The Heartless DLC

by ink-asunder

The Inquisitor recruits two adventurers from Gransys. Marnie and Gale are worthy assets, so anything strange about them is dismissed as "foreign culture." However, it's later apparent that the two may not be as they appear, and Marnie may have more influence on the fate of Thedas than she initially let on. How will the Inquisition fare with an Arisen among their ranks?

12. In the Fade

Trevelyan looked around once more, and the world seemed familiar if even more unsettling. How had they entered the Fade?

"The Inquisitor opened a Rift, we came through... and survived," Solas was breath-taken. "I never thought I would ever find myself here physically. Look... the Black City, almost close enough to touch."

"This must be very exciting for you, Solas," Trevelyan's voice was strained. "Any advice you have about what's going on would be wonderful."

He heard Marnie scoff behind him. He turned to give her an icy stare. Of all people, he expected her to take this more seriously, given the circumstances. Perhaps living with Gale made her impartial to the Fade and all its creatures. And speaking of Gale, Trevelyan didn't see him standing with or around Marnie.

"Where's Gale?" Trevelyan asked.

"The main pawn can't be in the Rift at the same time as their Arisen," Marnie replied, re-lighting her lantern. "They remain outside to ground the Arisen to their home world. Gale's probably still at Adamant."

"Of course," Solas nodded. "I'd forgotten an Arisen would regularly traverse the Fade."

"As if you knew."

"You've been here before as well?" Hawke asked.

"In Gransys, we call it the Rift," Marnie looked ahead at the Black City. "And I can see why. Your Fade and my Rift seem two different worlds entirely. If it weren't for Gale's absence, I wouldn't believe they were one and the same..."

Dorian shared a look with Trevelyan. "The first time I entered the Fade, it looked like a lovely castle filled with gold and silks. I met a marvelous desire demon, as I recall. We chatted and ate grapes before he attempted to possess me."

"It's not how I remember the Fade, either," Hawke said, stepping onto the ground proper with the rest of them. "Perhaps it's because we're here physically, instead of just dreaming."

"I enter the Fade physically all the time," Marnie disagreed. "'Tis nothing like this. There's aught here."

The Inquisitor's remaining companions were not taking things nearly as well. Iron Bull didn't say anything, but the others could tell by his silence and the rigid, attentive way he stood that he was not happy to be here. Sera paced in a random pattern nearby, not daring to stray too far from the group. Cole began to wring his hands in anguish.

"No," he stuttered, shuffling backwards and flailing his arms. "No, no, no, no, no. I can't... Why can't I...? I can't be here! Not like this! Not like me!"

Cole crouched low, covered his head with his arms, closed his eyes, braced against all sensation. He tried to ground himself, but it was impossible here. There was nothing real here, nothing to keep him here and safe and like himself. He could hear the others talking, but their voices sounded farther and farther away. He was fading away? But how?! The Arisen was with him—he needed to stay with them, but he couldn't control himself here. He wasn't in control, he...

"Cole." Marnie crouched by him and took his shoulders. Cole clung to her and released a sigh. Solas stood on Cole's other side.

"Cole," he said. "Focus on my voice."

Cole swallowed and nodded. He knew this. "Right." He already felt much better. Much more like himself. He stood again. "This place is wrong. I made myself forget when I made myself real. But I know it wasn't like this."

Hawke looked at the Inquisitor. "The stories say you walked out of the Fade at Haven. Was it like this?"

"I don't know," Trevelyan admitted. "I still can't remember what happened the last time I did this."

"Well, whatever happened at Haven, we can't assume we're safe now. That huge demon was right on the other side of that Rift Erimond was using, and there could be others."

Sera cussed at the thought. Things weren't right in the Fade. She needed things to be normal if she was going to keep her wits about her. For now, cussing would just have to do.

"What she said," Iron Bull piped in. "This is shitty. I'll fight whatever you give me, boss, but nobody said nothing about getting dragged through the ass-end of demon town."

Stroud considered the Rift in the distance again. "In our world, the Rift the demons came though was nearby, in the main hall. We can escape the same way."

The Inquisitor looked into the distance. "It beats waiting around for demons to find us. Let's go."

The path ahead of them was clear, for now. Even so, they moved slowly, turning their heads at each strange sound the Fade made around them. There was no beaten trail to follow, but the terrain was relatively even and free of all brush and obstruction, so they just continued forward. Along the way, they found piles of skulls, waist-high pillars, candles dripping wax in frozen cascades. Why were they there? Were they always there or did someone put them there?

"'Hey, chief, let's join the Inquisition!'" Iron Bull mocked. "'Good fights for a good cause!' I don't know Krem, I hear there are demons. 'Ah, don't worry about the demons, chief! I'm sure we won't see many!' Can't believe I listened to that asshole! Everyone. If I get possessed, feint on my blind side, then go low. Cullen says I leave myself open."

"Shite," Sera cussed. "Piss. Stupid. I hate this!"

Dorian appraised a pile of skulls alongside the path. "My visits to the Fade are normally more pleasant. I don't usually wake up feeling the need to bathe. Usually. Sometimes. Well, never mind that."

"This is fascinating!" Solas was grinning from ear to ear. "It is not the area I would have chosen, of course. But to physically walk within the Fade..."

He gave a wistful sigh.

"Oh yeah," Iron Bull retorted. "This must be a dream come true for your crazy ass."

"Yes," Solas wasn't fazed. "Literally."

"Solas," the Inquisitor started. "You're the expert on this place. Anything helpful?"

"The Fade is shaped by intent and emotion, Inquisitor. Remain focused, and it will lead you where you wish to go. The demon that controls this area is extremely powerful. Some variety of fear, I would guess. I suggest you remain wary of its manipulations and prepare for what is certain to be a fascinating experience."

Trevelyan did his best. He was about to ask Marnie the same thing, but found her occupied with Cole once again.

"Wrong," Cole was saying. "Wrong, wrong, wrong, wringing me out, wrought right and rigid. Can't relax, can't release..."

He tensed when Marnie put an arm around his shoulder, but eased almost immediately. He forced his lungs to exhale once more. It was a little easier than normal, but even that fact made fresh panic bloom in his chest. It didn't feel good to feel good here in the Fade.

"It's alright, Cole," Trevelyan said. "We'll get you out of here soon."

"Thank you," Cole sighed. "It should be like home. It's not. This isn't me. Not this part."

"Just keep your focus," Marnie ordered. "Stay close to me."

Finally, Cole stood up a little straighter, like he was no longer afraid of being seen. "Yes, Arisen."

He could focus on her. She'd be hard to ignore. If he wandered, she'd be easy to come back to. They all would be.

"Marnie," Trevelyan prompted. "What are your thoughts?"

"We should keep moving," she advised. She really had no expertise in a Fade like this one, and as such had little to add to what Solas, Stroud, and Hawke already said. "Gale's probably worried sick now."

"He is, but he's safe," Cole said. "The soldiers found him and took him to Cullen."

"Truly?" Marnie gave a sigh of relief. How lucky she was that people on the mainland didn't think to treat him differently because he was a pawn.

Just ahead of them, a woman stood in Divine's robes. She appeared to be waiting for them.

"By the maker," Stroud breathed. "Could it be?"

The woman looked among the group and spoke. "I greet you, Warden. And you, Champion."

The Inquisitor stared at the woman, wide-eyed.

"Divine Justinia."

She blinked and gave him a strange half-smile. She blinked again. Something about her mannerisms was... off. Like she was very far away in her mind. Trevelyan hadn't known the Divine very well, so he tried to shake the unease.

"From the little I remember of what happened at Haven, I thought you were dead," he told her.

"I fear the Divine is indeed dead," Stroud interjected. "It is likely we face a spirit... or a demon."

"You think my survival impossible, yet here you stand alive in the Fade yourselves," the woman—be she Divine or ghost—replied. "In truth, proving my existence either way would require time we do not have."

"Surely you can understand our concerns and explain what you are," Hawke said.

"I am here to help you," the Divine replied. "You do not remember what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Inquisitor."

"I don't," Trevelyan admitted.

"The memories you have lost were taken from you by the demon that serves Corypheus," the Divine explained. "It is the Nightmare you fought upon waking. It feeds off memories of fear and darkness, growing fat upon the terror. The false Calling that terrified the Wardens into making such grave mistakes? Its work."

"I would gladly avenge the insult this Nightmare dealt my brethren," Stroud interjected.

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

"Can you help us get to the Rift?" Trevelyan asked.

"That is why I found you," the Divine said. "When you entered the Fade at Haven, the demon took a part of you. Before you do anything else, you must recover it. These are your memories, Inquisitor."

She extended her arm to indicate the path before them. Three demons appeared in the path, guarding a curious glow by the ground. From the memory, the others could hear very faint shouting. Trevelyan could feel it pulling him, and the Anchor in his hand was almost compelled towards it. Trevelyan drew his sword, and they moved in.

With such a large group, the fight was more of a warm-up than a battle. Even in the Fade, where the demons had an edge. When the demons were defeated, they disappeared. Whether the Inquisition had succeeded in killing them or if they simply moved to another part of the Fade, no one was sure. Trevelyan put his hand by the glowing point. Voices, once distant but now overwhelming, reached them with a flash of brilliant light. Each person experienced the memory as if it was a vision where they were nothing but an impartial, powerless third party.

In this memory, Divine Justinia was suspended in the air by a crimson binding spell holding her in place. Warden mages maintained the spell from the ground. Corypheus, a formidable, towering figure, loomed in front of the Divine.

"Now is the hour of our victory," Corypheus said, his voice echoing through the room.

"Why are you doing this?" Justinia demanded. "You, of all people!"

"Keep the sacrifice still," Corypheus ordered.

He raised his hand to reveal an orb that fit in the palm of his hand. The orb burst into glowing green light. Corypheus held the orb forward, and Justinia cried for help. The green light began to consume her, an exchange of power. Not a moment later, Trevelyan barged through the doors.

"What's going on here?!" he shouted.

Justinia and Corypheus turned. While Corypheus's attention was diverted, Justinia thrashed an arm out and managed to knock the orb out of his hand. It rolled towards Trevelyan, who dove to catch it. Whatever the artifact was, it looked important and needed to be kept safe. Little did Trevelyan know, that orb would curse him with the Anchor on his hand. As soon as he touched the orbit, pain shot up his arm as his palm split open to accommodate the power fusing with his hand.

Corypheus stared at the future Inquisitor in disbelief and rage. He moved towards Trevelyan, but before he reached him, the orb exploded. Corypheus was sent flying backwards from the blast.

That was the last thing the Inquisition saw before the vision faded. As Trevelyan and the others recovered, the Divine only watched.

"So," Stroud looked at Trevelyan. "Your mark did not come from Andraste. It came from the orb Corypheus used in his ritual."

Trevelyan didn't say anything. The Divine explained.

"Corypheus intended to rip open the Veil, use the Anchor to enter the Fade, and throw open the doors of the Black City, not for the Old Gods, but for himself. When you disrupted his plan, the orb bestowed the Anchor upon you instead."

"Oh, that's a relief," Trevelyan sighed. True, the concept had been a bit to fantastical for Trevelyan to fully believe, but with so many people revering him based on that perception, he'd almost started to buy it. However, he couldn't help but worry. How would he be perceived now that it was proven false? What would Cassandra think?

"We should keep moving," Marnie was already standing further along the path. She didn't even know who Andraste was. She knew this was no time to get hung up on Trevelyan's status as a godsend.

"Right," Trevelyan agreed.

The Divine's voice followed them. "You cannot escape the lair of the Nightmare until you regain all that it took from you. You have recovered some of yourself already, but now it knows you are here. You must make haste. I will prepare the way ahead."

When Trevelyan looked over his shoulder again, the Divine had disappeared. Stroud looked at Hawke.

"Something troubles you, Hawke."

"Those were Grey Wardens holding the Divine in that vision," Hawke growled. "Their actions led to her death."

"I assume he had taken their minds," Stroud defended the Wardens. "As you have seen him do before. Come, we can argue after we escape this dark place."

"Oh, I intend to," Hawke agreed tersely.

"Was that really the Divine?" Trevelyan turned to Solas.

"We have survived the Fade physically," Solas mused. "Perhaps she did as well. Or, if it is a spirit that identifies so strongly with Justinia that it believes it is her, how can we say it is not?"

A thought tugged at Marnie—a thought that troubled her. However, she managed to repress it before Cole got a good hold of it. Like them. Who were they?

"She seems interested in helping us," Stroud said. "That much is clear."

"That's great and all," Iron Bull interrupted. "But the Nightmare is the thing currently scaring the shit outta me."

"It's nothing like me," Cole murmured. "I make people forget to help them. It eats their fears. I don't know if I could do that, but I don't. I don't want to. That's not me."

"Peace, Cole," Solas calmed him. "None of us mistake you for the Nightmare. It is a fear demon, as I suspected. Likely drawing on terrors related to the Blight. Fear is a very old, very strong feeling. It predates love, pride, compassion... every emotion save perhaps desire."

Marnie narrowed her eyes. Before anything else, pawns were able to feel fear. They could feel fear from their conception, possibly. Other emotions came later, if and when they attained a little life through their Arisen's will and experiences. Pawns and demons—they were so similar.

The Fade around them began to soften, the air turning more grayish than green. A dense fog materialized a few yards away on all sides of them, but remained at that distance as they moved forward. Marnie watched it reproachfully. Iron Bull glanced at her, following her gaze into the mist. It moved. Something was moving in the fog.

"Hold it," Trevelyan stiffened, hand on the hilt of his sword. There was no such thing as too careful in their situation. The movement in the mist solidified into human figures. What were they? Was this another of the Nightmare's tactics? Sera drew her bow and nocked an arrow.

However, as the figures emerged from the fog, they simply passed by the group indifferently. Occasionally some of them spared a glance at Marnie and maybe stood around for a moment before heading on their way again.

"'Tis alright," Marnie said. "They're pawns. Relax."

"Can they see us?" Trevelyan asked. He didn't know how else to justify the lack of reaction the pawns were showing to their presence.

"Of course. They don't much care is all."

"Pawns?" Hawke questioned, watching a remarkably tall pawn with a sword and shield on his back saunter past. He remembered what Varric had told him about the Arisen's situation. "Like Gale."

The pawns came in all forms. They were all dressed in full armor and carrying weapons of their, (or their master's), choice. Some looked human, whilst others shared characteristics of elves or dwarves. Their height, weight, skin tone, and facial features all varied. Were it not for the scars on their hands, it'd be difficult to tell they were all one people. Their mannerisms were also identical. Mechanical, listless, yet effortless in their motions. They were apt to unsettle their bystanders.

"Do they always stare at you like that?" Iron Bull asked.

"You get used to it," Marnie replied, not letting her attention stray from the path. Cole offered his hand to help her down an uneven decline.

"Creepy," Sera dismissed, repressing a shudder as a woman's eyes met hers. Empty. One blind. Empty.

"Intriguing," Dorian murmured.

Solas stayed very quiet and still so he wouldn't disrupt the pawns' natural behavior. He loved seeing a group of them in their natural habitat. Or at least, as natural as it could be, he supposed.

"Look at how they wander here seemingly from nothing and beyond, uncaring of where they are," Solas could only speak in a whisper. "I've never seen anything like them. Have pawns populated this part of the Fade before?"

"Hey," Marnie turned to one of the pawns, a woman with amber skin and a longbow tied over her shoulder. The pawn stopped and turned to Marnie. "How'd you get here?"

"We were following you, Arisen," the pawn replied. Her words were enunciated perfectly, her accent impeccable, but her tone was lifeless.

"My main pawn and I have been on the mainland for weeks and we've never seen any pawns," Marnie pressed. "Did you come here when I just entered the Rift?"

"Yes. We assumed you entered the Rift because you needed support."

Marnie looked ahead and sighed. A part of her felt bad for stopping the pawn just to talk.

"Why don't you stay with us for a while?" she suggested.

"Of course," the pawn livened up immediately. She almost seemed to glow as she raised her right hand to show the pawn scar on her palm. "I am honored to travel with you."

Marnie trailed after the others. "Do you have a name?"

"Lavender."

Cole waved at the pawn. "Hello."

Lavender blinked at him, then gave Marnie a questioning look. Cole was still watching the other pawns, his eyes darting from one pawn to another as he took in little bits of each of their lives.

"He last expired falling from a cliff," Cole muttered. "Her Arisen took her to a salon and they got matching haircuts. His Arisen is a carpenter on the weekends. Her, a noble. Fine dresses never suit the battlefield—"

"Cole," Marnie admonished, her tone light to show he wasn't being scolded. "Shh."

Cole watched the pawns in fascination. He'd never seen any besides Gale, and now they were all around him and so easy to hear. He could hear everything, not just hurts. As if they were each connected. His brothers, his sisters. He should feel at home, and he did, in a strange way, even though he was overwhelmed. The pawns didn't seem to notice him at all, but they didn't act like they saw each other either. It was just the Arisen for them.

Cole looked at the Arisen as if he wanted to ask her something, but he didn't have the chance the chance. A voice, deep, guttural,belonging to that of the Nightmare, echoed through the Fade. It sounded so close that it might've been in their heads.

"Ah, we have a visitor," the Nightmare purred. "Some foolish little boy comes to steal the fear I kindly lifted from his shoulders. You should have thanked me and left your fear where it lay, forgotten. You think that pain will make you strong? What fool filled your mind with such drivel? The only one who grows stronger from your fears is me. But you are a guest here in my home, so by all means, let me return what you have forgotten."

The group turned a corner and came to a low, marshy area. An archway of stone curved overhead.

"I hear growling," Marnie warned. Lavender drew her bow, and the others followed suit.

Something slithered down from the stone archway. Marnie faced the sound, and Sera nailed the enemy with an arrow before it had a chance to attack. The demon shrieked and reared up, its camouflage momentarily lifting so the others could get a look at it. The demon had taken the form of a giant reptile. Was that an alligator? No. As the creature stood at its full height on its hind legs, the others could see that this was no simple reptile. The creature held a crude spear in one hand and reached its free hand up to yank the arrow out of its shoulder. The wound did not bleed. The beast roared at the group, and several more creatures just like it woke and came forth from the shadows.

"What the crap is that supposed to be?!" Iron Bull demanded.

"Saurian!" Lavender shouted.

"Is that what all of us are seeing?" Solas asked.

"Yes," Cole spoke for the others, looking at the strange monsters warily.

One saurian raised its spear to strike at the Inquisitor. Trevelyan dodged the blow and drew his sword. Sera shot at the beast, but her arrows deflected off the scaly hide. By that point, Marnie was on the move, darting close behind the saurian to slash its tail at the base. The saurian stumbled forward and spun, swinging its spear and missing Marnie by an inch.

"Strike at their tails!" Lavender shouted to the others. "Sever the tail, and they're defenseless."

Marnie circled around the saurian for another pass at the tail, but the saurian followed her movements. It made sure she didn't get the chance to get behind it again. Marnie looked past the saurian at Trevelyan, a little annoyed. Trevelyan realized what she was doing and leaped forward. He drove his sword into the gash Marnie had already created, pinning it to the ground. The saurian squealed and spun away, tearing off its own tail in the process. Immediately, its scales seemed to lose their luster. The saurian rolled on the ground, spreading wine-red blood on the stone.

"Distract them!" Hawke commanded. "If you don't have a blade in your hands, you can at least create an avenue for those who do."

And then the battle truly began. Sera and Lavender stood on opposite sides of the pathway, loosing arrows into the fray both to distract the tailed saurian and to finish those without tails. Their arrows sank into the now-soft flesh of the tailless saurian like a hot knife through butter. Dorian and Solas did the same as the archers, casting spells to help distract and taking the opportunity to send a projectile of ice or fire to aid where they could.

The rest of them were stuck in the middle of it, and did their very best to disarm and kill the saurian before they could get overwhelmed. The saurian were fast when they wanted to be, they were sometimes hard to see, and their spears gave them a much farther reach, but they were clumsy with a broad blind spot.

Marnie was on a limp saurian's back, ensuring it was fully dead before moving onto another one. Little was she aware of another saurian, cloaked in its bizarre camouflage, creeping up behind her, spear in hand. By the time anyone noticed it, it was already too late.

"Arisen!" Lavender shouted.

Marnie spun on her heel. The saurian was already upon her; she didn't have time to move! She braced for the impact, but just before the saurian's spear could strike her, someone else appeared in front of her. Marnie felt her stomach sink in an unpleasant mix of dread and anger for whoever took the hit for her.

Cole cried out as the saurian's spear slashed across his chest, digging through his armor. Blood—too much blood—splashed on the ground. Cole's knees buckled. Marnie caught him from behind and held him up. For a moment, she forgot about the saurian and the others. All she could think about was Cole's sickly pale, dazed face. The gash, the blood.

If he died for her, she'd never forgive herself.

"Cole!"

.

A/N: You can thank the copious amounts of children's books I've been reading for my masterfully crafted cliffhanger. I'm planning on one more chapter in the Fade to finish things up, then we'll be in the Wicked Eyes Wicked Hearts arc. Has anyone else here planned on writing a relatively short fic (like 20 chapters at most), but at every turn, they ended up writing 20k+ words in what was supposed to be one chapter... Because I think I can relate.