BULiK

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Crew Quarters, Berys's Quarters Berys was roused from his slumber by the sharp metallic clanging of Triage's knuckles against the bulkhead door. Several moments later, the Le-Matoran exited his quarters, wondering what the commotion was about. His barely-active optics squinted at his commanding officer. "mmmm?" IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Entrance Ramp Arnex looked concerned as the infighting between the vahki grew more apparent. "What if you just... radio and ask...? Knichou or the League? I don't know what's going on." IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place "I have to be. Otherwise I will never be reactivated, and my sacrifice will be in vain," Kimi bluntly responded. The Ghost sounded concerned. “I’ve saved so many lives, all the work I’ve saved. I’ve done my part well, the others will do theirs, you will do what must be done. It will all work out. I did my part...” Knichou opened his optics and took his hand off of the control panel, having learned what he needed to know. There were several designs he'd have to remember to try out later. "Well, I've got what we needed, are we ready to -" Knichou was cut off by the sharp clacking of boots against the solid floor above them. It was time to go. “They told me he would come, and so I prepared myself,” Kimi said, although the Ghost was no longer standing among the other matoran. Memory shifted around, the simulacrum destabilizing alongside the AI. “It's a shame it all had to burn so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands, but the records had to survive, otherwise I'd be killing our dead ancestors a second time.” Knichou walked over to the glass vat on the other end of the room.. He wiped a hand across its surface, melting the frost. The maskless face of a matoran could be seen inside, suspended in a strange liquid. Instead of kanohi, several artificial tubes interfacing with his head instead. It was clear the matoran was alive, but barely. Kimi was a part of his creation now, and always would be. “I ensured everything was destroyed and everything was saved...” The facility began to move around them, with Kimi’s voice falling silent as the floating Iden fell to the ground, no longer needed as the final command was sent. A familiar crystal poked out from the top of the central pedestal before the tower shot upwards to reach the vault’s surface, where the Toa was waiting. Acid began to pour into the vault from vents at intervals along the spiral staircase, slowly filling the chamber and beginning to consume its records and curator. The Toa plucked the crystal from its perch and Kimi’s only remaining memory ended, doomed to play back again the next time. Knichou stowed the memory crystal in his adaptive armor’s backpack blob and blinked. OOC: detour over. things wonky on mask usage re: spear and stannis box. Potentially jank solutions inbound. Otherwise, that’s it with the bottle episode sandbox instead of a slow weekend - back to the mayhem of the final week. Where were we again?

IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside The Ta-Lesterin saw the titan accept his challenge and begin his swing, and Exuze was both frightened and elated at the absurd risk he was taking. The tricky part of forcing Axxon's hand was a success, but the titan taking the bait was only useful if Exuze wasn't cleaved in twain in the process. He hoped this worked - normally when Exuze used rahi powers, they weren't in life or death situations, and even less often did they actually require him to fight all instinct and let himself get hit. Exuze's mechanical left arm moved in the path of the axe's blade. The shimmering of Exuze's faxon turned into a bright glow as the weapon made contact. All nearby heart the resonant ringing of protosteel on protosteel, an oddly calming sound for such a violent force. But the Xian prosthetic didn't buckle at the contact of the massive swing - in fact, it was remarkably unscathed, save for a noticeable dent in the forearm's armor plating. This was not due to its own resilience - while it was armored and meant for combat, even the most protective armor would be pierced by a weapon of superior quality and size. Exuze didn't survive because of his mechanical arm - the truth was in fact, the opposite. He had used his Faxon to channel the kinetic absorption power of a Kraawa in anticipation of the strike he had provoked. Nearly all the energy of Axxon's strike had flowed into the Lesterin's body, which subsequently doubled in size instead of being sliced in half. The wiry Lesterin was now just as massive as Axxon, and already was committed to capitalizing on their suddenly equal footing while he retained the element of surprise. Exuze's right hand was already in position behind his back during his block, waiting to swing once he had finished growing. The large fist swung in an uppercut at Axxon with an equal and opposite force to the titan's axe swing.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Keeping Place The room Nale re-observed was sparse - the only notable deviations from the smooth cylindrical shape of the vault was the control panel Knichou was interfacing with, the pedestal behind it that suspended a Kanohi Iden mid air by some unseen force, and the crystalline vat on the wall on the other end of the room, the interior of which was still obscured by a thick layer of frost. "Yes. The way the mind works is truly remarkable." Kimi responded, clearly happy to talk about a subject matter he was an expert in. "Obviously you can't store a memory that changes based on whoever views it later, that's why my simulation is needed to complete the failsafe for our Keeping Place. Storing my memories as curator will not be useful when the part of the purpose of the Keeping Place's dynamic nature is allowing for it to reveal to a user what they need while ensuring they don't learn what they shouldn't." "The only downside to this method is that my memory was needed to complete the simulacrum... but it is a small price to pay for playing such a vital role. The very fact that Stannis not only recovered my memory crystal after my final recording, but successfully delivered it to you is testament to my failsafe's success." "Maybe one day you can return and tell me the stories of how the Essence Cage was used to finally put a stop to whatever calamity you're enduring." Kimi commented with a nostalgic twinge evident in his voice.

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku Ulkarr entered the bridge to find not Berys, but the ship's doctor Triage. Luckily for them, although Berys was asleep in his quarters, they had accidentally stumbled across the right person: Triage was the acting captain of the Taku according to Knichou's last orders. OOC: @Tarn @Toru Nui just moving this ahead here for clarification. IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Boarding Ramp The Onu-Matoran continued to patiently sit atop a nearby crate, trying to comprehend the Vahki and their strange arguments. Did Vahki always malfunction this much? She remembered them being much less... colorful in Metru-Nui. Eventually when there was a lull, Arnex spoke up, trying to be useful. "When we flew here last night, I didn't see any lights in Metru-Nui. With everything sinking, maybe the league left?" OOC: @Tarn @Toru Nui @Harvali I believe have characters here?

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place The curator looked genuinely disappointed. This was too crazy to not be true. "You could have just lied, you know."

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place Knichou finished creating the essence cage, but continued to sort through the catalogue of Nynran designed and reverse engineered equipment. Some of these were bound to come in handy. The essence cage fell in the sand, a flawless metal cube with various symbols etched in grooves on each face. These geometric patterns were filled with crystal of a variety of colors that appeared to almost be pulsing with power. Through their tint, empty space could be seen inside. The cube also floated within the simulation, and Kimi tested it by trying to insert a lightstone. The floating cube's faces exploded outwards and began to rotate the around its center, and when the lightstone was inside, the walls floated back together and sealed, leaving the contraption seamless and perfectly sized for its target. The lighstone's bright shine dulled as the energy was trapped within, the prismatic crystalline runes on each face only allowing a soft glow to leak out. "That's wonderful," Kimi stated responded, continuing to play with the cube like a toy. "Toa Stannis must have made his delivery to the Archives after all if the war is going this well - the wanderer's 'porting skills are remarkable. Given the lack of visitors, I've assumed the evacuation must have been a success, or was unnecessary - it's so good to hear that so much has been accomplished even without the aid of my failsafe."

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place "That's better than nothing, I suppose. So, will you be using these tools to push back the League?" Kimi asked.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place "Yes!" Kimi smiled. "Successfully bridging a hybrid between memory and simulation proved to be quite the challenge, but it was all worth it in the end, even given the setbacks." Knichou continued to consume and interpret the trove of knowledge the Keeping Place gave him access to, although the Keeping Place ensured he only learned what he was destined to know, as it was so inclined. As Aurax spoke more of his request, Knichou's Kanohi began to glow brighter in both realms. "Y'know, I never did understand why this thing was made that way," Kimi replied, absentmindedly twirling the power lance with ease. Was it always there? The Fe-Matoran pulled the tip of the already oversized weapon closer, inspecting the three blades and revving their sharp, motorized teeth. "I guess triangles are strong? I was always more of a software guy, to be honest. Probably whoever commissioned it demanded that - you know how clients can be some times. Maybe the first blade lifts and the others slice?" Kimi casually tossed the weapon Aurax's way as the lance dropped in the sands beside the Pa-Toa in reality. "So, did you defect again, Aurax? No way you're here with Knich' if you're not some kind of triple, quadruple, or quintuple agent. You don't just have that accident with his assistant, then go work for Pridak, and magically make up all these years later without something happening." "I...came here seeking what my allies were seeking. I didn't expect anything else." The engineer watched Nale as she looked to Knichou. "You can't tell in here but, in reality, I'm almost spoiled with gear." "Ah, yes. The assistants of Ghosts tend to get their pick from what prototypes we discard. With that Kanohi, I'm sure there is plenty of opportunities for him to create any tool he wants you to use whenever he needs you to use it."

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place Knichou reached the bottom of the staircase, slightly irritated by the lack of handrails. If he was on whatever committee that made this, there would have been complaints. When was this built, anyhow? "Hello? Who are you? Where are we?" Knichou asked the memory(?). "Hello! I'm Kimi, the curator of our sacred vault," the Iden-bearer replied. "Welcome to our Keeping Place - this museum holds records of all of our collective research and development over the millennia the Nynrah Ghosts have existed. It's a shame it had to be cleared out and locked down to prevent our secrets from falling into Pridak's claws, but luckily I was chosen to act as our failsafe, in the event any of our shipments and evacuations are unsuccessful, to prevent any loss of research." The room felt like it had a life of its own, watching the visitors from all angles. There was no sign of any windows, entrances, or camera - the only things in the room were the visitors, the Ghost, the pedestal and its floating Iden, and the crystalline vat on the opposite side of the room. Vents on the large cylinder leaked a chill fog that lingered near the ground. "I must admit, of all the colleagues I expected to see, you two exiles were nowhere near the top of my list. Let alone with you having that Kanohi, Knichou," Kimi commented. The Ghost was visibly confused, but soon accepted that the situation may be drastically different given how out of the loop he was. "Not sure if that's a good or a bad sign. Either way, it's still it's such a relief to finally have visitors. Records indicate it's been... some time since this memory was recorded. How has-" The Matoran looked like he was forgetting something, and waved a hand to dismiss the notion as he got back on topic. "Apologies, I'm getting ahead of myself - what are you seeking?" "I need to make 'a box string enough to contain a soul' - does that ring a bell?" Knichou asked, curious how this process functioned. Perhaps this was why this was recorded as a memory and not raw data - sorting through the countless experiments and prototypes each Ghost conducted would be laborious, even at the speeds of a memory crystal, without some categorization and search functions. So... this is some kind of AI? "You must be seeking the Essence Cage. Of course you are." Kimi answered. "Please uplink yourself to receive the data package." Kimi gestured to the control panel in front of the eerily floating iden's pedestal. Knichou nervously obliged, placing his hand inside the panel's outline. The commander's optics shut and it was immediately clear he was in deep focus, learning everything he could about the contraption Caedast requested. After a few seconds in, his Kanohi began to glow in the simulation and reality. Kimi turned to the other two Matoran visitors while they waited for Knichou to finish. "What do you seek?" OOC: @Tarn @~Xemnas~ free loot and friendly conversation.

IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside Tuyet wasn't stopping. Exuze felt the moisture wicked from the air around him. Ah, Karz... Clearly de-escalation wasn't an option. That left one clear option: Escalation. Much to everyone's surprise, Exuze strode forwards with force of a Kane-Ra. He sidestepped Tuyet, passing in front of the Ga-Toa. He unlatched his large brown cloak, tossing the billowing burlap covering aside. The unarmed Lesterin marched with purpose, ready to be the first to reach Axxon. "Don't tell me what to do," the Ta-Lesterin growled back at the titan, an unexpected ferocity in his eyes, which shifted from their characteristic soft turquoise to a bold blood red glow as his faxon shimmered. "I have HAD it with people like YOU telling ME what I 'should' or 'shouldn't' do." Exuze's eyes focused on the silver titan's movements as he closed the distance between the two of them, speeding up his march in the process. His mind focused on channeling the spirit and abilities of a particular rahi. The Kraawa was a peaceful creature, preferring to graze in the fields of many places in the matoran universe, including the southern continent. It was no hunter, but when provoked and cornered, nature's ingenuity ensured that any predator would pay for its audacity. OOC: @Eyru batter up. IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Keeping Place As the companions peered over the edge, they saw the Ghost looking back at them. The spiral staircase went down several revolutions within the glowing crystalline interior. The walls faintly reflected their surroundings, adding to the ethereal effect. At the bottom of the well near where the Ghost stood was a pedestal, above which floated an identical kanohi. In front of the pedestal was a control panel with an outline for a matoran sized hand, and built into the wall behind the pedestal was a cylindrical vat with a thick layer of frost obscuring its contents from view. The Ghost waved at the group, beckoning for them to come down to him. Knichou began to walk down the spiral staircase, intrigued.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, 'Keeping Place' "You should know this, Aurax - the best engineers are the laziest," Knichou quipped. The trio was silent for a moment afterwards, and the commander thought to the patterns of the nanotechnology he had developed long ago. "Although I have a feeling we just passed a test without even realizing it..." The three matoran passed through the barrier unhindered. It was not a thin wall leading to another room, but a long hallway filled with nanodermis that took a not-insignificant amount of time to wade through the retreating wall. Just as they were beginning to wonder if they were getting lost, they finally reached the next chamber. The knowledge seekers entered a spherical chamber. In the center was a large platform shaped similarly to a Kanoka disk, with many markings on its surface. The other Ghost from the cliffside was at its center - he jabbed a strange spike into the center, which transformed into what might best be described as a key, although this nanite contraption fit no lock the visitors had ever seen before. As they 'key' slowly sank into the center, the Fe-Matoran took several steps back until he was off of the platform. When the key was flush with the surface of the platform, then the center of the structure fell away, with slices near the edge beginning to seamlessly separate and drop to form a spiral staircase. A strong glow of light emanated from within the well of knowledge, with the inner walls giving off a sterile glow that was just soft enough to not irritate one's optics. The unnamed Ghost looked back towards the entrance, then descended the staircase, his shadow dancing across the runes adorning the dome ceiling as his footsteps echoed throughout the chamber. The visitors could almost feel the vault inviting them in.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Antechamber Aurax's hand passed right through the front wall. He was right - it was an illusion. He was wrong - it wasn't the same trick. The wall was real, but it's surface parted ways as the matoran attempted to touch it, as if magnetically repulsed from their bodies. Whatever redundant security measure this was, it was soon clear that all four dreamwalkers were Welcome Ones. How can it know we're here?

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Cliffside The pair leapt off of the edge of the cliff. Mid air, their other hands linked and they swirled, facing each other in a skydiving formation. Knichou kept his focus away from the rapidly approaching ground, preferring to watch Nale's icy blue optics. The ferromagnetic duo felt a light tug as their fall slowed to a halt, and another as they were promptly deposited near Aurax. Knichou found his balance, and began to take a step forwards towards the end of the room. Flame and smoke began to seep in the chamber from the ceiling. Knichou looked at the floor with caution - had he activated some kind of booby trap by touching the wrong brick? Could he activate traps in a memory? The memory held in the crystal somehow knew to let them pass as well - the Ghost hadn't used the mysterious devices enough before to tell if that was possible or not. Clearly it was reacting to their presence, to some degree... whatever 'it' was. "I said, 'fear not'," a familiar presence reminded them. Caedast's many eyes took in the chamber from all views as she finished phasing into the room. The antechamber remained eerily empty. The third Ghost was nowhere to be seen, and the three walls of the rectangular room were perfectly flat and devoid of any markings.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Cliffside Aurax's leap of faith sent him further from the cliff's edge than the Iden-bearer's relaxed fall. The Fe-Matoran fell, waiting for his trust in suicidal matoran and vague cryptic graffiti to be rewarded. Knichou leaned over the edge, watching his former enemy fall bio after bio towards the sand below. The commander also began to hope that you couldn't die inside of a memory crystal... that wasn't a subject matter he was an expert in... A third of the way through the fall, as it appeared that Aurax might be deeply regretting his decision, the Barraki vanished. Knichou blinked. ~~~ Aurax came to a sudden, but not discomforting, halt. The Fe-Matoran was suspended in the air by an unseen force. If he looked above him, he could see a puzzled Knichou looking in his direction, but not looking at him. A few moments later, the Barraki was pulled towards the cliff wall, which he passed through like it didn't exist. Another iillusion field. The telekinetic force gently released Aurax from its grip once the Fe-Matoran was past the false rock face. The antechamber he found himself in was a plain room with sterile protodermis walls. Precision-cut lightstones embedded in the floor and ceiling illuminated the chamber evenly. Behind him, he could see outwards towards the sea and the beach below, the illusion being one way. ~~~ "I... think he's on to something," Knichou said, glancing back at the marked stone Aurax jumped from. He moved into position and extended a hand towards his partner. If he was going to jump off a cliff and blink out of existence for Artakha knows why, he would prefer that they did it together. "When I said 'Don't worry about falling' earlier during your flight lesson, this isn't quite what I had in mind..."

IC: Knichou (& bunnying Caedast), Memory Crystal, Nynrah, Cliffside Knichou and Aurax both knew the rumors of a sacred vault that were pervasive within the ranks of the Ghosts, but given the guild's loose organizational structure, few Ghosts could actually claim to know such a Keeping Place's existence for certain, let alone its location or how to gain entrance. Perhaps the Ghost who gave this memory to Stannis for safekeeping was one of the few that knew of it. Perhaps he just saw the approaching League blockade over the horizon, heard the prophecies of the inevitable invasion and defeat, and decided to die a free Matoran instead of living to see his homeland burn and his people enslaved. Knichou walked over to where his fellow Ghost had fallen. He leaned his head over the side, looked down, and saw an empty beach. The Iden-bearer wasn't clinging to the rock face, buried in the sand, or floating lifeless in the foamy waters. In fact, there was no sign of any disturbance at all. He looked back to Caedast's unfathomable form, and the only things that were clear was the Aspect was still in pain from the Avohkii, and that she trusted that handholding was unnecessary for the three seasoned companions. She would observe and reassure, but reserved her energies for her autoimmune battle with her kanohi's element. Caedast had seen this battle firsthand, along with countless more on the yet-unscorched fields behind them. She was the only reason such a record survived the apocalypse, and while reliving it through the eyes of this Ghost with her Companions was informative to a degree, it was more important for the three matoran in front of her to discover and use the knowledge within. The phantasm drifted closer, but did not utter a word, not that words were necessary when sharing minds and memories.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah Knichou looked around him, noticing to his surprise that the other companions were Matoran. He remembered Aurax's Fe-Matoran past all too well, but seeing Nale as a matoran felt strange. As the Fe-Toa looked down to her, he wondered if this was what it was like from her perspective when she met him in Onu-Metru. Seeing her in her younger form, unscarred by countless trials she faced as a Toa Rode, filled Knichou with wonder. If only they could have met in a time like now, in a place like the memory they were sharing, perhaps they would have gotten to live out the more peaceful lives they longed to share together, instead of the several weeks of working and fighting tirelessly to secure that freedom for other Matoran. However, perhaps the strife they overcame together is what strengthened their love and gave them purpose. Maybe if they helped Caedast ensure that safe future, they would no longer need to be the Toa on the front lines, defending the Matoran. Knichou gazed at these nostalgic fields and wished they could retire here... But there was still a future to create. "Fear not." Caedast's arrival was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. When the three dreamwalkers glanced back to each other after seeing Caedast's true form, they noticed Knichou was also his Matoran self. His legendary Kanohi retained it's golden luster and green laurels, but his body was it's old silver, with gauntlets and forearms having a cool blue hue, and with a parting in his tunic revealing a 'N' in matoran script emblazoned via a similar color in his thin adaptive armor above his heartlight. Knichou saw his fellow matoran and smiled, feeling a warmth of fitting in once more. Battles would need to be fought, but for now, they could walk in peace as one of the people, not taking the physical forms of heroes. The group's perception was drawn back to the unknown fe-matoran, who shuffled sideways along the cliff's edge. He stopped when he reached a rock etched with a carving of a circle emitting rays in eight directions, with an outer semicircle connecting the lower five. The Fe-Matoran turned around to face the interlopers, splayed his arms outwards, and leaned backwards, falling off of the cliff unceremoniously. The air was still, with the dreamwalkers anticipating the sickening echo of a crunch that never came. In the distance far beyond the shore, many specks floated in the air and on the surface of the sea. Occasionally, some erupted into flashes of light and smoke. Sounds were heard with many seconds of delay after such events. There was always a low rumble of battle to be heard if one searched for it behind the overpowering sounds of waves splashing and wind gushing. It was impossible to perceive much within the distant chaos, but its distant presence lead to a familiar foreboding. They were here for a reason, and so was the memory.

IC: Knichou, Memory Crystal, Nynrah Gulls squawked. Three visitors came to be, sitting in a grassy field, overlooking a massive chalk cliff. Waves lapped against a sandy shore hundreds of bio below the sheer cliff face. The endless blue of sky and sea stretched as far as they could see. They were living within the memory of another, but it was reconstructed with the context they shared. Every blade of grass was as much that of the crystal's preserved memory of Nynrah as their own memories of home. From atop the mountain cliffs and in clear weather, they could see most of the island behind them, with several villages dotting the rolling, pastoral hills. The three Toa were not as they appeared in reality, but who they saw themselves as. Knichou's armor had adapted for a reason - to it, he was on a visit to a sacred museum in times of peace. The robes were ceremonial, but not impractical, as to the Ghosts, creation was worthy of ceremony, and practicality was in fashion. Unlike Knichou's adaptive armor's facsimile, in the memory Knichou's clothing was made from a rugged white cloth with its many glyphs sewn in with a golden-dyed thread. A silver-colored Fe-Matoran in similar garb to Knichou strolled into view behind the group. The Ghost wore an Iden, and where he walked, perception was heightened. Grass became sharper, not just being in focus, but having seemingly microscopic levels of detail. The Fe-Matoran passed through Knichou like a ghost as he walked to the edge of the cliff, stood still, and looked down.

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Knichou gave a nod of thanks and took hold of the memory crystal. "Of course," he agreed, sounding almost dumbstruck. After a moment to collect his feelings, he continued. "Thank you for letting me see my home one last time." The Fe-Toa glanced at the others around him. "Letting us see it." The commander sat down in the dirt, cross legged, hands resting on his knees. The former Ghost's optics shut, and a few moments later, his armor shifted to a clothlike nanoweave, taking the shape of ceremonial Nynran tunic and robe that Aurax and Stannis would recognize. Runes adorned the fabric, the ancient patterns woven with gold. OOC: More on this later. Until I sort that post out, join hands to share the memory and have your characters see it for themselves. Or not.

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza The thought of everything they'd been through leading to this moment... when Caedast and Nale said it aloud, it made too much sense. Ever the methodical engineer, Knichou was often quick to focus on the causality within reality, to dismiss serendipity for coincidence. Years ago, he wouldn't consider himself a believer in matters of destiny. For a time, the collapse of his homeland and eventually his universe lead him astray of such childish beliefs as destiny and hope. Regretfully living through more apocalypses than most lifetimes would ever endure and seeing so much on the brink of collapse for so long was not an environment that sparked hope. Knichou was initiated in an order of secrecy, forged in the crucibles of betrayal and failure, tempered by the solitude of his ostracism, and stained with the blood of the untold masses slain directly and indirectly by his actions and inactions. Before love pierced his impenetrable armor, before he was cleansed by the forgiveness of others, before he learned to begin to accept his own absolution, destiny was a joke. Why was Stannis in that district of Onu-Metru that fateful afternoon? Why was Nale? Why were both strangers willing to put their bodies on the line for a matoran they had never met to explore a conspiracy any rational citizen would dismiss? Why would Nale admit breaking the rules she held most dear to a Matoran she'd met the day prior? Why did Aurax find Stannis, and why did Caedast forgive the Fe-Matoran's inevitable betrayal? Why, of the cursed few who survived the destruction of everything, were these four sinners spared? Time and time again, the paths all four Toa walked coincided in too many ways to be a mere coincidence. Caedast was right - these were not predestined outcomes, but rather the natural actions and reactions playing their course, until eventually a pattern emerged from which one could interpret meaning. Things could have easily not been worse, more chaotic. Things could also have been less disastrous. Things were what they became, and the fact that the wills of each of the Companions drew them together was testament to their unity, and from which could be derived a shared duty, and a greater meaning. Perhaps that was a Destiny Knichou could believe in. If this didn't convince Knichou to believe in the force of Destiny and to renew his vows with the three virtues... what would? “I shall do so,” the Aspect agreed. “And what is the other thing you would ask of me?” Knichou waited a moment, taking care in choosing the right way to ask his other request. "I have a promise to keep," Knichou began. "You may remember Sidra NUVA from when she assassinated Dume. She's much more than that. She aided me in the end in Metru-Nui, she found her own self-actualization in her quest for atonement on Zakaz, she helped me... save myself from myself rather recently." "Sidra has proven time and time again that she desperately wants to help fix our universe, however right now, she doesn't know how to, beyond Nuju's solution of freeing Krom with the Makoki stones. Like I have done, and like Turaga Sans and Dume did before me, she's found a solution and is dedicated on taking it. She's more like me than I'd like to admit at times... but she's better than I was, she's more open to other ways out." "Sidra deserves her shot, and I want her to join us. I owe it to her to give her the chance be a part of the solution. If this universe is worth saving, if all of this is meant to mean anything, she needs to be one of those who saves it. That is my only qualm." "Find her. Tell her... tell her that her favorite Ghost said hi first. Tell her what is learned must be forgotten. Tell her she is a creator. Tell her that Krom 's instructions are unnecessary, that by forgetting them, we can create our own Destiny. Let her see through your eyes. Ask her to be our Companion." "She's searching for you and Korruhn, she wants your Makoki stones. Perhaps you can find her by letting yourself be found."

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Bridge "I... think I can do that," a relieved Berys responded. It had been a long day. How long had he been up? Routine pre-flight checks at dawn... Stannis's airship arriving... ferrying Knichou around... storm... Tahtorak... into the storm... recovery... island gone... repairs... Knichou and Nale going out in the wilderness together, leaving the crew to figure things out by themselves... flying here in the moonlight... Was that the sun? How long had Berys been flying? Needless to say, it had been a long day. Everything about it, down to the very passage of time itself, felt off. Maybe that was just the sleep deprivation talking, the Le-matoran wondered. The thankful Le-Matoran finished powering down the airship, then carefully got out of the co-pilot's seat, gave Triage a loose nod, and stumbled out of the bridge. Berys took a right and entered the hallway of the crew quarters on the port side of the airship, walking past several other cramped rooms to find his own slice of the crew quarters. The room was just wide enough for a Toa to stand in, and it's length was only a few feet more than a Toa was tall. Built into the wall was a cot that didn't look comfortable but didn't look uncomfortable. Above and below the cot were a few drawers holding a few various personal effects. Model airships and gliders dangled on strings from the trussed beams of the ceiling. The utterly exhausted Berys managed to slide into his sleeping area without major incident, before rapidly falling asleep. The Taku quieted as the Kanoka stopped clanging and it came fully to rest for the first time in what felt like a long time. The weary airship rested, each of its variety of components gaining a brief reprieve from the stresses of flight before it would embark what might have been its final journey.

IC: Berys, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Bridge The pilot was flushed at the attention Triage gave with his compliment and reassuring gesture that supported it. In retrospect the Le-Matoran shouldn't have been surprised that his best friend on the crew was paying attention to the little guys now that he was in charge, but had been so long since the doctor had been aboard, it still felt new. Most of the time over the past several weeks while the medic was on his away mission, Knichou and Nale felt like they were off in their own little world, barely giving any feedback to the longtime Matoran crew members. Well, Nale tried, but Knichou tried just as hard to keep their attention on each other. "Any, uh, orders... captain?" IC: Arnex, Tobduk-Koro Outskirts, The Taku, Boarding Ramp Arnex sat silently on a crate inside the airship, looking at the village outside of the boarding ramp, wondering what had happened from the civilians' perspectives while they were out chasing kaiju.

IC: Berys & Taku Crew, Tobduk-Koro, The Taku, Bridge Everyone on the Taku heard the whirring of gears as the four landing gear legs extended beneath the airship. Passengers felt a strange feeling of their internals rising slightly as Berys carefully managed the ship's descent, landing it right outside the village's gates. Arnex pulled the lever to open up the front paneling and lower the boarding ramp. OOC: Okay, long enough wait, we've been busy with Stan stuff, but now the Taku has landed. IC: Exuze, Kini-Nui, Templeside The Su-Lesterin followed after Tuyet, more of a scared chase than the Toa's confident stride. He reached out his right hand towards Tuyet, pleading for her to hold back. "Miss, I don't think this is a good idea."

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza "We can head to the Aqua sphere," Knichou volunteered, gesturing to himself and Nale. "We have the means to reach it, and we were already on our way there. We just came from the Ice Ruins, where the Administrator said an Aspect and a builder are trying to destroy it. Ideally we can ensure that doesn't happen, and learn more from what is inside the administrator's archives." "But before that, I have two requests," Knichou admitted. "Firstly:"" The golden Fe-Toa boldly pointed a finger to Aurax, still keeping his green optics trained on Caedast. "Free my Brother of his curse." Knichou didn't need to explain further - everyone knew his intent. Aurax was a sad toa, but he had begun to pay his toll for the damage he had done, and would continue to do so. The Barraki's prison would be in his mind - reckoning with his past and seeking atonement, not giving his body to be the elder Aspect's plaything. All four of them had reached an understanding, and with the help of the Avohkii's inner light, Knichou could trust that Aurax's shackles were no longer necessary, and in fact, would be only a barrier to his eventual full rehabilitation. The commander trusted Caedast to prove her benevolence, now that there was no need for secrets or half-truths between the four Toa.

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Knichou's adaptive armor tinted his kanohi's visor to protect his optics from the flash, but the reflex was futile. The rays pierced past all perception, washing out the worries of his mind in a blinding spectable. Knichou's armor sagged, like it was a chocolate bar that was beginning to melt in desert sunlight. All was understood, trust and verification were unnecessary in the presence of Truth, and so it was that Knichou's shield against the world he feared was rendered purposeless and sluggish. Knichou looked upon the quaking shell of a toa before him and saw the truth of the eventuality he always fought for, but knew deep in his heartlight that he could never bring to pass himself. Nynrah's Ghost observed Caedast and saw a Toa who wasn't. He saw someone of a dying breed of flawed creators who worked their magic alone. One whose people traded in secrets, indulging the desires of others by bringing their wishes to reality, regardless of any unforeseen consequences, and rarely through cooperation amongst their own. He saw a Toa without a home, a stranger who wandered throughout foreign lands after their own was annihilated. He saw a survivor trying to end their war, prepared to ravage oneself with their own legendary power in the ultimate sacrifice in the hope it would save all others. Knichou finally truly understood why he would have never succeeded in his quest to use the powers of time to end the great war. The young Toa had wished to sacrifice himself to the flow of time because he couldn't trust anyone else to not make those decisions selfishly. He knew this was always a hypocritical stance, but justified it by being the best option he could guarantee, and because he feared ceding control to another. Knichou could have spent a trillion lifetimes searching for the best outcome to the great war, but they would all be flawed, for Knichou was as flawed and as selfish as the next being in Dume's office. Except Caedast. She was different - she was a unfathomably complex, self correcting machine, amalgamated to grant the wishes of all who dared to hope for a better future. Caedast could assume control of all and shape reality to her will, but it would not be the same as before. Caedast's will was empowering the freedom of all, not shackling it, for she served the wishes of everyone, and all's will was hers. Her otherworldly distance meant that she could best ensure the freedom of all more than Knichou ever could, no matter how selfless he tried to act or how much his understanding grew. Caedast knew that the great war between the League and the Matoran was not a war but a battle - no, a game. Dume was as much of a piece on the board as the countless toy soldiers Mata Nui sent to be slaughtered. Sidra's hopes of killing Mata Nui once and for all were as futile as Knichou's hopes of - Mata Nui always would die, for the twisted game would always be reset with new heroes and villains. Mata Nui was just the latest twist on the formula, the newest edition of the rules - but he didn't make them. Mata Nui was a piece on the board too, even he operated within the rules of another... Knichou had walked the Legend. He had seen another destiny, another iteration of the cocky hero playing the same role as Knichou. Their optics studied each other and spoke to shared triumph and loss, and Knichou wondered if his counterpart had gotten such a chance to end the endless cycle of conflict as the one Caedast offered. Knichou wouldn't waste his chance. He couldn't dare risk it. It had been a long time since any of Knichou's work was for his own sake. For the past month, his tireless work was for Nale, his friends, and their people. Sidra gave him the confidence to believe he could save everyone instead of merely help them survive, and now Caedast helped him understand that truly saving everyone required not just thinking outside the box, but changing the rules. The Fe-Toa broke his uncharacteristic silent streak, green optics seeing their own reflection deep within the wanderer's impenetrable, pearly orbs. "Is that why you aren't using your Makoki stone? Because you cannot free all of us from the horrors of Tren Krom's pawns if he is freed to reset his game board once again?"

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro Ruins, Datrox Plaza Aurax was no longer being puppeted, but the toa of plasma was no less a tool. At the very least, Knichou knew he and Aurax were on the same page. Knichou promised the false barraki that there was a way out, but it was unclear whether it was possible for Aurax to take it, or if Caedast's control was already far too complete to allow that to happen. When he turned his head, Knichou saw a focused Nale. The severity with which she spoke was more than enough proof that she could no longer deny the truth in front of her, and her remarkably calm determination was an excellent reminder of how best to proceed. She got Knichou to Aurax, after all, maybe there was common ground to be found with Caedast as well? At the very least, they needed more information to truly gauge the Aspect's plans before they could continue. Knichou had many questions, but perhaps it was best to let Caedast answer as many as she could before saying anything potentially accusatory. Knichou steadied his breathing and stood firm, still visibly on edge. Another pair of optics turned to study Caedast's next move.