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!
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
There are others of their kin that she regards warmly, loves, even - and those she sees as half-protegees, those who could be her particular brand of strong. And it’s a very particular kind, indeed; but until now, there was no one like Osozo.
Jealousy still simmers in the Wraith, despite his (forgive her, she doesn’t know they are not a he) kind words about her brightness and his obvious infancy. There’s some comfort in knowing that the Voice chose her, and that Osozo was made, because she finally could do something like that. His very existence is a comment on their Lady’s growing prowess and power - stepping beyond Ascension to something more.
Is he a test run? What is he meant to do, if anything? Questions flit through her head as she waits for the other demigod - no, her youngest brother - at the base of their mother's former prison. A fitting, symbolic place, she thinks, for them to begin their relationship.
05-02-2020, 12:16 AM (This post was last modified: 05-05-2020, 05:27 AM by Osozo.)
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
The only surprising thing about being asked to meet Wessex, their nearest and potentially dearest sister, is that it takes so long to happen. Though, things take time, and the family has been busy of late. Some tardiness can be excused. There is an excitement in Osozo that is nearly palpable as they approach the Spire, and what a perfect place for this meeting it is. New beginnings growing out of the old, a step forward into the future.
They are far more subdued for this meeting, hair a deep blue and eyes pinpricks of glowing red, draped in layers of dark cloth. For the first moment, the first breath, they do not speak, they simply look upon Wessex with a smile, head tilted to the side. "It's good to see you again Sister." Comes the thin voice, head dipping in a quiet respect, but they do not speak again. They wait to be asked questions, to be spoken to. Until there is some indication of what Wessex wants, from this meeting, from Osozo themself.
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
Oh yes, Wessex seems to always be busy these days. If it isn’t land hopping, it’s something else like a lazy writer. She can see that he’s different this around, a curious tilt to her head to try and figure out what part of him (what upgrade?) is doing the changing-color thing. What’s its purpose?
Nevertheless, she offers a warm smile to the smaller, younger demigod and says, “You too.”
And then… what? Two slightly awkward children of the Voice stand in silence until she can think of something. “I have a lot of questions but don’t want to be rude, so… let’s just dive right in.” With a jerk of her head, she indicated the Spire and that they perhaps out to head inside, if more for privacy than anything else. In it is the portal, of course, but the stairs are still functional should they want to explore. “How are you… adapting to life? Is there anything you want or need to know?”
Yes, first things first - check on him and then she can interrogate.
05-05-2020, 05:18 AM (This post was last modified: 05-05-2020, 05:26 AM by Osozo.)
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
Greetings are returned in an almost surprisingly warm fashion, a fact that has Osozo straightening a little, not quite relaxing, but easing. "Why would it be rude to ask me questions? I'm happy to answer everything I can for you." They followed Wessex into the Spire easily, head shifting to take in everything about the interior, pairing up what they see with what they know.
Red eyes flick back to the older Demi-god the moment she begins speaking, Osozo's arms folding behind them. "I don't think I am adapting, really. This is all I've ever known, I simply haven't known it as long as you." And even then, they had the bonus of the knowledge given by the Voice, history stretched out years back, lands they hadn't reached quite yet. "There is lots I want to experience, I suppose. But I don't know what I need to know, until it's needed."
A bright smile spreads over their face as they step closer to Wessex. "I appreciate the concern, but I would come to you if I needed anything. I know I can trust you."
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
Their smile prompts her own as Wessex nods. “Good. Glad to hear it.” To all of it - the reassurance, that he’s getting along in the world just fine.
At least someone knows they can come to her - and maybe should with any questions. Finding a seat on one of the bottom steps, she makes room if they want to sit next to her (or on the step below or above), stand, whatever. Focusing in on their ability to color-change, she laughs a little. “Okay, first - do your color changes mean anything?” It’s hard to get a read on someone if she can’t speak their language. “And - are you here to do anything specifically?” She takes a minute pause, then tries to explain herself, “For example, the children of Rae were here to study the world. The daughter of Mort to, I don’t know, assist with soul collecting? Or perhaps to get Ascended souls from our Mother." She makes a bit of a face, rolls her eyes, and then focuses on her brother again. "So. Do you have an over-arching purpose? Something special to do for our Mother” Internally, the Wraith winces, because it sounds so clinical, so unfeeling. And Osozo isn’t a thing to be used. He’s one of them.
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
Since there is a seat so clearly offered up, Osozo sits beside Wessex, with no regard for personal space or sense as they pull their legs in and watch her, waiting for the questions. The first one is easy, one of their hands lifting to tug absently at a strand, the blue bleeding away to green, then yellow. "I don't control it. Not intentionally, at least." They let their hand drop again with a shrug.
The next question has them cocking their head all over again, red eyes shifting to a dark purple, splashes of the same hue invading their hair. As she explains more though, Osozo's face clears up, and they nod along. "I don't know if my purpose is quite as grand as that." They begin with a soft laugh. "I am the first, like this. Not the same way that you're the First, of course." There's another laugh, brighter this time. "I am here to experience the world, as something new. To offer raw data for those that come after me." It goes hand in hand with the clinical clip of Wessex's words, a fact that doesn't seem to bother Osozo in the least. "I intend to leave something for them to live up to."
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
Hesitantly, Wessex reaches out to touch a strand of his colored hair, not that she’s able to feel much of it, or that the texture matters. Just to look at something different, to watch as the strands change. “Interesting…” she murmurs, probably meaning it. The unknown usually is interesting.
Listening quietly, she cocks her head a bit to one side and absorbs. “So there will be more, then?” Like the two of them? Or like their siblings? There’s a modicum of hope in her tone as she latches on to the idea that the Voice might be making more. “That’s good. Our numbers are too small.” As for what he means about ‘raw data,’ she kinda glosses over it, unsure of how to follow it up quite yet, and there are other, more pressing questions. “Okay. Well what would you like to experience? Something in the Grounds, Halo, or Torchilne?” A pause, as a thought dawns on her. "Do you know about the other parts of Caido we haven't opened up yet?" Wessex imagines that their mother would not leave her children to fend for themselves at square one. Surely what Osozo lacks in defenses and abilities, he makes up for in practical knowledge. Maybe?
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
Where Wessex is hesitant, Osozo is not, leaning to to her hand and all but offering up their head for examination. A bright smile split their face at the single murmured word, worth more than any other praise their sister could offer.
"Of course there will be more." Admittedly, Osozo does not know when, or in what capacity, whether bright or Demi, but there will be additions made to their family. The Voice would not have said they were the first if they were meant to be the only. Their answers spur on more questions, something that might well be an offer, if Osozo is interpreting it right. "Torchline is the only place I wasn't given knowledge of."They had made a few brief trips, but there had been no chance for exploration yet. "I'd like to see the mountains in Halo as well though." They're more of an afterthought though, if they're being honest.
Wessex's sudden question has Osozo pausing, their bright grin tempering slightly. "I know of one. Sands, a desert, across the mountains from Halo." There is something watchful in the bright eyes as they pass over their sister, something expectant.
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
“Torchline is wonderful,” Wessex says with a genuine smile, thinking of the city, the people, the mermaids, the water. “The ocean never ceases to amaze me - it goes on and on and on, and it can be so deep, and as dark as LongNight.” What unique things it might hold, other than Ghost Whales and mermaid and the - what was it, Cloud Manta? And then that’s it, a decision has been made, but it relies on something else - “Are you going there for LongNight?” she asks, all of a sudden a little more insistent. Protective. Yes, let’s call it protective.
Sands though, and a desert… it sounds hot, but not hot-hot. It doesn’t sound like a place where lava-based creatures might live. And Eirachi had said a cave to her kin - which sounds like it’s in the mountains, rather than across it. “Do you know of a creature called a Fyrhund? Or a spirit - goddess, maybe - called Eirachi? “ Propping her elbows up on her knees, she watches Osozo and waits for what feels like an inevitable no, knowing that she had to ask anyway.
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
"I've heard much about Torchline, about the ocean." A beat, as they consider, head cocking and a smile spreading over their lips. "Mostly about the ocean." They trust Wessex's opinion more than the others they've heard so far though. Perhaps it would be worth traveling to the warmer realm, to take in the brand new sites properly. "I hadn't thought about where I was going to stay." They answer honestly. "Though I did hear there would be something set up in Torchline." Really, it made perfect sense.
It seems, despite their knowledge, the little bit of extra they've been granted by the Voice, it's still not enough, not what Wessex is looking for. It's not hard to see the way Osozo's lips quirk down, hair dulling to a sleek grey. "I haven't heard of a Fyrhund, no. But... the Eirachi is the spirit of Halo, isn't she?" They can't quite see how the two things are connected, and look over at Wessex, waiting for the thread to tie them together.
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
Watching him consider the suggestion, she adds a little more encouragement. “I know a few of our siblings will be there too. Letha, Nate, probably Amun.” Sam, definitely, though she purposefully leaves him out of the conversation. Between what she knows and what she will eventually find out, she cannot consider him a member of the family any more. Torchline is the safest place, she thinks, and even though it’s a little controlling, she’d rather be bossy than lose people this year.
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it. I wasn’t sure how much knowledge She gave you,” the Wraith says as she can see his hair begin to turn a gray and the little frown that creeps in. “There’s something I have to do in Flowerbirth and want to be prepared, that’s all.”
Eager to change the topic, she glances around at the dark walls, remembers the adventure of opening the Spire and everything that happened here. Touching it almost reverently for all it’s been through, she looks at the hand, the nanites she can’t really see, and the upgrades in her knuckles. “So what did you think of our family?” Asking quietly, Wessex is loathe to admit to herself that she hasn’t quite processed everything. Full of her own biases, worries, and Amun’s opinion, the input of someone who seems them with new, unusual eyes is welcome.
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
The idea of having Family around only made Torchline all the more tempting. And it was nice, in a way, to have someone so concerned. "You make it sound very tempting." Osozo hummed, considering, then nodded. "It would be a good chance to see the area properly. And it's comforting to know I would be safe." That's all they need to settle into the idea, twisting the bossiness into something that suits them.
"Enough to get around, but I'm afraid everything else is up to me." Osozo chuckled, wan smile accompanying the sound. Wessex's words had them perking up again though. It still didn't explain anything, but it was interesting, and they couldn't help the way they leaned in slightly. "Something you have to do?" They asked softly, another question wrapped up in the words, but not fully voiced. Will we be helping?
Osozo is comfortable enough in the silence, but they're observant enough to see their sisters discomfort with it, the shift of her gaze towards the place. They almost expect a question about the Spire itself, but what comes instead isn't necessarily unexpected either. "They're very loud, aren't they?" The chuckle that accompanies this is much brighter than it's earlier counterpart, but it fades as they really consider how the meeting had gone. It had left a bad taste in their mouth. "I think there is a way they could get along better, but I don't have any idea what it could be." They offer after a moment, shrugging almost apologetically with it.
I will stand by you forever; you can take my breath away
As he doesn’t seem to take offense to the encouragement, or continue to pale at her vague side-stepping of the previous questions, the Wraith relaxes again a bit, feeling like she’s beginning to find her footing with this one. There’s no doubt in her mind that they could and would be offended by her at some point, but for now, they have only a few experiences between them and those, luckily, don’t color either opinion much.
“I… am going to go rescue one of Eirachi’s fellow spirits. In a place that is a hot as Halo is cold…” Musing on the last part, Wessex can neither properly name it, nor give any specifics about the place other than ‘I’m going to go through a cave in the back mountain range of Halo’ and see what happens. She shrugs. “I’m tempted to ask The Voice about it, but I’m not sure if she’ll be angry with me for helping another deity.” There’s no mention of Osozo being able to help - unless they can somehow level grow quickly, she’ll have to surround herself with others who are stronger, more battle and magic experienced.
“Mmmm, yes. Very opinionated. Everyone has to have their say.” Including herself. And everyone is always right - including herself. It makes it very difficult sometimes. Unable to hold back a sigh-laugh, her head falls into her hands and she nods. “I don’t know either. I guess it’s… something to work on.”
Or they’ll die, singular organisms without a united front.
Wondering if my intentions will soon replace what is in front of me
There is a fair bit of information unloaded on them very quickly, but Osozo nods through all of it, wide eyes drinking in every little bit of knowledge that's shared. Other spirits, a region as hot is Halo is cold (why, it would have to be on fire all the time!), the fact that Wessex herself has been making deals with deities.
"You haven't spoken to Her about this yet?" They ask, a neutral curiosity in their voice, head cocked to the side. That seems... surprising, given the picture they've painted of the other Demi-god, the image she has put forth. "I don't believe she could be angry with you, but she might question how it furthers our goals?"
Everyone has to have their day indeed. And from what Osozo had seen, no one was shy from shouting it out, shouting over each other to be heard. It was... messy. "I think... despite their... our shortcomings, we will come together when it's needed. We'll have to, won't we?" There's something a little dark in their laugh, unknowingly brushing up against the same eventuality Wessex had. "It's helpful, I think, that we have someone keeping the order though. A strong leader." They entwine their fingers together, a net to rest their chin upon as they gaze over at the other, a bright smile on their face.
