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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.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
Zen glanced over at the question, seeing that the hybrid’s eyes were on the night sky and not himself. Did he have a favorite constellation? The Demi-god thought for a moment, mind going over the stories that he’d been told that aligned with each of the starry constructs. He’d memorized as many as he could, wanting to know all that he could about his mother’s domain.
There were a few that had always stood out to him. The ones with stories of greatness and power. Of retribution and deserved ends. There were a few that were dear to his mother as well, and so they were dear to him, too. The Warrior was one, as he had apparently been an individual who served his mother. Draco was another. The power and grace of a dragon, Caido’s most sacred creature. Zen pointed at each in the sky, pausing in between to make sure that the man beside him had enough time to recognize each.
Sah’s eyes fell on the two constellations and he let out a hum. “Good choices. Mine is Lupus, the wolf.” Pointing out the constellation, he traced it in the air. A quiet huff of laughter left him, “Probably a predictable choice, but I like it.” The Wild Thunder knew he was predictable in some ways. His love of wolves and his love of sweets were well known to his friends and family. But he didn’t see anything wrong in finding joy in small things.
The hybrid’s eyes narrowed as a different purple hue caught his attention. On the ridge opposite the shrine and just within sight was a void luxere. The tainted creature watched the small group stargazing for a moment, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of attacking.
Sah straightened, lightning crackling under his skin and ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Fortunately, or not, the creature was well out of the range of his magic. Frog let out a small growl from where he sat perched on the Wild Thunder. Pad and Lilly followed suit.
Zen noticed the shift in the hybrid and his eyes snapped over, catching sight of the creature. He began to slowly shift, getting ready to stand and fight. If he were being honest, the Demi-god was wary. The Wild Thunder was powerful, but Zen had never been in a life-or-death situation before. The attempted mugging in Torchline hardly counted.
He had his tiger shift but biting the luxere would likely harm him just as much as the creature. And the only weapon he had on him was a knife. Still, he had to do something. It was a void-tainted monstrosity. He couldn’t let it live. It was an abomination.
Sah reached over and grabbed Zen’s arm before he could fully stand. “Wait. I hate to say it, but it’s better if we don’t engage it if we can help it.” The words made him grimace, bile in his throat. But his resolve strengthened as he noticed that Frog was trembling slightly. His poor pup.
“I can kill it, but I don’t want the wolves to get caught up in the fight. And..” Sah paused, scanning the Demi-god, “I don’t know what your abilities are, but I don’t see any weapons capable of taking down a luxere on you.” Also, if the Demi-god was as new to Caido as he suspected, he likely didn’t have the magical stamina to face a void luxere alone.
Zen’s face twisted into a scowl, and he studied Sah’s face for a long moment before finally nodding. He knew that Sah was right, and it was clear that the hybrid hated the concept of staying put as much as he did. Even if he wished to argue, the void luxere seemed to have grown bored of watching them. It went over the side of the ridge, vanishing into the tundra.
He let out a deep, silent sigh and settled back down, giving Lilly an apologetic pat for disturbing her spot. Glancing at the trembling shadowfang, the shrine, and finally the stars, the Demi-god nodded. Zen caught Sah’s eye and tilted his head towards the Citadel.
Lilly happily accepted the Demi-god’s apology, rolling her shoulders to make sure that he got all the best spots. Sah meanwhile, smiled softly as Zen finally relented, indicating that he was ready to leave. His glance at Frog while he made his choice wasn’t lost on the hybrid. After gently nudging Pad into getting up, Sah stood with Frog in one arm. With the other, the hybrid dusted the snow off of his pants. “We should get some hot chocolate when we get back. My treat.”
He hummed in thought as Zen readied himself to leave, "Did you set yourself up with an inn for the night?" With how late it was, Sah wasn't sure if any were still open. If he knocked on the door, however, one would surely set up a spot for the Demi-god. No Halovian would let an innocent traveler freeze if they could help it.
As Lilly stood, Zen followed suit. He pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders as he nodded at Sah’s offer. He’d yet to have hot chocolate, but it was certainly something that he was open to trying.
The notion of accommodations gave him pause, and the Demi-god found himself blinking owlishly. After a moment, he shook his head, glancing at the Citadel sheepishly. He hadn't considered housing at all, too focused on getting away from the crowd and out to where the stars were. Zen bit the inside of his mouth, irritated at his own foolishness. He'd known that the snowy region was cold and that hypothermia was a risk, but the knowledge was in the theoretical sense, as was most of his understanding of the world. His mother had ensured that he had the worldly knowledge to survive but the reality of it all was still so new.
Sah snorted out a laugh at the Demi-god’s expression. “I’ll take that as a no. Come on. We’ll get that sorted away too.” It was fascinating how similar to Outlanders new Demi-gods or aged-up children sometimes were. They at least understood how Caido worked but it was almost as if they’d simply read about it in a book. Well, technically for Safrin’s kids, it was watching the world from the stars.
It was slightly endearing, if not concerning too. The hybrid was relieved to have found Zen and not bypassed the Demi-god on his way home. Safrin’s son likely would have found his way, but his night may have been far more troublesome without the added provisions that the hybrid had given him. The hybrid began to lead them home, Frog still in his arms and Lilly walking at his side. Pad went on ahead, scouting the area before doubling back, only to do it again. They were all still on edge from the void luxere spotting but thankfully, the creature seemed to have moved on.
Zen followed Sah as they made their way through the tundra. The hybrid never hesitated once along his path, clearly familiar with the terrain around them. The Demi-god made sure to place his feet where Sah’s had been, not wanting to trip on hidden debris in the snow. It was fascinating to see the silver she-wolf navigating with just as much ease as her bonded and Zen could hardly make out Pad in the distance, the dark wolf blending into the night sky. Frog was entirely invisible apart from the white eyes that watched Zen from over the Wild Thunder’s shoulder.
The Citadel began to be visible in the distance and it seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. Lilly’s ears perked up and the Demi-god wondered if she could hear the people within already.
Sah let himself finally relax once home was in sight. He glanced back at Zen with a reassuring smile, “Almost there. Have you ever had hot chocolate before?” If this Demi-god was as new to Caido as he suspected, the answer was probably no. He vaguely wondered what it was like to have so little life experience, but a lifetime of practical knowledge tucked into your head if that was truly how it worked. The juxtaposition of the two was probably headache-inducing at times.
The duo entered the Citadel and Sah led them to a small cafe that was often open late. The guards at the gate gave them little notice once they recognized Sah. Sure enough, the little shop was open. Holding the door open, he nodded for Zen to follow him. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
