Flights of Fantasy – S5 Ep 26: "The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk" by Carissa Broadbent (Part 1) Date: August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

The Flights of Fantasy crew (Anna, Kim, and Kristina) reunite to dive into Carissa Broadbent’s newest entry, The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk, book four in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. This episode kicks off a two-part deep-dive: they recap previous events, break down the emotional heart of Asar and Misha’s journey, discuss dark lore and worldbuilding, and—of course—enthuse about fan-favorite returning characters. Intensely romantic, raw, and at times chilling, the hosts explore why this is Broadbent’s most romantic (and unsettling) book yet.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catching Up & Spoiler Scope

[03:25]

• The episode starts with a quick recap of events at the end of Songbird and the Heart of Stone:
  • Asar’s mission to resurrect Aloris goes awry; Misha absorbs some of Aloris’ power and kills Atraxas; gods intervene, and Asar (now possibly carrying death god powers) is whisked away.
  • “Misha, she does die. But while dying, she hears Assar pleading, ‘I need her.’ … She wakes up in the Underworld with Vincent saying, we have work to do.” – (Anna, [04:51])
• Spoilers for all Crowns of Nyaxia books except Slaying the Vampire Conqueror.

2. Opening Quest in Fallen: Stakes, Rules, & a Brutal Journey

[05:04]

• Post-Atraxas’ death: sun is gone, mortal and Underworld are collapsing.
• Wraith Misha’s only hope: Asar must ascend to godhood—to do so, they must collect the mask, the eye, and the heart (the “cores of Alaris’ power”).
• Acacia’s warning: never wield one core without the others. The hosts immediately see the foreshadowing in this “rule that’s sure to be broken.”
• “The goddess of fate is telling you not to do something. You should probably take heed.” (Kristina, [05:51])

3. Asar & Misha’s Romance: Vulnerability, Pain, and Utter Devotion

[07:02]; [08:18]

• The group agrees: this is Carissa’s most romantic book—raw, vulnerable, leaping past traditional tropes.
• Their relationship starts midpoint of a love story already grounded in Songbird, giving it “deep trust and vulnerability … earned through their honesty.”
• Recurring motif: “I will never let you go.” Driven by impossible stakes—Misha’s wraith state makes physical touch agonizing or impossible, further dramatizing their devotion and forbidden intimacy.
• “You’re the sacrifice I will not make. It’s very, you know, above all else, it’s you, it’s us.” (Kim, [09:08])
• Blood-drinking scenes (God-blood!) highlight their dynamic—sensual yet painful but ultimately healing for Misha.
  • “Leave it to Carissa to make us love this blood drinking scene … sexy and it’s all those things combined.” (Kristina, [11:24])

4. Major Romantic Moments & Notable Quotes

[08:32], [14:01]

• Reuniting: “Welcome home. The breeze whispered again … I was certain it wasn’t talking about Morthran, it was talking about her.”
• Nicknames (Warden/Dawn Drinker): unexpectedly cute and meaningful.
• Epic scene:
  • “‘Get your hands off my wife.’ Excuse me.” (Kristina, [14:30]) – the group loses it over this protective, possessive declaration.
  • “This felt like Carissa was giving us fan service … we went feral over it.” (Anna, [14:51])
• The hosts theorize on the mystical bond between Asar and Misha, “deeper than the anchor,” (Kim, [16:09]) hinting there are layers of magic still unexplained.

5. Asar’s Backstory, Trauma, and Ravenhall

[16:14]; [19:03]; [21:07]

• Carissa’s use of fairy tale-styled prologues/interludes (narration: “the tale of a boy who was born within [darkness]”) brilliantly sets tone and mythic scope.
• Asar’s abusive upbringing (isolated island, abused by mother, then Gideon)—weaponization of his magic, instilling a belief he exists only for destruction.
  • “It just breaks your heart, because of course he would feel that way … told, all you’re good for is destruction and death.” (Anna, [21:33])
• They draw parallels with Misha’s own grooming/abuse by Atraxas, exploring how both leads are “saved” by toxic authority figures.

6. Dark Academia & Rivenhall: A Vibe Check

[22:34]; [23:20]

• Ravenhall (the dark magic academy) is “creepy as fuck … the worst case scenario of dark academia.” (Kim & Kristina, [22:41-22:58])
• Vivid, unsettling world-building: “moments in this book that were basically like a horror novel … your skin is crawling.” (Kim, [23:38])

7. Moral Ambiguity & Parental Figures

[24:51]; [27:25]; [29:18]

• Deep dive into the mirrored dynamics of abuse and complex loyalty (Gideon/Asar and Atraxas/Misha).
  • “They were both abused by the people who, quote, unquote, saved them. That relationship would be … complicated.” (Anna, [28:54])
• Grapple with forgiving, rejecting, and surpassing their abusers—reinforcing Broadbent’s trademark morally gray character work.

8. Library Ladder Sexy Scene & Emotional Intimacy

[30:47]; [34:26]; [34:59]

• Discussion of ingenious ways Carissa keeps things sexy when Asar and Misha can’t touch (sheet/toga scene + library ladder, storm, piano).
• “I needed to paint over Gideon’s pain with Misha’s pleasure.” (Asar’s POV, [33:00])
• “Hold on to the bars. They’ll keep your hands where they need to be. Hold on to that library ladder. Are you kidding me?” (Kim, [34:26])
• Raving about the layered writing: physically passionate, emotionally vulnerable, visually cinematic.

9. The Heist: Malum, Masks, and Rain Returns

[36:34]; [37:54]; [38:49]

• Fantasy quest elements: Malum festival as a House of Shadow echo of House of Night’s Kajari, with magic “world overlay.”
• Cue heist! Asar and Misha attend the festival to steal the mask/crown.
• Rain’s reappearance:
  • “We knew you had been captured by the Shadowborn. Did you really think that we wouldn’t come for you?” (Rain, [38:49])
  • “He gave the best hug. I actually can’t handle this.” (Anna, [39:19])
• Rain’s devastation at Misha’s cold, compelled goodbye—“This could not be worse timing. … [She commands] you will hug Aeya and tell her you love her and stay safe.” ([45:23])
• The hosts delight in theorizing about Rain’s muddled report to Aeya (“She’s married to … someone? I don’t know!” [46:14]), comparing it to clueless husband gossip.

10. The Quest Escalates: Darklands, Srana, and Worldbuilding Woes

[49:39]; [50:13]; [51:24]

• Darklands: described as “shattered mirror” reality—beautifully written but, hosts admit, “kind of hard to grasp … a lot of work to imagine for not long spent there.” (Kristina, [51:11])
• Major set piece: battle with the spider-goddess Srana (like “Sid’s baby-doll spider from Toy Story”—the hosts’ mental image, [52:13])
• Back-to-back trauma: Misha faces the Sentinel in the forge; Vincent’s ghostly appearance helps her find her power.

11. Breaking the Rules: Gods, Power, and Cliffhanger

[42:59]; [43:28]; [55:27]; [56:01]

• Asar ignores Acacia’s instructions—wielding not just the mask, but also the axe/eye—desperate to save Misha.
  • “If Misha is in peril, there are no rules.” (Kristina, [43:11])
• Both artifacts begin whispering to him; the hosts predict disastrous consequences.
• Finale: Asar flees with dying Misha to the only place she’ll be protected—even if she hates it—House of Night (Rain’s territory).
• “At least if she hated me, she would be alive.” (Asar’s POV, [56:28])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Get your hands off my wife.” (Asar, [14:30]) — the ultimate fan service protective line.
• “Don’t say stupid things … hold on to the bars. They’ll keep your hands where they need to be.” (Asar to Misha; library ladder scene, [34:05], [34:26])
• “I needed to paint over Gideon’s pain with Misha’s pleasure.” (Asar’s POV, [33:00])
• “You’re the sacrifice I will not make. Above all else, it’s you, it’s us.” (Kim, [09:08])
• “She's married. … Who? What has she been doing for the last year? I don’t know.” (Hosts, theorizing Rain & Aeya convo, [46:14])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:25] – Spoiler warning & plot recap
• [05:04] – Fallen opening: world collapse, quest setup
• [07:02] - [11:24] – Asar & Misha’s romance: themes, blood, devotion
• [14:01] - 16:09] – “Get your hands off my wife” scene & theories
• [16:14] - [21:33] – Asar’s childhood, abuse parallels
• [22:34] - [24:01] – Ravenhall: dark academia & horror vibe
• [27:25] - [29:18] – Morally complex, “saved by abusers” theme
• [30:47] - [36:13] – Library ladder sex scene, emotional layering
• [36:34] - [41:01] – Malum heist; Rain returns; painful reunion
• [49:39] - [51:24] – Darklands quest, Srana the spider goddess
• [55:27] - [57:12] – Breaking the artifact rule, cliffhanger: House of Night

Tone & Style

• The hosts balance intense passion for the series with sarcastic, meme-ifying commentary and down-to-earth emotional processing.
• Their style is conversational, openly “going feral” for beloved tropes, comforted and challenged by Broadbent’s dark turns.
• They are forthright about which scenes made them swoon, cringe, or struggle with worldbuilding, creating a relatable, book-club-at-home feel.

Final Thoughts

In this first half of their deep-dive, Anna, Kim, and Kristina celebrate and analyze the epic devotion of Asar and Misha, the complex web of trauma they’re disentangling, and Broadbent’s ability to blend swoon-worthy romance with creepy, mythic worldbuilding. Cliffhangers abound; the House of Night and the fallout of Asar’s desperate choices await in Part 2.

(See you next week for the conclusion and more about Rain, friendship, and the epic showdown!)