A/N: A big thank you to everyone who took the time to check out this story! And thank you to my beta, brightspot149 for getting this chapter back to me so quickly. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
The Breach. That was what Seeker Cassandra had called the green tear through the sky. It loomed above them all as Rebekah and Cassandra made their trek up the mountain to the forward camp.
Rebekah walked the paths as if in a daze, unable to process what had occurred.
Dead. They're all dead. Her thoughts continued on a loop as her eyes scanned the desolate wasteland. She could not recognize where she was when compared to the path she had walked only days before.
Soldiers were everywhere. Refugees gazed towards her with hostility as she passed.
"They have decided your guilt," Cassandra had said to her as they walked away from the Chantry, "they need it."
Could it truly have been me? Rebekah pondered.
Even though her very soul rejected the thought, Rebekah could not refute it. She could not recall any memories after she had walked up the steps of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. That was a great deal of time unaccounted for. If she could not remember, then perhaps she had blocked it out. But still a "why" remained.
Why would an unknown Enchanter from a Circle comprised of mostly Aequitarians attend the Conclave only to destroy it? How could any one person doom all in attendance to this fate? And how would any mage accomplish such a feat?
Rebekah had no answers to these questions. The only response was the glaring green light in her hand that pulsed in unison with the tear in the sky. Even a child could see that the mark and the Breach came from the same magic, but how had the mark come to be placed upon Rebekah?
"I'll do whatever I can to help, Seeker," had been Rebekah's only response to these accusations. With those words, they began their journey up the mountain to the center of the Breach.
"How is it that you came to be here?" Cassandra inquired as they walked through the gates.
"I came as an emissary for the Kinloch Hold circle, along with others," Rebekah replied, her eyes darting between Seeker Cassandra and the Breach behind her.
"So, you're Ferelden then?" Cassandra continued.
"Yes. Originally from Denerim, but I've lived at the Circle tower for a majority of my life," Rebekah said as they rounded a bend in the path. Ahead of them loomed a bridge, the lake beneath it frozen solid.
Cassandra merely nodded at the response as the two began crossing the bridge.
Neither woman had much time to react as streak of green light barreled into the stone bridge. The stones began to wobble and break apart, a great crack resounded as the bridge collapsed. Cassandra and Rebekah tumbled to the frozen lake below.
Rebekah rolled atop the rubble, her already aching knees colliding with stone. She winced as she came to a stop on the lake, cradling an elbow.
"What was that?" She shouted to Cassandra, but no response came. Rebekah rose to her feet, noting that Cassandra did the same beside her.
Rebekah stood in shock as a glowing orb streaked through the sky, slamming into the ledge in front of them before blasting into the frozen surface of the lake. A dark mass emerged from the crater, growing in height and stretching its arms as if waking from a deep slumber.
Shade. Rebekah's instincts screamed.
"Stay behind me!" Cassandra roared, her longsword singing as it was unsheathed.
Cassandra surged forward to engage the shade, leaving Rebekah behind her. Cassandra didn't seem to notice that a second spot in the lake had begun to glow.
Rebekah readied herself, feeling that ever-present hum of magic growing as she called to it.
As the shade burst from the ice, Rebekah threw her arms forward envisioning the bolt of lightning streaking across the empty space to strike down her foe.
She felt her magic surge within her, could see the angry purple sparks dancing between her fingers as her magic unleashed itself. The lightning struck home, burrowing into the shade's chest, its entire body streaking with purple light.
Rebekah primed for another strike, her actions slowed without the use of a staff as her focus point. She called for a winter wind, cold enough to freeze a man solid.
The wind before her turned white, the temperature plummeting as the spell flew towards the demon. She heard the crackling as the wind solidified the shade's limbs, its body locking up.
With one final spell, Rebekah called forth a ball of pure energy and sent it hurtling towards the shade. As the ball of blue light collided with the demon, it began to splinter, cracks appearing from the point of impact and tracing up before the demon completely shattered and disintegrated.
Cassandra walked back towards her, completely composed despite the battle. She hardly nodded at Rebekah as she began walking up the embankment and back onto the path.
"At least I know I can help." Rebekah thought gratefully to herself as she peered at her left palm, the mark hidden beneath her skin.
Two new companions had joined her and Cassandra as they had continued to the forward camp. Varric, a rugged dwarf with a crossbow that he had named Bianca, and Solas, an elven mage who seemed to have some knowledge about the magic behind the Breach and the rifts that it had created.
Rebekah had not thought that it could get any worse, until she had seen the first rift. While the demons that had attacked her and Cassandra on the lake had shot directly from the Breach, rifts were mini-tears in the fade that spewed demons. According to Solas, these rifts had been reported as far East as Redcliff, and more sightings were reported every day.
It was from Solas that Rebekah had learned that the explosion that destroyed the Conclave occurred three days prior, and she had been unconscious for a majority of that time.
"The mark took its toll," Solas explained to her as they walked. "For a time, we were unsure whether you would survive. I studied the mark as you slept and did my best to keep you alive, along with another mage."
"Thank you," Rebekah responded, her gaze finally lifting from her hand to meet Solas' grey eyes. "For ensuring that it didn't take my life."
"You are welcome," He replied pleasantly, a light smile gracing his lips as they continued.
The further their journey took them, the more carnage graced their path.
The group dispatched a number of demons and Rebekah became slightly more familiar with the usage of the mark. However, she did not become accustomed to the dead men and women who were strewn in the snow.
"Are you alright?" Varric had asked after the third rift, noticing Rebekah's complexion growing increasingly pale. She felt feverish and jittery, her hands shaking at her sides.
She struggled to swallow past the lump in her throat and gave Varric a noncommittal nod. "Fine," she replied, her voice hollow.
It had been a long time since Rebekah had seen a dead body. While many mages had been subject to great violence since the circles had rebelled, the Kinloch Hold circle had remained relatively peaceful. Rebekah had not seen such bloodshed since Uldred's uprising and she actively kept thoughts of those days from her mind, but they came flooding back to her as they made their way up the mountain.
It felt like she had been walking for days, her legs protesting her every movement, her already aching joints burning with the strain. Cassandra and Solas kept stride with each other up ahead, but Varric stayed at her side.
"First time?" He asked after a brief silence.
"What?" Rebekah replied, glancing briefly at him as they traversed a particularly steep incline.
"This your first time in a fight?" He asked again.
Rebekah turned her gaze on him fully prepared to lie, but upon seeing the sympathetic look on the dwarf's face she replied, "That obvious?"
"Nah. Not really," Varric flashed her a lop-sided grin.
"Technically it's not," she explained breathlessly as the path leveled out. "There was an uprising at my circle when I was a girl. Many people died. But, that doesn't mean that I ever got used to it."
"I don't think anyone ever 'get's used to it.' The one's who do aren't normal," he replied.
The distant sounds of screaming floated down to them and Rebekah saw Cassandra's posture grow more rigid. "Another rift! Get ready!" She shouted down to them. With a look back towards Varric, Rebekah began to pick up the pace.
"How tall is this bloody mountain?" Rebekah thought to herself with a grimace as her gaze swept up at another steep incline. They had made a brief stop at the forward camp where they had been berated by some pompous Chancellor and now continued their trek towards the breach.
Leliana had been at the forward camp and Rebekah was relieved to discover that it was the Leliana. Rebekah was unsure whether Leliana would remember her or not, she had been so young when the Hero of Fereldan and her party had come to the circle. She had noticed Leliana's gaze resting on her as the group had talked and Rebekah had wanted to say something, but knew that it was not the time. It was a relief, however, to know one of the faces among the mass of people who surrounded her.
While at the forward camp, Solas had managed to find her a staff among the discarded weapons and Rebekah gripped it tightly in her hands now, the nicks and grooves feeling foreign in her hands.
It wasn't long before the distant sounds of screaming drew closer and Rebekah could see the angry green rift looming further ahead, her mark flaring to life.
"Maker, another one?" Varric sighed.
They jumped into the fray, assisting the soldiers as they combated the shades. Magic flew from Rebekah's staff and Rebekah began to feel the strain on her magic as she started to reach her limit.
No more demons surrounded them, and Rebekah moved to place the staff into the holster on her back.
Suddenly claws ripped up from the ground beneath her and a terror demon shot out of the ground, toppling her onto her back. Rebekah barely had time to scream as the great maw of the demon opened.
Just as quickly as the demon had appeared before her, suddenly a long sword appeared right in the center of the demons mouth. The tip of the sword dripped with black ichor, mere inches from Rebekah's nose.
The demon began to disintegrate, revealing an imposing man in full armor. He strode towards her, his hand outstretched. She slipped her hand in his, the leather sticking to the sweat on her skin.
"Quickly, we must close it!" Solas called, and Rebekah's attention drew to the rift as the green light undulated.
"Excuse me," Rebekah said to the man before slipping past him, her hand glowing green as she raised it towards the rift. As before, pure green energy erupted from the mark towards the center of the rift and Rebekah felt a great pulling sensation that travelled from her palm and up her arm, the pressure mounting before popping. The rift disappeared.
"Oh," she heard the man murmur behind her. "You're her then, the prisoner?" Rebekah nodded in confirmation without turning around to meet his gaze. "Well, I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here."
Why does that voice sound so familiar? Rebekah thought to herself as she turned to face him.
"That makes two of us," she replied as Solas and Varric joined them.
"The way ahead should be clear. Leliana will meet you there," he explained to Cassandra, not meeting Rebekah's eyes again.
"Then we should move quickly," Cassandra said as she faced the group. "Give us time, Commander."
The Commander's expression turned grim as his soldiers filed past him to make the journey back down the mountain. "Maker watch over you. For all our sakes." His eyes met Rebekah's then, and again she was struck with the feeling of recognition, but couldn't quite place it.
"Let's keep moving," Cassandra sheathed her long sword once again and motioned the group towards a ledge. Below it, burning husks still crouched on the ground, mouths open in silent screams.
Rebekah could feel her stomach churning.
"If you're going to be sick, now might be the best time," Varric told Rebekah, his tone laced with that same sympathy he had shown her earlier.
"I'll be fine," Rebekah replied, taking a long swallow.
"First tip, don't breathe through your nose," he said to her before taking a step forward.
Rebekah immediately did as suggested.
The archway that had once been the entrance to the Temple of Sacred Ashes loomed before them, and as they walked they passed more bodies.
Some lay prostrate on the ground, mouths open with teeth scorched by the fire. Rebekah's right hand drifted to the cloth tied around her left wrist. She knew how their skin would feel against her hands, knew it because she touched something similar every day.
"Maker," she whispered to herself as they rounded the corner.
The Breach loomed before them: a massive rippling scar heaving above. It looked as if emerald crystals had formed at the center, shifting and growing as green light streaked across the clouds.
"The Breach is a long way up," Varric commented as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Will I even be able to reach it?" Rebekah mused, looking towards Solas.
He didn't get a chance to reply.
"You're here. Thank the Maker," Leliana's voice trilled behind them, as she strode towards their group.
"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the Temple." Cassandra replied without preamble. Leliana merely nodded before returning to the soldiers she had brought with her. "This is your chance to end this, are you ready?" Cassandra asked, coming back to stand in front of Rebekah.
"I'll try, but I don't know if I can reach it, much less close it." Rebekah replied, anxiety and adrenaline tying her stomach into knots and making breathing a bit harder.
"No," Solas said, shaking his head. "This rift is the first and it's the key. Seal it and perhaps we'll seal the Breach."
"Wait, just a moment," Rebekah began, her eyes widening, her tone incredulous. "That's not the Breach?" She pointed her hand towards the shifting green crystals.
Solas's eyes narrowed slightly. "No. This is the first rift that spawned from the Breach. That," he began, gesturing at the swirling vortex of clouds overhead, "is the Breach."
"Oh," Rebekah said dumbly, and she could feel herself deflating.
Cassandra's eyes narrowed as well. "Let's find a way down. Be careful."
"It's ok, kid," Varric said as he passed by Rebekah to follow Cassandra. "It was confusing for me at first too."
Rebekah closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her mouth. A million doubts swirled through her in that moment, along with the thought that this could be the end. She steeled herself as the fear washed over her, and the creeping voices of the demons became louder.
"Maker guide me," she whispered to herself and took another deep inhale. As she exhaled, she raised her eyes first to the rift, then to the Breach high above her. With one last prayer, Rebekah resolutely followed her companions down into the crater to close the rift.