It took the small group several days to reach Therinfal Redoubt. As if the weather decided to reflect Cullen's mood the surrounding countryside was mercilessly whipped by thick strings of rain and the world seemed to have transformed into a grey and black bleakness.

"Cassandra may I have a word with you?" The Commander of Inquisition forces nudged his horse slightly to catch up with the Seeker who steadily led the party forward. Cassandra had been selected a leader in this matter as she was best suited to negotiate with Lord Seeker Lucius and she knew the roads to Therinfal the best.

"Of course Cullen, is something troubling you?"

Cullen only nodded and slowed his horse next to his friend. "It is about Ellena, did something happen when I was gone in Fallow Mire?" The ex-templar asked after a momentary pause and his hands tightened around the reins.

Cassandra frowned a bit and looked over her shoulder. The party followed them steadily through the rain and most of those gathered had hoods low over their heads in vain hope to block out the rain. She noticed Leliana slightly hunched in her saddle, the spymaster looked worn and exhausted these past few days and Cassandra had often wondered if it was because of the worries about the Inquisition or perhaps something else. She knew Leliana for years and this was not the same woman who had served as Left Hand of the Divine.

Another crease appeared on Cassandra's forehead. Perhaps Leliana had been more grief stricken than she had let anyone know. They will have to talk, but for now the Seeker turned her attention to a small and hunched figure behind Leliana.

It was true that something had been off now that Cassandra had a time to think about it. The elf rode alone while before she at least had tried to spent some time with others. Now she noticed the young woman constantly silent and looking more miserable than ever before. It was hard to tell due to the rain, and Cassandra noticed that Ellena lacked a hood to at least partially protect herself from the elements, but it had almost seemed as if she was crying her eyes out now.

"I am not sure Cullen. I admit I did not have enough time to go and talk with her at all. But now that you're asking she does seem...different. How about when we return to Haven I will try and have a talk with her?"

"I would appreciate it, thank you Cassandra." Cullen forced a small smile before his gaze turned to a steadily growing stone fortress at the horizon. "We will soon arrive right?"

"Yes, I expect we are no more than half an hour away. Listen now that we have some time to talk, we should think about the plan. I keep my hopes up that things will go smoothly but after meeting Lord Seeker Lucius in Val Royeaux I'd rather have some back up plan."

Cullen chuckled lightly. Yes, he had read the report about what has happened and he could more than understand the worry which reflected on his friend's face.

"Well I thought that we could let you and Leliana deal with the talks while I would prefer Blackwall and myself to accompany you to emphasize on our strength...well now this sentence sounded better in my head." The Commander frowned and looked at Cassandra rather sheepishly.

"No worries, I know what you mean and I agree. I also think that we should keep Solas and Ellena as far away from the templars as possible. An apostate elven mage and a tevinter slave might not win us many favors. Let them stay with Varric and Vivienne to observe. We could always use ears outside the negotiation room."

Cullen nodded and paused for a moment while looking over his shoulder at Ellena. He felt his heart skip a beat in his chest and wished that this whole business was dealt with and they could talk. He needed to tell her so many things.

But for some reason, it seemed that she only had her mind locked on following Leliana around like a puppy. Well he will find out eventually.

"Right, lets get to it then." Cullen finally returned his attention to Cassandra and assumed his usual fully professional manners.

Leliana breathed out in relief as they arrived into the impressive fort and of course the weather started to calm down the moment they stepped in. Typical.

"Come here." She hissed at the elf and to her great satisfaction the girl obeyed instantly. Leliana had to stiff a chuckle form escaping her lips. She just could not help it. Just seeing Ellena all hunched and small made her thrilled. Perhaps there was some merit in having slaves. Leliana never thought about it but now when she actually had someone to command like this, who would obey and do everything...like a dog. The spymaster smiled and chose to ignore the tiniest of voices in her mind which told her that this line of thoughts was not entirely right and in stark contrast with the views she used to have had before, in her youth.

"Listen. You are to stay outside with Varric, Vivienne and Solas. I want you to keep out of their way and keep your mouth shut." Leliana measured the elf with her lightly green eyes and tapped one finger at her bottom lip. "Oh and keep your mark out of sight. We don't need all these nobles to talk about it. Not yet at least."

"Yes Madam." was all the girl said and Leliana turned swiftly on her heels and marched forward to meet with Cassandra and Cullen.

As she joined with the rest of the group she noticed a young man clad in templar armour hastily approaching them. "Welcome to Therinfal Redoubt. I am Knight-Templar Barris and I have been sent forward to greet you and to show you the way." Ser Barris bowed his head slightly in respect before he continued. "Lord Seeker Lucius asked for the negotiations to be held inside the keep and in minimal numbers. I believe Lord Ambernache will represent Orlesian nobles. May I ask who will speak for the Inquisition?"

Leliana saw Cassandra take one step forward but on an impulse she strode ahead and stood before the Knight-Templar. "I will handle the negotiations. Seeker Pentaghast, Commander Rutherford and Warden Blackwall will accompany me." The spymaster smiled cheerfully and ignored raised eyebrows from Cassandra and rather profound frown on Cullen's face.

"Very well, this way please." Ser Barris nodded and led his guests through a small courtyard. The place seemed like it had seen better days, yet Leliana could not help herself and feel slightly impressed. It had seemed that the remaining loyal members of the Templar order had found themselves rather strong and tactically sound headquarters.

"How large are your forces Knight-Templar?" Leliana asked after a moment, more to interrupt the awkward silence which hung over the group as they walked.

"We have several dozen templars present here at the moment as well as our ranking officers. Others are spread out throughout Orlais and Ferelden on various missions."

"I see. Have you been updated on the purpose of our visit then?" Leliana kept her eyes locked on the back of the young man who led the way and studied his posture and gestures.

"I believe the officers have been briefed. Considering the matter is still to be negotiated I suppose the rest of us will get our orders and updates based on how the negotiations go." Knight-Templar answered while he kept his stiff posture and Leliana smirked. This man was not as easy to read as she had hoped.

They entered dimly lit room and gathered around empty table in the middle. As mentioned before the orlesian noble had already been waiting inside and at their entry he cheerfully approached with a curtly bow.

No escape from the Game even here. Leliana thought as she bowed back with the usual unreadable smile on her lips.

But before any one of them could proceed to obligatory pleasantries they were interrupted by four Templars who entered the room through the door on the other side. All of them wore hoods which covered their faces except for the man who was obviously in charge.

"Knight-Captain Denem!" Ser Barris stood in attention although Leliana noticed slight surprise which appeared on his face. She turned her gaze towards the said Knight Captain. He looked ill. She noticed the haggard outlines of his face. The unshaved stubble on his chin and cheeks and what was the most profound were his eyes. Leliana noticed right away the odd red hue around his irises. It seemed that the Knight-Captain indulged himself in more than just lyrium.

"So this is the best the Inquisition can offer?" Denem chuckled as he looked over everyone present before stopping to give one glance full of contempt to Cullen. "Who is the leader here then?"

Leliana stepped forward with a small bow but her eyes were locked on the templar and his men behind him. She could recognize betrayal when she saw one and she had no illusion about good intentions of these men. For whatever reason these templars might have had, Leliana was sure that her group will be attacked soon. But she could at least try and pry some information out of them.

"I am Sister Nightingale, Left Hand of the Divine and I speak for the Inquisition in this matter. Also I have been under the impression that we were meeting with Lord Seeker Lucius."

"He is currently busy with other things. I was sent here to assess how we can benefit from this alliance but I am not impressed." Denem idly placed his left hand on the sword hilt tied to his belt and Leliana prayed that others might have caught on the signals.

"This is hardly a welcome befitting Templar order and the Head of the Seekers." Cassandra budged in heatedly and stood next to Leliana.

"The welcome is as fitting as your Inquisition deserves. But enough of this charade." The Knight-Captain growled and as if waiting for a hidden command his men rushed forward, blades drawn and at the same time an echo of cries of panic and swords clashing erupted at the courtyard.

Between the combined might of Cassandra, Cullen, Blackwall, Ser Barris and Leliana the Templars stood little to no chance at winning this fight. But despite their odds they fought with vigor and fervor that Leliana had not seen before.

One of the templars had to be almost hacked to pieces before he stopped moving in vain attempt to fight back and Knight-Captain Denem received more blows to his head than what any other healthy soldier could have possibly endured and yet he still fought, sluggishly perhaps, but with the strength of two. At last Leliana managed to throw her dagger at him and the weapon ended his struggle in a sickening gurgle as his lungs filled with blood from the large wound on his neck.

"What is going on Barris?" Cullen barked as he ripped his sword from the body of one of the templars.

"I have no idea Ser, believe me. But we have to get through, rest of my Order are inside...we need to get to them." Barris pleaded, his face mixture of confusion, rage and worry.

"The door is barred from the outside, we could probably hack through but it will take time." Blackwall remarked and lightly kicked the door which they came through before as if to stress his point.

"Lets move forward then. We need to find out Lord Seeker Lucius." Cassandra tightened her grip on her shield and was already half way through the door which led deeper inside the keep.

"What about the others?" Cullen reluctantly averted his eyes from the door which led to the courtyard and Leliana smirked. "I am sure they will be fine. Between Varric, Vivienne and Solas not many could stand a chance at a fight. Now lets get moving. The sooner we find out what is going on here the sooner we will regroup."

The group entered deeper into the keep and with each body hacked to pieces they have found, they grew quieter and more resolute to stop whoever had been responsible for this pointless blood shed.

"These are not men, but monsters!" Cassandra called out as they downed another templar, this one had fought like a rabid dog and Leliana noticed red lyrium spikes growing out of the man's shoulders and neck. Even now when the templar was no more than pile of meat and armour, the lyrium seemed to grow through the tissue and expanded with sickening sound. The spymaster averted her eyes and shook her head. She had heard that odd melody again but this was no time to get distracted.

"Maker's breath how many of these things are here?" Cullen swore just when a group of five more templars rushed to meet them across the courtyard.

"Keep together, we cannot get overwhelmed." Cassandra replied with her shield raised and smashed the nearest enemy square in the head.

Leliana fired two more arrows, both have hit the far away templar in the neck yet the man still struggled to stand and to hold his sword.

Though bastards

"Watch out!"

The spymaster had no idea who had yelled that, all she could feel was immense pain in her back and she felt her whole body propelled forward like a rag doll.

"Leliana!" This was Cullen calling and Leliana almost smiled. I should have known he would fuss over me. She thought as her vision turned slightly blurry and she felt blood spill from the wound on her chest. The warmth which kept spreading over her made her feel sick.

She could feel herself cling to the last straws of consciousness but it was pointless. That damned melody had returned but Leliana remembered it differently. It had been sweet melody, a long time ago. Back in the Temple of Sacred Ashes. This time the sound seemed odd, changed and flawed. Strangely enough the spymaster felt tears stream down her cheeks. The song reminded Leliana of "Her".

Neria Surana. The only woman she had ever loved and the person who murdered her.

Leliana felt someone around her. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name and holding her hand. But everything else seemed too far away to care anymore. All she felt was this anger. At the annoying song, the woman who had betrayed and killed her because she wanted to protect the Ashes from being defiled and lastly at that damned Tevinter slave who reminded her of Surana so much.

"Duck!" Was all that Ellena heard from Varric before an arrow swished past her ear and burrowed itself half way into the wall behind.

"We need to get to the door!" Vivienne yelled across the courtyard and the elf saw Madame de Fer's form slightly shimmer through the magical barrier which protected her from the relentless assaults of the templars. But the strain started to be obvious on Vivienne's face, the same strain which reflected from Solas' eyes.

They were running out of time.

"Grab something sharp and pointy kiddo, we are ass deep in these bastards." Varric nudged the elf slightly with his elbow while her fired another bolt from Bianca.

"But I don't even know how to fight!" Ellena replied but her eyes already darted around in search for a sword, dagger or anything which could come in handy.

"Guess you'll have to be a fast learner then." The dwarf let out a small chuckle which drowned in a loud thump when Bianca fired another bolt at their enemies.

Ellena finally noticed a short sword laying under the corpse of one of the nobles and crouched down on shaking feet made her way forward to pick it up. The hilt was covered in thick blood and it made her stomach turn when she grasped it with her bare hand. "Alright...what do I do now?" She turned to look at Varric again but the dwarf had his hands full fending off one of the templars. The man looked mad, she could see foam forming around his mouth and his eyes were red and crazy. There was not much time to think, Varric needed help and she'd be damned if she did not help him. Her brain reminded her of Leliana's orders. Stay out of the way and keep your mouth shut.

Ellena felt a smile form on her lips. Well I guess I will not follow the orders today.She shrugged and felt as if the heaviest stone had been lifted from her chest as she grasped the sword with both hands and plunged forward. The tip slid inside the man the feeling made her sick and she felt the steel of the weapon grind against the bones....ribs most likely. The templar let out a blood freezing cry of pain and anger before he stumbled backwards, the sword still deep inside his body Ellena watched as if in slow motion as the templar grasped the hilt sticking out of his chest, he looked at her with surprised eyes and then fell over on his back and layed still.

Her hands trembled so bad that she had to wrap them around her waist in order to calm down. This was the first time she had ever killed anyone and she couldn't tear her eyes from the man who now layed sprawled on the ground. Some small part of her hoped that he would rise up again, that she did not just kill him. But he was still, his blank stare turned towards the heavens above.

"Hey. Good job kid...but we're not done yet." Varric nudged her again and took two steps towards the dead templar and ripped the sword out of him and held it for the elf to take again.

"We will talk about this, after. When we have time." He gave Ellena one of his sympathetic smiles and she took the sword from him with her shaking hand and a nod. "Alright." was the only answer she could manage without throwing up.

"We'll get the door!" Varric barked towards Vivienne and Solas who kept five templars at bay with their combined effort and a wall of fire.

"Right." Solas replied and with impressively fluid motion of his staff casted another barrier, this time around all of them.

Ellena felt as if her body had been wrapped with slightly warmer air. She saw Varric already run forward and without thinking too much about it, as she had feared that if she gave this whole thing too many thoughts her courage would leave her, the elf followed while trying to persuade herself that she was ready.

"We need to take down that big fella." Varric pointed towards the barricaded door at one of the templars. And Ellena's heart sank. The man...if he could even be called that, was taller than any of his comrades. She vaguely recognized a templar helmet on his head but it seemed that the flesh of his face grew out and around it, contorting his features into a grizzled mask of pure horror. Large, red spikes jagged from his shoulders and back and as the two of them closed the distance between them he let out a scream of pure hatred and madness and with a wave of his arm sent a barrage of red bolts flying forward.

"Keep going. The barrier will take this." Varric pressed in his run, Bianca fully loaded in his hands and he aimed and fired.

Ellena saw the bolt sizzle through the air and then rip through the monster's right eye socket and it lodged deep into his brain. The templar let out a howl of pain but to their utter horror still kept moving at them. "Shit." Varric cursed next to her and Ellena could only agree. But she was not ready to give up yet. Varric was important, more important than her. She was nobody after all. But if she helped then she could do something right at least.

And with these thoughts firmly in mind Ellena dashed forward, finally her hands stopped trembling, maybe she was not that useless after all.She plunged at the monstrosity and without any other thought kept stabbing it with her sword. Again and again until she felt that someone grabbed her and lifted her up and the next thing she knew was a paralyzing pain which exploded through the side of her chest and back as she was crushed into the wall.

And then nothing. The whole world finally dissolved in blissful darkness.