The desert air was quiet, and Yara took another swig from her water flask. It was already half-empty, but it was almost impossible to ignore her ever-present thirst. Savouring the droplets cooling her throat, she scanned the horizon for the umpteenth time. A chasm crested with burnt rocks stretched ahead, and she scowled. They had been wading in the dunes for days, and there was still no sign of the scout camp. She let out a quiet groan, brushing back her sticky hair. Her brow was scorched, her clothes stank of sweat, and if they didn't find more water soon…
"The scout camp should not be much further," Cassandra said, her forehead glistening. Despite her flushed cheeks she retained her composure, keeping a solid pace. Still, how she had not melted under all her plate armour was anyone's guess.
"You said that two hours ago," Lahara grumbled, shaking sand from her ears. She pulled her neckerchief up, trying to protect her cracked lips. "Ugh, and I thought summers in the Ostwick Dragon Tower were unbearable…"
"I'm sure this place has its own charms, once you get used to it," Varric chimed, fanning his face with his hand.
"It has almost as many shades of brown as the Deep Roads," Alistair added, wiping his soaked cheeks. He had already removed his gauntlets and greaves, though it seemed to have had little cooling effect. "I'm glad I didn't have to travel here all by myself."
"I do not envy you, Warden-Commander," Cassandra replied. "You still have another few days without us before you'll reach Adamant Fortress."
"Yeah, don't remind me," Alistair cringed. "I should enjoy the company while I can."
"This had better be worth it, Bethany," Lahara said, although her tone was playful.
"It will," Bethany answered, conjuring a slight wind to keep the sand off her face. Her clothes were drenched, her cheeks raw from the sun, but her eyes shone with determination.
Her gaze briefly fell to Yara, and Yara turned away. This was madness; she should have bolted for freedom when she had the chance. But Lahara and Alistair had been watching her every move, and the thought of what the Herald would do once she discovered Bethany's trick was enough to stop her slipping away.
Yet she could not understand what the mage was thinking. It was no surprise she wanted Yara to recover her past, even though Yara had told her otherwise, but her memories had nothing to do with the Breach; nothing to do with the Inquisition. So why had Bethany forced everyone to come along?
Had the Antivan shown her something else?
"You alright, Grim?"
Varric's voice broke her thoughts. She turned to the dwarf, who had fallen into step beside her. He gave a tentative smile. "You've been pretty quiet, even by your standards."
"Hot," Yara answered simply.
"Heh, you can say that again," Varric chortled, "but that wasn't really what I was getting at." He glanced over at Bethany, concerned. "You seem quite down these days. And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you and Sunshine have had a falling out."
Yara's fist clenched. Why did everyone have to keep bringing this up?
"Look, I'm not trying to pry or anything, but trust me when I say it's doing neither of you any good," Varric went on. "It's not healthy to keep everything bottled up. And whatever happened I'm sure it can be fixed with enough patience."
"It's none of your business," Yara said darkly.
"So you keep telling everyone," Varric said. "But this is taking its toll on you, Grim. And even a blind beggar can see you miss her, too."
His words set off a dull ache, but Yara wrestled it down. She had become better at it now.
"Whatever," she muttered under her breath.
Varric frowned, but didn't say anything more.
At last they crested the last dune. The sand gave way to layered rock, revealing a canyon that spanned most of the horizon. The sunset-coloured stone plunged into a sheer drop, and far below sparkled a shallow river. Caverns were embedded into the cracked walls, and Yara spotted several tents on the north side. A narrow path had also been worn into the jagged stone. It would take them right the way down to the river, but a single careless slip would end in disaster.
"I knew we should have taken the northern route," Cassandra grumbled.
"And walk right into the middle of that sandstorm instead?" Lahara scoffed. "Come on Cass, we don't all have bones of steel."
"I never thought you one for being scared of heights, Seeker," Varric added.
"It is not fear of heights that drives my caution," Cassandra said, her brows narrowed. "Everyone take extra care."
Yara nodded. She went first, sliding between a pair of boulders onto the rock platform below. At least with her leg healed she would not have to worry as much. She set out, protected from the merciless sun by the overhanging stone. The others followed close behind, their boots scuffing the loose gravel. Yara kept her focus on the path, ducking beneath tangled tree roots that clung to the canyon walls. Occasionally she stepped across wooden slats, worn and bleached by the desert conditions. Perhaps there had been a mine in these parts once.
Abruptly the path ended. Two lone posts marked the site of a former bridge, but the planks had long fallen away, leaving nothing but a broad gap too wide to jump. Piece of wood remained in the rocks, splintered and broken, and Yara sighed. She made to step back, when Lahara touched her wrist.
"Leave this to me." She slid past Yara, her palms burning with magic. At the edge of the rock she gestured to the broken planks. At once they came to life, breaking free of their stony grave. The cracks vanished, becoming whole again, and then Lahara dropped her arms, letting the slats fall into place.
"Restorative magic," Bethany murmured. "I've never seen it used like that before."
"I'm full of surprises," Lahara smirked, dusting her hands. "Seriously though, it's not that fancy. It's almost the same as healing, except you do it on inanimate objects."
"That makes it much harder," Bethany argued. "With living tissue, you can sense the pulses where the body is trying to fix itself. But with stone, or wood…"
"True, but with practice you can get a feel for any material as well," Lahara said. "It's way quicker than the temporal reversal crap, and takes half the mana, too." She gave the mage a light-hearted nudge. "I reckon you'd be pretty good at it, considering your healing talents."
Bethany hid her face in her collar, although her sunburnt cheeks made it hard to tell if she was blushing or not. Yara scoffed, crossing the bridge and continuing to the bottom of the chasm. She would see what would happen to the Herald's friendliness once she realised Bethany had been stringing her along.
Finally they returned to level ground and approached the tents. Strangely, no-one was around to greet them. The campfire was still warm, however, and there were abandoned food rations on the ground. Whatever had called them away had only occurred recently.
"This is never a good sign," Alistair said, scouring the tents. "They didn't even leave a watch-guard."
"They cannot have ventured far," Cassandra said. "We should split up and search the area."
"Good idea," Lahara said, when suddenly her left hand sparked. She cried out, holding her wrist as tendrils of green emerged. They drifted towards the cavern behind them, drawn by an unseen force. The Herald's eyes widened.
"Or maybe not," she said. "There must be a rift inside!"
She drew her staff and hurried into the darkness. Yara snatched her sword and dagger free, bolting after her. The jade glow provided more than enough light, and she dashed through the craggy stones and wooden archways. The walls gleamed, and Yara also caught iron tracks in the ground, confirming her earlier hunch.
The tunnel branched, but Lahara knew instinctively which path to take. At last shouts caught Yara's ears, and she tensed her grip on her blades.
"There they are!" Cassandra shouted. "Help them!"
They rushed into the chamber, bathed in the green aura. The rift stood in the centre, surrounded by a mix of Rage demons and wounded scouts. A female dwarf was the only one still standing, fending them off with a single crossbow, but she was limping. Then a demon lunged, smacking the weapon from her hand, and she yelped.
Snarling, Yara charged. She thrust her sword right through the first Rage demon, and it screeched. It flailed its arms, grasping at the blade that protruded through its chest, but Yara yanked it back, twisting. The demon hissed, its limbs catching flame, only to have them hacked off by Alistair. He kicked the burning mess aside, exchanging a nod with Yara. Together they raised their swords, before driving them simultaneously into the creature's belly. The demon gagged, dissolving into nothingness.
A welcome blast of cold prickled the back of Yara's neck. She turned, Bethany's spell freezing the demon behind her. Cassandra leapt, bashing its face with her shield, and her blade did the rest. The creature shattered into a thousand fragments, and she stood, brushing icicles from her shoulders. Varric dealt a final blow to the last demon, and the rift shimmered.
"My turn!" Lahara called, stretching out her left hand. The green light surged, attracted to her palm, and she clasped her fingers together. The crystals within the rift began to crack, and then they exploded, the connection to the Fade finally severed.
"Praise Andraste!" breathed the dwarf, dropping to her knees. "You have amazing timing, Herald."
"Casualty report, Scout Harding?" Cassandra asked, as Lahara and Bethany hurried to the wounded.
"Four injured, one unconscious back at camp, but everyone accounted for," Harding said, wiping her brow.
"I take it you didn't set up base here for the extra excitement," Lahara said, tending to a scout with a bleeding shoulder.
"No, that rift appeared about fifteen minutes ago," Harding replied, as Bethany healed her leg. "Which I thought was a bit odd, considering this never happened in Ferelden. But if you hadn't come when you did…" She trailed off. "We won't be that careless again."
"Hey, there's still a lot we don't understand about these things," Varric consoled. "Don't beat yourself up over it."
"If you ask me, I think the rifts are getting more unstable again," Lahara commented, glancing at her left hand. "But we'll worry about that later. Let's patch these guys up and get back to the camp."
Once the scouts were healed, the group trudged out of the tunnels. Soon they were back in the searing heat, and Yara sat beside the campfire. She pulled a rag from her pouch and began cleaning her soiled blades. Cassandra and Alistair refilled their water flasks in the river, while Lahara sat next to Yara, massaging her left palm.
"So, what can you tell us about this area, Harding?" the Herald asked.
"Well, we've found no sign of that temple you asked about," Harding said, picking up a report from her table. "But we've found plenty of that black mist to make up for it."
"Maker, does Corruption really spread so quickly?" Alistair breathed.
"I don't think it's directly connected to the pocket you found near Haven," Harding said, "but it's definitely the same stuff. Since it blocks a lot of the old mining tunnels, it's limited how much we've been able to explore. If there are some sort of ancient ruins around here, my guess is that it's beyond the Corruption."
"How will we find anything more if every path is blocked?" Cassandra asked.
"There's another passageway a little ways east that hasn't been affected," Harding said. "We were going to check it out further, but then that rift appeared."
"Well, if all these tunnels are infested with Corruption, then at least we know we're getting warmer," Lahara said. "Thanks for your hard work, Harding. We'll take over from here."
"Whatever the Inquisition needs of me," Harding said, giving a salute.
"Take a break and look after our Warden-Commander for a bit," Lahara said. "Also, if you know any quick routes to Adamant Fortress, be sure to let him know."
"You're too kind, Herald," Alistair said.
"In the meantime, let's take a look at that other passage," Lahara went on. Before she could continue, her stomach rumbled, and she gave an embarrassed chuckle. "After a little lunch break, of course."
The eastern mining tunnel proved in good order, despite the number of decades since it had been abandoned. Yara studied the reinforced walls, the stone stripped bare of whatever minerals it once held. A sigh escaped her, and she licked her lips, sensing the pressing air within. She should not have let the Inquisition come this far. The Corruption was nothing to be trifled with, and now they were heading into its heart once more. They were facing an unnecessary risk, and all for the sake of a lie…
"Not getting cold feet, are we?" Lahara asked, approaching the tunnel entrance.
Yara swallowed. "Listen, Herald…"
"Don't pretend I don't know what you're thinking," Lahara interrupted. "You've wanted to ditch us the moment you got back to Haven, but haven't found that opportune moment yet." She poked Yara's shoulder, her voice lowered. "Might I advise you don't try anything here, or you might not like the consequences."
Yara glowered. That might have been a consideration before, but not any longer. For Andraste's sake, what would it take to get her to listen…
Before she could retort, however, the others caught up. Yara quickly pushed back her anger, taking a calming breath.
"How shall we proceed?" Cassandra asked, scanning the tunnel ahead.
"Well, since Corruption blocks magic, we should keep in pairs," Lahara suggested. "You stick with Bethany, and I'll hang with Yara. Varric can guard the rear."
"Hey, what'd I do to deserve that?" Varric protested.
"I see no problem with this arrangement," Cassandra said.
The dwarf rolled his eyes, as the Seeker reached into her pack and brought out two torches. Bethany set them aflame, and Cassandra passed one to Yara.
"Be vigilant," she warned. "There could be anything down there."
Yara sighed, taking the torch. It seemed there would be no going back now. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped across the threshold of the tunnel. The air cooled, turning stagnant, and the dust was irritating, making her eyes water. This was becoming far too familiar.
The tunnel stretched deep into the gorge. Yara passed several branches, but most were filled with rubble or blocked by rusted gates. Finally, after an hour's walk, they came to a set of platforms and ladders that led further down. Fortunately there was plenty of open space, even so far underground, so Yara was able to climb down without mishap.
As she stepped back onto hard rock, she turned, studying the new passage. It branched to the left and right, and she chewed her lip.
"Any idea where we should go first?" Lahara asked, coming to join her.
"I'd say check left," Varric said, jumping down from the last rung. "If my dwarf senses are correct, that would take us around the side where Harding said there was a lot of Corruption."
"You heard the dwarf, Yara," Lahara said.
Yara took the left corridor, raising her torch higher. The flames danced off the barren walls, the rocks scarred from repeated attack with pickaxes and shovels. The mine extended further than she'd thought.
"I wonder who owned these mines," Bethany asked aloud, running her hand over the chipped stone. "They remind me of Darktown a little."
"You give Darktown too much credit, Sunshine," Varric said. "That place isn't nearly as pristine as this."
"It was certainly built to last," Cassandra added, staring at the oak beams that kept the roof aloft.
"But like any resource, it was bled dry and left to rot," Lahara said. "Still, if these walls could talk…"
She stopped short, abruptly grasping her left hand. A flicker of green escaped her palm, but it didn't crackle as it had done earlier.
"Not another rift, surely?" Bethany asked.
"I don't think so," Lahara said, examining her fingers, "but my mark doesn't like what's up ahead."
Cassandra drew her sword. "Be prepared for anything."
Yara nodded, passing her torch to Lahara and bringing her weapons to hand. Varric primed a bolt, and they set off again, watching the flickering shadows.
The passage took them to another chamber, but this one had no floor. Instead the river raced below, the spray refreshing to Yara's cheeks. A rope bridge stretched across to a jutting ledge, but several planks were missing, and it swayed precariously above the raging foam.
"Honestly, why even bother with something so flimsy," Lahara muttered, flicking the rope rail with a finger.
"Can't you fix it like before?" Varric asked.
"My trick only works if I have the original raw materials to hand," Lahara said. "And I'm not going fishing."
"Never mind, it should hold if we cross one at a time," Cassandra said. Sheathing her sword, she carefully set out. The bridge listed, but she spread her weight, managing to step between the twisted planks. At last she reached the safety of the ledge beyond, no worse for wear.
Bethany ventured next, keeping her arms aloft to hold her balance. Then it was Varric's turn, leaving only Yara and the Herald.
"After you," Lahara said, her mismatched eyes gleaming. Yara huffed, knowing the Herald was doing her utmost to block any chance of her escape. She sheathed her blades and stepped to the planks, glancing to the river below. The foamy water roared; a current that would drag her to death if she fell. Taking a breath, she started out. The bridge swayed, threatening to give out, but she held firm and jumped the last of the distance to the ledge.
Lahara checked her staff, making sure it was secured, before she approached the first plank. She held up her arms, taking cautious steps. All seemed to be going well, but at the half-way mark her left hand surged with green light. Gasping, Lahara froze, clutching her hand to her chest.
"Not now…" she muttered.
"Lara, run!" Bethany suddenly screamed.
Yara's eyes snapped to the entrance on the other side, and she swore. A hulking great…creature had emerged from the rocks, and it was making straight for the bridge. Two curved horns emerged from its head, and it walked on four massive claws. Its fur was entirely black; why they had not spotted it earlier.
Lahara broke into a run, not caring that the bridge was swinging wildly. Varric fired at the creature, but it was faster than it looked, and tore through the bridge post. The planks collapsed, and Lahara cried out, grasping for the ledge.
"Lahara!" Yara grabbed the edge of the cliff and stretched her hand as far as she dared. The Herald's palm met her own, and she held on with all her might. Lahara hit the stone, the breath knocked from her lungs. The impact was enough to crack the ledge, and Yara yelped, the rocks crumbling in her hand. Cassandra shot to her, her fingers tangling in Yara's scarf, but the fabric ripped and the two fell.
Yara grunted, snatching at the rock again with her free hand. She managed to claw her fingers into the slick stone, preventing them from hitting the water. The rushing river rumbled in her ears, soaking her, and her muscles shrieked from the strain. Bethany tried to stretch her staff down to them, but she was too far up.
"Damn it, I can't reach!" she cursed.
"It's alright!" Lahara called. "Yara, over there!"
Yara followed the Herald's instruction, spying a rocky outcrop just above the river. Another passage lay behind it, cut into the cliff. It was their only way out.
Grimacing, Yara pulled Lahara against the rock-face. The Herald let go of her, finding her own handholds, then shimmied across. Yara followed, half-blinded by spray, but eventually they both reached the outcrop. Breathing hard, Yara looked back to the fallen bridge, rubbing her aching shoulder. The creature had vanished.
"Are you two okay?" Bethany called.
"We're fine," Lahara shouted back. She pulled back her drenched hair, wringing it out. "Go on ahead, we'll find our way back to you."
They spent a moment catching their breath. Yara glanced to the cliff, but it was far too sheer to climb. Once recovered, Lahara raised her staff, conjuring a ball of Veilfire. She nodded towards the open passage, and they ventured inside.
"Let's see how long this lasts," she remarked. "Oh, and thanks, Yara."
Yara nodded in acknowledgement, brushing stray droplets from her face. "What was that thing?"
"Maker knows," Lahara shrugged, rubbing her left hand. "Maybe that's what set my mark off? But it didn't look like a normal demon, if that's what it was."
"And it could attack us again," Yara stated. She clenched her fist. "We shouldn't have come here, Lahara. Bethany shouldn't have said anything, and you shouldn't have listened to her."
Lahara paused, her brow raised.
"You think I didn't know she was lying?"
Her words hung in the air, and Yara's eyes widened.
"What?" She stared at the Herald. "You knew?"
"C'mon, dear Bethany is far too sweet to know how to be truly convincing," Lahara said. "But there was some truth to her words. I believe her about there being a temple down here. What she said about controlling Corruption, however, is something else. I doubt anything has that kind of power."
"Then why did you go along with it?" Yara asked. "When it puts your own people in danger…"
"Because only one thing would've made Bethany this desperate," Lahara answered. "You."
Yara tensed.
"Yara, we might not have known each other for very long, but we're a lot more alike than you realise," the Herald continued. "Whenever we come to something that hurts too much, we run." She flexed the fingers on her left hand. "But as much as we want escape, it only brings more pain in the end." She let out a breath. "Does the possibility of being the Hero of Ferelden frighten you that much?"
"You don't understand," Yara murmured, clasping her fingers around her Warden pendant. "It…It would change everything."
"It would change nothing, Yara," Lahara countered. "It doesn't mean your feelings for Bethany are a lie."
"And what about the feelings I can't remember?" Yara said softly. The feelings that conflicted, that still wore at her, even now. The feelings that meant she couldn't let anyone close again.
"That I can't answer," Lahara said, "but do you really want to live like this for the rest of your life? When there's a chance you can get everything back, and put it all to rest?"
Yara remained silent, the turmoil within stirred right back up. Try as she might, her resolve always withered when confronted with the truth.
"I…I don't know anymore," she whispered.
"I think you do, Yara," Lahara said. "You just need to find the courage to follow through with it."
The Herald said nothing more, walking away into the passage. Yara wandered after her, the burden of her thoughts returned. How many times would she run down the same roads, and come to a different conclusion every time…
She didn't have long to dwell, however, as the passage opened into another chamber. Most of the walls were jagged rock, filled with more crevices leading to Maker-knew where, but the north façade was made entirely of white marble. Six giant pillars held up the beautiful stone, carved with intricate designs. Between them stretched an enormous gate, adorned with golden runes.
The lost temple.
But they were not the only ones admiring the sight. Three other figures stood before the ruin, and Yara's mouth hung agape. One was a tall, brown-haired woman sporting a pair of daggers, another was a white-haired male elf, and the last was a shorter elf mage.
It couldn't be…
Yara stepped forward, her footfalls echoing, and the brown-haired woman turned around. Her eyes met Yara's, and they widened in shock.
"Hawke?"