Hey guys! The week is here and as promised: Chapter 2 for all of you! Things are starting to pick up we will finally meet that adorable EggHead we all love/cry over. I am working hard on finishing some more chapters today so hopefully Ill be able to post even sooner next week! Please remember to rate/ review and if you love my work please follow me for alerts for when I post! Thank you for reading again!
I do not own any Dragon Age Inquisition material, but I do like to think I have some claim to Ashila.
Chapter 2: Dancing On The Rift
Cassandra marched out the main doors of the church, hoping against all hope that the horrifying green had been wiped from the sky, that the world made sense again. Thunderous rumbles were her only reply- The Breach remained. If anything, in the short time she was below with the prisoner, the rift seemed to only grow.
She turned, watching as the elf slowly made her way to the threshold. She walked with head held high, though she was obviously trying to hide the pain her body was in, she moved warily, expecting nothing short of being jumped on.
This was the first time Cassandra had truly looked at the elf woman. She was dressed in hunter leathers a size too big, so it hung loosely from her small frame. Her face, though still cast in the shadow of the church, was sharp like any elf's face, a heart shaped jaw, high cheekbones, eyes that could hold your own for a moment longer even despite her mismatched eyes.
Her hair, she had been informed, was once as black as night.
It would have given her a very haunted look, Cassandra thought to herself. But now it as white as snow, and, in her opinion, gave her a very serene appearance, much better suited for her. Her clan markings above her brow appeared to like a crown, with leaf-like endings below the dimple in her chin, it's meaning was lost to Cassandra- the Dalish all had their own peculiar markings. Her nose was small and pointed, it could have been too small for her face, but paired with her large eyes that danced about, taking in the hall she walked through, she could appear to look the innocent maiden. But the sharp scowl she bared along with the air of certainty in her step sent a message of a trained killer. She was, without a doubt, a the hunter that every Dalish would hope to possess in their ranks.
But her face was also sunken in, making her cheekbones more prominent, her eyes surrounded by dark circles from lack of sleep. Her hair had been tied back, she had noticed the leather strap that still clung to a few locks behind her head, most of her hair was flowing about her in disarray around her shoulders, flecks of dirt and leaves still clung to it, giving her a very disheveled appearance. With the fact she was much too small for the clothes she wore; wherever she was from, she did not seem to be treated well. Cassandra's eyes met hers again, the stark black and white of her eyes that gazed at her with apprehension, and an intelligent curiosity. Never in all her years had she heard of a person having such a peculiar set of eyes...
Cassandra watched silently as the elf stepped forward into the light. She shuddered, raising her bound hands to shield her eyes from the sudden daylight, and as she slowly lowered her hands Cassandra watched her eyes lock above her, widening in alarm. The wind blew fiercely, the pines of the mountain bending upon the force. It whipped her white tresses in a flurry around her mouth, slightly open in her petrified expression.
"We call it the "Breach." It 's a massive rift into the world of demons. And it grows larger with each passing moment." Cassandra explained, turning to glare at the tear.
"It's not the only such Rift." Cassandra admitted, a brokenness in her voice. "It is only the were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."
Ashila's eyes darted from Cassandra back to the green portal.
She wanted desperately to claim it was all some twist of fate, that the large green rift and the small tear on her hand had nothing similar about them! Her mind, however, was dealing with the small problem of running right into the one small small problem- it was all true.
"An explosion can do that?" She asked blankly, eyes still locked on the Rift in the mountain.
"This one did." Cassandra responded, turning back to face her. "And unless we act, The Breach may grow until it swallows the world."
To prove the validity of Cassandras statement, The Breach pulsed once again, sending out a plus and expanding yet again. At the same time, the sensation of lightning pierced through Ashila's left arm once more, only this time it went from being simply unpleasant to absolutely excruciating. The pulse brought her gasping to her knees, body shaking from the pain. The pulse subsided, and the pain ebbed, leaving Ashila crouched in a repenting-like position.
"You can see that as the Breach expands, your mark spreads… and you know that it is killing you." Ashila opened her eyes, squinting her eyes at the warrior who knelt before her, riding out the rest of the pain.
"But it may be the key to stopping this. But there isn't much time."
Ashila could not help but give Cassandra a disbelieving look. Her lips thinned in a line. Eyes narrowing, she lifted her unbreached hand, pointing the index finger towards the portal of doom in the sky, deliberately wagging at it.
"That," she shook her head, looking at Cassandra like she had began to tap dance.
"That is crazy. This is all crazy. I mean, you say this-"
She waved her disco-ballin hand.
"- it may be the key… to do what? Closing that thing?"
"Exactly. Closing the Breach. But whether that's possible is something we shall discover shortly." Cassandra eyed the elf, sighing heavily.
"It is our only chance, however. And yours."
Ashila's shock melted into one of wariness, eyes focused in a hard stare.
"You still think I did this? To myself?" she hissed, her left hand shaking from her pulsing mini rift.
"Not intentionally," Cassandra said, ignoring the daggers the elf was glaring at her. "But something clearly went wrong."
"And if I'm not responsible?" she retorted.
"Someone is, and you are our only suspect." Cassandra said blankly. "You wish to prove your innocence? This is the only way."
She opened her mouth to spit back lines of colorful phrases, to fight the madness coming from Cassandra's mouth- but all that passed through her lips was air. Her brows knitted together, her wide eyes sliding back to the green and black twisting sky, distress etched in her face.
She could deny it, throw as much dust as she could muster to deny her need to be involved.
But in her soul she knew she needed to stay, to fight.
She sighed, resigning herself to her fate, and looked back to Cassandra.
"I understand…"
Cassandra blinked in surprise, obviously not expecting Ashila to willingly go along with her plan.
"Then…?"
"I'll do what I can. Whatever it takes." Ashila confirmed for her, holding Cassandra with a steady but weary gaze.
Cassandra looked over the elf once more before pushing herself to her feet.
"What is your name?" she asked, lifting Ashila to her feet.
"Ashila, of clan Lavellan." Ashila responded, allowing Cassandra to guide her down the snowy path.
They entered the main hub of the village of Haven. The cobblestone street was congested with tents filled with soldiers and townsfolk alike. Many warriors were strewn about the ground, bandaged and still bleeding, for all the medical cots were filled to capacity.
Apparently all their eyes were working perfectly,however, because as the two women stepped into the throng of people, every pair locked on them- mainly on Ashila.
Many puffed up at the sight of the small elf, glaring at her with fiery hate. Normally, the glares of some humans would not bother Ashila- but they all believed that she was the one who began the destruction. On her hands they believed were the blood of friends, family, loved ones.
In the midst of all this, she could not help the cold sweat that had come over her.
Cassandra pressed on through the crowd, no one daring to block off the Seeker to get at the elf. Instead they parted like water, but their anger was drowning them.
"They have decided your guilt, they need it." Cassandra told Ashila, guiding her down the street.
"The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, Head of the Chantry. The conclave was hers." Cassandra could not hide the sorrow in her voice at the mention of the Divine, Ashila picked up on it easily, but said nothing and continued to let Cassandra steer her out of the small town and to the dirt path leading into the hills.
"It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She had brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."
The had come upon a stone gateway, closed off, of course.
The guards glared at Ashila, but nodded in respect towards the Seeker, opening the gates with reluctance to the bridge.
"Do you see, Ashila? We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves. Like she did. Until the Breach is sealed, we must think of all."
Cassandra turned, withdrawing a small knife from her belt. Ashila stood stiff, but Cassandra simply cut the bonds from her wrists. Ashila rubbed her aching joints, trying to sooth the stinging she was experiencing as feeling returned to her hands.
"There will be a trial, but I can promise no more." Cassandra said softly. "Come, it is not far."
"Where are you taking me?" Ashila asked, looking about the snowy hills and trees around the bridge,
"Your Mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach." Cassandra called out, walking ahead, across the bridge. Ashila quickened her pace, walking beside Cassandra.
The two women continued through the barricade on the bridge. Walking past, the fear hung around them like heavy humidity, many whispered plea's to the Maker, or reciting the Chant of Light, clinging to their faith to see them through. Cassandra called for the guards to open the gates for them, the path to their destination revealed. One soldier ran by them as they stepped off the bridge, crying about it being 'the end of the world!"
Ashila gazed at the sky again I do not think he is far off she thought dryly, breaking out into a light job as she headed up the slope, Cassandra following behind her.
The path evened out, the valley lying before them. Ashila could see in the distance the smoking remains of the Temple Cassandra had referred to. She paused in her brisk jog, needing a moment to take in the sight before her. The now ruined temple was far, but her eyes were sharp enough to see the fires that still burned from the explosion. Her eyes slowly moved upward, following the thin tail-like beam of green light that coiled upwards from the remains into the Breach above.
She exhaled slowly, her destination now clear, and began walking again down the back of the hill, following the trail into the valley.
It was then the Breach pulsed again, much stronger than before. Ashila was unable to keep the cry of surprise and pain in her throat, once again crumbling to the ground at the overpowering agony. When it passed, she was left weak and almost feeble.
She realized Cassandra had been correct- again. The Breach was slowly consuming her- killing her.
Cassandra said nothing. Walking over to the still reeling elf, she slowly helped her to her feet, holding her steady to make sure she did not tumble again.
"The pulses are coming faster now." Ashila nodded, face drained of color and looking more sickly by the moment.
Confident that she was able to keep herself upright, Ashila started forward again, Cassandra following closely behind to catch her if she fell again.
"The more the Breach grows, the more Rifts appear, and the more demons we face." Cassandra said to her as they made their way down the hill.
"Well that certainly can put a damper on things." Ashila muttered, trying to shake the fuzziness from her vision.
"How did I survive the blast?" she raised her voice so Cassandra could hear her.
"I am assuming that none of my companions survived?"
"They did not," Cassandra replied. "As for surviving the explosion- they said you… stepped out of a Rift, then fell unconscious,"
Cassandra went quiet for a moment, then added; "They say a woman was in the Rift behind you. No one knows who she was."
Ashila did not respond nor paused in her gait, but she was reflecting back to her dream, the woman of light that had saved her from the wolves; the dream that was reality. The wind blew strongly around them, lifting flurries of snow to dance everywhere. Brushing her wild hair behind a long- pointed ear, she pushed the thoughts away. The woman is not of any concern, the problem is how in Gods name will that blasted thing be closed?
They had reached the second bridge when Cassandra spoke again, walking beside Ashila. "Everything farther in the valley was laid to waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes."
Cassandra gazed out into the valley as they reached the middle of the bridge. "I suppose you'll see soon enough."
The glow of green light began to surround them, Ashila looked up only in time to pull Cassandra back as a ball of green flame plummeted right into the stone where the warrior was going to step. the bridge groaned from the impact, then, with a sickening crunch, the bridge began to collapse.
Ashila felt the stone disappear from under her, the sensation of her insides jumping into her throat as she fell with the stones and Cassandra around her. She landed unceremoniously on the ice of the frozen river with a grunt. She barely had time to catch her breath when another meteor of fire spilled from the Breach crashing into the ice, yards from where they were trying to get to their feet. From the fires emerged three Shades,rising out of the heat in twisted damnation.
Demons from the fade that had eyes only for them.
Ashila leapt to her feet, reaching both hands behind her to grasp the daggers usually in their holders. She cursed when all she grasped was air- being weak was one thing, but weak AND defenseless was not something that sat well with her.
She heard the singing of metal and turned to see Cassandra drawing her sword from it's sheath.
"Stay behind me!" She commanded, clashing her sword against her shield, attracting the three Shades to herself instead of Ashila.
As she leapt away, however, another Shade rose from the mists, it's focus on Ashila's defenseless self.
Gritting her teeth, Ashila looked around wildly as the Shade slowly moved towards her, she searched from something- anything, to defend herself with.
From the corners of her vision, a glimmer of steel caught her attention. Turning her head, she spotted two conveniently placed daggers, nestled in the rubble of the fallen bridge as if waiting for her to pick them up. Normally she would have been wary, because she knew that they were not there before, she would have grabbed them if they were! But this was not the time for the usual, especially with the Shade rearing back to strike her.
Her decision came swiftly. Tumbling out from under the Shade's clawed hand, Ashila scrambled for the daggers, quickly grabbing them. She then steadied her breath, closing her eyes and calming herself as she always did before a fight. When she opened them, they were narrow and focused, no fear and no weariness in their depths. The Shade had turned and moved for her again, claws ready to meet flesh, but when they came down, the elf had vanished.
The Shade looked around for it's prey, growling angrily at it's loss, then shrieked in pain as two dagger protruded out of it's chest. The body of the now dead Shade began to burn, fading away into nothing, and Ashila turned her stony gaze towards Cassandra, who was doing her best to fend off the other three demons.
Ashila then broke out into a full sprint, her feet barely touching the ice and arms held tightly to her sides as not to hinder her speed. Disappearing again into nothingness, she reappeared at Cassandras left, jumpin upon a Shade blades first, pinning it to the ground as it tried to claw at her. A claw grazed her cheek, drawing blood, but the Shade met the same fate as the one before it, breaking apart and fading.
Cassandra had just finished the other two Shades as Ashila stood up from where she was kneeling upon the now vanished Shade. Brushing the blood from her stinging cheek, she looked up only to see the end of Cassandra's blade raised at her.
"Drop your weapons, now." She commanded, glaring at the elf.
Ashila looked at the warrior in disbelief, she had helped save her skin! She considered refusing Cassandra's order, there was no way she could match her speed- but Ashila's limbs felt heavy as stone, and her breathing was labored from the stress the Mark was putting her under. Usually she could escape without incident, but right now…
Growling softly, she lowered her daggers.
'Alright, have it your way."
She bent forward, keeping her eyes on Cassandra as she went to place her daggers on the ground, but the warrior stopped her, sheathing her sword as she went.
"Wait. You do not need a weapon, but you should have one. I cannot protect you." Cassandra gave her a wry smile. "Besides, you obviously know what you are doing."
Ashila could not help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Satisfied, Cassandra indicated her to follow, turning to walk carefully across the frozen water, intent on following the icy stream up a small embankment. Thinking of something, Cassandra turned back to Ashila,
"I should remember you agreed to come willingly. Not many would in your position."
Many would not realize they had no choice in the matter Ashila thought to herself, but silently nodded at Cassandras words, following her up the stream.
"Where are your other warriors?" She asked instead, walking slowly as not to slip.
""Either fighting the demons, or ahead at the forward camp. Either way, we are on our own for now.' Cassandra responded, warily looking up at the icicles hanging above them on the rock outcropping.
"If we continue to follow the river we should be able to meet up with the path again." she said to the elf, who nodded and continued forward. Ashila stumbled a few times, her vision going blurry and head light, but Cassandra was always there in an instant to help her stand till she could right herself.
This blasted Mark is making a fool out of me, Ashila thought to herself bitterly. She did not know if she could live down dying due to dizziness.
More Shades were ahead of them, patrolling the icy water ahead. The pair made quick work of them, Cassandra drawing the brunt of their attacks while Ashila flanked from behind.
Cassandra could not help but silently watch the rogue elf. She had met many in her life, but this one moved with a natural grace that took others many decades to learn. When she fought, all signs of the Mark's effect on her disappeared. Her eyes narrowed, cold and alive all at once, completely immersed in her practice. It was like she turned into a different person entirely when she fought.
She was fast too. Cassandra made note when she watched her turn sharply on the ice as they fought through more demons, her feet seemed to glide on the surface of the ice, her feet making no noise as she ran circles around the demons without so much as a slip or wobble in her balance- never letting them get enough time to retaliate from her relentless attacks.
As soon as the fight was over, however, the weariness returned. She trudged along instead of like lightning, eyes clouded and heavy. The Breach was most definitely taking away what strength she possessed, soon it would impact her fighting, leading to a slip, to a fatal swipe that could end all their hopes. But Ashila remained as silent as ever, pausing only to catch her breath or look around at the land around her.
They continued on, using the river as their guide. Occasionally Ashila would hop onto the embankment, walking into the brush to find various loot that had been misplaced or left beside a cold corpse.
Cassandra saw no problem with it, the dead did not need belongings where they were going.
Though she strayed from their path many times, she always kept in Cassandras vision range and always returned quickly, either with elfroot in hand on a few coppers.
They had finally found a set of stone steps leading up from the lake into the hills again. Ashila's ears twitched, the sound of clashing metal and battle cries faint in the distant. Cassandra heard it too.
"We are getting close to the Rift. You can hear the fighting."
"Who's fighting?" Ashila called out, pushing her exhaustion to the side and breaking out into a run up the steps.
"You'll see soon. We must help them!" Cassandra shouted over the din, running after her.
The ground plateaued as Ashila lept up the last step. The dirt path split into two, one leading to the burning remains of another bridge, the one in front of her dipping down into another set of stairs, to the battle below her.
Bodies of the fallen lay strewn about the dirt and snow, the red tainting the white. The few who remained breathing were struggling. They were exhausted, eyes full of fear, their numbers steadily dropping as the flow of demons remained constant. Ashila glanced beyond the fight to the green crystal like shard hovering in midair- The Rift. It must have been because of her connection to it because of her Mark, but as Ashila stared into the green veil, she was able to see the very fabric where their reality began to fray into the green of the Rift itself. It looked like a terrible patchwork job. From it the demons poured, never allowing the fighters a moment to breath and regroup.
The only ones that seemed to be faring well was the elvhen mage and the small man with a very intriguing crossbow- but even they were being pushed back by the demons.
"We must hurry or they will be overrun!' Cassandra shouted, bounding down the steps to her men.
Ashila followed after. Leaping down the flight of steps she quickly overtook Cassandra, allowing herself to disappear with a puff of smoke.
Initially, she had intended to strike down the pair of demons cornering a wounded soldier. But her eyes were drawn away, gravitating towards the mage. He handled himself considerably well, able to keep the demons at bay with a barrage of electric spells, and if they got too close he would strike them across the head with the blunt head of his staff, then leaping away. But he had turned to cast a spell of protection around the wounded soldier, leaving himself wide open for the demon that had creeped up behind him. He was so focused on the demons before him, he did not notice the one at his back, it's claws raised in the air to strike...
Not him!
Her body moved on it's own accord, her mind filled with unnatural fear for the other elf. She planted her foot into the ground, using her momentum to quickly change her course, bee-lining for the bald elvhen.
Solas' head was not in the battle. Though fighting came second nature to him, his body going through the movements and his magic flying free, his mind was in turmoil. Everything he tried every spell he could think of- none of them were able to close the Rift, let alone stop the demons.
He had come to help, the Breach was something that affected them all, but he knew how the humans felt about the elvhen, and being an apostate, it would not be long till they suspected that he could be the cause of their misfortune.
He struck a demon in the side of the head with his staff, hopping away as he continued to think rapidly.
I could always slip away, find some remote corner of the world, more time to find a solution. He thought grimly, even though the sensible voice in his head told him he had exhausted all his theories and knowledge to try to find a solution, to no avail.
"We must hurry, or they will be overrun!" He shook himself out of his thoughts, glancing up briefly to see the Seeker running towards the fray, her sword in hand and shield ready.
Ah, our glorious savior has come, he thought to himself, then frowned.
Who had the Lady Seeker been speaking too?
He had no time to dwell on the thought, a cry of pain drawing his eyes. One of the soldiers, a young man barely able to grow a proper beard, had been pinned down by two demons, his fear petrifying him as if he was a resisted the urge to raise his eyes to the heavens, opting to instead sigh like a worn-out babysitter and cast a barrier to protect the young lad…
Then he felt it, the frigid breath, the sound of a guttural snarl.
He had slipped up.
His nose wrinkled in disdain, he turned to face the Shade with a glare, raising his staff to fend off the brunt of the damage the raised claws would do, but he knew his skin would be shredded.
The blow never came. Instead the Shade let out a chilling screech, it's chest forced upwards as the pointed ends of two blades protruded from its chest cavity. Solas blinked in surprise, holding his staff in an iron grip as he watched the Shade melt away.
Then he saw his savior.
He had been allowed to see her for a moment before he was called away to assess the Rift. At the time she had been unconscious, but he remembered watching the last of her black locks fade into white, her face perspiring in a cold sweat as she whimpered softly, no doubt from the Mark that glowed from her left palm. She had been as white as the hair on her small head, the dark circles around her closed eyes more noticeable due to her incapacitated condition. Her hair had been a mess, some still tied by the leather she had bound it with, the rest had been clinging to her face. He remembered wiping her brow with a damp cloth, trying to stifle the heat she was burning from, listening to her mumble incoherently. Many times he had fed her a mixture of water, herbs, and wild honey, hoping to give her some nutrients and medicine to help her fever.
It seems his labors over her were not for nothing.
She was still deathly pale, her white hair, now completely free, blowing wildly from the wind and the speed at which the ran to him, but instead of pain on her face, it was an expression of determination and power, and her eyes…
His breath caught in his throat. Solas was a man rarely taken by surprise, but he had not expected her eyes to be so different- so familiar. He had never seen such eyes in his life. Black and white all in one, a stark duality that captivated his curiosity.
Time had slowed as they stared back at each other. Her face was still, mouth open slightly in a shocked expression probably very similar to his.
There was movement behind her, in the few precious seconds that had felt like eternity, the last of the Shades had come up behind the small elf, intent on having her head while she was still stupefied.
Solas felt a great wave of fury overcome him. His face bared a silent snarl as he aimed a huge bolt of lightening at the Shade, it's electrical current tickling the woman's cheek, jolting her back to her senses.
Ashila whipped her head about as the shade behind her faded away like dust, her face flushed in anger and embarrassment.
Mostly embarrassment.
The Shades had been defeated, for a time, but her head was still reeling from that moment of stillness.
For once, it was not from how the Breach was affecting her.
But she had no moment to dwell.
Her left arm was grabbed roughly. Ashila turned to snarl at whoever touched her, only to be pulled toward the Rift by the very elf who was causing her flustered state.
"Quickly, before more come through!"
He commanded with a voice much deeper than she thought he would have. Her stared at her again (she refused to acknowledge the feeling of her stomach dropping), and gripped her wrist tightly, then thrusted her hand towards the Rift.
She cried out in surprise and the Mark on her palm flared to life, connecting with the Rift on some magical level that she could not comprehend. The feeling was unnatural, and she wanted desperately to pull away, but she was felt locked in place not only by the connection, but by the strong grip of the other elf. The rift crackled and sputtered for a moment, then, in a flash of green, collapsed on itself, disappearing from the world, completely wiped away.
What did we think? I figured that was a good spot to leave you all hanging on (haaaaa!) Tell me what you hated, what you loved, and what you're hoping to see happen in more of my chapters!