Hello Dear Readers!

Yet another chapter for you all. I really hope you are enjoying it! Please leave me a review, I want to know what you think of it so far.

This chapter is a bit longer, but it's not too bad I think. Anyways, as always I hope you enjoy it!

Russianbear27

Chapter 8

They spent an agonizing three days trapped, waiting for the Templars open the doors and retake the tower. At first it was unclear if Wynne would make it through the first night. Somehow, the old healer not only pulled through, but regained a lot of her strength.

Jennah and the other mages had taken to her care the first night, leaving Kaliana to look after the children for the most part. Which Kaliana didn't too much, she knew the younger apprentices well having only recently become a full mage herself. They also didn't silently judge her and accuse her of aiding a blood mage. Instead, she kept them entertained with stories she knew from her books. The youngest girl, Lena, had taken to combing Kaliana's tangled hair while she told her tales.

Kaliana had yet to decide whether was divine providence or dumb luck that had tossed her into this chaotic mess and avoided tranquility. At least for time being. Regardless, for now she still had her mind, but try as she may she couldn't keep the thoughts of Cullen out. She hoped he was with the other Templars in the main hall. Yet, the thoughts of him being trapped somewhere on the other side of the barrier were inescapable.

The forth morning was particularly difficult. They were out of food and the children were hungry. Jennah and the other mages argued over what to do. They were so wound up in what they were doing they didn't noticed when the door from the main hall opened and four strangers entered. Only when the great door closed with a heavy thud did they finally take notice.

No one said anything for a moment. The mages stared in amazement at their visitors as if they were from another planet. The strangers seemed to be surprised to see them as well.

"Well, this is awkward," a blonde warrior broke the silence.

A woman, with twin daggers on her back, sighed at his remark. "What's going on here?" she asked. Kaliana could tell she was clearly the leader of the group. Her chestnut hair was tied in a neat bun in an attempt to keep it out of her face, but a few strands hung loosely framing her graceful features. The young woman's blue eyes immediately found Wynne who greeted her with an explanation.

Her name was Felicity Cousland, and she was a Grey Warden. Her male companion was also a Grey Warden, and they had come to seek the help of the mages against the blight. Only they had arrived to find the tower in complete hysteria.

While the woman spoke to Wynne, Kaliana examined the rest of the party. There was a woman with short red hair and bow. As she looked about the room, her eyes seemed to miss nothing. She smiled at Kaliana when their eyes met, and Kaliana quickly turned away a bit embarrassed. The man on the other hand seemed to just be following along. He seemed strong, but Kaliana saw how he looked to the woman with daggers. Almost like a lost puppy. Speaking of puppies, their final companion was not a person, but in fact a mabari hound, who stuck close to his mistress. All and all, it was not the rescue team Kaliana had imagined.

Wynne was preparing to guide the group through the tower, and Kaliana knew this was the only chance she would get.

"Please," Kaliana approached their leader, "take me with you. I've studied demons and fade magic. I can help."

The woman looked to Wynne who neither objected nor accepted Kaliana's offer. The rogue looked over her carefully. "We don't know what we'll face out there. Are you ready to defend yourself?"

"Yes," Kaliana said with a newfound confidence.

"Alistair? Leliana?" she looked to her companions.

"We could use all the help we can get," Alistair, the warrior, replied.

Leliana looked her over, sizing her up. Her eyes seemed to be crawling all over her body, Kaliana could feel them. "I think she could prove to be helpful," she spoke with the prominent accent of Orlais. The archer smiled at her once again.

"Shall we head out then, if this is settled?" Wynne smiled warmly, handing Kaliana a spare staff.

Wynne's smile quickly faded as they passed beyond the barrier. Bodies were scattered about, many of them young apprentices. Templars lay next to mages, cut down in the heat of battle. There was blood on the walls, and everything was in a state of complete disarray. Kaliana could hardly contain herself, and had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle a cry. Thankfully, Cullen was not among the fallen. Yet, there was no time to morn, demons were upon them as soon they opened the door to the hall.

Kaliana was still weakened by her time in the dungeons, but her mana had returned to her. They made quick work of the first wave of demons, but Kaliana found it difficult to attack the blood mages. At first she hung back and provided barriers for the others as protection. Until they got to the second level.

They stumbled upon a room of about six malificar. The last blood mage came up behind Kaliana, and was about to strike her down, but Felicity stopped them with her daggers.

"Thank you," Kaliana couldn't find any other words to express her gratitude.

Felicity looked at her, a bit smugly. "You've never experienced anything like this, have you?"

Kaliana shook her head and looked away. Seeing the corpses of her fellow mages and friends was not something she had ever experienced.

The rouge's face softened, "look, there nothing I can say to make this easier. You just need to keep moving, and you need to remember that you never show mercy to those who will not be merciful."

She left Kaliana to think on that for a moment. Kaliana stared at the mage who lay in his own blood, cold dead eyes staring up at her. She remembered his name was Marken. He tended the herbs for potions, and was well loved by his friends. How could he have attacked her with such coldness? She guessed it really didn't matter in the end. People will do anything to get what they want, even turn on their friends. She rejoined the group, but she didn't think she would be able to forget those eyes.

They made steady progress through the tower, nearing the harrowing chamber where Uldred waited. They opened the door to the stairwell chamber to head up to the upper levels, and they were stopped dead in their tracks. A powerful sloth demon stood before them. A big hulking mass of flesh stared back at them. One eye had been completely covered by overgrown skin and bone. Leaving one sickly yellow eye staring at them. Kaliana could already feel its pull clawing at the back of her mind.

"Ah, what do we have here?" the demon droned in a low monotone.

"You must resist him!" Wynne called as they all began to feel to pull of the demon's control over them.

"Why don't you stay and rest here? You must be tired," he grumbled hypnotically.

"I-I'm so tired," Alistair was the first to succumb and the others quickly followed suit. Leaving Kaliana standing alone.

"You must be spirited to resist me as you have," the demon noted.

"I will not fall to you foul beast," Kaliana hissed through gritted teeth. Her years of training to block out demons were paying off. Though it was much more exhausting in reality than theory.

The demon laughed, a gravely heaving sound, "curious." He looked her over, unsure what to make of her, "none are able to resist, all fall in time. Sleep…"

Kaliana found her legs giving out beneath her and everything went dark. She felt like she was falling eternally inward.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, she sat up and looked around. A thick quilt covered her legs, she threw it off and jumped out of the bed she found herself in. The tower was gone, instead she found herself in a small cottage. Light streamed through a little window that over looked a field of flowers and a distant lake. It was like one her dreams… just like her dreams. She was in the fade.

As soon as she realized this the front door of the cottage swung open. A little boy burst through the threshold and a man followed just behind him.

"Mama!" the boy squealed and jumped into her arms. His blonde hair was a mess, his clothes dirty from a day exploration and play.

Kaliana looked up from the boy to the man stepping inside. "You're finally awake, my love," Cullen's voice nearly melted her heart, but she couldn't let down her defenses. This wasn't real.

"I have to go," Kaliana said, even though all she wanted to do was stay.

Cullen looked at her, confused, "why? You could at least stay for breakfast."

"No, I must go now," Kaliana moved for the door, but Cullen stopped her.

"I think you really should stay," his eyes were a dark muddy brown. This was not her Templar. "You wouldn't want to hurt our dear son's feelings would you?"

The boy looked up at her with big doe eyes, "where are you going mama? Why won't you stay with me?"

"Because you're not real," Kaliana choked out, "none of this is real." It was almost physically painful for her to admit it.

"What?" the boy's eyes filled with tears, "I am real! Stay with me!"

"I can't…" Kaliana's heart was breaking, a part of her wanted to believe this was her son.

"Stay," the thing pretending to be Cullen hissed. Kaliana watched as it transformed into a desire demon. The boy and cottage disappeared around them, leaving them in a dark twisted forest.

"I would love for you to stay with me," the demon declared, "I can give you all you desire."

"And possess me, forever trapping me here," Kaliana snapped. "No, thank you."

"Is that so bad?" it hummed. "Having your every want and whim tended to? To always be with your Templar." The demon loved to play on a mortal's weaknesses. Exploiting their greatest desires.

"I think I'll take my chances." Before the demon could reply Kaliana unleashed a wave of lightning.

The demon fired back, but Kaliana easily dodged it. She cast another assault of lightning, striking the demon in the chest. It crumpled to the ground. Desire demons were notoriously vulnerable to lightning and nature magic.

All the demon's illusions faded away, leaving Kaliana in the drab empty valleys of the fade. Now she just needed to find her way out of here.

"Well I see you don't need my help," a woman approached her.

"Felicity?" Kaliana asked cautiously.

"In the flesh… well not really. Anyway, I'm glad you were able to work your way out of that one. The others were hard enough to talk sense into."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she knew there was no point in trying to explain now. She had just spent what felt like hours, running through the fade freeing her trapped companions from the clutches of various demons. That and shape shifting into various forms in order to overcome ridiculous obstacles and it just kept getting weirder.

Even if Felicity had wanted to explain, there wasn't enough time. Kaliana could already feel the pull of reality. She was waking up, and the image of Felicity slowly faded away.

Upon waking, Kaliana rolled over slowly and got to her feet. The sloth demon watched with great interest as she did.

"Who are you?" it grumbled, confused.

"Someone who will not show you mercy," Kaliana called upon the magic deep within her and set the demon ablaze with blue-white fire. Something she had never been able to do before.

The demon screamed out in agony, but found it could not escape its fate and crumpled to the ground. Her companions rose from their sleep a few minutes later, in time to see the last moments of the demon barbeque.

"What just happened?" Leliana asked no one in particular.

"I was having the most incredible dream," Alistair exclaimed coming around.

"We should keep moving," Felicity suggest. "Is everyone alright?"

Everyone chimed in their affirmations, except for Kaliana who just watched the sloth demon crumble to ash. Felicity approached a body that no one seemed to have noticed before. A young man lay motionless on the floor his open eyes were lifeless. The rouge gently retrieved a scroll from the young man's grasp, the Litany of Adralla. The only known defense against blood magic and mind domination, and most likely used to keep Kaliana out of the fade during her time in the dungeon.

With the Litany in hand, the rag tag group headed up to the final level to face Uldred. Kaliana felt weaker with every step she took up the stairs. Her encounter with the sloth demon left her completely drained. Fighting off the shades and malificar, was more taxing than Kaliana was willing to admit. Yet, she pressed on. Maybe if they retook the tower they would spare her tranquility, though deep down she knew that was unlikely.

They finally made it to the finally stairwell before the Harrowing chamber. Felicity opened the door to the chamber, and they filed in. It was an open antechamber that led to the staircase, but on the far was a strange blue barrier. Behind it was a kneeling Templar, desperately muttering prayers. Kaliana entered last and due to her height she was unable to clearly see who it was.

Pressing her way through the group, she finally saw who was trapped there. Cullen. She rushed to the side of the barrier, and placed her hand against it. Pain shot through her arm upon contact, causing her to yelp and pull her hand back.

"I will not break," he muttered refusing to look at them. "You will not take me demon."

"Cullen!" Kaliana called to him.

His head snapped up looking at her, eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination. "You will not break me! I will not be deceived. I will not yield. Always toying with me, with the one thing I can never have. I will not be deceived. I will not yield." He was repeating himself. Trying to will away the atrocities he had witnessed.

"Cullen," Kaliana pleaded, "look at me. It is me. Remember what I told you about demons? There is always a flaw."

Cullen eyed her suspiciously. "Show me your hands," he demanded harshly.

Kaliana raised them, slowly, showing both sides. Somehow this seemed to convince him.

"Kali?" he asked.

"Yes, it's me. What happened here, Cullen?" Kaliana asked.

Cullen got to his feet, unsure of where to begin. "They t-tortured me. Turned the others into those t-things, those abominations. One by one they t-took them away. They tried to turn me, but I resisted. I am the last."

"How many are there," Felicity asked.

"Too many for you to take on." Cullen spat, "Uldred and the rest of his abominations are too strong. You must tell Knight-Commander Greagoir to invoke the Rite of Annulment!"

Kaliana looked at him like she didn't know him. "What?"

"The tower must be purged. There are too many malificar. There is no telling who they are, you cannot show them mercy!"

"How can you say that?" Kaliana demanded, "First Enchanter Irving is in there! He can fix this!"

"This is beyond fixing Kali!" Cullen's eyes were wild, "You… didn't see what they did."

Alistair leaned forward and spoke softly to Kaliana, "he's been through a lot. He's not thinking clearly right now. He may not be the same man again." The sadness in Alistair's voice was apparent, and Kaliana could tell he knew what he was talking about.

"We need to take Uldred down now if we are to save the Circle," Felicity urged. "We need to keep moving."

"Go on without me," Kaliana replied. "I will stay here and see what I can do about this barrier."

"Are you sure?" the rogue asked.

"Yes, you are more than capable of handling Uldred with the Litany... and I can't fight any more." Kaliana was telling the truth. It was as if her bones where going to give way beneath her.

They headed on towards the stairs, leaving Kaliana alone with Cullen. Leliana gave her a last knowing look before joining the rest of them.

"Stand back, Cullen," Kaliana commanded. "This barrier was cast with blood magic, taking it down will not be easy."

Cullen moved back against the wall, and Kaliana closed her eyes in concentration. There was a hum of energy as Kaliana gathered strength from the fade, and sharp snap as the barrier disappeared.

Kaliana fell to her knees, panting from the exerted energy. Yet, Cullen did not go to her. Only stared at her from the wall. Slowly he approached her, as if she were a timed bomb ready go off.

"What's wrong?" Kaliana asked.

"I saw you, time and time again. The demons used you against me," he sat down a few feet away from her. "I saw so many horrible things. I saw my comrades being turned into abominations devoured by their own desires. Every time I saw you, I wanted to believe, I wanted it to be you. Yet the demons could never get your hands right. They were always this withered claws with sharp nails."

Kaliana moved closer to him, reached out to assure him it was okay, but he recoiled at her touch. He was afraid of her.

"Cullen…" Kaliana began.

"The malificar, they were horrible. I watched them in their twisted rights. They tortured me for days. Those mages were monsters." He was quiet for a moment. "You're one of them!" Cullen suddenly raged. "I will not be deceived!"

Cullen had completely lost it. Unable to distinguish blood mage from mage, he couldn't keep himself together. He lunged at her, but Kaliana was too quick, the elven girl made a break for the door slamming it behind her.

"You will not escape me, malificar!" Cullen screamed, pounding on the door.

Kaliana's heart seemed to snap inside her as he raged. How could he do this? She realized there was nothing left for her here. The only thing tying her to the Circle was lost to her. She knew it was time to go. She sprinted down the hall fully expecting Cullen to come clambering after her. It wasn't until she reached the stairs to the lower levels did she turn back to see that he had not followed suit.

Instead, Cullen lay on the stone floor trying to find the pieces of his heart and mind that had been scattered to the wind. He was alone now, and unsure if he would ever be able to put himself back together.