I woke up feeling groggy and sore. Just yesterday, Dorian, Cole, Solas, and I thwarted the plans of Magister Erimond and Warden-Commander Clarel. On top of that, I physically entered the Fade for a second time. But this time, it had been my own doing and I wasn't alone. Blythe Hawke, Warden Stroud, Blackwall, and Solas had been there with me.
A great deal of odd things had occurred while there. I had found out that I wasn't the Herald of Andraste at all, but I had been able to recover my memories of the events at the Conclave. As it turned out, I had accidentally walked in on Corypheus and the Wardens preforming a bizarre ritual on the Divine. My interruption had allowed her to slap the orb he was using out of his hand, and for some reason I caught it, putting the Anchor on my hand.
All of this is difficult to wrap my mind around. What am I going to tell people when they ask their questions? Their belief that I am the Herald of their Andraste is what had made them want to follow me in the first place. I hope I did the right thing by sending the Wardens away. While they are here, they pose a threat to us all because of the fact that Corypheus can manipulate them. They were binding themselves to demons, for the Maker's sake! They wanted to raise a demon army to assault the Deep Roads and slay the remaining Archdemons, to prevent future Blights. While those intentions may have been noble, I highly doubt their harebrained scheme would've worked the way they planned. They had been tricked by that despicable little magister and his viler master. I thought. I hope Varric doesn't hate me forever for not bringing Blythe back. I'll have to explain to him that she willingly sacrificed herself to ensure Stroud, my allies, and I escaped. I didn't force her to stay behind. And I hope Blackwall doesn't hate me forever for exiling the Wardens. I'll have to explain to him that I only did it to protect the rest of us. I suppose I can't always make everyone happy though. What's best for the world isn't always the most pleasant thing. Pfft, I bet Corypheus is pissed. I keep interfering in his plans. I'll be glad when I can finally take on that arrogant son of a bitch myself. But for now, destroying his sycophants will do.
I lingered in bed, enjoying the warm sunlight that was pouring in from the windows. I wished that I could stay in bed for the day, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option. There was much to do today. I had to venture out to the Exalted Plains to settle the unrest out there.
I yawned and sat up, and then stretched. After I bathed, got dressed, and ate breakfast, I journeyed down to the courtyard. As I descended down the stairs, I saw Solas and Cole. It sounded like they were bickering with each other, which was odd. The two of them were close.
"No." Solas said firmly.
"But you like demons!" Cole said.
"I enjoy the company of spirits, yes, which is part of why I don't abuse them with bindings." Solas replied.
"It isn't abuse if I ask!" Cole exclaimed.
"Not always true," Solas said. "Also, I do not practice blood magic, which renders this entire conversation academic."
At that moment, Solas and Cole spotted me. Cole approached me, looking at me with desperate and fearful eyes.
"He won't bind me. He's a mage and he likes demons, but he won't help." He said.
"We just saw the Grey Wardens raise and bind demons, and you want him to bind you? Why?" I asked, incredulously.
"He has to!" He cried. He turned his back to me and took a few steps away. "If he won't do the ritual to bind me, someone else could. Would! Like the Warden mages, and then...I'm not me anymore. Walls around what I want, blocking, bleeding, making me a monster."
It was unsettling to see him so upset. He usually was tranquil and composed. Clearly, what had occurred at Adamant had shaken him to his core. Now I felt guilty for dragging him there with me.
"Well…there has to be some middle ground between doing nothing and binding you with blood magic." I said.
"Indeed. I recall stories of amulets used by Rivaini seers to protect spirits from rival mages. A spirit wearing the Amulet of the Unbound is immune to binding and blood magic. It should protect you as well, Cole. The resources of the Inquisition could be used to find such as a talisman." Solas said.
"Good. They will not take me." Cole said.
XXXXX
Amulet in hand, I went to locate Cole. I found him in the tavern's attic, alone. It was quiet and dim, which I imagine was why he was there.
"I'm glad you came to see me." He said.
"I found the amulet that Solas told us about. Would you like to try it on?" I said.
He stood up and took the amulet. His eyes glowed with gratitude. It was cute to see him happy like this. I was glad that I took the time to find the amulet, rather than dismissing him and his troubles entirely. It would've been easier to, but helping him was certainly worthy of my time.
"Yes, but not here. I like it here," He replied. "We need some place that can go away if it becomes too sharp."
I followed him as he descended down the stairs and went out into the courtyard. He took me to a chamber beneath the library. At the center of the chamber, Solas sitting at a desk, engrossed in a book. He rose to his feet when we entered the chamber.
"What do I do with it?" Cole said.
"You found one of the amulets? Excellent. May I?" Solas asked.
Cole handed the amulet to Solas. He studied it for several seconds.
"It is simple enough. You put it on, I charge it with magic, and you should be protected." He said.
I looked at Cole, who was anxiously picking at his gloves. His very life and well-being was at risk. I
"Are you ready?" I inquired.
"They can't make me a monster." He said.
Solas raised his right hand and began the ritual. I watched as blueish-white magic flowed forth into the amulet. Things seemed to be going well until suddenly, a small explosion caused Cole to cry out and stagger a bit.
"What was that?" Varric asked as he entered the chamber. He paused when he saw us, eyes darkening. "Oh for…what are you doing to the kid?" He said.
Cole turned to face him. "Stopping blood mages from binding me like at Adamant. But it didn't work." He said.
"Something is interfering with the enchantment." Solas said.
"Something like him not being a demon?" Varric said, crossing his arms.
"Perhaps he is neither spirit nor human, but is something in between?" I asked.
"Regardless of his special circumstances, he remains a spirit." Solas said.
"Yes, a spirit who is strangely like a person." Varric remarked.
"I don't matter. Just lock away the parts that someone could knot together to make me follow." Cole said.
"Focus on the amulet. Tell me what you feel." Solas said.
Cole closed his eyes and fell silent for a moment.
"Warm, soft blanket covering…but it catches, tears. I'm the wrong shape….there's something…" He said. He looked up and pointed to the doorway on the opposite side of the chamber. "There. That way."
"We'll find whatever it is that's preventing the amulet from working and we'll make it right." I promised.
"All right Kid, get Cullen and work with him on the map to figure out where you're sensing something wrong." Varric said.
"Will you come with me? All of you?" Cole asked.
"Sure." Varric said.
Cole smiled a bit and hastily departed from the chamber. When he walked out of the door, Varric turned to Solas.
"Alright, I get that you like spirits, but he came into this world to be a person. Let him be one." He said.
"If I see a way to protect him without taking away whatever he is, I'll use it. But he clearly needs our help." I responded.
"I'm not saying we do nothing, but that ritual only works on demons, right?" Varric said.
"This is not some fanciful story, Child of the Stone. We cannot change our nature by wishing." Solas said.
"You don't think?" Varric grunted.
"However we deal with the problem, our next step is to track down whatever is interfering with the enchantment." Solas said.