From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
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!
From the Notice Board it looked as though Loren had taken over preparing the Temple for LongNight, and Jigano was glad that someone reliable had taken on the responsibility. His interactions with the mage had largely been overshadowed by the blight on his end, and dark moods from the Launceleyn, but he respected the mage's earnest desire to help, even if he didn't always agree with the direction that help went. It was the problem with being human, he supposed; herd animals only to a point before they all started pulling in their own directions.
He had sent a note to the Manor, asking Loren to meet him at the Temple to help with placing some supplies he had brought, hauling the sled with its burden of smoked venison (nothing bloody, nothing to attract the monsters, the meat dried but still flavorful) first to the Atheneum to load it up with another pair of sacks almost as heavy as the two of meat, and next to the Temple itself. The other half would go to the Guild afterwards, but lightening the load by half would be a welcome help.
Besides, now that the blight was mostly receded and he could think straight again he was worried about how depressed the mage had been in the Infirmary, and he was hoping to check up on him again before LongNight. So it was that the bard leaned against the handle of the sledge, honey-brown skin and blue eyes the only point of color against his white hair and furred cloak in the mid-afternoon light, nibbling a handful of nuts and feeding them to Isuma as he hoped the Launceleyn would be able to make it.
Despite all his careful planning, Loren had forgotten to put down carpeting in the Temple for LongNight. Given that he was the sole person in charge of fortifying the building, he supposed it wasn’t that surprising that something slipped through the cracks. At least he’d remembered before Wessex had a chance to notice the mistake, and had owned up to it when she had visited. However, he figured if he didn’t correct it quickly, it would definitely be a problem. Thankfully, Jigano had sent a note asking to meet with the Launceleyn, providing the perfect opportunity to revisit the Temple, not that he really needed one.
He’d scrounged up every spare carpet he could find. Some were from the Manor, in dusty supply closets or taken directly from the floors; some were from the market, which he’d haggled or bartered for, some were just from helpful citizens, who’d seen the burden he’d carried and added to it. Actually, saying he was carrying it was a stretch. Instead, he’d summoned a horse and hitched it to a sled, and was walking alongside as it made its slow way towards the spot he’d agreed to meet the bard.
It was the middle of the day, and even in Deepfrost, people were bustling around. However, apart from those who’d donated a carpet to the cause, most folks gave the summoner a wide berth. He couldn’t blame them—though the sight of people scurrying out of his path was quite annoying—given how he looked. He was dressed all in black, and it clung to his gaunt frame like a second skin. His hood was up, so all that was visible of him was the too pale skin of his face, the pink of his lips, and the icy blue of his eyes. Astra was by his side, another indication who he was, but instead of frolicking like she used to in the snow, she simply watched him with worried eyes. Mostly, he ignored it all, focusing on getting to the Temple and getting this latest round of preparation done.
The white-haired man was unmistakable, as was Isuma. ”Jigano. Long time no see.” Loren nodded to both in greeting—though his voice was mostly a carefully neutral tone—then pulled his sled as close to the Temple doors as he could manage before dismissing the horse. The faster they got this done, the faster the Launceleyn could move on to his other tasks. One of which had to do with the pouch that might be familiar to the bard that currently sat on the summoner's waist: he didn't want to leave the Spark Bird feather unattended, even in its pouch, especially with so many people at the Manor.
Jigano smiled as he looked up at the sound of Loren's voice, and the expression widened a bit as he saw the dramatic clothing choice, so stark against the white snow. It was an excellent bit of theater, or so he thought until he saw the gauntness of the body beneath and the shadows that underlined the Launceleyn's eyes. His smile faded to concern and he pushed off from his own smaller sled to join the summoner by his own sledge of heavy carpets.
Isuma dropped to the snow in front of Astra, the small-cat-sized gryphlet stretching up to greet the new luxere with cheerful curiosity and a friendly chirrup of 'hello' while their humans talked.
"Too long," he agreed, glancing down to the pouch at Loren's hip with a slight shift of his head in curiosity as the familiarity of its construction tugged at his memory, but he looked back to the other man first, leaving questions on couture for later. "I would guess that things have not improved much for you since last we met?" he asked more quietly as he waited to see what carpet the other man would choose to move first before moving to take up the far end so they could more easily maneuver the heavy, unwieldy lengths of fabric inside. It was a smart move, one he didn't think had been used last year, and he gave Loren a nod of respect. "This is a good idea," he offered, unsure of Loren cared for praise or approval in the way that Sam did, but hoping that it at least wouldn't hurt the exhausted-looking mage.
Astra was always delighted to make new friends, and she peered curiously down at the small griffin. The luxere sniffed at Isuma, then decided that was good enough as an introduction and that the griffin was a suitable candidate for friendship; Astra knelt in the snow to get closer to the other companion.
Loren, on the other hand, wasn’t delighted by anything these days. As Jigano went to help with the carpets, and commented on the Launceleyn’s appearance—or demeanor, or eyes, or clothes, or any number of signals that the summoner wasn’t bothering to hide—Loren just moved to the other end of the sled and grasped the end of one of the carpet’s on top. ”Depends upon your definition of improvement.” His voice came out in a mostly neutral tone, though weariness and darkness lurked under the surface.
As the two of them lifted, the summoner called upon a golem to lift two more carpets. Then he would attempt to lead their small crew into the Temple. ”It was Wessex’s.” He wasn't going to claim credit for much of anything: the Launceleyn had been told, in no uncertain terms, that his ideas were pretty much useless, his knowledge and experience insufficient for LongNight, and that it was better if he just followed orders and let other, supposedly more suitable candidates risk life and limb.
He simultaneously chafed under that idea and could feel it sinking its claws into his already fragile psyche. At least he could carpet the Temple. Maybe that would save lives, maybe it wouldn’t, but he wasn’t quite willing to fully succumb to the feelings of helplessness that threatened to swamp him now more than ever. Still, it hovered over him, its edge occasionally cutting deep into his already tattered soul.
Isuma was always happy to make new friends, and danced on her hind legs in excitement as Astra came down to join her in the snow. She was quick to chirrup a welcome and carefully pat the luxere's soft nose as she investigated her new friend in earnest and let Astra snuffle and whuffle her in return.
Loren's laconic response wasn't entirely unexpected, not since their conversation in the Infirmary, but Jigano had hoped for something more concrete. He wasn't disappointed in the answer so much as made more curious by how it avoided a strong yes or no, but with his recent recovery from the blight he felt the weariness in Loren's voice in his bones, where a similar exhaustion had made its home for far too long. He didn't answer right away, expression turning thoughtful as they lifted the first carpet, though his eyes narrowed a little at the mention of Wessex's name.
Just because he had spoken with the remaining Queen once without it breaking out into fights or name-calling didn't mean they were suddenly friends.
"Ah. Well, the Naturals have a lot of experience preparing," he acknowledged easily enough. "But I don't see her out here doing the heavy lifting." Luckily they had golems to make the work go faster, and Jigano was content to let Loren lead the way, since he had been doing most of the Temple preparation. And speaking of Notice Board papers posted for all to see...
"Were you able to find those kids you were looking for?" It was genuine concern, even if he didn't particularly like children or know the ones in question. They were Loren's family, and no one - especially not children - should be alone and lost on LongNight.
Astra gave Isuma a friendly nuzzle, completely engrossed in the griffin. Knowing the luxere would be distracted was honestly a relief: she kept giving Loren worried looks that he didn’t know how to respond to.
It was nice just to carry a heavy object and not think for a while. However, Jigano’s animosity towards Wessex was surprising, given that the summoner couldn’t think of or didn’t know about any history between them. Then again, she had that effect on people. ”She’s busy overseeing preparations at both locations, and I told her I’d handle the carpets.” At the very least she’d stopped by the Temple, so he figured she had done the same at the Guild. She was one woman and it was honestly good that she was finally delegating.
At the mention of Beatrix and Jace, Loren nodded a little sadly; they had to navigate around the doors before he was able to respond though. It involved a lot of awkwardly propping the carpet on his shoulder as he jerked the door open, then holding it open with his foot as he simultaneously tried to back up. ”I did. They ran away from home because they didn’t trust me to take care of them or not to leave again. Still don’t, really.” He was struggling with that fact on top of everything else on his plate, but nothing would probably solve that issue except for time. Unfortunately, they might have precious little of that left.
Leaving the companions to get acquainted, Jigano assisted Loren with the awkward maneuvering of the carpet through doors and around corners, helping as best he could to keep the weight distributed evenly and backing up when he saw the doors swing open and Loren trying to push back. "Mm. Yes, she did show up at the Hunter's Guild," Jigano agreed, keeping his tone carefully neutral, uncertain how Loren felt about the Queen but not wanting to alienate him by picking a fight with someone he seemed to be working for. Still... "Deimos did most of the overseeing there, though." Credit where it was due, however strained his relationship with the General could be.
Ah, at least the children had been found. Loren was less happy about it than Jigano had anticipated, though he had to wait until they were through the door to find out why. "I'm sorry to hear that," the bard offered tentatively. "But they are certainly safer with you than without you. Especially now." Now, with LongNight just around the corner, it was more important than ever for them to stay close to home. He sighed, thinking of his own mate and the farmer's stubborn refusal to come to the Settlement for safety. More than almost anything Jigano wanted to be with him during the week of danger and blood, so that they could stand together against any monsters that tried the stoutness of the farmstead door.
But he had promises to keep, and Rory would not let him break his honor just for love.
Alright, one cryptic comment and swipe at Wessex could be ignored. However, the second couldn’t be; Loren sighed as he brought the carpet to the staircase to the upper landing, preparing himself for an annoying and awkward walk and conversation. ”Is there some problem with the queen I should be aware about?” His voice came out slightly annoyed as he started to back his way up the stairs carefully. The Launceleyn wasn’t as fierce a defender of her as some might be; they’d definitely had their disagreements, and it sounded like Jigano might have as well. Still, if the bard was planning to be with them both at the Temple, the summoner should know.
As the white-haired man brought up safety—and given the way the Launceleyn’s thoughts had just been trending—Loren bit his lip. There was something the two of them needed to discuss, though he should confirm Jigano’s location for LongNight first. ”I’m used to it by now. However, while we’re on the subject, are you planning on staying at the Temple or the Guild?” Last they’d spoke, the bard had wanted to be at the Temple for proximity to the shrine, or at least that’s what the summoner vaguely remembered. However, it was entirely possible the white-haired man’s plans had changed. Regardless, they were getting the Temple ready: as they went upstairs, his golem stayed below, laying its carpets down carefully in a corner under Loren's command.
Ah. So perhaps Loren was friends with Wessex then. Or at least, loyal enough to a crown as to make no difference. Edy and Remi had similar hangups when Zariah declared herself Queen, Jigano remembered. The people from Northwind-and-haven were so used to obeying a monarch that it seemed to be nearly a reflex to them.
"Wessex and I don't like each other much, going back at least a year," he said mildly to the question. "That, however, is between us. We are able to work together when we must." A bare-bones truth, lacking all the nuance of jealousy and blame, cold calculations and boiling tempers from LongNights past and Flowerbirths that would never come again. His voice might have been calm, but there was a hint of iron in it, warning Loren that he would not get much more from the bard on the matter. If not even Rory and Amalia were given insight into the bad feeling between Provost and Queen, people who they both claimed as family, one of Wessex's supporters was unlikely to gain such honesty.
The stairs were not exactly conducive to serious conversation anyways, not with how they had to puff and pant, especially as more of the carpet's weight ended up on Jigano's bottom-most shoulders. Condolences over the uncertain tempers of children turned to questions of plans for the near future, and the bard huffed a soft laugh. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that my reputation from last year was preceding me," he said wryly. A great many assumptions had been made about the bard due to those he had helped prepare their homes and buildings for LongNight, each assuming that he would only be fortifying a place he would personally be staying. No one had actually asked him though, and a great many had been surprised when he hadn't shown up as the last sun of the year was setting.
No one was making that mistake this year, and he was both amused and gratified by it, even if Loren didn't have the history with him that others did. "When the options offered were the Manor or the Temple, I was planning to stay at the Temple," he agreed, a hint of dry amusement in his voice. Loren knew his feelings on Zariah, and there was no need to rehash them. "But my presence has been requested at the Guild... and Rory will not leave the farm," he admitted in a lower voice, all humor fleeing. "He's survived plenty of LongNights there in his life, many of them alone. But he refuses to come back to the Temple... he almost died here, last year," he added softly. "I can understand why he doesn't want to return. In truth I would prefer to stay at the farm with him, but..." he couldn't shrug with the carpet on his shoulder, but he managed to convey the gesture with his voice. "Where I am most needed, there shall I go." For Kiada, and Ludo, and a soul lost in the dark far from Mort's embrace.
Ah. So, dislike, not insurrection or disobedience then. That was fine. ”Got it. Though Outlanders have only been here for about a year. Did you two get off on the wrong foot?” Sort of like the two men had, though that had been Loren’s fault. Then he lowered his voice. ”Wessex doesn’t like me much either. However, we also work together when we must.” Which was most of the time, it seemed like these days: it was just one crisis after another, and he hadn’t even been back that long. For everyone else, it must be unbearable.
They managed to get up the stairs, and the summoner directed them towards the far corner; they might as well do the hard parts first, while they weren’t too tired. Indeed, the summoner could already feel his arms starting to burn with the strain. It was a welcome distraction from thoughts of the coming LongNight at least. ”I don’t know about your reputation from last year.” However, the Launceleyn knew more than a little about Jigano’s plans for this year.
Loren listened to the bard’s plans without responding until the end. It seemed that all those who were venturing outside would be going to the Guild (though Kiada was still a wild card). However, when the white-haired man asked about where the summoner would be for LongNight, he sighed. ”I don't know. Wessex has requested I stay at the Temple. However...I know what you all have been asked to do at the Guild. And I don’t know where I’d be most useful.” Remi had made it clear that the Launceleyn was more liability than asset. However, the alchemist was hardly unbiased, especially when it came to Loren. So he wanted a second opinion.
Jigano couldn't help but snort his amusement at Loren's 'confession,' letting a bit more truth slip through. "Wessex doesn't like most Outlanders, if that's any consolation." His voice held dry humor rather than condemnation on that point; he didn't blame her for that part of her personality. It was the other ones that got under his skin like a flensing blade.
"Ah, I helped quite a few friends prepare various places last year," he explained belatedly, Loren's comment disproving his light-hearted joke about his own reputations. "No one asked me who I was staying with, though, and everyone assumed that since I had helped with their home or shelter, that I'd be staying with them. Foolish Outlander that I was - still am, really - I cut the last hour of the last day a bit too fine with some last-minute food-gathering and ended up too far away from the Settlement to get back to any of them in time. Ended up in a barn for the first few 'days' of the week." Miserable, terrified, listening to the monsters scratch at the sides of the barn and howl for his blood and sanity, saved only by the luxere herd that had taken up station in Rory's yard. He had no intention of repeating that mistake again!
He listened thoughtfully to the answer to his own question, hearing the conflict in Loren's voice and humming softly as he helped unroll the carpet in the corner. He took time to consider his answer, though he suspected Loren wouldn't like what he had to say. He rose to crack his back and rotate his shoulders while Loren gave his golems whatever directions they needed. "It's LongNight and you're a healer. You'll be needed everywhere," he said at last, looking at Loren soberly. "There is the chance - a very good one - that no matter where you go, your abilities will be needed both there and at the place that you are not. You probably have the most difficult choice of anyone this year." He gave the mage a tight smile, sympathetic and humorless. "Those at the Guild will be most at risk... but also know the consequences of what we will be doing, and are prepared to face them. Those at the Temple will be the ones most in need of protection, with most of the warriors at the Guild, but if all goes well - and it never does on LongNight - they shouldn't need to open any doors and will be the safest."
He paused, grimacing as memories of the previous year struck. "Then again, they said that last year, too, and the doors were opened at least half a dozen times. One of which involved saving Rory and I. Another time the doors opened, they saved Edy and Amalia. But then there were the times the door opened and people were yanked out into the dark and killed before the door could be shut again. So." He shook his head regretfully. "Even with Wessex to try and control things, it may not go as smoothly as she wants. There are no easy answers, I'm afraid."
Loren knew that part. Most Naturals felt they’d probably be better off without the Outlanders in their midst. Then again, they had been trapped in a bubble for centuries before outside people arrived, so that wasn’t exactly a great track record. Still, it seemed the two of them wouldn’t have a problem with Wessex. As the conversation shifted to last LongNight, the summoner nodded along to Jigano’s words. ”I see. Hopefully others will not have a similar experience this year.” They’d be very clear about the designated safe space, although the Launceleyn felt unsure whether the Guild would truly be safe, given what they were planning to do. "And I'm sorry you went through that."
On that subject, it seemed, the bard could not help. Sighing as they got the carpet situated—the golem had already completed its task and was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs—Loren turned to lead them back outside. ”I’m not just a healer. And there are others, at both locations, who can heal, through magic or mundane means.” Phoebe had been quite clear that the professors at the College were the equal of any magician; the summoner had his doubts about that, but he didn’t doubt she was skilled and determined. ”And I have placed my magic in both a few amulets and a few Ascended.” Not as many as he would’ve liked, and not nearly enough. He bit his lip, considering whether he should say anything else, but again, he wasn't the expert here. ”I also...well. There’s been...a development in my magic. I have no idea if it can help or not. According to Remi, it’s unlikely, but...I don’t know.” That was certainly putting it lightly, all of it.
As the bard talked about the previous LongNight, the Launceleyn shivered. ”I was shown what happened last year.” It had been horrifying, joining the litany of nightmares he already suffered from. Still, he now knew that opening the doors was incredibly dangerous, even if it might save lives. ”From what I understand, you plan to open the doors every time something or someone knocks. And...it’s a one in five chance, optimistically, that what’s on the other side might be a person. And that’s not getting into those who are planning to venture outside. Unless I am physically at the Guild, there’s only so much magic I can give you all in advance.” And that wasn’t getting into Astra, who, though small, was still a luxere. But there were also those at the Temple to consider, and the same held true there. While his heart longed to be at the Guild, and fighting in whatever way he could, he had certainly been led astray by his heart before. Unfortunately, his head didn’t have any answers either.
Loren's sympathy was unexpected but Jigano accepted it with a lopsided smile, appreciative nonetheless. "Thank you, though I brought it on myself. I'm luckier than I have any right to be to have survived as relatively uharmed as I did, given the choices I made." Others had not been so lucky, obviously. Others had nearly died because of him and the madness the monsters had kindled in him. It wasn't something he could be proud of, only thankful that no one had died - and even then, only due to Vervain's direct intervention.
Loren's words brought that into crystallization, and Jigano tilted his head at the other man, considering. "Mundane means would not have saved Amalia or Rory," he said softly. "I have some training, both from my world and from Isla here, and I can guarantee that no amount of sutures or bandages would have put them back together in time to keep their souls in their broken bodies. The medics will have their hands full, yes, but in the end it will be the magical healers who make the difference between life and death for those that cross the threshold of Guild and Temple once LongNight falls."
"Amulets?" the bard asked curiously; his time among the blighted had left him out of the amulet loop, and this was the first he had heard of them. But he did grimace faintly at the mention of 'storing magic' in Ascended. Loren had been bitten, then, leeched for his magic. It was utterly pragmatic... and absolutely abhorrent to Jigano, whose world had vampires and worse, creatures of uniformly ill intent. Blood might not have been sacred to him, but Loren's willingness to sacrifice a part of himself to give the Ascended in edge during LongNight was noble.
Possibly stupid, if some of those Ascended kept that powerful magic to use on the Voice's deadly errands in the future, but what choice did they have? They couldn't worry about the Voice until they'd survived LongNight, and Loren was doing his best to ensure that as many people made it as possible.
"What sort of development?" the bard asked, instantly curious given their previous conversations about unique magics and their mutual intent to learn more about them.
At the listing of dangers though, Jigano only shook his head with a faint smile as they headed down for the next load. "Any magic that you give is more than we had last year," he said gently. "And we'll be grateful as hell for it. Or at least, I will be." He paused thoughtfully as he grabbed another of the bigger carpets, waiting for Loren to grab the other end. "Though, if you're going to summon a Spark Bird, you'll want to do it here in the Sanctuary, where the perch is. If I remember the lessons from last year, the point of the Perch is that the Spark Bird tends to set buildings around it on fire, so the only safe place for her to land is the perch in the middle of the Sanctuary square, where there's enough stone and space that she doesn't start accidentally lighting roofs on fire."
10-14-2019, 02:55 AM (This post was last modified: 10-14-2019, 02:56 AM by Loren.)
loren
Seeing as Loren hadn’t been here last year, he couldn’t comment on whether or not Jigano’s fate had been the result of his own actions or not. Unfortunately the Launceleyn was all too aware that his own actions this LongNight would determine the fates of others. Whether or not Remi wanted to admit it or not, at least the bard was willing to acknowledge it. ”Unfortunately, I am the only one I know of who had mastered healing, who will at least be around this LongNight. In fact, I’m the only one with healing magic that I know of, other than the unicorns.” The Launceleyn had heard tell of others with healing magic, but none who would come to either the Temple or Guild. And the unicorns would be at the Guild. Which was an argument in favor of him being at the Temple, which Wessex had made. And he knew she was right about that much.
The white-haired man’s question about amulets caught the summoner off guard. He’d assumed everyone in the know (Jigano was, if nothing else, in the know) knew about them. ”Remi and Deimos can make amulets and other items that store Abandoned magic. I have an empty one at the moment.” Because of the weird incident with his magic, he’d been forced waste one of the alchemist’s precious slots of creation magic. It was similar to the Ascended’s abilities, just less messy and only for Abandoned.
On that subject, Loren had no idea what to tell Jigano. ”One of my Spark Birds...left behind a feather. So I'm fully aware of their tendency to set everything on fire.” And since then he’d been kind of nervous to try it again. However, they might not have a choice. ”My birds are just as destructive, but they’re significantly smaller. You’re right, though, I will be careful where I call upon it. Worst case, I can temporarily summon a luxere.” It wasn’t as powerful as a Spark Bird, but it shed light and wouldn’t burn down the buildings they were staying in. Emerging into the light, the Launceleyn grabbed another end, while his golem grabbed another two carpets.
