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!
Discovering his second shift had been, in a word, brilliant.
He found himself roaming the skies on those moments where he and Kia were apart, unable to resist the call of wind beneath him, the view of the land stretched out below him, the call of a world that was suddenly so much more available to him. He never roamed far, using the link to check in with her every now and then, and otherwise, finding a use for himself.
The settlement was as he remembered it, but also completely different. When he had visited initially, he had seen a small town rising up out of ruins after dusk, now he beheld that same town rising up out of the impenetrable darkness of Longnight, battered and bruised but also determined to endure. And he was here to help it.
The monsters of Longnight were still something of a mystery to him, a tale told by others that he firmly believed in now, moreso than he had before at the least. This world was still so mysterious to him, so puzzling, the idea that such forces as the Voice and the Old Gods simply existing still hard for him to accept, the fact that they wrought such changes upon the world and those who lived within it harder still for him to swallow.
Something his new shift was good for, was getting to high places. Technically, his leopard shift could do that too, but he felt a need to feel the wind beneath his wings today, and so he helped a local family with removing damaged shingles from their roof. He would hop along the apex of it, identify a damaged shingle, then spread his wings and swoop towards it, grabbing it with a talon or beak, and deliver it promptly to a wheelbarrow below.
It was dull, repetitive work to any onlooker, but he found enjoyment in the simple act, for it was a distraction, an opportunity to use his new shift, and a way to remain close to Kia.
The results of this LongNight on the town seemed about the same as last time.
Buildings were damaged, items had been discovered after the melting of the snow, and far more smaller things seemed to happen. It wasn't exactly a good thing to be used to, but Oliver saw it as a method to relieve himself of any stress. He'd feel like he was helpful if he cleaned up, showing that LongNight was over and they could hopefully start leading their lives again.
In order to actually figure out where all the problems were, Oliver found himself shifting down into his bird form where he would soon take flight, soaring over the buildings and looking around for anything he could help out with. The most eyecatching thing was a rather large bird, maybe a hawk, that was... helping out on a roof? Okay, now, normally he'd avoid birds of prey seeing as over half of his shifts could be hunted down, but this was very clearly an attuned.... or just a really smart bird. Either way, Oliver was going to take a leap of faith and hope for the best.
Flying on down, the small bird landed on the roof and he gave the larger bird a questioning look, his head tilting to the side. Would you like some help? His eyes skated over the damage and he realized that the tiles were pretty much the same size as his current form, meaning he might not be the best help.
Instead, he shifted into his fox form, something that was still mighty small but hopefully able to help out a bit. There, I think this should help out a bit better.
wear that silver lining, wear it close to your skin
He had seen the smaller bird - of course he had, with his keen predator's senses honing in onto anyway that might be hunted. The bird of prey was more than capable of noting the woodpecker's exact position as it flew across the tops of other buildings, but to continue on with his task. Chulane appreciated the instincts of his shift, and so wanted to listen to them, to give into them and hunt, but not here, not while in the settlement, lest he accidently hurt a fellow attuned.
He was further resolved to this sentiment when the other bird landed atop the roof he was working at, something he doubted very much a wild one would do. And when the voice sounded within his head, it was confirmed all over again - in response, Chuy paused his hopping along the apex of the roof to nod his eagle's noble head, silent as he considered who the owner of the voice might be. No introductions had been offered, but he did not recognise him straight away.
Until he watched as the little bird shifted, head tilting with curiosity, a fennec fox taking the place of the woodpecker, some more words given. 'Oliver, is that you?' he asked, spreading his wings as he hopped closer to the little fox, his form towering over it (though he would never be able to match the size of the fox's ears), though he sent warm feelings of recognition through the bond they shared as attuned beings.
'It's Chuy. I discovered my second shift,' he said happily, before turning once more to refocus on the task he had set himself, spotting another broken tile and making to swoop towards it in one elegant motion. 'How was your Deepfrost, and Longnight?' he asked by way of making conversation as they worked.
The fox's eyes and he nods. Yes, it is Oliver. Was his voice really that recognizable? And awkwardly enough, Oliver didn't recognize the other man's voice at first. Or, he knew he had heard it before but couldn't exactly place which newbie it was. Thankfully, the man assumed as such and stated his name for Oliver. Nice, nice nice.
There is a small sense of happiness through the bond and the fox's tail wags a bit. "Oh! It's nice to see you again, Chuy." The last time Oliver had seen the man he had basically been looking in a mirror- or a really warped mirror that made his spots ever so slightly different. Some freaky stuff.
After watching Chuy work for a bit Oliver soon follows suit, carefully trotting around until he found a broken tile. The tiles beneath his feet clicked as his nails touched against them, creating a melodious sound. Oh it's been... something alright. I got my blacksmith shop set up, did some work, and then I stayed in Torchline during LongNight. While he had escaped away, he still came home to some horrific news, something he clearly didn't want to talk too much about.
Plucking up the tile, Oliver turned to look at Chuy. Where does this go? It was probably pretty comical to see a small fox with not only giant ears but also a giant pick of tile stuck in his mouth.
Listening to the fennec fox formed man speak of his time over the wintry season had Chuy sending understanding vibes through the bond - he welcomed the other's company and story, and duly noted the clear avoidance on the recent loss the region had faced with quiet respect. Quiet amusement might have trickled through the bond at the sight of the large-eared vulpine carrying the tile, before he responded to the question posed at him.
'Toss it over the edge, aim for the wheelbarrow if you can.' He supplied with a demonstration, dropping the already broken tile he held with a soft shattering sound into the wheelbarrow along with the other broken tiles. He guessed they might have a use at the artist's Sanctuary, where they might be reused in the name of art.
'What's Torchline like? Haven't had a chance to visit yet,' he asked, letting his curiosity show through the bond, directing his eagle's body with a flap towards the next damaged tile that needed to be removed.
Following in the hawk's lead, the tiny fox brings the tile over and drops it down. His tiny head turns to watch as it cascades towards the ground and crashes into the wheelbarrow. Oliver's tail wags and he immediately turns right around and trots on over to the next tile. Clearly, someone is pretty damn happy with himself. I'd like to say I did a pretty good job! He was playing around quite a bit, hoping to add some positivity to the situation.
The next tile is just as easy to find. Plucking it up carefully, Oliver works on carrying it over when he is asked a question. He pauses for a moment but continues on, remembering he can still answer and work at the same time. It's really, really beautiful. The sunsets there are so unique and amazing! It is kinda warm though... and you're from Halo, yeah? So it may be too hot for you. Oliver keeps that in mind, realizing that while he loves it, it may be a living hell for Chulane thanks to how hot it can be. I'd say it's worth visiting once, just to see how you like it. I always visit everywhere once. And sometimes one visit is all it takes to realize it fucking sucks.
07-14-2020, 02:07 AM (This post was last modified: 07-14-2020, 02:07 AM by Chulane.)
CHULANE
let's set the world on fire
He was glad for the company, for the enthusiasm the fox showed. Both the helping hand (or paw) and the upbeat attitude would help the day go quicker, and would get the job completed quicker too. He pulsed amusement to the fox, and let a happy sense of accomplishment radiate from him as he continued swooping from tile to tile, dumping each one into the wheelbarrow with determined thunks down below.
A soft chuckle resonated through the bond at Oliver's description of Torchline, and his concern that Chuy might not like the place due to the heat. 'Before Halo, before the portal snatched me up, my homeland was called the sunburnt country,' he began, to explain his light chuckle. 'Australia was known for its heat, and its dryness, and its beaches.' He supplied with a sense of wistfulness, of longing for a land he would never again get to see.
'Before the portal got me, I was travelling somewhere with a similar climate to Halo,' he explained. 'And then Deepfrost weather closed off the portal for the season. Kiada and I are planning a trip to Torchline, hopefully soon - it'll be nice to get a tan again, my skin is almost as pale as the snow in Halo at the moment!' Playfulness abounded in his tones as he tested the eagle's vocal abilities, whistling a note of amusement as he flapped from one tile to another, making short work of this rooftop.
The name of the land described sounded very familiar. Oh! I know of Australia! They gained their Independence.... I think a bit ago? It was a while back, yea. The fox was thinking out loud quite literally. His lack of memory was showing through but he didn't mind all that much. I'm from Ireland... I think? I think... I'm Irish, I know that much. There was light to his voice and he didn't sound unhappy with his lack of memory, very comfortable with how he was currently living.
It was kind of surprising to hear that he was with Kiada, someone who Oliver had only spoken to a small bit. She seemed pretty nice and he knew she was decently important. You know... I just realized we've never seen each other as humans. Huh... I'm pretty damn pale myself. Dropping down the tile, Oliver watched as it clattered down before he moved on to the next one.
Do you think you'll stay in Halo forever? Or will you go to the place most similar to your original home?
The eagle was a bit stunned at the fox's thoughts, dumping his tile into the barrow and promptly landing near him with an intense avian stare. 'You're from Earth?' he hadn't realised, hadn't appreciated the accent or the mannerisms of the other before now. And now that he had realised, he found himself unable to shake his focus, wanting to know more, to speak of a realm lost to them both.
'What year was it before you were brought here?' he sought to clarify first, knowing that the portals often messed with time, and the other's comment from before had him wondering if there weren't a hundred years or so difference between them.
'Home is where the heart is,' he offered in response to Oliver's question, a sense of a warm smile radiating out from him as he thought of his heart, of how Kia very much resided there, and as long as he was with her, it didn't matter where they were. He was admittedly, a hopeless romantic, but he couldn't deny the calling of his heart in this regard.
Was being from earth all that weird of a place? Then again, Oliver hadn't exactly heard anyone mention the name of their planets in great detail... maybe being from Earth actually was a relatively unique experience. Yeah, yeah I am from Earth. Oliver wasn't an expert on planets but he knew a small bit from the readings he had done!
Unfortunately for Chulane, Oliver wouldn't be able to provide him with a proper response. I'm not sure... but I do know it's a teen! That much he could figure out. It was kind of like gargled-teen in his brain. His memory was improving, absolutely, but it was still far from perfect.
The emotions that basically bombarded him absolutely answered his question. Well... so long as both of you are happy, I see nothing wrong with staying in Halo. Really. If Kiada loved it there then Oliver absolutely understood why Chulane would stay around. Happiness is the most important thing really. Oliver would probably do the same for his romantic-partner should he ever get one.
It wasn't so much that Chuy thought it weird, but that he was so desperate to cling to some semblance of familiarity that any mention of Earth would always spark his attention, his focus. He was a bit disappointed, but hid it, when the other seemed vague about his own origin. It had Chuy wondering if he was from the past, or the present, or the future, or an alternate Earth altogether (seen clearly the possibility of such things existing became all the more likely in his mind since being plucked through the portal himself).
'Fascinating,' he commented regarding Oliver's blurry recollection of Earth. He resumed work on the roof after fluffing his feathers up a bit and then smoothing them out, as if shrugging off a thought and refocussing on the here and now.
'I am most at home wherever she is - Halo, the Grounds, Torchline. If she is there then I am home,' he tried to clarify, as he flapped to another section to work at removing a rather stubborn broken tile. His duties and plans in Halo would take some time to execute to completion, and even then, the ongoing work would need him for some time. And Kia's whole life was in the Grounds - he'd never dream of separating her from that, not permanently, not without her whole heart in it as well.
'Do you think you'll stay in the Grounds forever?' he asked by way of making conversation.
Chulane only furthered the idea that had manifested in Oliver's mind. The fox thought for a moment, letting out a soft sigh as he contemplated what exactly to say next. Words came easily to him and he soon was speaking once more. Where was she from originally? I... haven't had the opportunity to speak with her too much, so I wouldn't know. Hell, Oliver wasn't even sure if she was an Outlander. Just goes to show how little he's really been around the attuned.
The question that came up wasn't surprising, far from it. Honestly? I'm not sure... right now, this is where I need to be. I have a shop and I'm taking care of the manor. Of course, I'll always visit the other places... I cant stand being in one place completely. Really, Oliver wasn't entirely sure. Forever was such a big word so of course he wasn't sure, but for the time being, the grounds was where he belonged.
I would move if given a reason, absolutely. May it be an opportunity, a loved one, or something else.
'Helovia was the name of her homeworld,' he said, knowing not much more of the land than that. It was something he was always learning about, knowing bits and pieces from what Kia had told him, but also so consumed with learning everything about this world too that he could only take in so much at a time.
He argued with the stubborn tile for a few more moments before it finally came loose, then flapped and dumped it over the edge to smash in the wheelbarrow. Tilting his flight upwards, he hovered for a moment over the roof, taking stock on the work they had done - they had done quite well, actually, only a couple more damaged tiles to be removed. He landed on the apex of the roof as the fox answered his query.
'What sort of things do you make in your shop?' he asked, letting his interest show. He had been gifted a set of throwing knives from Kia, and used a generic sword from the stores of Halo's humble military resources. Swordplay was something he was keen to learn more about, and though he would be using a wooden training stick for some time yet, it never hurt to prepare for the future. 'Weapons?'
There was a tilt of his head at the name of the world. Quite obviously, Oliver was pretty damn distracted, but he was able to get back onto task to finish off one of the final couple of tiles. His small paws and light weight allowed him to easily traverse the roof as he made his way over to the broken piece he had eyed. Really... what was it like? Anything like earth? Or like here? Oliver had plenty of more questions and he was absolutely going to voice them.
Plucking up the tile in his mouth, he made his way over to the ledge with the wagon. What was your version of earth like? I know mine was more advanced than here... we had lights that weren't candles, but that's all I can remember right now. As the tile tumbled down, he turned his attention to Chulane, eyes wide and ears straight up showing just how eager he was to hear more about the other earth. Hell, for all he knew they could be from the same earth! There... was just one earth, right?
A question was tossed his way and Oliver's tail wagged slightly in excitement. Of course I make weapons! It wasn't a snap, no, it was a comment out of joy. I've made common kitchen things, like a pan or a pot, but I've also made weapons like blades! I'm starting to learn to make jewelry too! Oh! If only Chulane would do business with him! That would be absolutely fantastic.
