Veilguarding - an open post for DAV AU shenanigans

[smartass_captain]

It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it. Masterpost for Dragon Age Veilguard AU overflow + psls

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[smartass_captain]

[His gaze plays over the magic coalescing between her fingers. There's a one second delay before he understands what she's getting at and his eyes go so wide and his gasp sharp enough that he ends up doubling up in another cough before he can nod emphatically with Neve's plan. Who's going to expect them to run into the fire, after all?]

So we're going to have to do some more breaking and entering later, love that for us. For now let's live through tonight.

[Rook rolls a shoulder and lets a hand slip back to settle on the hilt of one of his blades. Right. They've got this. He thanks Neve when she passes over the kerchief. It means one hand will be busy but crucially it means He'll be able to breathe a lot easier for a bit while others won't. He draws his short sword in his right hand and darts on ahead to lead the way. He knows how to circle back round toward the kitchen. Really it's simple even if he didn't. Go where the smoke gets worse and it's hotter.]

I hear muffled shouting-- [Jim glances round a corner and jerks his head to indicate to Neve they need to keep going.] Think they know the relic's gone. Should be just down this passageway and the dor beyond but careful. The fire's probably pretty bad beyond that.

i blinked and january *melted* what even...

[coldjustice]

[ she gives him a look of mild concern at the coughing fit, but they can't stop now so she has to trust he'll be all right until they're out. she ignores the muffled shouts and yells they can hear above. no time to even stop to parse what they're saying. it's get out or get caught and getting caught means dying or becoming the next venatori sacrifice.

so she presses the cloth over her own mouth and nose as she barrels forward, staff in the hand not occupied by cloth. she can feel the heat radiating off of the quickly spreading fire. this will certainly make the papers after and she wonders which ones will paint a truer picture.

she nods at his caution, letting her fingers and hand ice over for a moment in preparation as they approach. ]

I'll see what I can do. Won't freeze all of it, but I can likely buy us a minute to pass through. We get out. We run. We don't look back. I'll follow you after that.

[ so he can show her where he sent the servants. they won't be leaving those poor souls to fend for themselves.

but that's about all the time she has to talk. as they tear down the passageway, she can feel the heat intensify. the door at the end is hot. won't be long before this whole section of the estate will be unusable. it's now or never for them. ]

Stay close!

[ it's her final warning before she freezes the door. as her magic fades a few precious seconds in, the door crumbles to the floor with a creak and a crash, louder than she had hoped it would be, but it might be enough that someone would think it's just the fire taking out the estate and not two people trying to escape.

she works as fast as she can, sending her ice magic forward in spurts, glazing a path through the kitchens and trusting rook to keep an eye out for anything that might fall on them. the fire is intense here and her eyes water almost beyond saving, coughs bubbling up with each breath. and still she presses forward. blizzard after ice storm after blizzard, as many as she can as quickly as possible. ice everywhere, some melting nearly as soon as it hits. she'll be exhausted after this, but she can't stop until they're done.

lyrium potion down. more ice. onward. it feels like a never-ending path, but in reality it's barely been longer than a minute. maybe two. and then there's the spot in the wall that's caved in. a pathway they can use. she wraps them both in ice, coats the whole of the area in one last intense blizzard.

and then she leaps for it, ready to slam into the wall and roll. ]

for real. this new job is kicking my ASS

[smartass_captain]

[The rapid dearth of the intense heat cracks a load bearing beam as they bolt into the kitchen. Rook is up in a flash, shoulder-checking it to shift it just enough to avoid dropping on top of them both. He has to trust in Neve's ice magic wrapping over them both to put out the smolder of his jacket.

Neve leaps and Jim follows less than a breath after her, her veritable shadow as they make a break for the Outside and freedom. They're coated in a flaking of ash, plaster, and stone dust when they tumble into the grass a smoking heap a second later. Where they lay in the grass is the first bit of clean air they've had in minutes. Jim jerks the cloth down from his face to gulp in the fresh air.

One breath. Two. Then he's moving. Scooping up his sword and drawing his other in his off hand now he doesn't have to keep one pressed to his face.]

Over there--! [Hissed out in a voice rough from the smoke. He urges Neve toward a low spot in the garden topiaries a short sprint away form where they've come out. It'll be messy and they're bound to get scratched up but it'll be better than fighting their way through any guards busy trying to fight the fire in the estate.

Once they've made it across the open lawn, Jim hacks at the hedges to try and make a bit of an opening for them to slip through.] Alright, gimme your hand--

So he can help haul her through and over the wall beyond.]