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!
Do you remember what you said to me?
'Cause we lost track of time
As it always did, his life was beginning to fall into place after another upheaval, the pieces slowly slotting back and his heart finding a new calm. While the Grounds was absolutely not where Sam wanted to be, and while he would fear this period too coming to an abrupt end for quite a while, he was beginning to feel vaguely better about where he was and what he was doing.
One thing that still aggravated him, pricked at the back of his mind, was the lack of his upgrades; it was a reminder of where he stood now with the Voice after his attempt to betray, his once well equipped body feeling dangerously vulnerable and weak. Not just that: it was a constant sense of what he had done and the guilt he now felt (in addition to the shame, confusion...all of it).
There was only way to work his way back into the Voice's good graces and that was by working hard for her. He was still working at making good with his Ascended family members, Sam seeing them as often as he could and learning what it was they had to tell him, but he felt he could do more. He could try more.
Going to the Woodland shrine as day turned to dusk, he sat before the tree altar. "Hello, Mother. I was wondering...if I could continue the work I was doing for you before. With the portals. We have a new place people have been travelling to, so maybe we could use a new one."
--
Sam would like to hear about the PQ+ for making a portal in the Climb, please!
Yeah, we lost track of time
You always let me down so tenderly
Appearing in a dry whisper of electricity, the Voice appears atop her shrine. "I would appreciate that. As will those who want to continue exploring The Climb." She agrees with a nod. "No doubt the Warden of Halo might thank you for your efforts as well, if it means that there are not liabilities traipsing across her lands." That no one had been eaten by an ursur thus far, was, frankly quickly shocking.
"The ascended will need to visit the entirety of the Climb. This...you will have to be clever about, given the abundance of fire in the land. Once this has been accomplished, take three of our family into the burrows, and we can begin setting up the actual portal."
The ascended must visit every board in the Climb. Be wary though, fire=not good! Once this is done, Sam needs to post the PQ+ in the burrows with three other ascended.
Do you remember what you said to me?
'Cause we lost track of time
Sam smiled to see the Voice, glad that he had won enough of her favour back to be able to ask for this favour (though, admittedly, he was asking for a task). "Oh, that's true. I hadn't thought of that..." Not yet having been to the Climb, Sam knew little of how to get there, but he supposed he'd have to learn quickly if he was to complete this mission.
"Clever...yes. I was wondering, Goddess..." He looked down and rubbed his neck, unsure if asking this was going to land him in trouble, but it was worth a shot before he went into such danger. "I do awfully miss the shield I once had, and it would help with these tasks I need to do..." Sam glanced up at the Voice, assuming the question was obvious.
--
Turning in my birthday giveaway upgrade pass to regain Sam's electric shield ability :) Thank you!
Yeah, we lost track of time
You always let me down so tenderly
For a moment, the Voice simply looks at Sam. Whatever is going on inside of her mind, whatever she is weighing and deciding, her expression reveals none of it. Instead, her electric blue eyes trace over Sam's face for a moment, before she finally, at long last, nods.
"I am very proud of you, Sam. It is not easy to venture out on your own, to make decisions you feel that you need to make despite what others think. Harder still to admit when you are wrong." Her lips turn upward in a smile. Though the forcefield wouldn't protect her bright one against the fires and heat of the Climb, perhaps it would help shore up the cracks and splinters which had formed when he'd first decided to leave her.
Sam has been given back one of his former upgrades!
Holographic Force field Upgrade | the user can project a spherical forcefield around them. Objects and matter can pass through it, but when organic matter does it will receive an electrical shock as long as contact is made
Do you remember what you said to me?
'Cause we lost track of time
Sam couldn't quite meet the Voice's eyes during her pause, fearful he had pushed too far, been too rude in the face of someone he had only just reconciled with. He'd never been very good at knowing what was appropriate, after all. Thankfully, after the moment's silence she was amenable to his request and he let out a relieved sigh, a smile taking over his face as he felt his recovered upgrade restore itself back into his body.
The tasks ahead were fearsome, but Sam was prepared, or at least as much as he could be. In a lot of ways he still felt like the scared little boy he had been when this had all began, but the sights and experiences of the last few years had given him an armour that was beginning to harden, the cracks filling in.
{FIN}
Yeah, we lost track of time
You always let me down so tenderly
