!"

[a goose]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

 

"Mister Terop." Kyra grinned back, before looking towards the stage. "How much longer is left of that?"

[sunflower]

IC: Terop

 

"Hmmm... Don't know, does it matter?" I asked, smiling.

[a goose]

IC: Kyra (Theatre, Ko-Koro)

 

"Hey, there's only so much exercise my tongue can take, I want to know how well I should pace myself." Kyra said, winking at Terop.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: For the first time since they began the two fighters were equal and standing apart. No tricks were slung and it seemed as if Hitmonchan himself declined to further his energetic attacks. Perhaps to coordinate his strikes or observe his opponent more closely? Antrim didn't care to research it.

 

The big toa held his sword aloft in a high vertical guard to his right, the pommel of the broad weapon lingering at shoulder level. He stood in a powerful stance, dominant foot back and to the side, torso twisted to the right. It seemed clear that Ronkshou was allowing Antrim the benefit of the first strike for the second round and he was willing to oblige to the offer, nefarious as it was regardless.

 

Antrim placed his right foot forward as he lumbered his body forward and swung his weapon down diagonally in a heavy-handed swing that easily covered the distance between the toa hero and the dark toa. If Ronkshou sidestepped or deflected the swing it wouldn't slice him in two, but whatever Ronkshou did would only result in Antrim reversing the swing and bringing the weapon back up, hopefully to pierce the toa's armor with the pointy end through his shadowy heartlight.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Escaping Prison~

 

The Vortixx quickly found the place where they stored the prisoner's gear. There was Kai's stuff, all stacked up on the top of a large pile of junk. His armor, and his two stolen guns. Kai quickly put on his armor. He glanced at the guns, as Lara's face flashed through his mind. No, those weapons are far too unreliable. Let me see if I can't find myself a more precise weapon... Kai thought, quickly rummaging through the pile.

 

Den the Skakdi Guard

 

"Thliveros! The Vortixx has escaped!" Den called to his superior officer. The Skakdi quickly explained to Thliveros where Kai had escaped to.

[Constructelf]

IC: Thliveros

"The terrorist?" the Anzaros officer asked, drawing two of his spatha. "You said somewhere in the direction of the storage, right?" With that, Thliveros began to run off in the direction of the jail's storage. Every single piece of gear that had been confiscated from the prisoners was stored their, meaning that if Kai had gotten their already, he would be armed to the teeth with weapons that had claimed many innocent lives. "Not good," Thliveros thought. Making a turn, he continued to run, the storage room in sight. Sure enough, the door was ajar...

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Escaping Prison~

 

...and inside the ajar door stood Kai, wearing gloves, goggles, and some kind of shirt and pants made out of a soft looking fabric. In his hands was an electro-chute blade and attached to his back, where his guns used to be, an empty zamor launcher(empty of course.) "I don't want to kill anybody. Just let me leave, and nobody will get hurt."

[Emzee]

IC: Ronkshou – Ko-Wahi, near the Massif – Afternoon

 

The Dark Toa’s mind analyzed the situation and quickly ran through the possible counter-measures against his opponent’s move. It was a special situation for Ronkshou. Usually his enemies did not match him in strength and speed. This one did, which meant that Ronkshou would have to bring his element into the mix.

 

Ronkshou disliked using his elemental powers (besides the magnetism trick) because it was usually a waste of energy compared to his unconventional fighting style. This made using elemental powers an all-in gamble. Ronkshou would have to use powerful blasts to quickly down his foe, as little elemental tricks could easily be deflected and possibly matched by his opponent’s own power over crystal.

 

The Infected Toa was also disappointed that he had lost his advantage. He was not Heuani; he could not afford to simply play with this Toa.

 

Ronkshou began pooling his elemental energies within his fists as Antrim’s sword came down. Ronkshou dropped his body to the ground and rolled his body to the right. As soon as the sword hit the snowy landscape instead of its intended target, Ronkshou shot up his left arm and fired a lightning bolt to Antrim’s neck. Not wanting to waste too much energy in the event that Antrim managed to dodge somehow, Ronkshou’s bolt was not terribly strong – it had the same impact as being deftly punched in the throat.

 

IC: Vidar – Ko-Wahi, near the Massif – Afternoon

 

“Don't come any closer!” the Ko-Matoran shouted, “I'll use this! I...I will!”

 

For a more calculating hunter, it would have taken but a moment to deduce the empty threat, especially considering how Korero carried himself. He was obviously not a guardsman, obviously not someone who was used to the everyday dangers of close combat with intimidating odds.

 

In Vidar’s case though, it didn’t matter. That would be because the crazed Toa was not listening to any outside voices. He could not hear Korero anyway.

 

Inside the hunter’s head, the Parakuka raged on, forceful whispers bouncing off the walls of his skull. There was really nothing that Korero could have said or done to divert this Toa from his prey.

 

Vidar kept running towards the Ko-Matoran, and then leapt into the air, doing an adroit flip over Korero and landing behind him. Korero soon found himself lifted up off the ground by Vidar’s enlarged and enhanced arms. Vidar quickly wrapped his right arm around Korero’s neck and pressed his head forward with his left hand. This move, having been taught with the intended use only on combat-trained Toa, robbed the Ko-Matoran of his consciousness within seconds. The Essence stone slipped from Korero’s hand, and sunk slightly in the snow which it landed.

 

After the Ko-Matoran went limp, Vidar set him in the snow. He quickly wondered where the third Matoran had run off to. Ronkshou was still engaging the Toa, but he imagined that Stannis would try and aid his friends. He began to look around the snow fields, looking for his final foe.

 

He hoped he would find him before the other two Matoran woke up.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Emzee

[Constructelf]

IC ThliverosFirst strategy: negotiation. Make him see just what he's doing."And where would you go?" Thliveros asked. "News of your escape would be plastered all over the news; you wouldn't be able to hide for long before the military got back on your tail. As well, there are quite a few people out there who would be more than happy to kill you. You would be safer here." Thliveros stared hard at Kai, his eyes sending a clear message to the vortixx: even if you run, you cannot hide.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Alrin)

 

Kai: a criminal, a terrorist, a murderer. I dealt with scum like this before, usually by killing them horribly, heck in my own I was one of them (not proud of it though). Now he was equipped and planning on making his escape. You seen in the months since that initial attack I was buried under mounds of paperwork, titles like Captain really in the end didn't mean anything to me. My home, Ko-Koro needed me and I helped as best as I could, but a lot of my work turned out to be sitting in an office, filing paper after paper. Helping to rebuild the town and a few days ago we arrested a man, a Vortixx by the name of Kai, a murderer. I stuck with the heavy crossbow, excellent weapon, kind of thing that could impale a Muaka with enough force. I unslung it coming around the corner and leveled it with Kai's chest immediately.

 

"You were in that cell for three days, Kai. Why leave now?" I asked, before issuing a proper threat. "If you take one footstep in any direction without my command, you'll become a dartboard."

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Escaping Prison~

 

Kai stared right back at Thiveros, but not in the eye. Kai was analyzing Thiveros, something that he had gotten very good at while evading the Ko-Koro guard. He wears a large cloak, but hasn't shown any traces of being cold. This suggests that he is hiding something underneath his cloak. But what? It could be a large weapon, but if he is in a position of authority, (which he apparently is, based on the fact that the Skakdi seems to be following his lead,) he would be toting it around in plain sight so as to intimidate prisoners. The two don't seem to know each other very well, so that suggests that he doesn't interact with other guard members often, as they don't seem to have all that many Ko-Koro law enforcers anymore. Conclusion: Keep an eye on large bump under cloak, and exploit their lack of experience working together. "I'm flattered that you care so much, but I'll be fine on my own."

 

"You were in that cell for three days, Kai. Why leave now? If you take one footstep in any direction without my command, you'll become a dartboard."

 

"I left because there is a group of very dangerous people on the loose, and if nobody but me is willing to do what it takes to rid the island of those people, then I guess that means that I'm the one who is going to have to save us all."

[Constructelf]

IC: Thliveros

"Uh, what?" Thliveros eyed Kai suspiciously. "Mind being more specific? Because right now, you're sounding like you're pulling this out of your butt."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

A short distance, relatively speaking, from the confrontation, a single cell was silent. Not many of the other cells had occupants, but the few there were had their faces pressed against the bars, trying to hear better what was going on.

 

But one prisoner could hear it all just fine. Unlike the other's, he didn't stand. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn't. Robbed of his mask, his already weak constitution became pathetic. Moving even a finger was a chore, and standing more than once a day was an impossible feat. Not that he bothered trying.

 

The De-Toa didn't bother with much, these days. Even Kai's escape could not stir him. He had failed, again. Failed, and another innocent Matoran had payed for it. No, it was better for him to stay here, wait for his trial. Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. Wait for his trial, have nothing to say in his defense, and then be executed. That was more accurate. He'd taken his shot, and still Kai lived. Let someone else take up the reins.

 

Krian, once the mercenary known as Soundblaster and Kai's greatest foe, lay idle. His enhanced hearing made listening in effortless, and if he'd had the energy, he would have shaken his head. The Guards... They didn't understand. Whatever his cause was, Kai was fanatical. Nothing they could do could stop him.

 

Not for the first time, he reached deep, in an attempt to muster his element. As with every time before, he failed. The power, small as it was, was still there. But in his helpless state, without his soul or his mask, he had not the ability to summon it.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Alrin)

 

"What people Kai? It's as my fellow Sanctum Guardsman has said, sounds like you're making this up. You need proper evidence, because unless you have any you're going back into your cell, and it will be as simple as that. That or I can shoot you where you stand. Your choice." I growled. The Vortixx held some sort of blade in his hand and had some sort of launcher also on his person and he was analyzing, scanning, had the look in that eye. Leverage, it's what criminals looked for, it's what I looked for when I hunted down criminals, before I came back to the Guard to find my home in ruins. If only the brass had listened to me when I suggested they loosened the rules a bit, so we could deal with people like Kai, permanently.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Escaping Prison~

 

They were skeptical. He hadn't expected any other reaction, but for some reason, the Guardsmen's reactions disappointed him. He glanced at Alrin, quickly scanning the Toa. Distrustful and eager to kill prisoners that stepped out of line. "Whether or not you believe me doesn't matter, what does matter is that I am telling the truth, and there will be more attacks on the Koros if nothing is done." He pointed his sword at Alrin, not in a threatening way, but just to establish that he was talking to him and not Thliveros. "You seem quite eager to kill the guilty in order to save a few innocents. The only difference between you and me is that I kill a few innocents to save both the innocent and the guilty."

 

Meanwhile, it seemed that the-Toa-that-Kai-suspected-to-be-Jest was not quite done with his work, as the bars of Krian's cell began to bend open as well, allowing the De-Toa to escape, if he had the strength to move into the closest hallway, where the-Toa-that-Kai-suspected-to-be-Jest had discreetly left a mask on the floor when he had been talking to a guard about Le and Xa.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Alrin)

 

"Forgive me if I don't see the similarities. I will do anything to keep Ko-Wahi safe from people like you. I will do anything to keep this island safe from people like you. The guilty will get their due." I growled, my light blues eyes narrowing. "You talk about attacks on Le-Koro, attacks on the villages? Who would continue them, who?" So maybe I should humor him but was that really a good thing, humoring him meant letting him leave and unless he was leaving here in chains with me tugging on them, he wasn't leaving here at all.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Escaping Prison~

 

"And I will do anything to keep the island safe from..." You know, the story would be so much believable if the group actually had a name Kai. Kai berated himself mentally. "...the group that bombed both Le-Koro, and the Islets." He would've mentioned Po/Pala-Koro's bombings but he has yet to hear about them. "As to who would continue the attacks, a shadowy group of individuals I've been attempting to investigate. I personally thought that Ko-Koro would be their target, so I struck first, allowing you guys to build up your defenses before the real threat hit. But it seems that I was mistaken about that part." Idiot! Why are you explaining yourself? They could be a part of... that group of people who don't seem to have a name. Karz I need to come up with a name for those people.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Alrin)

 

"So what you're saying is that you bombed us to save us?" I asked incredulously, such a thing was difficult to believe...but I understood his reasoning. If Ko-Wahi had prepared itself better such attacks as Kai's or people like Kai would hopefully not be as damaging, perhaps they could even be prevented. "Fine, let's say I believe you, what have you learned so far about this group, other than they were behind the attacks on Le-Koro and The Kumu Islets." Even though my mind was telling he was lying just to get out of here but my gut and what my eyes saw, they told me this guy was convinced he was right and not really like a mad man. If he could give me just one solid thing, that I would have something in mind. Something that could help launch an investigation into these ramblings.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: Antrim quickly came to the realization that his attack wasn't going to work. Ronkshou had rolled out of his sword's path which was mildly disappointing but it did not mean failure. What would mean failure was falling to the dark toa's elemental prowess and being unable to protect the Matoran he was sworn to defend.

 

He had at first presumed Ronkshou to be a toa of magnetism, but that power could be wielded by people of two elements, and from what Antrim had gleaned this toa was not a pushover with much in the way of skill and capability, meaning that his abilities allowed him to use magnetism if it was his element... or not. Ronkshou was a force to be reckoned with, for sure.

 

Antrim's gaze met the visage of Stannis creeping away from the fight, the sight of which did nothing but refill his willingness to put and end of this fight and reopen the path of destiny, a path these toa would shatter like a road fractured by a quake. Antrim had heard word of Stannis' adventures immediately after the latter had left the Massif. He knew more than anyone else that Stannis was destined for greatness, that Destiny had chosen hm as a favored son. But the small shape of the Pa-Matoran reminded him of how delicate Destiny truly could be.

 

Every village had its Principle and Skill. Ta-Koro believed in Courage and Strength, Onu-Koro had its Prosperity and Stamina, Ga-Koro favoured Purity and Speed... In the Massif there was a Principle Antrim had hailed as their own: Derived from Faith, their principle was Trust.

 

It gave its believer Responsibility.

 

Stannis' eyes, distant and grey, were eyes of trust. Trust in Mata Nui, trust in Destiny... trust in Antrim. The protector had a responsibility to the same things Stannis placed his trust in. Trust found all things, made them whole; through trust everything was connected. Everyone had to believe in something, everyone had to place trust in someone. Antrim could not fail, he could not let his responsibility falter. His angered gaze wafted from Stannis to Ronkshou.

 

He wouldn't fail. He wouldn't falter on Stannis' trust in him. He... would... "NOT!" he bellowed, more to himself than to Ronkshou, as he declared his dominion over his actions. The flare of energy from Ronkshou's armored fists told him the answer to the Ronky Elemental Mystery; lightning. Without thinking he did the only thing his racing and invigorated mind could muster and flung his sword into the path of energy before it could connect with him.

 

The huge weapon met the bolt of lightning midway and was recoiled back to Antrim after absorbing the force of the elemental strike. The weapon glowed as if made of lightstone as it conducted the lightning before inserting itself into the snow, point down, like a spike plunged into mud. The energy it absorbed from Ronkshou's blast drained into the ground in another spark of light. Antrim dutifully placed his left hand on the grip and pulled the weapon out of the snow as his right hand reached out and willed crystal to form.

 

Suddenly a bar of quartz connected the twin Proto-Knucles in Ronkshou's fists as if they were a dumbbell held by the weights. In such a position, with Ronkshou's hands so far apart, it would be unwieldy to use them for their intended purpose. It would force Ronkshout to either abandon the use of the tools or find more creative ways to use them, but from what Antrim had seen, this man was a creature of clever instinct, not resource. This abrupt development would pose a new barrier for him to try and overcome. Dropping the weights would give him greater speed, true, but also weaker strikes, and Antrim had already demonstrated his deftness with his blade as both edge and shield.

 

Antrim hoped, prayed, that this would turn the tide in his favor. A quick result would be needed if he was to help Stannis' friends, too.

[Ghosthands]

IC (Korero)

 

Korero felt the Dark Toa's clawed hand on the back of his head, a spined arm at his throat, and everything went black.

 

***

Fire flickered on the carved walls. No voice could be heard; just the crackling of the hearth and the lonely sound of a pipe, an eery melody that meandered through its reedy notes like the writhing of a serpent, echoing through the vaulted room.

 

Korero shivered a little, inching closer to the fire as he squinted at the symbols on the tablet. His stylus making a faint scraping sound, he etched a copy onto his own. An Acolyte walked past, haughtily ignoring the smaller Matoran who laboured over the text. Many of the scholars acted that way around Korero, and he'd learned not to take notice of it. The Ko-Matoran knew they thought he'd never amount to anything, and he had to admit, he agreed with them. He didn't conform to what a 'proper Ko-matoran' should be; serious, focussed, silent.

 

Instead, Korero was cheerful and inquisitive. Even now, he went about his work good-naturedly, doing his best to make it enjoyable. He began to whistle to himself as he wrote.

 

This earned him a swift clip about the mask from a nearby Acolyte. The Matoran didn't speak, but his glare was clear enough.

 

Korero winced and rubbed his head, resignedly getting back to work, silently this time. But the minute he began to write again, he was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. He looked up to see a Matoran he recognised standing beside him - that sand-blue Akaku was unmistakeable in the Sanctum: Matoro.

 

"Turaga Nuju wishes to speak with you," Matoro said quietly. As Korero began to pick up his tablets and stylus, the translator stopped him. "You won't be needing those. In fact, you'll never need them again..."

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Kai ~Talking his Way out of Prison~

 

"Well, they have access to technology almost as good as mine," Kai said, drawing out his sentences. "And very powerful allies, both politically and physically." Well, now's the moment of truth. If he attacks, I'll know that the Ko-Koro guard has been compromised. If not, then I think I can trust him to at least tell me the truth about what's been going on outside Ko-Koro.

[Hanako Herupa]

IC: (Alrin)

 

I lowered my crossbow, if but only slightly, but he would get the message. Normally Ko-Koro natives aren't ruled by their gut but rather by their mind. I was one of the exceptions to this. My gut told me this man was telling the truth, as hard as that was to believe. I couldn't just let him walk out of here. So I needed a plan and one was already formulating in my head.

 

"Well that is an issue, but all the same protocol dictates you need to drop your weapons and get back to your cell. I'll escort you back myself and maybe you can tell me more about who they and their allies might be. Cause if this is widespread as you some of the Guard might have already been compromised." I sighed. I shortly scratched my mask, it was obviously a tell to criminal, but the guy beside me it would have seemed that I just had an itch. I needed to talk to him, in private. He wanted out, he would get out, but only by my hand. I wasn't just going to let him walk.