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!
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
The world echoed and bounded against his mind for fractions of a time; stilled, in moments where everything seemed cautious, temporary, a success as shelters were built and repairs were made. It would shudder in the next, awaken again to the voids beyond their control, to the information spilling over parchments, to the dangers brimming and billowing beyond the surface, waiting for their opportunity. And he’d never been a complacent being, always striving for something stronger; so Halo, and himself, persisted.
The trepidation stored itself right into the core of his marrow and remained as he inspected his warriors once more – trying to find normalcy in the rush of disasters and mayhem. The movements were just as necessary as before, and maybe even more so now, what with the unknown hastening and threatening and looming like some overbearing demon. He wouldn’t stop and he wouldn’t relent and he’d be there within the halls just as much as them; promising protection, shelter, and sanctuary for whatever was to come.
Some tested their mettle, hastening back and forth across the training grounds, and others climbed – he amongst them, calling towards those muscles and bones to snag along the icy wall. Pathways altered and sharpened minds honed in on how, why, and where, functioning as singular units, before rising to the top, where he stared down now, proud and amused, as others continued to clamber upwards.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
02-02-2024, 02:29 AM (This post was last modified: 02-02-2024, 02:30 AM by Sah.)
I have never feared the storm
Convincing a few of the magic-wielding soldiers to help him, had been difficult. But Sah had managed with a few bribes of drinks and choice furs from his most recent hunt. It was flattering really, that they were so hesitant to attack him. Yet the Wild Thunder needed them to do it. How else was he supposed to train his mage armor if no one attacked him with magic? Sah could in theory go instigate a fight with a magical beast, but this magic was still too new and untested for him to feel secure in doing so.
Sah took a breath, and a shimmering gold aura surrounded him, faintly glowing and a mere inch above his skin. Ready, he nodded at one of the soldiers. With clear reluctance, they channeled fire from a torch and sent it flying at him. Sah's aura rippled as the flames collided. With a sizzle, the fire died yet the Wild Thunder stood unaffected. He grinned at the soldier but before he could thank them, their attention was drawn over his shoulder. Glancing over, Sah spotted Deimos as the golden energy dissipated.
"Deimos. Good to see you. How are you?" The Wild Thunder hadn't spoken to his friend since they'd built the emergency shelter, both so caught up in other preparations and repairs.
~
Magic: Mage Armor | Sah may give himself or someone else (within 5 ft of him) energy-based armor that defends damage equal to Sah's basic-magical attack stat. Lasts for 1 round.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
Deimos never meant to draw attention to himself – sometimes it scarcely mattered, given his figure, fortitude, and renown – but he heavily favored quietly remaining away from dramatics and theatrics. Within the barracks was likely another story altogether, as the soldiers were his people, and the instinctual turn of their heads in his direction, should anything arise, likely should’ve been expected –
But as he lowered himself into a crouch and helped another on the last rung of the wall with an extended hand, he heard a familiar voice in greeting. Raising his head, his eyes segmented squarely onto the fellow Abandoned, and as he allowed another to pass by and triumphantly scale the climbing sanction, he rose back to his full height. “Sah. I am all right.” Which seemed a justifiable answer – given everything going on. All right teetered on multiple edges and brinks. “You? Are you working on something?”
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
Deimos' confirmation of general well-being was all that Sah could ask. They'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in Halo doing better than 'all right' or 'fine' with the current state of affairs. As such, the Wild Thunder simply echoed with a small grin, "I'm alright." Alive, recovering, trying to rebuild. Trying to wrap his mind around what their next step should be. How to prepare for threats known and unknown alike. The usual.
Sah was happy to turn the conversation to something controllable, "Yes. I've recently developed a new magic. I'm tentatively calling it mage armor. " He called the magic forth and let the golden aura encase him, "It's an energy-based armor that so far, seems capable of absorbing a fraction of the damage of any form of magic attack. I'm still testing every form I can get my hands on, but I've confirmed fire, air, and water so far."
The Wild Thunder raised a brow, "Feel like sending some earth, life drain, or other magic at me?" He held up a hand for a moment to clarify, "Low-level blasts, please. I'm not sure just how much this magic can take just yet." Any full magic attack from Deimos was sure to knock him back, if not down. Magic armor or not,
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
New incantations always inspired some methodology and machinations in his mind. He tilted his head another fraction, listening, recalling something similar in his own prowess, but more honed towards armor created by Safrin – before the war, when there’d been a number of factors at play. Watching, listening, he took in the golden aura emanating from the Wild Thunder, permitting a brief smile to flicker across his face. “Sure.” Content to test and draw out any forms of mettle, especially so Sah knew the circumstances and effects surrounding the newfound enchantments, would be enough to snag him from the wall. “Give me a moment.”
Handing up the last warrior and ensuring everyone had clambered along safely, his long strides took him down the side of the climbing device, snorting at the clarification. “Fine.” He didn’t typically send out the full levels of his mastered properties unless the situation called for it – knowing full and well the damage granted and given could be devastating.
“When you are ready then,” he nodded, indicating for Sah to find himself some adequate space, before the Sword called forth echoes of dirt, debris, rocks, and stones, flung in earthen wares towards the armor.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
Sah waited patiently for Deimos to finish up, brainstorming other applications of his new magic. Maybe he could extend it to protect other people? That would be dangerous to test. Perhaps after a few more training sessions refining it, he'd give it a try. Assuming he could find a volunteer.
Deimos headed over when he was ready and Sah grinned. Taking a brief moment to find ample space, he found a suitable spot and prepared his magic. Making sure that the energy was firmly in place and the mageglass around his neck warmed slightly as he activated it as he would if he were in battle. He then nodded, "Ready."
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
Patient to a fault, in most circumstances, Deimos waited for Sah to prepare himself; an arched brow watching, gaze briefly flickering around to the troops under his command, intending to ensure they were doing as instructed, before recommitting his attention to the Wild Thunder.
When the signal was given and granted, he nodded, then snagged at the resting debris, rocks, stones, and shards of ice around the training grounds, intending to utilize Mastered Earth potentials in smaller increments and doses. From there, he flicked them in Sah’s direction, tilting his head vaguely, intending to study and examine the impending reaction.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
Sah's eyes narrowed as Deimos crafted a variety of small projectiles and hurtled them his way. As the stone and ice hit the armor, the Wild Thunder could feel them almost as pressure, the glow around him sparking upon impact. It was surreal almost to see the solid stone bounce off of, or shatter for the smaller pieces, the energy encasing him.
However, it didn't last, and soon cracks in the gold became visible until finally, the armor gave way under Deimos' onslaught. The energy dissipated into the air and Sah quickly ducked to avoid the rest of the projectiles, channeling telekinesis to block the last few. He mentally noted how long the armor had lasted as he stood up and dusted off his pants. "Well, it can handle earth magic up to a certain level of damage."
Grinning, he took a breath and recalled the golden energy, letting its warmth cover him, "Want to try another kind?"
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
His brow arched once more in careful perusal and study, fervent to examine how Sah’s incantations and armor worked in parallel. Some bounded off, ricocheting to the floor, while others struck and melted, or shattered upon impact. He would’ve been satisfied with those notions, but then others apparently meandered through, volatile even under his less than mastered proportions.
Eventually it dissipated, and he permitted a brief snort. “Water this time then,” as Sah eagerly intended to measure another cord of elements. As he promised, the enchantments contorted and flickered at his command and direction – though certainly not as potent or powerful as he’d normally countenance, brief waves of the liquid began to cascade and ripple towards the manifested armor.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
Sah watched the water surge toward him, almost caught off guard at the strange cooling sensation it invoked as it hit the armor. The water parted around the energy like it would a physical barrier while some of the froth seemed to be simply absorbed. After a few moments, the Wild Thunder could begin to see cracks appear and he braced himself to counter the water once his armor inevitably dropped.
The mageglass at his neck warmed and Sah quickly called forth his telekinesis just as the armor cracked under the last bout of water. Making a slight arc in the spray, he nimbly got out of the way. Feeling quite pleased with himself, Sah once more conjured his mage armor, "Do you want to try a dark magic next?"
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
The results seemed much the same – but Deimos was persistent as well. At the suggestion his brow arched, for there was a good amount of such darkened materials within his ichor. The temptation to unfurl life drain – something invisible, intangible, and difficult to defend against contorted through his mind, but he quickly parted from the machination soon after. He had no desire for his friends to experience the shades of such prowess, reserving it for enemies and adversaries.
So he said nothing, granting a nod, before unfurling the familiar and favored flickers of fire. He made certain the flames weren’t infernal gatherings nor a towering abyss, but certainly potent enough to strive at piercing and puncturing the mage’s newfound armor.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
If Deimos had asked, Sah would have given consent for life drain to be attempted. Though he could certainly respect his friend's wishes to avoid using it on allies. The Wild Thunder would merely have been curious to see how his armor held up against an invisible, non-elemental threat.
There wasn't time to ponder such things as Deimos nodded and channeled his fire. The flames rose up against Sah's mage armor, and he could feel the warmth, yet no heat. It was an interesting sensation; a mere echo of what magic was being used. The golden aura reacted similarly to before, absorbing what it could of the 'threat' before eventually breaking down and dissolving. As it cracked, Sah side-stepped to avoid the last few embers. He grinned widely, "All categories of elemental magic, then. Perfect." Light, Grey, and Dark were all accounted for. He'd of course, check every element before employing the armor in battle. Just in case.
Calling the armor forth again, he raised a challenging brow at Deimos, grin still in place, "Surprise me?" Whether the Sword called forth an untested magic or combined multitudes was up to him. Sah wanted to see what his friend could come up with, and if his armor could hold out against it long enough to be useful.
the fire can't touch me for I have burned too many times
His brow arched, waiting inevitably for the similar sentiments to carry through. When it was only embers in the end, he nodded, content, but when the notions of surprise were mustered, the Sword grinned.
There were a whole host of categories and notions to choose from, but he’d like to practice and cultivate his own incantations too – so in the breadth of silence, he began again. Summoning Air incantations, for those had yet to be tested, he mustered and lingered along the outcroppings of the training grounds floor, earthen wares snagging and taking shards, rocks, pieces and particles of snow, until they came together with the contorted wind.
In rapid contortions, they maneuvered in a miniature cyclone, intending to rake and rupture over Sah’s shield.
the sea can't harm me for I have been drowning all my life
Sah felt a burst of minor trepidation at Deimos' answering grin. He watched as the Sword pulled forth the surrounding earth into a dangerous cyclone of shrapnel and bladed wind. There was half a moment to wonder if the two Abandoned could try and create a cyclone of actual weapons in the future, perhaps daggers. But then the storm was upon him.
The mageglass at his neck warmed as his armor was bombarded with nonstop wind and unpredictable shards of earth. The mage armor held up just as it had before, but he could see the cracks forming quicker this time. The Wild Thunder was well aware that combinations of magic were stronger than a single force, and it seemed that this rule held up against his mage armor. It eventually shattered under the onslaught and Sah quickly rolled out of the way of Deimos' storm.
