Ghosthands

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] "Firewood, bandages," the Toa explained reasonably. "Food, if you need it."

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] Abruptly, the previously silent Toa stepped forward and raised his hands — a possibly threatening motion to the already jumpy trio of Matoran — but no attack came. Instead he brought them together in a clap, and smiled. "I think we've all got off on the wrong foot here," he said, in a jovial tone. "I apologise for my friend's attitude; we don't get a lot of visitors out here, and he gets a tad paranoid about strangers. These have been dark times for Ko-Wahi; it's hard to know who to trust. I'm sure you understand." He looked back towards Aerus. The trio of Matoran would not see the meaningful look he gave his 'friend'. "We can spare some supplies for these unfortunate souls, surely?" OOC: @Goose @BULiK @~Xemnas~ @Tarn

IC (Ageru Kilanya) [Fort Kizuno, Odaiba] Kilanya remained silent as Shiki explained her methods, not out of any indulgence (there was no time for that), but genuine interest. The principles the young Menti was explaining were useful ones, on levels both practical and philosophical. The scar becomes part of the wall. It is marred, but stronger for it. As she often had to, she suppressed the impulse to raise a hand to her face and rub at the furrow that now ran up the left side of her face. She could not show that vulnerability in front of those it was her duty to lead. "There is no need to apologise," Kilanya replied, with just the hint of a smile. "Your ingenuity and enthusiasm are commendable, especially in one so young." So young...barely older than Enali, she realised, and the memory sent a pang though her heart. She fought to focus instead on the moment at hand, but that was little better. So young...the proud Dasaka Empire now relied on their children to patch their defences and guard their walls. How had they come to this? This young woman should be in the Yards, studying literature and training in the Menti arts, not working on her hands and knees on a front line that could erupt into deadly conflict at any moment. That, at least, was a pertinent point. Young or not, Shiki would need to be ready to fight if the walls she worked on were breached. Kilanya had made sure all able-bodied Menti (and not a small number of Dashi) were receiving combat training whenever their time (and that of the instructors) could be spared. Out of necessity the training was much simplified, even crude compared to the elegant, refined martial arts taught in the Yards, but it was certainly rigorous and eminently practical. "You use your Kanohi with some skill. What is your Discipline?" she asked. "You are training with the same focus and dedication, I hope."

IC (Lohkar) [The Infernavika] "Well, that's a difficult question to answer, innit?" Lohkar replied. He'd taken the wheel and was steering the Infernavika deftly on her course towards Leva Bay. "Because to know if there's anything I'm still forgetting, I'd 'ave to remember all the things I've forgotten, which I can't do, because I've forgotten 'em." There was a pause. Lohkar cleared his throat. "What I'm sayin' is, it's hard to tell. But so far it does seem to be the whole shebang. Childhood, runnin' off to sea, becomin' the legendary rogue you now see before you..." He shot Yasurek a dazzling smile. "...so on an' so forth."

IC (Lohkar) [The Infernavika] "Best night of my life, luv," Lohkar replied with a wink. "An' I've spent one with a Vortixx girl." He bounded up the steps of the aftcastle to stand beside the helm, overlooking the weather deck. The crew were busying themselves about the ropes and masts, some beginning to climb the rigging to unfurl more sails, but from the hushed atmosphere and constant glances in his direction it was clear they were expecting to hear what had their captain in such a state of excitement. Far be it for him to deny them. "My friends," he declared, hands raised in an oratory pose, "as of last night, my memories 'ave returned to me! I now know the location of my homeland, the glittering isle of Seprilli, off the coast o' Zakaz. I sailed those waters from when I was just a lad, an' let me tell you: they are ripe with treasure an' adventure, for anyone brave enough to take 'em! "Oh, Mata Nui's a nice place, to be sure. But for a man such as meself, it becomes a little too nice. Truth is, I'm goin' soft out here, mates. Fightin' Rahkshi an' cultists is all well an' good, but I am an' always will be a thief, a scoundrel, an' a pirate. I need to go back where I belong! An' so, as soon as the 'Vika is ready, I will be settin' sail with all haste for the place they call the End of all Worlds. "Now, I do not expect all of you to share my enthusiasm for such a voyage. Nor would I demand that any of you go to such perilous lands unwillingly. So to any who do not wish to come, let us part ways at Ostia, an' I shall bid you the fondest of farewells. But to those that will join me, I promise you all the prizes an' plunder you could ever want, upon the Sea o' Zakaz!" He threw his arms wide. "Whaddya say?" A cheer of genuine enthusiasm but somewhat underwhelming volume rose from most of the crew. Lohkar frowned. It occurred to him that the 'Vika was a little understaffed these days. A few new people had joined them after the Battle of Ko-Koro, but that didn't quite offset the general attrition of crewmembers over the past months and years. "All right, we'll pick up some recruits at Ostia — and some payin' passengers, come to think of it — an' make all the necessary preparations to get underway. Then, my friends...Zakaz awaits!" He stood silent for a moment, with all eyes still on him, and clearly caught up in the drama of his own speech. Then he seemed to snap out of it, and waved his hands in a chivvying motion. "Well, snap to it then, ya swabs! We 'aven't got all day!" OOC: @Snelly @Void Emissary @pokemonlover360

IC (Ageru Tazera) [Bridge of the Chiisai Ryuu] As the Toa launched another bolt at her, Tazera brought the taut Soulwhip forward, placing it quickly as directly as she could in the path of his outstretched finger. She had only a fraction of a second to gauge the path, the moment he would fire...even if the principle worked as she hoped, the simple act of lining it up would be a close-run thing. The lightning leapt forth — struck the Soulwhip with a shower of sparks and a noise like a firecracker — and rebounded, shooting away to strike the floor, leaving a small scorch mark. Tazera didn't bother holding back a fierce grin of satisfaction that her hunch had been right, but her moment of relief was immediately interrupted by the voice of the Commodore over the mental plane: ::One, Toa, Lightning, illusions,:: she responded, as quickly and tersely as possible. ::Engaged at the bridge. Controls damaged.:: She could hear Inzu struggling with the bridge door. The Toa, meanwhile, seemed taken aback by the countering of his attack, and downright indignant that his plans — apparently to hold her and the crew ransom and somehow commandeer the submersible single-handed — were not going as anticipated. Clearly he liked to talk. She decided to humour him. "I am an officer of the Imperial Navy," she growled through a dangerous smile, advancing cautiously, still holding the Soulwhip at the ready in case he went for another pot-shot. "We do not surrender our ships to the enemy. We fight to the death." Another shudder ran through the Ryuu, knocking the Toa and Dasaka off-balance once again. This time the deck under their feet bucked sideways. Tazera quickly realised why: the mooring lines holding the submersible to the dock, intended only to keep the vessel from drifting away from its berth, had snapped under its submerging weight. The great bridge window was now entirely underwater. OOC: @oncertainty Absolutely — in fact, with his Kualsi, and a clear view through the window onto the bridge, Aeragot is one of the only characters present who could feasibly board the Ryuu while it's sinking...

IC (Lohkar) Lohkar woke with a start. Rather than the comfort of his hammock, he found himself slumped in his chair. Must've fallen asleep at the chart table. The shutter of the lightstone lantern that hung from the ceiling had come loose, and was swinging gently back and forth, throwing more shadow than light across the walls of the captain's cabin. Its yellow glow swept slowly around the room like the beam of an erratic lighthouse. In contrast, calm silvery moonlight poured through the windows at the cabin's rear. The Lesterin heaved himself upright and groggily set about shuttering the lantern properly so he could get back to sleep, but something made him pause. He glanced down at the Magic Map (he really would have to think of a better name for the thing) still fastened to the chart table. It was blank. He frowned. Did it usually do that? For some reason he couldn't remember. He turned slowly. The moonlight coming through the windows really was bright. There was something otherworldly about it. He noticed there seemed to be a strange silence blanketing the ship. He could hear no voices of his crew nor any sound of activity on deck; even the creaking of the Infernavika's timbers and the sigh of the wind seemed quieter than usual. And then, ever so faintly, a distant bang, a strange crackle. Cannon fire? He wasn't sure. The desire to go back to sleep was gone. On the contrary, he felt strangely awake, strangely...alive? He walked to the door, opened it, and strode out onto the moon-bathed deck. It was empty — no sign of Gunner, Yasurek, or any other crewmembers. Surely somebody should've been on night watch, but there was nobody on deck, nobody in the rigging, nobody at the wheel. And yet the ship was sailing, straight and true, on a gentle wind across a calm sea. None of the lanterns were lit, but he could see just fine: the moon loomed huge in the sky. Was it usually that big? That, too, he found he couldn't remember. But these worries slid quickly out of his mind, as he found his gaze drawn to the fore of the ship, the direction from which those strange distant sounds were coming. There was an island ahead. The sight of it was strange, and yet...he knew it. It was a mountain isle, rising from the sea in a rough triangle, its peak shining with moonlit snow. The mountain's slopes were cloaked in forests of tall trees, its feet lined with mossy cliffs and gleaming beaches. The Infernavika was sailing towards a huge cutaway bowl-shape in the cliffs, a natural harbour nestling a sprawling city, glittering with lights. Towers, archways, awnings, all aglow with firelight and stonelight and a million lanterns of every colour. Ships lay in the harbour — not the strange angular designs of the Mata Nuians or the squat, brutish vessels of the Skakdi, but ships like the 'Vika: tall, sleek, built from rich red timber. Above the terracotta rooftops, fireworks were exploding in showers of green and gold. He knew this place. The recognition of it set his heart ablaze. It was home. *** Lohkar woke with a start. He found himself slumped in his chair; must've fallen asleep at the chart table. He heaved himself upright. He felt different from usual somehow, as though there was something in his head that hadn't been there before. He had the vague sense that he'd been dreaming of something, but he couldn't remember what. The warm light of dawn was beginning to creep through the windows, spilling across the chart table. He glanced down at the Magic Map. It was blank — wait, no, not quite blank. The compass rose in the corner was there, and in the field of the chart proper (where before there had only ever been the horned shape of Mata Nui) there lay three small dots: one east, one west, one north, forming a rough triangle. As he stared at that mysterious paper, words began to form near them as through written by some unseen hand. By the point in the west, beside which a small stylised ship had appeared: By the one in the east: And finally, in the north: The memory of the dream surged to the surface of his mind, and with it came the other memories — the real memories. As he began to process them, to realise what they meant, Lohkar felt elation well up inside him. He had always known who he was, but where he came from, and the life he had led before unknown winds and tides carried him and his beloved Infernavika to Mata Nui's shores...these memories had been lost to him. He reached out one finger to that northernmost dot, almost needing to check that it was really there and not some half-dreamed mirage. At his touch, the ink suddenly ran, spreading across the page as though he'd spilled water across it. He started back instinctively — but just as quickly, it coalesced into a familiar but long-absent shape: a ragged ring of land enclosing a central lake, crowned with mountains and cut with rivers. And just off that unforgiving coast: the curious little island that he had yearned for without even knowing that he yearned. He stared fondly for a time, transfixed by this unexpected reunion with his past, until a realisation struck him. Tentatively, he brushed his finger against the words that stretched across the bottom of the map, marking the great expanse of water that encircled the two isles: The ink ran again, this time condensing back into those three dots, the westernmost marked with its tiny rendering of the Infernavika. Undulating lines began to trace across the space between, marking currents of wind and sea. A wide grin spread across Lohkar's face. He was whole again. He had his past. He had the memory of his homeland. And most importantly — he had a heading. He sprang to his feet, and strode to the door of his cabin and out onto the ship's deck. The morning sun was further over the horizon now, casting its glorious light across the 'Vika's sails and, far off to the west, the coast of Po-Wahi. "ALL RIGHT, MATES!" he roared. The pirate captain's usual demeanour was far from subdued, of course, but to his crew there was unmistakeably a new fire in his voice and on his face. "All hands on deck and make full sail for Ostia! We 'ave a real voyage to prepare!" OOC: @Void Emissary @pokemonlover360 @Snelly and anybody else I'm forgetting

IC (Ageru Tazera) [Bridge of the Chiisai Ryuu] Tazera remained crouched, tucked close against the bottom of the thick instrument panel as the intruder sent bolt after bolt of lightning to spark off its edges. He had her pinned; the moment she left her cover he'd be able to fire off a shot long before she could close the distance between them. Between the miniature thunderclaps, she could just make out the sound of hurried footfalls approaching in the corridor — hopefully Inzu on her way to help. But she heard something else too: the grinding, wrenching sound of the Toa heaving the door bolt as tightly closed as it would go. The bridge door was designed to be secured from the inside; it would not be easy for Inzu to get through if the Toa had successfully secured it. She would have to turn the tables on her own. You could've been forgiven for thinking the lieutenant had little defence against ranged attacks, being armed only with a Miru, an axe and a whip — but that whip was still a Soulsword. There was one technique she'd trained in that might work; very handy against bow-wielding pirates, or the rarer ranged Soulsword practitioner. She couldn't be sure it would be effective against elemental Lightning, but it was better than sitting there and waiting for him to flank her cover and zap her anyway. Her Soulwhip sprang to life in her hand and she grasped it further up with the other, holding a two-foot length of it taut. She tensed, reading herself to spring out — And the deck beneath her suddenly moved, tilting slightly, accompanied by a low groan. Tazera's eyes widened. The movement was unmistakeable. She glanced up at the scorched and shattered instrument panel, where she could make out one partly-destroyed label: #UOYANCY Oh ####. Water began to swell at the bottom of the bridge's wide viewing window. From outside, the alarmed Menti watching the Ryuu, still waiting for reinforcements to board the submersible, saw the craft shift in the water and gradually begin to sink. The situation was all the more urgent now, Tazera knew. By regulations the hatch ought to be closed, so at the least the Ryuu should not be flooded, but who knew what damage an uncontrolled descent into the reefs of Naho Bay might do to her. She had to regain control of the bridge, and the sub as a whole, as soon as possible. Time to act. She sprang out from behind the panel, gripping that two-foot length of Soulwhip taut in front of her. By all of Zataka's magnificent assets, I hope this works.

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] The Toa remained silent as Aerus spoke, standing to the right and a little behind the Vo-Matoran in the great metal doorway. His stance and expression remained neutral, hands calmly on his hips, but his eyes flicked to each of the Matoran and the Hapaka in turn, fixing each of them with an analytical stare before moving on to the next.

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] "Oh, so am I," Syrik replied with a grin. "Just making sure you know the option's on the table. Remember, this place is extremely valuable to us. No matter who's outside that door, we let them go, we're letting the location out into the world." He shrugged. "I'm not sure we can afford to take that risk. But hey — " he grinned again " — you want to play nice for now, I'll follow your lead. Let's go meet our guests." OOC: @Goose

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] "It's possible," Syrik replied. "But I try not to be. And it looked like there was a snowstorm blowing in that should've covered my tracks." He too rose from his seat, quickly catching up to the smaller being in a couple of strides. "How they got here doesn't much matter now. Whoever they are, they've found this place." He looked down at his new partner. "Want me to kill 'em?" he asked nonchalantly. OOC: @Goose

No problem, that's what we're here for. Enjoy the RPG!

Not really; current posting in the Ga-Wahi topic is still in the immediate aftermath of the Dasaka's arrival. Very much so; perhaps worse, even, because significant numbers of Rahkshi are in play and the remaining Dasaka are actively fighting them to try to regain their territory. This post gives a good overview of what things are like in the Archipelago as the arc begins. It's still a good way to get started, yes. If you want to ensure a good chance of getting some interaction, though, you may want to start your PC out near other active characters, or indeed interact directly with them.

Welcome! Don't worry, broad questions like these are exactly what the discussion topic is for. Bulik has done a good job of covering most of the points, so I'll just add a few further comments: The Three Virtues are certainly a core aspect of belief in the Great Spirit and an important part of Matoran culture, so most everyone on the island is at least aware of them. Whether they try to live by them is another matter, of course. But yes, as Bulik says, this isn't something we put a lot of focus on, and it definitely tends to the 'disparate' end of your question. We have a principle around here that we call 'BZPTime'; time in the BZPRPG tends to be malleable and inconsistent, since there are just so many different characters in play, and thus players writing at different paces, that it's basically unavoidable. The idea of BZPTime is that it's best not to think too hard or worry about exact periods of time, but rather to let them serve the needs of the stories we're telling. So yes, as the others have said, some small vague number of years have passed in-game. No need to be more specific than that. Mata Nuian society is generally pretty inclusive, so now that the Matoran are used to them, Lesterin (and Skakdi, and Vortixx) are typically treated just like anybody else. There's probably some awareness of their penchant for travel and trade, but not much in the way of stereotypes beyond that. No, despite their nautical prowess, the Seprillian Lesterin have not yet had contact with either Mata Nui or Kentoku. This is mainly a result of the amnesia-inducing fog that covered the ocean between the locales and only recently cleared. The only known contact between Zakaz and Kentoku was the arrival of the Piraka, who passed safely through the fog by unknown means. On the other hand, over the years some number of Seprillian Lesterin have (whether by foolish bravery or bad luck) sailed into the fog and washed up on Mata Nui (albeit with no memory of their home). So for the moment, to natives of Zakaz and Seprilli, the existence of lands beyond their own is a matter of near-forgotten ancient history, tending to myth. Correct, their current whereabouts and activities are unknown.

IC (Ageru Kilanya) [Fort Kizuno, Odaiba] "Please do," Kilanya replied with a nod. "I have never seen a Kiril used in this way. Most would simply regrow what was damaged, but it seems that you replace it with something stronger." There was a kind of beauty to the patches and streaks of translucent blue. It reminded her of kintsugi. Her mother, teaching her to repair her favourite teacup with glittering lacquer...

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] Syrik looked up sharply from the documents he'd been poring over, as the sound of knuckles on metal echoed down the entrance corridor of the dead Necromancer's lair. He slowly turned to look over his shoulder at the study doorway, then back to Aerus. A hint of a quizzical smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, while the dangerous glint had returned to his eyes. "I got the impression you weren't expecting company." OOC: @Goose

IC (Ageru Kilanya) [Fort Kizuno, Odaiba] The sound of horagai from the gates heralded Kilanya's arrival. It wasn't long before murmurs passed between the other soldiers and workers reached Shiki's ears: the Toroshu was making a personal inspection of the fort's defences, and it would likely not be long before she reached the eastern wall on which the young Menti had been toiling away. *** Based on the most recent scout reports, no significant Rahkshi attacks were expected in the coming days. But, as Kilanya knew well, that did not mean they would not happen, and the likelihood of smaller raids or skirmishes was harder to predict. All in all, to be complacent in these times was to invite death. The current reprieve offered an opportunity to prepare for the next battle, nothing more: to ready the troops, to bolster the defences, and to generally make her presence felt among her long-suffering people. That last point was particularly important to Kilanya's personal philosophy. Even before the invasion had eroded the barriers between the many rungs of the Imperial hierarchy, Kilanya had made a point of interacting personally with her people. She still spoke and acted with all the authority of a Toroshu, of course, but she listened too. She had always felt it was important to make clear that she belonged amongst those she ruled, and to treat them, not necessarily as equals, but as individuals worthy of respect and compassion. And now more than ever, they needed her. Morale was on a constant knife-edge: they needed to know that their Toroshu would live among them, fight among them, and if it came to it, die among them. And so, she made her way through Fort Kizuno, checking the state of the fortifications and supplies, but also speaking with those who defended and maintained them. So it came to pass that she happened upon a young Menti she did not recognise, working hard to patch the rents the Rahkshi's otherworldly powers had torn in the eastern wall. She held her hands crisply behind her back as she approached, casting her eyes over the repair work the Menti had been performing. It had a somewhat unorthodox look to it: crystal rather than wood plugged the holes, and it looked as though it had been grown out to fill the breaches rather than affixed over them. The visual effect was a little odd, but it certainly seemed sturdy. "This is good work," she addressed the young Menti. "What is the technique you use?" OOC: @Razgriz

The Parting of the Ageru A self-indulgently long and melodramatic post, I know, but a necessary one for the characters concerned. The invasion and evacuation of Kentoku presented the perfect (and only) opportunity to wrap up some CD I'd planned since I first created my Dasaka characters at the beginning of Arc 2, but never got around to setting up properly. So I guess it's not so much "wrap it up" as "shoehorn an arc's worth of it into one post", but hey, that's what happens when you don't Write More... Anyway, I'm excited for where Arc 3 may take my Dasaka characters, so if anybody's interested in interacting with them and joining me in shaping their journeys, let me know!

OOC: This post begins during the initial Rahkshi attack as described in the wrap-up topic, since I wasn’t able to write up the Ageru response at the time. Many thanks to @sunflower for the use of Viitkha. IC (Ageru Kilanya, Ageru Enali) [Mahuika, Odaiba] A stunned silence filled Clan Ageru’s council chamber in Mahuika Hall. “All of them?” asked Toroshu Kilanya, ashen-faced. The Menti, still wheezing from pain and exhaustion and clutching broken ribs, nodded morosely. “Yes, Toroshu. The demons that came down the mountain, they...they were too fast. Too powerful. They wielded...sorcery. I cannot explain it. They tore us apart. I only survived because Tohuko told me to run, so that one of us would survive to warn you…” “How many were there?” Kilanya asked firmly, trying to keep her voice calm. “Hundreds. Thousands. I don’t know...I’m sorry ma’am…” “No need to apologise, Menti. You’ve done well. You may go, please get yourself some medical attention.” As the scout left the hall, Kilanya took a deep breath, feeling the expectant eyes of her courtiers upon her. She was Toroshu, and they looked to her for leadership. She could already sense the magnitude of the crisis. If the reports of this Menti and the other scouts were true, then the recent Dastana secession was a mere historical footnote compared to the horror that had erupted from Koshiki. The Toroshu rose to her feet. “Mobilise all available Menti. I want patrols sent to all the outlying farms — get the Dashi inside the walls. Deploy scouts toward Koshiki — only our most stealthy. They are not to engage, only to report enemy movements. Dismissed!” *** When the order to evacuate came, it was somehow both a shock and an inevitability. The losses they were taking were unprecedented; the monsters fought with a demonic power unlike anything Dasaka forces had faced in recorded history. They had evacuated every village and farmstead they could, but with each one more Dashi were cut down as they fled. Wave after wave descended upon the fortifications of Mahuika, claiming Menti lives every time. The losses were untenable. All the same, that the Rora would choose to abandon the Empire...to leave Kentoku to these monsters... And then there were the practical problems. Kilanya didn’t need to have her administrators run the numbers to know that there were nowhere near enough boats to evacuate the entire Ageru clan. “They can carry a third at most, Toroshu,” Hinue, the Datsue responsible for scrambling the Ageru’s hastily-assembled evacuation fleet, reported shakily. A third. Two-thirds of her clan, her people, left on Odaiba at the mercy of the demons. And that wasn’t counting those who had already fallen. Kilanya knew what she would do almost without thinking. Her peers might choose to flee, to seize ships from the Saihoko they had always disdained and to leave those deemed non-essential behind; a “necessary sacrifice”. But for all the teaching of superiority that came with a noble upbringing, Kilanya had always loved her people, and felt deeply her responsibility to care for and protect them. Perhaps this was the test and the true purpose of that responsibility: the forgotten price to be paid for the riches and respect bestowed upon a Toroshu by the virtues of Order and Power. That when the underworld itself reared its head and came to consume her people, Honour demanded that she wield all of her Power in their defence. To stand between them and oblivion. But there was no denying this was an enemy that might wipe them out. She could not take that risk — and not just for the clan, but also for…her. Is it finally time? Now, at the end of the world? ...Yes. This is the only way. “Take as many as you can to the boats. One third, as you say. Do not discriminate; Dashi, Ringti, Saihoko, enough Menti to provide escort. Take the Matriarch, and…” She rattled off a list of nobles that would make for a suitable provisional council on the distant island. “...and Viitkha will join you shortly. First there is something we must see to.” “And what of your entourage and property, Toroshu?” “I am not leaving, Hinue,” Kilanya replied, ignoring the Datsue’s expression of shock. “I will remain here, and defend my people.” She looked to the scarred old warrior. “Viitkha, with me.” The Menti snapped a military bow, and fell into stride behind her Toroshu as they exited the Hall. They walked swiftly across the bridge. Shouts echoed through the night air as the refugees were selected and hurried towards the road south, but no sounds of battle; the Rahkshi had retreated for now, but they would be back. As Kilanya led the way through the streets of the town, Viitkha spoke up. "If I may speak plainly, my lady, I do not understand. You are sending me with the refugees? Would I not be best placed at your side, if you are to fight these demons?" “There is no warrior I would rather have by my side,” Kilanya said. It sounded to Viitkha as though the Toroshu spoke through a lump in her throat. “But I have a higher need for you. There is something...precious to me, that cannot stay here, that I wish for you to protect.” They came to a stop in front of a small house: just well-constructed enough to belong to a Menti, but a modest one. Kilanya knocked sharply on the door. It was opened by a young, scared-looking Dasaka. Viitkha recognised her from the Yards: Ageru Enali, a student she had occasionally taught and who had recently been earmarked for further Soulsword training. She was an intelligent child, from what Viitkha could tell, but a shy one, and somewhat lacking in direction and slow to develop her powers. If she recalled correctly, Enali had been orphaned in a Kanohi Dragon attack as an infant; it was possible that the loss of her blood parents at such a young age had stunted her development somehow. Regardless, the Blademaster was at a loss as to why her Toroshu had brought her to the house of this unremarkable young Menti when the future of the clan was at stake. “Enali,” Kilanya said, looking down at her kindly. “May we come in?” “O-of course, Toroshu,” Enali mumbled, hurriedly pulling the door fully open and stepping back, clearly just as surprised by the Toroshu’s visit to her house as the Blademaster was. She already didn’t really understand what was happening; she’d heard the Menti talk about demons coming down from the mountain, and terrifying sounds from outside as she hid inside her house: explosions, shouts, and distant, inhuman, bloodcurdling shrieks. And now, amid all this chaos, Toroshu Kilanya and Blademaster Viitkha were on her doorstep, asking to come inside. They entered. Enali stood in the middle of the compact entrance hall, looking timidly up at the two women and fiddling with her clan-cloth sash. A small cat-Rahi stood at her feet, looking warily up at the two unfamiliar beings. Kilanya stepped forward, stooped to bring her gaze level with the girl’s and gently pulled her hands from the sash to clasp them in her own. In the Lightstone-light, Viitkha could see the glimmer of tears in her Toroshu’s eyes. Enali, looking into those eyes, saw a terrible sadness in them, and something else that she could not place. “Enali, listen to me,” she said, with a quaver in her voice that neither the girl nor the warrior had ever heard before. “There is so much I wish I could say to you, but there is so little time. I am so sorry that I haven’t...that I could never…” Kilanya closed her eyes, pushing the tears out to trickle down her cheeks as she composed herself. When she opened them again her gaze and voice were stronger, but no less filled with emotion, as she spoke the words she had yearned to since before she became Toroshu. “Enali, you are my daughter.” Enali felt as though her heart had stopped. For a moment she thought she was dreaming. She felt her knees wobble. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t process the words the Toroshu had just said. “T-Toroshu, I…” she stammered. Kilanya fought to suppress a wince as the girl used her title. “I d-don’t understand…” “I know you were told your parents were killed,” Kilanya said, the quaver returning to her voice. “It was a lie, told to protect you, and me, and the honour of the clan. You were born out of wedlock. They let me name you, and then I let them...” The Toroshu cut off the sentence as she fought back a sob. “I had no choice. For the Toroshu’s heir to…to bear a child in that way...the dishonour would have been unconscionable. That’s what my family said. So they covered it up, and they took you away. And all these years, I have tried to bury what I feel, to serve my family and my clan with all my heart as is my duty. But every day I have yearned for what I lost. For you. To be...your mother.” With those words, Kilanya pulled her into an embrace. Enali felt the shock within her change, to a feeling she could not name. It was...a warmth, welling up inside. There was still a confusion to it, and a sadness, but it was...comforting. Slowly she raised her arms, to cling awkwardly to the warm presence that seemed to surround her. She spoke almost without knowing she was doing so. “M...Mother…” Enali felt her Toroshu’s — no, her mother’s embrace tighten for a moment, as Kilanya’s back was wracked by a sob that contained at once the brightest joy and the deepest sorrow. For a moment they held each other tightly. Then Kilanya pulled herself away, but clasped Enali’s hands again. “All these years, I could not be your mother,” she said, her voice beginning to steady. “And I cannot undo the past, and give what should have been given. But I can give you this.” She let go of Enali’s hands, drew herself back to her full height, and breathed deeply. When she turned back to Viitkha, she was the Toroshu again, her face calm and with all the sternness of her authority despite the wetness of her eyes. “Blademaster Viitkha, as Toroshu I command you bear witness to my decree. I acknowledge Ageru Enali as my first and only daughter, and thus name her as my heir. I charge you with her safe transport to Mata Nui, and thereafter her protection, care, and education as Toroshu-in-waiting until she is of age. Do you understand my command?” Viitkha, ever the professional, did not show her amazement at what had just taken place. “Yes, Toroshu.” “Good.” She turned back to a breathless Enali. “Enali, the Rora has given the order to evacuate the Archipelago to Mata Nui. I am sending you there, in Viitkha’s care. It is a place strange to us, but you should be safe there. I must stay here, to defend those of our people who remain. This is the only gift that I can give you now: I will safeguard our clan and our family, either through victory here, or through your survival across the ocean. Do you understand?” The young Menti was still for a moment, then nodded tremulously. “There is one other thing,” Kilanya said. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply out. “There is a man on Mata Nui. His name is Ageru Dakte, and he...is your father.” If Enali’s eyes could’ve widened any further, they would have. “Find him. I cannot say how he will respond, but...he has a right to know. He — ” Kilanya was interrupted by the sound of urgent shouts from outside the hut, followed by a distant chorus of monstrous shrieks, and the boom of a much-less-distant explosion. “They are here,” Kilanya said grimly, her gaze turning steely as she looked to Viitkha, then to Enali. “I pray to Zuto Nui that we may be reunited. Now go!” Viitkha took the young Menti by the shoulder and hurried her outside, Kilanya following. The demons’ shrieks were clearer now, and closer. In the town’s outskirts, beams of energy were lancing down from dark shapes that flitted through the sky. From thatched roofs, flames were rising, and the dark shapes were coming closer. “GO!” Viitkha pulled Enali into a run, towards the street that would take them to the makeshift evacuation centres, and from there to the south road towards the coast. Enali tried to look back over her shoulder, for one last glimpse at the mother she had never known until today, but her vision was too blurred by tears and the pace they were running to make out Kilanya’s figure. Through the blur, all she saw was the brilliant blue flash of a Soulsword, unsheathed from the mental plane and raised high, in defiance of the shadows beyond. *** Kilanya sighed, looking out across the water towards the open ocean, hands on the gunwale of the barge. The planks beneath her feet rocked gently with the the oarstrokes propelling the boat away from Sado and its camps and councils, back to the battlegrounds that had once been the idyllic fields of Odaiba. This war demanded her all. But every day, she found a moment to look back on that most bittersweet of meetings and farewells. It kept her fighting — and also kept her human. She knew well that the reunion she'd prayed for that day and every day since might never come. But as long as there was even a glimmer of hope, she would hold onto it with all the strength she had. She turned her gaze east again, towards her war-torn home, and steeled herself as she always did after these moments of melancholy, becoming the Rakumetsu Toroshu once more. There was no more time today for wistfulness. She had a war to win.

IC (Ageru Tazera) [Bridge of the Chiisai Ryuu] Since the expedition's arrival in Ga-Koro, a great deal of cultural exchange had been going on. The Mata Nuians couldn't have been more eager to greet and explain the ways of their island and peoples to the expedition, and despite the generally more cautious and guarded instincts of the Dasaka, it hadn't taken long for curiosity to win out and for a healthy flow of information to be established between the two societies. One such exchange was of the abilities wielded by members of each species. It was soon established that, for the most part, the mask-wearers among the Mata Nuians shared the same pool of powers known in the Archipelago. Their innate powers, however, were a different story. It wasn't long before demonstrations of these powers drew awestruck crowds of Mata Nuians and Dasaka alike. Masters of each of the psionic disciplines had drawn appreciative gasps from the natives, of course, but at the end of the day there were only four of them, and all stemmed from the power of the living mind. Whereas the native 'Toa' wielded a staggeringly broad and varied array of the elements of nature itself, from simple fire and water to the invisible pushes and pulls that (it had been explained to her) anchored one's feet to the ground and commanded the precious lodestone in her compass to point north. Among those, one had made a particular impression upon Tazera: as a sailor, she knew well the crack of lightning, the jagged white bolts that could split a mast down the middle and strike a woman dead where she stood. That some among these Toa could command that fury of Zuto Nui herself...it was incredible, and not a little disconcerting. So when the now-revealed interloper pointed an accusing finger straight at her, and its tip glowed white and the smell of ozone met her nose, her instincts took over and she threw herself bodily to the ground with a fraction of a heartbeat to spare. The jagged white bolt stabbed past her, faster than thought, and struck one of the bridge's instrument panels in a shower of sparks and broken glass. Knowing a second attack could easily be on its way, the lieutenant scrambled her way into cover behind another bulky panel. Safe for the moment, she brought her breathing under control. Time to take charge of the situation. First: confirm the alarm. :Intruder on the bridge!: she Ideatalked, with enough power to reach the guards outside the sub. Next, confront the interloper. "Toa!" she barked from behind the panel. "You are trespassing in a highly restricted area! Surrender immediately!" OOC: @Razgriz

IC [Glacial caves, northern Ko-Wahi] The metal itself was unremarkable: grey, smooth, and uncorroded despite the ice that surrounded it and the meltwater that trickled along the floor of the glacial cave. Rectangular in shape, the structure was set into one wall of ice. The only light around was now the glow from the group's Lightstones, which didn't penetrate far beyond the curved and pitted surface of the azure ice, but there seemed to be a darkness behind the metal shape, as it would if the structure extended deep into the glacier. At the centre of the metal shape, there was a recessed section taller than a Toa. If any of the Matoran reached out to touch it, they would find it cold — but unlike its surroundings, not quite freezing. They might think it looked somewhat like a door, albeit one with no discernible handle, lock, or hinges. Just one perfectly smooth metal surface, set within another. And if any of them looked carefully at the rock-strewn grey sand beneath their feet, in places clear of the meltwater streams, they might be able to make out a set of footprints leading directly to the structure — but not away from it. OOC: @BULiK @Tarn @~Xemnas~

IC (Ageru Tazera) [Aboard the Chiisai Ryuu] Tazera completed her sweep of the bridge quickly: the room was secure, everything was in its place, all instruments showed (to her basic understanding) their normal values. All was well. With a brisk nod of satisfaction, she turned and strode back towards the door she had entered from — and stopped dead in her tracks. Tazera had passed through that door virtually every day since the expedition to Mata Nui left Sado. Whether the sub was gliding its way through uncharted waters, or docked at this strange port as (effectively) the Dasaka Empire's only embassy on foreign shores, the lieutenant's duties brought her in and out of the bridge on a regular basis. She knew this bridge like the back of her hand; its familiarity was almost tedious. And she knew the door just a few strides ahead of her, opening outwards from the bridge, set within its two-foot recess. Except it wasn't. It was flush with the bulkhead wall. The door looked just as it normally did, but it was — impossibly — in the wrong place. Even as she blinked her eyes, as though it might make some difference (it didn't), it struck her that this was not the first thing that had been in the wrong place today. That humble basket, with its pretty little pot plant, sitting neatly where it had no business to be...just outside this door. Which had now apparently moved two whole feet from where it had any business to be. And only minutes ago, the Rora had been asking her about illusions... Tazera's eyes narrowed. The lieutenant may not have been concerned by the incongruous objects before, but she was no fool. Something was up. :Koso, Inzu,: she Ideatalked to the two guards at the dock, this time making no outward indication that she was doing so. :I have a possible situation on the bridge. Inzu — I want you down here immediately. Koso — remain at your post. If you don't hear from me again in the next three minutes, alert the Commodore.: There; the alarm was raised, if it needed to be. Now to investigate. The lieutenant raised her right hand, as though reaching for some invisible object around which her fingers now curled. From between them, a fierce orange glow came into being: a long, crackling cord of psychophysical energy sprouted forth out of nothingness until it was as long as Tazera's own height and half again. She brought her hand sharply down, sending a ripple pulsating down the Soulwhip's length with a sound like the buzz of a hornet. She then raised it again as she stepped forward — and whipped a searing-hot lash at the door that was not a door. OOC: @Razgriz

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] The Toa extended his own in kind, and gave Aerus' a firm shake. There was a glint in his eye, a wry smile on his face as though sharing a joke with the Matoran. "Partners."

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] The Fa-Toa grinned. "That'd be a start, yeah. Though even they are part of a bigger picture. Point is, we'd be equal stakeholders in this little venture. We each work to maintain it, and we each get to direct its focus on our...specific interests. For me, for now, that means the Peers."

IC (Syrik) [Echelon's Lair] "Children of the Necromancer," Syrik answered dryly. "We are what he made us, and we can't escape that. After all, look where we are right now. He's dead, and we're free, and yet — here we are, scraping around in his ashes." He snorted derisively. "At least, I'm sure that's how he'd see it." Syrik leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk, to gaze intently at Aerus over interlocked fingers. "But he'd be wrong. He underestimated us, and each in our own ways, we beat him. I made my escape, you cracked his codes right under his nose. We are the tool and the weapon that he made us, but we can wield ourselves — we always could." He spread his hands wide. "So — I propose we do just that. Think how useful we could be to each other if we work together, put the skills he gave us to use for our own ends. I can help you rebuild his information network, and you can use it to find a cure for this condition of yours. What do you say?"