Chapter 45

Author's note: This story has not been abandoned. I know it must seem like it. Thank you all to have continued reading. I greatly appreciate it!

Disclaimer: None of the recognizable characters are mine. I simply borrow them!

The entrance to the temple was between two wolf statues. CJ tried to ignore the feeling of dread she felt looking up at those great creatures. They moved quickly and quietly, able to hear voices ahead. They came to a balcony, Talon motioning for them to spread out and stay low. Corypheus and his group were standing below, facing off against the Sentinels.
"They are mocking you, Master." Samson exclaimed.
"These are but remnants. They will not keep us from the Well of Sorrows." Corypheus sneered, striding forward. CJ could see he was dragging a sentinel with him.
"Well of Sorrows?" Talon hissed to Morrigan, who shrugged.
"Be honored!" Corypheus called. "Witness death at the hands of a new god!" The elf at the head of the bridge stood his ground, even as the monster neared. The moment Corypheus stepped between the pillars, a spell was activated. Blinding light filled the clearing, and CJ made out Corypheus grabbing the elf who so bravely had stood up to him before having to shield her eyes. An explosion throws all who were standing near back. CJ blinked to clear her vision. Corypheus was gone.
"What the hell?" She breathed. Slowly, their group made their way down from the balcony. Part of Corypheus' group were across the bridge. Samson paused and sneered at them.
"What happened?" Varric questioned. A noise caused them all to turn. One of the wardens who had fallen in the blast was moving.
All of a sudden, black ooze burst of him.
"It cannot be." Morrigan exclaimed as a creature CJ could only assume was Corypheus clawed its way out of the warden.
"Go! Across the bridge! Hurry!" Talon yelled, and they all sprinted.
"Shit. Shit. Shit!" Varric was saying with every step. Behind them, the dragon swooped down with a roar. CJ was one of the first to reach the doors.
"Come on!" She yelled, already leaning against one of the heavy doors. "Leg it, Varric!"
"Shit shit shit shit!" He threw himself through the opening and they all worked together to push the doors closed.
"Close it!" Talon yelled. The doors slammed closed right as the dragon unleashed a torrent of fire. A bright light flashed, the doors sealing by some magic spell.
CJ's heart was racing, and she looked around at their group.
"What the hell just happened?!" Dorian demanded, breathing in gasps.
"That was . . . . unexpected."
CJ laughed. Just a bit.
"At last," Morrigan said. "Mythal's inner sanctum. Let's hurry to reach our goal before Corypheus does."
"I thought we were looking for a mirror," Bull commented, frowning. "What's this Well of Sorrows?"
"I . . . . am not certain." Morrigan's response was slow.
"You mean you don't know." Talon exclaimed. Morrigan gave him a sour look.
"We know that Corypheus wants it. Is that not enough reason to reach it before him?"
Talon scowled. There was something Morrigan wasn't telling them.
As they moved further into the temple, following a path of bodies left behind by Corypheus' minions, CJ fought down the anger. This had obviously been a place of worship, a place of peace. Now, the green grass was bathed with blood. The corridor they were following opened in to a wide clearing, with what looked like an altar set amid a raised segmented platform.
CJ moved to investigate the platform as Talon and Morrigan were talking. The segments were large squares with ornate symbols.
"Whatcha thinking, Kadan?" Bull had followed her but he was keeping an eye on Talon and Morrigan. He didn't trust the mage.
"Can you feel the power here, Bull?" She asked. "It practically hums in the air. Can you imagine what the followers who used this temple were like?"
"I've got a good idea." He nodded to a body on the ground not far from them.
CJ climbed the stairs, intending to look at the altar. She was startled when the segment she stepped on flashed gold. "What the hell?"
"Careful, Kadan." Bull warned. CJ frowned down at the ground. Only one segment had lit up. On a whim, she stepped on the segment beside it. It lit up as well. Stepping back on to the first segment, they both flashed and then went dark.
"Weird." She murmured, scanning the area. This must serve a purpose. A small bowl sat beneath the altar.
"You must pay tribute." CJ jumped at the sound of Morrigan addressing her. "As the pilgrims of old did. You must not vacillate in your path, like the true believers."
"The door is locked. This must be the way through."
"Samson did it. We can as well." Dorian said.
CJ stepped back on to the stairs and then took a careful step forward. The segment lit up again. She couldn't cross her own path but had to step on every segment. It was rather simple, and only took a minute to complete. As soon as CJ stepped on the last segment, the door at the top of the stairs opened.
"Come on." They followed Talon up the stairs. There was a small chamber, dark and full of rubble. More bodies lay here. The guardians had lost their final battles. The chamber opened into another large room. A loud bang brought their attention to Samson, who was on the far side.
"Hold them off!" He yelled to his soldiers. Several moved to intercept them as Samson and the rest of his group jumped down into a hole.
"He's getting away!" Varric yelled as he shot a bolt into a red templar's eye. CJ dodged an incoming sword and drove her dagger into neck joint in the armor of her attacker.
"No shit!" She retorted.
It only took a matter of minutes before all of Samson's soldiers lay dead.
Talon led the way, running towards the hole. "Come on, we can still catch them."
"Hold a moment," Morrigan cut them off as they reached the lip of the hole. "While they rush ahead, this leads to our true destination. We should walk the petitioner's path. As before." She pointed to a door behind them.
CJ frowned. There was no telling how much longer going through the hole would take them. In addition to the fact that they *knew* Samson went that way. There could easily be traps set up. If they took the petitioner's path, no red templars would be laying in wait for them.
"The longer we take, the more of our people die outside." Dorian said.
"But this way definitely leads to where we want to go." CJ argued, indicating to the door. "I assume there are more tests that have to be passed?" She directed that question to Morrigan. "Probably like the first one?"
"I would assume."
"If we go down the hole, there will be traps. They expect us to follow them." Bull said.
Talon was frowning heavily.
"You see the urgency. We cannot find the Well of Sorrows unprepared." Morrigan urged.
"We don't know what's behind those doors. They might have a reason for going another way." Talon said.
"Had they the option, they would have proceeded. That must lead to their goal."
"Their goal? Or yours?"
Morrigan scowled slightly. "There is . . . . a danger to the natural order." She walked towards the door. "Legends walked Thedas once. Things of might and wonder. Their passing has left us all the lesser. Corypheus would squander the ancient power of the well. I would have it restored."
So, there it was. Morrigan's true reason.
"I wasn't expecting your answer to be so romantic." There was a hint of sarcasm in Talon's voice.
"Trust me. Your surprise is matched only by my own." Morrigan smirked slightly. "Mankind blunders through the world, crushing what it does not understand: Elves, dragons, magic, the list is endless. We must stem the tide or be left with nothing more than the mundane. This I know to be true. I read more in the first chamber than I revealed."
Bull made a small noise of disgust. CJ glanced at him. He had his arms crossed and was staring at the mage hard.
"It said a great boon is given to those who use the Well of Sorrows. But at a terrible price." She continued, taking no heed of Bull. Or any of them. Morrigan was focused solely on Talon.
"What exactly did that altar say about the Well of Sorrows?" Talon demanded.
"Like most eleven writing, it was insufferably vague. The term that I deciphered was 'Halam Shivanas'- The sweet sacrifice of duty. It implies the loss of something personal for duty's sake. Yet for those who served at this temple, a worthwhile trade."
"Did you not trust me enough to tell me this price when you read it?" Talon was mad.
What else had Morrigan hidden from them, CJ wondered. What other surprises were in store for them?
"I hoped to find more information." Morrigan said, to soothe him. "If I intended to chear you, I would have feigned ignorance entirely."
Now Bull's snort was more audible. CJ touched his arm. She knew he was upset but pissing the mage off would do nothing to help.
"My priority is your cause. But if the opportunity arises to save this well, I am willing to pay the cost."
"And gain what?" Dorian cut in.
"That is what we must discover. The rituals may point the way."
"More rituals?" Blackwall asked. "What are they for? Do you know?"
"I believe they signify an intent to lay one's self bare, to champion a cause without pity, regret, or shame. Mythal's cult was not fond of vacillation. One approached them with nothing less than complete confidence."
"What happened to those who were less sure of themselves?" CJ couldn't help but ask.
"Legend does not say." CJ looked around the room, taking in the bodies and the smoke still rising from the hole behind them. "Perhaps this place has a more gruesome history than we know."
Talon still hadn't decided what path they were going to take. He kept looking between the hole and the door.
"Do you know what this part of the temple was used for?" Varric questioned.
"It may have served as a chamber of reflection, perhaps to contemplate the righteousness of one's cause. More importantly, I suspect that none were permitted beyond this area without a priest. Ancient texts claim Mythal passed judgement in the flesh, but 'twas surely the priests who proclaimed rulings here."
"Why did the ancient elves insist on so many rites?"
"We may safely assume one did not petition high priests for Mythal's justice by strolling up and knocking." Sarcasm dripped from Morrigan's words. "I see no more insufferable ceremony here than in a chantry."
"I've made my decision." Talon cut off any further questions. "We'll do the trials."
The first ritual was similar to the previous one, only fifteen segments to step on. It took less than three minutes for Talon to complete it. The second ritual was not as simple. There were gates barring the way halfway through.
"What the hell." Talon exclaimed.
"Bull, let me up on your shoulders for a minute." CJ turned to the qunari who raised an eyebrow at her.
"Why?"
"To see better."
With a sigh, Bull allowed her to clamber up and perch on his shoulders.
"There's more of the path behind the bars. Looks lie there's a lever that probably operates the gates. I can walk you through it, if you'd like."
Talon nodded. "Do it."
"Ok, ready?" Talon nodded again and climbed the stairs. "Go right first. Now three segments forward. One to the left. One back towards us. One more to the left. Now, go to the lever."
The others took up posts around the ritual area, helping direct Talon when CJ could no longer see him. Working together, they managed to complete the ritual with no mishaps.
"Thank you for not dropping me, Bull." CJ grinned at him as he helped her back to the ground.
"You owe me, Kadan." He exclaimed, and CJ laughed.
Two rituals down, one more to go.
This one was harder yet, spanning two areas and multiple levels. It took several attempts, the last with multiple swearing and threats.
"Come, let us see if the doors have opened." Morrigan said, leading the way.
The doors opened onto yet another chamber. They entered slowly.
"Tis not what I expected. What was this chamber used for," Morrigan trailed off as they walked further into the room, looking around. CJ felt a sense of foreboding and stepped closer to Talon. Bull seemed to share her unease; she saw him fingering the hilt of his sword.
Once they'd walked halfway down the length of the room, it happened. Out of nowhere, guardians of the temple appeared behind them, all aiming bows at their group.
"We were being watched." Talon commented.
An elf appeared on the terrace in front of them.
"You are unlike the other invaders." He stood with his arms crossed, looking down on them. "You have the features of those who call themselves Elvhen. You bear the mark of magic which is . . . . familiar." The mark on Talon's hand sparked and he glanced down at it. "How has this come to pass? What is your connection to those who first disturbed our slumber?"
"I don't understand the slumber bit. Who are you?" Talon answered the elf's question with one of his own.
"I am called Abelas. We are Sentinels, tasked with standing against those who trespass on sacred ground. We wake only to fight, to preserve this place. Our numbers diminish with each invasion. I know what you seek. Like all who have come before, you wish to drink from the Vir'abelasan."
"The place of the way of sorrows." Morrigan translated. "He speaks of the well!"
"It is not for you!" Abelas exclaimed. "It is not for any of you."
"What is this Vir'abelasan?" Talon asked.
"It is a path, one walked only by those who toiled in Mythal's favor."
"He speaks of priests, perhaps."
"More than that, you need not know." Abelas' voice held contempt. He looked at them all in disdain.
"So you're elves from ancient times? Before the Tevinter destroyed Arlathan?"
"The shemlen did not destroy Arlathan. We elvhen warred upon ourselves. By the time the doors to this sanctuary closed, our time was over. We awaken only when called, and each time find the world more foreign than before. It is meaningless. We endure. The Vir'abelasan must be preserved."
"If the Well of Sorrows is a source of power, now it when it's needed."
Abelas shook his head. "It is not power. Not such as you could use, even if I permitted it."
"Yes Corypheus's minions are here to claim it. Unless you've defeated them already." Blackwall exclaimed.
"We have not." Abelas said coldy. "Trespassers you are, but you have followed rites of petition. You have shown respect to Mythal. If these others are enemies of yours, we will aid you in destroying them. When this is done, you shall be permitted to depart. And never return."
"Consider carefully," Morrigan said softly. "You must stop Corypheus, yes. But you may also need the well for your own."
CJ frowned. What was so important about this well? The sentinels had proven to be formidable opponents. If they didn't have to fight them, CJ wasn't keen on continuing to do so. Weren't one group of people trying to kill them enough?
Talon thought for a long moment. Beside her, Bull shifted his hand on his hilt. He was ready to attack on any sign from Talon. CJ knew what he was feeling.
"We accept your aid."