When Korusca, the all-encompassing Deity of Twilight split into two halves –Shadow and Light- so did Reality. Existence itself became divided along an unstable dichotomy, struggling to exist both as a Light and Dark world; But there was simply not life energy and matter to support two realms at once. As the plane of existence flickered between Light and Dark, the Okotan Pantheon had take a stand on which side of the dichotomy they would support. There was only enough power for one world; So which would be the Prime World, one of Light or one of Shadow?
In the end, the Elemental Deities sided with Nuva, and rest of the Okotan Pantheon, more or less, followed. The primordial elements and countless other forces of reality sided with Light; And so reality itself became a realm of Light.
But what of darkness?
The Shadows became a hollow shell of its former itself, an empty attempt at the world of Okoto it tried to be, but couldn’t due to the Okotan Pantheon siding with the Light. Because Light was not all-powerful, the World of Light still casted its own shadow, as all lights do; And the shadow of reality manifested as the Para-Realm, a parallel, split dimension that mirrors the prime world, while being devoid of life.
It has gone by many names; The Dark World, the Field of Shadows, the Zone of Darkness, the Para-Realm, and so forth. It is the shadow cast by Okoto’s light, and as such it is a reactive land, fully-dependent on what happens within the World of Light. The Para-Realm is an identical, duplicate dimension to the reality that both Xia and Okoto exist in, having the same oceans, geography, layout, etc.
The primary difference is that the Para-Realm lacks any forms of life; It is completely empty, not having the Life to be its own separate world. Instead, it merely reflects what happens in the World of Light; If a pit was dug somewhere on Okoto, then in the exact same location on Dark Okoto, shortly afterwards, a pit would inexplicably form in the earth. Because the Para-Realm more or less exists to shadow the actions of the Light-World, this means that if one were to alter the landscape in a significant fashion, it would eventually reform and revert back to the layout found in the World of Light.
There are no animals and no people in the Para-Realm, and what plantlife it does have is a twisted, darkened version of the flora found in the Light World, something not truly alive. In general, that is what describes the Para-Realm; A darkened, imperfect imitation of the real world, clearly cruder and rougher around the edges than the original, with none of the life. The landscape and layout may be the same, more or less, but a mountain’s shadow in the Para-Realm will not have the fertility and nutrition as its prime, nor will its physical properties be quite the same.
Because the Para-Realm is the imperfect shadow and imitation of the prime reality, this means that major changes to the Light World’s landscape take a while to manifest within the Para-Realm. The landscape CAN be altered, but again- It will eventually reform to match the Light World. Of course, if one were to place sturdy enough foundations with material not from the Para-Realm, alterations might stay; But otherwise, the land itself will always adapt.
The Para-Realm lacks weather; Its ‘air’ is deathly-still, always, as are its waves. There is no rain; There are no Elemental Deities in the Para-Realm, so the presence of nature is absent and merely copied superificially. By consequence, this means that the hurricanes of the Endless Ocean, which made travel between Xia and Okoto nearly impossible, don’t exist in the Para-Realm; Now, this doesn’t matter ever since The Shadowed One brought both worlds together.
Buildings, cities, and other manmade constructs of adequate size, if they stay in one place long enough, can eventually cast their own ‘shadows’ across the Para-Realm, as darkened constructs crudely resembling such fortresses rise from the earth. Depending on the materials used in the buildings reflected, these dark imitations can be outright indestructible, with any changes in their surface and shape only occurring to match what happens in the Light World.
As a result, while the Para-Realm is ideal for infiltrating areas by accessing their equivalents in the Dark World without any guards to worry about, it is not ideal; For example, an underground bunker made up of protosteel (such as the Archives) casts a shadow in the Para-Realm, one that is similarly impenetrable. And the sturdier the shadow of a structure is in the Para-Realm, the more quickly it will reform and rebound any attempts to damage and alter it.
The Para-Realm is almost entirely dark, although some form of superficial ‘light’ exists scattered throughout the area, sometimes emanating from spots in the shadows of plantlife, or within cracks in the ground. The sky itself, in some areas of the Para-Realm, has waves of glowing energy emanating across, like that of an Aurora Borealis; It seems that the Para-Realm is somewhat imperfectly casting the shadow of the sky’s light as well. Some areas are more well-lit than others, and light in other areas is spread so thinly that one cannot discern a source, but still see regardless.
It is possible to live in the Para-Realm, although not recommended. Again, it lacks any true substance; There is little nutrition to be found here, with ‘dark’ plantlife yielding little and ‘water’ in the Dark World being a black, liquid substance with few of the nourishing properties of actual water. The Para-Realm is notably colder than its Light counterpart as well.
Those who live in the Para-Realm can at least breathe there (this also applies to its dark ‘water’), but may find the air to be somewhat thin. Sound is quieter and travels shorter distances, while artificial light sources glow more dimly than usual. For the first generation of Kraahl that arrived in the Para-Realm and began living in it, constant decades of exposure to Shadows caused a change in their children, who were born as beings of Light and Shadow, possessing an affinity for Darkness not found in the World of Light that enables them to travel between both worlds. It has also affected the Zyglak, to a lesser extent; Potentially due to being more recent inhabitants with less of a vested-interest in connecting with shadow, as well as manmade creatures of mutated bio-matter waste. It seems that the longer one stays within the Para-Realm and engages with its energy, the more it will alter their physiology, transforming them into darkened creatures of Twilight.
Aside from these ‘Twilight’ beings, there seems to be no naturally-occurring entities made of pure shadow that can be found in the Para-Realm. The closest to these are Umarak’s Shadow Traps, being made of Darkness and Metal; But those tend to be crafted in the World of Light anyway. This is the result of all six Elements, and thus Life itself, choosing to align more with the Light than the Dark, thus causing the Dark World itself to be lifeless and without much of a will.
Something interesting to note is that during the Great Cataclysm of Okoto, the layout of the Para-Realm actually matched what happened to the island in real-time, with the landscape rapidly changing and reorganizing in sync with Okoto thanks to the Mask of Life. Similarly, when the island of Xia was transported across the ocean, Dark Xia followed along the same path in real-time as well.
Because Shadow stands out so much against Light, its contrast can help to ‘highlight’ it; As a result, particularly powerful forms of Light can be noticed and even felt from the Para-Realm. In particular, the radiance of Lightvines is so brilliant that their glowing radiation carries on even into the Para-Realm, burning and damaging Night Wraiths due to their tenuous balance between Light and Dark being disrupted.
Similarly, some with an affinity for the realm of Dreams can even ‘see’ the presence of others and their minds from the Para-Realm; And when those people are asleep, an individual, if they are capable, can even access their dreams from the Dark World. This is likely the result of Irnakk, Deity of Nightmares, choosing to remain neutral in the split between Light and Shadow, resulting in Nightmares being accessible from both worlds by those who can interact with them.
The Night Wraith is one of the Rahkshi, the dreaded Sons of Makuta. Having been apparently absent during the Okotan-Brotherhood Wars, he has suddenly resurfaced in the recovery period following Makuta’s death.
Constantly simmering with vengeance and with a loose temper, Yagavo has vowed to avenge his father and take vengeance upon the Okotans by completing Makuta’s original work, whatever that may be at this point; It is unknown if Yagavo plans to harvest Okotans en-masse, take over the Great Forge, etc. The best bet for his intentions is total domination, but even that can’t be totally assumed.
Unknown to the Okotans initially, Yagavo was actually operating during the Skull Spider Wars as a spy for Makuta, starting off in his smaller true form and using his ability to travel to the mysterious Para-Realm in order to infiltrate the Mega-Villages and other desired locations, watching from the shadows. It was his work that helped his brother Fenrakk swiftly and decisively take down multiple Okotan efforts to stop the Skull Spiders, allowing the swarm to force the Okotans into just their six primary Mega-Villages. He continued his operations as Makuta’s most effective scout, and until apparently only recently, gained his exoskeleton that advanced and completed his form.
His current body is larger than the average Okotan, but smaller than the rest of the known Rahkshi, comparable to Fenrakk’s in size. He has a spindly, lanky frame, somewhat humanoid in appearance from the upper half; His arms are draped in long, cloak-like bat wings than enable him to fly and swiftly guide through the air. Each hand is draped with long, wicked claws, and his face/mask resembles that of a bat, frilled with long, thin ears, narrow eyes, and protruding fangs. Like the other Rahkshi, his colors are mostly dark, consisting of black and glowing red-orange like his brother Fenrakk. Yagavo’s lower half consists of a long, trailing tail that he can slither about on like a serpent. Lining the edges of this tail, getting smaller before eventually ceasing, are several spindly, insectoid legs, like those of a centipede.
Yagavo has potent, dangerous abilities. He was granted the power of Elasticity by his late father Makuta, enabling him to stretch his form and limbs and shape them into wicked, sharp shapes to slash opponents with. Said elasticity enables Yagavo to squeeze into and through tight spaces, assisting his hiding abilities, especially in darkness. When activating his elastic abilities, Yagavo also becomes more durable and is able to more easily repel physical damage, although he does have a noted weakness to the element of Ice, as well as Fire to a lesser extent. Ice can freeze the very structure of his body, turning it fragile and allowing others (Such as Kopaka or Izotor) to shatter Yagavo. In combat, Yagavo prefers to use his elastic abilities to maneuver around enemy attacks and elongate his claws to piece opponents.
[His shape-shifting is basically like that of Aku from Samurai Jack, or Bismuth from Steven Universe]
His most dangerous skill, however, lies in his ability to access the Para-Realm; A darkened, alternate version of Okoto, a dimensional plane mostly identical to the island but devoid entirely of people and animals, with most flora represented by dark and twisted constructs. The nature of this unusual plane of existence is mostly unknown to the Okotans, but Yagavo uses it to his full advantage; For reconnaissance, he can merely access the Para-Realm, travel into the darkened counterpart of an area without any guards in his way, and then warp back to the same location but in Okoto, entirely unseen and unfelt. To outsiders, Yagavo’s abilities are like a delayed form of teleportation, but in practice they are far deadlier.
Yagavo can and has used his abilities to infiltrate the most key and heavily-guarded locations, completely unfaltered and unhindered without anyone in the Para-Realm to resist him. As a scout and a spy, he has used this ability to sabotage, as well as spy on others from the shadows, gathering precious intel to later report back to Makuta. This means Yagavo can target civilians deep within the Mega-Villages and even the City of the Mask Makers, making no place safe from him and his elusive reach.
In combat, Yagavo’s abilities make him nearly untouchable and thus invincible as a result; If he senses an attack incoming or plans to ambush someone, he can warp to the Para-Realm. From there, he can activate a secondary facet to his abilities that allows him to see in both the Para-Realm AND Okoto, tracking the exact movements, actions, and location of his enemies (though thankfully he can only seethings, not hear, smell, nor feel them). Not only that, but Yagavo can also activate his ability of Perception, causing his perception of time to slow down; While everything around him, himself included seems slowed down, Yagavo’s mind and reaction-time remains active, allowing him to react to sudden attacks and plan on the fly.
Combined with his ability to observe others from the Para-Realm, and he can anticipate actions based on obscure facets of body language and other small movements; If a person begins to very slowly move forward, Yagavo can guess the rest of their trajectory and adapt accordingly. From there, he can warp back to Okoto as he pleases in a desired, advantageous location and strike at his enemies. Most of his opponents are quickly taken aback and unable to make the same mistake ever again, either because they were forced to adapt, or they died- Yagavo is incredibly vicious with each strike, making sure to wind up and deal a fatal blow with extreme prejudice.
Due to being physically weaker than the other Rahkshi, he has to rely on sudden ambushes and hit-and-run tactics, operating best as a rapid assassin. Yagavo can activate his elasticity to better bear the brunt of damage, but otherwise he is comparatively the most fragile of the Rahkshi and knows this, a fact that frustrates him. Likewise, it takes up a lot of energy and effort to not only warp between dimensions, but also see into Okoto as well, meaning he can’t just casually abuse his abilities non-stop.
Finally, Yagavo possesses an unusual ability to access the dreams of others who are asleep, enabling him to take the form of a nightmare. As a nightmare, his shape-shifting abilities expand immensely, enabling him to even alter his physical properties, as well as his colors. As a nightmare, he can better disguise himself, or change shape to something along the fears of his victims. His power in dreams is thankfully not limitless, and those with enough mental will and control cannot only take advantage of the realm of dreams’ flexible nature to alter reality to their advantage, but can also choose to wake up completely. Once awake, Yagavo is expelled from the dream.
Wounds that Yagavo inflicts upon others in their dreams translates to the real world as well, making him a terrifying and unstoppable assassin. Paranoia of his attacks has led to many Okotans staying up as much as possible, which only exhausts them and makes it more difficult to fight back against Yagavo himself in real life, as well as remaining Brotherhood forces such as the Skull Spiders or Warriors, or Energy Leeches. Thankfully, collaboration amongst Okotans has taught them that Yagavo is not too fast; Thus, if he is spotted in one part of the island, just about every other location, the farther the better, is safe.
Yagavo is capable of infiltrating dreams from the Para-Realm; If he does this while in Okoto, his physical form is left open and entirely vulnerable to attack. Thus, unless someone is completely alone, it can often be more advantageous and safer to attack in the form of a nightmare. It should be noted that while his strength as a nightmare is greater, like his victims he is not invincible; If Yagavo receives damage in the dreams, it too will reflect back to the real world, with the shock of enough pain even disrupting his ability to remain within the dream.
Yagavo is fiercely loyal to his father Makuta, to the point where he continues to operate in his name even after the Mask Hoarder’s demise. The remaining Rahkshi, if they exist, have yet to show their faces and express similar support; In particular, Jumala, Lord of Energy Leeches, has yet to return since his latest defeat in Destral. Whether or not this means Jumala is no longer affiliated with the Brotherhood of Makuta or not is unknown.
Likewise, it is unknown if Yagavo is aware of the situation with the Dark Hunters on Xia, as well as their search for the fragments of the Mask of Life, his late father’s Magnum Opus. One might shudder to see what would happen if he became involved in thatconflict- Thankfully, all of his attention and operations is on the island of Okoto. However, due to his potent spying capabilities, it is best for everyone to keep their discussions of Xia few and far-between; Although Yagavo can’t listen to Okoto from the Para-Realm and most Okotans wear masks that obscure their lips, one cannot be too careful.
Comprised of a tenuous balance between Light and Shadow, these glowing, light-blue energy orbs are the latest, quickly-growing addition to the Brotherhood of Makuta. As beings of Twilight, they can readily access the Light and Dark Worlds at will, and with additional experimentation, Night Wraiths are also capable of accessing the dreams of their victims to torment and even kill them in their sleep.
Having heard legends of the split between Light and Dark, and the presence of the Para-Realm, Makuta desired to create a being that could access both realms with ease. Knowing that a fusion between the seemingly-contradictory forces of Light and Shadow were possible, Makuta set to work; Gathering Light was simply a matter of extracting the energy from whatever was around, as Makuta was operating within the World of Light. Shadow as a far more elusive substance; Regular shadows could not be interacted with and would be far too weak in essence.
Makuta eventually found a definitive supply of Darkness through Shadow Traps, the creations of Umarak the Hunter utilized to pin down the Elemental Deities. Ordering Fenrakk to capture a few, Makuta experimented on the Shadow Traps in his possession and succeeded in isolating the power of Darkness within them. Initial attempts to combine Light and Shadow were disastrous failures, resulting in powerful explosions; Makuta learned from his mistakes and made sure to disaster-proof the next few rooms for such experiments.
Through trial and error, Makuta succeeded in creating a tenuous balance between Light and Shadow amidst a few of his prototypes, although it was not perfect; The Proto-Night Wraiths were incorporeal, made of energy and lacking physical substance. Exposure to more Light or Shadow could threaten to jeopardize the careful ratio that Makuta had created, resulting in the destruction of his prototypes.
Nevertheless, it was good progress; Makuta rejoiced in his own brilliance and continued. He succeeded in transporting a few of his prototypes to the Para-Realm, although they lacked the will and intelligence to return to him. Additionally, Makuta researched into the subject and matter of dreams, noting from his studies that they could apparently be accessed from both the Light and Dark Worlds… His initial prototypes, while successful, were impractical; They could kill victims by entering their dreams while they were asleep, but at that point, why bother entering the nightmare when a creation could just kill their target physically? Especially since accessing the dream would leave a creation’s physical form similarly vulnerable…
But if dreams COULD be accessed from the Para-Realm, then the ability of nightmare-assassination might prove useful just yet; Makuta’s minions could enter dreams from the Dark World, their normally-vulnerable bodies unable to be accessed by enemies from the Light World. As a result, entering the dreams of those with awake guards nearby was now viable thanks to the Para-Realm… And if Makuta was going to rely on the Para-Realm for his planned dream assassins, then he may as well merge two projects into one, and combine his prototypes with those designed for accessing the Dark World at will.
By sacrificing a portion of a Mask of Fear’s energy, Makuta combined it with his current prototypes, merging two experiments in one. He finally succeeded with the first, ‘finalized model’ of these Twilight Will-O-the-wisps; The original Night Wraith, Yagavo. Testing Yagavo’s abilities, Makuta granted the Night Wraith a mind, personality, and will by fusing a portion of his soul into it. Yagavo immediately proved loyal, obedient, and desperate for approval.
Tests were a success, as Yagavo was able to readily, easily warp between the Light and Dark Worlds at will. Subjecting a few victims to his experiments, Makuta was pleased to see Yagavo not only infiltrate their dreams, but even harm the subjects by transforming into nightmares and attacking them from there. Further test runs yielded the same results from the Dark World as well; And with the Dark World more practical for ambushing unsuspecting opponents, Makuta celebrated his success.
Makuta sent Yagavo out on his first missions, using the Night Wraith to spy on the Okotans as they tried to defend themselves from the Skull Spiders. Yagavo’s intel proved vital in curbing Okotan efforts to fight back, and enabled Fenrakk to capture and harvest many more souls. Yagavo himself was disgruntled at playing second-fiddle to Fenrakk, and desired to prove himself in combat, but Makuta forbade him. The Lord of Skull Spiders was already doing a brilliant job at his task; Yagavo would remain content with his current assignments.
Like with his other Rahkshi, Makuta eventually granted Yagavo a larger, exo-skeleton body that granted him additional abilities. Yagavo continued to function as a spy, liason, and occasional assassin for his father, even operating on Xia. Since the Para-Realm lacked the Light World’s hurricanes, this meant that it was easy to travel between Xia and Okoto’s shadows, before emerging onto the Light counterparts of either island.
Despite being a brilliant success, Makuta only succeeded in creating a few more Night Wraiths before production stopped. The reason for this was a lack of Shadow; Umarak was noticing the Skull Spiders’ capture of his Shadow Traps, and incensed, made maneuvers to better avoid the Brotherhood, even destroying several Skull Spiders. Although Makuta was insulted by the challenge, he could not risk making an enemy out of the Deity of Shadow; And with his plans already going smoothly, he saw little reason to mass-produce the Night Wraiths if doing so would make a powerful enemy.
Centuries passed, with Yagavo and his small team of Night Wraiths continuing to operate. However, Makuta would eventually be contacted by his ties within the Nynrah Ghosts, and learn of the Kraahl; Mysterious, Twilight beings from the Para-Realm. Fascinated, Makuta succeeded in bartering a Kraahl into his possession, and after analysis, realized that his captive was the perfect, corporeal balance between Light and Shadow!
Recognizing the Kraahl as the perfect package of Light and Darkness, Makuta converted his captive, harvesting their body to create a few Night Wraiths. The Mask Hoarder immediately offered to buy more of the Kraahl that the Nynrah Ghosts had captured, but the organization refused, valuing their unusual prisoners.
A frustrated Makuta would later learn of the presence of Kraahl on Okoto through Fenrakk’s observations, who had witnessed the beings briefly warping into existence on the island. Makuta sent Yagavo to hunt down these Kraahl, but thanks to Umarak’s warnings, they chose to head back to Dark Xia before the Rahkshi could capture any of them.
Even as Makuta made plans to one day harvest the Kraahl and make an army of Night Wraiths from their bodies, he also busied himself with other matters, projects, and experiments. His broods of Energy Leeches ended up taking priority, and eventually he almost forgot about the Kraahl…
But when the island of Xia was transported next to Okoto, Makuta was elated. The Kraahl were now easily accessible, and with his alliance with the Barraki, the Brotherhood could use Kahgarak to open portals to the Para-Realm! Likewise, the emergence of Kralta as the Toa of Shadow led to a more aggressive campaign by the Kraahl, who began to appear in the Light World more frequently, thus making it easier for the Brotherhood to capture more of them.
With each captured Kraahl, Makuta has converted their bodies into more Night Wraiths. With a rapidly-growing army of these energy-orbs, Makuta is now sending them into the Para-Realm en masse to attack the Kraahl, capturing their bodies and sending them back to his lair of Mangaia. Yagavo is fervently leading such efforts, seeing parallels between his campaign and Fenrakk’s harvesting of the Okotans; He hopes to prove himself better than the Lord of Skull Spiders.
Now being mass-produced thanks to easy access to the Kraahl, Night Wraiths are being used to not only harvest the Twilight beings, but also assist Makuta in his war against the Okotan Alliance. Night Wraiths’ appearance on the battlefield of the Xian-Okotan War is turning the tide, with their ability to warp between worlds and access dreams turning them into efficient assassins.
Although Kraltarak is now targeting the Brotherhood in retaliation for these harvests, Makuta has calculated that the costs of mass-producing Night Wraiths no longer outweigh the benefits. He now hopes to expand his conquest not just across the World of Light, but the Para-Realm as well, and use the Dark World in his plans to take his rightful place among the gods.
Night Wraiths can slightly vary between the size of a watermelon, or a bowling ball; They have beady eyes, jagged mouths, and jutting fins to attack with. In combat, their mouths open to shoot forth bolts of energy, and they can spin around as their fins stretch out to slash enemies. When moving, Night Wraiths constantly emit a gas-like aura of Twilight energy from their forms.
Night Wraiths are incorporeal; They are mostly comprised of energy, and thus largely resistant to physical damage. Sufficient amounts of physical force can still disrupt the form of a Night Wraith enough to unravel and destroy it, however. Although they are beings of Light and Shadow, their balance between such forces is tenuous, compared to the Kraahl they are usually born from; Adequate amounts of Light, or Shadow, can disrupt the precious ratio that Night Wraiths consist of, leading to an imbalance, conflict, and destruction.
As a result of this weakness, the Okotan Alliance has taken to using Lightvines provided by Morbuzakh, with the sacred plants emitting powerful Light that is able to access the Para-Realm as well. These Lightvines and their radiance serves as a deterrant for Night Wraiths, keeping them from accessing locations in neither the Light nor Dark Worlds.
Like their progenitor, Night Wraiths can warp between the Light World and Para-Realm at will, and access the dreams of victims, transforming into lethal nightmares. As they lack an exo-skeleton like Yagavo does, the typical Night Wraith doesn’t have access to his abilities of elasticity, or slowed-down perception of time; Similarly, their powers of Twilight and Dream Assassination are weaker and less efficient than the Rahkshi’s, and their sight into the Dark World and vice-versa is more limited. When utilized en masse however, the Night Wraiths more than make up for their individual deficiencies.
Night Wraiths are ideal assassins, able to approach targets from the Para-Realm. From there, they can either warp into the World of Light and ambush enemies, or wait for them to fall asleep and then access their dreams from the Dark World. Their Dream Assassination relies on the connection between the mind and soul, with the former as a manifestation of the latter. As Fear affects the mind, it can affect the soul by consequence, and through trial and error Makuta has created beings who can damage the soul by infiltrating nightmares and attacking the mind within.
As a result of their ambushing abilities and stealthy tactics, Night Wraiths are the ultimate agents in paranoia. Enemies have a difficult time sleeping, for fear of a Night Wraith infiltrating their dreams and killing them; At least one guard has to be kept awake and watching not just the area but their allies as well, in case they need to be woken up.
Similarly, Night Wraiths can’t be detected from across the veil between worlds, being totally obscured to those in the opposite realm. They can infiltrate nearly any fortress, and have the ability to levitate, making height a total non-issue for them. Night Wraiths are most often utilized in missions of reconnaissance, sabotage, disruption, assassination, etc. Even outside the realm of dreams, they manage to instill a fear into their enemies that other Brotherhood creations don’t. To both their Okotan enemies and Xian allies, Night Wraiths are ghosts and specters that have come to life from myth.
Their intelligence is similar to that of the Kraata; They are sentient, able to understand and carry out orders, and strategize to an extent. They can adapt to sudden changes in situations, but otherwise the Night Wraiths seem to lack individual self-awareness. They are entirely obedient to Makuta, and lack emotions; They have no fear and cannot be persuaded into betraying their cause, nor do they prioritize their own self-preservation. It seems that amidst their abilities, the Night Wraiths have also inherited their progenitor’s unyielding obedience for Makuta.
Fun fact- If an Energy Leech were to drain a Night Wraith, it would begin to glow with a light-blue coloration, to reflect the Twilight energy inside! Similarly, an Energy Leech can then use the absorbed Night Wraith’s power to warp between the Light and Dark Worlds, but this can only work once; After that, the energy is used up. Energy Leeches weren’t designed to utilize Twilight energy, and are thus far more inefficient with it.
Night Wraiths can also be used as a means of torture, as well as interrogation; Captured prisoners can be forced to fall asleep by a Kraata of Sleep. From there, Night Wraiths will access their dreams, exploring the labyrinthine psyche of a subject in the hopes of accessing elusive information. Alternatively, they can simply be used to repeatedly terrify and torment a subject with nightmares, either to force them to divulge information and/or as a form of sadistic torture.
[To put it bluntly, Night Wraiths are based off of the Shadow Leeches from G1, particularly in appearance.]
The Zyglak are a powerful race of dangerous beings, artificially made and considered unnatural by almost all who know of them. Feared by even their creators, the amoral Nynrah Ghosts, the Zyglak were an unintended mistake and rejected by just about everyone they have come across. Being blamed for something they have no control over –their own birth and existence- the Zyglak are understandably in a lot of emotional pain, rage, and aggression towards all outsiders as a result. Conditioned to see everyone as an enemy by experience and trauma, they are of the mentality to strike first, killing and then asking questions later. This mindset, naturally, only further feeds into the view of Zyglak as monstrous savages with no redeeming qualities and personhood.
The first Zyglak were created decades ago, when the Nynrah Ghosts amassed their bio-matter waste and dumped it all together. Amongst this waste was flesh and cells infected with VISORAK and other discarded mutagens; Left to their own devices, the clumped-together bio-matter began to coalesce, mutate, and grow, feeding off of one another as shapes began to arise…
From this mutated bio-matter were born the Zyglak; Large reptilian beings with a hideous appearance, powerful strength, and a deadly plague etched into their very flesh that they were immune to. Burdened by the sudden pressure of existence, the confused Zyglak spread out from their birthplace, only to encounter their Nynrah Ghost creators, who were shocked.
Attempting to adapt, the Nynrah Ghosts immediately had their Visorak attack the Zyglak, attempting to round them up. Some managed to escape further into the facility they came from; Others were contained. Experiments and analysis yielded intriguing results, but the Zyglak themselves proved too stubborn, willful, and temperamental to enslave.
They displayed powerful regenerative abilities to the surprise of the Nynrah Ghosts, but this also made them difficult to kill; Even worse, the plague in their flesh was highly-contagious, and discovered to be of a rapidly-devouring, flesh-eating variety. Realizing they had a genuine liability and biohazard on their hands, the Nynrah Ghosts made the decision to destroy all Zyglak and incinerate them.
Unfortunately, the Zyglak proved rather resistant to high temperatures and fire, and attempts to freeze them did little, as the creatures were able to easily break through their frozen bonds; It would take incredibly low temperatures to freeze them, and their own cells rapidly recovered from crystallization.
Trydahk became concerned; The Zyglak had been made prior to the Nynrah Incident, so there was an entire district of Xia’s finest scholars and students outside, vulnerable to the Zyglak and their plague. Eventually, he came up with the reasoning that if the Zyglak could not be killed, and if containing them was also risky… Why not banish them?
Thus, the Nynrah Ghosts gathered all of their Kahgarak, and had the bio-weapons open portals to the Zone of Darkness with their Rhotuka, hurling the captured Zyglak through them. It was a long and arduous process, but eventually the Ghosts succeeded in rounding up every single Zyglak and banishing them. Afterwards, the facility they were in was quarantined, and eventually sterilized through a Xian Heart of Fire, just to be safe.
While the Zyglak remaind out of sight and mind for their creators, the creatures themselves were still troubled with their own existences. Their very recent experiences and trauma, combined with their relative youth and inexperience, left them permanently scarred in just about every way possible. Hurt, abandoned, and dejected, the Zyglak quickly grew bitter against reality itself, shunning their own creators for rejecting them as mistakes. They grew to hate all others who weren’t Zyglak, on the reasoning that outsiders weren’t accidents like they were.
Not without reason, the Zyglak realized that all others would likely hate and reject them. Indeed, a few Zyglak had attempted to escape back to the World of Light through the two-way Kahgarak portals, escaping out into Nynrah where they were pursued by the Vahki, with the Xians being horrified and labelling such individuals as monsters. Despite attempts to communicate, these few Zyglak were still quarantined, and unable to cope with their own naturally-deadly bodies, something they had no control over, those Zyglak were banished back to the Para-Realm once again with even-further fractured minds.
After hearing the experiences of these few Zyglak, the rest of the species only had their paranoia and suspicions confirmed. Hurt, lonely, and without the proper support and guidance they needed in their formative years, the Zyglak became reclusive, territorial shut-ins; Not that there was really anyone else in the Para-Realm, anyway.
Exploring Dark Xia, the Zyglak became accustomed to the Dark World, feeding on the darkened plantlife within, their own bodies developing an affinity for Shadow in the process that made them even stronger and harder to control, for those who were interested. Living in perpetual darkness with little to do, the Zyglak attempted to alleviate their boredom by crafting spears from the darkened material that made up the Para-Realm. They made up stories and tales, myths that explained how the world worked; But such myths were very simple and unimaginative. Through no fault of their own, the Zyglak had little creativity as a result of little access to anything that could inspire them.
Years in the Para-Realm conditioned them to darkness, and towards hating the Light. Unable to properly cope with their pain –both emotional and physical, Zyglak had chronic pains- their stories turned into revenge fantasies upon their creators, and eventually all Non-Zyglak. The Zyglak began training with their make-shift spears, learning combat from one another and developing the crude beginnings of their own culture.
When other creatures and rejects came through the Kahgarak portals, the Zyglak ate them; Usually such bio-weapons could not speak for themselves, and anyhow the Zyglak had been conditioned by trauma to be hostile. In addition, they were hungry for anything that wasn’t the dark landscape of the Para-Realm, finding even bad tastes to be preferable to bland nothingness for their palates. The Zyglak grew to worship their sole neighbor, a titanic crustacean known as the Zivon; Occasionally, offerings would be made to it, in hopes that the beast would leave them alone.
Eventually, the Kraahl arrived on the shores of Dark Xia, and the Zyglak reacted with hostility. After an initial clash, both groups came to an understanding as mutual rejects lost in the Para-Realm. Nevertheless, the Zyglak could not fully trust the Kraahl, and so both groups made the agreement to mind their own business and territory, ceasing interaction.
Nevertheless, during their brief exchange –as well as the occasional interaction between more adventurous members of either group- the Zyglak learned of Okoto, of other civilizations, as well as myths, many involving Umarak the Deity of Shadow. In turn, the Zyglak explained to the Kraahl the island of Xia, as well as the Nynrah Ghosts who made them and the Kahgarak that banished the species.
When Tahu, Hahli, and Kualus were sent to the Para-Realm, they briefly scoured the area before coming across the Zyglak. Recognizing them as outsiders, the incensed Zyglak, screaming their war cry of ‘Vengeance!’, began their pursuit, attacking in full force. They chased the trio for a while, even getting the Zivon involved in hopes that the three would make a worthy tribute. Eventually however, the trio managed to escape the Zyglak’s grasp, and escaped through another Kahgarak portal afterwards.
Ever since the Xian-Okotan War began, many more groups and individuals have begun to access the Para-Realm, among them Xian soldiers working for the Barraki. While the Okotans battle the Xians in the Dark World, the Zyglak see both sides as threats and are choosing to wage their own war as well, with hunting parties ambushing outsiders and brutally slaughtering them. With their powerful abilities and affinity for Shadow, the Zyglak quickly proved to be lethal, feared opponents who would strike from the deepest darkness. They have reacted in similar hostility to Yagavo and his army of Night Wraiths, who seek to harvest the Kraahl to create more of their number; The Zyglak have come to the mutual aid of their Kraahl neighbors a few times, and have grown to trust and even worship Kraltarak; The Toa of Shadow is comprised of both Kralta, as well as the legendary Umarak they heard so much about.
Some Zyglak have escaped out into the World of Light in the chaos, and are now leading active attacks against literally everyone else. They have responded aggressively to the Brotherhood of Makuta’s attempts at negotiation, not trusting Makuta, especially after seeing his harvesting of the Kraahl; The fact that he is aligned with their Nynrah Ghost creators does not help. Many Okotans treat the Zyglak with disgust, although there are some among the Xian Revolution –usually those mutated by the Nynrah Ghosts- who offer a hand.
As the Zyglak interact with other groups more frequently, some are beginning to see the inklings of hope in their own hearts… Some witness the gestures made by others, and wonder if perhaps peace and co-existence CAN be made… Alas, the Zyglak are afraid of taking a risk and do not want to be rounded up and exterminated. For now, they remain a hostile threat to all, and the flesh-eating plague they carry remains a dangerous liability. Currently, the Zyglak are waging war against literally everyone else, with the sole exception of the Kraahl, who they can now almost be said to be allied with.
Zyglak are large, reptilian beings with scaly hides, easily towering over the average Xian/Okotan. Their heads are pale, with elongated snouts filled to the brim with razor-sharp teeth, and bulbous red eyes that glow in the dark; When hunting, Zyglak can dim the glow of their eyes to increase their own stealth. Their bodies are primarily dark-red, with their legs being more of a dark-blue in coloration and digitigrade and structure.
The Zyglak have a hunched-over posture, with spines running along their backs, and long claws on their hands and feet. Their long, whip-like tails are orange, and their flesh appears to be necrotic, constantly in a state of decay while at the same time regenerating; This, along with their unintended existence as total accidents, contributes to unstable bodies with chronic pains that keep them awake at night.
Zyglak possess great physical strength, and are extremely durable, able to withstand large amounts of physical damage. Any damage they do sustain is quickly mended by their potent, regenerative abilities; A Zyglak can regenerate entire limbs, and even being sliced in half won’t necessarily guarantee death for them. They are immune to other forms of harm, such as the elements and poison.
Fire doesn’t seem to burn them, and it takes incredibly low temperatures to freeze a Zyglak; Even then, their bodies can easily break through the ice frozen in their cells, which are able to rapidly recover from crystallization. Even when completely frozen, a Zyglak’s cells work quickly to raise its body temperatures and melt the ice. Zyglak are likewise unaffected by electric shocks; They are amphibious creatures, able to breathe both on land and in water, and there doesn’t seem to be any acids that can damage them, or any poisons that can kill them.
Zyglak have borderline-invincible immune systems, and seem unable to get sick; Their bodies are, however, constantly infected with a potent flesh-eating plague. This plague spreads on physical contact; It can be smeared onto victims by a Zyglak through their palm, quickly devouring people alive and breaking down their flesh and even bones. Thankfully, this plague doesn’t seem to be carried through bodies of water; A Zyglak has to actively rub a victim against their necrotic scales in order for the plague to transmit.
Due to their prolonged time in the Para-Realm and absorption of its plantlife mimicries, the Zyglak also possess an affinity for Shadow. This has only enhanced their above-mentioned immunity to most attacks, but those with a strong will and better understanding of Darkness can even shoot forth bolts of energy from their palms! The Zyglak typically wield crude spears crafted from materials found in the Para-Realm; Any Zyglak can channel their innate connection to Shadow through these spears. When hurled against an object, these spears begin to absorb whatever they come into contact with, channeling the consuming power of Shadow in the process.
Zyglak are omnivorous, able to eat and digest just about anything; Their hardy stomachs can even digest metal, to an extent! They prefer to live in dark areas, especially those that are wet. Zyglak reproduce in a manner similar to starfish; If one eats enough, it can make the conscious effort to grow another Zyglak from its body, with a head and limbs emerging before the new Zyglak splits off after growing large enough. Other Zyglak can be grown unintentionally from severed limbs, from time to time.
Efforts to reproduce were few, with most new Zyglak being aforementioned accidents; Sustenance is little in the Para-Realm, even if Zyglak are also hardy creatures that can go long periods without food or water. But since their active warfare against Xians and Okotans alike, pressure is being placed on one another to replicate and grow their numbers, and hope is rising that perhaps the Zyglak can one day take over the world for themselves. Maybe then, they can find peace…
The Zyglak have their own hissing, rasping language that they share among one another, although they can speak the language of Xians and Okotans relatively well, too- Not bad for beings who had to grow up on their own, without access to educational materials or writing of any sort!
Their culture is primitive, as a result of their unfortunate circumstances. The Zyglak have no recipes, choosing to eat their meals entirely raw; For the longest time they did not have the luxury of cooking, and had no tools to work with. The Zyglak mostly lived as scavengers during their isolation in the Para-Realm. Their sense of taste and smell is adequate, but they have potent night-vision and can electro-magnetically sense others to a degree.
Zyglak typically prefer to hunt in small groups, often trailing victims and prey before ambushing them from the darkness. Oftentimes, their brute strength alone is enough; Their fighting skills could use some improving, but are otherwise impressive considering what they had to work with. Zyglak can go long distances tracking prey, and are seen by many as unstoppable monstrosities.
As a result of both circumstance and their constant, chronic pain putting them in frequent stress, the Zyglak are often aggressive, hostile, and short-tempered. Intruders and outsiders are usually attacked on sight, without question, although sometimes the Zyglak may feel kinship to those why see as fellow rejects and outcasts. When they aren’t hunting, the Zyglak often dwell about and ponder their own miserable existence, often undergoing an existential crisis in the process. A few likely have depression, but lack the medication and therapy they need to cope with their illness.
The Zyglak have some sense of religion and myths, thanks to cultural exchange with the Kraahl and their own imaginations inevitably running loose. Upon creation, their sole neighbor was the Zivon, a massive beast of colossal power. Although the Zivon initially tried to hunt and eat them, the Zyglak succeeded in evading the beast, and seeing it as the only creature in the Para-Realm, began to worship it. Many saw it as a God, others saw it as a protector; Most viewed it as a wrathful being to appease with gifts, hence the occasional tribute and sacrifices. Meals would occasionally be set aside for the Zivon by the Zyglak; In turn, the Zivon learned to appreciate the creatures and their tribute. The fact of the matter was that the Zyglak also tasted terrible and gave the Zivon a terrible stomach ache.
Additionally, there were those who worshipped Umarak, due to stories from the Kraahl. They saw Umarak as the progenitor and source of the darkness they lived in and thrived upon, which was… Not at all inaccurate, honestly. They had hit the mark with such a view, and saw their affinity for Shadow as a double-edged blessing, functioning also as a curse. Of course, when Umarak himself appeared alongside his chosen Kaita, the Zyglak chose to instead thank the Deity of Shadow rather than hold any grudges. He could not be blamed for their banishment to the Para-Realm, after all, and Kraltarak holds some sympathy and pity for the race. Rejection is all too familiar for them…
The alliance between the Zyglak and the Kraahl is both one of some worship towards Kraltarak, but also a genuine understanding as a result of being neighbors for so long. And as interactions increase, with both groups coming to the aid of one another, something close to a genuine respect, and maybe even friendship, is beginning to develop. Indeed, around the Kraahl, the Zyglak’s dispositions tend to improve somewhat, and Kraltarak has used their power over Shadow to help numb the creatures’ chronic pains.
The Zyglak unfortunately do not feel the same comradery towards anyone else; In their war against their perceived enemies, they have particularly targeted the Nynrah Ghosts, taking great pleasure in the pain and suffering of their creators. Those Ghosts that are captured are brutally torn apart, infected with the Zyglak’s plague, and even eaten; The Kahgarak are similarly despised.
Recently, the Zyglak have come into contact with the Frostelus and Lekara. The Frostelus proved to be wary of the Zyglak and vice-versa, managing to drive off the creatures with an onslaught of frozen ice. However, as some Frostelus and Zyglak interacted, they too came to an understanding, and beginning to mind one another’s own business as they stay within their respective territories; The Frostelus are content with their homes in the north of Okoto, so the Zyglak have free reign anywhere else.
The Lekara are not nearly as lenient and tolerant, and the presence of a Zyglak near their kingdom is met with great alarm. Perhaps because they feel an affinity towards the Lekara for also preferring the water, or maybe because they only have so much rage in their hearts, the Zyglak have chosen to more or less ignore the mermaids of their own accord. They have greater enemies to worry about anyway, and the ocean is perfectly vast for everyone.
The Kraahl are a mysterious group of beings from the Para-Realm that worship Umarak, Deity of Shadow. As Twilight beings, they are of a dual-nature, composed of both Light and Shadow; This enables them to easily travel between the Light and Dark worlds at will. Masters of stealth and escape, their lives in constant, eternal darkness has led to them being highly attuned in matters of Shadow.
Amongst those Okotans who naturally opposed Umarak as a force of Darkness, there were those fascinated with the deity who sought to learn more about him. The predecessors to the Kraahl as an organization and cult were these researchers, scholars, shamans, and others deemed heretics by Okotan society. They sought to learn the nature of Umarak’s elusive home, the ‘Field of Shadows’, and potentially even question the favoring of Nuva in the war between Light and Darkness.
When Umarak returned and assailed Okoto, there were those who were horrified; But others were emboldened in their fascination. Openly worshipping and welcoming the shadow, the Kraahl offered their support; Umarak, confused and somewhat flattered, remained wary. Nevertheless, he chose to make use of the Kraahl, who also offered themselves for Kaita fusion. However, due to none of them being compatible with Umarak, the Deity of Shadow declined such offers, opting to wait for an ideal host.
Time and time again, Umarak would be defeated, only to return; And generations of Kraahl would work to undermine Nuva and her champions, hoping to tip the balance in favor of darkness. A few managed to infiltrate the upper echelons of society, but nevertheless the cult’s efforts always failed.
However, when Nuva went on a rampage and was defeated, transformed into the Mask of Light and cast from Okoto, the Kraahl saw a golden chance. Seizing control of the Inika, Temple of Summoning, they used the ancient machination’s power to summon Umarak from the Para-Realm, enabling him to pierce the veil between worlds much sooner than expected.
Caught off-guard, the Okotan Pantheon –weakened from their battle with Nuva- were unable to defeat Umarak. In a last-ditch effort, the Elemental Deities trapped Umarak beneath a new island of Okoto. In the chaos and destruction that ensued from this, Umarak managed to protect his Kraahl by absorbing them into his essence. Later, when the foundations of the new Okoto had settled, Umarak utilized Shadow Travel to transport his Kraahl to the surface. Although no shadows in the Light World were strong enough to transfer his entire being, Umarak could nevertheless carry smaller individuals back and forth.
Regathering on Okoto, the Kraahl built a hidden city and began to live there, further developing as a culture and civilization. Efforts were made to tunnel through Okoto and release The Darkness Below, but all of these failed. The Inika, if it could help, was useless now; Due to its use in summoning Umarak, the Okotan Pantheon made sure to drain the Temple of Summoning of its energy, rendering the structure entirely powerless and inert.
In the meantime, other members of the Kraahl focused their efforts on studying the nature of shadow, hoping to one-day access the Para-Realm. When Umarak was reborn as The Hunter, the Kraahl immediately offered their services. Umarak, recognized there was little mortals could do to challenge the Elemental Deities –who were at the time still in the peak of their power- decided to spare his followers, advising them instead to live their own lives with their own purpose. Dismayed, the Kraahl nevertheless obeyed, leaving Umarak to attend to his hunts. Between his hunts, Umarak would occasionally visit the Kraahl, giving them knowledge on the workings of Shadow, but otherwise preferred to be left alone.
Eventually, the Kraahl succeeded in discovering a way to access the Para-Realm, carving spell-circles into the ground and transporting whatever was inside to the Dark World. Initially beginning with objects, they then moved onto plants, small animals, and then larger beasts. Inevitably, a few offered themselves up for such rituals- While others had reservations, inevitably the Kraahl accepted the sacrifice of such volunteers. Such subjects were transported to the Para-Realm, and never heard from again; It seems that the trip was one-way, and the Kraahl had yet to master the power of Light, much less Shadow.
Experiments on creating gateways to the Para-Realm led to a massive circle being carved around the Kraahl’s city, in the event that an attack from others would force them to escape en masse. This was of course a last-resort, but luckily the Kraahl didn’t come into conflict with the Okotan Empire, nor did they get involved with the Skull Raiders who invaded the island afterwards.
However, their city-sized circle came into play during the Great Cataclysm. As the island begin to wither and die from the Mask of Life, Umarak briefly appeared to the Kraahl, warning them to take shelter before disappearing. As the Kraahl gathered resources and supplies, a few stood in formation in case their spell circle needed to be used.
Their fears weren’t unfounded- The Mask of Life shattered, releasing a wave of all six elements in multiple directions. The Kraahl’s city was caught in the path of a massive, whirling sandstorm that threatened to bury the entire settlement. Panicking, the Kraahl elders gave the word, and everyone gathered within as the spell circle was activated, transporting the entire cult and some of their supplies to the Para-Realm.
Arriving in the darkened parallel to Okoto, the Kraahl had little time to take in the sights; The Great Cataclysm, in an unprecedented event, had its events mirrored in the Para-Realm in real time. Many were trapped and buried alive, dying; But others managed to survive, digging themselves out and finding help from none other than those Kraahl who had previously been sent to the Dark World.
Adjusting to their new lives in perpetual darkness, the Kraahl despaired, having lost contact with Umarak without anyway of returning. With no home left, the Kraahl that remained set to work building a new settlement, and attempting to procure a proper food source. In the end, all that remained was the shadows of plantlife that were cast into the Para-Realm; And when regular food supplies ran out, starvation turned to desperation.
The dark ‘plantlife’ of Okoto yielded little, but it provided enough for some to live. As the Kraahl adapted to their new lives and began examining the Para-Realm in fascination, studying the world and learning more of Shadow, their bodies began to change. Prolonged exposure to the Dark World began to slowly transform them, incorporating Shadow into their essence. The bodies of the Kraahl began to physically change as a result.
When a new generation of Kraahl were born, these children were the ideal balance between Light and Shadow, true Twilight beings composed of both forces. Their parents praised their children and passed on the teachings of the Kraahl, eventually passing away. New generations lived knowing only eternal darkness, having heard stories of the ‘Light World’ they had come from, and their god Umarak.
Inevitably, as new generations came and went, many Kraahl desired more for themselves. They had explored Okoto’s shadow, but knew that the endless oceans beyond were still and safe to travel; Weather was not present in the Para-Realm, unlike the Light World. Why not sail these still seas and see what lay beyond through the shadows they cast into the Dark World? Older generations were against the idea, but one day a titanic beast rose from the dark ocean.
It was the Zivon; A colossal crustacean from old myths of the Light World. As the Kraahl pondered the presence of this ancestral beast, they hid from the Zivon, which scoured Dark Okoto and was disappointed to find nothing out of the ordinary. Considering the possibility that the Zivon had arrived from another island, the Kraahl made a decision; And the group decided on partaking in a pilgrimage.
Boats were carved, and the Kraahl followed quietly in the Zivon’s wake after the beast returned to the ocean, following its path. Sailing in the Zivon’s direction, the Kraahl eventually came across an entirely new island, a massive shadow cast by some other land in the Light World. Realizing this meant there was land beyond Okoto, the Kraahl rejoiced at their discovery and landed, exploring the dark island.
There, they encountered the Zyglak; Bio-matter rejects who had been banished to the Para-Realm by their Nynrah Ghost creators. After initial conflict, the Kraahl and Zyglak came to an understanding as mutual outcasts, and chose to mind one another’s business, not intruding on either’s territory. During the exchange, the Kraahl learned the name of the island this dark land shadowed; Xia.
As the Kraahl adapted to life on Dark Xia, a few noticed unusual portals that briefly appeared, dropping anything from more Zyglak, to rejected bioweapons and other creations of the Nynrah Ghosts. Having learned from their Zyglak neighbors that these were portals cast by the Kahgarak, a few Kraahl took a chance and entered the portals as they opened; On the other side, they found themselves confronted by a surprised Kahgarak within a Nynrah Ghost facility. These unfortunate Kraahl were captured and experimented upon by the Nynrah Ghosts, and it became a rule amongst the group to avoid such portals.
While this happened, some Kraahl quickly noticed and felt something powerful emanating from the shadow of the Artidax District. There, they encountered a massive structure, reflecting one in the Light World; And from within this impenetrable fortress, the Kraahl felt a source of Light… A brilliant radiance far more powerful than any they had seen, one so bright that its shine emanated even into the Para-Realm.
After deliberation on this light, it was eventually theorized that it had to have been the Mask of Light; What else could be so bright, and was known for being banished beyond Okoto? With newfound purpose, the Kraahl made plans to retrieve the Mask of Light for Umarak, but also needed to access the Light World to do so.
Gathering around the Mask of Light’s interdimensional presence, the Kraahl began to attune themselves to its power. They accessed and reawakened the Light that made up a significant portion of their being; And when utilized in conjunction with their natural Shadow…
A few of the Kraahl suddenly warped, finding themselves in the Light World for the first time. This of course surprised the guards around the facility containing the Mask of Light; In the ensuing chaos, some Kraahl warped back to the Para-Realm, while others escaped into Artidax. The Kraahl regrouped, and understanding their new abilities, succeeded in teaching the technique to the rest of the group; Before long, every Kraahl, even the children, could warp between the Light and Dark worlds like it was second-hand nature.
Fascinated by their newfound access to the fabled Light World, the Kraahl took to exploring Xia. Hiding within the shadows and utilizing their warping abilities as necessary, they became a local legend amongst Xians, regarded as living shadows who disappeared into the night; This was not entirely wrong, but most Xians also believed the ‘myth’ of the Kraahl to be nothing more than very clever and elusive thieves.
Enjoying the Light World, as painfully bright as it was, the Kraahl used their abilities to sneak into areas and steal many things, exposing themselves to new foods and culture, as well as various forms of technology. Amassing resources –and even donating a few to their Zyglak neighbors, as a gesture of good will- the Kraahl became acquainted with Xia, and eventually made plans to seize the Mask of Light.
Watching the facility from afar, they waited for the right opportunity to strike, taking into account Vahki sentries, living guards, security systems, and the Upgraded Vahki with seismic abilities. But before the Kraahl could strike, another group of masked individuals assailed the fortress. Initially hoping to take advantage of the chaos, the Kraahl were unable to retrieve the Mask of Light; The mysterious order of agents took it for themselves, handing it over to a monstrous being who disappeared alongside the artifact. Checking the Para-Realm, the Kraahl did not see this monster, and deduced that it had not warped into the Dark World, but instead teleported across the Light World instead.
The Kraahl scoured Xia’s shadow for the Mask of Light, but could not find it anywhere. With no other options left, they realized it had to have been on Okoto; And so the Kraahl made a pilgrimage back to their ancestral home. Arriving in Okoto’s shadow, they warped to the Light World and were amazed at the abundance of nature and life there, dazzled by the realization that they were the first to return to Okoto since the Great Cataclysm.
The Kraahl explored Okoto, searching for the Mask of Light and avoiding the Skull Spiders strewn about; Fenrakk noticed them and reported this to his father Makuta. Eventually the Kraahl reunited with Umarak the hunter for the first time in centuries, and overjoyed, the cult began worshipping the dark being.
Also surprised but happy, Umarak felt both flattered and uncomfortable with the worship. After reconnecting and explaining what had happened, Umarak revealed that he had already visited Xia a few times before, and even became a member of the Dark Hunters. The Kraahl in turn explained the Mask of Light’s presence, and disappearance from the land. Realizing his old foe was somewhere nearby, Umarak thanked the Kraahl for this information. The Kraahl offered to help him in stealing the rest of the Elemental Deities’ power as well.
Not wanting to see his people get hurt, and fearing that the Brotherhood of Makuta may notice the Kraahl and attempt to harvest them, Umarak declined. Instead, he ordered his people to head back to Xia and continue living their own lives. Dismayed, the Kraahl obliged, offering one last time to perform a Kaita fusion; However, Umarak found none to be compatible and felt he could not truly trust any of the Kraahl so intimately. He declined, and the Kraahl headed back to Xia; Their search on Okoto had yielded no Mask of Light, to their confusion.
While some remained on Dark Xia, a few efforts were made to dive into the endless oceans’ shadow, believing the Mask of Light could also be there; But such efforts were futile. Even with stolen submarines, the Kraahl found no trace of Nuva. At some point, the Nynrah Ghosts set a bounty for the Kraahl, hoping to experiment on the twilight beings; When a few Dark Hunters took the assignment for themselves, Umarak learned of this and became enraged. He confronted The Shadowed One, threatening retaliation; In turn, The Shadowed One forbid the Dark Hunters from hunting the Kraahl, while still taking into account their worth to Umarak and potential value.
Every now and then, the Kraahl would check back on Okoto to see Umarak’s progress. Eventually, they learned of Umarak’s defeat, and his transformation into the Mask of Shadows, which was secured within a maximum-security vault by Ekimu the Mask Maker. Enraged and dismayed, many of the Kraahl suggested retaliation, but their leader, Kirop, advised caution. They could not match the Okotans; Instead, a few of their finest warriors would travel to Okoto’s shadow, observing the Mask of Shadows’ vault from the Para-Realm. When the time was right, they would break in and free Umarak, and operate from there…
In the meantime, Kirop and the rest would remain in Xia’s shadow. A few months later, members of the Kraahl came across Tahu, Hahli, and Kualus in the Para-Realm; Initially they showed hostility, choosing not to reveal their nature as worshippers of Umarak at the time. A tenuous understanding was eventually reached, and Kirop permitted the trio to leave; Back on Dark Okoto, a few Kraahl noticed the presence of Yagavo, who would often warp into the Para-Realm in combat. Per Umarak’s past advice, they avoided the Rahkshi to evade Brotherhood interest.
Eventually, Kirop and his group began to trace the Okotan Expedition on Xia, watching them from afar as they figured out what to do. In the process, they witnessed an individual known as Kralta; A withdrawn Xian who the Kraahl immediately resonated with. Intrigued by Kralta, the Kraahl continued to trace her as well, and after seeing the signs, Kirop believed that she could be the long-awaited Kaita of Umarak!
The Kraahl chose to ignore the Okotans and their conflict with the Dark Hunters, watching Kralta from afar. When Xia was flown over to Okoto, the Kraahl were largely unaffected by the incident, but still shocked nonetheless. Keeping their eyes on Kralta, they followed the Xian when she fell to Okoto during the great battle against the Dark Hunters.
As if by fate and Destiny, Kralta landed in the Region of Stone, not too far from where the Mask of Shadows was located. Realizing it was time, the Kraahl set to work, slaughtering the guards at the vault with the rest of the Okotan Alliance distracted with the Dark Hunters. Carving open a path directly to the Mask of Shadows, they pried open the vault and stood by, bowing before Kralta as she approached Umarak.
Umarak and Kralta communicated telepathically, briefly, and came to an understanding; And when Kralta donned the Mask of Shadows, she ascended as Umarak’s first Kaita, becoming the only Toa of Shadows to have ever existed. The Kraahl rejoiced, celebrating the triumph of the Deity of Shadow.
Now, they are currently working under Kralta and Umarak’s orders to undermine multiple enemies; The Okotan Alliance, Barraki, Brotherhood of Makuta, etc. While some Kraahl assist Kraltarak in fighting their enemies, others search for the Mask of Light. The Kraahl hope to resume their age-old goal of helping Umarak tip the balance of Life towards Darkness, making the Para-Realm the new prime reality, with the Light World acting as the hollow echo to the Dark World instead- Assuming any of it will still exist once Kraltarak is finished.
But as the Para-Realm has become a battlefield for the Xian-Okotan War and Core War, the Brotherhood of Makuta has taken a vested interest in the Kraahl. Having heard of the twilight nature of the Kraahl through his Nynrah Ghost contacts and Fenrakk, Makuta sees them as the perfect package of Light and Shadow; The body of a Kraahl is perfect for creating Night Wraiths! Now, the Brotherhood of Makuta is attacking the Kraahl, harvesting them for Life energy and their dual nature. Yagavo is leading an army of Night Wraiths to attack and harvest the Kraahl; Cruelly, many of the Night Wraiths involved were made from the bodies of slain Kraahl.
As the conflict between Light and Shadow transpires, Kralta and Umarak will have to reevaluate their priorities, now that the Kraahl are actively being harmed and attacked; Umarak did not want his people involved in the fighting, hoping to only minimally use them. But with Makuta’s greed reaching even into the Para-Realm, perhaps a few unorthodox decisions and alliances will need to be made…
