What do you get when two ruthless assassins raise their daughter travelling through the wildest reaches of Caido? Take one look at Theea and you'll get a pretty good idea. Cheerful and tenacious in equal measure, and curious beyond all else, she began her journey on a mission to find those her mother once called family. And find them she did, soon rubbing elbows with demigods, leaders and even ghosts from the past. Her determination is resolute, her thirst for knowledge unmatched. We can't wait to see where her next adventure takes her!
Congratulations, Theea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
Kaisel spun a knife absentmindedly as he waited. Perched on a table, he swung his legs freely, twisting the knife’s hilt between his hands as fast as he could, trying to get as many spins out of it before it tipped over. After a few tries, he gave up on beating his record and let out a loud, dramatic groan. He leaned back on the table, pulling his hood lower as he stared up at the ceiling. The shoddy knife clattered to the ground as he shifted, one heel resting on the table while the other leg dangled over his knee.
"Where the fuck is he?" Kaisel grumbled, impatience gnawing at him. Koa had promised to meet him here for training. Now that Kaisel was old enough to officially join the Dragoons, he wouldn't have to be sheltered by his parents like some baby chick under a fat hen. He and Koa were going to paint the town red. They’d score so many bitches and take down every opponent back to back. Starting today.
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
Sure, Koa is on a weird sort of quasi-leave from the Dragoons which involves living in a sentient forest and searching for flowers with dirt under his fingernails like some sort of mythological wodewose. But failing to check in on his family regularly had been the cause of many of his current problems, and until such time as Dahlia herself came out of her tower to forbid it, the young man would continue to return to Stormbreak and try to take care of those he loves.
Which of course includes his baby cousin, who despite our boy's consternation has decided to join the Dragoons. Oh, sure, there was a time when Koa would have been jumping for joy - had been years, in fact, when he'd encouraged and trained and sparred with Kaisel, preparing him for the day he'd join in fulfilling their family legacy. But right now Koa isn't sure the soldier's ranks are safe for anyone, especially with Koa and his most trusted lieutenant currently living half a continent away. But that was an issue to be broached later; at least with Kai safely enlisted, Koa will have some ability to protect him, if only by dispatching the boy far away from here.
Thus is his train of thought as he makes his way to the training grounds, fastening his bracers around his wrists over his boxing wraps. He's a little late, but he'd had a shit ton of letters and reports awaiting him, and he's feeling more than ready to let off a bit of steam.
Grinning at the sight of Kai leaning in his chair, Koa clucks, shaking his head as he leans against a pillar some ten feet behind where his cousin sits. "Fat lot of good that knife's gonna do you on the ground," he drawls out loudly, examining his fingernails. "Really makes me wonder if you're actually taking this seriously." He'll wait for Kai to move before giving a casual flick, sending a spark of electricity from his ring to gently shock his cousin's forehead from afar.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starlit Bracers | Bracers that when activated extend the movement of the user's hand to 15ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
He should have heard Koa approaching. He should have been at attention. At the very least, he shouldn’t have been caught like this. Instead, Kaisel's thoughts had taken him elsewhere, too comfortable in the safety of the town he'd always known, the family that always had his back. Despite being born to a family of warriors, he'd had an easy go at life thus far. Sure, he'd trained, he'd sparred, and he'd handled weapons of many types. He'd heard stories, tactics, and he'd played at strategy.
All it had been was practice.
Kaisel had been fighting his whole life, yet he'd never had to fight for anything. War had a winner and a loser, it was just a game. Heroes were just statues and campfire stories—achievements to pin alongside your name. Serious? The only thing Kaisel was remotely serious about was getting the most attention. Being the best worked. So did fucking around.
Kaisel turned toward the voice, grinning. "It could be a decoy," he drawled, lazily sitting up. "You know, to fill you with false confidence and make you lower your guard." It wasn’t, and fuck, he wished he’d thought of it sooner—but he had fuck all on him. He expected they'd shoot the shit a bit, walk to the training mat, or hell even skip the rigorous workout altogether and hit the town. He could tell by the look on Koa's face though that they were learning today - now.
Kaisel hopped off the table. Kaisel hopped off the table—only for a sharp, well-aimed flick to crack against his forehead. A tink of electricity made sure the bite lingered. Kaisel winced, sucking in a breath as his hands shot up to rub the spot. He shot his cousin a glower as he looked up. "What, afraid to do it up close?" he taunted, the shock fading into Kaisel's typical swagger, the kind most 19-year-olds who felt invincible tended to wear.
Abruptly, Kaisel kicked the knife across the floor. The piece of metal whined as it bounced and slid over the stone towards Koa. It stayed low, gliding like a skipping stone over a lake. It was just a distraction. Kaisel dashed after it like a cat chasing a laser. He suddenly cut left, trying to run up a nearby pillar. He didn't have the room to reach top speed though, and the pillar sucked up some of his momentum, but he needed the angle to break up his movement. He used the pillar as a launching pad, shoving off it hard and spinning a kick towards Koa's head. His hands had since balled into fists; one he kept as a guard by his head, but his left one snapped out shortly after his kick, a low hook to try and catch Koa dodging that way. Now that he'd closed the distance, they could get serious.
03-27-2025, 10:06 PM (This post was last modified: 03-27-2025, 10:07 PM by Koa.)
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
Your enemies aren't gonna shoot the shit, Kaisel. If it wasn't clear from the choice of table, this is srs shit.
"More worried you'll take out your eye with that toothpick," Koa taunts back, grinning as he watches Kaisel rub the wound. An abrupt shift and the glint of metal has him looking down; the knife spins rapidly between them, but it'll take more than that cheap tricks to get the best of the Dragoon. Though Kaisel is quick, Koa has to give him that - he's always been the more agile of the two, and Koa takes a millisecond to be impressed by his abrupt speed.
No more time, though, because the boy is upon him, his trajectory abbreviated and redirected as he hurtles himself from the wall. Koa's already assumed a defensive position, knees bent and wrapped arms raised to protect his head; as Kaisel spins into his kick he dips and pulls back, avoiding the foot that flies past his face with an appreciative smirk. Then before his cousin can finish the motion Koa's surging forward, closing the gap between himself and Kaisel with a quick one-two jab toward the face.
"Close enough for ya, kiddo?" the older Dragoon smirks, arms now returned to their defensive position, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "The problem with kicks is that they look cool, but leave you wide open. You've always been a flashy fighter - great showmanship value in the underground ring, but conservation of energy and protecting your face mean a helluva lot more in a real brawl."
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
Kaisel's foot sliced only air and his punch didn't even have time to unload before Koa was there. The senior Dragoon had the upper hand of balance, since both feet were planted on the ground, but Kaisel was at the mercy of momentum and core strength. As Koa pushed in, Kaisel tensed. His arm had been ready by his head and it angled to catch the quick jabs that his cousin released. His forearms burned with the beating, but that was better than his face. However, the force of those punches, Koa's body weight thrown behind them, was enough to topple Kaisel. His back slammed into the ground, the wind shuddering out of him as Koa began to lecture.
He wasn't wrong, and damnit if that didn't make it all worse.
Kaisel was not so easily defeated though, a thick head proving beneficial from time to time. "I think it could be closer still," he said weakly, his breath still recovering as he gulped it down like a fish. He had enough though to act before the window closed, so he half sat up in a crunch, then twisted abruptly onto his front. His hands strained under his body weight while his legs scissored behind him, driving momentum in a sweep towards Koa's feet. He didn't pause to see if it was effective, drawing his feet under him in a crouch afterwards and lurched upwards, back to standing. He looked over his shoulder to see where Koa was, then turned, driving with his right fist in a hook toward's Koa's ribs. He kept it close to his body, pivoting with it to feed its force.
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
Throwing his cousin to the ground hadn't been the plan; Koa blinks bemusedly down at Kaisel, as though wondering what he's doing down there. Between unexpected nap time and the lecture Koa figures the kid has had enough; kneeling slightly, he extends a hand to help Kai up, the picture of benevolent maturity.
But the scrappy boy has other ideas, and Koa's caught off guard. Too late he springs back as legs go flying, stumbling when one of his cousin's feet slams into his ankle. "Ow! Rude!" But there's no true disparagement in his voice. Rather, he's amused and a little impressed. He can't blame his cousin for fighting dirty, not when he himself set that tone.
Despite his less-than-steady footing, Koa dodges the punch to his ribs with ease: "You're getting fancy again!" he taunts his cousin, grinning, though he winces slightly as his bruised ankle protests bearing weight. Keeping his shoulders hunched defensively, he starts a right jab toward face. It's a feint, though; he shifts abruptly, turning his weight and pivoting his feet to lend momentum to the punch he throws at Kai's right side.
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
04-02-2025, 08:46 PM (This post was last modified: 04-02-2025, 08:46 PM by Kaisel.)
Kaisel
Don't need a sign, nothing divine's gonna save me
There's a moment of satisfaction that curls up Kaisel's lips as he connects with Koa. It doesn't have the desired effect of sweeping the Dragoon off his feet in full retribution, but he'll take the wins where he can get them. A year ago he didn't think he could have landed anything on his cousin.
"Jealous?" he panted with a smirk, the taunting banner relentless. Realistically, even if they weren't sparring, their conversations wouldn't be much different. His window to be smug closes rapidly as Koa does the same. Kaisel falls for the feint, leaning back to his right side to let Koa's right jab cut the air near his ear. He cannot recover fast enough to duck back the other way before Koa is there, his next punch bolstered by the pivot and drive of his body weight behind the movement. Kaisel grimaces as his soft side absorbs the punch, and he doubles over slightly and staggers back a bit. Sweat drips from his hairline. He grits his teeth against the blossom of pain, the one that blooms with every breath, a promise of a bruise that will linger for days.
Kaisel gets his hands back up by his head and closes the gap with a high knee aimed at Koa's gut. He knows it'll be too obvious, but he wants to get Koa moving, so that as he plants his left foot and twists, his right leg can fire out towards Koa's knees. While kicks did require balance and core strength, they provided distance and often more power behind their blows. He had a better chance of staying upright with one foot still grounded this time.
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
He hadn't meant to hit Kai quite that hard, and winces as his cousin folds into the pain. Luckily Lena has resupplied their healing salve; he'll have to make sure the kid knows where to find it, as well as anything else he might need.
Not that he has much time to think about it, because just like a bad penny or herpes, Kai keeps on coming back. The knee is well telegraphed; Koa smirks as he dodges backward, tucking in his abdomen, hands still at his face. Cocky and overconfident, he neither sees nor expects the shift in the attack, all too late realizing that he's given Kai the space to gain momentum and power. The connects with his left leg just above the knee, immediately causing his tendons to shriek as a dull ache gnaws at the muscle below.
Gritting his teeth as he bounces back, his ankle still sore, Koa eyes his cousin a bit more critically than he had up to this point. As much as he still has yet to learn, Kaisel's come a long way since the last time they sparred. But Koa isn't out of tricks, not yet: he may not be the master of fancy kicks, but he still has Kai beat where sheer strength's involved.
Koa surges toward his cousin, determined to close the gap. Two quick punches are followed by a right forward kick: he isn't trying to injure Kai so much as overwhelm him, bully him into backing down before they both end up more injured than planned.
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
Koa might be pulling his punches a bit, but he underestimated his power and how he'd been honing it all these years. That, or Kaisel was just that fresh and soft. Unfortunately, Kaisel did not have the luxury of being able to do anything but go all out on his cousin. He knew if he didn't mean it, then he wouldn't be able to catch the superior Dragoon. Still, he winced a bit when he felt his kick land on Koa; he had only aimed at the knees to put Koa on the defensive. No matter how much you trained, your joints would remain a weak spot, and Koa would be forced to act to rescue them. It had been closer than Kaisel wanted though — they could not afford serious injuries just from training.
As Kaisel snaps his leg back beneath him, he backs up, expecting retaliation. Koa's fast though, and Kaisel only has time to block one of the flurry of punches. The other grazes his blocking forearm, snaking past to buffet his chest. With a grunt, Kaisel swings back, his left hand reaching out in a jab for Koa's jaw. The leg, unexpected from Koa the boxer, breaks through and the force of it shoves Kaisel back a step. His abs tense in response to the blow, the muscles concentrating to protect the region. Kaisel grimaces, his side still aching from earlier, and the peppering of all the hits he's taking is starting to gnaw through his stamina. Sweat drips from his nose, but he's still grinning. He can get at least one more blow in before he calls uncle. He must push through this wall. If he stopped every time it got a bit hard, he'd never realize he could scale the wall after all.
So while Kaisel is catching his balance after the kick shoves him back, he quickly switches the position of his lead leg. It's a quick hop, a shuffle where his right and dominant leg is now the front one, leaving his left leg as the main stabilizer, and the main source of power. He does not linger long, knowing his energy is fading and that the window to catch Koa is shrinking. So as soon as he's done shuffling them, he leans to his right and pivots, his left leg sweeping out low to strike Koa's right calf. As soon as his left leg steps back to the ground, Koa pivots onto it and swings a right uppercut towards Koa's gut.
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
Kai may not be ready to surrender, but Koa's playing for keeps now, and the rules of the game have changed. He meets his cousin's grin with one of his own, peeking out from behind raised arms, ferocity glinting in the copper of his eyes. "Tired?" Koa taunts, and then Kai's bouncing and adjusting his weight, but it's just a smidge too slow, the difference in their stamina evident now as the fight fades to an end. Koa hops back as the left leg sweeps at him, but he doesn't doge the right.
Instead he throws his hands out, catching his cousin with magically extended reach before his leg can even enter melee range. It probably looks like he's using The Force against Kaisel, and in a way he is. Then he shoves Kai's leg before pushing forward, using the opportunity to get in close enough to grab his cousin around the neck in a grappled, unyielding bear hug.
 "Say 'Uncle'," he'll taunt playfully in the boy's ear, should he manage to get close enough.
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
"No way," Kaisel lied in response to the jeer, but he knew Koa would see right through it. He was trying to get control of his breathing, having lost track of it at some point during the back and forth. It was always best to exhale on the punches, but while that was a nice theory, sometimes just remembering to breathe at all was a victory. It was harder to keep the proper flow too, once he hit the wall. Breath was one of the first signs of reaching a limit, or perhaps better said, breath control was a limiter.
Kaisel grunted as his kick only connected with air. It was harder that way, his body swinging further than anticipated with the follow through, requiring more energy to suck that leg back in and around for the next attack. Perhaps that miss was what finally did him in, sapped all his remaining speed and strength, because he practically walked into the next one as Koa grabbed him from afar. Oh right, Kaisel thought glumly as he struggled against the hold, Koa's got fancy shit. He'd kinda forgotten about them, and it showed as Koa surged forward and grappled him in the tightest, most uncool bro hug ever.
With his face squished against his cousin's body, it's all Kaisel can do to get out a choked, "Uncle, uncle!" His free hand taps at Koa's side, a literal 'tap out' that in training meant you yielded. He was not too ashamed, or too stupid, to know when he was beaten. He knew Koa had earned his rank for good reason, and while he was defeat today, he was stronger because of it.
I'm bringin' sexy back Them other fuckers don't know how to act
As soon as his cousin taps out Koa lets him go, unwrapping his arms and letting poor Kai rescue his nose from a sweaty pit. "You good?" He steps back, breathing heavily, copper gaze sharp as he does a quick injury assessment on his kin. He does not want his aunt tearing through here, demanding to know why her son's bones were broken in what was meant to be a spar.
Satisfied that there is no need for urgent medical intervention, Koa relaxes into a grin. "Not bad, kid," he smiles approvingly, nodding to Kai. Stepping forward, the older Dragoon reaches out to smack his cousin on the back. Wrapping his arm over Kaisel's shoulders, he tugs the boy along. "C'mon - I'll get you some salve and a hot pack, and then we can go over your form. You've still got plenty more to learn, but I think we can make a passable Dragoon of you yet."
[fin]
Koa Carpenter
If that's your girl, better watch your back 'Cause she'll burn it up for me, and that's a fact
