Chapter 7 – The Taking

Dorian was pacing in his room when she finally pulled herself up through the landing. Recently, he had taken to pacing in thought, so this image was no surprise to her. Ever since Dorian had his clandestine meeting with the Herald, he had been hopeful that the Inquisition would aide the mages in their plight at Redcliff. Dorian was not a man of patience – and the meeting had been two months ago.

There had been no word from the Inquisition.

Dorian was a disheveled mess and his eyes were more bloodshot than she had ever seen. The minute he spotted her, he exclaimed, "Did you hear what that idiot did?"

Taken aback by Dorian's sudden anger, Razikale frowned at the man, "Whatever are you talking about?" She sat down on his bed roll and deepened her voice in mimicry of his own, "Oh, it is so pleasant to see you this evening Raza. Thank you, again, for risking your life to come and keep me company while I linger in this place. Please have a seat."

"For fuck's sake, Raza!" Dorian threw his hands in the air, "Just, for ONCE, could you cut me some slack here?" He slumped down into the corner chair, "I just overheard some of these bumbling townsfolk say that the Herald has made a formal alliance with the Templars. He has decided to take them to try and close the breach, rather than use us mages."

Her eyes widened in genuine surprise, "Why would he do such a thing? Mages are the only ones who could possibly muster enough mana to close that…that abomination in the sky. And he literally has a whole host of mages, sitting here – doing nothing."

Dorian sneered, "Let's not forget…we have a whole host of mages here, doing nothing, and under the control of a supremacist cult." The sarcasm practically oozed out of Dorian as he spoke, "This is not a recipe for disaster. Not. At. All."

She just could not understand why the Herald had picked the Templars, "You did tell him about this supposed Elder One the Venatori have been whispering about, haven't you?"

"Tell him? Gah! Felix and I both explained the very real threat the Inquisition faces here, both from Alexius and this Elder One. But did he listen to us? No – he took our warning and shoved it back in our faces. I understand that he may not be a mage, but he has to understand that only magic can correct the errs of magic."

She had no argument against Dorian's logic – magic really was the only thing that could solve whatever disaster had befallen this place. So, it further confounded Razikale why the Herald of Andraste would risk using Templars over mages. While having little to no direct experience with Templars (there had been no such Order while she had reigned with the other Old Gods), from what she had gathered, these individuals suppressed magic rather than enhanced it. Furthermore, wasn't this Inquisition supposed to be an entity separate from the Chantry? If so, why would they align themselves with a group so entwined with the dogma of the Chantry like the Templars?

As she was about to voice these thoughts, a thumping noise came from outside of the building. Already agitated, Dorian startled at the noise and in response his hands irrupted into bright red flames. Razikale slowly stood up from her seated position and gripped the dagger hidden up her right sleeve. In an attempt to identify the unexpected guest, Razikale delicately sniffed the air. Her breath stilled in recognition at the sharp scent of man, silk…and sickness. It seemed Felix had come to visit them after all.

She lowered her shoulders and released the handle of her dagger, slim fingers nostalgically caressing the ancient jewel encrusted weapon. It had been with her since the old days, when worshippers flocked to her beckon call. A dark head of hair soon emerged and Dorian extinguished his flames at the sight of his lifelong friend.

Felix panted as if out of breath, "Thank the Maker you're both here," as Felix turned to look at her, she noticed his panicked expression, "We need to get out of here right now. There is a large group a Venatori which have just arrived from the Hinterlands. I don't know what they are doing here, but it looks like they are rounding up all the mages."

"When did this happen? I don't recall seeing another host of those men come into Redcliffe?" she asked.

Felix sighed, "They just arrived about and hour ago, and with an impressive number of wagons and weapons."

Forehead wrinkled in confusion, Dorian asked, "But why would they need wagons at this hour of the night?"

Felix hastily grabbed Razikale's discarded shawl and draped it on her shoulders. Turning, he answered Dorian's question, "My guess is that we are being moved, and whoever wants us to leave wants it done under the cover of darkness. When I was coming up here, most of the slaves we brought with us, and even some of the castle servants, were being awakened to work."

Seeing Dorian open his mouth to ask another question, Felix raised is hand to silence him, "Unfortunately, I was not able to get any answers from the servants, least I catch the attention of my father and he start asking why I was up at this time of night. But the point remains, most of the castle is being awoken as we speak, and I really think we should, both, head back to our rooms before someone notices we're gone."

"Very well then, we will have to finish this conversation another time." She patted Dorian on the way out of the hidden room.

Ever the gentleman, Felix jumped to the ground first and extended a hand to Razikale. With great trepidation, she grabbed his hand and had to suppress a shudder at the sensation of his skin against hers. Everyday, the disconcerting hum of death grew in him, cloaking his aura in darkness.

By the time they made it to the courtyard, the entire area was bustling with servants and slaves running to and fro. It was an odd thing to witness as usually at this time of night, only the owls and crickets were awake. Bleary eyed mages were congregating near the back of the courtyard and slowly being organized into different groups. The Venatori were everywhere, almost doubled in number from the previous days. Torch light glinted off their spikey armour as they silently corralled the confused mages into wagons.

"Young Master!" a slightly rumpled elf ran to Felix and bowed hastily. Razikale recalled that this was his house slave, the favoured one Alexius had decided to bring on this 'trip'. "Your father is looking for you Master Felix. He insisted you come to him immediately - immediately he said."

"Alright Paelos, take me to father."

Razikale went to turn away from the pair, but as she did so, the slave spoke up again and addressed her instead, "Magister Alexius wants to see you too, My Lady."

She shared a look with Felix before he shrugged and started off to follow the elf. With no other choice, Razikale followed Felix as he weaved through the busy courtyard towards the castle proper. People hustled past the trio as they made their way deeper in to the castle, and not even one of them looked up from their assigned task. Despite the hectic atmosphere, everything was so organized; the Venatori kept everything moving smoothly and with precision.

The room they were ushered into was cool and dark. Only half burnt candles illuminated the sparse room which had a reception table and a few chairs. It was an odd space; utterly utilitarian without the trappings of nobility which could be seen elsewhere. Alexius stood in the corner of the room and wrung his hands – it was the only outwardly sign of his nervousness.

When Felix saw his father, he asked, "What is going on?"

"Nothing. Nothing, please Felix…" Alexius seemed to just notice Razikale then, "…and Raza. Please have a seat."

She was sure Alexius was lying to them (well, more so than usual), there was something definitely wrong. She had never seen the Magister so worked up; she could smell his perspiration and hear his heart frantically beating away in his chest. There was no chance to ask any questions as three people strolled into the room showing obvious superiority. Two Venatori guards (covered in ominous looking head gear) and a slim blond mage walked in, the mage took a seat across from the trio as the guards flanked the only exit. Razikale took in this unfamiliar mage and her severe face with dirty blond hair pulled back tight into a bun.

'Well' she thought, 'Looks like things are about to get very interesting. Maybe I will even get some answers.'

Alexius briefly smirked at the woman and inclined his head, "Calpernia,". He spat out the name like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

The woman ignored Alexius' less than gracious greeting and instead stared at Razikale intently before turning back to Alexis, "Why is this woman here? You received orders that all mages are to be prepared to depart."

Alexius fired back, "An exception needs to be made for her, she is the Archon's companion and representative here. She is to stay with my son at all times."

It appeared his demand had little impact on the woman. Calpernia shook her head in annoyance and pointed and angry finger at Alexius, "You, would presume to give orders to the Elder One? Our Master has already been generous enough with you, making concessions on your travel requirements and granting reprieve to your son. One exception was already made, DO NOT push your luck any further or you may find your son becomes involved as well."

Alexius jumped from his seat in anger, "You dare threaten my son!"

A clink of metal and the sound of swords coming out of their sheaths was the only noise in the room. Calpernia lazily waved her hand and the guards stepped back into their previous position. Calpernia's only response was to simply stare up at the fuming Magister with sharp grey eyes.

A moment passed and there was a clear message there – but Razikale was not sure exactly what the woman was trying to convey. Whatever it was, Magister Alexius deflated and slumped back into his seat, seemingly defeated.

Felix opened his mouth to speak, but his father cut him off in an exhausted voice, "What about the Archon? She, above all others, is favored by him. Raza cannot just simply disappear."

"What about him?" Calpernia replied, "The Archon holds no power here, and whatever position he wields in Tevinter shall soon be dissolved anyway. The Elder One is not concerned with the commands of mortals, least of all those who have let Tevinter fall to ruin. Nor will he tolerate insubordination and questions to his authority," she stressed, pointedly looking at Alexius.

The whole situation was rather bizarre to Razikale. What exactly was going on here, and who did this Elder One think he was? From the sounds of things, there seemed to be a God complex developing right under their noses. She snorted under her breath, what a foolish thing to think, that this Elder One was mighty enough to be a God. Though, she was smart enough to keep her opinions to herself for the time being. Razikale was in no position to defend herself should she offend someone.

Felix sprung from his seat and turned to his father, "What is the meaning of this? What exception is being made for me and how does this affect Raza?!"

Again, the two guards came forward, but this time they roughly pushed Felix back into his chair. Alexius shot them a dirty look before putting a calming hand on his son's shoulder and whispered, "Be silent. What I am doing is for our future - your future. You must understand this."

Alexius gripped his son's shoulder in a desperate plea for cooperation. Felix unwillingly nodded his head and shot her a worried glance.

In a last attempt at an argument, Alexius turned back to Calpernia, "The collar! She has a mana surpassing collar on. Only the original keyholder can remove it, and with it still in place Raza is of little use to anyone."

Calpernia waved away his concern, "The collar is a trivial matter, one I am sure our Master can easily overcome. I have told you, countless times, the limitation of mortals have no bearing on The Elder One."

At Calpernia's signal, the guards came forward to Razikale and grabbed her upper arms. Just as she was being hauled out of her seated position, Felix quickly grabbed her hand, "Please be safe Raza."

She had no chance to respond as the men yanked her forward at the first sign of hesitation. It was surprisingly difficult to separate from Felix and see his wide scared eyes follow her out of the room. Over the months in Redcliffe the trio had formed a unique bond, one that she had not originally set out to make. In the beginning, they had simply been a means to an end, a way to gather information into the inner workings of Magister Alexius. But now, now they were comrades united in thought and action. It was a novel experience for Razikale as never before had she let mortals become so close to her, to become more than amusement, but rather to become…friends.

She hoped she would see them again.

As they turned a corner down ominous looking halls, Calpernia glanced at her, "You have questions, I imagine." Calpernia continued, "And the Elder One has answers, but you will only get them if you obey. Am I clear?"

'Crystal.' thought Razikale as she frowned at the man on her left. They had been hauling her arms roughly as the tips of her toes barely grazed the floor. Eventually they stopped outside of the imposing wooden doors which led into the grand reception hall. The guards let go of her arms then and stepped back against the wall.

This was her chance to run, she was probably faster than these fools in the heavy armour. Though the mage was an unknow factor – how fast could she attack with magic?

For all her faults, Calpernia was no fool. Seeing the defiant light enter Razikale's eyes, the mage quickly turned to her and asked, "Do you really want to risk that, taking a run for it here, in a Venatori controlled castle?"

Undaunted by Razikale's stubborn lack of response, Calpernia continued, "There is nowhere for you to go, little slave."

"I AM NOT a slave. And anywhere is better than here."

Calpernia smiled condescendingly, "A slave is a slave no matter the elevated position – I would know. And where would you run to? Back to your Archon, back to becoming his play thing again? Do you aspire to be nothing more than a slave? Do you not have your own wants and desires?"

'I have plenty of those' she thought, 'and right now, I desire to rip off your head'. Her anger simmered brightly under the surface and Razikale had to fight to contain her sedateness.

Oblivious to Razikale's murderous thoughts, Calpernia said, "There is no place better than right here, with your fellow countrymen – true citizens who would see the Imperium restored to its former glory. Only the Elder One has the power to free you from your chains, and if you let us, all your fears can be put aside under the care of our new Master."

This woman was obviously a zealot – clear as day. Now having dealt with her fair share of zealots during her time as a reigning God (mostly those who worshipped Dumat – he certainly attracted unbalanced followers), Razikale knew there was no reasoning with these people, not unless she could prove this Elder One as a fraud and restore herself. But, if she could have this thrice-damned collar removed, then maybe it was worth meeting the Elder One and playing along with this farce.

She just hoped she was not stepping into too dangerous of a situation.

At Razikale's nod of assent, Calpernia turned and opened the doors. She followed behind the woman and kept her head down in proper respect, she had no idea what type of person she was going to meet. Also, with her head angled just the right way, she was able to get the layout of the room without the others knowing – if she could play up the uneducated slave, all the better.

Luckily there seemed to be no other guards nor any servants lingering in the room, unusual but useful if she needed to make an escape. At the end of the room was only a solitary table littered with brightly burning candles. What was most shocking though, was the figure looming in front of the table, delicately handling an object hidden from view. It was the tallest person Razikale had ever seen, easily topping nine feet tall. No human ever grew to that height.

What in Thedas was it?

A malevolent voice drawled out, "What did you bring me now Calpernia, another slave for my ranks? She should be with the other mages." The voice was so deep and unnatural that she could feel it in her very bones. She clenched her hands at the feel of it as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

This was no human – at least not any longer.

Even with its back turned to them she could practically taste the contempt and arrogance ooze out of the speaker.

Calpernia bowed low, "She will be put there as soon possible My Lord. However, she must first be made able to serve."

Razikale risked glancing up just at the same time as the….man, turned around to regard her. Only… this was no man, but rather a beast beyond her comprehension. Her breath hitched as she took in the grotesque spikes of red glowing lyrium jutting from his body. His face….his face was half melted into some headdress and his eyes burned with some strange power.

In all her years, Razikale had never seen anything so unnatural – so malignant.

Her body had become a block of ice, frozen in absolute shock as she beheld the beast. The eyes – the eyes were familiar to her. Her hands shook in horror and colour drained from her face when the memories came back to her. The monster…no this had been a man once – she could recall the years of his service to Dumat. Could remember watching him, from afar, as he handled Dumat's devout followers. Sethius – yes, that had been his name. And if she recalled properly, he was also one of those foolish Magisters who contemplated entering the fade all those years ago.

And it had been years – centuries even. So, what was he doing alive when he ought to be nothing but ash and dust? What had Sethius become?

"I see…" she shivered at the familiar accent, much like her own, "And who is it that she is tethered so tightly to?"

With her head bowed and long hair obscuring her face, Razikale fervently hoped Sethius would not recognize her. She had a feeling it would be very detrimental to her health to be recognized as an Old God, especially one with access to almost none of her original power. It had been ages passed since she had seen him, so perhaps there would be a chance to avoid recognition now. And he had been a devotee of Dumat's and had not been part of her Temple priesthood.

"The Archon, my Lord" responded Calpernia with utmost deference.

The creature laughed grandly at the notion, "That grandstander? Well, we shall have to take care of this won't we? I will not tolerate the will of another interfering with my orders, no matter how insignificant they are."

She could feel him getting closer and shied away from his approaching body. The air seemed to get tighter and heavier as he neared her, and her skin started to itch. It was the same sensation that Felix caused, only much more intense. In her mind she could almost see the blackness and death as it manifested in his mana.

Razikale jerked violently as his overly-large clawed hands flicked her hair over her shoulder. The Elder One hummed in thought as he considered her hunched form, "Those in power will tremble when I finally take my stand against them. You shall be free of these false chains and will serve your new God, your rightful ruler."

Before any other words could be spoken, strong fingers curled around her collar. They were sharp and cruel and she could feel the tender skin of her neck tear in response to his actions. Then heat came, a burning magical force that even Razikale could grudgingly admire as supremely strong. Far stronger than what she could yield at the moment. Neck bared, she could do nothing but stand there as he applied his force against the restrictive magics.

There was a hiss of steam and then a resounding click as the collar unlocked at fell to the floor – now nothing more than a useless piece of metal. Whatever joy Razikale had from being freed was violently cut short as she promptly doubled over and threw up on the floor. Bile filled her mouth as the sudden influx of power overwhelmed her. The rush of mana was excruciating; like a thousand needles prickling along her skin. She continued to dry heave as her ears thrummed in sync with her heartbeat and her skin became overheated. Despite her best efforts, Razikale found herself stumbling to her knees and clutching her chest in a futile effort to remain conscious. Too long had she been cut off from her reserve of power, though it was still only half of what she should have had.

As she screamed in agony, The Elder One exclaimed, "Behold! The power of your new Master and God. Bow as is required."

Kneeling on the ground, and with a swaying upper body, Razikale begrudgingly looked up at the creature, glad to see no hint of recognition in his features. She would never bow to this Abomination, would never acknowledge him her God. SHE WAS A TRUE GOD - He was nothing more than a pretender grasping at heights far above him. If only she had her true strength, she would put this man back in his place!

Eyes narrowed she tried to think of something to say, but found her mind distracted by the waves of mana now spreading through her limbs. Calpernia came to Razikale then and, with surprising tenderness, grasped her shoulders as helped her stand. Taking a bracing breathe Razikale tried to center herself – she had to get under control.

Just as Razikale obtained a steady stance, the ground rumbled and moved. Calpernia exclaimed in surprise as she staggered towards her Master, eager to protect. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Razikale's attention as she watched the previously hidden object roll along the wooden table and out of its silken bag. It continued to roll right off the table and into a darkened corner. No one seemed to notice this, too engrossed with the madness of the earthquake. But Razikale didn't care about the earthquake, didn't even care about the monster in the same room as her. The minute she beheld the orb, it triggered some deep seeded memory, so old it was like a hazy image in the back of her mind. She could recall a name – Foci. Yes, that was it! This object was called a Foci and her instincts told her it was of great importance. In her mind, she could imagine it glowing brilliantly with magic, yet here it lay darkened and quiet. Even though it must have been dormant, she could feel the thrum of potential power, could practically taste the centuries of knowledge it possessed. Razikale could not simply leave it – it had to be hers.

Suddenly a rush of mana and a deep thunderous book seemed to flow violently threw the air and castle itself. She gasped at the feel of it, and watched as The Elder One reared back in surprise. He moved swiftly to the nearest door and yelled for the guards, "What has happened?"

The nearest guard looked ashen faced as he stumbled out a reply, "The breach…it's… it's gone!" he pointed out the nearest window.

Without a second glance, the Elder One rushed out of the room and around the corner of the wall to behold the night sky. "What has that fumbling fool done now?! Calpernia, come here!"

At her Master's call, Calpernia ran outside the room. Even though they were not far from Razikale, she was now out of sight, as even the guards were distracted. This was the chance she had been waiting for! Rallying around what little strength she had left, Razikale slid across the room and grabbed the Foci making sure to wrap it back in its silken bag. The minute she did, the pull of it seemingly diminished, like the bag somehow dampened its magical signature. She could hear Sethius ranting at Calpernia about the Herald and his blasted Inquisition.

Good - he was still busy then. She smirked, Sethius had always been know to pontificate when the mood struck him.

Now she faced a dangerous problem – how was she going to get out of the room? There were no windows and the main door was not an option. Time was also running short, The Elder One could be distracted for only so long. From experience, she surmised there had to be a servants' entrance somewhere hidden out of sight.

And she was right. On the left side of the room, her eyes picked up on a small crack which ran along the wall. Taking a chance, Razikale ran across the room as silently as possible and gently pushed against the wall. A mechanism clicked and the wall opened before her, leading into a narrow tunnelway.

Quickly she ran passed the door and closed the hatch. It caused a soft thud to echo in the space and she cringed at the sound. She had to move now!

A minute later she found herself outside of the castle, the tunnel stopping abruptly at the back of the kitchen entrance. She could hear servants milling about, but she seemed to be hidden from view. Razikale crouched down and crawled on her hands and knees towards the cover of some hay piles.

"What is this?!"

The Elder One's angered yell could be heard throughout the castle and spurred her to move even faster. So fast in fact, that no one would have believed she was just an average human at her display. But now Sethius knew she was gone and she had to get away from that beast as soon as possible. Could not risk him realizing what she was or that she now had possession of the orb.

"WHERE IS THE ORB!?"

Too late it seemed.

Most people still had their eyes glued to the now calm skies, startling only slightly at the Elder One's rage. Baffled and excited that the breach had been dispelled, many hugged and cheered, giving thanks to Andraste and their Maker. It had certainly worked in her favour to avoid detection; with everyone so distracted Razikale could swiftly move between buildings. Her heart raced painfully as she hid behind carts and crouched by old buildings. The longer she stayed here, the higher a chance the Elder One would find her. She shivered at the thought of ever seeing that man again.

The forest looked like the best option, she had to get into the trees – the Venatori would never think to look for a woman out in the wilderness at night. Taking a breath, Razikale tentatively rose from her position, head just cresting over the brick wall as her fingers tightened around the silk bag. Her delicate ears could pick up the sounds of the Venatori running out of the castle. So far, they seemed to be concentrating only on the main town square.

This was her chance to flee, she had to run now.

Quick as lightening, she sprang from her position and jumped over the small wall, clinging tightly to her stolen bundle. She pumped her one arm as her hair streamed passed her, it's inky colour blending into the night sky. Her heart was pounding faster than ever before, both from fear of The Elder one and in response to the wild magic now coursing her veins. Her eyes flashed a brilliant whitish purple as she searched the darkness for any threat.

Seconds later she found herself surrounded by old trees and thick bushes. All she had to do was stay out of sight, at least until she could move again. With shaking legs Razikale collapsed to the ground, head hung in exhaustion. This was too much, this was all too much.

Calpernia was right about one thing, she really did have nowhere to go.

Razikale tentatively lifted the fabric off the darkened orb and with shaking fingers, traced the swirling design. Razikale could only recall weak memories of the object, like an imprint on her early mind as a young and impressionable spirit. She knew, at one time, the orb had held great significance to the Elvhen people. Though what this artifact had been originally created for, she knew not. What did that matter, though? It was hers now, and it would be the key to the restoration of her true potential.

"ARGGG! BRING ME THAT THIEF!"

The enraged yell echoed across the castle and deep into the surrounding forest, cutting into Razikale's thoughts. The nights' animals stilled, going silent in the presence of such malice and power. Razikale thumped the back of her head against the tree as her chest heaved. She slammed her eyes shut against his voice, tears leaking down her dirty face. For the first time, she was well and truly afraid.

What was she going to do?

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, thank you again for your support and reviews – they are always welcome. Just in case there is some confusion, here are some points for reference:

The Herald sided with the Templars instead of the Mages

The Breach was just closed by the Templars – that is what caused the wave of magic to go across the lands and distracted the Elder One.