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!
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
Intrigued, Seren nodded and tilted her head to better see the sketch and imagine the mentioned hook. "What is it for? To catch other weapons, or... actually do damage?" It would give the weapon a rather menacing look that made her want to shudder - but then again, most weapons ought to have that effect.
"How would you begin to teach someone who wished to take up such a weapon?" she went on to ask. "Is it better to start with learning the staff, or should I just go straight for the glaive?" Either way, her interest was genuine; it seemed the perfect combinatin of everything she wanted to do. Be swift, keep people at a distance, guard and actively choose which end to aim at others; the blunt butt, or the sharp blade.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
“Damage. Mostly for yanking riders off of horses, or those trying to escape.” Plain and measured tones; clear and concise decibels of a beast who’d encountered ranges of armaments time and time again, risen and reborn along a battlefield. His head tilted once more, depths of his thought process, considering if it could be utilized for catching weapons as well. He hadn’t seen it used in quite that way, but didn’t see why not – granting a modest shrug at the notion. The more an individual practiced with a particular skill, the more they might come to find other plying maneuvers.
He glanced back down at her inquiry, casting his eyes away from the stars. “I have not used it often,” honest and forthright – not a staff or blade he rendered frequently in his hands. “But, it might be best to start with the staff for defensive angles without maiming from the serrated end,” another smile, humored. “Then work your way up to the glaive. It might feel like second nature by then.”
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
Absorbing the wisdom of her elder like a sponge, Seren nodded her understanding. "I can have an instructor show me when I get back home. And when we do that test later, I can show you how far I've come." She already looked forward to it, though it may be a while before she was able to return to Halo. She had a quest to complete, but once her portals were properly in place... there would be nothing to limit her comings and goings.
Remembering something, Seren stopped and turned fully to the man, looking him up and down as if to assess him.
"You said you liked using your fire magic, right?" she said slowly, plans and ideas taking form at the back of her mind. "If I were to need some help with a task Mother gave me that let you make use of it... would you be interested?"
A little tentative, a lot more careful than she had been in anything up until now, the starchild tiptoed as much as she could around the subject. Wishing to gague his reaction before moving on, or explaining.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
A snort billowed through on the confident edges, but he’d been like that once too. Young. Impressionable. Eager to show the world what he was made of. And it happened in time, over years of experience, work, dedication, vengeance, heartbreak, and multitudes of anger, ferocity, and violence. Hopefully Seren’s journey would be on a different path – he wouldn’t want anyone to replicate his. “Sure,” and he reasoned it all with a nod of acceptance.
What did give him pause was the inquiry thereafter, and the scrutiny she seemed to polish over him. His eyes narrowed, immediately suspicious, spine drawn taut and rigid, unyielding, unbending once more. “Depends on what it is.” His arms folded over his chest, the arch of his brow remaining instilled; he had a task of his own for Safrin, biding his time, carefully managing details and maneuvers. The Sword had no intentions of derailing this one – so the course of the matter, the subject, would have to be laid out in more circumstances and explanations.
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
The sudden change in his demeanor was startling, and only when he tensed did Seren realize how relaxed the Sword had been up until now. She might have mulled over the nuances of his being, how deep his waters ran if it was not for the guarded response.
Her own reaction was a disarming smile, and hands held up in a placating sort of way. "Nothing dangerous, I don't think, and nothing urgent," she tried to reassure. "It's, uh... a treasure hunt, of sorts. Father and I thought we could do it on our own, but... we realized it's going to take more people. And magic." She was being circumspect, jealously guarding her secret mission against thieves, well intending or not. This was her task, given to her by her mother, and the girl wanted to be there for every step of the journey. Including the choice of companions.
"It might take a while before we can come back, however. Dad is going off to hunt skeletons in Hak Etme, and I have my quest to sort out. But after that..." She shrugged helplessly; it was difficult to make plans when so much could happen between now and 'later'.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
He’d been told about nothing dangerous entails before; and it ended up being quite treacherous. In fact, the Sword could probably list out a sequence of events that concluded in such a matter. So his scrutiny remained in the depths of his gaze as he listened to the information provided. “A treasure hunt,” instigated with a flattened tone, the arch of his brow the only thing signifying movement in his features. Or that he’d never gone on such an expedition himself – more prone to combating fiends, and shielding others. More people. More magic required. “Where?”
Of which he’d give no compliance, acceptance, or refusal towards – even if the matter seemed far away - until he had vital information. Too many things occurred in rapid formation amongst Caido, spiraling in and out of contortions and distortions well before they could survive another season. And that was just from the people, the inhabitants, rather than any monsters, or mayhem brimming below the surface.
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
The more he asked without giving her a yes or no, the more reluctant the girl became to reveal more. The silences between her replies dragged on in length, and the reluctance to offer too much at once was quite impossible to miss.
"Here in Halo," she replied vaguely, and shifted her gaze off towards the not-water, fidgety and evasive. But... at the same time, she felt guilty for not offering the whole story too. If he was coming along, at least he deserved to know what it was about, right?
So she sighed, and turned back. Biting her lip, like a child with a wonderful secret. "If I tell you about it, promise you won't say anything to anyone else? And that you won't go there without me," she added hastily, because that was really the main point. Roses were flaring up on her cheeks with excitement and trepidation, clearly visible even in the dim light cast by the stars.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
The furtiveness of the situation only gave him more pause; pondering, wondering, at what length the indirect proportions would eventually cease and desist. The only thing that escaped these proportions of thoughts was a stifled eyeroll and a slight sigh, forbearing and composed; stony countenances layered and lacquered over stoic bombardments. The less she said, the more he drew into considerations of the preamble to danger – so he waited until he could ascertain more.
In Halo didn’t signify much, only that he wouldn’t have to travel far. It could’ve constituted the Fangs – which he’d explored at length with the Loreseekers and only found a dead body and ravines (forgoing the nature of the dragon event), the stark Tundra, Whitebrim amongst the dregs of the cannibals, the Sea of Glass, or within the Citadel itself. Another arch of his brow, as he waited out the rest of the considerations.
That this was to be such a covert operation prospered further stillness, and then her additional reactions made him insouciant. The monolith held quite a few secrets that had never left his mind. There, they rested in the breadth of his machinations, calculating, circulating, collected for no one but himself. “I would not.” A promise and conviction.
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
Stubborn as a rock when she wanted to be, Seren gave not an inch while the man considered. Only the nibbling teeth on a lip and restless fingers - and her whole being, barely contained into stillness - gave away how important this was to her.
Only when the promise came, did she breathe out in an explosive sigh, of relief that she wouldn't have to keep secrets anymore.
"Thank you, Deimos," she began, the returning smile both bright and grateful. "I just don't want everyone and their cousins to know, you understand? It was Mother who told me about this, and... it's sort of the first task she has ever given me. So I really want to do it right." She was rambling, now that all restraints were loosed. "We were talking about exploring Caido and my purpose in being here, and then she began to speak of lost knowledge that has yet to be found. Only then, she began to hint at some treasure that lies waiting under the Sea of Glass, if someone could reach it, and perhaps me and dad might be interested in taking a look?"
Hastily sucking in a breath when she ran out of air, the starchild watched Deimos all the while, eagerly awaiting his reactions. Would he find this as interesting as she did? Would he be as eager for adventure as her father had been? As she was, herself?
"Dad and I went out on the Sea the other day, but we couldn't make more than a dent in the ice. It's really thick, and even if we make a hole, it will probably freeze over while we explore beneath. And there's the issue of the water too, being so cold and... You see why we need help?"
The way she leaned forward was as telling of her devotion to continue this mission as anything could be. And just as clearly, this was a show of trust in the Sword. A most treasured secret, a sacred mission even... and she was willing to share it with him.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
They were understandable niches: a youth striving to impress her mother, a treasure she didn’t want anyone else to have. Something composed and comprised out of fable traditions perhaps, but nonetheless he listened, the ritual brow raised and continuing in its persistence. What intrigued him, because Deimos had never been the type to snag at gilded filaments, was the lost knowledge. Some sagacity, deep within fathoms. Perhaps like Safrin’s library, which they’d only merely scratched the surface of; but had hinted at further revelations. And memories of exploring the Sea of Glass itself, with family and loved ones, gazing out across the ice and rime, glaciers and expanse, wondering if it could’ve been likened to his in the Basin – and if ghosts could become places too.
“I see. A worthy cause.” He purposefully left his features stoic, so she might be continually uncertain about his credence and notions towards the whole thing. His gaze flickered up over dunes, the rise of the hazy skyline, the foundations of other worlds, lost in thought. “We explored it once before, when the portal opened.” Wings spread and imaginations wild – and he didn’t yearn to explain the ache in his chest. “There was an ancient creature, below the depths. We attempted to converse with it, but the languages were too different.” For they’d lived in separate worlds and lives and centuries. “It should not be harmed.” Wasn’t it often that there was a guardian of these sagacities and valuables? Would it be that arcane thing – drifting in along the glacial wake?
As for why they needed assistance, Deimos could nearly offer a warning in return – that perhaps the realm was trying to tell them something, or was prospering a challenge. With no agreement or accord yet, because his mind was a calculating thing and he had no intention of striving straight into impulse again, another rumble volleyed, stare returning back to her. “Have you talked to the Warden about your intentions?”
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
Conflicting emotions flashed across her face. Disappointment that her secret apparently wasn't entirely untouched, excitement over learning something about what might be waiting beneath the ice - and reluctance when he mentioned the Warden.
"Do I have to?" she asked, lack of enthusiasm loud as a scream over her hunched shoulders. "I would rather not, I think. Halo is neutral, right? But it was Safrin who sent me here. And... even if it was by accident, or in the name of fairness, I would not want the Voice to learn about what we are doing here." Someone striving to please both sides would probably not stay quiet if one was doing something furtive. Seren didn't know the Warden either, and hated the idea that people not of her or her father's choosing would be roped into the adventure, forced on them for whatever reason.
"What did the creature look like?" she asked, when she could contain herself no longer. "I wonder what language it was... Imagine all the things such a being could tell us, if we understood it."
Maybe the creature and its wealth of knowledge was the treasure? "I would try to protect it, not hurt it," she mused, as an afterthought.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
The interplay of emotions on her face were easy enough to read, and he muffled the lightest snort threatening to billow from his chest. The words were keen and honest enough though. And with the latest information he’d had to parse through – Halo’s neutrality would only last so long. Not with Morgan’s allegiance to Neron (so utterly bizarre to him; he’d thought her far above catering to a fool who’d nearly toppled her own kingdom – but perhaps they hadn’t known each other well at all). Not with the war pressing in. And he wasn’t about to run to the Warden with this information, not after their last conversation where there’d been a brutal severing of friendships.
Or with the notion of the Voice gaining access in some way. He managed not to grimace, to sink into the perplexing reaches of things that had been, but his eyes narrowed in brief speculation. “That is fair.” Her choice then, to rankle her efforts towards the Warden, or covertly carve up ice and dig for deeper treasure.
As for the creature, the monolith circumvented back over his memories. “Quite large, but it was difficult to see anything else.” The shape and form mystifying; he might’ve likened it to a whale of some sort, but he hadn’t gained a decent enough picture. “It was before I had the ability to converse with animals, so I am not certain either.” Archaic and arcane, old enough to be granted the earth, and to be left alone. At the very least, Seren didn’t seem obliged to be amongst the many who’d seek its destruction, which put him slightly at ease.
If you're caught in the shadow then turn around If you hear my voice, follow the sound 'Cause I'm here to guide you home
He did not insist, which struck Seren as somewhat peculiar, for all that she was grateful. Wasn't Deimos supposed to be the general of Halo? But perhaps he thought it enough that he knew about this impending exploration. Seren certainly did; in her mind he was enough official representation to check the mark for inter-regional cooperation. It wasn't as though she came with demands from Stormbreak; this was a highly personal quest.
It seemed details would not be forthcoming, which honestly pleased Seren quite a bit. It felt better that Deimos didn't already know what waited for her; it would have been cheating.
Humming thoughtfully, she nodded. Gazing up into the starry sky, she tried to picture some huge dark shadow rising up from the depths, ancient and wise.
"So... what do you say?" she asked, a bit tentative. She didn't want to rush any decisions from him, but being made to hover without an answer wasn't very fun. "Are you interested? And if not... do you know someone else who might be willing? And capable?" If so, she would search them out. Speak to them, and see if they could be trusted.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
There were too many filaments up in the air, and he was no longer portions of authority in Halo. He wasn’t even a sliver of thought, discarded, and maybe that was for the best. But the inward lacerations still hurt, and he could really only blame himself for their deeper filaments – consequences upon consequences, piling in amongst the matter. Regrets and decisions in their agony had no place here, within thresholds of makeshift dunes and portals that could be in pockets, pieces of stars flickering and floating beyond reach; but he couldn’t help it. Salt for the wounds, perhaps.
So, for her tentative inquiry, she’d receive a tentative answer. “If I am available, I can help.” His low rumble might have betrayed the apprehension, the tension returning to his shoulders. Uncertain where he’d be in the near future, and even more so in the damnation of everything else. Any stability had faded away and he stood on crumbling foundations often now – even after all this time of building, building, building, it could still be toppled so readily, so easily. Which made him wonder what he’d been constructing for so long, if the towers always seemed to sway.
