Into the DANGER ZONE

[faderifting]

WHO: All Rifters + the 7 natives who signed up
WHAT: Searching the ruins of Haven for survivors, an Inquisition crew finds something strange. And demons. It's kind of scary that the demons aren't the strange thing.
WHEN: Third week of Harvestmere, 9:41
WHERE: Haven
NOTES: We've broken rifters and rescuers (or "rescuers") into two groups. This log has an arrival comment for each group--you can start smaller subthreads beneath those rather than try to have an eight- or nine-person log, just incorporate surrounding chaos/fighting--and a third top-level set for the whole group's journey back to Skyhold

You were asleep-- deeply or fitfully, for the last time or just resting your eyes for a moment-- and then you were not. And wherever you were was not, anymore, replaced by nothing but the sensation of falling, tumbling into endless, bottomless nothing. If this were still a dream, you would wake before you hit the ground. You can't die in a dream, they say. In some worlds.

But there's no waking here, just a flare of green-white light and a jarring impact, barely softened by snow that lies a foot deep with an icy crust that cracks beneath the force of your landing. The wind is biting cold, the sun is bright, and you are not alone. Others thud to the ground nearby, as bewildered as you, and others run up who look no less confused for having their feet beneath them.

You are also not as you were: in the palm of your left hand there glows a narrow splinter of light the same sickly green as whatever brought you here. It aches, a bone-deep pain that gnaws even through all the distractions. Like that you're being attacked by monsters, some tall, spindly stick-things with too many eyes, some hunched and hooded with no eyes at all.

Welcome to Thedas!

Comments

[demonicbeauty]

Ariadne's head snapped to the side just in time to see the creature struck from behind. She'd never seen anything like it and, for a moment, her gray eyes widened to the point where one could see the whites all the way around. But her questions would have to wait. She knew a fight when she saw one. And she knew that the stranger had clearly just saved her.

For a moment, she remained crouched, trying to follow the rhythm of his fighting. Oddly, it reminded her of her mother's style. Always moving, flowing like water. She'd inherited some of that.

He was looking for an opening. One good turn definitely deserved another, so Ariadne sprang into action.

Like all Alastrians, she wore her hair long. But she kept it in a braid that went to her hips. Most of her kind were protective of their locks, but Ariadne had her pheromones--or so she believed--working to her advantage. She spun herself in a circle, using the same momentum as a roundhouse kick. Only, instead of lashing out with her leg, it was her braid that swirled around her. It flew at the creature, going in a wide arch around its neck. Ariadne caught the other end and gave a tug, trying to pull the creature off its feet.

[colecomfort]

The shade stumbled, pulled at least somewhat off-balance by the action — which gave Cole more than enough room. He slammed one dagger underneath what was probably the creature's ribs, and it hissed and squealed and stumbled again as he drew it out. A swipe of a claw barely grazed the brim of his hat as he moved to strike again at its back.

Pierced at least four times with a blade, and the demon was still moving, still trying to fight back. Typical of these types of creatures — potentially frightful if one was used to less hearty opponents.

[demonicbeauty]

Ariadne was quick to reel her hair back in. It was a dangerous move, leaving it exposed. But it had been at least somewhat worthwhile. At least...her rescuer had gotten a few good hits in.

Although it seemed that stabbing wasn't entirely doing the trick.

Considering she was only armed with a small, leather sling, Ariadne weighed two options. Either she could just try to keep the creature busy, or she could fall back on some of her Alastrian tactics. And, well, since she didn't know her rescuer well enough to know if he would or wouldn't turn on her, she decided she would just play distraction for the moment.

Leaning over, she picked up some sort of stone or piece of debris--she wasn't sure what it was--and chucked it at the creature's head. It turned on her sharply. She clicked her tongue, like she was trying to attract the attention of a cat, then turned around, effortlessly climbing up a larger pile of debris, hoping it would chase after her.

[colecomfort]

He took the cue from her distraction without needing any prompting, and vanished from sight as soon as the shade turned. Without any other immediate threat, the demon took the bait, gliding over the debris more than walking, its head bobbing and arms bending as it moved, almost birdlike.

Then Cole appeared again. Jab, jab, jab. One more blow, both daggers buried on either side of its spine. The demon squealed again, but there was another sound, something like a rush of wind as it dissolved into threads of green light, which spun themselves back toward the Breach in the sky.

[demonicbeauty]

Precariously, Ariadne perched on the very tip-top of the pile, crouching and using her right hand for balance. She watched the stranger appear and disappear, eyes widening slightly in surprise. Of course, she knew that Elves could teleport themselves like that but...it didn't look right.

It didn't smell right either.

But she couldn't think about it too much, her muscles tensing, preparing for another go when...

The creature deflated like a balloon.

Slowly, without demonstrating any difficulty with her balance Ariadne straightened out, looking down with her head slightly tilted to one side. "Where'd it go?"

[colecomfort]

He straightened as she did, listening, making sure they were not about to be attacked again. There were plenty of demons still about, but the others had them busy. They would have a moment to speak, at least.

"The path is too narrow to pass through. Dying hurts, but it lets them fall back to the Fade."

[demonicbeauty]

Ariadne jumped down from her perch, landing neatly on her feet. She barely noticed the snow and ice, crossing over to the boy.

She liked the way he talked.

"Thank you," she told him sincerely. Perhaps he hadn't saved her life--Ariadne was a competent fighter--but he'd certainly saved her a lot of pain. And the possibility of having to reveal herself without being fully aware of her surroundings.

She shuddered to think what might have happened.

[colecomfort]

If her thanks had an effect on him, it didn't show. In truth, Cole had been thanked dozens of times by people who wouldn't remember saying the words a handful of heartbeats later. The gratitude didn't matter — only that they were still around to express it.

And to that end: "The rest are still trying to hurt us," he said, with a nod over her shoulder, toward the nearest fight.

[demonicbeauty]

Quickly, Ariadne glanced over her shoulder. There were more of them, but as she turned back, her more pressing concern became the one charging forward from the other direction.

Without any warning at all, Ariadne grabbed the stranger's shoulder and shoved him hard out of the way, throwing herself forward. A soft, metallic sound rang through the air as she spread out her talons, jamming them directly into the monster's belly.

Ariadne didn't like fighting with her talons. They were an unfair advantage, able to penetrate most materials. But her sling, she already knew, wouldn't make a difference.

With a soft hiss, she wrenched her hands apart, leaving ten long gashes through the creature's middle.