As soon as Elden stepped through the mirror it went dark, refusing entry to Dorian and the others. No. No no no no no. This couldn't be happening. Dorian pounded on it with his fists, desperate to get in, to get to Elden. He stepped back to kick the blasted thing but Vivienne placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay calm, my dear," she said. "We'll only get to him if we keep a clear head."

Dorian snorted, but she was right. He took a deep breath, trying to focus, trying not to think about how pale Elden had been or how he had cried out in pain whenever the accumulated power of the mark had ripped free with such explosive results. Maker, please just don't let him die alone at least. He shook the thoughts from his head and joined Vivienne in examining every inch of the mirror, but there was frustratingly little for them to see. Dorian could feel himself growing more and more frantic and even Vivienne was beginning to look frustrated, both of them all too aware that each second they wasted here was less time Elden had to live.

"Sparkler," Varric called, and Dorian looked up, annoyed at the interruption. "You appear to be glowing."

"Yes, thank you, but what-" He looked down and froze when he saw the faint blue glow emanating from his robes. He frantically pulled out the amulet, the twin of the one he had given Elden, and opened it. Immediately they could hear the voices of Elden and Solas from the crystal within. Dorian couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Elden was still alive. Good man, clever man, Dorian thought, unable to suppress the proud smile that pulled at his lips. It vanished as soon as he registered what was being said. A grim silence fell on the three of them as they gathered around the crystal and listened, barely willing to believe what was being said. Fury was building in Dorian, hot and explosive, but when Elden cried out in pain yet again, his blood ran cold.

"I'm sorry," he heard Solas say and Dorian wanted to throttle him.

Elden cried out one last time, and then silence fell. Dorian waited, not daring to hope, not daring to speak. It was agonizing not being able to see what was happening. He wanted to call out but that could put Elden in danger if he wasn't already dead.

"He's gone. Did you get all that?" Elden said at last. His voice was strained and quiet. He sounded breathless and exhausted and Dorian thought his heart must be ripping from his chest it hurt so much.

"Yes, amatus. Don't speak. We're trying to get to you."

"I'm sorry," Elden said. "None of it mattered. I—"

"Shut up," Varric interrupted. "We'll come get you and then we'll find a way to stop this too."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!" Dorian snapped, terrified at the hopelessness in Elden's voice. No matter how bad things had gotten, he had never heard Elden sound so exhausted, so ready to give up. "We are going to get you out of here and you're going to live so just shut up." But Elden kept talking.

"You are...you're wonderful, Dorian. You are going to do so much good in Tevinter. Since the day I met you you've made me so happy. I love you."

Dorian gripped the amulet tightly, the tears running freely. He bit his lip trying to steady his voice. "I love you, you bastard," was all he could say.

"Warn the others of what's coming and don't let Orlais take control of the Inquisition. Leliana will know what to do. And—and all of you—thank you. For everything. Tell the others that too. Without all of you, I could never have—" He swallowed audibly, trailing off. "Just—thank you."

He sounded so quiet, so faint, and Dorian's hand holding the amulet up was shaking and he could barely see through the tears. Maker please, anything but this please, just don't— He thought he had been prepared for this, but he wasn't. Elden shouldn't be alone. Dorian should be there with him. He should have done so many things. He had wasted the last two years, years they could have spent together, years Dorian could have at least spent trying to save him from this very fate. Elden didn't deserve this. Dorian should say more, apologize for everything—but before he could speak there was a crash like stone hitting stone and silence fell. Dorian yelled Elden's name but no matter how he begged and pleaded, there was no sound on the other side, and the crystal dimmed and went dormant.

"It's open," Vivienne said urgently, placing a hand on Dorian's shoulder.

Dorian's head snapped up. Sure enough, the mirror was glowing again. Dorian all but sprinted through, barely registering as he ran past Qunari, frozen like stone statues. He recalled the ghastly burnt corpses at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, but these were different. Surely the mark hadn't caused this. Surely Elden was still alive. He had to be alive Maker please let him be alive.

He crested a hill and saw him. Elden was laying face down, his left arm stretched out, but something wasn't right. As he got closer Dorian saw that the arm had been turned to stone as well, shattering as Elden had fallen (has he died? Please don't do this to me). Dorian dropped to the ground beside him, carefully rolling him onto his back and hauling him, armor and all, into his arms. He quickly checked Elden over for any injuries. He had several cuts and burns from their earlier fight, nothing fatal, but it was his arm Dorian was particularly worried about. Maker, his arm was just gone. Just above where his elbow had been his arm just ended, the rest lying in stone pieces on the ground. The injury was completely healed as if it had been amputated long ago, spidery scars reaching up to his shoulder the only indication that anything unnatural had occurred. Dorian brushed Elden's hair out of his eyes and ran his knuckles gently over his cheek. Finally Elden opened his eyes and even though they were vague and unfocused, relief crashed over Dorian. He was still alive.

"Dorian?" he asked faintly. "I thought I told you to go warn the others?"

"When have I ever done as I was told?"

Elden smiled, but then he winced and Dorian had no idea what to do to ease his pain and he hated it, hated everything. Maker please don't do this. "I don't know if-" Elden began, but Dorian cut him off.

"Hush. Just relax and let us get you out of here first, then we'll figure out everything else." I love you. Please don't leave me.

Elden's eyes were more focused now as he looked at Dorian, and he smiled sadly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I love you."

Dorian wanted to scream and break everything that could have caused Elden to apologize after everything, after giving everything to the world, past the point he should have died, and still wishing he could give more. Vivienne knelt beside them and lifted a potion to Elden's lips. Dorian helped support his head as he drank. Vivienne gave him potion after potion and Dorian held his breath, just waiting and praying, clutching him tightly.

From where his fingers dug into the leather of Elden's armor, he felt something small and hard there. It must be digging into Elden's side. He fussily pulled it out and stared in confusion at the small velvet box in his hand. His mind was screaming at him but he refused to listen, refused to register what could possibly be inside. In an agonizingly slow motion he forced himself to open the box and stared down at the ring inside. Before he could say anything Vivienne stood, apparently satisfied.

"Rest a moment, my dear. You'll be fine," she said to Elden and stepped away, nodding to Dorian.

Dorian looked down at Elden and was relieved to see that some color had returned to him, making him look much more alive, but he still looked so exhausted, so worn out. Elden was watching him now, a worried, almost fearful look in his eyes. Dorian wanted to take him up in his arms again and take him far way from anyone who could ever harm him and never let him go, but he just sat there frozen. What did the ring mean? No, there wasn't time for this. They couldn't have this conversation now, not while Elden could still be in danger. Dorian couldn't even handle thinking about any of this right now, so he pushed it all away, hiding his real feelings securely behind sarcasm and levity.

"Got someone on the side you're planning to propose to, hmm?" The words were out of Dorian's mouth before he could stop them and he wished he'd just kept quiet. He could see the hurt and the pain in Elden's eyes and no, that was the last thing Dorian had wanted to do. Elden was hurting already; Dorian hadn't wanted to add to it. He just wanted to be there for him, but was that even possible now? Would he still want him after Dorian had broken his heart on the day he had been planning to—

Dorian heard footsteps and snapped the box closed, shoving it into his pocket.

"My dear Inquisitor, how do you feel?" Vivienne asked as she knelt beside them again, Varric close behind.

"Fine," Elden said rather numbly, glancing at Dorian briefly before looking down at his hand. "I thought..."

"The way back is clear and reinforcements are on the way. I'm afraid the council is not going well despite Josephine's best efforts," Vivienne said, and from the mingled sympathy and resolve on her face, Dorian knew what she was going to say and wanted, rather badly, to hate her for it. "If you plan on making any announcements before the deliberations are over I'm afraid now is the time. I have a potion here that will keep you on your feet long enough to do so."

"You must be joking," Dorian snapped. "The damn council can wait. He needs to rest!"

"It's fine," Elden said sharply and Dorian didn't like the hard set of his jaw or the numb, accepting look in his eyes. "This needs to be done. They need to know."

Vivienne handed him another potion, and he downed it quickly and sat up. He wavered a moment and looked surprised, but only for a moment. Dorian could see it all there in his eyes, the moment Elden remembered his arm was gone and how he refused to even look at it. He was on the brink of breaking down, meticulously putting everything out of his mind so he could push himself that last little bit to see it all through. It wasn't fair. After everything this man had been through, he shouldn't have to keep doing this. Couldn't he have five minutes to himself to come to terms with the fact that he had just lost his fucking arm, let alone everything else that had just happened?

But instead Elden smiled, actually smiled, at all of them and Dorian thought his chest really must be splitting open. "Would you mind having someone bring me my coat? I should probably make myself more presentable for the council."