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Eyru

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  1. IC: Spiriah | Spiriah's Labyrinth "All the questions in the world," the voice said. "And that's the one you choose?" The darkness seemed to grow deeper and darker. It was almost palpable: a thick, strangling presence. "What about where am I? or why did you bring me here? Those are things people want to know. But who are you? Everyone knows that already. What a waste of exposition." The voice paused for a moment. When it spoke again, it sounded contemplative, almost rueful. "You are of Onaku's brood. Perhaps you will soon be cast aside, as so many often are. Too many names. Not enough time." Another pause. "For your sake, then, I will answer. For the sake of all the stories left unfinished. I am Spiriah. Aspect of Faith." IC: Tuyet | Throne Room "Alright, alright, I get it," Tuyet said, raising her hands. "Nice talk, Spooks. If you're not gonna help, then I guess I'll be on my way. Any chance I can get a lift outta here? Axonn's not gonna find himself." IC: Reliable Narrator | Kini-Nui The door eagerly drank in the offered power of both NUVA. Its hunger was so voracious, it almost seemed a living thing. The negative counterpart to the NUVA themselves, a living void aching to be filled. How much more would they give? IC: Reliable Narrator | Relic Fields The untethered monstrosity shambled slowly after Niidak, into the shadows of the towers. She could easily outrun it, but she knew it would easily outlast her. As long as it could see her, it would continue its pursuit. The towers loomed in the dying light like massive gravestones. The wind sang between them, filling the ruins with an eerie whistle. Every so often, the untethered would echo back the sound with its own keening cry. IC: The Rock Rahi | Kumu Peninsula The Rahi moved on like a rolling stone. It rolled over bare rock and over patches of scraggly grass. It rolled through algae-crusted puddles. It rolled ever south. Gradually, a shape began to emerge from the mists. It was a tall, twisting tower carved out of. the rocky face of a cliff. Its spires pointed accusingly at the sky. Its windows were dark. It was still a ways off when the rock rolled to a stop. "There, it's just over that-- oh, did we lose someone?"
  2. IC: Reliable Narrator | Kini-Nui Although the mech did not belong to Kilo, it willingly bent to the Kralhi's command. Raising a hand, the mech unleashed a torrential blast of air into the surface of the door. The beings standing nearby moved for cover, hunkering against the winds that suddenly whipped through the valley. The door eagerly drank in the offered power, but its greed was not sated. It continued to drain Kilo's energies into itself, taking whatever was offered. How much more would Kilo give? IC: Tuyet | Throne Room "Of course not," Tuyet muttered. She snagged the spare mask from the Vahki and put it on, sighing in relief as power rushed through her body again. Everything seemed a little clearer. She noticed how the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows cascaded over the marble floor. "I didn't figure you knew him," she said to Aurax. "World's not that small, Spooks. But come on, any chance you can help me find him? You've got Vahki, airships, big burly henchmen—" she gestured noncommittally at Xaril. "You're not gonna let your whole kingdom disappear without at least putting up a fight?" IC: The Rock Rahi | Kumu Peninsula "Sure thing," the rock said. "Let's roll!" With that, it began rolling southward, not even checking to see if its new companions were keeping up. IC: Reliable Narrator | Relic Field Outskirts As Niidak struggled to repair her hoverbike in the dim light, she gradually became aware of a moaning sound. At first she dismissed it as the wind, but when it persisted, she stood up and looked around. To the north, barely perceptible in the dying light, was a shambling figure. It was still too far away for any details to be properly seen, but the proportions of its silhouette were odd. Its arms and torso seemed too long. Something seemed to be wrong with one of its legs, for it moved with a stumbling gait, always on the edge of tottering over. As it moved slowly toward her, it opened its mouth and keened again, its wail echoing over the dark and lonely landscape. OOC @Daniel the Finlander An Untethered is approaching Niidak! Fix your bike and get out of there, or prepare for an ugly fight. @pokemonlover360 @~Xemnas~ @BULiK @Nato the Traveler @Kal the Guardian @Toru Nui and anyone else in the Kini-Nui area.
  3. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui Am I alive? Listening to Stannis lecture makes me wonder if this is really karzahni.
  4. Hey @Sailor Wah!, please remember to check the date of the last post in a topic before adding a reply. The post before yours was made in March 2020—almost a year ago! This counts as topic revival, so this topic will be closed. If you would like to continue the discussion, feel free to start a new topic. In the meantime, please take a look at the BZPower Forum Revival Reference. It's a handy guide that will help you avoid reviving topics.
  5. IC: Reliable Narrator | Kumu Peninsula Whira pressed her hand to the symbol, which immediately began to glow dimly. She felt her mind abruptly contract into a small point of light—or was the universe expanding? The vertigo-inducing sensation was accompanied by a rush of knowledge that swept through her like a flood. She saw flashes of memories and images she barely recognized. She saw the sky turn dark and the seas turn to blood. She saw a kraata wriggling, its slimy skin gleaming under the light of the moon. And over everything, she heard the words of a Taboo being recited: Goodbye My fickle friend You breathe and laugh and love You glowing star You shed your light far above Hello The symbol ceased glowing and began to fade. Its mirror image was now etched somewhere on Whira's body to serve as a physical reminder of the forbidden knowledge she now carried. "Wow," the rock said. "I've never seen it do that." OOC: @~Xemnas~ Whira has learned the Rites of Infectious Kraata Extraction. You may add the following power to her profile:
  6. IC: Tuyet | Throne Room "My point is," Tuyet continued, rolling her eyes at Exuze. "Your whole universe is like that whirlpool. Like, everything here exists only because another universe ended, and you're only gonna keep existing until it's, like, finished going down the drain. When that happens..." She snapped her fingers. "Bathtime's over. No more bubbles. No more playtime. No more kingdom." She rubbed her eyes. "I'm trying to fix this. To, like, put the plug back in. And to do that I gotta find a guy named Axonn. Tall, big hands, totally buff, and should be ten thousand years in the past. Any chance you can help a girl out?" OOC: @~Xemnas~ @BULiK @Nato the Traveler
  7. IC: Reliable Narrator | Relic Fields Niidak drove around the relic fields for another hour. Her search was less than fruitful: she found more broken equipment and more loose papers, but no more statues, magic or otherwise; and no more Toa, wounded or otherwise. The sun was starting to sink towards the horizon now. The crystal towers looked ethereal in the twilight—they gleamed and sparkled, and tossed out reflections of the dying sunlight. The remains of the chute system hung like metal spiderwebs in the air. This haunting place had once been full of life. Now it was quiet, like a beautiful cemetery. The idea sent shivers down her spine. Who knew what apparitions might arrive with the onset of night? IC: Tuyet | Throne Room "Okaaay," Tuyet said, one eyebrow raised. This guy was sending chills down her spine, and not in a good way. "Why not. Spooky vibes aside, I'm sure you're totally a stand-up guy, so I'll let you in." The Toa lowered her voice conspiratorially, forcing Aurax to lean in to hear. "You ever finish taking a bath and just, like, sit there and watch the water run out? It's totally trippy, right? Everything looks normal at first, and then you see, like, this whirlpool forming over the drain. You know what I'm talking about, Spooks? I can't be the only one who does this, right?" IC: The Rock Rahi | Kumu Peninsula "You got it," the rock said cheerfully. It rolled carefully around the caldera towards an outcropping of stone. The rock was matte black, and seemed to suck in the light that fell upon it. Despite its unnatural appearance, mold and lichen clung happily to its surface, and grass grew around the base. Carved into the rock was a symbol: an equilateral triangle with a clockwise spiral inside. "There you go," the rock said. "It's not gonna rock your world, but it's pretty neat. I like it." IC: Tuakana, Axxon | The Great Telescope The titan stepped forward. They did not remember the last time they had looked upon their desecrated. Their form had been different then. So had hers. She was changed, unless they remembered wrongly. Such things had happened before. "Little one," they said. "It is I." OOC: @Daniel the Finlander @~Xemnas~ @Nato the Traveler @BULiK @Kal the Guardian @Toru Nui @Harvali
  8. IC: Tueyet | Aurax's Throne Room "Totally," Tuyet said. "Lots of information. But first, I'm kinda in the middle of keeping the multiverse from like, falling apart. Any chance you can give me a hand with that?" IC: The Rock Rahi | Kumu Peninsula "Hmm," the rock rumbled thoughtfully. "There's some graffiti someone scratched on the wall over there. I wish I could draw, but I don't have any hands..." It trailed off gloomily, then seemed to perk up. "Anyway, want to see it?" IC: Reliable Narrator | Spiriah's Labyrinth The tunnels seemed endless. The Mesi moved at a relentless pace, scurrying through the lightless passageways without the need for lights or maps. Only Arkius's earth sense kept him from bashing his head on the low ceilings or outcroppings of rock. As it was, he struggled to keep his footing, jogging hunched over with his hands cuffed behind his back. Any time he slowed even slightly, the Mesi behind him would poke at his back with the spear, reminding him to keep up. Gradually, he began to sense the presence of more beings ahead, walking over the earth. The Mesi poured out of the tunnel into a more open cavern. Arkius could sense hut-like structures made of earth all around him. It was an underground village. But the Mesi didn't stop here. They continued moving, into another tunnel, and soon the village far behind them. The tunnel split, then split again. Each time, the Mesi chose their path unflinchingly and without a hint of uncertainty. Left, right, right, center, left... Arkius tried to keep track of which tunnel branches they chose, but was forced eventually to give up. The labyrinth was too complex to memorize on his first journey through it. The Mesi only moved as swiftly and certainly as they did because they had all grown up here. They had traversed these tunnels thousands of times, learning the twists and turns and junctions until they could walk them backwards. Just when the Toa, his legs burning and lungs heaving, was wondering if they would ever stop moving, the pace slowed. He could sense more beings ahead. They finally stopped. One of the Mesi in his group spoke to the new Mesi. Their strange tongue sounded like waves lapping against the shore, and Arkius's ears could discern no meaning in it. But evidently the other Mesi was satisfied, because they began to move again. They passed through a narrow tunnel that was even more cramped than the ones they had raced through earlier. Even to the blind Arkius, this tunnel seemed darker, like it was shrouded in shadows that extended beyond sight. The darkness here felt almost physical, draping itself over his limbs like sheets of black silk. It dulled all his senses, even his earth sense, until it felt like he was stumbling through a dream. Then the tunnel opened into another cavern, and he felt something in its center. It was a stony pit dug into the earth, wide and deep. No matter how far Arkius pushed his elemental senses, he could not discern the bottom. It seemed endless. He didn’t need sight to feel the great power living deep inside the pit. He somehow knew not to fall into the pit—he would be lost forever if he did. As he stumbled into the cave, the Mesi who had brought him here retreated. He was alone, or almost alone. A new voice spoke. Arkius could sense the speaker standing on the ground nearby. Curiously, this Mesi carried themselves on all fours. Although the voice came from their mouth, it seemed too big for their body. The voice was deep and hoarse, like the earth itself had found a way to talk to him. "Speak," the voice said. OOC: @~Xemnas~ @Nato the Traveler @BULiK @Kal the Guardian @Toru Nui @Onaku IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui "Briefly," Oreius said. "Enough not to trust it." OOC: @EmperorWhenua IC: Taja | The Desert As the sun began to climb into the sky again, Taja decided it was time rest. She didn't like the thought of travelling in the heat of the day, and she was tired after walking all night. So she raised a hand and twisted her shadow, which stretched long and dark against the sandy earth, into the shape of a broad shovel. At her command, her shadow began to excavate a shelter, one heaping pile of dirt at a time. After a few minutes, she had a foxhole in which she could curl up and sleep, sheltered from the sun's rays. Lying back against the cool earth, Taja closed her eyes and reached out with her senses. The sun was bright today, with only a few clouds to filter its light. If anyone walked up on her, she would surely sense their shadow and wake up.
  9. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui "What now?" OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Nato the Traveler
  10. IC: Reliable Narrator | Spiriah's Labyrinth No sooner had Arkius laid the last of his possessions down then someone grabbed his arms and yanked them behind his back. A pair of cuffs materialized around his wrists: made of solid iron that was cold against his skin, he couldn't bend them if he tried. Someone else kicked the backs of his legs. He fell roughly to his knees with a grunt of pain. There was the sound of spitting, and he felt something spatter his maskless face. Mesi laughter echoed around him. "Sunspawn scum," growled a voice. Other voices murmured in agreement, but Arkius didn't understand the tongue in which they spoke. It was a low, whispering language that seemed all consonants and clicks. The Mesi immediately around him seemed to be discussing something. Perhaps how to kill him? How quickly they were going to let him die? There was no way of knowing. Then the accented voice emerged again from the darkness. "Walk," it commanded. A pair of arms dragged Arkius back to his feet, and the point of an unknown weapon prodded the small of his back, as if to emphasize the command. IC: The Rock Rahi | Kumu Peninsula "Interesting? Lots of things," the rock said optimistically. "Hey look! A bug!" Indeed, a small insectoid rahi was creeping along the ground. Its wings shimmered. Its carapace gleamed gold and green. Then the rock rolled over the insect, and it died pretty much instantly. "Yum," the rock said. "You were saying?" IC: Tuyet | The Coliseum "Demolitions, huh?" Tuyet looked around at the mess. "Never figured I'd live to see the Coliseum get renovated. So where's the head honcho?" OOC: @Onaku @Xemnas @Toru Nui @Kal the Guardian @Nato the Traveler @BULiK
  11. IC: Reliable Narrator | Relic Fields No, it wasn't. Decapitated, the stone head seemed to lack any of the power it had displayed before. The Miru didn't even seem to fit on properly anymore. The face had looked so finely carved and realistic before, but now even the details seemed rough and crude, like all the art and magic had gone out of it.
  12. IC: Tuakana, Axxon | Great Telescope They waited. IC: Reliable Narrator | Spiriah's Labyrinth Arkius's words appeared to have no effect. He spoke into the utter darkness and trusted the Mesi would listen, but their approach did not slow. The soft susurrations continued, woven of cloth against stone, of whispers between teeth, of feet slipping over earth. The sound was joined now by a quiet cackling as various Mesi started laughing at the idea that they would spare a top-dweller. It was like a shark telling fish to join forces against the fisherman. Hide in my mouth, sweet ones, so he will not find you. The idea was comical in its stupidity. The word warskaks meant nothing to them. There were the Mesi, and there were the Others. Arkius was an Other. Three or four Mesi wavered in their approach, swayed by the effects of the mask of charisma, but Arkius could not bend the entire crowd to his will. Their hatred for sun-birthed beings knew no bounds. Each Mesi had been told tales of the top-dwellers while it was only a babe in arms. They grew up under the earth, every bent back and bumped head accompanied by a curse against the surface-people who had robbed them of the sun and sent them into the deeps. None lived who still remembered the banishment, but the story would never be forgotten. It was woven into their history; it was a shining bead threaded on the cord of their collective memory. Arkius was that bead personified, made manifest in all his arrogance and pride. He would dare to parley with them? After centuries of feuding blood between their races? One Mesi screeched in laughter at the thought. The sound echoed through the tunnels, a wild howl of foul delight. Their breath was on his skin. Their claws reached through the air to slice his veins open. They would rip his trinkets from his body before crushing his corpse into a fine powder and scattering it throughout the farthest reaches of the Labyrinth. Advancing shoulder to shoulder, each Mesi reached deep into their being and prepared their elemental energy. Alone, one Mesi could not stand. Together, none could stand before them. The absolute darkness of the cave was broken by flames here and there that flickered to life in palms or along the edges of blades. The scant light cast by these flames illuminated coiling whips of water and conjured spears of deadly ice. A sudden wind whistled as it passed through the tunnels, singing past gravity-loosened rocks that trembled in the air, ready to be flung at the speed of thought. Arkius reached into the earth and found other wills there to contest his own. He was surrounded, outnumbered and outmatched. Then horde stopped their advance. Although he could not see them, Arkius could sense them all around him, ready to strike if he made one false move. One Mesi spoke up in a thick accent, like she was unaccustomed to speaking the top-dweller's tongue. "Surrender, sunspawn. Mask. Weapons. Armor. Everything on the ground. Or you die." IC: Reliable Narrator | Relix Fields A high-pitched whine filled the air as Niidak sawed through the neck of the statue. Sparks and dust flew, but the tool cut easily through the stone. After a minute or so of cutting, Niidak successfully decapitated the statue. The head fell to the ground with a thud. Hafu's art was irrevocably vandalized. OOC: @Harvali @Onaku @Daniel the Finlander
  13. IC: Reliable Narrator | Underground "Mesi! I have come to bargain!" Arkius's shout echoed through the cavern, leaving only silence in its wake. Then the sounds of movement began. Like the sound of a thousand spiders scuttling, Arkius heard the rustling of dozens of Mesi standing to their feet, grabbing their weapons, strapping down their armor, whispering to one another, dousing their fires to drown the cave in utter darkness. It was a terrifying noise—vast, yet soft, like the swishing of grass in the wind. The Mesi moved quietly despite their numbers and despite the lack of light. Each footstep was calculated to fall from heel to toes, producing as little noise as possible. They moved hunched over, accustomed to stealing through cramped tunnel. They carried tools and weapons cobbled together from what materials they could scavenge or steal from the top-dwellers: spears fashioned from broken blades and sticks, chipped daggers, rusty knuckle dusters, hacked-together crossbows and launchers, slings of cloth or canvas cradling spiked rocks. Kraata wriggled from necks, shoulders, chests, and backs. The eyeless faces looked at Arkius, and they smiled. They chuckled as they moved, both insulted and amazed by the audacity of this top-dweller to challenge them in the darkness of their home. Did he not know the sunless places and the great deeps of the earth belonged to them? They came upon him like a sudden wave, moving through the shadows with surprising swiftness and aggression. Although he could not see them, Arkius knew where they were, and they were surrounding him. He could sense each footfall on the earth like the tap-tap-tapping of innumerable soft drumbeats. They scuttled across the floor, the walls, even the ceiling. His muscles clenched. Despite his calm demeanor, adrenaline began to pump through his veins. Even if he professed diplomacy, his body recognized danger. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat or fight. OOC: @Onaku your move.
  14. @The UltimoScorp thanks for the edits. Katrin approved. @Snelly Varian approved. @EmperorWhenua: Zai approved.
  15. IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth "No," the Administrator replied peevishly, obviously still annoyed by the blasphemous violence that had taken place within the holiest chamber of the temple. "Trust me—I would if I could." OOC: @Tarn IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui Oreius watched the spectacle unfold. It was not as bad as seeing Aurax desecrated: that had reminded him far too much of his own submission to Stannis eons ago. A mere Toa bending the knee to an eldritch being he did not entirely understand. But this was an exchange of power between equals. Two demons communing with each other. It was unholy, and nothing more. He looked at the tentacled being nearby as Stannis vanished. He supposed Caedast had fallen into someone else's shadow the way Oreius himself had just fallen into theirs. Who knew where he had gone, or when he would return. The old wizard still loved his mysteries as much as they ever did. It was infuriating. He wondered if Whisper felt the same way, or if the other Aspect was used to their kind disappearing and reappearing at will. He had nothing in particular to say to the strange creature, so nothing was exactly what he said. Instead, he looked up and tried to judge by the angle of the sun approximately in which direction he could look for his airship. Not that it mattered much if he figured it out. How in Karzahni's bronze codpiece was he going to get back up there if he did? OOC: @Nato the Traveler IC: Taja | The Desert The sky continued to deepen in colour, and it eventually opened up into a vast array of constellations against a jet-black expanse. Taja walked beneath the stars, setting a steady pace. The night air was cool, and the earth was packed hard enough to make for easy walking. Her only companion was a cool wind that occasionally swept across the desert, rustling through the clumps of scrub grass and flinging little curls of sand into the air.
  16. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui "Yes," the Toa said sullenly. They both knew it was a lie. "There are some things we are not meant to gain. No matter how desperately we want them."
  17. Please remember to check the timestamp of the last post in a topic before you reply. The last post before this made in July 2016—almost 5 years ago! This counts as topic revival, which is against BZPower rules. If you want to continue the discussion, please feel free to start a new topic. Topic closed.
  18. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui "But you don't want to play anymore, do you?" Oreius frowned. "That's what all this talk of cycles is about, and escaping them. You're tired of playing the game, whatever it is. You're looking for a way out." The metaphor had already dragged on a little long for Oreius's tastes, but he knew from experience that sometimes the only way to get through to Stannis was to play along with his figurative speech. He looked at Caedast, then at Whisper. "You want to control fate, and you want to escape death. Neither of you want to play by the rules anymore. You want to win however you can, whether that's by fixing the dice or flipping the board, and to karz with anyone who's still playing when that happens."
  19. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui "That's all well and good," Oreius said, unable to remain silent through the bombastic exchange of titles and grand plans. "But what does that mean for us? My people?" He looked hard at both of the Aspects, well aware that that any of his potential objections or counterarguments were only bluster. He couldn't make a move against Stannis Caedast, however much he might wish to. He was bound to protect the secret of the Aspect's identity. But even so, he refused to submit quietly, and it seemed Caedast respected that, if his speech was at all truthful. So the Toa stood his ground, knowing he was outmatched before a move had been made, but unwilling to back down. "We're all just pawns in your game, aren't we? Things to use and cast aside once the transaction is finished—if we're lucky. Otherwise, we're just obstacles to be removed."
  20. IC: Taja | Kini-Nui Outskirts The sun had sunk low in the sky by the time Taja struggled to the top of the ridge that surrounded the Kini-Nui valley. She turned back and looked over the valley, shielding her eyes with one hand. The setting sun cast the mountains' long shadows deep into the valley; by now, the sun appeared to have already set to the inhabitants of the fledgling village. But high on the ridge with the wind at her back, Taja could still see the sun in the west, peering over the top of the fallen skull. It was a half-sphere of molten gold, and it spilled glorious rays across the sky, lighting the underside of the clouds in fiery oranges and pinks. The shadowed sides of the mountains were purple-blue, matching the eastern sky. Already, she could see a single star glimmering in the darkling expanse, the first herald of night. It was always the first star to appear. She doubted anyone else had thought to name it, or if they had even noticed it. But she had. She called the star Katahi, and looked forward to its appearance every evening. It meant the day was over, and her time had finally arrived. She wondered if anyone had noticed she was gone. They hadn't the first time she left, when she and Whisper had journeyed to the swamps over a month ago. For all her efforts, she sometimes felt expendable. Lost in the crowd. She knew many people felt uncomfortable around her. The legends were not kind to shadow Toa, and the odd story of her transformation didn't help. She was used to silence, being from Ko-Metru; but the silence of words unspoken is far different than the silence with no words to say. She could tell things were different. No matter how hard she worked, she knew she wouldn't be accepted by her own people. It stung to admit, but Taja was nothing if not a pragmatist. She could continue to do her duty to her people, whether she was thanked for it or not. The sun continued to sink. Its light barely cleared the skull now, and more stars had appeared in the east. Night was falling quickly, and there were many miles still to go. Turning back to the south, Taja summoned a walking staff of shadow and began picking her way carefully down the mountainside towards the plains far below.
  21. IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth Leaving all its possessions behind, Kilo-M9 fell into the floor and plunged into an ocean of blinding light. The Kralhi did not fear death. Robots, after all, cannot feel fear. The closest equivalent was its primary objective to preserve itself at all costs. It understood that death was the cessation of function, and in the absence of function its directives could not be fulfilled. If it ceased to function, then who would bring efficiency to the city? Who would protect and serve the Matoran? These directives would be impossible to follow if its physical body suffered irreparable damage, so the unit sought to preserve itself against the cessation of function. But caution is not fear. So, when its green eyes blinked out and its servos whirred to a stop, it was not afraid. Kilo died with all the unflinching courage of a purely mechanical being. Death is absolute. This was neither a half-death nor a deep slumber. It was Death, and it was as dark as the emptiness behind the stars. It was an infinity of nothingness: a void that expanded in all directions and for all time. Thought and memory did not exist. There was only absence. Kilo was dead for an eternity and longer, and then it was reborn. It returned to the temple through a doorway of golden light. All damage it had sustained in the battle was undone. It stood on stronger legs, each piston and gear bolstered with newfound might. Its eyes, once green or red, now shone with a golden glow. It felt a dormant power stir to life within its being: the elemental power of air. Alongside this power was another: the power of the Great Disk. It took a step into the chamber. It was the embodiment of its new element. Even Katrin, whose powers reduced Arkius's attack to molten slag, knew instantly that she was outmatched. Her powers were great, but she still controlled them. The Kralhi was inseparable from its element. Control was not necessary: the power and the wielder were one and the same. A singular vision filled the robot's mind. It was of the time before its rebirth, when it had been nothing. It stood alone bathed in white light, its body bearing neither possesions nor injuries. There was silence. Stillness. At last, its feet found a floor in a world of possibility. The floor was like a pool of water, rippling and transparent. Something below rose from the depths, or did it fall? Its feet found the floor as well, but in reflection of the Kralhi's own. One stretched upwards, and the other stretched down —an ancient power waiting to be claimed. The robotic being knew where this power could be found, and how to claim it: all that was needed was to let go, reach out, and become one in body and mind. The vision faded from its eyes, but remained vivid in memory. It stood in the temple of earth once more. The wall where the word NUVA had once been inscribed was now a portal of swirling rainbow light from floor to ceiling. Beyond were glimpses of a valley, a lake, and a temple. The chosen one knew the mystical power waited for it through this rippling portal. It also knew its name: Citizen Pacification Unit K1R1 Kilo-M9 NUVA, bathed in the light of Tren Krom. OOC: @pokemonlover360 @The UltimoScorp @Tarn @Onaku
  22. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui The pieces were falling one by one into place. Although he had arrived in the middle of a conversation, Oreius was not too dim to understand what was happening. Stannis was speaking plainly—or as plainly as he could—and that was something he rarely did. The two seemed to be kin to each other: the Toa of stone and the mysterious creature inhabiting the robotic body. Whatever Stannis was... was this creature another of his kind? And their intentions were aligned. That was curious. Oreius had spent too much time apart from Stannis to remember his specific goals, but recalled that his leader had always preferred diplomacy to war and words to action. He was a quiet, grave man. One who preferred to hold council with kings rather than rule, and draw up strategies rather than fight. Oreius had long held tight to this knowledge as consolation that the man he had once called brother would never do evil. He may have been a duplicitous creature of darkness, but he was neither cruel nor tyrannical. He simply sought to both learn and dispense wisdom. So what was this talk returning to antidermis, of defeating cycles, of caring or not caring about these 'Builders'? There were too many secrets, but perhaps if he kept his mouth shut a moment longer he would learn some of them.
  23. IC: Oreius | Kini-Nui Oreius ignored the greeting and gestured towards Whisper. "I take it that... thing is in on your secret now? Was that the only reason you brought me here? To prove you could?"
  24. IC: Oreius | Skies Over Zakaz The Iapyx soared through the crystal-blue sky. Far below, the island was laid out like a children's playmat. Mountains were hills. Lakes were puddles. And the Tahtorak was at the center of a maelstrom. Oreius sighed and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long month. Absent any other purpose, he had decided to track this enormous monster the locals called a Tahtorak and keep an eye on it. That hadn't been difficult. It had taken less than a week of reconnaissance to locate the lumbering beast within its personal storm, and once he found it, there was little chance of losing it. He had hoped that by watching its movements, he could discern what it was and how to beat it should it come knocking at the Matoran's doorstep. But all he'd figured out over the last few weeks was that this thing was, for all intents and purposes, completely unstoppable. So he just kept an eye on it. He kept his airship well out of range, hoping to avoid the monster's notice, and followed carefully as it made its way across the island, leaving storms and rivers and its wake. His best guess was that it was searching for something. It seemed to wander without a purpose, changing direction as easily as the wind. It turned forests into swamps and plains into mud flats. It pulverized hills and turned valleys into lakes. It was a force of nature, oblivious to its own destruction. It didn't seem malevolent, just too big and powerful to care or notice the effects of its travel. But that was all guesswork. Oreius stretched his arms over his head and considered what to have for dinner. His choices were dried bula berries or Mahi jerky. His stores were starting to run low—he had maybe ten days of rations left if he ate sparingly. After that, he would need to return to Kini Nui to stock up. But for now, all he had to do was keep watch. Looking for something to do, he pulled out an iStone he'd found while rummaging through the ship's storage compartments and started rereading the airship manual. He was on his fourth reread, and was pretty sure he'd have the wohle thing memorized by the time he got back. Or not. Because, as fate would have it, he was going to be returning to Kini Nui a lot sooner than anticipated. It started with a tugging sensation, like someone was pulling on his arm. Oreius looked up, but no one was around. The sensation grew stronger, until it felt like some invisible force was pulling at his entire body. Heart racing, he checked the scanners, but there was nothing there. Just him and the ship and the empty sky, and the Tahtorak a ways off. Was it the beast? Had it sensed him at last? No. As the force grew stronger, Oreius realized it was familiar. He knew the source of this power. It had never acted upon him like this, but it was unmistakeable. Just like a faint scent will suddenly bring almost-forgotten memories to vivid life, so the presence that suddenly filled the airship cabin pulled his mind thousands of years into the past. Simultaneously, his body body was being pulled somewhere, too. He was being summoned, inexorably and irrestibly. He could fight it, but he could not overcome it. And with the summoning came a voice: (Once-brother.) "Activate autopilot," he shouted as his body began to melt away into shadows. "Maintain altitu—" His voice cut off abruptly as he vanished. The chair was full of shadows, and then it was empty. "Autopilot activated," the AI said. "Maintaining altitude." It was speaking to itself. There was on one else on board to hear. The summoning was not painful. It was like gravity had simply changed course, and started pulling him in the wrong direction. Not in a physical direction though: it felt like he was being pulled into himself, in a mysterious direction equidistant between the four points of the compass. He felt himself falling through a space of absolute darkness, unable to see or hear or even breathe— And then the world exploded into colour, and instead of a chair, he was sitting on solid ground. Everything was green. He felt grass between his fingers and heard water splashing nearby. He was sitting in someone's shadow: he looked up to see their face, but they were silhouetted against the sun. That didn't matter. He knew who it was. Staggering to his feet, he realized there was another being nearby. It was some kind of tentacled machine, and although it looked robotic, something told him it was not. He went to pull out his sword, but it was still back on the ship. He settled for a piercing glare instead. "You," he growled at Stannis. "What sorcery was that?"
  25. IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth "Oh, this is really too much!" the Administrator shrieked mechanically over the din of the fight. "How dare you profane this temple with violence? Blast these firewall restrictions..." The battle continued. Despite the violent bursts of power, elemental and otherwise, the chamber appeared unscathed. Even the pillars of earth raised by Arkius did not destroy the walls or floor. It was as if the entire room was impervious to violence. For all their strength, it appeared the combatants did not have the power to leave even a scratch on their surroundings. The only damage they could do was to each other. The violence ended as suddenly as it had started. Kat crashed into Kilo, knocking the robot to the ground, but the deed had already been done. The click of the Great Disk locking into place seemed to echo throughout the chamber, soft and loud at the same time. It was almost a command, like the temple itself was speaking: pay attention! Even the blind Arkius stood still, unable or unwilling to continue fighting. Everyone else turned their eyes to the machine in the center of the room, which began to hum as it powered up. The letters on the far wall lit up with a soft golden glow: NUVA. The humming of the machine turned into a reverberating, and then into a rumbling. The air itself seemed to vibrate with energy as the mechanical device came to life. The disk glowed, and its surface became embossed with a strange symbol. It was a nuva symbol—different from, yet not dissimilar to the one seen on the disk in the ruins of stone. Then, in a blaze of light, the machine sank into the floor, taking the disk with it. Where the device had stood was now only a circle of pure light that spilled forth and lit up the entire chamber like the sun had risen far beneath the earth. A moment after the device sank into the floor, an answering circling of light appeared beneath Kilo, and the mechanical enforcer fell through the floor as if it had never existed at all. Only Kat was close enough to catch even a glimpse of where Kilo went before the earthen floor closed itself up again. She saw a vast expanse of golden, liquid light. Like a beam of afternoon sunlight refracting through the water of a cresting wave, multiplied by infinity. It rippled and danced and coalesced, and the light of its beauty was beyond comprehension. It was too much for her eyes to even take in, but she couldn't look away, and then it was gone. But this brief exposure was enough. Already on the floor, Kat curled into the fetal position as her body began to change, altered forever by the light of the Krom. Eyes squeezed shut, she saw nothing, but she felt her body expanding as she grew larger and stronger. Her muscles swelled. She felt her mask shift as it squeezed itself closer to her face, then squeezed itself into her face, fusing with her permanently as the heat of the light melted it into a single sinewy skin. The others watched as her armor melted and reshaped itself before their eyes. The dull reds and greys of her armor were infused with light, and changed into deep blacks and fiery reds. As the light faded, the transformation ended. As Katrin opened her eyes, which now glowed closer to pink than their old purple, she knew without a doubt that the old Kat was gone forever. She was no longer Katrin of the Flame. She was Katrin of the NUVA Proxima, blessed in the light of Tren Krom. Her connection to her element, already prodigious, had become even more powerful and finely-tuned. She could sense the heat generated by the friction of every piston; she could feel the invisible vapor of every breath in the air. She could sense the warmth of the deep movements of the earth, the pressures and movements far below the range of mortal understanding. As she struggled to her feet, she understood instinctively that, if any of her companions asked, and she considered them worthy, she could offer her element and the powers of her skin-like mask for them to use as their own while they stood near her. She knew, too, that a new mask was needed to replace her old one. Her Calix was not lost—it was now a permanent part of her, fused forever to her very being as a reminder of the power and benevolence of the Krom. OOC: @pokemonlover360 @The UltimoScorp @Onaku @Tarn Katrin has received the boon of NUVA Proxima. Kilo has received the boon of NUVA. Kilo post to follow soon...
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