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!
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Hovering along one of her favorite sights, Melita picked a large boulder to begin her daily, instrumental training. It would’ve been easy to slide immediately into her bow and arrow, to fire off round after round of accurate, precise shots, but she honed in on the staff for today.
While Sila and Fangorn curled up in the warm sun, the Honeybee snagged at her familiar weapon, permitting her fingers to grasp it tightly, safe, known, trusted; even if armaments couldn’t have personalities or commitments like humans, she still remained attached to the object, grinning at the ease of its weight across her palm.
From there, she began her warm-ups, rotating and spinning it across her fingers so that it volleyed through the air, then spun it directly into her other hand. Her muscles loosened, grateful and content within the exercise, and she began to hum under her breath in the synchronicity, back and forth, back and forth.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
04-25-2023, 10:09 PM (This post was last modified: 04-25-2023, 10:09 PM by Sohalia.)
Sohalia
Soh was wandering again, as she was wont to do. Since Torchline was only a hop, skip, and a jump (or rather, a relatively short flight by skyship) away from Stormbreak, she'd decided to visit there next. She still had the urge to visit Halo in the back of her mind, like an itch she couldn't quite scratch, but it was so very far away, and it was sure to be cold, even in Flowerbirth. It would be better, she'd decided, to visit the tundra during summer. So here she was, meandering aimlessly down the coast, her hands clasped behind her back as she twirled, looking all around in wonder at the vibrant colors of the Rainbow Road.
She really hadn't meant to run into anyone, but given her propensity for making friends, it was hardly a surprise when she came across someone - and this time, it was someone she knew! "Melita!" she called jovially, before realizing that the other woman seemed to be practicing something with a staff. Feeling suddenly sheepish, she hurriedly added, "I'm sorry for interrupting. I just saw you and wanted to say hello!"
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
She’d spotted her along the horizon, as she twisted and turned along her boulder, including arm circle motions into her routine. Just as the youth was about to strike the air though, to really unfurl the staff through wind and thermals, Sohalia cried out – and she could only grin through a torrent of motions. While Fangorn opened his eyes and waved his vines from their sleepy sanction, Sila remained a napping dragon, leaving the Honeybee to tend to their visitor. “Oh, no worries. I’m just warming up.”
She started once more, switching to her other hand again, and then swung at nothing – though her imagination could run rampant with all the potential enemies – deciding it was Loren’s ugly mug this time, even if she hadn’t seen him in years. Grudges ran deep and fast. “What are you up to?” Unbothered, she asked the question through a series of rapid volleys, eyes narrowing, honing in on an invisible target.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Soh watched Melita with interest as the young woman continued her exercise. Ever since her encounter with the Ceffyl Dwr, the notion that she should learn some self-defense had lingered in the back of her mind, surfacing every now and then only to be shoved aside. But with someone in front of her who clearly knew what they were doing, it was harder to ignore the little warning bells in her head. She grew somewhat sheepish as Melita whacked at the air. "I'm just taking a walk," she said absently, chewing her lip in thought.
Suddenly, it occurred to her that maybe Melita could help. "Would you teach me?" she asked in a rush, her thoughts jumbling together and rushing out. "I ran into some trouble a while back, and if someone hadn't saved me, I'd probably be dead. But I don't know how to defend myself, and what if it happens again? But you look like you know what you're doing, and I could really use a teacher. That is, if you have time and it's not too much trouble," she added, flushing as she realized that she'd rambled on for too long. It was entirely possible that Melita wouldn't have an interest in teaching her. Of course, she'd never know if she didn't ask, right?
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Melita only paused at the insinuations. She’d taught multitudes before, or merely practiced – for the youth always aimed for precision. It had done wonders, with her strength, coordination, and zest for chaos, when dealing with monsters for the war, or any other threatening semblances.
Her brows arched at the thought of Sohalia running into trouble…but wisely, maybe from some growth, didn’t acknowledge it. A part of her could relate; she’d managed to barge her way through multitudes of issues and cheated death far too many times. Perhaps it favored her boldness. “I’m not sure how much of a teacher I am,” probably shit, if they were going to be honest. “But I can give you some pointers. What did you want to learn? I’m pretty good with a bow, staff, knives…,” rattling them off her fingers, giving away perhaps that slight penchant for violence.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
When Melita agreed to help her, Soh let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you!" she said exuberantly, clasping her hands before her chest. Now that the idea was in her head, she was anxious to get started - but Melita's question brought her up short, and her brow furrowed in thought. What did she want to learn? She thought of Deimos's shield - which she had inconveniently left at home - and shook her head. It had been a thoughtful gesture, but the shield was large and unwieldy, and she wasn't particularly comfortable with using it. Perhaps an offensive weapon would be a better option.
Though she shuddered to think of actually, well, using one.
She thought about her choices. If she was being honest with herself, it was probably better that she practice something that would protect her if she had to be up close and personal with an opponent, given that she would likely only be fighting if running away wasn't an option. That eliminated the bow, then. That left knives and staves. Knives, she thought, were more deadly, with their sharp edges and ability to stab deeply. Staves seemed more likely to be able to incapacitate an opponent rather than outright killing them - and they would likely be less messy. The thought of drawing blood made her nose wrinkle with distaste. "A staff, I think.".
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Sohalia might have been thankful now, but perhaps she should’ve waited until after, because gods knew what Melita would come up with between now and then. “Okay!” Launching off the boulder, she knotted the ends of her dress, hastening it a little higher and out of the way of her limbs. “Let’s find you a good stick then.” The Honeybee had existed, lived, and breathed by seditiously carving her way through multiple worlds, including utilizing anything she could find as a weapon. A long piece of wood was as good as anything else at this point.
Humming, she strolled along the woodline, until she snagged at something, and then rushed back over to the other youth. “So what I always do first is get a feel for it. See where you want to hold it, grasp it, and stuff.” She handed to Sohalia, waiting for the Attuned to wrap her fingers around it, and demonstrated how she held her own a few times. “When you’re comfortable, swing it around. Get used to how it moves."
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Sohalia watched as Melita started to look around, then started her own halfhearted search amongst the trees. She wasn't sure exactly what she was searching for, but it didn't matter: Melita returned with a long, sturdy stick, and Soh took it gingerly from the other woman. She started with her grip too close together; that didn't feel right, so she spread her hands further apart. She tried to copy Melita's grip, trying to get used to the way the wood balanced in her hands. "Like that?" she asked, her voice uncertain.
Next, she tried swinging the stick, as Melita had instructed, but she found that it was much harder than it looked. The end of her stick whacked her in the side a few times, and she winced, embarrassed by her lack of knowledge and ability in front of someone who clearly knew what they were doing. "Sorry," she muttered to no one in particular, knowing that she felt ridiculous and that she probably looked even worse. But she tried again, sliding her hand further down the stick, this time succeeding in swinging a wide, sweeping arc around her without hitting herself.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Even if Sohalia was apprehensive about the whole thing, Melita plunged onward, eternally eager to get straight to the heart of vehemence, violence, and vitriol. “Yeah, that’s pretty decent!” For a first-timer went unsaid, but she figured the Attuned would find her way to manage something comfortable for her fingers and hands.
Her eyes widened a little when the other woman managed to hit…herself. “All right, you gotta have some self-preservation,” and pretending like she had any in her own form, she corrected the youth’s stance and swing. “Like this.” Demonstrating right in front of her, she slashed at the air, slowing down the process so she’d be able to bear witness, try it for herself. “That’s better!” Once Sohalia had accomplished those minor motions, she backed away a few steps, the energy and zest evident. “You can use a staff defensively or offensively. They can bat away or catch strikes, or attack others. Come at me and I’ll show you!”
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Melita corrected Soh's stance and, feeling more confident, the young woman gave the staff a few more swings. She couldn't say that it felt natural, but it felt better than before, and that was enough to bring a small smile to Soh's face. She may not be a natural, but at least it seemed she was teachable. Perhaps by the time she made it to Halo, she wouldn't be so embarrassed to see Deimos again.
Melita was energetic and eager, and Soh eyed her apprehensively. "You want me to... come at you?" she asked, hesitant and unsure. She'd planned to learn to use the staff defensively more so than offensively, but when she really thought about it, she'd probably have to strike at some point if she wanted to get away from a fight relatively unscathed. So she took a deep breath, turned to face Melita, and swung the staff (rather halfheartedly) at the other woman.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
For all of Sohalia’s hesitation, Melita bounced on her feet, clearly ready for anything and everything. The platitudes of violence were always brimming under the surface, so her eyes narrowed, intending to focus in on the movements and motions, to defend the widened stance of a staff coming her way –
And then the swing, halfheartedly, met hers.
Her armament caught it easily, effectively, due to the entire lack of speed and swiftness. She huffed a breath, shaking her head. “Gotta be quicker than that! Otherwise I’m going to get it every time.” A bold statement, but she was audacious enough to strive forward and impart her wisdom again. “So you can move your staff to block an opponent’s attack, like I just did. You try now!”
And whether or not Sohalia was prepared, the Honeybee launched to the left, and cast her weapon towards the other youth’s knees.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Sohalia swung her stick, entirely expecting to miss or to be blocked, but it was still a jarring surprise when her stick met Melita's staff, sending vibrations all the way through the wood to her hands. She nearly dropped the stick, but held on at the last minute to grasp it again with both hands. She smiled sheepishly as Melita scolded her; perhaps next time, she would try harder. She had to remember that Melita was trained for this - the other woman could probably block anything that Soh tried to throw at her.
Despite Melita's warning, though, Soh was still recovering when the counterstrike came, and though she moved belatedly to block the hit, she was too late. The staff knocked her in the shin, drawing a yelp of pain from the young woman. Soh too a step back, eyeing the staff with a wary new respect. That had hurt! Readying herself, she struck again, putting a bit more force behind her blow this time and aiming for Melita's ribcage.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Melita grimaced at the sudden yelp of pain; expecting more of a first timer, perhaps, to have the instinctual draw, pull, and need to protect herself. Ah well, better this for a learning curve than the multitudes of other disastrous, monstrous, and treacherous beings within Caido. “Sorry,” she whispered with a shrug of her shoulders, continuing on the wayward movements.
At least Sohalia seemed inspired to dig deeper into striving and trying, because there was more force when the Honeybee drew her staff downwards, snagging and stopping the blow aimed for her ribs. “Much better!” From there, she twisted to the right, hastening and bristling in a swift motion, intentions for Sohalia’s upper arm making themselves quite clear.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Again the stick jarred against Soh's hands, but the young woman was ready for it this time, and she set her jaw against the whack of wood on wood. She was relieved, if not surprised, that Melita had managed to block her attack. She had no interest in hurting the other woman, or even just tapping her lightly. She'd have to realize, though, that in order to learn to defend herself, she would also have to learn how to practice as though she were actually in a position to need to defend herself.
Melita twisted and struck again, aiming for Soh's upper arm, and the young woman instinctively pulled her stick to the side, spreading her hands apart to catch the staff on the stick in the space between her hands. It was choppy and ugly, but it was a block, and she grinned with triumph. "I did it!" She shifted her grip, moving with some difficulty from a blocking grip to a striking grip, and swung the stick towards Melita's unprotected side.
