It had been almost ten years since I've been at Haven. I'm different than I was back then, but as we all know, growing up changes you. I was a mere 19 when I visited this place along side Warden Cadence, the fallen Hero of Ferelden, a mage, and a trusted friend. Now, I work for the Carta as added muscle, being chosen for this mission, along with my baby sister, because we both were originally from Ostagar, and I knew the area of Ferelden better than anyone else in the Free Marches branch of the Carta. History is bound to repeat again, however, and I bet the Stone that this visit to Haven will be as disatrous as the last.

Sword and axe in their repsected sheathes, I accompanied my sister Kari and about eight other Carta dwarves along side the steps that would eventually lead to the temple. Kari was nervous, as she hated the Carta life, and always feared that one of the other members would cheat her out of our take and either harm or kill her. There have been other threats towards her, as she's only seven years younger than I, but most of them have been, sexual in nature. I'd give up drinking before I let another man, dwarf or not, touch my sister in that way.

"Adden..." she whispered to me. "You seem on edge."

I put a hand on my Kari's shoulder and then ruffled her shoulder length black hair. "It's just the cold." I said, lying. To be honest to myself, I was waiting for the remnants of that dragon cult to ambush us. Kari moved ahead, rejoining the other two girls in the group. As everyone wandered up the steps, I grabbed the flask from around my waist, and twirled my finger in my auburn beard, thinking about the amount of booze that I consumed on a weekly basis. I shook my head clear before downing the rest of the flask.

"Nice work, idiot!" I was being yelled at by Cotr, the appointed leader of this small group. "How many times do I have to warn you about talking during a deal? Eh? That templar almost had a week's worth of lyrium bought for the price of a month's worth."

I was just sitting in the tavern in the newly cult-free Haven, nursing some mead while trying to fight off memories.

"All you do is drink and fight, like some kind of common mercenary. Pathetic. You show up shit-faced to every single mission, waste everyone's time. The Carta would be better off without you." He paused, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him smirk. "That sister of your's though...Now there's a fine Carta member."

Fucking pig. I knew what he meant. It's the way everyone in the Free Marches branch looks at Kari. With lust or jealousy in their eyes. The men see her as a trophy, wanting to capture her, or seduce her to claim that they've gotten laid by the most beautiful dwarf in the Free Marches.

I slammed my fists into the table, the alcohol in my blood fueling these next few actions more than anything. Without a stutter in my motion, I slammed the butt of my axe into Cotr's throat, knocking the poor sod back a few feet. I hooked the axe into his ankle, tripping him, before sitting on his chest, aiming my right fist at his face while my left held his neck, gripping tightly.

"Do it..." he said weakly.

I released him, standing back up. "Pigs like you aren't worth it." I spat next to him, raising my head around to the rest of the tavern. Everyone was watching our little bout. "What are you looking at?!" I yelled. "Back to your drinks."

I was standing on the bridge out of Haven, waiting for Kari to finish up whatever deal she had going on inside the temple. I wouldn't go towards that place. Not after having the living shit scared out of me by the Guardian almost ten years ago. I wondered if it was even still there.

It began to snow, a bit more than my fair liking. Reminded me of magic. As a dwarf, I can't even understand most magic, though spending almost a year and a half with three mages, you learn to pick up the weird feelings that magic gives off. I spat on the ground, then took another swig of alcohol. "Kari, where are you?" I tried to picture her in my mind right then.

Green padded jacket, black boots and warm black leggings to match. Bright, emerald green eyes, light skin, black shoulder length hair, with kind of thick eyebrows. Well, not for a dwarf, but for other females, they're a bit thicker. She's beautiful. And my sister. Shit. I have so much work to do if I want to keep her safe.

I started thinking about what could be taking her so long. I had started taking steps down the walkway, headed towards the temple, when an explosion sounded in the direction of the temple. When I looked up, I could see a shockwave fast approaching. I braced myself for the force, but it still knocked me back, forcing me against the bridge, the air being forced out of my lungs.

Stepping up on my feet, I had one thing on my mind. I ran in the direction of the Temple of Sacred Ashes, the abnormal green sky the last thing processing to my senses. The crest of the hill was in sight, multiple people running away from the place I was going. I hate going up hill. Dwarf legs are already useless enough.

The top of the hill is fast approaching. I ascended the final step, and I fell to my knee.

The Temple was gone.

Which means...Kari is gone.