Skyhold
Inquisitor, a new title.
Just what I needed, I barely survived haven with just all of it seeming to be a blur. Solas had led us to a new sanctuary, Skyhold. An ancient fort secluded in the mountain side. At least it was more hospitable than Haven ever was but, I was still going to miss my cabin on the side of that quaint little town.
I came out of my new room hoping that this would be a good day.
Sera Was Waiting for me at the end of the hall. Clearly, something was bothering her.
" So, Inquisitor. It's Inquisitor now, right,?" She swayed on her feet.
"I guess so." I said to her wondering where this was going.
She moved closer to me "Remember that war we talked about stopping? Full of little baddies I could Stick with little arrows?" She didn't give me a chance to answer before she scowled "That's Not a Frigging Archdemon, is it!" She stepped back and swore "Andraste, What'd I step in?"
"Let me know what she says, I could use some clarification myself." I quipped Hoping to break the tension.
"It's Swearing, Not Praying, She Doesn't Answer." she looked away and pouted "Not like she's supposed to." I started Down the stairs to the training yard.
She turned her head back to me and followed "I know what happened to you," she peeked over my shoulder " Or what everyone thinks happened," she stopped on the stairs a moment I paused waiting for her. "It seems… I don't know what it seems."
I shrugged and continued down "Oh, I don't know, the ancient thing trying to kill us seems pretty real to me." I hoped to cheer her up. Something she could hit with her stabby arrows as she would say.
She chuffed as we reached the end of the stairs "Don't get me started. Oh, wait, too late, right? A magister who cracked the "black city"."
I leaned against the stairs watching her features soften "It's a hazy dream, right? I mean, If it's Real Real, then the seat of the Maker? Real Thing. A seat needs a Butt, So the Maker? Real thing." pleading for me to tell her it was not real.
She was Clearly troubled by what happened at haven, I was as well, to be honest, But at this point, stuff like this was clearly normal.
"Fairy Stories about the start and end of the world? Real things." upset again.
She looked down at her feet "It's too far, innit?I just want to plug the sky hole rubbish so I can go Play." Said everything I wanted as well.
But I needed to remind her why she joined.
" Sera, You joined to help the "little people" caught in this. But do you believe or not?" I asked. Shifting my feet.
"In Andraste?" she stopped a moment before she said," Of course." Crossing her arms.
"But you Doubt What you're seeing and hearing? Come on Sera this is not like you."
She looked away from me. "It Can't Be True true. Even Fanatics don't want to be this right." she said.
She looked at me.
"Look, I have Arrows. I can make this Coryphellius believe in those, Good Enough?" nodding as She muttered to herself "Please be good enough."
I smiled, getting off the wall
"That's the Sera I know. Keep calling it nonsense, that perspective will keep us grounded."
She grinned back "Oh, I can do that. Sure could use a few more people shouting "No." We fight the bad things go away, Everyone calms down, and everything goes back to normal. A Nice well Paid Normal"
"I'll Drink to that, but you Better watch out Sera, You're starting to not sound completely Crazy, " I said hoping to get a laugh.
"I know. Scary, Innit? So bring it on! But First Food. I'm Starving." "I'll Catch up later " I smiled, She started off towards the tavern.
Good. I needed a friend in all this mess.
I started down the stairs towards the stables, hoping to find our latest member to our odd little dysfunctional family.
Instead, I saw Cullen making plans and ordering troop movements by the table he set up by the medic tents.
I smiled, I still remember waking to find his furs covering me keeping me warm.
I still had not thanked him. I stood there to watch the man at work." The order was sent?" he asked the soldiers around the little shabby table.
"Yes Commander" one of them replied. Cullen looked down at his map that the scouts had made up." Send men to scout the area we need to know what's out there" he ordered them.
"Yes Ser" and they left.
Another scout came up to him shortly afterward. "Commander soldiers have been assigned temporary quarters," the scout said; I think his name was Timothy.
Cullen nodded he noticed me but kept looking at his map "Very good. I will need an update on the armory as well."
Tim toyed with his glove looking at Cullen. He was always a bit oblivious to what Cullen wanted him to do.
Cullen glared at Tim "Now!" he ran off. I chuckled to myself as I walked my way up to Cullen's table.
He rubbed the back of his head and looked at me. The dark shadows under his eyes told me he had not slept.
"We set up as best we could at Haven. But we could never prepare for an archdemon or whatever it was, with some warning we might of…"
I smirked and asked, "Do you ever sleep?" A workaholic, as he always has been.
He just looked at me and said "If Corypheus strikes again we may not be able to withdraw and I wouldn't want to. We must be ready. Work on Skyhold is underway guard rotations established, we should have everything on course within the week. we will not run from here inquisitor."
All business then.
"How many were lost?" I internally sighed, all those men. We must have a service.
"Most of our people made it to Skyhold. It could have been worse. Morale was low but it has improved greatly since you accepted the role of inquisitor." He told me as he read one of his reports.
"Inquisitor I was not looking for another title, sounds a bit odd don't you think?" I asked him, remembering me at the start of all this.
"Not at all" he replied quickly looking away from the page.
"Is that the official response?" asked grinning
Cullen chuckled "I suppose it is but, it's the truth. We needed a leader and you have proven yourself."
"Thank you Cullen." he smiled at me, it was not helping my nerves by saying this. I looked towards the barn a moment to gather courage." Our escape from haven it was close. I'm relieved that you. " I stumbled with my words "That so many made it out."
"As am I." He said softly. he looked down as if in deep thought.
I started to walk to the medic tents, he touched my arm. I looked back to him. "You stayed behind" he seemed to be trying to find the words " You could have… I will not allow the events at Haven to happen again." he was worried about me? After all this time?
"You have my word," he said this was not about the inquisition at all and we both knew it.
This could get complicated but that seems to my lot in life.
I smiled and started back on my search for Cole, instead, I saw Vivienne, Solas, and Cassandra debating all the while Cole was sitting crossed legged looking intently into the grass.
As I moved closer I heard Vivienne say to Solas "This Thing is not a stray puppy you can make into a pet. It has no business being here."
"Wouldn't you say the same of an Apostate?" Solas shot back, another one of their many squabbles.
Cassandra was the first to notice me "Inquisitor I wondered if Cole Was perhaps a Mage, Given his unusual Abilities."
Solas started first, "He can Cause People to Forget him, Or even fail entirely to notice him. These are not the abilities of a Mage, It seems that Cole is a Spirit."
"It is a Demon," Vivienne said firmly. lovely, as always both of them had different opinions.
"If you Prefer, Although the truth is somewhat more Complex." He said as though he was lecturing all of us.
I sighed " I am Not sure How much more Complexity I need right now, Solas."
"Indeed my dear, He may Call It whatever he likes, But it is still a Threat," Vivienne said flashing a glare at Solas.
"In fact, his nature is not so easily defined." Solas continued his lecture ignoring Vivienne.
Cassandra broke in "Speak Plainly, Solas. What are we dealing with ?"
Solas looked at Cassandra and then to me, "Demons Normally enter this world by possessing something. In their true form, they look Bizarre, Monstrous."
"But Cole looks like a young man. Could it be possession?" she asked curiously.
Solas' tone lightened "No he has possessed Nothing and no one, and yet he appears human in all respects."
He turned to me.
"Cole is Unique Inquisitor. More than that, He wishes to help. I suggest you allow him to do so."
I needed him to clarify " From what I've read, Demons either possessed something from this world or were summoned and Bound. They almost never look like something you'd Mistake for a person."
he nodded "Normally, You would be correct. But Cole has willfully Manifested in Human Form Without Possessing Anyone."
"but the demons who came through the breach, or through rifts, weren't possessing anything." I crossed my arms. he always did this, just giving enough to answer the question but nothing of himself.
"Those demons were Drawn through against their will, driven mad by this world. But cole Predates the breach. From what we can tell, He has lived here for months, Perhaps years.
He looks like a young man, for all intents and Purposes, He is a young man." he paused" It is Remarkable."
I relaxed " I should Hear What Cole Has to say for himself."
I looked around for Cole. "Where is He Now?"
Cassandra was surprised " He was Right…"
I saw Cole over by the medics tents. I walked over to him ignoring Vivienne's protests.
"Haven." Cole looked at me then back to the men." So Many soldiers fought to protect the pilgrims so they could escape."
he was mumbling looking down at one of the men. "Choking Fear, Can't think from the medicine but the cuts wrack me with every heartbeat. Hot white pain, everything burns. I can't, I can't, I'm Going to… I'm Dying, I'm..."
The man went limp "...Dead" Cole said.
"I'm Happy to see you are making friends Cole. Here I was worried you would have a hard time. So I guess you are feeling their pain?" I asked
"It's louder this close, with so many of them," he said plainly
"Would you like to go somewhere more comfortable?" why would he want to stay.
"Yes. But here is where I can Help." He moved to the next soldier in the line.
"Every Breath slower. Like lying in a warm bath. Sliding away. The smell of my Daughter's Hair When I Kiss her goodnight"
the Soldier passed "Gone."
Cole looked around "Cracked Brown Pain, Dry, Scraping, Thirsty..." He knelt down and offered the soldier a drink "Here."
She whispered in pain, "Thank You."
He said, "it's all right, She won't Remember me."
"So you are using your Powers to help People." I understood. I knew then I could let him stay.
He shifted his head slightly towards me "Yes. I used to think I was A Ghost. I didn't Know. I made Mistakes… But I made friends, too. Then a templar Proved I wasn't real. I lost my friends. I lost everything. I learned how to be more like I am. It made me different, but stronger. I can feel more, I can help."
"Well If you are Willing, the inquisition could use your help," I asked him.
he looked around "Yes, Helping. I help the hurt, the helpless, there's someone…"
He moved to the next person in line. he looked down at him said, "Hurts, It hurts, it hurts, someone make it stop hurting, Maker Please..."
He pulled out his dagger " The healers have done all they can, it will take him hours to die. Every moment will be agony. He wants mercy, help."
He didn't understand, "Cole you say he won't die for hours yet, but you cannot Know that for certain."
"His Body is Failing." cole looked at me. the dagger still in his hand.
"He Could recover. Or the healers could find another way to help him." I tried to give him hope.
"How do you know?" he asked looking at me.
I shook my head " I don't and Neither Do you. That's Part of life."
He looked down at the man and whispered "try" under his voice.
He looked back at me "I want to Stay."
Cole walked off towards the tavern, most likely trying to help some lost souls there.
