"Why do you bother ma vhenan(my heart)? This world is not worth saving. Nothing is comparable to the world of the past. It will burn, as you will, when the anchor finally takes your worthless life." Solas sneers as he walks over my broken body.
"Why Solas... what has this World done to deserve this fate? Do you hate us so much?" Tears streaming down my face as I pull my body up from the ground, my legs useless and broken. I'm covered in bleeding wounds, my head pounding, water rushing in my ears, and yet his words are crystal clear. Looking up at him from the floor I can see the forest ablaze, smoke rising into the sky. He is smiling with a sadistic grin; he has never looked so evil. He's done it. White-hot pain shoots through my arm. The anchor is burning, it's unbearable. I scream, but no sound comes out. As my vision begins to blur from blood loss, I see a white wolf at the edge of the forest walking towards us. He stands before my battered body. His fur blowing in the wind, snowdrift floating in the air. A quivering voice leaves my lips..."Is it over?" I close my eyes one last time...
"Hey! Wake UP! Wake up girl! We have a long day ahead of us if you're still keen on visiting the ruins above the mountain."
My eyes snap open, breath caught in my throat. What's happening? Where? Looking around I can see that I am still in the Dalish camp. I take in a deep breath to calm myself. My dreams are getting so vivid...too real, but if I don't stop Solas it may as well be reality.
"…. Morning, when was it we were leaving again?" I ask groggily looking into the face of an elder male hunter.
"Thank the Creators you woke up! I thought you'd gone and entered uthenera (immortal sleep) for a moment, seeing as how deep you were sleeping. Good thing you didn't though, huh? Cause then you'd be out for a couple centuries." He grins. "Keepers asked me to take you up to the ruins. I plan on being back before dark so...let's get a move on."
I nod sleepily, as I begin to pack up my things. "Let me help you with your tent, I know those things can be difficult to pack sometimes." He says as he reaches for my dismantled tent.
"I've packed a small bag with some supplies and food incase you've run low. We should make good time if we only stop once, about half-way up around noon." He says as he passes me my packed tent.
"Thank you for your helpfulness, it is not as common here as I had hoped it would be. The people do not take kindly to elves without the tattoos of their chosen god."
"It is unfortunate, yes, but it has become our nature to be hesitant of newcomers. It is said that our ancestors interaction with the shems is the reason why we lost our immortality." he snorts in disdain.
"So excuse me, if I find it acceptable that we are wary of others, as we cannot know what they will bring into our lives now and in the future." He says as we begin our trek up the mountain.
We continued up the mountainside uninterrupted until we came to the entrance of the ruins. The view of the forest is beautiful from up here. Across the valley you can see the tops of other mountains covered in snow, a beautiful lake surrounded by a small meadow and birds flying below making the scene so alive and breath taking. I can see why the ancient elves chose this place as their home, as very few places can be described as this magnificent.
"Travel safe dal'en, these ruins have been left to rot, and may have become dangerous to those who walk its ancient halls. I do not know why you wish to walk them alone, but I prey the Dred Wolf never catches your scent. Walk safe and free child." the old man says, as he grasps my hand and embraces me as one would embrace family.
"Do not fear for me my friend, I am stronger than I look." I say as I try to put on a smile. As he turns to leave I whisper, "If he caught my scent…which way would he run?"
The entrance to the ruins is nothing more than a hole in the ground, as if the ceiling caved in at some point and created it. Once inside the ruins I run into the typical cave dwelling creatures. There were some skeletons and spiders running around the place but my sword easily took care of them. The ruins are extensive, so each time I clear out a room I make a small note on a piece of paper. It's not the best map, but I'm glad to have anything to keep me from getting lost in this spider-infested hole in the ground.
I managed to make a mess of my map, spider blood, runny ink and being crumpled up over and over again has made it almost impossible to read. I think this next room is one I haven't been to yet. Suddenly, I can feel it. A sickening feeling, like my skin is crawling with bugs, and the hair on my body begins to stand on end. It is the same feeling I got the last time I was near an eluvian.
In front of the door, there is a life-sized statue of a hooded elven woman holding a golden bowl. What it once held is uncertain, but looking around I can see that there are basins of water nearby. I bow to the statue in front of the doorway and proceed to collect water from the nearby pools. The water is clean and untouched, unlike the rest of these ruins. The water looks drinkable, even after all these years. I grab a nearby pot floating in the water, and fill it up to the brim. Carefully I take the urn to the statue, and tip it slowly into the golden bowl. The stones behind the statue begin to rumble as the brickwork slides away into the rest of the wall. Dust fills the room, making it hard to see anything. Coughing, I look behind the statue to see a beautiful receiving room. It is adorned with more statues like the first, except these hold braziers which once held flames; the ancient embers still in them. The floor is an intricate work of art, murals of the past. In the center of the room is my prize. The eluvian. Walking into the room the air becomes heavy and cold. Skeletal figures rise from the ground, tearing apart the beautiful murals on the floor. I raise my sword, pointing it at them. " Ma halam! (you're finished)". I say, as I run at them with full speed.
As they start to over take me, my arm begins to glow from the anchor. It burns so much, but I cannot stop... I try to do as the Tevinter magisters taught me, to use the pain against them. I grip my sword harder and my swings become more powerful after each successful hit. Soon the room glows with an eerie green light as the anchor leaches into my blade. As my last swing takes down the final revenant, I fall to one knee. I manage to stabilize myself by holding onto my blade. I stay there breathing heavily. The anchor will not kill me, but it still takes so much out of me when it flares up. I look at my glowing arm with grief; unfortunately this was the best solution the magisters could come up with. I down a few health potions I had packed for my trip. Only two left, better be more cautious from now on…
Standing, I put my sword away, and I walk slowly to the eluvian. After so long, I am finally here. "Irassal ma ghilas ma'arlath...(Wherever you shall go my love...) I whisper, as my hands glide over the surface of the eluvian. With those words I can see where I want to go, Solas, standing before his people... giving inspiring speeches, no doubt, I think smiling to myself. The mirror takes hold of my hand with a tar-like grip, the more I pull, the stronger it pulls back. At last, I release my resistance and let it pull me through to the other side. Gods guide me.
I stand on the other side of the mirror, blinded by morning light. The gentle breeze runs across my face, it is so welcoming compared to the stagnant air of the ruins. Looking around, I see the tents of people in the surrounding area, elves no doubt. Eager to take from Solas, any power he can give them. I walk away from the mirror to the altar ahead. Solas is standing there, his back to me, facing the crowd below him. "Solas?" I say softly, as I get closer to him. He does nothing. "Solas." I say again more firm this time. He turns around quickly this time, "...Ma vhenan?" He is shocked and concerned, but I can see the small smile he hides.