Perhaps the closest equivalent of Caido’s golden retriever energy, Zavien has been the light in an otherwise patch of darkness. Always putting others first, working hard at being a Dragoon and helping Stormbreak thrive in kindness, and always being optimistic, Zavien’s outlook is refreshing and wonderful even with drama and terrible things occurring around him. He always has something helpful to say and a willingness to lend a hand that makes it so fun to keep up with him and we can’t wait to see what else comes his way.
Congratulations, Zavien!
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!
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
Attempting to walk in a straight line through the Greatwood was an exercise in futility. The two travelers soon experienced that for themselves first hand. While they seemed to be headed in a general southward direction, a moment of inattention was all it took for their feet to begin veering off the path. Maea had been confident in her ability to return, because she hadn't experienced any difficulties in these woods since her first disastrous visit - only taking a portal to Halo har saved her that time - but with every twist and turn of the path her confidence were on the downturn.
Swept into a brooding silence, she walked a step ahead of Thalassa and tried to keep the sun on her shoulder, when it was visible at all. Ever since the visit to Ludo's shrine she had carried a dull ache inside, and for the longest time it was all she could think about. Even when the Forest opened up and strange pools of water began dotting the area, she could summon no real enthusiasm or even mild curiosity.
At this point, it was just another proof that she had no idea what she was doing.
Thal hadn't believed the rumors surrounding the Greatwood. What kind of forest had the power to trap its visitors? Could people really not find their way out of a grove of trees? How hard could it be?
Apparently very hard.
The trees didn't noticeably move, but she could have sworn that they had passed the same tree four times now. It didn't help when the circular pools of water appeared, seducing her with glimpses of faraway lands. Maea seemed careful and surefooted. Thal felt anything but, following close behind. If she wasn't careful, Thal was confident she would drift into the still reflections, losing herself in the fantasies. Would those lands be more welcoming to her? Would their gods be more loving? Would she be happy there?
She found that her feet had wandered away again. Clearing her throat, Thal started to hum a tune under her breath. The notes lulled her away from the temptation of her surroundings and cleared her thoughts. Surprised by the clarity, she smiled lightly before adding lyrics.
"The trees want to keep me here,
I feel the magic near.
Puddles look like portals
With motives insincere.
Aaaay~O, Aaaay~O
Just le~t me go~ ho~me."
She let the crystal ring of her words echo through the leaves, feeling the patch of sun on her shoulders as she continued to follow Maea. The crew had always said she had a pretty voice, but she never trusted those bootlickers. However, as the final notes faded, Thal had an unbiased moment to enjoy her own voice. It pulled the tension from her shoulders. Thal laughed, calling out to Maea. "You should try! Maybe we can make a game of alternating lyrics to keep us focused." There was no demeaning tone to her voice, just a desire to stay on their path out of the forest with their minds intact. And an ulterior motive to make the trees sway in the beautiful innocence of their song.
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
The suddenness of Thala's song had Maea startled. Her hand was halfway to the chakram in her belt before she realized it wasn't a cry for help, and wide eyes watched the woman with disbelief as the music echoed against the trees.
For a moment she was tempted to join in. But no words came to mind, and all melodies dried up long before reaching the throat. Shaking her head with something close to panic constricting the lungs, she declined.
"I don't sing." Technically not true; she could sing. Harper had even complimented her voice. But it somehow felt... vulnerable. Exposing. As if expressing her thoughts and dressing them in song to this stranger might equal stripping herself naked and inviting criticism.
It was not the way she wanted to be. But the desire to change was distant and difficult to grasp today; she gestured to Thalassa with a faint smile as the rounded a pool where a glistening white castle reflected light from a distant sun into her eyes. "Feel free, though. It can't hurt." Half blinded she looked away.
When she looked at Maea, she was surprised to see the dark emotions flitting across her face. Obviously, there was a deeper reason for her avoidance of singing, but Thal chose not to pry. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders casually. "Suit yourself. If singing isn't your thing, it doesn't have to be to music. We could play a rhyming game. Or word association. Or something."
Her attention was drawn back to their surroundings. A pool of nearby water portrayed a snowy landscape void of any civilization in sight while another peered into the lair of an unseen beast, only bleached bones and rattling snores alluding to its presence. Thal began to wonder if the windows were visible from the other side. Better not to find out.
Still slightly behind the other Ancient, her stride lengthened to walk next to her. Choosing to ignore the itching desire to lose herself again, she focused on Maea and their conversation. "You can't tell me you don't feel the same way I do in these woods. We're clearly not making any visible progress towards the exit." Thal narrowed her eyes and indicated to the towering trees around them. "I may not know what trickery is attempting to trap us, but I think the only way we're getting out of here is if we work together to block whatever magic this is." She looked back at Maea, secretly hoping the more experienced Ancient would say she was wrong.
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
Casting a sideways glance at Thalassa, the pale-haired Ancient shrugged lightly. "I do, but it's not much we can do about it. The Greatwood is always like this. Only the Fae or those who have lived here long enough can walk freely in these woods. Unless you can fly, we'll be let out where and when it feels like it."
Motion by her feet drew her attention to the visage of a cottage nestled into a glen. A woman walked across the yard with a pair of buckets in her hands, headed for the well. Blinking, Maea looked again; the woman was gone. The skin on her back crawled. The woman had looked awfully like herself.
"But sure. We can play. What do you associate with... magic?" Picking the first thing that came to mind, Maea turned her eyes towards the canopy instead. She wished her grasp on magic was stronger so she could burn out the water from the pools and escape the visions.
Sadly, she couldn't fly, so Thal accepted the reality of their situation with a sigh. In the meantime, she vowed to avoid peering into the pools. Their images were becoming increasingly concerning to her as they seemed more like alternate realities than rippling water. She instead looked at Maea and her ghostly figure.
"Magic"? Thal was tempted to take her time, carefully considering her relationship and understanding of the word, but decided to dedicate herself to the spirit of the game. "Endless possibilities." She took a moment to appreciate her answer and the complexity it implied. After all, magic's only limitations lie in the host's capabilities. Isn't that why gods wielded so much power?
Skirting the edge of another bank, she ignored the itch of familiarity when her peripheral spotted the mist of a cascading waterfall. Her head whipped towards Maea. "What do you think of when you hear the word 'destiny'?"
