Thanks for reading! Additional translations in the end notes.

A week later, Solas was in the rotunda, when he felt the Anchor in a strong way. He started at the sudden vivid sensation. Mahariel knew more or less he felt its energy – even without knowing in which extent. He turned his gaze towards the stairwell and she made him a little sign of the head to indicate him to follow. He conformed, definitely wondering if the wave of energy given by the Anchor had been controlled or just a wild manifestation of her will. They took quietly the stairs to the battlement. She finally turned to him when they were out. He nodded his greetings.

"Lethallan, can I help you with anything?" She nodded.

"Matter of fact, yes. I do need your opinion on something." She did not hold his gaze and looked away above the battlements, resting her elbows on it. They did not speak since this unexpected encounter in the forest. She had kept her distance, chastising herself in length to put him in such situation. He wanted time to think, and she was still decided to grant him.

"I'm leaving tomorrow for Caer Oswin with Cassandra and Varric. Then, we will be heading right to the Exalted Plain to take the heat of the Civil War."

"Only Cassandra and Varric?"

She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. Oh. That was what she wanted to know. A subtle way to ask if he was up to be stuck with her for weeks. Very…Orlesian of her. He suppressed a smile at the thought. Better not saying that. He had not finish thinking about the situation, not the slightest. He did not want to see her go, again, without him. But it was what he needed to figure this out. This was the kind of issue he could have spent years debating with himself and spirits at some point…But she could not know that, and for a mortal, a month for an answer could already seem a long-time. Without forgetting he was still giving thoughts to this encounter with the crows. He said he had no wish to force the truth out of her and meant it. Yet, these people with her…Agents? The elf called her mistress. He remembered well enough Nyreos' words about Tevinter. How the elven underground arrived there around the same period, how it could not be a coincidence…What was she? Not a pawn, certainly not. A high ranked agent of Briala? Of the Banal'ras? He looked at the horizon too as he resumed, neutral.

"I'm certain Madame de Fer would be glad to accompany you." If she was disappointed, nothing showed, as usual. She simply nodded.

"I was considering the Champion. It could take her mind off things."

He wanted to ask from what but thought better of it. She was talking about more than the Warden situation. He did not spend as much time as her with the Champion, but it was hard to miss the pain and sadness in her eyes, the way she was grabbing the red ribbon at her wrist instinctively – pretty much the way Mahariel grabbed her pendant actually. Plus the amount of time she spent in the tavern.

"She is a powerful healer."

"Indeed. I will see you when I get back then. Dareth shiral, Solas."

"Dareth Shiral, Mahariel."

Caer Oswin was not far on the East. Mahariel counted a week and a half to settle this lead and come back in the Frostbacks. She did not plan a break at Skyhold before heading to the Exalted Plain, though. Avoiding Skyhold meant avoiding the peaks of the mountains which could speed the travel by two days and they could be in the Exalted Plain before the end of the month.

The week passed down slowly in Skyhold. Josephine was caught in the preparation of All Soul's day – and pretty pissed at the Inquisitor for bailing on it. Not like anyone in Skyhold was particularly joyful to the perspective of it being the first holiday celebrated in Skyhold – too much going on to even consider Summerday this year. But the Ambassador insisted they had to do something. The Inquisition and Skyhold were a place of pilgrimage now, and they were to expect people for this dark holiday, the memory of the Divine too fresh in everyone's mind. Solas, as anyone remaining in the stronghold – except Sera, discharged after a little incident – was put at work to prepare Skyhold. He did not consider this when he declined the possibility of going with Mahariel. Now that he thought about it, he should have bailed too. A point where he, for once, was in agreement with Dorian. Cole scolded them for the thought, pleading that the celebration was helping.

At the beginning of the last week of the month, they were surprised to see a single horse coming back to Skyhold. Cassandra reassured everyone, confirming the others were fine. She remained elusive on why she decided to come back early. They simply considered she wanted to be there for All Soul's Day. Wouldn't be that surprising.

Solas found some free time in the afternoon. He decided to come back to the thinking part. He had obviously been using the little tasks given by the Ambassador to avoid doing it and he was not happy with himself for that. Not that thinking was actually leading anywhere. He was going round and round in circles…

He finally decided to seek advice. Wisdom would obviously have a word to say on this…

He took a nap to find his oldest friend in the Fade. It used to linger in some long-time forgotten place. He entered the area. And there the yelling began. His eyes widened with awe. NO. No, no, no, no, no! Wisdom's voice was echoing around him.

"Fen'harel, ar isala mar halani. Ma falon…Garas…Dirth…Dirthavaren."

Its voice fainted as his emotions overwhelmed him and woke him in a jump. But he heard it. Dirthavaren, Wisdom had been summoned in the Exalted Plains. He had to go. Now. He rushed to the rotunda to take his pack.

"Holding against its will. It does not want to hurt. It does not want to be here. Why? Why did you take me here? I don't want, I cannot, don't." Cole appeared next to him, alarmed.

"I heard, Cole. I have to reach it before it is too late."

"I want to help!"

"So, come. But I am leaving now." He did not spin once towards the spirit, busy to pack his healing potions. Dorian's voice raised above them.

"What do you mean you are leaving?!"

"He has to help it. It needs him now. Afraid, alone, it is not right. It should not be here." Dorian looked at Cole, not understanding at all what he was babbling.

"Solas, Mahariel will be back –"

"Too late. And I shall not put one more burden on her." He was already heading out of the rotunda, Cole right behind him. Dorian rushed in the stairs, spitting some curses in Tevene.

"Solas, at least tell me where you are going?"

"Exalted Plain." Dorian raised an eyebrow, at lost before sounding even more alarmed, glancing from the spirit to him.

"Wait, is Cole talking about Mahariel?!" Cole answered first.

"No. I want to help her too but it needs us first." Dorian frowned and turned back at Solas.

"You intend to take the road with only Cole? Are you insane?! The Exalted Plain is – "

"Less than a week away from Skyhold with a good mount. And what game are you playing, Altus?" He finally stopped his steps in the courtyard to look at Dorian.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe do I try to put some sense into you! Wait for Mahariel, or join her on the road at least, you are not thinking clearly!"

"I can take care of myself, mage. And my mind is perfectly clear, thank you. My friend needs my help, it is all you need to know."

"I won't talk you out of it, will I?"

"No."

"Fine, I'm coming too."

"Do what you want, but I will not wait." What is wrong with these peoples? Cole, I could understand, but him?

Both Dorian and Cole right behind him, he reached the stables. The weird company attracted Blackwall's attention. Dorian filled him with the bits of information he had and the Warden declared he was to come too. Dorian, decided to be the keeper of good sense for the time being, grabbed a messenger and told him to go find the spymaster right away to tell her what they were – apparently – doing. He scribbled a quick note. Mahariel had to know what was going on. If anyone could soothe the elf, it was her. She was heading there too, after all. It should be easy for her to catch up with them…Hopefully. The four of them left Skyhold fifteen minutes later.

Leliana's raven took few hours to find Varric, Hawke and Mahariel. They just bypassed the Frostback by the north. They were taking dinner in a cheerful mood when the raven arrived. Mahariel frowned a bit when she saw the bird. She did not expect any messages before they made it to the Exalted Plain. What could not wait five days to be read in the forward camp? She opened it and her eyes widened with concern.

"Grey?" Varric asked, suddenly alarmed. She did not answer right away, going through the message again. She finally handed it to the dwarf, Hawke already positioned to read above his shoulder – head.

Mahariel, your dear Fade-Expert is babbling something about a friend of his needing help in the Exalted Plain and he won't listen to anyone. Conclusion, Cole, Blackwall and myself are going with him to do Maker knows what there. Sorry my friend, best I could do, I told him to wait, or at least catch up with you but…Well, you know the man, not like he would listen to anything I say. I'm not sure what it is about. Do not worry, I'm watching your man, not going to die under my watch! Dorian.

Under it was Leliana's handwriting.

Inquisitor, I do not have any more information about this matter. But I have to say…I'm concerned, I never saw Solas like this. I will be in contact with Dorian to stay informed of their position if you want to catch up with them. Leliana.

"Well…Shit. What do we do?"

That was a good question. They find a way to catch up with them. But there was more than one road to their destination and they were not on the same. And the others were closer to the Exalted Plain by a good day, considering they were way north. She shook her head.

"First, I have to see if I can find Solas or Dorian in the Fade to get a better location." and understand what the hell is going on. "Then, I'll go." Hawke corrected.

"Then, we'll go." Mahariel shook her head.

"I can be there faster on my own. My hart is the fastest and, if needed, I can let it in an outpost and Fade-walk. You will catch up with us in the Exalted Plain."

The argument went on a brief time before Varric and Hawke reluctantly agreed.

Once in the Fade, Mahariel focused on the Anchor to direct it to Solas. It was late, hopefully they would have taken a break. The mark flickered on her palm and she found herself in the Exalted Plain…Well, the Fade-version at least. She spotted Solas several meters ahead, seeking.

"Solas!" He started and turned around at her voice. His eyes widened. How did she find me so easily? Her skills in walking the Fade are becoming impressive…She came quickly closer. "Solas, I got Dorian and Leliana's message, what is going on?"

"One of my oldest friends has been captured by mages, forced into slavery. I heard the cry for help as I slept." He explained with large movements, affliction in his eyes.

"Solas, I'm sorry I wasn't here." She answered earnestly, shaking his head. "We will rescue them. What did these mages use to capture your friend? Blood magic?"

"A summoning circle, I would guess." She raised an eyebrow "My friend is a spirit of Wisdom." Added he. Of course, a spirit you idiot! This is how he heard it! "Unlike the spirits clamoring to enter our world through the rifts, it was dwelling quite happily in the Fade. It was summoned against its will, and wants my help to gain its freedom and return to the Fade" She frowned a bit.

"I thought spirits wanted to find their way into this world."

"Some do, certainly. Just as many Orlesian peasants wish they could journey to exotic Rivaini. But not everyone wants to go to Rivaini. My friend is an explorer, seeking lost wisdom and reflecting it." He paused and smiled slightly, thinking of it. "It would happily discuss philosophy with you, but it had no wish to come here physically." She nodded. Make sense, but so why would mages summon it?

"Any idea what the mages want with your friend?"

"No. It knows a great deal of lore and history, but a mage could learn that simply by speaking to it in the Fade." Concern jumped back into his eyes. "It is possible that they seek information it does not wish to give and intend to torture it." Seeing him alarmed, she leaned closer to take his hands. She locked his gaze with hers and smiled confidently and comfortingly.

"We are going to save your friend, Solas." His features softened. She continued to impress him, answering so spontaneously, agreeing on the friend material of a spirit…Wisdom would love her.

"Thank you." A bit of guilt took her eyes.

"Don't thank me, I was not here earlier when you needed me. But I'm on my way. Can you show me where you are so I can take my leave?" He hesitated. She does not need something more to handle but…I want her to be here. He could almost hear wisdom's voice in his ear. Do not shut her out, lethallin. Yes, it was right. He closed his eyes to show her their camp. She nodded and stroked his cheek.

"Perfect. I will catch up. Er…I could use you however, I don't manage the wake up thing yet." He smiled and took her in a tight embrace for a little while before whispering in her ear.

"Wake up."

She jumped on her feet. Time to go.

She gave a quick heads-up to Varric and Hawke before hopping on Era. She patted the hart's neck, apologizing in advance for the hard-ride that was awaiting them.

As soon as they were far enough from the camp, she changed their direction, going back toward the Frostback. The closest eluvian was in a cave in the surroundings of Skyhold. She knew another mirror had been hidden in the Exalted Plain. Sylaise's shrine if her memories were working properly. She gave a concerned look at her mount. Not that sure how Era would respond to the Crossroads.

Solas, Dorian, Blackwall and Cole reached the Exalted Plain in record time. The elf did not let them took more than a handful of sleep, just the time for him to seek the Exalted Plain to find more clues about the place Wisdom had been summoned. Sadly, it meant as well that Mahariel had a hard time catching up. The closer he was to the area, the more Solas seemed concerned and troubled and it had a strange effect on the Fade. She just couldn't reach him. Hopefully, Leliana did keep constant contact with Dorian so she knew where to go. After three days of hard-ride and travel in the Crossroad, she made it to the first Inquisition outpost of the area. She began to ask to the scouts if they had seen the group when Cole appeared next to her.

"Hurt, it cannot be, what have they done." Her heart tightened.

"Cole! Where is he?"

"This way. He doesn't know but he needs you." She looked at her hart, exhausted as the animal was. No, too slow. She focused and fade-stepped. Cole and her went past the Dalish camp into a meadow. She stumbled. Fade-walking like that was horrifyingly mana-consuming. Her head was spinning. But she could see them. She ran towards the group, Cole close to her. She could hear the argument.

"Solas, your friend is a demon – "

"It is not, this is their doing! It is a spirit of wisdom!"

"It was."

"Enough!" Mahariel's voice resounded, shutting Dorian's mouth. She stumbled again, exhausted. She was wearing a hooded black cape in order to journey incognito. Solas' eyes widened as he saw her. She could see the pain on his face. Blackwall, closer to her, caught her arm, afraid she was going to fall. She waved his worry.

"Too much fade-walk, going to be fine any minute. What is – Oh." Her eyes laid on the summoning circle and the Pride demon. She closed her eyes with pain, not needing any more confirmation. Her voice was low and soft when she declared "They corrupted it." Solas looked down.

"Yes."

"You said it was a spirit of wisdom, not a fighter."

"A spirit becomes a demon when denied its original purpose."

"So, they summoned it for something so opposed to its own nature that it was corrupted…Fighting." She sighed and shook her head. Stupid sons of a bitch…A mage came carefully closer. Solas frowned and said bitterly.

"Let us ask them." The unknown mage spoke up.

"A mage! You are not with the bandits? Do you have any lyrium potions? Most of us are exhausted. We've been fighting that demon…" Solas snapped at him.

"You summoned that demon! Except it was a spirit of wisdom at the time. You made it kill, you twisted it against its purpose."

"I..I…I understand how it might be confusing to someone who has not studied demons , but after you help us, I can…" Wrong answer. Both Solas and Mahariel crossed their arms. This idiot got to be kidding me.

"We are not here to help you."

"True. And let's be clear, don't try to teach my friend here how demons work." Added Mahariel. The mage tried again, desperate.

"Listen to me! I was one of the foremost experts in the Kirkwall Circle –" Solas interrupted rudely, almost yelling at him.

"Shut up. You summoned it to protect you from the bandits."

"I – Yes." Solas resumed.

"You bound it to obedience, then commanded it to kill. That is when it turned." Told you he was smarter than you, felasil. The elf's face spun to Mahariel, still irritated but not yelling at her. "The summoning circle. We break it, we break the binding. No orders to kill, no conflict with its nature, no demon." She considered her words. Yes, that could –

"What? The binding is the only thing keeping the demon from killing us! Whatever it was before, it is a monster now!" This time, Mahariel snapped.

"Will you shut up! You are stupid enough to corrupt a rare old spirit, you don't get a voice in it! Fenedhis, why did Hawke forget to kill you!" The mage grew blank and remained silent. Solas looked with pleading eyes at her.

"Inquisitor, please." If the mention of Hawke wasn't enough, the title put the mage ajar as he realized what he had been saying to the Inquisitor and her friend. She ignored him and smiled at Solas, hoping to reassure him. She nodded.

"I've studied rituals like this. I should be able to disrupt the binding quickly." Relief on his face, he replied earnestly.

"Thank you." She cleared her throat and turn towards Blackwall, Dorian and Cole. Time to come up with a plan. The Pride demon roared.

"We must hurry!" Declared Solas.

Mahariel looked ruefully at Solas and Wisdom. He squatted in front of it.

"Lethallin ir abelas."

"Tel'abelas. Enansal. Ir tel'him. Ma melava halani. Mala suledin nadas. Ma ghilani mir din'an." Solas paused and looked down, full of grief. He sighed.

"Ma nuvenin" He waved his hands in front of it and the spirit faded in the wind. "Dareth shiral."

Mahariel was standing behind him. The others were few steps back even less sure than she was what to do. She...failed. She…failed him. And now, he had lost one of his oldest friend. Her throat and heart were tightened, full of sadness and guilt. But he did not need that now.

"I heard what it said. It was right. You did help it."

"Now I must endure" He answered, his thoughts elsewhere.

"Let me know if I can help." He smiled faintly and stood up to turn towards her.

"You already have." He looked at her with a new determination she did not quite understand. However, he quickly spun towards the mages responsible for his loss and anger echoed in his voice. "all that remains now is them." The Kirkwall mage spoke again…With words even more lamely chosen than before.

"Thank you. We would not have risked a summoning, but the roads are too dangerous to travel unprotected." Solas walked threateningly towards them.

"You tortured and killed my friend!"

"We didn't know, it was just a spirit! The book said it could help us!" Mahariel nothing but spat behind Solas.

"Oh, just a spirit so it was okay. Well, so I guess you are just a mage so it is okay." A mage behind the idiot spoke up, looking at her with fear.

"But…You are the Inquisitor and you…You are here to save us!" Mahariel laughed, her eyes sharp as an evil grin took her lips.

"When did I say that I would save you?"

She crossed her arms looking at the group with disgust. No, there was no excuse. They were trained mages, not mere apprentices. Her sight was hard as she watched Solas' magic destroying them. He glanced bitterly at the new corpses.

"Damn them all." He did not look at her but the anger left a bit his voice as he declared. "I need some time alone. I will meet you back at Skyhold."

She hesitated as he left the meadow. Dorian, Blackwall and Cole, behind her, were still silent. She finally shook her head. He didn't have to grieve alone but she could understand the need. Nevertheless, she was concerned about him and was not very eager to leave him hurt, by himself in a hostile area. She sighed and looked at Cole.

"Cole, can you keep an eye on him, just to make sure he does not run into trouble. Discreetly. And…Do just that, don't intrude, leave him his space. Please." Cole looked at her and nodded.

"I wish to help, he is hurt. But you are hurt too, if I am with him, who's watching over you?" She frowned a bit.

"I'm perfectly fine Cole, I just don't like seeing a friend hurt."

"You wish to help but don't know how. I will watch over him, yes. Hurt, loss, grief, one less friend –"

"Cole, don't." She interrupted. "Let him some privacy." The spirit's head tilted but he finally nodded again and disappeared. Good, he would keep her inform if she needed to intervene.

Ar isala mar halani. Ma falon…Garas…Dirth…Dirthavaren – I need your help. Come to the Exalted Plains.

Felasil - Idiot

Lethallin ir abelas – I'm sorry, lethallin

Tel'abelas. Enansal. Ir tel'him. Ma melava halani. Mala suledin nadas. Ma ghilani mir din'an. – Don't be. It's a blessing, I'm me again. You helped. Now, you must endure. Guide me into death.

Ma nuvenin – As you wish

Dareth shiral - Goodbye