"So," said Aaron as he stood before the Iron Bull, the Bull's Chargers and a few other Inquisition members beside them. "There we were, me and the now King Alistair, back to back with an army of Darkspawn making their way up to us and the sounds of Maric's men dying alongside our Grey Warden superiors below. And then BANG!" A few of the mercenaries present jumped as he slammed the pommel of Starfang into the wooden pillar beside him. "The wall comes crashing down behind us, crushing a few Genlocks who were advancing on our flank as a massive dragon crashed through the wall. Of course, we weren't left unscathed." Aaron turned around and showed a scar on the back of his head. "A piece of rubble slammed into the back of my head, knocking me out cold. I was out for a day as I healed, Alistair being left in the company of my Mabari War Hound, Arishok…"

"You named your dog Arishok," exclaimed Iron Bull with a massive grin.

"Yes. Now don't interrupt or I'll shave off your horns, Lummox." The Chargers laughed as Bull hid his horns at the threat. "Left with Arishok and our savior, the infamous Witch of the Wilds, Flemeth, and her daughter, my reluctant friend, Morrigan. It's a wonder Alistair managed to live without me acting as mediator between the two of them for a whole day." Aaron took a sip of his ale before sighing. "Flemeth strong armed her own daughter into joining us on our desperate quest. Something Alistair was keen to point out as often as he wished. And I'm standing there thinking: 'This bastard is going to end up getting me killed before we can even face the Darkspawn again with his badgering!' I was then hit from behind as Alistair avoided a fireball aimed straight at his arse!" A roar of laughter filled the tavern. "It's not funny! I don't know if any of you have been on the wrong side of a fireball but getting hit on your backside is not the pleasant!"

"I can attest to that," said Krem, Iron Bull's second in command. "Dalish."

"I've only stuck you with an arrow by accident once," exclaimed the 'backup archer', making the other members of the Chargers laugh.

"I thought you had fighters on your team, Bull," exclaimed Aaron. "Not bakers! Seems someone is great at making Krem Brule!" Iron Bull snorted out his ale, having taken a swig as Aaron said his joke.

"Hah," exclaimed the Qunari. "Krem Brule! I've been meaning to make that joke! Damn Warden beat me to it!"

"Nice to see you're not the only butt of the joke, Chief," asked Krem, making Bull mockingly clutch at his heart as if he'd been struck by an arrow. "Back to the story, Warden!"

"Well, after berating those two for acting like children," said Aaron as he got over his own laughter. "We made our way to the nearest town, Lothering. Almost immediately, we found ourselves harassed by highwaymen, they recognized the griffin insignias on our armor and thought to make a few pieces of gold by trying to kill us. Made quick work of those cowards. Killed all but one who ran off with a trail of piss marking his exit. Though when you're staring down the bloody blades of two Wardens, a magic wielding bitch and a hungry Mabari, lesser men do tend to piss themselves, don't they?"

"Here, here," exclaimed Bull with a laugh.

"After that, we made some coin to hopefully spend a night in the inn, only to see it was full up and we'd need to make camp for the night. Then we were confronted by some of Loghain's men. By now, we were exhausted from fighting bandits, rabid animals and running around without pause. We were barely going to be able to defend ourselves with these few men, and if they had reinforcements outside, forget it. We were done. Luckily, we had ourselves another savior. Though, thankfully, this one not a big scaly beast. No, she was much scarier."

"Aaron," exclaimed Leliana from the entrance to the tavern. The Warden Commander grinned and gestured to her with delight.

"And there she is! The woman I owe my life to and who's saved my arse on countless occasions. Your Spymaster, Leliana!" Aaron maneuvered past the warriors and to her before picking her up. Leliana exclaimed in surprise before being pulled in for a kiss, hoots and hollers sounding throughout the tavern as the two kissed and the Bard wrapped her arms around the noble's neck.

"Sod it all," exclaimed Rocky. "There goes my chance."

"Face it, Rocky," said Iron Bull. "You never had a chance to begin with!" Aaron set Leliana down who was now blushing like mad and moved her hood to hide it as the warriors of the Inquisition raised their pints to the two.

"She's embarrassed," said a soft voice from the stairs. "Mind racing, and emotions flaring. She wants to hide. Hide away in the darkest corner of Skyhold, no, the Deep Roads, and stay there forever." Aaron looked up and saw a young man with pale hair and paler skin and tilted his head.

"Hello there," he said. "And you are?"

"That's Cole," said Iron Bull. "He normally sticks to himself upstairs. Doesn't normally come down here."

"I wanted to hear the story," said Cole.

"Well, pleasure to meet you, Fadewalker!"

"Fadewalker," asked Bull.

"He's a spirit, isn't he? One who's taken physical form?"

"You can tell that," asked Leliana. Aaron nodded and turned to her to answer before Cole spoke up.

"He's from the Fade too," said the spirit of compassion. "Though, he wasn't there for long. He came back. Back to his love. Back to you, Miss Nightingale." Aaron smiled and nodded before jabbing a thumb in Cole's direction.

"What he said," quipped Aaron with a grin. Leliana smiled and placed a hand on his cheek.

"I'm glad you came back," she said.

"How glad?"

"That's better left in private, Aaron." The Warden smiled as she winked at him and the people in the tavern catcalled.

"Good to see you down here, Ma'am," said Bull as he raised his tankard.

"Bull. Keeping your company under control?"

"As much as I can."

"Good to hear." She turned to Aaron. "Bethany was looking for you."

"Oh grand. My keeper awaits." Leliana giggled before leading him out of the tavern. The Bard turned to him with a suspicious look.

"So. Tell me about your second in command."

"Bethany is a capable mage. Calm under pressure, no doubt from being put into similar situations as we had to face in the Blight because of her brother, and has become increasingly skilled in wielding her magic in the field thanks to her Darkspawn hunts."

"You sound so stiff speaking like that. Almost like you're hiding something." Aaron sighed.

"You know, I sometimes hate how well you can read me."

"You don't become proficient at the Game without reading people, Aaron. Now talk." Aaron paused and turned to her.

"Fine. In the last few months, Bethany and I have gotten close. Not as close as we are, of course. But through the loss of our team, getting ambushed by Darkspawn after the fact and her healing me after said ambush, it's been trying not to admire her somewhat. She's stronger than she seems to be. I guess in a way, she reminded me of you. Seeming so fragile and in need of defending, but stronger than I could ever hope to be."

"Do you like her?"

"In what way?"

"Like you like me." Aaron stared at her in disbelief.

"My heart belongs only to you."

"Even now, after so many years apart and so many changes?"

"It may have been years for you but for me it has only been months." He placed his hand on her cheek. "And to me, you haven't changed."

"You've only seen me when I am kind. After Marjolaine, when you convinced me to kill her to stop being a threat, I did change." She brushed his hand off of her cheek and turned to look out over the parapets where they ended up. "And when I lost you, that change started deepening like the Blight. I'm no longer that young naïve Bard chosen by the Maker, now I am the Nightingale, Spymaster of the Inquisition. Left Hand of the Divine."

"Bard of Orlais. Slayer of Gaxkang. Chosen of Andraste. But the most important title, to me at least…" He pulled her from the parapet and wrapped his arm around her waist as she placed her hands gently on his chest. "Keeper of my heart." Leliana chuckled before moving her arms around his neck.

"And I thought I was supposed to have a way with words."

"I did learn from the best." Leliana giggled before pulling him in for a kiss. Their intimate moment was cut short, however, by someone clearing their throat. They looked up and spotted Bethany nearby, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry to interrupt you," she said. "But my brother wants a word." Aaron sighed.

"Grand…" He gave Leliana one last kiss before following after his subordinate. Leliana smiled and walked away, leaving the two Wardens alone. Bethany glanced at him.

"I've never seen you this happy, Commander."

"You've only known me for a few short months. You don't know me all that well."

"No. But I've seen you be stoic even when in a fight. You're never one to show your emotions on your sleeves. Except with her… and sometimes me…"

"You're easy to talk to."

"That's my baby sister after all," said a voice nearby. "It's the Hawke charm." They turned and saw a man in black armor with a furred collar. He had red markings on his face and short black hair, a shield and sword on his back.

"You call it charm," said Bethany. "I call it being a counselor."

"You must be the infamous Sebastian Hawke," said Aaron. "Champion of Kirkwall."

"And you're Aaron Cousland. Returned Hero of Fereldan," said Sebastian.

"And suddenly I feel small," quipped Bethany.

"Well," muttered Aaron. Bethany grunted and stomped on his foot before exclaiming as the armored appendage hurt her.

"Bloody…!"

"I don't know why you keep doing that when you know I have armor on."

"Because by now it's habit and one of these days, you won't have those damn boots on."

"But until then, you can keep limping on one foot."

"Arse…" She turned to her brother who had an amused look on his face. "What are you grinning about?"

"Nothing. Just nice seeing my baby sister with so much energy. It's a far contrast from how you were before the Deep Roads."

"Well, hiding who I was for so long had a lot to do with that."

"Best thing about the Wardens," said Aaron. "You get to be yourself. So. What does the Champion want with me?"

"Well, there's the matter of the mage you had the Inquisition lock up in their cells."

"Ah yes. Bethany told me of your relationship with Anders. If you're going to try and get me to release him. The answer is no. You may have spared his wretched life, but I won't. I may be a Warden, but I was born and raised a Cousland. We don't stand by and let a guilty man go free, or an innocent man rot. He destroyed the Kirkwall Chantry and murdered everyone inside."

"He wasn't in the right mind!"

"If you're going to blame this on that Justice Spirit, don't. I had a friend back during the Blight. Wynne. She was host to a Spirit herself. A Spirit of Faith. Spirits do not fully possess the humans they inhabit. They have a symbiotic connection rather than a parasitic one. They rely on each other to form a connection. Spirits enhance the very thing that connects them to the human they've chosen to inhabit for the short time they are bonded. Wynne explained this to me in detail. Justice enhanced Anders' own anger. Even without the Spirit in him, Anders more than likely would've done what he did given the same situation. He is guilty!" Sebastian Hawke glared at the man who saved the world. Their showdown was interrupted as the Inquisitor walked over to them.

"Am I interrupting a bravado contest," she asked.

"No," said Hawke. "Just a clashing of ideals."

"You were," said Aaron. "Some people don't respond to anything but that." He turned to her. "Did you need something, Inquisitor?"

"I want you to come with me and my team to Crestwood, Warden Cousland," said the Inquisitor.

"You're bringing him," exclaimed Hawke.

"Why me," asked Aaron. "Has the Predator been spotted?"

"We don't know. One of our scouts just suggested you tag along. They won't say anything more." Aaron nodded.

"If the Predator is there, I'll need my own team to tag along."

"I'll get Anders," said Bethany, ignoring the look her brother gave her.

"Fine," said Lavellan. "We leave in thirty." Aaron nodded before leaving to get his traveling gear.

Half a week later, the Inquisitor, Warden, and their teams arrived in Crestwood and learned it was plagued by the living dead. As they traveled along the coast, Aaron looked out at the glowing light beneath the lake. "Never seen one of these rifts before. Hardly any in the Imperium lands."

"What I'm interested in is this invisible monster the Inquisitor told me about," said the female Mage the Inquisitor had journey with them. Vivienne, if he remembered correctly. "By all accounts and purposes, what your describing sounds like it could be done with magic."

"I've never heard of magic doing something like turn something completely invisible," said Blackwall. "Is such a thing possible?"

"In theory," said Aaron. "Maybe not truly invisible, but a trick to alter the mind to see something other than what you actually are."

"Such a thing is only possible with Blood Magic, my dear," said Vivienne.

"It's all just weird Fade-y shit to me," muttered Sera.

"What this thing can do is different from conventional magic, from what we've gathered," said Aaron. "It seems like it's affecting light like a prism."

"Whazzat?"

"A crystal." Aaron paused and pulled out a crystal from his pocket before holding up to the sun. "See how the light changes color on the ground where the crystal's shadow should be?"

"What, like a rainbow, yeah?"

"Same thing. A prism shifts light along the colors we can see, making a rainbow. This thing seems to be able to mimic that trait, just without the rainbow effect. To my knowledge magic can't do that."

"Well we've seen magic distort time," said the Inquisitor. "Maybe it can."

"That was a direct result of the overwhelming energy from the Fade, Dear," said Vivienne. "Under normal circumstances, it's still quite impossible."

"Maybe Dorian has more insight behind it," said Blackwall. Aaron paused as the others walked on and stared out at the lake for a moment as he tried getting a better look at the rift in the water before noticing something odd.

"Oi," he exclaimed. "Anyone else see that?!"

"Whazzat," asked Sera. "What are you talking about, Creepy?"

"Blackwall, you got a spyglass?" The fake Warden reached into his pack and handed it to the Warden Commander. He turned it to the lake and looked at the surface carefully.

"What do you see," asked the Inquisitor.

"It looks like there's something in the water disrupting the waves, just slightly. But I can't quite make it out."

"Well, we'll be getting there soon enough," said Vivienne. "The Inquisitor needs to close the rift to stop the undead and the only way to do that is to drain the lake." Aaron frowned before taking Sera's bow and an arrow from her.

"Hey," exclaimed the archer.

"Sorry," muttered Aaron before releasing the arrow after handing the spyglass to the Inquisitor. "Watch that arrow and mark where it lands from here." Lavellan kept the spyglass trained on the arrow and blinked as it broke in midair, a slight shimmer rippling in the air.

"There is something there," she exclaimed. "The arrow hit something and broke apart in what looked like midair before something shone from where it impacted."

"It must've been about a hundred feet off the ground," said Blackwall.

"It's like the Predator," said Aaron. "Is this what your scouts saw, Inquisitor?"

"I suppose," said Lavellan. "Scout Harding was very vague."

"Let's get down there and investigate then. Lead the way, Inquisitor." Aaron turned to Bethany and Anders. "Hawke. Anders. Be ready to use that new spell we talked about."

"You talked about," said Anders. "I was forced to listen and memorize."

"And whose fault is that, murderer? There were a hundred different ways you could've ensured Circle freedom peacefully and you chose none of them."

"It was the only way to get our message out there!"

"Our message was already out there," said Bethany. "And out of respect for Wynne, King Alistair went with Aaron's suggestion of speaking with the Chantry to start a provisional term of independence for the Ferelden Circle."

"Oh yes, because that worked out swimmingly!"

"That was the fault of the nobles and fearful Templars like Cullen," said Aaron. "In the end, people in power do not like sharing it. Nobles are the power under the king and over the commonfolk. Templars are the power under the Maker and over the Chantry and mages. You should at least be given a chance to understand your magic, not fear it. The fear of using your magic feeds the Demons and draws more negative emotions to assimilate with the spirits. It's why mages mainly succumb to the Demons of Rage, Envy, and Pride. Lust primarily focuses on the Templars and warriors who suppress their urges, Sloth to those who hid away letting others do the work."

"You know nothing!"

"I saw it! At the Circle during the Blight! Abominations from those who resisted, a Desire Demon possessing a Templar, mostly I saw Rage Demons given full manifest in that disaster! One Sloth and three Envy Demons and one Desire! And unlike you, I spent time in the Fade. My memory is hazy at best about there, but at least I can identify what drew the demons there in the first place. The Circle system needed to be reworked, but the Chantry would rather use their charity money to build more lavish cathedrals and feed the purses of their more beneficial backers. Which is why when Justice possessed you, you turned him into a Demon. Your anger twisted the calm sense of Justice and impartiality into blind Vengeance!" Anders blanched as he saw the angry glare sent to him by the Warden Commander before him.

"Cousland," shouted Lavellan. "I think that's enough!" Aaron grunted before moving ahead.

"He doesn't like violence," said Bethany as she led Anders after their Commander as she passed the Inquisitor. Soon they reached a split in the road. One path led to Crestwood proper the other led to the dam.

"It'll be faster if we split up."

"Agreed," said Aaron. "You want the town or the dam?"

"I need information. We'll go to the town."

"Then we're going to the dam. We won't drain until you get there. Chance of getting swarmed when we do. I'd rather have more than two people backing me up."

"Nice to know I'm appreciated," quipped Bethany.

"Quiet, you." He turned to the elf. "We'll secure the dam and wait for you to arrive. If there is any opposition there, we'll keep an eye until you arrive." Lavellan nodded before leading her team to the town. Bethany turned to her Commander.

"We're not going to the dam are we?"

"No. I spotted a boat on the edge of the lake. We're taking it out to whatever is lying in the middle of it and investigating."

"You sure it'll be safe to use?"

"Won't know until we get there." The Wardens navigated over to the shoreline, keeping an eye on the lake in case it started spewing undead at them. Anders shook his head slightly, drawing Aaron's attention.

"There is another spirit down there. Justice feels her. She's angry. A Command Spirit."

"And no doubt angry she cannot command the physical plain to do her bidding like she can the Fade. Best we deal with her quickly once the lake is drained. They made their way to the boat and Aaron investigated it. "Seems intact. But won't know for sure until we get her to the drink. Anders. Help me push. Hawke. Watch our backs."

"Sir," said Bethany as she watched the path they took to the boat and another path leading to where the initial campsite was. Aaron and Anders pushed the boat to the water and the Commander nodded as he saw it floating.

"Seems sturdy enough." He climbed in and nodded when it held his weight. "Alright you two. Get in. Bethany, hand me that plank so I can use it as a paddle."

"In front of Anders? Shameless, Commander."

"Can you please not flirt with him," asked Anders. "It's sickening."

"Behave," said Aaron as he took the plank from the younger mage. "Both of you." He gave Bethany a look and she simply smirked before climbing in herself. The Warden Commander paddled them out to the middle of the lake and right alongside where the arrow lay in the water. Aaron looked around as he brought the boat to a halt. "You two hear that?" Bethany strained her ears as she listened.

"All I hear is the rain," she said.

"Same here," said Anders. "Wait. What is that sound?"

"A humming sound," asked Aaron. Anders nodded. "Good. I'm not going insane." Aaron looked up at the clouds and could barely make out a shape in the air being formed by the rain. He looked down and blinked. "Bloody hell… How in the world did we miss that?" Bethany and Anders looked down and saw nothing until Bethany noticed the difference between the water beneath the boat and the water in front of them. Beneath the boat and behind them, it was rocky and being pelted with rain. In front of them, it was like no storm raged overhead. "Anders. Shoot a fireball in front of us if you please."

"Why?"

"Just do it. I want to see something." Anders sighed and aimed his staff before sending out a fireball. They watched as it spread out at the very spot above where the water stilled. A shimmering light expanded where the spell impacted and spread all the way up to where the rain seemed to stop. "Whatever this thing is, it's massive." Aaron grabbed hold of Starfang and aimed it at the space where the fireball hit.

"Are you sure that's a good thing to do?"

"Probably not. But I know at least one of you will heal me if I get hurt." Aaron thrust his sword forward and grunted as he was thrown backwards in the boat, Starfang clattering beside him as the blue light shimmered once more. Aaron shook his head and looked at the space as the other two Wardens stared at him. "Any questions about whether this is magic now?"

"Now spell can repel physical attacks like that," said Anders. "Even with Blood Magic. What the hell is this?"

"We'll know soon enough. Come on. We've got to secure the dam."

"May not be possible alone." He pointed to the dam as he observed it from their perspective. "I see the dam is connected to that keep. I also notice several torches lit inside. Crestwood doesn't have a standing military presence in the area."

"So either, we're dealing with bandits," said Bethany. "Or some of Corypheus' forces are occupying the keep."

"Either way, three Wardens alone would be suicide."

"Then we meet back up with the Inquisitor and plan a strike against whoever is there before going in," said Aaron. "Then we'll meet whoever your brother's friend is, Hawke."

"Knowing Sebastian, I can't tell if they will be a good friend or not," said Bethany.

"Well, considering the company he kept in Kirkwall…"

"I get the feeling that was directed at me," said Anders. Aaron paddled them back, keeping an eye on the odd section of the lake that didn't even seem affected by the eerie glow of the Rift below. They made their way back to the town and met up with Lavellan and her team as she exited the mayor's home.

"The keep connected to the dam…"

"Home to bandits," said the Inquisitor.

"Instead of going straight there, we investigated the thing in the lake. Whatever it is, I think it's linked to the Predator somehow. And I highly doubt magic can do what it did just now." Aaron shook out his hand from where the… warding is the only thing he could think to label it, knocked him on his ass. "No magical barrier can just reflect physical attacks, no matter what focus you use."

"You hit it," asked Blackwall.

"No. I stabbed it. Hitting it probably would've seen my arm broken."

"Before we do anything else," said Lavellan. "We should focus on draining the lake. Then we can close the Rift and investigate whatever is there all in one go before we search for Hawke's friend."

"So. Frontal assault, anyone? Blackwall?"

"Just two Wardens against an entire regiment of bandits," asked Blackwall. "What could go wrong?"

"Oi," said Bethany. "You two aren't charging in all alone. I'll be going to. I don't like my odds working out the Commander's plan on the Predator without him to think things through. I'm not good at tactics."

"You'll need additional support," said Lavellan. "I'll call in Varric. He'll join you three in your assault."

"And me," asked Anders. "I notice I was left out of the plan."

"You're hanging back," said Aaron. "I'm sure the Iron Bull and Cole can keep an eye on you."

"I'll be right back," said the Inquisitor. "Anders, come with me." Aaron exchanged a look with Bethany, and she nodded before followed after them.

"Where's she going," asked Sera.

"We don't exactly trust Anders not to run at the first chance he gets," said Aaron. "Seems the be the only thing he's committed to sticking with. Running from the Circle, justified though it was, running from the Wardens, running from justice for what happened in Kirkwall. All he ever does is run. I just found a way to stop him."

"What, the weird Elfy tattoos on his face?"

"Valaslin, yes."

"Which reminds me," said Vivienne. "Where in the world did you learn such a… wicked use of the Elven Blood Writing."

"The Fade. That's all I have to say about that."

"Very cryptic, aren't we?"

"It's not that I don't trust you with the truth. Ok, I don't. but that is beside the point. I just don't converse cleanly with stuck up bitches." Sera snorted slightly as Vivienne scowled at the Warden and the archer.

"Sounds like you speak from experience," said Blackwall.

"On more than one occasion, yes." Aaron took his flask out and took a swig before offering it to the old soldier.

"Much obliged." Blackwall took a swig before coughing.

"Stronger than you thought, yeah?" Aaron took back his flask.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

"Hirol's Lava Burst. The Dwarves do love their drink strong."

"Bloody hell," exclaimed Sera as she caught a whiff of the brew. "You drink that?!"

"It's an acquired taste," called Varric as he followed Lavellan back with Bethany and the Seeker, Cassandra.

"Care for some, Storyteller," asked Aaron.

"No thank you." Varric chuckled. "Unlike my bearded brethren, I much prefer surface food and drink." Aaron shrugged before putting his flask away.

"Are we ready then?"

"I hope so," said Bethany. "Otherwise I should send my brother my will before we die."

"None of that, Hawke." He turned to Lavellan who nodded and led the way to the keep.

Overlooking the team of adventurers from a rooftop, a figure focused in on the male in heavy silver armor. Cousland. The Yautja Hunter looked at the keep they were making their way to and tilted its head before making its way to the old fortress himself.

Aaron paused as they exited the town and looked around. "Commander," asked Bethany. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I heard something."

"What?"

"Clicking." Bethany kept an eye to the rooftops as Aaron kept his gaze to the ground, habits taken when discovering corpses strung up to dizzying heights in Orlais.

"You think it's here?"

"I'm not sure. But it is a major possibility. The scouts told me I might take an interest in this area. I had assumed the lake was the reason but now…"

"You two coming or what," exclaimed Sera as she turned to the two Wardens.

"Keep your britches on! Or take them off, I think the Inquisitor would prefer the later!" Sera snorted as Lavellan tried to hide her blush from a smirking Dorian.

"He's got you pegged, doesn't he," asked the Tevinter.

"Shut up," said Lavellan.

"Hey, Creepy," said Sera. "This thing your hunting. What's it look like?"

"You think we've gotten a good look? All we know is that it stands on two legs, looks invisible, hunts for sport, and eats meat."

"So it's like any other bastard in the world? That narrows it down at least."

"One would think," said Bethany. "But the fact remains, this Predator is dangerous."

"Why are you hunting it, again," asked Dorian.

"Someone has to," said Aaron. "Otherwise, it'll just keep killing. Bad and good people alike."

"Though, the Commander has theorized it wants mages in particular," said Bethany.

"Why us," asked Dorian. "Doesn't it have its own magic?"

"It's not magic it uses," said Aaron. "And the more you mages claim otherwise doesn't make it so. Especially after we found that thing in the lake."

"Something in the lake?"

"We're not sure what it is," said Bethany. "But it repelled physical attacks in an instant. Know of any spell in the Imperium that can do that?"

"…Not to my knowledge. But one can never be too certain of that. Plots and ambitions and all that."

"Doesn't matter how often one thinks it up," said Aaron. "Magic can't properly deflect from physical attacks. At most it only dulls the damage from such attacks."

"You say this as if it can be anything else," said Cassandra. "What else if not magic?"

"We'll know after we kill the damn thing."

"I'm surprised you still want to kill it."

"This thing killed my men. Any commander would want their killers brought to justice." They paused as they heard screaming beyond the entrance to the keep. The screaming stopped as the door they were about to breach imploded towards them, a corpse strewn about the splinters with an odd weapon embedded in its chest. Aaron turned to where the body came from and saw two glowing yellow eyes shine against a shimmer of light. "Oh fuck…" Bethany turned to the door and gasped as she saw the figure as well before it bolted around the corner.

"Commander," she said.

"Don't let it get away!"

"Cousland, wait," shouted Lavellan as the Wardens gave chase to their prey. Aaron paused as he saw the slaughter around them. The bandits they'd been coming to kill were already dead. Stabbed, burned through, impaled on sconces, beheaded, strung up. It was like a torturer's playground. A roar echoed in the halls and Aaron looked around, trying to find its source.

"Aah," shouted a voice. "Help me!"

"Up the stairs," said Bethany. The Wardens rushed up the stairs and saw the bandit leader entangled in a net and struggling to get out. The Inquisitor's team joined them and watched as the net seemed to tighten in on the man.

"AAH!"

"Hold still!" Aaron pulled out a Silverite dagger and attempted to cut the net only for the dagger to break cleanly in half. Before anything more could be done to try and free the highwayman, a large spear appeared from nowhere and impaled into his throat. Aaron turned around and spotted the shimmer he'd seen before standing on a parapet at the other end of the keep. The others turned to where his gaze was and saw the humanoid shape of shifting light as it stared at them. It roared before jumping down, a blue bolt shooting from where it's shoulder was to take out a few torches by shattering them, throwing the group into darkness.

"Where is it," asked Blackwall as he brought up his shield alongside Cassandra.

"Just be ready," said the Seeker. "It's just as blind as we are!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," said Aaron. "We know this thing is intelligent. It wouldn't take out a source of light unless it had an advantage we didn't know about." Aaron looked around before a slight hum was heard, similar to the hum he heard from the object in the lake. Aaron swung his sword with a grunt and moments later, glowing green blood covered the edge of his blade before a roar sounded through the keep, forcing the team to cover their ears and Aaron to drop his sword. He grunted as he felt something impact with his chest and knock him into a wall. He looked up and saw the same blue light he'd seen when something impacted with the object in the lake appear over the humanoid figure in front of him as Bethany and Vivienne lit a few torches to light up the room. When they turned to the Hero of Ferelden, they saw a figure as tall as a Qunari in front of him. It had greenish brown skin and wore a strange metal armor that didn't cover all of its body. It's helmet was more of a mask, covering the front of its face only and leaving the back of the head exposed showing its hair in thick strands.

"What the hell is that thing," asked Dorian. The Predator roared and flicked its wrist, showing two long blades jutting from its gauntlet as it faced Aaron.

"Commander," shouted Bethany before she fired a lightning bolt into the hunter's back. It roared in pain before rounding on them. Vivienne tried to hurl her own spell, only for one of the Predator's pauldrons to shoot up before aiming at her and firing on the staff right as she started to cast. Her spell was canceled, and her staff exploded in her hand, turning it into a splatter of blood on the ground. Vivienne looked at her stump of a hand before shouting out in pain and surprise and falling to the ground. Blackwall and Cassandra tried to engage the hulking figure before the Seeker was knocked aside and Blackwall found both his sword and shield sliced through as the hunter blocked his strike and countered with its own. The false Warden stared up before he was kicked away and beside the now dead bandit. Sera and the Inquisitor aimed their bows at the Predator before it tapped on its gauntlet and turned invisible again before once more shooting out the torches that had been lit.

They released their arrows where it had been, and Aaron ducked as he heard the whistling projectiles impact beside his head. They looked around, trying to spot anything they could aim at before they were both knocked aside, and something was heard climbing the walls beside them to the roof above. Aaron turned to where Vivienne had collapsed and looked at Bethany. "Do what you can," he commanded before picking up Starfang and going to find some way up to the roof. "Seeker, with me!" Cassandra glanced at Vivienne before following after the Warden Commander. They managed to find a ladder and maneuver it to help them to the roof before climbing up. As they looked around, Aaron's eyes focused on something he hadn't been expecting. "Maker…" Cassandra turned to him before seeing a sight even magic couldn't begin to do. A giant metal construct the size of a horse seemed to fly in the air in front of them before disappearing as it turned and started flying away.

"That… that's not possible," exclaimed the Seeker.

"And yet it happened… I do not know what the Predator is, or where it came from, I just know it is powerful and capable of… terrifying things."

As it flew away in its vessel, the Yautja growled as he felt the stinging pain in his back. The human, Cousland, had managed to injure him while he couldn't see. And now because of that distraction, he had left behind his combi-stick. It would seem this human was more interesting than he had originally thought and would need to be studied more, along with these Psionic humans they called mages. It would seem more than one had unique talents. He was about to return to his ship when he registered something. Another ship was in the area, just below him. With a growl, he veered his craft to investigate it.