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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!
Almost everything else was prepared. They needed only one last thing before they could begin. And so Hadama had come to the Greatwood to find it, in and amongst his various other duties, responsibilities, tasks, and quests. If he had not been able to teleport and exist on comparatively little sleep he did not know what he would have done.
But no matter. He could move around Caido swiftly enough to be in Torchline in the morning, the Hollowed Grounds in the afternoon, and the Underwater City in the evening. And the next day he could visit the Greatwood in the afternoon, as he had chosen to do today. He moved beneath the branches of the Wildwood on two legs today, having dipped into the Symphony's cooling waters to cross to the island that held the Eyes of Vi. He had not had any luck here before, but luck could change in an instant.
Both for good and for ill.
He had paused near the shoreline to stretch and unpack a small meal that he was eating while standing, surveying the island thoughtfully and trying to mark out a path he had not yet trod while he eat neatly from a bowl of rice, vegetables, and cold, shredded fish. He was easy to spot among the tall, ancient trees; the underbrush was thin here, and there was little animal movement on the ground although the branches surrounding the island rang with the joyous song of many birds.
It had been a few weeks since he'd been amongst the Eyes of Vi with Koa, and much had changed in that time. With Sol's return, his light had returned, an easiness made his movements a little less stiff and the circles under his eyes less noticeable than before. He felt at peace, and having completed his quest for Vi, there was hope in his eyes. Hope that he might actually be able to do something against the Void that grew bolder every day.
When he spotted Hadama, he gave a warm smile, watching from the corner of his eye as Sol flew over the pools of glittering portals, letting his wing tips brush the surface to make the images ripple. Stepping forward, he offered a hand of greeting, his voice relaxed. "Hadama, I'm glad I found you. There's something I've been meaning to give you." He carefully lowered his travel bag from his shoulder, doing his best not to jostle the precious item inside. As he did so, he spoke, "I know it's not much, but with my own abilities being so minimal, I had to do something to help. Deimos said you should be the one to take it." And when he finally straightened again, he held the Rose reverently before him. "Vi entrusted this to me, and I'm now entrusting it to you." His tone was encouraging despite the weight he knew his words carried. He didn't take this lightly, but it was hard to be pessimistic when he held the gold and red rose within his hands, the symbol of the gods' powers and willingness to assist them against the enemy.
It was the glitter of gold that caught emerald eyes first, and Hadama tilted his head in recognition as the small - but fierce! - dragon winged past. It was only a few moments later that he heard his name and turned to see a familiar - and welcome - face approaching. His eyes were already warm as he inclined his head to the newcomer in greeting. "Zavien. It is good to see you and Sol together again."
But then the Dragoon was making an offering and the Tidebreaker's brows rose slightly in curiosity. His interest only grew as the caveats and self-deprecations accompanied the search through the travel bag. They rose higher at the mention of Deimos, but then Zavien was rising with his hands full of crimson and green and gold. Hadama's breath caught in his throat as he looked down at the precious miracle that was so freely given, and started to reach out to touch a petal before pausing, his fingers still a few inches away.
And then he withdrew his hand. And bowed deeply to the Dragoon, honoring not merely his gift, but his selflessness in offering it to another.
"There are no thanks great enough. If there is something in my power to give... if you ever need to Channel me... you need only ask." He straightened then and reached out to gather the Rose reverently into his hands, drawing in its divine scent and finding strength in it. He finally tore his eyes away from the flower to look at Zavien, solemn in the gravity of the moment. "It will be used to help all of Caido. This I promise you." Not for a single person or region, but for them all. As Zavien likely knew from Deimos.
Smiling, he looked to Sol as the dragon entertained himself with the various images in the pools, dipping and swerving with chirps of delight. "Thanks. I can't tell you how relieved I am to have him back." It was obvious in every sign of his body, every soft tilt of his thoughts. He felt like a completely different person.
Suddenly, the Mer King was bowing and Zavien shook his head, stunned by the reaction. "Hey. Stop that." He nearly reached forward to guide the man out of the action, but then he was straightening to take the flower in his hands.
Running a sheepish hand through his hair, he mumbled a little under his breath. "It's not that big of a deal..." Although he knew that it was. It's the whole reason he'd brough it to Hadama, hoping to help with the fight against the Void. So he didn't continue along that line of thought, instead choosing to smile softly at the offers. "Thank you, but it's really unnecessary. I just ask that you let me know if there's any other way I can help." Considering how helpful it had been for his mental health to have a purpose again, Zavien was already in the market for another mission, eager to do something with his unexpected second chance.
05-07-2025, 10:14 AM (This post was last modified: 05-08-2025, 11:03 AM by Hadama.)
Hadama did not stop 'that,' but he at least did not remain prostrate for long as he measured his desire to show his appreciation of Zavien's gift with the Dragoon's discomfort with receiving it. He had come hunting a Rose today, it was true, but he had not expected to have one - quite literally - handed to him. With this, his plans with the the others were now solidified.
He said nothing to Zavien's attempt to deflect, emerald eyes resting warmly on the other man and suspecting that the Dragoon was aware of just how important this gesture was. But he did not press the issue, not wanting to bring his friend any further discomfort, either. He simply inclined his head in acknowledgment and then turned his thoughts to the request.
"Mmh. I will think on this. Perhaps you can offer advice?" He bent to carefully pack the Rose into the box he had brought for his own hunt while he spoke, making sure it was safely secured for travel. "Safrin has set me a task to use natural gravity to make something... worse. Or bad. Difficult, at least. Suggestions would be welcome."
Pleased to hear that Hadama already had something in mind, his nerves vanished, excitement making his eyes bright - until he heard what the request was. Zavien couldn't help but laugh, not at the request, but the idea that he might have any suggestions that would work. He shrugged his shoulders, smiling at the man. "I can certainly try."
His eyes followed the flower as it vanished into the box, already impressed that the Mer King was caring for it better than he had. Meanwhile, he looked about the pools of water, trying to come up with something that might be 'difficult' to do thanks to gravity. Maybe something simple that they did every day?
Zavien crossed his arms, tilting his head as he came up with the simplest of concepts. "I'd think drinking water while hanging upside down might be difficult." Even trying to do so laying down was hard, and he'd often spilled all over his face or chest when he tried. "Or walking on your hands." Not being much of an acrobat himself, he knew he'd find himself unpleasantly face first in the dirt, but he'd seen other Dragoons do it in the training areas.
Hadama was straightening as Zavien made his suggestion and the Mer King paused as the words caught him by surprise. It was only a brief hesitation before he finished rising and turned his full attention to the Dragoon, head tilted in consideration. "Mmh. Do airbreathers truly struggle with drinking water?" He had certainly never tried doing so since gaining legs on command, but as a Mer he had drunk the sea from every angle possible. Not for hydration, of course, but in the same way that humans breathed from any orientation with apparent ease.
Now he looked intrigued, and he cast about for a tree whose branches were suitably low enough to make the attempt. Finding a tree whose branches were thick enough to support them was easy. Finding one with such branches close to the ground was harder, but the slow wander through the Eyes of Vi was at least a lovely perambulation as they found what they sought.
It was an... interesting experience, getting Hadama situated upon the branch so that he could lower himself to hang from his knees, and his metallic steel hair fell in a wave below his head. From the start he did not look comfortable, and even his stoic expression was strained as he felt the blood already rushing to his head. "This is... new," he admitted, unscrewing the cap from his waterskin and attempting to take a swallow from it.
And promptly spilling water over half his face, including up his nose, as gravity pulled the liquid in the opposite direction of his throat.
Being called an 'airbreather' was a first for Zavien, and he laughed at the oddity of it, like he was the minority. "I mean, not normally, but it's not as easy as it sounds." Even drinking while walking could be hard but doing so while lying flat or upside down usually resulted in a lot of sputtering and water in places it shouldn't be. At least Hadama seemed to like the idea, already scouting for a place to give it a try.
Sol paused from his flying to land next to Zavien, their heads tilting similarly as the large man struggled to hook himself on the branch. He looked down to his dragon with a shrug of his shoulders before turning to watch again. If he were bigger or stronger, he might have tried to help him get situated, but there wasn't much he could do when Hadama had him beat in most physical categories. If anything, they'd both wind up sprawled on the ground, one of them probably injured - it wasn't exactly an experience Zavien wanted to live out.
When the Mer King finally hung upside down, he crossed his arms, a slightly amused smile on his face at the image he made hanging in a tree with his long silver hair brushing the ground. It only got funnier as the water was introduced to the equation. Zavien couldn't help the laughter, although he tried his best to muffle it with a hand. Sol chirped with delight, trotting forward to lick droplets from Hadama's face, only making the Dragoon laugh more. "Don't feel too bad. That's about as well as it usually goes." His smile was playfully crooked, encouraging the man to try again.
Hadama was willing to try the suggestion for the sake of his quest, but he quickly realized that he had gotten in over his head. It was for the best that he did not mind looking a bit - or more than a bit - foolish as he positioned himself according to Zavien's description. Confident in himself and his own power, his dignity may have mattered a great deal to him, but he trusted the Dragoon to keep his secrets.
And when he tried the recommended course of action, he learned just how bad gravity could make such a simple task.
It was simple survival instinct to sputter and cough out the water that had gone up - down? - his nose, but he cleared his sinuses and stoically pretended not to notice Zavien's laughter. At least until Sol came over to help and Hadama gave a final, small cough. "Thank you," he informed the dragon with grave solemnity before his gaze finally shifted to Zavien, who had mostly stopped laughing for the moment. There was a gleam in his emerald eyes as he gestured to the branch beside him. "Perhaps you could show me how it is done?"
Sol's tongue was rough like a cat's, all sandpaper and small barbs as he licked at Hadama's nose, then forehead, then cheeks. It wasn't until he was sure the Mer King wasn't drowning that the dragon backed away, extremely pleased with himself and the assistance he'd provided. At the thanks, he puffed his chest, giving the upside-down man a chirp of 'you're welcome' as he trotted back to Zavien's side.
The Dragoon was smiling even bigger, tilting his head as if he might be able to talk to Hadama better if they weren't flipped. He shook his head at the offer, having already decided he was not going to participate. "As an airbreather, I've had plenty of practice. I'll let you have all the fun this time." Just to prove it, he leaned against the trunk of a tree, arms crossed as he waited for the man to finish his task.
Hadama endured Sol's assistance with stoic equanimity. His skin was tough and the dragon's tongue was small enough that the sensation was not pleasant, but it was not difficult to tolerate for a short while. One could say that it was even worth it for how proud the dragonet was afterwards, and Hadama did not appear to regret his choices, even as he invited Zavien to join him in them.
The Dragoon rather wisely refused him, however, and emerald eyes gleamed with a flicker of mischief that would wait a long, patient time to be repaid. "I see." His rumble of an answer held a hint of his amusement - but also a hint of promise. Hadama repaid his debts, after all. All of them, no matter how small.
Without company in the tree branch, there was little reason to delay further. Better prepared this time for the consequences, Hadama altered how he held the waterskin and tipped it much more slowly for his drink. The water hit the roof of his mouth but he was ready for it and swallowed quickly before it could escape.
It was, indeed, far more difficult to swallow and force the water up his throat on its way to his stomach, but at least he did not choke or inhale it. He took a few more swallows for good measure, only spilling a little water in the process, and waited to make sure it had reached its destination safely before he did a crunch to pull himself up high enough to grasp the branch and unhook his legs so that he could drop lightly to the ground. "It did, indeed, make things both harder and worse," he assured Zavien solemnly, though laughter glinted in his eyes.
It was laughter that sobered a moment later as he reached for the box containing the Rose and settled it upon his back once more. His attention turned to the Dragoon as he drew himself up to his full, imposing height and inclined his head to his friend - and his companion. "In seriousness, there is something... dangerous that I would ask of you, Zavien Alexander. As a soldier and a dragoon. But only if you are willing to take the risk of facing the Void again."
Zavien raised his eyebrows at the glint of something dark and humorous in Hadama's eyes. He didn't know why it felt like he'd earned some sort of retribution, but he was suddenly feeling like he should have joined in the suffering as he watched the demigod sip the water. At least the task was done, and he nodded his head with a hint of laughter at the confirmation of difficulty.
He pushed off from the tree, nearly at attention as he heard his full name, the seriousness that laced Hadama's voice. It was something he always asked others to request of him - something he had asked of him after their time in Queen's Gambit. However, it didn't feel right agreeing to something without making him aware of what had transpired in the recent months, not when there was the possibility that he'd be overwhelmed with anxieties.
Sensing his discomfort, Sol moved a little closer. Zavien glanced down at his companion before steeling himself for the confession ahead. As his green eyes met his friend's, he nodded his head, a level of certainty in his words. "I will always do what I can, but... there's something you should know first."
Running a nervous hand through his hair, Zavien gave Hadama an ashamed smile. "I - uh - it was a little embarrassing to admit after it happened... but - well... my last stand against the Void didn't exactly go as planned." His cheeks would probably be red if not for the way talking about it always seemed to drain the blood from his head, and he was suddenly more interested in looking at a pool of water depicting a desert than his friend.
He cleared his throat before continuing, "I don't know if you recall the broadcast about the battle in Halo, but... I was the one who died." Even after months and multiple recounts of the events, his mouth still glazed over the last word like it was smoke on his tongue. However, aware that it was strange to admit such a thing when he was very obviously standing before the man, he didn't hesitate as he added, "Sunjata brought me back with a revivify feather - at least I think that's what it was called - but things haven't exactly been easy since then." Sol leaned against his leg and Zavien swallowed. It wasn't as difficult to tell the story this time - in fact, it became easier with each retelling - but he still felt a strong pulse of shame that he had to admit to a friend that he'd been too unprepared, too weak, and too insignificant.
His smile was a little thinner when he looked up again - not timid, but cautious. "All that to say, I want to and will help. I'm doing a lot better than I was. Just be aware that I may... struggle at times." He shrugged as if that might dismiss the implications of the words - that he'd been broken and was only just starting to feel like himself again.
Though Zavien had been the one to offer his help to the Tidebreaker earlier, Hadama only inclined his head solemnly in acknowledgment of the Dragoon's need to add a caveat. Patient as ever, he stood with his spine straight and his attention fully upon the other man, offering neither judgment nor disapproval of the truths that unfolded. His expression may have been solemn but his eyes were gentle as Zavien spoke of battles fought and lost, and life along with it. Not Ronin but Sunjata had been the one to return him, and Hadama inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment of that fact.
And when Zavien finished baring his soul the demigod stepped forward and laid a warm hand on his shoulder. "There is no shame in what you did," he rumbled quietly, but with all the certainty of moonrise. "Nor in what happened to you. It is important to take the time to heal. That is also a soldier's duty." He squeezed once, carefully, and then stepped back with a nod of understanding. "And you do not need to accept this task now, if you are not ready. Nor should you undertake it alone." He turned his head as if to peer through the trees of the Greatwood, looking west and over the ocean that separated them from the Suvahasi's poisoned shores.
"Vox spoke of Hak Etme being claimed by the Void. I am looking for a scout to verify the extent of the infestation." He was quiet for a time and then drew a breath, breaking his pensive contemplation of the corruption's spread as he looked back to Zavien. "There is no need to go on foot. Take a skyboat. Something small and fast. Fights are to be avoided. Information is more important than one or two dead Void creatures." A pause, and then an inclination of his head in acknowledgment of the Dragoon's PTSD. "However, there will be other battles. Other forays. Do not feel that I will think less of you if you are not ready for this yet."
He accepted the reassuring hand with a smile, soft as sunlight through a curtain. His head nodded, hoping to set aside some of the guilt that still clung to him. "Thank you. I'm just sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Considering their friendship, it was hard to admit that he hadn't sought him out to tell him of everything; it wasn't exactly something he'd been shouting from the rooftops, but his friend deserved to know.
Listening to the task, Zavien didn't hesitate to accept. "I think that's a reasonable request that I can manage. I have a friend in mind who might be able to assist." Whether or not Tal was up for it, he would find someone to join him on the scouting. He wasn't foolish enough to traverse the infected land alone.
Not wanting Hadama to get the wrong idea, the Dragoon became serious, his spine straight with steely determination. "I don't plan to stand down, but if it ever becomes an issue, I wanted you to know." It wasn't a scared man plagued by trauma, but a soldier who'd walked from death that met his eyes, willing himself to become what he needed to be - to protect those he cared about.
