Blood from Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"Yeah fuck you," says Liz, growling. "Helene deserves better than to be misgendered at the end. Helene is not a little girl. Helene is a grown adult Seeker and they are amazing."

[Vigile]

"Well said, Love Blossoms No Matter the Evils Around it," Vigile says softly, eyes glowing silver faintly. "I am glad that you are here to... be witness. I would walk into the long dark alone if need be but... it is good to know a friend will see me off."

[NPCs]

At the end. That is... not encouraging. I cannot make out exactly what this is supposed to do... That other circle seems to be for the pretend cat so... hmmm. Not a binding, they seem allies and the cat willing. So why... "What are you even hoping to accomplish with... all of this? I can see fou- five flaws just since I arrived. And it's so very crude really."

[Marian Hawke]

"Killing you," says Liz, sharply. "At great personal cost, but your work will also be undone with your death. Make peace with your deity now, I suppose."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene manages to suppress a shudder, continuing on with their work. I had not considered the factor of its speech... what I wouldn't have given to mute him now.

[NPCs]

Killing me? I suspected as... wait. No. Surely not... "You really think banishing me from this plane will be enough to save you? To save... your mother?" Tentos laughs softly. "To save your little canine pet, the poor abomination?" Canine pet? Why did he look at Helene when he said that? And abomination?

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene pauses, hands stilling for an instant. 

...Dogsbody? How does he know about dogsbody?

[Marian Hawke]

"You only wish we were banishing you," Liz says, but her voice sounds tired, defeated. 

[NPCs]

Tentos grins savagely. "Oh? And you care nothing for those that might be harmed in the doing of this? Care nothing that you destroy your mother's soul. Or the only... well, I am not sure if I would call what that abomination does living but close enough perhaps. The only living witness who can speak on not just your last life but the one before? Just for... what, petty revenge? How so very... heroic? Your families will be so very proud as they weep over your graves."

[Marian Hawke]

"You'll be dead. you can't hurt anyone if you're dead," says Liz, flatly. "Shut up."

[Helene Dakesh]

But Helene hesitates again. Dogsbody -- maybe the only link to Dakesh. Can I go on to the next life without rescuing him? What if he's trapped in the hells and there's no way for me to get to him and my whole next life I don't know he exists and-- and--

Helene's hands falter, go still. The next step vanishes from their mind, the threads of arcane energy floundering, slipping through their fingers. Hawke's eyes widen, but already things are beginning to unravel...

[GamesMaster]

It's been nearly four hours since Helene vanished into the panic room. Carver had argued and lost with Varric; he'd been pushing him to have a nap, but the dwarf prefers to keep busy, so he'd renewed his infusions and then begun brewing potions Carver had begun running physical drills in the hallway to keep himself distracted from the fact that his sister was missing and summoning a devil again and he couldn't do anything to help for hours yet and --

The knock at the door was a welcome distraction. A few moments later, he led the pair of guests into the living room. One was known, a welcome visitor: Keeper Cadmus, come to find his missing son. The other, not so much: a kit about Don's age, with calico fur, one that Beth may recognize as being the one who mouthed off to him during the Carver Drinking Incident, taunting him with the idea that he would be the next Keeper. 

Miki looks up as they enter, relief washing over him. "Keeper," he says respectfully, then hesitates. "Mother is..."

[NPCs]

Cadmus closes his eyes briefly and nods. "I... yes. I know. She..." He takes a deep breath. "We were at the nursery when the rioting started. She stayed behind to buy time for... for me to lead the kits out. I..." I could not make myself ask, nor return to be sure, but when she did not follow, even after more than a few days...  "She will be remembered as- as a hero."

[Bethany]

Across the room, Beth listens silently, more focused on stroking Don's head which lays in her lap.

[GamesMaster]

Miki's face crumples, and he covers it with one paw, trying to hide his weeping, or stop it.