Eyru

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum, Waiting Room B The Nullifier stood quietly to one side as its guests made themselves comfortable in the waiting room. It didn't pay any particular attention to Zaliyah walking to the washroom. The peculiar need of partially-organic beings to wash themselves was completely foreign to Vahki, and their programming didn't designate a need to understand it, so they didn't bother trying. The only useful thing they knew about these water closets was that there was usually only one way in and out, so they were excellent places to corner their prey. Then the radio broadcast came through, and the Nullifier realized it had underestimated just how useful washrooms could be. Its head snapped to the little hallway where the two single-stall rooms were located. It immediately began to move towards them, the canister on its back already beginning to emerge, ready to broadcast its nullification energy at the slightest threat. Electricity crackled down its staffs. "Move," it growled mechanically at Iradra, who stood in its way. "Or you will be considered an obstruction of the law and dealt with accordingly." OOC: @Onaku @Toru Nui

IC: ??? | The Coliseum There was a long pause. Then Zaliyah's radio crackled to life. "That too many big words. But... sound like you gonna make big fight." She could almost hear the broad smile over the airwaves. "Poroka always ready for big fight."

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum The group passed through the glass doors into an atrium. The floor underfoot had been recently repaired. They walked past a receptionist's desk to the far side of the room, where a bank of elevators waited. The doors to one slid open silently, and they stepped inside. Their stomachs dropped as the elevator quickly ascended, the floor indicator blinking rapidly as they passed by dozens of floors in half as many seconds. Finally, they slowed to a stop, and the doors open with a gentle ding. A smaller lobby awaited them. As they stepped out of the elevator, a Vahki walked out from behind the receptionist's desk to meet them, a blue Hau hanging from its neck. The Nullifier and the new Vahki communicated silently, and then the group was permitted to pass beyond the desk and down a short hallway. This hallway ended in a set of double doors which opened into pleasant waiting room. The room was spacious and tastefully decorated. A long black couch sat on a lush, cream-colored carpet, flanked by two armchairs of the same color. A coffee table between the chairs was piled with magazines now a few weeks out of date. Dume Divulges Disk Derring-do proclaimed one headline. Ga-Metru Beauties Reveal Their Secrets screamed another. A large painting of the Great Temple hung on one wall, and a smaller painting of an unknown waterfall hung on another. The third wall featured a window looking out over the city. A bigger table was pressed against the fourth wall, upon which sat a single-serve coffee maker, a basket of herbal teas, and an arrangement of ceramic mugs. Next to the table, a short hallway led to two single-stall washrooms. The Nullifier gestured for the guests to enter. "Make yourselves comfortable," it whirred, and pointed. "You may refresh yourselves in the washrooms provided. You will be alerted when Barraki Aurax is ready to see you." OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui @Onaku IC: Taja | Vulimai's Hut, Metru Koro It looked like Vulimai needed to be somewhere. Taja moved closer to the door, ready to see Whisper and herself out. "Shadow," she said. "I'm not much good with it yet, but I'll help any way I can." OOC: @Sparticus147

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum "Yes," the Nullifier replied. "You will be provided with refreshments and toiletries should you wish to make yourselves more presentable." The group began walking towards the the Coliseum. They passed through the gardens that had once been beautiful. Now, however, most of the plants had died from one cause or another. The few that still lived drooped listlessly. The buzzing of insects could no longer be heard—either they, too, had perished, or had moved on in search of greener pastures. The path underfoot, once composed of seamlessly placed stones, was now ruined by dozens of jagged cracks. Behind them, the airship began to rise into the air. Its landing gear folded back into place, and it turned its nose towards the gaping hole in the side of the head. Within the ship, Waveahk could look out and see the city spread out before him like a map. The crystal towers of Ko-Metru, many now fallen or completely shattered. The forges of Ta-Metru, now collapsed and leaking molten protodermis that had consumed half the Metru in liquid metal. The complex chute systems of Le-Metru, a spiderweb whose carcass now lay sprawled over buildings and across the ground. Then they were moving out of the city, and the rest was left behind. A disembodied voice filled the cabin of the ship, emanating from unseen speakers. "Approximately 30 minutes to arrival." OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui @Onaku

IC: Reliable Narrator | Kini-Nui Nuju clicked a bit of birdsong at Sidra's arrival. He didn't appear surprised in the least: he looked like he was accustomed to people turning up exactly when they were supposed to. "This is the Kini-Nui," he said. "The central and most powerful temple on the island. I take it you weren't expecting to come here?" Beyond Nuju, Sorilax examined the Amaja circle. As he knelt down to take a closer look, a lizard scampered out of the sand and across the stones, and vanished into the undergrowth. The circle itself was a typical pit of sand and stones used in the telling of old myths and legends. While some of the stones were shaped differently than others he had seen before, there was nothing particularly interesting or unique about them. The stories are the interesting part, after all. Without a story, a book is just a collection of ink-stained paper, and an Amaja circle is just a sandbox. If there is no one to listen and no one to tell, they are robbed of all their power. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Kal the Guardian IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum The Vahki shook its head at the last question before confirming its orders. "It will be done, Barraki Aurax." It turned and walked back out of the workshop, the doors sliding shut behind it. * * * "Very well," the Nullifier said to Zaliyah, its staff still pointing the way to the Coliseum. "Then this unit will accompany you. When you are ready." OOC: @Toru Nui @Onaku Nato again IC: Taja | Vulimai's Hut, Metru-Koro Taja looked at Whisper. This was another detail that had been difficult to explain. "Toa is both a title and a race. You can be of the Toa species but not follow the traditional code of the Toa. It's... confusing." OOC: @Sparticus147 Nato again IC: Tuakana and Axxon | Approaching Irnakk's Tooth The volcano rose before them. It spewed forth great clouds of gas and smoke that darkened the sky. Its black surface swallowed the light, save for rivers of glowing lava that trickled here and there down its face. Though a mountain, it seemed malevolent and cruel. The Aspect and the titan swallowed their trepidation. They both knew that unknown horrors lurked within. One hand pressed to their side in an attempt to relieve the pain of the amalgam, they continued walking. It was too late to turn back now.

IC: Taja | Vulimai's Hut, Metru-Koro Pridak was dead? Taja's eyes widened at the unexpected news. "Then... is the war over? Or will this Aurax continue the League's mission to wipe us out?" OOC: @Sparticus147

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum "That can be arranged," the Vahki replied. "Please follow. There is a ship preparing to depart for the outside." The unit began to walk away, obviously expecting Waveahk to follow. If he did, the two would exit the Coliseum through the front glass doors, walk for several minutes through the ruined gardens that had once surrounded the tower, and eventually arrive at the landing platforms just as Zaliyah, Ostrox, and Iradra were leaving. The Vahki gestured to the ship from which they had just disembarked. ''This vessel is departing presently. It will transport you beyond the protodermis lake, but no farther." OOC: @Toru Nui IC: Reliable Narrator | Nightmare Pits The shadows seemed to grow even darker as Cravious and Whira examined the carvings, until it was difficult to see them at all. Fumes billowed forth more fiercely from the pit, and the sound of clattering bones grew in volume. Their rattling sounded like diseased lungs struggling to draw breath. But Cravious's telescopic vision served him well, and he was able to make out more details than the ones briefly glimpsed before. There were now more carvings visible, but they did not depart from the general themes of violence and death. Alongside the hieroglyphs that described the ritual of the Tahtorak and the etchings that portrayed its bloody antecedent and savage aftermath, there were carvings of various types of people waging war. Skakdi, distinguished by their wide grins and flared frills, mowed down smaller beings underneath their ACRs. Toa-shaped beings unleashed the elements upon their foes. One etching in particular was so lifelike, it made Cravious shudder. It showed a Skakdi burning alive, his mouth wide in a silent scream of agony, his hand extended as if to ward off a final blow. The carved flames were stylized, but he almost imagined he could feel their heat. He continued scanning the wall, his eyes moving slowly from one set of glyphs to the next. A Skakdi knelt before a hulking shape with long fingers and no eyes. A group of small beings bore a litter carrying another of their own kind, their backs bent under the weight. The carried being's arm was extended with its finger pointing to the next carving, where more small beings toiled over an unknown task. The next etching was mostly worn away. The following carving showed a group of Skakdi battling some giant Rahi-like creature. The artist had shown great care in their rendering of the violent battle, and the depictions of the various injuries made Cravious's stomach squirm. Headless bodies and severed limbs and broken bones were everywhere, and the cuneiform letters ran throughout the scene, linking each picture to the next. He wished he could read them. Whira's shadows disturbed more grime and dust, which flaked away to reveal another scene, larger than the ones before and carved in an entirely different style. It showed a being standing on a plain, its feet surrounded by tiny squiggles. Cravious adjusted his telescopic vision to look closer, and he realized the squiggles were actually people. Dozens of tiny beings, carved in painstaking detail, their hands lifted as if in worship. As he looked closer, he realized the lines carved behind the larger being were probably meant to represent mountains. And, higher than those, other curved lines surely represented the wind and the clouds. The larger being was evidently meant to be enormous, with its feet on the earth and its head among the stars. The being's arms were partially raised, like it was blessing the crowds at its feet. A burst of heat swept through the cave. The smell of oil and vomit grew stronger. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~

IC: Taja | Vulimae's Hut, Metru-Koro Wait, Taja thought. It was the first time she had reached out mentally to Whisper, but it seemed necessary. As she translated her knowledge into words that other beings could understand, she realized that there was a potential downside to this power. The people who wear these masks... you can talk to them just like me, can't you? They might not agree if we tell them that. OOC: @Nato the Traveler

@~Xemnas~ Atamai Nuva approved.

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum The Nullifier's clockwork brain whirred at Ostrox's question. Its eyes flickered. Otherwise, it stood with the artificial stillness of a robot. "Barraki Aurax is occupied presently. He has been alerted to your arrival." It gestured towards the Coliseum with one staff. The silver weapon gleamed in the twilight. "Would you like an escort to a waiting room? Refreshments will be provided." * * * Elsewhere, deep in the Coliseum, a door slid open soundlessly. A Vahki walked into Aurax's workshop, where he and Saybo were tinkering with the ACR. Sparks flashed. The air smelled of hot metal and oil. The Vahki waited for a suitable moment to interrupt, then beeped to get their attention. "Barraki Aurax. Lieutenant Zaliyah and Ensign Ostrox are returning from Metru-Koro. They were directed to bomb the village by Barraki Pridak before his death." It waited for a reaction or a question. If it received neither, it would continue. "They are accompanied by a Toa from the village. They will arrive in the city shortly." OOC: @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler @Onaku @~Xemnas~ @Kal the Guardian

IC: Reliable Narrator | Nightmare Pits The shadows twisted and seethed under Whira's command, but they found no tunnel. The barely-lit cavern, vast and dark with a malevolent presence, was a single room hewn roughly out of the rock, and there were only two exits: back up the stairs they had just descended, or leaping blind into the mists that roiled below the jutting cliff. Those mists surely held secrets of their own, but that knowledge, once found, could not be carried back out. Whira's probing shadows disturbed the layers of grime and ash that plastered the walls, causing some of it to flake away and drift to the floor. The carvings that had resisted Cravious's vision were now more visible, if he decided to take a closer look. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~

IC: Tuakana & Axxon | The Desert The sand moved beneath them. The sky grew darker. The volcano's breath obscured the sun, and ash filled the air. Eyes fixed on the mountain that now stood directly ahead of them, tall and black and spewing smoke, they continued their unrelenting pace.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Silver Lake The organic occupants of the airship felt their stomachs drop as the ship rose into the air. It turned its nose towards the metal head that gleamed in the sunlight and began to move swiftly over the sparkling waters. "Barraki Pridak is dead," the Vahki replied crisply. "And Barraki Ehlek's location is currently unknown. Barraki Aurax rules the city now." The newcomers digested this information as the ship continued on its trajectory. The skyfallen head, already vast beyond comprehension, seemed to grow even larger as they approached, until eventually they fell under its broad shadow. The blue sky was still visible above and behind them, but now the sun was hidden behind the face of a sheer metal cliff that rose incalculable bio above them. And yet, even this artificial monstrosity was not immune to the unrelenting march of life. Here and there, they could make out muddy nests tucked under warped sheets of metal, home to families of small birds. Reptiles scurried from crack to crevice, their cold blood longing for the sun's return. A wasp nest hung from the end of a shattered pipe. Then their ship entered the gaping hole in the side of the head, and they beheld Metru Nui. The Vahki's repair effort had begun that morning, but it didn't appear any less damaged for their work. The incredible damage would take a similarly incredible amount of time to overcome. Still, the city was beautiful in its own way. Some towers still stood, their spires reaching up at a slight angle. Here and there, lit windows glowed yellow in the everlasting dusk that reigned inside the skull. If they looked closely, they could make out Vahki scuttling around far below them, cleaning up debris and shoring up half-fallen structures. And before them: the Coliseum. Even before the fall, no building had ever come close to touching its grandeur. Now it towered over the shattered city like a lighthouse overseeing an ocean of broken stone, metal, and glass. The lights in its windows were like a beacon. Its silver spire looked like a finger pointing to heaven, defiantly accusing god himself. And where was Mata Nui to answer this accusation? Zaliyah and Ostrox felt a glow of pride at the reminder of their victory. The League had accomplished its goal and cast the idol down from its unearned place. Now all species could live here, free of the tyranny of a Great Spirit who did not love them. Still, there was work to be done. The airship descended gracefully, coming to a landing on the platforms just outside the Coliseum. Blinking green lights signaled an empty landing pad, and it was here the ship docked, its well-oiled landing gear unfolding silently. With a hiss of steam, the rear door opened, allowing the passengers to disembark. The Nullifier led the way, its metallic feet clanking on the ground. Zaliyah's Vahki stayed behind. Now that they were back under Hive jurisdiction, the airship would return them to the work of carrying out Aurax's commands. Zaliyah, Ostrox, and Iradra, however, were free to do as they pleased. The Nullifier waited patiently nearby in case they had any questions. OOC: @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler @Onaku IC: Reliable Narrator | Nightmare Pits Cravious sought the place he had looked for before, but his heart sank as all he saw was layer after layer of dense stone. The mountain was unyielding under his gaze. He could hear the laughter of the pit witches like the skittering of insects over his eardrums. He felt a cold sweat break out in the hollow of his back. It was a trick. He felt something watching him. Was this it? Had Irnakk deceived him? Sent him crawling through the tunnels in search of shadows he could never find? The dark god of the volcano fed on dreams and vomited back nightmares; had he let Cravious see exactly what he needed to convince him to descend into the pit? No. No! That couldn't be true. His fear motivated him to push his vision to its limit. He scanned the floor, the walls, the ceiling, but nothing appeared. In fact, unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, his vision wasn't working properly. He frowned. The inscriptions in the walls, almost completely hidden beneath years of ash and grime, stubbornly resisted his power. He could see through the dirt and dust just fine, but the symbols and carvings floated before him, impenetrable. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ IC: Taja | Metru-Koro Taja nodded, and allowed Vulimai to lead them to her personal hut. Once safely inside, the Toa turned to the new leader of the village. "Whisper and I visited a temple in the southern swamps," she said, wasting no more time on pleasantries. "It was huge and ancient, and possessed by some sort of guardian. It made us pass a trial to get properly inside. What we found there..." She swallowed. "We found a way to give people powers through their masks. I don't know if you've heard of what Aspects—" she gestured towards Whisper. "—can do, but they can give power to other beings by sacrificing a still-beating heartlight. Obviously, that's not... not a great way to get power. But we've found a way around it. In the temple, we learned how to use a transform a single heartlight into a... a..." Taja stumbled to a stop as she struggled to translate the knowledge in her brain into words. Her hands moved unconsciously, translating her thoughts into the hand speech that she and Jaa used to communicate. If the Ko-Matoran had been here, he would have read the phrase shadow-worm in the movements of her fingers. "...a thing that can give powers to multiple people just by touching their masks. We could use it to give everyone access to powers that would protect them. Heal them. Keep them safe. With just one heartlight instead of many." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler

IC: Taja | Metru-Koro "It's good to see you, Vulimai," Taja replied. "Of course I'll help with the rebuilding effort. Actually..." she glanced at Whisper. "That's why we're here. Whisper and I investigated a temple in the swamps to the south. We found secret knowledge there. Something that might help us repair the village and prepare for any other attacks." She coughed. "You're the current leader of Metru-Koro? Then you should hear about it first. Is there anywhere private we can go?" OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147

IC: Taja | Metru-Koro Taja nodded as they finally walked back into Metru-Koro. If you asked her, she couldn't have honestly said how long the journey had taken. The days and nights seemed to blend together, bending time in odd ways. But she was back. And it looked like the village hadn't yet been totally razed, so that was good. Still, it wasn't in great shape. Craters and blast marks were proof of the League's attack, and many huts had been destroyed. Rubble was everywhere. Some cleanup efforts had begun, but most of the work was yet to be done. She looked around as she walked, hoping to see someone she recognized. She didn't know who was in charge now that Sans had passed away, but hopefully they would be open to the power that she and Whisper now carried. OOC: Taja and Whisper open for interaction. @Nato the Traveler

IC: Reliable Narrator | Nightmare Pits Cravious and Whira emerged from the tunnel. The floor ended abruptly in a cliff whose face descended down, down into the belly of the mountain. It was impossible to tell how deep the gorge went: if either of them walked to the edge of the outcropping and peered over, they would see nothing but thick clouds of gas and smoke. But through the mists, the unmistakable heat of the volcano could be felt. The heat was accompanied by a faint red light that did almost nothing to illuminate their surroundings. Fumes rose from the dark gorge, rippling and twisting in the air. This was an unholy place. Faint whispers and fainter cries could be heard from somewhere below the mists, coaxing the ignorant observer to leap into the unknown. Shapes seemed to move beneath the obscuring mists. The suggestions of bodies. The outlines of forms. They could be seen only for a moment before they vanished again into the smoke. Perhaps they were just a trick of the light? The walls of the volcanic cavern were caked in ash. Beneath the grime, ancient carvings scratched out a horrific history of blood and death. Roughly drawn hieroglyphs spelled out the ritual of the Tahtorak in gruesome detail. One etching showed a Skakdi bleeding out on the ground, his conqueror standing above him with a foot on his chest and a fresh heartlight held aloft. Another set of petroglyphs portrayed the Tooth erupting in all its smoldering glory; upon closer examination, one could see a massive arm emerging from the fire and smoke. Cuneiform letters ran throughout the scenes, their meanings lost to time. The air was heavy. It wasn't just because of the smoke; as soon as they entered, Cravious and Whira could sense that this place had a purpose, and it was ever hungry for that purpose to be fulfilled. It was a forge, built to craft artifacts of terrifying power. The heat that made the air shimmer had consumed countless blood sacrifices over the ages. The unseen fires in the depths of the gorge had devoured untold heartlights. The walls had witnessed the rise of monsters beyond number: pit-birthed horrors whose hunger knew no limits and whose hatred knew no bounds. The fumes that clouded the air stank of burning oil and rot. The floor was silver with old blood. And above all the smoke and heat and flickering light, they could sense a Presence watching them like a vulture. Irnakk was here. His eyes were upon them. Their journey had brought them to the place of his power, where his nightmares became reality. Somewhere out of sight, they could hear bones rattling. Whispers scratched at their ears. If they closed their eyes, they could almost feel his breath on the back of their necks. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~

IC: Reliable Narrator | Silver Lake The Vahki's clockwork brain whirred as it digested this information. Then it snapped out of its reverie and lowered its staffs. "Welcome aboard, Toa Iradra," it said. "You are required to comply with all Metru-Nui laws and customs. Direct any questions to the nearest Vahki. Obedience is happiness." The Nullifier retreated into the airship and waited for the others to board. Once they did, the ship could take off and return them to Metru-Nui. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui @Onaku IC: Taja | Outskirts of Metru-Koro "Hopefully we can keep it that way," the Toa replied. It was all she had left. IC: Oreius | The Desert Night had long since fallen by the time Oreius finally gave up his search. The meagre lights of the Iapyx were too weak to be of much use—he might have passed the survivors and not even noticed. The sky was overcast, so he didn't even have the light of the stars to help. Despite his determination not to give up, he knew the smart thing to do was to wait until morning. So he directed the onboard AI to maintain elevation, and climbed into one of the bunks mid-ship. Until his head hit the pillow, he was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep. Aurax's ascension, the attack on Metru-Koro, the decision to let the League soldiers go, and now the destruction of Po-Koro... it was so much in so little time, and it all came on the heels of the end of a universe. His head was still spinning with strategies and choices yet to be made. The island was full of possibilities... and even more dangers. But as soon as he closed his eyes, his body remembered how tired it was. He fell immediately into a deep, dreamless sleep.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Lake Shore After a long moment, Zaliyah's radio picked up a staticky response. "Request acknowledged," said the unmistakably tinny voice of a Vahki. "Remain where you are." The group figured it might be an hour or more before an airship could make it out to them, but, to their surprise, the silver hull of a ship appeared over the surface of the water less than twenty minutes later. Unbeknownst to them, Aurax's command to connect the silver lake to the pipes of the city was already being carried out, and plenty of Vahki and machinery were busy working on the outside of the great metal head. The airship that came in for a landing looked remarkably similar to Zaliyah's old ship: it was a construction vehicle, designed for tight maneuvers between buildings, not for war. The ship hovered a few feet above the ground, and a second broadcast crackled out of Zaliyah's radio. "Remain where you are. Authentication in progress. Remain where you are." A side door slid open, and a Nullifier Vahki looked out, its staffs raised and ready to fire. Its optics whirred as it scanned the beings on the ground. Then it beeped in recognition, and the ship settled down to the ground at last, sending up a small cloud of dust. The rear door opened with a hiss of venting steam. Zaliyah's Vahki began moving their cargo into the ship, having immediately submitted to the Nullifier's influence and received their orders. "Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Zaliyah. Welcome aboard, Ensign Ostrox. Please identify your companion." At this point, they realized that the Vahki's weapons were still raised, and pointing at Iradra. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui @Onaku IC: Taja | The Desert Whisper made a good point. Taja kept forgetting that her old life was literally over. The universe she had once lived in was now floating in space, and her old home had been dashed upon the shores of this island like a broken toy. Where was the Great Spirit now? Was she still bound by his precepts? That thought brought her back to the line of thought she'd been chasing early. What was destiny, really? And who was she? If she changed, did her destiny change? Or was it her purpose all along? Did that purpose go beyond the end of the world? Or had destiny, along with everything else she had once known, come to a cataclysmic end? "Maybe... maybe you're right," she said, trailing off into thoughtfulness. Maybe she really was free now, and just pretending that things were still the same. Pretending the stars still twinkled in the same constellations and moved in the same patterns, when, in reality, she didn't recognize them at all. It was stupid, she supposed; but the alternative was to realize that there was nothing to believe in anymore. The thought terrified her. That was why she clung so desperately to the thought of protecting her people. It gave her purpose. The smudge on the horizon was definitely closer now. If she strained her eyes, Taja was sure she could make out the shapes of buildings. Metru-Koro!

IC: Taja | The Desert "You're as limited as I am," Taja replied. Reading Whisper's expressions was usually difficult, but she was pretty sure this one meant 'incredulous.' "Everyone and everything is limited. We are limited by our needs and desires. You want to find a body of your own, and that limits the choices you make. The Aspect we met in the temple wants revenge on the Skakdi. That desire limits her, too. And Morangad refused to join us because his power—his strength—limits his ability to be with others." Taja spread her arms in a theatrical gesture meaning everything. "This whole island struggles to survive. Rahi kill to live. Skakdi kill for fun. Your kind seek goals that I hardly understand, but those goals limit your actions just as my loyalty to the Great Spirit limits mine. We all worship our own gods, in a way, and we live to appease them. None of us are free." OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Taja | The Desert "Of course there would," Taja said. "Everyone is still free to make good and bad decisions. Or... even just good and less-good decisions. Just because one choice is rewarded doesn't mean you're prevented from choosing something else." There was definitely something on the horizon. Was it Metru-Koro? "I studied the stars because I wanted to, not because anyone made me do it. But the Great Spirit, in His mercy, allowed that to be my duty, too. I was never forced to do something I hated." OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Taja | The Desert "His will is perfect," Taja said evenly. "If everyone followed His virtues, there would be peace. But some don't. They want power, and they hurt others to get it. Can you blame Him for wanting to protect his children from people like that?" She lifted her eyes to the horizon. Was it her imagination, or was there something there—a smudge where the sky met the sand? OOC: @Nato the Traveler IC: Oreius | Zakazian Skies The sun was dipping towards the horizon as the Iapyx swooped in low over the remains of Po-Koro. Oreius frowned as he looked down over the shattered huts and flooded streets. Some great calamity had come upon the fledgling village, that was certain. It must have happened recently, for the mud still gleamed wetly in the dying light. If there were any survivors, they must have fled. Oreius sighed. He was sick of hope. Pulling a lever, he directed the ship to turn towards the setting sun. He flew lower to the ground than before, keeping an eye out for any sign of weary refugees. IC: Axxon & Tuakana | The Desert The ground beneath their feet turned from black to brown. The titan shuddered in relief as their elemental powers returned to them. Their shambling gait came to a brief halt. Shadows licked up their arms and dug into the crevices of their armor, filling the gaps and attempting to relieve the pain of the amalgam that they carried in their side. Breathing hard, they looked to the southeast. They knew the mountain was there. One of them called it the Forge. The other called it the Tooth. They feared and loved it in equal measure. They could not deny its call. The shadows pooled at their feet, giving them strength. They closed their eyes. Truth pierced darkness, illuminating powers they had forgotten they possessed. Slowly, then faster and faster, the pool of shadow bore them across the sand.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Irnakk's tooth, Nightmare Pits Cravious and Whira ascended the mountain. The slope was steep and treacherous, and every step sent pebbles skittering down the mountain face. It was a hard trek, and the sulfurous air made it worse. It made breathing difficult, and it stung the eyes. As the pair continued their climb, they passed steam vents that let loose occasional blasts of gas, and their way was lit by trickling streams of lava that drip-drip-dripped their way down the blackened rock. At last, grunting, Cravious hoisted his body over one last ledge and was confronted by the entrance he sought. It was less a doorway than a hole carved straight into the mountain, its edges roughly cut but made smooth by the passage of untold years. Clouds of thin smoke drifted from the tunnel, suggesting that the air within was no cleaner than the air without. Two tall and spindly cairns of Skakdi skulls balanced atop one another stood on either side of the tunnel's mouth to greet the travelers. Their empty eyes and grinning teeth sent shivers down Cravious's spine. This was truly a cursed place, and he longed to turn around and go back the way he had come. But if he was to achieve his goal, the only way to go was forward. So he took a deep breath and plunged ahead into the darkness of the Tooth. The shadows seemed to cling to them as they descended, like they were made of cobwebs. Cravious felt like he was being watched, but no matter where he looked or how hard he pressed the capabilities of his X-Ray vision, he saw nothing but black rock and a strange white mist that clung to the ground. The single tunnel made its way steadily downward, sometimes providing rudely carved steps, and sometimes not. Cravious had to watch his steps more carefully than ever—his mechanical foot was having difficulty with the terrain. Bones crunched beneath his feet, and he smelled something foul in the air. His fear grew with each step. He knew without a doubt that something dark and terrible awaited them at the end of the twisting corridor. Something that watched him even now, something old and rotting and malicious. A horror beyond thought. Each step took more willpower than the last as every instinct in his body screamed at him to run! run! get out! But he swallowed his fear and soldiered on. Was he going down? Or up? The tunnel seemed to have its own internal, paradoxical logic, and sometimes the Skakdi could swear he was going the wrong way. He walked in circles, descending into the volcano like a vulture, and with every step came the crunch of old bones. Occasionally he felt like he was suddenly falling, and his hands involuntarily reached out to grab the nearest surface. The tunnel wall was always there for him, warm and slick with an unknown liquid. He would shake his head, then continue, wondering blearily if his X-Ray vision had turned itself off, or if he had turned it off himself and forgotten. He knew he was supposed to be searching for branching tunnels, but there was only one path here in Irnakk's domain, and it led straight to Him. The path led him into thicker mists and clouds of voices; tempests of memories and showers of loss. He found himself weeping without knowing why. All around him, memories whispered, calling him in every direction, but there was only one way to walk. The stairs led down. Down through the voices whose whispers grew louder and more desperate. Down into childhood nightmares and fever dreams. The tunnel grew ever warmer. He was dripping with sweat, so why did he feel so cold? His teeth chattered as he continued his descent, one hand trailing along the tunnel wall. The stench of burning oil and sour milk surrounded him. After a time, times, and half a time, the mists receded. The air grew hotter. Each step brought them closer to the source of a warm red glow that filled the tunnel. Cravious and Whira were near the end. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ Please let me know what your characters experience as they descend! What childhood trauma do they relive? What fears and regrets do they face? After you post, they can emerge from the tunnel to the place where Boss and Barius fought. IC: Taja | Desert "Our weapons are given to us for defense," she said. "To protect our way of life. Not to force our will upon others. The Great Spirit gave all beings the choice to embrace His virtues or not. If everyone did, there would be no need for violence. But some choose their own path, and so we must be ready for them." OOC: @Nato the Traveler IC: Oreius | Skies Over Zakaz The afternoon sun bathed the land in rich, yellow light as Oreius's airship glided north towards Po-Koro.

IC: Tuakana & Axxon | Fortress Ruins Some believe minds are like books, and reading a mind is as simple as turning a page. But it is not so. Axxon learned this when he was trained in the art of mental defense. A mind is more like a pond. Moss-slick rocks sit at the bottom, and fish swim freely between the plants that grow there. Lily pads cast circular shadows on the rocks. Frogs jump in and out of the water, chasing insects that buzz here and there. Water flows in, sometimes carrying twigs or dead leaves; and water flows out, burbling as it moves over the stones. The mind is ever in flux, changing with each new thought and idea. Though its identity does not change, it never exists in exactly the same state as before. Reading a mind is like crouching next to a pond and looking for a certain fish. On some days, the sunlight glints off its scales and you can easily trace its path through the water. On other days, the fish is hiding between two rocks, and the water's surface is constantly stirred by the wind, and you can't make anything out at all. Plunging into the water might help, but it might only make things worse, stirring up debris and dirt and sending thoughts scurrying for cover. The ponds that had once been the minds of Tuakana and Axxon were now one. The fish that swam in the Aspect's mind now darted between the rocks of the titan's. Their thoughts and memories flowed freely, mingling and twisting around each other like strands of algae. They stood, silent, on the shore of the silver sea for a long time, struggling to come to terms with this expanded pool of thoughts they now shared. The Aspect's motivations became clear to Axxon. The pain he had suffered under the curse of the Disks was the pain the Aspect of Grief sought to bring to an end. Death was the true enemy, a crueler and more dangerous foe than any mortal being. Time was its lieutenant, delivering every soul eventually to its slavering jaws. Only by becoming the master of time could they bring the curse of mortality to an end. And Axxon's knowledge became the Aspect's. They saw the forging of the Great Disks. They understood their purpose, and pieces fell at last into place. The destiny of the Ark. The Forgemaster's plan. These memories had echoes in their own, seen from a different perspective and gradually forgotten over time. But now they were crystal clear, for Axxon had been there only hours ago. He had stood before the Forge of the Heartsflame and watched as Forgemaster Dume swung his hammer, throwing sparks into the air, the music of his workmanship filling the hall. They turned their eyes to the horizon, to where they knew the smoking volcano stood like a fortress, and knew it to be the same. The fires that birthed the Tahtorahk were the same that had birthed the Disks. Mahrika's knowledge joined theirs. There was great power to be unlocked using the Disks. Enough, perhaps, to thwart the fire-birthed monster. But not enough to defy death forever. That would take more than mere baubles. And there was still the matter of Axxon's desire to reclaim what Atamai had stolen. Without the Disks, the past could not become the future. This paradox threatened the very existence of the Time Between Time. If they could not return the Disks, then all the universe would slide into chaos and oblivion as time itself came unraveled like an old sweater. There was much to do, and little time in which to do it. The Aspect and the Titan came to an accord. They began to walk. One step after another, they travelled out of the shadow-cursed land. The blackened sand crunched beneath their feet. Their eyes were full of purpose. Their hands were ready for war.

Asking the real questions here.

IC: Taja | Desert "It serves no purpose," she said after a moment's thought. "Other than to show respect for the sanctity of life. We believe the Great Spirit, in His wisdom, gave life to the everything that lives. It isn't our place to take that life, unless by not taking it we are allowing our own lives to be threatened. It has less to do with the person, and more to do with what they represent." OOC: @Nato the Traveler