Vezok's Friend

IC [Zataka - Aboard the Tactical Panda]: “Either.” the warrior replied. She paused and adjusted her stance a bit. This boat had not been built with people taller than Skakdi in mind and she had to duck and lean a bit to not constantly scrape against the passage ceiling. “Anything technical, for that matter. But you seem to manage.” OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC [Coliseum]: Any good will Ohrash might have just earned evaporated as the hidden door was flung open, revealing Stannis: very much alive and his face very much not-molten. Lies. Deceit. BETRAYAL. It was like that disloyal Varxii wretch all over again. That’s what I get for trusting Toa. There’s really just something fundamentally broken about them, isn't there. Here, have a magic rock, go be big heroes. All prior commitments and obligations forgotten. No wonder they threw loyalty to the hounds as soon as the next so-called worthy cause came along. Just rush in, you’re a spirit-blessed Toa-hero, you can do no wrong. And to karz with the long-term effects of your actions, you won’t have to deal with those, you’ll be long gone by then, off on the next big quest. But what could you expect from “Mata Nui’s chosen people.” and their entire corrupt, diseased society. They had been more than happy to build atop the sweat and blood of my, our people, but none of that prosperity ever made its way back to us. We tried asking nicely at first. Did you know that? Of course not. They won’t tell you that side of it. But we did. We presented our case; laid out all the facts. And we were ignored. So we demanded to be heard. And were told to mind our own business, there were more pressing matters. There were always more pressing matters. So we made our support for the order conditional on fair treatment. They threatened us with sanctions for not maintaining their status quo. And that’s when it became clear no amount of demands, even begging, would do. So we stopped asking, left the order - and started taking. Of course in their eyes that made us monsters and they were quick to label us accordingly. They were determined to be an obstacle to a better tomorrow for all, so we had no choice but to remove them with all the necessary force. We almost did it, too - if their great spirit hadn’t turned out to be actually as fragile as we said their belief was. All the progress, the liberated lands, everything south of the silver sea - lost to us. Even our successful conquering of Metru-Nui had been a pyrrhic victory, costing countless troops and half my fellow lords. No to mention that coward Takadox just walking away. It had cost us our victory and our enemies their home. But even that much loss had not been a high enough price, apparently. One last time I’d tried reaching out, offering peace, against my better judgment. Zaliyah hadn’t believed it either. She was proven right. That decrepit old fool of a Turaga had spat in our face. The world had ended and still they persisted in their delusions. This was a rot that needed to be burned away until even the ashes disintegrated. Stannis walked forward, self-righteous and confident as always. And of course he was spewing his inane preachings. While standing at the center of the disembodied head of his DEAD deity. The irony would have been luxuriously delicious if it wasn’t so infuriating. His reality had come crashing down and yet he still. Kept. Preaching. I shoved his mask, my supposed prize, into my suit’s pocket. By now, I was seething. That angry fire in the pit of my stomach had simmered down as of late, admittedly. I’d lost a bit of steam these past few days. It had all just been so very, very tiring. But this, this brought it right back up to temperature. How I ever thought there could be a chance for peace with such ignorant, rampant zealotry I’ll never know. I had been looking forward to watching Metru-Koro getting obliterated from a distance, but now...now I had the chance to do some purging myself. A wicked grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. Yes, I was going to enjoy myself. Stannis had barely finished his first verse as I shot forward at great speed, my suit propelling me faster than its bulk suggested, towards the maskless Toa standing right before me. “This is exactly…” It would take Saybo a moment to put on his mask and that made him the easiest target. I seized him by the shoulder and waist. “...why we can’t…” I spun and hurled his body at Ohrash with force. Sometimes you just need to beat a guy with another guy. “...have nice things!” I hissed. These two momentarily dealt with, I glanced towards Stannis, just as he rattled off his second verse and punctuated it by hurling his spear into one of my Vahki guards. It went down, but wasn’t out. The skewered enforcer collapsed to the floor, but as they lacked the ability to feel pain or go into shock, it responded right away, raising the alarm with its fellow Vahki and alerting the hive. With the alarm raised, these traitors would have to hurry to try and get rid of me, before the entire security force of the coliseum descended upon them. Then, the Vahki promptly opened fire upon the preachy, spear-less Stannis with its Kanoka disk and staves from its prone position. It’s companion raised it’s staves as well, but only got one shot off before being cut down by a blur of green shooting forth from another hiding spot. I heard the noise, spun to face the new assailant and thought I recognized her from surveillance footage as well as she dropped her sword and pulled out her Cordak and Midak blasters. My ocular uplink flashed her name and confirmed her as one of the duo that had killed Carapar before the fall. Then it was a safe bet her partner was nearby...good. Let them watch as I tear this gnat limb from limb. But first…the Toa rudely interrupted my thoughts with a barrage of missiles and orbs, the latter notably darkening the room as the blaster drew in the surrounding light to fire. Instinctively, I called upon the power of my mask, telekinetically stopping one of the Cordak rounds in mid air, causing it to explode prematurely, detonating the others as well, hopefully right in Skyra’s face as she hurtled towards me. The resulting shockwave staggered and pushed me back several feet and I felt the skin under my mask blister as one of the Midak rounds grazed my armor, singing the left pauldron before dissipating as heat. I was just about to regain my footing as my armour's proximity ping went off right behind me and I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my back. The warsuit took the brunt once again, throwing sparks and my interface flickered with interference for a second. But the tip of whatever had the audacity to backstab me had managed to slip between the plates and draw blood. A split-second of dizziness overcame me and I noticed my suit's power readout dropped a little. I grunted in pain, didn’t bother to see who was behind me first and instead opted to spin around while throwing a mighty warsuit-assisted backhand in a low arc to hit them with. I wasn’t even conscious of the words leaving my mouth as I did it. “I’m going to break you! And when I am done I’ll go to the ruins you called a village and plant my flag in the ashes!” OOC: @EmperorWhenua@Kal the Guardian@~Xemnas~@Snelly@Toru Nui@Tarn

IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] “Then, do you know when one turns into the other? And when that happens, can you keep those that seek to dominate in check? Because that is where our peril stems from.” OOC: @Burnmad IC [Zataka - Aboard the Tactical Panda]: Zataka didn’t answer immediately. She had been so focused on her own survival and navigating this tense situation so far, that the sudden reminder of her home caught the warrior off guard. She thought back to the giant carcass in orbit around this world (which was already a mindbender of epic proportions by itself) and thought back to the archipelago. Hoping that somehow, her people had survived, that they had been protected. She could feel the weight of the Olmak’s fragments in its pouch. She had to get that mask fixed and get back. And for that she needed a forge and someone with the knowledge to repair the Kanohi. She needed knowledge - knowledge of this island, of its people and their politics and anything else that could help... “Yes. Plenty. They’re ubiquitous.” she finally replied. “But it can’t be easy to maintain one under these circumstances.” OOC: @EmperorWhenua IC [Coliseum]: I stood silent, contemplative. Then, very slowly and deliberately, I turned, took two steps towards Ohrash. I didn’t meet his or Saybo’s eyes yet, my focus was solely on my prize. The errand runners would have my attention soon enough, they could stand to wait a little longer. Taking the offered mask, I began studying the ‘face’ of my late enemy carefully. Yes, it was indeed the genuine article. I held it gingerly in one hand, fingers trailing down its side, feeling the ridge of the Kanohi’s cheek, before turning it over to scan the inside. I kept my expression unreadable, but I was not prepared for the feeling this news would bring with it. Satisfaction, certainly, but also...I thought it’d feel better, y’know? Like trying something new after hearing only good about it for ages, only to be underwhelmed when you finally experience it. It was kind of like that. I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up, given the current circumstances. Stannis’ death wasn’t going to magically fix things, no matter how much he had played up his wizard-shtick. The to-do list was still thousands of items long. 2739 in fact. (You can have your magazine’s back after we figure out a way to stop the ocean from draining. Get your priorities straight.) Reducing that number by one was one worry less, yes, but in comparison that was naught but a drop in an ocean. I wonder if that’s some sort of cosmic prank - we told the Matoran for so long how fragile their great spirit was, only for us to be proven oh so very right. I would have laughed at it croaking, if it hadn’t taken us all with it. Even I couldn’t come up with something that cruel. And trust me, I tried. Anway, at the end of the day I still ruled over a broken city amidst an untamed wasteland. Even if I fixed the latter, I would have to deal with the latter sooner, rather than later. If I turned the city into the shiny beacon of liberation I envisioned, every s gang leader in the wastes would come crawling. One annoying Toa more or less wasn’t going to change that. Even if he was a greater nuisance than most. The worst - you better believe it, too! So much self righteousness and holier-than-thou know-it-all attitude ready to spew forth at a moment’s notice, no wonder it needed that jawline to keep it contained…having it melted was truly the only loss there… I suddenly turned, my full attention now on the two Toa before me - it was time to address them properly. I looked them up and down. For having just killed one of the known universe’s most infamous Toa, they looked pretty much unscathed...interesting. “Well done. That was no small feat. And in such a short time too. I admittedly had my doubts as to the odds of your success. Beating such an opponent is no small feat. But you beat the odds. I’m curious as to how you managed it. And what did you do with the body?” ----- As he was stewing in the heat of the vent tube, Waveahk noticed the faint noise of patter approaching from very close by. Glancing up from his grate, he found himself face to face with a tiny lizard looking at him, unmoving except for slowly blinking its large eyes every few seconds. OOC: @Kal the Guardian@Snelly@Toru Nui@Tarn@~Xemnas~

IC [Zataka - Aboard the Tactical Panda]: The warlord stood tall, seemingly unperturbed by the intense, scrutinizing looks from the entire crew. But her spot on deck had been very deliberately chosen. She’d stopped near Yumiwak, equidistant enough from her and anything technical nearby to not cause alarm, but close enough to be within quick reach still. “Custom tailored.” she answered the Skakdi leader’s question, noting that hungry look in her eyes again. She studied the crew as her captor/host/future victim(?) spoke again, then added: “Yumiwak has graciously extended the courtesy to host me as your guest. I look forward to getting to know you all.” Her words would have come across as incredibly naive, were it not for the warrior’s undertone, which made it very clear that her presence amongst them had been her choice. The last part however was utterly honest: She was very interested in finally being able to learn about this new land. OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC [Coliseum]: The receptionist smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, but it appears all publishers of magazines are currently experiencing issues with shipping, printing, supplies, staff - everything. But it is firmly on the to-do list.” She consulted her tablet once more: “Ah yes, here. Item #2739 on the agenda for rebuilding Metru Nui. It might take a while.” She got a slight conspiratorial look in her eyes and her voice got low as she leaned in closer to Achro. “Also, I am certain I overheard Lord Pridak suggest a name change for the city as well. Something along the lines of ‘Leagueopolis’, can you believe it?” And then she suddenly straightened again, back in full customer-service mode. “I would recommend you try the juice bar in the foyer. They make excellent smoothies!” OOC: @Toru Nui

IC [Coliseum]: The receptionist looked up from her work, and looked at the newcomer. She’d reviewed the list of names and their pictures (thank you Vahki visual surveillance records) to familiarize herself with Pridak’s agents. “Ah yes of course. Achro, isn’t it? I am afraid Lord Pridak is currently in a meeting, but if you wish to come back later or wait, I can put you on today’s schedule?” OOC: @Toru Nui

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Fire As the lever was pulled, the sounds of operating machinery picked up. Big, heavy, parts began to move, out of sight. Metal clanged, steam hissed and the floor began to vibrate. Then, the hissing grew in intensity until it became uncomfortably loud. And then, suddenly, the pipes sticking out diagonally from pillar [3] and [2] erupted with molten slag, bursting forth in a shower of sparks and falling down towards the walkway! The puzzle solvers had to get out of the way to avoid getting burned and watched as the liquid metal poured down through the grated floor and gathered in a basin and began to rise quickly, casting them all in a reddish glow from below. If it kept pouring, the basin would fill up and overflow before long and they’d be in trouble. Just as that realization sunk in, the administrator spoke up: “Unsafe conditions detected, emergency shutdown initiated.” The flow suddenly cut off as several of the pipes were disconnected. But even as the machinery shut down, Tuakana, still watching as things unfolded, suddenly found their eyes drawn to the forge: Halfway up its total height, a spiral symbol was glowing, now fading quickly as the heat subsided. The old aspect knew what this symbol meant: A taboo. OOC: @Toru Nui @~Xemnas~ @Eyru @Nato the Traveler IC [Pridak - Coliseum]: I strode into my throne room, still reading my tablet, until coming to a stop in front of the large balcony facing towards the east. My Vahki escort stopped automatically at the doorway and took up position to either side. I gazed out over the vast expanse of the ruined city of legends towards the distant horizon of Zakaz beyond the massive empty eye socket. Somewhere out there, Zaliyah and the rest of the strike force were getting rid of the nuisance that was the refugee camp. Yes, yes, it had a name, but I wasn’t about to dignify that ragtag collection of hastily erected shelters as an actual Koro. They’d had their chance. To my disappointment, the air was rather hazy over the silver sea lake today, and I witnessed the distant explosions first hand. That was too bad. But maybe come evening they’d be back with good news. In the meantime, I’d have myself an appetizer of what was to come with my present guests. I pinged the receptionist to send them in and put the tablet away into its pocket on my suit (one of the major improvements over earlier models.). I waited by my throne, standing slightly off to the side, watching the door intently as the two Toa returned. Ohrash. Saybo. I acknowledged them wordlessly, and with a nod, indicated for them to step forward. Come. Tell me something good. OOC: @Tarn@Snelly@Kal the Guardian@EmperorWhenua IC [Zataka - The Wastes]: Whatever you need to tell yourself… Zataka thought, but this one she kept to herself. Her slightly cocked eyebrow and smirk said more than enough about how she felt about the ‘I-am-very-tough’ act. As for constantly having a weapon trained on her...she would be just as vigilant. The warrior discreetly let a bit of energy flow through her fingers, feeling the familiar sensation of power coursing through their tips as she followed the Skakdi aboard their ship. But, to Yumiwak’s credit, she spoke in defense of her companions, even helped them up. Whether this ‘clan’ was her actual family, or a found one - the Skakdi leader valued them, that much was clear - and the warlord respected that. Enough to offer her own name in return: “I am Zataka.” OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Fire Proceeding as with the previous pillars, Enra and the others soon had the last pillar connected to the first three and now had a [4] [3] [2] [1] setup leading into the forge. As the last pipe slid into place, the familiar hiss came again, but this time the sound continued and the pressure in the gauges ticked up notably, though not too much. The control panel at the central forge, previously dark, started to come alive, the panels flickering on as the power came on. There were indicators for temperatures in various parts of the forge, the incoming pressure and others, and one switch, labeled ‘ignition’. OOC: @Toru Nui IC [Coliseum]: The Vortixx returned to managing messages for Pridak, happy to be able to return to her work. Why did people think badgering her would somehow make his lordship adjust the speed at which he did things? She supposed she could pass on the badgering to him, but that was only asking for a terminal change of career paths. Just then, her tablet pinged, almost too loud in the quiet area. Internally, the Vortixx sighed. Finally. “Lord Pridak will see you now.” she said, indicating the way leading to the throne room, signalling the group carrying their prize to go ahead and enter. OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Kal the Guardian IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] The warlord kept his ‘I-used-to-command-nations’ stance - head held high, shoulders squared and feet firmly planted - until he was sure the Vahki and entourage had left again. Once he was sure they were out of sight and earshot again, his arms dropped, and he let out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. This encounter could have gone any number of ways, being dragged back to the Coliseum, kicking and screaming - or dead - included. He had been prepared for that outcome. Maybe if he was very lucky, something had gotten through to this Vahki squad mother. She might hate him, but if they turned from or just started to doubt Pridak - that’d be something. He was glad to have survived another day - for now - but the feeling was not one of relief. He was just very, very tired. “It’s a long story. But I guess an explanation is in order…” he replied. “But tell me something first: Your kind, they want power, yes?” - and here, Takadox looked from Providence to the rest of the group he knew and the other ‘aspects’ he did not. OOC: @Burnmad @Sparticus147 @Onaku @Snelly @Edelgard @Jakura Nuva @xccj

IC: Reliable Narrator | Coliseum The Vortixx looked up at the Toa over the rims of the reading spectacles she’d put on as she’d sat down behind the desk, with tight lips. Here she way, helping to run the city - or what was left of it - and this one was interested in her...desk? Really? She forced herself to assume her best professional tone and said: “As a matter of fact, it is. Was there anything else I can help you with? Lord Pridak will be back shortly and in his absence there is quite a bit of work I must get back to.” ---- I had made my way back to the foot of the coliseum via Vahki transport - their amphibious capabilities really did come in handy these days, much as I disliked their origin. My security detail popped open the hatch and filed out first, lining up as if this was some sort of royal welcome. Honestly - I didn’t care much for ceremonies today. Sighing, I stepped out of the transport, strode past the guards and back into the coliseum through a side-entrance out of view, making my way to a private elevator. I swear, if I had to go through the lobby every time I wanted to come and go nothing would ever get done around here… Stepping into the elevator, now flanked by two Vahki that were in the cabin at all times, I pulled up progress reports from Ehlek and the continuous efforts to fortify and rebuild what was left of Le-Metru, studying them on the way up. OOC: @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Fire As before, the pipe rattled on its chains before slotting into place between the pillars with a hiss and the pressure gauge showed that indeed, the pipe between pillar [3] and [2] had safely connected. That left only pillar [1] standing alone and unconnected to the others pillars or the forge. OOC: @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler @Eyru IC [Zataka - The Wastes]: The bemused looks remained firmly on the warrior’s face as she listened patiently to the Skakdi leader’s words, regardless of the threats or weapons being brought up to point at her again. She had hoped to avoid this conversation, but it appeared her rescuers/captors/next victims(?) really wanted to play this out the old fashioned way. Weird flex, but okay. When the Skakdi was finished, Zataka remained silent for a moment longer - or so it appeared to Yumiwak’s entourage. In truth, she was addressing their glorious leader directly via thought, using her mask again. She could have said it audibly, but if this one was so insistent on having her little display of being in charge, so be it. It was better to let her save face instead of provoking her further at this point. Just between you and me: You bragging about how you tracked down my capable warrior self while telling me I’m lost, doomed to die and sticking out like a sore thumb is not the boast you think it is. She continued aloud: “Again: I already chose to come willingly when I said I was ready to get out of this place. Funny thing about new places is: you run into the same kinds of people as everywhere else. So after the rough night I had, I figured I’d save us both the time and tired old back-and-forth and get us both what we want: I get out of this waste and you get me on your ship. I’ll even try your cake.” She’d kept her eyes firmly on Yumiwak up until now. Then, her focus suddenly shifted to the Skakdi off to the side, still aiming his crossbow. Though her tone didn’t change and she made no moves beyond looking at Korio, her eyes were blazing with warning intensity. “Of course, one can’t go anywhere willingly with a bolt trained on them. You better hope that first shot takes me out for good, otherwise I suggest you put your little toy down before you hurt yourself.” OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Fire The pipe Enra pulled moved into place between the pillar to her left [4] and the one across the walkway [3]. It connected to two of the shorter pipes sticking out of the pillars with an audible click-snap, followed by a loud hiss as a valve somewhere in the machinery opened. As this happened, Xane noticed a pressure gauge embedded in the pillar's side, which briefly shot into the red as the pipe pressurized, before the needle settled into a normal position. Next to the gauge was a switch that was in the lowest of four possible positions, indicated by marker notches next to each. He also noticed there were more connecting bits of pipe sticking out of this pillar and the others: Each pillar had two pipes that pointed at the other pillars directly across from them, and one that curved immediately to point at the diagonally opposite pillar. OOC: @Nato the Traveler@~Xemnas~@Eyru@Toru Nui IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] “And your very existence is in service of the oppressive structures that forced us to rise up in the first place. I did whatever needed doing for what started out as a just cause. Just like you did with those blind monsters earlier. So much death, just to get to me. Your moral ground is a sand castle in the tides. To be expected from machines who’s reasoning operates in a mere binary.” Takadox replied, taking the Vahki’s insult in stride and tossing one of his own back their way and never taking his eyes off of them. “But of course, you’re only doing this out of self preservation.” The warlord continued, smugly smirking at the Vahki squad mother. “Such an organic quality…” “And no, none of you were hypnotized. That's a bit hard to do while on the run...” he answered Rangi’s question, while simultaneously leaning on those very powers some more, specifically targeting the Vahki’s companions. Mahryo and the others felt more of that compelling urge that was already tugging at them. Go on, leave. This no longer concerns you. Kindly go back where you came from. OOC: @Burnmad@Sparticus147@Onaku@Snelly@Edelgard@Jakura Nuva@xccj@Toru Nui

IC [Zataka - The Wastes]: “Oh?” Zataka replied, a slightly bemused look in her eyes. She did stop, but not before taking one more, deliberate step towards the ship. The message that implied was clear. She could tell the Skakdi leader didn’t have an issue with her being on the boat itself, just how it happened. If they’d wanted her as a prisoner or dead they could have done that without waking her first. They could have tried to kidnap or kill her and loot her possessions. But they didn’t. They were clearly putting some sort of value on her - for a reason she wanted to discover, even if that meant risking having to walk the rest of the way to the crash site. And so Zataka decided to sidestep the verbal challenge entirely. “You were so eager about finding me a minute ago, leaving on your ship seemed like a given, whether I wanted to or not. So, I decided to come willingly.” the warrior said, then shrugged slightly. “But, if you don’t want me aboard, then I shall be on my way.” OOC: @EmperorWhenua IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] “Yes, yes they are…” the warlord muttered in reply to Rangi, watching the Vahki make their way into the chamber, once again demanding his surrender. He considered it. But then Takadox suddenly felt something well up inside him he hadn’t felt in a while: pride. Back during the invasion of Metru-Nui he had mostly been going with the flow, sometimes even getting bored by the lack of a proper challenge. Ga-Koro had yielded to his hypnotic charm with almost no bloodshed. Manipulative? Absolutely. Morally questionable? Oh yes. Was it the right thing to do? As far as he was concerned: Yes. They lived - and that was a good thing in his book. But then the world ended, Carapar was killed by bloodthirsty Toa, his partner died - and he’d been forced into a basic survival mode ever since. First the blind Skakdi cult. Then the giant Rahi worm. And now the Vahki treating him like a runaway Matoran. Enough was enough. “No, I don’t think I will.” he replied, with a tone of finality. He glanced at the aspects between him and the Vahki, then spoke up loudly, so all in the chamber could hear: “You know what these machines are? Mechanical enforcers, once in service to the Turaga that ruled over the metropolis in that head on the horizon. Mere days ago these things were there to press the noses of Matoran into the dirt if they so much as took a few seconds too long at their jobs. But now that the great Pridak found the switch to turn them on again, they suddenly believe themselves to be arbiters of law and order, despite being built by the very system of oppression we fought against in the first place. Our cause despised what they stood for. But all that was a lie too in the end. All dropped the moment the new ruler sat his behind into that chair atop the Coliseum. So no, I will not come with you. You’re slaves to a cruel and small minded man, lacking in agency and authority. You do not command me nor anyone else.” The warlord stood tall now, the old steel back in his spine, eyes burning with anger - and keeping close attention to the intruders facing him. They were not going to interrupt his monologue with a cheap shot. Maybe he wouldn’t see the end of today. But he would make sure these gathered aspects knew exactly what kind of scum had washed up on their shores. “And I will not yield to the likes of Pridak. Who is he to judge me? Because I chose to walk away from his side? I've committed no treason, made no attempts to seize his power for myself. I am neither sinner nor saint: I just had enough and walked away. And yet he declares me a war criminal when he himself is standing up to his waste in a sea of blood and misery of his own making. And to that I say: No.” “So you go scuttle back to him and kindly tell him he can jump off the coliseum for all I care.” He said this last with emphasis and the power of his hypnosis, while making ‘shoo-shoo’ motion with his right hand. OOC: @Edelgard@Jakura Nuva@xccj@Burnmad@Onaku@Snelly@Sparticus147@Toru Nui

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone Upon closer inspection, it became clear that all the open pipes would fit the suspended one, it was just a question of picking one of the four pillars to start with. OOC: @Toru Nui

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Fire Chains rattled overhead as Enra moved the pipe they connected to, leading up and away into the structures hidden in the gloom above. It was a bit hard to tell at first, but the pipe did move when pulled, once the momentum was transferred to the chains and whatever mechanism allowed them to move around. The pipe had a connector sticking out either end, It was slightly narrower in diameter than the pipe itself, with a slightly rough surface and blackened from use. A slit ran down the middle of the connector, cutting it into two semi-circles, with their free edges molded into a slightly thicker lip. Enra could tell that this was part of the system that would lock the pipe in place once they decided on which of the pillars multiple connection points to attach it to. There was one on either side of the walkway the group was standing on, and two more that mirrored them on the far side of the forge. OOC: @Nato the Traveler@~Xemnas~@Toru Nui IC [Kunok McGrokk]: “Good luck, friend. Ah hope you don’t get eaten yourself on the road to flavor town.” OOC: @Sparticus147 IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] Takadox looked at the Zyglak, surprised at their unfamiliarity with the name, before realizing that of course the name would mean little to the people of this land. Then he chuckled. He couldn’t help himself. Pridak, conqueror of the known universe - and no one outside the great spirits head could give less of a Manas dump about him. Perfect. “Pridak is...well was, a business partner of mine. Thoroughly unpleasant individual. I envy you not knowing him. We had a falling out. He didn’t take it well, apparently. Which explains the Vahki from earlier. I hope that worm got them…blasted machines.” OOC: @Onaku

IC: [Takadox - Ruins of Fire] The warlord blinked a couple of times, pulling himself back to the here and now and found himself face to face with the Zyglak. He jerked back a bit, startled, then relaxed. “Yes,” he started, then stopped himself and sighed. “...no...not really, I guess.” he eventually replied, sounding exhausted. “It has admittedly been a rough couple of days. And I am still not convinced today will not end with me on some sacrificial altar.” He looked around the room and stared at the opened portal, remembering the last time he had passed through one such gateway and how it had only brought him misery. “That’s what you get for putting any faith in Pridak…” he muttered, more to himself. OOC: @Onaku IC [Zataka - The Wastes]: The tall warrior remained silent for a moment, studying the small group of Skakdi before her, taking note of how the apparent leader took one of her followers' hands. So they had to do that on this island too...good to know some of the rules still applied here. “You’re doing better than the last group that made ‘contact’.” she finally replied, casually glancing at the Skakdi’s armaments, very much aware this bunch was ready to bring them up again in an instant if prompted. “You didn’t start with shooting.” Her eyes returned to rest on the leader, looking down at her. She wasn’t surprised to find size and bearing alone weren’t enough to intimidate someone in a place as rough as this. But there was something in her look, something eager, almost hungry. The question was, why? Judging by the airship parked right on top of her hideaway, paired with that fact that the footsteps the Skakdi made only led back to where they’d disembarked, they had known to look for her here. Most likely they had found the site of the earlier battle and gotten curious about who’d won. There were several ways and combinations thereof in which they could have traced her from there, especially with the psionic Skakdi’s powers at their disposal. But there was something about the way that one had said ‘first contact’ - a very specific term. Not to mention the mental projection of their visage, just before she’d woken up. There was more going on there. And she would find out what it was. But first… “Well, I don’t know about you,” Zataka began, leaning her head back and using her free hand to gently massage the back of her neck, before letting it slowly trail down its side and putting it down again, “but I am ready to get out of this place.” She started walking towards the Skakdi’s airship, as casually as she would have entered a chute station back in Metru-Nui, but very much staying alert for any sign of trouble. “Shall we?” OOC: @EmperorWhenua

@Kal the Guardian Hahvok approved. @Onaku Amarth approved.

IC [Zataka - The Wastes]: Dark had been her dreams of late. As it turned out, taking out an entire hunting party of whatever these Skakdi-like creatures were was hard work, even for a warlord. And it had left its mark. Her side still throbbed, where one of their crude weapons had found purchase. Worn out from her brawl with Kalmah, disoriented and tired, one of the eyeless ones had managed to hit her with a lucky strike and pierced her flesh. They didn’t live long enough to realize the damage they’d done. But it was done all the same and after disposing of the last of her pursuers, she’d found this rock to crawl under and patch herself up, before succumbing to a mighty need for rest. The risk of passing asleep in such a hostile place be . But unconsciousness had not provided any respite from the blind Skakdi - quite the opposite. In her sleep, they continued to hunt her. And she kept fighting them off, moving through twisting, endless canyons generated in nightmares, under a dark sky. Worse, her dreamscape was ravaged by shadows moving in the gloom. Their shrieks echoed off the obsidian walls. They were hauntingly close, yet elusive, melding into the fog surrounding her mind whenever she tried to get one in her grasp. Something sinister was at work here, she could feel it. And then the ground shook and broke open. Black dust and debris clouded her vision, but she could still sense the massive thing rise in front of her from below. She had to lean back to see it fully. But just as she did, it’s form burst into smoke - smoke that formed a visage: sinister and self assured, grinning smugly. And then she suddenly was yanked awake. Her eyes were piercing, electric blue staring right back at the face she had just seen in her dreams. “And what do you think you’re doing?” The words were as much spoken as feeding back through the forced mental link, echoing in the Skakdi's mind. The warlord had already picked up on her little trick. And then, Yumi realized, as Zataka sat up to face the Skakdi, swinging her long legs off the slab of rock: Her pants were the coolest pair she’d ever laid eyes on. OOC: @EmperorWhenua

IC [Kunok McGrokk]: “Well...he’s a local. Bit rough around the edges. Speaking of edges he’s got a big cube docked at the Rig. Can’t miss it. I’d go visit him and get a tune-up first before you set up in your grilling contraption or whatever it’s called.” OOC: @Sparticus147 IC [Nixie]: Whisper’s musings were interrupted by the Matoran, who kept looking at her, curious, but uncertain how to address this strange being. Eventually, she decided just being straightforward would probably be best. “You said you’re called Whisper, right? And you’re a native of this island?” Nixie started. “Do you happen to know anything about astronomy or the constellations and stars you can see from here at night?” Maybe a local would be able to tell her more. She wasn’t expecting a lot of detail, but maybe some local names for constellations, things she could cross reference as they learned more of this land... OOC: @Nato the Traveler

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone “The Kanoka you speak of predate my activation. But they must have been forged by one of the builders - one with the skill to harness such power through their craft. Their identity is unknown - lost to time or deliberately concealed.” There was a pause, as if the administrator had to remember some knowledge that had remained unaccessed for millennia. “Before this island was Zakaz, the inhabitants believed in the Krom: the one who is above the great spirits. The one who transcends the primal urges - creation and destruction. The one who is outside time.” OOC: @pokemonlover360 IC [Kunok McGrokk]: The Skakdi trader slumped back in his chair, the action causing him to let out a drawn-out burp - though he had the courtesy of trying to suppress the noise, holding a fist in front of his mouth. “Phew…” he said after a moment, looking at the other Skakdi with more concern than amusement. “You are serious, ain’t ya.” “Alright. Well, if you wanna go around this spirit-forsaken island of all places and make good food and survive the attempt - you’re gonna need a set of wheels or treads or at least something more than those tippy-toes. Only way to make it as a freelancer out here. Don’t suppose you got one of those, do ya?” “...don’t suppose you heard the name Cravious before either, hm?” OOC: @Sparticus147 IC [Nixie]: There was a soft tug on Taja’s arm. “Hey…” Nixie said. The Matoran was standing next to her, holding out a full water-skin, offering it to the Toa. “Thanks again for saving my work.” she said. The astronomer hoped the small act of kindness would help at least a little to pull her friend out of the funk she was in. She looked at Taja's companions as well, even if they looked scary. "Thanks to all of you." she said, addressing Whisper. OOC: @Eyru @Nato the Traveler

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone “The boon within is powerful indeed. It is my function to keep it safe until the world is ready. But I imagine it could be claimed by any one who provides the necessary key. But whether they are worthy or not - I do not make that determination. You do. This is a terrible world. The Time Between Time needs heroes to help lift up their people - not become corrupted by the hopes of individual gain.” OOC: @pokemonlover360 @Harvali @~Xemnas~ @Onaku @Snelly @Tarn

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone “There are no more riddles to be solved here. This is a lock - and it requires a key to open access to the boon within.” the Administrator confirmed, voice as matter-of-fact as ever. Brushing her hands over the writing, Vashni could feel a slight tingling as her fingers made contact with the letters. She couldn’t be sure if it was real or just her imagination playing tricks, but there was a definite feeling of power being contained. OOC: @pokemonlover360 @Tarn @Onaku @~Xemnas~ @Harvali @Snelly IC [Takadox]: The warlord had retreated into a corner of the chamber, away from the magma pool, and especially away from the other aspects present here. Even if Providence had stayed true to his word so far and not tried to sacrifice him. But the rest of his kind in the chamber with them were unsettling, to say at least. He felt like a fish amidst a school of Takea. At the same time, he was relieved to see normal Skakdi again - which at the same time brought painful memories back, front and center. On top of the past day’s events, it had all just become too much, and so, Takadox had begun dissociating, standing passively in the shadows, looking straight ahead. Nothing had played out the way it was supposed to.

IC [Nixie]: Nixie stuck close to Taja as they made their way to the “new archives” - a fancy name for a big cave. The astronomer was breathing heavily from the weight she carried. Two bags full of charts, each hanging from a diagonal strap across her torso, a loaded backpack and some she merely bound together into tight stacks with flax rope. “I’m so...grateful...for the help.” she huffed. “And sorry...to make you take down...the telescope...so soon after helping...to set it up.” The Matoran was anxious, which made her talkative. “But the work...I don’t know what it means yet...but the stars we used to study...I noticed similarities...too many to be coincidence. It was all through the eyes of the great spirit - literally. We only saw a glimpse of the universe. There is so much more….think what we could learn.” OOC: @Eyru

@Kal the Guardian, Cravious, Debt Collector and Cube are approved.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone “I can tell you that you are not the first to enter. You saw the other spheres, their attempts to walk the path you walk now. None have passed this particular challenge in some time. Long enough for me to go offline.” the administrator answered, no longer sounding quite as formal and artificial. “These temples were built by Matoran of ages past, to remember the Krom and to keep the cycle alive - to remind us that though we are individuals, we are part of a greater whole and that we rise and fall together.” The hallway ended in another doorway bathed in soft light. It led the group into a large, hexagonal chamber. Unlike the previous chambers, its walls were perfectly smooth, with the exception of small light stone fixtures providing the illumination. Looking up, the walls faded out into the same starlight sky as before. But what really caught their eyes was the center or the room and beyond: A strange device rested in the center of the room. It rose about chest height for a toa with a slot at the top. They all noticed how the slot seemed perfectly shaped to fit a kanoka disk of all things. A three digit code could be seen next to the disk slot: 3-3-9. On the far wall they discovered one more piece of writing. The letters in matoran spelled a single word: NUVA OOC: @Tarn @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @pokemonlover360 @Harvali @Onaku

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone The sphere fell down the first hole. They almost expected another splash. But instead, looking from the semi-circle walkway extending over the chasm, to see what would happen, Atamai and the group spotted the sphere roll down the slide. They followed it with their eyes and watched it drop off of the end and into the pool above the generator. The smaller splash it made went unheard so close to the waterfall. It only took mere moments for the water to start filling up the pool and overflow, right onto the water wheel, which began turning slowly. A few sparks flew from the generator as it began to power up, followed by a deep rumble that made the walkway shudder beneath their feet. And then, as it picked up speed, the submerged pillars began to rise. One after another, they pierced the surface, water cascading off of their flat tops, until they formed a bridge, leading away from the walkway and over the chasm towards the waterfall. The last pillar with the roof caused the waters pouring down from above to split, opening up the way forward and revealing another gateway on the far side, which had thus far been obscured by the waterfall. A soft light shone from the inside, beckoning them. It led to a long hallway covered in further hieroglyphics. An arched doorway waited at the end of the hall. "You have proven yourselves enough to walk the path as individuals," said the Administrator. OOC: @Tarn @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @pokemonlover360 @Harvali @Onaku

IC: Reliable Narrator | Northern Wastes, Ruins of Stone This time, there was no warning message from the administrator. The grid remained active. But still, instead of emerging on the slide that led to the pool above the generator, the sphere plummeted down the hole and unceremoniously fell into the water a moment later, way off the mark. “Activation unsuccessful.” the administrator informed them. “Resetting.” The process of the flipping tiles and rising cube repeated. “Would you like to try again?” OOC: @~Xemnas~