Night was falling as Gale and Samuel crossed the bridge over the river that ran from a lake in the Frostbacks passed Winterborne and into Lake Calenhad. They needed to make camp before dark, so they went off the main road a bit until they found the source of campfire light they had seen from the road.
"Samuel?"
"It's been awhile, Elias."
Elias smiled and hugged his brother as Samuel and Gale entered the Inquisition's camp. "What are you doing out this way?"
"On our way back to Skyhold. You?"
"We closed a rift nearby not too long ago. Demons were heavily patrolling this area. Solas says the veil is thin here, so that may explain why so many were congregating here."
"I see. Making camp for the night then?"
Elias nodded, then his brow furrowed. "I heard what happened in Denerim. Is Gale alright?"
Samuel sighed. "I honestly don't know. She hasn't spoken since we left Denerim after burying her father and the king executing them responsible for his death."
"Poor dear..." Elias looked around. "Where is she, any way?"
Samuel scanned the camp and couldn't see her. His chest tightened and his heart began to race. "Shit..!" He searched everywhere in the camp, calling her name and asking anyone and everyone if they had seen her. "Where are you, Gale?"
Off to the side, Gale had tethered their horses with the others before feeling drawn towards something nearby. Not even thinking about it, she headed off in the direction she seemed to be pulled towards and soon found herself at the ruins of a small cottage that had been abandoned sometime during the Blight. She touched the cold stones of the ruins, feeling the soft vines and moss that had grown over them.
'What is that..?' she wondered, seeing a soft glow coming from the garden behind the cottage. She stepped through the rubble, looking around as she tried to find the source of the glow.
'So hungry...' a whispering voice called from the nothingness.
Gale looked around. "Who said that?"
'So hungry... so very hungry...' the voice said, coming again.
Gale noticed that the glow had been coming from the back of the garden, so she carefully stepped through the overgrown bushes and flowers until she came to what looked like a fountain shrouded in mist. Squinting, she saw the shadowy figure of a person sitting by the fountain.
"Who are you? Do you need help?" she called, stepping closer.
The voice came again, this time from the figure and much clearer- like that of a woman's. 'So... hungry... it's been so long since I've fed...'
Gale stopped when she could clearly see the figure was indeed a woman, one with pale skin and grey eyes that looked at her hauntingly from beneath locks of black hair. "Are you lost? Are you hurt?"
'I can taste the sweetness of your breath... I wonder how the rest of you tastes...'
Gale felt an immediate sense of dread overcome her and started backing away as the woman stood, an eerie aura swirling about her. "You're a demon..." She turned to start running away, but it was as if she was frozen to the spot. She tried to force herself to move, but it was no use. She looked up when she heard Samuel calling out her name and tried to call back, but the demon was upon her and had her in its clutches.
'So sweet...' the demon said, using the woman it was possessing to speak. It's mouth opened and pulled aside Gale's hair, biting down on her exposed flesh.
Gale screamed in pain, feeling fangs piercing her skin and her life force beginning to drain.
"Gale!"
She tried to open her eyes when she heard Samuel calling to her, but the demon bit down harder and she cried out once more.
"Gale, hold on!"
Gale felt her world going black, felt her body beginning to give into the demon as it drained her life force away. She could feel the demon drop her, hear Samuel and the others rushing to save her and kill the demon. She could hear the demon screaming in pain as they killed its host, then a rush of ice cold washed over her. She could hear Samuel calling out to her as he held her in his arms. She could feel the warmth of a mage's healing magik enveloping her body, she could hear a sigh of relief come from Samuel when the mage had healed her wounds.
'He's so warm...' she thought to herself as Samuel held her close and carried her back to the camp. 'He smells nice, too...' She nestled into his chest with what little strength she had left. 'I'm so tired...'
"This is all my fault..." Elias said as he sat by the fire, waiting for any news on Gale's condition. "I should have made sure that all of the demons were dead..."
"You're damn right."
Elias looked up just in time for Samuel's fist to connect with his jaw.
"Samuel, what the hell?"
Samuel stood, looming angrily over his brother. "You failed to do your job, Elias, and now Gale is hurt because of it. What use is that mark if you can't make sure all of the demons are gone along with their rifts? What use are you when you can't even do your duty?"
"Now, see here-" one of the soldiers started.
"No, he's right..." Elias interrupted as Cassandra helped him to his feet. "I missed a demon and it nearly killed Gale as a result. For that, Samuel, I am truly sorry. Gale has been a good friend and I-"
"Just stop." Samuel said, glaring at him. "You don't get to say another word about her right now." He turned and went back into the tent with Gale, leaving his little brother and his companions feeling angry and guilty.
Inside the tent, Samuel sat next to Gale and reached forward to hold her hand. "I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have let you out of my sight... I should have been there to protect you..."