Building Up

[Eon Saverem]

The cross stood in front of him. Eon stared at it. This was his first real creation in this world. He had spent all night working on it, remembering every last detail. It was perfect, and just what Eon had wanted it to be, thanks to Omnillium. A lot had happened in the span of a day.  He knew he needed to take his leave soon, the encounter with the Empire's Soldiers had taken a lot out of him and even more out of Granny. She hadn't said another word to him after the men had left. She had just watched him silently as he sent the Soldiers on their way. Eon had said good night to her and retired to the back of the kitchen, where he had begun work on the cross. If he stayed here too long, it might be possible to put the old lady in more danger and he didn't want that. Also, he couldn't make any progress in this world if he just stayed here. He would have to venture out and find his own home and allies.... allies... he laughed to himself slightly.

 Other than his Master and his two brethren, he'd always been alone really. The idea of finding allies is a place as alien as this one seemed absurd. He himself was alien, though all other Primes did have one thing in common. The fact they had been brought here, and told this was where they would remain so long as they entertained the God of this realm, Omni. Eon would leave before the sun rose, until then...

He ventured into the dinning area of the old worn down bar. He began focusing his Omnillium on the rest of the bar, fixing the cracks and breaks in the chairs, tables and walls. Not trying to make the place perfect, what would be the point? It would eventually be all broken again by thugs and drunk egotistical soldiers. That's why Eon decided no matter where he went, he'd return here to help Granny with the upkeep. She may have a slightly different view of him now, but he was in her debt.

He spent the rest of the night on this project, even making Granny new pans and utensils. He began to see the hint of morning through the windows. He quietly made his way out the back. The glow of his Omnillium began again, as the minutes passed the shape of a motorcycle began to appear and solidify. As the sun peeked over the dunes Eon finished and straddled the bike.

"You just gonna take off without letting me say goodbye... thank you... nothing? You little shit." Granny stood in the door way, eyes swelling up. Her toes at the edge of the frame. She wanted to take a step out but couldn't, forever bound.

Eon turned and smiled with a slight raising of his hand, "Granny! Thought you'd be asleep. Didn't wanna wake you. I'll be back, just going to run some errands! Take care Granny." He kicked his foot down and let the engine rip, hit the throttle.

Granny stood wide eyed, almost in shock. Eon peeled the back tire and gave one last wave goodbye. It was best she had no idea where he was going or what he was doing. It was time build up his reputation.

[Eon Saverem]

Eon rode across the savanna,  the sun was still low on the horizon. The wind felt relaxing upon his face. He wasn't sure where he was going but knew it was better than staying in Carrefore. A halfway town filled with murderers and thieves, surrounded by cannibals and watched over by a seemingly oppressive Empire. Two want to kill you or eat you, while the other wants to draft you into their ranks which would honestly be worse... Granny was good though.

He felt bad for leaving her, she had shown him kindness and he wouldn't forget that. What a miserable existence she had though, created for only for one sole purpose. Didn't even have the ability to leave the forgotten tavern she was bound to.

The life of a Second is a meaningless one... if a fire were to start in that prison, Granny would be burnt alive. She couldn't even flee for her life because of the means of her creation. Chains that bind her. All Seconds are bound by chains though in the Omniverse. They may feel free but its a farce. Their lives hold little weight, just waiting for the time to die. In any other world this wouldn't be so awful, it would be a life worth living. But this world... this universe... the Omniverse... it was not made for Seconds. It was made for Omni, who brought Primes to it in order to amuse him and it was Primes that created these Seconds for their own bidding. They're born as slaves, they die believing they're free but their lives were never truly theirs to begin with. Primes are taken from their worlds, Seconds are created believing they had a world of their one... they live a lie. I could've ended Granny's suffering, and recreated her with the ability to leave that prison. I could have made her exactly as she was... but would that really have been her?

Eon thought to himself as he scanned the environment. Riding over dunes, every so often seeing wildlife or creatures in the distance. With his brethren at his side and his cross to bear he would cut a path through the Omniverse and ensure his survival.

[Eon Saverem]

The path he rode was a blind one. Where was he going? He didn't know. This question transcended his current quest to seek out others like him and a place to call his own. It dug deep at his core. Sand whipped off the tires, the faint sound of the grains ricocheting off the bike's undercarriage entwined with the rumble of the engine. He'd been riding for hours. The sun was beginning to fall from the sky.

He knew he should stop to eat, but he wasn't hungry. He knew he should stop to rest, but he wasn't tired. His thoughts were like the pistons, churning within the motor, and his brain was that engine. The fuel was all the possibilities that were laid out before him, all set by Omni and his Omniverse.

Eon might have been heading in the same direction he started but he felt, mentally, like he'd been running in place for hours. What was he supposed to do in this world? He failed in his own, disposed of before he even had a chance to try. He was summoned to the Omniverse for entertainment. He felt like an ant inside a glass box, Omni just picking up random insects and dropping them into the box just to see the inevitable conflict between species. Eon didn't want to be a pawn, he wanted to be the king... well not an actual King, that was way too much responsibility, but to be able to move wherever he wanted. To become whatever he wanted.

What was it though that he wanted to become? Stronger is always the easiest answer, be it physically or mentally or technically. To survive the Omniverse Eon would need a purpose, something that would allow him to be in control of his own future. He wondered if Omni was actually an all Omniscient being, able to see everyone in the Omniverse at all points in time Past, Present and Future. Did that really matter? Right now it didn't.

As Eon pondered, he felt a strange tug at his bike. It began to slow him down, he pulled back on the throttle but to no avail. All these thoughts about feeling like he was stuck in one place may have jinxed him. The bike had come almost to a stop when Eon realized that even though the wheels were moving forward the bike was sliding backward. Panic started to set in.

"Come on! Deep breath. What the hell his going on? Some trick made by Omni?" Eon looked around three-sixty, Don't become one of those loathsome creatures that blames there God, or new God in this case, for every misfortune. Eon thought. As he desperately searched around for an explanation, it finally dawned on him... "Son of a bitch... its a fucking sinkhole! This isn't good."

Eon had no idea where this sinkhole led too and most likely it would just bury him alive. He thought for a second about just embracing it and being brought back at the Nexus, "...Fuck that! I am not dying..." He stood atop his bike and tried to leap as close to, what he thought was, the edge of the sinkhole. As he landed he quickly realized it wasn't enough. Knee deep, he struggled to drive his legs through the dirt and sand. His bike was swallowed up. He looked at the giant cross on his back, it was nearly three-hundred plus pounds.

He slowly shook his head, "Nope. I'm not gonna do you like that." About waist deep, Eon took a deep breath, closing his eyes. As the ground swallowed his shoulders he opened his eyes and stared straight up. The stars were out... they were gorgeous, just as his mouth went under he saw a shooting star. What should I wish for? Eon thought as he was completely swallowed by the Endless Dunes.

[Kopaka]

Eon would feel a sharp lurch, as if something had gripped him fully by the head. With a slow, sucking sensation, the Last Angel grunted in slight discomfort as he was unceremoniously flung clear of the whispering sinkhole, landing on the stable ground with a heavy thump. Shaking his head to its senses, he would look across the other side of the sifting pit to see a looming figure in a heavy hood and cape staring at him with cold, radiant blue eyes. There was a moment of stillness before Kopaka turned to leave, and a subsequent pang of indignance as the rescued man shouted for him to stop.

"Whoa! Wait just a damn minute!"

Kopaka let out a long synthesized sigh; a buzzing, rattling sound that sounded markedly unnatural among the crisp silence of the desert midnight. Kopaka had not enjoyed his time in the Endless Dunes thus far. Such a hot, arid environment was second only as anathema to his element to the raging volcanism of the Ashen Steppes. To keep the heat at bay, he had donned a simple hempen robe, similar to a garb he had seen worn in the slums of Coruscant. Wearing the clothing felt odd, but it was functional, at least.

Saving the man had been a compulsion of Duty, and it never failed that he implicated himself with some manner of miscreant. He had simply seen the human in verifiable trouble and acted accordingly. Alas, such acts rarely gratified Kopaka's preference for solitude. Reluctantly, the biomech turned to face the blonde man, the four eyes of the Akaku leering brightly.

"Are you in need of something else?" he asked with an impatient tone.

[Eon Saverem]

The Dunes had swallowed him whole. The crushing pressure of the sand and earth confined his movements. He thought about where he had gone wrong, he lost lost focus and allowed panic to cloud his options. Had he just focused he might have been able to make something to help him escape. Such was his punishment for it. As he sunk deeper, he felt his foot give free. Suddenly he felt something grip his head and with incredible stregnth it extracted him from the earth and tossed him to the side. 


Eon pulled himself up to his feet. He looked up to see a cloaked figure leaving. 

"Wait just a Damn minute!" Eon yelled.

The figured turned to reveal four glowing eyes and an inhuman face. "Are you in need of something else?" Its voice was robotic, was this being a machine?

Eon took a deep breath, he hadn't meant to yell. "Wait... quite the altruistic act of saving ones life without need for thanks." Eon patted himself off and approached his savior. 

Kopaka readied himself, the Dunes was not a place to lower ones gaurd. He had saved the man because it was in his nature. He knew nothing of this blonde haired gunslinger. Thief, Empirical Conscript, or Murder. They were all possibilites and he would not let his act of kindness be the reason he was caught off gaurd. Eon stopped just a few paces away, and slowly raised his hand. 

"My name is Eon. Eon Saverem. Since I've arrived here I've encountered nothing but opposition. Be it a tyrannical empire trying to enlist me with no need for consent. My welcoming commity to this dessert realm was a kind group of gentleman that invited me to dinner, myself being the main corse. And then even the Dunes themselves wanted to devour me. You though... you are most assuradly not from this place. Please, who is it I owe my gratitude towards?"

[Kopaka]

Kopaka experienced a flash of rancor at the man's snide dismissal of the Empire. Were the beings of other realms so thin skinned that they couldn't have the humility to meet the Empire half way? The Toa was well aware of the tyranny rampant in the organization, and yet, thosands...millions of lives were kept safe and orderly by it. Still, there was no arguing that the individual agents of the Omniverse's largest faction were, at times, too enthusiastic to exert their authority, and Kopaka did not feel inclined to be at odds with another Prime at the moment.

"The Empire..." Kopaka started, reaching for words both placating and supportive. Images of the EPD officers and Lieutenant Brath sneering at him in derision flashed through his mind.

"...is complicated."

A token response, perhaps, but hopefully it would be enough for now. The Toa was tempted to comment on Eon's other complaints; tempted to remark that hardship was the default state of life. Times of peace were the anomalies, but again, he thought better of it. 

"I am Kopaka..." the biomech said, trailing off. Habit dictated that he specify his title, Toa of Ice, but something about it felt false. Had he really lived up to that title, as of late? The Bionicle became more aware of the broadening silence which had lapsed since his last words.

"Altruism does not concern me. It is simply a matter of Duty."

Eon quirked an eyebrow and seemed to mull over this for a moment. The man then looked back at the sinkhole, then back over at Kopaka. The robot was tall, certainly, but not nearly enough to be able to reach several feet over the lip of the sinkhole and lift Eon free.

"How did you get me out, anyway?" the human asked. Kopaka gestured at his face, or rather, the mask upon it. His corroded visage flashed with a bright light for a moment before taking on a new, boxy shape with a triangular mouth.

"Matatu, the Kanohi Mask of Telekinesis." Kopaka said matter-of-factly, as if all of this should be perfectly clear.

[Eon Saverem]

"The Empire... is complicated" Kopaka said with a pause. Eon felt as though he might have struck a nerve, though hard to tell with the mechanical being. His slowly lowered his outstretched arm, hoping he hadn't made to large of a mistake. "I am Kopaka..." he seemed to trail off as if not finishing his thought. Was this machine a member of the Empire?

Eon had only encountered members of the faction that enjoyed pushing their title around, as if it were some sort of iron fist to keep the weak in check. The thought of the machine being a member slightly worried him, but if it were something to be worried about then he would have found out shortly after speaking so bluntly about the Empire. This machine, Kopaka, he saved Eon. The first group of soldiers wanted to enlist him, the second soldier wanted to eat him. This one was different though. What was the Empire really? The silence was becoming palpable, Eon did not wish to have an encounter with this Kopaka. He thought to break the silence...

"Altruism does not concern me. It is simply a matter of Duty." Kopaka stated as if he were a soldier of some kind.

Was he a soldier? It wouldn't surprise Eon in the least. The Omniverse was a very expansive place, filled with interesting creatures. Eon had used the word 'Altruism' due to the fact that Kopaka was clearly a machine. He had merely expected him to be programmed to protect and serve. Kopaka was not merely a robot, containing circuits and wires, he had thought and choice. He had a sense of Duty, that intrigued Eon very much.

Eon asked him another puzzling question that had been sitting in the back of his mind, how did Kopaka pull him out of the sinkhole? The Bionicle pointed to his face and Eon watched as it flashed with a bright light and then changed into a new shape. It was apparently a mask that Kopaka could change at will, and this one... Matatu... gave him the ability to use Telekinesis.

"Well of course. The Matatu, Kanohi Mask of Telekinesis. That explains it perfectly." Eon smiled extremely big and laughed. "You are a marvel. Thank you again for saving me." Eon's demeanor relaxed, if he continued to remain tense then Kopaka might read it as a threat.

"As I said, it was simply a matter of Duty." Kopaka's mask reverted back to his original white.

"You also said that the Empire was... complicated. I should apologize, I was raised to never judge a book by it's cover. The Empire, it would seem, is more like a Volume of Books. Some can be dull, but some make you want to finish the entire series." Eon crouched down and began looking Kopaka over, as if studying him.

"I don't mean any offense, its just that... well... I'm new to the Omniverse and I've never encountered anything like you in my entire life. Are you a living machine?" Eon stood up quick and placed his hands up in front of his chest waving them back and forth, "I didn't mean to offend you by call you a machine. Its just that, back home..." Eon paused without realizing it, home, how very far away it was. "...back home. Nothing like you exists. This mask you wear, you have the ability to change it and each different mask has a different ability or power correct?" Eon knew it, the Omniverse had limitless potential, the Omnillium that made up Kopaka was the same as what made him up, but Kopaka was a machine and could harness the power of telekinesis.

Kopaka seemed slightly caught off guard by Eon's change in disposition. He also took note that Eon deduced the basic functions of his masks. This Prime was not completely ignorant.

[Kopaka]

Kopaka was pleasantly surprised that the man had been able to deduce the nature of the Kanohi so promptly. Between this human, Magus, Athena and even Ururu, it seemed as though the Omniverse had an abundance of keen intellects whereas Mata Nui had been rife with over-passionate warriar dullards. Then again, all Eon had done was follow the very obvious clues Kopaka had indicated. Perhaps he should start raising the bar for what passed as 'intelligent'. 

Kopaka let the man finish his diatribe before considering a response. The question of what exactly the biomech was tended to be an exceedingly common question, and one that was tedious to answer. Rather than going through the lengths of explaining how parts of him were organic and others were not, and why that was, the Toa simply responded;

"Yes."

[Eon Saverem]

"Not one for many words, I see." Eon had a feeling Kopaka had been here for quite some time. He'd seen a lot in the Omniverse. Maybe Eon's eagerness was off putting for the older Prime. Being part of an alien minority, Kopaka had probably been asked on numerous occasions just what he was. Eon was not only a young Prime, but still considered a youth by Plant standards as well. "If I may ask, Kopaka. Just how long have you walked the planes of the Omniverse?" Eon wasn't sure if he'd even feel the need to respond, there was something about him that told Eon he had much on his mind. Something tugged at Kopaka, a weight. Eon could not tell what that something was but he knew it was there.

He understood the feeling, Eon didn't know what direction to take let alone who he really was anymore and Eon had only been in the Omniverse for what seemed like a couple of days. The fact remained that here in the Omniverse was he the same Eon Saverem that existed on Planet Gunsmoke? He could not fulfill his quest to rid the world of the Humanoid Typhoon, or Knives. That world was gone and his existence here was only based on the amount of pleasure it brought to its God... Omni...

Silence once again loomed between the two Primes, Kopaka seemed to be weighing the question in his stillness. There seemed to be many difference between the two, they stood their, quietly appraising the other. Deep down though, Eon could sense a faint connection. Everything to this point had been chosen by fate. The gate he chose to walk though, the direction he chose to ride, a sandpit in the middle of the desert in which he was swallowed into. By some stroke of fate, Kopaka had been the first Prime he'd truly encountered. Eon would figure out why the Omniverse brought them together.

[Kopaka]

How long?

It was a good question. Time was a nebulous thing in the Omniverse, and even Kopaka's internal clock had a hard time keeping track of the hours and minutes beyond the relative time spent in a single verse. If it was night in Coruscant, it could just as easily be midday in Camelot. Not only that, but time seemed to flow at different speeds at different locations. Observation told Kopaka that he had spent four days on Teucer's island before being smashed back down into the Omniverse proper, but there was no way of telling how much time had passed here during his imprisonment. Eon looked at Kopaka with studious eyes that did their best to hide an eager, quiet curiosity that reminded the biomech of Onua. The Toa of Earth was a quiet sort, but more out of a sense of deference as opposed to Kopaka's reluctance to engage himself with his siblings. Humility was, admittedly, a trait that several of the Toa lacked. Even Gali, for all her wisdom and reverence, was perfectly comfortable in her positions as leader of the Ga-Koronans.

The memory of his brothers and sister caused Kopaka to involuntarily reach up and scratch at the rusted, corroded swatch of metal that had been gradually spreading over his mask for some time now. Time.

"...I know not." Kopaka said finally, looking away from Eon. The stars offered no solace for the Bionicle's ruminations, for the most important celestial object, the Red Star, was conspicuously absent from its rightful place in the heavens. Looking back at Eon, Kopaka's voice took on a new firmness, tinged with a cold edge that conveyed only a sense of all-consuming purpose.

"I travel to Nippur in search of another Prime, that I may deliver the Empire's justice unto him. Travel alongside if you wish; it makes little difference to me." Kopaka said in his buzzing, synthesized voice. With a swish of his cloak, the Bionicle resumed his sojourn across the sands, the cold desert night made all the more frigid by his very presence. The steady crunching of golden silt beneath his metallic feet served as a steady rhythm by which to pace his frenetic thoughts. If the human was following, the Toa had yet to take notice...

[Eon Saverem]

The question had caused Kopaka to give much thought on the subject. Eon was curious, this Prime seemed to know much about the Omniverse. Not so much by the few words he had said to Eon, but lack of words and the way he carried himself. Kopaka had seen much, experienced much. He was long from home just like Eon, some kind of weight lye on his shoulders.

The twilight of day had reached over the two Primes. In his thoughtful silence, Kopaka reached up and scratched at a rusted spot on his mask. Realizing he had done it. He lowered his hand,  the Bionicle didn't know. Looking to the sky as if searching for something, an answer. Eon gazed upon the void in between the shinning lights. I know you're watching Omni. When Kopaka turned back to Eon told him he was bound to Nippur, Eon had heard of this place. It was the place connected to the Prime, Gilgamesh, he'd been mistaken for. He sought a Prime in the name of the Empire. He headed off towards, what Eon had presumed, to be the city of Nippur.

He hadn't gotten many answers out of Kopaka, but he wouldn't allow this opportunity to pass by. Eon kept to himself as he followed behind the mechanical Prime. Though the idea of assisting in capturing another Prime in the name of the Empire was not all that appealing to Eon, being so new to the Omniverse. What he might be able to learn from Kopaka, on the other hand, was the reason he would accompany him on his journey. At least for a while. It wasn't as though the city of Nippur was in sight, it would be a long journey across the Dunes. Something about it, didn't have Eon worried at all. This would prove to be extremely insightful. With his new guide in front of him, his cross to bare on his back, and his brethren at his side Eon decided that he would at least find the city of Nippur before he ventured off to find himself.

[Kopaka]

Nippur was still a day's walk from their current location, at least, a day's walk for a biomech who had almost limitless reserves of endurance. On the half-hearted road that had been etched into the otherwise trackless sands of the endless dunes, many different contraptions and transports whizzed or puttered by. Kopaka knew that summoning such a device would make the trip much more expedient, but long-walks across vast landscapes were really the only way that the Toa was comfortable traveling. He had suspected that Eon, for the human had at some point shared his name, would have simply summoned another two-wheeled mount and sped off into the dusty horizon.

Kopaka was somewhat surprised that the man decided to just keep pace with the Toa, even with an absurdly large object strapped to his back. It was an odd, unwieldy shape, and the biomech could not even remotely fathom what purpose it served. Kopaka's natural curiosity begged him to inquire, but this strange, oppressive feeling that had been plaguing him since the Camelot tournament would not permit such personal contact. Especially so, since Eon had not entirely expressed whether he considered Kopaka an ally or not. The Toa could only guess at what had happened between Eon and his first encounter with the Empire, but it had evidently been a bitter exchange.

After several more silent miles, however, even Kopaka's staunch nature gave in to sheer boredom. There was only so much time one could spend on introspection after all. Kopaka spoke, but did not slow his pace, nor did he turn to face his attache.

"The object you burden yourself with. What purpose does it serve?" Kopaka asked in a hushed tone. The sudden speech was a sharp withdrawal from the deep, resonating silence that had persisted up until that point.

[Eon Saverem]

Eon marched quietly behind the Bionicle, his thoughts reaching from one of the grains of sand in the Endless Dunes all the way to one of the stars in the Omniverse's sky. He wondered if all the places the other Gates lead to shared the same sky, a different hemisphere for each. The night was cool, and would chill many who were not prepared. While the light of the morning sun heated the barren landscape as quickly as the sun did rise. By mid morning Kopaka had lead the two to what would be the best the Dunes had to offer for a path. The constantly moving sands made it difficult to have a solid road. While on it, Eon watched as travelers road by on strange machines or beast. He had wondered what Kopaka might summon if he chose to ride the rest of the way. It seemed he preferred to walk, which Eon gladly obliged.

Gunsmoke was not too different than the Dunes, and might even have been hotter. Eon recalled traveling with others from town to town, how often they'd need rest or food and drink. It was different for a Plant though. He was the physical embodiment of a power plant. He normally only partook in food or drink when he was in good company. As for rest, he needed much less than a human. Kopaka did not come up short on endurance either, as Eon would have expected of a machine.

The two walked for miles in silence until Kopaka, without turning or slowing down asked Eon what the burden he carried on his back was? Eon tightened his grip on his cross's straps. Letting a slight smile cross his lips. This was more interaction he'd gotten from the Prime, than his initial encounter being saved. He could tell Kopaka the long answer as to exactly what The Punisher was... or he could give him an answer to ponder on. As all his answers had made Eon ponder.

"It carries the weight of our sins." Eon paused for a short moment after this. Letting his answer weigh on Kopaka for a moment. "Back home we have a saying, 'We all have our cross to bare'... our Burden, as you put it, sits on our shoulders. This is not only the object that reminds me of my sins, of my burdens. But it is also what protects me." Eon slung the cross over his shoulder planting it hard onto the ground. The tremendous weight collided with stone letting out a echoing thud. The ground beneath Kopaka's feet shook, halting him for a moment. "My burden is a heavy one... what burden do you carry? What sins would you confess?" Eon placed his forehead against his cross. Silently and patiently he awaited his companions reply.

[Kopaka]

Kopaka's left eye squinted sharply at the human as he went on and on about something called 'sin'. It was clear that Eon was being intentionally obfuscating about the object, and Kopaka was honestly tempted to just drop the subject entirely...or maybe even ditch the human. Whatever the object was, it was clear that Eon had a reverent attachment to it. Based on the context, however, the man clearly had experience some events in his life that he regretted.

The Toa of Ice was honestly not sure he had any such regrets. Everything he did was deliberate and planned, and had never made a decision that he later thought differently about. That was the way of Ice, of the mighty glacier. Steady, unstoppable forward movement that defied more traditional notions of reticence. Ever since coming to the Omniverse though...a few things came to mind that Kopaka might have wished had gone differently. Primarily, his forfeit from the Camelot tournament, especially when all signs pointed towards the Toa performing rather well in the later match ups. He still couldn't explain exactly why he had chosen to walk away, and it was something that nagged at him each and every time he was forced to act with another EPD officer.

Regardless, context alone was not going to elucidate exactly what Eon was talking about.

"What is 'sin'?" Kopaka asked. The Toa deliberately avoided addressing the second half of the human's question. The question of what Kopaka carried as a burden was not something he currently had an answer for.

[Eon Saverem]

Eon noticed his answer had irked Kopaka slightly, he had been obscure in his answer. He had asked Eon why he burdened himself with the cross though. Kopaka was right. This was the Omniverse, he could have done away with the size and weight of the cross when recreating it. He could have made it more efficient, and more concealable. Eon chose to make it just the way it was, not just because of the meaning it held to him, but what it held to many of the people on Gunsmoke. His burden was them, the people, he carried them upon his back. He wanted to protect the good and punish the evil. Kopaka seemed to brush off the bother and asked what sin was.

Eon stared at his cross again, to be completely honest he'd only learned about it within the past year or so. "On Gunsmoke, that was my home planet, the people there... not all, but many... had a divine being they worshiped. By description of powers their God was nearly identical to Omni. Without the abduction of otherworldly beings, such as ourselves. Long story short, a sin is an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible." Eon placed his hand on his cross and looked at Kopaka intently, "This is the symbol of their God, and it represents all sin and forgives it. Its strange for me as well. Simply put, Sins are mistakes that we regret and wish to atone for. We learn from mistakes, we grow stronger from them. They protect you from the same mistakes in the future." Eon slid his arm through the straps and lifted the cross in front of him as if to block an oncoming attack. "It also makes a really great shield."

Eon hoped this answer would suffice for Kopaka. He didn't wish to irritate him, he wanted to learn from him. The only reason he kept the munitions within the cross a secret from his companion is because of the elephant that had been looming between them since the moment he'd plucked Eon from the sinkhole. Kopaka was affiliated with the Empire, and Eon wasn't completely sure he could say that Kopaka was Ally or Foe... He slowly placed the cross on his back. It would be better late than never to ask at all he figured.

He waited for Kopaka's reaction or response to his answer and then asked, "Kopaka, what is the Empire really? It may be a long answer, and you might wish to keep it short. I ask you though that you tell me, I want to better understand what it is you stand behind the Empire for." As he asked Eon could have sworn he saw a shimmer a mile or two out, but it must have been the reflection of the sun on the sand...

[Kopaka]

The Toa of Ice stared hard at the human as he spoke, betraying no signs that he actually cared about what Eon had to say. Obviously, the dogma of some misguided spiritualism of another universe was about as relevant to Kopaka as a matchstick, but it was interesting nonetheless. Such was the way of Bionicles of Ice. Fire fought, Water healed, Stone created, Earth balanced, Air bonded, and Ice learned. Indeed, taking in information was about the closest thing to 'fun' Kopaka ever did. He had felt a spiritual kinship with Athena Myaló in that regard, and wondered in passing how the studious Prime was doing.

"Clinging to the guilt of your past errors seems unreasonably painful..." Kopaka said softly. He watched as Eon hefted the immense cross onto his shoulders again, and in response, turned back to the horizon to the east and resumed walking. Conversation was not especially Kopaka's strong suit, but ultimately it would be beneficial to be open about what he knew, especially regarding the Empire. Still, this didn't mean the bionicle rushed through his response. Every word was carefully selected so as to make his point as clear as the cloudless sky overhead.

"At the core of its belief, the Empire represents Order. One need not travel the Omniverse for long in order to see that it is a dangerous, frenetic place. The Empire's primary purpose is to protect and organize the lives of millions." Kopaka said, clenching his fist slightly. Was he intentionally being ignorant of the Empire's...sins? Was this just a garnishment to justify his alleigance to such a corrupt and cruel system? It was not entirely untrue; the Empire did keep millions of Omniverse residents safe from harm, so long as they complied with the Emperor's law.

"To do so, however, a firm hand is needed. Not everyone who serves the Emperor understands where the line between firmness and tyranny lies, however. I, myself, am dedicated to the precepts of Duty, Unity, and Destiny. They guide me to serve as a protector, without the need for recognition or compensation." Kopaka said softly, as if he himself needed reminding of the very words he was uttering. Who was he really protecting by seeking the death of Mickey Mouse? Ultimately, he was doing it to prove his worth to the EPD so that he would have the authority to serve the people of Coruscant...but it still felt one step removed from actual duty. Even then, he was taking on this task, this Duty, in the interest of garnering recognition and compensation from Lieutenant brath. The latent hypocrisy caused the Toa to go for several minutes without speaking, the steady crunch of sand the only sound to be heard.

"I seek to end the Tyranny of the Empire, but not by opposing it. There are ways within the system to slowly and safely return the Empire to its true ideals. Rebellion...violence...I have seen firsthand what can come as a result. Indescriminate destruction. People see the Empire's flaws and choose to battle against its servitors, because they feel that it's the only way to solve the problem. In reality, what they are doing is taking the easy, the lazy way of affecting change due to either their own impatience or incompetence."

With that, Kopaka's once again adopted a resolute silence. Either Eon would understand, or he would choose to fight Kopaka, like so many others might. The Toa was reluctant to admit that he awaited the human's response with great anticipation...

[Eon Saverem]

Order... order through power. Eon listened and took in just what Kopaka knew the Empire to be. Duty, Unity, and Destiny. There was no denying that this was the way the Bionicle truly lived by. What made Eon trust his companion's words even more though, was the slightest bit of uncertainty. To some the skepticism might seem like he couldn't trust his own beliefs, but to Eon a person that followed a way of life with such unmovable faith, without even the slightest bit of questioning was nothing more than a Zealot. No path in life was perfect, even if there was one he wouldn't wish to walk it. Life would lose much of its uniqueness if there were 'Sin'.

To cling to guilt of past wrongs seemed unreasonably painful... true, and yet it is that pain which makes all beings stronger. That was something Eon believed. Even if Kopaka did not carry any sins of his own... he carried the sins of the Empire on his shoulders. The Empire could very well be a Wolf in Sheep's wool. Tyranny with a vale pulled over, showing those who followed the good it did for the people. It was Kopaka's goal to rid the Empire of the wolf, so that only the strength and virtues of the Empire remained. That alone gave Eon a tremendous amount of respect for the Prime. Another shimmer shone in the distance, maybe even Eon's extensive reserves of endurance needed a moment to recharge. It had been nearly three days since he had slept last. Maybe the heat was getting to him... he focused his omnillium and created a head dress he wrapped around his head and face to protect from the sun.

"You, seem to be hope for the Empire. I hope I see the day you create the change you wish to see within the Empire." Eon placed a hand on Kopaka's shoulder for a moment in solidarity. Retracting it he continued pace with the biomachine, "This Prime you seek. You wish to bring him in alive, back to the Empire. I know you would not ask for my assistance, nor do I think you need it. I am new to the Omniverse, and I will not interfere with your mission. I will however assist you in making it to Nippur. Omni knows you'd be talking to yourself, long questions with short answers. We can't have you going mad if your dream is to become a reality." Eon smirked, his eyes hazy, "This Prime though... what is his name?"

[Kopaka]

Alive?

Kopaka hadn't really thought about how he would deal with his quarry after defeating the rodent in combat. He had started this whole endeavor with the idea of banishing Minnie Mouse to the Underverse, with her husband ideally allowing himself to be banished in the interest of rescuing her. He had, however, been half-starved, bloodied and furious at the time. It just went to show what a Toa might be capable of if they allowed their emotions to prevail over the Code.

"I hunt Mickey Mouse. Whether I take him alive or otherwise depends on if I find any redeeming qualities in his ethics." Kopaka said softly, as if he didn't want to commit to any decision just yet. The Toa already had a pretty low opinion of Mickey; first for resisting EPD authority, but then also for spurning Kopaka's offer of alliance in Teucer's domain, not to mention being one of the main Primes responsible for the Rape of Nippur, as it had come to be called. Was it foolish of the Toa to give the Mouse yet another chance to prove he was worthy of being spared? Furthermore, was killing Mickey without banishing him truly a murder? The mouse would have to suffer the pain of death, yes, but he would also be reincarnated a few days from that time.

Kopaka shook his head and uttered an angry grunt. Many, many confusing emotions rattled inside his protosteel skull, and he refused to let any of them escape.

Just then, a glint caught the Toa's eye further down the road. He came to an abrupt halt and focused the telescopic optics on his Akaku to try and make out what was causing the scintillation. Unfortunately, whatever it was, it had too much of a sharp gleam to resolve. The bionicle pointed at the flickering white dot and spoke softly.

"What do you make of that? Nippur has nothing which shines so brightly, not anymore..."

[Eon Saverem]

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The Endless Dunes was a vast plane. Very few towns and villages, let along Cities existed within the barren environment. The roads, or should they be called 'rolling paths', that travelers took were rough ones. The desert's dunes moved across the land as if alive, quickly covering any reminisce of the last travelers tracks. The Savannah portion of the dunes was not much better, though the path remained the same and was easier to navigate, many would say that the heat was just as intense. Yes, the Endless Dunes truly felt uninhabitable. Yet, it was very much filled with life. They were horrible ones for the most part, maybe not worth living. That made the hunt all that much more exciting!

Knotch brought his scarf up above his nose pinching it, the small sandstorm that had picked up made it extremely hard to navigate the crawling earth. This was what he was meant for, this moment. From the very beginning, he was a hunter and at this very moment he was tasked with tracking down and capturing game that was considered far above his ability. He hunted this creature in a place that seemed to try and detour him every step of the way. He could pick up traveler's tracks and the next moment watch as the sand picked up the prints and carried them off into oblivion. It was all the other pray they had found along the way that kept the adrenaline in his veins throbbing, pulsating.

The people of the Endless Dunes lived lives so pitiful that man believe that everyday would be their last. Traveling between towns and the long journey to Nippur was just as dangerous the first time as it was the last. Beasts, vultures, occasional sandworm, and more threatened their travels every time. Although, every time Knotch picked up the trail of a traveler he knew that he would watch them pray and beg for their worthless lives as if they were as worthy as the Emperor or King themselves! They hated their very existence, right up until that existence was threatened with destruction. He would get to see that terror on the face of a demi-god. Nothing could be more exhilarating.

The best part about hunting these pesky merchants though, was the fact that it didn't interrupt their overall goal. In fact, it was helping out tremendously. The travelers had taken these road so many times that they proved to be an invaluable asset when it came to traveling to the city of Nippur. Not to mention every successful kill meant more food for the men, keeping bellies full and moral up. He could tell Tegan and Plum were having fun as well. They had made such good progress that they were supposedly only a day or so out from Nippur, or at least that's what the last traveler cried out when interrogated.

When they had made it through the storm they reached a part of the merchant road that had much more traffic than the rest, implying that they had to be close to the city. Knotch told the men to take a rest while he went out to scout ahead.

"Remember Knotch, no unnecessary conflict. We've done well enough so far. I don't want to get trigger happen and pick any fights that may end up hurting us in the long run." Tegan said to the huntsman, a hand on his should and a look of reassurance in his eyes.

Knotch tipped his hat, "If you think I'm going through all this, just so I can squeeze the trigger and get the Doe but scare off the Buck. You forgetting who you recruited in the first place. I'm... Top Knotch." He smiled at his own pun and  made a click sound with the side of his mouth simultaneously as he winked. Trust was restored to Tegan's face and he gave a nod of good faith to Plum, who then returned it to Knotch.

The huntsman lay a top a Dune and peered through the scope of his rifle at all the figures he could make out in the distance. A dirty old fart riding a mule, carrying some sort of rugs. A gnomish man riding a circular motorized wheel, the types of game in the Omniverse where so expansive. Every one, different in its own special way.... "Now what do we have here?" Knotch caught a glimpse of two very interesting travelers. He adjusted the sight and zoomed.

He watched as a cloaked figure and what looked like a man wearing a white and red trench coat, and bore a massive object on his back, conversed back and forth. The cloaked one seemed to be wearing a mask and was facing towards Knotch's 9 o'clock position. The second traveler than pulled the cross shaped object from his back and slammed it on the ground in front of him. Knotch could have sworn he heard the echo of the hit, maybe he just tricked himself into believing he did... Then he noticed the spiky blonde hair, his pulse stopped and he held his breath. Strange weapon, blonde spiky hair, and on the road to Nippur. This couldn't get any better as a lead. Was this Gilgamesh? He zoned for a second then shook off the sweat from his brow and peered back through the scope. The man had suddenly dawned a head dress and covered his face. Had he seen Knotch watching him? Impossible, coincidence. He began to focus on the other figure, who had turned to face the blonde man. When he turned around though he saw a glint of metal, it was a machine! White masked machine.... then his heart skipped again as he swore the machine was staring at him... the mask seem to begin to zoom! How the hell? The image of the robot's metallic features shinning flashed in his mind "Lens flare you idiot." He rolled out of the way and moved around the dune. Keeping low and out of sight. He waited... 1 minute... 5 minutes... He peeked his rifle over the hill and peered through it. Relief rushed over him as he saw the two continuing along their path.

Making his way back to the crew Knotch removed his hat and wiped his forearm across his head, "Let's take a tour of Nippur boys. May I suggest a short diet as well. We're going to be merchants for a short bit."
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[Eon Saverem]

Eon looked to the horizon searching for the shimmer of light he saw, Kopaka had seen it as well. He took another moment to scan the horizon but there didn't seem to be anything. This world was filled with many dangers, one couldn't be too careful. 
Eon pondered for a moment and then turned to Kopaka, "It may have been nothing, even just the suns light reflecting off of a piece of forgotten trash. This is the Dunes though, and we are getting closer to Nippur... best to be on guard until we reach the city."

"Agreed. We're just under a days journey. " Kopaka's synthetic voice reverberated as he to took one last look to the horizon.  The two nodded and continued their pace.