Let No Soul Hunger For Justice: And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Adelaide, Anders, Bethany, Cole, Cyril, Isabela, Kain, Leliana, Maria, Merrill, Nathaniel, Velanna
WHAT: It's the final countdown, the fifth ritual attempt to defeat Justice.
WHEN: Justinian 19th
WHERE: About 30 minutes outside of Skyhold
NOTES: Violence, death of a character. There's no tag order, plotting post is here.

The clearing is worse for wear. There's burn marks, spots where the earth has been torn apart, and some of the ruins are a little more ruined.

Comments

Preparation

[justice_is_blond]

This time the preparations are a little more directed - healing potions passed out, barrier double and triple checked, making sure everyone's entirely ready just in case. The mood is the most somber out of all of the rituals, and it's not only because Skyhold's betting pool has the highest odds for multiple people dying in this.

leliana | open

[fightingale]

1.
Leliana is silent on the way there. Her mind is weighed with much at the best of times, but she has spoken with Adelaide and a little with Anders of the pressures upon them - not enough, she suspects, not enough to truly grapple with the weight upon their minds, but she has a sense of its shape and shadow.

There is a bow and quiver at her back, knives conealed on her, and she finds herself murmuring a near silent prayer as they move.


2.
She is well aware that she is not an approachable person. She is also aware that is probably not aided by the sight of her polishing a knife before it disappears to somewhere.

She is aware of a presence near her without looking. "Yes?"


3.
Wiiiiildcard?

2.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"Well, for once in my life I am going to be blunt, and I'm not sure how it's going to turn out." Is Bethany's reply from behind her.

"But why are you doing this?"

[fightingale]

Unlike some, Leliana has not attended all of these attempts. Her only prior effort had ended in her silence for a day to evade the gift of song.

"I have my reasons. Is that insufficient?"

[sunshinethroughgrey]

She looked over at Anders, then back at Leliana. Her brown eyes narrowed a little.

"Reasons are good -- but this ... this could put you in serious danger, Leliana. You could ... die, helping Anders."

1

[justice_is_blond]

He sees her lips moving, and for once he's pretty sure he knows what's going on there. It's not like it's a hard guess, after all.

"Shall I call you Sister Nightingale today?" It's delivered with a tight, tense smile. He may have money riding on them succeeding, but it's more out of defiance than any sort of optimism. "Do me a favor and don't die? I'd really prefer to not be raised from the dead and re-killed, and if anyone could manage it, it would be the first crew." Zevran, Alistair, Shale, Morrigan.

[fightingale]

Ah.

She glances at him, and she is terribly good at appearing at ease despite circumstances. "Most settle for 'Nightingale.' The extra two syllbles can be a bit much."

Not quite in the realm of teasing, too quiet and restrained, but there is something of the tone of it that counts.

"I'm sure one of the deaths would be merciful, but I'll do my best. Likewise, if you die I'm likely to be accused of framing it," probably for good reason, "so you'd best see to yourself as well."

[justice_is_blond]

He's never good at masking emotions. Sure, he can carry on a conversation and seem fine for a short while as the world collapses around him, but it takes effort. Energy. Things he needs to redirect elsewhere right now. Regardless, she manages to ease a little of the tension from his expression.

"Mm. Two attempts to help me could be reframed as two attempts on my life, yes. And some of the people I know would be glad to find someone to blame. We'll add that to reasons to survive this." He doesn't want his death used by anyone. "I've a letter if things go that poorly, though. It may help."

He can hope, at least. "Sometimes I wonder how you still have faith. Not that I'm complaining, mind. I'll try a great many things at this point." He doesn't think the Maker, or the Dalish gods, or the two remaining old gods will ever give a care, but that doesn't mean there isn't a point in trying.

2

[nofury]

Maria settled near the Left Hand, pulling out her own sword to examine and mock polish. No need to actually tend to the blade, she had seen to every piece of her gear with meticulous precision before they left. But the familiar drag of cloth against blade, of oiling the handle, soothed her in a way that only prayer came close to. Faith made action through her sword.

"An interesting group."

Mages and wardens and spirits. Not what she would have picked, given the choice. None too likely to be pleased if things went wrong.

[fightingale]

"A committed one," Leliana offers, not necessarily an agreement or a correction. Perhaps a shade of both? Perhaps neither. "In such a cause as this that might be the best kind."

Her knife, more than likely, needs no more cleaning and polish, and yet she continues. "What are your feelings on it?"

The mission. The people. Any of it, really.

[nofury]

"I don't fear fighting abominations. But..."

Her voice is kept low, expression carefully neutral. For any passing companion, the pair of them may as well have been discussing the weather. But to Leliana, there was no need for secrecy.

"I worry. What it means for us if this succeeds."

Kain | Open

[dragoon_pride]

Once he gets there, Kain takes some time to be sure he's ready. This whole matter is so serious, he's made a point not to include his dracolisk or even his bird, having left them both back at Skyhold distracted by treats. He doesn't want to risk anyone but himself here.

He paces around for a bit, stretching, staring up at the sky, getting himself in the right mindset. He also looks over his lance to make sure it's good and sharp and ready. He's as prepared as he's going to be.

...Ok, but maybe he also needs some of those potions too.

[justice_is_blond]

He's finished an unnecessary round of recounting all of the potions they have when he catches Kain's look. The man gets a wave over.

"Take a few. Considering you, take two more than you think you need." His voice is strained, but at least he can try a joke.

[dragoon_pride]

Kain approaches, knowing he ought to take all the help he can get. He's no mage, after all, and while he's used to relying on them, anything might happen out there.

"You really think I can carry that many?" He sighs, though, knowing that he has good reason to poke fun at him about this. He glances at Anders thoughtfully. "Do you feel ready for this?"

Cole | open + one just for Anders

[colecomfort]

[Open]

Cole crouches a ways away from the official ritual space, tracing swirling shapes in the dirt with a finger, murmuring to himself.

"Paths twining and tangling. The tree has grown tall. The roots go deep."

[Closed to Anders+Justice]

He isn't quite certain how to do this. The last time, he did it without meaning to... but he remembers how it felt. Like running a hand along a wall, and finding a sudden seam. A door you didn't know was there.

As the ritual begins, Cole reaches for Anders' mind, for the shifting space between the man and the spirit. Suddenly, the world disappears, and he's somewhere else entirely.

[justice_is_blond]

He's afraid. Afraid and determined despite it, because he's so tired of this struggle. He will lose control sooner or later, there's no question of if, and he doesn't want to. He's desperate not to. Meanwhile Justice is focused and determined. He's staying. The ritual will fail, and they'll be out of options.

The world suddenly fades away, or maybe it Fades into being, because things are fogged and strange with stone walls everywhere and Anders doesn't understand what's going on. Is he dead? The walls are familiar, the door, the dark, and suddenly he recognizes the place. Kinloch Hold. Kinloch's Hold dungeon, no less. Anders' heart sinks as he stares into the cell he'd once been in. Is this it? His punishment, some sort of eternal trap with him and Justice in this tower? Because he knows Justice is here, somehow. Separate, though, and that's the first spike of hope he's felt in a long time. He can't feel Justice's thoughts. ...Just Justice's anger, and his hope is dashed as he backs up, starts looking for the staircase he dimly remembers. Out. He needs to get out, or... something, anything.

[colecomfort]

It's still disorienting. Not as frightening as the Fade, not with the same skin-crawling sensation he experienced there, but a jolt, a sudden twist, and Cole realizes it worked. He places a hand on the stone wall to his right, one of the few things he can see through the fog filling the corridor.

"I did it," he says, for the moment thrilled, almost delighted. "I tried this time — and it worked!"

No more time to wonder at it. They're both here, somewhere. He has to find them. If he can speak to Justice, find the right words... perhaps in the space between one thought and the next, the ritual will find a way to succeed.

"...Hello?" There's an open door to his left, a stairwell leading down to fog and darkness. "I know you're here — I can sense you in the shifting. I know why you didn't speak before, but it's safe here. We can talk to each other now."

The Ritual Itself

[justice_is_blond]

They'd figured something would go wrong. It's pretty much a given, considering. Demons were also pretty much a given due to how similar the fifth attempt is to the fourth. In fact, the crackling of the barrier and runes once they're engaged aren't that much of a surprise, just a disappointment.

The first thing that might be a surprise comes with the barrier stops crackling, starts glowing, and Anders yells. The second is a flash, bathing the whole area in Fade-green and electric blue. And while it's very possible that most of the scattered demons that pop up - wraiths, gibbering horrors, and lesser shades - are not a surprise, there's one more form that stands in the heart of the Circle, over Anders' prone form, raising a barrier over itself as it howls in anger.

Vengeance is furious, and the blue wall of flames that rise up in front of it are fueled by that rage. The other demons close in, sensing that they're about to have a feast.

[fightingale]

"Quickly!" Demons. They should all be ready - they must be.

"As darkness closes," she murmurs, raising her bow with no hesitation and loosing an arrow at Vengeance, seeking to distract its attention from Anders if necessary, "I am shielded by flame."

She has a second arrow ready almost immediately.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel stands by Leliana, bow strung, arrow in hand, and his jaw drops.

"What is that?" he asks in dismay. But he thinks he might know. Though he has never seen its like, for that very reason it must be a Vengeance demon. Gone is the shining armor Justice created for himself in the Fade on their first meeting. This is a thing twisted so beyond recognition that Anders could not possibly have held it inside and missed that it was no longer Justice.

Well. Justice was an asshole anyway. He is separated from Anders now, and all that is left is to kill him. The complicated things can come later.

Nathaniel looses an arrow at Vengeance's eye.

[fightingale]

Andraste, guide me.

Her second arrow flies, aiming for the creature's throat. "An adversary."

Not obnoxiously; simply. An adversary, one for them to fell quickly, one that will endanger their people here. One they will act against swiftly. His dismay can be overcome.

Aftermath

[justice_is_blond]

The dust takes its sweet time in settling, and when it does there's a whole lot of demon ash around the place and one former ally is dead and gone. A lot of the living aren't doing too well either, for that matter. It's time to try to get everyone stabilized and back to Skyhold. Everyone left alive, that is.

Nathaniel

[pinprick]

The pain is his entire existence, and briefly he is certain he has died. Then he thinks that is foolish, but he is certainly about to die. The air is right there, all around him, he can feel the breeze against his lips, but he cannot breathe it in. His jaw moves, his throat moves, but there is no air.

[failedfirst]

As soon as the last demon falls Velanna runs to Nathaniel's side. She can see the others moving, but she's the only mage really standing right now. She'll likely be sore once the adreneline ebbs away, but for now she's the one in the best position to help.

Unfortunately she's also probably at best the second-worst healer here.

She swears under her breath, in elvish and common, before focusing on the basic healing spell she does know.

"Nathaniel, I meant it when I told you not to get yourself killed," she hisses at him, a weak but steady green glow flowing from her palms into him. All she has to do is keep him from dying until one of the more capable healers can limp over. Which is good because that's about all she can do.

[pinprick]

Her touch glows, slows the bleeding inside, shrinks the forming contusion, and his crushed chest expands just a little with a shallow, wheezing breath. Not enough. Part of his rib cage moves independently from the rest--the part that came in contact with the demon's foot. Broken free. His eyes are wide and blank and looking straight at her and he has the strangest thought of little hands putting sap in her cornsilk hair.