Chapter 1: Below Hell

It was cold. It was dark. It was sour. It was a scent, she soon realized, that was sour. Its pungency only gave her a small distraction from the cold that bit at her flesh. She pulled in her limbs to escape their plight and rested them against her chest which heaved in and out as the panic set in. Giving a few minutes to focus, the woman realized she was lying down on thick layer of packed dirt. Breath heaved through her crooked mouth. The teeth chattered in turn, whispering all her worries. She tried to remember, as best she could, to where exactly she was. Who she was, was simple. She was Elek, uncreatively named so by her mother. Poor, hardworking and responsible were only a few words she would use for herself; however, the later was arguable. But then remained the sourness.

The smell awoke her from the memories and back into the black. Without much thought, the woman jolted forward to sit-up. As her body swept forward, she was abruptly stopped with a thud and a dull pain on her forehead. Elek winced. A sharp breath hissed from her lips as she dropped back onto the cold ground. Her hands had moved to rub her temple. It was then the young woman felt something wet as her finger tips dragged over her flesh. She pulled them back to rub the liquid between her thumb and forefinger and squinted to identify the liquid. Yet, the black was too thick and she threw away the thought with a sigh.

Next came the curiosity of her boundaries. Her hands, very slowly, extended from her sides. Their twitching tips floated through the air with tentative hesitation. Only a short distance from her head, she felt a steady ceiling. It was rough to the touch and grooved like wood. Yet, even as she pushed forward the surface did not budge. The woman momentarily gave up with that plan and reached out in the air beside her. When her hands were able to reach out as far as possible, they felt nothing. It inspired questions about what was wiser: to stay or to go. A cautious person would take the first option. Mindless survival in the dark was better than chancing to get into further danger. Elek, however, was not cautious or wise. She was scared. Her heartbeat told her to simply go. So, with a bit of a panicked struggle, the woman flipped onto her stomach and started to crawl away.

Her elbows dug into the dirt as her knees scraped against the ground. Her body pulled and wiggled as she blindly reach out periodically to meet again with simply air. New thoughts started to bleed into her mind. She wondered if perhaps this was the Fade. No light, no sound, no other being was present, the facts weren't looking good. Yet if this were the Fade then there were things to consider. Primarily how she got there. While dying in her sleep was possible, Elek prayed that wasn't how she died. She had always wanted some dramatic and passionate death – something that people would sing about later. Of course, songs about elf servants were rare and even more rarely enjoyed so that event was unlikely. Next she wondered about what she would do with an eternity in the dark. Digging was a good option, she supposed. Least she could make herself a nice little hole in the dirt ground to call her own. It then dawned on her that there was dirt in the Fade which seemed fairly odd to her. Personally she would have chosen a ground made of wiggling worms. There was no denying that would be a horrid place to wait to dissipate. But still she wiggled her on own little way.

Between her breaths she heard a new sound. It was low and husky like a quivering whisper. Immediately the woman stopped. Her heart raced once more as she waited to hear it again. It came back with a single audible word, "Help." Elek, again unwise, had chosen to call out, "Hello? Is someone there?" Her voice was weak out of worry as curiosity crept in again, "hello?"

"Help," The stranger cried again in a sickly tone between heaving breathes. The elf crept forward to follow the wheezing. It led her until her unsteady hand met with another body. It felt like a limb, perhaps a forearm that lay below her fingers. She gripped it more tightly as she whispered, "It's okay. I'm here."

The voice cooed back in a staggered manner, "Where are you?"

"I'm here, I'm holding you." Elek answered.

A brief silence swept over the pair until the stranger gurgled, "I, I don't feel you." A set of coughs shook the air as the voice struggled and died. The young maiden winced to the sound but refused to move. The terror kept her still through the horror until her hands began to shake. The jarring shuffled the limb below her hands as it began to move freely through the dirt. It didn't take long for her to realize the arm she held was severed. She shrieked. Her hands dropped it as she scuttled into a full lifeless body. Again, another scream rang from her shivering lips. Elek tried to fumble the body away but her panicked hands failed her as the corpse continued to be batted against her. Her eyes watered in the darkness and let loose a series of tears that streamed her dirt covered face. The fear so consuming, the woman pushed her way through the black without hesitation. Her head batted several times against the low ceiling and flesh tore from the dirt ground. It wasn't until she saw a thin streak of light did she take a single pause of thought.

The ideas that first came to mind weren't especially intellectual. It was simply: I need to escape. Bleeding, dirt covered and crying, Elek didn't consider much else. Concerns that something even worse could be behind the small wooden door did not exist in her racing mind. She jutted her hand upwards to push against the dark square encircled by the white light. When the digits made contact, the door did not move. The woman pushed again with another failure. Elek sobbed something unintelligible as she reared her hands back and charged the door. Her palms thrust against the door over and over again until they were numb with pain. In a final effort, the elf shuffled so that her legs could kick at the door which her feet attacked without mercy. They slammed themselves unreserved at the door until several of her toes broke in a scream. She would die, she realized with a defeated cry. This would be her burial place among the rotting corpses. 'Rot. Rot. Rot.' The word buried itself into her mind as every inch of her finally gave into despair. But then came the light.

It was blinding at first. The pitch black had so consumed her that even her mind staggered to react. With some time, she realized there was a shadow. It had two large horns that stood erect from a meaty head as thick shoulders broke the light. It must have been a demon, she thought as she held her breath. Soon a hand grabbed her ankle. It was tight and pinched the skin as it tugged the leg upwards. Elek screamed. Her hands had moved to dig themselves into the dirt to anchor her but they were simply dragged through the muck. A voice had entered the scene soon after. It was calm and playful, "Hey, no need to scream. I got you."

As Elek was pulled out from the darkness her blue eyes fell upon the stranger. He was Qunari. Scares covered his thick grey skin with large black horns jutted from his forehead. His lips were twisted into a grin that peaked through short facial hair and an eye patch covered one eye. Most of his chest was bare. It would have been more appealing had the elf not still quaked with fear. As her body was fished out of the hut's underbelly, Elek was again not wise enough to remain silent. "Who are you?" Her voice shook as a large hand palmed her back and pulled her into a carry.

"Iron Bull. Here to help." He answered frankly, "And you?"

The woman was hesitant at first but the large man waited for her to answer. It came weakly through her quivering lips, "Elek."

"Like the beast?" Iron Bull threw back.

"Something like that," She whispered as she finally felt the panic slowly subdue. But as the adrenaline decreased, the pain entered. Her hands were sore from bashing them against the cellar door. Her elbows and forearms stung from crawling. A dull roar echoed through her head that came from it banging against the bottom of the floor boards, and her toes ached with intensity unmatched by any other current pain. Her head ached so badly any further words escaped her.

"Not gonna lie, Elek. You look like a mess."He grunted. His dark eyes paced her dirty form. "Can you walk?"

"I hope so." She answered still unable to pull her lips into a smile.

Iron Bull then tilted her forward so that her legs dangled to the ground. Her hands pushed from his chest to help angle her straight. Slowly her foot touched the ground. As her large toe, bent slightly sideways from the fracture, grazed the floor her face winced with a sharp breath. "I think it's –" Elek stopped. Her face dropped to see the room around her. How she never noticed it previously amazed her. Around the pair laid a siege of bodies. The ground was soaked red as blood dripped through the cracks between the wood. It was a massacre. Any previous thoughts were forgotten as she murmured, "What...what is this?" The woman tried to step forward out of his grasp but her foot collapsed from under her.

Her company quickly reacted to pull her back into his arms. "I got you," He began, "Blood mages were using the shack as some sort of victim storage. I didn't think there was anyone left. Lucky I heard you banging around. I woulda just walked away." He laughed, almost ill-humouredly. "Did you see anyone else alive down there?" Elek had knots in her stomach as she took in everything. It left her only able to shake her head. "Well you were pretty loud. If nothing came to greet you I'm guessing there's no one left. Should check just in case." He answered as his dark eyes turned back to the black hole that she was dragged from before turning towards the door.

Elek hadn't wanted to stare at the bloody mess but she couldn't stop herself. Something gripped her from the sickest part of her mind. The broken bones, mutilated flesh, and hallowed faces scarred her. They remained in her thoughts long after Iron Bull carried her from the building and gently placed her on the ground several steps from the house. A young human man greeted the pair. "Hey Boss," He welcomed with a straight face, "You found someone?"

"Yep. Krem, Elek." Iron Bull introduced with a nod, "She can't walk. May be shock though. Mind checking?"

The boyish young man shuffled to the wounded elf and took a knee before her. His voice was soft as he answered, "I'll see what I can do."

"Alright." Iron Bull smiled widely, "Time to tear shit up." The Qunari cracked his neck, rolled his shoulders and marched back towards the house. The bloodied woman simply watched him. Her mind frayed between fragments of thoughts but lost in the world. Her attention would be grabbed by Krem soon.

"Can you hold up your leg for me?" The man asked still keeping a cold face as his hand palmed her shin gently.

"Yeah sure," Elek agreed as she weakly complied. "My toes are what hurt." Her foot was tenderly gripped by Krem as he studied her lower limbs. It made her feel uncomfortable. First he tested her ankle by rocking the joints back and forth. When she didn't respond, he repeated the action on her knee. Finally ruling out those, his fingers then gently poked at her large toe on her left foot. The elf immediately winched and hissed. The man nodded in confirmation as he declared, "It looks like you broke a few of your toes, but past that you seem fine. You must have wanted to get out bad. Can't blame you though, that place looked like hell." "It was." Elek stated. Her eyes not dared meet her company's. "I guess I should just be thankful I can't remember anything else before waking up." She tried for a smile but it fell into a slight smirk.

"You don't remember anything else?" Krem asked. His face started to show slight contempt. The elf was sure it was out of frustration. A mindless elf could be quite a burden. Slowly be placed her feet back onto the ground.

"Not in regards to this place. I remember I'm a messenger for the Lydes. Been working there for a long time now. Last thing I remember I was out delivering a note to a noble man in Val Royeaux." Elek answered quickly, worried to be considered unworthy of help by this relative stranger. Her body tensed.

Before Krem could reply a series of banging was heard. Loud cracks and grunts followed and broke through all silence in the forest. Elek pulled all her limbs in to curl into a defensive ball. Her eyes were wide and heart quickened again below her chest.

"It's okay," Krem finally smiled, "Just the boss taking out some anger. He's probably pulling up the floorboards to make sure no one's missed."

Elek was quiet for a time as she kept her stiff pose, "How can you just smile? This was horrible."

Krem shrugged and furrowed his brow. "It's always horrid," He muttered, "but letting it get to you is worse. Just breathe. It'll be okay." The young man then replaced her foot back onto the ground. His dark eyes turned to watch the shack. "Anyways, we'll get you fixed up when we get back to town. We could all use a few drinks." He took a place on the ground beside the woman.

The two sat in peace for a while until the large, beastly man exited the shack with a solemn smile.