Notes before you read: This is AU, Cullen isn't the only Commander, he was still recruited by Cassandra after the Kirkwall incident, however he wasn't the only one. Cassandra also recruited a certain Warden Logain to the cause. Needless to say SPOILERS AHEAD!

Also I do not own any part of Dragon Age, or its related materials.

An explosion rocked the small town of Haven, and a Breach in the veil between the world and the Fade formed. Corrupted veilfire fell from the sky, some ripping more holes in the veil, others containing demons, it was clear that something disastrous had occurred at the Conclave, and that the likelihood of anyone surviving was impossible.

That was what Commander Cullen thought as he and his men started picking through the ruins, finding charred and broken bodies. No sign of the Divine, or anyone else alive, until a tear opened right in front of him, depositing a young woman at his feet, who promptly passed out. A mage. He wrinkled his nose at that. Even without taking Lyrium he could tell the sizzle of magic around and within her. He had to force his thoughts from returning to the darkness that he had felt in both Ferelden's Circle and in Kirkwall. Hawke was a mage and had ultimately tried to help prevent the Mage-Templar Rebellion there, which ultimately failed.

He motioned to two of his troops. "Take her, Seeker Pentaghast will want to question her." He said, distaste clearly sounding in his voice. Not all mages were abominations, but that wasn't saying that she was safe either. There were only two mages that he would trust with his life, and both were heroes of his age. He remembered Avenia Surana, a rather flirtatious elven mage. He had been selected to... dispose of her if she turned abomination at the Circle and she had become the Warden Commander of Ferelden. Then there was the apostate Zarena Hawke, the scion of House Amell and the Champion of Kirkwall. He chuckled bitterly to himself, he had none of the luck, but every mage he seemed to connect with seemed to go on to greatness. He mourned the loss of life at the Conclave, but a much more serious task lay ahead. A gauntlet-clad hand rested on one of the toppled walls as a sense of foreboding lay on his shoulders like a heavy blanket. Whether or not this mage caused the catastrophe wasn't the full issue, it also led into other areas. Like how it was caused, and why. She may have answers, she may not, but the questions still needed to be asked.

As the day drew to a close, the only thing illuminating the sky was the sickly green of the Breach. Cullen had travelled back from the Temple of Sacred Ashes to Haven, fingers playing with the Ferelden coin he always carried with him. 'For Luck' his brother had said, what luck it possessed must still be within, because with his history... he could have done with it.

As he stepped through the gate, he became acutely aware of an unfamiliar mage presence beside the Seeker's side. The imprint wasn't like the one he got from the woman earlier, and he gave another growl-meets-groan. What was Seeker Pentaghast... Cassandra up to? As he approached, he saw that the newcomer was male, and elven, and bald as a newborn. "Seeker." He said as he then looked pointedly at the elf. Cassandra made an annoyed cluck at the ex-Templar.

"At ease, Commander." She said in her heavy accented tongue. "Commander Cullen, this is Solas." She moved between the two men as she saw a sharp look from Cullen. "He came to help." Cullen gave a disbelieving snort. "He says that the prisoner will die if he is unable to help" She could still see his fists balled up. "He won't do anything without my approval, you have my word. If he does, then you can do with him what you will." Cullen relaxed a little more as he saw the elf, Solas, incline his head.

"Aww come on Curly, give Chuckles a break." Suddenly the ex-Templar groaned. He recognised that voice all too well. "Not all mages are bad, remember Hawke?" Cullen held his breath and started counting down from twenty, usually ten was enough but that was for everyone that wasn't Varric Tethras. The dwarf made up for his lack of height with that extra large mouth of his, and his faster brain.

"Varric... its a pleasure to see you again." Cullen said pleasantly enough, however anyone really listening to him would be able to tell exactly how uncomfortable he was, especially thanks to his nickname on that wicked dwarf's tongue from his time in Kirkwall. "How is Lady Zarena? I hope she and the elf are well." He saw the dwarf chuckle.

"She was the last time I saw her. Broody is a but a little less broody now that he knows he has a home." Cullen could see Cassandra's eyes narrow. She knew that Varric was a story spinner, and that made him chuckle a little too. "Just wish I knew where she was, she moves around a lot." Lies, Cullen knew, but he wasn't about to tell that to Cassandra. The Seeker would have to find that out herself. He had already given out that Hawke's lover had a stable home, and Fenris would never leave Zarena's side. Even Cullen could see the adoration that the tortured elf held for her, and as much as he hated to admit it, she had always been nothing but a good influence on those around her. "I'm sure that she would be delighted that the Knight Commander remembered her apostate ass."

Red flushed the pale cheeks of the ex-Templar, she certainly did have a nice ass and... he mentally slapped himself. He was thankful that the darkness hid his features "I... I need to go and get some sleep. It's been a long day" He inclined his head to Cassandra, Solas and Varric before heading towards his tent.

Cassandra watched Cullen leave before she turned back to Varric, but the Dwarf just shrugged as he wandered off. She then looked at Solas. "Now you were saying?" She said to the elf.

"I wanted to check how the Veil works around her." He said, looking concerned. "I could feel the forces... warp up there. If she is linked to the breach in the veil then... she could be adversely affected. Could you take me to her please? If you want answers from her... then you would need to make sure that she lives." Cassandra motioned for him to follow her to the cell where the prisoner was being kept.

"This is very bad!" Solas exclaimed as he saw the mark on her hand pulse and throb. "This needs to be stabilised immediately!" He said as he cradled her left hand with his own and tried to 'stitch' the 'wound' with his own magic. Seeing that Cassandra had left the room to talk to another shemlen. "Ma abelas, shemlen" He said. "You have a long, overgrown, path to tread." The mark hummed with ancient magics, his ancient magics. Nobody needed to know the truth of the situation, it was his shame to bear. However now he had to give the Seeker enough information for her not to kill the young mage, but not enough to show just how much he knew about it. He didn't have the strength to deal with the horrors unleashed by his own weakness.

"So... what can you tell me about her?" Cassandra motioned towards the prostrate mage.

"Whatever is wrong with her, it's unstable. If the breach grows, so will the mark on her hand. If it grows too much, it will consume her." The self named Solas said. "However there are more immediate effects, the main breach has spawned many rifts, and those tears are allowing demons through. Those need to be contained and sealed, but I think that the only way that can be mended is by this mark, but that would need to be tested." He walked past her towards the door. "I would suggest deploying your men sooner than later, Seeker, there is no telling how far the rips will occur." He leaned on his staff. "I will help your men in the battles to come, I leave her care to you."

Elven Dictionary:

Ma: you have my

Abelas: sorrow

Shemlen: quick child/human