AN: Gonna say now, I'm having a hard time thinking of a nickname for Varric to give Percy. Varric is Varric therefore nicknames are necessary, so I'm open to any and all suggestions in the reviews.

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 8

-Percy-

"We are here." Cassandra spoke up as they reached the one camp the Inquisition had managed to set up within the Hinterlands, not that far away from the Crossroads where they're supposed to meet Mother Giselle.

"Finally." Cerridwen let out a relieved sound as she brought her mount to a halt, "By the Mountain Father that saddle is uncomfortable."

"Well we can't all have a horse as special as…as uh…damnit kid you will get a nickname and you will like it!" Varric grumbled out irritably, disembarking from his own mount, or trying to until Solas came over to help the diminutive archer.

"Good luck with that." Percy snorted, reaching out to help Cerridwen off her mount, his new friend's legs somewhat shaky as she straightened up.

"Besides Boss, no horse can be as good as me!" the familiar voice of Blackjack whinnied out happily from behind him, the black stallion trotting about with wings hidden under a tarp thrown over his sides.

"Yeah buddy, I know." Percy gave a small smile as he pat his old friend's snout, Hudson wriggling about eagerly in the saddle bags.

"Your steed truly is amazing Perseus." Cerridwen walked over with a smile as she joined him in petting Blackjack, much to said Pegasus' satisfaction, "A being blessed by the Lady of the Skies herself."

"Blackjack is definitely a gift from the gods." Percy nodded, managing to hide his amusement at the accuracy of the statement. It had been quite the shock to the Inquisition to see the flying horse descending down towards Haven as nobody in this world had ever seen a Pegasus. Percy had admittedly been just as stunned till he felt the familiar feel of the magic of both Moros and the rifts around his old friend, one final gift that the god of Doom had been able to send him.

"The Herald of Andraste!" hearing a new voice, Percy turned to see a dwarven woman walking over "I've heard the stories, everyone has! We know what you did at the Breach. It's an Honor to meet you, my Lord."

"Please don't call me that." Percy pinched the bridge of his nose, hating having any sort of title be used, especially by people he didn't even know.

"I, um, I'm sorry…Sir?" the dwarf looked confused on how to address him now.

"Percy." He stated firmly, "Just call me Percy."

"Inquisition Scout Harding, at your service. I, all of us here, we'll do whatever we can to help."

"Harding huh?" Varric asked eagerly, grinning at the woman as he stepped forward, "Ever been to Kirkwall's Hightown?"

"Can't say I have, why?" the scout looked confused while Cassandra just gave an exasperated grunt.

"Because you'd be Harding in…oh never mind." Varric gave up with a slump when he realized whatever joke he was aiming for was going over the Scout's head, Percy's too if he was being honest with himself.

"It's good to meet you too Harding but we need to get working." Percy decided to force the conversation back on track, falling back into hold habits of taking charge during quests when everyone else was more focused on bickering "What's going on out here?"

"Well initially we came here to secure horses from Redcliffe's old Horsemaster. I grew up here you see, and People always said that Dennet's herds were the strongest and fastest this side of the Frostbacks. A man like that would be invaluable to the Inquisition." Harding's eyes glimmered with a flash of hometown pride for a moment before she returned to being all business "But with the Mage Templar fighting getting worse we couldn't get to him. At this point we don't even know if he's alive."

"And the person we came to meet, Mother Giselle?" Percy asked as he took a glance around the small Inquisition camp which had far too few people to be fully staffed.

"Down at the Crossroads." Harding pointed to a trail, "We stationed most of our people down there to help guard the location but the war's spread to this area too. Corporal Vale and his men are doing what they can, but they won't be able to continue to hold out for too long."

"Then we need to move." Percy's gaze hardened as he set off down the trail, Cerridwen staying by his side while the others moved quickly to catch up. The farther they moved down the trail and the cliff, the louder the sounds from the crossroads became till they were unfortunately familiar.

"The Inquisition forces are being attacked, they need our help!" Cassandra shouted as they saw the familiar soldiers, armor and shields bearing the Eye of the Lady of the Skies, fighting against those in armor adorned with a flaming sword as well as those in robes with staffs hurling spells.

"Hold! We are not Apostates!" Cassandra shouted to the armor-clad group as she blocked a strike meant to cleave her skull in two.

"We are not Templars!" Solas was shouting to those dressed in Robes like he was "We mean you no harm!"

"Both of you shut up and fight!" Percy snapped at them, a swing of his new blade Vigilance carving through the staff of the closest mage and then their chest, his serrated Qunari blade catching a Templar's sword being brought down overhead before the man went down, one of Ceridwen's arrows in his throat. The marauding Templars and Mages already out in the open were quickly cut down but new screams began to sound out from behind the barricades where the civilians were hiding.

"Kid, throw me!" Varric shouted, running over while Cassandra and Solas tried to force their way through the firm Barricade and Cerridwen ran to attempt to find a way around it. Not pausing to think, Percy grabbed Varric by his jacket and threw the Dwarf with all the strength his diminished muscles could muster, still managing to launch the smaller man high enough for Varric to land atop the barricade, raining bolts of death to the bastards on the other side, the screaming soon giving way to choked gurgles and then silence. "Open the barricade!" Varric shouted down to those on the other side "…And somebody get me a ladder!" Regrouping inside with the refugees and injured soldiers, Percy followed the steps up to a hut for healers, seeing other priestesses going there and assuming that would be the place to find this 'Mother Giselle'.

"Mother Giselle?" he called out as they crested the hill, a woman rising from the sickbed of one of the injured Inquisition forces, "And you must be the one they call the Herald of Andraste."

"By the gods will people stop calling me that?" Percy scowled irritably, "I know nothing of your faith nor its Prophet. I'm certainly not her 'Herald'."

"I…see." That clearly hadn't been what the woman had expected to hear, nor what Cassandra wanted him to do given the irritation Percy could practically feel from the woman.

"Let's get to business, I'm told you wanted to see me?" Percy looked the woman in the eyes as Cassandra straightened to pay attention to the potentially crucial meeting.

"Yes, I know of the Chantry's Denouncement, and I'm familiar with those behind it." Giselle nodded sadly as she led the group a bit further away for some privacy. I won't lie to you, some of them are grandstanding, hoping to increase their chances of becoming the new Divine."

"I'm aware given that one already sent assassins after me." Percy spat out, gripping the hilt of the sword he had taken from said contract killer, the blade's history having been shared to him by Lilliana who knew its original wielder.

"What?" Mother Giselle reeled back as if struck when he stated that, "Are you certain?"

"We captured the assassin in question. An Antivan Crow hired by Grand Cleric Victoire to murder me and then do what he could to help her take the title of Divine." Percy shared, staring into the woman's eyes for any sign that she had been aware of the plot in question.

"I…you have my word I knew nothing of her actions." Giselle shook her head fervently, "But are you sure that it was her? If your only source is the assassin themself."

"The Right and Left hands of your Divine both list this woman as an enemy to the last Divine." Percy rolled his eyes, "And Liliana's interrogation methods are thorough. I'm sure."

"W-well then." Giselle coughed, "Not all of the Grand Clerics and Revered Mothers are like that though, some are simply terrified. So many good people, senselessly taken from us."

"It was a tragedy but they're acting like murderers themselves at worst, spoiled children at best. So what are you suggesting that I do about them?" Percy wasn't going to let the woman just hand wave away the stupid actions this 'Chantry' have been taking.

"Go to them." Giselle insisted, "Convince the remaining clerics you are no Demon to be feared."

"Are you insane?!" Percy cut the woman off before they could continue, "These fools want me dead and you want me to just waltz right into their seat of power? You honestly think me talking to could mystically convince them they need to be better people and start cleaning up the sorry mess the world's in?"

"Let me put it this way." Giselle responded, a clever gleam in her eye as she stared at him "You needn't convince them all, or even any fully. You just need some of them to doubt. They are a threat because they are a unified voice from an institution that has given guidance for centuries. Take away that voice, that unity, and their power is gone. They would no longer be a threat to you. It would give you and the Inquisition all the time you would need."

"…Thank you." Percy nodded, recognizing the genuine act of help for what it was.

"I honestly don't know if you've been touched by Fate, or sent to help us…but I hope." Giselle gave him a tired smile, "Hope is what this this world needs right now. They people need to hear a rallying call, and I believe you are the voice that is needed to give it. You can build the Inquisition into a force that will deliver us…or destroy us." Behind them, Percy could feel those who knew what his name meant shift awkwardly at the implications "For now though, I will go to Haven and Provide Sister Leliana with the names of all those in the Chantry I believe would be amenable to a gathering, and all those I worry will turn out like Victoire." With that, the woman and her aides departed, heading back up to the Inquisition camp to be sent on their way.

"Percy, for now just rest here. I will go speak to Corporal Vale for a status report." Cassandra Ordered, "Varric, you talk to the scouts to get information."

"I will be going to some nearby ruins, there are some ancient Elven relics there I believe will be of use in strengthening the Veil." Solas turned to go his own way, "I will return when that is done."

Left alone with Cerridwen, Percy was about to ask her if she had any thoughts when he saw one of the refugees running over, "Please, please help me!" the man fell to the ground at their feet, scrambling and desperate "It's my wife!"

"Calm down sir, what is wrong?" Cerridwen soothed the frantic man.

"She can't breathe! She needs our son's potions to recover from this, but he went to join the group worshipping the breach in the old fort down to the south! Without it she'll die, please!" the man cried out sobbing. Percy didn't hesitate, old habits of running headfirst to save others rushing up as he gave a piercing whistle that echoed off the buildings and hills, all eyes snapping his direction at it. Moments later, the thundering of hooves could be heard as Blackjack thundered down the trail, Hudson barking excitedly from the saddlebags. Grabbing the reigns as Blackjack ran past, Percy pulled himself up into the saddle, Cerridwen grabbing him to pull herself up behind him.

"Come on Blackjack!" Percy yelled, snapping the reigns around his friend as the cloth on Blackjack's back flapped before flying off, wings shooting out as all those witnessing gasped in awe.

"Perseus!" Cassandra yelled as Blackjack took to the skies and flew south, they had a potion to collect.