Note: well hi there... long time no talk. Sorry for the delay. Between end of summer, crazy amount of work/ adult life, and depression I needed to take some time for myself.
Thank you for your understanding here's the new chapter, hopefully I'll get back into some semblance of a schedule.
Chapter Thirteen
Furniture had been toppled over, books and papers littered the floor. The tapestries of the Templar Order had been shredded into strips of fabric, leaving the stone walls bare. Small fires crackled and popped around them. Bull, Sinfi, and Cullen looked over the wreckage before catching each others' shadow-filled eyes. No one had to voice what they all instinctively knew. They had failed.
Gathering information on Samson's location had been long and drawn out. The man knew how to cover his tracks; well enough that two well trained spies, with the backing of the inquisition, struggled at pinning him down to one location. The moment they had him located, he would disappear like the morning mists. It was as if he knew the Inquisition's moves even before they got their information. They swore up and down that this was the time they would catch him, but they were too late. Samson had escaped once again, leaving them empty handed. Now, they stood silently in a crumbling keep with all of the evidence being eaten away by the fires that burned around them.
"This place is already half destroyed," Sinfi said in a shaky breath, disappointment tainted her voice. She shook her head slightly as she looked around the destruction, unaffected by the heat of the flames that grew around them.
"Samson must have ordered his Templars to sack his headquarters so we couldn't," Cullen noted as he gazed at the Order's destroyed paraphernalia. Hurt and anger filled his brown eyes at the destruction of history for a group he once unwaveringly stood for.
"Looks like he cut his losses and ran," Bull added as he took the battleaxe off of his back, preparing for anything that was to come their way. Samson wasn't an idiot, even if he hightailed it and ran, he wouldn't leave this place undefended. There would be some fight waiting for them.
"I think you're right. Still-" Cullen nodded as he looked towards The Iron Bull. "-We've dealt Samson a blow."
"Losing this stronghold will hurt them, even if we didn't get him this time," Sinfi looked towards the staircase leading down to the belly of the keep. "There has to be something left to help us, they wouldn't have had time to destroy everything."
The three companions walked down the stairs and through the slowly burning keep. They were silent as they went room to room, looking for any clues that had been left behind. They weren't exactly sure what they were looking for, but at this point, anything was helpful. Sinfi tried to save every page that could hold some sort of importance but, unfortunately, they knew the large pieces of the puzzle would already be lost to them.
The few Templars that remained were picked off one by one without much of an effort. The enemies that had been left for them were just cannon fodder, all the important troops had been evacuated from the keep and only the weak remained. They may have been the younger and greener recruits, but they were devout through and through. The young Templars had known they would die, but they accepted it with open arms, hoping for the chance to give Samson time to flee.
It wasn't until they got to the center of the keep did they find what they had, unknowingly, been looking for. Growing from the floor, stood three towering spires of red lyrium. The tips of the corrupted mineral reached up towards the vaulted ceiling, creating deadly and ominous spikes that glimmered in the darkness. There were smaller shards around the room but it was these three in the center that unnerved all three of them. At the base of the spires sat a mage, his back pressed up against lyrium shards keeping him ridged.
"Is that…" Cullen's voice died in his throat as recognition washed over him.
"Hello, Inquisitor," the young mage's voice was monotone and… tranquil. Slowly, Sinfi and Cullen approached the figure, leaving Bull to guard the doorway.
"You know me?" Sinfi asked softly as she glanced over him, her eyes falling onto the branded sigil of the chantry located in the center of his forehead. Cullen dropped to a knee in front of the boy, his armor creaking slightly underneath the fabrics covering him.
"It's Maddox, Samson's tranquil," his voice was soft as he looked into the man's eyes before glancing back towards the Inquisitor. "Something's wrong. I'll send for the healers."
"That would be a waste, Knight Captain Cullen," Maddox stated as his attention shifted to the commander. "I drank my entire supply of blightcap essence. It won't be long now."
Sinfi's gaze never left him as the golden eyes flicked back and forth, "We would have never hurt you, we just wanted to talk."
"Yes, I know," the man said slowly. "That was something I could not allow."
Cullen and Sinfi glanced at each other quickly before Maddox continued, "I destroyed the camp with fire. We all agreed that was the best. Our deaths ensured Samson had time to escape."
"You threw your lives away? For Samson?" Cullen's hand clenched into a fist briefly before he let out a shaky breath, "Why?"
"Samson saved me, even before he needed me," Maddox stated plainly as he caught the other man's eyes. "He gave me purpose again."
Cullen let out a shallow breath as if he wanted to argue with the tranquil, but knew it would be for nothing.
"I-" Maddox wetted his lips as he looked away they could see the light fading quicker in his eyes, "I wanted to help..."
Upon the breath of his last words, the light in his eyes dissipated, turning glassy and unseeing. His body, that was once ridged in posture, started to slump forward onto itself. Maddox was gone, leaving the group silent as they stared upon the still warm corpse.
"We need to look around, Maddox may have missed destroying something," Sinfi said softly as she looked around the room. Pain crossed her face once more when her eyes landed back on the brand upon his forehead, "Bring his body with us when we leave. He shouldn't be left in a place like this."
Cullen looked up towards Sinfi with a sad smile, "Thank you, Inquisitor."
She nodded softly to the blond man before turning and continuing her quest for information.
The Iron Bull tossed the pack onto Casimir's back and tightened the straps attaching it to the saddle. The horse groaned slightly as he looked back towards the Qunari.
"I know," Bull grunted softly to the horse. "Neither you or Sinfi like saddles, but neither of you have much of a choice this time."
Casimir let out bray as he stomped a back hoof, causing Bull to roll his eye slightly at the outburst, "She's not happy about it either, big guy. The least you could do for her is not throw a tantrum."
Casimir glared at the Qunari, but made no argument as the girth was re-adjusted.
"Well," Sinfi said loudly from behind Bull. "Looks like the two of you are getting along."
Bull looked back at her, a smirk was curled on her lips and one hand on a hip that jutted out, "He just tolerates me because he found out about us. You're the only person who he will ever get along with."
"He likes Mordecai," she countered quickly.
"You're a two for one deal, he doesn't count."
Sinfi laughed and shook her head before looking around the bustling courtyard. Everyone was moving around quickly, trying to get all of the horses and carts ready for travel. They were to start the march and meet up with the allies they had gained over the year. Bull could spot a few of their companions preparing their own steeds or taking their last moments with the people close to them who would be staying.
He could see the triplets all fretting and fussing over Cullen; Catarina was fixing the placement of his cloak, Drina trying to tame a stray curl that refused to stay in place, while Esma appeared to be mending an extra shirt of his for the road. Meanwhile, tucked away in a shadowy corner of the courtyard, stood Dorian and Mordecai, fingers interlaced and lips moving with sweet whispered words. Dorian's back was to Bull, but he could see the red tiefling clear as day as he caressed the side of his new lover's face. Golden eyes flickered towards Bull with a sly smile before they darted back to the object of his affections.
"I cant believe that this is it," her voice was soft as she watched the bustling groups. "I never thought we would get to this point."
Bull frowned as he tightened the last few straps and triple checked the saddle's placement, "We don't know that for a fact, Boss."
He could feel her watching him. Hot fingertips ran down his spine as her voice dipped just for him to hear, "You know that we're closing upon the end, you can feel it just like the rest of the Vistani."
Bull paused in his motions because she was right. By Andraste's tits, she was always fucking right. "What happens after?" Bull asked quietly. "What can you see in the Threads?"
"I can't," Sinfi whispered as he turned to her, he could see the fear hidden in the depths of her eyes. She had always been in touch with the Threads of Fate, always there, always constant. All of her life, she could pull at them for the information she needed, and now she was as blind as the rest of them.
"Why not?" Bull asked quickly, slightly confused.
"No one's fate has… solidified yet." She shook her head slightly and looked off, "it's like all of the Threads stop at the Wilds. They just disappear at the start of the forest. It's like everything is waiting to see what happens."
"Have you talked to Baba?" Bull asked as he took her hands into his. His much larger appendages intertwined with hers. His thumbs ran along the soft skin from her knuckles to bangles that clinked softly from the movement.
Sinfi nodded slightly as she looked down, "She can't see anything either, it's like everything stops there and nothing exists past it."
She bit her lip and looked down. Her voice was soft for only him to hear, "I'm scared Bull. What if we don't-"
"Hey, we will," Bull said quietly for only her to hear. He unhooked one of his hands to cup her chin. Gently he tilted her head up. Her eyes caught his, fear and uncertainty filled the pools before him, "You'll beat him, look hot as hell doing it, then we're going to celebrate with drinks and stay in bed for three days straight."
She let out a real laugh and shook her head, the high ponytail of curls swung and bounced with the movement.
"I'm a better man having met you, Kadan," Bull whispered as his hand dropped from her face and grabbed her free hand. "I hope this has made things… easier for you."
Slowly, the joy faded from Sinfi's features as she looked down to their entwined hands. A seriousness washed over her as she gripped tighter to him. She let out a shaky breath before looking back up towards him.
"You did, Bull," her voice broke slightly. "After everything, I never thought..."
"I know," he whispered before lifting one hand and ran it along her cheek. He watched as she leaned into the touch, eyes closing at the contact. Gently she brushed a kiss against his palm.
"No matter what happens-" Her words were quiet as the golden orbs opened once more and found his steel grey one.
"Sinfi-" Bull said slowly, letting out a soft warning, knowing exactly where this conversation was going.
He had thought about this before, late at night when the ghosts of the fallen would come to haunt his memories. She would be in his arms, wrapped up against his side and the memories of when he had thought she had been lost to him forever would eat away at him. She hadn't even been his at that point, and he felt himself break apart. What would happen if that were to happen again? How would he be able to continue? Who would be there to make sure he didn't turn into a mindless killing machine?
"If we don't-"
"Kadan," his voice was a little more forceful, yet she ignored him.
"Make it out of this-"
"Katoh," he felt his chest tighten at the words. Sinfi looked up at him, surprise written across her features. "Kadan, stop. I can't… We're coming out of this alive. Together."
Her lips parted slightly as the words escaped them, "I love you."
Sinfi's eyes went wide at the unintentional declaration and Bull's mouth went dry. They had danced around this grey area for a long time, both secretly knowing but neither wanting to be the first to say it. Now, she had and there was no going back.
"Are you going soft on me, Kadan?" Bull let out a deep chuckle as his arms wrapped around her waist. His fingers running against the swath of skin exposed around her mid section. Slowly, he bent down towards her, "I love you, too."
Their lips were just about to touch before she spoke again.
"Too bad we didn't have enough time for the wedding before Corypheus showed up," Bull felt himself freeze in mid movement.
"I… What?" Bull pulled away quickly pushing her at arm's length, eyes scanning her face in confusion. Even Casimir, who had been content with ignoring the pair, looked towards them wide eyed.
Sinfi frowned slightly and tilted her head in confusion before touching the dragon's tooth that hung between her breasts, "I assumed this meant we were getting married."
"I.. uh… um," he couldn't think, his brain was frozen in place and was just making noises. He felt like a wagon stuck in muck. For the first time in Bull's life, he was beyond lost for words in a situation.
Slowly, a smile curled onto her lips as a snort of laughter followed. It was when she doubled over laughing did Bull realize that Sinfi had been fucking with him.
"Amar, the look on your face," Sinfi hissed out between laughter. She stood upright once more, tears of laughter pooled on Sinfi's skin before she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She slowly collected herself as Bull just stared at her, dumbfounded.
Bull shook his head slowly before pulling her back to him, "Oh, you are evil."
Sinfi's body seemed to melt against his chest as he held her close. Without missing a beat, he kissed her hard in the middle of the bustling keep.
"Pawn to B5," Bull started with a smile as he looked towards Solas on his right.
The pair were riding next to one another on the backs of the loaned Vistani steeds, that lumbered cautiously through the Arbor Wilds. The journey had been long and quiet due to the anxiety building around the upcoming battle. What hadn't helped the situation was that they were forced to travel by foot instead of using the Mists. Sinfi and Vera had explained to the inner circle that, due to the size of the armies and the unknown layout of the Arbor Wilds, it would have been dangerous to use it for travel. There was too much room for error with the Mists in an unknown location. They could appear anywhere on the ground or on a cliff's edge ready to plummet to their deaths. Any mistake now would be costly.
So, the slow journey on foot and through the creepy enchanted forest that lured bright eyed adventurers to their death, was the safe plan… apparently.
"All right. You have my curiosity," Solas said as he eyed The Iron Bull with a narrow gaze. "Mage takes Pawn."
"You call your Tamassrans, Mages?" Bull glanced towards the mage, "Ben-Hassrath to F6."
The stories and myths that surrounded the forest had made everyone in the party nervous. Even the normally calm and quiet Solas appeared to be on edge, but they all continued to soldier on. The march to the Arbor Wilds had been long and tiresome, hence the needed distraction for the pair. Their allies had slowly trickled together into one large war party, but the mass of people and battle equipment caused the journey to slow from a march to a crawl.
"You call your Knights, Ben-Hassrath?" The mage countered. "Incidentally, Knight to F3."
"Ben-Hassrath makes more sense than Horses. They're sneaky, and they can move through enemy lines." Bull paused for a beat before saying, "Arishok to H6."
"Pawn to D3."
"Ben-Hassrath to H5," Bull countered quickly and looked towards the elf. Solas' eyes were flicking back and forth, trying to observe the imaginary chess board causing Bull to beam, "Hah! All right, take some time. Think about your life choices."
The caravan jolted to a stop as they came across another fallen tree in their path. The large draft horses led by Dennet were able to clear out the fallen moss covered trees easily, but it took time. With no charted trails of the area, it was up to them to create their own path forward and through the ruins. Even if it left them all uneasy.
Bull looked towards where Sinfi was. The advisors and Cassandra were around her at the front of the army, deep in discussion about the next steps of the mission. Sinfi had been needed up front with the advisors and the other leaders day in and day out, leaving the inner circle within the ranks. She was gone for the days, only crawled into their bed long past dark and already leaving before the crack of dawn. It wasn't the lack of seeing her that worried Bull, it was more of the concern about her lack of restful sleep with the frequent tossing and turning on her side of the cot. They were approaching the battle that would define the war against the darkspawn magister and it was getting to her.
"Do you really think this will be it?" Dorian's voice was soft as he moved up towards Bull. His boisterous facade had crumpled the closer they had gotten to their destination. Bull glanced around to the rest of the inner circle around him. To be fair to the Tevinter mage, everyone had a similar expression of second guessing and questioning as they glanced towards him, waiting for an answer to a question they were all thinking. No one knew where this was going or what would happen if they failed.
"I don't know," Bull sighed with a shrug. "But it'll define the Inquisition."
Dorian nodded solemnly. They were all silent. The lush greenery seemed to almost soak up all sounds, there were no birds, no wild life, not even the sound of wind, just the sound of the soldiers milling about. Varric cleared his throat causing the group to look towards the dwarf propped upon the massive warhorse.
"You know what I miss?" He asked the group as they eyed him. "Using the mists. My ass feels like it's bruised from this damn saddle."
There were a few scattered chuckles of agreement from the group. Dorian smiled slowly before continuing on with the game, "You know what I miss? Actual beds, I swear my bedroll is only filled with rocks."
More smiles reappeared in the group as they continued through the circle of people. Sera missed the exotic spiced cookies the twins had brought to her as an apology, which had then led the three of them eating the entire box as they played pranks throughout Skyhold. Blackwall missed his whittling tools which had been absentmindedly forgotten back at the keep, forcing him to have to make do with a dull dagger. Vivienne desperately missed the feeling of a hot bath and champagne that matched her lofty standards. Cole missed the kittens back in the hayloft and worried about them with the coming winter.
Bull glanced towards their apostate companion, "And what about you, Solas?"
The pale elf looked towards them, his grey eyes betraying nothing, "An actual chess board." He paused for a moment then looked at Bull dead in the eyes with a cocky smile, "Knight to H4."
Bull roared with laughter.
They fought through the forests. Corrupted red templars dodged in and out of the shadows, forcing their army to splinter apart and defend against the gorilla warfare tactics. Solas, Sinfi, Varric, the witch Morrigan, and Bull were alone as they charged down the river, picking off clusters of the enemy one by one, slowly making their way towards the rumored temple.
"I'm not sure about all of you-," Sinfi started quietly as she wiped the blood off her daggers. Silently, she knelt down to the corpse of a dead elf in unrecognizable armor, "-but I was not expecting anything out here but Corypheus's army."
"It seems," Solas said softly as he looked down upon another corpse, intrigue lighting his eyes. "That the temple of Mythal is not deserted after all."
"Perhaps," Morrigan mumbled deep in thought. "These creatures are the reason few return from the Arbor Wilds."
"Anything is possible," Sinfi agreed as she stood up and nodded towards the darkened path through the crumbling stone archway. "This is it, the temple of Mythal."
The group was silent as they looked upon the ominous archway.
"Why is it always an ominous and decrepit temple? Couldn't it be a tropical beach for once?" Varric sighed. The group glared at the dwarf.
"If we want to find the answers, we need to keep moving," Sinfi continued as Bull watched her walk forward into the darkness. Her face was like stone, preparing herself to whatever was to come. The only thing that betrayed her emotions was her tail that flicked around her legs like an angry hellcat. Hesitation and fear combined with the uncertainty of walking into the unknown.
Bull looked towards Varric, their eyes caught for a moment in understanding. Varric's lips were set in a tight thin line as the Inquisitor passed by him, like Bull, the dwarf saw through the skilled facade of the tiefling woman who led them. Silently, the story teller gave Bull a nod as he followed Sinfi. Together, they would keep her safe from the unknown that she opened her arms to.
They snuck quietly through the dark, their feet stepping cautiously around the bodies of dead red templars and elves that littered the ground. The sound of fighting bounced on the stone as light streamed through the ruins archway. Bull watched as Sinfi motioned for them all to keep low as they stepped out of the darkness and onto the balcony overlooking a bridge leading to where the temple was thought to rest.
A squad of red templars led by Samson, along with Corypheus himself, stood in front of a barricade of elves. Like the corpses they had found, this group was also in the unrecognizable armor. There was no markings declaring their allegiance or even a clue of where they had come from.
"Na melana sur, banallen!" the leader of the Elves spat towards the magister.
Samson let out a sick laugh as Corypheus tossed a lifeless corpse to the side, "They still think to fight us, Master."
The disfigured creature lumbered forward. His voice reverberated around them, "These are but remnants. They will not keep us from the Well of Sorrows."
"Well of Sorrows?" Sinfi whispered and looked towards the witch who gave her a shrug of confusion.
"Be honored," Corypheus let out a dark laugh. "Witness death at the hands of a new god."
Blue and golden electricity pulsed from the stone pillars leading to the bridge that connected them to the ancient temple. They watched as Corypheus stepped forward, grabbing the leader by his neck. The blue and golden light engulfed them. The elf kicked and fought against his captor's hold. Slowly, the mangled flesh of the ancient magister peeled back leaving muscle and tissue, then just bone was left. In an explosion of light, the body of Corypheus was ripped apart, leaving only black ichor staining the moss covered relics.
Silence fell as all eyes laid upon the place where the magister once stood in disbelief.
"You're shitting me," Bull said under his breath.
"That can't just be it," Varric responded softly, a mixture of wonder and disbelief tainting his voice. Slowly, the group got up to survey the damage. All the elves were dead, Corypheus was gone, and Samson and his squad were already on the other side of the bridge. The templar general caught their gaze and gave them a smirk before ducking into the ruins, evading them once again. Bull couldn't help but let out a humorless laugh.
Armor clanked from behind them, the sound of metal scraping upon itself filled the air. Cautiously, Sinfi looked past Bull to where the sound originated from. He watched as her eyes shifted from confusion to terror. The sound of bones breaking and reforming echoed through the cavern. Slowly, the rest of the group looked back and watched as a corpse of a Grey Warden shakily stood from the ground, the movements of his appendages convulsing as the dead body fought rigor mortis. Blood and bile spewed out of its orifices as the body continued to lurch and writhe towards them, dead grey eyes never breaking contact.
"It…" Morrigan said softly, shaking her head slowly, "It cannot be."
"Oh, but it is," Varric said quietly as he started to step backwards and away from the creature.
"Across the bridge," Sinfi ordered. "Now!"
They ran. They ran as fast as they could. Bull picked up Varric, who had started to fall behind, by the waist. Meanwhile, Sinfi and the Mages somehow kept up with his longer strides. Adrenaline fueling their attempt to flee. They could hear the distorted screeching of both Corypheus and his archdemon right behind them as they crossed the threshold of the temple. The group worked quickly trying to close the heavy metal doors as the creatures advanced upon them. Pushing every last bit of strength in the action. Fire ripped through the sky as the doors shut with an audible clank and golden magic sealed them in.
The group looked around to each other, all gasping for air as the adrenaline drained out of their bodies. They were safe, for now.
The temple was overgrown from years of neglect. Their steps were quieted by the moss and undergrowth that had tried to reclaim the land. Sinfi and Morrigan walked ahead of them, voices arguing back and forth about what they had just learned and witnessed.
"Yes, I was wrong," Morrigan huffed as she walked next to Sinfi. "Does that please you?"
"Not enough," the Inquisitor muttered as she ducked underneath some low hanging moss, trying desperately to not get any tangled into her horns.
"Whatever the Well of Sorrows might be," Morrigan continued in phases by the comment, "Corypheus seeks it, and thus, you should too."
Sinfi was silent as she looked down the long corridor before speaking, "Let's find this Well before his people do then."
"What I want to know is how the hell Corypheus came back to life," Varric grumbled as he followed the Inquisitor. "We saw him die."
"It makes absolutely no sense," Bull agreed.
"It would seem that his life force passes on to any blighted creature, Darkspawn, or Grey Warden," Morrigan mused, golden eyes flicking back and forth as if she was looking as if all the puzzle pieces were laid before her.
"Then Corypheus cannot die," Solas said, echoing the group's thoughts. "Destroy his body, and he will assume another."
"Everyone and everything can, and will, die," Sinfi said quietly as she pushed aside a silvery spider web that blocked their path. "We will find the answers once we are done here."
"'Tis strange," Morrigan continued. "Archdemons possess the same ability, yet Grey Wardens are able to slay them."
"But the Grey Wardens decided to lock him away instead," Varric pointed out to the witch.
"Perhaps," she said with a frustrated sigh, "they knew he could do this, just not how."
"It is plausible," Sinfi sighed softly as they reached the end of the overgrown hall and into the courtyard outside of the temple. The sounds of waterfalls filled the air. Bull knew, at one point, they had been purposeful for the canals that ran around the outside of the structure, but now the structures had started to crumble as the earth started to take the land back for its own once again.
Bull watched as Sinfi stopped mid-stride, her eyes landing on a platform as her head tilted in an inquisitive manner, "Now that's odd."
"What?" Bull asked as he glanced towards where Sinfi was staining. In the middle of the courtyard there was a raised granite platform, everything around it was in ruins but this one area was immaculately preserved.
"The magic is still strong here," Morrigan answered for the dawnstone woman. "Time should have let it deteriorate like the rest of its surroundings, but miraculously, it has persevered."
The witch and Solas looked over the worn writing that had been chiseled upon the stonework walls and crumpled pillars.
"Atish'all vir abelasan," the elf said softly. "It means 'Enter the path of The Well of Sorrows."
"So we're headed in the right direction then?" Varric asked Solas, who just gave him a nod in response.
"There is then something about knowledge," Morrigan's eyes squinted slightly in concentration. "Respectful or pure...Shiven, Shivennen."
"It's a lock," Sinfi announced suddenly, wonder filled her voice as she made her way up the granite staircase. As her foot touched the first tile, golden light radiated from below her. Slowly, the gold faded to turquoise. A smile grew on her lips as she danced to the tile to her left and then the next one, leaving a trail of magical light around the center pillar as she sounded from one tile to the next, never retraining her steps.
They could hear the sound of a mechanism working off in the distance.
"So it would seem, Parva Lunam," Morrigan smiled softly towards the Inquisitor, "Vera should be proud."
Sinfi pauses for a moment at the childhood nickname her mother had once graced her with.
"Come, we still have a chance," Sinfi said quickly as she started to make her way up the stairs to whatever awaited them.
Much to Bull's disagreement, they had done the rituals in order. Sinfi's quick feet danced over the tiles, never retracing a step. Once the doors to the actual temple were unlocked and they were faced with the protectors of the sacred land, did Bull realize the magnitude of completing the silly pathways. With safe passage, they were able to run through the temple uninterrupted by the Sentinels. They knew there would be a fight over the Well and its power with the ancient elves, but they still had a more important fight before they could think about that.
The Red Templars threw the crumpled bodies of the Sentinels to the ground. Their bodies were like rag dolls, discarded carelessly to the side like a child with a forgotten toy. Samson was in their sights. His voice echoed off the cavern walls as he praised his men. They were so close to the Well, they were so close to victory, they just had to destroy his armor.
"Inquisitor," Samson's voice was gruff as he turned to them. They were within feet of this man and could see him clearly for the first time. Samson's skin had turned from a healthy human pink to a sickly grey. Sweat from exertion, or lyrium sickness, coated his skin, causing him to look almost waxy. The brown black hair on his head was matted and thinning. His brown eyes were bloodshot with bright red veins. This was a man who had fallen from grace and was ignorant to how far gone he truly was.
"You and those elf things just don't know when to stop. You've hunted us halfway across Thedas," the general shook his head as he slowly approached them. "I should have guessed you'd follow us to this hole."
"What can I say, I'm a girl who knows what she wants," Sinfi smirked slightly, she didn't move from her spot as the crazed Templar stalked towards her.
"I spoke to your Tranquil, Maddox." Her eyes scanned his before she spoke up again, "He sacrificed himself for your cause." The disgust in her voice couldn't be masked.
"I told him not to. He died as one of us, then. One of the faithful," Samson let out a humorless laugh as he shook his head. "Corypheus chose me twice. First as his general. Now as the vessel for the Well of Sorrows."
Silence filled the space between them, their eyes never breaking contact. "You know what's inside the Well?" Samson asked.
"Wisdom," Sinfi answered without missing a beat causing the Templar to smile. His teeth yellowed from decay brought on by the red lyrium.
"Very good, little Vistani girl," Sinfi flinched slightly, causing his smile to widen. He turned to look towards the Well, "It's the kind of wisdom that can scour the world. I give it to Corypheus, and then he can walk into your precious Mists without the anchor."
"Once Corypheus is that powerful, you and your soldiers will just slow him down," Sinfi said as she stalked closer to the man, golden eyes gleaming with the fire that lived within her. "You will be useless to him, just like all of those who came before you."
Samson whipped around to be face to face with the Inquisitor. "You dare say that to my face? After you have butchered my men?" he growled out.
"You are nothing to him," Sinfi whispered softly, her lips curled into almost a cruel smirk.
"You're no match for Corypheus," Bloodshot red eyes looked her up and down. "Even if you drink from the Well, you'll never master its wisdom as he could."
"This is the strength the Chantry tried to bind," with that, Samson's armor flared to life, a red glow illuminating everything around him. "But, it's a new world now, with a new god. So, Inquisitor, how will this go?"
"Power is all well and good, that is-" slowly, Sinfi rolled her shoulders and smirked as she pulled out the rune. "- Until it is taken away."
She lifted the stone into the air and they watched as the red lyrium embedded into Samson's armor cracked and fell away. His screams of pain bounced off the ancient stone walls that encased them. Samson fell to the ground, panting as he looked at the shattered pieces of armor that lay around him.
"W-what did you do?" His voice was soft at first until he looked up at her and then rage filled him, "What did you do?"
Sinfi said nothing, she just stood there with a satisfied grin at thwarting Samson. After weeks of continuously being one step behind him, now he was in her grasp.
"My armor, it's gone," the general pushed himself off the ground, eyes never breaking from Sinfi's. "The lyrium- I need it," his voice broke as he tried to pull from the power that wasn't there.
As if the world and time had been frozen around them, two hands reached around from behind Samson. One grabbed the matted dark hair, knotting its digits into the mess to pull the head back, while the second hand clutched a dark grey dagger. Rubies embedded into the pommel sparkled in the sunlight like freshly drawn blood.
In one fluid motion, the edge of the dagger sliced into Samson's flesh, right above the Adam's apple. Blood poured from the sliced jugular. Like a river, the red liquid ran down his neck and the front of his armor, staining the mixture of metal and leather. The coppery smell mixed with the scents of spring water and moss. The hand let go of the general's hair and Samson slumped to his knees and fell into the pool of blood.
"Well," the hooded figure was shadowed from the sun. "I do have to thank you for presenting me with the opportunity to remove a few loose ends. Corypheus will be pleased."
Bull knew this voice. They had heard it months ago. The watered down and smokey Vistani accent stood out in Thedas, even with the new arrival of the troupes. He had seen that dagger once before, images of it slicing through Sinfi's palm flashed through his mind. They were all silent as they watched as red hands pushed back the hood obscuring his face to the world. Salt and peppered hair had been slicked back, mimicking the pair of horns that sat upon his head. Blue eyes, alight with a spark of mischief and danger, watched the group. Lips twisted in a sinister grin made his knife-like features feel even more deadly. Yet, Bull's eye gravitated towards the branding of a deadly traitor, three jagged swords pointed to his eyes, forever marking him as a threat to the Vistani people.
Nicolae Moon reached his arms out towards Sinfi, "My darling, why don't you come give Papa a hug."
Now real question... who saw that coming?
Translations:
Parva Lunam- Little Moon