Chapter 3
Ih'tal awoke, her senses startled into alertness. She took a moment to collect her thoughts, her heart racing in her chest. This experience in the Fade was unlike any she'd encountered before. As a mage, she had ventured into the Fade, but never had it felt so vivid, so tangible. Solas, the expert on the Fade, often shared his discoveries and experiences, but now she found herself truly immersed in it, a part of the story.
Questions flooded her mind—countless questions. She had hoped that this journey with the Inquisition would shed light on the orb and Corypheus, perhaps even on Solas himself. But instead of gaining clarity, the mystery seemed to expand further. This wasn't the path she had envisioned when she joined the Conclave. Nevertheless, it had brought her closer to Solas than she had ever imagined.
He had extended an open invitation for her to approach him, yet she hesitated. She wasn't ready to confront him just yet. Instead, she decided to seek out Varric. Hopefully, the tension from the meeting with Liliana had eased, allowing them to finalize plans for potential agents.
Varric wasn't in his usual spot, prompting her to leave the great hall in search of him. She descended to the Herald's Rest, where the Iron Bull lay snoring under a table, a likely result of another Chargers' escapade. Krem remained awake, seated by the door, observing the slumbering patrons and Maryden practicing her lyrics.
His gaze shifted towards where she stood, and he nodded, inviting her to join him. She approached him, her curiosity evident in her voice. "Have you seen Varric around here? He's not in his usual spot."
Krem shook his head with a hint of amusement. "I haven't seen him since last night. He tried to join the merriment, but left shortly after the boss tried to throw him on a dare." He chuckled, "Didn't seem to like that very much."
Ih'tal's laughter joined his. "I can only imagine. Do you happen to know where he went after he left?"
"I'm sorry, my lady," Krem replied with a respectful tone, "but after he left, Rocky decided it was the perfect time to attempt building a bomb out of whatever that stuff is that the boss drinks." He rolled his eyes as if this wasn't the first such instance. "I had my hands full after that."
"Well… That was probably a wise choice," she mused. She thanked Krem for the information and left the tavern, a smile playing on her lips. She made a mental note to herself that she should take the time to join the Chargers more often. It sounded like she had been missing out on quite a bit of the entertaining chaos that usually unfolded in their company.
The courtyard was quiet at this time of day. Though the Inquisition was still relatively small, recruits arrived daily, eager to make a difference. Skyhold required constant effort, and everyone contributed. She descended to the lower ground, where healers tended to the wounded in tents. Continuing towards the stables, Ih'tal hoped to gather information from Blackwall, who always seemed to know everyone's whereabouts.
She found Blackwall crafting a wooden griffin, intended as a gift for children. She smiled as she approached, and he set aside his tools to greet her. "Inquisitor," he addressed her, his voice warm. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I'm having trouble locating Varric. Any chance you might know where he is?" Ih'tal asked, hopeful for insight. Blackwall crossed his arms and scratched his beard, deep in thought. "I saw him on the battlements this morning. He appeared to be in a hurry, so I didn't interrupt. He was headed for one of the towers."
A pang of realization struck her. Varric had mentioned an old friend with experience dealing with Corypheus. They were supposed to meet on the battlements when the friend arrived. "Thank you, Blackwall. Your assistance is always appreciated." She hugged him briefly, causing the seasoned warrior to blush, before rushing to the stairwell leading to the battlements.