FOUR
Though the mounts were laden, they were strong and traveled fast. The only one of them who was not riding a horse was Tiny. The mount chosen for him was a halla- a stronger creature more capable of bearing the Qunari's weight.
The four men were blessed with a cloudless twilight and the early autumn air was crisp. At the pace they were going, they would be at the Hinterlands in a day. The entrance to the Deep Roads would be waiting for them there.
Varric looked to his side where Chuckles rode, stiff as a board and jaw set. As usual, he was impossible to read. He couldn't tell of the Elf was still angry with him and secretly seething, or if he was calm and focused on moving forward. It might've been a little of both, for all he knew.
Tiny and Shy Khy, meanwhile, were keeping more pleasant company. Varric and Tiny talked on occasion, commenting on gossip around Skyhold, while Khyran seemed content to spectate. Varric knew Khyran rarely cared to hear anyone's opinions on romantic entanglements and awkward incidents in the tavern. For him, however, it served a pleasant distraction from their grim circumstances.
When Khyran had returned from the tavern without the kid, Varric only pretended he understood why. He knew little about Cole's connection to Rhys and Evangeline. All he was able to extract from Cole were cryptic comments he didn't attempt to decipher. Khyran was similarly tight-lipped. All he knew was that Cole was once close to Rhys and Evangeline, but something happened to separate them, and Cole never attempted to face them again. It must have been hard, whatever it was.
He felt bad, leaving the kid alone in Skyhold in this state. All those who were able and willing to go with Khyran to help Rhys and Evangeline were Cole's closest friends. It was for that reason that they went. Why this had to happen as soon as the kid suffered such a huge change in his life, Maker only knew. There were a lot of things Varric wanted to ask the Maker, if only He'd show His face.
The Dwarf sighed and rubbed at the exhaustion in his eyes. He understood why Khy wanted to leave immediately, but he wished he waited until morning to depart. If the Inquisitor was anything, he was too noble and too impulsive. A deadly combination.
As they rode, they passed beneath a thick forest. The canopy blotted the moonlight, forcing the Mages in front to raise their staves and summon magic light forth. From behind, the Inquisitor almost looked like some sort of wraith upon a black horse. The light from his raised staff silhouetted his form: all thin, flowing shapes with his lithe body, cloak and long hair. If Varric didn't know Khy, he would've thought he looked ominous.
The trees thickened and the bumps in the road forced the mounts into an uneven gait. Tiny, by far the tallest of them, kept snagging his horns in branches and leaves. Varric, thankful for his height, stayed free of them.
"How much farther is it?" The Qunari asked, hunkering down near his halla in an attempt to keep his face clear from further abuse.
"These woods should break in about two miles." Said Solas.
"Good. If I get one more leaf in my horns-"
Thoom. The Inquisitor's left hand exploded with something like green fire and electricity. Varric's pony bucked. Khy cried out. Varric saw him recoil, lose balance, and drop to the ground. Varric's eyes darted. He grabbed Bianca from his pack.
"Inquisitor!" Solas flung himself out of the saddle. He heard Iron Bull drop to the ground with a thud. Varric followed suit. Couldn't think. Didn't even know what he was aiming for. Bianca jerked at every shadow.
Then, his mind caught up with the chaos.
Up ahead of them, right on the road, was a Rift.
He could feel it now. The familiar tingle of energy that brought the hairs on his body standing, the buzzing in his head, the feeling of dread at the thing that shouldn't have been. The Rift was like liquid smoke suspended in air, flowing in place, crackling and spilling forth. It was a hole between what was real and what was not.
And there were things coming out of it. Demons from the Fade.
Solas helped the Inquisitor back on his feet. Varric could see by the green light of the Rift that he was in pain, but he retrieved his staff and smacked the shaft into the ground. Lightning spilled out and struck the demons.
Bull charged past with his axe held high. Varric shot a bolt past him, striking a fiery demon before it reached Solas.
"Not another one!" Varric said. "I thought we took care of the Rifts in the Hinterlands!"
"Seems I missed it!" Khyran sent a lightning bolt hurtling past Bull's shoulder, stunning his target. Bull cleaved its head in two.
"There's more coming out of this one than I've ever seen!"
"Cover me!"
Varric saw Solas draw himself up, his staff held high. He then felt an aura envelop him and saw it on his friends. It shimmered like glass yet it was not solid. Moments later, a burst of energy glanced off the shield. Khyran dashed toward the rift.
The dwarf climbed a fallen tree and aimed Bianca at the demon closest to Khy. One, two, three bolts to the head and it fell. Another replaced it moments later. Varric thrust a bolt into Bianca's chamber as Bull brought down another demon.
They just kept coming.
Khyran raised his left hand towards the Rift and it crackled. The demons stopped coming through. But now the Inquisitor could not move as he held the Rift steady. Varric knew what had to come next. They had to kill the rest of the demons and protect the Inquisitor. Then, he could close the Rift and rid the world from its evil.
Demons swarmed everywhere. Solas tried to contain them, blasting them back and locking them in place with ice summoned from the air. But Varric felt the last vestiges of his power fading. He had to shoot faster. His aim was true. One demon dead- two- three. He fumbled for a bolt again.
Solas's shield broke. Something smashed Varric's skull. He tumbled off the tree and hit the ground. His breath gusted from his lungs. A firey weight pressed on his abdomen and he stared up at the face of a rage demon- it was on top of him. He tried to lift Bianca but his arm was pinned.
He heard someone shouting his name. He tried to reply. Nothing came. He couldn't breathe. It burned.
Then, the rage demon writhed and recoiled. Varric saw a glint of metal poking out through its molten body. The demon dissolved into green dust, coating Varric's chest. A young man stood in its place, holding a dagger, and wearing a large hat. By the light of the Rift, Varric could see large, blue eyes staring down at him with concern.
Cole.
Varric tried to speak, but his words were drowned out by a sudden burst of sound. The ground shook and his body rattled with the deep bass. It was a humming, almost like music, filling his mind. He had grown to love the sound because it meant something very good.
Khy was closing the Rift.
Thoom.
The green light was gone. The Rift was gone. And the forest plunged into darkness. Now, all Varric could hear was heavy breathing from himself and the others.
Then, a light flickered back into focus- the light from the mages' staves.
"Well, that was fun. Everybody still in one piece?" Said Tiny.
"There are five of us now. It seems we have company." Solas said, a wary edge to his tone.
"Who goes there!?" The Inquisitor demanded. "Varric! Are you alright!?"
Cole, instead of approaching Khyran, stepped backwards. He retreated further into the darkness. In all his black linens, it was difficult to make out his form. Khyran, though his face shone with a sheen of sweat, did not hesitate in nearing Varric's side and kneeling down toward him. Identifying Cole was lower on his priority list.
Varric felt the pain now. The flesh on his chest was seared and blistered, and a mighty ache crawled into his skull.
"Maker's mercy," Varric choked in a half-chuckle. "Been a while since one of those things caught me off guard…" He tried to sit up, but his abdomen hurt too much. "You should thank our visitor for saving my neck." He gestured towards Cole, who had continued to slink back until he was hiding among the trees.
Solas had come to Varric's side and began tending to him. He felt the Elf's magic flow forth, gentle and soothing against his burns. His eyes drooped shut and he breathed a slow exhale.
Khyran stood from Varric's side, peering into the shadows. "I'm not going to hurt you. Please come out. I want to thank you for saving my friend."
Cole finally stepped out into the light of the mages' staves.
He felt the surprise around him, even though he wasn't looking. He could hear Khy gasp in shock and Chuckles hesitated in his healing spell. Tiny laughed.
"Cole…?" The Inquisitor said.
Varric opened his eyes to look at Cole, though not without effort. The boy's head was lowered in shame.
"I'm sorry." Cole said. "I should have come sooner. I don't want to be a coward."
"You're not a coward. You didn't have to come."
"I made a bad choice earlier. I let myself get too upset about seeing Rhys and Evangeline again. I didn't know if I could bear seeing them hurt and I didn't know if I could bear seeing them alive." Cole's voice quivered as he spoke. "But it wasn't right. They were my friends. Once I gave everything to help Rhys. I don't know why I was so afraid to do it again." Cole hesitated. "Is Varric going to be okay?"
"He's fine," Solas responded. "I've done what I could to relieve the surface burns, but he will need to be careful not to move too much."
"How'd you catch up to us, Cole?" Tiny asked, brushing at some ash on his pauldron.
"I borrowed a horse and followed the road." Cole crouched near Varric.
"Didn't know you could ride…" Tiny said, scratching at his unshaven chin.
"I watched others do it before."
"Picked it up that quick? Smart kid."
"Are you sure you want this, Cole?" Khy asked.
"Don't question the kid," Varric said with a weak chuckle. "He came all the way out here- it's a bit late to go back now. I think he made up his mind." Once more he made an attempt to sit up, and this time succeeded. He waved off Chuckles, who wasn't finished, but backed away regardless. The pain was bearable now, and the less weird magic shot into him the better. The burn on his chest had receded to a red discoloration like a sunburn.
Solas straightened and watched Cole, leaning on his staff. He didn't speak. Varric wondered if Solas was at a loss of what to call Cole now that he was a little more human than before. Could he still be referred to as a spirit?
"Where is your horse?" Khyran asked.
Cole gestured over his shoulder. "When I heard a fight I got off and came here."
Khyran wandered off to find the horse. A few minutes passed and he returned to the group easing the animal along. Varric blinked. When it walked into the light, he realized the dappled mare had no saddle or reins. Cole had ridden it bareback?
The others shared his shock. "How did you get here like that? You've never even ridden before!" Tiny said.
"She was afraid of the Rift." Cole's reply wasn't exactly illuminating. "But she feels safe now. She likes the other horses. The black one is her friend."
"I had a suspicion Cole could understand other creatures." Solas said, tilting his head and smiling over at the kid. "It does not surprise me that he managed to communicate to the animal to come here. His spiritual powers must yet be within him." The way he spoke, Solas sounded almost relieved. Varric wondered if he feared Cole had lost too much of his spiritual identity and this circumstance proved otherwise.
"He didn't bring any supplies." Tiny said, latching his huge axe in place against his back. "Now we've got an extra mouth to feed."
Cole didn't seem to comprehend what the issue was.
"He isn't accustomed to human needs." Solas said with the faintest hint of displeasure.
"We'll have enough provisions. I made sure to bring extra just in case Rhys and Evangeline needed it." Khyran answered. "It isn't an issue."
Varric stood upright and teetered a little. Khyran steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks. We gonna make camp or keep going?"
"Let's stop for a while." Khyran responded. "We can afford a few hours' rest, and I don't want you to push yourself."
Varric gave Khy a thumbs up. "I'm good, Your Inquisitorialness."
"I want to keep going." Said Cole.
But Khy shook his head. The fight left everyone drained- it would be unwise to continue forward in this state.
"We'll continue again in six hours. I'll take first watch. Bull, you take second."
"You got it, boss."
The five of them gathered provisions from their packs and settled down in the woods with only the crickets to break the silence of night.