faderift | Open: Waking Nightmares in Skyhold (reaction log)

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Open: Waking Nightmares in Skyhold (reaction log)

WHO: Characters in Skyhold
WHAT: Before, during, and after the eruption and attack of an Abomination in Skyhold.
WHEN: Haring 11
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Please note that the actual subduing of the Abomination is being completed by mission volunteers. Use this log as a means to react to this event otherwise. You are welcome to be attacked by or attempt to attack the monster yourself, but please refrain from doing anything that would permanently affect it or interfere with the volunteers' plans.

It's so late that it's early when the Abomination begins its path of terror between the gardens and the main hall. It seems intent on heading for Skyhold's heart itself, a continual slow drag weighted down by the way it, for whatever reason, drags the body of a young made woman behind it, by the ankle. Seven foot tall, a twisted monstrousity of human and monster, made of tattered mage robes, bony protrusions, claws, and teeth. Behind it, it leaves a trail of smearing blood and gore over dirt, grass, rock, as well as blackened scorch marks.

It can be distracted, diverted, whether by mere movement or direct attack. It wields magical fire in inelegant gusts of flame, but is just as likely to lash out physically, impossibly strong, fingers twisted into giant claws, or make grabs and attempt to sink fangs into flesh. Always, it will return to where it last dropped the corpse, and make for the main hall.

Eventually, an explosion of flame and broken stone will destroy the connecting entryway between the gardens and the hall, under the onslaught of the Abomination's magic. A deep roar reverberates through the bones of the castle, inviting one and all to join in.

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River has had nightmares before, but they seemed fewer in recent weeks, and less intense. The horror Simon heard in his sister's voice seemed like the worst it had ever been. The healer's heart jumped into his throat as he woke in his cot, awake in an instant, throwing back his blanket and hurrying to River's side.

"Chouchoute, it's okay, shhh..." he tried, hands steady as he reached for her even as he struggled to catch his breath. Just those few steps had felt like he ran laps around Skyhold.

He didn't know what caused her distress, but knowing the dangers any mage could find in their dreams was enough to have him fearing the worst. Still his first instinct was to go to her, to pull her back from whatever it was that had scared her so deeply...and to pray to the Maker that it was still his sister he was trying to soothe.

But it wasn't okay, and she shook her head, hunching back, eyes wide and terrified in the dark. "Coming! It's coming," she sobbed through stuttering gulps for breath, and her hands flailed for a moment before coming to grasp at Simon's sleeve. It's coming, it's coming, it came when they fell, we have to go...!"

But she hadn't moved, panic seizing her too completely. The echoes of that that thing moving around the keep had her rooted in place, even as she could feel that sickening presence nearby.

It's coming had Simon thinking of a number of terrible things. An attack on Skyhold, like the one that had brought Haven low, chief among them...but it came when they fell... The mage knew that kind of talk. Simon turned his head away for a moment, straining to listen for any raised alarm. There were no horns...but Simon swore he heard other screams in the distance--and then the crash and roar that had him moving enough for the both of them.

"We're going," he said, quick to tuck one arm under River's knees and brace her shoulders with the other, adrenaline surging as he lifted her off the cot. "We're going right now, it will be all right..."

The cries had stopped, but she still looked dazed, horrified, her hands pressing the sides of her head as she curled into her brother's embrace. Simon knew, he understood, they had to get far away from the demon now. The shell that had been a mage once before couldn't stop it now. Once it tore through the skin there was no pulling it out, not without blood and blades--

The feeling prickled at her skin, tears still gleaming on her cheeks. "They want in...they always want in, but they're wrong. They don't understand. It won't be the same and they're so, so angry...!"

They were going, but where remained a very important and dangerously unanswered question. 'Away' seemed the most important thing, but how far could would be safe? Simon had heard the horror stories, abomination outbreaks bad enough to overrun an entire Circle...surely that wouldn't happen to Skyhold, but if it did could he really take her out into the mountains to get away?

He'd try, if it came to that.

For now Simon carried River out of the tent, looking up and down the rows, pointing the direction the shouts were coming from and moving away from them. The ramparts might be safe. If nothing else there were plenty of options to hide in the towers... Through it all River continued to whimper fearfully, her rambling making just enough sense to be frightening.

"I won't let them touch you," Simon told her, lowering his head to whisper the promise close. "You'll be safe..."

"It's not...it's not. Never safe. They're there and peeking through, didn't know not to let it in. It doesn't know why the shape is wrong..."

She continued to babble, though thankfully muffled mostly into the front of Simon's robes. It felt like a vibration in her skin that grew fainter as they drew away, but still there. Even there in the safety of her brother's arms, the fear only grew tighter in her chest, her head jerking upwards to stare at him through black, panicked eyes.

"They want inside, they're always there. If they got in, I'd be wrong. I'd need to change, and I don't want to..."

The climb up to Skyhold's ramparts had always looked slightly unnerving to Simon before and he'd been quite content to stay off them unless absolutely necessary. Now he was taking the stairs as fast as he could, two at a time, his arms still full of frightened young girl. It was all going perfectly well until he made the mistake of looking out across the courtyard towards the entrance to the main hallway. It was impossible to see clearly in the dark, but there was something large out there, battering at the doors...

Simon turned large eyes back on his footing, moving a tiny bit quicker up the stairs.

"They won't. You won't..." Because if he said it often and with enough conviction, it would be true. "You're stronger than that, chouchoute, stronger and smarter than they are..."

He was huffing slightly as he reached the top, finally risking to slow down and decide where to turn next. The closest tower was chosen and Simon hurried towards it, ready to shoulder the door open once he reached it. A tired smile was flashed down at that frightened look up.

"...far smarter than me too, remember?"

But Simon had been Harrowed. He'd faced those demons already and won. River just swallowed tightly against her terrified tears and huddled, willing herself to be as light in his arms as she could manage. They were far from the damage being done by now, but if they didn't kill the abomination it wouldn't matter. It would seek them all out, if it could.

Her fingers remained clutched tightly in Simon's robes as the tower door swung open, and a thunderous noise from down in the courtyard had her hunching tighter.

The templars. They were their only hope now.

The interior Simon found was dark and empty, dusty with mostly empty racks of weapons leaning against the walls. Arms storage for the soldiers and scouts, already visited from the look of things after word got out that Skyhold was under attack from within, which meant they could hide undisturbed.

As long as the abomination was contained, of course.

Finally the mage slowed down, pressing his shoulderblades to the door and easing it shut behind them. It was even darker now, but that was easy to fix. Simon carefully knelt down, trying to ease River out of his arms for a moment. A glyph on the door could offer some protection if they were followed and would offer ambient light at the same time.

"We'll be safe up here," he hoped.

Tear tracks remained glistening on her cheeks, even if the sobbing had slowed and finally stilled. Every time there was a noise from down below she flinched, her arms wrapping around herself. Being here wasn't safer than being anywhere else, after all. There had been the hope that Skyhold would be different...

Simon had so hoped, she knew. He'd wanted to stop running. But it seemed that they would never stop, that something would always wait in the shadows for them to not be looking, to lower their guard. Simon would always be running, and even then he might not be safe from her if things went wrong.

"...should have left me..." she rasped at last, her eyes lowering to the stone beneath their knees.

Simon hated to go, but it would do so much for his peace of mind--hers too, he hoped--to have that glyph up. Something simple, something that would stop any intruders in their tracks. It might not stop a demon for long, but long enough to start running again. Simon rested a hand on River's shoulder, squeezing reassuringly as he worked the spell with his other hand. The magic glowed softly as it lit upon the door, offering some light at last...enough to see the tears still wet on her face.

His stomach twisted itself into his chest at her words, a feeling that Simon did his best to swallow. He turned back to her, reaching to brush her cheeks dry with a sweep of his thumbs.

"Don't talk like that," Simon plead softly. Gently he urged her to look up again, to look at him and see that he meant it. "How could I have left you?"

"They got inside, they still could. They could take me out and put something else in..."

And what would Simon do then? Would he be able to strike her down? Or retain hope that she could be saved even while nothing remained? It's a terrifying thought, and they're not safe here. They'll...no. He will never be truly safe with her near.

But she tilted into his touch, her face twisting in anguish. What she would give to have just be an ordinary girl, to not have put him here in the first place.

"They can't force you out," Simon told her, believing the words as fiercely as he could. He thought back on his own Harrowing, his first real encounter with a demon. The whole scenario felt forced in retrospect, but the danger was still very real. First the demon had tried to trick him into letting it in, and then it had tried to scare him...and finally it lashed out. Simon never knew what would have happened if he'd been defeated and his instructors had only assured him that the templars would have handled it if he had, but every encounter since hadn't ended in violence. The demons wanted him to give in, to surrender without a fight...surely that meant something, or else abominations would be a far more common occurrence.

Or Simon was assuming too much and that his own experience wouldn't be the same for everyone. But that nagging doubt was pushed down. It wouldn't help River to say as much...though he could find ways to prepare that wouldn't worry her further.

"They want you to let them in, and you're smarter than that," he told her, letting her lean into his hand while the other reached up to brush back her hair. "I know you are, River..."

The spirits -- demons -- wanted her to let them in, and they would offer her heart's desire to do it. And she was only human. She had desires that could overwhelm her senses the same as anyone else, and Simon above all else...

They could use that. They would. Could she resist that forever?

Swallowing thickly she nodded, another silent tear spilling down her cheek as she drew a short, hiccoughing breath. Simon had managed to keep the demons at bay and continued to do so, despite all he'd done in Tevinter to earn their escape.

"If I'm not...they can stop me. You'd be safe," she managed after a moment, voice thick.

That tear was brushed away as soon as Simon saw it fall. He shifted his weight to move close again, putting his body between River and the door as he knelt beside her. An arm wound around her shoulders, giving her a shelter to hide in. Beyond them Simon could just make out the sound of battle, magic flaring and muffled shouts that he hoped were orders rather than cries of pain. It wasn't easy to hear, but as long as it stayed distant and as long as it stopped soon, they'd get through. Yet what River was saying was even harder to hear.

"You are, River..." he murmured, almost pleading with his voice for her to believe as much as he did. He could never give up on her, not after giving up so much just to see her safe. To lose her to demons and templars of all things was so painful to imagine. But as much as Simon protested he was too rational to ignore the possibility. All he could do was be there for her, to be the anchor she needed to keep the demons at bay.

"I'll help you," he promised. "Whatever it takes...I won't let them take you, I won't let anyone hurt you again."

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Open: Waking Nightmares in Skyhold (reaction log)

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