Six Kingdoms: Escapement - Gameplay

[Crimson Jester]

IC: Korruhn - Dume's Office

Concern spread like a sickness across the Cartographer's face as Kohara and Zataka handled and manipulated his shadowed arm, as though it were a foreign treasure of a lab experiment. Their focus was so intently on his arm, that they failed to realize the impact their concern would have on the Toa whose body the arm was attached to. He gulped, taking in Zataka's words. He knew when he first encountered the Abomination, he knew when he felt the tendrils in the Void, and he really knew now, as the shadowy smoke billowed from exhausted from gaps between the armor plates on his infected right arm. He grimaced, but realized that, given the situation, this was the best outcome.

The Toa looked across the cacaphonous room at his friends: Sans with his usual humor (bless his heartlight), and his two Matoran friends currently transitioning as he did. He knew in his heart that, any day of the week, he would do the same thing in the circumstances, for he could not bear to see his friends suffer such a fate. They were all fighters, model citizens, and good people; the kind of people that the Cartographer initially left his home and undertook this great quest to protect. So, on one hand, this cross he now bears is almost a badge of honor, proof that even the smallest of beings have the power to change the world. Korruhn let slip a brief smile, before turning back to the two examining his arm.

"In Ko-Metru, where our journey began --" Korruhn was startled by the new sound of his own voice, deep and gravelly; nearly unrecognizable from his voice a mere five minutes ago. Just another thing he'd have to get used to. "we found something. Or rather, I think I summoned it; a great beast of no consistent shape or form, a being of the black. It grabbed me, my arm, right before it disappeared." Korruhn paused briefly, thinking to himself how ridiculous this entire story sounded.

"I felt it later. Photosensitivity. I thought nothing of it," his voice trailed off, as a clear image of the next part of his tale began to fill his head with horror. He had not fully recovered from the events before he began to verbally dive back in, for the sake of those now examining him. His voice was hoarse, and betrayed a fear unbecoming of the Toa. "I saw it again, just now. When Dume imbued me. The Void -- it took me there. It found me. It-- knew me. It called me 'Korruhn'. I don't know how I escaped."

OOC: @Vezok's Friend @~Xemnas~@Onaku @EmperorWhenua @Azibo

[Toru Nui]

IC: Tekmo (The Great Temple)

Ah yes. Ardoku was right. This Toa had no doubt been hypnotized by the warlord to do his evil bidding. He thought back to those he killed back on that island. Could they have been... he didn't want to think about that.

"Toa Skorm, we are here to help. But I need you to put your weapons down. You know killing the defenseless and the innocent is wrong." Hopefully, these words might convince this 'Toa of Twilight' to join their side... or, at might at least shake his conviction. Really, he'd take whatever he could get at this point.

 

IC: Waveahk (The Coliseum, Prison Level)

Waveahk ran through the labyrinth of corridors, leaping over the motionless Vahki that Nidhiki had left lying on the floor, desperately searching for a way out of this nightmare. Who's bright idea was it to get himself arrested again?

Oh, right. His.

He didn't turn around to see if that thing was still chasing him, that was the kind of thing that gets you killed in horror stories, such as the one he was now apparently trapped in. He was so preoccupied with running he almost missed what he was running for - an elevator which he nearly ran past in blind panic. Stopping himself firmly with one foot, causing him to briefly slide in the direction he was running in through sheer momentum, before clambering inside, and repeatedly tapping ground floor until the doors closed. The only sound he could hear was his own panicked, weary breath, and an irritating little jingle that passed as elevator music.

He could murder for a cup of water right now.

 

IC: Ostrox (Ko-Metru, Underground Warehouse)

"Trying to change the sky again?" Ostrox seemed to ignore Irna entirely, focusing on Mazor.

"There's no cause for this animosity you seem to have for me. We're on the same side. Lord Mantax has commanded me to make sure nothing bad happens to the artifact. But, your words will be taken to heart - I'll make sure you won't realize I'm there." And with that, Ostrox slipped away, disappearing into the mass of soldiers.

[Azibo]

IC: Sans, Dume's Office

Giving Dume time to respond to him and to address everyone else in the room, Sans turned to his now-Toa companion who was receiving special attention towards his darkened appendage, "Yeah, with that new arm, you could probably look really cool losing a game of rock, paper, scissors now, huhuhuhu."

[Vezok's Friend]

IC [Zataka, Coliseum - Dume’s Office]:

“Korruhn.” the titan repeated, as if trying out a previously unknown dish. She gently let go of his arm, before standing back up to her full height. “It has a nice ring to it. Well, the introduction was overdue anyway.”

Sans laughter began to make more sense - sometimes a moment of levity was needed in serious moments like these. But, it was just a moment. It passed, and she looked the young Toa in the eyes. 

“There have been stories of creatures like the one you describe. I couldn’t tell you what it was or why it did this to you. But the result is undeniable.” She paused, glancing at Kohara. “Use it to your advantage. Light and Shadow are rare elements. Toa generally do not have these powers - play it smart and your enemies will not see them coming.”
 

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum

Kohara glanced back at the titan. It was then that she realized... from the moment she had entered the room, Kohara had sensed something odd. The sense of shadow, but not necessarily evil. It seemed that the titan was the source, given her apparent knowledge of light and shadow.

"And be careful not to allow the shadows to take hold of you," Kohara added. "Shadow is often a corrupting force, so be wary of straying down the path of evil. However, in the right hands, a Toa should be able to resist the allure of evil."

[Crimson Jester]

IC: Korruhn - Dume's Office

The combination of Sans' utter ridiculousness and Zataka and Kohara's reassurances proved a potent formula for Korruhn's ailing mind. He felt the unease step it's way into a back room in his mind, to be addressed in less pressing times. Now finding the strength to do so, Korruhn found his strength, and pushed himself up off the floor. His hands found provenance on the sides of his hood, and he pulled it away, revealing the unique mask he now bore, giving him the appearance of a knight born from the very Void that shook him to his core. The new Toa examined himself again, flexing limbs and digits to get a feel for the resistance and strength, gazing upon his new, malicious-looking blade weapons, and quickly trying to decipher the odd runes that lined the edges of his half-cloak.

"It's an adjustment, coming to terms with such a destiny," Korruhn stated to nobody in particular, still in awe of his change. "But, that is no matter at this time. Ever since I first decided to undertake the task of collecting the discs, I dreamed of this day -- of having the power to change the fate of Metru Nui for the betterment of it's people. But, I failed to plan beyond this event. So I guess what I'm asking is: what the karz do we do now?"

[Azibo]

IC: Sans, Dume's Office

"I wouldn't worry, Cart.... I mean, Korruhn.  Bad guys don't usually have a sense of humor, yet you've been cracking up at my valued remarks from Le-Metru to this office, huhuhuhu." Though joking, Sans understood the concern.  The newcomer Toa was correct, and Sans had once even fought a Shadow Toa.  He wouldn't be here if he had lost, obviously, but it's one of those encounters you never forget.  In his experience, Sans found that Shadow was an element on par with Psionics as far as how one needed to defeat it mentally more so than with brute strength or clever tactics.  A strong soul could never falter to shadow and despair.  And form his travels with the three Matoran, Sans knew they all had strong souls.

" what the karz do we do now?" 

"Well, I for one need to sit.  Old bones, you know how it is, Turaga Dume." Sans winked at the old man, who was still busy with the others and possibly not even really listening to Sans, and walked forward, helping himself to one of the comfortable chairs situated in front of Turaga Dume's desk.  Getting comfortable and slouching back in the seat were both one and the same, now.

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum

As Waveahk breathed a sigh of relief in the elevator and wished aloud for a cup of water he felt a soft tapping on his shoulder. Spinning around he saw… nothing.

The lights flickered in the elevator. Glancing down the free steltian saw he had several more floors to go on the button panel. A jarring thud bent the metal walls inward in a strange hand print. Then another. They were unique, shaped differently, clutching at the bottom of the elevator wall. It brought the elevator to a screeching halt and the lights flickered out. Smoke hissed through the air vents, making Waveahk cough.

He felt something tap his shoulder. Hot breath poured down his back. A cup slipped into his hands.

“Wa-t-er.”

The lights flickered back on and the elevator music resumed as the floors began passing by again. Waveahk held a ceramic cup of sea water in his hands.

[Toru Nui]

IC: Waveahk (The Coliseum, Elevator)

Waveahk stared incredulously at the cup in his hands, glancing around nervously. It took him about five seconds to try and take advantage of this, as opposed to the usual three. "...I would also like my weapons back, or at least something else to defend myself with." He began gulping down the water afterwards, eyes still darting from side to side.

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum

The lights flickered out, this time the lightstones cracked and shattered inside their glass enclosures. The darkness remained. Waveahk’s eyes couldn’t get adjusted no matter how much he blinked. There was no tapping or hot breath this time. But he did feel something fall into his open hands. It felt cold. Like metal? But also sticky? It wriggled in his grasp.

“W-ea-p-on”

A sharp thud on the walls. The lights in the floor selection panel lit up again, but the overhead lights remained out. In the halo from the small lights on the wall, Waveahk watched the elevator slowly make its ascent again...

[Toru Nui]

IC: Waveahk (The Coliseum, Elevator)

Using what little light he had, Waveahk tried to examine this strange new weapon as the elevator slowly made its way up to the surface.

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum

As Waveahk tried to get a closer look at what was in his hands he felt the elevator slowing down. The floor beneath him gave a shudder. Looking back he saw whatever shape was in his hand twitch. The squirming and wriggling began to make him uneasy, and it started to move with a life of its own. Was it really a weapon? The glints of light in the darkness made it look like a glassy sort of eel, but too stubby and bulbous to be an eel. Maybe a worm, or a slug? Something with metal segmented plates whatever it was. The ding of the elevator arriving at floor Ground broke his train of thought while Waveahk wrestled to keep the whatever it was held firmly in both hands. The doors rattle open. There was no Ground floor.

There was nothing outside the doors.

“Fo-r a cu-p of wa-te-r.”

Then Waveahk realized with drawing horror what his thought had been. 

And the creature in his hand began to consume him.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[Void Emissary]

IC:

Irna snarled as she watched Ostrox slip away into the crowd -- but she couldn't help but linger on his final question.

"Mazor," she said, turning back to her companion. "Are you planning on using the cube again?"

OOC: @Smudge8

-Void

[Toru Nui]

OOC: The following has been colluded with the GM.

 

IC: Waveahk (???, Elevator)

He felt the slug-thing devouring - no, attaching itself onto him. He suddenly felt quite heavy - then quite light - then he felt like he was floating - then he felt like he was being crushed. He realized what he had done. He had made a deal - a deal he didn't actually intend to make, but one it was clear he wasn't going to be able to get out of it.

"Who do I kill?!" He screamed out into the void. "WHO DO I MURDER IN EXCHANGE!?"

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum

“Ko-rr-uhn,” said the voice. Then a tap on the shoulder.

“Ma-Tan-ui.” The whisper came close behind but echoed from far out away from the elevator.

The slug-thing forced its way inside his arm, finding a home and making itself quite comfortable. When it was done, Waveahk couldn't even tell it was there, save for a small bump on the outside of his arm. Then the lights flickered back on, the elevator trundled upwards, and the door dinged to let Waveahk out into the main lobby of the Coliseum. When he looked behind none of the bent metal he'd seen during the trip up remained. Nothing at all of whatever just happened. He shivered, and imagined the slug-thing in him.

 

[Onaku]

IC: Waif - Coliseum

The enrobed matoran looked her newly empowered friend over with concern, especially so the shadowy arm he now so suddenly possessed in his new form. Looking upon it she almost felt sick, more than she already was. Whatever it was, that arm felt wrong to her on every level. She was about to say something about it when she heard Dume call upon her next, her compatriot the Alpinist now too having been bestowed the power... The power she was now to receive? But not only that, there was something else the Turaga had said  "W-wash away? This... this will do that?"

Cautiously, yet almost as if in a trance, The Waif approached a destiny she'd never once dared imagine would be hers.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Onaku

[Harvali]

OOC: wall of text below, permission give by @Silvan Havento make the trade, and from @Unreliable Narratorfor the plot point. also sorry for the text being weird, copied this from a word doc and it went weird. 

IC Kanohi - the Taku

The Fe-Matoran nodded as he handed over his disk and took the speed disk in his hands. He bowed, hands wringing as he descended into the room Knichou described. He pulled out the torch he had used to mend the hull, and stared at it. It … it should work. Right?

Kanohi swallowed, looking down at the speed disk, and the tool in his opposite hand. He … he had done some good things recently, fixed the statue, mended the hull, fixed that levitation engines, and the latter used disks. He … he could do this. Just … just move slowly, carefully. But not too slow. Just slow enough.

He felt his hands tremble, no this … this is what caused him to break so many masks. He … he used to be able to make simple masks, but the fear, the anxiety, his hands couldn’t be steady, his mind became overwhelmed, and inevitable the disks snapped apart. But he … he couldn’t break this disk, too much was at stake.

The Fe-Matoran rubbed his head, okay, think. Think back to Okoto and Turaga Bomahri’s wisdom. Small tasks, easily manga or tasks. But this task was simple, it would be simple for anyone, anyone but him at least. His anxiety was all consuming, where was it coming from? He had done good, fixing the hull…

He was moving when he mended the hull, grappling around it. And … and at the ti,e he just been stressed by the Taku Team and the newcomers possibly fighting, and then when he went to work polishing off the hull he felt better. It was a simple manageable task, but could the movement have helped? And at the end of patrol after a stressful day, he tended to feel better?

All living things needed fuel to live, could his anxiety be the same? If he tired, and kept focusing on small reachable goals…

He paced around the room for a time, his fingers drummed against the air, listening to the flatter of his metal feet and jingling armor. The sounds reminded him of the wind blowing through Fe-Koro’s chimes, a reminder to take shelter from the winds that whipped around the village. The winds weren’t as common in Bo-Wahi, the trees broke up the air currents. Sometimes the metal huts began to erode, but Toa Fehagah always managed to mend them, she knew how to grow the iron walls like a thicket, weaving them together with little metal flowers blooming. She spent plenty of time exploring Bo-Wahi, trained under Bomahri when he was still a Toa. 

His mind was wandering. 

Kanohi sat down, and began to work. Sparks danced from his welding torch like spores in Bo-Wahi, twirling on the wind. His hands moved with his thoughts distracted, moving on some old instinct. A mediocre instinct, one with little skill, but skill enough. It was skill enough. Right? He … he wasn’t utterly useless, focus on his achievements. He … he fixed a statue, that anyone could have fixed with a regeneration disk. But he fixed the hull, as poorly and sloppily as possible, shaming the Nynrah Ghost. B-but the engine, he only fixed one.

His hands trembled at his racing thoughts, his heartlight flickering. Just … just work slow. Steady, steady, simple tasks.

And then finally Kanohi collapsed, panting, his metabolism like a bioquake. But in his hand he clutched the finished firing pin.

He lay there for a time, hyperventilating, exhausted. Still he … he had finished it. And he could keep trying these techniques, small tasks, draining his anxious energy, and he … he had been distracted by wandering thoughts. Maybe he could use that in the future, listen to music, or a recording of a speech of Stannis. Something like that. He bowed his head and thanked Mata-Nui for helping steady his hands, before shakily stumbling out, handing the firing pin to Knichou.

And then Kanohi’s mind exploded. 

Not with the violent shockwave and force of a Toa of Fire going Nova, but like a dam had ruptured and now a tidal wave was slamming into a small Koro. Like Fe-Koro. He clutched his head, his eyes shut tight enough to shatter.

The world vanished for Kanohi, shards of glass erupting from his eyes. He stumbled backwards, to see the shards of glass drifting in the void. As if a playful Garai user was making them dance. He stared and the shards bumbled and struck each other, with each collision green sparks striking between them. Until before his eyes the image had merged into a small chain of islands on the ocean.

Kanohi … his hands moved on its own, reaching out towards the island. As his hands extended the image rippled, like the fumes of the Great Furnace. Before Kanohi’s gaze he could see waves slamming into the islands, small huts pounded by the ocean. The water drew higher and higher, smothering the shanty-towns on the coast as a dying flame.

The Fe-Matoran felt his heartlight beat as a lighthouse, and his hands shot out, trying to push away the waves, shove the water aside. But the water slipped through his fingers, forcing his hands open. His optics shook in horror, he kept trying, but water was beyond him. He could only look as a marble of water spread across the islands like an infected mask, until the last town was pulverized into powder. As that town was shredded  a solitary crimson flag was uprooted from the force,  and slammed straight into his eyes, coiling around his head. Kanohi clawed at his face, struggling to get the banner off—

And then the flag was gone. The islands were gone. The town were gone. And Kanohi was back in Metru-Nui, his eyes unmanaged but trembling, and his fingers clutching at his head like a Po-Matoran hanging off a a tree branch, lost in an environment not his own.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Harvali

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra - Ta-Metru, en-route to Coliseum

For several long moments, Sidra just stared at the spot where her impossible opponent had been standing. For several moments more, she wondered if the whole encounter had been some kind of horrifying hallucination, before a quick check of her nektann's footage revealed that was most definitely not the case.

She summoned the drones back to herself and teleported to a new vantage point, further from the crash site, to consult her iStone.

The situation in the city had escalated considerably since her encounter with the undead had begun, it seemed. Dume had called in his collection on the Great Disks, and now the League had reached Metru Nui. The bounties for the Dark Hunters were for two Turaga, and something in the possession of the Barraki Pridak... all of them most likely already at the Coliseum, or on their way. She was in no fit state to fight a war, but orders were orders... she couldn't sit this out... could she? 

No, she couldn't. 

Her mask's eyepiece zoomed in on a nearby chute station, identifying a suitable patch of shade near the entrance, which she promptly teleported to. She boarded a chute heading in the direction of the Coliseum, but she sent one of her nektann into a chute moving towards Ga-Metru. If reports of the Barraki's movements were true, then there was something there she wanted to keep an eye on...

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IC: Vyarik/Revenant - Coliseum Cells

The unearthly screeches of the the collected Untethered faded as they looked upon one another, free from the confines of the cell that had contained the one that had summoned them. The one that had once been Vyarik reached out with magnetism, summoning its weapons back from wherever they had been stored by the guards. Once armed, it turned and set off deeper into the Coliseum, following the call of the Dead God. 

OOC: @Crimson Jester  @Azibo - do you guys want to try combining into a kaita? @Unreliable Narrator - where to from here for the Revenants?

[Toru Nui]

IC: Waveahk (The Coliseum, Main Lobby)

Stepping out of the metal cage, Waveahk felt light-footed and light-headed. He stumbled out into the lobby, filled with panicking Matoran, and to be honest he felt like joining them.

So to recap: he'd been chased across the city by annoyingly persistent robots, almost buried alive by an insane fanatic, thrown in jail willingly, saw his co-worker transformed into something monstrous, left to die at the hands of a headless abomination, had his physical appearance deemed 'ugly' by a Skakdi, - he didn't quite remember where that fit in the timeline, only that it did - taken away to a pitch black void of nothingness by some eldritch creature and told to kill an unknown and a God.

Must be Thursday. He could never get the hang of Thursdays.

[Crimson Jester]

IC: Fa'amatai, the Untethered

Although the former Fa'amatai lacked a head, his shoulders were constantly moving, as though his missing head was scanning his environment intensely. Though he lacked physical eyes, the burning, intense gaze could still be felt around the room. Fa'amatai's heartlight glowed with a sickly, radioactive green hue that pulsated to a sickening rhythm. As he stepped through the remains of the cell wall, he turned to his two compatriots.

"He is here." A disturbing voice, disembodied and seemingly coming from all directions at once, attacked the ears of his brethren. Fa'amatai's voice was quiet, and yet booming, calm, but somehow imbibed with a pain and anger no mortal could begin to comprehend. "We His emissary, commit our bodies to His service."

OOC: @Azibo @Nato the Traveler let's Kaita. Feel free to bunny Fa if needed!

[Smudge8]

IC: Mazor-Ko-Metru

Mazor nodded, "But not like that, at least I don't think so, I just can't stop thinking about it." He glanced around, "The first time I used the cube I felt someone, it felt good, and I'd like to meet them."

OOC: I hope I'm not being too slow with Mazor's posts.

Edited March 17, 2020 by Smudge8

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Turaga Dume | Coliseum, Office

He watched her approach and noticed her shifting and limping gait. She had lost some of herself, but found something in herself to keep going on. Dume admired her persistence. And here she found a team of matoran to work with who care for her. Truly the Great Spirit worked through all things.

“I cannot change who you are destined to be. It is your duty to accept yourself as a unified whole,” Dume said. “But you may find who you are destined to be is different from who you are now. What stays with you is who you are.”

And then he placed his hand on her heartlight and shouted the powers of a toa into her soul. As she became the hero she was destined to be, Dume smiled and turned to Taja still clutching the Ga-Metru Great Disk. He held a hand out, beckoning her closer.

"I believe it's your turn."

OOC: @Onaku, go make a new character sheet.

[Azibo]

IC: Othorak, Colosseum

"So will our will be His will..."  Othorak extended his arms, meeting his two comrades'.  "The mission... will be fulfilled..."  Amethyst energies swirled with shadows as a ghoulish ambiance enveloped the three abominations.  In maybe a minute, the devilish storm has come and gone, but in that time, three creatures became one.  

IC: [Untethered Kaita]???, Colosseum

This... being... thing, was as ever a Titan as Othorak was.  Its new armor seemed dipped in blood, with blackened, charred skulls emanating from his shoulders and haunted flames erupting from every crevice of his weighted form.   His head a contorted mass of three different colored eyes forcing their way out from behind an unrecognizable Kanohi.  HIs maw... wet with hunger that only death may satiate. 

The Titan strode forward, each step thundering as the monster moved down the hallway, towards a stairway marked by sign.  This beast... this creature... it mind only entertained a single thought...

"We are come, Lord, so that you may rise."

Edited March 17, 2020 by Azibo

[BULiK]

OOC: Sorry for the delay - you all know arrival and departure times aren't always 100% accurate

IC: Knichou, Coliseum Airspace, Bridge of the Taku

Knichou finished his work with the Nynrah tech while Kanohi forged the firing pin replica. Satisfied with his quick work, the engineer checked the Taku's instruments, then quickly walked over to the side room connected to the bridge where Kanohi was working. Kanohi had a hand on his head as if he was experiencing a headache, although Knichou didn't pay much thought to it. The ex-Ghost saw that the speed disk firing pin was complete - the final part needed to complete his upgrade of Kanohi's grappling gun.

"Ready for the next step?"

In Knichou's hands were two modified grappling guns, each missing its handle and trigger. One was made entirely of the chrome substance Knichou had been sculpting, the other was Kanohi's original grappling gun with some additions and reinforcements made out of the strange material. Not waiting for Kanohi to protest, Knichou slapped the mechanisms against Kanohi's wrists, and the liquid metal morphed to seal itself to Kanohi's upper forearms. Kanohi opened his mouth to say something but before the words could form, Knichou reached into his amorphous backpack to pull out a small chunk of the substance, pressing it against Kanohi's forehead and leaving the other Fe-Matoran momentarily speechless. The nanites stuck to Kanohi's Hau and washed downwards to form a transparent cover over the mask's eyeholes. Kanohi could see a basic heads up display showing information on the status of his grappling guns, with the information quickly disappearing when Kanohi thought that he didn't need such information.

"Aaaaaand there we go. Now you just need to insert both firing pins and you're all set. Your mask now has an uplink to your grapple launchers - you'll only need to think about firing in order to do it. It may take a bit of getting used to, but soon it will feel as natural as moving any other part of your body. I would give you a more detailed breakdown, but I really need to get back to the helm since we're almost at the Coliseum."

With that statement, Knichou quickly turned around and began rushing to the bridge, but not before stopping to say one more thing he forgot.

"Oh, and you may want to practice these a bit before you go climbing the outside of the Coliseum, just in case a part needs a revision."

With that, Knichou left Kanohi to his experimentation, and sat back in the captain's chair at the front of the bridge. Anyone looking through a window or porthole below them would see a massive Metru-Nuian army deploying to each district -  a sign that the war had finally found it's way to the last free Matoran city. Knichou didn't look below anymore, he couldn't allow himself to be distracted from the mission. No chance to let himself devolve to cowardice or regrets. Not this time.

The Fe-Matoran picked up the radio transmitter and began broadcasting over Vahki frequencies as the Taku floated ever closer to the coliseum. The ship was high up - several dozens of meters above the height of the Coliseum itself.

"This is Knichou of the airship Taku, requesting permission to land on top of the Coliseum. My crew is in possession of two Great Disks, over."

After he released the button to broadcast, Knichou swiveled his chair around at the various beings now assembled on the bridge.

"Well, that should get their attention," he quipped.

[Void Emissary]

OOC: @Smudge8 Not at all! Don't worry about it bud

IC:

Something cold raced up Irna's spine.

"Mazor," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That cube ... it's dangerous. I don't know if I'd trust whoever might have ... created it ... to be someone that we would wish to meet."

-Void

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Atamai: Above Coliseum

”Hopefully it gets their attention fast, because it looks like the city’s at war. We need to act quick in order to help the city survive.”

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum

The three Untethered finally joined into one. The thoughts of their separate cores, and the distinction of individuality, finally disappeared: they were free to just be as they were meant to be: a singular entity, a creation of the world and not of it. The Kaita became the host of many, the new individual self, and the spirit of something greater. Each step down the stairwell it could barely fit inside brought it closer to another part of itself, another something separate that needed to come home. The Kaita eventually met its match. The prison floors ended. The rows of prisoners quietly cowering in their cells vanished. The vahki could not be crushed further. There was nothing but solid slabs of protodermis below its feet. But the call continued. Deeper. Further down. In the core of the city, hiding and asleep. They could feel it below them.

 

On the ground floor of the coliseum stood Waveahk unsure of what to do or where to go. He watched the panicked matoran working their way slowly toward the central elevator core of the building through the rapidly closing open air market that sprung up in the open floor plan during the day. He knew soon enough he’d need to get out of the way or face a wave of knee-high pests. Then he felt it, the tap on his shoulder and the hot breath on the back of his neck.

“Up,” he heard echo in his mind. “Up.”

Far above the Coliseum, in the air, the Taku received a response; “Airship Taku this is Coliseum Control. Negative on your request. Land in parade grounds by Ga-Metru quadrant. Over.”

[Harvali]

IC Kanohi - the Taku

Kanohi barely noticed Knichou at first, his heartlight a blur of flashing. What … what had he just seen? Those islands, that red flag, the flood, what did it mean? Was … was his mind finally breaking down?

And then he felt cold metal squirm into his arms, followed swiftly by squirming into his face. The Fe-Matoran stumbled in shock, as displays flicked in his sight, and his arms settled. He panted, catching Knichou’s words. Right this … this was more important. The fate of Metru Nui and the Matoran depended on what happened here this day Later he could ask Toa Stannis for advice, maybe that Toa of Psionics too.

Swallowing he fitted in the firing pins, and moved his arms. His grappling guns felt … lighter, more responsive, and his mask seemed to show where to aim. It was … this was the power of a Nynrah Ghost - the best of the Fe-Matoran. The best of the Matoran crafters.

Humbled, he was suddenly aware of … thumping? Knichou’s words flashed in his mind, and he grappled his way outside of the ship, he should get some practice in. He grappled around the airship, jerking and stumbling, it was … very responsive, but less violent. He grappled back and forth like a Brakas in the trees, glancing down at the—

The city was … in ruins. He could only see so far, but his perch on the top of the airship gave him quite the view as Karzahni came to Metru-Nui. Fires breaking out, buildings toppling, Matoran getting mowed down by strange weapons, it was a bloodbath. So much liquid Protodermis spilled from attackers and defenders alike that it pooled into mock lakes. Toa and Vahki were struggling to evacuate Matoran to safety, some Matoran themselves were hurling disks of freezing, weaken, and reconstruct at random as they fled, trying to take down at least a few of the Leaguers. 

It … it was too late. He had failed Metru-Nui and the Matoran. The end had come.

He … he had to do something. He took a deep breath he returned to the airship’s entrance and called out to the passengers of the Taku, “the city is … the invasion has come. It’s … it’s worse than Okoto. So many lives, so many Matoran … I … I think I should try to help the Matoran get to safety. I … Mr. Ghost, Toa Nale, Toa Stannis, I … we can’t let the city burn. If … if the city must burn we must at least save the Matoran, take them to safety.”

He swallowed, his whole body quivering, “if you need me to, I will scout the Coliseum, but I-I think I have to try to help our people get to safety. At least try. Hopefully that makes sense.”

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Pridak | Ko-Metru

Pridak found Ko-Metru to be a vexing test of his abilities as a conqueror. The scholars of the stars somehow predicted this day would come. Perhaps the Ko-Matoran who lived in the icy knowledge towers were used to hardship: harsh winds, great falls, social isolation outside of work. His army marched from one tower to the next, securing each building, proposing The Question, and finding very few interested in disobeying their astronomical readings or laying down their faith in the Great Spirit. They predicted the fall, and many were determined to fulfill the prophecy by joining their brothers and sisters in death. Eventually, Pridak grew tired of the same inflexible end to each knowledge tower. Waving Mazor closer to him, Pridak said;

“You, it’s time we make use of what you carry.” Pridak began walking his warsuit toward an open balcony with a view of the Coliseum. The suns were almost fully set, leaving a purple and orange sunset on the sky. Once there, he continued; “While we continue to distract Dume’s forces, take the Krom Sphere to the Coliseum. Have Nuju guide you inside, and go down as far as you can. He says there’s a secret access tunnel to a place called the Core Processor--”

“The Cortex, actually,” Nuju chimed in.

“The Cor...tex.” Pridak repeated, eyes stealy. What he would give to freely murder this researcher for speaking out of turn. Unfortunately, Nuju was still useful. “Follow him to the Cortex. He’ll explain more from there. Take those you trust with you Mazor. I will follow behind once I have claimed Ko-Metru as fully mine.”

He placed a hand on Mazor’s shoulder and lowered his head down to eye level with the undead toa.

“You will not fail me,” Pridak said, then shifted away and continued commanding his troops.

“Alright then,” the matoran named Nuju said after Pridak had moved on. “It’s you, me, and who else?”

 

IC: Ehlek | Le-Metru

Zaliyah's rhotuka struck true, damaging the chute converter box and starting a chain reaction through the open air power substation. Ehlek laughed happily as he watched the electricity arc through the air between boxes and smelled the ozone wafting towards them. 

"Oh, good shot, good shot! Everyone, do what she did. Let's tear these chutes to the ground."

Edited March 18, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - The Taku

"An invasion?!" Arkius roared as he limped onto the bridge. Despite lacking a mask, the characteristic fiery passion was all too apparent in his one remaining eye as he stared out the viewport of the ship. "Knichou, we need to do as the response said, we need to set down now!"

 

IC: Matrak - Ko-Metru

"Excuse me!" A strange lanky being walked out to meet Pridak and his forces, an odd bladed weapon in one hand. Matrak had been made aware of violent activity in this strange cold place, and after seeing small white beings like he'd encountered before slaughtered in their homes, he decided he needed to investigate. "Tell me, what is the purpose of this massacre?! Have these people done you some terrible wrong?! Have they perhaps refused to bend the knee to a campaign of conquest you are conducting here?! Forgive me but I am new here and unfamiliar with the laws of this land, though I'm quite certain these people pose no threat that justifies this kind of evil!!"

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella and Jutori - The Taku (above the Coliseum)

Nale reached out to stop her Onu-Toa friend as he got up. "Arkius, you really shouldn't--" she didn't even bother finishing, instead letting out a deep sigh as she followed him to the bridge. Her rifle suddenly felt very heavy on her back. "If the city needs help, then I'm willing to go down there and do what I can while the rest of you try to get inside the Coliseum. And these Matoran...maybe they'll be a bit different when I come back, if all goes right."

Jutori stood back a bit, shaken by the state of affairs in the city. This was the kind of thing Toa were needed for, the kind of thing Dume presumably was preparing for with this disk hunt. They needed to get inside the Coliseum soon--if the City of Legends ever needed heroes, now was the time.

He wished he had a weapon.

...

"Knichou," the Ba-Matoran began, moving past the pair of Toa, "I saw what you did for Kanohi. Would it be...too much to ask you for something like that? Things are getting dicey down there, I'd like something to defend myself with."

@Onaku@BULiK

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

Rose nodded in response. "Just...just uh...don't get shot down or anything," she said, trying to be as affectionate as possible while charging towards death and destruction. 

@Snelly

[Harvali]

IC Kanohi - the Taku

The small Fe-Matoran looked at the city below, as it shattered and broke like clumps of sand against the tide. Kanohi swallowed, he had to do something, at least try to help. He … what was the point of all of this if the Matoran were lost? They were the Heart of Metru-Nui, the soul of the universes. He … he had a duty. To his people. 

He rubbed his Hau underneath the layers of broken masks he wore. His disks couldn’t fly far, they weren’t from Le-Metru. But up here, if he arced them, and with the control a Ga-Metru disk gave him… 

He pulled out his disk launcher, with his grappling guns now merged with his arms, he could hold the weapon while he grappled around. He began to hook and fling himself around the airship, searching the battlefield below for any Matoran and Toa at risk from the crumbling terrain and collapsing buildings. He would try to help them from above, as best that he could manage. 

[Nato G]

IC: Zaliyah - Le-Metru

The former Toa had no qualms about killing, and the beast within her embraced it... but unlike some of her comrades, she wasn't one for senseless, unnecessary slaughter. Given the option between making the Matoran surrender peacefully, and butchering them all where they stood, she was more inclined towards ensuring a swift surrender. 

As her fellow League members set to work replicating her act of sabotage, she stood back and watched, loosing a few more Rhotuka to continue her contribution. This was the right way to carry out conquest: strategic sabotage, weakening the will of the enemy, massacring morale instead of Matoran. Enough blood was being spilled in the defence of this wretched city elsewhere, she was certain. There was no need for her to contribute to it further if it could be avoided. 

They weren't the mindless murderers and monsters the Toa wanted to make them out to be. They were more.

When the work was done she turned back to Ehlek. "Shall we continue? I'm sure there are a few other strategic targets remaining in the region."

@Unreliable Narrator

[Smudge8]

IC: Mazor-Ko-Metru

"Irna is the only one I know enough to trust. Ostrox is probably going to follow whether I want him to or not. But we could probably use at least one more person." He began to scan the crowd looking for anyone that might be useful.

OOC: Last call for any leaguers that would like to join.

[Snelly]

38 minutes ago, Tarn said:

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

Rose nodded in response. "Just...just uh...don't get shot down or anything," she said, trying to be as affectionate as possible while charging towards death and destruction. 

IC: Skyra - Po-Metru -

Aww, she was worried about her! Skyra felt a bit giddy thinking about it, but she needed to tone it down a bit. Now was the time to get serious after. "Don't worry I'll be careful, but thanks for worrying~" Then without warning she gave Rose a kiss on the cheek, giving her a wink and flying off before the Toa of Fire had a chance to react. 

Skyra flew up into the air, high enough that she had a good view of the area and so she'd be more difficult to spot...hopefully. She flew forward, looking for any signs of the enemy. 

@Tarn@Unreliable Narrator

Edited March 18, 2020 by Snelly

[Onaku]

IC: Aradra - Coliseum

Bright radiance shone out from the supposed matoran of ice as Dume touched her heartlight and shouted the power of a mighty warrior into her soul. The room was set ablaze in pure white glow as the matoran's form shifted, her ragged grey clothing and her makeshift bronze armour shifting around her growing form into a beautiful grey and white robe, adorned with immaculate bronze ornamental armour, her cumbersome second mask shifting into a near perfect fit around her empowered Mahiki, a second face that concealed the scars of her past with lustrous glowing metal. As she stood there before everyone, she reached up a hand, and instead of the ice she expected to form through exertion of her being, a beam of light shone up and into the roof of the room, before she cut it off and closed her hand in wonderment, the toa of light now standing regal and complete. Her white glowing eyes shifted from her hand to the comparatively smaller Dume, to her fellow new toa the Alpinist and Korruhn, pure wonder shining through even the emotionless shape of her bronze facade.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Onaku

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum

Kohara looked in wonder as the new Toa of Light was born. Well, now's a good a time as ever, she thought.

She stepped towards the new Toa and focused her own power. Her armor shifted from various blues into its natural white and gold coloration. Her eyes glowed white as well, and she conjured a small orb of light in her hand.

"Amazing... you're like me. I was not always a Toa of Light, but it seems its what you were always meant to be." Kohara smiled. "I can teach you about your new powers, if you'd like."

[Snelly]

IC: Vashni - Taku -

Vashni followed the others to the bridge, gasping as she looked out and saw the chaos that had befallen the city. She glanced at the Matoran she'd started this whole journey.

"I'll make sure you all get to Turaga Dume, I promise you that." 

[Eyru]

IC: Oreius | Ga-Metru

Hypnosis would explain the lack of bodies in the streets. Those Matoran who did not escape would have surrendered, willingly or not. Oreius frowned, hoping that this Toa would snap out of it, but kept his weapon ready in case he did not. They had little time to waste, and protecting the Matoran was his first priority, not saving a weak-minded Toa.

 

IC: Taja | The Coliseum

If the stars spoke rightly (and Taja had never known them to lie), then only a destined Matoran could become a Toa. Even Dume, in all his wisdom, could surely not subvert the will of the Great Spirit. The astronomer watched Matoran after Matoran receive the Turaga's shout and instantly transform, and each transformation was further proof that this was the path they were all meant to walk.

From destiny, peace.

She swallowed her doubts and offered the disk to Dume.

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Atamai:

I nodded to Vashni. "Thank you Vashni. I'm glad that you've stuck with us throughout this whole journey. Let's do this thing. After you," I said to her. I pulled out the Onu-Metru disk, ready to face whatever was waiting for us inside the Coliseum.