Keeper of Kraata

IC: Hanaloi Hambra took the canteen back, taking her own swig. She'd miss the Hanaloi spring water; it was a curious thing to miss, out of all she had lost, and yet more she had yet to bid farewell to. "Please, Koshi Zrupgar; we have let our own paranoia isolate us from our true kin. Say your piece, we will listen. Somei continued with her work coaxing a twisted form of animation back into the castle's carvings. Once, the halls had been tastefully subdued, imitating the Gardens of Sado or views of an idealized ocean. Some of these returned, but were twisted and darkened with Zataka's vision of what an idealized Kentoku looked like. Others were replaced by an oppressive darkness. The castle represented something of the past; she would remake it into something of the future. OOC: @Goose @Nato G @Mel

IC: Casanuva - The Capella, Ko-Koro "Oh, the best thing to discuss over drinks!" Laughing, Casanuva finished his glass. Clearly the man had ideals, and Casanuva found that reassuring. Shame those ideals seemed to have been inscribed on a wooden rod and shoved up somewhere darker than Mangaia. "Yes and no; no, I haven't involved myself with the politics of Mata Nui since I got here. I'm a work hard, play hard kinda guy; I wanted to enjoy my time before Aelied brought us back together, so I traveled, but aside from a brief meeting with Akiri Jaller, I mostly kept clear. Currently, I work on behalf of Ko-Koro, so I have a vested interest in making sure the citizens here are safe and happy. I don't much care who is in charge, as long as we can all get together. If you want local politics, go talk to Vakua; otherwise, my biggest area of concern other than my duty is how we're going to handle the Dasaka that are coming in. You could say I have a vested interest." The bartender took the blue-armored Fa-Toa's glass; Casanuva motioned to not refill, and instead the bartender poured the Toa a glass of purified snowmelt water. "Why do you ask?" OOC: @Goose

IC: Casanuva - The Capella, Ko-Koro Smiling back and chuckling, Casanuva sipped his own martini. So this was how he wanted to play it. "I suppose everybody sees what they want to see; I rather appreciate the minimalism; people are here to do what they need to do. Too few places encourage introspection; I've stayed at all the major Koros except for Po-Koro. If I'd came here as a matoran, I'd have settled in Ga or Ta. I loved the nightlife by the water, and the technological and metallurgical developments in Ta-Koro would have been great for my career. But as a Toa? I can respect a little peace... and privacy. But that's not for everyone." Another sip from the drink, not breaking eye contact with Muir until he was finished. "Muir, that theory of yours. How do the ####ters in Po-Koro adapt? You'd know more than I." OOC: @Goose

IC: Kalyss - Ko-Koro, Sanctum The citizens of Ko-Koro gave the pair a wide berth as Kalyss and her guest made their way to the Sanctum. With one glance back to where Casanuva had been staking out, Kalyss led the way. The creature was bizarre; closer to a rahi than a matoran in form, but Kaminari obviously possessed reasoning skills. Even if one might say they were lacking compared to a matoran, or at the very lease, maladjusted. A few quick words to the guards at the Sanctum cleared both of them for entry. "The Sanctum; formerly a temple, but now the administrative, military, and spiritual center of Ko-Koro. I can get us into the Archives, unless you would like to check out the Wall of Prophecy first. Be sure to keep your voice down; in addition to some de-matoran working inside, it is still an important temple." OOC: @Snelly IC: Casanuva - The Capella, Ko-Koro A crooked smile crept onto the blue-armored Fa-Toa. "Well, I wasn't exactly following you, I was keeping an eye on you; Cyrix asked me to, in case you needed anything else, or to help if you ran into any trouble." Casanuva sipped his martini. "I picked your magnetic field before you left the Wise Man's Archive, and kept an eye on it. When I saw that you were on your way to meet me, I decided to get out of the snow." He set down the still mostly full martini. Muir still wasn't using his mask; good, keep it conversational. "How is our fine Koro treating you, may I ask? What do you think of it?" OOC: @Goose

IC: Casanuva - The Capella, Ko-Koro Once Muirtagh's magnetic field became fainter and began to approach Casanuva, he had decided to switch tactics. Getting out of the soon to be snowy streets, he had taken up at the bar at one of the restaurants that he had herd Skorm and Zueya recommend before they went off into the Dark Walk. He had taken up a post at the corner of the bar; it was off peak hours, so there were only a few locals and out-of-towners eating, mostly holding business meetings. He had relinquished Ferrite, which was held in a coat closet near the servers area; it wasn't locked, so it was only a few seconds away. And as much as the Fa-Toa admired the idea that Toa Tools were defensive tools, he knew that many were deadly weapons first, elemental aids second. He liked to think that Ferrite was a closer mix, but it was definitely on the "kill things dead" end of the spectrum. It was only slightly more of an inconvenience than pulling it from his back, really. The local magnetic field shifted; too big to be a fa-matoran. The bartender, a well-dressed ko-matoran, handed Casanuva a martini in a crystal glass; just in time. "Toa Casanuva, I presume?" The Toa Kalta turned and smiled, sizing up the other Fa-Toa in a quick instance while he sipped the martini. Armor was slightly more weatherworn, slightly short, but what he had was put together well. "Lawyer Muirtagh! Please, just Cas. I was worried I'd be weathering the storm alone; come, sit. Whatever you drink up in Po-Koro, they probably have it here." OOC: @Goose

IC: Ahri - Oki Village Outskirts The Mashtet paused and turned back to Yuna. "Good point. I suppose Raika can grab some sleep at the village; there are enough abandoned dwellings. I should be able to help after I tuck this one in." He adjusted Raika to a more comfortable position, glancing at Yoka. "I don't think I got your discipline, Yoka. Sure would be easier with three of us." OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @Click @ARROW404

IC: Casanuva & Cyrix - Upper Ko-Koro Screwing the cap back onto his thermos, Casanuva glanced away from the distant building he had been observing towards the Ko-Koro gates; there was a snowfall coming in. He distantly saw two toa exit the building before disappearing from sight into an alley. However, the magnetic signature of one of them lingered; for whatever reason, they weren't moving. Casanuva sensed Cyrix approach before the sneak uncloaked. More precisely, he sensed the tracking magnets he had given him. "All's well that ends well?" Despite his footprints being visible, the clouds obscured Cyrix's shadow and there was no crunching of snow beneath his feet; a vague shimmer was all the evidence that someone was there until the Le-Toa deactivated his Volitak. "Possibly. The two are Syzygos and Muirtagh; the latter is a lawyer from Po-Koro investigating antidermis on behalf of the Akiri there." Cyrix fished the tracking magnets out from under his vambrace and tossed them back to their owner. The other Toa Kalta raised his hand, but instead of catching them the pair flew to a spot on his belt alongside several others. "He the Fa-Toa?" Cyrix nodded, looking at the Wise Man's Archive in the distance, fading from view in the flurries of snow. "I don't know if he clocked your tracks; I'm going to assume he did. How did you know he was a Fa-Toa?" "C'mon Cyrix, give me some credit." Casanuva flashed a wry smile. "I'm not just a pretty mask; I was sensing out the whole building to keep an eye out for a signal; he did something in the back room, not big, but it wasn't some dinky compass. As long as I don't lose the signature, I could keep an eye on his location from afar." Cyrix narrowed his eyes. "They already know I was onto Syzygos. Does this go both ways? Could he track you?" The blue-masked Toa shrugged. "Depends on him. He might sense he's being watched, but if he can trace it back depends on how good he is with magnetolocation." He glanced back at across the Koro, pausing before looking back. "If they're investigating Antidermis, shouldn't we be helping them?" A biting wind picked up, and Cyrix adjusted his scarf. "They were asking about Skorm. I told them what we knew, but I have a hunch they didn't tell us everything. They knew I had been looking into them, too; track Muir. Try to avoid direct confrontation, but knowing we're keeping an eye on him will send a message that we're not ignoring Po-Koro acting surreptitiously. "You didn't answer my question." The smile was gone by now. He wasn't frowning, but he looked skeptical. "If they're looking into Antidermis, they could find something that could help Soraph." Cyrix rolled his eyes; he had to report to Aelied, he didn't have time for this. "Command code Merceon. Authorization: Cyrix." Casanuva stood in the cold; for a moment, even his autonomous instinct to shiver was gone. His eyes were dull and motionless. After several seconds, the Fa-Toa moved again, a twitch of his fingers. His eyes rolled until they locked on the smaller Le-Toa. "What?" Same voice, but at a lower register. "They're looking into Antidermis. Even if they're the good guys, Skorm is off in the Dark Walk; the only other eye-witness to its effects is loverboy's comatose girlfriend; in fact, its in a convenient flesh sack fused to her spine. They could hurt Soraph. Casanuva needs to think its his idea to keep an eye on the lawyer." The Fa-Toa nodded slowly, taking the time to consider the information and internalize it. "Protect Soraph. Won't be hard." "Attaboy. End command, authorization: Cyrix." He looked away as Casanuva came out of the stupor induced by switching personalities. He hated watching them come out of it. Casanuva blinked a few times before he looked back at Cyrix as if nothing had happened. "You're right. And if they're asking into Skorm, they might be interested in Soraph; they might take the parasite on her spine." "I hadn't thought of that," Cyrix lied. "I don't think they'd escalate to that level, but I can't get a read on these guys. Anyway, stay warm; I'm gonna go report to Aelied. What happened to Kalyss?" He had noted her absence, but because she had been simple back-up, he had assumed she was off getting food or taking a break." Focusing his senses outward, Casanuva reacquired Muirtagh's magnetic field. "There was a dragon; she went to handle it. I haven't seen a signal, so I'm going to assume it went well. Maybe she fed it her soup." Cyrix stared in silence before massaging his temple. "This ####ing island..." OOC: @Goose

IC: Ahri - Oki Village Outskirts Ahri foisted the gently snoring Raika into a better position to carry. "Yuna can show you the ship, I need to take Raika back to the camp." His voice was soft to avoid waking the sleeping Menti. "Yoka, are you checking out the boat as well, or do you want to come back to the camp?" OOC: @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @Click @ARROW404 IC: Askha - Hanaloi Cove In the dark, Askha had to rely on the lightstone lanterns the Saihoko crew of the ship used; the sailor's masks seemed unblemished by Zataka's corruption, though Askha was down an eye at the moment; the pain of cutting her mask plus the viscera blotted out the vision in her eye. .:Hey! Any of y'all seen one of these slug things?:. Accompanying the Ideatalk were images of the creatures leaping from the trees. The Saihoko on board stirred from their work, looking between each other and up the cliff at the returning Menti. One, the watchwoman, shrugged and shook her head. Askha glanced to Fanai. Besides the sea life, the only minds present down below were those of the Saihoko. OOC: @Mel

IC: Vakua - Ko-Koro Sanctum, Akiri's Office The De-Toa coughed, clearing his throat as though he were about to talk. It was a quiet sound, but it overcame the small office; possibly because all other sounds were drowned out; matoran walking in the hallway, the wind outside, the hiss of Tarkahn's disassembled machinery, for a moment it was gone, replaced with an expansive stillness. Slowly, the quiet background noise returned, becoming a dull roar in comparison. "I trust the Dasaka," Vakua signed, spelling the foreign term phonetically, "Out of all of us, I've been direct mind-to-mind communication with several of them. Individually, they're not so different than us; I think we need to treat them in equal measure as long as they remain our guests. Instead, we should reserve our worries for the Makuta." He of course hadn't been on Mata Nui the last time the Rahkshi tore across the island, but unlike any of the other Kalta, he had seen the memories of those who had; madness and cruelty beyond measure. Even in the relative warmth of Tarkahn's office in his cold weather gear, the thought of touching the wretched mind of one of the beasts almost made him shiver. OOC: @Visaru @Haman Karn: A Magical Girl @The UltimoScorp

IC: Mashtet Fortress, Hanaloi Somei leaned on her staff, smiling at Vazaria. "Askha, my niece, in another life. She was stubborn and determined, yes, but she is foremost a survivor. If the others are fleeing the island, she will follow for now. The burning of Hanaloi will likely steel her even more; if she lives, she will return eventually. But she lived for years as an itinerant mercenary; neither defeat nor biding her time are new to her." She watched Falki head for the well. "If the forest on the island is to be burnt, then we should perhaps attempt to collect or recall the kraata that have dispersed into the island; I assume it was a part of why you and Caana were sent;" The infected Datsue lent the inflection of a concerned elder to her voice. "it would be a shame to lose our mistress's favor so soon, wouldn't it?" The blue-armored rahkshi met Falki, letting the dashi climb down first before joining them. It went about its task with no sign of being in battle, save a few marks on its carapace; not worth visiting the healer yet, apparently. Beneath the well, the heat hit the infected Taajar just as it had Vazaria; fortunately, this time the obstacles had already been cleared. The humid air of the well gave way to crushing, dry heat as the corpse-strewn tunnels led to the ancient storage room. OOC: @Nato G @Mel IC: Hambra/Kaazi - Kaazi Encampment, East Hanaloi The Kaazi encampment was perilously close to the edge of the island; still, the Kaazi seemed to make up for it with tents and hammocks double-stacked between the dense trees. No action was taken against the Kuychar as they approached, but a tribeswoman approached and the Koshi Zrupgar at the camp let her pass; a woodworker, by her garb and tools. "What makes you think we want to go with you mainlanders? Because you claim to be kin? You took your path generations ago, and we took ours. This island is our home still." "Imilshka, we need to swallow our pride." While Hambra's deep voice was soft, it carried over the camp. "Everyone, pack what you can, if you can't carry it, then leave it to the forest." The woodworker stepped back as her Jahagir and Lana rejoined them. "Riko is gone?" Hambra used her staff as the basis for wrapping several bundles of food, tying the bags of cloth to each end and hefting the makeshift carrying stick onto her shoulders. "Gravely wounded, in the care of the Mainlander expedition. Among them is the last Mashtet; she absolved us of our duties to this island. In ages past, we cut loose our burdens and fled destruction to this island; today, we do the same." Hambra turned to Semraed and dropped to a knee, offering a canteen. "And if the mainlanders don't like it, they'll just have to deal with it. Once you're ready, take us to your people." OOC: @Mel IC: Askha - Hanaloi North Forest The expedition's journey back to the Dastana ship was uncharacteristically silent, save for the occasional ringing of a distant Koshi; something had them disturbed. Askha caught up with Dastana Mari, lifting Riko's body with her mindarm. She was beginning to feel herself wear thin, but she'd be gone soon. After you failed. "Mari, this isn't what either of us wanted out of this expedition, but we were bushwacked with a bunch of new things. Those slugs? Larval rahkshi, or whatever they are? They're not as dangerous as the demons, but they have weird powers too, and can... infect us. The rogue Menti I fought, her mask was pitted and rusty. She might have been infected, but the one Hambra fought wasn't; Zataka isn't just trying to kill all of us; she's recruiting, and those slugs are part of it. A couple of those get snuck into Sado, with how packed it's getting? We need to warn your Empress." The group came to the ridge overlooking the cove; Askha let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. The ship was still there, and the Saihoko appeared unarmed. Askha turned to Mari, remembering Hambra's words. "We need to sail around the island to the Taajar camps on the south shore. Between our ship and their canoes, we might be able to get all of us off this island." Run away again. OOC: @Mel IC: Ahri - Oki Village The Mashtet took Raika from Mitsuri, more easily holding the waif. "I was... well, I'm pretty sure... I was fighting a Willhammer... my wife, Toroshu Kaetyo, in our home on Hanaloi. She must have done something to my mind; Raika fished me out of the ocean, and I don't know how long it's been. It was before these attacks. I was-" The pounding at his temples escalating into stabbing pain, and Ahri stumbled before stopping to regain his footing. "Other things are fuzzy too. But Raika needs help first." OOC: @ARROW404 @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @Click IC: Sydelia - Gardens, Sado The Sighteye watched the stranger go, smiling slightly. She fiddled with her sarong; it had been such a long time since she had been invited to dinner, and never by a man. She would need to clean herself up, or as much as she could in this crisis, anyway. "Sydelia!" A Datsue that she worked with, one of the other healers. "You're still on shift." True enough. Most of her patients were stable at least, and the few followups didn't require much more than a light touch of her Sana; most of those in pain were able to go back to sleep after Sydelia shared some memories of downers with them. She thanked Zuto Nui she wasn't a nurse, and could leave the act of feeding and cleaning the sick and wounded to her assistants. She wasn't built for that work. Meeting with the apothecary, she gave them some of the stranger's herbs, and they started brewing what was hopefully an antidote for the survivors of one of the rahkshi poison attacks. As the sun began to set, Sydelia's shift ended, and she was able to bathe in the one of the palace changing rooms. The healers were able to keep clean and hygienic; it also meant that she was in the minority that could easily clean up. Afterwards, she slunk back to her apartment; she was barely here. She shared it with another healer, one of the few Umbralines that had not followed the former empress on her exodus. However, they worked different shifts, and her roommate had already left to cover the night shift. She hoped there wouldn't be another attack, or people would wonder where she was when she was called in. Sydelia lit the lightstone; it was beginning to fade and was cracked, but it was all she had. Humming a tune from her childhood, the Fursic changed into a lighter red wrap-around that did not smell of medicine and blood and pulled out her meager box of makeup, stooping to see herself in the dashi-height mirror. She used her Sighteye to envision how she wanted herself to look; light eyeliner and winged tips on her mask, some natural blue lipstick, with a few tasteful red marks; she was a Fursic after all. She finished it with a few drops of perfume; just enough to smell nice while suppressing the field hospital smell that clung to her. 'Last summer's best-rated saké brewery ten years running,' the man had said. Sydelia knew just the place, the Fursic courtiers in Sado had sometimes held events there when wishing to avoid the palace. Taking her satchel and cane, Sydelia was able to make it there shortly after the sun came down. She forced herself to remain wary; Sado wasn't the same as it used to be. Hopefully the stranger could be trusted and would show himself... then the fun part of the night could begin. OOC: @Umbraline Yumiwa

IC: Somei (Mashtet Fortress, Hanaloi) Somei's attention was drawn to one of the slugs, slithering near her, and invited it onto her arm. She marveled at it. "Kraata," she said, knowing its name now. "Divine creatures, aren't they?" Something inspired her. She brushed her free hand along the wall; the fading illusion was a stylized beach and sunset. Inky shadow spread from her fingertips; the wooden panel walls became worked stone and obsidian. "Though if I may offer a correction... yes, the Empire came for lumber to build their ships. Elements of both Plangori and Dastana, supported by Mashtet survivors, but helping the Empire was a secondary concern for us." Somei joined the two Dasaka, letting off the kraata. "Askha and I came to reclaim this fortress and use it to rebuild, to drag Clan Mashtet back from death; to reunite with their old allies the Kaazi, use the spy stations here to monitor what cannot be seen from Sado." The infected Datsue smiled wryly. "It is safe to say that plan is dashed. But your plan... is exquisite. I can taste the pain I would feel. But further, there may be an advantage keeping this fortress; such a blow to the Dasaka's morale... throngs would abandon the new Empress to serve Zataka. Her seat of power on Mount Koshiki speaks of her power, but is fit for a goddess and her sons, not for those enlightened to follow her." OOC: @Mel @Nato G @Goose IC: North Hanaloi Forest Askha clutched at her mask; her eye was thankfully still there, but the pain of her cut mask nearly cut out her sight anyway .:Yeah, falling back to the ship. I won't object to that. I need to-:. She took a moment to play back Fanai's Ideatalk in her mind, the sensations. .:But... we don't know... how...:. The Ideatalk came as fast as her mind grappled with this news. She had failed to protect her family. Again. She wanted to curl up and be done with it all, but something inside her told her: get up, survive now, mourn later. Don't trip over the lost when saving the living. She followed one of the Kaazi scouts and came upon Hambra, who was watching over the limp form of Riko; the Zrupgar was still breathing for now, but it was slow. "Hambra, she needs to be treated at Sado." The hulking Taajar did not look up at Askha. "I know." "I... don't know how safe Hanaloi is anymore." "Hanaloi is our home, Mashtet." Askha was expecting insults, biting comments that she was running again. "It's mine too. But from where we were half an hour ago, we are down a few and they got reinforcements; those slug things, they are dangerous, and people are defecting, willingly or... not." Her mask crumpled as she stifled a wave of tears. "If you want it official, fine. My mother's dead, and since I'm the last Mashtet to claim it, that makes me Toroshu. Now and forever, I dissolve the Kaazi Tribe's duties on Hanaloi; you're no longer bound to the island, or our agreements." The Jahagir silently considered Askha's words. Hambra gingerly picked up the unconscious Riko and offered the form to Askha. "Take her; when you are all back at your ship, sail to the south edge of the island. I'm going to take the Kaazi and meet up with our Kuychar cousins; hopefully, I can convince them we all need to leave." She backed away into the undergrowth, letting out a low but loud whistle; gathering the scouts to return home. "Good luck, Askha. Be careful." She left,and aside from the crunching of brush as scouts followed, the forest was silent. No rahi, not even insect calls OOC: @Mel Hambra to the Kaazi camp, Askha (carrying Riko) regrouping with the others to make for the Dastana's boat.

IC: Hanaloi Breathing heavily, Askha trudged uphill through the undergrowth. She needed a break; she put her back to a tree, sagging as the rush of danger gave way to weary aching. Above her, leaves rustled and a branch bent, and Askha's breath caught in her throat as she looked up, raising her saber; one of the Kaazi scouts looked back at her through their camouflage netting. Askha let the breath out, and the weariness came back. .:Sound off, who's still up?:. .:Keeping an eye on the Demons and their servants.:. Lana. .:Cant find all the slugs, be careful:. .:I'm still standing, Riko isn't; I'm binding her wounds. The Kuychar Koshi Zrupgar that were with me... one fell to Zataka's influence. Not sure if the other made it out.:. Hambra tightened the bandage; the younger Zrupgar still bled, and her breathing was shallow. One of her scouts handed her some bright flowers, and Hambra hesitated. These herbs would slow Riko's blood and breath, though she might die, she had already sustained so much trauma. Frowning, Hambra made up her mind: If this killed Riko, it would be no different than ending her suffering herself. She placed the petals inside the wounded Taajar's mouth and waited for the results. OOC: @Mel IC: Somei - Mashtet Castle, Hanaloi If the Carver had seen the state of the castle with her old eyes, Somei reflected that she likely would have felt somber. Now, however, she felt the potential of the ancient structure. She levitated herself off the kavinika, which shuddered with fatigue. The outer gates stood open, their illusions flickering and dying. Somei smiled; it was time to begin her work. Somei ran a hand along the gate's surface, a massive wooden door that currently hung ajar. Formerly, it was a soft design with vines and leaves, but it would not hold such triviality any longer. The vine images withered, growing thorns and multiplying, casting unnatural shadow. They pricked at the edges of Somei's consciousness, but she smiled; Zataka had shown her the truth of it, and it didn't hurt any longer. She moved inside the castle proper, and was greeted with two rahkshi; the rahkshi of gravity that had been wounded, and another that was treating it. They glanced at Somei, but that was the only acknowledgment of her presence. Somei smiled as she glanced through the ruins. "It's good to be home again." OOC: @Nato G @Goose

IC: Ahri - Abandoned Village Raika's glance didn't escape Ahri's notice. He glanced back, then returned his gaze to Mitsuri. "We should get back to the coast; I haven't met any of these creatures firsthand yet, but I'd rather get started on the boat so I don't have to." The older male turned back to the coast and started walking. .:Judging by what's under your mask, Vilda, it can't be easy to talk; communication is a challenge for our little band. For reasons neither she nor any know, Yuna cannot perceive our Ideatalk, while Raika is unable to speak. At least both you and Raika are Willhammers; that will help in the short term. Yuna's clan also never taught her to sign, either; from what I gather, she has gone untrained as a Menti because she is unable to affect solid objects with her Mindarm, only water.:. Ahri sighed audibly. "Yuna, we're going to have to teach you some signs; the Mashtet taught me so that we could communicate silently without Fursics or their allies listening in; it could serve as a common language until we can get you all to the healers on Sado." As his mind filtered through memories, there was a sharp pain in his temples; wincing, Ahri put a hand to his head. "Until all of us see the healers, I suppose..." OOC: @Click @Lady Takanuva @The UltimoScorp @ARROW404

IC: Ahri - Oki destroyed house The Menti opened his mouth to speak, but his breath died on his mask as he saw Mitsuri's bandaged face. The brief sensation of a kanohi cracking under his hand, digging into flesh. The scream, the burned metal and viscera, thankfully those were absent from his memories. When Ahri came to, he realized his fist was clenching. To recover, he took his fist in his palm and bowed. "Mashtet Ahri, ma'am. There is a nearby refugee village, we were salvaging a boat to take them to Sado when we heard your bird. Who do we have the pleasure of rescuing? You are Vilda, if I recognize the technique." OOC: @The UltimoScorp @Click @Lady Takanuva @ARROW404 IC: Hanaloi Askha's mask stung, and she couldn't see much out of her right eye; whether it was just covered with slug guts, blinded, or just out of pain was a matter for later. Vazaria moved to push away Askha's face, but was abandoning her weapon; as training with her father had made abundantly clear, she would do well to be wary of Menti that entered a fight without a weapon. Even as she reclaimed her birthright, Askha had never been a true blue Imperial. There was a reason she had survived years outside the castes as a mercenary, an undesirable in the churn with all the other scum of Kentoku. The Vilda and Dastana provided more lumber, the clans of Iki and Sado were better artists, and the Fursics were better at politics. Being a Mashtet meant that, when the stakes were high, sometimes you had to fight dirty, to walk away, to cut off the limb in a trap. A cheap shot to the vitals was out of the question, there was too much armor for that. But, that armor also slowed down the infected Menti, and she was new to it as well; that diminished of fine control could be manipulated. Askha relinquished her telekinetic grip on her weapons, focusing on shoving aside Vazaria. She felt the heat of a soulsword forming by her face; she used the second she had before a very large hole appeared in her mask well, twisting her held arm and kicking at the side of Vazaria's leg, buoying herself with Mindarm as she spun away from her attacker. When she was free, she used the spare moment to call her weapons back to her as she backed off into the underbrush. .:I'm falling back; sounds like they are as well, let them, fall back to the Kaazi.:. Only by virtue of the strength her mask gave her did her knee not buckle, but the Kaazi Jahagir staggered back, flickering in and out of view, as if the struggle to see through the pain was reflected around her. Obviously, the traitor Imperial was not one to be used as a weapon. A sharp pain erupted from her leg as the infected Koshi Zrupgar sliced into her calf; reflexively, Hambra kicked out, then pulled back as she solidified her invisibility. She needed to rescue Riko; she couldn't lose another Kaazi, not like this. And if the Koshi Zrupgar was any indication, there were worse fates than death that awaited the fallen today. Hambra inhaled deeply, the scents of the forest poured through her mind: loamy soil, decaying wood, her own blood... wait. A tree, rotten but whole, lay on its side just off the clearing. Both sides were calling for retreat; Hambra decided to give them a little more encouragement than her scouts' arrows. She grasped the log and grunted; her feet sank into the earth as she lifted it off the ground and flipped it to her other side, so that it faced the attackers. She charged again, this time using the log as both weapon and shield, sweeping the clearing. As she approached Riko's fallen form, Hambra tossed the log, cloaking herself in invisibility as she scooped up the fallen Zrupgar and used her augmented strength to leap into the trees. Lana reacted barely fast enough to turn away from the fiery arrow, which struck her in the shoulder; she twisted off the branch and landed in the undergrowth, thankfully with her arm intact; her lamellar had taken most of the damage. Her drawstring had snapped, regardless; she futilely held the bow to fend off the jaws of a kavinika, but one of the incoming Koshi Zrupgar saved her by putting an arrow into its eye. As her victims saw past her illusion, Somei considered sowing confusion into the ranks of the Kaazi, but decided against it; while it would be satisfying and please Zataka in the short term, she did not serve to please her master. Somei was a tool, and to break her now was not in her plans. She cloaked herself and set herself down onto a waiting kavinika, which took off towards the Mashtet fortress. She strained as she reached out to her new allies, her true family, her voice echoing to them without broadcasting to the Dasaka they faced: "Caana speaks true. I will meet you and Zataka's sons at the fortress." The mind-reader Rahkshi glanced at Semraed as it fell back to avoid Hambra's log, its staff still dripping blood. As the Kavinika ran around it, it remained still, inviting the Taajar to take their best shot. OOC: @Mel @Nato G @Goose

For Kentoku folks, I'll work on getting up a big 'ol post this weekend, probably Sunday. I just moved and am adjusting to life on my own, plus I'm starting a new job in addition to trying to get everything hooked up and back online. Thanks for your patience!

IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive, Ko-Koro "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him," Cyrix said through the haze, pausing to take a last drag on his cigarette. "Though I did see some of the splash damage when he was participating in the liberation of Ko-Koro. You have my sympathies, though; as much as I professionally admire him and the rest of the Maru, Korero didn't exactly roll out the welcome carpet." Any further conversation would devolve into either a competition to hold their breath or coughing and hacking. After one last exhale, the Toa Kalta of Air moved the isolated mass of smoky air out of the building through an open window. He wasn't sure if he bought the Cy-Toa's story; him and Muir were an odd couple to be sure, too odd to be have been working together long. There was too much.. friction. Cyrix flicked the cigarette stub out the window; it flew truer than it had any right to. "Thanks. I think that's everything I need." He got to his feet, grabbing his heatstone and screwing the top back on; he struggled slightly as the lid caught on the new imperfection, but it gave in after a moment of effort. "If you need anything else, you'll know where I'll be." The Toa shouldered his crossbow. "One our team is usually at the Kalta Arsenal, the Memorial Garden, or the Sanctum, and they can answer any questions, or get word to me. Good luck with your investigation." He nodded once at Niici. "Chairwoman." The Kalta knocked on the door to the back room. "Priicu, I'm leaving; thank you for the assistance. The store isn't locked still, is it?" OOC: @BULiK @Emzee @ARROW404 @Goose IC: Kalyss - Ko-Koro Central Square "Thank you, but I think we're good. If anything goes sour, watch for flares; otherwise, I get to play tour-guide now." She tried to put on a friendly face as she made her way back to the dragon-creature, pulling out her thermos of soup and taking a spoon from the attached mess kit. "Kaminari, looks like we're clear. I'd race you to the Sanctum, but I'd rather you not give anybody here any more frights today, plus I'd like to dig into this jambalaya before it gets cold. Ready?" OOC: @Snelly @Visaru

IC: Kalyss - Ko-Koro Square The Su-Toa nodded. "Yeah, but the difference here is that we have one dragon-thing, and I'll be directly supervising her. If more show up, then I'd say it's fair to interrogate their intentions." Kalyss shot a glance back in the direction of the Wise Man's Archive. "I also have backup on call, so if the dragon tries something, she'll have Kalta and Guard on her faster than nui-rama on fresh meat." OOC: @Snelly @Visaru IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive, Ko-Koro Unfortunately, the librarian's words went unheard inside Cyrix's vacuum shell. He did note the ko-matoran pointing to the open window, however. Cyrix took another drag, and when he exhaled, smoke came from every hole in his mask; the bubble was starting to get visibly obscured. "I realize the value of doing investigations covertly; it's my job for the Kalta. But it's just me; gathering information to prepare the others, that's my job. But I still have the team to call on if things become hairy; Antidermis I wouldn't call a sensitive topic, not with the way the island is right now. I think the island needs to present a united front, even if Toa like us are looking into things underneath it all." Some ash crumbled from the end of the lit roll of tobacco, floating until it was caught in the unnatural sway of Cyrix's air bubble. He didn't have long before he had to cycle the air out the window. "Speaking of looking into things, why did you have to leave Ko-Koro to get Muir? Any trouble I should know about?" OOC: @BULiK

IC: Ahri - Oki Village The Mashtet heard the voice; faint, quiet, the bird the only clear indication that the ruined building was the source. Ahri took a preparatory breath, exhaling forcefully. Closing his eyes, he assumed a stance to steady his breath. He had to let the energy flow freely through him; focus all of his will into Mindarm. He pictured a giant, invisible hand lifting the central beam of the collapsed hut, and the dilapidated, half-destroyed wood began to life away from the ruin. "Ladies," Ahri said in a strained voice, "I can only pick up so much at a time, I'd appreciate some help." As he spoke, he edged closer to the ruins, physically touching some of the rubble he shifted, careful not to upset the delicate balance and bring what was left down on the unfortunate inhabitant. OOC: @The UltimoScorp @Lady Takanuva @ARROW404 @Click

IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive, Ko-Koro The Le-Toa was silent as he took the cigarette, briefly noting the brand; he hadn't been out to Po-Koro, and in fact it was the only major Koro he had not visited yet out of the emblematic six. He took out his heatstone and set the cylinder down on the table, halfway screwing off the cap, slightly exposing the crystal inside. Cyrix found his gaze wandering to the cigarette in Syzygos's hands. He lit his own using the heatstone and breathed deep. It had been far too long since he had allowed himself to indulge. The Le-Toa exhaled off to the side; the smoke in the air swirled until it seemed like it hit a solid wall, flowing to the sides. Cyrix pushed the makeshift heatstone lamp towards Syzygos; the other voices in the room were muted, the vibrations of their footsteps in the floor the only thing passing through the shell of vacuum that Cyrix created between them and the others in the room. "Help me out with something; an official inter-Koro investigation into this would look great. Why did Akiri Renaka send you, and not a Sentinel?" The Toa Kalta took another drag, looking past the Cy-Toa. OOC: @BULiK

IC: Kalyss - Ko-Koro Square The Su-Toa shot a glance at the Ko-Koro guard, then back to the dragon-creature. "Kaminari, give me just a moment." Kalyss scanned the guards that had responded to the dragon's landing, picking out the highest-ranking. There didn't seem to be any danger, but making sure their guest was accommodated looked like it would have to be a priority. "I'm reasonably sure that we're safe, but I think it would be in the Koro's best interest to treat Kaminari as a- " Kalyss paused, thinking for a word other than dignitary that didn't imply dignity, "Guest of the Koro. I can take her to the Wall of Prophecy, she might not fit in the archives proper." OOC: @Snelly @Visaru IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive, Ko-Koro Glancing back and forth between Syzygos, Muirtagh, and Niici, the Le-Toa's eyes locked on the Toa of Crystal. "Hey, Syzogos, can I get a cigarette? Rest of the team are health nuts, can't carry on me." OOC: @BULiK @Goose @ARROW404 @Emzee

IC: Hanaloi The mind-reader Rahkshi shifted slightly to avoid a harrying stab from Kaazi Riko before she blinked away again. It paused, bringing its staff to bear, the ends emanating an insidious power. It read Riko's thoughts; her desperate stalling attempt while her Jahagir dealt with the traitor so she could get assistance... her strategy. The Son of Zataka knew Riko's thought's as well as she did. The scarred Rahkshi jabbed its staff behind it at empty air; it didn't stay empty. Like it had been rehearsed, Riko appeared and without a breath to spare, was impaled. The Rahkshi payed the gravely wounded Taajar no mind as it withdrew its staff from Riko and turned its attention to the melee between Caana and Hambra. She wasn't dead, but she was useless in a fight. If she died, she did not deserve its Mother. If one of the Kraata infected her, she could be healed upon return to their lair in the Mashtet castle. Askha hadn't expected a charge, and while she was able to bring her saber and falcata to bear to protect herself, the force of a dasaka in full armor forced the Mashtet onto her back foot; she was able to fend off the blades, but in what was surely an instant seemed to stretch on as she realized that Vazaria's charge had more to it as the kraata leapt from her shoulder directly at her mask. She still had her staff and dagger held with Mindarm; the former was useless, but her dagger... that would do the job. But the slimy form of the leaping slug overtook Askha's vision, and she realized there wasn't enough time to slice it before it reached her face. "Askha? It's your move." The young Dasaka turned back to the shatranj board. She had been distracted by some of the dashi in the courtyard carrying in a stripped trunk. Though she would have given her mask to be elsewhere; she hated these 'teachable moment' games her mother forced her to play. Everybody in Sado played Stones; only islanders like the Mashtet or the Fursic played Shatranj. And of course, her mother was one of them. She scanned the board; outside this room, it and the pieces would have been considered priceless treasures. Each was a particular Mashtet Carving; instead of wood or crystal carvings they actually portrayed a battlefield and miniature warriors. Her mother, Toroshu Mashtet Kaetyo, had moved up her Ship and, next turn, could take her Toroshu, which would put her Rora in check. Furrowing her mask, Askha slowly placed her hand on her Soko piece to take her mother's Ship. "I thought you were keeping your Soko there because in two turns you could put me in check?" Oh Zuto Nui, it was her 'lesson' voice. "Well... yeah, but I need to take your Ship, or else you'll put me in check." Her mother was right, though, she couldn't use that piece without abandoning her play to finish this boring game. "What about your Ship? It can't take mine, but it can block off that line, so I have to take it if I want to get past it quickly. Askha saw what Kaetyo was getting at. "... which means my Taajar can jump in and take your Ship. But I need my Ship, you already took my other one." "Askha, how do you lose this game?" The Dasaka sighed, moving her position on the floor. "You take my Rora, or you take all my other pieces." The Toroshu nodded. "I have a dagger aimed at your heartstone. No matter our cunning, our plans, our trickery, sometimes it will not be enough. It will not be about winning, it will be about not losing. And sometimes, you will have to sacrifice to make sure of that. Because unlike Shatranj," she whispered, emphasizing her point by knocking over their Rora pieces, "If you are Toroshu and you die in battle, you don't shake hands and laugh; you are dead. The Clan needs its Toroshu to guide them." The flash of the memory faded as the slimy Kraata hit Askha's mask, but she knew what to do, even if she had to power through her reflex to shy away. Her knife came down on her mask and sliced down. Blinding, bloody pain shot through her face on her brow to her cheek. Thank Zuto Nui for Kanohi, she might have lost an eye. As it was, she couldn't see out of her eye anyway, it was left covered with ichor as the two halves of the lifeless kraata dripped off her face. The traitor was wearing her family armor; its plates could be pierced; cutting was right out. But while she had never worn it, she had seen her mother wear it many times; she knew that the illusions also served a practical effect, covering chinks in the protection. She pushed the bind of weapons towards Vazaria, freeing her off hand. Her dagger darted to her hand and stabbed at the collar of the fallen Menti. The Kavinika weren't the only ones focusing on Murasaki and Fanai. Somei lifted herself with Mindarm, and she hovered amongst the trees. She had given everything to the Mashtet, and these worms came to... what? Claim their bones? She knew they were all dead; she had known it in her bones when she first heard that everyone had disappeared years ago. But She had showed her that she didn't need her clan, only submission. All those years of her life, wasted in service to those that didn't deserve it. She wanted to wash it all away. And Somei would help her. The corrupted Datsue focused her Sighteye on the Plangori. Drown in it. The heat-resistant Rahkshi used the break in attacks to back off, dislodging the stolen staff from its shoulder. It flashed a hateful stare at the two Dastana, but continued to back off. Despite the bright colors of the rahkshi's carapace, the twilight seemed to swallow it; darkness was its ally, and it could afford to hang back for now. As the two Dastana Menti moved to protect one another, a yellow-orange kraata dropped from the trees before it, and the entire area, were cloaked in darkness. It didn't go for either mask, but dropped into the center; it's brothers would do the rest, hanging onto the slavering Kavinika. Kaazi Lana cursed; not only had she lost the Demon, but now the two mainlanders were in a globe of darkness her Akaku couldn't penetrate. Her tree was safe, she had already checked. She drew her shortbow, whistling a warbling call as she strung it; the Kaazi's distress call. As she took aim at the rahi nearest to the globe, several whistles responded to hers; the Koshi Zrupgar scouts were near. She smiled as she put an arrow into the neck of the kavinika she had been aiming at. Hambra also heard the calls. Unfortunately, they were too far. There was angry buzzing in her mind; Riko was dead, or near to it. Riko, who before this; had been her laziest Zrupgar; when the tribe had taken losses, had been as fierce as the ancestors. Then, Caana's tonfa hit her in the side. It struck true; had she not woven Demon carapace into her lamellar instead of crystal, it would have shattered. Spittle flew from Hambra's mouth, fogging the air. Hambra wouldn't be able to move as fast with this sort of injury, and it would hurt like Zataka if she ended up walking away. But Caana had opened herself; her tonfa were close-quarters tools, able to augment unarmed techniques. But now, Hambra was closer than close quarters. Snarling through the pain, the rage, Hambra channeled her chosen form, but with no illusion; no, her Pakari glowed, and she embraced Caana in an Ash Bear hug. OOC: @Mel @Goose @Nato G

IC: Ahri - Abandoned Village, Oki Ahri pointed up the coast. "There's an encampment of refugees up the coast; we're trying to patch up one downed ships so we can move them to Sado. We would-" Ahri's attention faltered as a sakl rahi lighted down a short distance away; probably a common sight on Oki. "... We would appreciate your help; more hands I think would make for lighter work. Or at least, safer work." .:Help...:. Ahri's attention was once again called to the bird. He was silent for several moments as he grasped at memories, making sense of the incongruousness of a bird using Ideatalk, before it clicked. "... It's not calling for help, its master is. Vilda are renowned for using their birds as scouts, this must be one. We are on Oki, after all; the fact we haven't run into a Vilda yet is strange." Giving one last glance to the other visitor, then back to the rahi. He layered his speech with Ideatalk, just in case. When he had fought in the Fursic Rebellion, a Vilda ranger had been on the relief forces sent to bolster Hanaloi against the Fursic invasion; she had been taciturn, and the Toroshu had ordered her own sighteyes to keep an eye on her and her bird, but Ahri hadn't interacted with her one-on-one, so he didn't know exactly how the two had been linked. "Show us where your master- you, are, and we'll do what we can. Can you tell us what's wrong?" OOC: @ARROW404 @Click @The UltimoScorp @Lady Takanuva

IC: Cyrix - Wise Man's Archive Back Room, Ko-Koro The Le-Toa narrowed his eyes as he leaned in his chair towards the chairwoman. "Miss Niici, I appreciate your willingness to help, but we've already had people at Nuju-Marion look into researching antidermis when they were looking into the parakuka victim; all they've found is that the usual post-pairing coma is a lot longer due to the metabolic changes antidermis has wrought. Which is still different from the only cured subject of Antidermis we have on record; I'd bring him in, but he's currently off doing a mission in the Dark Walk." He frowned; "Terribly inconvenient, I know." Cyrix got up from his seat, stretching. "I agree with Syzygos; this isn't some strange technology or chemical, it's something far more volatile, if it isn't actually malevolent. There are certain Kanohi that some consider to be amoral for a Toa to use. Some I agree with, others I don't. Antidermis isn't like that; if Antidermis has any positive qualities, we would probably have had reports of it. I wouldn't doubt that the followers of Makuta would have tricked someone desperate with a story of a panacea, only to infect them." OOC: @Goose @BULiK @Emzee IC: Kalyss - Ko-Koro Central Square "Uh..." Kalyss put her hands on her hips. She hadn't expected to get this far. "I'm actually not too sure about that myself. I'm sure we could find you a guide to give you a tour of our fine Koro while I look into getting you access to the Archives." That might not happen. But she had the feeling that Kaminari didn't have the attention span to go with a tour, let alone research at the Sanctum. It was also good to hear that she wasn't a fan of Makuta, either. The enemy of her enemy is her enemy's enemy, but that didn't mean they couldn't be friends. "You mentioned your elders? Did they send you here to learn of Ko-Koro? Should we be... expecting more of your people?" OOC: @Visaru @Snelly

IC: Sydelia - Sado, Gardens The menti narrowed her eyes, but disguised it with a smile. "Atramentous," she said, rolling the name around and savoring it. She could tell that his words were measured, possibly in respect to the others around her. Very well, she could have words in private with him. Sydelia focused her Sighteye on the ronin, her illusory self making a show of examining him. She was not a subtle illusionist, and the illusion bled colors around it like a watercolor painting. "I get the sense you have something else to say. If you'd like to meet in private, I can call in someone to cover me and we can meet in the city." OOC: @Umbraline Yumiwa

IC: Hanaloi The blue-silver Rahkshi began to focus its power upon Fanai to crush her, but shrieked as Murasaki's soulsword bit into its shoulder. One of its arms fell to the ground, limp and useless. With its remaining arm, it pulsed power through its staff, repulsing Murasaki and lifting itself into the air with one movement; in seconds, it was flying back to the fortress, disappearing into the treeline. Although the Rahkshi was gone, the threat wasn't; Murasaki scarcely had a moment to savor her victory before the demon was replaced with several infected kavinika, circling her in a hungry pack. Snarling, the aqua rahkshi was not fazed by the soulwhip; its greatest danger was to its allies, not itself. It was, however, pushed back by Mari's staff as the blade sunk in; however, instead of recoiling, it only grasped the staff, preventing the Dastana from pulling it back. The reasoning came quickly enough: the kavinika were upon them, and several snapped at the Menti while her hands were on her stuck weapon. Several howled at Rina, still ruled by some semblance of instinct beneath the madness. Meanwhile, Lana had already scaled the tree she had nearly shattered her back against, hazing her image as she scanned the battlefield with her Akaku. .:Watch yourselves, those slugs are all around us. Our scouts are on their way to assist.:. Vazaria's pet kraata retreated back into the cover of the infected Dasaka's armor when Askha telekinetically stabbed at it with her knife; Vazaria's flight kept her away from the main blow, but every dodge was a moment that Vazaria or her pet weren't attacking. "You think I don't know you? I know who you are because I was you. I've seen the gutters of this rotten Empire, and I've begged, I've killed, and I've suffered!" The Mashtet released her rahkshi stave to grip a more familiar weapon, her saber. "My mother taught me that power is only something you have if you can fight to keep it. The years as a sellsword taught me that you find who's there for you, and you keep them close, because nobody else is going to be there for you. But your master? Zataka taught me that even when everyone else is brought down to our level, we still have each other." She had the staff feint a long thrust, then moved forward under cover from her falcata's heavy blade, bringing the tip of her sword down in at a deadly velocity at the hand holding Vazaria's own sword. Despite the lack of reaction from the mind-reading Rahkshi, it seemed satisfied. It extended its mind reading, taking in the presence of the Dasaka in the vicinity. It moved in, watching the pattern that Riko laid out when she used her Kualsi. It twitched and raised its staff; a heartbeat later, the Kaazi's blow was blocked. The scarred rahkshi didn't move in for a followup, only continuing to watch, content to occupy the younger Zrupgar. Exhaling, Hambra's Pakari glowed as she sprang towards the melee, her arm outstretched. No illusion, no staff, no extraneous matter to get between her and clotheslining Caana. Somei had to drop the illusion around Murasaki, but it wasn't enough. She had never been a Menti. The last piece she had worked on was restoring a courtyard statue of a smaller clan on Oki; she had demanded solitude, and had applied the varnish and sandpaper with only the gentle noise of cicadas and songbirds. It was louder than it had been on Hanaloi, even with her small workshop. Now, there were no cicadas or songbirds, only shouts, shrieks, and snarls. Her illusion must have wavered for an instant with her memories; the kavinika pounced. The Datsue shouted in fear, but the rahi did not tear into her. Instead, they pinned her down as their passengers slithered down, seeking Somei's face. She shrieked as Darkness came over her mind, worse and more total than even the most forceful Willhammer; endless night. OOC: @Mel @Nato G @Goose