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+--- Thread: The silver field (/showthread.php?tid=7140)
The silver field - Éowyn - 01-05-2018
The shield maiden of Rohan stood tall and proud amidst the Riders as the Rohirrim arrayed themselves to break the siege that threatened the towers of the white city. Théoden of Rohan would lead the charge, and even now was rallying the men, hardening their hearts for the hour of steel that was nearly upon them. For her part, Dernhelm was as one fay, for she sought glory, and death, were it to follow upon glory’s heels would be accepted without lament.
As Snowmane bore the king of Rohan nearer, Dernhelm bent her brow, turning her face from her liege. Though her nature was concealed to all save the halfling by the helm of her secrecy, she could not meet her uncle’s eyes. Théoden rode past, voice clear and fell with the foresight of one who rides to their death. This was an hour for shriven shields, a last ride for honor and renown, before the end of all things. Dernhelm’s head rose once again, And the pride of Riddermark was in her glance, an echo of dreams long since relegated to the dust.
The blade of Théoden rose, glinting with the light of the newborn dawn. Along the lines, the horns of the Riddermark were lifted, a thunderous timbre that was rivaled only by the clamor of warriors on the verge of battle. Dernhelm’s own cry joined the chorus, as did Merriadoc’s, though in the tumult their voices were accorded little pause. Then as one great tide, the Riders of Rohan built speed, a force of power, a hammer of the west, all purpose bent on the ruin of the forces of Mordor.
Dernhelm rode with a fervor, and Windfola pulled ever nearer to the front as the Rohirrim’s charge drew neigh of their foe. Her Ashen spear was held at ready, and the barrow-blade of Merry was unsheathed as well. The Emerald wave struck hard and fast, and the forces of Sauron were dismayed. Their ranks fell to ruin and many orcs were felled or trampled underfoot.
Yet amidst the very triumph of Rohan, a black shadow swept over the battlefield, and Théoden king was assailed by a dark shape astride a terrible beast. Snowmane faltered, and the king of Rohan was struck from his saddle, trapped beneath his slain steed, as the Lord of Nazgul drew nearer. Dernhelm’s sight was clouded, and it seemed to her as though she had slipped sideways in her saddle, and fallen into a pool of darkness. A half-remembered dream assailed her senses and when clarity returned at last she found herself in a cloaking pitch as black as the most forbidden pits in Angband. Then the warrior’s spirit quailed, and a desperation took root upon her heart.
Then like the spark of flint on steel she perceived a pale figure, its white light a focus in the choking blackness. The being spoke, strange words of power of which Dernhelm could grasp but little. When the darkness was lifted from her eyes, the slaughter of Pelennor was vanished, leaving only a pale white expanse, upon which small specks of color and darkness could only intrude.
For some time Dernhelm remained seated by the pool, its depths eluding the all-encompassing light. At last, a new vigor shook her into motion, and she rose, arrayed in mail and emerald cloak. No sword bore she, nor shield, nor ashen spear, but without recourse, friendless and alone, she craved a full account above all.
“The halls of the house of Eorl are not set amidst a marble field.” She spoke at length, and the timbre of her voice went forth into the expanse.
“Be this fell magic of the Enemy or some fevered dream of horrors yet foretold, I shall have the telling, of this I swear.” And so resolved she set forth at once, and without burden of choice, for each direction seemed as hollow and empty as the other.
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-05-2018
The shield maiden of Rohan had journeyed naught but a short accord by her own reckoning, when a voice came to her across the expanse. It was harsh and grating to the ear, but to one thus abandoned, it came as but a bitter balm. Dernhelm glanced behind herself at the pair of warriors that approached her. They were clad fully in white armor save for swaths of blackened hide, the snow painted sheets seemed as plate but yet more fragile, and their faces were hidden fully by their marbled helms. One of the warriors held aloft a black device, his stance harkening a crossbow, though neither string nor quarrel were visible. The other bore a spear, though it was clearly ensorcelled, for its end sparked and crackled like a violent fire in a strong wind.
“I said down on the ground!” spoke the first again, his voice rough like slate on stone, “on your knees or I shoot now, Camelot scum!” he gestured again with the strange crossbow, and Dernhelm turned fully to face the two strangers.
“Do you think he’s a prime?” the second warriors spoke, his voice being so akin to the first that they were like as brothers to Dernhelm’s thought, “He’s close enough to the fountain he might have just got here!”
“Or, more likely he’s a spy, those Cammie cowards know they’re losing control here in the Nexus, they’re getting desperate. I SAID ON YOUR KNEES!” the first barked, taking a step forward, his device held prominently and demanding attention. Dernhelm paid it no heed, for the wroth and pride of the sons of Eorl was newly kindled in her and she drew tall and unyielding before the empire’s soldiers.
“I kneel only before my lord and liege.” She spoke, and her voice was deep and harsh, “I warn you now, you will fare poorly if you seek to make me bow under another banner.” She stared down the two warriors with mailed bracers clenched into fists, but there was an evenness and peace to the Rohirrim that quailed their spirits.
“Yeah, I’m not taking any chances!” shouted the first warrior, a brilliant bolt of lime magic blazing forth into the shieldmaiden, rending the mail hauberk and scorching flesh. Dernhelm staggered backwards under the magic’s assault, but then with grave malice bore down upon her foes.
“Crap! He’s a prime!” the first warrior shouted, then cursed as his mechanism betrayed him at the last, its trigger catching fast and firm. The second warrior interceded, but Dernhelm wrested the crackling spear from his grasp. Weapon in hand, the two foes were swiftly felled. Dernhelm discarded the ensorcelled spear in disgust, then sank to one knee, the full power of her hurt becoming known. The danger past, the loss and sorrow of her state returned to Dernhelm’s brow, and in truth later she could not recall with certainty how long a time passed before she was found once again.
“Are you indeed a prime?” another voice asked, and Dernhelm turned and beheld a man even as she, with mail and helm, though the blazing visage of a sun upon his shield was unfamiliar to the daughter of or Rohan. She did not respond to him at first, but the testament to her power still lay and her feet, and the soldier of Camelot was of no mind to press one upon whom the wrath of the unknown assailed so heavily.
“My lord, Prime?” he asked at length, when Dernhelm did not answer him, “I am Tethoril, cleric in service of Pelor the sun god. If you are willing to come with me I assure you we can explain things. You have Lord Aragorn’s personal guarantee.”
And there from beyond the shadow of despair and loss came anew a light of wonder into Dernhelm, and she nodded. Rising, the shieldmaiden followed the guardian of the Kingdom. The two began a solemn march across the alabaster fields, and for a time no word passed between them, though Tethoril would now and again scan the horizon, his face troubled. The soldier of Camelot kept his peace however, and spoke naught of his misgivings until Dernhelm bid him to speak.
"Er... you were acting in self-defense, lord Prime, but you did attack Imperial troops in the middle of the Nexus. I wasn't supposed to engage in conflicts if I could avoid it, so getting involved here was a risky choice. I just worry that we might run into trouble." his hand rested lightly upon the handle of his mace, and the shadow of doubt was haggard over him. Dernhelm nodded,
"I have no blade nor shield, but if the need should arise for deeds of valour in our journey I shall stand with you nonetheless." the sunlord's priest regarded the rohirrim and did not at first respond, for his mind was given over to other considerations. Dernhelm reckoned this low of portent, and was content to continue the march once more in silence, for many questions weighed upon her thoughts. At length he spoke, though there was a hesitance of tone as one who intrudes upon a moonlit glade.
"my lord, as a prime, you can create for yourself whatever weapons you desire. I have been told you must simply focus on them, and hold them in your mind. Then, through Pelor's blessings, your will shall become reality."
Dernehelm regarded him curiously at this, and did not on the whole trust his claim. Still to have steel in hand within so foreign a realm would be some comfort. Dernhelm set within her mind an image of her blade, and comtemplated the lengths of Hasuhyrne as she trekked onwards. In time, a sphere formed from her plam that smote dernhelm as like to the palantir of Sauruman, though where the itil-stone seemed to eat the light, drawing it down into smoking depths, this gem was resplendant with radiance. Dernhelm's gaze lingered on it but an instant before its splendour dulled, changing form into the familiar hilt of Hasuhyrne, succored away within its scabbard of firm leather. A scant few minutes spent in such contemplation left Dernhelm bearing the armaments of one prepared for battle. Then Tethoril's smile, though still wane, did for a time break through the stormclouds of concern.
"Your efforts are appreciated lord Prime, but I shall hope for secrecy over valour in this journey nonetheless. You have slain warriors of the Empire, and I worry that a price may come sooner than expected for the action."
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-06-2018
The call had been brief. EPD Dispatch was reporting two Imperial troopers as having been neutralized by an unknown hostile, presumably affiliated with Camelot just a few minutes ago. It was not known whether the two Imperial soldiers had been killed outright or not, but it didn't matter. This kind of disturbance to the Empire's operations in the Nexus was exactly the kind of reason Kopaka had decided to post himself here in the first place. The small motors within the optics of the Akaku whirred as the Toa looked east, the most likely direction of travel for the assailant.
Indeed, against the stark white horizon of the Nexus, it was quite easy for the scoped sight of his Kanohi to make out the shuffling forms of not one, but two human figures. A quick scan to the left and right confirmed that no other travelers were in that vicinity. There was a small, electronic buzz as his mask changed to the streamlined shape of the Kanohi Kakama. The Great Mask of Speed shone brightly for a moment before Kopaka's entire body accelerated abruptly into a dark, glimmering blur. Normally, when accelerated to such high speeds, the entire environment passed by as a wall of prismatic streaks. In the Nexus, however, it was shockingly easy to navigate towards the marching specks, who rapidly grew to their full stature.
There was little warning, then, as Kopaka skidded to a stop with a shrill scraping sound, leaving a whirling trail of frost and snow in his wake as he soared past the two Camelot warriors for several meters. Kopaka's heavy black cloak fell slowly about him as sword and shield were drawn, his EPD insignia glinting demurely in the omnipresent light of the Nexus.
"This is Kopaka." he muttered, to seemingly no one in particular.
"I'm engaging the Kingdom aggressors now."
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-08-2018
Eowyn and Tehoril were halted in their egress from the fountain of Infinity by the sudden arrival of Kopaka, the Empire’s duty-bound warrior. He appeared of a sudden, taking both shield maiden and priest unawares. For her part, Dernhelm was intrigued, for the bio-mech’s arrival was without warning and its nature unlike anything that Dernehlm had before encountered. As an armored statue it was, yet with a baleful glance and motion of its own accord. It rumbled to itself with an empty hollow sound, and a pallor stole over Tethoril as the full portent of their adversary became known.
“Run for it! He’s part of the Empire!” came the call, and with a speed borne of fear, Tethoril made to flee the challenger. Kopaka made no motion in response at the first, his pale and spectral eyes boring into the Rohirrim warrior that stood before him. At length, he turned and as if it was to him a matter of little accord, a pale ghost of power fled his hand and ensnared Tethoril’s legs. They were at once encased in frost, and the fleeing priest was upended, sliding smoothly to rest across the Nexus’s floor.
“There will be no flight from the crime scene.” Spoke the marbled statue, as though this were but a tutored lecture.
“Pathetic. You criminals have no Unity. Fleeing will not help you now. Your Destinies are inescapable.”
Dernhelm made no response, but gripped her ashen spear firmly with both hands, then pressed forward against her foe, seeking to make a measure of this unknown servant of the Empire. Kopaka turned to meet her charge and a terrible whine split the echoless air as the Hau te Kōpae began to spin.
Once and again, the Ashen spear was foiled, its broad blade skipping off the whirling barrier with a trail of sparks. For her part Dernhelm had the offensive, with the reach to keep at bay Duty’s warrior. However, the lust for battle was growing in Kopaka’s mind already, and his poise grew ever more fey and reckless in anticipation of his own advantage.
until at last, forgoing his shield, Kopaka accepted a powerful blow, the ashen spear scraped a jagged score, streaking of the uneven mantle of the Toa. Kopaka had deemed this injury an accepted cost, and ceased not his own offensive, one hand closing around the spear and the other bringing the Hau te Hoari to bear against his foe’s side. With no other recourse, Dernhelm released her grip, falling backwards and away from the treacherous dual-pointed blade.
Kopaka hefted aloft the weapon with disdain, and it clattered against the surface of the Nexus. Dernhelm was forced to retreat in haste before the Ice borne onslaught of the toa. The emerald cape of Rohan was torn and the hauberk scored before she gained the distance needed to regain her stance. Then the Great shield of Rohan displayed proudly, near enough a match in size to the Hau te Kōpae but yet its emerald shown more brilliant a beacon in the pallor of the Nexus. Kopaka drew taller and the hum of his shield ebbed to a pause as he regarded his foe once again. Dernhelm had adopted blade and shield, mirroring his own style of conquest.
“You fight seeking death, not victory.” Dernhelm spoke, and though his stance was unchanged from before, this time it was Kopaka who pressed the conflict, with mighty strokes. The alabaster blade cut swift and cleanly, weaving a deadly thicket that Dernhelm was hard pressed to defend. Her own valor held firm against the tide. The attacks came more swiftly, with an urgency that belayed his true motives in the conflict.
Dernhelm’s resolve was unshivered, however, and amidst the very poundings of Kopaka’s assault, an understanding came to the shield maiden, a sight of victory yet visible amidst the gloom. Dernhelm stepped forward, and with purpose brought Hasuhyrne upwards in a great arc. The blade of Kopaka was rent from his grip and the sparks of sorcery grown beyond control splayed from his injured hand.
For his part, Kopaka did not relinquish the offensive, throwing his bulk against the daughter of Rohan, pitting shield against shield. They strained against one another, each fully committed to the contest until Kopaka’s mask gleamed with a light even greater than that of the Nexus that surrounded them. Dernhelm felt her stance weaken and falter as the very ground beneath her took on an icy sheen.
With a growl, the Bionicle heaved Dernhelm away to tumble and slide across the ice. He turned to retrieve his blade. Dernhelm rose again, her valor yet holding against the empire’s pawn. The Shield maiden beat blade upon shield in challenge. This contest was yet to be full wrought on either combatant.
Quote:795 words according to wordcounter.net
you're up oh ball of icy rage!
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-08-2018
Kopaka kept his sickly scowl fixed upon the eyes of his opponent which glinted behind her thick helm. Yes, he knew that the heavily armored warrior he was fighting was a female; a rudimentary scan of her person using the Akaku had shown him that much. The truth of her sexual configuration was simply irrelevant to the Toa, and he therefore had no reason comment on it. Kopaka's Kanohi shimmered once again, taking the shape of the Matatu. Without averting his gaze, the biomech used the Mask of Telekinesis to call the super-cooled blade back to his grasp. It chopped through the air smartly as it returned to his hand, and the Toa took small satisfaction in the barely perceptible widening of the woman's eyes.
Their previous exchange had revealed much about Dernhelm's character, as well as her approach to combat. The female had a slight edge in raw talent, and Kopaka could foresee her turning his sword away with relative ease in an extended melee. The Toa, however, had never been one to rely on talent. Nor did he have any qualms about fighting a battle stacked in his favor. Rather than responding to the Rohirrim's challenge, Kopaka stood his ground and raised his elemental weapon towards the blank sky, whereupon it took on a bright, chilly gleam. The Lady was eager to exploit the opening, but she had witnessed magic with her own eyes at the hands of Greyhame and was wary of approaching the growing bolus of power.
All at once, a wave of scintillating cold burst out from the Ice Sword which spirited a thick, howling blizzard into existence within the already disorienting white landscape of the Nexus. Raging winds and blinding snow drove hard into Dernhelm's face, and even through her visor, she had to peer over the edge of her shield to prevent too much frost from getting in her eyes. Amidst the hoary squall, Kopaka returned his Kanohi to the Akaku, and called upon its power to spy the now defensive form of the Kingdom vagabond through the storm. Kopaka's words came ghostly and barely audible over the wind, and it was not easy to tell which direction they were coming from through the Lady's heavy helm.
"I do not usually bandy words with a foe, but you have piqued my curiosity. I do not see you as registered with any Imperial bounty, yet you attack our troops brazenly in the Nexus. This is usually the behavior of a newly summoned Prime..." Kopaka said softly. A slight deepening of the voice alerted the Rohirrim that the Toa was approaching, and in a gamble, she wheeled around and jabbed Hasuhyrne out along the rim of her shield. It bit something, and the sound of a sudden whirring indicated that Kopaka's shield was active once again. Pressed this close, the Lady could barely discern that her own sword had been thrust directly through one of the curious slats in Kopaka's shield, and its motor was struggling to crank it into a defensive mode.
She bit down on a shrill grunt as the biomech wrenched their grappled forms down lower, hunching into her and dropping his arm slightly. Her shield arm was twisted badly, and she was certain his own sword was poised to score a blow. Why then did he hesitate? Kopaka finished his thought.
"You are a newcomer to this world, yes?" he breathed, the sound very close to the left side of her head. There was an abrupt shift in his weight, and Kopaka knocked Dernhelm's feet out from under her with a sudden sweep. Éowyn landed hard on her rear, but was back up in a flash, just in time to hear Kopaka's retreat.
"It is as you say. I was spirited from the fields of Pelennor not more than a few hours ago. I–" Dernhelm began, but the Bionicle cut her off. His voice was distant again, hovering on the edge of the biting wind.
"Perhaps, then, your altercation with my fellow soldiers was in confusion. I am sure Camelot is familiar to you, and you seek it out for that reason alone, but I would advise against it. Aligning with The Empire is the smart choice for any warrior chosen by Omni." Kopaka said. The Lady knew this tone of voice; it had been the favored weapon of Gríma when twisting the will of her own uncle. Dernhelm would not fall to this venom.
"Save your bargaining, knave. Though this be a new world, Aragorn shall always be my King." she snapped, trying to keep her ears open for another cowardly blow.
"You know Aragorn personally?" Kopaka asked, sounding distant.
"All of the Rohirrim know the Last of the Dúnedain."
"How unfortunate."
Bloody, piercing agony spilled across her left abdomen.
Quote:800 words on the nose.
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-09-2018
Dernhelm uttered but a soft cry, sinking to one knee as the wound assailed her spirit. Kopaka lingered, gloating over his kill as a wolf before a wounded lamb, allowing himself to savor the defeat. Though the blizzard still swirled around them both, obscuring his form from the wounded shield maiden, Kopaka remained poised, preparing to execute the empire’s justice. Kopaka slowly raised his blade, a two-handed blow with the power to swiftly finish the exchange.
Yet Dernhelm’s resolve remained unsplintered, and rising with a shout she swept Hasuhyrne in a great arc, catching Kopaka’s knee as the blade orbited the disoriented maiden. Kopaka bore the pain, yet even so his own strike was foiled, simply bashing off the side of her helm, though scoring a grove that halted her retort.
With desperation, she hurled herself against her foe, and though Kopaka’s sorcery kept his footing firm amidst the frosty floor, the sheer power of her charge sent him staggering backwards far enough that she could return to form. Her mind swayed under the weight of her injury, but the maiden of Rohan could not relinquish the momentum that her scrambling efforts had obtained, and with grated teeth she pressed.
Kopaka gave ground, his whirring shield gaining speed as he parried blows from Hasuhyrne. Once and again the blade of the mark was thwarted, though with each defended strike her opponent’s stance became more desperate. The assault was halted however, as Kopaka caught Dernhelm’s blade betwixt the cloves in his own weapon, and sparks arose as each strove to gain mastery of the contest.
The blizzard all but vanished, so intent was Kopaka on containing his opponent’s weapon. Yet with a cry, Dernhelm drove both blades into the Hau te Kōpae catching them and the slatted shield in a mire of straining metal. Yet again, Dernhelm drove against her foe, yelling even over the screams of the enmeshed weaponry. Kopaka’s stature proved sufficient to withstand the attempt, yet with this blow Hasuhyrne was slid free of its entrapment and was allowed to descend iron ruin upon the Toa.
The blade swung high tearing sheerly into Kopaka’s sword arm, spraying the sparking lifeblood of her foe across the nexus. Dernhelm evaded the harried counter from Kopaka and again Hasuhyrne sang, this time sliding beneath the Toa’s shield to bite at his left flank. Kopaka’s own blade was now free of the ensnaring shield, but Dernhelm assault had become a tumult against which his only recourse was to endure. With the strength borne of wrath, Dernhelm’s ire now arced towards the fabled Kanohi that lent power to her foe. Yet the power of the mask was not to be so easily undone, and with the finality only the supernatural could conjure, Dernehelm’s swing was halted, as an ancient force repelled her from her quarry, sending her slide across the Nexus floor.
She arose more slowly this time than last, though Kopaka’s own hurts kept him more wary than his own bloodlust desired. The burden of control weighted his actions, and this was held as no secret to Dernhelm’s mind, for she saw in him herself, as through a mirror broken with a hasty blow.
“You fight seeking death.” She declared, paling not beneath the glaring spectral eyes of her foe.
“I fight seeking Order!” Kopaka retorted, and though no breath revealed his weariness, he was as Dernhelm, mired with hurt and slow to muster for another conflict.
“Order can be death, to those who seek an end in battle. You seek a fate that has been stolen from you, a justice that was wrongly wrested from your sight. And you consign yourself to death on the blade of a worthy foe. I have seen this plague work its way upon a mind before.” Dernhelm’s words were true, and Kopaka did not perceive his foe as seeking to delude his actions. Instead he laughed, a hollow sound, devoid both of cheer and of timbre.
“You are truly a newcomer to this place indeed.” Kopaka said, preparing his stance for yet another clash, “To seek one’s death in battle here is a stolen fate indeed.”
The Great Kanohi again made its presence known, this time taking the form of the Kakama, and its radiance filled the darkness around Kopaka’s gaze. With barely a moment passing between his stances, Kopaka was at length, beyond the farthest thrust of spear, then right before Dernhelm’s blade, then gone again, and poised behind her even as she fell away from the expected assault.
With a desperate twist, the shield of Rohan swung behind her and Hasuhyrne plunged. Kopaka’s pale and ghostly eyes then widened, for even as his own steel found the flesh above Dernhelm’s shield, so did her blade come to a resting place within his innards.
Quote:and an even 800 here as well.
Shouldn't be a prohibiting factor, but my semester starts back up tomorrow. Just an advance warning if my third round is slower.
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-10-2018
Despite his primarily mechanical body, the Toa did indeed have a few vital organs contained within his robust protosteel chest. The biomech sucked in a deep breath and sputtered for a few moments, sinking to one knee as the Lady attempted to wrench the buried tip of her sword free from Kopaka's torso. When she finally yanked it out in a shower of sparks, a thick dribble of pale, purple slime fell from the wound for a moment before freezing over. It was a serious injury; one that would stand as testament to her dangerous prowess in close quarters. In a moment of panic, Kopaka called the Matatu back to his face and used the Great Mask's power to send a blast of pure, mental force into the Rohirrim at point-blank range. Dernhelm yelped as she was sent tumbling across the frosted surface of the Nexus, rolling to a stop with her heavy cloak wrapped around her like a cocoon.
As much as he would have liked to follow through on the telekinetic riposte, Kopaka was not entirely sure that he could move without aggravating his wound. Yet, anger rose within him like a feral, bilious cloud that demanded to be released. Anger borne from shame and raw survival instinct, it mingled with the ambient Darkness that brooded within him, and forced him back to his feet. Fear was there as well, and it was Kopaka's greatest, most raw fear. He was afraid he was going to fail. After all those months of languid despair in the cesspit of Nippur, building himself up and finally taking a place in the ranks of the EPD, he would be cut down by a freshly plucked Prime and be thrown right back as the laughing-stock of Coruscant.
It was clear to Éowyn that her opponent's composure had failed. Her critical strike had wounded more than flesh and armor, and though she was proud of her skill, she knew now that she stared into the eyes of a wounded, cornered beast. Still, she would not be frightened by the bloodied swordsman.
"Come then! Test the breadth of thy mettle against my steel!" she spat, brandishing Hasuhyrne once more. All at once, Kopaka drew to a stop, straightened his posture, and stared at her with renewed consciousness.
"Oh. Is that what you want?" he cooed, a distinct note of glee creeping in to his otherwise dour inflections. The Bionicle's mask changed once more, and as Kopaka continued his measured march, Dernhelm quickly eyed her surroundings. The spear was close by, and she did not think that this Empire dog could move swiftly, wounded as he was. Éowyn rolled for the spear, hefted it in one fluid motion, and hurled it at Kopaka with a sharp growl. The instant before impact, a striking blue shimmer of energy enveloped the Toa's body, and the Ashen Spear bounced harmlessly off of Kopaka's shoulder.
The Lady eyed the Toa with a repressed panic, trying to consider her options, but Kopaka fell upon her with a beastly snarl. To her credit, the Rohirrim maiden struck many blows with her sword, but all of them were turned away by the cyan shimmer. The biomech simply grabbed the woman's shield with both hands as her sword bounced off of him, tore it loose from her arm, and threw it to the side along with his own shield and sword.
The visage of the rust and lyme covered Kanohi Hau glared down at the female human as Kopaka proceeded to simply drive his metallic fists into her upper body and head with little care given to where the blows landed. Éowyn kept her face covered with her arms, but was barely able to breathe under the weight of the hammer blows. Only when the onslaught abated slightly did the Lady see that the crazed biomech's protective shield had vanished. Only then did she scrabble to get her fingers around the grill-like features of the Kanohi Hau. Kopaka reached up to hold the Kanohi on his face, and for a moment, the two were locked in some perverse tug-of-war. At length, the Lady whipped her left knee up into the Bionicle's right flank, directly into his deep wound. His grip to faltered just long enough, and she pulled the Great Mask from his face.
Howling is the only word that can describe the sound of anguish and shock that Kopaka made next. Panicked, Dernhelm scurried out from under the wailing Toa, using arms and legs to push herself backwards as she gawked in horror at the monolithic, diseased conglomerate of metal and flesh that was Kopaka's true face. His eyes flickered between the sickly yellow and a pure, icy blue as he clasped his head and staggered to his feet, simply shouting:
"KILL. YOU."
Quote:800 Words Exactly.
Kopaka used T1 Defensive Super Move: Taiepa o Whaiaro
Mostly for show.
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-12-2018
Dernhelm stared with bewilderment at the hidden torment of her foe, the metal warped and melded with flesh. For the first time, Kopaka’s rage was displayed upon his features, restrained no longer by its protodermis cage. Dernhelm rose painfully, The Great Kanohi glowing faintly in her hands like a warm hearth. It was deceptively light, with a swirling fade to its brightness that drew the eye.
With effort, Dernhelm steeled her mind against the mask’s allure, and casting about herself found the Toa’s shield, discarded amidst the conflict just as her own armaments. Kopaka’s madness seemed now absolute and the Toa’s measured gait had been wholly abandoned as he hastily moved to collect his own blade.
With the speed of desperation, Dernhelm crawled to the discarded shield. Setting the Kanhoi upon the unyielding floor, she raised the Hau te Kōpae above her head, eliciting a cry of rage and tormented fear from her opponent. With her full might, Dernhelm brought down the shield’s edge, smashing metal against metal in a desperate bid to end her opponent’s sorceries. The Kanohi’s power held against her efforts however, and Kopaka collided with her, snarling. The two warriors struggled, weapons abandoned, scattered about them on a personal battlefield. Dernhelm fought, grappling with her larger foe as her strength allowed, but at the last of it Kopaka’s rage gave him the better of the conflict. One massive hand had close about her throat with a viselike strength, and though her own grip held his fingers apart, she had no recourse of retaliation.
Kopaka’s attention left her then, his other hand straying towards the discarded Kanohi, the mask displaying but the faintest fracture for all of Dernhelm’s valor. With a hoarse cry Dernhelm’s foot shot out, sending the mask of power skittering away from them. Kopaka’s rage mixed with Dernhelm’s cry of pain as ribs snapped under the weight of her foe’s rage. His focus now was fully on the ensnared shieldmaiden, and Dernhelm’s struggles availed her naught in evading his hold.
Dernhelm’s mind grew wane and the claw about her throat drew ever closer, her strength failing now as the weariness of battle and the malaise of injury settled upon her. The halls of her fathers beckoned, but an unease assailed her. Within this strange world, would her spirit be able to find its way? A new fear of death was kindled in Dernhelm’s soul, and with a frantic motion, her gauntleted fingers thrust into the Toa’s inconstant eyes.
Kopaka reared, crying out again in pain, and Dernhelm tore free of his grip. A vicious kick from the reeling toa struck her fully in the head as she escaped, and the helm of her secrecy was knocked away, an afterthought in so dire a conflict of survival.
The shield maiden crawled, finding her spear the closest weapon at hand. Using the sturdy ashen pole to support herself, Dernhelm managed at great cost to stand again, and turned towards her foe, golden hair shining in the light of the Nexus. Her grey eyes hard as she met Kopaka’s hateful gaze. She clasped the ashen spear firmly in steady hands, heeding neither the blood that leaked from her mouth, nor that which still oozed from her torn hauberk.
For his part Kopaka was in a fit of maddening rage almost as a caged beast, so great was his desire to destroy utterly and wholly this upstart prime. He took hold of his weapon, held in both hands, an ill sneer besmirching his scarred visage. His presence of mere moments ago was gone, drinking deeply instead of the all-consuming fury. With a limping eagerness, the Toa crossed their intervening distance, and brought the blade across batting aside Dernhelm’s defense and raking the blade across her hauberk.
The blow was erratic, lacking the control that Kopaka’s power had prior displayed, and the mail of the Riddermark held firm against the blade. Yet even so unstable and careless a blow was as grievous hurt to the injured shield maiden, and but the impact of the toa’s weapon send her reeling to the ground yet again. Dernhelm’s hands remained clasped on the spear and she rolled, away from Kopaka’s next attack.
A quick twist of her grip brought the broad iron blade up, striking hard at what Dernhelm’s mind placed as her foe’s neck. The spear struck true, the new prop halting Kopaka’s assault, as Dernhelm’s braced grip warded him at bay. A nearly feral growl escaped Kopaka’s mouth as he swept his blade into the offending weapon, rage making him heedless of the pain. Dernhelm’s spear splintered and tore asunder under Kopaka’s strength, leaving Dernhelm with only an odd length of wood for her defense. She rose uneasy, but held the pole as blade, awaiting the call to defense.
Quote:800 exactly according to MS word.
close us out 'paka!
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-13-2018
Under normal circumstances, Kopaka would have simply ignored the spear tip buried in his gleaming chest and pressed his advantage. In his current state, however, the Toa spun around in a tantrum, trying to wrench the thing free from the newest of two wounds to his torso. Thankfully, his alien biology had no analogous organs that would lead to his demise from the direct hit. This did not make it any less bloody when his blood-slick hands finally yanked the damned thing free. A low, gurgling moan escaped his vocalizer, and he was only vaguely aware of Dernhelm approaching from behind. The feral Toa yelped as he suddenly found the broken shaft of the spear pulled up under his chin and into his throat, causing him to cough and gag digitized heaves of panic.
He struggled against Dernhelm's choking embrace, but she had him at total disadvantage once again. So, once again, it would be Kopaka's higher abilities that delivered him from her wrath. With all the grace of a bear, Kopaka reversed his grip on the Ice Sword and funneled an excessive amount of elemental power into the weapon. A veritable avalanche of ice poured out of the channeling device, forming a thick, icy glacier around the Lady's legs. He tackled his weight backwards into Éowyn, and with her feet stuck in place, she swiftly lost balance. She slowly tipped backwards, ice and all, like a statue. A loud grunt was crushed back down her throat as she slammed into the unforgiving ground of the Nexus, and Kopaka swiftly rolled off of her.
The Rohirrim woman propped herself up on an elbow and strained to reach for her frozen legs, but this was no easy task in the heavy armor of the Mark. Meanwhile, Kopaka had an easy time of stumbling over to his infected Kanohi. The gibbering Toa knelt down and scooped up the mask of power before slowly and reverently pushing it back onto his face. There came a series of hisses and pops as the necessary connections were made, and an abrupt change once again came over the biomech. Kopaka stood with measured ease, and in as straight a posture as his wounds would allow before turning back to face the supine Lady with a swish of his dark cloak.
"I apologize for your having witnessed that. It appears we both uncovered a vulnerability in me today." Kopaka said smoothly, rearranging his clasp and cowl before striding past Éowyn to recover his truant shield. As it clicked into place, the Bionicle gave it an experimental spin. The sound of shattering came from behind him, and Kopaka looked to see the Lady trying to smash her frozen legs free of the ice that caged them. The Toa tilted his head in slight disdain, and the Great Kanohi illuminated to take on the shape of the Kakama. Kopaka flourished his Ice Sword and lowered into a ready position as the Mask of Speed began to shine brightly. As a loud whirring sound began to fill the air, and Éowyn ceased her attempts at freedom and began to drag herself towards the discarded tower shield. Kopaka could have unleashed his final blow at that point, but decided to let the foolish human cling to her bastion. It would only assist in driving home the point of his thesis for her. He chuckled slightly as the Lady reached the bright green hulk and threw it up between her and whatever new magic the Toa was conjuring.
"The shield will not keep you alive..." Kopaka cooed as he selected his target on the woman's body. In the next instant, all Éowyn knew was that the half-crazed warrior was now behind her, his sword held up and with frozen blood on its edge. It took a moment for the pain to register with her panicked mind, but when it, did the Rohirrim woman shrieked and clutched at her still-frozen left leg. There was an immense gash in her calf, straight through the lamellar armor and down to the bone. Éowyn screamed and rolled in blind agony, unable to hear the cold punchline of the Toa's previous sentiment.
"...because I do not want you dead."
Quote:702 Words
Kopaka used Tier 2 Offensive Super Move – Puna Makariri
I feel bad now.
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-14-2018
"Imperial dog!" came an abrupt shout from behind Kopaka. In all of the haze of combat, the Toa had nearly forgotten about the lingering Kingdom priest who had been travelling with this poorly misguided Primeling. The biomech looked over at the furious cleric and then back to the wimpering, hunched form of Éowyn.
"Now that you've ceased your screaming, perhaps we can get down to business." Kopaka said, tapping his sword with a metal finger. Frozen flakes of the Lady's blood cracked away and fell to the porcelain floor, giving it some lovely coloration. White with red was truly a sublime combination of colors, and Kopaka was glad that these humans were full of the latter. He was glad that Tahu was not around to hear such a proclamation on his part, but– The Toa suddenly grunted and clutched at his head, breathing shakily. No. His past life was not longer relevant. It would have no bearing on his conduct in this insular dimension. Kopaka hastily crammed the memories back into whatever sealed database they had escaped from and continued his soliloquy. He began to stride towards the relatively unharmed secondary and grabbed him by the hair, dragging Tethoril closer to Éowyn.
"I have long been contemplating how pointless it is to kill Primes in this world. Death is only a minor setback, and even the damnation of the Underverse cannot hold the likes of us indefinitely." Kopaka said, crouching down to try and look the Lady in the eye. She spurned his gaze, and his gleaming yellow eyes narrowed slightly. He stood back up to sheathe his sword and shield before making his way over to the still half-frozen Kingdom cleric.
"Luckily for me, I believe I stumbled through what constitutes true death in this realm. To fail and languish so utterly in defeat for months and months that I lost myself and became...this. Perhaps you think me unaware of my own savagery and bloodlust. It is not so. It is merely what remains after everything I held dear and true was methodically scoured from my soul by humiliation, hardship, and despair..." Kopaka said, beginning to clench a fist so hard in front of his face that it began to audibly creak and groan. He released the pent up fury with a shuddering sigh.
"So, servant of Aragorn, you will tell me everything you know of the King. Habits. Secrets. The world he lived in, and who he loved within it. Then, when I am satisfied that your failure is complete, I will let you and this Kingdom slime to limp back to Camelot so you can inform Aragorn of your treachery first-hand." Kopaka said, growing audibly excited at the prospect. Éowyn finally managed to fight through the haze of pain with bared teeth, glaring up at the darkened Toa.
"And if I refuse? What then, beast? You yourself said that slaying me is a fool's errand, and I do not fear pain." the Rohirrim spat, sending a glob of mucus and phlegm onto Kopaka's foot. The biomech stared down at the bolus of slime, and would have smiled had his Kanohi allowed for it; he had anticipated this sort of retort. Kopaka stood up and strode over to Tethoril, who eyed the Imperial inquisitor with an interesting duality of fear and courage.
"Then I will systematically dismantle your companion until he is reduced to his basic functions of consumption and excretion. Perhaps we should start with his eyes." Kopaka cooed, reaching out towards Tethoril with an ice-imbued hand.
"Nay! Dernhelm, do not betray the King on my account! Do not listen to this monster!" Tethoril proclaimed, his voice caught between vindication and tragedy. He looked over at Éowyn with as much of a reassuring smile as he could manage. Kopaka scoffed.
"Alas, I stand corrected. We will start with that pesky tongue." he spat.
"Wha–Gwwwuaagghhhhhaaauuggh!" were Tethoril's last noises before Kopaka smashed his torso back into the Nexus with one foot and plunged a frozen, metal fist fully into the human man's mouth. Éowyn watched in abject horror as the biomech reached down Tethori's throat as far as he could, grabbed the wriggling lump of flesh, and yanked the rapidly freezing tongue out of the cleric's head. The sounds were revolting, and might have seen the Lady sick if not for the pit that also formed within her gut. Aimless, senseless screaming was all that remained as Kopaka kicked Tethoril into a prone position and allowed blood and vomit to flood out of his gaping face-wound. Kopaka looked down at the slug-like tube of human flesh in his hand and casually tossed it on Dernhelm's lap.
"Talk."
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-18-2018
Eowyn’s being was transfixed with horror at the gore so callously thrown at her feet. The evil of Kopaka was then absoluted in her mind, and any shred of pity for the tortured nature of the toa was removed from her. Her surroundings remained as devoid of support as ever, but amidst the nothingness, she perceived a familiar shape, and with a halted, pained crawl, moved towards the abandoned blade of Hasuhyrne.
“You demand of me knowledge of my lord Aragorn?” she spoke as she crawled. And though it seemed to her that her voice was not loud enough to reach her enemy, Kopaka’s hollow eyes glinted in anticipation as she spoke. His blade stabbed into the priest’s arms, though Tethoril’s pain was already so great that this illicited but a slight moan. Tethoril was not Kopaka’s concern, his eyes tracked the shield maiden’s travel, noting with some joy the crimison trail that marked her journey. Eowyn’s weakened fingers closed around her sword’s hilt, and she turned towards Kopaka, grey eyes yet firm and unyielding.
“You know nothing of his honor, and do not think that he would hesitate to sacrifice it for the well being of us, mere soldiers!” she crawled towards her foe now, with a ponderous and deliberate pace, Hasuhyrne trailing behind her.
“But I will not so betray Lord Aragorn, for if I know his mind in the least, whatever fiend you serve will not gain power over him through my life!” She spoke, voice strained with pain and toil.
“I don’t care about your life. This isn’t about you, primeling. It is about the holy man here.” Kopaka spoke, twisting his blade to further mar the wound gouged in Tethoril’s arm, though bloodloss had mercifully robbed the man of his senses, “And exactly how literal you will allow that descriptor to be.”
“You shall not have victory over us, Monster! It will be naught but ashes in your mouth! I will die one thousand deaths before I betray Lord Aragorn to his enemies, as would every rider in the mark! We shall fight you to our last breath!”
Kopaka leered as she drew near, for where her valor held firm, her body lacked in fervor. She would be no threat to him in her weariness. He awaited her fatalistic retaliation with an eagerness, but when she reared up to strike his anticipation turned to shock as Kopaka perceived that he had never been her target.
“May you find rest in the halls of your fathers, son of Pelor.”
With the full might of her remaining strength, Eowyn brought Hasuhyrne down upon the unconscious priest.
RE: The silver field - Kopaka - 01-19-2018
The Toa watched impassively from behind his mask as the cleric's blood pooled out onto the unforgiving floor of the Nexus. He closely observed Éowyn's shuddering body, and the choked sob that she was bitterly fighting to contain in her throat. Perhaps he had been a tad too ambitious to try and break this fledgling Chosen in one fell swoop. After all, had it not taken him months to fall from honor into mental death? Still, this trauma had shaken the female, that much Kopaka knew; a hairline fracture in the foundation of her ability to trust her own ambition. Slaying the only friendly face she had yet known in this hell had pained her more than any gruesome death could.
Yes. It was a start.
This was still a victory.
He hadn't failed.
This, at least, was what Kopaka told himself as he wordlessly turned on his heel and walked away...
RE: The silver field - Éowyn - 01-29-2018
It was no more difficult a stroke than any other that the shield maiden had thrust, but yet it was more rending than any blow she yet had dealt. She knelt exposed, assuming her own death to herald not far behind the clerics, but when her mind possessed her to finally come to questions, the imperial monster had left. Only a fading trail of blood dictated his path, in all else he was a phantom. Eowyn sat alone upon the Nexus floor, the dead and desecrated priest strewn before her as testament to her failure.
At length she resolved that he was deserving in the least of burial, so much as could be done. When the barrenness of her surroundings came fully to her mind, she began summoning white stones with which to form a cairn. It was a toil, and it was some time before the cairn was constructed. The dried blood of Pelor’s priest was not contained within the loose fitting white stones, and by the time her work was done Eowyn was as stained in his blood as her spirit.
She remained knelt by the grave of Tethoril for uncounted time, until at length a pair of arms locked her own and she was taken away from the grave site. Her mind was mired in the shadow of Kopaka’s malice, and she knew not where she was nor who it was who spirited her away from the site of her failure.
She was a silent burden, unmoving and unseeing as she was carried from the Nexus. She knew not who took her, save that they spoke no further than she as they moved, but their travel was terse and with purpose. And so Eowyn was spirited through the portal and it came to pass that she entered under the eaves of the Tangled Green.