And that was how things seemed to be going, at least for the beginning of the event. They were welcomed into the fortress, told that the Lord Seeker looked forward to talking with Parker. Admittedly, Parker found it all a little strange, as if all of the Templars were trying to hide something. Plus, she felt like all of this was going just a bit too smoothly. Of course, she was also used to being thrown out of Fade rifts and marked as the Herald of Andraste. So yes, normal negotiations did seem a bit tame to the half-elf.
But upon entering the supposed meeting room Parker felt a familiar itch on her marked hand. She tensed, hand resting on her belt where a small knife waited as another Templar entered the room. "Knight-Captain," the Templar commander remarked, seemingly surprised by the man's arrival. "Where is the Lord Seeker?" The Knight-Captain turned towards him and then towards Parker as odd whispers suddenly began to crawl into her ears.
I want it. I want her. Parker winced, shaking her head to try and shake out whatever voice was speaking to her.
"Lord Seeker wished for me to take his place during this…meeting. But now that you are here I feel I should inform you that you have wasted your time." Parker frowned, fingers pinching the hilt of the knife to slip it partially out of its sheath. Cassandra glanced down at her, eyes widening as if suddenly falling out of a trance, body now tense as their noble guest stepped forward. The foolishly arrogant Orleasian making a mistake.
"What nonsense is this? We have come here to create an alliance and now you wish to turn us away?" He exclaimed, catching the Knight-Captain's attention.
"Ser, might I recommend taking two big steps back," Parker asked as he gave the Herald a confused look. Suddenly the Knight-Captain shifted, reaching for his sword as Parker flicked her wrist, catching him firmly in his hand as he howled. The noble stepped away in surprise, a well-aimed arrow soon catching him in the side of the head from a distant Templar. But something was different compared to the ones they had met at the door. This one had been altered with what looked and felt like red lyrium sticking out of his armor. Some of them even looked like the lyrium was growing out of their own bodies. Parker knew this was all going too smoothly.
They dealt with the small resistance, ending with the Knight-Captain on his back, staring up at the Herald with scorn on his face. "We have become better than this world could imagine. We will stop the Breach before you even have the chance." Parker frowned, leaning down and yanking her knife from his hand mercilessly. He chuckled, the sound quickly halted as she firmly pressed her foot down onto his injured palm.
"So let me get this straight. You decided rather than creating an alliance you would instead ingest the obviously evil-infused lyrium in order to…what was it you said? Best us?" Parker kneeled down, applying more pressure to his wound as he gave a pitiful whimper. "You know, I had only been partially interested in meeting the Lord Seeker after his display in Val Royeaux. But after seeing what his fellow Templars are willing to do for him I am simply itching to get an audience with him." Parker stood straight, finally releasing the man's hand as he quickly cradled it against his chest. "Take him back to Haven. I am sure Cullen will have a few questions towards one of the men bent on destroying the Order."
Parker rolled her shoulder, the muscles already starting to tighten as the man was dragged out. "So, did anyone else see red lyrium growing out of Templars? Or was that just me?" Varric asked as Parker smirked, pulling the tie from her belt and doing her best to twist the few pesky strands out of her eyes.
"As much as I enjoy disagreeing with you…I too saw that," Cassandra admitted as the sound of fighting echoed from behind a far door.
"Well, I am thoroughly interested in meeting this Lord Seeker fellow now." Cassandra and Varric looked at one another with a concerned expression.
"You seem quite…excited by all of this, Herald," Solas commented, remarking on what everyone was thinking. Parker plucked her daggers from her back, twisting them playfully in circles before giving a small shrug.
"What can I say? I have gotten accustomed to a more action-packed way of doing things," and then she was off, charging into the back courtyard of the fortress. It was filled with both affected and unaffected Templars fighting for dominance. For Parker it was just more excitement to slip and slide around. Advancing on the massive tower at the back of the fortress, she assumed it housed the Lord Seeker.
"Herald, you should slow down. We do not know what to expected," Cassandra pleaded as they trotted up a large set of stairs.
"I am expecting a dragon," Parker noted casually. "Therefor, if it is not a dragon we will be ready to go," she smiled. Only when she turned around she was standing face-to-face with the Lord Seeker. A gasp caught in her throat as he reached for her, one hand going around her neck, the other on her head as she was seemingly tossed into her subconscious.
Parker stumbled into a smoke filled room, blinking and trying to clear her head. Where had she gone? Where was Cassandra? Varric? Solas? Her eyes swung around the room only for a terrifying voice to startle her. You come here, thinking you have foiled my plans. But instead you have have done just what the Elder One said. Elder One? Parker had no idea what this voice was talking about as she stepped forward, squinting and watching her advisors fade into view.
"Who is the Elder One? Where am I?" Parker demanded as Leliana stepped forward with a smirk.
You are in my domain. The Elder One promised me power…and now here you are. What I could do with the Inquisition under my control. Leliana stepped around Parker, disappearing in a flash as Josephine moved forward, making Parker wince. This one is special, is she not? I can sense it. Josephine moved close, whispering in Parker's ear. I want it.
"What are you?" Parker screamed, twisting around only for Josephine to be gone with Cullen in her place. He chuckled and then surged forward, gripping Parker's throat with inhuman strength. He leaned closed to her, through a cloud of smoke so that she was now staring at a darker mirror of herself.
I am you. It then flung Parker into the center of the room and the entire space changed and she came skidding into her old home.