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!
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Lena figured if she kept herself busy, then there’d be less of a chance to fall into despair.
While not the best way of coping mechanisms, it still beat the potential for violence, vehemence, and any other uprooted possibilities. Perhaps her role as Caretaker would be the best way to segment into certainty, rather than any other parameters. Especially while they figured out what was the next best step for Stormbreak.
She utilized the sky port, and clutched at her bag as she departed from the boats, a satchel full of notebooks and notations already made from other recent ventures. Biding her time, alone and adrift, towards the Arclight gave her some amount of peace too – avoiding any general melees as day turned slightly into dusk, and she could gaze out over this section and sanction of ocean without any calamity brewing on its waves.
And from there, with her eyes shielded from the sun, she could see the faint outline of the cloud mantas in their own habitat – breaching over the currents, launching for a few seconds, before descending back into the threshold of salty, sea brine. And with a smile, she plunked herself right down on the beach and sand, taking the closest notebook within reach.
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
04-03-2022, 05:00 PM (This post was last modified: 04-04-2022, 04:39 PM by Sah.)
Sah
Sah found himself drawn to the beach today against his will. Torchline's scorching sun was something he generally liked to avoid but ever since he'd told Lilly about how he'd gone swimming in the ocean, she'd demanded she get the chance. After days of bombarding his mind with images of sand and water, the Abandoned had finally relented.
And so, he found himself sitting in the sand as he watched Lilly with a fond smile. The wolf raced across the waves, splashing water just about everywhere. Getting the sand out of her fur was going to be a nightmare, but the joy he felt being sent his way through their bond made it worth it.
Lilly's ears twitched and she turned at some unheard sound. The wolf sent the image of a woman sitting in the sand further down the beach. Sah could just barely make out her figure in the distance, lacking the wolf's vision. There was a split second where Sah's stomach dropped, "Lilly, no..." Too late.
Lily barked in the direction of the woman, hoping to get her attention. The wolf crouched into a play-bow, trying to make a new friend out of the stranger. Sah rubbed his temple with a sigh.
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
The mantas continued in their overt display of aerobatic dynamics, and Lena was only too happy to oblige and encourage them. Sketches conformed, notes swiftly nestled over paper and parchment, and some amount of contentment, peaceful bliss rang through her shoulders and arms; enough to warrant the doldrums away for the sheer beauty and serenity of the instances. Sea air and animals – tranquility at its finest with the shape and roll of the tides.
A bark broke her out of her reverie though, and her head came up swiftly, turning to regard the wolf near her side. Unafraid and undaunted, given the multitude of creatures she dealt with on a normal basis, she tucked her knees upward, smiling as the young canine play-bowed. “Hello there,” she called, uncertain where the mischievous one had come from, and far too distracted to look beyond – immediately fishing in her pockets for some leftover treats. She tossed one, merely to see what reaction it would garner.
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Lilly approached, wagging happily. She ate the treats eagerly before laying down and rolling over. Her demand for a belly rub was as clear as she could make it.
Sah sighed, wiping a hand over his face before standing. He walked over, watching his companion incredulously. Once he got close, he called out, "Sorry. She's not bothering you, is she?" Lilly shot him a dirty look in response to the question, but Sah just snorted in amusement.
"Lilly tries to befriend everyone she can," He added, coming to a stop a few feet from the woman. Sah didn't recognize her and didn't want to make her uncomfortable with his sudden appearance.
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
The Caretaker managed a light laugh at not only the instant lapping of treats, but the subsequent call for belly rubs. Stretching and reaching out, she indulged the wolf with some scratches along her fur, and didn’t cease when the bonded approached – glancing upward for half a moment to register the man. “Oh, not at all. Don’t worry about it.” She grabbed at a few more morsels in her pocket, leaving them along the sand for the canine to find, before brushing off her hands.
Intending to return to her notes, she hadn’t imagined they’d stay – considered the moment as a passing through semblance. So only thereafter did she study the stranger, not recognizing them at all (a given, perhaps, considering how often she got out of Stormbreak and with more recent disasters). “She seems very sweet. You must be very fond of her,” and she smiled – extending her hand out in a warm gesture and introduction. “I’m Lena. Who are you?”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Sah had been intending to leave, but Lilly had made it clear though their bond that she wasn't yet done with socializing. Between the treats and belly rubs? She made it clear that she'd bite her bonded if he tried to pull her away so soon.
The Abandond's lips twitched at Lena's comment. "I am. She's a menace." Said wolf let out an indignant yip as she rolled to her feet. Ruffling her ears fondly, Sah then reached out to shake Lena's hand. "Sah. Good to meet you."
Now that he was actually close enough to talk to the women, he noticed the drawings. "Were you studying the mantas?" The Abandoned eyed the creatures jumping out of the water with wonder. This was his first time seeing them in person and not just in the guild's records.
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
With an affectionate laugh thrown towards the wolf, and maybe a few more belly scratches, she picked up her charcoal, aiming her sights back upon the mantas. Taking her time, concentrating, before answering the question, she made a number of strokes and lines to signify their span, their scale, their scope, and the intricate diving proportions. Once she’d finished those details, she glanced back towards Sah’s way, tilting her head vaguely. “I am! I thought it’d help with any I manage to see at home.” Brushing away some stray marks, she made another spot of notations. “They’re fascinating creatures.”
Pausing, her sienna stare rendered back along the waves. “But then again, there are always a number of fascinating things about.” Which could’ve ranged from anywhere – permitting the topic to meander wherever it pressed and craved. “How did you come by Lilly?”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
When you see something out of the corner of your eye, turn to look, and see nothing at all, what should you conclude? That you were having a hallucination? Or that your peripheral vision is perhaps not to be trusted. Ask yourself, are you tired? Drunk? Under the influence of something? Is the lighting good? Are there lots of moving shadows about? Are there reasons you have to think that your mind is playing tricks on you?
Because...well, because it would be absurd to think that out of the corner of your eye you had just seen a house. A house with a figure slamming its hands against one of the upper windows with enough force to shatter it, and then...
Sah watched with wonder as Lena worked. He could carve wood and bone, but straight up drawing was a skill he lacked. It was maybe a little backwards, but it was the truth. Using a knife was easier than a pencil or piece of charcoal for him. He wasn't sure if he liked what that said about his personality.
Head tilted curiously he continued the conversation as Lilly seemed happy to stay longer. "You have them back home? Where's that?" He sat down in the sand, as standing alone was simply awkward. "Lilly and I live in Halo. Though I met her in the Wildwoods in the Greatwood."
The Outlander reached down and began stroking his companion's back. "There are so many fascinating creatures there. It's incredible. If I didn't like the snow so much, I'd probably live there." Sah was a creature of the tundra and that would never change. But the lush greenery and wildness of the Greatwood was appealing for the former canine.
It was then that the hair on the back of his neck raised, and he saw what he hoped was a mirage. Sah glanced at Lena, "Did you see that or am I hallucinating?"
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Humming again, a nameless tune that sauntered through her mind, she didn’t flinch at the prospects of home – of some pieces gone, chiseled away, or buried beneath the rubble. “Stormbreak. I help with the Celestine – we get a great number of animals there.” The beautiful mantas included, with their radiant pools and dazzling displays of aerial acrobatics above the veneer.
She finished with another stroke of the charcoal, head raised to survey the Outlander. “Ah, I haven’t visited either of those yet. Which part is your favorite?” Perhaps she’d venture outward at some point, desperate to keep herself busy. "I went to the desert recently. What an interesting place."
And no, she hadn’t forgone the bizarre image along the corner of her eye, the snap of an intangible window pane, the strange flickerings that made her drop her pencil into the sand. “I did. I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean,” with a hesitant gulp, losing the hymn under her voice for something else instead – maybe more trepidation.
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
"Stormbreak, huh? Sometimes I wish I could visit. It sounds like an interesting place." Sah shrugged slightly, "Maybe one day Abandoned will be allowed in, though I doubt it." Being physically incapable of entering an entire region without death was baffling at times. It used to anger him, but now it was just an oddity.
The places in Caido he had seen however were incredible. "The Greatwood is beautiful, and Halo is cold and full of ice. But I prefer Halo. The people are warm and look out for each other. And the stars above the snow are a view you have to see at least once." There was something about the reflection of ice and starlight that was just breathtaking.
Sah tilted his head curiously at the mention of the desert, "The desert? What's even out there to see or do? I was always under the impression that it's basically just sand." Being a creature of the tundra, the desert sounded like a variation of hell. Torchline was already a bit too hot for his taste.
The Abandoned wasn't sure if he was relieved or not that Lena had seen it to. Sah shook his head with a grim look, "I have a feeling it'll make itself known sooner rather than later."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Before she could ask – especially about the Stormbreak notion – the answer came swiftly from his own admission. Even though Lena held no stigma towards the Abandoned, those notions were not easily erased from her world; the Voice had done them all a great disservice. “I’m sorry about that.” Unaware of any pending plans, she let that subject drop, trying to find her pencil in the sand.
She’d prefer to listen about the rest of the world she’d yet to visit – the Greatwood with its beauty, secrets, enigmatic twists and turns, or Halo with its cold, frigid summits. “Those both sound wonderful,” and grabbing hold of her charcoal once more, the grin returned. As for the desert, she hummed lightly under her breath, sketching something absentmindedly in the corner of her notes. “The seasonal deity, recently. It requires water to leave, apparently.”
And with the semblances of the strange vision, she could only furrow her brows in agreement. “Most likely.” Those sorts of things often did.
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Sah smiled softly, "They truly are. If you ever find the time to travel across some of the regions, you should do so." He'd spent an entire season traveling around soon after he came to Caido. The Outlander had never regretted it, even if it had been physically demanding to trek. There was something nice about mindlessly wandering and exploring. He'd probably never get the chance to do so again. Not with the war coming or with the twins' recent reappearance.
The Abandoned tilted is head, "They need water?" He hummed, "I can probably make time to do that." He'd have to be quick about it so as not be away from home for too long. But helping a deity was probably in his best interest.
Lilly pawed at her bonded's leg, apparently ready to continue her morning exploration. Sah glanced at Lena with a chuckle, shaking away his unease about the vision. "Seems like Lilly is read to get out of the sun. It was great to meet you. And thank you for the information."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Brief meetings and intervals; Lena would be content with whatever the world supplied. She smiled, encouraged by the notions of traveling and traversing; maybe once things at home settled down into a semblance of more than rubble, ruin, and pain. “I will try,” she promised with a radiant bout of conviction, the grin reaching her eyes.
And then the lull was gone, the wolf demanding its bondeds’ movements, and the rest of the realm continuing onward. “Likewise. Have a splendid rest of your day.” And with a wave, and maybe another toss of a treat towards Lilly’s wake, the Caretaker returned to her notes, drawings, and writings, satisfied that she’d passed on some noteworthy knowledge and gained some in return.
{FIN}
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
