Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

"She said loved you and she wouldn't leave you in pain," Silence supplies softly.

[Carver Amell]

"And then I..."

His hand shift into claws, and he takes a step toward the door, growling low. "Go home. I'm done with this fucking family." He swallows, then adds, less angrily, "S-something like that."

[Bethany]

Bethany frowns. "She... she didn't say anything. Just ran, almost blind with tears, Hunter trailing behind her. How do I know that?"

[Carver Amell]

"Because she remembers," he whispers. "Where did she go? Should we follow?"

[Bethany]

"I... we can try?" Bethany says slowly. "Or wait, Hunter, Si, could you just sniff..?"

[Tethras Clan]

Silence shakes her head. "Everything smells of Sunshine, grass and love."

[Varric]

"Alright. Then I guess we're hoping we can use this... memory void to trace her," Varric says grimly.

[Carver Amell]

"Great. Lead the way." I hope this is right.

[Bethany]

It takes a few minutes, one more bout in the memory void and two dozen or so tries at pathfinding, but Bethany is finally able to lead them to... "Sorry. I was so sure I got it right this time, I just... I lost it and there's nothing here but a brick building. I found Merrill in an alley, behind a coal box," she apologies guilty as she stands in front of a tall white plane of white nothing that blocks the entrance to an alley.

[Carver Amell]

"I see it," he says quietly, putting his hand out to hover an inch over the plane. "This is the alley. Come, with me." He lowers his hand, then, reaching for hers.

[Tethras Clan]

Varric reaches out to grab Carver's arm and closes his eyes to make the transition easier, while Beth does much the same. The mabari follow suit, gripping the dashing red cloak that Carver is naturally wearing here. Once that's done, they all walk through the plane and find themselves in a dark, dirty alley. It's... clearly enhanced by her memories- no ally in Nyra would be allowed to be this blatantly evil looking for long, not even in the worst parts of Coalside. The cobblestones look more like skulls, the brick walls are the color of dried blood, every shadow has malicious eyes and the litter is made from broken hearts and empty promises. A bit down the alley is a small wooden bin, about waist high on Beth, that's filled with lumps of coal that all share an unsettling resemblance to organs.

[Carver Amell]

"Where was she?" Asks Carver, his voice hoarse, his grip on Beth's hand tightening.

[Bethany]

"...just behind the bin there," Bethany whispers softly, trying not to look at anything for long and thus looking at everything. Which eventually makes her look up. "Gods!" she gasps out, burying her face against Carver's chest. 

Above them, the moon is massive, looming- and the pale blue color is broken by a gaping black crack down the center.

[Varric]

"Thinking you were right on the money, about the moon," Varric says tightly.

[Carver Amell]

"Yeah," he croaks. Then he takes a deep breath, releasing Bethany's hand. "Stay here. Hunter, you too. Silence, let's check behind that dumpster."