"Please tell me that wasn't who I think it was!" Sera whimpers, fingertips tugging harshly on her blonde locks.
"Sera…" I begin concerned for the scared girl.
"And please say that was her! It was her right?" Hopeful, Sera begs referring to Justina, no doubt, her head and thoughts all muddled up thanks to both the divines spirit aiding us in the fade and seeing that horrible projection.
"We have survived in the fade physically perhaps she has as well or it is a sprit that identifies strongly with Justina that it believes it is her then how do we say it's not?" Solas reasons to her, trying to remain collected but I notice his tightened iron grip around his staff.
"It's nothing like me. I make people forget to help them, it eats their fears I- I don't know if I can do that b-but I don't. I don't want to that's not me. I just…Fen understands…" Cole whispers.
"Peace Cole none of us mistake you for the nightmare. I understand greatly your wish to find Fennic but we must remain calm as she would in this situation…" Solas assures him.
"This is the same Fen we're talking about?" Bull frowns.
"Yeah…the same…" Dorian begins.
It is, Fennic is strong, she knows what's she doing," Solas affirms them.
He's right, Fennic has been in worse situations…as you've seen…" Hawke huffs.
"You knew?" I question.
"Yeah….she…they both don't like talking about it while Fenris speaks freely of it. Fennic doesn't, I think she's ashamed of it," Hawke sighs.
"Understandable," Solas nods sadly.
"But it wasn't her fault!" I begin.
"But she was young…so young," Cole whispers as Dorian grimaces turning away pained, no doubt.
"That sick bastard!" Bull growl, enraged.
"Mother fucker, when I get my hands on that guy he…!" Sera curses angered, kicking the floor beneath her furious.
"He's dead. But still, you think that will help, saying sorry? Fennic thinks differently from you Inquisitor, she hated her old self, called her weak and is ashamed of her old self…Fennic sees her as strong, independent, not weak," Hawke sighs.
"But even the strongest have to break sometimes," Solemnly, Solas reasons.
"Not Fennic, she refuses to show such weakness even to her father, she won't. Pitying her will only make her push you guys away and make her even more angry, please you must understand," Hawke reasons as I turn away, conflicted.
"I…"
Loudly, the harsh slam of rock breaking echoes as the horrific screech of two pride demons startles the group as the vapours ad green smog of the fade disperses destroying the memory as the spirit of wisdom turns. Their eyes widening as they back away, bracing themselves as they take cover from the large screech and wail of the ride demons as they are tossed over to the group, hitting several stone pillars and spirals on the way as the others panic at the sight of the groaning demons.
"No, no, no thee two big!" Sera panics, freaking out over the humongous bodies of the ride demons, pacing over the idea of fighting the mighty, tall and huge beasts.
"Vasta Kaffas! That's a big one!" Dorian gasps.
"It feeds off fear, be careful!" Hawke exclaims, only for her to falter when hearing their faint whimpers echoing in the desolate fade as through the dark, heavy thick fog of green, a familiar bright neon blue glows through the heavy fog, a reassuring blue bringing a slight smirk of relief to mine and Hawke's features at the lone small elf standing proudly on top of the pride demon she had rode in on, like it was a horse rushing into battle.
"Fennic!" Relieved, we rush over to the panting mess, neon blue shining through the eerie green veil as said girl turns to us as we stare in shock at the two dead pride demons…
"Did you…take out two pride demons…alone?" Stroud questions in shock.
"Maybe…" Fennic shrugs innocently.
"She did…" Wisdom confirms.
"Ah you must be the spirit that helped us…apologies about what Merrill did," Hawke apologises.
"It is fine, Fennic had explained to me how the girl barely knew anything of magic and as she called her, a believer of bullshit," The spirt of wisdom speaks earning a few raised brows but Fennic waves them off.
"You're okay!" Relieved, I chuckle as Cole rushes over to hug the frowning girl who pushes him off.
"Cole, I told you, no touchie!" She hisses at the smiling boy ignoring her to hug her as she desperately tries to push him back.
"Come on let's get out of here," Fennic huffs as I nod, briefly turning to smile when I note the relief in Solas' eyes silently watching as Hawke rushes over to her.
"How's the fade treating you Fennic?" Teasingly, Hawke greets the girl.
"Well you know same old same old, demons, fears and green shit," Fen curses making Bull chuckles.
"Hey Hawke, doesn't this bring back memories? Fennic teases.
"Oh how could I forget? My closet friends showed such loyalty in the face of a demon's temptation," Hawke remarks bitterly.
"Hey I didn't, Smugly, Fennic argues.
"That's only cause you were barley listening, you were too busy freaking out," Hawke points out cheekily.
"Hey you try having a hangover, barely hearing whatever you lot are doing and next thing you know you're in some dream…" Fennic grumbles as she turns to frown at the wisdom spirit.
"That girl….that was Fennic, horrified, I feel my blood boil dismayed at the poor girl only then to turn to icy cold at the disturbing fact that she looked about eight at most and her first memory was…Maker. Disturbed, I feel a familiar watery substance take form, to think her entire life she…she…
"What…what's with this silence? I swear to whatever is out there spill it!" Fennic demands scowling at the group before her, there features unreadable, some simply staring in silence, others looking guilty, disturbed but most of all…Fennic's eyes narrow at the familiar look in their eyes…pity.
"You…you were a slave…" Shakily, Dorian steps forward as shock and horror crosses Fennic's features only then to turn to utter rage as she turns to glower at Hawke.
"I didn't tell them…your spirit friend did…" Hawke gestures to the spirit looming over them.
"What!?" She barks shocked.
"They all asked the same question and so I answered…" The spirit responds calmly.
"I swear to…for fuck sake…" Pained, grimacing, Fennic curses, her tone breaking as she cradles her temple, trying to get some sense of the situation and most likely control.
"Fen I'm so-"
"Don't. Don't you fucking dare look at me like that!" Terrified I release a shocked gasp as she seethes at me, grabbing me by the collar startling a few as I whimper back, fearful of her killer glare.
"We don't have time for tears Eve focus on the mission…" Strictly, she tells me making me flinch back frightened.
"But…" I begin hoping to talk about this unveil.
"Enough!" Startled, I take a step back from the strict stern voice of Fennic, genuinely scaring me as she drops me to the ground turning her back to me and the others…
"Let's go…" Coldly, she orders.
"But…" Weakly, and shakily, I stand up reaching out for her only to see her go on ahead, hearing the heavy sigh of Hawke.
"This isn't going to end well…"
Fen Pov:
They know, they know, they fucking know, enraged, I feel my blood boil, seething, spewing out flames as I try to hold in my temper, leading the way, ignoring the looks. I can't look at them, I don't need their pity, I don't need any of this, I don't need anyone, I'm strong, I don't. I don't…shocked, my eyes widen when seeing familiar bloodied mages from women to children, staffs raised as they attack along with some fog warriors, blades raised making me grimace.
"Spiders!" Eve winces as I roll my eyes at the girl and continue on my onslaught until defeating them all, briefly, we take a break, smirking at our win as I briefly turn to glance at the group, well behind me but my ears perk up at the conversation taking place.
"Guess this nightmare shit wasn't hot shit after all," Bull smirks victorious, smug over his victory.
"These are just minor servants of the nightmare," Solas reminds him.
"Just let me have this moment to hope, alright?" Bull grumbles.
"What are they?" Stroud questions curious staring down and prodding the little child before me, making me blink turning away finding it…disturbing.
"Those were little fears spawns of the nightmare," Solas explains.
"And of course they would be spiders," Hawke grumbles disdain in her tone.
"You're scared of spiders too? But you're Hawke!" Eve gasps genuine shock in her tone.
"Yes, we all have our fear," Hawke dismisses.
"I can't believe this," Eve smiles relieved to see she isn't the only one suffering.
"Why can't you? She's human one that this is the same girl who defeated the Arishock while having a fear of spiders to a point of which she would burst into my room late at night, screaming at me to get rid of the spider," I complain, grumbling at the memory of one time, her waling in on me and one of my…play dates.
"Hey it wasn't always you," Hawk pouts as I recall my annoyed brother taking my duty and role once he moved in with Hawke and I returned to the mansion, alone with my wine and shattered glass.
"Right you had the Mabari…" I remember.
"The same Mabari that would always cuddle with you," Hawke pouts jealousy in her tone, remembering her over enthusiasm towards the animal, scaring the dog sometimes when Hawke would pounce on him and hug him, pleading for the Mabari to in her own words, "LOVE ME!" It became worse when Fenris left.
"Hey animals love me, deal with it," Simply, I shrug .
"Wait…so you're telling me you met the Divine?" I question frowning concerned at the danger that may lay waiting, especially with such a naive girl in a foreign place like this.
"Apparently," Stroud mutters.
"And the reason for your anchor was Corypheus orb not the maker," I summarise.
"It would seem so…" Eve sighs sadly.
"Wow you really did believe the maker gave it to you didn't you?" I frown, baffled.
"It gave me hope Fen," Eve argues.
"How does it feel now then? That warm hope of yours," I scoff.
"Painful, tightening…" Cole whispers, answering for her.
"That is disappointing, something I tend to avoid…" I proclaim.
"You avoid by having no hope in others," She scowls.
"I didn't get this far without that lesson in mind," I respond calmly.
"I…I don't know…" Indignant, Eve turns away.
"Look we don't have time for your mid life crisis, all this does is prove that the maker may not be real and you shouldn't even rely on some guy to be the reason for your mark. Shit happens deal with it. You can believe what you want but don't let this belief control you or else you will simply continue to wallow in your disappointment…" I state the fact clear as day.
"That...was surprisingly deep," Bull notes surprise evident in his tone.
"Are you not mad or disappointed about the origin of the mark?" Eve furrows her brow.
"Not really cause I don't believe in such stupidity, I know those who believed in it and you don't have to tell them but if they become disappointed by the answer, it's their fault for believing so intently about this origin. If they get sad and hissy fitty, they should deal with it themselves, neither our problem nor issue," I explain.
"What do you think happened?" Eve wonders.
"It just happened, simple as that," Easily, I shrug silencing the quiet mage, only for my eyes to narrow when spotting a graveyard. Curious we approach the tombs, my eyes widening to find our names inscribed into it, frowning, I approach mine to the far side, distanced, far from the others. Slowly, my eyes widen and my blood turn icy cold at the description of the grave of my name and the fear…
Vulnerability…
"Huh I thought it would be commitment," Dryly, Solas notes as I scowl at him then glancing at the others looking disturbed at their gravestones.
"I thought it would be being trapped," Lightly, I whisper, my brow furrowing at my gravestone and shakily standing, raising a brow to find Solas' stone reading dying alone. Gently, I look up, my frowning blues meeting his lonely lilac greys as he turns away and so do I, releasing a shaky breathe and standing up, noting Bull's fear being madness, Sera's being nothing, Cole's is despair and Dorian's temptation , each one of us not wishing to discuss our fears as I frown, glancing to the side, my eyes softening to see Hawke's…
Fear of losing a beloved one…
Pained, I open my mouth to offer some sort of comfort or some advice only to be silenced, understanding her pain.
"Didn't see those spiders, would have taken those bloodied spiders!" Sera changes topic, shaking as my ears perk up at the sound of footsteps, making us turn to the mob of…dead children, staff in hands others with blades, briefly, I turn to grimace hearing….
"You're fault..."
"You gave us false hope…"
"We died because of you…"
Softly, I feel a hand on my gauntlet, making me blink and look up at the silent stoic Solas, looking down at me as I scowl, tearing my hand from his grasp and getting out my blades once more, feeling and hearing the faint hum of my marks, feeling the faint boiling of my blood, burning through my searing skin as I dart towards the mob.
"I would much prefer spiders…" I confess ominously, blades aimed as we fight on…