The Herald's Light

by Ferrilsblood

A modern girl led an average and peaceful life, until mysterious circumstances landed her in Haven's dungeons, alongside the Herald of Andraste. Opposites in almost every way, they need to find a way to work together to save Thedas from the Breach. Will they succeed in overcoming their differences, or will they be driven apart? This is the story of how their legend unfolded.

4. Chapter 4: Cannon takes a Hike!

Author's Nerd Corner:

This is not an April Fool's joke. It's a legit chapter and I'm stupidly proud of the giant pun that it turned out to be XD!

Again.

Semi-beta-ed. Special thanks to Eiris for kicking my ass into high gear to finish this.

All mistakes are my own.

If anyone notices anything glaring, please point it out so I can fix it up.

Also… looking for a Beta.

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Chapter Summary:

The party reaches the forward camp and from there... it splits up!

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The Herald's Light:

The Wrath of Heaven.

Chapter 03:

Canon takes a Hike!

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Ellana POV:

It hadn't taken the others long to follow Ellana's example and ascend the hill leading toward the forward camp. It almost felt like she was a part of a proper hunting party with Solas leading at the front, Ellana being just a step behind him. Next were the durgen'len and the tortoise, just behind her, with the Templar bringing up the rear.

Ellana's position allowed her to act as a lookout without having to worry about getting jumped. With the Breach in the sky and the numerous demons prowling about, the animals had been driven away, making the mountains unnaturally quiet. It made it easy to listen and pick up on sounds that she would have been unable to in other circumstances.

A boon to be sure, for it allowed her to detect incoming groups of demons quickly enough and adjust their course to avoid a confrontation.

A boon that was getting continuously spoiled by incessant chattering!

"I am rather curious about something though... Are the pair of you innocent?" the durgen'len asked them both, making Ellana sigh deeply and wonder: why couldn't he remain quiet for no longer than a bloody minute!?

The tortoise did not answer immediately, but she did cast Ellana an inquisitive glance, most likely wondering whether to go first or not. The Tael chose to remain quiet, refusing to get dragged into another pointless conversation. Not when she was too busy keeping an eye and ear out for potential ambushes.

"I've no memory of the event. And neither does Ellana as far as I know." The tortoise answered when it became clear that the Tael would not.

"That will get you every time. Should've spun a story." The durgen'len advised.

"That is what you would've done." The templar accused.

"It's more believable, Seeker." He pointed out sagely. "And less likely to result in a premature execution."

Ellana ignored their conversation from here on out, while making a mental note not to take the durgen'len and the tortoise out for a hunt. Ever. Nor the templar, now that she thought about it. Thus far only the seth'lin had any appreciation for stealth, which made sense for one who had grown up in the woods.

Despite the chatty party, they'd been lucky. The path leading to the forward camp, was not as infested as she had feared. They had only one encounter they could not sneak past: six shades and four wraiths.

All had been dispatched with frightening ease. Despite the odd make up of their group, their cohesion had improved after only two battles. In all honesty, it surprised Ellana, how smoothly it was all going.

The Templar taunted, once it became apparent that the demons were reacting normally, taking the brunt of their attacks.

For whatever reason the tortoise had lost all of her appeal with the demons, letting her return to her original role as a cover, while deflecting wraith bolts into the shades to weaken them, if the opportunity arose. She was getting quite good at it too. The templar, having picked up on that, ensured that at least one shade was in the tortoise's sights at all times.

The durgen'len and Solas had focused primarily on dealing as much damage as they were able to, while Ellana focused on casting barriers and using crippling shots to distract the demons.

The interaction after that battle had stood out to her though.

In context Solas had used a dispel on one of the wraiths to remove their barrier, giving Ellana a clear line of sight... It took only one well-placed longshot to end their existence. But the tortoise had been more interested in the spell itself.

"What was that?" she asked in barely contained excitement, only for Solas to respond calmly.

"Dispel."

"What does it do?"

"It disrupts magic and removes any spells that are maintained."

"Maintained? Like the barrier?"

"Yes."

"Can you teach me that?"

"No."

"No? Why?"

"You are not a mage." He pointed out.

"Right, duh! It was dumb of me to ask! Sorry..." The tortoise smacked her forehead against her shield. "It looks useful, though."

"It is. Templars possess a similar ability that you may learn." Solas teased.

"We have been over this already, Solas! I'm not a damned templar!" the tortoise stomped the ground childishly.

"You've been physically in the raw fade, where you were surrounded by the purest of magic on all sides. Surely that has had an effect on you." He pointed out.

The tortoise suddenly froze in her tracks... Her face was slack with shock. Her pale complexion, had gotten even paler. A feat in itself.

"Well, bloody fucking shitballs…" she muttered under her breath. "Now, I'll be having fucking nightmares about what might have changed in me."

Those words struck Ellana, far more than she'd wanted to admit to herself. If the tortoise had experienced a change, then Ellana herself had changed in some way as well, hadn't she? With all that was happening she barely had the time to give herself a check up of any kind, let alone a thorough one.

Aside from the foreign magic in her palm, what else could be different? She was tired and stiff, but that had more to do with being stuck in the chantry dungeon than the Fade. Was her magic affected? Her connection to the fade? The pain she felt when demons were nearby was dull and inconsequential…

Ellana scowled. This was an odd thing. She had always been sensitive to spirits. Her dreams were clear and easy to navigate. When demons neared her in the fade or attempted to intrude was always painful to her.

Why was it different now? Did being in the raw fade altered that somehow? Ellana shook her head. She was going to drive herself made with such thoughts. She'd worry about it later. None of it will matter if she failed to survive closing the Breach.

Hoping to distract herself she focused back on the conversation behind her.

"You also deflected the wraith bolts quite well." He teased.

"How does my deflecting wraith bolts make me a templar?" The tortoise was confused.

"You deflected them." He pointed out.

"Your point being?" the tortoise stared at him with a raised brow and a confused expression. He returned the gesture. It took the tortoise a few minutes to take the hint. "Oh, you think the deflection was my doing? Oh, no, no... That was the shield, Solas. Not me."

"Yet you handled it so well. Surely, you've had prior training..." he probed.

"None whatsoever, I fear." The tortoise shot his suggestion down. "Once I had figured the shield can reflect the wraith bolts, the rest was simple trial and error in angling it properly. Once I got the hang of that, the rest was easy."

Ellana had wondered if it could be possible.

The answer was a resounding yes. For someone with no training at all, the tortoise had proven herself to be surprisingly adaptable. Ellana had seen her attempt this with the first wraith they had met, with no success. With each wraith that followed, she had kept trying. The elven Tael had dismissed the whole thing as the shem being weird, until she had succeeded in her endeavor.

It was such a simple concept and yet it was very effective. The joy of the simple success, had lit the tortoise's face. It was so earnest that even Ellana had felt somewhat endeared to it.

After that they talked back and forth about the spells that had been used in the battles. The tortoise had a lot of curiosity for a non-magical shemlen, more so than anyone she had ever come across in her life, including the elven. She was almost childlike in her curiosity, lacking the fear and innate distrust ingrained in everyone she had met outside the Dalish.

It made Ellana wonder: what Thedas could have been like if others had been genuinely curious about magic. What it would be like if they sought to understand it, rather than condemn it? What-

"I hope Leliana made it through all this." The templar's pained remark distracted her from her internal wonders…

"She's resourceful, Seeker. Don't worry about her too much..." The durgen'len was reassuring her for once.

Briefly, Ellana struggled to remember who that was, until it finally clicked. They spoke of the hooded shem from the dungeons.

"We will see for ourselves once we reach the forward camp." Solas pointed out.

"Finally!" the tortoise cried out in relief.

They continued their ascension in silence. It wasn't long before their destination was visible just above the hill rise with only one set of stairs keeping them apart. The red banners adorned with golden embroidery atop the guardhouse were being blown by the wind in an ominous way.

What was more… she could see the edges of the glowing rift, unfolded like a sheet of thin linen in the air just like the first one had been. The n she realized that she could feel it, as well, the mark on her hand was once more throbbing in synchrony with the slow pulsing of light of the tear in the Veil. She felt the pull, too, urging her upward-

"Argh!" Ellana grunted as the mark pulsed. The rift above the rise twisted. Distant screams of panic reached her ears but she could not make out the words.

"Is that?" The durgen'len hoisted his crossbow.

"It is." The tortoise affirmed.

"The mark has reacted to the rift. I believe that it allowed a host of demons to pass through it." Solas commented. "We'll have no choice but to face them, if we wish to proceed."

"Get ready for battle." The templar readied her sword and shield as she took the lead.

Ellana slowed her step to allow the tortoise in front of her. The woman passed her without a word of protest… her shield firmly in her hands.

Solas and the durgen'len followed behind her.

Once at the top they quickly took stock of their surroundings. There was an open area, where the familiar floating veridium rift was in the air, crackling ominously.

Behind it was the gatehouse bridge. There were half a dozen wraiths and half a dozen shades attacking the barricades. The conclave soldiers dressed in heavy leathers lined with wool, were barely holding their own against them. Arrows were flying at the wraiths out of the arrow slits in the stone. In turn the wraiths protected themselves with barriers and continued to cast arcane bolts at the nearest visible target.

It was a battle of attrition and the demons had the advantage.

"We must help them! Attack the wraiths!" The templar charged intent to meet the opposition, only to be stopped by the tortoise.

"Wait!" The tortoise grabbed her hand.

The Templar spun violently and punched her. The tortoise collapsed on the ground with the grace of a rotten ironbark tree. Her nose was broken…

Again.

One would think she'd have learned by now not to grab the templar.

"By the Maker, Seeker!" the durgen'len hissed. "Are you trying to kill the poor girl?" he knelt beside her trying to wake her. "Courage? Hey, Courage." He lightly slapped her cheek, but the tortoise did not move nor respond in any way. She was unconscious too, wonderful.

The templar threw him a glare, before turning around to join the fray.

"Wait." Ellana firmly grabbed the templar's arm to halt her. Predictably the templar had reacted with a swing at her, but the Tael had expected it. She ducked in time to avoid the fist with no issue. "Wait!"

"Wait!?" the templar's ire was now refocused on her. "They are going to get killed if we wait!"

"If we just charge in blindly, we will taunt all of them. Given their numbers and ours, the risk is too high." Ellana explained hoping she'd listen. "We need a plan!"

"What are you talking about?"

"She makes a good point, Seeker." It was Solas who spoke this time. Despite his split attention he was maintaining his healing spell well. It was rather impressive to watch. "If we attack them recklessly, then we risk drawing every demon's attention to us, which will surely result in being overwhelmed and killed ourselves..." His gaze fell onto Ellana, followed by the Templar's. "We cannot afford that."

That's what I said! Ellana had wanted to remark but held her tongue.

The templar's eyes became wider by a fraction as realization started to dawn on her. Then she scowled thunderously.

"Then what do you suggest?" she demanded.

"A-pmmmfft!?" The tortoise jerked awake with a sneeze that Solas managed to muffle on time. "Fanc iou, oas…" she began to giggle.

"Get a hold of yourself!"

"S-sorrie…"

"Are you well, Courage?" The durgen'len asked in concern.

"Yes, I a-Aah-pcuh!" The tortoise sneezed once more, but managed to keep it quiet. "Uh… just peachy…"

Solas inclined his head and then came to stand Ellana's side.

"Look at the rift." he pointed out to her. "If you use your mark, you'll rip it open by force. The resulting shockwave should be enough to stun the demons, for, hopefully, long enough to give us an advantage in attacking them."

"That will work?" Ellana wondered.

"It is possible." Solas nodded in confirmation. "We've been fighting the demons for days now. We've seen them spawn from the rifts. They're connected. Disrupting the rift is going to disrupt the connection."

"And that will cause damage." Ellana surmised.

"In the best-case scenario, yes." He inclined his head.

"And the worst?" she raised a brow.

"It'll do nothing." Solas mused with an upturn of his lip. "But I doubt that will be the case."

"Only one way to find out." Ellana inclined her head and quietly approached the rift.

"What will happen after?" The tortoise asked the most logical question. "Will we proceed as we had before? Cassandra charges, the three of you shoot and I shimmy around you, deflecting what comes my way?"

"Sounds like a plan." The durgen'len chuckled as he slammed a bundle of bolts into Bianca.

"Hurry it up!" The Templar snapped impatient. "The soldiers won't hold out for much longer."

Once within range, Ellana wasted no time and raised her marked palm toward the floating veridium - or maybe it was drawn by the pull between the rift and the mark. Again, the pain and pressure as the light flared from hand to rift, definitely not as bad, now that she was expecting it, but it was increasing relentlessly. The magic swelled, emerald lightning crackled around her palm, as it grew completely numb. She could not feel anything in it, and yet she was acutely aware of the rapidly building energy. If it did not relieve soon, Ellana feared that it may tear her whole arm apart.

Tendrils erupted from the mark and connected to the floating veridium. Mana poured through the tether in amounts she had no control over. The pressure, while not fully absent, started to subside. Within seconds, the floating veridium overloaded.

Shatter!

Ellana staggered away from the sudden recoil as the link between mark and rift was severed violently, sending a shockwave of pure mana that stunned every single demon in its vicinity.

Some were outright torn to pieces.

The floating veridium had unfolded as a result, creating a window into the fade once more. It was as fascinating as the first time she had seen it. She raised her hand hoping to close it like the first time, but the pull was gone and the mark simply remained dormant.

"Get behind the barricade! Now!" The templar ordered and ran into the fray as the soldiers scrambled to get to safety.

What followed was almost surreal. The templar stopped in the thick of the remaining demons and raised her sword up high. A blinding light erupted from her being. The demons wailed in pain, as they raised their arms in a futile attempt to shield themselves. They were burned and stunned regardless.

It was not enough for the templar. Then she clapped her blade and shield, unleashing a powerful spell purge. The combination had proven extremely reactive.

The demons exploded violently and dissolved to rags, leaving only two shades, who barely stood on their legs. In her fury, the templar engaged them surviving pair all on her own.

Ellana stared in shock. Was this the true power of a templar?

"Well. It looks like she's got it well in hand." The durgen'len quipped.

"Ooh… Eldritch Blast. Cool!"

"What?"

"What?"

"You know what that was?"

"I…" The tortoise looked toward the templar and shrugged. "No, not really."

"You gave it a name." Ellana accused with a raised brow.

"It was the first thing that had popped into my mind." The tortoise shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Seriously." The tortoise exclaimed. "What was it anyway?" the tortoise asked awed by the display.

"That, Courage, was…" the durgen'len began, but paused. "Actually, I am not quite sure what that was. The templars in Kirkwall couldn't do that stuff. Though that second move, looked a lot like a cleanse."

"Oh. I see. A combo skill." The tortoise nodded. "If there is any reason for me to learn how to be a templar, it's that!"

Ellana froze and slowly turned to stare at the tortoise, wondering if she was being serious. The answer was: Yes. She definitely looked mad enough to go through with becoming a templar for such an asinine reason. It was so like a shem to revel in destruction.

"You don't want to be a templar to protect people from evil?" Ellana frowned.

"I don't need to be a templar to do that." The tortoise replied. "Plus, mages are no different than people. They can take care of themselves, if taught how, just like anyone else."

"Glad to see you have your priorities straight, Courage." The durgen'len chuckled.

The templar killed the last of the demons. The mark sparked in her hand… along with the pull that-

"Hurry." Solas yelled suddenly. "Use the mark."

Snapping out of her trance she made to reach toward the open rift, just like the first time. But her moment's hesitation had cost her. The rift sputtered and pushed back. Her hand recoiled staggering her back.

"What's happening?" Ellana cried, her panic all but abating in the face of the rift's quickening pulsation and that meant-

"Well, shit..." The durgen'len started running toward the stairs. "Get ready for wave two."

Tendrils snaked out of the rift into the ground like chains with a pool of magic at the end. Ellana turned to gain distance and-

"DISPEL!" the tortoise cried out.

Something in Ellana's mind had clicked in that moment. A connection, she was shamed that she hadn't made before it was being called out. She turned to look at Solas… his bluish-gray eyes locking with her emeralds. The message in them was clear as a sunny day. He'd come to the same conclusion.

Together they cast Dispel on separate tendrils, trying to encapsulate as many of them as they could within the limited range of the spell. Their strategic placement had paid off, destroying four out of five tendrils.

As a result, only a single shade found purchase in their world. The hapless demon had barely turned its head before the durgen'len filled it with arrows, and the templar stabbed it in the back for good measure.

"Quickly! Seal the rift!"

Ellana raised her hand, and felt something stir, the pull between rift and mark reasserted itself with vengeance. The pressure in her palm was tangible now that she was expecting it and the seth'lin was not interfering with it. She willed the mana in her palm to burst forth. Green light flowed into the rift, akin to coils of lightning. Once again, the rift writhed and flickered, then vanished with the sound of a miniature explosion. Her hand recoiled but she was ready for it this time.

The Templar nodded, and then turned to the soldiers.

"The rift is gone. Open the gate." The templar ordered.

"Right away, Lady Cassandra." The soldier obeyed.

"Thank the Maker you came here on time, my lady." Another saluted her.

"Has Sister Leliana arrived safely."

"Yes, my lady. She is speaking with Chancellor Roderick at the end of the bridge."

Upon hearing that the templar headed through to seek her companion.

"We're clear for the moment." Solas praised as he joined her at her side. "Well done, da'len." He gave a nod of acknowledgement and then followed the Templar through the gate.

"Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful." The durgen'len quipped walking past her.

"Shall we?" The tortoise stood at her side a big grin on her face.

"Why are you smiling?" Ellana asked as she headed through the gate.

"I am alive somehow." The tortoise said as she followed.

A simple sentiment, yet more than enough to be smiling about, Ellana surmised. As they passed through the door, they were greeted by a small group of soldiers, dressed in Ferelden garb, warriors each and every one of them, flanking the door, three on each side. What surprised her was that a few behind them had staves on them.

Mages. They had accepted mages among their ranks? How peculiar…

Behind them were a pair of wagons of supplies behind them. One for supplies, the other for the dead. The whole bridge had barrels and other containers spread at different intervals, to ensure that they can be reached from any location.

There was a small campfire on the right side where a group of soldiers were seated either on benches or on the stone ground. The despair and hopelessness in their eyes, was gut wrenching. One was sharpening his sword, while the others tried to warm up by the fire.

Right across, was a table, full of potions, several weapon racks stocked with swords, daggers and spears. A soldier was having his arm looked at by a chantry sister.

Further along, on the other side of the bridge near the gatehouse was a large tent. In front of it was the hooded shem, Leliana, standing over a small table along with a man in white robes.

Behind them was a set up mirroring the gate they passed. Soldiers guarding the door, with a small campfire near it where those resting had gathered for a moment of respite.

Beyond the bridge was something that Ellana found rather terrifying. A jagged hill, littered with standards and banners... and a green light ominously casted over it. The elven hunter was certain there was a rift there, but what worried her were the unnaturally large stalagmites.

"Wait over there." The templar pointed to an empty bench next to a rack of swords. "Grab what rest you can and some potions. We must be prepared for the final push."

"Will do, Seeker." The durgen'len assured and turned to them as the templar headed toward the hooded shem. "This is it, ladies. Your last chance to rest and resupply before tackling the Breach. Make sure you have everything you need."

"Will do, Varric." The tortoise sat down and set her shield next to her. She was both smiling and frowning. She rubbed her hands in an attempt to get warm… there was a nervousness in the way her eyes kept darting around.

Ellana noted Solas going to a table with all manner of different potion laid a top

"Good thinking about the rift, Courage." The durgen'len praised.

"Thanks, Varric." The tortoise smiled, genuinely at him.

The elven hunter had also been impressed with the tortoise's quick wit, though loathe she was to admit it. Thankfully she did not have to

"What inspired you?" The durgen'len asked.

"Nothing, really. It just seemed logical." She shrugged.

"How so?" he pushed.

"Well, the green things from the rifts, reminded me of ropes. A magical energy coming from the fade, that's what you said, Solas. Therefore, if they were cut, it should cancel the transfer or kill the demon in transit or just stop it from going through. Either option seemed feasible."

"Indeed. Your deductive skills are remarkable." The seth'lin mage commended, from his place at the table.

"I try." The tortoise shrugged. "Sorry, I can't do any more."

"You're doing fine, courage. Try not to worry so much..." The durgen'len pat her back.

"Thanks, but I definitely do not look forward to the muscle burn I will have tomorrow." Then she paused and chuckled without mirth. "If I live long enough to see a tomorrow."

"You will. Just stick to what you've been doing so far and you'll be fine. Trust me on that." The durgen'len placed a comforting hand on the tortoise's shoulder.

"I trust you." She said earnestly and then gave him a smile. "If you turn out to be wrong, Varric, I'll be haunting your sexy dwarven ass for the rest of your life."

"Hahaha." The durgen'len laughed. "I can think of far worse people haunting me. You would be a breath of fresh air." He squeezed her shoulder gently, before letting go and going to a small crate full of crossbow bolts.

That signaled the end of the banter. Taking her own cue, Ellana decided to join the durgen'len at the crates and restock her quiver.

Naturally, the durgen'len could not keep silent.

"You doing alright there, Leery? Closing that rift was rather intense."

"I'm doing-!?" she froze. "What did you just call me!?" she hissed.

"Leery… Your new nickname..." The durgen'len replied with a wide and innocent smile. "You're welcome."

"Wh-wha…wh!?" …sputtering. She was actually sputtering. "Why would!?" Ellana scowled, until she remembered: he gave those to everyone.

"You're always staring." He shrugged.

"Excuse me?" she deadpanned.

"Trust me, it suits you." He said and put a bow in front of her. "This is a Ferelden Army Longbow. It is not of Dalish make, but it is better than that twig you've been carrying."

Despite her offence, Ellana could not help but focus on the presented weapon. Compared to the one she already had, it was with longer, better carved and reinforced limbs, a taut string… she thrummed it briefly and then pulled to test it... Increased draw strength. The padding around the grip was of ram leather, making it easier to wield. Still not her first choice, but it was much better than what she had.

"Why?" she asked calmly. The little inspection helping her gather her wits.

"Why am I giving you a better bow?" he tilted his head, his maddening smirk growing bigger.

"That's obvious…" Ellana rolled her eyes. "Why 'Leery'?"

"You look like a 'Leery' kind of elf." He said with a smirk.

"Seriously." She deadpanned again.

"Come now, Leery. If I just tell you why I chose the nickname then the mystery would be lost." He smirked at them, clearly amused by his own cleverness.

"I am starting to understand why the Templar dislikes you so much." Ellana scowled.

"Bah. Everyone is a bloody critic." He gave held out a quiver full of arrows. "Here. Take these..." The durgen'len winked and walked past her, leaving her alone with her indignation.

Ellana shook her head and began inspecting her new arrows, ensuring everything was in order. Once satisfied with their quality, she fastened the quiver onto her back and attached the bow on its side.

"How are you on potions, da'len?" Solas asked, still fumbling with something on the table.

"Full, hahren." Ellana couldn't keep the bite out of her tone, thanks to the durgen'len. "Though I could use some lyrium potions."

"Have I offended you in some way, da'len?" he asked handing her a small pouch.

"Surprisingly, you have not, hahren." Ellana replied. As soon as she took it, she could feel and hear the soft song of the lyrium potions. Given how many they were, their melodies overlapped and distorted as she moved them, but when she strapped them to her belt, the melodies synched up with one another…

Fascinating.

"Closing the Breach is our primary goal, da'len. You must divest yourself of any distraction, or we risk failure. Then no one will be safe."

Ellana felt an angry flush creep up cheeks. She was being scolded, she realized… and while she did not completely disagree with his words, the durgen'len had just gotten to her.

Leery… of all the stupid names to give her.

"I know what is at stake, hahren." Ellana sighed and looked toward the Breach. "I don't need you to remind me."

"Worried?"

"Who wouldn't be?" Ellana asked, before facing the Breach. "What do you think could cause that? I doubt a single mage could muster enough power? Even those who become possessed cannot boast such a feat."

"An artefact of immense power was likely used as a catalyst for the explosion. Hopefully, we can discover what it was and recover it." Solas' tone was grave.

"You think it possible to be intact? It could have been just destroyed in the blast?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You survived, did you not?" He threw her an appraising look. "The artefact that created the Breach is unlike anything seen in this age. I will not believe it destroyed until I see the shattered fragments with my own eyes."

There was a desire in his eyes and an undertone of possessiveness in his words. Ellana could not quite discern them though. Did he want to keep this power safe from misuse, or for himself.

"If an artefact could do such a thing…" Ellana turned her gaze towards where the Breach was in the sky. Was the explosion the intended use of the artefact, or had its caster intended something even more nefarious? What else could it do? "Anything with that kind of power is bound to show up sooner or later, if it indeed survived." She cast a suspicious glance in his direction. "Too many would want to claim it for themselves."

"True enough, da'len." Solas said, his eyes casting to the Breach. "Leliana's people had scoured the area near the blast and found nothing." He shifted slightly, and then looked over at her. "Whatever the artifact was, it is no longer there."

"They've managed such a thing with all of these demons, lurking around?"

"They have been surprisingly resourceful." Solas stated and held her gaze. There was an odd glint beheld in his bluish gray eyes.

"You are certain it is gone?" Ellana asked feeling the tension in her stomach grow. "Is it possible for this... Leliana to have stolen it and hidden it away?"

"It is a possibility." Solas frowned, his own suspicions forming. "However—"

"Hey chuckles." The durgen'len called out, from the side of a wounded soldier. "Could you come over here for a minute?"

It was abundantly clear what he wanted and it brought a frown to Ellana's face.

"Excuse me, da'len." Solas said as he began walking away.

"You are excused, hahren." Ellana teased...

Solas threw her a brief look of disbelief over his shoulder, one she graced with a smirk, before he walked toward the durgen'len and the soldier, leaving Ellana alone… well, not entirely alone.

The elvhen hunter turned to the side and noted the tortoise was now holding a dagger, a simple straight blade the side of her forearm, like if was a common piece of cutlery. Ellana briefly wondered where the tortoise could've gotten it from, and realized that it was the same dagger the durgen'len took as he baptized her with her new nickname.

Feeling entirely too miffed from having her conversation with Solas interrupted so rudely, Ellana watched as the tortoise was studying the dagger as if seeing a weapon for the very first time. She looked completely absorbed by what she was doing and more than oblivious to Ellana's silent approach.

The tortoise gripped the dagger and gave it a few wide swings, as if testing its weight, then gently touched the edge… Creators… she was going to hurt herself at this rate.

"That is not how you hold a dagger."

"Ahhh!" the tortoise startled away, the dagger slipped from her fingers. "Shit!" she reached for it but the dagger's blade bumped against her hand. "Shit!" looping upward she reached again to grab it. "Fuck!" it twirled away from her. "Damn you!" She grabbed the blade with both hands and squeezed "OW!" she yelled in pain, instantly dropping it. "Motherfucker!" She held her palms open and facing upward... a thin line of blood starting to seep from her gloves.

Ellana just watched the whole display with an amazed detachment. This had to be, bar none, the clumsiest shem she had ever met in her life. And she hated it. It was really messing up her theory that the tortoise was a chantry spy.

"Um, Ellie… can I have a healing spell, please?" the tortoise held out her bloodied hands to her, while watching her pleadingly with moist eyes and unshed tears, gathered at the corner of her eyes. It was difficult to decide whether she was terrifying, disgusting or weirdly adorable due her scars. "With a cherry on top?"

Well, she did say please. With a sigh of mild annoyance Ellana took a seat next to the tortoise and began removing her gloves.

"You should be more careful with blades. You could have gotten a lot more than a simple cut." Ellana admonished, as she took off the gloves.

"You startled me." The tortoise defended, quite relaxed at the sight of her own blood, Ellana noted. It was not a condemning behavior, but it was rare for one who has never seen combat.

"Which wouldn't have happened if you weren't so distracted." Ellana did not wait for her reply and examined the wounds.

They weren't very deep thankfully. It would not need any serious healing. Placing her palms over the tortoise's, Ellana allowed the healing magic to gradually flow through them. The shallow wounds closed with ease, stopping the blood flow.

That's what should have happened.

Instead, there was a bright flash of magic that was momentarily blinding. The two women jumped away from one another.

"Ah! Well that was an overkill." The tortoise, chuckled, instantly scratching away at her healed hands.

"I didn't mean to." Ellana mumbled to herself, wondering what in the void just happened. She had barely put anything into that spell, why did it act as if she just shoved all of her mana into it.

"Did Jade overload the spell?"

"I am unsure–" Ellana cut herself off realizing she had no clue what she meant. "Jade?"

"The anc…" she bit her lip. "The green lightning in your hand."

"The mark?" Ellana realized as she looked at her palm. "Did you just call it Jade?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Why not?" The tortoise smirked and shrugged. "I mean, calling it 'the mark' or 'the scar' feels so… I don't know… impersonal somehow." She shrugged.

Ellana stared at her in mild disbelief. She had no idea what to think of her anymore.

The silence became awkward, making the tortoise fidget.

"So, how do I hold a dagger?" the tortoise asked in sincerity, lacking any trace of mockery or offense.

The elven hunter sighed realizing that she'd have to give her a lesson now. If for no other reason than ensuring the tortoise's survival.

"Alright. Here's what you need to do." Ellana started with the basics… how to properly hold daggers, balancing points, basic movement and so on.

The tortoise paid attention and did as told. She was surprisingly quick on the uptake.

"Now try swinging."

"Wow. This really does feel better. Heh." The tortoise snorted mid-swing.

"What?" Ellana frowned.

"In addition to being a badass mage and handling a bow like a pro, you can handle daggers too? Is there any weapon you can't wield?" The tortoise's question was teasing, playful even.

"Is that a serious question?"

"Yes, it is." The tortoise nodded. "I'm genuinely curious... unless you don't want to tell me?"

"I'd rather not."

"Okay." Despite her obvious disappointment, the tortoise respected her choice and dropped the subject.

Such a curious woman.

"This is so surreal." The tortoise whispered out of the blue.

"What is?"

"Just look around."

Ellana followed her gaze. The soldiers around them were sagged... weary. Many seemed to stare of in the distance, their eyes empty. Each and every one was contemplating the events around them, wondering whom they had angered to receive such punishment. Some had a glint of rage in their eyes and a thirst for vengeance. Others were full of grief, quietly crying for the loss of life.

Not unlike some days where the clan was gathered around a campfire after a spoiled hunt or a particularly difficult day, or the loss of a clanmate.

The parallels were unnerving.

"I've never seen so much despair in one place." She frowned. "Some of them are staring at me."

Ellana looked around, taking note of those shems. They were only a few and all of them stared at her... their gazes a mix of horror, fright and disgust. She could easily hazard a guess why.

"That's because you're carrying only a shield." Ellana said instead. "And your dagger skills are absolutely atrocious."

Again… the woman was not insulted in the slightest… nor ashamed…

"I guess it is odd to them. But this is probably the best I can manage."

She was aware of her skill, Ellana surmised, and yet she came along anyway without a single word of complaint. She knew many shem who'd rail against it with all their might. Even some of the far better trained Dalish would have been against the idea.

And here she was now quietly accepting her fate, but also doing what she can to prepare for what was surely to come. Bending but not breaking. The Vir Bor'assan.

Ellana found herself respecting that, even if she couldn't comprehend it... which made what she was about to do a lot easier for her pride to swallow. She took off the amulet and stared at it for a moment.

She did not like the shem, nor was she doing this out of the kindness of her heart. The tortoise was a useful shield… nothing more.

"I have something for you."

"You do?" She turned to her. "What is it?"

Ellana held up the amulet...

"This is a lifeward amulet. It will protect you, in case you get hurt and no one is around to heal you." Ellana watched in mild fascination as the girl suddenly paled and her eyes grew wide to a degree that seemed impossible. The tortoise's eyes darted between the amulet and her, a few times before settling on the amulet.

"You are going to give it... to me?" the tortoise whispered, tone full of… something. Then she looked up at her. "But don't you need it more than I do? You must close the Breach. That is all that matters."

Again, Ellana was surprised but she did not let it show.

"I will be fighting from a distance, while you will be in the thick of it. You need it." She explained.

"I don't know what to say." The tortoise looked up to her in confusion and smiled. "Thank you. You are too kind."

Ellana found herself stunned for a moment. She was not sure what reaction she expected in the first place, but genuine gratitude was not it.

"We must prepare the soldiers." A loud and rather familiar voice filled the air, the hooded shem.

"We will do no such thing." A man, angry and frustrated answered her.

"We need to get the prisoners to the Temple of the Sacred Ashes. It is our only chance." She argued.

"You've already caused enough trouble without resorting to this futile exercise." He accused.

"I have caused trouble?" the hooded shem then crossed her arms. Whether it was a defensive measure or a way to keep herself from stabbing him to death, Ellana was unsure.

"You, Cassandra, the Most Holy…" he shook his head and glared at the hooded shem. "Haven't you all done enough!?"

"Well." The tortoise drawled. "That sounds like a Rude dick if I've ever heard one." The tortoise quipped, making Ellana smile involuntarily.

"You can hear them?"

"I can't make out any words, per say, but they sound really angry. I mean, just look at him…" she pointed at him. "Any redder and he will win the 'tomato of the year' award."

"You have a point." Ellana nodded, noting the unhealthy shade of puce, the shem male had.

"It's been known to happen on occasion." The tortoise chuckled. "Can you… do ice spells, like Solas does?"

Ah, so, they've gotten to the point where the shem would make demands. It should prove to be interesting.

"Yes, I can." Ellana confirmed and the tortoise's whole face lit up in excitement.

"Can you conjure an icicle?"

"An icicle?" It took a moment for Ellana's mind to digest the words. "Why?"

"I am thirsty."

"You want me to use a spell to conjure an icicle, because you are thirsty?" Ellana could not keep the disbelief from tainting her voice.

"It's also calming and therapeutic." The tortoise went to explain. "The crunch, the cold treat and the watery goodness in one. AH! It's so good... whenever it snows back home, I've always gone looking for the clean icicles to nibble on."

"I see." Ellana frowned. This was not where she expected this to go to.

"So, could you do it, please?" her question was more inquisitive, than condescending. Hopeful, with a hint of desperation.

"…" Of course, she could do it. It was a relatively easy thing to conjure. She'd just been surprised by the request and more than a little wary.

"If you can't I'll just find something else." The tortoise said at last, interpreting Ellana's silence as rejection. Thus, she withdrew her request yet remained hopeful.

"Why is this so important to you?" Ellana found herself asking.

"I've never had anything like that before… I mean magical ice and I, uh, well…" the tortoise looked suddenly saddened. "I would like to try some, in case…"

"…" in case I don't make it. Ellana finished the unspoken thought. This was a last wish of sorts and to waste a last wish on such a frivolous request, was peculiar and yet not the weirdest she had heard of in her life.

With the question posed, Ellana began to wonder herself. There was no real difference between the magical ice and the natural ice, was there? Huh. Now the elvhen hunter found herself curious. With a wave of her fingers, the veil bent, allowing mana to gather in her palm. With a tiny bit of concentration, she shaped that mana in the form of a long stick of ice.

The tortoise had followed her every move with the pure excitement of a child making a new discovery. She looked like she wanted to ask questions, but was actively holding herself back from doing it. Even with the spell completed, she did not lunge for it immediately, but waited patiently.

Ellana respected that and held out the icicle for her in offering.

"Oh, this is wonderful." The tortoise took it and immediately bit into it. The crunching sound she made as she chewed was oddly comforting. That she devoured the icicle with absolute glee and no reservation what so ever, was also quite surprising.

"Would you like another?" Ellana found herself asking, uncertain how to react. On one hand, she should be mad a shem was using her to quench her thirst. On the other, watching the tortoise devour the icicle with such enthusiasm was a surprisingly endearing sight.

"Yes, please."

Ellana conjured another icicle for the tortoise, and one for herself. The tortoise took one and gently clanked it against her own as if toasting to each other's health.

"Cheers." She bit into.

Finding her enthusiasm infectious, Ellana also took a bite... by the creators, now that was pure water. And the crunch was really soothing... she found her worries, while not entirely melting away, were muted. Her mind relaxed and her body followed suit. A tenseness that had weighted on her, began bleeding out with each crunch.

Why hadn't she thought of doing this sooner? Because the keeper would have disapproved... She could imagine his scowl and his lecture and at the same time found herself uncaring.

This is how the templar found them, munching on icicles without a single care in the world.

"Ehh... *munch* *munch* *munch* *munch*, What's up, doc?" the tortoise asked before the templar could speak. The latter gave the former a weird look, that became more and more hostile with each passing moment. It was quite fascinating to watch the tortoise slowly wither under the templar's glare. "Sorry, I could not resist." The tortoise apologized and resumed eating her icicle.

"Ughr!" the templar's eyes rolled, before her attention fell onto Ellana. "We must confer with Leliana before we can head to the temple."

"…" Ellana nodded in response, while chewing the last of her icicle.

"Yes ma'am." The tortoise replied and saluted, prompting the templar to scoff again. The latter shook her head before walking away. "Guess we can't avoid the little Ruddick after all..." the tortoise added in a whisper.

"I guess we can't." Ellana frowned. She did not wish to meet the shem priest.

"He looks rather unstable, doesn't he?"

"He will be a problem."

"Can you cast a sleeping spell on the man by any chance?"

"Why?"

"He looks like he will waste time... and we can't afford that right now, can we?"

"You think he will try to stop us."

"Have you noticed how he glares at us? Yes!"

"I agree… but…"

"Don't worry. I'll tell them it was my idea."

"I'll think about it." Ellana replied neutrally. This reeked of a set up and yet the tortoise had done nothing to sabotage her this far. It was possible she was genuine.

Torn between letting things play out or do as asked, Ellana got up to join the trio of arguing shemlen by a small planning table. The tortoise followed suit just a step behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, Ellana noted the durgen'len and Solas fall in step behind her.

"You're not in command here, Chancellor!" The hooded shem hissed.

"Enough!" his fist punched the table. "I will not have it!"

Ellana was starting to see the tortoise had a point.

It was this moment the hooded shem noticed their arrival.

"You've made it..." The hooded shem looked relieved. "Chancellor Roderick, these are..."

"I know who they are!" The shem chancellor bit out.

"No, you don't..." The tortoise cut him off with glee. "You really, don't."

"Silence, murderer." The robed shem glared at them. "As the Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take these criminals to Val Royeaux to face ex-ZzzZz..." He began to snore, then crumbled to the ground, and curled up like a baby.

A blissful silence fell over then, ruined only by the crackling Breach in the sky.

"Ohh!" The tortoise snorted and then clapped her hands in pure joy. "I love magic."

"Ha! That was an ingenious move there, leery." The durgen'len quipped, making Ellana close her eyes and slowly take a deep breath to calm down, for she was seriously tempted to forget what a waste of mana it would be to put him to sleep as well.

"Leery? Is that supposed to be her nickname?" the tortoise asked with furrowed brows.

"Yep." The durgen'len smirked. "It fits her don't you think?"

"Leery?" The tortoise said as if tasting the name as she looked at her. Ellana raised an eyebrow at the blatant evaluation. The tortoise frowned and turned back to the durgen'len. "No. Change it." She declared with the utmost seriousness.

Something Ellana did not think the tortoise was capable of.

"Why?" the durgen'len asked warily.

"I just… I don't vibe with it, you know." The tortoise looked at her and frowned. "No… she's not a 'Leery'. Pick something else." She paused… "Pretty please?" she gave him a pleading look. "With a cherry on top?"

"Fine, fine... I'll think of something else, Courage, but only because you asked me so nicely." The durgen'len relented as he crossed his arms.

"Thank you, Varric." To tortoise beamed.

"You're welcome." He shook his head.

Ellana could only stare at the tortoise, something the latter noticed.

"What?"

"Why did you do that?" the templar asked in Ellana's stead.

"The nickname doesn't fit. Leery, pft… it sounds rather pedestrian."

"Hey!" the durgen'len looked offended.

"What? It does."

He kept the frown for a few moments before sighing himself.

"Yeah, maybe you have a point." the durgen'len huffed.

"Not that!" the templar glared at them both, before turning back to Ellana. "Why did you put the Chancellor to sleep?" she asked, sounding more surprised rather than upset. A reaction that was shared with the hooded shem.

Just how much did they dislike this man to let her get away with it so easily?

"But she didn't do anything at all…" The tortoise defended once she got her giggles in check, just as she had promised before. This was almost as baffling to Ellana as it was surprising.

"We clearly saw her cast the spell." The hooded shem remarked in mild amusement.

"But you didn't see that." The tortoise insisted with an innocent smile, that was trying to break into a smirk.

"No?" Leliana tilt her head.

"A demon did it."

There it was. Just when she started to think the tortoise was unlike any shem she'd met. That she was truly different… she went and mocked her.

Everyone else stared at her like she was mad.

"In case you haven't noticed, shemlen!" Ellana tried to intimidate her... "I'm not a demon!" ...and failed.

She just looked at her and furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Why would YOU be a demon…?" The tortoise asked her in confusion. "You are an elf. Did you forget that?" she paused and gave her an odd look. "Unless… you don't identify as an elf…?"

"I AM ELVHEN!" Ellana snapped in fury making the scarred woman flinch away, yet she did not appear remorseful in the slightest. Wasn't she talking about her? Ellana thought with a frown. If not, then. "What demon do you speak of? None are here." from the corner of her eye she noticed the durgen'len's smile suddenly grow ten sizes threatening to split his face in half.

"That mark of yours, must be distracting, poor little elfling." The tortoise mocked her sweetly, something that should have grated on Ellana's nerves, but the underline mirth in the tone kept her temper at bay… "There was a demon here, who crept up on dear Ruddick..." the durgen'len began to snort loudly. "Hush Varric! I am trying to tell a story!"

Said durgen'len slapped a hand over his mouth as his whole body shook with barely contained giggles.

"Anyhow, the demon was about to rake him to death with his claws him when our wonderful seeker on a white horse used a… a… a… a…" The tortoise snapped her fingers in an attempt to come up with the word… "Ah, damn it! Varric, help me, what did she use to kill that thing?!"

The durgen'len was far too busy clutching his sides and wheezing in silent laughter to be of any use.

"A holy smite?" the hooded shem offered with a knowing smile, looking like she had caught on the tortoise's weirdness.

"Yes! That! Thank you, Leliana. She used a smite, killed the demon and saved his life. Sadly, he is out of it and none of us here wish to disturb his rest." The tortoise paused for dramatic effect. "Thus, you see. Ellana's done absolutely nothing to the poor man. She stood here and looked pretty."

Brief silence overtook the group, ruined by the durgen'len's muffled snorts.

"And once he finds out what had happened?" Ellana challenged, although she felt her own lip curl upward against her will.

"Well." The insane tortoise very slowly and very pointedly looked around. Ellana could not help but follow her gaze and then noticed something peculiar. They were the only ones on their side the bridge. "Who's gonna tell him?" she batted her eyelashes innocently.

It was the last straw for the durgen'len.

"Phahahahah! You are truly devious, Courage!" he laughed from the bottom of his belly. "I love it. Well played."

"I try, Varric. I try..." The tortoise looked around them. "So, we had our fun and games. What do we do, now?"

The moment of levity was gone.

"Our priority is to get to the temple as quickly as possible." The Seeker stated. "Leliana? Is the route to the temple secure?"

"Not any longer." The hooded shem shook her head at The Seeker. "A rift has opened up in the middle of the encampment near the front lines. It has driven our forces on the defensive and has yet to let up."

"Maker! What about Cullen and his forces? Are they alright?"

"He's got about two dozen soldiers and half a dozen templars ready to fight. The rest have been injured."

"If we charge with them and keep the prisoners in the rear, we should be able to push through on that path." The templar nodded to herself. "It's the shortest route."

"But that'll put our elven friend in unnecessary danger." The hooded shem countered. "There's a safer option, however. Our forces can charge as a distraction while you traverse the tunnel-."

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path." The Seeker countered. "It is too risky."

"Perhaps, but you will have room to maneuver and that will give you an advantage you'll need if you are to reach the temple safely."

"It is not a detour we can afford. We must—"

The mark on her hand sparked again, filling her ears with noise that drowned everything else. Her hand grew numb and yet despite that she felt like she had picked up a glowing-hot steel and shoved into her bare hand.

The tortoise took Ellana's hand in her own, took a deep breath and…

"Knock it off, magic for brains!" she snapped at the mark. "If she dies, you die with her!"

The mark stopped… it stopped? It just stopped? What!? How!?

"Did you just… yelled it into submission?" Solas asked her, looking as shocked and incredulous as Ellana was feeling.

"I've found out that a firm tone can get almost anything into submission. At least, for a short bit." The tortoise chuckled in mirth and clicked her tongue. "May I touch you?" she gestured to Ellana's palm.

"You may..." In her shock, Ellana found herself agreeing easily. "What are you going to do?"

"Not nearly enough as I will have liked to." The tortoise mused as she began to massage her palm. Her hands really were soft, silky and pleasant to the touch, and… By Hanal'ghilan… that… that actually felt good.

"How do you think we should proceed?" The Seeker's question snapped her back to the present. They were all watching her.

"What? Now, you are asking me what I think? Are you serious?!" Ellana cried incredulously. After everything they had put her through, they wanted her opinion now!?

"You've got the mark..." Solas reminded her, curiously observing the tortoise's actions.

"And you are the one we must keep alive at all cost..." The templar confirmed. "Since we cannot agree on our own…"

The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by more shemlen than she needed to. Besides… the life of a scout was a valuable one. Training them was difficult and they were often the first to venture into dangerous situations. Perhaps she could earn herself some favor with these shem by saving them… worth a shot.

"We'll take the mountain path." Ellana looked toward the mountains.

The templar scowled, disapproval radiating off her in waves. Unlike the durgen'len who looked pleased by her decision. Both seemed expectant. What? Did they want an explanation? They asked for a decision, not a lecture.

The impromptu massage stopped. By her side, the tortoise had paled considerably. For a just moment Ellana worried she might faint.

"It's probably a good time to mention that I'm tired."

"You don't have the luxury to be tired." The templar reprimanded.

"I'm well aware of that, Cassandra. But if I go with you, I will slow you down and that might prove fatal in the end." The tortoise explained. "Given the stakes, it is not a risk I'm willing to cause."

Ellana suspected the tortoise no longer wished to risk the templar's wrath or she just got tired of getting punched in the face. In all honesty, Ellana could find no fault in that and she could not help but feel like she was being set up, yet again.

"But you will come to the Breach, won't you?" the elvhen hunter asked.

"You seriously want me there?" the tortoise asked, pausing mid reach for her necklace.

"I got used to having a cover in front of me." Ellana shrugged.

"Really?"

"Besides." Ellana could not help but throw those words back at her. "We prisoners have to stick together."

Rather than offended or upset the tortoise's eyes widened. The surprise melted into a quirk of her lips that showed a hint of well-maintained teeth. Her dark brown eyes sparkled in mischief.

"My, my, my... aren't you a cheeky little hare..." She drawled out in a sweet yet mocking tone that should have sent her into a rage.

But… it didn't. Ellana couldn't help be mildly surprised at how calm she was receiving the retort. Perhaps because she was addressed with amusement. Or because the shem had kept her word. But it was most probable, because she had been told the origin and intent behind the phrase.

Either way, Ellana returned the smile.

"It isn't such a terrible idea." The hooded shem agreed, but the pointed stare Ellana received suggested an ulterior motive. "The path through the encampment is easier to traverse and you can share your idea about the dispel with the templars there."

"Fair." The tortoise agreed all too easily.

"Will she even be alive, if she were to go with you, nightingale?" The durgen'len questioned, having caught on it as well.

The templar scowled thunderously, while the hooded shem remained unreadable.

"I'll ensure no harm comes to her, Varric." She promised… even Ellana did not believe her.

"I suppose I should have to trust that, shouldn't I?" The durgen'len grimaced and turned toward the tortoise.

"I'll be fine. Worry not." The tortoise smiled... though it did not reach her eyes this time.

"It is decided then. We're splitting up." The templar cut off and approached the hooded shem. "Leliana. Bring everyone left in the valley. We must succeed, no matter the cost."

"I will." The hooded shem nodded and approached the nearby soldier, speaking in hushed tones.

"This is where we must part ways." The durgen'len said displeased by the turn of events.

"Do be careful and try not to die, please." The tortoise called out.

"We won't, Courage." The durgen'len promised her. "See you at the temple."

"See ya!"

"Move it." The templar snapped impatiently.

Ellana followed reluctantly… the feeling of dread in her gut slowly increasing.

"Wait here. I need to give instructions to my people and then we will go." was the last thing Ellana heard, as they passed through the gates…

=_Scene_Break_=

The trail they followed was treacherous. Steep, slippery and uneven ground, made every step a chore and a daunting challenge to overcome. Made worse only by the accompanying strong wind and blinding snowstorm. Despite the vile conditions, the party of four trudged along the path, determined to make it through the pass and to their destination.

One misstep and Ellana had nearly slipped.

"Fenedhis lasa!" She cursed quietly under her breath. She was ill equipped to handle such a weather. For a brief moment she wondered if taking the shorter path would have been easier to follow compared to this one. No sooner than the thought occurred she dismissed it.

While she was confident in the sincerity of the templar's oath to protect her, she was not so confident in the rest. And while she was fairly certain she wasn't the cause for the tragedy, in spite of her missing memory all but mocking it, the other shems weren't so much. Even the templar had proven to be irrational in her accusations. Had it not been for the Breach she was certain they would have condemned her or simply left her to rot in the cell.

Ellana would rather tempt nature than tempt the ignorant.

A stab of pain brought her thoughts to a halt. It was at edge of her consciousness… somewhere at the top of her head. Then two… then three… four… five… she felt five demons at the top.

This was more in line of what she expected to feel when near a demon. Whatever boon had kept her from experiencing this pain had run its course, or at least, it felt that way. Ellana sighed in frustration. Couldn't it have waited an hour. At least until she closed the Breach.

Why would I be that lucky? She thought bitterly and looked around

Ellana noted they had reached the cliff side, adorned with wooden scaffoldings and ladders to aid in traversing the terrain.

"The tunnel should be just ahead." The templar began to climb the ladder. "The path leading to the temple is just beyond it."

"What manner of tunnel is this? A mine?" Solas asked as he climbed next. Ellana followed. The durgen'len brought the rear.

"Yes. It is a part of an old mining complex. These mountains are full of such paths."

"And your missing soldiers are supposed to be in there somewhere?" the durgen'len asked as he brought the rear.

"Along with what might have detained them." Solas added helpfully.

"We shall see soon enough." The templar's curt words signaled the end of the conversation.

After two ladders, a winding set of stairs, and another ladder, they arrived at the mouth of the mining complex.

The templar stalked ahead without a single care in the world. Ellana had debated whether or not to caution her to be more careful, especially since there were demons inside, but decided against it.

Warned or not, the templar would still taunt everything in the next chamber, giving rest of them a clear shot. Sure enough, as soon as the templar had entered she was jumped by a pair of greater shades and a trio of wraiths. Barely phased by the ambush she'd fallen into, more than ready to take on the demons that dared stand in the way, the templar bellowed a war cry and jumped into the fray.

"Uh oh, we've got company." The durgen'len readied Bianca.

"Naturally, the tunnels are infested." Solas drew his staff, sending off a barrage of fire bolts against a greater shade.

It panicked, disengaging from its target, which allowed the templar a moment to regain her bearings on focus on the other shade without having to worry about getting flanked.

"We should focus on one target at a time, starting with the wraiths!" Ellana notched an arrow.

"Good plan." Varric took aim. "We're following your lead, Hare."

"What?" the fury burst forth, unbidden, making her miss her shot… she hadn't missed such an easy shot since her adolescence. "What did you call me!?"

"You don't like it?" he asked all too innocently, taking on the wraith she'd missed. One down, four to go.

"I don't." Ellana's longshot landed true, but her target had already brought up a barrier to protect itself. "Fenedhis lasa!"

"So, only Courage can call you that." His smile was almost splitting his face. "Interesting." His shot also landed, offing her target. Two down, three to go.

"…" Ellana scowled, upset for being called out, and additionally upset for having her kill stolen from under her nose.

"It is surprising that you'd allow her to use such a… derogatory term for you." Solas remarked with an undertone that straightened the hairs on the back of her neck.

"I think it's no more derogatory than 'tortoise' is supposed to be, chuckles." The durgen'len observed shrewdly and sank a few arrows in the templar's target.

"Point taken, child of the stone." Solas inclined his head, casting a barrier over the templar.

The shem in question dealt the finishing blow to the greater shade, via beheading and then immediately charged into its panicked sibling, ramming it against the wall.

Dazed, it crumpled to the ground, leaving itself vulnerable. The templar immediately exploited the opportunity, dealing vicious and practiced strikes onto its unprotected flank.

Three down, two to go.

"Either way, in light that we've just met, I don't think either of us can truly speculate on what courage and cheeky's relationship's really like." Varric had focused on the last wraith, each bolt weakening its barrier.

The remaining wraith fired bolts back at them. Ellana immediately countered it by casting a barrier to protect them. The bolts felt like soft thuds against her barrier. The durgen'len took full advantage, pinning another wraith to his name.

Four down, one to go.

"Cheeky?" Ellana turned toward him curiously as she lowered her bow.

"Your nickname." The durgen'len replied.

"…" Ellana thought to contest it, she really did, but ultimately decided against it. 'Cheeky' was better than 'Leery' by a landslide, and infinitely better than 'Hare'. She certainly did not wish to give the durgen'len the opportunity to come up with a more embarrassing one. "Ma serannas."

"What? You're not even going to ask why?" his eyebrow raised.

"Why would I do that? It'll only ruin the mystery around it." Ellana smirked as the last shade fell to the templar's blade.

"Ah, you're learning, Cheeky." The durgen'len smirked as he began his routine check up on Bianca. Something he did after each battle.

"If you are quite done with just standing there." The templar growled.

"Now, now, seeker..." The durgen'len cooed. "We just wanted to let you have your fun."

"Ughr." The templar turned on her heel stalking ahead with no regard to subtlety.

They followed. It was cold inside the tunnel's empty stone hallways. Ice stalactites decorated the walls and the ceilings giving the tunnel an ominous yet mysterious atmosphere. The faint glow of the torches bathed the halls with a soft light, giving the illusion of warmth. Many crates, chests, desks, abandoned equipment and even raw materials littered them.

Even that was not enough to keep the unease from settling into her bones.Tight spaces made her nauseous. Stale air made her feel like she was suffocating. She stopped several times to rummage through the chests, hoping to distract herself.

It was not enough. She needed something more engaging to keep her from thinking about the oppressive walls that threatened to smother her.

Ellana was starting to regret leaving the tortoise behind. She was a good cover and she could be distracting. Her chatter, while incessant was at least mildly entertaining. With her gone, the whole party had quitted. Even the durgen'len, was not nearly as chatty.

She had no choice. If she wanted a distraction she had to make one herself… and that meant... initiating the conversation, for once.

"So, you and Cassandra know each other?" she asked.

"That is directed at me I take it?" the durgen'len asked

"Yes."

"You could say that..." The durgen'len chuckled and lightly and then in the deathliest deadpan tone he added. "She stabbed my book."

"She... uh…" Ellana frowned. "What?" it had to be a metaphor of some kind.

"I did no such thing!" The templar protested.

"She questioned me then dragged me here to give testimony for the Conclave. You know. To try and find who started it all." The durgen'len clarified.

"Which means you are now free to go." The templar grumbled.

"You ever get the feeling you're not wanted?" he asked her sarcastically.

Ellana couldn't help the small ironic smile that twisted her lips. Not wanted… heh… of course she knew. She would not be here otherwise.

"Why do you call her 'Seeker'?" she could not help but ask.

"Because that's what Cassandra is! A Seeker of Truth - a sort of Templar." At Ellana's confused glance he added. "Didn't she tell you? I bet she didn't introduce herself properly, nor mention who all these soldiers are..."

"The prisoners are accused of a terrible crime, Varric." The templar cut in.

"Perhaps, but what does that have to do with your introduction? In our shoes wouldn't you want to know who accuses you, why you are being accused, the evidence of the crime, and...

"Shut up!" the templar barked.

"Yet you expect her help to be given for free." The durgen'len shook his head. "Unless you just decided to take her out and show her the sights around Haven."

"You know exactly why we're here, Varric." The templar hissed.

"Of course, I do. Closing the Breach. How could I possibly forget that?" he shook his head. "You know, now that I really think about it, Courage's nickname works perfectly for you, Brawny."

"Ughrrr!"

"Since she's not forthcoming with any answers, mind telling me what she is?" Ellana tried to keep the eagerness out of her voice. She was uncertain if she had succeeded.

"If you must know…" The durgen'len shrugged. "Cassandra and Leliana were the right and left hand of the late Divine respectively, they were her unofficial agents, doing different things for the Divine, like gathering the soldiers you saw back at the forward camp."

Ellana nodded remembering the other woman dressed in purple and chainmail. The hooded shem. The templar... Seeker, Ellana corrected herself, had called her Leliana. She understood, at last, the durgen'len's apprehension when the tortoise stayed behind.

"For what purpose?"

"It's common knowledge that the Templar Order was founded to hunt and guard mages." The durgen'len shrugged. "What you might not be quite aware of is that the Order was once the Chantry's army, but it abandoned them to hunt the apostates. Therefore, they needed to find a replacement for what they lost."

"It's more complicated than that." The Seeker protested, clearly agitated that the purpose of her order was being question.

"The Seeker proclaimed with conviction." The durgen'len quipped, making the Seeker growl.

Ellana couldn't help but give him an incredulous stare. No wonder he and the tortoise got along. Both were nuts.

"Mock me all you want, Varric, but stop trying to oversimplify a conflict, decades in the making." The seeker hissed.

"Centuries, if you'd like to be more accurate. Now, now, now... No need to bristle, Seeker." The durgen'len held his hands up in the air in a pacifying manner. "That you even acknowledge that the problem is not as simple as the maxim 'mages-maleficars, templars-saints' is already a vast improvement over your colleagues."

"You can at least not make us out to sound like irredeemable lunatics." She hissed in offense.

"Remember, Seeker. I have met Meredith. You are a saint compared to her."

"Ughr!" The Seeker ground her teeth, but did not retort further. Instead she turned around and stalked ahead.

In this very moment the Seeker reminded her a bit of Istimaethoriel. Hardheaded, assured and unyielding in his convictions to the point of pigheadedness and-

"Ah! I don't believe this. You're a broody one, too!" the durgen'len exclaimed drawing her out of her thoughts.

"Is that a problem?" Ellana raised a brow.

"Yes! Being stuck with those two is bad enough already but three? It is unbearable." He sighed. "Should have convinced Courage to come along with us, she would understand my pain and at least crack a joke or two to lighten up the foul mood."

"If you liked her so much then why didn't you stay with her?" The Seeker growled.

"And go back on my word Seeker? Never." The durgen'len chuckled forcing the Seeker to make a disgusted grunt. "I may be a dashing rogue, but I do have my priorities. I promised Courage to look after Cheeky. That's what I'm doing."

"Are you sure you aren't just doing it for the story she has promised to tell you, child of the stone?" The seth'lin asked shrewdly.

"No. You've got it all backwards, Chuckles." The durgen'len snorted. "We need to get cheeky to the breach, there's no two ways to go about it. Story or no story, we must do that, but this way, when we succeed then I'll have a story to look forward to. I win no matter where the cards get to fall."

"You mean, now it's personal?" Solas asked.

"Exactly. That is when a man fights the hardest, is it not, chuckles?" the durgen'len pointed out with a snort. "I mean, just look at the Seeker. Everything that is happening here is personal to her, that's the only reason she can tear through the demons like a dragon on a rampage."

"That's enough, dwarf."

"Hey now, I'm trying to make conversation." He held his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Though I'm rather surprised that you started one to be honest, cheeky."

"What can I say, I was curious." Ellana couldn't help but smile for a moment. "Are you worried for her?"

"Of course, I am." The durgen'len frowned. "It is obvious as day that courage has not seen a single day of combat, and yet we've dragged her through a war zone, and yet she hasn't uttered a word of complaint, has she?"

"No she has not." Ellana frowned, realizing it was true. She had not complained, but… "She does not believe any of this is real."

"A good way to cope as any. It won't work for long but if it gets her through this whole ordeal, I guess it is good enough. I can only imagine what she felt when she met a demon for the first time."

Ellana actually had the privilege to witness it.

"She wasn't afraid. She mocked and taunted it… she could do nothing against it and got knocked on her ass. It was amusing." Ellana smiled at the image. "But she got up and taunted it again… Gave me a clear shot."

"That was before she got pounced by a dozen demons, for no apparent reason, I take it?" The durgen'len shook his head.

"Yes…" Ellana frowned, remembering the panic the tortoise had shown. After the chase, the woman had complained, but none of it seemed directed at them. The little self-flagellation she verbally gave herself, in the cabin, had been quite poignant.

"She's unaccustomed to physical exertion, that much we have seen. That she even made it this far is admirable."

"You don't think she's faking it?" Even asking the question was not enough to silence Ellana's disbelief.

"Look, cheeky. I'm a rogue. I'm good at reading people. I suspect you are too." The durgen'len looked at her seriously and, with a grave tone, added. "There's not a single deceitful bone in courage's body."

"I'll take your word for it."

The durgen'len sighed and shook his head.

"Look I know there's a lot of bad blood between the humans and the Dalish—"

"That's an understatement."

"But I don't think Courage has taken part in any of that. That woman is as polite as polite gets and given the circumstances she's in, that's an achievement."

"You are polite… as is Solas to a degree." Ellana pointed out.

"But we have been through such shit, before… and we are battle hardened. Courage isn't. Not many would be half that in her shoes."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ellana could not help but ask.

"It is not fair to blame her for crimes that are not hers, is it?" the durgen'len looked at her. His eyes piercing through her.

It's as if he had known that Ellana has been giving the tortoise a hard time, even before they'd met, but what business of his, was that anyway?

"Why are you defending her strongly?" Ellana asked. "You barely know her yourself."

"True… but I have seen what she's like as have you." The durgen'len sighed. "She has, at least, earned herself the benefit of the doubt, don't you think?"

With those words of wisdom, the durgen'len quieted, leaving Ellana to puzzle out his, not so-cryptic, question.

He was telling to lay off the tortoise, in his own well-meaning way. And while the woman in question has proven more reasonable than the rest of her people, she was still ignorant and insolent. Ellana wasn't about to give her special treatment for showing the barest minimum of decency.

Shaking her head, the elven hunter turned her attention to her surroundings. It was now that she noticed that Solas had joined the Seeker up front. Both were talking in hushed tones.

Ellana focused on their conversation.

"None of it explains how the mark was acquired however." Solas pointed out.

"She still claims not to remember." The seeker growled and then glared suspiciously over her shoulder. Ellana raised an eyebrow in response.

"And you do not believe that she's telling the truth?" he asked, his tone no longer hushed.

"It is too convenient!" the seeker fumed.

"Sometimes the mind buries deep what it can't endure." Solas pointed out.

"And sometimes the guilty lie…" She pointed out.

Ellana rolled her eyes. The durgen'len groaned in response.

"Don't take it too personally, cheeky." The durgen'len smirked. "She's like that with everyone."

"How reassuring..." Ellana tried not to roll her ey- "Ack!" she winced.

"You okay there, cheeky?" the durgen'len asked at her side.

"F-fi-Ack!" Sharp pain pierced her skull, just at the edges of her consciousness, half-a-dozen pings.

"Is all well, da'len?" Solas asked having stopped along with the seeker.

"All's fine, Hahren…" Ellana looked up, noting the short flight of stairs in front of them.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, but there are demons ahead…" she winced as a throb of pain stabbed her.

"You can sense them?" The seth'lin asked with genuine curiosity.

"Can't you?" Ellana furrowed her brows. Now that she looked at him carefully, she noted the tightness of his expression, the tension in his posture.

"I can." He confirmed, his bluish-grey eyes were studying her like she was an intricate puzzle.

"A fight's unavoidable, then..." The durgen'len readied Bianca. "How do we proceed?"

"Upstairs is likely another corridor. I can hear the wind, whistling." Solas informed.

"They are condensed in tight quarters, then." The seeker mumbled thoughtfully.

"And have the high ground." Ellana clicked her tongue. "We'll have trouble fighting here even if we were to charge through, they could follow us..."

"Then we'll have to kill them here and now..." Solas concluded.

"So, Seeker… think can you that eldritch blast of yours? The setting is perfect." The durgen'len pointed out only to receive a shocked.

"My what?"

"The little light thing you did at the bridge. It's perfect for this place. Tight, packed… the demons are practically served to you on a silver platter."

"I could… but why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? To kill the demons, of course."

"Not that. Why did you call it… that?"

"Call it what…? 'Eldritch blast'?" the durgen'len waited to receive a nod of confirmation from the seeker, before explaining. "That's just what courage called it. Seems fitting enough."

"Ughr…" the seeker groaned in exasperation, looking done with just about everything.

"We're actually going to call it that?" Solas asked.

"Do you have a better name for it?" the durgen'len asked with a shrug, only to get one in return. Then the two turned toward the seeker in question.

"It doesn't have a name."

"The Seeker said defensively." The durgen'len quipped.

"What is it exactly?" Solas asked, before the seeker could explode.

"Do you honestly expect me to tell you!?" the seeker asked in annoyance.

Indeed… why would the Seeker explain to a mere apostate her abilities... Creators forbid if he was to develop a counter for it somehow, or so, Ellana imagined the shemlen's justification for the decision.

"I suppose that was, a little bit too optimistic of an expectation." the durgen'len shook his head. "Why not use it all the time?"

"It is not an easy technique to pull off. It takes dedicated training and proper timing. A split second can be the difference between success and failure." The seeker scowled. "It's not a skill everyone can master."

"And what do you call it? Personally?"

"I'm not telling you that!" the seeker blushed, making

"Eldritch blast it'll be, Seeker." The durgen'len declared it. "If you could clear the way…"

"Uh!" the seeker adjusted her weapons. "Fine."

One eldritch blast and half a dozen demons dead…

"Let's not waste any more time here. Move it." The seeker barked the order and took point.

"Remind me to never get on her bad side." The durgen'len muttered quietly. "That looks like it will hurt."

"Perhaps you should stop teasing her." Ellana advised, knowing full well that her words were wasted.

"Would you, in my shoes?" he smirked.

"…" Ellana sighed, refusing to answer. He'd just twist it for his own amusement.

Continuing on their way and barely turning the corner, they found the mouth of the cave was at the top of a short flight of stairs. The blue sky was within reach and Ellana could not keep the smile off her face. Finally, they were going to get out of this oppressing place.

Once they reached the exit, they found bodies, mauled and long frozen stiff, strewn messily at the mouth of the tunnel. The gruesome sight was in stark contrast to the vast open space and crisp winter air. The trees, seemed peaceful in the distance, standing tall and unbothered by the rift in the distance.

"Guess we've found the missing soldiers." The durgen'len remarked with a somber tone as he fingered Bianca's trigger, nervously.

"That cannot be all of them." The seeker was aghast. Her sharp eyes having already taken in their number, scanned the area for other traces in the snow.

"So, the others could be holed up ahead?" the durgen'len voiced his hope, however small it was.

"Our priority must be the Breach. Unless it is sealed soon, no one is safe." Solas reprimanded them.

Including the soldiers creating the distraction. Ellana frowned at the unwelcome thought.

"I'm leaving that decision to cheeky, here." The durgen'len told Solas with his most infuriating smile.

"…" The seth'lin turned to face her, his bluish-grey eyes inquisitive.

"There's no decision to be made…" The seeker cut in. "One of the reasons we came through here was to avoid fighting as much as possible and so far, it has worked in our favor. We must press forward, but if we do come across them." the seeker paused and looked at Ellana. Dark eyes pierced green and held them in contempt.

Ellana felt her hackles rise. She was being dared as much as she was being tested.

The seeker wished to discover her willingness to save the shemlen's lives. For just a moment, Ellana wondered if her motives were so easy to be discovered, but dismissed the thought. If it were so, the seeker would simply accuse her of it and move on.

Still, Ellana couldn't help but think the question, a valid one.

The concept of wasting lives, even shemlen ones, went against her sensibilities as a hunter. The philosophy she followed: The Vir Assan. The way of the arrow, frowned heavily upon slow death.

'Be swift and silent.' Andruil taught. 'Strike true and do not waver. And let not your prey suffer.'

No, that was inaccurate. It's not like she was against killing shem. She was all for it. Creators knew that many of them deserved to be put to the sword, not only for the crimes made against her people, but for the ones against their own. The soldiers ahead may not be like those shemlen, or perhaps they were... but leaving them at the vile mercy of the demons would doom them a slow death or something far worse: possession.

She could not allow it to happen.

Still, she could not entirely dismiss Solas' words. Closing the Breach was something that had to be done. Any deviation of that goal, could have devastating consequences both for her and the world around her… and as much as she disliked the world, her clan still lived in it…

However, if she went along with Solas' suggestion, she'd betray herself and would be no better than the shemlen she despised. She refused do so and it was not like the rift was completely out of their way. And as much as she disliked admitting it, the few soldiers she had met in Haven, not counting the templars, had treated her with a modicum of respect.

There was only one path forward.

"If we find them, we will help them." Ellana said at last, in a tone that left no room for doubt of any kind. The seeker's glare

"And if they're trapped by the rift? Do we waste time saving them?" the seth'lin challenged her anyway.

"The path ahead, leads toward the rift anyway. If the soldiers are indeed trapped there, then we should close it." The Seeker turned toward her. "If not, then we can skirt around it."

"My money is on the scouts being there." The durgen'len rolled his neck and shoulders.

"Then we go and close the rift." Ellana decided and surprisingly, no one argued, though she wasn't sure if Solas liked having his advice being brushed aside, so easily.

Fortunately, it did not take them long to reach the rift along the path. Unfortunately, the lost soldiers, four in number, were there, locked in a desperate battle against half a dozen demons: three on three, shades and wraiths. They had been backed into the ruins of a balcony.

As soon as they neared, Ellana felt a throbbing in her hand, the familiar pull between her hand and the rift, just like with the last two. This time she was ready for it. Rather than being a puppet at the end of a string she was puppeteer. It felt more vibrant... jade felt too excited to connect to the rift.

"Approach quietly, while I disrupt the rift, then attack them with everything you have, starting with the wraiths." Ellana ordered them, slipping effortlessly in the familiar role of a hunter.

"You got it, Cheeky." The durgen'len pulled out a handful of caltrops at the ready, all the while aiming at the furthest wraith of the bunch.

The Seeker was poised to attack the closest one, while Solas readied his spell, snowflakes falling off the energy gathered in his palm. His target was the wraith between the other two.

Seeing that they were ready, Ellana crept closer and closer. As if pulled with a rope, her hand was yanked to the rift. Fade energy connected them in an uncontrollable torrent-

The rift shattered. Her hand recoiled. Her vision turned white. Searing pain shot throughout her arm, like a lightning spell gone wrong.

By Hanal'ghilan's twisted golden horns! What was that!?

The white faded and Ellana's vision cleared. She quickly surveyed her surroundings, finding that the wraiths were already dead. She reached for her bow, but instead of switching hands to get a better grip, her bow fell with a clang on the ground.

Her marked hand refused to respond to any of her commands, as if any connection between limb and mind seemed to have been severed. Worse still, that extended to her leg. Her entire left side, now that she paid it proper attention.

Oh… this is going to be a problem.

With the pain splitting her temples mercilessly, she decided against casting a spell and simply reached for a healing potion. Pulling out the cork with her teeth, she drank the sludgy and bitter liquid. It did the trick. Sensation returned to her arm and mobility followed soon after. The pain, while still there, was manageable and wasting no time, Ellana picked up her bow, then lined a long shot with the nearest shade.

Between her party and the soldiers, the shades were dispatched without any further issue.

"Lady Cassandra!" a familiar voice shouted.

"You're alive!" the seeker exclaimed.

"Just barely!" the scout sighed in relief.

"Don't slack!" The durgen'len cried out. "Here comes the next one!"

And sure enough, like with the previous rift, this one unfolded and tendrils tethered themselves to the ground at different points, too spaced from each other to be caught by a single spell.

"Fenedhis!"

"Dispel them! Quickly!" Solas shouted, a dispel already primed for casting.

The seeker immediately complied, charging to the, nearest to her, coalesce of fade mana. And Ellana picked at random. Out of the six, only three of the demons were lucky enough to evade their spells and successfully spawn into the world.

They were spindly things, a sickly green color. Elongated limbs with long claws. Their faces lacked any features, their eyes were multiple and scattered disproportionately on their face. Their mouths were wide open, lower jaw big and low enough to cover his upper chest, littered with jagged teeth...

A truly grotesque sight, evoking a sensation she was intimately familiar with…

Terror.

No sooner than the thought emerged, the pain followed. Their proximity of the demons had all but reduced her to a cripple. Involuntary spasms rocked her whole body. The pressure on her mind drowned all of her thoughts. Next, she knew, she was on her knees, clutching her head.

If she had doubts before she was certain now. Jade was enhancing her sensitivity to demons, somehow. It made sense she supposed. Barely an hour long ago she could hear them as clear as day and it allowed her to manipulate the veil to a degree.

The two of them immediately focused on the cluster of people before them, drawn by their terror. The third focused on her.

She barely dodged out of the way with her half-numbed body. The terror reached back and she used her bow to block. It cracked, splintered and then gave way to terror's talons, breaking in half in the process.

"Da'len! Get away from it!" Solas shouted with alarm. Bluish energy adorned with snowflakes sat in his palm.

Winter's grasp! She knew how to answer.

Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself to feel the veil. Like a vestige it wrapped around her, making her feel snugly, closer to home, but not quite there. It was there, tingling on her skin, more than tingling where jade was. It was cold there. No that was inaccurate… it felt more like warmth was missing and her body naturally despised it.

But there was a benefit. Her being in between offered freedom of all the restraints the real world imposed. What should've been a single step was instead a glide across a sea of mana, which carried her farther a distance. Its speed depended on the strength of her leap and the distance she traveled, on how much mana she had invested into folding the veil around her. Eventually she had discovered she could use this method to quickly regain a portion of the mana she used in the spell.

She accidentally imbued it with a lightning spell one day. It was an interesting combination. Her hair had been unnaturally standing rigid for days, making her a subject of ridicule in her clan. She had tried it out with fire and lightning but the effect they'd produced were extremely unreliable. Frost, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. It was scarily efficient. It dealt high amount of frost damage, leaving behind a sheen of frost that slowed the target down. If exploited properly it could improve the effectiveness of the next frost spell cast upon it.

That was exactly what Ellana had planned to do. Solas was counting on her to get to safety and give him a clear shot.

She bent her knees and pushed passed through the demon, leaving it behind and chilled…

CRACKLE!

But a nasty spike of jade, threw her off balance mid-step and she ended up crashing into the wall head first.

"Ah!" pain exploded in the back of her skull and left her disoriented. The growing noise in her ears was not helping at all. Almost instinctually she reached for another healing potion and drank it in one go.

She had barely shaken herself off when the veil folded underneath her, in a similar way as with her fade step.

This is not my doing. Dread suddenly filled het. Fenedhis!

She did not bother to move, there was no time to be fancy. Instead she doubled down and cast a barrier on herself.

The demon leapt from the ground crashing into her. Only her barrier saved her from a serious injury.

It raised its head.

"Aaaaaasrgghhhg!" a shrill screech rose to a crescendo, with each climbing note, the terror bent backwards more and more until the back of its head reached the ground, and then unleashed it into a powerful shout that washed over her

Ellana felt her insides turn to ice. She immediately covered her ears, but it was futile in the end. The noise drowned her thoughts and filled her with dread. She was back in the cave with the varterral. She, Claire, Athron, Arinaya, Lath'assan, Mahanon. The memory of them dying at the hands of the varterral filled her being.

"What is wrong with you!?" the seeker shook Ellana suddenly, snapping her out of her terror.

"Argh!" Jade sparked violently in answer.

The rift unfolded into a sheet of a see through green, offering glimpses of the beyond. Despite the crippling pain, Ellana was ready for it. She extended her hand and allowed Jade to work its magic.

What she did not expect was the excruciating agony that coursed through her arm, growing worse with each passing second. Her tortured scream pierced the air. Her body writhing on its own in a futile attempt to escape it.

With the sound of shattering glass, the rift was undone... and so was she.

=_Scene_Break_=

When she came to, Ellana found herself lying onto the ground. Her whole body felt like it has been squashed under a fallen ironbark tree. An almost imperceptible pressure had settled over her body, keeping her too weak to do anything more than blinking.

By the void, she hadn't felt this terrible since... since that time Mahanon thought it be funny to interrupt her lightning spell mid-casting and—

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when the durgen'len came into her field of view.

"Hey there, Cheeky." he muttered in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." she said, shaking her head. She felt her body tremble, whether from the pain or something else entirely was hard for Ellana to discern. Fright had seeped into her being at last.

"Bullshit." If nothing else, he was perceptive.

"That's exactly what I feel like..." Ellana found herself quipping, earning a slow head-shake from the durgen'len.

"Think you can sit up?"

Ellana nodded and tried to sit-By Hanal'ghilan's twisted horns!- and collapsed back down.

"Ow... that hurt."

"Need help?"

"If you could..." she whispered and hated how pathetic she sounded.

He did help. Even the tiniest movement caused her pain. She felt something against her lips and recognised the earthy and elfroot aroma of the health potion. She did not resist as he poured it down her throat.

"What happened?" Ellana questioned him, as the potion worked its magic as the pain drained out of her body.

"I should be asking you that question."

"You first." Ellana teased.

He watched her seriously, the most serious she had seen him be thus far, as if searching for something. He must have found it, because he nodded a moment later.

"Well, after you collapsed, the seeker sent the soldiers back the way we came. There were no injured among them, but one of them seemed to know you."

So, the familiar voice was not something she had imagined in the middle of blinding pain.

"Who?"

"Ritts."

"Ahh..." Ellana nodded, remembering her brief encounter with the elf in Haven's tavern. A feat that relieved her, for their meeting had taken place upon her arrival in Haven and that meant that whatever had scrambled her memory had affected only a small portion of it. "And then?"

"Then Chuckles worked his magic on the anchor to calm it down, before he and The Seeker went to scout ahead, while you caught your breath. I stayed to ensure your safety." The durgen'len... no... she could not in good conscience refer to him as such any longer...

"Thank you, Varric." Ellana inclined her head, catching the jolt of surprise that passed through him before being replaced by a smile.

"You'll be fine, kid."

"Kid?" she frowned and looked at him. "What happened to cheeky?"

"Hey, you can be both, can't you?" He shrugged with an innocent grin.

"..." Ellana frowned.

"Here..." Varric offered her a staff... a mage's staff, that was a simple wooden handle with a sickle at the end. "Your bow was destroyed, so we found you a replacement."

Ellana stared at the offered weapon and slowly took it. It was a thoughtful gesture.

While she was partial to the bow, mainly due its greater range, it made for poor support when injured. One could, at least, use the staff as a walking stick. Before she could properly thank Varric, she noticed the seeker and Solas return from the path.

"You're awake." Solas stated in something akin to elation as he quickly got to her side and his greyish-blue eyes examined her methodically.

They were beautiful, their bluish hue reminding her of ironbark. Ah, that's why... She had always been partial to ironbark. Lighter than steel, and at the same time tougher. It was an excellent base for any Dalish-made-weapons. She longed for having one. Nothing beat the feel of smooth ironbark wood in her ha-

"I don't think right now is a good time for an interrogation, seeker." Varric snapped.

Ellana blinked. She did not just do what she did and missed half of the conversation, did she? The way the Seeker seemed contrite confirmed her suspicions.

Fenedhis lasa! Focus you daft fawn!

She blamed everything that happened to her up to this point... The whole ordeal was making her mind wander.

"What happened? Why did you collapse?" the seeker asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

"I don't know why…" Ellana looked at jade. "But it just started acting up even though it was fine the last two times. It hurt, sure, but not to the point of crippling me." Ellana sighed and turned toward the Seeker. "I don't understand why it happened, any more than you do."

"It is possible that with nearing the rift, the mark is reacting strongly... not only becoming more violent, but increasing her sensitivity to demons." Solas explained sagely, but the slight curl of his hairless brows, gave away his doubt.

It made sense. Given how reactive jade was to the rifts... it was logical that the size of the rift would correlate with the strength of the pull.

"Well, I know of one thing that's different from the other rifts." Varric looked at them.

"We're closer to the breach." Solas quipped.

"Besides the obvious." Varric shrugged. "I was thinking of someone."

It did not take long to infer whom he meant.

"You can't mean…" The seeker scowled.

"Yup. Courage is not here." Varric nodded as if he had just solved the most intricate of puzzles all by himself. His assurance was ruined only by the worry in his eyes.

Ellana's suspicions came back with vengeance, made all the worse by her foul mood.

The scarred shem was a crafty little thing, she had to admit. Trying to throw her off balance with her behavior.

The nose breaks, her interest in magic, her odd spikes and shortages of stamina. Her complete disregard for the chantry. Even the little self pep talk in the cabin was staged! Everything she did served one purpose only. To make Ellana feel dependent and reliant on her. To have her manipulated her for her own ends.

Lying deceitful shem! To think she gave her the lifeward amulet, argh! She really was a fawn.

"Could she be connected with the mark, by any chance?" The seeker asked mostly oblivious to the storm brewing within Ellana.

"No. I have examined both thoroughly." Solas' deadpan tone, drew Ellana out of her ire. "The human, while having been in the raw fade has no magical capabilities, aside from her unusual reaction to spells."

If she did not know any better, she would think he was offended by the notion.

"Unusual how." Varric asked.

"They fluctuate. First they come out too strong and then diminish too quickly to be effective."

How odd… Ellana had had no such hurdles, but then again, she had been so focused on other things about the shem that she might've not noticed it at all.

"Could it be a coincidence?" The seeker asked.

"It most likely is." Solas insisted.

"It might be, it might not. Do you really want to risk our only shot of closing the Breach, just to prove you're right?" the durgen'len asked.

"I…" Solas stiffened, his knuckles turned white from gripping his staff. "I do not."

"Good thing, that Cheeky asked her to tag along after all."

"Perhaps… what do we plan to do with her? Ask her to stand next to the prisoner and hope her presence somehow calms it?" Solas asked in a tone full of skepticism and offense.

"Pretty much." Varric shrugged. "It's worked so far, hasn't it? I mean… she did yell it to stop and it did."

"A coincidence." Solas scowled faintly.

"We won't know for sure until we try." Varric shrugged, the turned to Ellana... "Think you can stand up, cheeky?"

"…" Ellana nodded absentmindedly and slowly pulled herself up, using the staff for support.

It was bad enough she was stuck with Jade, but now she needed to have a shem, babysit her to use it properly? Just her luck...

"The path ahead seems to be clear of demons as well." Solas informed them tensely.

"Let's hurry, before that changes." The seeker sighed and turned to Ellana. "Will you be able to make the journey ahead?"

"..." Ellana nodded. Using her newly acquired staff for support, the elven hunter pushed herself up. Her balance was shaky for a moment before she righted herself.

And they set off again, an unspoken agreement brought the rest of the party into a protective formation around Her: her on point, the Seeker and Varric to either side, and Solas bringing up the rear.

It was not long they reached the end of path.

"Through here. It's the only way to the temple." The seeker urged.

The path ended giving way to a vertical fall, about the height of a tree. Wooden platforms with ladders were built to make it accessible. It looked easier to get down by jumping.

The tortoise's words regarding the barrier spell combined with leaping off heights came back to her. Would doing that be productive here? It'd certainty save time and energy than climbing down, but given her precarious condition and sudden vulnerability, Ellana decided to restrain herself and not follow through...

Perhaps she could get the tortoise to test it out for her after the battle. Assuming they survived.

They skirted around the base of the enormous stalagmites. They were infused with fade mana that was visible over them like veins. They were alit with an ominous and sickly green light that gave her the shivers.

She was not the only one to feel this way.

"With all these demons why haven't you called for help?" Solas asked, as Ellana had expected.

"We were… delayed in Kirkwall..." The seeker grumbled.

"By delayed, she means she was interrogating the dwarf." Varric pointed out grumpily.

"A fortunate delay, considering it saved your lives." Solas observed, much calmer than Ellana thought he should be.

"There's absolutely nothing fortunate about it!" the seeker snapped at him. The pressure had finally taken its toll. "If we've been there, we could have... this might all have—"

"You actually believe you might have made a difference, had you been here, Seeker?" Solas challenged not unkindly. "What could you have possibly done to prevent a destruction of this magnitude?"

The Seeker suddenly stopped. Her body going completely rigid. The grip on her weapons had tightened to the point where Ellana could hear how her gauntlets dug into them.

Solas' words had struck something fragile inside her and it had finally broken…

"Why would you ask her that?" Ellana glared at Solas… upset that he chose now of all times to try and break the woman's delusions.

"It was a simple question." Solas defended, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"It is a question Leliana and I, will ask ourselves for the remainder of our lives, I assure you." the seeker's voice cracked with grief hidden behind a mask of fury and self-loathing.

For a single lone moment, the seeker was not a chantry zealot.

She was not a shemlen perpetuating a faith that reduced her people to nomads and slaves.

She was a grieving woman. One who had lost too much, too quickly.

"You really want to torture yourself with 'what ifs', Seeker?" Varric asked gently, displaying a surprising degree of empathy.

"No. What I want is justice." The Seeker pointed out glaring at Ellana. The glare, however, lacked its usual heat. The doubt and pain were easy to catch.

The seeker wanted to blame her. She wanted the answer to be as easy and simple as that. But that certainty had drained out of her along with the rage she had expelled on the demons thus far.

It was an opportunity, not to be squandered.

"Seeker..." Ellana began, her voice assured. "I have no clue who might be behind this, but I promise to help you find the one responsible." She was after all a victim in this farce as well.

"And if you are responsible." The seeker dared.

"Assuming the evidence, you find, supports it." Solas piped in.

"Chuckles came to the rescue." Varric quipped.

"Master Tethras, desist with this foolishness at once."

"Chuckles demanded in annoyance."

"Oh for… Really?"

"Chuckles exclaimed with prideful indignation." Varric quipped earning himself a glare from the seth'lin. "Oh, Come on. Live a little."

Ellana couldn't help but smile a little bit at their antics, even though she found them annoying. She did not know any more than anybody else when it came to the events of the temple, but that wasn't important right now. What truly mattered was the Seeker's ability to fight and Ellana needed her at full capacity.

There was only one thing she could say to achieve it.

"Then you can dispense your justice as you see fit." Ellana promised with the proverbial fingers crossed behind her back.

The glare lessened and then the seeker relaxed. There was surprise across her features as well as relief.

"That's all I'd ask of you." The seeker relented… "I know I've said it before, but I promise you a fair trial once this is over."

"Why repeat yourself then?" Ellana asked, mildly curious.

"I doubt you believed me the first time." The seeker said and started down the path, again.

Ellana followed alongside Varric, while Solas quickened his pace to catch up to the shem.

"I apologize, I did not mean to cause you pain." He sounded sincere enough.

"It's alright Solas." She sighed. "Let's just close the Breach."

With that all conversation between then died down as they continued along the path. Shortly after they reached the ruins of the temple. The first sign that they were near was the ruins of broken stone, some of it in big chunks, retaining a fraction of their intended architecture. They came at a mockery of a gateway that marked the end of the path.

As they passed through, they stooped as one, each and every single one of them gasped and held their breaths. It had as much to do with the stench of burnt corpses as the unbelievable sight of destruction.

The ground was blackened, covered with a layer of ash and soot, trees charred into wizened stumps, grass and weeds scorched into nothingness. The temple itself was so much shattered rock littering the landscape, some walls and pillars remaining, but were trimmed down almost to their base. in front of the jagged remnants of the walls that remained, and looming overhead, the Breach looked like a maw poised to devour the world.

"Maker's breath, no!" Cassandra's cry pulled Varric's gaze away from the eerily hypnotic swirl of clouds and light, and following her horrified stare, she saw what her eyes had first refused to accept as possible.

Human? Elf? Dwarf? Male? Female? There was no way to tell what the charred shapes had been in life. In death they all looked the same: charred bodies, so dry, like they've starved for months. Shadows frozen still in their final moment: some kneeling, hands uplifted in an unanswered supplication, others running, or fallen to the ground and grabbing their heads.

The worst about it all… some of them were still on fire. Others were sprawled on the ground, limbs askew. The destruction was haunting, and what was left standing of the walls blocked the blinding wind enough that the picture was painfully clear.

"The Temple of Sacred Ashes." Solas presented.

"What's left of it." Varric quipped.

"Let's hope they have been killed instantly." the Seeker managed in a voice that was taut with emotion. "No one should suffer like this." Her eyes scanned the area. "There." She pointed to a broken pillar. "That is where the other prisoner—"

"Courage." Varric helpfully quipped.

"-dragged you out of the fade and our soldiers found you-"

…

Murderer!

...

Ellana suddenly froze. The familiar sensation of something else trying to nudge her magic had returned. A thin sheet of ice slowly began to form starting from her fingers.

Fenedhis! Not now!

She tried to focus. To will it to cease and desist. But everything she had suffered to this point had weakened her far too much.

...

Look upon the destruction you have wrought.

...

Her eyesight blurred as images replaced the gruesome sight. She was in a beautiful hall. A ceiling so tall, perhaps the tallest she had ever seen. Banners...

A great number of mages and templars were lining the walls.

The scene looked... so normal... so vivid. It was like she was there.

...

It's your fault they're all dead.

...

It started with a sound... followed by a light. Every single one turned toward the door. A bright flash pierced through the walls and bathed the people in the chamber. Some were vaporized immediately. Others were set alight and suffered the painful death of being burned alive. Their screams were haunting.

She could only watch in shock as the explosion of the conclave unfolded before her very eyes.

...

Do not pretend to have no joy in this. They've taken everything from your people. Mages. Templars. They all serve the chantry. It's only fair they suffer the same!

...

She felt it as soon as the light touched her a shockwave followed. Her eardrums ruptured, followed by her lungs. Her skin caught flame and water began to vaporize from her body so fast she shriveled like a fruit left out to dry for months condensed into mere moments.

It hurt. It hurt! It hurt! IT HURT! IT HURT! Make it stop! Make it stop! STOP!

...

Don't you want more, little one? More death? More screams! The shemlen deserve it. Allow me inside... and all your dreams of destruction will come true.

...

She fell to her knees, while clutching her head. Jade began to spark against her will. The ice began to creep up further up her hands and arms. She felt the pressure against the veil... Pride. It was a demon of pride! But it felt so different from any other demon she had come across.

No! I will not give up. I am of the Dalish! Keeper of the lost lore, walker of the lonely path. I am of the last of the Elvhenan, and never again shall I submit.

...

Such pride! You and I are a perfect match, girl.

...

NO! Begone demon!

Ellana tried to steel herself, but found it too difficult. Her encounter with the terror demons left her too vulnerable. She fell to her knees, a distorted yet monotonous sound all but filled every corner of her being. She could feel Pride's claws sink into her shoulders... it was as if the demon was right behind her, towering over her with his presence... and there was little she could do to push it away.

Fenedhis!

...

Resistance is futile sweet child. Accept your fate. You're good for nothing else.

…

Suddenly Solas was at her side. His mouth was moving and magic had gathered in the palm of his hand. Ellana recognized that he was casting a spell, but she could not make out a single word over her heartbeat. It was so loud, it drowned every sound...

"There... that should ease up their influence for a little while." Solas assured.

"I'll… I'll take your word for it." Ellana nodded, despite feeling uncertain. It was clear that she needed all the help she could get, but that could not make her like it any more than she did.

"You don't hear them, anymore, do you?"

"How did you know?"

"The veil's paper thin. It's unsurprising that you can hear them... I've constructed a basic ward. It should do until the Breach is closed at least." Solas remarked, a thoughtful frown settling on his face. "Hang on for a little longer, da'len. It'll be over soon."

A few paces ahead the seeker and Varric were patiently waiting. Neither of them said a word as they continued along the path, down a surprisingly intact corridor littered with petrified corpses.

"There it is, Maker's Breath." The Seeker's tone was filled with fright.

There, right before them was tethered to the enormous whirlpool in the sky. Its veridium shape was several times bigger than its predecessors. A sign that its size and power would dwarf every rift she had come across thus far. And after her experience with the last one, she did not look forward to it.

Ellana felt like she was swimming. The air was densely saturated with raw mana… so much so that she began to wonder if she wasn't already dreaming in the fade. She felt like she could cast spells for days and not get tired at all. It was an exhilarating and a terrifying feeling.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Varric breathed staring at the Breach.

"Such waste. Such destruction." Solas hissed in quiet fury. "This should not have happened."

For the first time the task before her seemed unsurmountable. The simple idea that she had somehow survived the explosion was ludicrous. With a pang of shame, Ellana realized that the tortoise had been right all along. If left alone, the Breach would consume all of Thedas. There would be no safety for her, her clan or anyone else.

Varric's nickname for herself felt most apt now.

By Hanal'ghilan's twisted golden horns... how in the void was she supposed to close that thing?

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Author's Notes:

This is going slow~, but it is steady~.

Another chapter finished and one more till I am over the prologue. Holy shit, I'm still not done with the prologue DX.

What do you think of Ellana's nickname? Does it fit her?

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Elven Translations:

Fenedhis lasa – Suck wolf dick.

Hanal'ghilan – the golden halla.

Ma serannas – thank you.

Varterral – in the days of Arlathan, Dirthamen, fashioned the fallen trees of the forest into a deadly guardian to defend a beloved city of his against a high dragon attack. It is a huge spider-like creature that stands on five massive legs

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