Chapter 7 - Fear and Doubts
Solas's punishment was more than cruel. He had refused to touch her for the rest of the night, while it didn't stop him from teasing her, quite the opposite. He held her down on the table and whispered in excruciating detail about all the things that he would have done to her had she not been called away. While watching her writhe on the wood beneath him desperate for stimulation, he found the experience rather amusing. By the morning Ellana's voice was hoarse from begging. Their meeting with the Grey Warden in Crestwood was fruitful even if it was just more bad news to add to the ever-growing pile of bad news. By the time they had reached the Western Approach, it was already early evening, meaning that they were saved from the intensity of the sun's heat. The wind and the sand still battered them though bringing a sting to what skin wasn't covered. They approached the Tveinter ruin, where Hawk and Stoud were already waiting. The structure looked cruel, sharp and unkind like the jaw of some terrible beast.
"I am glad that you made it Inquisitor but I fear that the ritual has already started." Stroud greeted them.
"It has to be blood magic, you take point. I will guard your backs" Ellana nodded, her and the others slowly approaching the ritual. As they grew closer Ellana could smell blood and death the thick rancid smell of bodies left in the hot sun. Everywhere she looked, corpses littered the ground, all of the mages. Ahead she could hear voices. One of them sounded terrified, the other cold-blooded.
"This is wrong!"
"Remember your oath: In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death.."
"I am sorry," said a third voice. There was a cry of pain.
"Sacrifice," The man finished speaking. His voice reminded Ellana of a serpent. There was a roar of magic. "Good now bind it as I showed you." She got to the top of the stairs watching as the mage bound the demon walking away. "Inquisitor, what an unexpected pleasure. Lord Livius Erimond of Vyrantum. At your service." The man bowed. There was something about his smug face that wanted Ellana to punch him.
"You are no Warden," Stroud addressed him.
"Yes but you are. You must be the one the Clarel let slip." Erimond smiled. "And you found the Inquisition and brought them here to stop me. Shall we see how that turns out?"
"You are not the first mad man I have had to deal with and I am sure that you won't be the last. Unfortunately, if I have to kill a few wardens to stop you, so be it." Ellana glared at him. He laughed.
"You will have to kill more than a few Wardens. Arms up!" He ordered. She watched as the Wardens around her did as he instructed like puppets.
"Coryphues has taken their minds!" Stroud placed his hand on the hilt of his weapon. The Inquisitor places her hand on his arm to signal him to stop.
"They did this to themselves. They felt so terrified when they experienced The Calling that they searched everywhere for help."
"Even Tevinter," Dorian walked forward.
"Yes, and as it was my master that put the Calling into their heads in the first place we in the Venatori were prepared. I reached out to Clarel, I begged her to help her where I could and then we came up with the plan. Raise a demon army, march into the Deep Roads and kill the Old Gods before they wake up."
"Of course, my day wouldn't be complete without a demon army."
"The ritual, sadly for the Warden mages had the nasty side effect of turning them into my master slaves. This was just a test, but when I carry out the ritual with the rest of the Warden we will have an army that will conquer all of Thedas. You see, the Elder One can control the Blight, he is not controlled by it. It is the perfect tool."
"Somebody is definitely a tool," Varric muttered.
"As for me, while the Elder One rules from the Golden City, we Venatori will rule from here as God-Kings."
"Do you really think that a few demons and some fade Rifts will stop me? He did mention what I did to the Breach?" Ellana clenched her fist. She was running out of patience. He laughed.
"Oh yes, he also told me how he broke you at Haven." He reached out and summoned the same power as Corypheus did from the orb. Pain coursed through her body as a result of the mark. "He showed me how to deal with you, should you be stupid enough to interfere again." She gritted her teeth holding her hand to her chest. "When I bring him your head to him, his gratitude will be..." Ellana pulled from the power of the mark, the magic exploded sending Erimond flying backwards
"Lasa adahl su anr masa," She cursed as she grew tired of his monologue.
"Kill them!" The man retreated leaving the party to deal with a hoard of demons. They dispensed with the threat and regrouped.
"This is why Tevinter gets a bad name. All this blood magic and the Venatori," Dorian said. His tone was lighthearted, but it still inspired the mage's ire.
"So it has nothing to do with the destruction of our people or the enslavement of thousands of elves?" Solas snapped back. Ellana rubbed her thumb over the Anchor still sore from the lingering ache. The apostate took her hand gently, tracing circles on the smooth skin of her palm as he checked the mark. Ellana let him carry on. She turned to Stroud and Hawke. "What is our next move?"
"I am certain that it will be the warriors that are killed for the ritual."
"What would make the Warden think that human sacrifice was ever a wise idea?" Solas asks Stroud as he examines the Inquisitors hand.
"They may be wrong but they had their reasons," The Warden protested
"Everyone has a story they tell themselves to justify irrational decisions and it never matters," Dorian added.
"I believe I know where he is heading. He headed towards Adamant."
"We need to get back to camp and send word to Cullen to muster the troops."
Cullen stood looking at the Adamant. It was an imposing structure, with thick walls encasing the fortress itself. It has taken him a few days to reach them after the Inquisitor had called for him.
"Commander," she said as she stared at the fortress. This was going to be no easy task.
"Inquisitor," He saluted her. "We have the siege weaponry ready, just give the command."
"What do you think our chances are? I am being honest."
"It will be a gruelling fight. There could be some Grey Wardens in there that could be sympathetic to our cause but with the mages being under Coryphues's control you will be up against strong opposition." He turned to her "I would feel a lot better if I was at your side. My templar training could be indispensable in your fight against the mages "
"I understand Cullen but then who would lead this battle at the gates? Besides I have Solas, Dorian and Varric, they haven't let me down so far." She patted him on the arm for reassurance. "Mostly," she chuckled.
"As you command," He still wasn't happy but he was hers to command.
The stones broke through the walls of the fortress, shattering them like they were made of clay. It was still impressive for Ellana to see the devastating force that the Inquisition's siege weapons commanded. With one more mighty thrust of the battering ram, the gates caved in allowing them entry. The fighting inside was fierce the Grey Wardens fighting to protect their home violently, Ellana hated to see all this waste of life but at this point, there was no other way. They fought their way through to the Main Baily. It was there Erimond and Clarel had gathered.
"Wardens, see how the world that you would lay your lives down for betrays you!" The female shouted to the forces below her.
"She is in the walls, Clarel we cannot just stand on ceremony."
"These men and women are giving their lives Magister, that might not matter much in Tevinter but for the Wardens, it is their sacred duty." Ellana enters the courtyard looking up at him from his perch.
"Stop them! We must complete the ritual!" Erimond shouts to the Gery Warden as the Inquisitor approaches them.
"You don't have to do this Clarel. I have no ill intent towards the Wardens, I have spared those that I could but this madness needs to end now!" Ellana yelled, trying to make her see sense.
"Then the Blight raises and there will be no Wardens left to stop it and the whole world dies, is that what you want?"
"You have been tricked Wardens. You have allowed Corypheus to take your mage's as slaves, all you are doing is securing his victory"
"Corypheus? But he is dead." Clarel steps back, for a moment it looks like her words might be reaching her.
"These people will say anything to shake your confidence, Clarel." His whisper is poison in her ear.
The mages move to open a gate to the Fade, and a guttural growl echoes from it as she commands, "Bring it through!"
"Clarel, listen to me! You have been tricked, don't let the order fall!" Stroud yells at the Warden's commander. Clarel back away from Erimond, their words finally reaching her.
"Perhaps we could stop this now, stop the bloodshed."
"Perhaps I should bring in a more reliable ally." He slams his staff on the floor, hissing red magic emanating from it. Breaking through the clouds the dragon cuts the air letting out a mighty roar as it lands. Seeing the creature that Erimond had summoned was enough to shatter all illusions that Clarel had. She fired a bolt of magic at the Magistrate.
"Help the Inquisitor!"
The dragon flew low honing in on the women. It landed taking her in, tossing her around like a rag doll before slamming her body against the floor. It turned its attention towards Ellana. Stalking toward her there was a cry and the crackle of magic as in one final act of defence Clarel fired one last spell at the beast. The shockwave of the spell crumbled the stone under their feet destroying the walkway.
"Run!" Ellana shouted, running despite her feet failing her as gravity did its job. She leapt in the air, trying to reach the more stable ground.
"Ellana!" Solas shouted seeing her just miss the ledge. He sprinted towards the edge seeing her hanging helplessly, he grabbed her wrist holding her over the deadly drop. The stone cracked again readying itself to give way. She grunted. Looking down below her, more ground began to break away. It was clear that the whole floor was about to give way. Ellana reached out her hand straining as she used it to rip a hole in reality. This was just as the rest of the structure failed, sending all of them into the Rift.
When Ellana woke she was alone, the world around her felt strange. The air seemed thick and carried a current that made her skin tingle. It was familiar to her yet completely alien all at the same time; she could hear whispering fluttering around her, but she couldn't make out what any of the many voices were saying. She got up and looked around, trying to get her bearings. In the distance, she could hear singing. It was a song and voice that she knew. Before she knew it she was running towards her focus, her feet leading her to a clearing, in the middle stood a woman cloaked in light.
"Ara da'ean," She said turning around to face Ellana, the light dissipating allowing her to see the face of a woman that she knew.
"Mae.." Her heart was soaring and breaking. She felt anger, sadness, and elation all at the same time.
"My darling Ellana, look what a woman you have become, so strong and beautiful." The woman approached her.
"You left us. You didn't come back. You. You left us alone." She took a step back, the woman stopped holding out her hand.
"I know Dal'lan." The women walked closer to the Inquisitor. "But I am here now. I have waited for you for so long." She reached out to her. "Come to me, my child,"
"Ellana don't!" Solas grabbed Ellana, wrapping his arms around her, stopping her from touching the woman who beckoned her.
"It's her Solas, she's here, she came back for me." She struggled in his arms, reaching out to her mother. She could feel tears form in her eyes as she looked at her mother.
"That's not your mother" He tried reasoning with her, she shook her head refusing to believe him as she pulled back from him.
"Why would you say that Solas? She's there can't you see her?" His arms held strong holding her back from the woman that was painfully close to her. "No! Let me go!" She batted her fist against his chest, fighting against him trying to free herself from his arm. He held her closer.
"Listen to me, vhen'an," His voice was stern, his heart aching. "That is not your mother,"
"Look, asha'la,n your brother is here too. We can all be together again, just like before." The woman beckoned her again. "Come on, let's go home." Her mind was filled with memories of her childhood, her mother's songs and stories. How happy she was, she wanted to go back. Back to a time before all this chaos.
"Please Solas!" She struggled against him, she fell to her knees, her hands clasping at his robes as she let out an anguished cry, reaching towards her in vain. "Please, let me be with her! I don't want to do this anymore! Please! " She wept. "Let me go Solas, I want to go home." Her pleading had broken his heart. He knelt down before her holding her face in his hand wiping away her tears.
"I am so sorry Elanna, I wish that thing was who you thought it was," He kissed her forehead rocking her back and forth. "It is trying to deceive you." There was a laugh. Cold and cruel as it morphed into its true form.
"That is rich coming from you, Traitor." Solas stood narrowing his eyes in rage as he looked at the demon. "I would enfold her in pleasant memories while I devoured her. Tell me, when your deception ends, what would be left of her?" It reached a clawed hand towards the women he loved. "Let me have her now, spare her that pain."
"That is enough!" Solas fires a bolt of magic towards the creature destroying it. He knelt down cradling the Inquisitor. He stroked her hair kissing the crown of her head.
"Why did it call you Traitor Solas?" She looked at him. "What have you done?"
"The demons in the Fade will say anything to spread doubt in your mind. There is nothing in this world or the next that would make me betray you Ellana. You are my heart, my home." He kissed her forehead helping her to her feet. She wiped her eyes.
"We need to find the others,"
Ellana and Solas travelled through the Fade searching for the others. It appeared that they had met similar fates to Ellana in some way for another, demons tempting them to falter and fall to them, luckily none of them had.
"So we are in the Fade? I mean physically" Dorian still wasn't sure if he believed it.
"It would appear that way, yes."
"But that is impossible"
"As impossible as it may seem it doesn't stop it being any less true" Solas replied, his irritation evident in his voice.
"Ellana?" Dorian turned to her, she wasn't sure why, she had just as much idea as to what had happened as the rest of them.
"Solas is the expert here, not me." Her voice was trembling, still recovering from the events of earlier.
"Red, I am grateful for you not letting us all to our deaths but next time could you not send us somewhere else"
"I will keep that in mind Varric," She walked to Solas's side.
"We need to find the Rift that corresponds to the one that brought us here." She nods and steps forward. He stops her grabbing her wrist a finger gently running over her palm. "Ea son?" Ellana shakes her head. She wanted to be out of this place.
They continued searching the Fade until they heard the sounds of the battle. A booming voice erupted over it.
"You think that you can win, you are more foolish than you look."
"It is a terror demon," Solas said as he continued walking. "It will do all it can to play on your fears, don't succumb to them."
"Ellana Lavellan," She stopped. "Playing at the leader. What will your friends do when they figure out that you are a fraud, that you are nothing more than a scared little girl?" She clenched her fist trying her hardest not to listen to it. "They will abandon you won't they? Len'alas lath'din. Your clan didn't want you, your mother didn't want you."
"Shut up!" She shouted into the air.
"You know what you are, don't you? A silly, simple slut. Opening her legs for your People's.."
"Enough demon!" Solas interrupted. He wasn't about to let it continue. "Don't listen to it Lethallan." He moved to her side, she pulled away from him.
"Oh, I know you. Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din," It whispered, Solas closed his eyes fighting not to react to the words. "You will fail Solas, and when you die your precious vhen'an will hate you too much to mourn your passing. You will be forgotten." Solas clenched his fist. "I hear her now, begging that Templar for the Chantry brand to be blissfully free from the memories of you." He took a deep breath and turned to the others.
"Come, we need to keep moving,"
As the party continued, the presence whispered into their ears, tormenting them with their fears, their secrets, their regrets. They passed through its domain reaching the epicentre. It was a large chamber with several Fade Rifts scattered around. In the centre stood a gigantic, spider-like monstrosity.
"Ah here come the pathetic heroes, trying in vain to stop the inevitable. Playing with you has been amusing but it is time to end this now."
"I'm going to take pleasure in killing you," Ellana growled at the beast. Rage burned in her eyes as she felt her magic crackle through her body.
"You cannot kill me, foolish girl."
"In that case, I'm going to have a lot of fun trying to kill you." She sent a bolt of lighting in the direction of the creature before focusing the power of the Anchor at it sending a beam of green lighting into it. Furiously, the others attacked the creature. After what seemed like hours the Nightmare fell giving them an opening.
"Move!" Ellana commanded. They ran towards the Rift each of them passing through, Solas stopped. Ellana wasn't following him, she was looking at Stroud and Hawke standing in front of the creature. Even with a badly wounded back, it was still able to crawl through.
"Someone needs to hold it off and give you time to seal the rift,"
"Then it should be me, the Grey Wardens started this mess, I should fix it," Stroud stood his ground.
"No, the Grey Wardens will help them rebuild. That is your duty." Hawke looked at the beast.
"Corypheus is mine."
"Hawke?" Ellana looked at him, she knew what he was intending to do. She shook her head. "No there's another way," Solas pulled at her wrist.
"Say goodbye to Varric for me." He ran towards the monster, hacking at it with his blade. Before she had time to stop him Solas had pulled her through the Rift. She closed it behind her.
"Where's Hawke?" Varric asked.
"I am so sorry Varric." Ellana couldn't look at him. He laughed, he looked around seeing the look on Stroud and Ellana's faces.
"Where's Hawke?"
Translation:
Lasa adahl su anr masa - Shove a tree up your ass
Ara da'ean - Little Bird
asha'lan - Daugher
Len'alas lath'din. - Dirty Child that no-one wants
Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din - Speak rebel! You care for nothing but victory. Your pride will be your death.