The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Blue

[voidtreckermods]

So Far

It's been a hard few days of cajoling the citizens of the Shining City into and through the catacombs. Many still talk about returning to the comforts of the city, scoffing at the idea of danger. But slowly, as they get further away from the city, more and more of them break out of the illusion. Though some remain lost in the illusion still, the majority are clear-minded by Kazoo 9.

Their mission changes from hurrying stubborn people along to comforting them as the truth dawns on them. The atmosphere becomes more desperate, more angry. More driven.

A plan is offered by the citizens: there is a cavern marked on their maps that opens up to the surface. It can be used as a base whilst any that feel able can go out to join the fight against the demons.

New Allies

Not long after breaking camp on the ninth day of the month of Kazoo they reach the cavern. However, it is clear straight away that something is wrong. The cavern is dark with no exits to be seen, and the Voidtreckers will quickly learn they are not alone. There's a small camp in the cavern, all humans, and after a tense moment they will welcome the citizens and their escorts.

Their story is simple: they were outside the city fighting when they got overwhelmed; they took shelter in the cavern but a gate opened nearby on the surface and caused a cave in. None of the scouts they had sent through the tunnels to the city have returned. Their food is running out and they were on the verge of heading to the city regardless of what they might find there when the Voidtreckers arrived.

Breaking Free

The cave-in is a large one, several metres thick at its weakest and blocking the exit to the outside completely. Those trapped here have made some progress but it's going to take a lot of hands, and potentially some magical help, to clear the blockages.

If they can clear it though, it will mean those who can fight, both citizen and Voidtrecker can begin to head back towards the city to fight, without having to re-enter the range of the illusionary Shining City.

The cavern makes a good staging point, and a secure place for those who cannot fight. Even with the blockage clear it is easy to defend, and holds the same sanctified protections as the tunnels themselves.

Comments

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"I recently learned about it the hard way. Half expected what I was told about it by some kid on the train to be bullshit."

But if he's heard of it too, then it probably isn't.

"Lost the arm pretty shortly before I ended up here."

[yondu]

"Nah, it's a thing. I don't know the technicals but maybe Ichigo could give ya somethin' for it. As nice as magic medicine is, it probably ain't particular enough to fix li'l' bitty nerve endin's."

Then he stops to think.

"Look, if a talkin' raccoon ever shows up? An' asks for your arm an' says he needs it? He don't. Just hit 'im with it. He's a good guy at heart but he's a plumb stupid bastard when he puts his mind to it."

And his face is painfully earnest as he warns her of Rocket. Because it would happen.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"I think the pills I was given was... medicine, not magic. But I don't know enough about either to be certain. Medicine on Thedas is all humours and leeches and shit."

The bit about Rocket gets a raised eyebrow. "Noted, I'm not keen on giving away parts anyway."

That includes the bar standing in for her arm. She needs it! What else is her shield going to bolt to?

And if she can't use a shield, then...

Well. It's not going to happen.

[yondu]

"Yeah, that'd probably be a real thing. An' just watch out. He's a little asshole... Not that I ever expect to see 'im again."

But he'd kind of like to, to be honest. By the end of that, the Raccoon was one of the first friends he'd made in a long long time.

Rocket did require a warning label, though.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"There are some people here who are from the same worlds," Alley points out, maybe a touch wistful at the idea of someone she knows showing up, too, "you never know."

She'd both be relieved and anxious if any of her crew showed up here. Relieved to have backup, but anxious knowing that was one less person on Thedas prepared to try to save it from Solas.

Unless Solas himself was brought here, which would be the best solution to all her problems, but she's not going to hold her breath.

CW: Depression/life-hating talk

[yondu]

A good chunk of him doesn't want to see Rocket again. Even for that brief time they spent together, he misses him, but at the same time he wants to be dead for them. Their pain would be less because he was gone, no longer exacerbating it. He doesn't want to inflict himself on 'em anymore. None of this he says out loud.

"I bet it gets irritatin'. No one really understandin' exactly all the complications you had from home. Someone from there'd get it, whether you knew 'em or not. Sometimes I get jealous of Terran folks that are all from similar worlds. Not too bad? Just a little, in that they just get it real easy when they talk to each other."

No explaining wars or cell phones or cars. It's just there.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"It really depends, I guess. A stranger from Thedas would have all sorts of annoying assumptions about me, because of who I am. And if I was really unlucky, they'd also be some elf-hating jackass to boot."

But his point is taken, at least someone from Thedas would know about the Fade, if not all the details she knows now. They'd understand that a warrior with a shield is someone you get behind, not run off from in every random direction possible on a battlefield.

"I get what you mean, though. Especially about all the Terrans." 'Terran' is as foreign a word for her as 'Earth', after all. Why not use it? "It's like they have the same codex of information to draw on, while the rest of us have to explain basic shit."