Previously…

The fighting raged on-Good versus Evil. Who would win this battle?

The answer was vague when the sky suddenly split in half, stopping all the fighting as everyone looked up.

"What-" Sariel's words were cut off as a bright pillar of light shut down and blinded everyone-it hit them all, sending them flying as it were a solar blast.

Suddenly she grabbed his hand that held the glowing mark. "Explain this."

She threw it back to the stone floor and Sariel winced a bit. He protested, "I-…I cannot."

"What do you mean you cannot?"

The angel could hear the anger in her tone growing, but he continued to speak the truth, "I do not know why it is there, and how it got there!"

"You're lying!"

"Yes. It is my duty as an angel to fight that is evil," Sariel told her and slowly he rose to his feet, standing proudly. "Let us not waste any more time. Take me to this Breach."

.

.

.

Chapter 2 Close the Breach

.

.

The Seeker stared up at him with a mixture of doubt and hope. Still, she believed he is not lying for the moment and thus she led him out of haven. She explained to him of the Death of the Divine and how the people needed to make him the blame for her death. The Angel did not mind it; it made sense, but he will prove to them that he was not the cause and that he was here to help.

They started hiking up the path. Sariel noticed he still had his strength—sort of. His endurance as well as he had no problem running through this snow. The problem was the mark that continued to emit waves of pain. He can tolerate it for now.

They kept going until they made it to the bridge and they fell to the frozen lake.

Sariel got up and Cassandra readied her shield and sword when a demon appeared before them.

"Stay behind me!" she said as she charged straight for the demon.

Sariel watched a little put off as the woman charged off to battle, leaving him but then he noticed a demon was appearing from the ground. He cannot just stand there and take it. The demon emerged while he looked around for a weapon.

He spotted a shield and blade, and quickly he rushed over to it. He picked up the shield first and he managed to block the attack from the lesser shade. Then he pushed the creature back and went straight for its skull. The blade stabbed through its skull and the lesser shade screeched as it faded away—killed instantly.

The angel watched as this Cassandra hack and slashed the demon before her and it too disappeared.

She is strong, he took noticed.

"It is over for now," he said to her as he approached her and before he knew it, her blade was aimed to his neck.

"Drop your weapon! Now!" She demanded. Despite what he had told her, she did not trust him. A wise policy, but did she not see him fighting the demons together with her?

The angel didn't. "You cannot expect me to not to defend myself!"

She glared at him and they had a staring contest for only a couple of seconds before finally the woman gave in. "Fine!" she said and then she sighed. After a moment she added, "…Perhaps you do need it. I cannot expect to protect you all by myself."

She started walking ahead and then she stopped. She turned to face and added with finality, "I should remember… you were willing to come with me."

At that moment, the angel watched her a bit admirably. Was it an indirect apology? He doubted so, and yet the annoyance he had for this woman vanished in seconds.

Sariel said nothing as he followed the Seeker and they continued on their path, killing demons along the way.

They walked up a path on the side of the mountain and soon they arrived at the ruins.

"Quickly! We must help them!" Cassandra shouted as she did not hesitate rushing towards the four people that were fighting off demons, coming out from the emerald rift right in the middle of the air.

Sariel had no time to ask as he too rushed in and help strike down the demons. His blade cut them down swiftly and expertly. Although, it was very awkward for him to wield a blade as he was used to holding a spear, he was adept enough to use it and strike down these creatures of corruption.

The last demon was slain by the dwarf and before anything else could happen, the elf fighting beside them had grabbed his hand.

"Quick! Before more arrive!" He said and without hesitation, he forced the angel's hand unto the rift.

Sariel could feel something—he had grasped hold of something, perhaps the feeling of drapery and it was pulling in, refusing to go his way. He couldn't explain how but he willed it, held it tightly and he pulled back.

The rift exploded and disappeared into nonexistence.

"What did you do?" The angel could not help himself from asking. It was just extraordinary.

The Elf smiled. "I did nothing. The credit is yours."

"You mean this mark?" The angel questioned.

Introductions were made between them all, and a short conversation took place. Sariel could not help but feel that the elf was…different than the rest of the mortals, but he could not place his finger as to why that is. Either way, they were all in this together and they have to battle.

They managed to reach the forward camp after killing more demons and closing one more rift. They met this Chancellor Roderick and he found the man a bit distasteful, but he could sense the fear.

"What of the breach? It needs to be closed," The Angel reasoned.

The Chancellor glared at him with disbelief at what he was hearing. "You brought it to us in the first place!"

"I did not! I am an Angel from the Maker, I would never harm mortals!" Sariel argued, standing his ground and they all looked at him with confusion.

Solas' eyes widened, hearing such a word. "Angel? You… you cannot be, that is the myth of all legends. You don't even have wings."

Leliana could not help but demand to know what an angel is. "Wait. You know what is an angel? Explain, Solas." Was this man really telling the truth? And maybe he is not some lunatic that thinks he is some ethereal form?

Before Solas could, Chancellor Roderick interrupted. "This is foolish and irrelevant! We must all leave while we still can."

"No. We are closing the breach," Cassandra said, adamant about it.

Before Roderick could say anything, Sariel stepped forward, startling the man by his resolute presence as he asserted, "I agree with her. We must press forward."

Discussion was over. No further protests were made as Sariel wanted to charge on ahead. He wanted to prove himself among the other soldiers that where there to fight.

He wanted to show them that he was here to help them.

Cassandra watched this 'Angel' from time to time. She had never heard of the word 'Angel' before and yet the Elvhen Apostate have. She recalled this Sariel saying that it was his duty to fight evil. Right here and right now, he was telling the truth.

He was fighting valiantly that everyone's eyes were on him. He had the ruthlessness and yet the elegance of striking down monsters, faster and more efficient, as if he had done it for years on end.

And with an easy gesture, he already closed another rift.

This Angel… this fighter against evil… was he sent by the Maker?

Cassandra was not sure yet.

"Lady Cassandra!" Someone called and Cassandra turned to see Cullen coming towards her. "It's good you all made it safely. I see you found a way to close the rifts."

"It's not my doing. It is the prisoner's," Cassandra said and upon mentioning him, the angel turned to meet the Commander.

"Ahh. Well, thank you. We're going to need it for the big one," Cullen said.

Sariel only nodded. "And that is why we are here."

With that settled, they marched on into the desecrated conclave. They called it the Temple of Sacred Ashes and Sariel looked around. He was here? They found him here?

His head began to throb out of nowhere and there was a ringing in his ear.

"Hey, angel!" Varric called to him as the prisoner suddenly fell to his knees, gripping his head.

"Is it the mark?" The seeker asked and quickly Solas was at his side to find out what it was wrong and to ease the pain.

Sariel shook his head. "No… My head… I…" He paused a moment as flashes of unknown memories came to him in a rush. That was it though only flashes.

He saw an old woman of pale complexion and blue eyes, wearing red and white robes with golden embroidery. She heard guards and soldiers calling her name… Justinia?

"I… I am starting to remember…" Sariel said as he swallowed. "…J-Justinia…Divine Justinia found me."

Cassandra was right in front of him now, kneeling down. "What do you mean? The Divine found you?"

Sariel tried to focus as the hazy memories were coming back to him. "I…I was falling and I landed in a garden…somewhere… She helped me. And…"

"And..? And what? What else?!"

The Seeker demanded for more and the angel shook his head, desperately trying to remember but that was it. That was all he could remember. He remembered falling from the sky after the blast and he crashed into something—a statue? And then a garden as he recalled the petals flying everywhere when he crashed. Moments later, she was standing over him. The guards called out her name to move away from him as if he was dangerous, but instead, she called for the healers to help the fallen angel.

"I… that is it. That is all I can remember," Sariel managed out as he stood back up on his feet. He frowned at the Seeker apologetically. "I am sorry, it is all I can recall at the moment… she is…like the sun yes?"

"Yes… Yes she was." It was all Cassandra could say as she turned away and started walking ahead.

The angel held in a sigh as he followed after, and the other two as well.

"So… do you remember how you got to the conclave then?" Varric asked.

Sariel answered, "I fell from the sky and landed in the gardens."

"…Right."

"You assume I am lying?"

"I assume you're spinning a tale, but then again, you are…different. What did you say he was, chuckles?" Varric asked Solas.

Solas sighed a bit and he answered, "He…called himself an Angel. Angels are celestial beings with wings. They come from beyond the fade. They say that they are the ones that take spirits to Heaven and rest. They also fight against malevolent spirits."

"I've never heard any of that in the Chant, or is this some sort of Elvhen legend?" Cassandra asked, mostly in disbelief.

"Yes. In Arlathan times, they were known to be myths. Beings of great white wings who fought against creatures of darkness before finally banishing them into the void," Solas answered as he eyed at Sariel suspiciously. "How are you an angel when you have no wings?"

"I…I do not know what happened to my wings…" Sariel solemnly said. Losing his wings made him lose his purpose, but after seeing the humans in deep trouble, he couldn't afford to mope at the moment.

They needed him.

They were soon inside the Temple and into the grand hall where the giant rift, closed with crystals, hung above in the air dangerously.

Then their attention was drawn to elsewhere.

"No…no way, this can't be. Red lyrium?" Varric suddenly said and all eyes turned to the red huge stone that they happened to pass by.

Sariel narrowed his eyes at the stone and it was giving him quite a headache just looking at it. "That… what is that? It possesses a lot of…corruption."

"Sorry Angel, I've no clue what it is, but all I know is that it will drive you mad. Nobody touch it." Varric sounded so serious that they had to listen to such a command. The dwarf never got that serious.

"Cassandra!" Someone called and they turned around to see Leliana and the troops coming in.

"Thank the Maker, you all made it safely," the Sister spymaster said and Cassandra only went up to her, nodding, before saying, "Have the archers get on the porch, soldiers on the ground. We are about to open the rift and the prisoner here will close it."

They soon get to their positions, but when they reached down to the ground floor, they started to hear voices.

"Someone! Please! Help!"

"Is that…the Divine's voice?" Cassandra asked as they could hear the Divine calling for help. Where?

And then another voice, deeper and malicious. "Hold the sacrifice still. We will begin the ritual."

"What is going on here?!" Sariel was stunned when he heard his own voice echoing from the rift, and they all heard it.

"That's… That was your voice!" Cassandra said and right after she said that, a memory before them played out. A huge creature of darkness as the Divine was held captive. She asked those why they were doing this—them of all people as the dark being commenced the ritual. Right there and then, Sariel barged in and they all saw it… In that memory, Sariel had huge white wings on his back.

Solas couldn't believe what was seeing. It was simply impossible for there to be angels as they never appeared for the longest time. They all believed the angels had abandoned them—not that he would share such knowledge with the others but only to say the angels were myths, but here he is. A being with white wings and now bearing a mark. Could it really be…?

"What is going on here?!" The Sariel in the memory demanded as he drew his spear with his right hand. His long, white wings unfurled and spreading out dangerously. He was fierce, ready to fight.

"We have an intruder. Slay the spirit!" The Evil One said and with that the memory faded.

After a moment, Cassandra started demanding answers from the angel. "So you WERE there! Who was that? What did we just see?!" She had rounded on him in a blaming state.

Sariel stood his ground and just shook his head. "I do not recall that memory! But… I know for sure that that was the woman you called the Divine." He knew her and yet he cannot remember this. Why can't he remember anything?

Solas decided to move on the topic as he spoke, "The fade bleeds here. The rift needs to be opened again in order to seal it shut."

"…That means demons," Cassandra said as she decided that this was a topic for another time as she was proven wrong now that this prisoner had nothing to do with the Divine's death, and that he is innocent. She drew her blade, shouting, "Get ready!"

Sariel went up to the rift and he held his hand out. The magic form the fade counteracted with his mark as lightning drew them together before the shards burst…

Then out of nowhere a giant demon of pride came out of the rift, roaring aloud. The archers wasted no time to fire their arrows and soldiers stabbed the beast. The battle was infuriating to say the least, as it was the greatest challenge of their lives. Cassandra managed to block the incoming electric whip, but she didn't see the kick coming… however, Sariel ran in and tackled her to the side, both managed to dodge the incoming attack. Solas placed up barrier in everyone he could get and Leliana and Varric tried to aim at its weakest points if there were any.

The creature, however, reminded Sariel of the goliath and he told Cassandra, "Distract it!"

Sariel then took off running and before the Seeker could stop him she decided to trust him as she and other soldiers fought it off.

The Pride Demon roared as it crouched down and charged right at them like a bull. Some of them managed to dodge getting out of the way as it smashed into a building, leaving a dent on the wall.

Leliana quickly went to help Cassandra up and asked her, "Where's the angel?"

Before Cassandra could answer, Varric shouted, "Look!"

They see the angel was on top of the building of where the Pride demon had crashed into. The beast started getting up and as the building began to crumble and topple, Sariel ran and leaped. All eyes watched him perform this heroic feat as he managed to land on top of the beast's head and his blade drove deep into it skull.

The price demon roared out in agony as it thrashed about uncontrollably, but Sariel remained undeterred as he forced the demon to turn again as if his sword was a rod controlling the beast like a golem. The beast went off to another charge and Sariel shove the sword deeper. Finally the beast tripped and fell, and Sariel rolled off, escaping with only cuts and scrapes. He got up and turned to the rift oozing liquid and he held his hand out.

"Father, give me strength!" Sariel called out as he grasped hold of the rift that refused to close.

Close.

CLOSE.

By the MAKER! CLOSE!

He pulled his hand with all his might and the rift exploded, blowing everyone away before Sariel fell into darkness once more.

.

.

.

It was warm. The bed was warm as Sariel opened his eyes to see the wooden ceiling. He blinked several times. He had never slept before—at least he couldn't recall sleeping before until now. It was so…mortal, and yet it felt nice.

Then he recalled what had happened. The rift. Did he close it?

He sat up slowly, looking around to see he was in some sort of cottage on a warm bed with a fire, and he was in fine clothes. What?

He heard a gasp and items fell to the floor. He looked to see an Elf, shocked.

"I-I am so sorry, my Lord, sir, I didn't know you were awake!" she said as she knelt down and quickly picked up the items.

Sariel stood up as he went over to her, kneeling down to pick up the items. "Would you tell me what happened?" He asked. "Did I close the rift?"

"Oh please don't pick them up, I'll pick them up, My Lord!" she begged as she hastily grabbed the items before he could and placed them all back in the crate. She then answered his questions, "I… T-they say you closed the rift sir, but not all the way… They say you saved us… but I have to go. I must tell Cassandra, and that you must go to the Chantry. I have to tell her that you're awake, at once she says! Right away!"

And with that, the fleeting elf took off without another moment. Jittery, she was. Sariel stood up, picking up the crate and setting it on a table. He looked out the window to see snow everywhere. Would he be cold? In this outfit, perhaps, and it was chilly even if the fire was on. He looked to see a chest and when he opened it, there was definitely an armor there—the same armor he wore when he was in that prison.

Was he still a prisoner? He was not in a cell anymore.

He quickly changed into his armor and once he was ready, he left the cabin only to find five soldiers in front of him, guarding the house perhaps, and they saluted him.

"Herald of Andraste! We thank you for saving us!" The soldier said and the others shared the same sentiment.

Herald of Andraste? Andraste… was she not just a woman?

"…I…No thanks are needed, where is the Chantry?" Sariel asked them, ignoring this odd title as the soldier pointed him to the building not far from here, saying that is the chantry and that the Seeker was waiting for him.

On the way there, the people talked as they stared at him as if he was some sort of prophet or a holy being. While he is a holy being, he was merely a soldier and not something worth to parade for.

He managed to enter the Chantry with no more whispering of him, but to hear the argument between the Chancellor and the Seeker.

Sariel decided to join them as he marched right in. "Greetings. You wanted to see me, Seeker Cassandra?"

Before the seeker could say anything, the Chancellor interrupted saying, "Guards! I want him in chains and be delivered to Val Royeaux at once!"

The guards did not move but when Cassandra told them to disregard the order and leave them alone, the guards moved as they left the room, giving them privacy.

The Chancellor boiled in anger. "You're crossing the line, Seeker."

"This man is innocent. His bravery and his act on making the breach stable are proof, but also the Divine called him for help." Cassandra defended him and the angel thought it was nice not to be an accused criminal anymore.

The argument continued as he watched 'politics' played out. He hardly understood what this Chancellor was trying to say, but he understood now that there were enemies and those who are responsible for the Divine's death are still out there somewhere. And the evil one.

Then Cassandra slammed a book on the table. "Do you know what this is, Chancellor? It is a writ by the Divine, granting us the authority to act… We will close the breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore peace and order! With or without your consent!" Her words spoken in great volumes and faith that it shook Sariel to the core. The angel likes the seeker.

The Chancellor was stunned to silence before leaving the room in anger.

"…The Inquisition of the old? Who are they?" Sariel asked, moving the topic along.

They explained to him and answered his questions. So they were an organization that were bringing peace and order to the world like the Dominium that rule the order of Heaven under the Maker.

"We'd like it if you join us. With you, we would be able to close the rest of the rifts," Cassandra said and she held her hand out to him.

"…I am grounded. I have no wings, thus I am not going anywhere any time soon. If we find those responsible, we will be able to get the truth from them… So yes. I will help you all," Sariel said and he reached and shook hands with the Seeker.

The Seeker nodded. "Then it is done."

And he swore he had just saw her smile.

.

.

.

This is undeniably a CassandraxAngel fic. I can't think of him better with anyone but her.

Please review!