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!
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
After hearing from Sam about an increase of violence against Ascended in Torchline, Amun decided to check it out for himself. Plus, he'd left his ship unattended for far too long. So through the portal and down to the port he went. Shockingly, the Night Galleon was intact and hadn't been stolen. He'd grinned at the sight, before slinking off to try and gather what information he could.
Or at least, that had been the plan before he spotted a familiar shock of red hair. Pausing for just a moment, he called out to the woman. "Spitfire? Is that you?" He jogged over to her, smiling as he did.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Done in assisting with the Ark’s supplies for the day, the youth had long since swept up her crimson locks in a ponytail, but the beads of swept were unrelenting in the day’s haze. Brushing back another stray strand, she and Fangorn continued along the port, winding their way, waving to fellow sailors, pondering over their upcoming meal – when another’s voice called out across the void.
Her head snapped up sharply, and brows furrowed for a moment, recognizing the tone and gestures, but surprised at the face belonging to it. How long had it been since she’d last seen Amun? She couldn’t recall – it’d been a stretch of time, and he’d disappeared like many, drifting in and out of the world. Whether or not it was something only damned to happen again didn’t really occur to her in the moment. “Amun?” She shouted back out, with half a snort of disbelief unfurling. “Where the hell have you been?”
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
Amun arched an eyebrow at Melita's question. Well, the tone more than the question; the question itself was entirely reasonable, but her tone left a little something to be desired. "I the hell have been trapped in a cave that collapsed on top of me for near on two years," he informed her, sticking his tongue out for good measure. "Terrible. Do not recommend."
Closing the distance between them, he nodded at Fangorn before looking up at her again. "You're looking well. How've you been? What've you been up to?" The potter slipped his hands onto his pockets and smiled at the redheaded woman as he waited for her response.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Unaware her tone (albeit mildly surprised) had ruffled any feathers, the youth persisted down the stretch, meeting Amun halfway along the port, ignoring the sudden round of stares on them. The curiosity had been piqued anyway, and the end results of his disappearance clearly hadn’t been a sojourn or exciting volleys into the unknown – rather a misadventure that caused her to wrinkle her nose, sticking her tongue out too for good measure. “Sorry to hear that. How’d you get out?” Had anyone gone looking for him? The notions were almost sobering, but she lifted her chin upwards all the same, airs of defiance and sparks of boldness.
“I’m okay! Still working on the Ark. I took over the place,” and she jutted her thumb towards the more rocky endeavors, where her uncles’ former house sat amidst the stones. “My uncles are in King’s End now,” and not without their own fair share of drama, which she really didn’t feel inclined to retell again. “Training and stuff, the usual.” She paused, considering, alternating her gaze back and forth over old wood and sand. “What’re you going to be doing now?” She supposed, presumed, he’d be catching up on things, seeing what he missed, where he could keep lingering.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
Amun let out a bark of laughter at Melita's apology. "Not your fault. And I literally clawed my way out with my bare hands." Wiggling his fingers (which still looked a bit ragged even after his fluid was replenished), he winked. "I know, I know, I really should come up with a better story than that."
Tilting his head to one side, he blinked. "Sunjata and Nate? I ran into them, well, Sunjata, in the Ground." As she recounted her own experiences, he nodded. "I am going to be reopening my business. And hopefully the Artisan's Guild. So, you know, if you have any special requests for the Ark, let me know."
Taking a breath, he hummed a low note. "Other than that, getting back on my feet in general, catching up on news and with people." Pausing, he grinned at her. "Actually, on that note, since you mentioned training, any chance you'd like to help me test that my systems are all working?" He arched an eyebrow as he awaited her response.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Her nose continued to be wrinkled at the notions of clawing out of the earth itself – and while she’d probably strive or try, it was likely only Ascended that would be capable of such a feat. “Nah, sounds like a good one to me,” and she shrugged, laughing mildly as they strolled further away from the port itself, Fangorn following close behind.
“Did you? Gods knows what he’s doing there now.” Probably obsessed with the sex room or something like that – she didn’t really want to know, and wasn’t going to ask. She could lend an ear and prospects to the other things though. “Oh? I’ll have to ask Jack or something. That’ll be nice to have around again.” For as long as there was some multitude of peace – though this hadn’t been any calm before the storm. Tension before the horizon, really.
Her brow quirked upwards at the semblance of training though, and the grin turned much wider and bolder. “Sure. What kind of training did you want?”
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
Amun arched an eyebrow and wrinkled his nose at Melita's comment. "Really? But there were no monsters involved, I didn't rescue any damsels in distress, there wasn't even an ancient curse I needed to break." Winking at her, he followed her away from the port.
"Finding himself, supposedly," he informed her with a snort of laughter. Grinning at her, he nodded as she informed him she'd bring it up with Jack, whoever that was.
When she asked what type of training he might want, he held up his empty hands. Wiggling his fingers, he tilted his head to one side. "Hand to hand, both because I don't have weapons on me and because I hope it'll remind me of my own body."
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
“Bleh. Cliché.” And she waved her hand jokingly at the possibilities – all the sorts of tales each and every child had ever heard before. There were supposed to be lessons embedded in them, she presumed, at the turn of misbehaviors and guidance, of particulars and behaviors needing to be locked and honed away. And while Melita had always been a rapt listener to her mothers’ stories and legends, she also still ran headfirst into calamity with ample opportunity.
Sunjata could go find himself wherever he wished by her account – the fucks given were so tremendously, incredibly low at this point, they might as well have been in the ground. The notions of training were far, far more entertaining than listening to another tale of how the Flood dicked around again. “I mean, I always have weapons,” which was an offer to draw up one of the many daggers she had nestled around. “But if you want, we can do that too.”
With another shrug to her shoulders, she rounded upon a bend off the port, to where there weren’t as many merchants, sailors, or passersby coming and going. Enough sand and loam to keep them from getting injured along the ground, and more than enough space suitable to lunging and leaping. She started shirking off her bag, tossing the contents downward, and Fangorn hustled forward, intending to remain as a guard for the armaments and goodies.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
Amun laughed at Melita's comment. Shrugging, he waved a hand in the air. "Hey, cliches exist for a reason. Still, you've got a point. Alright, trapped in a cave is the story I'm sticking with." He forced a smile but it failed to reach his eyes.
As she boasted about being armed, he arched an eyebrow at her. "Somehow that's both terrifying and comforting. Maybe I should follow your example." He glanced down at his hip, where he used to keep a sword.
As she started shedding her various burdens, Amun stretched. Rolling his neck and his wrist, he paced a short distance away from her. Turning to face her, he squared off and nodded at her. "Ready whenever you are."
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Some of the humor dimmed and she pondered at the fading qualities of it – something in the back of her mind stirring. Maybe about not forcing a story, or blending into what people wanted to hear. Or to stick to the truth, even if it was painful. None of the thoughts made it past her lips (which could’ve been ascertained as growth or simply because she knew better).
At his other response though, she laughed. “I prefer terrifying,” and a little menacing smirk accompanied the notion. Placing the rest of her weaponry down (save for some hidden ones) and given over to Fangorn to guard, she too stretched, arms reaching across her form and back again, a few rolls of her shoulders, and then a number of sharp movements, readying for assaults, sieges, and defenses.
Then she took up a stance, before nodding her assent, and beginning the entanglement of might. She rushed, quickly, swiftly, towards his right, before changing course altogether, and pulling back an arm to launch a blow somewhere near his left shoulder.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
Amun laughed at Melita's response. Grinning, he waggled his eyebrows at her. "Somehow, I'm not surprised to hear you say that." He gave her a thumbs up.
Soon, though, all traces of humor were gone as they began to spar in earnest. Twisting towards his right side, he fell for her feint hook, line, and sinker. In fact, his twist put his left side closer to her and her fist hammered into his shoulder.
Grunting, more from habit than anything else, he shook his head even as he reversed directions. His right fist shot out across his body, aiming for the inside of her own right elbow.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
There was a very, very brief glimmer of satisfaction as she hit – but minor, comparatively so, considering Amun wouldn’t be able to feel pain. There’d be no reeling from the motions and movements of her fist, nor a sudden crackle of aches and terror – which was a shame, because sometimes she thrived on those endeavors of violence and vehemence.
And she began to wonder, albeit in the back of her mind, what made them stop? What made them cease? If they couldn’t feel those twitches of agony? If there were no warnings to their systems?
Would they just continue on and on and on, until they fell apart?
He was quick and she was swift too, but it hardly mattered. While she attempted to dash out of the way, for she was certainly in close quarters, his fist rocked to the underside of her right arm; smarting, a warning, a bruising conjecture. With a hollow laugh, she rounded back, intending to utilize that same motion, despite the obvious bout of lingering pain, to try and land a punch along his ribs.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,
for it is infinite.
It was a pity that Amun wasn't privy to Melita's thoughts, since he had very personal and very recent experience with exactly how much abuse an Ascended's body could go through without shutting down. Alas, telepathy wasn't one of his powers in this world. Besides, he was too focused on their sparring to process much else at the moment.
His blow landed, but then her follow up did as well: as her fist slammed into his ribs, he folded in on himself a bit, rocking back. Arms windmilling to keep his balance, he decided to roll with it as best he could; using the momentum from her strike, he tried to back away and put some distance between them. At the same time, he kicked out, aiming for her right shin in the hopes of deterring another attack from her until he could recover.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
No smirking this time – too invested, too gathered amidst the inevitable swings and punches, to really be satisfied with minor orchestrations. She watched him windmill for a moment, before utilizing the momentum, placing distance in between, enough for his foot to come steadying for her. She snorted, seeing that movement from a mile away, and dodged with simple evading techniques, dashing quickly to the right.
But now she’d be somewhere near his back (hopefully), and that could afford a whole range of possibilities. Deciding on the commitment to her fists through sheer impulse, she jerked forward, intending to use her speed and position to jam a strike against his spine.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
