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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.
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10-30-2025, 11:43 AM (This post was last modified: 10-30-2025, 11:53 AM by Flora.)
candlewax & polaroids on the hardwood floor
LongNight makes Flora’s house feel smaller despite the size, like the shadows have pushed the walls in closer, blurring the line between safety and the endless dark beyond the glass. Still, the kitchen glows with a gentle amber light thanks to a handful of candles and the soft, steady flicker from the stove as water hums toward a boil. She’s barefoot on the cool tile, curls pulled into a messy knot, sleeves of an oversized sweater slouched past her hands as she leans against the counter and waits for the kettle to sing. The whole place smells faintly of honey, citrus peel, and the salty air seeping through the cracks in the shutters.
Elsewhere in the house, in a workshop that smells like salt and iron and smoke, sits a small parcel, wrapped in navy paper and tied with gold silk on the worn worktable. It isn’t large—no bigger than a ring box—but Flora’s smile had been almost conspiratorial when she sealed it up.
Inside rests a ring of silver, etched in impossibly fine filigree, its patterns so delicate they catch the light like water. The enchantment woven through it is quiet but sure: when worn and willed, it will summon Niki’s cane straight into his hand, no matter the distance between them. Not a new cane—she’d known he didn’t want one—but his cane, repaired and polished until the wood gleams as if freshly carved, the handle smooth again beneath his grip. He'd had to go for nearly a week without it, which ruined the surprise and made things inconvenient for the necromancer, but Flora hoped she'd forgive him.
The attached note reads, For when you're far from Wildering House and me, and don't have the spirits to lend a hand. Happy Birthday, xoxoxoxo .
Niki has received:
Cane Ring | A ring that will summon Niki's cane to his hand regardless of distance.
The spirits have been lending Niki a hand as best they can, assisting him with alternatives for his cane which have included a mop, a tennis racket, a pool noodle (by far the least helpful) and what he's sure is a piece of wood that has been ripped off of some part of Wildering House. Without his usual means of getting around, he hasn't ventured again out to the bonfires and the sand - and honestly, that suits him just fine.
He's just stepping back into his workshop after a brief nap, or rather what he thinks was a nap, because it's getting difficult to really tell what the time is due to the endless dark, when his eyes are drawn to the parcel on the bench. Brows furrowed, not in surprise but rather a quiet, faintly ruffled knowing, Niki approaches the present and carefully, meticulously opens it up. It will be to no one's surprise that the paper barely has a tear in it when he reveals the box and the ring inside, the boy unable to stop his smile as he lifts it to the light and then, almost hesitantly, slips it onto his finger.
Only the faintest pulse of willpower has the metal growing warm and the familiar feel of his cane in his grip; having never possessed this sort of magically inclined item, the quiet delight he feels can't be overstated. It explains, then, why Flora will hear the familiar click of his approach in the kitchen only moments later.
"You really should not have," he says warmly, smiling around the doorframe to her. "But I am very grateful nevertheless. Thank you, Flora - this is very kind of you."
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
The first click of the cane echoes down the hall, and Flora’s grin blooms before she can help it. She tries—really tries—to hide it behind the rim of her mug, but the corners of her mouth betray her, curling upward as the sound grows closer. By the time Niki rounds the doorway, she’s already lost the battle, aqua eyes bright with warmth that has nothing to do with the tea.
"Well," she murmurs, feigning composure as she sets her cup down and gives a helpless little shrug, "clearly the pool noodle experiment was a failure." The kettle still hums faintly from its earlier use, so she flicks it on again, the low whistle beginning to build as she turns back toward him, sweater sleeves dangling over her hands.
When she glances over her shoulder, the playful front softens into something gentler. "It was the least I could do," she says, nose scrunching as affection wins out over her teasing. "For letting me kidnap you for an entire season. Having you here really made things so much better for me than they would have been without you."
"It is inevitable that some experiments will fail," Niki says with a shrug of his shoulders, though now that his own cane is back safely in his hands, he can see the funnier side of his half a day fumbling with a pool noodle as well. Smiling further to see her flick the kettle back on, he joins her at the counter and reaches, for a moment, to lean his cane against a cupboard, before realising he can simply will it away.
Which he does, laughing softly under his breath. "It is going to take a while to get used to that," he admits, reaching up for a mug and for some coffee to prepare. "And it has been two seasons, technically," he remarks, giving her a gentle nudge. "I have been here since Leafchange - since before this house existed, strange as it may seem. Granted, it feels different here now that there are more of us under the roof."
Flora's boyfriend plus two Ancients (though Niki thinks Kai can give them a run for their money in the rampant chaos department).
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Flora nods, lips twitching as if to swallow a laugh at the mention of failed experiments, and for a moment she doesn’t think twice about the sound of Niki’s cane clattering softly against the counter. It’s only when it vanishes that she turns, eyebrows lifting in delighted surprise. "Oh, I bet it will," she says, laughter threading through her voice. "You’ll go looking for it one day, convinced you’ve lost it, while it’s literally right there in your hand."
Her grin widens as he nudges her, shoulder bumping gently against his. "Two seasons, yes," she concedes, tone playfully dramatic. "But I'm only counting this one as having kidnapped you for it, since it's basically impossible to get back to the Greatwood on your own right now."
The kettle clicks off again, and as she pours the water into his mug, her expression softens. "It does feel different, though," she admits quietly, leaning her hip against the counter. "Having everyone here. It makes me—" she hesitates, the word "happy "coming out on a sigh before she can overthink it. "I didn’t really have that growing up. Because of my dad and Ronin and, well...everything, people were always kind of kept apart."
She trails off, eyes flicking up to his, and for a heartbeat she looks almost shy before the spark returns—bright and mischievous, the way dawn breaks after a long night. "Oh! But when you do go," she exclaims suddenly, brows arching as excitement bubbles through her voice, "you’ll have to come back to meet my twin. Or maybe we can come up and see you." A conspiratorial gleam lights her expression as she leans in just a touch closer, aqua eyes wide and alive. "I think I finally have everything I need to ask Mort for him back." Just don't ask what because WHO KNOWS
"Perhaps I will have to write something on my hand for a while to remind me," Niki agrees of his missing-not-missing cane, the boy grinning further and stepping aside to lean against the counter while Flora pours water into his mug. Murmuring his thanks and giving it a stir, he of course leaves his coffee black and unsweetened, sliding it towards him to let it cool for a bit.
"See, I would consider Leafchange the season where I was actively kidnapped and brought here. Deepfrost is more like... stranded. Especially now at Longnight." Still, evidently this latter season has suited Niki much better, even if he'll (regrettably) never be at home enough in the tropics to want to put down roots in Torchline.
Absently pushing up the sleeves of his sweater (navy blue today, with a small sailboat embroidered on it) as Flora explains, his expression softens and he nods, unable not to agree. "I always thought I preferred to be solitary," he agrees, "but even I have to admit I will miss hearing you down here in the mornings."
He has no time to let anything like melancholy settle over him, Niki drawn immediately into the orbit of Flora's excitement, and he blinks at her like a deer caught in car headlights until she properly explains. "You do? Congratulations," he says, voice warm and earnest. "I am sure Mort will hear your case. If anyone can do it, it is you. And of course I will visit, or you can both come to me in the Greatwood. It would be an honour to meet him."
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Flora’s grin tilts as Niki speaks, her tone turning bright and sing-song as she waggles a finger toward him. "Orrrr you could just stay here longer, and the spirits will remind you," she says lightly, the teasing threaded with real warmth. Of course she knows he’ll go home—he belongs in the Greatwood, as much as the trees and the ghosts that follow him—but she’d be remiss not to offer, even if they both know the answer.
"Still," she adds, laughter bubbling up again as she nudges his elbow, "no matter how you try to spin it, I only kidnapped you for one season." The sound that escapes her is a quiet snort, though it softens when she glances over and sees the fondness behind his words. Her chest aches in the best way, warmth swelling until she can’t hold it still. Setting her mug aside, she slides an arm behind his back and leans gently against him, tucking herself close in a side hug that smells faintly of sea salt and coffee. "Mmmm," she hums, voice low and fond, "I’ll miss you too."
Straightening just enough to meet his eyes, her smile returns, wide and luminous. "I’ll even miss the pyramids of fruit you leave in the hallway. Or finding my books on top of the statues like hats. Honestly, I don't know what the spirits will do without your nighttime redecorating."
When he congratulates her, she can’t help the proud little sigh that escapes, excitement trembling beneath it like a string pulled taut. "I think you’ll like Enzo," she says, voice hushed but full of something hopeful. Then, with a sly flicker of mischief, she adds, s[ay]"You might even like him," pressing her lips together to stifle the grin threatening to give her away.
"Orrrr," Niki says, his tone a hilarious fascimile of Flora's that's entirely ruined by his natural deadpan and his accent, "perhaps when I leave one of the spirits will hitch a ride back with me, and I will have some in my own home to remind me." He doesn't say it, but he'd not be adverse to such a thing in truth. Were he not so widely disliked by the gods by virtue of being abandoned, he might have already approached Ludo for help.
Hmming under his breath as if considering whether her words have merit, the sound hitches slightly as Flora leans into him; at first the casual touch had been something strange and awkward for a man used to living in solitude, but these days Niki has grown used to it - and yes, he'll miss it too. "Very well," he decides at last, as if his verdict on his own kidnapping is the final judgement on the matter.
Groaning, though, at the reminder of his sleepwalking shenanigans, the boy slouches against Flora a fraction and reaches for his coffee to blow on it and cool it down. "I will not miss that," he says. "I daresay there will be less pyramids of fruit in my future once I am back in a familiar setting."
As for Enzo, Niki is already nodding polite agreement before the Doubletake continues, and he freezes with his cup halfway to his lips. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Flora laughs under her breath, the sound a soft ripple against Niki’s shoulder. "Maybe it’s fitting," she muses, voice rich with amusement, "that you go from being a ghost to being possessed." The image delights her far more than it should, and she hides another grin against the fabric of his sweater.
It’s strange, really, how far they’ve come from that first meeting at the bottom of the hill. Then, he’d been wary and sharp-edged, his distance as solid as the cane he now no longer needs to lean on. Now, she thinks nothing of pressing close, of tucking herself comfortably against him in the amber-lit kitchen. The idea that she won’t get to do it regularly anymore makes something in her chest twist quietly.
When she glances up at him, her expression softens before brightening again with mischief. "Who knows," she says with a playful shrug, curls brushing her cheek, "maybe Wildering House will have permanently changed your sleep schedule. Or maybe one of the spirits will follow you home, and if it’s one of the ones who enjoys your midnight decorating sprees, well—" she grins, "I wish your furniture luck."
But it’s his pause at the mention of Enzo that really does her in. The way he freezes mid-sip, cup halfway to his lips, that slow, incredulous look that never fails to amuse her. She can’t help it, her smile turns downright wicked. "Oh, nothing," she says innocently, drawing the words out as she straightens and drifts toward her tea, pretending to study the steam as she blows across it. "Just that he’s handsome and clever and very charming." Her eyes sparkle as she looks back over her shoulder, the grin tugging at her lips betraying her. "And importantly, not engaged to my mother."
"I was never a ghost!" Niki can't help but bark out, half amused and half incredulous, as if this piece of lore has now been inexorably stitched into his personality despite it never having been true. Still, his exasperated sigh is more laughter than anything, and he finally takes a sip of his coffee regardless of whether it's too hot, setting the cup carefully back down on the counter when his tongue has been suitably chastised.
"I wish my furniture luck whether or not I have one of the house's spirits with me," he says in his defence. "I do imagine things will be unsettled for a bit when I return anyway. I do not think I have ever been away from home for this long." The admission is a quiet one, warmed by the smile on his lips - though that quickly drops away as Flora grows smug and inevitable beside him.
The splotches of colour on his cheeks are borne of discomfort more than embarrassment or pleasure, and he clears his throat as he straightens himself up and out of her grip. "How very good for him," he says stiffly. "And I would hope he was not, given that it is also his mother."
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Flora’s laughter rings through the kitchen, bright and unrestrained, bouncing off the walls and startling Spice into a sleepy flutter of wings. "Mmm, I don’t know about that," she teases, pressing a hand to her heart as if deeply scandalised. "I think more people than not would disagree with you." Her grin only widens at the look on his face, and she tips her mug toward him in mock solemnity before taking another sip.
As his tone softens, though, so does hers. Setting her cup down, she leans gently against his arm, giving him a quiet nudge. "Hey," she says, aqua eyes flicking up toward his. [asy]"When you go back—if you need anything, while you’re settling in—just send word, okay? Doesn’t matter what it is." There’s a sincerity under the lightness of her voice, steady and warm, as if she’s determined that distance won’t undo the little piece of home they’ve built here.
Whatever she might have noticed in the faint flush across his cheeks, she ignores—or perhaps simply pretends to—her smile tipping toward a playful shrug as she picks up her tea again. "Either way, you’ll get to meet him eventually," she says lightly, the mischief back in her tone. "I’m going to throw a party for him once everything’s settled, and you're absolutely invited."
"Well as long as nobody tries to throw iron at me again, or salt my doorways, I suppose I may just have to learn to live with the disagreement." And by nobody he absolutely means Kaisel, evident in the slow raise of his eyebrows towards Flora and the twitch of a smirk on his face. At least their resident ghostbuster hasn't attempted to exorcise him any further since he's been at Wildering House (not to his knowledge, anyway).
Letting his fingers dance along the warm ceramic of his mug, he doesn't expect Flora's reminder of the strange but steady network of support he's managed to build in Torchline, and it has him relaxing despite himself. "Thank you," Niki says, quiet and earnest. "I will. And if you ever want to come to visit, my door is always open. I may even invest in clearing some space in the rest of the house for a guest room." Gasp.
He isn't surprised in the slightest to hear that she'll be throwing a party for Enzo's return, Niki managing an easier smile again now and nodding. "Of course," he says, taking up his mug again and, with a pulse of willpower, conjuring his cane into his hand. "Would you like to go and find one of the bay windows to watch the bonfires with me? I find it is much more pleasant on this side of the glass."
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Flora’s hand flies to her mouth in mock horror, her expression dripping with overacted guilt. "Yeeeeah, that is my bad," she says, voice lilting with laughter. "I really should’ve known better than to think Kai wouldn't take you being a ghost anything but seriously." Her grin slips crooked, the kind that flashes teeth and apology at once, but there’s no mistaking the gleam of amusement in her eyes.
When Niki mentions a guest room, though, her expression transforms entirely. She gasps dramatically, eyes going wide as if he’s just declared he’s adopting her. "A guest room?" she echoes, fluttering her lashes with mock astonishment. Then, mischief curls through her smile, and she leans in ever so slightly, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial purr. "You don't have to do that, you know. I could always just sleep with you." The bounce of her eyebrows that follows makes it impossible to tell if she’s joking, and she hides her grin behind her mug, sipping her tea like she’s said nothing at all.
When his cane flickers into existence again, she hums a little note of appreciation, the sound warm and pleased. "See? You’re getting the hang of it already."
Gathering her tea in one hand, she sweeps up a thick blanket from the back of a chair with the other, trailing after him toward the bay window. The world beyond is ink-dark save for the glow of the bonfires scattered along the beach, their light catching faint reflections on the glass. Sliding down beside him, Flora drapes the blanket over them both, curling into its warmth as she rests her head lightly against his shoulder.
Outside, the flames crackle and dance, painting Torchline’s darkness in gold. Inside, it’s quiet; just the murmur of the sea, the whisper of fabric, and the comfortable closeness of two people who’ve survived another LongNight together.
