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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!
Tal's grin quirked wryly as Boreal and Cat bonded over scritches. "Just keep doin' what you're doin' an' never stop," he suggested, half-teasing. "She's just a big softie. It's some o' th'smaller ones y'have t'watch out for!" Kind of like dogs; the big companions tended to be calmer and friendlier in his experience, while the little ones could be friendly or... well, kind of standoffish and overprotective.
But the subject of Starfall wiped all humor from his face as he recounted the difficult days in its immediate aftermath. He wasn't sure how to react at hearing that her mother was dead and her family house was gone but... she didn't seem too upset about either situation so he settled for shoving his hands deeper in his pockets and rocking back on his heels.
Something about her bright determination reminded him of another young woman, one who had been missing for far too long, and his breath caught in his throat. He had to swallow several times as she mentioned lost loved ones as if reading his mind, and he just nodded jerkily at her suggestion to walk. He freed a hand to gesture towards the docks and began to amble that direction with her as they left the party behind. "Yeah... yeah, sure. Th'docks an' th'skyport were completely wiped out by th'tidal wave, so th'buildin's are only a year old now..." He hesitated then shrugged. "An' after that my partner an' I built our house in King's End. But I'm gone so often makin' deliveries around Caido an' lookin' for people missin' since Starfall that I'm hardly ever there so..." Another shrug as his feet shuffled over the sand in the direction of Kaiholo Port.
Catalina giggled softly, still running her fingers along Boreal’s scales, clearly enjoying the dragon’s affection. "Don’t worry, I can keep this up all day," she teased back with a grin, looking over at Tal. "I guess it’s the same with animals everywhere, huh? The little ones are always the most feisty!" Her hand paused briefly as she scratched behind Boreal’s ear again, her touch gentle. Standing up, she had began to follow alongside Tal carefully. Weaving their way through the maze of people.
The shift in Tal’s expression didn’t go unnoticed, and as the conversation turned toward the aftermath of Starfall, Catalina’s mood grew more thoughtful. She listened carefully, her footsteps slowing to match his as they walked toward the docks. The weight of his words about the destruction tugged at her, though she wasn’t unfamiliar with loss.
"It’s hard, isn’t it? Trying to keep going when so much has changed," she said quietly, glancing at him with a soft understanding. "But I guess all we can do is keep moving forward, even if it’s different than what we expected. Not even we can write our own fate. It's like a surprise each moment of the day. The good.. and the bad."
She smiled faintly at his mention of his house in King’s End. "It must be strange, having a home but never really getting to spend time there." Her voice was light but sympathetic. As they continued to walk along the sand, Catalina’s eyes flicked toward the distant skyport. "But at least you’re doing something important, right? Helping people, finding those who are missing... That means something. It's better than sitting by and doing nothing. The old man was too... paranoid, and didn't want to leave the camp. Ever since losing mother, he tends to be a little... Well, way over protective I guess you could say." She looked ahead, her steps picking up as her energy returned.
"I'm sure your partner is very proud of everything that you've done to help others. It's an admirable thing to do. Not many do it. No matter how much time you spend apart, I know they would be proud. I could only hope for the same if I ever do find a partner." She stifled a giggle for a moment shaking her head at the idea.
"Oh, she's plenty feisty if you're a ningo," he assured Cat, his grin still lopsided as he looked down at his companion getting all the scritches she craved. He led the way through the crowd at a relaxed amble, not in a particular hurry since they were just taking a leisurely tour along the coast towards the port. He was in even less of a hurry as the conversation turned somber, but the jut of the rebuilt structures of the port were visible by their torches and lanterns as he gestured towards them, explaining how recent they were after Starfall had wiped the island of Kaiholo clean.
He reached up to rub at his neck, uncertain how to take her empathy and he just gave a noncommittal bob of his head. "Dunno about that. I don't believe in fate, but can't argue about the surprises," he conceded. Her mention of his home that he was so rarely in earned a shrug that was part resigned acknowledgment and part disagreement that faded beneath her continued support.
"Nah, Alys has my back. An' she's started travelin' with me again this year, visitin' her clients in the cities where I make deliveries." Speaking of his partner perked him up immediately, chasing the thoughtful resting-scowl-face away and bringing his shoulders up and straight again as something resembling a spring entered his step. "An'... actually, yeah, I've had a couple friends helpin' out," he admitted, almost surprised as he thought back to just how many people had been willing to help him look. Noah and Sah, Koa and Soleil, Maea and Zavien... "Maybe more'n a couple. An' sometimes we even find someone, so... makes it all worthwhile, y'know?"
It was his turn to glance over at her, not having missed how she had spoken of her own father. "So, uh... how'd your da feel about you catchin' a ride t'Torchline?" A question asked cautiously, in case it was too personal or else hit a nerve.
She giggled a little at the idea of Boreal being fiesty. She bobbed her head a little bit, acknowledging that it could very well be possible. "If she's as fiesty as she is sweet, I pity the poor soul."
In fact, it was true. Catalina would pity the soul who treaded on Tal or Boreal. Though as they walked to the peer, her eyes scanned the docs carefully. Looking at the intricate work, the florescent lighting of the side, looking as though it was glowing. Just as Flora had said. It was almost like it was a fantasy land. Shimmering, and never sleeping.
Hearing him say his partner's name for the first time, she beamed with a wide smile. "I know that only made the trips that much better." It was something Cat had only dreamt about. Traveling, and meeting all walks of life. Her father who preferred their humble life, didn't care for Cat to get out.
"Oh absolutely. It's great having those who are willing to pitch a hand in, I could imagine. The lands are so large, it would nearly seem impossible without the help. At least from my eyes. Seeing the difference in the little camp we stayed in to how actually vast the world is." She started to say with an exhale, her hands lifting to show how comparatively larger the world was to her tiny camp for emphasis. "I would had never thought I'd be traveling like this."
Hearing him ask about how her father took her ride, she gave a light shrug. "In all honesty, he's probably driving himself absolutely mad without me there. He... really didn't want me going to begin with. Tried to forbade me, but... Well, we can see who won that battle." In fact, she had slipped out while her father was asleep. Not taking no for an answer.
He didn't know how to answer her beaming smile; he just ducked his head and rubbed sheepishly at the back of his neck, hiding his grin in the shadows resulting from his nod of agreement. The beauty of Torchline was something he was used to these days, and he barely noticed the wonders of the illuminated night that had once stolen his breath away the way it now did with Cat's. He only raised his head again when the topic turned safely back to his fellow Halovian and his lips quirked up into a lopsided wry grin.
"Nah, you're right, there. An' th' parts th'Void's claimed are way too big all on their own, even if they're wild areas. Sure, th'Feverlands an' th'Oerwoud aren't that big compared t'Halo or th'Hollowed Grounds but... they're big enough. An' th'Greatwood is more'n big," he admitted, the sparkle that Alys's name had brought into his eyes fading back towards grim solemnity. He tried to shake it off, though, trying not to get sidetracked back into Void shit while Cat was answering his question.
"Huh..." He looked over at her with new appreciation in his eyes, assuming that she had stood up to her father and left after winning an argument. "So I guess you're not goin' back t'Halo for awhile?"
Cat had been walking along the sand with him, her hand brushing along the wood that had been just placed there this year. Looking at the shining algae in the water in front of them, it was almost mesmerizing, as if there were stars in the water. The bioluminescent hue radiated from the bridge, small shadows could had been seen from the fish swimming. Their scales reflecting the glow.
She had been listening to him speak on the void, giving a brief nod of her head. She couldn't understand as much as he did... Not yet, anyways. Though, when he spoke of her father Cat folded her arms behind her, clasping each hand in the other.
"Honestly, I do think I'll be avoiding Halo for awhile. As much as it is home... I think my safest bet, is to avoid that for a little bit. Especially because he's probably not going to be happy if I return. Though I'm awfully curious as to what he would do." She snickered a little, knowing the burly man wouldn't really do anything. Maybe. Possibly.
"I think I'd like to travel - see everything there is to see. Help... where it's needed. I've been in the ice for far too long, and now that I've seen at least... some of the impact, and meet those like you who want to help..." She smiled a little more in thought for a moment.
"It gives me hope that others aren't so bad as the ol' man was saying. Ya' know?"
A grimace tugged the courier's mouth down once more but his emphatic nod was entirely understanding. "Yeah. That's... kinda how I ended up livin' in King's End. Halo will always be my home, but the current leadership is, uh..." He shrugged. "We don't exactly get along, so. I go back t'see my sisters an' do my job, but I don't hang around for very long anymore." Which still hurt, but thanks to Alys and Hotaru and his friends in other regions, not as much as it used to.
Her desire to travel eased the scowl, bringing it up as he cleared his throat and tried not to get too much deja vu about what he had been like, six or seven years ago.
Except, y'know, not as good-looking, and actually terrible with people, and generally surly and with a big ol' chip on his shoulder instead of bright, personable young woman he was showing around right now.
"I dunno how much help I am," he admitted self-consciously, the tips of his ears warming in the dark. "But bein' a courier means a whole lotta travelin', an' meetin' lots o' people. Lot of 'em are good, but not all. Your old man isn't all wrong, there," he warned her.
He glanced around, remembering that he was supposed to be playing tour guide, and pointed towards a brightly-lit shop on the corner. "Over there's a real good place t'get maps," he indicated as they entered the Port proper. "An' the Hanged Man's th'best bar in town, down that street all th'way t'th'beach." He gestured towards a broad avenue leading in the general direction of the docks but a little ways off to the side. "That's th'place Flora runs," he added as an aside, since Cat had met the Doubletake already.
Catalina listened closely, her expression softening as she took in the courier's story. She understood the ache of loving a place that no longer felt like home. “I get that,” she said quietly, nodding in empathy. “Halo’s… it’s complicated. My father, he’s the same way. He loves the land, but people? Not so much.” A small, wistful smile tugged at her lips. “I guess I’m still figuring out where I fit in all that. Somewhere between his world and… everything else.”
"I don't know how anyone couldn't get along with you... That's.. Well, something I just don't understand." She admitted. Tal had seemed easy enough to talk to, and encouraging nonetheless. Was the person misconstrued in their thoughts about Tal? Or, was there some other hidden reason that the red headed woman wasn't privy to? Shrugging off the thought, she did not linger on it long because what always mattered, was the now, rather than any of the past.
Her gaze followed his gesture to the brightly-lit shop, her curiosity piqued. "Maps, huh? I could use some of those. I don’t really know Torchline as well as I should. Seems like there’s always something new to discover." Her eyes twinkled with excitement at the thought of adventure, though there was a slight hesitation as she glanced back at the courier. “I know my dad’s right, about some people not being good. But… I don’t want to live in fear of that. I want to see the world, you know?”
She smiled up at him, appreciating his honesty. “You’re helping more than you think. You really need to give yourself more credit. It’s nice to hear about traveling from someone who’s done it. Makes it feel more real rather than the dreams of a little girl.”
When he mentioned the Hanged Man and Flora, Catalina’s smile brightened. She glanced down the broad avenue, feeling a sense of warmth at the thought of seeing a familiar face in an unfamiliar town. "I might just have to make a stop by later. Seeing as I've no place to go and yet everywhere to go."
He hadn't expected the stranger to understand - most people didn't - but at her words he exhaled and breathed a little easier. He gave her a grateful nod, and his own mouth quirked towards a wry, rueful grin of encouragement as she searched for her own place to call home.
The compliments that followed, however, were things he still wasn't good at dealing with and he ducked his head again to hide the spreading flush that crept down his neck and threatened his cheeks. Thank Safrin it was dark and the flickering torchlight could hide it! "Um. 'anks," he muttered, jamming his hands into his pockets as they walked before his fingers could betray him by twisting together.
Distracting Cat with shops was as much a survival mechanism as a kind gesture, and he tried not to be too obviously relieved when it worked. "Yeah, they've got pretty reliable ones. But like everyone else here, y'gotta be a good bargainer or they'll take y'for everythin' y'got," he warned. "Seein' th'world's good, but always count your fingers an' your toes after makin' a deal in Kaiholo, t'make sure y'didn't accidentally trade 'em away!"
The compliments came back, but Tal managed to deflect most of them. "Nah, you're not just dreamin'. I mean, y'already made it all th'way t'Torchline! You're a proper traveler now, too!" She'd already taken the hardest step - the first one, leaving the comforts and known dangers of home to step into new and unfamiliar ones.
Catalina smiled softly as she walked beside him, her eyes wandering over the lively shops and bustling streets of Kaiholo. Tal’s humble reaction to her compliments made her chuckle gently, sensing his discomfort but appreciating his modesty. "I just call it like I see it, really. Or try to. Honesty is best policy, no?"
She glanced at him as he jammed his hands into his pockets, noticing the subtle flush that the torchlight didn’t quite hide. It was endearing, and she found herself relaxing more in his company.
His warning about the shopkeepers had her eyes widening slightly in playful surprise. “Oh, I’ll keep that in mind! I wouldn’t want to accidentally trade away my fingers,” she teased lightly, giving him a quick grin. “But it’s all part of the adventure, right? Figuring out how to navigate places like this.”
At his encouragement, her heart lifted a little. She hadn’t thought of herself as a traveler yet, not really. The idea felt foreign, like something distant she admired but didn’t believe she could achieve. But here she was, standing in Torchline, a place so different from her home in Halo.
“You think so?” she asked, her voice a little softer, filled with wonder at the realization. “Maybe I am…” She looked up at the stars twinkling above the harbor, a small spark of excitement lighting up her face. “A proper traveler. I like the sound of that.”
He wasn't sure how he felt about being chuckled at, however gentle the sound, but at her words he winced a little. He gave a small shrug, eyes on the ground in front of them as his awkward pleasure at her compliments faded somewhat. "Yeah, well... not always," he muttered with a sigh. Realizing that he was bringing the mood down he shook himself out of his unwelcome trip down memory lane and focused on being a tolerable tour guide, pointing out the Port's useful shops as well as its dangers.
"Yup," he agreed easily enough, a tentative smile tugging his lips back out of his frown at her teasing. "If y'can make bargains here, you'll be ready t'face any other merchant on Caido!" Boreal sneezed her agreement, trotting contentedly along at their sides asthe conversation took an unexpected dip into dangerously sappy waters as Cat's voice went soft. But it only lasted for a moment before she accepted the title for her own and Tal grinned properly in relief and support. "Torchline's a pretty big place, but there're other places out there. Have y'thought about where y'want t'go next? Or will y'stay here for awhile?"
