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 monsters were another thing altogether, and his form maneuvered into another unyielding, unbending line; spine straight as he sat up, the images of yesteryears still vivid and concise in his mind. “Some take on the form of your loved ones. Others are invisible. They could likely be anything.” Such was the power of manipulation, a blend of the Voice’s schemes into beings permitted, allowed, to venture out for so long. Claws on doors. Whispers outside walls. Promises and convictions of those one cherished sinking and slinking into their heads – until they wandered out into the midst, and were maimed.
His eyes narrowed at the final statement, and a blend of sedition settled into his piercing eyes. “I have warned you before about things. I hope you have learned,” given the curse now upon him. “And listen.” Entire families murdered and desecrated. Buildings burned to the ground. Corpses upon corpses riddling the world as shadows descended.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
He just nodded and started to write it down - it was something in the eyes of Deimos that made it clear that he had to take it seriously. Invisible made it more complicated. As for the design, he did not believe that there were people here for whom he would do this. But what if they took the form of Deimos or Maea? "What do I do if you ask me for help Deimos and it is a LongNight monster? I would go out for two people how do I know that this isn't you?" He asked with caution in his voice.
Darkeye knew such situations from his world... whether it was the same he did not know. "I have listened, Deimos. I just approach things differently than you. But I thank you for the warning. In my world, there were the nameless days. There were thirteen in number. The night seemed not to want to end. Demons became bolder and more aggressive during this time. But the days also affected the people. They became more aggressive and were more willing to do something stupid. Why did they do that? Because they gave too much importance to the days - they were nervous and holed up in their houses, not trusting anyone. I will pay attention to what you said. But I will not give too much importance to these beings." He said in a friendly tone but with a touch of aggression in his voice.
The past scraped against his mind; measures he’d used when a loved one’s voice had strived to persist, to wound, to maim him from outside the walls of their sanctuary. “I will be in Halo, and not out there.” For starters. “You can ask them questions. Things only the other person would know about.” Chances and opportunities to manipulate, deceive, and speculate in return. They would still try to coax and entice, but the one he’d encountered had given up the torturous game a few rounds after.
Considering the way Darkeye had approached beings after Deimos gave him ample warnings, the General had doubts about the priest’s way of listening. The Sword gave a snort, fighting the urgency to roll his eyes, as if his misgivings, his experiences, were nothing. “That is your choice.” Perhaps it wouldn’t matter in the end, if what the Voice said was true – but the skepticism still intermingled through his spine.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
Darkeye nodded. "I don't think you'd come out for me, but in case I answer with the number nine then you know it's me," he said with a smile."That number is sacred to my god. I'm just going to ask you for your two favorites, I think I'll do okay with that," he said with a grin. The danger posed by such beings was immense.
"Such beings are tough opponents-I will not underestimate them. In that case, I just hope Voice is right. Unfortunately, we won't know for sure until the next few nights. I will prepare for it as best I can." He said with a serious tone. He would have to prepare himself accordingly. He would have to think about slogans and how the beings knew what to say to lure the person out. Were they a test?
Deimos had no intention of going towards the Grounds, and though an area of neutrality might’ve sounded enticing, intriguing, once – many seasons ago – he was far too nestled and entrenched into upcoming matters to ever meander there. Still, the sentiments made him laugh, and the echo of its reverberation bounded off the walls, committing Darkeye’s favored numeral to his mind anyway. “You want to know my favorite numbers?” Not the greatest or grandest scheme, but maybe the simpler version of it all was the most suitable.
Pondering further into preparations, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to mention their other methods. “We used to lure luxere to shield us too – the monsters did not care for them.” The light, perhaps, beacons along the antlers. “And we lined the walls and shelters with snow moss. Kept it quiet.” Which could only aid one so far – when they kept opening doors.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
Darkeye joined in the laughter. It was a laugh that was contagious. As is often the case, he quickly found someone he liked who had the same sense of duty as he did. He wiped away a tear and held his belly laughing."You don't have to, but I find it easier than speaking complete sentences. We just say the number and we know it's the other one, I don't know where it's going to take me on my way." The plan was easier than having a conversation with an enemy that could mislead. It was effective and simple in such cases it was better to keep it simple and not to make it too complex.
He became more serious again and took a sip from his drink pouch. He also wrote down what Deimos had told him, but there were still questions he needed an answer to. "How do I kill a LongNight monster heat, impale or decapitate. What do you think is the most effective method?" Darkeye wanted to be prepared for the eventuality and preferred to ask someone he trusted and had already fought against these creatures.
Maybe he only found it funny because no one had ever asked him such a question. Perhaps in childhood, but never thereafter – not when there were hordes of other inquiries launched and layered his way. So he shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head, bemused all the same, giving forth the answer with intonations still intermingled on wry entertainment. “11.”
As far as LongNight monsters were concerned, the traces of humor faded away to something cooler and more weighted, his eyes gazing towards obsidian walls, or falling towards his companions. “I believe preferences would go more towards fire.” Or that was his modicum of partialities and predilections – but given how they were supposedly experiments before the Ascended came into play, it would make sense that they shared similar weaknesses.
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
Darkeye smiled, finding the idea easier than codes and asking. It would only give the enemy time to close in and make the situation unnecessarily tense. "Then I know that now I thank you for that. May I ask why 11?"he said with curiosity.
He wrote that down calmly and nodded curtly to Deimos. "I thank you for this information. It's about time I finished my walk, I think unless you want to talk to me about something else, Deimos." Darkeye stood up and pushed through his back so that it cracked a few times. He was ready to get back to the Grounds.
A tight smile drew its way over his mouth, revealing nothing. Darkeye could ask, and Deimos saw no reason to yield. Pretending not to hear the inquiry at all, the Sword rose from his chosen seat, angling for his companions and bag of collected meat, furs, for the residents of Halo. “You are welcome.” And with a singular shake of his head, with no intentions to delay the priest any further, he motioned back towards where he’d begun, in and out of the obsidian land and lore. “Good luck to you.” With curses and LongNights, with winter’s harshness, with plans that could come to fruition based on ambition and determination.
{FIN}
you're all bronze and bite all venom and fistfight
