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 pray to blades of grass
To find forgiveness in the weeds
After his disastrous family dinner (were they even his family anymore, after that?), Sam felt the need to speak to his Goddess. All the conversation had done was cement him in his new decision to follow her again and he found himself wanting to offer his services to her, even if without any upgrades he was rather weak at the moment: surely there was something he could do to help.
With the shrine destroyed in Torchline, he had to make a trip out to the Hollowed Grounds, where he knew the locations of places where he could pray. Heading out at night, aiming to be at the Labyrinth by early morning, he found himself almost enjoying the walk: when he didn't have to engage with the people, his home could be quite pleasant.
Finally he was there, knelt before the shrine. Sam kneeled before it: he knew it wasn't necessary, but given his recent strayings from the Voice, perhaps it was a good idea to show some piety. "...Mother, are you there?"
--
Sam is handing in this lvl 8 reward:
Reward: Receive a quest with a New God for an large bio-upgrade
"Of course, Sam." Her voice is warm in stark contrast to the cool electrical tones that herald her arrival. She sits atop the shrine, legs crossed with a tall spine. She might have been meditating, were it not for the intensity of her gaze which would suggest her mind was anything but lax.
However as she regards him, her eyes narrow, her normally emotionless expression twisting to something confused, and perhaps a touch wary.
"Sam.." She says softly, sitting up even straighter. "Hold out your hand.."
I pray to blades of grass
To find forgiveness in the weeds
The Voice's gaze was intense, her eyes piercing into him: Sam stared back, wondering if he had somehow committed a new transgression. Hopefully not; sometimes Gods could just be rather intense, he supposed. Trying his best to keep a positive mind, he put on a smile and opened his mouth to explain just what he'd come for.
The request confused him but he knew better than to disobey, especially after his recent sins, and besides, he did for the most part trust the Voice to not hurt him. Sam held out his right hand, the one remaining whole one, and waited to see what she would do.
Eyeing him for just a moment, the Voice raises her own hand but not to touch him. Instead, lightning jumps from her palm to his in a broken arc. It wouldn't hurt of course, but he'd feel the steady hum of it through his body. It would feel a bit the way his own bio-scans did, though much more comprehensive.
After a moment or two, the lightning would return, though the Voice would not catch it. Instead, it shot towards her and then hovered, forming into a ball of shifting currents. "Thank you.." Distractly, she nods to Sam, before ushering the light away.
"Sam." Smiling, her attention focused properly back on him, her stare calm and patient, the Voice tilts her head. "What can I do for you?"
I pray to blades of grass
To find forgiveness in the weeds
Flinching, Sam watched somewhat alarmed as the lightning jumped away from his palm, unsure of what was happening. It didn't hurt nor really feel any kind of way at all, so he felt himself relax after a moment, but the confusion was clear on his face as the orbs floated towards the Voice: he couldn't just let it go in silence. "...What was that?" He asked, looking at the air where the light had been.
Regardless, he did have something to talk about. Trying to clear his head, he looked at the Voice and shifted how he was sat before he spoke. "Well, um, basically...I was wanting to do something to make it up to you, I suppose. And..maybe, if I do it well enough, I was hoping to have an upgrade again. I feel vulnerable with nothing to protect myself." Sam hoped she wouldn't find his additional motives offensive: The Voice had to know how much his defensive capabilities had been hit.
"Just...making sure you are alright." The Voice says with a smile and small shake of her head. "Like the check-ups that the others receive from their doctors."
Listening, the Voice considers Sam's request and the motivation behind it. "It isn't me that you need to make things up to, Sam." She says with a maternal pulse of affection. "But I do understand the desire to make yourself less vulnerable." Slipping into a thoughtful silence, the Voice silently wonders how best to help Sam find himself again.
"Perhaps spending more time around our family...learning from them. It might help rebuild some of those bridges."
Sam must have 5 completed threads with other ascendeds (1 on 1 threads). In 3 of them he must learn some sort of skill from them, or learn about one of their lived-experiences.
I pray to blades of grass
To find forgiveness in the weeds
"...Oh. And...I'm alright?" He hoped the Voice would tell him if he wasn't, but Sam had always been a naturally anxious person and was already wondering if he had some kind of horrible secret Ascended disease.
The pulse of affection made him smile and looked down to the ground, a mix of happiness and shame in him at that moment, guilt for having hurt the Goddess that could love him so easily and willingly. "I'm glad you understand. I feel strange, without being able to be invisible or without my shield." Both had made him feel much more secure in the world, and without them he felt almost as if there was a target on his back.
The task that she delivered to him was not one he was expecting, and while he was glad it was not a physical challenge, he was still somewhat dreading it. Enforced socialising was not Sam's forte. But he couldn't complain. "..I can do that." He promised, nodding.
"It will take some time to tell." The Voice says with a smile, neither confirming nor denying. "You seem fine, though." She adds, knowing how much he'll worry. "I just want to make sure."
The goddess nods. When Sam had left her, she had dispelled the things that tethered him to her that he might fully experience what it was he had asked for. Believing Sam to have made up his mind, the upgrades had gone, been given to other NPC ascendeds.
"I know you can." She says with a warm smile. "And you will be better for it. Our entire family, will." Rather than reaching out to him, the Voice instead sends a dazzling whirl of electricity to surround Sam, replenishing him in an instant.
I pray to blades of grass
To find forgiveness in the weeds
Sam nodded, though he was indeed, very worried about this now. If he seemed fine, why did she need to check? Why had she looked worried at first? He tried to put it out of his mind for the moment, but he knew it would certainly come back later. "..Okay, well um...be sure to let me know when you know, please."
Her faith in him was touching, especially in the current time where it felt like few people had any, and he nodded, determined to try and justify it. "I hope so. Thank you, ..mother. For the chance." After he had been replenished, Sam stood up, eager to go and try begin.
