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!
Okay, everyone can go home - the impossible has happened, and Jack is arriving at a party with Melita. Nothing else is going to top this, blood moon or not, so things may as well come to and end now.
The Ark has been lurking around the Hollowed Grounds for a few days now, and nothing has exploded out of the Spire to attack them, and there aren't any mutants or residual Longnight monsters or whatever other nightmares hide in the Honeybee's head, and now there's a bonfire, food, booze and celebrations.
"I'm startin' to think you lied about this place," he informs Mel as they reach the heart of the celebrations, the crimson moon hanging large and round overhead. "Or is this all new?"
Jack being an Abandoned is common knowledge these days, however his Telepathy remains a well-kept secret:
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Also branded with a small star tattoo beneath his left eye.
This is new, in fact, and Fox actively dislikes it.
Whilst he can appreciate the celebration for Dygra and for Longheat, like many others gathered here, he can't understand why they're at the Grounds either. He's not seen this many faces at once in a long time as it is, but to have them here, in the place where no one goes?
It isn't right to say that the hunter's feelings have tipped into get off my land territory, but he does feel a smidge of protectiveness for the black sheep of the regions. Regardless, clearing his throat and dropping off his leftovers with the rest, he gives Noah a nod and raises a hand to Hadama, before making himself appropriately scarce.
I never had a chance to be soft I was always bloody knuckles
Melita wished she was surprised to see the big fucking red moon, the streamline of impending chaos, or the amount of people waiting on pins and needles for some ridiculous shit to happen.
But she wasn’t.
Her nose wrinkled immediately though, eyes narrowing suspiciously, taking in each and every angle, knowing exactly where all her weapons were located, and pondering what would have to be hit first. Ordinarily, she'd been fine with bedlam and mayhem, but having been amidst the many traumatized by Fiat Lux, that wasn't going to happen.
She didn’t trust the booze, bonfire, or general celebrations.
“Seen shit like this before,” she uttered, save for the whole glowing crimson orb over there. That was foreign fuckery. Pointing up at it, she shook her head. “New.” Clasping hold of her leftovers from cooking with Jude, she pondered about keeping them all to herself.
The moon rises, round and red and full, and the party certainly begins to get underway. Beneath the crimson light and the dancing flames, one might believe it would be easy to get a bit carried away. Indeed, some members of the congregation might feel more inclined toward chaos than others...
Melita has the urge to start a fight with someone! Alys feels the urge to leap straight through the bonfire! Fox is overcome by the urge to dance and sing! Noah feels the urge to kiss the person standing closest to him! Deimos has the urge to let out a bloodcurdling scream!
I never had a chance to be soft I was always bloody knuckles
Inclined towards chaos? Melita’s magic words - though, to be fair, it usually didn't take much.
Her eyes narrowed in on other festival-goers, before they eventually pinpointed on Talyson. A dangerous edge immediately pooled within her – irritation, vexation, abhorrence – her memory of the limbo contest a vast pool of bitterness and rancor. Maneuvering away from Jack without a word, her strides swiftly brought her close to the courier and whatever party he’d manage to tangle himself with – she didn’t really care.
“Hey asshole,” she simmered, and the courier would be lucky to find her hands still full of food, otherwise there’d be a weapon firmly grasped. “Why’d you throw the contest?”
and shards of glass I wanted people to be afraid of hurting me
With smiles and nods at those she knew, Alys started to wander over to Hotaru, since Talyson abandoned her in favor of people-watching. But on her way over, she was stricken by the sudden urge to - of all things - leap through the bonfire.
What?
Despite the obvious logic telling her not to do such a stupid thing, she gravitated towards the fire, eyeing it warily as a variety of other odd things began happening around her. Somehow it wasn't a surprise that absolute chaos would break loose in the Grounds, of all places. Resigned to her fate, and strangely giddy about it, Alys leapt over the bonfire with a squeak that might have been fear or excitement - who could tell?
The looking glass, so shiny and new How quickly the glamour fades
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
I was born into the light
Under wide and open skies
Noah stayed close to Ru even as the festival filled with faces he knew well. His drifting eyes moved across the crowds, and the fact that Remi and Ronin were nowhere to be seen was not lost on him. Their mountain home was much better than this, to them, and Noah knew that. Noah watched as Danta approached Ru and his body stiffened, though he didn’t say anything to the ancient. Their last encounter had been less than desirable.
When the mer started closing the distance towards them, the Sentinel of the North did not recognize him. While he had seen the king in many forms, man was not one of them. When proximity induced familiarity, the blond man chuckled. ”Hadama, is there anything you can’t do?” Noah cocked his head with a bright smile. The merking could shift into powerful aquatic beasts, sling magic with the best of them, and walk on land. While Noah didn’t know it, the certified chef could cook you a meal breakfast too.
The moon painted the world red and beautiful in a way that had Noah questioning his favorite color. He shifted his weight some next to Hotaru, letting his eyes move to her for a moment. As he did, he felt a warmth in his throat. He knew it, and he knew it well. But he had never felt it towards the Valkyrie. The warmth spread through him up to his cheeks and his ears. The color of his face was painted equal parts blood moon and equal parts flush. Immediately silencing himself and his emotions over the attuned bond, Noah crossed his arms over his chest and took a step backwards.
What in the hell? Why, in all of these years and with all of the love he felt for his WIFE, did he want to kiss Hotaru?
what tried to destroy you didn't have the strength
He could only nod at Evie’s assertion, with no need to ponder over why this festival felt worse. His gaze swept over the rest of their constituents time and time again, looking for any signs of danger, treachery, ruin, before it narrowed and meandered along treetops and shadows. Uncertain, apprehensive, and eternally on alert – as if he were back on the battlefield, waiting for the enemy to make it over the rise.
Then there were other things – Alys launching herself over a bonfire, Noah taking a step away from Hotaru, some other woman shouting over the expanse, and his nerves felt amplified. A muffled, sort of strangled yell hastened its way through his chest and barely out of his mouth, teeth and jaw tightly clenched. “Sorry,” he managed to stifle through to Evie, who’d probably be the only victim of it. “I did not -,” what – want to do it? Try? The Sword shook his head, striving to clear the bedlam ricocheting along his mind. “Something is off.”
In the course of watching the people he certainly had noticed one redhead in particular, and his wistful gaze might have continued to drift back to her a few times as he glumly remembered how they'd parted after the limbo incident. He happened to be glancing back towards her when she she suddenly started moving towards him--
On purpose?
The courier straightened, eyes lighting up and a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he hurried to tug the wrinkles from his sleeves. "Hey, Me--"
Oh.
Tal froze as Melita's words cut into him and he was left blinking in surprise as his brain took a moment to catch up with his ears. The grin melted like wax dripping down a candle as his more habitual scowl took over, hackles raising defensively at her accusing tone. "I didn't!" he protested, jamming his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "Tanau knew I was tryin' t'impress y--uh, someone... who was there... an' when I fell I guess he figured he was 'helpin.''" Red heat crawled up the back of his neck and ears, the flush thankfully lost in the red light of the bloody moon.
I just wanna feel something, tell me where to go 'Cause everybody knows something I don't wanna know
Noah joining her makes her smile and lean into his shoulder, the unease of the festival dissipating slightly with him at her side. "Beautiful, I'm sure. I wish we could view it from there instead." But such were the calls of Dygra and the other gods - a shame, given the crimson light likely looks amazing on the ice and snow. Hadama joins them moments later, though Ru does nothing to hide her closeness with the Sentinel as he approaches, granting him a smile and appreciative once-over. "Good to see you Hadama. You look dashing." He already was in Mer form, but the height and elegance of legs was obviously more appealing to her as a landwalker.
Dantalion approaching creates a change in expression, something with half-lidded eyes and a touch of mischief in the corner of her mouth. She doesn't respond to his murmured offer, letting her gaze do the talking as she watches him retreat. Perhaps she will seek him out.
Though nothing changes outwardly, chaos seems to stir all at the same time; shouting, leaping - and Ru jolts as she sees it's Alys - and then suddenly Noah's bond flares with something strange before going utterly silent as he steps away from her. Already ill-at-ease from historical events at festivals, Hotaru follows in his wake with a furrowed brow, hand reaching for his elbow. "Noah...? What's wrong?" Across the field she reaches for Deimos nearby, eyes flickering over the Sentinel's shoulder after hearing her brother's muffled yell but finding him standing in place with nothing around but his beloved. Dei? What's happening? She will keep her eyes on Noah, surely the Sword has eyes on the rest.
So I'll stay right here 'cause I'm better all alone
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Hadama's natural stoicism eased a little around the Academy's dean and Halo's Sentinel and he inclined his head at their greetings. "I have not yet mastered flight," he said gravely in response to Noah's words, the twinkle of mischief in his eyes promising that he hadn't given up yet. Hotaru's compliment was met with a ghost of a smile and a hand to his heart as he carefully balanced himself for a half-bow of appreciation. "And you are very beautiful," he murmured--
The Attuned bond took on a decidedly odd timbre and the Tidebreaker paused and straightened, looking between his two Halovian friends with an unreadable expression on his face. Hotaru's concern was noted, but the merman stayed where he was, unwilling to crowd in upon what was, perhaps, a private matter. "...Am I intruding?" he asked cautiously instead, waiting for a cue from one of them to decide his next action.
I was born into the light
Under wide and open skies
Just as Noah’s foot hit the ground from stepping back and away from his friends, Deimos’ muffled scream could be heard. Faintly, but Noah would never mistake the Sword’s voice. He looked almost as startled as Hotaru felt in the moment. The heat in his ears burned and he shook his head. ”Nothing—No, we’re fine. Just warm, is all.” Noah lied, still blocking himself off from the other two across the attuned bond.
Panic rose in his chest and his heart thumped wildly against his rib cage. He had never had thoughts like this before. Even if he had found another woman even attractive, there had never been an urge to do something like the images flashing in his mind — images of him grabbing Hotaru and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in tight against him and tasting her—
He shook his head and and let his arms drop down from their crossed position. He shook them slightly as if trying to shake all of the tension out from his fingertips. ”Should we, uh, get some food?”
Don't worry, everyone, because Fox is here to save the day with even more awkwardness! Apparently, making himself scarce has put him within dangerous proximity to those making music for the festival, and as the crimson light spills across the proceedings, the hunter feels a strange and insatiable urge.
An urge... to boogie.
Looking like one of the dancers from the Secret Tunnel song (aka: his body is loose, uncoordinated, and he is oblivious to anyone else there), Fox lets both his inhibitions and his sense of shame go free, moving to the chaotic beat. If he's singing too then it's blessedly drowned out by the music (because he sounds like a dying cat, honestly), but the dancing is bad enough, honestly.
what tried to destroy you didn't have the strength
More confusion seemed to rise and fall, some discernible, others furtive and secret, and the Sword was left reeling amidst the confusion. The tension went straight through his spine, rigid and unyielding, and his stature became more than monolithic, but entirely on edge, waiting for some other pitfall.
Glances towards Hotaru and Noah left him even more baffled, between their confusion (and whatever else was going on over there) and then…he was pretty sure Fox was over there dancing.
Swallowing down a round of apprehension again, he gave Attuned fixtures towards the Valkyrie and Sentinel. I have no idea. I only had the urgency… to well, scream and yell. You all right?
