It was with a solid thud that the scythe-blade buried itself square into the back of the Qunari assailing Sophia, sinking in a good five inches and doubtless severing the spinal cord. Lucien did not let the man simply drop on top of his friend, however, as that would be counterproductive and frankly rude. Instead, he used his foot to push the now-dead warrior off the blade and to the side, where he fell still. The move had cost him time, but it was quite worth it to have Sophia back up and in the fray. Unfortunately, his problems always began when he tried to do too many things at once, and the fact that the majority of enemy attention was on him came back to hurt him in a rather impressive sort of way.
Namely, he was bull-rushed by the Arvaarad. A more apt idiom could not have existed for it, either, as the repositioning necessary to help his ally had cost him his more-or-less solid entrenchment in the ground, and so when he was charged, he simply couldn't retain his feet, and hit the ground hard on his side, which would perhaps have crushed his left arm save that he was wearing so much armor. It would certainly bruise heavily, though, and the Qunari was not going to pass up the opportunity to press his advantage, swinging his sword for the Chevalier's neck. It would have hit its mark, had Lucien not displayed a surprising amount of dexterity for a person so large and rolled out of the way, ignoring the disomfort this produced in his arm. Unfortunately, this pinned his scythe underneath him, meaning that it was not immediately accessible.
Sensing the advantage and seeking to neutralize it, the mage-handler attempted instead to first pin him in place, using the kiteshield he carried as extra leverage. Knowing he'd be dead if that was successful, Lucien brought both knees up to block, successfully planting his feet against the incoming slab of metal. He'd never been more glad that Ser Liliane had been adamant that he learn how to "fight like a girl" which as it turned out had emphasized flexibility and mobility, as well as the building of mucle in the abdomen and legs as well as the chest and arms. It was probably the only reason he was able to reverse the Qunari's momentum, shoving him backwards and allowing the knight to regain his feet and his hold on his scythe.
Both were back on their feet now, and Lucien fended off an incoming assault from two more Qunari, dropping the first with a threshing swing to the throat and the second with the natural follow-up pommel strike before he was able to face Arvaarad properly. It struck him again that this whole thing was largely needless, but he could think of no way to stop it now that it had begun. Still, there was some small consolation he might be able to offer. "If I survive this and you do not, your Arishok will still know what transpired," he swore solemnly. The Viscount and the Revered Mother should know as well, of course, but he had little doubt Sophia would take care of that. Her word would be better than his in those situations anyway, especially with the Chantry. The Viscount might well believe him, but he doubted very much that a largely areligious mercenary would be counted over a dedicated sister of the Faith. It was only fair that everyone with a stake should know about this, though, and that included the Arishok.
He wasted no more breath on words, however, and when next the Qunari charged, he was ready, meeting it with forward momentum of his own. The enemy's sword was met with steel, but the shield he simply let strike him-- he was still far enough away that it barely clipped him anyway, and he only moved in closer when it was already pressed against his abdomen, effectively closing the distance and preventing either of them from getting much leverage. Since both of Arvaarad's hands were occupied, this passed the advantage to Lucien, who freed one of his own from its grip on the polearm and used it to clock the Qunari on the jaw. The blow carried the full weight of his shoulder and back behind it, and the pop it produced indicated that the mandible had been dislocated at the very least. It was enough to render his foe disoriented, and the next two strikes were quick, but efficient, and the Qunari was no more.
There was one downside to the mountains of muscle that the Qunari possessed, and that was loss of agility. They still possessed speed, true, but it was a brutish, raw speed. No control, only what trained discipline had instilled in them. And though these were true soldiers, Aurora was a mage. Her discipline, her training, all of which she possessed was learned in order to survive, to make sure she didn't fall to the allure of a demon. Martial prowess was good and all, but the strength of the mind was her trump. She weaved between the two warriors Sophia and Lucien, careful to avoid getting in the way of the battles they fought, while still doing damage of her own. Mostly layers of frosting cold, stonefists, couple of lightning bolts, anything she could do to be a general pain in the ass. A current theme apparently.
Alas, her skirting around could only last for so long, and it wasn't long before she was cornered by a Kossith. He had managed to back her up against the wall where they had exited the ratways beneath Kirkwall. Her hands felt the rough rock behind her, unyielding. The warrior towered over her own frame, but even so, the Kossith seemed wary. When one's society labels unattended mages as demonic hosts, it made sense, though the sight was no less strange. The situation was less than ideal for Aurora, though she'd make do. She always did.
First, she grinned darkly and taunted, "What? Afraid of me? You should be." The taunt had the desired effect, throwing the Qunari into a rage. Disciplined or not, the idea of a giant being afraid of little mouse was ridiculous. The giant was about to teach the mouse her place. The Qunari charged with his great two-handed sword, looking to rip the mage in half. Had he been able to get to her. As the distance between the two closed, Aurora swung both hands around and together, clapping. The clap was loud and thunderous, clearly not only from the force of her small hands. The clap issued a lightning bolt from her hands, arcing forward and striking the Qunari cleanly in the chest. His charge was immediately halted as the lightning ran it's course through his body, but the lightning wasn't the only danger.
Running behind the lightning, Aurora sprinted, and seconds after the bolt struck so did she. Still crackling with what little electricity remained, the hidden blade shot from her wrist and plunged into where the Qunari's heart was, effectively ending the warrior. She pulled her blade back, a thin line of blood trailing behind it, and the Qunari falling shortly behind. Though, she wasn't quite done yet. She fired off a petrifying shot at the next Kossith in Sophia's range, hoping the gesture of goodwill would do... something to smooth things over once they survived this.
Sophia had scrambled back to her feet after Lucien had put a halt to the blows raining down upon her. She felt a pang of frustration as he was slammed into by the mage handler Qunari, but there was no time for anything else, as her attention was immediately redirected to the remaining Qunari, bearing down on her and Aurora now that Lucien was otherwise occupied. They no doubt also wished to remove themselves from the electrical storm the apostate had conjured, and charging forward was the best way to do that.
Her left leg protested upon receiving her weight, but Sophia was forced to simply ignore it. Far more pain would follow if she compensated for it. In a smooth motion she redirected the thrust of a spear armed Qunari, planting her right foot and spinning, gathering momentum with her blade and she rounded, finishing the circle with a heavy slice across the chest, sending the Qunari spinning to the ground amidst a spray of blood. Two others fell in quick succession to her rapid and precise strikes, their brute force not enough to make up for her skill.
It took her to the three remaining javelin throwers, free to throw at will now that the majority of their close quarters brethren had fallen. She reached the first as he was extending his arm back to throw, plunging her sword into him with her weight behind her, plowing him on his back. As she withdrew the blade the second threw, and Sophia was just able to alter the position of her body, the spearhead skimming her right shoulder guard, the rush of wind and force past her face heightening her adrenaline further. She darted forward, slicing precisely into the throat, before taking another strong step and ramming her shoulder into him to flatten him to the ground.
The third and final one was now just on her left, arm back and ready to throw, at a distance where missing and dodging would not be possible. Her muscles instinctively tightened in preparation for the hit, but it never came, as the Qunari was suddenly and completely turned to stone before her, the work of Aurora. Not one to waste the opportunity, she struck forward with the point of her sword into his chest, the brittle structure crumbling to pieces.
She drew herself up to a halt, breathing heavily from the fight. The last Qunari had fallen, leaving Ketojan as the only remaining Kossith who still drew breath. He remained down, still entrapped by the device Arvaarad had held. As thoughts of combat left her mind, seemingly hundreds of others replaced them. Is everyone okay? I need to apologize. To Lucien, to the Arishok, to my father. What should I do about the apostate? What about Ketojan? What about Petrice? It was somewhat overwhelming, and so she settled for starting on the most pressing issue.
"Is everyone alright?" she supposed she had to include herself in that, glancing down at her now throbbing left calf, which had received a deep gash from a poleaxe, and was steadily dripping blood down to the sand. That would need to be looked at.
Lucien rolled his shoulders, testing himself for any severe injuries. He had a tendency not to notice those, sometimes, during the fights themselves, but such things had a nasty habit of sneaking up on him afterwards. His arm was still sore, but it wasn't broken, which meant it wasn't a problem as far as he was concerned. "Yes, thank you. I won't say it's all in a day's work, but... some days do end up like this from time to time." He cracked a grin, which faltered slightly upon noting that the sand underneath Sophia was red. "I could ask you the same, it seems." He glanced in Aurora's direction, but the little mage seemed to still be on her feet, and moving with purpose.
"I'll be fine. Saved the other half of this," Sophia said, retrieving the healing potion, half of which still remained. She had merely wished to see if anyone required it more than she, but she was glad neither of them were very injured, and downed the remainder of the potion herself, exhaling with some relief when the throbbing eased off in her calf, and the bleeding quite nearly halted altogether. A small price to pay for getting out of that situation, she thought.
Aurora thought it best to not answer Sophia right away, and instead see what she could do for Ketojan. After the skin of stone around her melted away, she dusted herself of and began looking for the... thing that Arvaarad has used to control. After moments of picking about the battlefield the instrument was found dropped edgewise in the sand where Arvaarad had stood when she unveiled her little show. She picked it up and looked at it, verifying that it was, indeed, some type of control rod. Other than that, she knew nothing. Her gaze flickered between the rod and Ketojan, finally she shrugged, ascertaining the best course of action. She threw onto the ground and stomped on it, shattering it to pieces. Much like the rod, apparently the control it had over Ketojan shattered as well, as he rose to his full height once again.
Aurora made her way to the Kossith and quickly looked him over, looking for any damage that may have been done in the chaos in the fray. Satisfied that he was uninjured, she asked, "Are you well?" though she didn't really expect any answer aside from the grunts he made thus far.
The Qunari mage straightened to his impressive full height, towering over Aurora. He seemed to test out his limbs, shaking his arms somewhat, rolling his head slightly. "I am... unbound. Odd... wrong... but you all deserve honor." Clearly, he was now capable of speaking, a low, grating voice that seemed as though it was certainly not overused. He raised his voice somewhat to ensure that all three present heard him. "You three are now Basvaarad, worthy of following. I thank your intent, even if it was... wrong." He turned and took a few steps away from Aurora, walking towards the coastline. "I know the will of Arvaarad. I must return as demanded. It is the wisdom... of the Qun."
At that, the Orlesian mercenary crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to one side. That was devotion indeed. The Qunari lived and died by the word of their Qun, and there was something admirable in that. If his devotion to his own chosen creed could one day match that certainty... well, he wasn't sure if it would be good or bad for him practically, but he couldn't help but think it was something to strive for anyway. "I understand, I think. It's your choice, as it always has been. As long as you make it because you want to, then you'll find no objection from me." He hesitated, just slightly, but then went ahead and offered. "Forgive me, but I do not know what your customs demand here. Will you be in need of... assistance in this matter?" He wasn't sure what the fact that he was even making the offer said about him, but it seemed like some small way to compensate for the enormous mistake they'd all just been forced to make, and he was more than willing to put aside his personal discomfort with the notion.
"My thanks for the offer," Ketojan said to Lucien. "But that will not be necessary." He seemed grateful, if not a little surprised, that Lucien was able to express understanding of his intentions, no doubt only reinforcing his decision to name him Basvaarad. Sophia was still unsure what to think, but she was quite certain at this point that she was done trying to make decisions for Ketojan. If this was the path he wanted to walk, she would hinder him no longer. Despite her efforts to remain in the present, her mind was already slipping to what she wanted to say to the Arishok, to her father, and to Petrice. There were so many things that needed to be said about this.
"Are... You sure?" Aurora asked, having followed Ketojan at a close clip to the coastline. "The Qun would demand your death just for being what you were born as..." Aurora said, clearly unhappy with the situation. Though, she knew the Qunari, she knew once their mind were made up, nearly nothing could be done to change it. Admirable, but so frustrating. She looked to Lucien for moment before shrugging. "I can not change your mind. You are free to do as you choose. It is your choice now, and only yours. As it should be," she said sadly, taking a couple of steps forward and placing a hand on the Qunari's arm. She wanted to say something to him, she wanted her last words to the mage to mean something. Nothing of her own came, only something she had heard. It was better than nothing she figured.
"There are many paths Ketojan. Choose yours," she said, and then stepped away.
The Qunari mage regarded the human one for a moment, studying her before he spoke. "I have chosen the Qun. It is the only choice. Asit tal-eb. It is to be." He exhaled, something that could have been construed as a sigh, but not obviously one. "I was outside my karataam. I may be corrupted. I cannot know. How I return is my choice." He then took slow steps towards Aurora even as she had backed away, cautiously taking hold of her hand and placing a pendant on her palm, closing her fingers around it. "Take this... secret thing, Basvaarad. Remember this day." Ketojan then returned to the previous distance between them, turned towards the coast, and summoned fire around the entirety of his body.
That was more than enough to yank Sophia back to the present. He did not cry out, or show any sign of pain at all, simply sinking to his knees, his forehead slumping over to rest against the edges of his collar. And then he was still. "Andraste's blood..." she whispered to herself. She wondered how much, if any, of this her brother had seen in his decision to fully support the Qunari in the city. Perhaps others could, but Sophia was certain it would be a long time yet before she could wrap her head around the philosophies of the Qunari. If ever.
"This was all a terrible mistake," she admitted, putting hands on her hips and surveying the carnage they'd wrought upon the sand of the coast here. "I need to return to Kirkwall. I will deliver news of this to the Arishok myself. It may help to lessen the damage I've already done." But there was still another matter that needed attention... if only she had the time. She could not simply turn a blind eye to an apostate hiding from the Templars. Perhaps others could, but not her. But given the circumstances...
"Aurora... I would ask that you return to the Circle, but I feel I already know your answer to that request. In light of the circumstances, I will allow this to stand, and I will not give word of your presence to the Order. Just... perhaps it would be best if we did not see each other again. I cannot force myself to look the other way in the matter of an apostate."
"Don't pretend as if you are doing me any favors," Aurora said. Now was not the best of times to mention the Circle to the apostate, and considering recent events, it was a miracle the rebuttal wasn't more caustic. "In a matter of fact, don't pretend that your Order and it's Chantry are paragons either. If it weren't for them, this entire mess wouldn't even had happened," she hissed out, clutching the amulet that Ketojan had given her. It was only a matter of time before this confrontation would begin, but before Ketojan's bones were cold? She was not in the mood for it, and it was tasteless to start a fight there. She instead turned to Lucien, deciding to start the "not-seeing" part between Sophia and herself right then.
"In any case. I have... Other issues to attend to. Besides, my appearance in front of the Arishok isn't perhaps the best thing right now..."
Well, at least it looked like he wouldn't have to do too much moderating here, though he did have to actively exert effort not to heave a sigh. Still, if this was the worst of it, he supposed he should consider himself rather lucky. It was obvious from the fact that he alone was being addressed that Aurora was presenting a particularly chilly version of the cold shoulder to Sophia at the moment, but patiently tolerating it was probably the best thing he could do at present. "There is... wisdom in that sentiment," he replied thoughtfully. This had been one Karataam. He would not care to see the young woman's temper repeated in the presence of the entire army. Actually, he was quite certain it was not the best situation for Sophia to be wandering into by herself either, given the stuation with Seamus and her own obvious loyalty to the Chantry. If his word to the Arvaarad had not been enough, that alone would have made up his mind.
"If it is your intention to see the Arishok, Sophia, I would request permission to accompany you. I gave my word to one of his men, after all, and I would be an ill sort indeed if I did not keep it. I have... spoken with the Arishok before, though I cannot promise one way or another whether that will help or hinder you now." All he could truly say was that he had honestly tried to do right by the Qunari, and always would. Whether they would in the end turn out to be allies, enemies, or neither was irrelevant. They deserved that much consideration all the same. "I'm sure it has already occurred to you, but it seems prudent to inform the Viscount and the Revered Mother as well." Case in point: he was not at all fond of the Chantry, but they, too, ought to be aware of what the three of them had so inadvertantly stumbled across.
Sophia would have accepted even if she hadn't heard of his promise to one of the Qunari. She understood that walking into their compound on the docks alone after having taken down one of their patrols was not the safest plan. "I don't think you could be an ill sort if you tried, Lucien. And of course, my father and the Revered Mother will be the next to know." She gave a respectful nod to the apostate. "Farewell, Aurora." She was certainly not going to respond to her attack on the Templar Order or the Chantry, not here. It was probably best for everyone if they parted ways before this could go any further. To that end, she led the way away from the site of the battle. The sooner she could be back in Kirkwall, the better.
"You give me too much credit," the knight replied modestly, but he did not linger over the point. Whatever else might be the case, Aurora had proven herself quite capable and earned his regard, so he also bid her farewell, smiling genuinely and inclining himself at the torso. "Until we meet again, my friend. Kirkwall is ever smaller than I expect it to be, after all."
Namely, he was bull-rushed by the Arvaarad. A more apt idiom could not have existed for it, either, as the repositioning necessary to help his ally had cost him his more-or-less solid entrenchment in the ground, and so when he was charged, he simply couldn't retain his feet, and hit the ground hard on his side, which would perhaps have crushed his left arm save that he was wearing so much armor. It would certainly bruise heavily, though, and the Qunari was not going to pass up the opportunity to press his advantage, swinging his sword for the Chevalier's neck. It would have hit its mark, had Lucien not displayed a surprising amount of dexterity for a person so large and rolled out of the way, ignoring the disomfort this produced in his arm. Unfortunately, this pinned his scythe underneath him, meaning that it was not immediately accessible.
Sensing the advantage and seeking to neutralize it, the mage-handler attempted instead to first pin him in place, using the kiteshield he carried as extra leverage. Knowing he'd be dead if that was successful, Lucien brought both knees up to block, successfully planting his feet against the incoming slab of metal. He'd never been more glad that Ser Liliane had been adamant that he learn how to "fight like a girl" which as it turned out had emphasized flexibility and mobility, as well as the building of mucle in the abdomen and legs as well as the chest and arms. It was probably the only reason he was able to reverse the Qunari's momentum, shoving him backwards and allowing the knight to regain his feet and his hold on his scythe.
Both were back on their feet now, and Lucien fended off an incoming assault from two more Qunari, dropping the first with a threshing swing to the throat and the second with the natural follow-up pommel strike before he was able to face Arvaarad properly. It struck him again that this whole thing was largely needless, but he could think of no way to stop it now that it had begun. Still, there was some small consolation he might be able to offer. "If I survive this and you do not, your Arishok will still know what transpired," he swore solemnly. The Viscount and the Revered Mother should know as well, of course, but he had little doubt Sophia would take care of that. Her word would be better than his in those situations anyway, especially with the Chantry. The Viscount might well believe him, but he doubted very much that a largely areligious mercenary would be counted over a dedicated sister of the Faith. It was only fair that everyone with a stake should know about this, though, and that included the Arishok.
He wasted no more breath on words, however, and when next the Qunari charged, he was ready, meeting it with forward momentum of his own. The enemy's sword was met with steel, but the shield he simply let strike him-- he was still far enough away that it barely clipped him anyway, and he only moved in closer when it was already pressed against his abdomen, effectively closing the distance and preventing either of them from getting much leverage. Since both of Arvaarad's hands were occupied, this passed the advantage to Lucien, who freed one of his own from its grip on the polearm and used it to clock the Qunari on the jaw. The blow carried the full weight of his shoulder and back behind it, and the pop it produced indicated that the mandible had been dislocated at the very least. It was enough to render his foe disoriented, and the next two strikes were quick, but efficient, and the Qunari was no more.
There was one downside to the mountains of muscle that the Qunari possessed, and that was loss of agility. They still possessed speed, true, but it was a brutish, raw speed. No control, only what trained discipline had instilled in them. And though these were true soldiers, Aurora was a mage. Her discipline, her training, all of which she possessed was learned in order to survive, to make sure she didn't fall to the allure of a demon. Martial prowess was good and all, but the strength of the mind was her trump. She weaved between the two warriors Sophia and Lucien, careful to avoid getting in the way of the battles they fought, while still doing damage of her own. Mostly layers of frosting cold, stonefists, couple of lightning bolts, anything she could do to be a general pain in the ass. A current theme apparently.
Alas, her skirting around could only last for so long, and it wasn't long before she was cornered by a Kossith. He had managed to back her up against the wall where they had exited the ratways beneath Kirkwall. Her hands felt the rough rock behind her, unyielding. The warrior towered over her own frame, but even so, the Kossith seemed wary. When one's society labels unattended mages as demonic hosts, it made sense, though the sight was no less strange. The situation was less than ideal for Aurora, though she'd make do. She always did.
First, she grinned darkly and taunted, "What? Afraid of me? You should be." The taunt had the desired effect, throwing the Qunari into a rage. Disciplined or not, the idea of a giant being afraid of little mouse was ridiculous. The giant was about to teach the mouse her place. The Qunari charged with his great two-handed sword, looking to rip the mage in half. Had he been able to get to her. As the distance between the two closed, Aurora swung both hands around and together, clapping. The clap was loud and thunderous, clearly not only from the force of her small hands. The clap issued a lightning bolt from her hands, arcing forward and striking the Qunari cleanly in the chest. His charge was immediately halted as the lightning ran it's course through his body, but the lightning wasn't the only danger.
Running behind the lightning, Aurora sprinted, and seconds after the bolt struck so did she. Still crackling with what little electricity remained, the hidden blade shot from her wrist and plunged into where the Qunari's heart was, effectively ending the warrior. She pulled her blade back, a thin line of blood trailing behind it, and the Qunari falling shortly behind. Though, she wasn't quite done yet. She fired off a petrifying shot at the next Kossith in Sophia's range, hoping the gesture of goodwill would do... something to smooth things over once they survived this.
Sophia had scrambled back to her feet after Lucien had put a halt to the blows raining down upon her. She felt a pang of frustration as he was slammed into by the mage handler Qunari, but there was no time for anything else, as her attention was immediately redirected to the remaining Qunari, bearing down on her and Aurora now that Lucien was otherwise occupied. They no doubt also wished to remove themselves from the electrical storm the apostate had conjured, and charging forward was the best way to do that.
Her left leg protested upon receiving her weight, but Sophia was forced to simply ignore it. Far more pain would follow if she compensated for it. In a smooth motion she redirected the thrust of a spear armed Qunari, planting her right foot and spinning, gathering momentum with her blade and she rounded, finishing the circle with a heavy slice across the chest, sending the Qunari spinning to the ground amidst a spray of blood. Two others fell in quick succession to her rapid and precise strikes, their brute force not enough to make up for her skill.
It took her to the three remaining javelin throwers, free to throw at will now that the majority of their close quarters brethren had fallen. She reached the first as he was extending his arm back to throw, plunging her sword into him with her weight behind her, plowing him on his back. As she withdrew the blade the second threw, and Sophia was just able to alter the position of her body, the spearhead skimming her right shoulder guard, the rush of wind and force past her face heightening her adrenaline further. She darted forward, slicing precisely into the throat, before taking another strong step and ramming her shoulder into him to flatten him to the ground.
The third and final one was now just on her left, arm back and ready to throw, at a distance where missing and dodging would not be possible. Her muscles instinctively tightened in preparation for the hit, but it never came, as the Qunari was suddenly and completely turned to stone before her, the work of Aurora. Not one to waste the opportunity, she struck forward with the point of her sword into his chest, the brittle structure crumbling to pieces.
She drew herself up to a halt, breathing heavily from the fight. The last Qunari had fallen, leaving Ketojan as the only remaining Kossith who still drew breath. He remained down, still entrapped by the device Arvaarad had held. As thoughts of combat left her mind, seemingly hundreds of others replaced them. Is everyone okay? I need to apologize. To Lucien, to the Arishok, to my father. What should I do about the apostate? What about Ketojan? What about Petrice? It was somewhat overwhelming, and so she settled for starting on the most pressing issue.
"Is everyone alright?" she supposed she had to include herself in that, glancing down at her now throbbing left calf, which had received a deep gash from a poleaxe, and was steadily dripping blood down to the sand. That would need to be looked at.
Lucien rolled his shoulders, testing himself for any severe injuries. He had a tendency not to notice those, sometimes, during the fights themselves, but such things had a nasty habit of sneaking up on him afterwards. His arm was still sore, but it wasn't broken, which meant it wasn't a problem as far as he was concerned. "Yes, thank you. I won't say it's all in a day's work, but... some days do end up like this from time to time." He cracked a grin, which faltered slightly upon noting that the sand underneath Sophia was red. "I could ask you the same, it seems." He glanced in Aurora's direction, but the little mage seemed to still be on her feet, and moving with purpose.
"I'll be fine. Saved the other half of this," Sophia said, retrieving the healing potion, half of which still remained. She had merely wished to see if anyone required it more than she, but she was glad neither of them were very injured, and downed the remainder of the potion herself, exhaling with some relief when the throbbing eased off in her calf, and the bleeding quite nearly halted altogether. A small price to pay for getting out of that situation, she thought.
Aurora thought it best to not answer Sophia right away, and instead see what she could do for Ketojan. After the skin of stone around her melted away, she dusted herself of and began looking for the... thing that Arvaarad has used to control. After moments of picking about the battlefield the instrument was found dropped edgewise in the sand where Arvaarad had stood when she unveiled her little show. She picked it up and looked at it, verifying that it was, indeed, some type of control rod. Other than that, she knew nothing. Her gaze flickered between the rod and Ketojan, finally she shrugged, ascertaining the best course of action. She threw onto the ground and stomped on it, shattering it to pieces. Much like the rod, apparently the control it had over Ketojan shattered as well, as he rose to his full height once again.
Aurora made her way to the Kossith and quickly looked him over, looking for any damage that may have been done in the chaos in the fray. Satisfied that he was uninjured, she asked, "Are you well?" though she didn't really expect any answer aside from the grunts he made thus far.
The Qunari mage straightened to his impressive full height, towering over Aurora. He seemed to test out his limbs, shaking his arms somewhat, rolling his head slightly. "I am... unbound. Odd... wrong... but you all deserve honor." Clearly, he was now capable of speaking, a low, grating voice that seemed as though it was certainly not overused. He raised his voice somewhat to ensure that all three present heard him. "You three are now Basvaarad, worthy of following. I thank your intent, even if it was... wrong." He turned and took a few steps away from Aurora, walking towards the coastline. "I know the will of Arvaarad. I must return as demanded. It is the wisdom... of the Qun."
At that, the Orlesian mercenary crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head to one side. That was devotion indeed. The Qunari lived and died by the word of their Qun, and there was something admirable in that. If his devotion to his own chosen creed could one day match that certainty... well, he wasn't sure if it would be good or bad for him practically, but he couldn't help but think it was something to strive for anyway. "I understand, I think. It's your choice, as it always has been. As long as you make it because you want to, then you'll find no objection from me." He hesitated, just slightly, but then went ahead and offered. "Forgive me, but I do not know what your customs demand here. Will you be in need of... assistance in this matter?" He wasn't sure what the fact that he was even making the offer said about him, but it seemed like some small way to compensate for the enormous mistake they'd all just been forced to make, and he was more than willing to put aside his personal discomfort with the notion.
"My thanks for the offer," Ketojan said to Lucien. "But that will not be necessary." He seemed grateful, if not a little surprised, that Lucien was able to express understanding of his intentions, no doubt only reinforcing his decision to name him Basvaarad. Sophia was still unsure what to think, but she was quite certain at this point that she was done trying to make decisions for Ketojan. If this was the path he wanted to walk, she would hinder him no longer. Despite her efforts to remain in the present, her mind was already slipping to what she wanted to say to the Arishok, to her father, and to Petrice. There were so many things that needed to be said about this.
"Are... You sure?" Aurora asked, having followed Ketojan at a close clip to the coastline. "The Qun would demand your death just for being what you were born as..." Aurora said, clearly unhappy with the situation. Though, she knew the Qunari, she knew once their mind were made up, nearly nothing could be done to change it. Admirable, but so frustrating. She looked to Lucien for moment before shrugging. "I can not change your mind. You are free to do as you choose. It is your choice now, and only yours. As it should be," she said sadly, taking a couple of steps forward and placing a hand on the Qunari's arm. She wanted to say something to him, she wanted her last words to the mage to mean something. Nothing of her own came, only something she had heard. It was better than nothing she figured.
"There are many paths Ketojan. Choose yours," she said, and then stepped away.
The Qunari mage regarded the human one for a moment, studying her before he spoke. "I have chosen the Qun. It is the only choice. Asit tal-eb. It is to be." He exhaled, something that could have been construed as a sigh, but not obviously one. "I was outside my karataam. I may be corrupted. I cannot know. How I return is my choice." He then took slow steps towards Aurora even as she had backed away, cautiously taking hold of her hand and placing a pendant on her palm, closing her fingers around it. "Take this... secret thing, Basvaarad. Remember this day." Ketojan then returned to the previous distance between them, turned towards the coast, and summoned fire around the entirety of his body.
That was more than enough to yank Sophia back to the present. He did not cry out, or show any sign of pain at all, simply sinking to his knees, his forehead slumping over to rest against the edges of his collar. And then he was still. "Andraste's blood..." she whispered to herself. She wondered how much, if any, of this her brother had seen in his decision to fully support the Qunari in the city. Perhaps others could, but Sophia was certain it would be a long time yet before she could wrap her head around the philosophies of the Qunari. If ever.
"This was all a terrible mistake," she admitted, putting hands on her hips and surveying the carnage they'd wrought upon the sand of the coast here. "I need to return to Kirkwall. I will deliver news of this to the Arishok myself. It may help to lessen the damage I've already done." But there was still another matter that needed attention... if only she had the time. She could not simply turn a blind eye to an apostate hiding from the Templars. Perhaps others could, but not her. But given the circumstances...
"Aurora... I would ask that you return to the Circle, but I feel I already know your answer to that request. In light of the circumstances, I will allow this to stand, and I will not give word of your presence to the Order. Just... perhaps it would be best if we did not see each other again. I cannot force myself to look the other way in the matter of an apostate."
"Don't pretend as if you are doing me any favors," Aurora said. Now was not the best of times to mention the Circle to the apostate, and considering recent events, it was a miracle the rebuttal wasn't more caustic. "In a matter of fact, don't pretend that your Order and it's Chantry are paragons either. If it weren't for them, this entire mess wouldn't even had happened," she hissed out, clutching the amulet that Ketojan had given her. It was only a matter of time before this confrontation would begin, but before Ketojan's bones were cold? She was not in the mood for it, and it was tasteless to start a fight there. She instead turned to Lucien, deciding to start the "not-seeing" part between Sophia and herself right then.
"In any case. I have... Other issues to attend to. Besides, my appearance in front of the Arishok isn't perhaps the best thing right now..."
Well, at least it looked like he wouldn't have to do too much moderating here, though he did have to actively exert effort not to heave a sigh. Still, if this was the worst of it, he supposed he should consider himself rather lucky. It was obvious from the fact that he alone was being addressed that Aurora was presenting a particularly chilly version of the cold shoulder to Sophia at the moment, but patiently tolerating it was probably the best thing he could do at present. "There is... wisdom in that sentiment," he replied thoughtfully. This had been one Karataam. He would not care to see the young woman's temper repeated in the presence of the entire army. Actually, he was quite certain it was not the best situation for Sophia to be wandering into by herself either, given the stuation with Seamus and her own obvious loyalty to the Chantry. If his word to the Arvaarad had not been enough, that alone would have made up his mind.
"If it is your intention to see the Arishok, Sophia, I would request permission to accompany you. I gave my word to one of his men, after all, and I would be an ill sort indeed if I did not keep it. I have... spoken with the Arishok before, though I cannot promise one way or another whether that will help or hinder you now." All he could truly say was that he had honestly tried to do right by the Qunari, and always would. Whether they would in the end turn out to be allies, enemies, or neither was irrelevant. They deserved that much consideration all the same. "I'm sure it has already occurred to you, but it seems prudent to inform the Viscount and the Revered Mother as well." Case in point: he was not at all fond of the Chantry, but they, too, ought to be aware of what the three of them had so inadvertantly stumbled across.
Sophia would have accepted even if she hadn't heard of his promise to one of the Qunari. She understood that walking into their compound on the docks alone after having taken down one of their patrols was not the safest plan. "I don't think you could be an ill sort if you tried, Lucien. And of course, my father and the Revered Mother will be the next to know." She gave a respectful nod to the apostate. "Farewell, Aurora." She was certainly not going to respond to her attack on the Templar Order or the Chantry, not here. It was probably best for everyone if they parted ways before this could go any further. To that end, she led the way away from the site of the battle. The sooner she could be back in Kirkwall, the better.
"You give me too much credit," the knight replied modestly, but he did not linger over the point. Whatever else might be the case, Aurora had proven herself quite capable and earned his regard, so he also bid her farewell, smiling genuinely and inclining himself at the torso. "Until we meet again, my friend. Kirkwall is ever smaller than I expect it to be, after all."