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!
Loren padded through the streets of the Hollowed Ground, Astra by his side. Although he didn't have much time to spare with the threat of the illness still hanging over him and those he cared about, he hadn't had news from the area for a while. So he was going to check to see how everyone here was doing. He himself was doing better, his fur washed and groomed and gleaming in the Longheat sun, mane ruffling in the slight breeze.
Turning a corner, his steps slowed as he saw a familiar form in front of him. Vague memories washed through him and he shuddered a bit. Still, he sent a single word through his bond with the woman. Amalia? Although his own pace was hesitant as he approached the Shield, his companion had no such doubts: she bleated and trotted right up to the baker. The luxere stared up at Amalia with wide eyes.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Amalia has been busy since returning from the Climb, her days occupied by preparations for a long departure, her nights punctuated by restless sleep. Barefoot in the summer heat, she wears a dress with an open back, a small and now nearly-empty wagon pulled along in her wake. She is in the process of finishing her deliveries and tasks for the day when a voice sounds inside her head, catching her by surprise. There, to her left, a familiar lion stands.
"Loren?"
If the lion and the voice were not confirmation enough, the little luxere who runs up toward her absolutely is. Leaning down to run her fingers back and scratch the doe behind her ears, the girl looks back to the lion with an uncertain, subdued almost-smile. "What... what are you doing here? You look well."
10-03-2020, 09:38 PM (This post was last modified: 10-03-2020, 09:50 PM by Loren.)
like thunder gonna shake the ground
Astra bleated and closed her eyes as Amalia scratched behind the luxere's ears. She titled her head to give the Shield better access. Loren let his tongue loll out at the sight, though he closed his mouth at the baker's question. Thanks. Much better than the last times you've seen me I imagine. A bit furrier though. His tail flicked back and forth and he shook out his mane.
Padding closer to Amalia, the lion huffed out some air. How are you doing? Peering at the wagon behind the baker, his gaze returned to her at her question. I was worried about a few people in the Hollowed Ground, so I was just coming to check up on them.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
"Much," Amalia confirms, her crooked smile widening a fraction. "Morgan convinced you to drink the water?" Clearly the Glacier had done a better job than Amalia managed, and though she has the good grace to look somewhat bashful at her failure, she's grateful he's better at all.
Amalia doesn't move as the lion pads closer, still not sure where they stand. Her smile fades at his comment, though, the memory of the failed meeting still sharp on her mind. "Yeah. It's been... strange." Still running her fingers behind Astra's ears, the girl bites unhappily on her lip. "I'm actually not staying here for long. I'll be going to Torchline until we can find a cure for the Ascended, too."
Something like that. Padding forward, Loren nuzzled Astra, who bleated and returned the gesture, twining around his legs. Astra was the one to actually get me to drink.
Nodding at her response to his question, he hesitated for a moment. Whining, he looked down and away from Amalia, pawing at the ground. I feel that. And I wanted to thank you, by the way. For dealing with me when I was sick.
He huffed out some air. I don't remember everything super clearly, but considering how difficult I am at the best of times I imagine I was a bit of a nightmare. The luxere bleated again as if to agree with his statement and he batted playfully at her with one paw, careful not to put any real force behidn it.
His head snapped up at her next statement though. Is there hope for an Ascended cure in Torchline? His tail swished again and his ear flicked forward, even as the rest of his body stilled.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
"Well done, Astra." As the luxere leaves Amalia's side, the girl returns to the familiar state of rubbing her scarless wrist. Guilt still claws up at her throat; with a sigh, she turns away, looking over the town as he offers gratitude she certainly doesn't deserve. "I'm sorry, Loren. For leaving you. I didn't know what else to do."
She misses his stiffening at her comment, snorting away the question. "Not more than anywhere else," the girl says with a sight. "But I may have burned too many bridges here... especially with Wessex as Queen. And sick." Shrugging uncomfortably, Amalia now turns her dark eyes to the ground. "I've lived here my whole life, but with so much changing... maybe it's time to move on."
She's caught in her own thoughts now, falling into familiar anxiety. Shaking her head and blinking abruptly, the Shield looks back to the lion at last. "What have... what have you been up to, since I saw you last? Have you been back to the Climb yet? Did you try taking the metal back?"
Astra preened when Amalia complimented her. When the Shield apologized to Loren, though he shook his head at her. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. There was nothing else you could've done under the circumstances, so don't go beating yourself up over an impossible situation. Hesitating for just a moment, he stretched his neck up and rubbed it against her shoulder.
Deflating at her answer, he whined again at her words. Gods damn it. I was hoping... Bowing his head, his paws clenched, claws digging furrows into the ground.
I'm sorry you feel that way. For what it's worth, I understand burning bridges you never meant to. He took a deep breath, forcing his body to relax. Change can be a good thing, if you're open to it though, he offered.
Then he chuffed out some air, fluffing his mane a bit as he did. I guess Wessex being sick explains her attacking me at least. His companion trembled at the memory, and he reached out with one leg to pull her into his side, resting his head on her back.
I did go into the Climb. With Wessex actually. Looking for more metal. We didn't find it but we found...something. He tilted his head as he tried to prod his foggy memory to supply details. Although I talked to Frey again and I'm not sure whether the metal is going to be useful or not.
His tail flicked and he looked up at the baker. How about you? I heard you were part of the group that brought the water back. So thanks for that too.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Absently Amalia runs a hand through his mane, fingers pressing soothingly against the muscles of his neck. "Those bridges burned years ago, and she lit the first spark." Bitterness curls into the smoke of her voice, the alto tone hardening into a pained, rough line as Amalia considers the path that her relationship with the Wraith has taken. She clenches her fists against the pain anger, shaking her head and taking a breath. And though she very much wants to point out that Wessex probably doesn't need a reason to attack Loren, the Shield bites her tongue.
That they went to the Climb together, though? "What did you find?" Amalia asks, deeply curious, turning her dark eyes back to the lion. Her brows furrow at the next statement; "What makes you think it doesn't matter?"
As for her own misadventures? Amalia snorts. "I was. My sickness started coming back right as we arrived, and there were some near-accidents. We didn't find much besides the water - a cathedral of black stone, and some flowers. We were more focused on getting water back to the sick than really exploring."
Lion's couldn't purr, but Loren made a rumbling sound deep in his chest as Amalia's fingers stroked through his mane. He arched a little into the touch, rubbing against her palm. Not to be neglected, Astra pressed against the Shield's other side. Bleating, the luxere looked up at the woman.
However, as the demi-goddess' tone shifted, the healer stilled. He stepped away from her, settling on the ground by her feet. Take all of this with a grain of salt because I was still sick when she teleported us there, but we found a waterfall. Behind it there was...an archway? With little slots in it? He shook his head as if rocking his brain around a bit would prod his fuzzy memories into sharper clarity.
As for the metal, I don't know how much of this is Frey's indifference, but they told me that whatever was inside it was already inside of me. That it was nothing more than a pretty bauble at this point. Whining a bit, his tail swished back and forth as he recounted the memory. And that I should put it back where I found it, meaning where Tanau was. I think? But that doesn't track with the Voice sending Wessex after it. His whine intensified for a moment and his ears joined his tail in flicking around.
Yawning, he shifted his weight a bit as Amalia told her own story about returning to the Climb. Near-accidents, huh? As long as they were near. He chuffed out a bit of air, but subsided as his companion looked his way and stamped at the ground with one hoof. For what it's worth, I'm really glad you came back sooner rather than later.
He would've added more, but there was a shrieking sound in the distance. A woman, hands crooked into a facsimile of claws, staggered towards them. Her skin was slick with sweat, hair matted to her head, and her eyes were fever bright. "The Shield and the Firebrand," she hissed. "Your so-called cure just burns and you brought nothing but trouble from the Climb." The stranger started to stumble towards them, hand reaching for a knife at her belt.
10-05-2020, 10:01 PM (This post was last modified: 10-05-2020, 10:03 PM by Amalia.)
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
"A waterfall. Did the water help you feel better?" Does it tie into the Hot Springs, or relate to the waterfall Amalia once found in another cave, leading to a room without answers? She tucks this information away, making a mental note to ask the others from the expedition if they'd seen such a waterfall. It's vague and largely unhelpful, but it's all she has to work with for now.
And then there is the metal. It takes a great deal of restraint for Amalia to not sigh: "It's inside all of us who are sick, I assume," she replies slowly, trying not to let her frustration sink into her words. Through if what he says is true, and the Voice wants the metal... that makes Amalia freeze in alarm, her eyes growing wide and her tone growing sharp. "That's not good. Loren, where is it? We can't let the Voice get her hands on it. We have to take it back to, to Tanau or the Climb or whatever Frey means."
She's still tense when the voice cries out behind them, and perhaps that's why she reacts how she does. Spinning around, Amalia immediately extends her wings and raises her hand, cautioning the woman to stand back as thorns sprout in her braid. "What- you aren't well. Are you Ascended?"
Chuffing, Loren's body shook at Amalia's question. No. I jumped through it and all I could think about was needing to get it out of my fur and off my skin. He found himself remembering that quite vividly and shivered. Bleating, Astra nuzzled against his side until he got his shakes under control.
Maybe. That would make sense, though I suppose only the gods can confirm it. Claws flexing a bit, he dug inadvertent furrows in the ground. Looking at the baker, his tail flicked. It's back in Halo, hidden in a safe spot while I figure out what to do with it. I promise. I didn't think it wise to bring here, what with Wessex being Queen again. Standing up, he butted his head gently against the Shield's hip. Frey wouldn't even confirm it came from the Climb, the lion told her with a slight whine.
As the other woman appeared, the Firebrand was slower to turn towards the stranger. Opening his mouth, he stepped aside as Amalia's wings sprang out and whacked against his side. So those weren't a hallucination, he commented, gaze flicking towards her for a moment.
However, before he could react further the sick woman cackled. "Not Ascended. But our Queen is. And your cure is a curse in disguise. Fake." She kept moving towards them, unsheathing her blade. And then she twisted a ring on her hand.
Roots and vines exploded from the ground as she activated the item. They wrapped around Loren and Astra, caging him and slamming him into the ground, though they just bound his companion. Snarling, he struggled against them but he couldn't break free from their grasp.
Switching tactics, he attempted to bite and claw the plants, but couldn't seem to damage them faster than they could grow. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the plants reaching for the Shield as well.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
"Being in Halo - being anywhere - hasn't stopped Wessex before," Amalia points out tersely, though her agitation is eased somewhat by his gentle touch. Still, this feels like an urgent issue, and one that Loren is not taking nearly as seriously as he should. "It needs to go back, Loren. As soon as possible. Now. You can't leave the possibility that the Voice will get her hands on it- we can't let that happen. And if it has anything to do with a permanent cure..." Her mouth goes dry, the memory of the illness always a cackling shadow away. The idea of being sick again terrifies her, almost paralyzing in its intensity.
She doesn't mean to whack Loren with her wings, but she also doesn't notice because almost as soon as the appendages are splayed the woman speaks again, unsheathing the knife. "You're sick-" Amalia begins, stepping forward, her arm still outstretched, but the words die as vines reach out abruptly from the ground, grasping at her limbs.
"Vi's beard!" Trying to dance out of range of the plants, Amalia finds her legs entangled, rooting her to the ground. "Stop! Let us help you-!" Reaching swiftly to her side, the girl draws out her horn of plenty and throws some of the water toward the woman. At the same time she pushes forward with her wind, the breeze helping to carry the droplets to the woman in a refreshing, healing burst.
Loren hacked and shook out his mane. It's at the bottom of a pool of water in a hidden location. Which is about as safe as I can make it under the circumstances. Pawing at the ground, he met Amalia's gaze. I agree. But I don't know where it came from. So short of chucking it into the lava, I'm out of ideas.
He took a deep breath and released it. What do you want me to do? The only sign of his shared agitation was the way his tail swished. Well that and the fact that Astra continued to press herself against him.
When he couldn't break free, the healer gave up fighting. Now that he was secure and not struggling, the plants stopped growing over him, though he still couldn't get out from them and neither could the luxere. The wind from the shield blew over him, ruffling his fur and he relaxed as it seemed to settle into his veins.
The droplets splattered against and the wind blew past the strange woman. She staggered backwards, the knife dropping from nerveless fingers. "Wh-what? H-how did I get here?" Burying her face in her hands she groaned.
Loren eyed her. Then he twisted as much as he could and stared at the baker. I thought we had to drink it.
and look for the stars as the sun goes down each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Whatever discussion they may have had is thoroughly disrupted by the incident with the woman, the trains of thought abandoned in the face of this new, unexpected conflict. Fortunately the water does its work, Amalia's heart clenching in painful empathy as she watches the stranger regain her senses, loss and shock washing over her face. It is an experience the Shield remembers keenly, and one she feels a great responsibility for.
Shrugging off the last of the vines, Amalia reaches for the woman, wrapping her arm across shaking shoulders. "It's okay. You were sick, but you're better- for now." Glancing up to Loren, the baker shakes her head. "Any contact seems to work."
She takes as much of the woman's weight as she will give, looking to Loren again. "I'm going to get her home and settled. We'll... we'll talk again soon, okay?" With a last sad smile Amalia turns away, letting the woman guide her down the familiar Settlement roads.
