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!
11-08-2020, 06:15 PM (This post was last modified: 11-09-2020, 03:11 AM by Ray.)
Ray walked along the coastline until she reached Hale Ka’aila. However as she approached she found a small doll in the sand. Turning it over, the grinning porcelain mask sent a shiver down her spine. Feeling oddly compelled, she placed it in her bag. Something told her it was important. Just as she reached Hale Ka’aila she froze. Standing there, body almost translucent, was her mother. Her mother who had passed five years ago. Almost tripping on her feet Ray approached.
"Mom?" She asked hesitantly.
The figure turned around slowly and Ray flinched. Her mother was crying.
"My daughter, I'm so sorry. I never meant to leave you so young. Much less leave you in the care of only your father. He taught you his trade. I never wanted that. I wanted you to be free of the underworld. I failed you." The specter all but whispered
"No! It's ok. I'm ok! Please don't cry." Ray all but begged. She could never stand her mother's tears.
"You've been forced to use my teachings for methods in which I never wanted. I saw your face. Your guilt and pain as you used my knowledge of medicines to craft poisons. And although it pains me I can't blame you. Instead I almost feel relief that my knowledge put food on your table. What kind of mother does that make me?"
"The best. The absolute best. Please don't cry. Don't blame yourself."
Ray's mother simply smiled gratefully, but she still cried. "Thank you. Be safe my love." She vanished into the breeze.
Ray stood there shocked, shakily putting a hand to her cheek where she felt her own tears. That was the absolute last thing she expected to experience today.
"Hello daughter."
Ray whipped around. Ah and there was her father, dead of three years, wearing his usual smirk. Of course.
"If you start crying I'm going to scream." Ray warned.
The specter of her father laughed "No. I just wanted to say hi. And give you some advice on your broker dealings." Her father then launched into a three hour speech that was clearly rehearsed. He critiqued every single one of her deals, her spy management, decorum, etc. And then offered more advice then Ray could keep track of. Her head hurt by the end.
"Go all that?' He finally asked.
"No. But thanks." Ray said honestly, rubbing her temple. Her father simply laughed and just as her mother had, he vanished into the breeze.
"Love yah you brat. Have fun."
Ray stood there for a long time. She just wanted to walk on the beach. Not have an overwhelming reunion with her dead parents or receive a lecture.
She continued walking along the shore, lost in thought. It then occurred to her. If ghosts from her past were around. Others might be too. She decided to wander and see if she encountered anyone else, or any other spirits.
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
He’s not paying attention as he slips along the coast, feels the sand beneath his feet, feels the warmth of Torchline soaking into his bones. If anything, Milo’s quite content, eyes dancing between the hels that circle in the sky and the way his shadow casts silly looking shapes on the pale sandy dunes as he walks by them. The sun reflects within his fiery red hair, swept back by the ocean's salty breezes and a hand that's torn through it to push it back a few more times than likely necessary.
After a few moments of idle wandering, he finds that he’s not alone – the song he’s whistling cuts short as he spots a vaguely familiar shape along the beach. He squints at her, brown eyes narrowing as he tries to pick her out, before it dawns on her in a sudden realization and a wide grin spreads across the young man’s face – speed picking up as he jogs over toward her. “Aye, Ray, howzit goin’?” He asks by way of greeting, hoping to come up beside her and see what she was doing this far out on the coast if anything.
Ray looked up as Milo approached, giving him a nod in greeting. His sudden appearance startled her slightly but she managed to hid it for the most part. "Not much really. Just wanted a break from the craziness of town. What about you? Running an errand for Zeph?" She asked, not quite willing to tell him about her strange encounter. That honestly felt too private to share with someone who was only an acquaintance. But maybe he had heard more about Ludo's recent activity? It was worth asking.
"Actually there was one thing I've been looking into. I came out here to test something." She lied. "Ludo has been up so something recently. I've been hearing whispers and rumors mostly. But one thing I've heard is that some of the odd happenings occur more frequently when someone is alone or in a small group." That information was true but Ray had mostly come out here to think, not try her luck in seeing these rumors for herself.
"Have your or Zeph heard anything? The people I've spoken to have often been to shaken to give me clear information." She inquired.
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
— Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
He sidles up beside her, casting an easy and bright grin her way, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Mm, no. Zeph’s been busy lately. Jus’ out for a walk.” He offers, peering ahead down the beach and watching the waves crash against the edges, spilling across the pale sands until her question reaches him and his head tilts back toward her with interest.
Ludo and whispers, huh? It was intriguing, and his red brows furrow as he considers what it means, honeyed eyes focusing on her face before he looks out over the sand again. “’ve heard a bit from those on th’docks.” He murmurs, lips pursing briefly before he shrugs his shoulders, shakes his head. “’aven’t heard anythin’ personally tho.” It was an interesting test though, and if Milo spends a few moments extra trying to extend his senses into reaching something else, well… That was that.
So far he’s got nothing though. “Ludo does like t’play games. Suppose it’d make sense, yeah? Didja hear ‘r see anythin’?” His gaze lands back on the waves as they crash along the beach, giving her the ability to choose whether or not to answer without trying to read it in her face.
"He certainly does." She said sarcastically. Ray thought about it for a moment. Did she tell Milo about what she'd seen? Making a decision, Ray reached into her bag and pulled out the small doll with the porcelain mask she had found in the sand. She held it out to Milo. "I found this while I was walking, almost tripped on it." She took a deep breath to steel herself. "And right after I could have sworn I saw some specters that looked like people I know who have passed on." She said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. Ray purposefully kept her information vague. The meeting with her parents was too personal to share. "It seems there really is some truth to these rumors."
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
Of course, Milo can’t help but to smile in the face of the sarcastic tone that Ray gives him. It’s no matter though, not as he continues to walk along beside her, pausing only when she pulls out the little Ludo mask, the porcelain somewhat unsettling but oddly comforting in a sense. “Didja now?” He asks, reaching out to pluck it from her hands and turn it over a few times in his hands, scanning over it with his honeyed brown gaze.
After a few moments and enough time to digest what it was Ray had said, he goes to hand it back to her, before running a hand through his red hair with a few extra spans of silence. “Oy, that sounds fuckin’ terrible.” Luckily for Milo, he hasn’t really been around those that had passed – didn’t remember his grandparents if he’d ever met them or not, wouldn’t know who or what would haunt him.
For now, though, he turns his attention back to Ray. “Hopefully it’s nothin’ too bad. I’d prefer not t’show off m’surprised scream in front’a ya.” He offers her with a boyish and wide grin of amusement. But as he peers past her, he does see some sort of dark shadow, something dancing across the waves that has his brows furrowing immensely. “Y’know what, maybe yer right Ray. Maybe we should get outta here, aye?”
Ray took the doll back and carefully placed it in her bag. She felt oddly attached to little thing. Ray wondered why Ludo had left it out. Was she meant to find it as a warning of what was to come? "It wasn't too terrible. Kind of unnerving but not really bad." She said, regaining some of her normal energy. It had actually been nice to speak with her parents. Emotionally draining and mentally taxing, but rather nice. Ray snorted when at Milo's words. "You know that only makes it sound like you have an embarrassing scream. Do you scream like a little girl?" She teased. She could see him having and incredibly high-pitched scream that was worthy of black-mail.
Ray was about to make another joke at his expense when something occurred to her. "I'm actually beginning to wonder if seeing the doll is the trigger for seeing these specters and things. But I have no proof of that." She shared her theory, still thinking deeply on it. Ray then noticed Milo's eyes had locked on the waves. Following his line of sight, she saw the apparition and hummed. "Well fuck. Another spooky thing. What are the chances that we're lucky and that it just the shadow of the waves?" She sighed deeply. "I have a hunch leaving won't make that thing go away. Hell it might follow us. I'm going to take a closer look." Ray declared and then began to cautiously approach the shadow.
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
A small nod is given in agreement, perhaps a bit somber at first before he lightens the mood and Ray adds into it with her own chiding. He flashes her a positively amused grin, leaning in while they walk a bit as if he’s to tell her a secret. “Wouldn’tcha like t’know?” He teases with a wink, straightening up as he looks past her and spies the shadow in the waves.
He leans back slightly, brows drawing closer together as he peers over toward the waves, watching as she shifts to head toward it. His jaw drops and his hand extends out toward her as she departs him. “Aye, Ray, I dunno if that’s such’a good idea.” The shadow flickers again and he finds himself trotting after her to catch up, despite how much he wishes they could leave.
Ray glanced back at Milo. She could tell he was reluctant to approach the shadow. She sighed and tried to explain her reasoning, her voice steady and reassuring. "Listen. If we don't deal with it, someone else will have to. And I don't know about you but I trust my skills in a fight more than I trust some random civilian who's never seen even held a knife. I plan to at least get a closer look just to get an idea of what it is. Alright?" Ray continued her cautious approach. She stopped about 5 feet away from the waterline, the shadow just beyond that. Ray never let her eyes wander from the thing, she didn't want to risk missing any movements or aggressive actions. Peering at the apparition she tried to make sense of what or who it was.
"Uh... Hello there." She greeted, feeling rather foolish to be speaking to a shadow. But if it was sentient she didn't want to insulting it by assuming otherwise.
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
He is reluctant, but he trails along her heels like a lost dog, gaze snapping back to the figure in the waves that flickers in an out of view, especially as their approach turns a bit more cautious. “I’d prefer somebody else havin’ t’deal with it.” He offers with a weak smile. Courage in the face of things like this were not his forte. That’s why he was a runner – it was easier to get out of things, to slip out of view, to never be the one suspected of pulling anything off if he was simply laid back and easy going.
But regardless, she’s approaching, and eventually she stops and Milo stops immediately beside her as well – honeyed eyes peeled at the figure, watching as it disappears beneath the waves before popping up. For a second, Milo thinks he might recognize it. ‘Come and play!’ Comes the quiet chanted sound of its voice, a beckoning to get closer, and Milo remains rooted in place. “No fuckin’ thank you.” He calls out to the specter, jaw clenching.
Ray rolled her eyes at Milo's unwillingness to go forward. Oh she understood perfectly. This entire situation was unnerving and her instincts were telling her to get the hell out of dodge. But information was important for her trade. And the more she could get, the better off she would be with whatever Ludo was up to. Ray felt a shiver go down her spine when the specter spoke. She had not been expecting a response. Much less one like that. "Well that came straight out of a horror story." She commented, her eyes widening. Ray had to stifle a laugh at Milo's response to the invitation.
Ray turned back to the specter. "Sorry, I didn't bring any swimwear. I can't play in the water." Internally though she was repeating, fuck no, fuck no, fuck no. What had he gotten herself into? Wasn't curiosity killed the cat a saying for a reason? "Any chance you recognize them? I recognized the specters I saw earlier. But I don't know this one." She asked Milo curiously, still keeping a careful eye on the shadow. Ray was wondering if all specters were tied to who saw them or if they were random.
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
“Toldya it was a shit idea.” Milo says, though where humor typically sat, there was a bit of honest shakenness as the figure disintegrates for the time being at Ray’s denial of playing with it. Milo almost wishes he could breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of it gone, but he can’t, instead he steps forward to stand beside Ray and peer at the place where it had left. “No, not a clue.” He had thought, maybe, it was a familiar face, but he can’t confirm it. Nobody comes to mind immediately that he might suggest the specter chose to appear as.
He huffs a quiet sigh, ready to turn around when the specter is standing right behind them, Milo jumping like a cat out of his skin. “Whothefuck’reyou?!” It comes out rushed and panicked, thrust together as he reaches for Ray to try and tug her away from whatever the fuck it was Ludo was playing at. 'No-one and everyone all the same.' The voice is enough that poor Milo's skin races with goosebumps and worry.
Ray hummed. Guess that theory was a bust. She gave a sigh of relief as the specter vanished, tense muscles relaxing. She was just as unnerved as Milo it seemed. "Thank fuck. I was beginning to wonder if that creature was about to kill us." Just as she said that it appeared once more without warning. "Fuck!" Ray let Milo tug her, grabbing him as well until they both had taken a step back and distanced themselves from the specter.
Ray gulped when the shadow spoke, its voice made an uncontrollable shiver go down her spine. Ray felt her heart race and her mind scrambled to come up with a way out of this. Maybe if she kept the thing talking it'd be too busy to kill them? It was worth a shot at least. "No one and everyone? Does that mean your identity shifts or that each person perceives you differently?" Ray asked, genuinely curious, new theories forming already.
r a y
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
—Albert Camus
drinking champagne from the fire escape, watching all my troubles rain down
She grabs onto him and he drags her away, his heart thundering in his ears and through his pulse. Once he’s sure they’re far enough away from the specter, he sucks down air in quiet gasps as he tries to recover. Fuck this. “Go fuck with someone else, a’ight?” He calls out, muscles feathering in his jaw as he clamps it shut, tight enough he can feel his teeth begin to ache.
‘All of it and none of it.’ The specter replies, a wide, needle tooth like smile crawling across its face before it disappears fully this time and Milo grows incredibly pale – staring at the space the specter had vanished. “Now can we go, Ray?” It’s a shaky whine, the anxiety swirling in him still having his heart racing but not quite thundering as terribly.
