Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sound of far-away screams woke Ineri. She coughed out smoke and her senses came slowly back to her. The stench of burned wood and flesh hang in the air, and it took her a moment to realize, that she was lying on the ground. Groaning she slowly stood up. Her head was thrumming, but the sounds were gone now. She stood in silence for a second only hearing her own breathing and her hammering heartbeat. She could not make out buildings or nature. Nothing seemed familiar. She scanned what she believed to be the sky above her, but could not make out stars, nor the moon or even just clouds, it was mostly dark safe for a bright-shining hill right in front of her.

“Where am I?” she asked into the void as she stumbled along rubble, shielding her eyes with a hand from the brightness up ahead. Once she reached the foot of the hill, she heard scraping sounds of small feet, a lot of small feet, nearing her. A sound, that make her heart race more. As she turned around, she saw dozen huge spiderlike creatures running towards her.

“This is a nightmare”, she yelled and stumbled up the hill. The closer she scrambled towards the top, the more she could make out a figure in the bright light, holding out a hand towards her. It seemed like a woman. With one desperate leap, Ineri grabbed the hand and was pulled towards the light. It engulfed her mere seconds, before she landed hard on stone. The shock of the impact rattled her teeth and her head felt like it would explode, leaving her vision spinning. As she leaned on her left hand, it sent a sharp pain towards her whole left side, that made her see bright spots. From somewhere the sound of metal and heavy footsteps neared. Then the world went dark once more.

When Ineri woke again, she found herself in metal chains, bolted to the stonefloor. Heavy stone walls surrounded her only lit with a few hanging torches. As her left hand sent a piercing pain that rippled up her entire arm, she looked down. With horror she lifted her left palm and saw green sparks and light pooling out of it.

“Mythal’enaste” she gasped. She tried to scan her body for other injuries, but with a sigh of relief, she couldn’t detect any. The sound of scraping metal made her jolt and look up. Far in the back of the dimmed room she saw a couple of human soldiers lurking in the shadows. With their hands ready on the weapons, Ineri immediatly felt like prey. “Where am I?”, she asked, but instead of an answer, the door in front of her was slammed open and two human women entered.

The first woman was tall and in full heavy armor. And to Ineri it resembled the armor of a Templar, yet her breast plate held the sigil of the divines own inner circle. She marched towards Ineri, fiercely grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Pure hatred stood on her scarred face as she spat out: “Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.” She let go of Ineri and circled around her and continued in a thick rolling Nevarran accent: “The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead! Except for you.”

The second woman walked closer, and now both towered over Ineri. She was wearing a light mail armor and a hood that covered most of her eyes, yet a strand of red hair peeked underneath the hood. She wore the same sigil as the other one on her breast plate. “Calm yourself Cassandra, we need information first!”

The tall women only replied in a snort.

“You think, I did it?”, Ineri replied firmly already sure of their answer, since she felt like she was interrogated as the only elf around. Yet the words of a catastrophe that happened around the Conclave and that she had no memory of it, made her mind race. Deshanna shouldn’t have sent me here. A Dalish elf surrounded by human spies and templars from the Divine. The Conclave destroyed? This couldn’t be true.

“Explain this”, yelled the woman called Cassandra again and grabbed Ineris tied up hands, as green sparks erupted out of her left hand again.

“I… I can’t.” Ineri flinched in pain. “I don’t know what happened. I only remember glimpses.” The woman led her arm go.

“Then tell us what you remember”, demanded the second one.

Ineri looked from the spy to the templar. They will have me dead soon or later. She took a long breath before she spoke.

When the heavy doors of the chapel opened Ineri had to shield her eyes from the sudden light, which was still a difficult task while her hands were tied in front of her, as she followed Cassandra out of the building.

Ineri couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A massive twirling whole had been punched through the clouds, sparkling green like the mark in her left hand. Shock waves of thunder and howling wind rippled through the air and she could see green chunks falling out of the sky like meteors, hitting the nearby land.

“We call it the Breach”, Cassandra said. “It’s a massive rift into the Fade, the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. The veil is cracking open. It’s not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave.”

As the Breach rippled again, Ineris hand sent a shock of pain through her once again. She cried out and sank to the floor.

Cassandra knelt in front of her with a stern face. “Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads…and it’s killing you. She cut the ties around Ineris wrists and continued. “It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn’t much time.”

Ineri drew air through her teeth as she stood back up again. “You want me, a Dalish elf to help? What happens after?”

“There will be a trial. I can promise no more. Come it is not far.”

Ineri slowly followed Cassandra through the little village towards the gates. Grumpy faces of tall soldiers greeted them. While Cassandra was greeted as the seeker, the right hand of the divine, some sneered “knife ear” and “foul rabbit” towards Ineri as the two women made their way towards the gates.

“They have decided your guilt”, Cassandra pointed out dryly as Ineri looked away ashamed. “They need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conlave was hers.”

As they passed through the gates and walked upon a snowy path towards the hillside, Ineri searched for the quiet hum of mana in her and tried to calm the hammering heart as the seeker Cassandra led the way. “Focus not on the dying part. Lasa’ Dirth’ma, Lasa’ ma sulevin”, Ineri murmured softly to herself as she walked along. Maybe she could help and this whole nightmare would end. She would return to her clan and tell everything to the Keeper Deshanna. Then together they would decide, where the clan should move now, since southern Thedas was becoming more and more unstable. All she knew now was that the Conclave should have ended a war between mages and templars. Now destroyed and a huge gap in the veil, the barrier between this world and the Fade, the living and the dead, seemed to drown the world in ash and demons. And a mysterious green glow in her left hand had everyone believe so far, it was her fault. Ineri was in the middle of her thoughts, when the stone bridge on which they walked, was suddenly hit by a green meteor of the Breach.

The bridge crumbled by the impact and sent both women down on a frozen riverbed. As they stood up again, small fragments of the green meteor formed into demons in front of them. Cassandra drew her sword. “Stay behind me”, she yelled before leaping towards the first demon.

Soon another fragment with another demon inside opened in front of Ineri. As she looked around and saw a mage staff stuck in between the rubble next to her. She quickly grabbed it, spun around and cast a fire ball towards the demon. The other two she hit with a series of ice shards from the staff and drew mana for a fierce electric shock in the end.

When the danger was averted, Cassandra pointed her sword towards Ineri. “Drop that weapon!”

“You need to trust me! But don’t you think I need a weapon to cast my magic”, Ineri replied and stood firm.

“Is that supposed to reassure me?”

“I haven’t used my magic against you, yet.”

Cassandra sighed and sheathed the sword. “Alright. You don’t need a staff. But you should have one. I cannot protect you.”

And with that they walked along and found themselves on the small trail again towards the rift. A couple of other small demons appeared and where slain again by them. Soon Ineri heard shouting in the distance.

“We are getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting”

“Who’s fighting?” Ineri asked in confusion.

“You’ll see soon. We must help them”

As they reached another hill side and sprinted up the snowy steps, Ineri could finally see the commotion in front of her. A couple of soldiers encircled by bigger demons, three shades surrounding an elven mage and a dwarf with a crossbow in the middle of it, fighting around a glowing rift, that spilled out demons without an end.

Ineri shot another lightning strike towards the demons and hit a shade as well.

As they’d finally slain the demons, the other elf ran towards Ineri shouting: “Quickly before more come through”. And before she could react, he grabbed her left wrist and held it near towards the pumping fade rift in front of them.

The mark in her hand felt magnetic towards it. The magic surged out in a shock wave and pushed the rift back into the fade. It looked like it would implode before it disappeared. The process didn’t hurt, but Ineri felt an unusual pull on her own mana, feeling slightly depleted. The rift was sealed. The elf let go of her arm, with a pleased smile upon his face.

Ineri pulled her hand away and examined her palm. It pulsed in a static rhythm, painless now. “What did you do?”

“I did nothing. The credit is yours”, he replied calm, his eyes fixed on her.

“You mean the mark.”

“Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach’s wake – I seems, I was correct.” His voice held a smug tone in it that made Ineri grimace slightly.

Cassandra walked next to her. “Meaning it could also close the Breach itself.”

“Possibly”, he replied with a stern face. “It seems you hold the key to our salvation.”

Ineri opened her mouth, but was too baffled by his words and the pulsing power in her hand.

“Good to know. And here I thought we’d be ass-deep in demons forever.” The dwarf behind her walked closer, clipping the crossbow back together before looking Ineri in the eyes and smiled. “Varric Thedras: rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong” At that he winked to Cassandra who only made a face in return and turned towards the soldiers. Varric had a dense figure, sported earrings, a crooked nose, ginger hair and a descent amount of chest hair. The latter managed to peek out through is leather outfit and caught Ineris eyes. To her he seemed more of a well-known traveler or pirate even, a figure out of stories she heard as a child.

“Ineri’tara Lavellan, from clan Lavellan. But please just call me Ineri. And you are the first person to make an introduction, that didn’t threaten me”, she replied and smiled back at him. “Are you two with the chantry?”

The male elf chuckled. “Is this a serious question?” And then introduced himself as Solas. He evidently knew more about her mark, as he had helped to study it and kept it from killing her. Solas claimed he studied the Fade. It seemed he was an expert on this subject however and was currently helping out, to find an answer to this Breach. Ineri reckoned from his worn rags that he was a middle-age elven apostate. What stood out was, that he was bald and very tall and his face held no vallaslin. And from what she knew only city slaves had none.

Fine enough, thought Ineri, if it meant I was still alive.

Cassandra returned and a new task was set upon them. Finding the forward camp to gather a route towards the breach. Ineri was determined to follow another instruction to keep a clear head. She hoped it would get her out of this mess more quickly.

The four of them made their way through the hill slopes. While Varric informed Cassandra of the current state of the valley, Ineri tried to scan the landscape for some herbs. She was getting slightly hungry and felt fatigue creeping upon her. Rounding some trees she found some Elfroot and later even some stale bread and coin from a rundown camp side. Though she knew Cassandra watched her very closely, her actions were not held back. As she looked for plunder in a nearby broken house and came out of the rubble again, Solas stood in front of her and held out a waterskin.

“You’re Dalish and clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here?”

Ineri took the waterskin and drank some sips, before handing it back to him. “Thank you. What do you know of the Dalish?”

“I have wandered many roads in my time and crossed paths with your people with more than one occasion.”

They continued to walk beside each other towards the track where Varric and Cassandra waited for them. Ineri looked upon Solas. “What do you mean by crossed paths?” He talked about her people like foreigners would. Close up, she could detect his fair skin was dotted with light freckles. His grey eyes seem to bore into her. His big ears were slightly bend at the end. She could not place the look on his face. Cocky and curious she found it.

“I mean, that I’ve tried to share knowledge. Only to be attacked for no greater reason, than superstition.”

Yep, Flat-Ear, was the thought that immediately came to her mind and she tried to not to role her eyes at him. Cocky Flat-Ear from the city. She raised a brow at him and walked on without a response.

Solas frowned. “It is silence then. As you wish.”

Varric overhearing the last words, chipped in. “Can’t you elves play nice for once?”

Ineri smiled towards herself and kept marching in front of the rest of them. If she could reach the top and get rid of the breach, maybe she could get rid of the mark and these nosy people as well.

Chapter Text

This was not how it was planned. But in the last past year Solas had grown accustomed to the idea, that none of his previous plans to make things better, had really succeeded. And whilst he was climbing another long ladder upwards an icy mountain pass and tried to keep up with his travel group, he found himself out of breath and weaker than ever.

His unfortunate slumber had left him largely without much stamina, magical power and knowledge about the current state of the world. The early months he’d drifted in and out of the Fade in dreams, quickly gathering knowledge on past historical events only. What was once whole, was now crippled. When he was wandering in the Fade everything seemed out of order, ripped apart into islands of memories and dreams. Palaces and nature, once full of magic and spirits were now empty. The Fade and the outside world were disconnected by the Veil. And soon he had learned the elves, where mere shadows from their former selves, either enslaved or estranged from their culture, believing in gods and folklore of the past. And after another devastating and regretful event, the Breach destabilized the veil beyond measure. Now Solas had found it his duty, to reduce the thread that now loomed over the world.

“Over there”, came a shout from Cassandra.

Solas saw, how she and Ineri’tara had already reached an old fortress, whilst he had just reached the top of the last platform. His breathing was labored as his hand clung to the last rungs of the ladder.

“Try to keep up Chuckles”, Varric, the dwarf mused in front of him and readied his crossbow once again. “Our new ally is quite the huntress”.

On that word he could agree with the dwarf, but he didn’t reply but hurried himself. The young female elf seemed more focused than in the morning after they’ve met. The way Ineri’tara had previously decided to walk the unsecured mountain pass, which was a quicker, yet riskier route towards the Temple of Sacred Ashes, and to look for missing soldiers along the way, had earned her some respect from the Seeker Cassandra, whilst angering a local priest of the Chantry. Now she took upon the lead within the fortress ruins, holding her newly found fire staff like a torch besides her and illuminated the walls of the fortress. Fire seemed to be her natural element of choice. And so far, since encountering their first rift, she seemed to be pain free, or at least she didn’t let it show and that was a slight relief to him. He could only to so much to the mark, when he was constantly eyed by the soldiers in the cellar and the seeker herself from time to time. With any luck, she would survive until they reached the Breach.

The four of them made quick work of lingering shades and several demons that occupied the halls. Whilst fighting, Solas watched the young elf closely and wondered if she had fulfilled an important role in her clan. She was determined, took some well measured risks, yet she also seemed to care about the life of others, even if not from her own kin. During battle, she was focused, her magical abilities well trained and her willpower strong. He considered asking her about her background but quickly dismissed the idea. She was, after all, just a means to an end. The mark in her hand was the key to averting the immediate danger and then he should try to figure out, how to continue alone.

The group finally found the missing soldiers alive above the ruins and after securing the place they continued to march upon the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

As they reached it, even Solas was surprised by the sheer force of power the explosion must have had to not only form an uncontrolled breach in the Veil but deform a whole mountain top into spikes and ash. Burned corpses and rubble scattered the way and the chilly air held a foul smell. The four of them were looking around when the spymaster Leliana arrived, with several more soldiers in tow. Cassandra ordered her to take positions around the temple ruins, while Ineri and the rest where walking towards the center ring that gave a clear view towards the rift below. The wind had picked up again carrying words of the people across the place like in a theater. “The Breach is a whole way up”, muttered Varric beside him, whilst taking in the surroundings.

Ineri looked towards the Breach and then to Cassandra. “I take it you have a plan to get me up there?”

“No”, Solas replied pointing to the center. “This rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach.”

“Then let’s find a way down. And be careful”, said Cassandra.

Suddenly a booming voice rang out across the plain. “Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice”

“What are we hearing?”, asked Ineri stopping in her track and turned towards him eyes wide in shock.

Solas’ pulse quickened as he answered: “At a guess, the person who created the Breach.”

In Ineris face he could detect some flicker of uncertainty, but she masked it again with firmness as they made their way around the upper scaffolding. Rounding a corner, he saw red crystals rooted within the black stone. The chilly air was warm here. 

Varric stopped in his track and turned towards Cassandra. “You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker.

“I see it, Varric.”

“But what’s it doing here?”

“Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupting it.” What nonsense am I talking here, he thought but tried to keep a stern face. He couldn’t linger on that tiny detail.

“Ugh, it’s evil”, responded Varric and stepped closer to Ineri, touching her arm slightly. “Whatever you do, don’t touch it.”

Ineri nodded and they reached the center rift in silence.

Standing in front of the Fade rift Ineris hand started to flare up and the booming voice was heard once again. Along with another voice, of which Cassandra immediately recognized as the voice of the Divine Justinia calling out for help. What they saw then was to Solas’ knowledge an echo of the Fade itself. Like a time capsule of a memory, stored in the Fade. It presented the Divine Justinia trapped by a towering figure as well as Ineri, interrupting some sort of sacrifice. Solas examined the rift closer as the echo faded, whilst Cassandra bombarded Ineri with questions, she couldn’t answer.

“This rift is not sealed, but it is closed”, Solas yelled loud enough so that everyone nearby could hear him against the howling wind of the breach above. ”Albeit temporarily. I believe that with the mark, the rift can be opened and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side.”

“That means demons”, shouted Cassandra towards the troops upstairs. “Stand ready!”

Ineri closed in and reached her hand out, like before, opening the rift. With a massive pang not only minor shades but a massive pride demon appeared. The fight was long, but whilst Solas and the rest occupied the beasts, Ineri was finally able to weaken the demons and close the rift in the end. His eyes searched for the young female elf again and he registered with a sigh of short relief that she still stood, though panting and looking paler than before. Even Solas could feel his depleted Mana once again, as he turned away from the party to catch his breath and to take a look upon the sky. The Breach was still there, but now stagnant, not drawing more power out of the Fade. The veil was still unstable. Not close enough, he thought.

“Ineri! Hold on!” Cassandra yelled suddenly behind him.

Solas turned around and saw the young elf collapse to the ground. He watched as everybody seemed to rush to the woman who lay still in between the battlefield. The mark in her hand humming in a quite rhythm. Solas frowned as he considered her hand once again. It was a key to the Fade, a fragment of a power beyond hers to wield. How long before she would succumb to it?

The following days were filled with quiet whispers in the village called Haven about the Herald of Andraste. As Solas feared, Ineri was already named a holy figure, send out by their holy chosen to help against the looming horror of the Breach. He had settled into one of the little huts nearby the apothecary and was aware, that she was guarded almost around the clock by the alchemist and several chantry sisters. On one afternoon, she finally rose again, and she was taken to the village chapel immediately after waking up.

Hours later, when the chapel doors opened again, the military leader Cullen announced the reintroduction of the Inquisition to the troops and the villagers. Solas followed some of the people and read the proclamation which was nailed upon the main gate. The Inquisition would act as a military organization of the late Divine Justinia V to restore order to the chaos. It would aid in sealing the remaining tears in the veil and put an end to the chaos across Southern Thedas between mages and templars.

As Solas returned to his hut, he saw Ineri next to Cullen, Cassandra, Leliana and a woman, who seemed to be another grand adviser in the whole team. He shook his head and frowned. She was clearly inducted into the reborn Inquisition to help with her mark and given no big choice in that matter or worse, was already very eager to take control.
He sighed and began to pace in slow circles outside, feeling the cold ground on his bare toes that were not wrapped in his leg wraps. All of it seemed familiar. The rose to power, the misuse of trust and devotees, the wars to come. I’m tired of this scheme, he thought.

He was not sure, how to move on alone. On one side, he was glad, she had survived and so did the mark. But it was of no use for him, as he could not retrieve its power from her body. And unchecked it could mean a short death of her and the power would be simply out of reach forever and with it the only key to stabilize the veil. There were too many questions he could not answer about the Breach and the ritual that has been held there. What exactly went wrong with his former plan. Moreover, how unstable the veil had become. He needed time and more information.

“Solas, Andaran atish’an”, said a familiar voice behind him cutting through his thoughts.

Ineri walked towards him. She looked clean and well rested. Her sand-blonde hair was tied in a neat short ponytail, and she had obviously been given clothes that accentuated both her delicate, slender figure as well as her curves.

Solas smiled he couldn't help but mock her a little. “The Chosen of Andraste, a blessed hero sent to save us all.”

“I have no desire to be the hero”, said Ineri, returning a polite smile. “All I want is to help and to seal the Breach.”

Solas snorted. “Pragmatic but ultimately irrelevant. In my journeys through the Fade, I’ve watched thousands of battles and wars, reenacted by spirits. I saw dreams of lost civilizations. I saw power and its misuse by the people who held it. Every war has its great heroes. I’m just curious what kind you’ll be.”

Instead of an answer she just frowned shortly and asked: “You study ancient ruins whilst dreaming in the Fade? How can you sleep within ruins? Isn’t it dangerous?”

Her questions hit him like a slap. He narrowed his eyes. Was she serious right now?

“Spirits press upon the Veil whenever there is history stored in ruins or death in greater numbers. Weakening the barrier between our worlds. As for my safe dreaming. I do set wards. And when you set food out for the spiders, they are usually content to live and let live.”

“I’ve never heard of anyone going so far into the Fade. That is truly extraordinary”, said Ineri and seemed to beam with honest excitement.

Solas raised his brow. She was serious. “Thank you. It’s not a common field of study, for obvious reasons” And with a slight smirk he added. “Not so flashy as throwing lightning or fire.” He registered that she blushed slightly by the mentioning of her favourite magical resource. He hadn't fully noticed her face until now, yet her white-blue eyes seemed to glow like opals in the light and were a stark contrast to her warmer skin tone. Very pale freckles dotted across her entire face. He also noticed her vexing Vallaslin of Dirthamen that framed it. An insult to her otherwise beautiful features. And right here and then he knew what to do next.

“I will stay then. At least until the Breach has been closed.”

“Was that in doubt?”, Ineri asked.

He chuckled. “I am an apostate, surrounded by Chantry forces in the middle of mage rebellion. Unlike you, I do not bear a magical mark in my hand. Cassandra has been accommodating. But you understand my caution.”

Ineri sighed. “You came here to help, Solas. I will not let that be used against you.”

“How would you stop them?”

Ineris face grew firm. “However, I had to.”

It took Solas a moment to let these words settle in. He didn’t expect that support towards him given so freely. He looked into her eyes again, searching for any dishonesty. She held his gaze. Her eyes were so bright, like stars now. She’d spoken those words so purely. “Thank you”, he finally replied after what seemed to him a very long pause. He straightened up and looked at the village gates in the distance. Ineri’tara – Pure Sky, a fitting name, he thought.

Chapter Text

Ineri stood along a clearing, leaning on her staff. She watched her hand, as green magic rippled through her veins. The flesh was tight and her fingers sometimes went numb. She winced as she tried to rub the stinging sensation away.

The group had just set up a new camp after successfully dispatching a mercenary group in the North of the Hinterlands, near Redcliffe and Ineri took the time to take a rest and clear her mind a bit. Nothing felt like the live she’d lived just four weeks ago.

Four weeks now since she had that weird power in her palm, and since the founding of the Inquisition. Four weeks since she had departed Haven again together with Cassandra, Solas and Varric to meet up with Scout Lace Harding in the Hinterlands to recruit a member of the Chantry named Mother Giselle for the Inquisition and helping refugees along the way. Four weeks of receiving plea upon plea upon tasks and further cries for help throughout the whole area. Nothing of her previous training within her clan had prepared her for what she had to do now. With Mother Giselle willing to work with the Inquisition, the Crossroads could finally be secured by the Inquisition soldiers that came in after Ineri and her companions had secured the outpost and made a few more camps along the way.

Along their travels through the Hinterlands, they had seen rogue Templar groups on the hunt for rebel mages. Burnt houses, scattered letters of families and lovers torn apart through the uprising. In between fade tears and scattered demons, also waited burglars for easy prey. The soldiers stationed on the crossroads reported further supplies were needed to secure the hold, feed the poor and warm the sick and homeless against the cold, but the supply caches of the mages had gone missing. Furthermore, the western roads towards the Redcliffe farms, where the Inquisition were to meet up with a former horsemaster were currently blocked by fighting mages and templars.

Ineri stared at her hand again, wondering why, despite all the strange experiences, nothing seemed as foreign to her as her own magical abilities.

“Is the mark bothering you again?”, asked Solas as he came closer, whilst storing a couple of new healing potions in his backpack.

Ineri made a face while showing up both hands towards his face. “Well, I’m afraid my left hand tries to be a constant rift-magnet and the right one swinging my staff would like to focus on anything but demons and rifts. I’m feeling weirdly torn apart by different power sources.”

“Given the fact, that you clearly hold a foreign power within your natural magical resource, I assume that there is an imbalance in between the two. For now, I could try to ease the pain in your left palm, without dampening your power, if you wish.”

“I would appreciate it, thank you.” Ineri hold out her left hand and Solas took it between his palms and let some of his magic run through her, whilst his fingers massaged her palm slightly. She supposed it was some kind of healing spell, and wondered if he could teach it to her, whilst she watched him closely. His hands were soft and warm, a delight in the cold fall air. She studied his freckles on his nose, how his chest rose and fell slowly and suddenly had to fight a heavy fatigue that overcame her. When the stinging pain finally subdued, he released her from his soft grip and a loud sigh of content escaped her lips, and she immediately felt the heat on her face, when she looked in the puzzled face of Solas. She cleared her throat and quickly took a step away from him.

“Ineri’tara, whilst we’re here, I would like to examine an old elven ruin which is close by. According to my research. Some contain wards, which could help against the tears in the veil.”

Ineri scrunched her nose at the sound of her full name and would have rather taken a nap in the sun, but she couldn’t simply pass on the opportunity to explore elven ruins and from the look on Solas’ face, she was sure, he could neither. “You can call me just Ineri. Ineri’tara is used by my keeper and my mother to scold me”, she replied with a slight smirk. “Alright, let’s gather the rest and search for clues.”

The group easily found the entrance to the cave, since they stumbled upon a fight between a Dalish mage against a demon. They helped her out and Ineri quickly exchanged words with the mage, whose name was Mihris. She was also after the elven artifact which could evidently help to measure the veil and find new rifts. Ineri also asked Mihris about her clan and learned the devastating truth, that clan Virnehn had been slaughtered by a demon the clan leaders had previously summoned. Ineri offered her help and together they entered the ruins. They cleared it out of some lingering demons and activated old elven veilfire. Since than Ineri had only ever read about veilfire, but never truly seen it herself. The flame was without heat it danced in blue-green tones within the torch holder and was only able to be activated by a mage.

While Solas walked through the chamber with the veilfire torch in his hand in search of the artifact, Mihris continued to talk to Ineri about clan leaders, whilst Varric and Cassandra took a short rest on a nearby pillar.

“How do you fair alone out here?”

“I know my way around humans”, replied Mihris and side-eyed Cassandra. “The trouble since the Breach is finding a new clan. I was just about doing that, when this Breach opened. I did not expect, to find so many demons out here.”

“I’ve found it, come here” Solas called, and Ineri hustled over where he stood. The artifact seemed heavy. It was a globe like sculpture made entirely out of some sort of dark metal, Ineri couldn’t think the name of. Moving it was not possible without more magic or a wagon with a horse, but Solas assured, that the artifact was not the only one out here and did not need to be moved to work properly. Ineri successfully activated it as instructed by him. As the task for the day seemed done, she heard Mihris nearby fumbling within the chamber ruins. “Well, seems like the ancestors left something for me as well, interesting.”

Ineri sauntered over and saw a light amulet in her hands.

Mihris stood up quickly storing it in her pocket. “I believe our alliance is concluded. Go in peace stranger.”

Ineri was keen on having the amulet as well, since it could be beneficial for their tasks ahead. But she was in doubt, Mihris would give up her treasure that easy. Even if she was a Dalish. She looked over to Solas, and it seemed, he had guessed the same, as he spoke towards Mihris.

“Ma Halani. Ma Glandival. Vir Enasalin.”

“I…perhaps your right. Here take it”, Mihris replied. Solas retrieved the amulet from her and smiled slightly towards Ineri.

After they parted ways with the other elf and were back in their camp, Solas walked over to Ineri and spoke in a lower voice. “It’s an amulet of power, enhancing one’s magic abilities”.

Ineri considered her palm briefly and nodded. “Keep it, I think it would benefit you more currently.”

“Thank you, Ineri.” He bowed his head slightly and a brief smile danced on his lips before he turned and walked back to the tent, he and Varric shared.

The following days the four of them tried to make their way towards the Redcliffe Farms. Fighting rebel mages and templars on both sides let them run out of supplies and healing potions too soon. Ineri registered their dire situation as she was rummaging through her pockets, whilst cowering behind a rock of ice and stone. A cry of pain very close by made her look up and she registered in shock, that an arrow had pierced Solas calve and small ice shards his thigh. He stumbled and groaned, catching himself with his staff, whilst Ineri pulled him behind the rock.

“Tough match”, he grunted between his teeth, as Ineri put a barrier over him and melted the ice before it could do more harm.

“We need to retreat, or we’re dead in a few minutes”, Varric yelled, as he shielded both of them with his crossbow and waved for Cassandra to come closer.

They hurried to make their way back to the crossroads and heaved Solas on one of the wagons of the Inquisition. Ineri and Varric jumped into the front. As she turned towards Solas, she saw, that Cassandra had jumped in next to him, shoving a leather strap between his clattering teeth, before she yanked the arrow out of his leg. Ineri quickly turned around as his muffled cry made the scene unbearable, trying to focus on the way ahead towards a camp near a waterfall, that they’d set up earlier.

In the camp, they patched up Solas and put him to rest. There Ineri received a letter by another scout. Leliana had sent word over missing Grey Wardens and that one lone warden has been located near of the waterfall in the mountainside. Her task for Ineri was to get more information on the situation.

Later that day Ineri followed by Cassandra and Varric went up the hill towards the little fishing hut nearing a strong human man with dark brown hair and a thick beard in worn Warden armor. He seemed to be addressing villagers on how to fight. As she tried to address him, the group was once again attacked by mercenaries. Together they made quick work of the intruders and Ineri had a chance to introduce herself. “Do you happened to know of any other Grey Wardens out here?”

“Not that I am aware of. I work alone as it is my duty. Recruiting here and there. I have not seen other Wardens for months.”

Disappointed Ineri nodded and readied herself to walk back to camp, as Blackwall caught up with her.

“You say you work for the Inquisition. Though I cannot give you the information you seek, I can offer to help. If you let me join your cause.”

“At least some good news I can sent back to Leliana” Ineri replied smiling.

It was decided that Blackwall would fill in for Solas to help track down the Redcliffe Farms to finally reach horsemaster Dennet. Solas would have time to study the relic and heal completely in the meantime. The decision proved fruitful, as the sturdy Warden was not only strong but very trained in combat and tactics along the battlefield. Through his input, Ineri quickly learned, to not go for the foot soldiers and heavy armored shield guards in combat, but first for archers and mages, backing them up.

That way, they were even able to reach the farmlands likely unharmed in the evening. Before setting up camp though, they had to fight off a pack of highly aggressive wolfs. Ineri never had to fight wolfs like that before and mourned the death of these beautiful creatures. She wondered why they turned out to be so aggressive and put that thought aside for later. The next morning, Ineri was able to secure Master Dennets help, but only, if she would help out the other farmers in need first and would secure the road of rogue templars and mages, before he would send his precious horses on the roads to support the Inquisition. After gathering some new pleas from the farmers upon her pile of duties, Ineri and her three companions where gifted with four strong and brave chestnut horses for their further travels.

On their way back to the crossroads, Ineri looked upon the further hillside in the Northeast. “We could go for the mages in the witch caves.”

“It is risky, we don’t have a full stock of all the healing potions anymore”, said Varric.

“Then we split them up, I’m good to go again”, murmured Blackwall and Cassandra nodded and added. “We should leave the horses down here, next to the scouts of the Inquisition, securing the road.

As the four of them made their way uphill through the fog, they reached a cave entry within a mountain. The view towards the entry was blocked by thick ice blocks and icy puddles. Ineri saw runes carved in some of the puddles along the track and stood still. “It’s to silent around here and there are rune traps and wards on the track. Be careful, do not step on them, they will send you flying. And you will be an easy target.”

They decided to split up, Varric went with Cassandra and Blackwall with Ineri. When she circled the long ice blocks and tried to find a way closer to the cave entry, Ineri felt the electric impulse of magic swirling behind her. She turned around to see two mages throwing heavy ice beams towards her and Blackwall, so they could only dodge out of the way. The following fight was pure chaos. Varric and Ineri tried to target the mages from a far and Blackwall and Cassandra were trying to attack them in close combat, but as soon as they did, the mages either fade-stepped out of the way, laughing and hurling ice shards towards them or held such a strong barrier, that even Blackwall’s new throwing chain-tactic seemed fruitless. Cassandra seemed exhausted and downed a few potions to stay on her feet. Through the cave further foot soldiers appeared and went after Varric and Ineri. She dodged several attacks and was able to get a good look upon the entry. It was sealed with a magical fire barrier and inside further mages backed up the barrier of the fighting mages. There was no way they could enter, since Ineri was not able to break the fire barrier without a powerful ice enchantment and more time. She dodged another attack and ran towards Varric, helping him back up on his feet and yelled over to Blackwall “Retreat! It’s a trap! I can’t break the barrier. You must disengage!”

But the moment the two warriors looked in her direction, Cassandra stepped upon a rune and was send flying backwards. The mage fired a powerful spell at her, knocking her unconscious, and then rushed back to the cave entrance, laughing. Blackwall was pulling Cassandra up and hurled her over his shoulder. Together, they ran as fast as they could downwards the hill. Luckily the mages didn’t follow them. Down the road, two scouts helped to secure the still unconscious warrior on a horseback and together the group rode as fast as they could back towards the Inquisition outpost in the crossroads. Healers were called in for Cassandra, whilst the rest, took a moment to catch a breath and get patched up as well.

At sundown Ineri was sitting on the steps outside the infirmary, pondering on her mistakes made on the battlefield. She felt guilty for asking too much of her companions early on and clearly went into a mage cave without a real plan. Her thoughts were interrupted by two Inquisition soldiers, who placed a chest in front of her.

"Supplies from Commander Cullen, Ser”, one of the Soldiers said. “He thinks you could use them on the battlefield."

Ineri inspected the chest. Inside was new armor for all of them and even some new weapon and shield for Blackwall. “Thank you, though I think we will need some additional new magic skills to fight the mages in the witch caves.”

“Perhaps I can help with that”, said Solas, walking in from the side of the road. Ineri beamed at the side of him. He seemed fully healed and donned some new armor as well. Leliana must have been quicker with her dispatch for him.

“I was able to continue some further studies upon the mages in the woods, and I believe I am able to assist in interrupting their barriers.”

Ineri felt her confidence boost again. Somehow, next to Solas, she was feeling more at ease. Being around so many humans and even commanding them was a nervous task.

“It seems, Chuckles has a plan, how to whoop these ass-mages for good”, said Varric, leaning in the door frame of the infirmary, adjusting his shirt sleeves.

“How is Cassandra?”, asked Ineri.

“Well…”, Varric sighed. “She is awake again, but not ready for another battle for a couple of days. She will be escorted back to Haven. But since Solas is back with us, I think, we can take another turn tomorrow. Now, let us get some drinks, please.”

Back in Haven the news about the Heralds efforts on the main supply roads in the Hinterlands had already spread around quickly. In the evening the little tavern seemed to burst with soldiers and villagers a like. Ineri was cramped between Varric and Cassandra, next to them sat Blackwall and even Cullen had decided to join in on the celebrations. The air inside the hut was hot and stale. Ineri was sweating, because of the people so close by and the ale she had earlier. The music of the Bard was nearly drowned by the singalong from a couple of drunk soldiers and Varric had to shout, to tell their story of their fights in the Hinterlands. Although Cullen was a nice distraction, Ineri couldn't help but be a little disappointed that Solas had decided not to show up. In general, the elf seemed to prefer being alone when they weren't on duty.

As if Varric sensed her thoughts, he began telling Cullen and Cassandra of the last fight with the mages. “You should’ve seen Chuckles. Our bald friend was more agile than I ever remember him to be. He bombarded the mages at the entry with..uhm.. some energy bolts”

“Elemental bolts”, corrected Ineri and grinned into her ale mug.

“Yeahr, and then he’d cut down this magical barrier with an ice rune, whilst Ineri and I distracted the mages outside, he and Blackwall waltzed into the cave to overrun the other idiots. How come, he was so fast by the way? One moment he stood around with us, the next he was already at the entry of the cave, another again with us”.

“He was using a mage skill, called Fade-step”, explained Ineri more towards her mug than towards her listeners. “He was stepping in and out of the Fade, overlapping space and time in between.” As she looked up, she saw the puzzled faces around her companions and decided to explain it a bit easier. “Well, like a portal, he just jumped in and out of it.”

“Ah, that explains it, well, anyway...”, began Varric again, but Ineri didn’t listen anymore. She had an urge to talk to Solas about his new skills, perhaps there was a chance, she could learn that the Fade-step as well. She excused herself from the table and squeezed through the crowds out of the side door of the tavern.

The cold mountain air made her shiver and when she looked up, she saw that the light was still burning in Solas’ hut. She staggered slightly from all the ale but still managed to climb the snow-covered steps without falling. When she got to the top she was just about to knock on his door when her left hand was again plagued by a sharp stabbing pain. She gasped and felt immediately very dizzy and weak. I’m not ready yet, she thought. Perhaps he would refuse my plea anyway at my current state. She decided to tame this foreign power first before she could open herself up to new magical areas. Quietly she made her way back to her own hut.

Chapter Text

The sky was dark and clear, full of stars and the air held a distant faint of linden trees and hay. A welcome peace had surrounded the old, ruined tower in Redcliffe. It sang of old spring and summer days. Quite Spirits floated in and out of the place, overlapping fragments of memories of won battles and family picnics and secret meetings of lovers. Solas sauntered beneath them in marvel of the scenery played out before him. Though the cave beneath the building had sparked his original interest, he found the memories of the living world above of it quite entertaining as well.

With two additional powerful relics retrieved earlier, he felt far more capable for the upcoming tasks. His magical skills had improved to a state, where he felt more in tune with himself again. Now he was just enjoying the quite night in the Fade, before his mind would be pulled out of it as he awoke, and he would miss it again. He wished to be here physically, but he couldn’t without his full power.

At sunrise he rose, quickly changed and took a stroll outside of their recent camp. They were on a steep hillside in the far South of the Hinterlands now and currently lucky to be out of side from the bears and the mercenaries that wandered the area.
Remorse began to gnaw at him as he tried to process the insights of the last weeks within the Inquisition. Blighted Lyrium grew in mining caves and hushed whispers of uncertainty lingered between mages and clerics. Whilst in Redcliffe, the Inquisition had discovered that a mage group from Tevinter called the Venatori were meddling with the rebel mages of the South. The Venatori's ability to quickly take control of the mages and threaten Ineri'tara so easily alarmed her advisors. Instead, they tried to pressure their Herald of Andraste, into speaking to the Templars.
Solas loathed that title for her. If at all, she was only a distant descendant of the elves of former times, not a religious tool the humans were molding her into. A fragile mortal, forced to wield a power she couldn’t understand nor completely control. And now, she seemed to be a target of something bigger.

As he walked back to his tent, he saw Ineri further down the hill slope. With her staff in the hand, she was training on her own. He had noticed that she was training harder these days and seemed to focus stronger on her performance during battle.

After a further invitation from Orlais, Ineri had brought in a new human mage. First Enchanter Vivienne de Fer. An imperial enchanter and adviser of Empress Celene. Proud of her stand within the Court and extremely arrogant. Yet, she knew the game of the Court well and would be an important asset for the ambassador Josephine. She also helped Ineri focus her natural magical powers to hit harder in battle and guided her in conversations with nobles.

Now during enemy encounters, Solas detected, that Ineri desperately tried to be in the front of the battle line. Whilst her determination to protect her companions and to advance the strike against the enemy were admirable, it was quite dangerous for a mage, without the proper tools of the Fade-Step, barrier work and melee tactics. Vivienne had proposed to teach her how to Fade-step, but Ineri had declined. She tended to be stubborn, and Solas quietly admired her inner rebel and will power. But he also knew, untrained she would soon make a mistake that could not only cost her own life, but the early fall of the whole Inquisition. He sighed and moved towards her.

“Good morning, Ineri!”

The elf spun around and met his eyes, blowing a few strands of hair out of her face. “Oh, Solas, good morning, I thought I was the only one up so early. Did my fire ball training wake you?”

“No, I hardly sleep very deep, even after wandering the Fade. I had seen you train, and I thought you might welcome a sparring duel with me? We could improve some barrier work.”

“Gladly”, she replied and smiled. “What shall I do?”

“Just wait over here, cast your barrier and keep your focus on it, whilst I’ll shoot spells towards you from different angles”, he replied and walked a few paces away from her. She nodded in agreement, and he started with some ice shards and light elemental bolts. Slowly he increased the speed of his blows and started to encircle her. She could hold the barrier easily. When she felt brave enough, she began to parry his blows and tried to counter the attack. That was when he decided to trick her.

He used Fade-steps in different directions to avoid her incoming shots and shot fiery ice blows back at her. He analyzed her steps, her barrier still up, she was now forced to run and dodge whilst concentrating on her spells. But he was faster and outmaneuvered her. He twirled around her, using different angles until he could sense her barrier was failing due to exhaustion. He closed in with one last Fade-step, and used a Mind-blast, to shatter her barrier. The impact left Ineri stumbling backwards and falling on her bottom. As he was holding out a hand towards her, she groaned in frustration, refused his help and threw her staff away in the grass.

“What’s the matter, Ineri?”

“That was unfair!”, she yelled. “You used Fade-step, I’m not that fast. It was cheating.”

Solas sighed “Do you really believe an enemy wouldn’t have made the same steps to win the battle?”

“No,… it was still not fair”, she replied, crawling over to her staff and finally stood up.

“I only used what you gave me against you”, Solas explained. “And whilst your barrier work and your attack spells are formidable, you exhaust yourself too quickly whilst running and dodging incoming attacks. A mages power is that of the mind not the body.”

“I know, I want to learn that, but I just.., I can’t”, she replied, with a red face. Ashamed she averted her eyes away from him and picked at her clothing.

Solas frowned and stepped closer to her lowering his voice. “What is holding you back?”

“This”, she replied quietly and showed up her left glowing hand. “Whatever power is in there, it is so strong, that it sometimes overwhelms me. I can’t focus on my magic, whilst this is pulling on me. And I’m afraid what happens, if I learn new skills.”

Solas felt instant remorse as he looked at her face. She was fighting back tears and the foreign power in her body was an obstacle he hadn't fully considered. Whatever fraction of the power she had accidently obtained, it was due to his failure. Now she needed his wisdom to have a fighting chance. “I’ll help you balance it out, if you are willing.”

“You would really do that?”

“Yes, and if you wish, I will teach you Fade-step as well. Maybe this power needs another strong source within you, to perform better together.”

The two spent the afternoon and the upcoming days in the field on Ineris breath work, meditation and better concentration during the use of the power source and her own elemental skills. She proved to be a quick and eager learner, and Solas found the time spent teaching a spiritual blessing.

Back in Haven Ineri received the invitation to the Storm Coast to meet a possible new ally, the Iron Bull and his Chargers. Solas accompanied the expedition together with Blackwall and Vivienne. Together they tried her skills again on some minor rifts and demons along the way, until he was sure, she was ready to perform on her own. Meanwhile he also got to know the Iron Bull briefly, who was a strong and mighty Qunari and an agent of the Ben-Hassrath a portion of the Qunari priesthood, but Bull was a spy within that system. Solas was keen to know more about him and his motivations as Bull joined the Inquisition very quickly and was open to his espionage on it. Ineri seemed to be pleased by his honesty and that he even proposed to be her own personal bodyguard during battle.

Whilst Ineri wanted to retain back on the Storm Coast to find a missing group of Inquisition soldiers, that were taken hostage by a hostile mercenary group, Solas was making his way back to Haven along with the Chargers and Inquisition Scout Lace Harding. His mind was at ease, knowing Ineri did not only have another strong warrior to shield her from attacks, but was also more careful when entering unknown territory and allowed her warriors to lead the way.

Back in Haven, he finally had the time to study another enchanted rune the group had found within a spider cave and to prepare the next magic lesson for Ineri. Days turned into two weeks, and just as Solas was about to ask Josephine or Leliana about Ineri's whereabouts, he saw her riding through the gate with Blackwall, Iron Bull, Vivienne and another new arrival in tow.

“Another rogue, I see," Varric said behind him, and together they eyed the young woman as the group entered the village center. “I overheard, that they were briefly in Orlais, to follow another mysterious invitation. She seemed to be the reason.” As the group unmounted the horses nearby, Varric laughed. “Ah, another elf. Well Chuckles, I believe you have another one to talk to about elven ruins or such in the future.”

Solas frowned and took a closer look at the young elf that jumped from the horse and went with Iron Bull and Blackwall towards the blacksmith. She seemed to make a lot of jokes along the way. Her cackled laughter was heard clearly even through the noises of the village. She was slightly taller than Ineri and had no Vallaslin. Her clothes looked like that of a worn-down jester and her cornflower-blonde hair was a short messy mop. “I’m not so sure of that, Master Varric. She seems rather young and to be a city elf.”

“Well, we will see how she performs alongside us.”

Solas nodded and bid the dwarf farewell. He was not in the mood to partake on elven conversations between Dalish and City Elves and their disagreements about religion and history. And he was neither in the mood for another of Vivienne’s remarks about the lack of fashion in the elven culture or Varrics prying eyes and ears around him, as Ineri would probably invite the newcomers to a drink in the tavern.

The following afternoon Solas was about to read another book from the library, as he heard a few gentle knocks on his door. As he opened, Ineri stood in front of him with her staff and gloves. She was wrapped in various layers of thick fur, and he wondered how she was able to move in it at all as she looked like a snowball herself now. He chuckled when greeting her.

“Aneth ara, Solas. I was wondering, if you would like to go druffalo hunting with me. And maybe whilst we are at it, also teach me Fade-step, before these creatures run me over.”

Solas was intrigued by the idea and quickly grabbed his coat, boots and staff to join Ineri to the outskirts of the village. “How do you know we have a druffalo herd out here?”

“As soon as I was free to roam the village and had to meet and greet everybody.”

“So, you had to greet some wildlife as well?” Solas teased and grinned as she rolled her eyes at him.

“I was not formerly greeting them, I stumbled upon the herd, whilst trying to have a peace of mind and wanted to be alone for a while. It turned out, these huge creatures where not so welcoming of my sudden intrusion and tried to run me over. They were protecting a calf at that time. I’ve used to visit the herd since then whenever I have the time. Sadly, their numbers have declined. Turns out, the village hunters where after them as well, the Inquisition desperately needed more food in the beginning.”

“Always a shame to see, that nature has to bent to the will of men”, Solas replied. “So, you want to hunt them as well now? What changed?”

“No, not really, but they’ve taught me a lesson back then. How to run for your life in thick clothing and through deep snow.”

“Ah, so you want to learn Fade-step in that same environment”, Solas concluded.

“Exactly.”

The sun was already setting, turning the sky orange and the mountains in the distance into purple giants. Soon the elves were trudging through deep snow and for the first time Solas was glad that he had put on boots, until Ineri pointed to a small chain of low hills nearby. Some of the druffalos were standing in the valley, looking for some herbs to eat.

“I was thinking of a route between those hills. Avoiding the herd in the middle of cause. But it would be challenge.”

“Alright, let’s get to work”, Solas replied. “You already know the theoretical basics of the magical ability. Now you need to cast and move with your mind first. Not with your body. You must focus on where you want to go, before you can utilize your body to adjust the speed and angle. Follow me in a straight line up to the next hill”, he commanded and whirled already through the mountain air and landed gracefully in the fluffy snow on the other side. From there he watched patiently Ineri’s attempts to follow suit.

She started well enough but suddenly stopped in the middle of the track and he could hear her frustrated grunts again. “Try again”, he shouted towards her. The following three attempts were unsuccessful as well, so he teleported himself back to her position.

“I think I regret my earlier decision to wear that thick fur. I’m sweating buckets underneath it already”, Ineri gasped and pulled her gloves off.

“It’s alright, it takes time. Breath, take it slow. You were already halfway there”, encouraged Solas. “We can try to Fade-step together the first round, if you wish. Just take my hand and focus” She hesitantly took his hand and took a deep breath. Solas looked ahead and with a pull of his mana he gently teleported them both unharmed to the next hill.

“Mythal'enaste, Solas!”, cried Ineri in full glee and looked around herself. “That was amazing!”

“Now you try the same route to the next one in front of us alone. I will follow to make sure, the druffalos won’t run after us.” Ineri shook her limbs, recollected her breath and took her staff in her right hand. She leaned forward slightly and hurled herself away on a gust of wind. Solas could see her land on the nearest hill, obviously cheering at the top of her lungs. He smiled and followed her.

The two were taking the next two hills in turn, until Solas decided to try diagonal routes through the valley with the druffalos. After that went successful as well, Solas aimed his staff at a druffalo to draw the animal's attention and soon the elves were fleeing from the running beast, whilst using Fade-step.

After reaching the highest hill near towards the lake, Ineri slipped and landed on her hindside and broke out in laughter shortly after. As she was trying to get up again, Solas twisted his staff in the air and produced a couple of snowballs and aimed them at Ineri. She yelped in surprise but dodged quickly and performed another Fade-step to land behind him. As he turned, a snowball hit his face.

“Ha, I see you're learning quickly”, laughed Solas, wiping the snow from his face.

Ineri grinned cheekily. “You still cheat sometimes, Haren.”

"Ir abelas, Da’len.” Now Solas grinned as well. “Congratulations, you finally managed the spell.”

“I couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you.” Ineri looked to the sky which had now already turned into a deep purple. “We should head back the sun has already set. Would you like to share a mug of mulled wine in the tavern with me?”

He wanted to politely decline so that he might have the energy for the Fade later, but when he saw her beaming face and her shining eyes, he couldn't resist the invitation.

As they entered the tavern shortly after, Solas was glad, that it wasn’t so occupied that day. None of the other companions were to be seen and the two elves settled into a quiet corner further away from the doors. As they drank their wine and shared a plate of steamed vegetables with roasted meat, Ineri quickly turned the topic to his favorite subject: the Fade.

She was almost bubbling over with curiosity and asked questions incessantly. In return he was eager to elaborate about the differences of spirits and demons, and how the Fade reflected one’s own imagination and was limited by it. As it was his turn to listen to Ineris recent adventures in Orlais and how the group had found the new elven rogue, named Sera, Solas let his eyes roam her face again. Her cheeks were flushed by the heat, her eyes seemed to sparkle even brighter when she was telling a story of her own and he even discovered more of the slight freckles on her cheeks and forehead, whilst her plush lips were stained dark red from the wine they’ve had.

“But all that must sound a little dull, comparing to the adventures in the Fade.”, Ineri concluded and took another sip from her mug.

Solas leaned in and lowered his voice. “In truth I have enjoyed experiencing more of life lately, to find more of the Fade.”

Ineri cocked her head. “How so?”

“You train your will to control magic and withstand possession. Your indomitable focus is an enjoyable side benefit. You have chosen a path whose steps you do not dislike because it leads to a destination you enjoy. As have I”.

Ineris raised her brows and leaned in closer “Indomitable focus?”

“Presumably.” Solas smirked. “I have yet to see it dominated. I imagine that the side would be,...fascinating.” He watched with glee as her cheeks fully blushed as she tried to hide her grin behind her mug and only hummed in response.

Suddenly she cleared her throat and sat up straight again. "I'm afraid we have to already end our conversation. I'm traveling to Redcliffe again tomorrow to meet Alexius' son. He had invited me to a secret meeting, more a warning. Blackwall, Sera and Vivienne are probably already asleep.”

And with that, the magic of the intimate moment was broken and Solas quickly tried to clear the fog from his head, scolding himself for being intoxicated and even flirtatious. "Of course, forgive me for keeping you awake for so long with my endless chatter about the Fade."

"It was very entertaining evening, thank you for everything, Solas."

Back in his hut, Solas felt, that the wine had clouded his senses too much, to be able to travel the Fade tonight. Instead, memories of their recent adventures together swirled around in his head. He realized that if the surroundings seemed hostile or unwelcoming at first, with Ineri at his side, things weren’t as grim anymore.

As he finally drifted into sleep, all Solas could see, was Ineri’s smiling face.

Chapter Text

Ineri fled the chapel in a hurry, ignoring the calls from behind and plundered through the door, where she nearly crashed into a woman carrying a basket of bread. She gasped and stared into her eyes. They were brown, not red.

“Watch where you go knife-ear,” the woman shouted and continued her way.

Ineri nearly laughed at the sound of her voice. No growing red lyrium, no roaring of a demon army, no corpses, no ominous evil called the Elder One who had risen to power and doomed all of Thedas. She looked to the sky, it was cloudy with a flicker of green in between, the Breach still in the distant and the ever-looming threat. She slowly averted her eyes as she heard footsteps from behind. “Whatever we have just experienced, whatever dark future, I have just witnessed, I do not want to see it happen again.”

“And you’ve just avoided that by stopping Alexius and freeing the mages from his grab. And I’m sure we will get more information on this Elder One, he has been talking about,” said Dorian, the Tevinter mage. He carefully squeezed her shoulder and Ineri turned around and gave him a weak smile. He was dashingly beautiful. Dark Brown skin, black hair, eyes like onyx mixed with caramel and a carefully groomed moustache.

“All I can say is, I am grateful, I wasn’t alone in there. Without your help, I could have never survived and time travel twice in one hellish day. I could not think of a better companion to do this with.”

“Me neither my dear.”

Blackwall and Sera came down the stairs soon after and Ineri was grateful that the two of them didn't seem too eager to know what had happened in the alternate future and were just supportive of her not wanting to talk about it on the way back to Haven. Ineri looked at them more than once and still couldn’t believe that they were still alive. In hellish future, she saw them poisoned by red lyrium, she saw them fight alongside her and together with Leliana even sacrificing their lives for her. And now here they were just like before, healthy and alive. With a blink of an eye everything was normal again. Whatever normal really meant, Ineri couldn’t say anymore.

In the meantime, Vivienne had agreed to gather the mages along with Fiona and would soon follow with the rest of the Inquisition scouts. While the enchanter had agreed to support the mages in Redcliffe, she seemed utterly indignant by Ineri's decision to make a no-strings-attached deal with them. No Templar oversight, no restrictions on their magic, in other words, no control or fear of imprisonment. Ineri knew her decision would cause resistance and unrest among the Templars and Chantry followers. But she saw no other way than to support the mages and see them as she also wanted to be seen, as a person. In return, she only expected their support at the Breach. Perhaps she thought, that was something Divine Justinia would have done too. At least the former great enchanter Fiona seemed grateful.

Back in Haven Ineri had little time to rest and think things through or talk to her other companions. She was ushered to the main chapel by her advisors. And it was there, where the discussions broke loose after she managed to tell them, what had happened in Redcliffe.

“What were you thinking, turning the mages loose with no oversight?” shouted Cullen and stomped from left to right and back. “The veil is still open!”

Cassandra pushed him slightly back, holding the enraged commander at place. “Calm now Commander. We knew fast decisions had to be made.”

Ineri looked each of them in the eyes and replied with a firm voice. “We need them to close the Breach. It’s not going to work if we make enemies of them.”

Cullen sighed out. “I know we need them for the Breach, but they could do as much damage as the demons themselves!”

“Enough of this arguing,” said Cassandra. “None of us were there. We cannot afford to second-guess our people.”

Leliana chipped in. “We should look into those things you saw in the “dark future”. The assassination of Empress Celene? A demon army?”

“Sounds like something a Tevinter cult might do.” Dorians voice rang through the hall as the mage stepped in closer and leaned on a pillar. “Orlais falls, the Imperium rises. Chaos for everyone”, he concluded and winked at Ineri.

Ineri smirked in return. “So, you’re staying?”

“Oh, didn’t I mention?” Dorian now grinned. “The South is so charming and rustic. I adore it to little pieces. Besides I wanted to see this Breach up close.”

Cullen raised his hands. “Alright, one battle at the time. It will take some time to prepare the troops and the mage recruits. Let’s continue this in the war room.” And with that he turned his head towards Ineri, his lips slightly curled up. “Join us. None of this means anything without your mark, after all.”

A few days later Ineri strolled through the valley, soaking up the calm before the storm. The sun was shining, the air was crisp and the snow firm and crunchy beneath her feet as she watched the druffalos shuffle along the mountainside. It was as the weather was trying to distract her from the upcoming task. She hiked up the hill, where she used to train with Solas and pulled out the letter she had received from her clan. The first messages between the Inquisition and clan Lavellan have been curt and polite. A short notification that she was alive after the explosion of the Conclave and had obtained a new role among the Inquisition. And now finally her Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel sent a more personal note after Ineri had reached out to her. Now she was rereading the few lines of comfort beneath an old Dalish prayer.

Da’len, it seems as if the gods are guiding your path in a completely unknown direction. One that I cannot accompany you on. Dirthamen is now testing your skills. Whatever may come out of it, I pray that the stars will guide you on your way. Dareth shiral.

Ineri swallowed the lump in her throat, blinked away the tears, and looked across the frozen lake to Haven. She watched the soldiers train from afar and looked over the newly built trebuchets and explosive pod stations. Everybody prepared to seal the Breach for good this time. She put the letter back in her clothes and wandered west to the bridge and took in the view in front of her. There was the brown massive chapel and in front of it some chantry sisters chatting. The busy villagers, the soldiers in the middle and all the fellow companions she had gathered in the last couple of months. Everybody was counting on her success. Slowly she walked towards the apothecary, mumbling the old prayer of her clan over and over. “Lasa ghilan a var vhen. Lasa’ Dirth’ma, Lasa’ ma sulevin.”

“What did you just say?” Dorians voice cut through her thoughts and Ineri raised her head in surprise. The man stood a couple of meters in front of another hut next to the apothecary. His delicate armour glittered in the sunshine and showed off his muscular body. It was clear he came from nobility and took pride in his good looks and was not at all suited for a frosty climate. His eyes were prying in on her. Curiosity paired with playful flirts. Above all he was a charmer.

Ineri cocked her head slightly, grinned and stepped in closer. “A prayer of my people before upcoming big tasks. We pray to the elven God of Secrets and Keeper of knowledge named Dirthamen. It roughly translates into: Give our people guidance. Give me knowledge and give me purpose.”

“Hmm, you are Dalish, is this the right term?”

“It is the right term everywhere.”

“Well,” Dorian shuffled his feet. “We don’t have them in Tevinter. For obvious reasons, I might add. I’d like to know more about you. Afterall the Inquisition is seen as an authority and guide. And you’ve given southern mages the licence to be…” he paused, “well like mages back home. I wonder if you considered what the support of you will do in the future.”

“Given the circumstances I think we’re finally forced to work together. Something tells me, there is more to this. We’ve both seen it. And I think we need to be on common ground and have to look past our racial and cultural differences to face the danger ahead.”

“Spoken like true visioner and outsider. I knew I would like you, given the outsider I am as well.”

“Do tell me more about Tevinter and your mages, Dorian and I will tell you more about the Dalish”, Ineri said with a wide grin and linked her arm into his as they wandered towards the tavern together.

In the early evening the march upon the Temple of Sacred Ashes began. Leading the crowd were Ineri, Solas and Cassandra, followed by the mages and Cullen with some of his soldiers and fellow templars. Ineri was glad, Solas was accompanying her on this task. Somehow his presence was comforting. Afterall, he had the most knowledge with the Fade and the Veil so far and she knew she could count on his support. The two elves had briefly talked before the group set off to close the breach. He seemed glad about her decision back then in Redcliffe and supported her notion to the fullest. As she wanted to talk about the dark future she had witnessed, he’d politely declined to hear details, reassuring her, that it must have been a grim experience he had not wished upon her.

When the moment came for Ineri to step towards the centre directly underneath the Breach, Solas ordered the mages to focus and channel their power towards her. He stayed right behind her and finally knelt locking eyes with her as to assure her once more. And there for a heartbeat she thought: He looks like a commander himself now.

“Take position,” Cassandra shouted another round of commands to the troops and Ineri focused back on her task.

“We can begin, I’m right beside you,” Cassandra said quiter.

With one deep breath, Ineri focused on the power within her, trying to remind herself of all her previous training to balance out her magic and to fuse it into one. With a sudden surge of power, she reached her hand upwards and directed the anchor towards the whole in the sky. She could feel the humming mana around her. She could nearly taste it and felt light as a feather as she felt the pull in her hand weaken and finally fell silent. She looked above and the Breach was gone. A roaring cheer erupted all around her and she was sure the village below could hear it too.

Chapter Text

It was already night, but all people in Haven seemed to be outside, drinking, laughing dancing and marvelling the quite sky. Ineri took in the happy scenery from near the Chantry. As she heard some familiar footsteps nearing from behind.

“Solas confirms the heavens are scarred but calm. The Breach is sealed. We’ve reports from remaining rifts and many questions remain,” said Cassandra and Ineri saw the seeker truly smile for the first time. “This was a victory, and the word of your heroism has spread.”

“Cassandra, you know how many where involved. Luck put me in the centre.”

“Hmph,” Cassandra scoffed. “A strange kind of luck. I’m not sure, if we need more or less. But you’re right. This was a victory of alliance. With the Breach closed, that alliance will need a new focus.”

Ineri didn’t know how to respond to that, as she suddenly heard a bell in the distance ringing and then a few more until almost all alarm bells sounded of.

Unrest broke out among the celebrating crowd when Cullen, with a few soldiers in tow, shouted to them: "Troops approaching! To arms!"

"What the…??" asked Cassandra, drawing her sword. "We must go to the gates!" and with that she stormed off.

Ineri wanted to follow her and frantically searched for her staff when Blackwall and Varric came running beside her. Both already had their weapons in their hands. Solas quickly rushed to her and handed Ineri her own staff. "This bodes poorly”, he said with a grim expression.

“And here I thought, we might have a quite night for once,” replied Varric as he readied his crossbow and the four of them rushed to the main gate. As they arrived Cullen had already barricaded the gate and reported to Cassandra. “It’s a massive force approaching across the frozen lake. He pointed across the opposite mountainside. “A bulk, just up there. And they are fast.”

“Under what banner?” Josephine asked.

Cullen shrugged. “None.”

“None?”, Josephine gasped.

A sudden loud bang made everyone jump. The silence that followed was broken by a gentle, nervous-sounding male voice. "I can't come in unless you open it."

Ineri was at the gate in two steps and signalled the soldiers to open it. With her weapons drawn, she ran out and suddenly found herself standing in front of a young man in worn leather armour whose face was covered by an oversized floppy hat. He was pulling two knives out of a foreign templar soldier. Several templar corpses were already lying around him.

"I'm Cole," he said, turning his gaze to Ineri. “I've come to warn you. To help. People are coming to hurt you. You probably already know that.”

Ineri's mouth gaped open, then she asked directly: "What is this? What is going on here?"

“The Templars are coming to kill you.”

“Templars?”, shouted Cullen and quickly stepped between Cole and Ineri. “Is this the orders response for our talk with the mages? To attack blindly?”

Cole slightly shuffled next to Ineri again and looked in her face from under his broad hat. He was so young, barely out of his teens. “The Red Templars went to the Elder One. You know him? He knows you. You took his mages.” And with that he pointed towards the nearest hillside across the lake.

There a sturdy templar stood next to an unnatural tall and slender figure and watched over its approaching minions.

“I know this templar”, said Cullen, but this Elder One.”

“He’s very angry that you took his mages”, said Cole with a solemn voice.

Ineris pulse raced, and she gripped her staff tighter, taking in the approaching forces They were too many. “Cullen! Give me a plan, anything!”

“Haven is no fortress,” Cullen replied. “The only way is to control the battlefield. So, get out there and hit them with everything.” He turned towards the gates and the rest of the Inquisition and cried out. “Mages! You have sanction to engage them. That is Samson. He will not make it easy. Inquisition, for the Herald! For your lives, for all of us!”

A sounding roar from Haven was the answer, as Ineri rushed out towards the Northern trebuchet followed by Solas, Blackwall, Varric and some foot soldiers. “If we are quick, we can bury them under an avalanche from both sides. But we need to ready the main trebuchets!”

“First we have to defend the ground beneath them”, shouted Blackwall and ran straight up towards three approaching templars from the left side. Varric and Solas took position to the right, as several deformed creatures approached as well.

“What the hell?”, yelled Varric firing a fierce blow towards them whilst Solas froze another pair. “They’ve got red lyrium on them.”

“Herald!” Shouted another soldier who was on the aiming wheel for the trebuchet and Ineri fade-stepped forward and put a barrier along the soldier and herself whilst shooting lightning towards every other enemy as well as fire. After the ground was secured and further Inquisition soldiers arrived, the four headed towards the southside and continued the fierce battle against the monstrous soldiers. Ineri fade-stepped between her companions and the trebuchet, which had no one to man it, so each of them took turns in between battle blows to aim it towards the opposite mountainside. It was a tough fight. Ineri tried to shield her companions, fade-stepped out of the way from incoming blows and spun around in circles like a wildfire. She felt her powers in harmony for once, rooted within an anger and a will to defend at all costs that spurned her onwards. As they finally managed to fire the southern trebuchet towards the mountain, she stood panting next to her companions as they watched an avalanche burring a part of the templar army over ice and snow.

But their victory was cut short when a screeching sound came from the sky and a big dragon flew in, spiting a fireball at the northern trebuchet, destroying it instantly, before it could fire as well.

Varric stumbled slightly backwards, cursing. “Shit! Who ordered the end of the damned world?”

The dragon took a turn and flew near the gates of the village, firing again.

“Fall back, back to the gates!”, shouted Ineri and started to run. As they passed the blacksmiths hut, she discovered, that Harritt the smith tried to kick in the wooden boxes, that blocked his door. A part of the place was already burning. “Herald! Help me with these boxes! I need to get inside!”

Blackwall hurled his axe into the boxes and kicked it open for the Blacksmith. After he got what he needed, they made their way to the gate where Cullen was calling for a retreat.

“Move it! We need to get everyone into the chantry. It’s the only building that might hold against that beast. At this point, let’s make them work for it.” Cullen continued his way up the stairs towards the village centre with some soldiers and Harritt in tow. The dragon flew above the village and shot random fire balls at it. Ineri heard the screams of the people, as some of the stationed pods exploded and fire broke out in various places of the village. To Ineri it all felt like another hellish nightmare.

“The people of haven will not survive on their own,” remarked Solas and Ineri shot him and the rest of her crew a quick look. She nodded, they drew their weapons in silent agreement and Ineri directed them towards the village centre to find people in need of immediate help.

The wooden fence around the village was not a big challenge for incoming forces so the group had to fight their way through them towards the tavern, the apothecary and wherever they could make out survivors of the blast. Right before the chantry, she saw, that Sera, Cassandra and Iron Bull were defending the entrance so that the fleeing people could be guided to safety by Dorian, Vivienne and Cullen.

Ineri tried for one last burning building, but as she arrived, she could not make out a way to get inside through the roaring flames but heard a cry out for help from within. Smoke filled her lungs and bit in her eyes as she desperately tried for a way from the other side.

"Ineri!" Varric called from afar. "Come back, they'll..."

She couldn't hear the rest as a sudden loud crack in the wooden beam caused a blaze of fire. Instinctively she raised her arms to protect herself from the ash and smoke when a strong arm grabbed her from behind and she slammed into someone's doublet with full force as she was catapulted out of the flames. Seconds later, she was still clutching the arms that had brought her to safety, only to look into Solas’ eyes. His gaze reflected what she was suddenly feeling: fear and vulnerability.

“That was close”, said Solas. He pulled her to her feet, and she looked into the horrified faces of her companions.

“We have to retreat now!” Blackwall ordered and together they scrambled back to the Chantry.

The building was filled to the brim and Ineri saw a lot of wounded people. The four stayed close to the entrance when Cullen ran towards them. He silently informed them they were cornered now and faced death no matter what. “The only way to die in peace is another distraction and a last avalanche to bury us all under the mountain,” he said with a grim face.

“Herald”

The weak voice of Chancellor Roderick was calling for her and Ineri turned around. He was limping closer supported by Cole.

"There is a way. You wouldn't know it if you hadn't made the summer pilgrimage like I did. Humans can escape. Andraste, she must have shown it to me so I... so I could tell you. If this memory can save us. This could be more than just an accident. You could be more."

Time seemed to slow down as that human's words echoed in Ineri’s mind. Until then, he hadn't liked her much. He'd even once called her a knife-eared heretic. She was considered a threat. The small, strange elf with the glowing mark on her hand. Even now she didn't really know why she was still fighting against all odds. Why she'd been helping all these people for weeks. How she became a respected member of their community. Even more, a hero. Everyone relied on her for decisions. Their lives depended on her since she had this mark on her hand. It was her burden, it became a duty and now her calling. It was Dirthamen’s way.

"Thank you, Chancellor. Cullen, get these people out of here. If that thing is there for me, I'll let him fight for it."

“And when the mountain falls, what about you?”, said Cullen and his face blanched when he looked into Ineris eyes. He nodded silently and called out to the people to follow Chancellor Roderick before following them.

“Well, little huntress, we’re with you”, said Varric nearing in and shouldered his crossbow.

“No,” Ineri shook her head firmly. I can’t ask that of you.”

"We won't let you go out there alone," Blackwall said in a tone that brooked no argument and straightened up. Ineri opened her mouth, but Solas silently placed a hand on her shoulder, gave it a brief squeeze, and then distributed more potions to each of them before reaching for his staff. It was a silent agreement about their shared fate.

Outside the chapel, they made their way through the Templars and successfully defended the ground of the last remaining trebuchet when the dragon screeched above them.

"Run, spread out!” Ineri yelled in panic when the dragon spat fire towards them. The immense heat nearly made her choke, and she was thrown to the side by the force of the impact. As she picked herself up, she felt a warm trickle running down her temple. A wall of fire surrounded her now. She heard muffled shouts in the distance but could not get her bearings until she saw a huge figure. The Elder One. His face was a twisted human grimace. Red shards of lyrium protruded from his skull and his body looked like an elongated corpse whose tendons had been stretched over a suit of metal and lyrium armour.

The ground beneath her feet began to vibrate under the stamping of the dragons’ feet. She could feel and smell his hot, foul breath on her back as his deafening shriek once again ripped through the night air.

"Enough," the Elder One roared in a deep voice and cut an opening in the ring of fire with a flick of his arms to approach the small elf in front of him. The dragon went silent next to her. “Pretender. You toy with forces beyond your ken. No more!”

Ineri tried to look up to his face, her sweat and grime burned in her eyes and her head was full of questions and it hurt to grasp a single one of them. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

“Mortals beg for truth they cannot have. It is beyond what you are, what I was. What you pretended to be. Exalt the Elder One. The will that is Corypheus!” You will kneel.”

“I will not yield”, shouted Ineri, now enraged as well.

“Your resistance does not matter. For I am here for the Anchor. The process of removing it begins now.” And with a surge of power, he summoned an orb in his left palm and with it pulled on Ineris mark in her left hand. “It is your fault. You interrupted a ritual years in the planning and instead of dying, you stole its purpose.”

Another pull on her arm and Ineri was forced forward against her will. Corypheus took his time with her, and she quickly realized, he also liked to hear himself talk.

“I do not know how you survived, but what marks you as ‘touched’, what you flail at rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens. And you used the anchor to undo my work.”

Ineris mark rippled up like wildfire again and out of pain, she crumbled to her knees. “What is this thing meant to do?” she kept asking and tried to focus her will upon the anchor whilst she kept the Elder One talk in his cryptic words. He described how he breached the fade as a person before, to serve old gods of the empire. How he now declared himself a Champion of Tevinter and wanted to restore the old empire. With a sudden pull on her left arm, she was lifted up by Corypheus and gritted her teeth in agony and anger against him.

“Beg, that I succeed,” he spat the words at her now. “For I have seen the throne of gods, and it was empty.” He grimaced suddenly and threw Ineri away like a puppet he was tired of playing with. “The Anchor is permanent. You have spoiled it with your stumbling.”

Ineri crashed against the wood of the trebuchet and the impact forced the air out of her lungs and left her gasping for it. Whilst she tried to get back to her feet and grabbed the nearest sword she could find, she saw the dragon prowling next to Corypheus now.

“So be it,” Corypheus said and slowly walked towards her. “I will begin again, find another way to give this world the nation and god it requires.”

Ineri looked passed him and in the far distance all the way from the mountains she could suddenly see a flare that was shot into the sky. There it is, she thought and slowly stood up glancing at the handle of the trebuchet.

Corypheus didn’t realize her slow shifts towards the handle of the trebuchet as he was too much absorbed by his speech.

“And you. I will not suffer even an unknowing rival. You must die.”

Ineri put one foot forward, mimicking a fighting stance and then sneered at him. “You expect me to fight, but that’s not why I kept you talking. Enjoy your victory. Here’s your prize!” She turned on her heel and kicked at the handle that set the trebuchets sling shot loose and shot directly towards the mountain. Whilst Corypheus and his dragon were momentarily distracted by the exploding sound from the mountain top, Ineri used the time to dodge quickly out of the way and run for her life towards the Chantry. She heard the dragon's screech and then the thundering snow of the avalanche behind her. She cast one last barrier upon herself and jumped between wooden scaffolding into a hole and fell into an endless darkness.

Drops fell on her face and when she opened her eyes, she could make out the outlines of a blanket of stone above her. She lay on her back, her body felt as heavy as lead, but she could breathe. I need to get up she thought and tried to roll onto her side. A sharp pain shot through her entire left side, her head was pounding and took her breath for a moment again. She panted but kept moving until she was on her feet. My spell must have prevented me from dying, she thought and glanced at her left palm and gasped in shock. From where the glove was ripped open, she could see the green flicker pooling through her veins up until her wrist now and the flesh on her palm was cut open and bleeding. She trembled and forced her eyes away from it to get her eyes used to the dark outlines.

Her footsteps echoed on the ground, and she recognized tunnel entrances carved in stone in front of her. She walked near the left, which was blocked by rubble, then the right, which was also a dead end. She sucked air between her teeth. “Through the middle then” she grumbled.

The tunnel continued to the left and then ended in a crossroads again. Straight ahead, Ineri could see the faint glow of a torch on the tunnel wall. "There!" she gasped and hobbled forward a little faster. As she approached the tunnel exit, five shade demons appeared in front of her out of nowhere. “Oh no, not now,” she said and desperately searched for some lingering mana within her. Instinctively the mark in her hand flared up again and Ineri felt a strong pull within herself and pointed her hand at the demonic group in front of her. Suddenly her hand opened a tiny rift above the demons, and they were sucked straight in and the rift closed with them.

“Ha! Goodbye!” she triumphed and headed for the other tunnel.

As she left the tunnels, she was met by a violent blizzard. The icy wind had her shaking to the bone within seconds. Her padded leather armour and boots were useless against the sheer force of the storm. It's even howling, she thought as she trudged through the thick snow and finally found a broken burning cart to guide her. The howling was louder and seemed in front or beside her sometimes, and soon Ineri realized that it was not the wind, but a wolf.

“Please don’t be hungry,” she panted and tried to shield her face with one arm and put the left glowing mark in front of her. She stumbled upon other broken and burned wood along the way. Almost blinded by the snow, she soon followed the howl of the wolf. The night sky had already turned to a gray-blue and she was glad that she could see more of her surroundings. Every time she turned in a different direction, trying to spot another patch of fire and thought she was lost, she would hear the wolf from a different angle and adjust her steps until she heard it howling right in front of her again. She could never see any animal and began to believe that it was her own imagination that was slowly driving her mad as the bitter cold and deep snow slowed her pace and froze her limbs as she hiked uphill.

Upon reaching higher ground on the mountain the storm finally faded, and the sky gave way for the moon and even a hint of blue. Every breath was stinging in her chest now. She walked even more slowly so as not to lose consciousness from the pain and cold. She found embers of a campfire and the howling seemed to grow louder with each agonising step. As she rounded a mountainside, she could finally see the warm fires of a huge camp in front of her.

“There! It’s her!”

It was Cullens voice, that sounded like music in her ears and as she sank to her knees and started to cry in disbelief as Cullen, Cassandra and two soldiers were running towards her.

“Thank the maker!” cried Cassandra and pulled her in her arms briefly, before Ineri was gently lifted from the ground and taken towards the warmth.

Chapter Text

He had survived. This twisted horrendous creature of a former mage named Corypheus had not only survived the explosion of the Conclave, but he was also able to control a resurrected dragon and still possessed the orb. Solas had not thought it possible. But here they were. In the middle of nowhere and all Solas could think about was, that the people who were able to flee from the attack in Haven and survived the demanding hike up the mountain pass, didn’t deserve this. First the Conclave and now Haven was gone as well.

Heavy regret lingered once again in his chest as Solas walked slowly between the make-shift tents in their temporary camp on a plateau of a mountain pass. They had camped here for nearly a day now and waited out another incoming storm. The Inquisition had taken a serious blow, and their advisors were unsure where to go next. The bickering amongst Cullen, Leliana, Cassandra and Josephine had gone on for hours until it turned into an uncomfortable silence around camp. Solas watched chantry followers who tented either to the wounded or prayed for the dead they had lost along the way. He saw disturbed faces of people who seemed to have lost everything they had worked so hard for in the last months of building the Inquisition. The image was a painful memory of past wars. It pained him to know that the orb as a crucial artifact was now in the wrong hands. An enormous mistake that caused suffering to innocent people.

He passed Cullen and Josephine, nodding quietly in a greeting before walking past the tent where the woman, who had suffered the most of all of them and yet survived the unthinkable, was still resting.

They had found Ineri’tara in the early morning hours further uphill. Even though she remained conscious, she was nearly frozen and badly bruised, so Cullen had carried her in his arms and rushed all the way to the healers with her. Cullen was a strong commander but, in this moment, Solas knew, he was torn between fear and relief. He and Cassandra had searched the area around the borders of their camp together with two soldiers in tow as soon as the camp was erected. When they had finally found Ineri, the people had whispered prayers and quickly made way for her. In her sacrifice for them, she had become holy. She wasn’t just a Herald anymore the people saw her as a symbol of resistance and hope. Furthermore, she still was in possession of the anchor. Corypheus was not able to obtain the power from her. Solas lingered on the back of her tent and exhaled into the night air, watching his breath form white clouds before disappearing. He should be simply relieved. His closest ally had survived against all odds. They could continue to form a plan, to research more about Corypheus. Afterall, she held the key to be able to turn the tide in their favour. “Pointless in this state,” he whispered to himself and stared back at the tent walls.

In the previous hours before Ineri was found, he had tried to meditate and connect with the Fade and the spirits to find her. But his concentration had wavered, as the grief over her kept overwhelming him. He couldn't shake it off, so he surrendered to the pain and self-loathing and sat down by the fire with Blackwall and Varric. They had been silent for what felt like an eternity since their reluctant return to safety.

Solas vividly remembered the fight for the ground of the last trebuchet. The twisted monstrosities of the former templars were closing in like waves around them. They had to take turns in aiming the trebuchet. Two always on the lookout for incoming attacks, the third stood close to the one turning the heavy wheel. He remembered when he was suddenly cornered by several templars and one demon-like monster. His barrier had failed due to exhausted Mana, and he had to take some punches into his guts. His hands trembled as he was trying to open a healing vial on his belt, when he saw another incoming blow, he knew he couldn’t dodge out of the way, so he just closed his eyes and braised himself for it. But the blow never came. Instead, he felt the tingle of a barrier enclosing him and as he opened his eyes, Ineri stood next to him, shielding them both and firing a serious flash fire onto to the offender. She quickly checked if he was alright on his own and hurled away again to help Blackwall. She was a force of nature during the darkest hour the Inquisition had seen. Then the dragon destroyed their hope and separated him from her. Solas tried to call out to her, to no avail. She was trapped like a mouse in a cage and all he could do was watch, as Corypheus took the stage. In possession of a power, he should have never been able to wield. Solas was frozen in pure shock until Blackwall had finally pulled him away. In that moment, Solas knew he had lost a friend.

As Solas entered the tent of some wounded chantry members he saw Cole among them. This young man behaved strangely. From time to time, he seemed to be out of focus or completely gone and suddenly somewhere else.

“I am here to help. I am Cole,”, he said repeatedly as he neared himself to another wounded one next to Solas. He spoke other words incoherently and seemingly not directed at anyone. At most he described feelings of pain, suffering and destruction and then described memories of beauty and hope as he moved on to the next person on the ground.

A driving purpose, Solas thought. A spirit of compassion. To help? But why was he physical? Then Solas thought about his own purpose. The past months his sole driving force to help the Inquisition and specifically Ineri with her powers was his sense of duty and the ever-bitter feeling of regret towards his people. To finally make it right. After she and the fragment of power in her seemed lost, it turned into worry and helplessness until that moment of relief. But his purpose? It seemed lost to him.

A sudden commotion in the camp made him pause in his thoughts. Someone was singing and the song collected more and more voices around him. Slowly he wandered back towards Ineri’s tent and saw her standing outside in confusion, surrounded by a singing crowd next to Mother Giselle. A swelling choir of voices, united in song.

“She shivers but not from the cold. Her skin prickles of warmth in her heart. She is still unsure, that she really helped. But she did. She is calming the voices of despair inside of them. She sees their faces, she feels their pain as it would be her own. It’s tormenting her and lifting her. It’s driving her on. But she needs help to become wiser, too. She longs for clarity.”

Cole’s voice was so close to Solas’ ear, that he flinched for a moment and turned around quickly but could not see him. As he looked back into the tent, Cole was bending over Chancellor Roderick, comforting him in his last moments.

As the song ended, Solas quickly walked over to Ineri. “A word,” he said briefly and guided her to the outskirts of the camp, out of earshot from everyone and lit up a nearby torch with veil fire. “The humas have not raised one of our people so high for ages beyond counting. Her faith is hard-one, Lethallin, worthy of pride… safe one detail. The threat Corypheus wields? The orb he carried? It is ours. Corypheus used the orb to open the Breach. Unlocking it must have caused the explosion that destroyed the Conclave. We must find out how he survived.” Solas’ face grew dark. “And we must prepare for their reaction, when they learn the orb is of our people.”

Ineri paled and sucked breath through her teeth. “Alright, what is it? And how do you know about it?”

“Such things were foci, said to channel power from our gods. Some were dedicated to specific members of our pantheon. All that remain are references in ruins and faint visions of memory in the Fade, echoes of a dead empire. But however Corypheus came to it, the orb is Elven, and with it, he threatens the heart of human faith.”

Ineri sighed out. “So even if we manage to defeat Corypheus, they will blame us eventually.”

Solas nodded. “I suspect you are correct. It is unfortunate, but we must be above suspicion to be seen as valued allies. Faith of you is shaping this moment, but it needs room to grow.” And with that he wandered slowly away from the fire and gazed upon the night sky.

Ineri walked next to him. “What shall I do?”

Solas averted his gaze from the stars and looked into her eyes. It was as if they reflected the starlight back. A beacon of hope shining back at him. He smiled gently. “The attack on the Inquisition has changed it. Changed you. Scout to the north. Be their guide. There is a place that waits for a force to hold it. There is a place where the Inquisition can build and grow.”

It took little convincing for the rest of the Inquisition to follow Ineri into the unknown territory through the mountain pass. Solas knew, she needed the strength and faith of her companions and followers to stand a chance. He hoped she would be up to the new task, and he could carry out his original plan on a new scale. And with no less pride he watched her determined as always and focused on the path, as an army marched behind them, ready to make history with her.

However, a new feeling gnawed inside his chest as well. It came unbidden in the quiet hours, it was sweet and painful at once. Devotion.