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!
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
So stunned was Koa by Sunjata's agreement that he couldn't quite find the words to protest - and, if we're being honest, he didn't much want to. Already feeling quite over his head in regards to this adventure, it'd be a lie to say the young man wasn't a little bit relieved to have gained the aid of a proper adult.
And so they set off, the unlikely pair. Sunjata's offer of flying them is politely demurred, Koa preferring to keep his commandeered skyship close (and feeling a bit odd about the idea of riding another man's back). It's late in the day by the time they set off, and though they make good time on their adventure Leafchange means the days are short. Together they scout out a place to camp, and it isn't long before a fire is going courtesy of Pipsqueak, a fresh-caught blink hare roasting on its flames.
"So, yeah, when we got to the Fingers they had no idea what was coming." Koa's retelling of his adventures at sea has been accompanied by bright grins and gesticulations, and perhaps a little exaggeration, the young man clearly pleased to have a captive audience for his tale. Setting down the rock and stick he's been using to illustrate the sea battle, the young man leans back on his elbows, copper-flecked eyes taking in the stars that twinkle above. "I just wish I had been more useful. Definitely need to figure out how to fight at range," he says ruefully, clenching and unclenching the calloused hands that had gripped a steering wheel instead of a bow.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
angel loves to keep me spinning, much too high to see that all these chains have started thinning & hell is breaking free
It’s impulsive of him, yes, but it’s probably one of the better impulsive thoughts he’s had in his years in this world. So he gathers his things and heads out with Koa, content to ride along with him on the Skyship (it’s his first time and he realizes just how different it is to actually flying yourself), before they’re heading out toward the location needing to find a campsite for the night.
The hunting is easy as is the fire thanks to Pipsqueak, and Sunjata settles with his elbow propped on his bag of holding, listening as Koa regales the story to him and being ever the good listener as the young Dragoon goes on and on, hanging onto every word he says.
But a thought occurs to him, the Flood sitting up as he reaches into his bag to pluck out an item he hasn’t used or even thought about since before the war. “Maybe getting something that can return to the hand of who throws it would be handy for you?” He suggests, glancing over at Koa over the cracking flame and the sparks.
He shifts to hand the chakram to the young man, the razor sharp edges glinting in the light. It was made by the Voice for her top fighter, a fact Sunjata keeps quiet for the moment. “Give it a throw and see what happens. Just don’t aim it at me.” There’s a crooked smirk that tugs on his scarred lips as he settles back down onto his elbow to watch.
every choice, every lie, demons that he kept inside angel now that i've stopped spinning, could you come clean?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
"Oh shit, woah." Koa's eyes widen as the chakram is brought out, firelight dancing dangerously over razor-sharp metal. He takes it from Sunjata with the cautious confidence of one well accustomed to handling weapons, turning the disc over in his hands. Experimentation on a blade of grass is sufficient to demonstrate its lethal sharpness, the leaf slicing easily in two. "It's beautiful," Koa says respectfully, looking from the weapon to Sunjata with a hopeful, puppy-like can I really? expression.
Quickly Koa wraps his hands, not wanting to slice open his palm. With the boxing wraps in place he feels more secure, grasping the chakram by its blade and marveling at its expert weight. He walks around to the other side of the fire, flashing Sunjata a shit-eating grin before turning to the dense woods beyond. Setting his stance, the young man raises his arm in an arc before letting go of the chakram, watching it sail through the air towards a tree he chose as target---
--- and sail right on past it, having gone absolutely wide.
"Aw, fuck." Koa squints into the darkness, feeling rather foolish indeed. Turning back to Sunjata with a bashful smile, the young man spreads his arms and shrugs his shoulders. "Guess I need a lot more practice than I thought. Any chance you got a--- woah!"
The exclamation is in response to the reappearance of the chakram. The thing zips right past Koa's nose, mercifully leaving his schnozz intact as it returns, unbidden, to his hand. The Dragoon stares agape for a moment, entirely bemused as to what has just happened, before an enthusiastic smile blooms across his cheeks. "That is so cool," the boy exclaims, looking back at the demigod. "How'd it do that? Did you know it could do that?!" He's all but bouncing on his heels, utterly delighted by this deadly new toy.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
angel loves to keep me spinning, much too high to see that all these chains have started thinning & hell is breaking free
The surprise that leaves Koa has Sunjata humming a laugh, nodding to the young man to go and test it out. He doesn’t sit up initially, waiting until Koa’s already standing and prepping for his target. It’s a wide miss, unfortunately, drawing Sunjata to sit up again, waiting for the impending return even if Koa doesn’t realize it’s coming.
Still, it keeps the amusement on his face in anticipation, lips quirked in a smile as it zings back into Koa’s hand. “I did, yeah. It’s enchanted to return to the hand of who throws it without harming them.” He offers easily, raising his scarred brow as he regards the Dragoon. “Could ask your god for something like this? You can borrow that one for a bit and practice.” Gods knew he wouldn’t need it for a while.
At least he hopes not.
He gestures to the fire again while the rabbit continues to cook, inviting Koa back to sit in the comfort of their little bed rolls they’ve made up. “Admittedly I don’t spend as much time using weapons these days, but my favorite was a bow I had.” And since then the majority of his items were Frey related — cuffs that would take him to a room that no longer existed in the Grounds. And so he wonders if perhaps he could get that changed.
every choice, every lie, demons that he kept inside angel now that i've stopped spinning, could you come clean?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
Koa's face pales a little as Sunjata suggests he ask his god, grateful for the way the low light hides the heat on his ears. "Yeah, that's a good idea," he replies almost hesitantly. He doesn't want Sunjata to know about his quest from Safrin, that it was she the young man last went to for aid, despite the demigod's warnings. Oh, he has no regrets about his choice, but somehow he suspects that the Flood would not approve of Koa's admiration for the Lady of Stars, even if their history was only half as fraught as what the older man had revealed.
He brightens at the offer to keep the chakram. A wondering glance is given to Sunjata: "Are you sure?" he clarifies, but the bladed wheel is already spinning on his fingers, tossed with ease from hand to hand. Again he turns to face the forest and again the disc is flung, this time embedding with a satisfying thud into the trunk of a tree. The young man raises his hand, a triumphant grin blooming as the weapon returns back to him. "Just like a legend," he breathes with awed reverence, slipping the disc onto his belt.
Too wired to sit, the boy remains standing, kneeling only to gather a collection of small stones. "What kind of bow?" he asks Sunjata, before flicking one of the rocks into the darkness, toward a knot he can just barely make out in the gnarled trunk of a tree. Another one follows, and a third, each getting steadily closer to a perfect bullseye.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
angel loves to keep me spinning, much too high to see that all these chains have started thinning & hell is breaking free
All he can do is offer advice over the deities in Caido. Whether or not his advice is taken isn’t something he can control, nor is it something he’d openly begrudge someone for doing. Perhaps it would result better for someone with no prior attachments, being aligned to Safrin. For him, though? It was perhaps the worst idea he’s ever had.
He does glance up toward the twinkling stars in the sky, frowning at them momentarily before his gaze lands back on Koa and his surprise that Sunjata’s letting him borrow it. He huffs a soft laugh, watching the young man practice with it again before practicing with the stones he picks up, far more energetic than Sunjata is these days. “I want it back eventually, but for now you can use it.” A little reminder that he isn’t so kind as to offer it as a gift, but simply a temporary practice weapon.
He doesn’t have his bow on him but he does flash Koa a crooked smile, rotating the rabbit as he hums a sound of agreement to the legend before he delves into his bow. “It wasn’t fancy or magical, but it was a pretty bow. Black with water designs etched into it. It was the closest thing I had to the weapons I used back home.” The closest thing he could find here to a gun, that is.
But he looks back up at Koa curiously. “I’ve worked on both, though. My bow for ranged and I box for anything up close. Admittedly I lean heavily on my shifts and magic these days though.” Hard to tell based off of the muscles that still rippled under his plush sweater, one to keep him warm in the cool Leafchange night under the stars.
every choice, every lie, demons that he kept inside angel now that i've stopped spinning, could you come clean?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
"Oh, yeah. Of course." It's not that Koa had expected something so priceless to be a gift. That would be an astounding level of entitlement, Koa. Ah, but the boy is young and bold and stupid, so can we blame him if he feels a twinge of disappointment when Sunjata reasserts his ownership over the disc?
Yes. Yes we can.
Koa scoops up another set of rocks as Sunjata speaks, the three slightly larger this time. "What kinds of weapons were those?" he asks, slightly distracted as he begins to juggle the trio of pebbles with practiced ease. Lances, perhaps, or blowdarts? The idea of a gun is so far from Koa's sphere of reference that there's no way he could consider it.
His fingers fumble, one of the rocks dropping to the ground at his feet. Koa curses quietly as another follows; now with only one remaining he at last settles back beside the fire. Tossing the stone between his hands, the Dragoon turns a smile on Sunjata. "Think the rabbit's ready? I'm starved," he declares brightly, his stomach rumbling a confirmatory note.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
angel loves to keep me spinning, much too high to see that all these chains have started thinning & hell is breaking free
Now that the gentle chiding is out of the way, Sunjata remains in that relaxed position, watching Koa toss the rocks around, practicing some kind of hand eye coordination. It helps, too, to alleviate any kind of disappointment that Koa might feel for being able to keep the item (he knows deep down if the Dragoon knew who originally owned the chakram then he might not be so excited about it in the first place). He’ll keep that secret, though, moving into what kind of weapons they had in Korofi.
His tone takes on an almost nostalgic sound, rotating the rabbit as he figures out how to start. “You don’t have them here, but, imagine a hand held cannon. Small bullets, activated by the press of a finger.” He starts, pausing as he mulls it over. “Small enough to fit into a pocket or holster on your hip.” It’s an easy thing to remember, the Flood harboring one of those gunshot scars on his thigh.
He doesn’t show that one to Koa, though. Instead he focuses on the rabbit as he sits up and takes it off the fire to start carving into it with a sharp knife. “Ready now, actually.” He flashes Koa a brighter grin, lopsided in how his scar tugs. He separates out the rabbit for the both of them to eat and spends much of the night regaling his home world’s weapons and such while they finish it, and before long they’re tucked into their bedrolls with the stars twinkling overhead, Sunjata doing his best to sleep without having a nightmare to wake the young Dragoon up.
— FIN <333
every choice, every lie, demons that he kept inside angel now that i've stopped spinning, could you come clean?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
