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[He didn't want to think about this. He really didn't.]

There would likely be a blood sacrifice at some point.

[ Truthfully, Merrill has been nearby for awhile. Varric had told her that the forest was like the Fade, and that she ought to stay away, so naturally she had headed right for it! The sign had spoken to her, and she's eager for a challenge to conquer. If she succeeds, then this forest could be a path to somewhere else. She isn't eager to return to any space ships.

Which is why she isn't overly worried about getting a little lost, instead finding a tree to curl up in. She's already spent plenty of time checking out any flora and fauna in the area, collecting samples, but now she just wishes to read. And when in her own world, she's easily missed, just as she completely misses very interesting conversations around and underneath her.

It's blood sacrifice that seems to slam her back into reality, and Merrill needs only another moment for it to click in that she hears voices, and she knows the voices. Fenris and Kaneis! (When had they gotten there? Were they looking for her? Has she been gone a long time?) Oh, they are talking about things. Things of interest to her.

Almost immediately, she chirps up from her branch. ]

I don't think so!

[He seems a bit startled to hear the voice from the tree. Not because he hadn't known she was there - his hearing heard her a long time ago. But more really, he had been practicing magic for quite awhile and she hadn't made a peep- that he had forgotten she was up there]

Merrill?

[THIS is what catches your interest?? Blood sacrifice during demon sex? Giiiirl what is this]

[But he lets his surprise fade instead for query- since honestly he was thinking along the same lines of Fenris]

Why don't you think so?

[Fenris is used to seeing Merrill just...show up. She often fades into the background of the Hanged Man, only to step out from being a wallflower to offer something or other to the conversation, before fading away again. It's just a Merrill thing. He's learned not to react.]

You had to encourage her, didn't you?

[ Sliding off of her tree branch, Merrill will drop down to the ground below. Yes, yes, she's very encouraged. But she's still surprised to see Fenris here, if Kaneis had been practicing his magic. Oh, is that how demons came up? ]

That would only be necessary if they didn't already have physical bodies. I'm not sure it's the same as an abomination, or perhaps you would be right! But it isn't like— [ She stops herself from saying Anders around Kaneis. Look Anders, she isn't throwing you under the bus! ] abominations. There aren't two, that I could tell; just one. It might be very normal procreation!

I think the more problematic venture would be the birth.

Hey, you're the one who brought this up in the first place.

[YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELF. And he listens to Merrill's explanation, frowning some. Because yeah- he's...not all that clear on what she's talking about there.]

Wait, hold up- what's an Abomination anyway? I'm getting the sense you don't mean the same thing the elves in my world do with that term.

[Since that was more for angels and sometimes half-elves, depending on how racist the elf was]

....

[Also there's a definite look on his face that reads he's not sure...if he wants to ask about the birth. On one hand he's morbidly curious, but....]

I was speaking theoretically.

[He, on the other hand, has ZERO issue with throwing Anders under a bus. He would happily throw him under a MILLION busses. He scoffs, annoyed.]

It is not an elven term. It applies to any mage who allows a demon to posses them. We had one among our number named Anders, who had bonded with a spirit of Justice. Though I doubt justice was what it truly craved. The man is insane, and a threat to all of us.

[Sorry, his hatred over Anders presides over his questions about demon sex babies.]

[ Fenris you smooth operator. Merrill looks less than impressed at how quickly he gives Anders up, but she understands there's not as much reason to fear here. No Templars or Grey Wardens sniffing around for a certain fluffy mage. ]

What Fenris means to say is...that spirits can't manage what it is that Cole and Chris have without becoming demons. Abominations. At least, the closest sense to their case would be an abomination, but only close.

I don't think we need to fear full possession, if what they say is true, but that isn't to say they can't use blood magic to control mages in other ways. Which isn't good, but is at least reversible. Becoming an abomination is...

[ A thought that can actually terrify Merrill if she thinks too long on it. ]

[He listens, a frown on his face that says very much how confused he is. He's used to worlds having differences, but this was completely different from everything he knew about demons and spirits. Spirits repealed demons - maybe even more so than an angel could. That's why Ratatosk was the guardian to the demonic realm.]

[And a spirit of justice? That sounded ridiculous. Justice was nothing more than a mortal term- Summon spirits didn't give two shits about mortal concepts - as far as he could tell]

Wait, you guys...hung around a guy who was possessed by a demon that claimed to be the spirit of Justice? That's what you mean by Abomination, right? [That is...] Okay, maybe I'm not from Kirkwall, but...that seems like a terrible idea. I mean, possession's not really a common thing in Tethe'alla so maybe it's different, but when it happens? The answer is usually kill them as quick as possible. [NOT TAKE THEM OUT FOR DRINKS]

[Fenris folds his arms, almost letting out a growl.]

It was not by choice. Hawke was... [romancing] attached to him, and we remained by Hawke's side. Anders was an...unfortunate irritation we could not remove from our lives no matter how much we tried to convince Hawke otherwise.

I would have gladly killed him.

[Oh and lest we forget:]

Blood magic is unforgivable. Don't listen to her on the subject.

[ And therein leads to where Fenris would also gladly kill Merrill, if she ever ends up like Anders. More likely is that she would end up worse, but that isn't going to happen. She's not as delusional as Anders when it comes to understanding spirits, in that...one can't understand them, anymore than one can understand humans or elves.

She feels she ought to say something on his behalf, though, if only because he isn't here to do so himself (and she knows just how vocal he would be right now, first against Fenris, and then in agreement, because they are all one big dysfunctional murder family). ]

Anders' situation is actually rather unusual, you see. His relationship with Justice is not what— Well, rather, spirits are very adept at striking deals. I've made a deal with a spirit. Anders, however, never would have chosen to do so in normal circumstance. He hates blood magic just like Fenris.

[ Like most people. Whatever, moving on, she listens to this every day of her life lalala~ ]

Engaging in such unwilling conflict with a spirit over possession of oneself would normally turn a mage completely into an abomination. There are many different types, but they do not really retain sense of themselves; not as we would know them. Anders does, at least some of the time, and Justice is also quite cooperative and helpful when he wishes to be. He has saved our lives.

[ FENRIS. She speaks just a touch louder. ]

And blood magic has saved our lives, as well. What makes it dangerous is those who use it, just like with any instrument. It's important to remember that. Not all spirits want the same thing.

Edited 2015-01-24 01:28 (UTC)

[As he listens to the two of them with their clashing opinions, he's starting to get that nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe- he made a mistake in seeking them out because they were both from Exsilium]

....Okay, I'll take your word for it with Anders. [Whose word? Who knows. Both explanations sound crazy] Not like he's here to worry about anyway.

[He reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He doesn't know enough about blood magic to really comment one way or the other about it. So maybe he should steer them BACK on the subject]

We don't know if Cole and Chris use blood magic anyway. The worlds have different rules, we know that, so who knows what rules their world play by. [He certainly hasn't noticed any blood splatters on the ship since Cole arrived] Though whatever it is, it's probably pretty powerful- Cole told me he's come back from the dead twice now.

[It was a terrible choice on his part, to be honest. Fenris scoffs lightly, largely to express his disbelief in that opinion of Anders.]

The man is a lunatic, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, no matter who he treads on along the way. He would make the deal many times over, and do not forget it. The times he has saved us is only for his own benefit, ultimately. There is no true mercy there. If Hawke were not present, do you think he would truly help you or I of his own accord?

[Always got to get the last word in when it comes to Anders.]

That does not surprise me. Demons are powerful creatures, I doubt they ever truly die. It makes slaying them difficult. Back home, they would vanish into the Fade to...regrow. [He uses the term with a sneer, it's knowledge he's gained from watching the work of the Magisters, and he's not proud to know it.] Here? I am unsure what would happen. Is death even truly possible here?

[ UGH. Yes she lets him get the last word because...because no, she isn't sure. Anders is very...devoted to his causes, and Merrill and Fenris are not his cause. He is also not theirs. Enjoy this telling insight into the fucked up inner workings of Hawke's Eleven, Kaneis.

Arms folded, she'll scuff her foot against the ground in consideration of the original topic that she'd invited herself into. Well it does affect her, doesn't it? She'll no doubt be interacting with these demons. She wants to, even, as she's curious. ]

Regrow; they're not flowers, Fenris!

[ But that is a way to put it. That is a good question, though, and she looks to Kaneis for the answer. As he was in Exsilium, they don't even need to explain why this is a perfectly acceptable question that could actually contain an answer other than 'yes'. ]

[He looks between the two of them about that exchange about Anders. Fenris's confidence about Ander's lunacy and Merrill's complete inability to argue it.]

[...Yeah. That's pretty worrying. He's just gonna hope this Anders guy never shows up and let that part of the conversation die. Especially with Merrill looking at him for the answer. Which no, no he doesn't need an explanation in the slightest about those things.]

[Somedays, he really misses those days where he wasn't someone with actual authority on resurrection. Ugh]

...Probably not. There's a girl here. Said she had died back home, but now she was alive and well again. Just like how it was with the Initiative.

You know what I mean.

[If Anders ever shows up here, Fenris would bagsie tossing him into the airlock.]

I am not surprised. There may not be as many dangers here, but if it as they say, if others are watching us, then they would not wish to see their.. investments perish.

If that's true, then there's even less point in confronting the demons. You might not be able to kill them, Fenris.

[ Does that burn? It must burn. Kaneis has some water. ]

[He is disturbed by the implication of investment, even if it's accurate. But Merrill's words make him raise an eyebrow at her]

[Guuuurl.]

Even if we can't kill them, I don't think it's a good idea to sit by and hope they aren't lying when they say they're nice. We just...need another way to take care of them if they do act up.

[Since hell yeah he's not picking a fight with the forces of hell if he can evade it]

[That was completely and utterly called for, Merrill. Fenris gives her a LOOK, before turning to Kaneis.]

Precisely. We need a plan, if nothing else.

I never said we should sit by and hope! I said there's no point in confronting them.

[ Dumb boys thinking she is also dumb. Scrunchface! ]

I'm not certain how you expect to come up with a plan when you know so little about them. You were just standing here wondering about their blood rituals and mating! You don't even know how their magic works. We can't combat what we don't know.

They seemed very eager to share information. I'll bet one of them would talk to me about how demons use magic in their realm.

[Hey he's never sure with you cheerful friendly types. Always trying to assume the better in people ew]

I guess you have a point. We don't know...

[He is also...unsure about this idea here]

But I dunno...do you really think they'll tell you much? They might just get suspicious. [And manipulate you. And eat your face. Who knows in which order]

No.

It is too great a risk. I do not want to have to face the necessity of killing you because they've possessed or otherwise manipulated you. [Not that he cares or anything.] Just because they are willing to talk does not mean they will not turn on you. As Kaneis says, they could get suspicious, and you are vulnerable to them.

[ Merrill has an argument ready on the tip of her tongue (she expected that), but she's actually stricken silent in mild surprise by Fenris. Not that he'd kill her, but he doesn't want to face the necessity. She really had thought he'd be as eager to toss her into an airlock as Anders.

Clearing her throat, Merrill looks down, smiling to herself despite the topic. ]

But they already know it's something I'm interested in. I don't think they'd be suspicious, as I am genuinely curious! What if I promise not to make a deal?

[Why is she smiling in a talk about possession and not wanting to need to kill her if it happens? Like that's an actual surprising sentiment to have?? Kaneis does not understand any of this. Why are elves so weird??]

[But he can't deny they kind of need that info. So there's a long pause before he gives a sigh]

I guess I do need that info, so.....fine. No deals, no pacts, no bargains - and no meeting them in a place where you're alone with them. Okay?

[AND IF THEY ASK YOU TO CYBER, YOU GO AND FIND AN ADULT YOUNG LADY]

[Because these elves are fundamentally broken, Kaneis, that's why. Fenris frowns, seemingly having his own personal conflict. He's learned to give a shit about Merrill, thanks largely to the whole Initiative mess, but he's not sure if he trusts her. And this is a big thing.]

Take Varric with you. [For safety, and because Varric...well, he's a people person. If anyone can weedle their way in with those people, convince them to give something up to Merrill, well, it's Varric.

Plus he, y'know, trusts Varric.]