Note: Still with Team Elissa! Warning for mild torture ahead.
Elissa crouched before the temple, her back pressed against a pillar. The ruins were already bringing back memories, and she let out a breath. The familiar glyphs glimmered, and the gurgling channels extended deep into the passages. However, this time smothering Corruption did not press upon her, nor was she filled with hesitation, so she could at least be thankful for that. She hoped it would not end with similar tragedy.
A hand touched her shoulder, and she glanced to Bethany. The mage gave a nod, her eyes flicking to the two men guarding the gates. They carried ebony staffs, and a seal blazed behind them, preventing entry. Their hoods were also marked with a strange insignia; one Elissa had not seen before.
She turned to the opposite pillar, where Alistair was hiding. He caught her eye, his jaw tense. Elissa swallowed, tapping her fingers against her thigh. They had been sitting in the shadows for a while, and it was all she could do to hold her patience. It was not so much the guards that were the problem than the seal. It could only be removed by the apostate who'd cast it, and she had left to collect another victim a while ago. And there was no sign she would return anytime soon.
Just what were they guarding so closely?
Finally, steps echoed from the caves. Bethany held a hand to her mouth. Elissa followed her gaze, biting her lip. The apostate had returned, and a woman in chains walked alongside her. She wore tattered armour, had long, dark hair, and her movements were rigid. Clearly, she was under some kind of thrall.
They reached the entrance, and the apostate called out.
"Glory to Andraste, the true Mother reborn!" she cried.
"And may her return bring chaos to our enemies," replied a guard, crossing his arm over his chest. "You have brought another test subject?"
"Yes," the woman said. "A warrior, more durable than the others. She should suit our needs."
"Good," the guard said. "Megara has also sent word. She has found the True One, and once we find success, we are to return to her immediately."
"Then let us be swift," the woman answered. "I will take this one to the Chamber of Light, and we will begin."
She took her prisoner's arm, then reached for the seal, undoing the spell. It vanished, and she led her charge into the temple. The guards remained, and once she was well within the ruins, they raised their staffs.
Elissa whistled, bolting into the open. The guards turned, snarling and priming their magic. The charge made Elissa's hair stand on end, but she held her ground as Bethany summoned a force spell. The guards cried out, pinned to the ground, their bones crunching under the strain. Then Alistair emerged, and he knocked them unconscious.
Bethany let the spell dissipate, catching her breath. Alistair and Elissa dragged the pair behind the pillars, removing their staffs. They tied them against the rocks, before they regrouped by the gate.
"I don't like the sound of what they're planning," Bethany said. "That poor soldier."
"And I thought those Sacred Ashes fanatics were a few pinecones short of a fir tree," Alistair grumbled. "Why do these crazies always take our beloved prophet's name in vain?"
"Don't remind me," Elissa said, pushing thoughts of that near-disaster away. "But let's find out."
She took the lead into the passage. A chill ran through her, and she kept her dagger loose. The Corruption might have disappeared, but something just as foreboding had taken its place, and she did not want to be caught by surprise. Even her Shard was on edge, and she resisted the temptation to hold her hand over it.
The corridor ahead remained blocked, but the adjacent rooms were clear. Elissa made for the left side, mirroring the path they had previously taken. Torches filled the brackets on the walls, but even their warmth could not banish the frosty atmosphere. The tiles crunched beneath their boots, and Elissa slowed, not wanting to alert eyes she could not see.
A second doorway appeared, heralding a stairwell. Elissa ignored it, keeping to the main route, when Bethany grabbed her wrist.
"Wait." The mage nodded to the stairs. "There's something weird down there."
Elissa raised a brow. "Like what?"
"It's just a feeling," Bethany said, "but I think we should check it out."
Shrugging, Elissa turned and headed down the steps. The damp made her cough, and splashes of cold dripped onto her shoulders. They were probably below one of the water channels.
As they descended, a shiver ran through her Shard.
"Something's definitely down here," she said, tensing.
"Even I can feel it," Alistair admitted, drawing his sword. "Be on your guard."
Elissa pulled her dagger free, venturing down the last of the steps. Their footfalls echoed, until they reached another chamber. Elissa licked her lips, looking around. The ceiling was low, and abandoned barrels littered the floor. Then her gaze fell to the corner, and her heart almost sprang out of her chest.
Six women stood motionless in the darkness, but their breathing betrayed the illusion. Their clothes were ragged, and some sported wounds as well. More discerningly, they were all dark-haired, and all held the same empty, unfocused stare.
"Maker's breath," Alistair whispered. "Are…Are they…"
Elissa approached, her stomach knotted. The women looked right through her, completely oblivious. Swallowing, Elissa touched the first woman's hand, but received no response.
"What have they done to them?" Bethany pressed close to Elissa, her face pale. "It's like they've been made Tranquil, only worse. But none of them are mages!"
A flash from the dark future crept into Elissa's thoughts, and she shuddered. Had this been how Leliana had met such a fate?
Not that that's ever going to happen…
Wary, Bethany raised her hand, a healing spell at her fingertips. However, when she neared the first woman, the light vanished. The mage gasped.
"I don't think we can do anything for them," Elissa said, biting back the bile in her throat. This was worse than she'd feared.
"Maybe not, but we can stop this madness," Alistair growled. "We need to get to that Chamber of Light before they take their next victim!"
He ran back up the steps, Elissa and Bethany in tow. At the top, Elissa grabbed his arm.
"They still don't know we're here," she said. "We need to take them by surprise."
Alistair clenched his teeth. "Right, of course."
At a more controlled pace, they crept to the last room. Just beyond stood the balcony that overlooked the chamber, but another ward had been cast. Still, it did nothing to block the voices, and Elissa peered between the railings. Bethany focused on the barrier, trying to unravel it.
"Let me go!" barked the soldier, her accent Orlesian. She was chained to the wall, her arms spread painfully behind her. Elissa winced, reminded of her own ordeal in the Haven dungeon. It stirred her Shard, and she swallowed. Now was not the time to get lost in the past.
"Oh, such a temper!" the apostate woman chuckled. She lowered her hood, revealing her sandy-blonde locks. Nine other cultists gathered around, forming a semi-circle. "That rage is exactly what we have been missing."
"You are all out of your minds!" the soldier spat. "Release me, and all those others, before…"
"Enough!" The apostate's palm cracked against her prisoner's face. Blood trickled from the soldier's nostril, and she choked. "Bow your head, warrior, and open your heart, for your sacrifice serves a cause greater than you will ever know!"
The apostate raised her hand, and an amulet dangled from her fingers. The amethyst sparkled, and the soldier's gaze turned blank. Elissa clutched her chest, her Shard stinging, and Bethany snatched a sharp breath. There was potent magic in that stone.
The moment was short-lived. Seconds later the soldier snarled, snapping back to consciousness. Her eyes blazed, and she thrashed against her chains.
"I'll kill you all!" she screamed.
"Yes, yes!" the apostate gloated. "Let anger course through you, set your spirit on fire!"
She lowered her arm, and three of her companions raised their staffs. Their tips glowed white, and then brilliant lightning erupted. The soldier howled, the bolts tearing into her. Deep welts burned into her torso, and the amulet glistened. Eyes wild, she strained against her bonds once more, blood trailing down her wrists.
"More." The hunger in the apostate's gaze deepened. "Hatred must infuse her, bring her soul to bursting!"
The apostates let loose another charge, and Bethany tensed. She had seen enough.
She renewed her efforts against the ward, muttering under her breath. Elissa scowled, drawing her sword, and Alistair glared. These monsters would never know what hit them.
The lightning died, and the soldier sagged in her chains. Soaked in sweat, she weakly raised her head. The rage had dimmed, drowned by despair.
"Why…" Her voice was broken. "I've done…nothing wrong…"
"There is no room in Andraste's heart for mercy," a cultist hissed. "Not when none was ever shown to her!"
Another spark, and the soldier cried out. Bethany bared her teeth.
"No…more," the soldier whimpered. "What…do you want…"
"We want justice!" The apostate leader began to pace. "The original sin of the Maker, the sin that still taints this world, must be atoned for." She glanced to her amulet. "When He slayed the Goddess, He brought disaster to His own creation. In repentance, He tried to raise her again, but Andraste saw through His arrogance and spurned His will!" She raised the amulet once more, letting it sway. "Now the time of her final ascension approaches, and so we prepare for her coming. And once our Lady is restored, she will return this world to chaos and set us free!"
The amulet flashed, and Elissa bit back a cry. A piercing bolt burrowed into her Shard, and the soldier shrieked. Bethany growled, thrusting her hands apart, and at last the ward shattered. Gasping, Elissa pushed pain to the back of her mind, then charged.
She leapt over the balcony rail, slamming into the first cultist. Her dagger sank between his shoulder-blades, and he croaked, falling limp. The others scattered, and mana infused the air.
"What?!" The apostate leader snatched the amulet close. "Destroy them!"
She made to escape, but Bethany was faster, and an air spell sent her reeling. Alistair roared, ripping into the apostates. Fire and lightning flew in all directions, and Elissa answered in howling fury. Her blades were a whirlwind, and her Shard glowed, fuelled by the energies around her. Magic glanced off her like raindrops, and her sword soon tasted blood.
She came to Bethany's side, facing the apostate leader. Bethany's force spell had her pinned against the wall, and Elissa turned her dagger on her. The woman writhed, trying to raise her amulet. Her eyes were venomous.
"You!" she choked out. "How did…you find…"
"What the hell have you been doing to these women?" Elissa snarled, her dagger at the apostate's throat.
"You…understand nothing!" the apostate growled. "This ground is…too sacred…for you! Begone!"
Bethany glowered, clenching her staff tighter. The pressure increased, and the apostate groaned, her ribs cracking.
"Tell us how to reverse it," the mage demanded. "Now!"
The apostate spat, hissing. Elissa's lip curled. She pressed her blade harder.
"Answer her," she said, her voice low.
The apostate started to laugh.
"You cannot…reverse redemption!" Her stare locked onto Elissa. "Usurper…you will perish…at our mistress's hand…and the True One…will…lead us...to the future!"
Her amulet flared, and Bethany cried out. The mage's spell shattered, and Elissa was knocked back. The apostate gasped, falling to her knees. She kept hold of the amethyst, and thrust her arm upwards. The gemstone flashed, and Bethany screamed. The mage's eyes turned blank, and her arms hung limp.
"No!" Elissa struck before she could think. Her blade tore into the apostate, and the woman gurgled. Her eyes rolled upward, and she slumped to the ground. The amulet fell silent, and Bethany crumpled.
"Beth!" Elissa caught the mage in her arms. Her Shard burned, still sore from the fading magic. "Are you alright?"
For a moment Bethany remained stock still. Heart racing, Elissa grabbed her shoulders, giving a forceful shake. The rune on her chest flashed, and Bethany's eyes snapped open. The colour returned to her cheeks, and Elissa held her breath.
"I-I'm okay." Bethany wiped her forehead, her arms trembling. "You stopped her in time."
"Thank the Maker!" Elissa said, pulling her into a hug. "Damned witch. She got what she deserved."
She helped the mage to her feet, surveying the mess. The fallen cultists surrounded them, scattered between the rubble. Alistair had freed the soldier, but she wasn't responding. Her eyes were washed out, unfocused; just like the others.
"We're too late." Alistair's voice was bitter. He draped the soldier's arm over his shoulder, helping to support her. "But at least no-one else needs to suffer the same fate."
Bethany scowled. She stormed to the dead apostate, plucking the amulet from her fingers.
"There has to be a way to make this work!" She held the relic, studying it closely. "If I can…"
Abruptly the amethyst shimmered. Elissa flinched, her Shard set off once again. Her eyes narrowed. Why had the rune become so sensitive?
"Looks like that thing doesn't agree with you much," Alistair commented. "It must be very powerful."
"It's more than that." Bethany turned to Elissa. "The mana inside this, it's almost identical to your Shard!"
Elissa blinked. "You can tell that?"
Bethany clasped her fingers around the chain, closing her eyes.
"Yes, it's resonating energy," she said, "just like the Shards do whenever you or Lara use their power." She chewed her lip. "But that can't be possible."
"I wonder if that's what they were guarding," Alistair said, thoughtful. "Though why they then decided to take hostages is beyond me."
"Maybe…" Bethany took Elissa's shoulder. "If this has the same power as your Shard, maybe you'd be able to use it?"
Elissa tensed. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I could easily make things worse."
"But we can't leave these women like this!" Bethany protested. "Besides, you were able to snap me out of it just now. And…" She hesitated, further thoughts on her lips, but then changed her mind. "Look, we have to try."
She offered the amulet. Elissa stared, still unwilling, but then she squared her jaw and took it. Even she would not do nothing when there was a chance to reverse such damage.
The amethyst pulsed at her touch. Her Shard flickered in answer, generating warmth instead of pain, and Elissa gasped. A pale glow gathered around the gemstone, drifting into the open. The aura hovered for a moment, then burst into a ring of light.
The soldier spluttered, as if surfacing from deep water. She looked around, frantic.
"Maker's breath, where…what…" She shoved Alistair away, bracing her fists. "Who are you?!"
"Hey, easy, easy," Alistair held up his hands. "We're not with these lunatics. We're from the Inquisition, we're here to help."
"The Inquisition?" The soldier blinked, pressing her palm to her forehead. Eventually recognition dawned, and she nodded. "Yes, I have heard of you." More seemed to return to her, and she shook her head.
"Do you remember how you got here?" Bethany asked.
"No, I do not seem to recall," the soldier said. "My name is Ceres. I work for the Imperial Spymaster." She rubbed her temple, trying to organise her thoughts. "A few weeks ago, I was tasked to look into strange disappearances occurring in Val Foret. Alas, it seems I merely ended up another victim."
"The cultists must have kidnapped you," Elissa said. "I'm sorry."
Ceres raised a brow.
"You are apologizing for saving my life?" She chuckled. "You Fereldens are strange ones, indeed. Please, it was my own carelessness that landed me here. And you have my eternal thanks."
"We'll take you back to our camp," Bethany said. "Then hopefully you can get in touch with your comrades. But let me patch you up first."
Ceres nodded. As Bethany tended her wounds, Elissa stared at the amulet. Her Shard continued to prickle, and she chewed her lip. She was familiar enough to realise that it was not quite the same. If anything, it felt more like a…replica.
But who could have created such a thing?
A sudden scream broke through, and Elissa snapped her head up. It had come from the upper rooms.
"Great, more trouble!" Alistair snarled.
He nodded at Elissa, and they bolted to the ladder. Elissa scrambled up first, charging back to the underground room. Something must have happened to the captives. Water dribbled onto her arms, and she drew her sword, jumping the steps two at a time.
The moment she hit the bottom, however, something cracked against the back of her head. Stars flew, and she stumbled, dropping her blade. Hands tore into her hair, and then the amulet was snatched free.
"Elissa!" Alistair cried. A crash of metal on metal followed, and then Alistair groaned, thrown against the wall. The taste of mana laced the air, and then footsteps retreated, growing faint. Elissa tried to take chase, but she fell back to her knees, the world spinning. Her head was pounding, and she grasped her scalp. Maker, that hurt…
"Maker's breath, are you alright?"
A kindly voice helped break the dizziness, and Elissa opened her eyes. One of the women had come beside her. The warmth and colour had returned to her eyes, which matched the green of her neckerchief.
"Ow," Elissa mumbled, blinking the spots away. "I'll…I'll be fine. I think."
"We thank you," the woman said, managing a smile. "You broke that horrible spell, and we are all returned to our senses."
Elissa gasped, suddenly reminded. She opened her palms, both empty, and swore. The amulet!
"Bastard got away!" Alistair grumbled, throwing his shield to the ground. His ankles were encased in ice, although it was rapidly melting. "But at least you're all safe."
"Until they try again," another woman answered. "Blasphemous devils, sullying the Holy Prophet's name like this!"
"Do you have any idea what they were after?" Elissa asked.
"Not precisely," the woman with the neckerchief answered, "but I remember hearing some unsettling things, before they…" She shivered, not wanting to finish her train of thought. "Anyway, they claim the Chantry's tellings are all falsehood. Instead they believe Andraste was the reincarnation of an ancient goddess, and the Maker actually had a hand in her unjust murder."
"Eh, seems up there with believing she was reincarnated as a dragon," Alistair mused.
"But they take this belief too far," the woman said. "They even have prophecies about her!" She shook her head. "They think the time of her final judgement draws near, and she will take the form of a dark-haired woman with green eyes. So they have been…" She hesitated, searching for the right word. "…testing for her. That was what left us in that awful state."
Elissa's blood went cold. She clenched her fist. No, that was stupid, incoherent rubbish. It had to be.
"So, that's what this was all about." Alistair's brows narrowed. "We can't let them continue this."
"No," Elissa said, swallowing back her unease. "We need to talk to Harding, see if she can pick up their trail."
"Then we wish you luck," the woman with the neckerchief said. "But to whom do we owe our thanks?"
"The Inquisition," Alistair said simply. "Come with us, we'll see that you get safely home."
"You are most kind," the woman said. "And thank you once again."
She walked to the steps, the others following in her wake. Elissa sighed, picking up her fallen sword and taking the rear. It was only now she noticed the eye colour of the remaining victims, and along with the earlier revelation, her disquiet gnawed deeper.
Andraste's rebirth is foretold as a dark-haired woman with green eyes?
But…how is that even…
"Elissa, knock it off." Alistair touched her wrist. "Don't give these Children of Andraste any more thought than they deserve." He made a motion of rolling his finger against his temple. "It's all crazy cultist nonsense, you know that. About as much bullshit as that Haven lot who were convinced that High Dragon was also the prophet."
Elissa let out a breath.
"Yeah," she murmured, pressing her fingers against her chest. Of course it was all nonsense; no different to any other wild claim she had heard in the past.
So why then did that thought well such dread?