Six Kingdoms: Rebirth - Gameplay

[Crimson Jester]

IC: Korruhn, Fort Nektann Garage

The tension in the room was thick, so thick Korruhn could cut it with his blade if he wanted to. He felt the tension as he took a few, brief, measured steps backwards, ensuring he was well within reach of Grime. He looked to the Matoran, and spoke softly, so the others may not hear. "Don't try anything crazy, not yet. Just trust me."

His attention returned to that of the angry crowd gathering at the other end of the room, their rage seething. Korruhn sighed a disappointed sigh.

"You know, I came here with the intent of having a conversation with Grime, in peace," Korruhn began, directing his speech toward Barius. "And yet, I had a suspicion in my mind, a doubt that your curiosity wouldn't get the better of you; especially your dear friend Parnassus. Anyways. The petrol? I can't say I'm wrong in that your floors do need a degreasing, but that's aside the point: the petrol is simply an insurance policy."

Korruhn's right hand held a small torch he'd found in a toolbox, but he had no need to flash or threaten it at this point. Barius was a reasonable man. And despite Korruhn's boredom with the man's rabid dogs that now stood before Korruhn, he had no need to make another enemy today if he didn't have to.

"Look, Barius. There's no need for any sort of bloodshed or collateral damage tonight, as interesting as that could be," Korruhn looked at Parnassus, smiling. He'd be nervous about taking any one of these experienced combatants in a fight right now, but he wouldn't let them know that. He would focus on Barius. He simply needed to strike a deal. "I need a conversation with the bard here, without the rabid hounds breathing over his neck. I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement."

OOC: @Burnmad @Conway @Sparticus147 @Nato the Traveler @Unreliable Narrator @EmperorWhenua

Edited December 28, 2020 by Crimson Jester

[Unreliable Narrator]

OOC: @~Xemnas~, @Nato the Traveler, you will receive a PM in the next day or two with all the necessary profile information regarding Kaita ACRs.

IC: Reliable Narrator | Kini-Nui, Nuva Bunkers

Atamai clambered into the front seat of the open cockpit, dragging himself the last few inches by sheer force of will. The climb was exhausting, but the silicone covering of the seat felt cool and supportive. He noticed the seat changed to match his favorite color. He swore it had been a different hue before. Other parts of the open cockpit remained unchanged, but he felt a strange kinship come over him. He found his mind drifting back to the placid lake in his vision during the NUVA awakening. His feet rested on the water, another pair underneath mirroring his own. At the time it had been a dark shadow, and he had not been able to make much of what it could mean. Now, however, Atamai was becoming more aware of just what he’d seen.

He ran a hand across the back of his neck, wondering what was next. Without prompting, the cockpit began to close, sliding back into the spine of the ACR between the armored shoulder blades. It sealed with a hiss, and the world was dark for a moment, but it was not a dangerous darkness. Glowing circuitry lit across the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and even Atamai himself. The machine was waking up…

Sidra clambered into the cockpit of her own ACR, noticing how the seat felt cool and relaxing, and how it changed to match her favorite color. A pair of small golden dice appeared, hanging from one of the cockpits rails on a silver chain like a flashy Le-Metru dash ornament. The joke of leaving things to chance was not lost on her. The seat felt comfortable, perfectly molded to accommodate her armored form. She felt the tug of something magnetic from within, a form of energetic seatbelt keeping her body safe from slipping around. Then the cockpit closed, sliding into the ACR between the armored shoulder blades. She watched the white-painted protodermis vanish as the darkness of the sealed cockpit took hold. Glowing circuitry lit across the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and even Sidra herself. She realized suddenly the circuitry was similar to the writing not only in the NUVA temples but also to the raised edges of the small metal sphere on her person. Before she had a chance to confirm, however, she felt the jostling of the ACR moving and shifting. The machine was waking up, and her hands instinctively reached outwards to try and balance herself. 

Instead, she heard the shriek of metal tearing, and suddenly her eyes were the same as the six eyes of the machine. She felt herself tearing free of her bonds, pushing up onto all fours and crawling towards the light at the tunnels entrance. The ground trembled as she moved. She felt herself being lost in the machine’s excitement for freedom, and then she remembered where she was: in a cockpit, in an ACR, looking down at the ground a hundred feet below. The thickly armored hands that brushed the tops of the jungle trees were not hers. They were a machine’s, but with just the lightest thought she could feel her will passed to the hands she saw as her own. It was a strange form of control, almost like she was possessing another being.

A sound not unlike the metal tearing and rending of earlier made her turn and look across to a nearby hill, where another open bunker -- no, a tomb -- was open. Steam and dust blew from its opening like the fire and smoke from a kanohi dragon. Another large mech, brown and red in color, crawled out. Its hands scrabbled for purchase, and for a moment Sidra through the other ACR would stumble and fall down the hill to crush the temple in the the center of the valley below. The other ACR found its balance, and rose to stand tall above the trees like she did…

Atamai breathed in and out, watching the steam vent from his mouth -- no, the machine’s -- as he calmed himself. After the cockpit closed and the squiggling lights arrived his powers returned in full, and he felt them so suddenly it caused him to burst from out of his tomb before he could realize he was moving. His body was alive, he was alive! He felt the warmth of the setting sun and the cool breeze of the ocean wind over the mountains.

Sidra too felt her powers return, although she realized after the fact when she began to feel the curiosity of a small spider in the forest below. She had never felt such power! Even in the brief moment of her time as a NUVA, the awakening had made herself feel as a whole individual, but now she felt as strong as three of her kind. She watched the other machine breathe in and out, golden protodermis stopping its flow from the mouth to be replaced with soft, puffing clouds of steam venting outwards into the sky. As she slowly began to find herself more comfortable existing in the shared space between her own self and the extrasensory experience of piloting the machine, she heard a voice. They were a voice without gender or breed, and they spoke both in her mind and through the mouth of the machine. They said; 

“I am Wairuha, Great Kaita of Wisdom, bound in my casket and shroud. I am reborn with the setting of an age and the birthing of a new, and my purpose is before me the same as it has always been. My pilot is Sidra NUVA, one blessed in the light of Tren Krom.” 

A long blade appeared in their hand, forming a claymore as tall as itself. Wairuha planted the blade into the earth of the hillside, one hand resting on the t-shaped crossguard. The blade was etched in intricate carvings of the stars with a great eye among them. The sword had not been there before, but Wairuha summoned it. Sidra felt where the blade originated: the suva kaita down in the center of the temple of Kini-Nui. She felt a great number of weapons there for all kinds of combat. Firearms for tarakava, fire-breathing heavy weapons for laying forests to waste, blast grenades for sand worms, lassos and snares for charging monsters, rocket launchers for flying beasts, and many vicious spears and swords forged of the very elements themselves like the claymore in Wairuha’s grasp. Seagulls flew past the six eyes of Wairuha, squawking as they adjusted course in their flight towards the sea. Wairuha pointed a hand towards the Kaita ACR standing across the hills. The machine’s fingers clasped in a fist of kinship, and the two machines collided their fists in a toa salute. The valley echoed with the boom of their symbolic gesture of friendship.

Atamai heard the words, feeling as if they came from his own mouth as they were spoken. “I am Malhukuraia, Great Kaita of Courage, bound in my casket and shroud. My endurance is boundless. My pilot is Atamai Nuva, one blessed in the light of Tren Krom.” A great chakram appeared in Malhukuraia’s hands, a circle with which to carve a new dawn. “I now give myself to my pilot.”

“I now give myself to my pilot,” Wairuha echoed. Both Atamai and Sidra felt the presence of their respective kaitas with them, courage and wisdom blanketing the two warriors as their eyes turned to the sky, and they felt completely in control.

It was dusk, with the coming of the night fast approaching. The first stars were appearing on the horizon, and the sun’s orange and purple light was descending to the West. They knew then what came next:

 

Apocalypse.

[Sparticus147]

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann, the Garage)

"I need a conversation with the bard here, without the rabid hounds breathing over his neck. I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement."

Drukarus truly didn't care for this Korruhn, whoever they were, be they an Aspect as they claim or some bizarre Toa. Whoever they were, they were doubtlessly either confident, arrogant, and/or desperate. And perhaps even a little mad with the threat that they held in their hands and covering the floor. But most of all, it is the thought of leaving this Korruhn alone with Grime, not out of fear for what Grime may share, for even Drukarus could only guess the depths of the Matoran's knowledge. Instead, Drukarus was concerned what other plans Korruhn may have, whether they wanted to use the Matoran for some dark rite or to simply whisk them away, neither Drukarus could afford to allow.

But now was not the time for battle, not that he yet felt inclined to do so, now was the time to talk...And to plan. Pulling his hand up closer to the head of his maul, Drukarus held it to his side as he turned away from Korruhn and stepped behind Barius...But as he stepped away, Drukarus whispered over towards Barius so that only he could hear his words.

"Lay your hand upon my shoulder and give me your strength. You are still too injured to engage in battle and this one has us at disadvantage. Indulge this one in his request, but I do have a plan. I assure you."

Planting his feet and turning back around, Drukarus stood at Barius' side, just a half-step behind the warlord of Fort Nektann. His gaze first hardened upon Korruhn's, as Drukarus dared a quick glance to Grime, though what the intent and emotion behind that quick glance was unknown to all except for the enigmatic figure of Miserix.

OOC: @Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator @Crimson Jester @Conway @Nato the Traveler

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Grand Temple Ruins

With - Apex

 

Apex, a heretic? What did that even mean? Was that like a faith thing? Why would a computer mind talk like that? Well, up until recently, she hadn’t known about computers, so she guessed maybe they always talked like that when they had voices. But still, Viltia didn’t like the Administrator talking down on her friend like that. Yes, Apex was an Aspect and she should be careful when dealing with her, but she kind of trusted Apex anyway. Apex had only been good to the village. Well, so far.

Viltia had been in the far left room when the Administrator had changed the rooms, and it both made her kind of sick and also excited to watch as the rooms were manipulated and moved. So cool.

The room opened up into a long corridor. There were some strange writings and a staircase, but what drew her attention was the hexagonal room. She completely forgot about the wind pipes as she sidestepped the dead Skakdi. She was slightly happy they had been killed, but more so she wished she could have merged with them. Well, a dead Skakdi was statistically more morally good than a live one, so that was a plus.

Viltia ran her hand along the Kanoka receiver in the NUVA room. It bore the numbers 589. A Great Disc of Teleportation. This was the same type of lock that Sidra had been looking to open. She was sure of it. A smile slowly covered her face. She had a new objective and several ideas on how to achieve it.

The Admin then went on to speak of Mata-Nui as if he were a normal being. Well, the Admin used those strange terms Viltia didn’t much care for again, but she felt like she could guess that they meant Mata-Nui had been normal once. That boggled her mind. It not only assumed he was real, but that he had once been just like her. Viltia looked at Apex. Or... maybe not exactly like herself.

But, how did she get his mark? She hadn’t run into him that she could remember. And she was pretty sure she would remember meeting Mata-Nui. Weird.

The Admin’s offer of an exchange of knowledge was once more tainted by how it talked about Apex. Viltia wanted to know how to merge masks, but not from something that seemed so biased. She was content to know it was merely possible. She could figure it out on her own.

Before she could respond to the Admin, Apex stole away her attention. She nodded to the Aspect, “Yeah, let’s go. I think that’s more important right now.”

Viltia turned from Apex and responded to the Administrator, “Thank you for your help, knowledge, and offer, but I do need to keep moving. Perhaps we can talk later.” Or perhaps Viltia could figure out how to merge her own masks and make her own Suva space without this weird, what did Spark call it? An AI? Without a weird, maybe biased AI running the place. “Thank you again, Admin. I do plan to be back.”

And then Viltia left the Grand Temple Ruins, the buzz of the Nui-Rama hive loud after having been in another space. She felt a little sad as she left the Suva space, the stars once more feeling impossibly out of reach of her embrace, but she had things to do, a village to protect. She looked up at the Nui-Rama hive, waiting for Apex.
 

OOC: @Sparticus147 @Unreliable Narrator Not exactly my best post. There's a lot I've skimmed over or ignored, but I have a lot to do with Viltia before the next game and needed to get out ASAP.

Also, I'm still super busy IRL. I know I still need to post as Cravious and Hahvok.

[Sparticus147]

IC: Apex (The Grand Temple Ruins)

Apex let out an assured nod at Viltia's refusal as she followed after the Toa of the Green, but not before giving the Administrator a vicious growlling hiss similar to that of a Swamp Stalker. Exiting and following along with Viltia, Apex turned towards the Toa once more and asked they both exited the temple.

"So, what is within the hive that you believe to be such a threat to them, and how do you intend on retrieving it?"

OOC: @Burnmad @Unreliable Narrator @Kal the Guardian

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | The Coliseum

Upon closer inspection, Ostrox would notice small red circles indicating the locations of fire alarms throughout the building. If he looked to the corresponding wall of the office, he would see a cherry-red fire alarm, just begging to be pulled.

One floor below, the Vahki discovered the second Ostrox to be an illusion. Chattering mechanically in annoyance, they pooled their brainpower and collectively decided that the only way the targets could have escaped was through the broken window. One after another, the six Vahki rotated into quadruped mode and began to scuttle onto the outside of the Coliseum, hooking their staffs into crevices and pulling their bodies across the vertical surface. It wouldn't be long before they discovered the broken window to the floor above them.

Back in the lobby, the elevator doors closed, and the red numbers began to tick down as the elevators themselves descended. They were on their way to pick up more reinforcements.

 

OOC: @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler @Onaku

 

IC: Taja | Metru-Koro

Dusting off her hands, Taja took a break from moving stones and sweeping up rubble. The encroaching cool of the evening was a welcome respite from the sun. She looked back over her work. All the broken huts had been torn down, their foundations reset for new buildings whose construction was already beginning here and there. The rest would start tomorrow. Some of the rubble and broken rocks could be reused for the new huts, but the rest had been carted out and dumped on the outskirts of the village.

Throughout the work, Taja had grown more and more comfortable with her new powers. Her journey with Whisper had helped her gain an understanding and a familiarity with the shadows, but the repetition of manual labour provided the practice necessary to turn that understanding into muscle memory. With a flick of her wrist, she could conjure a shovel of solid shadow, or a staff to serve as a lever. With a thought, she could summon extra limbs of darkness to bolster her own strength. And when the sun had grown too hot overhead, she had learned to pull her shadow off the ground and hover above her instead, shielding her from the desert's heat.

She still had a long way to go. She watched other Toa working, and she envied the ease with which they manipulated their elements. But that would surely come with time. She was nothing if not patient. Haste was not a trait typically found in astronomers, after all—it took a certain amount of forbearance to study the movements of the stars.

Walking through the village, Taja kept her eyes open for Whisper. It had been a while now—had she returned yet with the kraata she had gone out to retrieve? As much as the idea of telepathic communication disconcerted her, she knew it was the most efficient way of to locate the Aspect. So she turned her gaze inward and focused. She wasn't sure if distance played a factor in this power, but surely Whisper hadn't gone too far.

Whisper? Where are you? Did you find the heartlights?

 

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

[Nato G]

IC: Whisper/Vulimai - Western Garrison

The appearance of a second voice in her head took her by surprise, and it took her a few moments to compose a response. I have the hearts, and made the kraata, she replied. I'm... with Vulimai right now.

@Eyru

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

IC: Zaliyah - The Coliseum

"Oh, you're going down?" She chuckled, stepping out of cover to approach the elevator door. "Let me help with that." 

Forcing her talons into the crack between the elevator doors, she wrenched them open. She fired on the elevator cables with her herding blade, intending to send the lift crashing back to the ground floor, hampering the progress of any future reinforcements. 

@Onaku @Toru Nui

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Grand Temple Ruins, Outside

With - Apex

 

Viltia tried and failed to motion with her hands what she was looking for, “It’s a crystal, one that holds a lot of electrical power. Maybe. Potentially another form of power. Also maybe. I really don’t know the details, other than that it holds a lot of potential within it. I need it to heal a tree that I can’t seem to fix with my element. With how this swamp mutates things, I don’t want the Nui-Rama to hurt themselves by mutating even more or potentially even growing more dangerous to Le-Metru Nuva.”

Viltia looked up at the hive. By the angle of the sun striking the large conical construction, it was getting close to dipping behind the giant robot head. They should do this quickly.

“Honestly I haven’t really thought about how to get it other than having this mask of Teleportation. But… that might not really work inside the hive, since I have no idea what the inside of a Nui-Rama hive would even look like. I was hoping to find a smaller entrance near the bottom and that they had dropped the crystal nearby.”

Viltia looked back to Apex, “But hey, don’t Aspects control Shadow? We can use that to hide ourselves. Or do you have a different plan in mind?”

 

OOC: @Sparticus147

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro

The Toa of iron turned around and looked at his two companions, thinking for a moment. He whispered back to Triage.

"Well... we have Navu now, and maybe if we find Taja again she'll come back? I'm going to be doing some... construction -" he tapped his mask "- for Vulimai, then we can figure out what we're doing ne-"

The engineer looked around the room, and stopped whispering.

"Wait... where is Vulimai?"

Edited December 28, 2020 by BULiK

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella and Triage - Metru-Koro (Abandoned Hut)

Triage looked around the room as well to confirm, then muttered an expletive upon realizing he'd failed at his task. "I know you said to keep an eye on her but I guess I, uh, didn't," he said. "I thought her and Whisper would come with us, but I guess they slipped away to do their own thing."

"Well, is it dangerous for them to be on their own? Where did they go off to?" Nale asked.

The medic didn't really have an answer. "Maybe home," Triage replied, shrugging. "Where does Vulimai live?"

@BULiK
 

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Abandoned Hut

Knichou shrugged. "Maybe a guardsman knows where she is or where her home is?"

[Sparticus147]

IC: Apex (The Grand Temple Ruins)

Apex listened to Viltia's words as she explained her goal and her plan, Apex letting out a toothy smile at the mention of Viltia doing this for the sake of restoring a portion of the swamp. Though, the smile on Apex' face was less comforting and more disconcerting, with the beastial nature of her muzzle. Nodding along, Apex momentarily glowered at the mention of using her element.

"I see...I agree, horrors already dwell within this swamp and there is no room for anymore. If we can prevent any further mutations, while also restoring the jungle, then I will gladly assist you Toa Viltia. As for me, I was intent on using my own Aspect-given power of control over Rahi, while also my own natural dominance and connection to nature to make my way in. If you could assist in such a manner, that would ease the challenge upon myself, for Rahi like the Nui-Rama are far more difficult to persuade."

OOC: @Kal the Guardian @Burnmad

Edited December 28, 2020 by Sparticus147

[Kal the Guardian]

IC: Viltia - Toa of the Green - Metru-Nui Refugees

Location - Grand Temple Ruins, Outside

With - Apex

 

Viltia nodded, “Okay, I think I can help with that. I’ll meet you at the top.”

Her tethers suddenly extended, pulling her up and into the trees. After a minute or so of climbing, she broke through the top of the canopy, the Nui-Rama hive still towering up even higher. Viltia waited for a lull in the giant insects as they entered and exited and teleported to the top, tethers reaching out and finding purchase on the hive.

She could feel the hum of the hive as the Nui-Rama buzzed inside. If she didn’t like insects, this would be rather scary.

Viltia pulled out her mask of Rahi Control, slipping off her mask of Teleportation. She secured it and made sure everything else was bound tight before trying to find a nook where passing Nui-Rama might not see her while she waited for Apex to join her.
 

OOC: @Sparticus147

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kathrine of the Flame - Ruins Exterior:

"Wait, Ulkarr can't be in charge, Arkius! The Vahki guys, Lawful and Reckless are.... Uh..... What is it, investigating! Yeah, investigating a murder that he may have had something to do with! You should probably make someone else in charge of defending the village! Like the Vahki! They were guardians in Metru Nui, after all!

@Onaku
 @Toru Nui

[Onaku]

IC: Arkius - Todbuk-Koro

"What? I'm not putting him in charge of anything! And what's this about a murder?!" Arkius furrowed his brow before turning back to Ulkarr. "Either way, I'm going to have to ask you to stay in the village until I return, be it to help guard it, or to answer for any crimes you may have committed or had a part in." 

@The UltimoScorp@Toru Nui

[Tarn]

IC: Triage - Metru-Koro (Abandoned Hut)

"You...don't know where she lives?" Triage said. "Alright, I suppose we can ask around. And better, maybe one of the guardsmen have seen her recently."

@BULiK

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

Knichou waved goodbye to the former crew members. "We need to find the guard captain, but we'll be back. Probably." Exuze snorted.

He walked out of the hut and sprinted towards the nearest patrolman.

"Excuse me, do you know where Captain Vulimai went?"

Edited December 29, 2020 by BULiK

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: The Nearest Patrol man | Metru-Koro

"I think she was at the Taku, last I heard," said the matoran sitting on an upturned bucket. "No, wait, hold on let me check."

He opened a wallet, saw it was empty, and looked at Knichou expectantly.

ooc: @BULiK

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

The Toa looked at the matoran with a raised eyebrow. Can't he see I'm trying to - but Knichou decided not to argue, it wasn't worth the time. He snapped and opened his hand, revealing a newly created gold coin sitting in his palm. Inflation was the least of anyone's worries right now, and it wasn't as if Knichou was a mint or the creation had any markings to signify value other than it's material worth. Knichou used his thumb to flick the gold coin in the air with a satisfying clink, the circular slab tumbling end over end until it landed inside the open wallet. The engineer didn't say a word, he just continued to stare at the matoran expectantly.

Edited December 28, 2020 by BULiK

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Ft Nektann

The Wanderer continues to call out the names of the people he knew. "Barius! Drukarus! Parnassus!" All names that ended with -us and sounded vaguely Latin. He didn't remember why he knew that term, 'Latin,' perhaps it was the name of some ancient lizard language? but he discarded the stray thought soon enough as more pressing things were at hand. 

Nobody moved to help him. He was a guest, but he was far from a welcomed one. His footpath meandered about the compound but went in the vague direction of the garage. 

[Unreliable Narrator]

IC: Grime | Fort Nektann

“Drukarus,” Grime said in supplication, then found himself unable to continue. His warlord arrived. Drukarus’s maul planted into the ground. Grime knew what came next. He’d already seen it in the Ash Barrens -- waves of gravity would rush from Drukarus, pinning Korruhn to the floor and making his resistance impossible. Aspect or not, Korruhn would die if Drukarus could act. And he saw how Drukarus positioned himself, forming a connection with Barius. Two skakdi in contact was even worse.

So Grime made the first move. He felt the squirming inside him, the telltale tightness in his chest as it slithered and coiled. It always hurt, and his breath became ragged whenever it was awake.

From down on his knees, Grime stretched a shaking hand towards her. She did not want to come, for she was still fascinated by the possibility of Drukarus’s strength. He could care for many of her children, and she was patient. 

Grime pleaded. He reminded her of what she really wanted.

Drukarus felt something vanish from his pocket. The small fortune telling toy remained, but a great darkness slipped away.

Grime stood up, his face changed. Three eyes stretched across his mask, twisting and looking about.

“I will be leaving now,” Grime said in a soft voice. It was not his voice, it was hers. “Thank you for your hospitality. You have given me many great things in your ignorance. You have given me a great gift, Barius of Irnakk. May our child live as we made him from Nektann’s clay. May he birth a new world, one made from the blood of the old. And you have given me this poisoned yolk of void and malice. I thank you.”

Korruhn felt a creeping chill run down his spine, and he watched his feet begin to turn out as if to walk into the desert beyond the garage. It was his own shadow that moved him, forcing him to react like a puppet dancing on its strings. Try as he might to resist, his skill with shadow was outclassed, each consideration he made in fighting back perfectly outplayed, and he had no choice but to obey. He could only follow until released.

Grime stood, and he turned, and he left into the night.

OOC: @Burnmad, @Sparticus147, @Conway, @Nato the Traveler, @Crimson Jester, @EmperorWhenua, scene end, Grime and Miserix leave. See you in SK:A!

 

IC: The nearest guard | Metru-Koro

"Well look at the generosity of toa, and did I ever just receive some new word on our captain's position. As I heard it, and now I heard it from good ol' Podu, who's a right fellow that goes by the name of Papa, although why he goes by Papa I don't entirely understand since Podu is an acceptable name and Papa is just syllables but that's neither here nor there, and as you know syllables do form the very words we speak and give meaning so in summary I suppose Podu is as right a name as Papa, though if we do give meaning to the value of the sounds which we create it would make sense that the Captain be making words, though what words she's making I'm not entirely sure as her words seemed as tripped up as her gait, and speaking of her gait have you seen a woman who might be too far down the bottle to tell the upside of the glass, and did I tell you of the last time I saw my friend the glass blower, oh he made the bottles, the bottles so green and made of glass, and green light the look on Vulimai's mask as she stumbled about towards the guard headquarters, although why we need a headquarters in this moment is beyond me, when you catch up with her you can ask about the glass and why it is that Podu needed glass windows in his shop that sold nothing but flat bread foods made ...."

@BULiK

Edited December 28, 2020 by Unreliable Narrator

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

It took a few seconds for Knichou to fully process the guardsman's words, nearly losing himself in the run-on. Once Knichou pieced together that Vulimai had gone towards the guard headquarters, he pressed on further, interrupting the rambler.

"Where's the guard headquarters again? I'm new in town."

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Ft Nektann

It was at that moment that the vagrant wizard arrived at the garage, relieved that he finally found the people he had been looking for. They all stood facing away from the garage door and into the interior at something that... wasn't there anymore. Stannis winced a slight knowing smile that vanished a second later.

"Ah! There you all are. Quite the mess of petrol in here..."

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm (Metru Koro, Irna's Hut)

Skorm shrugged. "Possible; I think he left the Koro, though. There was another one, on the Taku, that I sensed; haven't seen them since we jumped." He sighed; "Might be a little difficult, is all I'm saying."

OOC: @Conway @Toru Nui

Edited December 28, 2020 by Keeper of Kraata

[Unreliable Narrator]

12 minutes ago, BULiK said:

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

"Where's the guard headquarters again? I'm new in town."

IC: The Rambling Guard | Metru Koro

"Oh you know, you just look for where the bombs dropped the hardest and that'll be Sans's hut, although that seems a little sad when you think of it him being the leader of the village before all this madness, and the league somehow knew where his hut would be it seems, but if you see Sans's hut and you look a little further you'll find the tank from the war, a terrible war and one I rightly wish we'd put to rest, but no one listens to the guard who mans his post, only to the hero who ignores his order does destiny listen, and if you consider that you are being watched Knichou toa of iron who is both held in the regarding Artahka and reveled in the spirit of Karzahni for the sins of your ghosts will be repaid in the blood of your people as time has regained its course of failure in the termination of its own unraveling and if you consider the fact that it would be passing Sans's hut on the left to see the tank, you'll find the tank in a field of kind flowers full of pleasant smells, I did hear once it was best to stop for the smells and give a little sniff, good for your health I did hear, and you'll see the bombed out wreckage of the guard headquarters just about there about beyond the tank and flowers by a few paces, more or less... oh would you look at the time, but you do keep me talking a fine bit now don't you toa-hero. I'll be off then, it's time for the change of the watch."

The guard hopped off the stool, walked two paces down the street, then vanished in a puff of ash.

@BULiK

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

Knichou stood still and watched the matoran disappear, blinking as the blood drained from his face. He now knew how to get to where he needed to go but no longer knew if that was where he needed to go anymore. I'm being watched? He knew my name but only revealed it then? Artakha and Karzahni? THE BLOOD OF MY PEOPLE? TIME'S OWN UNRAVELING???!?!!?!!?!

He wanted to scream but couldn't find his voice. Instead the former Ghost whirled around, hoping Nale and Triage were right behind him and could verify what he saw and heard was real.

Edited December 28, 2020 by BULiK

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella and Triage - Metru-Koro

"What was that about?" Nale asked as she caught up to Knichou, having missed most of what the Matoran(?) had said, and the part where they vanished in a puff of ash. "Did you find out where Vulimai is?"

Triage had also lagged behind, having paused to ensure the injured crewmembers were doing alright for now before following the other two Toa. He hadn't seen any of it.

@BULiK

[Sparticus147]

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann, The Garage)

Drukarus was...Truly and utterly shocked in awe. His hard visage having broken into a slack-jawed look of surprise. Grime and Miserix were gone. Alongside Korruhn, who looked more than unwilling to follow. Drukarus felt like he should follow too, questions for both Grime, who he had taken as his ward, and this enigmatic and now alarmingly powerful figure that was Miserix. But, Drukarus felt that he shouldn't, that if he dared to follow or intervene, that a fate worst than existence within Irrnak's realm could possibly provide would befall him. And so, Drukarus held both his tongue and his hand, as he simply blankly gazed as Grime, now Miserix, and Korruhn entered the shadow of night, a howling storm forming far in the distance.

"Ah! There you all are. Quite the mess of petrol in here..."

Drukarus could only numbly mumble a yes, as he slowly strode towards the center of the garage, within the middle of the petrol puddle that had formed, and planting his maul and asserting his will, drawing in the petrol into a warbling liquid ball around the head of the maul, held together through the force of gravity. Drukarus then asked Stannis to create a basin for him to deposit the fluid.

OOC: @Burnmad @Conway @Nato the Traveler @EmperorWhenua

Edited December 28, 2020 by Sparticus147

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, :tito:

Knichou continued to blink, heartlight pounding.

"Did-did-didja not see what just?" He said, pointing erratically towards where the matoran was standing moments ago. "Y-you heard that, right?"

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Metru-Koro

"No, what was it?" Nale asked. Knichou had clearly been disturbed by...something. She looked where the Fe-Toa was pointing, then back to him. "Did something weird happen? Something weird happened."

@BULiK

Edited December 28, 2020 by Tarn

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Metru-Koro, Central Plaza

Knichou looked into Nale's calming eyes and did his best to slow his breathing. He then glanced at Triage, the medic as confused as ever. Did Knichou really need to give the medic another reason to tease him? He turned back to Nale.

"He... we... we'll talk about it later, when we're somewhere more private." Oh, yeah, that'll stop Triage's theories. He pointed in the direction of Sans's husk of a hut. "Apparently Vuilmai's at the guard headquarters, over that-a-way to the left of where Sans's hut used to be and past the tank that was set up before the attack."

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Ft Nektann

Stannis made a large bowl. 

@Sparticus147

[Void Emissary]

IC: Irna | Metru-Koro

"Yes, I suppose you're correct," Irna said, nodding solemnly. "In that case, let's get ready. We have a long journey ahead of us."

OOC: @Keeper of Kraata @Toru Nui

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

It was not the third eye that had opened on Grime's face that frightened Parnassus, nor the way that he merely flicked his wrist and set Korruhn's shadow to drag the Aspect out into that deep and stormy night. No, it was neither of those things, none of those events that inspired such terror in Parnassus' spirit -- but was the voice that Grime had spoken with. The voice of Miserix, of their eldest cousin, Empress-Cousin, the one who had vanished as Caedast had, but whom no one had missed. Caedast had been a mere wisp when he had vanished, after all. Miserix had been a tempest.

And now, that tempest roared free in the world once more.

They looked around. Drukarus and Caedast busied themselves cleaning up Korruhn's mess. Barius' red gaze and tottering gait suggested that he was still inebriated from the night's revelries. Which only left the Aspect and Corrivalis behind. All were busy. All were distracted.

Parnassus looked at Corrivalis -- their friend? They had not had many in their time. They did not wholly understand the concept, realize what a friend was, what they were supposed to do. Would Cor do the same thing in their place? The Aspect felt their shades coil around their wrist, their forearm, waiting like hungry snakes to snap and bite. They hesitated. They enjoyed Cor's presence, their conversation, their wisdom.

Parnassus thought of the storm-cousin that raged beyond. They thought of the dead man who roared above the horizon, leashed by Barius, the Aspect's fairweather friend. They thought of wellsprings of shadow that Korruhn had found, and a night one day when they would be nothing but wisps in the wind and a name lost to time, a night when Parnassus would be less than a memory.

And they thought of what Caedast had promised them.

They thought of necessity.

"Cor," they said. "Would you come with me? I wish to ensure that no other dangers lurk in the night."

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Nato G]

IC: Corrivalis - Fort Nektann Garage

"Sure," he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He only vaguely understood what had just transpired, recognising what had happened to Grime as being similar to what had happened to Nektann during his death. Not that he really understood that, though.

@Conway

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

Parnassus nodded and their way out of the hangar.

The night was dark, and the night was cold, and the night was empty outside. If Korruhn and Grime had ever laid feet on the sands of Xa, they did not do so now. Distant roars echoed against the stars, and Parnassus listened intently, for it was beyond the horizon, and the horizon was their domain. The horizon was endless in the dark. Endless and unbounded.

Like Parnassus.

The Aspect walked far from the fortress, and then farther, until the fires of Nektann were little more than a faint glow in the distance -- before stopping, and digging their heels into the sand.

"I'm sorry, Corrivalis," they said, not turning.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Nato G]

IC: Corrivalis - Fort Nektann

"For which part?" he asked, stifling a yawn. 

@Conway

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Desert

"For this."

The night whipped and frothed around Parnassus' legs, sending lean knives of darkness flying at Corrivalis.

OOC: @Nato the Traveler

-Void

[Nato G]

IC: Corrivalis - Desert

"Oh." 

He should had seen it coming.

He should have known an Aspect would only take interest in him as a sacrifice. 

But he'd thought he was finally, truly part of something. From the moment Boss had invited him to accompany the party to the Nightmare Pits, he'd thought he was privileged, important, privy to sights and secrets beyond what most warskaks were even aware of. 

Maybe he was. Maybe that was why Parnassus had chosen him over the others.

Or maybe it was because the Aspect knew no one would miss him.

The blades of blackness embedded themselves in his chest, and he toppled backwards without a sound. 

@Conway

[Toru Nui]

IC: Ulkarr, NU-8020S, Reckless, Obedient and Impressionable (Tobduk-Koro, Ruins of Stone Exterior)

"'Murder' is inaccurate. Euthanasia, less so. If you will not have me, then I can only hope for your safe return. I have dwelled upon this geographic nightmare long enough to know that your expedition will be perilous, especially without guidance. I wish you luck, Arkius, Toa of Earth."

NU-8020S turned to Arkius. "Vahki units will ensure the safety of the Matoran - as always - and watch the suspect closely."

@Onaku@The UltimoScorp

 

IC: Ostrox (The Coliseum, Presentation Room)

Ostrox chortled at Zaliyah's 'going down' line. Then, with faster speed than you would expect, he ran over and pulled the fire alarm.

"If nothing else, that should confuse and irritate them. Now…" He looked over the floor plans for anything else he missed - secret tunnels, escape routes...

@Eyru@Nato the Traveler@Onaku

 

IC: Tekmo (Metru-Koro, Irna’s Hut)

"Indeed. With my powers, materializing a vessel to take us across water should be ludicrously simple, once the time comes. We should inform the village authorities of where we’re going before we leave. Just so they don’t worry about us, you understand."

@Conway@Keeper of Kraata

 

IC: Navu (Metru-Koro, Western Garrison)

"Well, to make a looooong story short, a Toa named Falh killed a Toa called Datrox, and gave his heart to this thing in exchange for one of those Kraata slugs. It happened in my hut, and I could only watch through the window because Falh kicked me out."

@Sparticus147@Nato the Traveler

 

IC: Gnabol and Klawne (Metru-Koro, Iradra’s Hut)

Klawne never thought she’d see the day when she would share a room with an infant Skakdi, let alone seven of them. Or whatever this Gnabol was. He seemed nice, albeit surly.

"Alright, they’re all asleep, finally. Thanks, by the way. I should be able to move them back to the infirmary tomorrow."

"Why not now?"

"Yes, because now is the opportune time to do so when we won’t disturb them."

"OK, OK…" At first, she was somewhat hesitant. This wasn’t even her house to let space in, but she was sure that Iradra wouldn’t mind. It was strange… they had a sort of odd cuteness and innocence about them. It was hard to imagine that they were likely ruthless killing machines before being rained on by the Aqua Sphere. A sobering reminder that nothing is 'born evil'.

"So, remind me what is it you need to do while I watch them?"

"Demand to know what the Toa are planning to do concerning the 'Krom Sphere' I told you about." Gnabol rose from his chair and headed towards the door.

"Right. Have a good day!"

"I never do." He cracked open the makeshift entryway slightly, just enough for his thin frame to squeeze past it and out into the open, not bothering to wave or say goodbye.

"Yeesh. Whatever happened to good guys who were polite?"

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella and Triage - Metru-Koro

"Then let's get going," Nale replied. "I'm sure they're alright--I just want to make sure nothing else weird happens today."

She then turned in the direction of the guard HQ and started walking, her pace quickening halfway (but not to Kakama-level). Triage had finally caught up, and just started following the pair wherever they were going next. He turned his optics to the tank as they walked. Where'd they been keeping that thing before the battle?

@BULiK