Sparticus147

IC: Apex (Morangad's Hut) Apex, staring up towards Morangad, began to crane and extend her neck upwards, to limit the disadvantage she had to speaking up to the being. "If the bargain you speak of is the one that I believe it is, then I merely require an offering. As for what I desire, there are ancient ruins within this swamp, hailing from a bygone age, what I seek lies within them and I need assistance finding them. Will you offer this for me?" OOC: @Burnmad IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) “I’d be willing to invest half of your start up cost in exchange for...35% of your profits. And I’m willing to reinvest at whatever point you decide to upgrade your platform and means of distribution. I will also accept any and all requests within reason to be hired to create, repair, or acquire whatever you require.” Gore was...More than surprised at the sudden turn of events. What was meant to be a simply tune up on the Grillmeister became an outright business proposal. And just the kind words this skakdi said for his cooking, even if Gore could understand whether or not Cravious had said that to flatter him and to make the potentially bogus deal even more one-sided, he either didn't know or simply didn't care. With a wide grin across his face, Gore held out his hand towards the seated Cravious. "You got a deal my friend." OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: Drukarus (The Nightmare Pit) Drukarus was moments from bellowing down towards the demon that had taken possession of the skakdi that was prone before him, till the mad cries of Marrow and a sudden onset of lack of sight distracted him, long enough for Boss to escape his pin. Regaining his sight, Drukarus was left to witness the events that unfolded before him. Boss's outcry from his intervention, the collision between him and Barius, them stumbling towards the ledge, and the pair of them tumbling over. Upon seeing the pair collapse over the edge, Drukarus almost rushed over to the edge, not out of altruism but to simply to witness which one of them had perished. But something called to him, as he looked down towards his feet, he bore witness to a small black orb, a spiraling electrical energy surging within. For some unknown reason except to perhaps one, Drukarus reached down, and took the orb, placing it within his back pocket. OOC: @Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator @Keeper of Kraata @Nato the Traveler

IC: Apex (Mornagad's Hut) As Apex readied herself for whatever may walk through that hut, she was...not ready for what she saw. What Apex saw was...Something that she honestly didn't know if she had ever seen before. Apex, in her younger days, before her entrapment had made sure to familiarize herself with every single piece of flora and fauna upon the island, but this...She didn't know if that it was either that she genuinely never met a member of this race or her memory has been shrouded by shadows a whole lot more then she realized. As Apex stared up, her wings began to withdraw themselves both out of sheer surprise and to cease the incessant droning that came from them. Attempting to hide her surprise, Apex simply and slightly threateningly said, "I do not assault this tree out of malice, simply to get your attention as you seemed to have missed me after nearly assaulting me with...pottery." At the last part, Apex looked down towards the mess of debris that sat next to her. "I have not been within the swamp for some time now, and there are certain, ancient, portions of it that I must find." OOC: @Burnmad IC: Sala (Escaping Metru-Koro) Avoiding burning structures and pulse bursts, the duo made their way swiftly towards and out of the southern gate, escaping the doom that is Metru-Koro. Sala...Was conflicted. Yes he had helped Sorilax accomplish one of his steps...But at the cost of another matoran's life. Yes, Juno was doomed to die, but...It still felt wrong. Sala didn't know if it was something with the ritual itself or simply just his own matoran sensibilities. But that wasn't the biggest point of contention within Sala, it conflict was with himself. He had left those people to there fates, he didn't even try to give Juno's last words to the matoran he told him about in person. Sala was too much of a coward to do that. Silent, his eyes downcast, Sala continued to follow Sorilax. Unwilling and unable to say anything further to Sorilax or to himself. OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: Drukarus (The Nightmare Pit) Approaching the two struggling skakdi, his maul swung forth and readied in his right hand, his clawed gauntlet tensed but loose. From what Drukarus could tell from the sight was this, these two skakdi were severely injured, most likely from the fight that was occurring just moments before his arrival. In addition, these two skakdi were obviously fighting, not just out of some petty rivalry or some based debacle, but out of a need for dominance, to establish leadership. This was obviously no simple fight, this was one meant to demonstrate strength, and for an outsider to intervene could disgrace the both of them, but depending on whoever wins, this could be an opportunity for himself. Charging forth, Drukarus reached down with his clawed gauntlet and grabbed at the skakdi on top, either not noticing or not caring about the knife that was plunged into Barius's gut. With a grip on Barius around his waist, not hard enough to injure him but certainly not gentle, Drukarus tossed the skakdi as far as he could away from the demon-possessed fiend he was on top of, with Barius landing back towards the other spectators. With Drukarus, now standing above the prone form of what he hoped was Boss, Drukarus essentially dropped the full weight of his maul onto the skakdi's chest, his grip tight on the maul's handle, ready to channel his element of gravity to pin the malevolent fiend and preventing it from escaping. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Burnmad @Keeper of Kraata @Conway @Nato the Traveler IC: Apex (Morangad Hut) Just nearly avoiding the falling debris, Apex looked up, equal parts startled and annoyed. Whatever was hiding within this hut better hope it wasn't a skakdi, and if not a skakdi, better hope it could satisfy Apex's needs. Taking a few steps back, Apex readied her horns...And then lunged her neck forwards towards the base of the tree, a large thunking sound sounding out, twice more did Apex do this. Finishing her knocking call, Apex stared up towards the entrance of the hut, her wings buzzing ready to fly her up and out of the way of any sudden assault that may come. OOC: @Burnmad Again IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) "...Cook me something up from what I have and impress me enough to help you. You crazy fool of a chef.” That was all that Cravious had to say to stir Gore into action. With Cravious's help, Gore soon found the kitchen and began familiarizing himself with all of its contents. More fish, herbs and spices, plain but effective if used right, a stove grill and oven, and a few bottles of wine...Gore knew what he could cook here. Taking a few filets a fish, enough for himself, his gracious host, and the skakdi woman that greeted him at the door, Gore proceeded to season the filets with the basics of salt and pepper, making sure that a tasteful balance of either was evenly distributed across the filets. Tossing the fish into the oven, the oven just finishing up pre-heating as he finished his artful seasoning. Now then, time for the fun part. Prepping a skillet with some nice unsalted butter, the quality kind of course, Gore went to work chopping and dicing up several gloves of garlic and shallots before adding them to the buttered pan, with another artful dashing of salt and pepper to go alongside it. Working the skillet till a nice golden glow could be seen, he popped off a bottle of some nice aged white wine. Gore then began to dripple it into the skillet, unnecessarily pouring the wine into the skillet from over his head while he tossed and stirred the mixture into the skillet with his free hand on the skillet's handle. With the wine added, Gore thought for a moment, wondering if anything else needed to be added before checking the stores for something, finding an oddly shaped yellow fruit. Cutting up the fruit and taking a taste, Gore was greeted with a tense taste of citrus and knew that it was the perfect complement for what he was cooking. Hand squeezing the yellow fruit into the skillet, Gore continued on his cooking venture with another lovely stick of unsalted butter, the quality kind still, slowly and methodically whisking it in till a nice velvety mix was left. With a pinch of parsley, the sauce was made. Pulling the cooked fish filets from the oven, Gore pulled them off of the pan, somehow managing to get all of the nice crispy skin off with it. Prepping a plate for each of the filets, Gore presented and prepped the nearby table for Cravious, himself, and the skakdi woman who he made sure to give an invitation too for the meal that was to come. With Cravious taking his seat, Gore with one of his long handled spoons, spooned out a spoonful of the lovely white sauce before pouring onto the filet. With an artistic technique and skill, a perfect square onto the filet before tapping it, breaking the tension as the soak began to soak into the fish. OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: Drukarus (The Nightmare Pit) The two skakdi, propelled by their own determination, too stubborn to back down from the Nightmare Pit's challenged, continued to trek further into the shadows and mists as they soon began to descend deep into the dark abysm. Passing by the insidious whispers and haunting shades, soon, light from the volcanic flames began to illuminate the passage as the end soon came into sight. Passing through the final aperture, the pair was greeted by quite the sight. Before them was a wide yet still relatively small ledge suspended over what can best be presumed to be the gaping maw of the volcano. Nearest to the exit was several skakdi, who Drukarus took notice that they all seemed to be in a state of shock and awe, the reason for this shock and awe was soon revealed to Drukarus. Near the very edge were two skakdi, one atop the other in a vicious grapple...Or, at least it looked like two skakdi were grappling near the edge, but there was something else. The skakdi that was being pinned, that one held something more, a dark malevolence, so strong that it forced Drukarus to recoil at its power. This malevolence was seemingly seeping out of the skakdi's eyes in a black inky mess. But there was one thing that Drukarus took notice that he couldn't ignore, that this malevolence was not by this skakdi's own will, and came from another, an outsider force, one that had no respect for the rite of combat that was occurring before him. Drukarus, against both his better judgement and his own intentions, moved in to intervene. To first separate these two combatants and then forced this dark force to be rid of itself, whether by persuasion or force. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @Burnmad @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Twesh (Metru-Koro) Twesh, having fired two round so far at the last airship located outside of Metru-Koro's walls, was interrupted in his calculations and shot predictions when the most horrid sound of rending metal caught his attention. From on high, the airship that had positioned itself over him, was being torn apart in a truly wild spectacle. Debris, seemingly more so than what would initially be suspected from the Turaga's wild plan began to rain down. Looking over towards the toa, Twesh knew he needed help. "Toa! Here safe. Guard help." OOC: @Eyru @Smudge8

IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) “What is your business? What is your ultimate goal?” "My business? Well it's simple really, I'm a cook and a chef. As for my goal...That's a good question, and uh...I guess...Maybe becoming a household name, that would be pretty cool, especially if it's for my cooking." OOC: @Kal the Guardian IC: Apex (Morangad's Hut) As Apex approached where the structure she had sensed was, she was greeted by a raucous sound as a Braka was seen fleeing from an old moss and vine covered shack in the trees. The Brakas, was not like any Brakas Apex had seen within her life. Its arms were longer than normal and sinewy but seemed to still bear its entire, seemingly, engorged weight, its tail being nearly as thick as its other limbs. "What is this swamp coming too?" Apex thought as she began to circle the hut from below. OOC: @Burnmad

HALFWAY DECENT!!! Gore is a culinary genius, and although humble he is, HE will not accept such an insult to his skills. ... But glad to have you back all the shame UN.

IC: Drukarus (Nightmare Pit) Into the black gaping abyss did Drukarus and Marrow entered, the feint sound of their steps being accompanied by the snapping and rattling of bones beneath them as they trudged ever onwards. Drukarus, leading the way, was only guided by his faith in his own sense of direction as the black depths grew evermore shadowy with each passing second. Soon, all they had to go off of was the continuous scent of smoke, ash, and brimstone that ruminated and emanated from the cavernous tunnel's end, and a hopeful faith that the passage way was a simply tunnel with a singular end point and not a labyrinth of despairing madness. Strong was Drukarus's strength and strong was his will. For a millennia Drukarus has lived, and for a millennia he has fought, but here, within these blackened arcades of antiquity, a deep, otherworldly feeling of fear and despair lurked. As Drukarus trekked forwards into the shadowy mists, visions of his past and youth began to surface, welling up unbidden within his own mind and materializing before him in a macabre mock up of his past. ~~~ Before Drukarus came visions of his past; his siblings, succumbing to the near yearly famines, his mother, desperately reaching for him as he was dragged to war, his fellow soldiers, succumbing to the pestilence of the trenches, and his people, succumbing to death each and every single day. What Drukarus saw was his greatest fear, not death no, Drukarus had accepted death a long time ago. What he saw was failure, was waste, was senseless loss. What Drukarus hated and feared was skaklets, never seeing past a few years for simply having too little. What Drukarus hated and feared were soldiers, fighting for years only to die from a simple infection. What Drukarus hated and feared was his people, being snuffed out from the universe by the acts of beings beyond their own control...Or even by their own hands. But...Fear was not simply something to hold one back. As there is flight, there is fight, and that was what Drukarus has done all his life...Fight, not just for himself, but for his people, for all of skakdi kind. ~~~ Pushing back the thoughts of his past and pressing forwards through the mists, Drukarus moved forwards, more determined then ever. Drukarus was dead set on his goal, and not even Karz-forsaken Irnakk could stop him as he made his way towards the end of the tunnel and towards the Nightmare Pit. OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Vulimai (The Wombat) As Vulimai held onto the bulkhead supports as best she could, trying to keep herself from being thrown around, she felt the sudden shift in the Wombat as it began its decent. Being smacked against the bulkhead at the sudden shift, Vulimai had lost her grip and nearly fell all the way down the length of the ship, if it wasn't for the vines of Tekmo. "Appreciate it toa" Vulimai called out as the vines began to wrap around her waist and torso, keeping her relatively level to the toa that was pulling her along. Pulling out one of the kanoka disks from her satchel, Vulimai readied the disk for whatever they were to find up ahead. ~~~ As Twesh stared at the turaga's flight, the nearby toa ensuring that any of the stray plasma rounds from the airship didn't hit the pair, Twesh was baffled and amazed at the turaga's non-disintegration. As the airship began to position itself directly above the cannon, Twesh realized that any further assault against the airship was to be highly improbable, at least not without damaging the city more then the airship itself. Turning his attention to the West, Twesh caught sight of another pair of airships, one which was already crashing from the looks of it, and the other was...Spinning? At this point, the sense of fear and anxiety that Twesh was feeling from the battle was to be overtaken by confusion, until the spinning airship turned its odd maneuver into a nosedive, leveling itself out directly towards Metru-Koro, firing a blast towards the city. Snapping out of his confused stupor, Twesh, began the controls of the cannon, began his assault against the approaching airship. OOC: @Toru Nui @Eyru @Smudge8 IC: Apex (Fau Swamp) For a day and a night Apex made her way through the swamp, slowly embracing her shadowy ability to sense throughout it, a feint sense of familiarity coming from the action as she felt all that occurred. Apex felt the all that occurred within the swamp, the slow and steady growth of the trees and vines, the dripping and flow of the rains and rivers, the movement and breathing of the rahi and insects of the swamp, she felt it all and she felt one with it. The only splotch within the myriad of life was that ever present darkness that seemed to run its course within and throughout the swamp, a black deadly mold against the thriving life. But that was not the only oddity that Apex felt, as something else caught her attention, a structure of all things, and the inhabitant of it running out who-knows-what kind of rahi from it. Who or what would live in this, albeit natural, deadly and fierce region? Whatever it was, it had to have lived here for some time, for it couldn't have built anything with lasting success if it had not spent much time here within the swamp itself, and if they lived here for so long, then perhaps they would know what she seeks. Through the swamp Apex moved, gliding over root and shrub, past marsh and grotto, beneath tree and vine, Apex moved with the sure-steps of a predator and the cautious grace of prey. At last, Apex has returned to the swamp, to the land she knew as home, the place, where she belonged. And soon, she would find one that didn't. OOC: @Burnmad

posted on mobile IC: Twesh (Metru-Koro) Looking between the turaga and the toa, Twesh started to feel a genuine sense of worry and concern. But being left with little say in the matter, Twesh began to make the appropriate calculations and guesstimations as to ensure the best outcome. Having witness the Airship evade his shots twice over, Twesh did his best to compensate for any sudden maneuvers the airship might make as well as accounting for, as best he could, for the unusual payload he is to fire. With the final calculations made and the trajectory established, Twesh fired the gun and prayed. OOC: @Azibo @Smudge8

posted on mobile IC: Twesh (Metru-Koro) Twesh was left to gawk at Turaga Sans as he mounted the cannon, so baffled was Twesh that he had nearly not noticed the bolt that was coming right for him till it was too late...Till at least a passing toa had diverted the bolt from striking the tank. Answering the toa's question, Twesh replied, "Plan-bad Sans-Turaga doing. Nearly cause bang-boom." OOC: @Azibo @Smudge8

IC: Twesh (Metru-Koro) Not risking on wasting time to see if the first shot he had fired to hit, Twesh had immediately fired another shot, making sure to adjust the variables to ensure that his next shot could hit as well. Firing the second shot, Twesh was about to fire a third one when a familiar face presented itself to him, Turaga Sans. "Twesh, I trust you know how to use that, huhuhuhu. I'm gonna need you to point out the lead ship to me. Is it the one you're firing on? I've got an idea, huhuhuhu." Pointing up towards the airship that was positioning itself over Metru-Koro, Twesh responded, "Some-yes, tough-hard use, hope hit fly-bad ship. Idea? Plan-Good-Bad?" OOC: @Azibo @Nato the Traveler

IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) "Well, where there are people, there is food and hungry mouths...Perhaps I could even find some nice new ingredients I could use." Gore said the last part to himself as he started to think out loud. OOC: @Kal the Guardian IC: Apex (Fau Swamp) Over patches of tall grasses and shrubbery and through the muck and mud, Apex trudged forwards, her senses scouring the surroundings for all she could sense. The cries and croaks of various rahi were accompanied by the whines and hums of the insects that scurried to and fro. So many sounds there were and from so many direction they came from, it made it pointless for Apex to even try to determine from where the sounds came from. The air was thick and almost murky, as if a veil was draped across the canopy and between the trees. This haze, accompanied with the thickness of the foliage and vineyards that swooped from tree to tree made Apex's ability to see any farther than several bios difficult, especially with the potential of any camouflaged rahi or insects being an obvious worry within the swamp. When Apex first peered into the Fau Swamp with her powers of shadow, it was an unintentional act and was shut off nearly immediately when the malignancy of the swamp was made known. But with the difficulty of seeing anything, Apex knew that to survive in this swamp and to find what she needed to find, she would have to use her unnatural powers to look beyond herself. Taking a moment, stopping on the edge of small, lily pad and algae covered pond within a relatively small and open clearing, Apex allowed herself to spread beyond, the shadows beneath and around her grew long and began to writhe and slither about, feeling around for an entire kio. Through this, Apex could sense everything within this area and the Fau Swamp. Small families of pokawi meandering around the underbrush, feeding on whatever fruits, nuts, and relatively not-mutated insects they could find. Fikou spiders, lurking within their webs, ranging in size from as big as one's hand to nearly large enough to kill and consume and entire skakdi, a few of the webs having skakdi in them. But one thing she sensed that immediately took her attention was the rippling of the waters near her, as the gaping maw of a juvenile swamp stalker launched itself out. Being lucky with her sensing the swamp stalker before it attacked, Apex was able to evade the attack. Now facing down the swamp stalker, Apex stared down the swamp stalker, the juvenile obviously unwilling to back down from its perceived prey. Apex kept her distance from this rahi, keeping her limbs, tail, and wings as close to her as she can, not wanting them to be grabbed by the juveniles strong jaws. Apex did not want to kill this specimen, for it was still young and didn't deserve such a fierce response, but she knew she couldn't just ignore this one's aggression. As Apex thought on the appropriate action that she needed to do, the young swamp stalker began to let out a low growl as it began to crawl forwards, about to pounce...Till, in an instinctive flare, Apex used her kraata to cause the stalker to hesitate, as the long shadows that were stretching out from Apex lashed out and pulled the stalker back. Following this display, Apex, running off of instincts, extended forwards her head and reared her wings and tail, increasing her apparent size, before letting out a bellowing roar, akin to that of an alpha muaka calling his pride to order. Faced with such a terrible display, and already caught unaware by Apex's unfamiliar abilities, the young swamp stalker quickly dashed away into the pond from whence it came from. With a ruff, guttural chuckle, Apex thought to herself as the rippled of the pond began to settle, "Yes, flee, learn your place. I am the Apex and I have returned to restore this ecosystem." As Apex's senses returned to her immediate surroundings, Apex once again allowed her shadows out, and feeling through them, made her way through the Fau Swamp, searching for the ancient ruins long forgot.

IC: Metru-Koro As Karz-fire rained down upon Metru-Koro from on high, the matoran guard, faced with a foe that they cannot fight, began to flee from the walls of Metru-Koro and make there way towards the New Archives, a few of the matoran trying there best to minimize the damage from the airships weapons, putting out fires as best they can. But one matoran had another plan. Twesh had been on the northwestern portion of the wall when the attack began, observing the pulse bolts streak through the sky with the use of the scope on his Matatu, various pieces of data on trajectory, velocity, altitude, and predicted travel path being presented on his masks reticle heads up display. Twesh could easily calculate that not even his best shot with his kanoka disk launcher could make any meaningful impact against the airships. Running threw various ideas on how to circumvent this problem, ranging from running out beyond the walls or using multiple disks to skip on against...Till one thought protruded back into his rambling mess of a mind...The Hagah Plasma Cannon. Sliding down the ladder of the tower Twesh was in, he quickly began dashing through the streets, using his Matatu's hud to predict the pulse bolts predicted landing zone and avoiding the already blasted zones. Eventually reaching a large area near the eastern-side of Metru-Koro, this area being filled with a variety of scrap metal and loose salvage from Metru-Nui. One such piece being a tank, its treads and motors damaged so that it isn't capable of moving, but the cannon on it being functional. Clambering into the gunnery position within the tank, Twesh quickly familiarized himself with the controls before surveying out the current battle situation. Looking back towards the West, Twesh saw two airships, both currently engaged with yet another airship, but to the South, was also an airship, this one seemingly heavily damaged given its proximity and low altitude. Twesh realized that once he started firing, the odds of him not getting immediate retaliation was unlikely, but he knew his duty and what he needed to do. Positioning the plasma cannon, Twesh began to calculate his shot and prepared to make his shot. From an outside view, Twesh would be the last one you would trust with a disk launcher or anything with a trigger, the nervous constantly twitching le-matoran not making for a capable sight, but to those who know him, Twesh has been said to be one of the best shots anyone has ever seen. And so, with a nervous ease that Twesh always seems to show, he aimed, and he fired upon the Razorfish. OOC: @Nato the Traveler IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) "Where I'm going? That's a good question..." Gore sat there for a bit, stroking the frills on his neck with his left hand as he thought to himself for several seconds before replying, "...I suppose, where the people are." OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: Vulimai (The Wombat) Caught off guard just as much as toa Tekmo, Vulimai was thrown against the wall of the airship as it began to spin. Thinking quickly, Vulimai pulled out her halberd and swung it towards a nearby piece of framing, hooking the halberd's head within the crevice of the framing. Hooked onto the inner framing of the airship, Vulimai dug herself in, waiting for the airship to eventually stop spinning. OOC: @Toru Nui @Eyru

IC: Sala & Sorilax (Metru-Koro's Garrison) "Combat experience...Well I was never formally trained per say but I did help fight in the war, so if you're asking if I can handle myself. Then yes, yes I can...Especially inside of Second Skin." The Matoran of Plasma responded to the Aspect as he clenched his hands inside of the ACR. Sorilax nodded at this, somewhat surprised at the knowledge while yet in a way realizing the news had been inevitable. With what Sala had told him about the League and the war that had been waging back in the Matoran’s home, it should have come as no surprise. It had been a war that was waged so furiously that it perhaps had even destroyed their whole universe. Think of that! The information was a doozy of a sucker punch. Truly spectacular. The implications were astounding. If so much could be accomplished on such a grand scale, just imagine what he himself could do once he completed his Grand Wish and created instead of destroyed. The Aspect looked at the Matoran in Second Skin, what had his fellow chronicler responded with again? Sorilax had gotten a little side tracked in his thoughts. Oh yes! Combat experience. “Well that is both unfortunate for you and fortunate for the future.” Sorilax looked about the western garrison in the darkness of night, “I suppose if we are staying, we should inform the- By jove, what is that light?” It seemed as if the world went still as a pale blue light lit the ground, seeming to douse torches and lightstones in its intensity. The light flickered and spasmed as if it were alive with a destructive energy that was begging to be released. Shadows became deep and vibrant in their own way, accentuated against the increasing brightness. The world seemed to become washed out, so bright was the light. Sorilax looked up, shielding his artificial optics with his hand while trying to get a good view of what was causing all of this light. All around him he could feel the shadows grow both stronger while also dying out, snuffed out by the hot blue white sun that seemed as if it were bearing down on all those by the garrison. Now what in the blazes is that? Sorilax wondered, slowly working through possibility after possibility as was his way. Not realizing the danger of the situation in the midst of his potential discovery. The light only grew, seeming to expand. It was moving? It was so bright it was hard to tell anything. But if it truly wasn’t just a sun and instead some blob of energy moving about, then why was it so quiet? It made nary a sound. Well, a faint… bubbling-like noise grew louder as the light continued to expand. Except the bubbling was that of the furious rage of boiling water, threatening to disfigure those who dared touch it. Was this something from Sala’s universe? Sorilax tore his eyes from the new sun, “Sala? Can you explain this phenomenon? Is this the attack?” Sala stood there, just as stunned as Sorilax, the intensity of the sight being almost too much for the Su-Matoran’s eyes to even bear. But, while Sorilax and Sala strained to gaze upon the beacon in the sky, Sala noticed that the beacon wasn’t just growing brighter...It was growing bigger and it was getting closer as well. Fear began to flood the matoran’s body as he realized what it was...And where it was soon to land. “Sorilax, we need to get out of here!” As the two spoke, gasps and shouts began to come from the walls of the garrison, as the source illuminating the sky was realized to not just be a light, but a great sphere of plasma. The evidence came in the form of the radiant heat that could be felt as the light slowly grew and accelerated in its pace. The very ground seemed to dry and crack, what little moisture there was fleeing from the wrath of a heat gone mad. Still, the orb remained fairly quiet, almost peaceful in the way its energy danced about around itself as it descended upon them all. That is till, at last, impact was made. Fierce sizzling sounds emanated out from the initial contact point, as rock and stone were superheated in a fraction of a second, cracks and crevices splintering throughout the immediate area as the sphere began to dig into the garrison. The sphere was nearly fifteen bios wide as it struck the base of the garrison’s tower, the protruding structure collapsing onto the wall below it in a calamitous crash as it lost all structural integrity, crushing any Matoran who were either too slow or dazzled to escape the destruction. Consuming all with no restriction, seeming to disintegrate away all it deigned to lay its touch upon, the sphere began to tear through the tower’s base, the plasma bolt continuing on its destructive path, further digging into the floors beneath it. As the sphere of death bored its way through the second and first floor, whatever force that maintained its cohesion soon began to give way, as globules of molten plasma began being lobbed out towards the surrounding area, scorching the rock and those unfortunate enough to be near it at the time of dissipation. From outside of the garrison, far enough to have escaped the damage and the danger of the impact, stood Sorilax and Sala, both shocked and awed at the complete and absolute devastation that was brought on by this singular attack. As Sala stared at the smoking hollowed out garrison, the noxiously harsh scent of melted rock and plasma filled his senses. Memories of the great forges of Ta-Metru soon came to Sala’s mind, as did the recent memories of desperate matoran sabotaging generations of work to escape the relentless League, the scent of burnt organics and proto-shell becoming a scent that Sala soon became accustomed to all too well, alongside the screams and moans that came from such devastation like that which had just occurred. The worst part? As the bolt ate itself into the ground and expended the last of its energy somewhere beneath him, Sala realized the village was still lit by the unworldly blue white. There was another one. Sorilax felt the shadows shift drastically around him as one light receded and another took its place, realizing the implications even as he was dealing with being horrified by what had presented itself before him. It was a twisted destruction on par with the Fau Swamp’s dangerous mutagenic. For precious moments he stood, frozen. In the face of such destruction, what could he do? How could he help? His heart cried out for the Matoran he had just met, that had just repaired his body. Taken in an instant that left him reeling. It was a cry for help that brought the old Aspect back to the present and away from his emotions. All other thoughts were pushed aside. Even as shadows were tossed onto the surrounding walls that still stood as a second bolt bore into the ground elsewhere in the village, Sorilax stumbled forward, feet catching on the rubble left behind by the crumbled garrison. Someone had called out. Someone needed his help. Sala, almost unconsciously, followed the Aspect. An action no doubt brought on by the last few days of traveling. “Mata Nui help us. Mata Nui help us all,” Sala whispered to himself, too shocked to make any noise louder as he followed into the ruins. OOC: @Kal the Guardian Jammed Out between Me and Kal.

IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) "Fair enough...Then let us press forward." Drukarus said, has he steeled his ages-old will for what he felt to be one of the few true test of strength he had ever faced. After a moment of gathering strength, Drukarus stepped forwards into the void, towards the Nightmare within. OOC: @Nato the Traveler IC: Zak-Yak (The Fire Ruins) At the revelation spoken by Providence, Zak-Yak was left in a stupor of thought, "Does Zak-Yak serve Varian master, or does Zak-Yak serve Providence master now? Can Zak-Yak serve both master? Can Zak-Yak get TWO Kraata's?!" To an outside observer, Zak-Yak had a look of constipation, confusion, and an absolutely giddy amount of frantic energy being built up. OOC: @Burnmad @Snelly @Vezok's Friend @Toru Nui @Onaku @Edelgard @xccj @Jakura Nuva

IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) "Indeed it is my...Companion...Indeed it is." Drukarus stoically said, turning to face Marrow, gazing towards the skakdi, as if subtly requesting a response from them. OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Vulimai (The Wombat) Following behind the toa Tekmo, Vulimai landed next to the toa before taking a more reserved posture. "Toa, even if they know we are onboard, we can also hope that they don't know where we boarded. I suggest we take a quiet approach so that we can handle whatever we encounter however we like." Starting to lead the way, Vulimai pulled out her ga-disk of reconstruction, ready to throw it once either of them are spotted. OOC: @Toru Nui IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) The pair, continuing on there way, till eventually, the stone began to level and then fall into a basin like area. At this point, Drukarus's need for his elemental power grew less and less as it slowly became a matter of simply finding a safe route down the slopes and the rocks. With deliberate movements, and careful steps, the pair reached the bottom of the basin and were presented with a deep and dark crevice that ran ever deeper into the volcano's side, lined with the skulls and bones of countless skakdi, an ominous sense loomed over the place like a miasmic blanket, trying its hardest to suffocate any feeling other than fear. With a stern and resolute gaze, Drukarus stared deep into the crevice, as much as he felt better to do otherwise, and simply said. "So, this is the path to the Nightmare Pit?" OOC: @Nato the Traveler

Dang it BZP

IC: Vulimai (The Wombat) "COPY THAT TOA!" Vulimai called out to Knichou over the rushing winds that flew past them as the three of them stood atop the Wombat. Following the toa Knichou's orders, Vulimai lead the way towards the missing panel, keeping in mind to wait on Tekmo to join her before she jumped into the depths of the airship. As Vulimai waited on Tekmo, Vulimai looked out and surveyed the battle as it was, the light of plasma and fire illuminating the ships in flight. Looking towards Metru-Koro, Vulimai bore witness as the massive plasma bolts streaked through the air towards her home, the rounds blasting into the structures within. One of them she could trace through the air, as she saw it hit its final destination, the garrison. Tearing her eyes away, her gaze was turned upwards, ever-ascending into the black inky sky, was the remains of the Inferno, it's burning and melted helm lurching upwards in it's ascent. "Jorak...I'll finish what you started..." OOC: @BULiK @Toru Nui IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) "I know little of the details, only that these rituals have been used to raise monsters called Tahtorak in the past." With the mention of the rahi, the tahtorak, Drukarus stopped in place and turned back towards Marrow, a brief hint of emotion appearing on his face since the two ever met, for upon Drukarus's face for the briefest of second was fear and worry. "We need to reach this Nightmare Pit...Now!" Continuing on his trek, now forgoing caution as much as he could to speed up their trip. "I know of the rahi you speak of...The Tahtorak...The bravest of skakdi from my homeland would ride these rahi into battle...They were also the most foolish of skakdi, for the Tahtorak would soon tear them apart alongside their enemies...If we are to succeed, then we must prevent this from occurring...For I doubt that even I could slay one and still be in capable shape afterwards." OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) And so, the two skakdi began their trek up the mountain, Drukarus leading the way forwards with the guidance of Marrow on the location of this Nightmare Pit. It took a significant amount of concentration and care for Drukarus to channel his power in this manner, having to focus on maintaining contact between the ground and his maul while also continuously channeling his element through it. All the while, the two needed to traverse the rigorous terrain and take care of the occasional upset in the air, with the ash and heat and noxious clouds bellowing out from the volcano's mouth, all the while, the sense of dread kept growing as the two slowly came closer and closer to their goal. "Hrmmm, so then...What power can this Boss...Urgh, get from this...Hrng, Nightmare Pit?" Drukarus addressed Marrow through the effort of the journey. OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) "That is why I suggest an alternative approach." Drukarus said as he planted the head of his maul against the angular igneous rock wall that led further up the mountainside. Placing his hand against the stone to ease the transition, Drukarus channeled his elemental strength through the maul's head and began to slowly and steadily alter the direction of gravity till at last, both of his feet were firmly planted against the angular wall, with himself standing perpendicularly against the wall as if it was flat ground. "If you lead, I can get us there." OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Gore Fury (THE CUBE) “Only a CAPABLE MECHANIC? I am much more than simply a mechanic! And don’t you forget it! I am a Skakdi of means. Of business, such as it is in this society. I make things happen, whether others want them to or not. I provide what mere raiding cannot. I produce bodies so finely crafted Aspects pay whatever I ask. I bow only to Boss and his gang of thugs, and I’m working on that, believe you me ” As the skakdi raved and gesticulated, Gore Fury briefly begin to sweat as his eyes widen, realizing who he was dealing with...An actual skakdi. Gore Fury had spent many centuries of his life exploring his old universe, dealing with all manner of proto-breeds, from vortixx merchants, to steltian brutes, to even a few tribal zyglaks...But the granduer and self-importance of the skakdi, mixed with their natural temper, was something that Gore actually forgot about on his travel. Not allowing his smile to falter, Gore regained his composure and took a little more serious stance within his chair, not one outright defensive but certainly one to show respect to a business man like this skakdi said he was. "But tell me of this ‘Metru-Nui’. Is that the name of that giant head that fell from the sky?" "Ah, lovely, small talk." "Well, um, actually, Metru-Nui is a city inside of the big head. As for the head itself, I think that might've been...a god? That we all were living in...Well, I mean I was living in I guess. Honestly, it's pretty wild to think that all this time, the world as I knew it was inside of a god. Isn't that crazy?" Gore chuckled at the last part, hopefully clearing the air and easing any tensions that might've remained between the two. OOC: @Kal the Guardian IC: Drukarus (Irnakk's Tooth) "Communion...Sacrifices...Wasteful acts to false beings, I'm su..." Drukarus stopped in his speech for several moments, thinking over the matter. If in the end, Mata-Nui was indeed a real beings, even a sleeping or dead one, the idea of simply discarding these skakdi and their occult rites could very well be a grave mistake upon his own part. The reasoning behind this being supported by the unnatural presence that seemed to permeate the volcano the two skakdi hid under. "We must go to this Nightmare Pit." Drukarus said resolutely. Moving away from the rocky crest they were hiding behind and returning to the direction the two skakdi came from, Drukarus stood and turned back towards Marrow. "It is evident that this...Boss isn't here...That could only mean he is at this Nightmare Pit and is committing some sort of Ritual...Whatever powers this ritual may give him, we cannot allow him to have them...Or else both of our goals will fail." Drukarus stood there, waiting for Marrow to at least agree with him if not join him, as he himself pulled out his maul. OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Vulimai (Taku's Cargo Bay) Looking up at toa Knichou, Vulimai turned her gaze down towards the airship beneath them once she had gotten her answer. "Just what are we going to encounter down there, I wonder." was all Vulimai could think of before, even down here beneath the Taku, a great flash and roaring sound rocked the air around them...And brought to Vulimai's mind memories that were still so fresh in her mind but felt like they were from millennia ago... The sound of roaring artillery and bombshells, the screams of matoran and proto-beings alike, the mud and the trenches, built of blood and bodies..."Where was the sergeant, where was the captain, where was the toa!" Was all she could hear, or say, before another shell destroyed any sense of sound, it wasn't until a voice brought her back to reality...but it wasn't the voice she remembered. "You ready to go? There won't be a chance to back out once we're in the air." Vulimai snapped out of her vision before looking at the toa, a wide-eyed look plastered onto her face. "I..I am doing this...But...Can I do this? I'm just a matoran. What can I do, what could I do!?." These thoughts ran through Vulimai's mind and more, the fear of her failing and losing more than she had already lost caused her to hesitate...Before the voice that she did remembered rang out. "Come on Vulimai, come on, look at me...I'm here, I'm here." "Heh, Juno, even in my own head I can't escape you." Finally taking Knichou's hand, Vulimai simply said with a look of newly-found determine, "Let's do this toa, let's do what we were made for." OOC: @BULiK IC: Zak-Yak (Fire Ruins) "WAIT, you is an Aspect?!" OOC: @Burnmad @Edelgard @xccj @Vezok's Friend @Onaku @Toru Nui @Jakura Nuva @Snelly