Visaru

The two guards share a look as they receive the news, or lack of it. "Our outpost will remain," the Pakari wearer says, "and we will offer supplies and assistance should you decide to return to the depths. If you gather information of substance, please take it our way. Mata-Nui will thank you, and Ko-Koro will reward you for your heroism."

Kini Nui The Sanctum guards stare at Zelvin for a moment, before one wearing a Pakari answers her query: "We are looking for information from Mangaia. What news do you bring from the depths?"

Kini Nui Zelvin emerged from the depths, startling two stoic guards in shining white and blue armor who were watching from beneath the trees at the edge of the temple's surrounding clearing. They bravely adjust their Kanohi and skurry up to the weathered old Toa of Crystal, spears raised apprehensively, but not threateningly. They regard her silently, waiting to see how she will greet them.

Thanks staff for the timeskip! So much activity! In the spirit of posting, The Sanctum Guard has been seeking to recruit heroes and prospectors who wish to dive into Mangaia, or to pay those who already have for information on Makuta's return. See the newest encampment on Mangaia's slopes.

Above Mangaia A new settlement has appeared among the rocky hills overlooking the forested grove, mostly tents for now, a spiked ditch, and the constant patrols of blue-white Ko-Matoran guards marching circles around their camp. The Sanctum Guard force is little more than a few scouts, but they have brought enough rope, rations, and medical care to equip a small army, and orders to provide them to any heroes bold enough to delve into the depths and dredge up news of Makuta's rumored return.

The bureaucratic machine spun quickly, and the Po-Koronan lawyer soon found himself on a chilly battlement overlooking the main thoroughfare that led straight from the sanctum to the front gates of the Koro. Two guards announced Muirtagh's arrival to the short scarred Captain of the guard, who stood looking out at the boulevard, sketching notes in a tablet of ice placed against the edge of the half-wall that ran along the edge of the battlement. She waited in typical Ko-Matoran silence for him to speak first.

I wave at the Turaga as she leaves. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, sister!" I feel bad for her. Must also be bemoaning how hard it is to get some cheap and fast coin in the city these days. Speaking of, I was on my way out of town anyway, and I'm sure there was more to squeeze from this place than I'd yet found. I head down to the shops, a little petty theivery on the mind.

"Woah woah woah, sister, it's all right, only politics, no one's dead, far as I know." I stepped forward like a proper gentleman to make sure the Turaga remained upright. "Far as the Koro goes, you may want to take an even tighter grip on that staff. 'Fraid our lovely desert town's been drowned in water and railways. Overgrowth crawling over everything and so much new construction you'd be hard pressed even to find the Path of Prophecies. And the sentinels are stronger than ever too, ye can barely scratch under your Kanohi without drawing an angry glare from them. One of the reasons I'm trying to get off this Mata-Nui-forsaken island. Progress has wiped out everything I used to recognize here." I looked out the elevator at the dim canyon we were dropping into, staring at the tiers of homes and shops carved into the wall, lit dimly with lightstones, and let myself remember how it used to be sand filled canyon, the only residents the nesting Moa Birds who lived in the high caves. I wonder where they are now -- are Matoran now dwelling in the birds' old homes? I felt an unfamiliar pang of sadness for loss of the old desert. Maybe one day the entire Motara desert would cease to exist, swallowed up by the ever growing expansion of the Matoran civilization... A thought I didn't want to dwell on. Yet another reason I need to get onto the open sea and leave all this behind.

IC On Korzaa’s impeccable desk sits a tablet of ice marked in sloppy handwriting. STAN QUOTE > WE DEFEATED HIM PUT IN PLACE WHERE HE COULDN'T REACH US BUT NOT FULL VANQUISHING SUCH WAS IMPOSSIBLE VS NOTHINGNESS WE PUT HIM AWAY IN SAFEKEEPING DIDN’T KNOW WHERE + HOW LONG HE’D STAY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND TIL TOO LATE MARU FOLLOWED PROPHECY NONE UNDERSTOOD IT SAID “MAKUTA IS GONE” NEVER DEAD Beside it sits a large stack of stone tablets, all identical, crisply carved. Korzaa is no Ice Toa, and this message is too secret to send to a scribe. She has painstakingly copied each one of these many slabs herself. TOP SECRET: NEW INTEL SUGGESTS THE MARU FAILED MAKUTA MAY BE ALIVE AND GROWING POWER IN KINI NUI RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION: SECURE DEFENSES AND INCREASE RECON KO KORO IS SENDING FORCE TO KINI NUI TO BUILD BASE CAMP FOR EXPEDITIONS INTO MANGAIA These are entrusted into the hands of her personal messenger, an invaluable Toa of ice with a Kakama, to deliver them across the island. The messenger is given a list: Akiri Nuparu Captain Onepu of the Ussalry Akiri Hahli, Captain of the Ga-Koro Marines Akiri Jala, Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard Akiri Kongu, Captain of the Le-Koro Gukko Forces Akiri Renaka, Captain of the Po-Koro Sentinels The Toa takes a moment to look over the names, then disappears with a flash and a puff of powdered ice. Korzaa gathers up the three tablets - the quote, the remaining copy of the message, and the list of recipients -- and stacks them under her arm. These she personally delivers to her own Akiri. (@The UltimoScorp) ——— Meanwhile, a group of Ko-Matoran guards is already beginning to gear up for a trip to Kini-Nui, and word quickly spreads among the ranks — some are eager to volunteer for this mission of dire importance, while others balk, already believing the rumors of Makuta’s return to be true and none too eager to meet Him themselves. The news that Ko-Koro will soon be questing to Mangaia cannot be contained, but that is as the Captain intends. It is time for the island to know that she will not sit back and to wait to meet Makuta's forces on her doorstep again.

"I'm afraid I'm not really the best person to ask," Verak said, leaning over the edge of the rattling elevator, as if trying to spot someone he knew on the crowded market street below. "I try not to follow politics too closely. But I do at least know enough to tell you that Hewkii ain't Akiri anymore. Been replaced by someone named... Renaka, I think? Don't know much, except she's made the Koro practically unrecognizable."

IC "Ahhh, my apologies, sister, I should look before I talk, I suppose." Verak poked his head out of the elevator and checked above them before leaning back into the rattling elevator and turning back to his conversation partner. "You're from the desert, you say? You know, before I grew to my current Toa-size I lived out there myself. It does take a bit to adjust between the quiet of the sands and the bustle of the city, but they really aren't too different if you know how to look at it." OOC @Harvali

IC Sure enough, the shockwave was powerful enough to break the tenuous grasp Kirik had on his balance and send him face first into the dirt yet again. He lay on the ground, one more sprawled broken body on the blasted battlefield. But Kirik was still drawing breath, and he had made a promise to the gods that until that stopped happening, he wouldn’t let the fight pass him by. So he achingly dug his robotic arm’s bladed tip into the dirt, and then writhed and forced himself onto his knees, before pulling himself painfully to his unsteady feet. His other metallic arm dangled broken at his side as he reactivated his electro-blade with his bruised right arm and raised it to the sky. “Then let it be the last thing you do!!” He howled, and blasted laser vision at his foe, ready to see which one of them would be riding with their ancestors tonight.

IC | Verak - Ostia The elevator rattled toward the ground, then lurched as a tall scarred brown Toa slipped through the frame and landed inside. He put a hand on the railing, catching his breath, having just finished some complicated acrobatics. It was a moment before he even registered the yellow Turaga was in the elevator with him. He glanced over, looked back at the approaching ground, decided to be friendly, then flashed Kardaka a grin. "Hey good to meet ya, brother. Nice staff."

If you follow train those tracks all the way to Ostia, I (and a few other people I believe) have a character hanging around the port killing time before the Infernavika departs! Would be happy to interact!

IC | Kirik - Fort Garsi's Blasted Slopes Kirik let his eye beams dissipate as he felt the sweet bloody satisfaction of his bladed knife-hand sinking itself into Zanakra’s shoulder, just in time to see her massive jet-powered hammer slam itself into his chest. As it did, part through luck and part through his lightning fast reflexes, the hammer passed through his half solidified electro-blade, which sunk a blast of electricity into the metal hammer. Kirik didn’t find out if it damaged the rockets or Zanakra, because suddenly he felt the electricity course through him too, a tingling feeling to add some spice to the excruciating bludgeoning crunch of the hammer which took him off his feet and tossed him through the air. Kirik bounced and rolled along the dust, uphill toward the fort, while the hillside exploded on either side of him. As the smoke cleared and Ipsudir’s taunts echoed across the hillside, he lay limp, the wind knocked out of his lungs, his whole body tensed tight from being electrocuted and smashed like a cockroach. But like a cockroach, Kirik was tough, and he’d been through worse, so after a moment he managed to suck in a deep, sharply painful heave of air. He looked around, vision swimming. The battle looked to be over. The Garsi fort had ejected its enemies. All but one… Although Kirk was in no shape to continue fighting, he propped himself up on one of his robotic arms (the other appeared to be broken) and snarled at Zanakra. Despite his mad desire for glory in battle, there was a significant part of Kirik that hoped she’d run, knowing it was the only way they’d both make it out of this alive. But he if he backed down now, he’d lose his honor. If Zanakra was up for it, he’d have to keep fighting, even if it killed him. For now, all he could manage was to glare at her and let out snarling grunts as he tried to heave air into his damaged chest. OOC @Snelly the Fort Garsi crew, and whomever else is still around