Let No Soul Hunger For Justice: Once Upon A Dream

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Anders, Adelaide, Nathaniel, Bethany, Shale, Samouel, Terra, Twisted Fate
WHAT: A merry little jaunt through the Fade.
WHEN: Bloomingwhatsit 15
WHERE: Half an hour outside of Skyhold
NOTES: Plotting post here

Maybe if this one fails too he can pin it on the location. Not that any of them will buy that, but hey, it's the same spot as the others. Maybe the veil's weird here. It was weird in Kirkwall.

And maybe he's just looking for excuses that aren't Justice when he already knows what the likely flaw is.

Comments

The Ritual Itself

[justice_is_blond]

It's time to take a sip of lyrium and step into a lovely land where everything is gloom and confusion. What could go wrong?

[fleurdesel]

"You know how this goes now, Anders. In the circle. Everyone else? Have a seat." The cushions are dispersed evenly around the barrier placed- and once everyone is comfortable? Adelaide walks around to hand them each their vial of lyrium potion. She's done what she can to make it taste of honey or- well- not lyrium, but there is only so much one can do.

[el_tybs]

Looks like they were finally ready to get going. Sam doesn't say much as he pulls himself away from playing with the cats and moves himself to one of the cushions set out for them. His lips thin a bit when he's finally handed a lyrium potion, being mindful not to swirl it too much. "This should... fun, right?"

[iknowlove]

Leaving the kittens is probably going to be the hardest part of this, honestly. Terra takes a seat next to Sam and cradles her own potion in her hands, staring down at it with a faint amount of trepidation before she casts her gaze sideways. "You have an interesting idea of fun."

[justice_is_blond]

He doesn't have the energy to tease this time about going into the circle, taking his place and watching the barrier with nervous energy that may be practically tangible.

"The last time I was in the Fade, it was Justice in control. I think the chance is high it will be the same way again. Please don't be scared upon seeing him. He's a spirit. An ass, sometimes, yes, but still a spirit."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Well, some of us are aware of how much of an ass he is ... " Bethany folded her legs underneath her, as she took the potion, then folded her hands around it.

She looked around quietly, then back at the kittens with a quiet smile. "Nothing can go wrong with kittens."

[wickedchase]

"Oh no, an asshole spirit. Never dealt with one of those before."

Twisted Fate smiles wryly as he settles down. "I'll try to behave. Try being the optimal word."

[fleurdesel]

"One that will be grateful for the help. Or ought to be." She mutters, reading through her notes one final time. She has never quite attempted something like this with so many- but it must be done.

"Everyone drink on three, yes? One, two,-" She knocks back the potion, grimacing. "Three."

[el_tybs]

That had been sarcasm, but that doesn't stop Sam from smiling slightly at the woman next to him. "Least it isn't bears," he offers. His smile widens a bit at that before he glances out at the rest of the group then down at his potion. Fortitude seemed unsure, but also slightly excited by all this - so similar to when he went in to meet the spirit.

There isn't any time to agree before Adelaide is counting, knocking back the potion quickly and making a face after doing so. Least he hadn't had time to really think about the taste. "... Sugary."

[dwarfing]

Lyrium. Urgh.

It's not like Shale can taste it, but they're honestly not sure if they can actually enter the Fade like this. It would be the first time they did it voluntarily, after all.

Grunting, the golem waits for it to work - or not.

[justice_is_blond]

He takes his own drink, smiling wryly at the commentary. Once his vision blurs Anders closes his eyes... and they are blue when they open again in the Fade. They are in a mirror of Skyhold's courtyard, empty, greenish, and hollow-feeling. Justice stands and looks around, expression as still as the fortress itself.

The feeling of being here again is not entirely unwelcome, and for the first time in a while the spirit experiences some doubt. There is a wholeness here that he does not feel elsewhere, and it is with this thought in his mind Justice stands and awaits the awakening of the rest of the group.

[iknowlove]

Her eyes dance to the others as they take their potions and Terra sucks in a slow breath before swallowing hers down as quickly as she possibly can.

It's a strange sensation when she wakes up. Her eyes open slowly to the sheer... oddness of the Fade. It's the only word she can think of for it, to be perfectly honest. Her gaze flits around before she looks down at herself, making sure nothing is out of the ordinary. Certain everything is where it should be she looks up again, her eyes finally landing on the other figure. "Justice, I'm assuming."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany takes down the lyrium in one swallow, feeling the burn all the way down, and closes her eyes.

The world tilts, in her mind, and then she opens her eyes. And there they are, in the ghost layers of Skyhold. In the distance, she can see the Black City again, but now she knew they were inside, and things could touch as she touched them.

She exhaled, balancing herself and her mind, pooling her control within her, as she turned to make sure the rest were all right.

And there he is - Justice. She gives him a wary nod, and turns to the others.

[fleurdesel]

It's not as uncomfortable as it could be- which is a boon. She could do without the odd thrum in the back of her mind that speaks of demons somewhere on the horizon. Or the Black City. Or the other multitude of things that want an easy way across the veil.

"From this point on the ritual was, unfortunately, quite vague." But vague was better than nothing.

[el_tybs]

Like the rest, Sam closes his eyes, shifting a bit in his seat once more before letting out a slow exhale. There is the odd tug that comes with taking the drink, and the next time he opens his eyes Sam finds the familiar tattle-tale signs of being in the Fade.

Standing around him are the others who have taken their potions, and immediately behind him he can feel Fortitude present, a more solid force on this side of the Veil. When his eyes glance at where Anders should be he stops, eyes widening just a bit. That was Justice?

At hearing Adelaide speak up he slowly drags his gaze away, wrinkling his nose a bit that what they had was 'vague'. "So what do we do now?"

[dwarfing]

Shale makes a grunt of discomfort and slams their fists together with a loud crack to rid themselves of the odd feeling of Fadeness. It's not a happy memory, but at least they're not alone and needing to be woken up by someone else.

No immediate demons, either. Too bad, the golem was itching to punch something.

[justice_is_blond]

He nods at them, Terra, Bethany, and there's a curl of something that's almost a smirk when Sam seems taken aback at the sight of him - then that's gone. There is no room for emotions to leak over. This is the Fade, and Justice must stand true to what he is.

"Adelaide is the one in control of the ritual. It is for her to guide as she sees fit." Help? Why would he help? Once this was out of Anders' system they could return to working on a way to find peace internally and Justice could continue to assist in the mortal world. Yes, it feels good to be home, but Justice must never make decisions based on feelings.

"But stay on your guard. This area is not unpatrolled. There is a presence nearby, perhaps already watching." He unsheathes a sword, blue as the cracks in Anders' skin, and stands, watching the group, waiting. There'd been a few thoughts discussed in uncomfortably public ways; if no one attempted anything and was instead confused, it would make this far easier.

[iknowlove]

Her eyes get drawn to Fortitude briefly, her eyebrows lifting a little at the presence hovering behind Sam. There were so many people here touched by spirits, she had no idea. There's a part of her that makes sure to remember to talk with him later.

She turns back toward Justice, though, and finds herself gravitating toward him. In the uncertainty of the Fade, this was something familiar. Terra had only ever had the opportunity to speak with a spirit of Justice once before, but that one had been significantly untouched by the living world. He was... different.

Terra stops next to him and turns back toward the group before letting her gaze sweep across the Fade around them, finally taking it in and trying to sense what he was. She has no weapons of her own, bare control over herself; feeling a shift in the space around them would be her best chance at helping. "Do you recognize it? she finally asks, glancing up at the blue glow.