Six Kingdoms: Escapement - Gameplay

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Dume's Office

The Ba-Toa stood nearby, his sledgehammer hanging by his side. The revelations about the Mangai, time travel, all of it delivered at once from Dume himself... "You all act as if this isn't insane. But...if it's what has to be done, then..."

Jutori wondered if, depending on how this went, time travel would erase his Toahood. But at the same time, this would fix things. The world would be as it was before the Barraki started their campaign against the Great Spirit.

If they followed the Turaga's plan, and if it worked.

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

Skyra was eager to fight the warlord, it seemed. Rose aimed for Carapar and unleashed a stream of fire on him, intent on cooking a nice crab dinner.

@Snelly

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

I reacted as fast as possible, bringing up my blade and swinging it to meet the beast's axe, even despite knowing its effect. I looked into his eyes, and saw...what felt like nothing. An emptiness like I had not seen before, and I worried that if I maintained this gaze I would find myself in the nowhere in these four optics.

Pulling my sword away, I kicked at the beast's leg, hoping to strike him off-balance. But with this impressive frame...perhaps I'd end up with a hurt foot more than anything.

@Dane

[Nato G]

IC: Sidra - Dume's Office

"Are you people insane?" The voice of the Dark Huntress sputtered from the floor behind the desk, "If you change the events that led up to you changing time in the first place... isn't that a paradox? You won't save anyone... you'll destroy us all." 

It was the same thing that happened to the user of a Kanohi Mohtrek if their past self was killed. Their present self simply ceased to exist. Sidra had seen it happen once; it hadn't been pleasant. And these people wanted to do that to an entire universe?

"No wonder someone wants you dead..." 

[Onaku]

IC: Okuo - Coliseum

Okuo shuddered. The Dark Hunter spoke of the universe getting destroyed in a time paradox... Still, this was coming from someone who moments earlier had made an attempt on the Turaga's life. "You're not exactly a reliable source from our perspective. You know that, right?

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Lhikan | Coliseum, Prisons

“Sans sent you?” Lhikan said, sitting up from where he curled up on the floor. Wiping a tear away with the back of his hand he shuddered and blinked. He rang his wrists. “Kohara is it? Kohara… Wait, aren’t you one of Axonn’s disciples?” Are you with the Order?”

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Oryn - Ta-Metru (Gaining The Advantage)

The digitigrade leg that The Swordsman kicked at did little but shift slightly. Oryn glanced down at it for a moment, almost confused, before sending his large, antlered skull forward into a crushing headbutt, Kalmah's painted sigil plunging for the Swordsman's face. 

OOC: @Tarn

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum

Kohara blinked. “Yes, I am... how do you know Axonn? How do you know of the Order?”

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Lhikan | Coliseum Prisons

“I may be in prison but I knew things. Dume isn't the only one who's tongue is held by Axonn's curses." Lhikan responded sharply, turning his head aside to look away for a minute. His body shook with some emotion Kohara couldn’t discern from fear or rage. Then, softening, he continued; “I’m sorry. There’s just so much going on and I don’t even know where to begin and… I just keep going over everything I did. Over and over. I can’t stop thinking about what I did. It doesn’t even add up. Nidhiki said Tuyet was in the Coliseum, but she was there when we got the disks. He said… He lied. But he looked so shocked… He must have lied?”

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum Prison

”It sounds like Nidhiki might have set you up. You’re in prison and he’s not.”

Kohara shook her head. “Wait, what do you mean about ‘Axonn’s curses’? What are you talking about?”

[Eyru]

IC: Taja | Aboard the Airship

The airship rose quickly from its berth, then began moving west towards Ko-Metru. Despite Sans' empowering speech, Taja couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Actually, make that a lot nervous. She was a scholar, not a soldier. Defending the city was a task for the Vahki or for Toa... but she was a Toa, wasn't she? It felt odd to call herself that, like she was adopting a new identity. Anyway, she'd only been a Toa for a few minutes. Not enough time to get used to her new height, let alone learn how to fight.

Speaking of fighting... she needed a weapon. Taja slung her disk launcher off her back, only just realizing now that it was still there. Like her, the launcher had changed. It was bigger, for starters, and the weather-beaten metal had turned glossy and silver, like it was fresh off the assembly line. Its crude, mass-produced shape had softened and lengthened, stretching blunt edges into graceful curves. It was beautiful in a sleek, alien way, like something from another planet or another time. She strapped it to her arm, but it almost seemed to attach itself without any effort on her part, like it was eager to be used. Once the clumsy weapon of a Matoran, it was now the elegant tool of a Toa.

Taja stole a look at her new companions. They looked nervous too, but more ready than she was. The Toa of Gravity with the shadowy arm and the Toa of Plasma who had seen... things in Dume's office. She wondered if they had been like this before the transformation, or if turning into a Toa came with a unique gimmick, like getting a plastic toy in your Happy Meal. She hoped it was the former. She didn't want any of her limbs to start melting away.

She cleared her throat, breaking the silence as the airship soared through the sky. "Hi. We haven't met yet. I'm Taja."

OOC: @Azibo @Crimson Jester @EmperorWhenua

Edited March 22, 2020 by Eyru

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Lhikan | Coliseum, Prison

“Your master can make someone unable to speak a hidden truth. Speaking close to it will render them, well, speechless. Psions can’t even penetrate his curse; it evades anything. I’d go so far as to call it dark magic, as ridiculous as that sounds even in a world full of elemental beings like ourselves. But he was always one full of secrets. Dume challenged him before, but Axonn can’t answer: he’s used his own spells on himself.” Lhikan paused, sensing a change in Kohara as he revealed something she’d never known about the man who’d trained her. Perhaps she wondered what she’d been cursed to keep silent?

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so open. He must have been waiting to reveal this to you someday…”

IC: Dume | Coliseum, Office

“I see you both have the spunk at least,” Dume said, laughing wryly. He turned his attention to the vortixx who’d entered and brought the disk from Ta-Metru. “Thank you. You’re no matoran, but you’re a testament to the will of your kind. I believe we’ve met before… Zecrillia was it? With the weapons contract. Yes, yes I think so… We’ll have to find a way to properly thank you. For now, maybe you can place your skills under the employ of our refugee from Artakha here in finishing work on the machine.”

He beckoned towards Atamai. And to Tallea. And to Knichou. “Collect a stone, and come close. I hope my powers will be enough. Stannis, if I may… borrow some of your energies so I may give these matoran the abilities to serve their city and save us all.”

Edited March 22, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator
Toa Time

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum Prison

Kohara was very troubled. What dark secrets could Axonn be hiding from her...?

”So you can’t tell me what’s going on? What can you tell me? Can you at least tell me whether people are in danger?”

IC, Atamai: Coliseum

Atamai approached the Turaga again with the canister he had been holding. “I’m ready...” he said. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by ~Xemnas~

[Tarn]

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

The beast headbutt me with a audible THUNK and I staggered back in a daze, stars appearing in my vision, blood trickling down behind my mask. I now had a considerable headache, and difficulty retaliating.

"Why are there...two of you?"

@Dane

Edited March 22, 2020 by Tarn

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Oryn - Ta-Metru (Gaining The Advantage)

The monster wasted no time in taking advantage of The Swordsman's brief disorientated state. He swung with incredible force, with the back of his axe, knocking him straight to the ground again. Dark liquid poured out through the Toa's face as Oryn yanked him to his feet again (nearly pulling his arms off) and kicked him again in the stomach.

The Swordsman stumbled back. He likely felt like throwing up. He could also likely taste the blood pooling down from his face. Oryn's giant silhouette danced around his vision.

"Break." The Kekamaire growled, his booming voice likely bouncing all around The Swordman's head in an echo. A giant, two fingered fist soared into his mask, hitting it with a CRUNCH.

OOC: @Tarn (I was given permission to autohit, by the by)

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Lhikan | Coliseum Prisons

“Nidhiki lying would be his normal… No, I expected him to lie but… Nidhiki said he killed Tuyet too. He wouldn’t take the fall for me. He wasn’t in the room when she died.” Lhikan looked back at Kohara, his eyes misty. Something in the air shifted and Kohara felt watched by something besides the turaga in the cage…

… They moved silently, Nidhiki even more so than Lhikan. Lhikan knew the mission would bring him on the wrong side of the law he’d upheld for so long. But in the end the law was the meaning, not the letter. He would need to break it to save not only his people, but nations across the known universe. Dume’s plan proved too dangerous, too risky…

The Great Temple loomed before them, the mossy bridge with its lanterns aglow between them and their night’s errand. 

“Are you sure,” Lhikan whispered to the darkness of the midnight air. He knew Nidhiki would hear. 

“Yes Brother, I’m sure.”

“Then let’s go.”

Getting into the Great Temple unseen and unheard proved easy. Approaching the suva they reached inside and conjured in their minds the aspects of each Great Disk only to find it barren.

“You’re not taking them,” came Tuyet’s voice from the darkness as she stepped out into the lantern light from the pillar she’d been inside. Lhikan cursed to himself. How did he not see this happening? They’d been so obvious in their approach. Something was different about her though. Her toa tool, she must have left it somewhere. But she wore a necklace similar to Dume’s. Wasn’t it Dume’s? Had he given it to her? Her armor seemed more scratched, more battle worn. Lhikan didn’t remember Tuyet letting her war scars show.

“Sister,” Nihdiki responded smoothly like the oily grease fire he truly was inside; “you know this has to happen. Too much is at stake. Help us.”

“No.” Tuyet’s voice echoed harsh and cold in the Sanctum of the Great Temple.

“Fine,” Nidhiki said, palm shrugging and then pushing her out of his sight with a gust of his element. Tuyet shouted as she flew back, disappearing through a doorway with the crashing sound of furniture and clay pots heralding her landing.“Time to go, Lhikan.”

“No, wait, we should-” 

“No time, pardon the pun,” Nidhiki said and plunged off into the night.

Lhikan turned to follow him, but felt something sharp cut into his back. Howling the pain with his head toward the ceiling he lashed out, a burst of flame from his hand and he spun around, swiping, slamming into Tuyet’s head. 

The toa of water reeled, screaming from the burn. “You! You know this has to happen. You can’t kill us all because you’re afraid, you stupid, puny, filthy, idiot. When I’m done you won’t even exist. Don’t get in my way Lhii.”

“Get a hold of yourself,” Lhikan shouted. He pulled the great flame swords from their sheaths. No, wait, he left those at home. He didn’t expect a fight tonight. He raised his hands, lowered his head, and tried to move toward an exit while facing his sister. “Please.”

Her broadsword was in her hand, the twisted weapon he’d seen behead many warriors on the battlefield. She was different from him. He’d never been on the other end of her sword before, and now in a moment of terror he knew why the toa code existed: control.

Her swings were vicious, skilled, precise, and he knew the patterns from watching her train and from fighting alongside her. They rolled on the floor, tussled and grappled, struggled to their feet and continued the dance. He couldn’t match her, but he could… No, he could match her. There was a way. But he couldn’t break, he couldn’t snap like she did. 

Lhikan snapped. 

When she swung high, he ducked, conjured the flame of his element, and punched her heartlight out of her. She slumped into his arms, eyes wide, sword clattering on the ground as the echo of her own heartlight falling to the floor behind her filled the room.

“Sister please,” Lhikan said, sinking to their knees together as the life faded from her. “Please… I’m so sorry. Please don’t die… Nidhiki?! It’s going to be okay... we’ll heal you, we’ll... I wish we… I wish I hadn’t…”

… “I just wish I hadn’t killed her. I wish Tuyet still lived.”

And in his head he heard the voice, and he felt the hot breath on his back, and he felt a tap on his shoulder.

And he knew he was desecrated.

IC: Carapar | Po-Metru, Station 445

Carapar blinked as the sunset cut into his view. While the purple and red and orange truly astounded in terms of quality sunsets, it was bright. He preferred a softer sunset himself, purple and pastel pink. Something moved across the sunset. It rose from the desert sands into the sunlight, making it hard to see exactly what it was, but Carapar heard the whoosh of something and before it was almost too late realized where he’d last heard a similar whooshing sound: the weapons dealership shooting range on Xia. He Threw his massive body off the side of the platform of Station 445, diving outward as Cordak rockets exploded into the once busiest terminus of Metru-Nui. Carapar hit the sands hard, doing his best to roll while holding his war banner and his horn. He spun around with a fierce scowl, finally catching sight of his enemy: a spunky green toa with a jet packet and more dakka than permitted in her firearms license. A toa in red armor -- a warsuit like Pridak it seemed -- rush toward him across the sandy streets near the now blown up Station 445. Carapar’s beady eyes blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing this correctly: two toa versus the might of just one Barraki. He laughed as Rose began to fire her flames through the barrel of her suit.

“Look at them!” He shouted. from the buildings nearby came the rousing response from his troops of acknowledgement. It was a good day to see their lord go to war. “They know not who they’re fighting. I am Lord Carapar, the Horn Lord. Name yourselves toa, so I may write an appropriate song for your funerals.”

Edited March 22, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[Snelly]

IC: Skyra - Po-Metru -

Skyra had already started to reload her Cordak Blaster when Carapar demanded their names, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeell since he asked so nicely.

"Oh, I'm Skyra Daring, world famous troublemaker actually, look me up in the phonebook sometime. Also, the Horn Lord? You can't tell me the other warlords aren't snickering behind your back with a name like that, I mean come on! HORN LORD!" 

@Tarn@Dane@Unreliable Narrator

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara: Coliseum Prison

As Lhikan was speaking, Kohara saw something move out of the corner of her eye. There was nothing there visually, but Kohara got the feeling that one gets when their being watched. 

Unsatisfied with ignoring her feelings, Kohara lifted her index finger and fired a thin laser beam at the spot in question. 

[Tarn]

IC: Rose - Po-Metru

She ran towards the warlord with intent.

"Rose, but you can call me, 'the boot that's about to be up your #####,' horn boy."

@Snelly@Unreliable Narrator

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Lhikan | Coliseum Prison

The beam bounced against the wall of force stretching the open prison cell between the bars and the hallway. Lhikan shifted inside, uneasy, his head bowed. 

"You should go, Kohara. Before you're desecrated and wish too."

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Dume's office

Knichou hesitated at Dume's offer. He was never in this for a reward, and in fact at the beginning of this journey held Toa in less high regard that he did now. Knichou was always one who believed that matoran could, should, and would be self-sufficient, capable of designing weapons and technology to protect them from the species with more physical and magical prowess than they had. Knichou had mastered many crafts with his matoran hands and had worked on projects Toa could only dream of accomplishing.

His experiences as a Nynrah Ghost taught him self reliance and the industriousness required to survive alone in an unforgiving world, yet the past few days had taught him more than he ever was prepared to learn about the benefits of the teams Toa tended to form.

Knichou wished he had more time to think about the decision (Ironic) but what won him over was the assessment of the current situation. This was the end times. In fact, for all they knew this was going to be the end of time itself. The next hours would decide the fate of everyone living and dead, and if Dume's plan was executed and the timeline was changed, depending on different theories of time travel Knichou would be a matoran again and forget any of this ever happened. So would it hurt to give it a try? To make these last few hours a bit more interesting, and give him a fighting chance in case the world really went to karz? In fact, this would let Knichou wield the power of time himself as Atamai assumed he wanted to. Then Knichou could complete the mission himself, no matter what else happened.

After a noticeably long deliberation, Knichou grabbed a Toa stone.

"Well, at the very least I'll get to see how well my equipment reacts to this..."

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Kohara:

"Forgive me, Turaga. I thought I saw something move beside you." She stood up to leave. "Before I go, Turaga, I have one last question- why did you give up your Toa power?"

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

The toa of earth ripped his arms out of the earth, stumbling back a few steps as the blood continued to seep out of his eyes and mouth. "I got... about half of them..." One step forward, leg a little wobbly. Second step, much firmer, his axe now in hand once more, an intense expression on his features. "The rest we're going to have to take down by hand."

Arkius marched into the Archives with deathly intent.

 

IC: Ardoku - Great Temple

The blast he saw coming, and in short order, Ardoku's Hau sprung its shield to protect him from the blast. A moment later he fired his weakening kanoka at the darker counterpart, quickly advancing diagonally on him to get at him from the side, his sword raised and ready.

[EmperorWhenua]

4 hours ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

IC: Dume | Coliseum, Office

"You have to finish this task, Stannis. These new toa were my hope. Our hope. Let them choose who goes back. Let them choose who saves all of us."

...

He beckoned towards Atamai. And to Tallea. And to Knichou. “Collect a stone, and come close. I hope my powers will be enough. Stannis, if I may… borrow some of your energies so I may give these matoran the abilities to serve their city and save us all.”

IC Stannis | Coliseum office

"You may not."

The Wanderer's reply came to the surprise of all still present and cut deep in their minds. Up until that moment Stannis had seemed a valiant, if reluctant, ally going so far as to mend Dume's body and seal in what life he could, all in an effort to save the leader of the cradle of Matoran civilization. And likewise, Stannis considered Dume key to the preservation of Mata Nui's folk, but the Turaga's word on his alleged plan changed that perspective. Stannis loosed his healing hands from Dume and moved away from the pleading elder. He looked the same as he always had to the rest, but Dume recognized the subtle expression on his face: Disgust. 

"You would play with Destiny to make a more perfect world," Stannis said; it sounded like an accusation framed with sadness. He shook his head, crushed with the realization that Turaga Dume was not the paragon he hoped he still was. "You, who have lived a life full of regrets and shortcomings, would act as a god yourself. Old friend... you are wrong and your own aspirations prove your folly. Destiny and fate move forward, never backward, and even when the patterns repeat themselves it is for us to learn from our past to become better. You would end this war before it ever was an idea. You would steal the rightful Destiny of heroes, toa and matoran alike, to save each other. You would ruin the natural, the true, order of Mata Nui. 

"Thank you—for telling me your plan—for inviting me to partake—but I will not lend my power to your scheme. I serve Mata Nui the one true god, and His plan does not include you anymore." Stannis got up then slowly, from either old age or sorrow or both, and turned away. "I will apply my powers where they are needed and fight in the battles outside. I will not stop you but I pray you do not succeed."

He gave one more glance at Knichou even as the former Ghost took the next steps in his own destiny and nodded to him. "May the Great Spirit bless you, friend." 

Edited March 22, 2020 by EmperorWhenua

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Dume's Office

Jutori moved over to Stannis after he'd throughly rebuked Dume. "Stannis," he said, "I'd like to come with you to help fight for the city. Now that I have this power, I'd like to use it."

@EmperorWhenua

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

"Arkius..."

The Onu-Toa's actions were beginning to worry her. He was overexerting himself, and clearly prepared to murder as many of the League as he could. Nevertheless, she followed him and stuck close.

@Onaku

OOC: Swordsman post tomorrow. You might see why.

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Coliseum, parade grounds - Onu-metru, surface:

Observation: Invaders are not in present location. Travel is necessary.

6 known Barraki warlords. Likely to have 1 in each metru.

Calculating best destination...

Onu-metru is most familiar district. Archives tunnels result in ideal chokepoints suited for resisting larger enemy forces.

Current objective: Travel to Onu-metru.

Faster travel required. Searching for options...

The mechanical enforcer wandered about the parade grounds of the Coliseum, avoiding the frequent Vahki patrols by hiding behind various objects. The setting suns resulted in longer shadows for the ebony automaton to take cover in, but it still stood out in this area. The machine surveyed its surroundings, looking for something in particular. Soon enough, it noticed some Vahki transports heading for the front lines. Tracking their path back to its origin point, the machine arrived at the transport maintenance building.

Every for carefully, the former law enforcement snuck as well as a robot could (which was better than you might expect) into the facility, stopping at points to let patrols of its replacement officers march past. With the battles ongoing, most Vahki were out fighting or preparing to fight. That left some of the under repair transports unoccupied. It was one of those empty vehicles that the mechanical enforcer climbed into.

Security in transport low. Stealing transport will draw unnecessary attention. Inefficient.

Pulling up memory log of ally Tallea...

Speed disk location found. Acquiring.

Using its observations of Tallea’s tinkering with the Vahki transport ruins in Po-metru, the protodermis protector ripped open several access panels in the transports main engine bay before stumbling upon the tool it sought. A speed disk was in its grasp. The disk was low power, but it would do. The machine snuck out of the facility the way it came, taking a moment once back in the open air to orient its body towards Onu-metru. Taking disc in hand, the machine tapped it against its chassis.

Plotting route to Onu-metru. Alignments are set. No obstacles nearby. Activating disk. Clock speeds increasing. Preparingtomovetolocation.Traveling.Jointsoverheating.Halfwaytodestination.Dodginggroundtraffic.Structuralintegrityholding.Birdsinpath.Evadingobstacles.Arrivingatdestination.

The machine exited super speed shortly after arriving in Onu-metru. As it took in the sights, the leg joints on its body emitted steam as the internal cooling systems attempted to bring the temperature of its limbs back to normal. Clearly Nuparu hadn’t designed the Kralhi for speed.

Around the steel sentinel, the city was burning. There were several piles of corpses, mostly matoran but with some other species present. All were charred and covered with a thick layer of ash.  A large portion of the surface infrastructure was damaged on in the process of being damaged. A few matoran could be seen running for cover, with several being pursued by Mantax’s forces. One such soldier, torch in hand, was chasing after an onu-matoran frantically trying to escape. Desperation kept the civilian out of reach, but it wouldn’t last. The soldier cornered the matoran, who was left with begging for his life.

“Don’t be so upset little one,” the soldier said, raising his sword. “This isn’t personal, I’m just following my directives.” As he moved to strike, a different blade burst from his chest, lifting his struggling body off the ground.

“This unit is also following directives,” the machine stated from behind the soldier. Removing its blade, a second strike removed the soldier’s head before his corpse could hit the ground. The brief silence between the rescuer and rescued was interrupted by the movement of the corpse.

Enemy is reanimating. Similar to dark hunter from Po-metru. Must prevent resurrection.

Observation: most bodies are burned. Soldier was carrying torch, but most buildings aren’t being burned.

Conclusion: burn bodies to prevent reanimation.

Grabbing the fallen soldier’s torch, the machine lit his twitching body on fire. The corpse emitted a disturbing shriek before it finally stopped moving. Neither matoran nor machine spoke for a moment, wanting to be sure there would be no zombie.

“…Thanks for saving me,” the matoran finally said, shaking with fear.

“Citizen Onepu identified. Travel to s- Color discrepancy detected.”

The orange-pakaried matoran sighed. “It’s a long story.”

“Travel to safety. This unit will protect district.”

As the oddly-colored matoran fled for shelter, a sudden ground tremor began. Searching for the source of the rumbling, the machine saw Arkius and Nale at the entrance to the archives. It moved to follow its allies into the archives.

Allies detected. Joining up with them. Safety in numbers. More options for combat available.

Current objective: Locate Barraki warlord in district. Kill warlord.

“This unit will provide assistance to ally Nale and ally Arkius,” the machine stated, walking up to the pair. “Help this unit locate warlord in this metru. This unit has plan for dealing with them.”

Edited March 22, 2020 by pokemonlover360

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

"Fine by me. Try to keep up, clockwork."

As the three of them descended into the Archives, the fate of Mantax's men became apparent. The trio passed by numerous twisted patches of earth, some with the occasional arm or leg sticking out of them, some with unattended weapons lying nearby. One of them had half of a Skakdi sticking out of it, blood splattered from his crushed lower torso, the cause of death evident. Lifeless eyes stared out of an expression of terror frozen upon the corpse's features. 

Along the way, they encountered two soldiers, one whose leg was stuck in the ground, the other who was trying to pull him out. Looking away from his friend, the free soldier noticed the three of them approaching, yelling something profane and taking aim with his rifle. With Arkius taking the lead, the soldier aimed at the earthen toa, firing a slug only to see it get deftly knocked off course by the toa's axe, before subsequently realising the toa had closed the gap. One axe tearing through his collarbone down to his stomach later, and the soldier was lying on the ground dead.

The other one, still stuck in the ground, whimpered, fearfully looking at his comrade's corpse and then at his killer. He had no weapons on him, no way to defend himself. "P-please..." He began pleading. Arkius simply glared at him in response.

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

"Leave him to his fate," Nale said, placing a hand on the Onu-Toa's shoulder. "He's trapped and poses no threat to you. I hate the League as much as you do, Arkius, but..."

"...what you're doing here is scaring me. Don't get lost in this violence, even if it's justified--it may be your undoing." 

@Onaku@pokemonlover360

Edited March 22, 2020 by Tarn

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

"No..." Arkius turned around and walked away from the trapped soldier, continuing deeper into the Archives with the same grim expression on his features. "It will be their undoing."

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Archives:

Preventing enemy reanimation.

The mechanical enforcer gave no reaction to Arkius’s curt attitude. Short responses were more efficient anyway. The machine paused before following the toa of earth, taking time to ignite the newly deceased body with the confiscated torch.

“Corpses still reanimating. Burning prevents reanimation,” it explained.

The machine regarded the remaining injured soldier for a moment before blasting him with an energy bubble bolt. The expanding field of energy lifted the soldier from his imprisonment in the ground, but his elation was short lived. The energy drain quickly took effect, the soldier drifting into unconsciousness. The machine walked on with its allies.

Edited March 22, 2020 by pokemonlover360

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

There was nothing more she could say. Nale Vella had a type, and it was broody boys with a bloodlust. She looked over her shoulder at Kilo as the machine burned a corpse, then incapacitated the trapped League soldier. "Reanimating...? Like the Dark Hunter. That's why they were..." she trailed off, then caught up with Arkius. "If you kill them they'll come back, if you needed an actual reason to slow down with your...actions, besides upsetting me."

@Onaku@pokemonlover360

[EmperorWhenua]

43 minutes ago, Tarn said:

Jutori moved over to Stannis after he'd throughly rebuked Dume. "Stannis," he said, "I'd like to come with you to help fight for the city. Now that I have this power, I'd like to use it."

IC Stannis | Coliseum

"I would welcome your companionship," the Wanderer said, gladdened by the offer to join along. Perhaps, he hoped, things could still be preserved, with Dume's new toa team rising to meet their fates and save the city just as the Toa Mangai would. Mata Nui worked in mysterious ways, and even with Dume's betrayal of the natural order things would go as they always should.

He gave a caution, however. "But be aware, I do not cling to my life in the battle ahead."

 

IC Leklo | Airship

The newly-minted toa of plasma had said little since leaving Turaga Dume's office, lost in thought. He wondered about a great many things as he followed after Sans and the others, concerned about his Destiny and the fragility of fate, about Dume and Stannis and Zataka, and still feeling frightened by the ghostly faces he saw surrounding those warriors. That purple mask, though... whoever wore it in life seemed to have a message to share in the afterlife, it seemed. He remained quiet even as Sans took them all aboard an airship and they went out to try and save Ko-Metru.

Another toa clawed her throat and spoke. "Hi. We haven't met yet. I'm Taja."

"Hello Taja. I'm Leklo, the Alpinist—or, I used to be the Alpinist," he said to introduce himself. He now wondered who would scale the slopes of the knowledge towers and fix them with abandon. Perhaps he should go climbing when this was all over and see how good he was as a toa. 

[Tarn]

IC: The Swordsman - Ta-Metru

It was taking everything I had to stay conscious. Pain screamed through my body, my head was pounding like a drum, and my vision was slowly darkening. I ran a hand down my face, and when I pulled it away my palm was as red as my armor.

I knew there would be consequences for staying behind, for staying to combat the League all on my own...but I could not just let them destroy this district, and murder the innocent lives that inhabited it. Already this place had seen a zombie horde of all things, and now it had the Six Kingdoms to worry about to boot. In the back of my mind, I wondered if Zecrillia had made it to Dume with the disk, and of the actual significance behind those things and the search for them. Even further, I saw memories that only came to me in the moments I was not strong enough to repress them, and as they bombarded me I contemplated whether this was what people meant when they would say, "I saw my life flash before me."

I stumbled about like a drunk before the imposing Kekamaire that, at the moment, was winning this duel, before falling to the ground in a slump, my sword barely holding me up as I leaned against it. I wanted to rest. I wanted to drift to sleep, away from the pain, from the horrors the district of fire was facing, from this world that had gone sour. I fought to keep my eyes open, orange optics becoming slits of color as my eyelids became heavy. My mind screamed to get up--to finish the #####, cut him to pieces--but my body...my body...

The scene shifted as my world went black.

***

It's then.

I'm not in Ta-Metru any more. There's a woman. She's standing on a dock--somewhere in Ga-Metru, I think, based on the impressive liquid protodermis falls I see nearby--and doing...what? Waiting for something? No, someone. Waiting for me. I creep behind her, before surprising her with a hug from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist. Her armor is gunmetal and black, mine is a pristine dark red. Magnetism and fire.

"You think you can sneak up on me still?" she asks, her tone sounding annoyed but she's smiling. I'm smiling too. This is nice. Metru Nui is glistening towers and the sea isn't red with blood yet and, I think, somewhere deep down...I still have a heart.

"No," is my reply, "but it's a habit when you wear a mask that turns you invisible. I snuck up on Kavi the other day and he almost caused a tornado before he realized it was just me."

I pull away and she turns to face me, laughing at my anecdote. Her hair is down, like always, and the angles of her Kakama have never been nicer. She's a young Toa. We both are. Icy blue eyes meet my gaze. Behind her, twin suns are setting.

She asks, "Did you want to meet here for a reason, or just to be alone with me?"

"Maybe both," I reply, sly as ever.

She crosses her arms, eyebrow raised, a playful smirk on her face like I've come to expect. In the distance, I see what looks like a razor whale breaching, but maybe I imagine it. I say, "I just wanted to speak to you, I suppose."

"You can always talk to me, Datrox," she replies, and for some reason her saying that name creates a distortion like a broken radio. Maybe I just haven't heard it in a while, maybe I need to clean out my audio receptors. Why am I here to talk to her? I think I've forgotten. "I know, I know. We've felt distant lately though, everyone keeps going on their own missions. When was the last time we all did something together, as a team?" 

"I seem to recall when we formed the Toa Rode you told me that you didn't like working with a team."

"People change."

She shrugs. "I guess you did."

"Nale, do you hear a ringing?"

"What?"

It's there. She doesn't hear it. There's a persistent ringing in my ears. It's gotten stronger as we've spoken, to the point I can't ignore it. But she doesn't hear it, and doesn't notice that the sunset has frozen in place, and now the sky looks like a mural. The razor whale breaches again behind her. "Maybe...it's nothing," I say. It's not. The memory isn't playing back right. I'm not standing on the dock, am I?

Her face distorts in a disturbing manner, and the sea is turning into fire. It's not ringing I'm hearing, it's screaming. Nale tries to speak to me, but her voice is barely audible over it, and she's saying, "You should probably get up. You should probably get up."

For a moment, the world flickers, and I can see the facade for what it really is, and before I can say anything else the spectre before me shoves me off the dock and I drown.

***

My vision became clear again. I coughed up blood, and realized I was still on the Ta-Metru street before the beast with an axe. More importantly, I was still alive. Whether it was the will of a merciful God or His idea of a joke, my heart still beat, if only to pump more blood to spill out of my wounds. My knees wobbled as I got to my feet. My Kanohi and my sword were still intact, and that was all that I needed, all that mattered. Time had passed little since the vision started, it seemed, and I wondered if the memory meant anything or if this was part of a near death experience.

"I...don't break, animal..." I was able to force out. I hefted my sword, and pointed it towards the Kekamaire, keeping it as steady as possible in my state.

"...but...I have a question..."

My Kanohi glowed. My silhouette faded, and just before I disappeared completely, I asked:

"...do you believe in ghosts?"

Now invisible thanks to my mask power, I crept around the beast, who I could already surmise was more brute than brain matter, and once behind him swung my sword down in a slashing motion towards his back. I was going to use what strength I had left to finish this.

@Dane

Edited March 22, 2020 by Tarn

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

"I'll keep it in mind." He curtly responded.

Deeper down, Arkius could feel more living soldiers up ahead, scrambling to get their collective scrap together after losing half of their force to the hungry earth. Arkius raised an arm up, notifying the two tailing him. Five fingers up, one finger up, and then a point forward down the tunnel. Six enemies up ahead. As the three of them got nearer, the sound of them panicking became audible.

"Oh scrap! Oh no! Oh scrap! This can't be happening. I thought toa were supposed to have a code against killing?!" "Yeah, well, I guess that just goes to show how far we've pushed them. Now, I for one am rearing to get the guy who did this. And since we're not dead yet, he's probably out of juice. C'mon, let's get-" An axe to the throat from around the corner shut the guy up, before his body was quickly dragged around the corner. Arkius flung the corpse to the feet of the mechanical guardian, pointing to him and indicating the torch he carried. A couple of projectiles whizzed past the corner, a rhotuka and a zamor.

Arkius now looked Nale in the eyes, lifting up his hand with three fingers... two fingers... one finger.

An enemy soldier, a vortixx with a particularly impressive Xian rifle, walked from around the corner, and Arkius grabbed him by the neck, lifting the guy up and carrying him in the air as the earthen toa came back around the corner into the field of view of the remaining four soldiers. With a quick charge, Arkius closed the distance, his vortixx meat shield absorbing an acid zamor and a paralysis rhotuka before he was flung into two of his compatriots, followed the butt of Arkius' axe flying forth to crack the cranial plate of a skakdi frantically reloading his launcher. Arkius then turned to the biggest guy in the room, a particularly mean looking and unusually beefy Steltan brute carrying two crude looking spiked clubs. The two of them shared death glares for a brief second, before they then clashed. The two guys Arkius had knocked over with the vortixx meanwhile scrambled to get back up and into the fight again.

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Dume's Office

"I...I understand," he replied, wondering if his first battle alongside Stannis would prove to be the Po-Toa's last. "It will be a honor to fight with you."

@EmperorWhenua

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

She sighed. There was nothing she could do as Arkius killed with frightening efficiency. She spotted the two League soldiers start to get back up and shot them in their legs, causing them to fall back to the floor and writhe in pain. "Kilo, bubble them for me," she said, looking over her shoulder to address the machine.

@Onaku@pokemonlover360

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Archives:

New objective: assist allies in combat while preventing zombies.

The machine followed its ally’s orders, dutifully igniting the new corpses. Stepping around the corner, the machine took care of the vortixx’s body, not even bothering to look up before bubbling the two fallen league soldiers. The machine observed Arkius’s struggle against the steltian.

“Should this unit provide assistance to ally Arkius?” the machine asked Nale.

Edited March 22, 2020 by pokemonlover360

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

Kilo and Nale might perhaps get a clue to what the answer was as Arkius was swiftly and brutally knocked into the archive wall, his chest punctured in multiple places by the spikes on the brute's club. The Steltan now advanced on the toa, who fell to a knee and gasped before letting out a strained yelp while rolling out of the way of the Steltan brute's club which smashed into the ground, sending dust spiralling into the air.

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Archives

She pressed against a wall nearby and glanced between her robotic companion and Arkius. "Yes, please. He's going to get himself into trouble eventually, and I...care about hi--"

Nale was interrupted by the Onu-Toa getting himself into trouble, the Steltian now gaining the upper hand. 

@Onaku@pokemonlover360

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Archives:

The mechanical enforcer approached the back of the steltian as he continued attempting to pulverize Arkius. The brute was mildly aware enough to duck an attempted bubble, turning his attention to the strange robot that had just attempted to shoot him. A wide swing was dodged by the machine, who stepped in and slashed the steltian’s arms while he was recovering from the motion. Blood poured from the large gashes on the titan’s limbs, and he attempted to rush down and tackle the machine. The protodermis protector met the titan’s charge and forced the wounded warrior back. Pinning the steltian to the wall, the steel sentinel was able to successfully bubble the fighter. The room they were in was now full of flowing blood, burning corpses, and bubbles carrying soon to be unconscious bodies.

“This unit recommends resting in the next empty area.”

 

OOC: @Tarn@Onaku

Edited March 22, 2020 by pokemonlover360

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

The earthen toa had rolled to a standing position, and was about to take a swing at the brute when Kilo came along, dispatching the Steltan with brutal efficiency, in the end bubbling him to drain him like others before. Arkius grunted in frustration. "I had that." He claimed, before turning around and marching further down the corridor. "And I don't need to rest!"

The slight limp and his heavy breathing indicted otherwise. Arkius was still pushing himself.

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Thom - Onu-Metru (The Archives)

"Oi. Ya best do as Boltsy says, Toa."

OOC: @Tarn @pokemonlover360 @Onaku

Edited March 22, 2020 by Dane

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Archives

"Ah. Not a great play, skak." Arkius turned to look in the direction of the sound, his axe raised. "I was wondering when you were going to make your move, but I admit I didn't expect this. Who the karzahni do you work for and why are you following us?"