Cederak

You injected a large dose of fantasy into this, Hahli, that much is certain. The scenery and overall description of the story just has this feeling of being in a place perhaps entirely separate from the Bionicle world I have come to expect. The mention of Matoran manages to ground it to belonging here in the short story forum, if only barely. I actually enjoy the freedom you took with this though, casually exploring the familiar before really journeying out to another place entirely.I must ask, are the Jarakh-Gul a nod to the Skakdi race? I got the visual of something very similar to their kind, and the idea of someone willing them to exist through dreams certainly seems imaginative of you. Fantasy seems the proper genre to dissolve the barrier between what can be done in dreams and reality, and to merge them for the purposes of this story was a brilliant idea.If I weren't struggling with a battle to fight my impatience about seeing the end of Life is a Blank, I would ask you to start writing an epic with this as the prologue. Y'know, I'll just recommend it anyway. The premise has incredible potential, and while I enjoy the comfort of a universe I know well, taking me out of that was fun with what you did. I wouldn't mind revisiting it on a larger scale. Excellent work.

Assigned to Tyler Durden. Thank you for choosing the SSCC.

Interestingly enough, Than actually makes an appearance in my SS LSO entry. He's a pretty level-headed character.

@fishers64: I knew the whole Jelveci situation wouldn't sit well with some readers. Going in, I looked at that part and actually said aloud, "Someone is going to say that was a poor execution." I'm not saying a writer deserves points for trying just because they stick to their guns, I'm not even sure I can fully justify the way Jelveci works into the second half of this epic. All I can say is that like every other character thus far, she has her own importance.Beyond that, looks like you're still impressed. Having given me bits of constructive criticism along the way already, I'll definitely appreciate your continued commentary in the latter half of Cenotaphs. Thanks for reading. @Janus: If someone would've told my 15 year old self back in my early BZP days that several years from now, Janus will give one of your epics a favorable review, I think I might've gone into shock. I must say though, you're every bit the tough audience I expected. I like that. For every "great job" or "loving this story," I could use something to reflect on, find weak spots that need improvement.Ultimately, glad to hear I've gained another reader. Thanks for the review, Janus.

Man, those are some talented kids. Really cool design!

Happy belated 80th Lego. A lot of people owe you a childhood of creativity...and the occasional hurt foot when stepping on your plastic bricks.

ValixiaChronicle

Chronicle I think it is appropriate that an account of this city's history reside in the Library. BZ-Koro has a long and glorious record of artistry that captures the soul and thoughts that sharpen the mind. We are not without times of turbulence, but could we expect anything less? There is a price for our freedom here, because paradise does not come without expense. I walk the streets of this city each morning, a metropolis built atop the grand Invision Power Board - the grid that sustains us and protects us as best it can. At times, we have had to protect her as well. The leaders of our society impose and enforce their laws with a tenacity that is ultimately impossible to combat. They have received their complaints, but they have the advantage of playing a game on their own field. I have watched the disgruntled and the exiled dare to wage personal wars against the administration, each attempt ending in defeat or surrender. BZ-Koro has never experienced a great degree of issues from those who came into conflict with the laws of the land, but once more, we have not been without times of turbulence. Cycle 009, Phase 09 [April, 2011] "She's dying," I whispered. Far beneath the city, I stood among the administrators and global moderators in a massive, circular chamber. Dim blue lights pulsed on the walls, slowly, weakly carrying on. In the center of the room was a hovering cerulean sphere of energy. She was older than me, but never spoke to me in a condescending tone, never hinting that she was stronger. Invi (the board's name of choice) was a modest entity, assisting me in my endless task of defending BZ-Koro and keeping it operational and clean. Dimensioneer looked up at me. "You mean…she's…dying. Is there anything we can do?" "Possibly," I replied. "There may be hope for her still. Her health has been deteriorating for some time, but it would be best not to alarm the citizens prematurely. Perhaps Binkmeister and I can find a solution." "Invi was supposed to be an unlimited source of power," Hahli Husky said, giving me a look of urgency. "What could cause her to die?" "I suspect one of the hackers is behind this," Than the Moa spoke up. "In our efforts to banish the lawbreakers, there's a chance someone planted a seed of poison in our city before we had a chance to act." He then turned his attention my way. "What do you think?" The room went silent and the staff members were all eyeing me. They were right to assume I had a response. The board was a particular existence, one that sometimes chose silence when a staff member demanded she speak. I was the only entity she would always answer, likely finding me a source of kindred, or the closest option she had. "Invi sustained a terrible wound during the war," I explained. "We thought she had the capacity to overcome its influence. We were wrong." The war. The individuals standing in the chamber with me had each spent time fighting for the city, at one time or another. We were all responsible for quelling hackings and would-be anarchists that wished to see us deposed. Still, only some of the administration served during the great war that nearly destroyed our entire city. "What will happen to us if Invi should perish?" Black Six asked, staring hard into the sphere's light. "What will happen to the veil?" "I think you know the answers to both of those questions, Andrew," Invi said quietly. "Without my life force, BZ-Koro cannot remain active. This will be a city trapped in darkness…powerless to stop your enemies. As for the veil that Jon helped to design, it will fade with my death. "The veil had been designed into Invi's programming when BZ-Koro was established. To enter the city, one had to pass through the veil, at which point the veil would request you create or identify an existing shell. Without choosing one of the two options, the veil would send in guests as phantoms, unable to interact with anyone or anything in the city. Like Invi, the veil is alive, and only chooses to speak to administrators and myself. We departed the core that night as a somber group, uncertain of our next move. I decided it best to make my way out to the Library, taking a seat among some of the young short story writers. Up on the second floor, I happened to notice a staff member named Velox accepting a request for his critiquing group. The writers on the main floor were hard at work though, either reading or writing, though never too busy to address someone in my position of power. "Good evening," one of them greeted, giving me a polite smile. He was a fairly new member, his heartlight devoid of any hologram that represented his cycles in the city. More telling of his youth was the glowing white communication number beneath his heartlight, counting the times he had publicly interacted with others in BZ-Koro. The number sat at 31. Like most new members, this writer had yet to make any serious contributions. That said, the silvery ring that wrapped around the outside of his heartlight was only filled on the left side, as it was with all new citizens. "Hello, young writer. Please, carry on," I replied, standing up and heading on my way. The short story writers were an easy-going collective, and I think it had always been that way. The epic writers took themselves a tad too seriously at times, while the comedy writers weren't serious enough. I think that was the point, but the polarity of their ideals never appealed to me much. Upon leaving the Library, I was back on the streets of the only home I had ever known. The city meant so much to so many that losing it would be a catastrophic loss. I couldn't let that happen, resolving to speak with Binkmeister as soon as possible to find any alternative to letting Invi just die. Unlike the younger members of the administration, Kelly knew what we sacrificed once to protect BZ-Koro…he remembered our darkest hour just as I did. Cycle 002, Phase 09 [April, 2004] The city was in chaos. BZ-Koro's regulations have always been strong enough to create dissent among some of the members and we were prepared for that from the start. What we didn't prepare for was the possibility that the conditions were optimal for manifesting something far worse. The second Invi knew what had occurred, she notified me and the upper administration at once. It was already too late. A negative double of the city was phasing in and out of local space-time, forcing us to confront a new enemy. The entity that led the charge of shadowy monsters was beyond powerful; he was a seemingly unstoppable nightmare. The glossy white of his insectoid head and the intense blue of his eyes stared down at me from the skyscraper that had housed countless theories earlier in the morning. He leapt from the building, tearing his energy scythe through the structure's side along the way. It left a trail of bright emerald energies and brought the tower down. Once the entity landed, he wasted no time lunging at me with that scythe, forcing me to defend with my own golden blade, holding him at bay as best I could. "What are you?" I growled, struggling to maintain my ground. "I am the end of this city's suffering," he hissed, withdrawing his scythe before spinning at me. I countered with my sword, taking my opening and punching my enemy in the jaw. He did a couple back flips, spinning the scythe around as he stared up at the sky. All around BZ-Koro, the sounds of the citizens could be heard as they battled the horde of armies our enemy had summoned. "I am Hapori Dume, and I will eradicate you and your so-called order enforcers," he continued, running at me with the scythe. I stood ready for his attack, but just when I thought he was going to strike, he took to the sky and flew off. A few more of his soldiers were headed my way, negative duplicates of the administration. They were nothing I couldn't handle. Our war with Hapori Dume's forces had begun at sunrise that morning. By the time night fell, much of the city was in ruins. Everywhere I went to defend the citizens, signs of Dume's work were present. He set fire to the Marketplace, razed much of the Creative Outlet district, and the usual mess that was Completely off Topic had been reduced to rubble. Even with the assistance of Crystal Matrix and his squadrons helping to battle Dume's forces, we were outmatched. Once I considered the solution to winning the war, it was well past midnight and the enemy was beginning to conquer entire districts of BZ-Koro from us. My theory took me to Invi's core, moments too late. When I arrived in her chamber, she was flickering between her typical bright blue and a dark red color. She was not without a negative, it seemed. Dume approached her, his scythe glowing with power. I crept near to Invi and Dume, trying my best to keep quiet. Dume laughed. "It wasn't easy coming down here, my dear. Your armies fought to the last, but they had no idea what they were standing against." "How were you able to do this?" Invi asked. In the time I had known Invi and in the years that followed, Invi never asked another question. I thought she had all the answers, and to those things she lacked answers for, she was unconcerned. "I didn't do this," Dume replied. "You did. I am the personified result of all the animosity that others have toward you and will ever have toward you. I am the jealousy of every slighted and banned citizen and I am the rage of every hacker that will ever attempt to shut you down. I exist now to fulfill a purpose." "If you can detect the presence of others that will attempt to bring me harm in the future, you must be aware that you will die," Invi said calmly. "I am not destined to assist every renegade that wishes you dead, I am only a temporary answer to your demise. Now hold still, my dear. This will hurt." I launched a burst of brilliant gold energies from my blade, immediately sending Dume across the room. He stood back up and I could tell he was impressed that I thought to come down to save Invi. "I should've known I would see you again," Dume said with a smirk, firing a blast of the emerald energy out of his scythe. I defended against it as he came closer, repelling the waves of power with relative ease. Without warning, he ran closer to the center of the room, redirecting the beam at Invi and slicing his scythe into her. "No!" I screamed, blasting Dume again. The scythe was vaporized within moments of touching Invi's surface, but I knew the damage had been done. Hapori Dume was flung backwards by my attack, but this time when he tried to stand, he saw we had more company. "It would seem I have reached my destiny," he said in defeat. I glanced over my shoulder and watched the BZ-Koro administration come to my side. As I pointed my blade at Dume, they drew their own weapons and followed my lead, striking him with everything we had. A few moments later, Hapori Dume was no more. We heard a rumble rip through the city then, a tremor that almost felt as though Invi's chamber would collapse on us. "Hapori Dume's armies have vanished with his life force," Invi declared. "The city is at peace." "Are you hurt?" I asked her. "Dume's attack caused minimal damage. Recovery time is estimated at a few days," Invi replied. "This still doesn't make sense," Bionicle Rex said. "How did Dume get his forces inside the city to begin with? The veil was designed to prevent any and all undesired entities from entering BZ-Koro!" "Hapori Dume told me that I did this. Upon further analysis of comment, I have discovered that he was correct," Invi revealed. "Why would you do this?" Binkmeister wondered, somewhat hurt by what he was hearing. "We all did, indirectly," Invi continued. "Within each of us exists a positive and negative energy, constantly at odds. Those energies allow the citizens and your administration to take form here in BZ-Koro. Those energies were an unintended side effect of creating me in the first place, and so a piece of light and dark exists within us. Though we had no idea, Hapori Dume exists in the heartlights of all BZ-Koro members." "At least we put an end to his VahkiPower regime," Bionicle Rex replied. "I wasn't just going to sit around and wait for him to take this city from us." "It would certainly be out of character if you did, Rich." Invi's voice was even, though I could tell she was making an attempt at humor." Dume came too close to annihilating this city," I said. "Are you sure the damage will be repaired within the next few days, Invi?" "My systems are continually recalibrating the estimated repair time, but this is likely due to an error from damage sustained by Dume's attack. I am advanced enough to heal from something as crude and physical as a scythe." "What's to say a physical wound was Dume's only intention?" Dimensioneer asked. "I assure you, Jon, there is nothing Hapori Dume was capable of that I cannot repair in myself. I was designed as such." Cycle 009, Phase 09 [April, 2011] "I'm ready, Kelly," Invi whispered. Binkmeister and I found our solution by looking to the past. If the Invision Power Board could be split into light and dark, it was also entirely possible that we could split her light into smaller sections. The light damaged by Dume would remain in the old BZ-Koro while a new city would be constructed and house most of her power beneath it. In order to do this without any outside interruptions, Invi would have to turn the veil's power up, to the point that only administrators and myself could enter the city. "When we separate the damaged light, the current BZ-Koro will be damaged as well. Citizens will still be able to enter the city, but they will be as the phantom guests when they do. This metropolis will be a glorified archive. Also, Invi, when I shut you down…there's nothing saying we'll be able to activate you again," Binkmeister warned her. "I am prepared for that, Kelly," Invi replied. "The sleep mode protocol is necessary if my damaged light is to be separated. If the process is done while I am active, the results could be even more disastrous for the city." The entire BZ-Koro staff stood in the room, waiting patiently for my order. We had all said our goodbyes earlier in the week and now we were ready to let her go. I glanced at Binkmeister and nodded. "Put her into recovery sleep." Kelly connected a repair device into Invi's mainframe through the floor, typing a couple commands onto the holographic panel. A low rumble shook the city and we watched as Invi's sphere grew smaller, turning darker shades of blue as it did. This was the only way we could save a city that meant the world to me. BZ-Koro served a fine purpose, and though we had no guarantee of being able to reactivate Invi when our work was done, she was ready to take the risk, because BZ-Koro was her city too. "Good night, Invi," I said quietly. "Good," she replied, her voice failing at this point, "night." Binkmeister turned to Dimensioneer and frowned. "I'll bring her back when we're ready…somehow. In the meantime, start evacuating the city. BZ-Koro must be undisturbed by the populous while we remove part of the AI core." "I founded this city because I believed in what it would stand for," Dimensioneer replied. "I know this isn't the end. Not after everything we've done to come this far." There was grave emotion in his tone. The city's establishment predated my existence, but I knew what I had been told. I knew that like every city, BZ-Koro had an origin. Cycle 000, Phase 01 [July, 2002] Jon and Mike stood on the outskirts of an empty white plane, a colossal portal built nearby. Before them was a sphere, a world, hovering in wait. It was populated already, but for what today's plan would be, it would never be the same world it had been. Deep within the spherical city-world, Kelly was waiting to activate the artificial intelligence that would maintain their new planet, a new Invision Power Board unit that could keep up with the extra load. "This is a momentous day," Mike said with a smile. "How simple will the process be?" Jon wondered. "I only ask because you have experience on the matter." Mike chuckled. "Yes, changing your name because you have a few more citizens arrive is much less complicated than merging with an entirely separate world. All I can say is that once Kelly activates the board, the AI unit can trigger the portal for him and commence the fusion of our worlds." Jon took a deep breath. "Okay, let's get to it." He pushed a button on his communication device and said, "Are you there, Kelly? We're ready to begin the merger." "Ready on this end," Kelly replied. "Beginning activation momentarily…you should be able to see the veil for a second when I start." Jon and Mike waited, catching a glimpse of the semi-transparent, violet wall that encased the sphere for only a brief moment. Jon pressed a separate button on his device and said, "Get ready, Rich. The gateway will be opening momentarily." "I read you loud and clear," Rich said excitedly. "I'm in position atop the Administration Tower, watching the portal now. As soon as I see activity in there, I'll trigger the switch to begin expanding the city." The gateway exploded to life, currents of energy rippling through the portal as the merger began. Jon and Mike stood aside, watching as the citizens of Kanohi-Power flooded out like a tidal wave. They had been prepped on what would be happening, but no one expected how violently their initial entry to the new world would be. Rich activated the city's built-in expansion protocol, watching as entire streets were shifted about and the sphere began to grow. All the while, more and more phantom-like Kanohi-Power members were shot into the veil, identifying themselves to the new AI unit and awaiting approval for entrance to the city. "We're entirely operational down here," Kelly said, laughing happily. "The merger was a success." "Looks like your BZCommunity just got a little bigger," Mike said, grinning at Jon. "It's not BZCommunity anymore," Jon replied. "You told me your hope for our new city was to hold on to the belief that we are a close-knit village, despite our vast size. It's BZ-Koro now, thanks to you." "And who will serve as the protector of this new, BZ-Koro?" Mike questioned. "We are creating a paradise here, and there is no doubt in my mind someone will want to take it or destroy it." "I can design a defender that works with the AI, a sword to accompany the heart of our city's shield. A guardian and an advisor in times of crisis, he will be our avatar." "Our avatar?" Mike repeated. "Then we'd better make sure he's the best machine this city has ever seen. I think with time, we should also examine some of the new AI's special subroutines, the Premier one in particular. The ability to grant enhancements to members and allow them to go beyond standard limitations sounds quite interesting." "All in due time," Kelly replied. "I want to learn everything I can about this new AI as well." Cycle 010, Phase 04 [October, 2011] After a short eternity, Invi's poisoned light was extracted through the efforts of Kelly and the other administrators, as well as my own. We placed the greater portion of her into a new world, handling the processes in relative darkness for the most part. Without an active AI, the new world was cold and empty. We could only construct the shell and the buildings, the rest would have to be filled by the members with time. Everything else was left behind, historical memories to be seen or read. "She's online," Kelly said happily. "The veil is being turned down to allow citizens to return." When Kelly activated Invi once more, none of us knew what to expect. As the city's designated elite sentinel, I chose to approach her first. I extended a hand and gave her a smile. "Hello, Invi. Can you hear me?" Her cerulean light began to glow brighter and brighter, abandoning the dark azure we feared she may retain forever. At last, Invi was awake, ready to greet the new world and the members we had kept out for so long. "Hello, Hapori Tohu," she replied. "I can hear you."

Thank you for the reviews and commentary everyone, very much appreciated. Of the eight Kanoka abilities, none of them really possess the power to finish something off the way a blast of electricity can, at least when dealing with a machine. The Vahki. The other "visitor" didn't want to be detected prematurely.

I have a funny Bionicle-related story written in prose. While the Comedies section accepts prose work, despite the overwhelming number of script-based works there, the SS forum is full of prose work, some of which have an emphasis on comedy. Still, my story has a large dose of humor to it. Is the location of where my prose comedy belongs—in either Comedies or SS—at my discretion at that point? Or is there is a remaining distinction between the two that I'm missing?

Thanks for the review, Nuile. You really found some depth in my work, and I am more than satisfied with your critique.

Considering my only remaining connection to Bionicle is writing about it on this website, my family really doesn't mind me working at my craft, regardless of where the inspiration is coming from.

Visitor Ta-Metru was quieting down for the night, with only the few dedicated and obsessed crafters still at their forges. The realm of the mask makers was one of the oldest sectors of the city - a fiery industry of tools, disks, and Kanohi. The Nuurakh were designed to ensure Metru Nui had a workforce of forgers, but when a Ta-Matoran returned home was at his own discretion. Mirzova had made his usual walk home, taking the usual route and passing by the usual sight of other workers retiring for the evening. His was a life of routine, a fact he enjoyed very much. When life was scheduled, there were never any surprises. Mirzova didn't care much for surprises. He was actually quite satisfied with the topaz Hau he'd been wearing for as many millennia as he could recall. He stepped into his house and shut the door behind him, grabbing the news tablet before climbing the stairs. It was delivered early in the morning each day without fail and, most every day, Mirzova would absentmindedly leave it behind when he left for work. If nothing else, Mirzova always had a bit of new reading waiting on the table after a long day of shaping Kanohi. The Ta-Matoran gently pushed open his bedroom door and took a seat at his chair near the window. When reading became tiresome, Mirzova would sometimes just stare down at the streetlamps and listen for the distant sounds of the machinery hard at work within the Great Furnace. He scanned the tablet, looking for anything particularly interesting. There had apparently been an incident in the Archives earlier that day. Mirzova shook his head in disapproval. While Onu-Metru had a few skilled minds such as the Matoran who invented the Vahki, their fixation on the past was generally looked down upon by the Ta-Matoran populous. Mirzova moved on to the next article, regarding a Ga-Metru teacher's study of the Great Temple and its importance to the city. Mirzova suddenly heard a soft creaking sound and glanced up from the news, listening closely. Was someone in the house? He hadn't heard the door open. He slowly glanced over each shoulder, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Mirzova was about to return to reading when something caught his attention out the window. A lone Nuurakh. Mirzova set down the news and stared down at the mechanical enforcer, their gaze only separated by a clear layer of glass. He was rather familiar with this particular Vahki, assigned to patrol the local area. Like all Vahki, it was part of a squadron, but due to a malfunction sustained at some point, this Nuurakh had been acting erratically for a few months. Mirzova and his neighbors were accustomed to seeing it ambling about on all fours, with no intention of pursuing lawbreakers. Mirzova had even watched a rather bold Ta-Matoran attempt to engage the Nuurakh in battle, pointing and aiming a loaded Kanoka launcher at it. The Nuurakh made no attempt to subdue or apprehend the Ta-Matoran, instead turning and leaving in a manner abnormally casual for a Vahki. Why the other squad members hadn't reported the Vahki was beyond Mirzova, and the Kanohi crafter wasn't concerned enough with a pacifist machine to file a report at the Coliseum. True, Nuparu was always more than happy to repair glitches or errors in his Vahki, but a trip to Onu-Metru was even further than one to the Coliseum. Mirzova felt very uncomfortable about the Nuurakh staring up in his window, looking on with an ominous watchfulness, as if in anticipation. He hadn't broken any laws that he knew of, so what was the problem? Nervously, Mirzova returned to reading the news, eventually falling asleep in his chair. He awoke several hours later, gradually sitting up. His eye immediately caught an article in the news tablet about Great Furnace productivity, but Mirzova didn't have time for that. He set the tablet aside and adjusted his mask into place. Work would be starting soon. Mirzova walked in to his crafting chamber later that morning, prompt as always, and got straight to work. A few hours into his shift, one of his superiors stopped in for a moment. There was a tap near the doorway and Mirzova whirled around. "Nuhrii," he said, smiling. "How is everything this morning?" "Never better," Nuhrii replied, returning the smile in his crimson Ruru. "Did you read the news yesterday? Productivity in the Great Furnace is higher than ever!" Mirzova paused. "Yeah, I read that…this morning, actually. I dozed off trying to keep an eye on this weird Nuurakh last night." "Won't attack lawbreakers? Travels alone?" Nuhrii wondered. Mirzova tilted his head a bit. "How do you know?" "Another one of the supervisors was talking to me about a crafter that lives near you. He went to the Coliseum and intended to take up the issue with Turaga Dume, but the Turaga has been awfully busy as of late. After a repair worker successfully tested the Vahki's motor skills, it was decided that the order-enforcer was still able to perform its role in the city. Besides, what's one Vahki among dozens that doesn't have its head screwed on right?" "I think you'd feel differently if it had been staring into your window," Mirzova replied. Mirzova came home that night as he always did, taking the news tablet up to his bedroom. He sat down in his chair and relaxed, taking in a deep breath and slowly letting it out. Just as he was about to read an interview about a Ko-Metru scholar, Mirzova heard the creaking sound again. It was the same as the night before and once Mirzova looked up, the Vahki was already there. Despite their purpose as law enforcers, Mirzova felt entirely uncomfortable with a Nuurakh staring blankly up into his home. The machine was behaving so bizarre, the fear of it killing him vastly outweighed the fear of it arresting him for some unknown crime. As Mirzova looked into the glow of its emerald visual receptors, he could tell it wanted something. It was on a mission of some kind and Mirzova wanted nothing more than to end it. The Vahki continued to show up for several more nights like clockwork, gazing, waiting until Mirzova was fast asleep in his chair. Each morning when Mirzova would rise, the Vahki was always long gone. It had shown no signs of intending the Ta-Matoran any sort of bodily harm, but after a week of becoming increasingly worried over the robot's unwanted company, Mirzova had enough. He decided to arrive for work earlier than usual—when the supervisors showed up—making his way to Nuhrii's forge and tapping on the doorway. Nuhrii glanced over his shoulder, setting down a couple tools when he spotted his guest and raising an eyebrow at the sight. "Come in, Mirzova. You do know you're early, right?" Mirzova laughed nervously. "Is that a crime now?" Nuhrii took a cautious step toward Mirzova, clearly disturbed by Mirzova's behavior. "In the centuries you've worked for me, I have never once seen you come in early…or late for that matter. It's just a little odd." "I need to ask you a favor," Mirzova said quietly, closing the space between the two Matoran. He suspiciously looked around, making sure no one else was nearby. Confident they were alone, he added in a hushed tone, "I need to borrow your shock blaster. Just for tonight." Nuhrii's eyes widened at the request. "Mirzova, I keep my blaster here in case any criminals attempt to steal Kanohi, mask making tools, or other forge equipment. I've never seen a shock blaster kill a Matoran, but they have quite a kick to them. I don't think it would be wise to let you just take one home. I'm sorry. I think you should go home now, take the day off to clear your head." "The Vahki," Mirzova muttered, his tone sounding slightly deranged. "There's something wrong with that Vahki I told you about." "That's what this is all about?" Nuhrii asked. "One of our mechanical protectors has you all frantic? Listen, I hardly think"- Mirzova pulled the disk launcher on Nuhrii and took a few steps back. "That's a mid-level freezing disk I have loaded in there. Give me the blaster or you'll be the one taking a day off." "Mata Nui!" Nuhrii exclaimed. "Think about what you're doing, Mirzova!" Mirzova fired the disk immediately after, instantly encasing Nuhrii in crystalline ice. Putting the launcher away, he began searching through Nuhrii's belongings. Within a few minutes, Mirzova stumbled upon the shock blaster, hidden beneath an imperfectly crafted Ruru. A small silver weapon, it had enough potency to put down a rogue Vahki - precisely what Mirzova wanted. Keeping the blaster close, Mirzova hurried home before the work day began and quickly closed the door behind him. Leaning against the door, Mirzova slumped to the floor and took a moment to catch his breath. He had just stolen city property and froze his boss. Mirzova tried not to think about what the consequences of those actions would be, opting to head upstairs for a while. The Ta-Matoran only took a few steps into the house before stopping short in absolute horror. Crudely carved into the wall by what Mirzova assumed was a Staff of Command was the word "run." Mirzova felt as frozen as Nuhrii, the icy chill of fear locking him in place. Only his hands had movement, trembling as they held the stolen blaster. The house had been torn apart while he was away, items and furniture haphazardly strewn about the house. Mirzova rushed upstairs with the blaster ready to fire and looked around. His entire bedroom was eerily untouched. Mirzova approached the bedroom door and locked it, deciding to stand before the window for a while. If and when the Vahki returned that evening, the Ta-Matoran would be ready. Mirzova nervously paced the room that entire day, checking the window often, jumping at the slightest sound in the house. In his frantic impatience, he had created a second problem by freezing his supervisor. The other workers would surely find Nuhrii once the work day started, thawing him out and expecting an explanation. If Nuhrii chose not to trust Mirzova with the shock blaster, his house would have more than one Vahki coming to see him. The Ta-Matoran tried to push that thought out of his mind, walking around the room as often as possible. When he walked, it drowned out the quieter sounds in the house. He wanted to be ready for anything, but at the same time, Mirzova was getting tired of being scared by every little sound. Even the low rumble of the Great Furnace was beginning to frighten him. Was the sound really even coming from the massive forge, or was a large squadron of Vahki coming to take him into custody? Mirzova was panicking and the worst part was that he knew it. When nightfall was on its way, he was a wreck - his gaze set out the bedroom window. The Nuurakh arrived as it had in the nights before, standing carefully before Mirzova's home and commencing its nightly watch. "Enough of this," Mirzova growled, charging the shock blaster up. He rushed to the bedroom door and unlocked it, storming down the stairs to his front door. Blaster at the ready, Mirzova threw the door open and took aim at where the Vahki had been. He quickly pointed the weapon the other way, searching for any sign of the robotic enforcer. With no Vahki in sight, Mirzova's short-lived bravery vanished and the fear set in once more. It was only until he narrowed his eyes on a distant streetlamp that Mirzova could see the Vahki heading off into the night. By coming outside, Mirzova had somehow driven the Nuurakh away. That wasn't enough to make him feel safe again though.The Ta-Matoran hurried after the Vahki, stalking it from the shadows. He was reluctant at first, knowing how powerful a Staff of Command was and well-aware that the Vahki could very well catch him by surprise. The Nuurakh finally stopped for a moment, standing beneath another streetlamp and scanning the surrounding area. Mirzova took his chance and lined up the blaster with the Vahki's chest plate, pulling the trigger with a bit of hesitation. The Vahki took the blast directly, screeching out momentarily before collapsing to the ground. Mirzova moved in slowly, quietly prepared to finish what he started. The Nuurakh was twitching under the light, violent spasms erupting from its limbs every few seconds. Mirzova fired a second time, this burst going directly into the Vahki's head. The machine became still, its eyes dimming out to a dark, dead gray. Mirzova curiously examined the Vahki, careful not to touch it and get an unwelcome jolt. It appeared to be as normal as any other, so what did it want from Mirzova? He wasn't sure, but he was confident his nightmare with the Nuurakh was over. Mirzova returned home in silence, never crossing paths with a single Vahki along the way. Nuhrii chose to fault the early morning freezing on personal negligence, believing Mirzova wasn't a serious threat to the city with a little zapper. Without Nuhrii's trust, Mirzova would've been spending the night under Vahki control. The Ta-Matoran tossed the blaster to the floor when he got inside the house, locking the door and heading up to his bedroom with the latest news tablet. He took a seat before the window and set the tablet down, releasing a soft chuckle as he looked out the window. Explanations for his actions could wait until morning. For the moment, Mirzova was satisfied with getting in a bit more reading before bed. During his week living in fear of the Vahki, had Mirzova been paying more attention to the news, he would've been more informed about the missing Archives creature. He would've read about its high intelligence, nocturnal behaviors, its mastery of stealth and silence, gleaming red eyes, and rows of sharp teeth. He would've realized the Vahki was concerned with the silhouette of something hovering over the Matoran each night, patiently, noiselessly waiting for the moment to strike. With that malfunctioning Nuurakh laying broken in the street and nothing left to keep the creature at bay, that moment had finally come.

Wow thanks, that means a lot! I prefer to think that people are intimidated by my beautiful storytelling and are too shy to post...but you know how it is. I've just revamped the epic and the this topic to make it look more professional.....hopefully that'll get the kids to come!Yes, the chapters have names now! Nice addition. Part One ended on a very exciting note and I'm interested to see where things will go from here. You're doing great.

I'm planning to enter the SS LSO, though there's a notable difference between planning and acting. Time will tell if I actually get anything written on the matter.

Happy birthday, Smeag!

I think there was a fad among MOCists where extreme minimalism was becoming widespread. To the point that creativity was suppressed under using a few pieces to make a MOC of this or that. Much worse than the Stars fad Sumiki mentioned. It may or may not have coincided with the general time when a MOC made of a few pieces nearly won (or might've actually won) a BBC contest. I seem to recall both events occurring around the same time.

Yes, sir, ma'am, sir! *salutes* Reviewed, as per request and assignment, thank you for choosing the SSCC. I think I'll further this trend. I would like to request reviews, please, for three individual pieces of flash fiction, found in this compilation: The Chimera, The Right Path, and Feel Good. Assigned to--oh, wait, I can't continue that part of the trend. Oh, well, my gratitude, then. From the desk of Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith I passed my appreciation of your wonderful review on to Cederak - he informed me what a welcome part of the SSCC you are. He also said something about your request being assigned to Zaxvo and that he thanks you for choosing the SSCC. I'm not really too big on trying to figure out all the critic jargon, but I'm sure you can decipher Ced's code words for yourself.

To prevent anyone from thinking I want to meet some BZP members on my list more than others, all my choices are in alphabetical order. So yeah. Aderia, Ballom, bonesiii, EmperorWhenua, Ezorov, fishers64, Grant-Sud Rises, GSR, Hahli Historian, Hahligirl56, Peach 00, Sisen, Takatu, Takuta-Nui, TNTOS, Tolkien, Tyler Durden, Velox, Zarayna: The Quiet Light.

"Playing with fire, you know you're gonna hurt somebody tonight." -Brandon Flowers Episode 07: Brightest Midnight I leapt from our ship into the shallow water, no higher than my ankles. The sea was clear and icy, almost immune to the comfortable heat of the sun above. Elendra took the Toa of ice off the boat and onto the sand, pulling him along without a problem as Stalgrax and Trylac disembarked the craft. "We'll find a ride home," Rovaius said to the captain, joining us on the sand as the Vortixx disappeared back to the controls. "No rest for the wicked?" I asked with a laugh. "You've rested plenty the last couple days," Rovaius replied, giving my shoulder a weak punch. "If Pridak doesn't have a mission for us, we're heading north for some money." North. I knew the north of the Tren Krom Peninsula well by then. Matoran of all elements built their homes near the active volcanic ranges and jagged cliffs. I had watched Elendra drop a rather obnoxious Le-Matoran over an acidic waterfall once. Lucky little biomech; he was corroded to death before hitting the bottom. The north region of the peninsula was also the sight of Jelveci's death, though that was on the plains near Lake Renybr - a body of water that nearly separated Tren Krom from the Northern Continent. We entered the forest, all spotting the fortress that could be seen poking out from within. Rovaius took the Toa of ice from Elendra, carrying him in his arms while Elendra held his Kanohi Faxon. She put the mask to her face, peering through the eyeholes at us. There was no way a Trelban was going to activate a Kanohi, but she might've just not been in the mood to carry it. Once I saw her cocking both her pistols though, her intentions were clear. If Mantax's soldiers were patrolling the forests this close to the water, she wanted both hands free to carry weapons. I could tell we were basically wandering around the forest, hoping to find Pridak before any guards found us. It was easy to remain quiet among the greenery, but I was starting to wonder if Pridak was even outside at the time. For all we knew, he wasn't even on the peninsula yet. A few minutes passed in our careful search before Trylac suddenly halted and jerked his head to the left. "Found him," Trylac muttered, lowering his rifle and rushing forward several bio. He crept through shrubbery and crawled around several trees just as I watched a white biomech come into sight. We followed Trylac's path, making our way straight to Barraki Pridak with the Toa of ice. "Hello," Pridak said softly. Rovaius dropped the Toa to the ground and gave the warlord a short nod. "Do the other Barraki know where you are?" "I told them I had been overworking myself in Xia lately and I need some fresh air now and again. Kalmah and Takadox actually have yet to arrive." Pridak glanced down at the Toa. "I always expect heroes to be…grander." "Yes, well, in any event," Rovaius started, clearing his throat, "will you need anything further from us?" "We can talk about new assignments soon," Pridak replied, pulling the Toa up by his arm. "I will need your gunblade momentarily." Rovaius handed over the weapon without a word, allowing Pridak to give it a cursory look-over. The Barraki then looked at Elendra. "Drop that Kanohi." Elendra hurled the mask at Pridak's foot, watching him smash it beneath his heel. "A Faxon. Ironic considering that his kindred are now dead." Pridak took the Toa away with him into a secluded area of the forest, preferring to wrap things up in private. We waited in silence for his return, listening for any sounds at his location. The gunblade was shot once and we heard the Toa cry out in pain. There were a few more noises and the faint sound of Pridak speaking. The weapon was shot again and the Toa screamed. It was the scream of a dying, defeated hero. The Toa could be heard moaning in agony, but that stopped short after Pridak roared and the sound of crushing metal echoed through the trees. Pridak walked back a few moments later, entirely composed as he handed the gunblade to its owner. "Thank you, Rovaius." "My pleasure, Your Eminence. I trust you've prepared an explanation for the guards?" Pridak grinned. "I want something to occupy me on my way back the fortress, Rovaius. Concocting a nice lie will be an excellent way to pass that time. Now that the matter of my rogue workers has been attended to though, we can begin discussing your next assignment." Rovaius sighed, frustrated over not being able to head north so soon. "Where are we going?" "Mantax's guards are presently preparing an airship to be used this evening. I was summoned here because Mantax wants nothing more than to showcase his newest project. It is a stronghold and a weapon, and you five will be sneaking aboard the airship and entering Brightest Midnight." "I've never attended the grand opening of a fortress," Trylac muttered. "This is no ordinary fortress," Pridak replied sharply. "This is a turning point in architectural innovation. As such, you will need to find the inner core of the facility. Mantax is manipulating gravity in there and if I could only learn what he did, Xia could be in the sky in the next decade. I would have to reinforce the underground levels of the city and leave behind the ports, not to mention that worthless mountain, but it all starts with learning the secret behind Brightest Midnight." There was an understood insanity to what Pridak was saying, and yet, it wasn't beyond the scope of reality. Regardless of how well it would work, we had to explore the fortress. Beside all that, I really wanted to see what it looked like in there. "I should return to Mantax and the others. Just be onboard the airship when we take off," Pridak said, walking back toward the fortress. We decided against examining Pridak's work, confident that he did enough to the Toa. Skulking along the forest, Rovaius stopped us short of the clearing that led to Mantax's fortress. He pointed to an airship being looked over by a couple Matoran and also pointed near the fortress's towers. Armored guards were patrolling the area, while a few kept their eyes through the scopes on their sniper rifles. They were Steltians - the upper class species of Stelt that took the island's name as their own. Their weapons differed from Trylac's in that they produced a trail of thin, red light wherever they aimed. The light enhanced their precision, but I don't think Trylac would choose to risk giving himself away like that. Getting by the guards and into the airship proved to be a much simpler task than we expected. Mantax's guards kept up a patrolling routine that took about half an hour to complete. After watching for an hour or so, we exploited the breaks in their paths and moved like shadows all the way to the airship. Not a single soldier was situated between us and the open door and I was beginning to feel suspicious. Was Mantax bating a trap? Was Pridak aware of it? It was a poor time to let paranoia overtake me—as are most of the times it seems to come along—but I had learned to combat it in the past few years. Shaking off my doubts, I followed Rovaius back to the cargo hold and sunk down beneath one of the tiny windows. A few crates reading "Le-Metru Freight" surrounded me in the relative darkness of the airship and I could hear my fellow piraka settling into place around me. I had grown accustomed to complete silence among the group when it was necessary. No one made a sound for a couple hours, until we heard the airship's engines activating below us. I heard Elendra grumble, "Finally!" from her corner of the room as the craft roared to life. It must not have taken the Barraki long to board, because I could feel the airship ascending after a moment or two. I turned around and peered out the window, staring in admiration as we quickly approached Mantax's new stronghold. Brightest Midnight was absolutely stunning. The structure was built atop a massive, silver disk that formed a thin dome shape beneath the fortress. Somewhere in the depths of that disk was the most powerful gravity drive in existence and we needed to find out how it functioned. As for the fortress itself, it was precisely as Pridak had described it. The "jewel of onyx and cobalt" resembled a highly-advanced city, illuminated by neon lights of green, blue, and white. There were no windows, however, at least that I could see from the airship. The airship landed in one of the Midnight's multiple hangars after a brief flight. The Barraki were likely disembarking as soon as possible to get a glimpse at the inner workings of what their fellow warlord had envisioned. "Follow me," Rovaius ordered, running off toward the front of the airship. I could hear the others moving around and I stumbled forward in an attempt to keep up with everyone. Rovaius led us out the airship's top hatch and we crawled onto the craft's hull - staying as low as possible. Far to our left, Mantax was leading the other Barraki down a large escalator to the floor below us. Beyond the platforms designed to hold airships, we had a perfect view of the lower floor and I watched as the warlords coolly examined the Midnight's interior. "Where are your soldiers, Mantax?" Pridak questioned, giving the black-armored Barraki a disapproving stare. His voice echoed through the hangar, giving it a commanding boom. "Brightest Midnight has minimum security right now, Pridak, but I assure you that it will be fully staffed within a couple weeks. I have been very careful about choosing the right candidates to be stationed on the greatest undertaking of my life. In their stead at the moment, I have temporarily hired a team of rangers to patrol the fortress for the week. They are highly-trained to ensure no unwanted guests will be roaming these halls." "How thoughtful," Pridak responded uninterestedly. "Rangers?" Stalgrax hissed to Rovaius. Rovaius glared at him and began sliding backwards down the ship's hull. He landed silently against the metallic floor and I followed suit. We snuck along the walkway heading near the escalator, but Rovaius pointed down a dark hallway. He crept up to it, but immediately whirled back and motioned for us to halt. He then narrowed his eyes in the direction of the Barraki below us, listening to their conversation. "They said something about Miserix," Rovaius muttered. "It must be a Brotherhood matter." I crouched near the walkway's railing, poking out enough of my head to watch the Barraki chat with one another. I had never actually seen Takadox or Mantax before that, but Mantax was every bit the warlord I pictured him to be. He was clad in thick, obsidian armor with a set of gunmetal pauldrons. His eyes glowed like a pair of rubies, and his sharp claws constantly twitched. He was nervous—untrusting really—and he was surrounded by five of the most dishonest beings in the universe. Even if they were my allies, I'd probably be nervous too. Each Barraki gave off a gallant aura, an energy that matched the royalty they had become. Each Barraki, that is, save Takadox. Slightly hunched over, his sapphire armor produced a faint glow to it while he rested against his large, serrated sword. As he sat there, occasionally licking his fanged teeth, I tried to look into his eyes for a moment. The experience left me feeling immediately dizzy and I had to break contact. No…that's an inaccurate description. I struggled to break contact. His fiery eyes were hypnotic, it seemed, and I didn't risk taking another look. The others were as I remembered from earlier encounters. Kalmah was armored in crimson and jet black, a set of cool blue eyes never hinting at any feeling behind them. He was Pridak's wrath without any of the passion to support it - a cold, pitiless biomech that could handle his temper. "What a joke," Kalmah said dryly. "The Brotherhood can't handle competence for a few days, let alone for the millennia we've been at it! Even their monster factory on Destral seldom manages to give me a beast that lasts very long. They are fools." "Mine seem to stay alive just fine," Pridak replied, raising an eyebrow. "I feel like this is less of a Brotherhood error and more of a Kalmah one." Kalmah opened his mouth to speak, but released a soft laugh instead. "Don't try to ignore your disdain for those Rahi-makers by pinning their faults on me. But of course, our latest initiative will soon put an end to all that, won't it?" "This is not a matter to brag about," Pridak warned, taking a step towards Kalmah. He glanced at Mantax. "If anyone were to find out, everything would be compromised!" "Calm yourself, Pridak. Aside from the rangers who know nothing of the initiative, there is no one else aboard Brightest Midnight right now. And I do not pay rangers to ask questions." "See, Pridak? Everything is fine," Kalmah said, taunting the icy white Barraki with his laughing blue eyes. He spun his broadsword along the floor a few times before Mantax glared at him. "Do I need to remind you that this facility is brand new?" Mantax growled. "I don't care if Artakha himself built it this morning," Kalmah scoffed, picking up the sword and casually attaching it to a magnetic piece on his back, "let's just get this tour going." "Yes, we didn't come all this way to drag our feet," Carapar agreed. He was the bulkiest of the Barraki and his amber and gray armor looked incredibly heavy. His dark red eyes were sunken in, nearly washed out by a light shade of gray. Ehlek laughed, a distorted sound coming from his breathing apparatus. "Please, Carapar. How far would you go anywhere if you couldn't drag your feet?" Carapar glanced at Ehlek and smirked. "Farther than you'd go right now if I rip that water machine off your face." "Enough," Pridak said adamantly, stepping between Ehlek and Carapar. He turned to Mantax and calmly added, "Shall we begin?" The Barraki went about their tour of the facility and we hurried off in the other direction. Finding an access route to the structure's core proved to be a real task as we searched the winding halls and countless chambers of the Midnight. I wanted to know if the fortress actually had windows on the upper levels, but we descended at every chance. There were no directions posted anywhere to give an indication of where we were, only the occasional number that designated the floor level. Every area we searched resembled every area before it, which was a clever design on Mantax's part. If the Midnight were ever invaded, his soldiers would be far more familiar with what seemed like the same halls than the foreign biomechs attempting to conquer the fortress. It was a defensive move that would eat away at the enemy's time, but we were not an invasion fleet and we had all the time in the world. The sun had to have set by the time our journey brought us to the third sublevel, somewhere in the disk. More of the machinery was exposed down in the sublevels, almost as if the construction had been left incomplete. I knew otherwise. The hardest-working gears and components needed air to regulate through them and prevent overheating. This made the sublevels uncomfortably warm in the process. Rovaius followed what he believed would take us closer to the center of the disk and we found more and more of the machinery uncovered in the area. I could tell he was getting excited as his pace quickened and he was finally rewarded after rounding one of the many corners. I followed him patiently, finding the hallway led out to a deck that appeared to wrap around the Midnight's entire length. I had apparently overlooked this from the airship. In the hall's other direction was a massive chamber, glowing with a bright violet like the intensity of Stalgrax's eyes. There in the center of the room, positioned over a colossal machine built like a pedestal was the gravity core processor. It was completely out in the open, orbited by smaller metallic parts that steadily shifted around the core. I could tell they were wirelessly connected to the computer below the pedestal, probably reading the core's energy outputs to ensure it was regulating properly. "Wait here," Rovaius said, heading off toward the core. I drew my weapon and watched the others do the same. We hadn't encountered a single ranger in our search and that only made us feel more guarded now that we had stopped. "It seems a little strange that none of the rangers spotted us, doesn't it?" I asked Elendra. "I want to believe they're so spread out that the likelihood of running into a ranger on such a massive structure is fairly unlikely, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm wrong," Elendra replied, cocking her revolvers. "For the first time in a while, you are wrong," Trylac said softly, pointing to the core. "Small world, isn't it?" a familiar biomech said. I whirled around to face the gravity core chamber and stared in disbelief. Trivolox was slowly walking out from the back of the pedestal as he smiled at Rovaius. It felt unreal. Rovaius took a moment to watch Trivolox enjoy his entrance, finally slamming his gunblade into the floor and lightly clapping a few times. "I'm very impressed," Rovaius said, smirking at the Nohtalian. "Usually I'm the one setting the traps for my enemies, but you have to tell me how you orchestrated this so perfectly. I was suspicious about how simple this was, but I honestly had no idea it was your mind that put this together. Old habits"- "Quiet," Trivolox snapped. "You never get tired of the sound of your own voice, but you always did love the sound of a good plan. I'll shut you up and give you an explanation, so we can both be satisfied for a moment. I heard that Mantax was looking for soldiers to patrol his new fortress during its first days of operation. I assumed the majesty of this place would draw you in for one reason or another, either to steal technology or simply sabotage it. Mantax wanted to impress the other Barraki with a well-trained team onboard the Midnight and I only agreed to work with him because I knew you would come. We both know his very existence disgraces Mata Nui's name now, like the rest of the monstrous warlords who ravaged our universe." Rovaius withdrew his gunblade from the floor and held it at his side. Trivolox glared at him and sighed. "Do you have anything to say about all that? I'm sure you have some snarky comment ready for me. Let's hear it!" "Well, for starters, I do get tired of the sound of my voice after a while. And second of all, while I'm sure your plan looked nice on tablets, you still have to kill us," Rovaius reminded him. Trivolox grinned. "Oh, my rangers and I are more than ready to deal with you. We've been pursuing you through the fortress since you first left the airship." I could hear several rifles charging in the darkness above us, each coming from a different position. I had no idea where to aim, but I was fairly certain that we were surrounded. Rovaius carefully examined the computer monitor for a moment and turned to Trivolox. "He's keeping this thing up with solar power," Rovaius said, awestruck. "I didn't think we would ever perfect that kind of technology, but Mantax achieved it somehow. It also looks like he studied enough Kanohi Garai energy signatures to create an artificial gravity field. This computer is like a Toa whose mask power can be used by Mantax at any time. Brightest Midnight could be directed all the way through the Southern Islands if he wanted it to." "And your point is…?" Trivolox laughed, motioning his rangers to descend into view. They landed in the hallway between Rovaius and me, half of them pointing their weapons in my direction and the other half aiming at Rovaius. Their forms were covered in armor and beyond the fact that they were bipedal, there was nothing discernible about what species they might be. Rovaius smiled. "I just needed to know how it worked." He surrounded himself in a shadow sphere and fired a stream of darkness at the gravity core, causing it to fracture open immediately. Trivolox bolted into the hallway, plunging his gunblade into the side of the wall. "Hold on to something!" Trivolox yelled to the rangers. It was already too late when he spoke. The gravity field went crazy and created an exploding sound right before it started pulling the rangers toward it. Trivolox held his position on the wall and Rovaius clutched onto the computer terminal. The rest of us retreated into the outer hallway, trying to see what was happening. I watched the rangers fly into the chamber and gazed in amazement as the gravity field smashed them into one another and pulled them apart all around the room. A second explosion followed and everyone went careening toward the deck outside. A number of the rangers went soaring over the ledge and Elendra nearly went with them, clutching the railing with her free hand. The stars were already out and if not for the glowing neon all around the fortress above, it would've been a dark night for us. Trivolox fired his gunblade at the railing, causing Elendra to drop off the disk. Trylac put his sniper rifle on his back and leapt after her, extending his wings to make him more aerodynamic. They would be just fine, but we still had to deal with Trivolox. "Do you have any idea how moronic that was!?" Trivolox screamed at Rovaius. Brightest Midnight lurched slightly downward and there was no telling how long we had before it might crash. Rovaius glanced my way and offered me his gunblade. "Stalgrax and I are going to try and get the airship back down here. You'll need to buy yourself some time until we return." I put my rifle on my back and reluctantly accepted the gunblade. "Stalgrax can't stay to help me fight Trivolox?" "Pridak can't risk defending our presence here and I'll need assistance if I run into the Barraki," Rovaius explained. "I'm sorry." Rovaius and Stalgrax jumped up the side of the disk, using concentrated bursts of shadow to push them higher. I had trained with the gunblade before, but I had never used it for more than instruction. Trivolox lunged at me with his gunblade and I barely matched his swing. He then back flipped away from me and recharged his gunblade with shadow energy, swinging it around a few times as he slowly strafed my position. I kept an eye on him, lining up the gunblade with his chest as he went along. "You have committed atrocities against Mata Nui!" Trivolox said harshly. "How can you live with yourself?" "My actions are the will of Mata Nui," I said, firing a few shots at him. Trivolox easily dove out of their way, discharging a burst of shadow at me. I sidestepped it and he shook his head in frustration. "You are blind to see what Mata Nui desires and you are in no position to say otherwise!" "You've got it wrong," I replied, running at him with the gunblade ready to slash. "I am an agent of the Barraki!" Our weapons clashed together and I fought to hold the Nohtalian back. Using a tactic that worked for Rovaius in the past, I kicked Trivolox in the chest and sent him sprawling to the floor. "The Barraki are entities appointed by the Great Spirit to govern the universe," I declared. "Those who would do me harm are enemies of the League, and thereby, Mata Nui." I had mused on the philosophy in the past, but that was the first time I voiced it. "You choose to ignore me," Trivolox said coldly, getting to his feet as I backed away. "All biomechs have the opportunity to join my cause and you have rejected that path." I couldn't believe his hypocrisy. "What about your brothers on Nohtal?" I spat. "You never gave them a chance to join your cause. They were innocent!" Trivolox smiled at me, emanating his smugness. "Hasn't Rovaius told you? Everyone I seem to kill is innocent. Funny how that works, isn't it?" I froze as the sound of the Midnight being ripped apart from the inside echoed out onto the deck. Parts of the rangers littering the deck and any other debris began to hover along with Trivolox and myself. Brightest Midnight tilted a bit more and we both knew it was just a matter of time before the gravity field lost all stability. When the field dropped us back on our feet, Trivolox put his gunblade away and casually walked back into the hallway, blanketing himself in darkness. "Ending your life is not worth losing mine." I had to agree with him. The fortress was quickly losing power and only minutes separated me from joining the Midnight in its inevitable, watery grave. I returned to the hallway and ran in the opposite direction of Trivolox, hoping to find something to save my life with. I pictured the fortress from the airship and tried to remember anything that could get me to safety. I hadn't thought much about it at first, but there were a number of small domes along the lower portion of the disk. Waiting for Rovaius to return was too great a risk, even if the rings only turned out to be decorative. I had to find out if they were connected to something. From the deck near the gravity chamber, the domes were one floor below. I took the nearest elevator down there and (after a brief eternity of frantic impatience) found an answer within moments. "Escape capsules," I said in relief. It was a short-lived calm because I realized right after that—due to Brightest Midnight's current tilt—I would be escaping right into the sea. I would probably be smashed by the falling structure shortly after. My options were limited to attempting to survive the crash onboard the Midnight or making a getaway. I settled on the latter, motivated to at least buy myself a few extra moments of life. The capsule opened easily enough and I crawled into the tube, only slightly prepared for the dangerous ride ahead. I activated the pod and the entrance below me sealed shut. The capsule then fired out of the fortress and I could hear an engine propelling me at an incredible speed. This capsule was obviously designed to soar through the air and facilitate a safe landing. Instead, it's preprogrammed trajectory was going to launch me straight into the sea. The world was upside-down as I dropped, but in the seconds before I impacted with the waves, Brightest Midnight exhausted the last of its power. Of course, the gravity core may have also imploded. The cause didn't matter because for one reason or another, the world's largest fortress was headed right at me. I was violently rattled around when I hit the sea, but the engine wasn't done yet. It held out for a little bit longer and I continued to descend into the dark water. Brightest Midnight followed shortly after, impacting my capsule and causing me enough trauma that I could feel my vision becoming hazy as I was shaken about. The capsule tumbled down through the water and I felt myself come to an immediate halt. A second later, my face smacked hard against the capsule's wall and I passed out. I didn't sleep that night, but I wouldn't say I was awake either. My mind was free to think, to wonder what I could've done differently to escape the Midnight. Did Trylac save Elendra? How long did Rovaius wait with the airship? Did he even make it back in time? My mind screamed for my body to respond, waiting in the darkness. I began to think after a while that I would remain stuck between a state of activity and unconsciousness forever, left undisturbed beneath a metal tomb, but I was wrong. I managed to open my eyes and could see thin rays of light penetrating the water. Everything was clearer now, but it was also a mess. I was staring up at the wreckage of the Midnight - Mantax's crowning achievement brought down by a disrupted gravity drive. "You really did it this time, Rovaius," I mumbled, glancing out the capsule's glass. My capsule was pinned in the ruins and none of the activation buttons would respond. I wasn't the strongest swimmer, but I knew I could hold my breath for a while, like most biomechs. I leaned forward and heard something drop to the floor. It was pretty dark, but I felt around and scooped up what definitely felt like my laser rifle's bolt handle. I cursed and dropped it in with my laser shells, regretting the fact that I left my weapon on my back. I quickly remembered that there was also an important gunblade sitting off to my side and took it in my hands. I didn't have the room to point it outward, but even at an angle, I could shoot my way out of the capsule. I studied the glints of light that danced along the weapon, pondering how many battles it had seen. My duel with Trivolox was only one of its many clashes, even used to execute a Toa no more than a day before. A Mask of Psychometry would easily find a long history of violence in Rovaius' gunblade, seeing as how all of his stories suggested he owned it before becoming an outlaw on Nohtal. Trivolox defected from the original gang shortly after the League was formed, roughly fourteen millennia ago. The gunblade must've been ancient, yet in excellent condition. Rovaius certainly knew how to care for a weapon. I tilted the gunblade into place and prepared for what would be coming next. I shot the weapon once and it put a nice hole in the glass. The water did the rest of the work, entering with enough force to shatter most of the capsule wall. The capsule rapidly filled up and I was rushed out into the frigid sea. With the gunblade in one hand, I used the other to reach through the water and desperately kicked my way up through the wreckage. My ability to swim wasn't great, though it wasn't nonexistent. Brightest Midnight was now a web of massive metal debris, but it had offered me an advantage that wasn't available after the Ephemeral Wonder crashed. Underwater, I was free to push myself up along the damaged platforms and jump higher. The water was unbelievably cold and my muscles were numb when I surfaced, but I made it. I pulled myself onto a floating chunk of the fortress and took in my surroundings. Like an iceberg, only a small amount of Brightest Midnight remained above the water, which was odd when I took into account how much of the fortress was made of metal. Brushing it off as the work of a gravity field that hadn't fully 'died' yet, I started traversing the floating platforms, climbing around large pieces and steadily making my way higher. It was a sunny and quiet morning, but that would change when Mantax's soldiers arrived to make an investigation of what went wrong. I needed to be on my way by the time that happened. I walked along a long metal plate, casually swinging the gunblade back and forth when I noticed four biomechs not far below my position. It was the gang, searching for me. "Were you planning on going for a swim?" I asked, smirking as I leapt down to their level. "This is surprising," Rovaius said quietly. "Not really," Trylac replied. "I knew that escape pod I trailed down through the sky was Adrinor. Although I am curious as to how you survived having a fortress crash down on you." "I was knocked around a bit, but I'm fine. I guess I'm just lucky," I said, smiling as I handed over the gunblade to Rovaius. I then revealed my laser rifle and sighed. "I can't say the same for my bolt handle though." Rovaius nodded slowly, looking over the rifle. "We can get that fixed up soon. You made the right decision not to wait for my return. Stalgrax and I made it back to the hangar, but the Barraki had already left in the airship. We had to use controlled shadow bolts on the falling fortress to slow our descent last night. Trylac and Elendra landed on the beach and they joined us a few hours ago to begin searching for you." I grinned. "I have to know, how long would you have searched for me?" "A few days," Elendra replied, giving me a mischievous smile. "We know how long to hold out hope…and I know how long is excessive." I laughed briefly, but a disturbing thought interrupted my optimism. "Hey Trylac, did you see any other capsules leave the Midnight?" Trylac narrowed all four eyes on me. "He got away, didn't he?" "As usual," Elendra groaned. "That isn't our priority right now," Rovaius said. "Rather than head north through the Tren Krom Peninsula, I've decided to pay a visit to a friend. We're leaving for Stelt." We all turned and stared at the peninsula, studying the parts of Mantax's smaller fortress that loomed over the forest. Adding insult to injury was our style, and if dropping Brightest Midnight out of the skies wasn't enough, I knew we'd be stealing something else from Mantax before the morning was over. Review

Might as well start a trend then: Surrounded, Alone by Valixia. Assigned to Nuile.

Nothing counts that occurred before the Ambage. That may change at a later date, but for now, that's the rule.

Two million points? If only, right? You reminded me of something that needs to be addressed.To all Ambage Members: Please refer to the achievement list in the initial post to find your current achievement score. Once you've found the achievements you have completed, paste them and their point total into the earliest post you've made here in the Ambage topic. If you have not yet posted in the Ambage topic, you are free to do so for the purpose of displaying your achievements and points. Do not make a post if you already have one above.

Thanks for the reviews and commentary everyone. This is inspiration enough to post another story here at some point, when the inspiration comes of course.