Chapter Text
Illario walked just a little behind Carina with a carefully practiced gait. Barely enough sound to let her know that he was there without making too much noise. It was an ingrained habit after accompanying her across Thedas for the last several months whenever his cousin was unavailable. He'd found out the hard way early on that she knew where he was regardless of his silence and that a sharp whack from her staff was just as deadly as any of Catarina's canes.
He liked to test the limits of what he could get away with, but Illario also wanted his face to stay arranged as it was a lot more. He rubbed at his nose absentmindedly at the memory.
"Are you entirely sure we are in the right place, cara mio? It's a bit… dark," he said, as they approached a particularly daunting set of doors. He'd been to Nevarra many times, but never into the Necropolis complex itself, and was finding the atmosphere more than a little unsettling.
"Don't call me that, Illario," Carina sighed, without any animosity. She looked back up at him, shaking her head. "I promise, we're in the right place, and yes it is dark, dusty, haunted, and sometimes morbid. It's a house of the dead and their keepers."
As if on cue, a smaller door inset into the left door opened, and a short skeleton wearing a leather mage's coat with green jeweled eyes stepped out. "Manfred!" Carina, exclaimed happily, picking up her pace to meet him. They did a game of rock, paper, scissors, while he exclaimed "ROOK!" and Illario rolled his eyes.
"Ah, good! You're both just in time," another figure emerged from the doorway, and Illario noticed the older gentleman ducking slightly as he passed through, dressed in a stylish array of robes and a truly staggering amount of gold jewelry. "Carina! How lovely to see you, and well met, young Master Dellamorte," the man bowed slightly. "I welcome you to the Necropolis. If you'll both please follow me, Manfred has just finished preparations for tea."
"Just Illario, please," he responded amiably.
"Illario, of course," the Emmrich responded, gestured for them to precede him through the door. Once they stepped inside, Illario was pleasantly surprised to find a much warmer interior as large stone corridors gave way to wood and drapery lined hallways. The overall effect was more like a lavish funeral home than a grave. Carina chatted ahead with the professor, trading pleasantries as they walked and catching up on news about their friends and companions.
"Neve also sent along some case files, said you'd be interested," Carina said, the smile obvious in her voice, even though she was not facing him. Illario realized he hadn't been paying attention to the conversation, but there was something about the detective that always drew him in.
"Oh? I will give them my full attention, once we're done today," the older mage gushed. "She has certainly given me access to the most interesting remains for her work. And the mysteries we get to solve! Surely the highest privilege."
"I'm sorry, did you say remains?" Illario couldn't stop himself from asking, cursing his own curiosity.
"Oh, yeah," Carina replied, looking back at him with an unreadable expression. "Emmrich isn't just a amazingly skilled necromancer and expert on the fade. He can actually talk to the dead, as long as there are bits to talk back."
"Ah, I see," he replied, somewhat at a loss. Illario's mind whirled a dance around the possibilities for such a talent as they approached a doorway set into a small alcove. He came to the conclusion that a bit more caution when working in Nevarra in the future should be in order, and wondered if it made Lucanis as uneasy as it did him.
There was a small wood and gold plaque outside their destination that read:
Emmrich Volkarin, Professor and Senior Mage
Manfred Volkarin, Apprentice
The area around the door featured a small, round table with a bowl for letters and cards, as well as a vase of fresh lilacs and broader leaves from another plant Illario didn't have a name for. Their scent was light and invigorating as Emmrich ushered them inside.
The entryway provided a closet and table to leave anything unnecessary, and Illario followed Carina's example by removing his coat and the majority of his unconcealed knives, leaving only the decorative blade that was a part of his belt buckle. One had to maintain some sense of style. The concealed knives, of course, remained so.
Illario was pleased to find the interior of the apartments stylish, open and inviting. Large, tall bookshelves lined each wall, reaching up to a second floor, with a balcony that wrapped around the room. Doors led away to either side, and towards the back, signaling a larger residence than could be assumed from the exterior.
The decor was still funereal, but many of the surfaces were graced with plants and flowers, some cut, some growing in place. A particularly impressive black, white, and purple orchid had a place of pride near a plush, green armchair. The floor was well polished wood, but most of it was covered by some of the most expensive and beautiful carpets Illario had ever seen. Everything was well lit with warm light from sconces along the wall, and a positively cheerful fireplace.
"Come, sit," Emmrich gestured to the comfortable chairs and sofa arranged around a large round table in the center of the room, which had been laid out with some light refreshments. "Manfred will pour, and we can talk."
Illario watched in fascination as the skeleton brought over some excessively steaming water, and poured it into an ornate teapot as they took their seats on the sofa. The smell of hibiscus, mint, lemon, and grassy herbs wafted around the table. Carina got herself settled as the tea brewed, taking off the leather gloves she habitually wore and shook out her dark curls until barely the tips of her ears showed through.
"So," Emmrich put his hands together , steepling his fingers, and leaning forward in his chair after dispersing cups of tea to each of his guests. "What is it that I can assist you with today, Rook? Your letter made it sound like a matter of some urgency and delicacy."
Illario looked to Carina, now far more curious about their visit than he had been on the way here. He had assumed that like several other visits he had been party to, it would be more of a social call than business. Lucanis hadn't mentioned any particular trouble to guard against, aside what had become normal in the wake of opposing the elven gods. While keeping him in the dark during their contracts had almost been a Dellamorte family tradition, the look on Carina's face told him that his cousin may not have known the reason for their visit any more than he did.
"Yeah, I think 'delicacy' covers it," Carina sipped her tea, not even bothering to test it for poison. "Emmrich, you did me a really big favor when you pulled me out of the Fade prison. Well, saving me was huge, but after everything was done, you used the resources of the Necropolis to make doubly sure that I didn't have any lingering blood magic from Solas."
"Oh? Yes, and of course it was my pleasure," Emmrich replied, looking concerned. "Has anything felt amiss?"
"For me?" Carina asked, and darted a glance at Illario. "No, I'm fine, even if my dreams can be a bit… heavy sometimes. I'm not here for me, and—" she held a hand up before the mage could interrupt, "Lucanis and Spite are doing fine, both of them thoroughly enjoying thwarting the enemies of House Dellamorte and Antiva in general. There's a lot of work to go around."
"Spiting ones enemies would have an obvious appeal for man and spirit," Emmrich nodded in congenial approval. "So what is it that I can assist you with today?"
"Do you remember how you described what Solas did to me? A memory braid?"
"Yes, indeed. Blood magic, woven through and anchored to the victim's memories to distort them out of shape. In your case, Solas wove through your knowledge and care for Varric Tethras to distort your view of reality," Emmrich said, his voice kind, but with an edge of a long simmering anger. "It was a very sophisticated and insidious curse, which tightened the more you thought on it, and reinforced itself with your new false memories. I was very glad that its influence ended when you emerged from your time in the prison of Regret."
Mierde. Teia had told him a little of what had happened when Carina was missing, but Illario hadn't really been able to understand what she meant until now. Blood magic. Even the idea was enough to give him a piercing headache, and he pinched the bridge of his nose with a wince as he screwed his eyes shut. The whole conversation was putting him on edge.
"I'm pretty sure I know someone else with a similar problem," Carina said plainly, taking another sip of tea.
Illario joined her this time, and found that the tea seemed to push back the growing pain between his eyes. It was one of the better herbal blends he had tried, and made a note to ask the professor about it later. He also trusted that if a de Riva wasn't concerned about poison, he probably didn't need to be. And besides, this didn't feel like the day Carina would pick to finally kill him for his sins. It would be rude to intrude on her friend's hospitality for a bit of family housekeeping.
"It's someone who definitely knew a blood mage well," Carina continued. "They were around the magic for an extended time, and seem to not remember some events the way others do. Or, like me, they are missing bits of information or time that can't be easily explained, even though they don't know it. Stupid blood magic, all over again."
Blood magic. It's always blood.
This time, the pain hit Illario squarely in the temples and he almost dropped the cup and saucer, only saved by years of muscle training. Shoving the dishes roughly to the table, he crammed balled fists against his eyes as a fog blanketed his sight and thunder pounded in his ears. He could feel Carina's hand on his shoulder as she said something he couldn't make out.
"Amatus. Just a bit of blood, and you can have everything. Keep everything," Zara's voice in his ear, her hands pressed against his chest. "You won't even miss it."
Illario felt like he was drowning in the sound of his own heartbeat, burning hands holding him as he roared against the pain. His nose started to bleed into his hands.
"… steady, Carina…" A distant murmur of concern, followed by a crash.
"We have you, Illario," he heard Carina's voice, strained, but suddenly clear. Her hands were no longer fire, but cool on his shoulders, keeping him grounded. Upright. "Just keep breathing."
Several minutes later with a lot of coaching from Emmrich, Illario looked more like himself. Carina could tell he was still a bit shaken, but years of maintaining the finest control in stressful situations made those signs slight. Even so, she was fairly certain that's why Emmrich had suggested they remove themselves to his study, which had large, comfortable chairs and a not inconsiderable amount of magical protections.
"Let me understand —" Illario started, then sighed. "I don't know what to ask."
"If you will allow me, I believe I can explain in a way that won't engender a repeat of what happened earlier, " Emmrich stated simply as he sat in a large chair directly facing him. "Carina has suspected that you may have been subject to magic similar to what she experienced, and I believe that she is partially correct."
"What, I'm cursed?" Illario snorted humorlessly, rolling his eyes and scowling.
"Yes," the necromancer answered simply, and Illario blinked at him, nonplussed. "It's a crude description, but from what I have seen, it is likely your former paramour may have used her magic to manipulate your perception of things. Far less elegant than the magic employed by Solas, but that is hardly surprising."
"Why dance around it then?" Illario spat, "You could just call it what—"
"No!" Emmrich abruptly cut him off, gesturing for silence with a swift cutting motion of his hands. "It is best if we talk around the topic. I need to take a closer look, and each mention of things tied into the magic can make that more difficult for me and quite painful for you."
Illario looked to Carina, the suspicion and apprehension written openly on this face.
"Emmrich can be trusted," Carina reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "While he gets ready, I can try to explain a bit if that helps."
"Alright, yes," Illario sighed, still furrowing his brow. "I clearly don't understand something."
"Zara used her … skills to manipulate your memories," Carina said after a moment thinking her way through the words. "There have been a few times when you've talked about things that have happened, and either didn't remember them correctly or there were big things missing or added."
"I may just have a different view," Illario said, frowning. "You know how unreliable people's memories can be."
"That's what I thought at first," Carina nodded, leaning back in her chair. "Especially for things that happened a long time ago, or were just … open to interpretation."
"Alright, I'll bite," Illario shrugged, and waved his hand. "Can you give me something specific?"
Carina looked to Emmrich, who glanced over and nodded.
"I'll give you an easy one. Do you remember when I first saw you in Treviso? The night Neve and I met with you, Teia, Viago, and Caterina?"
"Yes," Illario sighed. "That was not a great night for me for many reasons. But yes, I remember."
"What contract did Caterina give me?"
"Caterina told you to find the Ossuary, free Lucanis, and she would have her favorite grandson back," Illario rolled his eyes. "She also said that she suspected someone had betrayed him and tasked me with rooting them out. It was a test, which of course, I failed."
"That's only partially right," Carina shook her head gently. "Caterina didn't call Lucanis her favorite. And she told you to go with us to the Ossuary, which was the test. I'm still not sure what happened, but Caterina said you came back agitated, the two of you argued about whether Lucanis could really be alive, and then she was knocked out."
"She said this?" Illario looked wary, his mouth making a grimace and his face paling as he stared hard at Carina. It felt like he was daring her to admit it was an elaborate ruse.
"Yes," Carina sighed. "The first part — where she sent me to the Ossuary with you — was witnessed by three other people besides you, I, and Caterina. I don't know about the second part, but I don't think your grandmother was lying."
"So? What does that mean? I was forced to do things? I didn't have control of my actions?" Illario laughed bitterly, but Carina could see a vast pain behind that.
"No? Maybe?" Carina shrugged, knowing it wasn't reassuring. "I wasn't manipulated in the same way, but I know I made decisions — freely made decisions — that I wouldn't have if I'd known what was really happening around me. I can't say now if that was good or bad, just that I didn't get the chance to make a better choice."
"I can't let you take my mistakes, Carina," Illario gave a mocking half smile. "They're all I have left that I can claim as truly mine."
In short order, Emmrich placed a couple of small glasses in front of Illario and Carina and indicated for them to drink. Carina downed hers, and seemed to instantly regretted it as she choked back a cough. Illario took a small sip. The concoction was both bitter and spicy, with an aftertaste he didn't recognize.
"Gingerwort truffle?" she wheezed, brandishing the glass at Emmrich. Illario stared at Carina as she huffed. He had never seen such an animated reaction from her, even when someone had actually tried to slip her poison a couple of months ago. It was almost comforting to see her so discomfited in a way. "Is it really needed for this? Blecchh."
"I assure you, it is quite helpful," Emmrich gave her a slight frown, the first negative reaction Illario had seen from him in company. "Your own experiences notwithstanding, I believe it should help establish a rapport between you, the local spirits, and Illario. Some what akin to what Spite facilitated for Lucanis and yourself in Minrathous some months ago."
"Oh?" Carina rasped, placing her empty glass down on the table. "Well, drink up then, Illario. It won't kill you, but if you start hearing voices, just know that's totally normal."
More cautiously than Carina, Illario drank the remainder of the glass, which went down more easily as he completed it. He assumed that the spice and aftertaste were the truffle, but they were mixed in with quite a few other things. A gentle warmth spread from his stomach out to the rest of his body gradually, like entering a warm pool inches at a time.
"Excellent," Emmrich gestured and Manfred collected their glasses. "I am going to start a basic incantation to the spirits, and I recommend you both sit back and close your eyes. Meditative state, or simple sleep, should be enough to begin the process. Carina, if at any time you feel that things should end, a mere exercise of your magic will be enough to let me know to cease efforts on my end."
"Is there much danger?" Illario asked Emmrich, his words feeling a bit slow as he relaxed back into the chair.
"Oh, yes, certainly," the reply sounded distant, somewhere on the edge of a creeping black around his vision. "However, inaction on this would carry a much higher risk to your person, and potentially those around you."
Carina blinked and found herself in an altered Treviso, standing on the edge of the Markets just after dusk. Or, at least it appeared to be around that time, but it was impossible to tell. The air around her had hints of the familiar scents and sounds, but her vision grayed out around the edges in a way that reminded her more of the Fade than the place itself.
"I need to pick something up before I return to The Diamond," a somewhat younger version of Illario stood next to her, contemplating the stall in front of them. To her eyes, it looked empty, but he was clearly seeing more than she could in his memory.
"Alright, take your time," Carina responded automatically, feeling it was the right thing to say. Feeling like someone had said it. "I can wait, it isn't like I have anywhere I need to be."
"You will not miss your appointment, cousin," Illario rolled his eyes, and gave her a slight smirk. His face was relaxed, with a pronounced five-o'clock shadow, and his outfit was much less uniform than the one she had seen him favoring when they met. "The captain knows you will arrive on the hour."
"Yes, yes," Carina laughed, and gave a small shrug. "I mean it, take your time. Just make sure to bring Teia the tea she asked for."
"I don't have time to indulge your vanity, cousin," Lucanis said, with a clear edge to his voice, and Illario scowled in response. "You can expand your glove collection another time."
Carina stepped back, and in her place was the ghost of a man she hadn't met, Lucanis Dellamorte on the night he was captured by Venatori and supposedly died. He'd spoken when she had, but his words felt wrong and out of place. The image of him floated where she had stood, blurred around the edges with a reddish brown aura. He smelled of iron and sulfur.
"Absolutely not," Carina gestured sharply through the outline, and could feel the magic resist, but give way as she pressed. It dissolved in an aftertaste of blood.
Illario's expression went slack, then pinched as he squinted at where his 'cousin' had been standing.
"That is … not how it happened," Illario shook his head. "He had been so condescending in the weeks leading up to his mission, taking every opportunity to twist my words. It made it easier that night. Not easy, just not impossible. But that isn't what happened at all."
"No, and I suspect there are a few more of these shadows on your way to the docks tonight," Carina responded, placing a hand lightly on Illario's shoulder. "Well, time's wasting. Let's get Lucanis to his ship and see what other ghosts the night has to offer."