[Closed] I can hear it Calling

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Alistair, Anders, Anduin, Hanzo, Inessa, Merrill, Nathaniel, Val
WHAT: A race to save a life
WHEN: Start of the month
WHERE: Northern Anderfels
NOTES: Medical matters, pain, NPC death.

It's hard to tell when the dust begins to clear, because many trees are left smoldering, sending smoke up in a gigantic marker of where something has just happened. There are injuries, there are scared griffons... and there's a massive Great Dragon corpse alongside the far smaller Venatori ones. It's a loss. She's a loss. But it had come down to her or them and quite frankly none of them were ready to die just yet.

Anders takes a breath before heading over to the rapidly cooling body, pulling his belt knife out and then several stoppered vials.

"There's salt and wrappings in Buggsy's saddlebags, if someone doesn't mind getting it. We'll salt some of the flesh to preserve it, get her heart, get what blood we can, and be on our way. I don't... We likely can't stay here long, but those things are needed." As he talks, he's cutting open her forearm and dribbling blood into a vial. "Does anyone else need anything from her?"

Comments

[circleprodigy]

"I'll retrieve them for you." Inessa, after having soothed Potato, heads over to the saddlebags promptly though not without sparing a saddened glance at the massive corpse of the Great Dragon. There was nothing to be done about it, but she doesn't relish the loss of such a being. Who knows if they will ever see its like again?

[pinprick]

Nathaniel sighs softly at the sight of the dragon, its blood still hot and pooling on the ground. It is a shame. But the beast could not be allowed to be corrupted by Corypheus. And after a certain point, it was either kill or be killed. It was a long battle and Nathaniel feels exhausted. What time is it? It is quite dark. He looks for the sun, and finds it still in the sky. Why is everything dark, when it is still afternoon with the sun above them? And he is swiftly feeling weaker. Something is wrong. Something is...

Suddenly he is staring at his hands. His hands, veined and darkening. He reaches into the pocket that held the amulet and finds only a gash, torn into his clothing by the fighting. Where is the amulet? He pats himself down frantically and finds it—fallen into his clothing, resting directly against his skin. He yanks it out, but knows it is too late.

“Anders!” he barks. When anyone turns to look, Nathaniel’s appearance has changed dramatically. His eyes are clouded, veins purpling, redness around his eyes. The amulet accelerated the taint in him, and the taint was already far progressed to begin with.

[chainlightning]

"The scales, maybe?" Merrill isn't actually sure, but it does seem like they would have great value - and would be nice, light armor. She doesn't stop to consider it further; instead, she lets Ghostface cluster with his siblings and goes to help Anders.

"Pardon me-" Slim fingers are about to wrap around another vial, but then Nathaniel shouts. Merrill turns and immediately starts at the sight before her. Memories come flooding back, unbidden; Bethany in the Deep Roads, Hercules leaving, Asher dying...

There is nothing she can do, for a moment, but stare- and then her hands are fumbling for the knife at her belt.

"Fenedhis- Nathaniel, hold on-"

[lil_lion]

Anduin barely registers Anders' orders as he stands near the great dragon's head, stories high, and wearily draws a hand across his brow. She's so still. Waves of heat radiate from the slowly cooling body. He can't draw his eyes away. He had hoped... He sighs.

The sudden flurry of movement from his companions finally snaps his attention away from the dragon. Confused, he hastens over to them warily, glancing at worried faces until he sights Nathaniel. He knows what this is... in a clinical, distant way. He stands by, struck silent, feeling helpless as his mind works. What could he do... against the taint? How long did they have?

[justice_is_blond]

He stares at Nate, uncomprehending, not wanting to comprehend, for far too many seconds. This can't be. It's impossible, they've got at least two years... and then the amulet explains it and it's like a vice is closing around his heart.

Merrill's gesture brings him back to the present and he holds out his hand as he moves to Nate's side so he can support his husband. "Wait." Not no. Absolutely not a no. "Wait. We can, we can actually fix it. I can, the dragon. The, we don't have to--"

Somehow he stops and takes a breath, forcing himself to breathe. They have no time, but they have to do this right. They may only have one shot at this.

"Warden base, near here." Another breath. He's pale and shaking. "We go there. Now. We move so we're not surprised by more Venatori. And then we use, we use my research, Avernus' research, and yes, Merrill. We have to get this right or there's no, there's no..." He shakes his head, unable to say more on that.

With his free hand he pulls out a small map of the area and taps it. "Us." Another tap. "The base. If anyone sees any," and he rattles off a couple of herb names, "along the way, stop and pick it and catch up."

[chainlightning]

Merrill pauses for only a fraction of a second before nodding, but she still draws her knife.

"Do we need more from the dragon, then? And who's Avernus?"

She doesn't actually expect an answer on the second part, not from Anders while he's in this state, but... maybe talking about something like that will keep Nathaniel's mind off what's happening to him.

Even as she's asking, though, Merrill is going to collect Ghostface. Easier to transport whatever they need from the dragon and the herbs Anders mentioned - not to mention Nathaniel himself, if it gets bad enough - with a griffon.

[pinprick]

Usually when he makes mistakes, Nathaniel is a picture of sputtering, ineffectual rage. Now, he is quiet as he wraps the amulet in leather and passes it to whoever will take it. Blanche is glaring warningly at Merrill as she pulls the knife, but is intelligent enough not to perceive her as an immediate threat. The griffon just wants the elf to know she had better not get any ideas.

“Nobody touch me,” Nathaniel dictates. “Unless you are a Warden. For the moment, I possess my facilities. That will very likely change. Not all of you need to come with us. Those who do, please take Anders’ lead.”

He sounds calm. Or, more accurately, numb. Most of the world is a lot of white noise right now. Today, whether he likes it or not, he will be either dead or no longer a Warden.

[lil_lion]

Anduin's mouth settles into a grim line. He nods and takes out his own map. Since arriving in this strange world, he has been eager to know their equivalents of herbal medicines, knowing from experience how they can turn the tide when healers are exhausted. And so he knows the herbs Anders requires should grow in environments not far from here- brooks, crags, meadows. He takes out a short pencil and hastily notes the list of ingredients.

"I'll take up the rear, gather what herbs I can and make haste to the base." He slips the map into a compartment at his belt and secures it, sure that it won't fall out during the flight. "Light be with you all. I will see you shortly, Warden Howe." Without further delay, Anduin rushes to the trees where he left his griffin tied under cover.

[circleprodigy]

Upon hearing Nathaniel's yell, Inessa's head jerks up from rooting through the saddlebags, eyes widening in horror and sympathy. All Grey Wardens will be lost to the taint someday, and senior Wardens have even more limited time. But right here, now? She steps way from the bags, thoughts about the dragon forgotten. Her usual calm falls away like a mask, leaving her with an undeniably disturbed expression as she gazes upon that amulet.

Still, even as shock remains, her natural desire to solve problems rather than being resigned to them resurfaces. Panic won't save Nathaniel, if anything will. Anders' words filter in about the Warden base and she straightens, nodding. It's a goal to focus on, so she'll take in. Questions can wait.

"...right, understood. Lead the way, and we'll follow. Potato, come here. We have to ride a bit longer." The griffon looks up, grumbling but not resisting her rider.

[justice_is_blond]

He doesn't know how Nate's so calm. He doesn't know how any of the rest are functioning that easily, for that matter, because it feels like everything is falling apart all over again. His fingers start to hurt, cramping from his grip on his husband's shirt, and he forces himself to let go. It's not like Nate is unable to walk, as Anders had initially feared.

Mentally he goes through what they're going to need again as he heads for his griffon. "More blood would not go amiss," he says, feeling a little fuzzy-tongued. This is apparently his line, then. The line where he'll cross and ask for blood magic help. It's not comforting to find. "I, this was for testing reactions, learning. I don't know if I know enough, so we could use more. "

Merrill had been right to ask. The vials he does have are carefully wrapped and stuck in Buggsy's saddlebags. For once she's not trying to get extra affection; she seems to know how serious matters are right now

"I'll explain Avernus once we're there." He briefly looks in Alistair's direction, but there'd been a conversation weeks ago on the crystals about Warden secrets and not keeping them and right now Nate's survival might depend on something buried in there. "If someone cares to linger and gather up other parts of the dragon, the supplies are..."

He pulls them out, setting them on the ground. Leaving without retrieving everything that might be useful could be short-sighted for future research. But he can't linger here. They've seen the map, if someone chooses to help with getting things it's welcome, but it has to be out of his hands. He mounts up, careful eye on Nate, before urging Buggsy up and out, toward the base.

The base itself is on the small side, a couple of stories surrounded by jungle vines and trees. It doesn't look overgrown, but it doesn't look heavily tended, either.

"Be careful," he urges any who have come with him. "If anyone is here they could be ally or enemy." If they didn't need shelter... but they do. There's no doubt more of Corypheus' people will be in the area before long.

[chainlightning]

Merrill is torn. She wants to stay with Anders, wants to be there in case Nathaniel needs her help - help that she may be the only person able to provide, the only person willing to provide. More blood from the dragon is also needed, though - but Merrill is also not the most reliable when it comes to things like 'having a general sense of direction'. She's not so hopeless out in the wild as she is in Kirkwall, but...

She glances between them all and decides that, whatever happens, she should be there for her friend.

"Alistair? Will you and - erm, Hanzo, I think it was? - will you two get some more from the dragon?" That way there's a Warden with whoever takes up the rear, in case there's a severe amount of security at the base. She doesn't wait for much of an answer, flashing Alistair an apologetic smile before mounting Ghostface. She'll keep an eye on whichever griffon Nathaniel is on as they ride as well, just to make sure the mount doesn't also fall to the taint.

[eruit]

"I will do what I can." Hanzo isn't foolish enough to think that this is something he can help with - he is here to kill Venatori, to destroy the dragon, and nothing more. He is not a healer, he does not have that kind of magic, and he knows better than to ever get close to someone who is suffering from the taint. The very idea of it makes his skin crawl and he shifts, stepping away.

"The dragon will be handled. Once it is done I will move north and join you." A nod, sharp, sure.

It's the least he can do, even if his eyes flick between the group. He might not understand what is happening or why the Warden is suddenly so unwell, but he can do this. It is a simple job and he can do it.

"Go."

[lil_lion]

Anduin searches for as long as he dares, flying low over brooks and crags, his scarf wrapped tightly around his face to protect him from the worst of the windchill. He flies faster than is cautious. When he alights, it takes him some minutes to root around in the soil with his fingers, or hack at the plants with his father's blade, extracting the herbs the Wardens will transform into medicines for an impossible cure.

He squints into the west. The light is waning. He mounts his griffin, its saddle bags stuffed with the herbs Anders required- though not as much as Anduin would have liked. Some of the rarer ones were necessarily scant. It would have to be enough...

Despite the urgency, the danger, Anduin finds himself moved by the beauty of these wild, lonely places. He doesn't linger, but his spirit is soothed by the wandering winds, the call of strange birds, even the scent of the pungent herbs and flowers. It is beyond dusk by the time Anduin's griffin disturbs the dust of the Wardens' courtyard with its wings. Anduin dismounts almost as soon as the beast is down and makes haste to secure the animal. Once done, he rushes to the gate to beg admittance and to find the others.

[justice_is_blond]

He's thankful for the support. There are times Anders feels excruciatingly alone in Kirkwall, but Hanzo's getting what Anders can't get, Merrill's there willing to help in a way that could cause her so much trouble, Inessa's right alongside him, and even a man he's met just on this mission, Anduin, is gathering what they'll need. It makes breathing actually possible as they head in to the fortress.

No one greets them at first as they go in. The place is quiet, front hall not too much of a mess with tables and benches everywhere, and a few large fireplaces. Late afternoon light spills in from the upper windows, but they'll probably want a fire soon.

"Nate, please sit. Someone help him if he can't?" For his part, Anders is brushing off a table of dust and debris, setting out vials and starting to pull basically everything out of his belt pouches and the saddlebags he'd pulled off Buggsy. Nate should be able to manage sitting down. Really, Anders more suspects his husband will be trying to be active, hence the seeking support. He doesn't have the time to convince Nate to rest. Not if he wants to cure him.

There's a clearing of a throat nearby and Anders looks up to find three blond Wardens there. There are no demons present, there's no red lyrium, and they hadn't attacked, which means he's holding up a hand to suggest everyone be calm. They're mostly watching Nate, the two men and the woman, rather than the rest, which makes sense. They know the danger there.

"We have to cure him," Anders says, almost asks. They need this place to work safely. They can't go back outside and work. Now the Wardens' gazes take in the party and the three bend their heads together for a minute before the man steps forward.

"I'm Ernst," he says quietly. "These are Helmut and Birgitte. We'll... we'll help, if you'd like, but you have to help us in return. It's not safe for Wardens around here. The, the others..."

Birgitte clears her throat. "We'll help. I'll show someone where to get water. But you have to share what you find, or get us out of here. That's the condition."

Anders nods, as if he has the authority to agree to anything.

[pinprick]

Which, fortunately, Nathaniel does. Though pale and clearly in the throes of his Calling, he keeps his composure and nods at them, squinting because of the loss of vision.

"If you need to escape," he says a little louder than usual, to hear himself over the Calling, "I promise you will be given safe passage and harbor. If you want to be cured, we cannot guarantee success. But I agree to your terms."

This is all provided, of course, that the Calling doesn't prove as deadly as the Joining. On paper, it doesn't seem like it would be--no known poisons are involved, as darkspawn blood is--but it will burn the corruption from Nathaniel's blood, separating two things that were not meant to be separated. Anything can go wrong. There is a very good chance...

Nathaniel reaches for Anders' hand and gives him a brief smile. Anders is more important than he is right now. Anders has a good chance of being left behind without him, with these moments in the forefront of his mind. Nathaniel may not have a future, but Anders is guaranteed one. Nathaniel will do nothing to make this more traumatic for him than it must be.

Except die.

Probably.

[chainlightning]

It isn't her place to agree or disagree to demands, and so Merrill doesn't. She keeps her hands busy instead, helping unpack what supplies they do have that might be needed for this. She keeps a wary eye on Nathaniel, then on the other Wardens, then the door - if they're attacked now, she's going to be very upset.