Reviving my account to post dragon age fanfiction? More likely than you would think. I am posting here so I can have my content in more than one location! I will try to update this once a week until I catch up to where I've written or the fic is completed. Thanks for reading!

To the unaware, the fact he was so close to the explosion that destroyed the Conclave was quite the coincidence. When he announced his theories as to the nature of the stormy vortex that lingered dangerously in the heavens, he was deemed the "expert" and did not deny it. Seeker Pentaghast gave him a chance to prove himself by keeping an eye on a new prisoner–an elven woman. She had come tumbling out of the first rift created by the tear in the sky, but was in no state for interrogation.

And he was somewhat skilled at healing. There was a scar on her palm. It was clearly caused by magic, glowing an angry green, like the Fade. And it was spreading. The Seeker and the Nightingale failed it would kill the woman before they could get their answers.

So he was tasked with monitoring her. She was restless. And at times, would seemingly spring awake to writhe in pain as the mark on her palm spread over her skin. If she was ever aware of his presence beside her, he would not know. But it looked as though she were dying. It may have been a kindness to put her out of her misery, but if he were correct, the mark would be needed to set back the mistakes that had been made of late. He could set wards on it to slow this, but that would only do so much with the veil still torn in this manner.

His life was in the Seeker's hands as much as this elven woman's was within his at this. He thought it regretful when the Seeker decided to send him ahead with the dwarven Master Tethras as the situation outside worsened. He wished to observe the unconscious woman further. But there were more demons appearing and he had been determined the resident expert on these matters.

And so he departed.

Paya Lavellan had little recollection of what happened. She remembered a feeling of fear and a sense of guilt. She remembered stepping out to an obliterated field and passing out immediately. And that was it.

What finally woke her was a sudden pain that engulfed her entire body. It felt as though a rod of fire had been pushed into her left palm and through her arm as the pain seared through it. She couldn't help but vocalize her pain with a groan. There was a green light emitting from her palm, audibly crackling like a surge of electricity. If she hadn't found her wrists bound in shackles, she'd try to do something. Her eyes quickly darted through the room. The four swords aimed at her head were good motivation to keep still.

Suddenly, the door to the cell was kicked open and a pair of women entered. One had short dark hair and simple heavy armor. Her breastplate with the insignia of a sword pierced through an eye on it. She also had a noticeable scar on the left side of her jaw. The other woman wore purple-dyed leather and a cowl. She had the same eye symbol on a small buckle just under her that kept the cowl secure.

The dark-haired woman leaned down toward Paya, glaring at her menacingly. "Give me one good reason why we shouldn't kill you now. The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead!" she sounded both heartbroken and exceedingly angry. "Except for you."

Paya's voice was hoarse as she spoke, raw from her cries of pain that woke her, "What… what do you mean everyone's dead..?" She scrubbed her brain for memories, only able to recall her brother asking her to bring him along; a tinge of fear struck her chest. The dark-haired woman pulled her from her mind when she forcefully grabbed Paya's wrist, pulling it upwards as green light sparked forth from it again, pain firing through her once more.

"Explain this," she spat before throwing the wrist down again.

Wincing away the pain, Paya watched the women as they paced around her. "I can't... I-"

"You're lying!" The dark-haired woman lunged and grabbed onto the fabric of Paya's shirt, but was quickly pulled away by the woman with the cowl.

"We need her, Cassandra!" she said, moving between them and gesturing her to back off.

Paya slowly brought her head down, her mind going back to her brother, trying to remember her reply to him. "All of those people...dead..?"

The one in leathers spoke softer to Paya, "Do you remember what happened..?"

"There was running... I think I was being… chased...and there was… a woman?"

"There was a woman..?"

"I tried to reach out to her...but then…"

The dark-haired woman, Cassandra, seemed to have calmed down and gestured for the one in leathers to leave. "Go to the forward camp, Leliana… I'll take this one to the rift."

As the woman in leathers, Leliana, left Cassandra approached and unchained the elf. She spoke with a more level-headed tone, "It might be easier to explain what is happening if I show you…"

Cassandra guided Paya out of the cell and then outside. Her wrists were still bound but she was happy to be moving around nonetheless. They appeared to be in a small, snow-covered village. The air was cold and thick with what felt like magic. All capped off with the angry glow of a large opening in the heavens. It looked like a raging storm, emitting green light and distorting the space around it. Cassandra began to explain it.

"We call it 'The Breach.' It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour," she turned toward Paya, continuing, "It's not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave. It is growing and if we don't stop it, it could swallow the world completely." The breach pulsed, a flash of green arcing, and, in sync with the pulse, the pain in Paya's arm reappeared and knocked her to the ground, where she began to curl into herself. Cassandra came to her side and spoke gently, "Each time the Breach expands, this mark on your hand does too. It is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this but there isn't much time."

Paya peeked at the woman through painful tears and furrowed her brow, "What do you mean it may be the key…?"

"It may be able to close the Breach," Cassandra replied, "We will find out if that is true soon. It is our only chance, however, as well as yours."

Paya looked toward the Breach for a moment then returned her gaze back to Cassandra's. "If I can help, then I will."

Cassandra's brows lifted in surprise and then she moved to remove Paya's bindings. Once the elf's hands were free to move again, she pulled her to her feet and began to lead her through the village. "Then we must be on our way."

The pair left through the village and Cassandra explained more of the situation as onlookers glared at the elf, Paya.

"The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now they are dead. The people of Haven think you guilty of this."

She glanced toward Paya as they walked. "You will have a trial but I can promise nothing else. Come. "

"Where are we going, exactly?"

"We need to test that mark on a smaller rift."

The women moved onward. Cassandra led Paya out of the village and toward a bridge where several corpses were being prayed over by sisters of the Chantry. They passed through the bridge's gate, Cassandra briefly giving commands to soldiers they passed. They moved by hopeless soldiers, civilians running toward Haven, burning corpses. Then Paya had to stop as her arm flared up in pain again.

Cassandra paused for her and spoke patiently, "The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face." They didn't linger, pushing on toward another bridge. They spoke as they walked.

Paya, not sure really what to think, asked, "How did I survive this…?"

Cassandra replied, "They said you… stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes," she paused, "...I suppose you'll see soon enough."

They made their way to the second gate but were stopped when the sky shot down a green blast of energy at them. It destroyed the structure underfoot and they fell to the frozen river beneath.

Dizzied a bit, neither woman could pause to recollect themselves, as with the destruction of the bridge came a few demons in the form of shades-shadowy forms that rose to at least a foot above Cassandra's head. Cassandra commanded Paya to stay put as she drew her own sword and ran at the shades to attack them. Paya watched for a moment before another shade appeared, about to flank Cassandra. She put her head on a swivel, looking for a way to help, when she saw a stray staff that had fallen when the bridge was destroyed. She swept up the staff and shot out a blast of cold energy at the demon behind Cassandra.

Cassandra dealt with the first few shades and turned to see Paya felling the other one. Quickly and instinctually she moved over toward Paya. She held her sword outward in a defensive manner. "Drop your weapon!"

Paya lifted her free hand in surrender, slowly lowering herself to sit the staff down, "Okay… I'm putting it down right here."

Cassandra visibly relaxed at this response, then stopped her, "No… I cannot protect you at all times. You should be able to defend yourself...I should remember that you chose to come willingly…" she said gently before sheathing her weapon and beginning toward a path that would gradually lead them back onto the main path.

Paya spoke once again. "Shouldn't there be more soldiers around…?"

"They are at the forward camp or fighting. We are alone for now."

They continued onward, fighting a few demons-shades and wraiths primarily- here and there, before they neared another bridge. "I hear fighting…" Paya noted.

"We are getting close to a rift," Cassandra responded. They moved forward and found a handful of soldiers fighting shade demons. A few feet above the ground, above where they were fighting, was a mass of green, pulsating energy. Amongst them were two figures not dressed like soldiers: a dwarf wielding a hefty crossbow and a bald elf, waving a staff around, fighting the demons off with magic.

Before she could think, Paya ran to help. She and the tall elf made brief eye contact before she turned her back toward him to strike a demon with the end of her staff, chilling it as the dwarf shot through it, causing the fiend to vanish.

After the final demon was dealt with, the bald elf reached for Paya, "Quickly! Before more come through!" He grabbed her marked wrist and aimed it at the rift. A powerful magic energy shot out of Paya's palm and toward it. The glimmering felt as though it were pulling her forward while also pushing her away before it suddenly exploded–or imploded– vanishing from the air.

He moved without thinking when he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward himself and then pushing the light of the mark toward the rift. In just a moment, the rift was closed and the snow started to settle.

He released her wrist and watched her examine it. The glow had faded, now isolated to a faint scar. She studied her palm for a moment before looking at him. "What did you do..?" she asked.

The elf gestured toward her, "I did nothing. The credit is yours." She looked back at her palm, closing it into a fist and then spreading her fingers out flat. The elf began to explain, "Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake-" he gave her a rather pleased smile, "and it seems I was correct."

Cassandra stepped forward, having caught up, "Meaning it could close the Breach itself?"

"Possibly," he replied before turning toward Paya. "It appears you hold the key to our salvation."

She bowed her head, not sure how to respond.

The dwarf put his crossbow away and adjusted his gloves before sauntering toward the pair of elves. "Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever!" he exclaimed with a sarcastic disappointment. He gave a brief nod to Paya when she made eye contact with him. "Varric Tethras:," he introduced, "Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally," he gave a cheeky grin to Cassandra, "unwelcome tagalong," he finished with a wink to which she responded with an exasperated groan.

Paya studied the dwarf for a moment. His clothing was a bit worse for wear but it still seemed higher quality than your typical travelling merchant. It certainly wasn't what she had seen dwarves wearing before. She noted the red of the fabric on his chest, glossing over the fact that half of his chest was on display, and compared it to the chantry robes she had seen.

"You… aren't part of the Chantry, are you?"

The bald elf chuckled. "Is that a serious question?"

Varric gave a slight shrug. "Well, technically I'm a prisoner. Not unlike you."

Cassandra gave a brief huff. "I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine," she said before her eyes saddened a hint. "Clearly that is no longer necessary."

Varric continued to grin at Cassandra, "Yet here I am. Lucky for you, considering current events."

Paya gave a brief nod before looking toward Cassandra, "Alright, where are we going now..?" she absentmindedly flexed her marked hand a few times, "The rift here is closed."

Cassandra responded, "We will be going to the forward camp, to meet with Leliana."

"Great! We can all go together!" Varric cheered, though the tone was still dripping in sarcasm.

Cassandra scowled, shaking her head, "Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric retorted, "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

Cassandra scowled further but conceded. "We should start moving." She turned and began walking away. Varric gave a shrug to the elves and began following, and then they followed behind.

Now trailing in the back, the bald elf spoke to Paya, "My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I'm pleased to see you still live."

Paya smiled softly before Varric called back, "He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.'"

She then looked back toward Solas. "I didn't expect to find someone who knew what was going on around here," she said.

"He is an apostate, like you," Cassandra replied, keeping her eyes forward.

Solas looked ahead toward her, "Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra," then he turned his head back toward Paya to explain further, "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin."

"And after this is all done, what do you plan to do?" she replied.

Solas turned his gaze ahead again, now watching where he was going properly, "My hope is that those in power will remember those who aided them." He lifted his voice once more to speak with Cassandra, "Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. This woman might be a mage but I find it difficult to imagine any mage holding this sort of power."

"I understand," Cassandra nodded.

Varric chuckled, "Well, Bianca's excited!"

"You are Dalish, are you not?" Solas asked, moving the conversation along, "Clearly you are not with your clan. Were you sent here?"

"I believe I was. What of you? Are you familiar with the Dalish?"

Solas drew in a hesitant breath, thinking carefully over his words, "I have crossed paths with your people more than once."

"It doesn't sound like you had a very pleasant interaction," she took note.

"There were times I meant to offer knowledge but I was instead attacked due to superstition."

"I assure that I wouldn't allow a similar reaction if you were to visit mine," she replied

He gave a soft chuckle, "I appreciate that."

"Ah good, you're getting along," Varric commented.

As they continued on, the mark sparked again, and Paya hugged it to herself, biting her lip as she gave a painful groan.

"Shit, you okay?" Varric's voice returned.

"I'll be fine. I'm getting… used to it," she grunted out

Solas observed her carefully, "I suggest we hurry, else that mark consumes you.."

As they approached the gate of another bridge, they found themselves being attacked by shades when another small rift opened up above their heads.

The shades were dealt with and Paya threw her hand out forward. The mark erupted and a beam shot toward the rift, and after a few seconds, the rift was closed.

Cassandra called out to one of the guards that were watching the gate, "The rift is gone! Open the gate!"

Solas, while out of breath, gave a smile to Paya as he followed Cassandra beyond the gate, "Well done."

And then Varric commented, following Solas, "Whatever that thing on your hand is, it's useful."

Paya trailed after. They could hear the woman named Leliana bickering with a man. From what Paya could tell he wore one of the Chantry uniforms.

"You, Cassandra, the Most Holy — haven't you all done enough already?!" the man barked at her.

Leliana replied angrily, "You're not in command here!"

He shouted back, "Enough! I will not have it!" As Paya approached he moved his face to meet hers. "Ah, here she comes."

Leliana turned toward them and her expression softened. "You made it!" she turned back toward the man, "Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

The man, Roderick, interrupted her, "I know who she is!" He ignored Paya's presence and turned toward Cassandra, pointing at her, "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal," he gestured with a loose hand toward Paya, "to Val Royeaux to face execution!"

Cassandra glowered at him, "'Order me?' You're nothing more than a glorified clerk!"

"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!"

Leliana retorted, "We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know."

Roderick barked again, "Justinia is dead! We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!"

Paya chose now to interrupt, "I believe the Breach is a greater concern as of right now."

He glared at her and replied, "You brought it here in the first place!" He resumed ignoring her and turned back toward Cassandra, "You must call a retreat, Seeker!"

"No. We can stop all of this before it's too late," Cassandra retorted.

"You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all of your soldiers!"

"We must get to the temple. This is the quickest route!"

Leliana intervened, "But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains."

Cassandra shook her head, "No, it's too risky. We lost an entire squadron on that path."

Roderick attempted to crawl back into his conversation, "Listen to me! Abandon this now before more lives are lost!"

As they spoke, the mark on Paya's palm pulsed once again and she bit her lower lip again. Cassandra turned toward her in concern, hearing the faint crackling the mark gave out. "How do you think we should proceed?" she asked.

Paya regained her breath, and clutched the marked hand over her chest. "I think the mountain path will be the best idea. As… Leliana? As Leliana said, that will be safer..."