Heroes of the Past and Present

Disclaimer: Do not own Victorious, do not own the video game

A/N: Since it's a continuation of the last chapter, meaning written as a part of the last chapter and then separated, I post a today instead of tomorrow or the day after.

Chapter 5 (Legend Under Attack Part 2)

Bethany turned her attention to Sarah, frantically laying her sister on her back and using her own magic to figure out what happened. She couldn't wake her with any of her own magic, but she recognized the spell as one that Orsino taught her about in the past. "No!" She cried out and beat the the sand beside her. The others surrounded her, asking what could be done. "I bring her back, I can't heal her!"

Merrill knelt down and put her hand to Sarah's arm, her eyes widened and her hand drifted away from the arm. "A binding spell of some kind, I think…"

"The circle taught me about this, but he said it had never been in use, it isn't even fully developed. In the books I read, this particular spell, blood magic…binds a person particularly that the only thing that can awaken them is the blood of a child or grandchild…but Sarah-"

"So a descendant?" Aveline looked to the portal and narrowed her eyes, "It sounded like that woman came from another time. A time in the future, if that's possible?" Bethany drew in another deep breath and winced as she recalled the forbidden spells in the world, besides use of blood magic.

"Time travel through magic. It's a forbidden art, even more taboo than Blood Magic. If that's what Erin used, then yes, a descendent would be around I'm sure." She rose to her feet, wiping away the tears in her eyes as she turned to the portal. "I think…I think I can hold this portal open, but for a limited time. We'd have to try and reopen another if I lost the portal. If one of you can go through, find a descendent, then maybe…maybe we can get her back."

"How would we even find a descendant?" Sebastian asked. The man seemed to be in a state of disbelief, curious as to how or why there would even be one. After all, it was a chaste marriage they entered into, was it not? Then again, it was hard to resist, and surely the love that was between them was pure. They would be more than capable of having children someday, so it wasn't that inconceivable. "Oh god! She's fading away!"

"What?!" She turned back in time to see her sister's body growing lighter. Bethany screamed out and ran to embrace Sarah, but all she grabbed as a result was sand. Sarah was gone. "No!" The others cried out and each person began to tear up. She began to tremble, growing angrier by the second but more determined to have her sister returned to her. "No…Sarah…I can't lose you too. I lost Carver, Mom, Dad, I won't lose my sister!" She rose up and let out a scream, then fired off an angry blast at the portal. With that, electricity surrounded the portal, holding it open. "Someone needs to go in there, I cannot…I have to hold this open…one of you has to go. I can prepare a detection spell for you, but the only thing is…it involves a type of magic I don't know how to use. I never studied blood magic…"

That was when Merrill stepped forward, it seemed nobody cared now whether the use of blood magic was forbidden or not. "I-I know blood magic, but I've been trying to use it less. But if it's the only way to find Sarah's descendant…I'll use it." Bethany slowly nodded her head and looked over to Sebastian, assuming he'd be able to go. "The problem is, I can only do it to where if you go through there…you'll step out near your ancestor…you have to find Sarah's descendent yourself. So, Sebastian?"

"I can't," Sebastian muttered. He clenched his fists and stared down at the ground where Sarah had been, trembling as he fell to his knees. "I can't! A member of the chantry, they bound me with a sacred spell, foreign magic can't reach inside of me. I'm useless. God, I'm useless to save my wife…"

Bethany winced, rolling her eyes as she looked towards the others. She figured Anders's couldn't do it since he had taken in a spirit of 'justice' that prevented him from indulging in blood magic. Merrill would be performing it, so Bethany needed her here in order to help not only keep the portal back but to call the companion back with the descendent. "So who can do it? Isabela, Aveline, Varric?" Fenris likely couldn't, he hated blood magic and mages at all costs. Being a former slave, and having strange designs tattooed into his body by mages, he probably wasn't feeling too secure about more magic being used on his body.

"I'll do it." Aveline stepped forward without hesitation, she sheathed her sword and flung her shield onto her back. "Donnic will take care of the Guards while I'm away. If I can get Hawke back, then I'll do whatever it takes. Bethany. When will the circle come looking for you?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm not leaving this spot. I'll send you through. Merrill, I'm going to need you at my side. Everyone else…If anyone does come by while Aveline's out, I'm going to need you guys to stand guard, I have to keep this portal open at all costs."

"Right." Aveline turned to Merrill and cleared her throat, "Okay Merrill. Have at it…do you know this detection spell well?" Merrill slowly nodded and walked over to Aveline. The elf whined as she slowly lifted her hand up. Aveline's face softened and she reached over, putting her hand over Merrill's. "It's okay, it's for Hawke. I'll be fine."

"There's another problem. When I use this spell, it's going to affect anyone in the vicinity," Merrill looked to the others and saw each, including Fenris, shrug their shoulders. She exhaled and returned her gaze to Aveline's, whispering about it even affecting her. "I guess if anyone else was to go, they could…but I wouldn't recommend more than one person go after this."

"Why not?"

"Because it'll put you near your own descendent. That means you'll be separated from whoever else would go along." Bethany rolled her eyes and began to gesture for them to hurry up. Merrill whined once more and closed her eyes, slowly muttering as she pushed her hand into Aveline's chest. Aveline's eyes widened as streams of blood magic poured out from her and from Merrill. The streams shot out and struck everyone except for Sebastian, forming a red glow around their bodies. Bethany was surprised by this magic, it was painless and had a semi pleasant tone to it.

When Merrill removed her arm, Aveline gasped out. The woman then proceeded to remove her heavy armor, "I don't know if they have this armor where I'm going…" Bethany slowly nodded, amazed that the woman was wise enough to consider that fact. Isabela stood by the armor, swearing to watch over it for Aveline. "Now explain to me, someone, how this magic is supposed to work. How am I to know when I come into contact with my descendant…assuming there are other people around."

"That's when it becomes unpleasant," Merrill commented. "It remains that way and when you come into the area where your descendent is, you will actually feel your blood. You'll be able to sense it, almost like a distinct smell, but you will also feel a bit of a burning sensation overwhelming you like your blood is on fire." Aveline was not undeterred by this, she merely nodded while the others appeared more startled by the news. "Until you make contact with your descendent, whether by touch, voice acknowledgement, or eye contact…that feeling will remain."

"Oh. Great. So…nothing too horrible, right?"

"I guess. Also, they'll be feeling the same thing when you arrive."

"Okay, well…now that we have that figured out, how do we determine where Sarah's descendant is?"

Anders moved forward, extending his hand and forming a white aura above his palm. "I think I can help with that." Bethany raised an eyebrow as Anders looked up to her. "I'm going to need your blood first, then Merrill's help."

"It's Sarah's descendent," Bethany remarked, "I don't see how I'm going to help in any way."

"You're her sister, therefore Sarah's descendent or not, you're a relative. This orb, I'll crystallize once your blood is in it, and Aveline can use it to detect when she's close to the descendent." Albeit skeptical, she was willing to try anything at this point. She grabbed a small knife from the ground that had fallen from Sarah's body, and quickly slit her arm. Blood seeped out and Anders quickly moved the orb beneath it, then healed her wound.

Anders moved his hand around the orb, freezing it in a small crystal-like structure, then he called Merrill over to recite a spell. "When this is done the drop of blood will act as a guide. Shifting and pointing in the direction of the descendent. The closest she becomes, the larger it will grow until the entire white orb is a dark red color."

"Oh, okay, and how will it help? Wouldn't it just find my descendent instead?" Then again, mages in the circle couldn't have children, so it wasn't likely she had a descendent. "Not to mention, we don't know how far into the future this is. How many bloodlines do you think there are?"

"It's worth a shot Bethany. It's the only thing we've got going for us right now."

Bethany breathed in and closed her eyes, "You're right…I'm sorry. I'm just anxious, that's all…Come on, we don't have any more time to waste. I need my sister, you don't understand…I need her!"

Aveline stepped forward, putting a gentle hand to her shoulder and giving a tender, reassuring smile. "I promise you, we're going to get her back Bethany. Anders…the orb?" The woman stretched her hand out and Anders placed the orb in her hand. She let out a deep sigh and Bethany began to pray this would work.

"Anders can you redo that real quick?" Merrill picked up part of Grace's staff while the others groaned. "Sarah's blood is on this staff, I can sense the difference between her blood and the others, so…if Bethany is so concerned…we can use this."

"I don't have to redo it, Merrill, just use a spell to switch the bloodlines."

"Okay, I will."

"No!" Sebastian cried out in anguish, further annoying Bethany, who could feel her hold on the portal just beginning to slip. "Take my blood. It's my descendent too, I need to contribute something to saving my wife!"

"Prince-boy's got a point," Varric stated, with the agreement of the others. "I say do it. Whatever it takes to get our friend back…"

After the deal was done, Aveline stood bravely in front of the portal, which hovered still inches above the water. She breathed in heavily and looked to the white orb in her hand, it looked like the blood was gone completely, though it was not. "Here it goes."

"Maker watch over you," Sebastian prayed. Bethany could see in Isabela's eyes that she wanted to go, she wanted to help. Next to Aveline, Isabela was Sarah's closest friend.

Aveline took one last, determined glance at the companions, nodded, then dove bravely into the water. When she narrowed the portal, it started to suck her into it. "Not today, Hawke," Aveline whispered. "Not while I'm around!" In an amazing flash that stunned everybody, Aveline vanished into the portal. Now, all they could do, was wait and pray that Aveline would return successfully.

Even after that, they weren't sure what to do. How would they find Sarah? Perhaps by pursuing Meredith and Orsino, but even still, neither person would want to discuss a child they had in secret twenty years ago. Not to mention, neither would believe that some mage from the future came and told them about the said child.

Things certainly seemed against them now, and without Sarah, Kirkwall might crumble at the hands of Orsino and Meredith. Right now, everything was riding on Aveline's shoulders. That woman could take a lot of weight and responsibility, she'd always shown that, but Bethany began to worry if this time it might be too much.

She hoped not.

Not an easy task, but they'll do anything they can to get her back. Trina, Tori and the group have a lot to learn from these people. What are your thoughts?