"Brehan sent a raven saying he needs to speak with you immediately upon returning to Skyhold."

"You did tell him to stay put for now, yes?" Ruya raised an eyebrow at Leliana.

"Yes. I..." She sighed. "Maker, how am I going to tell him about Flemeth?"

"I suggest in person, with a lot of alcohol."

Leliana sighed. "He has a fondness for a particular Fereldan whiskey. I will see if Josephine can procure some." She stared at the shrine. "I was pondering who might be Divine, and it suddenly occurred to me." She turned to Ruya. "Is it so ridiculous for the grand clerics to support me? Why shouldn't they?"

"If you were Divine, what would you do?"

She touched the elven trinket lying on the shrine. "Change things. Change everything. Your support of the mage rebellion was a good start. We must build on this. No more Circles. The mages will be free. The Chantry will accept them as the Maker's children. In fact, it will accept everyone. Elves, dwarves, even Qunari. Why exclude them?" She gestured. "The Chantry allows our differences to tear us apart, instead of teaching us how we are the same."

Pity Leliana and Cassandra couldn't both be Divine. Keep the good. Change the bad. Learn and grow. "I think you would make a good Divine."

"I am glad to hear it. Your support may persuade the grand clerics to vote in my favor." She petted one of the birds. "The Chantry was a beacon of hope to me once, you know. In my years at Lothering's Chantry, we turned no one away from our doors. It was a refuge, a place of peace. I felt the Maker's presence and His love, even when they told me He'd left us. This is the Chantry I know, the Chantry I wish the world to see."

Ruya remembered that feeling. When she'd been a child, the song had lifted her. For a moment, she found herself thinking of Roderick. She hoped the man approved of the Inquisition he'd given his life to save. "The world could certainly use the force for good you describe."

"Yes, the Chantry should be a force for good, instead of what it is. The Chantry dictated where it should have inspired. It spoke of judgment instead of acceptance. It should encourage the good in everyone, rather than rebuke us for our sins. No one should be turned away from our doors. No one is without worth. Whoever you are, whatever your mistakes, you are loved. Unconditionally." Leliana looked upwards and smiled. "'In your heart shall burn an unquenchable flame'".

#

"What happened at the elven temple..." Dorian set his book down and stood up. "It's got me thinking. I should go back, shouldn't I? Once this is done..." He shrugged. "If we're still alive. All my talk of how terribly wrong things are back home, but what do I do about it? Nothing."

"How does this relate to the elven temple?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You encountered ancient elves. A piece of history, something the Imperium didn't destroy. Maybe my people can atone for what we've done. There is something still left to restore. Maybe not all of us want to, but that could be altered. If you can change minds, so can I." He took a deep breath as he drew himself to his full height.

She smiled. Why did her friends keep selling themselves short? "You're not doing nothing, Dorian. You came here. You're fighting with us."

"Thank you for saying that. I want to do more than stop Corypheus, however. I want to save my home." He looked at her. "It might surprise you to know that you're the one who inspired me. You're shaping the world..." He put his hand on her shoulder. "For good or ill. How could I aspire to do any less? If that means proving that Tevinter can be better, that there's hope even for my homeland? I would do anything."

Ruya hugged him.

#

"Hey, you. You have time? It's not a question, let's go." Sera grabbed her arm and began pulling her out of the main hall. "I've got something I want to do for you. Just come, you won't need your gear and stuff."

"Sera?" She got her feet under her and began to follow the woman. "Explain?"

"Ugh, just come on, will you? I haven't wanted to do this with anyone for a long time."

#

"We're eating. On a roof." She looked at the cookie-like object in her hand.

"They're horrible, right? And raisins, ugh. I frigging still hate cookies."

Considering she was pretty sure the other woman had made the cookies, she wasn't going to say anything on that front. "No, no. It's just that this is all a little confusing."

Sera looked down at the cookie in her hand. "I got caught stealing when I was little, yeah? You get alienage or worse for that. Some daft boy hit the guards so they'd let me go, and I ran. The 'Lady Emmald' saw it. She took me in." Sera turned the cookie over and over. "She was sick and couldn't have children. I had no parents. It worked out. Anyway, she gets a year sicker, so I ask about her cookies. Because mums make cookies. I can pass that down, or something. Turns out, she couldn't cook. She missed that talk with her mum. The ones she 'made' she bought and pretended. Aw, right? Well, no, she was a bitch. She hid buying them by keeping me away from the baker. She did that by lying that he didn't like me, didn't like elves. She let me hate so she could protect her pride. I hated him so much, and I hated..." The cookie crumbled in her hand. "Well, she died, and I hate pride. 'Pride cookies.' But. This Inquisition thing is working out. So I figured I could make some..." She turned to look at Ruya. "'Inquisition cookies?' Because then I could like them again? Ugh, it's stupid."

"You know what?" Ruya put her hand on Sera's shoulder. "That would be great."

"See, I knew..." Sera blinked. "Wait, really? Because it seemed frigging daft every step to me." She sighed. "Suppose it's not really about them. I hate learning lessons. Makes my stomach hurt. Anyway, I'll throw this rubbish away. Next time will be better, yeah?"

"Sera? Anytime." She looked down. "Can we get off the roof now?"

"Oh, yes, please. Smells like bird and dank. This part, not a good idea. Thanks, yeah? Feels good, this."

#

Cullen coughed as a flour-covered piece of cloth hit him in the face, sending a spray of white all over him. "What the..."

"I..." Cassandra stared at him in shock, then at the cackling Sera who stood just behind him. "I apologize, Commander."

Dorian had to hold onto Ruya to stop himself from falling over laughing. Ruya tried to keep a straight face, and failed miserably. "Cullen. Care to try an Inquisition cookie?"

He looked around the room. There was flour everywhere. Cassandra had what appeared to be egg dripping out of her hair. Minaeve looked as though someone had dumped a bucket of milk over her head. "I..." He shook his head, turned around, and went to go find a snack elsewhere.

#

It was dark when she walked up the stairs towards Cullen's office. Cole was sitting on the ramparts. He shifted his position when he saw her coming. "Corypheus died, and then he didn't. That's why he always felt wrong, like he didn't fit inside himself. He wears another man's life. I thought dying was forever."

Ruya came around to stand next to him, putting her arm around his shoulders. "It's hard for any of us to make sense of. Corypheus is using ancient magic."

Cole stood, and paced along the railing. "But is it him? Is he real? If a man can be dead and then not..." He stopped, and turned to look at her. "Could I have saved the real Cole?"

Her heart broke for him. "What happened to him wasn't your fault."

"His hands were bruised from beating on the wall. It was dark like the cabinet where he hid to escape his father. His belly hurt like knives, throat cracked dry. He was along. I pushed through and held his hand. It was all I could do." Cole sat down. "He said, 'thank you.'"

She put her arm around him again, and he leaned into her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Thank you," he said quietly.

#

"Did you..." Leliana gave Morrigan a worried look. "Find what you need, Morrigan?"

"I can match the darkspawn magister's dragon, yes. As for matching Corypheus..." Morrigan turned towards Ruya. "That is up to you, Inquisitor."

"Believe me, I know." She leaned on the war table.

"Then all that remains is to find Corypheus before he comes to us."

"We've been looking for his base since all this began, with no success." Leliana tossed a marker across the table in frustration.

"His dragon must come and go from somewhere." Cullen stared at the map as though the answer would magically appear before them.

"What about the Deep Roads?" Josephine waved her pen. "We could send word to Orzammar, hire envoys to -"

Green light flooded the room, and they all turned to stare at the window. The sky above where haven had once stood was writhing and glowing.

"It seems Corypheus is not content to wait."

"He's in the Valley of Sacred Ashes?"

"You either clsoe the Breach once more, or it swallows the world."

Josephine dropped her pen. "But that's madness. Wouldn't it kill him as well?"

Fear showed on Cullen's face when he looked to her. "Inquisitor, we have no forces to send with you - we must wait for them to return from the Arbor Wilds."

They didn't have time. Every hour the Breach was open, new rifts would be appearing. "I must go now, before it's too late."

She was turning towards the door when Kels came rushing in. "Sers."

"Report."

"Some of the returning scouts have sighted a large number of darkspawn in the valley."

"Cullen, take the Chargers and meet up with the returning forces. Morrigan and I will deal with Corypheus."

"Yes, Inquisitor."

#

Scout Harding's face became fierce when she saw the first dead Inquisition soldier. Ruya unlimbered her staff. Behind her, Cassandra tapped her sword against her shield and nodded. "Let chaos be undone."

#

There were fewer darkspawn than he'd expected. He looked over the report from the scouts. "Pull our forces back to this location." He touched the map. "They can hold the position until the rest of our forces arrive."

"Yes, Commander."

Cullen watched Kels leave. The boy was starting to grow a beard. It might be time to award him an actual rank. He left the tent to see about the sappers.

#

"Tell me, where is your Maker now?" Corypheus towered over the remaining soldiers. "Call Him. Call down His wrath upon me." The orb glowed red as it floated above his hand. "You cannot, for He does not exist. I am Corypheus. I shall deliver you from this lie in which you linger. Bow before your new god and be spared."

Her soldiers stood. "Never." One raised his blade.

"As you wish." Corypheus gathered fire in his hands as he tore the Veil.

Though her soldiers went flying, the barrier did it's work. They would breath another day. She arced lightning into the demons, echoed by Solas, Vivienne, and Dorian.

Corypheus turned towards her. "I knew you would come."

"It ends here, Corypheus." She raised her staff.

"And so it shall." He called his power to him, and once again she raised a barrier. "You have been most successful in foiling my plans, but let us not forget what you are. A thief, in the wrong place at the wrong time. An interloper. A gnat. We shall prove her, once and for all, which of us is worthy of godhood."

Thrones were damned uncomfortable, and the last thing she wanted was another. "I'm the Maker's chosen." She slammed the butt of her staff into the ground.

"You dare." He raised his hand, and she saw the dragon appear behind him. It leaped.

And another dragon hit it from out of nowhere.

Morrigan.

#

"Commander."

Cullen blinked at the man standing in his command tent. "Agent Rowland." How had the man gotten past his guards? He smiled. "Your information came just in time."

"Hopefully this does as well." He gestured at the map. "Your people are about to walk into an ambush. I've marked the darkspawn locations. Redirect your people here, here, and here to close off the outer body. Your sappers will need to seal these tunnels. As long as we keep the darkspawn's attention on the valley, they'll be able to get in and contain it. We'll deal with the main body before they reach the surface."

"Who is we?"

"My army. Get yours moving, Commander. The last thing either of us need is this force reaching Skyhold."

"Rowland, if your numbers are right..." He stared at the map.

"You took his army, Commander. Does it surprise you all that much that he wants to take yours?" He smiled. "Trust me on this, Commander."

"Are you sure you don't want backup?" Cullen tapped the marker on the map. "I can send the Chargers in with you. Dealing with that many won't be easy."

"If it were easy, someone else would do it."

#

"A dragon. How clever of you." The ground beneath them began to shake. "It will avail you nothing." The rocks they stood upon rattled as the remains of the temple were torn apart, rising into the air. She saw Dorian, Iron Bull, and Varric fall. Dorian managed to get a barrier around them all. She turned to look over her shoulder, and saw only Cassandra, Solas, and Cole. All she could do for the others was pray. "You will fall as a warning to those who oppose my divine will." And kick Corypheus's blighted ass.

#

Rowland rejoined him as they headed for the valley. Cullen nodded as the man fell into step beside him. "The main force?"

"Buried." Rowland gestured in the direction they were headed. "We're looking at no more than a couple hundred now, but there are some alphas and emissaries among them. You'll want to direct your mages to keep barriers up, and focus your archers on the emissaries."

"You've some experience fighting darkspawn." Cullen raised an eyebrow. "You're a Blight veteran?"

"Yes."

"What'd you do?" He was starting to wonder if the man was a member of the Order of Vigilance. No few elves served in their ranks.

"Stabbed things." Rowland shrugged.

Cullen nodded. He looked up towards the breach. She'd be there soon, if she wasn't already. Maker, please keep her safe.

"We best hurry, Commander. They're going to expect us to have the darkspawn cleaned up and dinner on the table by the time they get back."

He choked back a laugh. "Probably going to want a hot bath as well."

"You're afraid for her." Rowland looked up at the breach.

"Yes."

"They can do this, Cullen. Do not doubt them now." He nodded to Cullen. "They have their battle. And we have ours."

#

Corypheus taunted them as he moved through the floating ruins. It occurred to her that his taunts might have been more effective if he hadn't been running. She kept the barrier up, and felt Solas add his own strength to reinforce it. As the clouds broke apart and reformed, she saw the two dragons locked in mortal combat. The beast that was Morrigan soared upwards before turning, folding its wings, and diving to hit the tattered creature with a massive blow. It would have worked, had Corypheus not chosen that moment to throw a bolt of energy at her. Morrigan faltered just enough for the other dragon to shift position. A moment later, there was only one dragon on the field. A tattered beast, moving towards them.

"She's hurt, but not dead. We have to help her."

"There's a dragon trying to kills us," Ruya pointed out to Cole.

"All the better to revive our own." Solas gestured with his staff.

There was nothing they could do for Morrigan now. Hopefully, one of the others would be able to reach her.

#

Cullen saw Rowland stumble, and for a moment he thought the other man had been hit. Instead, the elf let out a snarl, and dove into a group of shrieks. A few heartbeats later, the shrieks were dead. Cullen brought up his shield to block a blow from a massive hurlock, and then the elf was moving back towards him, hamstringing the thing.

There was a slight tremor in the ground. Rowland gave him a nod. "Two down, Commander."

"I counted six flares."

"Let's get those ogres off your sappers, shall we?" Rowland turned and flung his axe. It hit an ogre in the chest, dropping it. The young man pulled it free without missing a step as he continued forward.

"Maker's breath." Cullen shook his head, and followed.

#

The Archdemon was wounded. Ruya exchanged a look with Cassandra. They had done this before. She wove the barrier around them, trusting to Solas to keep it reinforced. Then the spirit blade was in her hand, and she and Cassandra charged in. Cole darted in and out, taking advantage of every time the dragon tried to turn to face her or Cassandra to strike blows against weak points. It opened its mouth to breath fire at them, and Solas hit it with an arc of lightning. They moved, in, out, a wolf pack bringing down larger prey.

The beast feel.

There was a surge of... something.

And Corypheus shrieked.

#

He slammed his shield into the hurlock, and then spun. Rowland moved in unison, bringing his weapons up to catch the attacking shriek. The ground trembled again. "Up and out, Commander."

Cullen nodded, and shouted the order to his forces. They began to pull back, up the hill. They'd held the darkspawn's attention long enough. The tunnels were sealed. Time to let the mages do their thing.

Next to him, he heard Rowland laugh. "No," the elven man said quietly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Rowland?"

"It's almost done, Commander."

#

"Let it end here. Let the skies boil. Let the world be rent asunder."

They moved, following the sound of Corypheus's voice. He flung spells at them chaotically. She saw him notice Cole. "You dare come before me, demon? I will bind you, as I have bound so many before."

"I am no demon..." Cole's voice was firm and strong. "And you are no god."

"Then die with the others." Corypheus sent a blast of fire at him, only to have it turned away by Ruya's barrier. The spell reflected back to him, eliciting another outraged cry. "I need only moments more."

She signaled Solas, and they cast together, mingling their magic to reinforce each other. Lightning combined with the pure raw energy of the Fade. Corypheus stumbled backwards. "Not like this. I have walked the halls of the Golden City, crossed the ages..." The orb glowed brightly in his hand. "Dumat. Ancient ones. I beseech you. If you exist - if you ever truly existed - aid me now."

Ruya let the spirit blade vanish. She focused her power through the mark, drawing on the pieces of the Veil as Solas had so patiently showed her. A deep breath, and she focused, like calling to like. The orb was ripped from Corypheus's hand, and flew to hers. She drew in, drawing deep, letting it fill her. And then she raised her hand to the sky. The energy poured from her in a single burst, as it had before. The Breach shifted, fluctuated, trembled. And closed.

The orb fell from her hand. She strode to where Corypheus was struggling to regain his feet. "You wanted into the Fade?" She focused the last of the energy, tearing him along with the Veil. And she scattered him across the Void.

#

"That's the last of them." Cullen wiped the blood from his sword and tossed the rag away. "I hope those resistance potions did the trick."

"Between those and the barriers, your people will be fine, Commander." Rowland sheathed his own blade.

"That's three I owe you." Cullen smiled. "The breach is closed." He stared up at the sky. "She did it."

"I suggest you get back to your woman." Rowland bowed.

"Come back with us. We'd not have managed without you." Cullen gestured. "This victory is yours as well."

"You'll see me again." Rowland saluted, and then headed east.

Cullen stood a moment, watching him go. Then he turned, and went to get back to his woman.

#

"Solas?"

"The orb." He was kneeling next to the broken pieces.

She'd drawn too deep. Taken too much from it. "I know you wanted the orb saved. I'm so sorry."

He set the piece he was holding down, and stood. "It is not your fault."

Ruya took a step towards him. They'd won. He should be... "There's more, isn't there?"

"It was not supposed to happen this way." He took a breath, and looked out over the ruins. "No matter what comes, I want you to know you shall always have my respect."

That... felt like a goodbye. She started to walk towards him, and heard Cassandra's voice. "Inquisitor? Are you alive?" Maker, there were probably injured. She glanced again at Solas, and went to go see the others.

Dorian had Morrigan's arm over his shoulder. The others. Varric. Iron Bull. Cole. Cassandra. Vivienne. Sera. Blackwall. Harding. The dozen soldiers whose names she was going to learn and who she intended to knit scarves for as soon as they got back to Skyhold and she learned to knit. The glanced over her shoulder to see Solas at the top of the stairs, watching her. "Victorious, I see. What a novel result." Morrigan's voice drew her attention back. "And it seems the Breach is finally closed."

"Looks that way." She moved in to heal the injuries the woman had taken.

"What do we do now?" Cassandra sounded as though she could hardly believe it.

Ruya looked over her shoulder again. Solas was gone. She took a deep breath, and looked back at Cassandra. "We go back to Skyhold."