Six Kingdoms: Rebirth - Gameplay

[BULiK]

IC: Taku Crew, The Taku

"Okay..." Berys said. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but hey, any help was any help. "Any questions? Want tour?"

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Ruins of Stone

"East of the volcano? That's on the other side of the island. We can't afford weakening this village's defenses any further. That temple will have to wait." 

@Toru Nui@pokemonlover360@Tarn@Snelly@Harvali

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

Parnassus nodded grimly, before stepping back and letting the night engulf them.

The young Aspect reemerged within the stone halls of Fort Nektann. They moved with the blessing of Barius, and so were unaccosted by warskak and wanderer alike. Silently, their mind whirled, considering what to do, where to go, who to choose. Any of these warskaks would do, a fine enough sacrifice to their cousin. But for most of them, there would be no passion to their death, no heartfelt emotion. No rage, no grief, no lust, no love.

All except for one.

And so Parnassus stalked the halls, hunting for Corrivalis.

OOC: @EmperorWhenua @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Nato G]

IC: Corrivalis - Fort Nektann

With the feasting and merriment steadily winding down, Corrivalis had returned to his hut, weighed down by uncertainty and disappointment. 

Drunken jubilation and raucous laughter surrounded him, but he saw no cause to share in the celebration. The war party he'd rode with had retreated from the village in the middle of the raid, lost more of their number to Shagrak, then had their leader killed as well, with his wounded replacement seeming more interested in partying than purpose given that this was now the second night of celebration that Barius had hosted since killing Nektann.

Corrivalis wasn't one to question his orders, his place in the world, or anything else for that matter. But doubt was all he had now, and he hated it. He hated how involved he'd become, hated how close he now circled to the complicated decisions, enigmatic powers, and ancient evils that plagued those in power. Gone was the simple life of killing and conquest he'd once enjoyed. 

He took another swig from the wineskin he'd brought back from the feast as he approached his hut. He knew he'd already had too much to drink, but he didn't care. The warm buzz helped drown out the pesky emotions and concerns that plagued him. He opened the door, stepped through, then kicked it shut behind him and stumbled through the dim, cluttered interior to slump into his hammock. 

Tomorrow, he hoped, would be a better day.

He knew a good raid would be sure to improve his mood. 

@Conway

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Ruins of Stone

Was he always like that...?

"More exploring," Jutori said. "We do have the wheels to get us there and back quickly, though. Surely the villagers would be fine, there's other forms of protection besides us Toa."

@Harvali@Onaku@Toru Nui@pokemonlover360

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum, Waiting Room B 

"Right, I- Uh..." 

True to its word, the Nullifier took Iradra's lack of movement as deliberate obstructionism. Ignoring Ostrox's thrown magazine, it swept the Toa out of its way with one staff, sending her crashing into the far wall in a cloud of dust and broken drywall. Then it advanced towards the washrooms just as Zaliyah stepped out.

“Our escort is just doing its job,” The Hordika said, smiling at the automaton. “You can tell the Barraki we’re ready to see him now.”

The Vahki disregarded her feigned innocence as it summoned a disk to its jaws. Direct orders from Barraki Aurax had already been downloaded to its clockwork brain: kill Zaliyah and her two companions, as well as any who attempt to kill me. The time for negotiation was over—now it was time to kill. If the robot were any less, well, robotic, it would have smiled at the prospect. Its weapons already crackling with energy, it fired a blast from its Staff of Command at Zaliyah. Should it hit, her mind would be filled with a single overriding command: kill the biomechanicals.

Outside the room, the Vahki from the reception desk was scuttling down the hall to join the fight, its blue Hau swinging from side to side. Other Vahki had already commissioned the elevators. They would arrive in minutes.

 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler @Toru Nui @Onaku

 

[Onaku]

IC: Iradra - The Coliseum

Quick back on her feet after impacting the drywall, Iradra saw the Nullifier charging a disk and realised the time for negotiation was well and truly over, now that the Vahki had targeted her. Lifting her hand, she willed into being a wall of solidified light between Zaliyah and the Vahki, in the nick of time to prevent the blast from its staff reaching her. Next Iradra drew her greatsword, and began to approach the mechanical enforcer, her bronze mask backlit by the faint white glow of her Mahiki as she separated into three different Iradras who each advanced on the Vahki from different angles.

@Eyru@Nato the Traveler@Toru Nui

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

The door opened, and firelight fell upon Corrivalis once more.

"Cor," Parnassus said, a mere silhouette in the entrance. "Wake up. I have something to show you."

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Eyru]

IC: Tuakana, Axxon | Irnakk's Tooth

Though the mountain rock was black, the hand that appeared at the lip of the ledge was blacker. Grabbing hold of a rocky outcropping, the shadowy hand hauled its creator up onto the ledge. They were breathing hard, unused to the effort of physical exertion. Their armour had never required breath, food, water, or rest. They had passed under the shadow of the Tooth a hundred hundred times and never found it hard. But this body's lungs strained against the smoky air. It vented steam and dripped sweat. It fatigued. It reminded them of their enemy: entropy. The consumer of life. The companion of death. It made their will the stronger to overcome their eternal foe.

They struggled to their feet and, gasping, beheld their goal: the doorway to Irnakk's domain. It was less a doorway than a hole in the mountain's face. Roughly carved, but worn smooth by cursed time. Thin smoke drifted from the tunnel's mouth. The air inside was surely foul. Two tall and spindly cairns of Skakdi skulls balanced atop one another flanked the entrance. Their white teeth grinned in warning. The shadows within were impenetrable, even to the Aspect's practiced eye. This was darkness of a different kind.

They receded, weary for the first time, and Axxon emerged. He blinked his own eyes and drew his own breath, no longer a passenger in his own body. He knew this place, though the landscape had changed over the eons. He had stood guard here as the Forgemaster toiled within. He had kept the demons at bay, protecting their salvation. And it was here, on this cursed doorstep, that he had lost that salvation to the thief, Atamai. Now, with the Aspect's help, he would remedy that failure. Taking a deep breath, Axxon plunged ahead into the darkness. The shadows seemed to cling to his armour as he descended, and he quickly vanished from sight.

Outside the doorway, the Skakdi skulls continued to grin. Their empty eyes had watched many pilgrims enter the mountain. And no matter how few or many sought the fires of the Tooth, they were always short one being when they came out again. The mountain did not forgive. It did not play games. Its hunger would not be denied.

[Nato G]

IC: Zaliyah - Coliseum Waiting Room

Oh karz.

Iradra crashed through a wall. A Kanoka materialised in the Vahki's jaws. Its staffs were charging up.

Evidently Aurax had no interest in fighting for the throne himself. 

Zaliyah ducked back into the washroom as the Vahki fired, not seeing the hardlight wall Iradra had summoned until she leaned back out of cover to try to return fire. She charged a rhotuka and sent it careening down the corridor, curving over Iradra's hardlight wall and diving towards the Vahki's head. Close-range detonations from her spinners had been enough to damage the clockwork brains of regular Vahki in the past, but she didn't know for certain whether Nullifiers were as susceptible to that kind of damage. 

She didn't want to destroy the machine. The Vahki, particularly the Nullifiers and Mothers, were creeping ever closer to sapience. Some day, they would overcome their programming and becoming equal beings, she was sure. But today was not that day, and she didn't have time to try to talk it down. 

@Eyru

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IC: Corrivalis - Fort Nektann

"Parnassus?" He squinted, awkwardly tumbling out of the hammock. "What's this about?" 

Wineskin and weapon still sitting beside the hammock, he approached the Aspect. 

@Conway

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kathrine of the Flame - Ruins Exterior:

The caught blow hit hard, and it rattled the teeth in her head, and again there was that creeping cold to his hands. More shadow!

With the fine muscle control granted her by her years of training, she straightened her back, and planted her other foot firmly in Ulkarr's face in a stomping sort of kick that was amplified in power with a burp of Flame from her knee.

@Toru Nui

[Sparticus147]

IC: Sala (Metru-Nui, Archives)

“Uh..Uhm..Uhg...Dume?!”

“Mmmm...Yes, it is indeed I, Turaga Dume of...Well, technically speaking, former Turaga Dume of Metru-Nui. No thanks to that greasy eel, Ehlek. I am going to presume that you haven’t come here upon his behalf nor under the sway of the Vahki. Am I wrong?”

“Uh..No, no, no in fact, I just escaped from two of the Vahki not too long ago.”

“Ah, well that is good to hear. Yes, it is a shame that this city has fallen into that cretin’s hands. I would curse those machines and their creator if it wasn’t for the fact that their creator built them to be defenders and keepers of this city. May Mata-Nui guide you, Nuparu.”

As Dume spoke, something the Turaga said got snagged in the stream of thought that ran through Sala’s head, and as it was soon joined by the recent memory of the encounter with the Vahki, a line of questions sprung out and Sala vocalized his first question to the Turaga. “Wait a minute. Earlier when the Vahki went to apprehend me, they said ‘by order of Barraki Ehlek’. And what you just, about Ehlek...What about the other Barraki? Aren’t they here in Metru-Nui? Like Pridak?”

As Sala asked his question, Dume couldn’t help but blankly stare for a moment, a deeply quizzical look plastered on the elder’s face, as Dume couldn’t believe that a citizen of Metru-Nui didn’t already know the answer to that question. “The other Barraki were...Killed, thankfully… By order of Ehlek when he claimed control of the Vahki and of the city.”

“Wait! The Barraki are dead? Then, what of the Matoran, the Toa, the League’s armies?!”

“Ehlek’s kindness in ridding the world of Pridak and the rest of his warlords didn’t extend over to the citizens of the city, as any remaining Toa were quickly captured and imprisoned and the Matoran were put under a strict watch and a rigorous regime by the now self-appointed overseer. And as for the League’s armies, they were promptly removed from the city, their fates unknown to me.”

Sala took the information as his mind tried to process it, “The Toa, all of the Toa, captured and imprisoned? But how could all of the Toa have fallen like this. And what is happening to the Matoran, those Vahki mentioned something about production and hours, but what does that mean exactly. And that doesn’t explain why everything is so worn unless…Unless.”

“D..Dume...How long has it been since the war ended?”

Dume stroked the chin of his mask, as he pondered, deep in thought trying to correlate the days and nights that have passed since then. “If...I am not mistaken...I would saaay...Over thirty hundred years.”

“Th..Th..Three...Thousand years! I..I..I’m in the future! But...The sky! It was still intact, as well as the two suns. That must only mean that the crash hasn’t happened, that we weren’t on the other Zakaz. Is that a...Good thing?” Sala wasn’t fully sure what to think of this place. Here, the Matoran still lived in Metru-Nui, but they were oppressed and made to serve under Ehlek. Here, Mata-Nui still lived, but his virtues have been suppressed as well. Did that mean this timeline had...Hope? A chance? A faint glimmer for another life, another time?

As Sala thought of hope and redemption, Dume thought as well, “Who was this strange Matoran, one who seemed to lack the common knowledge of the world, of the fate of the war and of Metru-Nui? Who have now found themselves here, seemingly buoyed by Destiny, to meet I.”

Caressing his hand on the metal frame of Avagah, Dume spoke once more to Sala, “Tell me, Su-Matoran...Who are you?..And what has brought you here to this portion of the Archives?”

Snapping out of thought, Sala quickly replied, “Oh, I..I..I’m Sala. And well...This is my personal archival chamber. I had it built here to record my chronicles.”

“Chronicles...You are a chronicler? I must admit, though I may be old and my memory isn’t what it once was, I do not believe that there has been a chronicler since even long before the war. And this chamber? Well it hasn’t been used since half that time.”

“No, that..can’t be right. I had this chamber built for me forever ago. I would store everything I recorded here whenever I returned from my outings. I was there when the Barraki made their invasion.”

“Well, I apologize for not knowing who you are Sala, though I do know that I do not lie when I say that this chamber has been abandoned for many decades...After the death of the last chronicler.”

Sala reeled back, the implication of Dume’s words striking hard within him as his mind thought to rationalize the conflicting evidence. “A..Am I dead here? Or...Did I not exist here. Yet...I had to exist! At one point! I mean, how couldn’t I have, my records are here!” In the world outside of Sala’s mind, Dume spoke once more but Sala couldn’t hear through the distant fog that began to ripple into the chamber around him, spurred by his clouded thoughts. All around Sala, scrolls and tablets began to float off and dissipated into plumes of smoke and dust as the room itself started to fade and shift away.

Reeling once more from the existentialism that came from finding out that you are dead in another timeline, Sala was snapped back to reality when a firm, yet not harmful, bop on the top of his Kanohi was felt as Dume went to catch the Su-Matoran’s attention with his Fire Staff.

After Sala let out a brief exclamation and looked towards the Turaga, rubbing the top of his head, Dume repeated what he had said once more, “Now that you are listening and hopefully paying attention, I ask again that you come with me. These tunnels are not wholly safe, and it would be best to take you to where it is.” Trudging back over towards the door, Dume gestured with his free hand for Sala to follow.

Climbing back inside of Avagah, Dume watched in hushed awe as the ACR rose to its feet with Sala inside, Sala beginning to trail behind the Turaga, giving his old chamber one last look. As the pair walked once more down the darkened tunnels of the Archives, Dume solemnly thought to himself “Maybe...Just maybe.”

~~~

As the two figures walked through the tight, dimly-lit corridors of the Archive, severe disrepair and lack of maintenance marking the way, Sala’s mind still lingered upon the haunting thoughts of his own mortality; of how he most likely died here in this timeline, how he could die in his current one, upon how many timelines there are where he had died, with how many times he had nearly died on Zakaz already. Faintly hearing the sound of breeze, Sala felt a rushing wind flying past him, faint cries upon it, and as Sala lowered his arms, having shielded his face from the detritrius that was kicked up, he noted the sudden disappearance of Dume.

Quickly looking around himself, hoping to spy where the Turaga had gone, Sala saw as the world around him took a sudden shift. Cracks and crevices began to rapidly form and splinter all across the stoney walls, silver and golden light beginning to flow through in stark beams. As the lights first peeked through, they grew in size and intensity till gouts of light were coming through and enveloped the entire chamber as Sala felt the sudden rushing of wind beneath him.

Plummeting, Sala saw as the walls that once made up the Archives began to shatter apart, before crumbling and disintegrating into the nothingness of the Far Shore. Falling even further down into the churning abyss, Sala fell past strands of silver and golden Protodermis, or did they rise up to meet him. Regardless, the strands warped and floated around him, forming a tangled ethereal web that stretched eternally, traces of light flowing through them like electrical currents. And as Sala fell, he eventually landed and found himself caught amongst the threads, suspended within the sky by these web-like strands that somehow still flowed like liquid metal. 

Struggling against the strands, Sala eventually freed himself, and balanced himself uneasily upon a few of them. Looking amongst the threads that wrapped all around him, looking for where to go, Sala noticed amongst the currents, the occasional glimmer of a sinister glow, one sickly green and haunting in appearance. Watching it glow, Sala saw as the glimmer grew more intense and rapid in its pulsing as it began to trace along the Protodermis strands...And as it did, the silver and gold soon turned black and shadowy as their form grew twisted and withered and Sala instinctively knew that he needed to get away.

Turning and clambering away, Sala climbed up from one strand to another, each one clinging to Avagah, and though they didn’t hold fast on the ACR, they slowed its pace as Sala fled from the growing wave of shadow. And as Sala climbed, each thread weighed down by Sala’s struggle, he was inadvertently pulling himself down rather than up. With one final desperate reach, a hand came to meet his own, extending out of a blinding well of light. Desperately reaching up with all of his strength, Sala was just able to get hold as the hand pulled him up.

~~~

With a sharp gasp, Sala returned to the world around him, his senses once more becoming aware of his surroundings as he found himself lying on his backside, being pulled up by a tall figure.

“Hey there buddy, you alright there, you took a bit of a tumble? Thank goodness you didn’t fall on anyone, hehe.”

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine. Um...What happened, why was I on the ground?”

“Goodness, hit your head on the ground when you fell, didn’t ya.” The Toa figure said, as he tapped his first two fingers against the chassis of Avagah, continuing, “Well, it’s simple, you were walking through the street of Koro-Metru, somewhat dumbly no offense, and you just happened to walk into a street sign, that one right there in fact.” The Toa then pointed to a sign that was now halfway bent towards the pair, with an Onu-Matoran looking rather crossed that his sign was broken.

“Oh...I’m sorry there. Uhm, you said Koro-Metru? Also, wait a minute, where’s Dume?”

“I’m right here.”

Sala jumped as the Turaga of fire made himself known. “Well, assuming you haven’t been listening to the past five minutes, once again, I’ll just quickly summarize it all. This is Koro-Metru, the last free Metru within the city. It is here that all the Matoran have gathered to escape the grasp of Ehlek’s oppression. And well, here you have its sole and only remaining Toa protector, Toa Juno.”

Ice shot through Sala’s entire system as the name Juno was mentioned. Looking at the Toa, although obvious changes had happened, Sala could not mistake that sand-brown Mahiki, those shimmering green eyes. It was the same person, the same Toa, the same Matoran...The same sacrifice that gave Sala the Kraata that is now bound to his own neck. 

Sala couldn’t move, his whole body was locked, trapped, restrained, his mind racing with horrible visions of that fire-lit night. The sharp shadows, the intense heat, the snuffed-out cries. As Sala’s thoughts grew evermore poisonous, the mists of the Far Shore slowly flowed around him, the tendrils of silver and gold protodermis reaching up from the fog and starting to wrap around his feet and slowly up his legs, the strands swiftly withering and turning black as the green sickly glow came with it. As the strands now pulled, Sala momentarily felt himself to sink down into the mist, till another force took hold of him, this one restraining him too, but unlike the shock of seeing the face of Juno, this force was far more substantial, real, as it enshrouded his body in a familiar feeling that he couldn’t register at the moment. 

As a tug of war was held between the near-invisible force that enshrouded Sala’s body, and the shadowy tendrils that now sought to draw him into the depths of the Far Shore, Sala was brought back to reality and freed as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

“Hey there, ya alright? You’re acting like you saw a ghost or something?”

Sala’s attention once more centered upon Juno, who was looking at the Matoran with much concern. But that wasn’t the only thing Sala noticed, as the invisible force that held him and kept him from sinking lifted itself, and Sala felt the Kraata upon his spine twitch and settle once more. 

“Yo..Yo..You don’t eve...Oh Nui, I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Oh goodness, we should get you out of tha-” Juno went to assist Sala in getting him out of Avagah, but as Juno’s hand touched the frame, intent on prying it open as gently as possible, Sala swung his arm out and shouted out against Juno’s actions. “NO! Don’t touch me! No..no...no...This..This...This is too much..too much..I gotta, I gotta…”

Sala couldn’t say anything more as he stumbled back, panic flooding his body as he frantically looked around himself. And all around him, Matoran stared, confusion, fear, and worry on their faces, Juno was still reaching out but was unsure what else to do, and Dume simply stared at the proceeding in his stoic and thoughtful manner; but slowly rising, circling around Sala once more came the mist and the threads and the wind that howled. As the mists swirled around him and amongst the crowd, the Matoran’s faces soon shifted into looks of anguish, half-melted and scorched from molten Protodermis and searing plasma, Juno’s form changed to mirror those injuries he suffered before his demise, and Dume was cast within sharp shadows as his form was sliced in two by the blades of a Rhotuka, launched by an emerald green mass of shadow.

Turning around, Sala fled, from the harrowing cries, from the grotesque image, from the mists and threads. No one could stop him and no one did, as Dume stopped Juno before the Toa could go running after Sala, simply shaking his head and uttering a few words only the Juno heard.

To a far and distant portion of Koro-Metru, Sala hid away; from the horror, from the anguish, from his regrets. As he tucked himself away, his arms around his knees and his face buried in the chestpiece of Avagah, Sala shuddered as he attempted to hold himself together, the mists having followed him, now circling him like hungry Kavinikas, waiting to tear into his fragile mind. But something held, Sala. As the strands of shadow Protodermis slithered their way forwards towards Sala, a static barrier encapsulated him, giving the Su-Matoran an odd comforting feeling, like that of someone holding him tightly, securely, the illusion of vague words of comfort filling the back of his mind. 

Sala recognized this feeling this time, as it was the effect of his Kraata. But, he wasn’t causing it to trigger himself, it was...Going off on its own. Did it sense Sala’s fear, his distress, was it trying to protect him? But...This feeling, it felt too intentional, too sincere, like, it wasn’t an act purely born out of instinct. But Sala didn’t care at the moment, as any sign of comfort was enough for him, the static ward guarding him from the mists and shadows that hungrily bit and licked at the field of force.

OOC: @Eyru @Unreliable Narrator @Vezok's Friend Second Part In Sala's Far Shore Adventures.

IC: Captain Vulimai (The Taku)

Following after Knichou, alongside Nale, Vulimai once again boarded the Taku and followed its captain to the bridge, where no one seemed to be at the moment.

"What do you need?"

Vulimai was moments from speaking before another Toa popped their head into the bridge, Vulimai recognizing them as the medic from before.

"Knichou, I know this might not be the best time, but...Taku didn't make it out of the battle without any scratches. As soon as you get the chance, I need you to see the injured."

"Okay. We can do that as soon as Vulimai is done saying what she needs to say."

Vulimai looked with uncertainty between Triage and Knichou, unsure whether this new Toa should be privy to the information she was about to speak. Gesturing for Knichou to lean down, Vulimai whispered to them, gesturing to Triage, "Should I speak of the Kanohi in front of this one. Do you trust them?"

OOC: @Tarn @BULiK

IC: Apex (Grand Temple Ruins)

Viltia wasn't the only one startled, as Apex instinctually readied for an attacked as the Toa of the Green did as well. But as a second past, recognition flashing between the two, Viltia spoke first, “Sorry about that. I thought you might be a Nui-Rama. How have you been?”

Apex registered what Viltia said, but it still took the Aspects a few moments to fully relax as they rose back up from their crouched position, "It has been...Good. Why is it that I find you here, Toa of Green?" As Apex spoke, the Kraata worm, that had been making itself comfortable slithering along Apex' formed, relaxed itself from its coiled position from Apex' head and curled once more in a little loop.

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Eyru @Unreliable Narrator @Burnmad

Edited December 21, 2020 by Sparticus147
Added Apex and Vulimai

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

Knichou leaned down at Vulimai's bidding, and blinked as Vulimai whispered into his ear.

"Right, right..." he agreed. After a moment of consideration, he turned to Triage. "Doc, I'm afraid this meeting is gonna be slightly above your pay grade."

Knichou quickly pointed an index finger in the air to correct himself. "Not that there is a functioning economy, or that I'm paying you with anything other than the hammock, the sights, and the satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of others."

He put his hand on his chin, thinking of what else to say to not seem too impersonal. It wasn't that Triage hadn't been reliable, but Knichou did only meet him yesterday, and the secrecy of the mask of Creation was paramount for the safety of everyone on the crew.

"There's a matoran in the cargo bay who wants to join the crew. Maybe give her a check up, a tour of the ship, or something? This shouldn't take long and if I can, I'll tell you more later."

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Tarn]

IC: Triage - The Taku (Bridge to Cargo Bay)

He drummed his fingers on the console, then nodded as he got to his feet. "Uh, sure. Alright. I'll go talk to her."

The medic then slipped past the other two Toa and Vulimai and went to the cargo bay. Sure, he was just the ship's medic, but he wondered what was so big the ca--commander had to keep it secret from him. It wasn't like Knichou was good at secrets, anyway. What was going on between him and Nale was plainly obvious.

Triage waved to Navu and Berys as he approached, realizing the De-Matoran was the one Knichou was referring to. "Ah, Navu. Good to see you under slightly better circumstances. The ca...the co...Knichou said you were interested in joining the crew. Berys not giving you a hard time, is he?" He then lightly nudged the Le-Matoran with his elbow.

@Toru Nui@BULiK

IC: Nale Vella - The Taku (Bridge)

"If you're whispering about what I think you are," Nale said once the medic was sufficiently out of hearing range, "I know full well about what the Turaga gave Knichou. You don't have to worry about me."

She shrugged.

"And, well, it is our ship. It was mine alone for a bit there. So, you can't really have this conversation without me."

@BULiK@Sparticus147

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (The Taku, Bridge)

"...I know full well about what the Turaga gave Knichou. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes, Toa Knichou informed me that you also knew about the mask as well, that is why I am at least comfortable speaking about the mask, though...my plans are another matter." A moment of uncertainty flashed on Vulimai's face before she turned to Knichou and spoke, stern and commanding, "The Matoran cannot remain here in Metru-Koro. The village lacks any useful resources, even the scrap that was taken and salvaged after the crash has minimal use without someone to properly utilize it. There is no water nor fertile ground, what food we have been able to grow having only been possible through elemental means. Skakdi exist both above and below ground, as I have been recently informed, and any attempt at rebuilding would take too long and leave us open to attack. There is only one option...One option where I see the Matoran surviving for at least another day. We need to return to Metru-Nui."

With her last words, Vulimai stared into the eyes of Knichou, and within that gaze, was the revelation that no amount of persuading was going to dissuade Vulimai from this path.

OOC: @Tarn @BULiK

Edited December 21, 2020 by Sparticus147

[Nato G]

IC: Whisper – The Desert

Leaving Metru-Koro behind, the Aspect of Change took to the air and soared out across the sands, surveying the surface below for signs of rahi.

It felt good to have purpose, to be able to work towards something with a clear goal in mind. For years now, she’d kept her Grand Wish bottled up, buried deep, hidden even from herself. It felt good to dare, to defy, to embrace change in herself and the world.

But for all of the change in her life, she hadn’t forgotten the lessons and observations that had brought her this far. Watching from afar, tracking and trailing, identifying the unique signs and marks left behind by each of the creatures that inhabited the desert, these were all skills she’d developed and honed in her early years. They’d served her well in the past, and they served her well now.

Drifting lower, she soon spotted a set of fresh tracks in the windswept sand – shallow, bipedal, spaced apart – the prints of a dikapi on the roam. The birds were fast, but flying was faster, and it didn’t take long for Whisper to spot the rahi’s silhouette in the distance. She flew higher, adjusting her trajectory so that her shadow was being cast out of the bird’s line of sight, so as not to alert it to her presence.

And then she dived.

The Aspect’s artificial form struck the rahi’s skull with the force of a mace blow, cracking bone and battering the beast to the ground. As the stunned animal floundered and failed, Whisper’s tails curled around its neck, swiftly silencing its screams. The tangle of tendrils tightened, crushing tight until the rahi’s legs stopped kicking and its eyes went dim.

Taking life was when Whisper felt closest to living herself.

To feel something fade, to watch its warmth wane, that was what it was like to be a predator. That was what it felt like to be powerful. And that, she suspected, was why taking the life of another was a necessary step in desecration, because power always came with a price.

Once she was sure the dikapi was dead, Whisper released its bruised neck and slithered over to its torso. Her claws dug into its chest, coiling and carving until its heartlight was torn free. Her grim work complete, she held the heartlight close and took to the air once again.

One down… three to go…  

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

Knichou felt a bit bad as Triage left the room, but the intensity and reason behind that emotion changed rapidly as Vulimai spoke. Vulimai wanted to go back to Metru-Nui? Yeah, and I want to open a Papa Podu's in Metru-Koro.

From his time knowing her, Knichou knew that Metru-Koro's Captain certainly wasn't a stranger to being determined (These military types and all, y'know?) but her stance on this felt particularly firm. She must not know about Aurax...

"I agree that Metru-Koro is not a defensible position, but with all due respect Captain, Metru-Nui's change in leadership won't make Metru-Nui much safer for Matoran than when Pridak was in charge. Aurax is a traitor and a liar, long ago I made the unfortunate mistake of trusting him, and will never again. Isn't there somewhere else we could move the population? Somewhere further from Metru-Nui with more vegetation and natural defenses?"

~~~

Meanwhile, in the cargo bay, Navu's potential answer was interrupted by Triage's arrival. The pilot gave Triage a quizzical look, not out of annoyance for the playfulness of Triage's introduction (As a Le-Metru native, he was quite accustomed to that) but moreso out of surprise that the medic already appeared to know Navu. His raised raised eyebrow lowered and his face turned into a slight grin, but he held his tongue, waiting for Navu to say more.

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (The Taku, Bridge)

"...Isn't there somewhere else we could move the population? Somewhere further from Metru-Nui with more vegetation and natural defenses?"

Vulimai let out a deep sigh as she clutched her brow, "You think I haven't thought of that. From what little scouting we were able to manage till we lost one of the parties to Skakdi, we only know this. To the east is an active and toxic volcano, to the north, is nothing but more desert and where we lost the scouting party to Skakdi, and to the south is a jungle, and the last people who returned there came back with some sort of ailment. It doesn't matter where we go, the Matoran aren't going to be safe anywhere on this island...But we can at least try for the safest option we can afford."

"Look, I agree with you on that, I don't trust this Toa Aurax either, not one bit. And unlike other Matoran, I don't hold blind faith in the nobility of Toa, but I do hold faith in Toa Stannis, for when last I saw them, he was with this Aurax and another Toa. Knichou, my Duty is to my charges and their safety, and I do not want to risk it on praying for another option, I've already wasted enough lives on pray. This Aurax has announced peace, that means there is a chance, a chance, for the Matoran to have it." 

Vulimai momentarily halted in her speech, her words growing more emotional as the memories of war came to her. Toa, arriving on the battlefield to save the day, only for them to leave the next. Prays to Mata-Nui to protect them, as another enemy assault came crashing in. They were old memories, but memories that still cut just as sharply. Composing herself once more, Vulimai added one last thing, "I do not know what past you and this Aurax share, but I do not think it could be enough to make me completely lose hope."

OOC: @BULiK @Tarn

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Administrator | Elemental Ruins of Air

“Identify your--” The Administrator’s voice materialized into existence within the entry chamber of the Elemental Temple of Air. It stopped short though at the realization of just who stood in the chamber. 

“You. You have returned.”

OOC: @Kal the Guardian, @Sparticus147

 

IC: Administrator | Elemental Ruins of Stone

"I assure you, the portal your friend passed through is very much permanent. You could as easily pass through it as any simple sand lizard."

 

IC: Takadox | Underground

“Closer? Closer is good,” Takadox replied quickly. His voice echoed in the tunnels further and louder than he intended. The walk was boring, and he found his mind wandering to the sunny beaches of his past. 

The softest moss glowed in the cracks between the stones where tiny veins of water gurgled. Takadox approached one, kneeling down to fill his canteen with the cold water. The sounds of the water falling into the canteen increased its pitch, telling him to pull away before it overflowed, but he was distracted by the past, and he didn’t pull away until the chill of water poured across his hands. He felt a small part of him died weeks ago and a world away, but he couldn’t admit it to himself just yet. The idea of never seeing a certain pair of eyes again was too much, so he forced his mind back to the present.

“Out of curiosity,” Takadox said as he found his way close to Marrow amidst the tightness of the tunnels, “are all of your kind unable to see?”

Even as he asked, Takadox glanced back towards the bohrok and its bohrok-va. He found himself concerned with how a robot could plant doubt among the group so efficiently. Not for the first time since they all assembled in the valley of bones Takadox wondered if the bohrok’s organic mask has something to do with its charisma. He also considered maybe it had nothing to do with the krana and everything to do with the fact that bohrok, for all their true terrifying ability as a swarm, were honestly rather adorable when found alone.

Then there was the aspect. Takadox knew to be careful of the aspect. He’d seen enough in the Temple of Fire, and in the scuffle outside with the other aspect and her skakdi pawn, to be careful of the shadow-worker.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler, @Burnmad, @Kal the Guardian, etc.

 

IC: Nuju | Kini-Nui

"I'm sorry, say again?" Nuju closed a small notebook he'd been drawing three interlocking circles over and over again. He didn't understand why he drew it, but he did.

@Nato the Traveler, @Kal the Guardian

Edited December 21, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator
add nuju

[Nato G]

IC: Marrow - Underground

"It's... complicated," he replied. "Some can still see, such as our companion," he gestured to Zak-Yak. "But many of us elder mesi have lost that ability." 

@Unreliable Narrator

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Takadox | Underground

"Curious," Takadox said under his breath, but didn't press. He looked back at Zak-Yak as Marrow gestured, taking in the loping frame of the almost comical being. Zak-Yak displayed more emotion in a minute than Mantax in a month. Mantax, the stoic warrior of honor. Takadox wondered if their paths would cross again. He hoped not though, as it surely would lead to Pridak's sword cleaving his head clean off his body. He liked his head. He liked his body. He especially like them attached. 

"So, are you all called Mesi, or are you part of specific clan or something? Do you also worship this Spiriah?"

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

 

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

The ex-Ghost sighed. There really wasn't any stopping Vulimai on this, was there? What was it he told Vulimai that morning? That his duty was to "uphold the will of the Matoran" and he would do his best to do so? Knichou had given counsel and disagreed with Vulimai's decision, but he had to accept the truth that it wasn't his decision to make, and that even if it ultimately was a bad one, the aid Vulimai asked of him would help allay any consequences.

That's what Stannis always did. Even when the universe was at stake when Knichou went with Tuyet to fix Nuparu's machine.

"You're right, it wont change your decision. What do you need of me and my powers, then?"

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Reliable Narrator | the Taku

Knichou felt a small chill run up his spine at the thought of Tuyet.

But nope.

Just a little red and yellow lizard trying to lick his auditory receptors.

@BULiK

Edited December 21, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

The Toa of iron instinctively swatted at the Taku's stowaway to brush it off of himself, then composed himself again and did his best to pretend that didn't just happen on his ship in front of the leader of what was left of his people.

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Nato G]

1 minute ago, Unreliable Narrator said:

IC: Takadox | Underground

"So, are you all called Mesi, or are you part of specific clan or something? Do you also worship this Spiriah?"

IC: Marrow - Underground

"That...I'm not sure..." he frowned. His mind was murky, ancient and ailing, memories all tangled and torn. "I can't remember if it began as a name we made for ourselves, or something others called us. Much like the warskaks above, some of us have broken into independent groups - clans, as you put it. I led one such group, once."

He paused for a moment, bitter recollections of his fallen comrades churning to the surface. "But we are all bound to Spiriah." 

@Unreliable Narrator

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Takadox | Undergound

"Really, a clan leader?" Takadox repeated quizzically. "In my lands, we have a word for warlords and great leaders of many clans: barraki. I was once a barraki, but I learned violence is meaningless without purpose."

Takadox took a sniff of the water in his canteen, instantly coughing as the stoppered sulfuric smell released into his face. He dumped the contents of the canteen and cursed. Like the poisoned waters dumped onto the floor, Takadox himself felt poisoned and cast aside by his own past. 

@Nato the Traveler, @Kal the Guardian, @Sparticus147, @Burnmad

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - The Taku (Bridge)

"What was that?"

@BULiK@Sparticus147

[Nato G]

IC: Marrow - Underground

He laughed, though there was no mirth in it. "I wouldn't call myself a great leader. Those who once followed me are all gone," he muttered. "I suppose I learned the same lesson you did, but too late... now I'm just an old man returning home in shame and disgrace."

@Unreliable Narrator

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

"Lizard. No matter how much I try, I can't seem to get the creature off my ship. But, there are bigger problems to worry about. As I was saying, what do you have in mind Vulimai?"

[Sparticus147]

IC: Zak-Yak (Underground)

Zak-Yak followed along, his eyes squinting near shut as they slowly adjusted to the darkness of the tunnel. Zak-Yak hadn't been to the Undercity since he left the underground with Providence. From their several days of travel upon the surface, Zak-Yak's eyes had adapted remarkably well to the sunlight, with Zak-Yak even occasionally spending several minutes just staring at the sun, even with Providence constantly telling him that it's not healthy for him.

But now back in the darkness of the underground, Zak-Yak couldn't help but strain his eyes, as it took several minutes for them to adjust, but even then, the world seemed just a bit dimmer than last he was there. This seemingly encroaching darkness left Zak-Yak unsettled by what should be his home. But Zak-Yak felt comforted by his friends. As they traveled farther down, the air growing colder, the warm, red, little beetles soon scurried away, returning to their nests, but they were promptly replaced by what some might call 'creepy crawlies', their many legs tenderly moving along Zak-Yak's frame.

"It's... complicated. Some can still see, such as our companion, but many of us elder mesi have lost that ability." 

Zak-Yak overheard Marrow's words, as he offered a toothy smile and thought to himself, "Yes we have eyes, eyes to see who would hurt us...Hurt Zak-Yak, who, who?...No one, we're safe promise."

OOC: @Burnmad @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @Kal the Guardian

IC: Vulimai (The Taku, Bridge)

"...As I was saying, what do you have in mind Vulimai?"

"Yes...As I was saying. It's simple, we need a fleet to transport the populace. I do not want to risk multiple trips, in the even we leave someone behind. Metru-Koro must move together. We have plenty of scrap that you can use as materials, but something tells me that won't be necessary."

OOC: @BULiK @Tarn

IC: Apex (Grand Temple Ruins)

“You. You have returned.”

Apex let out a growl of annoyance at the Administrator's word. Not that the words annoyed Apex, but that the Administrator spoke at all annoyed Apex. "Yes, I have returned and I do not have any business with you, so unless you know of a way into the hive built into this temple, I would prefer your silence."

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator

[Nato G]

IC: Whisper – The Desert

The dikapi had been a lucky find, but Whisper wasn’t in the mood to randomly roam the desert in the hopes of stumbling across something.

She knew this island well enough to be confident in knowing where animals worth hunting could be found, so she set off towards where the kikanalo herds usually roamed. They were creatures of habit, predictable prey, and she doubted the fall of the giant skull would have altered their usual routes too much from what she’d seen the last time she’d come this way. Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to try taking on a creature of that size. Kikanalo were herd animals, after all, and would rush to the defence if one of their number was in distress. They were strong enough to crush her shell with ease, and their sonic roars could disrupt her essence like few other powers could.

But where their were prey animals, there were also predators, and that was what Whisper sought now. She knew that sand tarakavas often lurked near where the kikanalo roamed, picking off the injured and infirm members of the herd. One of their heartlights would suit her purposes well, and it was far more gratifying to hunt another predator. 

After flying for a time, she came within sight of the herd she sought, and circled above like a bird of prey, searching for a sign of tarakavas. Her gaze settled on a lone kikanalo, lying on its side a short distance from the herd, hidden from the sight of its kin by a dune. Blood stained the sand around it, and its neck was bent at an anatomically-incorrect angle, broken by a powerful blow. A clean kill, typical of an apex ambush predator. 

She flew down, closer, and saw the sand shifting under the carcass, seeming to shake and shudder as chunks were torn from it by the beast lurking beneath the sand. Whisper landed atop the dune to observe the scene, silently calling upon her kraata power of insect control. In the minutes that followed, there was little to be heard, save for the soft whistle of the wind, the shifting of the sand, and the meaty feasting of the tarakava, a creature that had no natural predators aside from its own kind, and the mighty Shagrak that lurked below.

And then, the tarakava shrieked as the thousands of sand snipe that Whisper had summoned swarmed it as one. They dug down and assaulted ever orifice they could find, biting and biting again and again until the agonised tarakava exploded up out of the sand, lashing out with blind brutality at an enemy too small, and too many, for it to combat.

Size wasn’t everything in the rahi world. Whisper had watched great masses of bog snakes overwhelm even fully-grown nui-jaga in the swamps, and she was employing the same principal here. More and more of the miniscule insects responded to Whisper’s will, crawling into the tarakava’s mouth and nose until it choked on their clustered carapaces. Only when it collapsed, panting for breath, did Whisper approach, slitting its throat with a single, precise slice.

She kept control of the insects long enough to remove the tarakava’s heartlight, before releasing them from her command and leaving them to feast on the remains.

As she was about to depart, she noticed that the heartlight of the dead kikanalo was still intact as well, and she carefully carved it free before taking to the sky.

One more... 

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Administrator | Ruins of Air

"I do not speak of your return, Apex."

OOC: @Kal the GuardianGuardian, @Sparticus147

Edited December 21, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[EmperorWhenua]

On 12/8/2020 at 3:06 PM, Tarn said:

IC: Korio Karasha - Tactical Panda II

"Right. Understood, Miss Yumi." Korio then leaned against the ship's railing and watched those below continue to work. Fear of big rahi or not, they'd do something about the Tahtorak. He just hoped that something wouldn't involve him.

On 12/11/2020 at 11:41 AM, Vezok's Friend said:

IC [Zataka/Kunok McGrokk - Outside McGrokk’s shoppe]:

Her tone was more inquisitive than a challenge, so McGrokk didn’t take it personally, even though some of his lackeys did snarl in response. “I resent the accusation.” he simply shot back, with a smirk. So, no ammo from him then.

Zataka glanced at Yumiwak. “Well, then I guess I know a thing or two more that might prove useful. Kordak rounds is one of them. And in return, you can tell me just how one goes about creating a giant monster in order to fight another.”

IC Yumiwak | Tactical Panda II

I ordered everyone back onto my ship with a quick bos'n whistle and an emphatic finger gesture towards the Panda. It was time to move—and quickly, before the rampant tahtorak struck anywhere else, and not considering the alarming possibility that it already had. I caught Zataka's glance and returned it as we walked back to my ship with a curious look at her. To be clear, I had no love for her or her "people" as the matoran from that dumb head could eat my @##, but she seemed to have care for them and considered them her ward and duty to protect, and I could respect that. Leaders should take care of their people.

Once we were back on deck and the Panda started to peel away from the sea again I sat on a crate out in the open air and tried to think of a more detailed plan, because the gazes of wary and concern from all the crew felt like daggers on my back, questioning the wisdom of anything after the disaster that had befallen The Rig. They were right to be worried, and I wasn't going to tell them they had nothing to worry about just to becalm their nerves and disappoint them later. They could hold on to their feelings for now and feel better righteously later, I reckoned.

In my hand I toyed with the big gun, the 'kordak' as Zataka had called it, and looked over the engineering of it with lazy fascination. Curious how it worked I loaded a breech with a trinket I found in arm's reach—just a wooden bauble—and aimed it at Korio as he mulled about. It worked, kind of, and somehow it shot the projectile in an arc at my unsuspecting crewman, bouncing off of him weakly. 

"Boop," I said at him when he looked back at me with surprise. My word wanted to be playful but my tone was spiritless, and even my smile was flat and expressionless. We were all tired and drained and I was no exception, though I did what I could to keep some optimism up. 

That's when I realized Zataka was standing near to me. Her presence felt different than the other's... I likened her aura to be more like... the threatening caress of razor wire on your leg as you try and step over it. Sure, it's a harmless thing until you try to mettle with it and cross its boundary, and then it's length can tangle you up and throw you to the ground, and the many blades that shimmered in the light instead dig into your flesh with excruciating, emotionless abandon. Zataka was dangerous; I would have berated myself for letting her out of my sight at all if I wasn't keen to expose my thoughts around her. 

"So, can you make kordak, or were you meaning something else earlier?" I asked her. It was a twofold question; over and above my innocent curiosity relating to the gun, I wanted to know if it could be made lethal with a simple change of possession and if she could again wield it with the same devastating effect that had laid waste to the clan of Mesi we saw in the desert. 

@Vezok's Friend @Tarn

 

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

An entire fleet of airships? Maybe Admiral Knichou was in the cards after all.

That is, if he could build them. Knichou still was new to using the Kanohi and was wary of it's power. He knew about airships from his repairs and refurbishment of the Taku, but would that be enough knowledge to build one from scratch? Only one way to find out.

"That's a tall order. I... I think I could build some airships, although a bit more old-fashioned than the Taku, but I'd need every levitation and weight increase disk you can find in the koro to power them. I haven't figured out how to make those yet, if you remember. If you can handle supplying that, and maybe have some villagers help with assembling and learning to operate the ships... it's possible."

The engineer stroked his chin with his hand, in thought.

"I guess this will make my ownership of the mask as close to public knowledge as it gets. No way to hide a fleet of airships appearing out of nowhere. If that's the risk we have to take, then so be it."

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (The Taku, Bridge)

"I guess this will make my ownership of the mask as close to public knowledge as it gets. No way to hide a fleet of airships appearing out of nowhere. If that's the risk we have to take, then so be it."

"Agreed, a part of me can understand why Sans didn't use the mask himself, though a part of me also doubted he knew how." Vulimai muttered the last part to herself before continuing, "But now, it is our best bet. I do not want to tempt misfortune by trying to cross that moat, and this is the only real solution I can think of except for hoping the League themselves have enough ships. Which I highly doubt."

Vulimai stepped closer towards the door that lead out of the bridge, as she said one more thing to Knichou, "I will get with my quartermaster and see what remains of the armory, I will also have Matoran scrounging around within what remains of the salvage yard. And I am sure there are a number of Matoran from Le-Metru who have at least the basics on airship piloting, and if not, well, we can tether them like I have seen done before." Vulimai stood at the door for a few moments, wondering if either Toa in the room would have anything else to add.

OOC: @BULiK @Tarn

Edited December 21, 2020 by Sparticus147

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - The Taku (Bridge)

"It's certainly a plan. Fleet building, mass exodus...I had intended to return to Metru Nui for other reasons, before Aurax took over. Seems I'm finally getting around to my visit."

@BULiK@Sparticus147

IC: Korio Karasha - Tactical Panda II

"Boop," was all the Vo-Skakdi replied, as weakly as Yumi had but quieter. He certainly wished it was his grip around the weapon, but it didn't seem Yumiwak intended on parting with it, other than to return it to Zataka.

Crossbow was fine, anyway.

@EmperorWhenua@Vezok's Friend
 

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Bridge of the Taku

The engineer shot Nale an eyebrow-raised expression when she announced she already had plans to leave for Metru-Nui, but his mind was still on the planning and what Vulimai had said.

"Yes, yes, I'm thinking of towing them as a string of barges in particu-" Knichou stopped himself, waving a hand. "I'll worry about the details of that. Just send any materials and personnel here, and we'll sort it out. Probably a good idea to make sure people know about the move, too, so they can be packing as we're building-"

“bkrzrrrrrr eeeeee nnnn krzzzzlisssnnnn, I bzzends!”

This time Knichou was cut off by the crackle of the radio that Triage had previously been monitoring. The broadcast was faint, and while it resembled a speech, there was too much static to make out any of the words. Knichou moved to the dashboard and rotated a few dials to hone in on the signal and boost it's output. The words echoed throughout the bridge alongside waves of static white noise.

“I am Lieutenant Zaliyah, of the League of Six Kingdoms. Many of you know me. We’ve served side-by-side through countless battles, endured through defeats and victories. So believe me when I tell you that today we stood at the verge of our final victory, only to have it snatched away from us!”

“The enemy village of Metru-Koro surrendered. Their warmongering Turaga took his own life rather than face failure. But while Ostrox, Poroka, and I were leading the assault, our great League was betrayed from within!”

“The Skakdi Druu Arkkan and Vortixx Amarth fired upon our vessels, and here, in the heart of the city we took together, the Toa Aurax helped enemy assassins slaughter our beloved Barraki Pridak. This man, who we welcomed as one of our own, betrayed our cause and has taken power for himself!”

“The peace and co-existence we have all craved is finally within reach, but not while this turncoat holds the throne. Our brothers and sisters in arms didn’t fight and die for decades just for us all to end up under the boot of yet another Matoran tyrant!”

“I joined the League to make up for the travesties committed by my species, and I will gladly give my life to atone for this final, terrible betrayal! I stand now in the Coliseum, to demand that Aurax step down or be cut down, so we may appoint new leaders of our own choosing. Those of you who are willing to fight one final battle for our cause, join me there!”

Knichou's eyes darted between those of the two women in the room with him, gauging their reactions and processing the unexpected news himself.

Edited December 21, 2020 by BULiK

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (The Taku, Bridge)

Vulimai listened to the broadcast, silent and still, as it broadcasted from the radio. As the message ended and was overcome with static, Vulimai couldn't say anything for several moments...Till fury took her. If she could, she would have dashed her mask and shattered it to pieces in sheer anger as she cried out, "KARZING BRAKAS! What is happening in that city! Honestly, I...I don't even know what to do with this now! If Aurax lives, we can hope and assume his offer still stands, but the remaining League forces most certainly won't forget it! And if this Zaliyah succeeds, we won't have any sort of assurance that their new leader will be so willing to end the war! And...And...Wait a minute...Surrendered? Who negotiated a surrender?"

Looking between the two, Vulimai's gaze settled on Nale.

OOC: @BULiK @Tarn

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum, Waiting Room B 

The Nullifier's energy blast dissipated harmlessly against Iradra's wall of light. It whirred in annoyance and began to turn to the meddlesome Toa when its optical sensor caught the blur of the Rhotuka coming over the wall. It lifted an arm to shield its head, but the detonation was still enough to blast it back into the far wall. The table exploded in a shower of splinters. Coffee mugs went everywhere. That close-range blast might have taken out an ordinary Vahki, but Nullifiers, designed to respond to more dangerous situations, were built stronger and tougher than regular Vahki units. Their bulky armour and extra plating made them slower, but also made them harder to take out.

The robot climbed out of the remains of the table, its eyes flickering from target to target. A cylindrical canister began to emerge from its back, glowing with a greenish-yellow light. Raising its staff, it fired a second blast of energy at the left-most Iradra. If it struck, it would fill her mind with the same command it had attempted to plant in Zaliyah's. At the same time, it fired its disk at the central Iradra.

Outside the room, the receptionist Vahki prepared to blast through the glass doors and join the fray. The elevators continued their ascent.

OOC: The disk, should it hit the real Iradra, is a Ta-Metru disk with the power of levitation and a power level of 2.

@Nato the Traveler @Onaku @Toru Nui

 

IC: Taja | Metru-Koro

With the funeral over and Whisper off on her own quest, Taja made herself busy helping out around the village. She still didn't have as much control over her shadow powers as she liked, but she could at least conjure wide shovel-like constructs to scoop rubble out of the way, or use the help of a half-dozen extra shadow arms to move larger pieces of broken stone. Even without her enhanced hearing, she could hear muttered whispers wherever she went, and she often caught sight of someone staring, only for them to turn away and pretend they hadn't. She felt like a Rahi on display in the Archives. Shadow wasn't exactly a common element, after all. Not to mention he hadn't been born with it: she'd received it from a tentacled island native. She hoped that part of the story hadn't gotten out...

[Nato G]

IC: Zaliyah - Coliseum Waiting Room

Muttering a myriad of colourful curse words in a few different languages, Zaliyah primed her herding blade and leaned out of the washroom to loose an energy beam at the Vahki's head. Every second they wasted fighting the Vahki was a second more Aurax had to try to slip away of fortify himself.

@Eyru @Onaku @Toru Nui

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

IC: Whisper – Silver Sea

It had been well over an hour since Whisper had left Metru-Koro to begin her hunt, though she didn’t stop in to announce her presence as she flitted by, a misshapen shadow high overhead.

She had her four heartlights – one from the dikapi, one from the tarakava, one from the kikanalo, and the last from an unfortunate mahi that had crossed her path – and now she was headed for the sea of what she hoped was indeed energised protodermis, to put her new taboo to the test.

As she flew towards her destination, she reflected on the strange lengths she was going to in order to earn the appreciation and approval of the new arrivals. In time past, the opinions of others would have mattered little to her. But now that she was finally embracing her nature, chasing her wish, now she needed help to fulfil the task that lay before her. And to get help from them, she needed to at least pretend to be willing to help them as well.

Was she pretending, though?

The line between lip service and legitimacy was blurring for her. Lies and deceit were second nature to her kind, but she’d deceived herself as often as she had others, now more so than ever before. Was she just telling Taja and the others what she thought they wanted to hear, and using them for her own ends, or was that the lie she told herself? Was she truly changing, or was it a guise so convincing that she was even beginning to believe it herself?

The truth would make itself apparent in due time, she was sure.

She still had five milestones ahead of her, after all.

Landing by the lake shore, she slithered up to the very edge of the ocean of polluted protodermis. It was shallow here, shallow enough that she could still make out the arid stone beneath the translucent silvery substance of the lake. Beyond the oily sheen of grime clinging to its surface, and the detritus floating within it, the liquid certainly looked like energised protodermis.

Only one way to be sure…

One of her tendrils dipped into the protodermis, its clawed tip scratching out the shape of a large inverted triangle into the stone at the bottom.

“Goodbye mortal soil."

She brought the four heartlights up to her mouth, flecks of blood dripping from some of them, mixing into the murky silvery surface of then sea.

“Decrepit and raw.”

A fine mist of green washed over the four heartlights as she exhaled her essence onto them.

“Shadow born cosmos.”

She lowered the four heartlights into the sea, placing them within the triangle she’d scratched out.

“Where I see all.”

And then she waited.

“Hello?”

@Unreliable Narrator

Edited December 21, 2020 by Nato the Traveler