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.
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The information is concerning to say the least, and far too magical for his tastes, but Harper doesn't show it as he wrinkles his nose. "Yeah I'd definitely go stir crazy and someone would have to sedate me." Stillness for the sake of spying or waiting for a perfect strike I already annoying enough to him. Lack of motion is a surefire way for him to go crazy.
But there's bread and knowledge and friendship here, all valid ways to distract himself, and he pays sharp-eyed attention as Oliver begins imparting knowledge in a tidal wave of words. Additional races is not so confusing a topic as he would have assumed. His long term boyfriend had essentially been a type of alien. But it's still a lot to consider. "So how do you figure out what you are?" Part of him - the part he's not particularly proud of, the one shaped by his mentor who had valued humanity and the lack of magic - hopes he's not Abandoned. But it feels like an insult to his past partners, friends, teammates. Would she really blame him for making the best of it in an entirely new world?
Well it's not like she's there to tell him. Or likely ever will be. Harper stares down at his bread, takes a deep breath, and tears off another chunk.
The blonde laughed and shook his head. "Believe me, I would go as crazy as you...okay, maybe not as much as an acrobat, but you should've seen me during LongNight! I was so stressed out over being cooped up indoors that I started punching a bag of flour. Flour, Harper." He made sure to be over dramatic, clearly making fun of himself in a lighthearted manner. Oliver hardly even knew Harper and yet he already felt so comfortable around him. Hopefully things would remain that way.
The information was a lot and Oliver was surprised that Harper seemed to be taking it so well. He hadn't really asked for any more detail, or not really at least. He'd try to provide a small bit more, hopefully. "Well, I can tell you for sure that you are not an Ascended. Like I said, they're sexy vampires and you don't have any fangs." That didn't mean much for the other options. At least Oliver knew that Harper wasn't a hybrid since nobody showed up as a hybrid as far as he were aware.
"The other three are....a bit more tricky. For me it took...gods, like, a solid few weeks for me to even know that I'm an Abandoned- so I mean, you don't really have a real rush. Magic can be obvious or it can spring out of nowhere." The way he spoke was calm, gentle, but not patronizing. Like he was relaxed and at peace. Oliver understood this and he had no problem explaining it: everything was fine and that it would be okay if Harper didn't know or if Harper ended up finding out then and there. "I don't know what it's like to be an attuned, but I suggest you reach out. See if you feel something, see if you can turn into an animal...and then try?" That's kinda similar to how Loren helped him with his own magic.
Harper laughs through his mouthful, nearly choking on it which only makes him laugh harder as his fist pounds at his chest. "What did the flour ever do to you Olly?" He wheezes after he swallows down the bread, eyes bright with mirth. "It's already ground to bits, don't make it any worse!" Still the image is absolutely hilarious. Harper can't help but fondly think that Oliver likely doesn't have the best fighting form. Has trained too many youngsters to wonder if he tucked his thumb beneath his fingers, or threw too wide. Finds himself wishing he'd been there, and missing his trainees even more.
But if there's one thing Harper is good at - besides acrobatics, beating people up, and having a great ass - it's compartmentalizing. Though that's a nice term for knowing how to distinctly ignore negative emotions to avoid having them show on his face or distract him. "Hey, so you're saying I'm not sexy?!" He throws a little pebble near his shoe at Oliver, grinning even despite his outrage.
"Well...I think I'll let it come when it comes. I'm not too worried about it, I'm still me regardless. What can you tell me about these gods though?" He diverts the conversation away from races, not wanting to explore the potential with Oliver there. He adores the young man, but some scars are simply too deep.
Oliver started to laugh when Harper was choking on the bread. Probably not the best thing- but it was kinda funny. He made him laugh! All by telling him about his miserable experience with trying to fight a sack of flour. "I don't know, he just kept staring at me." He laughed and shook his head, letting out a sigh. "To be real with you, I just wanted to get some energy out, seemed like the best option." There was a shrug. It did ended up working out as Oliver let out a LOT of pent up energy during the session.
The blonde retaliated and overreacted, behaving as though Harper had done a horrible thing. He let out a dramatic gasp and placed a hand over his heart. "I would never suggest such a thing!" His act dropped and he grinned. "Okay...should've been more specific. When they drink your blood, it makes both you and them feel pleasure." They were both adults, so Harper should be able to handle this information...decently well. Oliver had to do everything in his power to not blush...so maybe he's a little bit immature.
Oliver noticed the diversion, but of course he didn't push it at all. Harper had just arrived, he had time to open up and be more honest. "That's a safe option, really." And with that, off to the next topic!
"So...there's New Gods and Old Gods. First the Old Gods. There's three that are the big ones: Rae, Vi, and Morte. Then there's three minor ones, Frey, Safrin, and Ludo. They each represent something. The minor ones will sometimes even make an appearance. You can pray to them and leave them offerings in hopes of guidance or assistance." Then he waited, allowing Harper to think of any questions. The New Gods...Oliver knew very little about. In fact, he could only remember the Voice despite him knowing there were at least two of them.
Harper quirks an interested brow, suddenly looking at Oliver in a different light as he readjusts his legs. "Do you fight in a general sense?" A bit off topic, but Harper knows how deceiving appearances can be. His own darker history concealed by his bright smile. Perhaps Oliver is the same, and they can spar together? He can already tell he's going to get rusty fast if he doesn't find a partner.
He waggles his brows impishly at Oliver when he reveals the pleasure of the bite of these Ascended folks. "That's definitely a lot more convenient. And a lot less messy!" Blood from a bite is certainly easier to clean than various...secretions. Probably a lot less exhausting too. But Gods are marginally more interesting as a conversational topic than sex, and he forces himself to ve serious and pay attention. Though he nonetheless wrinkles his nose a tad by the end. "That sounds...awful. No offense. I'd never want to have to worry about a God hating me and ruining my life."
The question is understandable, especially when Oliver knew that many people came from militaristic backgrounds. Possibly Harper was one of those? Oliver wouldn't ask him, rather, he'd wait to see if Harper felt comfortable enough to share that bit about him. With a small laugh, Oliver smiled at him. "Honestly. nope! But, I'm willing to learn. Hell, I want to learn. It's the best way to keep you safe. There's monsters and shit trying to kill us, so it's best to learn how to fight." Harper did seem to have muscles, so hey, maybe he worked out. "If you wanna practice once you're healed up, sure, but I cant teach you, not at all." Hey, he's an honest guy! But Oliver is always down for some good quality practice fighting.
The response from Harper only makes Oliver blush as he looks away slightly. "Yes, it's for sure very convenient." Harper didn't need to know so soon about Oliver's first encounter with an Ascended. Maybe in a bit more private of a place, Oliver would be willing to share, but not when onlookers could eavesdrop.
Harper's next response earns a frown from Oliver. Not in disappointment, but almost in agreement. "Yeah...it's even harder when you're an abandoned. Some people view the abandoned as cursed, hell, people become abandoned by being cursed...but there's nothing wrong if you're an abandoned. The gods work in odd ways...and it'll be okay. I'm sure of it. Once you feel comfortable, you can visit a shrine if you'd like. I'd offer to go with you, but as an abandoned, I probably will make it harder for you to get an audience." His voice is calm, quiet. It's obvious Oliver has dealt a lot with internal emotions with the gods and it's hard to hide his sorrow. The Irishman hoped that Harper wouldn't notice, as he was soon trying to change to a much more upbeat tone.
"Oh yeah! Aside from the gods, there's stuff you can do here. Like you saw, there are merchants, but there's so much more. I bet once you get that arm checked out, you'll be finding your place in no time." Yeah, he was distracting from his depressed emotions, but he was also complimenting Harper in a way. The man was so charismatic so surely, he'd find the perfect place for him in no time. "You didn't hear it from me...but a fellow named Bastien would probably love to have an acrobat join his guild. He told me he wanted to start putting on shows again."
"At least you're honest!" Harper laughs softly, popping another piece of bread in his mouth. "It used to practically be my job, training people to fight at pretty intense levels. If you ever want to train with me, just let me know okay?" The sincerity of his gaze seems to promise that Oliver would be more than safe in Harper's capable hands if he so chose to pursue lessons with the former assassin.
As he finishes his bread - finally quieting the grumbles of his stomach from hours left unsatiated - he friend, flicking crumbs off his pants to keep himself busy. "That's what I don't get. We don't get a choice when we come here, and where I'm from - though I've never met a god there, only metahumans and demigods - the idea is that they're supernaturally kind and free of human flaws like us." Lifting his gaze to Oliver's he gives an apologetic look. Understanding how it feels to be shunned for something you can control. How people had looked at the blood on his hands, acquired before he even hit his teens, and didn't care to try to understand how it had happened. Different, but relatable enough. "It's certainly not a priority for me, but thank you for offering." It's probably safer for Oliver that way anyway. He's likely to get himself cursed with his big mouth and strong opinions.
The change in topic he is happy to allow, and brightens at the idea of putting on shows again. Something he'd never allowed himself to even consider with a city to protect. The lack of responsibility here is throwing him off kilter, but perhaps it's more freeing than he first expected. "I'll have to hunt him down! And someone to build me some equipment!" Couldn't put on a show without a trapeze, or a tightrope, or any other manner of items to assist in death defying acts.
Oh, so Harper was a teacher. And not just any teacher: someone who taught combat. Deimos would hopefully be strongly interested, seeing as he was the General of their...army? Militia? Whatever the hell it was. "Well, I can promise you Harper, I will absolutely come to you for training." Then there was a dramatic pause. "After you are healed back up. How's about this, next time we see each other, if I'm not dead exhausted, then we can train. Or well, you can teach me and I can make you feel better." He laughs and holds out his hand, as though he were offering the man the deal of a life time.
Oliver noticed how quickly Harper had finished off his bread and held out his half, which had hardly been eaten. Obviously, he was offering it up to Harper. "Yeah...I mean, it's not great. All you can do is try to look at it in an optimistic way. I mean...I have magic that I can hopefully learn to use to help others. Maybe my telekinesis can be used to build things faster. Transport things. Something great. If we live a life filled with negativity, can we ever truly be happy?" Wow. Someone got deeply poetic for absolutely no reason. All Oliver was trying to say was that he looked at the little, happy things in order to show that not all was lost: there was still good in this world.
Now that's the spirit Oliver wanted to see. "Just find a place to put it and then make a posting on the Notice Board. You write down where and when and soon enough, people will be willing to help ya build it! Some abandoned people can make things appear, which you can use as resources. Go to Remi or Deimos for that kinda stuff." Oh yeah, speaking of Deimos, Oliver should probably bring back up the whole training thing.
"Honestly, it'd probably be a good idea for you to meet up with Deimos and stuff. He's our General so he'd love to have you help train some people...if that's something you're interested in doing." Oliver knew that he'd be very strongly interested in learning from Harper how to fight and defend himself, so surely Deimos would enjoy having Harper around.
"You'll find that people here...are nice. Like you saw, people are willing to help you out. People like Bastien value the arts, especially performance art. The Artists Guild could always be a great place for you, if performances are what you want to do here. They can also help you learn other kinds of art as well." There's a smile to him as he speaks. Acrobatic stuff clearly brought Harper joy, Oliver could see it in his eyes.
Harper's grin is part predator and part charm as he clasps hands with Oliver and shakes firmly. "I can be a tough teacher, but if you're up for it then you've got yourself a deal." Harper is a big proponent of having a body be a weapon unto itself. Oliver would probably want to murder him with the physical training Harper would encourage and enforce throughout learning actual hand-to-hand skills. He fondly recalls his kids laying around in lumps on the floor, groaning pathetically and sweating profusely as they cursed his name. Good times.
A shake of his head is all he gives when Oliver continues speaking, smiling a quick thanks as he rips the offered bread in half and goes to hand one side back. No sense in taking more than he needs though he appreciates the kindness. "It's not something I'm inclined to linger on. It's one of my personal missions in life to be as sincerely happy as I can. If they don't bother me, I won't bother them." Which is code for: I'm going to eventually put my nose where it doesn't belong and get turned inside out into some weird meat-puppet person by the Gods. But Oliver doesn't need to know that.
After that there are a few more names to recall later, and though he's still blown away by the selfless nature of everyone here, he can't help but be a bit touched by it. "I wish people had been this kind back home. It's still strange to even consider it." But he will, if only to give Oliver a chance to hopefully prove himself right. "Anything else you think I should know, oh wise one?" Because he can't refrain from teasing for very long.
That look in Harper's eyes...damn. "I'd like to see how tough you are. I'm down. Next time you see me, ask. More than likely, I'll be available and down." Oliver speaks confidently, but also a bit challenging. Like he's testing Harper, pushing him to see just how far he's willing to go. Oliver isn't exactly sure what the other man has in store, but just judging by the way he spoke and the many visual things Oliver had picked up on: this was going to be great.
Once Harper had ripped off the portion of bread he wanted, Oliver resumed with taking a bite out of his now much smaller piece. He was fine and had a stable source of food. Until Harper got to a place he could rest, the same most likely wouldn't be the same. Harper's safety and hunger was far more important to Oliver. "There ya go then. I really....I really like that life mission. It's a good one to live by. Be as happy as you can and honestly, it'll make others happy as well. I know you've already made my day." The look in Oliver's eyes shows how honest he really is being, as is the smile on his face. Oliver meant every word that he said and more.
"I hope that this can prove to be a nice place for you, then." It hurt Oliver to know that Harper might not have lived a happy life prior to this, only motivating him even more to make this new life even better for the other man. Oliver knew that there was much he could do to help Harper and there was nothing holding him back from carrying out each of those things. Harper deserved happiness and Oliver would make sure of it. It wasn't that he was picking favorites, he really would help out anyone who appeared at the Spire, he just happened to run into Harper on this faithful day.
Oh yeah. Helping him out. "Ah well, you know how you said people are really nice here? Some people are dicks. Like, major ones. I personally haven't really met any, but some people are like super stubborn and rude. There's one that I've heard of and yeesh, she hasn't been seen in a long time. Just uh...be careful I guess?" Oliver didn't want Harper to think everyone was all happy and constantly nice, but he also didn't want Harper to think that everyone was rude. Honestly, there were far more kind people than rude ones.
"Honestly, there is more you should know? But how about you tell me more about yourself. This is now a free time for you to ask questions, let out whatever you want to say. Hell, you can even ask me questions about myself if you really want." Open floor time? Open floor time.
Harper's grin is sharp and promising. "Well you know I'm a performer, I'll be happy to show you just how tough I am." He'd go easy on him, and he knows that about himself, but Harper has put enough young excited kids on their backs to know that it usually doesn't deter them. Hopefully it would only encourage Oliver to continue training, instead of making him feel bad about the disparity between them.
He smiles as he swallows down another piece of bread. Carbs will only keep him moving for so long, but it's good fuel for the energy he's always burning. "I'm really glad to hear that Ollie." Making someone's day is no small feat to Harper, and the sincerity is appreciated. He feels quite the same. Oliver has been the best introduction to Caido that Harper could have gotten. Though the warning only gets a small wry smile and a nod. "Oh trust me, I know how terrible people can be. It was par for the course back home. But I'll keep an eye out." Although Harper is definitely the type to stick his nose where it doesn't belong, so that promise likely has a very short life.
The rest of the bread disappears swiftly, and Harper leans back on his palms with a contented sigh. There is so much to know, and yet he doesn't even know where to start. "What if we exchange questions? Talking about yourself is difficult," he laughs, not even knowing what he would say about himself that Oliver would even care to hear about. "What's your favorite color?" Ah, the most traditional question of all.
Oliver looks at Harper in the eyes, his face showing just how ready he was to try this. Harper had no idea what he was getting himself into. "I may not be that strong, but I have some other things going for me." It didn't take a genius to notice Oliver was much smaller than Harper, which could be a good thing. Oliver believed himself to be very nimble and quick on his feet. something that must obviously be harder for someone as tall and muscular as Harper. While Harper might excel in strength, Oliver could always win simply thanks to his size. Of course, he had no idea that Harper had plans of going easy on him.
The smile on Oliver's face remains. It's nice to know that his words hopefully brought happiness to Harper. But damn did he really need a nice nickname for the other man. Yeah, he could use 'Harp' but was that really catchy? Did it even work? Harper continued to speak and Oliver's smile slowly started to drop. "I'm...I'm sorry people were unkind to you back at home..." His voice trailed off as he remembered something important. Far more important than mean people, but had he mentioned it already? He had been so distracted by how happy Harper made him feel that he couldn't even remember all the sad things he had mentioned. "There's worse things than bad people...there's monsters. I couldn't tell you them all, I haven't even seen one with my own eyes. Best to keep a weapon on you when you go out alone." Hah. Like he even did that himself. Still, his eyes and voice were laced with care. The two might've just met, but Oliver did not want to find out that the man had died so soon, it'd be horrible.
The mood was brightened once more, thankfully. Harper had a point, talking about yourself could be difficult, but maybe it was him avoiding his past. Oh well, Oliver wouldn't push too much. "Well, I'd say my favorite color is either navy or burgundy." It's hard to pick colors, but Oliver was a fan of deep colors, even if they may not look so great on him.
"I'll ask two, since the first one will be easy. What's your favorite color and....what's your favorite dessert." There were somethings Oliver did want to know, however, he didn't think they'd exactly fit the mood. They'd be a bit too lout of left field.
"Can't wait to see it," he promises, practically salivating at the idea of real hand-to-hand exercise. He's not an arrogant man, but he's confident in his skills after so many years of intense training. Perhaps he can help Oliver learn a few tricks.
Harper waves away the apology with a twist of his hand and a warm, understanding smile. "Thank you, but it's fine. I don't regret living there, and helping the people I did." It was what had led to him taking to the streets at night, protecting the people of his city and helping out away the seemingly endless stream of corrupt individuals. "It wasn't common, but there was magic and monsters alike back home. Thank you for warning me." He doesn't want to bring up the fact that he's used to taking them down. Doesn't want to tempt that line of questioning. There's also so much to consider with how battle here is different, with the prevalence of magic in regular beings.
Harper files away the information, happy to know the littler things that make up Oliver. "Hmmm...blue, of any shade. Close second probably yellow." But favorite dessert? That's a little harder to make a decision on, and he bites his lip as he considers. "Oh man, I have such a sweet tooth that's hard. Probably a chocolate lava cake?" Hot, gooey, sweet, and with cake. A perfect dessert. "Do you have any hobbies aside from taking strays around town?"
There's a wink and Oliver looks away slightly, obviously at least trying to be a bit flirty. Or something. "Can't wait to show you." Ah yes, show Harper how he will fall flat on his ass. Already he had struggled a bit with fighting others. Once he had to deal with a dude making out with a staff and the other time he had to punch a unicorn, which promptly knocked him over. Both had clearly ended fantastically with him flat on his ass...or at least on the ground. Where the hell did this much confidence come from? Especially when Oliver knew full and well that he sucked at combat.
Harper had clearly led a life that Oliver would most likely never fully know. All he knew so far was that his city wasn't the greatest, he was an acrobat, and that he had learned to fend for himself. There was most likely a bunch of bad things, but Oliver wasn't sure if he wanted to know about it. Mostly out of worry for the man's sake. Only if Harper brought it up would Oliver speak about it. Otherwise...that shit is just rude. Part of Oliver wants to reach for Harper's hand, show him that he's here for him...but Oliver stops himself. That doesn't stop his hand from twitching and his body from leaning forward ever so slightly. "I'm here for you if you need help with adjusting....I can tell you've done so many great things and I know you'll continue to do great things here...you're not alone Harper." That wasn't at all what Oliver meant to say, but it kind of just slipped out. A jumble of words that Oliver wasn't even sure made sense.
Blue isn't as surprise, nor is yellow. Harper seems like the kinda guy to like blue and yellow. Both bright and fitting of his personality. Now, chocolate lava cake? Oliver had no idea what that was. Was it a cake filled with chocolate? A cake in the shape of a volcano? He'd have to consult a baker, maybe that Amalia. Surely, someone could recreate it for Harper-
Woah, what the fuck Oliver. Chill. He's already so invested, no need to get this deep into the dude. Maybe it's just Oliver seeing a piece of himself in Harper that causes him to be this...odd. To see someone else who had just arrived and to have a want to make the other man feel comfortable and safe. It's weird as hell and Oliver doesn't like it. Weird feelings.
Good thing he can distract those thoughts with the next question! "Hobbies? Man...honestly, kinda? I don't know. Hard to remember any hobbies I used to have, but nowadays I kinda just draw or sketch. I mean, I also help...a lot. I need stuff to do since I don't like just sitting around. I want to help...so whenever I see a post anywhere asking for help...I just have to go and help." Oliver wouldn't call himself a hero, no. Nor someone who is great. He's just a bored dude who cant stand sitting on his ass doing absolutely nothing.
He hums to himself, his eyebrows scrunching as he thinks. "How about....gods I don't wanna keep asking for your favorite things. Tell me your favorite childhood memory...? If that's okay. If not then how about your favorite animal." There's a pause between the first and second questions. He realizes that what he has asked for could be wrong, unacceptable. Surely, that's pushing way too many boundaries.
