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!
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
The piercing gaze followed the line of her movements, examining and scrutinizing, mind quickly running through how many more rounds they’d be able to accomplish before she might flag and tire. Swimming a workout in itself, utilizing muscles over and over again, rushing against power and force that they may not see on a daily basis.
She reached him and he smiled, releasing her again, unfurled along into liberation and freedom. He moved another yard out, backing up, minding outcroppings and rocks, head swinging in her direction as she asked for more musings. “Keep your head up. Need to see where you are going,” shaking his head, bemused still. He wouldn’t trust her to be ready with flailing underneath the surface just yet, or simply seeking him out in a blur of bubbles and warmth. Eventually they could add her arms into the motions too, but muscle memory was a foremost fixture in his machinations.
Rinse and repeat. Evie nods, absorbing the instructions like an avid pupil, and sets her feet to the stone wall once more. As instructed she keeps her head tilted above the water - careful not to crane too far lest she develop a crick in her neck or look more like a duckling leaning too far back - and buoys herself naturally with a deep inhale.
Slicing through the water is easier with each pass, getting a feel for the launch and kick, the best way to hold her arms and hands. Each time she manages to meet him, and she returns to the wall with small adjustments to make. Until slowly it becomes more of a struggle to traverse the distance the further he wades backwards and the more her muscles tire, but she persists. The waters themself seem to help in the fatigue, keeping aches at bay so long as she resides within their embrace. Even so, she is only so strong, and eventually she finds the boundary of her distance. A little out of breath on the last go, she reaches for Deimos’ arm to orient herself while she gets her feet beneath her. “What next?” she asks, chest rising and falling at a faster pace as she takes the moment to rest physically even as her mind focuses on the next task. Ready and willing to be challenged.
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
The Sword could see the fatigue in the way warriors carried themselves throughout battles, skirmishes, and duels – the muscles eventually tired, no matter how much one might’ve been mended, or been brutally, tenaciously stubborn. He’d been much the same way, and had learned many a lesson in endurance and capabilities – pushing, pushing, pushing, but only so far. Once she reached him this time, he steered her towards the shallower ends. “You did well. We can add in kicking and how to use your arms next.” A pause. “After a break and snacks.”
Of course he brought some.
Wading back towards their makeshift entry point, indifferent to dripping and soaking wet or the change in temperature once he left the pool, he crouched down by his bag, opening the satchel while water pooled around his feet and across the stones. Zuriel stared from her designated area, tugging at more weeds, and he could sense Belial flying above, hovering somewhere, likely waiting to see what he snagged. Rummaging through, he pulled out several healthier alternatives to what else lurked in its stores, calling out across the pool to where the healer moved. “Apple, carrots, or peppers?”
It’s tempting to object, insistent upon continuing so long as there was any measure of strength in her limbs, but even her stubbornness must concede to his wisdom. Getting herself out of the headspace of work and training is difficult, but she lets his arm guide her sideways into the shallows, drifting along more than actively helping herself to the edge. Grabbing the ledge and pulling herself the rest of the way weightlessly, body stretched out leisurely behind her as she floats, she pulls her arms up onto the stone and rests her chin upon them to watch Deimos as he maneuvers around. Blatantly staring beneath relaxed, half-lidded eyes.
Tilting her head as she considers the options, she hums, fingertips dancing lazily on her own arms to provide some outlet for motion even after all they’d just done. “Is ‘all of them’ an option?” she calls back, amused. “Otherwise, carrots.” Evie’s eyes go up to where Belial lingers like an oversized bat at the top of the cave, wondering what degree of boldness he might delve to in search of snacks.
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
He'd promised half a day in the midst of a mini vacation, and he intended to utilize the convictions before returning to starkness and snow, generously handing over the carrots to where she lingered along the edges. He might’ve insinuated a snort at her ‘all of them’ portions, but snagged at the already sliced peppers, popping one end of a bright orange one into his mouth before joining her along the side, sitting upon stone, scooting the rest of the wares closer on a newly concocted plate.
The peryton shifted to the side, on a nearer ledge, and the Sword’s eyes narrowed in obvious warning – no movement detected for a few seconds more.
Sticking his legs back into the water so that the bubbles stirred around muscled calves, he munched and considered, looking at the top of deeper crimson tresses. “Have you been to Torchline recently?”
Evie pulls herself closer as the plate is set down and Deimos sits beside it, idle hands already plucking a carrot from the pile and enjoying the sharp resounding crack that echoes slightly in the cavern. Looking up at the unexpected question, she swallows her mouthful and tilts her head in a so-so gesture.
“Before the passes thawed enough for my letter to get to you, I visited there briefly to collect a few medicinal items I needed,” she notes pleasantly, recalling an afternoon spent in comparatively frozen waters to what they linger in now, sharing mussels with a merman she’d just met. “But I haven’t left Halo since the start of the season aside from going to the festival. Why?” Curiosity tilts her face up towards him as she nibbles further on her carrot, wondering if some adventure or threat awaits on those sunny shores.
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
Polishing off one slice of pepper and reaching for another, his eyes went back to hers, narrowing slightly, before meandering off to stare at the plumes and fumes rising from the springs. “Better places to swim there.” The Miana Pool with its shallower proportions and obvious edges, safer alternatives for those who weren’t as strong in the water. Even the tides could teach, if she stayed out of the reach of the mightier flows and currents. Halo didn’t quite have the warmth necessary – he couldn’t imagine anyone trying to float along the Sea of Glass for any length of time.
But then his brows furrowed, still putting together the enigma and mystery. He hadn’t heard anything from Maeve yet, so perhaps she wasn’t certain either. “The Queen asked for me to make her a bow at the beginning of the season, so I went, but it was cold. It was bizarre to see snow there." Unnatural. The monolith might’ve shrugged, but the inconclusive portions still bit at him, roaming around his machinating mind. “I heard King’s End was like that too.”
Twirling another carrot between her fingers she looks up at him in some mixed measure of fondness and mischievous intent. “More lessons then?” A term safer than ‘vacation’ when proposing further outings to this particular man. It’s an unexpected proposal; Evie would have happily continued working out the finer skills on her own, as she has so often had to do, but the offer is one she’s happy to take him up on.
Her own brow furrows at the idea of snow in Torchline during spring. “That definitely seems unnatural,” she comments, words slow and contemplative. “Maybe we should ask her, she might have a better idea of its cause as Queen.” She says ‘we’ instinctively, thoughtlessly adding herself to the cause; if he was concerned, she would investigate it alongside him. “You know, she was there when we had to bring down that landshark. I would’ve appreciated her having a bow you made at the time.” A snort of a laugh escapes her as she swipes another carrot, recalling that turbulent fight.
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
Not missing the air of mischief, he tilted his head, surveying the plate before snagging at a portion of apple. “If you want.” There’d be hordes of reasons why they could journey to Torchline, and not just for swimming – but the Sword was infinitely nosey, intrigued, by the layers and mysteries at hand. Perhaps it wasn’t a normal pattern of monsters underneath all the mayhem, nor a relic – a stretch of weather alterations that meant and signified far more.
Biting down on the fruit, he lifted his jaw, staring out over the vestiges. “I did ask her, but she was not certain. Said she would bring the matter to Safrin.” Leaving it at that, for he wouldn’t be delving into matters surrounding deities at the moment, his fingers hovered over the plate, then snatched one of the healer’s designated carrots.
With timelines uncertain, he muffled a snort. “Was she using her whip instead?”
Humming pleasantly, the Evergreen snags at another carrot, enjoying the sweeter contrast as she bites into it. “I’d like that,” she murmurs, giving him a small smile. Mysteries and mayhem aside, the lessons themselves would be reason enough to go. Spending time just the two of them was the truly enjoyable part, regardless of what they ended up doing. Getting a break from their respective positions was merely a bonus.
“She may have already visited her by now and might have more information,” she points out, hoping so at the very least. The mystery wouldn’t leave her mind now that he’d planted the seed there, too accustomed to tackling problems and hunting down leads after living through the fall of the barrier and the freeing of The Voice. Waiting was usually a death sentence.
“Hey,” she wheedles in undertone as he snags one of her carrots, stealing one of his apple slices in some petty, minute form of revenge as she bites into it pointedly, juice streaking down her chin with her exuberance. “She had a bow, but it seemed like a standard one. I don’t think she used a whip at all.” Why is beyond her. Perhaps because it involved getting too close? Evie wouldn’t comprehend that given she’d ridden the monstrous thing.
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
He returned the smile with one of his own, promises for the future before the inevitable. Once she figured out other movements and gestures, along with underwater portions, then the freedom of the ocean might not be so daunting. “When I find time, and you get more practice,” was a solidified promise, convictions in the stronghold.
“Possibly.” If he didn’t hear, he could always reach out the next time he ventured towards a shrine, though he wondered if he’d be told off for it not being his business. Halo held the same attributes, after all, rendered inhospitable to many who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, endure the bouts of mountains, the lingering cold. But Torchline and King’s End were entirely different landscapes – and he could only imagine how much the snow or ice would mar and bludgeon the former.
Distracted from his silent contemplations by the alteration in her tone, half a grin formed along his mouth, indifferent to the apple being stolen. Amused, he crunched down purposefully, so the carrot snapped in half along his teeth in an audible destruction. He watched from the corner of his eye to garner a reaction, but ended up stifling a snort as her exuberance varnished down her chin. Permitting her some dignity, or pretending not to see, the General shrugged, mind already switched over to armaments. “It is good to have a variety, regardless.” And while he didn’t give her a pointed stare, the notions might’ve been directed towards her too. “Did you ever decide on what you wanted to use next?”
“I’ll practice in the tub every night,” she assures sarcastically, lips curling at the corners. Halo offered no other options, and while she had more freedom than Deimos with her infirmary still in the works, little ever seemed to entice her away outside of the mountain ranges.
Flushing a little as she wipes her chin with a small laugh, grimacing at the brief stickiness, the Evergreen pauses in her destruction of the purloined fruit at Deimos’ layered question. Though he would have likely done little more than roll his eyes if she admitted to not having considered it yet, she actually had. Especially in the wake of obtaining the landshark’s tooth. “I did actually. When I was fighting the landshark, I had the thought of tying the rope I had to my throwing daggers so that I could rip them back out before it dove under the sand again. I didn’t have the time to do so, but I’ve been practicing with the cobbled together combo for a few days now and I like the mix of distance and retrieval.” She brightens as she talks, hands gesturing to describe what she had created, half-eaten apple slice still in one hand. “I was thinking if the blades could have an additional crescent shape curved towards the hilt, it could be used for grappling, or tearing if the dagger doesn’t hit solidly.” Turning her face to him, she pauses in her gesturing to smile. “What do you think?”
you can tell how dangerous a person is by the way they hold their anger inside themselves quietly
t was too bad Ru’s spa only held the giant mud pool – they could’ve utilized that instead. Evie’s response though almost earned a break in the armistice and ceasefire, contemplating shoving her back into the springs regardless. Instead she garnered another eyeroll and snort, as he chewed on the rest of the carrot, then moved on to another portion of apple. There were only a few of each left, and on a boyish whim, he snagged two more pepper pieces, grasping them in his hand until he was ready.
He was surprised by Evie’s thoughts, but content, impressed she’d taken the time to consider her measures. Perhaps the catalyst had been the landshark itself, and all the other hazardous wakes it rightly encompassed. So he tilted his head and listened, watching her hand gestures, envisioning the armament she emblazoned. He might’ve seen one or two along the battlefield, but certainly none of his comrades had come seething or tearing through with one. “And it would have alternating range,” by way of note in his own musings, weighing the perplexities over in his head.
Pressing both peppers into his mouth so the yellow ends stuck out, one hand began to draw along the dripping edges and watered rock, using to his benefit. From there, his fingers used the droplets to outline an image, sketching the designated weapon – shorter hilt, long rope unfurled with an attached ring, edges and blades serrated, before one curved out from the other, serving multiple purposes. Studying it for a second or more, he chewed on the remaining food, swallowing it down before saying anything. “Like this?”
She is drawn in by his intent, avid listening, and she pulls herself further out of the springs until her stomach rests on the lip of the rock to watch him bring her vision to life. So far she had been making do with the thinnest rope she could find and the throwing knives he’d given her years and years ago, but she knows it can be improved upon. Watching him take her ramblings and sort them into something cohesive sparks a warmth in her chest, pleased that he had been so attentive and had managed to pull the vision from her brain through her lips.
“And if you plant your foot midway on the rope before you throw it, they can be used in a bludgeoning style,” she adds in excited rejoining. It had taken some practice to figure out that move, but it was more than worth it when it allowed her to explode a few straw dummy heads.
The vibrant color of the peppers distracts her, blue eyes flickering away from the watery blueprint to the tusk-like protrusions from his mouth. There’s only a few left, a devilish voice points out in her head. Before she can form a rebuttal - that there were still any at all - she gave in to her childish urges and propped herself further out of the water to bite the hanging remnants of the pepper outside his mouth. Pulling back just enough to smirk victoriously and chew her ill-gotten goods. “Yes, just like that.” As if nothing had happened and she was merely answering the initial question.
