The Ossuary wasn't anything what Isabella expected, but she wasn't sure what she had expected either. However, an underwater Venatori facility built by the elves was far down on her list of ideas. She nearly panicked when the Crow mage opened the portal to the Ossuary, briefly explaining that it would take them to the bottom. It didn't help when a large aquatic creature swam by the barrier keeping the air inside.
Bellara babbled on about the elven architecture and design to Neve as they spoke about the magic needed to keep this place intact. Isabella led the charge, tuning out most of their conversation. She couldn't think about the odds of the magic suddenly vanishing and the water rushing in.
"This doesn't look like a prison," Isabella mentioned once Bellara had finished her thought. The Jumper hummed, glancing around.
"You're right, but I'm not sure what it was used for beforehand. Odd to find it underwater. I wonder if maybe it was on land before the Evanuris were imprisoned," Bellara theorized, changing her focus.
"Are you sure about the Demon?" Neve mentioned as they crossed the broken bridge into the center of the Ossuary.
"He's one of our best, and our best shot against the gods. If we can get him out, I'm sure he'll be able to help us," Isabella reassured, quickly making her way through the area.
"And if he doesn't?" Bellara asked as Isabella sighed.
"We have a contract with the First Talon, which has some weight, especially since she's the head of his House. He would need to find a serious loophole to find his way out of this contract," she reassured.
"So, you'll force him to help us?" Neve clarified. Isabella rolled her eyes as they slid down the sandy slope.
"You love to put words in my mouth, Neve. I'm saying that the First Talon will force him to help us if he doesn't agree. Besides, he's an assassin that has spent an entire year without a target. It tends to make a Crow antsy," Isabella reminded.
"Harding mentioned that you were with her and Varric for nearly a year on a contract that didn't involve an assassination," Neve reminded as Bellara paled. Isabella gave a comforting smile to Bel before turning back to Neve.
"I had a contract, so I had a target. I just didn't have an assassination contract. We're professionals, after all. I'm just saying be aware of your surroundings," Isabella reminded as she pointed at another corpse. "Because it seems that the Venatori were more affected by the disrupted ritual than First Talon believed."
"Maybe the Demon won't need our help for an escape," Bellara mentioned. Isabella shrugged.
"Let's try to lend a hand and see where that leads us, eh? We can work from there. As long as we can get Lucanis back to Treviso, all will be well," Isabella reassured, smiling wide. She was never very good at comforting doubters, but she needed Bellara and Neve to at least trust that she knew what she was doing. She was a good assassin, but she wasn't near the level the Demon of Vyrantium was at.
Lucanis waited for his chance as the five guards entered the crystal room. They had cornered him there, but he still had the advantage. There was still only one exit, and if he could cut it off, then the guards had no way of escape. As they grew closer, Lucanis could hear the telltale sound of the barrier crystal shattering. Someone else was here, and they weren't Venatori. Possibly a good sign, depending on what they wanted.
We need. To kill!
Right, he still had five problems he needed to put down before he could be distracted. At least the newcomers took the Venatori guards' attention, giving him the opening he had needed.
"We're not looking for a fight, we're just looking Lucanis Dellamorte," a suave Antivan voice flowed through the room. Lucanis faltered slightly, surprised to hear such a familiar accent, even if he didn't recognize the voice. He paused, wondering why exactly she was looking for him. Then he heard the thunk of the Venatori staff on the ground.
Why. Are. You waiting?
Curiosity, he guessed. Spite grumbled in the back of his mind as Lucanis continued to listen for just a moment more.
"Oh, was it something I said?" the woman's voice mocked as he could hear her unsheathe her daggers. At least she came prepared.
"Razikale, Dragon of Mystery! Lusacan, Dragon of Night-"
Lucanis heard enough as he leapt through the air with the aid of Spite's wings. He quickly threw the center mage to the side, letting him land on a crystal spike, goring him through the midsection. He whirled with Spite's momentum through the rest of the guards, twisting necks and cutting with the wings as he went. Within seconds, the Venatori slumped over, and the wings dissipated. At least, even after a year, he still had style.
"I'm guessing you're the reason we're here," the Antivan woman said, sheathing her daggers again. He nearly forgot that she had been his distraction. He turned to not only see her but two additional women behind her. A Tevinter mage and a Dalish elf accompanying a Crow was not exactly what he would expect for a rescue.
"Who are you? Who sent you?" He demanded slowly, suspicion clear on his face. The Antivan woman was unfazed as the other two with her grew more uncomfortable by the moment.
"My name is Rook of House de Riva, I was sent by the First Talon to bring you home," Rook informed as Lucanis instantly relaxed.
"House de Riva," he repeated as he frowned. He hadn't had the best luck when interacting with the de Rivas, even when he gave his best efforts. Even still, it seemed that she was here to help him out. "You're a Crow."
"And you are the Demon of Vyrantium," Rook remarked with a half-smile before the Tevinter mage stepped forward.
"Rook, he's possessed by a demon," she hissed in the Crow's ear. Lucanis narrowed his eyes at the mage, but he only sighed.
Who are. They?
"It's complicated," Lucanis told Rook before glancing at the are our way out.
The mages. Do not trust.
No, they don't. They don't trust demons.
The Crow. Rook. She trusts.
Lucanis paused for a split second at Spite's words before Rook shrugged, catching his attention again. He wasn't sure if it was a front, but she didn't seem to be bothered by much of anything.
"The First Talon promised us a mage-killer if we broke you out of here," Rook informed, staring at him. Ah, so that was what Spite had meant. She trusted him for a job, a contract. That he could do, especially if it got him a ticket out of the Ossuary.
"I can still work," he reassured her with a dark smile. Rook reciprocated and gestured towards the door.
"Good to hear, because I think there are more Venatori are their way. We should get moving before they arrive," Rook suggested before Lucanis shook his head.
We. Can't. Leave. Yet!
"They have a vial of my blood that they can use to control me. I cannot leave with that in their hands," Lucanis informed as Rook nodded. It seemed that she was familiar with some kind of blood magic at least. "And I had a contract when I was captured. I was hired to kill a man named Calivan. He's the warden here. You know what that means. Crows don't break contracts."
"I would never ask you to," Rook replied, agreeing with the sentiment. "So, we find the blood, kill Calivan, and then we get you back to Treviso. Then we can go over the contract that the First Talon and I discussed."
"Sounds like an interesting contract if Caterina agreed to negotiate personally," Lucanis informed as Rook smirked.
"I promise not to disappoint," she chuckled. "Before we get too much farther, this is Neve and Bellara. They'll be involved with the contract I offer as well."
"I can't say I've ever met a non-mage possessed by a demon before," Bellara mentioned as she waved.
"It will certainly be interesting to work together," Neve agreed. Lucanis bowed politely, unsure what to make of them. They were odd to say the least, but at least they weren't hostile. Cautious, but friendly enough.
Smells like wood and the ocean.
Thank you for that insight.
Rook smells. Better.
Let's focus on the task at hand. I don't need to know what people smell like.
Lucanis clenched his jaw as he watched Spite appear next to Rook as she wandered the Ossuary, searching for the command center. When Spite manifested outside of Lucanis's body, their thoughts were no longer shared. It was a nice reprieve usually, but he found it concerning when Spite hovered around Rook.
"She dresses like you," Spite informed as Lucanis glared at him.
This also meant that Spite couldn't read his thoughts either. He would need to respond verbally, which could destroy what little trust he had with the group. Rook hadn't reacted to Spite's hovering, which meant that she was either ignoring him or couldn't see him. Maker, he hoped it was the second one.
"She smells like coffee and chocolate," Spite continued smugly. Lucanis resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the demon.
"Lucanis?" Rook called out, catching his attention.
"Yes, Rook?" he replied before she gestured towards the cavern where a bridge used to be. He hadn't noticed that they had reached this area yet, nor did he anticipate that the way would be unreachable.
"I can help. There is something. In the Fade," Spite informed as he walked toward the ledge past the three women. Lucanis was surprised to hear that Spite had wanted to help rather than to just be difficult.
"What?" Lucanis asked as Spite turned to him.
"Not Far. I can pull it in. From the Fade," Spite continued, almost waiting for permission. With a sigh, Lucanis nodded.
"Fine," he answered, earning a curious look.
"What's going on?" Rook asked as Lucanis turned to her.
"Spite says there's something he can grab onto in the Fade to let us get across," he explained as Spite nodded behind her. Lucanis waited for Rook's approval, even though Bellara and Neve didn't seem thrilled to hear about help from a demon.
"He wants to help?" Rook asked as Lucanis shrugged. "Alright, if he thinks he can help, I say we let him do it."
"I like her," Spite cackled before he pulled what looked like a floating chunk of cobblestone road. The four of them stood in awe of the demon's gesture, shocked to see that it was indeed sturdy and could get them across.
"Well done, Spite," Rook called out, glancing around once she was on the other side. Lucanis grimaced, knowing that this was going to be a nightmare later. "Does he only exist inside your head, or does his manifest outside your body?"
"Either or, I guess, but I'm the only one who can see him," Lucanis informed with a shrug.
"Or I can talk through you," Spite reminded as he stood next to Rook. Lucanis frowned before sighing.
"He can also talk through me if I let him, but that doesn't happen very often," Lucanis reminded before turning to Rook. "Like I said. It's complicated."
"Sounds like it. Well, wherever he is, I appreciate the assist," she informed before Lucanis gestured at her shoulder. She looked over it, surprised. "Has he been there the whole time?"
"No, but he has been hovering around you," he admitted.
"Is that safe?" Neve wondered, more curious than concerned. Lucanis shrugged again, not sure himself. She hummed, facing Rook. "Do you feel cold or anything like that?"
"No, I don't feel any different. I would never have known otherwise. I'm sure it's fine," Rook reiterated, walking away. Neve frowned, crossing her arms. Lucanis glanced at the mage before watching Spite and Bellara follow Rook.
"I hope that demon isn't a danger. We can't afford to lose another person," Neve warned before she walked away. Lucanis paused a moment before following suit, unsure what he did to warrant a warning.
Eventually, they found their way through the labs and the cells to the blood vault, making Lucanis's eyes itch. He blinked away the sensation as Rook stared at the amount of blood sitting before them. Something flashed in her eyes before she broke every vase with a throwing knife with one fling. The blood splashed onto the floor and seeped through the cracks, dripping away from the magically charged room.
"It's done," Lucanis whispered in relief. Rook inhaled as she gave him a polite smile.
"Perfect, now we just need to find Calivan," she repeated, looking to Lucanis for confirmation. He nodded once as Spite grinned.
"He will die," Spite added, nearly running out of the room. Lucanis wondered how far Spite could go in his spectral form, but he guessed not very far. They were still bound together.
"Then back to Treviso," Rook smiled as he nodded. Going home would be nice, even if he was bringing back a demon with him. He would make do if he had to.
The elevator trip up to the upper level was painful as Bellara asked questions about Spite and his time in the Ossuary. Rook tried to distract him with questions about Caterina instead, wondering what she was like, but he told her that she probably knew better than he did. He hadn't seen her in over a year. She grimaced at that, which led to the silence they experienced until it dropped them off at the warden's office.
Lucanis froze in anger when he stepped off the elevator, expecting to see Calivan waiting for them after killing his Venatori guards. What he hadn't expected was Zara speaking with him at his desk. It seemed that she had arrived for an impromptu inspection, and it meant that Spite was chomping at the bit to get to her. Rook drew her blades, recognizing the enemy nearly immediately, and she stepped off the elevator, bringing both Zara's and Calivan's attention to them.
"Oh, the Demon's made a few friends," Zara purred as she sat on the desk, one knee draped over the other. Rook glanced at Lucanis, letting him take the lead here.
"Zara Renata," he hissed, naming her. He had mentioned it while they were wandering the halls taking out her failed experiments. It was possible that they were the reason that she had arrived as well.
"This was entirely unnecessary," Calivan complained, knowing the carnage they had caused through his prison.
"It was nice to see the Demon of Vyrantium in action. And with a fellow Crow as well. How touching," Zara smiled as she stood, leaning over the railing a little. "I wonder if any of your companions would survive the transformation. They do seem tenacious."
"You damned witch," Lucanis hissed before Calivan twisted his wrist. A staff appeared in the prison warden's hand as he cast a duplication spell, sending several Calivans throughout the room. Rook raised her blades, immediately concerned by the level of magic.
"Unfortunately, I do have business elsewhere, so I will be taking my leave," Zara informed, turning to Calivan. "Try not to kill them all. Having two Crows in my collection would be an interesting development."
"Whatever you say," Calivan answered, trying not to sound exasperated. Spite jumped back into Lucanis's body as the wings appeared, letting him leap towards Zara. She laughed as she vanished a second before he reached her while Calivan started throwing his spells at the others.
"Mierda," Lucanis hissed before jumping back at the prison warden. If he couldn't kill Zara, he could at least finish the contract he started over a year ago.
The battle was intense, but something that Lucanis had sorely missed. While it had been nice to cut down the Venatori, nothing came close to a good fight against a tough target. Especially when the target summoned a pride demon in the middle of the battle. Cowardly, but it got the blood pumping. Even Spite was having a decent time.
In the end, Calivan fell with a death rattle, leaving Lucanis feeling smug and proud. Another contract finished, even though it took over a year to complete. He sheathed his weapons as he stood over the corpse with Spite at his side.
"The Crows send their regards," Lucanis hissed with a smirk. Rook walked over to him with a smile on her face, understanding the high he was riding. He wouldn't have expected it, but it was nice to have another Crow on the job as well.
"Contract complete. Congratulations," Rook replied, placing her hands on her hips. Lucanis nodded, a more formal comment than he expected, but House de Riva always did things a little differently. "I think we're done here."
"No, not done. Not yet," Spite hissed before he took a deep breath. Lucanis grimaced as Spite lowered his head. "Smells like blood. Ashes."
"Spite giving you grief?" Rook wondered as Lucanis exhaled. "We still have things to discuss, but I think it would be better if we head back to the surface."
"Music to my ears," Lucanis grinned. "I'm ready to leave this place behind."
Spite continued to complain and gripe, even if Lucanis couldn't exactly understand what the issue was. They were leaving the Ossuary like he promised they would. Calivan was dead and the vial of blood was gone. He had crossed every t and dotted every i. Although, Zara still walked free. That was probably what Spite was angry about, which he had a right to be. They wouldn't rest until Zara Renata was dead.
"How do we get out?" Bellara wondered as she glanced around. Rook frowned as she paled at the mention before shaking her head.
"The Crow mage said that she would monitor us and open the portal once we were ready to leave. She taught the signal to Neve while we were rowing," Rook reminded. Bellara tilted her head back as she remembered, glancing around.
"You came very prepared," Lucanis smiled, placing his arms behind his back.
"I don't enjoy being under the water. I made sure that we wouldn't be trapped once we found you," Rook explained plainly as she noted the large dome of water above them. Lucanis tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"Then why did you come along? If you did not want to be under the water, you could have just sent Neve and Bellara," Lucanis reminded. Rook hummed at that as she gave him a look.
"We weren't sure how open you would be to following an outsider, which would have been fair. I trust Neve and Bellara with my life, but I understand that most Venatori are Tevinter mages. Trust is a hard thing to predict," Rook answered with a smirk. "So, I came along to help sway your opinion."
"Very admirable of you," Lucanis laughed.
"Plus, you are the Demon of Vyrantium! What Crow wouldn't want to meet you?" she winked teasingly as he grimaced.
"I hope you didn't do this to help your reputation," Lucanis sighed irritably as Rook glared at him. It took him a moment too long to realize that she was joking with him.
"Yes, becauseRook the Crowis going to be a very reputed name one day. I didn't do any of this for fame, Demon," Rook informed quickly, narrowing her eyes. "I have an important job for you, if you'll take it. Which I'll tell you all about once we're on our way back to Treviso."
Lucanis blinked at her once before she turned and stalked away towards Neve and Bellara. Most were afraid of him on a good day, given his own reputation. To see that she wasn't the least bit afraid of him was refreshing at least.
"I like her," Spite reminded as he stood next to him, entertained by Lucanis's reaction.