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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!
Every moment spent on the road with her burden was fraught with anxiety. Even with Liam there to keep watch while she slept, Maea didn't get many hours of rest. Without fail one or both of them lingered near the unassuming crate into which their precious cargo had been concealed, because in these times it wasn't just the Family they had to be wary of. Roses had become hot currency, whether enchanted or not; especially if whatever charlatan mage that made the conterfeit ones was good enough to make them look the part. What the leery eyed crew on the skyship or the sticky fingered rogues along the way from Kaiholo to Haulani wouldn't have done if they knew they carried the real deal... Maea shuddered to think of it.
It was with mingled relief and apprehension she pushed open the door to the Hanged Man, crate held securely in her arms. She looked forward to ridding herself of this miracle, and dreaded whatever conversation was to take place with the queen. Liam's presence at her back was a reassuring pillar to lean on; it was a one-man army she brought to this showdown, but an army none the less.
"Flora?" she called, gazing around the dusky room; she couldn't recall ever seeing so few people around.
A machine where your heart once was Slowly takes the place of you
The trip to Torchline was tense. The bundle that Liam and Maea were transporting was precious, and he shuddered to think what might become of it - and them - were some of the less savory characters aboard their skyship to figure it out. He and Maea took shifts standing guard over their treasure, and he suspected that they both had the same experience trying to sleep. It was hard to leave the other person to their watch - not because of any lack of trust, of course, but because of an innate need to protect.
So when they arrived at the Hanged Man, they were both rumpled and weary from travel, but Liam still spared an encouraging smile for the Ancient before they entered the establishment. He might only be here for moral support, but he took his role very seriously. Following Maea’s lead, he remained a silent shadow, looking around the Hanged Man as they entered, appearing to all the world as though he were simply a tagalong looking for a good time in Torchline.
Only hold the memories now Of a love I thought I knew
your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand
Flora emerges from one of the backrooms, the sound of Maea’s voice jolting her out of a distracted daze. Her curls, usually so carefully arranged, are loose and tousled, and her clothing, though still vibrant and tropical, lacks the usual immaculate flair. It’s clear enough that the queen’s mind is elsewhere, thoughts tangled up in plans of Stormbreak, Dahlia, and a hundred potential pitfalls.
But at the sight of Maea—and Liam hovering protectively behind her—Flora straightens, the distraction momentarily fading into something sharper, more present. Her aqua gaze quickly flickers over the crate Maea carries, brows arching with cautious curiosity.
"Maea," Flora greets evenly, offering a warmer nod to Liam, acknowledging his presence with quiet familiarity. "Liam."
She steps closer, arms crossing loosely as she studies Maea’s face. "You found one, then?" she asks, her voice quieter, expression carefully unreadable though her eyes betray a faint glimmer of hope—and perhaps something else, uncertain and hesitant because gods if this wouldn't be perfect timing for what she had planned.
Maea's expression was carefully neutral as she gently placed thr crate on the counter. A hand lingered on the lid, wary against giving up her ace too soon, or too quickly, before any of the details surrounding this trade had been addressed.
Looking over the Doubletake with cool attentiveness, it wasn't because she knew Flora well that she noted the difference in her appearance, and demeanor. No yelling was forthcoming this time; no snide remarks or withering glares down that pert little nose of hers. But maybe there was still time. Looking between Flora and Liam, the differing degree of warmth in tone between the greetings was glaringly obvious and Maea made a point of focusing at least half her attention on the soles of her feet. Grounding, watching her own responses for danger signs. She was not going to disassociate again.
"Yes," she replied. "Right here." Prying open the lid just a fraction, a glimpse of the reddest red of rosen petals and gilded thorns was offered as proof before she closed it again. "As for our deal..? Am I to understand that I can come and go in this region as I wish with this?" Not that she ever should have needed permission, as she had committed no crime, but that was neither here nor there.
A machine where your heart once was Slowly takes the place of you
Even Liam could tell there was a certain frostiness in the queen’s greeting that wasn’t there when she turned to him. He did his best to keep his face neutral and, to his credit, did a remarkably fine job. ”Flora,” he rumbled, inclining his head respectfully. He might have commented on the bar, if not for the fact that he didn’t want to overshadow Maea’s discovery. This was, as they say, her rodeo.
Instead, the soldier leaned against the counter casually, his arms crossed over his chest. He was proud of Maea, he realized, because she was here, doing this, refusing to run from her promises even when her goals might have changed. It was worth noticing, he thought, and he hoped that Flora would see things the same way.
Only hold the memories now Of a love I thought I knew
your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand
Flora leans in as the crate creaks open, catching the vivid flash of crimson and gold within—and despite herself, her breath hitches. "Gods," she murmurs, almost reverently, as the glimmering petals and gilded thorns come into view. The sight is enough to quiet the buzz in her chest, if only for a moment. Real, unmistakable, and humming with something that feels almost sacred.
When the lid closes again, Flora straightens slowly, and for the first time in days, a genuine smile tugs at her lips. It’s small, but it’s real.
"I guess I owe you an apartment," she says, her tone lighter now, letting the words fall with a familiar lilt. That was the deal after all; Maea could move to Torchline if she brought a flower, and here she was. The queen shrugs, one shoulder rising in an easy, almost graceful roll as she glances toward Liam before returning her gaze to Maea. "I mean...I never said you couldn't come and go? You said that. I only said you needed a flower to live here," Flora clarifies.
Maea returned the smile, though hers was a thin-lipped one, not entirely amused. "Forgive me for taking the 'I don't want you on my shores' statement of yours a bit more literally than that. I prefer to keep things plain and simple when possible - hence why I am here now." Tapping a meaning finger on the crate; the flower for free passage, and her choice of where she decided to live.
"As for the apartment... I'll pass that, for now. The Greatwood has been very welcoming so far, and I've decided to stay there." Casting a quick glance at Liam with a brief smile, she returned her attention to the queen.
Scooting the crate a fraction closer to Flora, her hand lingered lightly on it as she sought the queen's gaze - needing a confirmation that they were done here, that nothing else needed to be said. Maea didn't care for splitting hairs or reading the fine print - it was the essence she would honor, and in this case it meant existing for as long as she wished wherever she wished, without anyone breathing down her neck about it.
A machine where your heart once was Slowly takes the place of you
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Liam's gaze flickered between Maea and Flora, taking in the queen's words even as Maea offered her own understanding. He wondered, for the first time, whether that was all this was - some big misunderstanding that had spiraled out of control. Flora hadn't seemed entirely unreasonable when he'd met her, after all. But he'd spent far more time with Maea, and he was inclined to think that there was more to all this than the simple understanding he could glean.
When Maea glanced his way with a smile, he returned it quickly, offering silent encouragement the only way he knew how. This was all her; he had no business butting into a conflict that he had no part of. Perhaps he should have let her come alone, but it had never really come up. He'd told her he'd accompany her, and here he was. It was that simple. And he'd be here until she told him to go.
Only hold the memories now Of a love I thought I knew
your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand
Whatever storm had passed between them on the docks weeks ago—however Maea had chosen to frame it in her mind—Flora wasn’t about to rehash it now. If the Ancient wanted to exchange one of Vi’s Roses to fulfill an obligation Flora hadn’t actually demanded, well... she wouldn’t argue. It wasn't in her nature to look gift-horses in the mouth.
Instead, the queen’s smile remains, poised and effortless.
"Well, thank you," she says simply, one hand brushing along the edge of the crate with something just shy of reverence. Her gaze lifts to meet Maea’s, steady but without friction. "This...is going to have a big impact." Not just on the relationship between ancient and queen, either. It’s the timing. The opportunity. A spark of control when Flora had been surrounded by chaos and gods she could have hugged Maea for that.
A beat passes before she adds, almost as an afterthought—but one laced with quiet sincerity, "And if you ever do decide to move to Torchline, let me know. I’ll still make good on my end and find you a place. No strings attached."
Maea blinked at the directness of that look. Too surprised to even attempt to hide it, she nodded and relinquished her hold on the crate. Pushed it the rest of the way into Flora's care, and stood away from the bar, falling back to stand next to Liam. She shared a quick glance with him, as if to say 'are you seeing this?' - and wasn't far from cracking a real smile out of sheer relief.
Surrendering the Rose was easy, she had never intended to keep it anyway, and the lack of harsh words from Flora certainly went a long way to easing the cold lump in her gut. The one that prompted her to bring a friend for support, so that she could weather another storm if need be. But there was none. No storm, no clouds, no battle to be fought - Maea couldn't accept that she'd had nothing to worry about but this was so much better than even she could have hoped for.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. And I am glad I can help, in any way," she replied, expression easing - responding to sincerity with earnestness, almost without realizing it. "If I find another one of these, should I contact you again? Or reach out to another region?" Everyone would be in the market, and it made sense to Maea to divide the blessings as evenly as possible.
A machine where your heart once was Slowly takes the place of you
With the matter of Maea’s presence in Torchline settled, Liam relaxed almost imperceptibly. He had to admit that he wasn’t sure if she’d change her mind now that she was here, having achieved her goal. After all, what was he other than some stranger who she’d spent some passing time with? He certainly wasn’t worth upending her plans for.
And yet…
Liam watched Flora as Maea asked about other roses. It seemed silly to him to bring them all to one place, where the Family might strike and render them all useless. Better to divide the resources and, therefore, force the Family to divide theirs. But it wasn’t up to him, and he waited patiently for the answer.
Only hold the memories now Of a love I thought I knew
03-22-2025, 08:36 PM (This post was last modified: 03-22-2025, 08:36 PM by Flora.)
your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand
Flora’s gaze flicks between the two of them as she lets her fingers trail along the edge of the crate once more, feeling the weight of what it represents settle like sunlight across her shoulders instead of stormclouds. It's a win. Small, maybe, but real. Tangible.
At Maea’s question, though, the queen straightens a little. Not defensive, but deliberate. "You can do whatever you want, of course," she begins, and there's no edge to the words, but there's steel beneath the velvet. "But if you're asking for my advice—Torchline is the safest place for them right now, and not just because I'm obviously biased about it."
Her fingers tap lightly against the crate. "We’ve got five demigods living here and we're the only region completely protected against the void." Her voice is calm, level, but threaded with quiet conviction. "Halo’s being targeted right now it seems and both Sunjata and Hotaru have already been infected and cleansed once in King's End. And the Grounds have Dygra." Glancing toward Liam and then back to Maea, Flora shrugs. "Anything that happens with Starfall someone from here will be involved, and likely more than just one."
Pausing, the queen taps her fingers against the crate thoughtfully for a moment, weighing something in her mind. "Then again...someone like Asta might appreciate having a flower as a way of ensuring that should anything happen to Danta he'd have a way of healing him, if he ever started seeing purple."
Those were all great points and good reasons, and Maea considered them with a thoughtful look. Only at the last point did her mouth go suddenly dry; she managed to wrangle her face back to neutral, but her hands betrayed her with the nervous rubbing of a palm that itched out of nowhere.
"That's good advice," she replied quietly. "I'll keep it in mind, if luck decides to favor us again. In the meantime, I hope you and your family stay safe. This region too ‐ if you ever need more hands to get something done, I'll be happy to lend mine." It was perhaps not the home she had intended it to be, but Maea cared about the fate of the sun-kissed shores all the same. And above all, she cared about its people.
With a feeling that it was time to wrap this meeting up before it could even begin to go sideways, she smiled up at Liam, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. "We should go... it was a tense journey to get here, I could use some food and a nap." Turning back to Flora, Maea extended her hand; a peace offering, perhaps, or just a conclusion of good business. "Good luck, with whatever comes next for you."
A machine where your heart once was Slowly takes the place of you
Somehow, Liam hadn’t realized that Torchline was quite so well-equipped. He was impressed in spite of himself even as he felt a sinking in his chest. Maybe Maea should move here - she might be safer, protected from the Family, able to live her life and figure out exactly what it would take to transition from surviving to thriving. The thought tied his stomach in knots.
But it seemed that Maea was content with her decision, and when she smiled up at him again, something loosened in his chest. Perhaps the Greatwood wasn’t the safest place in Caido, but if he trained hard enough, if he worked hard enough, maybe he could start to change that. Maybe they could start to change that.
Sensing that the meeting was at an end, Liam pushed off the bar. ”It was good to see you again, Flora,” he said, offering a polite smile to the queen. ”Stay safe.”
Only hold the memories now Of a love I thought I knew
