Summary: She had slumbered for a millennia and awoke alone to a world which was strange and new to her. She didn't expect to find herself mixed up in the events of this strange world a mark on her hand with the weight of the world on her shoulders add in a dear friend and new friends along for the ride what could happen. AU

Pairing: Solas x Inquisitor

Disclaimer: I do not own dragon age. Credit to Dragon age transcripts on Tumblr for well the transcripts. Also All transcript dialogue belongs to Bioware.

A/N: I do apologise if some characters seem OOC. Also I apologise if say slumber a lot in this chapter you will probably be sick of the word by the time the chapter is finished.

"Normal"

"Elven"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 1: Awakenings, Conclaves and Marks


She had been in a deep slumber but for how long she knew not. The last thing she remembered was saying goodbye to her dear one as she prepared to go into a long deep slumber wandering in the fade until it was time for her to awaken. He was planning to slumber soon but had said he had some business with the others before he was able to lay down and rest. She worried about what he had planned but he told her not to worry, to rest and that he would be there when she woke.

She had been peacefully enjoying her time with the spirits of the fade when they told her she would soon wake up from her slumber and that the world would need her, that he would need her. She was about to ask why and what they were talking about when she awoke with a start bolting straight up hands gripping her staff tightly. She suddenly felt a wave of dizziness hit her so she gently laid back down giving herself time to catch her bearings and the haziness of sleep to disappear. After a few moments, once she had calmed herself, she blinked and looked around taking in her surroundings above her noting that she was still in the same place before she went into her deep slumber even if time and nature had changed the appearance of the cave. She noticed she was laying on a bed of stone which she must have been placed on soon after falling into her slumber, as she remembered laying in the grass on the ground when she went into it. Luckily the bed remained untouched by nature so she didn't wake up covered in it or if it had it had been cleared away.

After a few more moments of laying there in silence, she slowly but cautiously sat up so as not to set off another wave dizziness keeping a tight grip on her staff. She looked around at her surroundings again taking more of it in this time. She noticed her chest was next to the bed intact and sealed shut. She moved to the edge of the bed and used the staff to help her stand savouring the feel of the ground beneath her bare feet and enjoying the smell of the flora around her. Closing her eyes she gathered her mana and sent out a soft pulse of magic checking for signs of life and any other magic. The pulse softly came back to her relaying the findings. It detected the life signs of nature and the wildlife that lived in it. There was also a protective spell placed around the cave to keep wanderers from entering but freely allowed animals and other wildlife to pass through, it was a spell she recognised as one known to her and a few others. Otherwise she was completely alone in this place not knowing when she was if it had been decades, centuries or even a millennia. She felt a bit weak after the pulse of magic and realised she would have to wait for her strength to return completely before attempting some of her stronger spells.

Deciding she couldn't stay here forever and placing her staff down on the bed she knelt beside the chest wiping away any dust that had settled on it. She placed her palm on the chest causing it to glow and click open. She sighed with relief when she noticed that all her stuff was still intact and safe. She noticed a few new additions as she was looking through her stuff. She grabbed the items from the chest and laying them out on the stone bed. Her dress and cloak where still there along with her necklace which she had placed in there knowing they would be safer. Placing the items to the side she inspected the new additions noting that it was some foot wrappings, a new outfit plus spare, along with a travelling cloak and a pack to put her stuff in. She ran her hand along the material of the outfit find it to be light and soft which wouldn't limit her movement especially if she had to fight.

There was a small spring nearby within the cave so she was able to cleanse herself before changing into the new clothes putting the simple nightgown she had been wearing with the rest of her items. With gentle hands she picked up her necklace which lay neatly upon the bed and inspected it for any damage before securing it around her neck. Satisfied with her appearance she drew her hands up towards her hair bring her magic to her fingertips she ran them through her hair removing any knots and tangles, the heat in her fingers gently drying it as she went. Once she was ready she began to pack her stuff into the chest ready for the journey ahead with some stuff staying out to go in the pack itself like the spare set of clothes and foot wraps.

Closing the lid on the chest she once again placed her hand upon it sealing it closed but let her hand linger and the chest began to glow brighter as it shrunk until it was small enough to fit in her pack. Smiling with her pack now on, everything packed in it and her travelling cloak in place she once more picked up her staff and set off ready to begin her journey.

She had been travelling countless days and nights passing through villages and towns all the while wondering how long had past. She heard people talking about a conclave, the mages, the Templars and some kind of peace talks with the Divine. She wondered what was a conclave, what was a Templar and just who was this Divine. There was a couple of travellers going to this conclave so she travelled along behind them with hopes of at least finding out something about this strange new world. As she travelled with this strange group her thoughts turned to her dear friend wondering where he had slumbered and if he was awake then where was he and why wasn't he with her when she woke like he had promised her so long ago. She searched for him in the fade when she slept at night and tried to call for him but he did not answer.

It took a few days to arrive at the conclave, the temple of ashes she had heard it called and she stared it wonder at this building that had everyone talking. 'So this is the place were the Divine conclave as they call it will take place' She thought to herself and she wandered around taking care to blend in. She observed the people around her realising there was Elves, Humans, Dwarves and even Qunari (as she heard they were called) She observed the Elves closely she noted some had Vallaslin and there were those without, both parties keeping away from one another. These elves were not Elvhen, they were not her people. That brought up another question what happened to her people. She also took the time to observe the other parties guessing from some the whispers she heard during her wanderings that those in the Armour with the symbol of a sword pointing down and four flames either side must be the Templars. It was easy to tell who the mages were by the staffs on their backs.

She was there for only a couple of days when it happened. It was peaceful and the talks were underway. The people she observed seemed hopeful but that was when everything went to hell. She had heard someone calling for help and entered the room where she heard it. There was a group surrounding a woman who was suspended by some sort of red restraint in the air. The woman when she saw her told her to run and warn them but that brought her to the attention of the leader a monstrous looking creature. He held an orb in his hand, a foci she recognised. He was in the process of performing a ritual to unlock it. Then there was an explosion and the orb now with green power coming from it landed near her, on instinct she grabbed. She recognised the orb instantly causing her to stiffen with worry at how it came into the hands of this monster. Then the next events were a blur a mark appeared on her hand and then she woke up in the fade. Looking around she noticed a stone staircase which at the top was a female figure made of white light, feeling this was the way she needed to go she began her journey up the steps. As she begins her descent up the stairway she hears scuttling behind and looks back to see herself being chased by giant spiders. She now ran towards the figure who reaches out to her and then she is stepping through a fade rift where she promptly collapses to the ground unconscious in the middle of the ruins of the temple of sacred ashes.

When she awakens next she is kneeling on the floor of a dungeon her hands in manacles and four guards weapons drawn standing around her. Her pack and staff had been taken away. She blinks trying to make sense of what happened and gather her thoughts. The mark on her hand flaring up startles her causing her to let out a scream. That's when the door opens and two women walk into the room. One in armor and the other in a hooded robe style outfit.

The one in Armour speaks "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now. The conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

She looked up in shock and horror, she was thankful that she knew their language as she asked "What do you mean everyone is dead?"

The woman spoke again "Explain this!" grabbing her manacles holding the up, the mark flaring to life again.

She knew she had to put on an act if she was to survive so she acted like she was confused though it wasn't a complete act as she hadn't had time to gather her thoughts and some memories were missing so she simply replied "I... can't"

"What do you mean you can't?

"I don't know what that is or how it got there"

"You're lying!" The woman shouts stepping forward as if to strike.

The other woman steps forward stopping her as she says "We need her, Cassandra"

She watched the exchange between the two still feeling confused and in shock so she spoke up "I can't believe it. All those people...dead"

The woman in the cloak spoke to her "Do you remember what happened? How this began?"

She thought for a moment before reply "I remember running. Things were chasing me. And then... a woman?"

"A Woman?"

"She reached out to me, but then..."

The woman now identified as Cassandra cut in "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

Once Leliana was out of sight she looked at Cassandra asking "What did happen?"

"It will be easier to show you" Is all Cassandra says in reply as she helps her to her feet and leads her outside.

Once outside the first thing she notices is the breach in the sky and listens as Cassandra explains what it is and that they don't know what caused it. Her mark flared again. Cassandra told her that each time the rift expands the mark on her hand was spreading, that it was killing her but that it also may be the key to stopping it all however there wasn't much time. As they walked through the camp her with rope binding her hands (for show Cassandra promised) the people who lived there glared at her as they passed with Cassandra explaining that they had already decided her guilt, she looked down slightly at this deciding to try and ignore the glares. She promised that if she was able to and it was within her power, she would help them. Cassandra told the guards to open the gate and as soon as they were through the gates her binding were cut. She rolled and flexed her wrists which were now free from their binding hoping with all her heart that she would be able to help. Cassandra tells her there will be a trial but she can promise no more and then beckons for her to follow telling her it wasn't that far making her wonder where they were going. They had to test her mark first on something smaller than the breach after all.


So there you have it that is it for chapter one. I do deeply apologise if it is boring and seemed to drag on but it gets this part out of the way so we can begin the journey.
A/N: Fixed a couple of wording mistakes made but if notice anymore please let me know.
Also I haven't abandoned this story its just taking me a while with the next chapter as I know what I want to write I just need to put it into words