Chapter 4: Reaper

Haven.

Once, it was a place of secrets, the final resting place of Andraste's sacred ashes.

Once it was the home of a great evil, dragon cultists who sought to destroy what their ancestors had built, who sought to replace the Andrastian faith with their own.

Haven, a place reclaimed by the chantry, liberated from the cultist by Warden Solona Amell and her allies, a place of hope, a place that gave Ferelden a fighting chance during the fifth Blight.

Haven, a place devastated by the opening of the breach, the destruction of the temple of sacred ashes, and the murder of Divine Justinia V.

Haven, the village where hope sprang anew, where the faithful gathered to not only pray, but try to push back the darkness…

…Haven…the new home of the Inquisition reborn.

It was to this place that both recruits and pilgrims flocked, men and women eager to try and save their world. The Herald of Andraste gave them hope, now they strived to turn that hope into action.

The little village was a buzz with activity, soldiers, artisans, and merchants did what they could to provide for the fledgling movement, to ready the faithful for war.

Into this place walked a single figure, his black armor and weapons identified him as a member of the Seekers of Truth, but few of their order had ever seen him. He had been named a Seeker by Divine Justinia herself, even Lord Seeker Lambert had been able to deny him that title.

Those who had lived in Haven these last ten years smiled as he passed by, some even remembered him from his sporadic visits over the last three years.

To them he was not just a soldier, he was a justification of their faith, not in the same class as the Herald of Andraste, but still a true symbol, a warrior of the Maker's will and love.

To others, he was an enigma. One of the returning patrols had seen him engage several Templars and the mages trying to attack them. Both sides had tried to slay him on sight, but the warrior was not so easily beaten. He raised his hand and made a fist.

The combatants fell to their knees screaming in pain, after that, it had been easy for man in black to finish them. The scouts had just stood by as the warrior ended them all.

After that the scouts gave the warrior a wide berth, and advised everyone else to do the same.

Such power was not to be opposed lightly.

His black cloak, marked with Andraste's holy symbol, swirled around him as he made his way through the snow, several soldiers and scouts paused as he passed by, a few, who had been close to Justinia, bowed their head and saluted the young man.

He nodded, but said nothing. He was not here for conversation.

He was here…to receive orders.

Few knew his real name, Sister Leliana, several of the priests that had once served in the temple of sacred ashes, but with so many dead, few now knew the man on sight.

He made straight for the chantry. He had already sent word ahead of his arrival, Sister Leliana, his patron and mentor would be waiting for him there.

If Sister Nightingale was the Divine's left hand, then this young man was the left hand's right.

He had been one of her first agents, answerable to only her and the Divine. Where he had walked, people had followed; when he had spoken, dangerous people had listened.

To those who did not know him, he was called Reaper, one of the most dangerous of the Nightingale's agents.

To those in Kirkwall, he had had another name, one that was still honored by his friends.

To those friends he was dead; it had been better that way, it made it easier for him to do his work. It had been easier for him to disappear into the shadows, but now…times were changing.

Leliana had need of him again, but it was not Reaper that she needed, it was the boy he had been.

Bradley Reinhart of Kirkwall was needed once again.

And Sister Nightingale was about to unleash him.

He did not even pause as he made his way up the hill to the chantry. He knew well enough not to dawdle.

The Nightingale was expecting him.

He said nothing as he entered the building several sisters twittered nervously as he passed by.

He did not stop until he entered the Ambassador's office. He knocked once, and once he was admitted entered without another word.

The Nightingale and an Antivan woman he assumed was Ambassador Montilyet were talking quietly over two cups of tea.

He dropped to one knee before him, removing his helmet and bowing his head in submission.

"Reaper reporting for duty, mum," he said coolly.

Leliana smiled and rose.

She turned to her friend.

"Josie, allow me to introduce Reaper."

The Antivan gave him a respectful bow.

"A pleasure, ser," the Ambassador cooed, "Leliana had spoken quite well of you."

Bradley did not respond to that, typically it was wise not to comment on what the Nightingale said.

What she said, and what she meant could be two entirely different things.

Still, the warrior felt a surge of nervous anticipation. It was rare that she summoned him to her side, and only then when matters were most grave.

He almost smiled.

No doubt she had a mission for him.

He was more than eager to accept.

IOI

Leliana paced around him, her eyes all but hidden beneath the cowl of her robes.

She regarded the man dispassionately. She could not deny that he was one of her top agents, this he had come to her almost three years ago he had completed every task she had asked of him, and he had never faltered, not from seeking out the Qunari Arishok, to dealing with mage and Templar leaders who had threatened the Most Holy's life.

She had counted on him. Justinia had come to count on him, but now that she was gone…

The Inquisition's spymaster shook her head.

She knew that he would do what needed to be done, but still…still…

She frowned.

Still…this latest task gave her pause. Reaper…Ser Bradley had come to her service because of extreme circumstances…

Now, after so much time, he would need to confront those circumstances.

She suppressed a sigh.

She hoped he was ready for them.

"You are late," she said coolly.

He bowed his head.

"My apologies," he answered, "I would have been here sooner, but…but…

He paused.

Leliana's eyes narrowed.

"Go on," she said, "Speak your mind."

The warrior shivered. He took a deep breath and continued.

"I needed to see it for myself," he sighed, "The temple…what happened…I…I…"

Reapers eyes narrowed.

"Give me leave to hunt the monsters that did this," he growled eagerly, "I will see that justice is done."

Leliana smiled slightly.

"The loss of so many at the temple was tragic," she agreed, "So many of the faithful…so brutally taken from us…"

The Nightingale shook her head.

"The Herald of Andraste is even now investigating what happened. Once we find out who did this, we will see that those responsible are punished."

Reaper nodded.

"As you wish, Sister," he said, "Shall I be accompanying the Herald then?"

He glanced up, eagerness shining in his eyes.

"I'm sure my services will be invaluable to our Prophet's chosen."

Leliana frowned. She had to admit, she had considered that. The abilities that Ser Bradley had been granted by the holy flames of the Temple of Sacred Ashes were quite formidable.

He had never gone through the Seeker's vigil, but possessed all the abilities of one who had. He was immune to both the effects of lyrium and mind control; with the barest gesture he could make the magic in a person's blood burn. Cassandra Pentaghast had similar abilities, but not to the level that young Bradley possessed.

The right hand of the Divine did not know just how strong those powers were. Both she and Reaper were true believers, champions of the faith, but that sameness also led to infighting between the two.

Plus, Cassandra still blamed Bradley for the Guardian fleeing the temple with the Ashes of Andraste. He had been standing in the main chamber when the immortal warrior had fled, and done nothing.

In hindsight, Bradley had been right to let the man go, but still harsh feelings remained between the two warriors.

Leliana protected him from the worst of his fellow Seekers ire.

In truth, she had done her best to shield her darkest knight. It had been at her suggestion that Bradley been made a full seeker after the Battle of the Temple three years ago. Lord Seeker Lambert Van Reeves had learned of Bradley's …creation during the battle with the darkspawn, and he had been intrigued.

Such powers, granted to one not fully invested in the Seeker ranks had disturbed the man.

If Lambert understood anything, it was the value of power.

He had tried to make Ser Bradley his.

As leader of the Seekers the man had summoned Bradley to his side, demanding that he swear allegiance to the Seekers, first and foremost.

Reaper had declined. He believed that his first loyalty was to the Maker, then the Divine, then the order. Nothing had happened to the young man because both Justinia and Leliana had been watching over him.

The Nightingale shook her head.

She knew from her sources within the temple that Lambert had tried to duplicate the events that had given Bradley his power. Several of the Lord Seeker's most loyal knights had visited Haven in the aftermath of Bradley's arrival in Val Royeaux.

Those knights had stepped into the flame fully armed and armored, expecting their faith to protect them as it had Bradley.

Of the three that she knew about, two were confirmed dead, and the third, badly burned, nearly driven mad by the experience.

Leliana sighed.

Wasteful.

What Bradley did, what he became, was not simply a matter of faith, it was sacrifice. He had been willing to die to save his friends.

Lambert had not understood that, he never had.

Even before he had ordered the Templars to rise up against the Most Holy, the man had been a threat.

She should have ended that threat when she had the chance.

She found herself thinking back to when Justinia had ordered that the college of magi be summoned to the white spire. Lambert had gotten too close to her mistress, and Leliana had needed to intervene, putting herself between the Lord Seeker and the Most Holy.

Her blade had rested against Lambert's throat that day, if she had only struck, ended the man for his insolence…

Perhaps much of the bloodshed of the last year may have been avoided.

"Sister?" Bradley gave her a concerned look.

The Nightingale blinked.

She had been lost in thought for a moment.

The past was gone.

She needed to see to the future…

…Whatever the cost.

She gave him a wan smile.

"I'm fine," she assured him, "I have a task for you Reaper, one that might be a bit…challenging."

Bradley did not hesitate.

"I'm ready," he promised her.

Leliana smiled at Ambassador Montilyet.

"You see Josie, completely loyal and eager to please."

"Necessary traits for a skilled agent," the Ambassador agreed.

Again, Bradley said nothing.

Only the mission mattered.

"I have been trying to contact the Grey Wardens," Sister Nightingale began, "But have met with little success, the order in both Ferelden and Orlais have vanished from their posts."

Bradley tilted his head at that news.

"Unusual," he agreed, "But the ways of the order have always been secretive."

"True," Leliana admitted, "but to have them all simply vanish…and so closely behind the death of the Divine."

Bradley frowned.

"Do you suspect that the wardens were involved?"

"I pray not," She admitted, "the order has always tried to stay out of politics. If that has changed, then the war we now find ourselves in may be more perilous then we thought."

The Nightingale shook her head.

This matter with the wardens disturbed her beyond belief. Never had the order gone so silent. She would have written her old friend Solona Amell, but even she had disappeared shortly after that business with the Exaltednist Templars years ago. Alistair had heard nothing from her, and neither had the Arishok, the man she had once known as Sten…

Leliana sighed.

She feared she was out of options.

If anything had happened to the wardens there was one final place she could look, among Reaper's former companions.

She hoped that he was ready to confront what they had to show him.

"Tell me Reaper," she said, "Have you ever heard of the Lost Garrison of the Grey Wardens?"

The young man thought about it for a moment and finally shook his head.

"They are to the Wardens what the Seekers were to the Templar Order. They investigate matters of corruption in the warden ranks."

The inquisition's spymaster shook her head.

"The Garrison has taken up residence in the old warden fortress of Soldier's Peak. I'm sending you to speak with their Commander, see if he is still there, and find out what he knows if he is."

Bradley nodded.

"As you wish, but if the order is involved in something secretive, they might not be eager to share such knowledge with an outsider. They will more than likely turn me away."

The Nightingale gave him a sad smile.

"On the contrary," she said, "The Lost Garrison will be more than intrigued by your presence…You see, once, in your former life, you aided them."

The warrior's eyes widened.

"Was I a warden when I came to the temple?"

"No," she answered, "but you had chosen to aid them in their mission, a threat had risen against the chantry and you took up their cause to protect it. You fought with them at the Battle of the Temple three years ago."

Behind them, Josephine blinked. Leliana had told her at least a few stories about that fight.

"Do these wardens know that our young knight survived that battle?" she asked.

Leliana's mouth twisted into a grim line.

"No," she confessed, "They believe that Reaper here fell during that battle, it had been several days after they left that the holy flames returned him to us."

Bradley shook his head, Leliana could see the confusion there, but was not sure how to respond just yet.

Josephine had put her hand to her mouth, no doubt shocked at what her old friend had done to this boy.

Leliana pursed her lips.

She had no excuse.

Not for Josie, and certainly not for Bradley.

Finally, he blinked and looked up at her.

"You knew this," he murmured.

"Yes," she replied.

"You knew this all this time?"

The Nightingale sighed.

"You were not ready to hear this tale, not then. Do you remember what you were like when you first emerged from the flames?"

Reaper sighed, still processing what she was telling him. At the time it had seemed like the right call. The boy was in no shape to return to his companions. The Guardian had plucked him from the flames; he had emerged with no memory of his past, as innocent as a new born babe.

She could not, at that time, simply tossed him back in the wardens' dark world.

"You could have told me," he said.

"You were a blank slate," she reminded him, "You had your abilities and your faith but little else. Had I sent word to your comrades, they might have expected you to rejoin them, you were not ready."

She put her hand on his shoulder.

"You had just lost everything that you were, they would have tried to help you no doubt, but that would have distracted them from their mission, plus, as you wrestled with who you were, and what you had become, you likely would have grown to resent them, as they tried to force you to remember a past that was simply gone."

She sighed heavily.

"I have no excuse for my actions that day," she said, "I believed them just, in fact, I still do."

She stood up straight.

"One day, I may ask your forgiveness. Perhaps you will grant it to me when that day comes.

Reaper lowered his head once more; he had no words, not after what she had just told him. She knew that he had made at least a few attempts in the last few years to learn about his past in Kirkwall.

Now she had presented him with an opportunity to hear the rest. What had come after, what he had done after he had left the Circle in Kirkwall.

She hoped that he was ready.

"So," he sighed, "These wardens will know me on sight?"

"Yes," she replied, "They maybe a little stand offish at first, but from what I observed from Commander Oslin and his men, they will be most pleased that you survived your ordeal."

Reaper sighed.

"What if they have vanished along with the other wardens?"

"Then we are back to where we started," the Nightingale frowned, "Soldier's Peak is as good a starting point as any to begin your search. Hopefully you will be able to pick up the trail, provided it has not gone cold."

The warrior nodded.

"It seems that I have two reasons to complete this mission," he said.

Leliana gave him a sad smile.

"I did what I thought was best for you," she said, "I prepared you for the day that your past would return, the day that you would have to confront the questions that have haunted you for so long.

She once again placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her.

She smiled down on him.

"It is time, Bradley," she said.

"It is time to seek out your answers."