Ancient Ones I beseech you if you exist if you ever truly existed aid me now ! The Elder One struggled to maintain control over the Orb but was losing control he was pouring all his power into it when Suddenly it was all pulled from his grasp his power drained he falls to his knees and sees that the Inquisitor had used the Anchor to pull the Orb from him and walk away and as he lifted his hand a stream of magical power coming from his hand exrended to the Breach causing it to close "Such Irony" he mutters to himself for the means to open the Breach and Create the Anchor was now used to undo his work destroying his plans for ascension to Godhood.
Corypheus watches the so called "Herald" walk over knowing he wouldn't kill him even though he was now more vulnerable then ever.
"You wanted into the Fade well here you go" the Inquisitor reaches over to Corypheus grabes his face with his hand and all Corypheus can feel is pain like none he ever experienced worse then when he accepted the Taint into himself as he was being ripped apart as a Fade breach opened within himself expanded and engulfed his body and then –
Coypheus was tired sore all over and out of magicka he opens his eyes and sees the sky but it was swirling green " I'm in the Fade" Corypheus says aloud " seems my plan has succeeded" Corypehus thinks back to that night in Haven when he first met the Herald of Andraste he had tried to seize the Anchor but when he found that the Anchor could not be removed he used his knowledge of Blood Magic to plant an idea in the Heralds mind to continue the fight against Corypheus while he moves his troops to a safe location in the north-west of the Anderfels search for a way into the Deep Roads and to await his call while he would keep the Inquisitor occupied in the south to play out this game of their's which the Inquisitor would of course win but instead of killing Corypheus the Heralds mind was altered so he would send Corypehus into the Fade believing that would be the end of him but that was exactly what the ancient magister wanted.
Corypheus stands up swaying uncertain on his feet and could feel his magicka quickly replenishing from being in the Fade then turns his head to gather his surroundings he recognizes where he is he is in the formely Golden City though it wasn't the same from the last time he was here.
Everywhere he looked there was decay a city once golden was now dark when he and the Magisters were here before and accepted the Taint but they didn't just accept it within themselves they also released the Taint upon the City thus turning it Black the Chantry was correct about the Magisters being the cause of corrupting the city but wrong about sinning against this "Maker" whom didn't dwell here.
He notices that he is in what looks to be a market square with merchant stalls in disarray along the streets with a High Dragon fountain in the center it was covered in a black fungus and spewing dark liquid from the Dragon's mouth where there should have been water. He and the others had passed through here during their explorations of the city before returing to Thedas he remembers that this market was in the southern section of the city near the main gate in the financial district but now it was covered in black fungus the same kind of fungus he had observed in the Deep Roads. Corypheus started walking towards the center of the city to the "Temple" where he and the others first found the Taint and the Empty Throne for if he was going to find more power here then there was a good place to start or at the very least provide an adequete base from which to conduct his search . The City was devoid of spirits... in this part of the city at any rate.
The Temple stood before him the Taint Corruption strongest here then everywhere else in the city curruption thick all over the building for it was here he and his brothers unleashed the Taint. Corypheus ascended the long stairs into the Temple he could feel the magic radiate from the building and made his way through the door into a hallway displaying statues on each wall of creatures thoughout Thedas Halla Dracolisk Wyvern Bear Wolf and Raven. At the end of the corridor is a large chamber with a High Dragon Statue standing with its head raised jaws open pointing to the floor in the middle of the room with a fire in a brazier buring brightly at it's base there are two hallways leading to other rooms the one on the left lead to an empty throne room and the one on the right lead to an armory of sorts with all manner of magical artifacts suddenly torches all along the walls of the chamber sparked fire and a Spirit came forth.
"Hello my Lord a pleasure to see you again I am the head servant of this place my name is – "
" I care not what your name is Spirit I have no need for it so long as you continue to serve faithfully."
"Is there anything I can do for you I still have your and the others Staves that you left here."
"Return what's mine to me Spirit."
The Spirit then summoned a metal staff inscribed with glowing Tevene writing along it's length with a dragon head design on the top surrounded by flames and a dragon tail blade on the bottom. Corypheus grabbed it and used his magic to extend it's length to accomadate his new height and infused it with red lyrium to increase its strength.
"Ah it is good to have my staff once again have you heard anything about the other Magisters Spirit ?"
" I have only heard of the one who called himself the Architect as for the other five I haven't heard anything and you are the first to return."
"Do you know where the Architect is?"
" The Spirits of the Fade say that he was last seen somewhere in the Deep Roads under Ferelden."
"You lead me and the others to many sources and artifacts of moderate power with the Taint the most powerful of them but now I know that the power the Old God Dumat promised me to truely become a god is here and now I have come for it and you will tell me where it is."
"The last time you where here none of you had the power to claim that power you would have died trying but I sense that now with the Taint and red lyrium in your body that you could be able to claim it but you might not."
"Just tell me where it is Spirit it will be mine."
"It's right here that statue of a dragon is a magical construct that your gods stored some of their power in long ago before they departed."
"How do I claim it Spirit?"
"Stand in front of the brazier and direct your magic at it."
Corypheus walked over to the brazier the dragon's jaws pointed directly at him and summoned his magic and shot a blast of red magic at the statue. Blue veins of magic flared to life on the statue along with arcane symbols starting from its feet up until the head causing its eyes to glow blue then it shot magic from its mouth onto Corypheus for several minutes and when it was over Corypheus was on his knees with his hands an the ground then he slowly stood and destroyed the statue."
"Yesss my power has doubled if not more you have served well spirit."
"Thank you sir I'm glad you have survived may I ask what you intend to do with your new powers ?"
"I will return to Thedas I will find my fellow Magisters I will restore the Imperium and become it's god then I will take my place on the Throne of the Maker no one will stop me the Imperium will rise all hail the Elder One!"
I didn't want to say that the Black City is Arlathan even though there is evidence to suggest it. I also dissmissed the claim that Corypheus has lost his Faith in Dumat or that he somehow doesn't believe the Old Gods don't exist everyone who has played Dragon Age knows they exist and that he spoke to Dumat and when he awoke in DA II he was still the High Priest to Dumat but his behavior completely changed in Inquisition.