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!
It's been a long time since Ronin took himself out into the Greatwood for a run, especially in Leafchange. But as the sun just begins to peek through the trees, the rhythmic thud of his footsteps has grown steady enough that he doesn't disturb much of the wildlife as he passes through.
He'd been king of the forest here, once - metaphorically, of course, because Remi had been the Greatwood Guardian. But in his stag shift, Ronin had felt like it and more, and it's only the sudden appearance of vast, still pools of water in the distance that stops him from donning his antlers right now.
His foosteps slow, breath clouding the chilly morning air as he advances on the Eyes of Vi, tilting his head as if to get a better idea of what they might be. The woods have changed a lot with war's end, and even though Caido is now full of hidden surprises, Ronin feels a touch sad to see things so different.
There's someone inside me That softly kills everyone around
Ronin was not the only one out running on this particular Leafchange morning; Liam, too, woke before dawn, pulled on some comfortable clothing, and left his little cottage in the village to go exploring. It had become something of a morning ritual, this run before the sun was fully up, making his way through the sleepy town and out into the various regions of the Greatwood. It had started as a way to familiarize himself with his new home, but it had quickly become a habit.
It was unusual for Liam to run into anyone on his morning runs, much less someone he knew - and so when a familiar face appeared in the chilly morning air around the Eyes of Vi, Liam slowed to a walk himself. "Ronin?"
They don't know they're dead to me cause Intent never makes a sound
Absorbed as he is staring into a reflection that clearly isn't himself, Ronin startles a little to hear his name coming from the surrounding forest. Glancing up sharply, only the sight of a strangely familiar face has his (metaphorical, mostly) hackles lowering, the Supernova flashing a lopsided smile to the ex-dragoon instead. "Liam," he greets, stepping around the pool of strange water to approach the other man, holding out a hand to shake.
"Fancy seeing you out here in the Greatwood. Are you visiting?" Listen, he doesn't know about the 'ex' part in ex-Dragoon, and for all Ronin knows, Liam might have a mission here. Or family, or something. "If you are visiting," he adds, "I hate to say it, but people find it antisocial when you go out jogging without them." He grins.
There's someone inside me That softly kills everyone around
Liam accepted the handshake readily, a friendly smile on his face as he greeted the Supernova. It had been a while since they'd last seen each other - certainly longer ago than his resignation from the Dragoons. So it was no surprise when Ronin inquired as to his purpose in the Greatwood. "I actually moved here recently," he admitted. "I... needed a change of pace." It was easier than delving into the details of his flight from Stormbreak and the memories that haunted him there.
As for Ronin, Liam wasn't any more up to date on the Supernova's life than the other man was on his. Perhaps that made him a bad friend. He should probably keep up with people better. "And what about you? What brings you out here?"
They don't know they're dead to me cause Intent never makes a sound
Raising his eyebrows to hear that Liam actually calls the Greatwood home these days, Ronin nonetheless takes the news with a warm smile and a brief pat to the other man's shoulder. "Of all people, I definitely know how that feels," he says regarding the change of pace. He'd left Stormbreak's leadership to go and live in the Cordillera for over a year, after all; he's hardly going to judge Liam for moving. "How are you finding it? Living here, I mean."
As for what he's doing out in the woods, he glances around fondly. "I was in the area. I used to jog through the woods and train regularly when I lived out here, but I've never come across this place before. Must have appeared after the war."
There's someone inside me That softly kills everyone around
Moving had been a difficult decision, even though he'd known it to be the right one. Professionally, he'd felt that he was leaving the Dragoons a man short, but personally? Personally, he'd left behind everything he'd ever known: every memory, every moment, every sunrise and sunset and breath in between. But staying? Staying had proven to be more painful than leaving it all behind. "It's nice," he said. "It's quiet. Peaceful." He gestured towards their surroundings. "So much more nature than I'm used to."
Jogging in the woods, he understood all too well, and he nodded with a friendly smile. "Morning jogs are a habit for me, too," he admitted. It was the one thing he'd held onto from his Dragoon days. Training and staying fighting fit was in his blood, he supposed. As for this particular place, Liam shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Living here is the first chance I've really had to explore this area. I was always in Stormbreak, before."
They don't know they're dead to me cause Intent never makes a sound
Huffing out a soft laugh, Ronin nods. "The Celestine is wonderful, but there's something about the Greatwood that just feels more wild, right?" He smiles to the other man. "I hope you've managed to find some of that peace out here - even if the woods tend to try and get you lost." Even then, though, if you've got nowhere to be, it can be quite cathartic to let the forest choose your route for you.
"Ah, of course," he murmurs. "Well, I can say this is definitely a new landmark for me, whether it appeared before or after the war." Speaking of jogging and training, though, Ronin offers Liam a sudden bright grin. "Say, the Dragoons are actually expanding," he says. "They're going to be a peace-keeping guild. Anyone can join from any part of Caido, or so I've heard." In case he's interested in putting that training to good use again.
There's someone inside me That softly kills everyone around
Ronin was right enough; the Greatwood was indeed wilder than the Celestine, and Liam laughed along with his old friend. "The Celestine is beautiful, but very... curated." It wasn't an insult, but rather a thoughtful statement. "It's definitely different out here." As for peace? Well, maybe he was finding it. He'd come out here to start anew, and he was slowly figuring out just what that meant. And the woods hadn't gotten him too lost. Not yet, anyway.
The news of the Dragoons had Liam tilting his head thoughtfully. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice thoughtful. "Well, maybe I'll rejoin, if they'll have me. I left Stormbreak, but leaving the Dragoons was difficult. If they can be a force of peace across all of Caido, that's something I'd like to be a part of."
They don't know they're dead to me cause Intent never makes a sound
"I'm sure they'd not say no to you," Ronin assures Liam regarding the new-and-improved Dragoons guild. "And if it helps sweeten the deal at all, I'll be joining as well. It'll be like old times." Waggling his eyebrows as if to ask how the other man could possibly refuse, Ronin lets his expression soften and stretches his arms above his head, glancing around at the strange and seemingly randomly placed pools of not-water.
"This would make a pretty good training ground, speaking of the Dragoons," he remarks with a mischievous grin. "For more than just jogging, too. We can spar a little if you want. See if you've still got it." He will, Ronin is almost certain about that, but it isn't every day that two ex-soldiers meet like this, and old habits die hard.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
Ronin's reassurance was appreciated, and Liam smiled gratefully at the other man's support. Just like old times, eh? So, too, was the suggestion for a spar, which brought a bit of a smirk to Liam's face. Of course, he'd likely not beat a demigod, but in times gone by, he'd been able to hold his own. It would be nice to see if that was still the case.
Still loose and limber from his own jaunt through the woods, Liam nodded. "If I've still got it?" he asked, voice playfully taunting. "What about you, old man?" There may have only been a two year difference between them, but it was an old joke between them, and the smirk on Liam's face assured Ronin that it was just that.
With that decided, Liam settled into a fighting position, balancing lightly on the balls of his feet, arms held up in a loose boxer's stance. He feinted left, then jabbed towards Ronin with his right fist, aiming for the other man's side.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
"Excuse me?" Ronin raises his eyebrows, his grin one of incredulous amusement, and he turns instantly to face his friend. The Nova doesn't need an excuse to suddenly start sparring - that much has been true since before he was an old man, thank you Liam - and he rolls his shoulder to make sure he's not going to pull a muscle or break his hip or anything.
Letting the other man prepare himself however he likes, Ronin has been training with Koa very recently too, and so it's of little wonder that he's ready for the feint and jab when it comes. Even so, Liam is still a very good combatant, and the Nova has spent his morning in a lot worse ways than this.
