Chapter 37: Inquisitor
"NO!"
Ana sat up in bed with a gasp, her heart racing, her breathing fast and deep, despite the chill in the stone room, she found her bedroll soaked with sweat, and so was she.
She glanced around in confusion, not sure where she was at first, slowly…the dream faded to the back of her mind and the events of the last few days finally caught up with her.
The Herald sighed.
"Thank the Maker," she murmured,
"It…it was just a dream."
But what a horrible dream it had been.
She looked down at her hand, the anchor still glowed there. It gave her more comfort than she realized it would, seeing that…knowing that the mark was still in her possession.
It helped push some of the shadows away.
She shivered as she rose from her bed roll. The Inquisition had been in Skyhold for the last three days, yet many of their soldiers still remained in the tent city in the courtyard. Cullen's people had managed to clear the mountain paths, but it would take time to bring up the necessary supplies and masons to make the old fortress truly livable again.
The war council had all taken guard rooms along the main wall, these were the most stable, and the first rooms that the few mason's they did have declared safe for occupation. The upper levels still needed work. Josephine had sent word to her contacts in Orzammar, along with a personal letter to good King Bhelen, hoping to speed up the process.
Ana had never met the dwarven king, but it was said that he was a man who knew how to get things done, a reformer among his people. If anyone could get them the supplies they needed quickly, it would be him.
Meanwhile, more and more soldiers and refugees continued to arrive at Skyhold, most from villages that had been destroyed when the Red Templar army came for Haven. The Elder One had not wanted any witnesses to his passing; his soldiers had destroyed everything in their path.
Many who had lost their homes to the Elder One seemed more than eager to take up the sword for the Inquisition, to see the bastard pay for what they had lost.
Ana could sympathize with that. Skyhold was a much better defensive position, make no mistake about that, but…as strange as it sounded, she found that she missed Haven. The village had become her home over the past few months, almost as much so as Ostwick was…
Her hands tightened into angry fists.
Once she had asked herself who would want to live in Haven, a place she had thought of at the time, as a freezing hole, know she understood.
There had been friends in Haven, she would miss the quiet nights at Flissa's' she would miss talking to Minaeve and even Seggritt.
Who had wanted to live in Haven, she did, and now it was gone, stolen by the monster and his pet dragon.
Corypheus would answer for the loss of the village, and all the poor people and soldiers who had died there…
He would answer…dearly.
Word of Haven's destruction was no doubt spreading even now, but just as quickly, Leliana was dispatching her surviving ravens to her contacts in the larger settlements in both Ferelden and Orlais. Soon word of the Inquisition's continued survival would reach the ears of those who wanted to hear it, but at the same time…it would also reach the ears of those that did not.
Ana shuddered.
Corypheus would not be pleased to hear that she had survived; he would not be pleased at all.
Thinking of the Elder One brought her mind back to her nightmare, she tried to push it away, but it refused to be denied.
It had been all her insecurities given form.
She tried not to let it cripple her.
They had seized her by the arms so many people, so many angry faces; their skin burnt their eyes glowing with the magic of the fade.
She had tried to fight them but they were too many, they dragged her along like a sack of flower. She screamed, calling for help, begging for it, but the only answer she got was the angry snarls of her captors.
Betrayer.
Blasphemer.
Heretic.
False Prophet!
Disgrace!
The carried her down a long corridor, high pillars of black stone rose to the impossibly high ceiling, Everything around her felt wrong, dark, and forbidden.
"Unruly child," a familiar voice snarled, "You are more than just a disgrace to our family. You are a disgrace to the god as well.
Ana's eyes widened as she realized the truth.
"Uncle Randolph?"
The mob carrying her along flung her to the ground like a sack of potatoes, she hit hard, trying to roll with the impact but instead landed hard on the tile floors, the smooth black stone was polished, and shone like a mirror, reflecting those gathered around her.
Ana stared in vacant horror.
They wore the garbs of nobles, priest, mages, and Templars, but those garments were all burned and melted. The faces of her captors were not much better. Their hair and ears gone, their skin bubbled up from the heat of the explosion that took their lives.
These were the faces of nightmares, all those that had died at the Conclave, died while she had been allowed to return.
She looked up an Uncle Randolph, or rather the thing that had been her uncle. His eyes now flared with dark magic, his fingers were more like claws than hands.
"So you now think that you were chosen that the Maker chose you, you, of all people to save our world?"
"I never claimed that uncle, I…"
You are deceitful, and a blasphemer," he growled.
He pointed behind her.
"Kneel before the one true god, and beg his forgiveness."
She swallowed hard, almost afraid to look.
Slowly, her head turned.
A throne sat on a raised podium, behind it the fade shimmered with gold and emerald light.
She looked up, gazing at the throne, perhaps expecting to see the glowing woman there, the one who had saved her after the Conclave, perhaps she would finally reveal herself…
Perhaps she would let Ana explain.
What she saw instead horrified her.
Corypheus sat there, his withered shape barely filling the grand chair, his puckered face twisted into a grin of absolute pleasure.
His victims, Uncle Randolph included, dropped to their knees, praying and praising the monster's name.
Ana screamed she tried to rise, to push the foul beast from the chair.
The space behind the Elder One darkened. His dragon rose like the shadow of death itself. Its roar shook the fade, forcing Ana back to her knees.
Corypheus chuckled.
"Do you see pretender," the monster chortled, "You can kneel."
He raised his clawed hand, the anchor flared there, its light taunted her.
"Be gone little one," he hissed, "I have retrieved what you have stolen, now accept your punishment. Your god casts you out, farewell little thief.
The mark flared.
Ana fell.
She woke up screaming, but at least…she woke up.
She looked around the guard room, quickly gathering up her clothes. From the tiny windows she could see that the sun was already growing high in the sky.
The sound of many voices also drew her attention, it sounded like the entire courtyard had filled with people. People who would likely be better used securing their new fortress, not simply milling about in the courtyard.
She frowned.
Had something happened? If it had…why had no one bothered to wake her?
She dressed quickly, running her fingers through her hair, it was no substitute for a fine comb or a hot bath, but at least she made herself look presentable.
She sighed, before meeting the new day.
Her stomach twisted nervously.
She was afraid of what waited for her outside that door, but she did not hesitate.
She had survived the Elder One, and his Archdemon, what waited outside could not be as bad that, surely.
I mean how could it? she thought.
Nothing was that bad, was it?
Right?
Right.
IOI
Ana stepped out into the courtyard, soldiers, survivors and merchants milled around her. Far more people than had followed her through the mountains to arrive here, that was for certain.
She blinked against the light of the day, looking for a familiar face to tell her what was going on. They did not seem to be under attack, why gather so many people in the courtyard for no reason, especially when there was work to be done.
She spotted Cassandra speaking with Cullen and Leliana.
The Seeker nodded to her and motioned her to come forward.
Ana obeyed, but she could not ignore the many eyes that followed her progress.
The stories of the battle of Haven, and what she had done there was spreading quickly through the ranks. The tales of her…heroism growing more outlandish with each telling, one of her personal favorites was that she had not even needed the trebuchet to bring the avalanche down on Haven. That she had done it all with simply a wave of her hand, one gesture, and the mountain dumped its full weight down on the Elder One.
She found that one particularly amusing.
The people parted before her, as she made her way up to the Seeker.
Cassandra glanced around at the assembly of so many.
She seemed pleased with the turn out.
"More and more arrive every day," she said, "Some from outlying settlements, others soldiers and fighters looking to sign up. Skyhold is quickly turning into a pilgrimage."
She sighed and led Ana up the stairs, the ones, leading the Skyhold's great hall, the room was a mess, but both Josephine and Madame Vivienne seemed to think that restoring it should take priority. Ana did not see the value herself, but said nothing about it.
Everyone needed something to keep them busy, why not that?
"The tale of your survival…and your exploits in Ferelden are spreading rapidly, if Leliana is to be believed your name is on many lips right now Ana."
The herald frowned.
"Wonderful," she griped.
Cassandra smiled slightly, but that smile quickly fell away.
"Unfortunately, with so many talking, it is only a matter of time until word of your survival reaches the Elder One, if he has not heard about it already."
Ana's expression turned grim.
"Do we fear an attack?"
"Skyhold is not Haven," the warrior woman said with a shrug, "We have the walls and numbers here to put up a fight if we have to, but I suspect that the monster will not be so eager to rush in blindly, not after you humiliated him in Haven. He might not wish to face you again so soon."
The herald shook her head.
"Corypheus wanted my mark, the anchor he called it, and even if he didn't, my actions put the Inquisition in his way."
"In more ways than one," Cassandra answered, "You are the monster's rival because of what you have done. You foiled his plans at the Conclave. You rescued the mages from his clutches. You sealed the rifts that would have filled the ranks of his demon army. Then…you sealed the breach, and denied him his victory at Haven, all of this could not be possible without you.
The Seeker sighed heavily. She seemed troubled, not that Ana could say why.
The herald looked up. Leliana stood on a small landing halfway up the stairs into the keep. In her hands she held a long sword. The spymaster was holding it like sword boy might hold it, waiting for the command of his master.
Something about this made Ana shiver.
Leliana waiting for them, the people gathered in the courtyard?
Her heart began to pound.
Why did she suddenly feel like a lamb being led to the slaughter?
What in Andraste's tits was going on?!
They stopped before Leliana, the spymaster nodded politely to them both.
Cassandra continued to speak with her, her voice low and soothing.
"This war is not what we had anticipated. You asked us once if we intended to start a holy war. Despite our best efforts, it seems that that is what we have on our hands; it is a war we cannot afford to lose. Corypheus achieving victory would destroy everything we have worked for, that cannot be allowed.
The Seeker stood at parade rest before Ana.
She was beaming now, her eyes lit with quiet pride.
"The Inquisition requires a leader. A counter to the Venatori's Elder One, that leader can be only one person, Ana, the one who has already been leading us."
Leliana dropped to one knee, offering the sword to the herald.
Ana swallowed hard.
They…did…did they mean…?
Oh Maker.
Cassandra smiled at her.
"You Ana," she said, 'It must be you. You led us out of Haven, now you must take the next step."
The Seeker glanced down at the blade in Leliana's hand.
"Will you lead us?"
The Herald was almost speechless.
They…
They…
Oh my.
On no.
Part of her wanted to flee! How…how could they even think that she…she could…?
Then she looked down at the people that had assembled below them, the hopeful looks on their faces.
She could not just turn away from this?
She blinked and swallowed hard.
"This…this decision? It was unanimous?"
"I will not lie," Cassandra purred, "The thought of handing this power over to any one person is a little troubling, but it must be done."
She placed a warm hand on the girl's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, a warm familial gesture that steadied the girl's nerves.
"We trust you, Ana," she said, "What happens next, what you decide, where you choose to lead us that is up to you."
The herald's mouth felt dry, she looked down upon the sword, and sighed, mustering her courage.
It was a beautiful weapon, dwarven made perhaps? It was more than just a sword however…it was a symbol.
A drop of sweat trickled down her back.
If she did this, the girl she had been would be gone forever. Anastasia Aliza Trevelyan would never have had the balls to take all of Thedas into her arms, to declare that she wanted to save it, and could lead those who could do just that.
She was no zealot, but that did not mean that she did not believe.
If she did this, she would not be able to go back to her old life. Ostwick, her place within her family, that would be gone forever, she would no longer be simply a Trevelyan; she would belong to the ages.
It was a terrifying thought, but at the same time…
Her eyes narrowed.
She thought of the nightmare, of feeling so weak and helpless. If she did nothing, she would blame herself for that. Win or lose, stand or fall, Corypheus and the Inquisition were part of who she was, far more than anything else in her life had been.
She thought about the Divine and everyone else who had died at the Conclave. If she walked away now, they had died for nothing. She did not want to make their deaths meaningless.
She willed her hands to stop shaking as she took the blade from Leliana; she wrapped her fingers around the hilt, its shape cast into that of a dragon. She pulled the blade from its sheath. Runes worked into the blade caught the sunlight and flared bright red.
The blade burst into flame. Yet, Ana felt no heat, only cold resolve.
She looked down into those flames.
When she spoke it was with far more conviction that she had ever spoken in her life.
"Corypheus must be stopped," she whispered, "He wishes to make himself a god and rule over us all."
She turned to the Seeker and the Spymaster.
"I…We cannot let that happen."
Both of the older women beamed.
Ana gave them both a nervous smile.
"I accept," she whispered.
The Seeker grinned as she looked down into the crowd, her eyes finding Ambassador Montilyet.
"HAVE OUR PEOPLE BEEN TOLD?"
"They have," Josephine replied smiling brightly.
"COMMANDER?" she shouted down to Cullen, "WHAT SAY THE FAITHFUL?"
"INQUISITION," the former Templar called out drawing his sword, "What say you?"
Cheers began to build.
"Will you follow?" he demanded.
"Yes!" they replied.
"Will you fight?"
"Yes!"
"WILL WE TRIUMPH?!"
"YES!"
Swords, axes and bows all rose skyward. Cullen raised his blade, his voice rising with the excitement of his men.
"Then we shall follow," he shouted, "Your leader!" Your herald…!"
He pointed up at Ana.
"YOUR…INQUISITOR!"
The chant rose like thunder, echoing throughout Skyhold.
"INQUISITOR!"
"INQUISITOR!"
"HAIL!"
"HAIL!"
"HAIL!"
Even Josephine got caught up in the revelry. She raised her fist skyward.
"Hail," she shouted, before lowering her hand quickly, blushing furiously.
Ana swallowed hard.
So it was done she thought.
She raised her new sword high, the fiery blade blazed in the cold sun.
That only made the soldiers and faithful more rabid.
The chant continued to rise.
"Hail!"
"Inquisitor!"
"Hail!"
"Hail!"
"Hail!"
"HAIL!"
Ana Trevelyan, Inquisitor and the Herald of Andraste could say nothing, she did not need to. She simply let the men salute her, offering her their swords, their service, their very lives.
They had sealed the breach.
Now, they needed to stop Corypheus, no easy task, but what in this world was?
Ana…the inquisitor put her best foot forward, letting the men see what they needed to see, their Herald, their new leader, proud and strong.
She hoped that she was ready.
"All hail, the Inquisitor," she whispered.
Andraste save me, she thought.
She giggled nervously.
I'm so fucked.