"This is a bad idea." Cullen looked at people around him, all looking back at him, and he just knew. "This is a really, really bad idea."
"I don't like it either, but it's the best option we've got right now. The only option, in fact," Trev said. She was standing opposite Cullen in one of the lower halls of Skyhold, holding his sword, with Dorian, Dagna and a few select others beside her. They were all there to try to figure out what was plaguing Cullen, all sworn to secrecy and loyal to the Inquisitor.
For all their efforts, they had not come up with any answers, just a few theories that were completely hypothetical since they didn't have any chance to test them. But they would start today, right now, with Dorian removing himself from Cullen for the first time in weeks, to see if the whispering, haunting presence returned.
Cullen was terrified. Not for himself, but for what he would do if he wasn't able to control himself. Last time, whatever it was that had latched onto him had tried to make him hurt or even kill Trev. But this time they would be prepared, they told him. He was unarmed and surrounded by people who could protect Trev from him if need be. Except for one scholar and Dagna, the rest of them were powerful mages. Dorian would also be just one step away if they needed to stop quickly.
"Make yourself ready, Commander. This part of the keep has been cleared of people and there's a myriad of guards outside, just in case. I'll walk out of here slowly as soon as you give the word that you're ready." Dorian looked serious for once. Trev walked up to Cullen and kissed him on the cheek.
"I have faith in you. We will get to the bottom of this. Don't give in, you're stronger than whatever this is."
Her words were meant to comfort him but he only felt worse. She gave him too much credit, he wasn't that strong. The memory of the pain from last time, when he'd tried to kill himself to avoid hurting her, was excruciating. It had felt like his mind was splitting apart, two equal parts pulling at him.
But he steeled himself. He was ready for all this to be over. He just wanted a normal life with Trev. Well, maybe a life as the Inquisitor's lover could never be normal, but he didn't want her to suffer anymore. He would take her somewhere when all this was over, somewhere where they could be together in peace, if only for a few days. Maybe to one of the newly restored villas in the Emerald Graves. She loved it there.
"Are you ready, Commander?" Dorian asked and Cullen's thought snapped back to reality. He nodded, even though he felt far from ready.
"Yes. No point in dragging this out any longer."
Trev nodded her consent and Dorian started to walk out, one slow step at a time since they didn't really know how this worked. The mages started to work on some spells that Cullen couldn't know less about. Trev watched him intently, his sword strapped to her side, her hands ready on the hilts of her daggers. Dagna just stared, fascinated.
Cullen watched Dorian disappear out the door. He tried to listen, to see if he noticed a difference. He was relieved when he didn't.
"Dorian must be at least a few rooms away by now," Trev said, careful hope coloring her expression. "Maybe..."
Cullen was slammed against the floor, as if a giant hand was pushing him down. The breath was knocked out of him and he felt shocked – why did it hit him like this? He'd expected it to come back gradually, like it had before.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Trev's voice, alarmed, although he could barely hear her over the screaming in his ears. It was the same melodious voice as before but not whispering or singing now.
"It's so... loud!" he managed to sqeeze out between gasps for air. The pressure was unbeliavable.
"Dorian! Get back here! Dagna, go get him, now!" Trev's voice was commanding and desperate, but Cullen barely registered the others anymore. He was fighting for his life. He could feel the thing dig it's claws into him, not in a visable way like a demon would, but he could feel it press down on him with unseen arms. The voice pounding in his ears didn't make any sense, there were no words this time, just noise.
He managed to look up when he heard a man yell from somewhere in the room. Dagna had returned with Dorian.
Why... why hasn't it stopped?
The Tevinter was on his knees, blood trickling out of his nose. "Something is wrong! I can't... it won't let me stop it this time, I can feel it fighting me with everything it's got. I don't know what it is, but... ughh..." Dorian stopped speaking as blood flowed freely from both his nose and his eyes now, clouding his vision and dripping into his mouth.
Trev looked wild now, her eyes desperate as they flitted between Dorian and Cullen. She turned to the other mages. "Do something! Can you feel what it is?" she yelled while motioning for Dagna to drag Dorian out of the room again. He was no use here now anyway, and she didn't need him in pain as well as Cullen.
The mages shook their heads frantically, still weaving their spells but apparently to no avail. "I've never felt anything like it!" one of them said. "I don't think we can stop it."
Cullen screamed as the assault on him was redoubled. Any second now, he felt like his head would bust open. He was sprawled out on the floor, his hands pressed against his head. Trev rushed to him and kneeled before him, tears filling her eyes. He looked at her pleadingly. "I-I'm sorry, I can't hold... hold it at bay. It's too... I can't..." He screamed again and Trev whimpered in despair.
"Maker, forgive me," she whispered and then her hand shot out in front of her, right above Cullen and herself. The air crackled and sparkled green and then Cullen felt how he was falling before he blacked out.
When he came to, he was relieved to find that the voice had stopped screaming and trying to tear his head apart. It was still there, but a whisper yet again. He spotted Trev lying on the ground a few feet away and he crawled over to her, still weak from the assault. He shook her awake and her eyes widened when she opened them. She wasn't looking at him but past him, at the sky. Cullen noticed his surroundings for the first time. When he realized where she had brought them, his blood froze in his veins.
"Trev..." He turned to look at her as he helped her sit up. "Are... are we in the Fade?"
She looked sad and nodded, confirming his worst fear. "I'm sorry, Cullen. It was the only way."