Iron Bull froze ahead of the group and extended a muscular arm, gesturing for the party to halt. Dane let energy pool into his fingertips and quietly stepped closer to the Qunari, being careful not to make too much noise.
"What is it, Bull?" He whispered. His body was taut in preparation for another fight. Before his companion could reply Dane heard a gruff voice waft into the hall under a door to their left.
"Tell me how Trevelyan knew of the sacrifice at the temple! Tell me!" The rough demand was punctuated by a loud thump, shortly followed by a grunt of pain.
That was all it took for Dane to break the silence the group was steeped in and burst through the door. A Venatori guard whipped around at the intrusion; a bloody truncheon held tightly in his gauntlets.
'Maker's breath..' Dane exclaimed.
He was horrified to see his Spymaster strung up in thick chains, and even more distressed when he realised the terrible state she was in. Her face was gaunt and her body frail, both covered in blackened bruises and pockmarks. Her armour had been replaced with prisoner rags; heavily stained with rust coloured splotches. If he hadn't seen her look up from his entrance, he might have mistaken her for a corpse.
The intrusion provided just the distraction Leliana required. She wrapped her legs around the guard's neck and crushed with all her might. The man clawed at her knees desperately as he suffocated; writhing and gasping. It was no use. Leliana held on with determination until the Venatori stopped struggling and fell limp in her grasp.
Dane darted over to his Spymaster and wrapped his arms around her waist; trying to relieve the pressure on her arms from being strung from the ceiling. His companions rushed into the room behind him. Bull bent down to the fallen guard and retrieved the keys for Leliana's shackles, quickly reaching up to her free her. The heavy iron cuffs fell to the ground with a clang as Dane took her full weight, being extremely careful not to hold her too tightly. He placed her feet on the ground, one hand still on her waist as she tested her strength.
"You're alive." She exclaimed breathily. She quickly stood of her own accord and pushed Dane away as if he were infectious.
"We didn't die in the first place," Dorian replied. His voice was oddly chipper despite the tense situation. "Alexius sent us through time. He simply.. miscalculated." Dane glared at the mage and turned back to Leliana. He struggled to find something to say that wasn't hollow and laden with empty promises.
"If we can find Alexius and his amulet, Dorian can send us back into the past. I'm sorry Leliana. None of this was ever meant to be." She shifted her gaze to Dane's face as he spoke. He swallowed anxiously, seeing her expression turn to stone.
"And mages always wonder why people fear them," She said, moving past he and Iron Bull to the fallen Venatori. "No-one should have this kind of power." She took a simple dagger from the fresh body.
"It's dangerous and unpredictable, I agree. But before the Breach-"
"Enough." Leliana barked, silencing Dorian's argument. Dorian let his mouth fall closed, taken aback by her rough voice. "This is all pretend to you," She continued, advancing toward the man. "Some future you hope will never happen. I suffered, the whole world suffered," She said, punctuating her words with sharp jabs to Dorian's chest. "It was real." She stared fiercely into Dorian's eyes, daring him to argue. He bowed his head in acquiescence and stepped backward, looking suitably chastised.
Only once Dane had made sure the group was ready and able to continue did they leave Leliana's cell. He took the lead with his direwolf as they explored the final stretch of the castle. Iron Bull had wordlessly taken up the rear, deigning to protect Cassandra and Leliana in their weakened state.
Dane marvelled at the Qunari's infallible determination. A whole year of imprisonment and torture seemed to have not even fazed the man. Bull had charged into each battle they had faced so far, ripping apart his foes with his bare hands and brushing off any and all strikes he received. 'If anything, his injuries seem to make him stronger' Dane noted. He shook his head in awe of Bull's affinity for violence.
The mark flared into life as the party approached a thick set of double doors. The entrance looked as if it had once been regal and proud. The wood now hung limply from its hinges; caked in mold and falling apart from rot. 'Just like the rest of this world' Dane thought sadly. He took a breath and flexed his marked hand, turning to his companions. All of them tensed visibly as they spied the emerald flames licking at his palm. Dane couldn't help the shiver that flew down his spine as three sets of red eyes fixed on his own.
"Ready?" He whispered, his gaze drawn to Bull at the back of the group.
The Qunari narrowed his eyes and let a terrifying grin stretch his cheeks. He rolled his massive shoulders and nodded. That was all it took to break the lull. He grasped the sticky handle of the door and wrenched it open, immediately stepping through and scanning the room for Venatori.
Alexius was stood at the head of the hall; the same place where they had originally met. His back was turned as they stormed in. The sight of the Magister grabbed at something in Dane's chest. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched so tightly he thought his teeth might shatter. The mark burned intensely as he stalked towards his prey, disregarding any traps the man might have set in his fury.
"Alexius! It's time to pay for your crimes!" He shouted, hearing an unfamiliar vitriol in his own voice.
"And here you are. Finally."
The Magister turned to face the ragged group slowly. His voice was quiet; relieved even. Dane felt a snarl curl his lip as Dorian came to stand beside him.
"I knew that you would appear once more. Not that it would be now, but I knew you would come," Alexius continued, not meeting the gaze of those who faced him. "My final failure."
The air shifted slightly at Dane's side as Dorian stepped forward. The Tevinter mage had sadness etched into every pore. "Was it worth it, Alexius? Everything you did to the world? To yourself?"
"It doesn't matter now. The Elder One comes for me, for you, for us all." The Magister muttered lowly, turning his back to the group.
Dane let his hand curl into his fist and darted past Dorian up the steps, only to be frozen in his tracks by Leliana materialising out of the shadows. She thrust a man forward with her knife pressed into his neck.
'Man.. not any longer.' Dane thought in shock.
The hostage she held was Felix. Only he was stricken with the same condition Leliana had - albeit ten times worse. His skin sagged on his bones and his eyes were sunken deep into his skull. He made no effort to escape her grasp; merely lying expressionless in her arms.
Alexius whipped around at the scuffle and gasped, terror immediately descending on his features. "Felix!" He cried, reaching out towards his son.
"That's Felix? Maker's breath, Alexius! What have you done?" Dorian yelped; clearly horrified by the state of the young man. The Magister ignored him, only having eyes for his son's captor.
"Please, let my son go. I will do anything you ask of me – just don't hurt him!"
Dane exchanged a look with Leliana from where he was rooted on the stairs. She studied his face for his command. Dane recalled all the bodies he had passed. All the corpses twisted in agonizing positions in various torture devices. The sickness and starvation his friends had suffered through. How the world had turned into a living nightmare, thanks to the man now begging in front of them. His eyes hardened and he gave an almost imperceptible nod to Leliana.
The knife slit Felix's throat in a flash. Black blood streamed from the gash in the man's neck as he crumpled to the ground. The silence that followed Leliana's act was deafening but brief. Alexius cried out in anguish and sent a blast of magic from his fingertips, sending her flying into the stone walls of the keep.
The Magister turned to face the rest of the group, his entire body vibrating with the promise of revenge. He slammed his staff into the ground and encased himself in a shimmering barrier. A loud boom echoed from the impact as a tear in the space above their heads appeared. A familiar crystalline mass began its grating and whirring in the air.
Bull pushed Cassandra behind him and set about fighting a massive burning demon that advanced from the rift. Dorian quickly fell back to the group as more horrors emerged from the ground, casting fire from his staff like dragon breath. Dane's direwolf howled, signalling the arrival of more demons. His beast growled viciously and clamped its jaws around a shade that had entered the fray. 'When it rains, it pours' he thought with a grimace.
He turned his attention to the Magister still at the top of the stairs. He gritted his teeth and felt energy surge from his spine to his knuckles as he sprinted back to Alexius. A streak of purple electricity thundered from his arm against the barrier around the Magister, causing the man inside to stumble slightly at its intensity.
Time seemed to slow as Dane reached into the depths of his mind. Black smoke enshrouded his whole body in a blink of an eye. Dane screwed his eyes shut as he bounded up the last few steps to Alexius and jumped, hoping his magic would carry him through the barrier that awaited him. His shoulder jarred as he collided heavily with Alexius, feeling the man's body smash into the stone underneath him. The grisly noise of bone cracking from the impact sounded in his ears.
Dane quickly disentangled himself and stood. The Magister lay bloody and unmoving on the ground. He gulped in rapid breaths and turned to the rift in the sky, absently noticing the lack of burning in his hand. The ceiling of the room where the rift had been was empty - the demons that had poured through had either been slain by his companions or fizzled into nothingness when Alexius had been tackled. Cassandra rushed towards him from her spot in the hall.
"The amulet, is it there?" She asked, with no small amount of hope in her voice.
Dane looked to his friend who had quickly ascended the steps to where Alexius lay. Dorian paused shakily, trying to ignore the blood leaking from his former mentor's skull. He reached his tanned hands into the Magister's robes and procured the amulet they so desperately needed.
"It's here," Dorian breathed. "Give me an hour and I should be able to work out the spell that he used."
Dane felt his shoulders sag in relief, the fire of battle slowly ebbing out of his veins.
"An hour? That's impossible! You must go now!" Leliana's voice was panicked. He opened his mouth to ask in confusion, only to be answered by an unnatural screech. The walls of the castle began to shake and crumble as the earth rolled beneath their feet. Leliana fixed her eyes on Dane.
"The Elder One." She stated emphatically.
"We must defend Dorian and the Herald," Cassandra announced without a moment's hesitation. She turned to face Iron Bull. The towering Qunari let that terrifying smile spread back across his features and he nodded at the Seeker.
"If I'm gonna die, you bet your ass I'm taking some of those demons with me." He growled in a low voice.
Dane looked between the two, the weight of what was about to happen crashing into his lungs. He rushed down the steps to where his friends stood.
"Wait," His voice was strained with emotion. "I can't let you kill yourselves for me. There must be another way."
Leliana padded down behind him and came to a stop beside the Seeker. "Look at us," She exclaimed, thrusting her arm out as if to accentuate her point. "We are already dead. The only way we live is if this day never comes."
Dane couldn't help the way his gaze gravitated towards Cassandra. Her eyes softened and she gave him a small smile, seeing the panic in his features.
"You can do this, Dane."
With that both she and Iron Bull turned and headed towards the doors they had entered. He watched her back as she exited and disappeared from his vision. He looked to the blackened roof, sending a silent prayer to any deity that happened to be listening.
Dane felt a firm grip heft him to his feet. His mind was still reeling from the blast of magic that Dorian had cast, sending them flying through nothingness. He raised a shaky hand to his face, trying desperately to rub the visions of Cassandra and Leliana's bodies from his eyes. Dane shook his head slightly and let the room come into focus.
"Alexius." He growled. Waves of obsidian crept down his forearm.
"It's over. You've won." Alexius mumbled, falling to his knees in utter defeat.
Dorian reached out an arm, pressing it against Dane's chest. He blinked at the human barrier stopping him from advancing on the Magister but didn't protest. Instead he turned to look down the stairs; suddenly desperate to see his friend's faces.
Cassandra had her sword halfway from its sheath. She was frozen in shock at the return of the two mages, her eyes as wide as saucers. They were the familiar bronze colour once more, thankfully. Dane let out a hitching breath and tore down the stairs to where she stood. Before he could stop himself, he wrapped his arms around the Seeker and crushed her to his chest. She let out a noise of surprise at the sudden embrace; her arms pinned at her sides.
Dane breathed in heavily, his face buried in the crook of Cassandra's neck. Relief washed over him as he inhaled the familiar flowery scent from her skin, now recognising it from their stay at the tavern. It took a few seconds of awkward silence before he realised the room had fallen deathly quiet at his actions. He released the Seeker and hastily stepped backwards, clearing his throat and turning to Iron Bull as if nothing had happened. Bull was watching him with a sly smirk. He knew exactly why Cassandra had been the first thought on Dane's return.
A crash of doors opening interrupted the painful moment. All in the room turned to face a platoon of knights marching into the hall. They advanced steadily, each armoured soldier taking up a measured position along the hall. Dane watched, eyes wide, as a princely looking man strode towards them.
"Grand Enchanter. Imagine how surprised I was to learn you'd given Redcliffe Castle away to a Tevinter Magister," The ginger haired man stated; gaze fixed on Fiona. "Since I'm fairly sure it belongs to Arl Teagan."
Fiona shuffled forward, a peculiar look marring her face.
"King Alistair.. Your Majesty, we never intended-"
Dane's eyebrows shot up his forehead at Fiona's confirmation. 'The King? This'll be a moment to remember' he thought, allowing some of his humour to return.
"I know what you intended," King Alistair interrupted, his voice mixed with annoyance and what sounded curiously like regret. "But you've made it impossible." He paused and crossed his arms. "You and your followers are no longer welcome in Fereldan."
Fiona's face dropped at the King's words. She wrung her hands. "But where will we go? We have injured.. children.."
Dane stepped closer to the Grand Enchanter. "We came here to seek help with the Breach," He said slowly. "The Inquisition might be willing to take you in."
Alistair's mouth curled up at the corners. He was apparently pleased with the suggestion. "I suggest you take that offer, Grand Enchanter. You will get no better one from me."
Fiona turned to examine Dane's face, hesitance sparkling in her eyes. "And what are the terms of this.. arrangement?" Dane bit the inside of his cheek, feeling his ire rise.
"Hopefully better than what Alexius gave you, I should remind." Dorian interjected from the top of the stairs. Dane spared a glance at the mage, glad to realise he was not the only one noticing the irony of Fiona's question.
"We will discuss it back at Haven. You and your followers may take shelter there until we come to a formal agreement." Dane announced, sounding more confident than he truly felt. Fiona nodded and bowed deeply at the King, taking her leave. The hall fell into a thick silence once more.