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HP Notes: Grindelwald is seeking redemption but will never be a saint. He will never stop casting the darkest curses known to man.

DA: I Notes: Should this be a yoai story or no? I found a website that shows travel times between the DA: I locations. I'll make adjustments as needed. I

Notes: For future reference, there will be a lot of fillers. I could finish this story in seven or fewer chapters if I only focused on the main quests. Also, I have to play the game as I write. That's why chapters take so long. And not all side/filler quests will be used. Also, I will not always show the whole quest. A skipped quest is a quest I don't write about but is still completed.

Completed quests in this chapter: In the Elements, An Open Vein,

Skipped quests in this chapter: Love Awaits, Agrarian Apostate, Shallow Breaths, Strange Bedfellows, My Lover's Phylactery,

Haven, three days later

Grindelwald groaned. His hand burned, and he felt his core was a little larger than it should be. 'Perks of mastering the Flames of Purgatory.' You must have a strong magical core and will to use protego diabolica. Without a strong magical core, you'll turn yourself into a husk. Without a strong will, you'll burn to ashes. Grindelwald slowly sat up and looked around. "Is this Haven?"

Something crashed to his right. "Oh! I didn't know you were awake, I swear!" It was an elf. She knelt. "I humbly beg your forgiveness and your blessing."

Grindewlad sat on the edge of the bed and spoke softly. "Rise, elf. You are not a slave, not to me." He cast a wandless calming charm. "You have nothing to fear from me."

She slowly stood up. "Thank you, my Lord."

"My name is Gellert Grindelwald. I am not your lord, and you are not a slave. What is your name?"

"Syllia Landithas."

"Thank you, Ms. Landithas. You clearly came to deliver a message. What is it?"

"Lady Cassandra wanted to know when you were awake."

Grindelwald sighed. "Does that woman ever rest?" He sighed again. "Alright, tell her I'll catch up after getting dressed."

"I will, Mr. Grindelwald."

Grindelwald noticed that he was wearing winter under armor. 'Thank God. I would otherwise freeze.' He put on the [Lightweight Battlemage Armor] over his current layers and was dissatisfied with his appearance. He looked like something from a fantasy book. "Nothing a glamor charm won't fix." He made himself look like he did the day of his defeat at the hands of his old lover. "Much better." He left the cabin and saw a few hundred soldiers with their right hands over their hearts. 'Did I go from the most wanted criminal in Thedas to a god in human form?' He sauntered, dramatically through the space they provided for him. He acknowledged everyone's presence and nodded to those he recognized from the assault on The Breach. He heard murmurings about a [Herald of Andraste]. This title meant little to him, but he knew it would be invaluable. He slowly approached the woman who said it. "Excuse me, ma'am? You called me the Herald of Andraste, correct?"

She got very nervous. "Y-yes, my Lord. Is that a problem?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. It is an honor and a privilege to receive such a title. But what does it mean to you?"

"To me?"

"Yes, to you. I am not so arrogant that I neglect those who were with me when we assaulted The Breach."

"Thank you, my Lord. It means…that Andraste sent you to save us from all the chaos and corruption."

"Thank you. It is always good to know the opinion of those lower on the food chain. And my name is Gellert Grindelwald. I am not a lord, nor do I claim to be. Call me by my name. You have all earned that right."

The soldiers stood even straighter. "Yes, Lord Grindelwald."

The former dark lord smiled. "At ease. I have business with Cassandra. Do not stand out in the cold on my account."

They saluted one more time and left to do their own things.

Lilliana came out of hiding. "That was quite the speech. Where did you learn to manipulate people like that?"

Grindelwald smiled roguishly. "If you think I'm manipulating them, we have more in common than you realized. But no, I wasn't. Not entirely, at least. They will write to their families about how the Herald of Andraste thanked them personally when many others wouldn't. One of my people once said that if you regard your soldiers like your children, they will follow you to the depths of hell."

"One could argue that keeping your distance is better for spies."

"There is a time and a place for soldiers and spies. Spies are either natural-born manipulators or grew up in abusive homes. Both recognize that their boss only sees them as assets and are okay with that. A soldier fights and dies for a cause, good or bad. A spy lies, cheats, steals, and murders for a cause, good or bad. A soldier becomes a traitor when he feels his superiors are unworthy of his support. And spy becomes a traitor when he feels his superiors are trying to screw him over."

"You sound like you have experience with this."

"More than you know."

"Care to share?"

"Another time, perhaps."

"Fair enough. Let's find Cassandra before the Chantry has one less chancellor."

They walked into the war room in the Chantry and saw Cassandra and Chancellor Rodrick arguing. Grindelwald acknowledged the templars. He didn't know if they heard his speech, but it would be great if they did. "Good morning, gentlemen." They nodded.

Chancellor Rodrick pointed to Grindelwald. "Chain him. I want him prepared for transport to the capitol for trial." The templars considered it but stood their ground. "What are you doing?! Chain him! He caused this mess!"

Grindelwald smirked. "It seems these two templars see me as a better leader than you." He turned the templars. "Disregard that and escort him out." The Chantry man was dragged out kickin' and screaming. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he was out of the building. "I can think again."

Cassandra looked happy and confused. "While I am glad to have his voice out of my head, how did you convince those templars to turn on him?"

Lilliana smirked at Grindelwald. "Our prisoner gave quite the speech. He is very good at motivating soldiers."

Cullen raised an eyebrow. "Are you, now?"

Grindelwald smiled. "More than you know."

Cassandra cleared her throat. "Back to our original purpose. Gellert, this is Commander Cullen. He is leading the Inquisition's forces." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity to declare the new Inquisition formally."

"Unfortunate. But not catastrophic. This can be remedied later. Lilliana?"

Lilliana smiled. "I am the spymaster."

"Unsurprising. You have that look in your eyes."

"That look?"

"The look of someone who would lie, cheat, steal, and murder for a cause."

Cassandra cleared her throat. "And the woman in gold is Josephine. She is our chief diplomat."

"Impressive titles. I am honored to meet you." They all nodded. "I assume you all have a plan?"

"Yes, we do. But first, we need to know how you feel about your mark."

Grindelwald observed his unknown magic mark. "It is one of the most fascinating pieces of magic I have ever seen. The fact that it can close rifts is crazy enough. But the same energy can be channeled through my wand. Do you remember when I turned a demon into green goo from the inside?"

Cassandra thought back and nodded. "Yes, I do. How did you do it?"

"I used the blood-boiling curse but forced magic through my mark and my wand instead of just my wand. It took far more out of me than I thought. But it's nothing practice won't fix."

"Interesting."

"What's the status on The Breach?"

"Solas confirms The Breach has stopped growing, and demons have stopped pouring out of the sky. However, it is not sealed completely. He believes a second attempt will succeed if the mark has more power."

"And how will I give it more power? Last time, I had to dip into my magical reserves to stop The Breach from growing. Any more, and I would have killed myself."

Lilliana pointed at the Hinterlands. "Your mark will gain more power by closing rifts and casting spells. That is Solas' theory. However, you cannot close The Breach alone. That is why we must approach the rebel mages for help."

Cullen shook his head. "And I still disagree. The Templars could do just as well."

Grindelwald listened to their arguments about what could happen if they chose one or the other. He sighed. "Lilliana is partially right. No one knows if a Templar can suppress a rift. As is Cullen. Enough magic poured into this mark might turn everyone nearby to paste. Hell, for all we know, I could seal The Breach for good right now."

Cassandra sighed. "He is right. All of this is pure speculation."

The Inquisition's ambassador and chief diplomat nodded. "Unfortunately, neither side will even speak to us yet. That Chantry has denounced you. And they will denounce the Inquisition when it's declared publicly."

Grindelwald groaned. "And if we ignored them?"

"It's not that simple. Many are calling you-a mage from a faraway land-the Herald of Andraste. That frightens the Chantry."

"Do they seriously believe that I'll try to usurp them?" He sighed and looked down in guilt. "Before I came here, I burned down entire cities during a war. It would be easy to completely remove the Chantry if needed."

"That would only make the problem worse. At the very least, the Chantry recognizes the Breach as a threat. They just don't believe we can solve it."

The former dark lord rubbed his forehead. "The Divine's corpse is barely cold, and they're already trying to consolidate their power. Typical. Is there anything we can do to stop this?"

Lilliana nodded. "There is. A Chantry cleric named Mother Giselle has asked to speak with you. She is in the Hinterlands tending to the wounded and knows those involved far better than I."

"And we're sure this isn't a trap?"

"We are. Even if we're wrong, the Chantry doesn't have the manpower to kill a mage as powerful as you. Your blue fire would kill them instantly."

He shook his head. "True, but protego diabolica is a spell I try not to use unless I must. It is not normal fire. They're the Flames of Purgatory. It can burn souls if the user is proficient enough. That includes the user."

Cullen slammed his hands on the war table. "Explain! Herald or not, I will kill you if you're a threat."

Grindelwald nodded. "The Flames of Purgatory are semi-sentient. And your will must be stronger than it. I can control it, but it is not a spell to be used lightly."

Cullen was satisfied with this answer. "I see."

Lilliana cleared her throat loudly. "As I was saying, it would be wise to seek Mother Giselle's assistance."

"Indeed. Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you're there."

Josephine nodded. "We need agents to extend our reach beyond Haven. You are the best person to recruit them."

Cassandra nodded at her colleague. "I agree. I won't leave everything to the Herald."

The number one dark lord of the century nodded. "Thank you. I will depart for the Hinterlands shortly.

The Hinterlands 5 days later

A dwarf named Harding at Upper Lake camp met Grindelwald, Cassandra, Solas, and Varric to report on the Hinterlands. She helped the Inquisition scouts navigate the area before they asked her to sign on. Before she knew it, she got a uniform, a promotion, and the official title of Scout. She looked at Grindelwald as if he was sent by Andraste herself. "The Herald of Andraste. Is it true? Did you actually close the Breach and the rifts near Haven?"

Gellert G. nodded. "Indeed. May I ask your name, young lady?"

"Scout Harding, Your Worship."

Grindelwald used his charismatic smile. "My name is Gellert Grindelwald. The Herald of Andraste is a title." He leaned in close to whisper. "And I need a friend who won't fangirl over me."

Scout Harding flushed and nodded furiously. "Yes, Gellert."

"Thank you." He sighed. "On to business. What's the situation?"

"Bad. The mages and templars are tearing the Hinterlands apart. We're also here to secure aid from Redcliffe's old horse master, Dennet. But we haven't been able to contact him. Maker only knows if even still alive."

"What makes Master Dennet's horses so valuable?"

"Dennet's horses are the strongest and fastest this side of the Frostbacks."

"I see. Thank you. Is Mother Giselle here?"

"She's at the Crossroads helping the refugees. The fighting has spread there too. You best get going."

The Herald of Andraste nodded. The walk down the hill was quiet. Too quiet. But the bottom of the hill was chaos. Mages, Templars, and mercenaries on both sides were fighting with the refugees in the middle. The Inquisition forces were doing what they could, but would soon be overrun. The "leader" of the Inquisition opened with a curse that caused all eyes to turn to him. "AVADA KADAVERA!" An apostate died instantly. He used other dark curses like the bone-melting curse and the organ-rotting curse. His shield blocked all spells the apostates used. Lightning, ice, and fire magic proved useless against the protego spell. He took a deep breath. "Is everyone alright?"

The field captain nodded. "Thanks to you. There are Templars just up the road."

"Shall we?" There was fire everywhere. And Grindelwald used this to his advantage. "Incendio!" Instead of fire coming out of his wand, he brought all the nearby fire to a wall before him. Using a combination of the bird-summoning and animation charm, he bombarded the rogue Templars with birds of fire. Their shield melted on their arms, and their swords couldn't block the explosions. The rouge Templars at the Crossroads burned to ash from the fire and flames of Grindelwald's spell. He observed his surroundings to make sure no one else was there. "That cannot be all of them."

Solas nodded. "Indeed. The mages and templars are more numerous than we expected. But even brute beasts and wandering birds do not fall for the same traps or nets twice. The crossroads will be safe for some time."

Cassandra put her sword away. "That is good news. Come. We need to find Corporal Vale."

30 minutes later, Commander's Tent

Corporal Vale was looking at the war map of the Hinterlands when the Herald of Andreste opened the tent door. "Lord Grindelwald? I see you've finally arrived."

Grindelwald sighed internally. 'It seems no one will stop calling me Lord. Might as well use it to my advantage.' "I have. Now give me a sit-rep."

Vale nodded. "The refugees didn't have enough time to pack cold-weather gear and plenty of food. If the war doesn't kill them, cold or starvation will. There's a hunter up the hill who has some ideas."

"You mentioned the cold?"

Vale chuckled. "When I asked the Inquisition for blankets, they acted like I asked for a wagon of raw lyrium. A requite named Whittle is trying to make what we can bring in last. Talk to him if you have ideas."

Grindelwald sighed. "I see. I'll take care of it. And the mages?"

"The real rebels are holed up in Redcliffe looking out for their own. These assholes are apostates gone mad with power."

"And the templars?"

"The Templars were recalled to Val Rouaux soon after the Breach was closed. These bastards are using the chaos as a reason to slaughter innocent mages and anyone they think is a mage-sympathizer."

Grindelwald scowled. "Pathetic morons. I'll deal with that personally. Anything else?"

Vale nodded. "Thank you. We have wounds that go beyond stitches and elfroot. I know healers are rare, but if can find one, it would save a lot of lives."

"I know a few minor healing spells. I'll see what I can do. What about the horsemaster?"

"Horsemaster Dennet? Unknown. Best we can tell, he's holed up until the mages and templars are done killing each other. The fighting is too thick, and we can't get to him."

"Do you know where he is?"

"We do." He pointed to the general area on the map.

"Thank you. I'll talk to him. Anything else?"

"No, sir."

"As you were."

As they were walking out, Varric frowned in confusion. "How did you do that?"

Grindelwald didn't stop walking but acknowledged him. "Do what?"

"Talk to Corporal Vale without pissing him off. Most people can't go five seconds without pissing him off."

"Men like him have no tolerance for stupid people. By showing him that I'm serious about helping the Inquisition, he felt no need to lose his temper."

Varric shrugged. "Learn something new every day, I guess."

Refugee Hunter, ten minutes later

Grindelwald approached the refugee hunter. "You are the main hunter for this town, correct?"

He looked at Grindelwald with a scowl. "I am. And what of it?"

"My name is Gellert Grindelwald. I'm here to help these people. I was told to speak to you about feeding the refugees."

"I see. My apologies, Herald of Andraste. I have some ideas if you're interested."

"I am."

"There are enough rams in the hills to feed this whole camp for months. Good eating, cooks easy, and no lords around to kill you for poaching. Unfortunately, you're more likely to find mages than mutton."

Grindelwald thought for a moment. 'This is a problem, not a dilemma.'' "Gather a half-squad of swordsmen and a half-squad of archers. Tell them it's their job to protect you while you hunt. Good hunting, and god-speed."

"Thank you, sir."

Solas voiced his thoughts when they got down the hill. "I am surprised at how well you listen to others."

The Herald of Andraste raised an eyebrow as he walked. "Why is that?"

"Most people, especially humans, refuse to listen to anyone but themselves. Yet you choose to take the advice of others."

"A man who cannot see passed his own nose often wonders why rocks hit him in the head. I will not be one of those people."

"That's one way of putting it."

"Come. This…Whittle fellow has more for us."

Continuing down the stone and dirt road, Grindelwald took note of all the little things he saw and heard. Hot topics, fashion trends, complaints, etc. When influencing people, the little things matter more than you think. And he didn't want to approach Whittle unprepared. "You are Recruit Whittle, yes?"

The recruit turned to him. "I am. How may I help?"

"You are trying to keep these refugees warm, correct?"

"Yes. And without the bare minimum, keeping them warm is next to impossible."

"I see. What would you need to change that?"

"Warm clothes, blankets, firewood, all of it. The apostates have plenty of supplies, but we can't find them. To make matters worse, rifts, demons, mages, and templars make leaving this area highly dangerous."

Grindelwald nodded. "Do you have a general idea about their location?"

Whittle nodded and pulled out a map. "We think they're in the southern section of the Hinterlands, in the Outskirts."

"I see. Thank you." Grindelwald left the recruit to seal the first rift.

One hour later, Outskirt Rift 1, Hinterlands: Outskirts

Grindelwald and co fought and killed all the demons the rift could throw at them. Six wraiths, four shades, and one rage demon. Grindelwald decided he hated them most because they exploded when killed by magic. He sat down on a rock, exhausted. "That rift was closer to the Crossroads than I thought."

Cassandra nodded. "It's true. It's a wonder that demons didn't attack."

No other words were said as they continued marking supply cache locations.

The next day, Cave in Ash Warrior's Refuge

Grindelwald just finished marking the last supply cache location when they felt something vile coming from the end of the cave. "What is that?"

Varric knew this feeling all too well. "This is red lyrium. Whatever you do, don't touch it."

"Can it be destroyed?"

"Yes. We're not far."

Varric led them to where the red lyrium was. "Destroy it. Before it starts talking to us."

That alarmed Grindelwald greatly. So much, so that he used the killing curse to destroy the lyrium. "It reminds me of another forbidden magic from my homeland." He turned around. "Come. We should not linger."

"And our next destination is?"

"I saw some rifts on the way to the cave. I need to blow off some steam."

The rifts at Dwarfson's Pass and Winterwatch Tower provided an excellent source of outrage for the leader of the new Inquisition.

Sorry, that took so long. Sometimes I have to restart because I went too far, or the game breaks because of the mods I use. (If a mod seems sketchy, it probably is.) This seemed like a good place to stop and it's been months since I updated.