Once Upon A Future
They arrived to the gates of Recliffe only to find a Rift and demons blocking their path, but something was very different. It was high noon, yet early shadows and the morning dew still lingered. The very air around them felt out of place.
Demons of rage, hunger and despair loitered in front of the gate and attacked any Inquisition soldier, yet they made no attempts to attack the gate itself. Why?
Demons were powerful, but they were not intelligent. They relied on the powers they brought with them from the Fade, but had no true skill. And, unfortunately for the demons, Rajmael and his companions had intelligence, skill and a means of closing the Rift. Arrows flew, steel rang and magic was conjured. The demons of Hunger were cut down, Despair was shot down and Rage was frozen over. Within minutes the demons were vanquished and the Rift was sealed. When it was, the time within the Rift caught up to the rest of reality.
Cassandra couldn't believe what they just witnessed. "What kind of Rift was that? It seemed to alter the very time around it."
"It would seem that Breach's impact on our reality is more profound than we expected." Solas answered.
An Inquisition scout approached Rajmael. "My lord, we've sent word that the Inquisition was coming, but you should know that no one was expecting us."
"How can that be? It was Grand Enchanter Fiona who invited us."
"If she did, it doesn't seem like she told anyone. We haven't seen her, either. But we've arranged for the tavern to be the place for the negotiations."
An elf, a mage judging from his robes, came running up to them from the village below. "Agents of the Inquisition, I apologize. Magister Alexius is in charge now, but he hasn't arrived yet. He's expected shortly. But please feel free to speak with Grand Enchanter at the tavern in the meantime."
Wait a minute. Who was Magister Alexius? What was going on? Something told Rajmael he needed to get down to the village now.
~XoXoXo~
Redcliffe was certainly a beautiful place. After the Blight many people in the Hinterlands migrated here because of how well protected it was, and thanks to the productivity of the people this place soon became the economic rival of Denerim. Castle Redcliffe which had been stewarded by the Guirrien family for centuries, stood on a high cliff overshadowing the village. It has been said that in order to conquer Ferelden one must first conquer Redcliffe, its key position and mighty fortifications made it nearly impossible for any host to take it.
The village resided at the base of the cliff on shores of Lake Calenhad. It possessed a beauty all its own that seemed serene. From what Rajmael remembered, their main income came from an abundance of fishing and massive economic trade. And it was said that there was more iron to be found Redcliffe's people than in its hills. But for some reason the air was thick with despair and hushed anger.
"Why are the mages still here? Don't they know they'll bring the templars and their war to the village?" A young woman asked.
"I heard they threw Arl Teagan out of the castle!" Another said. "Why hasn't the crown come and thrown them out?"
"I heard it's because the new leader of the mages is a magister, and the crown doesn't want to wage war with Imperium."
Wait. What did they say? The mages are actually being led by a magister? That can't be right. Grand Enchanter Fiona would never allow such a thing. Not after all she did to fight for her cause. Rajmael needed to get to the bottom of this.
As they walked to the tavern, called The Warden's Stand, Rajmael overheard Solas humming some kind of tune absently.
"Hmm-hmm. Hmmm. Men of Redcliffe on to glory… this shall ever be your story…humm…hmmm…Fereldans never yield." Solas hummed between verses.
"Solas, dear, whatever is that…quaint song you're humming." Vivienne asked annoyed.
"I took a moment to inspect that destroyed windmill back on the hill. And the spirits of the Fade who witnessed Aedan Cousland's defense of Redcliffe were singing the song he used to increase their morale." Solas explained. "Now I can't get the tune out of my head."
"Well, you don't need to get it stuck in our heads, dear." Vivienne scolded.
"Man, would you look at the place." Bull marveled with a militaristic view. "Village near the lake, pressed up against a cliff with a big castle overlooking. One way in, one way out. This place is perfect for planning sieges and repelling assaults."
"Indeed." Cassandra confirmed. "King Cailan once said that the fate of Redcliffe is the fate of all Ferelden. Only thrice in the whole history of this castle was it ever taken."
As they continued their way to the tavern to meet Fiona, Rajmael was stopped by the sight of a powerful statue right in the middle of the village. It was carved in the image of a human warrior with his one hand resting on an axe and the other held the flag of Ferelden billowing in the wind. The warrior had carving on its grim face to emulate tattoos, and before him was a shield baring the Grey Warden insignia. At the base of the statue was the carvings of darkspawn, undead and demons that had been vanquished. This memorial was simple and intimidating, just the way Fereldan's like them.
There was an inscription before the statue that read: The people of Redcliffe erect this memorial in honor of Aedan Cousland of Highever, who saved our village in our darkest hour of need. May this statue forever remind our people what heroism and patriotism truly is.
"This is the Hero of Ferelden?" Rajmael looked on the statue and realized that Leliana's description of the man was quite accurate.
"You think that's a life-sized version of him?" Iron Bull asked almost genuinely. "The new Arishok said that this guy was the most fearsome human he'd ever seen."
"I would have expected a memorial of the Hero of Ferelden to be more awe-inspiring and less…rustic." Vivienne commented disappointedly. "But then, the Fereldan's aren't known for their artistic side."
"Scary, yeah?" said Sera. "Even I wouldn't want to play pranks on that guy. I once heard there were these slavers from Tevinter who were kidnapping elves. This guy found them and skinned 'em all alive."
A sudden stroke of genius popped in Rajmael's head, thanks to Sera's comment. That was probably the only time that'll ever happen. Now he had something to bring to the mages.
"Incredible isn't it?" Said a shy quiet voice of a young man, barely out of adolescence with deep Fereldan features. Short brown hair, earthy eyes and pale skin. He wore the robes of a mage apprentice, was he one of the mages who took up residence here?
"My father had this statue commissioned after the Blight. This is my first time seeing it." The mage continued.
"Your father? You're Connor Guirren?" Cassandra gasped.
A look of deep sadness washed over Connor's face. "I used to be. Now I'm just another rebel mage."
"What is going on here, Connor?" Rajmael asked.
"When the Conclave was destroyed my Uncle Teagan petitioned King Alistair to grant me and the rest of the mages refuge here. Grand Enchanter Fiona became desperate, the templars kept attacking us and she was losing more and more people to the maleficarum in witchwood." A look of anger twisted on Connor's face. "Then that Magister appeared. Now he's thrown my uncle out of his own keep, and the Tevinter's strut around like they own the place and order the mages like we're their servants."
"Argh! Vints!" Bull cursed. "Even on the ass end of the world, you can still find the assholes messing things up."
"Why would the Imperium send a Magister here?" Cassandra questioned. "What could they gain from the mages of the south?"
"Oh, how typical of those vile mages from the Imperium." Vivienne said imperiously. "And how typical of Fiona to make one bad decision after another."
Connor shot an angry look at Vivienne. "At least she stayed to help us. Fiona has been trying to keep us alive while you were too busy sipping fruity drinks in your fancy manor to be bothered with the likes of other mages." Vivienne shot her own nasty look at the younger mage, no one so young had scolded her before. "Please, you have to help us." Connor begged the Herald. "No good can come by siding with Tevinter. This place was my home and the people here have suffered enough because of magic like theirs. The mages here only want peace, but they can't have that if we ally with the Imperium."
Rajmael could see the pain in the boy's eyes. He remembered that look vividly; it was in Eva's eyes when her parents were killed. "I will do what I can, Connor. I won't let the lives of those who died be vain."
"Thank you, Lord Herald." Connor pointed to the tavern. "The Grand Enchanter is waiting for you over there. Help her to see reason."
When Rajmael and his compatriots entered the tavern they were met with a mixed reception. The tavern was so silent you could hear a feather fly. Some of the mages inside had a look of relief on their faces, while others had a hateful glare in their eyes. Fiona, however, had a composed look of surprise and confusion.
"Welcome, agents of the Inquisition." Fiona greeted politely, but perplexed. "What brings the Herald of Andraste here?"
Now it was their turn to be confused.
"My dear Fiona! How could you forget someone as distinct as the Herald?" Vivienne mocked. "Is your age catching up to you?"
The Grand Enchanter shot a look at Vivienne that could pierce a man's heart. "Enchanter Vivienne. Found someone else to spread your legs for? Is Duke Bastien's age catching up with him? At his age I'm surprised he even has need of a woman."
Rajmael liked Fiona already, but he still had to deal with her. And quickly before a cat fight broke out. "Girls, please. You're both pretty, but let's not let things get ugly here. I doubt this tavern was designed for bar fights with mages. Now, Grand Enchanter, we met in Val Royeaux. You invited me to meet with you here."
"That cannot be. I haven't been the capital since before the Conclave." Fiona answered.
This was getting more curious. "I know it was you. You can't mistake the leader of the Mage-Rebellion for any other elf."
"Now that you mention it, I have been feeling strange. Like dreaming, but…." Fiona shook her head sadly. "Either way, whoever or whatever brought you here, the situation has changed. The free mages here have…pledged themselves to the Tevinter Imperium. And as one endentured to a magister, I no longer have the authority to treat with you."
Of all the stupid, idiotic, suicidal and otherwise doomed mistakes, Fiona had to make that one "Are you insane!? How could an elf of all things make such a terrible mistake?!"
"This is why you can't trust mages." Iron Bull growled.
"I know you and yours are desperate, Grand Enchanter." Solas reasoned. "But pledging yourselves to another form of slavery will only make things worse for your people."
"Do you not fear all of Thedas turning against you!?" Cassandra scowled.
"All of Thedas was already against us!" Fiona shot back. "All hope for peace died with Justinia, and the Chantry would no longer wished to parley with the mages. I did what I had to save as many lives as I could."
The tavern door swung open as someone entered inside. "Welcome my friends! I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier to greet you!"
This man was most definitely a foreigner from the North, judging from his accent. He wore mage robes that were stitched with armor, gauntlets and pauldrons that gave of an air of power rather than wisdom, and they were patterned with the draconic symbols of the Tevinter Imperium. The man appeared to be in his fifties and had a styled close shave beard, and a closely shaven head. He was also accompanied by a younger looking man who shared some of his features, his son perhaps?
Rajmael could feel the magic radiating off this guy. Unlike Fiona's, whose magic had a sense of warmth and fortitude, his magic was burning hot but with a sense of darkness underneath it. This man was undoubtedly a mage of Tevinter. Rajmael's sword hand began to itch.
"Agents of the Inquisition, allow me to introduce Magister Gereon Alexius of the Tevinter Imperium." Fiona introduced.
"The southern mages are under my protection." The magister proclaimed. "And you are the survivor, the one from the Fade? Interesting. Please, come sit with me."
"Before we begin any talks, I would like to know how is it that the mages of the south became…indentured to a magister." Rajmael stated.
"Certainly. Our southern brethren have no legal status in the Imperium in the fact that they are not born citizens. By Tevinter law, they must work for a number of ten years in service to magisterium to gain full rights a citizens. And as their protector, I shall oversee their work for the Imperium."
Rajmael remembered that time rift outside the gates of Redcliffe. "I find it extremely odd that a magister from the Imperium should show up just when the Conclave was destroyed and bares an offer of asylum for the mages of the south just when they were most vulnerable."
"It was certainly very…timely." Fiona agreed.
"Divine providence!" Alexius laughed. "Surely the Maker himself bade me to come here when I did."
"Where is Arl Teagan?" Cassandra demanded. "I find it hard to believe that he would let a Tevinter Magister to walk his lands without his supervision."
"The Arl graciously gave the mages refuge here, when I arrived we…agreed that he take a leave of absence while arrangements were made between me and my southern brothers and sisters."
A fire lit up in Cassandra's eyes. "You expect us to believe that Arl Teagan, who stood his ground against an army of undead and the hordes of the Blight for his people, would just up and leave on the word of a foreigner?"
The magister sighed wearily. "Believe what you will, my dear. But in the absence of the Arl and while the mages here are in service to me, you must treat with me. So, shall we begin the talks?"
Rajmael's hand left his sword handle as he sat at the opposite end of the table and pulled out his pipe. "Do you mind if I smoke?"
"You are my guest. Please, make yourself comfortable." Alexius sat down at the table and addressed the young man next to him. "Felix, would you kindly fetch some paper and a scribe? Pardon my manners, Herald. This is Felix, my son."
The younger Tevinter nodded respectfully to the Herald as he walked to do as his father bid.
Alexius carefully watched his son walk away, as though he wanted to make sure he was safe, before directing his attention back to the elf across from him. "I already know why you're here, Herald. Closing the Breach is not a feat many could attempt. There is no telling how many mages would be needed for such an endeavor. A truly ambitious undertaking."
"That's why I'm here." Rajmael said emotionlessly as he lit his pipe.
"And what would your Inquisition be willing to offer for our aid?" Alexius asked curiously. "The mages already have promises of protection, and as a magister I have little need for coin or political promises. What could you possible give that would equal what our aid is worth?"
Rajmael took a long drag of his pipe and slowly exhaled the smoke out his nostrils, the strange scent of the herbs filled the air. "Look I realize you probably don't think much of me or the Inquisition. But I know even you must respect Aedan Cousland's reputation. And when he gets here…."
"Wait!" One of the mages shouted. "The Aedan Cousland is coming here?"
"Oh, haven't you heard?" Rajmael asked innocently. "The Hero of Ferelden has joined the Inquisition, and will be here in just a few days."
A sudden element of dread filled the air as all the mages in the tavern, including Enchanter Fiona, remembered every story, every tale told about Aedan Cousland's legendary wrath and what horrible fates would await them if they incurred his anger.
"I've heard the Hero of Ferelden despises Tevinters, magisters especially." Rajmael informed. "Somehow they offend his Fereldan sense of independence. Skinned a slaver from the Imperium alive and then forced him to eat his own entrails. How happy do you think he'll be to find a magister taking a shit in his own backyard?" Rajmael could see that Alexius was takin this seriously. "Now, you can either choose to treat with me, or you can choose to take your chances with a man who devours his enemies while they're still breathing. What's it going to be?"
Alexius' lips curdled like sour milk. Before he had a chance to respond, Felix returned with his quill and paper, the inexplicably collapsed to his knees next to his father.
"Felix!" The magister practically cried as he tried to aid his son. "Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine, Father." Felix answered as he hoisted himself back up on the table. He left a piece of paper on the table right in front of Rajmael, but Alexius didn't notice.
"Let us get you to the healer." Alexius bade worriedly. He turned his attention back to his guests. "I shall send word to the Inquisition. Let us conclude these negotiations at a later date."
"Will you treat with me, or with Lord Cousland?" Rajmael asked dauntingly.
"You're here. I will deal with you." The magister answered as he followed after his son, then exited the tavern with his Tevinter bodyguards.
Rajmael picked up the piece of paper, it may have been a message. He got up to leave, but Fiona gently grabbed his hand.
"I am so sorry about this, Herald." She said genuinely and full of worry. "But I was losing too many people, I had to protect them."
"Desperation does not always excuse stupidity." Rajmael scolded. "You entered into an arrangement that you have no control over, and now your people may suffer for it. Good intentions don't always have great outcomes."
"Trust me, I know that better than you realize." Fiona admitted with deep sorrow painted on her face as she walked out of the tavern.
~XoXoXo~
Everyone cleared out of the Tavern as soon as Fiona was gone. The situation was a lot more complicated than they had hoped. A rift that alters the very time around it, and a magister appearing almost out of the blue? That cannot be a coincidence. Rajmael looked at the letter Felix slipped him. Nothing is what it seems. You are in grave danger. Get to the Chantry. Well, that was foreboding.
"Let us be careful." Cassandra cautioned. "This seems like a trap."
"It all smells like a trap, Cassandra." Rajmael commented.
"Hey, boss. Were you serious when you said that the Hero of Ferelden joined the Inquisition?" Iron Bull asked almost hopefully.
"Sweet Sylaise, no!" Rajmael admitted. "I was just blowing smoke to get that Tevinter ass-monkey to take me seriously. And did you the looks on their faces? They looked like they were ready to crap themselves!"
"Wow." Varric sighed. "I can't wait to see how well you play a round of Wicked Grace."
They made it over to the local chantry and were unpleasantly surprised to find that the supposedly holiest place in the village was infested with foul demons, and with a Rift crackling inside. How ironic.
"Oh, here you are!" Said a man who appeared to be a Tevinter mage. "Help me out with this, would you?"
Who the hell was that? Oh, well. Time to kill. With everyone inside the Chantry, the demons barely had room to breathe. Within a matter of moments the demons were slain and Rajmael extended his marked hand out to the Rift and felt that powerful connection to the Fade as he pierced through the Veil. With the simple gesture of closing his fist, the Rift sealed shut.
"Incredible! How did you even do that?" The new mage asked. "Ha. You don't even really know do you? You just lift your hand up to blazing hole of demon-spewing madness and poof! Problem solved."
This man was obviously from the north, judging from his accent. And he was obviously a Tevinter, judging from his foreign clothing. His skin was bronzed from spending years under the sun and his hair was neatly combed and styled, along with his carefully trimmed and stylized mustache and soul patch; this man obviously cared a great deal about his appearance.
"I'm sorry are you waiting for a standing ovation, or maybe a prize?" Rajmael asked sarcastically.
"What, you mean I don't get either? But what about that grand entrance I made?" The man asked in humorously.
"Walk out of the Fade in the middle of a burning temple and maybe I'll be impressed. Now who are you and what's going on here?"
"Oh, fine." The mage sighed. "Dorian Pavus of House Pavus. Mage of the Circle of Vyrantium, come recently from Minrathous. At your humble service, Herald." The man introduced as he took a bow like he was impressing an audience.
"Great, more Vints." Iron Bull grunted in disgust.
"Be careful, Rajmael. Tevinter mages are treacherous by nature." Cassandra warned.
"Suspicious friends you have here, Herald." Dorian chuckled.
"Suspicious highly trained, and homicidal." Rajmael clarified. "Why is a magister from the Vyrantium Circle of Magi here in Redcliffe?"
"First, let me get something straight." Dorian groaned. "Yes, I am a mage from Tevinter, no I am not a member of the Magisterium. I know you southerners use the term interchangeably, but that just make you sound like barbarian."
"Mage, magister, who gives a damn!?" Rajmael growled. "Why are you here, and why did I have to close that Rift? There was another like it outside Redcliffe, and they both seemed to affect the time around it."
"Magister Alexius was once my mentor and patron." Dorian finally answered seriously. "I have information on him which could be invaluable to you, as I'm sure you can imagine. Although, I would prefer to tell you when Felix arrives."
"Alexius couldn't jump to Felix's side fast enough, but even I could see that he was faking it. Is something wrong with him?"
"I'm afraid so. He's had some lingering illness for some time. Felix is the last living son of House Gereon, and Alexius is being a mother hen." Dorian explained.
"I realize that Tevinter probably has more backstabbing intrigue than Orlais, but why would your turn on your own mentor?" Rajmael asked again.
"I said 'was' my mentor. 'Was' being the definitive word." Dorian emphasized. "Look, you're in danger. Even without the note, that should be obvious. Don't you think that it's odd that a Tevinter Magister should show up out of the blue and take the mages out from under you just when the Conclave was destroyed? As if by magic?"
"How could Alexius pull off something like that so timely? Can he predict the future?"
"Predict the future!? Ha! Don't be absurd." Dorian laughed. "No. He distorted time itself by using this Rift here as a portal to arrive at the perfect time."
"That would be incredibly fascinating if true." Solas remarked. "And it would also be incredibly dangerous, with dire consequences."
"Impossible." Vivienne commented. "There have been several prominent Circle mages that have made such attempts, all of them ended in disaster. You expect us to believe some Magister from the North has perfected this attempt?"
"Used, yes. Perfected? Not quite." Dorian clarified. "The Rifts that Alexius has opened are unstable, and there are more such Rifts appearing outside of Redcliffe. Soon they'll unravel all reality."
"And how do you know what this kind of magic can do?" Rajmael asked interestedly.
"Because I helped create it." Dorian answered truthfully. "But at the time it was all purely theory. It seems Alexius has found a way of getting to work, but he hasn't perfected it. What I don't understand is why he is doing it. Ripping apart the fabric of time just to get a few hundred lackeys? It's not like him."
"He didn't do it for them." Felix answered as he emerged from the shadows.
"It's about time you got here, Felix." Dorian sighed. "Does your father suspect anything?"
"No, but I shouldn't have played the illness card. I thought he'd never stop fussing over me." Felix turned his attention to the Herald. "My father has joined a cult called the Venatori. Tevinter supremacists. And one thing I can say for certain: whatever he's done here, he did it to get to you."
This was getting crappier by the second. "Why would you turn against your own father, Felix?"
Felix sighed despondently. "I love my father, and my country. But this? Cults? Time magic? It all spells disaster, it is madness. For his own sake, he needs to be stopped."
"We've already got one giant hole in the sky, we don't need Alexius also ripping time apart at the seams." Dorian added.
"Why would your father indenture the mages just to get to me?"
"They're obsessed with you, but I don't know why." Felix answered. "It may have something to do with what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes."
"Perhaps they had something to do with the destruction of the Conclave and see you as a threat?" Dorian suggested.
"Chantry officials, Orlesian aristocracy, Circle Mages and now Tevinter cultists. Shit, I've never been so popular." Rajmael chuckled.
"Being the center of attention isn't always what it's cracked up to be." Dorian informed jokingly. "Trust me, I know."
"We know Alexius is after Rajmael." Cassandra stated. "That is the first step to turning the situation to our advantage."
"It's best we not linger here much longer." Dorian suggested. "Alexius doesn't know I'm here, and I'd rather keep it that way. I want to be there when you confront him, so I'll be in touch."
"And I'd better get back to my father before I'm missed." Felix said before turning to leave.
Everyone discreetly left the Chantry, and tried to wrap their minds around what was happening. If this cult was after Rajmael for his mark, then maybe they had something to do, or were directly involved with the death of the Divine and the destruction of the Conclave. If so then they needed to proceed with caution and clarity.
"We must be careful." Cassandra warned. "What if Dorian was sent to lure us into a trap? Tevinter mages are infamous for their treachery."
"Associating with apostates and vagabonds is one thing, dear. But dealing with even well-meaning Tevinters could irreparably damage the Inquisition's reputation." Vivienne caviled.
"Whether or not we can trust this Dorian, this is a threat we cannot ignore. And it seems that he is the only one with information that can aid us." Solas added.
"First I need to get back to Haven and consult the matter with the War Council and devise a plan of approach." Rajmael stated. "We can't just walk into this situation blindly.
Back in Haven's War Room
This was possibly one of the worst situations they could be in right now. A foreign national, a slave owning Tevinter Magister of all things, taking up residence in one of Ferelden's oldest, most unassailable fortresses with an army of mages in service to him while he acted like he owned the place. This was a recipe for an international shit-storm, and they lacked a whole lot of options. And now they just received a letter by raven from Magister Alexius inviting Rajmael to meet with him and conclude their negotiations.
"We don't have the man power to just take the castle by force!" Cullen argued. "Either we find another way in, or give up this foolishness and go get the templars!"
"Redcliffe is in the hands of a magister." Cassandra stated grimly. "This cannot be allowed to stand."
"The letter sent by Alexius asked for the Herald by name. It's an obvious trap!" Josephine said full of worry.
"Last month I was sleeping in the woods, now a Tevinter Magister is requesting my company." Rajmael almost laughed. "I am moving up in the world."
"The letter was so complimentary and heartfelt, that I am utterly certain that he wants to stab in the back." Leliana announced.
"Not this again." Josephine sighed.
"Recliffe Castle was designed to be impenetrable!" Cullen yelled. "It has repelled thousands of assault for over a thousand years! If you go in there, you will die, and we will lose our only means of closing the Breach. I will not allow it."
"And if we stand here and do nothing we will lose the mages, and a hostile foreign power gains a foothold on our back flank." Leliana argued.
"Even if we could assail the castle it would be for naught. Most Fereldan lords think our Inquisition is Orlesian in allegiance." Josephine asserted. "They would see it as an assault on their sovereign soil. Our hands are tied."
"And what of Arl Teagan?" Leliana asked. "Surely he'd welcome any aid to reclaim his keep."
"By now the Arl has rode to Denerim to petition the crown's aid." Josephine answered. "I doubt they'll gladly accept our help."
Cassandra refused to accept this. "The Magister-!"
"Has outplayed us." Cullen finished.
Rajmael wasn't going to back down. "Felix said that this Venatori cult is obsessed with me, they're not just going to leave me alone simply because it's too inconvenient. Alexius wants to exploit the mage's desperation, and the people of Redcliffe need our help. We cannot abandon them! The castle was built impenetrable, that means there are other ways into it that enemies wouldn't attack."
"We do not possess any plans or blueprints of the castle that would be of use to us." Josephine informed.
Realization struck Leliana in the face. "Wait! I know of a way in! During the Blight Arl Teagan told the Hero of Ferelden and the rest of us about a secret passage known only to the Guirren family. I know a path that leads straight to the grand hall where Alexius will be. We can send our scouts in through there."
Cullen shook his head. It was one problem after another. "It's still too risky. Those agents will be detected before they even reach Alexius."
"Not unless he's distracted." Leliana suggested. "By something he wants? Like, say, the Herald?"
Now they were getting somewhere. "Focus their attention on Rajmael, while our agents sneak inside. It's risky, but it could work."
"Fortunatley you'll have help." Dorian declared as he unceremoniously busted in through the door. "And you're in luck, your help comes in the form of a dashing, and good looking mage!"
Apparently Dorian wasn't the type of man to knock when he wanted to insert himself in something. "Are you bringing more than just your ego, or do you plan to just charm your way in?" Rajmael asked mordantly.
"Ha. Trust me, what I lack in being mundane I quickly make up for in pure talent" Dorian assured. "Your spies will never make it past Alexius' wards without my help, so I'll be tagging along."
Rajmael now knew what needed to be done. "The longer we wait the stronger the Venatori's presence in this kingdom will be. We do this now. Cassandra, you and Varric will accompany me to meet with Alexius while the others wait in the village in case we don't come back."
"Understood." Cassandra acknowledged.
"Josephine, try to send word to the King Alistair that we're trying to resolve the situation. See if you can smooth things out before it escalates into an international incident."
"I'll see to it personally." Josephine promised.
"The mages and people of Redcliffe need our help, and these Venatori know something about what happened at the Conclave." Rajmael asserted confidently. "We are taking control of this situation now. Alexius will not do any more harm than he's already done."
Redcliffe Castle
It was now nightfall. The castle was dead with silence. There wasn't a Knight of Redcliffe or a servant in service to the Guirrens to be found anywhere. Just those armored, white cloaked mages wearing their Tevinter hoods and war masks. Their masks made them seem as soulless and grim as gargoyles.
Rajmael, Cassandra and Varric were led to the castle throne room where Alexius was waiting for them. A gangly worm of chamberlain came to address them.
"Announce us." Rajmael ordered.
The chamberlain's face curdled in disgust at being ordered by an elf of all creatures. "The invitation was for…Master Lavellan only."
"Do you really want to try telling Seeker Pentaghast where she can and cannot go, maggot?"
The chamberlain got one good look at Cassandra's signature scowl and realized that this weapon-shaped woman could probably kill him just with her glare, and relented. He led them further into the hall where Alexius was sitting on a Fereldan styled throne as though his ass belonged on it, with Enchanter Fiona and Felix standing on either side of him. The three mages stood before the fearsome gaze of two giant mabari statues snarling on charge from the wall. The only light in the room was from the blazing fireplace.
"My lord Magister. The Herald of Andraste, Master Lavellan and his…companions." The chamberlain introduced.
"My friend! So good of you to return!" Alexius welcomed. "And your associates as well. Come, I'm sure we can work out some arrangement that will be mutually beneficial to all parties involved."
Fiona stood out on the floor with an angered look on her face. "Are we mages to have no say in our fates?"
Alexius sighed in annoyance. "Fiona, my dear, you would not have placed your people under my care if you did not trust me with their lives."
Rajmael could feel the friction between the two. Now's a good time to make more. "If Grand Enchanter Fiona wants a say in these talks, then I welcome here voice as a guest of the Inquisition."
Alexius' face subtly twisted in annoyance as he sat himself back on his usurped chair. "The Inquisition needs mages to close the Breach, and I have them. So, what do you propose that could exchange their value?"
Rajmael's golden eyes began to glow subtly, a reflection of how felt. "Actually, I was thinking I would just take the mages, you tell everything I want to know, and I won't let you be slaughtered by the pissed off dog-lords of this country."
"And how do you think I'll accept such a proposal?" Alexius asked indignantly.
"On your knees, if you're smart." Rajmael seethed as his hand glided to his sword. "Why are you here, and what does the Venatori have to do with the Conclave?"
Alexius returned Rajmael's glare. "Where did you here that name, knife-ear?"
"I told him." Felix answered as he faced his father.
"Felix? What have you done?" The magister asked with a look of betrayal.
"Your trap has failed, Alexius. And you're stuck in here with me." Rajmael warned. "I suggest you start talking before I show you how pitiful Tevinter magic really is."
Alexius rose from his chair with a defiant look of rage. "You come into my stronghold with your stolen mark, a gift you don't even understand, and think you're in control!? You are nothing mistake!"
So he did know something about the Conclave. "What is this mark!? What did your cult have to do with the Conclave!?"
"It was meant to be our moment of triumph! The hour of glory for the Elder One!" The magister preached like he was at a sermon. "The moment of rebirth for this world!"
"Father, listen to yourself!" Felix bade. "Don't you realize what you sound like?"
"He sounds exactly like the sort of villainous archetype these southerners paint us to be." Dorian answered as he emerged from the shadows. "Quite a poor impression of us, I must say."
"Dorian." Alexius seethed. "I gave you the chance to join us, to share in our reshaping of the world, but you refused. You shall regret your lack of vision. The Elder One has power that has not been seen since the time of The Old Gods. He will raise the Imperium from its own ashes."
This was getting annoying. "My god is better than your god, because my god can do this and that. It's the starting line for every theological argument in history." Rajmael could hear the Inquisition agents working in the shadows.
Dorian tried to reach out to his former mentor. "Alexius, this is exactly what we used to talk about not wanting to happen in the Imperium! How can you turn your back on your own beliefs!?"
"Because I will not turn my back on my son!" Alexius shouted desperately. "If I can undo my mistake at the Conclave…"
"I'm going to die, father!" Felix shouted. "You need to accept that."
"Seize them, Venatori! The Elder One demands the Herald's life!" Alexius' order fell silent as his men fell down dead and the Inquisition agents emerged from the shadows.
"It's over, Alexius!" Rajmael drew his sword. "Surrender now!"
Shock wasn't enough to describe how Alexius looked right now, but he wasn't going to back down now. "You are a mistake! You never should have existed!" An amulet glowing with green energy floated from Alexius' hand as he began to conjure a powerful spell.
Dorian's eyes lit up with shock and horror at the sight of the amulet. "NO!" He whirled his staff and launched a counter spell at the amulet. The magic of the amulet went out of control as a Rift emerged out of it, and consumed Dorian and The Herald.
XoXoXo
As quickly as the vortex swallowed the two mages, it spat them out, but not in the throne room. They wound up is some waterlogged dungeon, and the vortex attracted two guards wearing Tevinter styled lock-helms.
"Blood of the Elder One!" one of the guards cursed.
"Where'd they come from?" The other asked as they charged the two intruders.
Rajmael and Dorian exchanged a look of puzzlement as they engaged the strangely armored guards. Rajmael used his sword to throw a wave of energy that cut the one's head off, while Dorian threw a dark ball of entropic energy that made the other explode into a thousand wet chunks.
The two mages had a quick look around when a realization appeared on Dorian's face. "Hmm. A displacement backlash? Interesting. Alexius meant to kill us, but the influx of arcane energy must have thrown the spell out of balance."
"That wasn't a Rift that Alexius summoned." Rajmael pointed out. "The imbalance of your magic trying to counteract his spell must've thrown the magic that amulet was trying to conjure. Interrupting spells during the midst of conjuring is ever healthy."
"Yes, you you're quite right. But then…Of course!" Dorian gasped. "He used the amulet as a focus but my spell threw the focus off and sent us forward through time! That was completely unintentional, you and I should be happy we weren't torn apart by the displacement of time."
"If he sent us forward through time, then how far? And how can we get back?"
"Both good questions." Dorian pondered. "That amulet Alexius used, he and I both created it back in Tevinter. If I can get my hands on it I may be able to send us back, or kill us both. Let's hope for the latter."
More time displacement magic. Alexius obviously didn't fully comprehend the consequences of such unstable magic, as evidenced by the current state of the Redcliffe Castle. What in Mythal's mercy happened here? It was a nightmare come to life.
There were crow's nests of dead and dying people within the dungeons and Tevinter style architecture plastered into the walls. It was as if someone tried to tear apart any memory of Fereldan culture here and overlap it with Tevinter's. And worse yet, there was red lyrium growing out of the very walls! Boulder and walls just made of the stuff. What happened here? How long were they gone?
"Y-you're alive!?" a sickly, yet familiar voice. "How is this possible? I saw you disappear into the Rift."
Rajmael couldn't believe his eyes. It as Fiona! She was encased in red lyrium…no. Red lyrium was growing out of her, like a diseased tree. "Fiona? Is that you?"
"Wh-what's left…of her." The mage gasped weakly.
"O Holy Andraste!" Cassandra cried from within her own cell. "The end of the world must truly be upon us if the dead now walk amongst us!"
"And I thought I was done being unpleasantly surprised by the weird and horific." Cracked a voice that could only belong to Varric.
Sweet Sylaise, Rajmael thought to himself. What happened to them? Fiona's body was growing the foul lyrium while Varric and Cassandra were both glowing red and looked as though they had some kind of horrible fever boiling in their bodies. Were they going to end up as Fiona?
Rajmael knelt by Cassandra's cell and grasped her hand in his. "Cassandra! I'm not a ghost. I'm truly here, and I'm going to get you out."
Cassandra pressed Rajmael's hand against her face to know that it was truly him, and bitter tears began to well up in her eyes. "Please forgive me." Cassandra wept. "I failed you."
"How long have we been gone?" Dorian finally asked. "So much has changed."
"A year." Fiona answered weakly. "A year was all that it took, and all of Thedas was unraveled."
"What has Alexius' spell done?" Dorian asked. "I didn't think he was capable of such destruction."
"No! Alexius was always just a puppet." Fiona answered. "His master, The Elder One, did all of this. He has power like no one's ever seen. More power than the Maker."
"First he assassinated Empress Celene." Varric coughed. "Then with the chaos consuming the empire, his demon army ravaged the whole south. Hawke led a last ditch effort to try and hold the demon army at bay." A pained look gripped Varric's face as his voice began to crack. "The Elder One piked his head right next to Isabella and Merrill's."
Neither of the time displaced mages liked where this was going. "Where is Alexius? If I can get his amulet, I can send Rajmael and I back to the past and undo all of this."
"Then the Maker has not forsaken us." Cassandra said with renewed vigor. "We can still save this world."
"And here I was giving up on believing in miracles." Varric laughed dismally. "The guards say Alexius never leaves his throne room. That's where we'll find that sonuva bitch."
"Make haste." Fiona called. "Before the Elder One feels your presence."
"First we must find Leliana." Cassandra said. "We cannot forsake her to the hands of these Venatori."
~XoXoXo~
Rajmael got his companions out of their cells and found their weapons in the Venatori's armory. Varric tearfully held Bianca to him as they were finally reunited together. They delved further into the hellhole this castle had become and were beset by Venatori and the demons they summoned. Cassandra and Varric fought with a rage and hatred Rajmael did not know they possessed. After a year of suffering various horrors and everything they ever loved being taken from them, they wanted revenge.
One of the Venatory spellbinders tried to crawl away from the angry invaders, but Varric stomped on the man's knee and pinned him to the ground. Varric grabbed his knife and angrily shoved it into the mage's ear and into his brain. "That was for Daisy, you bastards!" Varric spat hatefully on their bodies.
They found Leliana in midst of being interrogated and tortured for information regarding Rajmael's interference at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Leliana refused and spat in the gaoler's face. The second Rajmael and his companions barged into the jail, Leliana slipped her binds and snapped the jailer's neck like a twig.
Rajmael no longer recognized Sister Nightingale. She looked as though she aged thirty years and was covered in old wounds. Her once vibrant red hair was now dim and brittle. But the most frightening difference was the hate and pain in her eyes. It was like she was a totally different person now.
"Do you have weapons?" Leliana asked. Rajmael nodded. "Good." She strode over to the table and picked up a bow and some weapons.
"Er, don't you care how we got here?" Dorian asked apprehensively.
"No. You're here now and I know you're looking for Alexius." Leliana answered with anger and despair in her voice. "That is all a need to know."
"Look, the two of us leapt forward in time." Dorian tried to explain. "If we can get to Alexius, then this, all of this, need not happen."
"Stop!" Leliana growled. "You think that this is just some other reality, a dream to undo. Well, it isn't. I suffered, the whole world suffered, and it was real. And you mages wonder why the world is always against you. No one should have this kind of power."
This was definitely not the Leliana Rajmael remembered. She always had sympathy for the mages, not malice. Something truly terrible must've happened to changer her so profoundly. "Do you know how to get to the main hall from here, Leliana?"
"Yes. But first there is one more person we must find if we're to have a better chance of getting to the Magister."
"Who?"
"Someone very angry..." Leliana answered spitefully.
~XoXoXo~
Leliana led them down into the lower levels of the dungeons. The place was a dark as a tomb and reeked of rotting dead. At the end of the black hall was a single lit room with the sounds of torture coming from it, but no screams. They could hear whips, rods and blades against flesh while the torturers laughed.
"Come on, lord! Scream!" One of them laughed as he struck his victim with an iron rod. "You know who to scream, don't ya?!"
"Course he does!" Mocked another. "Remember how he screamed when we tortured his slut woman?"
"He didn't scream half as loud as when we tore apart his little bastard boy!"
"Not half as loud as your about to scream." Leliana promised as she and Varric held their arrows on them.
Rajmael took a moment to look at the man they were torturing with such pleasure. He was strapped to a table and his body was an open wound with patches of his was greying hair pulled out. And aside from his wounds his body was pale and sickly, veins appeared under the skin like black vines and his eyes were pale and hollow. This once powerful man was thick with the Blight.
But most striking of all was his tattoos which still showed, despite his terrible wounds and Blighted corruption. A badged shield with a white wreath in the form wings on a blue field was stamped over his heart. On his skinned knees was the remnants of the Fereldan flag, which were now tattered ruins of flesh that revealed the bones beneath. And on his face was the dimmed, faded blue tattooing in the design of Alamarri war paint.
"Andraste's perky tits." Varric gasped.
"I do not believe it." Cassandra dismayed.
"Aedan Cousland." Rajmael realized in awe and shock. "The Hero of Ferelden."
One of the guards wrapped his hand under Aedan's chin and pressed a knife to the side of his face. "Put down your weapons, or I'll cut his throat!"
Aedan's eyes burned red with hatred, and his teeth clamped down on the man's wrist and practically bit the man's hand off. As the man screamed with his radial arteries severed, Leliana and Varric shot the other two in the head. With the entropic energy of death and pain powering him, Aedan tore himself off the torture slab, grabbed the still living torturer and not only bit his throat out, he ate it.
The Reaver stood and felt the men's death and pain heal his recently inflicted wounds, but the corruption in his veins remained. Aedan looked at his rescuers with anger in his eyes. "Leliana? You look like shit."
"Good to see you too, Aedan." Leliana said with equal contempt. "We may have a way to stop the Elder One and saving everyone. We just need to get to Alexius."
Aedan walked over to the nearby table as if he didn't hear Leliana. He picked up a small Grey Warden amulet that was encrusted with blood. Quiet sobs racked his body as he clutched the small trinket to his chest. "Kieran. They made me watch…they made me watch as the Elder One murdered him." Aedan wept painfully.
In all the tales that Rajmael had heard of Aedan Cousland, he never would have guessed that such a powerful could cry like that. Aedan's weeping was soon replaced by a sinister red aura that seemed to feed on death that surrounded them. He turned to them bearing the Frightening Appearance of an enraged demon. "LISTEN! I don't give a shit why you're here or what you're doing! I'm going to kill that magister fuck, so either help me or get out of my way."
Well, Rajmael was ready to crap his pants, but he wasn't going to let anyone else know that. "If you can get us to Alexius, we can undo the damage he and the Elder One have done here. We can still save your homeland."
"The corruption is going to kill me soon." Aedan stated. "But before it does, I'm going to spit in the Elder One's face. I know the way to the main hall, follow me."
Following the Hero of Ferelden through demon infested halls. Rajmael could check that off the list of things he never expected to do. He remembered that threat he made to Alexius back at the tavern. Now he was going to make good on that threat.
Aedan grabbed a gruesome battle-axe and led an assault through the castle and to the outer courtyards. Rajmael and Dorian were met with shock and terror when they saw the sky for the first time in this timeline.
"Ashante kaffas!" Dorian cursed. "The Breach it's…."
"Everywhere." Rajmael concluded. The massive glowing tear in the sky now enveloped the whole world as demons fell like rain drops from the Fade and down to the earth below. Holy Dirthamen, how did this happen?
"Hey!" Aedan shouted as Venatori soldiers and entourage of demons broke into the courtyard. "If you girls are done sightseeing, we've got homicide to commit!"
Aedan charged the demons and Venatori like a man possessed, Rajmael had never seen such a display of raw power and terrible rage. The Hero of Ferelden swung his axe back and forth, cutting Terror Demons in half and spitting the Rage Demons' heads in two.
Varric and Leliana laid down a line of volley fire and explosive shots to weaken the Venatori soldiers. The arrows met their marks as the explosives shattered and rent their armor. Dorian laid at a protection spell to counteract the spellbinders' offensive magic and protect them from the demons' attacks.
Cassandra and Rajmael fought side by side, mixing her skill and his sorcery to cut down, burn and destroy their enemies as they approached. The enemies' numbers soon dwindled down to nothing as Aedan decapitated the last Venatori mage. With the courtyard cleared they were now free to continue inside.
~XoXoXo~
The main hall was infested with more of the Venatori and their pet demons. These creatures were more than capable of handling a small army on their own. But they weren't counting on both the Herald of Andraste and the Hero of Ferelden being in the same building together.
"We've received word that several prisoners have escaped." The Venatori commander informed. "By the will of the Elder One, they shall not pass here. If you men fail to act here, you punishment will be—Agck!" Aedan's axe flew into the commander's face from the other side of the room.
The unarmored, and now barehanded, Hero of Ferelden menacingly strode into the chamber full of enemies with as deathly red aura surrounded the former Warden. His hands glowed blood red and claw-like as his mouth salivated and curled back, revealing his sharp, gnashing teeth. There was another look in his eyes other than rage: hunger.
"KIIEERRAAAN!" Aedan screamed as he charged the Venatori and gladly received their attacks of steel and sorcery. Every injury and attack unleashed the power of blood, pain and terror that resided in the enraged Alamarri. Even with the taint rotting in his veins and his body being battered and torn, the Hero of Ferelden was still capable of raining down an ungodly carnage on their enemies. With only his bare hands and teeth, he broke their bodies, smashed their skulls and severed their arteries.
Cassandra stood her ground against a dozen Venatori mages and demons. The red lyrium in her body was causing her horrible amounts of pain and it inhibited her Seeker abilities, but she worked through pain. Summoning all her will power and strength she extended her presence of will to all the demons and mages around her and set the lyrium inside them ablaze. The demons and mages alike screamed in agony as they burned from the inside out and died.
Rajmael activated his Shimmering Shield, making as tangible as a ghost. His sword cut through flesh and steel, men and demons. He raised Enasalin to the air and veilfire from the blade exploded in a corona of flame that sought out and excised their demonic targets. And to finish off any sorry bastard left, Rajmael shouted in the ancient elven tongue and plunged his sword into the ground. A glyph materialized above the elf and blades of pure energy were summoned forth from the Fade and impaled all the remaining enemies.
Dorian looked at the strange door that blocked their way to Alexius with a curious eye. "Now where in the Maker's name did Alexius get this? How did he even move it in here?" The door was inscribed with some kind of protection runes, there were these strange glowing slots in it. "Hmm. I'll bet these slots act as a lock for this door. If we can find the keys that fit here…."
"MOVE!" Aedan ordered as he approached the door, covered from head to heel in human and demonic blood. He was carrying a human heart that he ripped out of some sorry bastard's chest in his hand. The bloodthirsty Fereldan raised the heart above his head and squeezed the blood into his mouth, then devoured the whole organ in several powerful chomps. His nigh-demonic aura intensified tenfold, and he slammed his fist against the door, shattering it to dust.
Dorian's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "Yes, ahem…I, uh, I suppose we could just do that."
Once again they entered the grand hall of Redcliffe castle. Once again they found Alexius standing in front of the fireplace of his usurped castle with Felix nearby. But something was different. There was a presence of despair lingering around the magister. And Felix seemed…hollow, empty.
"I knew you'd come, Herald." Alexius said despondently. "I just didn't know when. I knew this whole time that I didn't kill you. Part of me wishes I hadn't even tried. My final failure."
"Was it worth it, Alexius?" Dorian asked spitefully. "Everything you did to this world? To yourself?"
"What the fuck have you done!?" Rajmael demanded. "Is this the glorious world you wanted!?"
"Isn't this world answer enough? Everything I loved, everything I betrayed." The magister lamented. "There is only ruin and death here now. The Elder One is coming. For me, for you. For us all."
Aedan dashed over to Felix and grabbed him by the neck. Felix put up as much struggle as a boned fish.
"Felix!" Alexius gasped.
"Felix?" Dorian asked abashed. The man he once knew was now more akin to a walking corpse than a man. "Maker's breath, Alexius, what have you done to him?"
"I saved him, Dorian! He would have died if I hadn't!" Alexius explained. He looked to Aedan with desperation in his eyes, but Aedan's eyes were full of rage and pain. "Please, spare my son! He had nothing to do with what the Elder One did to you!"
"My son was innocent, too!" Aedan cried with angry tears.
"Please! I'll give you whatever you want!" The magister begged.
"What I want?" Aedan echoed. "A SON! FOR A SON!" The Hero of Ferelden speared his hand into Felix's back plunged it out of his chest, with his heart clenched in Aedan's fist. Aedan ripped his hand out of Felix's body and took a bite out of his heart to spite the magister.
"No. NOOO!" Alexius wailed. His spear tipped staff threw a skull shaped fireball at the Hero, but Rajmael Fade stepped in front of the attack and deflected it. He advanced on the Magister, sword in hand and brought the blade down on him. Alexius blocked the attack, but Rajmael's blade split the staff cut the staff in two, and cut Alexius from head to hip, splitting the magister right in half. The two halves of the twined magister fell apart as his entrails and organs spilled all over the floor.
Dorian looked upon the remains of his former mentor with more pity and sorrow than disgust as he knelt down to grab the amulet. "You poor fool." Dorian sighed. "I think he actually wanted to die. Living just became too hard for him."
"There was nothing we could have done for your mentor here, Dorian." Rajmael said sympathetically. "If we can get back to our time we may be able to save everyone."
"Yes, you're right." Dorian grabbed the amulet and a look of relief washed over him. "Good. It's the same one he and I created back in Minrathous. Give me an hour and I can figure out the spell he used, and send us back."
"An hour!?" Leliana asked cynically. "We don't have that kind of time. You must go now!"
An earsplitting roar filled the air and seemed to shake the very world with its presence as something powerful, something demonic arrived at the castle. Everyone, even Aedan Cousland, was filled with dread.
"The Elder One has arrived." Aedan stated darkly as he grabbed an axe of a nearby suit of armor. "You don't have any more time! We'll hold them off for as long as we can, you try to get that damned spell to work."
"That's suicide!" Rajmael shouted.
"Look at us." Leliana bemoaned. "We're already dead. The only way we all survive is if you go back and stop this from ever happening. We'll give you as much time as we can."
"Wait!" Cassandra bade. She waltzed up to Rajmael and brought his face to hers in a deep kiss filled with doomed passion and loss. Her lips finally parted his and whispered. "I never regretted following you."
"If you two are done tickling each other's tonsils, I'd like to go meet my destiny now." Aedan groaned as though his death meant nothing to him. "Herald! If you make it back alive, spit in the Elder One's eye for me."
Cassandra and Aedan stood shoulder to shoulder before the main door while Varric and Leliana stood at a distance to give cover fire. The Left and Right Hands of the Divine recited the Canticles of Trials, while Varric whispered sweet nothings to his beloved Bianca one last time. Aedan's eyes burned with rage as he readied to see if there truly were any gods in the afterlife. "Morrigan, I'll see you and Kieran soon." He whispered.
Dorian's spell began to activate as the doors flung open and a legion of demons poured through like a river.
"FOR FERELDEEEN!" Aedan roared as he and Cassandra charged the demonic tide with every ounce of strength they had left in them.
The vortex was almost ready. Rajmael watched as Cassandra and Aedan waded into the perversed spirits, swining their weapons with all their might as Leliana and Varric made every shot count. The demons clawed and burned the two warriors, but they refused to go down, not now. Rajmael almost gave into his instinct to aid them.
Dorian grabbed the Herald's shoulder before he gave in to his instincts. "If you move, we die!" The vortex opened wide just as Rajmael witnessed Cassandra being cut down by a Terror Demon. With no more time waste, the two mages jumped into the portal and prayed for that this would work.
~XoXoXo~
Just as quickly as the two disappeared into the green magical hole, the two reappeared out of another one amongst green lightning and smoke, not two feet from where the stood, with triumphant smiles on their faces.
"Is that the best you've got, chump?" Rajmael asked mockingly.
"You've won. There's no point in continuing this charade." Alexius conceded as he fell to his knees, just as Rajmael ordered before.
Felix knelt next to his father and placed his arm on him consolingly. "It will be alright, Father."
"But you'll die." Alexius almost wept.
"Everything dies, Father." Felix reminded him as the agents of the Inquisition took his father into custody.
"Well, mages rescued, the time continuum is intact, and I still have wonderful hair." Dorian bragged. "I'd call this a good day."
The doors to the hall busted open, and Rajmael thought it was another demon attack. But it was only Iron Bull, accompanied by the rest of his company.
"Boss! Everything here alright?" Iron Bull asked frantically.
"You were taking longer than we expected, dear. We feared something might be amiss." Vivienne added.
"I thought I told you guys to stay outside and wait for me?" Rajmael scolded sarcastically.
"We thought that perhaps we should get to you before they do." Solas answered.
"They? They who?"
"Probably those guys." Dorian pointed.
The castle floor shook and heavy footsteps echoed through the hall as the Fereldan Honor Guard marched into the main hall and stood at attention. Every elite soldier saluted in disciplined unison as the Fereldan Monarchs entered the room. Neither of them looked very happy.
"Grand Enchanter, imagine how surprised I was when my Uncle Teagan arrived in Denerim and told me that you had handed over his ancestral keep over to a Tevinter magister." King Alistair said satirically.
An expectant look of shock and dread came of Fiona as he bowed to the king and queen. "King Alistair, Queen Anora. I—"
"What you've done here is a blatant insult to our hospitality, and an offense against the Fereldan people." Anora said damningly. "When we offered the mages refuge here, we did not give you the authority to drive them from their homes!
"Your Majesties, I never intended for any of this." Fiona tried to explain.
"I know what you intended!" King Alistair shot down. "We wanted to aid you, but you've trampled on that. You and your followers are no longer welcome in Ferelden. Leave this country, or we'll be forced to make you leave."
That look of dread now consumed Fiona. "But…we have hundreds who need protection! Where will we go?"
"That's not no longer our problem." Queen Anora answered.
Rajmael whistled at Fiona as he interjected into the conversation. "'Scuse me, but, um, I did come here to get the mages to aid the Inquisition. Perhaps you might consider joining us instead?"
"And what are the terms of this arrangement?" Fiona asked.
"Hopefully, better than the ones that Alexius made." Dorian answered. "Certainly the Inquisition is a more upstanding institution than that Venatori cult?"
"I know you are a mage, but consider what they have done." Cassandra voiced. "They need to answer for this, not be treated as victims."
"Indeed." Vivienne agreed. "You cannot trust these mages to know what is truly best, as evidenced by what we've seen here."
"Do that and you'll only be repeating the Circle's mistake. Treating allies as prisoners will only sow seeds for further descent." Solas reminded.
"Conscripts are always the first to flee, or turn on you when things go bad." Blackwall informed.
Iron Bull scratched his head nervously. "I don't know, boss. Don't we have enough problems with magic already?"
"Yeah, we do!" Sera answered. "Stick 'em all in one place and leave 'em there. Normal people got enough problems to deal with it."
"Mages are people too, Herald." Varric interjected. "I know people can be really shitty, but if you treat them like criminals, or animals, that's how they're going to behave."
Rajmael's adopted brother, Nethras, once said opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all smell different, you just had to be careful which one you chose to wipe. "Will everyone just shut up?!" Rajmael asked. Their voices were giving him a headache.
"It seems we have little choice but to accept whatever you offer." Fiona relented.
"Whatever they offer, I'd take it." King Alistair said dangerously. "One what or another, you're leaving this land."
Rajmael reached his decision. Having spent most of his life trying to survive in a world that feared and hated his kind, he knew that it was time for a new approach. He looked at Fiona, not as a figure of authority, mage, or even an elf. But as an equal. "Grand Enchanter Fiona, I, Rajmael of Clan Lavellan, would be honored to extend an invitation for you and your followers to formally join the Inquisition in our goal to seal the Breach."
Rajmael's party members had mixed feelings about this decision, Fiona on the other hand was obviously touched. "That…that is a generous offer. And we would be proud to join your cause, Lord Herald."
"Oh, darling." Vivienne lamented. "We really need to discuss your methods later."
Rajmael shot a deadly glare at Vivienne that could shatter glass. "No. We don't. I've made my decision, now you're going to have to adapt."
"Well, I'm glad you've been able to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement." King Alistair congratulated. "Now all of you, get the fuck out of my kingdom!"
Rajmael and the other bowed respectfully as they filed out of the recently reclaimed castle. After going back and forth through time, saving the time-space continuum and securing an alliance with the Rebel Mages, he was really going to need a drink when they got back to Haven.
His mind traveled back to when he and Dorian were stuck in the future. How the Breach consumed the world, and how the Ventatori and their demons destroyed everything after the assassinated the empress. Aedan Cousland's last stand against the Elder One. What manner of mage or monster was this Elder One that he could tear the very fabric of reality and people would think that is was a good thing? And what did this have to do with the mark on his hand?
AS he walked with the others to the stables he noticed Cassandra looking at him with concern. He gave her a flirtatious wink, and she turned away blushing. Then he remembered the doomed kiss he shared with her back in that dystopian future, and the passion that they had for that briefest of moments. Yes, he was definitely going to need a drink or twenty when he got back to Haven.