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 been whirlwind few days for Neron, what with altars to build and sneaky trips up to a certain Warden's bedroom and meanderings around the Climb. And it's pretty nice, actually, to spend some time at the Kraai. At the bar that he's come to think of as his own, even if the decor is still all Weaver. It's a pretty busy night, and the booze is flowing quick from the taps. Some of the help the Ascended has roped in is very much appreciated when it gets like this - it's still a far cry from the type of bar he'd like to run, but it's getting there.
"I'll be taking a break," he informs one of the other bartenders, slipping out from behind the bar so he might step out into the cold night for air that he doesn't really need. Still, it's pleasant enough to gaze up at a sky spangled by stars, Neron burying his hands in his pockets and leaning against the doorframe in quiet contemplation.
Loren's hood was up as he picked his way through the snow towards the Kraai. After a day mixing medicines in the infirmary, he was on his way to the Kraai for one of his shifts. Astra was trotting by his side, and every now and then he'd scratch between her ears.
As he approached the bar, he spotted Neron. The healer smiled at his twin even as the Firebrand's steps slowed and stopped. Standing there in silence, he lowered his hood and ran a hand through his hair. "Hey." Following the Hailstorm's gaze to the heavens, Loren clasped his hands behind his back. "It's a beautiful night, yeah?"
Then he looked down and cleared his throat. "So uh, we didn't really get to talk when I came back." He scuffed at the ground with his foot, causing a snowdrift to collapse on it. Frowning, he shook the powder off his boot.
Neron's eyes seem to flash silver in the darkness as his gaze flicks down to spot his twin; he cuts through shadows easily with the vision he has these days, and tension fades into a small smile of greeting. "Mm, it is. I always thought the Citadel should get itself an observatory of some kind. When the skies are clear here, there's nothing quite like it." Neither of them are really here to talk about the stars, though. Especially given the awkward nature of their previous conversation.
"No, we didn't. Unless you count the chit-chat about Jace." He raises his eyebrows at Loren, a silent question that asks why he thought to bring it up in such a comparatively tactless way. "I guess I'll start. How was your visit to the Grounds?" He tilts his head, shifting to stand a step or two away that Loren might come up and join him.
Nodding at Neron's words, Loren tracked the stars above, the ones that weren't hidden by wisps of cloud. His lips twitched at his brother's mention of an observatory. "What's stopping you from making one?" Glancing over, the healer smiled, though it didn't last long.
"Do you? Count it, I mean." Meeting the Hailstorm's gaze, the Firebrand shrugged. "Are you mad at me for bringing it up? Because it's been, what, over half a year since he arrived? So the way I see it is that it's past time for someone to investigate his claims and find out what his goals actually are."
Moving to lean against the wall by the door, he let out a huff of laughter. "More eventful than restful. I made the dubious decision to accompany Wessex and a few others on a trip into the lightning storms surrounding the Hollowed Ground." Jerking his chin at the Kraai, he grinned. "My turn. I know I'm about to work a shift, but how's business been going in general?"
"Besides the fact that I am no longer Warden and instead run a bar? Nothing at all." Neron is still smiling wistfully at the stars, his gaze dropping eventually to his twin when he shuffles up to stand beside him. Of course that isn't entirely true, given his relationship with Morgan these days, but he's absolutely not going to bring that up or breach it with anyone, not even Neron. "Mm?" He raises his eyebrows, though his expression shows neither anger nor amusement.
"Not mad," he says slowly, his shoulders slumping. "I didn't know," he admits in a very quiet voice. "I remember little of Deepfrost, because of the Ascended thirst and the Palace falling. Then Flowerbirth... and then Longheat and the sickness." Shrugging his shoulders, he slouches back against the doorframe. "I'd heard rumours, of course. But I didn't really believe Jace was..."
Alive? Somehow fully grown? Here?
"What does he even want?" he wonders.
Enough of that for now, though - Neron turns his attention to his brother, raising an eyebrow to hear about his not-so-restful time in the Grounds. "I wonder, often, why you turned down the Voice's offer," he murmurs. "You spend enough time doing work with the Ascended." As for him? "Business is booming, of course. Though I had hoped to get a few more working behind the bar. Being sick set me back a little."
Loren grinned. "Hey, we all need hobbies." Leaning over, he nudged Neron shoulder with the healer's own.
Nodding along with his twin's explanations, the Firebrand sighed. Scrubbing his face, he slumped, sliding down the wall a bit. "I understand. It's...been a long...well...life I guess." He let out a huff laughter although he remained curled in on himself.
Shrugging, he shook his head. Fingers drumming a beat against his thigh, he glanced over at the Hailstorm. "I have no idea. Hence suggesting someone should go talk to him." Hesitating, Loren offered, "If you're not up for it I don't mind..." Voice trailing off, he looked away again. He bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair.
"I could answer that. But I'm not sure you'd like the answer." Keeping his gaze turned away, he smiled as Neron talked about the Kraai. "You're not sick now, and you managed to rope me into helping you. Surely finding help more qualified than me should be simple." He chuckled, since in his mind at least he was very much not qualified to work at the tavern. Alcoholic tendencies did not a bartender make.
Nudging Loren back, Neron can only scoff out a laugh at his brother's description. "A long life," he repeats. "Yes, you could certainly say that." Still, he wrinkles his nose at the idea of one of them finally approaching the man claiming Jace Launceleyn's name, and he shakes his head to Loren. "I'll do it," he says slowly. "It should be me. I'll... yeah. I'll come to see you about it, once I have something to share." Fighting the urge to rub at his eyes, already mentally exhausted by the task, he lets that thread of conversation go.
Not that the next one is any easier, and the Hailstorm merely wrinkles his nose at his twin. "You're right," he says, "I probably wouldn't. Best to keep that one to yourself, I should think." Huffing out a sigh, at least there's the Kraai to buoy the mood, and Neron glances over his shoulder in through a gap in the doors to check that the rest of the barstaff haven't gotten overwhelmed.
"I have quite enjoyed having you around," he admits, saying nothing to Loren's qualifications. "Even if I do find others to help out, you're still welcome to take shifts."
Letting out a huff of laughter at Neron's response, Loren nodded. Running a hand through his hair, he breathed out a sigh when his brother agreed to see Jace. "Thank you. And if you need me to knock some sense into him after, just say the word." The healer lifted his hands and jabbed at the air.
"Why brother, I didn't know you cared," he teased. Punching the Hailstorm in the arm, the Firebrand smiled. "I have quite enjoyed being around. Even though I have absolutely no idea what's going on in your life besides running the Kraai." He raised his eyebrows and turned slightly so he was facing Neron.
"To knock some sense into him?" Neron echoes with a huff of a laugh, taking a second to look his twin up and down, as if suddenly expecting to see bulging muscles and a burly attitude that's utterly foreign compared to the Loren he knows. "Sure, brother. I'll get in touch if I need any heads bashed in," he drawls; it isn't that he doesn't believe it, but more than he just can't reconcile the image with the boy he grew up with.
Neron is about ready to head inside and start the shift, so when he turns to find Loren facing him properly, he can't help but let a bemused little smile flicker across his face. "Caring is a new thing for me, but I think I'm doing alright at it," he says, folding his arms across his chest and flashing a fanged grin to his brother. "Not much? Between doing work for the Ascended side of the family and the Kraai, I've been kept pretty busy. Say, you haven't heard of anything called the Order, have you?"
Loren narrowed his eyes at Neron. "What, you don't think I can do it?" Letting out a huff of laughter, the healer threw a few more jabs. Then he flexed. He was more surprised than anyone at the fact that he actually had some muscles these days, which was apparent even through the bulky and baggy clothing he was wearing. "I'd offer to arm wrestle you, but I don't think your fragile ego could take it."
Nodding at his older brother's words, the Firebrand grinned. "Yeah I'd agree. Just alright. Definitely room for improvement." When the Hailstorm brought up the Order, however, Loren grimaced. "I met a member." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. "They're a group of fanatics who worship the old gods. They claim to have been around since the war between the gods, and will go to any length to stop the Ascended and the Voice, as far as I can tell."
Hesitating, he added, "I won't let that happen." He met Neron's gaze, straightening up so the healer was standing fully upright, posture ramrod straight.
Neron can only raise his eyebrows at Loren's 'manly' display, having to bite his lower lip to stop laughter from bubbling up. "An armwrestle, Loren? I'm afraid my fragile ego really couldn't take it. I'm a little more wit based than brawn," he reminds him, gesturing to his own tall, comparatively lithe frame. Magic and manipulation, that has been Neron's way for some time. And he isn't about to change things just because he's an Ascended now.
Feigning utter outrage to hear that there's room for improvement in his newfound empathy, Neron responds by petulantly pushing at Loren's shoulder, like that might make him reconsider. Meandering around to the doors leading back into the Kraai, to hear that the Order is so fanatic is something of a concern. He furrows his brow, gazing back at his brother and pursing his lips to see him so serious all of a sudden.
"I appreciate that," he murmurs, rather than needling at the Firebrand's apparent lack of decision to become an Ascended again. "Are they around Halo now?"
"Come on," Loren wheedled. Wiggling his fingers at Neron, the healer grinned. "It's not like anything but your pride would be hurt." Then he narrowed his eyes at his twin. "Unless you're scared." The Firebrand swayed obligingly as the Hailstorm pushed at Loren, although Neron would notice a moment of resistance before the healer belatedly moved.
Following his older brother to the entrance, they paused at the threshold. The Firebrand shook his head at the Hailstorm's question. "No, I uh...scared him off, I think." Shrugging, Loren ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, well, actually I think he got all the information he needed from me and then teleported out, but that sounds way worse."
"Not scared, Loren. I just have more important things to do than lose to you in an arm wrestling contest," he remarks with a fanged smirk, gesturing to the busy Kraai just within their grasp. "How about this. One day, once we've locked up and it's just you and me, you can try and break my arm if that's what you really want. No holds barred. I'll even pretend to scream if that makes you feel any better."
Stepping aside to allow one of the patrons to exit and get home, Neron finally leads them in, tired of lingering in the threshold of their workplace. He snorts and shakes his head to hear the retelling of Loren's tale, shrugging at him. "Manipulations and layers," he murmurs. "Sounds about right. It's been a while since we had an organisation as wily as our old family about, hasn't it?"
Loren's smile faltered at Neron's offer. Looking down, the healer scuffed at the ground with a booted toe. "I think we've made each other scream more than enough," he commented, not looking anywhere near his brother.
However, the Firebrand couldn't help but snort at the Hailstorm's evaluation of the Order. "Don't let Sunjata hear you say that. He'll just make some lofty comment about how no one is more wily than his Advocate's." Moving around a table, Loren rejoined Neron as they headed towards the bar. Speaking in a whisper barely audible beyond the chatter of the patrons, the healer added, "Seriously, let me know if you have trouble with them and I'll help set them straight." His jaw feathered with tension as fur rippled up his arms.
