Kal the Guardian

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Sidra

Beruv smiled. Sidra had accomplished a feat that she wasn’t sure she could have done herself. Truly her two pupils had grown to meet her level of skill and then surpass it. Yes, she had the finesse and stability that came with a lifetime of work, but these two were created to forge. It was an integral part of their being. She couldn’t be more proud of them.

Viltia clapped vigorously, overjoyed for her friend. “You did it!” she shouted at the roof. “How’s that for forging our own destinies!” Her Kanohi of X-Ray Vision was already being used down in the mines, and now with Sidra’s Great Disc completed, her mind filled with the future and what masks she wanted to make for herself.

There was so much to do! And outside of forging, there was that weird tree to find, the Air Suva and temple ruins thing Sorilax and now Morangad had told them about, and who knew what else. At this point, she felt like she could even make a Great Disc from scratch! But those things would have to wait.

She forced herself to calm down, “Okay, okay. It’s time to go get your reward. If it really is a reward.” Viltia thought of the Grand Untethered and Nektann, “This island isn’t exactly the safest place. Did you want me to come with you in case something goes wrong?”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

I was specifically pulling from Tahu's BS01 profile, as I couldn't find the information elsewhere, but Xemnas' link holds the same information.

55 minutes ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

NUVA PROXIMA (Character Change)

Nuva Proxima occurs as a side effect of the Nuva process within the elemental temples. The closest individual to the source of the change receives the tiniest amount of what the disk-bearer experiences and receives the following benefits:

• All currently active psychological effects or powers are removed.
• All diseases are removed.
• You may share your element and breed quirks with one other willing creature you see within your elemental range.
• The mask you were wearing is fused to your face and you require a new mask. The old mask is now considered one of your breed quirks. If you could not use kanohi masks before, you now gain a breed quirk that says: “you may wear kanohi masks and access their powers.”
• While still within fair levels (think going from the punching down a house metaphor to punching down half a city block), your mastery of the elements you control have increased. If you previously did not have elemental powers, or if you needed a tool or another being to access your elemental powers, you gain the following breed quirk: “you may now use your own base element at toa level. If you did not have a base element, pick one element to be your base element.”

Specifically "your mastery of the elements you control have increased." Does this include the canon Nuva power of "...figured out how to start an elemental process and then leave it to function by itself, allowing him to create timed blasts..."?

14 minutes ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

"I appreciate you waiting Sala, and I hope I answered all your questions Sorilax. But now I have a question of you both: with everything I said and you have learned, what are you going to do?”

Sorilax smiles, "We're going to Disney world!"

Sala's eyes sparkle and his jaw drops as sheer joy overcomes him.

Nuju nods sagely at an question well answered.

One friend stands up in the back of the classroom and claps. That was friend.... was Albert Einstein.

IC: Sorilax - Aspect of Light and Silence - Aspects of Makuta

Location - Kini-Nui (7, 10)

With - Sala, Nuju

Sorilax firstly noted Nuju’s tendency to accentuate his speech with various bird whistles and clicks. In a way it was oddly beautiful and mixed in the seagulls that sometimes took to the air around them. But his focus quickly shifted to more metaphysical possibilities. He looked over his notes after Nuju had finished answering Sala.

If the Far Shore really were as Nuju said, then they weren’t in a single time, but one of many, each with its own unfathomable variations. The way the Matoran had said it almost assumed the knowledge, which made it far more credible in Sorilax’s mind.

“You say the Far Shore ‘validates’ the universe’s inconsistencies. What do you mean when you say validates? What actions are taking place to lead you to state it in such a way? What have been your observations that confirm your hypothesis?

“And if there are infinite timelines, then wouldn’t it be universes plural, not singular, that it validates?”

Sorilax went further down in his notes, “Now what is a ‘plane’ in relation to a universe? And are they just as infinite as these supposed timelines are?”

Then he had mentioned an Ark. That name somehow stuck out in his mind. Hadn’t he once conversed with several someones about just such a thing? It felt like it, but it was a memory just out of reach, somehow withheld from him. And then Nuju had said Mata-Nui was an Ark.

“Is this Mata-Nui Ark you mention related at all to the Great Spirit Mata-Nui that Sala has spoken to me about?”

When Nuju had mentioned six Toa heroes, six masks had flashed into his mind, though he couldn’t be certain whether the masks were of the team Nuju had mentioned or some other team of Toa he had either helped or sought to harm in the many millennia of his mostly forgotten past. One day he would remember. One day.

And then Nuju’s mention of death. It was the opposite of life and so intrigued him very much so. “What is death like? And how is it that you found a way to escape from its clutches?”

But this prime plane of existence, home of Tren Krom, consumer of universes, it sounded like more trouble than Nuju was giving it credit for.

“This consumer, this Tren Krom, why would we ever seek to allow him access to this world? For that is what would happen should we repair this Makoki stone. We might think to gain access to his realm only, but a door once opened is opened both ways, and not so easily closed. And if what you say is true, Tren Krom has far more reason to come through and affect this world than to allow us passage to his realm without recourse.”

Sorilax shook his head and scratched his chin with a Light hand, still trying to wrap his head around these vague theories that had very little evidence to show for them. “No amount of self realization or truth finding is worth jeopardizing the lives of everyone in this universe. Even if we are all eventually consumed in the end, that may just be Fate. Potentially unchangeable, as you postulated. To try to break it may cause irreparable harm to all universes, planes, and timelines, if such things even exist.”

The Aspect pondered a course of action. The shadow lizard on his head rolled over in the flower crown as it slept. “Hummmm… No, it might be best if Sala and I remove the partial Makoki stone and hide it away. What better safeguard against destruction than to take away the key to the door of certain doom?”

Sorilax sighed, “But I can’t just ignore your pleas for help. And I know too little of the things you speak. Access to this prime plane may very well save everyone instead of sealing their doom. What say you, good sir?”

His mind, though it worked slowly, retained much knowledge. Sorilax kept tabs on the conversation. He had asked 9 questions (Well, 12, but one was to further clarify another question, one was rhetorical, and one was to signify that he was done talking and awaiting a reply) and would be glad to repeat them should Nuju not remember them or gloss over one.

He certainly had noticed over the years that generally beings only answered the last question you had asked. It had led him to asking only a few questions at once, but this Nuju seemed sharp enough to keep up. Nuju had kept up with all of Sala’s questions, after all.
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator The one in which Sorilax finally speaks.

IC: Sidra and Viltia

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

Life and creation can take a great many forms.

Everything has to start somewhere.

For the people of Le-Metru Nuva, many things began with the village’s meagre forge. Its component stones were first created from the surrounding terrain, clay baked in a fire, shaped and assembled by the well worked hands of craftsmen and carvers.

The work carried out amidst its weathered bricks had started small at first. Basic, essential tools for construction and survival, hammers and saws and the like. Then came the smaller, more intricate items, the components and supports: nails and screws, brackets and plates, pulleys and frames, all integrated with the environment and helping hold the treetop village together.

Just like any true organism, the forge had grown over time, shedding old cells as subpar stones were swapped out and replaced, refining its palate as new and richer resources were brought forth from the mine and fed into it.

Soon the forge was able to give birth to a handful of weapons, even plates of armor, each produced through hour after hour of laborious effort, each made to replace or repair something that had been lost in the construction or defense of the village.

Time and time again the forge was improved and enhanced, becoming larger and stronger to accommodate new projects, new experiments. Its fires grew hotter, fiercer, enduring through the wind and rain that plagued the settlement. New hands joined the old, bringing with them curiosity and ambition, but also self-doubt and apprehension.

In the days that followed, Kanoka were created, skills were honed, and still the forge’s work was never done.

Then came the evening of the storm, the day of death and devastation, and the forge was left alone for a time. The hands that would normally stoke its fires busied themselves tending to the wounded, repairing what was damaged, and mourning what had been lost.

But as the village recovered, those hands returned, with renewed determination and conviction. The smithing space was upgraded, a new forge being constructed, fitted with disk molds and new tools, all dedicated to the purpose of crafting Kanoka, and from them, Kanohi.

And so it was that the hands of the hero began the arduous task of forging that first mask…

~~~~~~~~~

Viltia held the level 8 Kanoka of X-Ray vision in her hands with reverence. Even contemplating the countless hours and failed mergings that it took to get to this disc in her hands caused chills to run through her and her tethers to caress the disk. She retracted them. She needed to focus. It was time.

Giving a quick beaming smile to Sidra, Viltia began heating the disc, optics studying its unique properties as it warmed. When most of it glowed orange, Viltia pulled it from the forge and took it to the anvil. Tongs in one hand and hammer in the other, she started to pound the Kanoka into a crude shape. Her muscle memory had been fine tuned through many hours of practice. There was no wavering as a clang rang out each time she struck the piece of protodermis.

She properly gauged that the Kanoka was cooling off too much and reintroduced it to the forge. One of her tethers scratched her mask as she thought about her next steps. With sufficient heat returned, Viltia began her shaping again, this time with a hammer that had a smaller head.

It actually was starting to look like a real Akaku.

But now was the part Viltia had failed several times before on Noble Kanohi. The finer details, the ones that not only solidified the shape language, but sealed in the power and kept the Kanohi whole.

Making sure the almost-mask wasn’t quite glowing, but still moldable, Viltia put the mask in a vice and grabbed a hammer and chisel.

It may have been too hot to be comfortable in the hut, and it may have been foul smelling work, but Viltia was now in her element. A new element. One of her own making. It may have required retraining both her mind and body to the point of almost giving up several times, but determination (and Sidra) saw her through. Now she was one with the forge, the tools just an extension of her body. The heat was a warm blanket that lovingly embraced her. The long hours of tiring work were a conversation with a friend that you never wanted to end.

Viltia submerged the Kanohi in water, steam rising. She pulled it from the bucket, inspecting it while she held it in her tongs. There weren’t any cracks, no obvious flaws from impurities in the disc. Viltia set the mask just so on an anvil as the mask settled.

After the longest hour of her life, Viltia finally took the Akaku in her hand and picked up the mask, feeling it. It was smooth, indicating a great retention of purity. There were no sharp or jagged edges. It had retained its silver luster instead of becoming dull, indicating its power remained inside. She squeezed it, feeling it give every so slightly. It was ready to be worn and tried out.

She breathed out slowly, suddenly very anxious. It was only now that she realized it wasn’t just Sidra and Beruv with her. Torch, Match, and Spark were here as well. Even Wing was here! Though she looked very uncomfortable and out of her element in the enclosed setting with the sweltering heat.

Viltia paused, worried over whether she had done well enough to create a working Great Kanohi. She looked Sidra in the optics and gained all the confidence she needed to continue.
She took off her mask for the first time as a Toa. She didn’t want to have that feeling of elemental loss, so she quickly put on the Akaku without time to think about what an amazing achievement this was for her. Even as her mask of Rahi Control reverted to silver, the Akaku on her head turned a violet blue, accenting her light jungle green eyes. At least it worked as a Kanohi.

Now the true test. Was it a Great Kanohi?

She put her focus on the power she could feel in the mask and activated it.

That one split second before knowing whether or not the mask worked fully felt like an eternity stretched thin, as if the Grand Untethered was once more trying to pour the raw universe into her mind.

It was the longest split second she could ever remember.

But then she had her results.

Viltia yelled out in joy and started jumping up and down, spinning in a circle, before rushing over to hug Sidra.

She had done it!

Viltia quickly swapped masks again, lifting up in triumph the first Great Kanohi made in Le-Metru Nuva. She had made a working Great Kanohi! She couldn’t stop smiling. The mask bobbed in the air as all her dearest friends cheered for her.

~~~~~~~~~

The forge had borne many children into the world, but the creation of Viltia’s mask marked the fulfillment of its intended purpose. As the Toa held her Kanohi aloft, the furnace itself seemed to brighten with pride, coals crackling, flames flaring.

But its work was not yet done, for now the hands of the assassin brought to it an even greater challenge, an ambition that went beyond purpose or pride.

This was not a matter of duty or destiny, but of devotion and determination.

The metal that was brought to the forge that day was unlike any other. It exuded an intense, impossible cold, fighting the fire, nearly snuffing out the forge’s blazing heart. But the forge’s flames were stoked to even greater intensities, overcoming the frigid steel, forcing it to bend and break, allowing the work to begin.
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler Jam post between Nato and I.

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Sidra, Apex, Uraborask, Morangad

It was with surprise and shock that Viltia found Wing and Torch. The former was a horribly mutated Toa whose slime, tongue, barbs, and limbs outdid even her own new tethers in strangeness. And Torch, he had left Sidra and her as the two most powerful defenders of the village. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. But he had found his destiny and taken ahold of it. She respected that part of it at least.

Thanks to Morangad, of the three potential casualties, only two had passed from the world. Though they never found one of the bodies. A short funeral was held the next day, but with the level of water, they had to hold off on burying anyone until after the flood waters had gone down.

The village itself only lost one platform that had been in progress and two bridges. Several guard outposts had been stripped from the trees, but only surface damage was done to the majority of the village. Yes, acid rain would be a problem for a few days, but they had enough acid-resistant bark shingles left to protect everyone for the most part. Viltia spent a large part of her time creating resources for the villagers to slice and cut apart to use to rebuild.

After a couple days, the water finally receded to the point of becoming puddles instead of standing water. It was at this point that Wing led the recovery team as they pulled Kanoka and a little bit more from the swamp floor. There were actually several odd items that they found.

There were two old looking Kanoka discs of level 6. They had scars and scrapes on them, but retained their integrity and still functioned.

There were two Zamor Launchers which Spark immediately grabbed, talking to himself about how he could fix them up despite how heavily battered they seemed. Viltia wasn’t sure what they could shoot out of them, but that was a problem for another day.

What was really weird is when they found 15 cans of heavily processed organic protodermis muscle. It looked like it had been good eating too, once. Now it was covered in swamp water and had expired quite a while ago. It was going to be saved for an emergency, but Viltia hoped that day would never come.

They also found something that Sidra identified as a Vahki Staff. The female Vortixx further identified it as a staff of erasing, but Spark had insisted on trying it out anyway to “know for sure”. He spent the rest of the day tied to a post to keep himself from mindlessly walking off the edge of the village.

There was an odd staff that none of them knew about, that was until Apex saw it, wisely guessing it was a Rahkshi staff or something of the kind. (Viltia almost passed out when she saw Apex. The cute little Rahi was actually a huge monster!) When Viltia held it, she could feel a power within it, waiting to be used. It felt just like how having a Kanohi felt, where the power was in something else, not yourself, and it only had to be focused on to use it. However, she couldn’t seem to figure out what power it had, despite Sorilax having already told them all the Kraata powers.

A Seismic Pickaxe was found sticking out of one of the roots that Viltia had pulled back to form the pit. It had taken some work to get free, but it seemed perfectly functionable. No doubt it could perform its usage without any silly restrictions. Viltia thought maybe it might be good for mining, but she kept her mouth shut when she saw Sidra eyeing the tool. If Sidra wanted it, she could have it. She deserved it.

The Zyglak found an out of tune lute, a surfboard that was strangely new looking, and a rusty panini press. He quickly claimed all three items for himself, though something told Viltia that all it would take to get one was asking him to borrow one and he would gladly loan it out forever.

Disturbingly, Viltia found several dozen Toa teeth. She cleaned them all, and considered burying them, but decided against it. They felt too precious. Instead, she grabbed a small wooden box one of the villagers had made and set it on a desk close to her bed. As soon as she got her own hut, she would display them in memory of those that hadn’t been able to survive this island.

Perhaps the most interesting find was a Scout class Mobile Nektann drone that stood as tall as her knees. The female Vortixx, and Spark when the eraser staff wore off, inspected it. It seemed to be programmed normally, but when activated, it scoured the whole of Le-Metru Nuva. It found their only broom, then proceeded to do nothing else but sweep the floors.

But what really was special was what was left behind in the sinkhole she had created. There was glowing liquid protodermis with what seemed like shadows flitting through it. Apex once more came to the rescue, informing Viltia, when most of the others weren’t there, that the substance was energized protodermis. And defiled at that.

Viltia didn’t want anything to do with something that was defiled, and Sidra firmly agreed. Thankfully, a Ga-Matoran came to their rescue. Apparently she had been carrying about several Ga-Metru manufactured Faux-Exsidian containers since they had been thrown from the giant head. She knew they were important, but wasn’t sure if they would ever be of use. She was glad to be able to finally help out, since she hadn’t actually done the fighting to save the village.

As a team, they carefully filled up three canisters, entrusting Apex to remove the substance from the Swamp so it couldn’t harm anyone.

Three of the Colony Drones had died, though for some strange reason less Rahi and giant insects roamed about below the village. Viltia reasoned that it was Apex’s presence. The Aspect’s appearance radiated beastly superiority and probably scared off many would be predators. Whatever the reason, they slowly found more of the docile creatures to increase village security.

Torch seemed way less angry than he had been in the past as he happily devoted himself to the village. Though he could do far less than before, he almost seemed more proactive about things. Somehow he managed to start work on upgrading their old forge before Viltia had even been able to use their new one. The two new forges were eventually even outfitted with slots for discs of freezing and Toa disks of Fire to be able to better control temperature.

Wing was still trying to figure out her body, and avoiding most beings in the process. But her determination and drive still kept her as the captain of the guard. She had only been able to figure out her element in terms of Control. It was her strongest technique by far. It seemed to foreign to Viltia, whose specialty lay in Observation.

Viltia had added a mask of mutation to her growing list of Kanohi she needed to make. Wing really needed it. But it wasn’t one of the ones that Beruv knew how to make, so it would probably take a bit of experimentation to figure out. She had already been doing some of that with weaker Kanoka.

Spark, upon inspecting the Nektann drone, started talking with anyone who would listen about Kanohi machines for some time. He had heard about them and had only seen one, but his mind filled with possibilities. The female Vortixx tried to avoid him as best she could. If Spark caught wind that she actually knew how to create Kanohi machines, her life would essentially be forfeit for about a week as he would undoubtedly swarm her with questions.

He even started making these weird backpacks, made of metal and full of wires. He claimed that once Viltia could make Kanohi of Quick Travel, he would be able to teach himself the rest of what was needed to make a Kanohi machine. The female Vortixx severely doubted that.

The time flew and the village felt more alive than it had ever been before. The Fau Swamp had tried its best to oust them, but they had weathered through. Without any outside influences, it felt like it was smooth sailing from here on out. Viltia knew that was just wishful thinking, but that’s what it felt like to her in the moment.

Viltia woke early one morning. At this point she couldn’t remember how long ago it had been since she hadn’t known anything about Kanoka forging and Kanohi crafting. It seemed so odd to her now since it was such an integral part of her. She woke up, defended or built the village, then honed her new craft at night. Well, the past was in the past, and most of the villagers didn’t freak out anymore when they saw her tethers, even when she used them. She grabbed her satchel and axe/crossbow and started to leave her new, personal hut when she remembered the Rahkshi staff. One of her tethers reached out and grabbed it. She paused to look at the wooden display for the Toa teeth. She would make them proud and forge her own destiny this day. She pushed aside the hanging woven reed door.

The sunlight filled the canopy around the village and caused a bright green glow. A few shafts of light even found their ways through the canopy. Things were finally back to normal. No, better than normal. Well, whatever passed for normal in the Fau Swamp. Today was the day. Hopefully after dinner, Sidra and she would accomplish what they had spent so long training for.

Viltia beamed, looking around the village that was in the middle of yet another expansion. Most of her family were safe. Sidra had truly saved them all that rainy night, despite what Sidra herself said. Torch had assured Viltia that it really had been Sidra who had been the deciding factor in defeating the undead. And Viltia couldn’t be more proud.

Now it was time to seize all her training and forge her first Great Kanohi.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Burnmad Time skip taken. How long was it? They say that no one truly knows for sure...

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Sidra

Viltia let go of Sidra’s hand, her tethers growing a little longer as her focus changed from introspection to analyzing their home. The thunderstorm had passed farther southeast in the direction of that weird tree that hadn’t died earlier. It was still cloudy though, and the sparse collection of lightstones illuminated a village heavily damaged by the storm.

She looked around further. Well, the foundation of the village seemed intact, but many huts were missing shingles, railings, or boards that had come loose. It was hard to tell the true extent of things in the dark.

Viltia carefully leaned over the edge, where a railing used to be. She couldn’t see the glow of any undead through the canopy, large or small. All was quiet, with voices hushed. Everything seemed normal. She turned to Sidra, face barely containing her happiness at being back home and having it and it’s villagers mostly intact.

Then she moved off to go find Wing and Torch. Why did Sidra mention them in particular?
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - The Shadow Realm

With - Sidra

Viltia nodded at Sidra’s comments, “I sure hope that’s all they passed onto me. Although, if there’s more of them out there, who knows what the next one might look like. Hopefully we’ll never have to find out.”

Her voice changed to be happier, “But that’s why I’m so ready to get back to learning. With my Kanoka and Kanohi, and whatever you unlock with your Great Disc, I’m sure we’ll be ready for any challenge!”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - The Shadow Realm, Jimbo

With - Sidra

Viltia felt the loss of her connection to life as they entered some other dimension, this time comforted by the flower in her hand and remaining connected to Sidra. She put one foot in front of the other in a mindless march, letting Sidra lead as she thought.

“You know,” she began, voice feeling deadened by the suffocating darkness, “This new power, it’s odd. When I think about it, all the information about it is laid out in my head in a way I know isn’t just memory. I understand completely how both my tethers and merging works.”

This walk, longer than the others Viltia had taken with Sidra, offered her time to explain her tethers and their features to her friend. Things such as their maximum range, their sensitivity, and how they couldn’t be fully retracted.

She talked about how her merging formed a pocket dimension, whatever that was. How the merged creature had to consent to the merging at all times. And how she could do it more than once at a time, forming strands between the creatures much like the undead had.

She talked about how the memories functioned. About how all the powers of the merged creatures became her own. How she was the consciousness in charge. Even how she took on the flaws of the creatures she merged with.

Her words really did reflect how the knowledge had just suddenly appeared in her head. It was not how Viltia would normally describe something and it was more like how Beruv might teach them about Kanoka forging.

Viltia gently caressed one of the petals of the flower in her hand, “It’s just super weird that all that information is carved into my brain, like a name carved into tree bark. Although it is way better than not knowing what I can do.”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Sidra

Viltia shook herself and took a couple deep breaths, both to clear her head from depressing thoughts and to prepare herself for the journey ahead in the realm of shadows that seemed devoid of all life. She grew a small flower in her hand and smiled. Then she stepped forward and with her other hand, reached for Sidra’s offered hand.

Home. How odd that she thought fondly of the Fau Swamp now. It really was their home, and so far had kept them safe from the marauding Skakdi war bands, of which Nektann had led one. It would be nice to get back, see her friends, and start focusing on Kanoka again.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler 

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Sidra

Sidra’s words meant a lot to her. Sidra’s confidence in her washed away her doubts of what her mind might be thinking without her knowing it. If Sidra was able to trust her, then Viltia would be able to trust herself as well.

“That’s right… we’ve begun to forge our own destinies. It doesn’t matter what happens to us as long as we protect our friends through it all. I just need to make sure to stay true to that at all times. And you can always help me if I stray. You defeated that other thing.”

Viltia paused, remembering the Grand Untethered as she had shot at it even as it consumed the plant life around it. It had been many bodies at once and in a way Viltia envied it, yet she couldn’t forgive it for how it had stolen life away for itself selfishly. Life was to be shared and enjoyed. Experienced by all. Not hoarded against others’ will. “And if I ever become like that thing, I know you’ll do the right thing to protect our friends.”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Sidra

Viltia scratched at her mask in thought, slowly realizing that she had used her tethers to do the action instead of her hand. Sidra’s suggestion would be much harder than she first thought.

“I’ll try. Like I said, they feel as if I’d always had them. But you’re right. You always are.”

She retracted the tethers as far as they would go, though they still stuck out of her a few inches.

“But the merging, it only helps others who are hurting or in need. They get to rest and become part of something larger. I get to comfort them. And they can always leave if they want.

“I want to be able to connect to all Life. To the stars. Even to…”

Viltia paused, frowning and trying to remember her thoughts from before all this, “I… I didn’t used to say stuff like that, did I? That’s probably not good, is it?”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Sidra

Vitlia looked down at herself. Glowing tendrils sprouted from cracks in her armor. Her left thigh was almost completely glowing where it seemed a large wound had been. Carved into that former wound were three squiggly parallel lines. She knew that represented her new tethers and the knowledge of everything she could do with them now.

She took one of her tethers into her hand, squeezing it. It was squishy, with a little bit of firmness. She was able to increase its width up to two inches thick.

Viltia looked back to Sidra, “Honestly I have no idea. I remember not having these tethers, yet they feel so natural that it’s as if I’ve always had them. And if my mind has been changed, then I either didn’t notice it happening, or I guess I’m not able to tell.”

She looked unsure, “I don’t know. What do you think?” Sidra most always knew what to do. Apparently Sidra had even saved the village while she had been talking with Nektann.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Sidra

She heard Sidra! Viltia turned, hand over her optics as she tried to pierce through the veil of rain. She could just barely see Sidra in the dark.

Her tethers wiggled in excitement and she beamed, “Sidra! Yeah I’m fine. The climb down wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.”

Viltia shook her head at her thoughts, shouting to be able to be heard, “You were right, though. I was having a hard time even remembering myself in there. That Tahtorak body really messes with your memories. We… uh, well we should probably get out of here, Nektann might do something he doesn’t mean to.”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Nektann, Sidra

Viltia blinked her optics. Nektann had graciously let her leave, but now the world was dark and hot. There were no stars to reach for, no garden to experience.

Her mind was filled with memories of what had happened over the past couple hours as Nektann’s memory loss faded away. She really had been forgetting things. She hadn’t been able to combat it as much as she thought she had in the moment.

That was a little embarrassing.

And Nektann’s memories themselves, she only remembered her own memory of viewing them now, they were no longer accessible to her like they had been. That was a shame, and she felt her own sense of loss at losing the closeness she had been able to enjoy with him.

Even her tethers had lost their sensitivity. Whereas before, any touch would send shivers through her, now when they touched the ground and ceiling they seemed as sturdy as her own body was, with only some sensitivity on the ends, like her hands had.

They still glowed though, and Viltia could make out that the space she was in was ringed halfway with jagged cracks to the outside, where rain had once more started to downpour. She moved closer to the opening, wondering where she was and why the ground was so squishy. There was a warm breeze that made her think of a tropical ocean.

That was another thing she missed. The connection to water that she had had was so comforting and soothing, even if the elemental energy itself had been constantly trying to break free.

As Viltia drew close to the opening, she realized the jagged gap was caused by teeth. Of course! She was in Nektann’s mouth. He had swallowed her to begin all of this, after all.

Outside was dark, even more so with the rain falling again. The noise it made was almost deafening as it came down in sheets. She needed to get to Sidra and get out of here in case Nektann lost himself again.

With her tethers somehow so natural to her, she didn’t even think twice as she used them to pull herself through the gap in the teeth and climb her way down Nektann’s Tahtorak body. Her tethers acted as naturally as if she was using her arms and legs, despite there being far more than just four limbs.

Nektann’s giant body was easy to find handholds on even in the rain and after several minutes, she was on the ground. She looked up at him, shocked to see how far up his glowing red eye was and how tall he really was, how tall she had been. He was absolutely huge!

Still, she pitied him. Viltia caressed his foot, “Take care, Nektann. I hope to see you again soon.”

The Toa of the Green turned, blinded and deafened by the rain and the night, her tethers giving off a soft silver glow as they flowed around her as if seaweed. Now where was Sidra? And how was she supposed to find her?
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Le-Metru Nuva NPCs - Various Species - Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Morangad

The trio watched Apex dash off, her form quickly lost to the night, sending shivers through them. Any other Rahi might be able to just as quickly come upon them. The Fau Swamp was deadly dangerous, and with all the guards recovering, tonight wasn’t even a night for rescues, let alone gathering the Kanoka they had thrown. That would have to come in the morning light, or maybe even when the flood waters had drained fully.

The Vortixx took the stretcher from Morangad while the Zyglak thanked him for finding the fallen Matoran. The healer Matoran took an idle step backwards, where she stepped weirdly on something and fell into the water, splashing furiously despite being able to quickly stand once more. She was more on edge than she had first thought. The Matoran leaned down and picked up what she had stepped on. It was a Kanoka, and it didn’t look like the ones Beruv made at all. It was pure silver with faded markings, the etchings to indicate its Metru designation and power type were indiscernible. But the power level could still be figured out. It was level 6. Higher than anything the village could make currently.

She thought about it for a moment, then offered the Kanoka to Morangad as a token of thanks for finding their friend.
 

OOC: @Burnmad @Sparticus147

IC: Le-Metru Nuva NPCs - Various Species - Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Morangad, Apex

The Vortixx and Zyglak looked at each other in surprise as the mental message found both their minds. The Zyglak shrugged. The female Vortixx shook her head at the Zyglak’s response and  picked up the Matoran as they began to make their way through the waters.

With her Ruru, the Voritxx saw their destination first. There was a Toa-like being and also that sentient Rahi Viltia had asked to help out the village. In its maw was the fallen Matoran. At first she thought to rescue the Matoran from Apex, but the Matoran seemed to be being carried with care.

When the Zyglak finally saw her, he jumped in surprise and cursed all Toa out of habit. He shakily stepped forward when no attack came. Did this night have no end of weirdness?

The healing Matoran gripped the Voritxx tightly, but did their job, striking the fallen Matoran with their Rhotuka of healing. The fallen Matoran shifted as the energy spread through their body, but that only caused them more pain in the moment.

“The wounds would be fatal if left untreated, but with my Rhotuka, they should be healed by tomorrow night.” The Matoran announced, now standing up to their waist in the rain water.

The Vortixx moved to gently lift the fallen Matoran from the Rahi-Nui’s mouth as the Zyglak and Morangad held the stretcher.
 

OOC: @Burnmad @Sparticus147

IC: Le-Metru Nuva NPCs - Various Species - Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Morangad

The Steltian didn’t bat an optic at the mental command. It could have been from any one of the various species that lived here. He had no idea. All he knew was that someone was in trouble. He moved to lower the elevator when the voice in his head came back with clarification.

The female Voritxx and Zyglak were slowly walking past, looking dazed. The Steltian called to them, explaining the situation. The Zyglak went for the Matoran with the Healing Rhotuka power and returned shortly after.

The Steltian unstopped the winch for the elevator, grateful that this one was designed to only let the elevator fall so fast. It descended down into the dark.

At the bottom, the female Vortixx turned on her Ruru, scanning the swamp floor for whoever it was that needed help and whoever it was that had found them.
 

OOC: @Burnmad

IC: Hahvok - Za and Ja Krana of Ice - Independent

Location - Dead Forest

With - Marrow, Providence, Zak-Yak, Takadox

Hahvok’s dislike of Tall Blue did not abate despite the attempt to change his mind. Although he did like the mention of going underground. It was far too hot here and Hahvok wished to go any place cooler.

The kind minded one’s optic malfunctioned for a moment, but Hahvok didn’t have any reason to mention the malady.
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend @Burnmad

IC: Saybo - Toa of Water - Aurax

Location - The Coliseum (4, 9)

With - (Great Being) Aurax

Saybo flashed a grin to the Vahki unit, “Thank you very much.” He grabbed one of the trays, noting the silver Ruru around the Vahki’s neck. That was certainly something new since he had gotten out of stasis. He wondered why it was even a thing. “And might I say, you are a well appreciated and valued member of the Barraki. Now, let me get the door for you.”

Saybo didn’t trust these new Vahki. Something about them kept sending up warnings in his mind. Maybe it was the elemental nullification that had happened to him yesterday, maybe not. He still wasn’t sure how that had happened.

He knocked on Aurax’s door before opening it to allow the Vahki passage.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~ @Eyru

IC: Sorilax - Aspect of Light and Silence - Aspects of Makuta

Location - Kini-Nui (7, 10)

With - Sala, Nuju

While Sala broke the silence, Sorilax continued to ponder Nuju’s words. He had often pondered the meaning of things in relation to morality, but far less did he ponder the universe itself. All questions about the universe were usually only brought about because of his Taboo research.

Sorilax pulled out a smaller scroll. It contained his thoughts on morality along with some observations on the observable forces of the universe. He created a Light board hovering in front of him, this time leaving it his default color Light, which was a golden yellow. No need to have another of his creations leave his control.

The Aspect wrote down what Nuju had said, still trying to think things through and formulate his own questions for after Nuju had answered Sala’s.
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Saybo - Toa of Water - Aurax

Location - The Coliseum (4, 9)

With - (Great Being) Aurax

Saybo dutifully obeyed his Great Being’s command, finding a nearby room to slumber in. There was a sturdy and comfortable looking bed. Saybo ignored it for a plush chair, pulling it into an advantageous position should anyone try to assault him. He placed his pistol on his lap, Eraser Staff leaning against the arm rest. Finally, he took off his mask. Hopefully he could keep it off for a long while.

Though his mind was still alert and his chest still felt slightly in pain, he cleared his thoughts and closed his optics. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

An appropriate amount of time later, Saybo slowly came to, making sure to listen for any unseen intruders before opening his optics.

It appeared he had safely slept through the night. Finally, something that had gone according to plan. His body was completely healed as well. That meant Aurax’s should be too.

Saybo gathered his things. He had filled his water bottle the day before and now he drank from it. His stomach wished for food, potentially because it had technically been hundreds of years since he had eaten because of the stasis pod. Or maybe because he had expended a lot of energy yesterday and needed to replenish it. Either way, his body’s needs were secondary to Aurax.

Saybo exited his room to stand guard outside of his Great Being’s room.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Mountains (7, 7)

With - Whira

The garage door groaned closed and it could be heard sealing itself, the air pressurizing. The Cube lurched underfoot slightly as they started to move. The Nui-Jaga hissed slightly, then went back to eating.

Cravious set aside his schematics, rummaging through his duffel bag. Various metal parts and pieces jostled in what sounded like a completely unorganized space. This went on for a couple loud seconds. The Skakdi of Lightning somehow drew a couple of unwrinkled pieces of paper from the bag, along with a pencil. He handed the things to Whira.

“No need to rush getting me the design. I estimate this should take several months to figure all this Kanoka and Kanohi stuff.” Cravious waited for a reaction, but he couldn’t read Whira’s deep purple eyes. He continued, “But I’ll get things done in about a week. We’ll go from there.”

He paused to see if she had anything else to say before he got to work.
 

OOC: @~Xemnas~

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Ash Barrens

With - Nektann, Sidra

Viltia tried to frown, but her Tahtorak body couldn’t really pull off the movement. She set down Sidra on the ground. “Okay, Nektann. I need to go protect my friends.”

Viltia emerged from her pocket dimension, stepping out of Nektann’s Skakdi body. She turned, hugging the Skakdi tight. As she did, grape vines grew from the scars in his armor. Around her in the star field, she finished the seaside garden, wrapping it around them. Viltia stepped back, holding Nektann’s right hand. A rose grew there, its stem thornless.

She wrapped his hand around it. “Thank you for this, Nektann. I hope one day we can merge again. Now go, grip your flower tight. Your true flower. Miserix. She won’t ever wilt or fade. Water this land and then go find her. She is your precious flower. Find her and don’t let go. Experience joy together with her.”

Viltia stepped away from him, her seaweed tethers flowing once more in an unseen ocean current. “Now, please. I ask you to help me leave this place.”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Cravious - Skakdi of Lightning - Zakazian

Location - Cravious’ Protodermis Mine, North northeast Mountains (7, 7)

With - Whira

Cravious nodded, mind already on the task ahead. They walked in silence down the passageway, their footsteps the only thing keeping them company. At the end, Cravious opened the secret door and turned out the lights. Where the raw ore had been, piles of food and other supplies sat, waiting for pickup.

This time, they took the elevator up. Cravious was looking over the crude schematics, trying to figure out preemptively the best way to start narrowing down the many, many, many variables he was about to have to deal with.

The Nui-Jaga was feasting on some undiscernible body as they re-entered the Cube. It had taken up residence in one of the spots that he tried to keep open for working on war rigs. It was annoying, but ultimately a small sacrifice in the larger scheme of things.

Sagacious was waiting for them at the top of the garage ramp, arms crossed. Cravious handed her the legal papers and list of demands, keeping the schematics for himself. She shook her head and closed her optics, sighing. Then she marched off, no doubt to finalize things and start planning how to requisition all the items on the list.

The pallets of ore sat in the middle of the garage/workshop area, taking up a lot of room, while still being mostly out of the way, since they only had one rig currently being worked on. Cravious studied them, mumbling about their slightly different hues.

He turned to Whira, “Okay, is there anything else I need to know about this mask of Shadows? Do we need any special ingredients? Any special shape it needs to be, or even a special forging method?”

OOC: @~Xemnas~

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Sidra

Something took her from her thoughts. She gostled her head, the motion taking far longer than she thought it would. She looked at her hand, which she realized she was holding weird. There was something on it!

She held it up to get a closer look. “Sidra! When did you get here? Wait… awww… Does this mean it’s time to part alreadyyyyy?” The voice, full of the ancient anger of a cold and crushing sea, also sounded like a spoiled Matoran who didn’t want to leave a party.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Apex, Sidra

As soon as Sidra stepped on her hand, Viltia immediately forgot about Apex. She pulled back, the canopy closing after her hand left. The portion formerly destroyed regrew itself. A flash of lightning lit the sky and out of the corner of her optic, Viltia noticed Evolis Kerhs’ head poking from the canopy in the distance, watching her. She felt a chill run through her, even as a 300 foot tall monster. How long had he been there?

She turned, ready to go on her journey, forgetting the Giant Centipede. Trees used their roots to scurry out of her way, before replanting themselves where they had been before. The level of Nektann’s power filled her with glee. With a few short steps, she was out of the swamp and in the marsh. Now, with each step, new plants grew all across the landscape where most appropriate. Cattails, sedges, papyrus and sawgrass filled out the horizon, bringing abundance where there was only scarcity before. It felt good to fill the world with life.

It only took her an hour to cross what normally would have taken her two days. As she stepped from the swamps, she grew a forest in the foothills, filling them with large pines and strong ash. The trees petered out as the land grew more rocky, and here she added shrubbery and small desert flowers that were able to live on the side of a cliff face. A place dark and barren was to her right and she moved in that direction. It wasn’t ready for new life just yet, but Nektann could begin watering it. The soil looked rich in minerals, being soot and ash. Below that layer undoubtedly lay fertile ground.

Though she held up her hand for Sidra to ride upon, she had forgotten about her friend.
 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Le-Metru Nuva, on the Northwestern fringes of (7, 13) in the Fau Swamp

With - Nektann, Apex, Sidra

“Sounds great!”

The canopy parted itself to allow Viltia to pull her massive hand level with the broken off bridge so Sidra could hop on. She noticed the cute little Rahi was still here and thought of something else, “Hey, Apex, you said you were Nature, right? Could you keep the village safe while we’re gone?”

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator