The Soul holds together what flesh and blood want to break
Elsa's fury was unimaginable. She didn't even take on any of her corporeal forms and, instead, rained down on the battlefield like an ancient, wrathful, god.
The Crocodile Beast-Kin didn't understand what was happening as many were drug underground, into the nearby waterways, and up into the air screaming.
Vines of ethereal flowering plants and tendrils of hot air came from all directions and dispersed and destroyed – and when it was all over not even the Serpent Clan knew where Elsa had gone.
They looked out and had pity on the enemy, even as they finished off those that moaned, or tried to escape.
Elsa was still furious but she redirected that fury and put it into finding out what she needed to know about her newest student.
She took on one of her many ethereal forms – she was covered by soft patches of moss, her hair was flowering vines, her eyes were liquid pools of blue. She looked as though she grew up from a tranquil lake to walk across planes of lesser consequence than she.
She walked into Silver Vale with a smile on her face and a scent of mint and a spring day on her skin – and she sought what she wished to destroy in the name of her newest beloved.
Varric felt his teacher's wrath and his soul stirred but his body needed more time to heal from the sinister plague of the Crocodile beast-kin.
These beast-kin had sacks of magical plague within spiny growths embedded between their reptilian scales. When close to death or in extreme defense these sacks burst and the plague is released – either airborne or into the blood stream of the foe.
Varric got quadruple the dosage of this blight.
He was cold and hot and he both sweated and released small tufts of ice like residue that clung to his scales in frostbiting mounds.
The entire time he felt Ardyn with him. He felt her aura surging and understood she was using a magic he had never seen or heard of before.
He saw her within his lands, standing tall in one of the most powerful places of Sidus Serpens. Her arms flowed around her as the magic of that place collected and amplified her work. He saw the current of magic collecting and intertwining unlike nothing he had seen in many millennia.
Suddenly he understood why his teacher chose this woman. He understood why his heart clung to her like it did.
She was a once in an existence anomaly – and she was his.
His heart stirred and the crocodilian plague surged through his weakened systems, he groaned, and, as if she had heard his pain – Ardyn's Magic pushed forward.
This push caused it to evolve.
Varric watched her soul sea surge as if under the influence of gale force winds. Her aura changed once again, and a brilliant burst of purple filled his vision.
Varric smiled.
This was his love – his life – and she moved with a uniqueness that knew no equal. Love and pride swelled within him in equal measure and when he heard her soft voice flow through his soul he easily followed the command.
"Sleep my love. Rest My Lord"
His consciousness dipped into his quiet place and Varric slept and recuperated – fully trusting in Ardyn's capabilities.
Ardyn stood in the center of her new Tranquility Cave. All life and magic responding to her actions – to her will.
She pulled deep, never knowing that she was pulling from Sidus Serpens itself. Magic flowed to her on mass, and when she needed more, more came. She did not think about it – she only thought of him.
He needed her. This great and powerful being – needed her. And she was ready to give all she had for him. Her soul sea stirred and when it felt like there was nothing more to give she reached deeper and pulled forth more.
It was an intricate dance and it was all coming naturally – innately.
"Sleep my Love. Rest My Lord." It was spoken with both her heart and soul and the Tranquility Cave responded.
It's direct connection with Sidus Serpens stirred and lulled one of its high lords to sleep.
Ardyn had crossed boundaries no other human had and this caused her and Varric to bind together even stronger.
As she healed and protected her soul quietly wove a thin intricate weave of intent and love and it reached out – Varric's soul accepted – and their two souls wove an intricate, virtually inseparable, tie between them.
[Vincula Animae Solidata]
And with this Ardyn's strength was renewed and her magic increased. Her eyes glowed with an ethereal violet light and streams of knowledge flowed to her.
Varric stirred but not consciously, his body began to reshape as his soul accepted Ardyn more and more. Slowly he changed.
His scales softened, their jagged edges becoming smooth, he grew a nose, and ears and the silver highlights became flowing moats of silver magic channels along his body.
His tail disappeared and magic radiated from him in powerful ripples.
Varric was evolving as well.
The medic pit and the Tranquility Cave rippled and quaked in harmony and Sidus Serpens brought the two together with the layers between realms.
Ardyn looked at the sleeping Varric and her heart ached and her resolve trippled. More magic flowed from her and she watched as he strengthened and became hole.
"I will give more than I take. And I will walk with you forever. I am yours and you are mine."
She never paused as she continued to heal, strengthen, and renew him.
"I love you."
The words fell from her lips like magical dew and nourished Varric's entire being.
A bond of love, trust, and need solidifying and growing between them.
**End of Arc 1: She Loves Him