Don't know where he's going,
Don't know where he's been.
But he is restless at night,
'Cause he has horrible dreams.

Chapter 2

-o-

Lavellan sputtered as she stumbled through and fell into a shallow pool of marshy water. The low hanging branches and jagged jutting rocks had all but torn her hands, arms, and legs to shreds, angry red welts rising on her cheeks and exposed skin.

Taking that small opportunity to catch her breath she ended up having to roll out of the way of a gurgut that had pounced. She must have looked like a perfect opportunity for midday meal. She quickly and quietly slipped away as several other giant reptiles came to inspect what the other had caught, being surrounded by the stupid things was not something she needed at the moment.

Despite her exhaustion and her now slightly throbbing right hand, her feet would not let her stop. If she stopped for even a moment, they would catch up. Each corner she rounded she already half expected to see Falon'din waiting there for her with ropes or chains. She counted her blessings that he hadn't caught her yet. But with that strange ability he had to travel through the very air he could appear when she least expected him.

Each Evanuris seemed to have a skill the others could not mimic. If they could all do what Falon'din did, she would have gotten as far as she had. And Falon'din ability didn't seem to span that far as far as she knew. Dirthamen's ablity of mind reading would also have its flaws, she just needed to figure them out.

With a new burst of energy Lavellan sprinted to the cover of another cluster of rocky outcrops and skidded to a halt, her breath coming labored now that she allowed herself to catch it. She had time now to think, assess her own situation and what state at least her environment was in.

Spirits, those floating orange and green things that she'd seen in places where the veil had been weak, they were everywhere now. Most ignored her; they seemed just as confused as she was. Others moved with a clear purpose, gathered around fellow spirits who seemed to be struggling with the adjustment.

She stared at her good hand; she could still feel the magic tingling across her skin, like a hundred tiny insects. Lavellan didn't like the feeling and definitely didn't like the faint hum that she heard or how everything looked so…illuminated and glossy. While she had imagined that with the destruction of the veil the Fade would have come colliding with real world, this alternate outcome was just as distressing. There was so much magic around that it moved across the air like oil on water, filmy with a layer of iridescent shine

Sopping wet and aching, Lavellan arrived at what should have been her Inquisition campsite that connected the grove with rest of the exalted plains. Things were thrown haphazard across the mossy stones, tents coverings hanging limply from there support. There was no one there.

She should have expected it. She had thought that Cassandra and Cullen would have at least kept the posted scouts in more important regions across of southern Thedas. Either they had been swept up in the chaos of the veil opening and had left in hurry or whoever was running the operations now were consolidating the forces for more "practical" uses.

Only slightly disappointed Lavellan started to salvage whatever she could from the desecrated camp. A few ointments and salves that helped with her injuries, a potion that she immediately guzzled to began the healing for whatever wounds she couldn't see. There was a small armory chest that had been for the soldiers that were stationed in the area, but it held nothing with enchantments or additional effects that would be beneficial. Even so she gathered up a bow with a good grip and the quiver that held several arrows.

Readjusting the tension on the bow and slinging the quiver across her shoulders, Lavellan's intuitions were lacking severely.

Something connected with her side like a druffalo charge and the force sent her flying through the collided with the single standing tent, wood and fabric tangling her as they collapsed onto of her and she tried to get to her feet to face her attacker.

She'd just pulled herself free from the heavy canvas when she was lifted from the wreck by a hand securely around her throat. For someone known as the Mother of Hares, Andruil was as fierce looking as a varghest.

"Ar tu na'din seth'lin" Andruil growled, the muscles in her arms tensed and tightened as her hand tried to squeeze the air from Lavellan's lips.

"Touch Ghilian'nain again and I don't care how useful you are,I will end you myself. you get one warning shemlan "Lavellan was positive that Andruil was going kill sheer fury that emitted from her could be seen in those sharp cat like eyes.

Getting over the initial shock of being caught off guard, Lavellan was not going to simply let the huntress drag her back to the others again, broken and defeated. She had never been they type to rollover when threatened

Gripping the arm that held her aloft with both hands. Lavellan wasn't very strong on her own, but when the gears in her prosthetic began to too turn and crank , her own grip tightened and squeeze with relentless pressure. Dagna, smith and inquisition arcanist that she was had made sure that if Lavellan couldn't get a real magically infused flesh and bone limb then she'd get the next best thing.

The volcanic aurum folded into dwarven iron stained her prosthetic black, but few outside her inner circle knew that she was down one arm simply because she kept it hidden underneath a glove of dragon hide leather. It seemed that even an Evanuris couldn't withstand the strength of expert dwarven craftsmanship.

The moment Andruil realized that the hand that had grabbed her was applying pressure that threatened to break bone; she tried to counter it with magic, laying her free hand directly onto Lavellan's prosthetic.

Lightening crackled from her palm and danced across her leather-clad arm. While the magic itself did nothing to harm her, the runes and wards taking the brunt of it fizzled out. The arm began to snap and twitch, malfunctioning as the magic lightening traced along the odd mechanics inside. The hand convulsed then gripped like a vice before falling away limp.

Two sharp yells of pain could be heard as the elvhen women stumbled back from each other, both clutching broken arms, one made of metal the other flesh and bone.

Again the Huntress was surprised. Lavellan doubted any of them had had someone of lower class stand up to them with such tenacity, she liked to think that they were so used to being the biggest threat, the ones with all the power, that they couldn't fathom someone like Lavellan; a barefaced, ignorant shemlan elf , to be of any consequence with out Fen'Harel at her back.

She was the son of a bitchin Inquisitor

She didn't waste the moment gloating over Andruil's injury, again she ran, knowing without a doubt that any moment Falon'din would appear if she lingered. Her arm now was simply dead weight and her gait was awkward accompanied with her exhaustion. As it hung at her side ,Lavellan was half a mind to rip it off and use it as a bludgeoning weapon since the bow she'd acquired was useless without another hand.

She had to chuckle at the image, at least she found humor in something.

Smoke and burning was all she could smell once she escaped the cleared passageway that led into the grove. While the plains always smelt somewhat of burning wood from the ramparts, this time it was accompanied by the stench of burning flesh. Had that initial fight been so near or did the smell merely travel?

Lavellan began to follow the smell hoping it would lead her to fields where The first of them had descended upon them. Out in the open it would now be easier to avoid the Evanuris, She knew the field better then they did but that was only assuming that Dirthamen's power of mind reading worked at proximity.

Clambering through dilapidated houses and up stone hills with one hand, Lavellan wished she had her mount with her. The hart had been a gift from her clan and was so sure footed and quick, she'd never ridden another mount after him, he'd let her guide him down steep cliff's and into battle and had never once faltered.

Thinking about the hart made her think about skyhold. With the inquisition disbanded there weren't many people who had remained. She'd entertained the idea of leaving and going to Wycome were clan Lavellan had established a considerable influence, but she had been gone to long,to many things had changed her and she would not make a good hunter with only one arm.

So she'd stayed at Skyhold, it was her home now after all. Her inner circle had dispersed like the wind. Each pulled now to their own causes and duties. Cassandra and Cullen had pledged their services to Divine Victoria, taking with them those soldier who still wanted to fight. She remembered the look on poor Josephine's face when she'd told them that she would not be joining them. She was heartbroken after Solas's reveal of his intentions and she needed time to herself. They reluctantly left her alone in the lonely stonewalls of Skyhold.

She hadn't been completely alone. Dagna and Sera had stayed. It was their home now too of course. And Loyalty had kept those few elven scouts and soldiers that didn't trust the chantry to keep them safe. There were also mages, human and non-human that stayed in the repurposed tower. Fiona had actually been the one seeing to Skyhold's adjustments while Lavellan's depression kept her bed ridden, during the disbanding.

She knew that whatever was happening at Skyhold now, Fiona would know what to do, she would keep them safe.

"Andaran atish'an lethallan" the voice was recognizable along with the face. Keeper Hawen accompanied by five of his clan hunters was standing there, sack in hand. Relief engulfed Lavellan so strongly that tears began to fall down her cheeks.

" ma emma eth haren" The sight of someone who was not trying to kill her was overwhelming and she threw her good arm around him in a hug. The old elf took it graciously and stroked her dark hair fondly.

"Inquisitor!" One of the Hunters exclaimed stepping forward as she went limp, fatigue finally getting the better of her. They lowered her gently to the ground as the Keeper kept her from fully collapsing.

"I had no doubt that you would be there when the sky opened up again….There are many dead, but we have been assisting those that survived but with so many injured we may not be able to help them all" He informed her. The thought that there were at least still people alive gave her hope.

"Were any of my companions there…the ones who traveled with me when I came to see you" She let the hunter sling her broken arm and took a potion when it was given to her. Before she knew it they'd walked a halla over, harnessed to it was a litter that dragged along the ground.

"Here rest and we will talk when we have returned to camp, We can not stay here overlong, to many of the dead turn to demons now" Hawen stood looking around cautiously while the hunter treated her like a fragile thing, lifting her and securing her to the makeshift stretcher.

Lavellan had intended to speak with Hawen during the walk across the plains, but exhaustion had taken her and she'd fallen into a dreamless sleep before she knew it.

She awoke with a start and she could see in the sky thousands of stars. She'd slept through the day, hours that she could have used to find Solas or the others. A clans woman walked by arms full of bloodied bandages, she herself looked like she could use the rest that had been provided to Lavellan.

"Wha…" Lavellan's throat was dry and she coughed once and then began to hack violently. The woman with her arm full of soiled linens quickly dropped them and came to her, taking a ladle from behind her and presenting it to Lavellan's lips.

She drank greedily and once her throat didn't feel like sandpaper She attempted her words again.

"What hour is it?" She asked while the Elven woman placed a hand on her forehead and then her neck.

" We are thirty into the hour of the owl, did you wish to speak to Keeper Hawen now that you are awake" Lavellan remembered the woman's face now, Master Taniel was the clan's crafter. Lavellan's whole body was stiff, she needed to stand and stretch.

"I can find him, go back to the wounded" She said as she stood, left arm still in its sling. Master Taniel obeyed, taking her bundle and vanishing further into the camp.

They'd moved the aravel's into the wooded area's, using the large tree's as cover and shade. Strings of hanging lights between the tree's kept the encampment lit as they clan's folk, young and old tended to the survivors of the battle. Groans of pain and uncontrolled wailing were amongst the things that Lavellan could hear as she walked pass the still bodies of men and women, human, elves and dwarf's alike.

She saw people she recognized, people who she'd seen in Solas's ranks, some men and women wore the orlesian army heraldry possibly those who had joined from the ramparts. She saw burnings so bad that she knew they wouldn't last the night.

But it wasn't these people she was looking for. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of the Chargers, any word of a large qunari or a Tevinter mage, a man with a griffin shield. Cassandra, Vivienne, were in Val'Royuex, and Varric in Kirkwall last time she heard but with something this big, she doubted they would have sat on their hands.

Her eyes franticly scanned over cots and panic began to settle in her gut. What if they were among the ones that were scorched into the ground, unrecognizable from the severity of their burns.

On the verge of a break down, she felt a hand clasp her shoulder and turned teary eyes to Cole's concerned expression.

"Oh thank the creators" She said out of habit, holding his hands tight. He was real.

"What are you doing here? Where's Maryden?" She asked, Cole seemed to be so confused, eyes dancing nervously.

"Skyhold, when the Veil came down, Skyhold was the safest place I could think of, its to clear, the voices...to much. To much pain, to much fear." He said placing his other hand on her opposite shoulder to hold her in place, his eyes falling to her arm in the sling. She shook her head and smiled.

"I'm okay, I'll have Dagna look at it when we get back to Skyhold"

"The stars fell, bright and burning and the sun came down with them, he doesn't know that the stars slew the moon, that the moon can never die, she's waiting and he's waiting but there can be no justice without truth" Lavellan brushed strands of Coles shaggy blonde from his face.

"He's here, he's killed so many, he doesn't know the truth but that isn't an excuse" Cole whispered and let her go

"Lethallan your are looking better. The healers could do nothing for your…ahem. It is a remarkable prosthetic, if it had been ironbark Taniel could have done something for it." Hawen said approaching. She turned to face him and quickly turned back when she felt Cole's presence slip away, most likely going to help those that most needed it.

"Thank you haren you've done so much for me already "Hawen seemed just and haggard and tired as the others that mulled around the camp. She felt such pride in them, They could have simply minded their own business and left those soldiers to the elements. But they had gone out of their way and braved the spirits to help people who they owed nothing.

"I am so grateful to your Clan Keeper Hawen, not many dalish would have done this for city elves let alone humans" He guided her away from the makeshift infirmary and deeper to a cluster of aravels where the children and elderly of the clan slept.

"It is a testament to your influence, when you gave us the scrolls that depicted the true events that led to the exalted march on the dales, We agreed that it was our isolation that was our ultimate undoing…" They moved passed the aravels and deeper into the forest where the hanging lanterns glow could not reach. It took Lavellan a moment to realized that The Keeper was leading her towards the Var Bellanaris.

The mass gravesite had been much revered and untouched even by the orlesian that now claimed the Plains as their land. The Dalish still used the site to bury their dead , but there were no late night workers at this hour, only the clans first stooping by a still figure , the only light a small torch of veil fire.

"We found him among the dying" Hawen stated as they neared the man on the ground. Lavellan could feel the rage pool into her chest as she looked at the Evanuris. He stared back, eyes half lidded, breath labored.

"He says his name is.."

"Elgar'nan" Lavellan nodded. Nether the Keeper or his first seemed surprise at her knowing, or at the fact that the large man had claimed to be a revered Creator.

"He's the one who did that to those men, he burned my men alive, he…"Lavellan took a threatening step forward but the First stood staff at the ready. Hawen placed a calming hand on Lavellans shoulder and put the other to calm the anxious first.

"Yes…he has confessed to the destruction, he is slipping into uthenera and has bid us make an account while he is still awake" Lavellan stared. Maybe it was some weird intuition, but when she met Elgar'nan's eyes she knew that he was not going into Uthenera. He knew it as well, thats why he had them account his words. He was entering a long sleep he would never wake up from.

"He asked us to bring you here" Hawen stated much to her shock. Did Elgar'nan know who she was? How could he, she had been just one more face among the sea of soldiers, The Keeper took her hand and guided her slowly to kneel by the Evanuris side. Close up the resemblance between he and Dirthamen were uncanny. The eyes and chin were the exact same, but while Dirthamen had ahead of flaxen waves, Elgar'nan was clean shaven, like Solas.

" You are a agent of Fen'harel? you carried his anchor, nothing that powerful goes away without leaving a stain ." There was a dry laugh.

"What should I address you as dalen?" His body was stiff as a board, it was strange to look down at such a powerful being and know that he was so vulnerable.

"Nerys " He nodded And gave a sigh as if he were about to bare his soul to her. It was a little sad, Did he think that if he went to the beyond with a clear conscious that he would be better off. She was so very angry with him, this man who she had grown up thinking of as a avenging father. The creator who her clan paid homage to. He was a lie made flesh and she could do nothing to a dying man, couldn't voice her disappointment.

"Whatever he says, they are all lies, believe not a word he says, Fen'Harel tricked us into elevating him, Mythal my beloved could not have known that he would use the power she had given him to destroy her…" He seemed so sad, and for a moment Lavellan's heart broke for him. Had he sat in the fade that long thinking that Solas had betrayed his trust, had murdered the woman that he loved and then trapped them away.

"No…no that's not true, It wasn't Solas" She said in urgency. Those half-lidded lavender eyes turned to regard her.

"…Solas was trying to avenge her, trying to save the people from you and the others, from what you were doing to them, to us" No She would not feel sorry for this man, not while so many people lay dying because of him. She turned to look up at Hawen's First who was scribbling hastily in a bound journal.

"Do you believe him, even knowing that he has lied to you, used you, maimed you" He asked his words cutting deep, resurfacing doubts that she'd experienced since the revelation. But those doubts had since been put to bed and she trusted that Solas had done all he had done for a good cause. He had saved her, He had not sent her to the Conclave, had not killed Justinia , what good would have telling her that he was Fen'harel done when she had still been a prejudice and naïve child.

And while he was not perfect, had had many chances to tell her the truth after her growth, she believed that he only sought to do good, and non of the things he'd done were out of malice.

"I do" She declared and Elgar'nan sighed heavily again in relief.

"That brings me peace at least, The others blamed Fen'harel for her death, no one doubted for a moment…I knew all those millennia ago that he was a scapegoat. but it festered and became a focus when he trapped us. I was convince he had killed her" Creators be damned, this man had been so misguided. She wondered silently what kind of relationship he and Solas had in the past. He seemed to want to believe in the latters innocence, but vengeance didn't allow him to.

"Tell him that I'm sorry and that I too saw in him what Mythal saw " He had taken her hand and folded something into her palm as his eyes drifted closed finally. The first stopped scribbling and put the journal aside. With a gentle wave of his staff he lifted the still body of the Evanuris and walked it into Unadin Grotto.

As the stone door sealed behind them, Keeper Hawen retrieved the small book that had been placed on a stone. He studied the cover of the book with a look of quiet contemplation, while Lavellan was full of confused anger, unfolding the parchment that he had handed to her.

"I never imagined that the creators would be…."

"Mortal?" She offered staring down at the words scrolled onto the paper that made no sense to her. Whatever it was it was not meant for prying eyes.

"Yes I suppose that is the only word for it" There was disappointment in his posture. She could relate.

"They aren't like you and me Hawen, they are dangerous and powerful, mortal they may be but they are not people" Lavellan didn't even believe her own words. She wanted to think that they were void of morality but after seeing those emotions chase through the All-Father's face, She knew that they were just as emotional and suffered loss as well as any other. Solas had proven that to her , he suffered guilt for his actions for so long. But she thought back to Corypheus, he'd been evil that was certain. He would have enslaved the world if he had reached godhood. But who had he been before the blight had taken him. Peoples decisions transformed them and a part of her feared that Solas might suffer a fate similar, become the thing he hated.

"He wanted his story to be told" She could hear the hesitance in Hawen's voice. Lavellan wondered if the Keeper could stomach the task. Correcting thousands of years worth of lies. She would have assured him that she would be there to help lessen the burden, that there were already elvhen who knew of the lies.

She didn't a chances because a scream of terror ripped through the silent night, and before Lavellan could stop herself she found herself racing back towards the aravels, Hawen close at her heels.

The scene was gruesome, Three …four soldiers who had been laying in cots were spewing blood on to the grass, a hunter standing over a barefaced elf with a dagger coated in blood. He looked shocked and afraid, but that fear did not stop him from running the blade across the poor boys throat.

"Stop, Aaren what are you doing" The Keeper called , Lavellan had to stop him from going to the young hunter, afraid that he would be his next victim.

"Keeper I…I cant stop…help" His pleas were wrecked by sobs at his inability to control his actions. It took a moment to realize that the vallaslin that the hunter wore were that of those who were pledged to Andruil.

" I know you're here , hiding amongst these false elvhen, come out now and I wont make the boy slit his own throat" Andruil's voice was bordering on psychotic. Though alone she knew that there were at least three others who wore Andruil vallaslin, including the Elder beside her. The power was cheap, she couldn't justify running when the lives of these people would be at stake if she did. She could not fight not with her broken arm, but giving in seemed like the worse thing she could possibly do. Every bone in her body screamed for her to run, but she couldn't, not and be able to sleep at night.

"Fenedhis" She swore and stepped forward so that Andruil's wild eyes would focus on her instead of the young hunter covered in blood.

"Caring for the lower beings is weak, If they were not here to be collateral you could have fled" Andruil's face was to sharp, Sharp eyes, sharp cheeks, sharp chin and ear. Angles and intimidating height that looked down at her with so much superiority.

"If I'm weak then what does that make you…"Lavellan snarked. How could Andruil be so harsh to those less powerful when Ghilan'nain had been one such person as the stories told? Andruil got the implication and the look she gave told Lavellan that that bit information had been true and with a swift strong blow to the temple, knocked Lavellan clean off her feet in her burst of anger.