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!
The routes were familiar, pressing into similar wakes as he’d done with Noah on other occasions. But there were no vampire gourds thriving in this season, and he’d long since rolled up his sleeves, the Longheat traces beating down even as the canopy pressed leafy shadows; the humidity spiking in ways that had him longing for Halo all over again. Striving to keep Belial occupied and not distracted into the woodwork, he flicked a series of treats into the air, watching as the peryton jumped, leapt, and soared after them, Zuriel offering a disapproving snort behind him.
Only when they’d reached Frey and Rae’s shrine, and the massive tree it encompassed, did he cease at all. Along the roots were no pumpkins grumbling or growling their hostile wakes, but some altered version of dragonflies. He stopped to stare, watching as their larger wings began to alter, brow arching as the hues blended together into a serene blue – tranquil, repose-like.
The peryton, once at his feet, immediately launched – and out of habit, the soldier grabbed hold of the companion, holding him underneath his arm. “Honestly,” and he rolled his eyes, but getting closer, studying and scrutinizing out of age-old habits – presuming Sylvia could meet him here, along the winding trails of enigmas.
under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed
Sylvia sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. She wore no armor, sure her quick foot work and silence would keep her safe. She had begun to wear a chest wrap and light, skin tight pants. Her boots were still the ones she wore in Halo, a quiver on her side and her Antler Bow and Bone handled Knife her only visible weapons. Deimos had wanted to meet her, she presumed alone. She didn't like the Long Heat here. It was far too much in her opinion.
She wanted to be in Halo, where the cold kept her covered and the heat was only as much as one could make it. She let out a low sigh again. Why couldn't they meet in Halo? Well, she'd ask him. She approached the shrine a bit of wonder in her eyes, new things always seemed to capture Sylvia's attention and curiosity. She walked up silently, but she expected the leader to the Monster Hunter's Guild would see her. After all, she wasn't in her natural environment and he was...stronger.
As she looked at the scene before her she couldn't help but snicker lightly as he spoke to his pet. There was a mischievous smile on her lips now. "Deimos," She spoke as lightly as ever, nodding at him as she approached.
Belial’s ears turned and shifted at the approach of another, and the Sword permitted his eyes to no longer linger on the flies (which had now turned an intriguing hue of green), but towards the incoming individual. Recognizing her from the brief stint of work at the guild itself, he couldn’t help but grant an indulgent smile, shaking his head a little at her gear. “Sylvia,” he granted by way of a nod and greeting, not explaining why the peryton struggled under his arm, desperate to go reach the newcomer. “I trust this weather is not ideal for you either.” Longheat in Halo was likely the perfected range – still cold, still frigid, still enough to ward off the worst of the days that would’ve spiraled here.
He stepped further into the shade, under broader leaves that encompassed a lot more space, and found some rocks, stones, and old stumps they could settle upon. Deimos inclined his head in the direction, a request for her to follow, and from the strange insects scattered along, seemingly doing the same. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” Then he sat on a larger boulder, cool to the touch, and far better than the rest of the humid expanse – expecting she’d have a series of questions.
under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed
Sylvia couldn't help but lightly laugh. Not ideal is an understatement. Not ideal would be a full shirt and thicker pants. This was far from not ideal to the Halovian that was in a fit of laughter as she looked at the odd little happenstance that led the Guild Leader to have written, WRITTEN, her a letter. Now her cheeks blossomed into a red of embarrassment as she realized that the Sword and Deimos really were the one and the same. "The weather is...aggressive and exhausting. I don't know how you stand the heat. Wouldn't it have been easier to just meet in Halo? It's easier to breath, especially during Long Heat, though let's be honest heat and Halo don't go in the same sentence do they?"
She followed him into the shade, her breathing settling as she let the cool shade at least help a touch of her nerves. "You're...welcome. I don't...I'm...sorry my writing is..." Sylvia trailed off and sighed. "I never took to letters well. Ma always said it was cause I like to talk...but that's not why we're here huh? So..." She let the air hang thick and humid between them as she waited for Deimos to explain why she was here in the wilds sitting in the heat.
01-11-2022, 11:10 PM (This post was last modified: 04-19-2022, 06:24 PM by Deimos.)
DEIMOS
the resurrected sword
“Easier, perhaps, but not without its dramatics, since I am exiled from the mountains.” For now – with the blunt truth of it. She would’ve been around for the coup and the violent uprising thereafter, where Morgan had attempted to siege and assault her own people, her own land, with the Ascended and dragon escorts. The notions of scrambling around in his invisibility cloak had come to play – but then he might’ve jeopardized Sylvia’s safety, been spotted regardless, and started a whole range of treacheries all over again. On that note, and within the shade, he went through his bag and pulled out two canteens, handing one over to the Halovian. The water within would be cool and refreshing, filled purposefully with chilling elements due to his own magic.
As for her letter, he offered a slight smile, touching the edges of his mouth. While Belial lingered along the bottom of the rock, still watching the color-altering flies (now a bright yellow), his tones came on bouts of reassurance. “Your writing was fine.” Understandable and legible, enough to convey a message. “I apologize though, I did not intend to make any of this difficult.” The journey here, the weather in the midst. He pulled out a series of snacks (mostly fruit and nuts, something he thought might last in the heat and not bring in more discomfort), and laid them out on the boulder for her to pick and peruse. “However, I did want to hear your stance on Halo.”
From there, they could discuss; unaware that in a few seasons, it wouldn't have mattered at all.
{FIN}
under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed
