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!
Rigby huffed at the man's reply, because it was fucking true. Rigby had loads of opinions on just about everything, but they were from a spectators point of view. He didn't get involved in dangerous games and affairs, both because it was much more fun to watch, and also because he wanted to survive. That was always the priority, keep himself out of Mort's realm for as long as possible, not even the god of death knows how much havoc Rig would wreak on the inside.
The smoke in the cavern space curled and dissipated, mingling clouds of ash and fueled frustration, tangible as ever. His eyes drift over to Nate again, to the dark expression the man bears as he begins to move away. There's something unnerving about the broad shoulders and disposition, for a moment Rigby tenses, wondering if he'd pushed enough buttons to break the game. But unable to restrain himself, he pushes one more, blowing out a puff of smoke as the man passes.
i'm shaking, salvation i'm flying faster and faster and i...
Nate sighs, smoke wrapping around him like a shroud, and not from him. "If you keep picking fights with people bigger than you, you're gonna get your ass kicked." He warns, turning just enough to stare at Rigby with one bright blue eye. When he moves, it isn't particularly quick, but he's leaning more on the element of surprise as a hand reaches out to grab Rigby's shoulder, shoving him against the wall and plucking the lit smoke from between his lips.
He should just leave. He should take this little victory, and he should go. Maybe, if he were in a better mood, he'd listen to himself.
Instead, Nate pulls on his own smoke until theres nothing left but the filter, and lets it fall away from his lips, spat out towards Rigby as he flicks the cherry off the second one and lifts it again, like he's going to replace his own. His hand quivers, the end of the smoke kept pointed away from Rigby, to give the illusion that it is still alive and hot, even as it leans closer to his face. He's not quite sure what he's going to do yet, he supposes it depends on the boy, what he does now.
i was the darkness and you were the light tear it apart and then we supercollide
There's a pause while he watches the smoke peel from his own lips and cloud around the other man's head. The bigger, much more dangerous man. And something about it almost makes him want to snort, amused at his own stupid antics. But he doesn't get the chance to make that last foolish choice, the force with which he's shoved into the wall knocks his breath away for a moment.
The other is his height, but he seems so much taller in that moment. As the cigarette is plucked from his lips he jerks his head away, resisting the urge to bite at the hand like a mad dog. He'd already done enough damage huh, his decisions had gotten him this far, one more might get him seriously fucked. There's boiling anger behind his gaze, melting like molten lava that churns and begs to erupt. But he held it back, keeping indignant eye contact with the ascended.
He winced as the light was spat his way, expecting more pain with the next move. He's grown used to this, maybe it's what he's been after. Somehow even this is better than boring chit chat, he probably deserves this. And it get's his pulse going, shoots him full of adrenaline and that's what he craves. When the cigarette nears him his heart hitched, his eyes shooting to where it sat between the other's fingers. He struggled lightly, but kept his eyes glued there, waiting.
i'm shaking, salvation i'm flying faster and faster and i...
There's no plan, really. He's gotten ahead of himself, acted without thinking, and he tries to let just that carry him as far as it can. A sneer that shows off too many sharp teeth curls his lips as he leans in uncomfortably close. "You got nothing to say now? Huh?" Nate's voice is rough, parts near unintelligible with how quickly and deeply he's slipped into an accent unlike anything else in Caido. "Fucking pathetic." The words are punctuated by another rough shove against the wall, the ascended crowding in on the little space Rigby has.
"You're gonna listen to me, yea? And you better listen fuckin' good, cause the world is gonna kick you in the fuckin' teeth one way or the other, and if I get to do it here and now I won't fuckin' complain." Nate expects but doesn't wait for some kind of confirmation, the hand with the smoke rising to gesture and move along with his words, still dangerously close to Rigby's face.
This is where he starts to flag, where his words begin to twist into someone else in his head, but he's angry enough, frustrated enough that he can rush through it without thought. "I don't care what the fuck your problem is. I don't care that no one can stand to put up with your shit anymore, and you have to fuckin' resort to bull-baiting for some fuckin' laugh." He snorts, presses the cooled smoke to Rigby's forehead, between his eyes. "You wanna start choosin' your battles a lot more fuckin' carefully."
i was the darkness and you were the light tear it apart and then we supercollide
Rigby released a huff as the sharp fangs neared him, the cigarette losing his attention as his eyes were drawn elsewhere. The words were harsh and hard to understand, the beat of his own heart seemed louder for a moment. Pathetic he did hear, did understand. Fucking hell, this guy had him all figured out. His lip quivered at the words, dangerously close to a sneer for his own good.
His back hit the wall again, this time his head thumping up against rock. It hurt, pain was familiar and somewhat comforting. Whether or not he would be listening, it didn't matter. There's no option, just Rigby pressed against the cavernous walls, waiting for something to break or get bored and leave. He didn't give Nate the luxury of a confirmation, but the answer is taken from him as the man continues. Rigby just glared, brimming with a practiced malice.
Regardless of what he heard, the words being spat at him so viciously, he wasn't really listening once the cigarette grew so close to his forehead. He was focused there, defiant and expectant, flinching just before the ash met the spot between his eyes. It wasn't hot, and it didn't hurt, the soot just crumpled down his face and landed in his eyelashes. He hadn't noticed his breathing hitch, but he let out a couple ragged sighs once Nate had finished.
"Fucking prick," he grumbled. Stupid, idiot, the boy couldn't stop playing with fire.
i'm shaking, salvation i'm flying faster and faster and i...
In one ear and out the other. Nate knows all the good his stern talking to is doing, knows nothings going to change, until someone really does teach the kid his lesson, and manages to make it stick. Call it stress relief then, feeding a part of himself that has been starving too long, with basically no consequences. It’s perfect.
Regardless of what he wanted, of how easy it would be to justify in this specific instance, he’s not going to hurt a kid. But he’s barked too big to simply back down without something, and at the end of it he settles on irritating and petty instead of violent. With one hand still holding Rigby up, the other drops, pawing at pockets until he extracts a pack of cigarettes that he disappears up his own sleeve in a quick gesture.
”Learn to shut the fuck up, huh?” Its the last piece of advice he offers, shoving Rigby off to the side and pushing away from him. He’s late for sure now, more than likely lost, and twice as irritated as he’d be otherwise.
i was the darkness and you were the light tear it apart and then we supercollide
There is no more pain that comes, his pushing doesn't reach that familiar end this time. Rigby watched as the other man considered him, and as no retaliation came a smirk formed at the boy's lips. He watched with that same defiant gaze, only more proud now that he knows the other has chosen some moral high ground. They almost always did, the ones with the biggest egos of course.
When the hands reached his pockets, his smirk disappeared, turning back into a frown. Ouch, now that was petty, and really annoying. He reached out to snatch it back but the other is quick, and still had him in a tight grip. "Fuck you," he growled through his teeth as he was shoved away, bright eyes boring holes into the back of the man's head. He watched Nate leave, oozing malice and irritation, then reached up to run his fingers across the back of his head. There might be a lump there, it was tender to the touch. The stray sighed, beaten again and with no definite place to go.
