Cole practically ran up to Solas, surprising the bald elf.

"Cole, what is wrong? Has something happened?" The elf asked, concerned.

"I-I don't. The fade. A dream. A person, I-I don't." Cole spluttered out.

"Calm down, Cole."

Cole took a few shaky breaths to gather himself.

"Sleeping, but not quite. Dreaming, but too real to be a dream. A broken home, filled with shadows. People, familiar, yet faceless, trying to come in. I warned him, and I- I helped? Danger. So much danger and fear, but it wasn't real, but it was. Pain and hurt in the walls and the doors, but I told him to lock them all. They banged and banged but could not come in, and he was safe, and I was there, but I wasn't." Cole explained, recalling what he had dreamed.

"You entered the fade?"

"No, but yes. A mind. His mind. A person full of contradictions. He didn't know, and I didn't know, but we both knew. It's...I still don't understand."

Solas furrowed his brows.

"Who is 'he'?"

"I don't-"

Dakota

"Dakota, but he never said so. I know, but I don't know how."

At this point, Solas was just about as confused as Cole was.

"Is this 'Dakota' someone here?" Solas questioned.

"No, not here. Far away, yet close enough. In a dead place, filled with hurt and pain covered up like leaves covering a tree branch. Like...like..."

"Like me? Did his mind feel like mine?" A voice asked.

The two turned to see Uriel.

Uriel was not from Thedas, or so they claimed.

They were from somewhere else.

"Yes! Like you, but different. Very different." Cole answered.

"Ah. It might be the breach that made this possible. I'm not sure why, though." Uriel said.

"Why it makes this possible or why this happened?" Solas asked.

"Yes."

Solas twitched in irritation, which amused Uriel, judging from their shit-eating grin.

"So, Cole, what did you feel?" Uriel turned the attention back to the boy.

"Pain, fear, hurt, but..."

"But?"

Cole looked up, a sparkle in his eyes not seen there before.

"Playful, happy, like a puppy romping in spring fields. It was...fun."

"Hmmm. Well, this is the first time that this has happened, right? Perhaps it will happen again, and there will be more answers. Is that okay, Cole? I know that you do not like being in the fade, to put it lightly." Uriel asked, concerned.

Cole stayed silent for a moment, thinking.

He kind of wanted it to happen again.

He felt...tingly.

"Yes. It's not really the fade, but it is. I think it helps to take away his hurt."

"Then it's settled. Any qualms, Solas?"

The elf frowned deeply at the rather odd human- and he used that term lightly, but could do nothing but agree.

"We still do not know for certain what has caused this and why. Knowing more can help stop this."

"Or maybe it doesn't need to stop."

Solas gave Uriel a look that said, 'I'll deal with you later', but otherwise, ignored them, and instead, spoke to Cole.

"Perhaps I should see if I could join you, to see for myself."

No, not yet.

"Not yet. Maybe...a few days later?"

Solas looked surprised, then irritated, as Uriel stuck their tongue out at him.

"Very well, Cole. In two days, I shall try to join you, wherever you may be."

And like that, it was decided.