Vezok's Friend

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.]: She knew something had been off. But she hadn’t caught it in time. She’d been too focused on what was going on before her eyes to actually see through to the truth of the situation. She should have known when Marrow had bellowed out his challenge before this Skakdi spirit, this Irnakk. She saw the Skakdi princess clasp hands, knew something was going very wrong but it was just a second too late. At first she thought the volcano had finally had enough and was erupting. The orange-hot all around shifted in hue. Red. All she saw was red - the rock, the smoke, all the Skakdi before her, whether they had the color naturally or not - even herself as far as she could tell from the corner of her eye. She could hear red, even smell it and taste it. The rush of blood pulsing in her audio receptors, the metallic taste on her tongue, mixed with that of red fruit and the smell of red flowers. Red. Red dominated everything - except her thoughts. Maybe she’d instinctively activated her mask or her mental barriers were stronger than her enemy had anticipated, or maybe the fight and duel had sapped just enough of the Skakdi princess’s strength for her to struggle to fully enforce her will, but through the confusion, Zataka maintained her sense of self. Red. This had been the plan all along she realized, red now clouding her feelings as well as she got angry at herself for letting her guard down to let this happen. Yumiwak had tried it before - when they’d first met. Her sleep that day had been fortunately light and she’d woken upon the mental contact instantly. If not...she most likely would have arrived in this state already. Some mighty trophy to parade around before getting sacrificed in a fiery pit to cement her status. The only question being whether or not she would have had a literal chain around her neck to be led about like some Rahi pet before being turned into some mystical giant lizard of one form or another. Red. The titan tried to fight back with all the mental strength she could muster, but despite being unable to fully dominate her will, the best Zataka could do was to not yield further ground. Beyond that, she found herself unable to act. She wanted to raise her weapon, to blow these traitors into so much red paste, but her arm wouldn’t move. Red. She tried to bust through the mental onslaught to establish a mental connection to the princess with her mask. If she wanted a piece of her mind, she was more than willing to give her all that and then some - but on her terms and with all the language that would have gotten her kicked off the Metru-Net forums in a heartlight flash. But it was useless. Red was too strong. Red. She actually wound up hoping Yumiwak could read her mind as she tried to dominate it. If only so she could hear her final thought, one that she would carry into death and beyond, no matter what happened next: :I won’t forget this.: OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC: [Nixie, Vhisola & Co. - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] “It’s safer? This happened to us in our homes.” Nixie replied, almost snapping. She had been returned to Matoran form, but the aggressive tone was new. Maybe some lingering effect of the transformation? It sounded rather Rahi-like still. Or maybe it was just flayed nerves after the ordeal they all had just gone through and the astronomer had no emotional bandwidth left for composure. “What if this spreads? Has anybody checked? If it’s in the ground water it might well reach all the way here, or wherever Knichou is, given enough time... I’d rather take a chance out there trying to figure this out than hang back and grow even more extra limbs next time or wait for whatever horrible thing this place has in store for us next!” She turned briskly, fully intending to leave the shelter in a huff and get on with it, but she was suddenly overcome by a feeling of vertigo and stumbled, barely catching herself on the wall. She cursed under her breath as Vhisola caught up with her, putting a steadying hand on her. She leaned in close. “Easy now.” Nixie shot her look, but otherwise was still busy not falling over. In the silence that followed, the Turaga of Stone chimed back in: “I recall Energized Protodermis having a dual nature. Like the sides of a Widget. It can empower or destroy. Corrupt or heal.” Vhisola listened to the rest of her words, waiting for Nixie to recover enough to move on her own again. “I think I will join you, Okuo. There may be some who know where to find pure Energized Protodermis. If it is not in the abandoned village, others may have heard rumors.” "I’ll stay here and continue to look after you lot then, if that’s alright." Klawne said to Nixie and the others. "You’re, uh... not still mad about earlier, are you? I may have treated you a litte, erm... like children, if I'm honest." Vhisola looked at the other Turaga and shook her head. “Nothing to apologize for. I don’t presume to speak for all of us, but...given the circumstances...I think it was well done.” she said, then glanced at the other Matoran for confirmation. They nodded slightly, though didn’t say anything. “Looks like each of us has a task to complete then.” Nixie said, as the room finally stopped spinning for her. She shrugged off Vhisola’s hand on her shoulder and stood up straight again - well, almost. She still leaned against the wall to balance herself, grimacing in frustration. She looked at the Kaita, Toa and Turaga in turn, eyes full of determination. “You go do what you have to. But as soon as my legs work properly again, I will be on my way.” OOC: @Tarn @Snelly @Onaku @Toru Nui @Harvali

IC: [Nixie, Vhisola & Co. - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] Vhisola nodded along with the Kaita’s words as the pieces fell into place. “Yeah, that seems to track. If it’s energized the mask can’t undo the effect, it won’t work on -” “Fate.” Nixie cut in, finishing her friend’s sentence, sounding like she had come to a realization. The astronomer staggered to her feet, unsteady in her stance as she tried to balance her bipedal self. It had been easier while she’d had a tail. “It can’t work because it was fate.” Vhisola nodded in agreement with that as well. She remembered experiments she’d witnessed long ago. “It either changes you, or destroys you - or makes you into one of those undead monsters we saw...but I hope that’s not true.” She sounded like she was thinking out loud now. “No...I don’t think there’s any coming back from that. We did...well for now. But...I think that means wherever the protodermis seeped in from, there’s a pure source.” Nixie meanwhile was still trying to balance herself, but she sounded determined when she said: “Then I’m going back there.” OOC: @Tarn @Snelly @Onaku @Toru Nui @Harvali

IC: [Nixie, Vhisola & Co. - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] “Okay, can we slow it down please?” Vhisola spoke up, sounding very tired. This whole experience had been exhausting and all this talk wasn’t helping. Nixie quietly concurred. The astronomer was barely wrapping her head around the fact they were no longer Rahi lizards or whatever this transformation had been. At least for now. She faintly recalled an archive entry...Proto-something. Was that right? Maybe. She didn’t know. And now this giant amalgamation Toa was saying they might not be cured…it was a lot to deal with. In fact, Nixie, within just mere moments of regaining her full identity had already reached her maximum capacity for dealing with things. All this talk of Kaita and Turaga and Tahtorahk and world shaking events taking place washed over her like a wave. All she heard was noise - with the exception of Okuo offering to give up his Toa power on their behalf. That caught her attention. “Hang on - “ she started, but had to pause to cough loudly as the words caught in her throat. She tried again. “Hang on, Okuo. Let’s not...rush.” Vhisola felt a headache coming on. The restored Ga-Matoran rubbed her temples, trying to follow the conversation. “What...what even happened to us? It’s all so...blurry.” she mumbled quietly, then asked: “Something about tainted water, right?” Nixie was the astronomer. But Vhisola - she knew a thing or two about water and protodermis. She just needed more information to put the puzzle of her fragmented thoughts and memories together again. OOC: @Tarn @Snelly @Onaku @Toru Nui @Harvali

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] Zataka had not moved. Not when the mountain had begun to shake, intense enough that it seemed the entire volcano would collapse in on itself. Not when the monsters had emerged, raining more dirt and debris down on her and the Skakdi. The titan had watched them rise up, stupefied by the incredible power on display, contemplating what she could accomplish were it hers to command. And she was not moving now, despite Yumiwak’s order to her Skakdi to search for the literal writing on the wall. But not her. The titan felt it was prudent to keep at least one pair of eyes on the fiery abyss while the others had their backs turned. Yumiwak’s explanation for what had just happened when the Mesi had been cast into the fire echoed in her mind. She had heard legends of Tahtorahk before, and the mention of Zivon rang a distant bell. But now there was mention of dragons as well. Just how many different beasts could this mountain produce? Given all that, she’d taken up position halfway between the ledge and the entrance to the chamber, weapons at the ready. There was nothing stopping these kaiju from returning - especially if they really were the sacrificed Mesi, reborn in new form. They were lucky Marrow hadn’t just turned back to settle the score. But luck was not something to count on for long - others would be coming to investigate the mountain after the monsters’ appearance. Surely that had not gone unnoticed by the outside world. They might well find themselves on the other side of the conflict Marrow had been on: caught between a pit of magma and intruders that would stop at nothing to summon riteborn of their own. Wouldn’t that be ironic... "I am yours," The atypical soft words escaping Yumiwak’s lips finally caused her to look back. She hadn’t even made out all the words she’d muttered, but she had picked up on their tone - and something about it put her on alert. Yumi had either noticed something new, remembered something pertaining to the task at hand or come to some other sort of epiphany. Regardless: something was up. “What was that?” she asked, moving in closer. OOC: @EmperorWhenua IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] The bodies of the afflicted began to twist and glow with energy as the Kaita of Remedy brought their powers to bear. The Turaga and other witnesses present even had to shield their eyes momentarily as the healing energy took hold and began to change the writhing forms into the familiar shapes of Matoran once more. At the same time, Whakamahu tried their best to disentangle the warped identities of the afflicted, restoring their identities once more - but despite all their combined power, skill and knowledge, they only got so far. The removed layers upon layers of bestial instinct. But deep down, there was a small, dark core, a knot where Matoran and Rahi were so closely tied together, it would not come undone. Still, they pushed on - until finally, the glow subsided and before on the ground lay Nixie, Vhisola and the other Matoran - seemingly back in their original shapes. Nixie for her part, felt like she had finally reached the surface after almost drowning. She wasn’t entirely herself, she knew that deep down - but this was the closest she’d been in a long time. So overwhelming was the sensation, that, upon glancing down at herself, the Matoran began to weep, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Vhisola and the others were similarly relieved to be back to something resembling normalcy, each checking over themselves just to make sure they didn’t have tails and claws anymore. Eventually, Nixie managed to sit up and managed a weak “...thank you.” as she wiped at her eyes. “Did...it work?” one of the others asked. Their voice was shaky, unfamiliar to being used. “I’m...not sure.” Vhisola said, sounding very hoarse. “Yes...I mean...look at us. But…” She broke off, eyes looking towards the Kaita, looking for confirmation or an explanation. Whakamahu had done what they could. The afflicted were Matoran again - but a trace of the affliction remained, they could sense it even now. Eventually, it might return. Not today, not in the near future, that much they knew. But beyond that... OOC: @Onaku@Snelly@Harvali@Tarn

IC: [ Vasquez] Nova Lead was in the middle of a high-g turn, causing both of the frame’s occupants to strain against the force of the continuously firing maneuvering thrusters as they tried to keep an escort Banshee from lining up a shot on them, when the team status alert popped up in Myra’s HUD: Nova 2 was hit. The small window displaying their vitals and armor flashed all sorts of warnings and colors she never wanted to see - especially Herrera. <<Nova 2-1, 2-3, I’ve been hit bad, but I’m clearing the lane for you.>> Even with the slight distortion over the comms she could hear the rattle in his breath. Her eyes darted towards the other corvette, instinctively trying to pick out the stricken Spartan’s frame. It was just human nature, but useless at these velocities and distances. She could only see the larger ship, everything else was a twinkle of starlight and plasma fire. <<Make it count, buddy.>> Her own heart rate spiked as the realization hit. Don’t you do it, tonto! Vasquez immediately opened a channel. <<2-3, break off enga - Her comms erupted in static from the burst of plasma rounds suddenly whizzing by, way too close for comfort and causing sparks to erupt in her vision as her visor instantly upped the polarization to maximum to keep her from being blinded. She didn’t see the alien ship’s shields flare up as Herrera’s booster frame punched a hole through to the hangar. Vasquez! She wasn’t sure if that had been her internal voice, Taylor or Madrigal, but it didn’t matter, she knew she had to focus on her own situation. There was nothing she could do for Spartan Herrera from here. If she let herself get distracted the only thing that was guaranteed was her and the Gunny getting fried too. She instantly pulled the frame into a roll and dove, causing the Banshee to overshoot slightly and miss with the next volley too, but other than that the alien craft stayed glued to them, right on their tail. She could feel the vibration as Taylor did what he could with the turret but so far the bandit was undeterred. Tough customer. Then inspiration struck, born out of a childhood memory: History class, early space flight. To initiate their return to earth, the earliest spacecraft had to perform deorbit burns - turning the whole ship around and pointing the engines the direction you were going to slow down while maintaining trajectory. Grossly oversimplified, sure, but she doubted the Banshee pilot would see that one coming. Covenant tech was so advanced and passed down from their prophets, so that they hadn’t had to do this kind of maneuvering in centuries - if ever. Meanwhile, humanity in its quest for space had happily taken the odds of either landing, bouncing off into space, or burning up - because as a species, humanity was kind of insane that way. She throttled up the main boosters to maximum for a second, generating that little bit of extra distance needed, before instantly cutting them back to idle and engaging the maneuvering thrusters once again, spinning the entire frame along the rotational axis of Taylor’s turret. Suddenly the Banshee found itself not just facing one turret, but three. A moment later, the alien craft disintegrated in a triple hail of chain gun rounds. “That’s how NASA did it.” Myra commented, spinning the craft back around to its previous orientation and throttling up the main-engines once more. Scanning her instruments she noted they were clear for the moment. Her focus immediately returned to Nova 2. 2-1's situation hadn’t changed, but 2-3’s signals were throwing up nothing but alerts and - was he aboard the corvette!? <<2-3, Nova Lead, what’s your status?>> Nothing. She waited a beat. <<2-3, status!?>> … <<Miguel!>> … Then his vitals flatlined. Myra felt like her armor was filled with ice water. She cursed under her breath. A hundred thoughts of how she could have saved her fellow Spartan started to form in the back of her mind, but that’s where they were forced to stay until the debrief. Training took over and she channeled her feeling into a cold, focused anger. A different notification sounded in her helmet and she glanced at the weapons display. M92 - 100% She let out a deep breath and keyed the comms once more. <<Nova Lead, proceeding to targets.>> She continued evasive maneuvers for a few more seconds, until she was happy with their range and relative position to their designated corvette, then she spun the booster frame once more and began the attack run. First, she locked the MITV pods onto the corvette’s point defense turrets and let them fly. A few of the pods were picked off before they could deploy their missiles, but most of them managed to deploy their volleys, at which point the turrets became too busy to focus on their frame. She lined up the MAC target indicator with the blue square of the hangar and pulled the trigger. She could feel the shudder of the Gauss firing in her bones. The missiles hit home and the entire broadside of the corvette erupted with a series of smaller explosions - just before the MAC round it. Completely overwhelmed, the ship’s shields flared up and collapsed. <<Nova 1 - finish what you’re doing then follow me.>> <<Nova 2 - you heard the man. Let’s get in there.>> Vasquez piloted the booster frame straight towards the corvette, only decelerating just before they passed the threshold of the hangar, flaring the frame and bringing the 80mm guns to bear once more, ripping into the jackals and anyone else with armor piercing depleted uranium rounds. OOC: @The UltimoScorp@Endless Sea (Alaki Nuva)@Krayzikk

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] Zataka watched the battle unfold with a certain amount of unease. She wasn’t worried that Yumiwak might be in over her head - no, the Skakdi princess knew exactly what she was doing. But this was usually the point where fate or destiny or whatever you like to call liked to pull it’s dirty tricks, turning the odds around and letting one snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Marrow was injured, but still called the challenge. And he and Yumi both still had their respective entourages. And there was nothing from stopping either side from pulling a fast on except some dusty Skakdi ritual rules. They seemed paramount, something no Skakdi living here would dare disrespect. Then again Toa had once not been supposed to kill, so...yeah. Good luck with that. If the Mesi were desperate enough, there was no telling what they would do. I really hope whatever dark presence - Irnakk if heard that right - makes itself known down here is more scary than whatever drive they’ve got left to win. The fight moved into melee range. The titan took an instinctive step forward as Marrow brought his cudgel up, she was ready to disintegrate him on the spot, but could feel a tug at her side from one of the Skakdi - she didn’t dare turn her eyes to check which - which sent a clear enough message: Don’t interfere. And then, just seconds later, it was all over. Yumiwak had won, Marrow had fallen and all that remained was the other Mesi’s decision whether or not to bend the knee. They chose not to. Zataka felt no joy when she and the princess’s crew put them down. She’d offered them a chance to walk away...These were all wasted lives. Potentially turning into a monster afterwards to keep on fighting - if that ritual even worked - didn’t change that. So she tried to be merciful and quick. She put the blade to two of them, the duo furiously trying to summon their element once more. They faced death as a pair and she ran them through as a pair - before sending them into the abyss as well, with the Skakdi’s assistance. The titan took a deep breath, slowing her pulse back down. The path was finally clear, Yumiwak was free to do what she’d set out to do. As soon as that was done, Zataka could be on her way, find the refugees again and then figure out her way back home. Zataka glanced into the fiery abyss they’d driven the unfortunate Mesi into. So far, nothing seemed to happen. Her eyes turned back to the Skakdi princess, waiting to see what she’d do next... OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Tarn @pokemonlover360

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] Finally, she could relent, feeling the surge of magma ebb and then halt as her companions pressed the attack, forcing the Mesi to retreat. It had been some time since she’d last had to expend this much energy on one task. Her forearms were not just hurting from the burns she’d suffered, the artificial muscles and actuators were so tense it actually ached just to relax her fingers back into a neutral position after maintaining the energy blast for that long. The iridescence of her forearm’s armor was gone, replaced by charred protodermis. It’d take some time to regenerate naturally. But there was no time to inspect the damage beyond a glance. She noticed movement and saw Yumiwak with Zai in tow, hurrying along the path. With a deep, hissing breath, Zataka unsheathed her blade once more, wincing but suppressing the pain as much as possible as she followed the Skakdi princess. A few moments later they’d reached the innermost part of the volcano as well. The titan let the Skakdi take the lead once again, for the practical purpose of being able to more easily shoot over their heads if need be, rather than if they were behind her. Credit where credit was due, the Mesi had put up a good fight under the circumstances. Misguided, unnecessary and foolish perhaps, but he and his entourage had been admittedly tougher than the desert raiders. Still, this confrontation was about to end, one way or another. As Marrow bellowed out his challenge, Zataka lifted her hand once more, ready to disintegrate the warrior. She could feel the energy sparking between her fingertips when a sudden thought stopped her. The challenge meant nothing to her, this wasn’t her fight, and had she been alone she wouldn’t have hesitated for an instant - but there was something off here. Marrow was standing out in the open, calling out for the world to hear. It was almost suicidal she thought, if it wasn’t for the uneasy feeling of the presence that had plunged her into that nightmare vision being very present once more. Irrnak was watching. Better to be careful. Cornered, wounded animals and all that. She mentally tapped Yumiwak on the shoulder. :How do you want to play this?: OOC: @EmperorWhenua@Gecko Greavesy IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] The afflicted struggled in the invisible grip, the lack of autonomy and control almost driving them to a frenzy. It took several moments for the words to sink in. They still pushed against the hold on them, but gradually their movement became less as they noted the futility of the action. When they finally surrendered to the Kaita, Whakamahu could feel it was less the reaching out towards a helping hand but rather acceptance of an inevitability. That’s how far down these two had slipped. OOC: You really won't let me have my little Matoran rampage, eh? =P @Harvali@Toru Nui@Tarn@Snelly@Onaku

IC: [Nixie, Po-Kou Shelter] As Nixie watched her would-be saviors, a feeling of unease crept over all the afflicted. Clouds, heavy with the threat of rain, drifted by outside now and they all had the sense of danger, even if far away still. They could all feel it and their Rahi-instincts told them the best course of action would be to find shelter. A cave, a burrow...something. But what was left of their Matoran identity told them to stay put. This was a shelter. Help was here. If they ran they would be helpless and on their own. That was the last thing they needed right now. No, if they ran outside their time would run out too and they would stay like this forever. Despite her very being protesting against staying put, Nixie forced herself to do just that and she looked to Vhisola, who did the same. The other duo of Matoran with them however, so far kept in check by Klawne’s stern guidance, were not as strong-willed. They did not have as many prior dealing with Toa and beings other than Matoran. Yes these people here said they wanted to help, but to them they were practically strangers. The sense of foreboding, coupled with the sight of the Toa beginning to merge, their forms twisting and growing in size pushed them right over the edge again. The Turaga could feel them bolt from her side with a snarl, the afflicted frantically searching for an exit, with no regard for furniture or anything else in their way for that matter…

Heya! Just wanted to apologize for the inactivity these past two weeks. I'm having a busy time at work right now. Didn't plan it this way, but a bunch of things just started lining up where they needed taking care of at the same time. It's gonna be like that for at least another week and a half I'm afraid. I'll check in and post when I can. If you're urgently waiting for a reply, feel free to shoot me a PM with a reminder please ;^^

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] :You’re either full of yourself or full of…: Zataka started to shoot back at Korio, but was suddenly interrupted by Ysocla’s mental call for fire support. :I hear ya: she replied, glancing in the direction the Skakdi had indicated, She could see the barrier, as well as the previous damage to it. She could also sense the two Mesi behind it on the mental plane. The titan’s brow furrowed and she could feel the rivulets of sweat run down her neckline as she concentrated. She had no trouble multitasking, but there was a lot going on right now. She had to press the attack while keeping her companions safe. She considered dividing her power and firing a one-handed energy blast, but she was holding back lava here and she didn’t want to risk molten legs. She’d need those - and they were one of her best assets. With gritted teeth she maintained her energy barrier against the molten rock, but switched to doing that with one hand at full output instead. She could feel the smaller muscles and actuators in her forearm aching in protest and she noted the topmost layer of protodermis on her left hand was actually flaking from the heat by now and rising into the air like ash. She decided then and there, no matter where life took her from here, she’d never ever set up shop in a volcano lair herself. With her free hand, she reached down to her side, where the Cordak blaster was hanging from its sling. A massive weapon in the hands of Toa and Skakdi, it was like a sidearm for her and she brought it up with ease. Adjusting her stance to be more solid to compensate for the recoil, she leaned her head slightly to get her view lined up with the iron sights on the launcher. She took aim at the exact point Ysocla had indicated, made sure Korio wasn’t in the line of fire, and pulled the trigger twice. The two explosive-tipped rockets screamed towards the Mesi. It should be enough to take care of the barrier, if nothing else. If she got really lucky it’d also take care of the Mesi taking cover behind it. If not, she hoped the bang was big enough to disrupt their concentration and give Yumiwak another opening. OOC: @Gecko Greavesy@EmperorWhenua @Tarn@pokemonlover360

IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] Nixie and Vhisola both looked at Vashni confused, this revelation made no sense to them. :No...knowingly...protodermis...encounter.: :This...how? Where?: OOC: @Snelly@Onaku @Tarn @Toru Nui @Harvali

IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] The changed Matoran was tense but did as she was told, sitting down still on her hind legs as Vashni began the procedure under the watchful eye of Vhisola and the other afflicted. Vashni reached out with her mask, but the usual sensation that accompanied the action felt different this time. She knew these creatures had been Matoran - they were Matoran still, just changed, they still had identities after all. She knew their physiology, or what it should be at least. And the form she saw before her was certainly not that. But despite being able to see what needed reversing and knowing what the original form had been...her mask couldn’t apply its power. It didn’t feel like she was actively being resisted, there was nothing at work here to counter her abilities. Her mask worked fine too, she could feel it had activated as she had commanded it to - but wherever the Kanohi’s powers normally took hold there was nothing to hold on to when it came to Nixie. :Something...happening?: the former astronomer asked. No there wasn’t. And the Toa knew there was only one kind of mutation her Kanohi did not work on: those caused by energized protodermis. OOC: @Toru Nui@Snelly@Tarn@Onaku@Harvali

IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] :You...know...reverse?: Nixie glanced at Vhisola, while the other afflicted watched them, still pacing nervously. One of them kept nudging at Triage, bumping it's head into back of the Toa's knees whenever he took his eyes off of him. The astronomer and her friend exchanged puzzled looks. Vhisola hadn't been asleep when she'd changed, she'd been woken up by Nixie's transformation earlier and managed to find Okuo before succumbing herself. Nixie gave her the reptilian equivalent of a shrug before looking at Vashni again. :Try...yes: OOC: @Snelly@Onaku@Harvali@Tarn

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] Zataka had not been idle, but with her Skakdi allies up in front and visibility obstructed, she was as likely to disintegrate them as she was their enemies if she didn’t get it right, so she’d waited for an opportune moment to strike again. If the princess hadn’t charged ahead initially she could have acted sooner. Then again this was so not her fight. In fact she was still convinced this wasn’t anyone’s fight of those present here. This was ingrained tribal rivalry that served no-one, just as she’d tried to tell the Mesi. Oh well - Skakdi gon’ Skak. Finally there was a moment where the Mesi’s defenses faltered as Yumi unleashed her psionic attack, but it didn’t last long. Zataka moved forward again to close the distance between her and her allies but before she could reach Yumiwak’s position the lava began to surge again. Closer now, she used her mask to identify the duo of Mesi among their opponents that commanded the lava. She also quickly noted that Yumiwak and Zai appeared to be in a safe spot for the time being, thanks to the latter’s quick reaction. But that left Korio and herself in the path of the molten rock stream still. She could see the blue Skakdi up ahead silhouetted against the glow, leaning heavily against the wall for support as he pushed forward. If he didn’t get out of there soon he was gonna get fried. Nasty way to go. She knew it well. Images from the league attack on Ta-Metru flashed through her mind, the horrified expressions of their soldiers when she used the emergency vent function of the forges against them. This was not going to be her fate. Nor anyone else's. Hang in there, Korio. {Zataka!} Not if she could help it. {Move up!} Really wish we had someone with ice powers on our side now. Can’t believe I’m actually doing this. A moment later, Korio noticed a shadow falling over him as the tall being rushed forward and put herself between him and the oncoming lava. The heat was washing over the titan in waves and every breath she took made her want to cough violently, so dry was the air she was forced to suck into her lungs. But she repressed the urge, forcing herself to remain focused and in the moment. Her organic tissues were soaked in sweat, running in rivulets along the edges of her metallic body parts before dripping onto her armor, where it sizzled and began to evaporate. Her dark iridescent color had a sheen to it by now. The titan dug in her heels and raised her arms, before unleashing her power once again. But this time, the energy beam was not meant to punch through the lava, instead she fired it continuously in two broad cones, forming a wall of energy in front of her to act as a barrier. She could not command the lava directly, nor was she fireproof, no matter how durable she was otherwise. In fact the skin on her fingers and forearms were blistering in the incredible heat as she held off the flood of molten rock. Zataka squinted and hissed through gritted teeth in pain. But she could bear it, she could fight it - and in terms of raw energy output she had the Mesi beat. The wall of energy held against the lava, first redirecting most of it off towards the sides and then began to push back against it as the warlord moved several steps forward. She really hoped the Mesi got some burned toes from the backwash. :Move it or lose it, princess!: she mentally barked at Yumiwak, but the message went out to the rest of her Skakdi allies as well. She was in too much pain and too busy playing living shield to bother playing nice. :Stop oogling my back and take them out before they regroup!: OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Nato the Traveler @Tarn @pokemonlover360 IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] :I...not really.: The former astronomer shook herself uncomfortably from side to side. Behind her, the creature formerly known as Vhisola moved through Vashni’s line of sight. She kept eyeing Nixie and despite the changes, the Toa got the impression the other afflicted was watching her back. :Vhisola...returned...home.: :Stayed...hut...with me.: :Ate...then...sleep.: :Woke up…: At this point, the afflicted started hissing as she forced herself to remember. Vhisola moved up beside her, pressing her flank against Nixie’s for support. :Pain. Screaming. Changing.: :You...help?: OOC: @Snelly

IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] The afflicted continued to snarl and growl, but not as aggressively as before. They nervously moved back and forth, pacing one moment, turning in place the next. Restless. They switched from looking at their ‘visitors’ to the Turaga, and Klawne thought there was something pleading in their eyes. They were obviously hurting, but if it was due to the psionic attempts to force them to remain calm or something stemming from their condition itself, she couldn’t tell. Nixie meanwhile, twitched and backed away from Vashni at the unexpected mental conversation, but only for an instant. She caught herself and stood up, meeting the Toa’s eyes, though she still remained on guard, spikes along her spine standing up straight and shivering ever so slightly. This was different from the conversation with the other Toa the night she’d changed. There had been no direct link, just the interpretation via his mask. For Vashni the contact was confusing. No instant connection, instead it was more like trying to listen to somebody trying to speak underwater. There was definitely an intelligence behind the transformed Matoran, but it had to fight to make itself heard. :...understand...you...yes: :...your...name?: OOC: @Toru Nui @Snelly

IC: [Throat of Irnakks’s Tooth] I say 'bring' and all you hear is 'steal'...what does that say about you? Is the bearer so unwilling to part with it that this is the only course of action? What does that say about them? ...you could always ask, you know. She couldn't see it, but she knew Irnakk was smiling as she ascended. :Until next time, young one.: OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: [Throat of Irnakks’s Tooth] Irnakk’s presence suddenly became very close, uncomfortably so. :No matter what you get out of it?: The entity repeated her words back at her. :Grow up, child. You can’t be this naive.: Then, the voice grew soft, almost warm, if such a thing was possible and the presence receded back. :In fact, I know you are not.: There was a soft rustling from beside her, once again unseen. :You started with nothing and survived. You were faced with doom and thrived. You planted your flag and started building. And when faced with losing it all you fought. You even managed to soothe dear old Nektann. The violence he would unleash to create the beauty you saw in his soul. Where others would have run you took a stand and won. You don’t merely react to threats...you have foresight. Use it.: Something brushed against her back, lingering as if to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. :Secrecy has been your savior, but now you’ve shown yourself to the world. A secret told is no longer a secret. This status quo cannot last. You know this. Whether by malicious intent or idle curiosity, they will find your little village sooner or later and all those living in it. Do you trust them to do the right thing? Should… she maybe take the mask and find someone better to wear it? :You already have your doubts, don’t you? Because you know where they will go, the monsters will soon follow - not just Rahi. Smart monsters. Monsters that started to build, just like you. Even Nektann merely serves another and there are others craving that kind of power, even as we speak. There will be more. Are you prepared for that? Can you protect them all? How many are you prepared to lose if you can not? What if you knew you could have done more for them? What is one mask compared to all their lives? What are you prepared to sacrifice?: OOC: @Kal the Guardian Took a little longer this time. Having some busy days at work.

IC: [Throat of Irnakks’s Tooth] :Everything I need. Not everything I want.: There it was again, that sensation against her tethers, this time lingering longer. :The arrival of your kind has upset the balance. So many new...possibilities have opened up. Beautiful nightmares no one has yet even conceived to dream of…: A hollow chuckle echoed around Viltia. She could hear the scraping of claws against rock, as if Irnakk was leisurely circling around her. :How about a trade...that’s what made you leave your village, isn’t it? Yes...that will do nicely. You wish to understand the creation of golden masks, so a mask would be a fair trade in turn. Bring me this mask and I will help you.: Viltia instantly knew which mask Irnakk desired. She could see it before her, just like when she had first laid eyes on it and its wearer back in Kini-Koro. The most perfect and finely crafted Kanohi mask she'd ever seen. :That, is what I want.” OOC: @Kal the Guardian IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] Vashni felt her power reach the afflicted Matoran, but the psyonic energy broke against their minds like waves on a harbor’s breakers. There was something fiercely resisting her ability...although, it didn’t feel like the resistance was aimed at her directly. She got a brief impression as the wave bounced back: someone drowning in a flood, desperately clinging onto anything that would help them stay afloat. That something was the Matoran’s former identity in this case, at risk of getting lost in the chaos of this new form. Not too unlike the Hordiak transformation she knew...but this was also something else. Trying to pacify them by force, well-intentioned or not, was akin to overriding their autonomy. The mental equivalent of taking away that thing they so desperately clung to by making them experience feelings that were not their own. The two Matoran bristled at the intrusion, now growling loudly at the Toa. Nixie, realizing something was wrong yet again quickly jumped into action from her perch by the window and put herself between Vashni and the two angry afflicted, while the rest of the transformed Matoran watch curiously from the sidelines. Nixie shook her head at the Toa, a gesture that took little to understand. ´Don’t.’ Meanwhile, Klawne, still the marker of the line-that-must-not-be-crossed noted that this behavior was more aggressive than anything she’d seen the afflicted exhibit prior. Their condition had worsened. OOC: @Snelly @Onaku @Toru Nui

IC: [Throat of Irnakks’s Tooth] :Well versed, well spoken. Not one of mine, but in time, perhaps...: Despite being back in her reality, the Toa still felt like she was in the jungle and being stalked by some sort of predator. It was as if some Rahi with big teeth was lurking just behind her back, no matter which way she turned. Irnakk was here - that’s what her worm told her. Here. Right where she was. She could feel a warm breeze against her cheek - was that breath? She turned - but still nothing to be seen. :It is like you said...they all come to me in the end.: This time she could hear teeth clacking near her ear, but once again, nothing to be seen when she looked. Her Kraata fed her conflicting information. Clearly this being was akin to a Skakdi according to the worm, just like the ones that had hunted her and her friends as a Matoran, but also worse. The next instant that classification didn’t fit anymore, this was no living being in the way she was. This was an incorporeal entity, a spirit. And the next moment, neither definition fit anymore. The god of nightmares was like the toxic fumes of the volcano, present but impossible to grasp. :So the machine ghost wishes to surpass its limitations, hm?: :And in turn it will help you surpass yours. You’ve come so far already…: Something brushed against Viltia’s tethers, causing them to shudder involuntarily. She could feel Irnakks presence bearing down on her now, eyes observing her from all around. :But I cannot help but wonder why I should help empower those that harbor this much hate for my chosen?: Now the voice started to sound familiar. Not of a friend, but of an enemy. Was that the Skakdi they had held captive in Le-Metru Nuva? There was a feeling of exposure - of her being laid bare in front of this entity. All her intimate or dark thoughts, the fears she harbored and that had made her evade all those questions about her home back in Kini-Koro - it was as if Irnakk could bring them forth at will, reading them like an open book. And she could feel the god of nightmares enjoyed it. There was an eagerness to the presence now. :I have yet to hear what you will offer me in return, little one?: OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC: [Mouth of Irnakks’s Tooth] As Viltia descended lower, she realized the platforms, though looking natural at first, were not. It struck her after seeing the first couple of platforms up close. Something was off, the texture was all wrong. The realization came once again from her forge lessons, especially the many early failed attempts at creating Kanohi: this rock had been molten, or rather just begun to melt, started to slide and then suddenly cooled - somehow - and settled again. It was all warped like an ill-made mask. In addition to their bizarre formation, there were deep gaps in-between the platforms, as if pieces had been ripped out by something big. To the Toa, from her higher vantage point as she glid from platform to platform through gaps in the acrid smoke, it looked like the deep markings had been left behind by massive claws, fighting their way up out of this pit. Nektann was the only being that could have left this particular trail. Which also would explain the sudden cooling. Proceeding further down, despite her Kraata, the Toa did notice an actual uptick in perceived temperature. Even at its level and with the ability to survive close contact with lava if need be, the worm could only mitigate so much inside an active volcano. It wasn’t painful, not even uncomfortable yet - but definitely notable now. She continued on, landing on another platform. She also had that weird feeling of being watched again, this time manifested as a pressure in her head - or was that the fumes? No, there was some kind of power here, something sinister at work, like the corruption in the swamp, but this was corruption of the mind - encroaching madness, claiming dominion. :Lost child.: :Touched by creation.: :Family, yet unfamiliar.: :What brings you here?: OOC: Alrighty @Kal the Guardian time for terrible past/present future visions.

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] :I take that as a 'yes' then.: The warlord did roll her eyes. So much for overcoming tribal instincts and listening to the meaning behind her words. :It didn’t have to be this way. This was your choice.: she curtly told the Mesi warrior before abruptly cutting off communication with him, just in time for Yumi’s thoughts to reach her. The mental contact was strong, very strong. The Skakdi’s skill with her element, when tapped, was prodigious. (Zataka!) (I'm not leaving anyone behind. That includes you. Where you at, gurl?) :Back on the Panda already, figured I’d take her for a spin since you’re busy.: … :Relax, your highness, I’m right behind you - admiring the view of the tunnel. - You may wish to duck.: She strode forward as a wave of hot air rolled over her - right towards where the lava glow outlined the silhouettes of her Skakdi companions. She briefly clipped the crossguard of her massive blade to one of the many hooks of her techwear so she had both hands free. Energy began to crackle between her fingers as she raised her arms and took a solid stance. The lava actually came in handy here, as it’s red hot mass obstructed the view of what she was doing - in case any of these Mesi could see at all. As soon as she was sure none of her allies were in the way, she unleashed a concentrated beam of energy down the length of the tunnel, aiming for her best guess where the defenders were dug in. It blasted through the surging lava, sending some of it spraying backwards and outwards towards the Mesi, while the beam itself scorched the rock it eventually hit, almost returning it to a molten state. The same went for anybody unlucky enough to stand in its path. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Tarn @pokemonlover360 @EmperorWhenua IC: [Mouth of Irnakks’s Tooth] Viltia found she couldn’t teleport all that far, only managing to spot a ledge on the far side when a gap appeared in the smoke. The ledge was wide enough to comfortably stand on without too much tether assistance, but it wasn’t nearly as far down into the mouth of the volcano as she’d hoped. But from this new vantage point there seemed to be more such platforms available, barely discernible at irregular intervals through the haze of volcanic gases. Those gases posed a problem of their own for the Toa: Much like one could sit next to a camp fire quite comfortably, the tunnels the Skakdi used offered a relatively safe approach. Whereas being right above it was where on a campfire one tended to roast things - even just this far into the throat, it was already as hot as standing at her furnace back in Le-Metru Nuva. And there was a strange feeling in the back of her mind, but at this point so faint that it could easily pass as merely imaginary, or a side effect of the fumes wafting up from below... OOC: @Kal the Guardian

IC [Metru Koro Ruins] The many-eyed lizard watched eagerly as the Toa and their newfound Turaga companion turned to leave, hidden underneath a bunch of bushes that were growing in the shadows of the ruined hut, happy that it had gone unspotted so far. The lizard had been rather worried about that possibility. It had made its way down from the rooftop perch and into the former astronomers living quarters, staying out of sight of the Toa leading the duo by going underneath the little furniture that remained. It briefly stopped next to a mug that was overgrown with thick moss that had managed to cover a little bit of the floor already. It was hard to tell at this time of day, but the moss was actually somewhat bioluminescent. Following the growth to a crack in the wall off to the side from where the much larger hole was, the lizard had found its way outside, where it hid underneath the bushes. And there it had sat motionless, observing the proceedings, annoyed and a bit scared. After all its shrubbery hiding place was far from ideal - after all, the stupid bush would pulse with an unnatural glow every so often at irregular intervals. At last the Toa left and the little critter relaxed. Hiding had been rather stressful, so it felt hungry. It looked at the bush and began munching down on the lower leaves that were in reach. They were rather tasty, so it ate some more - until it suddenly hiccupped. And as it did - pop - it’ s spine suddenly grew yellow spikes. It twisted its neck to see. Oh, that is gnarly! IC: [Nixie - Kini-Koro, Po-Kou Shelter] As the doors to the shelter opened, Nixie looked from her perch at the new arrivals, but otherwise stayed put. The same could not be said about the other afflicted Matoran she’d gotten in a row with earlier, they jumped back to their feet, bristling at the unexpected visitors. They moved forward aggressively, jaws snapping, but stopped just short of where Klawne stood, as if there was an invisible line drawn in front of her feet that they dared not cross. OOC: @Snelly@Toru Nui@Onaku

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] :They’re warskaks. Of course they speak of blood and shoot first.: the voice replied, answering both the thoughts intended for her - and those that were not. :Not dissimilar from how Mesi love ambushing and dragging their prey into the depths. Let’s skip the self-justifications for your respective tribal tendencies. They have no bearing on the matter at hand. Only your conscious choices will.: Part of Zataka noted the strange feeling of being impartial in such a tense moment for once. Sure, she would stay true to her word and do her part if things went sideways, but she couldn’t help but wonder how much of the fighting back on their world had been just like this...pointless bloodshed. :You’ve resigned yourself to what may well be your final stand? Our crossing paths are merely the result of ill timing. Impersonal. A chance encounter turned an obstacle that must be surmounted en route to loftier goals. No great victory to be had for anyone. No glory. Do you know who you face - beyond what you’ve already derived?: Zataka did keep up the creepy intonation, mimicking the voice she herself had heard in her vision, but apart from that her tone was one of indifference. Aside from mild annoyance at the time this cost, the titan felt no particular malice towards this group. They were not enemies. Skakdi bravado aside, they probably weren’t even Yumiwak’s enemies. This fight would mean nothing in the bigger picture. :I offer no bargains, Mesi. Whatever happens next, happens next. I am asking if you wish to die as a mere footnote in someone else’s story?: OOC: @pokemonlover360 @Tarn @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @EmperorWhenua

IC [Zataka - Irnakk’s Tooth, w. Yumiwak & Co.] The titan braced herself against the wall, face grimacing at the sudden mental assault, which she had listened to inadvertently while trying to find the princess. Of course the scream made locating her a lot easier. If I’d known she could scream like that I’d have tried pushing her buttons some more earlier...except now I’ve got a headache. Great. Blinking, the large warrior steadied herself. She’d expected the fighters lying in wait for them to be the largest obstacle, not the walk in and of itself. But then again, it wasn’t the walk. It was whatever Skakdi folklore spirit was manifesting its power here. It had gotten notably harder to make out the path, with a dense fog hanging in the hot air. Fog, inside a volcano - yeah, right. That seemed about as natural an occurrence as her nightmare vision. Zataka planted the tip of her sword on the ground and knelt, using her ability to control the darkness creeping in on them to ‘feel’ out the passage ahead. She quickly noticed a being that had to be Yumiwak, not too far up ahead and that the tunnel was cluttered with obstacles further down. And beyond that...hello there. Whoever happened to be down there had dug themselves in quite nicely. Using the tunnel exit as a funnel was a sound strategy. If they rushed in again, this would not be pretty - for either side. And then she had an idea. Yumiwak might not approve, but even if she was listening in, she’d probably need a moment to regain her senses after her own nightmare vision had passed. A thin smile crept onto Zataka’s face. Whatever power was at work in these tunnels, it did not seem to discriminate between who came down here. So it was likely whoever laid in wait up ahead - Mesi, judging by the brief glimpse they caught outdoors - had experienced their own visions as well. Perhaps she could try some nightmare diplomacy instead, using her mask. If things still came to a head, then so be it, but she had her own mission to consider as well. A fight would only slow her down. It was worth a try. Marrow and his companions suddenly heard a soft, cold chuckle echoing in their minds. Zataka did her best to emulate the same tone of that malicious voice she’d experienced before, hoping it might have some psychological effect. :A brave defense. Using the terrain and darkness to your advantage. But the darkness might not be the ally you think it is.: the voice said, ominous, but matter-of-factly. :Why fight another nightmare you don’t have to? Stand down, and everyone here will live to see tomorrow. : OOC: @pokemonlover360 @Tarn @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @EmperorWhenua