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!
04-01-2020, 11:18 PM (This post was last modified: 04-01-2020, 11:18 PM by Aisha.)
AISHA
and i knew how could she not
Make a new life, as though it could be simple as that. Aisha scoffed, looking away and shaking her head. The world was caving in on her, her crown burnt to dust and her life to ash. Make a new life, join a guild, find a profession. Opportunities he said, though none that she asked for. Aisha wanted nothing more than to be in her room, dressing in her silks and basking in the sunlight that streamed through her arched windows.
Her nail had found it's way to her lips, and from there her teeth had taken over, anxiously and subconsciously gnawing at it. Wide eyes snapped back to Oliver as he began to speak on his own experience. Even through all his encouragement she felt somehow alone, and betrayed. Like him telling her to make a new life for herself was his way of saying to give up. When she'd asked what she was supposed to do, some part of her had expected something along the lines of, "well there is one way to return..." with a comprehensive list of ritual items to gather and what not.
This was obviously not a child's fantasy, but she still felt robbed of her chance.
"And-and-and," she stuttered through her flustered irritation, brows once again set downward, "And I'm supposed to just accept that? I'm just supposed to pretend like my life didn't happen and make art with you?" Her reply laced with a laugh of disbelief. Tell me you're lying, that there's a way out.
Turns out being super blunt wasn’t the end solution to this. Oliver could see the internal conflict that she was dealing with. The stress and unhappy thoughts that must be invading her mind. There’s no real easy way to accept this and many people have a hard time with it, this girl is surely no different.
Oliver waits for her to process everything, or at least finish speaking. He offers her a soft express and returns to speaking a lot calmer rather than blunt and straight forward. ”Accepting it is one of the hardest things you can do and I don’t expect you to do it immediately. If art makes you happy, then you can absolutely join me. There are so many opportunities available to you and you can take all the time you need. I’m here, I’ll help you. “ Helping her was the very least that he could do at this time.
”You don’t pretend like your old life never happened. You still have all the same memories, the same talents and hobbies, the same thoughts and feelings. You can use those to help you continue on. Make new memories and find new things you enjoy.”
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
Once again she was met with a response of sympathy instead of hope. He spoke as if this was the final conclusion. New life. No way around it. She screwed up her nose and huffed, frustration brimming inside her. She felt like she should be doing something! Something to fix this! But she was given nothing to work with but the consolation prize; art with Oliver.
She tried to listen to him, the accept his talk about new beginnings and new happy memories, however the notion that this situation could be anything but dismal hadn't yet crossed her mind. At least she had Oliver, just a thought to spin some optimism into the mix. Despite thinking it, she was not amused. "Aisha Khai. Aisha or Khai, I don't care which," she said, then paused to let that sink in. After all his explaining she could only respond with her name.
At the time, it was about the only thing she felt certain of. She was very frazzled, her heart rate racing and her head buzzing. She wasn't sure how much more information she could take without letting the idea of "other world" truly sink in. Rest for now maybe, the stars were out after all. A strange empty calm was creeping back in with the pause she took, a quick refocus on the world around her.
Ah yes, she was still cold.
"You said you have somewhere to stay?" she asked, raising her warm hazel gaze to meet his.
The internal conflict continued and so, Oliver continued to stay quiet. Speaking would only soil the moment and would probably impede on the girl’s ability to process her feelings properly. As well, speaking would probably only make things way worse and harder for her to deal with.
Then there was progress. The name rang in his mind and Oliver committed it to memory. Seeing as he already knew a Khai, or Kai in this case, he best use her first name. ”Aisha it is. Nice to have a proper name to call you.” Saying nice to meet you sounded a bit inappropriate, so he’d settle for something similar. Having a name was nice to have and made their interaction far more personalized, or at least to Oliver that was the case
There was a visible change in his disposition when she brought up one of his offers. Looks like the manor was finally going to be put to service again! ”Yes, I did. Follow me and I’ll take you there? We can get something to eat and a drink as well if you need it.” Who knows, maybe she was starving or dehydrated. The offer would stand as he started to walk, heading straight for the Manor.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
04-02-2020, 12:43 AM (This post was last modified: 04-02-2020, 12:45 AM by Aisha.)
AISHA
and i knew how could she not
Aisha it was, and hearing her name from his mouth brought both another feeling of comfort as well as worry. Something about hearing it made this feel so much more real, but she also felt a bit more comfortable with him as well. It was weird how something as simple as her name could make her mind wander like that, but this was of course a weird situation.
He hopped on the chance to invite her back, which meant he was either just enjoyed company or he was planning how he was going to murder her when they arrived. The latter she she smirked cynically at to herself, thinking that it honestly wouldn't be that surprising. Whether or not her sarcasm held some truth to it, she was enticed by the idea of food and drink, and didn't feel in any mood to make a fuss. What was her alternative anyway?
And so she chose once again to trust Oliver, and fell into pace after him. "That sounds great, thanks," she replied, giving him a quick once over. She kept her eyes on him as they walked, a few steps behind him. He was interesting enough, especially as she recalled him mentioning his 'magic' and other things the world held. "You said you have magic right? Where I'm from we don't have magic," she stated, glancing curiously at the fields around them and the stars above. There were stars and fields here, another observation that was simple enough but added some ease to her burdened mind.
Any chance to make Aisha feel more comfortable would be gladly accepted, but honestly, Oliver didn't even notice the shift in how she felt when he spoke her name. Maybe he noticed a bit more comfort, but nothing too significant. Still, he would feel happy to know that she was slowly beginning to feel better about all of this. It was improvement, for sure, and he would accept it gladly.
Moving on, he walked at a decently fast pace, wanting to get inside soon. His head turned towards her ever so slightly as she spoke, showing that he was indeed paying attention. "Magic? I mean... I personally have magic, but not everyone here does." Might as well take this opportunity to explain the races. "Okay so... we have a few races here. There's accepted, which is a normal human. No magic or animal shifting. Then we have attuned, people who can shift into animals. Next is abandoned, those who have magic. Finally is Ascended, those who have vampire like fangs. There is also a couple of other things, but those aren't ones you should worry about for the time being." The Fae were something she'd learn about later and the Demigods required an explanation of the gods and- yep. Too complex.
"I'm personally both abandoned and attuned, which isn't super normal. I came here as an abandoned." That should give enough clarification, right? Hopefully so. If not then she was absolutely free to ask him more questions.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
Aisha wasn't sure if she appreciated the in depth explanation or felt overwhelmed by it, probably both. She caught onto what seemed important, but definitely didn't recall which of the A's meant which thing. It struck her as odd when he said 'normal humans' cant shift. She was in another world which meant endless possible differences, but still. Not being able to shift into one's animal was in no way normal. It sounded sad.
Vampire fanged people being one of the 'main races' also was a bit of a startle, as vampires were just stories on her world. But whatever, she wasn't exactly accepting this new reality yet, but she wasn't in any mood to argue. "So not everyone has an animal?" she asked just to clarify.
He told her his race, and she tried to piece together what they meant, "So magic person and shifter?" She asked, having picked up her pace to walk slightly closer to him.
There was a moment of pause and Oliver appreciated it. He listened to the world around him, picking up on any of the small sounds. Even when she started talking again, he faintly listened out, making sure that the two of them were safe as they made the journey back to the manor. The last thing they needed was a monster to attack them, that'd be a mighty rude awakening for Aisha to experience.
"No, not everyone has the ability to shift into an animal." Her phrasing was...unique. An animal. She had seemed eager to find out about the attuned, so maybe she came from a place super similar? He'd have to ask back at the manor, when she felt relaxed and calmed down. "An attuned can actually get more than one shift, as well. I have three, which I can show you when we get to the manor, if you'd like?" Seeing as they kind of had a place to be. Oliver's feet and hands were getting cold, as was his cheeks and nose. He. Wanted. Fire.
Magic person was amusing, as was shifter. It'd take her a while to get used to the names. Hell, he didn't know what an Ascended really was until he got bit by one, so could he really blame her? "Yep. There's a bit more complexities, but I'll explain them once we get inside." Off in the distance, the manor could be seen. The Gods were clearly going to be covered eventually, it was an absolute must... but it was probably better discussed sitting.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
More than one shift? Aisha's eyes widened at this, especially when Oliver said he could do it. Back home, those who held more than one animal in their heart were extremely powerful, demigods almost. It was an extremely rare and revered ability. It was either more common here, or Oliver was very special. "Is it rare? Being able to claim more than one?" she asked, curious about the shifters of this world.
She nodded when he said he'd explain more once inside. That was fair enough, actually probably a great idea. She let out a calming yet hitched breath, a reminder that she was still rather paranoid about this all. Her body hadn't forgotten, whether or not her mind had pushed it down. She was in another world, and could never go home.
They'd finally come to where a building was in view, mostly distinguishable by the faint light of civilization. From the shape and features she could make out, it was just a normal manor. She was grateful for that, the familiarity of it. Just another simple comfort that eased her mind for now but would prove no consolation in the long run. "That's it up there?" she asked, glancing back to her guide.
The question is an odd one and only makes him have even more internal questions. Ones he'd save for once they were inside. It would be hard to get Aisha to say much about her history, seeing how reluctant she was to even give him a name. He wasn't sure if he'd figure out her infatuation with the attuned, but who knows. "I think it's pretty common, yes. Most of us have more than one shift, but it isn't an immediate thing. We discover them over time and more may appear suddenly." His mind recalled back to his interactions with other attuned individuals and Safrin. "We also don't really claim them. They're just...assigned to us. They are pieces of who we are, representations of our soul." It was a beautiful thing, in his eyes. To see what truly represented the person and how their internal beings were manifested in the form of an animal.
Aisha was a keen one and Oliver offered her a nod. "Yep, that's it. Welcome to your temporary home?" He offered a small laugh before continuing on. It wasn't long before the two would arrive the manor and Oliver would open up the door, holding it open for Aisha to enter. Once inside, Oliver would join her.
The interior of the manor was homely, showing that Oliver had tried to keep it well kept and taken care of. There were a few additions of his own, such as colorful blankets in the sitting area to add not only a splash of color, but some much needed warmth for the visitors. "Just get yourself a seat, I'll bring you something to drink. Do you need any food as well?" He couldn't recall what she had said concerning the latter, so hopefully she would be willing to remind him without much trouble.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
04-02-2020, 09:27 PM (This post was last modified: 04-02-2020, 09:27 PM by Aisha.)
AISHA
and i knew how could she not
This world, this Caido was going to be very complicated, she wanted nothing more than to go home. To blink her eyes and wake up in her bed, in the sweaty but familiar heat of summer. If it was 'pretty common' to have more than one shift here, and near remarkable to her and her own, what other wonders would seek to taunt and surprise? Once again, overwhelming, and her thumb nail had found it's way back to her sharp canines.
After that last bit of explaining she didn't feel the need to ask anything else just yet. She only remarked on the manor up ahead, then remained quiet until he'd ushered her inside. She stopped upon taking her first couple steps through the door, just to scan and observe the room. How many windows, how many doors, the colors and lights. Lighting had always been a pet peeve of hers, and she was under the opinion that a well laid out room should have lighting in every corner. And as much natural light as possible.
The manor did well enough at making a warm atmosphere, besides being a bit large. After her initial assessment, and decision that it was safe enough to continue, she made her way towards a nearby chair, inviting herself to it even before he did. As he spoke she reached for one of the colorful blankets and wrapped it around her shoulders, the material soft and quick to warm.
"Anything warm would be great," she said, giving him the first attempt at a smile that she'd made since arriving.
The two remain quiet mostly, save for the final comments Oliver made. Soon, Aisha was inside- or almost inside. There was a major pause as she inspected the manor, most likely to see if it was safe and secure. Oliver could understand that, she probably thought he was going to murder her or something. Great. It would be hard to really prove otherwise, so there wasn't much that he could do.
Eventually, she did make herself inside and he followed after her. As he made his way towards the kitchen, he caught sight of her wrapping herself in one of the blankets. Looks like his idea was serving a great purpose. Hah, Loren. Pretty shit can be useful! "Give me one second." And off he went, disappearing into one of the rooms. There wasn't much he could work with, but he did what he could. Messing around in the kitchen, he got a kettle of hot water going, two mugs ready, and then he was getting together some stew. It was quick and would be ready the same time as the tea.
Making his way back into the main seating area, he offered her a faint smile. "It should be ready in a bit, gotta wait for the water to heat up. Once we've had tea and I've explained more, I can get you some clothes and settled into your room." He hadn't forgotten about clothes, not completely at least. Oliver knew she needed enough to last her for a week at the very least.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
At her request Oliver was off, being a better host than she could ever be. Her light hazel eyes followed his slight build out of the room, only looking away when he was out of sight. Despite being tired, the girl was adventurous, and the moment he'd disappeared she stood. Blanket still hugging her body, Aisha walked quietly around the room, taking a closer look at any trinkets or pictures laid out as decor.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, nothing to be worried about at least. And so having done her secondary inspection and the manor passing the check, she walked back to the couch and plopped herself back down. Feeling more satisfied with herself now she allowed herself to sink into the furniture, her muscles relaxing slowly and her mind settling into the warm room around her.
Oliver returned a minute later to a cozy looking Aisha, brows still knitted as she processed everything, but at least cozy. He explained the eating situation, and then about the clothes, Aisha gave him a small nod. "What're we having?" she asked, though it didn't matter much. While she had her preferences and was usually a picky eater, right now nearly any food would do.
Off to the side, over by the wall, he would remove his boots of carefully. This wasn't a required thing, seeing as he hadn't asked Aisha to do it. He had his reasons. Walking over, he carefully chose out a chair, making sure he wasn't too far away from Aisha but still giving her enough space. Settling in on one of the chairs nearby, he placed a blanket on top of his lap. His legs pulled into a criss-cross shape. Looks like taking off his boots was for a reason.
"I've set some tea and stew up. It should be ready in about ten minutes." It wouldn't be too long and would give them some time to talk.
With his hands settled on top of the blanket, he tapped his fingertips along the fabric, moving along the different colors and textures. "So I guess... we should probably start at some of the most important stuff. We went over the races, but there's something equally as important." He waited for a moment, possibly for dramatic effect. "Here in Caido, we have Gods." Once more, he paused, this time allowing for it to sink in. "Each one represents a different thing. The main ones that you should focus on are the heralds which are Safrin, Ludo, and Frey. As well, there is the Voice, who is a special case scenario. We also have three major gods, but I'll explain them far later." And then he waited, allowing her to take in all the information. Eventually he would go into each one in detail, yes, but for now he wanted things to go slow for her sake.
I JUST WANT MY EXISTENCE TO BE MORE THAN TREMBLING
