Chapter 41) Fade

Layla POV


"And the greatest of demons are the demons of Pride, or so the templars like to teach." Dutifully, I wrote down Irving's words, even as I wondered what he meant. "See, Layla, templars classify the hierarchy of demons by their abominations. How powerful they are, or how difficult it is to trace them. Abominations of Pride and Desire look very human, with the differences simply being in their manner and eyes."

"Does that mean the other demons are stronger?" I asked, curious. It seemed so strange to me that the templars might be wrong.

"That depends on the circumstances," he answered. He tugged a chair up to sit in front of me. "See, there are many demonologists who believe Sloth demons are, in fact, the most powerful." Oh? "Simply held back by their love of not doing anything."

"So, what happens when they decide to do something?"

"…You have to focus your mind and break their illusions." Huh? "Sloth wish to induce people to rest and sleep. Staying in a dream and never waking up as they feed on the feeling of sloth and laziness." He ruffled my hair. "All right?"

"Okay?" I was confused. "But I hate lazing about."

"Sometimes, my dear, Sloth demons use that which terrifies you into freezing to keep you trapped." That was rude. "Other times, they give you dreams, lives, you would sacrifice anything for." Uh… "Ah, you might be a bit too young for this sort of conversation. Let's continue the lesson."

"Yes, sir?"


"Layla." Mmm…? "Layla, wake up." Who was…? "Layla, you better not be playing sleeping beauty. I am not kissing you." That sounded like… but it couldn't be…

"Ugh…" I groaned, forcing my eyes open. Everything was blurry, blotches of color that seemed so familiar yet so foreign. "What is…?" I glanced over and one of the blotches was a mousy-looking boy with black hair and brown eyes. This was… "Jowan?"

"Nice to see you're conscious!" He was smiling. What was going on? "You got really sick, Layla. Do you remember?" I was… sick? "Like really sick. Even the Knight-Commander was worried." Had it all… been a fever dream then? Had meeting Commander Duncan, going to the Brecilian Forest, seeing the Denerim Alienage, watching Highever fall, the Korcari Wilds, the Tower at Ostagar, Lothering… had it all just been a dream? What about the people I saw in those places? What about Cleon, Aiden, and Nuada? What about Elspeth, Alistair, Morrigan, Leliana, and Sten? Had they just been dreams too? "Layla?" What about the phylactery and…

"Lily." The name slipped out. My hand went to my wrist, where I wore the bracelet she gave me, and it wasn't there. "What about-?"

"You don't remember getting sick yourself, but you remember her getting sick." Jowan sounded so exasperated as he sat on the edge of my bed, gently poking my cheek. "She's fine. She woke up long before you, and most of our dates have been spent with her fretting and praying over you." O-oh… "But, remember, that's all a secret." Yeah, it would have to be.

"Jowan, who are you talking to?" I knew that voice, though I hadn't heard it in a long time. "Don't tell me Layla is awake?" My suspicion was confirmed as Anders poked his head around Jowan. "Oh, wow, she is!" he yelped, smiling wide. When did he…? "Quite a thing to return to. 'Yes, Irving, I am so sorry for running away again, but what do you mean Layla's been asleep for four days from a fever?'" He ruffled my hair. "Man, you look horrible." I could not help but pout. "Layla, if you looked good after that kind of a fever, I think the templars would be suspecting blood magic." Anders snapped his fingers, though, and pointed at Jowan. "Right, now that I'm no longer fretting. Guess what I saw?"

"If you're going to mention that book again…" Jowan growled. His face was bright red. "I nearly got into trouble because some of the younger mages grabbed it." What book were they even talking about? "Besides, were some of those… um…"

"Yes, they're all anatomically possible." Anders's grin was decidedly wicked. "Regardless, no, not what I was going to say. I was going to say I saw approval forms for your Harrowing, Jowan." Oh! "Meaning you'll finally join the ranks. Guess flirting put you behind Layla, huh?"

"The question becomes whether he'll be a good example or bad example for the little ones!" Neria appeared on the other side of my bed, helping me sit up. My head felt like cotton. Nothing felt real. "Wynne was talking about bringing you in as an assistant to her teaching, when you got better," she told me. I blinked slowly, trying to process everything. "Here, let's see if you can stand." Wait, if I was just sick like they claimed, then I really shouldn't be able to stand, even with Anders and Jowan helping. Anders, as a healer, should be protesting. "There we go! Let's get you food." I also could not have dreamed so much pain. Even in my worst nightmares, I could not have imagined how no one helped the elves in the Alienage, the way Highever fell, the battle of Ostagar. I could not have imagined all those refugees in Lothering; I had never even heard of the town before arriving. The Circle falling was beyond even my worst nightmares. "And maybe some-"

"This is not real." My voice was soft and everything froze. I took advantage to step back, away from them. "This is a dream," I whispered, pressing the idea firmly in my head. It was a wonderful dream where all the pain never happened. But dreams were dreams, and I could not stay. I simply… could not. "I have to wake up."

"No, you should stay with us!" 'Neria' said, reaching for me. Her eyes pleaded and I felt myself falter. Would it be so bad to stay? I liked not hurting. "Live with us! Safe and warm! Is this not a good dream?" It was a wonderful dream. But…

"I love Neria." 'Neria' smiled in relief, and the smile spread to 'Anders' and 'Jowan'. They were sure they had won. "I love Anders. Even now, no small part of me loves Jowan." I hated that part. I wanted to hate him, completely. "But, you are not them." Jowan was on the run. Anders had escaped before everything fell. Neria was unconscious from holding a barrier for far too long. "You are not them!" With my declaration, I focused my mind and shattered the illusion, vision blurring with tears when I saw the shocked, betrayed looks in the shards. Even though they had just existed in my head, it hurt. When would everything stop hurting?

I brushed my fingers over my wrist, and found the bracelet there again. On my chest, I had the leather armor Teyrna Cousland had given me. The bottom of my robes was bloodstained. I breathed deep, to try and clear my head, and shuddered when I looked out over the twisted landscape of the Fade. I truly did not like it here. No, I did not like it one bit.

Glancing around, I tried to see if any of the others were nearby. Sadly, they were not. Of course, that was the case. Maker forbid something actually be easy on me. I really couldn't stop my exasperated groan. What was the lesson about moving through the Fade again? It was something like 'focus on your desire'? But I did not want to focus. If anything, I wanted to cry. Was it childish to wonder what I did to deserve any of this? Well, it was fine if it was. I was seventeen. In some countries, I was not yet an adult, and in others, I was barely a year into it. I resented being forced into this! I never wanted to leave the Tower! I never wanted to fight! Why?! Why, Maker, would you make this my path? You are supposed to be kind and merciful! You just seem to take joy in tearing us into pieces!

"You…" I froze at the voice. I knew this voice too. It was a voice I never wanted to hear again. Yet, slowly, I turned to face the speaker, confirming with my own eyes it was a pride demon. "You've returned?" More specifically, it was Mouse, my test for my Harrowing. I felt so different from that girl. That girl had been bright, cheerful, filled with elation at having conquered the demon and realizing the trap. That girl had been filled with smiles and only had to worry about templars. "You should not be here!" She did not have memories of blood and corpses. She never had to kill something that bled. She never had to deal with the whispers dragging her down in her dreams, an archdemon-dragon drowning her screams with roars. "You are not his!" Why was… Mouse yelling? I did not understand it? I did not understand anything! "He will not have you!" I…

I saw Mouse reach up, magic billowing at its fingertips. I saw the magic come for me. I knew, on some level, I should bring up some sort of shield or glyph. Yet I could not make myself move. I could not make myself focus. All I could do was shut my eyes and wait for it to come.

When I opened my eyes, I was in another prison. It was a strange sort of place, like a fortress. I had never seen it before. Griffons lined the walls, in various states of rest or flight. Towering stone that felt heavy and old spiraled over my head. If I blinked, I thought I could see shadows of warriors, standing guard. Why was I here? Had Mouse truly sent me here? Why here? I did not even know who-

"Layla!" …Another voice I knew. This was felt like a blow to the back of the head, and I whirled, eyes wide, convinced I was wrong. I was not. It was Commander Duncan, smiling softly as he jogged up. "Are you feeling better?" he asked me, gently ruffling my hair. "Nuada feels absolutely horrible about the bookshelf landing on your head." Nuada…? Wait, was this his prison? Was he here? "Cleon is still yelling at him." No, that could not… be right. I doubted Nuada's prison would feature Cleon. "Aiden is keeping them peaceful, though." I also doubted Aiden would be here, if that were the case. No, this must be a prison of mine. Wynne and Leliana would have no connection to Commander Duncan, after all, certainly not enough for a spirit to copy his form. "Layla?" He crouched to peer at my face and my eyes filled with tears at his concern. This was the Commander Duncan who had treated us all kindly, apologizing frequently for having to push us. This was the Commander Duncan who smiled warmly and told me stories.

But he… "Ostagar?" He died at Ostagar. I had seen him last by the fire on the eve of a battle. By the time I woke up, he was long, long dead. Did I… ever thank him? Did I ever, truly, say a proper goodbye?

"You must have hit your head harder than I thought." He carefully ran his fingers over my scalp, checking for bumps or scrapes. "Ostagar is in the history books. We pushed back the horde, slew the Archdemon, and set fire to the darkspawn lairs. They're gone forever." I… "That is why I brought you all here. There was a discussion as to the purpose of Wardens now. It's decided we would be lorekeepers." This was a dream. This was a wonderful dream where Ostagar was a success, and no one died during it. This was a dream where hope was answered with something. "You were quite happy about it and dragged the other three to the library. Which, of course, led to the series of incidents that led to the bookshelf falling on you." I… I… I had to focus. I had to do something. But I did not want to. I wanted to go back to my books. "Layla, are you crying?" I was. I was crying. This was the life I wanted. I knew I could not have it, not anymore, but I longed for it. I wanted a peaceful life where I could read and study again. I wanted to go back, back to the Tower as it was before, back to where the greatest threat was zealous templars and spells gone awry.

But you could never go back. I hated it. I hated it. MAKER, I HATED YOU FOR TRAPPING ME IN THIS HORRIBLE LIFE!

Biting back a sob, I ran. The only path led into the fortress, so I followed it, passing by spirits who all called my name so kindly, everything a mess of blurry blotches as tears streamed down my face. I could not take this. I could not take this. Someone, please, tell me what I am supposed to do! Yes, I could shatter this illusion, but what then? Even if I found my friends, escaped the Fade, I would be right back to where I had been before. I would be back at the Tower that was filled with too many corpses and even more blood, having to do something about the Blight while not knowing anything besides the tales from old stories! I did not know what to do! None of us did! Why were we the leaders?! Why did we have to deal with it?!

I tripped, falling face first with a squeak. Slowly, I pushed myself up, hiccupping and crying, trying to keep quiet so the spirits would not find me. I roughly rubbed at my face, coughing on snot, and tried to figure out what was around me. Strangely, there was large glass… thing in front of me, with giant, terrifying horns resting nearby. Inside the glass, old armor gleamed in the faint light, an unstrung bow and dull knife crossed over the breast. The glare of the light made it impossible to make out more details. What was this?

"Oh, you don't want to look at that old thing." Yelping, I whirled, and could only stare. I was looking at… something. I had no words for whatever it was. I would say 'spirit', except the feel was… different. There was something 'off' about its presence. Though its smile was… very nice. It was a soothing, charming, charismatic smile. I supposed it was rather handsome too, appearing as an older elf with gold hair and green eyes the same color as Cleon's. "Your eyes are puffy," it noted, peering at my face. I immediately ducked my head, only to squeak when it poked my cheek. "Come now. Smile." It tugged at my cheeks, stretching them out, and I batted at its hands to make it stop. "Well, I'll settle for the glower. It's not that scary." Why did no one find my glares scary? "Took a bit to find you." Pardon?

"You were… looking for me?" I asked. I clasped my hands together to hide their shaking. "Why?"

"Well…" It shrugged, grinning even as it tugged out two chairs, flopping into one of them. I carefully took the other. "So, I was chatting with a Spirit of Justice, only to be interrupted by a Spirit of Valor. He had been asked to find help by a Spirit of Hope, who was most frantic about the mage she was bound to." I… had bound myself to a Spirit of Hope when I became a Spirit Healer. It… she had… tried to find help for me? "Valor, of course, recognized the mage as someone he had met and worried about, so took the time to hunt me down." Was it… he… the same one I met during my Harrowing? "See, I'm a little different than them." From my view, you were a lot different. "I'm able to jump into these little prisons much easier than them. So, here I am. Though, why Weisshaupt?" I had never heard of the place. "Ah, well, so, what's troubling you?" I stared at it, unable to answer, and it stretched, before turning its chair so it was sitting backwards in it, leaning against the back. "Isseya, my twin sister, was a Circle mage. I highly doubt you didn't learn how to break free from a demon's prison. She had." It smiled so sweetly when talking about her. …Wait, spirits did not have twins! My head hurt… "Since you haven't, I assume you can't focus or whatever it is. And in the fact you've obviously been crying…" It shrugged, still smiling. "Come on. Talk to me. Nothing to lose, right?"

"I…" I hesitated. This was a stranger, and I had no idea what it was. But its smile was gentle, coaxing, without pushing. It reminded me of Irving's, somehow. That pushed me over the edge. "I do not know what to do!" I was crying again. "I became a Harrowed mage, and then Jowan asked for help, only for me to learn he had lied to my face. Then I was recruited into the Wardens, without any idea why!" It winced a little at that. "Then I had to deal with the outside world, which I hate! I am always tripping or getting burned or injured and nothing makes sense there!" I was flailing, adding gestures to my rant. "I had to go through a forest, kill something that bled for the first time in my life, and then it was to the Alienage, where people just watched some brat drag off elven girls without even a token protest!" It glared, but I kept rambling. "One of the girls died and another was raped! And the guard cared more that the brat died than the trauma those girls went through!" Shianni's grateful look was something I would never forget. "Then we went to Highever, and it was fine! It was fun! Then I watched it all fall apart because of betrayal, and it hit so close to the wound on my heart because of Jowan! And we couldn't stay and help, because we had to get to Ostagar, because the darkspawn were there!" Everything hurt! "Then I went through the Joining, watched two people die because of it, told I would never be able to return to my old life! Then it was the battle itself! It was supposed to be an easy job! Climb the Tower and light the beacon! But it was overrun with darkspawn and we had to fight our way up!" I had been so scared. I was still scared. "We had to fight an ogre, and I had to deal with fire. I hate fire!" I was yelling. But I could not stop. "Then we had to deal with more darkspawn attacking us wave after wave after wave, and I had a rock lodge itself in my stomach and fainted. When I came too, I learned the battle was a loss! Everyone was dead!" I was trembling, and I hugged myself to try and make myself stop. It did not work. "Everyone was dead, while I slept, helpless and useless! We go to Lothering after that, and I learn a companion of mine was injured this whole time, and he refused to let me help! The one thing I can do is heal, but it is useless!" Everything I knew was useless in this situation! "We protected the town, but it is just going to fall anyway! Then I think things will be fine. I was returning to the Tower and I would be able to get help! But no!" I flailed again, and cracked my hand on the glass container. Even though the noise was loud, it kept watching me, listening carefully. "No, it is overrun with demons and abominations and there is so much blood and rot, and I am still unbelievably useless, and no one is giving any of us help!" I coughed, throat dry, choking on my tears. "I do not know what to do! I am seventeen! I should not have to deal with this!" With those words, childish and selfish as they likely were, I dissolved into tears, covering my face to try and muffle the sound. "I do not… know what to do…"

"Wardens have a bad habit of pushing kids into roles they're not ready for during Blights." Tentatively, I brought my hands down a little, just to my mouth, scared of what look it would have. But, I found an understanding, if bitter, smile, and something about it was strangely soothing. "Sacrifice everything for the Blight. All well and good, and unfortunately necessary at times, but what are kids supposed to do? It's not like we have the experience to know what decisions to make." I hesitantly nodded in agreement. "You're stuck in the middle of a fight, because your commander died unexpectedly, before they could pass on much, and you have to flail your way to some sort of sanctuary, only nowhere is actually safe." Yes, I… how did it know that feeling? "And sometimes you have to do something both brave and stupid to even have a chance of getting out alive, and you half-wonder if it might've been better if you died with the others, because then everything wouldn't hurt, and you wouldn't be so confused." Yes, that was… that was the feeling, wasn't it? "Personally, though, I think you're doing a great job." H-huh? "Well, you aren't dead, for one." It grinned at me, and I could only stare. "So, you have to be doing at least decently. And you're walking on a path, yeah? There's obstacles you didn't expect, but you were still going forward to try and find a way around, yes?" I… supposed we all were. "You're fine. You're doing fine." I never knew how much I wanted, needed, to hear those words right then. "One step at a time, keeping moving forward. You'll gain the experience on the fly, just as the heroes of the past did." It smiled wryly, laughing at a joke I did not understand. "You have to learn how to work together with your fellows, of course. Who knows? Maybe that person who refused your help has a trauma associated with healers." What could a healer do to generate a trauma? "Everyone has their quirks. You can work around them to make compromises."

"…I am stuck that path, am I not?" I sighed, drooping. I only slumped more when it nodded. "That is marvelous. Truly, it is. Why would the Maker do this to me?"

"Mmm, could be because the Maker knows you're stronger than you think you are." H-huh? "Or maybe He's just a butcher. I don't remember what I decided, at the end of things, and I definitely don't know what I think now." I blinked slowly, not quite processing, and it took advantage of my shock to stand and come to my side, ruffling my hair. "You all can do it, though. Take a breath and leap. You're more than capable of flying." …Eleni Zinovia, had told me to free the 'Power of the Eagle' or something. Eagles were… important to the Amell family. Perhaps this was what she meant? I had to keep moving, and fly? "You're looking better, puffiness aside." I sulked and it laughed, bright and cheerful. "Ready?"

"I…" I took a breath and looked up at him. "Can I have a hug first?" Though it looked startled, its smile was gentle as it gave me a warm, comforting hug. I felt the last of my tension disappear, and I felt like my head was clear for the first time in days. Though it ached horrible from the crying, and I was horribly stuffed up. "Thank you." It waited until I pulled back before releasing me, and helped steady me when I stood. "I am ready now, I think."

"Good girl." It grinned and stepped back. "Oh, and don't worry about me. I'm not like the spirits here. I'll just jump to a different area when the prison falls." I see.

Carefully, I focused my mind, finding it easier than before despite the pounding headache. The threads of the prison were so simple to find and tug.

But as it shattered, I remembered something. "Layla." It looked at me in confusion as the pieces fell around us. "My name is Layla Amell," I told it. Perhaps it was foolish, but… but perhaps I should also trust my instincts more.

"What a pretty name," it murmured, smiling. "Garahel." …P-pardon…? "My name is Garahel." But was that not…?!

But I blinked and everything was gone. I was alone in the Fade again. Could he have been a conjuration too? The Fade remembered all things. It could remember Garahel, hero of the Fourth Blight.

But why would my mind call an echo of him? This… made no sense… at all…


The first thing I did was make the Fade lead me to some water. While I did not think it would actually clean me, there was something refreshing about splashing water onto my face. It was like I was getting rid of the last of those thoughts. Though, that was probably inaccurate. I would probably have those mental crises frequently. But… but I could get through them. I… knew I could. All I had to do was keep moving forward, however hard it would be, and keep up with my friends. I could… find a way to be useful again, and I could make sense, eventually, of everything. I hoped? No, I knew.

So, after drying my face off, I focused again, willing the Fade to lead me to my friends. A path opened up in front of me and I walked down it, counting steps to not lose my nerve. What was that old children's rhyme? One, two, buckle my shoe? Three, four, open the door? Five, six, pick up sticks. Seven, eight, lay they straight. Nine, ten, a bit fat hen! Eleven, twelve, dig and delve! Thirteen, fourteen, maid a-court-

In the middle of the thought, the landscape changed. My breath caught as I recognized the castle in front of me. It was Highever, bright and cheerful against the cloudless sky, the laughter of many echoing on the wind. This… must be Nuada's prison. There was no reason for Wynne and Leliana to dream of being here. I… really must have been wrong about him. I had assumed he felt nothing, but that rant in the Tower, and this scene here proved me wrong. He just… would not let himself dwell on it because he cared far more about duty than he did about himself. I was not sure I could understand that thinking. Perhaps it was best I did not.

Though, why would I come to Nuada first? I would have thought Wynne? Ah, that was probably a thought for another time.

Shaking my head, I walked through the gates, glancing around the smiling people to try and find Nuada. He had to be here somewhere. I just had to find him and-

"My pardon!" Blinking slowly, I realized I almost ran into someone. It took another blink to realize it was a spirit in the form of Elspeth. Though her face was stoic, there was a softness about her I barely remembered, having seen it only in Highever. "Are you all right?" it asked in that gentle voice. I nodded, keeping my eyes down. "You are a traveler, yes?" I nodded again, wondering if I should just follow her. Surely, Nuada would be closest to the spirit of his twin, yes? "I wonder… are you a Warden?" Startled, I jerked my head up, to see her as stoic as before. "You carry yourself as they do." I… did? "Uncle Duncan is inside, sparring with Nuada." Nuada! "Are you here to meet him?" Feeling victorious, I nodded vigorously. "Follow me, then." Carefully, it led me through the crowd and into the castle proper. From there, we went to areas I had not seen before the fall, and out the back where a large space of beaten down land had been cleared. In the middle of it, I saw a spirit resembling Duncan. As 'Elspeth' had mentioned, it was sparring Nuada. Both… had large grins on their faces, larger than anything I had seen. This must have been what they were like, before the Blight.

"Oh, a guest?" Turning slightly, I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from yelping as spirits copying Teyrn Cousland and Teyrna Cousland came up to greet me with smiles. "Welcome to Highever!" 'Teyrn Cousland' greeted, eyes warm and smile bright. "Careful of traps. Cailan and Fergus have been at it again, and I doubt Anora stopped them." I heard snickers and looked to the other side of the sparring to see 'King Cailan' and a dark-haired man who looked much like Nuada and Elspeth laughing. That must be Fergus, or rather 'Fergus'. Near them was a beautiful woman with ice-blue eyes and blonde hair. Though her coloring was different, her gaze was similar to Teyrn Loghain. I… was not sure how to feel about that. He had been kind, and yet he had also left. Whether or not it was the 'right' decision, it was because of him we were stuck in leadership roles none of us really were prepared for. I… could not forgive him for that. "Oren is somewhere around here, so careful if he tackles your legs." I smiled and nodded, pretending to listen as I eyed Nuada. He did not seem to even know I was here, and that made me sulky and annoyed. "But especially be careful of Nuada." Huh? "You're a very pretty lass, and don't think he hasn't noticed."

"Indeed I have!" There was Nuada, bright and cheerful. He wore a large grin, and barely seemed to be out of breath despite the sparring. "Which means I would like to get to know her." Did he say get to know…? Had he forgotten me?! I… "So, I love you all, but I'm stealing her!" He snagged me by the arm and dragged me inside the castle, taking twists and turns. I followed without a word, still in shock at being forgotten, and then being shocked by how much it affected me.

We had reached the gates before I thought to squeak, "Nuada!" Wait, if he did not know me… "I mean… um… Lord Nuada…"

"Okay, I barely tolerate that from Aiden. I am definitely not hearing a 'lord' from you." Nuada turned to face me, grin dropping for a relieved smile. "It's good to see you, Layla," he murmured, bowing slightly. I was… just elated at him actually knowing me.

I was also a little mad. "You knew who I was from the start!"

"Well, yes, you are rather distinctive." He grinned at my huff, but it soon faded. "I'm sorry, though." Huh? "I did not want them to realize I had seen through things."

Ooohhhh. …Wait a second. "Y-you did?" It was probably rude to be shocked, but Nuada was no mage. How could he…?

"Oh, I almost believed it." He smiled wryly, shrugging. "But I think that Sloth demon decided to try and make me want to stay, instead of tricking me." I frowned in confusion, and he pointed up to some section of the wall. I followed his finger to see an older man standing there, staring at the sky. I was immediately struck by how much like King Cailan and Alistair the man looked. "That's Uncle Maric." Huh? "He's Cailan's father, Layla, the Savior King of Fereldan who disappeared at sea five years ago." …Oh. That was… rather stupid of the demon. "Maybe it's because I was so stubborn to go to sleep. I don't know." He shrugged, smiling still. "It's rather pathetic though, yeah?" Somehow, I did not think he was referring to the demon with that sentence. I almost wanted to say he was calling himself pathetic. "So, how do we leave?" Eh?! "What? I am assuming there is a way to leave, and there's no way I know it." Well, yes, but…!

"You are willing to leave just like that?" He gave me a confused look. Well, that made two of us. "Are you not going to debate it? This is…" 'Your family', I wanted to say, but lost the courage to do so as he kept staring at me. Instead, I said, "Is this not what you want?"

"…" He continued to stare, the smile dropping for a neutral, dignified expression. "What I want doesn't really matter." Why did he say that?! "I have a duty as a Cousland to protect Fereldan, and a duty as a Warden to stop the Blight." W-well, yes… but was it not all right to be a little selfish? "Even if I did not have those things, I made a promise to you." There was a fierce yet quiet light in his eyes now. It was a strange light that made my breath catch in my throat from the sheer power and confidence behind it. "I promised you I would help save your home." Yes, he did. "I keep my promises."

"Then will you promise me something else?" He tilted his head slightly, the light quieting enough to make me lose the awe, but not the feeling. What was that? "Will you promise to never say 'my wants do not matter' again?" He looked confused, so I pressed on, "I would also like you to tell me your wants. Please, talk to me." I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to understand him. The ramble he loosed in the tower… I just wanted to know more.

"…You are the most confusing person I think I have ever had the fortune of meeting." I… believe that was a compliment? "I will promise to try on that second one." I sulked and he grinned, mischievous and playful. "Oh, Layla, are you really sure you want to hear all my wants?" …WELL, WHEN HE PUT IT LIKE THAT…! "You have the most intriguing blush."

"I am being serious here!" He just laughed, and it was… different than the one I had been hearing. It was louder, freer, happier. I liked it. "Oh, let us just leave." I held my hand out to him, and he took it without hesitating.

He still lingered a bit before walking out the gates, though. I waited for him as he glanced back to the castle, likely thinking of everyone in it. But then he faced forward and took the step. As soon as he did, the prison behind us collapsed, shattering into stars. "Well, that was dramatic," Nuada noted as he watched the pieces drift through the air. I squeezed his hand, hoping it reassured him. "It is also quite convenient I am wearing my armor and bearing my weapons now." …Now that he mentioned it, it was convenient. Should not Sloth have taken extra precautions to remove them? "So, what do we do?"

"Why am I being asked?" I immediately retorted. He looked a little startled, but I continued anyway, "you are the older one, yes?"

"I… actually, yes, I think I am the older one." He looked thoughtful suddenly. "Now that I'm thinking about it, isn't Aiden the older of us four?" I… wait, that could be correct. Aiden mentioned in passing at some point being twenty-one. …That was far too young to be leading armies! Oh, Maker… "And that was a tangent we didn't need to be on." Ah, right! "So, the reason I asked you is because I know nothing about demons." Huh?

"B-but you know about Tranquil!" Wait… "Hold on, that came out wrong." That came out really, really wrong.

"I think you're referring to how I know a lot about the Tranquil?" Relieved, I nodded, and he shrugged. "I just talked to them. It's kind of hard for someone with no magical ability, like myself, to talk to a demon." …Ah. Yes, that did make sense. "Most of what I know is in the books, and it was the bare minimum. It's not like anyone ever expected me to be fighting them." He made a face, and I wondered if he felt as out of his depth as I did. The possibility was soothing.

"Well, what would you suggest if we were not fighting a demon?" I glanced around the area, making sure there were no Fade denizens nearby. It would not do to be ambushed here.

"I'd go straight for the leader." Was that not the most dangerous solution? "Typically, armies and countries fall apart when the leader is incapacitated or dead. Think of the Archdemon." Oh, I understood that. "Since I have the training of a 'Champion' among others, I can make my fighting style serve well in the vanguard." I… had no idea what he meant by that! Nuada! "With my armor and shield, it becomes an even more viable tactic to just-" He paused suddenly, studying me. "I lost you, didn't I?" Sulking, I nodded. "I'm sorry. I started thinking too much like a strategist there, huh?" He smiled wryly and I just continued to sulk. "Basically, Layla, I would suggest that tactic because of my training, my arms, and my understanding of strategy." I nodded slowly. "But I don't have a strategy for demons. And, if you don't mind me whining again, I very much hate that."

"Do you like strategies?" He did not reply. "Nuada?"

"I'm thinking." Why would he have to think on if he liked something or not? Should he not already know? "I… suppose the answer is yes," he murmured, looking a bit thoughtful. "Certainly, I enjoyed those lessons the most. Loghain also had fun teaching me." He made to cross his arms, but he stopped when he realized we were still holding hands. He did not let go, and I did not either. "Maybe when we're all together again, I should think of some strategies for all of us. It'll be relaxing, at least." If he… said so? "Regardless, Lady Mage of Great Power and Beauty…" I could not help but roll my eyes and he grinned. "What would you recommend, based on your knowledge?"

"Ah…" I bit my lip, trying to think. We had to be in Sloth's domain. There was no other explanation. This meant… "It knows we are out of its prisons." It had to. It also must be preparing new ones. "We have to stop it before we are trapped again." It would create more realistic ones, ones we would not be able to escape easily. "So, we should go fight it, now." I worried for Wynne and Leliana, but Wynne was a powerful and skilled mage, so she should be fine. I… was not sure on Leliana, but I could hope for her? …I felt bad.

"All right." He bowed his head to me. "Lead on then, Layla." Nodding back, I breathed deep and focused. With a groan, the Fade yielded to my will, shifting to provide the path I wanted. "That's strangely cool and scary." I glanced at him, certain it was an insult, but he was smiling. "Is it safe to go?"

"It is as safe as anything is in the Fade." I would let him decide whether that was a good or bad thing. "Here we go."

I stepped on the path. He followed. But the land underneath our feet shifted and suddenly moved, sending up flying over the Fade. I yelped, clinging to Nuada tightly, and he wrapped an arm around me securely. I almost wanted to yell at him being too calm, again, but then I noticed his jaw was clenched and he was noticeably paler. Maybe… I should pay more attention, huh?

The piece of land we were on suddenly crashed into an island, sending us both flying. I made the Fade conform to me, letting me land on my feet. Nuada, however, went sprawling, making me laugh.

"Alack, alay, woe is me, that you would take such amusement from my ungraceful pain," he immediately deadpanned, making me laugh harder. He sighed as he pushed himself up. "We have such a rude host, doing something like that."

"Ah… and here I thought I was being so kind…" I stiffened as the Sloth demon materialized in front of us, taking the form of an Arcane Horror. "Yet what do we have here? Rebellious minions? Escaped slaves?" It laughed, and the sound made my skin crawl. "My, my… what gall you both have." It smirked at us. "But playtime is over. Time to go back now." No. "I made you happy, yes? I gave you the peace you both wanted. I gave you dreams instead of nightmares. Why would you want to go back?"

"If you're really that far into our heads, then shouldn't you know the answer?" Nuada asked dryly. He already had his sword palmed, and his shield on his arm. "We've jobs to do, and we'd like to do them." I would not say 'like', but I knew I needed to.

"As such, we wish to do away with your evil influence at once," I added firmly, hands clasped in front of me. "We will do so by force if it becomes necessary." I said the words more fiercely than I actually felt. But, at the same it, it felt nice to appear confident.

"You… wish to battle me?" Sloth growled. It shifted, arms coming up and magic wisping about its hands. "You will learn to bow to your betters, mortals!" It launched the magic at the ground, generating a cloud of smoke. I coughing, choking, and my eyes watered as I tried to focus. I thought I could make out the Sloth demon in the blurriness, shifting and twisting. Was that a trick of my eyes or was it shifting into another form? It was probably best to assume the latter, and I should come up with a spell to use as soon… as it…

I froze as the smoke cleared and I realized just what form the Sloth demon took. It was the apprentice from back then, the one that ran into my inferno spell with the volatile chemicals and caused that horrible accident. I had barely known him. But I remembered his picture. I remembered people sobbing at his memorial.

I could not breath as he came towards me. I felt myself shake, growing faint, as his clothes caught on fire. The smell of burning flesh choked me as the fire spread to his skin. I watched it turn blister-red to ashy-black, flaking off, cracking the bone. It moved so slowly, and tears of pain streamed down his face, and I… I…

Wait, no. No, I had resolved to not do this. I would not become trapped in the past. I would carry it with me, yes, but I would move forward. I would not let the demon win. I would not let the darkspawn win.

I would prove my strength to the Maker whether He wished it or not!

With my resolve came the spark, and I conjured up the spell from back then, the powerful Inferno whipping around me. It was unsteady, and clumsy, but it burned the tears from my face, and seared the thoughts from my head. I was scared. I was still so scared. But I… I would….!

"You will not break me!" I snapped, loosing the spell and trapping the 'apprentice' within. I tried not to wince at its screech. "I will not let you!"

I still jumped when it reached out through the fire to claw at me with skeletal fingers. A bright sword flashed, though, and cut the arms off before they could touch me. "You all right?" he asked me. I nodded, and moved to stand beside him, watching the Sloth demon gather itself back up again and twist into another form as the Inferno died. "That was impressive, by the way." I flashed him a smile, pleased. "So, what do you say next time we just cut off their-"

"How are you feeling today, little lord?" I did not know the woman the demon shifted into with a gentle smile, the air of a competent healer, and kind eyes. Her voice was lilting, an accent I could not place, and incredibly soothing. "Do you still have a fever?" But while I thought the lady was nice, Nuada's wide-eyed stare said he did not. I panicked when I realized he had paled to the point I could pick out the individual veins in his face, and I thought I saw him shaking. "Here, I have a special medicine for you today. It'll take the pain away."

"Shut up." Despite the paleness and shakiness, Nuada's voice was fierce and strong. "You are just a ghost of the past," he growled, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Aw, but I am a ghost who chains you up, yes?" The woman laughed cheerily. "Do you remember? How my medicine paralyzed you?" H-huh? "Do you remember how you could barely breathe, unable to move?" Nuada flinched. "You could still see. You could still hear. You could still taste the bitter poison floating in your mouth with the blood." What did that…? "But you could only lie there, watching the world crawl by." He had… described this to me, once. When I had accidentally paralyzed those soldiers back at Highever, he had… said this exact thing to me. "You were such a cute little doll, slowly suffocating while I tied braids in your hair, hovered knives over your skin."

"You are a horrible person." The words flew out before I could stop them. "A healer is supposed to protect their patients!" I snapped, livid. I was proud to be a healer, uselessness of the spells lately aside. "Yet you used your talents to almost kill one?!"

"She's not a healer, Layla," Nuada croaked. He looked at the ground, shaking, refusing to meet my eyes even as I whirled to face him. "She's a Crow, an assassin, who disguised herself as a physician to kill me as a means of shaking my father, who the hirer felt was gaining too much respect and power in the Antivan court, despite being a foreign diplomat." He said the words mechanically, as if talking about someone else. "It was neither the first nor last attempt on my life. Many realized my father's sole weakness was his family, and, as the youngest, Elspeth and I were the easiest targets. That's all." That was not all! Why did he act like it was nothing?!

"And yet you still cannot let anyone come near you to heal," the woman laughed, still gentle and soothing. My thoughts froze as I connected the pieces at last. Oh. This was why… this was why he… "The more they profess to want to help, the more you remember and flee, scared that it will happen again. What a coward!" Hey! "Pathetic child of the Couslands, unable to live up to the legacy!" Nuada slipped off his shield, still looking at the ground. "Just lie down and rest! Let the world go on! Let it burn, the world that never heard you-!"

I gaped as Nuada suddenly threw his shield, it sinking firmly into the lady's neck and snapping her head back in an explosion of blood. Um…

"I swear; that trick gets more useful as I get older." I glanced at Nuada, who looked… pale. He still looked pale, but he was not hiding behind a false smile. If anything, he looked even more determined. "Who knew getting bored in Orlais would be this beneficial?" he added lightly. The body of the woman disappeared, but I still sensed the demon nearby. This was not over yet.

Still… "Why did you learn it?" I asked, cautiously looking around the area. Where was it?

"I got really bored and there were a bunch of shields about, so I thought 'why not?' and started throwing them." He shrugged, moving to get his shield. "I practiced enough that I'm accurate even when one eye closed." He must have been really bored. "Since no one ever expects that sort of trick, it became useful." WELL, OF COURSE NO ONE EXPECTED IT! "It is particularly useful since I know quite a few different fighting styles." I see. …Wait…

"Did you not mention something about 'champion'?" Something flickered in the corner of my eye and I whirled to face it. But there was nothing. Where was it?!

"It probably has another name, but it's colloquially dubbed 'Champion'. It is my primary fighting style, the foundation on which I use the others I learned." He slipped his shield back on his arm. "It's… the same fighting style Loghain knows." Oh? …Oh. "He taught it to me. Users of it are defenders, protectors. They hold the line or break through the enemy with the vanguard. It is a very strategic fighting style." He shrugged, looking back at me. "I like it. But sometimes, you have to use unconventional means to get everyone home alive." Ah… "So, is the demon dead or did it go into hiding?"

"It is the latter." He sighed, and I smiled slightly in amusement. "It is a bit fun, seeing you out of your depth."

"I am so pleased to be your entertainment." I laughed outright at his deadpanned response. "Truly, I am." But my laughter died abruptly when I realized just what was happening underneath Nuada's feet. "What's… whoa!" He jumped back, just in time to avoid the Sloth demon's attempt to claw him. "That's just rude." Nuada! Be serious!

Sloth growled as it hovered, moving its hands in front of it. I knew that glow. It was preparing an ice spell. And if… no, I needed to be confident. The way the air hummed said the ice spell would be a Blizzard. Blizzards were tricky to deal with as they had a good chance of freezing someone in addition to doing painful damage.

"I'll keep them busy if you've an idea for a spell to kill them." I looked at Nuada, startled, but his gaze did not waver. "That okay?" he asked. I bit my lip, but nodded. "Just let me know if I need to move." With those words, he surged forward, crashing into the demon and knocking it off-balance. The spell it conjured went awry and shattered one of the rocks nearby. Yes, we needed to finish this battle now. What should I do? What spell should I…?

Magic. It used magic. There was one spell, one I knew well. It was a higher leveled spell, so I had always avoided using it outside of strict, strict practice. But I knew it. I just had to use it. My hands shook at the thought, but I grit my teeth. I summoned the Inferno. I could do anything.

I opened my mouth to say the incantation, but snapped it shut. Flemeth had said no incantations. I would follow her instructions here. I would call to my magic, and make it obey me. I was the mage. I was the master of magic. I would not allow it to do anything I did not wish it to!

So, I focused instead, drawing the magic to me, eyes narrowing as I kept sight of Nuada fighting the Sloth demon, ducking under spells, flinching as pieces of ice flew over his shield to bite into his face. Then, when the spell was ready, and the demon had its back to me, I loosed the spell: Mana Clash.

The effect was immediate. With a shriek that echoed harshly, I tore the magic from its body, ripping the body into pieces of mist that dissolved. I swallowed back nausea as it faded away, clasping my hands tightly to avoid shaking. I… did it. I had no idea what to feel about it, but I did it.

"Remind me not to get you mad." Nuada's nonchalant comment made me laugh harder than I should. "I do not want to be on the wrong end of your spells," he continued, just as lightly. It was as if he was making an observation about the weather. "So, now that it's dead, what do we…?" He trailed off as the ground began shaking. Startled, I looked around, and thought I saw the very sky waver and ripple. What was…?!

"This section of the Fade is collapsing." Yelping, I whirled to see Garahel sitting on top of one of the rock structures. Where had he come from?! "It's lost its owner, so the Fade is reclaiming the area," he continued blithely. I shared a wide-eyed look with Nuada. "You'll want to get your companions. If they remain in their prisons, they'll be stuck forever in them." I… did not know that could happen! "I've killed the demons guarding their prisons already, so you should be able to just run in and get them." I… uh…

"Not to sound ungrateful, but why are you helping us?" Nuada asked. That sounded like the best question. "Why does it matter to you?"

"Well, would you believe me if it's because I feel like I owe you?" Um… "Heroics is just a pretty way of describing the horrors of battle, and you're stuck in a mess because of my heroics." His demeanor and gaze was fierce, even though his pose remained relaxed. "Besides, someone has to make your job easier for once." Well…

The ground shook again, and I realized we had no time. So… "Thank you!" I yelled to him, as I snatched Nuada by the arm and bolted down the first path I could find. I thought I heard Garahel laugh as we left. I hoped it was a good thing.

"So, Layla," Nuada began through pants. He easily caught up to me, but made sure to keep pace, adapting for my smaller stride. "Can you explain why Garahel is here?" Um… "I'm assuming that handsome spirit was Garahel. There are portraits all over the place of him, with a particularly nice one in Starkhaven." Ah…

"I do not know." And there was not another thing to say.


I was not sure how long we ran. It could have been only a handful of steps. It could have been the entire length of the Korcari Wilds. I only know I was out of breath and terrified everything was going to collapse on us when the Fade suddenly twisted around us, bringing us into the Tower.

"Just to clarify…" I tried not to glower at Nuada's ability to make words. While we were both sweaty and panting, he looked like it had been a brisk little bit of exercise, while I felt like I was dying. "We're still in the Fade, right?" he asked. I nodded, placing my hands on my knees as I tried not to pass out. He gently rubbed my back. "So, if this is a prison, it must be Wynne's, right?" I nodded again. I could not think of why Leliana would be here in the Tower. "So…" Both of us winced as the ground shook. "I'm going to poke my head into that room." He pointed for emphasis, just in case I had missed it. "You try to not die." Unable to help it, I reached up to tug his ponytail in protest. "Ow! Hey, that's attached to my head!" He pouted at me and I managed a smile. "You can be jealous of my oh-so-lovely and long hair later." …Now that he mentioned it, his hair was really long. It was longer than mine!

As I focused on just breathing, Nuada tried to get the door open. Judging by the grunts and foreign curses, I assumed it was locked. Was that why Wynne had not managed to escape? That would make some… wait, no, it would not. Wynne knew earth spells, particularly the Stonefist. I highly doubted a door could survive that spell more than twice. So, where was Wynne? She should have been… able to escape…?

I had just caught my breath when I heard the door splinter open, and glanced up to see Nuada had kicked it in, still growling words I did not understand under his breath. However, when he actually stepped inside, the words disappeared for a low whistle. "Well, damn," he murmured. Morbidly curious, I shakily made my way over to him and peeked around him. "I can't say I blame Wynne for locking up."

Honestly, I could not either. There was blood all over the place, even dripping from the ceiling. Blackened outlines against cracked walls gave the impression of where bodies had been before becoming nothing but ash. Bookshelves were crushed, the pages scattered about. Lifeless eyes stared at nothing, but gave the impression of silent, screaming accusations anyway.

All of them were the survivors Wynne had kept safe in the first floor library. Not one of them was breathing.

For a moment, I thought even Wynne, collapsed on her knees in the center, staring at nothing, was among the dead. But then I realized she was breathing, just slowly, as if she hated each movement. Dried tears clung stubbornly to her face, and her bloody hands kept absently stroking Petra's hair, not quite noticing it was just Petra's head. The rest of her body was… pinned against a crushed pillar a short distance away.

"Wynne?" I called softly. She did not react, so I tiptoed closer to her, trying not to flinch as my feet splashed in the blood. "Wynne?" Even though I crouched next to her, she did not acknowledge me. "Wynne…" I knew how much she loved the Circle. She might hold the duty of mages to Thedas was of greater importance, but it was still her home. She was the 'mother' or 'grandmother' of many of the apprentices. It hurt to be left behind, but how did it feel when you outlived those younger than you?

"I don't suppose we could just pick her up and carry her out of here?" Nuada asked, leaning over me to peer at Wynne's face. I had no idea how to answer, so I shrugged. "Well, any ideas? All of mine run the gamut of 'slap some sense' back in, and that's probably not the way to go."

"That is so violent!" He smiled wryly and I sighed. "No, no punching Wynne, please." Still, it did prompt me to poke her cheek. It got me a small frown. "Wynne? Can you hear me?" Was that a little groan? I thought it might be. "Wynne, we are in the Fade." That got me a reaction, even if it was just her turning her head to stare at me blankly. "This is just a nightmare."

"It's a pretty illogical one at that." Confused, I twisted to look at Nuada, who was studying the ceiling. "You can't get a blood splatter pattern like that on the ceiling by just throwing bodies at it." I was not going to ask how he knew that. "Also, there is too much blood for this number of bodies." There was? Then did that mean… oh, Nuada, I did not want to think about that! "When you put in the fact that some of the bodies aren't even wounded and… Layla, I'm being too logical about scary things again, aren't I?" He turned to face me, and I nodded. "I'm sorry." He smiled sheepishly. "Well, the point I was trying to make, Wynne, is that it's inconsistent." The ground shook again, and I saw the wall crack. Uh oh. "Also, we're in trouble and still need to get Leliana." I hoped she was well…

"Wynne, please, believe me." I placed a hand on her shoulder, glad she was blinking slowly, trying to process everything. "Please? You know me, Wynne. You basically raised me." I held my breath as she continued to stare, only just barely checking the urge to cheer when she nodded. "Thank you, Wynne."

"Here, your legs have probably locked up." Nuada knelt down and Wynne climbed onto his back silently, glancing around the area as he stood. Some color was returning to her face. "Wow, Wynne, you are really light." I just hoped she was comfortable against Nuada's armor. "Well, let's get going." The ground shook again, almost enough to make me stumble. "Now."

Without a word, I led the way to the door again, bolting down the hallway. I heard Nuada behind me, and I thought I caught whispers of Wynne's voice, but could not stop. As the prison shattered around us, I noticed the area itself was following. "We are going to have to jump a bit," I noted mournfully when I realized there simply was not enough ground to reshape into a full path. "Will you be all right?" I turned to face him, glad that Wynne's eyes were back to normal, if horribly guilty and sheepish.

"I'm honestly barely noticing Wynne's weight," Nuada replied easily. He smiled briefly at her before returning his attention to me. "It's no worse that swamp running with a shield on the back." Why did he know…? Argh, this was not the time!

Nodding, trusting him, I willed the Fade to make as much of a path as possible to get to Leliana, grimacing as the tremors came quicker and quicker. We jumped from one bit of land to the next.

At some point between one jump and the next, the Fade rippled into the inside of a Chantry. It was large and warm, much more so than the one in the Tower. Thankfully, Leliana was easy to find, praying in front of the brazier, a Revered Mother next to her.

"Blessed art thou, who exists in the sight of the Maker," I heard her murmur as we ran up. The tremors were not as strong here, but I knew that would not last. "Blessed art thou, who seeks His forgiveness."

"Leliana!" I called, sliding to a stop behind her. She yelped and whirled, staring at me with wide-eyes. "We found you!" I smiled brightly, but it faltered when she kept staring at me. "Leliana?"

"Who… are you?" I felt like I got hit in the stomach. I knew we had not known each other long, but… "Revered Mother?" She turned to talk to the 'Mother', who had to be a spirit in disguise. "I do not know these people."

"Wow, it blocked her memories?" Nuada sighed, sounding and looking exasperated. "I hate demons." He carefully let Wynne down from his back, and she nodded, glancing around the area. "I really do."

"Keep them busy," Wynne whispered. She had a bit of a smile on her face. "I've an idea." Very well, but how were we supposed to do that?

"Leliana, this isn't real." Nuada! Now was not the time to be blunt! Leliana did not even remember us! "This is a dream, of some kind." I fought the urge to groan as Leliana looked more and more baffled and distressed. "I suppose you got a bit lucky. That Revered Mother there could have easily been Marjolaine." Who?

"H-How do you know about…?" Leliana yelped. Her eyes were wide and her face went pale. "No, I… I left that life behind. I did!" Um… "How do you even know about… Oh, wait, I do know you." H-huh? "You're Nuada Cousland. I saw you at a lot of the balls in Orlais." I was so lost. I should just focus on the Revered Mother to make sure she did not attack while Wynne was doing… whatever she was doing.

"Yes, Marjolaine greatly enjoyed trying to flirt with Fergus." Leliana sighed and Nuada smiled. "It's all a part of the Game, yeah? I recall you being skilled at charming your way into places."

"W-well, I dislike needless killing!" I was really lost, but I shifted to stand between Leliana and the spirit when it reached for her. "That's allowed! Mostly."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sure you're out of practice now." Leliana grimaced at that. "Do you still enjoy the old games, though?" Leliana did not answer. "Ah, please, forgive and forget that question. It was far too personal." Nuada bowed with a flourish and a wink, startling a laugh out of Leliana. "But, still, did you not tell Aiden you had a reason for leaving the cloister?"

"I…" Leliana chewed on her lower lip, crossing her arms as she thought. "There is something familiar about that." She winced, rubbing her head. "Ah, my head is all foggy." The spirit reached again, and this time I slapped its hands away. It would not have Leliana. "Maybe I should lie down."

"As a healer, I would suggest you open your eyes instead." A loud crack split the air and the walls of the chantry, and prison, splintered. "Leliana, this is the true face of what has been around you," Wynne whispered, one hand held out and glowing. I gaped when I realized she had been unraveling the prison. "See the Revered Mother for the demon she is." I returned my attention to her and quickly cast an Arcane Bolt as the desire demon shrieked and tried to claw me. "Do you understand now? Let's follow these two, as we have been." Wynne smiled wryly, even as Leliana stared in shock. "Clearly, they have stronger wills than us." I would not say that! I would not say that at all!

"I… yes." Leliana hesitated before nodding, quickly grabbing my hand. I squeezed back reassuringly. "I still do not have all the pieces, but I know you must be friends," she murmured, eyes fierce and warm. "I will not let the demon take me." The ground shook violently, and the last of the prison disappeared. "What is going on?"

"The area is reforming," Wynne answered. She conjured up a barrier and wrapped it around us four as we grouped together, watching everything fall apart around us. "We will be fine. Once it is done, we will be jolted back into our bodies in the mortal world." I was so glad Wynne knew exactly what was going on. "It's almost done. We just have to wait a little longer." I still felt my stomach plummet as the ground below us dropped. Wynne's barrier kept us up, but I did not like that distance below us.

Shaking my head, I clutched Leliana's hand tightly and looked out, trying to find something safe to look at. I grimaced when I realized I could see Mouse in the distance, smirking at me in arrogant pride. I was tired of demons. Why could I not talk to a spi… rit…?

My thoughts slowed as Mouse slowly shifted its form. When I blinked, I saw no pride demon, but instead a spirit, a true spirit, with a smile so soft and eyes so wise. What was… how did that…? I…

I gasped, jolted out of the thought path and realized I was staring at the Tower's ceiling. My body felt stiff and cold against the rough, bloody stone floor. I could smell the rotting corpses not far away, hear the squelch of the fleshy bits of corruption on the walls. I was back. I was back in my own body. I was out of the Fade. But what had that been, right in the end? How had the demon become a spirit?

"Layla?" I blinked slowly, eyes focusing on Wynne's face as she hovered over me. "Easy there, child," she murmured, helping me sit up. I glanced around to see Nuada and Leliana already awake, talking about something as they rested against the wall. "We're back." She smiled at me, eyes shimmering. "Oh, I'm sorry to have left you alone, there." Wynne… "But I'm very proud of you." Huh? "Nuada said you had been the one to get him. It had to be scary." I… "But you did it. I am so very proud of you, for finding that inner strength." Wynne… "Come on. We all need a bit to recover before continuing, so let's rest against the wall too, okay?"

I nodded slowly, feeling a little disoriented. Right, it was back to trying to save the Tower after being lost in dreams. That was… actually, in retrospect, it was annoying that we got caught up in that.

I truly hoped the others were having a much easier time than us. I truly, truly did.


Author's notes: Aaah, the Fade. Yeah, I didn't do all the worlds. No. I like what bits of sanity I have left, thank you. Brought Mouse back in, and hinted a little at something Solas mentions in Inquisition. ABOUT GARAHEL… well, what does everyone think? Personally, I've not read anything that explains how the Wardens 'know' the soul of the Warden is destroyed by the Archdemon. Would it not be fun to have them be a little wrong? Also, the 'glass thing' is Garahel's coffin. Well, 'coffin'. I think it just has his armor and weapons. Mentioned in… the Last Flight, I believe. The light Layla refers to in Nuada's eyes is a reference to one of the potential lines Howe can say to a Cousland!Warden. LONG chapter, but hopefully you guys enjoy the insights and bits of character development for Layla and Nuada.

Also, I finally got World of Thedas, volume 2, which gives character things. I can already tell you that I was wrong about a couple of things, but nothing completely lore-breaking from my understanding, so… yay?

Next Chapter – Zathrian and Lady confrontation with Aiden.