Determined, we trudge through the snow upwards towards the soldiers defending their post. At the foot of the stairs is an intact wagon, a broken wagon on fire, the scent of burned wood and ash linger in the air. Evelyn grimaces at the injured soldiers, one is a soldier standing and looking at the burning wagon. There are also three soldiers sitting down around the steps but not sure if they are just resting, wounded, or dead.
"Are… are they okay?" Evelyn whispers worry evident in her shaky tone. "I'm sure there just having their beauty sleep," Varric laughs nervously at the worried expression on Evelyn. "Do you really want to know?" I ask as she goes silent, face down casted making me sigh at the girl. "Come on, you can't kill demons with your head down," I reason.
At the top of the steps are three more soldiers on the left. Groaning, one is clutching his stomach as if wounded. Worried, Evelyn walks towards the wounded and steadies him, carrying him to the healer.
"I presume you are not well versed in healing magic?" Solas exclaim.
"The circle tried teaching me but heh, I kept setting the other mages robes on fire sometimes the Templars," Evelyn confesses laughing nervously causing me to snort slightly.
"It's not funny!" She pouts as Varric and I snicker at the pouting mess. Bored, I look around the area coated in snow, my eyes narrow farther left there is a person in Chantry garb tending to 25 corpses, some wrapped and some not, laid out in two rows, including the soldier, Evelyn helped. To the right is a tent, table with weapons, chests, and seven soldiers standing around talking, examining weapons, sharping their swords, etc. Past them a person in Chantry garb tends to nine injured people on bedrolls. The injured appear to be a mix of mages, Templars, and other soldiers.
Quietly, we go up a second set of stone stairs to the west, to an open stone doorway.
"Be wary – another Fade rift," Solas spots with what I like to call our elf vision; we have a better vision than humans and the other races.
"How many rifts are there?" Varric complains.
"We must seal it if we are to get past!" Solas reasons.
"I agree, the quicker we seal it the quicker we can get this whole mess over with," I exclaim flipping my blades with the flick of my wrist, eager for battle.
"Quickly, then!" Cassandra declares and we run into battle.
Quickly, we approach the doorway, armed as a meteor hits a running soldier and throws his body down the stairs. Evelyn grimaces from the sight.
"Come on!" I shout at the startled human horrified by my calm composure over the singular death.
"But-"
She reaches out for the soldier.
"If you don't seal this rift more lives will be lost than that single soldier!" I argue silencing her as we rush into battle. Swiftly, I swipe at a lava demon which cools thanks to Solas' ice magic. Suddenly, Evelyn dives forward, passing the rift to aid a familiar blonde in battle as he tries to defend the wounded soldier with his blade, only for a demon try to attack him from his blind side, Templar fool! I scowl, recognising the familiar fighting style, as Evelyn saves the blonde by setting the demon ablaze, ending its life and making it return to the fade.
Evelyn pov:
That poor soldier, no, I have to fight but…
"If you don't seal that rift more lives will be lost than that single soldier!" Fennic reminds me making me wince at her harsh but true ice cold words, as cold as the harsh climate in this freezing terrain and here I thought the tower back home was cold.
"Die demon!" The loud voice startles me as my forest green eyes blink and narrow at the figure in the distance, fighting sword in hand defending the wounded soldier as multiple shades try to kill the blonde, but he holds his own very well. However, my eye widen when he doesn't spot the shade incoming, a blind spot. No! Quickly, I dive in ignoring the shocked shouts of Fennic and Cassandra for dodging the rift. Easily, I feel the tingling sensation of magic flowing from my gloved right hand to my staff setting the beast ablaze, the cry makes the blonde notice the demon and impale the beast with his blade, ending its life.
As soon as I see the two are stable and no demons are heading there way I rush back to the rift, raising my hand feeling the familiar burning sensation leave me and instead seal the rift, it didn't hurt a much as last time, I guess this means I'm adjusting, good.
The male approaches us and immediately…
Oh my god…
He's…
He's…
Oh my gosh!
Giddily, I smile as I feel a wave of emotion as the handsome male approaches, his majestic blood red lion coat, his jelled back blonde hair and his cute warm brown eyes… oh my gosh, no- focus Evelyn focus…
That lip scar!
Fennec pov:
Staggering, Evelyn steps forward, raising her hand to the rift and swiftly sealing it.
"There are scattered bones in the area around the rift. I counted at least 20 skulls," Evelyn pants, looking sorrowful at those already fallen from perhaps before all this or the explosion itself.
"Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this," Solas compliments her.
"I guess," Evelyn looks down nervous not used to praise from her sheepish expression.
"You should be lucky, baldy here doesn't usually compliment someone without a backhanded compliment to it," I smirk at Solas' scowl. "Baldy now? You're creativity, when it comes to nicknames is very… unique," Solas retorts as I smirk and turn to Evelyn. "As demonstrated," I gesture to the frowning Solas smirking.
"Let's hope it works on the big one," Varric sighs hopeful.
"Lady Cassandra, you managed to close the rift? Well done," Cullen approaches; I blink still not used to Cullen looking more appealing to the eye compared to before with his…hair. Urgh, I scowl at the horrid hairstyle he wore and his reckless attitude towards mages back at Kirkwall.
"Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the prisoner's doing," Cassandra glances at Evelyn who merely stares back at the blonde entranced, most likely making me snicker. Bashfully, Cullen looks away as Varric and I smirk at the shy pair.
"Really? Ah love at first sight," I tease clapping my gauntlets releasing a loud silver steel clang as both of them snap out of their daze.
"I…um…"
"Fennic!" Cullen acknowledges me frowning as I sigh at the fool.
"Now, now Templar no need for such glares," I tease him as he looks away grumbling, his warm sun kissed skin is slightly red matching Evelyn's as I roll my eyes at the hopeless couple, oh brother.
"Ah young love," Solas teases in a low tone making me snicker in agreement with the apostate.
"Is it? I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here," Cullen coughs awkwardly smiling at the girl who avoids his gaze playing with a strand of hair, a nervous habit I suppose. Cullen smiles at the girl, admiring her I presume.
"You too can get to know each other later don't know about you but that breach should be closed," I step forward breaking the giddy atmosphere and awkwardness between the pair, jeez and I thought my brother and Hawke were bad…
"Ah romance like this makes the story even better," Varric adds making me snicker. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try my best," Evelyn answers sheepishly playing with her sleeves shyly, a blush evident on her tanned cheeks.
"That's all we can ask. The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana will try to meet you there." Cullen informs us.
"Then we'd best move quickly. Give us time, Commander," Cassandra asks Cullen. "Maker watch over you even to those that do not believe – for all our sakes," Cullen glances at me making me huff as he helps an injured soldier hobble away. Quietly, Evelyn looks back at the commander aiding his fellow soldier, staring as the others move forward but I go back to the girl fantasying already.
"You can write your made up love stories later about the Templar and mage when we're sealing that breach," I whisper lowly as she freezes from my word, her face a ruby red.
"I-I wasn't staring," she denies, embarrassment shown on her blushing face. "Sure and I'm not an elf," I mutter as the girl jogs over to the others. Steadily, I join Varric's side with the apostate close by.
"Denial?" Varric asks.
"Denial," I confirm causing a grin to form on Varric's face. "This day gets more and more interesting, a love story in the heat of battle, doesn't this bring back memories Fox," Varric grins. "I suppose," I chuckle and we continue on our way to the breach…
"The Temple of Sacred Ashes," Solas exclaims, his voice hoarse in a hushed whisper as I sigh at the remains, that once held the chance of peace or so people believed.
"What's left of it," Varric mutters.
"That is where you walked out the Fade and our soldiers found you. They said a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was," Cassandra informs her. I turn to Evelyn only to see her horrified expression as the stench of burned flesh and the scent of iron, I follow the shaky gaze of Evelynn spotting a bunch of burned (or still burning) corpses and scattered bones. I counted at least 30 burned corpses, 30 skulls among the scattered bones, plus one relatively intact Templar corpse. There's also a whole section of the temple ruins no doubt, holding more corpses or remains of what once were people.
"Evelynn," I whisper my voice firm and cold as she turns to me, her body quaking from the petrified corpses as she merely stares, into my stone cold orbs and nod. Wincing, she gulps down her horror, sorrow and disgust, her trembling expression changing to one of courage, as we enter the temple there are at least 2 burning corpses hidden inside.
"The breach is a long way up," Varric points out.
"You don't say," I grumble glaring at the breach high in the sky, how are we going to get up there?
Calmly, Leliana approaches from behind with some soldiers. "You're here! Thank the Maker," Leliana smiles relieved to see us in one piece. "Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple," Cassandra orders Leliana who nods and walks away to give directions.
"This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?" Cassandra questions the quiet Evelyn, still staring at those lost, masked in an expression of confidence but her quivering watery eyes show sorrow.
"I'm not sure how to even start getting up to that thing." Leliana accompanies us as we trudge up some strong stone steps and take the path that circles down to the breach. Frowning, I ignore the ice cold slap of ice causing my body to shiver as we get closer. Suddenly, my ears perk up at the echoes from the Fade, the sound bouncing around.
"Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice," Frowning, my eyes narrow at the familiar husky deep voice.
"Varric does that voice…sound familiar?" I ask Varric his brow furrowed as well. "Yeah," Varric uneasy eyes meet my own as we continue forward, closer to the breach.
"What are we hearing?" Cassandra questions as my brow remains furrowed.
I swear I've heard that voice before…
"At a guess. The person who created the Breach," Solas reasons.
Where have I heard that voice before?
Suddenly, my thoughts vanish when my ice blue eyes stumble across a familiar blood red crystal around, oh no. Worried, I glance at Varric who stares at the stuff in utter disgust, not that I can blame him for what he went through, thanks to that stupid idol.
"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker," Varric bitterly remarks at the cursed substance as Varric and I make sure to keep distance from the horrid stuff.
"I see it, Varric," Cassandra sighs noting Varric's uncomfortable demeanour from the lyrium.
"But what it's doing here?" Varric hisses paranoid. I spot his panicked expression he tries to hide by his joking demeanour. "Varric," I whisper concerned for my friend who merely shakes his head, not wanting to push the subject.
"Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupted it…" Solas explains.
"Look, I don't care about where it came from right now. It's evil. Whatever you do don't touch it trust us on that," I grumble gesturing to Varric and I who grimly nods.
Suddenly, my ears perk up at the wave of a echoes bouncing against the tall cliffs, looming over us as the breach becomes bigger voices of the past echoes out from the rift.
"Keep the sacrifice still."
"Someone help me!"
"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" Cassandra gasps in shock of the divine's voice but my brow remains furrowed. I swear I have heard that voice before, I turn to Varric but his paranoid eyes remain eyeing the ruby red lyrium and monsters spewing out of the rift, not that I can blame him. Finally, we reach the end of the path and go down some stone stairs into the ruins, then jumps down some stones into the pit.
Frowning, I eye the perimeter for any demons in sight only to see at least 11 skulls among the bones scattered in the pit with the rift. We approach the rift and the mark on the Evelyn's hand flares.
"Ah!" Evelyn hisses in agony standing barley as she cradles her flaring hand. Silently, I glance at the girl hissing in pain, but no tears are shed and no falling into the snow, this is a good sign I suppose. That's when we hear another wave of past echoes form the rift, great.
"Someone help me!"
"What's going on here?" Surprised, I raise a brow at the play before us, a replay of the past events as the door silently opens to reveal a confused and surprised, Evelyn stumbling across the tragic scene, huh now that is what I call genuine bad luck.
"That was your voice. Most Holy called out to you. But…" Cassandra frons both puzzled and angered as her sharpened gaze turns to the confused and lost looking Evelyn.
Suddenly, there is a flash of white light; then ghostly images appear. Helplessly, Divine Justinia is floating while being held in place by red energy wrapped around her arms. A large dark figure with glowing red eyes looms over her. Confused, Evelyn's ghost enters the room.
Shocked, my eyes widen at the familiars demonic figure… no. It-it can't be, we killed him! He's dead, gone, destroyed! We made sure of that! Hawke made sure of that! Horrified, I glance at Varric whose shocked expression remains glued to the scene playing before us.
Evelyn pov:
"What's going on here?"
Silently, I watch as my past self enters the room, I remember… I… I left my staff at the meeting and Lydia told me to go fetch it before the meeting truly begins… if I hadn't gone to get it… if I had not been so airheaded, if I hadn't been so stupid!
"Run while you can! Warn them!" I remember her loud proud voice and yet I just stood there, terrified, scared, confused. Bitterly, I recall the sense of weakens as my legs were struck down by the lightning bolt of fear, imprisoning me, trapping me on the spot.
"We have an intruder. Kill her now."
Shivering, I look away as I feel a familiar wave of dread, fear and horror hit me from the demon, a demon I have never seen or heard of in the fade, this…this thing isn't human nor is he a demon. What is he? There is another flash of white light and the ghostly images disappear.
"You were there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she…? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?" Cassandra growls stomping over me as I take a step back, feeling a tsunami of dread and fear from her killer glare and blade out, eager for blood.
"I don't remember!" I cry my voice loud, terrified and breaking as I feel the guilt of it all. All this, everyone is my dead because of me if I hadn't if-
"ENOUGH!" Fennic's shout stops Cassandra's blade, her deadly glare surprises Cassandra who steps down.
"Look at her; does she look like she knows? I have seen many shedding crocodile tears those are not! Put down your blade now," Fennic's calm and firm voice surprises us as we blink staring at the silently fuming woman who storms on ahead, her eyes clouded by other thoughts unknown.
I hope she's okay…