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!
Eventually, in between overhauling the Citadel wall, setting about schedules and rotations for patrols of the soldiers, ensuring training regimes were followed, beginning drills, and letting the armory air out of the foul stench of skunk, the Sword found some spare hours to spend on the guild. It was almost a relief to come back to its doors, smiling a little as he turned the knob, and permitting the range of light to sift back into the sanction.
But it became abundantly clear that more work was to be done – given the state of everything. Mostly from lack of use: covered in either white sheets to protect upholstery, tapestries, trophies, and documents, or left to the devices of dust. But at least it hadn’t been burnt or gone to flames.
Permitting one vague sigh, he rolled up his sleeves and tended to the great hearth first, allowing heat to find its way to the walls, to the rooms, once more. He’d sent a few notes to fellow members earlier, to see if anyone else would be interested in assisting with opening the world again – grateful and appreciative for aid of any kind.
That didn’t mean he’d rest on his laurels though, and the monolith began to snag at the ivory cloths covering the tables and chairs.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Still reeling slightly from Ludo's latest trick, Deimos' request was an appreciated distraction. Once Soleil and Luka were set up with proper supervision via Lilly and Ilma, Sah headed to the guildhall. He had a feeling that his companion would be disappointed that she had missed a chance to see Deimos, but he assumed that'd she'd forgive him given her current task.
Once he reached the guild, Sah knocked once before swinging the door open. He instantly spotted Deimos and his efforts with the tarps and made his way over. "Hey, Deimos. Good to see you." He reached for one of the other tarps and began to fold it up so that it wouldn't spill dust on the furniture beneath once it was removed.
The knock brought him out of any clustered thoughts, managing to drive his wake out of the necessities of things hovering about the barracks, and more upon the guild itself. A quick, piercing glance noted Sah efficiently, nodding his head at the younger man’s appearance, as he untangled some long, wound sheet around the couch in front of the hearth. Placing it in a growing pile nearby, thinking they could be washed and re-used for the rooms upstairs, he addressed the Abandoned first. “Sah,” skull tilting vaguely, as if trying to read something. “You doing all right?”
Considering the weight of brief Wardenhood (Deimos would know – he’d had it once for a season and dreaded every moment), and then back to councilman work, or any other pending circumstances he was unaware of, he wasn’t certain how the hunter had been handling the multitudes. He’d seemed stressed in prior days, and rightfully so.
Pausing briefly, and surveying the room, he opened a few windows in the far corners, letting the cold air drift and revitalize the room – less stale, less ancient.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
As Sah continued to uncover furniture, Deimos' question gave him pause. He almost brushed it off with I'm good, but he hesitated. Letting out a sigh, he settled with the truth. "It's been...a lot. But I think things are looking up." The grin he sent Deimos was genuine but clearly tinted by exhaustion and stress.
Moving on to the next chair he continued, "So much has happened in such a short period of time. It's been overwhelming. Especially dealing with it without you and Noah here to help." His lips twitched, "But not all of it's been bad." Soleil and Luka came to mind and the Abandoned couldn't help the soft smile that spread across his face.
"I don't know if you remember how I mentioned my twins a while back. Well, they portaled into Caido recently and are now living in Halo with me. Their names are Soleil and Luka, if you see them around." Having his pups back was the greatest gift he'd ever receive. Sah would never not be grateful for it, nor would he ever take their presence for granted. He'd lost them once. He refused to lose them again.
Not all of them had been made to endure. Sometimes it came with the carving of perseverance into one’s bones, flickering a hot knife over all the unavoidable cataclysms. Sometimes it was learned in the wakes and weights of the world, the strife measured, harsh, grueling, and unruly. Sometimes it was inherent and drawn inward. And sometimes it just spat individuals out, one by one by one.
Sah had caught the brunt of it recently, and for that he could only tilt his head, offer some solace in a furrowed brow and frown. “You had a lot to take on.” But now, with shoulders used to bearing such weight, there were more of them willing, able, and ready to defend the lands they tread upon. “Did anything else come of the investigation?” He marched back over the wooden frame of the inn, and began maneuvering furniture around, drawing a chair closer to the fire.
Only raising his head again at the indication of far better things; though, if Deimos were being honest, multitudes of motions and occurrences that still left the Sword confused. Sah’s children, portalling in from somewhere, managing to find their father, and stay tucked away in Halo. Perhaps wonders never ceased.
Blinking more than once, trying to visibly restore his mind into working order, the ghost of a smile traced its way along his mouth. “So you have better things to concentrate on than all this mess.” And with a nod, he presented it in a far better light. “Congratulations.”
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah sighed as he used his telekinesis to fold away more cloth and reveal the furniture beneath. "I'm not sure if I handled it well." He shook his head and chuckled "At least Halo was still standing when I passed my very short Wardenship over to Noah." He'd done his best to protect Halo under Morgan. And then again when he had to step up as Warden. The Abandoned wasn't even sure if his term counted, given that he had intended for it to be temporary. Still, he'd done his damn best.
"Nothing's come up apart from the fact that the feather resembles one of Remi's shifts. Noah was going to talk to him." Sah hummed, "I still don't think it was Remi. It doesn't add up. I mentioned that Noah might ask if anyone had access to his manticore shift." That was the most likely case in his mind at least.
Sah tried and failed to resist a snort of laughter at Deimos' expression. "Thank you." Taking pity on the Sword he stifled his laughter. "I think you'd like them. Though Luka might bite you." His lips twitched, "Just warning you in advance."
The Abandoned soon finished up with the furniture in his section and glanced over at his friend, "What's next?"
“And that is better than nothing,” he smirked; though there was another comment he could’ve made about at least it was not Neron, but he was certain that probably wouldn’t have made Sah feel better. Moving another chair, he studied the room arrangement, then shrugged, moving over to the cabinets, beginning to peel away the fabric stored in there as well, uncovering the world they’d had to leave behind, bit by bit.
He wandered over to the bulletin board too, taking away the wrappings and trappings, revealing the last papers stuck there with some sort of nostalgic grin workings it way along his features. All the while he listened; Remi’s feathers being a point of interest, Noah discussing things with the Lullaby (which would probably go better than most of them doing the same), and the addendums to the cause. “If he is allowing the Ascended to bite him…,” and he trailed off with another shrug; because the Sword couldn’t be certain. While he was amongst those who wouldn’t offer much of anything to them (unless it was Kiada, and then it had been his compassion, weaponry, and safety), he wasn't sure about Remi's particulars.
Talk of the children (still bizarre, and he wasn’t apologetic about it), had his smile drawn in some manner of confusion again – wondering about boundaries instilled and expected. “Charming,” came along flatly.
Dusting his hands off from taking down the old documents, but leaving them aside for future perusal, the General and guildmaster ascertained the next pursuit, eyes drifting towards the stairs, and then upwards. “We should probably tackle the library.”
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah's lips twitched, "Maybe." If he had only been just better than Neron, that'd still be a failure in his eyes. He'd heard what the hybrid had done. And although he got along relatively well with the man, Neron was undeniably a mess.
The Outlander mirrored the shrug, "It might have been extenuating circumstances, who knows." The Demi-god was a clever one. If he had let Neron feed off of him, Sah imagines there was good reason. Maybe a strategy was in place that they were yet unaware. Or maybe Remi gave Neron the manticore shift, knowing he couldn't control it. That was a stretch though and Sah stopped that train of thought, lest he let his imagination run wild again.
"Charming?" Sah snorted out a laugh, "I wish." Luka seemed to have taken after him temperament -wise. At least to an extent. Hopefully his son would have better restraint then he had had at his age. Soleil was just a sweetheart though. At Deimos' words, Sah glanced up the stairs to where the library was held.
He made his way up and pried open the door, coughing at the wave of dust that rose up at the action. "At least nothing looks damaged," Sah noted once the dust settled.
Leaving behind a majority of the conversation to concentrate on the portions of the library, they would see that the world above reflected much of what was down below. Similar situations with the hearth, covered furniture, and books upon books stored along shelving that required much dusting. He presumed the other rooms beyond would look much the same. “True. It was well cared for.” Remembering Aisha fondly, he permitted the slightest of smiles, before wandering over to the windows, and opening them up on this floor as well.
The air rushed in, cool and unrepentant, but a necessity, especially since Sah was already coughing and hacking. The Sword’s hands were already on some of the coverings once more, beginning to start a new pile in one of the corners. “It will be nice to have all the journals available.” And not re-configuring the wheel each time.
Pausing, a piece of musings and notions crossed over his mind, mostly out of curiosity’s sake. “How did you come to find your children again?” Caido was vast, after all, and contorted in a multitude of landscapes. Had they simply portalled into Halo?
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
Sah felt a surge of melancholy, his mind going to Aisha briefly as well. "It was." The former GuildMaster had poured her heart and soul into creating the guild, of that he had no doubt. Moving to the other wall, the Abandoned began to remove coverings and neaten up fallen shelves. There were a few journals left on the floor and he placed them in a stack to sort later.
"I remember reading some of these," he noted to Deimos as he pushed the stack into a corner. "I always enjoyed the drawings the most. I wonder if any of our current guildmates have such talents." Sah had found the descriptions and accounts incredibly useful on his hunts. But the illustrations that had always entertained him. Some were more accurate than others to say the least.
Deimos' question is a fair one and Sah found himself smiling softly. "They portaled into Torchline and came under Maeve's care. I had no idea about it until Soleil wandered off and ended up portaling into Halo. She quite literally portaled through and fell in my arms." Sah shook his head in amusement, "I can't even fathom how miniscule of a chance that was."
Having your supposedly lost child falling into your lap was quite the experience. Sah hadn't even been sure if he was hallucinating or not. "I recognized her within minutes. Both of the twins have my eye color, and it stands out quite a bit." It wasn't the rarest eye color but there was something about the shade of amber that they shared that Sah would recognize anywhere.
"Soleil filled me in on what had happened, and I contacted Maeve. She sent Luka through."
His brows furrowed slightly as he turned to pick through a pile of papers, rummaging through them briefly before putting them into another proportion, presuming it’d be sorted and filed later. Weighing them down with a nearby trophy – some sort of skull – he snorted at Sah’s inquiry, pondering if his own sketches hadn’t been good enough. “We can always see.” Maybe in Deepfrost they could assemble and record, ponder over what to hunt next while they remained tucked away at the base of summits.
In the midst though, Sah described the portaling process of young children, and the Sword arched his brow all the more, intrigued, and slightly baffled, at the fortuitous luck the advisor had. “Very fortunate,” he rumbled, shaking his head lightly in the midst of a smothered laugh. Rifling through a few more pieces of parchment, and then opting to put them under the cranium amongst the others, his tones carried on in their residual rumble. “Do you have everything you need for them?”
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
In actuality Sah (and I oops) had completely forgotten about Deimos' own drawings. As such the Abandoned wondered if he had said something wrong upon noticing the sword's furrowed brow. He pushed it to the back of his mind and instead continued to unveil the guild's collection. Some of the uncovered books were lopsided or even upside down, so Sah reached over to them and straightened them out.
Sah chuckled at Deimos' clear bafflement, "Truly. If that's all of my good luck for the next year, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise." Because the chances of his kids portaling in and doing so safely were miniscule. For them to be found my someone friendly who he knew? Even less so. And for Soleil to literally drop into his arms? A once in the lifetime of a star, kind of chance.
The Sword's offer pulled a soft smile from the Abandoned. "I think were ok for now. But if something comes up, I'll let you know. They're still settling in but if they decide that they want their own rooms or something, I'll probably put a notice out for some extra hands." Whatever the twins wanted and/or needed to be comfortable in their new home, Sah would provide it.
"Thank you though." The offer was immensely appreciated regardless. There was one thing that Sah was considering for the twins, but it was the kind that required a god. He could in theory ask Deimos' aid given that the General could craft magical items. But the younger Abandoned had a feeling that what he was seeking was beyond Deimos' scope.
Luck wasn’t something Caido was known for; in bits and pieces, in surges and then nothing at all. It came on a whim and left on mercurial instances; giving and taking in subtle regards. He offered a small smile in return as a response, a muffled chuckle that barely reverberated past the stacks and piles of parchments he was going through, eyes scanning documents of drawings and journal entries forgotten, not yet put away. He eventually roamed towards books instead, placing them within, sorting them bit by bit.
The distinct level of his generosity, always there for those he considered friends, wasn’t needed. Taking that at its face value, the General nodded, unaware of anything else underlying those thoughts. “You are welcome.” After a while longer, the passing of time only noted by the ticking of some archaic clock in the corner, they’d made decent headway into the library. It could always be finalized later, with some of the other members help.
Considering the rest of the wake and vestiges, he offered one remaining task for the day. “I would like to check the pantry too,” uncertain if it had been cleaned out – and who knew what they’d potentially find in there.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
...look into a wolf's eyes. You'll never be the same again.
The library was still a little rough around the edges, but it certainly looked better than when they'd arrived. Sah was rather satisfied with their progress thus far. A little more organization and a good cleaning would do the place some good. But other than that, the Abandoned didn't see anything glaringly obvious.
"The pantry? That's a good idea. We should take out anything that's gone bad and make note of what needs to be replenished." Sah hummed in thought as he started walking towards the door, "Maybe preparing some rations might be a good idea as well." Having the pantry stocked with non-perishables was likely the best option. That way in a pinch there would be food available.
