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Character of the Season
Frail in body but dangerously quick of mind, Nikandr is the sort of character who proves that curiosity can be just as perilous as any weapon. A necromancer, inventor, and problem-solver with more ambition than self-preservation, Niki approaches the world like a puzzle box begging to be opened, even when what’s inside has teeth. Blunt, dry-witted, fiercely independent, and carrying a history best left partially buried, he has a knack for making even failure feel fascinating. Whether he’s raising the dead, moving across Caido to King's End, or experiencing a hangover for the first time, Nikandr brings a wonderfully strange spark to Caido, and we can’t wait to see what trouble his brilliant mind wanders into next.
Congratulations, Niki!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
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12-19-2024, 01:15 PM (This post was last modified: 12-27-2024, 02:58 PM by Safrin.)
KOA
Perhaps it is poor form to come see Safrin after a festival for Ludo, but Koa feels no guilt. He is tired, so terribly tired: drained by sorrow and relief, by the strain of trying to forge a path forward when the road keeps shifting beneath his feet. The young man yearns for the soft glow of moonlight, to leave his troubles in the shadows of stars.
It has been too long since he visited his goddess.
He brings a candle he bought in the village below, pure white wax with golden galaxies inlaid upon its side. Pipsqueak lights it with a puff of flame, trilling with pleasure and curling around it, the bright light reflected in her slitted eyes. Smiling fondly, Koa scratches the top of her head as he kneels before the altar, head bowed in respectful reverence. "Safrin, my Lady, I have completed the tasks you set for me."
Koa is turning in the quest he received here, to upgrade his boxing wraps: something so clear
The shrine seemed to hold its breath as Koa’s words faded into the stillness. Then, with the faintest hum, the candlelight caught and expanded, the golden galaxies inlaid upon the wax springing to life. The light swirled upward, coalescing into the soft glow of starlight. The scent of lavender and moonflower filled the air, delicate and intoxicating.
"Koa," Safrin’s voice purred through the sanctuary, a warm and melodic greeting that seemed to resonate in his very bones. She emerged from the glow, her gown an endless tapestry of constellations, shifting with each step. Her dark curls framed a face alight with an indulgent smile, her galactic eyes alight with something between amusement and fondness. "What an evening you've had," she said, her gaze sweeping over him, lingering just a moment longer than strictly necessary. The candle and its delicate galaxy design caught her eye, and she moved gracefully to stand before it, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns. "Such a thoughtful gift, but then...you always do know how to make me feel special."
She turned back to him, her expression softening as she stepped closer. "And you’ve completed the tasks I set for you, but..." she murmured, her tone rich with approval even as it faded awy. Her fingers brushed his cheek lightly, a touch that seemed to carry both starlight and warmth. Safrin’s smile turned sly as she circled him slowly, her presence magnetic. "Look at you," she said, her voice low and concerned. "Tired. Worn down. Have you been giving too much of yourself to others again?"
The hum of his name from her ruby lips is as soothing as any autumn breeze, wrapping around the weary young man with a warmth that eases tension and quells riotous thoughts. "You are special," comes the automatic reply, firelight reflected in ardent copper eyes as Koa tracks his goddess's movements, a flush of pride blooming in him at the reception of his gift. "Though no candle can hope to compare with the beauty of your starlight, my Lady."
He leans into the touch, brief as it is, her fingers electric on his stubbled cheek. But then she is gone, circling around him as he kneels, and Koa has the distinct impression of being observed, inspected and discerned by keen, unflinching eyes. Not wanting to disappoint or come up short, the young man tries to guard his fractured heart with a smile and a self-deprecating laugh; "I'm afraid I've been rather selfish, actually. Focusing too much on my own problems, and ignoring the threat facing us all." A threat which loomed untouchable in the Tower, which glowed violet on the horizon of the sea. A threat speaking words into his mind without his permission.
A threat which had seen Flora killed.
"But I am determined to change that." Koa lifts his head up, setting his jaw. "I have... plans. To make a difference, in whatever way I can."
Let me go, I don't wanna be your hero I don't wanna be a big man Just wanna fight with everyone else
Safrin’s gaze softened as she circled back to him, her steps deliberate and graceful, as if the stars themselves had woven the fabric of her movements. She knelt before Koa, her galactic eyes holding his with an intensity that was both tender and unyielding. “A star,” she began, her voice a soothing murmur that wrapped around him like silk, “must first learn to shine brightly on its own before it can guide others.” Her fingers found his chin, tilting it gently upward so that he met her gaze fully. “You are no different, Koa. The burdens you carry, the plans you make—they are heavy, yes. But a star shines brightest after the weight of its own creation. Remember that.”
With an almost imperceptible motion, she leaned forward, her arms wrapping around him in a gentle embrace. The warmth of her touch was unlike any mortal’s, suffused with the comfort of the heavens themselves. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, the touch lingering with a sense of promise and quiet strength. Leaning back, her hands rested lightly on his shoulders. Her smile was radiant, tinged with a fondness that seemed to seep into the very air around them. “I am always with you, my brave one,” she murmured. “Watching, guiding, only a prayer away. You are never alone.”
Her eyes lingered on him, her gaze dropping briefly to his lips, a fleeting moment that sent a pulse of starlight through the space between them. It was enough to leave his breath catching, his heart pounding. But as swiftly as the moment came, she began to fade, her form dissolving into the ethereal light that had birthed her presence. “I will be watching, her voice echoed as her arms vanished from around him, leaving behind the scent of lavender and the faint warmth of her embrace. And then, she was gone.
