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!
Just as Delphia cares little about the rigidity of life, so you care little about the hand-holding and coddling that occurs in death. What she tells you does sound strange, but then again, the realm of death is strange. There are all sorts of maladies and madness' that could cause similar reactions; nothing about this concretely speaks of an inorganic presence.
"When were Kai and I here last?" You ask, wanting to change the subject to something that you find marginally interesting.
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
”About a year ago.” she said with a bit of a shrug. ”You were not here very long, just passing through.” she said with a small smile as she continued then, back towards the place where Arduinna’s remains still stood. ”Is Kai as bubbly as ever?” she asked, curious about the other twin. It seemed odd to her that the two were separated. But she herself spent most of her time alone, so she supposed that even Oia needed some time away to herself.
Through a warping of time and distance, as if the trees of the Greatwood bent to the wishes of the children of the gods or the narrator simply wished to hurry things along due to impatience the edge of the wood gave way to the clearing in which the Fae’s blighted form stood. ”That is the sacrificed Fae, Arduinna.” she said quietly, brows furrowing a bit.
You file this information away. A year. What else was missing? And why was that particular bit of knowledge gone? Was it because the Woods were so close to the Grounds that Rae felt the need to remove it? "Gratitude." You say, belatedly, before raising a brow at the mention of Kai being bubbly. "He is not, nor has he ever, been compromised of bubbles. Or carbonated. Or otherwise overly gaseous." Well. That wasn't strictly true, but it didn't seem relevant just now.
Staring at the charred remains and the strange shrine left around it, you pull out your book and take a few notes. "What is the purpose of this. If her spirit is gone to Mort, why continue to acknowledge her decaying physical form here?"
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
”Accepted” Delphia responded with ease as they continued to walk. But Oia’s response caught her off-guard, and she stared at her for a moment as she decoded the miscommunication. Upon realizing it, she laughed lightly and shook her head. ”I did not mean literally. Descriptively, his personality was effervescent, light, lively – bubbly.” she said, explaining it with patience. ”Or very happy and energetic.”
Delphia remained on the edges of the shrine. It made her uncomfortable really. Not because Arduinna had died and her body remained, but because the shrine had been created by the hands of Vi and Rae. As much as she loved them, her existence was along a different path. ”I am not certain why. It is possible she contains the blight, as the barrier once contained the Voice. Rae would likely know the purpose.” she said with a light shrug.
"Why not say that?" You ask, and you do genuinely mean it. You hate metaphors and analogies. You had flowery language; it's all so horribly confusing and you really aren't sure what is gained by saying something that isn't what you mean, with the hopes that others will somehow figure out what you did mean.
Eyeing the shrine, you begin to take rapid notes about it. "Sacrifices are rarely required." You point out. On this, you know that Rae has no opinion, or Vi. Once lives were created Vi was happy to let them go, and for their part, Rae was too. It was only Mort who tried to ensure that all lives had an appropriate ending.
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
”Because it is one word, rather than five, I suppose.” Delphia said, shrugging a bit. ”I will try to be more precise with my words in the future.” she said with a small smile, happy to comply with Oia’s preference for directness. It didn’t bother her any either way.
Delphia hadn’t particularly considered that, her head tilting in thought at Oia’s words. ”I suppose it is possible that it was to appease Mort. An entire wood should have died after all, not to mention the number of people too. Arduinna was a particularly powerful Fae with a strong affinity for the Greatwood. I believe my father would have considered her life an appropriate trade for the lives of this place.” she said after a time, brows furrowing. She hadn’t seen Mort in some time, so she didn’t know for certain. Regardless, she hardly considered it a sacrifice. Die and go live in Mort’s realm? Surrounded by his love and peace? That was hardly a sacrifice if you asked her.
It is one word rather than five, yes that is true. But you can't really understand how that makes it better; not when the one word was not just misleading, but false. "Appreciation."
"If it should have died, then it should have been left to die." You say. On this you absolutely take after Rae. "Nature does not require trades. It will always prevail. All of these trees will die one day, and so will those within the Greatwood. Prolonging it arbitrarily does not seem worthy of a sacrifice."
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
Delphia hummed, understanding Oia’s sentiment. She didn’t understand herself why people would wish not to die. Mort was the most loving and forgiving of all the gods. He was love, incarnate, an emotion that mortals near and far chased but only ever tasted whispers of. And yet…
”Love is blinding to humans and Fae alike. They will fight to preserve that which they love for even a day more, even if it means they themselves die.” Delphia said softly, tucking her hands into the pockets of her oversized sweater. ”This too, is my father’s doing. But for all that mortals love life and that which nature grows, they’ve yet to learn to love it’s fitting end.” she said, turning her head to smile sadly at Oia. ”I suggest you not seek to find logic in it. The pieces required to make it sensible are not within reach of most people.”
"Love is a distraction." Though you're nodding along, because you do agree with Delphia. They will fight and die for love, and you think that it's all incredibly wasteful. "There is not logic in it." You add, raising a brow at your counterpart. Mort's realm was not one of logic, but of feelings and warmth and eternal happiness. It sounded endlessly boring to you.
"I am not most people. I am Oia'i'o." You remind her, as apparently she's forgotten this.
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
”It can be.” Delphia agreed in part. For most people, it was. Their grasp on its true nature was so tenuous that it required near their entire person to maintain with even a very few people. ”But life is difficult. The distraction of love is a blessing to those who require it.” The daughter of Rae would be hard pressed to sway the daughter of Mort of this notion. It was part of the very fabric of her person as the child of the grantor of such an emotion.
But she didn’t fault Oia for her view of it either. It was a view she could be very empathetic towards.
She laughed a little are her sort-of-cousin’s statement, nodding a bit. ”This is true. If anyone can find logic in the flawed semblance of love that others feel, it would be you.” she said fondly.
Thus, the daughter of Mort would be hard-pressed to sway the daughter of Rae.
However at Delphia's laughter, you tilt your head quizzically as you run through the list of reasons Kai has given you for causing laughter. Usually you're not intending to cause it, so a joke is out. You wonder if you've inadvertently said something funny? Though..that seems improbable. "Sarcasm?" You decide on, though there is a note of uncertainty in your voice.
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
Sarcasm? Delphia shook her head, smiling at Oia warmly. "Enjoyment. Appreciation. Surprise. You are...you. Without apology. That makes me happy." she said with a little nod. Of course, Delphia loved everyone, but certain people and moments stood out in particular. Everyone was unique in some way, but Oia's shone with the brightness of the sun. It was an honor to bask in the glow of Rae's creation if even for the briefest of moments.
"So how will you find Frey's Friend?" she asked, tilting her head at Oia.
"It is impossible for me to be anyone else. I am the only one for whom "I am Oia'i'o." is true." You reply, unsure why Delphia is smiling. If not for sarcasm then something else. You wish Kai were here to translate these muscle twitches into something you can understand.
"I will post your description on the notice board in the Temple." You reply. As for the success of this you have absolutely no idea, but it is a start. Though the Greatwood is not necessarily within the scope of your report, you are curious to know about the blight.
Seeing death as the end of life
Is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean
"Mmmm...but there are many people who pretend to be someone they are not. That you do not is unique and refreshing." she said softly. She was sure that such people would endlessly confuse her sort-of-cousin. For one so honest and frank about their own person, and simultaneously so analytical and cold-cut in their view of the world, such small deceptions would probably be frustrating at best. It was the most naturally unnatural traits of humanity after all.
A notice in the Temple? Her head tilted slightly, once more listening for any whispers or insights from those spirits who roamed farther than she ever did. "There is...a corridor. At the end are large wooden doors with heavy handles...It is a place of learning. I would look there." she said, gaze growing distant again. It was difficult, when the spirits she connected to did not speak with words, but through pictures and symbols. It lent itself to innaccuracy, though over the years she had learned to interpret a few that appeared with regularity.
