fadewalk | RP: Aria, Neria

It was a maze, down in the bowels of the castle. Narrow corridors lined with innumerable doors, and Meredith could not let any pass by without checking. As bold as her enemies were with their threats, an ambush wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities.

Small rooms for the most part; storage, odds and ends, empty spaces that had likely been abandoned for years. No traces of spells cast or ambient magic. Still, Meredith searched them all. She found her way again to the large hall that led into the kitchens, close to where the traitor Sister lay.

She had found nothing, though there was still more of the twisting hallways to search. Still.

Unwillingly, she looked over to where she'd first entered the hall.

No traces of magic, nor of any recent traffic of people. She was no tracker, but Meredith knew the clues to look for when errant mages attempted to sneak about. Perhaps...

Still more to search. Yet to find this vault, if it even exists.

Meredith's gaze steeled, and she turned away. If the Sister had been in earnest, reparations would be made. For now she kept Certainty before her, letting the licks of red light lead her way.

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She tried to strike the demon loose with Certainty’s pommel, but the demon twisted away like smoke and not even Certainty’s strength could bolster her own. She was fading, the blurry image of the mage getting to her feet not a meter away.

One hand gripped wildly at the demon’s arm, but where a moment ago Meredith could have ripped the offending limb away now she could only claw ineffectually as it closed around her throat. Her vision swam, lungs heaved, but nothing.

No. I will not be taken!

Meredith slammed the demon back against the wall. There was a moment, however slight, where it’s grip loosened and she heaved in a gulp of air. Her injured foot lifted and the sharp edges of her sabaton scraped down the demon’s shin. Certainty’s pommel at last found a part of the demon, and Meredith wrestled her way free.

The mage! Kill her and her demon will weaken.

Meredith charged, a Cleanse purging the unnatural Weakness even as blackness began to fill her vision, and her first swing shattered the mage’s Barrier. Sparks flew as Certainty’s edge scraped over the low ceiling, and Meredith snarled as she kicked out at the mage.

“Those who oppose thee shall know the wrath of heaven!” She chanted, raising Certainty for the final blow.

The air was knocked from her chest as Aria was sandwiched between this madwoman and the wall. She gasped, swearing as she felt her hold loosen. There was a shooting pain from her leg and she tried to kick herself loose as the blunt force of the human's pommel connected with the side of her head. She went down to her knees with a grunt, the impact causing a ringing in her head. But even despite that, she got back to her feet to finish the fight.

Of course Aria had noticed when the third person had entered the fray, but only now did she get a good look. Another human--maybe? The features weren't quite right. But this wasn't any time to question a helping hand (no matter how hard she would insist that she had this on her own). The enemy of her enemy was her friend. For now.

As the sword started its decent for the killing strike, a glowing, blue tether snapped around the attacker's wrist. Another Lash, much stronger than the first. The air around it distorted with a low hum. Aria held the other end taut, a scowl of determination even through the blood that slid down one side of her face.

"I'm not done with you yet, bitch!" she shouted as she yanked the biotic cord. Only this time, she combined it with a secondary attack. The other hand thrust forward, launching a Reave blast to rend the woman's heavy armor.

Neria grunted in pain when Meredith's kick met her left thigh, knee crashing on the ground. She raised her staff with both hands to stop Certainty, but fortunately that wasn't necessary thanks to the purple woman's intervention. Ignoring the pain, she stood again, casting a barrier on the woman and a long-lasting regenerating spell.

"We must deprive her from the sword! It's her power source and also driving her insane!!"

And with that said, she casted a barrier for herself, slightly frustrated; the Arcane Warrior abilities were useless inside the Fade. Since Meredith was clearly determined to bring her down, Neria backed way as far as she could without stepping out her casting range. She used a Curse Hex on Meredith.

Edited Date: 2015-08-27 06:13 pm (UTC)

The blue energy ripped through her, paralyzing her. Her lungs seized. A scream died in her throat.

No.

Certainty blazed, heaving over the line of energy around her wrist. Red reached for the demon, clawing, tearing up the tether while her body twitched.

Meredith opened her eyes as Certainty fought the demon, locking her gaze onto the mage. She had no air, but the Chant echoed through her mind.

Though all before me is shadow, yet shall the Maker be my guide.

Meredith took a quick step back as the blue energy surrounding her at last burned to red, at last as she took another breath. Certainty pulled it, all of it, ~~so heavy,~~ and with a massive swing Meredith sent it crackling down the corridor at the mage, breaking floor and ceiling as it flew.

Edited Date: 2015-08-27 09:08 pm (UTC)

Dark blue lips twisted into a teeth-baring snarl as Aria's lash line was cut again. What kind of blade was that! Whoever that third woman was, they seemed convinced that the sword was the source of this madwoman's power.

There was an opening, as the berserked human gathered energy, red and deadly. Two things happened at once: the blast was released down the corridor towards the staff bearing woman just as Aria ignited a Singularity point right at the center of the armor's backplate. Immediately after, a Warp blast collided with it, causing an explosion that rippled gravity and time itself, bringing down chunks of the ceiling above. Aria threw a biotic push under her own feet, launching her with accelerated speed on top of her target.

Using her own bodyweight and momentum, Aria brought the armored assailant to the ground, one strong hand wrapping tight around the woman's throat--choking had seemed to have a very good effect only moments before--and using her other hand to pin the woman's sword hand to the ground. The air around Aria shivered and distorted as she summoned all of her remaining biotic energy into strength and endurance. She didn't want to break the woman's neck, just to knock her unconscious. Not for lack of wanting the woman dead, but because she wanted answers first.

Things happened quickly; Neria casted another Hex of Torment to weaken Meredith just seconds before being hit with the massive Red Lyrium energy released by Certainty. The Barrier wasn't enough to stand such massive amount of power and she was sent across the room, colliding against the wall with a loud noise.

Air was violently expelled from her lungs with the collision, dark spots dancing on the corner of her eyes. Another explosion and another part of the ceiling gave up, her immediate reaction driving her to cast a barrier around Leliana, just a few meters from the fight now. She tried to stand up, but a stinging pain on her side made her falter, blood blossoming just where the energy had struck her.

Her hands soaked in her own blood trembled and all strength left her legs.

Falon'Din, please, not now... not n--

Neria just fell.

She saw the mage fall. Blood coated her tongue, her hair nearly covered her eyes, but Meredith saw the mage fall and she grinned.

And then.

Fire.

She staggered forward. Nearly stepped on the mage when a fist-sized piece of the ceiling smashed the crown of her head. Something slammed into her, and next she knew she was on the ground. Meredith gurgled as her crumpled greave was crushed under another piece of stone, but the demon had her by the throat and she couldn’t-

Meredith thrashed weakly, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

She couldn’t…

Certainty blazed, but her arm wouldn’t rise.

NO! Get UP!

My Creator, judge me whole…

Chest heaving, Aria stayed her position. She waited, staring, glaring with sharp blue eyes. She waited until there was no more conscious movement from the woman under her, holding her grip for just a few seconds longer to be absolutely sure. When she finally loosed her hold, she saw the bruises her fingerprints left.

A smirk from the victor.

Aria stood, though her strength had been sapped, it was rebuilding quickly. There was nothing to bind the woman with, so she would have to get the body into some sort of holding cell soon. But there was at least time to check on the other woman, the one who had come late, and who had been hit with that powerful red blast. As Aria stepped over the unconscious pile of armor and flesh, she kicked the sword away. It was heaver than she'd expected, but it still skid out of reach.

She crouched, noting the pool of blood forming on the stone. She could carry them both, if she had to. Something caught her attention and she turned her head. A third body? Wait--that was the woman she'd run into just outside of the room she had woken up in. She'd never caught a name...

There was no way Aria could carry all three of them at once. She might have been strong, but even she had her limits. After some short contemplation, she reached out her right hand, the orange glow of the omnitool lighting up around her arm. It dispensed medigel over the currently bleeding wound. That would have to do, but now she needed to cage that raging beast of a warrior.

She returned to the heap of ceiling stones and body, carelessly tossing the larger chunks of stone aside so she could get to the woman underneath. Then she hoisted the body onto her shoulder, grimacing at how metal armor was so much heavier than plastisteel. She departed down the hallway, the way she had been coming from originally. If she was remembering correctly, she had seen a set of shackles behind a barred door not too long ago...

((ooc: you ladies mind if I step in?))

(ooc: go for it sis!)

Sister Nightingale woke up with one of the worst headaches she could remember, her whole body sore. She moved slowly, checking herself after broken bones or any other kind of injury, but there was none. The hooded woman scanned the room with her eyes, trying to figure out what had happened, frown forming on her front as she saw a person lying in a pool of blood.

Leliana stood up, taking the elven woman's pulse; still alive, breathing weakly but steady. Certainty was on the floor just a few meters away and she glared, no signs of Meredith. She took off her cloak, wrapping the sword with it and strapping the pack on her back, approaching the elven woman after. She must one of the Heroes of Ferelden, the one married to her Alistair.

She raised the Hero, locking her arm around her neck and balancing her light frame with the other hand around her waist, slowly making it upstairs.