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!
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination
He was interested to hear of another possible scientist, another person whose mind worked in similar ways, lending itself to the great ever-expanding sea of questions and answers that science brings. "I'll look him up," he said, though alchemy wasn't exactly the science he was familiar with, it almost made sense that it might be considered Caido's version of science - scientific method applied to magical means. It certainly fit.
"I studied medical and animal sciences," he nodded in response to her question. "My profession as a whole was called 'veterinarian'. My mother was one as well, while my father was a farmer. They fed my curiosity at a very young age." A small, fond smile touched his lips, a shadow of sadness present as well. He missed them.
Then she is demonstrating yet another aspect of herself, and Chuy's eyes bug out of his skull a bit at the sight of it - his mind naturally immediately jumping to old-school comics as well as movies that were extremely prevalent in the pop culture of his home world. Recovering from his surprise, with a wide grin, he gave her a glowing assessment.
“Vet-er-i-nare-e-an,” she repeats, rolling the word through her mouth, deciding that she likes the sound of it. “So… animal husbandry?” she asks, using a hopefully more Caido-appropriate word for the profession. “My sister was an apprentice to one, before -” and, well, he knows the rest. It’s not a sad statement, though, because that was one of the best things about Magrethe, her love of animals and their apparent love for her in return.
She was everything Wessex wasn’t, and the demigod loved her for it.
“I hope you have time to take a trip to the Grounds after Deepfrost. They could use your help down there.” And he’d find… some really odd shit going on in the area. Radiation effects, inbreeding, poor nutrition amongst wild and tame populations alike. Ah, but it’s a suggestion for much later. Looking down at her claws with clear appreciation, she smiles at the compliment. “Thanks. They’re pretty fucking useful, too.” Never has to worry about losing a knife again.
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination
He smiled as Wessex sounded out the name of his profession from home, curious that such a position hadn't existed on Caido before. He nodded, "Animal husbandry is a part of it, certainly." He smiled softly in appreciation for Wessex's memory of her sister, glad she found it in herself to relate to him in such a personal way.
"I definitely intend to do some exploring, and I am happy to help wherever I can." He smiled, spreading his hands as if show that he was an open resource, happy and willing to share his knowledge with others if he identified the need.
He grinned again as he marvelled at the wolverine claws, shaking his head in slight bafflement. "Is there no end to the potential of an Ascended's abilities?"
She hadn’t meant to try and force him into doing something, but as he seems to readily agree, she eases a bit. Good. Good. This Chulane fellow is alright. “Thank you.” Every now and then she still tries to help them out, because you can’t simply fix three centuries worth of problems in a couple of years. Not public opinion, not public health, not the land… it’ll all take time. And maybe if they make it another fifty years she can go back and try to help again. Be better this time.
“I… don’t think so?” Taking a moment to think about what she knows about the Voice, what she’s experienced and read, Wessex eventually shakes her head. “It depends. The Voice seems to be able to make a lot of things - upgrades and tech. That’s what I had before, now what’s developed is more akin to magic. I think it’s just a matter of what we ask for.” Shrugging, she thinks of the array of their abilities. Vast and potentially quite useful when used as a group - but then that would require them to be able to work together.
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination
Upgrades, she said, speaking of them as if they were computer parts able to installed as old ones became obsolete. It reminded me of people who sought out surgery to change their appearance for cosmetic reasons only, altering their bodies to fit a 'beauty standard', or to make their body 'art'. I did genuinely think what Wessex could do was cool, and I readily admired it, but felt no yearning to do something so drastic to myself to experience it. It all felt so artificial, augmentations added on at the whim of some masterminded powerful being.
I was curious, but also cautious. I liked myself enough the way I was, comfortable in my skin, and very much attached to the attunedness that had blossomed upon my entrance to the land. All accounts I had heard of about the Ascended had been fascinating, but I could not imagine what would drive me to choose that life.
Unless perhaps, life was that reason.
It was a thought for another time.
"What sorts of things would you ask for, on top of what you have?" I posed, wondering if she would give me an answer, if she would illuminate the way her mind worked, the magic and the upgrades that she thought could improve her already impressive arsenal of improvements.
“I’m not sure off the top of my head.” she lies smoothly, giving the impression of seriously thinking about it. The weapon she would continue to build herself into isn’t something she wants to scare him with.
“At what point do you get greedy?” Hypothetically, of course. Though sometimes she feels like she has to be, just to keep up with all her potential enemies, to combat and have an answer for every kind of magic thrown at them. The Wraith has mind that flips rapidly from offense to defense, one day desiring to protect her kin and that’s all, the next wanting to pick them off one by one.
And then when she’s here, having a normal conversation with a normal person, she misses the mundane. “I could go for fully tasting this whiskey again,” she says wistfully, swirling the small bit of remaining liquid in the glass. It has a beautiful amber glow in the flickering firelight, and akes her back to simpler (not necessarily better) times. “Feeling pleasure. Miss that.” Keeping her gaze in her glass, Wessex chuckles in the back of her throat, all of a sudden feeling very human. It’s almost… sad to see.
But knowing what she knows about the Voice and Sam’s departure from the fold, the Wraith will not ask for such a thing any time soon. “And you? You’ll get more shifts. What else do you want to be, besides a leopard?”
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination
A very small shadow of a frown crinkles his brow, at her question on greed. When did it become too much, or enough to be classified as greedy? The hoarding of wealth and power was something he was familiar with from his homeworld, and it wasn't a pleasant memory.
"I think… if in acquiring or using such gifts takes away from others to the point that they suffer… that is greedy." She probably wasn't looking for an answer, she probably only meant the question in a light, friendly, conversation-spurring way. But the thought troubled Chuy, even if he was utterly oblivious to the full potential the Voice's gifts could bring.
His expression softened as the topic turned to things like tasting whiskey, or feeling pleasure. He enjoyed a good meal, but probably could get used to living without needing food. But pleasure? He still didn't quite understand the implications of what Neron had said about the bite of an Ascended being pleasurable, but he also wasn't aware that that may be the only way an Ascended could ever feel it again.
Then he was asked something more directly, something personal, that he honestly hadn't even considered given everything else he was dealing with. He gave a thoughtful look, taking a moment to consider it seriously, before nodding and giving his reply. "Something that can fly would be pretty wicked, I think." He shrugged.
“Ahhh,” she replies thoughtfully. “Then I suppose I’m alright.” The Gods don’t seem to have finite magic, and the Voice has always seemed happy to spread the upgrade wealth around, with very few conditional requests along with it. Placing an empty glass down on the table, she leans back and stretches her hands along the plush arms of the chair, not sure if she wants to settle in or if she needs to head out; this had been a good chat, but there was something nagging her in the back of her head.
“Good choice. And quite useful. I’ve heard that flying is a wonderful feeling.” Not quite like teleporting, but similar. One day the Wraith simply must try that kind of shift, if she has the opportunity.
“Suppose I should go soon,” she ventures with a bit of a frown. “Any other questions I can help you with?” Clarifications, personal thoughts, anything to get them to four pages. really. Aside from her and the Voice’s plans, she’s an open book.
Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination
The night was winding down, and Chuy was glad to have had the opportunity to spend it having this curious discussion with Wessex. He'd learned plenty, gained more clarification on things he'd picked up on the Ascended, and even given himself more to think about in terms of his own abilities - what did his future hold in terms of shifts?
What did his future hold in terms of anything?
It was hard to know, given what he had just been through - plucked from one frozen tundra to another by this Voice, delivered to a world of magic and gods and all sorts of things that had given him plenty to think about. He was still getting used to the idea that his home wasn't his home anymore, that there was no Australia to return to after this trip, that there was no..-
He cut the thoughts off to refocus on the woman, to smile and nod in understanding, before gesturing with his hand to indicate he had no further questions for her. "None that I can think of right now," he said with gratitude. "Though I'm sure next time we meet I'll have plenty more again. Don't let me keep you any longer - it was a pleasure meeting you Wessex. Safe travels on your journeys ahead." He said the words with sincerity as he stood and reached out over the table, offering his hand to her to shake in farewell.
