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!
His hesitation was understandable. Seren could only nod in acceptance of it, having nothing more to offer in way of plans just yet. She had to make up her own mind first, and gods knew how long that might take.
"I'll let you know when I have something more concrete to explain with," she told him with a faint smile. "Is there.... anything else we need to address today?"
She was not exactly in a hurry to leave, but if there were more gloomy topics to speak of, better they be brought up now. Leaning down, Seren plucked a handful of flowers that had taken to growing outside the carefully lined garden beds, and began to weave them together into a wreathe. For want of anything else to do with her hands.
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
And now they were both tentative and ambivalent; understandably so, given the circumstances around them. Too many things to encompass, and with a lack of information in order to truly move forward. So he nodded, tilting his head at her inquiry, and then arched a brow – as if the thoughts were sliding into a far more juvenile conviction.
Lighter, and teasing, his gaze swept away from her and towards a series of lanterns dotting along horizons, placed amongst flowers and offerings. The hint of mischief rounded along the fringes of his smile, which might’ve given her a warning. “Not unless you want to discuss Sah.” The Sword made a point not to look at her, quietly amused by any impending taunting. “I heard some interesting things.”
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
Where she sat on the ground, eyes focused on what her hands were weaving, it was hard to see the expression on Seren's face. But she did grow very very still as Sah's name was suddenly brought up again, and hardly seemed to breathe for a while.
When she glanced up, it was with a look of deep suspicion leveled at Deimos. And reluctant curiosity, that wouldn't settle no matter how she pushed it down.
"What kind of things?" she asked, despite knowing better. "I didn't take you for someone who gossiped about people..." And there was that expression on his face too. What was the man up to?
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
Hm. He hadn’t been expecting that reaction.
Perhaps he’d been mistaken in the whole thing – given his last conversation with Sah; before invasions, before people fleeing into the barracks, before rampaging his way across ice and snow and striving to ensure devastation didn’t hit them three times over. Perhaps there hadn’t been time. Perhaps it’d been a fluke discussion, and naught had come of it.
Which was mildly disappointing, because he’d wanted to tease and taunt both of them.
A shrug of his shoulders, a very Cheshire grin unfolding along his face, as he leaned his head back upon the stone bench, staring upwards at canopies, twisting, turning leaves. “He had some very…pointed questions for me.” And everyone involved was uncomfortable; maybe this was some form of payback; innocent vengeance. “Hm. But if he has not talked to you about it…it may not be my place to say anything.” Especially if naught had moved forward on that point. Pity. He’d been hoping for a laugh.
If there was an art he’d mastered, beyond weaponry and battle, it was deflection. So he inclined forward again, rising from his seat, stretching out long limbs, and not losing the juvenile smile. “Guess we will have to wait until later then.”
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
08-02-2021, 12:37 PM (This post was last modified: 08-02-2021, 12:37 PM by Seren.)
I'll leave my love hidden in the sun
Suspicion became puzzlement as Deimos proceeded only to become cryptic. Tucking a stray lock of hair behind an ear, she watched him rise and rolled her eyes.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she agreed. "I haven't seen Sah for weeks, and the most exciting thing we've talked about was sparring." At least, the only thing she acknowledged as worthy of mention at all.
Unfortunately, mention of the young hunter brought back the worry for his well being. Tying off the wreathe, Seren got to her feet and placed it on the seat of the bench they had used.
"If you need help with anything, you only have to ask," Seren offered her friend as the straightened, and turned to gaze up at Deimos. "I'll check in with Stormbreak for letters at least once a week, but if a reaponse take me a while, don't worry about it - I get back in touch as soon as I can."
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
His obnoxious efforts thwarted, the Sword only managed a snort before motioning, maneuvering, away from the stone bench, needing to move, restless with other semblances on his mind. Perhaps her efforts had done some amount of good, where he was no longer tracing after doldrums, melancholy, and failure. Things to be done. Things to be sorted. Information to be passed around, pooled together, to see what they could come up with. “I am considering gathering those who still want to be a part of our cause.” He inclined his features back towards her, with his signature arched brow. “And figuring out where to go from here.” How, and what they could do – if they truly weren’t out of it yet. “You are welcome to attend, if it interests you.”
Thereafter, then he could pass along notes and letters.
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
Cocking her head aside in the midst of brushing dirt from her backside, Seren hummed thoughtfully.
"That might be a good idea. I would absolutely like to attend. Let me do some thinking about it. Perhaps I can offer some suggestions, at least." Another meeting, eh? At least it was nice to be considered from the beginning this time.
As an idea struck her, Seren straightened. "Do you have any plans after this?" she asked, and grinned faintly at her friend, hands on hips. "We keep talking about sparring but it never actually happens..." Bouncing into her toes, she raised a brow at him in invitation, and maybe challenge. Moving after all this sitting and talking might help clear the mind a bit more.
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
At least with Seren’s agreement, that was one more individual. Better off than no one or nothing at all; and his intent would be a multitude of minds cobbling together what they had, where they could go, and anything else notched in between. “Thank you,” and if his voice sounded relieved, he didn’t bother hiding it. Discussions and public speaking were not his forte, but with their cause in unison, perhaps it wouldn’t matter.
The following query might’ve been a reassurance too; given acts of vehemence, violence, and precision seemed to center and square his shoulders, grant and give clarity he hadn’t been able to grasp in the past couple of days. “Let me check my schedule,” a joke, and self-deprecating at that (hinted at with the slightest of grins tucked in the corners); considering he was no longer General of anything, had no soldiers or warriors to attend to, and no protections, shields, or anything else to give. Choosing not to sink into that particular doldrum, he gave a pause, and then snorted. “Seems I am available. What weapon did you want to practice with?” The bow? The spear they'd discussed earlier?
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
The gratitude was startling, as was the obvious display of relief. Whether from sympathy or because he seemed to need it, Seren leaned over and bumped her fist against his arm. Awkwardly, pointlessly, since hugs had not been welcome earlier and she couldn't quite make herself voice the support she wished to offer. His usual reticense made it seem so over the top.
At least she managed to make him smile again, faint as it was. Seren laughed at the joke even though it was more sad than funny, and made to hook her arm through his, intending to meander along the paths of Mourn, to someplace more open and less formally pretty.
"I've been practicing with the spear. The one you showed me before? One of the soldiers I trained with said I would have to get one that was fitted to me, though, if there was to be any point in doing it for real. Is that true?"
She had been agonizing over it ever since, almost afraid to train in case the practice weapon she had borrowed would leave her with bad habits.
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
Her fist bumping into his shoulder made him raise his brow and snort lightly, but he didn’t grant it to her in return. In a way, it was another reminder of things he’d lost, allies, comrades in arms, as they bolstered one another in between trainings and assaults; and the haze of memories wasn’t where he needed to be. She could hook her arm within the crook of his elbow though, and it’d be permission enough to drag each other around the fields while musing on things that weren’t dredged up from too many other wounds.
He tilted his head at her question, striving to see what other measures were twisted into it. “Anyone can benefit from something customized for them.” A given, considering different hand sizes, callouses, worn away measures and proportions that could be adjusted given the individual – some weapons not a one size, fit all sort of dominion. “But I do not see the harm in learning the motions, regardless. We trained with wooden blades long before they gave us anything detrimental.” Because the instructors knew just how gawky, dim, and stupefying they were right from the beginning. And the weight, the configurations, hadn't been the same at all. “And how would you know if that is what you want, if you cannot practice with it first?” A shrug of his shoulders; simplifying the process.
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
Pleased with the response, Seren breathed a little easier. "I thought so too, but that man seemed so sure of himself. I really do think I want to find myself a proper spear, though. I really like the feel of it, and training has been really fun lately." She held out a hand, long fingered and delicate, to proudly display the callouses building up within her palm.
"A friend of mine gave me a really interesting piece of bone lately. It's huge, but weighs almost nothing and it's almost impossible to scratch. I wanted to ask mother if she could make a weapon from it, but then Sah thought armor would be better... What do you think I should ask for?" Offense or defense? Or something else entirely?
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
If Seren was finding a method and means of weaponry to her liking, then that was all the better. He eyed the callouses, muffling a laugh, and didn’t bother showing his in return. He was lined with scars, inside and out, and had no need to prove it. “Good.” Wondering if that was a hint that she’d like one made – he arched a brow, and waited for the semblance of the direction, of the inquiry.
But instead, it wound over to bones; huge and weightless. As for recollections of either armor or armaments, Deimos unfortunately always bent entirely to the latter – rarely remembering to wear any protective gear at all, and reliant on his incantations to shield a wider audience and base. Perhaps he should’ve been taking notes; considering he had an inventory’s worth of things that could be anointed or christened in that direction as well. “That depends. What do you have more of now?” He presumed there was a multitude of items and objects on her island, in the midst of safekeeping for whatever she required. It might’ve been wiser to have a balance.
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
Unaware that she had surprised him, Seren pondered the contents of her island. It was a quick browsing; she knew perfectly well what she had stored away there.
"I have the bow you made me. That's all," she admitted. Seren glanced at Deimos, wondering if it surprised him to hear that she was not already laden with wondrous gifts. No enchanted weapons, no magical armors in row upon row, there to choose between like dresses for a ball. (She didn't have many of those either.) "So... I suppose I have more weapons." She had to laugh at it; such an unhelpful answer.
She didn't seem about to ask him for more favors, either way. Already she had imposed by way of that bow - anything more would just be greedy.
For when the darkness comes
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.
ache first, but then let the cuts close spit out the blood
“Sounds like you have your answer then.” With only a bow, and he presumed eventually some other possessions with glinting, serrated edges or star-shaped endeavors, the protective molds seemed the logical choice. “And if your armor remains weightless, all the better.” No hindering of movements, no overwhelming distinction; a shield to frames and figures without any encompassing, cumbersome fragments.
Eyes glancing out across the fields again, brows furrowing in thought, mind coiling back to possibilities, deep in armaments now, Deimos proceeded to wonder about the schemes in which it could unfold. “How would you want it to fortify you?” There were multitudes of options; with protection from certain attacks (perhaps some way to cease and desist an Ascended barrage might be ideal, with upcoming wars), maneuvers, and abilities.
watch your body pull itself back together then let your soul do the same
