Six Kingdoms: Apocalypse -- Gameplay Topic (IC)

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Ambling Alp (Kini-Koro Airspace)

Nale smirked in response to the look Knichou gave her, before stepping into the cockpit. She leaned herself against the doorway, wishing the Alp was equipped with extra seats or the seatbelts it lacked--perhaps Knichou could work on that next, she thought. Her conversation with Stannis still lingered in her mind, even after the Wanderer's words of comfort and his own admittance of sins. 

Focusing on the current moment, Nale braced herself for another chapter of Knichou's pilot schooling. With the ship's new landing gear, bringing it down safely should have been simple enough.

@BULiK@EmperorWhenua@~Xemnas~

IC: Jutori - Earth Ruins

"Right," he replied to Kilo.

Jutori looked at the crystals, then down at the floor,  as he looked for anything else in the room that wasn't showing up in the mirror beneath their feet. Any kind of clue.

@Onaku@pokemonlover360@The UltimoScorp@Eyru

Edited January 12, 2021 by Tarn

[EmperorWhenua]

34 minutes ago, BULiK said:

IC: Knichou, Kini-Koro Airspace, The Ambling Alp

Knichou's posture straightened and he lead the posse to the bridge, sitting in the co-pilot's seat. "Okay, first, deploy the landing gear again, then, make sure we're still only hovering and not flying, then slowly descend until we land. Got it?"

IC Stannis | Ambling Alp

The old man grasped the throttle but didn't budge the stick yet.

"One question: Am I covered by any warrantee policy of yours?"

Edited January 12, 2021 by EmperorWhenua

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Kini-Koro Airspace, The Ambling Alp

Knichou looked over to the Toa of stone, answering the question with a question of his own.

"Is this airship insured?"

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Ambling Alp

The old man did not answer the question in turn, shrugged with his brows, and began the descent.

[Nato G]

IC: Whisper - Kini-Nui

She glanced around the valley, weighing up her options. Though she'd done her best to integrate with the villagers, she'd done little to try to learn about their history, a decision she was regretting now. She wondered if Vulimai or Taja would know the right person for her to talk to? The old Toa she'd encountered a few weeks ago, Stannis, had seemed knowledgeable, but she hadn't seen him since. The one called Knichou wore a powerful Mask of Creation, perhaps that made him a Grand Builder?

A quick glance through the eyes of her desecrated revealed that Vulimai was in the midst of a meeting, and Taja was on her way towards an unfamiliar airship. Spotting the vessel hovering nearby via her own senses, Whisper turned and floated off in that direction. 

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Katrin of the Flame - Ruins of Earth:

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kat looked around the room, and noted that there were four of those gears. "Hey guys, there's four of those gear thingies, and four of us! why don't we all try movin' em together!" She moved over to one, and gestured to the others to do the same. As she went, she addressed the Administrator again, "If it's not too much to ask, can you tell us more about Onua?"

@Onaku@Tarn@pokemonlover360@Eyru

[Onaku]

IC: Okuo - Metru-Koro ruins

Finally, the bike came to a halt on the outskirts of the abandoned village, with Okuo stepping off the bike and taking the key out of its ignition. Taking a couple steps away from the vehicle, he surveyed the ruins of the former settlement, taking it all in and pondering. "Alright... where to start first?"

@Vezok's Friend@Tarn

 

IC: Arkius - Ruins of Earth

"Very well, might as well try the simplest solution first." Arkius said, walking to one of the wheels and placing his hands on it, preparing to turn it.

@Eyru@The UltimoScorp@pokemonlover360

[Tarn]

IC: Triage - Metru-Koro Ruins

Triage stepped off the bike, happy to be back in a warmer region. Not so happy that it was here, at the remains of the village that had been besieged so many times. Its choice of location was questionable and its resources scarce--there had been a reason they moved.

"Find Vhisola's home, maybe? Look for any clues there. Or we can retrace her steps."

@Onaku

IC: Jutori - Earth Ruins

Jutori looked up from the floor. "Alright, let's try it."

He walked over to one of the four gears and placed his hand on it. If this was the answer, it almost seemed too simple, and he briefly worried that if they were to successfully turn the gears all at once that it would just open a trap door beneath them to their doom. These ruins always gave him that vibe.

@Onaku@pokemonlover360@The UltimoScorp@Eyru

[Daniel the Finlander]

OOC: so hold on, you made a new character with medical skills and then immediately got him into a situation where he can use them? nice lol

IC: Niidak (Relic Fields)

Well, at least the Toa was still alive, somewhat. Niidak reached for her satchel with her free hand to unpack the medical supplies when a voice came from behind her.

"We hafta stop 'er bleeding, pronto."

She was immediately startled and swung around, pulling out her dagger and pointing it at the stranger. Only after this instinctive reaction did she actually realize what he had said. This made him sound like a friend rather than an enemy, but the timing was ominous. Where had he come from? Had he been hiding in the shadows and waiting for her to enter? Was this all part of an elaborate trap?

Her dagger lowered yet she glared at the stranger with narrowed eyes. "Yes, we have to. I was able to realize that by myself, thank you." She plunged her other hand into her satchel and rummaged through it, pulling out a bandage roll. "If you intend to help, maybe you can go look for her mask," she muttered to the stranger. "I'm not an expert on Toa, but I know she either dies or goes unconscious again without it."

OOC: @BULiK

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Daniel the Finlander

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth

Kilo attempted to turn the second gear, but encountered the same issue has it had with the first. Regardless of effort, the gear would not budge.

"Skakdi?" The Administrator asked. "Of course. Several have blundered their way into the sacred places over the centuries. But, like all inferior races, they inevitably get bored when they find nothing to eat or destroy. Only the Builders have the strength of will and purity of spirit necessary to prove themselves worthy."

Jutori looked down at the mirror-like crystal beneath his feet. Absent his own reflection, it was easy enough to make out the shapes of the various crystalline spikes and shards that, at first glance, seemed to match up with their counterparts hanging above him. However, upon closer inspection, he realized all the reflections were off. There was one particularly gorgeous stalactite hanging just above him. Bigger than a Matoran, it was the color of pale lavender, and each faceted edge shone in the dim light. But when Jutori looked at his feet, he saw the reflection of a completely different cluster of cerise-colored crystals. Continued scrutiny would reveal that none of the crystalline structure in the ceiling above him matched their reflections in the floor. If he looked behind him, he would realize that the door they had entered through also did not have a reflection.

"That said, some of them needed a little more persuasion to leave than others," the Administrator continued ominously. "Thankfully, charged as I am with the protection of these holy sites, I can be very convincing..."

The Administrator seemed about to go on, but quickly pivoted to answer Kat's question.

“Toa Onua constructed this great temple. It was one of his many great deeds in preparation for our salvation. Your ignorance would surprise me, were it not for prior exposure to the ignorance of all others who have sought out these temples. It appears to be the result of a lack of fundamental education."

Each of the four adventurers now had their hand upon the handle of a gear.

 

OOC: @Tarn @The UltimoScorp @pokemonlover360 @Onaku

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Ruins of Earth:

With all four members of the group holding different handles around the room, all that remained was to try their unity against the puzzle. “Attempt to pull the levers on the count of three,” the machine stated, attempting to coordinate its allies. “One, two, three.”

The group attempted to move their levers simultaneously. While doing so the machine glanced at the reflective floor, attempting to determine whether the gears were in the reflection despite most everything else being different.

OOC: @Onaku@The UltimoScorp@Tarn@Eyru

[BULiK]

OOC: Completely mostly a coincidence, as a matter of fact, but I don't blame you for assuming it isn't one. Exuze was a vehicle crew npc last game that I've been wanting to turn into a PC in this game for several weeks now. I just... procrastinated on it... and when I was figuring out where to drop him, decided with someone I hadn't RPed with before would be the most interesting option.

IC: Exuze, Relic Fields

The vortixx initially went for her satchel, and only pulled out her weapon when she was startled. Understandable. Perhaps there was hope for this Toa yet. The camouflaged Exuze stood at a distance, eyeing the stranger until she began to lower her dagger. He ignored the sarcasm - now that he thought about it, that probably wasn't the best way to introduce himself

"No time," the Lesterin said, lowering his hood and taking off his kanohi as he approached. The nomad's massive cloak shifted back to it's natural shade of brown. "She goes to sleep, she izn't wakin' up."

While giving his Kanohi to a stranger would be too great a risk under normal conditions, this Toa wasn't going to be running off with it or using it to turn on him any time soon. He knelt down and placed the Kanohi on the wounded Toa's face, hoping that it's power would give her the energy to stay conscious a bit longer, maybe even long enough to survive this wound. He immediately went to work, pulling out the largest piece of gauze he had, slipping it underneath the Toa's hand on her stomach, hoping he was correctly remembering what to do. He wasn't a professional like Triage, and in the heat of the moment it felt like he could barely remember what the Toa of plantlife had told him a few weeks ago.

"Take ovah this," he directed his fellow bystander, as he stopped putting pressure on the wound and began to ruffle around his pockets for something else. His hand emerged with an orange plastic case. Flicking the lid open, Exuze retrieved a syringe from the case. One of Triage's plant-based painkilling concoctions. Awful nice of him to give some to the Lesterin, who had been his impromptu assistant while treating the wounded of the Po-Koro raid. Maybe it was truly meant for Exuze to use in an emergency as he travelled the wildlands. Maybe it was an off-the-books prescription, out of pity for the former crewmate turned cripple, to help him cope. Who's to say.

As he began to inject the painkiller into the Toa's upper arm, he tried to get her attention.

"Stay with us. Who're ya? What 'appened?"

OOC: @Daniel the Finlander @Unreliable Narrator

IC: Knichou, Kini-Koro Airspace, The Ambling Alp

Knichou gulped.

Edited January 13, 2021 by BULiK

[Daniel the Finlander]

IC: Niidak (Relic Fields)

Niidak raised an eyebrow as the stranger took off his own mask and placed it on the Toa’s face. She wasn’t sure if he was a Toa himself, though he did resemble one. Perhaps he’d be fine without a mask? Either that, or he was foolishly risking falling unconscious. In the back of her mind, her old self thought of ways to take advantage of him if that were to happen, but she quickly pushed such ideas away.

 Stranger still, he seemed to be well prepared to take care of her injuries. So well prepared, in fact, that she was now even more suspicious of him than before. Nevertheless, she hesitantly obeyed his request, kneeling down next to the Toa, putting the bandage roll back into her satchel and then placing her hand on the wound. Her other hand still held the dagger, just in case.

As the stranger spoke to the Toa, Niidak frowned. His brutish accent seemed vaguely familiar to her, as she had heard many different ones during her glory days of making business with all kinds of folk. Yet she was unable to recognize where he came from, at least for now.

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth

The four adventurers each turned their gears simultaneously. Unlike Kilo's earlier attempts, as soon as the gears were turned in unison, they moved easily, almost effortlessly. They turned smoothly and silently, with neither the squeaks nor squeals they might have expected to come from machinery left long-unused. Unity, it seemed, was the key ingredient. As the gears rotated, so too did the reflection of the room slowly begin to rotate beneath them. The floor itself, as well as the walls and ceiling, remained still. Only the reflection moved, spinning slowly underneath their feet.

Jutori noticed a familiar image in the floor: it was the reflection of the lavender stalactite he had seen moments ago, hanging from the ceiling. It was roughly a third of the room away from the stalactite, but if the group kept turning their gears, perhaps they could make the crystalline structure and its reflection properly align.

 

OOC: @Tarn @pokemonlover360 @Onaku @The UltimoScorp

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Earth Ruins

"It looks like we have to align the room with its mirror image," Jutori said, observing the reflection's movement. It seemed they were on the right track. "Let's turn the gears some more."

@Onaku@pokemonlover360@The UltimoScorp@Eyru

Edited January 13, 2021 by Tarn

[Sparticus147]

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann)

Making his way through the fortress, Drukarus sensed the presence of the two figures before he even saw them, rounding a corner as the two blocked his path. Their minds were like needles, pricking his mind and raking across it, like a compass spinning on its axis to point north. As he got closer, the pressure of their needles upon his mind began to stand out amongst the countless others that constantly jabbed at Drukarus' mind, with the increasing proximity causing the relatively miniscule, but still all too apparent pain of their presence to be known to him. Slowing his steps as he began to approach, easing the growing sensation, Drukarus stopped an arms breadth away. 

Looking between the two, Drukarus recognized Parnassus all to well, them inserting themselves as the right hand of Barius. Since their initial meeting, Drukarus has taken note of the weariness that has fallen over the guised demon, their armor's former luster falling into despair. But Drukarus had not the care nor the desire to peer closer into their alien psyche, to discern the cause for such a collapse in appearence. The other figure, Drukarus also recognized, as he made sure to familiarize himself with the members of the warskak. Retsu they were. From their clash two weeks ago, Drukarus had learned much about them. He had recognized the effect of age that has taken them, yet no where near the same degree has Drukarus himself. He had also found them to be weak, relying on speed and intimidation rather than skill or coordination within their battle, making them an easy foe in comparison to others amongst the Warskak.

As Drukarus stopped in his pace before the two, the demon Parnassus spoke, "May we join you?"

After a brief pause and a moment of thought, Drukarus answered. "...Yes, you may." Drukarus simply said, as he moved forwards, intent on pushing pass and through the two before him as he continued to seek the warlord Barius.

OOC: @Conway @Burnmad

IC: Vulimai (Kini-Koro)

Vulimai...Wasn't entirely sure what to say, as thoughts concerning what Iradra had said came at her from all sides. "Mata-Nui stands against free will? He was the one who spawned the undead? How does she know what Ostrox said is truth? A month ago, but that would mean that...Bronk was there when this information was shared..."

Eventually, Vulimai got a hold of herself once more as she broke away from Iradra's intense gaze and stood up from the spot where she was seated, taking a few steps forwards. "Thank you Iradra for the information, I'll go and find Ostrox and ask him myself the nature of all this. You may be dismissed to your regular duties." Falling back into the military routine she was used to, Vulimai left the Av-Toa as she marched away from Kini-Koro, in search of the Mantaxian.

Nearing the village of Kini-Koro, Bronk noticed as another figure was moving away from the settlement towards the Protodermis lake of Kini-Nui, soon identifying them as Commander Vulimai. Changing his own course and calling out to his commander, the two eventually converged onto one another.

"Vulimai, I hav-"

"Quartermaster, tell me again, what was all the information you had to inform me about when I returned to Metru-Koro a month ago, after the bombing?"

"Uhm...I informed ya of Sans' death, of the Mesi attack, and of the death of Pridak an' his replacement."

"Interesting, so, you did not receive any form of information concerning the great spirit, and his involvement with the undead that ravaged the city during the crash." Vulimai said with a sternness in her voice, her words being less of a question and more of an accusatory statement. Bronk was left silent for several seconds, not out of any sense of growing guilt at his action, though one may make that assumption, but simply out of concern with the way that Vulimai had spoke to him and the look within her optics.

"Vulimai, I-"

"It's Commander, Quartermaster. Now explain to me, why is it this information was not given to me?"

"...Commander...I was plannin' on tellin' ya, but when the news of...Juno...Reached us an' how it affected ya...Well, I just thought this was one thing that I could keep off ya shoulders..."

Vulimai leaned in close, her optics filled with a cold anger, as she whispered to Bronk in a tone he had never heard her speak in, one devoid of her usual self. "Now Quartermaster, listen to my orders and listen well, if there is a threat to my charges, any threat, you will do your Duty and inform me. Are we clear?"

"...Yes...Commander."

Several more seconds past, as Vulimai's fiery optics pierced into Bronk's own concerned gaze before she leaned back, her gaze diminishing only a little. "Good, anything else to report Quartermaster?"

"Yes Commander, Marksman Twesh identified an' airship approachin' Ko-Pou from the north, presum'bly from Metru-Nui. It was last spotted headin' southeastwards, towards the Relic Fields. Toa Okuo an' Toa Triage left in order to meet it...Commander."

"I see..." Vulimai said, as she slowly pursed out the best course of actions with the information she had just received. "Return back to Kini-Koro and inform the guards that fortifications must be erected around both the portal and Ko-Pou itself, I want at least half-a-dozen guards manning that portal on both ends. At least until this airship is either confirmed KIA or has returned to Metru-Nui. Understood?"

"Yes Commander." Bronk quietly replied. "Good, now get a move on, I have other business to attend to."

Marching past Bronk, Vulimai proceeded to make her way towards where the last reported location of Ostrox was. As Vulimai made her way along, Bronk could only shake his head in disappointment, both in himself and in Vulimai. He had only wanted to ease his friend's burdens, and yet now he has managed to make himself into one as well.

OOC: @Onaku @Toru Nui @Nato the Traveler Vulimai is soon arriving at the Protodermis Lake.

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth

As each member of the group carefully turned their respective gear at Jutori's command, the floor's reflection continued to rotate. It moved slowly but inevitably, until at last the crystalline stalactites on the ceiling were poised directly above their counterparts seen in the floor. At this point, Jutori called out for his companions to cease turning their gears, and they did. 

Now, if they looked down and up, the ceiling of the cavern and the image in the floor were identical. The lavender stalactite hung above its mirror image, as did the cluster of smaller cerise-colored crystals. A jutting spike of milky pink crystal hung over an identical formation in the floor. The four beings, however, still cast no reflection.

There was silence for a moment, but it was quickly broken by the sound of grinding stone coming from the door. If any looked over, they would see the stone door descend into the floor of the tunnel, leaving the way free to travel through once more. The doorway had a mirror image below it now where none had been before, and the reflection of the door also opened; although it appeared, perhaps by some trick of the light, to open a half second behind the real door.

 

OOC: @pokemonlover360 @Onaku @The UltimoScorp @Tarn

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Katrin of the Flame - Ruins of Earth:

"Woo-hoo! We did it, guys!" The young monk cheered, jumping once in the air(quite a high jump, at that) with joy. "Hey, maybe I'm not as bad at puzzles as I thought, huh?" she said with a laugh.

"You're probably right, though! There wasn't much we learned in the Order, besides the lessons of the Dragons. What other things did he do? You said he had a bunch of accomplishments!" She released the lever, and began to walk to the now open door.

@Onaku@Tarn@pokemonlover360@Eyru

Edited January 13, 2021 by The UltimoScorp
add colors

[Sparticus147]

IC: Sala (Far Shore, Koro-Metru)

Hours passed, as Sala sat there, incapable and unwilling to move, the mists and shadows all the while having spent their time desperately gnawing and lapping at the wall of force that encased Sala and warded him from their poisonous touch. It was a harrowing experience, as although the shadows could not touch Sala, their sinister whispers and silent wails reached his audio receptors from within his little bubble of safety. But, eventually, the mists parted and disappeared as a sole Ga-Matoran approached cautiously.

“Uh..Um….Hello?” They shyly asked.

With the mists now gone, Sala’s Kraata finally settled, freeing him from its comforting grip. Stiffly, he lifted up his head to look at the Ga-Matoran, them very much looking uneasy at being here, most likely having seen Sala’s outburst earlier that day. “Um...Hi.” Sala responded.

Meekly, the Ga-Matoran spoke back to Sala, “Turaga Dume wants to see you.”

“Ah...I see. Can you show me where I can find him?”

“Um...Yeah, I can do that.” The Ga-Matoran replied, nodding their head.

Getting up from where he sat, Sala soon followed. “Thank you...Uh..Um-”

“Paya.”

“Thank you Paya.”

The two walked in silence as they made their way back through Koro-Metru. The Metru was, small honestly, it looked like only a few dozen Matoran lived here with even fewer being seen on the streets. The huts were simple, basic, enough for a Matoran to live in but not enough to even compare to where they used to live. The entire chamber in which the place was built in was dimly lit, with the only thing illuminating the place being clusters of lightstones tactically placed within the cave ceiling and electrical lights lining the streets, with wires and cables half-haphazardly laced around. It was a sad affair, perhaps even sadder than the state that Metru-Koro was in before Sala first left.

Following along, Sala and Paya eventually arrived at a round, domed hut at the center of the village, it was marginally larger than the huts around it, though it bore no other differences. Gesturing to the main door, Paya left Sala to enter on his own, with herself walking off without another word. Briefly looking as she walked off, Sala had a sense that Paya, like so many others within this village, had lost something near and dear to them since the end of the war.

Stepping inside, having to duck to keep Avagah from catching on the doorframe, Sala was met with Turaga Dume and...Toa Juno. Sala’s stomach twisted up into knots at the sight of the Po-Toa, but he was just able to hold himself steady as he stood in front of the two, Dume letting out a terse cough into his closed hand. “I am glad you were able to make it Sala.”

“Y..Yeah, a Ga-Matoran named Paya helped me find this place.”

“Ah, Paya. Yes, I sent her. She was once quite lively...Shame what happened though.” Dume said with a melancholy tone.

“What happened?” Sala asked curiously, “Paya was rather close to a Po-Matoran named Gree, but unfortunately, he was captured by the Vahki some time ago. A shame, which brings me onto my point.” Dume responded.

Several seconds passed in silence, with Dume not uttering a word, as he contemplated his next words, his face visibly in deep thought...Till at last he spoke. “I...We...Need your help Sala.”

“Me?! What do you need my help with?”

“Simple, we need your help freeing the other Toa who have been captured by the Vahki and Ehlek, with that, we may once again have a chance at freeing this city from his rule.”

“What?!” Sala said incredulously.

Juno stepped forwards, his hands raised as he tried to calm Sala, not wanting them to bolt off again, “I...Know what we’re asking you is much but, we have no other choice.”

“We have worked to hide, protect, and to provide for this village, but Ehlek’s security force of Vahki are drawing closed an ever increasing grip around us. I am honestly afraid to say that I do not think we could last even another decade, let alone another hundred years.” Dume chimed him, his voice somber and low, as to prevent anyone from outside overhearing.

Sala for his part was nearly speechless, “Bu..But I-I-I j-just got here?! Wh..What makes you think I could help?!”

Dume spoke up, as he stepped around from his desk and stood before Sala, looking up at the Su-Matoran. With a wave of his hand, Dume gestured towards Juno and then the door, “Juno, please leave the two of us alone, go and conduct your usual patrols please.”

“Dume, you’re sure?”

“I’m positive thank you.”

Juno promptly left the hut, shuffling past Sala and the large frame of Avagah, leaving only Dume and Sala alone within the room. “You’re not from here, this time, I mean.”

“Wha-What do you me-”

“Don’t patronize me Chronicler Sala, I am far older and wiser than you could possibly imagine and I have seen and done things you wouldn’t believe...Or, perhaps, things you’ve already seen. No matter, the point is, the multiverse at large brought you here to meet me. Such meetings are not done out of accident...So, unless you know of another purpose for being here, your purpose here is to help us. So says the winds of Destiny as I have foretold.”

Sala didn’t know what to say, as he was caught off guard by Dume’s surprising awareness of his otherworldly nature, and the seemingly endless sequestered knowledge that Dume held about this subject. For several seconds, the two simply stood in silence, Dume in waiting for a response, and Sala in trying to formulate one.

He didn’t know why, but something told him what his answer was before he knew it. With hesitation in his voice, Sala at last spoke to Dume, vocalizing the words implanted into his mind.

“Y-Yes, I will help.”

“Good, I shall go and find Juno and retrieve him. Do please remain here, I do not want to have to look for you as well.”

As Dume left Sala within the stone hut to go and retrieve Juno from his patrol, Sala was left alone to contemplate what he had just agreed too, and what purpose he was here for...

~~~

For several hours, the three figures spoke and deliberated on the plan they were about to enact. Dume would remain within Koro-Metru, as he couldn’t offer much to the plan other than his knowledge and insights. He informed Sala and Juno that Ehlek most likely held the Toa within a large skyscraper within Le-Metru, near the Coliseum. The skyscraper was one of the largest within the city, just shy of the Coliseum Spire itself. The skyscraper had no way to enter from the ground level, and could only be entered through a landing balcony located near the top of it by way of airship. For infiltrating such a seemingly impregnable fortress, Juno, through the use of his Mahiki, will pose in the guise of a Vahki, having recently captured the latest known criminal on the run, Sala. 

Sala initially questioned the plan, but Dume quickly alleviated his concerns, as he assured Sala that Avagah would protect him from the beams of the Vahki staves. In addition, the Vahki would never realize that Juno isn’t one of them and that Sala wasn’t already under the effects of one of the staves. This was all assuming that the two of them would take the utmost precautions. 

Continuing with the explanation, Dume informed them that upon entering the skyscraper, the pair would make their way into the prison block levels, whereupon Sala would go and find a way into the main security system network, disable it, and free all of the Toa trapped there. It was a simple plan, if a little lacking in actual planning and more reliant on Dume’s own assurances and faith, but it was a plan nonetheless.

With the plan roughly settled, Juno and Sala left the Turaga’s hut and went to return to the street level of Metru-Nui in order to find an airship to board. But as Sala was about to step out through the door, Dume called out for him to wait for one more brief moment. Closing the door as Juno passed through in order to give the two privacy, Sala stood at attention for Dume to give him whatever last words of wisdom the Turaga held.

“Sala...You must know that I have reasons to believe that what you seek lies within the deepest levels of that prison. There, your path will be illuminated. That is all.”

Sala stared hard at Dume, trying to discern any more secrets that the wizen and seemingly ancient Turaga held, but all Sala could discern is the seriousness and stoicism that pervaded throughout his elderly form. He then simply thanked Dume, and left to follow after Juno, leaving Dume to wonder what secrets the otherworldly Su-Matoran held, and what horrifying revelations they had discovered about the island of Xa.

~~~

Travel with Juno was surprisingly quick and direct, as rather than navigate through the vast amount of passageways and tunnels that made up the Archives, Juno instead made his own tunnels, sealing them as the two ventured forth, leaving nary a trace. When Sala asked why they were traveling like this, Juno happily told Sala that it was for Koro-Metru’s protection, as the Vahki couldn’t follow their steps back to the village. It was a smart idea, one far smarter than Sala thought this plan was.

What did Dume expect him to do? He was just a Matoran. True, he wasn’t from here, but what did that honestly have to do with anything? Destiny? Fate?! It was all just so absurd and hard to honestly believe. And as Sala thought upon the faultiness that lined this crude semblance of a plan, other more harrowing thoughts began to seep into Sala’s mind as he looked up towards Juno. 

“C-Can we really do this? Wh-What if the plan doesn’t work? What if...What if Juno dies again? What if he dies because of me? What if I fail him...What if I fail everyone?”

As the shadows of Sala’s mind began to haunt him once more, preying upon the flock of weakness and sorrow that herded within, Juno continued to push along, unaware of his companions plight. “Alrighty, this should be the last tunnel we’ll have to cross and then we’ll be on the surface. Hopefully the Vahki were kind enough to leave us a ship that we could borrow.”

Placing his hand onto the seemingly solid stone wall before him, Juno was left surprised as the wall rippled beneath his touch, like a single pinpoint upon a still pond, the dark stone transitioning into a silver sheen before giving way all together. Juno and Sala weren’t left for more than a second, as a great suction of air dragged them out of the tunnel they were in and out into the open expanse of stars before them, wisps of shadow and green light slithering around them.

The two of them fell for what felt like an eternity of distance, yet for them it felt no longer than a few seconds as they soon landed in the tangled web of shadow, the sickly, toxic green light pulsing throughout. As Sala was momentarily panicking, Juno channeled his element as a stone platform materialized beneath himself. Reaching over and pulling Sala up onto the platform with him, Juno let out a drawn out whistle.

“Well, this is new. Any idea where we’re at, because I’m fairly sure this isn’t normal.”

Sala fumbled with his words for a few seconds before he could reply in proper, “W-We’re in the Far Shore. I could explain it but I don’t think we have the time.” Sala looked out towards the mass of tendrils that stretched out as far as the eye could see, pulses of green energy flowing along them. He whispered beneath his breath, “Why do I keep ending up here?”

But as Sala whispered his words, another whisper came along with it, before growing into a murmur and then a howling gale, one that sought to overtake the two outsiders to this alien realm. Juno instinctually clasped down onto his stone platform, his hands and feet sinking into the rock while Sala held onto the edge with all of Avagah’s strength, his Kraata warding him against the forceful gale and keeping him grounded.

Shouting over the winds, Juno called out to Sala, “We gotta get out of here! This wind is going to tear us apart!” But Sala couldn’t hear him, as all he could hear was the sinister whispers that cut into his mind through the roaring stream of air.

“Muuurrdereerrr! Kiiilleerrr! You Let Him Diiiieee!”

Straining his optics against the rushing wind, Sala’s expression turned to shock and horror as faces began to make themselves apparent, faces of the fallen, faces that Sala recognized as the last ones he saw before they died, agony and pain stricken across them, each one wailing their own desperate cry for help.

Sala was stunned, he could barely move, and his grip...It was weakening, as he slowly allowed his grip to lessen, for himself to be taken by this amalgamation of his failings. Then, another face broke through the winds, Juno’s face. Sala nearly thought it was another illusion of the harrowing gale, but the words it was saying to him reached his mind and brought about clarity.

“Sala! We gotta get out of here! Come on!”

Snapped back to reality by Juno, Sala quickly went to follow the Po-Toa, as Juno blazed a path ahead through the tendrils. Frantically channeling his elements, first coalescing as masses of sand soon solidifying into solid stone, suspended by the webs.

As Juno created platforms for the two to run along, Sala went to work, beating back the haunted winds with the emerald hatchet within his hands, them being sheared in twain like slicing through brush with a sharpened blade. Furiously, Sala swung his axe with Juno making platform upon platform as quickly as he possibly could, but as they ran, no clear escape came in sight nor did the winds seem to abate in their assault.

As Sala cleaved another Jetstream of howling fury and agony, one of the two cloved halves wrapped back around upon itself, and struck Juno in the side mid-jump. The Toa stumbled and rolled as he landed upon the hard stoned, skidding off the side, with only one hand keeping him from plummeting to his doom. Gazing downwards, Juno saw a swirling mass of shadows, circling the bottom of the pit like a whirlwind, hungry to consume all in its wake...But within that swirling cyclone, he could’ve sworn he saw a glimmer, a glimmer...Of stars.

A hand soon clasped itself around Juno’s own, the strong metallic grip of Avagah wrapped around his wrist as Sala worked to pull the Po-Toa back up, back onto solid stone. But as Sala pulled, battering him from behind came the winds, howling and jeering at Sala, their harsh words piercing his mind as he strained against their physical abuse.

“Drop Hiiiiimm! Let Him Faaaallll! You’ve Already Killed Him Oncccee! What’s One More Tiiiime?”

“NO! NO! I won’t let you go! I won’t let them have you! I’m not going to let you die again!” Sala cried out, desperately hanging on for dear life as he screamed above the terrible roar of the rushing shades, as they battered against Avagah and the shield forming from the Kraata upon Sala’s neck, it too desperately trying to ward him against the vile assault.

But as Sala clutched tightly upon Juno, straining as tears breached his optics, Juno’s own voice broke through the cacophony. “Sala!..You gotta let me go! You need to let me fall!”

Sala was dumbstruck, and nearly dropped Juno right then and there in his confusion, but he caught himself and kept holding on tight. “What?! No, I can’t! If I drop you, you’ll die! The winds they-”

“I don’t know what you think you’re hearing Sala, but whatever it is, I ain’t hearing a lick of it! So if I ain’t hearing it, then it’s not real, so you shouldn’t be listening to it! You understand me?!”

Sala stared down towards Juno, uncertainty filling his expression. And as he looked down, he saw the pained, burnt visage of Juno, as he saw them within the burning ruins of Metru-Koro. But as he looked closer, that pained visage soon turned into a peaceful look, the last expression Juno held as he willingly accepted his end to give Sala the strength he now had. Gazing down into the face of serene peace, Sala’s own mind began to mirror it, the panic within himself lessening; alongside the howling gale, whose own fury seemed to be dampened by this shift in Sala’s mood as the shadowy vortex beneath him seemingly began to be quelled by some unknown force, traces of silver and gold peering through.

With one final deep breath, steading himself, Sala met Juno’s own expression, the one that existed before him and not back at Metru-Koro, and nodded.

“Good, because I’m not so sure about this myself! HOLD OOON!” 

And like that, the stone platform that Sala and Juno were hanging upon flipped over by Juno’s own will, casting the two down, down, ever farther down into the maelstrom below them. The winds raced behind but were just not able to catch them. And as they met the eye of the vortex...They saw a light of radiant gold that swiftly consumed them.

~~~

The two felt pain shoot across their entire bodies as they made contact with the hard surface of the landing platform at the top of the skyscraper within Le-Metru. Sala was the first to get up, Avagah in conjunction with his Kraata power having lessened the blow.

“Cough...Cough...H-How did you know that was going to work?” Sala asked.

“To be honest...Cough...Cough...I didn’t,” Juno responded with a cheeky grin upon his Mahiki, “Call it a hunch, a bit of intuition, a lucky guess even. Honestly, I’m well known for them, so it’s a good thing you listened to me...Especially considering where we are!” Juno beamed as he realized where the two were.

“Hah! I might not know what this Far Shore business is, but it seems to be one Karz of a shortcut! Come on, let’s get a move on.” And as the Toa of stone said that, his visage went from his normal self to mirror that of a Vorzakh, his voice changing to accompany the shift.

“H-How d-did yo-”

“Voice modulator. Doesn’t help to look like a Vahki if you can’t talk like one. Watch this.” An electronic whir of noise emanated from Juno before normal speech returned, “Pretty sweet right? Just said how are you in Vahki. Just remember the plan, and we’ll get this done easy.” 

Although confidence beamed throughout Juno’s vocoded voice, Sala didn’t quite share the same enthusiasm. But, after surviving the Far Shore once again, Sala allowed a glimmer of hope to light up within himself, as he allowed Juno to walk him into the structure ahead. Hopefully, this plan was going to go off without another hitch.

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Vezok's Friend @Eyru Part Three of Sala's Far Shore Adventure.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Sparticus147

[Tarn]

IC: Jutori - Earth Ruins

Jutori was happy they had solved the first room, but something still felt...off. "I don't like this place, Kilo," he said to the robot. "Makes me uneasy."

He headed to the door with Kat, at a much less enthusiastic pace. The Toa of Gravity glanced up at the ceiling. "Admin, if it's a question you can answer...what happened to Onua? How did he die?"

@Onaku@pokemonlover360@The UltimoScorp@Eyru

[EmperorWhenua]

Quote

"Okay, first, deploy the landing gear again, then, make sure we're still only hovering and not flying, then slowly descend until we land. Got it?"

IC Stannis | Ambling Alp

Knichou's instructions echoed in the old man's mind. The stakes were higher, now, with the occupancy in the cockpit doubled with the addition of the peanut gallery, and Stannis was not altogether pleased with that. He wasn't truly worried for anyone's safety—they were all toa, and they were very able to protect and sustain themselves, particularly since two of the three could manipulate the metals of the tin can they were being carried in—but there was the small issue of the Wanderer's pride. 

He'd been tested much in recent weeks, challenging his luddite sensibilities and pacifist ideals alike as examples, and in each case he struggled to adapt. Old people could indeed learn new tricks, just, more slowly and carefully than the young guns who could pluck a new hobby from behind their ears and turn it into a fully-paid gig. He glanced at Knichou and Atamai briefly at the thought of the valedictorians of the most recent graduating class, two people who rose to heroics by the hand of the Ark Pilot and then in a blink of an eye one was created a NUVA and the other wielded the Mask of Creation, and neither of them seemed to have the slightest idea what to do with the powers they suddenly possessed. Destiny worked in mysterious ways. It did not, however, always come with the knowledge to navigate it. 

Turning his attention back to the controls, he looked everything over again, confirming he was indeed ready to assume command of the vessel from the autopilot that had maintained their altitude. He released the landing gears, waited for them to fully extend in their tripod shape, recalled the side hatch as a matter of course, and then began the process of descending. 

Descending.

"Er, how do I descend without the use of throttles?" he asked. He did not know. He only knew how to fly the airship, and every time he'd tried to land before it was as a process while flying. He could slow down the ship, wean off the throttle, and hope for the best when the hull hit the ground. Thankfully, Knichou was a patient instructor, perhaps repaying the kindnesses done while they cruised Metru Nui in the Taku, and pointed at the appropriate lever to control the levitation force. Stannis bobbed his head in gratitude.

Descending.

Right.

No more quips, he told himself, and focus on doing the task instead. He nudged the stick back, easy and slow, allowing the Alp to settle on its own weight as the lev kanoka diminished their efforts at keeping the craft aloft. He took it slowly, almost arduously so, but he was doing his best and that would have to be the end of it because he did not care what the younger people thought anymore. There was a brief shudder as it came to a rocky touchdown, a whirring of gears as the pneumatics adjusted the tripod landing gears to the angle of the hillside, and then that was the end of it.

He'd descended. Yahoo! 

"Another happy landing. That was fun," Stannis said, either oblivious or facetious to the irony of how ivory-white his sinewy knuckles were around the joystick.

@Tarn @BULiK @~Xemnas~

Edited January 13, 2021 by EmperorWhenua

[Eyru]

IC: Reliable Narrator | Ruins of Earth

"He wa— oh, are you giving up so soon?" The Administrator's answer was cut off by an explanation of apparent surprise. "How disappointing. You were just figuring things out, too."

 

OOC: @Tarn @pokemonlover360 @Onaku @The UltimoScorp

 

IC: Taja | Kini-Koro

Taja finished jogging up just as the Ambling Alp began to settle down in a proper landing. The airship's landing gear flexed as the feet pressed to the ground, digging slightly into the grassy earth. Pistons and vents hissed pneumatically. Taja held up a hand in greeting to whomever was in the cockpit, and waited for the occupants to make their appearance. Knichou was a given, but who was the mysterious pilot?

Edited January 13, 2021 by Eyru

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Kini-Koro Hillside

The Toa of iron breathed a sigh of relief as the vehicle finally came to a rest. He flicked the switch to open the exit to the vehicle and got out of his seat.

"See? Easy," he told Nale with a smile, as if his words could reassure the airship's passengers more than the sturdy ground around them. He moved to exit the formerly-floating coffin, and saw Navu waiting patiently outside and Taja arriving nearby.

"Good morning, Taja," Knichou said, taking the stack of levitation Kanoka from Navu and holding them underneath one arm. "Coming to see all the commotion?"

Edited January 13, 2021 by BULiK

[Toru Nui]

IC: Ostrox (Kini-Koro, Far Shore Rift) - My Sword Is Hatred

"Right. Well, I’ll leave you to it, then? Come back when you’re not occupied by someone else." He said, deliberately unsubtly criticizing Sidra for barging in. Ostrox decided he should remind the wise and benevolent leaders of the Matoran the urgency of phasing out their foul beliefs. And speaking of which…

"Commander." His smile widened, though of course, there was no actual joy to be found in his eyes. "Can I help you with something?"

@Unreliable Narrator@Nato the Traveler@Sparticus147

 

IC: Ulkarr (Tobduk-Koro, Ruins of Stone) - Deceitful, Untruthful

"Evidently, they did not consider your services necessary. Regardless, we should ensure that this holy site remains structurally stable." Ulkarr said to Collector. And to the Administrator. And to NU-8020S, who he knew was watching and listening.

@Unreliable Narrator@Harvali

 

IC: NU-8020S (Kini-Koro) - Smug Mode

"I expected more." NU-8020S said with a touch of arrogance, surveying the surrounding settlement, before turning back to address Kanohi.

"All data gathered concerning Knichou suggests that he is obsessed with aircraft. Therefore, we should travel towards where they are gathered." She pointed towards the Taku and the other airship parked adjacent to it on the hillside.

@Harvali

 

IC: Navu (Kini-Koro, The Taku, Exterior) - Minor Key

"Do you want me to, uh, put the key back, Commander?"

@Eyru@BULiK@Tarn

Edited January 31, 2021 by Toru Nui
Added in Navu.

[BULiK]

IC: Knichou, Kini-Koro Hillside.

"Good idea, Navu."

[Keeper of Kraata]

IC: Skorm (Fau Swamp Edges)

"Better than I thought, not as good as we hoped." Skorm frowned as he forced the controls. "Either we're draining power faster than we anticipated, or the conversion to the servos in the struts isn't as efficient as we thought."

He looked out into the dark, hazy swamp. "Not exactly a place I'd like to stop and do field repairs, personally..."

OOC: @TL01 NUVA @Conway

Edited January 13, 2021 by Keeper of Kraata

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (Kini-Nui)

Crossing the bridge, Vulimai passed by the two guards stationed to prevent any of the Matoran citizens from being lured in by Nuju's promise of treasure. Honestly, it was a shock to find the scholar, who had been presumed dead long since before Metru-Nui's collapse, now here on this island, trapped in a form of limbo between life and death. Vulimai was one of the first to speak to the scholar upon the Matoran's arrival here, which Vulimai herself was thankful for doing, as from what she had gathered from Nuju was suspicious at best and a potential danger at worst. That is why Vulimai made sure to build Kini-Koro separate from the temple, away from the bunkers and portals, as well as why she kept a guard post on the bridge, to ensure that no curious Matoran get dragged into whatever Nuju tells them to do.

Reaching the temple island itself, Vulimai was met with the sinister visage of Ostrox as he flashed the commander a wide grin. To most Matoran, it would've stricken them with fear, but to Vulimai, it might as well been a crass attempt at humor, which Vulimai was most certainly not in the mood for.

"Commander, can I help you with something?"

"Yes you can Ostrox," Vulimai said with a military-level of sternness, practically ordering the mantaxian with her next words, "Follow me, there is something I wish to discuss with you in private."

Turning back to where she came from, crossing the bridge and nodding at the two guards as they stiffened their stance as Ostrox passed by, Vulimai lead the way towards one of the inactive bunkers, away from the Taku and the Ambling Alp and the village of Kini-Koro itself. Assured that no one was going to be able to listen in on the discussion at hand, Vulimai turned towards Ostrox with a suspicious glare.

"Tell me Ostrox, I want to know, why is it you believe that the great spirit himself, Mata-Nui, is such a threat?" Vulimai demanded out of the Mantaxian, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the word great in a similar manner he would see himself saying, "And why is it that both Toa Iradra and my quartermaster believe your claim?"

OOC: @Toru Nui

[Void Emissary]

IC: Irna | Fau Swamp Edges

"We need to find Tekmo," Irna insisted. "I'm more adept at navigating places like this swamp than either of you. Perhaps I can go ahead and scout for our friend, while you two take another look at the Muaka beyond the swamp's borders."

OOC: @TL01 NUVA @Keeper of Kraata

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

Parnassus nodded, locking step with Drukarus. Detsu followed behind.

"It has been nearly a month since Grime vanished into the night," the Aspect idly said. "I sometimes wonder where the little thing got off to. And of the power which seemed to have compelled him forward. Do you ever give such things thought?"

OOC: @Sparticus147

-Void

[EmperorWhenua]

IC Stannis | Ambling Alp

“Taja?” Stannis said, stooping slightly as he exited his airship. His airship? he caught himself thinking. It didn’t seem right, and yet, he was the de facto owner of a fancy flying canister. 

Neat. 

Edited January 13, 2021 by EmperorWhenua

[~Xemnas~]

IC, Atamai: The Ambling Alp

Atamai followed everyone else out of the airship.

[Toru Nui]

IC: Ostrox (Kini-Koro, Bunker) - Closer to the Truth

"Well, because it is true. The Matoran 'faith' has always been a threat to everyone and everything, just... in a different way than was expected. I thought it was just something you made up to keep the entire universe enslaved, but no, it has some basis in reality. Just remove the ridiculous notion that he has any sort of bias towards you. The thing is - I shouldn’t have to explain it. 'Nail' and the others should have already told you, I mean, you’re a woman of, aheh, high stature. Why would they keep this from you, I wonder?"

@Sparticus147

 

IC: Navu (Kini-Koro, The Taku, Exterior) - To and Fro

Navu left to put the key back. She couldn’t lie to herself, she was tempted to take something from either the armoury or Knichou’s drawer, but of course, that would be amoral. And also really stupid, because they would know it was her if anything went missing.

@BULiK@EmperorWhenua@~Xemnas~

[pokemonlover360]

IC Kilo-M9 - Ruins of Earth:

Problem =/= solved.

Analyzing existing room state and prior room state.

The machine hung back as the others headed for the door that had opened examining the room. The Administrator’s words soon confirmed that something was off. As the robot scanned the area, it took note of where the doors were located in the room, which door the reflection of a door was located, and whether that was the doorway they had used to enter the room.

OOC: @Onaku@The UltimoScorp@Tarn@Eyru

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (Kini-Nui, Bunker)

Vulimai ignored Ostrox' sarcastic comments and petty jokes, as well as his statement that the entire Matoran faith was a threat to the universe, as Vulimai knew little of the latter and cared less for the former. The only thing that got her was when he questioned why no one had told her till now, her mind settling on Bronk, irritation momentarily blooming in her head. But that didn't matter at the current moment, as all she wanted was the full truth.

"Yes, I wonder why no one had told me about this before now," A slight grate evident in her tone, "But Toa Iradra seemed genuinely concerned over the subject and told me to ask you for further details, which I am still waiting for. What evidence lead you to this revelation, and...What suggestions do you have, if any, for dealing with this potential threat?"

OOC: @Toru Nui

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann)

Though Drukarus' face did not react to Parnassus' question, the blade-like claws of his gauntlet clenched ever so subtly as the memory of that night ran through his mind, on the multiple outcomes and variables that could've been altered to lead to a different outcome fitting Drukarus' own desire. More than one night since then, Drukarus has stayed up, fruitlessly rolling the sphere where Miserix once resided in within his hand, trying to discern some form of sequestered knowledge the demon left behind, only to be repeatedly frustrated with the nonsensical answers given to him by it.

But that night was just one regret amongst many the former warlord already held, the foremost being the continued life of Barraki Ehlek. But still, though the demon Caedast was able to offer him such a great, yet cursed, boon, Drukarus felt, knew, that a potentially far greater strength was held within the demon, Miserix. And now that it was out of his hands, out of his control, he worried what might come from them yet.

"The only thoughts I give to that night...Is the lost of one of the Warskak's own...And of the lack of tack that demon-kin of yours held, as a guest to the fortress."

OOC: @Conway

Edited January 13, 2021 by Sparticus147
Added Drukarus

[Toru Nui]

IC: Ostrox (Kini-Koro, Bunker) - Kla Vul Welku Agrel uv Coliseum

"I admit, there’s no physical evidence, but you’re more than welcome to grab one of those 'Masks of Truth', provided they work as advertised, or corroborate my story with that of Nuju. Or Mazor and Irna, wherever those two wretches have gone off too."

Ostrox put on his Mahiki to provide visual aid, creating illusionary pictures of the past, shot from his perspective.

"You see, them and I were part of a mission to retrieve something called the 'Krom Sphere' from a downed Nynrah Ghost vessel. Mazor’s retrieval of this relic was the cause of those strange shifts in the sky, as well as the dead rising from their graves. It didn’t help that he kept playing with it as if it were a toy. He became obsessed with it. When Pridak commanded him, Irna and Nuju to take the Sphere under the Coliseum during our invasion of that cursed city, I warned Lord Mantax of his weakness, and he bade me stalk them from afar to ensure they did not try anything."

Vulimai would see Ostrox retrieve a rebreather to follow the three through poisonous gas - as concrete and steel gave way to flesh and sinew.

"They did, of course. Apparently, the 'Great Spirit' is not that great - he needs power to achieve his goal, and what he cannot draw from the deluded beliefs of Matorankind, he would take from the Sphere, and he cobbled together a flesh puppet out of the Sphere’s revenants to ensure that he did. And what was that goal? Why, the logical conclusion of that 'Unity, Duty, Destiny' nonsense. No identity. No freedom. No choice. He would have us become like your precious Vahki, living only to serve him, with no thoughts or feelings of our own. Mazor sold out the universe in exchange for his memory being erased from all within it, presumably thinking he would be exempt from that fate - but I have had my mind trained to resist psionic intrusion, thus my memories of him remain. Sucker. That’s why Nuju won’t recall the filth’s name, if you ask him."

The monstrous form of the avatar - three different bodies fused together to make some patchwork abomination - was shown in the pictures. Ostrox wasn’t sure if he wanted to make it even more intimidating, but decided any embellishment would push beyond the boundaries of belief, even for a Matoran.

"As a League soldier and occasional advocate for free will, I tried to stop all this from happening, but although killing me was apparently beyond the 'Death God', sealing me out of the chamber they were in was not. I tried to find another way in, but it was too late. I don’t know if it was intentional or accidental, or what Pridak's plan was, but we all know what happened next. But if he’s gone - then why don’t the revenants we herded into the protodermis moat surrounding Metru Nui do anything? They were hostile without exception before. It’s like something is holding them back, lest he lose what puppets he has left."

With a wave of his hand, the images dissipated, and Ostrox removed his mask.

"As for suggestions on how to deal with this... something tells me you would object to Plans A through C, even knowing what you do now, but Plan D is to see if that 'Far Shore' holds anything other except useless trinkets. It brought Nuju back after all, and he was smited - smote? Smoten by Mata Nui’s avatar. That, or find where the Krom Sphere has gone off to. It may still be under the Coliseum... but then again, Nuju’s corpse was supposed to be there, too..."

@Sparticus147

[Void Emissary]

IC: Parnassus | Fort Nektann

For a brief, blinding moment, Parnassus confused who Drukarus spoke of. A warskak? A demon? He couldn't mean Caedast, and he certainly couldn't have meant Corriv--

"Yes, it was unfortunate," the Aspect replied smoothly. Their gaze, as it often did around Drukarus, fell to the markings that adorned his skin, and the furs that he kept cinched around his neck, and the brief glimpses of a heartlight that Parnassus grasped from behind those garments. "Although I don't believe that my cousin Miserix could have ever truly been called a guest of this fortress. If she dwelled within these walls, it would be more apt to call all of us to be her guests."

Detsu, meanwhile, said nothing.

OOC: @Sparticus147

-Void

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Katrin of the Flame - Ruins of Earth:

 

"Huh? Giving up, what do you...." Kat looked around the room again. "Wait... this is the door we came in, huh?" She walked back toward her gear, and scratched her head. "But we lined up the reflection, I wonder why it didn't work.....?"

[Tarn]

IC: Nale Vella - Ambling Alp to Kini-Koro

Nothing catastrophic had happened, so that was always good. Nale flashed a smile back at Knichou and also breathed a sigh of relief, then exited the ship with the others. She was surprised to see Taja, and waved at the Kra-Toa.

"Good morning." Long morning.

@BULiK@EmperorWhenua@~Xemnas~@Eyru

IC: Jutori - Earth Ruins

Of course it wasn't that easy. Jutori looking at the exit, then back to the gears, then to the reflection at their feet. "I knew something was off. It looks like all we've done is matched the reflection...with the door we came in."

He looked to his companions. "Back to turning gears, I suppose."

@Onaku@pokemonlover360@The UltimoScorp@Eyru

[Harvali]

 

IC Kanohi - Kini-Koro

Kanohi swallowed but nodded just the same. It had been quite a long time since he had seen Knichou. They had both been in Po-Koro after the raid, but the last time they had interacted was in Metru-Nui, when Kanohi abandoned Knichou’s plan in the Taku, to help civilians.

The Fe-Matoran unfolded his Kiril Staff and leaned on it, centering himself. It was hard not to wander what would have happened if he not abandoned the group. Yes Tobduk-Koro was managing okay, but millions were dead. If he had been there, would things be different.

Still, he began to walk towards the airships, the staff his third leg. “I had not realized Kini-Koro had a second airship. This might change some things.” It looked smaller, that might let it slip past the sensors of the League. Might be useful scouting, liberating the Vahki, or scavenging the remains of Metru-Nui.

The Ark, that’s what the Administrator had called Mata-Nui’s skull. And he suppose the rest of him too. Did the Matoran of the old universe flee Tren-Nui? Was … was it that beast he had seen in the storm? Did that drive them away? But the sheer size of Mata-Nui, what was terrible they fled in an Ark? Why did they need to hide in a false god? Why did no stories remain of this place?

It … he should focus on what he needed to do now, small manageable tasks one at a time. Like forging a Kanoka disks. He needed to speak to Vulimai and Knichou, as well as find Taja. All hopefully manageable.

OOC: @EmperorWhenua @~Xemnas~ @Toru Nui @BULiK @Tarn

…

IC “Collector” - Tobduk-Koro

Collector nodded, “Perhaps the fact that Whisper made it through seemingly unharmed encouraged them.” Still they twirled their finger against the hilt of their Kanoka Blade. It was good they had not held the two up, but still, perhaps they should have been more cautious.

“Now, Administrator, you have mentioned your servers were potentially damaged, and I recalled that Toa Arkius’s transformation was unintentional. Can you give us more information on possible areas of damage in this temple? Particularly about leaks of that golden light that transformed the two Toa, or regarding this portal?”

OOC: @Unreliable Narrator @Toru Nui

[Sparticus147]

IC: Vulimai (Kini-Nui, Bunker)

As Ostrox told his tale, Vulimai watched and listened with rapt attention, her expression remaining inquisitive and slightly skeptical throughout most of it. But a few points throughout Ostrox story stuck out, such as the fact that the Zyglak, Irna, was originally a member of the League, a fact that wasn't all to surprising in retrospect. Or the visage that the avatar of Mata-Nui took, which caused even Vulimai's stomach to curl a bit at the grotesque sight of it. But what truly struck her, was the mention of Nuju's involvement.

When Ostrox said that he could corroborate his story, Vulimai initially assumed that he meant that Nuju's current otherworldly nature could give insight on the subject of Mata-Nui. But as he continued, it became clear that Nuju, for the decades he was presumed dead, was rather him working alongside the League. Or...Perhaps he was a prisoner? Vulimai would need to ask the scholar much after this conversation.

But as Ostrox told his story, a thought soon grew in Vulimai's mind. Ostrox truly, and deeply, hated the Matoran as a species, she didn't doubt that if he could, he would attempt to ring out her neck with his bare hands given the perfect opportunity. And it was that fact, him now dwelling amongst that he hated the most, that brought the most amount of credit to Ostrox' words. Though he was abrasive, petty, racist, undoubtable malicious, and most certainly not the most caring sort, he could at least be granted for his conviction and honesty

A brief moment of tense silence went between the two as Ostrox finished saying what he had to say, glaring down towards Vulimai, till the Vo-Commander spoke, "I may not trust you as much as you don't like me...But a soldier knows when another soldier is being honest. So I believe you.

"As for our options for dealing with this problem, unless we convince Aurax to assist in the task, I doubt we will be able to find this Krom Sphere if it still lies within Metru-Nui. And as for the Far Shore...I don't like the sounds of it, though that may just be me being concerned for my charges. But if you believe there is some value in exploring it, we could set up an expedition with supplied being provided." Vulimai said, before adding one more thing.

"Oh, and one last thing, striking out any plan that involves the eradication of the Matoran species or attempting to forcefully dissuade the belief of Mata-Nui, or at least his virtues and principles...What were you thinking for Plans A through C? I'm curious?"

OOC: @Toru Nui

IC: Drukarus (Fort Nektann)

Drukarus turned a side-eye glance towards Parnassus at the mention of Miserix, immediately cautious and curious if the demon had learned of where they had dwelt before they're escape. But that immediate concern silence itself as the lasting impression they left upon their leave made itself apparent. "It is not possible this demon suspects me of having them, nor would it matter if they did." But what they still made a mistake in their presumption on who Drukarus had meant and he felt inclined to correct them.

"No, not them...I mean the one calling itself Korruhn. I recall the contemptuous boasts the two of you held against each other."

OOC: @Conway

[Toru Nui]

IC: Ostrox (Kini-Koro, Bunker) - I Can't Torment an Extinct Race

Ostrox seemed genuinely taken aback at something Vulimai said. "'Eradication'? Some of your kind do choose to abandon your aforementioned 'virtues' and 'principles', you know. Genocide was never the goal, though you certainly seemed to act as if it was."

He realized he was getting off-topic. "But to answer your question, Plan A was conquest and subjugation, which I can’t do by myself. Plan B was to convince your leaders to use, as you say, 'forceful dissuasion', which clearly isn’t going to work out either. It seems not even the end of the universe can get you to sacrifice your 'divinity'. Plan C is trying to figure out whatever plan Pridak had, but he’s kind of dead and the Coliseum is in the hands of your stray puppet." He made movements with his hands, miming the manipulation of a string puppet using a wooden cross, before resuming his dialogue.

"I’m not sure what to make of Nuju’s miraculous recovery, but he has reason enough to hate Mata Nui, so I’ll play his game for now. It is not my plans you should be concerned with, I swore that I would not bring harm to your people - until your inevitable betrayal - and I have no intention of going back on that, not that you’ll believe me, of course. You should be more concerned with the plans of your colleagues, if they’re planning at all."

@Sparticus147