"Well now I know how Corypheus survived…" Dryly, I remark exhaling as I slide down the golden gleaming shut doors, narrowly missing the fiery flames bursting from the roaring dangerous dragon that had swooped down upon its masters call after bursting from the dead body of a warden. Calmly, Solas offers his hand out to me which I take as he helps me up.
"At last Mythal's sanctum let us proceed before Corypheus interferes…" Mystically, Morrigan tells us.
"You said Corypheus wanted an Eluvian which is right?" Sternly, Cassandra demands from her.
"I am…uncertain on what she referred to." Honestly, she questions awkwardly.
"Could they be the same? Could Eluvian translate to well of sorrows?" Eve offers trying to prompt her.
"No it would seem an Eluvian is not the prize Corypheus seeks…yes I was wrong does that please you!?" Annoyed, Morrigan huffs when seeing Eve cross her arms frowning, looking annoyed.
"What would please me is you doing your job." Sternly, I huff shaking my head.
"Whatever the well of sorrows might be. Corypheus seeks it and thus you must keep it from his grasp." Curtly, Morrigan tells us.
"Let's find this well before Corypheus people do." Tiredly, Eve slacks her shoulders uncrossing her arms to place them on her lips as she turns her back to us as we follow after her continuing to look around…
"There's an altar." Surprised, Eve whispers approaching it.
"And everything was perfectly serene until they disturbed the ancient altar." Teasingly, Dorian recites.
"Could you not? I'm terrified as it is but still, this is where the Sulevin Blade was lost." Quietly, Eve whispers in awe of the blade.
"Lost or misused? There is a reason it was never reclaimed." Solas remarks making me raise a brow but sigh shaking my head now isn't the time to question it.
"There is a reason for the word double edged sword." I exclaim as Eve takes the sword, handing it over to Cass to use.
"It would appear the temple's magics are still strong…" Softly, Morrigan whispers as we watch Morrigan and Eve step forward, the panel beneath their feet, lighting up a familiar light blue glow showing off some sort of pattern.
"Is this elven? Does it say anything about this well of sorrows?" Curious, Eve questions leaning forward towards the statue as my eyes narrow at the inscription.
"Atish'all Vir Abelasan it means "Enter the path of the Well of Sorrows." I translate earning a few raised brows.
"How do you know that?" Cass questions me.
"I had a good teacher." Simply, I shrug pointing to Solas smirking while Morrigan scowls at him.
"There is something about knowledge respectful but pure shiven…shivennen tis all I can translate…the fact that it mentions the well is a good omen." Morrigan mutters.
"It's a start." Optimistically, Eve smiles as we step back, watching her complete the ritual puzzles or attempt to as we make our way through the temple.
"Supplicants of Mythal may have followed this, perhaps if we do we will be aided in entering," Morrigan offers suggesting the idea as Eve bows her head in agreement to Morrigan's advice.
"Deal with them!" Angrily, Samson commands his creatures of red as they reveal themselves, archers lining up on either end as they fire only then for me and Dorian to dart away from the others as we attack from a distance.
"Fen you don't mind…" Dorian begins in a low tone making me sigh as I aim, firing my arrows at the monsters approaching.
"Go ahead." I mutter as Dorian places his hand on my arm, immediately firing out icy blue lights, freezing the enemies and shattering them. I dive forward, easily finishing off the rest as the battle ends only for Samson to dive into a hole of some sort and escape.
"Hold a moment while they rush ahead this leads to our true destination, we should walk the petitioner's 2path as before…" Morrigan advises Eve.
"In this case I must agree with the witch this is ancient ground deserving of our respect." Bitterly, Solas remarks making me arch a brow.
"You see the urgency we cannot find the well of sorrows unprepared!" Sternly, Morrigan reasons.
"You're very eager to reach the well…" Warily, I point out my brow furrowed as I cross my arms.
"Are we not all eager to stop Corypheus and his mad plan?" Frustrated, she glowers at me only making me arch a brow at the annoyed tone.
"Come on guys we need to find that well first…" Peacefully, Eve tries to be the peacemaker despite the dodgy undertones of Morrigan who simply points forward as reluctantly, we follow her inside, exploring further the dark depths of the temple.
"Legends walked Thedas once. Tales of might and wonder there passing has left us all the lesser. Corypheus would squander the ancient power of the well. I would have it restored." Earnestly, Morrigan confesses to Eve surprising her.
"I wasn't expecting your answer to be so romantic; it's rather refreshing even." Softly, she smiles praising the woman, hiding a soft ruby red tint to her features.
"Trust me your surprise is only matched by my own. Mankind blunders through the world, crushing what it does not understand. Elves, dragons, magic the list is endless. We must stem the tide or be left with nothing more than the mundane. This I know to be true. I read more in the first chamber than I revealed. It said a great boon is given to those that use the well of sorrows but at a terrible price…" Grimly, Morrigan confesses to Eve, her eyes tempering at Morrigan's words glancing behind her, her browns softening when finding a clear example of Morrigan's words, Fen.
Calmly, Fen stares at the parrot perched on her shoulder, confusing her but amazing Dorian as Solas watches on smiling softly at the strange sight while Cass alongside Dorian, stares at the creatures on Fen's arm, curiosity etched into both their features.
"So…. what is this price you may have to pay?" Warily, Eve question concern laced in her tone as Morrigan answers with uncertainty, mentioning duty and such as the group continue on with their exploration of the temple….Eve's brow furrowed, her voice echoing Morrigan's word of the sacrifice, of the price paid for the well…
"The sweet sacrifice of duty."
"You said this Mythal was worshipped as a goddess…" Humming, Eve hums out loud as she reaches out to pet one of the birds by my side, only for it to flinch and fly away.
"So one assumes. What is a god but a being of immense power? The dread old gods were nothing more than dragons. After all, they rise as Archdemons and they die. Perhaps Mythal was a powerful elf, a ruler among her kind. History often plays storyteller with facts…" Mystically, Morrigan begins.
"Why do they like you?" Jealous, Eve whines as I shrug not sure what to say as the birds seem to gravitate around me.
"You admit lack of knowledge and yet dismiss her so readily?" Frowning, Solas remarks as I note the annoyance etched into his irritated tone.
"I do not dismiss her. I question her supposed divinity. One need not be a god to have value. Truthfully, I am uncertain Mythal was even a single entity. The accounts are varied." Morrigan defends herself calmly.
"What accounts?" Curious, Eve enquires fascinated.
"In most stories Mythal rights wrongs while exercising motherly kindness. Let fly your voice to Mythal, deliverer of justice protector of the sun and earth alike. Others paint her as dark, vengeful, pray to Mythal and she would smite your enemies, leaving them in agony." Morrigan answers.
"More Dalish tales I assume." Bitterly, Solas remarks.
"Do you know more Solas?" Fascinated, Eve enquires.
"The oldest accounts say Mythal was both of these and neither. She was the mother, protective and fierce. That is all I will say. This is not a place to stir up old stories." Coolly, Solas explains looking out at the ruins of the temple.
"Whatever the truth all accounts of Mythal ends the same exiled to the beyond with her brethren." Snippily, Morrigan ends.
"What do you mean exiled?" Lost, I frown, never having really heard much of eleven lore. It was more mocked than considered back there.
"Tricked by the dread wolf as all the elven gods were said to be, trapped in a land beyond the fade. Many Dalish believe this is why the elves fell from grace and their gods did not save them. Or perhaps they were simply rulers slain by Tevinter, who can say?" Morrigan answers.
"Hey what's this?" Curious, I whisper as we continue exploring, my eyes widening at the strange green door like wall with some sort of shaped person on it, noting familiar ones littered all of them, are they meant to be portraits or something…? Looks like a mural of some kind.
"Falon'Din overseer of funerals and guide to the elven dead. I have heard the Dalish invoke him on their deathbed or before quests from which they think they will not return." Morrigan tells me.
"Huh that explains that then…" Lowly, I mutter to myself.
"Explains what?" Eve asks me.
"Well…remember that elven camp I told you about." I bring up.
"Yeah…" Eve nods.
"A lot of them kept shouting that name as they charged at me…I never understood why." I explain to them my brow furrowed. I never did ask Merill due to her well, her current emotional state at the time and also the fear of me asking would make her erupt into tears and back then I wanted nothing to do with her, I didn't want to deal with her in fact I wanted her dead but nooo Hawke wanted to keep the blood mage, despite how uncomfortable she made me and my brother back then.
"I do not believe they sing songs about Falon'Din's vanity." Cynically, Solas remarks.
"What do you mean?" Eve wonders.
"It is said Falon'Din's appetite for adulation was so great, he began wars to amass more worshippers. The blood of those who wouldn't bow low filled lakes as wide as oceans. Mythal rallied the gods, once the shadow of Falon'Din's hunger stretched across her own people. It was almost too late. Falon'Din's only surrendered when his brethren bloodied him in his own temple." Grimly, Solas concludes his tale.
"Well that's a story you can tell the kids…" Wryly, I remark.
"That was bloody for them to kill a god though…" Shuddering, Eve winces.
"One does not lightly kill a god, inquisitor. Even in legend." Sternly, Solas tells her as we continue our exploration of the place.
"Whose she then?" Eve wonders as we look up at the feminine mural.
"I believe we are in the presence of the elven goddess Andruil, lady of the hunt." Morrigan recognises.
"Or a goddess of sacrifice according to some," Solas adds in.
"Truly? I wonder if that is why Andruil's patron animal is a hare. Tis said the Dalish invoke her name before a chase. Especially when they are hunting humans." Morrigan acknowledges.
"Why would this be here?" Confused, Morrigan furrows her brow staring up at the odd statue of some wolf as I easily translate the slab showing the codex…
"The Dalish use "Harellan" to mean "traitor to one's kin," but the word does not appear in any elven text before the Towers Age. The ancient root-word is related to "harillen," or opposition, and "hellathen," or noble struggle. The Dalish call Fen'Harel a god of deception, but I posit a far more accurate translation would be "god of rebellion."
"Something wrong?" Curious, Eve's voice snaps me out as I finish the report and turn to listen to the group.
"It depicts the dread wolf Fen'Harel…." Morrigan begins staring at the stone statue of some wolf.
"Fen'Harel…Merill mentioned him before some trickster god, right?" Grumbling, I scowl at the annoying name.
"You know him?" Surprised, Dorian raises a brow.
"Sort of Merill wouldn't stop calling out his name if she was scared or got hurt it was irritating. I was almost tempted to teach her real curses until Isabella and Hawke stopped me." Grumpily, I huff kicking some dirt aside at the annoying memory but still that mabari story was hilarious to think this self-proclaimed god getting destroyed by some mabari, heh…a god my ass.
"You're kidding…" Dorian smirks amused.
"I wish each time I heard that name I was tempted to drown myself." Annoyed, I groan cradling my temple.
"So, who was this Fen'Harel?" Fascinated, Eve enquires.
"In elven tales he tricks their gods into sealing themselves away in the beyond for all time. Setting Fen'Harel in Mythal's greatest sanctum is as Blasphemous as painting Andraste naked in the chantry." Baffled, Morrigan compares as I stare up at the statue not sure what to think.
"Some chantries display statues of Andraste's betrayer Maferath as part of the chant…" Thoughtfully, Eve points out as I lean against the balcony ledge, my ears hearing the faint flutter of feathers and chirps either side of me.
"It might fulfil a similar function. A reminder of vigilance for the faithful." Morrigan considers as I watch the nerds well nerd out.
"For all your "knowledge" lady Morrigan you cannot resist giving legend the weight of history. The wise do not mistake one for the other." Cryptically, Solas advises her.
"Pray tell what meaning does our elven "expert" sense lurking behind this?" Smarmily, Solas sneers.
"None we can discern by staring at it…" Solas huffs.
"Um guys…?" Nervously, Eve squeaks out noting the growing tension between them.
"Perhaps we don't know enough. For all we know the two of them could have been friends or lovers, Fen'Harel must have bene someone important for Mythal to put his statue in the temple…or she just has a thing for wolves I don't know. But maybe we can have our supposed experts stop bickering like children and focus on the job at hand…" Annoyed, I push myself off the balcony, scowling at the two turning to me, surprise in their features from my idea.
"And you were so close to sounding intelligent…" Sneakily, Dorian teases.
"Sorry to disappoint you then vint but we have enough nerds in the back. Now if you will excuse me I'm going on ahead the children can stay in the back." Annoyed, I deadpan as I head off leaving the feuding couple as we continue on our exploration of the ruins….
"Tis not what I expected. What were these chambers used for?"
"Seems we're about to find out…" Slyly, I remark as we enter, my ears perking up at the click of the door shutting as I glance behind me, my blues narrowed, my hands darting to my blades, when noting the numerous men in similar gear to the one that fell before Corypheus, armed and ready to fight.
"Venavis…you are unlike the other invaders. You bear the mark of magic, which is familiar, but you also have a companion bearing a mockery of what once was our powerful magic…how was this come to past? What is your connection to those who disturbed our slumber?" Irritated, the leader demands from us as I scowl at his sharp glare directed at me.
"We apologise for disturbing your slumber, those that are causing havoc are not our men, we are simply here to stop a mad man from causing further harm to the world. My name is Eve Trevelyan if I may ask, what is yours?" Politely, Eve bows to them.
"I am called Abelas. We are sentinels tasked with standing against those who trespass on sacred ground. We wake only to fight, to preserve this place, our numbers diminish with each invasion. I know what you seek like all who have come before, you wish to drink from the Vir'Abelasan." The leader informs us.
"The place of the way of sorrows he speaks of the well!" Panicked, Morrigan hisses to Eve in a low tone.
"It is not for you it is not for any of you." Strictly, Abelas tells us.
"So you're elves from ancient times? Before the Tevinter imperium destroyed Arlathan?" Eve enquires.
"The shemlen did not destroy Arlathan? We Elvhen warded upon ourselves. By the time the doors of this sanctuary closed, our time was over." Professionally, he says to us.
"Wait…that's not right. What are you saying?" Lost, Dorian asks.
"You would not know truth. Shemlen history is as short as the poor of your years." Scoffing, Abelas sneers.
"Maybe if you could enlighten us then so we could tell the truth and allow the elves outside to learn the truth of their origin." Calmly, I offer.
"Your people cannot handle the truth!" Stoically, he affirms.
"I'm sorry…your people?" Narrow eyed, I raise a brow at his phrasing.
"The elves above are not our people." Aghast, Abelas states making me scowl at the sheer balls of the idiot.
"What did the imperium do then? Are you saying it wasn't a war?" Fascinated, Dorian queries.
"The "war" of Carrion feasting upon a corpse yes. We awaken only when called and each time find the world more foreign then before." Abelas informs Dorian.
"What do you expect?" Scoffing, I exhale shaking my head stepping back briefly.
"Excuse me?" Scowling, Abelas challenges me, glaring down at me which I happily return back.
"What do you expect from the elves they lost EVERYTHING. They are desperate to reclaim their homeland, their origin, their identity while others search for knowledge outside such simple means. They go through means that should never be bargained; they sacrifice things no one should sacrifice. People have died to discover you people when in fact all along you were alive and well and could have told them the truth. You speak of duty, you act as if you are noble, you act as if you have a duty but in fact all I see are cowards hiding behind petty reasons then to explore the unknown." Fuming, I shake my head disgusted by those that I may share blood with.
"Our duty is to this temple, to the Vir'Abelasan. It is meaningless. We endure." Stoically, Abelas recites.
"You endure? You think its just you!? Endure what? Meaningless battles? Your brothers and sisters dying meaningless battles when in fact you could be going out there with the knowledge you have with the numbers that you can preserve to share your knowledge with the people and help them rebuild their own identity perhaps even make a better society than Arlathan…" Sternly, I explain to them trying to see the issue with this never ending cycle of death.
"Nothing will ever be better than Arlathan!" Firmly, he declares.
"How do you know that!?" Annoyed, I demand from him.
"It was perfect the way it was." Defensively, he snaps.
"What right do you have to say that when you yourself have no experience of a world outside it? Just like what right have you to complain of this supposed foreign world when you yourself and your people can change that, rebuild, mould, adapt this world for the elves above to recover, reinvent and evolve!" Repulsed, I explain the facts to them, feeling my blood bubble, boiling at the nerve of these selfish people.
"Please just listen to us we don't seek to fight we just need the well for the power within, in order to stop a madman, a Tevinter magister that has wrecked this world for far too long. I have seen the future he brings, and I wish that future on no one." Earnestly, Eve confesses to Abelas.
"It is not power. Not such as you could use, even if I permitted it." Abelas exclaims.
"What is the well then?" Intrigued, Eve questions.
"It is a path only one who has toiled with Mythal's favour…" Abelas responds.
"He speaks of Priest's perhaps…" Morrigan translates.
"More than that you need not know." Curtly, Abelas answers.
"Solas perhaps he'll talk to you…" Desperate, Eve offers.
"What shall I say inquisitor? Shall I sway him from a millennium of servitude by virtue of our shared bloodline. He clings to all that remains of his world because he lacks the power to restore it." Bitterly, Solas bows his head almost understanding them making me scoff rolling my eyes.
"How selfish…Cowards," Disgusted, I shake my head at the nerve of this supposed noble warriors.
"Selfish you call that selfishness?" Insulted, Solas frowns at me.
"I do and I call you a idiot if you are actually siding with this bastard." Bluntly, I deadpan to the idiot.
"How can you say that? These people have lost so much!" Offended, Solas turns on me.
"And what of those elves above Solas? Haven't they lost enough?" Scowling, I turn to face him.
"They do not understand what they lost." Simply, he answers making me glare at the close-minded buffoon, acting all high and mighty when he's just as regular as the next elf.
"That's because they believe there too no longer be people around that can show them the truth but low and behold look at this, sentinels having been around for centuries even. They knew of their fallen empire of their fallen kin falling into servitude and did nothing for them. They simply stood by and watched as their brothers and sisters fell into servitude or into a life with no identity, no origin, nothing but scraps that could easily be lies form back then due to times twisting the truth. These people speak of their numbers dwindling of them enduring, but they have endured NOTHING compared to those above that have sacrificed, so much for the truths they have slept with…" Seething, I roar at the fools, my voice echoing as a heavy slick silence enters the air.
"And if the elves will not accept the truth?" Snippily, Solas remarks making me seethe at him.
"Solas do not let one bad event delude yourself into becoming as selfish as they are, holding back information from those seeking their identity. They have as much right as the sentinel! I have met so many people who have done so much wrong for this supposed truth that you have no idea how many lives have been ruined for this truth, you have been keeping secret. I mean…I'm a bi product of this lust for knowledge!" Fuming, I explain to the fools, noting a few of the men lower their bows from my words, some bowing their heads looking ashamed grief stricken ashamed by their cowardice.
"You brought that upon yourself." Snippily, he remarks as I feel my eye twitch noting Dorian gawking at Abelas.
"Upon myself!? Upon myself!? Do you call being a slave something I choose or being restrained as a rusted dagger is carved into my flesh as lyrium is poured into my open veins!? You had a choice, you speak of duty of being protectors for your people, surely then with the duty towards your people you would think it best they learn the truth and regain their identity that surely is your duty!" Angrily, I snarl at Abelas flinching back from my ice-cold words, filled with the burning flames of rage.
"…Listen to me please. We have not time to fight you nor steal. We simply wish to stop Corypheus from achieving his goal." Coolly, Eve voices out breaking the harsh glare down between myself and Abelas who slowly turns to Eve, head down contemplating my words almost.
"I believe you. Trespassers you are but you have followed the rite of petition. You have shown respect to Mythal. If these others are enemies of yours, we will aid you in destroying them. When this is done you shall be permitted to depart and never return…" Icily, Abelas sets the rules.
"This is our goal is it not? There is no reason to fight these sentinels…" Gently, Solas reasons to Eve, her brow furrowed as she looks ahead, arms crossed.
"Consider carefully, we must stop Corypheus yes but you may also need the well for your own." Lowly, Morrigan whispers to Eve as she glances at me only to see my still silence, honestly uncaring for either side, these elves are not my brothers or sisters they are nothing but cowardly empty shells of a self-proclaimed great empire…they are nothing but disgusted cowards that turned their back on their own people all for the line of duty, all for the line of their pride…
*So...how do you think Solas feels about Fennic being in the temple? Or her words towards Abelas and the other ancient elves?*