Onaku

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Working up a sweat even as the storm cleared up, Onaku was in the midst of helping dig a channel to redirect potential floods when the sound of something splattering nearby caught his attention. Looking up, he saw some strange substance scattered across the ground, and a matoran stumbling nearby seeming to have gotten caught up in the splash, looking out of it. "Whoa, hey, stay sharp now!" Onaku vaulted up out of the hole, approaching the matoran, who lost their footing and fell onto their behind up against a nearby tree. "You alright?" Trying to get any response out of the matoran seemed to be a fruitless effort, they simply mumbled in delirium and panted weakly as if exhausted. Onaku grimaced, looking up and seeing the immense form of a scorpion monstrosity in the mountains above the valley, its stinger aimed their way. The culprit. Another enemy coming for Kini-Koro. Slinging his shovel over his shoulder with a determined glare, he began making his way back into Kini-Koro, looking for two familiar faces. @The UltimoScorp@Tarn

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Onaku had nodded and taken a step to move off toward the mechs when he saw the mechanical giants make their way across the valley, headed for the origins of the storm. "Looks like that won't be necessary, Commander. Shall I return to work?" He asked, readying his shovel again. @Sparticus147

IC: Zadred - Kini-Koro What had been intended as a simple visit to a friend in Kini-Koro turned into an arduous evacuation effort as Zadred did her best to help out, lending her aid where she could be it by binding the ground with stronger roots or by employing her Skakdi strength to help carry things between places. The heavy rain beat down on her as she worked her hardest to keep up. She certainly hadn't expected this to be her day, but she wasn't going to up and run away from it either. She could help here, so she was going to help, wherever she could lend a hand.

IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou With all of the food pretty much ready to be served, Okuo stepped out of the kitchen, making his way out of the guardhouse to go check on the afflicted and see how they were feeling. It was upon seeing an unusual glow from within the shelter, how ever, that Okuo hurried his pace, sprinting to the door and opening it up to behold a sight that left him speechless. Stepping inside with a bewildered expression, the door closed behind him as he looked upon a being three times the size of a Toa, enveloped in a glow that spread out to light up an area with the afflicted inside. He had heard of Iradra, the Av-Toa healer, though they had thus far not had a chance to consult her. Was this her? He'd have thought someone would've mentioned how tall she was if so. Peering at the large being, Okuo could have sworn he recognised them, mulling it over before he suddenly came to a realisation. "... Triage?" @Tarn@Snelly@Harvali@Toru Nui@Vezok's Friend

IC: Arkius - Spiriah's Labyrinth Pain. It was an old friend of Arkius. It told him of his limits, complained when he pushed past them, and screamed at him when inevitably he broke in some way. But every time he came back stronger, and his tolerance for suffering grew greater. The pain he felt now, lingering at the edges of the dead nerve endings that had been burnt away, was great indeed, but it wasn’t the worst pain he had suffered. He’d been through worse, and he’d pulled through, even if only barely. His thoughts, clearer as he ever drew further from Spiriah’s mind numbing influence, turned to his situation, pushing the pain to the back of his mind. Up. Go up. He held onto that mantra as it remained at the center of his psyche, a singular tether holding him to the mark despite his body screaming for the bliss of unconsciousness or oblivion. He knew he couldn’t keep this up forever, and he wasn’t certain how long it would be until he reached the surface. Eventually certain branches would exceed his limits, and his admittedly impressive reserves of elemental energy would grow thin, and then depleted. But he didn’t have to keep this up forever. He hadn't intended to. Even now, he could feel his pursuers traveling down an errant branch. Not that it mattered if they’d chosen the correct one. He exerted his influence once more. Suddenly, the branches shattered, breaking apart into a multitude of large pieces, some merely small fragments of packed earth, but too many to count were the pieces large enough to fit the large Toa inside them. The pieces each grew to a sharp point upwards, before the collective began to ascend, the earth bending around them as they tore up through it like shotgun pellets tearing through flesh. @Eyru

IC: Arkius - Spiriah’s Labyrinth Arkius could feel his nerves burning away, leaving his entire body utterly numb. His flesh charred and blackened, his mechanical parts warped and cracked, his body was in one of the sorriest states it had ever been to his memory. He couldn’t feel his body. But he could feel the earth around him, feel the earth resting against his mangled frame and singed flesh. As much as he could, he wrapped his ruined body in a sterile earthen cast, protecting it until it could begin to heal. With his earth senses stretched out, he could feel where he was, and where he was going. He could also feel something pursuing him, and gaining on him. Lastly, he could feel something dragging at him from the earthitself, something indirectly influencing it to hinder him. He could feel it, the gaps between the granules of earth tugging on it. Drawing further and further from the confusing influence of Spiriah, and forcing himself to process what he was sensing despite the difficulty he felt at just thinking, Arkius recognised the culprit. Shadows, formed in the space within the earth itself, the emptiness between the earthen grains, allowing one with power over them to affect his element indirectly from inside. If he had the mental capacity at the moment, he’d have taken offense, but all he could afford right now was to troubleshoot. Ever further from Spiriah, though his momentum slowed from the Aspect's insidious influence, Arkius was afforded enough clarity to realise something. If the gaps allowed shadows, then to eradicate the gaps would eradicate the shadows as well. Slowly at first, but gradually picking up in pace, the granules of earth around Arkius began compacting, compressing upon each other until the space between them was negligible to non-existent. This continued outwards, great swathes around and ahead of him compacting into a nigh impenetrable lane of hyper-compressed earth, allowing little to no manipulation of it from the inside by any other element than earth itself. And then these lanes split, multiple branches of compacted earth forming into multiple directions as far as Arkius’ considerable influence stretched, and the signature motion anyone with sufficient elemental sense could feel carrying the Toa through the earth split equally across all lanes, identical movement throughout them all carrying off into wildly different directions, some diagonally away and upward from the Aspect's chamber, a couple straight upward toward the surface, and a couple even diverging downwards into the depths below. @Eyru

IC: Whakamahu - Ko-Pou shelter "Stop." Before the pebbles and rocks could hit the afflicted, they stopped in mid-air, held at bay by an invisible force. Likewise, the afflicted would find themselves held back by something cushiony, a push that didn't hurt them if they struggled against it. The Kaita turned around to Kardaka, raising a hand and looking at the Turaga with pale golden eyes that had no malice or anger to them, only care and understanding. The voice they spoke with wasn't loud or imposing, but it was easily heard and resolute. "Let me." Simultaneously, as the afflicted were held in the gentle psionic grasp, they could feel an immense yet oddly comforting presence touch upon their minds, six eyes all filled with compassion looking in upon their psyche. Be not afraid. We are here to help. They could feel something reaching for them, though it did not intrude. They had to give their permission, to accept it, for it was only offered. You have fought this battle on your own for too long. If they were barely keeping their head above a tumultuous ocean, then this mental presence was a hand reaching out to them to pull them out of it. Let us aid you now. All they had to do was accept it. @Vezok's Friend@Harvali@Toru Nui@Tarn@Snelly

IC: Arkius - Spiriah's Labyrinth Arkius was on edge, his nerves on fire as he kept his senses open, pulling himself like a cordak rocket toward the exit. But such a clean exit was not to be, as he felt the stone corridor smash closed behind him. Arkius grit his teeth, and tried to think of another way out. Another way out. Out... The earthen Toa felt his focus slipping. What was he doing again? He was covered in earth, and keeping up a sandstorm outside of himself... but... why was he... The searing heat of the magma his earthen shell smashed into brought him back into the now, and he almost screamed as his back was singed by his cocoon melting behind him. Tearing himself away, he returned his focus to a way out, earth creeping around his form to shield his back again. Out, he had to get... Arkius gnashed his teeth as he could feel his focus slip again. Out. How to get out. Out... Up. Go up. Arkius reached up, and pulled on the earth above him, the earth tearing through the stonework covering it, a tendril of the element smashing down into the Toa to envelop him, before ripping him up into the earthen fold above the Aspect's chambers. He came too close for comfort to simply losing all focus and staying there in the embrace of his element, but with hardened resolve, he focused again. Up. Go up. He began conveying his element around himself to pull himself upward. Bending the the earth around himself and his earthen shell, Arkius launched himself like a torpedo up through the ocean of the island's underground. @Eyru

Name: Whakamahu, Toa Kaita of Remedy Breed: Toa Kaita Faction: Refugees Brief Description: Standing three times as tall as a regular Toa, Whakamahu possesses a sleek yet athletic figure. Their armour, an iridescent blend of gold and bronze complemented by a similarly iridescent mixture of white, teal, and blue, is ornate though not ostentatious, finely crafted and of sturdy make. Crimson sigils of ancient medical traditions adorn their armour in key visible places, in addition to adorning a white cloth tabard hanging from their waist and a white half cloak that covers their right shoulder and their back. From behind a bronze and gold mask in the shape of an ancient Mahiki gaze pale golden eyes. Background/Occupation: Formed from the fusion of Iradra, Triage, and Vashni, Whakamahu’s purpose is to try and reverse the mutations the afflicted matoran at Ko-Pou have suffered in Metru-Koro. To that end, they will rely upon the combination of their masks and elements. Flaws: Weak arm: The shoulder of one arm is weak, and the hand of that arm is shaky. Power Migraine: If Whakamahu overuses their elemental powers, they get a strong headache that lingers and amplifies depending on the severity of the overuse. Shalt Not Kill: Whakamahu is psychologically incapable of killing another living being, or deliberately taking action that will knowingly lead to another's death. They are also unable to stand by and let someone die if they know they can save them. Memory Leakage: Each Toa making up the fusion leaves it with fragments of memories from the others they fused with. Empathic Link: For a short period of time, the Toa making up the fusion can feel hints of what the others they fused with can feel, with pain as an example. This effect gradually fades over the course of a day or two. Powers: As a Toa Kaita, Whakamahu possesses greater elemental power than their three component Toa, and can wield them in combination. These elements are Plantlife (Triage), Light (Iradra), and Psionics (Vashni). The Kanohi the three Toa wear have also merged into a new mask that contains the powers of Healing, Illusion, and Mutation. With the healing powers of Iradra incorporated into the Kaita, Whakamahu can at will imbue any of their elements with healing properties, allowing them for example to heal wounds, restore missing body parts, and cure the effects of toxic substances, mutagens, and diseases. Equipment: Whakamahu wears the Mask of Remedy, which has the powers of Illusion, Mutation, and Healing. Additionally, the weapons Iradra possessed, a couple of curved blades and her staff, have combined to form a large double ended glaive.

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Having headed out of the hospital ahead of Knichou and Nale, Onaku found himself emerging into a village in panic. Making his way through the village, he eventually came upon a crowd listening to a matoran he recognised to have some authority. "Citizens of Kini-Koro, the situation is being handled and you are not in immediate danger. Those of you who are willing to weather the passing storm, come and assist me and the guard with sealing homes and preparing to divert the rain waters downhill. Those of you who are afraid of the risk, grab whatever belongings you can and make your way to the Tobduk-Koro portal and wait on the other side for an all clear. Understood? Good, NOW MOVE!" Onaku nodded to himself. This was what he could do. Traveling with the group the matoran of authority had gathered with her, he went to work preparing the village for the oncoming storm. @Sparticus147 IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou There was a momentary lull in the kitchen as Okuo could do nothing but wait for things to get ready. Resting his elbows on the windowsill, he looked outside the guard house, down the slope to a small metallic structure sitting in a clearing below. It looked like a metallic flower, four large curved plates sticking into the air, surrounding a round platform three bios across. Snow had built up on it, a few days had passed he'd given himself time to practise. It had been three weeks ago that Okuo had found himself heaving a large metallic plate over his shoulder, carefully walking it through the Ruins of Ice and down the path to a clearing below the Ko-Pou outpost proper. The outpost standing next to the ruins consisted of the newly constructed quarantine building and guard house, the latter of which had yet to be furnished with proper kitchen equipment. Placing the metallic plate down in the clearing, Okuo panted, stretching his back and groaning as something popped, before letting out an exerted sigh. This small structure, though simple in design, would allow Okuo to practise with his elemental powers without endangering the buildings nearby. Metallic petals, so to say, that would catch any stray blast he might lose control of while training. Heaving the plate one final time, he placed it into its intended slot on the platform, groaning with exertion before kneeling down to properly fasten it into place. Doing light stretches to alleviate the strain on his muscles, Okuo looked at his work with a modicum of pride, before stepping inside the structure. Lifting his hands up in front of him, he started with a simple move, generating fire in his hand before throwing it forward, the azure flame leaping forth into the metallic plate which tanked the blast with little effort. The Toa nodded to himself. This was going to help. Okuo was snapped back to the present by the ringing of a timer he'd set, calling him back into action to finish cooking for Ko-Pou's residents. IC: Iradra - Ko-Pou Iradra nodded, grabbing hold of Triage's hand and reaching her hand other to Vashni, her thoughts slowly converging on one concept; Unity. Still, she couldn't help but feel nervous about this prospect, to let go of her individuality and become a singular being with two others. But the fact she was doing it with two people she trusted calmed her anxieties considerably. Besides, she knew that this was the right thing to do. They had to try, for the sake of the afflicted matoran. She couldn't let them down. She wouldn't. @Tarn@Snelly@Toru Nui@Harvali@Vezok's Friend

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Hospital Onaku sighed. Indeed, without mask powers or his elemental earth, he was about as useful in a fight against a giant monster as any matoran. "I'll be in the village... I'm gonna try to help out however I can." Turning around, he gave Nale a meaningful look. "You be careful out there, alright?" He then turned to Jutori and Kat, glancing at briefly at Knichou. "And I hope you guys get better soon." @The UltimoScorp@Tarn@BULiK

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Hospital Onaku had a thoughtful look on his Pakari as he pondered on their recent turns of fate. Finally, he roused from his ruminations and looked over at Jutori, shaking his head. "It's... not your fault. You went above and beyond to try and stop him." He made his way over to the window, looking out at the sky outside. "Clouds rolling in... chance of rain, maybe? Just what we need today." @The UltimoScorp@Tarn@BULiK

IC: Onaku - Kini-Koro Hospital Arkius Onaku grunted as he stood up from the bed, his bruises still sore, making any movement painful. Wincing but toughening it up, he followed Knichou and Nale out of the hospital room, rounding the corner with them into the room Kat and Jutori were being tended to inside. "I'm... holding up." He responded to Kat and Jutori's near identical questions, rubbing the back of his sore neck while pondering his next words, before sighing finally. "This may sound weird, but... I've decided to change my name from Arkius. I'll be going by Onaku from here on." @The UltimoScorp@Tarn@BULiK

IC: Kini-Koro Hospital Arkius slowly opened his eyes, his vision gradually coming into focus as he took a deep breath. He realised he was lying on a bed. Lying down, his field of view was encompassed almost entirely of the ceiling, which seemed reminiscent of a Metru-Nui hospital, though distinct in its own way. Letting his eyes trail around the room, he realised he was in fact in a hospital room. He also realised he wasn’t alone. “... Nale?” He muttered with a hint of confusion as he slowly came to, his hand weakly trailing up to his face to touch on the mask he realised he’d woken up wearing. A Pakari, by the feel of it. Not that he could use it, he realised. That feeling of invigoration he usually felt when wearing a mask wasn’t present, though neither was the feeling of weakness he felt without one. He just felt… baseline. Unremarkable. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. His thoughts returned to the Toa of Magnetism in the room with him. “Who else would it be?” came the rhetorical response as Nale got up from her seat, moving to the side of the Onu-Toa’s bed. Despite a slight change in color scheme, it was unmistakably the woman Arkius had spent the latter days of Metru Nui (and the early days of Zakaz) with. “I...was almost worried you wouldn’t wake up.” “No such luck." He lightly retorted, giving her a faint smile, though there was an underlying hint of sadness in his vibrant green eyes as he looked at her. “Nale, I… owe you an explanation… and I owe you an apology.” “As do I,” she replied, crossing her arms. “An explanation, that is. But you can go first.” Arkius nodded, a faint sigh escaping his lips as he sat up in the bed, resting against the pillows. “I don’t know what you’ve been told, but… I’m not entirely the same Arkius as the one you knew a month ago. I have the same memories, and for the most part the same identity… but… a part of me has been removed. I can feel its absence, and that absence… gives me a certain clarity. For most if not all of my life in the world we both lived in, I was… well, plagued, by a deep underlying rage, one that drove me on and gave me strength… but also clouded my judgment, and…” Arkius paused, wincing, “well, you’re perhaps more aware of it than anyone else. I did things. Things that I can’t take back. Things that I, looking back on them, have come to regret.” “We all have regrets. Especially after everything we’ve been through. Some of us…” she paused, optics briefly passing over the room before returning to Arkius. Flashes of the Archives moved across her vision. “...more than others. Katrin told me what happened, I’m not going to pretend I really understand how it works. But I’m not so sure one can just excise a part of themselves like...decaying tissue.” “Nale… that rage wasn’t natural. It’s not something I was even aware of until a month ago, but I’d been carrying around something… someone in the deepest corners of my mind. Turns out I’m… not who I thought I was. I’m not originally from the world you called home. I had lived an entire life before that, a life I had forgotten. A life that… well… created a monster. A monster that was sitting like a caged animal in the deepest depths of my subconscious, poisoning me with its rage… And now it’s gone. For the first time in as long as I can recall, I am my own person. I’m… not sure how to really feel about that.” Arkius touched his mask again, pondering. “Is there a mirror in here?” Nale looked around the room, still not entirely believing the Toa of Earth’s words but willing to keep listening. “You know, now isn’t the best time to tell me you’re an alien,” she said with little humor to her voice. The Fa-Toa soon found a small, head-sized mirror among some nearby instruments. She handed it to Arkius. “They gave you a Pakari. Must have assumed it was mask loss-induced syncope.” Nale shrugged. “I figured Toa didn’t get that.” “I was beaten unconscious with my own element. Simple as that.” Arkius regarded his visage in the mirror with some curiosity, looking the mask’s features over. “I don’t think I even need to wear a mask any more. Strange that they should have given me this one… With how it remains colourless, it almost makes me look like someone I remember from my other life… Someone I feel a strange kinship with now. Perhaps it is a sign.” Arkius placed the mirror on the table next to his bed and sighed, before looking back at Nale. “The blue suits you, by the way. Is that the nanomaterial from Knichou?” Nale touched her Kakama, then in a somewhat fantastical display used her element, causing the nanites to spread out like waves and reveal the Kanohi’s original gunmetal coloration--and the burn scar she still bore. “Yes, I...we’ve been working together on upgrading ourselves. Our abilities. I was left somewhat weaponless following the Skakdi attack at Po-Koro and now, well...he may have gotten a bit carried away.” “The blue means friendly, apparently. Something in the programming that can identify enemies and allies, I think. I just like the look of it. If you’d like, perhaps Knichou could…” Arkius looked thoughtful, his eyes moving down from Nale to look over himself. He raised his hand up and looked at it, turning it to look at the palm of his hand before clenching it into a fist. “Perhaps. I haven’t just lost the need to wear masks. I can’t use them. Nor do I have access to my element any more, if I even have an element at all. It’s all gone. I can’t feel any of it there any more. What you see right now is all I am. Just a bunch of muscles on a mechanical framework… Almost like a matoran, in a way. That’d be a first for me.” Nale cocked her head to one side. First she learns Arkius was “not of this world,” so to speak, and now she learns even more. She wondered how much more about the Toa of Earth she still didn’t know--how much more he didn’t know of himself. “A first? Don’t tell me you’re that old, Arkius. You were never a Matoran?” The formerly earthen Toa shook his head. “I was built as a Toa. Forged by the creator master of my world. My old world… His world. I suppose the equivalent in yours was Artakha, but I never knew him.” Arkius sighed, looking out the window for a moment before his eyes returned to Nale again. “... But I suppose that’s enough about my forgotten past. What I want to discuss now is the present. Not to mention the future. That… is actually where my apology comes in.” Nale sat back down, playing catch-up in her head with all of the new information she’d learned. “Then...go on with it,” she said, gesturing to Arkius. “I believe this has been a long time coming.” Arkius nodded. “It has. That week that I shared with you… despite everything, I was happy. The time I spent with you was maybe the happiest I’ve felt in the longest time… But I don’t know if the feeling was mutual. I don’t know if I can believe it was…” He turned on the bed, moving his feet so that he sat on the edge, a look of regret on his features. “I don’t think I was good for you. It’s… probably for the best if we break it off. I’m sorry, Nale.” She looked down at the floor for a moment, optics moving as if they were following something that wasn’t there. She did say she had an explanation to make of her own, but how would she do it in this kind of...sensitive situation. “The feeling was mutual, for a time,” Nale replied. She looked back up at Arkius. “But times do change, so do people. I have my own demons--and I needed to find a different way to deal with them.” Nale stood again, and began pacing the room. She was beginning to have a hard time looking at the element-less Onu-Toa. “Do you remember when we parted ways? When I joined the Taku, and we went our own paths?” Arkius nodded again. “I do.” His eyes, resting on Nale, narrowed slightly, before widening with realisation. “You and… Knichou?” She froze in place, mid-step, turned away from him. Nale’s optics shot up at the ceiling--if she still believed in a God, now would have been quite the time for divine intervention. “Yes, not long after that...I’m sorry that I didn’t have the guts to break it off sooner, instead of...well, doing that.” He looked down at the floor in front of him, a melancholic look on his face. But it was broken up as a faint but happy smile spread across his features. “You don’t have to be… I’m happy for you two.” His eyes slowly trailed across the floor until they were back on Nale, a faint mixture of sadness and joy painting them. “Knichou is… a good man, as far as I’ve known him. I hope you’ve been happy together.” She looked over her shoulder at Arkius, a bit surprised. A bit relieved. This had been the nagging thought at the back of her mind since becoming a permanent crewmember of the Taku. The big bomb waiting to go off--the moment Nale knew would come, but not sure when. And despite her anxieties, despite what she expected...well, this was nothing like she imagined it. “You really have changed,” was all she said. “... For the better, I hope.” He responded, nodding. Nale nodded back. “Knichou will be happy to see you up and about. Should I--” From inside the chamber, the duo could see a Ga-Matoran open the door. After she pointed inside the room, the nurse moved on to deal with more patients in another part of the recovery ward, shifting the packs of ice she was carrying underneath her other arm. Immediately after she left, Toa Knichou strolled through the threshold. He looked uncharacteristically irritated, but the scowl lifted to a smile as he saw Arkius was not only conscious, but sitting upright. “See? I told you the old man had been through worse,” The Fe-Toa said, using his elemental powers to telekinetically remove two large cylinders from his nanite backpack and set them down nearby. Five orbs embedded within each tube swished with a metallic golden liquid. Without the zamor racks encumbering the ex-Ghost, his posture straightened, and the Nynran stretched his back slightly. “Actually,” he continued, drawing a circle in the air with an index finger around one of his optics. “You’re looking rather healthy for being half the Toa you used to be.” “I feel more whole now than I did back then.” Arkius responded, before a playful smile came to his face. “And who are you calling an old man? I’m as spry as a-” Turning around, his expression turned to one of surprise as he regarded the mask Knichou wore. “... Is... that the Mask of Creation?” Nale pointed to the cylinders the Toa of Iron had brought in. “Better question--what are these?” “Energized protodermis, fresh from Kilo unlocking its robot. Funny how that worked out. It’s for… experiments. Long story,” Knichou answered. He really didn’t want to get into the details of what he had learned of the substance’s usage right now. “As for the mask… well… yeah, it is. Another long story.” “... Unlocking its robot?” Arkius asked, even more perplexed. His expression then turned thoughtful, his eyes darting to the side as he recalled something. “Robot…” Finally he shook his head. “Well, your nanomaterial has certainly given the mask a unique look. I suppose it’s easier now than ever to make it too, with that mask at your disposal?” “Essentially, yes,“ the Nynran casually replied with a humble yet simultaneously not-so-humble shrug. ”I invented it, after all, and used it to design my adaptive armor, so I know exactly how to make more of it, which is critical for one way this Kanohi functions.” Arkius nodded with a fascinated smile. "Maybe you could show me how it works later. I've always been interested in mechanics, I just… never found the time." A hint of melancholy crept into his expression and tone at the last few words. “Yeah… if anyone needs better armor… well… you deserve it,” Knichou responded awkwardly, moving his hands about in a vague gesture as if he was unsure where to put them. He didn’t want to harp on Arkius getting beat up all the time but well… it was the truth. “Thanks for making sure he was okay,” Knichou told Nale, still completely oblivious as to why she insisted on going with Arkius earlier. “Have the other two Toa recovered this quickly?” “I’ve yet to check on them,” Nale replied. She was so focused on Arkius, the others had almost slipped her mind. “But...Katrin did look worse. It may take her and Jutori longer. We can go check on them, they’re just the next room over.” “Yes… my, er, counterpart did… a number on them.” A hint of grimness crept into Arkius’ features. “He’s… still out there. Sharing my name, my memories… My name is that of a monster...” Arkius sighed, slumping a bit, before shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I’m… brooding out loud. Kat and Jutori got the worst of it. Kilo too, before his transformation restored him.” “You’re not that bad, Arkius,” Knichou consoled, crossing his arms as his face portrayed his doubts about the Onu-Toa’s statement. “You’ve always been there for us, you’re probably overreacting. This other Arkius was probably just frightened and confused.” Arkius shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. I have his memories. His life, before my life. In the beginning, I think we were alike, but… somewhere along the line… he crossed a steep threshold and never looked back. That man, Arkius, committed literal genocide. Multiple species wiped off the map because they wouldn’t concede to his tyranny. I’m not exaggerating when I call him a monster. He lived with the name Arkius for far longer than I did. I’m just… an afterimage of him. The name is his and it carries his legacy of blood even if no one in this world knows of it. I know it. I always will…” Nale looked to Knichou with concern. Did carrying someone's name make their crimes yours? Did it depend on the hand who committed them, or the identity behind them? At what point did these two personalities divert--become distinct people, with very different intentions. Excising dead tissue, that’s what she had compared it to. And this other Arkius...may as well have been dead. It was certainly an intricate matter. “You’re you. You don’t have to be that Arkius, or Arkius at all,” Knichou spoke up, breaking the silence by delivering the statements with a tone as serious as ever. The Nynran may have exuded a more carefree, youthful demeanor since his transformation to a Toa, but underneath that newfound biological youth, he carried the wisdom of a matoran who had lived many lives. Travelling to and fro during his exile before finally settling in Artakha, the ex-Ghost knew the power of a name, a family, a history. The Ghosts were as revered as they were cursed, it was simply a matter of whether you regarded the perspective of those on either end of their weapons. That kind of history stuck to one like a shadow, always present under a person, even in the brightest of new environments, for the closer and brighter the light, the sharper and more universal the shadows became. “Arkius doesn’t have to be you. You can always forge a new legacy for yourself. In fact… you already have. Nobody among us knows this ‘other’ Arkius - to me you’ve always been Stannis’s friend, my protector, Metru-Nui’s defender. That is what we remember.” Arkius looked thoughtful, considering Knichou’s words. “I don’t have to be Arkius… Yes… I suppose you’re right. A name… is only a name.” The formerly earthen toa stroked his chin. “Perhaps, in the end, what I am named should follow the legacy I uphold, rather than the other way around.” He sat up straighter on the bed, vigor seeming to return to him as his eyes lit up. “There is someone, someone whom… well, my counterpart recalls with deep hatred. He was a man of virtue and strength. He was my… his descendant. This mask I wear is akin to the one he wore. If I am to carry the name of my kin, perhaps it should be him.” “And what name is that?” Nale asked, curious. Having been looking ahead at nothing in particular, the formerly earthen toa now turned to look upon the two other toa in the room with him, giving them an appreciative smile. “Call me Onaku.”

Based heavily on the all time classic Razor Kit, this is my attempt at revamping various aspects of the sprites to bring them closer to the original sets, as well as put my own spin on them. I may expand upon this further later on, but I figure it's ready to post as its own thing now. Hope you all enjoy.

MC Name: Kargon Breed: Bo-Matoran Faction: Refugees, Kini-Koro Brief Description: Teal and blue colours, with a teal Kanohi Kaukau over lime coloured eyes. Sturdy build, well suited for manual labor like farming. Tends to Kini-Koro farms and sells produce from harvests at the Kini-Koro market. Role: Quest giver Flaw: Phantom pain in the leg, has a prosthetic leg after losing it in the bombing of Metru-Koro. Requires Kanohi to stay conscious. Breed quirk(s): Innate understanding of plant attributes. Equipment: A farming hoe, gardening clippers, and a trowel.

IC: Iradra - Ko-Pou Shelter Kaita. The fusion of three beings into one. For a moment she couldn't fathom agreeing to it. Letting people that close was an uncomfortable thought. She didn't feel ready for it. But looking the afflicted matoran over again, seeing their bestial forms and realising how they suffered, she resolved that her own discomfort didn't matter right now. If this was what it took to save them, then it was her duty to see it through. "... Very well, lets do it." @Tarn@Snelly@Vezok's Friend@Toru Nui IC: Arkius - Spirah's Labyrinth The moment Spiriah's mouthpiece dropped to the ground, Arkius knew the time for talking was over. Before the spears of shadow could reach him, the earthen toa's entire body erupted with his element, earth flinging out from him in all directions in a veritable explosion, which turned finer and finer as it escaped further away from him, turning into a fine sand which began twirling around him in a localized sandstorm. Feeling the spears thrusting toward him through his element, Arkius activated the power of the Calix fused to him, flinging himself barely in time out of their way, though not quick enough to fully escape their barely delayed advance. Each spear found its mark in some way, some glancing off him and leaving a shallow wound, some cutting deeper wounds as they passed through tissue, with a small handful skewering him, one through the left lumbar region of his abdomen, one through his forearm, and one straight through his knee. Quickly, he enveloped himself in his element, hardened earth breaking through the tendrils skewering him. Rolling to the floor and grunting through grit teeth, sterile clay patched his wounds as a solid earthen cast hardened around his shattered knee. Enveloping himself further in an earthen cocoon, Arkius tugged on the earth and flung himself backwards toward the exit at breakneck speed, the sandstorm all the while raging in the chamber, tearing through the air itself, and making him aware of anything moving in it. Further shadow attacks would be viciously struck away with his own powers as he made an expedient escape. @Eyru

IC: Iradra - Ko-Pou Shelter Iradra's expression turned curious though wary, an eyebrow raised. "What are you suggesting?" @Tarn@Snelly@Toru Nui@Vezok's Friend

IC: Iradra - Ko-Pou Shelter Iradra furrowed her brow. Energized protodermis? In Metru-Koro? But how- Her eyes lit up suddenly with realization. "... The lake under the head. Metru-Koro was built too close. The toxins must have seeped into the land and tainted it. Including anything that grew in it." @Snelly@Vezok's Friend@Tarn@Toru Nui

IC: Zadred - Ruins of Stone "Right... have a good day." She said with an expression of discomfort, before heading through the portal to Kini-Koro. @Harvali

IC: Zadred - Ruins of Stone "What, Kilo and Collector?" Zadred's expression turned cautious and worried. "I... thought they were fine. Way you refer to the two of them... do you dislike them?" @Harvali

IC: Zadred - Ruins of Stone "Not safe? That's... worrisome, to be certain." Zadred acknowledged, nodding with a contemplative expression before turning to Avka. "I think I saw the Akiri in the village on my way here. Perhaps one of you should go and warn him? Meanwhile, I'll try to relay this information to people in Kini-Koro since I'm headed there anyway. Never know when that group from the Earth Ruins might come through." @Toru Nui@Harvali

IC: Zadred - Ruins of Stone Zadred tilted her head with a confused expression. "I'm... not aware of any restrictions put into place since last time I was in Kini-Koro. I'm just popping over for a visit. That should be alright, shouldn't it?" @Toru Nui@Harvali

IC: Zadred - Ruins of Stone "Oh, those guys. They're called Mesi. You’re not wrong, they are Skakdi... sort of. I think we share a common ancestor. They live underground in this big network of tunnels and caverns. Only ever come topside to cause trouble. Though it’s not as if we above ground do anything different." "They're pretty scary, from what I've heard." Came the youthful voice of Zadred from the entrance into the portal room, the soft signature clanging of her staff against the stone floor echoing quietly through the space as she approached Enra and Avka, a faint but friendly smile on her features. "Though I suppose others might say the same about Skakdi in general..." @Toru Nui@Harvali