05-29-2017, 09:55 PM
Kopaka grimaced as the human girl sped off towards the oversized serpents. Surely she was joking. Killing the beasts wasn't even their primary goal at the moment; it was to pass through the swirling aperture that manifested in the torus of that ostentatious ring. Still, by the time Kopaka had been able to arrive at his own plan for achieving that goal, Schnee had already thrown herself into the fray against the writhing beasts. There were no curse words in the Matoran language, but Kopaka surely would have sworn an oath as he sped off to intervene in her foolhardy venture.
...
Much to his chagrin, despite being a plan for the wrong goal, this course of action DID seem to be going rather well so far. As the black flame rolled harmlessly off his whirring Ice Shield, Kopaka transitioned seamlessly into a bait-and-switch formation with the huntress, allowing her to take offensive positions that he could provide cover for as the snakes thundered around them. Granted, it was a stalemate, just as Weiss had planned. A flash of bright light and the sound of thunder signaled the Toa that Keldor WAS indeed trying his best to blast away at the black monsters, but finding a weak point in their rugged scales was difficult from a distance.
Several plans formed in Kopaka's mind, but all of them required a large expenditure of energy he wasn't sure the team could afford. They were close to their goal, and resistance had been steadily increasing. Perhaps, like the forward base and the frost giants, the best way to defeat these beasts would be to use their energy against themselves. Small pebbles of mottled ice and granite fell from the ceiling as another bombastic surge from Keldor's energies washed over the marauding serpents. No sell.
"Weiss! We may need to improve on your plans slightly!" Kopaka shouted at the huntress, who had just landed on a nearby extinguished brazier. One of the adders immediately twisted its bulk to consume her, and it was only a speedily constructed wall of ice from Kopaka that saved her. The monster smashed its head into the thick, frozen barricade and veered off to the left. Weiss faltered for only a moment.
"...okay!"
Cunning though they were, the beasts were also voracious and maddened by the shadow that swirled in their veins. Kopaka's optics whirred and clicked as he searched for a location to carry out the operation he had in mind. The girl interrupted his thoughts.
"...so?! Plan?!"
Kopaka swiped a hand in her direction, signaling her to hush. He pointed his sword at a large gap between the giant cadaver's knees. The Toa squinted as a blast of elemental power rushed out of his body, forming a solid bridge of ice between the two giant legs, forming a sort of table.
"There! Can you jump that far?" Kopaka shouted over another peal of arcane thunder. An echoing peal of nasal laughter punctuated the fact that Keldor, at least, was enjoying himself. Weiss scoffed and launched herself at the improvised bridge, with the Toa of Ice following shortly after. Small cracks started to form the moment the icy structure bore both of their weight, and Weiss cast him a dubious look.
"Where are we going with this?" she snapped. Kopaka didn't say anything at first, and pointed at the snake nearest to the huntress.
"Get its attention! Have it attack you head-on!" he shouted, turning to deal with his own attacker. The serpent had briefly elected to start slithering after Keldor, but a sharp blast of ice from the bionicle reminded the beast who its real prey was. Kopaka twirled his sword anxiously as the snake's red eyes glared at him with hungry intent. He hazarded a glance over his shoulder at Weiss, and was pleased to see that the girl had managed to do as asked, without so much as a single scoff. The moment that both Primes were inside the creature's mouths, Kopaka willed his ice-bridge to shatter, causing the pair to plummet to the fog-covered ground far below.
The serpents collided in a hideous crunch of bone and scales, as the confused beasts hissed and bit into each other for longer than Kopaka had even suspected. So powerful was their predatory drive that Nebula's darkness had driven them to true and utter insanity. Spits of black flame spurted from their fangs as they disengaged, but the momentary confusion had been more than enough time for Keldor to brew something special for them. A crackling white beam raked across their merged faces, and flames exploded from them a moment later. The serpents writhed and screeched in pain as their self-inflicted wounds were seared by eldritch fire.
Kopaka stared up at the spectacle, so pleased with himself that he had nearly forgotten that, given their size, fangs were not the only dangerous parts of these snakes.
"Look out!" Weiss shouted, leaping clear of the incoming attack. Kopaka looked at her with a startled expression before getting smacked by the right serpent's tail so hard he was sent flying back to the mouth of the cavern, behind even where Keldor stood. The warlock, despite his wicked disposition, was even taken aback by the brutality of the blow.
"Snowball! Are you alright?" he shouted, calling over his shoulder. The sorcerer dare not take his eyes off the enraged snakes, now that Weiss was temporarily in their midst all on her own. A worryingly long silence passed before Kopaka re-emerged from the shadows of the entryway, his servos and joints creaking painfully. There was something different about the Toa now, as Keldor peered at his fellow warrior. Something more feral, and uninhibited.
Had Kopaka's eyes always been pale yellow?
...
Much to his chagrin, despite being a plan for the wrong goal, this course of action DID seem to be going rather well so far. As the black flame rolled harmlessly off his whirring Ice Shield, Kopaka transitioned seamlessly into a bait-and-switch formation with the huntress, allowing her to take offensive positions that he could provide cover for as the snakes thundered around them. Granted, it was a stalemate, just as Weiss had planned. A flash of bright light and the sound of thunder signaled the Toa that Keldor WAS indeed trying his best to blast away at the black monsters, but finding a weak point in their rugged scales was difficult from a distance.
Several plans formed in Kopaka's mind, but all of them required a large expenditure of energy he wasn't sure the team could afford. They were close to their goal, and resistance had been steadily increasing. Perhaps, like the forward base and the frost giants, the best way to defeat these beasts would be to use their energy against themselves. Small pebbles of mottled ice and granite fell from the ceiling as another bombastic surge from Keldor's energies washed over the marauding serpents. No sell.
"Weiss! We may need to improve on your plans slightly!" Kopaka shouted at the huntress, who had just landed on a nearby extinguished brazier. One of the adders immediately twisted its bulk to consume her, and it was only a speedily constructed wall of ice from Kopaka that saved her. The monster smashed its head into the thick, frozen barricade and veered off to the left. Weiss faltered for only a moment.
"...okay!"
Cunning though they were, the beasts were also voracious and maddened by the shadow that swirled in their veins. Kopaka's optics whirred and clicked as he searched for a location to carry out the operation he had in mind. The girl interrupted his thoughts.
"...so?! Plan?!"
Kopaka swiped a hand in her direction, signaling her to hush. He pointed his sword at a large gap between the giant cadaver's knees. The Toa squinted as a blast of elemental power rushed out of his body, forming a solid bridge of ice between the two giant legs, forming a sort of table.
"There! Can you jump that far?" Kopaka shouted over another peal of arcane thunder. An echoing peal of nasal laughter punctuated the fact that Keldor, at least, was enjoying himself. Weiss scoffed and launched herself at the improvised bridge, with the Toa of Ice following shortly after. Small cracks started to form the moment the icy structure bore both of their weight, and Weiss cast him a dubious look.
"Where are we going with this?" she snapped. Kopaka didn't say anything at first, and pointed at the snake nearest to the huntress.
"Get its attention! Have it attack you head-on!" he shouted, turning to deal with his own attacker. The serpent had briefly elected to start slithering after Keldor, but a sharp blast of ice from the bionicle reminded the beast who its real prey was. Kopaka twirled his sword anxiously as the snake's red eyes glared at him with hungry intent. He hazarded a glance over his shoulder at Weiss, and was pleased to see that the girl had managed to do as asked, without so much as a single scoff. The moment that both Primes were inside the creature's mouths, Kopaka willed his ice-bridge to shatter, causing the pair to plummet to the fog-covered ground far below.
The serpents collided in a hideous crunch of bone and scales, as the confused beasts hissed and bit into each other for longer than Kopaka had even suspected. So powerful was their predatory drive that Nebula's darkness had driven them to true and utter insanity. Spits of black flame spurted from their fangs as they disengaged, but the momentary confusion had been more than enough time for Keldor to brew something special for them. A crackling white beam raked across their merged faces, and flames exploded from them a moment later. The serpents writhed and screeched in pain as their self-inflicted wounds were seared by eldritch fire.
Kopaka stared up at the spectacle, so pleased with himself that he had nearly forgotten that, given their size, fangs were not the only dangerous parts of these snakes.
"Look out!" Weiss shouted, leaping clear of the incoming attack. Kopaka looked at her with a startled expression before getting smacked by the right serpent's tail so hard he was sent flying back to the mouth of the cavern, behind even where Keldor stood. The warlock, despite his wicked disposition, was even taken aback by the brutality of the blow.
"Snowball! Are you alright?" he shouted, calling over his shoulder. The sorcerer dare not take his eyes off the enraged snakes, now that Weiss was temporarily in their midst all on her own. A worryingly long silence passed before Kopaka re-emerged from the shadows of the entryway, his servos and joints creaking painfully. There was something different about the Toa now, as Keldor peered at his fellow warrior. Something more feral, and uninhibited.
Had Kopaka's eyes always been pale yellow?
C O L D