Evelyn followed, transfixed by what the apostate was telling her and confused to find herself walking past the forgotten Chantry. Memories of her last time here flooded her mind, memories of seducing Cassandra, of almost succumbing to the magic of that night herself. She could still smell the incense that had burned in that small room, taste the heat of the melting wax and the seeker herself. The thought made the rogue smile fondly and she caught the questioning look given to her by the mysterious witch.

"Tis not so often one sees such a smile when passing a decaying place of worship…"

Evelyn felt her cheeks flush and waved the teasing question aside with a shrug, "Well… I am supposed to be Maker sent… one would think I should smile at such things…"

Morrigan chuckled under her breath, she enjoyed the barbed wit this woman the faithful had named as the Herald of Andraste displayed. It was not so unlike the vapid sister she had traveled with all those years ago but without the sanctimonious righteousness and annoying focus on the mundane. She had been surprised to see how the years had changed the self-styled Nightingale, although in her eyes such change was an improvement. Gone was the endless chatter, replaced by cold hard pragmatism and deadly intent. She found herself wondering what the Hero of Ferelden would make of her lover when and if they ever reunite. The apostate cast the thought aside. It had been years since she had seen Elissa Cousland, years since the brash warrior had hunted her after the fall of the Archdemon and years since she had given what little assistance she could with regards to the stubborn woman's desire to cure the taint that, even then, was shortening her life. The apostate had wondered if such a cure even existed, but now wasn't the time for such renumeration. Morrigan nodded at the questioning look in the young noble's eyes and pointed towards the next room over.

"There lies what I wish to show you Inquisitor." She flung open the door, her lips curling in a rare smile as she took in the sight of the ancient artifact she had so easily bent to her will. She was convinced its existence was the only thing that had kept herself and Kieran safe from the meddling of Flemeth all these years. She was taking a great risk in showing this young noblewoman such a secret but she was not without her own selfish motives. Enlisting the Inquisitor's help in making sure Corypheus did not obtain access to the strange network of hidden doorways was simply pragmatic. Without that network she would have to risk traveling out in the open with her son and that she would not do.

Morrigan smiled at the thought of the boy. Already he was proving himself a most rare child indeed. Although not a mage, his grasp of magic was firmer than her own had been at his age. He was an enthusiastic reader, his thirst for knowledge was only eclipsed by his ability to put to use the things he had read. It comforted her that the only traits he seemed to have inherited from his sire were his eyes and playful nature More than anything he was a good boy, cautious when needed and… Her thoughts were interrupted by the clearing of her companion's throat and Morrigan raised an eyebrow at the other woman.

"Tis not often one sees such a smile when viewing a big creepy mirror…"

Morrigan laughed at the clever rephrasing of her earlier tease and pointed to the structure. "This is no mere mirror Inquisitor. What you are standing in front of is an ancient Elven artifact known as an Eluvian." She watched as the young woman walked back and forth in front of it, her green eyes studying the mirror closely. The apostate found herself amused by the show. It was clear the Inquisitor had never heard of an Eluvian, yet alone seen one, but she walked as if this were an everyday occurrence, her voice holding no awe, only skepticism.

"I see… and just how did this… Eluvian come to be inside the keep. I have been to every room in the castle, including this one and it was not here when we first uncovered this place."

Morrigan laughed, "I assure you that it was. You can find Eluvians all over Thedas if you know what it is you are looking for. They are nigh invisible to the naked eye unless activated, as this one is now."

Evelyn marveled at the structure and then turned back towards the witch. "What does one do with a magical mirror? Surely you don't stare into it and ask if you are the fairest one of all?" She paused and flashed the apostate a smirk, her eyes quickly appraising the slight flush that came to the other woman's cheeks as she rolled those unique golden eyes before turning back to the mirror. "How are they activated? Is there a secret phrase? Does one have to possess magical abilities to unlock them or can anyone do it with the proper knowledge?

Morrigan rolled her eyes at the cheeky response, curious as to the Inquisitor's reasons behind the rest of her questions. In truth she was unsure if one needed to be a mage in order to use the mirrors. Briala certainly was not one but the elven race did seem to produce more mages than any other. It was not inconceivable that the newly minted Marquise of the Dales had some latent ability, though Morrigan found it more likely that the former handmaiden had help in achieving her ability to use the Eluvian network. She felt those unsettling eyes on her and realized she had not answered the Inquisitor's inquiry. Scoffing at her straying thoughts the witch cleared her throat and pointed to the mirror.

"Twould be easier to show you."

Evelyn watched as the apostate walked through the shimmering mirror and hesitated before following, her curiosity fully piqued. It felt like nothing she had every experienced, an odd pull at her body, an icy rush, white light slowly fading to a foggy Eluvian filled graveyard; the massive mirrors seemed to be sunk into the ground almost at random as the very air shimmered around the two of them. She blinked, her eyes refocusing on the woman in front of her, red lips curved into a smile as a long pale arm extended towards the scene.

"If this place had a name it has been lost… I call it the Crossroads, a place where Eluvians join wherever they might be…"

Morrigan waited, watching inquisitive eyes as they swiveled and darted, taking it all in. She remembered having a similar reaction upon first laying eyes on this world. A laugh escaped her as the young rogue spread her arms and turned, excitement shining on her face.

"It's incredible! Extraordinary! How can such a place exist?"

Morrigan shrugged, the answer to that question was one of the many mysteries she'd yet to answer. "Who can truly say? The ancient elves left no records of this place, no roads, only ruins hidden throughout Thedas; this is how they traveled from place to place… though no more."

She walked through the paths, pointing at the various ruined doorways that littered the area. "As you can see most have been broken, others corrupted or simply unusable for one reason or another. There are but a handful that can be opened from this side, but very few."

Evelyn studied the flashing yellow eyes... brow furrowing as she tried to piece together how Morrigan even knew about such a place. "But you are no elf… how is it you found this place?"

Morrigan chuckled at the question, turning to walk deeper into the Crossroads, "My travels have led me to many strange places Inquisitor. Necessity led me here to this place. It offered… sanctuary for a time. It has allowed me to stay hidden and it allowed me to help a friend do much the same thing." She saw the slight frown of confusion on the young woman's face and hurried to explain. "Not all the mirrors lead back to our world…"

Evelyn's eyes widened, "If they don't lead back to our world then… where do they lead?"

Morrigan smiled, "To places that are in between much like the place we stand in now…" She paused looking around anew at the familiarity of the place. It felt much like a second home to her now, a place she had made her own whilst hiding from Flemeth, studying the stolen grimoire, growing strong enough to face her mother should she ever have to again. She had only ever shown this world to one other, a friend who had met her offer with skepticism instead of the youthful exuberance this Herald was showing. It was a… pleasant change She noticed the patient look on the Free Marcher's face and shook her head again before continuing.

"Forgive me Inquisitor, I digress. As I said earlier, few can be opened from this realm, others await to be unlocked and some stay open, the trick is finding which is which."

Evelyn looked around at the endless field of frames and then back at the yellow eyed witch. "You say some must be unlocked? How can you tell which is which? Is there a map? A key?" She crossed her arms, curious as to the low chuckle that rose to answer her question, that haughty voice echoing slighting in the still emptiness of this place Morrigan called "the crossroads."

"A key can be many things Inquisitor. I possess both knowledge and power and oftentimes that is enough. I know of only one other who is both aware of these passages and possesses a way to access them but I have never seen her here. Indeed I do not know if the key she uses even leads to this area. This world is boundless and even I have not discovered all there is to know of this place."

The Inquisitor frowned, her mind racing to figure out why Corypheus would want such a thing. Being able to move between worlds could be useful for a self-proclaimed god, but she could not see the impatient magister taking the time to learn such a vast and chaotic network.

"And you think Corypheus wants to come here…. Why? What use would this place be to him other than a means to get from one place to another?"

Morrigan tilted her head in thought. She had asked herself that same question upon discovering the ancient temple and the only answer she could come up with was that it was not about the Eluvians themselves but rather the uniqueness of this place.

"This place…. It is not the Fade, not exactly, nor does it lead there but it is very close. The veil between the two is thin; the thinnest I have ever experienced. Here my own powers are augmented by such. Someone like Corypheus could tear away the veil that separates the two and enter the Fade…"

Evelyn gasped in understanding, "Just as he wanted to do with the anchor…" As if responding to her words the mark flared, tendrils of burning pain raced up her arm sending her to her knees. Morrigan was instantly at her side, gentle fingers unclenching her fist to study the glowing connection.

"It senses the Fade close by… it longs to fulfill its purpose… the more you fight it… the angrier it grows…"

The softly spoken words startled the rogue and she looked down at her palm, twitching as the witch traced the open scar before yellow eyes stared at her.

"This mark will eventually claim your life Inquisitor…"

Evelyn nodded and stood, pulling her hand from that witch's touch. "I know… Solas said as much and with every rift I close I can feel it spreading. Even now, compared to how it was in Haven… the mark is significantly bigger."

Morrigan nodded, impressed with the courage of the young woman. "Most would not calmly accept such a fate. Does your seeker know?"

Evelyn shook her head and fixed the witch with a hard stare. "No, and I would keep it that way. There is enough to distract us all without that knowledge being bandied around. I will tell Cassandra in my own time."

The apostate bowed, "Very well. None will hear it from me. I will look where I can to see if I can find a way to bind the mark to your will. I would save such as you from that fate if I can. Now, let us leave this place. Corypheus's army masses and descends upon the ancient temple. Your actions have forced his hand. He is desperate and if he is able to make it here… he will win."

She turned, leading the Inquisitor back through the maze of mirrors back to the one that led to Skyhold. She felt a hesitant hand touch her arm briefly and stopped, turning back towards the young woman, a single brow rising in question.

"Thank you for showing me this Morrigan… and any help you could offer with this… mark… would be appreciated…."

Morrigan nodded once and turned back towards the mirror, waving her hand across to activate it before stepping through the barrier. Evelyn took one last look and followed.

She sat on the floor, her back against the cold stone as she studied the mark on her hand. Morrigan had confirmed what Solas had warned so long ago and saying it out loud herself made it seem much more real. Real… Evelyn scoffed at the word. The whole world had been turned upside down, her life more so than any one else and she was debating reality. She sighed heavily as she pictured what the conversation with Cassandra would look like if she told her the truth of what was going on with the mark. Already the seeker suspected she was hiding something but thus far the other woman had not pushed but Evelyn knew such an inquiry was coming. She picked at the edge of the magical wound, wincing every time, but the pain kept her grounded and helped still the restlessness that the conversation with the witch had stirred. She glanced at the still glowing mirror and wandered back into that place where time stood still, where there were doors to other worlds… She wanted to cross into that realm, to leave this place, this responsibility, these… feelings and the old her would not have hesitated for a moment. Now, however…

A vision of Cassandra crossed her mind, her rare true smile, those eyes usually light but darkened with a desire that still took the both of them by surprise, that voice that could be at once commanding and gently seductive… Evelyn shook her head. She couldn't leave now… She thought of all those that had joined her, that followed her into the fray, into the very Fade itself and shook her head again. No. She owed them too much to run now... The mark flared hot again, a small cry escaping her clenched mouth, brow furrowing as she thought she heard the echo of her name. She heard the sound again, louder this time and scrambled to her feet as the door opened to reveal the very woman who had been occupying her thoughts.

Cassandra studied the wan look on the leader's face, the hollow expression that so often indicated that she had caught the other woman in deep thought. Her eyes surveyed the room, widening in surprise at the glow of the massive mirror that stood at it's center. Hesitantly she approached, brow furrowing as she felt the warm glow of lyrium within the mysterious structure.

"What in the Maker's name is this…"

Evelyn moved forward pushing herself between the seeker and the Eluvian. "This is an Eluvian… it is what Corypheus has been seeking… this is why his army is massing in the Arbor Wilds. He means to take the mirror that rests within the ruins of the temple, to enter a world where the veil is thin and rip it down so that he may achieve the dream I stole from him." She watched as confusion crossed the warrior's face, then understanding followed by suspicion as Cassandra pulled her backwards, further from the mirror.

"Step back Inquisitor, this reeks of dark magic. How did this come to be in Skyhold? Does Leliana know? Solas?"

"Peace Cassandra, Morrigan says it is safe and I.."

"And what? You believe her? You barely know her Inquisitor and if what Leliana has said is true this is a woman who does nothing without furthering her own agenda. I do not trust her, you should not trust her. Just because Celene sent her -"

Evelyn frowned and shook her head. "I can't explain it… I know what I saw in that place, what I felt and I -

"YOU WERE THERE!?"

Cassandra gripped the rogue's upper arms, her eyes studying the other woman's, carefully re-assessing her, her voice thick with disbelief. "You… how could you do such a thing alone… you are too important… the Inquisition cannot -"

Evelyn pulled back, slipping from the seeker's grip, anger and hurt flooding her emotions, her words escaping her before she could stop them as she thrust the mark towards the taller woman. "Cannot what? Lose me? Look at me Cassandra…. Look at what your "Maker's touch" is doing to me.. AHHH!

She fell as the mark ignited washing the room in its sickening green hue, the Eluvian behind her cracking in reaction to the mark's power, her other hand gripping her wrist as a slicing pain shot up her arm. She barely felt the warmth of Cassandra kneeling beside her, the careful touch of her hand only serving to send even more tendrils of pain as Evelyn clenched her hand into a fist, eyes shut as she fought for control. She felt the vibrations of heavy footfalls, heard the sound of Cassandra issuing an order to bring Solas at once but it all felt very far away. She let herself be laid back against the cold stone floor, soft words being spoken against her ear, reassuring her all would be well. Then Solas was there, cold hands on her forehead, a foul potion being poured between her lips as a single word sent her into the void.

"Sleep."

Evelyn groaned softly, her hand reaching up to shield the light from her eyes. She blinked as she set up, her eyes surveying the room. She did not remember coming to bed… indeed she still felt as though she were dreaming… The room looked much like the one she had shared with Josephine back in Haven but that couldn't be right… Haven was gone… destroyed by Corypheus…

She blinked again and found herself standing in front of a familiar cabin, her head turning at the sound of greeting to see Solas walking towards her. Evelyn frowned, "Solas?"

The elf nodded in greeting, his voice warm as he bade her to follow him. "Yes Inquisitor?"

She looked around again as she fell into step besides the mage, following him down the path towards the Chantry. "I… I don't understand. Are we in…"

"Haven? Yes. I thought meeting here would be easy… Haven is familiar, it will always be important to you."

The rogue opened her mouth to speak, but closed it in the next second as she looked at the small village that had become a second home to her. The sounds of soldiers training, the hum of Flissa as she greeted another patron into a tavern she was so proud to call her own…

Seggritt

Adan

Minaeve

They were like ghosts called back into life, they laughed and smiled as if nothing had happened, as they had before Corypheus had come…

Evelyn turned from the sight, her heart heavy with the fresh feeling of failure. She had failed them all that day. She had watched the town burn, too worried about fighting off the red templars to save those trapped in the flame, too confused in the chaos to even realize they had needed saving until it was too late…

She blinked to find herself back inside that dungeon, dark and foreboding, the single lamp above still flickering. She remembered waking here, waking bound and on her knees, waking to the sound of a voice she had come to love, a voice that had sent a shiver of fear through her body the first she had heard it hurling accusations at her.

"I sat beside you while you slept, studying the anchor… you were a mystery, an impossibility… I ran every test I could think of, studied the Fade yet found nothing… Cassandra suspected me of duplicity… she threatened to have me executed, to be made tranquil if I could not produce a result…

Evelyn felt her lips curl into a fond smile, "That does sound like her… but I cannot see her doing that… she was upset… grieving…

Solas shook his head, "There was conviction in her eyes but there was little I could do. I told her it was unlikely you would wake… how could you… a mortal sent physically through the Fade...I was frustrated… she even more so…

Evelyn frowned, finding herself back outside the walls of the Chantry, the Breach pulsating brightly above them as the apostate continued.

"I did not trust her, nor she me… I was ready to flee but there was nowhere I could have gone to escape the Breach. I told myself, one more attempt, one more try to seal the tear in the sky myself… I called on every trick I possessed, the most powerful of all my spells but it was for naught… no ordinary magic would effect it… but then you woke, you woke and this anchor with you and I knew I could not flee, not when you held the key to our very salvation..

Evelyn scoffed as she held up the anchor of which he spoke, "A key that will take everything from me…"

Solas stepped forward, his hand covering the mark, folding his fingers around the young woman's hand to pull it closer to him. "Yes… it very well might…" He let go and turned to stare at the sky. "Being here in this dream state seems to have calmed the anchor for now but I cannot keep you here indefinitely Inquisitor… I know that with every rift you seal the mark grows stronger… I know it is weakening you but… you must stay strong Evelyn… with Corypheus gone there may be a way to seal the mark here, inside the Fade… but I dare not try such magic until he is defeated…"

Evelyn felt her hand slip from between the elf's fingers and and sighed, brow furrowing at his words. "A dream state….?"

Solas chuckled softly and stretched his arm out, "Yes, this is a dream… now wake up…"

Evelyn set up, wincing at the sunlight pouring through the balcony door, blocked momentarily by a rapidly moving shadow that came to stand at her side, a familiar voice filling the silence.

"Inquisitor, you are awake!"

Evelyn felt the bed sink beneath the seeker's weight, the warmth of the other woman bleeding into her side as rough hands clasped her own and dark anxious eyes searched her face. She opened her mouth to speak, wincing at the pain in the back of her throat Immediately she felt a waterskin pressed into her hand, that thick accent telling her to drink and she complied, eyes closing as the smooth cold liquid trickled down her throat.

Cassandra watched closely, brow furrowed as the Free Marcher drank deeply. She berated herself for worrying, for even considering that this woman might not awaken once more, much as she had in Haven when first they met. It was a smack to her pride to admit that she had feared the worst for the young woman as she had fallen, her free hand gripping at the glowing mark. Curious the seeker looked down at their intertwined fingers, the mark still glowed but it seemed calmer somehow, less malevolent in its shine. She could hear the echo of the Inquisitor's words in her mind, the shout of pain and rage as she held up her injured hand, voice raised as she commanded the seeker to look, to look and see what the 'Maker's touch" had wrought. Cassandra had puzzled on those words as Evelyn had slept, repeating them over and over in her mind. She knew the mark pained the younger woman, how could it not… but she had never seen such lost desperation in those eyes before… almost as if she wanted to give up…

The seeker scowled as she cleared her throat before cautiously questioning the woman beside her. "Are you still in pain? Shall I ask for Solas to come back?"

Evelyn shook her head, her thoughts still lost in the strange dream she'd had of herself and the mage… if indeed it was a dream, she was still trying to puzzle that one out for sure… She looked into familiar hazel eyes, all at once touched and made wary by the concern she saw there. Slowly she pulled her fingers free, flexing them slowly, surprised by the quiet of her mark. It seemed that whatever Solas had done had worked for the time being… perhaps there was truth to his theory that only her mark could be healed in the Fade…

The thought brought her back to the other thing she did not want to think of, to the fact that in order to even try such a cure she must first end the darkspawn magister. She wanted to rush to the Arbor Wilds, to face him in that ancient temple, to force a final confrontation and damn the consequences but strategically she was at a disadvantage, having lost the wardens as potential allies (Leliana was still investigating their absence), and failing to completely sever the possibility of a demonic led army. As it stood now Corypheus would have a larger force and until Dagna could figure out how to mimic the effects of Cole's amulet she could not risk forcing an army of mages to take on demons - the risk of corruption would be far too great.

"You are lost in thought again… should I leave?"

Evelyn looked at the seeker and gave the woman a wan smile. "No. I would have you stay but I need to meet with the council… will you come? Your opinion would be valuable."

Cassandra nodded solemnly, "Lead the way Inquisitor."

Evelyn watched as the four of them argued back and forth across the table, moving markers here and there, debating the pros and the cons of each potential action. It reminded her of when she had awoken after the loss of Haven; Leliana and Cullen arguing fiercely, Josephine's attempts at diplomacy were ignored as Cassandra's harsh tone asked biting questions of all three. The Inquisitor found her frustration at her council growing and slammed her fist down on the table, effectively silencing all parties. She ignored raised eyebrows and taken aback looks as she glared at the lot of them, her voice biting with reprimand.

"You argue as if we had time for such trivialities. Corypheus is marching to the temple, he will beat us there. I have seen what will happen if he should succeed, I have seen the inside of the Eluvian and felt the thinness of the veil there. If he captures that mirror everything we have worked for, everything, everyone we have sacrificed will have been for nothing…"

She cast a look a Josephine, "Have our allies send scouts to meet us in the Wilds." She turned to Leliana ordering the spymaster to have her fastest agents meet them there, effectively giving them a force of spies to slow the march of Corypheus's army until Cullen could mass the rest of their forces there, leaving the rebel mages to protect the keep. It was a risk she knew, but if Corypheus mustered his demons she could not afford to have the mages turn on them. Evelyn slammed a dagger into the table, right over the very spot where the temple lay, her voice trembling with rage, "Decision made… now move!"

She caught the smirk beneath the purple cowl as Leliana brushed past her, and watched as all three quickly left the war room, presumably to issue the orders she had given. She turned, surprised to see the look of pride on Cassandra's face and lifted a brow in question.

"You are not the leader I would have chosen, but there is no one else who could do what you are doing. I am proud to fight at your side Evelyn."

She opened her mouth to speak and found herself pressed back against the war table, mouth captured in a bruising kiss as rough fingers carded through her hair. She gasped in surprise as sharp teeth bit into her lip, tugging at it to signal an end to the pleasant assault, that Nevarran accent almost a purr.

"Once this is over… I hope to stay here… at your side that is…."

Evelyn felt a smile tug at her lips as she rested her hands on the seeker's hips. "That is my hope as well Cassandra…" She playfully pushed the seeker away, capturing those long fingers with her own, tugging the tall warrior behind her. "But first… let's stop a dark magister shall we?"

Cassandra chuckled and nodded, following the young rogue out of the war room. "Lets."

It felt good to be back in the field, to be traveling with her companions, enjoying the constant banter amidst the growing sound of battle as they neared the elusive temple. Evelyn glanced at the apostate that had insisted on traveling with them and hid her smile. Morrigan gave as good as she got, her remarks both biting and witty, the power she had bragged about were, if anything, understated. Evelyn had never seen a mage manipulate the elements the way the witch did or with such speed. Almost as quick as Varric with Bianca, the apostate was capable of tossing flame from one hand, ice from another systematically freezing and burning their enemies, all the while using entropy to weaken the rest of those who surrounded them. It was effective and distracting as hell. Evelyn had to remind herself to not watch as the witch dispatched red templar after red templar. She caught the disgruntled glare in her seeker's eyes having been caught staring once again, an amused chuckle to her left told her the witch knew it as well. Chiding herself, the Inquisitor threw herself into the fray, leaving both women behind.

For the first time in months the mark seemed contained, the usual piercing pain having been dulled to a low throb. She was unsure what exactly Solas had done but she was grateful and promised herself that before everything was said and done she would find some way to pay him back. Evelyn bent at the waist as she exhaled heavily, the burn of her muscles demanding a rest as the rest of her companions dispatched what few enemies remained. She felt a gentle tug at her arm and looked ahead to see the long corridor ahead, its entrance framed in stone, Cassandra's low pitched voice in her ear,

"We are close now…"

Evelyn shrugged of the sense of fatigue and moved forward, noting the sounds of fighting ahead. Her heart raced as Solas cautioned that Corypheus was near, her body keyed up to finally face the thing that had put her here in the first place, who had marked her body with his ambition. She slowed to a walk, eyes darting for any sign of the dark magister. Templar bodies with jutting spikes of red lyrium littered the grounds and she felt a hand at her shoulder, soft words breathed against her ear, "Watch closely Inquisitor."

She turned to see yellow eyes looking at her and peered over the balcony, ice filling her veins as she watched an unmistakable figure saunter forth towards the strangely dressed elves that barred his path forward, the cold voice unmistakable as it echoed across the courtyard in assurance that none, least of all these, could keep him from the well of sorrows.

The name struck something within her, a dark echo, and Evelyn turned to look at the arcane ambassador who merely shrugged, eyes staring darting to stare at her own for a moment before looking back ahead. The Inquisitor followed that gaze, watching as the magister strode forward, bright light trapping his body for a moment before a clawed hand reached forward to crush the face of the elf closest to him. Evelyn shielded her eyes as the light grew brighter before being pushed back by the explosion. She scrambled back to her feet, looking down at the bridge ahead in disbelief when she saw no sign of her enemy.

"Impossible…" she breathed, ignoring the cries of warning from her companions as she leapt down to take a closer look, crouching to study the place where she had last seen his body, her hand reaching to trace the scorch mark that had been carved into the stone. She looked up to see the band of templars that had been accompanying the would-be god running across the bridge, their de-facto leader flashing her a dark smile before disappearing further into the temple. She heard a gasp as a gurgled sound bubbled to life accompanied by the crackling of electricity and she turned to watch as the corpse of a fallen Warden rose from the ground, his body torn and shaking. Alarmed, Evelyn reached out her arm caught in a vice grip by the seeker at her side as the man gave a cry of pain and fell to his knees, darkness seeping from every orifice.

"It… cannot be…"

The Inquisitor turned towards Morrigan's voice, chilled by the horror so clearly etched across her porcelain features and turned in time to see a clawed arm burst forth from the warden's body. She felt her arm pulled in one direction, turning her as Solas cried out for everyone to run across the bridge now…

The mark in her hand thudded once, the pain sharpening with every beat of her heart as the cry of Corypheus's dragon sounded out overhead. She ran, pulling her arm free from Cassandra's grasp, moving across the bridge towards the massive doors that lead deeper into the ruins. She skidded across the stone, rolling and then back to her feet to help push those doors shut as the great maw of the dragon sped closer. She could see the fire pulsing in it's throat, the glow of it threatening to overspill. She stood at the slowly shrinking opening, arm raised in defiance as the creature flew at her, pouring all her energy into the mark, releasing its power even as the pain brought her to her knees…

Cassandra's mouth fell open, her arms forgetting to push as she watched the woman she loved face down their impending death. She heard the grunt of the qunari beside her, watched as the doors moved closer together, green light bursting from the Herald's palm. The temple shook with the archdemon's cry of rage and Cassandra gave one final push at the stone structure against her hand, the force of their combined movements, the spray of fire from the dragon's mouth and the rift magic all working in tandem to throw them all back. The seeker winced as her head banged against the stone floor, rolling to her feet she stumbled forward through the dust and debris, her voice hoarse as she cried out Evelyn's name, her heart falling as she recognized the slender figure lying prone on the ground.