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!
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.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
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.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
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.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
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'?"
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
Maea would argue that there were more limitations to magic than imagination, and Thala was bound to discover that for herself in due time. As Ancients there were limits to what they could learn, and while Maea didn't know the scope and nature of their abilities yet, she already chafed against them.
But for the purpose of the game the answer was good enough, so she only nodded. "I think it's bullshit. If there exists a higher purpose in this world, it includes the gods too - and I have seen nothing that indicate they ever do anything except what they want." Fickle and fancyfull, they may pull the reins of mortals in a way that mimicked destiny or fate, but the way Maea saw it they were really only skilled manipulators. Powerful, certainly, and perhaps Caido and Dygra were different... but she doubted it.
"Whst do you relate to... home?" She let Thalassa pick the path for a change. Who knew, maybe the Woods were more favorably inclined towards a newcomer.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Maea's assessment of destiny made Thal want to laugh. Although she had shown deference to Ludo at the shrine, she obviously didn't have a positive view of the gods and their attitudes. Thal agreed completely despite her limited interactions (that being none) up to this point. But could she blame them? If she had a cosmic amount of power, would she use it for anything other than her own entertainment? With no one to rival her, who would keep her actions in check? She settled on nodding her head in understanding while shrugging her shoulders to acknowledge the reasoning for the gods' behaviors.
The next word offered by Maea caused Thal to stutter slightly in her steps, but she recovered quickly, continuing to glance at her feet to avoid gazing into the pools. Smiling to cover her discomfort, she threw out her hands. "The entire ocean is my home!" A laugh escaped that sounded pained even to her ears. The only thing that had ever felt certain to her since her awakening was the calling of the ocean. She had taken that as a sign to claim The Marauder and set sail. Her heart didn't ache as much when she was afloat in the middle of open waters. However, it still never embodied the concept of "home." She had yet to find out what that word truly meant.
Brushing off the discomfort, Thal blurted her own question, "What about 'void'?" Another image in the ripples of a nearby pool tempted her eyes. Still overwhelmed by the emotions the last word had evoked, she squeezed her eyes shut against the stimulation before plastering a big smile on her face and looking back to Maea.
Waking from the dream Witnessing the smoke that's rolling in
"The ocean, you say? You might enjoy Jack Tar Landing, then. It's small, but still a proper harbor town in the southern part of the Grounds." Cocking her head with some curiosity, she wondered how a seafarer had wound up this far inland. Did it have anything to do with the curse?
The mention of Void drew a light frown onto Maea's brow. "Problematic," was her reflection on the word. And because she was a Loreseeker with the curiosity of a cat, she couldn't resist veering slightly off topic. "Have you encountered any infected creatures? Or for that matter, any strange people worth noting? I'm in the process of gathering information on the subject... Any observations you have made would be helpful."
The end is what you fear The scent of embers lingers in the air
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
"I'll take note of that. It may be the first place I go considering how much I miss the ocean." She wanted to laugh but couldn't find enough energy to do more than smile again. Taking Maea's response as a distraction, Thal shook the tension from her shoulders, still remembering to steer clear from the edge of the pools. Rumors of the Void creatures had reached her vessel. They often dominated discussions when docking in port. However, she herself had experienced no interactions with the infected beings.
"Although it may not help your observations, I'm happy to say that I've had no encounters with anything of the sort." The mention of "strange people" triggered a memory despite her words. Nothing other than instinct seemed to hint at their guilt and she chose to push the suggestion to the depths of her mind. Instead, Thal attempted to turn the question back on Maea. "Why? Have the infections spread to people?" The thought gave her some anxiety, but she tried to stay light while discussing the topic.
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
Nodding her encouragement at the woman's plans, Maea was pleased that the suggestion fell on ggood ears. Her expression turned serious along with the changing topic, and for some reason she felt better than she had when trying to stay positive.
"For your sake I'm glad. They're unpleasant." An understatement, that, but it was difficult to described the Void in a way that made more sense. Frowning softly in thought, she wiggled a hand uncertainly at the return question.
"It's possible," Maea said slowly, "or it may be that some people are the source of it. Remi - Ludo's demigod - encountered a woman right after the meteor crashed into Torchline. She almost killed him, and had peculiar skills that didn't seem to behave the way one would expect if they stemmed from our gods. It is possible - even probable - that she isn't alone."
Absently rubbing a spot behind one of the horns, Maea wished she had more information to share. Wished she knew more overall. "Just... be careful around strangers, yeah? I know that's a lot to ask for, coming from me, but it might be worth keeping in mind. It's drawing up to bad weather in the world again..." A term she'd heard often enough in Torchline seemed rather fitting considering Thalassa's fondness for the sea.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Thal watched Maea puzzle around the possibilities of the Void and this mystery person. Her serious expression concerned Thal. It seemed the situation was more dire than she knew, especially as she heard the Torchline phrase. A distinct chill ran up her arms and her hands did little to warm them. Giving a forced smile, she nodded. "I appreciate the warning."
Despite her attempt to lead her mind elsewhere, wicked thoughts continued to circulate. Would it be safer to side with Maea or this woman who almost killed a demigod? On one hand, she wanted to join Maea with the other Ancients, trying to build a home. Maybe she would settle near Jack Tar Landing. Perhaps she could come to terms with what she has become. However, the familiar doubt flooded her, making her balk at the idea of making more than shallow connections with people. The idea of letting someone in. It was easier to think about aligning herself with souls darker than her own. A sick thrill of sewing chaos and destruction. Of being feared.
Putting her ruinous reflections back in their tidy corner, Thal looked back at Maea, realizing that she had been staring into the dark sky by her feet. The pool of liquid tugged at her, but she refused to look away again. "I guess my question is: How do you know who to trust? With all the uncertainties surrounding the Void and this woman, how do you know that the people you meet aren't already working for her? How do you know I'm not?" The moment she said it, she knew that Maea could easily take it as an admission of guilt when she had none. Thal stumbled over her next words, hoping to correct that mistake. "Are there signs? How do you know this woman is even related to the Void and not just a violent person?" As the questions tumbled from her lips, she felt her volume and anxiety rising. The topic seemed to bother her, bringing forth so many doubts about the current state of the world - and her psyche.
Fool me once, fool me twice Are you death or paradise?
Stopping before the grass covered edge of a pool when Thala did, Maea's attention remained focused on the woman. The scrutiny of her soft lavender eyes implied that she indeed considered the woman's words, perhaps even doubted her companion for a moment. But in the end, her smile returned, dry and riddled with irony.
"But would a person of such legendary strength really be whining to the gods over a simple curse? Would someone who had allied with such forces still even have a need for our gods?" Rhetorical questions both, and Maea splayed her hands out in a shrug that illustrated her lack of answers.
"In regards to the woman, she was first encountered at the same time as the Void creatures were observed, and Remi fought her on the Starfall isle, where only Void tainted things could be seen. Her connection to the taint is a reasonable assumption." Admittedly not solid proof, Maea would have to admit, but the coincidence was too much to overlook.
"When it comes to knowing who I can trust..." Again that wry smile appeared, and she met Thalassa's gaze with calm confidence. "I don't. So my options are to trust everyone, or no one. And I can either hide away in a dark room somewhere and wait for this storm to pass... or I can try my best to do something about it, and hope that it at least is enough to protect the ones I care about. What you choose to do is obviously up to you... I find the Void unpleasant, as I said. That's reason enough for me to want it gone."
Did she trust Thalassa, a person she had just met who had been acting weird by a shrine to her most favored god? Well now, wasn't that an excellent question.
Now you'll never see me cry
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Maea made all good points and Thal could do nothing except shrug her shoulders in acceptance. If her strange mood swings and volatile behavior didn't scare Maea away, she felt much more comfortable with their connection. It definitely made her more inclined to trust her.
As the Ancient continued to speak facts, Thal considered all angles of the situation. Although the prospect of a group of evil people being related to the spread of infected plants and animals was worrisome, it didn't seem as daunting when she knew that people like Maea were working against them. Was she a good enough person to think that she could also make a difference? Would her assistance even be a drop against the flames of chaos brewing around them? And what would be her true motivation if she didn't have anyone to protect? All these thoughts were valid concerns to her, but Thal knew that they would eventually be answered one way or another. In the meantime, she hoped to further understand Maea.
"Your words reassure me more than you can imagine." Despite the slight flatness to her tone, the echo of her comment seemed to hang in the air, making Thal glance around. At first, their surroundings don't appear to have changed. Then the miniscule differences began to reveal themselves. The night sky at their feet brightened. It wasn't a sunrise, but the appearance of the full moon within the pool of water. The moonlight illuminated the way the trees no longer looked identical to the previous and the puddles were less frequent, only speckling the path ahead. She could feel a weight lift from her mind. Whether it was the optimistic conversation or the release of magic, she couldn't say for sure, however, with a genuine smile, Thal looked forward. "Let us just hope that kind sentiments and faith are enough to defeat whatever unholy beings have decided to unleash themselves. If a demigod can't even do anything against this woman, we have to figure out what can."
Looking back to Maea, she sighed loudly. "All things to think about once we're in the Hollowed Lands." Thal started walking through the thinning trees, confident that the exit was close.
