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'm not sure it has. You were about to jump into the fireplace." Morgan pointed out, hoping that Neron, in this apparently more coherent state, might be able to see how foolish that had been. "I'm tempted to take the wood and douse the whole area before I go." Maybe he'd be cold, but it wouldn't kill him: this was Halo. Everyone was cold.
She reached out to steady his arm as he stood, both hands gently supporting him up. Between Neron and Deimos, Morgan was beginning to feel tired of seeing people she respected like this; it tugged at her heart in a way nothing had in a long time. At least she could make sure Neron was as well seen to as she could manage. Nodding at his directions, she began to slowly walk him to the stairs.
"Ah. Chulane told me about that...it seems he didn't lock it well enough." Morgan went up a step then helped Neron to do the same, starting a steady rhythm upwards. "Do you know Loren is sick too? I was wondering if having you together would be a poor idea..."
Fall upon your knees saying
"This is my body and soul here"
”Oh, I see...” Neron is in the state of mind, briefly, to appreciate how foolish he has been, and the smile he gives Morgan is both sheepish and grateful. It doesn’t fade as she steadies him and starts to lead him upstairs. ”Maybe you should.” It’s a testament to his sense of preservation that he agrees with the Warden; making it so he can’t accidentally set the Kraai (and himself) on fire sounds like a very wise plan indeed.
His brow furrows to hear that Loren is unwell too, Neron shaking his head and seeming quietly worried for his twin, though it’s a good thing he’s not facing Morgan so she can’t see it on his face. ”I think it would be better if we were apart. Who knows what might happen,” he mumbles, steady once they reach the landing. The Hailstorm leads them back into the room he’d escaped from (the latch and lock on it is broken, and he doesn’t seem to notice), moving to sink back onto the bed.
Morgan was thankful for Neron's moment of sense surrounding the fire; it gave her some faith that he might be alright when she left him alone (though she'd still be absolutely sure to put in every safety measure she could think of, like baby-proofing a room for a toddler). "I will. I've seen others with the illness...they all want fire. Can you explain to me what it is about it?" Maybe if she understood the desire, she could help find a safe way for them to overcome it.
She couldn't help the soft chuckle under her breath as Neron advised it would be best for him and Loren to be apart. Not going to argue the point she only nodded, thinking she ought to go and corral Loren back to a secure location as well.
As he went to rest on the bed she stepped back to the door and investigated the lock, pushing the catch around with her fingers. Frowning, Morgan tried to use her telekinesis to fix it, feeling around within the mechanism and experimentally moving parts to see where they stuck. As she worked she shook her head with a sigh. "No. Not fully. Something to with the Climb, I heard, but that's..that's all, and that may just be a guess. It's early days, though. Can you think of anywhere you've been...or anything you've done, that might have made you ill?"
Fall upon your knees saying
"This is my body and soul here"
Teasing the blankets between his fingers as if they are suddenly very interesting, Neron can already feel sense slipping away from him. He tries to focus - hard - and gazes up at Morgan to watch her fix the door. ”All of us...?” They all seek out fire? Sighing a breath out that he doesn’t need, he shrugs his shoulders. ”No,” he says simply. How does one explain something that has no rhyme or reason? ”It’s warm, bright... and I feel cold.”
It doesn’t get much more straightforward - apart from the small matter of having a fever and not needing heat or cold as an Ascended. Staring at his hands now, Neron furrows his brow and slowly slips to lay down on the bed. He can’t remember the last time he did something like this, as if he’s going to lay down and actually sleep. Usually beds are just a fancy way to lounge.
”Loren was at the Climb. He visited me just after he got back... And now he’s sick too.” If it came from there, that explains Neron’s contact with it.
It was easy to see something in Neron begin to shift and fall away as time passed from his drinking; it reminded Morgan of her grandmother, who had died when she was young, for the few years before that slipping in and out of herself. Pressing her lips together and pretending she didn't notice it, she nodded at his question and tried to listen to his reasons.
Of course, it was irrational. "I thought Ascended couldn't feel temperature?" She asked, wondering if being reminded of that might jolt something in him that would have more sense, at least for a while.
As Neron laid down, she found herself automatically moving forward to pick up the blanket folded at the bottom and lay it over him. This sickness in her friends had brought out a nurturing side to Morgan that she had not known prior, but she had discovered it was hard to deny. If Neron would let her she would lay it up to his shoulders and make sure it was neat before standing back up, content he was comfortable.
"I see. ...Is there...anything you want me to do for you? While you're stuck in here, I could help sort any business you have." She offered, stepping towards the door but finding herself wanting to linger just a while more.
Fall upon your knees saying
"This is my body and soul here"
”Or pain,” Neron agrees, the words half muffled into the pillow he’s buried his head in. ”Not cold, not hot, not nothing. But I still feel cold.” It’s irrational and whimsical and makes zero sense, but Neron isn’t lying in this state, at least. He mumbles something - a question, maybe - as she approaches and draws the blanket over him. There’s a whisper of a smile on his lips at that, the weight comforting if nothing else.
He doesn’t manage to voice his gratitude, but the way he relaxes under the covers might give Morgan a sense of it. He can’t sleep, but he can at least close his eyes and pretend for a while. ”Mm... Kraai is closed,” he mutters. ”No business to take care of. There’s a closed sign on the door.” He thinks. There should be.
"...Right." Morgan nodded as if it made sense, supposing that all that really mattered was that Neron felt he was cold. As long as that was the case he would pursue the flames, regardless of his real temperature. Not asking what it was he mumbled as she pulled his blanket up (she was sure she didn't want to know), she paused at the door, hand on the frame.
No business to sort, then. "Alright. I will come back to check on you in the next couple of days. If you need anything...I'll station a guard at the door. To help you." Not to lock him in, she wanted that much to be clear. With that said, she gave him a smile (weak, but vaguely hopeful) and headed downstairs.
While she was there, she did as she promised. Took the wood out of the fire and used her water magic to dampen the whole area, finishing by stacking some chairs around the fireplace. It wouldn't stop him if he was truly determined, but it would make it considerably more difficult for Neron to burn himself.
{FIN}
Fall upon your knees saying
"This is my body and soul here"
