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!
The day was warm, by Halovian standards - warm enough that Rhiannon had stripped off her jacket during her warm-up and left it in a nondescript spot by the Citadel walls. Her thick, dark hair was in its usual braids, tied up off her neck both in an attempt to stay cool and to keep it out of her way. Today was a day for a run along the wall, and it was with laser focus that the girl stretched out her hamstrings, preparing to launch herself into her workout.
She was a soldier through and through. Each day started with a different workout before she found work to do within Halo. Sometimes that meant working a guard rotation. Sometimes that meant helping the populace. She wasn't sure what this particular day held. It was a rare day off, but she'd never managed to relax well. It wasn't exactly that she loved her job - she was the daughter of soldiers, and she'd always been expected to follow in their footsteps - but she did like being busy. Left to her own devices, she always managed to find trouble.
Not that that was always a bad thing. Sometimes trouble could be fun.
And it was with that cheerful thought that Rhi released her foot from the stretch and began to jog along the wall.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Deimos rarely had days off; which could be due to a combination of his multiple occupations, disposition, or flaws. But he’d already joined in multiple patrols, took to instructing several spars amongst the barracks, and deftly avoided the stack of letters waiting for him on his desk. With Erebos in tow, strapped on his back this time as he’d outgrown the sling, he made his way towards the outline of Citadel walls, intending to use this opportunity to inspect the weapons lined upon the borders.
Deft and well-used to walking across the broad stone, with Erebos giggling all the while and swinging his limbs everywhere, he made his trek with sure-footed strides, only occasionally crouching to ensure armaments hadn’t been frozen, stuck, or jammed due to ice or snow. One crossbow had become just that, and so he snagged at it, noticing another further ahead, though down along the ground. “Rhiannon,” he rumbled by way of greeting, glancing her way with a nod, before twisting portions of the wooden framework to see where the issue was. His son glanced over his shoulder and waved one mitten covered hand.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
There was something calming about physical exertion that Rhi welcomed as her feet pounded along the stone of the wall. It was always satisfying to feel like she was doing something to get stronger, to push herself harder, and today's run was no exception. It helped, of course, that the day was beautiful (albeit warm), with a clear blue sky overhead. Ningos squawked nearby as she ran past, startling a few from their perches. And on she went, enjoying her trek around the Citadel from on high.
Her routine was simple: jog, then walk for a rest, and repeat over the course of her run. Every now and then, she would incorporate a sprinting segment, pushing her body to its limits before slowing to a rest phase once more. It was during one such rest that she recognized a familiar figure lingering over a jammed crossbow, and as she walked closer, Deimos greeted her with a nod. The soldier paused in her walk, offering a salute by way of greeting before joining the Sword in his perusal of the crossbow.
Young Erebos was strapped to the Warden's back, and Rhi's dark eyes flickered momentarily over the child as she inspected the weaponry. He was a cute baby, she supposed, as far as babies went, but she had no experience with children and no real interest in them, either. So she simply turned her attention to the crossbow once more and asked, "Can I help?" No nonsense, straight to the point, and ready to assist her leader.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
With no response from Rhiannon, Erebos waved his hands about again; gestures of movement and motion that caused Deimos to glance over his shoulder and snort briefly. The youth had the workings of a social butterfly, entirely opposite from his father. But then his attention deviated, and the other soldier’s offer wasn’t a surprise, and as he finally peeled back the layers of wood, he found the culprit – lodged portions of ice clogging away at the gears. “If you want,” he motioned. “Come on up.” The walls had enough ladders nearby, unless she intended to launch herself nearby, and certainly enough space to have both along it as they maneuvered across portions of stone. “I figured I would inspect these while I had the chance.”
It took no more than a few moments for his incantations to alter the temperature along the brackets and wooden, releasing the lodging of frozen particles jammed into its sanction. Within seconds it could return to its old placements, and he pulled at several portions to ensure it could still function efficiently.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Erebos waved his tiny hands around, and Rhiannon offered the child an uncertain smile, unsure how to interact with something so small. Fortunately, she didn't have to wonder for long, as Deimos peeled back layers of wood to reveal ice shards in the gears of the crossbow. She turned her attention to the weapon, suddenly unsure. Deimos, she knew had a variety of magical abilities that could be of use in just this kind of situation. She, on the other hand, only wielded lightning at present. So it was that she could only watch, feeling miserably useless, as the Warden began to heat and remove the ice shards from the weaponry.
Still, she cast a keen eye over the crossbow in search of any other issues that might prove to be a problem later on down the road. Spying something (with no small amount of relief), she nodded toward the string. "The string looks a little frayed. Do you want me to go fetch another one?" Maybe it was something that he could mend, so she would wait for instruction before running off on a duplicative errand.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Noting Rhiannon’s hesitation with the infant, Deimos couldn’t help but laugh, a muffled sentiment that refuse to echo past his lungs. “He is hoping you wave back.” Whether or not she did was another thing altogether – though he still caught Erebos brandishing his mitten-covered hands in hopes that the soldier would do the same.
Pulling at a few more gears and levers, the Sword placed the crossbow down amidst the rest of its armed brethren, and snagged at another for inspection. Deeming it worthy, his long limbs took him towards one of his favored filaments, a miniature trebuchet. While Erebos giggled and gurgled at the sudden movement, Rhiannon seemed to have found another fixture worth noting, and he shook his head. “No need.” Within a matter of moments, his hands began to give off a gilded, golden glow, and within his palms contorted and manifested an identical string; though new and not yet frayed. Then he held it out for her to take, before resuming inspections.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Rhiannon pursed her lips as Deimos chuckled, a little embarrassed and extremely bemused. Still, she glanced back at Erebos, who was still waving merrily, and then down to her own hand, before hesitantly raising it in a halfhearted wave. Hopefully that would be enough to placate the child, at least until she was somewhere far away.
It was a good thing she hadn't run off to the armory, as Deimos was able to produce a new bowstring, as Rhi had expected. She took it with a word of thanks, then began the simple task of removing the fraying string and replacing it. With that done, she tested the draw. Satisfied with her work, she moved to a new weapon and began the painstaking work of looking it over. "How often do you check these?" she asked, an attempt at small talk and, perhaps, at making a mental note of something she might could help with in future.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Erebos was placated for the time being, eagerly waving his hands again in some victorious, infant declaration, before moving on to striving to place his mittens in his mouth. Deimos snorted, ultimately amused by the entire interaction, before glancing over his shoulder to see the fabric nearly within the youth’s threshold, and promptly yanking them aside. That’d be something they needed to work on.
While Rhiannon worked, the Sword inspected, pulling at a few gears, then tilting his head in a mischievous glint. Before long, he’d snagged at a pile of snow laden across the wall, and worked it into a sphere within his own gloved digits, before placing it along the bucket of the trebuchet. “Not as often as I would like,” he admitted with a low rumble – given the circumstances of his station. He started cranking the lever again, slowly, ensuring everything was working in proper order. “Probably once a season at best.” Others could be doing it. Perhaps he’d add it to patrol duties.
Eventually the armament felt the tug of impending launching – and did exactly that. Within a small moment, much to the delight of both father and son, the machine hurled and flung the snowball with quick and vicious ease, a hurried ascent followed by an ultimate demise into a distant target some yards away. Erebos giggled and clapped his hands, while Deimos pretended like nothing out of the norm had occurred, stepping to the next weapon, making polite inquiries thereafter. “How is your family?”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
At Deimos's snort of amusement, Rhiannon felt heat creep up her neck. Despite her embarrassment, though, she couldn't help the small smile that appeared at the child's antics. He seemed sweet enough, despite her complete lack of ability to interact with him like a normal human. She'd just never been around young children before. She was an only child, and her extended family was fairly small, with cousins close to Rhiannon in age. Maybe she'd figure it out one day, but until then, she left the interaction with a small sigh of relief.
That Deimos checked the weaponry once a season had Rhi raising her brows. "Has anyone ever told you that you should learn to delegate?" she asked wryly. It seemed to her that any soldier could check the weaponry atop the wall - although, if she had to guess, she would say that Deimos probably preferred to do it himself to assure himself that it was done properly. "I'd be happy to help," Rhi offered as she made her way to the next crossbow and began to look it over for any wear and tear.
She paused in her work as the thunk of the trebuchet drew her attention, and she watched with Deimos and Erebos as a snowball arced through the air to burst upon a target some distance away. Erebos giggled and clapped his hands, and Rhi pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the infant's glee. "They're well, thank you. Mom's on patrol today, and Dad's at home trying to patch the roof. Don't tell him I said so, but he's a much better soldier than a carpenter. He's just determined to fix it himself instead of hiring someone." After all, Rhi got her stubbornness from somewhere.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
“Maybe,” he gave over with a vague and juvenile wrinkle to his nose. “I have gotten better,” was a brief admission followed by a snort. Deimos had always been a creature of control – perhaps because there’d been days where he’d had so little of it – desperate to meticulously and painstakingly press whatever he could into his days, ensuring everything was done and completed to the fullest decree and degree. He’d had to give some portions of it away; new roles and responsibilities had him constantly meandering along the brink of burdens and necessities, but trust was valuable and difficult to maintain all in one fell swoop. “You are more than welcome to check when you have time.” Which, given who he was, said a lot for his faith in the soldier before him.
He snagged at another crossbow, checking the gears and notches as Rhiannon described her family’s components, granting a small smile as Erebos continued clapping and maneuvering around – likely hoping for another arc of ridiculousness from the trebuchet nearby. “Hm. If one of us sent someone over to help him, would he accept it?” He and Evie had much work done of their house before they’d been married – a good thing, considering how quickly Erebos had come thereafter – and had hired a determined group of steadfast Halovian carpenters.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Rhiannon echoed Deimos's snort. Whenever she saw him out and about in Halo, it was on some manner of business, Erebos in tow or no. It seemed to her that he was forever attending this or that. Even if he had managed to delegate some of his work, how much was left that he deigned too important to hand off? Still, it seemed like bad form to point any of this out to her superior, so she simply continued to work on the crossbow, identifying an area of gears that could use a good cleaning and setting to work to lubricate the mechanisms.
"Perhaps," she said thoughtfully. "But only if it didn't seem like they came just for that. Dad's funny that way. But if someone came to visit and happened to offer help in the course of it - he might let them." Or, if no one came by, she'd help when she went home. Even if he always preferred to see her training. "If he's still at it when I get home, I'll see what I can do." She wasn't exactly a carpenter either, but maybe between the two of them, they could sort something out.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
If Deimos could find someone willing to do his paperwork, he would – as such, he avoided it for as long as he was able under certain circumstances. There were too many hordes of other things he’d willingly apply himself to (and enjoy); though he figured delegating letters and parchment was probably poor form on its own inhospitable merits. The other notions went hand-in-hand – more experienced soldiers could take over portions of instruction or patrols; but the Sword still wanted to be a part of them, and the same could be said for guild activities. All in all, he prevailed with his head above the water, refusing to relent, and finding ways and opportunities to maintain some manner of repose throughout the daily fortitude. Better, for certain, because he wasn’t purposefully losing himself in his work, or maintaining a massive conflagration so as not to feel or think or exist; there were just ample amounts of life to take care of.
Snagging a sword and simply removing the coating of ice and snow from it, he arched a brow at Rhiannon’s answer. Maybe it was a manner of pride, or not wanting to ask for help - that he could understand and comprehend. “Well, let us know if need be. We can probably arrange something.” A quirk of a very juvenile grin formed in the corner of his mouth; eager for multitudes of sedition. Kind duplicity didn’t seem too haphazard to the Warden, especially when it was all in beneficial nuances.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Despite what Rhiannon might think about Deimos being a workaholic, she had to concede that there was some level of balance in his life - otherwise, he wouldn't be able to have a family. It was admirable, really, the way he was able to juggle his Warden and guild duties with being a husband and father; something to aspire to, perhaps, one day in the far distant future where Rhi assumed she would eventually meet someone and settle down. Or maybe she would stay as she was forever, single and content to be able to go where she wanted and do what she wanted without having anyone to answer to.
"Thank you," she said as she continued to inspect her crossbow, tweaking a gear here and there to ensure maximum draw strength. "I will, if we can't get it fixed soon. It's not too bad now, but I'd hate for it to become a real problem." For it to spring a leak, or become structurally unsound somehow - neither would be particularly fun for the Cassidy family to deal with.
Completing her work on the crossbow, she moved to the next item on the wall: another trebuchet. And so they continued checking weaponry, chatting about this and that, until their task was complete and Rhi bid Deimos farewell, resuming her run before returning home to attempt to help her father with their roof.
