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!
After helping Maea in the Atheneum, Tal figured his next stop should be the head of his guild. And what better time for a talk then when they were trying to beat the shit out of each other? Oh, and trying not to get hit by any stray lightning bolts while they were at it. Even when the lightning was a little further away, the claps of thunder could be deafening and almost as stunning in their own right as they vibrated right through a body.
The lightning didn't strike continuously, at least. The sky was quiet a little while between each bolt, almost as if waiting for someone to let their guard down before sending the next lance of white fire out to stab the ground.
Or the tallest thing standing on it, like the two young men squaring off in the eerie stormlight of the afternoon.
"So, uh, mind if I ask y'somethin'?" Tal called out to Edmund, lightly balanced on the balls of his feet as he waited for the agreed-upon signal for the spar to start: the next flash of lightning.
Although the new headquarters was still under construction, the guild was still thankfully whole. When Talyson asked for another spar, Edmund was happy to comply. The weather was unfortunate, but the slight danger only had the Ancient's blood thrumming with excess energy.
Talyson's question was surprising in its timing, but Edmund nodded, "Of course you may." The next strike landed, and the Ancient surged forward, feinting a center strike before shifting his weight to send an elbow to Tal's ribs. The courier didn't have a weapon drawn so perhaps a hand-to-hand attack was a suitable start. They could add weapons to the mix later should they choose.
Tal wasn't as likely to flee a fight as he used to be, but he still lacked enough confidence in himself to launch an attack without being goaded. When Edmund surged forward in the actinic flash, Tal was already shifting sideways to avoid the Ancient's aggressive charge. He couldn't avoid the attack completely, but he dropped his own elbow so that his arm took the brunt of the strike instead of his ribs.
A grunt of pain escaped, but he shook it off and launched a counter, attempting to step forward on his angle and get behind Edmund so he could jab a short, sharp punch at the young guildmaster's kidney. "So, remember when I helped build that Dygra shrine with you an' Danta?" he asked, regardless of whether or not his strike connected.
His initial attack landed but Edmund didn't take the time to celebrate. The shot to his kidneys was swift, but he managed to sidestep and avoid the blow, turning on his heel so that he could still face Talyson. "I do. Thank you again for your assistance." He attempted to deliver a palm strike to the center of the man's chest before he could respond to Edmund's turning.
The Ancient wasn't sure where this conversation was going. It seemed that Talyson needed a favor of him but as to what it was, he couldn't predict. The tentativeness of the request was also concerning. Just what did the courier need that had him so nervous?
Peeping from the undergrowth, you spy a hand. Oh, and part of a dress. And half a face! Luckily this is no body - it’s just a broken statue, toppled and lonely in the wilderness. It looks as though it was once a woman with her head bowed and her hands clasped in prayer.
There was good news and there was bad news for Tal. The good news was that Edmund's palm strike missed. Barely, but the wind of its passing only harmlessly stirred the courier's hair. As for why it was going past his head instead of his chest? Well, that was the bad news. An unlucky step had him tripping over the head of a statue that had been lurking in the damp underbrush of the Levinsward. It was also unfortunate that a nearby rumble of thunder cracked out over the landscape to punctuate his stumble with dramatic flair, making it impossible for the courier to recover gracefully.
This wasn't the first time that he'd tripped at an inopportune moment, however. And this time Tal was able to react, twisting as he fell to catch himself and kick his leg out, aiming for Edmund's knee in an attempt to bring the Ancient down with him. "So, uh... how'd y'feel about an Old Gods shrine goin' up here in th'Grounds, too?" he asked as he caught his balance and attempted to pop back up, hands raised in defense.
Edmund refused to let his face twitch when the courier fell, not wanting to reveal his amusement or mild concern. He was about to ask the man if he was ok, but the courier quickly recovered. Edmund's brief moment of distraction, however, was all that Tal needed to get the upper hand.
The Ancient's knee gave out with the force of the blow, and he crashed down next to him, narrowly avoiding landing on the statue. Tal got up first, and Edmund was grateful that this was a spar and not an actual battle. He was frustrated with himself over the blunder and rushed at the courier, ducking low and striking at his ribs to get through the man's raised defenses.
As he did so, he processed the question with a frown, "What would be your intention in doing so?" Was Talyson planning to move here and wanted a place to worship? Was this the first step in a plan to lessen Mother's influence on the region? The young Ancient's territoriality reared its head as he waited for the man to explain himself.
The courier was shocked when his attack actually worked, but mostly it gave him time to get back up. He didn't pounce on Edmund immediately, giving the Ancient time to regain his own feet - not out of some misplaced chivalry, but because Tal knew he wasn't very good at wrestling and he'd rather be fighting standing up, where his speed could give him an edge.
"Well, coupla reasons," Tal started to reply, but then Edmund was rushing at him and he hadn't quite expected the other man to go on the attack again that fast. He tried to pull his elbows down but he wasn't quite fast enough and the Guildmaster got in a couple of solid jabs, earning some grunts from the courier as his armor absorbed them but he still felt the impact.
Since Edmund had closed the distance, however, Tal wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. His arms weren't doing much good for blocking, so instead he tried to grab the other man's shoulders and hold him in place while he brought a knee up into Edmund's stomach.
So maybe having this conversation while they were sparring had actually been a terrible idea...
"Be nice for people who're visitin' th'Grounds t'have some place t'pray, if we aren't Ancients. I know I don't live here, but I'm here a lot makin' deliveries, an' I figure I'm not th'only one." Regardless on if his strike connected, he'd release Edmund after making his attempt and dance back a short ways. "An' second, with all this Void stuff goin' around, havin' more help for all th'races with Healin' an' stuff feels like a good idea."
Tal managed to grab one of his shoulders, but Edmund reacted quickly, turning so that the other reaching hand fell short. Reaching out, the Ancient grabbed the man's raised knee and pushed it away, to try and knock him off balance as Tal tried to distance himself. Even if Edmund failed, he pursued the man, aiming a sharp kick at his knee.
As the spar continued, he listened to the courier's argument, giving it the contemplation it deserved. It was logical but the tiger beneath his skin snarled at the idea. The Grounds belonged to Mother. This was her, their territory.
"I can understand your point, and it's reasonable, but I can't say I enjoy the thought of it." Edmund frowned, "But if the other Ancients agree to the idea, I'll accept it." Mother would likely approve of their actions. The Ancients could help or harm to their heart's content in her eyes. If his kin were ok with the construction of an Old God shrine in their home, Edmund would accept it.
04-17-2024, 04:16 AM (This post was last modified: 04-19-2024, 04:30 AM by Talyson.)
He was impressed at how quick Edmund's reactions were, grunting faintly as his knee was caught and pushed away without completing his intended strike, but his own balance was solid enough that he managed to keep it this time while he retreated. He had to pinwheel his arms to keep himself upright as he dodged the kick to his knee, however, and the Ancient was within a hair's breadth of connecting before Tal managed to make good his escape.
He started to lunge forward in retaliation, but he felt his hair start to lift all at once and the courier had been sailing the Peregrine long enough to know a stormcharge when one was tickling the back of his neck. He swore and flung himself to the side instead as a bolt of lightning flashed down nearby, close enough to make his toes tingle and all his hair stand up on end. The crack of thunder that followed was deafening - literally - and he shook his head, dazed, as he blinked away the afterimages and stumbled to his feet, heading over in the last direction he'd seen Edmund in so he could offer the other man a hand up if he needed it. "Truce?" he yelled, trying to hear himself over the ringing in his ears.
Edmund didn't recognize what was coming until he saw Tal's sudden shift. Not understanding the why but catching the necessity of it, he mimicked the courier and lunged to the other side, dropping low. His eyes widened when the cause revealed itself, and lightning struck the ground uncomfortably close to where they had just been sparring.
The Ancient winced at the loud thunder, hands coming up to cover his ears until it passed. When it did, he looked up to see Tal approaching. Taking the offered hand, Edmund removed his own from his ears and stood. "Truce." He agreed, grimacing as he spoke loud enough to be heard.
Thankfully, his own ears settled soon enough, and he sighed heavily with relief. "Are you alright?"
Tal realized the issue with their hearing as well and scowled up at the clouds as they waited for the ringing in their ears to subside. When he could finally hear Edmund's question he glanced back to his guildmaster and took a moment to check himself over. Ten wiggly toes, ten fingers jammed into his pockets, two arms and legs and lungs and kidneys... yeah, that seemed to be everything. He nodded, his sour expression lightening as he realized they'd both escaped unscathed.
"Yeah, now that my ears are workin' again," he assured the other man. He started to head back the way they'd come, feeling a sudden urge to get the fuck away from the lightning that had almost gotten them both.
"So, uh, about th'shrine..." he hesitated, then cleared his throat awkwardly, wishing he could get better at this. "It's... everyone's consent is important. It's not... not a decision anyone else can make for you, y'know? If anyone says no, th'gods won't do it. So... yeah. Take some time an' think it over. If you're really not comfortable with it, then y'can tell me an' that'll be it. No hard feelings. If you're okay with it, for yourself, or at least not bothered by it, then... yeah." He drew a deep breath and let it out in big sigh, hoping he'd gotten most of it out right. "But I think it's gotta be a yes or no from you, not just what everyone else goes along with. Just... think it over, please? Y'can always send me a letter later with your decision."
Edmund's tail flicked anxiously as they walked, falling silent as Tal gently pried for a solid answer. The concept that his consent was important in the creation of a shrine belonging to a deity that wasn't his own was baffling. It was touching, reassuring, and softened his shoulders, but the sentiment was nonetheless confusing.
Letting out a long sigh, the Ancient eyed the sky for a moment as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "Thank you. I do truly appreciate you asking." His guildmate had been honest with him, so Edmund strived to do the same, "Your argument is logical, and people do visit the Grounds who aren't Mother's."
He restlessly bit his lip, a fang nearly drawing blood, "However, a large part of me hates the idea of it. The Grounds are becoming Mother's, and I hope that that continues." Edmund glanced at Tal with a frown, "Allowing another god's shrine to be built almost feels like an invasion of territory."
He managed to shut up when he was done and stay shut up while Edmund thought about what he'd said, which was a minor miracle in and of itself. He kept stealing glances over at his guildmate while the walked, however, trying to figure out what was going through his head, at least until the other man started putting his thoughts into words.
There was no rain on the Levinsward, but the dark clouds in the sky made it feel like it was almost night time, even though it was only mid-afternoon. And even though he wasn't getting the warning tingle of a lightning strike, he couldn't quite stop the itch between his shoulder blades. Edmund started out good, and Tal nodded at the thanks, but he could feel the 'but' coming and he braced himself as best he could while keeping his feet moving.
Although the 'but' wasn't quite what he'd expected, and the courier's nose wrinkled in confusion. "Isn't she like Caido, though? Like... like god-Caido, not world-Caido," he tried to clarify. "Isn't everywhere pretty much hers as much as its his?" He hesitated a moment, chewing his own lip before looking back to Edmund with a thoughtful furrow beetling his dark brows. "If you're worried about it, though, I mean... can't we try t'ask her if she's okay with it?"
