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!
Sah stared at the expanse of ice before him, deep in thought. The Sea of Glass was beautiful in the morning light, overwhelming in its magnitude of frozen terrain. The Outlander had been debating this idea since he'd seen the last notice on the board in Halo. If simply breaking through it didn't work, perhaps a coordination was required. Breaking the ice and pulling it apart at the same time, for instance.
Brow furrowed, one other factor refused to be ignored. The Sea was known as a place of elementals. As such, multiple elements might be the key. If only there were more magic users in Halo. Perhaps then they'd be able to have all of the elements at their disposal. If today's attempt failed, perhaps that could be the next.
For now though, all Sah could do was wait. Hopefully Morgan and Neron would show and they could test his theory. Lilly sat beside her bonded, sniffing the edge of the ice excitedly. The wolf was energetic feeding off of the Outlander's own restlessness.
I will not be told where to stand
I will not be told what to say
Morgan wasn't sure if the idea Sah had would work, but she wasn't opposed to trying it; that, and she wanted to encourage her new councilman. While few would want to walk through the Sea of Glass in Deepfrost regardless of if the ice was broken, it would give them some kind of emergency passage to the outside world, where at least an Ascended might be able to break through and get a message out or in.
Arriving with Neron in tow, dressed in her usual heavy leather cloak, she nodded at Sah as she approached and looked out over the shining stretch of ice. "We are at your disposal for your experiment. " She stated, giving him the control; her magic was at his disposal, Water and Earth (though admittedly her Earth was not as well practiced).
It's a rotten day to be outside; Deepfrost in Halo is not a time to fuck around, and although he's an Ascended and doesn't feel the cold like another person might, Neron isn't taking any risks here. Arriving draped in a dark cloak over his equally as dark coat, it's with gloved hands and a scarf wrapped around his lower face that he nods to Sah in greeting. "Tell me where you want me," he invites in addition to Morgan's permissions given.
"I have water, life drain and illusion magic, though I don't know how useful the last one might be." It would be a good excuse to make things look pretty or threatening, or to have the Sea of Glass look as if it's melting away, but unfortunately that isn't the same as it actually happening.
Sah was pleasantly surprised that both Morgan and Neron had shown up. The younger Abandoned had considered the possibility that they other two wouldn't have the time to indulge him. Or the trust to meet him all the way out here. Sometimes it's nice to be proven wrong.
Sah considered the magics presented and gave a short nod. "Alright. I have two ideas. One being I use my lighting to damage and maybe melt the ice while both of you use your water magic to try and force it to break apart. I also have weak air magic and telekinesis that might help in pushing the ice apart." An idea built on manipulating physical properties more so then breaking.
Eyes turned towards the ice, Sah brought up the second option."My second idea is a bit different. The Sea of Glass is linked to elementals, yes? I'm wondering if elemental magic itself is the key to opening it. In an ideal situation I'd say we should hit the ice with mastered magic of all the elements at once. We don't have that at our disposal so maybe just try with whatever elemental magic we have and see if the theory has any basis?" Even if it didn't work they might get a clue from it. Ever since Sah had heard that the Sea of Glass was where elementals could be found, this idea had been bouncing around his head.
The younger Abandoned turned to Morgan and Neron. "What do you think? Want to give one of those a try?"
I will not be told where to stand
I will not be told what to say
Morgan listened to Sah's suggestions with a considering expression, though it grew a little troubled as he mentioned the elemental spirits within the Sea of Glass. "I think...before we do anything - you will have to permit me this superstition -" This was more directed at Neron than Sah, and she shot her boyfriend a look that said make fun of this and you are sleeping in the Fangs, "-We should pray to the spirits, tell them what we are about to do and be sure there are no strong objections. Believe me, if there are, we will know."
She'd spent many years coming here to visit the spirits and energies in this place after all, and she didn't want to simply rip it apart without checking in first. "But as for the actual method, I think your first sounds sensible. I'm not sure we'd need every magic."
Neron? Make fun? It's like you don't know him at all Morgan. There's a very good reason for the scarf all of a sudden, because it hides most of his expression when it comes to the praying to spirits{/i} angle. Partially it's because he does think it's superstitious, but there's also something else.
"Of all the spirits and elemental beings out here in the Tundra, I don't think we should forget about the Eirachi," he says. Neron certainly wouldn't be forgetting, put it that way. "I'm not averse to paying my respects, but I would prefer not to have a run in with her again."
As for the actual method? Neron nods his agreement with Morgan this time, glancing back to Sah. "Let's hit it with lightning and water," he says. "That's what we're all best at, so it makes sense for us to use those skills."
Sah nodded, glad that they agreed with his plan. "Water and lightning then." He raised a brow at Morgan, considering her idea. "Honestly we might as well. Even if they ignore us, we've at least given them a heads up if they want to get out of the way." And hopefully in that regard they'd be less angry over anything that the group of Abandoned chose to do today.
Sah stepped forward onto the ice and took out a few items from his bag. "These should work as offerings." A knife he'd carved from a moose antler, dried ursur meat from a previous hunt, and a few cloudberries he'd picked the day before. Offerings placed he sat down on the ice, waiting a pause in case Morgan or Neron wanted to offer anything or join him.
The Outlander sighed, forcing the tension from his shoulders. Invoking the spirits was nerve-wracking but he agreed with Morgan's sentiment. Sah turned his eyes out to the ice, "Spirits and Elementals, we're making an attempt on the Sea of Glass today in the hopes of finding what lies beneath. We plan to use our magic to do so. If you have any disagreement or even advice on the matter, and are willing to share, we'd appreciate it." Sah kept his eyes on their surroundings as they waited to see if there would be any response.
Hopefully it'd be the spirits that had spoken with Sah before. They'd been amicable and even a bit helpful. But it was better to assume the worst.
Sah invokes the spirts and elementals at the Sea of Glass while offering a knife carved from a moose antler, ursur jerky, and cloudberries. He's asking if they have any disagreement or advice regarding what the Abandoned are hoping to do.
I will not be told where to stand
I will not be told what to say
Morgan was pleased to see Sah take her suggestion seriously and while she suspected Neron might be smirking under his scarf, she couldn't see it, so she took what he said genuinely too. "I doubt this will catch Eirachi's attention. I've been praying to the spirits here all my life and I have never even seen Eirachi." Was there perhaps a hint of jealousy in her voice? If so, no one would ever get her to admit to it.
She came forward with Sah to pray; she had no offerings, but knelt down next to him and bowed her head, saying her own quiet words under her breath as she spread her fingers over the ice. There was no obvious response, but that was how these things were. Morgan felt better just for knowing they had asked.
Once the prayer was said she stood and took some steps back to the edge of the shore, then nodded to Sah. "Whenever you're ready."
10-11-2021, 03:14 PM (This post was last modified: 10-11-2021, 03:14 PM by Sah.)
yet my blood renders me a King
Sah wasn't surprised by the lack of reaction as well. "Well that's either a go ahead or a fuck off." He stood and eyed the ice around them. "Might as well give it a shot." The younger Abandoned couldn't restrain a sudden shiver. "Oh." He glanced at the others a bit sheepishly as the feeling registered. "We might just want to give this one attempt and head home. I forgot about the whole 'humans can freeze to death' thing and it is rather cold." He really missed his fur at the moment. Why were human bodies so inconveniently fragile?
Still with Morgan's go ahead, Sah started. Closing his eyes, he called upon his lightning. Allowing it to build as the sky darkened from gathering clouds, he smirked slightly. Using his lighting always felt amazing, and this time was no difference. There was a slight shift in the air and then the skies opened. Surges of lighting began to repeatedly strike the Sea of Glass. Sah did his best to focus on one area of radius, wanting to focus his energy on breaking through.
He hoped Morgan and Neron would then be able to force the damaged ice and water apart to open up the Sea.
Sah uses his mastered lighting to strike the Sea of Glass within a small radius. He'll keep going even as Morgan and Neron use their magic.
Morgan and Sah step forward and Neron hangs back, as is his nature, to let them pray and ask permission. And nothing is as good as yes for the Hailstorm, and he nods for Sah to begin. It's impressive, and the look in his steel blue eyes says as much even if the rest of his face is obscured by the scarf. "One shot, all or nothing? Sounds like my kind of odds," he murmurs, and as the skies open and the lightning lances down, he draws deep upon his magic as well.
Rippling out through the ice at the full radius of his abilities, Neron tries to change the nature of the frozen sea, subtly weaving it back into its liquid form so it might be teased apart more easily. It isn't often that he's able to push himself as far as he can go like this, and although he doesn't sweat, there's a tension in his body that suggests effort nonetheless.
Neron uses Mastered Water Manipulation to try and turn the ice to liquid.
Mastered lightning, Mastered water, and more mastered water...
The Sea of Glass gives no indication that such abilities, their strengths, or their combination, are what is required. This is no ordinary lake, and it will take extraordinary or clever measures to shatter its surface.
Back to the drawing board (and Halo), before you freeze to death.
Sah hummed as he eventually released his magic when it was clear that nothing was occurring. "Well shit. Looks like that idea failed." He eyed the untouched ice with slight annoyance, "Maybe using all the elements might work but that'll have to be an idea for another day." The Abandoned pulled his jacket tighter around himself, irritated by his own body's weakness. It was something he'd have to fix. Being so weak to cold and living in Halo was unacceptable.
"Let's head home." He glanced at the others as he began to head in the direction of Halo, "Do you know any other magic uses with mastered elemental magic? Perhaps when Flowerbirth comes around they might be willing to give us a hand. I'd still like to try using other magic before giving up entirely on the idea." The association between elementals and the Sea of Glass just seemed too important to ignore. Could you pray to elementals? That could also be a direction. Having set his mind the puzzle that was the Sea of Glass, the Outlander was determined to learn more about it.
Unsuccessful and cold, Sah calls it a day and asks about possibly trying again in Flowerbirth with more magics/elements at their disposal if they can find people.
Neron, annoyed that his attempts to rip away the ice are not as effective as he'd expected, releases his magic with a huff of cold air. "Mm, perhaps all four elements will be able to do something. Either that or we could petition the Eirachi directly for assistance, but if that's the case I'm not sure I would want to be the one to have that conversation." The Deepfrost goddess Does Not Like him, and at this point he can't even blame her.
Nodding between Sah and Morgan, he starts to walk back towards the citadel, nuzzling further into his scarf and drawing up the hood of his coat. He might not feel the cold, but his sensors are more than capable of letting him know that it's well below freezing out there. Best not to hang around, he thinks.
