"I call." Sulana tossed another coin into the pile.
The dwarven woman narrowed her eyes. "Yesterday, you didn't even know how to play this game."
"I'm a fast learner." Sulana grinned, and took a drink from the mug next to her.
Bridget chuckled, and laid her cards down. "Three staves."
"Not bad." Sulana shrugged. "But they don't beat three dragons." She set her own hand down.
"Dammit." Bridget leaned back in her chair. "Thought I had your tells. Too used to playing with civilized elves." She narrowed her eyes. "You're hustling me."
"You started it." Sulana chuckled, and swept her winnings into a woven pouch. "So which way do you think the wind is blowing?"
"Too soon to say." Bridget shrugged. "My money is on a lot of false promises and about half the mages going back to their towers."
"As many as that?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Once you've tasted free air, kind of hard to accept getting the shaft again." Bridget shrugged. "That why you're here? Trying to figure out how many refugees your folks are going to be getting?"
"Events here are going to affect the world." Sulana shuffled the deck. "And one there is one constant in Thedas. Sooner or later, every piece of shit lands on the elves."
"So..." Bridget picked up her cards, and took a look at them. "I get the feeling you aren't in a big hurry to get back to the Free Marches when this is done."
"Never really cared much for sea travel." Sulana took a drink from her mug.
"Well, happens I belong to an outfit that could always use some good scouts." The dwarven woman's eyes flicked to the sword at Sulana's side. "And some good blades."
She peered at Bridget from over the mug. Smuggling as an alternative career to walking aimlessly through the woods. The idea had a little merit. "I'll keep that in mind."
#
The templar groaned as he sat up and rubbed his head. One of those watching laughed. "That's two falls out of three, Ser Cadmus."
"Maker's breath." The man got slowly back to his feet, and looked across the makeshift combat ring at Sulana. "Pay the blasted knife-ear."
"Someone's a sore loser." Another of the observers called out.
Another man in templar armor handed Sulana a coinpurse. "I heard about the Dalish fighting during the Blight. Were you one of them?"
Sulana shook her head. "No. Was a bit too young to make that fight." She hefted the purse, then shrugged. "Buy you a drink?"
"Won't turn one down." He followed her to the tavern. "Maker, watching Cadmus get his ass handed to him by a Dalish girl of all things..." He chuckled as he sat down across from her. "He is never going to live that down. If the order weren't such a mess right now, I'd be trying to talk you into joining up, Dalish or no."
She grinned as she began questioning him on just what kind of mess the order was in at the moment.
#
Sulana raised an eyebrow when she saw Quiyala walking back up the trail with her companion. The muscular qunari man towered over the elven woman by a good couple of feet, and was definitely on the pretty side. The two of them were laughing about something. "Well now, Quiyala. Atta girl." She smirked. Vathran was going to shit himself.
She waited until the two parted ways before catching up to her friend. "So, your new friend got a brother?"
"Why do you..." Quiyala blinked then laughed and shook her head. "You're terrible."
"Find anything down at the camp?"
"Bits and pieces. You?"
"Lot of factions at play here, and everyone wants something." Sulana frowned. "Where does your friend come into play?"
"He and his mercenary band were hired as security. An attempt by the Divine at neutrality." Quiyala shook her head. "What about your drinking buddies?"
"The split from the Chantry isn't resting well with a lot of the templars." She brushed her hair back from her face. "They're used to thinking of themselves as the good guys."
"As opposed to we evil mages?" Quiyala chuckled.
"You did coat all my undergarments in ice." Sulana reached over and tugged Quiyala's brown hair playfully.
The other woman's smile was pure innocence. "I told you, Ferelden has freak weather patterns."
#
Vathran glared as Quiyala worked her healing magic on the bruises. Sulana ignored him. "I'm still not sure who this other faction is, but there are a significant number of templars among them."
"Mages as well." Quiyala nodded. "Though it seems like they are being led by a templar."
"Ex templar." Vathran spoke up and they both looked towards him. "He was the knight-captain of Kirkwall, of all places." He rolled his eyes when they both continued staring. "You two are not the only ones capable of learning things. And I managed that without getting into a fistfight or wandering aimlessly all over the mountain."
"Yeah, but you didn't have any fun." Sulana grinned. "I can tell. You aren't broken out in hives."
Quiyala snickered. "All right, I think you're good. You managed not to break any of your bones this time around."
"We aren't here to have fun. This is a very serious matter." Vathran gestured up at the Chantry. "The Chantry kept the templars in check. Do you really want rogue templars thinking they need to pay attention to the People?"
"We know how serious the situation is, Vathran." Quiyala kept her voice soothing. "That is why we are here. You get information your way, and Sulana gets it hers. That does give us a broader viewpoint than we would have otherwise." The First squared her shoulders. "I suggest you both follow up on each other's leads and discover what else can be learned."
He started to open his mouth, and then sighed. "You're right. Sulana, see if you can determine how the templars feel about this ex knight-captain. It might tell us what angle the third faction is playing. Quiyala..."
"The third faction is reporting directly to the Divine herself. They are also the ones that hired the mercenaries providing security. I will determine what more I can learn." She started back towards the camp.
Sulana nearly laughed at the look on Vathran's face. "She's the First for a reason, Vathran. She found out that it was the Left Hand of the Divine that hired the mercenaries, and confirmed that the Left Hand is none other than Leliana. The Leliana." She felt a rush of excitement. "Warden Mahariel's Leliana."
"Could he be here?" Vathran turned towards her.
"Haven't heard yet." She rose. If he was, she was not going to pass up the opportunity to meet the first hero the Dalish had produced in centuries. "But it's enough of a lead that you might be able to finagle a chance to speak with her directly." Diplomacy, at least, was something he could handle.
"An interesting notion." He nodded.
#
"Yes."
Bridget glanced up at her. "Yes?" The dwarf's eyes widened. "Yes to the offer?"
"I can't make it official until the Conclave is done. I'm responsible for a couple people until then, but after -" Sulana cut off. "Did you hear something?"
"Someone shouting." Bridget nodded. "Which direction?"
"Not sure." Sulana tilted her head as she listened again. "Stupid place has too many echos."
"I'll go this way, you go that." Bridget headed off.
Sulana immediately went the other way.
#
Rubble.
Char.
Fire.
Soldiers?
Darkness.
#
She was sitting in a prison, her hands manacled, while a bunch of armored humans pointed swords at her. What the hell had been in that bottle, anyway? And her hand was glowing. It would have been interesting, if it didn't feel like she was picking up a hot coal every time it happened.
Two women entered. Both human. Both angry. One of them wore... Well now. A seeker. This day just kept getting better and better. The Seeker walked to stand behind her. "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now. The conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."
That was... Sulana shook her head. No. That couldn't be... The fire and char had been a dream. A hazy nightmare. "All those people?"
Her wrist was grabbed and shaken. "Explain this."
For a moment, Sulana considered lunging forward and biting the hand that held hers. Perhaps something of that showed in her eyes, because the Seeker let her go. Before the questioning could get too much further, the other woman stepped in. "We need her, Cassandra."
Sulana tried to focus. She ran through the breathing exercise they'd shown her all those years ago, and she felt herself calming. "What happens now?"
More questions she couldn't answer. And then they were taking her to some forward camp. Outside, the Seeker - Cassandra - gestured at the sky. "We call it 'the Breach.' It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It's not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave."
Pain shot up her hand again. She gritted her teeth, but a cry escaped her anyway as she fell to her knees. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads..." Cassandra knelt beside her. "And it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."
Not much time. And she was dying. Cassandra was offering her a chance to do so in a way that might just matter. She looked back up at the Breach. "Alright." She stood, and nodded to Cassandra. "You've got a plan? Let's go."
#
People had been staring at her for days. She ignored them just as throughly now as she had then, and followed Cassandra from the town. They were halfway to the bridge when the pain in her hand again drove her to the ground.
Cassandra helped her back to her feet. "The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."
#
Sulana sighed, and offered the sword to Cassandra hilt first. "Have it your way."
Cassandra sighed, and relented. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless." She sheathed her own blade. "I should remember you agreed to come willingly."
Side by side they continued up the mountain. Sulana struck a demon with her shield, stunning it so that Cassandra could deal a mortal blow. A moment later, Cassandra copied the action, and Sulana ran a demon through. Something nagged at the back of Sulana's mind, and then she stopped in her tracks. "Cassandra."
The other woman stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Seeker Cassandra?" Sulana starred.
"Yes." Cassandra nodded.
Her mouth fell open. "By the Creators, you're Seeker Cassandra! Cassandra Pentaghast!" She smiled. "You fought alongside Warden Mahariel at the siege in Wildervale! And in the Nahashin Marshes!" She put a hand over her mouth. "Mythal enaste!"
Cassandra shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Yes, I..."
"What's he like?"
"He was -"
"Did he really kill a werewolf with his bare hands?"
"I'm not -"
"Did the two of you actually kill a dragon with a rockslide in the Blasted Hills?"
"We were -"
"Did you really fight a pride demon on the roof of the Antivan royal palace?"
"We never -"
"How many demons did you really face at Pointe Valiar?"
"There were -"
"Did he truly climb Fort Drakon?"
"Yes, he did that." Cassandra spoke quickly and then pointed up at the sky before Sulana could ask another question. "We should get moving."
"Right." Sulana turned and continued up the mountain, and tried to control the giddy feeling rising inside her. She was going into battle alongside Seeker Pentaghast.
"We're getting closer to the rift. You can hear the fighting."
Sulana nodded. "Who's fighting?"
"You'll see soon." Cassandra gestured for them to hurry. "We must help them."
#
Cassandra sheathed her blade and started for the staircase that led up the mountain. Behind her, she swore she heard the elven woman actually giggle. It was slightly disconcerting. They crested the rise to see the group of soldiers being sorely pressed. She wrinkled her nose when she noticed Varric in the thick of things. She exchanged a glance with the elven woman and they both charged.
Credit where it was due, whoever their prisoner was she could certainly fight. She moved in to back up the soldiers as though she'd been doing it her entire life.
No sooner had the last of the demons fallen than Solas grabbed the prisoner's wrist and pulled her to the rift.
#
They charged simultaneously, driving the demons back from the beleaguered soldiers. Quickly, the soldiers, as well as a mage and a dwarf with a crossbow, moved in to press the advantage.
As soon as the last demon had fallen, the mage grabbed Sulana's wrist. "Quickly, before more come through."
Something happened. Whether it was him, or her, or what, she couldn't say. But her hand felt like it was cramping and then the rift collapsed. She pulled her hand free. "What did you do?"
He nodded to her. "I did nothing. The credit is yours." He gestured at her hand.
"This thing." She stared down at the still faintly glowing mark. If it could close one rift... Maybe there was a chance after all.
"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand." He straightened. "I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake - and it seems I was correct."
Cassandra walked over from where she'd been directing the soldiers to head back. "Meaning it could also close the Breach itself."
"Possibly." His gray eyes looked her over appraisingly. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."
"Good to know. Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." Sulana turned at the sound of the dwarf's voice. She'd almost forgotten about him. He smiled at her. "Varric Tethras: Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong."
"Nice to..." Sulana blinked. "Varric Tethras? The Varric Tethras?" A wide smile came to her face. "Did you and the Champion really..." Cassandra coughed, and Sulana swallowed the question. "Nice crossbow."
"Ah, isn't she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together."
"You named your crossbow Bianca?"
"Of course. And she'll be great company in the valley."
She started to nod, but Cassandra cut off any reply she would have made. "Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but..."
"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."
"He's got a point." Sulana shrugged.
Cassandra made a sound that was somewhere between a grunt and a growl before waving a hand in defeat.
"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I am pleased to see you still live." The elven mage nodded to her. He was quite possibly the tallest elf she'd ever seen.
Varric shrugged. "He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'"
"Oh." She turned to him. "Thank you. Glad someone knows what is going on, cause I sure don't."
"Solas is an apostate, well versed in such matters." Cassandra nodded.
"Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra." He turned his eyes back to Sulana. "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin."
She blinked. He'd willingly turned himself in. "And what will you do once this is over?"
"One hopes those in power will remember who helped and who did not." He looked over her shoulder at Cassandra. "Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."
"Understood." Cassandra gestured. "We must get to the forward camp quickly."
"Well, Bianca's excited." Varric started after Cassandra.
Sulana grinned. Bianca wasn't the only one.
#
They had to deal with another rift on their way to the forward camp. This time, Sulana managed to seal the rift on her own. It was odd, feeling magic flowing through her. Quiyala would... She stopped, and turned her gaze up to the mountain before shaking her head. No. Quiyala and Vathran had to have been outside the temple. Right?
#
In the middle of the bridge, Leliana stood arguing with a man in Chantry robes. It took an act of will not to run up and start firing questions at the woman. The Chantry man glared when he saw them approach. "Ah, here they come."
Leliana smiled. "You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is -"
"I know who she is." The man sneered. "As grand chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution."
"Bite me." Sulana muttered under her breath. From the grin on Varric's face, he'd caught the remark.
"'Order me'? You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat." Cassandra stepped forward
"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry."
"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know." Leliana stepped in before Cassandra could reach for a sword.
"Justinia is dead. We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter."
"Not sure if you noticed, but there is a great big hole in the sky crapping out demons. Isn't that a bit more pressing of an issue?" Sulana folded her arms.
"You brought this on us in the first place." Chancellor Roderick waggled a finger at her. "Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."
"We can stop this before it's too late."
"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers."
Cassandra and Leliana briefly argued over which route to take before they turned to her. Sulana blinked, and then shrugged. "I say we charge." Sulana set her hand on the hilt of her found sword. "I won't live long enough for your trial, so if we are going to do this, let's get it done." If she was going to die, it would be on her feet and fighting.
Cassandra nodded in response, and began making the preparations.
#
Sulana leaped down the stairs and used her shield as a battering ram to drive a demon back from one of the beleaguered soldiers. A moment later Cassandra stood at her back as the two of them made their way across the field to the rift. A few soldiers had rallied to the side of a man in fur lined armor, and had fought the demons to a standstill.
With them providing reinforcements, the demons were cut down. The rift sparked, and Sulana raised her hand to it, willing the magic once more. It pulsed, and closed, vanishing from the sky.
"Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this." Solas nodded to her.
"Let's hope it works on the big one." Varric added.
"No kidding." Sulana turned to where the apparent leader of the soldiers was walking towards Cassandra.
"Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the rift? Well done."
"Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the prisoner's doing."
He turned towards her, a bit of surprise on his face. "Is it? I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here."
She glanced over her shoulder and saw soldiers tending to their fallen. "I intend to try my best."
"That's all we can ask." He nodded. "The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana will try to meet you there."
"Then we'd best move quickly. Give us time, Commander."
"Maker watch over you - for all our sakes."
#
Last time she'd seen images appearing in the air had involved a lot of purple berries. Maybe she was going to wake up and puke in Vathran's boots again. Or in his bedroll, that was a better option. No, dreams didn't usually result in bruises and broken ribs. She set her shield, blocking the shades from getting to the mage as he threw more spells at the pride demon.
"The rift."
She blinked, and then sent forth the energy at the rift. It disrupted the attack the demon had been gathering. The demon faltered. Sulana threw back her head and howled a war cry as she moved in to attack.
The demon fell. She moved towards the rift, said a quick prayer to Andruil, and focused energy through the mark. As the darkness closed around her, she saw the rift close.
#
Her eyes blinked open. For a few precious moments, it was all just a dream. And then she got her bearings. She started to sit up, and heard a gasp as an elven servant dropped her burden. "I didn't know you were awake, I swear."
Sulana swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Don't worry about it. I only -"
To her shock, the serving girl immediately fell to her knees and bowed her head. "I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant."
"No. No, don't do that." Sulana slid off the bed and caught the girl's arms, pulling her back to her feet.
"My lady?" The girl stared at her with wide eyes.
"Don't kneel." Sulana touched the girl's chin. "Ever." She smiled. "What's going on?"
"You are back in Haven, my lady." The girl wobbled a bit when Sulana let her go. "They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days."
She glanced down at her hand. "Then the danger is over?"
"The Breach is still in the sky, but that's what they say." The girl looked over her shoulder. "I'm certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you've wakened. She said, 'at once'."
"And where is she?" Sulana looked down at the odd clothing she was wearing and began looking around for her armor.
"In the chantry, with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once,' she said." The girl practically fled.
Sulana glanced down at the armor. Someone had cleaned it. She put it on and stepped out of the building to find everyone standing around and staring. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and headed towards the Chantry.
#
She walked into an argument, and the man from the bridge ordering her arrest. Cassandra immediately told the templars to ignore him and leave.
"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." The chancellor glared.
"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."
"I did what I could." Sulana shook her head. "And I think it just about killed me."
"Yet you live. A convenient result, insofar as you're concerned."
"Have a care, Chancellor. The Breach is not the only threat we face."
Leliana stepped into view. "Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect." Sulana shrugged, and stepped back a bit to enjoy the show. "Perhaps they died with the others - or have allies who yet live."
The look on Chancellor Fancy-Hat's face was great. "I am a suspect?"
"You, and many others."
"But not the prisoner?"
Cassandra spoke up. "I heard the voices in the temple. The Divine called to her for help."
"So her survival, that thing on her hand - all a coincidence?"
"Providence." Cassandra nodded. "The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour."
Well, this was getting out of control quickly. "You really think your Maker would send someone like me?"
"The Maker does as He wills. It is not for me to say."
"Even if that means a Dalish elf is His chosen?"
"Humans are not the only people with an interest in the fate of the world."
"The Breach remains, and your mark is still our only hope of closing it." Leliana nodded to her.
"This is not for you to decide." The Chancellor made a dismissive gesture.
Cassandra slammed a book down on the wooden table. "You know what this is, Chancellor. A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She advanced on the Chancellor. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With or without your approval."
Without another word, the Chancellor fled the room. Sulana took a deep breath. Wow. This was... Wow. Leliana touched the book on the table. "This is the Divine's directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos." Leliana looked up. "We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now now Chantry support."
Cassandra shook her head. "But we have no choice: we must act now." She turned to Sulana. "With you at our side."
"Sounds like you are going to have one hell of a fight on your hand to get order restored." Sulana smiled. "I'm in."