p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Chapter 6: Lead the way./span/strong/p
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p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha stepped on a large pebble and slipped, falling onto her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera burst out in laughter as she pointed dramatically, "You are graceful, Inquisitor!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She glared at the elf, "Well, you try walking on this ground with cloth style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI feel every stone."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""She's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomething is not right."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCole spoke from the back of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEveryone except for Tabitha forgot he was there until he spoke, "Everything is out of her control style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe is distracted." /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Iron Bull walked up to her, resting a hand on her shoulder, "There is nothing to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCullen and his trainees have cleared the path."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She looked off into the distance ahead of them, "It is not em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"this/em path that I fear."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIron Bull grunted before pointing in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA shadow of a dragon covered a corner of the sandy Western Wastes style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sighed, "Cullen better have avoided that dragon or else I will kill him myself."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Iron Bull laughed, "He is more than style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe would never bring new recruits in the path of a dragon."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She glared back at him, "Then why have we not been sent word that the route has changed."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPerfectly on que, a scout ran up to them from the far style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe addressed her immediately, "Soldier, what is your report?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She took in a sharp breath, "The commander has changed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe clear path is thirty degrees north from the original line."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha smiled, feeling a need to release some stress, "Tell him to take the new recruits back onto the predetermined style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe dragon will be gone."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Bull cheered, raising his axe above him, "Fuck yeah!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I can think of worse things than a dragon," Sera snidely./span/p
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p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Cole remained silent./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The scout seemed shocked, "Oh-okay."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe did not ask for clarification before she took off in the same direction she came from earlier./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She looked at her group as they all readied their weapons for the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Let us draw the beast down instead of wasting time finding a path up the cliff."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I'll do it," Iron Bull and Sera said in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha shook her head, "No, I want to stare it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera, flank it from a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBull, rush him from behind."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I am good at that," he interjected, quietly./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""And Cole," she continued as if she did not hear him, but a smile crept onto her face," I want you to jump as close as possible and go for the killing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAll of you watch out for the flames."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"With that, she magically moved forward, her distance changing in a blink of an style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera ran with the most speed while Bull walked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCole vanished without a trace./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"With a sudden burst of energy, Tabitha raised her wooden staff high in the air and a large pillar of frost shot style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe projectile soared in the direction of the dragon, but was immediately followed by a large flaming style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe impact shattered the ice in a loud and sparkly display./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The dragon turned and the large flapping could both be seen and heard style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha started to run towards it, using her magic again to move the greatest distance in the least amount of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt afforded her the chance to run straight at its style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe stared the dragon in the eyes, but saw nothing but style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs its jaw dropped and she could feel the heat rising, she used her magic again and appeared behind the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe drove up and turned, flying back towards style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith the spirit energy she was so graciously granted by the spirits of the dragon's victims, she created a large style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe flames shot out and trailed on the ground, nearing her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen it reached her, the barrier shimmered to life and she felt the force of its blast push against style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe bit her lip and put more power behind the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She heard the yell of Iron Bull as he charged, but the beast and flames were all she could style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe heard the whistle of the arrows, but again saw style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer vision was of pure style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was when she heard his voice inside her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSolas./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""In another world, perhaps…"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Another voice, "Why not this one?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha's hand and eyes glowed brightly as she repeated the phrase, "Why not this one?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIn a burst of light, the veil tore style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer voice and that other spoke as one, "Var lath vir suledin!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"When the light faded, the dragon laid dead and her companions stood opposite her barrier, yet she was not style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBeside Tabitha was a beautiful elven woman with one style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe knew exactly who that woman was for she had seen her in a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe was the one whose love was powerful enough to stop style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf only she arrived sooner./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha dropped the barrier and they all stared at one style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe cleared her throat, "Uh, sorry, this is my friend, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe will be tagging along for a time."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey shrugged, nonchalantly, before returning to the dragon and taking its scales./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Lavellan walked to her, unsure, "So this is your world?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha nodded, "I hope you can refrain from being style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt will be hard to explain you to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe Quinari have yet to trespass and I have much to do before we can confront style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDo you have a plan?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She scoffed, "A plan?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI ran out of time for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy world has been style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI did not come here by choice."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""What?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt ended already?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha was shocked, "Then how are you here?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""You opened yourself to the Fade so I was finally able to cross style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI… I should have died, but he saved style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe pulled me to him somehow and I was able to enter the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPerhaps like that time we could physically walk due to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat is how I am still here."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""But everyone else… they are gone?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha felt a tear style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt might not have been her world, but that does not make them any less real./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf dropped her pack and rummaged around for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter a moment, she pulled out a crossbow from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe style looked awfully close to Bianca, but before Tabitha could ask, she was stumped into silence as the woman pushed it over the remains of her arm and strapped it into style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha looked down at her own hand the glowed green style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCould she put something useful in its place?/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf spoke, "He took the anchor from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf he did not, it would have killed me just as it will kill style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy arm turned to stone, so I smashed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was quite painless."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha nodded, "But what if this is keeping me alive somehow?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf looked up, "What?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She shook her head, " style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe should move style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCullen may be waiting for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere is much to prepare for before any more guests arrive."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;" /p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Lavellan threw her pack back around her shoulders, strong"Lead the way."/strong/span /p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha stepped on a large pebble and slipped, falling onto her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera burst out in laughter as she pointed dramatically, "You are graceful, Inquisitor!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She glared at the elf, "Well, you try walking on this ground with cloth style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI feel every stone."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""She's style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSomething is not right."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCole spoke from the back of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEveryone except for Tabitha forgot he was there until he spoke, "Everything is out of her control style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe is distracted." /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Iron Bull walked up to her, resting a hand on her shoulder, "There is nothing to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCullen and his trainees have cleared the path."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She looked off into the distance ahead of them, "It is not em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"this/em path that I fear."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIron Bull grunted before pointing in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA shadow of a dragon covered a corner of the sandy Western Wastes style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sighed, "Cullen better have avoided that dragon or else I will kill him myself."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Iron Bull laughed, "He is more than style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe would never bring new recruits in the path of a dragon."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She glared back at him, "Then why have we not been sent word that the route has changed."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPerfectly on que, a scout ran up to them from the far style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe addressed her immediately, "Soldier, what is your report?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She took in a sharp breath, "The commander has changed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe clear path is thirty degrees north from the original line."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha smiled, feeling a need to release some stress, "Tell him to take the new recruits back onto the predetermined style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe dragon will be gone."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Bull cheered, raising his axe above him, "Fuck yeah!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I can think of worse things than a dragon," Sera snidely./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Cole remained silent./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The scout seemed shocked, "Oh-okay."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe did not ask for clarification before she took off in the same direction she came from earlier./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She looked at her group as they all readied their weapons for the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Let us draw the beast down instead of wasting time finding a path up the cliff."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I'll do it," Iron Bull and Sera said in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha shook her head, "No, I want to stare it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera, flank it from a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBull, rush him from behind."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""I am good at that," he interjected, quietly./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""And Cole," she continued as if she did not hear him, but a smile crept onto her face," I want you to jump as close as possible and go for the killing style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAll of you watch out for the flames."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"With that, she magically moved forward, her distance changing in a blink of an style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSera ran with the most speed while Bull walked style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCole vanished without a trace./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"With a sudden burst of energy, Tabitha raised her wooden staff high in the air and a large pillar of frost shot style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe projectile soared in the direction of the dragon, but was immediately followed by a large flaming style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe impact shattered the ice in a loud and sparkly display./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The dragon turned and the large flapping could both be seen and heard style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha started to run towards it, using her magic again to move the greatest distance in the least amount of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt afforded her the chance to run straight at its style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe stared the dragon in the eyes, but saw nothing but style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs its jaw dropped and she could feel the heat rising, she used her magic again and appeared behind the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe drove up and turned, flying back towards style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith the spirit energy she was so graciously granted by the spirits of the dragon's victims, she created a large style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe flames shot out and trailed on the ground, nearing her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen it reached her, the barrier shimmered to life and she felt the force of its blast push against style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe bit her lip and put more power behind the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She heard the yell of Iron Bull as he charged, but the beast and flames were all she could style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe heard the whistle of the arrows, but again saw style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer vision was of pure style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was when she heard his voice inside her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSolas./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""In another world, perhaps…"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Another voice, "Why not this one?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha's hand and eyes glowed brightly as she repeated the phrase, "Why not this one?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIn a burst of light, the veil tore style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer voice and that other spoke as one, "Var lath vir suledin!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"When the light faded, the dragon laid dead and her companions stood opposite her barrier, yet she was not style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBeside Tabitha was a beautiful elven woman with one style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe knew exactly who that woman was for she had seen her in a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe was the one whose love was powerful enough to stop style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf only she arrived sooner./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha dropped the barrier and they all stared at one style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe cleared her throat, "Uh, sorry, this is my friend, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe will be tagging along for a time."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey shrugged, nonchalantly, before returning to the dragon and taking its scales./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Lavellan walked to her, unsure, "So this is your world?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha nodded, "I hope you can refrain from being style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt will be hard to explain you to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe Quinari have yet to trespass and I have much to do before we can confront style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDo you have a plan?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She scoffed, "A plan?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI ran out of time for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy world has been style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI did not come here by choice."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""What?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt ended already?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha was shocked, "Then how are you here?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""You opened yourself to the Fade so I was finally able to cross style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI… I should have died, but he saved style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe pulled me to him somehow and I was able to enter the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPerhaps like that time we could physically walk due to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat is how I am still here."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;""But everyone else… they are gone?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha felt a tear style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt might not have been her world, but that does not make them any less real./span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf dropped her pack and rummaged around for a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter a moment, she pulled out a crossbow from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe style looked awfully close to Bianca, but before Tabitha could ask, she was stumped into silence as the woman pushed it over the remains of her arm and strapped it into style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTabitha looked down at her own hand the glowed green style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCould she put something useful in its place?/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf spoke, "He took the anchor from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf he did not, it would have killed me just as it will kill style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMy arm turned to stone, so I smashed style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt was quite painless."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Tabitha nodded, "But what if this is keeping me alive somehow?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"The elf looked up, "What?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;" /span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"She shook her head, " style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe should move style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCullen may be waiting for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere is much to prepare for before any more guests arrive."/span/p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;" /p
p style="margin: 0in; margin-bottom: .0001pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #444444;"Lavellan threw her pack back around her shoulders, strong"Lead the way."/strong/span /p