- Chapter Six -

Envy's Lair

Therinfal Redoubt loomed large in the distance, cold and imposing. Templar banners bearing an upright sword sheathed in flame hung from the tall, stone walls. A light rain pattered on the leaves above them as Brianna waited with the others on the edge of the forest. She pulled the damp hair of her ponytail off the back of her neck and shifted uneasily. Solas stood nearby, arms crossed behind him as he studied his surroundings.

"How long does she expect us to wait here?"

"Relax, Seeker," Varric said as he inspected Bianca. "Diplomacy may not be her preference, but she's got a chance to throw her weight around with some nobles. She'll show."

"Politics not her thing?" Brianna asked, grinning.

"Hates it would be a better way of phrasing that."

"Damn right, I hate it," a familiar voice barked through the trees. Moments later, a hulking figure stalked towards them. "Dumbass nobles and their pisspoor attempts at cajoling me into submission, so I'll do whatever the hell they want me to. Ridiculous."

Brianna turned. "Neirah?"

Cassandra looked between them sharply. "You've met the Herald?"

"Wait, what?" Brianna's jaw dropped as she stared at the smirking qunari. "You're… her?"

"What were you expecting, Peewee?" she laughed, crossing her powerful arms. "Some human brat? No offence."

Solas's head was turned in her direction, and her gaze skittered away. The Inquisitor's not an elf. How is she not an elf?!

Neirah slung an arm around her shoulders in easy camaraderie. "Guess you know who I am now," she drawled. "Secret's out."

"You're her…"

"I think we've established that." She chuckled. "Surprise you, did I?"

"I threw an axe at you."

"You did what?!" Cassandra looked genuinely horrified.

Solas's eyes crinkled as the corner of his mouth turned up.

Neirah waved a hand. "Not on purpose, Cassie, relax. Varric! How are you, you tiny bastard."

"Keeping an eye on this one while she adjusts to things."

"Isn't she so small and adorable?" Neirah crushed Brianna against her. "And she has powers."

"They're not really powers," Brianna wheezed from the crook of Neirah's arm. "I just know some thi-"

"Blah blah blah!" With a shove, Neirah sent Brianna stumbling into a tree. "Don't sell yourself short. It's damn useful."

Dusting herself off, Brianna stared at her.

"So… Peewee person who knows everything." Neirah winked at her. "Give us the rundown of what we're expecting here. Cullen's men are waiting west of the fort in case things go south. Tell me what I need to know."

Brianna quickly filled her in on the ambush, fighting the red templars, meeting Cole in the Fade, and facing the Envy demon.

Neirah listened, lips pursed in concern. She turned to Cassandra. "What do you think?"

"I think we will need to warn the nobles to stay out of harm's way, but we will need to do so carefully, to avoid arousing suspicions."

With a groan, Neirah rubbed the back of her neck. "Of course you're right. Nobles are royal pricks, but we need them." She turned back to Brianna. "I'm not easily impressed, but that was incredible, the sheer amount of information you just chucked at me."

"Sorry, I know it's a lot…"

Neirah clapped her on the back, and she staggered. "It'll help, don't worry. Stick with me, and we basically have our work cut out for us. Let's head down there and see what trouble we can get ourselves into."

"You've got this, Glowbug." Varric shouldered Bianca, following her down the hill.

"Glowbug?" Brianna's gaze swung between them.

"He means my damn hand!" Neirah gave Varric a vulgar gesture and he laughed.

After sending a messenger to Cullen's men with the details of their plan, the five of them approached the nobles gathered in front of the gate.

"Ah, the fabled Herald of Andraste!" A man in a gold mask stepped forward, bowing with a flourish. "Lord Esmeral Abernache. We meet at last. It is not unlike the second dispersal of the reclaimed Dales. Shall we celebrate this… unusual yet fortuitous pairing?"

Neirah stiffened. "Save it for the Seeker. Where is he?"

"Awaiting your arrival, so I'm told. Apparently, there's a big to-do, and you're at the very center of it. Strange, all this excitement, given your surprising heritage."

"I didn't hear what you just said, and I'll give you a piece of information you can thank me for later." Neirah murmured something in his ear. Abernache went very still.

When Barris came out to meet them, Neirah nodded for the others to go ahead, and Brianna trailed them into the fort. As they passed the gates, a faint odor tickled her nose, masked by the rain and damp. Solas remained by her side, watchful and silent. He held his staff loosely, and though he said nothing to her, Brianna sensed protectiveness in his proximity.

Several minutes later, Neirah appeared with Barris. It seemed Abernache had not been convinced to stay behind, but the other nobles remained outside the fort. When they got within earshot of her companions, Neirah turned to the templar. "Barris, act natural. The Lord Seeker is a demon."

Brianna would've laughed if apprehension hadn't gripped her then.

"What? Why did you not mention this before?" Fear shone in Barris's eyes. He believed her.

"I'll explain eventually. When the Knight-Captain enters this room…" She indicated the door nearby with her chin. "... we won't give him a chance to talk."

"You plan to attack." Barris's gaze flicked between them. "I do not know how you have this information, but something isn't right within the templars' ranks. I just didn't imagine it would come to this. I will do what I can to aid you, Herald."

They entered the room, and Brianna gagged as a powerful stench flooded her nostrils. The odor she had detected earlier stung her nose with a bittersweet tang like rotten limes. "Varric, what's that smell?" she hissed. When he didn't reply, she turned to repeat herself. Fear shone in his eyes. Her stomach lurched. They trusted her. But what if she was wrong?

"Knight-Captain?" Barris turned as three templars marched into the room and approached the table.

"You were expecting the Lord Seeker," Denam said, ignoring Barris. "He sent me to die for you."

Abernache folded his arms with a glance at Neirah. "The Knight-Captain has seen better days, I assume? It is apparent he is unwell." He moved to the door, surprisingly casual considering the circumstances. "Give the Lord Seeker my regards."

No sooner had he left the room, that a look passed between Neirah and Cassandra.

"Templars, to me!" Neirah shouted, drawing her greatsword. "Denam's mind is poisoned!"

Fighting erupted around them. Swords clattered and magic hissed through the air. Dislodging herself from her paralysis, Brianna threw herself behind a barrel, clutching her dagger to her chest. The shouts and clang of steel seemed far away, surreal.

Solas stood several paces away, working his staff in sweeping arcs, his back to her. Every movement was both graceful and measured as he planted his staff on the floor, sending frozen shards hurtling through the air toward an unseen target.

The room stilled. Brianna stared at her dagger, vaguely aware of someone hauling her to her feet. She blinked, head swiveling to meet Cassandra's grim gaze.

"Can you continue?"

Neirah pulled alongside her with a questioning glance. Brianna waved her away. "Follow Barris," she croaked in a voice that hardly resembled her own. Horrified, she tore her gaze away from the scattered bodies, the blood pooling on the wooden floor, the red footprints she left behind.

Dazed, she stumbled along behind Neirah and the companions as they battled howling, crystallized monsters. Glittering spears of red lyrium sprouted through their flesh; twisted, flailing limbs wielding blades that sang against Neirah's steel greatsword.

When the group stumbled into the open air once more, the sun was shining overhead in stark contrast to the swarm of red templars that converged upon them. Brianna crouched behind a bush. There were so many of them. More than she had ever faced in the game. Concern and fear burned through her mind like acid and she struggled to push it away.

When the tall, wooden doors of the chantry loomed before them at last, Neirah swung around to meet Brianna's gaze, panic in her eyes. Brianna nodded firmly. You can do this.

Setting her jaw, Neirah mounted the steps to approach the solitary figure at the top of the stairs. Lucius's vicious smile greeted her as he grabbed her arms, pulling her backwards. With a puff of smoke, Lucius dematerialized, and a grotesque mass of pink limbs flopped to the ground. Staggering to its four twisted feet, it curled over itself, jaw gaping as it shrieked in Neirah's face. The door blew open with a splintering crack. Fading to mist, the envy demon vanished behind a magical barrier that sparked and hummed at the opposite end of the chantry.

Brianna jogged towards Neirah. "Are you okay?"

Neirah was bent over, her hands on her thighs. With a grunt, she straightened, flexing her gloved hands. "Yeah, Peewee. Just golden. Fucking Fade shit, every time. But at least I got some warning." With a smirk, she jabbed Brianna in the ribs, sending her staggering.

Brianna winced, following Neirah inside the chantry. I guess that means thank you?

"The Lord Seeker!"

"That's not him, Barris." Neirah's clear voice rang through the chantry hall, drawing the attention of the beleaguered templars. "An envy demon took his form, but I swear I will end it." She turned to Brianna. "Where's Cole?"

"He'll meet us at Haven."

"Do you know him?"

"I know about him…"

Neirah watched her curiously. "He told me to look out for you, that you would help me."

Brianna stared at her.

"Not like that wasn't my intention already." With a brief smile, Neirah breezed into the hall and called, "Where are Cullen's men?"

"Here, Your Worship." An Inquisition soldier stepped forward. "When we came in through the back entrance, we discovered some of the Templar officers defending themselves from the… The red ones, my lady."

"Take me to them."

Brianna watched Neirah move about the room, the thrumming barrier casting a sickly green glow on her grey skin. So many lay wounded and dying around them. Eyes full of fear and uncertainty followed her every move. She was not what they had expected.

"Inquisition!" Neirah called, unsheathing her greatsword. "Time to clean this bastard up."

Brianna marveled at the confident turn of Neirah's head, the purpose in her steps, the upward curve of her lips. Maybe she was a maverick, not what anyone else had expected. But right here, right now… This was where she belonged. She was a natural, and though the soldiers looked at her oddly, Brianna saw hope replace their fear.

They covered their next move and Brianna caught Barris watching her as Neirah went over the plan with the surviving templars. Brianna offered him a smile and he returned it warmly. When the soldiers were in position, Brianna crouched behind a pillar near the back of the room, her fingers locked around her dagger's hilt. She prayed she wouldn't have to use it.

The officers channeled their power into the barrier, and it disintegrated as Envy sprang forward with a terrible howl. Red templars swarmed into the chantry, nearly overwhelming the officers as they panicked.

Something was wrong.