Rated M for safety reasons.

Disclaimer: Belongs to Bioware. I'm just in love with the elf-kind.

Thanks for the reviews(!): Grand Admiral Pellaeon and Shattered Soul 2021.

I feel like Cassandra was OOC...

Unbeta'd: All mistakes are my own and I will fix them when you or I catch them :)


Never Even Hurt a Fly

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This is so messed up.

I could feel their hatred down to my very bones. It made the hairs on the back of neck stand up, my heart beat faster, and my limbs quiver. I stumbled a bit on the walkway, but I quickly pulled myself upright and continued onward. I kept my head low, and refused to look up. Unable to take their accusing gazes.

Even if it wasn't my fault.

"We call it "the Breach"." Explained Cassandra, her gaze lifted towards the broken sky. "It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It is not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave."

"An explosion can do that?" Mr. Mass inquired, his burly voice sounding surprised.

"This one did." Cassandra answered, turning to look at us. "Unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world."

There was an explosion. It was so loud it made my ears ring. Everything around me shook: the ground, the sky, the air. Out of reflex, I fell to the ground and covered my head – muffling a squeak. Because when something explodes, it's human nature to hit the deck. Or at least, my nature. Mr. Mass screamed, and from my peripheral vision, I saw his green mark pulsate and spark angrily.

Cassandra ran to his side with a look of resolution, and maybe something akin to worry. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads…and it is killing you."

"T-then how do we stop it?" I asked suddenly from over my arms. Cassandra looked at me, surprised. "How do we stop it from killing him?"

"I…do not know." She answered honestly; facial expression troubled. "If we somehow close the Breach then maybe…"

"I understand." Mr. Mass proclaimed suddenly as the sparking of his hand dissipated.

Cassandra's brows raised upward. "Then?"

"I will do what I can. Whatever it takes." He answered, nodding.

Cassandra was silent, her facial expression blank. Suddenly she stood, and grabbed Mr. Mass's arm pulling him up too.

"Come." She stated over to me. "We must go." I blinked owlishly before nodding. I picked myself up, and brushed off the dirt before chasing after Cassandra who was walking briskly. What is with this woman and her long strides? I thought miserably. Already I could feel my sides aching from all the exercise, and I hadn't even made it out of Haven yet. Plus the thirty pound book hanging from my shoulder didn't help my predicament either.

"They have decided your guilt." Cassandra motioned to the gathering crowd. "They need it."

I shied away again, moving a bit closer to Cassandra doing my best to ignore their piercing gaze while biting my nails nervously. If she noticed, she didn't say anything, but continued onward; undeterred.

"The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justina, Head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers." Cassandra explained as we pushed through the pass, farther away from Haven till we neared an entrance to a massive bridge. "It was a chance for peace between the Mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."

As we entered the bridge, I felt the sudden change in the atmosphere. No more were the angry and scared villagers who cursed and spit in our direction. Instead, we were received by the blank hopeless expressions of the soldiers who protected them looking resigned to their fate. It was the expression of someone who knew they were going to die. My hands began to quiver in fear. This isn't right. This is wrong. Even my nightmares were never this realistic.

"We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves. As she did. Until the breach is sealed." Cassandra stopped in the middle of the bridge, and removed a knife from her side. "There will be a trial. I can promise no more." She turned and cut Mr. Mass free from his bindings, something I had not realized he had. I looked down at my own free hands. I guess I am not considered enough of a threat to fully bind. I wasn't sure if I was happy or a little put out about that fact.

"And the same will go for you." Cassandra added turning her honey colored eyes to me.

I was silent a moment before nodding. "I guess that's all I can ask for all things considering."

She gave a curt nod in return before motioning us to follow her. "Come, it is not far."

Mr. Mass rubbed his wrists and eyed the seeker warily. "Where are you taking us?"

She glanced over her shoulder to look at him before turning back around, starting forward towards the end of the bridge.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach."

"Goody." I mumbled to myself with a small scowl. "The adventure begins, and so does more walking." The armor was doing a pretty good job at keeping me warm despite the cold, but at the same time it was stifling. I was not used to wearing such heavy layers of clothes. With each step I took, it was like another pound was added, and I was beginning to drag. Great, 20 minutes in Thedas and I'm already whining to go home.

"Open the gate! We are heading into the valley!"

The three of us exited the bridge and walked down the slope the mountain. As we walked, I could hear the sounds of fighting some distance away, and a certain vile smell that became stronger. The smell of burning flesh; of decaying flesh. I couldn't see any bodies, but the smell lingered in the air; taunting the living. I covered my nose and mouth with my hands in order to block any of it. I had never smelt anything like it ever before in my entire life. I resisted a gag. I would not puke in front of Cassandra. I refused too. I would not show that kind of weakness.

Another explosion, another earthquake. This time I was able to stand my ground by grabbing onto the stone wall for support. Mr. Mass was not as lucky as he fell to his knees crying out in pain - his right hand sparking dangerously. My stomach lurched uncontrollably.

Cassandra helped Mr. Mass to his feet, eyes concerned. "The pulses are coming faster now. We must be ready."

"R-ready for what?" I asked, grasping the stone wall like it was my only life line.

"For anything." She stated simply and walked away.

"Well, that's helpful." I mumbled sourly and trudge helplessly after her.

"The more the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the demons we face." Cassandra said without turning around.

Mr. Mass caught up to us and strode past me in two steps to catch up the seeker. "How did we survive the blast?"

The seeker hesitated as if she was unsure of telling us before she shook her head. "They said…you stepped out the rift carrying her in your arms." Cassandra nodded her head towards me. Mr. Mass turned to look at me with an inquiring gaze. My brows shot to my hairline as my mouth dropped. Wait, what? That can't be right.

"You then fell unconscious not a second later."

During Cassandra's explanation we came upon the second bridge. As the other two continued on ahead, I hesitated at the entrance. Oh crap, this is bad. The bridge is about to go down. How do I prevent this?

There were so many people on the bridge. In the game it looked like only a few, and when the bridge exploded I never even considered the people that had just died. Looking at them now though, knowing their death was upon them. It felt like a rock had just settled in my gut.

"They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was." Cassandra continued

"A woman?" Mr. Mass questioned with a slight baffled look. He turned to look back at me, but noticed I was not there. He stopped walking in order to fully turn around, and stare at my immobile form at the entrance. Cassandra too stopped when she noticed she no longer held the attention of the Kossith.

She turned around and glared heavily in my direction. "What are you doing? We do not have time for games."

My eyes widened at her violent tone of voice, and I suddenly felt very small and very worthless.

"I – ah –um." I stuttered feeling tongued tied, but I had no idea what to say. Sorry, but the bridge is about to explode. Maybe we can go around it?

That conversation couldn't possibly go wrong.

"Well?" Cassandra demanded taking a couple intimidating steps forward. I opened my mouth to answer, thinking about saying some lame excuse about the fear of heights (not considering I did just walk across the other bridge without so much as a hiccup) when time ran out. I could see the incoming demon-infested meteor right above her head, and it was coming straight at her.

I ran without a second thought. I charged straight toward Cassandra whose eyes widened in surprise and she took a step back – hand at the hilt of her sword.

"Sto-!" She began, eyes narrowed, but I interrupted her.

"Look out!" I shouted giving her pause and me enough time to reach her (and not be skewered). I bulldozed into Cassandra knocking her off her feet, and together we fell backward into Mr. Mass who was just behind the seeker. I saw him move his arms in attempt to catch us, but his action went unappreciated as the ground beneath us buckled and shifted.

The three of us were thrown from each other, and I was pulled backwards by a sudden vacuum. My back hit the broken edge of the bridge, and I barely had enough time register the pain before I was falling again. I tumbled down the broken pieces of rock and stone, each hit hurting worse than the last. When I finally fell to the frozen river my vision was white, my ears were ringing, and my head was spinning wildly.

"Shiiit~" I cursed loudly as I touched my forehead. I felt something wet, and I pulled back my hand to only see red. "Double shit."

"You okay?" I heard someone ask next to me. I angled my head sideways and squinted to see Mr. Mass already standing looking a little tussled but no worse for wear.

"Yeah." I grumbled. "Just bruised."

"Look out!" Cassandra shouted suddenly, Immediately, I snapped my head backwards to see another incoming fade-meteorite. Panicking, I turned too my stomach and pushed myself up. I stumbled backwards as Cassandra and Mr. Mass took positions in front of me.

"Stay back!" Cassandra ordered, removing her sword from her belt and a large shield from her back.

"Holy mother of – god damn!" I cursed shuffling even farther away as the meteorite hit the river. There was only smoke for just a moment, and I thought (for just one second) that maybe nothing would happen. I mean, this was all in my head. I didn't need to follow the storyline to a "T", right? Right?

That hope was shattered almost instantaneously as something out a of a horror movie crawled out. From of the crater, left from the meteorite, came a large black hand pulling out a humongous slug like body. The shade gave a high pitched scream that sent chills down my spine. Cassandra darted forwarded with a warrior's cry. Not seconds later, from the exact spot she had been standing, the river began to bubble green and black. Another shade began clawing his way out from the fade.

Mr. Mass wasted no time. He darted towards the left where multiple weapons laid eschewed from the collapse. The Kossith grasped a large battle axe from the pile. He twisted and twirled it elegantly in his hands, gaining the shade's full attention.

With no experience with weapons or battle, I hid myself behind what was left of the bridge in order to stay out of sight. My eyes were wide with amazement as I continuously peaked around the rubble in order to see the fight.

"Hot damn." I whispered to myself. "I guess my Inquisitor is a tank."

I watched as Mr. Mass swiped his sword multiple times through the air. Each swipe missed the shade, and as it continued, it seemed like it was intentional. Like he was playing with the demon. I raised my brows, Inquisitor is kind of cocky. The shade, tired of waiting, charged at Mr. Mass - claws at the ready.

"H-h-help."

I stopped, blinking rapidly, trying to process the sound I had just heard. When it happened again, it was a softer plea followed by loud gurgling gasps. My head snapped around and my eyes went wide with shock. Not five feet away from me was a man pinned underneath a large hunk of stone.

"Oh my god." I gasped and crawled over to his side. A mountain of stone bared down on the man's lower half. I could not even see one leg underneath the rubble. The brunette man was gasping for air, chest heaving violently as he struggled for breath. Both of his hands were covered in cuts - bleeding profusely. Nails were missing while some were hanging unnatural to the barest of skin.

"Oh my god." I repeated horrified at the sight I was seeing. My hands hovered over his broken body, shaking violently, unsure of what to do. "Okay. Okay. Okay! You will be okay!" I grasped the large stone and vainly tried to lift it off of him. If I could just lift it a little bit. Maybe. Maybe just a little and - but it was too heavy. There were too many stones. It wouldn't budge.

The man began coughing up blood. He was leaking blood: his ears, nose, and down the sides of his mouth.

"No. No. No. No." I chanted as I frantically looked around for something – anything. I needed a towel or a shirt. A crowbar or a crane. A doctor or a healer. I needed something to stop this man from dying!

The man opened and closed his mouth, but his voice wouldn't come out. His bloodshot eyes pleaded for something and I wasn't sure what.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry." I muttered, voice breaking as hot tears stung my eyes. I need to wake up! I'm scared. I'm scared. I sat back and pulled my arms closer to my chest just staring at my hands. They were covered in blood. Blood that wasn't my own.

This was terrifying. This was a nightmare. I wanted to go home.

There was a shriek behind me, and I snapped into attention. My head whipped around just in time to see the shade approaching me. The face of the shade was the exact image of a mummified human but with an elongated jaw and eyes like an endless pool of darkness. With its lower half just shadow and smoke (no legs to be seen), it's upper body was pure sinew muscle. No skin, no blood. Only charcoal looking bone, and tendons that looked like they had been strained then ripped apart and poorly put back together.

It was definitely a thing of nightmares.

My scream caught in my throat, and without thought, I turned back around and covered the pinned man with my body. I waited for the strike – for the pain, but it never came.

I heard Cassandra give a cry, and the sound of metal clashing reverberated. I took a peak, and to my extreme relief, Cassandra stood directly behind me - taking the brunt of the attack. Cassandra shoved the shade off, and as it stumbled back, she raised her arm again for a strike. The shade caught the blade, and then took a swipe with its other hand, aiming for Cassandra's face. She blocked it by raising her shield, and she stood in a gridlock with the demon. As she struggled for her sword's freedom, a blade of an axe appeared in the shade's abdominal. The shade let out a shriek of pain and unintentionally relaxed its grip on Cassandra's blade. She pulled her sword out its grip, cutting deep into its clawed hand while doing so. As the shade cradled its wounds, Cassandra raised her arm, and cut down the shade from temple to waist. The demon crumpled the ground, and then disappeared like smoke.

I barely had a second to relax before Cassandra raised her blade again, aiming it at Mr. Mass, who stood off handedly in front of her.

"Drop your weapon." She commanded, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Now."

Mr. Mass studied her carefully with cryptic black eyes. "If you are going to lead me down to a demon-infested valley, you're going to have to learn to trust me."

"Give me one reason to trust you." She demanded, face devoided of all emotion.

"Because my life is on the line." He replied matter-of-factly, as he swung the axe behind his shoulders. Cassandra didn't say anything for a moment before she relaxed in her position – sighing tiredly.

"You are right." She placed the blade back in its scarab. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless." She stopped and turned to look at me. "That includes you. Come, pick a weapon, we must be going."

I nodded and sat up. "Okay, but first we have to help this-." I turned to indicate to the man before me, but as soon as I settled my eyes him, my face paled. "Oh no."

The man was no longer breathing. His eyes were wide open; unblinking. His face had gone stark white and his facial expression was frozen with fear. He was dead. Died without me even noticing. I clamped a hand over my mouth in order to stop the bile that had rose from my stomach from coming out. He is dead. He is dead! And I did nothing!

"He is gone." Cassandra declared with a hint of mourning in her voice. "There is nothing more we can do here. Someone will collect his body once the Breach is closed."

I sucked in a shaky breath between my fingers. "I've never seen a dead body before." Well, I had, but it was always after the deceased had been gone for days. They had been embalmed and painted like a picture. I had never seen a fresh death. A violent death.

"Truly?" Cassandra inquired.

I nodded.

"Have you ever handled a weapon then?" She questioned raising a brow.

"No."

She sighed, touching her forehead. "This is…inconvenient, but we will make do. We cannot have you defenseless." She stood straighter and stared at me expectantly. "Grab something you can carry to defend yourself with, but you will stay behind us. Hidden will be best in battle."

I flushed and looked down, nodding. "Y-yes." I was useless. Absolutely useless.

I walked, dragging my feet a bit, to the pile of weapons and eyed them hesitantly. There were mostly long swords, some hand axes, couple staffs, and few daggers. There was no way I could carry a sword the entire walk up the mountain, I would probably cut off a limb with an ax, and staffs weren't even an option. So I settled on a plain looking dagger with a steal handle and dangerously looking blade. I tucked the blade in my bag and turned to my companions, nervously twisting my hands together. Cassandra nodded approvingly while Mr. Mass watched on silently. Without another word, Cassandra led the way away from the wreckage and back to the mountain pass. I was the last to follow, my gaze lingering on the dead man, guilt gnawing on my stomach like a parasite. He shouldn't had died. He shouldn't had died afraid. I look down at my hands again, the red stains mocking me. I clenched them, gritting me teeth.

Damn it! I pounded my fists against my head. Trying to wake up. Trying to forget. But all the good it did was form a headache, and cause my temples to pound violently.

"Damn it." I grimaced, pained. I glanced over to the pile of weapons again. Taking a deep, I grabbed another dagger tossing it into my bag, and then a mage's staff. I couldn't fight and I couldn't use magic, but I would damned if I didn't go down without at least a fight.

Mr. Mass didn't say anything, but raised his brows curiously. Cassandra was a silent observer from the hill side before she turning around. She took just a step before she stopped, and glanced over her shoulder.

"I should remember that you both came willingly." She mentioned then moved her gaze over to me. In her eyes held something that I was not familiar with receiving. It softened her edges, and gave a lightness in her eyes; but I could not place the feeling. "And that you cared."

She turned back around, and carried on forward, without another word.

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Next chapter have some major characters. I will do my best to keep them canon and not so OOC.

Review!

- Kait