Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

Carver hisses. "Possession?" 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene knocks on the floor twice, then holds out another torn-out page of sketchbook for someone to take. Likely Aveline, as the Captain is closer.

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Varric is somewhere in the building. He must be found. Working with Bartrand? Orzammar??

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[Tethras Clan]

"I- Orzammar? I don't know about that, but I can't fathom Varric knowingly working with someone possessed by devils. But that can wait. Varric is here? You're sure?" At nir nod, Aveline frowns. "Carver, can you track or do we need to get Silence from upst-?"

She cuts off at the sound of soft but rapid footsteps. A few seconds later, a merikos samsaran rounds the corner with a worried expression. And abruptly stops at the scowl and naked blade he's faced with. "Umm."

[Carver Amell]

"That's Kevin," says Carver, rapidly. "Kevin, can it wait? Yes, I can track."

[Tethras Clan]

"I- yessir." He bites his lip then, falling silent. I guess Mistress Beth will be here shortly then. Oh I hope she doesn't get upset but they have swords! And- "Evil mind bugs!" he shouts, looking scared as his gaze moves to Bartrand. He flinches at his own voice, bracing for a blow.

"Evil mind- wait, Kevin? Can you tell-" Aveline stumbles over her words, then shakes her head. "Priorities. Carver, danger assessment of Kevin."

[Carver Amell]

"Unknown. Merrill found him. He's, uh, dream-taken, I guess. Was talking about evil mind bugs earlier." Carver shakes his head. "We have to find the real Varric. Kevin, can you follow quietly? maybe we can use him to see if, uh, mind bugs are on Varric too?"

[Tethras Clan]

"Merril- later. Alright. Helene, are you sound enough to watch Bartrand and disable him again if he wakes?" Another nods prompts Aveline to continue. "Alright, Carver lead, Kevin follow, I'll anchor our line. Let's move!" Kevin hurries to obey.

[Carver Amell]

Carver squats, taking a good hard sniff of the air. A moment later, he's got the scent, following Varric's scent back through the hall. And... it does smell like Varric, not Bartrand. Are we sure Helene is right? That Dad's not just possessed and Helene's not imagining things? It's not a kind thought; usually, he'd give Helene the benefit of the doubt, but usually, Helene's verbal. 

Still, the scent leads into the wine cellar for some reason, past the racks of good alcohol aging in barrels, to a corner. It's here that Carver lifts the grate, and thus, Carver's the one who first gets sight of Varric, tied up and shoved into quite a small hole.

"Dad?" he asks, stunned. What the hell?! How long has he been down here?

[Varric]

Varric is stripped naked save for the dozens of yards of black chain around him, binding his arms and legs painfully tight against his body. He's also been muzzled and though his eyes are open, the pupils are covered with a film of milky white scar tissue. There's blood matted in his hair, though much of the hair on the right side is burnt down to expose the also charred skin. More blood is dried, black and streaked, on his right arm, stomach and both legs. He trembles, all the movement he can make, and he tries in vain to see the source of the voice he can only hope is real.

[Tethras Clan]

"...this dwarf doesn't have bugs. Leeches aren't bugs, they're different," Kevin clarifies, noticing that the wound on Varric's left thigh has at least two such creatures latched on. He falls silent after that offering and moves to the side, out of the way but ready to help. 

Aveline curses softly, the word ripe with horror and pity, as she moves closer. "Carver, let me."

[Carver Amell]

"No, I-- I should-- damn, but I'm out. Damn. He won't recognize you, he's blind. Dad, Aveline's here, she's going to heal you." He moves aside just enough to let her squeeze into the corner, reaching to unmuzzle him. Blinded, just like Don. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Lord zi'Tethras," Aveline says softly, kneeling next to the hole. "I'm going to heal you, then Carver and I will lift you out of the... drainage hole or whatever this is. Can you understand us?" Varric manages to nod, which is good as Carver quickly determines that the muzzle has a lock on the back of it. Reaching for his forearm, Aveline channels a Lay on Hands into him, washing away a fair bit of his injuries and washing away both his fatigue and the edge of his nausea and dizziness.

[Carver Amell]

Carver helps lift his father out, pulling him half into his lap. "A blanket or something?" he asks, quietly, as he moves his hand close to Varric's head. "Hold very still," he warns the dwarf. "I'm going to get this off you." 

Then he transforms his hands, using those claws that had so often bit into his own flesh to tear at the cured leather holding the gag in Varric's mouth. 

[Varric]

Varric holds carefully still, though he can't stop a very slight trembler. Like as not, the chill of the basement, the wet of the tunnel and his lack of clothing has combined to give him hypothermia. While Carver works on the muzzle, Kevan moves away to get something to cover Varric. Aveline meanwhile checks the drain t be sure no-one else is down there, then recovers it. As soon as the muzzle is half off, Varric croaks out, "H'lean. Dan-gur. N'me, stole- face."

[Carver Amell]

"We know," says Carver, gently. "Helene kicked his ass, for what he did."