From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
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!
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Lena’s parents had been hardy and steadfast, but strict in their regime. But both girls had grown and blossomed under their care, perhaps, if one was certain never to step out of line. She’d followed their devout lines of thinking while still veering away into other realms of possibility, never joining the Order, but unfurling her tenderness and benevolence rather than the heaps of hatred upon others. Sera had built and prospered, until finally she could no longer do so – and her parents had grown even more tired, even more cold. Maybe that was why the Caretaker always sought the light, the good, and the warmth, so willing to extend it to others.
But it seemed there was a community already striving for the youngsters, and she gave a long breath of relief. “Well, at least there’s some guidance then,” she smiled, shrugging her shoulders to be rid of something ominous threatening to unfurl over the breadth of them. Her eyes watched Mittens for a moment, certain to keep a mindset upon her companion as it twirled around and upside down; perhaps the sugar rush had taken affect. She hadn’t expected the next question, but her gaze drifted back to his, on an airy sentiment of laughter. “Yes. I just stayed there after the apartments and the Tower came down,” saying no more on other things she’d lost in the ambush. Her fingers brushed over the bag of gummies, ceasing the intake for a moment. “Seemed easier.”
At least she’d apprised some humor in the following of orders and mucking, grinning again, resisting other emotions. “I should hope so anyway,” for the sake of the animals. “We have some dangerous creatures in there that you can’t be foolish around,” and she winked, but spoke the truth regardless.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
It was good to see the smile return to Lena's face, relief evident at the children's level of care. "Even so, they could always use more," he said kindly, an invitation should she ever choose to see their situation for herself. His gaze followed hers back to the antics of the trio as they began to merge their playing, Aiden's molten tiger terrorizing Ava's frost fox while Mittens floated above their heads. The sight was comical and he grinned in amusement, waiting cautiously for the fighting to start. They probably had a few more minutes before things devolved into sibling violence.
Zavien tried to imagine getting to live amongst the healing flora and fauna, never having to be alone. It sounded relaxing, but he couldn't imagine the emotions surrounding the difficult circumstances. He also wondered about the comfort. Did she sleep in a bed of grass or cuddling with a wounded unicorn? Was there modern plumbing? Do the visitors bother her? He didn't think she'd appreciate the bombardment of inquisitions, so he settled on asking the broader question. "Do you like it? Getting to live in the Celestine?"
Lena's wink had Zavien laughing again, his eyes crinkling with his large smile. "It's a good thing that animals like me." His tongue peaked out between his teeth in a playful smile and a returning wink. Animals often trusted to him, somehow not intimidated by his size and seeing straight through to his soft interior. Whether it was a stray kitten or wounded bird, they found refuge in his solid embrace. Unconcerned with the danger level, he mocked uncertainty and asked, "Just out of curiosity... what kinds of dangerous creatures?" A bright gleam still sparkled in his eye with excitement that he couldn't quite hide.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
She wasn’t certain how much more she had left in her, to extend her reaches so outward until there were multitudes of burdens across her shoulders and no relief, but she sighed a little, took in the silly, but somewhat peaceful and serene, scene. “They’ll be safe and secure in the Celestine,” was a promise; for the education and sagacity she could provide them, at the very least.
The Caretaker made no mention of loneliness, of sometimes feeling away and lost, of striving and faltering – they’d all seen enough of that recently. “I do. It’s peaceful.” For the most part, and she wouldn’t have to drudge up horrific memories of her sister crumbling beneath stones and towers; she made so with what she had, and not many bothered her unless necessary. Working to elude more factions and tensions had probably never been a grand idea, but it was all she had at present. “Do you live in the barracks?” Turning the notions back around on him, with a keen and tilted head; imagining the soldiers all presiding together, amongst and amidst protective walls.
Her fingers glided and shifted the bag of gummies closed, intending to save the rest for later. A light air of laughter flowed from her chest again at the insinuations, but she kept forging onward. “Oh, we have ursurs…dragons that come and go frequently…sometimes ghost whales…”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Concerned that he may have overstepped, Zavien ran his hand through his hair and smiled sheepishly. "Of course. I have no doubt about that." He had full faith that Lena would take care of them within the Celestine. She was the expert after all. It would be a welcome reprieve for all of them and maybe one day, if her curiosity ever got the better of her, he might find her visiting the neighborhood.
He further considered her living situation, wondering if she ever missed the proximity of civilization. When she asked about his own arrangements, he thought of the rundown one room townhome just down the street with considerable fondness. "Nah. I only just joined the Dragoons and I'm used to having my own space. I actually live near here. It's nothing grand, but it's home." Pausing, Zavien decided to extend the same offer he did everyone else. "You're always welcome to come by. I know you have your own place, but if you ever get lonely, my door is open to everyone." His smile was genuine, if not a little embarrassed, but he remembered how content he felt when Hawthorn stayed with him. It filled his home with life and friendship, putting it one step closer to the safe haven he always dreamed it would be.
Watching Lena set aside her snack, Zavien realized he'd completely neglected his own - not that he cared much at the moment. He closed the bag all the same, listening to her comfortable laughter and description of her wards. His eyes opened wide as he heard the list. "Ghost whales?! Really?! How do they fit in the Celestine?" He wasn't as good at containing his excitement this time around, his voice rising slightly as he shifted to face her more fully.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
She missed many things; but her occupation, disappearing friends, the void situation, and Stormbreak kept her busy. Days like these were rare, uncertain, precarious, and likely needed for her to remain calm, placid, and compassionate, in the same sunny disposition without falling apart at the seams.
So she listened while he described his own home – not amongst the Dragoons but gathered along streets, where neighbors watched over one another and communities were held together not by wrath or threats, but support. The Caretaker smiled again, something more serene, hands grasping at the end of the bench as she leaned over, checking her plants and wares. She paused at his offer, because it was sweet and it’d been a long while since anyone had extended something likewise (perhaps Sohalia), so her gaze flicked back to him, the grin thereafter tranquil. “That would be nice, thank you. If I find some time,” and she wrinkled her nose, not the kind of individual to drop in unannounced.
His surprise at the ghost whales ensured another round of her amusement, arms widening to illustrate an upcoming description. “Frey made it so the enclosures provide everything they need for shelter,” hands apart to demonstrate. “We have some for sea animals, those who thrive in the forest, desert, and so on.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Although she agreed, he could hear the hesitation in her voice. "Of course! Don't be a stranger." His smile was warm and welcoming, hoping that Lena trusted him enough one day to lean on him in times of need. He may not have immense strength or god-level abilities, but he always helped people in need, most of all his friends. Zavien would be honored if she ever took him up on the offer.
It made him think about his mom's hopes for him to form a close circle of friends who became like a substitute family. Letting the thought linger, he said to her as a persuasive point, "It would help my mom rest peacefully knowing that people are checking in on me." The grin is playful yet genuine, imagining his mom's contentment in the afterlife as she watched friends take refuge in his home. She would have liked the Attuned.
Lena's arm gestures make him laugh and lean forward with rapt attention. "Wow! Frey really thought of everything! How many creatures can it hold?" He'd been in the Celestine, but apparently there was a lot more he had to learn about the place and its unique characteristics. It made him wonder more about the herald and how they'd built such a place. "Have you ever met them?" It was another question of curiosity that he couldn't withhold. There was so much he still had to learn!
The commotion of Zavien and Lena didn't distract the twins from their own fantasies, however, their patience with each other was starting to wear thin and he kept their activities in his peripheral in case he needed to intervene.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Never yearning to be a burden in any capacity, Lena found it difficult to lean upon many for much support – tending to bottle it away in her chest, work, or distract rather than pay credence to any trauma. So she smiled nonetheless, giving nothing away, glancing at the children nearby and Mittens still occupying itself within the constructs of its own making; now rotating over and over again like a Ferris wheel.
He snagged her attention again at the comment about his mother, smile sliding into something akin to quiet serenity. “It sounds as though you’ve built yourself quite a support system,” she winked, not begrudging him a thing. Even in loss, to find avenues and pathways to ensure one wasn’t always lost held significant value.
Frey was easier to discuss anyway. “I’ve never known it to hit a max capacity. Animals come and go all the time.” When they were mended and healed, when they were wounded and broken, cycling back through be soothed, assuaged, and sent from whence they came. “And yes. Frey appointed me as the Caretaker.” That instilled a beaming sense of pride and a widened grin, but rather than look boastful, she took it as a responsibility, a merit, of the god’s genuine and grand graces.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Lena's wink had him laughing again. "Not nearly as large as I hope it to be one day, but it's slowly growing. It's nice to know that there are still good people in the world." Despite the infection of literal liquid evil attempting to consume their world and the cruel people behind it, he'd found that there were still pockets of communities and friends who did their best to spread happiness instead. Zavien didn't know if it would be enough, or what sacrifices might have to be made, but he was willing to heed the call whenever and however it came. He wasn't naive enough to delude himself regarding his weakness. The Feverlands had made that abundantly clear to him. He just hoped he had adequate strength to protect all the new connections that meant so much to him.
Ridding himself of the dark anxiety and doubt, he returned to the exciting topic of the Celestine. "That's really incredible! I can only imagine the creature's you've seen and cared for." The fact that they felt so comfortable seeking out the refuge when they were at their most vulnerable said a lot about the facility as well as the staff, so Zavien chuckled at Lena's simple explanation of Frey's decision. "Well, of course! Why wouldn't they? You're the perfect person for the job." It may have been a small amount of flattery, but Zavien meant every word. She obviously took pride in her position and each statement allowed him to glimpse the passion she had for protecting and healing the animals. He really couldn't picture her doing anything else. "In fact, I would go as far to say that Frey would have been a fool to not pick you." The playful comment had him winking again with another chuckle.
At this point, the kids were on a sugar high, chasing each other around the space. They were dodging around the basket in an attempt to tag the other 'dead.' Zavien just smiled and shook his head. As long as they weren't actually trying to kill each other, he wasn't too concerned.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
“We can’t let one leader dictate it for the rest of us,” she mused, eyes wandering again. There were implications there too – of a time well before Dahlia or Sohalia, where Stormbreak had been the epicenter of so many other things, like hatred and animosity, instilled in faith and tradition. “And this can’t last forever.” The multitudes before hadn’t – from plagues to the Ascended to…everything else notched and nettled in between.
As for creatures, there’d been plenty, some fresh and unfamiliar and foreign, some habitual and known what seemed like lifetimes. “And it’s constantly changing, so anytime you come to the Celestine, there is bound to be something new.” At the notions that she was the perfect person for the job, she blushed and flushed a little, glancing away again to survey the scene and wonder when she might have to pull Mittens from an impending fray. “Well, thank you. I try my best.” Her parents wouldn’t have agreed with Zavien, but perhaps that didn’t matter, given how they’d craved for her to follow in Sera’s footsteps amidst the Order. “Do you enjoy working with the Dragoons?”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Zavien couldn't agree more with her words. One leader wouldn't bring down Stormbreak and its fighting spirit. So long as they kept hope and trusted one another, he had faith that they would weather this storm. With a warm smile, he nodded his head in consensus. "Stormbreak will survive. The only question is how much will change during that time." Even when they end up on the other side of all this, who know what landmarks may have been altered or who might not be alive to see it...
His eyes lost focus as he imagined the assortment of creatures flowing in and out of the Celestine. Unless he stayed there himself to observe every moment, he was scared he might miss something amazing and once in a lifetime. A wonderous look brightened his face and he looked to Lena again. "I guess I'll have to come visit more than I thought! Will you let me know if anything especially unique appears? I would love to help in their recovery." The sentiment was genuine as he thought about how many of the animals were limited in their numbers. He would hate for their species to disappear due to curable ailments.
The question gave Zavien pause and he watched the twins for another moment, their quarrel forgotten in a fit of laughter over something Mittens had done. With an amused smile, he said, "I suppose so? I'd dreamed of joining for so long that I'm not sure anything could really live up to my expectations, however, the people I've met so far are great. Koa and Anju are both capable and strong. I hope to learn a lot from them." He gave her another smile, although it held a small level of uncertainty that he couldn't quite explain. His dream had come true and he was overjoyed at being able to call himself a Dragoon, helping to protect Stormbreak. Yet an inkling of wariness dampened his excitment.
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Considering how much Stormbreak had changed since the interim of Ascended, the war, and Sohalia’s attempts, Lena held out hope that perhaps Dahlia’s influence could only do so much. If they weren’t willing to go along with the changes, whatever they happened to be, maybe the floating isle could withstand another round of chaos and bedlam; but she still wouldn’t wish it on any of her fellow citizens.
Instead of veering off into a grim remark, she tilted her head again, listening as the Dragoon remarked upon uniqueness and explorations of the Celestine. “I can try,” she gave in honesty – sometimes the shifts in animals were quick and rapid, sometimes not at all. It all depended upon what they needed for recuperation purposes.
Mittens roared like a banshee, either entertaining the children or itself, and with Lena so used to the commotion and screeching, she didn’t even flinch, pausing to arch her brow at Zavien’s occupation instead. “They’re great. I admit I know Anju more than Koa,” as they’d been friends for a long while. She mused to herself – though not over weaponry or the ins and outs of battle. Such proportions were not in her interest, and the one time she’d held a staff had been pathetic at best. “But both are very capable. Are you going to get a dragon?”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Zavien had to accept her honesty, expecting nothing less from the woman. He would have been more disappointed if she made a promise she couldn’t keep. Grinning with satisfaction, he simply said, ”That’s all I can ask.” It would just depend on her availability and what creatures happened to visit the Celestine.
At the banshee war cry, Zavien looked to the commotion in concern, but the kids just squealed in glee at the snowball’s antics. Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued their conversation about the Dragoons. ”Anju is a little more intimidating than Koa, but they’re good people.” He gave her a warm smile at the slight underselling of the Captain’s initial impression. Although she may have a strong presence, it helped to know that the leaders wanted the best for Caido.
His eyes lit up at the mention of dragons and he blushed at his own excitement. ”I would be honored if a dragon chose to bond with me, but I don’t want to force it. If the gods will it, then I will be more than grateful.” In fact, he’d already imagined all the possibilities his own dragon could be like. Maybe it would be big or small? Maybe it would be blue or yellow? Smart? Kind? Fast? Strong? Old? Young? Any combination would be beyond his wildest dreams! Looking sheepishly at Lena, he asked, ”Does that sound strange?”
