Chapter 3: Lightning Shall Rain Down from the Sky
Heliwyr was annoyed. That was an understatement. She was furious. Her ears flicked up in agitation as she listened to this...this shem man. He was going on and on about how they needed to wait and that she was to be arrested and Cassandra needed to listen. His voice grated on her nerves and she found herself growling at him. "Isn't the Breach the more pressing issue, here?"
Beside her Solas placed his hand on her shoulder in agreement. She struggled not to jump at the contact but, judging by the wisp of breath by her ear, she failed.
Apparently, her speaking up just made this Chancellor person talk even more. "You brought this on us in the first place!" He scowled down at her and she bared her teeth in return. Heliwyr would not be cowed by some priest who had likely never even seen combat. The Chancellor sniffed at Heliwyr in derision and turned his attention to Cassandra. "Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless."
Moving to intervene, Heliwyr was stopped by Cassandra's voice. Strong and fearless. "We must get to the temple, it is our only hope." They then began discussing routes and which would be safest. She only paid vague attention as she watched those around her.
Varric seemed worn, the red on his shirt a stark contrast to his pale skin. Even as he joked to Solas, the smile on his face didn't quite reach his tired eyes. Solas too seemed tired, though he hid it better. The elf continued to focus intensely on the conversation...and on her. His gaze caused shivers to run down her spine.
As Heliwyr turned to look at Cassandra she found that they were asking for her input. She thought back. Mountains or charge. Help some missing scouts or aid the soldiers. Safer or faster. Better to charge, in case something happens. In case it all gets worse. Pain raced up her arm, emanating from the growing mark. "I say we charge. I won't live long enough for your trial, according to Cassandra. Better to end this now."
Cassandra looked grateful. Heliwyr supposed that she worried about the fate of the soldiers. Solas nodded at her decision and Leliana left to gather the remaining soldiers. As they left, the Chancellor made a parting remark to Cassandra. Heliwyr whirled around to give him a piece of her mind but a hand on her arm stopped her. Solas shook his head.
She wanted to scream. Heliwyr hated playing by the rules of humans. She wanted to leap over the rubble and throttle this self-important slimeball. Gritting her teeth, she followed Solas.
Soldiers marched alongside them until they reached a small camp with a rift beyond. Heliwyr cringed when one was killed by a blast from the Breach. Her ears dipped low. They needed to hurry to prevent any more death. Stopping to collect potions, they ventured out.
A handful of soldiers were combatting the demons that poured from the rift. The group spread out, with Heliwyr dodging around enemies and grabbing arrows where she could. Better to be safe rather than sorry.
It took less time to close this rift than the others. Though, Heliwyr worried over her hand. The pain was increasing. It took effort to even draw her bow properly. Thankfully, none seemed to notice her issues and she was grateful. She already owed her life to one of them, Heliwyr did not want to owe them more.
Solas moved up beside her and commented on her increasing proficiency at sealing rifts. Varric snorted and made some snarky comment.
A voice called out and Cassandra instantly brightened. It was a man, wearing a fur lined coat and bearing a sword. He seemed familiar with Cassandra and Heliwyr was glad to see her more at ease. The man congratulated Cassandra on closing the rift.
Unfortunately, as Heliwyr moved away, Cassandra corrected him. She waved her hand at the elf. "Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the prisoner's doing. It is through her efforts that we have made it thus far." Heliwyr flushed along her ears and frowned deeply at them. She had no need to be acknowledged for what was done.
This 'Commander' nodded at her cordially. "Is it? I hope they're right about you." He kept his distance and remained as still as possible. "We've lost a lot of people getting you here." While not accusatory, the statement somehow grated along Heliwyr's nerves.
Still, it would not do to get angry amongst so many of his people. Heliwyr instead lowered her head, though her ears remained raised high. She murmured quietly. "I hope so too." Glancing to the side, Heliwyr noticed Solas watching her with a small smile. She scrunched her nose at him and the smile widened.
The Commander coughed quietly and Heliwyr flushed. She turned her attention back to him as he spoke. "We'll see soon enough, won't we?" He approached Cassandra, who cocked her hip. Pointing up the mountain, he nodded at them. "We've cleared the way as best we could. I believe lady Leliana will meet you there." The soldiers that had been fighting were starting to get up and aid each other.
"Then we'd best move quickly. Give us time, Commander."
They split from each other with understanding glances. The Commander murmured his blessings for their safety and shouldered an injured soldier.
Heliwyr watched him leave for a few seconds. Perhaps this human wasn't so bad after all. The others started moving to the temple and, eventually, she joined them. Heliwyr leaped off the small cliff leading to the temple with a grace borne of her people. Solas jumped in a similar fashion and they exchanged knowing looks.
Varric, being a dwarf, was not so lucky and stumbled most of the way down. He glowered at them and grumbled about 'being too old for this' and 'show off elves'. Cassandra was neither graceful nor clumsy and simply stepped off the cliff. She raised an eyebrow at the dwarf who made a face at her.
None of them wanted to acknowledge the chaos in the open area before them. Burning, rotting corpses littered the charred ground. They were trapped in a state of constant anguish, their heads thrown to the sky. The smell permeated the air and caused Heliwyr's stomach to roil. She'd never wanted to experience anything like this again.
Her three companions seemed to ignore the environment. Heliwyr supposed each of them had been in enough situations to grow immune to it. She, however, had only known this kind of destruction twice in her life.
They moved by the corpses, Cassandra and Heliwyr muttering their own prayers for their safe passage into the next life. The entrance to the Temple of Sacred Ashes loomed in the distance. Heliwyr's heart raced and she felt something take root in her. This was important.
Rubble and corpses strewn about everywhere, they made their way forward gingerly. When they made it to a balcony overlooking the center, all had to stop in awe.
The statue, the head broken, floating up to the gaping hole in the sky. Ethereal, otherworldly, terrifying. Cassandra made an oath to her Maker and even Varric looked daunted by what they faced. The very walls sung with glowing, magical veins calling to even Heliwyr. She made a note in the back of her mind to ask Solas about it later.
And there, in the center of it all, lay the largest rift they had seen yet.
"You're here! Thank the Maker." Leliana came up beside them, various scouts and soldiers trailing behind her. She waved them away to take up position around the Temple. Cassandra placed a hand along her shoulder and they exchanged a familiar look.
Beside Heliwyr, Varric whistled. "The Breach is a long way up." He squinted up at the harsh light.
Solas tilted his head. "This is your chance. I presume you are ready?" He gripped his staff tightly. "I do not doubt that closing this will prove more difficult than others." His ears flicked and he let shadows cover his eyes. Heliwyr struggled not to laugh at the contrast this made with how the light bounced off his head.
An eyebrow lifted at her and she flushed, growled, and looked away.
"I assume there's some kind of plan to get me up there?" Heliwyr's lips slanted and she wiped away sweat building up on the back of her neck. "Unless, of course, I'm supposed to just jump?" She hopped a little, making a show of it.
The others laughed and Solas shook his head. Though, Heliwyr saw the ghost of a smile. He approached her side and leaned over her. His long fingers gestured to the rift below. "No. Though, it would be interesting to...observe." A curl to his lips. "This rift is the first and closing it should close the Breach." Heliwyr wondered where he learned of knowledge such as this.
Cassandra moved out in front of them as Leliana took the rear. Her entire body looked tense, wound up, and her dark eyebrows remained scrunched. "Let's find a way down there, then. Be careful."
Everything felt odd. The closer they got to the center, the more Heliwyr's blood tingled. Her Mark had numbed down to a light throb and her adrenaline poured out. The soldiers taking place around the perimeter shied away from her and even Varric muttered about 'elves and their crazy eyes'. She wanted to leap up, to fight. Her head buzzed with anxiety and tension.
Voices swarmed the edge of the field and the others gazed about in confusion. One, in particular, forged its way through. It was deep, otherworldly, and caused a shudder of fear to run down Heliwyr's spine.
"The hour of our victory is at hand. Bring forth the sacrifice."
Armor clanked as Cassandra shifted into a battle stance, the tendons in her neck bunched up. "What are we hearing?" She glanced around at the fractured stone as if expecting someone to leap out at them.
"At a guess?" Solas nodded at the chaos around them. "The person who created the Breach."
Heliwyr quirked an eyebrow at him. "Why do you think?"
"You heard the voice. The hour of their victory. Only one could possibly look at this as a victory." Solas stared her down, ears raising in agitation. "I was unaware I would be interrogated for offering my insight."
Red stained Heliwyr's cheeks and her ears dipped. "Ir abelas. I did not mean- I didn't intend to accuse. Only to learn." Her fingers skimmed along her bow and she fidgeted with the sudden urge to flee. Just a little more and she could get out of this human temple with all this strange magic and stranger elves. Heliwyr could get back to her people and her duty and leave this damn situation in ashes.
She stiffened at the feel of his hand on her back. Solas murmured his own apologies for misconstruing her intentions and that he would endeavour not to again. Heliwyr leapt away from him, made yet another angry face, and ran ahead to explore. He chuckled at her. The others watched on in amusement.
Heliwyr quickly forgot about their fun at her expense as she trailed along the walls. Truly, in spite of such chaos, the remains were beautiful.
Of course, it was all well and good until she approached the strange red rocks protruding near the back wall. The glowed eerily and exuded a strange warmth. Whispers crawled along the back of Heliwyr's mind and a light hum filled the air. It was singing to her. Heliwyr approached, not even truly realizing what she was doing. Like a trance.
"Hey! Don't touch that!" Varric pulled her away by the arm. Her attention snapped to him and found the dwarf's face drawn. "Just...don't touch it." He turned to Cassandra, who looked just as worried. "Seeker, that's red lyrium."
She sighed. "I see it, Varric."
"But what's it doing here?"
Solas took this moment conjecture. "Perhaps magic drew on the lyrium, corrupted it..."
Varric spat at the offending crystals. "It's evil. Whatever you do, don't touch it." He directed them away from the red lyrium with a watchful eye.
Morbid curiosity overwhelmed Heliwyr. She wouldn't touch it if it was truly dangerous but... "What happens if someone does touch it? That happened in your book, right? Your brother and the Templar commander woman." Her ears tipped up.
Varric grimaced. "You go crazy, hear voices, then it kills you."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"I'll be careful not to go near it, then." Heliwyr crossed her arms in a silent promise. Varric nodded at her solemnly before breaking out into a grin. She twisted her lips and tried not to smile back.
As the group drew nearer to the broken statue by the rift, more voices drifted through their minds. Screams, laughter, and the deep voice commanding.
"Keep the sacrifice still."
Heliwyr growled. This being had some gall. All this destruction and he sounded like a smug asshole. Fenedhis. She hoped he died with the blast.
Then, another voice came to the fore. One that drew out an immediate reaction from both Cassandra and Leliana. It was old, female, and very much in pain. It cried out for help, assistance, of any kind. Heliwyr's heart ached and guilt overwhelmed her, though she knew not why.
Cassandra spoke with a strangled voice, a flood of emotion barely being held back. "That was Divine Justinia's voice." For a brief second her shoulders hunched over and her short crop of black hair covered her eyes. As soon as the moment of weakness appeared, it left. She placed an iron grip around her feelings and the strength of her resolve shone in her eyes. Heliwyr pitied anyone who'd been involved in the blast. They would come to know the full force of the Seeker's wrath.
In the back of her mind, she prayed to the creators it wasn't her fault too.
The Breach loomed above them, twisting the fabric of reality and swirling into the sky. Distorted light spread from the Rift below. It surrounded the party, causing them to shift nervously. Strange voices surrounded them and images drew forward.
A vision of Divine Justinia V, arms spread and bound with red magic. Face contorted in pain and prostrated before...someone? Someone tall and dark. Gangly limbs dangled at their sides and long, clawed fingers extended from their hands. Red streamed from their eyes. Heliwyr let out a sharp gasp of pain looking into them.
The edge of the area blurred and in ran Heliwyr, all drawn eyebrows and wariness. She froze upon seeing them and her arms twitched to the arrows at her back. "What's going on here?" she said, eyes darting back and forth. Shapes moved in the background nervously.
Divine Justinia seized the moment of confusion for herself. She wrenched her body within its confines to stare at Heliwyr. Despite the pain she surely had to be feeling, Justinia managed to choke out words. Her voice rasped and she shuddered in agony. "Run while you can, warn them!"
It didn't take much to figure out what the warning was for.
Looming before her, the figure stretched his arm and a lone finger accusingly. Echos of, what sounded like, a male voice surrounded Heliwyr. "We have an intruder." Heliwyr quaked before them. "Slay the elf."
No one got to see what happened next. The vision retreated back beyond the Rift and out of their reach.
Cassandra didn't wait long before she rounded on Heliwyr. She frowned, body tense and denunciatory. "That was the Divine! You were there. What happened? What are we seeing?" Every line of her was wound up and strained.
Heliwyr was getting tired of dealing with the same questions repeated over and over. She shoved her face right up to Cassandra's and snarled. "I don't remember."
Solas drew between them, arms held up to placate them. The two women moved away from each other with drawn eyebrows. The smallest of sighs escaped Solas, which didn't escape Heliwyr's notice. She flushed. The older elf shook his head, but remained calm.
"The veil is thin in this place. Memories of what happened press against the edges."
More magic. Heliwyr put a palm to her forehead. She had dealt with enough magical problems back with her clan. Apparently, those problems intended to follow her even here.
The other elf continued speaking, faint fascination drifting beyond his solid composure. He spoke of how dealing with this rift would work. Heliwyr would open it so that it would be sealed, however...
All understood what this meant. Cassandra turned to the soldiers lining the walls of the ruin. She stood tall, back straight and proud. "That means demons! Stand ready!" The sound of weapons being drawn reflected across the broken stone, singing slightly when it reached the red lyrium. All moved into position and Cassandra nodded at Heliwyr. "At your ready."
Pain danced along Heliwyr's arm, like lightning, as she raised it to the looming Rift. Green danced along her caramel skin. Finally, Heliwyr felt the pull of its center. This time, though, instead of yanking back to close it, Heliwyr ripped it open violently. Noise screeched along the ground, like nails on boards.
Then the demon came through.
Varric's loud curse was the first reaction. He kept cursing, with a wide vocabulary, as he leapt back to load Bianca fast as he could. He was joined by Heliwyr who recognized it just as quickly. She gave him no glance as her face drained of all colour.
Cassandra and Leliana weren't as knowledgeable as their companions. The Seeker shot a question backwards as she readied her shield to protect them. "What is this creature?" She gritted her teeth as she felt the blow of its massive arm along her defense.
Heliwyr had no time for them, if they were to survive this. She knew all of its weak points by heart and focused on them intensely. It was Solas who ended up explaining.
"It is a Pride Demon, one of the strongest of it's kind." He didn't go into detail as he placed barrier after barrier on Cassandra who kept the beast's attention focused on her. Faintly, Heliwyr thought it was ironic that it was Solas who had been the one to say its name. Pride.
The Demon's defenses went up, like solid steel and magic. Heliwyr could not pierce through no matter how hard she shot. Another method was in order. Planting her arrows into the ground for later, Heliwyr rolled by the Pride demon to the Rift. She had not yet had the need to disrupt Rifts but now called for it. Reaching towards the shifting crystals, Heliwyr felt for the point of closure. It wouldn't close until the demon was killed as they fed off each other, but pulling at the seams would disorient and even damage the demons nearby.
Indeed, the Pride demon roared in pain and fell to one knee. Its defenses visibly weakened. Immediately, everyone poured all their efforts into bringing it down. Heliwyr remained tense and focused, unwilling to take her eyes off the beast as she shot arrow after arrow into it. No one noticed that she clenched her hands so hard around her bow that her nails were drawing blood.
No one noticed the wraiths slip out of the Fade, either.