The Toa Have Failed

Creative Content Artwork
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On August 9th, I set out to do a photoshoot of Ekimu and Kulta. On August 10th, I announced it on my photography topic. If it wasn’t obvious, it’s been quite a while.
I worked on it at quite a steady pace until the final stage of the work was about halfway done, then I just left it and it sat dormant. So I decided to finally stop being lazy and finish it today, so here it is.

Keep in mind, this was a one-shot project, as I am only using pictures from that day, and didn’t take any new/better ones in the following days. I had to make due with what I took; some pictures I’m not so proud of, others I am quite pleased with.

So sit back, scroll, and enjoy.

Also, I suggest you listen to this while reading/viewing.

http://i.imgur.com/yiJ2ocQ.jpg

“Kulta, I cannot allow you to do this,” Said Ekimu, the great Mask Maker.
The Skull Grinder turned around and faced Ekimu. Behind the mask a crooked grin stretched across his face.
“So the brave Mask Maker has decided to finally face me,” He mocked, “Where are your Toa? Have they abandoned you?”

http://i.imgur.com/odiMnau.jpg

“I’m only going to ask you once; lay down your weapon and return to me the Mask,” Said Ekimu.
The brute let out an evil laugh.
“You are in no position to give orders,” He replied, “Okoto is no longer under your control. The age of Makuta’s reign has begun.”

http://i.imgur.com/5b5U0Es.jpg

The Skull Grinder’s massive frame towered over Ekimu. He held his large mace in a single hand, resting it on his shoulder.
Even the great Mask Maker was intimidated.

http://i.imgur.com/hTlezN1.jpg

But Ekimu stood strong. He knew that if he failed this the island of Okoto was doomed- He had no choice but to face Kulta.

http://i.imgur.com/ifGmDq7.jpg

Kulta grabbed his mace in both hands and began to slowly advance.
Then he lifted his arms and threw them down with full force.

http://i.imgur.com/zeivNUy.jpg

Ekimu blocked the hit with his shield, but was staggered heavily by the blow.
Kulta rained terror down upon Ekimu as he relentlessly swung his mace over and over again.

http://i.imgur.com/PIBEcR8.jpg

He reared back once more, this time calling upon the energy of the Mask of Creation into the head of his mace. Ekimu raised his hammer, too. They both swung at each other at the same time.

http://i.imgur.com/H6XMTik.jpg

The weapons collided, creating a shockwave of energy and shattering the head of Ekimu’s hammer.

http://i.imgur.com/0QN2PkD.jpg

The hammer flew from Ekimu’s hand in pieces.

http://i.imgur.com/L0WT9a1.jpg

Kulta quickly took action and disarmed Ekimu while he was still staggered.

http://i.imgur.com/ThkG0nt.jpg

He then caught Ekimu’s arm with the prongs of his mace and hurled him to the side.

http://i.imgur.com/uFyWToZ.jpg

Ekimu violently collided with a tree and landed on his back.
His left arm was stripped of its armor, and an intense pain overcame his back.

http://i.imgur.com/k6izuya.jpg

The Skull Grinder stepped towards him, a wicked laugh came quietly from behind the golden mask.
“I will commend you for putting up a fight, but you truly are foolish believing that you still have power.” Said Kulta proudly, “All of your power harnessed within a single mask- So easily taken away.”
He lifted his leg and sent his large foot down, landing on Ekimu’s right arm and making a dreadful cracking noise.

http://i.imgur.com/CQMpIIb.jpg

He grabbed Ekimu once again with his mace and pinned him against the tree.
“That power belongs to me now.”

He threw the Mask Maker once again, and walked over to where he had landed.
He grabbed Ekimu by the neck and dragged him to a rock, where he held the Mask Maker’s head against it.

http://i.imgur.com/h4bpUS9.jpg

Kulta leaned in close to the Mask Maker, and whispered a final word.
“Do you ever wonder why they call me ‘The Skull Grinder’?”

A gruesome scraping sound could be heard throughout the woods. Metal against rock.

http://i.imgur.com/2Cx9ZpZ.jpg

The Skull Grinder took the mask from the defiled corpse and held it high in the air. He had defeated the great Mask Maker, the ruler of Okoto.

http://i.imgur.com/TxThf9l.jpg

He threw the mask down and left it on the ground.

http://i.imgur.com/y3LFjrz.jpg

Kulta, the Skull Grinder, had won.

http://i.imgur.com/9TXo91C.jpg

The Toa have failed.

27 Likes
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I like this, very intense and well written

3

Very good pictures and well-written story! I particularly like this scene:

Reminds me of the Joker from the Dark Knight. It’s perfectly crazy and horrifying.

3 Likes
4

It fit quite well with the music you chose. Great job! :smiley:

5

Great photos, that’s a really nice forest too. :smile:

1 Like
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Photography is A+
Story is pretty good (a bit unoriginal but still good)
But the writing is… well… OK IN MY OPINION it’s a bit bland and choppy. Probably because as a writer, I have to describe everything I want the reader to see, whereas here you have pictures of the scenery instead.
I mean that’s pretty cool, just a bit foreign to me.

Everything else is A-OK though, keep up the good work d00d

2 Likes
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@Stoax @Triple @Lord_Tuma @PekekoaOfJungle @Mayple
Thanks to everyone! I really appreciate it! :smile:

The idea for that picture is actually what started the whole photoshoot, if I remember correctly.

[quote=“Mayple, post:6, topic:16014”]
Story is pretty good (a bit unoriginal but still good)But the writing is… well… OK IN MY OPINION it’s a bit bland and choppy. Probably because as a writer, I have to describe everything I want the reader to see, whereas here you have pictures of the scenery instead.I mean that’s pretty cool, just a bit foreign to me.
[/quote]I think this was the biggest challenge for me, as I too like to write normally, this was a bit difficult to have the same type of flow as normal writing does, as I have to rely mostly on the pictures to tell a lot of the story.

The story I didn’t put nearly as much effort into as I would a normal story. The way I see it, is the story is a side thing, as the photography is the main focus. However, I didn’t want to just go and write some terrible and short thing because I didn’t care about the story, I decided to put a bit of effort into it.

2 Likes
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An entertaining read!

9

Oh man, I remember you showing me the teaser for this a while back. I’m glad you finally finished it. This is a spectacular mix of good writing and amazing photography. But what else did I expect from such an amazing artist?

3 Likes
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This is really nice and a good read. Do you plan to do more of these in the future ?

1 Like
11

well that’s disturbing

beautiful photography as always Oc

2 Likes
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@Chronicler @Political_Slime @Lovice @Middlefingerstudios
Thanks guys!

[quote=“Political_Slime, post:9, topic:16014”]
But what else did I expect from such an amazing artist?
[/quote]What? Who? I think you’ve got the wrong topic, I don’t know who you’re talking about. =P

[quote=“Lovice, post:10, topic:16014”]
Do you plan to do more of these in the future ?
[/quote]At the moment I don’t have any specific plans, but I definitely wouldn’t say that more of these would be out of the realm. It’s good to know that people enjoy this and that it was worth all of the effort I put into it.

[quote=“Middlefingerstudios, post:11, topic:16014”]
well that’s disturbing
[/quote]I aim to please. :stuck_out_tongue:

5 Likes
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I think this would be like a Dragonball Z style story where someone will go back in time (or instead another Universe) to stop Kulta

MAKE THIS CANON

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I THREW IT ON THE GROOOOUUUUNNNNDDD

But srsly, good job!

6 Likes
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I saw the review for Umarak and decided he is one of the sets I want the most.

I think I know what I’m gonna do for my next photoshoot…

3 Likes
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I have a suggestion if you’re interested
Maybe do one of Umarak trying to assassainate Kulta in the canonical universe. I’ve seen some discussion of Umarak possibly being a hired gun of Makuta’s who was sent to kill Kulta due to him failing his mission. Could be interesting.

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[quote=“Mayple, post:16, topic:16014, full:true”]
I have a suggestion if you’re interestedMaybe do one of Umarak trying to assassainate Kulta in the canonical universe. I’ve seen some discussion of Umarak possibly being a hired gun of Makuta’s who was sent to kill Kulta due to him failing his mission. Could be interesting.
[/quote]When I get my hands on Umarak this may be something I will consider. Seeing the two titans of G2 facing each other in combat would be very cool.

If anyone else has suggestions for what I should do next, I’m open to hearing them.

1 Like
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I suppose this counts as an update so hopefully it’s okay to make this double post.

Now that I have my hands on Umarak I am starting to plan out the next photoshoot. I am still deciding on what Toa I will be using for the main protagonist, perhaps Lewa since it will take place in a forest.

Before I can actually shoot all of this I need to wait until the spring when the snow will be gone and the trees have leaves once again. But until then, I am open to suggestions, comments, critiques, and other such things.

I appreciate all of your support and feedback, it helps me advance further in my skills as a photographer and gives me more motivation to keep going. :smile:

6 Likes
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i really like this !

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Do you have any white villains, like Rahkshi or Bohrok? Against Kopaka or another ice Toa, that could look pretty cool in the snow! :smiley: