Yes, that would work! The Toa gain a “G1” Kanohi that grants an ability, like shielding or whatever you wish, plus their mask of element control that grants them their Toa abilities.
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Ooh, some sort of mask add-on feature… That’s pretty cool, I may just do that! Thanks!
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Yay! I finally finished another interlude! Kinda stinks that it’s a bit more on the boring side, but I think it’s serves well to introduce a side of Narale that may not be as present in the grander story. Hope you enjoy!
Interlude - "THE LEGACY"
Toa Narale tried to slip through the great doors of Lord Qualis’ palace quietly, an effort which proved futile as the massive gate slammed shut behind her. A chill ran down her back as the booming sound of the closing gate reverberated through the towering chamber, shaking the palace from the pine-green carpeted floor to the icy crystal chandelier providing a frosty blue light washing over the walls.
“You’re late, Nale,” came a growl.
Narale shuffled forward, rushing to the foot of a short series of stairs which led up to a great throne. She fell to a knee before the lordly figure, the beautiful pattern of the stained glass window glimmering upon her Kanohi mask.
“I’m sorry, my lord,” she said. “I was just-”
“Do not worry yourself with excuses,” Qualis said. “Worry yourself with the image a leader may create by lacking punctuality. Were you not so flustered with defending your tardiness that you had forgotten to correct my use of your former name, Toa Narale?”
Narale knew that in this instance, it would be safer to simply remain silent.
“Should your punctuality ever be questioned by your subjects, however,” Qualis said, “you must correct such notions. Show up to all expected engagements thirty minutes early, if you must. Build a reputation so strong that no one could ever believe that’d you’d ever be late.” He stood up, his golden crown upon his head looking like horns in front of the window’s light. “Now, let us begin.”
The slender ruler elegantly drew down the stairs, approaching his heiress. “Toa Narale, if you are to be a leader, should you be loved or feared?” His violet eyes flashed towards her.
She remained kneeling. “A leader who is loved will find loyalty. A leader who is feared will find authority. It is best to be both feared and loved, so that a leader may find loyalty when their rule is prosperous and authority when their rule is questioned.”
“So you have been doing your reading,” Qualis said. Before Narale could believe he was pleased, he added, “I expected as much from you. Tell me, what else does Regalitus say a leader must be?”
“They must be a ruler,” said Narale, “in everything they do. If they do not command attention in something, they must reject that activity from their daily schedule.”
“Indeed,” said Qualis as he continued to circle her. “If a leader underperforms in a task, their rule may be questioned as a whole. And as a ruler is questioned, their weakness is to be known.”
This continued for hours. Qualis would ask questions, Narale would answer. She had been raised this way, in instruction and in authority. She remembered the Education, the strict school in which every Matoran in the Frostglade was assigned for the first ten years of their lives. There, most students had tried to rebel and break the rules to get a taste of freedom. She, however, saw the freedom within the order. It was following the rules, taking charge, and finding control which caught the eyes of her superiors. It was how she first earned an audience with Lord Qualis. She figured, somehow, that it was how she was made Toa.
“Very well done, Toa Narale,” Qualis said. “I am glad to know that your newfound responsibilities as Toa have not distracted you from your duties as heiress.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she said.
“You may stand, now.”
Narale waited a moment. After a time, she had forgotten she was even still kneeling. She rose, gently.
“I am pleased with your progress, Toa Narale,” Qualis said with a proud gleam in his eyes. It took a moderate amount of self-control for Narale to avoid laughing. He was far less scary when she was towering over him in her Toa form.
“My lord,” said Narale, “I have a question regarding my responsibilities.”
Lord Qualis halted his pacing and scanned her in an attempt to get a read on her emotion. “Ask it,” he said.
“I was made Toa, selected by this Kanohi mask,” Narale said, “but before I found it, I was still heiress to the Frostglade throne - your throne, Lord Qualis. Clearly, I have a responsibility to my people, to lead them in honor and authority. However, as Toa, I also have the duty thrust upon me by this mask. A duty to protect all peoples from all threats. I am unsure whom my primary responsibility should belong to: being the ruler of the Frostglade, or being the hero for the peoples outside of it?”
The Lord’s eyes narrowed considerably. “I regret that you would one day come to this question. I wish it could be simple, that the answer would have been plain and accessible, and that you wouldn’t have to be tested in this manner. But I fear that one day, you will be forced to choose between your own people and all of Moda Nui.”
Narale waited patiently for an answer. Qualis’ voice held a certain sadness that produced all sorts of guilt within her, as if she should have just kept her wonderings quiet so as to not distract him from his present works.
“When you reach such a decision, I am afraid that you take the option that best benefits your people. If that is to be the hero which leads the other Toa into the great feat which will protect the whole of Moda Nui, or if it is to make the choice to return to Frostglade and take up its throne, then you must take it. You, Toa Narale, must not allow the other Toa to distract you from the duties which I have placed upon you. Do not let what they persuade you to do overrule your own sense of judgment. Your people need you, Toa Narale, to be its ruler and to be, yes, its Toa. Do not disappoint them.”
“I won’t,” Narale said with as much force and confidence as to convince herself of it, too. “You have my word and my honor.”
“Excellent,” said Qualis with a grin. “What good is a ruler without both?” He turned to his throne and stalked behind it for a moment. When he emerged, he was carrying a beautifully woven, royal blue cloth, large enough to be a cloak. It was embroidered with an elegant silver and gold pattern streaming around its outline, causing its ends to dance and glimmer in the light. “This cloak is designed to be a reminder to you, to serve as my voice should you ever forget my wish. As long as it rests on your shoulder, remember that you have a kingdom to return to.”
“Yes, my Lord,” she responded, dropping to a knee once more.
Qualis threw the cloth over her, clasping it over her neck. It was a heavy, thick fabric which weighed down upon her shoulder, but it also filled her with a courage she had not possessed without it. When she stood again, the cloak fell to her ankles, covering only her back and her right arm, leaving her left arm uncovered.
“It was especially designed for you, Toa Narale,” Qualis said as he admired the lordly Toa. “I believe it will serve you well.”
“I am certain it will,” she said, bowing her head once more.
Qualis lumbered to his throne, dropping himself into it before facing Narale one last time. “Now go, Toa. You must not be late for your combat training.”
“Of course not, my Lord,” Narale agreed as she whipped around and began sprinting off, towards the large doors awaiting her exit. The cloak flew behind her like a shadow.
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This is excellent! I’m curious to see how Narale might reconcile her conflicting duties…
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Yay there’s another one! Qualis is definitely giving me Ihu vibes.
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Another interlude down! I thought it was kind of fun to write a bit of a cute little story, as well as canonize love! I hope you guys enjoy it!
Interlude - "THE FRUIT"
Taradi leapt off the twisted root, plummeting into a short roll and finishing on his feet with a small flourish.
“Tremendous,” said Irisa. When she spoke, wads of the Sycafuse leaf she was munching on vacated her mouth in clumps.
“Quit it,” growled Taradi as he wiped a few clumps of mud from his metallic feet.
Irisa stuffed another leaf into her mouth. “Stop what? Would you have me deprive you of hearing me compliment your admirable technique?”
“I know you’re not complimenting me. You’re just making fun of me via sarcasm.”
Irisa’s jaw swung wide. “I would never, Taradi. I’m here to support you and encourage your passions, no matter how undeniably tragic they may be.” Before the showman could interject with a complaint, she added sharply, “That’s what girlfriends are for.”
Taradi’s eyes flicked from blue to azure. “Is that- That’s what we are? Boyfriend and g-g-” He began to choke.
“I mean,” Irisa said, "I wouldn’t have followed you past the groves if we weren’t something."
Taradi grinned.
Irisa leaned forwards, sliding down from her root, landing plainly on the mud.
“Oh, come on!” said Taradi. “You’re not even going to try?”
“You know I can’t do anything energetic after eating Sycafuse! I’ll get a sore stomach chamber,” Irisa said, rubbing her belly. Interestingly enough, Irisa was always chewing on the leaves. They smelled nice, and were supposed to help clean out your inner chambers.
“Did you get one when you chased Borga halfway to the Crags after he took your emerald bracelet?” Taradi asked.
Irisa nodded. “The worst. I couldn’t walk; he had to carry me home.”
Taradi frowned. Borga was a lot stronger than he was. But Irisa chose me… He smiled to himself. Unless… She wasn’t teasing him again, was she? His smile vanished.
“Taradi,” called Irisa. She was staring up the trunk of a rather large tree. “So, you like me… and I believe I like you… and I would really like a nupnup fruit to help me wash down all of these leaves. If you hurry, I’ll even share it with you.”
The boy stepped up next to her and traced her gaze to the bulging ruby fruits hanging from the crown of the tree. They were very high up, but for Irisa… For Irisa, Taradi would climb Obsidian Peak. One lonely tree in Fauna Jungle, that would be easy.
He began the climb without another second of hesitation. He gripped the firm bark, testing it with a fraction of his weight before he relied on it. Taradi was a good climber, second in the class. He frowned again. Second to Borga. He sped up his climbing, moving a little less cautiously.
Wow, did he like Irisa! How could he not, racing up the tree like this just because she had wanted a fruit? In fact, he might even venture to say he loved her. At least, he loved aspects of her. He loved the mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she made fun of him. He loved the laugh she made whenever he fell into the lake during boating practice - which was a lot. He loved how angry she looked when Borga took that bracelet. Maybe he did love her. What would he be without love? Where would the world be without it? A world without love, now that was a world he would never want to live in. He began to climb even faster. The tree was holding him well enough.
He was nearing the top of the tree, now. He could almost reach the fruit, the tips of his fingers just about able to nudge their delicious gleaming bulbs…
Crack.
The bark began to chip at Taradi’s touch. It slowly started to peel back, and…
“No!” he cried, watching as he fell away from the fruit. The bark ripped loose and he began to fall.
Not even a second after he began falling was he suddenly torn from his unplanned descent and carried onto a sturdy branch. The arm that clung to his waist pulled him up, forming a tighter grip before the mysterious hero leapt downwards, jumping to another branch, and then another, and then landing on the ground in a precise tumble that they then used to propel themselves back to their feet, Taradi now safe on the ground.
“Taradi!” Irisa shrieked, sprinting over to her friend. She threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re safe! You’re okay!”
“Y-yeah,” he said. It felt as if his core had just been emptied, and then filled again. He wasn’t really sure of where he was. Slowly, he turned to face his savior.
She was a tall figure, nearly three times his height, with the athletic, but agile build of a runner. She was a blend of bright green armer plating with vibrant pink accents adorning the slender armor. Upon her head sat a proud, rounded mask, underneath of which twin cyan lights shone out.
“W-who are you?” Taradi wondered.
“I’m a guardian of the jungle,” the hero said, “and its inhabitants. I saw you climbing that tree from a while away. You are lucky I got here in time, or this very fruit would have been the cause of an gravely unfortunate event.” She drew an arm out from behind her cloak, revealed one of the glistening nupnup fruits.
Taradi caught it, and immediately offered it to Irisa. The young woman had not turned away from the boy at all, staring at him with awe.
“Are you a warrior?” wondered Taradi, noticing the twin blades sheathed upon the hero’s back.
She tilted her head to the side. “I am a Toa. Toa Shynali, in name, though I once was known as Shali.” She knelt to the Matoran’s level and looked into the eyes of each of them. “Listen, I need to ask for a favor. Are you aware of how to return to Fungi Camp from here?”
Taradi and Irisa both nodded.
“Excellent,” said Shynali. “Then I need you to walk two hundred paces this way-” She pointed in a direction, vaguely northeast. “There, you will find a Matoran man in red plating - from the Flickering Wastes - tied up with a rope. I will need you to bring him to Chieftain Kasimi. Tell the Cheiftain that he is a villainous man, one who has been capturing the Rahi of the jungle and auctioning them off in the Wastes. You may cut the ropes so that he may walk, but do not free his arms or mouth - he is not dangerous, but he can be deceiving. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, Toa Shynali!” said Taradi. Should I salute? Bow? Give an appreciate dance?
Shynali smirked and nodded. “Thank you. And… tell Kasimi hello for me.”
Taradi hadn’t had many interactions with the Cheiftain before. Many said he was going senile in his waning years.
“You’re welcome for the save,” said Shynali. “Or should I just not have brought it up again? Which is more polite?”
The Matoran shrugged.
“Oh,” the Toa said. “Well, I hope you are successful.” She began drawing away. “Er… Good-bye.” Her heroic shape slipped into the shadows of the jungle, and she was gone.
Irisa took their moment of privacy to embrace Taradi again. “You really are a hero, Taradi. I’m sorry I made fun of you!”
Taradi took no notice of her apology, instead staring at the spot where Shynali had vanished. A Toa…
Also, awesome new art by the immensely talented and generous ultratoa7 again! Here’s the fearsome Captain Crau:
Every time I look at it, I notice a new detail, from his menacing fur cloak to the fantastic plume from his hat!
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Ah nice another interlude.
Also the art looks pretty good!
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It’s so cool that you’ve got people passionate enough about your stuff to make art of it. That must be really gratifying.
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Yeah, it does!
It’s a feeling that cannot be described. It’s so amazing, I’m incredibly grateful!
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Interlude - "THE CHAMPION"
"And now, the amazing, the ever-blazing, the indescribable, the incomparable, the unimaginable… Toa Vosala!"
The crowd screamed. Puffs of decorative flame shot out from the audience, pumping the arena full of smoke as a glistening crimson figure stepped out of a dark gate, sword and shield in hand. He was tall, supple, and strong, his eyes coloring the smoke with a noble blue glow. Toa Vosala, hero of the Flickering Wastes, had arrived.
Vosala squinted through the smoke, unable to make out specifics of his awaiting audience. Their cries and cheers were like the roar of a singular, omnipresent beast, surrounding him with the immense force of glorious praise. His hand tightened around the leather hilt of his simple blade, the same model he was trained to use in the corps. The shield was new, though. He admired its deep red paints embellished with yellow flames. It matched his armor.
As the smoke began to clear, Vosala set the shield upon his back and sheathed the blade with it. He raised his hands into the air, directing the crowd to crescendo their praises. Here he was, on the edge of magnificence, about to commit some great act of bravery that the arena managers had planned for him. His joints still creaked a little from getting thrown around by last week’s match. They had thrown an entire bear at him. How would they top that this week?
“The foe of the unconquerable Toa Vosala for tonight’s match,” the announcer said in a low voice, “shall now emerge…”
At the other side of the arena, a haunting gate creaked open, revealing its shadowy interior.
Vosala drew his blade again, but left the shield. He wanted to make this look impressive.
Inside the chamber, a pair of twin eyes blazed to life, followed by a booming mechanical screech.
Oh no, Vosala thought. A Rahi?
From the tunnel shot a many-legged beast of metal and flame. It boomed as it slithered out, its long, snake-like body nearly the entire length of the arena itself. It was propelled by a series of numerous scuttling legs that stabbed furiously into the red sand of the ground, and its mouth, a wide tunnel of teeth and saws, spewed out flames that scorched the dust beneath it. Its segmented body spurted out fire that shot into the air, coercing a series of gasps and awe from the audience.
“A Singe Serpent!” the announcer cried. “The great centipede of the Wastes! How will he do it? How will the fantabulous, unequaled Toa Vosala defeat this foe?”
“With sword and fire!” shouted Vosala. From his empty hand, he summoned a sphere of fire. Around him, the crowd echoed their gasps.
The Singe Serpent, which was inappropriately named due to its centipede-like nature, narrowed its eyes. Another being that commanded flame such as it? Surely, this must be a rival to the throne! It peeled its body from the ground, its many bladed legs flashing in the ashen starlight. It sacrificed a third of its standing to rise all the way to the height of the chain link cage which protected the crowd from the dangerous beasts inside. Its many saws grinded and hissed to add to its intimidation play.
But the impeccable Vosala would not be dissuaded. He took the ball of flame and forced it into a beam, the tips of it licking the armor of the centipede with hungry power.
“Come on,” Vosala egged. “Let’s give them something to watch!”
The Serpent darted forwards, thrusting its saw-filled mouth towards him.
Vosala leapt to the side, which caused his feet to slide through the dust. Clouds of red powder streamed up as he moved, tracking his movement.
The maw of the beast roared with fury as it clamped down on nothing. It turned to face its opponent and sprayed a wave of flame at Vosala, which he ducked underneath, feeling the heat mount over his head.
“You’re nasty,” he growled at the Singe Serpent.
The monster snarled in return.
Vosala jumped forwards, racing underneath its lengthy body. He swung the sword at its underside, only to scrape its metal skin without effect. The crowd, however, shouted in enthusiasm, thinking he was doing something brilliant underneath the beast. At least the maneuver wasn’t a total failure.
With surprising agility, the Serpent raised itself from the ground and plunged his head under itself, charging after Vosala.
The Toa examined his blade. Alone, it was helpless against this beast, but perhaps with a little bit of heat… He began running his hand up and down the blade, summoning the power of his mask to coerce the metal into a harsh fiery glow.
Then the crowd watched in horror as the beast swallowed Vosala whole. Several haunting moments passed as the Singe Serpent triumphantly began circling the center of its cage, beginning to ponder the riddance of its only source of entertainment.
“No… That’s impossible!” the announcer shouted over the arena. “Has Toa Vosala…? Did he…?”
And suddenly there was a blaze of light, and the beast was sent sprawling back as a ball of fire shot from its mouth. As the fire hit the ground, it dispersed with a spiral of smoke, revealing a laughing Toa Vosala, his armor lined with glowing runes and patterns.
“Was that a little hard to swallow?” Vosala jeered before he noticed the melted wad of steel and charred leather in his hand that used to be his sword.
Laughter rose from the amused crowd as the Serpent regained its standing. As soon as it was up, its throat began to charge with energy, sending an intimidating glow out its mouth.
Vosala dropped the sword and drew out his shield and began to sprint towards the edge, hoping the distance would help protect him from the upcoming fire breath.
The Serpent released its flame, a straight beam of power that chased after the Toa. Vosala spun around right as it was about to hit him, kneeling and ducking behind his shield as the fire slammed into the barrier. He was pushed back slightly through the dust, but held fast as the blazing strength continued to strike against his shield. As soon as it relented, he began to scan around the arena.
I need something sharp, he thought to himself. All I’ve got is sand, and wall, and shield, and… His eyes fell upon the series of torches spread out amongst the ring-shaped arena. There.
The monster began to charge, all of its legs kicking up chunks of sand and dust as it moved. Its saws roared and scraped and snarled with energy, and its eyes glowered with a furious light.
Vosala sprinted straight for the wall, turning at the last moment. The Serpent slammed into the stony construction, shaking its head clear before facing the Toa once more and following after him.
Feeling the Rahi gaining, Vosala quickened his pace as fast as he could, trying to reach the nearest torch. He jumped forwards, turned back, and threw a ball of fire behind him. It hit the Serpent, only disorienting it a little, but its force also propelled the Toa ahead by a few steps. He landed right next to the torch and snatched it from its mount.
The Matoran-designed torch was a simple contraption, consisting only of a red metal shaft with a thin piece of red fire glass at the end. The fire glass took the glow of the Lightstone placed within it and magnified it into heat and flame. By replacing the stone with his own flame, Vosala could, hypothetically, use the torch to create a thin beam of constant fire, a sword, of some sorts. At least, that was how Grinner would explain it at the saloon. Did Vosala even pay attention to the old man’s stories?
Here goes nothing, Vosala decided, dropping the shield on the ground. The flame had burnt away much of the paint, revealing its rusty iron metal beneath.
Vosala launched another blast of fire, this time against the wall of the arena, and he went soaring towards the center of the arena. If he was going to pull this off, he would need to make a show out of it. The stage was set, he was the player, and he would give this crowd the Toa they were asking for. That Toa was him .
He ran into the dead center of the arena, pumping a burst of flame into the sky. He let the resulting cheers of the crowd fuel his strength as he prepared for what would come next.
The Singe Serpent screeched as it dashed towards Vosala, raising its body as it prepared another blast of fire. This time, Vosala had no shield to hide behind. Surely, it would have him now.
The audience fell to the edge of their seats as they watched the flames leap from the dreadful beast’s mouth and towards the Toa, and Vosala seemed to do nothing to protect himself. He simply held up a hand towards the fire, and…
Every single tongue of flame was suddenly turned from its course and streamed into his hand. The inferno seeped into the Toa’s hand, adding to the brightening glow of his armor’s decals. He smiled as his body absorbed it all, feeling its strength now contained within him. He lifted the torch and pointed its tip towards the beast’s gaping maw. As the serpent pounced upon him, he coursed the flame into the torch and watched as a steady blade of energy shot through its point.
“I said I’d slay you with sword and fire,” Vosala said with a smirk. “But I guess I meant a sword made of fire…”
The Serpent hissed as it lunged towards him.
Fire sword, fire sword, fire sword! Vosala screamed inside. He jumped up to meet the robotic beast. Fire sword! Fire sword! FIRE SWORD! He soared over the mouth of his foe, the sword of fire in his hand dragging along the metal. A fierce gash of melted steel traced by the tip of his sword appeared behind it.
Oh, I am awesome, he smiled. I’m Toa Vosala. And Toa Vosala’s legend would begin here.
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One thing I like about these interludes is how they reveal some details about the other lands in this world, even if worldbuilding isn’t their main focus. And of course, getting to know the Toa is really nice.
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Oh very nice. I really like how different each Toa is.
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Interlude - "THE SIBLINGS"
The earth felt soft beneath Auru’s palms, yet firm. It was resilient and powerful, but also gentle and quiet. It was his material to sculpt from. It was his clay.
He lifted his hands up, dragging two small pillars of dirt with them. He leapt up, kicking his feet out, and stood atop the two pillars with balance and might. His massive Toa form threatened to collapse the fragile dirt structures, but he held on with his power and kept them upright. He drew his fingers into fists as he summoned pieces of soil to build up around his towers, lifting him even higher. From up here, he could see the town below. Despite the frosty winds of the Iron Mountains, Auru’s core felt warm seeing his home.
Granite Town was a simple village of houses protruding from the stony side of Basalt Peak. They were formidable in structure, but welcoming in appearance, with their rough wooden roofs pointed into steep cones to discourage build-ups of snow. From every window glowed a lazy light of fire, and from every chimney poking out of the cone roofs, a short pillar of smoke.
As Auru was admiring the scene, it was suddenly blocked by a dark shape rising from the bottom of his vision, a great rounded object eclipsing the homely beauty of his town.
“Bread?” a voice called from below. Auru glanced beneath the encroaching loaf to see Ouphri, his sister, looking up at him patiently.
Auru smiled beneath his mask, causing a twinkle in his green eye, and took the bread into his hands. Still warm.
After finding a flat rock to sit on, Auru broke the grain into two, watching the steam rush out of it enticingly. He felt his stomach chamber buzz at him in excitement.
“You haven’t changed much, Ara,” said Ouphri, struggling to leap up onto the rock.
Auru lowered his hand so that she could use it as a foothold. She easily jumped from it to the spot next to him. Auru gave her the other half of the bread, which she took after a second of reluctance.
“What are you trying to say?” asked Auru. “I am a great Toa, now! I can move earth with my mind, and shape stone from my hands! Governor G’Nauli says that I may one day be able to twist metal with nothing more than a finger! I would say I have changed quite a lot from the little Matoran you knew a month ago.”
“You still run off on your own,” noted Ouphri, “though now you’re ‘training’ instead of climbing mountains on your own.”
“It is very important for me to train!” Auru protested. “I don’t know when I’ll meet the other Toa, but I must be at my full strength! What do you think Toa Kidoma is doing right now? Or Toa Narale? Do you think they are preparing to protect their homes without training every day?”
Ouphri shook her head. “I wasn’t trying to make an argument. It was just an observation.”
“Oh,” said Auru. It was always different with Ouphri. She wasn’t like their other siblings. She was the youngest in the family, but it was sometimes easy to forget that. She was performing incredibly well in her classes, and sometimes spoke with the wisdom of, well, of their father.
“You also still spend your life putting others before yourself,” Ouphri continued. “Like those hikers you saved. You could have died, jumping into an avalanche like that.”
“But so could they,” said Auru with a nod.
“There’s one more thing,” Ouphri said. She pointed up, her finger mere inches from the Auru’s covered right eye. “You still don’t talk about that.” Beneath the patch, she knew there was a horrendous scar he had earned when he was very young. It was before she was even crafted.
Auru pressed two fingers through the eyehole of his Kanohi and felt the coarse fabric of the eyepatch. “What is there to talk about? There used to be a working receptor there, and now there isn’t. It was damaged in an avalanche.”
“But you never talked about it. Baurn says you used to talk about everything , and now you only never talk about yourself. You never talk about what you’re feeling or afraid of. You never say when you’re sad or lonely, you just pretend you never are. Ara, Auru, you are the Toa of Earth, but it’s more than just a set of powers and a responsibility to you. It’s another mask to hide behind.”
Auru squinted at his sister. Wow, she reminded him of Dad. Auru and Baurn and the others were much more like their mom; friendly and gentle with their words but strong and fierce with their actions, while Ouphri and Dad were blunt and smart with what they said. They thought they knew everything, and would tell you they did.
“I’m sorry,” Auru said with a weak smile behind his mask. “I know you want me to pour out some weary story about my childhood, about what happened to me, about this-” He pointed to the patch. “But there’s nothing to tell. It happened, and I’m trying to move on. I’m okay, you don’t need to worry about me.” He took a large bite of the bread, but was disappointed to find it had gotten cold.
Ouphri looked down at her own piece, and set it on Auru’s lap. “There’s more at home,” she said as she pushed herself off of the rock. She landed in the snow and took a glance back. “Do you think Toa Kidoma keeps it all in? Do you think he doesn’t have people he talks to?”
Auru shrugged. “I talk to people. I really do, Ouphri.”
“I don’t care what the stories say,” Ouphri said as she began to return to Granite Town. “You’re not a superhero. Superheroes don’t get hurt. You just pretend you don’t.”
Auru watched as she left, clutching the bread within his heavy armored hands. The hands that could sculpt earth, but could still be emptied.
Here it is, the final interlude before I begin Chapter 2! Enjoy!
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Was the interlude with the Toa of Fire based on the description of Arena Vulcanas in Bara Magna? I like this story very much! Keep up the good work, @ToaNoah_Wafflemeister !
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ooh I quite like the direction you went with the Toa of Earth, nice job
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Thanks!
Wow, I wish it was! My knowledge of Bionicle is actually about surface level (I watched the first three movies and Biocraft and MNOG with Meso and all of Eljay’s reviews and that’s about it), but I try to reference it where I can! Maybe I’ll look into it further and see if I can build it into a reference… Thanks for the idea!
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By the way, I just realized that this character I built last year looks similar to your picture of Toa Kidoma:
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Yo, that’s actually hilarious! Thanks for showing that!
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Helryx in her prime
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I’ll second this. I’ve enjoyed getting to know all of the other Toa through these interludes. I’m really looking forward to seeing them all meet up.
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