#lighthouse verse tbt

[dreadwxlf]

@aetherianxarchive sent: {lighthouse verse} a small box of Treviso chocolates appear on his desk, without a note and unsigned… but there is a little drawing of a dragon in the corner of the box’s lid.

~ A smile crosses his features at the sight of the gift and the doodle on the lid. He'd be sure to thank his "anonymous" benefactor later... ~

[dreadwxlf]

~ After a decade of preparation, it was finally over. He had successfully cleansed his lyrium dagger of corruption, and set all the the pieces in place for his ritual. The remaining Evanuris would be locked away once more in an impenetrable prison, and the world would finally be rid of Veil. ~

~ The dagger cut though the Veil effortlessly, the magic flowing more easily with each connection that was severed. He could hear the clamor of demons pouring through from the other side, but it didn't matter. The lives that would be resorted mattered far more than those that would inevitably be lost -- he had come too far to stop now. Until... ~

~ He hears his vhenan's voice call to him, causing him to stop in his tracks. Solas turns, face painted in disbelief. He was well aware Ellana had been chasing him, but to have made it this far? She pleaded with him, but he only shook his head, returning to the ritual. ~

~ ( Please, vhenan! ) he had pleaded over the clamor. ( This is the only way. When you see the old world restored... ). ~

~ The falling statues interrupted him. He had managed to avoid being crushed by them, but the damage was already done -- his safeguards had been destroyed. Ellana grabbed at the dagger, attempting to wrestle it from it. On instinct, he elbowed her away, striking her square in the nose with the hilt of the dagger. She tumbled down the steps, blood pouring from between her fingers. His connection to the ritual is lost, and he feels their presence before he sees them. All he can do construct a half-hearted barrier before rushing the others through the Eluvian -- the detective has scooped up an unconscious Ellana, glaring daggers at him. Solas seals the Eluvian behind them, and prays Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain will not follow. ~

-----

~ It is some time before Ellana wakes. Shame immediately crosses his feature as he catches sight of her bruised nose -- most likely broken. ~

~ " We are in my sanctuary -- the Lighthouse, " he replies quietly. A sigh leaves him as he folds forward in his seat, clasping his hands together. " ...You and Varric disrupted my ritual. The remaining Evanuris, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, were able to escape the prison I constructed for them. " Part of him is angry. His greatest enemies walk Thedas once more, all because of Ellana. But he cannot bring himself to berate her -- he has hurt her enough already. ~

~ " ...The Veil remains in place, if that is your concern. " He straightens his posture, mouth pulled into a frown as he studies her. " You have bested me -- and released a greater terror upon Thedas in the process. " ~

(( plotted au thread with @dreadwxlf. featuring: ellana replacing rook, and solas trapped in the lighthouse instead of the regret prison. bwhahah i cant wait to torture these two with angst))

Things started off, as they always did, promising - the vow made between friends that they would have Fen'harel see sense, that they would find him and recruit people he didn't know in order to subvert any plans he might make. Varric had attempted to lead the charge by himself, in order to spare Ellana's feelings on the matter, but ultimately she had been too selfish to let go (to have someone else face Solas in her place was unbearable). ...and hadn't that always been her problem? She had never been able let him go. (yet it was so easy for him) And so she joined her friend, leaving those she trusted to handle things in the south, while her and Varric chased various leads all over the north. Eventually they ended up in Minrathous (and reuniting with Dorian had been the highlight of a very stressful couple of months of deadends), and tangled up in the Shadow Dragons. Faced with the prospect of actually being needed, and the fact they had literally exhausted every possible avenue, Ellana helped the organization and freed the slaves she could while she agonized over Fen'harel eluding her once more. The more time elapsed, the more she despaired, and unfortunately the more her influence grew, for hardly anyone in the north knew exactly what the Inquisitor looked like - and with her obsidian prosthetic, she tended to blend in more than not (they called her Lady now, which was bemusing). Solas still visited her dreams, of course, but after years of silence on his end, she had finally stopped yelling at him (and in her weaker times, pleading with him to stop). She had finally stopped saying anything at all, really, choosing instead to watch him across the vast distance. She wondered if he still felt the same - if he had ever really felt the same... It was something she would keep wondering in the depths of her mind, as things finally came to head - all stemming from a lead in the form of Neve Gallus. - She remembers trying to talk him down, pleading like she hadn't in years: "You can't want this, not like this, vhenan!" A statue pushed (stupid, blessed Varric), a desparate fumble for a glowing dagger - the crunch of her nose breaking (his sad, sad violet eyes) - and she's falling down, bleeding on bright blue - she hits her head on some rock - then ...

black. - Ellana wakes with a start, groaning, as she blinks to take in her surroundings (she's in some kind of infirmary, on a cot). Her heart is pounding wildly though, and she's unsure of why until her ice blue eyes meet violet once more. Everything stops. Her ears ring. But dread is stronger and it curls in her stomach, "... what happened?" her voice is ragged, and she winces despite herself as she rubs her throat. "why are you here?" Her eyes narrow, "and where exactly are we?" Did his ritual work? it's enough for her fists to clench.

[dreadwxlf]

@luna-mxth sent: “The heat may rise, but I’ll survive.” -- from sontna on @luna-mxth ;v;

~ " There is no guarantee of that if you return to the South, " he pleaded gently. Solas knew he had no place to ask anything of Sontna; but the thought of losing her... ~

~ " There is little you can do to fight the Blight in Fereldan and Orlais -- it's spread is inevitable while Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan still live. If you remain here, you will have a fighting chance. " A shaking sigh left him as he gazed at Sontna, eyes pleading. ~

~ " I beg of you, vhenan. For your sake and the sake of Norrim and Oriinthel...remain here, in the Lighthouse. " ~

[dreadwxlf]

@reining-disaster liked for a Lighthouse Verse starter

~ His study was just as it was when he had left it, diagrams for the ritual still left scattered on his desk. Solas stares at them unblinking before moving to put them away with a sigh. A decade of planning ruined, all by one careless mortal. Speaking of which... ~

~ The elf's head shoots up as he hears someone enter -- "Rook," as he was called. The entire reason his greatest enemies threatened to destroy the world once more. A scowl crosses his features as he straightens his back to address the other elf. ~

~ " I hope you've begun to think of some semblance of a plan, " he begins, folding his hands behind his back. " Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan will not sit idle for long -- no doubt they've already begun carving a path of destruction. " ~