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!
it's cold, it's dark, it's deep and it's wet and you ain't gonna make it if you don't let someone in
Whether Finn means to or not, his words do cause her honeyed eyes to widen a fraction, a brief flush to cross over her cheeks before she runs a hand through her hair, ignoring the comment and not reading into it – eyes dancing over toward the windows again, away from the Spyglass. “Hard to believe.” She half mutters, managing a quiet chimed laugh even if it comes out slightly awkward. Hopefully Finn doesn’t notice. “Hard to imagine he has time for anything other than work.” She admits with the slightest hint of amusement within it.
But he moves to erase the notes, and she watches him add in ones from his book. She remains quiet, throughout, simply observing, before her attention lifts when he speaks again. “Oh, no, you’re fine.” She says softly, realizing that it was an awkward situation, but one that could be rectified. “Do you want help? Or… I can leave you to it, I suppose.” She flashes him another small smile.
After all, her work here was done wasn’t it?
darlin', darlin', why don't you sleep at night? the colder the heart, the warmer the gun
blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures
"Is it?" Finn wonders, his wry smile directed to the window, to his research. "The Eye addresses his own needs as directly and thoroughly as any of his work, I imagine. It would be remiss of him to allow anything to get in the way of a clear head." It's conjecture, but the Spyglass has spent enough time around Cian - and viewing him through his glasses - to tie together parts and parcels of his nature. He's probably being far too forthcoming with the information right now, granted, but his rest in StormBreak seems to have loosened his tongue somewhat.
The idea of help is an utterly foreign concept to Finn, and the way he glances over his shoulder to Sera with such surprise is a giveaway to that fact. Still, his stormy eyes brighten a touch, and he nods and offers her out the book. "As long as I am not keeping you from anything," he says. "Would you read the names and dates from the pages, please?"
it's cold, it's dark, it's deep and it's wet and you ain't gonna make it if you don't let someone in
’Yes.’ She wants to immediately say, to tell him that it is surprising to her. But as Finn expands on the thought, the information is retained within Seraphina’s mind. She doesn’t know if it’ll be useful, but it’s a thought that lingers regardless, as she focuses on offering her help to Finn with a brief nod of her head of understanding the initial tidbit on the Eye.
She lets her gaze land on Finn again when he glances back at her – the surprise evident over his face at her offer, surprise that’s reflected slightly on her own as he nods and hands her the book. She steps forward, moving to lean against the desk, her eyes flicking over the page and the window to see where he’d left off. “I don’t have anything else to do.” She assures him, flashing an easy smile, before she begins to read the names and dates as he indicates, pausing after each one so he’d be able to write it down.
darlin', darlin', why don't you sleep at night? the colder the heart, the warmer the gun
blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures
"As long as you are sure," Finn echoes, a stickler for consent if nothing else, and as Sera takes up the book and Finn gives the whole window his attention, he quickly picks up where he left off. It goes much faster with her help, names and dates spanning the length of the panes, connecting and interconnecting around a particular time period. Then the Spyglass moves to the next window across, glancing briefly over his shoulder to the Artificer.
"If you flick to the back of that book, there's a slip of paper with more names on it, if you would," he says softly, waiting for her to do just that before continuing with the mindmap. When it's finally finished, Finn steps back, absorbing it all at a distance for a moment. "That is a list of all known demigods from three centuries ago, when the war between the Old Gods and the Voice first began in earnest."
He's pointing to the first window, before nodding at the one straight across from it. "And that is all the demigods we currently know of. I was trying to find out if there has been a spike in them, since the barrier went down." And if there has, the implication is pretty obvious.
it's cold, it's dark, it's deep and it's wet and you ain't gonna make it if you don't let someone in
“I am.” She chimes in turn, focused on grabbing the book and figuring out where he’d left off. It goes quicker now as she produces names and dates, as she watches him write them down. She does as instructed, flipping to the next section as he writes those down too and she airs them into the open. And only when she’s done and he steps back, does she close the book and set it on his desk to approach the panes with writing within them.
Her head tilts curiously, on the previous names before turning to the newer names and the dates of them, brows raising a small amount in surprise. “A recently made Vi demi?” It comes out almost as a whisper, surprise lacing through her. “Safrin’s… Ludo’s…” Just to name a few. She turns back to Finn with confusion and expectation clearly sat in her brow as she listens to him, a frown forming along her face.
“And what did you find?” She asks. Had there been a spike? Surely she could look at the panes and see but she’d rather get his input on it. It was his job after all.
darlin', darlin', why don't you sleep at night? the colder the heart, the warmer the gun
blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures
Finn nods absently as she traces the patterns he's found as well, his eyes flicking from name to name, from date to date, joining the dots and coming up with a picture he's not entirely sure he's happy with. But being happy with it does not necessarily mean that it's any less true. "It seems likely," he says slowly, "that the world around us and the gods within it are preparing for another war like the one that resulted in the barrier three centuries ago."
It seems perfectly obvious, of course, to any who look at the present day events for any small length of time, but for Finn it's an unhappy conclusion that he's been trying to avoid looking at for some time. Clearing his throat, he steps away from the wall at last. "Thank you for all of your help, Artificer. I think perhaps that is enough negativity for one day, though. Don't you think?"
it's cold, it's dark, it's deep and it's wet and you ain't gonna make it if you don't let someone in
The thoughts swirl in her mind with Finn’s confirmation, a soft tilt of her head as she considers it and remembers what Gideon had told her – something she had partially taken as some old warning to always be on her toes. But to hear Finn say it, it sparks something else, something with a bit more resolve. She looks back to him briefly before around the office once more, ensuring everything is in place as she mulls it over. “Well, I suppose I should get a few more materials on hand just in case.” In case she needs to make fortifications or repairs.
As for the rest of it though, she finds her gaze landing back on Finn when he steps back from the wall and clears his throat. “You’re welcome.” She agrees softly at first, before a gentle laugh tumbles past her lips. “I do think that’s enough. It’s a bright, beautiful day outside.” She gestures to the wall of windows, bounces a brow as if to emphasize it, before she’s moving to collect Levi and the last little bag she had left over. “Go and enjoy it, Finn.” A wider, more charming smile is given the Spyglass’ way, before Seraphina moves toward the door to give him more peace and quiet.
- FINnnn <3
darlin', darlin', why don't you sleep at night? the colder the heart, the warmer the gun
