ZOMBI3S

NOPE. TPBM is chuck testa.

Chapter 5 - Descent Into Madness At the edge of his vision, Takua noticed Jaka, half-running, half-tumbling down the slope of the nearest dune. He waved his arms like a maniac, either trying to get the groups attention, or simply trying to keep his balance on the steep incline. Either way, Takua didn't pay it much thought. He held out his water jug, trying to convince Raipu to drink from it, but the Po-Matoran shook his head and shied away, muttering something incoherent. Takua sighed. He seemed to have gotten much worse over the night; Raipu's actions went against reason, and most of the things that came out of his mouth didn't any sense. "You need to drink, Raipu," Takua told the Po-Matoran as Jaka slid into view. "You'll shrivel up and become a raisin if you don't." “...Scouts!” Jaka interjected, only the last word of his sentence being audible. He hunched over, breathing heavily. ”No...I don’t want any...” Raipu mumbled as Takua pushed the water toward his lips. “Come on, Raipu. Please...” ”Kryll scouts!” Jaka hissed, seeing as no one was paying attention to him. “On the other side of the dune!” At the sound of the word Kryll, Kokani whirled around, raising his hand, and everyone stopped talking. Carefully he eyed the dune’s crest, listening, waiting, hoping the monsters wouldn't appear over it. But Raipu continued his mumbling. “No, no, I don’t want any...” he said, even as Takua pulled back the water jug and shushed him. ”Raipu, you have to be quiet now, okay?” Takua whispered. ”No. Stop talking to me...” ”Raipu, it’s for your own good. Please be quiet.” ”Stop.” Raipu twitched and repeated himself, this time even louder. “Stop!” Kokani whirled around. “Shut him up!” he hissed. Desperate, Takua put his hand over Raipu’s mouth, but the maddened Po-Matoran wouldn’t have it. His eyes lit up and he wrenched Takua’s arm away, pushing him over as he started yelling. “Don’t touch me!” he screamed. He grabbed his head, pushing on the sides of his mask as if trying to squeeze something out of his skull. “Stop! Stop! Get out!” ”Take his mask off!” Kokani said, readying his blade as he nervously watched the top of the dune. ”No!” Aya stepped in as Takua got to his feet. “He’s lost too much blood, if you take off his Kanohi he could die!” Takua paused, looking frantically from Aya to Kokani. ”What should we do then?” Raipu’s fit escalated, and he was now screaming at the top of his lungs. “Get out! Get out! Get out of my head!” Kokani cursed as three figures appeared above them, silhouetted against the bright blue sky. The Kryll stood, watching them for a second, until one reached behind its back, pulling out what appeared to be a bow. “We’re leaving!” The Ko-Matoran ordered. "Now!" ”What about Raipu?” The screaming Po-Matoran had started thrashing about on the ground, and try as hard as he could, Takua couldn’t get a hold on him. ”I don’t care; tie him up if you have to!” Thunk! A barbed arrow buried itself in the sand beside Takua’s foot. He froze, staring at its red fletching as he processed what had just happened. Glancing up at the figures above, he quickly realized he wouldn’t have the time to calm Raipu down. ”Jaka help me hold him” he yelled as he sprung into action, and his friend came running with a length of rope. Aya scrambled to gather up their scattered belongings as Kokani managed to deflect an incoming arrow with his blade. It sunk into the sand a few feet to their left. ”No! Don’t touch me! Get off of me! No!” Raipu yelled as Jaka regretfully pushed him down, being careful not to apply too much pressure to his wounds. “Stop! Stop!” Jaka clenched his teeth as he held to Po-Matoran’s arms together. “I’m sorry Raipu...” he said as Takua tied the rope around his wrists. Thunk! Another arrow slammed into the sand, this one a couple feet behind them. ”No! No! I hate you! I hate you!” ”We’re your friends, Raipu, whatever happens remember that, okay?” Takua said as he forced his fingers to tie knots around his friend. “We’re going to Po-Koro, and you’re going to see Nika. She’s waiting for you!” Jaka suddenly cried out, holding his right hand as blood gushed from his index and middle fingers. “He bit me!” Ching! Kokani deflected another arrow, and he turned around. “I can’t keep this up forever!” Aya ran up to Takua with a piece of cloth from her pack. Everything was ready to go; they were waiting on him. He looked at the cloth, and she nodded silently. Guilt fell upon Takua’s shoulders as he took the cloth and twisted it into a gag. With bloody fingers Jaka held the Po-matoran steady, and Takua placed the cloth in Raipu’s mouth. His screams turned to muffled groans, and he looked up at Takua with frightened eyes, shaking behind his rusted mask. ”Raipu, I’m so sorry.” He tied the gag around Raipu’s head, positioned him on his back, and ran. The Kryll’s arrows slammed into the sand at his feet, barely missing him as he sprinted to get out of range. His eyes fixed on the ground in front of him, he followed Jaka and Aya’s footsteps mindlessly as Raipu’s muffled screams penetrated his ears. Takua knew he should fear for his life. At any moment one of the arrows could pierce through his armor, killing or mortally wounding him. He wouldn’t be able to escape, and his friends would be forced to leave him behind as the Kryll marched down the dune to claim him. It would be painful. No doubt they would take the Atouri, perhaps even torture him. But no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t force himself to care. All he could hear was Raipu’s voice, muffled by the gag, but louder than anything in the world to Takua. He had tied his friend up like an animal, and in doing so he had stolen his humanity, turned him into a mindless Rahi with an infected mask. With every step he felt worse, and the farther he ran the more the muffled sounds of ‘I hate you, stop,’ sounded like ‘Takua, please...’ They swerved and dodged as they went, and as luck would have it, they managed to escape the Kryll. Eventually, the three figures slipped behind a dune, and that was the last they saw of them. But still, they twisted their way through the sand, hoping the Kryll wouldn’t be able to follow their trail. It was hours until they slowed their pace back down to a walk, and it wasn’t until that evening that they dared to stop and rest. Takua silently stared at the ground as he sipped from his water jug. Jaka had cut a hole in his pack in order to bandage his hand, and Kokani and Aya shared a slice of stale bread. They were running low on supplies, and if they didn’t get to Po-Koro soon...well, Takua didn’t want to think about that. He looked over to Raipu, who sat silently with his back up against a mound of sand. He had slipped into unconsciousness earlier that afternoon, and while his wounds seemed to have stopped bleeding, Takua knew that he couldn’t last much longer. He sighed, taking in the Po-Matoran’s rusting mask. As much as he hated it, he knew Aya spoke the truth when she said that the Kanohi was the only thing keeping him alive. Everyone was quiet now, but Raipu’s screams still hadn’t left his ears. As he gazed at the bound, dying Po-Matoran, Takua felt as if his insides were rotting, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He got up, walked over to Raipu and started untying his gag. ”I didn’t mean for it to be like this...” he said, even though the Po-Matoran probably couldn’t hear him. He removed the gag, revealing Raipu’s cracked, dry lips. His eyes were dark and sunken in, and only a small area in the middle of his mask remained free of rust. “I just...wanted to help...” Raipu’s eyes flicked open, and he stared at Takua for a moment. A bit startled, Takua quickly regained his composure, throwing on a smile for his friend. "Hey, how are you?” Raipu screamed. Out of nowhere the Po-Matoran pushed Takua to the ground and rolled on top of him, his fingers clamping around his throat. Takua gasped for air and pulled at Raipu’s arms, but the Po-Matoran’s grip was like iron. "What’s he doing?” "Get him off Takua!” Takua wasn’t sure who was talking, but he managed to push Raipu back a tiny bit. “Raipu! It’s me! Takua!” he wheezed. He pressed his hand against Raipu’s mask as he struggled, but the Po-Matoran only grimaced, tightening his jaw as he breathed heavily through his nose. Jaka and Kokani’s hands came into view, trying to force Raipu away, but his fingers were locked around Takua’s throat, and the Le-Matoran came with him. "Raipu, listen to me! You’re killing Takua!” Jaka yelled. “You are killing Takua!” But Raipu wouldn’t budge. Spots flew in front of Takua’s eyes as he was cut off from the air. The Po-Matoran remained bent on choking the life out of him. With more strength than a dying Matoran ought to have, he resisted Kokani and Jaka’s attempts to separate him from Takua. "He won’t let go!” Jaka yelled as he pulled at Raipu’s arms. "I’m taking his mask off!” Kokani said, placing his hands on the top of Raipu’s Hau. "You’ll kill him, Kokani! You can’t!” Aya’s voice rattled. "Do you have a better idea!?” Takua tried to gasp for air, but the harder he tried to fill his lungs the more Raipu’s grip tightened. The rusted mask started to fade from view as his vision blurred. "Raipu, you have three seconds to let him go or I’m ripping this mask off you!” The Po-Matoran paid no attention to Kokani’s words. His eyes were fixed on Takua’s, and his mask showed no sign of inner conflict or remorse. "One!” Kokani’s grip tightened around the infected Hau. Still, Raipu wouldn’t budge. Jaka looked back and forth from Kokani to Raipu, his bloodied fingers balled into fists. Aya stood by herself with her hands on her mask, watching silently. “Two!” "Mata Nui, please...” With his waning vision, Takua saw a flicker behind Raipu’s eyes. It was barely noticeable, but then Raipu’s grip loosened. As suddenly as fast as the attack had come, it stopped, and the mad Matoran’s eyes widened. He looked at Takua, who gasped as air returned to him. The two made eye contact for a moment. "Get off me!” Takua shoved Raipu and stood up, clutching his bruised throat. He coughed as he walked away and stared at the sandy horizon, letting his head clear. Aya ran up to him, checking to see if he was alright. Kokani and Jaka watched Raipu as he struggled to prop himself up on his elbows. It seemed the Po-Matoran’s sudden strength was gone, and he looked over at Takua with a scared look on his mask. "I’m sorry!” Raipu managed to say. “I didn’t mean to!” he stuttered, “I didn’t! I just, I couldn’t...” he started to shake. It seemed that his madness had regressed for the time being, but there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that it would return soon enough. Takua said nothing. He was angry. He realized that Raipu was losing control of himself, but...well, he wasn’t so sure. Maybe he’d thought that after everything he’d done, the Po-Matoran would’ve been able to resist. Maybe he’d thought that everything they’d been through together would’ve meant something, and that would’ve helped Raipu stay in control. But apparently, that wasn’t the case. "He’s in my head!” Raipu pleaded, his body trembling as tears formed in his eyes. “He’s always there, it never stops!” Twitching, he looked for any sign of sympathy from the Le-Matoran. “I couldn’t...I can’t...resist...” Raipu trailed off, then looked up at Kokani, who stared down at him with white knuckles curled around his sheathed weapon. “You weren’t really going to...you know...” he paused, trying to read the Ko-Matoran’s mask. “...Were you?” Kokani’s stare was as cold. “I think you know the answer to that.” Raipu froze for a moment, and then sank his rusted mask into his hands. His wrists and ankles still bound and his bandages still bloody, he lay alone in the sand, sobbing.

Granted. You drown in it. I wish I didn't have exams

Here's another file I found from my old computer. I did this a couple years back, but I think it looks pretty good for me! Let me know if you like it! Linked due to size.

Chapter 4 - A Terrible Discovery Broad leaves whipped past Takua’s mask as he ran through the field. The Hapaka barked and howled behind him as he ran after Jaka and Aya, trying not to lose them in the dense filage. Kokani ran a couple steps behind, carrying Raipu on his shoulders. With a grunt, Takua jumped down a terrace, landing onto a patch of hard dirt before taking off again. They had stumbled into the farmer’s field earlier that morning, and hadn’t thought much of it until the farmer set his Hapaka on them for trespassing. Takua wasn’t sure how many of the dog-Rahi were after them, but judging by the sounds there were at least five, and he knew that they couldn’t risk any injuries from the beasts. Pushing past a large tree, he followed Aya and Jaka into the sparse forest at the edge of the field. Kokani’s feet crunched on the sandy soil behind him, and he chanced a look backward. The Hapaka were still barking, invisible within the cover of the field, and Kokani’s white armor glistened with sweat. The air here was hotter and drier than it was back near the village, and it seemed to be taking its toll on the Ko-Matoran. Raipu dangled unconscious around his shoulders, as Kokani had given him another dose of his herbal sludge, to save him from pain. Takua slowed to a stop next to Jaka and Aya, listening as he caught his breath. The Hapaka’s barks were farther away now; it seemed they had stopped chasing them at the edge of the field. Kokani trotted up, gently placing Raipu on the ground as he groped for his canteen. Takua took a swig from his gourd, letting the cool water sooth his throat. “Everybody alright?” he asked, wiping the sweat from his brow. They nodded, and he took a moment to look at their surroundings. The watery bamboo forest had dwindled away, leaving only palms, hardy reeds, and scrub grasses. The earth and the air were dry, and the leaves of the trees rustled with warm breezes. Such was the very edge of Po-Wahi. “Hey, do you hear that?” Jaka asked no one in particular. He gazed toward a patch of palms to their left, curiously. Takua closed his eyes and put a hand to his ear. Sure enough, he heard noises. A wide variety of chatter, metal clangs, and scrapes made their way to his ears, and he opened his eyes to look at Kokani. The Ko-Matoran hadn’t spoken a word to him since he had forced the decision to travel to Po-Koro, but that didn’t necessarily mean that Kokani was bitter. He had come with them, after all. Kokani furrowed his brow, listening for a minute more before he looked back at Takua. “Come with me,” he said. Then, pointing to Jaka and Aya, “You two, stay with Raipu.” Takua did as Kokani asked, and the two pushed their way into the thicket of palms and scrub grass. Stepping on dead leaves, Kokani held up his hand, and Takua made sure to tread as quietly as he could. They continued through the foliage until it began to thin out again, and Kokani sniffed the air. Smoke… Takua thought as he did the same. Not the smoke of a campfire, though. This was...a heavy kind of smoke. The smoke of a forge, the smoke of smelting metal. Silently, Kokani parted the tall grass in front of them. Takua craned his neck, looking through the opening, and gasped. There, carved out of the barren earth was the entrance to a giant cavern. The smoke of a hundred forges spilled out of it, and hundreds of Kryll pounded away at anvils, pouring molten metal into the shape of swords, axes, arrows, and pikes. Giant logs lay at the cave entrance, waiting to be cut and added to siege machines, and other instruments of war. Takua swallowed hard as he looked closer. Sure enough, just inside the cave entrance were thousands of little metal cylinders, and he knew that each one of them contained a grey-green gas with the capacity to poison the very air. Thump-Thp. Takua grabbed the Atouri as he felt the heartbeat in the back of his mind. The Kryll were preparing for war. “We have to get out of here.” Kokani was backing up, a stern look on his face. “We have to leave, right now.” Takua hesitated for a second, trying to take in more details of the scene, but the Ko-Matoran pulled him away, shoving him in the direction they had come from. They ran back to Jaka and Aya as fast as they could. “What’s going on?” Jaka asked as they burst through the palm leaves. “Hide!” Kokani hissed. Without question they picked up their supplies and headed for a small ditch, surrounded by scrub grass. Takua and Jaka picked up Raipu, carefully laying him deep within the foliage. They only took only a second to crouch as low as they could, concealing themselves from the outside world. Then, they were silent. Minutes passed by, and nothing happened. Takua started to doubt that anything was coming, but a moment later he heard footsteps. They clanked with the sound of heavy armor, drawing nearer and nearer. A cool breeze flew over him, and Takua felt his skin prickle with goose bumps. He dared to part the weeds, just enough to catch a glimpse of the figure that approached. Even in this arid place, the sight of the being chilled him. It wore a cloak with a hood that shrouded its face, but he could see two black armored feet below the swaying fringe of the fabric. Takua’s spine tingled as the being turned his way, and he caught a glimpse of a black mask, one that he knew all too well. Saku. He slid deeper into the ditch as he clutched the Atouri. It was the first time he’d laid eyes on the Toa since their encounter in Ko-Wahi, and conflicting emotions ran through him. He hated the Toa. It was him that had taken Talim away in the first place, but then he had offered to trade her, peacefully, for the stone. Takua knew Saku could’ve overpowered him and taken the Atouri at any time, so why had he done that? Why had he stretched out his hand, in what had seemed to be an offer of peace? Takua closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe lightly, and slowly. Even as he tried to sort out the feelings of anger, confusion, and longing that flew through his head, he was certain of one thing: he feared the Toa of Shadow. In his mind, this being still haunted his dreams. There was the sound of scraping armor as Saku looked around, scanning the area with his orange eyes. His gaze slowly passed over the hiding Matoran, only stopping when the Toa turned around at the sound of rustling leaves behind him. Quietly, the broad shape of a Kryll appeared. Takua slid even farther into the ditch as he recognized its gold armor, and red war paint. “What did you see, Saku?” Krosis spoke, addressing the Toa as an equal. “...Perhaps nothing." Saku took one last look at the grasses before continuing. "But I felt Makuta. He...called out to me.” Krosis let out a small chuckle. “Your shadows seem to have fooled your own senses.” Saku did not reply, and instead continued to scan the area. Krosis shrugged and spoke again. “Come, let us rest. We will need our strength. Tomorrow at dawn, we march.” “Are your warriors ready?” Saku asked. “The Matoran have oppressed my people for far too long.” Krosis smiled and his mandibles twitched. “They are more than ready.” “And the gas?” “Enough to poison all of Po-Koro.” “Good.” Saku walked past the Kryll, and back into the forest. “The desert awaits us.” Krosis turned to follow him, but paused and looked over his shoulder for a second. His beady eyes glanced over to Takua's patch of grass, hovering for only a second. Takua froze, a quick shiver pulsing down his body. He held his breath, afraid he'd been spotted...but Krosis turned again, and disappeared into the foliage. He looked over at Jaka and Aya, and then to Kokani, processing what they had heard. They waited in silence until it was safe to come out of the grass, but even then no one spoke. Everyone knew what they had to do; they had to leave. They had to put as much distance between them and the Kryll as possible, and get to Po-Koro before they did. No one knew if the City of Stone had any knowledge of the incoming attack, but if they didn't, someone had to warn them. And so it was that the five Matoran entered the Motara desert. The palms and grasses dwindled away, and the soil was overcome with sand. Dunes rose up around them like waves on the ocean, shifting ever so slowly with the hot desert winds. The mountains gradually shrank behind them, and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky. Always, the sun beat its rays upon them, and there was nothing but the curves of the dunes to offer them shade. Walking grew increasingly difficult, for every step Takua took, he sank a few inches into the sand. They moved as fast as they could, but even with everyone taking turns carrying Raipu, their progress was mind-numbingly slow. With no plant life around, Kokani couldn’t replenish his herbs, and Raipu eventually awoke from his sleep. But he was still powerless to move himself, and he stared at the sand over the shoulders of whoever carried him, lost in his own thoughts as he dealt quietly with his pain. As evening fell, the sun began to cast its colors all over the sky. Soon, the moon rose, the stars came out, and the desert grew cold, but Kokani made no move to stop. Takua was almost sure he planned on walking through the night, and as exhausted as he was, he knew they didn't have the luxury of rest. As it was his turn, Takua adjusted Raipu on his back and forced himself to carry on. The moon made its way across the sky, and Takua noticed that the stars were slightly different here than in back in Le-Koro. Here, he didn't recognize some of the constellations. Only the red star remained constant, burning bright in the east. Takua continued to trudge through the sand, growing wearier with every step, until they reached the bottom of a rather large dune, when suddenly he couldn’t move anymore. His legs buckled and he sank to his knees. Laying Raipu on the ground beside him. He took a swig from his gourd and sat there, breathing heavily as his legs burned. Kokani stopped walking and looked around. Ahead of them they could see a few canyons and cliffs, and behind them they could see the mountains, just barely poking above horizon. Everything else was sand. The Ko-Matoran gazed forward, as if searching for something, but eventually he dropped his pack and sighed. “We probably could use some rest.” Aya and Jaka instantly sat down, throwing off their packs as they did. After a few moments of glorious rest, they turned their attention to Raipu, who hadn't moved from where Takua had lain him. The Po-Matoran was silent, staring at the ground through clouded eyes. His bandages were stained red, and he seemed to be mumbling to himself. Takua offered to help Aya change his wrappings, and she graciously accepted. She unwrapped the Po-Matoran’s leg and handed the dark red bandages to Takua to bury. As he was doing so, a slight breeze came upon them, showering the group with sand from the top of a dune. Raipu’s cloudy eyes suddenly became alert as he cried out. “Mata Nui…” he mumbled to himself. “Mata Nui…” Aya cursed. “Takua give me your water. We need to get the sand out of his wound.” Takua handed her his gourd and watched as Aya carefully trickled water over Raipu's mutilated side. The Po-Matoran clenched his teeth and winced, as if he were fighting off the urge to scream. When she was finished, she once again wrapped his leg with the last of the bandages from her pack. “Raipu, don’t worry.” Takua said to him. “We’re going to get you to Po-Koro, and everything’s going to be alright.” Raipu turned his head, reflecting the moonlight off his Hau, and Takua noticed something. He leaned in closer, examining his mask. The edges of Raipu’s Hau were rusted, forming pits in the worst places, and Takua remembered the small patch of rust he had found on his own Kanohi the other night. Suddenly, it clicked, and he had to stop himself from shuddering. The grey-green gas the Kryll’s explosives were laced with...it wasn’t just any poison. Takua stared at Raipu as he quietly murmured to himself and coughed. He’d never seen it before, he knew enough to recognize it. It was something one heard about around campfires, something that the elders of Le-Koro would use to scare the youth and keep them in line. It was something that no one had seen in an age, but something that everyone secretly feared. Raipu was infected with the Madness.

uh...um....uh.....yeah. TPBM watches how i met your mother

Granted, you begin to miss the touch of grass and trees, and eventually lost your mind. I wish for pizza.

It somewhat irks me that 'retribution of shadows' isn't centered and 'the forgotten one' is....

Eh he's alright.... TPBM thinks life would be so much cooler if dinosaurs were still around

Congrats!! Welcome to bzpower and stuff!! I really like this guy, the armor fits well together, and it really reminds me of gundam wing. Also, the name "silver guy" is pretty sweet too. So simple, so fitting, so descriptive. Yeah... Keep up the good work!

positive TPBM goes WAKA WAKA WAKA whenever they eat berries

Darkness is simply the absence of light. It does not exist; it is the void, and so it cannot possibly know how to travel. The only real thing that travels faster than light is bad news.

aces hiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH DA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA, DA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

No, but it came up on my netflix once. TPBM could really go for some steak right now, but only medium rare, and with a side of mashed potatoes topped with onion straws. Creme brulee would be for desert, and after that they could really go for a pleasant conversation with the person across the table over a bottle of chardonnay.

Granted. It still sucks though. I wish my fruit snacks would stop trying to kill me.

2/5

Aw sweet! BREAKFAST!

Granted, but a really nasty brown-green color now. I wish my fruit snacks weren't expired.

Chapter 3 - Decisions and Distrust “Search the forest!” Noruk yelled, “I want them alive!” The bronze armored Kryll gazed out into the dark trees, his back to The Great Takea. The explosive had blown a hole in the building’s back wall, and Matoran scurried about, trying to put out fires before the entire structure was engulfed in flames. But Noruk didn’t care. Two of his warriors were dead, cut down by Kokani and Aya, and so far he had nothing to show for it. He clicked his mandibles in frustration. In the confusion after the blast, the Matoran had managed to escape. He heard Krosis’ footsteps approaching behind him, but he didn't turn around to greet his superior. it was silent for a second before Krosis' deep voice sounded. “Let them run, Noruk,” the King of the Kryll said. “There will be another time." “You would let them get away!?” Noruk whirled around, fire in his eyes. “They killed my brother, Krosis! They killed Nilum!” “Both you and Nilum were eager for blood. I warned you about Kokani. He’s no ordinary Matoran.” He turned to look at The Great Takea. “The gas is dispersing. Come, help me find the bodies of our fallen comrades.” Noruk fumed, disagreeing with his orders. “You’re afraid of him!” He spat. “That’s why you won’t chase them down!” Krosis was still for only a second, but then there was a whirl of golden armor, and in the blink of an eye Noruk was on the ground, with Krosis’ blade at his throat. Instantly, he froze. Krosis stared into Noruk's eyes, letting his steel make its point before speaking. “I fear no being of this earth. Not Rahi, not Matoran, not Toa, and especially not you.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “I have done things that would make you shudder; I have seen the Void and returned. You would do well to never again question my power, or strength of will.” Noruk twitched, still in a bit of shock, and everything seemed to stand still for a moment. His superior was much faster and much stronger than he expected. “I understand.” “Good.” Krosis sheathed his blade, letting go of the Kryll. “You are a brave warrior, Noruk, and I like you. But you never think before you act." Humbled, Noruk pushed himself back to his feet. He bowed his head, showing respect without responding. Krosis seemed to accept the gesture, as he turned around and walked back toward the burning inn. "And besides," he spoke up again. "We have more important matters to attend to.” Noruk nodded. It was true; finding the Atouri would have to wait. Drumming his claws on one of the explosives still attached to his belt, he thought about what was to come. A couple dozen feet away, a Matoran staggered to the ground, clutching his throat as he choked on blood. A victim of the poison; he wouldn’t last long. Calmly, he turned around to follow Krosis. This was only the beginning. ~~~ Takua splashed the cool water on his mask, cleaning the blood and dirt from it. The small pool was surrounded by trees and bamboo, and provided enough cover for them to rest for the night. Everyone sat on its banks, nursing their wounds as the full moon shone above them, reflecting off the water. Cupping his hands, he drank some, trying to sooth his throat. It tingled going down, and he was thankful that the fiery pain he’d felt at first was finally subsiding. He didn’t know what the poison was that Noruk had worn around his belt, but it worried him. If they could poison the very air, what else were the Kryll capable of? He stared at his reflection in the pool and sighed. It’d been a while since he’d seen himself, and to be honest, he didn’t look very good. His Pakari was covered in scratches and dings, and his light green eyes had bags under them. He looked down to his side, where the Muaka in Ko-Wahi had left him with three long scars that wrapped from his hip to his bottom rib. It will make for a good story though… He leaned over to get a better look at his mask, and something caught his attention. There, in the corner of his Pakari was a tiny spot of discoloring. He poked at it with his finger. Rust!? As fast as he could he scraped it away and washed his mask thoroughly. How could he have been so careless? How embarrassing would it be if someone saw that? Quietly, he swore to take better care of his Kanohi from now on. That should never happen. “Hey,” he heard Aya call out. “I think he’s waking up!” Takua hurried over to where Raipu lay on the ground. The Po-Matoran was alive, but barely. The armor on his left side had been shattered, starting at his ankle and ending just below his chest. His wounds had been cleaned and wrapped. Aya had taken good care of him. Raipu opened his eyes and clutched his throat. “Water….” His voice was hoarse and quiet. “Here, drink this.” Aya handed him a cup of sludge that Kokani had made from various herbs. “It’ll make you feel better.” “Hey Raipu, how are you doing?” Takua asked. Raipu sipped from the cup hesitantly and looked at Takua. “I feel…strange.” “You’ll be alright.” Aya said. “You just need to rest.” He looked down at his body and his eyes widened. His Hau, normally proud and strong, was struck with fear as it paled. “What happened? I can’t move my leg!” The bandages around his thigh and stomach began to stain red. Aya shushed him and pushed the cup to his lips. “Just drink it Raipu, you’ll feel better.” His fingers shaking, Raipu gulped down the brew. Aya took it away from him and he looked at Takua, his eyes wide and twitching. “I…I’m scared.” “We’re here for you.” Takua managed to smile as he put his hand on the Po-Matoran’s shoulder. Raipu’s eyes rolled back in his head, and his body went limp as he fell asleep. Aya looked at Takua and forced a smile. “Kokani sure knows how to make a drink, doesn’t he?” Takua nodded at her attempt to lighten the mood, and the two of them made their way around the pool to where Kokani and Jaka sat in silence. “How is he?” Kokani asked, not looking up from where he sat against a tree trunk. Aya sighed. “Not good. He needs a healer. I can only do so much.” “What’re we going to do?” Jaka asked. There was silence for a few moments, until Kokani finally answered. “We continue to Ga-Koro.” “That’s way too far!” Aya let out. “There’s no way he’ll last that long.” Kokani paused before he answered. “I know.” “You would leave him here?” “None of the Koro are close enough; no matter what we do he’s going to die.” “What about Po-Koro?” Jaka pulled out a map and pointed at it, just north of where they were now. “If we travel fast we can get there in a few days. Raipu’s strong, he’ll make it!” “He can’t walk,” Kokani retorted. “We’d have to carry him through the Motara desert. We’d be lucky if we didn’t all perish.” “But there’s a chance!” “That desert is huge. Matoran only cross it in caravans with Rahi. Assuming we don’t get lost in those dunes, we still don’t have the supplies to make the journey. We’d be marching to our graves.” “And we’ll be sending Raipu to his if we leave him!” Jaka retorted. “I don’t like it any more than you do. But we have no choice.” Takua looked at Kokani with disgust. He’d stayed quiet until now, but he couldn’t believe he was going to give up on Raipu so easily. Illum’s words flooded into Takua’s head, and once again he questioned the Ko-Matoran’s intentions. Leaving Raipu was a cold-hearted thing to do, and he wouldn’t stand for it. “We’re going to Po-Koro.” Takua said, standing up. “I’ll carry Raipu myself if I have to, but I’m not going to give up on him.” He looked at Kokani, his face stern. “Go to Ga-Koro if you want, but I’m taking the Atouri with me.” Kokani’s mask was emotionless, but his eyes locked with Takua’s, and the Le-Matoran saw a hint of a raging fire within them. His jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists, but through his subtle, threatening body language, Takua stared right back, unmoving. Not this time, Takua thought. No one spoke for a moment, and eventually Kokani looked back at the pool. His body relaxed. “So be it,” he said. Without a word, Takua turned around and walked to the other side of the pool, where he laid out his sleeping pad a couple feet away from Raipu. He looked up at the sky and saw the red star, shining in the east above the tall stalks of bamboo. Crickets chirped quietly as he gazed at the red ball of light, lost in his own thoughts. He knew he shouldn’t get on Kokani’s bad side, but this was something he had to do. The Atouri and the prophesy could wait. The return of the Toa could wait, and so could the coming of The Seventh. His friend was dying, and he knew if he ever found that wasn’t his first priority, he’d lost his way. At least, that’s what Talim would have told him in this situation. He looked down at the Atouri, glimmering in the moonlight. He traced its edges with his finger and sighed. Even Talim would have to wait.

If you're referring to lightening that strikes at night, then thats a negative. TPBM is emma watson

Granted, but it really bad quality and is almost painful. I wish for fruit snacks.

Granted. you can no longer play this game and bzpower gets boring and you leave. I wish I didn't have t o sleep.

Granted, but they sell out to a major record company and start to make bad electric crossovers with synthed vocals. I wish for the moon.

Nope I'm ZOMBI3S. TPBM could really go for a zebra cake right now.

nah that's not even real lol. TPBM enjoys drinking scotch and smoking cigars while wearing a monocle and a top hat. "yes....quite....I say...."