A toa of ice observes the fortress from beyond the horizon and grins.
"Skakdi, eh? They might be useful... But their leader is a being of Light. Hmmm." Soflu pauses, thinking. "Then again, our world had peaceful skakdi of shadow. There's a chance skakdi of light are aggressive, here." Soflu leaps hundreds of feet into the air with a momentary boost to strength and speed, and crashes through the dome to land in front of Avnias. Skakdi all across the complex stop what they're doing and draw their weapons as Avnias turns to glare at the newcomer. "What is the meaning of this?" "Why, noble skakdi of light, I have come to enlist you and your enclave." "And why should I accept, toa?" An aura of light begins expanding from Avnias' armor, slowly filling the area. "Because if you do, you will conquer vast territories, and all will fear your power." "And if I refuse?" Soflu grins, and the temperature drops fifty degrees. "Will you refuse?" "I still have yet to see why I should let some nameless toa command my kingdom in the task we plan to do." "I am Soflu, and if you obey me you will see assistance from the rest of my Empire's legions." "You have legions, hmmm?" "Plenty. We are hiring you as a courtesy, nothing more." "If you insist. We will assist you. For now." Soflu's grin grows ever wider. "Wonderful news. I will bring you orders tomorrow. Be ready." A portal sparks into existence beside Soflu, and the toa is gone.
A toa of ice observes the fortress from beyond the horizon and grins.
"Skakdi, eh? They might be useful... But their leader is a being of Light. Hmmm." Soflu pauses, thinking. "Then again, our world had peaceful skakdi of shadow. There's a chance skakdi of light are aggressive, here." Soflu leaps hundreds of feet into the air with a momentary boost to strength and speed, and crashes through the dome to land in front of Avnias. Skakdi all across the complex stop what they're doing and draw their weapons as Avnias turns to glare at the newcomer. "What is the meaning of this?" "Why, noble skakdi of light, I have come to enlist you and your enclave." "And why should I accept, toa?" An aura of light begins expanding from Avnias' armor, slowly filling the area. "Because if you do, you will conquer vast territories, and all will fear your power." "And if I refuse?" Soflu grins, and the temperature drops fifty degrees. "Will you refuse?" "I still have yet to see why I should let some nameless toa command my kingdom in the task we plan to do." "I am Soflu, and if you obey me you will see assistance from the rest of my Empire's legions." "You have legions, hmmm?" "Plenty. We are hiring you as a courtesy, nothing more." "If you insist. We will assist you. For now." Soflu's grin grows ever wider. "Wonderful news. I will bring you orders tomorrow. Be ready." A portal sparks into existence beside Soflu, and the toa is gone.
One day later, the toa returned, two others at his side. He took note of the skakdi, for they were geared in armor and weapons noticeably more advanced than they had the day before. Decent scientists, then...? "Noble Skakdi." "Boastful Toa." Soflu ignored the comment. "Claim all the ground you can in this region, and capture those who resist. Kill only if you can think of no way to contain them - we can make the prisoners useful. We shall return later to see how you have progressed." "Hmmph." The toa left, and the skakdi clamoured for war. "Warriors! Ready your supplies and weaponry. We go to war with unparalleled prowess. Do not make that statement into an insult."
A withered skakdi of shadow and a two-headed skakdi of psionics see the matoran and approach with their traditional manic grins.
Eric stops and watches them approach, plasma rifle in hand. He waits for them to make the first move, be it violent or peaceful.
"Are you lookin fer trouble, matoran?" The two-headed one's other head berates itself. "Psh, if he were looking he would've found a rahi to die in front of already. Obviously he's blind." The first head guffaws, while the shadow skakdi merely lifts her rifle and stares at Eric in tired silence.
Eric stops and watches them approach, plasma rifle in hand. He waits for them to make the first move, be it violent or peaceful.
"Are you lookin fer trouble, matoran?" The two-headed one's other head berates itself. "Psh, if he were looking he would've found a rahi to die in front of already. Obviously he's blind." The first head guffaws, while the shadow skakdi merely lifts her rifle and stares at Eric in tired silence.
Eric lifts his rifle in response, quickly firing several blasts of plasma with mild accuracy at the two. He partially activates his arm mounted Hau shield too.
"Are you lookin fer trouble, matoran?" The two-headed one's other head berates itself. "Psh, if he were looking he would've found a rahi to die in front of already. Obviously he's blind." The first head guffaws, while the shadow skakdi merely lifts her rifle and stares at Eric in tired silence.
Eric lifts his rifle in response, quickly firing several blasts of plasma with mild accuracy at the two. He partially activates his arm mounted Hau shield too.
The double-headed skakdi uses their powers to fling Eric's rifle off course, and tears rock and crystal from the ground to form an oversized, telekinetically-wielded hammer. The left one grins at his partner. "Tell me, Uklas, what do we do with bugs?" "Whahy, swaht thehm of coarse!" The hammer comes crashing down on Eric.
In the meantime, the skakdi of shadow has lifted her rifle and is firing lehvak acid zamor bbs at Eric.
Eric lifts his rifle in response, quickly firing several blasts of plasma with mild accuracy at the two. He partially activates his arm mounted Hau shield too.
The double-headed skakdi uses their powers to fling Eric's rifle off course, and tears rock and crystal from the ground to form an oversized, telekinetically-wielded hammer. The left one grins at his partner. "Tell me, Uklas, what do we do with bugs?" "Whahy, swaht thehm of coarse!" The hammer comes crashing down on Eric.
In the meantime, the skakdi of shadow has lifted her rifle and is firing lehvak acid zamor bbs at Eric.
Eric loses his rifle, and switches the hau shield to fully enclose him. The hammer bounces off of it rather harmlessly, although another hit would surely break it. Eric then starts running away from the hammer, switching the shield back to partial coverage. He fires several shadow bolts at them, aiming at the preoccupied dual headed Skakdi.
The double-headed skakdi uses their powers to fling Eric's rifle off course, and tears rock and crystal from the ground to form an oversized, telekinetically-wielded hammer. The left one grins at his partner. "Tell me, Uklas, what do we do with bugs?" "Whahy, swaht thehm of coarse!" The hammer comes crashing down on Eric.
In the meantime, the skakdi of shadow has lifted her rifle and is firing lehvak acid zamor bbs at Eric.
Eric loses his rifle, and switches the hau shield to fully enclose him. The hammer bounces off of it rather harmlessly, although another hit would surely break it. Eric then starts running away from the hammer, switching the shield back to partial coverage. He fires several shadow bolts at them, aiming at the preoccupied dual headed Skakdi.
The Twinheaded Skakdi shred the hammer for mass to assemble a shield, intercepting the shots. Sharpened shards of crystal whip out from the edges of the shield towards Eric.
Eric loses his rifle, and switches the hau shield to fully enclose him. The hammer bounces off of it rather harmlessly, although another hit would surely break it. Eric then starts running away from the hammer, switching the shield back to partial coverage. He fires several shadow bolts at them, aiming at the preoccupied dual headed Skakdi.
The Twinheaded Skakdi shred the hammer for mass to assemble a shield, intercepting the shots. Sharpened shards of crystal whip out from the edges of the shield towards Eric.
Eric blocks them with the Hau shield, switching it back to bubble mode. He runs towards the shield, using it as the Skakdis' blind spot.
The Twinheaded Skakdi shred the hammer for mass to assemble a shield, intercepting the shots. Sharpened shards of crystal whip out from the edges of the shield towards Eric.
Eric blocks them with the Hau shield, switching it back to bubble mode. He runs towards the shield, using it as the Skakdis' blind spot.
The skakdi fling the whole shields straight forward at the charging matoran.
Eric blocks them with the Hau shield, switching it back to bubble mode. He runs towards the shield, using it as the Skakdis' blind spot.
The skakdi fling the whole shields straight forward at the charging matoran.
Eric shuts off the hau shield and jumps onto the shield, which forms spikes that grow towards the skakdi using Eric’s rhotuka. Handles also form for easy gripping of the shield.
The skakdi fling the whole shields straight forward at the charging matoran.
Eric shuts off the hau shield and jumps onto the shield, which forms spikes that grow towards the skakdi using Eric’s rhotuka. Handles also form for easy gripping of the shield.
The skakdi flip it ninety degrees such that it's pointing at the sky, and eric is hanging from it. They launch more shards.
Eric shuts off the hau shield and jumps onto the shield, which forms spikes that grow towards the skakdi using Eric’s rhotuka. Handles also form for easy gripping of the shield.
The skakdi flip it ninety degrees such that it's pointing at the sky, and eric is hanging from it. They launch more shards.
Eric was surprised as the shield moved up, leaving him open for several shards to impale him all over and knocked him off the shield. He turned on his hau bubble, struggling to his feet.
He contacted HUMAN, who responded with no drones were in position for deployment. Poor Eric.
The skakdi flip it ninety degrees such that it's pointing at the sky, and eric is hanging from it. They launch more shards.
Eric was surprised as the shield moved up, leaving him open for several shards to impale him all over and knocked him off the shield. He turned on his hau bubble, struggling to his feet.
He contacted HUMAN, who responded with no drones were in position for deployment. Poor Eric.
The skakdi drop the shield on him. "Git. Unless you want us to play Whack-A-Rahi."
Eric was surprised as the shield moved up, leaving him open for several shards to impale him all over and knocked him off the shield. He turned on his hau bubble, struggling to his feet.
He contacted HUMAN, who responded with no drones were in position for deployment. Poor Eric.
The skakdi drop the shield on him. "Git. Unless you want us to play Whack-A-Rahi."
Eric limped away, the hau bubble flickering in places. He made sure to remember where he was though.