Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Series
.
.
.
No Title 3
.
.
.
"Maker..." Cassandra looked around in disbelief.
"Andraste's tits..." Varric uncouthly said as he looked around to see what used to be the Templar base.
It was all in ruins now, tents destroyed, and every Templar in it was dead. A body here and a body there. One lone mage did this much damage to a rogue Templar camp of twenty to fifty people? It was just impossible. Did the mark give him unbelievable powers or something? Did he become an abomination like Anders was?
Solas couldn't even begin to comprehend.
The mark shouldn't give him this much power-it shouldn't at all. Yet he could feel the patches in the veil around the area. The Herald had used the mark to attack them, tearing the veil apart but then fixing it right back up. He shouldn't be able to do that. Now Fen'harel was worried. This world is not what it used to be, and unique people are appearing as very powerful figures.
"It's the same in the Mage base. It's where I found him, but he put me to sleep. Sorry." Harding said. "He was... nice though."
The Seeker turned to the scout. "Did he say anything else?"
The scout shrugged. "Not anything important... although, he did know my first name and he looked... sad. But, that's all it. We lost his trail from there and it just seemed like he...vanished."
Solas flinched a bit, hearing that. Vanish? Did the Herald also figure out how to travel to the fade with the mark and then teleport to another place?
Harding just continued, "He's all over the place, Seeker Cassandra. We've received reports from witnesses that had talked with him: same description and same glowing hand. It wasn't only Master Dennett. One of our scouts, Ritts, had met with the Herald and had praised her for her work before he sent her away. He also met with Corporal Whittle and handed him locations of the supply caches that some Apostates had stashed away. The Herald also sent a healer to stay in the crossroads and help those in need, and he set up markings for the Watch Towers that the Inquisition has to do so that we can get the horses from Master Dennett."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Varric stopped her. "Wait. Are you telling me he did all that in less than week? Really? And in random locations? No Inquisition spy or scout can track him down?"
"Well I did... but then he cast a sleeping spell on me." The Scout pursed her lips at that.
"Did you send all this information to Leliana?" Cassandra asked.
"Of course I did-"
"Then, there's nothing here for us..." They came all this way for nothing.
"A moment, Seeker?" Solas interrupted. "There's an artifact here not too far away. It will help heal the veil around the area, preventing any more rifts from opening, hopefully."
Cassandra looked at him, unsure, but the apostate did help them in the Breach. And he stayed, now wanting to help in the question even if there are no certain futures for apostates once the Inquisition has done their job.
"Fine. We'll go see."
"Lead the way, Chuckles." Varric said, willing to come along on this ride, even if he and the Seeker didn't get along so well.
Oh dear Gods, this dwarf and the nicknames. Why did it had to be Chuckles?
They traveled north passed the Crossroads, heading where the temple would be. He knew the way there, and he might as well show Cassandra these elven artifacts that can measure the veil and prevent any more tears. It was worth to go to.
Soon, they saw the temple just ahead of them. However, when they arrived inside there, there was a dead Dalish mage on the ground and before her, that same elven artifact had been activated, glowing and twisting in a spherical air.
There was a not next to the artifact and Cassandra went over to it, picking it up.
She read it aloud, "Dalish mage was an abomination. Had to kill her. Activated the veil-measuring artifact. You're Welcome. Damien..."
So the Herald was one step ahead of them.
"The flesh is still warm," Varric pointed out. He was kneeling down next to the elven corpse before he reached out and closed her eyes. "...He was here just recently."
Cassandra groaned aloud, throwing the note to the ground, disgruntled. "Stay. I'm getting some of our scouts, see if they can track him." With that she was off, though they had a feeling it would be useless now to try and track him.
Solas looked at the artifact and then back at the crumpled note.
How?
Who are you Damien Trevelyan?
.
.
.
.
.
.
Alexius was ready. He had the Venatori agents ready with him to go into the past and stop this false Herald from ever taking the mark from the Elder One. Of course, that was the first thing he did, only to find out they couldn't go past the explosion of the Conclave... so for now, what he can do is secure the mage alliance for the Elder One. Everything was going so well according to his plans. He just needed to go back in time and get the Former Enchanter Fiona to sign her people away into his service.
At least, that is what is supposed to happen.
"Magister Alexius!" His own personal House Retainer ran up to him and said, "Your son! Young Master Felix is missing!"
"Missing?!" Alexius panicked and quickly he ran passed the Retainer going to his son's temporary room. His son should still be in that room. He said he was going to rest, but when he got there, a dead Venatori agent was left there, staining blood on the floor and there was a note.
"This was here when I checked up on him." The Retainer said but the Magister hardly cared for the dead agent.
Alexius picked up the note and read. His blood ran cold. Someone took his son and even threatened him that if he would go back in time, he will kill his son. Who? And how did this person know? How did he get passed all his guards? There was more to the note. It said not to tell the Venatori Agents or anyone else for the meeting place. He is to come alone and if not he will kill him. He instructed him to lie to the Venatori. Say that it was some feuding soporati from Tevinter, holding his son ransom.
Such specific instructions. His son's captive didn't want the Venatori to know? Again, the note threatened his son's life. Should he listen?
Did he have a choice?
The reason why he was doing this in the first place was because he was promised that the Elder One could save his son's life. He didn't want his son to be taken by the blight-his only son. Felix was everything to him, and he would do anything to save him, even if it means to destroy the world.
Right now, Felix's life was in danger, so he'll need to obey.
He had dismissed the Venatori that day. Saying that they will do it tomorrow once the Former Enchanter Fiona had returned from Val Royeaux. That night, he went alone even without his retainer, heading to the meeting place where the captive had stated.
The Redcliffe Windmill...
He was up there alone, waiting a few feet away from the door.
A couple of hours had passed and night had already fallen dark.
Was the captor going to show his face soon or not?
"You listened."
Alexius heard the voice and he turned around to see the stranger. A mage. Human. No one he knew, but then he saw the flare in his left hand.
His eyes widened. "You're... the Herald!"
Damien closed the door behind him and approached the Magister, blue eyes looking stern and cold.
"What have you done to my son?!" The Magister demanded.
Then the Herald took out something from his sleeve: a dagger. Suddenly, he threw it right at Alexius, but it passed him, right by his neck.
"Ack!"
Alexius flinched and he turned around to see a Venatori agent. The knife that the Herald had thrown was lodged deep in the throat. The agent choked before he fell to the ground dead.
Shit! He wasn't supposed to let people follow him!
"I didn't know-"
"You were followed." Damien pointed out. "I know. Not your fault... you would do anything for your son."
His son. His Felix.
Alexius glowered at him. "Where is he? What have you done to him? He has nothing to do with the Venatori!"
"I know that too... but you're involved with them." The Herald said. "You have something I need... but we can't talk here. Come with me."
The Magister was tempted to throw a fireball at this false prophet, but the Herald has his son, and if he wanted him alive, he needed to do as he says. So for now, he followed him. The Herald led him back inside the windmill, locking right after Alexius came right through. Then the mage held his hand out and spoke words... Elvhen words?
The mark on his left hand charred like electricity and opened a rift-like portal.
Alexius was amazed at the sight of unknown magic.
Then suddenly, Damien pushed him right through and he followed right in, the rift closing. The Magister stumbled unto the cold, stone floor of a massive dome-like room that was dimly lit by bright floating starts above the dome ceiling that was 30 feet high; they looked like stars. Alexius got back on his feet, looking around in awe. Where were they? How in Maker's name was this possible?
Was Felix here?
"Follow me." The Herald said as he went down to one of the four open hallways.
Alexius was completely confused. Where was this? And how can a mage know this place? It felt so different here. It almost felt like he was in his dreams, but then he wasn't. It also felt real here.
"What is this place? Did you bring Felix here?" His concerns overcame the awe-admiring feelings swelling inside of him.
"I had to place him somewhere safe. He'll explain it to you later." Damien said as he stopped at the end of the hallway to a set of double doors. He opened them and inside was a huge library, but also a room of research.
There, in one of the strange elven-like chairs, Felix was reading a book.
"Felix!"
Alexius called out to his son, who immediately turned away from the book, surprised at the voice. Felix saw that it was none other than his own father with the Herald of Andraste with him.
"Father? What..?" He trailed off as he placed the book back down on the desk. He went over to him and Alexius couldn't help but to embrace him.
When they parted, Alexius exclaimed, "You are safe!"
"Of course I am safe, I-... what did you tell him, Damien?" Felix asked turning his attention away from his father. The Magister had to narrow his brows at that. His son and his captor are on first-name basis?
"I told him I was holding you captive and that if he didn't follow my instructions on the paper, I would kill you."
"Really?"
"Well, of course, I wouldn't kill you. I had to get your father here somehow."
So the Herald lie? That's... a relief. But why was his son here? Why was he here? Why did the Herald bring them here and away from the Venatori?
"...You tricked us then..? Tell me! Who do you think you are?!" Alexius demanded. All worries went away as anger clouded his mind. He has to help the Venatori so the Elder One can save his son. "How dare you! I'll see you burn-ARGH!"
The Magister's hands were burning once, threatening to scorch the living hell out of this false prophet, but the flames went away and he found himself completely drained of mana that he fell unto his knees.
"Father!" Felix caught him and gently lowered him down.
"...Better to tell him now, Felix. We don't have a lot of time." Damien reminded him.
The Altus of Alexius sighed. "I know... Father. I know you've been involved with the Venatori, and from what the Herald told me, he said that you were doing this so that this Elder One could cure me from the blight."
His father's eyes widened. "But he can cure you!"
"No he won't. It's a lie," Damien countered.
"You don't know that! He is capable of becoming a God-"
"A false God. Just like me, a false prophet. He's human who had became a darkspawn mage, possessing immeasurable ancient magic!" He yelled then his eyes turned cold and sharp as daggers. He finished. "...Gods... Don't. Exist."
Alexius solemnly frown. He shouldn't believe it... but he was so desperate to save his son. Was there really no hope?
"...Is that why you brought me here, Inquisitor? To convince me instead of killing me?"
"Father-!"
"I can't lose you, Felix! I don't know what he said to you, my son, but you have to believe the Elder One can cure you! We have to... you..." Alexius became a mess. Tears already falling down the old man's eyes. He had lost his wife. And now he was losing his son.
His son is everything to him.
Felix hated this. He hated seeing his father like this...
"Father... you need to accept that I'm going to die."
Then suddenly, Damien stopped the sad moment. "Well... eventually you will. But not from the Blight."
Both Tevinter mages stopped and looked up with confused looks.
"...I'm no Herald. And this Elder One is no God. Believe me!" Damien said. In fact, he thought of Corypheus as a little brat now. "...What I'm trying to say is, I know how to cure the blight... and I don't have to change you into a Grey Warden to rid of it."
Alexius' eyes widened, hearing that. "Y-you... you can... you can take the blight away from him? Cure my son? ...Are you spouting lies?! Trying to get me to-!"
"No lies." Damien stopped him there.
"...How...? Wait... There is a catch. There has to be a catch!" This is too good to be true.
Damien nodded much to the mages' predicament. "Yes, there is. Two things I need... First off, I want the time amulet you have."
The Magister blinked at that. The time amulet? What for? He wondered... Still, he didn't mind. He took off the amulet but he didn't give it yet to him.
"What's the second?" He asked. There's still one more...
"...Swear off your allegiance to the Venatori and the Elder One."
"...That's it? No more than that?" Alexius expected the Herald to make him swear servitude to him but it didn't happen.
"That's it." Damien assured him. "Those two things, and you two can leave afterwards."
"...Felix first. Cure the blight from him first." Alexius demanded, however, Damien had no problem with that. He knew now what it was like to be a father, and how much it would hurt to lose one.
"Come with me."
.
.
.
Notes: I had this feeling that in the future, they would have already known the true nature of the blight and how it started. And with Architect, Damien must have known by now how to cure the taint from a person. I won't show it right now, but some suggestions on how to go around with it would be nice.
Next chapter, Damien will be recruiting the Architect.