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!
when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming
It's tangible over the bond how visceral and feral Noah's anger is. A hunting party never brought this out in him, but having what you hunted hunt back always did. Especially when they went for those he cared about. The bear swung despite the fire crawling over it's body. Deimos attacked with the same ferocity. If Noah had time to think about it, he would display thankfulness for the warlord. Instead, all he could do was focus on slashing claws and gnashing teeth.
Dark, pearly eyes watched as Deimos went for the bear's throat. Noah followed with his own attack, but attempted to bite at the bear's nape. He wanted to bring the creature down, feel the snap of spine between his teeth. The taste of blood covered everything else, and the adrenaline rushing through his immense body covered all of the pain he would surely be feeling soon enough.
Noah bites at the back of the bear's neck trying to crack its spine!
i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating
The stench of fear and blood is strong in her nose, making her stomach churn and her heart thunder against her ribs, adrenaline causing her hands to tremble. The arrow she has notched slips in her fingers, too much blood covering her hands to really allow her a good grip, but Cordelia releases the arrow anyway. It misses, instead sinking into Noah's side and she winces internally at her mistake, but there isn't time for her to do anything else except ready another arrow.
It's hard to focus through the bloodlust that clouds the bond, coming from both Noah and Deimos, neither one stronger than the other. Both are overwhelming in their own right and if it wasn't the only thing keeping her focus off of the pain, Cordelia might have words for the two hunters. Instead she's grateful for it as it fuels their attacks. Deimos goes for the beast's throat, intent on crushing its windpipe and severing its arteries, but it's thrashing about too much to get a clean bite thanks to the fire that's engulfing its body. The arrow that lands in Noah's side is enough to throw his own attack off, but it doesn't stop him from sinking his teeth into the bear's shoulder, tearing through fur and muscle.
The beast roars, trying to shake both of them off as it lashes out with teeth and claws, taking a swipe at Deimos in an attempt to push the hellhound from his front. With the angle Noah is at it can't reach him and thus he is safe for the time being.
The bear is still up and fighting!
No posting order!
I've been the archer and I've been the prey Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?
Too occupied by the hunt, by the rapacious, predatory, belligerent wake occupying his mind, there was barely room in his thoughts for anything else. He might’ve been able to hear pain or terror, he might’ve been able to reel in the notching of an arrow, a botched hit, but the clarity was lost, lost, lost. To enmity and hostility, to the depths of nefariousness, to the sinister edges and exploits he barely ever traversed any longer.
The bear moved too much and his teeth couldn’t grasp, couldn’t hold, and the air of frustration burned and seethed within his efforts. Claws found his shoulder, and bled into his sanction for a few moments, a varnishing of pain and torment that cut deep into fur and pelt and sinew, but gods, he didn’t care. It was in another rush, another movement, another rampage that he launched once more, twisting and turning to try and angle better, to snag at the ursine’s throat, to rip and tear and maim.
--
Deimos gets hit by the bear’s claws and tries to go for its throat again.
the devil you know is better than the ghost you don't
Lost in his rage, in battling this bear, Noah did not notice when the arrow flew straight at him. Noah's jaws reached forward and attempted to seize the bear as the arrow sunk into his flesh. Another roar ripped out of his throat as he tossed his head back, stuttering backwards a few steps. Thankfully it was enough to escape the attacks of the bear.
Noah stumbled again and shifted, the arrow sticking out of his leg. Wincing and sucking in a breath of pain, Noah flinched and grasped the shaft of the arrow. It was in deep. "Shit." the Sentinel cursed, eyes closing as he decided what he needed to do. Quickly, before he could talk himself out of it, the hunter tightened his grip on the shaft of the arrow and pulled it straight away from him. It came out, ripping back through muscle and skin. Another roar, less ursine this time, came from his throat as he tossed the arrow aside.
His eyes snapped open again as he heard Deimos' jaws snap shut, aiming for the bear's throat once more. Blood covered the ground and the scent of burning fur and skin was overwhelming. Trying to get to his feet, Noah covered his wound and limped as quickly as he could to get in range of the bear and the others to ignite Divine Opposition.
Noah shifts back to human form, pulls the arrow out, and uses Divine Opposition to harm the bear and heal himself, Cordelia, and Deimos.
so I sit and the scan the frequencies, watch the falling snow
A lot of things happen all at once. Cordelia releases her arrow and strikes Noah in the leg who then shifts, giving off a pulse of divine light so bright that Cordelia has to avert her gaze, but her breath catches at the warmth that envelopes her. She can still feel the gush of blood coming from her shoulder and clavicle, but it's slower now thanks to whatever he did. The bear thrashes in Deimos's grasp, swiping and throwing side to side in a vain attempt to get out the the hellhound's hold, but it is impossible.
The hybrid clamps down on his throat successfully this time, tearing, shredding, ripping into the flesh with ease. He crushes the creature's windpipe first before he's tearing it from the throat of the beast instead, releasing a gush of blood onto the still slushy ground, causing the bear to stagger forward. It gives a last few feeble swipes at the three hunters, but falls flat, releasing a final shuddering breath before going still.
Cordelia grunts, inching backwards as she gets her feet out from under the fallen bear, gritting her teeth at the searing pain travelling through her nerves. "Fucking thing sure put up a fight..."
Examine the body and lets haul it back to camp!
Last round!
I've been the archer and I've been the prey Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?
the devil you know is better than the ghost you don't
The world seemed to slow down around him as his divine opposition domed over them. Healing and damage both went out in equal force, and Noah felt the hole where Cordelia's arrow had been sew itself back closed. The bear finally fell as Deimos ripped its windpipe from its throat, and the hunter watched as the body landed with a massive thud that nearly shook the ground beneath his boots. Noah squelched through the blood to get to Cordelia.
Lowering his body, Noah offered to help her stand by getting beneath her arms and wrapping a strong limb around her back. He was concerned for her, but he knew that he had at least offered her some healing from his magic. "Too bad it caught fire. Deimos could have made something nice from its pelt." He said as he turned his body back towards the massive creature, letting Cordelia put as much weight on him as she needed. "But the meat will still be good."
Leaning over to place a gentle kiss on Cordelia's temple, the hunter let his lips linger for just a second longer to whisper against her ear: "You...shot me."
so I sit and the scan the frequencies, watch the falling snow
Vehement, nefarious focus, a drawing and quartering of dominion and prowess; the snapping of jaws, the waging of bones, brought back directly to a time, to a place, where all he’d ever done was persecute. A rush of the maddening haze blinded his senses until he was nothing but that withdrawn Reaper, distorted and debauched, argent domination in silent chords of violence, violence, violence – pulling, twisting, turning, waiting for the bear’s final outcry. He ripped and tore, and the unholy possession lingered in the breadth of his stance, ignoring his own injuries for a moment, watching and waiting, as the fellow predator fell to the ground. Gone and done. The satisfaction twisted like a knife, devastation simmering and smoldering behind all that savagery, and he took a few seconds to finally return to who and what he’d become in times thereafter.
A brush of healing from Noah ensured the seams of his wounds stitched back together, an impact of scars no longer so feasible. Zuriel’s arrival further incited any other healing, and his hound gaze only swept away, back to the couple, with a tilting of his head. A shift, and Deimos was the Sword again, standing beside his companion, hand brushing over her forelock as he stared at the prey. “Everyone all right?” And he nodded towards Noah. “Thank you,” for the soothing, assuaging conjectures.
As for the fire…”That was my fault.” And it’d felt glorious – to unleash the flames and embers. Circumstances be damned – there were always more bear pelts. He withdrew his hunting knife, beginning the eternal process of what came after. “It will still provide us with enough.” And wouldn’t go to waste.
The dust settles and Cordelia is left reeling, a burning still tingling across her nerves thanks to the torn flesh of her shoulder and clavicle, leaving her to struggle getting her feet under her again. Thankfully Noah is there moments later, bending down to scoop her up, a strong arm wrapping around her back as she regains her feet. The Attuned leans into him heavily, letting out a sigh of relief now that there is a moment to breathe, eyes flicking towards the fallen bear. Her free hand is still wrapped around her bow, fingers still bloody, leaving a red stain to soak into the leather. "I'll be fine. Bleeding has stopped." She reassures both parties, offering them each a wane smile as she straightens, "It's alright. Not much use for a pelt like that with the heat coming. We'll certainly be able to hunt another before then."
Cordelia's lips twitch and she has to stifle her laugh as Noah's lips press to her temple, his words causing her stomach to flip as they're rumbled against her ear, "Sorry, dearest... Didn't mean to." She murmurs in return, tilting her head back enough so she can look up at him, lifting up on her tip toes to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Forgive me?"
It's a rather simple process after that. The three of them quickly breaking down the bear, taking what meat they need and hauling it back using what shifts they can until there is nothing left except bones to be picked clean by scavengers.
~FIN <3~
I've been the archer and I've been the prey Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?
