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!
"What if they do not care to go to Mort's realm?" Morgan asked, more as a thought experiment than anything else. She didn't care about the souls of the Ascended, didn't care about whether or not access to Mort's realm was easy...but she couldn't help but wonder if the Gods allowed choice in this matter. "What if any soul wished to stay here, on Caido? Like the one you just helped -- if he wanted to remain?"
Delphia seemed (creepily) happy about dying; Morgan found it unsettled her. "I see. Well. You seem busy. Shall I leave you to your work?"
She hummed in thought but shook her head slowly. "Souls do not wish to stay in this realm without purpose. That man was held here by concern for his family. I have seen souls waiting for their loved ones to pass, so they might greet Mort together. But when you die, you know you no longer belong here. It is uncomfortable and disconcerting." she explained, gesturing out towards the water. "They are not like these spirits. They have always exisited in this plane, hovering between life and death, not quite gods nor demons, neither alive or dead. They stay because it is where they belong. Does this make sense?" she asked, curious if it made sense to someone else.
But the suddenness with which she wished to go was... familiar. Her expression softened, but her eyes were filled with melancholy. "I've made you uncomfortable." she said. Not a question. A statement. This was not the first nor last time she would encounter such discomfort in her presence.
"I see. Yes, it makes sense. To be dead in the world of the living is likely disconcerting, just as I would not like to be alive in the land of the dead." While she still wasn't totally sure her soul would want to go to Mort (was there some other third option...?), she could see why a spirit of a dead citizen would not wish to stay on Caido.
The directness that Delphia used when stating the obvious was surprising, though Morgan actually found it quite refreshing; it paused her steps way. "...Yes. Most people are not so content when discussing their own deaths. Even I, who have fought many times and come close to it, do not revel in the idea of my final moments." Who could? It meant no more goals to achieve, no more mountains to climb, ideas to conquer; just an eternal, boring rest.
Delphia laughed, a haunted, echoey sort of sound. "Indeed, to walk amongst the dead would be very disconcerting for a living person." More so than the Captain likely realized. But she was one with the spirits of this place. Perhaps her encounters with them had taught her more than the demi-goddess gave her credit for. But she wouldn't get to think on it long, as the conversation became all too familiar.
She hummed, eyes casting out over the frozen water again, sadness shining clear in them despite her calm expression. For a moment she was silent, before sighing quietly. "I have already died once." she explained quietly, a slight shrug of her shoulder. "Mort placed my soul in the womb of my mother so I might have a second chance at life. I have already lived far longer than I was ever intended to." she said, turning to smile sadly at Morgan. "Death and I are inextricable, it is what gave me life. And it is why many, such as yourself, are uncomfortable with my presence. I had hoped though that..." she paused, humming as she shook her head. "It does not matter. I am glad to have met you, and sorry I made you uncomfortable."
Morgan did not mention it, not one for a lot of glib comments, but she idly thought that sometimes being among the well-to-do of Halo was not dissimilar to walking among the dead. Nothing behind their eyes, no care for life left.
"..I see." Was all she could say to Delphia's rather bizarre story of how she came to be; Morgan was not sure how truthful it was, but she was not going to expend her time and energy trying to find it out. "You do not need to apologise. It is not your responsibility to make me comfortable about your existence. Still, I believe I should leave."
Delphia smiled a little, the sad look still clear in her eyes. She was used to this sadness, used to the odd looks and stares and whispers - it was why she much preferred the Fae who did not hold against her the oddities of her being. She had hoped Morgan would perhaps extend the same understanding, spiritual as she was. But clearly she had been mistaken, and she was just as unnerved by her as even her own kin were.
"Of course. I shan't keep you longer." she said, glancing behind Morgan, eyes narrowing slightly as she stared off into the distance. "A small group of young male Ursurs are prowling about the main path to the citadel. I would suggest you take the long way around." she said, hearing the whispered warnings of the spirits laying dormant in the ice.
Morgan looked behind her at Delphia's warning; unlike the previous statement this one did not unnerve her. She had often listened to the spirits warnings herself, after all, knew how to read the whispers that could come through the wind and waves. "Thank you. I will be cautious." Ursurs were not so much of a worry, when you knew how to handle them, but it was still better to avoid them when she could. Besides, the longer walk would give her a while to think on what she had learnt.
"I wish you well, then." Nodding she took a step back then turned to walk around to the Citadel, unsure of what to make of the daughter of Mort.
