Note: I've kinda glossed over Elven lore a lot to make it fit the lore of FF13: Lighting Returns, so the inaccuracies are intentional. Also I have no idea if the Elven language has an official name so I've just called it what it is.

Elissa stepped onto the worn stone of the Crossroads, glancing around. The landscape had become fragmented, and far below drifted the remains of the Corruption mist, seemingly inert. Gaps riddled the ground, denying access to several of the Eluvians, and Elissa shivered, reminded that she was the cause. Many of the giant mirrors had shattered, including the one that used to lead to Megara's lair, but one remained active. It stood on the edge between two wolf statues, glowing with a distinct green aura. Elissa resisted the instinct to race straight through, knowing Solas would have prepared himself. He must have been waiting for the perfect moment to show his true colours. Damn him!

Morrigan was transfixed to the glowing Eluvian.

"He's opened a portal into the Fade?" She shook her head. "That should not be possible…where did he find the power to do so?"

"I suspect he's been keeping more from us that we assumed." Dorian's shoulders were tense, and his brows narrowed. "This is my fault. I thought he'd been starting to act more secretive as of late, but I never thought to investigate my suspicions. Perhaps I could've caught wind of his plans sooner."

"Solas has always been one to keep his cards close to his chest," Cassandra said. "But whatever he is planning, it jeopardizes us all. We have to stop him."

"Yes," Bethany said. "He's left an obvious trail. He wants us to follow."

"A trap," Alistair supplied.

"Don't care," Elissa growled, her fist clenched. "I'm not keeping him waiting." She faced her friends. "Prepare for the worst."

Her companions nodded, forming a line. Cassandra and Alistair unsheathed their swords, while Bethany, Dorian and Morrigan prepped their staffs, spells at the ready. Elissa squared her shoulders, Corruption waiting at her fingertips. Solas had risked a lot to betray her; he wouldn't have done so without a lot of confidence. Even with all her power, she would be wise not to underestimate him.

Steeling herself, Elissa began to walk towards the wolf statues. They stared impassively, fangs bared, while the magic from the Eluvian brushed over Elissa's skin like tiny electric shocks.

I'm coming, love.

Taking a breath, Elissa touched the swirling colours and pushed through into the portal. Almost at once the air lost scent, replaced with a lingering coldness that seeped into her chest. Her feet splashed into ankle-deep water, and she scanned the area. Her heart thrummed in her ears, eager to pick up Solas's trail. The sickly jade that had once emanated from the Breach coated everything, and she raised a hand to her eye. It looked little different to all the times she had been here in dreams, littered with rock formations akin to those found on coasts. The sky was a deep emerald, filled with rolling clouds and specks of light. Otherwise the place was empty, devoid even of chittering spirits.

"I've never heard the Fade so quiet," Bethany said, keeping a furtive eye on their surroundings. "There's always spirits of some kind floating around."

"Perhaps they too sense what's coming," Dorian said.

"I see little difference," Cassandra muttered, clutching her shield close. "It did not feel natural the last time I was here, and neither does it now."

"Oh, that's right, you've been here before," Alistair said. "Any tips?"

"Not particularly," Cassandra sighed. "At least the first time we had some guidance." She looked to Elissa, hopeful. "Elissa, are you able to pinpoint where Solas has gone?"

"I'll try." Elissa closed her eyes, listening to the resonances of the Fade. She had never done this before, but the vestiges of memory awoke, instilling a sense of déjà vu. Did Lahara do this once, and her Shard fragment remembers…

Hey, that's not how you do it!

An all-too familiar voice echoed through Elissa's mind, and she snapped her eyes open. She spun around towards the source, and both she and Bethany caught their breath. Bethany stepped back, and Alistair put his hand on her shoulder, also bemused at the sight. Standing before them was a woman with auburn hair and mismatched eyes. Her form was faded and translucent, but she was very much there.

"Maker…it's…" Bethany's voice shook, and a tremor rippled through her. For a long while she stared, subconsciously reaching out, but she quickly stopped herself. "No…you're not…" She turned away, staring at Alistair's chest plate. "Begone demon."

"Wait," Cassandra spoke up, her eyes locked onto the apparition. "It…may not be as obvious as that. When I was here last, Lahara used her Shard to determine if the spirit of Divine Justinia was real. Perhaps if we can prove the same, that this may not be a trick…"

"No." Bethany bowed her head, fighting back tears. "It's not real. I know it. Let's…let's just move on."

Elissa looked to the ghost again. 'Lahara' managed a sad smile, as if she had expected such a response. She pressed her hands together, then disappeared into a wave of mist. The silver cloud shimmered, about to be carried off in the wind. The moment before it vanished, it formed a distorted image; Leliana, sitting on the ground and looking defeated, while Solas stood over an injured Merrill. Behind them stood a large obsidian gate, and Elissa's eyes widened.

"They're in the city ruins," she said. "Come on!"

She broke into a jog, and the others followed. Again guided by memory that was not her own, Elissa carved her way through the rock formations. The further she ventured, the more the land started to twist and change. First the rocks clustered together, turning into impossibly high mountains. The paths grew steep and slippery, but Elissa fought her way upwards, and eventually they flattened out. Grass and trees sprouted across the stone, becoming lush forest with leaves of colours Elissa could not name. The foliage grew thicker and thicker, the branches scratching and scathing, knitting together into impassable barriers. Alistair and Cassandra edged ahead, hacking their way through. Boughs and brambles fell away, opening up a new path, which finally led to a silver stream.

Now back in the open, Elissa started to run once more, familiar with the sight she had never seen. The stream wound left and right, into valleys and up ridges, until at last the remains of the lost city came into view. The bricks and window frames were black and scorched, the former streets littered with fire-damaged debris.

"Incredible," Dorian breathed, drinking in the scene. "The architecture, it's Tevinter, I know it. Can this be…"

"The place where the magisters first broke into the Fade, yes," Bethany said. "Lahara told me."

Dorian whistled in awe. "Well, seems a fitting place to host the end."

"The cathedral is this way." Elissa was curt. They were wasting time. "Be on your guard."

She picked her way through the rubble, following the same path that Hawke and Lahara had taken what seemed eons ago. Soon enough she caught heated conversation, though it was in the elven tongue so she couldn't understand. Teeth gritted, Elissa hurried towards the voices, at last finding the obsidian pillars, and between them the charges she sought.

Leliana was kneeling on the ground, her hands cupped around her temples, her eyes wide and staring. Something seemed to have occupied her attention, and she was oblivious to her surroundings, her body shaking. Merrill was a few metres away, resting against a broken wall, her face and arm smeared with blood. Solas faced her, his eyes glowing with power he had never shown before.

"Leliana!" Elissa made to rush to her, but a flare of magic erupted from the ground, blocking her path. Leliana didn't even flinch, shaking her head and clutching her temples tighter. Snarling, Elissa reached for her Corruption spear, when Merrill screamed. Distracted, Elissa turned to the elf mage, who now sported another wound on her chest.

"Solas, stop!" Bethany charged forward, shielding Merrill. "Why are you hurting her?!"

Solas scoffed, lowering his hand.

"Because she will not accept the truth," he said.

Merrill's eyes flared, and she swore in Elven. She hissed several more harsh words, and Morrigan raised a brow.

"She is calling you a liar," she translated. "What have you to say for yourself?"

"I don't want to hear it!" Elissa rumbled, conjuring her spear. "Let Leliana go, break whatever spell you've cast, or I'll…"

"There is no spell to break," Solas answered. "I brought Leliana here to listen to those whose voices have been stolen, who no longer have capacity to speak for themselves." He frowned. "Since you appear to have lost the ability to hear them!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Elissa swallowed, hard, her anger close to bursting point. "I'm trying to save all souls, we don't have time for this!"

"And you would blindly follow a destiny set by one who has already betrayed you once?" Solas challenged. "Your so-called 'Maker' has not told you everything, Elissa. Should you follow the plan he has intended, you will cause more calamity than you know!"

"Elissa, don't listen to him!" Merrill cried out, coughing. "He's not telling the truth, I know it!"

"A bold conclusion to take, when we have not heard any of the facts," Morrigan broke in. "We should at least listen to Solas's reasons."

Elissa growled. "What have you done to Leliana?"

"I have done nothing except open her eyes to the truth," Solas said. "I had to bring her here so she could hear what you cannot. The souls of the dead, their voices drowned in the waking world, swallowed by the land and skies and sea. Here, however, they can finally speak, and they are telling her what your 'Maker' did not." He gestured to the bard. "Ask her yourself, since you will not listen to me."

Wary, Elissa hurried to Leliana's side. She crouched beside her, touching her cheek with a fingertip. Leliana gasped, her blue-grey eyes meeting Elissa's.

"My love…" Her voice trembled, not at all the assertive bard Elissa knew so well. "I…I can hear them…"

"The souls of the dead?" Elissa asked.

Leliana nodded, snapping her eyes shut.

"Everyone who has perished over the centuries, those slain by accident, old age, malice and all in between." She shuddered, taking Elissa's hands in her own. "They…they are suffering so much, Elissa!" Her eyes misted with tears. "They have been trapped within Corruption, stuck in limbo with never a chance to be reborn. Every fear and agony and regret of life carried within them, sending them mad with grief and pain." Her tears splashed onto Elissa's hands. "They speak of treachery, of being denied salvation and peace. And if I sing for them…they will all die!"

"What do you mean?" Elissa kept her voice soft, her heart wrenching at the sight. Leliana's eyes were burdened with grief she could not imagine. Not only the pains of her own life, which were great enough, but those of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions more. And she could do nothing to ease it.

"The Soulsong can only call the souls of the living," Leliana said. Her gaze turned distant, and she blinked, trying to stay in the present. "They will move on to the new world, but those already dead will not. They will be trapped on Thedas, left to die with it. And they will be forgotten forever."

Elissa bowed her head, her fury turning cold. So, all those who had perished along the way, all her old friends and allies—they would be denied their second chance, despite how hard they had fought. This was not at all what 'Zevran' had told her. She had suspected he had been hiding an important detail, and here it was. Only those who survived the encroaching darkness would be given rebirth, no-one else. A paucity of souls only chosen due to circumstance.

She squeezed Leliana's shoulder, kissing her cheek, before rising to her feet. She returned to Solas, her expression grim.

"Solas, how did you know this?" she asked. "Why did you not think to mention it earlier?"

"Would you have believed me?" Solas countered.

"You could have tried us," Dorian said. "We're all in this together."

"You have still avoided the question," Morrigan broke in. "How could you have known about this, when no-one had even heard of the Soulsong until of late?"

Solas sighed.

"It is because of this." He reached into his belt-pouch and pulled out a silver box. Its edges were encrusted with obsidian gems, and ancient runes were engraved on its surface. The latter gave off a soft light, infused with magic.

Morrigan stared, awed.

"That…that's the Clavis?" she stammered. "It was said to be Falon'Din's most prized possession, allowing him to commune with the dead!" Her eyes narrowed. "When did you find it?"

"Many moons ago," Solas said. "It had been locked away in a hidden temple, and I happened to stumble across it. Alas, I was not truly aware of its significance until I traced its history in the Fade."

"So?" Elissa folded her arms, impatient.

"It took me years to find out how it worked," Solas said. "But only recently did I start hearing the souls of the dead. Since they linger within Corruption itself, it has only been since the mist has come to the surface that I have caught their cries." He bit his lip. "They were the ones who told me about the Soulsong, and how it would neglect them. But they also told me that the Clavis could save them." He traced a finger over the runes on the box, and the glow intensified. "I have thus spent all my time amending its spells, trying to find their salvation. For a while I wasn't sure I would complete it in time, which is why I did not stop the construction of the Well, but I believe now it is ready." He looked Elissa in the eye. "If we use this instead of the Soulsong alone, all can be saved. Even Leliana herself."

Elissa's eyes widened.

The solution she'd been seeking…could it be…

"You mean it?"

"The Clavis will protect all souls. I do not see why it should fail." Solas let out a breath. "So, will you trust me?"

"No." Merrill's voice was weak, but firm. She raised her head from Bethany's shoulder, her eyes imploring. "He's trying…to trick you, Elissa. Please, don't use the Clavis!"

"Why not?" Elissa asked.

"Those spells…aren't what he says…" Merrill was cut off by a coughing fit, and Bethany rubbed her back.

"Your ignorance does you no favours, child!" Solas rumbled. "I have had to use ancient methods long forgotten by the Dalish to re-forge this relic. You should not fear what you cannot understand!"

"I…I do…understand…" Merrill had to close her eyes, lacking the strength to continue. Bethany looked fretful, her healing magic only able to help so much.

Elissa clenched her fists. She was still hurt and angry at Solas for Leliana's kidnapping; even more so as he had forced the bard to listen to the voices of the suffering. Her lover had enough of a burden on her shoulders without this. But despite that, it had also led to a possible solution, where together they could end the long-trapped cycle of grief and let everyone start afresh.

But if I trusted the Maker too easily, I could be making the same mistake here…

"We need to come to a decision," Cassandra said, breaking the quiet. "I am not sure what to think, but I…struggle to believe the Maker would lie. How would He gain by instigating such mass murder?"

"It is a certainty that the powers that be wish to tailor fate to their own ends," Morrigan countered. "And if what Solas says is true…then my son will be lost with the world, along with everyone who has perished in this long war. We must use the Clavis."

Bethany took a breath, gazing at her wounded friend in her arms.

"Merrill never lied," she murmured, her caramel eyes conflicted. "And she wouldn't now. She knows better than anyone what's at stake."

"And here I thought we had saving the world all figured out," Dorian mumbled.

"It's up to you, Elissa," Alistair shrugged. "Do we use the Clavis or not?"

Elissa bit her lip, hard enough to draw blood. Another impossible choice that had fallen onto her. She knew 'Zevran' had been hiding key information all along, yet she had no reason to believe Solas wasn't doing the same. There were other, better ways he could have spoken about this. At the same time, Solas had proven his loyalty and given her so much aid, including teaching Lahara how to bring her out of her coma. If he had wanted to see the world destroyed, that would have been his perfect chance.

At the same time, Merrill was adamant in her conviction, and Bethany deeply trusted her. The younger Hawke had always been a good judge of character, and Elissa herself had been impressed with Merrill's brightness and intuition, even if she remained unfamiliar with more every-day customs. And she herself would have wanted to reunite with all of her fallen friends; something not possible without the Clavis, according to Solas. But it was also entirely possible Merrill had misunderstood, since this magic was unfamiliar to her.

Maker, I don't have time for this!

But…if it means Leliana can be reborn as well…

"Alright Solas." Elissa held out her hand. "What do I need to do with the Clavis?"

The tension in the air seemed to ease a little, and Solas gave a relieved smile.

"I'm glad you have made the right choice, Elissa." He handed over the box, and Elissa took it. "Give it to Leliana and let her sing."

Nodding, Elissa carried the relic across to her kneeling lover. The poor bard whimpered, still caught in the echoes of the dead. Elissa touched Leliana's hair, and Leliana broke out of her trance. Elissa helped her to stand, before offering the Clavis.

Leliana stared at the box, puzzled.

"What is this?" she asked.

"It's our new hope," Elissa informed. "We can save you with it too, love. It will protect your soul, along with all those who remained trapped in Corruption. It will set you all free."

For a moment lightness graced Leliana's eyes. "Truly, this relic can do this?"

"Yes," Elissa said. "All you need to do is sing. I'll be right here with you."

Leliana's gaze hardened, a new resolve taking over. Elissa pressed the box into the bard's hands, holding her own over them. A shiver ran up her arms, the runes starting to pulse under her touch. Leliana closed her eyes, taking a breath to sing the first note.

"No, I won't let you!"

"Merrill!"

Bethany made to grab her old friend, but Merrill was too fast. She leapt out of the mage's arms, bounding for Leliana and Elissa. Leliana made to dodge, but Merrill tackled her, sending both her and Elissa to the ground. Elissa scrambled, trying to keep hold of the Clavis, but she lost her grip.

"Merrill, stop!" She bolted back to her feet, eyes wide. Merrill had taken the box and was holding it against her chest, her back pressed to the obsidian gateway.

"Merrill, release the Clavis now!" Solas strode forward, his eyes taking on a glow once more.

Merrill merely shook her head.

"I…I won't let you destroy those I've lost," she whispered, before a blinding light flooded her body and the gate.

"NO!" Elissa reached out to her, only to be knocked backwards from the force. Solas grunted, and her friends cried out, also blown back from the impact of the spell.

Finally, the light died, and Elissa sat up. The obsidian gateway had activated, and Merrill was gone. And, as she looked around, so had Solas. He had to have taken chase.

"Damn it!" Alistair growled. "Now what?"

Elissa sighed, rising to her feet.

"You all go back to the Well," she ordered. "I'll follow them and bring the Clavis back."

"Will you be alright on your own?" Leliana asked.

"It was my home as Etro, I should be fine," Elissa said. "But it won't be good for either of those two, it's not a realm made for the physical form."

"Okay. We'll be waiting for you," Alistair said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Be safe," Bethany added, sneaking a quick hug.

"Yes, be careful," Leliana said, kissing her cheek.

"I will," Elissa promised.

As her friends turned and began retreating through the ruins, she turned to the obsidian gate, its runes ablaze with white light. Between the pillars shimmered the vision of the Unseen Realm, its towering spire rising above the rest of the city. She took a breath, thinking back to her previous time here. Back then when Elissa had ventured through, she'd faced the most difficult parts of herself, and had almost died for it.

And if she didn't make the right choice again, all of Thedas would be lost.