faderift | Cause I'm with you to the end of the line.

Entry tags:

Cause I'm with you to the end of the line.

WHO: Issala + OPEN
WHAT: Kas no longer exists. Issala has to keep up appearances.
WHEN: Kirkwall move and forward
WHERE: The Gallows + Kirkwall
NOTES: Warning for brainwashing and weirdness.

The letter was still in his hand when the snap in his brain sent a shiver of pain down his spine, almost as if draining something away. Blinking a few times, Issala rolled his shoulders a little bit to reorient himself within his own body.

So it was time. No more brief glimpses of control while the boy almost got himself killed, but now he was in charge of his own mind again. While it felt a bit strange to not be Kas any more, with all the things that had been going on - he had a duty to the Qun. He had trained for this ever since he was placed in the Ariqun at age 12.

Unfolding the letter again, Issala read the words once more to make sure he had not missed anything and to let it all sink in completely.

"Hey kiddo! It's been a while since we talked. We really hear a lot about your Inquisition back in Rivain. Mostly good stuff.

You better stay safe out there, you hear? Everyone's still in one piece here - well, mostly. Notas lost a few fingers in a brawl. At least he can't flip anyone off, right?

Anyway, No-Name wants your opinion on the names they've been interested in. They can't quite choose, so they wanted someone that's been outside the kith to help out. I think they still look up to you.

The names they were interested in are: Issala, Saam, Maraas, Katari.

We know you'll do your duty.

/Athlok + the rest"

It was a pretty sly way to implant his control words in what seemed like any other nice letter from the kith that didn't exist. With the Iron Bull in Skyhold, they needed extra eyes in Kirkwall, so here he was.

Ready.

Putting the letter in his back pocket, Issala left the room that severed as the barracks to fulfill the demands of the Qun.

A

Not much really changed. He continued his day-to-day duties while scouting and delivering messages, keeping up appearances as Kas. It meant, however, that he was withdrawing a bit more from 'his' friends, claiming being busy as the excuse.

There was no point in risking his cover unnecessarily.

Honestly it wasn't that easy to pretend to be Kas all the time, because things that would have excited the idiot boy didn't affect Issala as much. The struggle to be useful and the quest to date a girl was all muted or ignored.

Instead he set his mind into working hard. Bas teens were moody things, weren't they? He had good excuses.

...friends do not let friends act depressed, however.

B

'Kas' spent a lot of time down by the docks, talking to people. Many of the Viddathari there were excellent in providing information about the situations in the city and taking notes to send back to Par Vollen with his own gathered intel.

Issala brought some back with him as his work of 'scouting', although there was some misinformation in there as well. Little things to steer away from the Ben-Hassrath in the city, little things to direct the Inquisition to issues that needed to be tended to.

He doesn't really want company. Maybe you should come along anyway.

C

Training was still a thing that needed to be done, even if Issala had much more experience than Kas ever did. He still had Kas' muscle memory, however, so he had to learn how to combine the two in order to take full advantage of what the boy had learned from Zevran. That way he would be outright deadly in his knifework and archery.

First came his slight of hand, and the training locks he had gotten from the elf were all opened in his pack without the traps sprung, ready to be handed in.

The few training dummies that had been put up in the docks were good targets for his arrows, and Issala took his time to make pincushions out of them as he polished his form.

Join him?

D

Wildcard!

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Korrin has been extremely busy thanks to rebuilding efforts, plus throwing herself headlong into it to try and forget about the fact that she's in Kirkwall, of all places. So, she hasn't seen as much of Kas lately as she would prefer or had much communication other than brief messages over the crystals. Still, her conversation with Araceli about seeking him out is kept in mind, and she makes good on it when having a spot of downtime. Kirkwall can't be any easier on him that it is on her, due to being 'qunari' in a city that very much remembers their kind from a decade ago. If business doesn't excuse all of his behavior, she's sure that has something to do with it. Asking around will lead her in his general direction, and he isn't so short that she can't pick him out of a crowd.

It isn't long before she's making a beeline for Kas, ready to throw a friendly arm around him and draw him close for a squeeze the moment he's within range. "Hey, Kas. I've been looking for you."

Kirkwall is always pressing in, which keeps Anders' head down a lot of the time. Familiar faces, though, bring his attention and spotting Kas is a welcome break from the surroundings. Anders waits for him to finish up delivering a message and then gives him a tired smile.

"You've not told me how the date went." Kas had been so excited about it that Anders rather had expected an update right away, but Kirkwall isn't easy for most people. "Is that good news or bad? At least if it's the latter I might have some tips."

If anyone was a serious problem to his cover, it was this woman. Issala has to steel himself for the one-armed hug and then looks up at Korrin with a small smile.

Kas was tired. Kirkwall was a weird place, after all. Everything had its explanations.

"Hey, Korrin. Sorry, I've been busy."

Looking at the human, Issala plants a slightly sad expression on his face. Oh, he remembers Kas' excitement about his 'date' and the little goodnight kiss he had gotten...

...but he had no time now for such frivolities. Ruth had asked about new dates, and he had ignored her. Teens were fickle. Kas was unsure about himself.

"Uh. We... it didn't really work." he says, looking sheepish. "She just wanted to be friends."

"I know, haven't we all? The work never ends around here. All the more reason to take a break with me before we have to get back to it. C'mon, let me buy you a round and we can catch up. You owe me for all that earlier panic."

She flashes a grin, remembering how he worried her only to find out his freaking out was over some girl. Of course she has to know how that turned out.

One round. His body had a good tolerance for alcohol thanks to Kas, so Issala shrugs a little bit before nodding. "Alright. I guess I could take a short break." He rubs the back of his neck a little, smiling that dumb Kas smile.

"What have you been doing?"

Smiling back, Korrin steers him along with her toward the steps that lead to Lowtown. They can check out Varric's infamous tavern together, the site of so many scenes in his tale of the Champion. "I've been helping clear out sections of the docks and Gallows, trying to make it more livable -or at least less awful- for the next wave. Nothing can make me move to the Gallows itself, though, and thankfully Araceli much prefers the docks anyway. What about you, what are they doing with the scouts these days?"

Kas would have been excited, he's sure. Going to the same place as the Champion?! Issala musters all his fake happiness and grins as they head to lowtown.

He keeps track of what Korrin is saying, slightly thoughtful. The work the Inquisition was doing at the Gallows was dangerous, but impressive at the same time. As far as he knew, there had not been any casualties yet, even if the statues had started walking around again.

"...all this stupid red lyrium and spirits. Are you okay, Korrin? Is it affecting your magic?" What effect did this all have on mages, honestly?

Issala shrugs when she asks about his work, leisurely stretching his arms a bit. "Nothing that special. We're running with messages most of the time right now, and handling supplies."

Ugh, red lyrium and a shredded Veil. Not Korrin's favorite subjects, but it's entirely understandable why Kas would be concerned. "Other than the long hours, I'm holding steady. I may not be Circle-trained, but trust me, that's a bonus right now. It'll take more than some minor demonic shitheads to get the better of me; don't forget, facing Nightmare was a thing."

She gives his shoulder a squeeze, trying to shrug off how thick the despair and horror was in various spots of the Gallows even without demons to fight. "Just don't go roaming in any part that's shuttered for now, or near those spikes. We need time to clean it up properly, okay?

And don't worry, you'll get to the exciting stuff again. Once we settle in here, I'm sure there'll be assignments for everyone."

She was strong, no doubt about that. Unlike Kas who remembered nothing of him, Issala knew everything Kas did - and he had seen her fight more than once. It was fascinating, really. Mages could fight the demons even in the Fade. The bas had such control over their magic, even the ones without their templar-arvaarad.

"I wouldn't touch that stuff with a ten-foot pole, Korrin. I'm only in the Gallows when I have to deliver messages." Kas was the curious one, not him.

The squeeze makes Issala frown slightly, but he doesn't pull away. It had been easier when Kas was too frightened and proud to be touched. All this camaraderie was a good cover, but odd to him - they knew the person that didn't exist.

"How soon do you think things are gonna turn to shit around here? It feels like we're stomping in on a mess and people are frowning at us for dragging in more dirt."

"Just making sure, Kas. You can't be too careful around that shit." Korrin's sure she doesn't need to repeat what they've both seen about the Red Templars or even just people who had endured accidental exposure. Kirkwall itself -with that Meredith statue that was just removed- is still a testament as to how badly red lyrium and mess with people.

As they reach the top of the stairs, Korrin leads the way down the street. "I'd say it's shit now, but it's true that it could always get worse. That's why we have to be careful, Kas. Specifically us. It's not fair, but some people will look at us and see that damned Qunari rampage that happened a decade ago. So, we already have that stacked against us. I'm not saying take any shit, but let's try not to escalate anything, okay? If you need backup, just get me over the crystal. Araceli, too. You know how she can charm a crowd."

"I know," he says again with a sigh. Issala had taken control the first time when the boy was fighting (and almost dying) to a red templar, so damn if 'Kas' didn't know how dangerous it was - and that it might have had to do with his 'fits'.

Listening to Korrin, Issala glances at some of the people they pass by, and then turns his gaze up at the other qunari again. She had a good point, of course, but if she knew how wide the Viddathari network was, she would be surprised. As much as the people here saw qunari as beasts that messed up their city, many also saw them as saviors from this mess.

"I've seen the looks sometimes. Don't worry, though. Most people still think I'm a kid since I'm so short. I'm less of a target than most other Qunari here, like you or the deaf guy." Especially her, being a mage and horned.

Those passing by tend to give them a wide berth, either avoiding their gaze or just as often darting curious or cold stares. 'Ox' isn't said loudly or directly at them, but Korrin knows without straining to listen that it's on their lips. She does her best to ignore, staying focused on Kas instead.

"Good, use that. I know you're always in a hurry to grow up, and I was the same way so I can't blame you, but there are times when being -or appearing- younger can have its advantages. And don't worry too much about us, okay? Taas and I stand out a little more, but we'll have each other's backs. Nothing new there." That does remind her that she ought to check on him sometime soon. Endless work has drained her of the ability and desire to be social, but he's family and therefore worth any effort.

Playing up his youth wasn't a problem for Issala. Kas was too proud, too desperate to show that he was an adult, though. The young qunari frowns a little, as if it bothered him.

"I guess... it's just weird." Shrugging, he looks up at Korrin again as she mentions Taas. They had eachother's backs. It was good to have that confirmed. "Just be careful okay?"

When they approach the Hanged Man, Issala has to fake that excitement again, grinning widely. "Look! There it is!"

Glad to shed that topic in favor of lighter ones, Korrin nods and then grins as his own is infectious. "Yep, the infamous Hanged Man. Let's see how much if it's still as Varric wrote. My guess is it hasn't changed that much."

Seedy taverns tend to retain that atmosphere, which is just fine with her. If it were somewhere nicer, there'd be a greater chance of her and Kas being excluded or worse. Here, it's less likely anyone will mess with them.

The Hanged Man. Favorite place of the Champion of Kirkwall. Bane of the former Arishok.

Even Issala felt something as the young qunari stepped inside. He looks around a little, taking in the doors, windows and exits before he looks at the people. It was a mix of all kinds of races, so they should be fine.

"It's just like in the book!" He says, feigning that excitement again.

Stepping inside, Korrin's eyes take a moment to adjust to the difference in lighting but then she grins and nods. "Isn't it? C'mon, lets get some drinks and claim a table."

There are stares directed their way, sure, some curious and some nervous. But no one seems about to start a fight with them simply over entering. Even so, she remains close to Kas, making it clear that he's under her protection.

Cullen is down near the training dummies most days, at least once. Anything that keeps him moving, that gives him the illusion of being busy, and that keeps him pointed away from the Gallows. He's getting a handle on the way everyone who's made the trip is handling the change. He's working on rearranging their forces, keeping people from getting aggravated. He knows, better than most, how Kirkwall can get under a person's skin, can eat away at them. It's not the same as being in Skyhold. It's dangerous here.

Or maybe he's just projecting.

Either way, he's here, and after a fairly short amount of time, he's zeroed in on the kid drilling arrows into one of the sad looking straw men. Damn impressive. Enough for him to stop walking, lean himself against the side of a low building and just watch.

The boy fires another arrow, striking the dummy again. Lowering his bow, Issala looks over to Cullen. It seemed that he had noticed the Commander quickly - it was difficult to miss the armor and the fluffy collar.

He had not really seen the leader of the forces since Kas was first accepted into the Inquisition, so he puts a curious and slightly nervous mask on his face.

"Ser?" Kas would be worried. Issala is merely gauging reactions.

It probably helps that Kas is wearing his scout uniform, too. They were members of the Inquisition, and thus shouldn't be jumped by people needlessly. Nobody wanted to get Inquisitioned.

Reaching the bar, Issala calmly orders an ale and looks for a good seat. Preferably one with his back against the wall. Assess. Control. Lessen the tension.

He pushes on his excitement, smiles and points over to a table with a plaque on it. 'The Champion's Seat'. "It is true!"

Glancing over at the plaque, she chuckles. "If you have a burning need to place your ass where Hawke parked hers, go right ahead before I get too comfortable. It's too bad Varric's elsewhere for now, isn't it? This would be the perfect setting to go with his stories, far more than the Herald's Rest."

"Don't stop on my account," Cullen says, resigning himself to losing his slightly-more-comfortable spot leaning against something, back on his own feet, holding his own weight and then some. "You're very good at that. Better than you were before. Who have you been working with?" There's a drastic improvement, and the kid was pretty damn good to start with.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." He is, too. Kas is of the age where people tend to find interest in others and start seeking out relationships. To strike out on the first try is common, but still disheartening.

"Would you like to go over how it went, and see what can be learned for the next time? Because I'm certain there are other options."

"I know what I did wrong. I tried to kiss her goodnight." It had ended rather well for Kas, but Issala needed to nip that in the bud. He would not be able to keep his cover with yet another person too close to him.

"She didn't like that and said she just wanted to be friends."

Kas would be crazy for it. All of this, honestly.

Issala isn't sure he wants the attention on them, however. Frowning, he tries to appear 'hesitant' even if it looks more like annoyed.

"Maybe... it wouldn't be the best idea. Qunari sitting there."

"Well, there was Zevran, and then Metaari... but I've mostly learned on my own." It was true for Kas. The kid had been impressively diligent in his quest to be a good scout. Training every free hour, pushing himself harder than anyone else - because a bad human was just a bad human, but a bad qunari meant people thought all qunari were bad.

Issala could respect that, really.

"This place just makes me jumpy and I want to push myself even more." Another half-truth.

"That's--' The knee jerk reaction to want to defend it has been passing quicker and quicker. This time, it's gone in only a moment. Cullen feels more or less the same way at this point. "Not a bad way to look at it. I'd say you'll get used to it, but some people never do." And some people do, and then become complacent, let it drag them down.

Which is not the point of any of this. "The archery, is that really all picked up since you came to the Inquisition?"

Not quite expecting that reply, Korrin's already worried enough about possible attention drawn to them that she can't deny the logic of it. It's frustrating, having to give a fuck what other people think, but if she doesn't, things could become worse for Kas and others.

"Eh, I guess. We'll let them get used to us coming here first, okay? Once they see that we're just customers and not 'scary qunari', you should be good to go." Or at least she hopes so, and Korrin might test it out on her own beforehand just in case.

Even Issala is a little confused for a moment at that reaction, but he read the books. Cullen had been here in this mess. With some thought to it, it wasn't that strange that the man spoke the way he did.

Letting it go, he instead decides to focus on what else the commander said. "Well, Zevran taught me some dagger stuff and opening locks, but archery is what I'm best at. Ser."

Right. Honorifics for bas.

He gets his ale from the surly-looking bartender - but it looks okay and not too watered-down. Finding a more neutral seat, he makes sure to take the chair to the wall.

Issala tries 'wistful' on his face, but lets the 'idea' of the champion's seat go.

"How's Araceli?"

Mess is an understatement, in Cullen's opinion. There are no words to properly capture the absolute shit-show. To say he'd handled the aftermath badly would also be an understatement. His mouth quirks slightly at the mention of the elf. "Zevran is a good teacher. I don't think you could ask for better." Certainly not here, with their numbers diminished and the quarters so close. He's noticed that he's far from the only one not handling it so well. On the one hand, it's a bit of a comfort. On the other... not so much.

"How are you with moving targets?" The skill is impressive, the aim quite remarkable, but in the field nothing ever holds still. Nothing ever stops moving unless you've already managed to hit it.

Snagging her ale, Korrin plops down opposite him, angling herself so she can prop her feet up on another chair. "She's into Kirkwall more than I am, that's for sure. As you might have guessed, she's missed the sea so this is perfect for her in a lot of ways. We're planning to get a place of our own at the docks sometime, but there's too much to do for that to happen right now. You should still stop by, though. She'd welcome the chance to feed you."

"Moving too fast can be an issue," he agrees quietly. "But it's good you're aware of it. It means better things for the next time."

There's something a little odd here. Anders can't say he's ever been at a loss for how to continue a conversation with the teen, and he wonders if there's something Kas isn't telling him because it really hadn't gone well at all. Or maybe Kirkwall and its history with the qunari is weighing in on the boy.

"...Do you have time for a meal? This city can get weighty." Best to imply it's Anders feeling the weight, especially when it's not untrue.

"I know, I blew it." Issala says with a sigh. These were stupid dramatics that he didn't have time for, especially not explaining himself to the boy's little hero crush.

"...and no, I don't. I have to work." It's a bit abrupt, but he weaves a little hurt in there, as if that explains it. The man was another mage, after all, and connected with spirits. He didn't feel like messing with that needlessly.

Zevran was indeed a good teacher. Issala was impressed how well-trained the Antivan 'ben-hassrath' were, and he had learned a lot from the elf. Even some of his basics had been corrected, which had been really impressive.

"Yeah, it was amazing to be trained by a friend of the Warden-Commander," 'Kas' says with a bit of an awed tone in his voice.

The mention of moving targets, however, has the teen rubbing the back of his neck. Kas wasn't terrible at it, but Issala would have to hold himself back a bit to not be too obvious in his skill. "Decent, I guess? I mean, I killed a few bandits and some other things on missions, but nothing too fast yet."

Okay, something both Kas and Issala can agree on, is that food is damn delicious and Araceli makes amazing food. The way he perks up this time is not forced at all, and he even smiles. "That would be great. I'm glad she likes it here."

Kas cared about that. He should continue to.

"Is she all healed up now?"

"She is, though we're going to need to find a new place for all her things. Turns out Martel gave her a line of credit and she has a bunch of shit in storage back in Val Royeaux." One more motivation for a move, when it can be finagled. "Remember to look up around here, and you'll probably see her around yourself. You know how she loves to sneak around with those parkour skills of hers."

Speaking of special ladies-- "So. You know I have to ask this: how'd it go with Ruth? C'mon, spill."

"They're pretty impressive. We should race sometime." He wasn't anywhere near her skill, but he had taken Zevran's classes and climbed all over Skyhold. He could...

...he shouldn't be thinking about that. He wasn't Kas anymore.

"Oh. Um... I blew it. Bad." Issala has to pull himself together and look adequately upset about it. "She just wants to be friends."

"You absolutely should. Just let me watch sometime."

But at seeing Kas so crestfallen, she slips an arm around him and squeezes. "I'm sorry, Kas. At least you gave it your best shot, right? You don't have to wonder about what might have been. And hey, there are other girls around."

"I... Oh." That's not an answer he'd expected. Kas has been sweet, even admiring, and Anders is at a loss for a second time.

"Do you, is there a usual day you're likely to have off? We could eat together then." He doesn't have so many friends that he's fine letting surprise and a little hurt keep him from trying. "I can make my schedule work. It's not entirely predictable, when I'll be needed to heal, but it's flexible enough."

Too abrupt. Damage control.

Issala tires a sheepish face and a slight rub on the back of his own neck. "Sorry, I... I'll see if I can find some time over for a meal. It's just been really weird here and I've..." He sighs and shakes his head.

"As soon as I have a moment, I'll let you know?"

"I know," he says, sighing again. "...and I did. I guess I'll just hold off on dating for a while." Look at him, Korrin. He's so hurt and sad.

Poor Kas. Echoing that sigh, Korrin signals for another drink. "It sucks, I know. If you need time to bounce back, take it...but don't think this renders you permanently undateable, okay? It doesn't. I've had some setbacks, too. It happens and it sucks...but think of it as clearing the path for something better."

He knows he's oversensitive sometimes, and Anders' sheepish expression mirrors Kas'.

"Of course. Of course. I'll let you go now. I hope things ease up quickly for you." Anders jerks his head to the side and takes a step back. "Until then. Or until I run into you again. Kirkwall is larger than Skyhold by far, but a base is a base." And then, unless stopped, Anders is heading off.

"I know, I... can we just stop talking about it?" It was not the point of this, after all. All he wanted was for it to not be another distraction.

"Have any of the qunari here talked to you?" Issala then continues, as if Kas wants to change the subject. He was more interested in this than the dumb teen heartaches, however.

"Eh, some? Those most fresh out of the Qun aren't that comfortable with a mage, but the rest are fine. We've got a mercenary company around, and some folk that work as bodyguards or such. They've confirmed that we're tolerated in Kirkwall, at least as long as we're not wearing vitaar and shouting about the Qun. I think we can swing that, right?"

"Pretty sure we can swing that, yeah." He laughs. It's empty even if it sounds genuine. He can move his features, grin brightly. Issala is no Hissrad, but it's easy to be simple.

Korrin had no reason to mistrust him.

He takes a sip of his drink and leans his head on one propped-up hand. "Even so, it's kinda stressful to be the 'wrong' kind of person here."

That laugh makes her grin, relaxing a little more when she hears it. Taking another sip, Korrin nods with slight shrug. "I'm not going to disagree there, it can be a pain in the ass. So if you need to take missions outside of Kirkwall, I understand. Just keep me updated."

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Cause I'm with you to the end of the line.

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