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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!
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
Liam led the way through the Wildwood until the sound of a burbling brook broke the quiet of the forest. The low trickling slowly built in volume until they emerged at the shores of the Stone Symphony. A soft breeze coaxed a gentle melody from the oddly-shaped stones lining the shores of the river, and Liam tilted his face into the sun for a moment, savoring the peace.
"This is one of my favorite places in the Greatwood," he confided, smiling at Maea as he resumed his trek, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of golden thorns. "It has its dangers, like anywhere else, but it's also beautiful."
He hadn't really expected Maea to accept his offer of company, but he had to admit that he was glad she had. Whether or not they would be successful in their quest to find a Vi's Rose, he didn't know - but at least he'd found a friend, and that was just as sorely needed - at least in Liam's life.
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
Pausing to take in the expanse of water, Maea shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight with a hand so pale it seemed to glow. Breathing deep the scents of clean water and fresh air, a hum of appreciation from her harmonized with the river song for the moment it lasted.
"I can see why," she murmured. "There must be plenty of wildlife around, yes? The abundance... it's like nothing I could have dreamed of back home."
Lingering a while longer, she eventually resumed the trek and hurried to catch up. Liam had long legs, she'd learned, and while the pace he set wasn't grueling she still had to put some effort in to not fall behind.
With the rushing water on one side, it also proved challenging to maintain focus on the forest's edge and the ever elusive glints of scarlet and gold. Maea didn't mind; her thoughts felt as high and clear as the Flowerbirth sky, and it would take something very serious to rampen her spirits today.
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
Flowerbirth was Liam’s favorite season. With everything growing, it was easy to believe that one could begin anew, like so much of the flora and fauna that graced the Greatwood. Even if it hadn’t proven true for him as yet, he was starting to wonder if maybe starting over wasn’t what he needed as much as to move forward. His losses would always be his burden to bear, but perhaps the load would grow lighter the more he chose to share it with others.
Glancing at Maea, Liam nodded. ”There is. It’s a far cry from Stormbreak, I’ll say that.” He paused then said, ”Where is home for you? If you don’t mind my asking.” All the while, he hunted for a glimpse of a rose - any rose, at this point, if only to prove that they existed at all. He’d slowed his pace now to a more meandering speed, giving them time to search thoroughly in the hopes that they wouldn’t miss anything.
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
Not minding his questions, she answered readily enough even though the subject had become more complicated than it used to be.
"I grew up in the Hollowed Grounds," Maea told him, her tone light despite the topic being anything but. "My family were farmers, trying to make barren soil produce enough to survive. We scraped by, though I'd be lying if I said it was easy. No one did well back then." Trapped behind the barrier, locked in with the Voice and her monsters and Gates to slowly wither into nothing, life had been at once more simple and more extreme.
"Have you ever been there? It's much changed after the war... there're mostly ancients living there now. I moved out just recently."
Catching sight of something bright off the side of the trail, she took a few excited steps towards it only to find a patch of yellow flowers instead of roses. They were lovely, and she felt bad to be disappointed at the sight of them.
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
He’d heard plenty about the Hollowed Grounds, but had never been, himself. He listened intently to Maea’s description of her past, all the while scanning his surroundings. ”I’ve never been. Before I left Stormbreak, I’d never been anywhere else. I still haven’t traveled much, aside from exploring the Greatwood.” He thought about what she’d told him, leaning down to peek beneath a fallen tree and finding only a cluster of mushrooms. ”It sounds like a difficult upbringing. I can’t say I blame you for leaving.”
Liam watched eagerly as Maea scurried off the path, but frowned as he followed to find only a bunch of pretty yellow flowers. She looked so disappointed that he bent to pick one, holding it out to her with a flourish and smiling crookedly. ”Don’t give up hope,” he said. ”We’ll find one.” Perhaps it was simply too early in the season for them to bloom as yet.
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
"Mh, well, there might be a bit more to my leaving than that," she murmured, staring morosely at the flowers. Sensing Liam's approach, she thought nothing of it until he reached past her to pluck one of the blossoms. A startled laugh escaped her as it was offered to her; her smile took on a bemused cast as she carefully accepted it, and the look she gave him was delighted, despite her best attempt at appearing unphased.
"Thank you." Bringing the flower to her nose, she found it had a faintly sweet aroma, so subtle it could easily be missed. Just like the Roses, she supposed. "I don't mean to be impatient... it's just that I can't move on if I don't find that flower. I'll be stuck here, or forced to give up my plans..." Tucking the gift into her hair beside a white-polished horn, she smiled at the dragoon and shrugged helplessly, then turned to go back to the path.
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
Liam smiled at Maea’s startled laugh, pleased to be able to pull her from her thoughts and bring a smile to her face. He tilted his head to one side as she explained her rush, thoughtful. ”As someone who has been here for a while, there are worse places,” he joked, then sobered. ”It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one, but I know they exist. If there are any blooming, we’ll find them.”
He left her to her thoughts for a moment, turning away to begin his search anew. Birdsong filled the air over their heads, and a breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees, sending a new melody coursing across the river. ”I get wanting to cleanse the Void,” he said after a moment. ”But isn’t it dangerous? I hope you’re not doing all this alone.” It was as much as he would pry; he would gladly listen should she choose to explain her reasoning, or her plans, or anything else she wished to share. But he also wouldn’t press her, if it was something she didn’t want to talk about.
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
Trailing her gaze across the ground, absorbing the green and gray of moss and lunchen, exploring rounded forms of rock and stump half buried in mulch and new growth, she found new resolve in the man's encouraging words. He was right, there were worse places. Even the emptiness of Hak Etme had its beauty if the only allowed herself to slow down enough to see it... But for all that the woods were lovely, they were not where she wanted to be.
Humming thoughtfully, she heard the quiet concern in Liam's query. Pondering how best to explain, in the end she found it easiest to be blunt. What point was there in pretending this situation wasn't of her own making?
"Sure, it's dangerous. And I am doing it alone - mostly. I have friends... but they have their own lives, and I don't want to take up too much of their time chasing after miracles." Methodically checking an area section by section before moving on, she blew silken strands of hair from her lips. "Honestly, it's mostly my own fault I'm here. I made some serious mistakes that put the leaders of the regions in danger, and took far too long to recognize it for the screw up that it was. Because of that, and because of how poorly I've handled some other relations, the queen of Torchline doesn't want me on her shores."
Pausing to straighten her back, she made an effort to braid the long hair out of her eyes. "I agreed to not return until I find a Rose, or one of Rae's Lilies. It's like... a way to redeem myself, I guess. Or at least to show I can be useful to the region."
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
Maea must have understood the concern beneath his query, because suddenly she was opening up and sharing her reason - her real reason - for being here on a fool’s errand. For as much as he assured her that they would find the Roses, if they were blooming, how could they be sure that they still existed at all? Perhaps with the Family’s rise to power, anything with the ability to fight them had been snuffed out.
It seemed cruel to Liam, denying a person a place to stay because of their past mistakes, especially when it seemed clear enough to Liam that Maea wanted to atone. Why else would she be here, combing the woods and the riverbanks and the village, searching for the likes of which he hadn’t seen in three years?
He paused before responding, though, in part because he wasn’t sure what to say, and in part because he wanted to give Maea’s story the consideration that it deserved. When he did speak, it was in a voice devoid of pity, for he wouldn’t have wanted to be the recipient of that, in her shoes. ”It’s brave if you to try and make amends,” he said at last. ”I’ve known far too many people too stubborn or afraid to do so when they’ve wronged someone. It’s admirable.”
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
She didn't stand around and wait for his judgement. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't care what he thought; his silence while processing her explanation seemed to drag on for hours and she'd combed through a good section of riverbank by the time Liam spoke up again.
Turning to face him, her expression was difficult to decipher. Gratitude mingled with relief, juxtaposed against something slightly bitter in the cast of her mouth. If anything, she looked tired; a wan figure void of the vibrant color that thrived all around them, slightly too small for the elaborate dress she had decided to wear.
"Trying is all I can do," she agreed, in a sober tone. "When given a chance. It takes two sides to mend a bridge, however. There's only so much my willingness can do, by itself." Gazing off into the cool shade beneath the trees for a while, she eventually shrugged again and made an effort to cast off her intrusive thoughts.
"You said you'd never really been anywhere, right? Where would you like to go, if you end up traveling someday?" she asked him, turning the topic back to his plans and dreams. Hers may be in hold, but Liam had nothing so solid to hold him back.
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
Liam might have spoken more on the subject, if only to reassure Maea and bolster her confidence, but she was right. Even if she did all he could do, the wronged parties would have to forgive her, and that was something that not even her best efforts could control. When she changed subjects, he honored her wishes, letting go of her quest for now and allowing the attention to turn back to himself.
”I’m not sure,” he responded, tearing his gaze from Maea’s pale figure and back towards the riverbank. ”I never thought I’d leave Stormbreak until I did it, and I’d planned to find someplace quiet to settle down. I didn’t realize the Greatwood would be quite this quiet - or, at least, it was, until recently. I suppose your flowers have something to do with that?” he inquired with a smile. He hoped Maea would be the one to find a rose; if someone else got to them first, it would be devastating.
”But if I could go anywhere… maybe the Oerwoud? I’ve heard it’s beautiful there.”
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
"My flowers?" Her brows shot up, a picture of innocense but for the quirk if her lips. "You're probably right, though. There have been... some deaths, this past LongNight. Safrin's daughter was among those who were killed. It feels as though the Family is preparing for something, and likely that's why everyone and their grandma's are gathering here. On the off chance of finding a bit of hope before the storm breaks out."
The Ouerwood, though? It was a place she had only passed through, on her way to someplace else. Recalling dense jungle and dangerous heat, the found it a curious choice if he really wanted to leave woodlands behind. Maybe it was just this particular forest?
"Maybe I can come with you," she began to suggest, tickled by the idea. "It's not far from Torchline, and I've never –"
Suddenly, a loose section of the riverbank began to crumble under her feet. Grasping for a branch to hold on to, there was a terrible splashing and sliding as gravel, stone and sod careened into the water. When it settled, Maea was hanging on for dear life, knuckles whitening around a slender sapling while her feet scrabbled to find a perch on ground that wouldn't hold. A glance beneath the steep slope showed only water, glittering and swift and dangerously cold for an Ancient this time of year.
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
It seemed like a dangerous plan - useless if not enough people came to help in the search, but how long before the numbers flocking to the Greatwood caused suspicion? And was there anything he could do to help with that? Perhaps, if he attempted to clean up the village a little, make the Greatwood more of a destination for travelers…
But those were plans for another time. Maea was kind enough to offer to go with him to the Oerwoud, which he was not anticipating, but before he could accept, there was a great rumbling and cracking as the riverbank gave out beneath the Ancient and she slipped over the edge.
”Maea!” Liam shouted, his pulse immediately jumping into his throat. He sprinted for the edge, throwing himself down to peer over the side. There Maea was, dangling just below and holding on for dear life. Without pausing to think, Liam grabbed onto a nearby root and held his other hand over the edge, straining for Maea. ”Grab my hand!” Gods, please let this work.
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down You don't wanna know me now
Her hands ached from the tight grip she held on the sapling, like she'd as soon strangle it as haul herself up. The thought crossed her mind, because there wasn't enough distance between her feet and the water for the Crow to catch the wind. The tiger and the doe would be swept away by the river, but maybe if she hurried before this brave, hardy little tree was uprooted...
A hand appeared over the edge. Catching a glimpse of Liam's face, the wondered if she looked as pale and pinched with worry as he did. Bracing herself, she heaved upwards, letting go of one hand to try and reach him. Her fingertips brushed against his - a bit further - and with a strained little growl she hoisted herself up the final inch. As their hands connected, she had a moment to reflect on the very solid, very real and human warmth of that grasp, before all focus returned to getting back on solid ground.
