Burnmad

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius could only smirk in response to Drukarus' reply, looking up at the peak of the volcano as he spoke. "A god is merely what we call the most powerful class of beings known to us. If you doubt their existence, you have made the mistake of setting your sights too high." His gaze lowered, scanning the warband. "I've seen fewer Matoran in my lifetime than I could count on one hand. Up until yesterday, anyhow. But we've got one with us, why don't you ask him?" He pushed himself off the hood of the Wagon and barked to whoever could hear. "Where's Grime!? Someone bring Grime here!" Almost as an afterthought, he added: "Gently!" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Conway @Unreliable Narrator Calling on a throwaway NPC from page 3. IC: Providence - Outside Ruins of Fire Providence stood still as the situation escalated, and it didn't seem like Zak-Yak was going to back down. When the Mesi called on him and Varian for aid, he suddenly sprung into motion, moving forward swiftly but cautiously, hands raised in a gesture of mediation. "Well, hold on now, we wouldn't want things to get... Mesi here, now would we?" His faceplate twisted in a grin. No one laughed. His faceplate twisted in a frown. "Listen, listen..." He gestured to the briefcase. He'd sensed the contents, probed the shadows within the container, but had been unable to distinguish the ACR key within from the other two heartlights. "You've got three heartlights in there. Surely you don't need all of them, do you? Perhaps you could give just one to my dear, misguided friend here." He clapped a hand onto Zak-Yak's shoulder. "You know-- in the interests of friendship?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Snelly @Vezok's Friend

IC: Ollem - Naho Bay "Right," Ollem muttered in reply, probably unheard as Mahrika took off into the water, searching for salvage. He turned, and started trudging along the shoreline, collecting anything of use that had already washed ashore. OOC: @Harvali @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius scratched his chin, mulling over the other Skak's musings. "I reckon the most reasonable explanation is that our two worlds had some contact with one another, prior to now. Maybe your giant robot originally came from this world, some time ago?" OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway @Nato the Traveler IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Administrator, hm? And what was that about prayer? He supposed Apex had mentioned that this was a temple... "I am Morangad," he said. Standing there, still uncertain where to look when addressing this strange, disembodied voice, he dug for something to ask the 'Administrator' in return. "Who constructed this temple?" OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Eyru By the way, would Morangad ever have heard of 'the Builders' before? IC: Ollem - The Collection of Flotsam Formerly Known As 'The Rig' Ollem stood in place, idly tugging his feet out of the sucking embrace of the sodden sand on the shore, only to bury them again for lack of firmer footing. His gaze was fixed upon the likeness of a Kanohi that waited across the bay. "Oh! Maybe we could find some flotsam to use as a raft? Might be easier and quicker than walking around this muddy shoreline." He turned his head to look out into the bay, where specks of rainbow colors marked corpses that were scattered among the gleaming metal wreckage, uncertain whether he had ought to say the next bit. When he ultimately did, his voice was a tad quieter: "And, perhaps some things of value can be salvaged from... all that." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth "Ah, I suppose I neglected to mention, when you first brought it up: This island is also called Zakaz." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Conway IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad did not know where this strange voice was coming from, but he could sense that it was talking about him. "...And just who the are you?" He retorted, uttering curses so long unused that only Apex and the Administrator had any chance of recognizing them. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator @Nato the Traveler @Eyru

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius smirked. "Sure thing. Come up and pop a squat," he said, patting the empty bit of hood next to him. He found it rather ballsy of Drukarus to ask to share the hood of the E. Street Wagon - effectively his temporary throne - with him, but he wasn't about to look the coward by saying no. He got the sense that Skakdi from the head were somewhat less brutal than their wasteland-dwelling counterparts. This was a supposition born of Drukarus' reactions to a number of things Barius had said, as well as of the newfound knowledge that he claimed to be a former warchief. That position, among the warskaks Barius knew, was not one that someone retired from; it was held until your successor killed you for it. The fact that Drukarus could claim to have retired from it peaceably - and indeed, without even seeming to bear any debilitating wounds from the experience - suggested that things, perhaps, worked differently in the world the purple Skak had left behind. Either that, or Drukarus was lying. But given his build and age, and the weapon he wielded, he certainly could have been a warchief. "Now, perhaps I misunderstood what you related to me at the volcano's mouth..." He began, before sitting up and turning his torso towards his conversation partner. He suppressed the grunt of pain that sought its way out of his lungs at the motion, though he could not help but grimace for a brief moment. "But, I believe you did say that the land from which you hailed - which also bore the name Zakaz - was not included within the skull that impacted our western horizon a week back? I am curious what does lie within it." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway @Nato the Traveler IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad moved with all the swiftness of a wild rahi towards the entrance, spear already in hand. The dead silence of his footsteps gave way to a soft thud as his boots found the mossy flagstones of the temple's floor. An electric sensation passed through him upon crossing the threshold, but he paid it no heed; his newfound ally's potential need for assistance was his primary concern. Bursting into the chamber, his worry was only compounded when he found that he could not see what troubled his Aspect companion. His mind raced, considering what manner of swamp creature could pose a threat to Apex, while also being stealthy enough to evade his sight. "Where is the danger?" He demanded, weapon held before him. His eyes darted around the room, searching for a foe to slay. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru IC: Ollem - Near the Bay "I don't know if we'll find anything. I don't know if we'd have found anything before that thing flooded the entire bay; but it's our only lead right now, so we haven't got much choice but to investigate it." He watched as the Tahtorak stamped off out of sight. "Either way, I suspect the safest place to be is wherever that beast has already finished with." That made sense, right? Admittedly, he didn't know the first thing about rahi. Why would he? He hadn't worked in the archives, nor in the stables. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins Morangad stood motionless as he listened to Taja's reply, face inscrutable. "I assure you, that is not our intention. Our goal is to seek a means of defending against the Skakdi you mention - if not launching an offensive against them - and, more to the point, to restore the land that they have destroyed over the generations of their terrible reign." OOC: @Eyru @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 IC: Ollem - Near the Bay He shuddered. "I don't know, Mahrika. But if there is any way to destroy it, I doubt it has anything to do with us. We should just stay far, far out of its way." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Providence - Ruins of FIre Providence had, indeed, followed. Moreover, he seemed to have overheard Takadox's muttering. "I thought the same thing. Though if the Mesi were harboring an Aspect in that well, it must have been very powerful and ancient, indeed..." He watched Zak-Yak's attempt to steal the briefcase with bemusement. He was prepared to step in and deescalate the situation, if it seemed his Mesi companion was to be the loser in this conflict; however, he was not about to interrupt prematurely. OOC: @Snelly @Kal the Guardian @~Xemnas~ @Sparticus147 @Vezok's Friend

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius remained reclined against the windshield. The gruesome wound in his gut protested the idea of straightening his posture. "You are my guest tonight, and it becomes a host to treat his guest well," Barius intoned, folding his hands behind his head. "Moreover... I would like to learn more from you, of the world from which you came. And I hope that my generosity towards you this evening will entice you to impart that knowledge freely." The explanation was given with seemingly only genuine goodwill, leaving Drukarus to wonder whether the sinister implications of the qualifier 'freely' were intentional. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Conway IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The Tiokaha sighed, withdrawing his fist. Evidently, Apex had already damaged diplomatic relations further than a single gesture of goodwill could repair. "Truly, I apologize for her words," he muttered. He was uncertain how well this partnership could function, if this was to be the norm. "I do not desire a conflict here; if my companion's conduct makes an alliance impossible, then let us at least agree not to be enemies. I do not know your goals, but your nature leads me to assume that they do not run counter to our own." He nodded to Taja, seemingly indicating her Toa-ness. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru IC: Ollem - Near the Bay As they came close enough to realize the destruction that had been brought upon the Rig, Ollem shook and cowered with fear. "W-what is that?" Through sheets of rain, he swore he had glimpsed a creature the size of the Colosseum. He hoped his eyes deceived him. His hand grasped at his cloaking device, but he did not activate it. Even if they had been close enough to be in immediate danger, there was no way being invisible would do anything to help him. The creature was far, far too large to pay him any mind; he would perish in moments from the winds and waves, even if he was lucky enough to avoid being crushed under its massive, clawed feet. He was a small and insignificant thing before it; a candle in the midst of a typhoon. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth Barius cocked his head, weighing the mimic's words carefully. He did not mind the questioning from Corrivalis; familiarity, coupled with the knowledge that the strange being was essentially incapable of rebellion, softened the newly-ascended ruler's perception of his underling. "The settlement is as a fruit tree, Corrivalis. When it bears fruit, we harvest it. If it fails to bear fruit, we prune it. And only if pruning it fails time and again, do we resort to chopping it down for firewood. There is no sense in chopping down a fruit tree before we see if it shall bear fruit." The sinister analogy made clear, he leaned back against the windshield of the Wagon. "Does that answer your question?" Truthfully, he had made up the reasoning on the spot. He related strongly with the mimic's line of thinking, and he found it quite likely that they would wind up razing the village before long. But between the acquisition of a Tahtorak and the far more pressing threat of the larger settlement to the south - and the great skull it had formed around - they were in no rush, and Barius did not want people thinking of him as weak or indecisive in the meantime. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Conway @Sparticus147 IC: Morangad - Grand Temple Ruins The lithe and rugged form of an ancient Tiokaha emerged from the foliage to stand beside Apex. "Be calm, all," he spoke, stressing the final word as he directed a rebuking glance at Apex. "There is no reason that we should make enemies of each other before even learning each other's aims." He stepped forward to greet the beings properly. The other Aspect did not, as far as he could tell, have any hands, so he extended his fist towards Taja in what he recalled to be a common Toa greeting. "I am Morangad, and my companion is called Apex. We, too, have come to investigate this temple." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Eyru @Nato the Traveler IC: Ollem - On the Road With Mahrika Ollem's frown deepened. "What good would it do for you to die? Better that you live to fight another day, as far as I care. I'm sure your tribe would rather you survive long enough to see justice done, than carry the last memories of your people to the grave." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Ollem - On the Road with Mahrika Ollem listened with rapt attention as Mahrika described the tribes that had once populated this land. He seemed particularly intrigued by the concept of Kaita, and he was intent upon asking more about it. However, when she said that none of it mattered, he frowned. "I think it matters," he said. "Even if it's so old that you can barely remember it-- it's still something that you were a part of. Something bigger than yourself... something wonderful." His thoughts turned back to Metru-Nui. That had certainly been something bigger than himself, but it had been anything but wonderful. He smiled when she offered to weave something for him. "I'd be honored to wear a Mahrika original." OOC: @Harvali

OOC: Timeskipping Barius & co. about an hour into the future; enough time for them to descend the mount and initiate celebrations. IC: Barius - Base of Irnakk's Tooth The warband was in the midst of celebration. As the party had descended the volcano with Barius and without Boss, any who held surprise or disappointment at the development were wise enough not to voice as much. Instead, the clamoring Warskaks directed their energy into obeying their new leader's first command: To celebrate. They certainly did not need to be told twice. Swiftly, they had rolled out the best of their libations, combining those which they had brought for the road with the larger (and finer) stock that had been looted from Po-Koro. For food, they had pooled half the rations they had brought with them, and added to that a variety of wild game that had been collected and cured since leaving Fort Nektann. A small party had left to scour the surrounding area for fresher meat. The series of fires which stood around the camp were fed until they had doubled in size, beating the encroaching dark of the night back beyond the great circle formed by their vehicles. Presently, Barius reclined on the hood of the E. Street Wagon, at the center of a chaotic frenzy of drink and dance, listening to the increasingly discordant playing of various amateur musicians. On either side of the late Boss' vehicle, an overturned drum and a hastily-fashioned brushwood throne marked the seats of honor that had been reserved for Drukarus and Parnassus, respectively. Officially guests to the warband, the two represented simultaneously great assets and great threats to Barius' burgeoning rule-- and he knew well that threats and assets alike were to be kept close at hand. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway @Unreliable Narrator By the way, Kughs, is there anything left behind by Boss in the Wagon? IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp "Shall we continue then, Morangad?" "Let us," the Tiokaha replied, beginning to walk once more. "We should be close to our destination, if my memory serves--" Even as he spoke, the underbrush gave way to a clearing, and the Ruins of Air stood before them, illuminated dimly with filtered shafts of moonlight. "Ah," He muttered in surprise. "We're here." OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Eyru @Unreliable Narrator Apex & Morangad enter the clearing! IC: Ollem - On the Road with Mahrika Though their journey was now underway, silence did not fall over the pair of Matoran. As they walked, Ollem recounted tales of his homeland to his newfound friend-- and for each one, asked twice as many questions about her own. Currently, he seemed curious about the social structure of her society. "Did you have Turaga in charge?" He wondered. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth Barius smirked. "When we have reached the camp, my first order will be to celebrate my victory: The warband will drink and be merry this evening; I will rest and recover my strength; the Tahtorak will have its fill of ruin wherever it pleases; and our guest will be honored as if he were one of our own." He gestured to Drukarus. OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Sparticus147 @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp Morangad did not show his fear on his face, but his pulse did quicken as he observed the desperation of his new companion. Morangad had never seen a Tahtorak up close, but he had observed enough from afar to know that they were an otherworldly force of chaos and destruction. Further, the fact that an Aspect should be so fearful of one was a grave omen, indeed. It was tempting to cower in his swamp, as he had done for millennia, but something filled him with grim determination. Perhaps it was a simple desire to pursue the excitement he had been missing for so long; or, perhaps, he had felt a connection with the other lives he had encountered, and did not desire to see them go the way of his own people. "I will aid you, Aspect, but do not think that I am your servant. Whatever we do, we do as equals." OOC: @Sparticus147 IC: Ollem - Desert Suva Ollem huffed. East... When he had left the head, he'd headed west. That'd be quite a journey. Still, maybe Mahrika would have a better idea than him of how to navigate the treacherous landscape. He was fairly certain he had gotten lost or turned around several times in his walk from Metru-Nui. "Sounds like a long way, but it's the only lead we've got. I guess we'd better get walking, right?" There was a pause. "Uh, do you have any food? Or water? Or know how to get some?" OOC: @Harvali

IC: Ollem - Desert Suva Ollem sighed. "I agree that this Suva likely does not hold anything of further interest. As for mapping... I got here at the same time as the rest of my kind, and it took me this long to walk here. It's not likely." He looked around at the endless, rolling hills of sand. She hadn't been on the surface long...? "Where... did you come from?" He asked. OOC: @Harvali IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp "That does," the Tiokaha answered. He stiffened as the Tahtorak's call rolled through. "Oh, no..." OOC: @Sparticus147

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth The pale-grey Skak fled from the Nightmare Pits alongside his companions. Though Parnassus' shadows applied pressure to his many wounds, he still walked a bit more slowly than his panicked companions, gradually drifting to the back of the group as they neared the cave mouth. But that suited him just fine. As they exited the caves which Boss had so recently led them into, Barius was bringing up the rear of the group. When there was no longer a ceiling of stone over their heads, he stood at the precipice of the mountain trail, he raised his hands in victory, and echoed the Tahtorak's mournful call with a war cry loud enough that even the Warband far below could hear. He stood there for a long moment, savoring the feeling of looking down upon the warband that would now bow to his command, before turning to begin the trek down the mountain. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp Morangad was contemplating the strange Taboos the Aspect had spoken of, when his attention was momentarily diverted by her hate-filled mention of Skakdi. "Nektann?" He repeated. "I do not know the Skakdi you speak of. It has been many centuries since I have kept up with their wretched doings..." There was a time when he had sought vengeance upon the Skakdi, but though his hatred has not waned, it had been tempered with reason. He was but one man; he could not hope to take on their strange abilities and abominable war machines alone. However, the way Apex spat the Skakdi's name suggested that, perhaps, he may no longer be alone. "Why do you ask?" He queried, voice tinged with hopeful curiosity. OOC: @Sparticus147

Couple questions, just to confirm my assumptions about Barius' new position: 1. Barius' connection to Bossorak is psychic in nature, yes? Assuming that's true, and given that he is bound to obey my commands, how much leeway (if any) do I as a player have to control or "bunny" him? 2. Did you intend to write how the Warband itself receives and reacts to Barius' emergence from the Nightmare Pits, and any orders he gives going forward, or am I free to write such things myself? Essentially, is the Warband now going to be treated akin to Po-Koro or one of the other player-controlled locations? I think I'll hold off on my next post until I'm certain of these bits. Thanks in advance. -

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth Barius paused in the tunnel, Drukarus and Parnassus beside him, as the ground began to shake beneath, above, and all around him. Erupting so soon? He pondered. Irnakk must have been ravenous. His conversation with his fellow warlord forgotten, Barius dropped to his knees, as much from reverence for the creature as from his weariness and wounds. More than when he was dueling Boss - more, even, than when he dangled from the precipice over the Nightmare Beast's gaping maw - he felt Irnakk around him in this moment. That god-like, chilling presence was the one thing in this world that Barius respected enough never to challenge, for its power was beyond mortal reach, and it could lay a Skak low, no matter his size. But as the volcano shook, he took solace in one fact: This display of power was for him. It was a declaration of favor; the deliverance of a gift to the one whose strength and cruelty had most pleased the horror. A Skak ran. Barius let him go; he had already punished himself enough by revealing his own cowardice. Beside him, Parnassus whispered in his head: Barius, what is this? He answered aloud. "Irnakk has sent its servant to give worship. We shall fashion the altar together, from the bones of our enemies." Barius was not usually so reverent. But here, amid Irnakk's holy of holies, all steps were light, and all voices were a whisper. He pushed himself, with some difficulty, back up to his feet. "Let us move. This place may soon become uninhabitable; and, in any case, I wish to see the newborn form that was fashioned from Boss." And assume control of it before it lays waste to my warband. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp Morangad led his Aspect companion into the swamps. The path they took curved and twisted like a snake, dancing between landmarks as the Tiokaha navigated the treacherous, knee-deep waters. He did not explain his reasons for their frequent turns, though Apex could surely imagine what those might be; the swamp grew only more dangerous, the deeper they ventured within. There were times when Morangad held a finger to his covered mouth, signaling the Aspect to silence, and waded slowly through the water, hand on his spear. At other times, he was loud and boisterous, deliberately making his presence known, so as to avoid a run-in with those few creatures in the Fau Swamp that simply wanted to be left alone. At this particular moment, he was relaxed. This portion of the swamp, it seemed, was not so dangerous-- at least, relative to the rest of the region. "May I ask what you hope to find?" He spoke, suddenly, breaking a silence of some hours. OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator We aren't ready to arrive quite yet, but while we're en route, I'd like to sort out exactly where we're arriving to. When I made Morangad, you told me all the things he would know about the Swamp; you mentioned he'd know the location of the Suva, but you didn't mention the Ruins of Air one way or another. Would he know where they are? If so, that's where he's leading Apex; otherwise, he would assume she's referring to the Suva, and so he would be leading her there. In either case, we might run into @Kal the Guardian and Sala, as they're also searching the swamp at this moment.

IC: Barius - Irnakk's Tooth Barius kept his eyes on Drukarus as they ascended back out of the mountain; partially out of suspicion, but mostly because the visions had begun again, and they were even worse on the way out. As he carried on the conversation, his wounds throbbed and continued to seep blood. His lightheaded feeling intensified. It occurred to him that he might pass out if he continued trying to walk out of these caves unaided. "I suppose that's true," he muttered, only having half-paid attention to the last thing the purple Skakdi beside him had said. However, he was painfully cognizant of the fact that he had stressed to Corrivalis so recently; that appearance was everything. It wouldn't do for him to lean on the help of another, mere minutes after usurping Boss. That would set the tone for a short rule, indeed. No, he needed help, but he needed it to be discreet. His thoughts turned to the new Skak beside him. He seemed to have power over gravity; it would be simple enough for him to make Barius lighter. Yet, what impression would he give of himself by asking the stranger for help? This Drukarus might come to think that he was a pushover. Maybe he'd even try to seize power for himself. Barius had never known a Skak of that size not to test his might against others. And what reason did he have to even acquiesce to Barius' request for aid? On the other side of him was Parnassus, who he had the benefit of a telepathic connection with. He wasn't sure what the Aspect could do to help, but he was certain he had some trick up his sleeve. And yet, he was perhaps more frightened of the idea of Parnassus knowing of his weakness than he was of Drukarus. He had just seen what Aspects could do to those who got too accustomed to their presence. He didn't want to wind up like Boss had: A mere puppet. Yet, he had to ask someone for assistance, and only one of the two was certain to actually come to his aid. Parnassus, he hissed through their mental connection. I am severely wounded. It would be hazardous to your investment if I were to be seen in such a state of weakness. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Ollem - Desert Suva He paused for a brief moment of contemplation, but the answer was clear. It almost slipped from his mouth unbidden, so strong was his heart's desire: "I'd quite like that." Something about meeting Mahrika had given him a deep curiosity for the Matoran culture that had once flourished here. For reasons unknown to his conscious mind, he had to see more of it for himself. OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits Barius' eyes narrowed. Had he heard that right? The newcomer had come from an island also called Zakaz? He wondered whether this Drukarus was pulling his leg, but something told him otherwise. In any case, it wasn't any stranger than there being separate populations of Skakdi, to begin with. He motioned for his Skaks to start their egress from the cavern. They could finish their conversation while they walked. "So, that dome's got a body after all. It not survive the trip, or what?" OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - His Home, Fau Swamp Morangad's expression was inscrutable as he looked the Aspect up and down. He had never known their kind to care for the well-being of the island, but he had known them to be masters of deceit and subterfuge. He would remain skeptical of this one's claims until she gave him reason to believe her. "Very well, then. Let us begin; it will take some time to get there." OOC: @Sparticus147 again

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits "Barius, and... Barius," Barius replied. "You from that head, Drukarus?" Wasn't a bad name. Sounded exotic. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - His Home, Fau Swamp "I will guide you, Aspect," Morangad boomed. He walked over to the rope ladder and kicked it down, where it rapidly unfurled until it swung several feet over the water level of the swamp. He clambered down with surprising speed for a being of his age. By time he reached the bottom, the Aspect would have had time to take in his up-close appearance. He was clad in skins and wore heavy knee-high boots, which seemed almost waxy, as if they'd been covered with something. The lower half of his face was tightly bound with cloth, which minimized his inhalation of Corodi spores. As he set boots in the murky swamp water, he continued to speak. "On one condition! You must swear to me that whatever you seek within the ruins will not harm this swamp, nor the life within it." He deliberately did not mention the Aspect's implicit offer of a Kraata. It had not been his intent when he had proposed a bargain, but his recent experiences made him look far more favorably on the idea than he normally would have. He would have to mull it over while they walked. OOC: @Sparticus147 again

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits Barius considered the purplish Skakdi before him. His slow, ambling manner of speaking was not like any of the Warskaks, nor like any Rigger he had met. It was difficult to tell if he was sincere. "Well, you don't have to," Barius rumbled, grin returning in spite of the pain of his injuries. "You saw the most important part." The statement was punctuated by a thunk as he popped his shoulder back into its socket. His grin faltered for only a moment. "I'd love to hear all about your reason for coming here - or kill you, if that's what you're looking for - but I'm afraid it'll have to wait until after I'm stitched up. You're welcome to meet the warband while you wait." Fyura hadn't given him any indication yet, but the rest of his Warskaks seemed to be recognizing their new leader right quick. If the newcomer and his Mesi friend tried to stop him from leaving, they'd be outnumbered two to one. Maybe three to one. He was having difficulty counting how many people were in the cave, on account of the swimming vision and lightheadedness. As his body was beginning to come down from the adrenaline high of mortal combat, he started to realize the sheer extent to which every inch of him ached. His first kraata, especially, throbbed like it'd been hit with a hammer. He supposed it had been quite overexerted, this past day. He 'sheathed' Boss' knife - well, now it was his knife - in the waist of his clothes. The knuckle duster he left on. He liked the feeling of being able to use his element whenever he desired; it was freeing. In a way, it was the perfect weapon for a leader of Skaks; it marked him as uniquely superior. He didn't need another Skakdi to use his element; he could do it on his own. He reckoned he liked the image of it. He understood why Boss had kept so many secrets, but he wasn't inclined to conceal this particular advantage. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits The victorious Skak couldn't help but grunt in discomfort as Parnassus' inky tendrils wrapped around him, aggravating his wounds slightly. Glancing into the abyss one final time, it occurred to him that a good quantity of his own watered-down blood had poured into the volcano, alongside Boss. He wondered whether Irnakk had tasted him, then. He hoped the nightmare beast enjoyed it; it was all he'd be getting of Barius today. He alone crested the edge of the ledge where two had so recently vanished. Parnassus placed him on his feet, where he stood shaky, but under his own power. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, he renewed the ice that sealed his wound, fusing together the cracked pieces. Barius stared once more at the newcomers, his gaze daring them to get in the way. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Ollem - Desert Suva Ollem shrugged. "They do wear out after a while. But they can last some time before that happens-- this one's probably got plenty of throws left in it. He bent forward, examining the disk. "The digits tell you what kind of kanoka it is. The first one is where it was made; the different Metru have-- well, had different techniques. This one's from Ga-Metru, which means it can change direction in mid-air, based on the thrower's thoughts. I'm told it takes some practice to get good at it, though. "The second number is what power it's got. You already know that this one is a freeze kanoka, of course. And the third digit is the power level, which varies greatly. 3 is alright." OOC: @Harvali

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits Barius was about to growl a response to the Mesi, when Boss rose from the ground. For the moment, everything else disappeared; Miserix and interlopers alike had been pushed back, and now all that was left was for two conflicting personalities to collide with each other unimpeded. As the meaty Mt. Everest that was Boss collided with the K2 that was Barius, his momentum carried the two mountainous Skakdi toward the edge. The ice in his gut cracked like a glacier, and the torrent of blood resumed again. It made sense; this had to end, now, before the other forces clamoring for power could re-converge upon the pair and work their machinations. In a way, the rush was an expression of the perverse sort of respect that Boss had for Barius. In the white Skak's mind, it meant that Boss had chosen the risk of losing to him over the safety of falling back on Miserix's aid. It meant that he would rather cede power and his own life to Barius, than to live on as a puppet to the demon he'd thought was his pet. And that was in large part due to pride; but it also spoke to some level of respect for his younger counterpart. The words Boss said - the accusation of him hiring thugs to ensure his victory - did not register on Barius' mind at all. It was just noise. But the blood and bone and pulsing muscle of their duel-- that was the truest expression of Boss' thoughts, and that was what elevated him to the level of an equal. But he didn't want to just be an equal; he wanted to be superior. Pounding fist and stabbing steel into Boss' back and sides, his mind raced as he considered how he could best his opponent. The knife in his hand - Boss' own, and the key to the E Street Wagon - plunged in and jerked out of Boss, but it alone could not stop their slow, slipping advance towards the edge of the platform. Boss was still slightly bigger and stronger than him, and so it was inevitable that they would plummet; what Barius needed was a way to stop himself from falling. He buried his head into Boss' shoulder, as it is not unusual for one to do when grappling, and activated his X-ray vision for the second time in this fight, turning his recently-restored sight to the edge of the ledge behind them. The wall of the volcanic crater was a sheer drop of solid rock, but its surface was adorned with dangling chains, tethered firmly to the rock face; whether they were the remnants of torturous ritual of ages long past, or merely an aesthetic choice made to please the shadowy beast Irnakk, Barius did not know. But he could see into their cores, gaze at the integrity of the rock where they were bound: He knew at a glance which would be most likely to hold his weight, and instead of fighting Boss, he began to push them in that direction. As they teetered over the edge of the platform, Barius pushed with all his might, straining his entire body to extricate himself from Boss' grip. The hand which held Boss' own knife stabbed it into the blue Skak's gripping arms, while his right hand stretched out to grab the length of chain that he had chosen. There was a horrid jerk-- his shoulder popped from its socket, only adding to his immense pain, as he was torn between the colossal weight of Boss' and his own bodies, and his own determined grip on the chain. But he held on, while Boss slipped by, falling away into the choking volcanic smoke below. His x-ray vision deactivated, and he met Boss' eyes with his own, cementing the sight of Boss' doom in his mind until the day he died, whether that was near or distant. In spite of the precariousness of his position and his many injuries, he couldn't help but stare until long after the smoke had closed around Boss' falling form. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway

IC: Morangad - Fau Swamp The Tiokaha's brow furrowed. "I apologize if my rubbish nearly struck you. I have had a... difficult week." He paused for a second, taking in the curious biology of the Aspect vessel before him. "What is it that you seek? I have resided here for a very long time, and may be able to aid you." He huffed a single chuckle as an idea occurred to him. "I may ask for something in return, though. I'm sure you are no stranger to such bargains." OOC: @Sparticus147

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits The greyish Skak grunted as he was thrown a respectable distance away from Bosserix. Thankfully, he landed on his back, rather than on the knife that was stuck in his front. Also thankfully, he managed to seize the knuckle duster from Boss' hand before the newcomer grabbed him. Slipping it onto his right hand, he glanced back at the spectators, which now included a Mesi that had entered with the new Skak. He noticed the purple one had spines rather than frills, much like the gal that had been hanging with the Matoran at that scrapshop. He couldn't remember either of their names. I won't have any of you think of me as weak, he thought at them. He wrapped his left hand around the handle of the knife that was buried in his gut, and with a shout that was certain not to go unnoticed by either Boss or Drukarus, pulled it free of his abdomen. Blood poured from the wound in even greater volume as he forced himself to his feet. Standing up after what came next would have been much more difficult; he clenched the newly brass-adorned fist, channeling his elemental power over ice. Crystal blossomed from his wound, spreading to cover up and seal the hole, ice freezing to his flesh. The pain was great: A searing, white-hot burning that seemed more appropriate for fire than for ice, as his nerves screamed out in distress. But he ignored their call; whatever the ice did to him, it couldn't be worse than the ever-growing threat of exsanguination. He took a shaky step back towards the Skak, careful not to move his torso too much, lest the ice within him crack, or worse, carve his insides even more. His grit and determination, as well as sheer fortitude, were apparent to all, but so was the pure exhaustion and closeness to death of his present state. Nonetheless, his voice rang out as confident as ever, though a great deal more hoarse: "Who the #### are you?" OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - His Home, Fau Swamp He paused in his tracks as the tree his house was nestled in shook. Was this the day some aggressive denizen of the Swamp saw fit to level his home and force him to rebuild from scratch? It had happened before, but he did not know if his body could handle doing it again. Gripping his spear tightly, he rushed back out the door, to the edge of the platform at the front of the hut, where he looked over to see... another Aspect. And the Aspect looking back up at him would see, likely for the first time in millennia, the face of a Tiokaha peering down at her. "What do you want, that you assault the tree I call home?" Morangad called to her. OOC: @ Spart again

IC: Barius - Nightmare Pits Barius exhaled sharply as the knife jerked within him, back arching involuntarily to try and keep the blade from penetrating even further into his abdomen. With inky blackness now pouring out from where he had cracked Boss' skull, his hands shot down to wrap around that of the other Skak, wrestling to keep the knife immobile and prevent further internal damage from wreaking havoc upon his innards. He could feel blood gushing out of him with every thump of his heartlight. As his vision returned to him, his eyes darted around the chamber like those of a cornered beast, taking in the sights that had changed since Boss had taken his sight. His discarded club was off to his right. The edge was mere feet away, behind him. Two newcomers had arrived - unfamiliar to him - and had joined the spectators in gaping at the awful horror that had been made apparent to all: Boss was not master to Miserix, but for all these years had been a mere puppet. One of the newcomers shook himself from his stupor and began to approach. To intervene, perhaps? Barius was uncertain it would come soon enough, even if the Skak, whose size was comparable to his and Boss' own, managed to separate them. He had to do something to preserve himself. Letting go of Boss'-- Miss' right hand with his own right, he grabbed for his opponent's left, hoping that she, or they? were distracted and distressed enough in this precise moment that he could maybe, just maybe, slip the knuckle duster off. OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Keeper of Kraata @Conway IC: Morangad - His Home, Fau Swamp Inside the tree-borne hut, the Tiokaha sighed as he looked around. The past few days of the Brakas' residence within the hut had done little damage to his house, excepting the now-bare pantry. However, the tumultuous egress which he had just forced it to make had not been so gentle. Several pieces of clay pottery had been shattered in the chaos, and half of his chairs (that is to say, one) were overturned. He grabbed his broom, and began to sweep up the mess. Minutes later, the Aspect circling below would find herself nearly struck by a shower of shattered pottery that landed beside her with a chorus of plunks! as it vanished beneath the opaque swamp water. It seemed the resident of the hut was still unaware of her presence below. OOC: @Sparticus147 again