BZPRPG: Ko-Wahi

IC ZahkonHe noticed a being in the distance, he pointed his arms up and down as he shouted: "Avalanche, come quick!". He had amready found a rock that would be stable enough to take the force of the Snow.

IC: Korden

Korden picked up the Matoran put him on his back. "We have to go. Now!"

IC: Taka

"Hey s-"

A Rahkshi

A BIG Rahkshi

I loaded and fired my mini-crossbow, letting out a surprised yelp.

IC: Zekev

Right behind the aforementioned Vortixx came a white and blue Skakdi racing down, an axe mounted on his back and large, two-toed feet balancing awkwardly on his round shield.

With a quick wave, Zekev rushed past, and grabbed his axe. Reaching out with it, he chucked the axe into a nearby tree, and used the force to spin behind a rock that would protect him from the avalanche.

IC: Krahma

"You're selflessness is obvious, Skakdi. But I can walk myself."

He placed his feet on the Skakdi's spines and launched himself off them, landing at full sprint ahead of the Skakdi, and reaching the rock where the Vortixx was waiting, he scrambled on top, to watch the approach of the avalanche.

The Skakdi launched himself to the safe zone with the others. "Where is Vex?"

OOC:

Lonesome, just so you know, Transiz looks like an unnaturally large Rahkshi. He's big enough that you can question the fact that he is, indeed, a Rahkshi.

IC: Transiz/Tul

An arrow whizzed past Transiz, and he whirled around to face his attacker. He started to think:

'Come on, Tul! Activate already!'

Refusal.

'May I ask why?'

A memory: Makuta saying, "To attack now would be premature."

'Well, I guess I'll have to handle him myself.'

Transiz took his staves off his back and crossed them in front of himself.

IC: Taka

"Well, your alot quiter then most Rahkshi..."

I drew my Saber, and got into a ready stance.

IC Zahkon"Vex, is being Vex again, it appears he didn't want to come, so, his bad, I'm not going after him."

IC: Transiz/Tul

"That would probably stem from the fact that I'm not a Rahkshi. I'm a Vortixx, just like you. See, it's Tul here that gives me my appearance." He turned around and pointed the Parakuka that had latched onto his back.

A memory: One of Transiz's friends saying, 'I told you so!'

'Oh shut up.'

IC: Korden

"You should watch your tongue, Zahk, because one day you may not find it in your mouth."

IC: Taka

"So.... Your one of those Latched people?" I had never met a Parakuka user before, although I had heard stories. Oreius of the Maru was one, but so was one of the Arete. It was hard to figure out which side this one was on.

OOC: I assume the tales of the Maru and of the Arete would have circulated over 3 months, with how huge they were.

IC Zahkon The Avalanche came nearer and the ground started to shake. "Well, normally I'd go, risk my life for others, but not now, not for him. You weren't with us when this Avalanche started, so please keep your words for yourself."

Ic: It had been three months since the Makuta had been defeated. The dark one was a symbol of evil and oppression for a millennium but to Ambages he was a distraction, an enemy of his enemy, but when news spread of his destruction the architect did not think of it was bad news at all; upon receiving the report he had smiled. He was right all along. Gods do not die. Gods cannot be defeated. Gods do not fall to mortals. Gods are infallible. The Makuta, Mata Nui's brother, was no god. There was no god. The architect felt the ridges and grooves in the old, worn Kanohi Komau previously worn by the august elder of Po-Koro but now firmly placed in the hands of the epitome of pure evil. Without the Makuta there was none to stand in his path, none to rival his power. A cunning gleam shone in his eyes as he set the mask down. * * * * The chart of Ko-Wahi spread out before Matoro as the Akiri studied the landscape of what was now his dominion. New innovations from Onu-Koro fueled the massive project he aspired to complete in the honor of Turaga Nuju. Already the city itself had enjoyed spectacular renovation and the damages of previous terror had been long since regenerated, but the plans did not stop at the city walls. Now Matoro turned to expanding the city even more. Doing so, however, required someone better than he in the arts of design. He tapped the table a few times in deep thought before moving on through the short hallway from the council chamber to the throne room. It was almost time for him to call the court together, gathering his advisers, seers, acolytes and engineers to give direction to the next stage of Ko-Koro's emerging prominence and share the planning with the people of Ko-Koro. It was a gesture of transparency, clear as ice, to extent trust to the people of the village. Matoro was keen to do what was right and what was good in memory of his mentor and former elder. He thought he was doing well, but when an attendant placed the white and black striped vest on him before handing him the Seal of Kopaka and he sat down in his throne the memories of Turaga Nuju flooded his mind and clouded his vision with doubt. Was he doing what was good and right after all? he wondered. Would Nuju be proud? Smile in approval? Or give sharp clicks and whistles of shame and disdain? Matoro felt the ridges and grooves in the head of the gavel, digging his fingers into the sunken relief of the wax seal, and calmed down. He was his own akiri and no matter how much he would love to do what Nuju would have thought best he had to do what he felt was best. "Jaa," Matoro said to his scribe, "let's call the people forward. Have the doors opened." The akiri called and the people came forward. Ooc: There is now a meeting in the Inner Sanctum. It's basically a throne room now, so be aware of the major changes that implies. Anyone may attend, and if you have something you want to bring to the table, go ahead. This is also the time to ask questions of the akiri and submit requests to him. So come one, come all, and make your voice heard by Big Brother!

IC: Arktizai

Arktizai continued to run, dropping signal flags behind him as he did so. Now, he could make out the splotch much more clearly; and it was no Muaka. It was, in fact, a group of beings: a Vortixx, two more moderately-sized ones arguing with each other—Skakdi, no doubt—and a smaller one, all perched up on a rock.

Whatever they were up to, it was clearly no good. Especially if it involved a Vortixx.

Arktizai activated his Volitak and continued on, now at a slower pace.

OOC: Hope you guys don't mind.

IC: Transiz/Tul

"I am indeed. I feel down a hole one day, into a cave, which was filled with little Parakuka. Tul latched onto me, and I started to think happy thoughts. Well, those thoughts made him see the errors in his way and start leaning to good. Then, Makuta was defeated and his journey into the light was complete."

Sigh.

IC-Ιυλιυς:

Once the doors opened, one Toa limped in, leaning heavily on his old staff. Matoro and a few others would, most likely, recognize him as the leader of the small team of Toa who had come to aid in the rebuilding and defence of Ko-Koro, who had, at that same time, lost about a third of their number, and had very nearly lost half.

Iulius still had a bandage wrapped around his side, from where he'd been stabbed by a Rahkshi, and it was unlikely that his leg would ever heal back to how it was before. Still, for him, it was little hindrance. Looking about, he noticed a tall stool. A good place for him to rest. First, though, he made his slow way over to Matoro, holding his hand out in the traditional friendly greeting one Toa would extend to another; a sign of his recognition and happiness for the Matoran of Ice before him.

"Matoro, it's good to see you in this position...the villagers couldn't have picked a better replacement, I believe. Still, though, remember to guard your heart from the darkenss," he advised. "I believe you and your village would know better than all the rest of us that it can lead even the greatest of us to our fall."

IC: AiituThe wind howled as Aiitu stepped out of the hut the Ko-Matoran had given him. How long had passed since he came back to the Koro? He did not remember, nor did he care to. The Matoran had changed, the studies had changed-even the land had changed. He watched as a throng of Matoran passed by him, headed to the Inner Sanctum, no doubt. It sickened him, these once learned Matoran kowtowing to one of their own. It sickened him, and it sickened the land. Sighing, Aiitu turned to return to his hut. He would listen to the wind, and he would hear all that he needed-things that no Akiri knew.

IC: Krahma

He could see the huge barrage of snow approaching now, the rock would definitely protect them from its force, but they would likely still end up waste deep in the stuff. And there was something nagging at him. He thought it was probably one of Dowun's instincts, which was a problem, as they were usually very accurate. Somebody or something, was nearby, unseen. He could feel it.

'Know what that is?' said a voice in Krahma's head.

'Dowun?' Krahma said in his head. 'So glad you survived the transition. I don't need your help, as I know what you're like. You don't do something for nothing, and there's only one something I can offer you for your something. So no thanks.'

'Pathetic fool' Dowun replied.

'Don't try and reciprocate my actions in the hope it will reverse the process,' thought Krahma. 'I'm not mentally weak like you.'

IC: (Junyaus//Ko-Koro)

The Su-Matoran felt a feeling of admiration. A feeling that, to a normal person, would be far much stronger. Vast walls of ice, a majestic palace, bridges of an amazing size. All he stared at with quiet surprise. Walking past the entry post, Junyaus-no, Renlac increased his alertness, even more then he had done already. He was a spy, so a every little ounce of alertness helped him see things, helped him notice fine details. Exploitable details.

He began to make mental notes, mental notes on the city's defenses, its strengths, its weaknesses. Things that he'd overlooked on his previous missions. The more Akiri Hewkii knew, the more able they'd be to take down Ko-Koro, if such a threat arose. All the while, he focused on his task at hand.

Walking with as much subtlety as possible, he entered the Inner Sanctum, and took a seat half-way in. He now had a particularly good spot to hear Ko-Koro's troubles. To hear its weaknesses from the very people it housed.

IC: Taka

"Riiight." I relaxed my gaurd a bit, but not much. "Has a Vortixx named Kitane been seen around here?"

IC: AiituSafe in his hut, Aiitu listened. The wind was an aethereal entity, a swirling maelstrom of intuition that presented itself to those who heeded the island's word. As the Ko-Matoran closed his eyes, his heartlight began to pulse, echoing the gusts blowing through the small hut. Once again, the voice came, as it always had. But the voice was no longer a comfort, no longer a beacon. It mocked him, mocked him for staying with the villagers, mocked him for breaking his vow, mocked him for being WRONG. He wasn't wrong. He wasn't. They were wrong-they hadn't listened. Makuta should have reigned supreme-No, Makuta STILL reigned supreme. They were wrong, and the island was right. The voice was wrong, the island was right. He was wrong, the island was right. Aiitu opened his eyes, lifted one arm, and let it fall. He couldn't stay here, not here. No, he would set off, and he would wait. He would wait until the island was contradicted once more, and than he would ensure that it would never happen again. He was the island's messenger, the island's voice. He would take no side but that which benefited the island, and he would fight no battle that inconvenienced it....

IC:

Then he entered the court.

Toa Reordin, for once, had made it a habit to avoid the limelight for once after the fall of Makuta. He had decided to settle into the role of military adviser to the new village leader, and now he helped Matoro coordinate defenses and took a larger, more hands on role in the Sanctum Guard. He tried to stay as far away from the politics of the new leadership structure as he could, which kept up with the precedent that won him the people's respect as a Matoran; he had never engaged in partisanship, and the reason he had been such a trusted faction was that he refused to betray another's confidence. That trust had gotten him into good standing with first Nuju, then Stannis, and now Matoro.

He settled into his own chair slightly behind Matoro with a respectful nod at the Akiri, watching as the people slowly filed in and snuck stares at him.

-Tyler

IC: Taka

"Riiight." I relaxed my gaurd a bit, but not much. "Has a Vortixx named Kitane been seen around here?"

IC: Transiz/Tul

The Mega-Rahkshi shrugged and said, "Nope! You're the first person I've seen in ages! Why don't the three of us go to the Koro?"

Disapproval.

IC:

LoJak hurried through the Sanctum building, desperate to reach the meeting taking place in the Inner Sanctum as soon as possible. He had been helping with the recovery and modernization efforts of Ko-Koro ever since he'd recovered from his battle injuries over two and a half months ago. The work had gone by faster than he had imagined, and now Ko-Koro was nearly unrecognizable from the Village it has used to be.

Unfortunately, not all the changes had been for the better.

It had had grown distant, reclusive even, from the other Koros. And from what LoJak had heard from the few travellers, the disunity was apparent in all other Koros as well. It was disheartening to say the least. LoJak had hoped that with the fall of Makuta, he and his Toa team would not be as necessary as before. That with the great Darkness vanquished, Light would naturally reassert itself amongst the people of Mata-Nui. It was apparent that LoJak was wrong. The island of Mata-Nui needed role models now more than ever, which mean't LoJak and the remaining members of the Toa Team would have to work twice as hard, three times as fast.

They were lucky of course. They had slowly but steadily been building a reputation here in Ko-Koro. LoJak and the rest of the team had been helping the Village repair itself before the Rahkshi attack, and ever since. And during the battle Kaiapo had been a giant rallying figure for the Village forces with his height and brute strength. LoJak had similarly inspired the troops, having wreathed himself with far more elemental energy than had been wise, burning brighter than any other flame. And of course, he and Valria had long ago reerected the statue of Kopaka, a symbol of the Ko-Koro's strength.

Valria. LoJak savoured the memory of the kiss they had shared back in the hospital room, however brief it had been. He remembered how weak he had felt, her sweet scent drowning out his own sweat and blood. It seemed like so long ago....

They hadn't had much time to talk, or see each other for that matter, since LoJak had left the hospital. They'd both been so busy, dashing to every part of the city to help however they could. LoJak longed to see her again. He hoped Valria had received the message about the team's meeting with Matoro. Talking with the Village's Akiri would give them a better understanding of how to help the Matoran, instead of running about blindly and aiding with the million of minute tasks that needed to be done.

Finally LoJak reached the Inner Sanctum's doors. He paused composed himself, and walked in. He saw Iulius already there, standing and speaking to Akiri Matoro. LoJak silently walked over and stood by Iulius's side in support. He took a quick look around, but failed to see Valria.

Where are you?

IC: Taka

I don't fully trust this guy... But he hasn't tried to kill me yet. Eather he's scheming, or he is actually is a good guy. I'll hold him at arms length for now.

"Sure. Wait, Three?"

IC: (Valria)

Three months, that was how long it took for the island to descend into this madness. Were the people I had sought to protect really even worth saving anymore, when they squabbled without the threat of death hanging over them every day? Thankfully Iulius had survived the ordeal that was the Rahkshi attack and perhaps that the village would listen to his counsel, but perhaps that was hoping for too much, as the pressure that the people of each Koro would weigh heavily on the Akiri, which in this case was Matoro. Eventually Akiri Matoro would have to give, if he was to keep the peace.

I had only recently received the news that a meeting had been called and quite a few people had already been there, so I moved my feet quicker through the Koro and up to the Sanctum, aware that my absence would reflect negatively on my team members. As I entered I moved next to LoJak, he was of course still wearing his black armor over his scarlet skin. Me? I had chosen armor that was more befitting of a Toa than that "armor" Terlic had saddled me with.

I was wearing the white as snow and brilliant gold armor with blue highlights that I had fashioned by one of the very few blacksmiths that forged for the village. The purpose besides giving me a greater deal of dignity than my previous armor was that it was designed for my slender appearance. My body was made for speed and not for strength, so my speed and guile were of the most importance to me. There were only a few minutes LoJak and I could train each day, so I hadn't gained as much muscle as I would have wanted, but given all that needed to be accomplished, I could spend as much time on self improvement. I need to do a few more things because I could settle down for some time for myself.

I entered the assembly quietly and not speaking a word to LoJak as it looks for things to start soon. I gave the Akiri a slight bow of respect before joining LoJak where he stood. It was time to see what all this fuss was about.

IC: Transiz

"Yep! Three! You, me and Tul!" Transiz, despite having just been shot at by this guy, and the fact that he still didn't trust him and still acted scared and not accepting of him, acted very friendly. Which was probably because he was insane.

Pleasure.

IC: Riaril

...

...

Snow fell softly, piling in fluffy heaps against the stone walls. Despite the ever-winter of Ko-Koro, The Academy Hospital never became cold enough to see one’s breath. The great architect Ambages had spared no detail in his latest project, inserting hot-water pipes within the walls to circulate warmth throughout the building, heated by electrical energy garnered from a lone windmill standing sentinel on the roof.

“And yet,” a tired, shaky, and obviously feminine voice complained as water ran from the tap, splashing about the metal basin with a rush of searing cold; “Why does it take so long for the water to heat? Never trust a man to do a job right -- only truth in this universe.”

Bearing the discomfort, Riaril scrubbed between her fingers with a small brush, the crust of paperwork and ink flowing away in a gray whirlpool. Steam rose from her hands on the last digit. “I’ll have to talk to a plumber about this. Shady job, plumbers.” The tap turned to the left with well-oiled silence, the flow of water receding to an exasperating drip before going dry. A soft towel in the hamper later and Riaril was closing the door to her office, the lock making an audible turn as her key slid through the mechanism.

The interior light was periwinkle, fading through the blue stained-glass windows roosting high between the buttresses of the building. The interior had a gothic feel, stone carvings along the walls providing not only artistic beauty, but aiding those in need of support as they walked down the halls. Even in the early morning it felt to Riaril as if she were submerged in some ancient city lost to time. Her coat took the color of the light, accenting her natural beauty with the illusory shimmers of a sleepless night. As Riaril headed towards a balcony located on the third floor, her feet made a soft metallic scraping down the hallway, rows of doors on either side offering her windows into the personal lives of each patient.

Unlike her previous tenure at the Ta-Koro Guard Hospital, Riaril didn’t feel at all jocular among her patients, most of whom were Ko-Koro natives and spoke little to begin with, and what they did speak was so heavily accented with the mountain tongue as to make it nearly incomprehensible. Dialect aside, she had no real connection to her patients. In Ta-Koro, the atmosphere of community was more open and individualistic; receiving flowers and being taken out to dinner by a host of matoran on a weekly basis wasn’t an uncommon arrangement in the “city of fire and brimstone.” Being a doctor here wasn’t her dream job, but Riaril was paid royally, fed, and housed. What more, she was safe from searches by guards. Their xenophobia had only grown as the months past and village unity became strained.

Riaril was safe here, except from her dreams.

The balcony door slid open, a single metal frame on roller track without a window to see through, and the cold air sprang as if someone slammed a bag full of sewing needles across Riaril’s face. Screwing up her face, Riaril tried to ignore the sensation and stepped fully into the snow. The door closed, her hands fumbled through the pockets for the required morning sun salutation: rolling a puff. The match burst into cheery flame on first strike.

“I could use some coffee.” Riaril sighed, remembering the tea kettle sitting lonesome in the staff kitchen. After half of this I’ll keep it company.

The smoke mingled with her breath in the cold air of the city. Three stories below, the morning’s deliveries had begun to arrive. Matoran exchanged strands of widgets, and then with the silence so essential to Ko-matoran they parted ways. Riaril shifted her mangled gaze and tried to find the sun amidst the oppressive clouds hanging low on the horizon. Tapping the ash on the rail, Riaril shook her head to cast off the night’s insomnia. The city below grew with activity as life began, daily routines flowing into unexplained occurrences which would invariably lead someone to Riaril’s new abode.

With a final sigh Riaril trashed her cigarette over the balcony ledge and returned inside, the scars on her face constricting and hard from the cold.

OOC: Alright, Riaril is back and open for interaction. Fair warning: this hospital will NOT become Love Shack 2. IT WILL NOT.

IC: Taka

"..The Slug has a name?"

Ic: "Greetings, everyone," Matoro said. He didn't possess the booming voice or divine charisma of a stereotypical leader, in fact there was little to say about him as truly spectacular, but he was certainly wise and well-versed in his job and the people assembled could see right through the unremarkableness of his body and speech. "Jaa, read the agenda."

The scribe, seated at a small chair and desk to the lower left of Matoro, spoke up in a high monotone as he read the summary of the meeting's agenda. "The Akiri Matoro, Chamberlain of Ko-Koro and Regent of the City, will give discourse on the projects of the Sanctum, then give promotions and honours, then open the floor to discussion and answer fielded questions."

"Thank you." It was only the second such meeting Matoro had called for. He was not used to the situation and was also seemingly uncomfortable giving such public addresses. He had always been the second-in-command, the administrative officer, the deputy, but never the elder, the general, the king. But then, there, he was everything he never could have imagined he would be. "As you may have noticed, since the implementation of the aural receivers outside the city and the reconstruction of the city interior, the workers have not gone away and instead remain here in Ko-Koro. That's because there are still more projects being done outside of the public view," he explained thoughtfully. "We are building more wind turbines on the mountain and, more importantly, are tunneling into the great block of ice Ko-Koro is inside of. In the future we hope to use them as resource storage warehouses." In the lingo he was advised to employ, resource storage meant many things, including barracks.

"Ko-Koro is a great city," Matoro continued. "It has endured many battles and acts of terror but we must now take the opportunity to expand our interests. The other koro are still developing strategies to succeed, but I say that here in Ko-Koro we already have all that we need to become the best in the land. We have the Wall of Prophesy, now one of only two remaining oracles of Mata Nui's will, and we have the most developed political system on the island. But two social institutions are not enough, because outside Ko-Koro's walls lies the finally finished Nuju-Marion Regal University and the companion N-M Research Hospital, two cornerstones of innovation and academia. It is my hope that these institutions, next to each other and next to us, will provide us with the edge in medicine and education. Ko-Koro is on its way to becoming the greatest city on Mata Nui and a dominating crown jewel in the face of this island.

"With the prominence we will enjoy as a people and city, I pray that Ko-Koro can help bring peace and stability among the other villages and spread Unity greater than ever before. We have been extraordinarily blessed, now we have the opportunity to lead the way to a better tomorrow." The people cheered at this prospect. Indeed, the city had been very lucky since the Makuta had been defeated, and the idea of using the enormous wealth and intellect pooled in the koro's region to help make the other villages better was popular, to say the least.

But Matoro's gaze drifted to the side and spotted a set of familiar eyes. "The second item of business is bestowing. I would like to call forward Matoran Ambages first."

The architect had been waiting for that instance for a long while by then but still feigned surprise. Wearing his typical piled and muddied black overcoat he stepped forward beneath Matoro's throne. The akiri raised the Seal of Kopaka and laid it on Ambages' shoulder, then said, "In honor and recognition of the service you have given to Ko-Koro by engineering and funding the construction projects I hereby proclaim you to be my right hand. Henceforth, you shall be the Viceroy of the City and my High Vizier.

"I call forward Toa Reordin next." Ambages shuffled to the side, rejoined the audeince with a beaming smile and allowed the great Toa Maru to take the spot before the akiri. "Toa Reordin, it is not without reason that I extend my eternal gratitude for your service in defeating the Makuta with the rest of the Toa Maru. In celebration of your deeds I name you toa-protector of Ko-Koro and an honorary captain of the Sanctum Guard. Furthermore, your history has been cleaned and your deeds in the Rama Hive battle recognized. We all owe you our thanks, Reordin." The people cheered even more at this commendation and Reordin was given a standing ovation but a wave of the Seal calmed the court down.

"My final order of business is the general discussion session. As Akiri, my first goal is to serve you, so please, if you have any questions of me, please ask them to me now."

IC: RyzenRyzen, somehow distressed, began running toward the opposite direction from Ko-Koro. He headed for nowhere in particular, just out. This is not the time for nonsense. Focusing on more important things for me it what I should be doing. Still running, he saw nothing but snow. And ice. Like always. Snow and ice have played a large part in my stupid life.Slowing down to a fast paced walk, Ryzen payed attention to more of the environment than just snow and ice. Interesting. He'd never been here before. Then why does it seem so familiar? He didn't know, but he cared his time. A chance for him to prove himself to the world.OOC: Open for interaction.

IC: (Junyaus/Inner Sanctum/Ko-Koro)

The spy simply sat by. He began to take mental notes of Matoro's speech. The wind tubines, in particular, interested him. If he could get explosives, he would rather easily blow them to smithereens. If, of course, his Akiri commanded it.

As their machinations grow ever more complex, the weaker they become.

IC

[The Massif; dawn]

I took in a full drought of air...

... and shakily released it in a slow, regulated exhale.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

I sat crossed-legged on the stone ledge, my back as straight as though pressed against a wall. I would feel my thighs twitch under the hands as they rested casually on my leg, my muscles grateful for the rest. Even as the sun rose I did not see it, content to have my eyes shut as I felt the golden rays slowly rise over my body, the new day promising a fresh experience.

As was every day here at the Massif.

It had been three months to the day. Three months ago today I suffered the greatest loss I had every experienced, and then witness the greatest triumph of my existence. Three months ago today myself and Cael walked out of the jungle of Kini-Nui not the same as we had gone in, deciding that we needed some time away to sort out these new feelings and unfortunately, scars. Three months to the day that we came to the doors of the Massif and beseeched it's guardian, Toa Antrim, for sanctuary and rest, a place to recuperate and heal away from the prying eyes of the island at large. Three months ago to the day that the two of us quietly faded from the public light, obviously not dead but no-where to be found either.

Three months to the day that we had been exploring and developing this new relationship.

It had been as satisfying as it had been frustrating. It had taken almost two full weeks for it to finally sink in I had no powers... I was a Ta-Toa without an element, and avatar that represented nothing. When it did sink in it hit me rather hard, and had it not been for Cael I don't think I would have been able to crawl out of my depression as well and as quickly as I did, not to mention adjusting to life after becoming a powerless toa; I admit it was almost harder that becoming a toa in the first place. On the the other end Cael had her own set of problems, though it's not my duty to mention them here; let's just say she had her own adjusting and healing to do on her own. Were we fully recovered? No. I don't think anyone walks away from what we did without some sort of permanent alteration, but we didn't have to do it alone. We had the resources of the Massif to lean on. We had Antrim to look up to. And we had each other to draw on. Most of all we had each other.

And she was amazing... in more ways than one. Let's just say now up here in the cool mountain we spend every night together under the stars without fear of losing each other the next day. Commitment. Confidence. Safety. It's what we needed most after that ordeal and we got it her in abundance. And after two months here things started changing for the better, becoming more obvious with each passing day. In that respect I have Atrim to thank for that, getting me into a routine that was reminiscent of my old life but applicable to my new one.

Which is why I was sitting here on a stone ledge in meditative reflection as the sun rose. I may no longer have those powers, but as Antrim put it:

"You're a creature of light, having touched a power few could dream and less comprehend. It has changed you, and while you may no longer be a part of it it is still a part of you. It is best to remember and reflect then to forget and fade."

My daily routine was brutal, but constructive. Every morning I would get up one hour before dawn and engage in sword practice. Not only did this teach me the ways of a new weapon, but it also forced me to hone in on my skills with my mask, the only special ability I had. And I had to do it myself. No partners. Not equipment. Just me, my blade, my mask, and my shadow. The only person that needed to learn was me, and I was the best teacher; my superiority and competitive complex managed to survive the ordeal, my drive to be the best at whatever I did, so I pushed myself. Hard. Harder than I probably should have, but no-one could argue with the results. I was a decent swordsman now, granted. But if people thought I was fast BEFORE...

I've beaten Pohatu's record. Crushed it, actually. Repeatedly.

And let's not forget the physical part of it too. Somehow I had actually gained some muscle mass - not much, I still wasn't massive like a lot of toa you see out there, but I was definitely more toned than I was before. I like it.

I think Cael likes it too.

Wait, where was I... oh yes, the routine.

Immediately following that hour I would spend the sunrise in meditation, facing the rising sun in quiet reflection. I was definitely a creature of the day now, an early riser, my attitude depending on the amount of sunlight shining. It had been terrible at the beginning, first going a million miles an hour then coming a complete standstill; I viewed it as a complete oxymoron. Over time however I realized the lesson in this, what Antrim was trying to instil in me: balance. As much as I needed to be fast, there were just as many times I would need to slow down and take my time... something Cael had been trying to hit me over the head with for quite a while now. Figures. After this would be breakfast, my morning walk and meetings, followed by studies until the noon meal, and then further training by whoever felt it was their day to teach me something. Usually in the end painful and cryptic, though I was used to that by now. Really I only had a handful of ours in the evening to myself, and most of that was spent with Cael, but I didn't mind. My day and mind was kept full, and that kept the distractions at bay. I enjoyed being focused, even at the cost of my luxury time.

I snorted. Boy had I changed... I opened my eyes to greet the new day.

Yet I remained the same. Crazy huh?

With a stifled yawn I stretched out, the sun's warm rays illuminating the Massif's grandeur and temperate atmosphere. Slowly I stood, making sure to chase away the stiffness that had tried to settle in. With a sigh I turned around and headed back inside the stone chamber, the lightstones fading as the daylight became stronger. Inside the training chamber tucked away in a corner was a small table, each morning a plate of fruit and a pitcher presented there. The food was courtesy of the Massif, but the pitcher was from Cael. Every night she would pour out and fill the stone container with the pure protodermis from her flask and let it sit overnight, developing a delightful chill by the time I came to consume it in the morning. It had become our little ritual, and to our surprise it had yielded some interesting results; I felt stronger and performed better after consuming pure liquified protodermis than regular water. Cael had her suspicions as to why this was the case, but I really didn't care; if it worked, I took it. Leave the sciency-medical-mumbo-jumbo to her - I didn't much care for it. Not my strong suit. But it was hers. Beauty AND Brains...

How did I get so lucky?

With a smile plastered on my face I poured myself a cup, giving thanks to Mata-Nui before consuming the drink. With a sigh I leaned back, swallowed the last few drops, and then inspected the assortment of fruits laid out before me.

If my timing was correct I half-expected someone to walk through that door.

OOC: Sulov from Onu-Wahi.

IC: (Kopaka's territory. Ice, not Earth.)

Indeed, I say to Onua, trundling up a bank of thick snow. I move a ceramic-insulated arm up with the stride to maintain momentum. The land is his, as it must be.

(Our fighting style is centered around setting the informational terms of battle. Your information of this land is inferior to its master.)

Affirmative, I reply. I trudge down the hill. My gaze flickers about, darting across the flakes of frozen water swirling in the wind. I'm not in optimal position to guard against an ambush. I need to rectify that as best I can.

(Then I presume your plan to defeat him is a challenge of snow fort construction?)

Why, isn't someone sounding quite the little Reordin lately. I lift one cloaked boot, encrusted in a layer of rime and snow, and continue pushing through the blizzard.

(Not I. Don't possess the swagger.)

And your argument doesn't possess the credence. I have the edge. A thought and my ceramic visor grows wipers, swiping off the mounting snow as I step forwards with the idea. This area is an utter hindrance. It encumbers my movement, limits my sight, cuts off access to natural sources of my element, and maintains its status as one of the territories I can little map. In contrast, my opponent is freed by exactly what hinders me here, as this is his home region of his greatest knowledge and power. But he can't set the terms here.

(He already has. Last time you were the aggressor. Now you're playing the same role.)

It's true that I'm still the aggressor. Yet, aggression was our greatest asset against yourself, remember? My sense of Earth is watching, scanning the area as I trudge on through the cold wastes. It catches what I've been looking for and I move towards it, continuing my argument. Thinkers need time to think. He hasn't had any.

(And us?)

Four months. I stop at the disturbance in the Earth. I can't see it; it's long buried by ice and snow. But the 'it' in question is a distinct and simple shape, much too small to attract attention even when revealed, the circle run through by a line that is the symbol shorthand for 'Sulov'.

Three months ago, I traveled to Ko-Wahi to survey the land for the opportune placing of a cabin to utilize during my travels. I found half a dozen unnatural formations of the land and marked each of their locations covertly with my symbol. During the following months, I visited the Wahi a further four times in a near-randomized sequence, each time coming along the marks on my path and checking them briefly to see if the formations were still present in spite of the constant shifting of the snow due to weather patterns and Rahi. This particular mark has tested positive for its formation--copious avalanche residue--four times.

I examine the surrounding snow drifts and the high peak of a mountain beyond.

Make that five.

That's enough evidence for me to consider the avalanches of the area not something natural, but artificial. They surround the crag far more often than they should for the Wahi's snow. It warrants investigation.

If the evidence fits the intuition, my target may be up ahead.

(You planned for combat. He could still evade you.)

He will not. I take one step onto the packed snow, then another.

I present not merely a victim but a challenge. He doesn't know the extent of my power; it is doubtful he knows my identity. He is forced to fight me because the measurement of a threat's capacity is a priority more pressing than time. He has had plenty of that and little by way of gauging newer enemies. And if he chooses to avoid conflict here, the battle is just as inevitable, simply in another Wahi in which he will possess lesser power and less information regarding the lay of the land than I. It is most advantageous for him to fight here. The illusion rests not in that it is in his best interest to attack me.

...

I trudge onwards. Another step, another boulder of crushed crystal flakes surmounted. Another movement towards the peak of the mountain. Another step towards my destination.

The illusion rests in Hiemalis' assumption that he can escape from it.

(Great Spirit calm your soul. He knows you'll need it.)

Onua, laconic of days.

(I try.)

IC: RyzenRyzen examined the clearing. Nothing to see here, nothing new. Just snow and ice. Like always. It just seemed so familiar. So familiar to him, he did not know why. Maybe some hidden memories? That got lost in the past year? Why, Ryzen hadn't experienced much that could of took his memories from him.I'm perfectly fine, of course, Ryzen thought. The area was flat, just snow and ice and some rock. Rock? Here? Strange for such a cold area. It wouldn't of melted so fast. Unless...Unless someone done it. Scraped some snow away, smashed the ice off. The Toa knelt down to brush away more snow. He almost expected carvings, or at least something. There was nothing. Weird, considering that this was not normal. But, you wouldn't say anything is normal these days. Ryzen stood up, slightly disappointed about the lack of discovery. Ah, whatever. I didn't need anyone seeing me act strange, digging in the ground like that. Ryzen walked away, ready for something new. But not unexpected. No, not at all.

IC: Arktizai

The Toa of Ice was only a few paces from the rock the beings were now crouching behind; but so was the avalanche.

I should have waited before coming this close. Just a minute more would have worked, but I should have waited.

Making a quick assessment of the situation, Arktizai saw only one option. Deactivating his Volitak, he leapt towards the group hidden behind the rock—

IC: Taka

"..The Slug has a name?"

IC: Transiz/Tul

The Mega-Rahkshi looked at Taka in surprise. He said, "... Who'da think Tul was? I mentioned him a couple times in our conversation."

IC: Taka

"...Fair Enough. There seems to be a meeting in town... Wanna see whats going on?"

IC: Transiz/Tul

"That sounds good with me. I wonder what it could be about. Though I doubt I'll be let in." Transiz's happy emotion did not change in the slightest as he said this.

Wariness.

'Fine, I'll be cautious.'

Pleased.