The temple was sweltering, and it smelled like burnt flesh. Nethra marched slowly through the entrance, followed by Cassandra, Solas, and Varric. The Breach glowed menacingly. Chunks of earth and rock floated around it.
"You're here. Thank the Maker." Leliana walked briskly toward the group.
"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the Temple." Cassandra ordered. Leliana gave her a nod and began yelling instructions at her troops. Cassandra turned to Nethra, "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Nethra sighed nervously.
"This rift is the key. Seal it, and we seal the Breach." Said Solas.
The team managed to find a way down, passing deposits of what looked like a glowing red mineral of some kind.
"Seeker, do you see that? It's red lyrium." Varric said, an unusually somber tone taking over his voice.
"I know what it is, Varric."
"But what's it doing here? You know what that stuff does to people!"
Nethra had heard all about it back when she lived in Kirkwall. It was lyrium that spoke to you. If you were near it for too long, you began to go crazy. Varric's brother Bartrand was a victim of its effects.
"Keep the sacrifice still." A voice boomed throughout the temple.
"Someone! Help me!" A woman's voice sounded now, with an Orlesian accent.
"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" the Seeker gasped.
Nethra's hand began to glow. It seemed as if the mark was drawn to the rift.
"What's going on here?" Nethra's own voice sounded from inside the giant fade rift. She frowned in confusion.
"That was your voice. Most Holy called out to you. But…"
"You have to run! Warn them!"
"We have an intruder. Slay the elf."
"You were there!" Cassandra shouted, "Who attacked? And the Divine, is she…? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?"
"I don't remember!"
"Echoes of what happened here. The fade bleeds into this place. The rift is not sealed, but it is closed… albeit temporarily. I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened, and then sealed properly and safely. However, pening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side." Solas proposed, stepping forward.
"That means demons! Stand ready!" Cassandra shouted. Nethra held out her hand, opening the rift with her mark. The rift shot out a large, scaly, purple monster. It cackled and growled.
"An envy demon! Get back!" Solas yelled.
Leliana's soldiers stood all around the temple, aiming their arrows at the monster.
"Now!" Cassandra commanded.
The soldiers all shot at once. It shocked many with an electrical whip. Nethra began conjuring fire blasts with her staff. Eventually, the monster kneeled down and Cassandra finished it off.
"Do it!"
Nethra held up her hand. The breach glowed, a green light blinding everyone in the temple. There was a large 'bang'. Everything went black.
Nethra woke up on a soft bed. She looked around the room, wooden panelling showing her that it was most likely one of the houses in Haven. A servant elf hustled into the room carrying a box. She froze as soon as she saw the elf laying on the bed.
"Oh!" The servant spoke. "I didn't know you were awake, I swear!" She shook her head nervously.
"Did I do something wrong? Why are you afraid?" Nethra's voice was soft and soothing in an attempt to reassure the servant that there was nothing to be afraid of.
The servant dropped down to her knees, "I beg your forgiveness, and your blessing. I am but a humble servant. You are back in Haven, my lady." Her hands trembled on the floor, "They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days."
Nethra looked down at her hand. Indeed, the mark had calmed down. It glowed peacefully at her.
"So it worked." She sighed. "Thank goodness."
The elf servant stood up, "I'm certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you've wakened. She said, 'at once.'"
"Where is she?"
"In the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once,' she said." The elf rushed out of the building.
Nethra sighed as she stood up carefully from the bed. "Three days, huh?" She stretched and yawned, almost falling over from dizziness. She really needed to eat. The freckled elf opened the door to the small cabin, revealing a large crowd of citizens staring at her. Guards were standing by steps, their hands held over their hearts in a salute. The crowd began whispering as Nethra made her way to the Chantry entrance slowly.
No one's attacking me, she thought, this is odd.
"That's her. That's the Herald of Andraste."
"The what now?" Nethra mumbled to herself.
"They say that when she came out of the Fade, Andraste herself was watching over her."
More and more people gathered throughout the town, all staring at her.
"That's her. She stopped the Breach from getting any bigger."
The Chantry doors opened for Nethra, and she slowly walked in. Candles lit the hall, strong pillars holding up the building. She overheard Cassandra and the Lord Chancellor arguing in a room ahead. She opened the door to the room, and all eyes turned to her.
"Chain her! I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial." The Chancellor ordered with a smirk.
"Disregard that, and leave us." Cassandra spoke. The guards seemed to prefer her order, and left at once.
"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." The Lord Chancellor's wrinkly face frowned.
"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."
"If there is a way to fix it, I'm willing to help." Nethra chimed in.
"You have done plenty. Your actions will be taken into account by the new Divine." The man sneered.
"Have a care, Chancellor. The Breach is not the only threat we face."
Leliana stepped forward, "Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave. Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others – or have allies who yet live."
"I am a suspect?!" The Chancellor shouted in disbelief.
"You, and many others."
"But not the prisoner." He clearly was not pleased with all of this.
"I heard the voices in the temple." Cassandra explained, "The Divine called to her for help."
"So her survival, that thing on her hand – all a coincidence?"
"Providence. The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour."
"I-I don't think I was sent by the Maker… maybe it was just a bit of luck." Nethra argued.
"Perhaps. I will not, however, pretend you were not exactly what we needed when we needed it."
"The Breach remains, and your mark is still our only hope of closing it."
"This is not for you to decide." The Chancellor argued once more."
Cassandra stared at him, then slammed a heavy book on the table in front of her. "You know what this is, Chancellor. A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She stepped toward the holy man, "We will close the Breach we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With or without your approval."
The Chancellor glared at the Seeker, then glanced at Leliana and Nethra before storming out of the room. Leliana gave a small smile toward the freckled elf.
"This is the Divine's directive: Rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support."
"But we have no choice" we must act now. With you at our side." Cassandra turn to Nethra.
"I'm willing to help." Nethra smiled.
"That is all we ask." The hooded redhead smiled.
"Help us fix this before it's too late." Cassandra held out her hand. Nethra grabbed it and shook.
Hello friends! Thank you for reading. I would REALLY (hint) appreciate (hint hint) any comments or reviews (PLEASE) to see what your opinions are and where I should take this story. Reviews really give me motivation to write! See you next time!
