The Fade was a strange thing, a strange place. And Francis, well.. this wasn't his first experience with forces that make space and time strange.
When he'd ended up stuck in this strange place, he'd just sort of accepted that he was going to die here. But he made it through the first cluster of demons, and after that he was careful, quiet. Still wasn't sure there was a way out or through, but the blonde wasn't the sort of person that gave in just because the odds were bad.
Francis had smothered his abilities since he'd first realized he had them. That way that his father had insisted that using his powers would lead to the death of them all. But he can't really do that here; light sparks in his fingers, shifts to fire and cinders. It helps him survive almost as much as his arrows.
He could have been there days or minutes or maybe both at the same time, but he's suddenly not alone anymore. The air seems to pull apart and then suddenly there are others and a plan, and the power to get them all out, turning Francis into something of an unexpected tag-along. However, the fact that he doesn't belong here doesn't prevent Nightmare from from catching the echoes of his fears.
<< You can't save them all. You can't save any of them. >>
Words breathed by that voice on the air, as it tries to tug at each of them, pulls their fears to the surface, puts them into words. But the blonde just shrugs it off, lips pulled into a tight line and his next arrow glows as he puts it through the cluster of eyes on one of the lesser fears they've been fighting. "That the best you can do?" It's an easy quip, but his deep blue eyes darken. It says more than he'd like about who he is, who he's been.
He tries to volunteer to stay at the end, says that he doesn't belong here, but Stroud says he's too young to throw his life away, and there's little room for protests before the Inquisitor drags them all back through. They step off the path into a castle of stone, into a world nearly as strange to Francis as the one before it.
He goes with them as they return to Skyhold, has to ride with someone because the young man has never seen a horse, let alone ridden one before. (Most of the soldiers present get a good laugh when he falls trying to get into the saddle the first time.)
He lays low for the most part while the Inquisitor speaks to the war council. There wasn't exactly time for anyone to ask about his background in the Fade, though his clothes were notably strange but he manages to avoid having that conversation with anyone. But Hawke likely notices the way that Francis handles him differently than most people. Like there are no words like Champion of Kirkwall; even if there were, Francis probably doesn't know what it means.
He's in the gardens early, because they're quiet; no one around except Mother Gisele who is wise enough to keep to herself and pretend not to notice. It gives Francis a space to try and practice where he's not too worried about setting everything on fire, or blinding someone. It starts with light in his palm, and then it's fire, snaking tendrils that reach, and then-- and then he loses control, cursing sharply as the power slides back toward the source, and he doesn't have the experience to be able to insulate his body.
When he straightens, he catches sight of a familiar face- Rowen- and he winces. And it's not just because of burning his hand. There's a disquiet to it, a flash of panic, before he pushes it down. Despite having seen Hawke use magic in the Fade, there's this knee-jerk moment like he's been caught, but the blonde turns it into a sheepish smile. Softly running his good hand through his hair even as he bites his lip.
"It's not as bad as it looks," he insists softly. Although it looks like the man could use a bit of healing magic from the look of those burns.
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a road between worlds
Date: 2020-08-12 04:28 pm (UTC)When he'd ended up stuck in this strange place, he'd just sort of accepted that he was going to die here. But he made it through the first cluster of demons, and after that he was careful, quiet. Still wasn't sure there was a way out or through, but the blonde wasn't the sort of person that gave in just because the odds were bad.
Francis had smothered his abilities since he'd first realized he had them. That way that his father had insisted that using his powers would lead to the death of them all. But he can't really do that here; light sparks in his fingers, shifts to fire and cinders. It helps him survive almost as much as his arrows.
He could have been there days or minutes or maybe both at the same time, but he's suddenly not alone anymore. The air seems to pull apart and then suddenly there are others and a plan, and the power to get them all out, turning Francis into something of an unexpected tag-along. However, the fact that he doesn't belong here doesn't prevent Nightmare from from catching the echoes of his fears.
<< You can't save them all. You can't save any of them. >>
Words breathed by that voice on the air, as it tries to tug at each of them, pulls their fears to the surface, puts them into words. But the blonde just shrugs it off, lips pulled into a tight line and his next arrow glows as he puts it through the cluster of eyes on one of the lesser fears they've been fighting. "That the best you can do?" It's an easy quip, but his deep blue eyes darken. It says more than he'd like about who he is, who he's been.
He tries to volunteer to stay at the end, says that he doesn't belong here, but Stroud says he's too young to throw his life away, and there's little room for protests before the Inquisitor drags them all back through. They step off the path into a castle of stone, into a world nearly as strange to Francis as the one before it.
He goes with them as they return to Skyhold, has to ride with someone because the young man has never seen a horse, let alone ridden one before. (Most of the soldiers present get a good laugh when he falls trying to get into the saddle the first time.)
He lays low for the most part while the Inquisitor speaks to the war council. There wasn't exactly time for anyone to ask about his background in the Fade, though his clothes were notably strange but he manages to avoid having that conversation with anyone. But Hawke likely notices the way that Francis handles him differently than most people. Like there are no words like Champion of Kirkwall; even if there were, Francis probably doesn't know what it means.
He's in the gardens early, because they're quiet; no one around except Mother Gisele who is wise enough to keep to herself and pretend not to notice. It gives Francis a space to try and practice where he's not too worried about setting everything on fire, or blinding someone. It starts with light in his palm, and then it's fire, snaking tendrils that reach, and then-- and then he loses control, cursing sharply as the power slides back toward the source, and he doesn't have the experience to be able to insulate his body.
When he straightens, he catches sight of a familiar face- Rowen- and he winces. And it's not just because of burning his hand. There's a disquiet to it, a flash of panic, before he pushes it down. Despite having seen Hawke use magic in the Fade, there's this knee-jerk moment like he's been caught, but the blonde turns it into a sheepish smile. Softly running his good hand through his hair even as he bites his lip.
"It's not as bad as it looks," he insists softly. Although it looks like the man could use a bit of healing magic from the look of those burns.