"The Chosen of Andraste, a blessed hero sent to save us all."

The elf mage was talking again. "I've no interest in being a hero. All I want is to find a way to seal this Breach." And to find the guy who'd killed her little brother.

He nodded to her. "Pragmatic, but ultimately irrelevant. I've journeyed deep into the Fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilizations. I've watched as hosts of spirits clash to reenact the bloody past in ancient wars both famous and forgotten. Every great war has its heroes. I'm just curious what kind you'll be."

"The kind who wins." Great. Not just a mage, a crazy one.

"That is usually better than losing." He shrugged, and looked out over the camp. "I will stay then, at least until the Breach has been closed."

Kas was fairly sure he didn't actually have a choice in the matter. "Was that in doubt?"

"I am an apostate surrounded by Chantry forces in the middle of a mage rebellion. Cassandra has been accommodating, but you understand my caution."

"You might dislike the Circles, but if that Breach stays open, you'll like what it does to the world even less."

"Agreed. Hence the remaining here to offer help." He shrugged again. "For now, let us hope either the mages or the templars have the power to seal the Breach."

#

Varric actually seemed worried about her. He was pleasant enough, if a little irreverent. Her brother probably would have liked him. She started to walk away, and then turned back towards him. "Do you know of any other qunari in the camp? Survivors from the mountain?"

"There were some mercenaries. They cleared out when everything went to hell."

Then... perhaps there was a chance. "One of them. Horns curled like mine. Young. Carries a lot of knives. Named Kathan. You see or hear anything about him, bring it to me, would you?"

He nodded. "One of your crew?"

"My brother."

"Oh." He nodded. "Oh. I'll talk to Ruffles, put the word out. We'll find him."

"I doubt it. He went up to the temple just before I did. Only reason..." She sighed. "I was looking for him. But, if there is a chance..."

"Yeah. I know the feeling."

#

"Does it trouble you?" Cassandra caught her looking at the mark on her hand again.

It was magic. Of course having it bothered her. This whole business was unnatural. "I wish I could get rid of it."

"We have need of it yet."

Cassandra told her they needed more power to seal the Breach, then lead her into the war room to discuss the plan. Leliana was already there, along with two others. Cassandra gestured first at the blond man. "May I present Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition's forces."

"Such as they are." He rested his hands on his sword hilt. "We lost many soldiers in the valley, and I fear many more before this is through."

"This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat."

They needed an ambassador and diplomat? Wonderful. The darker woman stared up at Kas. "You're..." She tilted her head. "Even taller than I'd heard."

"And of course you know Sister Leliana."

A general, a diplomat, a seeker, and a spy. And a qunari mercenary with magic stuck on her hand. Some force. "Cassandra tells me you have a plan."

It took them entirely too many words to demonstrate they really didn't. And it wasn't just mages calling her the 'Herald of Andraste'. Cullen went as far to ask how she felt about it. How was she supposed to feel? It was useful. Especially if it got people to listen and pay some damn attention.

#

Mother Giselle agreed to help. Corporal Vale let them know the state of things in the area. People couldn't get food or supplies due to the templars and mages fighting throughout the area. Kas laid her axe over her shoulders, and went to go deal with the problem.

"Mage. Are we going the right way?" She glanced over her shoulder at the elf.

"It is not unlikely."

"Can you be a little more specific?"

"Not until we are closer, no."

She shook her head in frustration. "They gathered here. They must have a way to signal each other. Find it."

#

Surprise, surprise. He found it. A cave with a reference to some kind of 'signs' to follow. Once they determined what they were looking for, following the trail was easy enough. The mages outside the camp barely knew what hit them. She leaped to where two were gathering their magic and swung her axe with enough force to cut one down and knock the other off his feet. She finished him off with a solid kick to the head, and strode towards the sell-swords.

"Mage, how do we get that barrier down?"

Instead of responding, he twirled his staff and sent a barrage of energy against it. It shimmered and collapsed. With Cassandra at her side, Kas charged into the thick of the enemy mages. She swung her axe almost indiscriminately, as much to disrupt the mages from getting spells off as to kill. A war cry bellowed from her throat as she smashed the pommel of the axe into the face of a spellbinder. He staggered, and she spun, burying the axe into his collarbone.

Cassandra moved in, using her shield to block the blow from a sell sword before running the man through. A mage with a brain tried to cast his spell from atop a rise. Varric made himself useful, and put three crossbow bolts in the guy.

Kas wiped the gore from her axe, and nudged a sellsword with her foot to make sure he was dead. "That takes care of that. Let's go find those templars."

#

Maybe it was because they had a mage with them, but the templars attacked despite Cassandra wearing armor and carrying a shield clearly marking her as a Seeker. Kas brought the axe down on one foolish enough to charge the human woman, the force of the blow caving in his breastplate. She yanked the blade free, and headed up the hill. Cassandra took position at her right, and Varric climbed atop some crates to get a better view of his target. She had no idea what the mage was doing, but he was casting something. Hopefully it was something helpful.

A templar charged her. She blocked his blow, and then spun to counterattack. Her axe buried itself in the man's side. He fell to his knees. Kas kicked him off the side of the path, and continued up.

The leader of the templars almost put up a decent fight, but with Cassanda to provide flanking, his shield was of no help. She caught his blade on her axe and lifted it. Cassandra took advantage of the opening to drive her sword through the gap in his armor. He slid lifelessly to the ground.

Kas cleaned her axe again. "Refugees should be able to deal with their issues now."

#

They were most of the way back to the Crossroads when Varric took a shot at a ram. Kas sighed. "Might as well get that one too." She gestured at where another of the creatures was looking at them. Varric immediately obliged, and the ram slid lifelessly down the hill.

Kas slung the first over her shoulder, and glanced over at Cassandra. "Can you get the other one?"

"Solas, will you help?" Cassandra picked up the front legs of the ram. The mage grabbed the back legs, and they carried both corpses back to the camp. The hunter was grateful. Food enough for a couple days at least, keep them going long enough to get hunters of their own out.

Time to head back to Haven.

#

Cassandra was beating the hell out of a practice dummy. Frankly, Kas couldn't blame her. She watched for a few moments. "I hope that wasn't meant to be me."

"What, that?" Cassandra glanced over at her.

"You obviously don't like somebody." Kas shrugged. Cassandra wasn't bad, but so far few of the others she'd met were likable.

The practice dummy was set back up. Instead of hitting it again, Cassandra rolled her shoulders. "Did I do the right thing? What I have set in motion here could destroy everything I have revered my whole life. One day, they may write about me as a traitor, a madwoman, a fool. And they may be right."

"This Inquisition of yours wasn't the smartest move." Holing up in some frozen mountain while a bunch of clucking hens argued in Val Royeaux.

"Thank you for the ringing endorsement." Cassandra slashed the blade across the practice dummy. "My trainers always said, 'Cassandra, you are too brash. You must think before you act.' I cannot afford to be so careless again."

Neither of them could be. There had to have been something she could have done. She just couldn't remember. "There is a lot at stake."

"You do not have to tell me that." Cassandra started to walk away, and then turned back. "You've said you believe you're chosen. Does that mean..." She raised one eyebrow. "You believe in the Maker?"

"You're asking me?"

"You're not a follower of the Qun. You could be..." Cassandra sighed. "I suppose it doesn't matter now. I have to believe we were put on this path for a reason, even if you do not."

Maker. No Maker. Chosen. Not chosen. She'd be whatever it took to find her brother's killer and put an axe through his magey skull.

#

Speaking of magey skulls, one was talking to her again. "Closing the Breach is our primary goal, but I hope we might also discover what was used to create it. Any artifact of such power is dangerous. The destruction of the Conclave proves that much."

If it wasn't destroyed, it needed to be. "We can't afford distractions. We must focus on sealing the Breach."

"Yes, as I said, that is our primary goal. It is a moot point, regardless." If it was so moot, why was he bothering her about it. "Leliana's people have scoured the area near the blast and found nothing. Whatever the artifact was, it is no longer there." He shrugged. "In any case, did you need me for anything?"

"No." She considered a moment. "Yes. Who are you?"

"As I said earlier, my name is Solas."

"I got that part. Who are you?"

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Her eyes narrowed in response. "You're an elven mage. Not from the Circle, not Dalish. You're an unknown element. I wouldn't trust my life to a blade before I'd tested its balance."

"Nor would I." He clasped his hands behind his back.

"So you study the Fade."

"I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome."

Great. An abomination in training. "You study alone?" Or were more mages going to come down out of the hills?

"Not at all. Spirits of purpose helped me search. Even wisps, curious and playful, would point out treasures I might have missed."

"Okay, when I asked, I meant other people."

"Ah. 'People,' as opposed to spirits. We are flesh and blood, so we are real. Is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith? Varric by his chest hair and not his wit?"

This is why she hated talking to mages. They got all twisty with their words. "Spirits are bound by their nature. You said it yourself. They're shaped by contact with real people."

"Just as Leliana was shaped be contact with Divine Justinia, as those who serve the Inquisition are shaped by you. If I change your mind in this conversation, does that mean you're no more real than a spirit?"

She growled in frustration before walking away. The only way he was going to change her mind was blood magic. Cullen had said he'd been a templar. She'd make sure he was keeping an eye.

#

And Cullen was dealing with a riot. Mages and templars were arguing. Why the mages were all walking about was a puzzle for the ages. At least it all got sorted quickly, even with Roderick sticking his nose in. And speaking of people who needed to shut up, Roderick was still going on about bringing the Inquisition to heel. Kas walked over to support Cullen. "If the 'proper' authority hadn't completely failed, the Conclave wouldn't have been needed."

"So you suggest I blame the Chantry and exalt a murderer? What of justice?"

For a moment it looked like Cullen flinched at that question. "That won't help restore order in the here and now."

"Order will never be restored so long as this rebellion is allowed to fester."

Kas snarled, and had the satisfaction of seeing Roderick jump backwards. She shook her head, and went in to the Chantry.

#

They were giving her a diplomatic mission. And Cassandra was coming along. Didn't they say earlier the Inquisition had a blasted diplomat? Kas sighed. "What can they do? It's just talk."

"Don't underestimate the power of their words." Leliana watched Kas from under her hood. "An angry mob will do you in just as quickly as a blade."

#

Old women and templars awaited them in Val Royeaux. Were the templars to protect the old women, or were the old women to protect the templars?

Cassandra appeared to take the matter personally. "They wish to protect the people? From us?"

Kas shrugged. "They can certainly try."

"We don't want a pitched battle in the middle of Val Royeaux." Cassandra glared.

Humans. Kas gave Cassandra an annoyed look. Give her a little credit here. It's not like she was intending to start any fights. "That's their choice, isn't it?"

#

False prophets. Wicked Qunari. Subversion. Kas wanted to roll her eyes. Hopefully someone would get to something resembling a point soon. "Enough." She stepped forward, and the crowd around her parted. "I will not listen to these self-serving lies. We came here to talk."

"It's true." Cassandra added her own voice. "The Inquisition seeks only to end this madness before it is too late."

There was murmuring and stirring in the crowd as the templars approached. Kas was picking out which of them she'd be best off killing first when one of the templars punched the loud-mouthed mother in the back of the head, sending her down in a heap. The leader of the templars stepped up to intercede with a templar who would have otherwise objected. A potential ally? "I was just about to do that, myself."

"As if I would do anything for your pleasure." The man turned to face her. Not an ally then.

Cassandra stepped forward. "Lord Seeker Lucius, it's imperative that we speak with -"

There was more babbling. Destiny and nonsense. A bunch of glory hounds seeking to elevate themselves when there was a real threat that needed a real solution. "And what if I really am the Herald of Andraste?" The question bothered some of the templars, that much was clear.

"You, a Qunari? I would sooner believe a toad our savior." Lucius sneered at her. She was giving serious consideration to punching that sneer right off his face. "You have nothing. No influence, no power, and certainly no holy purpose."

"But Lord Seeker..." The man who'd tried to defend the loud-mouthed mother approached. "What if she really was sent by the Maker? What if -?"

"You are called to a higher purpose. Do not question."

And then the templars were gone. Kas folded her arms. Cassandra was shaking her head. "Has Lord Seeker Lucius gone mad?"

Dammit. This was probably going to mean Josephine and Leliana were going to want to bring in more mages. Because one giant hole in the world just didn't make the situation bad enough.

#

And not just any mage. Their fearless leader. Who wanted to negotiate while the world was falling apart.

A First Enchanter Vivienne wanted to talk with them. Another mage. And someone had them tracking down red handkerchiefs. Waste of bloody time.

She went to a party where nobles babbled at her about games. Some Marquis started to challenge her to a duel. Kas was about to accept when suddenly the blowhard grew frost. A woman wearing a hat that gave her the appearance of horns sashayed down the stairs, and proceeded to give a lecture on manners to the frozen man. "My lady, you're the wounded party in this unfortunate affair. What would you have me do with this foolish, foolish man?"

"He insulted my honor. I want him dead." She started reaching for her axe.

"And this, Marquis, is why one must always be courteous to one's fellow guests." The mage clenched her fist, and the marquis fell to the ground. He shuddered for a few moments before going still. "Someone be a dear and clean this mess up. We can't have him cluttering up the dance floor." The mage turned to look up at Kas. "I'm delighted you could attend this little gathering. I've so wanted to meet you."

Mage or no mage. That was funny. And this mage apparently knew her place. Good.

#

And another mage, this one throwing fire. Kas was about to take his hand off at the wrist and demand answers when the man's bodyguard suddenly fell over dead. And a little blond elf girl put an arrow into his face with a beauty of a shot. The elf retrieved her arrow and walked over. "So, you followed the notes well enough. Glad to see you're..." The girl's eyes widened as she got her first good look at Kas. "You're well fit." She coughed. "Heard about your kind. Seeing's different. I mean, it's all good, innit? The important thing is: you glow? You're the Herald thingy?"

This night had certainly taken a turn for the strange. Maybe she was still just a little tipsy from the drinks she'd had at the mage's party. Or maybe the elf was just kind of cute. "Sure, why not? I glow. What's going on?"

"No idea, I don't know this idiot from manners. My people just said the Inquisition should look at him."

"Your people?" Kas took a second look. The elf wasn't wearing the mark of any band. "Elves?"

"Ha. No. People people. Name's Sera. This is cover. Get round it. For the reinforcements. Don't worry. Someone tipped me their equipment shed." Sera giggled. "They've got no breeches."

Kas stared a moment, and then drew her axe. She could almost hear her brother laughing his ass off.

#

"Friends really came through with that tip. No breeches." Sera cackled. "So, Herald of Andraste. You're a strange one. I'd like to join."

"Welcome aboard."

"Yes. Get in good before you're too big to like. That'll keep your breeches where they should be. Plus extra breeches, because I have all these..." Sera shrugged. "You have merchants who buy that pish, yeah? Got to be worth something. Anyway, Haven. See you there, Herald. This will be grand." Sera headed into the shadows, hopped a fence, and headed away.

Kas turned around, and caught the looks the rest of her companions were giving her. "What?"

They all found other things to occupy their attention.

#

"It's a shame the templars have abandoned their senses as well as the capital."

Kas shrugged. "At least we know the Chantry is no longer a threat to us."

"Yes, and we have the opening we need to approach the templars and the mages."

"Do we?" Cassandra shook her head. "Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I remember."

"True. He has taken the Order somewhere, but to do what? My reports have been..." Leliana tapped her fingers against her arm thoughtfully. "Very odd."

"We must look into it. I'm certain not everyone in the Order will support the Lord Seeker."

And they started arguing again. Mages. Templars. Templars. Mages. "Make a decision soon." She walked away.

Leliana caught up with her before she'd gone too far. Apparently, the Wardens were up to something. One more problem that needed to be fixed. At least with this one, they actually had some information to go on. There was a Warden out near the Crossroads.

At the Chantry door, a soldier let her know there were some mercenaries that wanted to join up.

#

Sera was in the tavern. She waved at Kas, and Kas walked over to join her. She needed a blasted drink. Apparently, she was going to have to go to Redcliffe to hear the grand enchanter out.

"So, this is it, huh?" Sera looked around. "Oh, no, it's fine, yeah? It's just, I thought it'd be bigger." She grinned. "Pfft, that would've been hilarious if you were a man, right? Wasted. Anyway, stopping wards should earn more sovereigns than this. Need things back to normal for coins to be flowing again. Another reason the templars and mages need to be sat down."

"Both need to go over someone's knee." Kas took a drink. "Way things are going, it's probably going to be mine."

Sera laughed. "You're daft, yeah? Most people get special, they lose their snerk. Can't see how stupid it all is." She looked up at Kas through light-colored eyes. "I think I'll like you, Lady Herald. Maybe you are a little touched, yeah?"

Kas smiled at Sera over her drink. "I think I'll enjoy having you around, Sera. I hope you'll feel the same."

A nervous laugh answered her. "Woof." Sera threw back the rest of her own drink. "See you, Herald. 'Herald.' Have to do something about that."

#

The elf mage tried to pester her again. Something about another artifact. Probably something else that would explode if they got too close to it.

#

She must have gotten a little too close to Leliana while the woman was praying. "You speak for Andraste, no? What does the Maker's prophet have to say about all of this? What's His game?"

"Awful things happen every day. Get used to it."

"Get used to being a pawn, to be discarded when the Maker's done with you?" Leliana stood. "The Chantry teaches that the Maker abandoned us. He demands repentance for our sins. He demands it all. Our lives. Our deaths. Justinia gave Him everything she had, and He let her die."

Justinia was an old woman. Her brother had been barely more than a kid. "People are killed all the time."

"If the Maker doesn't intervene to save the best of His servants, what good is He?" Leliana folded her arms. "I used to believe I was chosen, just as some say you are. But now they're dead. It was all for nothing. Serving the Maker meant nothing."

Kas had seen the spymaster use a bow. If she wanted answers, she was perfectly capable of making someone provide them. "This has nothing to do with me."

"You're right. I shouldn't have let you see me like this. It was a moment of weakness. It won't happen again. Come. To work then. We will speak later."

#

The other mage started talking to her. "I met an elven mage earlier. Solas, I believe he was called. I admit, I was surprised. I didn't expect to find mages among the Inquisition." That made two of them. "Tell me: why were you at the Divine Conclave?"

Because security was needed. "There can be no peace with these apostates."

The mage nodded in approval. "Well, on that we agree. Justinia's death has shattered the balance of power in Thedas. Mages, templars, innocent people of all kinds now look to the Inquisition to decide their fate."

Currently the Inquisition could barely decide what to have for breakfast.

#

"I admit, I am surprised you agreed to remain."

Kas sent a brutal blow into one of the dummies. "My band was hired to provide security for the Conclave."

Cullen raised an eyebrow. "You feel responsible?"

"Not for..." She lowered the blade. "In the hours before the explosion, I was down in Haven. I found some of my band in the tavern, drinking. Kathan..." She swallowed. Saying her brother's name hurt like hell. "Kathan told me he was off duty. And he was right, he was. But some dumbass elf had put my back up, and I took it out on him. I ordered him to head back up to the temple and do his damn job and..." Her blow sent the dummy's head flying. "He was a big, stupid, brave kid and I sent him back into the temple when he should have been enjoying a beer."

"You blame yourself for losing one of your people." Cullen nodded sympathetically.

"I was fifteen. Our parents had just been killed, some stupid crap we weren't even part of. The house was burning. I was pinned and then my..." She rammed her blade into the dummy. "My baby brother was safe, but he came back in with an axe so I could get myself free. He was four years old, and he walked back into the fire for me. I dragged him out of there and just yelled at him for who knows how long about how stupid that was and..." She tossed the blade aside. "I should have just let him drink his beer. He was my responsibility, and I..." She began punctuating the words with punches to the remains of the dummy. "I should have just let him drink his stupid beer. And now he's gone. And somewhere out there is the fuck who needs to pay. So, here I am."

#

"Our... Herald... is an interesting woman." Leliana watched Kas leave Haven, followed by Sera, Cassandra, Solas, Vivienne, and Varric. "You spoke with her about her background?"

Josephine nodded. "She has studied the Qun, but decided not to pursue joining." She looked over some papers. "By all accounts, Valo-kas was a formidable mercenary group, and only became more so after the Herald took it over. The Adaars were worth every penny they were paid."

Leliana started to nod, and then raised an eyebrow. "Adaars?"

"The Herald and her brother worked as a team." Josephine sighed. "It seems he was one of the ones killed in the explosion."

"She has a personal stake in this." Leliana nodded. "Explains why someone of her..." She shook her head. "Would throw in with us."

#

Professionals. That's what the Inquisition needed. Kas watched the Chargers work for a few moments before signaling her own companions to join in. When it was over, she nodded to their leader. Another Qunari. He apparently found her own horns hilarious. She shrugged. "Nicely done. I hear you're looking for work?"

"I am. Not before my drink, though."

They spent a few moments negotiating before he brought in the kicker. "Ever hear of the Ben-Hassrath?"

"From my parents. Enforcers and spies."

"Yeah, that's them." He shrugged, then revealed he was Ben-Hassrath and wanted to infiltrate the Inquisition.

Sounded like Leliana's problem.

#

Finding Blackwall wasn't difficult. Neither was helping him settle the bandits he'd found. Once it was done, the Warden sent his 'conscripts' away, and turned to face her. "You're no farmer. Why do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I'm here investigating Grey Wardens for the Inquisition." She shrugged. "We're seeing if their disappearance has anything to do with the murder of the Divine."

He actually looked insulted. "Maker's balls, the Wardens and the Divine? That can't - no, you're asking, so you don't really know."

And it took only a few questions to determine he didn't know either. So much for getting a clue which direction to head. "You're no help. I'm no further ahead than I was." She turned and started to walk away.

"Inquisition..." He called after her. "Agent, did you say? Hold a moment." She waited while he walked after her. "The Divine is dead, and the sky is torn. Events like these, thinking we're absent is almost as bad as thinking we're involved. If you're trying to put things right, maybe you need a Warden. Maybe you need me."

"The Inquisition could use help, but what can one Grey Warden do?"

"Save the fucking world, if pressed." He shrugged. "Look, maybe fighting demons from the sky isn't something I'm practiced at, but show me someone who is. And like I said, there are treaties. Maybe this isn't a Blight, but it's bloody well a disaster. Some will honor them. Being a Warden means something to a lot of people."

"Alright, then."

#

The refugees were running short on food again, and apparently hadn't managed to find more blankets. Someone was talking about being worried folks were going to start suffering frostbite. Kas was about to keep walking, and heard Sera say something about helping the people. She turned to the archer. "You want to hunt rams?"

Sera shrugged. "We can do that. Find the caches. It's a good thing, innit?"

Slowly, Kas nodded. "I suppose we have some time."

#

By the time they actually started for Redcliffe, the refugees had a stockpile of rams, blankets, and cures for breathing ailments. And the Inquisition had a few more camps and a lot more spies.

The mage must have gotten his hopes up, because he brought up the artifact again while they were hunting bandits. Kas shrugged. If they were in the area, they might as well see prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. They killed a couple demons menacing another elf mage, and managed to get inside the ruined whatever and kill even more demons.

Green flames lit up in a sconce. "What the hell?"

The mage started going on about Veilfire and veil thinness. Kas shook her head. "I don't care what it is. You don't activate weird glowy crap without checking with us first, mage." She walked deeper into the ruins before he could reply.

They killed a few more demons, and found the artifact. The other mage went on about it measuring the Veil. At least their story was consistent. She gave permission to activate the stupid thing, and went to go finish dealing with the bandits.

#

And... Tevinter. This just kept getting better and better. Fiona actually denied having met them in Val Royeaux. A magister walked in, full of false cheer. He barely even reacted to her horns. Which meant he was up to no good. She sat down at the table with him, hoping to let the others get a read. Her brother would have known what color underpants the guy was wearing by this point.

Negotiations were interrupted when the junior magister spilled wine on her. She was about to get angry when she realized he'd slipped her something while pretending to wipe the wine away.

As soon as the magisters left, she glanced at the note. "Come to the Chantry. You are in danger." How helpfully obvious.

#

"Another Tevinter. Be cautious with this one." Because she really needed Cassandra to tell her that.

"Suspicious friends you have here." The mage shrugged, and then turned towards Kas.

"You sent the note?" She looked him over. Not just a mage, someone of rank.

"I am. Someone had to warn you, after all. Look, you must know there's danger. That should be obvious even without the note." He started talking about magic and time and a whole lot of other bullshit.

"Why should I believe any of this?"

"I know what I'm talking about. I helped develop this magic." The mage shrugged. "When I was still his apprentice, it was pure theory. Alexius could never get it to work." He babbled some more.

Eventually, Felix showed up. He went on about a cult that wanted to get to her. That much was at least helpful information.

#

"Well, the malcontents pledged themselves to Tevinter and joined a cult. I can hardly wait to see what comes next." Vivienne shook her head.

Cassandra nodded. "We must untangle this quickly. The Breach will not wait on our intrigues."

No. It would not.

#

"You said you thought you had a way to approach the templars?"