"-and it's not even like Inception was my favorite movie," Brynn had already unloaded several plausible theories now that there was an audience for them. "I'm just seeing a lot of parallels with how all of this is super bonkers, and it would make a lot more sense if you're trying to like, steal some trade secrets- honestly I wouldn't even be mad-" she paused, slightly out of breath.
He seemed equal parts befuddled and annoyed. His gaze had narrowed to her hand that was currently clutching the front of his vest as though she was going to start shaking him. She hadn't even realized she'd done that.
"Sorry-" she took another breath. "Sorry about that," she uncurled her fingers and smoothed down the edges of the leather as best as she could and took a polite step back. "It's just been- this has been kind of a rough day," she took great pains to keep her voice even and steady, mostly because she was afraid if she didn't, she might start hysterically babbling again. "And I might be having a little bit of a nervous breakdown. So far you're the only person I've been able to explain that to."
"That is…" the annoyance melted from his features as he nodded thoughtfully. "Understandable. It has been a trying few days for us all. Perhaps we should start from the beginning. My name is Solas. This gentleman is Varric," he gestured to the man she'd nearly turned into an ice kabob. "And the seeker here-"
Cassandra evidently had had enough as she interrupted him, gesturing at Brynn and clearly demanding answers now that it seemed he could translate.
"We've been introduced," Brynn muttered. "I'm Brynn."
"I see," Solas said mildly, still enduring Cassandra's outburst and offering her a few words of platitudes to try and keep her from throttling them both.
"Oh, you've got…" Brynn mimicked the way Solas' ears swooped back from his jaw and ended in a sharp point. "…Ears." She finished lamely, realizing both Solas and Cassandra had stopped to stare at her. Perhaps it had been rude to bring it up. "I just meant- you're an elf," she couldn't quite subdue the mirth in her voice when she said it.
"Indeed," what patience he'd had for her was rapidly dissipating. "Is there something amusing about that?"
"No. No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I mean, I guess in the sense that elves are from the north pole, or lord of the rings. Or making cookies in a tree-" she could tell she wasn't really doing much to help her case. "I've never met one, is what I mean. I didn't know they're- you're real. I feel like- maybe I've lost some blood here and I might not be firing on all cylinders. I apologize."
Cassandra made a disgruntled sound and Solas didn't look quite as incensed, but more because his confusion was masking some of the irritation.
"I must admit, some of the words you use are…unfamiliar to me. But I understand well enough that you are having a difficult time adjusting to things how they have unfolded after the conclave."
"Is that what you all are calling the volcano?" she nodded up to the ominous green rift in the sky.
Solas glanced up at it with a frown, "No. The Divine Conclave? The reason we are all gathered here?"
"You guys came out here on purpose?"
"For the conclave, yes," Solas was frowning at her. "But there was an explosion during the meeting. We are still trying to understand what caused it. Which of the mage circles were you representing?"
Brynn stared blankly at him, "I'm sorry, which of the what?"
"You were one of the mage representatives invited to the conclave?"
"Ah, no."
"You were…with the templars?" the way his eyebrow arched suggested he found that option incredibly unlikely.
"No, I'm here as a kidnapping victim. I woke up to this ogre," she gestured to Cassandra. "Dragging me out of a cell and marching me up this mountain where I've been nearly murdered at least half a dozen times. The last thing I remember…" she trailed off, a frown creasing her forehead. "Well, I'm a little fuzzy on that. But there weren't fucking any mountains, or monsters, or god damn rips in the god damn sky."
"You do not remember being invited to the conclave? Or arriving?"
"Buddy, I don't even know what a conclave is."
He too frowned and then turned to relay the information to Cassandra, her lip curled in an irritated scowl. Varric also listened intently, giving Brynn a few curious glances. The Seeker asked a few pointed questions, which Solas attempted to answer before returning his attention to Brynn.
"Given where we found you, it's possible your memories may have been damaged in some way by the explosion."
"What explosion?" she shook her head. Damaged memories were possible, she had to admit that much. But there was a difference between not fully remembering going to sleep the night before, and not remembering that there were elves, or floating ghost monsters, or ways to make your hand glow that wasn't by injecting nuclear waste directly into your veins. "I'm telling you none of that shit is ringing a bell."
"The explosion that caused the rift," he gestured to the sky. "Of which there appears to have been only one survivor."
"I'm sorry, you're saying there was an explosion at the top of the mountain at this meeting of yours and that's where you found me?"
"That is the way of it, yes."
"That's…" Brynn nodded, running a hand through her hair and immediately regretting it when bits of gore stuck to her fingers. "Well, that's not worrying at all."
"Indeed. We are all here in an effort to stem the damage the explosion and the rift itself has caused. I believe the best way to do that is to seal the breach itself. That is something I believe you are uniquely qualified to help with," he gestured to her glowing hand that was no less bright smeared in blood and whatever the hell she'd crushed out of the monster. "The rift you just closed is admittedly not as large as the one in the sky… but I believe the concept is the same."
"Uh," she glanced up at the rift that was roughly the size of the mountain itself. "I think that might be a bit of an understatement. I don't care what kind of fantasy land this is, I'm not going to be able to plug that thing up with my fist and a plucky attitude." After dealing with the much smaller rift in comparison, she wasn't sure she wanted to go up there at all.
"Surely, we must at least try," he sounded baffled that she would even consider another option. Like running away from the giant green rip in the sky was the less sensible option.
"We?" she scoffed. "Listen, I'm thrilled we can communicate. But I don't know you. I don't know any of them," she gestured at Cassandra and Varric. "I don't know what this place even is. I woke up an hour ago in chains. I have a serious-" she raised her glowing hand, wincing as she did so. "Medical condition that I can't even begin to describe. Actually, I probably have several at this point. There is no we in any of this. If you and your friends caused an explosion at the top of the mountain, I think it's best that you all deal with that on your own. I'm going to find a nice quiet corner I can rock in."
"I suppose that is an option," he said in the tone he might use to scold a child. "Something to consider about your medical condition is that I believe it is linked directly to the breach. If we cannot stop it from expanding in the sky, we will be unable to stop it from consuming you." He nodded to her hand. "Of course, I am sure Seeker Cassandra could find another cell for you to wait in until we can get the demons under control, if we can. I believe you're expected to attend the trial for the murder of Divine Justinia, given the fact that as of this moment, you are the only suspect. I'm sure they're very keen to keep you out of danger until a decision can be made."
It wasn't explicitly a threat, but it definitely had the ring of something threat adjacent.
"Super," she muttered, contemplating how far she might get if she just made a run for it. And how many more monsters she might run into between this point and wherever she might find some sanity. She was exhausted, bleeding, and in an astonishing amount of pain. The odds were not particularly in her favor, even in a vivid hallucination. "Let's… go close a breach."