Prologue

Slipping through the crowd, I found myself panicked and utterly distraught as to where I was in the damned ancient tomb filled with people I knew were important but couldn't quite put names to. I had my own reasons to be here. One reason, The keeper had demanded it. The other reason. I needed to find her. The girl who had been hidden from me for so many years. Lynnette, my half sister.

Skimming the room with dark violet eyes, I searched for locks of raven hair to identify her. I had already run into a few humans already only to be shoved off and called "knife-ear". I don't like the slurs, but I knew they'd be worse if I bore my Vallaslin openly. For now the dark blue markings that represented Ghilan'nan remained hidden under layers of powder and creme.

Damn! I thought, If only I had caught her before she left for the Conclave, I could've stopped her from going. We were six years apart. Lynnette at the tender age of 24 and myself approaching 30. We had not known each other for the first six years. I only found out she existed by accident and before she had been caught for being a mage. Though I didn't get to spend much time with her, I loved her dearly. We hadn't seen each other for over two years. I had to find her.

Caught up in my thought process, I failed to see the man who had unknowingly stepped into my path. We collided but he was able to catch me before my face got too friendly with the floor. No one was supposed to notice me, so I mumbled an apology and went on my way

"Wait!" The man I had just assaulted, called out.

Here comes trouble, I thought. "Yes, Messere?"

"I apologize, I didn't see you." he looked at me with concerned green eyes. "Are you alright, you look lost?"

I avoided his gaze like I had just lied to the Keeper. "Truly Messere, I'm fine."

"Alright, then. I'm Enchanter Regalyan D'Marcall. Who might you be?" he extended his hand in a friendly gesture.

I stared at it, then back at him. Well, I was most definitely not expecting a friendly human. Wait, Enchanter… he might know where to find Lynne. I thought. Returning his gesture with a handshake I answered. "Anari, Messere." my eyes skitted around the room in search of others. None were around. "I have a question."

Regalyan looked confused, but he nodded for me to continue.

"I'm looking for the mages who came from Ostwick Circle. I have been tasked to find them." I half lied.

"Hm. Ostwick…" he held his chin in deep thought. "Ah, I remember now. The mages from Ostwick should be in the western side of the temple."

Damn, I should've looked there before asking anyone anything. "Thank you, Messere. Your help is greatly appreciated." bowing slightly I sped towards the west.

"Anari," he called again. With a sigh I turned back to him, slightly irritated. "I wish you luck in finding them." the statement was odd, but the quirk of his lips and glimmer in his eyes informed me that he knew more than I let on. I nodded and went on.

…

The western side of the temple felt oddly cold, even through the soles of the shoes I had not yet grown accustomed to. It was eerie hearing my own footsteps but I was almost grateful most of the humans had gone to the other side of the temple. Only servant elves and a few Chantry folk remained on this side. But even they stopped occurring as often.

Eventually I found myself alone in the empty temple. It was quiet enough that I could hear my own head buzzing and the sound of my heart beating, either from anxiety or the quiet. I traveled down the corridor until shuffling sounds echoed from around the corner. There's no way an entire group of mages could be so quiet, and there is only one pair of feet. I knew that the temple once held monsters and dragons based on the legends told about the late Hero of Ferelden and her fellow Wardens. Now I wish I had my daggers.

Flat against the cobblestone wall I waited for whoever or whatever was about to pass. A faint candle light and sound of keys came from that direction. My breath held as the figure walked into the line of sight.

The figure appeared with warm brown skin and locks of curly black hair done up into a bun. I gasped quietly. The person didn't seem to notice. I was sure it was Lynnette, but something felt wrong.

'Lynnette' walked on without noticing I was there.

I kept trying to catch glimpses of her face but risked 'Lynnette' seeing me. If this person wasn't Lynnette they'd likely run to a templar and have me arrested for spying and if it was her, what if she didn't recognize me?

Frustrated, I gave up trying to be stealthy. If she ran I was capable of knocking them out and escaping before anyone would notice. I walked directly in front of the person and into the candle light. "Lynnette-" I began but stopped. It was definitely her. She had her freckles, and face. The only difference was her eyes, which starred blankly at me and a sunburst scar that now decorated her forehead.

"Hello. How may I help you?" 'Lynnette' asked.

I stared slack-jawed back at her.

"I apologize, but if you do not need my help I must deliver this notice to the divine." She responded, gesturing weakly to the rolled up parchment in her hand.

"Wait, Lynne, you don't recognize me?" a pained expression painted the my face. How could my own sister not recognize me?

Lynne continued staring blankly at me, breaking my heart. "I do not. The tranquil think not of our old lives as we have been cut off from the fade."

Pressure began to build up behind my eyes. My lip quivered violently as I reached out to cup her face. "What did they do to you?"

The tranquil opened her mouth to speak but the sound of deep rumbling caught our attention. The silence that followed was deafening, like waiting for a the headsman's axe to fall. I was almost certain it was our imagination when I caught the faintest sound of a woman pleading then-.

CRACK!

Lynnette jolted and her body became lively. Her once lifeless hazel eyes suddenly became wide and reflective.

"Anari?!" She called as she looked at me with terror filled eyes. My jaw hit the floor. How did she become normal again? And why was she scared?

"Creators, how?" My head whipped in the direction of the cracking noise. Whatever had caused that loud cracking noise must have broken the tranquility.

In a rush to make sure whatever caused her to be reconnected to the fade was permanent, I grabbed her hand and bolted towards the noise. I wasn't sure how long a reality lapse worked for a tranquil, but I wasn't about to let my sister disappear on me.

We had only ran about one hundred feet before we appeared in front of two large doors. I was still holding Lynne's hand. At this point one would have to kill me and pry my finger off before I would let go. I was not losing her again.

"Someone, help me!" A woman's voice screamed through the wood of the door. Lynne and I exchanged a knowing look. The two of us bashed the door in as hard as we could.

...

A/N: Just so that no one is confused, Anari and Lynnette are HALF sisters. They share the same mom. Also some of you may recognize Enchanter Regaylan D'marcall from DA: Dawn of the Seeker. If you don't already know about him, he is a lovely man :)