Toward Empty Throne
9:43 Dragon Age – Dorian returns from Tevinter to find that Inquisitor Lavellan had been missing for two months. No sign of any trace of him, except for the letter the Altus received a few weeks ago.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Dragon Age Series
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Chapter 1: Echoed a Vast Silence
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DORIAN had just arrived in Skyhold that day, and already it had been magnificently stressful. There had been nothing but arguments since he arrived, and he was surprised how the Inquisition had been holding on its own since the leader's disappearance.
Mahanon Lavellan: The Herald of Andraste, the Dalish Warrior who took down a Darkspawn Tevinter Magister who killed the Holy Divine Justinia, attempted to take over the world and become a God. He has the Empress Celene and Spymaster Briala eating off the palm of his hands—though not literally. Basically, they will do anything he asks, but Mahanon was never one to abuse.
He was kind and patient, and he always would help people without asking anything in return. However, in a battle, he was ruthless—in a good way. He had courage with him that when he calls to charge, others would follow right behind. He led them to victory every step of the way. He never had once abandoned them, and time and time again it was proven, including sacrificing the Qunari Alliance for the Iron Bull's Chargers.
And now… He was missing. He had left. Had he abandoned them?
No. That was not his Amatus.
"Enough! I want to know first at how Maha—the Inquisitor's disappearance came about," The Magister demanded though it sounded more of a plea.
Cassandra looked at him before she cautioned, "…You will not like the beginning of it."
"I can handle it," Dorian insisted, but she shook her head and continued, "No, you won't. The Inquisitor made us promise not to tell you."
"But… it seems we have to break that promise," Cullen said as he let out a heavy sigh at that. He began to explain, "Four months ago, the Keeper of Lavellan sent a letter to the Inquisitor, asking him to pay a visit. Of course, he went to the Free Marches and with company to guard him—Blackwall and Bull was with him."
"They didn't get far into the Free Marches," Cassandra said, taking over. "They were ambushed in the Imperial Highway… Remaining Venatori."
Dread filled Dorian, hearing that and he asked, "He defeated them…right?"
Cullen shook his head, and continued, "No. The Venatori hired a lot of Mercenaries that day, too much for the company to bare that there were fatalities. The Warden and the Qunari almost didn't make it, but the Inquisitor was… he was captured."
"Captured?!" Dorian asked, shocked to hear this. "What? How… Why didn't he tell me any of this?"
The Templar sighed. "Like I said, he made us promised… Three weeks, Dorian. He was with the Venatori for three weeks, and he wouldn't tell us what happened."
"How come none of you contacted me?!" Dorian asked in a panic rage.
"We did, but the letters were intercepted," The new Spymaster, Malachi Rector, the right-hand agent of Leliana, spoke. "The Venatori did not want word to reach you, but because of that mishap, we managed to trace them back to their lair where they were keeping the Herald."
"I took Bull, Vivienne, and the Warden with me to rescue him," Cassandra said and a shadow look casted upon her face. "But… when we arrived at the lair, there was… Blood everywhere. We soon found the Inquisitor, sitting on a chair with corpses of the Venatori lying around in limbs and pieces."
"So… He killed them all?" Dorian asked. Obviously, something had happened in that three weeks, and he could only feel shame for his Amatus in trouble and not being there for him…and anger for Mahanon not to tell him any of this.
"Yes, but… when we returned to Skyhold, he had…changed," Cassandra said. "You do remember he drank from the Well of Sorrows?"
There was more? Dorian urged them, "Yes… go on."
The Spymaster spoke again, "We've recovered wooden figurines that's been depicted to be Mythal—an old Elvhen Goddess that I'm sure you are aware of. There was also a journal of his that he left behind, open and bookmarked in a certain page. Here."
He gave him a leather bound notebook and Dorian took it hesitantly. He looked through to the page where the red sash was placed, and sure enough in that one page, there was a passage:
Justice is due,
To those who wronged her
And wrought her vengeance
They best weep behind
Those closed black doors
For I will come and end
Their singing.
Dorian blinked; he was stunned. Amatus had written this? "What is this? 'Closed black doors'… does he mean the black city?"
"We assume it is what he meant," Spymaster Rector said as he continued to explain, "More than a month had passed since the Herald's safe return, and though his companions claim he still acts the same, they admitted that there was a difference. He left Skyhold, wishing to visit his Clan, but from what we gathered with our intel, he did not go there. Instead, he went to Empress Celene and asked for Lady Morrigan's assistance. A few days later, we've received word that they have disappeared from the castle. No trace of either them. That is when the Inquisitor, along with Lady Morrigan, disappeared first. …the only clue we have left is the letter the Inquisitor sent to you."
Dorian nodded as he took out the parchment from his coat pocket. "Yes… It is why I came here."
"What did the letter say?" Cassandra asked and all eyes turned to the Tevinter Altus, waiting for him to read the private letter. It would be their only clue in tracking down the Inquisitor Lavellan.
Dorian decided to hand it over to Cassandra for her to read it.
She read it aloud,
"Dear Ma'vhenan… I have been lying to you for the past couple of months, but you must forgive me. I cannot have you be involved with what I am in, and the same is said for the Inquisition and my dear friends. This… is a path where I have no certainty that any one of us will make it out alive. Do not be angry with Cassandra, Cullen, and anyone else for I have instructed them not to tell you anything of me, but myself. I cannot let you find me for you will surely stop me; however there is a reason why I write to you this… last letter." Cassandra paused and Dorian hung his head low. The last letter he'll ever receive from him.
The Seeker continued, "Soon a great voice will cry out once more…for a reckoning that will shake the very foundations of heaven and earth. I beg of you, ma'vhenan, leave Tevinter with your family. I cannot express this urgency more than enough in a written parchment, but I care for you still… Please do not come and find me. Ma'arlath…ma sa'lath."
They paused for a long a while in silence before Cullen asked, "What did he mean by…a great voice? Is that not from the Threnodies?"
Rector nodded, saying, "Yes… I believe it went… But when they took a single step toward the empty throne, a great voice cried out, shaking the very foundations of Heaven and earth… And so did the Golden City blacken…"
Cullen shook his head. "This is insane! He can't seriously be planning on entering the Black City? …Could he?"
"He has the power," Cassandra said. "…The ability to… We have no choice now, we must track down the Inquisitor…and imprison him."
"Now, hold on for a moment there, Cassandra," Dorian interrupted, taking a step towards. "I'm all for finding Mahanon, but imprisoning him? We need to question him, we need to find out why he is doing this first. There has to be a reason…"
"That… or the Well of Sorrows had finally change his mind," Cullen stated, earning a glare from the Tevinter Altus. Mahanon couldn't have change so quickly and over something called the Well of Sorrows… Then again, he did mention once about seeing Mythal in person.
"Either way, we have to find him," Cassandra said with finality. It was something they all could agree on.
"Thanks to the letter that was received by Lord Pavus, we were able to track down the deliverer and he said the person who gave him and paid him to deliver it was an Elf… with silver hair and golden eyes." That's Mahanon.
All brows raised, looking at Rector as he continued, "My spies are tracking him down as we speak. So far, we've managed to find small traces of him in the far west… He was last seen in Churneau of Orlais."
Dorian gripped his staff, hearing that, "Then we need to leave now and find him."
Cassandra spoke, "I am going with you. Cullen, you, Josephine, and Rector should be able to handle things here."
Cullen nodded. "We've always had for the last couple of months… Go and bring the Inquisitor back."
Cassandra frowned. "Let us hop it is still him."
It is still him, Dorian assured himself, and he hoped they will find him…before the reckoning.
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