fadewalk | RP: Through the Eluvian!

((ooc: With sigrun_fadewalk, heromiyuu, wardenalistair, blackwall_fadewalk & dagna_fadewalk. I'll consider this thread no good to recieve new participants because we're little fullhouse'd here. Also, for the RP order: Sigrun/Alistair/Neria/Blackwall/Aria. Gogogo Ground Zero Team! xD))

There it was. The Eluvian.
Beautiful, shiny, restored.
She'd like to know how Dagna had accomplished such feat, but now her curiosity should remain controlled. She would re-activate the Eluvian and she had no idea of what would happen after. Maybe the magic dragging people to Dirthamen knows where intensified. Maybe more strayed people arrived. From what she knew, anything could happen. But saving Dagna was important, too important for Aria just sit and wait for the Eluvian give her back as it had done with Varric and Cullen. Dagna was the only creature in Skyhold which never looked down on Aria for her problems with controlling the Voices from the Well. The only person capable of keeping up with her logic lines, to aid her, to complete that part of her. The Arcanist was missing and she was mortified. Infinitely more than she would ever admit.

Aria could deal just fine with long waits.
But the short ones? Hmph, Creators, it was surprising she hadn't opened a hole on the floor where she was pacing. She already had travelling supplies and the straps of her Inquisition Scout armor (there was no mage armor to be seem, anywhere) were well adjusted. Thank the Creators she had the habit of walking with her staff around Skyhold no matter the time or day, or she would feel naked without her usual weapon.

She wondered if the Voices would come back once they left Skyhold.
The Inquisitor was both thrilled and frightened with the idea.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“Ser.” He saluted the space halfway between Neria and Alistair. Best practice when you didn't know who to address. Meant he ended up practically saluting the mabari, but that probably wouldn't go over badly with Fereldens. “Only turned up recently. Wasn’t aware Sister Leliana thought me worth mentioning.” Though he knew why she had. Explained some of the senior Warden’s attitudes when he’d showed up at Weisshaupt, anyway.

Blackwall shook his head at Aria. He was as prepared as he’d ever be for the unknown. “I’ll follow where you lead, my lady.”

Aria reached for Blackwall's hand, squeezing it and nodding with a smile, still uncertain on how to act with him in front of others. She hardly believed anyone there would judge them, but technically The Hero and Alistair were his superiors inside the order. Better avoid any complications for him until she knew none of them would report him ow anything else.

She turned to the Eluvian and took a deep breath, snapping her head to the Wardens again. "Wait, wait, wait. You and me are the only ones here without the crazy connection with the Darkspawn?" she stared Jäger "If anything like Corypheus happens again, you and me must work together." the mabari barked and she took it as a yes, turning to the Eluvian again.

Her hand reached for its surface, pressing the palm of her hand over it, low voice muttering 'Fen'Harel enansal'. Its surface lit up and she covered her eyes with the free hand, stepping away from the mirror.

When the light faded, only a lingering blue shine persisted, trembling a little like water. "Good. Still alive." then she turned to see the others "Still alive, right?"

"Not dead yet," Sigrun said, looking like she was only barely just resisting throwing herself through the now-open Eluvian. She reached a hand behind to touch the hilt of one of her main pair of daggers, glad to feel its reassuring cool grip under her fingers.

Hang on, Dagna she thought. I'm coming.

Alistair patted Jäger on the head when the mabari appeared. Jäger turned his head into the touch and gave Alistair what could only be described as a happy woof. "Yes, I'm glad to see you too, old fellow," Alistair said fondly, scratching behind his ears.

He noticed the Inqusitor and Blackwall - well, wait, he went by Thom again, technically, didn't he? At least, that was the name they'd used at his Joining, which Alistair had been present at Weisshaupt to attend. Most Wardens went by their first name, as Duncan had, though he supposed Blackwall - the real Blackwall - had been an exception. Probably because the records had that one's given name as Gordon. He couldn't blame the man. If Alistair had been named Gordon, he'd probably have started going around about by his last name also, even if the only thing he'd had resembling a last name until recently was that of a noble lineage he'd never actually had a claim to. Anyways. The Inquisitor and Thom. That was interesting. He could hardly disapprove, being a Warden who'd fallen in love with his own Commander during the end of the world. The first end. It appeared there could be several.

Alistair attempted to wrestle his thoughts back to the matter at hand and gave the eluvian an interested look. It at least seemed harmless so far - hard to believe the thing was probably responsible for dragging them all here.

"This certainly brings back memories."

And Neria wasn't just referring to the Eluvian, but also to the Inquisitor and Warden Blackwall. Was there some sort of cosmos rule about warriors falling in love for mages? She chuckled with herself, kneeling by Jaeger's side when the mabari hid his muzzle on her legs, whining with the magic energy coming from the mirror.

His eyes softened when Aria took his hand. If they’d been alone he’d’ve pressed a kiss to hers. Snorted when she made a pact with Jäger, though a cold finger of fear touched his heart for a moment. The idea of something forcing him to hurt Aria was… He sighed and focused on the mirror just as it lit up.

“Not yet, at least.” He muttered in agreement with Sigrun.

"Good then. Follow me."

Aria took a deep breath and entered the Eluvian, the familiar fresh sensation of the magic refreshing her skin.

The Crossroads weren't exactly like she remembered from her previous visit with Morrigan, but the feeling, the old magic lingering in the air, was exactly the same. Mirrors and collapsing old elven statues extended until the horizon and possibly beyond,several broken or consumed by the time. The Inquisitor grabbed her staff, looking for possible enemies or clues.

Sigrun drew her main daggers and shifted them in her grip, the twitch of her fingers her only hesitation, then followed the Inquisitor through the creepy magic mirror.

She gasped as she came out, not liking the strange way she tingled all over, how it had felt for a moment like all the air in her lungs had been sucked away. But. She had faced much worse shit before. She took a moment to look about and wait for the Commander and Alistair to appear, and then trailed the Inquisitor warily.

Alistair looked to his wife before he moved, offering her his hand again with a small smile.

Neria smiled back to Alistair, stepping towards the Eluvian. She had never entered the Crossroads, so she was really impressed by the magic lingering in the air. Jaeger sided her, apprehensive, sniffing the air.

His second time travelling by Eluvian, and while it wasn’t easier than the first, not having Corypheus swooping down after them made it less panicked at least. As ever, Aria took point, so Blackwall had rear guard. It was a strange magic tingly-feeling, and then the Crossroads appeared.

As gloomy and endless as ever. Blackwall scuffed a mark into the thick layer of dust settled over the old paving stones with his toe. Might help find their way back. Couldn’t hurt, anyway. Then, shield up and sword out, at the ready.

"Does anyone see any other Eluvian working?"

Aria was trying to get used to the new magical sensation, normal for a change, but rather weird after her time in the Fade Skyhold. She could feel the Veil and interact with it using her mana, always moving forward in the path. She could feel active magic somewhere nearby, but she was having a hard time on sensing the exact place with accuracy, closing her eyes to focus. The Voices from the Well started talking all at once and she grimaced, losing her balance for a moment. Too much noise, excitement for being in the Crossroads, answers for her question.

"Oh, for the love of--"

She snorted, biting her lower lip to avoid startling everyone with her sudden cursing, hand reaching for Blackwall's arm to steady herself, almost making sense of the Voices. She pointed to northwest from her position "There... there is a obscene amount of magic in that direction. Could be the Eluvian we're looking for."

Sigrun lingered near the group until the Inquisitor pointed out a direction and then she nodded, decisive. One glance over the Inquisitor (mage), Blackwall (warrior), the Commander (mage) and the Constable (warrior) had her finally realizing she was it when it came to rogues in the party. Well. That was fine by her. Less of Nate's fussing to deal with. She grinned, grim.

"I'll go and scout ahead," she said, tugging a smoke bomb from her belt and vanishing in a cloud of dust and smoke.

She was quick and nimble and utterly silent, heading in the direction the Inquisitor had indicated. She couldn't sense the magic like a a mage could, but the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood up a bit when she got closer, and if that wasn't a sign, she'd start venerating the Stone. Sure enough, there was an active eluvian up ahead - not so big and grand as the one they'd come through, but clearly open. She circled around it from a distance and then headed back to the group.

"Looks like an eluvian, and an open one, at that," she said, reappearing next to Neria like she'd never left at all. "I don't see anybody about, though."

Alistair let go Neria's hand once they'd made it through the mirror. He didn't draw his weapon, not yet, though he did loosen his blade in its sheath and keep his hand on it as they continued.

He looked to Neria for her thoughts when Aria mentioned sensing magic.

Neria turned to face the direction mentioned by the Inquisitor, focusing "You're right. Seems a little too much energy for an Eluvian, though this could be a side effect from everything that has been going on." then she added "It's worth an investigation, to see what's beyond it."

Blackwall stepped up when Aria wobbled, wrapping his shield arm around her waist as best he could. Braced her against his side. “My lady? Do we need to turn back?”

Sigrun’s disappearance wasn’t near as startling as her reappearance. Cole had got him used to people popping up out of thin air, or as much as he could be. Meant he kept his jump down to a flinch and a quiet curse.

"No, not at all." she swallowed hard, and rubbed her temple, keeping her voice low "The Well startled me, that's all."

Then, Aria turned to face the others "Investigation sounds good to me. Let's go." She nodded to Blackwall, trying to convince him everything was alright, taking point again. The Voices were still fussing, but the Inquisitor had become really proficient at ignoring them.

Sigrun kept closer to the group as they progressed, moving out to scout around and then back, if not so stealthily as before. She was twitchy, watching the whole area around them warily, shifting her weight and her daggers in her hands as they moved.

Alistair kept half his attention on the surroundings and half on the Inquisitor, who seemed to be struggling the most with this. He carried himself at the ready.

Neria frowned, noticing something wasn't right with the Inquisitor, but rather than prying on the matter, she decided to take point with the other elven woman.

A first glance at her confidence when walking could mean arrogance, her eyes focused on the path ahead only. But a second look would reveal she was attentive at Jäeger and Sigrun, trusting their senses regarding the surroundings. The magic energy around them was also stable for the moment.

Brow furrowed, Blackwall nodded back. He’d keep a close watch on Aria. She’d only just told him about how the Well affected her. Worried him some, but he couldn’t demand she stand down just because of it. Not only had she learned mostly how to handle it, she’d laugh in his face if he tried to tell her what to do. He’d deserve it, too. Still.

Blackwall fell back to the rear. Knew they’d gotten to the right spot by the way his back teeth started to itch.

The walk wasn't too long and went without events. She could feel Blackwall's worried eyes on her back and seemed to her that the Hero knew a little more than she said, but those things didn't bothered her. The Ancient Elven magic buzzed louder and louder on her ears as they approached the active Eluvian, the old, golden frame sided by two broken statues. Its surface glowed, blue, and soft waves rippled when Aria stepped closer, trying to understand the place beyond it.

A vast wheat field seemed to extend further and further in the horizon, golden and blue sharing the scene in equal parts. Slightly more peaceful than she anticipated, but she couldn't fool herself by its looks. The magic in the Eluvian was strong, balanced and stable, so it wouldn't close once they had crossed it. Or so she hoped.

"The Eluvian is a go. C'mon."

Ans she stepped in.

Sigrun didn't hesitate this time through the eluvian, darting through it right on the Inquisitor's heels.

The sight of all that wheat and blue sky on the other side drew her up short, though. It was...impossibly big, and peaceful, and maybe in other circumstances she would have thought it beautiful, but right now? Now there was nothing to kill, no Dagna about to save, and she gritted her teeth in frustration.

Alistair followed the pair, taking a breath to steady himself before he stepped through the mirror.

Neria followed the group, impressed by the place. Nothing in sight for miles and miles and Jaeger seemed pretty satisfied running around the wheat field.