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!
Even from behind a cloud, the moon illuminated the strange sight below. Granted, neither of the Ascended standing there needed its light to regard the ruins before them.
Squinting, Amun frowned up at the stairs they'd stumbled upon. Rubbing the back of his head, he glanced over at Maea. "I get that there are ruins all over the place but...this is weird, right?" He pointed at the massive set up steps that ended abruptly smack dab in the middle of nowhere.
Reaching out with one foot, he poked at the bottom stair. Zhanshi poked his head out out the ground to nibble on the sole of the potter's boot. However, the landshark's head shot to the side as a strange critter hopped out from under the steps. It was a weird cross of rat and fungus, and Amun's eyes narrowed as he watched it nibbling on some grass. His companion dove under and began tunneling towards the moushroom.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
"Plenty weird," she agreed, without taking her eyes off the staircase. She had picked her way gingerly around the structure three laps now, and still couldn't figure out how it was still standing.
Pausing at the very foot of the flight of steps, Maea tilted her head back and looked up. In the veiled moonlight the structure stood out in sharp contrast against the night sky, each block of stone detailed in exquisite perfection. Except for where the stone had broken, fractured and splintered apart and left only this curious anomaly. "I wonder if it's the same material as the ruins back home."
Cocking her head aside, she shifted her weight and lifted a foot to take a step up onto the flight of stairs.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Pressing down with his foot, Amun shrugged. Switching to a kneeling position, he rapped his knuckles against the bottom step. "Hm?" Glancing up at Maea, he arched an eyebrow. "Is the Hollowed Ground made out of a special type of rock? I thought it was just...stone."
Under the staircase, Zhanshi erupted from the ground. His jaws closed around the moushroom, which let out a squeak before the landshark chomped down. Disappearing under the earth again, the potter's companion dragged his prey down. "I think Isla actually told me about this place," he commented, staring up towards the top. "Something about a portal at the top?" His brow furrowed.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
Nothing really happened as her foot made contact with the bottom slab, and so she continued up a few steps. The stairway neither swayed nor groaned under her weight - rather underwhelming.
"I don't know. Different areas have different types of rock though. Grounds and Torchline aren't the same, right? It was just a thought, since this isn't so far from home."
Turning to look down at him, she cocked her head aside as she listened. "Hm, interesting. Want to go up and see where it goes?" She smiled, but there was a detachment in her eyes this evening. Some weariness that implied she was simply following for the sake of it. She took a few more steps up the stair, and peered up to see if she could spot anything at the top.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Scratching his chin, Amun nodded. He ran a hand across the stone, then rubbed his fingertips together. "I mean, sure, limestone, sandstone, marble, it varies by region. I'm not a geologist, though." He barked out a laugh. "The Hollowed Ground and King's End are right next to each other, so I guess it wouldn't be too shocking if they used similar building materials."
Zhanshi popped up. Chewing a bit, he dropped half of the corpse of the moushroom at Maea's feet. Snorting, the potter jerked his chin at it. "Someone's got an admirer," he crooned. "Or maybe he's just worried you're not eating enough." Letting out a bark of laughter, he waggled his eyebrows.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
Shrugging halfheartedly, Maea held her palms up. "Nor am I. Like I said, it was just a thought."
Following Amun's gaze, she blinked slowly at the landshark and his gruesome gift. Leaning down, she picked up the half of the moushroom and dangled it by its tail before Zhanshi, and then tossed it out across the field.
"Fetch!" she tried, not entirely sure whether the companion would understand - or more importantly, be interested in this sort of game.
Brushing her hands against one another, she returned her attention to the stair. "I'm going up," she announced, and began to balance her way upwards, one tentative step at a time. Vertigo quickly set in with no railings to offer separation between herself and the drop on either side, but she comforted herself with the thought that it was only thirty feet or so. It might break a leg or three, but she could always teleport down.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Nodding at Maea's response, Amun watched as she bent to scoop up the moushroom corpse. As she tossed it, Zhanshi nibbled on the toe of her boot. Then the landshark ducked underground. There was a slight disturbance around the dead critter, then it disappeared under the earth as the potter's companion reclaimed its kill. Amun just rolled his eyes at the whole display.
When she declared she was going up, he shot to his feet. "Wait!" He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, I should've responded sooner. If this is the spot Isla was talking about, it teleported her and a few other people to a place filled with dragons." He jerked his chin up the steps. "I'd rather not risk it, but if you do still want to go up, just get ready to teleport."
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
The hand on her shoulder brought Maea to a wobbly halt, and she looked back at Amun with raised brows. His explanation made her sink down to sit on a step, a mingled expression of intrigue and disappointment warring over her features.
"Oh. By 'full of dragons' do you mean the Draig Cordillera?" She sought the top of the staircase with a speculative look. Then she sighed and shook her head. "No, never mind. I won't risk it." With a gloomy sigh she slumped back, leaning against the stairs despite the way each step dug into her back. It didn't hurt, of course; nothing did. Which took the edge out of even thrill-seeking. The reward was diminished by this decreased risk.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Shrugging, Amun shook his head. Looking up at the steps, he walked up them until lean against them next to Maea. Zhanshi launched himself from the ground to circle around their ankles. "Perhaps. She didn't say." He pressed his lips together.
"Probably for the best." Letting out a chuckle, the potter slipped his hands into his pockets. "Supposedly she was hunting down the Prince. Who is a relic, apparently?" He snorted, before glanced over at her. "Did you know about the Prince?" Whistling a few notes, he poked at the steps with his foot again.
This caused his companion to try to clamp down on the stone. Amun rolled his eyes, bending down to scoop up the landshark. "None of that now."
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
The girl hummed from her uncomfortable looking sprawl. "Vaguely. It used to be just another legend, like the Kappa. Then I heard people ran into it, and I think Sam made a fuss about the thing...? That's it, though." Her head lolled to the side so she could look up at Amun. "So it was a Relic, huh. What does it do? Do you know?"
Following the interaction between her brother and his companion, the corners of her mouth drooped. "Did I introduce you to my Shii, before...?" Her hand made a vague gesture, and came down to cradle around Amun's ankle. Not really to keep him in place, just... compelled, somehow, to maintain physical contact.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Nodding, Amun let out an entirely unnecessary yawn. He bumped his shoulder against Maea's, then attempted to nudge her body into something that was less awkward to look at, at least. "No idea. I've told you the extent of what I know about it. I'm sure Isla would be happy to go into more detail if you're curious." He shrugged.
Tossing Zhanshi off the edge of the stairs, the potter glanced at Maea. "It's...possible." Watching the landshark descend and then dig into the dirt, Amun scratched his chin. "I don't remember if I did though, I'm sorry." Pressing his lips together, he hoisted himself up to the next highest step and sat on it. "Do you miss them?"
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
"I see. I might do that, if I get a chance."
As he nudged her, then sat down on a step above Maea grumbled under breath but eventually moved herself. Maneuvering around until she sat sideways on a step below his and could sling her arm around his knees, she propped her chin up and watched Zhanshi burrow into the soil far below.
"It's okay. It was a long time ago, and it was only around for a short while. I do miss them though. You wouldn't think a will-o-wisp would have much of a personality, let alone make such a mark by their absence.... But it does. It did."
She shrugged lightly and let her head sink down to rest in Amun's lap. "Maybe not having it here is part of why I get so moody, sometimes. I'm sorry for that, by the way."
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
04-25-2022, 02:08 AM (This post was last modified: 04-25-2022, 02:08 AM by Amun.)
AMUN
Knocking his foot against Maea as she wrapped her arms around his legs, Amun smiled. As she told him about her lost companion, he hummed a note deep in his throat. "You don't need to apologize for having emotions," he reminded her. Gaze tracking to where Zhanshi was tunneling towards another moushroom, the potter shrugged the shoulder that wasn't pressed against her. "The Voice might be able to help you locate it. If that's something you'd like."
Shifting so that he could she could rest her head more easily in his lap, he reached down to pat her cheek. "I'll bet it misses you just as much as you miss it." He cocked his head to one side and winked at her. "And if you had it, then you could send it to fetch me, which is way better than a leash." Laughing, he smirked.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
"I feel like I do, when I keep dumping them on you," she murmured, but with a slight smile. "You never complain, and never really ask for anything in return... I love you for it, Amun, don't get me wrong. But I'm also... afraid I'll become a burden on you, somehow. It's not like you were living in a vacuum before I appeared and invaded your time and your space... and your lap..." Her mouth quirked in lazy amusement, though the uncertainty was there. In the lines around her eyes, and the way she kept looking at him. Searching for cues, signs that it was time to back off.
The smile turned wistful at the thought of having her companion returned to her. "I might ask, actually," she replied. "Just... there's a hundred other things I should be working on instead. I know you said it's okay to be selfish, but I don't know if this is really the time for it? Leashes aside." Her eyes rolled slightly at the reminder of his ridiculous joke.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
