[OPEN] holes in the sky, pierced by the fire

[eolasemah]

WHO: Everyone who's around!
WHAT: A rift has opened in Skyhold. We have to deal with it.
WHEN: The last day of Wintermarch
WHERE: In the courtyard, between the tavern and the dungeon.
NOTES: I will be posting periodically to let you know the results of what your dudes are doing! If you need clarification or want to ask me something, PM me on this account.

It’s a dismal, rainy evening, with Skyhold at the mercy of one of the many winter storms that passes through the Frostbacks. Most of the keep’s denizens have shut themselves inside to sit by a warm fire, have a drink, even go to bed early rather than face the freezing rain and the wind.

The tavern windows are aglow with light and merriment, but in the open area just behind it comes a different kind of glow: flames bursting to life and then dissipating, as a solitary elf in an oilskin cloak practices her fire spells in the relative safety of the rain.

It’s no secret that Sina has been isolating herself as of late, though her mood has taken an even more pointed downturn in the last few days. Her movements as she works are increasingly erratic, frustrated even, as there are times when she casts a serviceable fireball, and others when barely a spark leaves her hands. As she grows angrier, her energy depletes, and she’s barely resting between casts.

Perhaps it is because of this that what happens next occurs at all. In a burst of anguish and fury, Sina wrenches her hands forward, drawing from whatever reserves she has left—and then her shard reacts.

In an explosion of neon green that knocks Sina flat on her back, a rift erupts into the gloomy sky. It crackles and hums insidiously, its strange electricity causing every shard belonging to every Rifter in the vicinity to suddenly spit and pop in recognition.
No doubt drawn to the new opening in the Fade, the dark form of a despair demon slithers from the rift, takes stock of its surroundings, and slowly begins to approach the prone form of the fool that freed it. Moments later, it is followed by several spindly green terror demons, and at last the hulking inferno that comprises a rage demon.

Comments

[disgracedchampion]

Michel was hard pressed to stand by idly while danger was thick in the air, especially when that danger involved demons muscling their way out of rifts and into Skyhold.

It was typical for the Chevalier to be completely dressed out in full armor and equipped with a sword and a shield, always ready for something to happen as something was usually prone to happen. It was always best to be ready regardless.

Careful to dance over any bodies caught in the demon's appearance, Michel helped anyone he could up before taking his place in the the creature's peripheral, not too far away from Krem, "I suspect a little bit of aid would not go amiss?"

[kremdelacreme]

Krem swore under his breath when he saw his men being flipped into one-another. "And watch your damned feet!" he barked, turning to the Chevalier when he joined the fray. The sword in Krem's hands was hefted in a practiced manner and he gestured with his free hand for Michel to try and flank the demons, hoping to keep the ones closest to their civilians from attacking again.

"Have the mages' backs," he murmured, before setting about to take on the Terror that had sprung up in the middle of his men.

[disgracedchampion]

Is was important for one to be able to read gestures in a situation such as this, especially with such a crowded field. Demons were more numerous than he might have liked and they certain did not care how Michel would like to engage them, or that some of the mages seemed nervous, and that many of the civilians attempting to help were would-be soldiers. Certainly one of the more frustrating battles he'd been in, but at least they managed to attract the attention of a despair demon.

Both he and Krem were warriors and therefore more adept at fighting at close range, but despair demons opted to fight at a distance with ice spikes. Somewhat challenging, but nothing that couldn't be handled...they would just have to trust that the others who joined in knew how to handle themselves for the time being.

"I'll keep it distracted, strike from behind--" said just as the despair demon attacked forcing him to deflect with his shield. With others about he couldn't risk ducking and having someone else struck by the blow in the process.

[kremdelacreme]

While the Despair demon was focused on Michel it was easy enough for Krem to flank the thing, climbing up the crumbling brickwork closest to it and swinging his sword backhanded into it. It cut off its flinging of ice shards and shrieked, twisting away then focusing itself on him. It seemed overwhelmed when the archers under Dalish's command turned their bows on it, and before long it had been pelted with enough arrows, some that had been set to explode, that it curled up and took the last blow, sending it back into the rift with a fading cry.

There was still the Terror to deal with though, as it had disappeared from sight while the despair demon was dealt with. He stared around for it, then gritted his teeth as the bright green pool of light popped up under Michel.

"Move!"