Chapter One: Dreams?

The world was silent. No alarm. No Anna. Nothing. Golden shadows danced behind my eyelids. The floor was cold underneath my legs, stone cold. I tried to reach up and touch my face but my hands were bound. Upon this realization I snapped my eyes open. I gazed down at my face and saw a flash of green come from my left hand. I nearly jumped out of my skin. The pain was unreal. I gasped and shuddered. Swords drew on me at my sudden movements. Someone shouted that I was awake.

This couldn't be happening. How deep was I dreaming? There's no pain in dreams, right? And I found myself cold, freezing. My insides were frantic and as confused as my brain. I wanted to jump up and scream for help, for someone to wake me. Somehow I managed to be imprison in a medieval dungeon. At least that was want I could make out from the single source of light. The doors in front of me swung open and two figures stepped through.

Where have I seen this before?

They were fierce as they stalked towards me. Soon they stepped into the light and I couldn't believe my eyes. A hooded woman stopped just to the right of me. I recognized her almost immediately, Leliana. The other woman dressed in what I know as Seeker armor stood to my left. Her short hair and harsh attitude was a great way to describe Cassandra.

Out of shock and disbelief I couldn't help but say, "This is can't be real!"

Cassandra moved behind me completely ignoring my remark. She leant down and spoke, "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now."

I remained silent. What could I say? Honestly this dream was deeper than I first believed. I'm never playing that game before going to bed again. Never!

She continued, luckily stepping around me and no longer breathing down my neck, "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

Still, I remained silent. My words wouldn't help my situation. I had nothing intelligent to say or if I did it would come off sarcastic. I'm already in a dungeon or prison. Deeping their resentment towards me won't help me. Even if this was a dream.

Cassandra grabbed my forearm shaking me, "Explain this." The green light burned in my hand flickered and flashed. Painfully, I forced my hand away from her, "I can't!"

"What do you mean you can't?" Cassandra and Leliana began to pace about. Circling me like a hawk. I was too busy staring at the mark on my hand. Not intimidated.

Rather matter-a-fact, "I don't know what it is or how it got there," I answered. Must I play out this insufferable dream? I don't remember my previous dreams only that I woke up in tears. Maybe my mind has finally broken under the stress from school. Could I be in a coma, stress coma? I thought I handled the end of my college career rather well. I must have been wrong.

Cassandra rushed over, breaking my momentary thoughts. She angrily grabbed me, "You're lying!" Leliana quickly broke Cassandra away from me, "We need her Cassandra."

Leliana turned back to me and I made no attempt to give her my attention. Gently she asked, "Do you remember what happened? How this began?"

"Yes and no? I don't know what happen at this, what did you call it?"

"The Conclave," Leliana added.

"Right. All I remember was running, things were chasing me, and then...A woman."

"A woman?" Leliana inquired still be cautious.

I recalled, "She reached out to me…but the-."

Cassandra interrupted me, "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift." She watched as Leliana walked through the door before unlocking the shackles from my wrist. The freedom of the weight was a short relief considering she left my hands tied up.

Even though I already knew about the dangers outside and there was tear in the sky, I decide to keep up the charade. "What did happen at the…conclave?"

Cassandra aided me as I tried to stand. I hadn't noticed that my legs had certainly fallen asleep. She waited for me to regain feeling before answering, "It will be easier to show you."

The large doors opened and there bright devastating green light tore through the sky. It crackled and shot through the sky like lightening. My eyes flinched away from the daylight and the mark on my hand sparked. "We call it the Breach," Cassandra explained, "It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It's not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"I'm guessing it was no simple explosion."

"Simple or not, unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world."

The Breach sent a violent pulse through the sky. At that moment pain shot through my hand so aggressively I felt my bones shake. The pain drained me and I dropped to the ground. My knees hit the cold dirt that added pain on top of pain. Cassandra kneeled in front of me and showed slight concern.

"Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads and it's killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

Great. Wished I paid more attention to the beginning of the game.

"The key, how?"

"Closing the Breach. Whether that's possible is something we shall discover shortly, it is our only chance however and yours."

Cassandra, once again, helped me to my feet. Her gazed told me that she had no care for me. I was merely a tool that she needed to complete her mission. She started to lead again but I asked, "You still think I did this? To myself?" I motioned to the mark on my hand. She turned and without hesitation, "Not intentionally, something clearly went wrong."

"And what if I'm innocence?"

"Someone is responsible and you are our only suspect. You wish to prove your innocence? This is the only way."

"Never heard of "innocence until proven guilty"?"

"No."

This was medieval-ish time period…so trials by combat and stuff like that was popular right? And I wasn't going to win any trials by combat.

I sighed, defeated and quite exhausted, "I understand."

Cassandra stepped toward you. Her expression wasn't what I had expected, curiosity, "Then?"

"I will do whatever I can. The less I could do is try." She seemed to approve of my declaration and soon I was following her through the village. Bystanders gawked and shouted as I walked by. They had already convicted me. I tried to shield myself behind Cassandra.

Cassandra seemed to have read my mind, "They have decided your guilt. They need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy Divine Justina, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between the mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together, now they are dead."

"Excuse!" I heard a familiar voice in the passing crowd. "Rose!" Suddenly I heard my name quiet the crowd's gossip and slander. Cassandra stopped short in front of me. Then I saw her wedged between to guards and trying to reach me.

"Anna!"

A/N: I wanted this chapter to keep going but I figured that would be a good place to stop. I'm trying to use the dialogue from the game while changing it to suit my character. I'm going to try my best to not make her Mary-Sue. I've learned a lot from my other stories and I want to make Rose more relatable.