"No one mentioned this mission was going to involve a forest."

"You're an elf. Aren't you supposed to like trees and frolicking?" Dorian glanced over his shoulder.

"You have your elves confused. She shoots things." Jerath pointed at Sera. "I stab things." He gestured at Brehan. "He frolics."

"I do not frolic."

"That's not entirely -" Cassandra started to say.

"Do you really want to get into a 'who can tell the most embarrassing story about who' contest with me, lethallin?" Brehan raised an eyebrow. Cassandra laughed in response.

"Don't you recall what happened the last time you dragged me into a forest?" Jerath kicked a rock into the trees.

"It's a regularly reoccurring feature of my nightmares." Brehan shrugged. "Look on the bright side."

"I can't see it. Too many trees in the way."

"Emma shem'nan, da'mi." Brehan sighed. "I was going to say at least Lenore isn't here."

"Which brings up the question of who is going to set the trees on fire when they inevitably attack us?"

"Wait." Sera turned to look at him. "What's this about trees attacking?"

Ruya sighed.

#

"Good to see you, Inquisitor. Allow me to introduce Professor Bram Kenric. He's the reason we're out here." Scout Harding gestured at the man beside her.

"A pleasure to meet you, Your Worship." The man's accent placed him as from Starkhaven.

"Professor Kenric teaches at the University of Orlais."

The man began talking excitedly. Almost as rapidly as Dagna was prone to do on occasion. "I came on an exchange program from Starkhaven. While in Val Royeaux, I found something incredible. After 800 years, we may be ble to determine the final resting place of the last Inquisitor."

Ruya felt her eyes try to pop out of her skull. She should write home, get Otwin out here. "The texts say that Inquisitor Ameridan was a dragon hunter who vanished on his last expedition."

"Yes, precisely. I see you've read Letrec's Precursors to the Chantry." The professor spread his hands. "Inquisitor Ameridan stepped down shortly before the Nevarran Accord brought the Seekers of Truth into the Chantry. He hunted demons, dragons, and dangerous apostates in a time before templars even existed."

Scout Harding grinned. "I'm all for history if it means tracking down the equipment of a famous demon hunter."

"If the last Inquisitor has been missing for 800 years, it's only fitting that today's Inquisition help find him." Ruya nodded to Professor Kenric.

"Your scouts have gathered artifacts from the area. They may help us discover what Inquisitor Ameridan was doing."

"I have news as well." Scout Harding gestured at a map. "We've encountered hostile Avvar to the north. They call themselves the Jaws of Hakkon. There's also an Avvar hold to the east. Unlike the Jaws of Hakkon, they've been friendly so far."

"The Jaws of Hakkon?"

"They're hostile Avvar who attack any Inquisition agents or researchers who get close. We've sent soldiers for defense, but the Hakkonites are cunning, merciless, and know the Basin better than we do."

She nodded. "Jerath, take your people out and see if you can't give our soldiers a hand with the base camps. I'll make contact with the village."

"And everyone does their special brand of diplomacy." Brehan chuckled. "I'll brief the scouts on the new protocols."

#

Professor Kenric clearly had a lot of respect for Scout Harding. And if she wasn't mistaken, Scout Harding might have a little crush on the professor. Professor Kenric seemed to know what he was doing, but Ruya was a little leery of letting the man go traipsing about the woods. Scout Harding utterly failed to put her mind at ease on that matter. She made a mental note that Scout Harding and Iron Bull were not to be put in charge of planning any maneuvers together.

Brehan and Scout Harding got into a mostly good-natured argument regarding the new camps, which were apparently tree houses. According to Brehan, local wildlife made ground-based accommodations entirely too dangerous. She was going to argue on Scout Harding's behalf until Brehan gave an entirely too vivid description of the local river spiders. Treehouses it was, and the next time she needed a spymaster she was going to find one that didn't start out their career as a story-teller.

#

They arrived at the fisherman's hold just in time to witness an argument. Ruya was going to stand back and let the Avvar conclude their business, but the group in warpaint saw them and started yelling about death to the lowlanders and glory to Hakkon.

Against only two, the fight was over quickly. She didn't even get a spell off before Iron Bull and Cassandra had settled the issue. Unfortunately, the fisherman was unwilling to lend them a boat without the approval of his thane.

They arrived at Stone-Bear hold to find some sort of climbing contest. Thane Sun-Hair, at least, was courteous enough, and led them into her hold. "I am Svarah Sun-Hair, Thane of Stone-Bear Hold. You have guest-welcome here. The lowlanders have little lover for their mages. I am impressed you came to lead this Inquisition. You and your people have come far from the safety of the lowlands."

Safety. Well, it was getting better, anyway. "We have not come to cause trouble in your home, Thane." She gave a small bow. "We have learned that the last Inquisitor may have died here hundreds of years ago. We seek his body."

Thane Sun-Hair nodded. "Giving peace to the dead is a worthy quest. Any help we can offer is yours." She shrugged. "Sadly, the Jaws of Hakkon will not offer so warm a welcome. If you would search this place for your Inquisitor's body, they will want you to pay in blood."

#

Rather than head immediately to the island, she went back to the base camp to see what progress had been made. Scout Harding told her Brehan was out overseeing the reconstruction of one of the forward camps now that the Wardens had cleared the threat from that area. Ruya took the map, and headed out to see what help they could provide.

#

They found Lieutenant Farrow reinforcing a camp by the river. "Report."

He bowed. "Yes, Inquisitor. The Wardens were by earlier. They cleared the Jaws of Hakkon out, and headed up river. I let them know there was some demon activity due to rifts, but they said they'd be fine."

#

She found the Wardens by one of the rifts, finishing off a pride demon. As soon as the energy returned to the rift, Ruya lifted a hand and sealed it. And was greeted with playful boos and hisses. She laughed. "Sorry to spoil your fun."

"It was starting to get a bit unsporting, honestly." Carver laid his blade across his shoulders.

Jerath pointed up river. "The other one closed, but still needs to be sealed."

#

"How involved was Brehan in the construction of this thing?" Jerath looked up at the structure dubiously."

"Years, da'mi. It's been over a decade. Have you considered I may have learned a few things since then?"

"I seem to recall you assuring me you knew what you were doing then, too."

"I simply oversaw the repairs. Others did the construction." Brehan turned and bowed to Ruya. "With your permission, Inquisitor, I'll be heading back to Skyhold in the morning. Professor Kenric and his assistant have given me copies of their research to send on to the University."

"Thank you, Brehan. Let Leli... Divine Victoria know our progress as well."

"Yes, Inquisitor."

Jerath started walking up the stairs gingerly, carefully placing his feet and putting his weight down slowly. Brehan sighed, and then reached over and pushed him into the river.

#

"They seem to have had a good time today." Ruya shook her head at the two Wardens who were playfully jostling each other.

Loghain sighed. "When we first met Caronel, he was a polite, well-mannered young man with a self-preservation instinct."

"Didn't take us long to fix that." Carver clapped the Caronel on the back, and both young men laughed.

"What's the final score anyway?" Caronel poked at the fire.

Ruya raised an eyebrow. "Score?"

"Pride demons are five points, fear demons are four points, despair demons are three points, rage demons are two points, all the rest are one point." Carver shrugged. "Jaws of Hakkon are half a point, except those big bruisers, they are a whole point."

Iron Bull grabbed a scrap of parchment and immediately began tallying points. Ruya just shook her head, and glanced at Jerath. "Do you have a point system for the darkspawn as well?"

He nodded. "Ogre alphas are outside the point system though due to needing special tactics."

"Plus mages get spotted points for barriers and healing spells." Caronel grinned. "Loser buys the drinks."

"And who tallies these points?" Ruya shook her head as she watched Iron Bull and Sera attempt to figure out their own scores.

They all pointed at Loghain, who shrugged. "The archer is doing very badly in this terrain. Another chit for Nathaniel."

"It's a good thing you're a bunch of cheap drunks."

"What are dragons worth?" Iron Bull asked.

"Dragonlings are two, drakes are five, dragons are seven, dragon thralls are ten, mature dragons are fifteen, high dragons are twenty."

Iron Bull nodded. "What about vints?"

"Default for mages is a point, adjusted as needed." Carver grinned.

Caronel shrugged. "As a reference point, we calculated his brother at ten points." He jerked his thumb at Carver, and then frowned. "What did we put Dorian at again?"

"Six."

"Right. Inquisitor came in same as Carver's brother."

"I'm trying to decide if I'm insulted or concerned." Dorian warmed his hands at the fire.

"The big war golems are seven points, unless they are on fire. Then they go up to ten points. Harvesters are fifteen."

"Who is in the lead by the running score?" Iron Bull made some more notes.

"We restart the running total every month. Not fair otherwise." Carver shrugged. "Some of us have been doing this a lot longer than others."

"Boss, I'd like to implement this system for the Inquisition immediately."

Ruya laughed. "Work it out with Cullen."

"Ha!" Sera announced triumphantly. "You owe me a drink."

"You added that column twice."

"What?" Sera squinted at the parchment. "Shit."

#

She found Anders sitting on the edge of the tree house, looking out into the distance. He glanced up at her. "Inquisitor."

"Have you been in touch with Hawke?"

"Varric told him I'm alive. He offered to remedy that situation." Anders looked over his shoulder at the tents the Wardens had claimed. "I'm just glad he's not angry at Carver or Merrill over things. Though the baby might have helped with that."

"What made you seek out Jerath?"

"Other way around. He found me. Told me..." Anders scratched at where he was growing a beard. "Told me a lot of things, then asked me if I wanted him to kill me. I told him yes. I think that's why he didn't."

"Why did you do it, Anders?"

"All I can tell you, Inquisitor, is that my actions made sense to me then. And now..." Anders sighed. "I can't tell you what I don't know. Justice was a demon, then. Jerath and Vigilance helped him, and he helped me." He looked back over the view. "I should thank you, Inquisitor. You..." He smiled. "Took the mess I made, and built something real from the pieces. Hope. The world hasn't held much of that in a long time."

"What's it like?" She rushed her words. "Being an abomination?"

"Some of the time it's like sharing my head with a stern Chantry sister." He leaned his forehead against the rail. "And sometimes like having a very good friend along. We share now. That makes it easier."

"How did you manage that accord?"

Anders laughed. "Carver used his templar abilities, which set off Justice. He took over. Vigilance responded by stepping out of the Fade, yanking Justice in, and demonstrating that he could kick Justice around more or less at will."

She looked back at where Loghain was. "Vigilance is the spirit currently possessing Loghain?"

"Their situation is more complicated than that, but yes."

"And he's the spirit that used to possess Jerath?" Ruya furrowed her brow. "If he's that strong, why wasn't he able to take Jerath over the way Justice could you?"

"Because the demon wasn't that strong. Neither was the spirit, until he became Vigilance and tied to the Wardens. Or he never would have let Justice and I strike our bargain in the first place."

"How did he become Vigilance, then?"

"It's..." Anders furrowed his brow. Then his eyes glowed, and his voice changed. "The Fade is shaped by perception. You have made Cole more real as your ideas and friendship have stuck to him. The process with Vigilance was similar, save that Vigilance could not be mistaken for human until he bonded with Loghain."

It was odd, realizing she was now talking to a spirit. If not for her association with Cole and Solas, she'd probably be more than just a little uneasy at the moment. "What do you think of Cole?"

"He lost himself to rage, and came back through the strength of his own will. He is extraordinary, and both Vigilance and I have nothing but respect for him."

"Thank you."

#

"How does it know where he needs to go?"

"It knows more than he does. Clever he may be, he often lacks in wisdom."

"He changes them."

"No. He merely shows them what they could be. It would be better if they changed him, but he forgets they are people."

"And bigger on the inside."

"Exactly."

Ruya looked over her shoulder at Jerath and Cole, and then shook her head. For a moment, it had sounded like one of the conversations Cole used to have with Solas. They were almost to the island. Both Blackwall and Jerath leaped out of the boat and pushed it onto the shore. She debarked a moment later.

"Anybody else smell sea-air and spice? Thats..." Iron Bull frowned. "That isn't right."

"Your mind is being influenced by the spirits here. They're drawing sorrow from you like you'd draw water from a well." Dorian stumbled a bit getting out of the boot, and Iron Bull caught him and set him on the shore.

"Glad I asked." Iron Bull grumbled as they started looking around the island.

A voice came floating across the air. "Vhenan... I'm... dreaming..."

She frowned. "Vhenan. That's elvish. It's what Leliana calls Brehan."

Iron Bull snickered. Jerath shrugged. "Means heart."

"What does that thing he calls you mean?" Iron Bull asked. "Da'mi?"

"Little blade."

"Seriously?" Iron Bull raised an eyebrow. "You let him call you that?"

"You beat up the progenitor of werewolves, you can give me a nickname too."

"Wait..." Iron Bull blinked. "Brehan did what?"

#

"They watched the dead and dying, pressing close, clustered to hear, and forgot how to go back." Cole spoke as they climbed the hill on the island.

"No, no, no." The voice came again. "I can't... not without..."

Ruya sighed. "We've looked everywhere else on this island. Shall we see what's inside the rift?"

Iron Bull made a vexed noise, but took his position with the others. Ruya lifted her hand, and opened the rift. A spirit formed. And spoke. "Telana slept... I slept. To find him in dreaming... but I... the blood... I'm... she's... gone." Slowly the voice became more coherent. "Telana wanted to reach Ameridan again, one more time, but she couldn't. I couldn't. I died. I tried to stay but only pieces came through. You opened the sky for the rest of me."

"Cole, can you help make sense of this?" Ruya glanced at him. A spirit, or a memory. She wasn't sure which.

"It hurts. She hurt. The wraiths knew only the pain, but she knew why, daring, dreaming into darkness, for Ameridan." It occurred to her a year ago, Cole's explanation wouldn't have made any sense to her.

"Ameridan. Yes. Inquisitor. Beloved. I... she... came with Ameridan to hunt the dragon."

"The dragon?"

"Huge... power like none had seen. It came from the mountains with the Avvar. Towns fell, all dead. One last favor for Emperor Drakon. Slay the Avvar-Dragon. Save Orlais."

"There are no records of a dragon, so he must have killed it..." And since he hadn't returned... "And died doing so."

"Yes. If he had lived, he would have found her. Me. But he didn't. And no one ever knew. They fought at the shore. Spirits and magic, cold, so cold. How I found her, how she found us. They rested here, then up the river. Metal spires. A way to stop the dragon. Then Telana returned here alone to wait for him. Forever waiting. Dreaming... then dead."

Ruya made her voice gentle. "We'll find Ameridan. You don't have to wait here anymore."

Cole stepped forward. "You did what she wanted you to. You can let go of her now."

"Thank you. It was hard. I... she... went a long time ago. I stayed because she asked. Her things are there. She wanted them found."

As the spirit faded away, Ruya stepped into the cabin and gathered the belongings. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dorian dab lightly at his eyes. She knew the feeling.

#

There were Jaws of Hakkon on the short. Iron Bull glanced at Jerath. "Big ones are one point, little ones are a half point. What are the mages?"

"One point."

"Loser buys drinks." Iron Bull started down the path.

Jerath didn't bother with the path. He jumped from the top of the rock, landing between the mages, and sent out a pulse of energy before charging in with a weapon in each hand. Blackwall glanced at Ruya. "I'm feeling rather unnecessary at the moment."

Considering how good the Avvar mages were with ice magic, it was rather nice having a templar along.

#

Iron Bull pushed the boat back into the water before jumping aboard. Ruya glanced at Jerath. "Did you see any metal spires when you went up river?"

"A couple. Not far from the forward camp."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd show us where."

#

"Yes. Upriver, spires, a place to pray and plan, one last night. This is it." Cole pointed.

They reached the stairs of the old temple and found more of the Hakkonites waiting for them. The Hakkonites immediately attacked. Ruya put up a barrier, and summoned the spirit blade into her hand.

#

"What is this place?" Ruya looked around.

"It's a temple of Razikale." Jerath gestured at some carvings.

"Tevinter architecture. This just screams 'I hate my parents', doesn't it?" Dorian shook his head.

Ruya frowned. "Razikale is one of the still sleeping ones, yes?"

"Yes." Jerath shrugged. "He's the old god of mystery."

"She." Dorian glance back at the elf.

"What?" Ruya raised an eyebrow.

"Razikale is a she," Dorian said.

"I think you're wrong." Jerath started walking to the stairs.

"No, I'm certain of it. Only female of the old gods."

"I don't think so."

"Excuse me, which one of us is from Tevinter?" Dorian folded his arms. "She."

"Do the old gods even actually have genders?" Blackwall asked.

"They are dragons."

"Except all the big winged dragons are female," Iron Bull said. "So, aren't all the old gods female?"

"The lore states that only Razikale was actually female."

"Well, if he drops in, we can always ask."

"She."

Ruya laughed at the annoyed look on Dorian's face. She glanced at Cole. "What do you think, Cole? Male or female?"

"That piece was missing, so he took a different piece to replace it."

Dorian sighed. "She."

"There's Scout Harding with Professor Kenric." Ruya pointed. "Let's see what we can find out about this place.

#

"I think we need to match the tile pattern to get the doors open."

"Amell mages." Jerath shook his head. "If I put a notice on a door saying 'open this and the world will end', the paint wouldn't have time to dry before one of you was turning the handle."

"You know, I meant to ask. What's the story behind ringing a gong?" Ruya examined one of the tiles.

"Temple of Sacred Ashes. Lenore summoned a high dragon."

Ruya looked up at him, and then shook her head in disbelief. "You actually came to the ashes. What was that like?"

"It was a very traumatic experience."

"Traumatic?"

"I had to see Brehan and Leliana naked."

"Brehan may have left that part out when he told me the story," Cassandra said.

"Okay, I think I have this puzzle worked out. I just need to..." Ruya blinked when Jerath simply opened one of the doors. "How did you do that?"

"I hate puzzles."

#

"My magic isn't touching the barrier. Jerath, want to try your templar tricks?" Ruya glanced over at him.

"It would be easier just to use the veilfire, and that wouldn't disrupt any other spells that may be at work."

Ruya ignited the sconce, and then touched the veilfire to the barrier. It dissipated immediately. "You've seen barriers like this one before?" He only shrugged in response. "Alright, let's see what we have here."

Professor Kenric was thrilled at their discovery. "Oh, well done. Well done, indeed." He walked inside, stopping now and then to stare at various things. Ruya was starting to consider just dragging him when he started to rush ahead. She quickened her own pace to follow. "That's something you don't see every day."

She followed his gaze to a statue of Andraste, holding what looked like halla in each hand. The Professor continued talking. "A pair of shrines. This one is clearly Andrastian, albeit from a very early period, likely pre-Divine. But this is elven. One of their gods. Um, what was it...?" He rubbed his forehead. "'Every mother finds druffalo among sleeping juniper groves...' G-something, the one with the deer."

Scout Harding and Dorian looked at him like he was insane. Jerath actually winced. Ruya just shook her head. "What was that, every mother finds druffalo?"

"Oh, it's, um, a memory aid to help me with the names of the elven gods. 'Every' is Elgar'nan, 'mother' is Mythal, 'finds is Fallow-something..." He coughed. "I was more focused on early Chantry history. I didn't really do elves."

Her quick mental tally didn't add up. "Are you sure your memory aid caught all the elven gods?"

"Well, there's only one 'F', for Falon'Din." He tilted his head. "I suppose I forgot Fen'Harel."

"Who could blame you?" Jerath muttered.

"This isn't him, though. It's one of the ladies, ah, obviously. G-something..." He turned to look at Jerath, who just stared back.

"Jerath?" Ruya asked.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Well, you're an elf," the professor said.

Jerath gave him a confused look before slowly reaching up and touching one of his ears. Sera cackled. Ruya sighed. "That would be Ghilan'nain, Mother of the Halla."

"Yes, brilliant, thank you. That would have bothered me all day."

"Two shrines for two lovers: Inquisitor Ameridan and Telana. Maybe Telana was an elf."

"Oh, yes, that's good. The Chantry expunged references to elves before the Exalted March on the Dales." The Professor gesticulated as he spoke. "They erased the Canticle of Shartan. They must have done the same to Telana."

Ruya looked around. Though old and broken, the temple did not seem as though any great battle had occurred. "Do you think this is where Ameridan died?"

"No, this was a site of preparation, not burial. Ameridan and Telana put up this shrine together."

Scout Harding bent to examine the flowers growing near the shrine. "Look at those flowers. They're not native to the area. What if they were left at the shrine as an offering?"

"Yes, a night of prayer before battle against the dragon. But then where, where..." Professor Kenric began looking around the chamber. "We're missing something. What are we missing? Where did you go?"

#

It took them only a few minutes to puzzle out the clues Ameridan had left. "The Light shall lead her safely through the paths of this world." She pulled the lever to activate the marker.

Professor Kenric actually clapped. "Brilliant. When the Imperium abandoned this fortress, they left the wall of ice to - to..." He glanced in that direction. "Lock the door behind them?"

Scout Harding nodded. "And every lock has a key."

"Like these trail markers. Ameridan must have known how to use them." Kenric shaded his eyes with a hand as he looked out over the distance. "If they can melt through the ice, that must be where Ameridan sealed away the dragon."

Ruya nodded. "I'll follow the markers and see what we can find."

#

With Jerath's Wardens assisting the Inquisition soldiers, the forward camps were well-defended. Two gurgut hides were drying at one camp, and a scout was negotiating with an Avvar regarding the meat and bones. Ruya left them to it. The Jaws of Hakkon were guarding the fortress, and her general was still in Skyhold. Fortunately, there were two others available. She gestured for Jerath and Loghain to join her.

"The Hakkonites have numbers, the high ground, and the walls." Loghain frowned at the sketches.

"Thoughts?"

"We could make up the numbers by getting Stone-Bear hold to join us. The Avvar love a good battle."

Ruya nodded to Jerath. "Alright. In the morning, come with me to talk to the Thane. Loghain, look over our forces and see what options we have."

"Yes, Inquisitor."