(Nicky has spent the past thousand years of his life being the one to rush to the aid of those in need. He has been rescued by his companions dozens of times, but that had always been different.

Being hurt was par the course for his life, but most people didn't realize that. When he speaks, his voice is calm, assuring:)

No, I am all right. I didn't mean to alarm anyone.

(Did something happen? He might as well not lie.)

It's a little foolish but when they said it was a dream I went the route of hurting myself to see if I would wake up.

(Which, like, for the normal person that meant pinching themselves, but Nicky wasn't about to get into that detail.)