action and video;

[closerift]

[ When she's brought back through the door, it's in a small explosion of green. The Inquisitor lurches forward back into Hadriel, into the coliseum, her hand a mess of sparks, of arcing lightning, of heat and pain and danger. It's all stemming from her left palm, the green mass flaring up in a crackling clamor which Cecily adds to, crying out as she struggles to do something, anything, to keep it under control. ]

Stay back, it isn't safe-- [ She yells to what she hopes is a person seen out of the corner of her eye, and not an enemy of any kind (she also doesn't yet realize where she is). ]


[ Some time later, the battered Inquisitor appears over the network, not looking much different physically save for the obvious green light that makes its way into the picture, reflected in her dark eyes. Her expression is an attempt at concealing an agonizing pain, so her mouth is drawn into a tight, thin line, brow occasionally twitching downward. ]

I think it's settled... That is, I don't think it's expanding anymore. [ "And isn't going to kill me, yet." ] But, if there's anyone who has healing abilities, or... some medicine to dull the absurd amount of hurt it's doing, I really would like to speak with you. I'm considering just chopping off my hand, but I don't think the thing would go without a fight.

[ Cecily starts to move to end the call, but she glances downward and mutters: ]

It's still dangerous. I've got to do something to get the flare-ups under control, too. [ She then looks upward, exhausted, and adds: ] Don't come and investigate the mysterious lights, if you see them. Unless you like... I don't know, intense nerve pain. In that case, come over; we'll shake hands.

Comments

[Action]

[fadeling]

[It's not hard to find her--not for him, at least. He'd been upset when he couldn't feel her anymore, but now that she's back--is it wrong to feel glad that she's stuck here again? At least she's a friend, but keeping them stuck here almost makes him feel guilty.

When he finds her again, though, it's different. Not what he's used to. Is that part of this place? He can't tell. People change, but changing can hurt, too.

He really doesn't mean to scare her when he appears behind her, so at least he speaks softly.]

It's...different, now. Brigter than it was before. It burns like a beacon, so it burns you.

[Action]

[closerift]

[ She does startle, if only because she's already so on-edge. ]

Cole-- [ And she's worried it'll hurt him, lash out, so she curls her hand into a fist and takes a step away, shaking. ] Where--?

[ A coliseum. Not the in-between world of the eluvians. Not Thedas. Her heart thuds through the pain as she remembers, as her time in Hadriel comes back in a rush. The coliseum doesn't look exactly the same, but Cecily recognizes her environment easily enough after a moment. ]

Hadriel. [ The Inquisitor states, wary. She glances down at her hand; the anchor has quieted a little, at least for the moment. Then, slowly, she turns to Cole. Inhale, exhale. ]

It's different. [ She confirms wearily. ] It's gotten worse. ... Much worse.

[ If there's anyone who could tell, it'd be Cole. ]

Re: [Action]

[fadeling]

[It's...transfixing, in a way. Some of the smaller spirits must have gotten lost looking at it. He might get lost too if he spent too long staring.]

It has to. It pulls in two directions until things tear. You're just in the middle.

I can't fix it.

[Action]

[closerift]

I know. [ Cecily sighs, face falling a little. It isn't a surprise, but she isn't sure that anyone can stop it at this point. The pain continues to ripple through the air, through her nerves, and she has to bite her tongue to keep from crying out again in anger and pain and frustration. ]

Can you-- I don't know, calm it somehow? [ She asks hesitantly. To have him mess with it at all could hurt him, could make the anchor worse. ] I'm afraid it'll lash out at anyone who gets too close.

[Action]

[fadeling]

I can try. Solas would know better. [Never mind that he doesn't know where the mage is.]

I can make you foret it hurts, but then you won't know if it's still hurting you. Or someone else.

[Action]

[closerift]

Solas isn't here. [ She says almost sharply, thinking of his vanishing, of the rumors that he was somewhere nearby during the events of the Exalted Council. ] He's not like to be here anytime soon. I need to deal with this now.

[ However difficult and extremely unpleasant. ]

I don't want to forget. [ She confirms, though Cole already knows. ] I'll... find a way. There was another who said he might be able to numb the pain. Once I've got that off my mind, I can see about lessening the range of the anchor's sparks.

video

[unitas]

[ The video sends a spike of worry through Sharon's chest. It's not the first time she's witnessed Cecily suffer, or hurt, but those moments before were brought about by gods. This is different. ]

Cecily, what's happening? [ What can I do? ]

video

[closerift]

The anchor-- [ She shakes her head. ] ... The mark on my hand's gotten worse. I... remember being here, but I left. [ No-- ] I was sent back, or taken back, for... two years.

[ And in it, the thing hadn't been this bad, not really. Recently, though... ]

It's painful, but I'll figure something out. [ At least she isn't dying anymore. Always an upside. ]

video

[unitas]

[ Two years. Cecily was sent home for two years. Jealousy rears up ugly in her heart, but worry beats it back. It's clear some major things must have happened, especially if that shimmering spark on her friends' hand has worsened. ]

Fuck that, what can I do to help? [ She's snappish, worried. ]

video

[closerift]

I'm not sure. [ It's the honest answer as much as she loathes it. ] I don't know if there's anything that can be done.

[ But... maybe. There are a lot of people in Hadriel with abilities and knowledge that they don't have in Thedas. Maybe there's a chance. ]

video

[unitas]

I could... [ She's got nothing. She doesn't know shit about magic, doesn't know shit about first aid, doesn't know shit about anything. Fuck. ]

I don't know, but I'm sure there's something. [ They could talk to one of the gods, especially if it's bad. ] What about Hope?

[strangelic]

I don't think self-mutilation is the answer.

[ Says the one with the actual healing abilities. ]

[closerift]

I was joking. [ Mostly. ] If you've got the answer, though, I'd love to hear it.

[ Sorry, Castiel: her patient is a little thinner today than usual. ]

[strangelic]

I... I can help you with the pain. I think. It would depend on whether or not the wound is magical in origin.

[closerift]

It's magical. An elven artifact, if that makes any difference to you.

[ And not god-given, as people so desperately wanted to believe, once. ]

The pain is... really getting to me, so if there's anything you can do--

[strangelic]

I can try. Sometimes magical influences can interfere with my healing powers, but...it would be better than not trying at all.

Where can I find you?

action

[whichend]

[ Arya doesn't know what's happening. She doesn't really know what the green light is doing to Cecily, she doesn't know if Cecily will be alright, but what she does know is that she isn't going to lose someone she cares about to forces beyond her control. Not again.

Arya jumps at Cecily, trying to push the other woman out of the light, not really understanding that Cecily is the source. ]

No!

action

[closerift]

[ Arya successfully shoves her sideways, but the light goes with her. Of course it does, given that it flares from her palm. The Inquisitor catches her balance, looking wildly to see what had bumped her, and though she calms a little to see a relatively familiar face, the memories take some time to piece themselves all back together. ]

... It's all right. [ No, it isn't, but she has to say that. If she can convince the girl, maybe she can convince herself. ] It-- [ But she's thwarted by her own expression as she winces, the pain like a fire in her veins. ] ... It's all right.

[ Repeat it. Say it until it's true. ]

Don't get too close. [ Cecily repeats solemnly, holding her affected hand away from Arya. ] It might hurt you.

action

[whichend]

No, it's not.

[ Arya has made the same protests that Cecily is making now, and sees right through them. How could this possibly be alright? As far as Arya knows, the light is killing Cecily. It's probably likely, given Arya's record for watching her loved ones die. Arya grasps Cecily's unaffected hand tightly. ]

I'm not leaving. Not even -- not even if the worst happens. I can take it.

action

[closerift]

[ No emotion can calm the anchor, but it does come in waves. Eventually, the light dies down to a low murmur, coursing through her (painfully), but not lashing out in a way that could hit Arya. Cecily watches it cautiously before heaving a huge sigh, squeezing the girl's hand. ]

I think it's... safe, for now. It won't be like this for long. [ Not if it's sticking to its recent patterns. ] I need to find a mage, or... someone with magical abilities. I need to stop this thing from [ "killing me" ] doing whatever it's going to do.

[ Easier said than done, maybe. Cecily gently releases Arya's hand, looking to the girl with a tired, but concerned expression. ]

Are you all right?

action.

[smited]

[ the second he sees the video, cullen is pulling on his boots and heading out the door, pup on his heels. expanding worries him. expanding reminds him of home, of what had been happening to it before he was brought here. he prays that it's a fluke. that the door didn't send her home, then bring her back to just have the anchor kill her.

he's worried enough about that (and, in all honesty, a little hungover from getting a little drunk the night before) that he doesn't find her until she's already on her way home. cullen stops. stares at where she is just a little ways down the street, his heart in his throat. pup, on the other hand, is just happy mom's home and rushes over to her with happy barking that quickly becomes concerned whines once he realizes not all is right in cecily's world. the sound prompts cullen into movement.

he hurries down the street, hands reaching for hers the second she's within an arm's length of him. ]

Maker, you're-- [ turning her left hand over in his, he looks at the anchor with worried eyes. ] How are you? Does it still hurt?

[ a silly question, maybe. but what else can he ask? ]

action.

[closerift]

[ She sees him and feels an immense relief wash over her despite... everything else. Maybe it had just been a few hours since she'd seen him at the Winter Palace, and maybe it had only been a day since he'd seen her in Hadriel, but it still somehow feels like ages. Cecily had just resigned herself to the fact that the damn thing was going to kill her after all when she'd been tossed back into the murder caves with the anchor still going wild.

Pup approaches and she remembers him for the first time. The Inquisitor sinks to her knees, scratching him behind the ears and murmuring softly when he begins whining. Cullen follows before too long and though her first instinct is to snap her hand away in case it flares up toward him, he reaches for her and she can't bring herself to move from his grasp. Not yet. ]

I'm fine. [ "Now." Now that she's here where time stands still and the mark does her no permanent harm. ] Two years older, though, husband.

[ She manages a sideways sort of smile, delicately slipping her hand from his when she can. ]

You, ah... only told me the fun parts of our future. Present. [ As it is for them both, now. ] Not the bit where everyone hates us, the qunari are scheming toward an invasion, and... this.

[ She says dryly, flapping her left hand briefly. ]

action.

[smited]

[ if she'd missed seeing him flushed and embarrassed, now is her chance to see it again. his cheeks and the tips of his ears go pink as he rubs the back of his neck and looks off into the distance. ]

I, ah--I didn't know how to tell you. Not without worrying you. They were things you were going to learn about eventually and you... had enough on your plate with things here.

[ but she's caught up to him now, and that makes him smile a little. she's his wife in truth and it makes a little spark of warm happiness flare to life in his chest. even despite the circumstances.

he moves in a little closer to her, arms sliding around her waist as he rests his forehead against hers. ]

You were only gone a day here. [ 'only', he says. like that day didn't feel unspeakably long. ] It's strange, how the Door works.

action.

[closerift]

[ Where she would have expected to be frustrated, Cecily is just... grateful. Tired, relieved to see him, and unable to bring herself to be anything more. She would have likely (definitely) done the same if it meant protecting him. If it meant saving him some worry, she would do almost anything. ]

I understand. [ And she does, for once without any bitterness. ] ... Thank you, Cullen.

[ He smiles, pulling her close, and she can't help but sigh contentedly. The past two years have added a lot to their relationship that he could never have explained or conveyed, so much that she'd needed to experience for herself. Cecily rises up to kiss his forehead before lowering and again touching their foreheads together. ]

I heard. [ That had been one of the first things she'd learned after realizing where she was. Is. ] ... And it is. I haven't been here in--... well, you know how long. I can scarcely believe that it's only been a single day.

[ But, something quickly occurs to her and she glances briefly downward to where the device is stowed away. ]

... I saw your messages. [ Heard them, heard the obvious distress in his voice. She tugs him in even closer, turning sideways to burrow her cheek against his chest, heart thudding painfully, sympathetically, for him. ] I'm so sorry. To have left you, even for a day, thinking that I'd gone-- You know that if there's any way I can make sure that never happens, I'll do it. I won't leave you here alone, not truly.

[ She has to believe that even in light of what had just happened to them. She has to believe for herself, at the very least, that he won't be left to face this particularly cruel world alone. ]

I love you so much. [ beat ] I'm sorry.

action.

[smited]

[ ah, right. his messages. he's not... embarrassed by them, not really. alright, maybe the last ones he regrets a little. enough so that the flush in his ears doesn't leave as he tightens his arms around her. ]

It's not your fault, Cecily. [ she can't control the door, and he won't have her apologizing for what happened. ] I love you, too.

[ he kisses the side of her head gently, then pulls her back just enough to cup her face in his hands. ] I promise the same for you. If there's anyway I can stop it, anyway to make sure you don't have to face this place alone, I will do it. No matter what it takes.

[ they're in this together. for better or worse. ]