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!
In truth, Sohalia had never really considered what she wanted to do with her life. She was still so young, after all, and knowing what she wanted to do when she grew up seemed so very far away. She knew that she'd have to do something eventually. But it had never really worried her. At least, not until recently, when the stash of coin she'd inherited from Auden had begun to dwindle and she'd been forced to think about what she'd do in order to replenish it.
And so when Deimos suggested mapmaking, Sohalia cocked her head to one side and considered the implications thoughtfully. She would be able to continue her travels and exploration, which she'd grown to love dearly. It would be wonderful to turn her passion into something that could bring her financial stability. "That would be wonderful! Do you really think people would be interested?" she asked eagerly. "Where would I find them?"
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
“I think there are many like yourself,” willing to explore, to see the new sights, flora, fauna, the world had to offer, or eager to liberate themselves from lands they’d already discovered and known for so long. “Especially after the war.” Where kingdoms and sovereignties had shifted, pulled apart, become something new and unfamiliar all over again. “A lot of change was brought on,” not just the impacts of Ancients, old gods, or new ones dissolved; but of the vast terrain and holdings unfurling before them.
Handing back her journal, he tilted his head again. “I do. I know we can always use additions to our guild libraries,” for those yearning to fill bounties, or learn more locations for different subjects. “You can probably find them in any of the large, settled lands, like Torchline, Halo, and others.”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Ideas began to spark in the young woman's mind, and she clasped her hands before her as she bounced on the balls of her feet. She'd never really considered cartography as a career path before, but she could certainly see the appeal. It was something she was doing for herself, more or less, and all she'd need to do to finalize her work would be to make sure she could draw an accurate map. Perhaps one of Caido's libraries would have a book or two on mapmaking...
She took her journal back gratefully, pleased to find that it was indeed dry once more. Flipping through it, she was relieved to see that most of her notes and drawings had survived their impromptu dip. She stowed it back in her bag carefully. "I suppose that's true. I have met many people in my travels," she mused. She listened as she suggested his guild. "Would I need to join your guild, or would you accept donations? I'm not sure I'm cut out for monster-hunting," she said with a self-deprecating smile. "But it's the least I could do for your help."
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Slipping his own works and journal back into the confines of the saddlebags, he didn’t miss the excited movements. Understanding the nature of his own restless energy at times, his brow merely arched, waiting, listening, to how she would take the musing and advice.
The inquiry caught him off-guard though, so his eyes widened ever so slightly, and a snort volleyed through, a deep rumbling chuckle he couldn’t quite muffle. “No, you do not need to join.” The Sword didn’t say it, but would agree with her persistent sentiments about monster hunting perhaps not being for her; given all indications of what had already transpired. He already had misgivings about several of his members, and had no intentions of making his job more difficult, or scarring the youth any further than today’s misadventures.
Making the transactional process easier on her, despite being an individual who often provided, and not the other way around, he nodded, managing to silence the next round of threatened laughter. “I could accept donations.”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Of course, Soh was well aware of her shortcomings in the area of monster-hunting - painfully so, after her encounter with the Ceffyl Dŵr. Still, she didn't take offense at Deimos's muffled chuckle, merely grinning in response. She was relieved to hear that she would not need to join, and ignored the voice in the back of her mind that jeered that Deimos probably wouldn't take her, anyway. She brightened at his acceptance of her offer. "Excellent! You'll be my first customer - sort of." She made a mental note to send him a copy of her notes with a map of the Greatwood and the Oerwoud at her first opportunity, those being the areas she had explored the most.
Not really sure what else to do or say, and feeling much more calm and collected after their discussion, Soh watched as Deimos packed his journal back into his saddlebags. "Thank you again for your help," she said solemnly. "I really will be more careful from now on, I promise." She;d have to be, wouldn't she? After all, she couldn't always count on a Deimos to pop out of the forest to save her. Perhaps she should learn some self-defense of her own.
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
With that, he would’ve opted to nod, pack away the rest of his belongings, ensure his companions were settled, before they continued their journey home. However, something nagged at the back of his mind, and like a tried and true guardian of many, he couldn’t quite help himself. “You are welcome.”
His brows furrowed slightly, clearly deep in thought, because if this had been her first encounter with something dangerous, he could only imagine the distinct parallels she’d have elsewhere – like the desert, swarming with landsharks, or the swamps, with their rambling display of ROUs. “Do you have a way of protecting yourself?” Maybe she knew more than she let on; had capabilities of self-defense, and he’d simply seen her stunned and disbelieving.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Did a charming personality count as a way to protect oneself?
Sohalia shifted sheepishly beneath Deimos's gaze, feeling like a child caught doing something they've been told time and again not to do. "Um, well..." Truth be told, she'd never really thought about protection. It just hadn't seemed like something that she'd need. Any horror stories she'd ever heard from her guardian seemed like just that - stories - and it had never occurred to her to place herself into them as the main character.
"Not... really?" she said finally, her voice lilting up at the end.
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
As he noted the sheepish look, the Sword knew what was coming. A heavy sigh lingered in his chest, corded off and away until it was stifled, but a long, slow breath managed to fumble its way through regardless. Even Zuriel snorted, unimpressed in the background, and Deimos was left to wonder how some managed to live quite so long. Protection via families, most likely, given how he hovered and ensured others were safe – but he also didn’t overwhelm and shelter so much that when they meandered into reality, they had nothing to their name but luck and ignorance.
They had to be able to think on their own. To guard themselves. Because if it wasn’t the random people, like cultists, cannibals, criminals, or the wild creatures, there was eternally something else. A change in the weather. A sudden earthquake. A volcano exploding. Worlds shifting, lands altering entirely. He didn’t want to question how Sohalia had survived all these years, but it hovered there, along with the wrinkle to his nose.
She didn’t strike him as someone who would even want to wield a weapon, so he shook his head. “You were going to explore with no way to defend yourself?” The world was full of kind, compassionate people, but gods, there were also the exact opposite. Caido itself was an unpredictable force.
Not rolling his eyes, and holding back a lifetime of lectures, he simply placed his palms together, and then maneuvered them outward, so in between the calloused hands was a gilded haze, conjuring, conducting, creating, until a wooden shield appeared. “Use this.”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Soh winced as Deimos stared at her, disbelieving, and ruefully wished that she had come up with something to say other than that she hadn't a way to defend herself. When she said it out loud, it did sound a little silly, but honestly! Who went around preparing for the worst to happen? But then, Deimos had lived through the war. She supposed that explained a lot.
"Um," Soh said, shifting uncomfortably. "I didn't really... think about it?" she offered by way of explanation, blushing furiously at how ridiculous she was sure she sounded. "I just... didn't really think I'd need to defend myself," she added in a tiny voice, as though somehow continuing to admit her shortcomings was somehow going to make it better. "I guess I thought I could just... shift and fly away?" This last bit was a little hopeful - perhaps that would assuage Deimos's concerns, even if only a little.
But then he was working some kind of magic, and Soh looked on with interest as a large wooden thing took shape between his hands. It was a shield, she realized, and he was gifting it to her. "But - I don't -" she said, eyeing the shield warily. After a moment, however, she stepped forward and gingerly took the offered object. "So I just... hold it up?" She looked at Deimos quizzically, clutching the shield in front of her. It was heavier than she'd expected.
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
In truth, Deimos had always prepared for the worst. This course of meticulous planning and steadfast determination could be followed by the nearly the entire course of his multiple lives, and by how he conducted, and involved himself, in various, dangerous activities. He understood not everyone delved headfirst into treacherous notions, battle, warfare, skirmishes, and hunting; however, he’d also seen the most innocent of lives ripped apart at something as simplistic as festivals. At how things could alter and change within an instant. How something mundane became anything but.
So he was essentially floored when she persisted in not having much knowledge, thought behind it, or the need for one’s own preservation. The Sword took a few moments to shake his head and blink again, torn between uttering one of the deepest sighs he could muster, or merely forging onward, once he trudged through his disbelief.
At least she had evasion as a tactic, worthwhile in any field. “Yes. You could.” The counter measure would always be a what if scenario, but the lecture was already across his tongue and barreling behind his teeth.
Fighting an eye-twitch at the way she gingerly held the shield, he snagged it back, and began running through demonstrations. “In front of your vital organs,” using the strap, and showing her the mechanics of it as he maneuvered it before his chest, “Or somewhere near your head.” She struck him as someone who would probably instinctually duck, so he utilized it overhead, where his skill was protected from whatever onslaught threatened.
Then he handed it back to her. “Try.”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Soh held her shield weakly, gripping it in front of her chest with her arms bent inward, unsure about the strap and how to even hold it, much less use it. To her chagrin, Deimos snatched the shield back and began to demonstrate the proper way. She watched meekly, shifting uncomfortably at the thought of ever needing it. She'd much rather flee than fight, that was for sure.
But when he handed it back to her, she dutifully took it and strapped it onto her arm, trying to copy what Deimos had done. She held it before her, a little better this time, and swung it up over her head, diligently mimicking Deimos's movements. It wasn't a particularly good attempt, but at least she tried. "I'm not very good at this, am I?" she asked sheepishly, feeling a bit embarrassed and ashamed. She tried again, spreading her feet a little to strengthen her stance, hoisting the shield in front of her chest, and then ducking behind it again. She poked her head out from behind the shield to look at Deimos, as though asking if she'd done it better that time.
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
His features were the sculpted eaves of stoicism as soon as she made her initial trials. Though carefully guarded and quietly scrutinizing, it was plain to see that she wasn’t comfortable – nor would he expect her to be, given the circumstances. Though the sheepish inquiry made one brow defy the reticence, arching only slightly. “No one is good at their first attempts.” It was all a part of the learning process, and they had to start somewhere. Sohalia’s experience had been close to nothing at all.
But rather than force her into something she clearly didn’t want to participate in, he simply nodded, pondering about adding an additional strap to the shield itself; for it to be carried along her pack, lightweight and effortless. Pondering the concept, he unfurled another breath, wondering just how many he’d kept lodged within his chest today. “Best to only use it if you cannot evade something.”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Soh tried a few more times, and her attempts grew slightly less feeble as she got used to the feel of the shield on her arm. It still felt awkward, though, moving her body in such a strange and foreign way, and after a few tries, she stopped. "Thank you, Deimos," she said, offering the man a grateful smile. "I truly appreciate your help. I'll do my best to practice." Not that she had the first idea of how to do that, but it was the thought that mattered, right?
She thought of something else. "Is there anything special I need to do to care for the shield?" she asked. "I've read about polishing metal ones, but I'm at a bit of a loss with wood." It was a fine gift, and she wanted to make sure that she kept it that way. Besides, what good would a shield do if it fell apart from lack of maintenance? She wasn't sure if wood would actually do that, but wood could rot, couldn't it? Or splinter, or crack, or any number of things, really.
and that's the hope I have
the only thing I know that's keeping me alive
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
“Likely easier when someone is tossing something at you,” and that way she could learn to deflect, push off and away, or guard with more reason and motive to the movements. He would’ve offered, but she’d probably already had enough of a day – and he’d learned over the years to not unfurl relentlessly on others. Unless they were opponents, adversaries, or enemies; of which Sohalia clearly was not. “There are many who would be willing to practice with you.” Newer recruits and soldiers, those who understood what it was like to be greener, inexperienced. “Starting tomorrow,” he emphasized with a slight grin, to ward off the lessons until she was beyond any of the moments’ traumatic experiences. “I have barracks in Halo, but there should be some training areas in the Grounds and Torchline too.” That he’d created and left for the world to utilize.
Head tilting, he almost snorted at the inquiry, but the question was a valid one. “It is coated with a special resin.” Much the same as he’d orchestrated and created with the training devices amidst his own armory; so they could be efficient and well-kept despite any elements, save for one. “Just keep it away from fire.” Or she simply wouldn’t have a shield for much longer.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
