BZPRPG - Ko-Wahi

[Voxumo]

IC: Tivanu

 

Tivanu was hunkered in a cavern in the side of mount ihu. He had given up tracking the group. Kive-phu was perched on a rocky outcropping in the cave wall. She had a small ice bat she had killed in her talons that she was savagely eating. Tivanu for his part had several bula berries in his satchel that he had saved by freezing.

For his part Tivanu showed no signs of being cold. He had a small heat stone with him and it was providing enough heat for him and Kive-phu

I really must find some work. This being stagnant and inactive is so not my style

He rested his head against the stone wall and laid there his eyes slowly closing. He could hear the gentle crunch of Kive-phu eating the ice bat.

This is peace

OOC: My bad i must have missed it

 

IC: Tivanu

Tivanu extended his hand

"I am Tivanu. This Lava-hawk is my ally or pet, Kive-phu."

Edited May 24, 2013 by Vox The Shadow of Reality

[Hitoshura]

OOC: Vox, I replied to you in my other post, in case you were wondering. I'll edit this later, perhaps.IC: RyzenRyzen pulled out his spear, wondering what had happened. The Skakdi's random appearance and disappearance just confused him. He will wait until tomorrow, and see.

[otter]

IC-Uzsaldyti:

 

One of those currently in Matoro's 'court' wasn't one of the usual people to be seen at an event like this. He sat in the back, far from any other being, preferring his own quiet solitude, while he sketched a drawing of a cherry tree, in full blossom, into his drawing pad - and on the page next, an already finished sketch of Matoro, looking for all the world like the leader he now was.

 

Now, though, this Ko-Matoran, who had only been persuaded to come to this event for the opportunity to sketch out the scene and learn a bit more about the inhabitants of his own Koro, those normally he would call friends, had questions of his own. So he looked up from his sketchbook, his Huna looking inquisitively, curiously, at the Akiri.

 

"And what, exactly, shall be done with all those in this village who do not have the skills or such necessary to aid in this plan?" he asked. "Shall things continue as they always have in such an event as this, or are you going to need every last able bodied man for your plans?"

[Mr. House]

IC: (Junyaus/Ko-Koro)

 

"You have to understand that my forge is not the largest," Jun said. "And the Koro's defense forces are rapidly increasing in size. More men means more spears."

 

He sighed.

 

"If you would like to end this conversation, I'll find another to assist in the paperwork. If so, I wish you good luck."

[ToaKapura1234]

IC: Keldor

 

"I don't think I'll travel to Onu-Koro regularly enough to be of assistance. Sorry." said the Skakdi as he walked away, quite suspicous of the matoran.

 

OOC: Open for interaction.

[Mr. House]

IC: (Junyaus/Ko-Koro)

 

So far, this mission wasn't doing very well. No contacts made, and Po-Koro was certainly blind in regards to Ko-Koran affairs. He needed to search for more contacts, contacts he didn't need to lie to. Contacts that would be loyal to his Akiri's government.

 

So, he walked, walked to Onu-Wahi to stage his blacksmithing shop.

 

OOC: Jun to Onu-Wahi.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Mr. House

[Tahakki]

IC:

 

Sernon approached the Akiri and his advisors.

 

"Greetings once again, Akiri Matoro," he said, with a slight bow of his head. "I am told you are considering our offer?"

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "I am considering your offer, Toa Sernon," Akiri Matoro said, "but with the caveat of posting people of my own koro with your men. I think, in the spirit of Unity, if we work together in this project it will set a standard of cooperation and shared power other koro can learn from. Besides, I think it would help you, too. I wouldn't want to put the whole burden of running these stations on your people."

Edited May 25, 2013 by EmperorWhenua

[ARROW404]

IC: Phantom

There it was. The Massif. This would be a dull job, in all likelihood. No killing. Just slip in plant the evidence, and slip out. The phantom saw the wall long before those upon it saw the phantom. In fact, they never did see it. Cloaked in invisibility and silence, the phantom's only enemy was its tracks. Jumping from rock to rock, it advanced on the structure. The guards never noticed a thing as the virtually undetectable being strode between them. The only hard part was figuring out where to actually place the evidence.

 

The phantom wounds its way through the streets of the village, gliding through unimpeded. At one point, to break up the monotony, a Matoran tripped over nothing. At another, a pair of Matoran swore they saw a shadowy figure duck out of sight, but found absolutely nothing when they arrived.

 

But after a while, the phantom knew the village was no place for a conspiracy. The keep, on the other hand, was.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Draezeth

[otter]

IC-Uzsaldyti:

 

After a moment of struggling to make his eyes focus more on what was beyond his paper, Uzsaldyti noticed something: The Akiri had left, and the last few people to remain had just walked out the door as well.

 

"...Well then," he muttered, shaking his head. Even the friend who had dragged him here had left; he really needed to learn how to pay attention to these things. Ah, well, he liked his art as well. He held up the one sketch he had made, of Matoro up on the dais or stage or whatever, issuing his proclamations as to the continuation of the Koro; yes, he liked that sketch.

 

Regardless, though, it was time for him to head off, to find something to do, besides what he normally did; sit home and write, or draw, or practice his swordsmanship. Despite his general want of solitude, he figured it might be beneficial to break the habit towards shunning all interaction for once; after all, Matoran were social creatures, and forgoing any such contact as would be normal was not conducive to one's mental health.

 

So he simply strolled down the main street of the Koro, looking for something interesting to do, or someone interesting to talk to, hoping that they would be a bit more on the sane side than some of those who had frequented the Koro a few months ago; Uzsaldyti's home had taken the longest amount of time to rebuild, and he wasn't fond of spending the exorbitant prices necessary to stay in one of the Koro's best inns or sleeping on the side of a street with nothing but a thin blanket for warmth.

 

OOC: Need I even say it?

[Visaru]

IC

 

A young man sprinted past building after building. A trail of powdery snow remained in the air behind him, looking like a arrow pointing to his position. In his hand was a sizeable bag which clinked and jangled loudly, obviously signifying a good portion of widgets within.

The Ko-Matoran grunted as he hopped over a bench, and continued barreling through the Koro. Icy wind whistled through the slits in his Pakari, and the frigid air roared shrilly as he ripped through it. His arms and legs pumped quickly and forcefully, constantly accelerating. He had to go faster, had to go faster…

The ground on either side of him dropped away as the Matoran crossed onto one of the Koro’s bridges, taking him to a walkway along the city wall. No way to go now but forwards. A quick glance behind him, revealing three Ko-Matoran guards armed with spears, affirmed that fact. He skidded almost totally parallel to the icy ground as he turned 90 degrees to run along the edge of the icy glacier. Arch after arch flashed by him, each leading to some sort of shop or home.

The guards were getting closer.

The Matoran cursed and redoubled his efforts, his arms scything upwards and downwards faster than ever. His breaths became deeper, more ragged, as his endurance began to fail him. Only something crazy could save him now.

Another bridge diverged from the walkway he was running along, this once passing far above the bridge to the sanctum. He pushed himself faster, faster, faster…

Another guard slid along the ice covered bridge, coming to a halt just in front of the Ko-Matoran. He let loose a frustrated gasp and tried to dodge around her, but her foot darted out and his shins collided with it.

The icy ground rose up to meet him and he slammed hard into it. With a growl, he rolled over and tossed an icicle dagger at the female guard, but it rebounded off her armor, and she merely stepped forwards and placed her armored boot on his chest.

“Stand down,” she said. Her arm was raised, and one of the other guards tossed a spear to her waiting palm. She twirled it, and held the butt end menacingly at the criminal’s face.

“I’ll stand down when things get better again, and you rich Piraka stop abusing your power, trampling on us poor souls who cannot defend ourselves,” the criminal spat.

The guard shook her head. “So you think you’re some kind of hero, huh? Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor? Perhaps you could try and succeed peacefully for once, or maybe actually get an army together, be competent, and be a serious threat. Just maybe.”

The Matoran spat in her face.

“Stand down.”

“I’ll die first.”

The guard sighed, and then brought the staff shaft down with enough force to chip his mask. The Ko-Matoran couldn’t dodge, and with a sickening sound he was knocked unconscious.

“Well, that was a colossal waste of our time,” the guard, Korzaa, said to her three companions. “I wish we’d be able to stop dealing with all these petty criminals and have a real purpose for once. I mean, we haven’t built all these fortifications of nothing, right?” She gestured broadly to the many watchtowers and the huge walls.

One of the other guards shrugged. “Well, I’d rather deal with little stuff like this than have war, y’know? Peacetime should be a good thing.”

“And, Captain,” said the other guard, “Don’t you have some sort of meeting to get to?”

“Aw, karz,” Korzaa swore. “Take care of this kid, put him in the normal ward, just a year or so of jail time. I have some politics to deal with.” She said politics as if it was another curse word.

* * *

Soon, Korzaa was striding across the bridge that stretched between the main residential area and the towering Sanctum citadel, brushing particles of snow and ice off her armor and trying to look respectable. As much as she hated it, Akiri Matoro excepted polite things from her. She had been given the honor of being Captain of the Sanctum Guard, and Korzaa was not going to let down her superiors. It just wasn’t an option for her. If someone told her to do something she didn’t want to, she’d just swallow her disappointment and do the job.

Like this time. A meeting with the Akiri? Ugh.

Korzaa pushed open the doors and strode into the Sanctum, taking her place among Matoro’s advisors.

“Sorry I’m late,” she announced. “We had a little distraction on the way.”

 

[Palm]

IC: Utu Kotore - Ko-WahiWe always try to one-up ourselves. As though there’s some stupid contest for whoever feels better than themselves. And the child-you always wins. Of course, we try to replace what we had then with some fake substitute of being truly happy. Sex, drugs, money, illusions like love, you name it. But they don’t really do justice, and can never compare to being young, and for one reason: Because when everything is new, you don’t know what it’s like to feel pain or to be hurt.Some would argue that such hard times strengthen you, and although that might hold true, you lose something in the process. We can’t fill that hole. I can’t fill that hole. Even now I live with a Mark on my arm that turns the fears of others and myself into strength and pure euphoria. I welcomed its highs it gave me in hopes it could grant me that feeling of happiness. But it is not real happiness I feel. It is the manifestation of those fake “fillers” we pour into ourselves. A metaphor for my continuing downward spiral; one that has landed me in the darkest deepest confines of my person. It has taken control of my life, and I literally cannot live without it now. I feared that if the Mark stopped being fed, in the condition it was in now, I would die in some violent detox. Who can say they did hard drugs for hundreds of years and just kicked it without any problems. I knew that if I lost the Mark, I really would die. What I once thought was my greatest gift, had become the bane of what happiness I hope to hold onto. Happiness being a rather illusive term of course. I'm still not really sure what that means. I suppose I do at least a little.I may have come a long way from pushing snowflakes, but those memories are the ones that seem the warmest to me so maybe they meant something.I was happy then I guess.I just want to feel like I did then, before I could comprehend killing and stealing. Before I could understand why I had to hurt others to get by. I want to see my sister again, before she began to bruise and break for her refusal to take part in the roke-storm that was Tu-Koro. It might be nostalgia goggles, but honestly, I don't care. Because if it isn't genuine I'm sure it's better than the life I'm living now. Trapped in this shell, watching it destroy itself as its engineer tries desperately to fix it. Echelon couldn't figure it out; why my Mark was doing what it was doing. But whatever it was doing, it was going to kill me. The shell coughs up blood on a regular basis now. Maybe it was just the aftermath of my attempted escape when Joske Pretty-Boy Nimil and friends broke into the Kini-Nui to kill the Makuta. I'm still not sure what it was. And even if coughing up blood wasn't connected, the scrawling screeching purple cracks seeping from the rune was not a good sign.The twisted mark has become scarred, and now its reach had expanded across my upper chest and most of my arm and back. It didn't even work really anymore. There was no pleasure in its use, and there was no strength to gain either. The only reason Echelon kept it on I'm sure is

1. He couldn't get rid of it without the use of the Temple, which was now on the bottom of the ocean.
2. To continue to command me with that stupid stone he constructed.

The old fool hadn't even put that much time towards trying anything anyways. He was aware of what was happening. But why, after hundreds of years of being the Mark Bearer of Fear, did it start to corrupt now? I doubt Echelon or Arekule had foreseen something like this. I'm not totally sure either, but I had some guesses. It must've been connected to what was happening internally.I was fighting it; in a way.I had to rid myself of the putrid poison that is filled me with giving me fake highs that only taught me to want more. It was like drinking air to hydrate; which is probably one of the most moronic degenerate things you can possible observe somebody do. After all those years, it was nothing more than a destructive tool to use against myself. And although I wasn't fighting the Mark itself, more so my captor, the Mark of Fear didn't like it. It was getting fed, and like the dick that drank water to quench his thirst, it's gotten thirstier for more. And that hurt. I was sick of hurting. It was all I ever did. I don't want to hurt anymore.I just want to be happy again.I miss pushing snowflakes.

[Light]

IC: A cigarette was extinguished in the snow.OOC: Seren open for interact.

[ToaKapura1234]

OOC: I see no Seren on your profile post?

 

IC: Keldor

 

Keldor walked up to (the Toa?) and asked "Are you a doctor? If not, do you know where I can find one?"

[ARROW404]

IC: The phantom

Getting in wasn't easy. Well, it was simple and easy to pull off, but the phantom had to wait until nobody was looking in its general direction. Even then, it was almost certain that somebody had felt the air current created by it opening. It could be invisible. It could be soundless. But undetectable? No.

 

Inside was easier to avoid detection. The hard floor didn't sink underfoot like the soggy dirt they called ground here. The first piece of evidence was slipped behind a couch cushion, with just enough sticking out to possibly be spotted if someone was looking for it. Fairly intuitive, that one. Things slipped between couch cushions all the time.

 

Why were they being placed here, of all place, the Phantom could never fathom. The Massif was a place of peace. But the evidence would be undeniable once it was found. All the Massif would have would be its residents' reputations. And everyone knew that it was easy to hide your true intentions behind a mask of kindness and altruism. One just had to look at Kyju, that psychopath, or the Arete, those sons of Brakas. Those insults being entirely endearing, of course. On the other hand, the Massif could have simply been the place where the deal was made. It didn't have to be a resident behind it.

 

Another piece was slipped under a low piece of furniture, another easy place to lose them. The phantom's cold, invisible eyes then went to the burning brazier nearby, then to the note in its hand. Yes, why not? When nobody was looking, a note was held above the fire. The edge caught, the fire spread, and then was blown out. A partially illegible note, made to look like somebody attempted to destroy it. A couple of swishes and the note was mostly buried in the ashes, far enough from the flames, and beneath the cool ashes, to avoid further damage. A couple of pats and the ashes looked entirely undisturbed, a corner of blackened paper sticking up like a blackened piece of wood that had escaped the fire. If things moved quickly enough, it would fulfill its role before the ashes were swept out.

 

Now came the last part. The hard-ish part. Where to hide the pay? Somewhere public (within the keep, at least), that is easily accessible, but where people would not look accidentally. Well how about that nice vase over there? That was a good start. The bag of coins dropped soundlessly into the bottom, muted by the power of sound. A second bag was placed in another. Soon, the phantom had finished its work. It was strange, putting things inside a place it had broken into. It had spent its whole life talking, whether it was jewelry, silverware or lives. No, not strange. Amusing. Ironic.

 

And then the phantom was gone.

 

OOC: Phantom to Onu-Wahi.

[Tahakki]

IC:

 

Sernon tapped his chin uneasily. Having Ko-Matoran assist in the running of the station could make his job harder; but Matoro could be difficult to convince otherwise. Finally, he spoke.

 

"Akiri, your request is a reasonable one. However, Po-Matoran can be patriotic, and they guard their secrets jealously. Some of our engineers may be very displeased to be made to share a technology they consider to be their own."

 

He looked the Ko-Matoran dead in the eye, completely blanking Matoro's advisors.

 

"Are you resolved?"

[EmperorWhenua]

Ooc: Tank you for the offer, darthme; I have considered sending one. But in the future please avoid making ooc-only posts. You should also use PMs to send messages to individuals. No biggie for now but be mindful in the future! : D

 

Ic: The Sanctum hall doors were opened to receive Captain Korzaa, who's footfalls thundered in the reverberating chamber from the authority she carried. She slowed her pace to a more quiet one as she came closer to the conclave of delegates out of respect for the akiri's wishes.

 

Matoro remained focused on replying to Sernon, however. "If your engineers are displeased with the concept of Unity and sharing what we have with each other then that is not my problem," he said resolutely.

 

"But still, this technology is not their own, is it?" Arktinen, the icesmith, spoke. His voice was as gruff as his hands were calloused from long times of working and not speaking. "It is from Onu-Koro."

 

"And if I might add," Ambages said, his voice smooth and melodic, "the only reason Akiri Matoro is contemplating your offer is because it can be a way to share the information and wisdom we have with the other villages, and it can be a keystone of unity on Mata Nui. We don't -need- your radios, and if we did we could just buy them from Nuparu ourselves. Instead, however, we feel working together would be the best course of action... with the most benefits," he said with a warm smile.

 

Korzaa stepped in with the other councilors of Matoro. “Sorry I’m late,” she announced. “We had a little distraction on the way.”

 

"Thank you for coming," Matoro said graciously. "Gentlemen, this is Korzaa, captain of the Sanctum Guard. Toa Sernon, let it be known that I am indeed resolved."

Edited May 26, 2013 by EmperorWhenua

[Hitoshura]

IC: RyzenRyzen stared blankly at the Skakdi, obviously puzzled. "Okay, can I ask who you are? It's been bothering me for a bit."

[Voxumo]

IC: Tivanu

 

Tivanu rolled his shoulder as he offered his free hand

"The name is Tivanu. And this is Kive-phu."

She motioned his hand to Kive-phu who rested on his shoulder

[Hitoshura]

IC: Ryzen"And I am..." Ryzen considered giving his name to Tivanu. He could at least trust this time, or he would consider himself a little paranoid. "You can call me Ryzen."

[Voxumo]

IC: Tivanu

 

Tivanu grin softly as he hears this

"Well pleasure meeting you. May i ask what you are doing today?"

[Seraphimon]

IC:

 

[Klavier]

 

Rahkshi. Rahkshi Rahkshi Rahkshi.

 

Bandages. Wounds. Rahkshi guts. The slugs. The sound of blood dripping, the sound of corpses moving. Or not moving. Breathing. Or not breathing. Rotting. Returning to the earth. Preparing for ascension. The true nature of things. All things.

 

It was time to get out of the cave. In the darkness, direction did not particularly matter and Klavier had long ago lost track of what way he heard the wind blowing from, so he moved that way. There was no one else, nothing else. There was a slightly subconscious twist to his decision making, in that the Rahkshi, at least from his understanding, had come from one direction. So Klavier, rather logically, had assumed that going the opposite direction would lead away from the Rahkshi. It got colder, then came the wind and finally.

 

Finally he felt the cave give way to a more open feeling, the sharp cold of arctic wind and presumably the sensation of light on his skin. Finally. He was out. Finally, the work could begin. He smiled slightly. The way to truth begins with a single step. The sack across his back shuffled with the sound of rotting. As he walked, he started to smell out for an authority figure. Someone to turn in these heads too. But someone in a public space...all questions that needed answering before he could proceed.

 

But proceed he would until all knew what there was to be known.

 

 

 

[ilhamotho]

 

Snow. Always hated snow. Say one thing for Illhamotho, say that he's always hated snow. There were two major reasons for hating snow and they could summed up fairly easily. One: snow means cold. Two: snow made it hard to see anything while making it really easy to seem him. But such was life. Such was the job.

 

He sighed and scratched at the starchy feeling for his uniform. His officer uniform. How long had it been since they had taken him, wearing a mismatched set of armor and patchwork clothes, with only his arm and pole to call his own. Now, look at him. A right and proper officer, a true general. Not just someone called in to fight someone he had never heard of in some country he barely knew. No, he was a leader, leading men who, if they weren't good, were dependable. Dependable to be scum but that was life. Everyone was scum. Some more than others, but scum just the same. No matter what sort of uniform you were wearing.

 

Illhamotho sighed and let out a breath of steam. The Sanctum stood behind him, glowering like a judgmental king. That was the way with politicians, always needing to remind who was in charge. They could use a few pointers, in his estimations, from the military. Posture was everything, not size. Show me a man with his back straight and eyes like flint and I'll give him respect. No statues, no impressive windows, no doors two span higher than any being needed reaching.

 

Wait here, they told him. You'll know who you're looking for. Tired of secrecy but most importantly...

 

He sighed and tugged at his uniform. Most importantly, tired of the snow. Say one thing for Illhamotho, say that he's always hated snow.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: A little cue snapped its fingers in Ambages' mind and the architect looked down at his wristdial. "Am I keeping you from something, Ambages?" Matoro asked. He always was a keen observer of the subtle.

 

"I have an appointment in Ga-Koro, Akiri," he said. "With your permission I'd like to leave now to make it down the mountain before dark."

 

Matoro nodded once. It was all he needed to give before returning his attention to Toa Sernon. The vizier had given his advice and could bid his farewell with a polite bow then stepped quietly away from the circle of councilors and representatives and to the Sanctum's doors that widened to give him exit.

 

The harsh white landscape of Ko-Koro greeted him and he folded his arms to protect himself against the cold. He had lived many, many years in the city and had grown tolerant of the weather, but sometimes familiarity was not enough. Bundled in his thick, black wool overcoat he could still feel the icy trickle of air vent in. But from the looks of it he was not alone in his hatred of the weather.

 

The lanky Vortixx with a distinctive polarm waited for Ambages to arrive, though the skeletal man didn't know it yet. As the matoran stepped close then stopped, though, the scarecrow-like soldier gave him a focused eye. Ambages could feel the seedy pupils glance from the polished mask to the scratchy coat and the old leather satchel that hung at the side. Then they looked at Ambages' feet and stopped, not judging or regarding but rather appraising the muddy hem on the scratchy jacket. It was a positive sign, an aristocrat with humility.

 

"Ilhamotho," Ambages finally said. "It's good that we meet at last. My name is Ambages." He gestured ahead, down the streets. "Come with me?"

[Vezok's Friend]

IC: "Leave him here. The mountain will do the rest for us." "He's not dead yet." "But he's close. He won't last long past waking up. This will work just fine." "It'll look natural. He won't make it to the village crawling." "Not unless the village makes it to him..." ---------------------------------------- White and red.

A powerful combination.

A symbol of many things, good and bad.

Light and heat.

Purity and Love.

Life and passion.

Nobility and courage.

Innocence and seduction.

Peace and war.

Sacrifice and reward. ... Ice and Blood. That was the first thing he saw as he opened his eyes, a red puddle partially soaked into the snow, only stopped by a rapid freezing process in the sub-zero temperatures. And from the feeling spreading throughout his abdominal region as his feeling slowly returned to his extremities, it was his own. The realization sinking in significantly sped up his return back to consciousness. And the more he stirred, the more his sore muscles demanded oxygen to fulfill their duties. His breath came ragged, slightly gurgling as he drew in air eagerly - a momentary relief. And a mistake, he realized - a classic case of reflexes overruling reason - as he started to choke on the blood caught in his trachea, then coughing violently, sprinkling the innocent snow with more red droplets flying from his mouth, leaving a metallic taste on his lips. But the coughing fit didn't let up. Convulsing, he hacked up more and more of the red liquid. The more he coughed, the more the internal damage his body had suffered made itself known. And with each movement, he felt as if something inside him was being torn up. He was too weak to scream out and the cold was numbing enough to prevent him from feeling the full amount of pain, but he had to stop himself before he damaged something really important...if he hadn't already. With great mental effort, he fought against the urge to cough again, eventually gaining the upper hand. He lay on his side and kept still, thinking. His right hand felt for his abdomen. The armor across his torso was damaged, the injuries he felt were numerous and were anything but superficial. The puddle around him soaking the snow and his cloak in was coming from multiple wounds across his stomach and chest, with more cuts lining the lower arms and legs. Worst of all, he could not recall how he had gotten the injuries. Somebody had taken him, thrown him into what could only have been a Muaka's jaws or an oversized meatgrinder, then left him here for dead on the side of the mountain. And by the looks of it, he wouldn't last long before death paid him a visit. In fact, that became more likely with every minute he was lying here and doing nothing. He had to act fast; he had to find help - which was impossible out in these drifts. Any shout for help - if he had had the energy to shout - would have been lost on the wind. And he knew there would be nobody looking for him. An old saying about prophets and mountains came to his mind then.He needed to get moving, despite his injuries. First things first... he thought, gritting his teeth. He was not going anywhere with half a lung full of blood. He needed to get rid of that - and the only way he knew how to accomplish that made him clench his eyes shut. It wasn't a pretty prospect, but there was no choice. Forcing himself to remain calm, he breathed in through the nose, carefully, just to top off his oxygen reserves. Then, he place his hands around his mouth in a funnel-shape and concentrated on his control over air. Suddenly, there was a vacuum, right in front of his mouth. And it mercilessly demanded to be filled, except that he didn't allow the outside air to do the job. With tense arms, he opened his mouth...and he thought he was going to be sick and black out as the air inside him was being sucked right out of him, along with anything making breathing difficult. Suffice to say, it was messy. After seconds that lasted far too long for his liking, he finally let go of the vacuum and it vanished. The Toa of air gasped, filling his burning lungs with clean air, this time without almost suffocating. It was not a permanent fix, his internal injuries would cause his lungs to slowly fill up again without any medical assistance, but for now he could start to think about which way to go now. He began to look around, trying to get a read on his location. Ice. Snow. Mountain-peaks. Obviously Ko-Wahi. But where in the Wahi was he? Without a point of reference, going in the wrong direction would spell certain doom for him. His eyes darted left and right, up and down, to find - there. There it was. Towering above the other peaks. Mount Ihu. Sunlight reflected of the the eternal ice at its top. And judging by the shape from this angle and the position of the sun, he was south-west of the mountain. Ko-Koro was to the east. No time to waste, then. Grunting, he rolled over onto his stomach, wincing as pressure was put on his mid-section, before propping himself up on all fours, then slowly standing up - or rather, standing up bent and in pain. A drop of liquid ran down the side of his chin, left from the emergency-evacuation of his lung. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, leaving a crimson smear. Then, he started to walk. He didn't know how far the village of ice was a away exactly, but in his state, he was focused on one step at a time, trying to place his feet where he would not sink into the snow up to his waist. It was easier said than done and he could feel his energy - what little he had left - drain away rapidly. By the time the gap between the glacier came into view, he was already stumbling, his eyes struggling to remain open and focused. But while they were still working, he kept them trained on the wall of ice in the distance and kept going. It became the only thing he was focused on, that spot in the distance - and so he missed the area of deep snow right in front of him. Suddenly, he was falling, his foot not finding a solid surface. He collapsed forward, into the snow. He felt the darkness creeping in from the edge of his vision. But he wasn't done fighting yet. Despite the wounds, despite the lack of strength in his legs and arms that were so sore he thought the pistons might jam and the tendons might snap at any moment, he dragged himself forward. He was not going to die in some no-name ditch just outside the village perimeter. His fingers dug into the snow, until the tips scraped against the ice below and inch by inch, he moved forward, out of the snow-pit, until he found his fingers were not sinking in any more, the snow suddenly becoming compresses, a more solid surface. With his last remaining strength, the traveler lifted his head. Despite the tunnel-vision, he realized he was lying on a path leading through the snowy drifts and to the village. And in the distance, he could see figures approaching in his direction. Perhaps death had come to pay him a final visit before the end. The figures came closer, until he could make out the features of the one walking ahead. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards slightly. Well-met... he thought, before darkness embraced him.

 

 

OOC: Alright, EW, that's your cue, whenever you're ready.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Vezok's Friend

[Seraphimon]

IC:

 

[ilhamotho]

 

The Matoran that greeted him was, suffice to say, a tad bit underwhelming. Entirely grey except for his limbs, for one thing; never a color that struck Ilhamotho as particularly exciting. Of course, he could hardly talk given his entirely black makeup but that was that. As if to further emphasize his dullness, the Matoran was also wearing a black coat, the hem muddied from who knows what. Ilhamotho was not one for hasty judgments; hasty judgments got you killed. Instead, Ilhamotho slowly lifted himself up and stood at attention.

 

Who was this man he was supposed to escort?

 

There was a brief moment of silence, as the Vortixx had been taught early on to never speak before spoken to when dealing with men higher ranked than you. You just didn't do it. Similarly to hasty judgments, such things were the stuff of death. Instead, he waited. Finally, the Matoran spoke: "Ilhamotho," he said. "It's good that we meet at last. My name is Ambages." He gestured ahead, down the streets. "Come with me?"

 

Ilhamotho nodded. "It is good to meet you as well, sir." Ambages. Now there was a name he had heard before. High Vizier of Ko-Koro. Interesting person to be escorting. But what did he have to do with...well, what did he have to do with the little group they had assembled? What was he escorting him to? What was the group for in the first place? All questions that remained unasked and unanswered as the two figures trudged through the snow towards some destination. Say one thing for Illhamotho, say that he follows orders well.

 

What he didn't expect in the course of those orders was the injured Toa. A trail of blood led deep into the mountains while cuts adorned him as if a sculptor had taken to work on him but had cut too quick and had given up. Passed out, the Toa lay there like a sleeping child, peace and contentment on his face. That is, until he woke up. Then he'd likely be screaming. The spread of his wounds were not pretty. Ilhamotho adjusted the grip on his hammer.

 

"This one, sir, looks like he's got one foot in the grave." It was the first words he had spoken in a while and the sound of his voice startled himself. "With your permission, I can send him on his way. Likely when he wakes, well...it'll be a world of hurt with little chance of escape." It was bloody work, certainly, but sometimes you did what had to be done. He'd want someone else to do the same for him, if it came to it. "His final moments can be painful or peaceful, sir. It's your call."

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: The viceroy and his hand walked out of the village in silence; nary a word slipped between their teeth until they out of the city gates. Ambages glanced at his wristdial again -- he still had two minutes until he could speak freely again. As it turned out, however, the first words since the start would not be on the topic of his choosing.

 

The man was nearly a corpse -- Ilhamotho was right, he was already halfway through death's door. But that meant he was still half in the world of the living. The wounds were severe and deep, gashes and cuts that seemed unnatural and far from mundane. Whatever that man had fought, whatever beast he had encountered, had made a mark to be felt for centuries. But while the mercenary looked and saw a hopeless case fit for euthanasia, Ambages saw a broken kit that could be remoulded.

 

He knelt down and inspected the body closer, feeling the armor and the tough body beneath it. Slowly, the body made a miniscule stir and the traveler's eyes cracked open again, this time beholding the clean and genial face of Ambages. He shook his head in refusal to the Vortixx's amoral and mundane suggestion. "No," he said quietly. "This one can still be helped."

 

The eyes closed again with a sense of gratitude. Death was not going to visit that toa for a final insult that day.

 

Ambages stood up and inspected his dial one more time. He had thirty seconds remaining and made use of them. He spoke to a mound of snow nearby with a heightened voice. "This is Ambages, High Vizier and Viceroy of the City," he said. "I have a grievously wounded... traveler in the road outside the gates, coordinate grid B8. I order a medevac to take him to the hospital posthaste. I will remain here until I see him taken away."

 

Ten seconds. Zero seconds. The aural sensors died as he had arranged them to, a brief blackout to allow him and Ilhamotho unfettered departure. But now, however, that had almost been a grave obstruction. Still, it was not long until he saw the fruits of his one-way communique: A column of people with a ussal pulling a wicker litter. Shortly after that he and his hand continued the way they were headed, towards the gaping maw of the Dark Walk, and the medevac took the traveler's body to the hospital for treatment.

 

The two descended into darkness.

[Geardirector]

OOC: Helios from Le-Wahi

 

IC: Helios (Ko-Koro)

 

Ice definitely wasn't Helios' element.

 

Not in the sense that he was a Toa of Gravity, no, he just didn't feel comfortable here, at all. His large boots sloshed through the snow as he ascended the steps to the Ko-Koro plateau making every step take its toll on him.

 

Shambling up the steps with his hammer reduced to a makeshit cane , Helios used his powers to reduce gravity's effect on himself, in the hopes it would make the climb easier to bear.

 

To his relief, he immediately felt himself growing lighter, and every step grew steadily more resolute as he finished his trek up the giant pike of ice that rose from the landscape.

 

Striding up the steps with his hammer held high, Helios used his powers to give himself a gentle tug to ease the last step, to make his entrance onto the Ko-Koronan archway a tad more admirable.

 

The Ba-Toa gaped in awe as he laid his eye upon the frozen village. Nearly all of it was made of ice, glimmering in the high mountain sun like it was carved from a giant gemstone and placed here as an ode to the great spirit himself.

 

Helios figured he could definitely make himself comfortable here.

 

OOC: Helios is open for interaction

[Spicy Salmon Samurai]

OOC: Nipaki interacting with Helios

 

IC: Nipaki

 

Nipaki saw an unfamiliar Toa enter Ko-Koro, and immediately rushed out of the door, wishing to greet him and perhaps bring some more excitement into his day. Thank the Great Beings that I have something to do! As he walked up to the Toa, he greeted him, "Hello! I am Nipaki, astronomer and prophesy interpreter. I haven't seen you in Ko-Koro before. If you are in need of any kind of assistance, please allow me to help you. Our great city has much to see and do, and I would be pleased to show it to a Toa."

 

[Geardirector]

IC: Helios (Ko-Koro)

 

"Hi, there" Helios replied with a friendly smile and looked down at his fellow Miru-wielder.

 

"I'd love to take a look around, this place is new to me, so your offer was really nice."

[EmperorWhenua]

Ooc: Jam featuring Seraphim and I.

 

IC:

 

Ilhamotho remained silent. By the by, this seemed like a generally good idea. He had raised an eyebrow at Ambages's little show of mercy; he couldn't say with any sort of certainity whose benefit that had been arranged for. Or maybe he was being paranoid. That was entirely possible. Generally, however, Illhamotho was fairly sure that his host was not to be trusted in the slightest.

 

The darkness from the tunnel quickly enveloped the two travelers, reducing visibility to just about zero. The Vortixx was not one to break the silence but he regarded(as much as he possibly could) his Matoran companion carefully. "Sir, pardon my asking, but perhaps a lightstone might be in order?" he asked, the cave reverberating with his voice.

 

"If you feel the need for a tool of the light," Ambages steadily replied, "then you may draw one." He had no desire to use one himself, however, and instead stepped forward with sure steps. One may draw a conclusion that he had become one with the darkness. While that was far from untruth the reality was something far simpler and mundane.The architect adjusted the focus of his eyepiece to allow more precious light into the lens.

 

The Vortixx unfortunately had no such advantage. His reptillian eyes, though generally pretty good as far as eyes went, had no such eyepiece and as such he could only squint in an attempt to see the approaching...whatever he was supposed to be seeing. He moved his polearm to his metallic left arm while his right desperately fumbled in his pouch.

 

"So, sir...if you don't mind me asking...where are we and where are we going?"

 

"We are in the Dark Walk, passageways meant to transport armies, now nothing more than haunting tunnels to the old lair of the Makuta," Ambages explained. "We are going to a meeting in Ga-Koro, which lies more assuredly on the other side."Ambages finished adjusting the eyepiece and sighed gently as vision was at full once again. "The purpose," he said, guessing the next question, "varies. Ostensibly I am going to do business with their akiri and you are my bodyguard. But I also wanted to speak with you."

 

Ilhamotho finally pulled out the lightstone, filling the tunnel with a soft glow. With a brief motion, he tossed his polearm into the air at the same time as the newly gained lightstone, the hammer once again resting in his right hand. "Talk to me, huh? About what? Not much to talk about, in my opinion."That was a lie. What wasn't there to talk about? For starters: why did you recruit 120 seemingly random people from the slums of Xa-Koro which was destroyed soon afterward and then proceed to turn them into an army?

 

And why oh why was the newly appointed High Vizier of Ko-Koro perhaps not in charge but certainly privy to this shady operation?

 

He could formulate theories but it was certainly nothing he wanted to give voice to.

 

"Don't pretend to be simple," Ambages said. "You're a keen man, you know you're a part of something much larger than you can fathom on your own." And in the darkness, just within Ilhamotho's eyesight, he saw Ambages turn a little and flash a sly smile. "And you know I'm a part of it."

 

Ilhamotho frowned. Sharper than he thought. Carefully, he probed forward.

 

"Here's what I know. I was approached by a couple of men who asked if I was looking for employment. Turns out I was. Didn't hear any names of anything, just looked forward to do the job, whatever it would be. I end up with a bunch of other people literally in the same boat. Then, the training started. All pretty rudimentary, easy stuff.

 

"Like I said, didn't know any names until I met Commander Brykon."

 

"--Colonel Brykon," Ambages corrected.

 

"Colonel, sure. Colonel Brykon started taking me outside on so-called 'recon' missions which turned out to be, well, not about recon at all. Turned out to tutoring sessions...about tactics. About politics. About...what was happening on the island. About the Akiri." A little probing had revealed that he was not the only person on these recon trips, but that was something Ilhamotho kept to himself. "We move to Ko-Wahi and then suddenly Colonel Brykon gives me an assignment...an actual assignment this time. To escort you. Turns out the person I'm escorting is one of the most powerful people on the island."

 

The Vortixx gave the Matoran a toothy grin. "So, certainly I know there's something larger going on. Likely, I'm going to be placed in some sort of command position, though of what I cannot fathom. Perhaps this little army you have going...perhaps your personal guard. Who knows?"

 

"I do," Ambages said, matter-of-factly. "Colonel Brykon is resigned from his commission. It was by his suggestion when he left that I selected /you/ to be his replacement."

 

Ilhamotho nodded. That made sense. Though what exactly this commission was...well, that was yet to be seen. "I assume I don't have a choice in the matter, correct?"

 

"Oh, no, quite the contrary," Ambages started to explain as he confidently led the way through the inky vast passages. "You can choose not to take the offer, in which case I will merely go to the next person on the list. But it is a small list and refusal would be met with a large amount of... disappointment."

 

Ilhamotho chuckled. No choice, then. "What will I be...doing? Recruiting?"

 

"No. Recruitment was done long before the ships set sail and the condemned city swam with the fishes. Your job is one of leadership. You will serve the army as its general. It is yours to command."Just as you are mine."

 

Ilhamotho was unfazed. He knew as well as Ambages that Ilhamotho's command would begin and end when either of them determined the relationship to be unsatisfactory. That was a long time in coming and it was very possible that rewards lay at the end of the track. Rewards he would have to survive to see, but rewards nonetheless. It was an awkward moment, a silence not even the darkness could fill.

 

Ilhamotho took a chance and decided to break it. "Who are we fighting, then? I like to know what I'm going to fight before I send men to die against it. Just a policy thing. Professional stuff."

 

"Whomever I direct you to," Ambages said. "For now any number of opponents. This is an unstable time on Mata Nui -- anything can happen. A more pressing concern for you would be a question of why you would fight at all. For three months and a week you trained soldiers and led a squad like the other foreigners in the army. You watched a city collapse to nothing, the unending coastline, a desolate desert, and now the walls of an ice cave. But why?" he asked rhetorically."You're an army without banners. There are many on Mata Nui that are worried you exist but so very few people who know you do. And in a time of such strife as right now when nobody trusts even their neighbors, don't you think having an army of angry and trained refugees nobody knows about can be very useful? You will lead because you know a portion of my power and because I will line your pockets with gold, and where you lead others will follow. They will fight because they don't know better. Because I made it so."

 

Ilhamotho coughed. "Sir, you're intelligent. You're a good deal smarter than me, certainly. Men like the men you took...gold will lead them for a little while. That's how all mercenaries, all criminal types do. As for myself, I don't really care for gold. I do this because...well, this is what I do. Not everyone has killing in them though. And gold will only take them so far...there's a point where promises of wealth will fall on deaf ears. When you're suffering in some forsaken wasteland, praying to some deity you ain't never heard of to save you, you don't care much about gold. You can't eat it. You can't drink it. It takes a certain kind of person to push on through Karz for just gold. And if you don't give them a reason to kill? They'll desert and all of a sudden you don't have an army anymore."

 

People will follow me, sure. But they need a reason besides your say so."

 

Suddenly, inspiration struck the Vortixx. Perhaps there was a chance to get some answers...if he was willing to talk. He was already 'in the know' technically...surely a little more probing wouldn't hurt. But if he blew it, if he was misjudging the situation.

 

Then he could be dead.

 

He coughed.

 

Or perhaps that was not the smartest thing, at the moment.

 

And that was the game. Give a little and let the prey take the slack and be baited into the trap. It wasn't just a way to gain people's trust, it was a way to sense their desires and weaknesses and goad them into exploitable turf. It was how Ambages filled in the gaps left after researching people and it was an art he excelled at."People will follow not because of what I say but because of what you say," Ambages replied calmly. "And you will follow me because you want to. We're unlike the others we regard as our peers; you are not like your fellow sergeants just like I'm not like the politicians and artists seen as my equals. We require different incentives. And if you do not hold loyalty to gold then I would hope you hold it to purpose."I am giving you that purpose."

 

So that was that. Lie, if you have to. Absolutely brilliant. The Vortixx felt like he had just lost a particularly dizzying game of chess, a game where he had been doing well until a few moves later, almost all of his pieces were taken. Yet, he still held onto one, one piece of information, something that he could use. He wanted to grin, but kept his face perfectly still and nodded. "Then a purpose they shall have."How long does this tunnel go for, anyway?"

 

"Kios in every direction. Onu-Wahi holds no candle to the vastness of the Mangaia's reach," Ambages said. "Still, it is the fastest way between koros on the island, if not the safest." The even strides of his comparatively short legs were quick and beat a metronome Ilhamotho had to exert a little extra effort to keep up with -- Ambages wasn't a lazy traveler. "But there is another reason I wanted to come down this way. And it's just right here..." he said and slowed his pace.

 

He stepped up to a wall that was like all the others: Vastly flat and tall, black like the abyss. But he regarded it with what seemed like ceremonial reverence.

 

This was his wall."Tell me, Ilhamotho, what do you see in this wall?"

 

Another move, another pawn taken. "I can't say I rightly see anything, sir. Not without being a liar." He paused and gave it another cursory glance. "Looks like a giant black wall to me."

 

A thin evil smile graced his mouth with the subtlest of tugs. "A giant... black... wall," Ambages repeated to himself contentedly.

 

This was his mirror.

 

This was his muse.

 

He closed his eyes and placed his forehead on the wall and breathed deeply as if attempting to inhale the wall itself. He attuned himself to the glossy curtain of shadow, feeling it, reaching into it. Though the Makuta was no longer king in that subterranean realm his essence still flowed deeply in its veins, inhabiting the crevices and crags like plaque in a cavity, impossible to remove. And there Ambages thrived, in the darkness that had so long been his ally.

 

For seven hundred years the Makuta and he were equals in the great fight against Mata Nui, each with different ideals and agendas but still useful to each other. But despite their dubious alliance Ambages had found himself refused the final gift he always asked for from the darkness. Then, however, there was none to stand in the way of the request. The darkness was his to be had.

 

He reached up and touched the wall gently, he caressed it and felt it and the wall reacted. It shimmered as if in response to his touch and, to Ilhamotho's surprise, flowed into the matoran like black smoke wisps caught in a vacuum. And Ambages took it in with all his will.

 

"I have come here every week for the last three months," he spoke into wall which bounced his voice back to Ilhamotho. His tone was evil, sinister, deeper than before and more guttural. "I'm just a Matoran in a dangerous world. Sonics can grant me great perception, but little precious power. I needed my own strength." Finally he ceased absorbing the energies and turned back to face the Vortixx. His eyes were a bright purple, flared with surreal fire. "And so I conquered my inner Light, rejected it from my body and evicted the equilibrium we are all in possession of.

 

"We all require different incentives, Ilhamotho. Mine happens to be power."

 

He smiled genially as he always had. His eyes returned to their original red. His voice became normal again. "Let's go to Ga-Koro, shall we?"

 

Ooc: Ilhamotho and Ambages to Ga-Wahi.

Edited May 27, 2013 by EmperorWhenua

[Taipu1]

IC: Tayis

 

"Sheltering from the weather mainly," Tayis said to Tivanu. "I'm Tayis, and this is Zieta. Ryzen was kind enough to show us here when he found us lost in the drifts."

[CeeCee]

IC: Zieta

 

Zieta took Tayis to one side, making sure the others were out of hearing distance. "Need I remind you" she said "That making friends with the locals is not out priority"

[Taipu1]

IC: Tayis

 

"Priority?" Tayis said. "And what are you thinking my priority is?"

Edited May 27, 2013 by Taipu1

[CeeCee]

IC: Zieta

 

"Achieving our destiny"

[Taipu1]

IC: Tayis

 

"Destiny? And you know what that is, I suppose? Been up at the Ko-Koro citadel to check with the matoran prophets have you?"

[CeeCee]

IC: Zieta

 

 

"Listen Tayis" He voice went to something in between a whisper and a shout, making it sound almost like a growl. She looked around awkwardly and lowered it "When we went are separate ways after the Rahkshi attack I was left on my own with nothing but my own failures. For a while, I fell apart. I was convinced that I had failed for good and that there was no purpose for me in this life anymore. But just as I was about to exit it for good? I had an epifany. That my task wasnt over. I realised that it was my destiny to take out Sixhand, whether it was by the Toa code or not. Im not expecting to kill Vex and come out alive. Im on a suicide"

[Taipu1]

IC: Tayis

 

"Well," Tayis said flatly. "I may not be so certain of my destiny, but I know my duty."

 

He didn't elaborate on this, but instead sat down on the floor.

 

"If we're going to get some rest," he said. "Staying on your feet isn't going to help."

[Hitoshura]

IC: RyzenRyzen glanced at the two Toa. "If you want to rest, the go ahead. I won't leave or anything, Tivanu and I are going to have a little...talk." He turned to the Skakdi. "Now, why was your bird following us earlier? Something interests you?"

[Underscore]

OOC: So sorry to interrupt you, dragonstar, but I want to join the ko-wahi rpg.

 

IC: Guron

 

Guron stared at the slopes of Mount Ihu, a wide smile on his face.* He would soon reach his destination of Ko-koro. Guron kept on walking, until, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a toa and a skakdi. "What the rahi...?" He was surprised to see one of his own species.

 

OOC * of course, that was the only expression he was capable of.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Mairanui

[Hitoshura]

IC: Ryzen"Oh, whatever, I suppose you don't see three different Toa walking together in Ko-Wahi. So, what brings you here?" he said, trying to sound casual. He thought here heard someone say something, but it was too far away tobe from any of the three here, and it was definately not him. "Who is that?" he yelled.