Chapter Forty-Five: Coming Clean

Cassandra takes a deep breath. "Those are your brothers out there?"

I nod. "I'm not sure how they even knew to look for us all the way out here, but yes."

"And you're saying they, too are...gods?" She hesitates over the word, finding it hard to use.

"It's going to be alright, Cassandra." Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself.

"Meeting the rest of the family. Great," Varric comments.

I turn to give him what I hope is a reassuring smile. "They're not so bad, once you get to know them. Hopefully they'll be on good behavior."

I take a deep breath and we wait for them to arrive. I feel Lucis's eyes on me as he dismounts. Where did they even find horses? I realize he must have planned it this way, had intentionally gone to Declan.

My brothers both cut a striking figure, with Etiam's cold beauty and Lucis's warm countenance. Etiam is the taller of the two, standing close to Tenebris's height, with his long, straight blonde hair and pale blue eyes, but it's clear which one is the leader of the two of them. Lucis is average height, which still makes him substantially bigger than me, and his wavy golden locks give him a boyish appearance. He stands straight, his long charcoal grey coat flapping in the wind of the approaching storm.

He smiles, and I find myself drawn toward him. I haven't seen him smile like that in years. "Lucis?" I mutter hopefully, and my twin brother opens his arms to me. I walk into them and wrap my own around his chest. "I've missed you so much." As soon as I say it, I realize it's true. Being away from him has been hard. I feared him showing up, but I believe it might have been more out of a need to stay than a lack of a desire to see him. Is his smile genuine, or is he up to something?

"I've been worried, Sister," he says, implying much more meaning than the others would have understood. "I came to see this Inquisition that lured away not one, but two of my siblings." He pulls back, but keeps his arm around my shoulder in a protective stance. It's familiar, like he had been before Andraste, and my heart aches. Please don't be an act.

Declan approaches us. "Your brothers found us at the dig site. It seems they've been looking for the two of you for quite some time."

"It was lucky that we saw what they were doing," Etiam comments. "The lights drew us in, otherwise we probably would have been lost forever in this awful place." He means he saw them in the Well, and came looking for me and Tenebris.

Hawke walks over to Varric, and I see them exchange a greeting. I wish I could hear what they're saying, but there will be time enough for that later, I suppose.

"You never told me your brothers are so charming," Dorian adds. "Why, I'd wager Lucis here could give even Declan a run for his money. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, however, after meeting you and Tenebris."

"Now she wishes they didn't know," Cole comments. "Familiar feelings, frail and fragile, filling the emptiness of what once was whole. But they do know."

Etiam looks at the spirit, and then back at me. "He's talking about you, Sister. What is it that they know?" Of course, Etiam would make friends with Cole. So much for hiding anything.

"I...had a little problem with a fire dragon," I admit.

"That's putting it mildly," Cassandra scoffs.

"Oh Ferox, tell me you didn't…" Lucis looks at me, concern on his face.

"I had to, Brother. She's an elder, so close to ancient I could feel it. I...didn't expect it to go like that. Thank the stars that Tenebris was there to stop me in time."

"They know, then, about her," Lucis concludes.

"Some of them. And about who we are." He hisses and stiffens, but doesn't remove his arm.

He hugs me again, and says in my ear, "Then I suppose we don't have to pretend."

Declan coughs. "I'm always the last to know things. I'm clearly missing a large piece of the puzzle here. Why don't we all sit down and talk about what happened?"

I look to Lucis, who nods. "No harm in telling them. You've been with them long enough, I'd be surprised if they thought you were just an ordinary mage at this point."

We all sit down. I end up between Tenebris and Lucis, with Etiam on the other side of him. Varric isn't anywhere close to me, sitting with Hawke on Declan's side.

"I guess I'll start," I say, leaving my brother's side to stand up, but once everyone's eyes are on me, I find myself at a loss for words and the anxious feeling creeping back in. The silence stretches on for an uncomfortable few seconds.

"Tell them about the Archdemon," Cassandra commands.

"Archdemon?" Declan blanches. "I take it we're not talking about Corypheus's dragon this time?"

"I'm afraid not," I answer. "You know that it's been my mission to save magic by helping the dragons. Archdemons are just ancient dragons tainted by the Blight. I wanted to help them, but the manner in which the Grey Wardens kill them...once they are dead, they're gone for good, and their magic with them.

"The Archdemon Toth rose in 3:10 Towers, beginning the Third Blight. She was the ancient dragon of fire, the source of all fire magic in the world. I couldn't accept that her magic would die with her, and I...took her soul into my body."

Declan laughs, but stops when he realizes that our group isn't laughing. "What, you can't be serious? But the Third Blight was over six hundred years ago!"

"Yes, it was." My expression doesn't change.

"But you said that Grey Wardens destroy the dragon when they kill it. How could you do anything with it six hundred years later?"

"I never said it was six hundred years later. Declan, I was there when they tried to kill her."

"Time magic?" Dorian scorned. "We all know how well that ends up."

"No, not time magic. I'm...just that old."

Hawke's jaw drops. "Hold up, you really have a dragon soul in you? I guess all those comments about 'Dragon Girl' weren't far off."

"You're more concerned about the dragon bit than the fact that Ferox just said she was alive six hundred years ago?" Dorian questions.

"I'm over a thousand, actually," I respond, smiling wryly. "Probably closer to thirteen hundred, but I stopped keeping count."

"He's not getting it, imp," Tenebris says, rising to stand next to me. "It's alright, just say the words. It's the truth, after all."

I look Declan in the eye. "My family, the four of us...we are the true gods of ancient Tevinter."

Declan is quiet for a long while. No laughter this time, which I take as a good sign, and then he sighs, looking around at the faces of his people. "I see this isn't news for some of you."

"Ferox told Varric and I not long after coming to Skyhold," Hawke admits. "I just thought she was crazy back then, but the more I've seen…"

I nod. "Dorian's translations of the texts and artifacts haven't been describing some long forgotten imaginary beings. They were written about us, from when we lived among the humans back then. I am Ferox the Destroyer, goddess of primal magic, and I have been alive a very long time. Declan, I'm telling you the truth about who we are."

I see Dorian flick his eyes to my brother in a surprised glance, and feel a tinge of guilt. Apparently he hadn't told Dorian. I'm sorry, Brother.

I continue, "The reason we have magic that you've never seen before is because no one else has practiced it in centuries. Your spymaster couldn't find information about us because we've been away."

There is silence for a moment, and I'm not sure what to say next. I look around at the faces of my companions, the same ones I had teased and joked with on the way here from Skyhold. Iron Bull is frowning, but silent. I wonder what he's thinking. He doesn't show his Ben-Hassrath skills very often, but I know he's far more intelligent than he lets on. I also know he's not a big fan of magic "bullshit", as he calls it, either.

Dorian has his lips pursed together, his brow wrinkled in thought. I hope that he is trying to process the news, for my brother's sake, but I understand it's a lot to take in. Dorian had been the one with the most information about us, having read the ancient texts; probably more than he had shared with the rest of the group. Now he's been told that the fictional people he's been reading about are real, and the man he's been pursuing is one of them.

"Tell him the rest, about the temple," Cassandra says again.

I nod, and inhale in preparation. "If I had known what that place was, I wouldn't have gone near that dragon. It was a shrine to the old god Toth. She...remembered it, and woke up."

"The dragon inside you," Declan clarified.

Tenebris speaks up, "Not just a dragon...a corrupted ancient dragon, driven mad by the Blight. We've kept her contained for a long time, and have worked to purify some of the corruption, but carrying Toth's soul affects my sister's ability to use advanced fire magic. When she taps into her power, the soul takes notice, and tries to take over. The madness robs Toth of what concern she once had had for Ferox's well being. If she ever manages to take control, Ferox will die and the archdemon will return."

Declan thinks for a second. "Then you pose a threat to us all."

I exhale sharply. Ouch. Declan has never talked to me that way before. "I'm sorry, Declan. I should have trusted you with this information before now."

"There's more," Cassandra pushes, looking at Tenebris.

Tenebris shakes his head. "Fine, I used blood magic, alright? Pulling out the corruption is painful for Ferox. I had to bind her, otherwise her power would have created a wave of destruction."

"I asked him to do it," I admit. "I won't let you turn his helping me into something ugly."

"It's okay, Sister. We've spoken the truth. They will think what they will think."

I nod.

"Ferox," Declan says, and I look back up to meet his eyes. "I've known you for months now. Your heart is definitely in the right place. You've worked hard for the Inquisition." He pauses. "I think it's clear what our next step needs to be."

My heart beats in my chest. He's going to ask me to leave the Inquisition.

"We need to go back to Skyhold." What? "Cullen and Alistair are working on a strategy to attack the Grey Wardens, to stop their plot. Etiam, we could use your help. There will be demons..." He continues, but the sound is muffled and distorted. Declan just went on like it was nothing?

"You're not making me leave?" I ask, interrupting. "Sorry."

"No, Ferox. I'm not sure what to make of this 'gods' business, but if it's true, I have to say I prefer the idea of having you as allies to the alternative. Either way, if a Blight is a possibility, we will need the Wardens."

To kill me. Or, rather Toth. "It won't come to that, but I'm on board with saving the Wardens if we can. Count me in."

"Sister?" Etiam says, examining my face more closely, a smile threatening to tug at the corners of his mouth. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? I mean you? Save the Wardens?" The hint of a smile dies a quick death when I don't react, replaced by a look of realization, and a colder judgement."You've changed."

"Maybe I have," I admit. As much as I hate the thought of losing the two buried generals, Razikale and Lusacan, the Wardens are still the best chance of stopping another Blight should one occur. The world needs them. I look to Varric and when his eyes meet mine, he smiles. Trust this.

The storm has horrible timing, hitting us suddenly, and we're forced to scramble to get into the tents. Declan's team hadn't gotten a chance to get theirs set up before it started, meaning we're stuck three to a tent again. The horses have a small pavillion, mostly just a tarp draped over some of the exposed ruins, and I hope they're okay. I feel the chill sting of the sandy gale as it blows in.

I instinctively head toward my tent with Varric, but a hand grabs my arm, stopping me. I look up to see my brother, Lucis, who glances toward Varric where he's standing with Hawke next to our tent. He leans in to speak. "Don't think I didn't notice, Sister. We're not through talking about this." His voice is harsh, in contrast to his earlier kindness; but he lets go, and follows Tenebris to the tent he's been sharing with Frederic.

Varric holds the flap open for me when I get there, and we tie it down quickly, trying to keep as much of the blowing sand out of the tent as possible. The howling intensifies, and I try to calm my own emotions. I'm fairly certain this one is of my doing, or I at least started it.

"What was that about just now?" Varric asks, having to speak a little loudly to be heard over the wind.

"I think Lucis figured it out. Us, that is," I say, gesturing between the two of us.

"Ah, well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. We'll handle it tomorrow."

"Yeah, I should have known better than to think I could hide anything from my twin. But how did we wind up stuck with the octopus again?" I grumble, looking at Garrett.

"Hey, I'm not going back out there," he says. "I'll behave myself this time. Honestly, I'm a little scared of you right now, Dragon Girl."

I laugh. "Just stay off my hair," I tease. "I'm pretty sure this storm is settling in for a while."

"Hey, those stories said you could control the weather. Is that true?" Garrett asks.

I wince. "Well, sort of. I think this one is probably one of mine, but I can't usually tell for sure. When it happens, it feels is like the storm inside me calls to the clouds, causing them to gather. It tends to do that when I get upset…and it's been a rough couple of days for me."

"So you can't stop it?"

"No, and I'm calmer now. I'm fairly certain I'm not adding to it anymore. This is just the natural storm taking over. There's nothing to do but wait it out."

Varric says, "Then we might as well try to get some sleep if we can."