Bzprpg - Le-Wahi

[Constructelf]

OOC: Because it takes more time, that's why. But I'm done now.And I thought the huts were straw huts?IC: Ira"Whoa!" He yelled. Trying to stay on top of the hut like he was on a rolling ball, he put his master move on hold in an attempt to break Ackune's mask again. But eventually, he was forced to jump off the collapsing hut and onto one that was still standing. Hopefully this one was made of straw and wood.

[Wade.]

IC: Onyx (Village Centre)Onyx did his best to stop the momentum of the swing carry him, which proved easier for a person with his powers. Zenix's attack landed true, just not where he intended due to leg movement. The clang of metal on metal reverberated throughout both swords and the heavy armour covering Onyx's shin, the impact causing minor damage compared to the likes of what a mace could inflict. Zenix had positioned himself perfectly so without missing a beat, the gatekeeper wasted no time to drive his knee forward on a collision course with his opponent's face.

[otter]

OOC: Not all.IC-Kal:Off to the side, one of the huts. He could tell from the creaking of the wood in it, the thatched roof clacking slightly as a being landed on it-even with a Volitak, the sound of the thatch clacking on itself couldn't be muffled unless you were a Toa of Sonics.With a grin, he picked up some of the rocks that were all that was left of the destroyed hut, launching them at Ira with his prodigious strength.

[Mad Scientist BioBeast]

IC:Ankt

"Alright, go ahead and have your fun." Ankt said, finding a nearby log and sitting down. "I'm gonna watch it from here."

[EmperorWhenua]

Ic: "Stannis, it's time."The Pa-Matoran was quick to wake for a non-military man as if he had drilled for this. He almost instaly was sitting, rather awkwardly, in his hammock. "That came quickly," he said as he blinked the sleep away.Oreius smiled politely and handed him a gourd of water. "Your rest was well?""Yes," Stannis replied before drinking the water. "It's your turn now," he said as he got up and handed the gourd back to the Ta-Matoran. Stannis stretched after he exited and then picked his weapons sling up. He hefted it on one shoulder as he walked to join Reordin by the fire. The smell of coffee grounds perked him up enough; he declined the black liquid when Reordin offered a cup to him. "No, thank you. I prefer not to rely on supplements," he said on the issue. Feeling rested enough, he simply waited for Reordin to finish his minial task and go to the guarding spot.

[sunflower]

IC: AckuneThe Ira found he was unable to control the heat of Ackune's mask, as the old Toa of Fire already was. Keeping part of his mind focused on that, Ackune created multiple fires on the hut. The simple building would burn quickly under Ackune's elemental guidence.

[Franco]

OOC: My bad. =/Also, Aexias is faster than non-Calix'd/Kakama'd people. She has enhanced strength with little to inhibit it. And strength can be used for speed.EDIT: Unsure how the above about her speed applies. I forgot to remove that from my first draft. Just ignore it.IC: Aexias' blades flashed out as her eyes dimmed. She had already attached the arm-swords of her previous foe to herself in preparation. Now her small swords flew into cuts at the oncoming vines.krkl-RIIIIIIIPThe sides of her cloak tore open as icicles sprouted on her sides. Molding her element expertly, a small sword on each side of her abdomen appeared; then arms of clear solid supported them; and at last blades grew from the sides of the arms. She gained the cold replicas of her flesh arms in seconds. Aexias spun her arms about her in a veritable storm of cuts at the plant attack.Vines ground against metal and ice. And the punch of plants fell to the blizzard of blades. She advanced under the resulting shower of diced greenery with swords whirling like a saw might through wood. She easily skittered forth to cut and stab at Dendron. One ice sword shattered as a pulse of kinetic energy hit it, sending jagged pieces of blue through fabric to hit her abdomen--but even this could only scratch her after penetrating the protective cloak and jumpsuit. Aexias only kept slicing and jabbing on all sides with occasional laser arc.Her opponent had already been weakened. Now she just needed to wear down and incapacitate.If Zunod knew anything, it was destruction. So he guessed exactly what to do when he saw the hut collapsing and reacted accordingly. He'd already pulled tricks like this one. Trying to dodge, he had gleaned from that experience, wouldn't help. Taking it he'd survive, but be buried for a little while. His best option was to kill two gukko with one boulder and block it.He stopped firing to concentrate his mind on defense. Vines appeared around his body, encircling it in a filigree of dense plant life. Bits of the collapsing hut were shrugged aside by his living defense. Zunod didn't need to move, simple transmutations and growth in the plant material protecting his body. The dust settled onto an unharmed skakdi.Using his great maul for leverage, Zunod got up. Bits of wood rained off the merc as he stood. Eyes apathetic to the wreckage sliding from his body, he simply reloaded his launcher with metal spheres and grabbed his hammer."Hey," He called to the vortixx. He cut a rather rakish sight. The skakdi's bulk was encrusted in rings of thick vines rustling with his every move. A maul dangled from his left hand, and a zamor launcher was raised in his right. His lips had formed into a cool grin."Heads," Zunod yelled, proceeding to blast his numerous spheres away at her body as he strode forth.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Hero Creation Kit

[otter]

IC-Dendron:Alright, so now Dendron had a whirling saw of ice blades coming for him, something that seemed rather oddly inspired, in the writer's eyes, by Star Wars, but that didn't matter because Dendron wouldn't know that.He brought up his staff, parrying two attacks that whirled at him at once, simultaneously using that area as a pivot to strafe around Aexias, avoiding the laser blasts, and freeing up his staff again, all before bringing it down towards her skull.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Kal Grochi

[Constructelf]

IC: "it might be brittle enough now...." Deven started pushing out, his staff halfway unfolding and starting to chew into the metal.

IC: TerzakTerzak continued to pound the metal. Sure enough, it was beginning to give.IC: Ira"Oh karz," he thought. Leaping off of the burning building, he ducked behind yet another hut, the stones slamming into it. Dashing back out from behind the hut, he surrounded the two toa with a circular sealed wall of fire. Edited October 27, 2012 by Constructman

[otter]

IC-Kal:The problem with fire is that it isn't opaque-it flickers and moves, and one can still see through it. And by now, with all the attacks that Ira was making, and all the attacks sent against him, it would be rather likely that he would be visible again. Even if he wasn't, there was still the fact that the Volitak still left a shadow...and they were only mostly transparent.And the abundance of light from the ring of fire made it very, very easy to see Ira.Hefting another stone, he shaped this one into the shape of a long dart, about the length of a normal arrow that an archer would use.A second later and he sent it flying at Ira.

[Tabby: Toa of Cats]

OOC:I want to note this for Parakuka users-remember that your Parakuka has a ten minute limit. Eventually you have to deactivate. With how long this fight has been going, it could (and probably should) happen soon for many of you.Earlier in the fight...IC: Cy was surprised when the wall exploded beneath him, and instinctively rode the pressure wave up with his Kadin. Even long after it had dissipated, Cy continued to fly higher, vanishing into the dark skies.Turning around and flying above the village, he surveyed what damage he could. Whatever had caused the walls to explode must have done so from within. That meant that someone-one of the workers-must have betrayed them.But the explosion gave Cy an idea-one he considered a risk worth taking. Remembering a Madu tree grove used by the Gukko Force on occasion, not far from Lake Pala, he flew off. Landing in the middle, he emptied both his dust bag , and partially his sling bag. He placed the contents of both in a hollow tree. Then he turned his attention to the fruit around him, and picked eight Madu Cabolo. Not fully grown and easier to fit in his bags, they were also more explosive-a tactical advantage. Slipping the fruit into his pack, he flew over Pala-Koro, circling and looking for targets.OOC:If you would like a Madu grenade targeted at a Makuta follower, say so.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Tabby: Toa of Cats

[sunflower]

OOC: While a hit from one of the bolts would impart a lot more kinetic energy onto the effected object then that, I suppose its my fault for not clarifying. :3IC: KytheraThe grey-armored Vortixx whirrled around as her kinetic bolt did some damage to the first Skakdi, not a lot, but hopefully enough to atleast cause some pain. Now facing the second one, a Skakdi with the heat vision and powers over plantlife, Kythera narrowed her eyes. Her wound had yet to open up, but it was painful whenever she made any sudden movements. But she could ignore that, for now. Thankfully, Dendron's herbs numbed most of it.It would have to do, as the Skakdi launched multiple zamor spheres from his launcher. They were obviously solid, given away by their metallic shine. Crystal generally didn't look like that. Knowing that even solid ones could shatter armor, Kythera lept aside the first with physical abilities beyond those of the Toa fighting behind her. However, after twisting around the next, it was clear to the Xian that she couldn't dodge forever.Her dagger clutched in one of her clawed hands, and her pistol in the other, the Vortixx lept towards the plant-covered Skakdi as another zamor zipped by her. The blade on her wrist armor flipped forward with a flick of the wrist, locking into place just above her pistol-holding hand. Equiped with two melee weapons and a ranged one, Kythera's run turned into a leap to the side of the Ve-Skakdi. With all those plants around him, he would be harder to hit, but slower on his feet. The Vortixx's leap brought her just outside the range of his maul, and she doubted he could bring the zamor launcher around from the other side of his body in time to fire at her.While passing by, Kythera fired off another round from her pistol, aimed right at the Skakdi's head. The kinetic energy transfered from the bolt would probably snap his head around, perhaps even doing some damage to his neck in the process. Regardless, if it hit, he'd be having a killer headache.Her momentum spent, Kythera landed lightly, and continued to circle the Skakdi.IC: AckuneWhile Kal used his powers to attack Ira and keep him distracted, Ackune did what he could to suppress the flames surrounding them. While he couldn't do anything against them directly, Ackune could affect them indirectly. Using his power over heat, the Toa of Fire absorbed what he could in the area, making it more difficult for Ira to keep the flames up, as well as increasing some of the blind Toa of Fire's elemental energy.

[Franco]

OOC: I was thinking of Grievous a little, yes. But this is more 'Dooku in cyborg body' than straight-up 'Grievous in his cyborg body'. Her style's too refined for the latter.I'd argue against that, Tabby. As Visabruv once said:

But that's the deceiving part of fights in the BZPRPG. They are far shorter than they think you are. When it takes a paragraph of text to describe something that takes a second, you're idea of the fight's length is skewed.

Just looking at the IC action, it seems like those with Parakuka are not close to their deactivation limit yet. It seems like most have only fought for a minute or two. Not exactly sure, because I've only skimmed most of this fight; point being that you can't definitively say all of them should deactivate soon.IC: Aexias twisted to the side. Her upper set of arms rose to cross in an 'x' blocking the staff. Her natural strength allowed her to block with such a move in spite of her fighting style's weakness to powerful blows. The makeshift defense held against the ironwood clubbing.But having so hastily and impractically stopped the attack, damage came to her anyway. Red welled up as the right arm-sword bit into the left sleeve of her jumpsuit. Her energy expense to prevent the staff from hitting her skull had come at a cost. Now she was the one forced to take hits in order to avoid larger damages.She gritted her teeth and hissed. Cold air kissed Dendron's back in response. "Surrender."While he pivoted, she had taken advantage of the movement and elongated her ice arms. Their blades stretched around to encircle Dendron and now hovered millimeters from his back. Her eyes glowed slightly to emphasize the threat of his current position with her laser vision. The message was clear: Make any sort of movement or use any power and be cut to pieces.Zunod was properly wary of the pistol. One blast from the thing had been enough to shatter one of his partner's swords. Such force was blunt, but he had long ago learned with his hammer that blunt trauma was trauma regardless. And he couldn't dodge something that fast in his armor.Instead of dodging, the skakdi shifted the location of his vines. They crawled onto his torso to protect his head and fasten it to his thorax across his neck. His armor grew again as well. New vines wrapped across the side of his head for extra protection. Zunod gave up protection elsewhere to don a helm and aventail of plant life. This defense, marshalled against the bolt of energy, did its job. Kinetic energy was wasted on the merc's armor. Its impact on his head was lessened, having been checked in its snap to the side by vines, albeit bruised and sore. A dent had been made in the helm that only ended in his face. Zunod righted himself and chuckled in spite of the headache. Now it was his turn.Turning slightly, he swung his hammer diagonally down at the vortixx. The maul alone didn't have the reach to strike the acrobatic fighter. Forcing power into its wood haft remedied that. Its stone head suddenly shot forward as the wooden grip extended. With the combined force of his strength and its telescopic growth, he hoped to send it flying into his enemy's gut. Edited October 27, 2012 by Hero Creation Kit

[otter]

IC-Dendron:Dendron slowly turned his head, noting the arms and blades of ice that were encircling him, as well as those that held his staff in place. His eyes clouded over for a moment, as he attempted to think of a way he could get out of this-using his Kakama, maybe--Right when one of the zamors that Kythera had dodged slammed into the ice arms encircling him, sending them slamming into his back. The wound he had sustained from a Nui-Rama there, only barely healed, reopened, sending a blast of white-hot pain coursing through his body. His staff shrunk back down to the baton he normally kept it as as his eyes darkened, his fists opening and then clenching again in pain as he fell forwards.The next second he was completely, thoroughly unconscious, his muscles still twitching slightly, the only proof that he hadn't just been paralyzed.

[shadow pridak money gang]

OOC: The following is a jam between EW and I.IC: Reordin/Stannis (Wanderer's Company Base Camp, Le-Wahi)“Suit yourself,” Reordin replied with a shrug, finishing off the cup – he’d never been a fan of black coffee, but the Ko-Koran military was notoriously against any sort of creamer – and standing. Stannis watched him warily, with a neutral expression, but in his grey, guarded eyes a hint of curiosity sparked and fizzled as the lieutenant made his way over to the fence and hopped it easy, examining a small spot on the exterior.He mumbled to himself for a second as he quickly repaired the damaged portion of the perimeter and then stood again, assuming the guard spot. Nothing Stannis’ questioning gaze, the Wanderer’s watch partner shrugged.“My best guess is some kind of Rahi tried to burrow under,” he hypothesized. “Couldn’t get through: Sulov’s had too much training with subterranean Rahi to let something try and dig its way up into the camp. Man knows what he’s doing, that’s for sure.”"I'm glad we have him in our company," Stannis said in a form of agreement. Despite the Onu-Matoran's primal appearance and native equipment, Stannis had grown to like Sulov for his intelligence and resourcefulness, but most of all his attentiveness to the needs for others around him. Stannis was too distracted to voice it to Sulov himself, however, so his opinions remained with himself. His respect would show itself in his actions, not his words, as with all things.He took his place next to Reordin and silently surveyed the nighttime jungle, taking in the sounds and smells of it all.Both Matoran were quiet, then, and the cold chill of silence blanketed the dying nighttime. Reordin surveyed every shadow, every orifice of the jungle around them. There were no bestial cries of Rahi as they awoke, not a chirp of a bird, and not a single one of the slumbering Matoran snored inside the camp itself. Only the steady, assured sound of four lungs, working in perfect synchronization, made noise as Reordin and Stannis inhaled and exhaled.Finally, the Ko-Matoran got to mustering up words he’d been meaning to say to Stannis since they’d first received the Essence Stone back at Ta-Koro; the events in the Wahi of Fire seemed like they had taken place eons ago, now, and the very presence of Takua in all their lives was like bottled smoke, dissipating into the air the second it was released and never to be caught again. “Listen, Stan…I’m sorry about Aurax. I know you two were close.”The prophet bristled at the nickname and then warmed instantly, relaxing as he realized it was not an affront but a sign of vague, if emerging, camaraderie. Stannis thought a moment over that thought and then slowly said, "Aurax was a good man, and this island would be better off if there were ten more like him. Idealistic, willing, faithful... He embodied what we are supposed to be and what we should aspire to be. I may have lost a companion and a friend, but the island lost a stalwart defender of what is right in this world." He thought a moment again before finishing his thought; "Perhaps his purity made him the target he was for the Rahkshi."“Yeah. Maybe.”Reordin was quiet, then, uncomfortably aware that they were entering a more spiritual realm of conversation that the soldier was unfamiliar with. This, perhaps, was what set he and Stannis more apart than anything: they were leaders, yes, and they were both crusaders for a common good, but they both occupied a different half of that coin, never touching, always facing away from each other. But, Reordin realized, coins always had to meet somewhere in the middle. Maybe he wouldn’t be like Stannis, with his steadfast faith in prophecy and spirits and idealism. But he could try and get there, eventually. Maybe, if Stannis could see the world through the blue eyes of the Ko-Matoran at the end of all this, Reordin at least would owe him the courtesy of examining it in shades of grey.“He’s not gone, you know,” he finally continued. “Soldiers, whatever they fight for, never are, as long as what they fight for still keeps going. As long as you remember Aurax, and why he fought, he’s still here, and he’s still a Chosen One. Hearts and minds, you know?”He was now thoroughly uncomfortable with his speech, which was rapidly encroaching the area designated for the philosophical; Reordin cleared his throat and looked away from Stannis, who was staring at him curiously. The Ko-Matoran’s eyes stared forward again, scanning the darkness."Anyone can leave a legacy," Stannis said finally. "And it is right that those who never sought to leave one leave the largest one. Aurax only did what he believed was right without the thought of being remembered, and now we all should remember him. It's fitting that the most humble among us is the most memorable."Reordin did not speak more on it; flustered with his attempt at philosophy with a philosopher, the discussion was left where it was. Stannis once again seemed to be the one to break the silence after another long while of observation. He said, "What were you doing in Ga-Koro when Aurax found you? I thought Sanctum Guards were supposed to stay put in their mountain fortress. Or were you a guard no longer?"It was times like this that Reordin really, really wished Takua hadn’t stopped him from smoking; instead, the Ko-Matoran interlaced his fingers with the top of the fence, leaning back and watching the first ray of dawn punch its way through the sky, its fist acting as a beacon of warm and light against the visage of the early morning, still jet black and marred with stars that looked like freckles across the expressionless face of the Le-Wahi sky.“At the battle of the Rama Hive,” he replied tightly, after several minutes of silence as possible responses percolated in his head, “I took charge of an entire platoon. Twenty-four men, as bright and bold as you could ever hope to find on Mata Nui. We were heading up the Demolitions squad, so we were there at the forefront, fighting through all the Rama. When the smoke cleared, the Turaga were mutated, host to some kind of freak of nature parasite, there was a huge obelisk where the Hive stood, and every Ko-Matoran besides me on that battlefield lay dead on the way to the Hive. Like bread crumbs.”Stannis said nothing, merely watched with a small flicker of sympathy as a tidal wave of pain washed across Reordin’s otherwise stoic face; his fists now clenched at the top of the fence, where minutes before they were leaning casually.“I was placed on administrative leave pending investigation of what happened at the battle, and Sulov was exiled from Onu-Koro for irreparable breach of the chain of command. After Ko-Koro got attacked, I went to Ga-Koro to seek assistance, and Aurax picked me up at the docks.”"Do you think a wrong was made?" Stannis asked. It was an exploratory question that could have several meanings. It was the Wanderer's way of asking a myriad of questions in a single sentence: Do you think what you did was wrong? Do you think the treatment you received was wrong? Was there something wrong with how Sulov was treated? Was there a wrong move in the battle? Was there a wrong made in the battle itself? The answer held a key to how Reordin saw the world, how he perceived morality and justice, and it sought to find out what Reordin stood for. Stannis waited.“When I joined the Guard, I made a promise to every Matoran and Toa in the room that I would lay down anything, even my life, to withhold the rights of a group of people. I was charged, as they were, to protect the island at large before myself. That’s what I did, and that’s what Sulov did. If you asked him, he’d give the same answer.”Reordin’s reply was succinct, and though no clear reply to Stannis’ question presented itself at first, the Wanderer quickly found all he needed to know embedded inside the soldier’s answer."You swore an oath and did what you believed was right, with those with you," Stannis said to himself as if translating what the soldier said. "A man of his word, a man of dignity and steadfast yearning to protect those he serves. But how, then, did you and Sulov, great men by any means, become the suspects? Who failed?" Stannis understood he was crossing into the vastness of a mind he hadn't entered before, and he hoped he would not regret his curiosity.“No one failed, Stannis. Looking for someone who did is like trying to catch a ghost’s hand in your fingertips and pull him back into the realm of the living. I did my job, out there in the battle, and just as I did mine, the higher-ups had to save face with their bosses and find scapegoats. So I guess you could say they did theirs, too.”Reordin’s mouth instinctively went to flick upwards into the flippant smirk Stannis had come to accept as permanent in their time together, but then it settled again into a neutral line.“Harboring blame towards them for it eats at the soul, and soldiers already have enough doing a good job of that without holding a grudge at your bosses. I take comfort in the truth of what Sulov and I did: we held our word, no matter how many years ago we swore it and no matter the circumstance. Though the truth can get buried underneath mounds of red tape and paperwork, we know what we did was right, and believe it or not, the truth really can set you free. In ways you can’t imagine until it happens to you.”His survey of Reordin complete, Stannis looked away. But the conversation involved thoughts which refused to simmer away. "I never was a soldier how you define it," he said softly, "but I can understand the power of truth. I lost something as valuable, too, at nobody's fault," he said, letting Reordin's intuition take over and realize what he meant: Aurax. But it did little to pry apart the secrets of Stannis' own life. So far the discussion had been about other things, other people: Aurax, Reordin, philosophy; little had to do with Stannis as a person. Still, Stannis' own mind did not turn inward to himself but rather to everything around him, the impact everyone had and what they all were, deep inside. His mind floated, though his eyes remained steadfast at the waking jungle, vigilant like an owl. Stannis showed his own signs of warriordom in his own smaller ways.“You know,” Reordin noted quietly, “for someone who appears to be every bit the opposite of a soldier, you would have fit a lot more neatly into the niche required to be a Guard than most I know. I guess, in a way…that’s what we’re doing now, right? Except we’re guarding truth, justice, and the Mata Nuian way instead of post offices and helping out civilization as a whole instead of Turaga who can’t make their way through the market.”Hidden beneath the deadpan witticism was a small note of compliment, discordant with the rest of the otherwise-cheeky query, and as Stannis let the question stew in his head, he realized it was actually more of a serious question than Reordin had intended to let on. The two were quiet again, for a long while, merely watching the sunrise overtake the stars.“Aurax mentioned you were from a place called the Massif, back in Ta-Wahi. What’s it like, exactly?”Stannis nodded. "It's a village at the foot of The Massif, but it's not in Ta-Wahi. It's on the eastern border between Le- and Ko-Wahi, a place where trees are shrubs and the grass is always green, perpetually nourished by breezes from the stormy sea and mist as the cold and steamy atmospheres collide. It's peaceful for the most part, but when the shadow came we had to protect ourselves. It's a small village, just a handful of clustered stone huts, with a round keep at a wall where our leader dwells. It seems gray and bleak to some, but the serenity gives us a life few can imagine. We survive, but recently rats infested our grains and rahi threatened our walls. When Lord Antrim, our Toa-Protector, went to gather supplies to mend our lacks, I fled, finding a higher calling. I was the first in a long time to leave the village. Most who come find the Massif itself more impressive than anything. It stretches in a cliff hundreds of feet above us, with a small monastery on the grassy summit as it rolls down the back like an expansive lawn. The soil is fertile up there, and the Massif is as much our namesake as it is our place of worship, our place of sustenance, our redoubt of solitude." He stopped, realizing he had entered a state of blissful clairvoyance, as if he were there experiencing life again. He halted before he became too absorbed in his thoughts.Reordin’s eyes lightened momentarily as he listened to Stannis speak, a visualization of the Pa-Matoran’s home rolling through the private cinema of the soldier’s head. It looked and sounded every bit as beautiful as the Wanderer made it out to be, and as that thought crossed Reordin’s psyche, he realized just how much personal and emotional strength it must have taken Stannis to go this far, for this long, without having anything truly solid to go on besides prophecy. For the fact-based Ko-Matoran, it was astounding. For Stannis, it was natural.“It’s okay to miss it, you know.”"I know," Stannis said somberly. "But what I learned there on the top of that stone monolith and what I was taught by Lord Antrim has brought me to where I am now. The life I experienced there is the reason I am here, and when I miss it it only makes me want to do more to make the whole world like my true home. It gives me vigor."The dawn, by now, had fully taken hold, and the morning wind began to send the smell of black coffee, still warming over the fire, wafting throughout the base camp. Sulov was already awake: Reordin could hear him clanking around in his hut, armoring up, and the others would soon follow. Still, no shadows of Rahi or attackers punctuated the jungle around them. The perimeter was at peace, and, oddly, so was Reordin."Dawn's here," the Ko-Matoran finally said. "We should get breakfast going and then move out. I don't want to run the risk of wandering around the Kumu Islets in the dead of night. Too many variables."-Tyler

[NorikSigma]

OOC: Actually, it was Kiron that could shrink, so it was supposed to be him that was in the cage, so that was why I was slightly confused at first. Sulkua was the one who could control Rahi.IC: Kiron amd Sulkua"Who said we needed our Elemental Powers?" Kiron replied and shrunk by activating his Pehkui, shrinking before the spike impaled him.Likewise, Sulkua activated his power of Rahi Control and the Kane-Ra turned and charged in the direction of Aurum's sound. Sulkua flipped backwards, dodging the spikes.

[Constructelf]

IC-Kal:The problem with fire is that it isn't opaque-it flickers and moves, and one can still see through it. And by now, with all the attacks that Ira was making, and all the attacks sent against him, it would be rather likely that he would be visible again. Even if he wasn't, there was still the fact that the Volitak still left a shadow...and they were only mostly transparent.And the abundance of light from the ring of fire made it very, very easy to see Ira.Hefting another stone, he shaped this one into the shape of a long dart, about the length of a normal arrow that an archer would use.A second later and he sent it flying at Ira.

IC: IraIra narrowly dodged the stone dart. Hiding behind a hut, he absorbed his flames and the heat around the two toa. Feeling his energy recharge, he decided to sneak off. A blast of fire hit Ackune in the head that appeared to be coming from behind them; hopefully this would distract them. He walked between the huts, Volitak on, making sure that there was something between him and the blind toa of fire at all times.

[sunflower]

OOC: Dendron is down.<insert curse here>:3IC: KytheraThe Vortixx let out a momentary cry of alarm as the Skakdi of Plantlife used his power on his own weapon, the head of the maul shooting out towards her stomach. There wasn't time to dodge, so Kythera did her best to lessen the impact by letting the force carry her away from the Skakdi, instead of trying to fight it. Still, the sheer force from the blow dented her grey armor and had her gasping for breath. Nothing seemed to be broken... Well, nothing that she could tell now.Kythera's mind raced. Never before had she seen a Skakdi with that level of elemental control, it was easily on par or above that of a Toa, quite high for a being who only got the power granted to them sparringly. There wasn't much she could do to counter it, as she had to wait a bit before her pistol would fire again, and her second one was still forsen solid. But then again... His plant armor wasn't perfect, Kythera's keen eyes could already see gaps where the plants didn't cover him quite as much. If she could get in close, then her dagger and wrist blade could be put to good use...That thought in mind, Kythera lunged forward again, this time prepared for any elemental attacks the Skakdi might make against her. Once she got close enough, her dagger would do the rest.IC: AckuneWith his Arthron, Ackune "saw" a blob of something, probably fire, come shooting at him from behind. Without turning, Ackune merely leaned to the side, the fireball flying harmlessly past him. It had come from behind, probably created by Ira, but Ackune hadn't seen the younger Toa of Fire sneak back there. Even more, Ira seemed to be keeping behind something at all times, amking harder for Ackune to track him. "Kal," the old Ta-Toa said, "You wouldn't be able to flatten everything in the immediate area, would you? Might make it a bit easier for me to see."Ackune reasoning was simple, if there was nothing to hide behind, the he would be able to spot Ira quickly.

[otter]

IC-Kal:"I don't know that I'm strong enough in my element to do that," Kal replied. "And I'd rather keep collateral damage to a minimum."

[sunflower]

IC: Ackune"Fair enough," the blind Ta-Toa said, shrugging. "Suppose we could just do it the old fashion way."With that, Ackune started off towards where he last "saw" Ira, his Kanohi constantly scanning the area. If he saw anything move that wasn't suppose to, Ackune would start after it.

[Franco]

OOC: Only Wanderer's Company right now. I'll post for Aexias and Zunod later; Gravs, sit tight.IC: "Su-lov! C'mon, sleepyhead, get up!"...It's my nephew, Jumol. What?"Unka Sulov! Remember we're going to Unka Kol's today, so you gotta get up right now."We are?...Maybe I did oversleep. But I'm tired..."Sulov Sleepyhead! Wakey wakey on th' count 'o' tree, or I'll pour out a pitcher on you. Okay? One...Two."My eyes open.It's Jumol, all right. He's standing there with that little buck-tooth grin on his Pakari. Bony. Young. Cheerful. Just how I remember him. True to his word, there's a pitcher of water in his hand. Behind him's the wall of my hut. Cracked. Dirty. Just how I remember it. And my bed is same old pallet.I'm home. I'm home.Here I am, guys.Here I am."Unka Sulov!" He laughs. "I knew you'd get up. Can we go to Unka Kol's now?"Yeah. Yeah. Let's do that. I've missed you guys so much. Let's go see Kol, right now. Mata Nui, I've missed you guys so much.I reach out for a hug. He moves in, pitcher forgotten in his hands.I'm so happy I almost don't notice my hand around his neck."Unka," He chokes out between gasps, eyes suddenly wide in his Pakari, "Su-Lov..."No.The pitcher drops.Dung, no.It cracks.NO.Jumol's head flops sideways. It's not smiling anymore.I get up. I throw him aside. He bounces like a doll.I open the door. There's the other huts. Same old."Jumol? Hey, Sulov, where's Jumol?"Please. Keep away. Don't-I reach into my coat. Pull out the knife. It's ugly.DON'T-"Sulov?," One of the old women says, a little concerned. "Are you okay?"I turn. Start stabbing.DON'T STAY HERE, **** IT-They all scream. Run. It doesn't matter. The Koskium family's dead.I wipe the knife and sheath it. Keep walking. Pass by silent buildings. Walk down empty streets.Then I stop. In front of me is the big one. Ussalry HQ.I walk in. Turn. Open the stables and go in.It's 7th. Just like last time. Minus one, but I have a feeling he's out there."Regiment Commander," Tarnok says. His face is stoic, dedicated as ever to his duty. "Your orders?"I whip out the saperka.Holy."Regiment Commander-!"Tarnok staggers. Rolls his eyes back as red drips in them. Falls.****."Sulov-stop! Tarnok friend!"Swing one. Uyism's arms fall. Swing two. Her legs are out. Swing three. No head.NO.I turn to Gavarm. He's crying. Like Gavarm I remember. Softie. And he's holding his swords. He's better than me fighting.Yes.Maybe he'll stop me. Maybe he'll-I grab Uyism. Throw her at him. He's so stunned he doesn't see the saperka thrown after, hitting his neck.No.I turn. Walk again. I dunno where. Looks kinda like a Ga-Koro hut.Wait.Ga-Koro?"Sulov?"No no no-I look at Daylah. Young. Concerned. Cheery. Same old smile."Sulov, are you okay? You sent a tablet saying you wanted to see me."No no no no no no no no no no-My hands are on the rahkstaff. It's in her stomach. She makes a little sound, kinda like a squeal cut off. "Su-!"She shuts up. Her head falls.I turn. Walk away.One last place. It's there. Right there. As always. Like it was there for me. Or like the person inside it was.I-I walk in. Kol Uskey's there with a saperka ready to throw. He's crying, too.I-"****, Sulov, why? WHY?"I don't say anything. I don't move. I can't. "I went to see the kids." He steadies his voice and rights his stance. "Most of the bodies had knife wounds. But there was one." Jumol. "Jumol," He says, almost sobbing, "Throttled."I can't.He sniffs. Continues. "Then the others in 7th. In the stables. With the saperka-"I-"Why? Why did you do it, Sulov? Why did you kill them?," He asks, plain, kinda like a kid. "Why?"And I hear someone saying something. It's blank. Monotone. It's me."Because it made sense."Kol freezes. Then his face melts and turns half-sad, half-mad."Does killing your family, your friends, make sense? Does abandoning your home make sense?! Does hurting good people make se-"BANGI look at Kol. There's a hole in his mask.I look down at my hand.There's the pistol in it. I look back at Kol.He's on the ground.I-I wake up.My eyes open.

[EmperorWhenua]

Ooc: Map: http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=114&st=15800#entry417468Ic: Stannis agreed. The two men returned to camp and promptly started work on the morning meal. Around them the other companions stirred awake, and Stannis could hear them pack their things up in their little shelters. Not until they could hear the bubbling of cooking did they emerge fully into the faint rays of morning light that filtered through the trees above. The smell of poached eggs and a light vegetable soup filled the camp with delight and the others eagerly joined the two men at the kitchen campfire. Morning chatter spilled out and covered topics of dreams from the night before to lauding the two chefs for their work. The vivacious conversation of the matoran was mirrored by the sound of jungle life as the rahi in the foliage came to life as well, rising in a cacophonic symphony of nature which Stannis enjoyed. The songs of the jungle had always been a distant whisper from the Massif, but here he could relish them with joy in their fullness."Everyone," he said finally, quieting the chit chat to silence as he began to take charge of the morning table to discuss the next courses of action, "we are whole once more. The six of us are now the team, and we must pick up where we left off. Reordin has, in his posession, a map made by the late Takua, and it is with this map that we should carry on." The Ko-Matoran displayed the scroll on the mossy ground. "We are going here," Stannis said, pointing to a specific spot in the Kumu Islets, though he did not say anything further to disclose the details. "We should leave as soon as we are ready.""How will we get there?" someone asked, realizing there was all of a body of water dividing them with their destination.Stannis smiled a little as he gave his seemingly cliche reply: "We wander." Rising and pouring hot water into his cup to clear it, he returned to his lodging to pack up his hammock.

Edited October 28, 2012 by EmperorWhenua

[Constructelf]

IC IraIra could hear footsteps; it sounded like that somebody was headedhis way. Volitak still on, he started to sneak off.

[sunflower]

OOC: Only Wanderer's Company right now. I'll post for Aexias and Zunod later; Gravs, sit tight.

OOC: Sitting tight.*grabs seat*IC: AckuneWait, there. The "image" was slightly blurred from the smoke, distorting his sonar, but there was clearly a being there. After closer study, Ackune realised it was Ira. The young Toa of Fire's armor having a destictive shape. Not wasting anymore time, Ackune launched a firball across his path, and pointed towards Ira for Kal to see.

[Constructelf]

IC IraA fireball was sent his way. This meant trobule. He couln't possibly face them head on. Then he had a plan. The gap between the buildings was sudenly filled with fire. A literal wall of fire blocked the path. If they were going to get to him now, they were going to have to walk through the flames.Literally.

[otter]

IC-Kal:And see he did. The shadow flaring, the body visible. Another stone dart, another quick throw-possibly somewhat off, because a Volitak always made it look like the person who was using it had their picture taken on the squiff, but it still had a good chance of hitting.And then a wall of fire.How interesting. Especially when one could--A quick wall of stone on the ground quickly removed the fire from its fuel source, putting it out, showing a smiling Kal as he ran up behind the stone dart/arrow he threw.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Kal Grochi

[sunflower]

IC: AckuneThe old Toa of Fire followed Kal after the Toa of Stone had put out the flames, the blind Toa's warhammer swinging around in his hand. They had found him, and Ira's Volitak was useless against Ackune's Arthon. It was only a matter of time, now.

[- JL -]

IC: Deven's head was sticking out, so he saw Terzak approach. "LITTLE HELP HERE? BEFORE AURUM FINISHES ME?"

You don't know his name.IC: AurumAurum had noticed Terzak and his idiotic attempts to shatter the metal. But he let them try. After all, the higher you get, the harder you fall. Cracks had been appearing in the metal, but Aurum didn't mind that. Or care about it, for that matter. Deven was soon to be out of the fight, and Terzak couldn't help. At all.Spikes from all different direction were created from the metal, going inwards, towards Deven.

[Eyru]

IC (Oreius)It took little time for the company of four Guards and two travelers to pack up their camp. Oreius, Sulov, Leah and Reordin had all had experience on patrols and life outside of their comfortable Koros, and as a result had learned how to make and break camp quickly and efficiently. Stannis and Lepidran had spent the better part of the last months traveling the island, and thus were also accustomed to building and tearing down temporary dwellings.All this meant that, about fifteen minutes later, the camp was completely dismantled, and any signs of the Company's presence in the jungle had been destroyed.Oreius shouldered his pack, feeling the familiar weight of the Essence Stone pulling the pack more to the left than the right. He had grown so accustomed to its presence that he had no doubt he would notice it was missing if, somehow, it were to go missing. Nevertheless, he kept one hand over the Stone, only the fabric of his pack separating them. In his other hand he carried his Guard staff. His twin swords were sheathed across his back, one accessible over his right shoulder, the other his left.He was ready to move out. Around him, the other Chosen assembled, the few possessions they had strapped to their backs. All Six had selectively chosen the things they needed to take along; when traveling, one had to compromise between supply and weight, and all Six were experienced in this matter. They had everything they needed, but could travel for long periods without rest, if necessary.The Ta-Matoran took a deep breath. It began here; their true Quest was starting now. Takua could no longer help them; Aurax was dead; Mata Nui had pulled them together from all over the island, and now it was up to them. They could no longer count on the Chronicler or any heroes. Everything past was prologue; they were the heroes now.Leah and Lepidran, at Stannis's quiet word, took the lead: their knowledge of Le-Wahi would guide them to their destination with more efficiency than the others. Oreius moved to the right of the Le-Matoran, a few steps behind. Reordin took the left, and Sulov brought up the rear. Stannis walked in the middle once again, the Wanderer surrounded by those who had chosen to wander with him, and protect him.The Chosen Six moved out, and within seconds had vanished into the underbrush, heading south. Behind them, the small clearing lay as wild and untamed as when they had first entered. Nothing remained that would tell anyone they had ever been there.

[Franco]

OOC: Part 2 of that post incoming. Sorry, Gravs, but I'm afraid a little more char exploration awaits. Next IC, I promise.IC: Cool. Dark. Leaf walls. On something shaky.The wigwam. Le-Wahi.I get out of the hammock. One hand on my heart. I'm sweating. Pulse is 200 beats a minute.****.Dream. Nightmare. As usual. Means something, I know.Answer's easy. I killed them.I killed them all, didn't I?I didn't follow Kol for Le-Koro. He died because no one stayed on his trail. I didn't stay with Daylah for my family. She died because no one could help her. I separated myself from my family to destroy the Hive. They died because no one fed them. I didn't command my friends to stop enemies. They're left to die without me.But.It was right.Other people could've died. I saved them.I did the right thing.Always.I gotta calm. I put on my stuff. Take out the pistol. Practice taking it apart. Putting it back together. Holding cartridges in my teeth. Reloading. Aiming. Drawing. Training. My heart rate settles as I prepare my weapon.Then I go out. Breakfast's being made. I get the ingredients. Put them by Stannis and Reordin. They look at each other different now. They should do it together.Eat. Clean up. Pack it all away. Take apart the camp. No time to think. We move fast.I head to the back. Set up my watch. No time to think about anything else. I just tune myself in to the jungle and start moving right behind everyone else.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Hero Creation Kit

[Eyru]

IC (Avya)"It takes more strength to spare a life than take one," I replied, not exactly knowing where the words came from; they just popped out, as though I'd rehearsed them long ago."But yes, that's him. The guy who destroyed the hospital. He's here, in Pala-Koro, and from the looks of it he's trying to do a second showing of the show he put on in Ta-Koro."I picked up my sword and wiped the blade clean on the grass. The cold metal glistened with rain."I say it's time we made a curtain call."

[otter]

IC-Iulius:"Hmm. I hear fighting nearby," Iulius noted, breaking the silence. If Tarnok concentrated, he could likely hear it too. "We'll have to check that out some time soon."IC-Hasil:"Lead us to him," Hasil replied, his voice fierce. "I want to take my medical bill from him."

Edited October 28, 2012 by Kal Grochi

[Krayzikk]

IC: TarnokAfter almost an hour of walking, Tarnok let out a sigh. "Where are we going?" The Onu-Matoran said, his voice shattering the relative silence of the forest. The Onu-Matoran's eyes flicked to the De-Toa's back. His superior was traveling a few feet ahead of him, just enough to prevent either of them from seeing the other's expression.There was no practical reason for it, merely habit. Tarnok was used to allowing his superiors to travel ahead of the group, as befitting their position, and as deference to their rank."Hmm. I hear fighting nearby. We'll need to check that out some time soon."Tarnok nodded, noticing the faint din of battle. "Yes sir."

[otter]

IC-Iulius:"You've been in this area before, haven't you? Just before Sulov and Mussiki, were, ah...Discharged."

[Light]

OOC: yeah, sorry. Got confuzzled and forgot I didn't know it. By the way, aurum should be almost out of EE by now. He's fought a lot of people and hasn't recharged at all.IC: Deven screamed, the pain becoming unbearable. "Break his concentration." He gasped again, managing to get out two more words. "Tree... Hugger." His expression changed, his eyes losing all trace of sanity, his mouth twisting into a wicked grin.

[Krayzikk]

IC: TarnokTarnok's face hardened almost imperceptibly, though Iulius wouldn't see it unless he looked over his shoulder. "Yes, sir. Seventh Squadron, minus Rubigio and Kol, assisted the Island Liberation Squad in destroying the Nui Rama Hive.""The fighting seems to be coming from Pala-Koro itself."

[25K Now!]

IC: [uyism]Uyism was still silently following them.

[otter]

IC-Iulius:"Yes, it does...Well, we'll certainly have to look at that soon," he said again. "But first, Ko-Koro. We are going to aid in the rebuilding effort there, to help get it well-organized, in the absence of Turaga Nuju."

[Krayzikk]

IC: Tarnok"With all due respect sir," Tarnok said, still listening to the sounds of battle. "I fail to see why I am required, or even preferred, for this mission. My skills do not lie in construction outside of certain battlefield fortifications.""And it does not sit well with me to pass by a battle when there may be allies in danger."

[otter]

IC-Iulius:"You're important for a different thing entirely, my friend," Iulius said, smiling slightly as he walked on. The simple fact that Tarnok was speaking to him about this was all the evidence he needed to decide he could do what he wished. "Something entirely different."