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!
Lisbeth made her way through the Celestine, huffing and heaving as she dragged a ladder along with her. The end of the ladder banged over and over again on every rock and branch on the rough ground. She had tried carrying the full weight on her shoulder, but she hadn't been able to support it for very long.
She stopped by an intersection between paths. She was already pretty deep in the woods, but she hadn't found a tree that satisfied her yet. Sure, she could have just cut a branch from any old tree, but like with the ash, she wanted to take this seriously and do it right.
Once she had recovered her breath, she trudged onward, looking up at the branches of the trees. Only the taller trees had the kind of long, straight branches she would need to make a bow. She was a terrible climber, thus the ladder. She wasn't even keen on the idea of climbing up a ladder unassisted, but she would have to make do.
Eventually, she found a tree that she felt would suit Frey's quest. The wood shimmered ever so slightly in the dancing lights that sparkled overhead. There were plenty of long branches, any of which might do.
Taking a deep breath, she struggled to raise the ladder up against the tree. Then tried again. And again. It stood lopsided against the tree, not quite centered enough. She tried adjusting it, but the top of the ladder banged against the branches. She huffed, tugging the ladder this way and that, but all she accomplished was making leaves rain down on her head.
Ray had been foraging for herbs in the area when she heard the banging. It was the first time she'd come to Stormbreak, and before touring the area she sought to familiarize herself with the plants nearby. One she knew what was naturally available, she'd have a better handle on what was a fair price for such herbs in the local markets.
But upon hearing the insistent banging, the Attuned grew concerned. As such, she decided to investigate. Soon Ray came upon Lisbeth and her struggles. Securing her bag of herbs to her belt, Ray called out, "Hello there! Do you need some help?" The smile she gave Lisbeth was warm and undeniably friendly.
Lisbeth glanced over in the direction of the voice, then immediately felt her pale face go red. A very cute girl was heading her way.
She cleared her throat, trying to stand up a bit straighter. "Umm, no. I'm fine. I got it..."
As she said this, the ladder started to tilt over. She tried to steady it, and it swayed back and forth, out of control. It tipped into a tangle of branches, the top of the ladder getting stuck quite firmly. She tried to pull on the ladder to dislodge it, but it was no good.
"Well, actually..." She sheepishly smiled at the girl. She scratched the back of her head, feeling even more blood rush to her face.
"Are you sure?" Just as Ray asked, the ladder slipped, and she let out a small laugh. "Ok, let me see what I can do." Approaching, the Attuned eyed the ladder and tree, trying to determine where it was best to situate everything to prevent any more slips.
After a moment she stepped up and pulled the ladder free. Sticking her tongue out slightly in concentration, Ray adjusted the ladder till it was solidly resting against the tree. "There we go!" She sent Lisbeth a wide grin, "I think that should do it. I can also hold the ladder while you climb if you like. Just in case."
The last thing she wanted was for this stranger to fall and get hurt. Plus, she was adorable with how sheepish she seemed. Maybe she wasn't used to strangers or asking for help?
Lisbeth cleared her throat. "Umm, thanks." She gave the stranger an awkward smile. Holding the ladder steady together, she was close enough to feel the other girl's warmth.
Focus, dang it, she told herself. You're on a quest!
Clearing her throat again, she said, "That would be really kind of you. I need to cut down a branch."
She pulled her backpack off. Sticking halfway out of the top was a simple wood saw. She pulled it out, holding it awkwardly. She had never once used a saw before. How hard could it be? Just move it back and forth until the wood was cut.
Realizing it could be seen as blasphemy to cut a tree in the mystical woods crafted by Safrin's own hand, Lisbeth whirled towards the stranger. "Uhh, Frey told me to! I mean, she quested me. I mean, she requested that I cut a tree. For her. For a quest."
She nearly dropped the saw as she fumbled with it. She grabbed it awkwardly with both hands, averting her gaze in the hopes that the stranger wouldn't see the redness of her face.
Ray absolutely noticed how red Lisbeth's face was, and before she could even comment about the tree branch, the hurried explanation made her burst into a fit of laughter. "Don't worry! I figured it was for a quest." Someone so skittish didn't seem like the kind to do such a thing otherwise.
Smiling gently, the Attuned held the ladder secure, "Alright. Do your thing, I've got you." As Lisbeth got herself situated, Ray spoke conversationally, "I did a quest for Frey once. Two of them, actually. I'm an herbalist and they helped me craft a wand that helps me heal people. It's incredible. If you don't mind me asking, what are you working on with Frey at the moment?"
The herbalist was genuinely curious. Frey was a very versatile deity. They were capable of aiding in a wide variety of ventures, whether they be for harm, for aid, or just for fun.
She suddenly paused and chuckled, "Oh! I'm Ray by the way. I probably should have said that sooner."
Lisbeth tried to hold the saw as she climbed the ladder. She got halfway up before she fumbled and lost her grip. The saw fell to the ground.
She climbed back down, ending up practically on top of Ray as she held the ladder. "Umm, Lisbeth."
She avoided eye contact as she retrieved the saw. "Frey's going to make me a bow. For the war."
She tried to climb the ladder again, but she couldn't figure out how to juggle the saw while she grabbed the rungs. She tried holding the saw with one hand and pulling herself up with the other, but it was a struggle, with her weak little arms.
She got most of the way up before she dropped the saw again. "Gods damn it...err!" She slapped a hand over her mouth at the rare blasphemous outburst. "Sorry! I didn't mean that."
Ray had to stifle a loud laugh into her bicep at Lisbeth's horror of her own words. The other girl was just so traumatized at the words, it was honestly hilarious. "You're ok, Lisbeth. Nice to meet you. A bow is a great choice." Although she had chosen the healing path, the herbalist was an avid supporter in knowing how to fight and having the tools to do so. She herself was rather proficient in throwing knives.
It was clear that they weren't getting anywhere so the Attuned came up with an idea. "How about this? I use the rope in my bag to secure the ladder to the tree. You climb up the ladder and when you find a branch that you want, nod at me. I'll shift into shanyang form and fly the saw up to you. Does that work?"
Breaking down the task would hopefully give Lisbeth her bearings and make it easier for her. At least, Ray hoped so.
Lisbeth blinked a few times. It was actually a pretty good idea. "Oh. Yeah. That...that should work, actually."
She looked Ray up and down for a moment, then caught herself and made herself stop. "You're Attuned?" she asked. Then she winced. That was a dumb question. Of course she was. She'd just mentioned shifting.
"Will you be strong enough in bird form?" She had never actually seen a shanyang in person, so she wasn't quite sure how big they were. But the saw was heavy enough to her, so she wasn't sure if any kind of bird would be strong enough to carry it.
She handed Ray the saw nonetheless, figuring the other girl's plan was better than anything Lisbeth could come up with.
Ray smiled reassuringly, "Yup! I'm an attuned. And yes, my shangyang form is strong enough." Her bird form was an uncommon one, but she loved it. The pale raptor-like avian shift was excellent for speed, surveillance, and lifting small to moderate items. The Attuned had plenty of days hunting with her talons and wings. If she could carry a large rabbit, she was sure she could handle a saw.
When Lisbeth gave her the saw, Ray nodded and took a breath. In the next moment where she had stood was a shangyang with a saw secured in her talons. With a flap of her wings, she rose into the sky, ready for Lisbeth's signal.
Lisbeth watched Ray shift, and somehow, it made her face even warmer. Not that she was attracted to the bird. No. It wasn't that. But seeing how gracefully the gorgeous girl shifted made Ray seem all the more beautiful.
She cleared her throat, turning her attention back to the ladder. She climbed up, slowly, carefully. Once she was up top, she made the mistake of looking down. She yelped, clutching at the ladder.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wasn't that high up. She wouldn't really hurt herself if she fell from here. Maybe a sprained ankle, that was it. She was making a fool of herself.
She steadied herself, then opened her eyes, making sure to look up, not down.
She studied the branches until she found one that was long, straight, and thick enough to be carved into the shape of a bow. It would do.
"Okay," she said, holding out her hand without looking down. "This one."
Ray nodded and gracefully flew over, with deft talons, she landed on a branch next to Lisbeth, taking the saw in her beak and holding it out to the soldier. She was close enough that she should be able to take the saw from the Attuned without too much trouble. And hopefully, close enough that the Accepted could then turn and saw her branch without any other issues.
Ray remained in her shift, ready to fly down and grab the saw should Lisbeth drop it once more. Or if she fell. Then the Attuned would dive down and turn into her panther form so that the Accepted had at least a somewhat soft thing to land on.
Lisbeth fumbled with the saw, but at least she managed not to drop it this time.
It was heavy in her hand as she raised it to the branch. She braced the saw teeth against the wood, and tried moving the saw back and forth.
The saw slid forward once, then the teeth caught on the wood and it wouldn't move again.
"What the...?" She yanked on the saw, but only managed to pry it free, nearly falling off the ladder in the process. She sighed and tried again, managing to completely miss the first cut. She made a short, stuttering cut, then the saw slipped as the branch wobbled up and down. The next cut was in a completely different place. She couldn't manage to get the teeth to really sink into the wood.
"Am I doing something wrong?" she asked, looking at the bird. Then she realized how dumb the question was. Ray wouldn't be able to speak in that form.
Ray tilted her head and eyed the saw with avian curiosity. After a moment the Attuned took flight and landed on the branch that Lisbeth was cutting, gripping the piece closest to the trunk. Making a show, she clasped the branch with her talons repeatedly, trying to tell Lisbeth to saw with one hand and hold the branch still with the other.
The Attuned then flew up and landed on the opposite side of the branch, acting as a counterweight to do her part to keep the branch still. Ray wasn't sure if it would work, but it seemed like worth trying.
