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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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11-27-2024, 12:07 PM (This post was last modified: 11-27-2024, 12:30 PM by Elizabeth.)
I can survive well enough on my own
The kettle whistled to signal the boiling water as Elizabeth bustled around the kitchen. She quickly pulled a pan of pumpkin bread from the oven before taking the kettle from the flame. Her movements were fluid and practiced, sure in each step as she prepared for her guest.
The knock on her door was perfect timing. Elizabeth had just set the assortment of treats and refreshments by the side table within the glow of the fireplace. Opening the door wide, she gave the Mer King a bright, welcoming smile. "Hadama! Thanks for coming! Please, come in." She stepped back to let him in, shivering at the gust of icy wind. "It's getting colder by the day. Please, make yourself comfortable." Her arm gestured to the cozy seating area around the hearth, surrounded by walls of books ranging in size and color.
Once Hadama chose to step inside, Elizabeth closed the door, grinning happily at the company. "I'm really glad you're here! If you want to warm up with a hot drink first, we can get started on the bells after." There was coffee, tea, and hot chocolate options amongst small cookies and warm pumpkin bread with various spreads for options. It was a little much for the two of them, but she'd find ways to utilize any extras.
He was traveling to Halo more often again now that he and Evie were slowly rebuilding their friendship, and it was a pleasure to stop in and see Elizabeth when their schedules allowed for it. He enjoyed his growing friendship with the therapist - and her hospitality was among the finest a King could receive.
Well-bundled against Halo's chilly Leafchange weather, the Mer King's identity was largely given away by his height and the twinkling emerald of eyes that peeked out from between scarf and hat. "Elizabeth. Thank you for the invitation," he rumbled, his deep voice soft but warm as he gratefully ducked inside the door so they could close it. He straightened once he was safely within and began to unwind his scarf, pausing a moment as the smells of fresh baking and aromatic drinks reached his nose. He inhaled appreciatively before continuing with the removal of his outer layers, nodding in agreement at the chilling of the world. "In Torchline as well. Though it is more..." He considered the available adjectives before deciding on: "pronounced in Halo." His bright eyes twinkled merrily as he stepped out of his boots, clad in his usual star-stitched leather trousers and in his favored Leafchange sweater of dark navy with white polka dots. His hair still held the telltale Mer coloration, a metallic steel rather than a flat grey, as it tumbled down his back in a loose partial tail.
"Hot chocolate would be welcome, thank you." He accepted her offer with interest and followed her into the kitchen. "Would you tell me more about the purpose of the bells?" She had mentioned the project in her invitation, and he had been curious about it ever since.
"Any time! And it's not like it was without ulterior motives." She grinned warmly. As much as her home was always open to the public, she'd needed the extra hands to assist in her chore. It was an added benefit that she got to see the friendly demigod again. Laughing lightly, Elizabeth rubbed her cold hands together. "That's a nice way of putting it." It wasn't quite so much of an 'insult' to the frigidly cold environment, not that she would've blamed him either way. She herself was only just starting to adjust to Halo's icy exterior. Luckily, the Halovian's warm reception was enough to keep her from freezing.
Elizabeth smiled at Hadama's choice of drink, pouring some hot chocolate into a mug and sprinkling in some marshmallows before offering it to him. Also in a 'sweeter' mood, she took a mug and cookie for herself as she answered his question. "According to some older texts, bells have served as a means to keep away unkind spirits. The pleasant sound supposedly scares them out of the atmosphere, where they wait for opportunities to wreak havoc. I figured it couldn't hurt to try." She smiled, indicating to the box of bells that were strung together. "Sadly, I can't hang them on my own. So I really appreciate your coming." Taking a sip of her warm beverage, she looked at the living space and where the golden bells would hang best. Atop her bookshelves seemed a great place. Maybe over the windows and doorways? There were plenty of spots for them. They'd just have to decide where to begin.
He accepted the marshmallowed mug and wrapped his large hands around it to absorb some of its warmth, enjoying the aroma of the cocoa for the moment. Eyes closed, he inhaled appreciatively before examining the marshmallows floating in the chocolatey liquid with interest. The tale of the bells made for a welcome interlude while he waited for his drink to cool enough to taste, and his attention quickly returned to his hostess.
He nodded slowly in understanding as the explanation unfolded, and when it ended he took a sip of his hot chocolate, savoring the rich, creamy sweetness with a brief look of quiet bliss before he blinked at Elizabeth once more. "Mmh. You needed me for my height," he rumbled, a note of teasing in his voice and mischief glimmering in his emerald eyes in spite of his stoic expression. He turned to follow her gaze to the box and then to the living room, tilting his head as he considered the task ahead. "Perhaps we should protect the door first?" He looked back to her for confirmation, taking the opportunity for another sip while she decided.
Elizabeth laughed at the teasing comment, patting him playfully on the shoulder. "Although your height is a very helpful aspect, I just needed extra hands. My new telekinesis can only do so much." She'd been practicing with it, but she couldn't hold more than one end of the string, and it took a lot of concentration. Giving him a warm smile, she shrugged her shoulders. "And I happen to enjoy your company." He'd been nothing but kind during their meetings, and she liked their conversations. His insights were wise and compassionate, letting her relax into comfortable companionability. There weren't many other people she'd rather do this with.
Elizabeth let her eyes settle on the doorway, the entrance to her home, and the easiest access for spirits. His reasonable suggestion made her smile. "That's a great idea." She took another large sip of her hot chocolate, letting the warmth linger as she stood from her chair to reach for the first string of bells. They chimed lightly and she hummed a little to accompany the sound. Lengthening out the strand, she lifted one end towards the top corner of the door. "Can you hold here, please?" While she waited for him, she focused on lifting the other end with her magic, preparing the nails in her hand to secure it all.
"New?" he rumbled, warmly curious. Though he might have lamented - stoically - about his use as a mere pair of hands, her disarming honesty silenced his teasing before it could go further and brought the ghost of a smile to soften his face as the edges of his eyes crinkled. He inclined his head deeply to Elizabeth in acknowledgment and agreement of the sentiment before taking another drink of cocoa. "And I, yours," he murmured, knowing that some words were best spoken aloud.
The door was the first threshold that came to mind when protection was needed. That it would also allow taller individuals to ring the bells as they entered and left was simply a happy addition. As his hostess gathered the bells, he reluctantly set his mug aside with a silent promise to return for it soon and then joined her at the door. "Yes," he agreed to her request, taking the string delicately and holding it where she indicated. "How did you discover your telekinesis?"
"Yep! I only developed it a few months ago, so I'm still getting the hang of it." The practice during Deimos's lesson was more than a little helpful, but the magic still required the majority of her concentration when she used it. That became painfully clear when she'd watched the 'baby' nearly fall from the cliff edge (long story). Since then, she'd found any excuse to utilize the magic, fetching nearby mugs, pulling down high books, or holding up strings of bells.
Elizabeth let the sweet sentiments warm her insides as she stepped away from her hot chocolate. Making sure the bells were even, she started to secure one end with the nails by wrapping the string around it. Despite her attempts at concentration, Hadama's question made her laugh, momentarily disrupting the securement of the bells. "Would you believe me if I said that I was concentrating really hard on a book just out of reach?" She laughed again, recalling how it had floated the last few inches into her hand. It'd definitely taken her by surprise.
"Mmh. It was the same when my water magic awakened." Able to do very little at first, he had needed to train it constantly over a few seasons before he began to see improvements in his control and range. He was grateful down to the depths of his starlit soul that Safrin had granted him a shift that maintained his connection to the element of his birth, and his control over it.
It was not a magic that was particularly useful now, alas. Nor was his hippocampus shift. His demigod form and height, however, were perfect for the task they were undertaking, and he held up his end of the bells easily even when Elizabeth's laughter caused a slight delay on the other side of the door. Given how the bells chimed in response as they slipped and shook it was probably just as well. Their music should scare off any nearby spirits, after all.
"Indeed. It is plausible," he agreed, emerald eyes gleaming with the laughter that hid behind his small smile. "Do you remember which book it was?"
She wasn't overly familiar with Hadama's magics or various capabilities, but she got the sense that his transition to demigod had taken that particular ability. Personally, she could never imagine losing part of her magic. The tingling of her lightning had been a constant companion for as long as she could remember. It made her wonder, "Do you miss your water magic?"
Regaining her composure, she directed her magic to raise the bells back up to loop it around the nail. Elizabeth blushed slightly at the question; unsure how familiar the demigod was with the spicy romance genre. She let her gaze avoid his for an extra moment as she said, "The Romance Theory." It wasn't nearly as 'studious' as it sounded, but she hoped he didn't know that as she finally finished securing the first nail.
Stepping away from the task and her embarrassment, she offered Hadama a nail for his end so that she could prepare the next section.
In the wake of her question he was quiet for a short span as they worked to get the bells strung up and secured above the door. It wasn't until she had finished her side that he admitted, quietly: "...Yes." And he might have left it there, had Elizabeth not been a friend. Since she was, however, he offered more of himself; a gift of trust to the Halovian therapist. "It was not taken from me entirely. Safrin allowed it to remain in my remaking. But it is... limited. To one of my shifted forms."
Rather than allow the mood to take a more solemn turn, he focused instead on his friend's magic and the story of its awakening. Accepting the nail, he looped his own side of the bell string around it before pressing it firmly into place against the wall. Hammering carefully, he kept his eyes on the task while his hostess went to obtain more bells. "Mmh. I have not read it." A solemn admission, and his expression remained serenely stoic as he turned around to follow her to their next location. His voice was carefully bland as he continued, an air of pure innocence about him. "But I have heard it is... satisfying. In how the love triangle is resolved. What are your thoughts on it?"
The blunt admission was surprising, but Elizabeth didn't let it show, granting him a nod of her head in sympathetic understanding. She wouldn't minimize the loss or attempt at shallow apologies. "I see. That's a small blessing." Sometimes, support and validation were all that people need.
Elizabeth nearly tripped over the next string of bells at Hadama's wording (and pausing), a vibrant blush splattering across her pale skin. Even if he hadn't read it, he obviously knew what kind of book it was. Clearing her throat, she tried to come up with an 'insightful' view of the steamy novel. "I - um - thought the concept of manifesting presented realities was really interesting. That no matter how much people 'pretend,' there's always an ounce of truth to it, or there eventually will be." She pretended like the rest of the book didn't exist, like maybe it was a scientific study of relationships and not her own fantasies.
With the door protected, she moved to the window, offering the Mer King the other end of the strand while simultaneously trying to avoid eye contact. Maybe a change of topic would help? Lifting her end with magic, Elizabeth grabbed another set of nails. "Does the Underwater City have ample protection? Or would you like to take some bells home?" Her smile was playful, knowing full well that they wouldn't do much good under the water's surface.
"Indeed," he assured her, his voice quiet but sincere. It was a blessing, and one he had agreed to before Safrin shared her light with him. He had given his magic up knowingly, and though he did not feel the same without it, having access to it in any form was a gift he was grateful for.
But of more festive interest was the book that Elizabeth had mentioned. There was not much reading done under the sea, and Hadama had little reason to pursue landwalker tales in his youth, but he was a quiet man and a listener, and one could not help but overhear certain topics. He listened with quiet gravitas to his friend's interpretation of the book, emerald eyes twinkling with mischief. "Mmh. A good description of the 'bad' boy's redemption arc." A bland agreement, and one he was content to leave there without further comment on either the steamy tale or Elizabeth's blush.
He took up his position once more with the bells at the window, politely not pressing the issue of how reluctant his friend suddenly seemed to be to look at him. He turned his gaze outside instead as he held up the string of bells, watching the snow falling softly from the cloudy sky. "We are rarely troubled by spirits," he confirmed, though he tilted his head to the side in thought. "But the bells would be welcome at the Court of Stars. Thank you."
Hadama's quiet enjoyment of the conversation didn't go unnoticed when Elizabeth finally deigned to meet his eyes again. As embarrassing as it was to share her reading preferences, his good-natured humor sapped away any lingering fear of judgement. She couldn't help the warm laugh that escaped, smacking his arm gently at the playful tease. "Exactly!" And who didn't love a well-written redemption arc? Especially coupled with a convincing romance? Perfection.
Feeling more relaxed, although the light blush hadn't quite left her cheeks yet, Elizabeth placed her own nail into her end of the strand of bells. A smile played across her lips as she jostled a bell, making it ring brightly in the room. "Of course! I have plenty after all. You won't leave empty handed." Because she also had way too much food, and she would be very insistent that he take some with him. As if remembering them, she handed the Mer King the nail for his end before stepping away to grab their hot chocolates. Elizabeth took a sip of her own and offered Hadama his. "I didn't want these to get cold while we work, although I think we only need one more over the fireplace." She was being very diligent and didn't want any cunning spirits getting in through the chimney.
Hadama accepted the smack as his due, a slow smile finally spreading over his face. He turned back to their project, making sure to hold his side steady while she hammered in the nail that anchored her end. The sounds of the bells were a cheerful, pleasant accompaniment to their conversation and it was hard to imagine any spirits being scared by such lovely sounds, but Hadama trusted the therapist's lore. Even if it was merely a myth at least it was one of the more appealing ones.
He accepted the nail and hammer and secured his own side of the string of bells, each tap making the line shiver and tinkle brightly. By the time he had finished his mug had appeared at his side and he accepted it from Elizabeth with a grateful nod. "Thank you," he murmured, taking a savoring sip. "They are too good to waste." And she would find a willing recipient of the extra food in the former chef when the time came, though for the moment... "These will stay warm on the hearth while we finish." His observation was made with a hint of amusement as he took her mug in turn and carried their drinks over to the fireplace while she retrieved the final string and nails. "Are the spirits immune to fire?"
