The Winter's Queen [Magus AU]

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran and Dog continue their assault, taking turns attacking at the zombie and lich. They work together surprisingly well, given how shortly ago they met, keeping the lich off balance and constantly having to swap who it's focusing on to defend and defend against.

[GamesMaster]

Zevran was her teacher, the one who made her understand how to handle that staff of hers. So he can clearly see: she hits Dog twice as often and twice as hard as she hits him, almost as if she's holding back, as if she can't bear to hit him.

Her spells are another matter. With those, she lays about around her, heedless of where she strikes. The temperature in the room hits rock bottom, snow flurrying through the air; she lays ice down on the ground, letting him slip onto it, letting rime hold him fast while she turns her attention back to Dog. 

[Tethras Clan]

~Stash her somewhere and get back in there. No idea how long Loup and the smaller foo dog can last.~ Or Zevran and Dog for that matter..

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods, giving T's hand a squeeze as he nestles her into a corner. "Stay safe," he says, turning to go, reaching for his sword already. 

[NPCs]

By the time he returns, Loup is down, being guarded by the foo dog against a trio of armoured skeletons. Two of them look damaged, but the last is still pristine. The foo dog however, is hurt, but not badly. Yet.

[Carver Amell]

Carver's first instinct is to rush to help the dog -- but no. It's a summon.. We have to keep our eye on the lich. Instead, he goes around, heading for the battle ahead. 

[GamesMaster]

The Lich has her back to Varric's corpse now, vastly reducing the flanking options against them. And -- is Varric casting spells? Varric appears to also be casting spells. Weird... 

[Tethras Clan]

Dog and Zevran have been forced to abandon their alternating attack pattern, instead splitting targets. Dog has moved to grab the lich, savaging its torso despite the pain and damage from both touching the lich's aura and their return strikes. Zevran is focusing on the dwarf corpse, staying close and making it pay for each attempt to cast.

[Carver Amell]

It's not your sister,  Carver reminds himself. It's just an undead thing wearing her face. You can stab her. He moves up beside Dog, making use of his sword. Come on. Let's get this done with. 

Seeing her, the lich narrows her eyes. "You! You took my Warrior from me!"

"Get the dwarf," he grunts, parrying one of her staff attacks. 

[Tethras Clan]

Dog shits towards Varric, lunges at Hawke but only for as second. Instead, Dog goes for Varric, knocking it to the ground. Zevran takes advantage of the distraction to attack not the lich but its staff. The wooden shaft snaps into three pieces, leaving the lich only a half foot or so of wood in each hand.

~Carver, now's your chance!~

[Carver Amell]

He doesn't need to be told twice -- he lunges in with his sword, aiming for her gut in a moment he is too intent on carrying out to find ironic. 

He doesn't expect what she does next. She claps both hands on his face, one on either side, and leans in, letting him stab her so she can whisper in his ear. 

Carver goes pale. At first, it appears to be the words, but no -- he goes pale, the blood rushing out of his face as his heart stops. His eyes roll back in his head, his hair turning stark white as he collapses in a heap. 

No-- I have to-- I can't-- no-- his mind whimpers, despite his not having the breath to manage the words aloud. As his mind fades, the last thought is for her words, expertly dropped into his ear:

"Bethany was the only good Hawke."

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran lets out a shout, just as Dog pins Varric's old shell to the ground. There's a loud crunching, squishing sound and Dog spits out a few fragments of skull and brains on the ground.

[GamesMaster]

She whirls, staring at Varric's body. "Papa," she whispers, eyes wide. "No. No! I'll kill you all," she snarls, and there's no trace of Marian Hawke in that snarl. 

[Tethras Clan]

Dog, pretty hurt by this point, turns to rush Hawke. Zevran, not much better off, stumbles to the side to try and set up some flanking.

[GamesMaster]

"You killed my Papa!" she snarls. She throws out her spare hand, and a cage made of bone forms around Dog, keeping him away from her, backed up against a wall. She turns her fury on Zevran, pain etched across her face as she lashes out at him with ice rays from both hands. She shapes freezing shadow between her hands, ready to hurl the spell at Zevran, cold fury in her eyes.