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!
He moved like a hunter, even as he wound his way through the marketplace and shops and stands. His eyes were narrow with focus, his steps soundless even with the snow crunching beneath the soles of those around him. He stopped finally at a shop that sold a menagerie of tools and items usually needed to make repairs and remodels in a home. Noahs eyes scanned the various shelves until he finally found what he was looking for: paint.
Shifting the bag slung over his shoulder, Noah grabbed a small canister of green and an even smaller canister of black. Then he headed to the counter. Smiling, the focus seemed to ease from him. He talked back and forth with the shopkeeper for a few minutes before trading some ursur meat and luxere sheds for the paint.
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
With the ongoing projects with their home, Deimos had also tended to meander through the market and shops. While he could certainly forge and create tools, paint, and whatever else was necessary, he couldn’t replicate everything, and the specific shade and coat of pigments was already here.
Having already done a trade of goods and services with the shopkeeper, he intended to head his way out, until the Sentinel was spotted. “Noah,” he greeted, hands full of his own cans. His eyes slipped over the demigod’s own choice of hues; figuring it was meant for something in his house. Or perhaps with the twins. Giving him a moment, and not intending to interrupt any exchanges, he waited until everything was settled and done before the rumble of his voice returned. “New project?”
think about this you have the ability to survive anything
Not expecting to see his friend, but not surprised by his presence either, Noah offered Deimos a warm, inviting smile. ”Oh, not really. My lanterns need some touching up.” Noah replied, lifting the paints just slightly to indicate what they were for. It was amazing how much wear and tear could be done on the lanterns in just a few years. Noah supposed because it was of the travel they went through, and then the stagnancy they had the rest of the year. The paint on his lanterns was starting to chip and peal in some places, and that was not acceptable to honor his dearly beloved, lost friends — and certainly not to impress Ludo.
Noah then jutted his chin at Deimos’ own wares. ”Is that paint for your lanterns?” he asked, a brow lifting at the lifting tone of his question. Hotaru had been fixing up her lanterns when he found her in the guildhall, so he wouldn’t be surprised if they both shared the valkyries idea.
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
Giving another vague wave to the shopkeeper, he nudged open the door with his shoulder, permitting enough room for Noah and himself to pass through and back onto the stony roads. With no new project pending, his brow arched vaguely, before returning to their normal, reticent position when the notions of lantern touch-ups came along. He nodded, indicating his understanding, for he’d done much the same earlier in the season. “It does give us an opportunity to reflect on them again,” to which he smiled; because while he certainly didn’t forget the individuals – not friends, nor family – some days were far easier than others to maneuver towards the future, rather than drift in the past.
As for his own, he quietly shook his head. “No. Paint for the study.” A manner of aesthetic amidst the desks, bookcases, shelves, and endless papers and notebooks of ongoing schemes and undertakings. “Let me know if you need help.”
think about this you have the ability to survive anything
Suddenly there is nothing but ice and wind all around you. Like being plunged into a whirlwind the air grows even more bitterly cold than it already was, and though you try and struggle against it, you feel your feet beginning to slip.
Before you know it there is a sudden SCHWAACK. Snow falls from the sky and you suddenly realize that there are two water elementals only a few meters ahead of you. They seem to be playing a game of…ice-ball-tag? Whatever it is they’re doing, it’s extremely dangerous.I’d…leave them to it, if I were you.
You’ve encountered a water elemental! This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. You may not kill your rare creature without admin permission.
Water Elementals (Uncommon/mythical): Not much is known about these creatures other than that they appear during particularly nasty storms. With the ability to manipulate the water in the icy-landscape as well as that within your body, water elementals range from incredibly dim-witted to quite clever.
”Thank you. I think it will be a quick job, though.” He pointed again with his chin at what Deimos held. ”But if you need help in the guildhall, please reach out.” He would never turn away from helping his friend, warden, and guild master. Especially with the time he was going to be spending away from Halo in the near future.
Suddenly, they weren’t alone. AS they stepped out into the less busy streets of Snowcloak, a pair of elementals appeared. The ice crashed into his shoulder as the Sentinel half-turned from the assault. He hissed from the impact, and his spirit stag appeared between them and the elementals. The stag shook its mighty head and chased off the juvenile creatures. ”I hate those.” Noah said, shrugging the ice and snow from his Sentinel’s Jacket.
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
Shrugging his shoulders, he nodded. “Sure. This one is for home though,” lifting the can of paint, just in time for his eyes to dart upward, predacious and instinctive, towards the rattling of ice. A long, feral sigh floated through his chest, for most in Halo were accustomed to the elementals and their games; and as another shard flew towards Sentinel and Sword, the latter simply conformed to the water Mastery in his own accord, flicking it back with no harm done.
Gazing over, it seemed Noah had been in a similar predicament, though the outcome persisted in a hiss, rather than a volley. As the familiar stag conjured through their wake, and the monstrous cretins dispersed, Deimos saw no need to give them chase. By the time they’d manage to round the corner, the beasts would be long gone. Instead, his brow arched, attention on the demigod. “You all right?”
think about this you have the ability to survive anything
Noah’s stag chased the elementals until they dissipated into the snowy breeze, and it was too far from its channeling master to last any longer. It dissipated itself like dazzling starlight, a silent bugle from its agape mouth its final send off. Typical in every way for his magic, encapsulating the buck that Noah once shifted into.
”Yeah.” It would be nothing but a bruise that a day or two’s time could heal on its own. Rolling the shoulder, the hunter shifted the paint in his hands. He smiled slightly, a smirk on all accounts, and asked, ”Did Evie choose the color?” While his smile may generally be of the jesting kind, the way it met his eyes and matched the warm tone of his voice alluded otherwise. It was a genuine question — pointed, calculated, yet still full of mirth. He wanted to know of the wardens were doing well, if they were surviving dwelling together.
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
The street curved naturally, and instinctively he watched the last vestiges of the stag and the elementals’ disappearance, before turning his attention back to the Sentinel. With the semblances of everything returning to normalcy, he arched his brow at the inquiry. Presuming there was some teasing there, if only because Deimos had long since done the same to Noah and Cordelia, he pondered over what else the demigod was trying to signify.
Or perhaps it was merely just taunting, and the Sword didn’t need to read too much into every interaction; some measures simply weren’t calculations or machinations at all. “Yes,” he uttered with a nod, unbothered by the notions. It was a decent hue, and considering his design segments and décor experiences (beyond the craftmanship of his creation magic), was best described as Spartan and stark, it was fine by him.
think about this you have the ability to survive anything
The walk from the main shops in Snowcloak to Noah's home was not a long one. The Olsons had been sure to lay their roots close to the hustle and bustle of the village, and Noah had no intentions of changing that. While Deimos' and Evie's home was in a less occupied space, it even wasn't too far away. Noah's smile didn't stop as he spoke again to his warden, a genuine and vulnerable moment. "I pray to Vi each day that she offers you the peace and happiness that you deserve."
He stopped short of his stone entry, looking down at his paints and rolling some thoughts over in his mind. "Oh, damn." Noah breathed, shoulders falling slightly. "I forgot to get new cord for hanging the lanterns." And he didn't have any stores of leather to cut any ties from. He had been far too busy to tan anything he skinned, let alone do any leather or hide work beyond that. Cutting a sharp sigh from his lips, Noah lifted his chin slightly towards Deimos. "Would you mind?" He asked. The Sword had asked before it he needed any help, and now that Noah realized he did, he was more than willing to ask his friend. He knew Deimos wouldn't have offered the help if he didn't want to give it, or wasn't willing to sacrifice parts of his time and efforts to do so.
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
To say Noah’s proclamation was unexpected was an understatement; the Sword found himself straightening, eyes widening, before glancing towards the Sentinel. There were hundreds and myriads of thoughts in his mind, playing and plaguing against one another. The primordial tangent of lack of deserving anything rang and clattered, and had it been a few years prior, would’ve easily filtered from behind his teeth with varying degrees of solemnity. But now he could drown out that voice with one well-practiced and well-versed, and the inkling of a smile beginning along his mouth again. “Thank you. Evie does.” And then some; because it’d been a long while before he’d remembered and recalled what it was like to be cherished and loved, and to do so in return.
Passing towards the Sentinel’s home, and presuming he’d keep walking to his own, the demigod’s expression and alteration caused a brief snort. Lowering his paint can for a moment, he considered circumstances and designations, before the glow of his incantations began to thread through his palms – cords and ropes inclined, with all variety of hues, patterns, and designs, and then held them out. “Will these do?”
think about this you have the ability to survive anything
Noah shuffled back down the icy walk to his friend. Always ever impressed by his magic, Noah watched the cords and ropes come to fruition with nothing but a thought of the warden. Noah smiled. ”These are perfect. Thank you.” Noah said, smiling at the man. ”I’ll see you soon, if not at the festival.” Noah said, giving the warden a nod before ducking in to his home. He was greeted with a purr from Eira, a kiss from his wife, and happy twin faces. Greeting them all, Noah then set to work repainting and re-cording his Festival of Lights lanterns to honor his fallen friends, The Hales and the soldiers of Halo.
FIN
Noah
I still believe we can live forever
You and I we begin forever now
