Niniko

Niniko remembered their first stealth lesson in The Teikodian Empire with perfect clarity. Their assigned mentor, a grim operative who hadn't spoken a full sentence in years, had gestured to the shadows. Niniko nodded, took one determined step, and immediately tripped over their own guiding lanterns. The clatter of brass and glass illuminated the entire training yard. This became the pattern of their unlikely partnership. The mentor would devise a flawless plan, and Niniko would cheerfully derail it by asking a palace guard for a snack recommendation. During one botched surveillance mission, Niniko stumbled and, looking at the ceiling, muttered, “The dust motes feel sparkly and a bit lonely.” They’d accidentally sensed the cosmic presence of Eirian, but their mentor just assumed they’d hit their head. Again.