Toa Fanixe

IC: Lantz grunted his understanding of Eisen's order and activated his mask. A spot in the floor began to slowly crumble away. The Legacy's path to the tunnel would soon be opening up... "Let's just kill the Maru already!" he told the others, while still keeping his focus on the deepening hole.

IC: The Vilda First Son had started to look down in disappointment as Akiyo began speaking, but color and excitement quickly returned to his face as the Plangori Menti proposed a solution. "What may happen indeed..." Kulrik said with a low voice and gazing longingly at his host. He looked down at his food and scarfed down the few pieces of food he'd strewn on it earlier. Kulrik cleared his throat and wiped his hands with the napkin beside him. The Vilda got up to leave. He was distinctly aware of the guards nearby who seemed to tense as he rose. "Thank you, Plangori Akiyo, for the excellent meal and your wonderful company" he said loud enough for the guards to hear."I'm afraid I must retire for the night, but I look forward to our little excursion tomorrow. More quietly, he added "and if you'd like to talk to me a little more tonight... well, you know where to find me" Kulrik finished with a wink. With a bow and turn, he started off back to his guest quarters.

IC: "That really does depend" Kulrik replied. "I've outwitted some of the best out there, so I don't think your cousins should be too much trouble. No disrespect to your family of course - they've just never dealt with someone like myself" the First Son added with a grin. He reached for some vegetables. Hopefully he'd at least be able to stomach those. The fake "fresh" fist didn't agree with his mouth, tongue, throat or stomach. "Now I agree, the Umbralines have ruled over centuries of peace. As much as I disagree with the way things are right now, I can't think of a better alternative that doesn't involve bloodshed. And that is absolutely something I would like the Empire to avoid for many, many years to come. That's actually part of the reason I'm here. I've stumbled into a bit of a treasure that can cause a lot of trouble if said treasure falls into the wrong hands, and I think it might. But I'm just one person, or two with my aide. So I could use your help on this quest of mine. "I know you said your cousins dont give you much free time, but I could sneak you away with me if you'd like. I said I need motivation, and well... you're quite the motivator" Kulrik said with a grin.

IC: Lantz snarled at the Legacy general. He did not like being told what to do. He was Makuta's true heir - not Echelon, not the Piraka and certainly not Eisen. One day they would all recognize this fact and crown Lantz their king. But that day was not today. Until then, Lantz would had to stay in line. "My pleasure" he replied with a curl of his lip. As he activated his mask he imagined avenging Makuta and bringing the surviving Maru to their knees. The glee fuelled his Kanohi. He directed his sight on the now-repaired wall, the very one Leah Maru had torn through using her elemental powers. Lantz walked closer so that that particular section of the wall filled his vision. The loam started to change color as the degradation took place. Small cracks began to form. Some merged, large issues appeared suddenly with accompanying noise like gunshots. The integrity of the patch was failing. It took longer than Lantz thought - there was more material stuffed into it he had realized - but eventually the loam collapsed into a heap of pebbles, fine dust obscuring the passageway. "After you" he told Eisen. Fools rush in he thought to himself.

IC: Soraph's mind dreamed while two Toa Kalta freed her from the Dark Turaga's imprisonment. The dreams were surprisingly dark, violent and unlike any the Willhammer had had before. In one she stood over the fresh corpses of a dozen enemies, her hands (claws?) drenched in their blood. In another she feasted on the remains of her treacherous aunt. And in the last, she lay draped on an oversized obsidian throne, hundreds of enslaved Matoran bowing before her in fear and awe. Most of the Kalta were locked in a cage at the far end of the crowd except for Vakua, who sat near her playing music, and Casanuva, who's hands were tied as he waited on her with wine and fruit. During moments of lucidity Soraph could pull herself away from these malicious thoughts and guess their origin. She'd been told about the effects Parakuka had on their hosts - infecting their minds with shadows and empty promises of power. But those moments came and went and then the Dasaka was pulled back into the dreams. She felt like a swimmer, just able to surface for a few mouthfuls of air before being dragged back down into the water by some slimy creature. Do not resist Soraph, it is far too late for that now. I am already in your mind, and soon our union will be complete. Relax. Enjoy these visions I share with you. When we awake, you will, for once, understand the meaning of strength, and thank Makuta for the day we met. Who....who are you? Soraph asked the other voice in her head. I am a part of you, now and for the rest of our life together. But you may call me Mapris.

IC: Lantz had eagerly been watching the fight between Eisen and the Maru. His ally had been so close to avenging their lord Makuta and killing one of the Maru, but the victory had been stolen. The only consolation was that the Maru's mask had been retrieved. And, there was still the chance for Lantz to finish the job next time he saw the fiery Toa. But there was no time to think about that now. The alarms were sounding and Eisen was leading the charge to keep the Matoran hostages trapped. Undoubtedly more of the treacherous Maru would be be trying to free them. With a roar the Toa of Gravity unleashed his elemental power and reduced gravity's hold on him, and started bounding huge leaps behind Eisen.

IC: The antidermis swirled through Soraph's circulatory system. It moved with purpose, entering this artery and then another, as if it was searching for something. Soraph liked to think she was, for the most part, a good person. She wanted justice for herself, her mother and her clan. She was generous when she had the funds and tried to treat people with respect and kindness. If that was all, the antidermis would have found an ill-suited host and begun to destroy the psychic. But that was not all. Soraph also had a thirst for power. More ambition than was wise for Dasaka in her position. And a deep desire for revenge. These were exactly the kinds of traits that the antidermis could exploit and use, eventually to turn it's victim into a servant of Makuta. Just as it was about to do just that, the antidermis encountered another being. A being of darkness, like itself, with a black heart and corrupt mind. It chose the Parakuka. Through the connection at Soraph's neck the antidermis left the Dasaka and invaded the parasite on her back. The Parakuka could feel itself begin even as it cemented it's connection with Soraph, it's new host. The Parakuka felt an itch run back and forth across it's spine, and a 'hollow' develop in the corner of his mind. It was a sensation it had never known before, and remained after the itching had disappeared. A housewarming gift! How thoughtful! it thought to itself. I do think I will enjoy unwrapping this one. Thin veins of green spread across the Parakuka's skin, and the giant the slug even grew a little more in size. It now covered nearly the entire length of Soraph's back, and over half the width. Still unconscious, Soraph began to dream.

IC: Every squeak the Parakuka made as it crawled towards grated against Soraph's ears. She had seen what these parasites did to people, had watched as one had claimed it's prey back in Ga-Koro. And she'd been told how it fed on the hosts' energy,sucking them dry for years before moving on to another victim. She pulled and tugged and railed against her chains, desperately wishing to break free though she knew it was impossible. The Dasaka screamed for help but even if anyone heard, no one answered. Fyura stood silently, staring at prey and predator in anticipation. The Parakuka, which had moved deceptively quickly just a few moments earlier, slowed to a halt as it approached her. Blind, it somehow seemed to sense that it's next victim was powerless to stop it. The oversized slug (even for a Parakuka) resumed moving towards Soraph, ever so delicately, as if it was relishing the experience. Here was prey truly served up on a platter. Not running away, not scratching or stabbing at it. Practically just waiting for it to feed. As it reached her foot it felt her muscles tense and then jerk away. The Dasaka began to twist and turn, desperately contorting her body to keep the Parakuka away. For a few moments her little gambit succeeded, but then the Parakuka heaved itself onto the back of her thigh, trapping her leg beneath the slug's considerable weight. With a small roll it moved onto Soraph's lower back, and then began to crawl upwards. The weight on top of her first pushed Soraph hips, then her belly and finally her chest to the ground as the Parakuka's mouth neared the back of her neck. Trapped between the ice cold floor and the parasite bearing down on her Soraph could barely expand leaving her struggling to breathe. The manacles, strained even more by the Parakuka on top of her, bit into her wrists, leaving a trail of blood down her arms and dripping down beside her. "Please...." Soraph whispered. Whether she was begging Fyura, her captor, or Zuto-Nui, Soraph herself wasn't sure."...please help me. This doesn't... this doesn't have to happen..." Finally in place the Parakuka paused. It raised it's head, waiting a moment, and in a squeal of delight dove down and bit into the nape of Soraph's neck. There was silence. Then a scream of pain and agony filled the underground jail. Pain tore through the Dasaka's body as if every nerve was on fire all at once. Pair after pair of pincer - over a dozen in all - shot down and pierced Soraph's skin, each one bringing with it a surge of lightening that coursed through her body. Her back arched and came crashing down with each one, and somehow she could feel them as they dug deeper and wrapped around her spine. Then it stopped. The Parakuka was still and the pain was gone. Soraph hung loosely against the chains. Before darkness took her Soraph heard someone speaking. It was hardly a whisper, seemingly uttered right beside her ear, or perhaps behind her. Oh, what fun we'll have. I'll never, never let you go, never, not you. What great things we'll d. What terrible things we'll do!

IC: The world was dim when Soraph awoke. First she thought she was going blind, then she realized that what little light there was was orange-yellow and flickering; a candle. It was somewhere behind her. She began to stir, then realized she wasn't quite able to. It was a large dark room, the corners walled off by stone and iron bars to create a set of four identical cells. They were mostly empty except for one, which reeked and Soraph heard buzzing coming from within. The formation of the cells turned the open area of the room into a rough cross or 'x' shape. At the centre was Soraph, a doorway ahead of her that lead directly to a staircase leading...upwards? It was hard for the Vilda to tell. Soraph tried to assess her position. Her chest lay a few inches off the ground with her hands arms raised; each hand manacled, and connected by steel chain to opposite walls. Her legs and feet fell to the floor behind her. The Daska could hardly move at all. She was stuck, imprisoned. Her wrists ached, almost bled, as they metal dug into them, forcing her arms to suspend her body at the awkward angle she was in over the floor. The position didn't help with her breathing either. Fear welled up inside her. Soraph tried to fight it. She really did. She told herself someone was coming, help was on the way. That the situation wasn't so bad. Maybe she could Willhammer the jailer to free her? Other Dasaka must have been in far worse situations than this and freed themselves. How hard would it be? Then she heard the footsteps. They echoed down the staircase growing leader with each step. They were heavy, accompanied by mutterings and...squealing?

IC: Soraph had turned the full power of her mental energies to Maeloc. Manipulating the mind of wise, scheming Datsue was difficult and engrossing work. The Vilda barely registered what Maeloc was saying; she surely hadn't the waves of water summoned elsewhere in the Koro, or the shouting and fighting going on outside. It was said that Willhammers lived on two planes their whole lives, though in reality was it always just one at a time. When Fyura staggered in front of her and grabbed her face and arm, Soraph didn't move for an entire second. :wha: "What's" :whats going on!: she both yelled and thought, as she rushed to return her attention to the physical world. Mental energies slipped through her grasp as she became aware of Fyura's attack. "Get - get off me!" Soraph screamed as she struggled against the Skakdi's vicious hold. She flailed around and tried to push Fyura away, but failed. Even under normal circumstances the Skakdi was far stronger than herself; Willhammers, who devoted years to mental training, were not particularly known for the physical prowess. Now, the Parakuka-latched Skakdi stole and fed on her energy; with each passing moment Vayde grew stronger while Soraph grew considerably weaker. Seeing she was outmatched, the Vilda princess tried to gather enough will to use her mental abilities again. She reached out at Fyura-Vayde's mind and poured all the energy she could into a command :let her go:, but the bonded pair ignored Soraph's though. She saw now her error; she had inculcated the desire to drink too strongly. Soraph could hardly laugh as she realized it was her own earlier expertise that was leading to her defeat. Her arms and legs grew leaden and it was becoming to breathe. She felt like her entire body was shutting down. Soraph stopped trying to resist - she knew when was beat. She could have sworn she sensed Fyura smile and squeal with glee as her prey admitted defeat and she was pulled into a bear hug, what was left of her strength fleeing considerably faster. In a last gamble, she focused her thoughts into a single phrase. Soraph thought it as loudly as she could. Most probably no one would hear it - if someone did, there was little they would be able to do to help. Then, darkness as fainted and collapsed into Fyura's arms.

IC: Soraph was still staring greedily at Fyura as the Skakdi drained her latest victim. Parakuka aside, this was exactly the sort of power she'd been hoping to find on Mata-Nui. Energy hunger, outright control of other beings (Rahkshi, though maybe others too?)... Soraph was technically only in Ko-Koro to find and rescue the captive Matoran, but if she gained access to abilities that would make her more powerful, strong enough to usurp her aunt? That was all just a pleasant bonus. "Well, telepathy of course, between ourselves and if one has the right training, with others. I can do that, which is how I talked to Fyura back in Ga-Koro." The Vilda Menti neglected to mention the rest of a Willhammer's abilities; no point in giving her next victim advance notice. "Some of my people can also create mental projections, or illusions. The more combative types can move things around with their minds, and certain warriors like my cousin can even create weapons out of mental energies. "You're up again. Say I wanted to get my hands on antidermis, who should I speak to? You wouldn't happen to have any, would you? Also, what about those artifacts you were looking into in Ga-Koro? Find any more of those?" Soraph asked as she began turning the focus of her psychic powers onto Maeloc. Drink.

IC: Soraph stared into her glass while listening to Maeloc's own inquiries. They were perfectly reasonable - she had given him barely information at all since meeting him, yet the Turaga had provided her with a relative wealth of knowledge of Mata-Nui. She considered outright lying to Maeloc, but decided against it. She would need to concentrate while using her psychic abilities, and speaking the truth would make the process easier. She drank the tiniest drop of the amor liquid and nearly gagged. The locals clearly had no experience with making alcohol. No good experience anyways. Shaking her head to try to rid the flavour from her mouth, Soraph started speaking. "Our Empire only just recently found out about the existence of your island - we're no scouts for a military action, but we are scouts. It's like a whole new world has suddenly become available to us - before we can do anything, we need to learn about Mata-Nui. "The fauna, the flora, the climate.... you have creatures and plants and weather patterns we could scarcely imagine in Kentoku. There's the chance for new medicines, foods, materials. New places and environments to live in. The scientists and other scholars that have come with me can barely contain their excitement. Everything in your world is going to change ours. Metal, for example. In my home metal is scarce, only the rich and powerful can afford anything more than a few ounces. But here it's practically growing on trees! Iron and silver and gold and copper....you could buy an entire city in the Empire with what you consider junk. "There's also some people we're supposed to keep an eye out for. But it's your turn now: Answer the questions I asked you!" All the while she was speaking, Soraph began concentrating her mental energies on Fyura. Between her and Maeloc, she obviously posed the bigger threat. Once she dealt with, Maeloc would be easy by comparison. Soraph touched the Skakdi's mind gently, taking care to avoid the Parakuka latched onto it. It was a delicate operation, manipulating one being's mind without alerting neither it nor the parasite enmeshed within it. But Soraph was a Vilda Willhammer - if anyone could do it, it was her. Soraph whispered into Fyura's mind, her words carrying with them more power than just sound. Drink. Drink a little more. Oh, that's nothing, I need another glass at least. Or two. It's practically water, I could drink this all day. The words were thoughts, and under Soraph's practiced hand they were practically indistinguishable from Fyura's own. The skakdi would think they were her own ideas, that she really did want another drop of that amber drink. The Vilda princess kept on uttering her "suggestions" to Fyura while waiting for Maeloc to answer. Once Fyura was too drunk to stop her, Soraph would repeat the process on the tirana. These Mata-Nuian's were so simple minded, she thought to herself smugly.

IC: "Sure, that sounds great. I mean, any place indoors must be better than freezing to death outside. AndI'd love to see whatever 'special stuff' Fyura is talking about." The wind picked up as the blizzard around Ko-Wahi grew worse. "Well what are we waiting for? Please, lead the way" Soraph screamed over the wailing winds. The lone Dasaka followed a step behind Maeloc and Fyura. Their frames, Fyura's especially, helped shield Soraph from the biting gales as the trio wound their way through Ko-Koro'streets and alleys. The storm blew away any footprints they left behind. Skorm wouldn't be able to find me even if he wanted to, Soraph thought to herself. Deeper down the hole I go. Eventually they reached a relatively large building with sturdy looking doors. Maeloc and Fyrua stopped in front of it, so Soraph walked forward and tried opening the doors. They wouldn't budge, their weight and the oppressive wind keeping it shut closed. Soraph stepped aside as Fyura impressively threw a door open single handedly. Soraph wondered if the Parakuka had helped her at all. They didn't look like much, but the strength they gave their hosts was unbelievable. It was beyond anything she'd ever seen in Kentoku. Of course, they also sucked the life energy out of you and made your elemental powers inaccessible. Soraph shuddered at the thought, thanked Zuto-Nui the parasites were separated by an ocean from her home in Oki and rushed inside the T.O.Y.S. store. It was eclectic, crowded and full of stranger characters. In other words, perfect. No one would bat an eye at her, or notice when she slipped away alone from her two hosts. Soraph made her way to the bar. " Three of the strongest stuff you have." She paused, thinking. "And make them doubles, and keep them coming" she added with a flashy smile. The bartender grinned back and nodded, grabbing bottles from the shelf behind him. Meanwhile Soraph walked to a booth in the back, took a seat and unwrapped Skorm's white cloak from around her. Fyura and Maeloc sat down opposite her. "So tell me more about this "Legacy" I keep hearing about on this island. And about that antidermis substance you mentioned back in Ga-Koro. Do you have a store of it here?" Soraph asked the Turaga.

IC: "I'm afraid so" Soraph lied without missing a beat. She'd been rehearsing this conversation in her head relentlessly the past few days, ever since she'd left Ga-Koro with the Kalta and the other two Dasaka. "My colleagues are too busy cataloguing the fauna and flora around Ga-Wahi and meeting with the local government officials. Fortunately I managed to get permission to get away and explore the rest of the island. After our meeting by the Ga-Koro gates, I decided to hire a mercenary as a local guide to bring me here." Looking around, on both the visible and mental planes, Soraph sensed that Skorm was a gone. He must have already left to begin looking for the village's hostages, she thought to herself Soraph shivered. She was on her own. The next part of the plan would be the most dangerous - incapacitate these two Legacy members so she could search for hostages herself, unsupervised and unguarded. "I dont suppose we could continue this conversation indoors? Maybe someplace with drinks to warm us up?"

IC: Soraph had enough time to listen to Skorm's though reply before she had to release her mental energies so she could begin walking again. She nodded quickly at the guard and tried to mutter a "thank you" but the cold left her teeth chattering and saying something inaudible. So instead Soraph just wrapped the cloak around her even tighter and led Skorm through the gates into Ko-Koro. Out of the freezer and into the murderer-thieves-evil-filled freezer the Dasaka thought to herself. ​The other villages should just let these Legacy people keep Ko-Koro. No sane person should live in this environment. They didn't get too far before the guards instructed them to stop as they waited for Fyura to come collect her. Standing still Soraph had another chance to speak to Skorm. Quick thinking back there. I've never heard of a name like Nuhros, must be more common here on Mata-Nui than in the Archipelago. Suddenly Soraph had a disturbing thought. What if Casanuva wasn't the only one of the Kalta to have another personality in his head? What if Skorm had one too? And the others? And what if they weren't all as safe as Casanuva's.... Any more thoughts of alternative personalities fled Sorah's mind as as two figures appeared in the distance. One was taller - a Skakdi? - and another was short, a Dastue/Turaga by the looks of it. Fyura, and the other must be Maeloc. Soraph's pulse began to race by Maeloc's arrival. He wasn't supposed to be here. Soraph could easily Willhammer one opponent and get away, but two...? Once she started on one target the second would notice and interrupt. This wasn't good. She would have to improvise. But first she to get Skorm away from the pair of Legacy members. I'll try and convince them to let you go explore some shops on your own, so you can begin looking for the captives. I'll lead them somewhere quiet and once I've Willhammered them into submission I'll start searching on my own. We'll meet at pub closest to the gates here, ok? Sorpah didn't have time to tell Skorm anything else as Fyrua and Maeloc approached. She waved and smiled warmly. Forcing herself to be heard, she said "Good to see you again. I love what you've done with the place. All white - very chic. I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time." ​Vakua instantly felt the beginnings of worry start to smoulder in Zueya's mind. Looks we're about to have some trouble... he told Aelied. Silently, Vakua wondered how Skorm and Soraph were doing. If anyone was in trouble, it was those two. In a way, Vakua felt frustrated. He wished he could be of more help to the others, but with the Legacy after his mask he was stuck hiding in caves while the rest were put in danger. He might have an important support role in the group, but at times Vakua just felt useless.

Any training for my char Mirror to do?

IC: Soraph was more than happy to accept the warm white coat from Skorm. As beautiful as Mata-Nui might be in all it's primal nature, it was also extremely temperamental when it came to its climate. Coming from the Archipalego, where the weather was mostly the same throughout the Empire, the diverse climate zones of Mata-Nui was bizarre. A single island with both arid dessert and lush river lands? An area of hot sulphur and rivers of liver not far from this wintery landscape frozen in time? It was no wonder the Dashi and Dasaka here had become Matoran and Toa with so many elements; it was the only way to survive. The Vlida Dasaka wrapped the cloak around herself and stepped out into the cold with Skorm a step behind. Almost immeadielty we was pushed back by gale-like winds and near-blinding snowfall. Why couldn't the Legacy have taken over somplace more tropical? she thought to herself. Nevertheless, harsh conditions and all, the pair trudged on through the blizzard. Soraph would have liked to talk to Skorm but between her mouth being covered by the thick cloack and the shrilly winds, a conversation was almost impossible. It was a shame in her opinion - she would have liked to know more about the rest of the Kalta. So far she could only say she really knew Casanuva at all, and he was still coming up with surprises for her. And besides, she doubted the relationship she was developing with him was one she'd have with many others her on Mata-Nui. No, what she wanted to make were simple friends. And of course some allies. What was supposed to be a short journey took closer to an hour, but eventually Soraph and Skorm made it to the icy gates of Ko-Koro. They approached slowly (even they couldn't have moved any faster through the snow) knowing the guards above would be watching closely for anyone seeking to enter the village. When they stopped near the gate, Soraph raised her hands above her head, empty-handed. She swore quietly as the cold bit at her now exposed arms. Honestly, who would want to live here? "My name is Soraph! I've come to talk with Fyura, of the Legacy! She's been expecting me" she yelled above the shrieking gales. To be sure the guards heard her, she repeated herself, trying to scream even louder. She spied the guards move closer together, conferring. I'll just help that along. She concentrated her thoughts and and eased them slowly into the guards minds', coaxing a simple message to guide their actions using her Willhammer ability. Best send for Fyura...better safe than sorry...wouldnt want to get THAT woman upset.... Happy with her work and with nothing to do but wait,, Soraph turned her thoughts to Skorm. Instead of slipping her thoughts into his subconscious, as she'd done with the guards, she passed them across the barrier of his mind and listened for an response. A conversation, instead of trickery. :So, you and Zueya...how long has that been a thing?: Soraph couldn't help project a fleeting image of herself with a coy smile. Seeing Skorm and Soraph wander off into the blizzard, Vakua returned to talking with Aelied. :You could have sent Casanuva with her, even if the Legacy does have a description of him. He and Soraph certainly would have preferred each other's company. Why send Skorm instead?:

IC: "Or we can leave right away" countered Soraph. "Me and Skorm can leave to scout ahead to make sure there's no trouble up ahead for theres of the group. If we see anything I'll message Vakua, assuming you're still in range of my abilities." :Not a bad idea: Vakua replied to Soraph, Aelied and Skorm. :People are getting tired so I'll doubt they'll even notice. And if someone from the group, for example oh, I don't know, Zueya, asks, I'll tell them Soraph and Skorm are scouting ahead. It'll be a piece of cake. I dont see why anyone would be worried Skorm and Soraph are going ahead together alone: Privately, he sent a picture of Skorm and Zueya's foray last night into Skorm's mind. Just a little revenge for his little joke Vakua thought with a smile. Soraph, as always, felt uneasy by Vakua's Suletu. It's ability to so easily scour her mind, to transmit his own thoughts to others was disheartening; it was far more graceful than her own powers as a Willhammer, and in some ways much more dangerous. She understood why the Legacy, a group of villains and mercanaries, would be looking for it so intently.

IC: Soraph whistled quietly, the sound drowned by the blizzard outside. Bringing another person could be dangerous as she had no idea how Fyuera would respond. Would she let Skorm in too, or be adamant that Soraph enter alone? The Vilda princess has only had a short conversation with the Skakdi in Ga-Koro so it was tough to tell the Parakuka-latched beings's feelings about such things. "I suppose he could come along. At the worst, he's refused at the gate. But if he does get in we can cover more ground more quickly." She nodded to reassure herself of her decision. Having Skorm come would also help build her trust with Aelied and the the Kalta. "Yes, it'd be good to have some backup along. But we should leave right away, while the blizzard is blanketing the Koro. We'll be able to move around more quickly without worry of looking suspicious." Vakua meanwhile had been listening in on the conversation. Oh, he'd created a sound barrier, but that didn't stop him from hearing the discussion. ​He relayed the important parts to Skorm via his Suletu.

IC: "The mission we've joined you on, finding the innocent Matoran captives in Ko-Koro and gaining any other intel we can on this "Legacy" organization that has taken over the village... I think I know of a better way to go about it than sulking around the walls. Vakua looked over to Aelied and Soraph whispering by the cave entrance. As a Toa of Sound he could just make out what they were talking about, but even without his powers nor his Suletu he knew they were hoping for a private conversation. He concentrated his powers and and created a sound wall barrier, preventing Soraph's and Aelied's words from crossing and being heard by the rest of the group. Soraph felt she had the attention of the leader of the Toa Kalta. "Back in Ga-Koro I was approached by a "Skakdi", I think you call them? I had a conversation with her about this island, Mata-Nui, and Parakuka. I think she was trying to convince me of their benefits, and she was compelling too, until I heard more about Parakuka from some Toa. Anyways, I think this Skakdi was a member of the Legacy - she and Datsue - I mean Turaga - invited me to come to Ko-Koro to talk to her again and teach me about the island. They said they would tell the guards to let me pass. She paused, letting the Toa drink in everything she'd told him. "We can wander around the village for days and weeks and not learn a single thing. And I doubt we'd be able to use our abilities as Dasaka from any great distance from the village walls. That's why, with your permission, I'd like to volunteer and go there myself. I'll get the guards to bring out the Skakdi, and she'll help get me into Ko-Koro. Once we're alone I can Willhammer her and learn everything she knows. Then I can explore the place and find the captives, and get out when I'm done." Soraph glanced over to the rest of the group, huddled over and talking by the fire. She saw Casanuva talking and laughing with the others. "I didn't want to tell the others because they'd probably say it's too dangerous. They wouldn't want to put me in harms way." She turned back to Aelied, a defiant look in her eyes. She felt a pang of guilt for not telling other Dasaka about her plan. "But I can take of myself. I'm as much a warrior as any Dasaka. And I'd like to do this for you and your people. I want to help any way I can." She hoped Casanuva would understand. That he would appreciate what she was doing for him and the others. "So what do you think?"

IC: They'd arrived late in the evening and had made camp in a small cave not far from Ko-Koro. It's high, icy walls and even taller towers dominated the landscape. If they'd moved any closer during the day (when there wasn't a blizzard) they probably would have been spotted, but as it was they were safe. For now. Soraph awoke before anyone else. She moved to the cave entrance. Someone was already there. Aelied was standing guard. "I though't you'd be up now. There was something I wanted to talk to you about" Soraph said. It was still too gloomy to see, but Soraph thought she saw the older Toa raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

IC: Mirror grimaced. He figured Hijack had been trying to make a joke but... everything about the way he moved was wrong. If there was a ever a Toa in that body, in was long gone. "How about to the benefit of all of us Dark Hunters you'll be working with? I am not gonna sleep anywhere near you, thats for sure." The Skakdi rose, unsteady at first but then with more assurance. He started his flexing his arm, then his leg. The paralyzing agent was almost out of his system. "I think I'm just about ready to fight" he told Hijack. His Kanohi was still working, copying Spirit's power. It would be ready shortly into his training fight. "Wish me luck" he winked at Spirit and Whisper.

IC: On the one hand this all seemed insane. And yet, the situation also hinted at adventure. These kind of things never happened back in the Empire, and Soraph wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing. "Does this happen often?" she asked Casanuva.

IC: "That's redundant" Mirror said to Spirit. "All Toa are nasty little things." Looking Hijack over again, he continued "though, some Toa are definitely nastier than others."

IC: "Fair enough" Mirror acknowledged with a nod of his head. He also took note of Spirit's comment about Kanoka. Most of the abilities he copied using his Mask would come from his fellow Dark Hunters, including the other recruits, so it'd be handy to know their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Especially their weaknesses. "But just so you know, I think you punch and kick just fine. It's a little haphazard, but it gets the job done." Suddenly another recruit appeared. "You... you are my opponent." "Huh?" Mirror looked up at the being that had addressed him. "Being" was really the best word Mirror to describe what faced him. It looked like a Toa, if the Toa had had all it's organics ripped out and replaced with a mass of writhing black vines. It's eyes were eerily vacant, as if they serve no real purpose. In it's chest was another third eye. Looking at it gave Mirror goosebumps. "I guess Nidhiki is more on top of things than I realized. Mind giving me a few minutes to recover from the obstacle course? The paralyzing agents are nearly out of my system" Mirror said with a friendly smile. It was all true - he was beginning to be able to move his arm again, and some sensation had started to return to his leg. But most importantly his mask still needed some time to copy Spirit's ability. "Umm, what are you, by the way?" he asked, stalling for time. 'Who' didn't seem like the appropriate question.