the days that bind us

[exequy]

WHO: Lots of people
WHAT: Recovering lost phylacteries
WHEN: Guardian 23, 9:44
WHERE: The Storm Coast
NOTES: Violence! OOC post over here.

All signs point to the Storm Coast, and once scouts have narrowed down the location it's only a short journey across the Waking Sea to move a small force onto the rocky coast. They row ashore just after dawn in driving rain, and follow the beach for at least a mile before finding a path that actually reaches the top of the cliff. The rain fades to a drizzle but the day remains relentlessly overcast as they hike toward their goal, grey and dim even at noon, with a raw breeze off the water.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

"Smash it."

There's cold certainty in his voice as he goes through another crate, pulling out and deliberately dropping the vials he finds that warm to the touch. They are not dogs to be leashed. They are people. And he will crush what has to be crushed to set them free.

"I've no idea what you're waiting for."

[circleprodigy]

There's a sudden jerk of her head upon hearing Anders' voice, but she relaxes after a moment. Her voice is quiet but calm, no longer on edge the way it has been for weeks. "...I will. I plan to, but I had to look upon it one last time. And I want Ciri to be present before I do."

Ciri more than anyone has witnessed its effect on her, been a part of that suffering when the attacks affected more than just herself. It's only fair...and besides, she could use that moral support.

Her gaze shifts to the crate he's inspecting, snapping out of her singular focus for the moment. "If any of the vials belong to those among us here, wait. They might want the satisfaction of destroying their own phylacteries."

[justice_is_blond]

He studies her for a moment before nodding. Waiting for Ciri makes some sense. She'd been there for Inessa through a lot, after all. His concern is that some mages might not be ready to let go of their leashes and will wind up hurt again.

Anders goes back to systematically smashing vials with another nod. "I know. And those in Kirkwall still deserve a chance to destroy their own. If they will." Will Julius? Anders hopes he will, but isn't going to count on it. His old friend may not want the loosening and Anders hurts for him.

"For the rest, I'm not about to trust anyone with them. Maybe we could find someone trustworthy to get phylacteries to their owners, but what if something happens to that trusted person? It's too big a vulnerability."

They are only saving the phylacteries with owners in Kirkwall if he has anything to say about it.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa's fingers wrap around her phylactery, and she slips it into her satchel. What she plans to do with it won't wait too long, but she can put it off long enough to assist Anders. Her feelings about the Circle may not always align with his, but especially after what they've been through, she couldn't agree more on the subject of phylacteries.

"Far too big, yes. The potential for exploitation isn't worth the risk, and for all we know, there are other groups of the same mind...or more branches of this one." Her lips form a thin line at that, absently patting Garahel's head as he lets out a low growl at the notion. "...but at least for us, this particular nightmare is over. It's a little difficult to process after so long, isn't it? I was beginning to think this would have no end."

[pinprick]

"Stop."

Nate scrambles to cover the latest opened crate with a lid.

"Please don't get the Wardens in trouble with the Inquisition. Not to mention spilled blood might still be useful to some. If they are to be destroyed, best wait till it can be done safely and with the Inquisition's permission."

He picks up the box from Kinloch Hold and sets it on top of the last one. He glances about the room, looking to see if anyone is watching as he scans the phylacteries in the box, taking his time picking up a lid. As his hand replaces the lid, it palms one of the vials. His expression does not change.

[justice_is_blond]

"The..." He stares at Nate, taken aback and trying to figure out what's even going on as the crate is closed in front of him.

"With the, the... They..." Is the nightmare over? Anders looks between Inessa and Nate, at a loss. "There's no end for some if these go back. The Wardens..." Need the Inquisition right now. So the mages have to wait, again, for political reasons?

"What is the point if I can't even..." The point is he's alive. He'd be dead and not able to help anything anyway if not for the Wardens and the fight leaves him as he looks away, hurt and upset. Even with the Circles broken and the Templars a mess and the Chantry headless the mages can't break fully free. The only bit of hope in any of this is that while he hasn't found his vial, Nate's taken one from the Kinloch box. With Inessa's in her possession that means it has to be his in Nate's.

[circleprodigy]

Nathaniel's sudden entrance has Inessa straightening and stepping away from the crate, obedient though her expression is disappointed. This would have been cathartic for both herself and Anders, and spared others the possibility of further torment. But mention of spilled blood still having use gives her pause. It might be true, for all she knows, even if they try to get rid of the evidence. At this point, caution still runs deep.

"...understood." She sighs, glad she had at least taken her own vial when she did. Its end will be at a place and time of her choosing, with Ciri and Garahel at her side.

Her gaze is sympathetic as she shifts her gaze over to Anders. "I know, I don't want anyone to endure what we just did, either. We can still advocate for their destruction back in Kirkwall." After the damage done Inquisition members and the Gallows itself, she would like to think that the higher-ups would see the merit in ridding all of such potential for abuse. "The point is that we're still here, unharmed. We have our lives back. You can resume your work, without threat of being attacked at any time or having those attacks harm others in the way. That's not nothing."

[pinprick]

"We are bringing them back, and the mages will decide what to do with them," Nathaniel says as two sailors enter to grab crates and haul them back aboard ship. He steps back and takes Anders' hand, pressing the phylactery to his palm. "Let's let them do their work."

[justice_is_blond]

They both have so much more faith in the Inquisition than he does. It's not that much of a surprise, but he cannot bring himself to trust that the mages alone will get to decide. But the shape of what Nate is holding with him is enough reason to not draw attention to himself.

"We will advocate for it," he says quietly, holding Nate's hand with his gaze fixed on the crates that are being hauled away. "Because they deserve the peace of mind we can have. They deserve the chance to make lives for themselves without constantly looking over their shoulders."

His people are not free so long as there are phylacteries tracking them. And he will see his people free.

[circleprodigy]

Stepping back from the crates, Inessa gestures for Garahel to do the same. With the loyal mabari at her side, she nods in agreement with Anders' quiet words. "They do, and their needs won't be forgotten. When we return, I'll gladly lend my time to that end.

For now...I should find Ciri." She nods to them and Garahel wags his tail, then follows his mistress to the doorway.