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[color=c82c52][b]#c82c52[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]blood mage[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]outpost[/b][/color]
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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]A flash of lightning bright enough to wake the Maker illuminated the gloomy halls of the outpost. The soft murmuring of shared conversations mixed with the crackle of the hearth echoed off the ancient stone. The rain no longer tapped gently on the windows but pounded at the entrance like a hoard trying to break through the door. Thunder rumbled in the distance as it came rolling in and crashed overhead. The tremors from the storm made the old iron chandeliers over head creak and could be felt shaking the ground under foot.

Between the loud clashes, the soft smack of bare feet on the cool stone resonated throughout the main hall as Vae’nra walked across the dirt covered floor toward the hearth with her boots clutched in her left hand. The blue light of the flames illuminated the left side of her face while the red glow from her stave was cast upon the right. Her bedroll was in the same place it had been since her first night in the outpost, lying on the ground along the short side of the central hearth. Several years living in the wilds, rarely with a fire, made her appreciate the small comfort of warmth at night while she slept. Unlike many of the blades, Vae’nra’s belongings were kept in pristine condition, organized and well kept, bordering on obsessive. If it was possible to make a bedroll every morning, she did. Everything was laid flat and perfectly inline with the low stone wall of the hearth. Her pack rested upright neatly at the foot of her small area, always packed and ready if she had to leave at a moment’s notice. 

Vae’nra gently laid down her stave, the red glow of the central gem looking ablaze against her dark bedroll. The fire hissed as she overturned her boots, dumping out whatever water remained inside then rested them on the stone as close to the flames as she could manage without risking ruining them. She knelt down on her bedroll and started peeling off whatever damp clothing she could sacrifice. It took several minutes to remove her cloak, leathers and various accouterments, then lay them all out to [i]hopefully[/i] dry before the party set out. It wasn’t her intention to get caught in the rain or she might have dressed differently. Wet leather was the absolute worst, the way it clung and made her skin feel like it was suffocating. 

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It looked like rain was on the horizon, but Vae’nra had no reason to think her and Kelf wouldn’t have been back in time. She offered to accompany him, spinning the tale that two sets of eyes was better than one and that no one should travel alone… which was true. But the cabin fever of the cramped outpost was getting to her. After years of no ceiling or walls, just the trees beside her and the moon above, tight corridors were overwhelming for long periods of time. It also gave her an opportunity to check for signs of Venatori. While the outpost was expertly hidden, being on the edge of the Tevinter made her anxious. So, scouting with Kelf let her kill half a dozen birds with one stone. 

Delilah had told them to only scout up to the pass and then come back. [i]They didn’t.[/i] Kelf and Vae’nra often traveled quick and quiet when it was just the pair of them. She rarely second guessed his decisions and heeded his instructions without argument. So it wasn’t all that surprising that they arrived earlier than expected. They should have turned back, as instructed, but the trails of blood piqued their interest more than following orders. What they found was nothing short of a massacre. Blood… so much blood and mutilated bodies as far as they could see. There were so many flies swarming that the cloud of buzzing insects made the area look like it was blurred beneath the mist of a heavy fog. Vae’nra was not a squeamish woman, but the smell was so putrid that the moment it hit her nostrils she doubled over, nearly purging her stomach’s contents. Words could not describe the rancid odor. 

They might have traveled further if it wasn’t for the darkspawn. It seemed no matter how quiet or careful they were, the creatures somehow found them. Vae’nra didn’t pay any mind to how many she killed, but she knew Kelf was counting for the both of them… He always did. The pair ran for a mile, maybe two before they allowed themselves to take a moment to catch their breath. In typical Blades fashion, after encountering something [i]truly[/i] fucked, they looked to baser comforts to relieve tensions. They had no alcohol, so they found release through the pleasure of each other’s bodies. Casual sex wasn’t uncommon among the blades. They were all living on borrowed time. Comforts of the flesh were one small way they all could feel [i]alive[/i] on the precipice of impending doom. This was no different for Vae’nra and Kelf, but they were secretive creatures and preferred to keep their exploits private, unlike others like Minerva or Rasaad. 

Between the deeper exploration of the pass… and each other, the pair arrived an hour or two late and drenched from head to toe.

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Vae’nra was able to sacrifice most of her clothing to dry by the fire. That left her in her damp, suffocating dark leather pants and her wet black tunic that clung to her skin. The curls had returned to her long raven hair that had fallen out from sweat, grime, and a fair bit of time without a proper bath. Traveling with a band of mercenaries was hardly glamorous and honestly, not much different from when she lived in the wilds. It didn’t take long to get used to a rougher way of life… no shelter, no company, and inconsistent sources of food, [i]or baths.[/i] They’ve been with each other’s stink so much, it was hardly noticeable unless someone was particularly foul. 

Vae squatted down and brought her pack before her. She unfastened the leather straps and flipped the cover flap back out of the way. Her hand slipped inside, heading straight for the specific compartment where the small glass bottle lived. After removing the small container from her bag, she turned it over in her palm, studying it. The bottle was round and roughly the size of an apple or lyrium vial. At one point the glass was frosted with some sort of writing, but from years of being handled and bouncing around in her pack, the finer details had worn off. The tiniest bit of burgundy liquid remained at the bottom… The remnants of her Blood Lotus perfume.

It was frivolous and took up unnecessary space in her pack, but it was one of the few things that remained from her days in Tevinter. Traveling with a band of mercenaries, Vae’nra got used to the grime. But even so, there were fragments of her that still clung to the finer things… Like the novelty of smelling nice. She popped the golden top off the bottle and carefully spilled just a drop onto the tip of her middle finger. She dabbed the oil behind each ear and, if any remained, she put the rest at the apex of her cleavage. It wasn’t much, but if she turned her head just right she could sometimes catch the faintest scent. 

With a sigh, she tucked the bottle back away in her pack and stood back up. Vae’nra tugged at her wet tunic, peeling it from her chest as her bare feet quietly slapped against the dirty stone floor. Her poise betrayed her common appearance, body language couldn’t hide the truth of her noble upbringing. She walked with a natural elegance, her back straight, steps light, and head held high. She approached the large wooden table with an apologetic smile before slipping into an empty seat. To her right sat Rasaad, a large, imposing Qunari man with dark ashen gray skin and sharp double horns. His red vitaar was streaking and half gone, still dripping and running like he had recently been out in the rain. Long black hair had a mix of braids and dreadlocks adorned in various wooden beads. He wore a permanent scowl, although he was rarely angry, always looking like he was two seconds away from ripping someone’s head off with his bare hands. Mixing with the running red paint was a stream of blood running down his left arm from a gash in his bicep and on further inspection Vae noticed he was sporting a fat lip and another cut across his right brow. 

To her right sat Celeste, her fingers idly tracing the glyphs on the table. An almost ethereal woman, delicate and poised like the taint of the world didn’t dare blemish her for fear of her templar protector. The diverse group of mercenaries around the table remained still with their eyes looking between each other or fixated at a chip in the table. Finally, it was Celeste who broke the pensive silence with her quiet words. [color=6ecff6]"It’s starting to bleed into the Fade more clearly now. Something’s pressing through."[/color]

The Grey Warden dwarf with some gray of his own responded. [color=fff200]"Aye. I’ve felt it too. That cursed pull in my gut, like a rusted hook dragging me forward... The closer we’ve come to Weisshaupt, the more it thrums in my bones. They’re singing, darkspawn. Beneath the stone. Beneath the skin of the world."[/color]

A quiet sigh escaped Vae’nra’s lips as the gory massacre they discovered flashed through her mind. Her head dropped as a hand raised and fingers pinched the bridge of her nose attempting to stave off the scent memory, along with everything else. 

[color=9e0b0f]"I went further than I should’ve, into the belly of the pass."[/color] Kelf’s calm, somber tone forced her eyes open as she peered across the room at him over the top of her hand. [color=9e0b0f]"Trees were dead but standing. Found no survivors. Just bodies. Twisted, torn, ripped down to the marrow. Couldn’t tell man from woman, elf from human. Faces were... gone. I killed three darkspawn. On the way in. And two more on the way back. Even with every step hidden and silent... they still found me somehow."[/color]

Vae’nra’s hand slowly fell from her face and landed on the table with a soft thud. [color=c82c52]"It was likely my fault,"[/color] she confessed, meeting Kelf’s intense green eyes from where he lingered in the shadows. Her gaze slowly drifted back to Delilah as she clasped her hands together. [color=c82c52]"The scent was… [i]putrid.[/i]"[/color] Her nose scrunched and brows furrowed as the mere thought of the stench was enough to turn her stomach. [color=c82c52]"There were so many flies… and when the smell hit me, I wretched."[/color] The corners of her mouth tugged into a tight lipped smile and she shrugged her shoulders, disappointed in her own misstep. [color=c82c52]"Apologies,"[/color] she added barely above a whisper, sparing Kelf another brief glance before fixating her gaze on a drop of vitaar paint that fell from Rasaad’s shoulder and landed on the table between them. 

[color=a2d39c]"Lovely. A suicide march dressed in noble intent. We should embroider that on our banner,"[/color] Minerva chimed in with her usual sarcastic cynicism. [color=a2d39c]"Perhaps with a little skull holding a bouquet."[/color]

Rasaad held up an index finger, preparing to add his own sarcastic quip but was cut off by Diana’s stern tone. [color=f7976a]"Enough. This isn’t a jest."[/color] He sighed and rolled his eyes subtly as he let his hand fall back down on the table with a loud thud that rattled the various mugs and flagons that were at rest. [color=f7976a]"We don’t know what’s ahead, and guessing won’t make it prettier."[/color]

Delilah stood up and leaned over the table, her actions cutting through the conversation, demanding everyone’s attention and silence. [color=39b54a]"Then we stop guessing. We [i]move.[/i]"[/color] She pointed to Weisshaupt on the map. [color=39b54a]"This is where we lose contact with the last of the Warden outriders. Dean, you're leading the team. You’ll take Vae’nra, Rasaad, Fleur, Raeretha, and whomever else you deem necessary. You get in, observe, and get back. I want eyes on Weisshaupt. Signs, tracks, survivors if the Maker has left us any. But if you meet something you can’t fight... you [i]don’t.[/i]"[/color]

[color=c82c52]"You hear that?"[/color] Vae’nra whispered, sparing Rasaad a sideways glance. The giant qunari’s brow furrowed as he looked back at her from the corner of his eyes. If she knew anything about the man, [i]everything[/i] was worthy of a fight, even if it was him soloing a high dragon. The crazy bastard would love that. He’d die laughing like he’d gone mad, with a smile on that grumpy face of his.

[color=39b54a]"We’re not dying for ghosts and guesses. Not yet. You retreat. You bring word. We bring war only when we know what we’re swinging at. We’ll hold here and prepare for the worst. That’s all we’ve ever had to plan around anyway."[/color] There was a heaviness to her voice, but every word she spoke was nothing new. They knew the costs. But it never made it easier. [color=39b54a]"When the sky clears, we move. I want blades sharpened, packs light, and your minds ready. No stragglers. No hesitation. Dismissed. And may the Creators, the Maker, or whatever gods you still believe in, walk with us when we step into that dark."[/color]

With everyone dismissed, Rasaad pushed off the table, scooting his chair back and went to stand. Vae’nra placed her hand on his shoulder before he was fully upright. [color=c82c52]"Hold on, you oversized druffalo."[/color] She, by no means, had the strength to stop him if he decided to leave, but he rarely fought her when she demanded his attention. 

Rasaad sighed and sat back down with a heavy thud causing the wooden chair to creek under his weight. [color=66838e]"Yes ma’am?"[/color] he asked, rolling his eyes as he looked over at her, knowing full well what the conversation was going to be about, before she asked.

[color=c82c52]"What is this?"[/color] Vae’nra asked while motioning toward his various fresh injuries.

[color=66838e]"What’s [i]what[/i]?"[/color] he replied, not meeting her gaze, feigning ignorance.

Vae raised her hand and flicked the bleeding gash in his bicep. [color=c82c52]"[i]This[/i]?"[/color]

[color=66838e]"Fuck, V!"[/color] Rasaad hissed, pulling his massive arm away, coddling it like a baby. [color=66838e]"... [i]Ow,[/i]"[/color] he whined a bit quieter, as if he was a child that hurt themselves doing something they weren’t supposed to.

[color=c82c52]"Bandages or magic?"[/color] she posed the question he had heard countless times before. 

[color=66838e]"... Bandages,"[/color] he groaned, slouching back in his seat knowing he wasn’t going to be released any time soon. 

Vae’nra laughed and stood up. [color=c82c52]"Very well then."[/color] 

Her bare feet carried her across the outpost to the small corner that functioned as a makeshift infirmary. She grabbed a roll of pre-cut cloth for bandaging, a curved needle, and thread. When she returned to the pouting Qunari, Vae set her supplies down in front of him. She reached across the table and grabbed a flagon of ale and one of the abandoned empty mugs. After filling the cup with alcohol, she passed it off to him with a knowing grin. [color=c82c52]"You’ll want this."[/color]

Rasaad took the drink with a distrusting gaze before he down the ale in a couple gulps. He slammed the empty mug down on the table then looked over at her. [color=66838e]"Why?"[/color] Meanwhile, Vae’nra was threading the needle. As he met her gaze, she brought the string to her mouth and snapped it in half with her teeth. [color=66838e]"Woah! [i]Woah[/i]..."[/color] He shot up out of his seat, knocking his chair over in the process. [color=66838e]"I said bandages, woman. Not needles!"[/color]

[color=c82c52]"Sit your ass back down, you big baby."[/color] Vae’nra held the needle between her lips as she leaned over and sat his chair back upright. [color=c82c52]"Sit,"[/color] she told him once again with more force in her voice.

The Qunari stared her down for a long moment and when he realized she wouldn’t concede, he sat back down with a thud and annoyed huff. [color=66838e]"Do I [i]have[/i] to have stitches?"[/color]

Vae’nra scooted forward to the edge of her seat, getting closer to his arm to inspect it. After a few seconds of study, guiding his arm to flex and relax, and a little prodding, she looked up into his eyes. [color=c82c52]"Yes."[/color]

[color=66838e]"I changed my mind. I want magic."[/color]

Her hands fell to her lap with a sigh and a dramatic roll of her eyes. [color=c82c52]"Then there will be no scar."[/color]

Rasaad weighed his options before grabbing the flagon and chugging half of its remaining contents. [color=66838e]"[i]Fine…[/i]"[/color]

[color=c82c52]"So… Are you going to tell me how this happened?"[/color] Vae’nra pulled the pitcher from his large hands and promptly poured the alcohol over the open wound before he could argue and pitch more of a fit.

[color=66838e]"Andraste’s tits!"[/color] Rasaad cursed and stomped his foot on the ground. He kept his gaze focused on the melting wax of the archaic candelabra that hung from the ceiling over the table. He winced as the needle penetrated his skin but refused to watch. [color=66838e]"You know how these new recruits are."[/color]

[color=c82c52]"Do I?"[/color] she mused, pulling the thread through his skin.

[color=66838e]"I’m the biggest guy here and they see me and think ‘I wanna to see if I can take him.’"[/color] He clenched his jaw as he felt the sharp prick of a new stitch. [color=66838e]"We sparred. I won… They weren’t happy."[/color]

[color=c82c52]"[i]They?[/i]"[/color] Vae’nra paused in the middle of tying a knot in the thread to look up at him.

[color=66838e]"Yeah, I don’t know. Five or six of ‘em,"[/color] he replied, brushing the comment off like the number of opponents was of no consequence. [color=66838e]"They came at me with swords… I won, [i]again[/i]."[/color] Rasaad nodded his head to the side for subtle emphasis like it was obvious he won. He [i]always[/i] won.

[color=c82c52]"Rasaad, darling. You’re not supposed to kill the recruits,"[/color] she chastised him while finishing off the final suture. 

[color=66838e]"I didn’t,"[/color] he replied, defensively. [color=66838e]"They came at [i]me[/i] with blades. I used my fists… and whatever was lying around."[/color] Rasaad looked down at his fresh stitches, watching as Vae started wrapping his bicep in the clean bandages. [color=66838e]"They’re [i]fine[/i]... Just minor concussions and a couple broken noses."[/color]

After knotting the wrap, Vae’nra took his face into her delicate hands and turned his head so he looked straight at her. [color=c82c52]"Have you ever considered recreational [i]wrestling[/i] so I [i]don’t[/i] have to mend you every other day?"[/color] she asked while studying his swollen bottom lip and the cut over his brow. 

[color=66838e]"Have you ever [i]seen[/i] Minerva… [i]wrestle[/i]?"[/color] he asked, barely above a whisper, with a raised brow. 

[color=c82c52]"I try very hard [i]not[/i] too."[/color]

[color=66838e]"She kicks my ass more than twenty times any of these recruits combined,"[/color] he replied, nodding his head toward the woman in question. [color=66838e]"It’s hot."[/color]

Vae’nra laughed and shook her head. [color=c82c52]"I’m very happy for you,"[/color] she replied sarcastically as she began gathering the remaining supplies. [color=c82c52]"There’s nothing I can do for your face. [i]Unfortunately,[/i] you were born with it,"[/color] she teased with a faint smile. 

[color=66838e]"Speaking of [i]wrestling[/i], you should find someone to loosen your laces a bit, V."[/color] The wooden legs of Rasaad’s chair screeched against the stone floor as she pushed it out of the way while standing. At his full height, he towered over Vae’nra as he twisted and stretched his arm, making sure the stitches would hold. [color=66838e]"Everyone needs a way to release tension… [i]Especially[/i] at the end of the world."[/color]

The raven haired woman chuckled as she stood up. She looked up at the Qunari with an inquisitive expression. [color=c82c52]"Is that an offer?"[/color]

Rasaad turned to walk away, paused when he heard her words, then looked back over his shoulder at her. [color=66838e]"Itttttttt could be?"[/color]

[color=c82c52]"How charming,"[/color] she teased him with false flattery. [color=c82c52]"I’m not in need of a [i]wrestling partner[/i] or a lover, Rasaad. I keep my tension well managed, thank you very much."[/color] She rested her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side as a silent challenge for him to press the matter further, not mean but playful. No matter how much Rasaad teased or pried, her private affairs were just that… [i]private.[/i] What she did to relieve tensions was between herself and whomever she decided to share that with. But that would definitely [i]not[/i] be someone as loose lipped as the Qunari warrior himself. [color=c82c52]"Now get out of here before I give you something else to stitch up,"[/color] she threatened him with a soft playfulness. 

He blew a raspberry in disbelief. [color=66838e]"You’re all bark,"[/color] he called her bluff, wagging a sausage sized index finger at her. Vae’nra squinted her eyes slightly. [color=66838e]"Yeah… ‘well managed tension.’"[/color] he repeated her words back at her. She took a step toward him and he quickly retreated back a few steps with a chuckle. [color=66838e]"I’m going. I’m going,"[/color] he conceded. 

[color=66838e]"Thanks… [i]again[/i], V,"[/color] he said before disappearing out of the main hall. 

Vae’nra had started to gather the leftover bandages and thread when her gaze drifted over to Kelf, who still lingered in the shadows. Her hands set back down the items and instead grabbed two empty mugs and one of the remaining flagons. Her steps were quiet aside from the subtle swish of her leather pants as her legs brushed past one another. While the elf didn’t sustain any pressing injuries, there were small cuts and bruises where others could not see, but she knew it was there. As she approached, her thumb flicked open the small lever of her blood letting ring. She pricked the skin just enough to cause a small familiar wound to open up. Her fingers waved subtly as she muttered an incantation under her breath. Out of sight, Kelf’s minor wounds began to heal. She stopped a few feet in front of the enigmatic elf and slowly waved the flagon before him. [color=c82c52]"I come bearing gifts,"[/color] she spoke quietly with a faint smile. 

When Kelf did not tell her to leave, she stepped up to the small table beside him and set down the mugs. She raised the pitcher and poured them both a healthy serving of ale. Vae’nra offered him one of the cups before setting down the flagon and grabbing her own drink. She slowly lowered herself into the seat opposite him with a sigh and crossed her right leg over the left. [color=c82c52]"You already know what I’m going to say,"[/color] she began and took a sip of the ale. She coughed, raising a hand to cover her mouth. It tasted like piss and was hard to force down, but on the eve of her probable death… Alcohol was necessary.

[color=c82c52]"You should come tomorrow."[/color] Vae’s thumb idly tapped the handle of the mug as she held his gaze. [color=c82c52]"You see things that others miss, like those darkspawn."[/color] She sighed softly, the guilt from attracting them in the first place still weighing on her. [color=c82c52]"I remember what you told me. I do. But… I don’t know,"[/color] her voice trailed off as her gaze fell to the amber liquid that rested in her mug. 

[color=c82c52]"Perhaps I’ve gone mad,"[/color] she mused with apprehension. After what they saw, Vae’nra couldn’t shake the sinking feeling of dread that churned in her stomach like darkspawn clawing to the surface. 

[color=c82c52]"Maybe you shouldn’t come. We’ll all die tomorrow and then my spirit will twist into some demon, out of guilt, because I convinced you to die too… because I’m frightened."[/color] Her voice started playful and sarcastic, but by the end of her small rant her volume dwindled to something barely above a whisper. She laughed weakly at herself before choking back another sip. [color=c82c52]"Maker’s breath, that really is awful."[/color][/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

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[color=808080][b]interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] rasaad & kelf [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] everyone at the meeting [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c]....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c]....[/color] none[/color]
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