No, not seal it - she merely disrupted it. No more demons were coming through. Another go at the rift sealed it completely this time. "The rift is gone! Open the gate!" Cassandra called out to the soldiers who replied with a right away Lady Cassandra.
"We are clear for the moment." Solas sounded out of breath and as Signe turned to look at him his gaze was searching. He was still surprised over her magic. "Well done."
It looked like he had wanted to say more, to question her but Varric spoke up before he could. "Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful." Signe let out a dry laugh. Useful but it was also killing her. The Dragonborn had gotten use to ignoring pain to get things done but this - it was getting harder to ignore the feeling of your hand being on fire and ripping itself apart from the inside. The sound of the gate being unlocked caught her attention. Knowing the others wouldn't be far behind her she made her way through the gate and onto a bridge. She wasn't going to waste time standing around if there was even a slight change to stop all of this before the mark killed her. Soldiers stood around looking more than a bit defeated. It seemed most had already given up. They eyed her warily as she made her way towards Leliana who seemed to be arguing with an older man in robes. As they drew closer she heard Leliana mention the man wasn't in charge here, so who was?
"Ah, here they come." He didn't sound pleased at all.
Leliana stepped forward with a relieved look on her face, though though it only lasted a moment. "You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is -"
"I know who she is." He was definitely not happy with her, made apparent not only by the look on his face but the disdain in his voice as he glanced at Signe before his gaze moved to Cassandra. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royaeux to face execution."
"Order me? You're a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!" Cassandra spat at him. This caused Signe to raise a brow at the Seeker.
"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!"
"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know." Leliana cut in.
"Justinia is dead! We must elect a replacement and obey her orders on the matter!"
This argument was getting tiring and Signe was getting irritated. They breach needed closing, wasn't that what they wanted her to do? It seemed to be the biggest problem at the moment. Not electing some official. "So none of you are actually in charge here?" She asked stepping forward.
"You killed everyone in charge!" The Chancellor, though he took a step back did otherwise hold his ground."Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."
"We can stop this before it's too late." Cassandra moved forward, between the clerk and Signe.
"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the Temple, even with all your soldiers." He sounded so defeated. This was how they faced adversity? Stand down and wait for the end? It was amazing they had lasted so long.
"We must get to the temple. It's the quickest route." Cassandra urged. At least she hadn't yet given up. Signe, though she had started out not liking the other woman very much was beginning to feel a sense of respect for her.
"But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains." Leliana stepped forward and offered up another route to take, but Cassandra was already shaking her head.
"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It's too risky."
"Listen to me, abandon this now before more lives are lost!" The Chancellor was certainly determined to stop this march on the Temple. The breach flared again and the mark on Signe's had activated. Gritting her teeth she gripped her wrist and fought against it as everyone turned to look at her.
"How do you think we should proceed?" Cassandra decided to address her know.
The Dragonborn's eyes narrowed at the Seeker. "You're asking for my opinion? Aren't I the prisoner here?"
"You have the mark." Solas said from behind her.
"And you are the one we must keep alive. Since we can not agree on our own…" Cassandra trailed off and looked at her a bit expectantly.
Signe let out a sigh and thought about it for a moment. Charging with the Soldiers might be safer, but Cassandra said there was a squad lost in the mountains. "We should take the mountain path. It may not be the safest but some of that squad may still be alive. Who knows what they ran into, if their hurt and can't get back we're dooming them to die by not going that route. Every life counts, we can not forsake them. We'll work together, you all know what's at stake."
Leliana seemed pleased and so did Varric, Cassandra on the other hand wasn't too happy about heading into the mountains, but she did seem to understand and agree with Signe's reasoning. "Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." Leliana gave a nod and took off.
Their little ragtag group started towards the other side of the bridge and Signe heard Chancellor Roderick address Cassandra one a last time. "On your head be the consequences Seeker." Looking behind her she saw the look on Cassandra's face, determination. The trek up the mountain took time, Signe was use to such conditions and didn't flinch at the cold wind whipping around them. This was where she was in her element. Then they came across the ladders. Well this was different. "Who wants to go first?" She said jokingly looking at the others. The Seeker gave her a look and she chuckled before starting up the first one. It was a quick climb for her and she was soon standing on the first platform waiting for the others.
Cassandra who had started up behind her called up. "The tunnel should be just ahead. The path to the Temple just beyond it." Once the Seeker reached the first platform Signe started up the second ladder. This platform as bigger, curved around the mountainside. Looking over the edge she waited for the others. They were a decent ways up and the view was breathtaking.
"What manner of tunnel is this? A mine?" She could hear Solas further down. His voice bouncing off the mountain.
"Part of an old mining complex. These mountains are full of such paths." Came Cassandra's reply.
"And your missing soldiers are in there somewhere?" Varric was the one questioning Cassandra now.
"Along with whatever has detained them." Solas was right, they needed to be ready for whatever was in that tunnel. Her guess was demons, and a rift.
"We shall see soon enough." Cassandra said from beside her. Everyone climbed up the last ladder and headed towards the entrance to the tunnel. As she expected there were demons, but there were only a few and not a rift in sight. Which meant there was likely on up ahead that had been open for awhile. It didn't take long to dispatch the demons in front of them and head further into the tunnel. It was dark with few candles lit as they went and looking around Signe realized this was certainly a more refined tunnel than one would see in Skyrim. Instead of plain stone arches there were chiseled columns and a tiled floor. Moving further through the tunnel they came across another group of demons just before the exit. Another fairly quick fight.
They found bodies on the other side of the door, soldiers. Varric let out a sigh as he came to stand beside Signe and look at them. "Guess we found the soldiers." He said softly.
Cassandra frowned and shook her head coming up on her other side. "That can not be all of them." So it was a bigger squad then that? Signe thought to herself that perhaps the others were still alive.
Obviously Varric was thinking the same thing. "So the others could be holed up ahead."
"Our priority must be the Breath. Unless we seal it soon, no one is safe." Solas chimed in and Signe knew he was, once again, right. Unless they came across them on their way down, someone else would have to come back.
"I'm leaving that to the lady with the glowing hand."
Signe chuckled at Varrics words. "Yes well, let us keep moving forward then. Perhaps we will run into the other soldiers further down the road." Moving further down the path, the closer they got to the Breach, the more energy Signe could feel coming from it. It sent a chill down her spine and made the dragon souls within her stir. "Drem." She said softly to herself in an attempt to calm them. They calmed but were still on alert. Something big was coming, and she had a feeling the others were going to see more of what she could do sooner than she planned. Her hand sparked as she caught sight of another rift and fighting the demons seemed to be the rest of the soldiers.
"Lady Cassandra!" One of the soldiers called out as the group join into the fight. Slashing a demon apart Signe darted forward and disrupted the rift to stop anything else from coming though.
"Lieutenant! You're alive!" Signe let out a curse when the rift righted itself and new demons appeared. Theses ones were different though, tall, lanky and the screech they made caused her stomach to lurch.
"Just barely." Replied the Lieutenant. With a growl Signe threw an ice spear at one of the new demons. It let out another screech as it was impaled and was reduced to sludge. This time when she went for the rift, it closed with a loud crack of magic.
Signe gave her hand a shake as Solas came up on her right. "Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this."
"I suppose I can not get any worse at it, otherwise we would be in trouble." She said with a smirk and she swore the corner of the elfs mouth curved upwards ever so slightly.
"Lets hope it works on the big one." Varric chimed in as he moved closer to them.
"Something tells me it will not be quite as simple as the last few." That feeling was still in the pit of her stomach as she looked up at the sky above her. The Breach loomed over them, a swirling angry hole.
Looking towards Cassandra she saw the Seeker helping the Lieutenant up off the ground. She nor the other soldiers seemed to have any major injuries, that was good. "Thank the Maker you finally arrived, Lady Cassandra. I don't think we could have held out much longer."
The Seekers eyes drifted back to look at Signe. "Thank our prisoner, Lieutenant. She insisted we come this way." There was a look of gratitude in Cassandra's eyes. She knew Signe had been right in her decision to come this way.
"The prisoner? Then you…?" Signe moved closer as the Lieutenant addressed her and gave a soft smile.
"It was worth saving you if we could. One should not abandon their shield brothers and sisters so easily." She had learned that from the Companions. Though she had never officially joined, Signe had fought alongside them more than a few times.
"Then you have my sincere gratitude." The Lieutenant gave her a nod and salute which Signe returned.
"The way into the Valley behind us is clear for the moment. Go, while you still can." The Seeker said pointing back the way they had come. These soldiers needed to get back to the Valley, to see healers. They would not be able to accompany them to the temple. Signe was just glad they had been able to save their lives.
"At once. Quickly, lets move!" What was left of the small squad took off up the hill as fast as they could. A few of them limping but pushing their way through it.
"The path ahead appears to be clear of Demons as well." Solas noted as he leaned on his staff.
"Lets hurry before that changes." Cassandra said moving closer to the group. She was right, it was time to take the last stretch to the Temple and see if Signe could close it. For the first time in a very long time, Signe couldn't help but say a prayer for protection and hope that her Gods could here hear in this world.
Alright! So here we go, a new chapter. Got this one done a lot faster than the last one. I'm hoping to get a little ahead over the next few night so I can start posting more often. I'd LIKE to be able to post around once a week if possible. Once I get past the opening bit it'll run smoother and chapters will probably end up being longer.
I've also made a special tumblr for this story. I'll be sharing stuff that inspired me and it's a good place to ask any question you have about the fic. I'll also be able to keep you guys updated on when I'll be posting new chapters and how far along I am. So feel free to follow me over at vokunahrkfeim.
I'd like to thank everyone that has followed/favorited/reviewed the story. That really keeps me motivated and kicks me into gear because that tells people actually do enjoy the story. Signe means a lot to me, she started out as my character in Skyrim to an rp character to now the main character in my fanfiction. So it really feels amazing that people seem interested in her.
Speaking of reviews I do want to reply to them:
Akasha - Mostly likely the Aedra and Daedra will come into play but I'm still working out how I'm going to do that.
Alastair279 - yeah I thought about not making her inquisitor but I do like to torture my muses relentlessly and Signe just hates being tied to any God so I made her Herald of Andraste haha
NightlyRowanTree - thank you so much! Glad you liked the last chapter and at least you didn't have to wait very long!
