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Character of the Season
From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
06-15-2024, 10:13 AM (This post was last modified: 06-15-2024, 10:14 AM by Isla.)
Isla
More to the right Isla can do - or so she thinks, letting threads of fire wend along with her movements - only for them to wink right out as her leg sinks into the mud and forces her into stumble. "Shit!" she hisses, not knowing whether her companions have heard or noticed that she's fallen. Not one to holler out for help and put others in danger, instead the Remedy shifts her satchel on her shoulder and inhales a deep breath.
Then, summoning her fire once more, she concentrates it around the mud where she's fallen, attempting to heat it up or dry it out enough that she can free the limb and start running again. If all she leaves the Feverlands with is an abundance of mud, Isla will absolutely take that as a win.
Isla uses her Mastered Fire to try and dry out/heat up the mud enough so she can free her leg! Other than her initial exclamation, she doesn't call out for help.
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Their efforts seemed to have scared off the lamplight and Zavien's spirits rose. He thought that there couldn't be any other obstacles to keep them from getting back to the Hanging Tree. Key word: thought.
When Isla suddenly stumbled and cursed loudly, he looked back to see her leg being swallowed by the mud. It immediately reminded him of the last time he was here and the effort it took to get him out of the earth. He'd needed Koa's help then. Perhaps he could help Isla now.
Reaching into his pack, he pulled out the rope he usually used for his tent. Making sure to stay out of the mud himself, he shouted to get Isla's attention. "Hey! Grab this!" He then threw the other end of the rope to her, acting as an anchor to pull her out. Zavien motioned to Lena to keep watch while he worked to extract the Ancient.
Zavien throws a rope to Isla!
reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.
A hiss was heard, and Lena turned around immediately to see Isla in the mud. Not one to simply stand around and watch, she hastened towards snagging at her own rope, but it seemed Zavien had beaten her to it. “Okay, hang on!” Compelling and sending a few birds nearby to once again gain some insight on the situation (like perhaps where the lamplighter was), she rushed over to aid in pulling Isla to freedom.
Except they were also in muck, and grappling with the footing was difficult for either Caretaker or Dragoon. Try as they might, there was little movement on their end, striving to find purchase in all the mire. Isla, thankfully, freed most of her leg with fiery ambitions, and could likely be able to get herself out without their folly.
Which left both Mittens and Lena’s attuned measures to suddenly give an alert to a flicker of movement slightly above the fog – raised fins, luring lights. “We have to hurry,” she whispered in response, uncertain if they could hear her, but maybe gestures would do it. “It’s coming back around.”
--
Lena has sent birds/Mittens to watch out for the lamplighter - it’s headed their way again!
Lena and Zavien have tried to free Isla, but haven’t fared well in the mud. Thankfully, Isla has half-freed herself.
Apparently, even with both Lena and Zavien, they had failed to fully extract Isla from the mud. To make matters worse, Lena's frantic upward motions had him spying the features of the returning lamplight. If they didn't get the Ancient out of the mud quickly, they would be sitting ducks.
Determined to make it work, he stepped out of the mud and towards a nearby tree. Making sure it was secure, he walked around to use it as his own anchor, placing his foot on the bark to push and pull simultaneously. He grunted at the effort, keeping his eyes alert and praying that Isla could free herself enough that they could get out of the lamplight's range.
Zavien uses a tree to push off against while continuing to pull Isla with his rope.
reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.
"Thank you!" Isla calls out to both of them, offering a grateful smile and seizing the rope, however much or little help it proves to be. Continuing to use her flames to wiggle free of the mud, she keeps hold of the length of rope to steady her and prevent her from falling again a second time. Providing nothing stops her, the Remedy will glance up as soon as she's free - in time enough to see Lena and Zavien looking worried.
And it doesn't take a genius to figure out why that might be.
Gesturing for them to hurry forward, Isla grows and spreads her flame so it might defend their backs once more as she gets back onto solid ground. It might be easier for her to take to the air as a gore crow as well, but it's a thought that doesn't linger for long. As a bird she'd be unable to use her fire, and that seems to be working well as something to keep the lamplighter wary.
For now.
Isla frees herself with assistance from Zavien's rope and gestures for them to hurry forward. She gathers her Mastered Fire at their backs once more as a defence.
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Lena would likely have to go to the barracks at some point just to instill some strength training, for the embarrassing notes of not being very helpful to Isla or Zavien, and subsequently falling over a root had her landing back in the mud. Not stuck, at least, but some amount of shame stuck to her cheeks in a vivid red hue.
But with no other time to waste, she pretended she was no worse for wear and launched back up. With Isla freed thanks in part to mostly her own efforts and the Dragoon’s, they could keep going.
Which, cue in the lamplighter again.
Probably in the movement and motion of jarring herself out of the mud, the Attuned had lost a bit of the fabric cloaking her ears from the sounds of the beast – and she forgot to call for the birds again, or to listen for Mittens. Instead, all she could hear were the incandescent sounds of song, and she spun to glance behind them, entranced, lured.
As the Ancient escaped the mud, Zavien sighed in relief, rolling his rope back into his pack quickly in case they encountered a similar situation. Once the rope was secured, he pulled out his sword again, attempting to brandish it against the unseen enemy. Isla's flames warmed his face as he scanned their surroundings.
He only barely noticed when Lena started to lose focus. Her proximity to the flames and glazed look had him nervous, so he cautiously approached to wave a hand in front of her face, attempting to grab her attention. "Come on, Lena! We have to keep moving!" But his words seemed to have no effect. She just stared, ignoring his presence.
Concerned about how she may have succumbed to the lamplighter's song, Zavien sheathed his sword again to clasp her head in his hands. Staring deep into her brown eyes, he felt for the fabric in her ears, only to find that it had dislodged. Cursing under his breath, he ripped another piece to shove inside before grabbing her hand. He hoped he could guide her towards the Hanging Tree until she regained her senses.
Meanwhile, he pulled his sword back out and shouted up to Mittens, "Try to let us know if you see anything!"
Zavien puts new cloth in Lena's ears and tries to guide her towards the tree. He has his sword ready to receive any attacks.
reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.
Luckily for Isla, the movement of Zavien beside her and his shouts are enough for her to realise that Lena has gotten distracted, and she's able to adjust the proximity of her flames enough that they don't accidentally lick at the caretaker. "Fuck," she hisses under her breath, backtracking to also try and usher Lena forward and away from the lamplighter's enticing song. In the meantime, it's with a brief concentration of will that Isla parts a fireball from her wall of heat, launching it out into the fog.
Whether or not it hits anything is irrelevant - she hopes she either distracts the lamplighter or at least causes it a bit of pain. In the meantime, though, they have to keep moving. "The tree has to be close," she calls out, though honestly, with their luck so far, she'd not be surprised if they'd gotten turned around.
Isla peels a fireball from her flame wall and yeets it into the fog to either hit or distract the lamplighter. She also continues to usher Lena forward!
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
The song sounded like Sera: full of life and wisdom. It would’ve been very easy to follow and trace after it, mimic her own, hum until she’d landed into muck and mire, picked off by the world surrounding them. The latter thoughts didn’t flicker into her thoughts though – just the simplicity of seeing her sister again, of white dragon wings and –
Her head was suddenly clasped by Zavien ’s hands and her eyes widened in proximity and confusion, before reality centered and snapped into her mind. “Sorry, sorry,” she murmured in quick succession, and the fabric was back in her ears and the shame crawled right up her spine again. Not enough apologies could flow from her voice, but she’d have to unfurl those later.
Shaking her head again, she maneuvered forward with the rest of them. “Hang on, let me check -,” sending a companion pulse to Mittens, and finding its answering cry further beyond. “We need to go straight! Not much farther though!” No surprise that they’d been turned around – it was difficult to tread in the area without the fog swirling around them.
Isla ’s fireball rampaged into the yellow mist and nothing answered; perhaps the lamplighter had moved on or advanced elsewhere. Summoning and compelling more birds, Lena utilized them as figments of sight and distraction, listening to the echoes of their irritated cries off to the left. "It might be over there!" She pointed, another silent prayer flickering through her senses.
--
Carry on straight ahead and keep distracting the lamplighter! No post order!
Zavien didn't know what may have been flooding through her mind, but it was a relief to see recognition return to Lena's face. There was no blame in his eyes, just understanding concern that she'd been ensnared. He finally released her to follow where she'd indicated, determined to return their group to safety as fast as possible before anyone else fell under the lamplight's spell.
Following Lena's pointed finger, he kept his eyes peeled for any signs of its approach. His sword remained level, at the ready for a possible attack. Hopefully, Isla's fire and the birds Lena had called would be enough to distract the beast. Zavien tried to focus on not getting lost, marching towards where Mittens had cried out.
Zavien continues towards the direction of Mittens's cry but stays on the alert with his sword ready.
reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.
There is similarly no blame on Isla's face as Lena comes back to them, and if they hadn't been quite literally running for their lives, she might have offered her a reassuring smile. Alas, that will have to wait until later. For now, hearing the caretaker's call and following both her pointed finger and Zavien's blade, the Remedy throws out a few more licks of flame in the direction they'd indicated. (Hopefully none of the birds get caught in the crossfire).
It does mean, of course, that the shield at their backs is almost non-existent now, but if Lena is right about them coming across the Hanging Tree if they head straight forward, hopefully it won't make much of a difference. And if it does? Well, they're about to find out either way.
Isla drops her fire shield and instead uses her magic to yeet fireballs in (she thinks) the direction of the lamplighter!
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Their lack of blame made the shame somehow burn brighter, and if they got out of this mess they’d be hearing more rampant apologies for multitudes of things. For now, they needed to concentrate on getting out of this jam –
She could hear the birds squawking near Zavien ’s shoulder, along the foggy, yellowish murk, and then there was Isla ’s blast of fire simmering and surging nearby. A sudden roar flickered through, enough for her eyes to widen and to nearly stumble along a root in trepidation, but then it seemed to dissipate. “Did that work?” she murmured, uncertain if any of them would hear her anyway.
But then Mittens cried out, and they were able to see the tree in the distance, tall and unyielding through murk and hell, a source of terror in many stories and somehow the beacon in their current one. “Keep it up!” She announced – sending another volley of her compelled birds as she saw something shimmer ahead again…
--
Isla has hit the lamplighter, and the combined efforts of birds and fire seems to have deterred it…only for it to maybe be slightly ahead of them now.
The roar that echoed around them could only be the lamplighter. Its intensity easily passed through the cloth in his ears and he flinched instinctually. He kept his sword up at the ready, noticing proudly that he didn't even shake with the fear making his heart race. At least he knew his focused training was paying off. Maybe he would make a real Dragoon yet.
Doing his best to keep Isla protected during her flurry of volleys, Zavien stuck by her side as they attempted to follow the cry Mittens had used to alert them. It didn't seem like the smartest idea to meet the creature head on, but they needed to make it through to the Hanging Tree. And Isla was probably their best bet at succeeding. So Zavien nodded to her as if to say, "Keep up the good work! I've got your back!"
Zavien covers Isla with his sword as they work their way back to the Hanging Tree.
reflect heavenly truth, the imagination not least.
Isla's eyes widen at the sound of the roar, even through the material stuffed in her ears. The confusion only lasts a moment, though, before it melts into dark delight, because who doesn't like hitting something that has been stalking them through the swamp all day? Nodding to Lena and keeping close to Zavien so he might be able to cover her back - and offering him a tight smile that tells him she absolutely plans to keep it up, Isla wastes no further time.
Trusting Mittens to keep them on track (whether rightly or wrongly), the Remedy takes her cue from the squawking of the birds, and turns to aim somewhere just in front of them with another volley of fireballs. Used to being the medic, sitting tight while others fight and offering support to others, being suddenly on the offensive is a refreshing change.
Isla sticks close to Zavien and yeets more fireballs at where she thinks the Lamplighter is!
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
