"And the monsters wait, watching, hoping for me to let my walls come down and welcome them in. They hide in the shadows beckoning my name and whispering evil lies into my ears as I sleep." -Anon.
Chapter 2
Desire and Obsession; you are just the same.
Their "little" infiltration had taken a turn for the worst. The little soiree of the Duke that Leliana had sent her to in order to get to "Duke M's" private collection had taken a turn for the worst. Apparently the Duke had a vast collection of exotic and ancient artifacts that the Venatori had sniffed out. Lillith, Kress, and Seth were the names of the scouts Leliana had sent with Emel and all of them proved their worth. Fighting through demons and mages alike it took them the better part of the evening before they made it to the Dukes private wing. She left Seth with Lillith who received a rather nasty blow from a despair demon. That left Kress to search for the amulet in the western section of the manor. Emel had taken it upon herself to venture eastward. Stepping over countless corpses that had previously been undead minions, Emel began to wonder if their wasn't some greater menace in their midst. After all, most of the Venatori had either fled or were dead at this point yet Emel could sense a much darker magic. As though it were alive it seemed to seep into the walls, the floors, and watch every step she took.
Emel had found she missed her usual party. Finding it childish that she had left any of them behind. However, Emel needed a moment to breath without any of their judgmental comments weighing down on her conscience. It was lonely but she wanted, no- needed to get the job done without worrying if someone was going to hate her for it later. Her mind drifted to the spirit who had left her feeling so somber throughout this ordeal. It worried her to think of what would happen if he was bound to some Venatori asshole. It was then as the Inquisitor crossed the threshold into the Dukes private collection that she heard a voice like silk tell her differently.
"Why do you worry so much." The voice said accentuating every syllable. Emel looked over to a corner where a rather old and lavish chair sat atop a pedestal with a demon lounging upon it. "After all, if you bind the boy first he'll never be able to turn on you."
"Desire demon," Emel took her staff and struck the ground causing the room to shake. It was an action Solas often chided her about as being brutish; but it was a display of power and a warning of strength Emel wished to display.
The demon threw her head back and laughed before looking at Emel with a sultry gaze, shaking her finger. "Tsk, tsk. I'm a lover, not a fighter." With practiced grace the desire demon stood from its perch before making its way to the blonde. "And it's not a fight I'm after."
"I have nothing to offer demon and I want nothing from you." The blunt tone in Emel's voice showed what little interest she in playing these games and the demon stopped short of a couple paces from the fiery woman. Placing its long, taloned hands on perfectly proportioned hips it sized it's prey.
"You're right, you personally you have nothing I want. Yet, you have a potential I desire." Emel's brow furrowed as she thought over the demons words.
"What do you mean?"
The demon smirked at the young woman before taking another tentative step. "Yes, I admit. I am a demon of desire. However, I do not desire power, wealth, or love. Their is only one thing I desire and you can give it to me."
Emel took a step back eyeing up the predator before her. It was never wise to talk to demons and many of her friends would be yelling at her right now because of it. "Speak demon or be gone."
"Alright, I will give you a valuable piece of information about the amulet you seek." The demon continued its trek about the room picking up a random piece of jewelry and eyeing it with disinterest. "The amulet will let that spirit of compassion you care for become invulnerable to binding, that is true. However the amulet only works if he has nothing already binding him."
"Well that much is obvious!" Emel scoffed already getting the gist of things. For some reason the demon wanted Emel to bind Cole to herself and the mage was determined to ignore its insinuations. Demons often got into the heads of their prey, finding a weak spot and using it against them.
"I don't think it is, or you would be consider what I am telling you." The demon chuckled lowly as the blonde stiffened. "Yes, little one. I know. You want the boy to yourself. A forbidden fruit within your grasp, a part of the fade you can take with you. Guide you. Talk to you. Maybe even one day love you but that is not how spirits of compassion work. Spirits of compassion experience no complex emotions like the selfish love felt between two mortals. The concept is to much for them to grasp. The kind of love you want is beyond his understanding as he is."
Emel gripped her staff as her knuckles turned white. It was one thing, to think about the truth, and another to hear it. A part of her always knew Cole could never be that...
-but he could, couldn't he?
"You don't know Cole." Emel said her voice shaking with anger. "He is more than any ordinary spirit."
"The only thing keeping him here is a sense of obligation!" The demon roared with laughter throwing the jeweled necklace it had been tampering with across the room. Jewels scattering as they broke free of their placing's and landing at Emels feet.
"What do you mean?" Emel whispered.
The demon smirked. "The boy was brought into this world by an apostate mage. Dying alone in the dark; a spirit of compassion came and saved him. Spirits are forgetful but failure sticks to them. The Cole you want, wants nothing more than to avenge the apostate he mimics but that would make him something more." The demon walked across the room and past Emel as the mage moved out of the way. Breaking a glass case the demon reached in and pulled out a pendent that fit easily within her palm. "Break the amulet and take it back to Skyhold. When the elven mage tries to use it and your spirit friend falters take him to the village in Redcliff. Their will be a man making a deal just outside the city with a dwarf from the merchants guild. That will be when you strike. Set the spirit free and bind him to yourself."
"I'm not binding him." Emel said as she stared at the amulet in the demons hand. If she could get to it, she could leave this place.
"Alright" the demon said tossing the amulet to Emel who caught it midair. "Take it to the boy. It still won't work unless you confront the man outside of Redcliff village. The elven mage will follow and when he does he will convince the boy to forget. He will forget about you and cross over to the fade. When that happens he will slip through your fingers forever." With that the demon vanished into thin air leaving the distraught mage to her own machinations.
Emel stood in silence for a long time thinking over what the demon told her. After all Solas had a special place in his heart for spirits and the fade. One that was more curious and understanding than her own selfish desires. Even though Emel would never admit it out loud she held Cole in a very special place in her heart. He never judged Emel for her being a mage. He didn't care about looks or origin. Cole cared about everyone in his own special way and always, always wanted to help. He was gentle and shy and- perfect. She didn't care if he was underweight or he had a small gap in his teeth. Despite it all he made her comfortable to be in her own skin. It was more than anyone had done for her before.
She couldn't let him go.
Heavy with troubled thoughts she made her way back to Seth and Lillith. Kress seemed to have returned a few moments before. With everyone there the group made their way towards Skyhold. Nights were filled with self doubt and despair seemed to swallow Emel, whispering dangerous things in her ear. Fear was powerful, that much was clear at adamant but even the demon of Fear had never bothered her the way Desire had.
During every mages harrowing they are thrown into the realm of a demon they were potentially susceptible too. Emel had faced her demon already, another demon of Desire- but that time- in that place. The demon had offered her sanctuary in the fade in exchange for her own body. It was typical and Emel was completely uninterested knowing exactly what laid ahead of her and the consequences. Now, she didn't. The cards had been laid out before her and she didn't even know how to play the game. The Templars and head Mages were right in assuming she was weak against her desires. Despair and Pride were everyone's weaknesses but desire, or better yet, Emel's obsession had always been her downfall.
It was the night before the group reached Skyhold that Emel had made her final decision.
As her entourage entered the fortress of skyhold they were greeted by Dennet who quickly took the reins of her steed. After dismissing the scouts she headed up to the tavern where she knew Cole would be waiting. Skimming through worried companions- who happened to be gathered playing a game of wicked grace- she made her way to the third floor where Cole normally hid. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Cole sat their fidgeting as Emel pulled the amulet from her pocket.
"Do you want to try it on?" Emel asked tentatively passing the amulet to the spirit. He looked it over and shook his head furiously.
"Yes, but not here. I like it here. We need somewhere we can go in case things get sharp."
Nodding her head the mage followed the spirit as they made their way passed curious stares and into Skyhold's main hall. Solas sat in his study going over old tomes but quickly set them aside as he saw the two enter.
"Good, you found one of the amulets. We were worried for you, Inquisitor. Leliana told us you ventured out on your own." Emel stood silently for a moment as Solas' gaze turned quizzical. Something was different, the elf could tell, but aside from physical differences he couldn't tell exactly what it was. Her eyes had lost their usual shimmer of splendid curiosity and instead they looked dull and full of burden. "Are you alright Inquisitor?"
Emel wasn't sure what to say but she needn't bother as Cole chimed in. "She hurts but helping hurts more. She sees the strings that pull me, eyes like raisins in a stale cookie."
Solas turned to the Inquisitor worry across his features.
"I'm fine." Emel dismissed. "There were Venatori at the Dukes mansion. By the time we got there the place was in chaos."
Solas nodded his head in understanding. "It's a good thing you found it then." Taking the amulet from Cole, the elf studied the artifact. "It's rather simple really. You put the amulet on and I charge it with magic."
"Alright." Compassion nodded as Solas pined the amulet to Cole's patched and weathered shirt. "Now everyone stand back." Heeding the elf's word the two watched as the elf raised his hand, magic charging within his palm. A few seconds went by-
Then a few seconds turned into a minute. Then a minute turned into two...
"Why isn't this working?" Solas muttered out in frustration, his brow furrowing.
"What do you mean?" Cole shuddered out, his voice cracking. "You said if we got the amulet it would work." In desperation Cole roughly took Solas by the arm. An action that left the elven apostate on the defensive.
"Peace, Cole. I meant what I said." Solas replied ripping himself from the spirits grip and taking a few steps back. "The amulet should work."
"Then maybe it's not the amulet! Maybe Emel grabbed the wrong one!"
"No, it is the same amulet used by the Rivaini mages of old but something's wrong." Solas turned to Emel hoping for answers but when he looked something clicked. His mouth slightly ajar and eyes squinting as though he could barely see the hint of something he hadn't before. Emel stood between the two a look of subtle sadness that dulled her usually fiery demeanor.
"I don't..." Emel choked unsure of what to say. "Excuse me." Turning on heel she left the room leaving the Elf with more questions than answers. It didn't take long for Solas to realize that Cole had left as well leaving the amulet tossed on the floor. Making his way back to his desk Solas sat in silence his eyes closed and hands interlocked. Suddenly the words he had spoken to the Inquisitor before seemed like some sort of dramatic irony. "If only people weren't half as predictable as they seem." Solas muttered.
Emel had all but ran to the battlements in a teary eyed mess. The adult felt a small child under that penetrating gaze and why shouldn't she. Not only had she turned on both of her friends by consorting with a demon but now she carried a guilt all her own.
However the woman wasn't left to stew in her own misery for long as someone grabbed her and roughly shove her into a nearby wall.
"Cole!" Emel yelped, startled but was silenced as rough calloused hands covered her mouth.
"Shh, if you yell people will hear you." Cole gave the blonde woman a moment to calm down before removing his hand.
"Cole, what are you doing?" Emel asked carefully eyeing the spirit. Compassion stood his mouth opening and closing as moments passed. Finally Cole spoke and his words left a feeling of dread that coiled in the Inquisitors stomach.
"I want you to bind me."
A/N: Bad, Inquisitor! Very bad! Lol. Emel isn't very bright is she? Consorting with demons and heeding their words. Now poor Cole is more distraught then ever and Solas is suspicious. *sigh* Sadly this is all you guys are getting this week. The next two chapters I have planned are going to be so much fun to write compared to this one. Lots of drama and Cole and the Inquisitor and dark smutty things! I can't wait!
Now tell me, what do you think? Is the Inquisitor an ass for what she did? What do you think is going to happen to Cole and what will Solas do now? I'm excited aren't you!
Read/Review please!