BZPRPG - Ta-Wahi

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

"That's true, but if you're gonna spend all that money on drinks you probably wouldn't want to get sober too quickly huh?" Hakari stumbled slightly, almost losing her footing as she stepped into a small crack on the tunnel floor, but she quickly balanced herself, it was getting more difficult to see, easy to lose ones footing in the dark.

[Visaru]

IC

IC(Liacada-River Showdown)Liacada swung his sword, fire streaming out of it in Selchzar's direction. If it connected, he would merely have some painful burns. She wasn't using deadly fire anymore- she couldn't kill anyone else. She couldn't afford it.

Selchzar ducked under the sword blow as he moved forwards, but a little slower that he expected- the fires engulfing the sword charred the top of his mask of telekinesis. No matter. He was still whole.

Without pause the thin Toa threw himself at his enemy and, with an unhinged grin, let loose the considerable amount of charge he had built up. With a crackle, the electricity that had been dancing across his armor arced quickly towards Liacada, drawn by her conductive armor.

[Krayzikk]

IC:"That, my dear, is why I drink the strongest stuff I can. Can't get drunk in the slightest otherwise." Rerin paused as she started to trip, ready to catch her if she couldn't catch herself. "Perhaps it might have been a good idea to buy a lightstone before we left. Oh well.""Want me to walk ahead of you? Keep an eye out for cracks and the like?"

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"No I'm fine..." Hakari said as she walked forward, though the ground was getting pretty uneven and she struggled a bit to keep her balance. "...I just have to keep my..." Hakari yelped as she stepped on a loose rock and lost her footing, flying backward and onto her behind. "...footing...ow that hurt..." Hakari's face felt hot, she was glad it was too dark for Rerin to see how embarrassed she looked.

 

"Maybe you should look out for cracks after all..."

[Krayzikk]

IC:Quietly, Rerin chuckled. Just barely visible in the dim tunnel, he held out a hand to help Hakari up. "You alright, miss? That looked like quite a tumble."

[25K Now!]

IC: Stronin

 

"So, you two. Tell me about yourself."

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

Hakari grasped Rerin's hand. "Only thing that got bruised was my ego..." She said as Rerin lifted her up to her feet.

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

Six packages of dried rations; small metal pot and three matching cups; one full water-skin...I struggle with whether to bring a toothbrush or not; I eventually shrug and decide to pack it anyway.

 

Melna's enthusiasm proved contagious, and I had found myself stumbling back home through the streets of Ta-Koro into the soot-filled centre of the volcanic city soon after agreeing to join her. Apprehension and burbling excitement pushed me further and faster than my Kakama would ever be able to, with my entrance kicking great clouds of dust all the way to the other side of my shop floor.

 

Right now, I find myself packing up as best I can, scavenging supplies from amid the chaos of my living quarters. Twisted tongs and cracked hammers lay strewn across the ground; sketches and diagrams of new projects and designs dangle from the ceiling with fishing wire. My home is a deluge -- that is the best word to describe it. There may be an order to the mess that I leave, but it's a barely comprehensible order.

 

Shoving my foodstuffs; along with a leather-bound journal and a bundle of charcoal sticks; into a backpack, I take a brief last look at the cork board hanging over the head of my bed. Letters, maps, business forms and torn pages from journals hang from it, affixed with pieces of scrap iron and connected with twine and more fishing wire (dyed black with soot). Pieces of my old life -- fragments of my memory -- torn-up pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to never be completed.

 

I give the collage a bitter grin as I shoulder my bag and head back for the front door. My eyes catch a glimpse of silver and bole on the way; my sword, the composition of leather and steel lovingly crafted by expert hands. I snatch it and its sheath up without hesitation, fumbling it onto my belt while simultaneously locking up (note: never try doing this).

 

My pace back to the gate is slower than before, but only marginally so -- excitement still fills my blood like oxygen, and before I know, the massive brick portal stands before me. My heart flutters, and I anxiously glance around, waiting for Melna and Day to finally arrive.

 

-Void

 

[Mel]

IC:

 

[Commercial District, Ta-Koro]The downside to committing a murder in a city well-known for its guard is that said guard has an interest in keeping tabs on any weapons merchants. So when one turns up dead in an alley and a person of highly suspicious appearance appears in his shop trying to sell his wares, word gets around.Pressing her back against the wall, Lucira rapped on the front of the shop door with her right hand.“This is the Ta-koro guard. You are under arrest on suspicion of murder of the owner of this shop, Toa Ramai. We have you surrounded on all sides and have a great variety of methods at our disposal. I would advise you to give yourself up. Otherwise we will have no choice but to use force.”Lucira waited with baited breath. There had been a large amount of attacks like this in the past few weeks. Lucira had no doubt that the Toa in the shop would be taken down, but criminals like him, with their almost suicidal carelessness, almost always were a complete mess to capture.

[Relapse]

IC(Liacada-River Combat)

 

As the electricity raced towards her, she activated an advantage not shown yet- her Hau which caused the would-be streams of lightning to dissipate against her shield. She smirked and shook her head slowly. "You'll have to try harder than that, dude." Her fire still at a low heat, she pulled out her second Katana and leapt forward, flames closing in to keep Selchzar cornered as both swords swung down and released flames directly at him.

[Toa Of Virtues]

IC: Akata

 

Akata had severally underestimated the village. Then again, he was in a building full of weapons. Akata thought quickly, he had been in several tight pinches before back in Le-Koro, but there he was surrounded by his element. But wait, did she say Toa Ramai? He might just be able to bluff his way out of this. Putting his weapon away, he opened the door with a confused look on his face.

 

"I'm not Toa Ramai, what's going on here? Who's Toa Ramai?"

[Makuta of Time]

IC:

Just as he struck it twice, he heard the Toa of Iron say, "So, you two. Tell me about yourselves."

 

"Well, I came from an island far from here." He then strikes the metal again. "I was once a leader of a Toa Team, but I was hit and they were killed by the Skakdi villains that attacked the island." Again he struck the metal. "I could not bear the death of my team, my family. So I traveled here to seek a new life. I meet an enthusiastic Toa of Fire who wanted to form a Toa Team. He was a good kid, and I agreed to help him form one." He puts down the hammer, and puts his hand on the table.

 

"When we were in the desert of Po-Koro, we were attacked by a Toa of ice. He struck me hard, and when the Toa of Fire, attacked him, he struck him in the chest. I was enraged and killed him by cutting of his head. I hated it, but I could not afford another death on my watch."

 

He picks up the hammer again and begins to strike the metal. "Now you see me here. Working in your forge, trying to live a new life. A life I so hard tried to find."

[Visaru]

IC- Selchzar - Lava River

 

Selchzar flashed forwards like a snake striking, turning into a blue blur as he met Liacada midair. Her swords met nothing, Selchzar now in the space between them and their wielder. His hands found grooves in her armor and dug in, and the force of the blow took the two midair beings in an arc opposite to Liacada’s previous path. Before they even hit the ground, Selchzar began to pump as much electricity into his foe as possible through their contact before she shoved him off.

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Well, let's try to keep it that way." Rerin easily helped pull the other Lesterin to her feet, releasing his grip once she had regained her balance. He slid by her carefully, taking the lead position as he resumed the trip through the tunnel.

 

"You know, if I had anything between these ears o' mine, I'd have bought a lightstone before we left."

[Geardirector]

IC: Melna (Ta-Koro)

 

While Lux (and, to Melna's knowledge, Day) were off getting together whatever they may need to set off, Melna had stopped by the Koro's postal office, so she could send letters to Helios and Colx about her first day adventuring.

 

Melna resigned herself to a corner of the office and furiously scribbled down a pair of letters about her exploits, not leaving a single detail unmentioned. The ink flew thick and fast across the paper like blood in water, dripping through the paper on a few spots.

 

Melna enthusiastically posted both letters, and ran off to the village gates to meet the others

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"It never dawned on me to get one either...I've never traveled underground before...at least that I can remember." Hakari followed right behind Rerin, taking care to step in the same places he did, "Though I will say it's pretty exciting!"

[Krayzikk]

IC:"Traveling underground is always a worryin' experience." The Lesterin commented, idly taking another sip from his flask. "Caravans always want to take the quick underground routes. Way too easy to be ambushed in places like this.""Shouldn't be a problem this time, though. I hope. There was some mention of bandits roamin' the tunnels, but I'm not sure if that was actually the case, or someone braggin'."

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"Bandits!?" Hakari exclaimed, starting to sound worried. "Do bandits usually work in large groups?"

[Krayzikk]

IC:"Depends. Sometimes they work alone, sometimes they work in groups. All depends on who you come across, really. But when they attack caravans they're almost always in a group."

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"Well it's good thing we're not a caravan then! Otherwise that Skakdi over there mig-" Hakari was suddenly no longer standing, but ducking as low as she could as a zamor sphere whizzed past her. Hoarse laughter began to echo through the tunnel ahead of them a Skakdi who'd been cleverly hiding in a deep pocket on the tunnel wall stepped out into their path. He was soon joined by another from the opposite side.

 

Hakari slowly stood, and quickly turned around when she heard footsteps from behind, this time a Toa stepping out.

 

"Um, Rerin...are these guys the bandits you heard about?"

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

Rerin was silent, watching as the two Skakdi in front of him slowly moved in. After a pause, he began to reach for something under his coat, the movement barely noticeable to the dim tunnel light. "I'm afraid, my friends, that I haven't got any money on me. But I'd be willing to share a drink with you, if you'd leave us alone after that."

 

"I'm sure there are other things you can give us." One of the Skakdi said, snickering.

 

"I take it that that's a no, then?"

 

"Sure, if you want to spell it out like that."

 

There was a slight pause, as the Lesterin withdrew his hand from his coat. The only warning the Skakdi received was the slight glint of metal, before a loud bang fill the air, and he fell to the ground screaming. The Lesterin of Air pivoted slightly, priming the hammer and firing off a second shot at the other Skakdi's left shoulder. After all, the first shot had already destroyed the others' kneecap. He wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon.

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

While Rerin was dealing with the Skakdi, I was having a stare down with the Toa, who despite being a so-called protector was anything but. I drew a scimitar out, wielding it a bit unsteadily, it shook in my hands. "Stay back..."

 

"Ah...are you scared missy? Just put the weapon down and I promise I won't hurt ya." The Toa glanced at his fellow bandits, one was currently screaming in agony, while the other seemed to still be in the fight, he decided he'd have to deal with me quickly.

 

The Toa raised his weapon, a battle axe, and charged at me before I could even respond. My mask activated and I practically vanished, appearing behind the Toa. "I don't think so!"

 

The Toa cursed as he did a heel turn, facing me once again. "Oh a fast one are ya?" He changed tactics, with almost a glow from his weapon he launched a blast of air through the entire tunnel in my direction. My speed was useless with such a wide attack, I screamed as I flew backwards and slammed into the rocky floor.

 

The Toa was upon me before I had a chance to recover, he grabbed my neck with a single hand and raised me above his head, I could make out the shape of his mask...it was a Pakari.

 

"If you had just surrendered, I wouldn't of had to do that. Now I'm gonna teach you a lesson..." He raised his battle axe as he prepared to swing...aiming for one of my legs...

 

I saw my life flash before my eyes, despite the fact I could only remember about a month of it. I felt like I had hardly lived my life, I didn't want to die!

 

Suddenly there was screaming, it took me a moment to realise it wasn't coming from me. I dared to open my eyes, there was blood dripping down the Toa's blood as he held my neck, which he was now squeezing harder, I couldn't breathe. There was a dagger in his arm, my dagger in fact, and my left hand was holding it.

 

Finally the Toa let go of me, as he was no longer able to take the pain, he clutched his wounded arm tightly. I collapsed onto my knees, leaving the dagger in his arm, I coughed loudly and gasped for air.

 

The Toa stopped screaming after what seemed like an eternity, probably only a minute, if even. He looked wild, like a wounded animal. He pulled the dagger out of his arm and wielded it dangerously, starting to stumble toward me like a deranged lunatic.

 

Something inside me snapped, before I had been panicked an unsure what to do. Now I felt like I knew exactly how to handle the situation. With a flash I retrieved my scimitars and wield one in each hand, I waited for the Toa to come closer to me, then I struck.

 

It had happened so fast the Toa had even processed I had moved before he collapsed on the ground, a pool of blood oozing out of his chest from multiple points.

 

I stood above the dying Toa, my eyes growing wide as I realised what I had done. How had I done that? I'd been using skills I didn't remember learning! Sure I'd washed up on this island with my scimitars, but I'd never dreamt that I actually knew how to use them...I'd blissfully assumed that they were decorative.

 

But before my own eyes I had just killed this Toa, with an efficiency and ruthlessness that scared me to the core. I had know exactly where I could draw the most blood from his chest.

 

I dropped my weapons, I stopped noticing the world around me completely, I trembled terribly, eyes wide. What kind of monster was I? I didn't want to be a killer.

Edited June 20, 2013 by A billion cats

[Krayzikk]

IC:"If you two know what's good for you, you'll leave. And take your friend with you. Maybe you'll have time for a few last words before he passes." The intonation was cold, and it lacked the usually cheery quality of the Lesterin's voice. It was fairly clear that he was almost entirely sober, perhaps for the first time since Hakari had meat him.

 

Almost automatically, the two Skakdi stood, grabbed their quickly fading ally, and fled as fast as they could. One hobbled, and the other clutched his shoulder in pain, but they forced themselves to move, rather than stay and deal with what they had believed to be their easy targets. Rerin watched them leave, ensuring that they had truly departed, before crouching next to his comrade.

 

"Hey. It's not your fault. You understand? He was going to kill you. You defended yourself. There is nothing wrong with that." He paused, his voice softening slightly. "Are you alright?"

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

Rerin's voice broke me out the shock. I slowly turned my eyes to look at him in the eyes. "I know...I just...I just didn't know I could do...that."

 

I turned away and looked down at my blood stained weapons on the floor. "I haven't used those weapons once since I came to this island...but when that Toa attacked me...something took over...I suddenly knew how to do things I never dreamed of doing. I didn't just defend myself, I attacked him where I knew it would do the most damage, be the most efficient...effective."

 

I rocked a bit as I sat against the wall of the cave. "It makes me wonder what kind of person I was before I came here..."

Edited June 20, 2013 by A billion cats

[Krayzikk]

IC:Rerin sighed slightly, reaching for his flask. After a brief pause he stopped, as if thinking better of it. "That's not something you should worry about. Everyone's got their skeletons in the closet, even if we don't necessarily know that they're there.""Miss, what matters is who you are now, not who you were then."

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

Hakari reached for one of her scimitars, and then began to wipe the blood off with a cloth, after a moment she sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'm not whoever I used to be anymore."

 

Hakari looked back at Rerin. "Sorry if this trip has become more than you bargained for, I'll pay you extra."

[Krayzikk]

IC:"If I recall correctly, this is the exact reason I was hired. Deal with the nasties along the road. If anything, you get a discount for having to suffer a breakdown on my watch." The Lesterin absentmindedly pushed out the cylinder of his revolvers, loading the now-empty spaces,m before spinning it and clicking it back into place.

 

"Now then. Anything you want me to do before we get going?"

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"Don't think so..." I began to say as I tried to stand up, I grimaced, there was sharp pain all over my body, mostly my back, and my neck, that Toa had squeezed my neck with Pakari enhanced strength...now that the shock and adrialine was dying down I was starting to feel where I'd been injured.

 

"...on second thought, I think I need help getting up..."

[Krayzikk]

IC:"Can't move very well, can you? Neck injury. Don't want to exacerbate that. So here's what we're going to do." The Lesterin turned so that he was crouching just in front of her. "Wrap your arms around my neck, or my shoulders whichever, and I'll hand onto your legs. We can make sure you're okay once we get to Le-Wahi."

[Void Emissary]

IC:

 

Day 95

 

Po-Matoran are known for their stubborn, hard-headed, practical approach to life. We work with our hands, don't have many dreams and don't go out looking for adventures.

 

Apparently I am the exception to that rule.

 

Honestly, I head down to the old Lavapool for one drink, and suddenly I find myself trekking across the island -- looking back on the experience, I can't help but wonder what I was thinking when I signed on for this. I'm not sure if it was Day's urgings that I head off, or Melna's enthusiasm for travel, but somehow, somewhere along the line, I ignored good reason and plunged right into...whatever it is that I plunged into.

 

Only the Great Spirit can tell what I'm in for on this journey.

 

--Lux Saran, Blacksm

Reluctant Adventurer

 

My writing is interrupted by the fleeting glimpse of black and copper in the corner of my gaze. I quickly slam the journal shut, tossing it back into my bag with one hand, while sliding the thin rod of charcoal I used along the helix of my auditory receptor.

 

I had taken a seat on one of the many round granite benches dotting the plaza just in front of the gates, using my backpack as an impromptu footstool, and generally made myself at home. Dull-grey pillars sprout from the centre of each bench, topped with electric lights which managed to make the typical climate in Ta-Koro easier to read and write in.

 

For a while, I had watched the scenery with odd fascination; the dark smoke which seeped into the blood-red sky, mixing it into a hazy purplish hue; the looming, shadowy facades of buildings, spotted with small lights as if to compensate for the lack of stars out here; the clusters of people waiting alongside me, all with varying levels of patient to spare.

 

Ah, the people -- they're the ones who interest me the most. The gates of Ta-Koro are always surrounded by various assortments of them; boastful travellers, boisterous merchants, sober Guardsmen, awe-struck tourists, desperate refugees...I could go on, but I won't.

 

I wave to one particular person; the approaching Lesterin known as Melna; noting the now-characteristic grin on her face. I try to smile back, but it may be too subtle to notice amidst the shadows and my own bloody nervousness.

 

-Void

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

I felt embarrassed, but I didn't want to hurt my neck any further, I knew those kind of wounds needed to be treated carefully to avoid any permanent damage. So I did as Rerin said, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

 

"We're not too far from the exit now are we? I'm really starting to dislike tunnels." Going through this tunnel had been fun before all this, but now I just wanted to breathe fresh air again.

[Krayzikk]

IC:"Not much further at all." Rerin stood, leaning forward slightly to compensate for the additional weight on his back. "Maybe twenty minutes til we surface. Depends on how much you decided to eat back at the inn."

[Geardirector]

IC: Melna (Ta-Koro Gates)

 

The Adventure

 

It had begun.

 

Some might argue that The Adventure had already begun back when she left Le-Koro and parted ways with her friends, still others would consider The Adventure still pending. Then there were those who would be inclined to agree with Melna, and say that The Adventure had now begun in earnest. Melna was definitely in that last group. After all, why wouldn't she agree with herself?

 

Melna noticed, as she walked, that she turned a few heads here and there, in several different senses of the word, some were intrigued by her vigorous stride, others curious as to the nature of her haste, still others saw little beyond the athlete's physique and form-fitting armor, and Melna swore she heard at least one bystander whistle at her. Oh well, their loss. And then again, it didn't bother her in the slightest, the attention was part of being an adventurer, to be admired and observed, to be the object of attraction or curisoity, or perhaps someone else's hunger for adventure.

 

All this combined assued that Melna was in pretty high spirits when she finally found Lux at a bench near the gates.

 

"So, what you doing?" she asked as she sat down beside him.

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

I smiled a little at the joke, despite the circumstances. "They ran out of sweet rolls." They had been some tasty sweet rolls too.

Edited June 20, 2013 by A billion cats

[Krayzikk]

IC:"The Lavapool Inn has a bad habit of doing that. They always underestimate how many things people want." The Lesterin moved quickly but carefully, making sure to maintain his footing. Depending on what sort of injury Hakari had suffered, any major movement would be very, very bad. "Tell you what. Once we get to Le-Koro, we can go see if any of their inns have sweet rolls."

[Mel]

IC:

[Commercial District, Ta-Koro]Lucira wondered how stupid he thought she was. Or maybe he was just trying to distract her. She moved her right hand to rest on the pommel of her short sword. The archers and disk-throwers on the roof hadn’t moved; she counted this as a go ahead from the squad leader.“Toa Ramai is, or should I say was, the owner of this store, until he was found dead in an alleyway this morning. Now, a few hours later, we have several witnesses that conformed you trying to sell his inventory. Considering the evidence, we have cause to search this store and take you into custody.”OOC: Lucira’s a PC, the rest of the guards in the squad are NPCs. You can hurt/kill them, but be realistic about it. They are trained.

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"You should also warn them that I'm very hungry." I replied, knowing full well how quickly I could inhale sweet rolls. I knew the first thing Rerin would probably do is find a doctor...but I really wanted sweet rolls to tell the truth.

[Toa Of Virtues]

IC: Akata

 

"Well I don't deny that I'm selling off everything in this store, since that's what the owner told me to do. I came to this store yesterday, and the owner came up to me and asked if I could get rid of everything in his store. He seemed to be in a hurry to run off, he didn't even tell me his name. He must have known someone was going to come after him. I accepted it because, well, I need the money. I arrived on this island only about a week ago, and the canister didn't come with a bag of widgets. I know it sounds unlikely, but do you really think I would be stupid and careless enough to kill someone, leave him in an ally, and sell off all his items in a village known for its guard? It's almost insulting..."

[Krayzikk]

IC:"Well, considering how difficult it is to carry you, I can believe it." The Lesterin said cheerfully, needling his companion relentlessly. "But I can do that. I think I know a few places where they'll be able to accommodate your appetite."

[Snelly]

IC: Hakari - Le-Wahi Tunnel -

 

"Hey wait a minute...are you calling me fat?"