Chapter 68: Truth
It was a long journey back to Skyhold.
Ana chose to stop in one of their camps in the Hinterlands. She could have pushed north and went to Redcliffe castle, but after everything that had happened in the last few days, she was looking forward to a bit of privacy.
Cassandra could relate. The death of Lord Seeker Lucius and the Order of Fiery Promise should have ended her fears regarding the future of the Seekers of Truth. No long would the traitor lure anymore of their brothers and sisters to their deaths. She refused to accept the Seekers had been completely destroyed, they had been everywhere once, scattered to the winds.
She could not believe that they had all been wiped out. It was impossible; at least some had to have survived.
If any of them had, she owed it to them to learn what was so special about the book that Lucius had given her, this so called book of secrets…
Whatever was in here was not just for her eyes, it belonged to every Seeker in Thedas. They all deserved to know the truth, whatever it was.
They arrived to find Mother Giselle working with the Inquisition forces still stationed here, the cleric had come seeking to aid the few sisters that still remained at the crossroads tending to the needs of the people there. Things were far better than they had been a year ago, but still there were those still in need.
Giselle saw it as her Maker given obligation to see to their care.
Plus, there was another matter. She had recently received a letter from Magister Halward Pavus of Tevinter, Dorian's father. He wished to speak with his son, but was having little success in arranging a meeting. He was now sending a family retainer to Redcliffe to speak with Dorian, and was looking to the Inquisition for help in setting up this meeting. Normally, the Mother would have handled this matter herself but she recognized how Dorian felt about priests and the chantry in general.
There was apparently quite a bit of animosity between father and son. The Magister felt using chantry connections would only make it worse, but as he explained in his letter he had no choice. Dorian had, up to this point, refused all attempts by his father to make contact. The man felt that he was now out of options. It was this, or nothing.
Personally, Cassandra did not care much one way or the other. Dorian was a good ally, but when it came to family matters she was likely as distant as he. She could not remember the last time she had set foot in an estate of one of her many relatives, which was more than fine with her. House Pentaghast had its business and she had hers.
The distance between them worked out best for all.
Magister Pavus' letter expressed the need for discretion, and given the bad blood between the Venatori and the Inquisition, she understood the value of not taking such chances. It was for this reason that she had sought out the Inquisitor herself.
The Cleric hoped that Ana could convince him to meet with this family retainer, even going so far as to suggest that Dorian not be told who he would be meeting. If he knew who was waiting in Redcliffe, he might refuse to go. Mother Giselle hoped that given the relationship between Ana and Dorian that she would be able to convince him to make the journey, and from there work at trying to rebuild a relationship between father and son.
Ana agreed to help, but stated outright that she would not lie to Dorian. He was her friend and she would not betray his trust, plus, it was possible that all this might have been some kind of Venatori trap. She would not let her ally walk into such a situation unprepared.
Now, all they had to do was find Dorian, as it turns out, that was not a hard task
Dorian was still in the Hinterlands, helping a group of Inquisition soldiers deal with a coven of Venatori mages still hiding south of the farmlands, menacing the farmers there. Ana sent a raven to their camp informing both them and Dorian that she was on her way.
She did not make mention of Dorian's father or this family retainer in the letter, that was something better discussed in person.
Being a noble herself she understood the pull of noble parents. Dorian trusted her…
It would be better if the news came straight from her.
Sera and Solas went with her, just in case Dorian decided to go and this turned out to be a trap. Cassandra volunteered to stay behind, to return to Skyhold ahead of them, and inform the rest of the war council what had happened in Caer Oswin. A wise matter to be sure, it was best that the news of what the Order of Fiery Promise had done not reach the ears of the general populace yet, the destruction of the Seekers of Truth by Corypheus' allies might be seen as bad for morale, and besides.
It would give her time to study the book in greater detail, time to digest what she had found there, and decide the best course of action.
After everything that had happened in Caer Oswin, Daniel, the Lord Seeker, part of her did not want to know what was in these pages, but her sense of duty would not allow her to simply throw the book away. Whatever was in here had convinced the Lord Seeker to join the Order of Fiery Promise, he had called the Seekers monsters…
She needed to find out why.
It was with that thought in mind that she retreated to her tent. She opened up the book and began to read.
It was not known to many, but Cassandra Pentaghast loved to read. Most people only saw her as a woman of action, but there had always been a part of her that understood the value of books. They were an escape from the harsh world in which she lived. Normally, she preferred romance novels, but tonight that was not an option.
As she read through the pages, as she sank deep into the long hidden secrets of the Seekers of Truth, she found herself confronted by things she had not expected. She had begun her journey not sure what she was going to find, but as she dug deeper, when she reached the part of the book describing the Seeker's vigil, what it entailed. It…it…
Her eyes widened in surprise, it was all she could do to stifle a gasp.
What she found here was not what she expected. In fact, it shocked her to her very core.
IOI
She…she had never known, it was likely that no one but the Lord Seekers had ever known, but…but…it...
Oh Maker.
The Book contained many references to the Rite of Tranquility, its effect, and the study of what it did to the body after it was carried out. She had never thought much about the rite; it had always been a necessary evil, a means of dealing with mages who were out of control…
She had never questioned its creation. Never questioned what purpose it had originally served. This book explained that purpose in great detail and with it revealed the greatest lie ever hidden by her order, a lie that had cost more lives than she could possibly count.
She…she could not believe it!
Why had this been kept from them? Why?
Even as she asked, she realized that she already knew the answer. She had served the Seekers proudly for years, but she had seen the changes in the order in recent years, she had seen what it had become, even if she wished to deny it.
Cassandra shook her head.
Neither she nor Justinia had been impressed with Lord Seeker Lambert. Most Holy had thought him too...extreme for the position. Cassandra had respected his station, but had never agreed with Lady Seeker Nicoline's decision to name him to such a high position. He might have been Orlesian, but he had spent too much time in Tevinter, and if half the rumors about him and the current Black Divine were true, he was a very real threat to the stability of the order. Had the Lady Seeker hoped that this would be some kind of peace offering to the Black Chantry, or had Lambert swayed her with stories about wanting to serve the true faith. The latter seemed more possible, Lambert was not above using the excuse of faith to get what he wanted, it, like duty, was often his excuse to do things that were…questionable at best.
The results had been the same, Most Holy's protests had been ignored, and Lambert had become the new Lord Seeker.
After the chaos of Kirkwall, it had been a fatal mistake.
The man loved politics far too much to be truly effective in the job. He had not simply used the power of his position, he had coveted it, and men who covet power seem to only care about one thing, more power…
Duty is often cast aside by such men.
Kirkwall's circle had fallen, then the murders in the White Spire, after that the College of Enchanter's had gathered in Val Royeaux to discuss the future…
It was then…that Lambert had struck.
She knew the stories of course, the start of the mage rebellion. Justinia had sought an end to the Rite of Tranquility, or at least a means to alter it, to make it not so damaging to the mage affected by it. She had turned to a tranquil researcher named Pharamond; in her name he had sought a new means of denying dangerous mages their magic.
In the end, he found a way to reverse his own tranquility. Lord Seeker Lambert had looked at this as the greatest betrayal of the age. The Divine had undercut Templar authority. Lambert had forgotten that the Seekers were expected to serve the Divine first and foremost. He used the Templar order's fear of the Seekers to force the order into his service. He abandoned his oath and everything that went with it.
Was it any wonder the Divine decided to aid the First Enchanters to stop him?
Most Holy had hoped that Pharamond's discovery would force the Templar order to reevaluate its treatment of mages, force them to seek a new balance with the circle, reach a new compromise.
Lambert had used it as an excuse; he led the Templars and Seekers away from the chantry and declared war. No doubt he had hoped to secure his own power base, to make himself a true king in whatever new world he envisioned.
That dream…had not come to pass.
Lambert died, murdered, and the Templars and Seekers had been left rudderless. Lucius Korrin had done little better, he lacked the strength to keep the order under control, was it any wonder that he had fallen in with the Promisers. He shared their weakness, and in the end died because of it.
Cassandra shook her head.
Lambert, Lucius, they were no better than the Knight-Commander who had tried to attack the ten year gathering when she was a girl. She had executed that fool for his treachery…
If only she had had the opportunity to do the same thing here.
Ambition and secrets had led to the mage rebellion, and no one could have ever guessed that the reason for the fighting was nothing but an excuse.
The Seekers and Templars had been told this was a war to safeguard the world, to preserve tranquility and protect the faithful.
Lambert had lied to them, they had been lied to since this beginning, and in this book was the proof.
The results of Pharamond's research was not a surprise to the Seekers, according to this book they already knew how to the reverse tranquility, they had known for ages. They had practiced this cure for years.
Cassandra frowned.
She…all the Seekers were proof that the cure worked. The vigil was harsh, it emptied the young Seekers of all emotion, all desire. It…it made them tranquil. She had been made tranquil…
Then a spirit of faith had been summoned, it touched her mind, restoring her emotions and giving her her powers.
The Lord Seekers knew this, they had always known. They had just never bothered to tell the mages or the Divine.
This secret had started the war. Pharamond's research had been pointless. Lambert had to have seen this book; he had to have known the truth. He could have informed the Divine that he knew the cure to Tranquility but he hadn't.
They could have told the mages at any time, but if they had, it would have denied the Lord Seeker the power he had always sought. His chance to build the Seekers into a power beyond the chantry, with the Templars as their loyal enforcers, he had cast aside his duty in the name of power.
He had known, just as Lucius had known.
It was them. It had always been them.
The realization struck her to her very core. This…this was not what she had expected to find.
She remembered the first time she had put on the armor of the Seekers. She still remembered the pride she had felt in that moment. She still remembered the pride on Byron's face.
Byron, what…what would he have thought of all this? Would he have been conflicted as she felt right now?
What would he have said? What would he have done?
Cassandra almost whimpered.
We could have stopped it, she thought.
We could have stopped it all.
What the seekers knew about the rite confirmed Pharamond's research. Mages who were healed were left unstable, unable to control their emotions. It was one of the many reasons "excuses" that the Seekers had never revealed this information to the Chantry or the Circle.
Had they revealed this information, would it have stopped the war? Probably not, but it would have given the Divine time to come up with another solution. Maybe all the death that had happened in the last few years could have been avoided…
Kirkwall had been the first act, the mages likely would have rebelled, but had the chantry stood united. The Seekers could have kept the Knight-Commanders in check. They…they could…
They…
We…
Cassandra slammed the book close, a curse escaped her lips.
The Seekers of Truth were supposed to stand above the Templars. They were supposed to be incorruptible, following the will of the Maker.
They…we…we have fallen so far.
Cassandra put her head in her hands and for the first time in years, the first time since her brother had been lost…
She cried.
She cried for those lost in this war. She cried for all those the Seekers had failed, all those they had betrayed.
Mostly, she cried for herself.
She had pledged her life to the service of the Maker, to fulfilling his word.
She had been wrong.
They…had been wrong.
She managed a shuddering breath as she wiped at her eyes. She forced herself to be calm to be centered.
She…she would need to tell Ana the truth. The Inquisitor deserved to know. She would let her decide what happened next.
No more lies.
No more half-truths to justify the ambitions of the few.
Only one thing could save them now, it was not pleasant, but it was necessary.
She sighed.
It was time for answers.
It was time…for the truth.