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!
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
The Caretaker’s travels, and corresponding necessities, took her towards the Hollowed Grounds. Having avoided it during the promise of war, and subsequent time thereafter, the unfamiliarity of the islands had given her pause. Asking a few people on the recovering streets, looking like repairs had been underway for some time, they’d directed her towards the Labyrinth with the kind of glance that ensured her sojourn was foolish at best.
But that wouldn’t stop her.
Except for now, lingering at the threshold, and spying the hedgerows, the wild, twisting plants, the vines threatening to alter and change. She might’ve been inclined to listen to the squirrels nearby (this way!) but she already knew better from her experiences in the Celestine – they were, at best, directionally challenged.
Lifting her basket higher along her shoulder, she hastened another swift breath, steeling and forging, a soft murmur and hum underneath. “All right, here goes nothing.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Darkeye wanted to see the labyrinth again for a long time and wanted to know how the changes to the landscape had affected the plants there. It was partially underwater, he already knew that. But he had wanted to take samples there for a long time. So he took Mahariel and went into the labyrinth. Armed with his axes and spear, he went in. One could never know if he would need them. There might be more monsters or even stronger monsters by now. He had to be careful.
So he carefully walked around the first few corners until Mahariel warned him of something. He held his axes ready to grab. He looked into a familiar face and didn't quite know how to deal with her, it was Lena. Did she know what happened back at the cliff? How would she deal with him? "You're a long way from home Caretaker. What do you need from the Ground that doesn't exist in Stormbreak." He asked politely, ready to defend himself if necessary.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Though Lena hadn’t been ignorant of the dramatics surrounding Stormbreak, the relic, and the resulting tactics, with the war over, and a passing year, the only bitterness she still held were regarding her sister’s passing. With the Voice no longer existing, the rancor was reserved in quieter moments, for there was nowhere else to pinpoint the blame.
The deep rumble of another’s voice, and certainly not a squirrlel’s, made her jump – though the nerves quickly diminished as she recognized the cleric, emerging from portions of the labyrinth. Slightly taken back by the tone – her brows furrowed slightly, then gave way to her residual kindness. “An efas herb,” and she gave a plain smile. “I was hoping to get a healing staff from Frey.” Pausing, wondering if she was interfering, interloping, or trespassing somehow (from what she knew and understood, the Grounds still had no leader, and she’d been very polite upon entering the world), her head tilted. “Are you here often? I must say its a very confusing place.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
He didn't know how to deal with her kindness. He had done so many things wrong. Melita had told him plainly. Was she so different? Was a year enough to forgive? He didn't know, but he didn't want to seem rude.
He bowed to her. "It's good to see you, Lena," he said in a friendly tone. He meant it because he hoped she was one of those who had survived the war. "Yes, you will find that here. But the labyrinth will try to prevent you from finding it. It has a life of its own. Walls that move. Suddenly there's a passage where there wasn't one before." he tried to explain the whole thing a bit for himself. He looked briefly at Mahariel to give her the sign that Langasm should approach. If she liked it. But she preferred to stay in the shadows as well as she could. "That's good when Frey becomes active again. The country needs help and healing is better than war. If I may, I would accompany you." He hoped she would not refuse his offer.
"A lot has happened since the war. Now that Voice is gone, these countries no longer have a ruler. I have tried to rebuild as much as I could. But I would never declare myself a leader without the consent of others. So as a simple man, I try to do what I can to make this place better, which is why I'm here from time to time. I try to spread the Efas plant more." That was the reason why he was here. It was too early to tell whether it could be used as a commercial product at some point.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
“So I’ve heard,” though if she appeared bothered by the Labyrinth’s measures, she didn’t outwardly show it. If anything, she might have commended the lay of the land – clever and twisting, capable of defending itself by many means. As for company, she’d take it wholeheartedly, especially with someone who had experience along this threshold. “If you’d like.”
Strolling forward, eyes flickering briefly to the panther with a generous smile, she listened to Darkeye, and not the squirrels still hovering in the distance, perched along their hedges. As they rounded another corner, she could only shrug her shoulders. “Are there many still within the Grounds?” Stormbreak had much of the same problem – with Anju temporarily taking up the position, but no one officially yearning for such titles and capacities.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
He would do anything to make sure she got out of there alive. Darkeye felt responsible. He wanted to make up for the fiasco a year ago in Stormbreak. Besides, he liked Lena and wanted her to do well. Besides, it was one more reason for Frey to help. "It would be an honor."
"The grounds have changed a lot. I put a lot of work into it and people have adapted. There's a lot to be mined here with the resources. The land can blossom anew. We just have to get the people to come back. Then you can do a lot here. It has a lot of potentials. Now that Voice is gone, many have left," he said quietly. He looked ahead and watched for danger. Should Mahriel behave even slightly differently, he would know.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
A world full of resources with hardly anyone to manage them sounded frustrating – and her brows furrowed slightly, listening to the dilemma at hand. “I’m sure the war didn’t help.” With the Ascended lodging their way into the Grounds, striving to survive by any means necessary, it made sense that either those loyal to them remained, or were pushed out, despite generations upon generations staking their claim amidst its ruins. She gave a quiet, but heavy, sigh for those involved; because much more work was to be done. “How do you think you’ll entice others to return?” Some would crave their families again, the old lives they’d left behind. But so many had forged anew.
The hedges roamed and roamed, until eventually, they came to a formidable fork in the road. She didn’t tilt her head to the squirrels again, who’d been careening along the top for some time now with all of their attempts (this way could echo for eternity). “Which way, do you think?” Her hand pointed to both the left and right openings, uncertain which aperture would yield better results.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
"The war was the worst thing that could have happened to us. He was so aimless with no sense or understanding. Yes, Voice is no more, but the people who served her were pushed into the arms of a new deity. The Ancient. I don't know what to make of this deity. I don't really know much about them. I just know they need it warm. That's why I shouldn't fear them. But there is this uneasiness because of the horns. In my world, demons had them. They have a lot of similarities with them. That makes me nervous. Aventurien has suffered a lot from them and has not yet recovered. Maybe I'm just paranoid," he said, trying to slow down again. "I'll just ask them. There are people who might want to start again in this country."
He looked around, "I don't remember that." He pulled out a map. But there was nothing there either. They could have descended long ago. But it wasn't the turnoff he had here on the map. He thought about it for a long time. "Mahariel which way?"The Panther looked once to the left and once to the right and then simply lay down on the ground. Darkeye gave him a questionable look. "Then we go right. That's how you do it in a labyrinth, I've been told." When the decision was made, Mahariel moved again.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Lena didn’t slight the man his paranoia; given everything the world had been through, perhaps it was safer to be apprehensive and wary. “I don’t think I’ve met any of these Ancients. They have horns? Is that all?” Would it be much like the Ascended, in the way their fangs glistened? The war had caused so many other multitudes of death, distrust, and demolition, that she wondered if they had to fear all these new things too. Which would’ve been a shame, in a world of opportunity.
But she nodded – because perhaps it would be that simple. To ask. To grant them access to a home, to a land that needed people desperately.
She waited as he pulled out a map, eyes flickering to it without prying or looking over his shoulder. The companion offered little, though Lena tucked a laugh behind her hand, for the notion had been there just the same, if very catlike. “All right.” If they were wrong, they could simply turn around and head back in the other direction.
And then of course, they didn’t come to any dead end – but to a cluster of choices and opportunities in three. Ignoring the squirrels that had followed them along, she glanced back at the cleric. “Middle, maybe?”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
"I'll try to find out more about them. But right now it's just a queasy feeling," he said as honestly as ever. If he didn't know something he always admitted it and that's how it would stay. But he needed more information as always. As always, it was not enough. The fight for information was still in full swing.
Of course, they were a possibility but only when he had enough information. He didn't want to bring the enemy to his table. First, he had to find out if the Ancients were trustworthy or not. Maybe it was time to talk to some of them as soon as the opportunity arose.
The look and shake of the head were rather amused. But since she seemed so calm he didn't worry about danger. Since Mahariel only did this when it was quiet, he did not scoop her up. She is and remains a cat.
He marked the whole thing on the map and followed the path in the middle, where the water had created a small oasis and formed a beautiful sea of flowers at the edge of the lake. In the middle of the labyrinth, there was a beautiful oasis that compensated for the effort they had put in. The bees buzzed in the air and apparently had a nest nearby. The sight made Darkeye stop and admire the whole thing. It was a beautiful patch of earth.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
The Caretaker nodded at his emotions, understanding, acknowledging, that the residual feelings of war, and lifetimes before, were difficult to disengage. Even now, perhaps it was a healthy semblance of defensiveness, after these years. So she said nothing more on the subject, as both were lacking fundamental information.
She followed along instead, intrigued as the middle portions opened up to a breathtaking little oasis and its bounty of laurels: flowers, petals still blooming, bees buzzing before the last days of Leafchange faltered into winter snow. “Oh this is lovely,” she murmured, but the uncertainty plagued at her. “Are we in the center now?” Would this be where they could find an efas herb, or was it meant to be deeper within?
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
He didn't know many Ancient yet but he would have to change that. He would probably travel to King's end as soon as this was over and try to find someone who knew more about them. Or even ask one of the Ancients himself.
He looked at his map, then shook his head. " According to my map, we are not in the center yet. I don't know what this is, but it's beautiful. We might even find the Efas herb if we're lucky." he said and looked around carefully. Maybe this really was the medicinal plant they were looking for. But he did not know how this oasis had survived so well. It was a mystery to him but that pleased him. It seemed as if nature was healing from the war's consequences.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Her eyes flickered over to his map again, studying their potential whereabouts. That they hadn’t advanced towards the center yet was a slight surprise, but then again, the youth had never been in this area, and had no idea how massive or to scale the labyrinth was. Had Darkeye not shown up, she probably would’ve been content in this small sanction, which seemed heavenly and divine on its own merits.
Justifying that decision, she nodded her head. “Maybe I’ll wander around here just a little then,” and with a wink, meandered and strayed away from the man, if only to sample some of her curiosities. The way this section unfurled into wildflowers and blossoms gave her adequate pause, checking things over, near rocks and pebbles, near the flow of water, ignoring the chatter of the squirrels from nearby hedges.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
The map was not very detailed, it only showed possible turns and which paths to take. But many were already crossed out. The labyrinth was alive. Darkeye was sure of that. What had they found here? The heart? That which the Labyrith is trying to protect? Was it. Was that the purpose of all this? It would be a good explanation, he thought. A good place to live and be left alone.
The bees didn't seem to have gone into hibernation here either. They were buzzing around and there also seemed to be some fish in the water. Everything seemed to be in a kind of ballance. He actually wanted to stay here longer. Was it perhaps also a trap to get the people to stay here while the turn from the outside moved on? Was he getting paranoid? Couldn't he just see something beautiful and enjoy it? Had it already come so far with him. He finally looked around for the Efas Kraut.
