Chapter 17: Return

I held onto Faren desperately. The last time I'd returned to Thedas was in the dark city. I was in Thedas for only a few minutes, but when I returned I hadn't even finished blinking. I knew that at any moment I could be pulled back to the Wasteland and didn't want to miss a single moment with Faren. We held each other tight for several minutes, expressing how much we'd missed each other, how we wanted to stay together, and how happy we were to be with one another again.

When I didn't get pulled back after several minutes, we began to calm down and release each other hesitantly. The mausoleum guards had gathered around us and dwarven citizens began to arrive as the news of me waking up had begun to spread. Once I was relatively sure I wouldn't be getting pulled back to the Wasteland, Faren helped me stand. He hooked his arm around mine and we took a moment to look out at the gathering crowd.

I couldn't help but notice that the clothing styles had changed. There were hints of the medieval styles that I had been used to when I was still active in Thedas. Now, however, the styles were more similar to the sartorial styles of mid-to-late nineteenth century Europe. The men were in lounge suits while the women were primarily in princess line and artistic style dresses. I noticed things like pocket watches and other minor mechanical items adorning people in the crowd. I also realized that I was in my armor. I had to wonder if I looked ancient or like someone from modern Earth dressed like an ancient Roman.

"She's back!" someone in the crowd shouted.

I watched as men and women activated their monocles and glasses which glowed a soft lyrium blue. I reached out with my senses to probe the devices and could sense magic coming from them. The glasses and monocles, when activated, created scrying spells which recorded events in real time. They were essentially cameras. I smiled as the implications tickled me.

I smiled down at the crowd, "Hello everyone. I must be honest with you and tell you now that I don't know how I've woken up since the last time. I'm still trying to unravel the mystery, but I hope to be able to remain with you all permanently this time."

"Hail the Empress!" another from the crowd shouted.

"We never lost faith!" came another shout.

Faren smiled at me, "They've held onto hope for so long. They still come here every year to celebrate your birthday."

"I'm sorry I went away for another two years," I said, placing my hand on his. "I'm trying to figure out what's going on while I handle things in the wasteland."

Faren crooked his brow, "Two years? Merida… it's been almost two thousand years since the last time you woke."

"What?" I gasped, completely shocked by the difference in time. "Two thousand years? Faren… I swear, it's only been two years to me."

He smiled and cupped a hand to my cheek, "I never doubted you'd return. Two thousand years or two million, I will always be right here waiting for you. Now, let's get you home if we can."

I nodded and Faren escorted me down the stairs from the dais I'd been kept on. The Legion guards helped to clear a path through the gathering crowd. When the doors to the mausoleum opened, the sight that greeted me took my breath away. The Hall of Paragons which the mausoleum was attached to had grown tenfold in size. In the center was a massive statue of me, hand raised in victory with lyrium veins swirling from the raised hand that sprawled across the ceiling to illuminate the entire hall. All around were statues of Paragons that had come and gone ever since I was pulled to the wasteland, with the older Paragons around the outer edges of the hall.

Orzammar had grown exponentially and was now a multi-tiered metropolis that stretched throughout the entire mountain range. Streetlights powered by lyrium lit the roads, changing the warm, fiery glow of home to something closer to fluorescent. The core of the city had remained relatively unchanged, though the roads had been updated and the outside of many buildings had been altered, but finding my way from the city gates to the Noble District hadn't changed. The city guard rushed toward us, still in armor, but in armor that was closer to modern designs than medieval designs. They formed up around us as the city's population swarmed the streets to catch a glimpse of me.

I shifted my demeanor from the curiosity I had for the city and cultural changes, to one of joy and pride in the people. I needed to show them a smile, confidence, and happiness that they were showing me. I waved at the gathering crowds as we moved through the city. Every level, high and low, was packed with celebration. The last time I'd woken up, only a few people had been able to see me. This time I was walking through the city in full view of everyone and they were rapturous about it.

It amazed me that, after so long, they still held me in such high regard.

When we arrived at the palace, the current Emperor and his consort met us at the front doors. The pair bowed before Faren and myself.

"Empress Orodum," the Emperor said reverently. "We're so happy to see you awake."

I began to curtsy but Faren held me upright. When I looked at him, he simply shook his head to insinuate that I shouldn't bow or curtsy.

I smiled, "Emper-"

"No, Empress!" the Emperor said quickly. "It was decreed long ago that you, and you alone, are the Empress of the dwarves. That decree dictated that whenever you woke, no one could hold the title other than you. As far as I am concerned, I am nothing but an informed advisor who is here to help you with as much relevant information as possible."

The sentiment touched me and pulled at my heartstrings. To think that even after so long, they still remained loyal to me.

"Very well, then," I replied. "Are my rooms still where they were when I last walked the palace?"

He nodded, "They are, Empress. That side is wholly reserved for you and your family."

"Thank you," I said with a grateful expression. "I would like to change, and then address the people. Can that be arranged?"

He chuckled, "Gears are already in motion, Empress. We've had many plans prepared for your return. Whenever you're ready to speak to the people, we will be ready for you."

Faren escorted me to our chambers. The decor of the palace had changed, as had the lighting, but our chambers seemed almost untouched. I understood that the clothes and furniture wouldn't have lasted for so long, but anyone could have been fooled to believe that their replacements were the originals. I assumed they'd done this so that I could have a familiar environment to return to. The geodes remained, as did the metalwork and jewelry.

"Welcome home," Faren said as he watched me move around the room, noting the details of the familiar setting.

I looked back at him, the emotions of the homecoming threatening to overwhelm me, "They've come so far without me."

He chuckled and shook his head, "The only thing we've done without all this time is your voice. I can't explain it, but you have been guiding us this entire time. We've felt your influence through all of our decisions. We have known your will. Everything they've accomplished, they've done so with your guidance."

I looked down as guilt ran through me, "But you? Are you saying I willed you to stay beside me all this time?"

He smiled and crossed the room to rest his forehead against mine gently, his gaze locked with mine, "I stayed because I love you. I told you in our first life that you were everything I ever needed. How could I ever leave you, even if you slept forever?"

We kissed. Deeply. Passionately. As if it were the first time we were ever able to express our love for one another. Over the next few hours, we caught up on things. Faren explained what technology the dwarves had come up with over time, how the culture had changed, and what had happened around Thedas over the millennia. It saddened me to hear that the human and elven kingdoms were long gone.

A thousand years ago, technology had caught up to what it had been on Earth in the early nineteenth century. Kingdoms and empires fell. Countries had changed. Cultural differences had reached untenable extremes. Eventually, war broke out. The battles lasted decades, with the dwarves remaining neutral and remaining underground. Dwarven emissaries were used as go-betweens for numerous attempts to end conflicts diplomatically, but to no avail. Eventually, the humans and elves began to use weapons that did too much damage to the surface environment for the survivors of the wars to go on much longer. The surface soil, air, and atmosphere were polluted beyond repair by conventional or most magical means.

The Qunari had been wiped out during the war. Humans had gone extinct less than a decade after the wars had ended. Elves managed to survive for almost a century, but they simply weren't capable of living underground like the dwarves. Try as the dwarves might, they simply couldn't create an environment suitable for the elves. It was a sad day when the last elf died and left the dwarves alone on Thedas.

The Caste system was still in place, though it had systematically become less important, and each caste was considered equal for the most part. Your caste now mostly represented your profession. Warriors were primarily guards and soldiers, though they could also be athletes. Artisans were crafters, artists, and tradesmen. Servants were manual laborers, farmers, housekeepers, and the like. The Surface Caste was now focused on repairing the environmental damage done by the great wars. A new caste, known as the Lyrium Caste, specialized in creating, innovating, and perfecting technology the dwarves used that was based entirely on lyrium. Finally, the Noble Caste was primarily made up of ancient families with the closest ties to my bloodline and were raised to be the leaders of the dwarves, both politically and socially.

Every dwarf alive was now related to me. Over the millennia, our descendents had married and joined every other family. My title as Mother of Dwarves was no longer simply a title, it was a literal description.

I changed into what had been among my favorite outfits. A garnet gambeson gown with golden Orodum signet studs, with polished golden armor accessories, silver jewelry and emeralds. Faren placed my crown on my head and slipped the ring Frandlin had given when he proposed onto my finger next to our wedding ring.

"That's the Empress I remember," Faren said encouragingly. He was treating me like a porcelain doll, as if at any moment I might break and slip back into my slumber.

I smiled at Faren from the mirror as I looked myself over, "No rest for the wicked."

"If you'd rather wait to speak to everyone," Faren began before I shook my head.

"No," I said certainly. "I have been wanting to be back here with you and our people for so long now. And you all have waited far longer than me. I won't delay anything."

He nodded in understanding, "As you wish. I'll escort you to the throne room."

"Is it still used as a throne room?" I asked curiously.

He laughed as we left our quarters, "Mostly for ceremony. But I don't think anyone would complain if that where you preferred to conduct business."

Palace guards formed up around us as we walked through the halls. I couldn't imagine anyone wishing to do me harm, let alone in the palace, but I wasn't going to tell them not to do their duty; especially considering how long it had been since anyone had needed to protect me personally. There were droves of dwarves in the palace's entrance hall. I could see a myriad of devices being used to record us and take pictures of us as we passed through to the throne room. The throne room itself had been updated to allow for lyrium technologies but the throne was still the same. Two thousand years wasn't much time to a dwarven hewn stone object, and the throne was among the most carefully constructed pieces of dwarven craft anywhere.

As Faren led me up the stairs to the throne and held my hand as I took my seat, I couldn't help but get that satisfied feeling of coming home and sitting down in your favorite chair. I took a moment to run my hands over the arms of the throne before I nodded to the guards to allow the dwarves in the entrance hall to come in. They packed the large room where court used to be held and I couldn't help but notice familiar family house insignias among the first few rows of seated dwarves. It seemed like some of the Houses had managed to survive the test of time.

Faren stood immediately to my left and looked at me, "Whenever you're ready, my love."

I smiled at him, then to the others. "Normally, I would begin my speeches with the phrase 'my people'. But that is no longer truly the case. I have, through circumstances beyond my control, been away so long that each and every one of you is a part of my bloodline. So, allow me to break that tradition."

I stood, and smiled warmly, "My children. I am so happy to be returned to you. It's been much less time for me than it has been for you. My husband and consort has caught me up on a great deal of the history between when I first slept till now. My heart aches at the loss of the surface races, for I had true and dear friends among them."

My smile weaned to carry the sadness I had at the news, "It makes me proud that my children worked diligently to try and find diplomatic answers to the wars, and that you worked so hard to try and save the last of the elves. In that, you have made me proud."

I motioned to the dwarves in front of me, "I am prouder still of the progress that has been made in my absence. Your industry and ingenuity have created marvels that the people of my time would never have believed possible. My younger brother, especially, would have been so excited to see what kind of world you have created."

The words stung a bit as the memory of Balin's death came back to me. I pushed the feeling down and carried on. "I know some of you must be wondering if I am back to stay. I wish I could yes. But the truth is, I simply don't know. I'm not sure if whatever caused my slumber is over with, or if it will overtake me once again. All I can do is try to make the most of the time I have with you while I'm here."

"To that end," I said, then reached out with my will and connected myself to spirit of all dwarves, joining us together as a single collective mind, "I will do what I have always done. I will work my hardest to ensure that you, my children, are able to live the best lives that you can. Just as we are all connected, and that connection runs through to the stone itself, we always work to ensure that every dwarf has the opportunity to be the best version of themselves as they can be."

I released the connection and smiled happily, "I will be here for as long as I can. I help however I am able. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that your faith in me after so long is rewarded. To that end, I understand that we have lost the surface, but the Surface Caste has dedicated itself to restoring our world. I would see this task completed. As my first act as Empress, I am asking for every resource that can be put into restoring the surface be allocated to the task!"

I took my seat on the throne, "Thedas was a beautiful world. If the dwarves are to be the only ones inhabiting it, I want us to be able to claim it all. I will personally be working with researching to create devices which can help to restore the lost foliage and environments. I will also work to develop water purification processes, as well as means by which we will repair our damaged atmosphere."

I let the excitement of a directed purpose surging through my people run through me before a continued, "Should I fall to my slumber again before this goal is achieved, I will continue to direct this effort as I have done so throughout the millennia. And once the surface and atmosphere have been completely restored, I want you to push further still!"

I held out my have and conjured the image of Thoros slowly spinning in space then produced the image of Saturnus, the moon, in orbit next to it. Thedas shrank and Saturnus grew in the magical depiction.

"Our home is our first responsibility," I said with a tone that suggested I saw what came next as a challenge, "but our goal is the stars. The first step to reaching our goal is to reach our moon, Saturnus! I want our people to not only master our world, but every world we can reach!"

"The reclamation of Thedas will be the work of generations," I admitted. "The work to reach Saturnus will take even more ingenuity. But we are dwarves! Every rock rock floating in the cosmic ether is a welcome home to us! One way or another, we will reach them! We will see all the wonders the universe has to offer! Our empire will stretch from Thedas to encompass our entire galaxy! And you will be the generation that started it all!"

The eyes of the dwarves in the room were sparkling, not just at the idea of reclaiming the surface or going on to conquer space, but also at the minor display of magic I'd put on. That gave me an idea.

I stood up once more, "I understand that my story has been passed on to you every year. I also understand that it may seem like a myth at this point. You may believe the accounts of my magic or stone manipulation to be allegory or artistic fancies to better captivate your minds and enhance my legend."

I willed the throne rooms and the rest of the palace to expanded and summoned fire, snow, lighting, and arcane tornadoes around myself. My eyes shown with a brilliant lyrium light. "Know now that every part of my story is true! I am the magic that runs through this world. I am the stone! I am the Mother of Dwarves! I am Empress Merida Orodum! And my children can do anything they set their minds to!"

I felt the uproarious sense of pride and excitement ripple through the mental link of the dwarves. There was awe mixed with fear and joy; the sense that what many had believed was myth was actually reality. I wasn't just the Empress returned, I was everything that had been taught. I was infinitely more beyond their wildest imaginations.

The next few weeks were a frenzy of activity. I worked with the Surface Castes greatest minds to help them with the beginning stages of creating G.E.C.K.s. I had a moderate understanding of their technology, but not enough to help build or finish creating them.

I was invited to political meetings, asked to speak at colleges and schools of all kinds, and was interviewed by different papers, journals, and news outlets hundreds of times. My return was monumental and most still couldn't believe the reality of it. I marveled at the technology created using lyrium and the plans craftsman had in the works. I even took the time visit the mausoleum and listen to my story being told by a young woman who was nearly my mirror image just as dwarves had been doing every year for almost three thousand years. My schedule was packed from the morning I woke till the moment I went to bed.

A month after my address, I was walking through the Noble District with Faren. Dwarves were still excited to see me and shouting at me with excitement.

"I can't believe they're still this excited," I said to Faren as I waved to the crowd.

"You're a legend, come back to life, Merida," he chuckled. "You were the same way whenever you met people in Thedas. The excitement never really left you. It's the same way for them."

"I guess I just don't see myself that way," I replied. "I understand their emotions because I can feel them, but I suppose it just doesn't click with me since I'm the person being held up."

Faren nodded and squeezed my hand in support, "I suppose that makes sense. You're used to meeting people you only knew about in a game. But you're also the person they've always heard about in stories. So their reaction is understandable, and your feeling the way you do is just as understandable."

"Do you think this is how Maric felt when we fumbled over him?" I asked.

"You fumbled over him," Faren corrected me. "You were grinning like a fan girl that entire first visit."

"I fumbled over him?" I repeated with a laugh. "I don't fum–" My words were cut off as a sudden drowsiness overtook me. I leaned onto Faren who caught me and held me upright.

"Merida?" he asked with concern. "Merida, what's wrong?"

"I'm… sorry…" I managed to say as tears ran down my cheeks and the drowsiness pulled me back into slumber. "I'm…"

"There's nothing to be sorry about Caesaris," Maplaius said as he loomed behind a doctor. "Is she alright? Will she be alright?"

The doctor turned to look over his shoulder, "Please, Legate. We need room to ascertain her condition now that she's awake."

"No…" I cried, shaking my head in defiance of the reality I woke up to. "Not again! Not again not again NOT AGAIN!"

I screamed and cried and roared defiantly. Magic, radiation and the very ground beneath me began to swirl and burst in response to my seething rage. I had been home. I had been with Faren. I was living with my people once again. And without a moment's warning it had all been ripped away and I'd been dumped back into the wasteland. I pound the metal table I'd been laying on, denting crumpling it in my anger. I sat up and jumped off the table before grabbing it and melting into a slagheap after a release of nuclear fission.

"Caesaris!" Malpaius shouted. "Calm yourself! Tell us what's wrong so that we can help!"

I wheeled on the Legate, my eyes burning with blue and green light, "What's wrong? What's wrong is that I'm back in this dump of a wasteland! I was back with my love, back with my people, back where I belonged… I was there for a month before I was pulled back to this post-apocalyptic hell hole!"

Malpais, as well as the doctors and others who had responded to the vertibird that had gone missing stare at me in confusion.

I wanted to vent my fury, my frustration and my sadness but couldn't think of a way to do it satisfactorily that wouldn't result in killing them all. My emotions flared as someone came up behind me and wrapped their arms around. I nearly used a lethal burst of radiation to throw the person away, but I noticed the arms were around my size, black, and burned. My anger deflated and my sadness overcame me. I turned to see T'Preea and fell against her, weeping uncontrollably.

"I went back again," I cried. "I was grown and Faren was there and I was with my people…" I sobbed into her shoulder as she held me close and rubbed my back to try and soothe me.

"I'm sorry," she said, knowing that anything she said would fall short. "I know you'd rather be there than here but… for what it's worth… we're happy you're back. We thought you were dead."

"If only," I moaned. I had to forcibly collect myself and stand up straight. I took a few moments to calm down and look around the area. I could see the remains of the vertibird in the distance. The sight of the wreckage brought back the moments before the crash.

"Serena?" I asked as I looked at T'Preea.

She motioned over to a vertibird that was taking off, "The Legion captured her. They're taking her back to the Prydwen to await your justice."

"Meirune?" I asked.

"I'm fine, Caesaris," Meirune replied from the side. He stood and lumbered over to me, leaning down to place his head close. "The pilots and the Legionnaires did not survive."

I sighed and looked at T'Preea, "How did you survive?"

"Luck," she shrugged. Whatever explosive Serena set off, you seemed to throw up a barrier around us both just as it went off. It created a hole into the cargo bay and Meirune was quick to grab me."

"My armor allowed us to land safely," Meirune said proudly. "I couldn't get to you, though…"

"When you didn't return after four hours, we went looking for you," Malpaius stepped forward. "We found the wreckage close to the coordinates you'd left with us. Meirune had captured Serena and you were laying on the ground in a pool of blood."

"I remembered seeing Serena pulling a grenade and you looking scared before the explosion," T'Preea explained. "I had Meirune stop her before she could recover from the explosion."

"Her power armor took damage from the explosion," Meirune added. "The armor's jump jets must have been damaged from the explosion, or she had been knocked out by it, because she hit the ground without them. I ripped her out of her armor and held her there."

I looked up at the virtibird that was taking off with Serena on board, "Call them back."

"Caesaris?" Malpaius asked. "Don't you want her secured?"

"We can't guarantee the pilots aren't traitors as well," I explained. "Serena will always be near me until we root out this treachery by the root."

Malpaius sent the orders to have the virtibird to return.

"How do you plan on finding out who is a traitor and who isn't?" T'Preea asked.

"By looking at everyone's memories," I growled. "Contact Brian at the Ala Miraculorum. I want him to secure something for me."

"And, by everyone's memories you mean…?" T'Preea asked.

"Everyone!" I shouted, meaning the word with the fury of an enraged god.