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!
07-04-2021, 01:57 AM (This post was last modified: 07-04-2021, 01:57 AM by Nikolai.)
Nikolai
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
Nikolai was walking through town, a book tucked under his arm. The sun had long since set and the stars shone brightly overhead. There were quite a few people out and about, which was to be expected given the large population of Ascended in the Grounds. Nikolai nodded at the few people he recognized but mostly kept to himself.
It was too nice of a night to be indoors so instead of heading home to read, he decided to find a nice spot nearby. Eyeing an older building, he headed over. The place was abandoned but there was a nice large tree that was perfect. Sitting down with his back against the trunk, he opened up his book and begun to read.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
Being in the Grounds, even for a few days, is doing wonders for Nate’s mood. It’s a handful of days he doesn’t have to constantly look over his shoulder, confident in the fact that here at least, he’s not a target for anyone. Even the proximity to the Greatwoods can’t dampen his spirits.
He’d even felt confident enough to leave Sunjata and Kamaria alone, behind the new locks in the basement of the VlamVloed, and go exploring. The Grounds seem to change, however subtly, every time he visits, and seeking out its secrets always seems to call to him.
Tonight specifically, he’s lounging on a roof in the settlement, enjoying the view above everything else, and the way it lets him keep an eye out for various targets. He’d played this game in a few different spots, and was down to his last handful of vampire gourd guts, just waiting for a target to splat upon.
And as luck would have it, some poor fool wanders along, just out of range for a really good strike. With a huff, Nate gestures to his companion, Pemota lowering herself out of the sky to drift towards the stranger, her spiralling horn batting at his book to get his attention before her she twists in the air, the wordless gesture unmistakably a beckons to follow her.
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
Nikolia's eyes snap up when someone dared to disturb his book. "Who the fuck...?" He's about to start cursing them out when he actually takes in who or what is in front of him, his voice failing. A starwhale? Here? It has to be someone's companion and that realization had Nikolai glancing around in confusion.
"Where's your bonded?" He asks curiously when he can't spot anyone in the immediate area. Instead of answering the whale is already turning around and heading off. The new Ascended has half a moment to contemplate his choices before he's tucking his book away in his jacket and following. "Where are we going?"
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
Keen blue eyes watch as the man, like so many before him, falls for Pemota’s allure, pocketing his book and rising to follow after her. To drift closer and closer to Nate, his hands already full of vampire gourd guts, anticipation lancing through every muscle.
Pemota stops before an unassuming building, twisting her plump body in a roll before she ascends into the sky. Whether or not Nikolai looks up to follow her path, this is when Nate looses his handful of seeds, raining stringy guts down on the unsuspecting ascended and bursting out into a peal of helpless laughter up on his rooftop perch. It was just so perfect.
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
The second the guts hit his skin, Nikolai realized he'd been tricked. Head snapping up, he brushed the mess from his eyes. Snarling at Nate, he yelled. "Seriously?!?" The laughter only further fueled his rage and it made him want to give the man a scare. Thinking fast, he quickly pulled his book from his jacket.
Making a show of dramatically brushing away the pumpkin from it, letting every plane of his body tense in perceived panic. When the book was still stained orange, he glanced at Nate with horrified eyes. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!" The young Ascended's voice went up an octave. "This is Wessex's book! I was borrowing it! She's going to kill us both!"
Now Nikolai didn't know this Ascended, but hopefully the guy had enough self-preservation to not want to invoke the wraith of The Wraith. The book belonged to Nikolai in truth, but this guy deserved some panic for that trick.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
Joy is so hard to snatch nowadays, a fact that has Nate perhaps going a little overboard in his celebrations, the doctor collapsing to the roof at the indignant voice that floated up towards him. His plan, now that he's out of pumpkin guts, is to simply slink away, off the other side of the roof and out of the way of consequences when the voice floats up once again.
Nate meets the eyes that land on him, face robbed of it's joy, curiously impassive. He's not afraid of Wessex not really, but he is... worried. It would be stupid not to be, obviously. He slips off the close side of the roof, landing with a thud in front of Nikolai and straightening to his full height, seeming to loom despite their matching heights.
"Looks like you're in trouble." Nate's voice drips with a faux concern, his head thrown back as if he's daring the other man to somehow implicate him in this error. Pemota settles around his shoulders, her spiralling horn marking a clear line between the two men, one Nate is careful to stay on his side of.
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
The prankster's words only make Nikolai's lips peel back in a snarl, fangs bared. He leaned over Pemota's horn, ignoring the attempted barrier. "You mean we are in trouble. There's no way that you're getting out of this without blame. I might not know your name, but I'm pretty sure that the list of Ascended with starwale companions is short. One's with starwales that practically have swords on their faces, even more so. It won't be hard to figure out."
Nikolai just wanted to make the guy sweat. Maybe even get an apology. Then he'd be satisfied and let the guy off the hook. The book wasn't horribly damaged and was still readable. But it was the principle of the matter.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
07-16-2021, 02:11 AM (This post was last modified: 07-16-2021, 02:11 AM by Nate.)
NATE
Oh. Oh. Nate’s lips curl in a bright grin, showing of his own fangs, and a more than generous amount of his tongue. The kid has a spark, that’s for fucking sure, and it has Nate retracting his claws, even as he reaches out to put a firm hand on Nikolai’s shoulder. “You must be new here.”
Tugging, Nate drags the other even further over Pemota’s horn, the starwhal trilling in exasperation before leaning away, her patience for whatever her bonded is doing dried up. “Y’know, I’m something of a big deal around here.” The admission falls softer from his lips, some prt of Nate well and truly amused. “If you’re worried about Wessex though, I can take care of her for you, darling.”
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
07-19-2021, 02:43 AM (This post was last modified: 07-19-2021, 02:43 AM by Nikolai.)
Nikolai
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
The second Nate puts a hand on his shoulder, Nikolai ducks down and puts distance in-between them. Face pulled into a scowl, he practically hisses out, "I really don't care who you are. You piss me off." Internally however, a dawning horror was emerging. A 'big deal' who wasn't worried about Wessex? There were very few who that could be, and Nikolai had a feeling that this was the other major demigod of the Voice. FUCK.
Before he could descend into panic, Nate's last word renewed the young Ascended's rage. "DARLING?" The scowl twisted into a look of pure disgust. "I'm not your anything." Nikolai began to stalk off, before looking over his shoulder and sticking his tongue out. "And the book was mine dipshit. I was attempting to scare you into apologizing, but clearly I failed. So bye." Nikolai then began to walk briskly away in the hopes of escape. He had a sinking feeling though, that it would be a failed attempt. Internally he was still cursing himself out over his stupidity.
I just pissed off a Demi-god for sure. I'm so dead.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
“Really?” Nate leans even closer as Nikolai slips out of his grasp, though he doesn’t quite follow yet, simply leans like grass in a summer breeze, as if the wind could hope to push someone as solid as him. There’s a dangerous kind of focus on his face, an interest that speaks only of disaster.
And all Nikolai does is feed it, his outrage starting a glittering in bright blue eyes. Nate grins around his tongue at the disgust in the others tone, Pemota making a noise that sounds an awful lot like a sigh as she begins to slip away from them, returning to roof height. At first, Nate is content to watch the poor pumpkin splattered ascended walk away, his gaze intense enough that it has a weight, but then he turns. He snaps.
In two steps, Nate has caught up enough to stand beside Nikolai, head cocked. “You're cute when you’re mad.” He offers first, reaching up like he’s going to throw an arm around Nikolai’s shoulders again, and thinking better of it. “If it’s your book, let me make it up to you, huh?”
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
Nikolai snarls, "Really." Stalking away, the young Ascended feels like his back is on fire. Why is he staring?! It unsettles him immensely and it's only through spite and pride that he doesn't attempt to sprint away.
But when Nate saunters up to him, Nikolai wishes that he had. The 'cute' comment has him sputtering in rage and embarrassment, an impressive flush coming to his face. "Cute?!" Why was this interaction going so wrong? He backpedals when Nate makes a motion to touch him again, slightly relieved when the Demi-god backed off of his own volition.
Was he being threatened or propositioned? The young Ascended honestly couldn't tell. "Aren't you like a decade older then me?" He finally asked, thoroughly confused as to why this direction had even been taken. Nikolai had no idea what to do. But he latched onto the last question, and his anger, like a life-line. "You fucking better! I'm never going to get this shit out of the pages!" As to how Nate can do so, the young Ascended is to enraged to even think about what he'd want as compensation.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
"Cute, yea. Like uh," Nate waves his hand while he searches for the word he means, completely ignoring Nikolai's scandalized reaction for the moment, "not a baby, but like... somethin' little." He shrugs, finally grinning over at the other ascended's face. "Delicate." Flirtation and threats was Nate's favourite tightrope to walk, and right now is no exemption.
A vein of anger reawakens in Nate at the accusation, tackling him away from flirtation. A glowing electric hand appears, shooting out to grab Nikolai's jaw, the demi-god's grin slipping. "Demanding, aren't you?" Nate licks his lips slowly, considering the options. "I could have another book made for you." He hums, thinking of Sam and his expertise. "Oooor... I could let you borrow something?"
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
We are only haunted by the things we refuse to accept -Bridgett Devoue
The shift in Nate's demeanor did not go unnoticed by Nikolai. It has the young Ascended flinching back on reflex even before the Demi-god moves to hold his chin. Unfortuanly for the Ascended, he wasn't fast enough to avoid the hand. There's a flash of genuine fear in Nikolai's eyes before he quickly covers it with false bravado and defiance. He prays that Nate didn't notice the slip. Internally, Nikolai was questioning every life choice that led him to this situation. Was this what they meant by making your bed and having to lay in it?
Hissing, Nikolai keeps his expression the picture of annoyance. "The book isn't damaged enough to need replacing. But I'll take a new one as payment." Call him reckless, the the possibility of acquiring a new book was worth it. Especially if it turned out to be something interesting. Hopefully being a Demi-god meant that Nate had access to decent literature.
Resilience is born even when we feel like we are dying -Alex Elle
Nates grin widens as he catches the flash of fear in Nikolai’s eyes, and widens again as it’s covered up just as quickly. “Cute.” He repeats, popping the word with his teeth so it can’t be ignored, so it really sinks in. “Welcome to the family, kiddo.” Nikolai’s face is tugged back and forth, a bright laugh leaving Nate before he releases the other and pushes him back again.
“A whole new book? How am I ever gonna swing that?” He snorts, obviously teasing. With a sigh, Nate turns and cocks a finger, gesturing for Nikolai to follow while he fishes a pack of smokes out of his pocket. And as long as the other does follow, Nate will lead them to neat little shop, a smart sign out front proclaiming it as ‘Wordsworth Books’.
didn't know i'd be so late drinking all night, numbing that shame
