"It is the nightmare you forget upon waking. It feeds off memories of fear and darkness, growing fat from the terror. The false Calling that terrified the Wardens into making such grave mistakes? Its work."

Solana stared at the image of the Divine and tried to comprehend what she was saying.

You can't believe everything you hear in the Fade. Hadn't that been her first lesson, the test she'd had to pass when she came of age? This thing looked like the Divine, but it could be anything. It could be simply telling her what she wanted desperately to hear.

"It's a trick?" she asked, despite herself. "It's not a real Calling? The demon is just mimicking it? Like a bad dream?"

Justinia, or whatever it was, nodded.

So, she wasn't dying. She wasn't blightsick. She still had those twenty years… provided she survived this. Anger surged, hot in her blood. She'd given up everything, thinking she had no future. But it had all been a lie.

"I'd like to have a few words with this Nightmare."

"You will have your chance, brave Warden," the Divine said. "This place of darkness is its lair."


Solana fingered the coin in her pocket.

Everyone was walking in silence again. Max had been sullen since the revelation that he wasn't a Herald. Hawke and Blackwall kept shooting glares at each other after a bitter argument about the Wardens they'd seen in the Inquisitor's memory. Bull was hunched over and scowling, jumping at everything that moved in the shadows. Dorian appeared to be examining his nails and Solana… Solana couldn't stop thinking of all the things she would have done differently if she'd only known she'd had time.

When she'd last spoken to Leliana, the spymaster had asked some probing questions about the situation with Cullen. When Solana'd tried to explain why he'd ended it, Leliana had tutted and rolled her eyes.

"You've warded your heart," the she had said. "You're afraid of being responsible for another. So, you'd rather turn to drink than to a man who clearly adores you."

Solana had argued with her and denied it, especially on the point of the alcohol. She hadn't needed drink at all since Cullen had given her her very own potions stash. But, of course, Leliana had been completely right. The Calling had driven Solana from Cullen's arms before he'd overdosed on lyrium, before he'd told her he couldn't be with her in case his addiction hurt her. She was the Hero of Ferelden, it would take more to hurt her than a hapless blow across the face. He'd needed her, but she'd been satisfied to keep her distance because she'd been afraid he'd become attached.

He'd asked her to live with him and in that moment all she had seen was how devastated he'd be when she died.

Would it have been different if she'd known she had twenty years and not merely a few months?

Hawke cleared his throat beside her. He laughed when he saw her jump. "Sorry."

"I should probably pay more attention to my surroundings, considering," she said.

"Well, I'm just an apostate not a demon. People do get us confused, but I promise not to attack you. You know, unless I'm manipulated by a … never mind. I wanted to ask you something."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Your full name, Solana Amell. Did I hear that right?"

"Yes, it's hardly a secret."

"So, your surname is Amell. A – M – E – L – L?"

"Yes…" she answered hesitantly.

"That's funny. It's my name too."

She stared at him. "I was under the impression your name was Hawke?"

"Oh, it is," he said quickly. "But my mother's name was Amell. They're quite a well-known family in Kirkwall. Well, they used to be. You know, back before I was born… is that where you're from?"

"No I…" That was a strange thought. She'd never considered that she might have been born outside of Ferelden. "Well I don't really know. I… I grew up in the Circle. But I can't imagine that they'd ship me all the way from Kirkwall?"

"No, probably not." He stuck his hands into his coat pockets. "It's interesting though. Because I remember my mother telling me about this cousin of hers whose first-born child was taken to the Circle by Templars. She never got over the loss. The way my mother told it, it was the beginning of the downfall of the family."

Solana stopped walking, earning a string of curses from Bull who'd almost walked into her and was not in the mood for surprises. She ignored him. "You're saying we might be cousins?"

Hawke shrugged. "It's possible."

"Well that's quite the bloodline," Dorian commented. "The Hero and The Champion, both from the same stock. Next thing we'll discover old Max is your nephew."

"I'm not anything," the Inquisitor said. "Let's get moving."

Dorian raised his eyebrows and Solana and Hawke exchanged a look.

"If it's any consolation, we're related," Dorian called to him as they started splashing through the marshland again. "Oh, not first cousins or anything like that. Can you imagine? You're a Trevelyan, however, and somewhere in the dank nethers of my family tree, there was also a Trevelyan. Perhaps he was even the one who ventured to Ostwick to establish the branch? We are talking long ago, of course."

"How do you even know that?" Max muttered.

"Bloodlines are serious business in Tevinter. You're taught lessons and tested... by strict nannies. I heard your family mentioned, and I had to go through all the old mnemonics. But yes—there it is."

Solana was still struck by Hawke's revelation. "I've never had family before," she said, quietly, so that only he might hear.

Dorian was still talking about bloodlines, probably just speaking to fill the silence.

"I'm afraid there aren't many of us left." Hawke said. "I have an uncle. But… well, he's… oh and my brother, of course! He's a Warden, like you. But he, um, well he kinda hates me. Might not hate you, though?"

Hawke smiled at her and for the first time in what felt like a long while, she found herself smiling back.

"When we get out of here I'll do some digging. I'm sure I can find more information on your branch. My mother mentioned that cousin had other children, also mages."

"I might have brothers and sisters?"

"Well, if they didn't perish during the rebellion… sorry, inappropriate. Yes, there's a good chance you do."

She'd gone most of her life alone. The idea that somewhere there was a place for her, that she belonged somewhere, was more appealing than she'd ever imagined.

She was jolted from her thoughts as they strode into some kind of chamber. Like all parts of the Fade, it was open to the sky. In the centre of this one, there was a cracked mirror. Before it, charred corpses on their knees, as if they'd died in extraordinary pain.

"Well this isn't creepy at all," Hawke said. His knuckles where white on his staff.

The voice of the demon rang out. "Perhaps I should be afraid, facing the most powerful members of the Inquisition." It chuckled malevolently. "Like Blackwall. Ah, there's nothing like a Grey Warden. And you are nothing like a Grey Warden."

"I'll show you a Warden's strength, beast," he spat back, spinning around as if trying to find it.

Hawke was approaching the mirror, as if entranced. Solana grabbed his sleeve, worried that he was being controlled by a demon or some kind of foul magic.

"Sorry," he said. "It's just… isn't this an eluvian? A broken one, but that's an intriguing thing to find here, isn't it? "

She shrugged. "I'm not familiar with the term."

He looked around at the others but they stared at him blankly.

"I had a friend who had a broken one just like this. She tried to fix it, but it was corrupted – blighted. They're usually doors."

"Doors into the Fade?"

"That's what I'm wondering."

"I'm sure this is fascinating," Max said, "but let's talk about it when we're back home? Dead end. Come on."

He turned and lead them back the way they'd come. Solana jogged to catch up with him.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Of course not." He glanced at her, then sighed and looked at his feet. "I have an army in the physical world dying because they believe in me. But I'm a fraud."

"You're not a fraud."

"I've been calling myself the Herald of Andraste. All I am is the fool who was in the wrong place at the wrong time." He clenched his left fist, briefly snuffing out the light of the anchor. "Everything I am, everything I've become, is a lie."

"That's not true."

He spun on her. "You were there! You saw my memory! I only lived because the Divine saved me. She gave her life for me. I'm still the brat of Trevelyan."

"Stop this!" He jerked at the metal in her voice. "You have people out there relying on you. Do you think I had the magical blessing of Andraste when I was given the task of stopping the Blight? I had frikken Morrigan, the bad tempered bitch of the wilds." And Alistair, who hadn't known his left hand from his right. "I was a Circle mage. I knew nothing of the world. The first time I'd even seen anything outside of that tower was the day I was recruited. If I can save the world, you sure as the Void can."

Bull started laughing, obviously amused by her disastrous attempts to comfort the Inquisitor.

The demon's voice brought an abrupt stop to that. "The Qunari will make a lovely host for one of my minions," it said. "Or perhaps, I'll inhabit his body myself."

"I'd like to see you try," Bull rumbled, doing a good job of hiding whatever fear he may have been feeling.

Solana turned back to Max, who was glowering at his feet. As if sensing her attention, he said, "You know, they wanted you to lead? You were the first choice." He indicated Hawke with a tilt of his head. "He was the second. I was the accident, the prisoner they recruited because of this." He unfolded his hand, showing her the anchor.

She took a deep breath. "Max, you've done what you've done. Doesn't it make it all the more impressive if you've done it on your own? You survived Haven, you saved the empress, and we're all here right now because of you."

"I'm uncertain that's a good thing."

Hawke raised his hand. "I, for one, am glad not to be splattered at the base of the abyss."

Not sure what more to do, Solana reached out and patted Max's shoulder.

Dorian's yelp jerked her attention from the Inquisitor. He was standing just behind her, staring wide-eyed.

Blackwall withdrew his weapon. "What in the Maker's name - ?"

She followed their line of sight. There, in the shadows, creeping slowly towards them, were a handful of darkspawn.

"Get behind me!" she barked at the others. Her Warden blood had to be good for something.

"No," Max withdrew his sword. "I can handle this."

"Now isn't the time for pride."

A shriek ran towards them, its armour clanking, its poisoned claws already slashing. If one of those cut Max, he'd be infected with the Taint. It opened its always-smiling mouth to deliver its ear-splitting call. She dived in front of the Inquisitor, using her staff to block the razor-claws. Max grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her aside. With a roar, he plunged his sword into the creature's skull.

She stumbled, dazed. The rest of her party had already engaged the others.

Blackwall was fighting a Hurlock, but the grinning darkspawn was bigger and stronger than him, even in his armour. Dorian was surrounded by Genlocks, firing arrows at him from close quarters. Bull was dodging the razor-jaw of an emissary. Hawke had been backed into a corner by another shriek and a series of barriers was all that was keeping it at bay. She didn't know who to help. Her friends were overwhelmed by darkspawn and she couldn't think.

Max rushed to assist Hawke, jolting her out of her paralysis. She raised her staff and shot a blast of ice towards Bull. The emissary froze solid, allowing bull to slam down on it with his axe, shattering it. He gave her a brief salute before charging to help Dorian. Solana summoned flame in her palms and threw it at Blackwall's Hurlock, scorching the creature's back. As it lifted its head to howl in pain, Blackwall slashed its throat. A final blast of magic lit the area, one of Dorian's fire glyphs igniting, incinerating the last of the darkspawn.

The Inquisitor turned on her. "What in the Void was that, Solana?"

She'd never seen him angry before. The puppy had teeth. He advanced on her. His dark eyebrows were pulled together. His brown eyes were smouldering. She backed away a step.

"Now just hold on," Blackwall stepped forward, ready to defend her.

"I'm a Warden," she said, finding her courage. "You are not."

"And you think that makes you better than me? After all we've seen tonight?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Hey," Hawke stepped between them.

She spoke past him. "Just because you're Inquisitor, it doesn't mean you're immortal."

"Just because I'm not the Herald, doesn't mean I'm some, some, weakling in need of defending!" His sword was still in his hand and he was waving it, but in a way that seemed exasperated more than threatening.

"So you need to prove yourself by, what, getting the Blight?" she shot back at him.

He paused, with his weapon raised. "The what?"

Of course, the precious noble had probably never even seen a darkspawn before. "It's in their blood, the Taint."

Max looked form Solana to the carcass of the shriek and back to her again.

"How do you not know this?" she asked him seriously.

"Solana," Hawke said gently. "What are you talking about?"

She looked around at the others. They were all staring at her as if she was mad. "Darkspawn carry the Taint," she said uncertainly. It was impossible that they didn't know that. Hawke had told her of his escape from Lothering. But she didn't know what else to say. "If you exchange blood, or ingest their fluids, you either die or become a – "

"Ghoul, yes," Hawke said. He was frowning at her. "But that," he pointed at the body of the shriek, "is not a darkspawn."

"I think I know what darkspawn look like."

Max had sheathed his sword. "That's a spider."

"What?"

Hawke nodded. "Yes, I see a spider."

Bull laughed. "A spider?"

She spun to him. "You see darkspawn too?"

"No! It's a fuckin demon."

She turned to the other Grey Warden, who was staring at the body of the emissary, wiping his hands on his tunic. "Blackwall, what do you see?"

"Me?" He tore his eyes from the corpse to meet hers. "Oh, I um. They're spirits. Ghosts. I don't know who these people are, of course. Just people. Soldiers, I suspect. I don't know the woman. Never met her." He cleared his throat and looked down at his feet.

"I have a theory," Dorian said, kicking one of the Gemlock bodies aside. "Are you afraid of spiders, Inquisitor?"

Max shifted where he stood. "You think we're seeing what we fear most?" He neatly avoided answering Dorian's question.

Dorian smiled. "If you have another theory, I'm happy to hear it?"

The Inquisitor's eyes moved to settle on Solana again. "It would seem I owe you an apology."

"I'll settle for you not stabbing me."

"I had no intention of stabbing you."

"Good to know."

They started moving forward again, Solana falling into step beside Max.

"So, spiders?" she queried softly, trying to break the tension that had formed between them.

He glanced at her and a smile flickered across his lips. "What I'm interested to know is how the Hero of Ferelden could possibly still be afraid of darkspawn. You must have killed hundreds?"

She shivered. "It's not the individuals I fear. It's what they represent."

"The Blight?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry, we'll stop Corypheus."

The disembodied voice of the Nightmare Demon laughed. "Oh, she's not worried about Corypheus. Her worries are a little… closer to home." She steeled herself. She knew it would get around to her eventually. Would it use her feelings for Cullen against her?

"I wonder," it said, "What will you do, Hero of Ferelden, if that child you carry has been infected with your Taint?"