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!
Amun had been surprised to receive instructions from the Voice. However, always eager to please his goddess, he'd sent notes to both Wessex and Nate, asking for their help with one of the tasks. Although he'd spent quite a bit of time in Torchline, he had no idea how to find or attract an encantado.
Given that the doctor was a savior of the region and the Wraith was a huntress and explorer, he figured between the two of them they'd be able to help the potter out. So he'd waited for night to fall, then set out for the designated meeting spot on the Ahi Coast. He had a pack on his back, with vials inside and a net secured to the outside. There was a knife on one hip and a cutlass on the other. Hopefully that'd be enough to actually get the blood once they had the damn thing. Arriving at the spot, he settled in to wait patiently for the other two.
Will it fill our hearts with thoughts of endless night time sky?
It seemed like he was doing a lot of favours for Amun lately. Not that Nate necessarily minded, he got along with the other man well, it just made him laugh, to himself, on the way down to the beach. Despite knowing exactly how much had gone wrong with his previous attempts to help his fellow ascended, Nate arrived empty handed, clad in a pair of shorts and an open shirt, a few light marks struggling valiantly to stand out on his skin. As far as he was concerned, he had everything he needed.
"Are all these favours ever gonna pay off?" He called out, a wide grin on his face. "Thought I was supposed to be getting a boat ride, huh?"
she tied you to her kitchen chair she broke your throne and she cut your hair
Amun had done many favors for her in the past, it seemed it was time to repay them all - but then again, what’s a few favors between siblings? Especially when they’re for their mother.
Wessex comes with an additional net and her usual knives to the appointed spot at the appointed time. At least it’s a beautiful night. Not knowing much about encantados other than they seem to be water-living creatures and are larger than most fish, she is relying on Amun to inform them of the ins and outs of encantado-hunting. What do they need to look out for? “He promised me one too,” the Wraith chimes in with an easy grin as she approaches the other two. “What are we doing tonight, gentlemen? Fishing?”
When Nate showed up, Amun grinned at the doctor. The potter unabashedly let his eyes roam over the other man's frame, letting out an appreciative whistle as he did. "If you want a ride from me, you know all you need to do is ask." Amun winked, his voice almost outrageously suggestive.
Then Wessex arrived and he eased up on the flirtation. Besides, it was harder to maintain his good humor these days given Maea's death. "Technically, you are both doing a favor for the Voice. But fine, do with me as you will." Shrugging at her question, he put his hand on his cutlass. "Depends. What the fuck are encantados? All I know is that they're pink ocean dwellers and they frequent the Ahi Coast." He glanced between his two companions, hoping one of them might have more information.
Regardless of what they told him, he'd turn to face the water. "I figured we'd swim out a ways and see if we could attract their attention. Sound good?" Assuming they agreed to his plan, he'd wade into the water, then begin swimming with practiced strokes. The pack made it a bit awkward, but he would manage.
Will it fill our hearts with thoughts of endless night time sky?
Nate smirked at his fellow ascended's reaction, holding his arms out to show off just a little, though he shook his head at the offer. "I'm actually pretty satisfied lately." There's an unbearable amount of warmth in his words, before he laughs, and returns the wink. "I'll keep you in mind if I'm ever aching for something though." His head tilts back to watch Wessex as her voice rings out, the smirk coming back with a vengeance. "At least it's not just me he's holding out on."
With her arrival though, it seems they're ready to begin their task for the night. Nate only just barely manages to keep from rolling his eyes as both of them ask about the encantados. It makes sense with Wessex, but he'd thought the man organizing the task would be a little more prepared. "They're dolphins. So... like small whales, or big fish." He's not exactly an expert either, but at least he knows something. "They can be pretty curious though, so if we're lucky, we might just be able to lure one over."
Something tells Nate this will not be so easy, not judging by the last tasks he'd helped with, but that doesn't stop him from stepping into the water, following along behind Amun, eyes peeled for the telltale movements of something far more suited to the water than them among the waves.
she tied you to her kitchen chair she broke your throne and she cut your hair
Thoroughly unperturbed by Maea’s death, Wessex is unaware that so many seem to mourn her, though the change in Amun’s usual slightly obnoxious good humor isn’t lost on her. She’s surprised to catch him in such a serious mood, almost sending him a private thought… and then refrains from doing so. She isn’t the comfy-cozy sort, she isn’t the best shoulder to mope on. If there’s something going on with him, she can’t imagine she’s his first pick to confide in, either. So. Moving on.
Listening to the information provided, her face twists a bit into a thoughtful expression. “I don’t suppose they’d be curious about an Orca?” she asks, having Sunjata’s shift inside her, but not quite sure it’s appropriate. “If not, I can always stun one if we can get them to approach.” Loopin her net up and keeping it contained, she follows Amun and Nate out into the water, going so far as to dive underneath the waves to see if she can spot something there, versus from the surface.
Amun raised his eyebrows at Nate's comment. "Is that so?" However, the potter wasn't in the mood to flirt or to gossip. Mostly he just wanted them to get out there, get the blood, and get out.
"You all are welcome to claim your favors whenever you'd like." It came out distractedly and impatiently. As the doctor explained the encantados were curious, Amun grinned faintly, a ghost of his old humor returning to him. "I think between the three of us we can prove sufficiently interesting."
Swimming out a decent distance, he decided to respond to Wessex telepathically. Might scare them off? I have no idea. Let's try it out if this doesn't work. Raising his voice, he called out across the water. "Hereeeee tados, tados, tados, hereeeee." It was dumb, but maybe the creatures were as well.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then shapes began to swim in wide arcs around the Ascended. Whether it was his call, or simply the weird presence of three fully clothed and fully armed people in the water in the dead of night, a few curious pink dolphins, which had to be the encantados, were approaching. The creatures were cautious at first, but it became apparent that their curiosity was outweighing their common sense soon enough.
Amun was much less mobile than the other two, with their access to shifts. Plus his weapons were hard to wield in the water. So he just continued to try and coax the creatures close enough for his fellow Ascended to draw some blood. Calling and splashing, the potter continued to draw the attention to himself. And the encantados obliged, inching closer and closer until Nate and Wessex should both be able to get at one.
Will it fill our hearts with thoughts of endless night time sky?
Nate cocks his head to the side as Wessex mentions an orca, his brow raised as one person comes to mind. It feels like it should seem stranger that Sunjata has met Wessex, and yet it... almost makes sense. "An orca might scare them off, but... two might be able to corral them into the shallows." The suggestion is just that though, something to keep in mind as a plan B, Nate moving along the same line of thinking as Amun, though he can't hear the other mans thoughts.
He has to stifle a laugh as Amun calls into the night, though somehow, the ridiculous attempt works, the waters around them moving and shifting with bodies far more suited to the water than theirs. Nate watches, treading water, as they come closer and closer. Close enough to touch. Which he does, reaching out to try and put his hand on one of the encantados, touch light. If it didn't move away, he'd shift to wrap his arm around it, realizing midway through the gesture that he didn't have anything to draw blood with. Fuck. Hopefully his holding it would be enough for one of the others to step in, and get what they needed.
she tied you to her kitchen chair she broke your throne and she cut your hair
As soon as she says it, Wessex knows it’s probably a dumb idea. The orca is a predator. The rest of the animal kingdom probably isn’t too keen on getting close to it. And after both Amun and Nate’s gentle (bless them) dismissals as Plan A, the Wraith smiles wryly. “Alright, alright. Bad idea. Plan C or D it is.” And then a light chuckle before she slips under the salty waves to do her part of the job better, because lo and behold this one is way easier yaaaay the encantados arrive.
Trying to hover some five or six feet below the surface, Wessex lets a biopulse loose when there seems to be one investigating Nate and another who’s gotten quite close to the Wraith’s face. She can’t help but look into its curious eyes and feel a pang of regret as she releases it. In any other circumstance she might have marveled at the pink dolphins, swam around with them, played even - but some things must be done. Hopefully they'll stay stunned long enough to get the blood and then they can go on their way, jaded, perhaps, about humans.
As Amun continued to call out to the dolphins, splash, and generally draw attention to himself, he found himself grinning at Wessex's response. It's cute that you think I planned this. It was a joke, more like him old self, but it would also become readily apparent that it was the Voice's honest truth in just a moment.
Her biopulse did indeed knock the encantado near her and the one Nate held unconscious. However, the pod, perhaps because they didn't like seeing their kin go limp, perhaps because they were the mischievous type of encantado, or perhaps because dolphins are just dicks, even the females, started playing less nice with the Ascended. The ones swimming around the potter started nudging him, softly at first, before gaining increasing force.
Worse, the water around him began to roil unnaturally. He didn't know if this was the encantados or just some weird ass Torchline shit, but he found himself sucked down in a vortex and a current that wasn't there a moment before. Thankfully, he didn't need to breathe, and could see just fine even in the salty water. Take one of the encantados and Nate if you can and port back to the beach. I can get out of this. With that said, he began trying to break out of the mess of dolphins and water.
she tied you to her kitchen chair she broke your throne and she cut your hair
If only teleportation worked that way - she can only really take one ‘person’ or in this case - body - with her when she teleports. I wish it worked like that, she says as Amun the water starts to roil and he’s taken down. Do you have something for the blood? she shouts after him, unsure if he’s going to be going more than thirty feet from her or not.
With her arms wrapped around her encantado, she hits both of them with a biopulse to try and keep them unconscious before beginning to swim back to the shore. I’ll stay with you and keep them unconscious, she says to Nate. They may have to figure out the vial things on their own if Amun can’t make it back in time. We may have to improvise the rest of this. That, at least is said with a bit of wry amusement.
Will it fill our hearts with thoughts of endless night time sky?
Things are going smoothly, almost too smoothly, and no sooner than that did things go to shit. Wessex and him are fine, the dolphins held by them limp, but Amun is dragged underwater, the rest of the pod surrounding him.
Nate begins the arduous task of dragging an unconscious body to shore, trying to go along with what he’s being told, instead of worrying about his underwater kin. It’s just drawing blood, right? That was his specialty. All he needed was something to put it in, and he patted his pockets desperately, looking for something, finding a flask. Not his pants then, but useful still. It would do in a pinch.
Honestly, the encantados attacking Amun were more annoying than dangerous. They couldn't drown him, their shoves and pushes weren't painful, and whatever they were doing to the water wasn't doing much damage according to a quick scan. I have some vials. However, he realized with a sinking feeling that while he would probably survive the onslaught, the glass might not have.
Still, he didn't worry about it. Instead, he just waited until he could accurately pinpoint which direction the shore was. It was no easy task, given how disorienting the encantados were making everything. Once he figured it out, and once he hoped Wessex and Nate were a safe distance away, he squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears as best he could.
Then he raised his right hand and fired a flash bang directly into the pod around him.
The flash of light and sound was only slightly blunted by his efforts, but thankfully he wasn't stunned like the dolphins were. Immediately he began swimming, pleased when he realized he'd gotten the direction right. The flash bang should buy him enough time to get away. On my way. He made his way back to the shore as swiftly as possible, eventually breaking through to the surface as he did.
Will it fill our hearts with thoughts of endless night time sky?
It took a moment to fiddle with the flask in his pocket, dumping out the liquid that had been in it before and rinsing it in the surf, gesturing for Wessex to come over while he did. "I don't have anything to cut it with." He said quickly, a little apologetically. "If you cut here, " he gestured to a spot on the dolphins tail, closer to the body, "I'll collect it." It wasn't the most elegant plan, but he was working with very little.
He glanced out towards the water once he had finished explaining, catching sight of Amun breaching the surface, out of the current for the moment, and let his shoulders relax some.
