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!
As Amun stepped through the portal from the Hollowed Ground to Torchline, he couldn’t help but grin. Everything, from the bright colors, to the scent of brine in the air, to the folks passing by screamed of familiarity to him in a way the rest of Caido never had. Of course, it was night, so the people still out and about were slightly rough around the edges.
However, the potter had acquired a cutlass, and in his boots, loose shirt, and shorts, he looked like a native. That proved to be quite useful, as it didn’t take long for him to acquire directions to Rainbow Road. He’d brought Clemente and Nate along for this particular little adventure, and so he led them ahead. ”Thanks again for coming.” Amun’s voice was cheerful, a far cry from his moping earlier this season.
Luckily, he still had his pickaxe and pack from last time he’d gone mining. So he led them confidently in the direction the local had indicated, whistling a jaunty shanty. It didn’t take long for them to come across the absolutely breathtaking display that was the Rainbow Road. Indeed, it was so beautiful that he had to stop and stare for a moment, eyes glittering with joy.
01-29-2020, 03:15 AM (This post was last modified: 02-03-2020, 04:31 AM by Nate.)
– NATE –
Nate was looking for any excuse to get out of the Hollowed Grounds for a time, and while he already had one, another couldn't hurt. Amun's invitation could not have come at a better time, and could not have been accepted more readily. He's heard a lot about Torchline, what to expect, and yet all the preparation in the world couldn't have prepared him for what he stepped out into.
In direct opposition to their overly prepared leader, Nate is dressed much the same as he always is. Dark, tighter than necessarily required. He's left his jacket behind, keeping his arms bare in the safety of night, though he has a bag with a dark cloak, and a pickaxe. Better to be prepared. "You pretty chipper." Nate comments easily, the moodiness of the other attuned still fresh in his mind from their last mining adventure.
The attitude change makes for a nicer walk to where they're headed at least, Nate asking after Clem's carving as they walked. The words die on his lips as the world around them seems to explode in colour, every thing suddenly painted. He licks his lips, then leans towards Amun, not looking away from the landscape. "What did you say we were here for again?"
Clem has come to hope for many things since his arrival in Caido. So many of his struggles to do something as simple as survive had been fixed in him upon his arrival. He'd never had so much time on his hands, especially with no need to sleep. He'd never expected to receive the one thing he'd never dared to actually hope for, even before Caido: a family. But he has one at last, and there is no sweeter or purer joy than knowing that all he has to do is cry out for one of them and they will be there. Finally, after everything he has been through, Clemente's not alone anymore.
So when Amun asks for his help, there's pretty much no other response but 'yes'. Especially once he finds out Nate is accompanying them. Yes he has forgotten what they're doing - thank The Voice that Nate asks first so he can avoid that - but does it really matter? He's here, he's ready to do dumb shit (or whatever Amun asks of him).
At least the view is spectacular. "Wowza," Clem says stupidly as he gazes about. He didn't even know nature could do shit like this. Wild.
Amun grinned and gestured at their surroundings. Even at night, the area was beautiful. ”What’s not to be chipper about? We opened a new region, it’s actually nice, and The Voice gave me my hand back.” Indeed, he began whistling cheerfully as they walked further down the gray and rainbow area.
"Wowza is right, I agree." The words were bright. However, at Nate's question, the potter glanced at the doctor. "We are here because The Voice said if I wanted a boat, I'd have to collect a few things, preferably with my fellow Ascended." Amun came to a stop and lowered his pack to the ground. "And one of those thing was rock from the Rainbow Road." With that, he picked up his pickaxe and swung it at the nearest chunk of grey stone.
”What, you weren’t a fan of the ice and snow?” Nate laughs back, somewhat half heartedly. He’s still too distracted by the place they’re in to give his full attention to anything but their surroundings. Even as he began to trail after Amun, he wasn’t paying attention, at least not until he stumbled on a piece of slick rock.
Nate meets Amun’s glance as his question is answered, his brow quirking up in confusion. ”She wants you to get some rocks, for a boat?” The attempt to find the connection is clear on his face, as is the moment where he gives up and shrugs, lifting his pick axe to his shoulder as he did. ”At least it’s simple.” He laughs, bringing the axe down into his own bit of stone.
"Nice until the sun blows us up," he snarks playfully, though perhaps a bit off color for the conversation. Not that Clem can read things like that, death jokes are one of his favorite genres of playfulness. Mortality had always been a looming weight, and now they're practically invincible so long as they don't go out without sunscreen.
The explanation behind their presence makes Clem snort a small laugh through his nose. "A boat made of rock doesn't sound smart," he cackles under his breath as he toes at the rocks beneath them, still intrigued. Not that he doubts The Voice's abilities in any way, but he simply can't let any opportunity pass by to give Amun hell. At least Nate seems to think the same from his comment, and Clem shoots him an impish grin full of fangs. Seems like Amun picked the worst crew for this excursion.
Amun grinned at Nate’s teasing comment. ”Well, it's not so much that I dislike the ice and snow, since I can't really feel it, as much as I vastly prefer the sun, sand, and sea." Winking at the doctor, the potter was pleased when his swing broke off a decent chunk of rock. He tossed it into his pack, then lifted the pickaxe again, not really knowing how much he needed to bring to The Voice.
As both Nate and Clem made the same joke, Amun chuckled, the sound dark and low. "What, do you doubt our goddess? Good thing I have faith enough for all of us." Then he waggled his eyebrows. "Plus, some rocks can float, I'll have you know. And she asked me to get some Hels as well, so clearly she's got a plan." With that, he swung again.
Nate met the potters eye, his brow quirked as he looked towards the night sky. ”Too bad about not being able to enjoy the sun then.” He pointed out, laughing a little at Clem’s ‘blowing up’ addition. At least only one of them actually said it so bluntly this time.
”What? There’s no doubt, we’re not doubting, right kid?” He turned back to face Clem for back up, faux insult on his face that barely lasted long enough for him to get through his words. The pick axe came down again, freeing more rock chunks, which Nate toed at curiously. He didn’t think these were the kind of rocks that floated. {aay}”What do you want a boat for anyway?”
Not one to be outdone, Clem swings clumsily at the rock, trying to implement the instruction Nate had given him when he'd learned to cut down trees. It's satisfying work, and as always pleasant to not have to huff and wheeze with a broken down body as he does it. Amun's preference for Torchline makes him huff a laugh to himself. "Only cuz there are so many more victims for ya to flirt with here, geezer." It's a gentle ribbing, followed up by a fanged grin at the older Ascended. Clemente prefers Halo himself, despite the dangerous roaming beasts. Far quieter, and not being able to feel the cold is way cooler than not being able to feel the sun.
Clem gives his best innocent face, wide-eyed and blinking as Nate turns to him for support. "Doubt? No doubt here!" It melts almost immediately into a mischief-filled grin, swinging his pickaxe once more. "Just thinkin' maybe she's gonna make ya a rock boat to send ya to the bottom of th' sea. Can't talk that way." Why Amun brought him knowing he'd get nothing but sass is beyond him, but it's not his problem.
Amun just smirked at Nate and Clemente's comments. "I can enjoy the sun just fine." The potter shot the youngest Ascended an amused look. "Hey, I don't hear them complaining. Just you." It was playfully teasing, and Amun picked up the piece of rock he loosened with an easy grin.
"Sureeeeee." He glanced between Clemente and Nate, mischief in the potter's eyes. "Good thing we don't need to breathe, then." Actually, that idea caused him to glance towards the ocean with a speculative expression on his face.
He looked back at the doctor's question. "Have you ever been sailing? If not, then I'd be happy to introduce you to the pleasures of it." Amun was mostly joking with the flirtatious tone.
Then water erupted from nearby. He turned to watch as the geyser went off, eyes wide.
This really was a far cry from his last mining expedition with Amun. Nate was laughing, not just at himself, but at everything, the easy, relaxed mood, the teasing, the ribbing. The way Clemente immediately started working with him, doubling down on the wide eyes and innocent people expression. It was fun. And it felt like hadn’t had fun in a while.
He did have the same reaction the potter did at the realization they didn’t need to breathe, and his gaze also turned towards the hypnotic churn of the ocean, a dark brow raised in thought. Nate’s gaze didn’t move right away when Amun turned to answer his question with another one, but he did turn and offer a smirk at the flirtatious tone. ”I haven’t been sailing, but...” Nate let his eyes flick up and down his fellow ascended, forgetting (or ignoring) Clem as he let his grin grow a little wider. ”I’ve never been one to turn down pleasure.”
Sometimes, he really did get lucky, life really gave him a boon. This time, it was in the form of a geyser going off just in time to really punctuate his words. He grinned triumphant for a moment, just to really capitalize on the moment, then turned to watch the spray, an excited whoop leaving him.
At Amun's glance his way, Clem grins so wide his nose wrinkles and his cheeks swallow up his eyes. "Wow, yer ears must be goin' in your old age too then. Easier to handle rejection when ya can't hear it?" The boy sticks his tongue out at the older man in further childish emphasis, abuzz with energy and delight over his current company. Nothing will likely ever compare to how he feels surrounded by his found-fanged-family. It's still an exhilaration he can't quite wrap his mind around, just out of reach of understanding.
They all turn to look at the ocean simultaneously, and Clemente snort-laughs at the idea of them all chilling at the sea floor. "We might as well move inta th'ocean, nobody could bug us that way." Everyone would sooner drown than reach the Ascended, though he's not sure how fun it would necessarily be down there with the weird creatures of the sunless depths. Of course then Nate and Amun have to be flirty, and Clem groans loudly. He jumps at the sudden eruption of the geyser, but even the awe in his eyes won't scrub away the pout of his face. "Go be gross in the ocean you dustbags," he jeers as he throws a handful of pebbles their way, hoping to scatter them like a flock of annoying crows.
Amun grinned, not even a little perturbed by Clem's needling. If anything, the potter was emboldened. "Or maybe it's easy to handle rejection when you know exactly what they're missing when they say no." He waggled his eyebrows at the boy, though it was entirely a teasing motion.
As they all watched the water, the potter actually grinned a bit wickedly. "Not the worst idea I've heard. And hey, according to the Voice there are merpeople here, so it can't be all bad down there." It came out idly, as if he was discussing the weather.
However, his grin did gain a flirtatious edge as he turned it on Nate. Amun's eyes flicked up and down the doctor as well, not bothering to hide his open interest. "Well, I'd be happy to introduce you to the pleasures I've found in Torchline. And the pleasures to be found on my boat, of course." The potter winked.
Of course, then he had to watch the geyser go off. "Huh. Guess we should watch out for premature eruptions." It came out in a cheeky tone directed entirely at Nate. Then, of course, Amun chuckled at Clem's comment. "Don't worry. You're stuck with us dustbags for a little while longer." Reaching out, the potter ruffled the boys hair affectionately.
Then, however, noises sounded out behind them. Narrowing his eyes, Amun turned to face it, his eyes easily piercing the darkness. It was the man who'd told him where to find Rainbow Road, and he had a few friends behind him. They were combing the beach, and it was pretty apparent they were looking for something.
Or someone. Perhaps some poor saps who they'd lured out here with the intention of robbing.
Despite the causal tone it was said in, the mention of Merpeople had Nate’s head swivelling, his grin for a moment something rapturous and innocent, excited by the idea of creatures of myth and story. It didn’t last long though, more lecherous topics stealing away his interest quickly. ”I’d be happy to see more of Torchline. And your boat. And you.”
Clem’s interruption makes him laugh though, the arm that wasn’t supporting his pick axe snaking out to wrap around the young mans shoulders. ”You’ll understand the appeal one day.” Nate chuckles, shaking the other ascended just a little. ”Besides, if we went to the ocean where would you go?”
Nate didn’t notice the noises at first, but he did notice the sudden shift of Amun’s expression, the way his gaze turned back. Without really thinking, Nate shifted so Clem was more behind him than beside him, and looked until he saw what Amun was seeing. ”I take it those aren’t friends of yours?” He asked softly, shifting his grip on the pick axe.
