Onaku

IC: Arkius - Ruins of Earth Arkius let out a dry chuckle as he and the group moved on into the next chamber. "I'm not the one who needs to prove themselves here." @Eyru@The UltimoScorp@pokemonlover360@Tarn IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement The enrobed toa nodded as Vulimai explained her atheistic past and present. "I was never much of a believer myself, but especially not after the disease that mutilated me and decimated my village. I think I had a hint of faith sparked when suddenly I was bestowed the gift of Toahood and cured of my ailment... but even that was quickly cast into doubt when the word ended almost immediately afterwards. After what Ostrox told me, though... I believe." Iradra's expression, understanding, changed to something more intense while on the surface she seemed to retain her composure. "I believe the Great Spirit, should he still exist, poses a direct and undeniable threat to everything we still have." @Sparticus147

IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement "I wouldn't know. Nor would I worry... at least, not as far as Ostrox is concerned." As Iradra's eyes continued to rest on Vulimai's, the matoran could feel the faint white glowing orbs staring into her own like spotlights from afar. "Tell me... Do you believe in the Great Spirit?" @Sparticus147

IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou Shelter Okuo was startled by the sudden alert, turning to face the Matoran guard with a worried frown, before hurriedly stepping outside to see the red airship fly overhead toward the so named Relic Fields. He turned to Triage with a grim expression. "This can't be good... Looks like we're going to be having company." Looking behind him at the other people stationed at Ko-Pou, his expression turned determined and caring. "All of you, hold the fort here. Keep everyone safe, okay? We'll be back soon." With that, Okuo was off in the general direction of the abandoned Metru-Koro, wrapping the scarf tighter around himself as the cold weather of the region began to bite into his vulnerable Ta-Elemental physique. @Tarn@Toru Nui@Vezok's Friend IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement Iradra's serene expression shifted slightly, and for a moment she seemed to have a thousand yard stare right through Vulimai's skull. Then, the moment passed, and she seemed to refocus on the matoran before her, though her expression had subtly turned into a sombre one. "Yes... I think she could have ensured peace." @Sparticus147

Name: Ardoku Breed: Toa of Plasma Faction: Refugees Brief Description: Ardoku is a rather gangly toa, standing at average height, with white armour and an orange secondary colour. His white cracked Hau looks remarkably more battle worn and damaged than the rest of his armour which looks almost new. Behind that mask stare vibrant blue eyes with an ever uncertain look to them, yet even then, a strong resolve shines through. Looking closely, one might notice the slight green in the blue of his eyes. Background/Occupation: Toa Ardoku woke up in the desert of Zakaz with no memory of who he is or how he got there, remembering only the name Ardoku which he figured was his own. The only things he had on him upon waking up were a white sword with a hollow fuller running up the entirety of its blade, and the strange cracked mask he wears, from which he could glean little to nothing of who he is or his current circumstances. Since then he's slowly been regaining his memories, a fragment here and there of a life he feels distant from. Sticking around in Todbuk-Koro, Ardoku has provided the village with protection using his reflexive skills as a swordsman. Psychological Flaw: One month ago, Ardoku woke up with no memory of who he was. Since then, he's slowly been regaining snippets of his memories, though there's still many concepts he has a hard time grasping and is occasionally tripped up by things others take for granted. He is also, as a result, somewhat naïve, relatively easy to deceive and manipulate. Physical Flaw: he consistently feels a sharp pain shoot through his right arm, powerful enough to throw him off physically, which means that although he is more skilled in wielding the sword in that hand, it is more reliable for him to wield it with the left hand which does not suffer the same surges of pain. Powers/Equipment: Ardoku currently possesses the muscle memory of an expert swordsman, allowing him to wield his sword defensively and offensively with expertise. Though he is impeccable wielding it in his right hand, he also possesses great skill in his left, albeit not to the same extent. His only equipment is a white sword with a hollow fuller up the entire blade, and a cracked and powerless Hau that otherwise provides the benefits of a Kanohi mask. As a Toa of Plasma, Ardoku is resistant to extremely high temperatures, and his eyes are naturally protected against bright light. He has, as of yet, been unable to utilise his element, still unable to recall how he did so before he lost his memories.

IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement "Good. Having someone on the inside gives us options other than direct conflict. Anyway, as for the gashes; it varies, really. Construction work is sometimes a contributing factor too, but no more than one would expect. No further fatalities during my stay here that I'm aware of, which is good..." @Sparticus147

IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement "Nothing too out of the ordinary considering the circumstances, I'd say. The occasional and unavoidable accident happens, and I've had to deal with a broken bone or a few, or in the worst cases some grizzly gashes where chunks are missing, but each of those injuries has been mended with time and care. How fares Stannis, by the way? Any news from elsewhere on the island?" @Sparticus147

IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement Iradra's serene expression remained on her marred features as she looked away from the valley and down to the approaching Vulimai. "About as well as could be expected. Are we receiving visitors, then?" @Sparticus147

IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou Shelter Okuo stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It could be worth a try... though I was under the impression it had stopped leaking?" He sighed, and moved back to the door, taking his green knit scarf off the hanger and wrapping it over his shoulders and neck tight. "In any case, I had intended to make my way to the old village and see if I can find anything, so the Aqua Sphere will have to wait for a moment. Triage, would you care to accompany me or stay here?" @Tarn@Toru Nui IC: Arkius - Ruins of Earth Arkius sighed, taking out a packet of rations and handing it to Kat. "Alright, here, just try not to eat through it in one go." Anyone paying attention might have noticed the more vibrant green of his eye while he did this, though after he looked away and began walking further in, it had returned to its washed out emerald hue. "Lets not waste any time then. Administrator, what can you tell me about the trials that lie ahead?" @Eyru@The UltimoScorp@pokemonlover360

IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou Shelter Okuo sighed and nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Vhisola. We'll get to the bottom of this." Standing up, he turned to Triage with a worried expression as the crimson glow faded from his mask, before his attention was suddenly drawn to the door. Opening it up, he saw Turaga Klawne standing outside in the cold. "Oh, hello, yes, please come in." He opened the door up to let the Turaga inside before closing it as swiftly as he could without making a loud noise, trying as he could to keep the cold air out. @Vezok's Friend@Tarn@Toru Nui IC: Arkius - Ruins of Earth Arkius smiled wide as the Administrator greeted him. "Indeed, we-" Hearing Katrin speak, he turned to her with a befuddled expression. "Bugs and mushrooms? We packed enough rations to last a month, what did you do with yours???" @The UltimoScorp@Eyru@pokemonlover360

IC: Okuo - Ko-Pou Shelter It had been a month since Okuo had narrowly escaped from the decapitated head of the dead god, only to find his new home recovering in the aftermath of an attack, and an old friend twisted into a new form by a strange affliction. All the time since then had gone into providing a new shelter for the afflicted, their numbers ever so slowly but surely growing as the people continued to reside in Metru-Koro until finally the village was evacuated through the Ruins of Ice the valley of Kini-Nui... with the afflicted left behind. The shelter he and a couple others had built for them was a solid construction, built to withstand the cold and harsh weather of the region they'd moved to, and provided each of the patients with their own space for privacy, whatever worth that could be. Food was also provided, be it wild game from the region or crops from Todbuk-Koro and the Kini-Nui settlement, every day Okuo learned better how to prepare the food and ration it according to the preferences of those he was taking care of. With a rudimentary heating system provided by Knichou, comfort was made paramount while the source of their affliction continued to be searched for. Okuo found himself sitting in front of Vhisola, his mask glowing with a faint sanguine radiance as his cyan eyes beheld her. "What can you remember from the week in Metru-Koro? Any routes you remember taking through the village?" For the past few days, Okuo had been asking the afflicted about various things they might remember about their time before they were changed. Currently he was trying to gauge for locational correlation beyond just the general Metru-Koro area, some specific place in the village the afflicted might all have come near. @Vezok's Friend@Tarn IC: Iradra - Kini-Nui Settlement It had been a month since Iradra had narrowly escaped from the decapitated head of the dead god, having found purpose and allies in the aftermath of loss. Her injuries sustained during the escape were not to be understated, though. Bouts of dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision hampered her daily activities, not to speak of the occasional episode where she was robbed of concentration and memory, finding herself confused as to where she was. She had hope this would eventually pass, but even now the aliment lingered, weeks after the fact. She had at first worried this would hamper her usefulness, having sworn to avenge Zaliyah and carry out her final will of freeing the League remnant from the shadow of the old world's tyranny, but soon it became apparent that fighting for freedom and justice would have to wait. Survival itself once more came into question, now for the League remnant as the Ruins of Metru-Nui began sinking into the ocean, dashing all hopes of the territory providing safe harbour for the people on either side of the old conflict. With little she could do in that regard, she instead turned to her attention to Ostrox, whose harrowing tale of his encounter with an embodiment of her people's chief and singular deity Mata-Nui had done away with any lingering shreds of faith she'd ever had to begin with. With little to do until Ostrox decided on their next course of action, Iradra had taken up residence in the Kini-Nui settlement and returned to her role of healer once more. There she had been since, bestowing her healing radiance upon any who sought her out. Sitting on a chair outside her hut on the outskirts of the village, Iradra took in a breath of fresh air as she looked out over the valley, regarding the structures and the natural landscape with fascination. OOC: Iradra open for interaction.

The lake is just inert liquid protodermis then, yeah?

Name: Okuo Breed: Toa of Fire Faction: Refugees Brief Description: Average height and of slim yet athletic build, Okuo has a red primary armour colour with a light azure secondary. His eyes glow a vibrant azure-cyan underneath his red Great Rau. Background/Occupation: It is strange how much two weeks can change someone's life so completely, but now a month has passed, and Okuo finds himself in a strange role he'd never have envisioned for himself. At the start of it all, Okuo found himself as a hacker in Metru-Nui, digging in places he shouldn't for information he wasn't supposed to know. Digging in the wrong places (or the right ones, depending on your point of view), Okuo discovered a plot by the Dark Hunters to kill the matoran Vhisola, a plot which he successfully, although by no means easily, prevented. From there, he assisted in the acquisition of the Great Disk of Ga-Metru, accompanying the party responsible to the Coliseum where after attempting to save Dume's life, he found himself transformed into a Toa. Following an unsuccessful attempt at fixing the timeline, Okuo finally found himself back outside the Coliseum, watching the world tear itself apart. Then, a week after the Great Spirit was decapitated, Okuo found himself in the role of a scavenger, salvaging leftover tech and materials from the ruins of Metru-Nui, while avoiding the forces of the remaining Barraki which by then had claimed the ruined city as their stronghold. After getting lost in the Archives for a good bit, Okuo finally found his way back to Metru-Koro, where after witnessing the aftermath of the League bombing, he bore witness to a new and strange affliction starting to affect a handful of matoran, Vhisola and Nixie included, transforming them into reptilian rahi beings. Since then, working alongside Triage and other residents of Metru-Koro, Okuo has done his best to find out the cause of these strange transformations. What he can do to solve the mystery of this strange affliction is anyone's guess. Physical Flaw: Okuo is inexperienced in combat, having only weapons training with a kanoka launcher, and since his transformation into a toa, a limited amount of training with his powers over fire. Any close quarters combat will leave him relying on his shield to protect himself, with limited to no ability to retaliate if his elemental powers are rendered useless. He also has peanut allergies, though they are not life threatening. Psychological Flaw: Okuo feels obligated to push himself to his limit to help others due to how he became a Toa. Though never the biggest believer in Mata-Nui or his virtues, the way things transpired in Dume's office all those weeks ago had a profound impact on him, leaving him feeling as if destiny itself had ordained him to be a Toa, no matter if he wished to be one or not. He believes that a true Toa's duty is to sacrifice their own comfort and safety to ensure as much for others, and unless he lets go of this attitude, he'll continue to push himself until he dies. A glimmer of overconfidence does not help in dissuading him from this path either. One could be forgiven for thinking he has a death wish. Powers/Equipment: As a Toa of Fire, Okuo possesses elemental control over fire. He also wears a Great Rau, Mask of Translation. Carried over from his matoran form is his ability to turn invisible as if by a Great Huna. Okuo has been integrated with technology he possessed before turning into a Toa. Incorporated into his Great Mask of Adaptation is a heads-up display he's managed to transfer from his old Rau, a feature that allows him access to networks and computers, with an augmented reality keyboard for input. This HUD is routed into his deck, which has been shrunk into a smaller, more portable form, losing its input functionality in favor of the integrated HUD keyboard. The deck still retains its physical connectivity functions, allowing him to jack into systems that lack a wireless option. His kanoka launcher/hover board has been transformed as well, expanding to fit his new Toa form, but also gaining an additional mode, taking the form of a large shield he can use for defense. In its launcher form, it can fire regular kanoka, as well as channel his fire powers through it, for example in the form of kanoka-like fire projectiles. Its shield form is as previously stated large, and has the option of being fixed to the ground, providing cover for anyone in need. The levitation kanoka Okuo used to have has been fused into the hover board mode itself, and cannot be retrieved. After a run in with a Muaka in the archives a month ago, the hover board mode has been rendered useless, leaving him only with a shield and launcher. However, this has not left him without a mode of long distance and vertical transport, as in the archives he found a strange dagger that works as a Kualsi would, transporting the user wherever they look when activated. The name "Ardoku" is engraved into the side of the dagger's blade. Name: Iradra Breed: Toa of Light Faction: Refugees Brief Description: Enrobed in long flowing robes of white and grey colouration with a hood she has pulled up most of the time. Though she wore ornamental bronze armour over these robes, she has since discarded it after the mask and shoulder pieces of it were destroyed during the conflict in the Coliseum a month back, instead conjuring an identical set of armour made of hardlight whenever she requires it. Underneath her robes she carries remnant scars of the disease that once ravaged her body, scars that mar her pristine white and bronze armour. Where as a matoran she seemed ready to keel over at any moment, she now stands tall and carries herself with a grace and dignity she'd never imagined she could possess. Background/Occupation: Once a lone survivor of a village ravaged by disease, she carried the disfigurements and remnants of that plague with her every day as she struggled to find a reason to exist in a world that didn't want her. Her struggles eventually brought her to Metru-Nui, where she found the company of two fellow Ko-Matoran and a Turaga. Joining them on their quest to find the Great Disks of Metru-Nui, she eventually found herself in the presence of Turaga Dume, who bestowed upon her the powers of a Toa, transforming her and cleansing her body of the ailment she'd fought for so long. She emerged from this transformation not as a Toa of Ice as she thought her element had been, but a Toa of Light, revealing that she had in truth been an Av-Matoran. After the GSR's head crashed into Zakaz, Iradra tentatively embraced her role as protector of the Matoran people, delving into mastering her power over light, and the healing properties she wields through it. She also went on to discover an aptitude for the creation and manipulation of hardlight, following the bombing of Metru-Koro that was eventually thwarted, and then talked down through a conversation between her and Zaliyah, the one leading the bombing raid. After negotiating to end the conflict, she resolved to go to the ruins of Metru-Nui with Zaliyah in order to ensure peace, but upon learning that Pridak had been overthrown and replaced by a charlatan known as Aurax, whom no one spoke of with trust, she realised that peace would have to come after the League had been restored to a more trustworthy ruler. Following Zaliyah's announcement to her fellow members of the League, she, Iradra, and Ostrox found themselves under attack from all sides by Vahki troops, ending with their rescue by Poroka, though in the end Zaliyah remained behind to hold off the Vahki while the other three made their escape in a stolen airship, with Iradra only discovering the sacrifice after they had taken off. Since then, she has stuck with Ostrox, resolving to uphold Zaliyah's will and end Aurax's rule one way or another, though now that Metru-Nui is sinking into the ocean, her concerns turn to the evacuation of the League from an unsustainable stronghold and a dishonourable leader. Turning with Ostrox to the people of Metru-Koro, who would go on to settle Kini-Nui through the Ruins of Ice, she has for the moment returned to her role as a healer, worried that her scars, now uncovered, may prove to alienate those she had been accepted by previously. Physical Flaws: Iradra still has lingering effects from her concussion a month ago. These include occasional bouts of dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision, as well as episodes where she has difficulty concentrating or even remembering things. Her shoulder, which was dislocated at the same time as she received her concussion, has healed yet remains weaker than before. Psychological Flaw: She has a hard time opening up to people, especially so after the events at the Coliseum a month ago. As a result, she comes off as reserved, perhaps even cold, which in conjuction with her marred appearance may prove to alienate others. Powers/Equipment: The powers of Light now lie at Iradra's fingertips, powers she never could have imagined would be hers. Though new to her role as a Toa of Light, she's found to her surprise that she is a quick learner, though some ways of manipulating light elude her. How ever, she's become adept at creating and manipulating hardlight constructs. In addition, she can imbue her light with curative and restorative properties, healing wounds and eliminating toxicants in those her radiance touches. This process is not instant, and requires time and concentration from Iradra. Transformed with her two-handed sword, Iradra's main tool is a gigantic yet beautiful sword, almost as long as she is. It is a weapon she wields comfortably with practised strength and balance, more so now than as a disease addled matoran. She also possesses her daggers, still sheathed underneath her robes, now transformed into short ornamental curved blades of beautiful craftsmanship. She also wears a white Mahiki that bears the scars of her past, though this damage is purely superficial at this point. Otherwise the Great Mask of Illusion differs in no way from others of its kind. After the conflict at the Coliseum, she procured herself a staff to help with walking while her leg healed, a staff she has since kept as a keepsake and fashioned into a badge of office, finding that her powers over light, in particular her healing radiance, can actually more easily be channelled with the staff as a medium. Name: Arkius, or Toa Arkius of the NUVA Proxima Breed: Toa of Earth (NUVA Proxima) Faction: Refugees(?) Brief Description: Arkius is immensely large and muscular compared to other Toa. Where at first he was clad near entirely in black, he later wore a beaten metallic grey chest plate and pauldrons over his dark grey and black form, with occasional glowing green accents that matched his singular remaining eye. He wore a black Calix with one eyehole patched over that hid the silvery scar tissue where his right eye once was. With his NUVA Proxima transformation, the Calix has fused to his face, and the metallic grey armour he wore has taken on a refined silver look. The green glow his eye and armour accents had have taken on a brighter, washed out emerald hue, with specks of what looks to be white embers trailing from the corner of his singular eye. Beyond even his previously immense stature, Arkius has now grown yet more in size, towering completely over the average Toa. With his mind completely unlocked, Arkius finds his psyche dominated by memories of a past from before his first memories of the Ark. Though memories of his life on the Ark and on “Zakaz” remain, he is effectively a new man, with his old identity hidden away underneath one manifested through his memories being revealed. Background/Occupation: Once awakening in a far away land, Arkius rose to become a prominent Toa protector. When the Legion began its conquest, Arkius stood opposed to them, eventually finding his way to Metru-Nui where he intended to provide the last line of defense against the encroaching Barraki horde. There he became entangled in a strange plot, whisked off his feet by Toa Stannis and his crew as they tried to figure out Turaga Dume's true intentions. But when the Barraki very suddenly teleported into the underground of Ko-Metru to invade the city, Arkius had to leave the crew behind, travelling to Onu-Metru with Toa Nale and the Krahli designated "Kilo" to protect the matoran, or avenge them otherwise. In the end, the latter proved to be his true calling, where with Kilo he rained vengeance upon Mantax's men in the Archives, and battled the warlord before his eventual demise by the hands of his Krahli companion. After this, he emerged to a world tearing itself apart, and with his compatriots emerged on the so-called "Zakaz" to build a new and peaceful life after the Cataclysm. Unfortunately, peace turned out to never have been an option. In this new land, aggressive and vile Skakdi revealed themselves to be the native flock, a people Arkius had never been fully comfortable with, but which here, as the Skakdi-Xa, proved to be even worse still. Arkius resolved to protect the Matoran at any cost... even if it meant the eradication of these vile Skakdi-Xa down to the very last. Calling off a planned counter-attack on the Skakdi in favour of heeding Po-Koro’s call for aid, Arkius returned to Po-Koro in the aftermath of a Skakdi raid, where he remained to protect it as others flew to Metru-Koro on other business. Though he tried to help reestablish Po-Koro’s defenses in that time, the heavy rainfall in the shadow of a great Tahtorak proved it to be in vain, and after helping rescue villagers caught in the flood, he and the villagers relocated to the Ruins of Stone to establish a new village. Following old companions inside, he found himself exposed to the golden energies of the NUVA boon, unlocking his NUVA Proxima form and granting him greater stature, as well as returning the memories of his life before he awoke on the Ark, and with them the Arkius he’d forgotten he was. He has since ventured with Jutori, Kat, and Kilo, to the Temple of Earth, where he intends to fulfil his promise to Katrin and bestow her with the boon of NUVA Proxima. Psychological Flaws: With a new personality made manifest, Arkius has taken to different flaws. Arrogant, Arkius believes himself to know best, and is slow to consider opinions that differ from his. Wrathful, Arkius carries a great turmoil of rage inside him as a result of repeat tragedy and betrayal, rage he sees little reason to keep in check. Prideful, Arkius sees himself as the peak of Toa potential, and sees Toa as inherently superior to all other species, responding wrathfully to anything that might disprove this notion. Physical Flaws: Arkius has lost his right eye, meaning without his earth sense he is without depth perception, as well as a reduced field of view to his right. Additionally, he possesses no ranged weaponry, relying on his trusty axe above all else mixed with his control of elemental earth, preferring to get in close and personal with those he seeks to fell, meaning that those able to stay at distance form him hold an advantage over him, especially so if his elemental earth is disabled or proves ineffective. Powers/Equipment: Arkius possesses elemental powers of Earth, powers which he has trained with extensively, and which have now grown immensely in scope following his NUVA Proxima transformation. With said transformation he has also gained the ability to share his elemental power with two other beings in his line of sight and elemental range. Additionally, he has a strong physique, and an immense well of stamina. His already great strength has grown greater following his transformation. He wore the Kanohi Calix that has now fused to his face and become part of him, allowing him to perform at the absolute peak of his natural physical abilities (such as executing seemingly impossible leaps, dodges, flips, etc.) so that he moves and reacts better than any unenhanced member of his species. He can share this power with two other beings in his line of sight and elemental range. In his journey to the Temple of Earth, he defeated a Mesi with a penchant for collecting masks as trophies, from whom Arkius acquired a Kanohi with the rough appearance of a Hau, though in truth it is a Mask of Charisma. As far as his equipment goes, Arkius wields only his trusty protosteel axe, a weapon he has felled many a foe with and wields with great pride, greater skill... and deadly intent. With an axe blade on one end of the head and a long bladed spike on the other, the weapon is suited for chopping enemies or piercing through tough armour.

IC: Iradra - Outside Coliseum Iradra had been elated when Zaliyah agreed to retreat with them, albeit slightly nervous as the giant Poroka grabbed her with one of his arms. The next thing she remembered was lying on her back, the ruined Metru-Nui dome above her, with loud ringing in her ears and a pain throbbing in her head and her shoulder. She felt strange, unsure where she was until she looked down from the sky and saw the airship sitting in front of her. Right. The airship. They needed to get out of here. Wincing, she got up, pain shooting through her body as she tried to stand on her wounded leg before she shifted her weight to the other leg. Now that she thought about it, her whole body ached, but beyond the pain in her left shoulder her arm was numb, and trying to move it only caused more pain. She then looked to her side and saw the giant Poroka, clearly in a rough shape. They had to get out of here. Grimacing, she threw her healthy shoulder under Poroka and put all of her strength into trying to help him onto the ship, no matter how little it might actually do. Each step was laboured, as she had to use her wounded leg to keep going, and despite her difficulty focusing on anything, she did her best to push the pain aside, though no matter how much she tried to divert her attention from it, her head was killing her. "Come on big guy, lets- ungh- get out of here..." @Eyru@Toru Nui@Nato the Traveler

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum Back on her feet, as Vahki broke through the walls. Hardlight barriers, summoned for momentary protection and shattered soon after. Another Kanoka of Weakening, smashing into her shoulder, her pauldron shattering and her arm going numb as she winced, steeling herself as she cut down a Vahki with her sword, and another, before a third one closed the distance and stabbed a gap in her armour, wounding her thigh before she cut it down too and limped backwards to the window. Then they stopped, Aurax taunted them with empty mercy, and Zaliyah rebuked his poison. Iradra let out an exerted sigh, her wide eyed wild expression now fully visible on her scarred Mahiki as she raised her sword again and prepared herself, mentally and physically, for a final stand. She briefly contemplated on her fate, before suddenly she was roused out of her thoughts by a monstrous being's arrival. It smiled and said hello, and with Ostrox and Zaliyah greeting it as a compatriot she realised this Poroka was on their side. Internally, she would have celebrated, if not for Zaliyah's next words. "Zaliyah, no, you can't. You'll die! We need to get out of here! Together!" For the first time, Zaliyah could see Iradra's eyes, her expression, as she looked at her. These eyes gazed upon the toa hordika as an ally, a confidant, and perhaps, had they been given time, a friend. They filled now with desperation, with denial and anger, and with grief, but beneath it all, a sliver of hope. A hope Zaliyah would surely have to quash if the toa was to survive. @Nato the Traveler@Toru Nui@Eyru

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro "Kilo, Jutori, are you ready for the journey we are about to undertake?" Arkius said as the group met up. He gestured behind him to Kat. "This is Kathrine, Toa of Fire. She will be joining us on this journey." @pokemonlover360@Tarn@The UltimoScorp IC: Iradra - The Coliseum As soon as the Vahki broke through her barriers, Iradra backed up, three of them being felled by Zaliyah's attacks before she managed to conjure a handful of barriers in the elevator corridor, blocking off the stairs from her, Zaliyah, and Ostrox. The last Vahki, charging Iradra, found itself caught in one of the barriers, held in place though struggling against it. Iradra winced, and with effort, the barrier tightened until finally it sliced through the Vahki, bisecting it and leaving its two halves like scrap piles sitting between her barriers as she turned and began making her way for the windows. Only for a stray Kanoka of Weakening to hit her directly in the face, shattering the bronze facade and casting its pieces across the room while the Toa of Light was momentarily knocked down to the ground. Now on her back, she quickly raised a hand and began firing shards of hardlight at the Vahki at the window, one of those shards hitting a Vahki in the mandibles just as it was summoning in a kanoka, activating the disk to the effect of its upper body reconstituting into acid that poured down onto a Vahki unit below, eating through its armor before the lower half of the Vahki above fell into it and shattered its weakened chassis into scrap that continued falling down the side of the Coliseum. @Eyru@Toru Nui@Nato the Traveler

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum As the second Vahki facing the real Zaliyah passed her by, Iradra used the element of surprise to her advantage, stepping out from the illusory cover she'd conjured along with their decoys before swiftly lopping off its head with her sword. Its headless body went limp, crashing to the floor while the cranial unit clattered and skidded to the wall, dimming finally. She then turned her attention to the doors, conjuring two walls of hardlight up against each one, barring them for the moment before she looked over her shoulder to the window, where a Vahki fired its kanoka disk at the illusory Zaliyah only for the projectile to pass through her with little effect other than the momentary rippling of her form. "I'll try to bar these doors, but I don't know for how long I can hold them!" She said, grimacing underneath her expressionless bronze mask as she braced herself for reinforcing her walls as soon as more reinforcements arrived and tried to break through. "We can't stay here!" @Eyru@Nato the Traveler@Toru Nui

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro Arkius nodded. "Right. Lets go, sister." With that, he began heading in the direction Jutori and Kilo had gone, expecting Kat to follow. @The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui@pokemonlover360@Tarn

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro "What? I'm not putting him in charge of anything! And what's this about a murder?!" Arkius furrowed his brow before turning back to Ulkarr. "Either way, I'm going to have to ask you to stay in the village until I return, be it to help guard it, or to answer for any crimes you may have committed or had a part in." @The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro "Indeed, the safety of this village is my top priority." He said, nodding in agreement with Kat's words, before turning to Ulkarr. "Aspect, your company would perhaps not be unwelcome, but I dare not ask more than the minimum required for this journey. Four of us will be leaving for the Earthen equivalent of this Temple, and among that group will be me, Kilo, Jutori, and now... Kathrine. I would welcome more company if not for the disastrous potential of leaving these people unguarded as has too often happened before. I entrust the task of guarding this village to those left behind. I entrust it... to you." @Toru Nui@The UltimoScorp

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro Arkius grinned, before his grin faded and he sighed. "Normally I'd be more than happy to test my might against that of another, but I'm afraid we cannot afford to delay. As we speak, our enemies are gathering their strength to strike at us again. The sooner we secure the boon, the better." @The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro "I am aware of what sparring is, aspect, you need not excuse yourself. Nor am I offended by a little violence." With those words spoken, he turned to Kat. "Speaking of which, I do hate to break up a good sparring match, but I have an offer for you, sister. As you can see, our venture into the Temple has bestowed a great boon unto me. I am, in a word, reborn. Stronger. More powerful than before. Truthfully, my potential has been unlocked, and I believe from among the people in this village, you are deserving of that boon as well." He stretched out a beckoning hand, giving Kat a friendly smile. "I would invite you to earn power far beyond that which you now possess, power which through you will secure the future of our people. It will no doubt be a difficult journey, challenging not only your strength and power but your mind, your wisdom, and courage. Will you step up to this challenge?" @The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum Iradra nodded and began generating the illusions as described by Zaliyah. @Nato the Traveler@Toru Nui@Eyru

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum The moment Ostrox was on the platform, Iradra began lifting it up, bringing it to the next floor before moving it in through the window where it disappeared and deposited them safely next to Zaliyah. Down below, the hardlight cylinder dissolved away. @Toru Nui@Nato the Traveler@Eyru

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum As the Vahki assaulted her with a staff strike and a blast, it found that rather than making impact, the right-most Iradra's form rippled before disappearing along with her hardlight sword. Likewise did both the center and left-most Iradras disappear along with any other hardlight construct in the room. In that moment, however, a cylindrical tube of hardlight formed around the Vahki, boxing it in. The drywall where Iradra had been knocked into earlier rippled before revealing Iradra's form, who quickly got on her feet and sprinted to the window, forming a simple hardlight platform outside which she leapt onto. She turned around, waving Ostrox over, waiting for him to get on before she'd lift the two of them up after Zaliyah to the next floor. @Eyru@Nato the Traveler@Toru Nui

IC: Arkius - Ruins of Stone Arkius visibly sneered in response to Collector's words. "This form is not a 'risk', Vortixx. This is the purest expression of Toahood, one which we require if we are to continue to not only survive but thrive in this strange new land. Now, no more debate. The longer we delay, the longer our enemies have to gather their strength and strike at us again." He turned to Jutori and Vashni, his sneer having turned to simply a stern expression as he looked at the two. "Be it one or both of you, the two of you can either come with me and Kilo, or stay in the village to protect it, but you had better decide quickly." With that, Arkius made his way outside, taking immense strides to catch up with Kilo before exiting the Ruins. Outside, the first thing he noticed was Kat fighting the aspect Ulkarr, his eye narrowing, before noticing the Vahki standing by, observing. A sparring match, he realised, before making his way around the pair, observing them in action. @Harvali@Toru Nui@The UltimoScorp@Tarn@Snelly