Sili's mind was a thousand different places as her caravan made their way through the Arbor Wilds and into the campsite. This was their next fight against Corypheus and his forces and it was going to be a long one at that.
She was greeted immediately by Captain Rylan and the reports weren't good. Their forces were holding, but Corypheus' forces were slowly pushing back. Rylan believed that with their Master nearby, the Red Templars had renewed vigor. Corypheus was spotted heading towards elven ruins.
"We can clear a path through his armies."
"So all you have to do is stay alive and fend off his forces until I return." Sili said sarcastically.
"We won't flinch, not one of us. Andraste guild you, Inquisitor." Rylan bowed, ignoring Sili's comment.
Morrigan replaced Rylan at Sili's side and the two bantered a moment, but somehow that eased the tension in the Inquisitor's shoulders. The mention of the Temple of Mythal peaked her curiosity. It was a place picked out of elven legends and an eluvian lied somewhere inside. That was Corypheus' goal and Sili gathered her companions and raced towards the North.
Iron Bull, Dorian, and Solas followed her and Morrigan. Iron Bull and Dorian were her favorites, she couldn't lie about that, but the three of them made a great team. Solas, as much as he was an ass at times, was brought along for his knowledge. If he didn't know about the ruins, he might know about certain things within.
As they ventured into the heart of the forest, Inquisition forces were clashing hard with the Red Templars. Many of her allies she gained were in the middle of each fight, calling to her to run ahead or boasting about how well they were doing.
No, I will not just let these people die so I can run to a unknown ruin, Sili thought. Rallying her forces, Sili helped each time the Red Templar forces outnumbered her own. But there was something wrong within the forest itself and everyone could feel it. Iron Bull noticed it first, saying that there were other elves fighting.
"They aren't our forces." Dorian stated, looking around.
"Though they seem to be fighting Corypheus' forces, for now." Solas replied, "These elves... they seem... there is old magic here."
Sili looked to Solas in pure confusion, but could see he was uncertain as well, "Come on, then. The sooner we reach this temple, the faster we get answers."
The others nodded and began to race through the forest, fighting whenever they could help. Sili noted that the unknown elves were fighting everyone and a part of her hated killing them. They were probably just defending their home and could not see that her forces were just trying to stop Corypheus'. Sili's heart skipped though when she saw Cullen fighting.
"Go Inquisitor! The enemy has gone into that ruin." Cullen said between blows.
Again, Sili couldn't leave her forces to fight alone and helped until all the Red Templars were gone. Cullen nodded his thanks, but lightly gripped her hand and catching her eye, before rallying his troops. She smiled at him before heading into the ruins with her companions.
"You owe me, Bull." Dorian stated quietly, but the ruins echoed every word.
"Later..." Iron Bull replied and Sili could hear the promise in his voice.
Sili just smiled, but quickly focused on what was going on in front of her. She could hear the fighting before she saw it. They slowly walked from the hall, seeing bodies strewed about like toys as they all walked up the a stone railing. Kneeling down, her group watched as Corypheus' forces faced down elves.
One of the elves spoke, but even Sili couldn't understand most of it. Calpernia smiled at Corypheus, the wretch mocks you Master, she said. Corypheus just walked passed her, causing the elven guardians to back away slightly.
"These are just remnants of the past. They will not keep me from the Well of Sorrows." He then addressed the elves, speaking loudly, "Be honored for your death will be at the hands of a GOD." He stated before walking towards the elves.
Sili looked to Morrigan and mouth well of sorrows, but Morrigan could only shrug as they turned back to watch the exchange unfolding underneath them. The elves retreated back onto the bridge as two statues on either side began to glow. Their faces turning to Corypheus as blue magic began to build and as he took another step towards the Temple, the magic released, engulfing the darkspawn in blue.
He screamed with rage as his body began to melt, but he lashed out and grabbed one of the elves' head. Then, he just exploded, throwing everyone back. Sili was quick to recover and watched as a few of Corypheus' forces, including Calpernia, ran into the Temple.
After checking on everyone, her little group descended down and heading towards the Temple of Mythal themselves. They walked carefully through the bodies of Wardens and elves, Sili noting that a number of them were badly burned and she couldn't help the remorse feeling that washed over her.
Trying to push forward, her group began to cross the bridge when they heard a weird gurgling noise. Turning, they watched in horror as a Warden came to life, but the noise was him choking on blood. Worse, they could hear bone starting break and crack as his limbs began to grow in size. The Warden then screamed, but it soon turned into a growl as Corypheus' form began to take shape.
Sili had not felt this kind of terror since this all first began back in Haven. At first, nothing in her moved... not her feet or words. The others were clearly as shocked as she was, but it was when Corypheus' dragon appeared was she able to regain control.
"Move, go! Into the Temple!" She shouted, pushing Iron Bull.
The group ran as fast as their legs would go, the dragon's screams filling the air. Once they were all in the temple, they began to close the massive doors. The dragon blew fire at them and the door was closed before most of it had passed through, only a 'puff' that singed the roof.
"Come on, we need to hurry." Sili sighed, rushing down the next corridor.
For the hour, they crawled, ran, tried an ancient puzzle, and fought their way through the Temple's outer corridors, into the heart of the Temple, only to see Calpernia and some of her Vinatori jump down a crevasse. Between Morrigan and Solas, the ancient language was somewhat understandable, but Morrigan explained that she understood more than she let on and reasoned that they should go through the Temple and find a true destination though there would be a terrible boon.
Sili had stayed quiet for a few moments, internally screaming and calming herself. I knew Morrigan was up to more than she said. Maker's balls, Lelianna even warned me. Though this seems the better path, I still will not let her put her wants above this mission.
"Fine, let's see what this place has to offer." Sili sighed, leading the way down through another hallway.
Surprisingly, there were more of the floor puzzles and it took Sili a few tries on each to get the end result, but they were able to do all three in less than fifteen minutes. They could hear a noise like a huge lock being undone and raced back into the hallway where the crevasse was.
A door that had been hidden in the shadows was glowing slightly. Sili ran to it as fast as she could, wanting to get to Calpernia soon. They entered a very ornate room, nearly stopping to look at the beauty. The feeling didn't last as Sili felt a strange presence and sure enough, with a puff of smoke, elven archers were behind them and another was on a platform above them.
He spoke with wisdom as Solas did, but she could hear the threat in his voice. Understandable, they were trespassing and she did her best to ease the tension. It was then that Abelas granted his name to them in respect and explained what was actually in the Temple of Mythal. The Vir'abelasan, the Well of Sorrows, and Abelas was grateful that Sili wanted nothing, but to stop Corypheus and gave them another way through the Temple.
Solas and Morrigan quietly argued about the need of the Well; Morrigan nearly demanding that they get it, while Solas wanted to leave enough alone. Just before they left to follow the guide, Abelas stated that no one would received the gift and disappeared.
Morrigan followed, changing into a bird and flying after the ancient guardian. Sili wanted to scream in frustration, but knew they had to get through the Temple before she could do anything. Sighing, she looked over to see another Sentinel holding a book.
"I'm guessing that is our guide." Solas stated quietly.
The group followed her through the Temple passageways, avoiding all the fighting until she showed them a hidden cache. Nodding her thanks, Sili led the group through the door to where Calpernia and her Vinatori were killing off the Sentinel.
"You are too late, Inquisitor." Calpernia sneered, "I am to be the vessel and bring change to Tevintor."
"You're being used." Sili stated calmly, "Corypheus has other plans for you and the world."
"What proof do you have of these lies?" Calpernia asked.
"See for yourself." Sili replied, tossing the ex-slave the scroll they found, "He was testing this spell on your Master."
Calpernia read over the scroll and was livid. She asked to be allowed to leave, to go back to Tevintor and set things right and Sili allowed it against most of her companions liking. Ignoring them, they raced up to the Well of Sorrows where Abelas and Morrigan were squaring off.
After some very tense moments, Sili was able to calm Abelas down enough to see reason in not destroying what they fought so hard to protect. Then he offered them the Well's secrets and Morrigan looked like a beggar seeing a feast. Every nerve in Sili's being scream a warning and, without thinking, took the Well for herself. Abelas had just nodded before disappearing.
If she hadn't pissed them off before, Iron Bull, Dorian, and Solas were angry now. Even Morrigan protested, saying she could handle the power better. That she had been doing so much to gain the powers needed to defeat all enemies.
"I have heard that so many times, Morrigan." Sili bit back, "You have been drooling since we got here. I have given you trust, but you keep forgetting to tell me things or I am not asking the right way. No! This is my history and I will not squander Abelas' gift."
"You may very well die, elf. Trying to save something that you don't even understand, like all your race!" Morrigan shot back, but more words died on her lips as she realized what she said.
"I would rather die, let all this power be wasted on my death... then let a Shem use it against me." Sili replied darkly, causing her friends to back up.
Without allowing anyone else to talk, Sili slowly immersed herself into the Waters. Taking a drink from her cupped hands, Sili screamed as pain ripped through her. The World grew dark like a stormy day around her. Voices called out, asking her why she was there. In her reply, Sili stated that Corypheus needed to be stopped and she would pay any price.
Sili felt a weird pain engulf her head and muffled voices. Her eyes were wild, tracking imaginary things as someone yelled for her, Inquisitor! Slowly, Sili's mind came back and she got to her feet. Are... are you alright? She heard someone, probably Dorian, ask. Whispers drew around her and she looked up in time to see Corypheus staring down at her.
He screamed in rage and, using his powers, began to fly towards them, "Through the mirror!" Sili shouted, using the Well's power to open the portal. She ushered everyone through as Corypheus drew ever closer. A spirit of the Temple rose from waters in the cracks of the Well and gave her time to jump through herself. Morrigan closed the portal soon after Sili came through...
Sili and the others had no idea what became of Corypheus, but Sili feel to her knees as the adrenaline subsided and she tried to catch her breath. Iron Bull was there to help her back up and she nodded her thanks before sending them all off. Sili called for a runner and asked that once the Inquisition forces returned to gather the advisors, she would be in her quarters resting.
Morrigan stared her down a moment before walking off herself, but Sili ignored the Witch. Right now, she just wanted to rest...
