Just off the Imperial Highway
The Inquisition forces marched under a canopy of trees which provided shade, and a cool breeze, from what otherwise might have been a hot day in Thedas. Dorian Pavus, Varric Tethras, and Cassandra Pentaghast all were following their Inquisitor as he led the path through to the fortress.
Benjamin was in front, after just slaying a wolf. His footfalls crunching in a light film of twigs and leaves.
The footsteps of his companions matching him.
Crunch crunch crunch.
Cassandra started chuckling behind him lightly, Benjamin shot her a look.
"Sorry," She laughed louder, "just under other circumstances this could be quite romantic."
"You mean trekking through the woods in the middle of a day towards a fortress of people who are wanting to kill us isn't romantic." Dorian quipped his mustache quivering with his wry smile.
"Not to most people." Varric murmured.
"Little legs getting tired?" Benjamin asked the writer-dwarf.
He chuckled in response, "Nah, I am good for a few more miles."
"That's good, because I think we're almost there." Benjamin craned his neck looking at the path ahead.
In reality he had waited back at Skyhold for a single day after Leliana used her birds to send her messages. They had organized their mission, and went. Benjamin taking the three best members of the Inquisition along with him. Making slow progress in order to give the spies time to do their jobs.
I just hope it's enough time. And if the people in this fort are the same ones attacking our soldiers that they do not notice the bunches of Inquisition Soldiers in the weeds.
The path suddenly opened up in a large circle lacking trees, or leaves. A large fire was built in the center though it was currently not boring. Perhaps a dozen of Leliana's best Ferelden agents were mulling about the place led by…
Lead Scout Lace Harding. The Diminutive Dwarf turned around on their approach, hand going to her weapon, but she relaxed when she saw who it was.
Curious Ben thought lifting an eyebrow. She is usually never that twitchy.
"Inquisitor, we have been watching the Fort for the last few days. All is quiet, at least for now." She stated as they came up to her. Benjamin towering over her diminutive frame, yet she did not twitch or flinch.
"Anything to report?"
"These are definitely our people," She said jabbing her thumb over her shoulder towards the fort, "after an hour of being here we saw them sally from their fort, I led a small group of the spies, it took them a day, and they set up an ambush on an Inquisition patrol…we intervened. Between us and the patrol we were able to dispatch the forces, and then returned to set up an over watch here. No more activity since then, but we have not entered…as per your orders."
Benjamin frowned, and glared as if he could see the fort, of course the trees made direct viewing of it impossible. From this distance even. He could just feel the spike of anger roiling in his gut and rushed to control it before he did something…rash.
"There is…something else." Harding said, and shifted on her feet.
Benjamin raised an eyebrow at her, "Go on."
"The fort just feels…off. Even from here, looking at it. It makes us twitchy. Even standing in its presence. Like something dark, and dangerous is inside. Waiting for us. I am glad you do not want us to go in Inquisitor, as much as it hurts me to say."
"Its ok…you are not a Templar, or a mage who is used to dealing with such things."
"So, it is magic then?" Harding asked sounding slightly on edge.
"Well, it could be, a weakness in the Veil, a mage could be behind this casting any number of spells of protection, horror, or intentionally summoning spirits…ow!" He finished as Cassandra dug him in the ribs. He glared at her, she subtly gestured to Harding, who was looking increasingly worried about the situation, rattled, almost close to tears actually. "Or…it could just be gas."
She chuckled, "Well, thanks for the warning Inquisitor…have fun."
He nodded, then looked at the group of companions, "Well then troop, shall we?"
"Yes, sounds like marvelous fun." Dorian commented.
The fort itself was only two miles from the camp. By the time they got there dusk was starting to settle into the little valley the fort was situated in. This part of Orlais was barely inhabited, only a few small towns, taverns, and trading outposts. But still, it was on the Imperial Highway and thus an important avenue for Inquisition soldiers, travelers, and bandits, to deal with.
But, with few people meant few problems needing solving. At least, they could focus on the fort entirely guilt free.
The fort was situated in the valley floor. Even from this distance, at the top perhaps another mile still out, they could see it was overgrown with moss and the surrounding area. This made it look like it was not in use, abandoned, but Benjamin trusted the instincts of his lead scout. And would doubt she would imagine chasing down a patrol sorting out of here in order to ambush members of the Inquisition.
He and Cassandra traded a look.
He wondered if she could feel it. Harding was certainly right. The place felt…wrong. There was an undeniable energy about the place, it made his magically inclined skin tingle. The veil was thin here, but other than that…he couldn't help but feel the energy felt directed. Like someone was manipulating.
"Oh marvelous fun. We are heading into a place that looks like it could come from tales a Tevinter mother would tell their children to frighten them into behaving." Dorian murmured.
"Do you feel that? There is great magic being at work here. It is a desecration that a forth that used to belong to the Templars is being used for such a purpose." Cassandra muttered through gritted teeth.
Benjamin turned to her briefly, shocked and puzzled, but buried it.
"Come on, we have to go. Let's get this over with." He said nodding towards the fort.
They were soon at the base of the fort, and while it was even darker then it was, almost gloomy with its night descending, the Inquisitor could still make out the side of the fort. He lit his Dragon Staff with an electric blue hum and tapped against the fort wall. Looking for door, or entrance, and finding none. He hoped he could find one before nightfall.
"Ugh," Cassandra said, "looking for a way into this place is impossible with all this foliage in the way."
"Brave Heart Cassandra, we'll get there." Benjamin murmured encouragingly in here.
They traded a look but was interrupted by a cry from Varric, "Found it!"
Cassandra, Dorian, and the Inquisitor all turned towards him and started running. "Varric!" Ben called after they could not find him.
"On the other side of the fort."
The three of them went around the fort. Across the front of it, and through to the other side. Where they found Varric grinning like the cat who ate the canaray, next to a slightly cracked open impression in the side of the Fort.
"Ancient Rogue's trick, combined with descent knowledge of history…the Templars would have put a door in the side of the Keep to get their archers out to flank the enemy, it would have been just off the road, and it would have provided an escape route if they were ever compromised." He pointed over his shoulder "And, a few hundred years ago, that was probably the path they used. One of them."
"Good job Varric," Benjamin nodded his approval. "Come on, let's go." He said picking his staff up off the ground and leading forward with it.
And for all his trouble he was instantly plunged into darkness. The fortress was unbearably dark. Isolated from the outside world… even with the door open. Stuffy, dank, close spaced, oppressive.
A fog, seemingly magical in nature coated the ground. Covering their legs and making Ben's hairs stand up on end even through the armored pant legs of his fine wear.
There was a room off to one side, and Benjamin led the way, holding his staff up high, both in defense, and to help him see…though even the Staff's light was eaten by the darkness.
"Inquisitor…look at this." Cassandra said over by a table.
Benjamin ambled over to her, Cassandra usually did not call him 'Inquisitor' unless it was something serious.
"What is it?"
"Maps, marking locations of Inquisition patrols."
"How did they get their hands on those?" Varric opined also coming over.
"A question I intend on asking our spy master." Benjamin murmured darkly.
"That's not all," Cassandra said pointing to more leafs of paper on the desk, "looks like requisitions, and inquiries into Red Lyrium, and this…" She said holding up a seal to him.
"The Templar Order?"
"Red Templars? Didn't we kill all those psychopaths when we defeated Corypheus." Varric asked.
"Maybe not all of them." Dorian replied. "After all Red Lyrium is still powerful, many might want to use that power for their own advantage."
"We don't know anything yet, come on, maybe the answers are further in." Benjamin said, he turned around, and led them in, further down a dark path.
The more he went, he thought he could hear whispers, tingling at the edges of his perception. Causing his neck and his skull to tingle. He craned his neck working out the sudden kinks were coming into the back of his neck.
"You betrayed us…" A voice sounding like a woman murmured off to the side.
"I'm sorry?" Benjamin asked spinning around in place.
"Sorry? For what?" Cassandra asked.
"Didn't you hear that?" He asked.
"No," She replied, brows knitting.
"You betrayed us, the Inquisition could have saved us all, yet you put a woman on the Sunburst throne who restored the Circles, enslaved us all…except for the might Inquisitor. You betrayed us!"
A spectral form rushed at him, memories filled him, of the girl that he traveled to Haven with, one of his students in the Circle. He groaned as a blast of air seemingly hit him.
"Now that, I heard, and saw."
"Come on, let's go."
They continued walking, about twenty more meters. The Inquisitor leading his men, as always. He groaned though, sweat was breaking out on his brow. He found it ever harder to breathe.
"The Circles are evil, they are an injustice…yet you ushered them back into the world, led us to our slaughter. We needed you."
Cassandra murmured behind him, "Just ignore them."
"Yes Cassandra, ignore our role in history, ignore our blatant hypocrisy. We knew all along I knew all along. Tranquility could be cured…yet I kept it from them."
Benjamin did not recognize the voice, it couldn't have been the Lord Seeker he knew, could not have been Lucius, but the intention was clear. Lambert?
"Be gone Demon, you will not distract me," Cassandra grunted.
"Demon?" The apparition laughed, "No Seeker Pentaghast, I am no Demon, but the demons you bring yourself."
"Don't listen to it, don't fall to corruption." Dorian warned.
"Seekers cannot fall to corruption." Cassandra snapped.
"Oh yes, I forgot." He replied bleakly.
"Yes Dorian, you tend to forget a great…many…things." Benjamin recognized the voice of Felix. "You forget while continuing to serve the Inquisition. Forget that our homeland is under slavery, and the threat of being made into slaves. We are being ruled, and the Venatori, while they have been defeated…their sympathies and sympathizers are still out there, waiting to strike."
"I serve the Inquisition," Dorian muttered, now his teeth were gritted.
"Ha, so much for ignoring the demons." Cassandra barked.
"Guys, this is not helping." Benjamin snapped.
"I am….sorry Inquisitor." Cassandra frowned.
He looked around, "This place, whatever magic or demon is at work here is creating a field…can't you feel it?"
She took a steadying breath, centering herself. "I believe so, but I feel its…effects…on me."
"What she said, I have not often encountered magic like this before. And usually it was from some of the Elven tribes I used to travel with for a while." Dorian commented.
"Heh, I don't know why you guys are complaining, I feel fine." Varric muttered, again sounding conflicted.
"Do you Varric? Do you really? You were kidnapped, taken to the Inquisition against your will. Kirkwall still suffers, it still burns. And yet you stay away, aloof. And meanwhile your brother suffers…how long has it been since you visited him?"
A noticeable shiver went down the Dwarf's spine. "It's been a while…to long." He whispered.
"Varric?"
The Dwarf turned towards the Inquisitor.
"Don't let it get to you."
He stiffened, then nodded.
The four companions traveled deeper into the labyrinth. The veil of magic pressed down so thick upon Benjamin that his eyes watered and it almost became physically taxing to breathe. There was almost an imperceptible fog that made vision impossible, and Ben tried to squint through it.
All he did for his efforts was to see shapes begin to form in the mists. Hard to see at first…but growing with greater frequency. A town was burning, a mother was hiding in her kitchen as the embers and smoke drifted outside her window.
"Momma, I'm scared momma." An Elven child whimpered.
"Hush now darling, the Cheveliers will be gone soon."
"Momma, why is the Empress burning us?"
"…Hush child, just go to sleep…it will be over soon."
Now a man, dressed in robes was facing down a room full of men in armor, they surrounded him in a semi-circle and advanced on him.
"Fools! You gave this mage to me! Now face the consequences!"
He unleashed a burst of fire from his hands, the men, clearly Templars, took cover and raised their shields. One of them charged forward and slashed his blade through the man's chest.
"This is the past you seek to preserve, the future you desire to build…of slavery and oppression…of people fighting for their right to exist…"
The Inquisition got to a crossroads, a path where four of them crossed in a row, suddenly the mists parted. But the magic positively crackled around them and the four members glanced around, drawing their weapons, and Ben lit his staff with electric energy.
A clopping of metal sounded, Benjamin spun around facing the way ahead of them. A figure steeped in shadow came in, he came forward into the small light cast by the brazier.
His eyes were cold grey, he was decked out in metal armor…bearing the tell-tale upside down sword and symbol of the Templar Order.
"I am Knight-Captain Durnham," The man spoke, "Weclome Inquisitor, welcome to what you have wrought."