"How They Came to Be"

Jade was Elise. Or, at least, was at one point. A portion of her sister still lived on. In this world, no less. What an odd coincidence.

Due to this, Liz was clammy and fidgety. Evidently she'd been hiding it pretty well, as no one had yet to confront her about her twitchy behavior. She found her gaze constantly drifting toward the dwarf, Jade. Of whom was completely oblivious of the shapeshifter's concerned staring. Too occupied with joking and rough housing with the fellow scouts behind the Inquisitor's back.

The only person she knew to ask about her most recent revelation was Solas.

She really didn't want to talk to the man, if she were to be completely honest. The thought itself reminded her of their squabble. Cole and Liz were both avoiding Solas since their talk in the War Room days ago. But many many questions burned on the mage's mind. Questions that only someone as seasoned and knowledgeable as Solas would know. She knew he prowled the Fade in search of ancient knowledge. He'd shared this tidbit before, when asked. He was all too happy to inform Liz about the wonders of the Fade and what it contained. Though dangerous, was a very enlightening place to dig around for answers.

The group was stationed near the base of the Frostbacks making their way to a place called the Emerald Graves. There was talk of a small group already having been stationed there and they were to meet them to scout the area. If she remembered correctly, that is. The frigid air was already starting to taper off into a calmer climate as they made their way down, thankfully. The area slowly began to appear greener and the foliage more dense.

The skies were clear, sending warm welcoming waves of sunlight upon their backs as they ambled at a sedate pace. The horses were beginning to get exhausted and they planned on cycling them out when they reached an Inquisition camp.

But Liz was stuck staring at the other apostate as he talked to his lover, Serana. He was so very sweet and understanding of the young elven woman, though most thought her an abomination. She stared up at him with such a soft look in her eyes, long silver locks framing a blushing face. Liz was left wondering if she looked at Cole that way.

She really tried to imagine herself with that dopey look on her face, but shook her head to get the image out of her mind. Ridiculous. She didn't. Couldn't. Right? Oh, Lord.

She turned and huffed, continuing with her work as she undid the saddle from Rin. The Hart grew impatient and stomped her hooves, letting out one of her deathly sounding shrieks. The short girl winced at the high note that the Hart seemed to reach and glared up at her.

"Jeez. I'm almost done." Liz griped, only earning another snort and a shriek. This time in her ear. "I can leave it on, if you want."

Silence.

Damned Hart. She could feel the animal's amusement as Liz worked on the leather bits and bobs. So she was doing it on purpose, huh? This only made the mage roll her eyes at the Hart's antics.

The sun was setting and the group was beginning to set up camp, yet again. Liz mumbled to herself as she finished unsaddling Rin and brushing her. The little mage stretched, groaning as her back cracked.

'Well, now's a better time than ever.' She thought as she saw a certain someone finishing up his conversation with his lover.

"I'm going to head out and set some snares for tomorrow's food." Liz spoke to her brother in a rather dismissive tone. He was in the middle of setting up the firepit with some wood and tinder he'd found. Once she got a nod she turned to Solas, who just happened to be walking by. "Hey, Solas. Do you mind coming to help me?"

The man paused, looking over at her in surprise before he nodded.

The two walked in silence, aside from the crunching of sticks and swishing of leaves as the apostates made their way through the wooded area. The sounds of camp slowly faded in the distance and Liz dug out some supplies from her pack, thinking about how she was to even bring up her questions.

Should she apologize first? But he should, too. Shouldn't he?

A swish of mana filled the air. The young woman whipped around, hand reaching back to her staff. Only to see a befuddled Solas, staring down at her as he finished a familiar spell. He muffled the sound in the area. The young woman forced herself to relax, pulling her small hand away from Athras' staff upon her back.

"Apologies. I've just been a bit on edge as of late." She looked up at the older man, a look of determination washing over her features. She needed to talk to him, eventually. Ask him. She couldn't avoid her friend forever.

"Before you start, if I may?" Solas asked, hands behind his back. Liz nodded, allowing him to speak first. "I would like to begin by telling you that you gave me permission every time I entered your dreams."

"Solas, you don't have to lie."

"I'm not-"

"Look, that doesn't matter right now." Liz stated irritatedly, her foot tapping on the ground as she dropped her backpack from her fingertips. The breach of her privacy wasn't even a blip on her radar compared to the realization she came to just a few days ago.

If Cole was right. If any of the theories she came up with were even close to right? She could care less if Solas knew about her or any other spat they may have in the future. Elise—No—Jade's predicament mattered more.

The young woman had been thinking of ways to talk to him about it. Try to get him alone. How to approach it. All while still pushing back the niggling feeling in the back of her head telling her not to trust him.

"'Lizabeth?" She nearly jumped out of her skin at his voice and she blinked, peeking up at him.

"Oh, sorry. There's just..." A lot. She sighed, "Jade has been having dreams."

That seemed to get a reaction. He seemed surprised, even. "Jade Cadash? The dwarf?"

Hook, line and sinker. Though to be honest, the thought baffled even Liz.

"Dwarves don't dream, right? It was something my Hahren told me about when I… when I first learned about magic." She explained, "But… I have reason to believe that Jade may be like me. I think. But something seems off. I—I needed someone more skilled with these kinds of things. You were the only one I could think to go to."

Liz resisted the urge to turn away from the prying look in the elf's eyes. Asking for her to go on. Give him more.

"This is… this is astounding. From my understanding, they do not dream at all. It is a theory, but I believe it is due to their resistance to magic and connection to The Stone that causes this." Solas was pacing at that point before he paused, "Or perhaps it is because she is a second or third generation of surface dwarves and their resistances are slowly beginning to fade away."

"I was wondering if you could help. With this. Cole said that her mind sometimes makes her forget. And that it isn't good. It's hurting her."

"What makes you think I could help?" He asked and Liz didn't even attempt to hide the irritated look in her eyes at that.

"Don't play coy with me, Old Man. You're a dreamer. It seems part of why this might be happening is … well … because of her dreams." She explained, "Is that not what you specialize in?" 'Breaching privacy and digging into people's heads?' She added in her head, but kept quiet.

"You want me to enter and see what the root of the issue is. I thought that you were still upset about my...recent 'breach of privacy'." He didn't even need to make the motions with his fingers for her to know there were air quotes around that last bit. Liz gritted her teeth.

"Not at all, Solas. You see, it's not that hard to just ask." She couldn't keep the scathing tone from her voice. The man simply blinked and turned at the sound of the bush rustling at their right. Liz didn't even need to turn to know it was Cole. With a confused Jade in tow.

"Is there a reason you brought me out here—eeugh! Why's he here?" She pointed at Solas accusingly, "I ain't want shit to do with him. Look, man. I put up with you because you're my friends squeeze, but I ain't gonna get all buddy buddy up in here."

"Jade." Liz spoke, stopping her mini rant.

"Wassup, Erin?"

"The body is wrong, her mind tells her sometimes. Wrong, stocky—short. Small, too small. 'At least my eyes are the same...but wait, why did I just think that?' Then back again. She doesn't remember. The memories are hurting her, sharp and tearing her apart inside." Cole tried to explain, his hands fidgeting, "But… she doesn't know. We want to help. You."

"Dude. What did I tell you about snooping where you don't belong?" Jade looked upset, that time. "I don't want everyone knowing my problems."

"Well, that's … this is one of the reasons we brought you out here, Jade. Would you hear me out? As a concerned friend?" Liz tried to reason. The stocky woman gave pause before she ruffled her own hair in that way that Elise used to, her big green eyes looking up at Liz.

"You're starting to sound like Serana, sheesh..." She muttered and pouted. Liz almost couldn't continue, a knot forming in her throat at the sight. Now that she looked for them, she did have a lot of Elise's mannerisms. Her speech patterns. Even her passion for music and cooking.

It was like she was staring at a shadow of her sister. It was her, but not her at the same time. From what Cole explained, she… she didn't even truly remember being Elise. She was born in this world as Jade and from then on was a Cadash.

Just thinking about it opened up a wound deep within that hadn't hurt in a long time. Not like this, anyway. Usually it was just dull, distant. But now it was ripping and tearing at a part of her she kept hidden since the accident on Earth.

"Well, I think I might have an idea as to why you're having those dreams. And why you've been feeling that way." Liz coughed into her hand, trying to push back the sorrow that clawed at her heart.

"Good, because I haven't a damned clue. It seems to have gotten worse since I joined with the Inquisition." Jade crossed her arms and Liz had to suppress the urge to wince. Probably not the Inquisition that caused it. It was probably Liz's presence, if anything.

"Do you ever remember any particular details about the dreams? What kinds of feelings have you been having? Any loss of time or inability to recall why you went somewhere?" Solas bombarded the little woman with questions. Though, to her credit, she didn't seem at all put off by them. She seemed lost in her own thoughts.

The wind blew and the leaves above rattled against one another as the sun slowly dipped into the horizon. The trickle of a stream echoed through the trees alongside the serene chirps of birds as they flew overhead.

That was their silence as the young woman pondered, only to peer up after having decided what to say.

"I don't… not really. Just that they were nightmares. I was someplace I've never seen before. There's always fire. Lots of fire." Her brows creased, "I've never really liked fire. Not enough to be scared of it, but it always gives me this uneasy feeling. Ya know? But then… at Haven." A shiver. "Haven…."

'Because that's how we died.' Liz thought to herself solemnly.

"But a lot of the time it's just an overwhelming sense of loss that just seems to suffocate me at times. It worsens when I look into a mirror, because some days I just don't recognize myself. It all feels so wrong." Her hand is resting upon her chin as she looks up at the trio, "But that hasn't bothered me as much as of late. Recently it's moreso the nightmares that get me."

"You seem oddly open about all of this." Solas commented. Though Liz knew that it wasn't supposed to sound like a backhanded comment, the tone of his voice seemed to have ticked the dwarf off as she stomped her foot.

"Don't flatter yourself, elfy. It's not because of you. Cole probably already knows and Lizzy here-"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"You just called me Lizzy." Liz pointed out and Jade seemed to freeze, pupils dilating as she looked up at the young mage. She saw Cole step forward in her peripheral.

"Smoke, there's smoke everywhere. 'Lizzy Lizzy, where are you?' Getting in her lungs. It was hot, hot. Too hot. Then not. Broken glass, then screaming." Cole rattled off and Liz could feel it reverberating off of him and into her. She felt it, too. The fear, the pain roiling in Jade's gut. Liz knew that look…

Jade began hyperventilating and she groaned, leaning forward and catching herself on Liz's shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? Look at me, okay? Just breathe. It's not real. You're not—"

The little warrior was stuck staring at her shaking hands, sweat beading off her forehead, "Do-Don't. Don't tell mom, okay?"

What? She sounded delirious.

"Don't tell mom that I snuck out—don't. Where-wait, what's going on with me? Why is this happening?" Jade's voice sped up, green gaze unfocused as she peered around, "I'm not here, this isn't real. I'm not—this isn't supposed to-"

"Jade." Solas grabbed her shoulder, but that seemed to put her current state into overdrive.

"You!" She hissed and slapped his hand away, "You stupid fucking, cunt. Fuck!"

Solas' eyes widened in surprise, his mouth snapping shut. Her voice had sounded filled with much more malice than usual. Well. Usually there wasn't malice, at all. Just a general dislike. But right then—

"Jade!" Liz put herself between the two, stopping her before she could do something rash. Which, in hindsight, had been a good idea. Because the dwarf had pulled her halberd off of her back and looked as though she wanted to chop the apostate in half.

The fire in her eyes at that moment told her just how serious she was.

She genuinely wanted to kill Solas.

"Look, we brought you out here to try and help you. I wanted to ask if it was okay for us to help you." Liz blurted out, trying to distract her from her current motive.

"Y-yes. Yes. Yes yes. You can help. Heheh...heheheh, right. My name is Jade, now. Right. Right." Her voice seemed off, hands shaking as she gripped her weapon. Liz stepped forward and put her hand on the tip of her halberd.

Jade opened her mouth to speak, but before she could blood began spilling out of her nose and her teeth began to chatter. First it was a trickle, falling down her sunkissed skin and across her lips. Then, faster. Her eyes seemed to glaze over and she stumbled, face going sheet pale.

"...Don't… don't trust...the.." Jade's words slurred and she fell backward, her weapon clattering into the grass harmlessly. Liz yelled and ran forward, pulling out a handkerchief from her hip pouch and pushing it against her face in attempt to stifle the bleeding.

"Jade! Jade!" She called, then her voice cracked as she screamed her sister's name, "Elise!"

Then Solas was beside her on the other side of her body, hands moving across her face. A green glow erupted from his fingertips and entered the middle of her forehead. It was like everything stopped. Not once since she arrived had she frozen when someone went into shock or was dying. But now? Now, of all times? The little woman simply sat there with her cloth against the dwarf's nose, trying to stop the bleeding. Why was she bleeding so much!?

"'Lizabeth, I need you to—ergh… I'm going to need a lyrium potion." Solas spoke, voice strained as he poured all he had into his fingertips.

"E—Eh...Huh?"

"Lyrium!" He ordered.

"Yes, of course!" She snapped out of it, pulling a small vial out from her pouch and helping him drink it. It had been merely for emergencies. This was one of such times.

"She remembers." Cole muttered from behind her, though in a sad tone. 'She's not supposed to remember.'

At that, something inside of Liz seemed to clench. Her insides quivered in fear of Elise—no—Jade's life as she lay on the ground. Her body began to shake and seize, eyes rolled back.

As Solas worked on her, she couldn't help but think about what Jade had been trying to say to her. Her words, though slurred, still sounded ominous with warning. It wasn't until she heard Cole from the bond, accidentally relaying her last words.

Something that made her brows raise into her bangs in confusion.

What did it even mean?

'Don't trust the Wolf.'

Cole carried Jade back to camp while Solas seemed to push mana into his hand, which rested upon her sweating forehead. She was limp, like a ragdoll. Liz didn't know what to do at that moment. She was stuck following them with Jade's halberd clutched against her chest.

Once the group entered camp, it was like everyone was in a flurry of movement and panic. Asking what happened. If they were getting attacked. If there were any enemies nearby. If Jade was going to survive.

The questions seemed to filter through the small mage's ears as she followed Solas into a vacant tent.

"C-Clear the way! Give them some room!" She heard the timid voice of Serana call out, pushing back a small crowd of their allies that seemed to form on the outer side of the tent.

"It was simply an accident. I'm going to need some privacy." Solas grunted.

"I could stay and help." Serana voiced only to get a shake of the head from the man.

"I'll be fine, Vhenan."

"But-"

"Go!"

"Y-Yes..." The little elf skittered out of the tent, leaving the trio in silence as they stood above Jade's unconscious form.

"I'm going to need more lyrium. A bowl, some water, and another cot." Solas barked out commands and Cole jumped into action. The once-spirit fluttered around different parts of the tent, gathering the supplies.

This was the healer's tent, yes? Liz's mind was slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush and her body didn't feel so far away. Was this real?

"What are you doing?" The first words out of her mouth.

No answer. Just silence and the dim green glow coming from his palm as he concentrated on Jade.

"What are you going to do to her, Solas?" She asked once more, but his eyes never strayed from his work. Cole set down the last item and turned to her.

"She wasn't supposed to remember."

"Solas." She ignored Cole and stepped forward, but was stopped by Cole's arm.

"She's stable, for now." He then began in a much lower tone, "But I am going to need to repair the damage caused by the trauma."

"Trauma?"

"Yes." He turned and looked Liz in the eye, gaze hardened like steel. It looked as though he was going to say something and give her information, but he didn't. Liz felt anger rouse from her stomach and before she could snap, Cole stepped forward. His tone was the usual rushed sputter of words, though his eyes looked sharper. Concentrated.

"She wasn't supposed to remember. Past, present, future—this life is already enough. But the barrier, it broke. Like a dam welling up and bursting. Too full. Too much." Cole said and Solas turned to him, mouth tight, "I already saw, Solas. You weren't going to tell her. But she deserves to know. About it. About us."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Cole paid her no heed and his eyes hardened toward their friend, "If you don't tell her, I will."

"Very well." He gritted out but sighed, his shoulders slumping as he looked back at the unconscious form of the dwarf on the cot. With another wave of his hand, the tent was muffled. As was becoming a norm for their conversations as of late. A faint blue glow enveloped the inside of the canvas, faintly highlighting the increasingly tired look on Solas' face. "I wasn't keeping the information from you out of malice. I simply do not think you are ready for it, 'Lizabeth."

"It really doesn't even surprise me, at this point." Liz's fists clenched, tapping down on the irritation that threatened to rise at his comment. She really had no right to be upset with him for keeping secrets of his own, did she? "You and I have that in common, you know? Just as there are a many things you do not know about me."

"Indeed." He turned and walked up to the dwarf, his slender fingertips brushing the hair away from her forehead. Liz had to suppress the urge to slap his hand away from her sister. He turned and side-eyed her, likely catching a glimpse of the dissatisfied look on her face. "When someone dies, their soul passes into the Fade as a spirit. Where they can either stay or be reincarnated into another life. Whether that be limited to just Thedas as a whole or other worlds, was unknown to me. Until you, that is."

There wasn't even so much as a crackle of fire outside the tent, anymore. The muffling spell made the silence that much more ominous. She could only hear her own breathing and the thump of her heart as it began to slow down from earlier. She stared down at the man as he continued.

"The Fade is a vast ocean of memories—a conglomerate of moments frozen in time. Much like paintings, if you will. When one passes on, sometimes they are lost. Sometimes not." His eyes were far off before he focused in and looked back at Liz yet again, "When one is reincarnated, there is a barrier that keeps the soul from remembering its past life. The mortal body is just not meant to remember such things."

"….but." He held up his hand, stopping her from continuing.

"It appears as though said barrier has eroded due to an outside source, in the case of Jade here."

"Me? Was this outside source… me?" Liz's voice was soft, disbelieving. Had she truly caused her this pain?

"Perhaps. Everything is pure speculation, at this point."

Solas turned back and began working on Jade, wiping down her forehead and pushing magic into her body. Small amounts, now. Liz stood there, a solemn look upon her face. Her chest hurt, tugging and tearing as she thought about the gradual pain Eli—Jade must have been in due to her presence.

Her thoughts and emotions were like a snowball, slowly getting heavier and heavier as they spiraled out of control. She was about to run out of the tent. Run run and never look back. Run. Because it would be better that way, right? She only seemed to cause more problems than she was worth.

Jade was living proof of that.

Cold fingertips brushed against her cheekbone, wiping away a tear that had fallen. Her brown gaze slipped off of the two near the cot. Cole was staring down at her from underneath his massive hat, which he had yet to take off. Even in the confines of the medical tent.

'Stay.' His eyes seemed to say. She could feel him tugging on their bond. Something he's come to do a lot, as of late. Liz's shoulders slumped and she nodded, suddenly finding her feet interesting. 'She needs you.'

No. She thought. No she didn't. She needed her to be gone. She needed to leave. Liz refused to look up at Jade. Finding it too similar to when Elise was being hauled away in that ambulance. During her last moments on Earth.

'But you can help.' Cole's hand firmly grasped her own, adamant. 'You promised not to run anymore.'

But what could Liz do to help?

'Everything. You've just got to try.' Cole's voice filtered through her, giving her resolve back. Liz looked up, meeting his softened gaze. He smiled that cute smile of his that seemed to light up his face. She felt her chest warm as she slowly returned the gesture. Of course. Right. She couldn't just give up like this. It wasn't right. It wasn't her.

Yes. She just has to try.

She stepped forward with that thought in mind. "...Solas."

He was just about finished prepping whatever he needed to do, his body leaning back as he wiped his brow. It was like he was lost in his thoughts, as if he hadn't heard her at all. His gaze locked upon the dwarf who lay on the cot. The little mage put her hand on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Solas. I would like to help." She said and he turned to look at her, a small frown etched on his face.

"There is little you could do, when it comes to this. I will be unable to completely repair the damage already done. Some of her memory will likely be lost. But I will be able to put up a new barrier." He rattled off, his hand resting beneath his chin.

That and he likely would want to find out how and why it'd happened in the first place. Liz's fists clenched as she listened to him, realizing that her prior trust in the man would likely never be what it once was.

"She's my sister, Solas. However trivial it may be, I would like to be there for her."

"Whoever you think she is, she is not that person any longer. It would be best if you detached yourself from that line of thought." He explained, though not harshly. His tone was soft, but it still felt like Liz got slapped. The harsh reality tearing at her insides.

With that truth, she turned slightly and grasped her arm tightly.

"I…. I know. She's still a friend of mine and I feel partially responsible for all of this." She looked up, "I want to help."

He sighed and turned. Silence followed.

"Alright. I'm going to need to get some rest before we get started. Sleep tonight. I will explain more after." He stood up and stretched, "She is stable. For now. But not for long."

That night was difficult. She tossed. She turned. Cole was there, but that seemed to do little. It helped, sure. But everything was whirring in her mind. Drowning out all else.

The little mage stared at the top of the tent, barely able to make out much of the details of the canvas in the darkness. She blinked. Blink. Black, blurred—then she was standing in her childhood home. It was dark outside, the rain falling and pattering against he panes of glass of the shared bedroom with Elise. The room was dim and warm, homey. Not too small. Not too big. That darn girl had yet to come back from that highschool dance of hers.

It was long passed midnight at that point, Liz sat at her desk with her face resting boredly in her palm. She watched the water droplets slowly hit the window and dribble down from the outside.

Lightning cracked and lit it up, illuminating a shadow just outside of her window. She jumped and stumbled out of her chair. It clattered to the ground and a palm slammed against the window, 'Squeeaaaakkkk'

Then a face came into view. Liz breathed and held her hand on her chest.

"Jesus..." It was just Elise. Her stupid sister. She calmly stood up and walked to the window, opening it. The rain got louder as the girl leaned in.

"It's about time! Do you know how long I was standing out there looking at you?" The young girl whispered harshly, "It's raining balls out there."

"Maybe if you actually got home on time, the front door wouldn't have been locked." Liz griped, eye twitching as she saw the water collecting on the carpet near the window where the young woman now stood.

"Don't tell mom. Please. Don't tell her I was out past curfew." Elise clasped her hands together and her bottom lip quivered. Though from the cold of the rain or because she was trying to use her puppy eyes, was beyond her.

"She really does have an uncanny resemblance to Jade, doesn't she?" A voice spoke up from behind her, causing her heart to once against jump out of her chest. Liz whirled around, eyes widened.

There stood Solas, hands clasped behind his back as he stood next to her desk. His gaze dropped and his fingertips brushed against the book and the homework that lay sprawled across the wooden table.

"Oh. I must have fallen asleep." She spoke aloud, realizing that this was now a dream. She turned and looked solemnly at her sister, who stood near the open window. Frozen in place with her palms clasped together. Begging her not to tell on her.

Sadness curled around her and she turned away.

"Yes. This is, in fact, the Fade." He seemed enamored by the book on her desk, eyes flitting back and forth. Ever the curious one, that man. Perhaps later, when she wasn't angry, she would teach him some things of her world.

"Can you even read that?"

"….No." He seemed baffled as he studied it much closer. She ignored him as he examined her English textbook as she looked around her childhood room. A Death Note poster was pinned to the wall near the door. K-Pop cards and posters littered the wall near Elise's bed. Her side of the room was a complete cluttered mess of games and soda cans around her television. For whatever reason, the games themselves had blurred titles. The one that stood out the most being the one with a white case and a red dragon plastered on the front, propped up near the Xbox.

She turned to walk over to her bed and sit down, the soft surface giving a little as she bounced. There were some pictures stuck to the wall right behind the nightstand, causing a deep sense of nostalgia to wash over her at the sight. Her fingertip brushed against the picture of her whole family sitting together for Thanksgiving. One rare moment, for sure. Everyone looked so… happy.

That's when she noticed her hand was much paler than usual. Erin's body was much more tanned than her original one. So-

"Usually your dreams took place in what you called your apartment. What is this place?" Solas' deep voice broke her out of her thoughts. She turned and looked at him. He didn't even look at all surprised that she looked different in the Fade than she did in the physical world. Typical.

Liz sighed, "This is the bedroom Elise and I shared when we were children." A pause, "Is there a reason you're here, or are you just snooping?"

"Does this upset you?"

"Not anymore…." She sounded tired, "There isn't really much for me to hide anymore, anyway. That was my big secret. Lucky you."

Solas straightened and walked up to the woman. They were now at a similar height, when she was in her true form. The thought brought a smile to her face. She felt more comfortable this way.

"Brace yourself. It isn't going to be happy when I do this." He said and before Liz could open her mouth to ask why or what he was doing, the whole world around her melted away. Everything shifted and turned, the scenery around her mixing into nothing but a blur.

Liz stumbled and fell to her knees. She faintly heard the sound of a thud and a muttered, 'Ow….' at her right. She blinked, then they were no longer inside of her bedroom. She stood up and brushed herself off, looking around curiously. It was a never ending sea of grass, swaying in the wind that seemed to caress her skin. She turned around, but saw little else. A blue sky and knee high grass. Grass everywhere.

Then her eyes caught onto a set of feet poking out of the grass. The owner of said feet then sat up, blonde hair disheveled and a disgruntled look on his face. Irritated blue eyes flicked in their direction.

"Cole?" Liz tilted her head and then turned to Solas, as if to ask why he was there. The elf shrugged.

"It wasn't happy." Cole grumbled as he stood up, rubbing his bottom, "Where are we?"

"It?" She finally asked, looking around before she did a full circle and looked at her friend. "What do you mean by It wasn't happy?"

"The Demon. It watches over you. Did you not hear it's screeches?" Solas appeared perturbed, "As we were leaving, it was trying to say something. But we were gone before it finished."

"I heard it, too. I was dreaming of nugs. They were dancing around and singing about… cake?" Cole tilted his head and scrunched his nose, before he seemed to realize something, "We are dreaming."

Liz smiled and shook her head, "I've learned to tune the demon out. I figure if I ignore it, it won't get what it wants."

"And what does it want?" Solas questioned.

"….I don't know. I never even deigned to ask. It seems kind of possessive, but I'd assumed most demons have that quality." She shifted her weight and put her hand on her hip, "I've been curious about something. About this…. Bond that Cole and I share." Her hand flitted between the two as the rogue ambled up to them.

Solas waved his hand, as if to say 'go on'.

"You said the elves used to do it. Why don't they do it anymore?"

"Lost in time, perhaps. Not all teachings are meant to withstand, no matter how hard we may try." He answered, as if rehearsed, "You've asked this before. Though I doubt you remember."

She shook her head.

"Why are you able to form a bond with Cole, you would then ask." She blinked and then squinted at him as he said this. It was like he stole the words from her mouth, "Which is a good question. Elven bonding is a cultural occurrence. It makes no sense for the two of you to even do such a thing, yes? Especially since you are, presumably, human."

"…..yeeeess."

"Then comes my question. What do you and Cole have in common aside from being human?" He leaned forward, a glint in his eyes. At that point, Liz's arms were crossed as she listened to him talk. The blades of grass rattled and when she didn't answer, he did for her. "You are both not of this world. But… how do you think you came to be in this world, Liz?"

She thought about it. Thought and thought. Her mind whirring as she remembered her last moments on Earth. The last thing she remembered before she arrived…

Liz felt the blood drain from her face. She'd died. And...

Drifting. Floating, for what felt like years. Centuries, even. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. It seemed nonexistent. After she saw her flatline. Her sister. Her sister.

"Your sister. Elise Elise." A lilting voice spoke in her ear. Cole was now beside her as she concentrated, his hand in hers, "Yes, it is okay. We are here, Liz."

She looked up and trees just seemed to manifest around them. The rush of a river splashed behind her. She was about to look up at Cole when her eyes dilated, the smell of cooked flesh invading her nostrils. Horrified, Liz looked around and stumbled back. Only to knock into something solid and crunchy, sending her onto her bottom.

Her eyes were wide and she let out an ear shattering scream, scrambling backwards. Closer to the river.

The area around the three of them was completely charred. Blackened bodies littered the ground, sizzling from what seemed to be a blast of some sort. The middle of the blast being the figure right at Liz's feet.

A small and frail, familiar looking young woman lay on her back. Facing the sky. Her hair was gone and nothing much remained of her face. But it was just enough to see.

"E-E-E-Erin..." Liz gasped and choked, pulling her own legs into her arms and trying to make herself smaller. It was like her eyes couldn't leave the charred form of the youngest Trevelyan. "E-Erin! It's Erin. But—but. How? I'm-"

"Calm. Calm. Breathe, Liz. The smells aren't really there. It's just a manifestation of your memory. Once you realize that, it will go away. See? Like that… yes." Solas spoke slowly as he knelt down next to her curled up form. Cole was sitting on her other side, already holding her hand. Liz took deep breaths.

"Whenever we spoke, it always circled around. Your memories are blurry and guarded from me. Your arrival itself is the only thing I could see, the moment you woke up. Anything before that is vague and missing." She felt Solas shift and look around the perimeter before looking back at her. "What is the last thing you remember before waking up here?"

She didn't like being here. But, it seemed he was trying to help. Help her remember.

"I… I was asleep. Then there was a fire." The words fell out of her mouth and seemed recited. As if they'd been said before. Liz fought against the onslaught of memories that flooded her mind, trying to keep it from swallowing her up. The sounds, the smell, the screaming of her sister.

"Don't resist it, Liz."

She was scared. But Cole's hand against her own seemed to anchor her. Give her strength she didn't think she had.

She remembered the wails of pain. Of her own pain as the skin bubbled. The pain erupted, covering her whole body. She … was remembering everything. Everything. Her surroundings faded and—

Her eyes snapped open. The flames around her roared angrily, crackling and consuming everything. They licked at her body and Liz had no control of her body. Elise went crashing through the window. Solas was standing next to her, eyes widened in horror.

There was no blackness then her waking up in Thedas. No. Everything seemed to rewind. Elise's body fell toward her and back into the apartment. Then they were on the floor coughing as the smoke filled the room. Then screaming. Then forward. Then back. Then forward. Rewind. Replay. Rewind. Replay.

She was torturing herself with the memory.

'I could have done better. I could have saved her. What could I have done right? Do I ever do anything right?' Liz's own voice echoed and Solas' words seemed to be slowly slipping away. Behind glass. Fading into the background. He was trying to talk to her, but she only saw his mouth moving. No sound.

She deserved this.

He stepped in front of her and grasped her shoulder roughly.

"'Lizabeth! You're hurting Cole." But that seemed to register. Cole was standing beside Solas with his head in his hands, muttering something.

Worry flooded her as she stumbled forth, vision tunneling.

"No. Cole. No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" She said as she knelt down next to him. "This was a bad idea. I don't need to remember. I don't need this. Not if-"

"I couldn't help. I couldn't help. I couldn't—I didn't. I killed her." He repeated, like a mantra. "N-No...no, you tried. You tried your best. It wasn't me, it was you. I thought I was you."

He looked up and his eyes connected with hers. Relief. She had to be careful with her negative thoughts and feelings. Especially in the Fade, as they seemed amplified and harder to control. Harder to conceal. They seemed to have an effect on Cole, as well. She couldn't have that.

"This is where you died." Solas stated calmly as he examined the two. He seemed calm. Eerily so.

Probably forced, she realized. But here, it was easier to read him. He didn't show it outwardly, but she could feel the tension inside of him. The worry and fear for them. For Cole. For her.
But what stood out most of all was his curiosity.

She didn't blame him.

Liz took a deep breath, body shaking. Realizing that she could control this. Whether or not it hurt or replayed. Like her own little personal Hell. And she was standing in the middle of it. "Y...yes. I died here."

"I cannot say I have any experience in this. Not even my wanderings in the Fade have shown me anything remotely close to your situation." He walked up to them, the fire moving around his feet and dissipating. As if it weren't there. "But what I can say, is this must be very traumatic to relive. We must push forth before your mind decides to shut down due to the stress."

"Heh… I take it this has happened before…." Liz felt fatigued, as if she'd just run a marathon. But she fought through it.

"You would be correct. However, I've never been able to see it for myself. This may be in part due to Cole. Or your willingness to show me."

"A-Alright…what do you need me to do?" She stood up and faltered a bit, knees wobbling. There was so much agony and pain connected to this memory. She just wanted—she wanted-

Cole took her hand and squeezed, letting his confidence in her flow through their bond.

Just…. Let it do its work.

She, once again, witnessed her sister die in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Liz was watching with a sort of detached look on her face. She was pushing back everything, trying so hard not to break as she watched the machines flatline.

"You were able to watch, even after death?" Solas sounded incredulous, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Yes." Her voice was dull, devoid of emotion.

"You loved her so much you stayed." Cole's voice broke through, sounding almost hurt. Like his own heart ached for her, "Love. You care so deeply, dedicated—devoted to those you love."

Then the memory shifted and she was standing before her sister, after she'd died. It was green everywhere, the fog like a haze. Rocks floated around them.

"I just... I just want to... Sleep." Elise's voice sounded odd, and it resonated through the empty chasm they were in as she stared at the fading form of her sister.

"Wait. Don't leave. I can't-" Liz's hand reached out to grab her shoulder, but the air shifted and it was like smoke got disturbed. Her sister's form slowly dissipated into a black mist as she started getting pulled toward the darkness beyond. The black. The ... The.

That's right. At that point, Liz could still feel her sister. She'd followed, blindly. Trying so hard to still be there for her sister. It was her purpose, her responsibility as an older sister, to make sure she was okay. To make sure she was safe.

She hadn't wanted it to end like that. Never like that.

So…. She wandered and wandered. Seraching. Everything was so muted, quiet, as Liz floated aimlessly. The scenery around her had constantly been awash with hues of green. Sometimes she would view memories that didn't feel like her own. Sometimes she would help people and teach them about their purpose in life, help them remember to keep moving on. She would often watch and watch, looking for that one person.

"I couldn't find her." Liz's voice nearly broke, remembering the hopelessness that overcame her after years and years of searching.

They were in the Fade, she knew. This. This was where she was before she arrived in Thedas? For how long was she here?

"There was no purpose. No reason. Nothing. Nothing. Sister is gone. Family out of reach. I had...I had….no." Cole mumbled and looked over at Liz, "You lost your purpose."

"My…. Purpose..."

"Yes. Your Purpose. To protect, to provide. Playing over and over. Even then, torture. Purpose—useless. Despair. Doubt." His hand pressed against her chest just above her heart, "You aren't useless."

Liz felt tears form as she clenched her jaw. She hadn't wanted to pass on. She didn't want to leave her sister. She wanted to provide. To protect. It was, what she felt, was her purpose.

"After that… I heard a call. In the distance. I remember. I remember." It was itching in the back of her mind. "She sounded so much like me. She was …"

Liz turned around and saw the river where Erin and the burnt bodies had been, but instead it was just Erin. She was laying on her back calling out for help. A white form manifested beside her, looking neither male nor female. It knelt down and put its hand upon her chest.

Erin was battered and broken, crying as she laid next to the riverbank. The form tilted its head.

"They're coming." The young girl coughed, blood sputtering forth. "I-I... Don't want... My family..."

The world shifted and she was seeing through the eyes of that featureless being next to Erin. Her 'hands' glowed as she floated to the ground. Kneeling before her, "Shhhh... You'll be fine."

"P-please... My brother." Erin reached out to Liz, hand passing through her body.

"Where is he?" She asked, knowing what it felt like to want to keep a sibling safe. To need it.

"Keep him safe."

"What? Wait. What are you-" the young girls eyes became dull, "Kid, hey. You can't just..."

Liz fretted, glowing hands fumbling around upon the young girl's chest. Trying to check her vitals. It was at that moment she realized just how battered the little woman was. She was also sporting numerous stab wounds and—

She worked for the hospital as EMS and she's seen many things before. But she'll never quite get used to seeing someone so young die.

'She died and I couldn't save her. I couldn't protect her.'

Just like her sister.

The voices in the distance were now right next to her, weapons being unsheathed and yells being heard. The only thing the bandits encountered when they caught up with their victim was a tall glowing person, too bright to see. A featureless white shadow that screamed at them, a burst of energy shuddering through the air. This sent them careening back and knocked them unconscious.

Erin had wanted to be stronger, to be better. To be able to control her abilities so she could keep her brother safe instead of hurting him. Instead of scaring him. But she wouldn't get to do that. Because of them.

She'd ended up getting caught by bandits. Bandits who recognized the Trevelyan family crest and decided to use the poor young girl for ransom. She must have been so scared…

Erin, the reason Liz was even in this world. Erin, the little girl that just wanted to protect her brother. To protect her family. To live.

'She died and I couldn't save her. I couldn't protect her.'

Her own voice echoed in her mind as she stared down at the charred corpse of Erin. She looked at her hands. No, not her hands. Erin's hands. Even now. Even…

She wasn't Erin. She knew that, before. But now. She just…

She wasn't inhabiting Erin's body, like she'd originally thought. She was like some creepy copy of Maxwell's sister. She'd manifested into this world because of Erin. Drawn to her because of her unfortunate circumstance.

"You're like me." Liz looked up, seeing the awe on Cole's face. "They threw him into the dungeon and forgot about him. He starved to death. I came through to help…. And I couldn't. So… I became him. Cole. You. You're like me."

"I …" She turned to Solas, "I'm… not human?"

He didn't even look surprised at this revelation.